Volume One: Schemes and Intrigue in the Imperial Capital - A Conversation

"How is Al doing now?"

"He's been rescued and is no longer in mortal danger, but the regeneration of his arm will still take some time."

Where's Nicole?

"She was severely frightened, but it shouldn't affect her performance in the subsequent matches."

"Really? That's good..."

Mike Cleon let out a long breath. He, who always prioritized the safety of his subordinates, felt incredibly guilty—after all, he was the one who ordered Nicole to torture the Si Nan Family with the utmost cruelty. But he did it at the behest of the Patriarch. A few days ago, his father had finally revealed the full plan, and even with his strong will, he found it utterly insane and unbelievable. Only now did he finally understand why the Cleon Family had been provoking the Si Nan Family without cause, and why his father wanted the Si Nan Family to suffer a crushing defeat in the clan competition... All of this had its purpose.

However, there is still an uncertainty...

"That Liu Ye, huh...?"

This is what they mean by "a Cheng Yaojin appearing halfway through the journey." He initially thought Liu Ye was just a pretty face, but he never expected her to be so capable... Although the possibility of her ruining the plan is small, the meticulous Mike never allows any uncertainties to exist.

"And so, when I was troubled, you came, Mr. Bao Li."

"Don't be so formal, Master Mike. I'm just a gofer." Haoyue's personal bodyguard, Bao Li Cleon, smiled wryly, inwardly complaining about why the family insisted on sending him.

"Just to be on the safe side, we should ask if the Si Nan Family has noticed anything."

"Don't worry, the Shielding Device's always on." Bao Li waved the stick in his hand.

"Alright, let's skip the formalities and get down to business," Mike said seriously. "I don't want Liu Ye to continue living."

That's really getting straight to the point— Bao Li thought, but having gotten used to Haoyue's company, he had a good liking for straightforward people.

"You feel the same way, and so do some of our family's leaders. None of them want Miss Haoyue to be overshadowed by someone else. We've reached a consensus on this."

"That's great! Then the action plan will be..."

Half an hour later, Bao Li rubbed his head and quietly left Mike's residence. While feeling relieved to have completed one task, he began to worry about the next one.

Why would the Tartaglia Family, who previously made a big show of marrying Haoyue to the next Patriarch of the Si Nan Family, collude with the Cleon Family? The reason is simple.

By chance, the Tartaglia Family became the middleman for the Cleon Family to purchase the Shielding Device. From then on, the Tartaglia Family became a typical two-faced family. On the surface, they sided with the Si Nan Family Cleon Family. Their plan was very clear: if the Cleon Family failed, they would still form a marriage alliance with the Si Nan Family; if they succeeded, they would definitely get a lot of benefits from the Cleon Family.

This behavior is practically playing with fire, Bao Li thought, but as a low-ranking official, he couldn't voice any objections. His only task was to keep Haoyue from knowing about the deal with the Cleon Family, lest something go wrong.

Central Park

Feeling frustrated, I secretly went out to clear my head. To prevent the Si Nan Family from knowing my location through the compass, I broke the taboo and left the compass at the main family's residence.

After that, Rui Xin was rushed away for treatment and is currently undergoing surgery at her home to reattach her severed arm. After the emergency treatment, her condition has finally stabilized.

What I find hard to accept is that, logically speaking, when I rushed into the ring, my first priority should have been to rescue Rui Xin, but instead, I prioritized venting my anger...

What's more troublesome is my strength...

Indeed, I held back in the previous two matches. Whether it was Sam Cleon or Xiuchun Fang, I could have easily defeated them if I wanted to. But Elder Hong and Si Nan Yuan didn't want me to reveal my true strength too early. Their desire for me to make a name for myself was secondary; their main concern was that I would attract the attention of other forces, thus bringing trouble upon myself.

Until the clan competition ends, I'll probably have to stay obediently at the Si Nan Main Family and won't be able to go out, so I took advantage of Si Nan Yuan's busy schedule to sneak out and enjoy some last moments of freedom.

"Ah, I've finally found you!"

Suddenly, a white figure appeared before me, with flawless beauty, a perfect figure, and a pristine white cheongsam—it was—

"Haoyue? What are you doing here?"

"I snuck out just like you, because I wanted to talk to you. But I didn't expect to find you so quickly. It must be fate."

"Want to talk?"

"Yes, don't stand, sit down." As she spoke, she naturally took my hand and led me to a bench by the path.

Wipe it.

She took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the dust off the bench. The handkerchief was white with black patterns and made of high-quality material; it must have been kept close to her body. Standing next to her, I could clearly smell the intoxicating fragrance emanating from the handkerchief—it was Haoyue's natural scent.

"Please."

"Ah, thank you..."

I gently sat down at one end of the bench. Was it just my imagination? I felt as if the bench was filled with her fragrance, making my face flush and my heart race.

"Heave-ho~"

Haoyue made a cute sound and plopped down next to me. Her actions didn't seem like those of a rich heiress at all; she seemed more like an innocent and carefree girl next door. Even though there was plenty of space on the bench, she sat almost right next to me. Her warm and soft body was so close that I didn't know where to look.

"Then, Haoyue, what advice do you have for me?"

"Asking 'What advice do you have for me?' is too formal. Seeing you looking so downcast, I'm a little worried."

"Actually, it's nothing much, it's just... you see, causing such a commotion is bound to bring some trouble."

"Trouble? Are you talking about me?"

"No, no, no, don't misunderstand, I meant... uh..."

"Haha, I was just kidding. Of course I know you're not referring to me. Sorry."

"Hey... never mind, anyway, I wonder when the Cleon Family will make their move on me. It's really unpleasant to be targeted—" I shrugged and complained.

"--And this way, the Si Nan Family will have an even stronger reason to control you more closely," Hao Yue suddenly interjected.

"... What did you say?"

"Isn't that right? What you're really worried about isn't your own safety, is it?" Haoyue still had that faint smile, but there seemed to be something else in her smile.

"Birds that nest in trees are part of the tree, but if they get tired of it, they can leave whenever they want," she paused, "However, leaves on a tree cannot leave until they wither and fall."

"... Haoyue, I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean..."

It's a lie.

As soon as Haoyue finished speaking, I immediately understood what she was trying to say.

But I don't want to admit it.

To be precise, it's that they dare not admit it.

She gave me a deep look.

"Don't lie to me, Xiao Ye. Of course you understand what I mean, just like I understand you."

"Understand me? Where does your confidence come from?" My tone was tinged with annoyance, but to my surprise, my emotions remained calm. Far from being truly angry, I even felt a little... excited?

"From the moment I first saw you, I had this feeling. If there is anyone in this world who can be my 'friend,' it is probably you." Haoyue moved even closer to me, so close that we could kiss if she turned her head slightly.

"... I have plenty of friends, you're just one more."

"Is that really so?" Haoyue's laughter gradually turned into a mixture of mockery and pity. "In all your years, have you ever truly considered anyone a friend?"

"Varied--!"

My brain buzzed, my chest tightened, and even my vision blurred, as if I'd been hit in the face with a heavy hammer. What did she say? She didn't truly consider someone a friend? Impossible! Because Si Nan Ying, Rui Xin, Si Nan Yuan, Si Nan Xiao, and my classmates and roommates from Earth—weren't they all my friends? When Rui Xin was seriously injured, I was furious for her, I even went berserk for her! Whether I truly considered them friends or not, of course... of course...

Of course I... what?

If everything Haoyue said is wrong,

Why should I still waver like this?

I don't understand.

No, it's not that I don't understand, it's that I'm afraid to.

Haoyue's words forced me to confront the deepest part of my own heart that I had never dared to face.

We are forced to confront those unfillable voids once again...

The moment I saw you, I felt like I wasn't looking at a person, but at a mirror, the reflection of which perfectly overlapped with yours. Yet I understood that you are not me, and I am not you, like two rivers flowing from the same source. We are both contradictory beings, yearning for warmth yet fleeing from it, yearning for freedom yet fleeing from it, swaying between the two ends of a scale. If I had to describe people like us in one word, it would be—

Half-baked. Smack!

"Ugh--!"

With a crisp sound, Haoyue tumbled out and landed heavily on the ground. Her snow-white cheongsam was covered in dust, and a red handprint appeared on her right cheek.

It wasn't until then that I realized what had happened.

I slapped her.

His body reacted as if by reflex, just to stop her from saying anything more.

The moment I realized it, a wave of regret washed over me.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" I quickly went over to help her up. It was strange; with her skills, dodging that slap should have been easy, but she didn't dodge or avoid it at all.

"It's alright, it's alright, I just went a little too far with my joke." Haoyue stood up gracefully, brushed the dirt off her clothes, and for some reason, there was no displeasure on her face, but instead her smile became even brighter.

"That's all for today, goodbye! Looking forward to our battle—after all, sometimes, fighting is a more effective way to communicate than words~"

"Ah, uh... goodbye."

Watching her departing figure, I fell into deep thought.

Is combat a more effective form of communication than language?

Haoyue walked briskly, humming a song, looking somewhat lightheaded.

"La la~ Hmph~ La la la~~"

I'm in a very good mood.

The handprint on my cheek throbbed with pain.

Each pain was accompanied by a sweet pleasure.

My genitals became wet, and a warm, sticky liquid overflowed from the edge of my underwear, clinging to my thighs.

"I never expected being slapped by my crush to be so arousing. Could I have the potential to be a masochist?"

It seems a rather ominous attribute has been awakened. This is terrible, terribly terrible.

"La~ Hmph hmph hmph~ La la la la la~~~"

The soft humming gradually turned into a loud singing, a completely nonsensical melody with hardly any lyrics. Haoyue was actually not very good at music, which bothered her a bit, but she couldn't think of any other way to express her joy besides singing.

The most beautiful woman in the capital was singing off-key and looking dazed as she skipped and hopped down the street. It would be very bad if someone saw her, so she had to hurry back.

Xiao Ye, every day since I met you has been full of new experiences.

What happiness and surprises will you bring me tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that?

I'm really looking forward to it.

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The next few chapters will be a mini-climax~