In League, but with the Taiwan Server System

The young woman looked up, and the instant she saw who had arrived, surprise and worry appeared on her face at once.

"Chen Ce? What happened to you? Are your injuries serious?" She hurried forward to support him.

His body and clothes were covered in blood. The moment she touched him, she got blood all over herself too, but she did not care.

Compared to a warrior's life, what was a single piece of clothing worth?

"Slowly..."

Irelia helped Chen Ce to a seat, then anxiously undid his clothes.

But just as she was about to scold him for coming to her instead of seeking out the medical team after getting injured, she suddenly saw a large patch of scabbed wounds.

These wounds were all very... "fresh." They looked as though they had been inflicted only recently, yet red granulation tissue had already grown over them...

"This...?" Irelia was momentarily unable to make sense of the situation.

"I realized something when I was on the verge of death..." Chen Ce saw her confusion and immediately explained, "I recovered from my injuries through 'Meditation'... I'm just a little weak now..."

Although Irelia did not quite understand why Meditation could heal injuries, she was more concerned about her warrior than such matters.

"I remember you're the captain of the Second Legion's Seventh Squad... I received word this afternoon that you were surrounded by a large Noxian force. How did things go?"

"We... were wiped out." Chen Ce sighed softly. "I hurried here to report this matter..."

He spent ten minutes roughly recounting the tragic battle.

After listening, Irelia revealed a grief-stricken expression.

"Wiped out... Are you the only survivor?"

"Yes..."

"..."

Irelia fell silent for a while. Deep sorrow filled those sapphire-like, clear and bright eyes.

After a moment, she gently patted Chen Ce on the shoulder.

"It's good that you came back... I'll avenge all of you. Go back and get some proper rest first."

She knew Chen Ce, and she also knew that he had not survived by becoming a deserter. She would never say something as foolish as, "Why did everyone else die while you lived?"

Over the two years since Chen Ce had joined the Resistance Army, he had often come to spar with her. Even after being beaten black and blue every time, he would always grin through bloodied lips and say he would return next time.

He was a strong warrior, a determined martial artist, and a dutiful squad captain.

She thought rather highly of him.

"Don't overthink it. Your health comes first."

"Mm." Chen Ce nodded. He truly needed some time to rest and tend to his not-yet-fully-healed body. He also needed some time to study the new system of that shameless Tencent Server System—the Taiwan Server System.

But just as he was about to stand and leave, Irelia suddenly called out to him again.

"Wait, there's one more thing..."

"What is it?" Chen Ce stopped.

"It concerns some rather confidential matters." Irelia apologetically gestured for him to sit back down. "You've already sacrificed too much for the Resistance Army, for Ionia. I believe you have the right to know about these things."

"It's my duty." Chen Ce sat down again.

"Your perseverance and humility are what I admire most about you." Irelia looked at him with appreciation before continuing.

"First, I need to tell you about tomorrow—Karma will be arriving in Placidium tomorrow, and we will receive her in the headquarters hall. Her wisdom and spirit are what the Resistance Army needs most."

"Originally, I only intended to bring a few Resistance Army legion commanders, but now... I believe I must invite you as well. Of course, if you still feel unwell tomorrow, make sure you rest properly. Don't force yourself."

"Second, tomorrow we will discuss with Karma the Noxian Legion's encirclement of Seventh Squad—I suspect that among us, there is... a traitor. I will not let your sacrifices be in vain."

"Lastly, I intend to promote you—this is what you deserve, Chen Ce."

After saying that, Irelia slowly walked before Chen Ce and performed a very traditional Ionian hand-kissing salute.

Chen Ce could smell the delicate fragrance drifting from the young woman, and he could also feel the warm moisture against the back of his hand.

He returned the gesture with a forceful Ionian Resistance Army salute.

At that very moment, the Taiwan Server System's pleasant notification sounded in his mind once again.

[Interaction system with Hero [Blade Dancer Irelia] has been activated. Actively increase interaction points to obtain chest rewards (no key required).]

[Current interaction points: 31]

[Chest acquisition progress: 31/50; 31/100]

[Note: Interaction points can be gained through various means, including but not limited to: favorability, hostility, friendship, love, and so on. Opposing types of interaction points will cancel each other out. Please pay attention to the type of interaction points.]

[Long-term missions issued.]

[World Mission (I): Assist [Irelia] in achieving the final victory in the war between Ionia and Noxus by any means.]

[Reward: [Random Selectable Skill] *1 (max level); [Random Tier 3 Equipment] *1 (such as Trinity Force, Goredrinker, Hextech Rocketbelt, etc.); unlock [World Mission (II)]]

[Side Mission: Find the traitor who betrayed [Ionian Resistance Army Second Legion Seventh Squad].]

[Reward: [Random Skill] *1 (max level); [Random Tier 2 Equipment] *1 (such as Serrated Dirk, Spectre's Cowl, etc.)]

As the notification faded, Chen Ce raised his head.

He looked at the beautiful and powerful young woman before him, the leader who, at such a young age, had led Placidium, all of Navori Province, and the entire Ionia in resistance against the Noxian invaders.

A relaxed smile appeared on his face as he said sincerely,

"Thank you, Irelia."

Brotherhood, Mimic Baby Is Spicy!

Chen Ce went back and rested for the night, using [Meditation] throughout the night to recover as well.

By the next morning, his injuries had basically healed, and his mental state was more invigorated than on any previous morning.

At the same time, he had finished studying the Taiwan Server System.

This new system was not as complicated as the Tencent Server System, but its actual effects were far more practical—it was simple, clear, efficient, and easy to understand, completely lacking the bloated feel of the Tencent Server System.

All in all, the Taiwan Server System only had a "Mission Section" and an "Interaction Section," directly eliminating the Tencent Server System's various complicated, inefficient, and infuriating mechanics.

Most importantly, opening chests in the Taiwan Server System did not require keys, and missions had no time limits. It would not constantly impose deadlines and reset progress like the Tencent Server System had before. It was incredibly convenient.

All he could say was that Old Ma deserved to die.

"Not bad..."

Chen Ce stood before the mirror and tidied up his appearance slightly. Only after confirming that he looked reasonably presentable did he leave.

He was heading to the Placidium Resistance Army headquarters hall.

Irelia attached great importance to today's meeting, so he could not be as casual as before.

After passing through several solemn camps, Chen Ce soon arrived at the tallest and largest building.

The two guards stationed at the entrance both recognized him as a squad captain. After casually asking a few questions, they let him through.

Upon entering the headquarters hall, he immediately saw several Resistance Army legion commanders already seated and waiting. Irelia, on the other hand, had yet to arrive.

There were four people in the hall at the time.

All of them were commanders of extremely high standing within the Placidium Resistance Army.

Even though Chen Ce had made his footsteps as quiet as possible, the four legion commanders noticed him at once.

They also recognized him—the young man who often challenged the leader to sparring matches, only to be beaten black and blue every time.

"How did you get in?" one of the legion commanders asked in surprise. "Don't you know people aren't allowed to casually enter the headquarters hall today?"

"I do, Legion Commander." Chen Ce stopped and answered, his etiquette impeccable. "I was invited by the leader."

"The leader invited you? When? Why weren't we informed?"

"Last night. Perhaps it was too rushed, and the leader did not have time to notify you."

Hearing that, the legion commanders said nothing further. Anyone invited by the leader was naturally no ordinary person, and she surely had her own reasons for doing so. There was no need for them to pry.

Chen Ce silently took a seat in a corner of the hall.

The group waited for a while longer, but Irelia still did not appear.

Finally, one of the legion commanders grew somewhat impatient. "So slow... The leader made us come here early just to sit around and wait?"

"Didn't the leader say she was going to receive Karma?" another legion commander said. "Be patient. This matter cannot be rushed."

"Then she shouldn't have made us come so early." The impatient legion commander—the Third Legion Commander—bluntly placed his feet on the table.

The other three legion commanders could not even be bothered to acknowledge him.

Chen Ce took everything in, and without much thought, he knew why the Third Legion Commander was so disliked.

Because he had become increasingly full of himself.

He was the founder and leader of the Navori Brotherhood. Before joining Irelia's Resistance Army, he had always been a leader in his own right.

However... that was not the reason people disliked him now.

On the contrary, when he had first joined the Resistance Army, he had been extremely respectful toward Irelia. It could even be said that among the legion commanders, he had admired her the most and been her most loyal follower.

He had only become like this recently—he had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Irelia's leadership.

Two years ago, when Irelia severed Swain's arm, he had viewed her as Ionia's "martial leader." He revered her deeply and had even directly led the entire Brotherhood to join her.

But as time passed, he discovered that Irelia's way of solving problems did not align with his own ideals—Irelia was always seeking a more cowardly approach. She called it "peace," but he could not agree.

Over time, his resentment toward Irelia deepened bit by bit. He had even openly opposed her leadership several times, greatly harming the harmony within the Resistance Army.

It was not as though Irelia had never considered removing him from his position, but the vast majority of the Third Legion he led consisted of Brotherhood members. Impeaching him would be equivalent to abandoning the entire Third Legion.

As a result, this Third Legion Commander had become something of an "independent maverick" within the Resistance Army.

Chen Ce did not like him much either.

Not only because of what he was doing now, but also because of what he would do in the future.

As a transmigrator, Chen Ce knew that after the war ended, the Brotherhood would become Ionia's new threat—they would even attempt to assassinate Irelia.

The people in that organization were all too extreme and too violent.

Chen Ce even had reason to suspect that the traitor who had betrayed Seventh Squad was hiding within the Brotherhood...

Of course, suspicion was only suspicion. He did not possess any substantive evidence.

He withdrew his gaze, not intending to get involved in the conflicts between the legion commanders.

Until...

The Third Legion Commander looked directly at him.

"Chen Ce... Your name is Chen Ce, right?" The Third Legion Commander's lazy, arrogant manner made him look like nothing more than a street thug. "I know you—you're that squad captain who often challenges the leader to spar and gets beaten black and blue every time, right?"

"Mm." Chen Ce nodded frankly.

"You're from the Second Legion's Seventh Squad?"

"Yes."

"I heard yesterday that your squad was wiped out by those Noxian bastards. So why are you still alive?"

"I realized something while on the verge of death, and barely managed to escape with my life."

"Oh? Really?" The Third Legion Commander's tone was full of mocking suspicion, as though he were ridiculing Chen Ce as a despicable, cowardly deserter.

Chen Ce frowned in displeasure—he knew this man was venting his frustrations on him, directing his dissatisfaction with Irelia toward him instead.

But before he could mock him in return, the Second Legion Commander beside him stood up first and spoke on his behalf.

"What do you mean by that? Are you saying that the warriors of my Second Legion are deserters?"

"Oh, no, no, no, I never said that." The Third Legion Commander shrugged, the mocking expression on his face unchanged. "I just think some people are too fond of seeking attention in their daily lives... Heh heh."

Chen Ce knew the man was referring to how he usually sought out Irelia for sparring.

Indeed, in many people's eyes, that behavior was simply attention-seeking—trying to get close to Irelia. It was seen as despicable, shameless, and revolting.

But... only Chen Ce himself knew that he was merely doing it to stay alive.