Chapter 186
Chapter 186: Jealous, Jealous—He Got Jealous and Knocked Over the Vinegar Jar
Zhong Li He kept smiling, not angry at all. “Deputy General Xia, your skill at stabbing people in the heart is on par with your Commander-in-Chief. No wonder. You’re someone he personally promoted. You’re like him.”
Xia Wei Yi saluted. “Thank you for the compliment, Chief Executive. Being even one ten-thousandth like Commander-in-Chief is my honor.”
“But I haven’t heard Commander-in-Chief stab your heart before. Do you have some misunderstanding about our Commander-in-Chief?”
Misunderstanding that old dragon? He’d flaunted his affection right in Zhong Li He’s face. The anger still hadn’t faded—how could that be a misunderstanding?
Zhong Li He returned a salute and smoothly changed the topic. “Deputy General Xia, your kids aren’t familiar with me. Want them to take a closer look at me?”
“Sure.”
Xia Wei Yi stepped aside and said to Jiang Tea Tea and the others, “Step forward. Pay your respects to Chief Executive Zhong Li He of Da Xi Nation.”
Jiang Tea Tea’s eyes flickered. Phoenix Clan’s phoenix bird really knew how to show off. So self-obsessed, too.
She used to think the Peacock demon on the mountain was exaggerating. Now she believed it. Showing off and vanity really were natural gifts for certain species.
Jiang Tea Tea and the others stepped forward together and saluted. “Greetings, Chief Executive Zhong Li He. Hello, Chief Executive.”
Zhong Li He nodded. “Hello. Nice to meet you. Work hard and study hard. Soon, surpass your idol, Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming—and catch up to me.”
The eight responded in unison. “We will definitely catch up to Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming and surpass you.”
Zhong Li He’s gaze settled on Jiang Tea Tea. His smile curved like a villain’s. “Little girl, may I know your name?”
Xia Wei Yi tensed, about to stop him, but Jiang Tea Tea simply tugged her shoulder insignia and held it up. “My Unit ID is 59311, Chief Executive Zhong Li He. You can call me 59311.”
Zhong Li He glanced at the number and repeated it. “59311. Good. I’ll remember it. Nice to meet you.”
She was smart. She didn’t want to expose her real name. Xia Wei Yi had gotten tense—interesting.
Jiang Tea Tea let go of the insignia, nodded once, then stepped back with the others.
Phoenix bird smelled excellent. She just didn’t know how big his beast form was. If she killed him, would there even be enough for her to eat her fill?
Xia Wei Yi stepped back into place, neatly blocking Zhong Li He’s line of sight to Jiang Tea Tea. “Chief Executive, I still need to take these kids to continue patrolling. I won’t disturb you.”
Zhong Li He curled his lips. “Go on.”
Xia Wei Yi saluted again, backed away, and led the eight onto the flyer.
Zhong Li He watched them go, interest flashing in his eyes. He turned to his escort officer. “Kong Que, what do you think of that little girl from the Zhen Lin Empire’s bodyguard unit—Unit ID 59311?”
Kong Que stood half a step behind him and replied respectfully, “Very formidable.”
Zhong Li He tilted his head. “Formidable? You felt her mental power fluctuations?”
“Reporting to Chief Executive,” Kong Que said, “I didn’t sense any ability fluctuations from her. But I can tell she’s formidable. The way she looked at you was like she was looking at prey.”
Zhong Li He laughed. “I thought it was an illusion. I’m old—it’s normal to get a little delusional.”
“Who knew it was real? A little girl treated me like prey. I knew it. I’m better-looking than that dragon Chong Ming. In the M31 Star System, the engaged women who secretly adore me are way more than the ones who adore him.”
Kong Que met his sapphire gaze. “Chief Executive, forgive subordinate for speaking bluntly. That girl didn’t look like she adored you. It looked like she saw you as prey… as food.”
They were beasts who had become people. Before their ancestors took human form, they hunted with claws, sharp teeth, and speed. Even after becoming human, the wildness stayed in their bones.
Zhong Li He tapped Kong Que on the forehead. “Why are you so serious, you Kong Que?”
“If she adores me, and she sees me as prey, that means she wants me. Wants to sleep with me. In crude terms, she wants to treat me like food and eat me. Perfectly reasonable!”
Kong Que went silent.
His beast form was Peacock. When nothing happened, he just needed to spread his feathers.
Why was their Chief Executive “spreading feathers” with vanity here? He was Phoenix Clan’s phoenix bird. He shouldn’t even be able to spread feathers in the first place.
He’d have to contact Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming later. If possible, he needed to borrow the Zhen Lin Empire’s only 3S-tier mutant plant-type healer, Jiang Tea Tea, to soothe their Chief Executive’s mental power and calm his ability flare-ups—before he lost his mind to his own ego again.
After another patrol round, Xia Wei Yi assigned tomorrow’s patrol locations and brought them back to the lodging camp.
The camp wasn’t big—only three hundred people stayed there. The buildings were temporary. Two people per unit, about twenty square meters: two rooms and one bathroom.
Everyone had their own private space, making sure they could rest in complete silence.
Jiang Tea Tea stayed with Cheng Lin Yue. After checking the living conditions, they received nutrient shots and nutrient solution from the camp.
Three meals a day. A month’s worth—ninety tubes each. If they ran out, they could apply for more.
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t want to make herself special. Even though she wouldn’t drink it, she still put it into her Storage Button. After greeting Cheng Lin Yue, she went into her own room.
The room was small, the bed was small, but everything was clean and neat. Jiang Tea Tea didn’t get on the bed. She sat cross-legged on the floor.
The earth was directly beneath her. As a tree, once she was this close to the ground, how could she not root herself?
While her roots reached down, she opened her Lightbrain, ready to look up Zhong Li He—when Chong Ming called her on video.
The dragon blood she’d drunk three days ago was still digesting. The little ones in her belly were doing just fine. Why was he calling now?
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t pick up. The call ended automatically. She assumed he wouldn’t call again.
He called right back.
The second call rang three times before she answered. She projected the image, yawned, and looked at Chong Ming. “It’s late. If you’re not sleeping, go work overtime, go do your job. Why are you video-calling me?”
Chong Ming looked at her through the screen, voice low. “Jiang Tea Tea, classmate. Three days. Seventy-two hours. You didn’t send me a single message, and you didn’t make one call.”
Old Loach was accusing her?
That had to be a hallucination.
This was the man who controlled ten major star systems and countless planets, who held the lives of billions in his hands. He worked until three in the morning, didn’t even go home, and slept in his office.
Accusing her of not messaging him sounded like the biggest joke in the universe.
Jiang Tea Tea made a small sound. “You’re busy. I’m busy. Everyone’s busy. Who has time to call or message?”
Chong Ming pressed down a breath. “Next time, can you please—during your busy schedule—send me a message or make a call? Just once. Okay?”
Jiang Tea Tea blinked. “But I have nothing going on. If I message you or call you, what would we even talk about?”
Chong Ming said smoothly, “We can talk about your curiosity about Da Xi Nation’s Chief Executive Zhong Li He.”
Jiang Tea Tea’s eyes went round. “Wait. Who told you I’m curious about him?”
She was curious, yes. She was about to look him up. She hadn’t even done it yet, and Old Loach already knew?
Chong Ming sold out his nephew without hesitation. “Your roommate.”
Jiang Tea Tea blurted, “He talks nonsense and you believe him?”
A small curve touched Chong Ming’s mouth. “I don’t. That’s why I called to ask—are you curious about Da Xi Nation’s Chief Executive?”
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t play along. “Before I met him, I wasn’t curious. After meeting him, I am. If you hadn’t called, I’d be looking him up right now.”
The curve on Chong Ming’s mouth vanished. His golden eyes flashed. “What are you looking up? Ask me. I know.”
Jiang Tea Tea tilted her head. He would definitely know more than Starnet. “Zhong Li He is Phoenix Clan’s phoenix bird. How many phoenix does Phoenix Clan have? And why haven’t I heard of the Zhen Lin Empire having Phoenix Clan?”
She was curious about Phoenix Clan’s numbers.
Not Zhong Li He himself.
Chong Ming’s mood lifted, subtle but real. “The Zhen Lin Empire doesn’t have Phoenix Clan. Phoenix Clan is in the Tian Feng Star System, in Da Xi Nation, and it controls Da Xi Nation.”
“Right now, the whole species has 1,358,000 registered. Marriage-age males and females are thirty percent. Cubs are ten percent. Those over two hundred are fifty percent. Another ten percent marry outside the species.”
Jiang Tea Tea froze. “…”
Over a million phoenix.
Back in the Demon Clan, phoenix were divine beasts like dragons. They looked at the Demon Clan like ants, and their numbers were so few you could count them.
And here? Phoenix and dragons were everywhere.
Which meant… if she quietly killed a few and buried them under her roots as fertilizer, nobody would know, right?
Chong Ming’s voice turned cold. “Jiang Tea Tea.”
Jiang Tea Tea snapped back. “What?”
“Wipe your drool,” Chong Ming said.
Jiang Tea Tea reached up on reflex, as if she’d truly been drooling.
She wiped nothing.
Her eyes sharpened. “Chong, are you a child? You say I’m drooling every time!”
Chong Ming stared at her, gaze sharp enough to cut. “You just swallowed. What did you think of?”
“What are you craving?”
Jiang Tea Tea met his eyes through the screen and, without thinking, blurted, “I swallowed because I miss you. I’m craving you.”