The Taiwan Server System in the League

Especially for someone like Samira, who holds a certain level of influence in Noxus, they would never leave her alive—in all likelihood, they would torture and kill her on the spot.

Even if I specifically had Irelia instruct the members of the Brotherhood to keep Samira alive... the outcome would still be uncertain.

Because Samira knows things—things regarding this highly irrational operation.

The traitor lurking within the Resistance Army would never let her reach the interrogation room alive.

Chen Ce didn't believe his own strength and track record were enough to attract the attention of the Noxian high command, so Samira coming for his head must have been under someone's orders—and that person was likely the traitor hidden within the Resistance Army.

As for the motive...

Way of the Wanderer, Yasuo, chemical weapons.

Someone doesn't want me to find Yasuo, which would result in the chemical weapons becoming useless.

And the only ones who know about this are a few Legion Commanders...

Based on current intelligence, the prime suspect is the leader of the Brotherhood—the Third Legion Commander, Glick.

If Samira were to fall into his hands, she would likely be poisoned in secret, and no member of the Resistance Army would care about the death of an enemy; they would only applaud it.

Therefore... I still cannot send Samira to the Resistance Army for the time being.

Keeping her alive still has its uses.

The most direct use is to "open a treasure chest."

If Samira dies, her interaction level will come to an end, and that treasure chest, which is only a small amount of interaction away, will be lost.

The second purpose is to make her my "double agent."

"I've suddenly changed my mind."

Chen Ce loosened his hands, and the rope that had been wrapped around Samira's wrists but not yet tightened immediately slid off.

"I've decided to let you go."

"Huh?" Samira was stunned for a moment, then a look of suspicion appeared on her face—she didn't believe the Resistance fighter before her would let her go.

But what Chen Ce said next forced her to believe this fact amidst her boundless rage:

"I want you to help me investigate the person who commissioned you to kill me. As for the reward... I won't go looking for trouble with Indali."

"Are you threatening me?" Samira glared, her eyes wide with fury.

"Yes, a naked threat." Chen Ce nodded calmly. "If you don't complete the commission for me, I will go and kill Indali—but I won't kill you, heh."

"...You animal!"

Driven by desperation and rage, Samira attacked—she even forgot that she was no match for Chen Ce.

Thud!

In a single exchange, she was ruthlessly pinned to the ground by Chen Ce, her neck gripped tightly by his powerful hand.

"Watch your attitude, Miss Samira." A sunny smile graced Chen Ce's face, though his arm was gradually applying more pressure. "I am merely giving you a taste of your own medicine."

"..." Samira found it increasingly difficult to breathe.

Just before she was about to pass out from oxygen deprivation, the hand finally released her. "Cough... cough, cough..."

"Call me a devil or an animal, it doesn't matter. Regardless, I will only give you one chance to choose."

Chen Ce lightly brushed the dust off his clothes, displaying the arrogance and contempt exclusive to a victor to the fullest extent.

"Agree to me, and both you and Indali can live well; refuse me, and for the next few decades, you will be visiting Indali's grave every year."

"I will intentionally keep you alive, letting you wallow in self-reproach and guilt every day—you could have saved your benefactor, but you chose another selfish path. It was you who caused Indali's death."

"You will hate me forever, then train day after day, eventually standing before me with even greater strength... only to be knocked down by me once again. Just like crushing a bug."

"How about it?"

"..." Looking at that increasingly pathological smile, Samira was truly panicked.

And Chen Ce's performance continued.

"A weakling like you isn't even worthy of being killed by me." He gently pinched her chin, lifting her lowered face. "Do you hate me? You despicable invader... hate me, then. Use your remaining, lowly life to hate me."

"Foolish weakling, if you want to kill me, then harbor resentment and curses, and live on in ugliness. Keep running and hiding just to stay alive... live forever in hatred and fear of me..." Itachi's classic lines came in handy at this moment.

"...Devil!" Samira's molars were chattering.

Seeing this, Chen Ce knew his goal had been achieved.

And the system notification sound chimed right on cue:

[Hero [Samira] Desire to Win +20, current interaction level 27]

[Hero [Samira] Resentment +30, current interaction level 42]

Hm? It's still not 50 even after all that?

Chen Ce was somewhat surprised.

It was at this moment that Samira finally spoke: "I... I agree...! I will help you investigate the person who commissioned me... I hope you keep your promise...!"

She dragged her battered body up with difficulty and quickly retreated.

"If you dare touch a single hair on Indali... I will kill you, even if it costs me my life...!"

"Fine." Chen Ce shrugged indifferently, his eyes filled with mockery and disdain.

Samira cast one final glare at him, her figure gradually vanishing into the jungle.

Chen Ce did not pursue her.

Although it was a pity to be only eight points away from opening the treasure chest, there had to be a limit to everything—if he pushed Samira too far and she decided to go down fighting, it would be counterproductive.

In any case, her resentment toward him would only deepen over time; even if he did nothing further, he would likely hit the fifty-point interaction threshold eventually.

Thinking this, Chen Ce turned around calmly, preparing to deal with the Noxus soldiers who were either dead or wounded.

But the moment he turned back, he saw countless pairs of eyes... staring intently at him.

They weren't enemies; they were, in a sense, allies.

They were the villagers who had come out to help, only to find the battle already over.

They had witnessed the entire scene of "if you don't do as I say, I'll kill your captain and humiliate you."

One could only say... it didn't look like acting, and it wasn't acting.

The little girl who had been terrified by Samira earlier snuggled up to her mother and whispered cautiously:

"Big brother, you're so perverted, I love it..."

"..." This time, it was Chen Ce's turn to be silent.

With the Noxus squad wiped out by Chen Ce alone, the village became a hive of activity.

Chen Ce was responsible for writing letters to the nearby Resistance Army camp to call for reinforcements, while the villagers were in charge of tying up the surviving Noxus soldiers and tossing them into the pigpens to be guarded; everyone had their own tasks to attend to.

Precisely because of this, no one noticed a slight movement in the woods outside the village.

It was the direction in which Samira had fled, but the person making the noise was not Samira—

First, a fluffy white tail emerged from the leaves.

Immediately after...

Eight more identical, large tails appeared.

"So hungry... so fragrant..."

Chapter 23: Let's Discuss the True Meaning of Life with the Nine-Tailed Fox

The innkeeper had never imagined that a random guest he served would turn out to be a hero of the Resistance—that young man named Chen Ce. He was powerful, humble, and polite, and had even saved the entire village.

If not for his help, perhaps this village would have been burned down by those Noxus scumbags, and the villagers would have been...

Too terrifying... The innkeeper dared not think further, turning his gaze toward the delicacies on the table.

There were desserts, wine, stewed meat... these delicacies that everyone rarely dared to eat on ordinary days were now all to be sent to that hero.

Everyone was willing. This was a small token of their appreciation.

The innkeeper picked up a large tray laden with over a dozen dishes, preparing to deliver them to Chen Ce, who was upstairs writing letters.

But the moment he turned, a stranger suddenly appeared at the entrance of the hall.

The person was backlit, making it impossible to see her face, but one could still tell from her silhouette that it was a woman.

To be precise, a woman with an incredibly good figure.

To be even more precise... a Vastaya woman with many tails and an incredibly good figure.

"Are you looking for a room?" the innkeeper greeted her warmly, though he did not set down the tray. "Or would you like something to eat? Um... could you wait for me for a moment? I need to deliver these things upstairs, it won't take long."

The Vastaya woman standing at the door shook her head and took a step forward.

The sunlight no longer fell from behind her, but slanted across her profile.

She had a pair of furry pointed ears that looked a bit like cat ears, or perhaps... fox ears? But if they were fox ears, Ionia had likely never seen a Vastaya of this race before.

Beneath those ears was her flawless, beautiful face... skin as white as snow, a constant blush on her cheeks, and exquisitely delicate features... She had a pair of amber eyes, not deep, yet as clear as the lake water in Rainbow Scourge Valley, making one unable to help but fall for her at a single glance.

She was too beautiful.

The innkeeper had seen countless beautiful female guests in his life, but he had never seen a woman beautiful to this degree... as if she were the Creator's most perfect masterpiece.

"A room... I am not staying." She parted her crimson lips, her gentle and melodious voice refreshing to all who heard it. "I am here to find someone."

"Find someone? Who?" The innkeeper even subconsciously averted his gaze, not daring to look too long.

"To find... Chen Ce, that seems to be the name." The Vastaya woman extended a slender, fair finger and gently rested it against her exquisitely delicate chin. "Could you take me to him?"

"Chen Ce? You are also looking for that great hero? That is fine, but... he is busy right now, could you wait a moment?" The innkeeper remembered Chen Ce saying before he started writing that he did not want to be disturbed by anyone.

"It will not take much of his time."

"Uh... could you just wait a little longer?"

"But I do not want to wait. I am hungry."

"Hungry? Then I shall prepare some food for you."

"No, you do not understand..." The Vastaya woman shook her head and took another half-step forward.

She stared directly at the innkeeper.

The bewildered innkeeper looked up, only to be met by her impossibly beautiful eyes.

The next moment, everything around him began to spin.

The innkeeper felt the world turn upside down.

He could perceive nothing else, save for that gentle, melodious voice lingering in his ears:

"Take me to Chen Ce, and then... you will say exactly what I tell you to say."

"Sincerely... best wishes... done."

In a corner room on the second floor of the inn, Chen Ce had finally finished writing the letter to the Resistance Army—tucked inside the envelope was a token of the Resistance Army to verify his identity.

With that done, he began to pack his things, preparing to depart.

The Noxus soldiers were all injured, and having been shackled by the villagers and tossed into the pigsty, with guards rotating on twenty-four-hour shifts, the probability of an accident was virtually zero—unless someone of Samira's super-agent caliber was involved, a "miraculous prison break" was essentially impossible.

Well, even if Samira were here, it was unlikely she could escape.

Reality wasn't a movie; there would be no heaven-defying feats like chains left loose or picking iron locks with a toothpick.

One could only say that if the chains didn't strangle you to death, you were lucky.

"Next stop... hmm... this way."

As Chen Ce packed the items on the table, he drew a circle on the map, deciding on his route forward.

But the moment he finished packing his luggage, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.

The innkeeper's slightly weak voice followed: "Lord Chen Ce, someone is here to see you..."