Si Lian grit her teeth and remained silent.
“Don’t be in such a hurry; you have plenty of time to think,” Emperor Jing said calmly.
“You are fortunate enough to watch this exciting Shenzhou Cup Resurrection Match with me… I have added some interesting extra programs to this match, and I hope your team members enjoy them.”
“Shameless coward!” Si Lian glared at Emperor Jing with fury. “Is this how an Emperor acts?”
“I’m afraid you have a misunderstanding of what the word ‘Emperor’ means.” Emperor Jing was entirely unbothered.
On the contrary, he seemed to appreciate the sight of Si Lian’s helpless agony. “I never need to follow anyone’s rules because… I am the only one qualified to make them.”
Despair filled Si Lian’s heart as she collapsed weakly into the snow.
The youthful faces of the Bagpipe Squad members, who were often ignorant of the vastness of Heaven and Earth, kept flashing before her eyes—
She saw Jie Shui, drunk and standing on a table while shouting grand, heroic words.
She saw the tragic sight of Lin Gang secretly dragging Gan Ruanruan into an alley to ambush someone who had insulted the team, only to be pummeled themselves, eventually sneaking back to the hotel with bruised faces and keeping quiet.
She saw A Miao’s face, exhausted like a fool but smiling while hugging a pillow at night, after he had secretly cut himself into more than 200 pieces to deliver takeout because their funds were low.
And then there was that little rascal—clearly adorable, yet somehow looking so incredibly punchable in the eyes of their enemies.
Si Lian’s body trembled as tears welled up and spilled over.
“Your struggles are meaningless,” Emperor Jing said, his back turned to her as if he were simply stating an eternal, established truth.
“This is your fate. It is the fate of the Demon Race.”
Jiang Ke’er finally figured out why Si Lian had left in such a hurry, as if she were saying goodbye, but any attempt to stop her was far too late now.
When she saw the light from the formation sky-rocketing from the direction of the Palace of Myriad Fragrances before vanishing instantly, she understood that everything was already set in stone.
As dawn began to break, the members of the Bagpipe Squad ended their meditation and gathered together.
However, they didn’t see the figure that usually sat at the table early in the morning, drinking tea and waiting for them.
Instead, they found Jiang Ke’er. She was holding the tobacco pipe Si Lian had left behind, smoking it while being choked by the fumes, tears streaming down her face as she coughed repeatedly.
Jie Shui sat down at the table, his gaze constantly flickering toward Si Lian’s usual spot.
He shifted restlessly in his seat, seemingly unable to sit still.
“Where did Auntie Lian go? I’ve gotten used to seeing her sitting here with a sour face every day for the last half a year. It feels a bit weird not seeing her suddenly,” Jie Shui whispered.
“Aunt Si Lian…” Jiang Ke’er paused for a moment.
“She had an emergency and had to return to Beiju Luzhou. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be in charge of the tactical planning for the next few days.”
“Leaving at a time like this?” The Little Demons were all shocked. They couldn’t understand why Si Lian would suddenly disappear.
The match was about to begin, so leaving now was clearly inappropriate. Not only did it increase the pressure on the Bagpipe Squad for the upcoming games, but it also… felt a bit like she was deserting them.
Of course, they all knew that if anyone were to desert, it wouldn’t be Si Lian. They were all too aware of her thirst for victory.
That was her life.
“Don’t overthink it. Just focus on preparing for the match. Once we win, she’ll come back.”
The only way Jiang Ke’er could think of to save Si Lian was to win a magnificent victory.
She was going to play a massive game of chess.
“What could be so important? Where exactly did Auntie Lian go?” The Little Demons realized the situation was abnormally ridiculous. “And why is your voice so hoarse?”
“It’s probably… from the smoking. I’ll be fine after some rest,” Jiang Ke’er said calmly, still refusing to reveal anything.
“Alright, don’t waste time asking these questions. Start preparing.”
“Does smoking make your voice go hoarse that fast?” Jie Shui continued to pry like an idiot.
“But Qing Yi, you’re usually so thick-skinned. You don’t seem like the type to get so stressed and worried that you’d get sick like this. Not even an Immortal could trouble you…”
“If you say one more word, you won’t eat a single meal I cook for the next ten years.”
“I was wrong.” Jie Shui quickly shut his mouth.
Jiang Ke’er put away the tobacco pipe—the thing was useless now; it was just an excuse to cover for her hoarse voice.
She didn’t know why her voice was hoarse either. She had simply woken up that morning feeling her throat was incredibly dry, and the moment she spoke, her voice came out raspy.
According to her own diagnosis, it was likely due to excessive liver fire and Qi stagnation caused by spiritual energy congestion.
To put it simply, it was caused by worry.
The things she had witnessed last night had been too much of a shock…
Since she couldn’t recover immediately, she used Si Lian’s abandoned pipe to pretend she was smoking as a cover.
At a time like this, stabilizing the army’s morale was the priority.
She couldn’t show any weakness or let them realize she was actually terrified… and she certainly couldn’t lose her momentum in front of the enemy.
“Our battle plan is simple,” Jiang Ke’er said. She didn’t have a tactical planning book in her hand; instead, she simply spread her palms with confidence and determination.
“These plans might be hard for you to understand, but please trust me and give your all to training according to my plan over the next few days.”
“What plan?”
Jiang Ke’er beckoned with her hand, signaling the other four members to lean in.
Then, she whispered.
“Every member of the Bagpipe Squad will change their class to Magic Cultivator.”
“?!”
‘What kind of ridiculous plan is this? Have you lost your mind?’
Though they didn’t say it out loud, the other four members clearly had those exact expressions on their faces.
“Go to the market first and buy some common basic Magic Cultivator technique books and object-control books. I have other things to attend to.”
“Are you… sure?” Even Gan Ruanruan, who had always trusted Jiang Ke’er, looked troubled.
“I’m sure. Go, hurry up,” Jiang Ke’er said, waving them off.
The four Little Demons stood up slowly.
They looked back with every step, hesitating as they walked out of the hotel, waiting for Jiang Ke’er to say she had changed her mind.
But Jiang Ke’er didn’t.
After the four of them left, Jiang Ke’er dialed a contact she hadn’t spoken to in a long time.
“Li Lao’er, help me.”
[How can I help?]
“Start some rumors.”
[Then you’ve found the right person.]
“Start the rumors among the Human Clan, not the Demons. Can you do it?” Jiang Ke’er asked with a doubtful look.
[Are you trying to goad me? Heh, I’ll fall for it! Whether I can do it or not, just wait and see!]
“Good. Spread a rumor saying that Emperor Jing is scared and is a sore loser.”
[Easy. Is that the only one?]
“That’s the only one. Alright, you can get to work now. Goodbye, tool man.”
Jiang Ke’er heartlessly hung up the call and drew the communication rune for another target on the Messenger Stone.
But before she dialed, she hesitated for a long time.
If she asked that person for a favor, she would likely be fleeced for all she was worth.
However, that person had a duty to help with this matter.
Jiang Ke’er dialed the connection.
[If this is about Si Lian, don’t even open your mouth.]
The person on the other end spoke first, catching Jiang Ke’er off guard.
The other party actually knew about Si Lian’s situation already.
“How deep must the grudge be for you to ignore her life and death?” Jiang Ke’er could not understand.
Click.
The connection was cut.
The other party’s response was unprecedentedly cold and decisive.
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