That "Shāng Jiǔlí," I suspect she's one of His Majesty's people. Although I'm reluctant to give her an official title, I must still respect His Majesty's face." Lù Chén's gaze remained fixed on Qiáo Sōng's face, afraid of missing even the slightest expression.
"Is that so~" Qiáo Sōng paused, then said, "I think Squad Leader is quite suitable. Although her rank is promoted, she doesn't actually have much real power."
"That's what I'm thinking too. But who knows if she has other connections? What if she has something with His Majesty? If I promote her too little, it won't be good." Lù Chén was still probing.
"No, how could that be?" Qiáo Sōng was very sure.
After speaking, Qiáo Sōng realized he might have said something wrong.
"Why are you so sure?" Lù Chén showed a suspicious expression, secretly delighted in his heart that Qiáo Sōng indeed knew some inside scoop.
"I just, I feel she's not that kind of person," Qiáo Sōng explained.
"Can anything be judged subjectively?" Lù Chén's expression turned grim. Qiáo Sōng knew Lù Chén was unhappy now. His emotions were always unpredictable, but if Lù Chén were truly angry, he might not be reused. He had finally reached this position and gained Lù Chén's trust; how could he let his previous efforts be in vain over such a small matter?
"I have a basis for it," Qiáo Sōng had to tell them all the excuses he and Nán Yè had agreed upon, "It was Nán Yè. Nán Yè entrusted me to look after "Shāng Jiǔlí" at the time, saying she was his distant cousin."
"Distant cousin?" Lù Chén murmured, not indicating whether he believed it or not. "So she's Nán Yè's relative. Then I'm not afraid. Giving her a Squad Leader position is already too much."
Hearing Lù Chén say this, Qiáo Sōng guessed he probably believed him.
First Legion's Honor 06
"You too, why didn't you tell me earlier that "Shāng Jiǔlí" is Nán Yè's distant cousin?" Lù Chén waved his hand. "You can go now. Don't mention what we discussed today to anyone else."
"Okay." After Qiáo Sōng replied, he left. Distant cousin? Lù Chén didn't think Nán Yè would specifically instruct Qiáo Sōng to look after his distant cousin. It now seemed that "Shāng Jiǔlí" must have another identity, but regardless, it probably had nothing to do with Chéng Yǎn. With this thought, Lù Chén felt relieved.
Qiáo Sōng walked out of the conference room and let out a long sigh. Lù Chén was indeed the Deputy Commander to Commander Sū back then; the oppressive aura, the skill of extracting information, it was truly remarkable. He almost couldn't bear it.
He quickly left that place of trouble.
Soon, the day of the award ceremony arrived. Chéng Yǎn also accepted the invitation and came to the ceremony. This kind of event didn't have many flashy procedures; it was simply for Lù Chén and a few others to present awards and then it would be over, at most, they would give a few words of encouragement during the presentation.
As for promotions, they would naturally be announced after the awards.
For this award, Xíng Kèliǔ and Shāng Jiǔlí both received first prize. Lù Chén and Chéng Yǎn naturally had to present awards to these two. Lù Chén personally saw Chéng Yǎn choose Shāng Jiǔlí between the two. Not only that, but Chéng Yǎn also leaned closer to Shāng Jiǔlí and said something. However, due to the overwhelming applause from the audience, Lù Chén didn't hear what he said.
The award ceremony soon ended. Lù Chén went on stage to announce the specific rewards for the meritorious individuals, and then everyone began to leave in an orderly fashion. However, the most discussed topic was the First Legion's decision to promote Shāng Jiǔlí. Although her mission was completed very well, there was no precedent for someone to be directly promoted from Squad member to Squad Leader after completing only one mission.
This promotion for Shāng Jiǔlí was truly unprecedented.
This promotion was not expected even by Sū Xiǎo herself, let alone others. She recalled what Chéng Yǎn had said to her on stage, and her eyebrows furrowed into a deep frown.
After the event concluded, Sū Xiǎo came to her squad's training room and sent her location to Chéng Yǎn. Within two to three minutes, Chéng Yǎn arrived at the training room where Sū Xiǎo was.
"Miss Shāng, long time no see," Chéng Yǎn greeted Sū Xiǎo.
Sū Xiǎo bowed and then asked, "May I know why His Majesty is looking for me?"
Chéng Yǎn stopped Sū Xiǎo from bowing, "There's no need to be so formal between us."
"Your Majesty, rites must not be neglected," Sū Xiǎo's words and actions were so proper that not a single fault could be found.
Seeing her persistence, Chéng Yǎn didn't say more. He said to Sū Xiǎo, "The mission I entrusted to you, you completed it very well."
Sū Xiǎo's expression remained unchanged, "Your Majesty, I don't know what you are talking about." The mission Chéng Yǎn had given Sū Xiǎo was to infiltrate the high-level ranks of the First Legion, preferably to directly replace Lù Chén and become the Commander of the First Legion.
Sū Xiǎo had never told Chéng Yǎn that she was willing to complete this mission, or in other words, Sū Xiǎo had never considered being tied to Chéng Yǎn and working for him.
Chéng Yǎn might have thought she was an immature young girl, so he never concealed his ambitions in front of her. For an emperor, ambition is a good thing, but if that ambition is placed in the wrong areas, it becomes a disaster.
First Legion's Honor 07
Chéng Yǎn's ambition lay in his desire to take the First Legion for himself; he wanted to make the First Legion an entity like the Royal Fleet.
In fact, the First Legion already belonged to Chéng Yǎn, but for some unknown reason, perhaps a simple craving for power, Chéng Yǎn didn't trust the loyalty of the First Legion. He wanted to become the "puppet commander" who controlled the First Legion, helping him control it.
Sū Xiǎo did not want to become a pawn in Chéng Yǎn's hands, so she never considered working for Chéng Yǎn.
"What do you mean?" Chéng Yǎn's expression was very unsightly. He had never expected Sū Xiǎo to say such a thing.
"Exactly what it means. Since I could achieve good results in this mission, you should be able to guess that I am not an immature person. Don't think that the benefits you promised can tempt me." Sū Xiǎo's attitude was firm. She didn't mind falling out with Chéng Yǎn. Based on Chéng Yǎn's current actions, Sū Xiǎo even suspected that Chéng Yǎn might have some connection to her ending up on Liming Star.
Therefore, why would he expect Sū Xiǎo to have a good attitude towards someone who might have harmed her?
She had previously asked Nán Yè about his attitude towards Chéng Yǎn. Nán Yè told her that Chéng Yǎn handled official matters well, but he was too obsessed with power. However, Nán Yè was now on Chéng Yǎn's sinking ship, and he didn't want Sū Xiǎo to follow suit, especially since Sū Xiǎo was the former commander of the First Legion. The implications were clear.
Chéng Yǎn's expression was very grim. He seemed not to have expected Sū Xiǎo to refuse him. But he wouldn't do anything to Sū Xiǎo at this moment; it would be too ungraceful.
He gritted his teeth savagely and, after a long while, flicked his sleeves and left.
After Chéng Yǎn left, Sū Xiǎo looked towards a corner: "Your Excellency has been watching the play from the corner for a long time. I wonder if today's performance met your satisfaction?"
Lù Chén and Xíng Kèliǔ didn't expect Sū Xiǎo to be so perceptive. The two of them walked out from the corner together.
"As expected of the Squad Leader I promoted, not only is she capable, but she also has great courage when refusing His Majesty," Lù Chén said with a smile.
"Commander, Captain Xíng," Sū Xiǎo greeted the two of them. "May I ask if you are satisfied with what you just saw?"
"Naturally, we are extremely satisfied." Lù Chén didn't know if she had genuinely rejected Chéng Yǎn, but he had to admit that seeing Chéng Yǎn's frustrated look, unable to do anything to Shāng Jiǔlí despite his dislike, made him incredibly satisfied.
"I really didn't expect the Commander and the second-in-command of the First Legion to have a habit of eavesdropping, and not even a very skillful one at that," Sū Xiǎo said with a smile, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
Xíng Kèliǔ was somewhat embarrassed, but Lù Chén was clearly thicker-skinned. "What can we do? I was just too curious about what kind of entanglement exists between my Squad Leader and His Majesty."
"Now that you know? If you know, please leave," Sū Xiǎo curtly ordered them to leave.
"Then we shall take our leave." Lù Chén led Xíng Kèliǔ out of the training room.
Sū Xiǎo watched the two of them leave and after a while, she also left the training room. She had finally gotten a few days of vacation and wanted to go back to Azure to visit.
"Why didn't you open the surveillance in the main training room at that time?" Xíng Kèliǔ asked.
Homecoming Temptation 01
"How can surveillance be as clear as watching it live?" Lù Chén retorted, unwilling to admit he hadn't thought of that; it would damage his old fox persona too much.
Xíng Kèliǔ nodded as if he understood. Lù Chén immediately changed the subject, "Do you think this Shāng Jiǔlí truly rejected His Majesty?"
"It seems so," Xíng Kèliǔ was a rough man and couldn't understand their intricate dealings.
"Whether she did or not, I hope she did. I can guarantee that this Shāng Jiǔlí is definitely a genius at leading troops. She possesses a demeanor similar to the Commander's," Lù Chén said.
"A demeanor similar to the Commander's?" Xíng Kèliǔ understood that Lù Chén was referring to Sū Xiǎo. "What kind of demeanor is that?"
"It's a demeanor of facing danger fearlessly and strategizing as if everything is under control, as if nothing can make her frown or be unable to resolve it," Lù Chén summarized after thinking.
Xíng Kèliǔ thought about it and realized it was true. No wonder he always felt that this Shāng Jiǔlí gave him a very familiar feeling.
Sū Xiǎo naturally didn't know about their conversation. She was already on the spaceship back to Azure. To surprise her family, Sū Xiǎo hadn't told anyone.
The spaceship flew along its predetermined route and soon arrived at the port of Azure. Sū Xiǎo returned home following her memory.
As she pressed the doorbell, Sū Xiǎo finally felt she was truly home.
When Bái Zé heard the doorbell and opened the door, he saw Sū Xiǎo standing outside and was both surprised and delighted. "Xiao Xiao, you're back! I'll go find the master right away." Bái Zé opened the door for Sū Xiǎo and then made a communication call to find Shāng Níng.
Shāng Níng was in a meeting and couldn't get away, but she instructed Bái Zé to prepare a welcome banquet for Sū Xiǎo and said she would be home as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Nán Yè also learned of Sū Xiǎo's return and rushed to Sū Xiǎo's home.
"Qiáo Sōng just told me you were back." Nán Yè didn't intend to hide his relationship with Qiáo Sōng from Sū Xiǎo.
"I didn't tell anyone else; I wanted to give you all a surprise," Sū Xiǎo explained.
"Qiáo Sōng also said that Lù Chén already knows about our relationship. Has he caused you any trouble?"
Sū Xiǎo thought for a moment before understanding that Nán Yè was referring to their "distant cousin" relationship. "No, not really." At least Sū Xiǎo herself didn't feel it.
Nán Yè nodded. Although he was at odds with Lù Chén now, he had to admit that Lù Chén wouldn't transfer his anger. Therefore, there was no need to worry about Lù Chén making things difficult for Sū Xiǎo.
As they were talking, Shāng Níng also returned, with Sū Jiāyán by her side.
Shāng Níng and Sū Jiāyán both saw Nán Yè. Shāng Níng smiled and greeted Nán Yè, but Sū Jiāyán's expression was not good. After all, everyone knew that Nán Yè was here to take away their beautiful, kind, and generous daughter. After raising their daughter for so many years, seeing her about to be snatched away by Nán Yè, it was no wonder Sū Jiāyán looked unhappy.
Shāng Níng noticed Sū Jiāyán's unhappy expression and secretly nudged him. Sū Jiāyán felt even more wronged, not expecting his wife to side with that brat Nán Yè. He couldn't stay in this house.
Sū Jiāyán had actually wronged Shāng Níng. She was also reluctant to part with her daughter, but Nán Yè was a guest at their house now. Furthermore, during the years Sū Xiǎo was missing, Shāng Níng and Sū Jiāyán couldn't personally search for Sū Xiǎo and could only arrange for subordinates to do so.
Homecoming Temptation 02
But Nán Yè not only searched but also did so unreservedly, finally finding Sū Xiǎo. Shāng Níng and the others should always remember this kindness. How could they not give him a good reception when he visited?
Seeing Shāng Níng return, Bái Zé began serving the dishes. He personally cooked all the dishes today, and their aroma was sure to travel for miles.
"This is wonderful. Today, thanks to our Xiao Xiao, I get to eat dishes personally made by Uncle Bái Zé," Nán Yè said with a smile, looking at the spread.
Sū Jiāyán was about to question why Nán Yè was calling Sū Xiǎo so intimately, but the next second he was glared at by Shāng Níng. Sū Jiāyán felt wronged but helpless and could only drop the matter.
The few of them took their seats at the dining table. Just then, Fēng Líng returned with her son Bái Nuò. "You're back! We were waiting for you," Shāng Níng said to Fēng Líng. "Nuò Nuò, long time no see."
Bái Nuò smiled slightly, "It has been a long time. My project just ended, and I heard Sister Xiao Xiao was back, so I rushed back from the laboratory." Bái Nuò and his mother Fēng Líng work in the same research institute, but in different fields.
"Brother Bái Nuò," Nán Yè also greeted Bái Nuò. Bái Nuò, Nán Yè, and Sū Xiǎo were of significantly different ages. Basicly, when Sū Xiǎo and the others were just starting school, Bái Nuò had already started working. However, when Sū Xiǎo and the others were young, their parents didn't have time to take care of them, so Bái Nuò would play with them. Over time, their relationship became very good.
However, the amnesiac Sū Xiǎo knew nothing at this time. Bái Nuò didn't get angry when she didn't respond to him. Fēng Líng had already told him everything. Sū Xiǎo currently had amnesia, and under these circumstances, how could Bái Nuò blame his dearest sister?
"Xiao Xiao, my name is Bái Nuò, son of Aunt Fēng Líng and Uncle Bái Zé," Bái Nuò went to greet Sū Xiǎo.
"Brother Bái Nuò," Sū Xiǎo called him following Nán Yè's address. She and Nán Yè were roughly the same age, so following his lead would generally not be wrong. Although this person in front of her looked younger than Sū Xiǎo.
However, the age of their race could not be judged by appearance. This was an experience Sū Xiǎo gained from interacting with Shāng Níng and the others.
"Alright, since everyone is here, let's sit down and eat," Bái Zé placed the last dish on the table and invited everyone who was still standing to sit down.
Shāng Níng was the first to sit down. Seeing Shāng Níng seated, everyone else also took their seats. "It's truly been a long time since we all sat together at this table," Shāng Níng said with emotion.
Indeed, ever since Sū Xiǎo disappeared, everyone had fallen into a slump, immersing themselves in work and the search for Sū Xiǎo every day. They hadn't gathered together in a long time.
But now Sū Xiǎo was found. Although she had lost her memory, at least she was sitting in front of them alive and well. This was already a good outcome.
The meal was very enjoyable for everyone. Nán Yè had few opportunities to eat Bái Zé's home-cooked meals. He couldn't stop praising Bái Zé's culinary skills and was engrossed in eating.
As for Sū Xiǎo, she had always eaten meals prepared by robots at home. Although the robots imitated Bái Zé's cooking, food made by hand was still much tastier than that made by machines.
Homecoming Temptation 03
After the meal, cleaning the table was naturally left to the robots. They all left the table to attend to their own matters.
It was time for Nán Yè to go home. He said goodbye to Sū Xiǎo and left her home.
Sū Xiǎo also realized that her current abilities were insufficient, so she entered the underground chamber again.
Upon re-entering the Secret Realm, the scene before Sū Xiǎo was completely different from her previous visit. However, what remained the same was that the environment this time was also very harsh. It was a rainforest, and the air was filled with humidity. Not only that, but in this muggy environment, even breathing became difficult. Just like last time, Sū Xiǎo used her Spiritual Power to shield herself, isolating her from the humid and stuffy air.
"Welcome back to the Illusion. I am Illusion System 100086. This time, the illusion is a tropical rainforest, and the duration is one month within the illusion. The illusion will enter accelerated mode. We look forward to you achieving good results in the illusion."
100086 could control the time flow within the illusion, so even if she stayed in the illusion for a month, only a day might pass outside. However, this time 100086 did not issue any other tasks. This situation instead indicated that the current task was unusually difficult, and merely surviving would be extremely challenging.
After 100086 finished speaking, it disappeared, leaving Sū Xiǎo alone in place.
This looked like an undeveloped rainforest. Sū Xiǎo saw no traces of human presence, only the faint sounds of unspecified creatures moving about.
Sū Xiǎo observed her surroundings, deeply aware that she probably wouldn't get a single good night's sleep for the next month.
Sū Xiǎo's premonition was not wrong. The harshness of the rainforest environment was such that a normal person could not survive. Not to mention the hidden tigers, leopards, jackals, and wolves, the toxic miasma from decaying corpses in the air alone was enough to claim a person's life.
Sū Xiǎo carefully enveloped herself entirely with Spiritual Power. This miasma had strong corrosive effects, so Sū Xiǎo had to continuously output Spiritual Power to ensure the miasma wouldn't penetrate her protective shield.
The sun rose continuously and soon reached its zenith overhead. This was not the hottest part of the day in the rainforest, but the temperature was already extremely high. Sū Xiǎo could even feel the moisture contained in the damp soil beneath her feet constantly evaporating. Water vapor gathered in the sky, forming clouds. These clouds blocked some of the sunlight, but they did not lower the temperature. The weather was still very hot.
Sū Xiǎo thought that if she weren't protected by Spiritual Power, her body's moisture would have probably already evaporated. At this moment, the advantage of the Divine Race became apparent: Spiritual Power could indeed deal with most unfavorable environments and enhance one's ability to adapt.
Rain soon descended upon this land. However, even with the heavy downpour, Sū Xiǎo didn't feel much of a temperature drop, but the humidity in the air clearly increased.
Sū Xiǎo marveled at the Secret Realm. In just one day, it made her experience all sorts of harshness of the rainforest environment.
Moreover, Sū Xiǎo had a premonition that 100086's methods were definitely not limited to this, and other challenges would await her later.
The only fortunate thing was that the Spiritual Power here was much purer than outside. Sū Xiǎo felt like a water tank that was both filling up and leaking at the same time, which was inefficient but necessary.