Chapter 105: How Sad?
Xie Qiang sat up, drenched in sweat. After realizing her body was only slightly fatigued and there was nothing else amiss, she breathed a small sigh of relief.
It seemed sleeping in a tent was the cause of her current aches and pains.
She rubbed her temples. “So, why are the two of you here?”
Hong Que replied without so much as a blush or a skip in his heartbeat, “A cunning Zerg tried to sneak into your tent last night. I discovered it, and to ensure your safety, I had no choice but to stay close and protect you.”
Mo Yin glanced at Hong Que.
“And you?” Xie Qiang turned to Mo Yin, offering a soft, gentle smile. “Mo Yin, you wouldn’t lie to me, right?”
Mo Yin nodded obediently. “I am… the Zerg that sneaked into the tent.”
Hong Que: …
Xie Qiang burst out laughing. She couldn’t help but lean over to pinch Mo Yin’s soft cheeks, her eyes sparkling with delight. “How can you be so cute?”
Seeing her blatant favoritism, Hong Queâs face darkened. “Why donât you ask him why he crawled into your bed!”
“Because Mo Yin said he likes me. He also said he likes watching me sleep.” Xie Qiang blinked her feline eyes and pulled Mo Yinâs head into her arms, admitting it openly. “I really enjoy Mo Yinâs company, too.”
“Then I alsoâ” Hong Que started instinctively, then quickly clamped his mouth shut. Seeing Xie Qiang tilt her head with a questioning look, he scratched his hair and sat up, blustering, “Then I like watching you sleep too, alright!”
“…” Xie Qiangâs gaze swept over Hong Queâs bare chest. That complex look in her eyes said everything.
Hong Queâs gaze drifted shiftily as he said defensively, “I-I only did it because I was afraid youâd be cold! Besides, itâs not like we havenât been like this before. What are you being so prissy for!”
She was being prissy?
Xie Qiang crossed her arms and looked at him lazily. “Since youâre not being prissy, why donât you strip completely naked right in front of me?”
Hong Que choked, instinctively clutching his waistband. “Are you a pervert?! Why would I strip completely naked!”
Xie Qiang rested her chin on her hand, her tone innocent yet puzzled. “Itâs not like we havenât been like this before. What are you being so prissy for?”
Hong Que: …
The Great Vermillion Birdâs entire upper body turned beet red, whether from shame or embarrassment. After stuttering incoherently for a moment, he dropped a “I can’t be bothered to argue with you” and scrambled into his combat suit, fleeing the tent in a panic.
“Hmph, what a fuss.” Xie Qiang withdrew her gaze with a hint of regret. “I thought heâd actually have the guts to do it.”
To be honest, she really liked Hong Queâs body. That nearly perfect physique was exactly her type.
Every muscle was precisely situated where it should be, with sharp, clean lines and no redundant mass. As a medical student, encountering such a textbook-level muscle groupâone that perfectly met anatomical standardsâwould make anyone stop and admire it.
It was likely the same feeling an art student had when encountering a model with immense artistic value; once they saw it, they simply couldn’t look away.
Come to think of it, marrying Hong Que seemed to have its perks?
For instance, she could observe and differentiate the functions of various muscle groups up close and more intuitively…
Xie Qiang suddenly felt a bit of anticipation.
…
After the starship was repaired, the group resumed their journey back to the Imperial Capital. Following a flight of over half a month, they finally arrived.
Standing by the starshipâs window, Xie Qiang lowered her gaze, taking in the entirety of the bustling Imperial Capital.
Everywhere were towering skyscrapers in a distinct interstellar style. Several silver maglev tracks were built in the sky, with hovering trains speeding past. On the ground, pedestrians wore casual clothes with a metallic sheen, their sleeves or collars embedded with micro-lightbrains, expertly navigating online shopping and entertainment.
It was a world away from the cruel bloodshed and sacrifice of the combat zones. The nobles of the Imperial Capital clearly lived very comfortably. They didn’t need to worry about Zerg invasions, nor did they have to pay the price of death by mania. They only needed to stay in the prosperous and safe capital to enjoy an extremely privileged life.
Among these noble families, there were plenty of A-class Sentinels and even S-class Sentinel combatants.
They occupied this capital city, eyeing one another warily and competing for ownership of undeveloped planetary resources to expand their family influence.
In short: while the external threat of the Zerg remained unresolved, the nobles were busy with internal interests.
In the novel, after the female lead returned to the palace with the female antagonist, she began trying to persuade the nobles to send troops to support the various combat zones, wipe out the Zerg as quickly as possible, and resolve the external threat.
Naturally, the female lead hit many walls, but… a mysterious person within the palace reached out to help. Not only did they assist the female lead in making this happen, but they also helped her expose the female antagonistâs tyrannical actions in the Third Combat Zone to the media.
Xie Qiang hadn’t had the chance to read the plot beyond that.
Her gaze swept over the majestic Imperial City standing tall in the center of the capital. Her slender fingers toyed with her hair until Mo Yinâs tall figure was reflected in the glass window. Only then did her expression soften, and she looked up with a sweet smile. “Mo Yin, weâre back at the palace.”
The young man in black lowered his head, wrapping his arms around her waist. He rubbed his head gently against hers and said in a muffled voice, “Don’t want… to separate.”
“You don’t want to go home?” Xie Qiang tilted her head, puzzled.
“Home… is dark.”
The arms around her waist slowly tightened, subtly seeking the girlâs reassurance to stay. Xie Qiang blinked and then nodded gently.
“Alright. It just so happens I want you to stay, too.”
Inside the palace, there were still many mysteries waiting for her, such as the First Prince who had no memories, and… the mysterious person standing in opposition to the female antagonist.
She needed Mo Yinâs protection.
Thinking of this, Xie Qiang lowered her eyes slightly, her gaze sweeping over her silent lightbrain.
Still no messages…
The starship landed outside the palace. Just as Xie Qiang stepped off the ship, she saw a white figure pouncing toward her.
She instinctively stepped back, and an unsheathed longsword appeared before her. Mo Yin shielded her in his arms, using the Zhulang Sword to firmly block the intruder.
“Imperial Sister!”
The other personâs voice was filled with sorrow. “What are you doing? You were out training for three years, and now youâve grown distant from your Imperial Brother?”
Xie Qiang looked up.
As soon as the other personâs face entered her vision, a sharp pain shot through her head. Fortunately, it only lasted a few seconds. She took a light breath, steadied herself, and examined the First Prince’s appearance.
Thin eyebrows, pale lips, a slender noseâhe bore a thirty percent resemblance to her, but his features were more gentle and refined. His magnificent white courtly princeâs attire lent him an extra touch of royal elegance.
At the moment, he wore an expression of tearful heartbreak, his eyes full of disappointment and accusation over his sisterâs change of heart. “You even blacklisted your Imperial Brother. Do you know how sad I was?”
“Oh? How sad?” Xie Qiang blinked her large, watery eyes and asked with great curiosity, “Tell me about it.”
Xie Kongâs movement to wipe his tears paused. “…?”
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