Chapter 117
Chapter 117: The Two Are So Close, Someone Gets Jealous Without Knowing It
Jiang Tea Tea: “What the heck?!”
[She almost blurted out a curse.]
[Is that old mud loach Chong Ming a roundworm living in her belly?]
He had predicted she would run. He had not only sent invisible fighter craft long ago to fly with her, he had also ordered them to show themselves right at the fork in the road.
Heh. Letting the invisible fighter craft appear was not to catch her off guard. It was to tell her that if she wanted to play tricks with him, she was still too green, still far behind.
Provocation. This was a blatant challenge to her, a Great Demon Stage.
Fine. A Great Demon Stage swore never to be a slave. She accepted his challenge.
Jiang Tea Tea took a deep breath. As the pride of the Tea Tree family, the only Great Demon Stage who had taken human form, she would never give in and let anyone butcher her.
She opened her light-brain wrist terminal and called Sui Xuan Chu.
The call rang three times before it was picked up.
Sui Xuan Chu’s voice came through the screen: “What is it, roommate?”
Jiang Tea Tea answered in a rush: “Hurry to the Imperial Military Headquarters and save me!”
Sui Xuan Chu said in shock: “What happened?”
Jiang Tea Tea did not answer him. She hung up the call.
Then she sent a message to Cheng Lin Yue: “?”
Cheng Lin Yue replied in seconds: “???”
Jiang Tea Tea asked: “Did you take the potion?”
Cheng Lin Yue: “Not yet.”
Jiang Tea Tea: “I got stopped. I am going to the Imperial Military Headquarters.”
Cheng Lin Yue: “What?!”
Jiang Tea Tea: “Do not take the potion.”
Cheng Lin Yue: “Okay…”
After she informed Cheng Lin Yue, Jiang Tea Tea cut off the light-brain wrist terminal, put her hands on the flying device’s steering wheel, started it again, and flew toward the Imperial Military Headquarters.
Eight fighter craft, two in front and back, two on each side, and two above and below, flew with her and protected her safety.
No matter how slowly the flying device flew, no matter how much it twisted and turned in the sky, the eight fighter craft stayed with it like shadows, never breaking formation.
Because they were flying low, people on the ground could look up and see them. Someone took a photo, posted it online, and added a caption.
“What is going on here? That is Commander in Chief Chong Ming’s personal guard fighter craft bodyguard squad. Are they escorting an ordinary flying device? They are heading toward the Imperial Military Headquarters too. What, did they find the Dragon Clan youngling’s mother body who was sending out a distress signal?”
As soon as the photo was posted, star-net friends rushed in with different comments:
“Dear, I suggest you delete this. Even though your photo covered the flying device’s code, it still might touch on national secrets.”
“Touch what? The fighter craft are flying so low. That does not count as national secret range. Feel free to take pictures and post them. It is fine. The flying device code is covered anyway.”
“Right. At this height, as long as you do not show the flying device code, there is no problem taking pictures. So the question is, just who is sitting in such an ordinary flying device that it can make Commander in Chief Chong Ming’s personal guard fighter craft bodyguard squad come out?”
“Could it be the crown prince?”
“Hehe, it cannot be the crown prince. He is at school right now, and today is not a rest day…”
“Today really is not a rest day, but do not forget that seven places on the capital planet had Dragon Clan youngling distress signals appear today. According to the Dragon Clan’s rule of nearby rescue, the crown prince might have been called out to look for the youngling.”
“Maybe the crown prince found the Dragon Clan youngling and just happens to be escorting them to the Imperial Military Headquarters. That is why the commander in chief’s fighter craft bodyguard squad went out.”
“Fine, fine. According to your wild guesses, your logic all sounds very good. Can I also talk nonsense and say the one sitting in that flying device is Commander in Chief Chong Ming’s youngling’s mom?”
“Hey, upstairs, other people are analyzing with reason and evidence. You are just shooting off your mouth. Be careful, or Commander in Chief Chong Ming will sue you for slander.”
“Exactly, exactly. Commander in Chief Chong Ming has been single for one hundred fifty years. Where would a youngling come from? Where would a youngling’s mother come from? Do not talk nonsense. The commander in chief has not married me home yet. I have not even given birth to a youngling with him!”
Jiang Tea Tea had no idea that because of her, the internet was roaring again. She flew her flying device painfully slow. A trip that should have taken half an hour, she dragged out to fifty minutes before reaching the Imperial Military Headquarters.
She did not know if it was to give her a warning, to threaten her, or to send some other message. The day before yesterday, when she came to the Imperial Military Headquarters, everything was calm. Now a huge battleship hung above the tall buildings of the HQ, under the clouds. Countless small warships, fighter craft, and drone swarms circled around the big warship. It looked like a scene that could start shelling at any time.
Jiang Tea Tea gripped the flying device’s steering wheel, forced down a breath, and followed the fighter craft’s lead to the window of Chong Ming’s office building.
The large window opened and her flying device slid inside. She did not see him in the office, only Deputy Officer Ai.
Deputy Officer Ai wore a proper polite smile. He helped her open the flying device door: “Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea, good afternoon.”
Jiang Tea Tea did not care much about clothes. What she wore now were the clothes left behind by the Fake Young Miss. Her long hair hung straight and messy down to her waist and hips. At first glance, everything looked plain and simple, but her face made the cheap clothes and socks look not cheap at all.
Jiang Tea Tea lifted the corners of her mouth and smiled back: “Good afternoon, Deputy Officer Ai. Your commander in chief asked me to come. Why do I not see him?”
Deputy Officer Ai replied with a squinting smile: “The Great Imperial Prince Aceras of the Insectoid Race likes the scenery of our Zhenlin Empire. Three months ago, his fiancee, High General Atuya, came to pick him up. He was so taken with our nation’s scenery that he did not leave with his fiancee.”
“So he stayed as our guest here. And it just so happens that the Insectoid Race crown princess heir came with a lot of gifts to visit, in order to pick up her older brother.”
“The commander in chief was waiting here for you at first, but you were a bit later than expected, so he went ahead to meet the Insectoid crown princess heir.”
Jiang Tea Tea: “…”
No wonder he was that old mud loach. When he wanted to give her a show of force, threaten her, or warn her, he could even set up a ready-made example for her.
Did the Insectoid Great Imperial Prince Aceras really like the scenery of the Zhenlin Empire?
[Yeah right.] The compensation just was not enough, so he would not let him go.
Of all the times the Insectoid crown princess heir could have come, she had to show up right when Jiang came. As if the warship group circling above the Imperial Military Headquarters was only there to threaten the Insectoid crown princess heir. How could she believe that?
He even specially left Deputy Officer Ai to “explain” it to her. Explain? Pah. This was a warning. Do not run. If she ran, the warship group above would be bombing her.
Deputy Officer Ai saw that Jiang Tea Tea did not say anything. His smile became even more proper, his voice even softer: “Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea, you will not need to wait long. At most half an hour, the commander in chief will be back.”
“During this time, you can stay in the commander in chief’s office, or I can take you to visit other parts of the Imperial Military Headquarters. It is up to you…”
Listen, look. That old mud loach’s confidence had no limits.
Letting her tour his Imperial Military Headquarters as she wanted, letting her stay in his office as she wanted, was basically him telling her in another way: do not even think about escaping his Five Finger Mountain.
[She silently cursed his ancestors back eighteen generations.] With a smile on her face, Jiang Tea Tea asked Deputy Officer Ai: “Can I go out and walk around by myself?”
Deputy Officer Ai smiled and nodded: “Of course. Please.”
With Deputy Officer Ai leading the way, Jiang Tea Tea stepped one foot out of Chong Ming’s large office. Before her other foot landed, the noisy floor suddenly went dead silent.
On the big floor, all the busy staff members in uniforms or combat suits stopped what they were doing and looked at Jiang Tea Tea.
Jiang Tea Tea looked straight ahead, feeling like she was a clown that old mud loach had invited, standing under the gaze of thousands.
She opened her mouth and asked Deputy Officer Ai: “Do your commander in chief’s subordinates not need to work? Why are they all staring at me?”
Deputy Officer Ai cleared his throat: “It is not that. Mostly, this is the commander in chief’s office floor. There has never been a female here who is not a staff member. They are just curious and taking a look.”
Jiang Tea Tea let out two dry laughs: “Fine, fine. I will just walk around by myself. Please tell your coworkers that I know I look very good, but they still do not need to stare at me. Thank you.”
“Okay.” Deputy Officer Ai smiled back. Then he looked over at the other staff members. They pushed down their shock, pulled back their gazes, and started busily working again.
Jiang Tea Tea looked east, looked west, glanced north, and peeked south. If she had not donated that one billion to gather some karmic merit on her body and boost and steady her spiritual power, she really would not be able to stand this.
Chong Ming himself was strong enough. The staff around him included beastmen, half-beastmen, females, and pure humans.
Looking at their stance, their aura, their looks, each one was outstanding in their own way.
She knew all kinds of magic spells, but her spiritual power was only thirty percent. If she really had to fight these people one after another, there was no way she could win.
Jiang Tea Tea let out a long sigh, walked to the glass wall, and looked down. Suddenly she saw Deputy Officer Ai below, leading the Supernatural Abilities Institute Director Li Ao toward this building.
Li Ao was carrying two big boxes in his hands. Four staff members followed behind him.
All of a sudden, Jiang Tea Tea remembered what Cheng Lin Yue had said. Her uncle had stayed in the Supernatural Abilities Institute for ten years and had been tormented for ten years.
Now Chong Ming had called Li Ao over again. For what?
Heh. Warship group above her head in front, Li Ao behind her.
Was Chong Ming planning to directly lock her up and study her?
Jiang Tea Tea’s heartbeat suddenly sped up. She pressed her hand against the glass. No, she could not sit and wait to die. She had to run. She had to leave.
She turned and looked around. There were surveillance systems everywhere, watching with no blind spots. Then she pretended nothing was wrong and strolled casually toward the exit.
On one side, Chong Ming listened to the Insectoid crown princess heir talking. On the other, he watched the small changes in Jiang Tea Tea’s face and her walking pace through the Imperial Military Headquarters surveillance feed on his light-brain wrist terminal.
He frowned slightly, lifted his eyes to the Insectoid crown princess heir, and cut her off: “Sorry, Your Highness Asais. I still have some things to do today, so I will not keep you company. Next time we meet, Secretary Wen will set up a time. Please also do not visit suddenly like today again. It is very rude.”
“As for your imperial elder brother Aceras’s current physical and mental condition, in a moment our country’s Supernatural Abilities Institute Director Mister Li Ao will explain it to you.”
In human form, the Insectoid crown princess heir Asais was as delicate and pretty as a porcelain doll. She was one point six eight meters tall with a curvy figure. Her pair of specially disguised golden eyes and head of golden hair were the same as Chong Ming’s.
She stood up and said: “Commander in Chief Chong Ming, I came this time with real sincerity to take my imperial elder brother back. You stopping me again and again like this makes you seem very insincere.”
Chong Ming had already left the main seat. He glanced at her, his words sharp: “Your Highness Asais, the ‘sincerity’ you talk about is getting a pair of eyes like mine and hair like mine. That kind of sincerity is not something I care about.”
“I still like it better when the warship you ride enters wartime state and aims at my capital planet and Imperial Military Headquarters.”
“I like it even more when you order your Insectoid Border Frontier Star region to increase troops, strengthen defenses, and enter wartime state.”
Asais curved her red lips into a smile, sweet and tempting: “Commander in Chief Chong Ming, listen to yourself. You allow your Border Frontier Star region to cover my Border Frontier Star region with full firepower, but do not allow me to increase troops and strengthen protection. How does that make sense?”
Chong Ming answered her: “I never said I do not allow it. On the contrary, I just told you, I like it very much.”
“But I still have things to do right now and no time to entertain you. Please wait a moment. Mister Li Ao will be here soon. Excuse me.”
After he finished speaking, Chong Ming lifted his feet and left.
Asais was so angry that her fingers turned into insect claws. She wanted to claw him to death.
Jiang Tea Tea had just walked to the exit when there was a ding. Two elevators opened at the same time. Sui Xuan Chu and Li Ao appeared in front of her together.
When the two men saw her, one looked at her with worry in his eyes. The other looked at her like she was a rare specimen.
Jiang Tea Tea quickly ran toward Sui Xuan Chu, stopped him from getting off the elevator, got into the elevator herself, and slammed the close-door button.
When the elevator doors closed, Sui Xuan Chu looked at Jiang Tea Tea: “What is it, roommate? Whose life did you call me over to save?”
Jiang Tea Tea looked at him, her breathing a little rough: “Your uncle wants the Supernatural Abilities Research Institute to study me. I do not want to be tied to a lab table. I do not want to be dissected.”
“But I cannot beat your uncle, and I cannot escape from his hand. I can only ask you for help. If you do not help me, no one will.”
Sui Xuan Chu’s face grew serious: “Impossible. My uncle is decisive, overbearing, and not very sentimental, but he is not unreasonable. He would never tie someone to a lab table for no reason.”
“And you are also the Three Armies commander in chief candidate he has chosen. His tolerance for you is higher than you can imagine. Let me put it this way. As long as you do not betray the nation, do not break the law, and do not cripple me or kill me, all the times you snort and glare at him, give him nicknames, and ask him for dragon blood are all small things.”
Jiang Tea Tea grabbed Sui Xuan Chu’s wrist and suddenly pressed him against the elevator wall: “You say it is a small thing, fine. Do you believe that as soon as your uncle sees me, the first thing he will do is tell me to get a full checkup?”
Sui Xuan Chu was even more confused: “If he wants you to get a checkup, then get one. You have mutated supernatural abilities. That is very rare and honorable, not something shameful. What are you afraid of?”
Jiang Tea Tea held his wrist, pressed his hand against her lower belly, and stared at him: “You tell me. What am I afraid of?”
Sui Xuan Chu felt that inside his subordinate’s belly, something was wriggling, something was pushing against his hand.
His eyes turned into beast eyes, the pupils standing up straight. His mouth opened wide in disbelief, and he stammered: “Roommate… you… you… you are that… that…”
Ding!
The elevator doors opened again!
Chong Ming appeared at the elevator door. He saw his nephew leaning against the elevator wall, Jiang Tea Tea pressed close to him with her back to the door. The two of them were very close. His voice sank: “What are you two doing?”