Chapter 129 - 87: I Still Like Your Rebellious Side (4)

Chapter 129: Chapter 87: I Still Like Your Rebellious Side (4)

When Zhang Delv uttered the two words "brilliant plan," he practically spat them from between his clenched teeth.

He gave Zhao Ci a perfunctory salute, then flicked his sleeves and stormed off.

On the city wall.

Zhao Yong was stunned numb. He felt a little dizzy. He had considered many possible outcomes, but never this one.

This... this was too absurd.

He’d thought an old fox like Zhang Delv was guaranteed to win.

He never expected such a total defeat.

’This Zhao Ci... just where did he get his intelligence? How was his information so precise?’

To be honest.

When Zhao Ci raised his spear, it wasn’t just Zhang Delv who was startled—even he had been scared.

’Outrageous!’

’Zhao Ci had pulled it off again.’

’Not only did he avoid offending the Junior Officials of the Northern Three Prefectures, but he even earned a favor from them.’

’The man is just ridiculous!’

Zhao Yong cursed under his breath, but his emotions quickly stabilized.

’Zhang Delv lost.’

’But I, Zhao Yong, haven’t lost!’

’In a few days, Zhao Ci is a dead man.’

’I am the only winner!’

Zhao Yong took a deep breath and turned to leave the city wall, but then he spotted a familiar figure in the distance, stumbling toward him.

"M-Miss Luotang?"

’Why is she in such a sorry state?’

’And where did all this blood come from?’

’Bah! Those scoundrels from the Northern Three Prefectures really don’t know any better! To even lay a hand on a woman!’

Zhao Yong grew anxious and hastily leaped down from the city wall, preparing to go and meet her.

Meanwhile.

Kan Luotang’s anxiety had reached a breaking point.

’The crowd has dispersed!’

’Why has the crowd dispersed?’

’Have the pills all been handed out?’

She panicked.

The regret and self-blame she had been suppressing for so long threatened to overwhelm her.

’I’m suddenly disgusted with myself. I’m always quoting sayings like "Just do good deeds, don’t ask about the future" and "Act with integrity, never mind being shrewd for self-preservation," but in the end, I still avoided Zhao Ci at every turn, terrified of being dragged down with him.’

’If only I hadn’t been so melodramatic, so stupid.’

’Things might not have ended up like this!’

’But what can I do now...’

’Zhao Ci!’

’I see Zhao Ci!’

’But the pills have already been distributed. It won’t be easy to get them back, and it’s sure to cause him a lot of trouble.’

’But I have to tell him!’

Before opening the Physical Body Divine Treasure, a person was still of mortal flesh, their foot speed no match for a horse.

After running for hours on end, Kan Luotang felt her body was on the verge of collapse, but she forced herself to keep going, using her last bit of strength to sprint toward Zhao Ci.

"Your Highness, Tenth Prince!"

"Huh?"

Zhao Ci paused. The voice was familiar, but the person wasn’t.

He stared at the person before him for a long time, only recognizing Kan Luotang when he saw the text that appeared in his vision.

[Kan Luotang’s Current Wish]: For Zhao Ci to not be deceived or tricked, and to not just go along with the mistake. Wish Completion Reward: Insight +1000, Heavenly Concealment Talisman x1.

’Holy shit!’

’Is this really the proper young lady I remember?’

’Both of her sleeves were gone, her clothes were covered in blackened bloodstains, and she reeked of stale blood.’

’What has she been doing these past few days? Did she kill someone and then go into hiding as a beggar?’

"Miss Luotang, you’re..."

"The roster! There’s a problem with the roster! Your Highness, you have to get the pills back, quickly!"

Kan Luotang was gasping for breath, looking completely distraught, her voice on the verge of tears.

Zhao Ci grinned and pointed at Huang Duzhe, who was packing up the medicine chests not far away. "Don’t worry!" he said with a smile. "I haven’t given out a single pill that shouldn’t have been!"

Kan Luotang: "...Huh?"

She was utterly confused, as if her brain had overloaded.

Even though many in Lingge called her a talented young lady, her seventeen short years of life experience were nowhere near enough to analyze the situation before her.

’What was going on? Zhao Ci hadn’t been deceived; he had even seen through their scheme. And instead of compromising, he had upheld his promise and held out until she arrived.’

’But... was he really not afraid of offending the officials of the Northern Three Prefectures?’

For a moment, her eyes grew hot.

Zhao Ci added with a smile, "I discovered the problem with the roster. No pills have been given out by mistake!"

Kan Luotang: "!!!"

[Notification]: Wish fulfilled. Reward granted: Insight +1000, Heavenly Concealment Talisman x1.

[Heavenly Concealment Talisman]: Use on a target to greatly reduce their presence for twenty-four hours. Dealing damage to another person will end the effect prematurely.

’Huh?’

’A peeping Divine Artifact?’

’Why is every one of these rewards more degenerate than the last!’

Suddenly, Kan Luotang felt herself enveloped by an unreal sense of bliss.

Although she couldn’t figure out how Zhao Ci had done it.

But she was willing to simply believe.

*Pfft!*

She couldn’t help but laugh out loud. The sudden, unfounded joy shattered the dam holding back her emotions, and the self-blame, regret, and sorrow that had been building up all day came flooding out.

She had only just started laughing when she felt the urge to cry.

Uncontrollably, tears streamed down her face.

She threw herself into Zhao Ci’s arms, a mess of tears and laughter.

"You idiot!"

Zhao Ci was confused too. ’The last time we met, she was so prim and proper. Why is she throwing herself into my arms and taking advantage of me now?’

He never expected that his first embrace with his nominal fiancée would be like this.

Smelly.

Covered in blood.

Not beautiful at all.

But seeing her sobbing like this, he really couldn’t bring himself to push her away.

Not far away.

Zhao Yong hurried over. "Miss Luo—"

He saw the two of them suddenly embracing for some unknown reason, and the words he had long prepared died on his lips.

...

He stopped in his tracks, his expression growing dazed.

「After a long moment.」

He sighed.

’Zhang Delv lost.’

’Zhao Ci is destined to lose.’

’But I haven’t won.’

’In this game, everyone is a loser.’