Chapter 44: Slap Xun Qing in the Face, the Truth Turns Out to Be…!
There was actually no suspense.
Except for being 0.5 points behind Ai Li in the written exam, and one round lower than Ai Li in the mecha remote shooting, all his other scores were ranked first, so his overall ranking was naturally also first.
And Ai Li’s every score was also in the top ten.
The final ranking was 4th.
“The rightful S5.”
The acting principal of Ares was a retired general, and when he came before everyone, he pat Shen Zhuo’s shoulder with satisfaction.
He gave him a badge representing the Ares Military Academy:
“You have not dishonored your father and your family, you have brought them the supreme glory.”
He then went to stand in front of Ai Li:
“Colonel Jiang has trained you well, your remote shooting score is perfect, I’ve looked at your application, you’ll definitely become an outstanding member of the air combat force.”
“You two may even be able to play a greater role on the battlefield than alphas.”
The acting principal only took responsibility for awarding the Ares badge to the top five, while the other students were handled by the faculty.
After confirming the top fifty, the new batch of Ares students had been produced.
Shen Zhuo glanced at Xun Qing’s score.
It just so happened to be ranked 50th.
Du Xun did not respond to Feng Ming’s transaction, and Feng Ming naturally knew there was a possibility of this.
After all, the essence of that transaction was not to exchange the armory for admission rights.
It was just a probe…
A probe to see if the Commander was willing to ally with the royal family.
So he had already paved the way for his wife in secret.
The loss of money, the insight gained into the Commander’s thoughts, while expensive, was not a total loss.
But just yesterday, Feng Ming learned of an earth-shattering truth.
He had to return to the palace quickly.
After the badge distribution, there were naturally media interviews.
That IP address from the Second Prince’s palace had already been scapegoated onto a beta maid.
That maid was quickly dealt with.
Shen Zhuo guessed this would be the outcome.
But the public were not fools, they could more or less guess the underlying truth.
However, now was not the time to cling to this issue.
He hadn’t forgotten the bet.
Looking back, Feng Ming had already left, leaving the surrounded Xun Qing alone.
He walked up to the media-blocked Xun Qing.
“Have you forgotten something?”
Xun Qing gritted his teeth and said in a low voice:
“I’ll give it to you privately.”
But Shen Zhuo didn’t move, staring at the key around his neck.
“Now.”
Xun Qing instinctively tightened his grip on the key.
“Do you have to be so aggressive?”
Shen Zhuo stared at him.
Tears quickly welled up in the omega’s eyes.
Looking around at the puzzled media, he wailed:
“I’m just in love with Feng gege… We’re already married… Why, why do you have to come and ruin us?”
The area was completely engulfed by the flashing cameras.
Ai Li, who was behind the crowd, saw that and wanted to come and help, but was stopped by the public relations media of some companies who wanted to discuss cooperation.
Shen Zhuo’s face was calm and unruffled.
The young man, with his back to the flashing lights, spoke in a moderate volume, loud enough for all the media to hear.
“I have been engaged to Feng Ming since we were young, and I really want to know how you managed to get so close to him?”
His voice was clear and calm, as if he had already put the matter aside.
In his previous life, after marrying Feng Ming, he would often see Xun Qing, who came to play with him at the Second Prince’s residence.
At that time, he was still as close to Xun Qing as a friend.
There was no resentment at all.
He didn’t know that Xun Qing was actually there to find Feng Ming.
It wasn’t until the end that Shen Zhuo realized that Xun Qing had not spoken a single genuine word to him.
However, now he is grateful to Xun Qing. On this former close friend, he learned how to use the same tactics against him.
Since Xun Qing wanted to talk about this topic so much, he didn’t mind playing along.
Early in the morning, a leaked screenshot of the tender and heartfelt chat of the young master of the Shen family was published.
After the truth was revealed, there was no one left standing on Xun Qing’s side. The media was also buzzing with discussions.
Shen Zhuo looked at him, his expression calm.
The way his hair brushed against the corner of his eye was captured by the people around him. Side-profile shots were taken.
The pupils hidden under the drooping eyelashes were hazy, like wilting petals in spring.
His voice was clearly indifferent, but his eyes couldn’t deceive anyone. He was in pain.
The scales in the hearts of the crowd suddenly tipped.
How could such a beautiful and powerful young man be the one who destroyed someone else’s family?
The media and the students present began to discuss:
“The Second Imperial Consort must have wronged him, wasn’t it him who interfered first? He only got to know the Second Prince later.”
“Suddenly, it feels like the Imperial Consort is a bit of a green tea bitch, what’s going on?”
“Perhaps that screenshot was really made by the Imperial Consort, trying to shift the blame. How hilarious, do they think we are all idiots?”
“Tsk, slandering the young master Shen, and now putting on this act, how shameless.”
“Young master Shen would walk away even if he just bumped into you, how could he possibly destroy your family?”
“Let me say this fairly, young master Shen is an S5 omega, which is unique in the Empire, but there are many A-rank alphas.”
“Omegas at S1 and above can legally have concubines, even if they are married and cheat, it is allowed. If what the Imperial Consort said is true, it might even be acceptable?”
“Wuwu, why didn’t he cheat with me, I’m an A3 too wuwu!”
The voices around did not develop in the direction Xun Qing had expected at all. Some even directly launched into insults.
Shen Zhuo watched as the color drained from Xun Qing’s face. Only his eyes showed deep hatred.
“Shen Zhuo!”
The young man slowly raised his eyes, a faint glint of coldness flashing outside the camera.
Seeing that Xun Qing was only trembling and unable to speak, Shen Zhuo said, “Forget about the past.”
“But…”
Shen Zhuo grasped the necklace with the key to the divine oracle around Xun Qing’s neck.
With a calm voice, he dropped a bombshell:
“Why did you say that you were the commander on the simulation battlefield and the driver of the divine oracle?”
The young man seemed to have no intention of blaming him, he just didn’t understand.
“You couldn’t even connect to the divine oracle.”
The surroundings immediately fell into a deathly silence.
Hiss—
This news was too shocking for them!
If what Shen Zhuo said was true, then…
The reputation of the Second Imperial Consort, Xun Qing, would plummet throughout the Empire.
Xun Qing’s heart suddenly panicked. That was the foundation he had laid for the people’s hearts.
Only this matter, only this matter!
It absolutely cannot be taken away by Shen Zhuo!
“What nonsense are you talking about!” Xun Qing struggled violently, tightly grasping the key: “This was given to me by Her Majesty the Queen, how could I not be able to connect to it?”
Ai Li, from behind the crowd, came forward.
His appearance meant Shen Zhuo didn’t need to speak anymore.
Shen Zhuo silently stepped back, giving Ai Li space.
Time to put on a show, Lizhi.
“Actually, I’m also curious, Your Highness the Queen, how did your A1 gland drive the oracle?”
Ai Li made a pensive expression:
“As far as I know, only S-rank glands can drive S-rank mechas.”
“Why don’t you demonstrate it for everyone here again, Your Highness?”
Perhaps out of sheer terror, it made Xun Qing calm down.
“If you have doubts, you can present evidence. Why should I listen to you?”
Ai Li’s smile widened: “You, are you afraid?”
It must be said, Ai Li’s yin-yang skills were first-class.
After being friends with him for so many years, Shen Zhuo could only learn the superficial aspects.
But Ai Li, his words were impeccable on the surface, but Shen Zhuo could hear the provocative yin-yang undertones.
“Afraid?”
Xun Qing’s expression was resolute, like a delicate white flower battered by the wind, pitiful:
“If you wish to accuse me, you must have sufficient evidence.”
Precisely, Ai Li was the last person to be fooled by this.
“There was no audio-visual record left on the simulation battlefield, so you thought no one would directly admit it, right?”
Xun Qing stared at him, not speaking.
After a long while, he said:
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Then let me quiz you. Such an important event on the simulation battlefield, you must still remember it, right?”
Xun Qing narrowed his eyes: “Of course.”
“Then do you still remember the rally coordinates?”
Xun Qing paused.
He had heard Shen Zhuo call it out before.
Xun Qing thought for a moment: “339, 232.”
“Oh, really?” Ai Li smiled sweetly, “But I remember it was 339, 231.”
Xun Qing’s forehead began to be beaded with fine cold sweat.
He had heard that Ai family’s youngest son, Ai Li, had a photographic memory.
And now Ai Li looked so certain.
He was a bit shaken.
After a moment, Xun Qing coughed and cleared his throat.
“Yes, I misremembered, it’s 339, 231.”
Ai Li suddenly looked a bit surprised.
He put on an apologetic expression: “Are you sure?”
Xun Qing, seeing his reaction, regained much confidence.
“Of course, I was the commander, how could there be a problem?”
“But wasn’t that what you said when you were driving the oracle?”
Ai Li seemed to have found a loophole:
“Command and driving are not synchronized, so even if you were the commander, you were not the oracle pilot, right?”
Xun Qing actually lost consciousness when Shen Zhuo threw him off the mecha.
It was only when the military brought him out that he regained consciousness.
How would he know what Shen Zhuo had said while piloting?
All the cameras around were focused on his face.
He had to say something.
He must say something.
His thoughts were muddled, and cold sweat trickled down his back.
He was a bit unable to analyze Ai Li’s words.
There was a loophole, but…
“Silence? That means it’s true.”
Ai Li didn’t give him time to think:
“Everyone in the media is here, right? The Second Prince Consort has been deceiving…”
“Who said I didn’t! I was the one who said it while piloting the oracle!”
His brain went blank.
The moment he heard the word “deceiving”.
Xun Qing shuddered.
He didn’t even have time to think, he just blurted it out.
Immediately, his pupils contracted sharply.
He saw Shen Zhuo smiling at him across.
And the same expression was on Ai Li’s face as well.
“Alright, now everything is clear.”
Ai Li even performed a noble salute:
“Thank you for your answer, Your Highness the Queen.”
Xun Qing’s vision gradually blurred.
In an instant, his reason completely collapsed.
A trap.
This was their trap!
“But how can you prove it was Shen Zhuo! He has no evidence!”
Xun Qing shouted.
The next second, he reacted.
His heartbeat abruptly stopped, and his whole body went limp.
Shen Zhuo stepped forward at this point, unhurried.
“Ai Li and I didn’t say it was me.”
The young man’s eyes were like black holes, absorbing all of Xun Qing’s much-vaunted composure.
Shen Zhuo spoke in a soft, languid tone:
“So how did you think it was me?”
All of Ai Li’s previous words had been gradually breaking down Xun Qing’s mental defenses.
Just to make Xun Qing, in his panic, turn his spearhead towards him.
As long as Xun Qing called out his name, it would mean –
That everything Xun Qing had initially admitted was stolen from him.
!!
Like a thunderbolt from above, it made Xun Qing’s scalp tingle.
A chilling sense of dread rose up from his spine.
All the media around were eagerly recording his every word and action.
Only two words flashed in Xun Qing’s mind –
It’s over.
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