Upon entering the Papal Palace, Liu Hao's eyes lit up at its lavish interior.
Honestly, in his previous life, he had been nothing more than a workhorse tightening screws in a factory for a few thousand a month. He had never had a chance to see a place this high-class.
Grand and imposing, glittering with gold, carved beams and painted rafters... phrases he had only ever encountered in novels rose unbidden in his mind, one after another.
So the scenes those words described really could exist.
Liu Hao was overwhelmed with emotion. The lives of the rich truly defied imagination.
"Your Holiness, I have brought the unfamiliar esteemed one."
Chrysanthemum Douluo's voice brought Liu Hao back to his senses. His gaze shifted, finally settling on the figure dressed in magnificent purple-and-gold papal robes.
Once he saw her clearly, Liu Hao could not help staring, entranced.
Her brows and eyes looked as though they had been painted, her lips were cinnabar red, and her skin glowed like fine jade. Her figure curved in all the right places, and every movement was dignified and elegant. Her noble, commanding bearing only added to her allure. She truly was an empress of peerless grace.
That damned Yu Xiaogang! What right did he have to win the heart of such a beauty, only to let her down?
Indignation surged through Liu Hao, and he silently made up his mind. From now on, this empress would belong to him alone, body and soul!
System! Simplify the difficulty of winning Bibi Dong over!
Ding! Host request received. Simplifying the process of winning Bibi Dong over... One simplification opportunity consumed. Remaining opportunities: 58. Simplification complete. Methods of winning Bibi Dong over, including possessing a specific personality, specific experiences, exceptional intelligence, developing affection over time, and altering memories, have been simplified to: conversation. Whenever the host converses with Bibi Dong, each exchange will increase affection by 1 point. Maximum affection: 100. Bibi Dong's current affection: 20.
Nice!
Liu Hao was delighted. The damned system never disappointed.
To think Bibi Dong's starting affection was already 20! Didn't that mean I only needed to speak to her eighty times to reach 100?
Hehehe...
Yet just as Liu Hao was lost in fantasies of what would happen once Bibi Dong's affection was maxed out...
Bibi Dong's affection -2. Current affection: 18.
*???*
Liu Hao was dumbfounded. How could her affection go down?
As it turned out, Bibi Dong had seen Liu Hao staring blankly at her without speaking or bowing. She felt he was disrespecting her and was somewhat displeased.
Had she not been wary of the powerful aura Liu Hao had displayed at the entrance, and reluctant to lose such a talent, she would have flown into a rage long ago.
"Your Eminence, why have you not bowed before His Holiness the Pope?"
As one of Bibi Dong's lackeys, Yue Guan naturally noticed her displeasure. He immediately became her mouthpiece and challenged Liu Hao.
"Ahem... I am Liu Hao, a rank-99 Limit Douluo. My Martial Soul is the Azure Nether Staff. My respects, Your Holiness. Your beauty stunned me just now, causing me to momentarily forget my manners. Please forgive me."
Liu Hao gave a dry cough to cover his embarrassment, then bent slightly at the waist in a token bow.
"Mm..."
Bibi Dong gave a slight nod at his words. Her mood improved a little, though she was hardly delighted. After all, she had heard countless compliments about her beauty over the years.
What did shake her was hearing Liu Hao personally declare that he was a rank-99 Limit Douluo.
Rank 99! There were so few such people on the entire continent that one could count them on one hand.
Even she was only rank 94 at present.
Why would a powerhouse like him choose to serve under her?
Could he be coveting my beauty? At that thought, Bibi Dong's heart sank, and the painful memories of what had happened in that secret chamber involuntarily surfaced in her mind.
Her gaze toward Liu Hao grew cold and guarded. In particular, the sight of his ugly face filled her with even greater disgust.
Bibi Dong's affection -10. Current affection: 8.
*???*
Liu Hao was even more bewildered this time. Come on, lady, what did I do? Why was her affection dropping by more each time?
And you, damned system! Didn't you say conversation would increase affection? Didn't I just speak to her? Fucking increase it already! Was this a bug? At this rate, forget winning Bibi Dong over-she'd probably end up hating me!
"Damned host, do you know what a conversation is? It takes give-and-take. You said something, and she just gave a grunt. Does that count as a conversation? How is that any different from talking to yourself?"
*...*
"Oh, and in my boundless mercy, I'll tell you why Bibi Dong's affection dropped twice. The first time, you were so bewitched by her that you looked like a drooling pig and failed to bow or greet her promptly. She thought you had no manners. The second time, your face offended her with its ugliness!"
*...*
You damned system! I'd rather you hadn't shown your boundless mercy and opened your big mouth this time. That really hurt.
Now that Liu Hao knew the truth, his sorrow flowed backward into a river.
Fortunately, he had already used the system to simplify improving his looks. Given a little more time, he would become the universe's ultimate, invincible heartthrob.
"Since you have already reached rank 99, why would you still choose to join Spirit Hall? Could it be that you wish to enter the Worship Hall?"
Bibi Dong's voice suddenly rang out, bringing Liu Hao back to his senses.
Clearly, her powerful spiritual strength had already allowed her to learn what had happened outside the Papal Palace.
Bibi Dong's affection +1. Current affection: 9.
The system's sudden notification delighted Liu Hao and put him completely at ease. As long as affection could rise, a poor first impression was no big deal. There would be plenty of time to talk and build it back up.
"Your Holiness, please rest assured. My purpose is simple. I do not wish to join the Worship Hall and oppose you. I only wish to remain by your side and serve you."
"Oh?"
Bibi Dong narrowed her beautiful eyes, but did not lower her guard. "Why do you wish to follow me?"
Bibi Dong's affection +1. Current affection: 10.
The system's melodious notification sounded again, thrilling Liu Hao. He was another step closer to winning Bibi Dong over, so he decided to stretch the conversation out as much as possible.
"Can't I follow you without a reason?"
"If you are going to show so little sincerity, then please leave. Those with ulterior motives are not welcome here, even if you are a rank-99 Limit Douluo."
Bibi Dong's affection +1. Current affection: 11.
*...*
Liu Hao was momentarily left speechless. As expected of His Holiness the Pope, she refused to waste a single word.
"Fine. The truth is, I want to court you... your disciple, Hu Liena."
Noticing Bibi Dong's increasingly icy gaze, Liu Hao wisely corrected himself in time.
Otherwise, he really feared her affection would drop again.
"Court Hu Liena..."
Bibi Dong's dark brows drew tightly together, and a trace of suspicion flashed in her eyes.
"What does wanting to court her have to do with following me?"
Bibi Dong's affection +1. Current affection: 12.
"Ahem... mainly, I don't want to force her. I want to move her with my sincerity. That's why I want to learn about her through you, so I can prescribe the right medicine and cater to her tastes. If you could put in a few good words for me, that would be even better."
"..."
Bibi Dong fell silent.
On the one hand, she wanted to bring this rank-99 Limit Douluo under her command. On the other, she felt sorry for her disciple. After all, she knew Hu Liena cared a great deal about looks.
If an ugly bastard as powerful as Liu Hao latched onto her, how much would her dear disciple suffer? The mere thought was frightening.
"Then what if she never agrees to accept you?"
Bibi Dong's affection +1. Current affection: 13.
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