Chapter 122

Chapter 122: I’m Begging You, Jiang Tea Tea—Don’t Make Me Take the Blame; My Uncle Really Will Beat Me to Death

Li Ao’s eyes went blood-red in an instant. His entire body spasmed and shook, like someone driven mad on the spot.

Chong Ming stepped forward. His golden eyes were ice.

“Director Li. Just now, you tried to activate your mutated hypnosis illusion on me.”

“No,” Li Ao babbled, desperate and trembling. “I didn’t. Commander-in-Chief, I didn’t—I—”

Chong Ming cut him off, voice low and even. “You got shocked.”

It landed like an executioner’s blade.

Li Ao’s strength drained out of him. He sagged, lifeless, held upright only by Da Ma Zi’s grip.

Chong Ming studied him and spoke slowly. “You were right about one thing. The hypnosis ability users and healers I’ve found couldn’t break your mutated hypnosis illusion.”

“They couldn’t pin your crimes down into provable facts.”

“But now, Director Li, you didn’t just insult the Crown Prince.”

“You attempted to murder him.”

“And just now, you tried to use that illusion to manipulate me—attempting to murder me.”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t.” Chong Ming’s gaze dropped to the cuffs. “Those electric restraints are proof.”

Electric cuffs existed to lock down an ability user’s power. If you tried to force your ability through them, the cuffs punished you with a current—enough to make you convulse, seize, shake until you couldn’t even breathe right.

Li Ao’s body was numb from the shocks. Everything hurt; he couldn’t even tell where the pain started anymore.

He lowered his head, voice raw and broken. “Commander-in-Chief… you truly deserve to be the empire’s Commander-in-Chief.”

“I wiped Cheng Yuan’s existence out of the Ability Research Institute. I erased everything.”

“And yet, because of one sentence from Jiang Tea Tea… you found the truth. Your deductions were exact.”

“Classmate Jiang Tea Tea’s ability… it’s stronger than the ten stolen abilities I have on my body.”

“I confess,” Li Ao said suddenly, lifting his head. His eyes held none of the usual terror of death. “I confess. But I have a request—”

Chong Ming’s reply was merciless. “A death-row prisoner has no right to request anything.”

The words hit Li Ao like a bullet through the skull. His body went slack, collapsing into Da Ma Zi’s hold.

Chong Ming lifted a hand.

Da Ma Zi struck once, clean and practiced, knocking Li Ao unconscious. Then he slung him over his shoulder and carried him into the lift.

As the doors closed, Chong Ming issued another order. “Adjutant Yao. Go to Chang Sheng Star and bring Cheng Yuan to Capital Planet. He will testify against Li Ao.”

“Yes, Commander-in-Chief.”

Far away on Chang Sheng Star, Cheng Yuan received a forwarded recording from his niece, Cheng Lin Yue. The moment he opened it and saw Li Ao being beaten bloody on-screen, he jolted upright in his chair, eyes locked and unmoving.

—

In Chong Ming’s office, Sui Xuan Chu released a long, miserable sigh. He stared at Jiang Tea Tea—who moved around the room like she’d lived here longer than he had.

“Roommate. I already forwarded the video to you. You already forwarded it to Cheng Lin Yue.”

“I won’t ask how you knew her uncle spent ten years in the Ability Research Institute, getting tortured for ten years.” Sui Xuan Chu hesitated. “I just want to ask you… you—”

Jiang Tea Tea narrowed her eyes. “What, you want to ask if this is the most monitored place in the entire empire?”

Sui Xuan Chu planted one hand on his hip and jabbed a finger at her. “I keep telling you: you don’t understand how terrifying he is. This is his office. This is his territory.”

“The place he stays the most—twenty-four hours a day. The safest place in the whole empire.”

“And not only is there no surveillance here… the moment we walked into this office, the satellites monitoring us stopped working.”

Jiang Tea Tea stared at him like a country bumpkin. “That’s a thing?”

Sui Xuan Chu rolled his eyes. “Of course it’s a thing. You think he’s called one of the strongest beastfolk in the M31 Star System for nothing?”

Jiang Tea Tea nodded slowly, then flopped backward onto the black sofa as if her bones had vanished, melting into the cushions.

Sui Xuan Chu stared, speechless.

He’d told her there were no cameras so she’d answer his question, not so she could sprawl on his uncle’s sofa like she owned it.

He scooted closer and nudged her with his elbow. “Roommate. You dragged me to the Military Department to ‘save’ you. Now explain your belly.”

Jiang Tea Tea snatched his hand and gripped it with both of hers.

Sui Xuan Chu nearly flung himself off the sofa. “What are you doing? Let go! Men and women shouldn’t touch—don’t you dare set me up!”

Jiang Tea Tea squeezed harder, dead serious. “Roommate, don’t we share the bond of living together in one room, sleeping under the same blanket?”

Sui Xuan Chu sucked in a breath and corrected her instantly. “We live in the same dorm. Two rooms. You have your room. I have mine. I’ve never entered yours, and you’ve never entered mine.”

“And yes, we’ve slept ‘together’ before, but that was during the 30-School Military Academy Championship—out in the wilderness with everyone else. The sky as our blanket, the earth as our bed.”

“Stop talking nonsense and ruining my reputation.”

Jiang Tea Tea waved it away. “Same thing. Same thing. Don’t get hung up on details. We’ve survived life and death together.”

Sui Xuan Chu gave a humorless laugh. “Yeah. And I’m scared you’ll sell me and make me count the money for you.”

Jiang Tea Tea leaned in, eyes bright. “Tell me this first. You came to save me—so you’re going to take the blame, right? Do I look like I’m trying to make you a cuckold?”

Jiang Tea Tea’s smile sharpened. “How do you talk? You’re not a cuckold turtle. You’re a majestic, golden, intimidating Big Dragon—mine!”

Sui Xuan Chu grunted. “Your thanks. And my uncle’s?”

“Pfft.” Jiang Tea Tea scoffed. “To hell with him. Mine.”

Sui Xuan Chu didn’t buy it. “Then why did he say the First Hotel thing between you wasn’t resolved?”

Jiang Tea Tea snapped, “None of your business. I’m asking one question: if I get exposed as having cubs, will you help me take the blame?”

“No.” Sui Xuan Chu refused instantly. “I’m not helping. I’m not carrying that pot.”

Jiang Tea Tea’s eyes widened. “Why?”

“Why?” Sui Xuan Chu shot back. “If it’s my uncle’s and I take the blame, then when he finds out later, I’ll be the ‘dad’ to my brother or sister. You think he won’t kill me? He’ll hand me a knife and tell me to speed things up.”

“If it’s not my uncle’s and I take the blame, then I’m guilty of muddying the imperial bloodline. That’s a major crime. He finds out, I still die.”

“And the most important part—roommate, I just came of age. I haven’t even had my birthday banquet yet. You’re already months along.”

“If I take the blame, he does the math and thinks I got you pregnant while I was still underage. One kick and he’ll send me flying. Then he’ll lock me up for eighteen years.”