8: Chapter 8 Fixed Respawn NPC

"This... according to the reports, it was high-quality silk, and the writing was in cinnabar. It seems it truly wouldn't be easily digested."

Zhuge Jinyu looked thoughtful.

"Exactly!"

Su Chen gave a cold laugh.

"Whose divine warning would be so particular about material and preservation? This was clearly stuffed in by someone!"

"As for the fox demon shouting slogans... you don't need to take that to heart at all."

"Why?"

"It's very simple!"

Su Chen spoke in an explanatory tone.

"First of all, setting aside whether there are actual fox demons who have attained human form in this world..."

"Even if they did exist, their primary task would be finding handsome men or beautiful women to absorb Yin or Yang energy to maintain their transformation, not shouting about who is going to become emperor."

"If such a phenomenon occurs, it means either someone is pulling the strings from behind, or the whole thing is just a complete fake!"

"It's just some idiot who isn't afraid of the stench, huddling in a fox den and using ventriloquism or similar spells to play ghost!"

Zhuge Jinyu was stunned; she had never considered the problem from this perspective.

With Su Chen's guidance, those seemingly eerie and unpredictable events instantly became full of holes.

"And another thing."

Su Chen continued his analysis.

"Why did these things happen now of all times, specifically when Liu Xuan and your family's main forces have all left the capital?"

"It's obvious the target is you and the Crown Prince, aiming to suppress the prestige you've just established."

"The people behind this are either spies from the Great Wei Dynasty, or families within your Great Qian who are dissatisfied with the Imperial family and the Zhuge Family—or perhaps both!"

"Using psychological warfare to create panic, shake the morale of Great Qian's people, and splash dirty water on your Zhuge Family while they're at it."

Zhuge Jinyu's eyes gradually lit up, the confusion and bewilderment in them quickly replaced by excitement and anger.

She suddenly stood up, pacing in the study, then tucked Su Chen away and turned to head out the door.

"Let's go, Mister. We're going to court. I'll immediately inform His Highness to thoroughly investigate the source of the silk script from the vegetable market and send people to root out that fox den where they're playing ghost!"

Su Chen felt a sense of relief, but also a slight hint of disappointment.

Go to court?

I damn well want to "ride the tide" too.

I don't even know how long my crystal fragments have been full.

However, just as she reached the door, she turned back.

She carefully picked up the mirror and held it close to her heart.

A blush crept onto her face.

Like a child who had found a precious treasure, she was checking repeatedly.

"Mister, you won't sleep for that long again, will you? Or rather, you won't leave Jinyu, right?"

"Without you, Mister, Jinyu is a little scared all by herself."

Through the mist, Su Chen felt her quickened heartbeat and faint body heat, and something in his heart was touched once again.

He cleared his throat and said with feigned seriousness.

"As long as you can wipe away all the mist on my mirror surface and see my face, I will never leave you."

"Really, Mister? Don't lie to me."

Ten years. It would take ten years for the mist to dissipate.

By then, she should have become a famous prime minister capable of standing on her own.

Looking at her pretty face brimming with a smile, Su Chen shook his head.

Gacha Solaris really isn't as fun as a Gacha Female Prime Minister.

How could the stiff expressions of game characters compare to her lingering smiles?

...

The next day, at the Great Qian court.

The atmosphere was heavy.

Sitting on the dragon throne was the foolishly happy Crown Prince, Liu Dou.

He was boredly playing with the corner of his robe, completely oblivious to the tense situation below.

But no one actually cared about him.

Everyone understood that the one truly in charge of the court was Zhuge Jinyu, standing below the dais.

Dressed in a simple official robe, her hair as white as snow, though only sixteen years old, she already possessed some of Zhuge Yuan's bearing.

Facing the many old officials and patriarchs of cultivation families in the court, Zhuge Jinyu showed no fear, laying out everything Su Chen had deduced the previous day.

"Absurd!"

Lord Zhang, the Minister of Rites, was so angry his beard trembled.

"Fox demons causing trouble, silk scripts falling from the sky—these are warnings from the heavens! Our Great Qian Immortal Dynasty has lasted over four hundred years precisely because we carry out the will of heaven!"

"Now zhuge Junior Preceptor wants to dismiss it with a single phrase like 'man-made fake'? Do you think the civil and military officials of this court are all three-year-old children?"

This NPC-like speech made Su Chen want to laugh.

The pedantic faction has respawned; what a character.

If heaven's will was so powerful, how did Great Qian get driven into a southwest corner?

Elder Liu of the Qingyang Sect, a cultivation elder in Daoist robes, also gave a cold snort and said disdainfully.

"A yellow-haired girl who brought misfortune to her brother, not knowing the heights of the heavens."

"The secrets of heaven are profound. How can a woman like you, who hasn't received a systematic inheritance, dare to speculate?"

"In my view, the Zhuge Family's Heavenly Secret Arts have declined by your generation!"

Su Chen quickly bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud and whispered instructions to Zhuge Jinyu on how to strike back.

When arguing on Blue Star forums, these kinds of people would be stunned by a barrage of internet buzzwords like 'triggered' and 'classic'.

"Lord Zhang, Elder Liu."

Zhuge Jinyu's voice was cold, neither humble nor arrogant.

"You all keep saying it's the work of demons and that the will of heaven cannot be defied."

"But you are only willing to listen to the flying rumors. You don't even have the courage to go to that fox den at night to investigate, yet you start talking about destiny here."

"Currently, more than half the court has gone with His Majesty to block the enemy."

"Jinyu would like to ask, are you all loyal to Great Qian, or are you more loyal to your own pathetic reputation and your fear of death?"

She paused, mimicking the infuriating tone Su Chen taught her, slightly tilting her head as she looked at Elder Liu, who had been shouting the loudest.

"Especially you, Elder Liu. With your profound cultivation, slaying demons and subduing monsters should be your duty."

"Although I, Jinyu, am a woman, I am willing to personally stay at that fox den tonight. If I can truly capture a demon fox, wouldn't that be a great achievement for me?"

"Elder Liu, you are a male cultivator. What about you? Do you dare? Or rather... do you not dare?"

Zhuge Jinyu pressed her advantage, turning her gaze toward the other civil officials questioning her.

"The civil officials of our dynasty always say 'the Master did not speak of strange phenomena or chaotic spirits.' Why is it that when it comes to questioning me, you start believing in such crude tricks?"

"Could it be that the books of the sages you usually read have been written onto slips of paper and stuffed into a pig's belly?"

Zhuge Jinyu's words were sharp and biting, rebutting the entire court until their faces were red and they were speechless.

Even Crown Prince Liu Dou, though he didn't understand, thought his little teacher's words were interesting and started giggling.

This made those people lose even more face.

Even a fool understood the logic they didn't.

"There is no need for further words. Just assist His Highness and me in investigating the vegetable market incident and capturing the culprit behind this."

"As for the fox den... I will personally go to investigate tonight. You all need not worry."

"Ahem... All evil shall eventually be brought to justice!"

The court session ended on a sour note.

Zhuge Jinyu walked out of the court, tightly clutching Su Chen's mirror body.

"Mister, that last sentence you taught me was so cringe..."

Su Chen: ???

I didn't damn well tell you to actually shout it!

...

After court.

Inside the Qingyang Sect.

Elder Liu returned to his quiet room, his face so dark it could drip ink.

He hid behind a screen and activated a secret communication mirror.

The mirror's surface rippled, revealing a figure shrouded in a black robe.

"Venerable One."

Elder Liu said through gritted teeth.

"That little brat from the Zhuge Family saw through our plan! She even wants to personally investigate the fox den!"

"If she really discovers something, we'll be in big trouble!"

The black-robed figure was silent for a moment before letting out a raspy laugh.

"No matter. Since she wants to seek death, we shall fulfill her wish."

"However, are you sure she will go tonight?"

"She said it herself in the court; there's no mistake!"

"Very well... I will send the two 'Shadow Guards' stationed in Great Qian to 'welcome' her."

"Early-stage Deity Transformation Shadow Guards are more than enough to deal with a Golden Core junior."

"Remember, if this succeeds, the Great Wei Dynasty will not forget your contribution."

"Thank you, Venerable One!"

Elder Liu nodded slightly, appearing somewhat nervous.

He was now tied to this rogue helicopter, and the pilot was damn well Zobayan.

If he were discovered by mistake, it would truly be a Lao Da vertical takeoff—and then a crash.

Seemingly sensing Elder Liu's worry, the black-robed figure chuckled.

"Little Liu, there's no need to worry."

"Even if she discovers our plan, Zhuge Jinyu and the Liu Imperial Family of Great Qian are likely finished anyway."

"According to news from the secret guards, that God of War from the Great Hao Dynasty is already on his way to White Emperor City. The old Great Qian Emperor likely won't make it back to the capital alive."

"If the old Emperor truly dies, then whether Zhuge Jinyu chooses to usurp the throne herself or support that Liu Dou, it will be a dead end!"

...