Chapter 192
Chapter 192: Go ahead, flirt. The one who suffers will still be you.
Zhong Li He poked Kong Que’s forehead. “Kong Que, I’m noticing you’ve been getting more and more disloyal lately. Always opposing me.”
“What, you went out once and your wings hardened? You dare talk back and flap at me?”
Kong Que caught the finger on his forehead. Steady as ever, he spoke like a model subordinate. “Chief Executive official, even if you lent me ten extra lives, I wouldn’t dare flap at you.”
“But asking me to assassinate Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming is too much. Besides, he came here to see his mate. To see his mate.”
He repeated the last words twice, making sure Zhong Li He heard him.
Zhong Li He blinked, then yanked his finger back and slapped Kong Que’s arm hard. “Holy hell. He really is my nemesis. He got me so mad I lost my head.”
“Kong Que, good thing I have you. Good thing you reminded me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even realize Chong Ming’s mate and cub are right here on Ri Pan Star.”
“Damn, the most dangerous place is the safest. I wanted to see his mate and cub, and who knew they’ve been right under my nose the whole time. That guy’s got guts.”
Kong Que’s arm popped from the slap. Luckily he was solid muscle, or he really couldn’t take it.
Zhong Li He cracked his knuckles. “Kong Que, you don’t have to assassinate him. I will. I’m going right now.”
Kong Que grabbed the back of his neck and dragged him back. “Chief Executive official, he’s here to see his mate and cub. What are you butting in for?”
“You can’t beat him in a fight. You can’t beat him with words. Don’t go get mocked until you’re hopping again. Come with me. I saw a place selling bamboo rice and chestnuts. They’re firm and fresh—your favorites. Let’s buy some.”
“I don’t like bamboo rice, and I don’t like chestnuts,” Zhong Li He said, struggling. “I only like boiled bugs and fried bugs.”
“If you want to go, go yourself. Don’t drag me.”
Kong Que didn’t budge. “No. You like them.”
“No, I don’t. You like them!”
Zhong Li He fumed, but his feet still followed, letting himself be pulled along.
Kong Que said smoothly, “Yes, yes, I like them. Please accompany me, Chief Executive official. Alright?”
“No, no. Let go, let go.”
He said no, but his body was honest. He followed Kong Que into the specialty street.
Chong Ming brought Adjutant Ai and the other attendants. He didn’t go straight to the camp to see Jiang Tea Tea. Instead, he wandered the snack streets and specialty streets like an ordinary tourist.
But he wasn’t ordinary. He was the Commander-in-Chief of Zhen Lin Empire, and one of only two adult Big Golden Dragons in the whole system.
Golden hair fell to his waist, dragon horns gleamed in the sun, and his sharp, severe face carried a quiet authority that made people instinctively hold their breath.
The moment he stepped onto the street, tourists went wild. They opened their lightbrains to film him, shouted greetings, and confessed their love.
He waved back. He smiled. He asked if the service was good. He even treated people to food and drinks.
After strolling through two snack streets and the specialty street, he went to the space weapons exhibition area. His friendly, approachable attitude instantly blew up StarNet.
“Ran into Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming! He’s so handsome I went weak at the knees. I want to throw myself at his feet and lick his claws.”
“Ahhh! My husband is already so handsome in the news and on StarNet it’s a crime against the gods, but seeing him up close today—what garbage news, what garbage StarNet. They didn’t capture even a tenth of his looks and presence!”
“Oh my god, he’s so handsome. Those golden dragon horns are longer than my hand, and his hair is so layered and flowing. In the sunlight it reflects gold—I almost went blind!”
“Exactly! I’m a 200-jin male in human form, and seeing him up close today, I nearly couldn’t hold back. I wanted to ask if gender has to be so strict. I don’t even need a title.”
“Upstairs, you’re starving. Don’t even need a title? My husband already has a mate and cub. Don’t act wild.”
“Hahaha, Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming has more dream males than dream females. In the whole M31 Star System, fifty percent of everyone—male or female, young or old—wants to marry him.”
“So I’m really curious. What is his mate like, to tame him? I want to know what I lost to.”
“Chong Ming fans, don’t just stare at him. Look at Zhong Li He, Chief Executive of Da Xi Nation! He’s on the snack street and specialty street too. Can’t you see him?”
“I didn’t see him. I saw their Lieutenant General Kong Que. Look at how he picks bamboo rice—like he’s picking a lover. So affectionate.”
“Yeah! Look at the photo. He’s picking bamboo rice while Zhong Li He stands beside him drinking mint water. Put them side by side and suddenly Kong Que looks more like the chief executive.”
“Hahaha, so I’m not the only one who thinks that. You all think it too? I’ve been shipping them secretly!”
“Come on, come on. Sharing is better. Let’s ship together, party together, shout together—be together, be together!”
“No shipping, no shipping. I don’t ship Lieutenant General Kong Que and Chief Executive official. I used to ship Chief Executive official and Commander-in-Chief Chong Ming.”
“Same age, both leaders of their nations, similar ability levels. One is cold and hard-handsome, the other is androgynous with a bit of feminine handsome. If they stand together in their uniforms—Beast God above, it’s eye candy.”
Jiang Tea Tea and the other seven went back to the lodging camp. In one dorm, they ate, drank, and played around. Someone opened StarNet.
They watched the feed spiral. The ships got weirder and louder, and they joined in.
Jiang Tea Tea’s account was verified as a 3S-grade mutant plant-type healer. She liked every single one of those cursed ships.
The moment she liked them, her tens of thousands of fans howled like wolves under a full moon and started reposting and commenting like crazy.
At dusk, everyone in Camp 59 lodging camp—three to five hundred people—was called onto Chong Ming’s warship. After boarding, they were taken in batches into the training grounds to train.
Sui Xuan Chu and the other seven got dragged into the harshest ground and worked like they were begging to die.
Jiang Tea Tea was taken into the command cabin. Chong Ming sat in the command chair, and beside him were a cracked table and a bucket filled with mud.
The moment she saw that bucket, anger flared. She’d been inside it. She’d almost been cut in half.
Chong Ming followed her gaze. “You like that bucket?”
Jiang Tea Tea looked away. “I don’t like it. I just think it’s been sitting here a long time, right?”
“More than half a year,” Chong Ming said.
“So what are you planning to grow?” she asked.
Chong Ming’s lips lifted. “Not what I’m growing. I’m waiting to see what it grows.”
Jiang Tea Tea huffed. “Alright. Why did you call me here?”
Chong Ming stood and patted the command chair. “Come sit.”
Jiang Tea Tea blinked. “Me? Sit in your seat? For what?”
“A virtual command battle,” Chong Ming said.
“An assessment?” Jiang Tea Tea frowned.
Chong Ming nodded. “Yes. You’ve studied the Command Department for so long. I want to assess you personally.”
Jiang Tea Tea pouted, walked over, and sat in his command chair.
Chong Ming came behind her with a holographic helmet and set it over her head.
As soon as it sealed, the system voice sounded in her ear: “Welcome, Commander Jiang. Welcome to 001 simulated battlefield. Total duration: 90 minutes. First 20 minutes: aberrant beast invasion. Middle 20 minutes: purge traitors.”
“Next 20 minutes: merfolk clan invasion. Final 30 minutes: insect clan invasion. Commander Jiang, will you issue orders immediately, or check troops and armaments first?”
“Check troops and armaments first,” Jiang Tea Tea said.
“Understood. Transferring you to inspect troops and equipment.”
Her holographic view jerked, and the scene shifted.
In the full holographic battlefield, it felt so real it was like she’d been dropped into the war herself.
Chong Ming sat beside her, angled slightly toward her. Her helmet hid her head and face; he could only see from her neck down.
His gaze settled on her lower belly. It was flat—so flat it didn’t look like she was seven and a half months pregnant at all.
Then the fabric bulged outward. Chong Ming’s golden eyes darkened. Subtle ripples moved beneath the cloth, as if the cubs were rolling and pressing and playing.
His fingers curled into a fist. Only then did he stop himself from reaching out to touch.
Time passed. The command cabin staff stayed busy. Only Chong Ming looked idle.
What he didn’t expect was that in the 90-minute 001 simulated battlefield, Jiang Tea Tea ended the war in 30 minutes. Zero losses. No casualties.
When Chong Ming checked the replay, he realized she didn’t follow the usual playbook. She lured the aberrant beasts into the merfolk clan camp and the insect clan camp, boxed them in, and let them slaughter each other.
When they were almost done, she ordered indiscriminate fire coverage and shelled them for more than ten minutes, wiping out whoever was left. Then she sealed the doors and cleaned out the traitors. Total time: 30 minutes.
“Not bad. Very good.” Chong Ming didn’t hold back his praise. “Excellent surprise tactics. I’ll give you an SS score.”
Jiang Tea Tea tossed the helmet onto the table. “I think I’m pretty good too. Next time, raise the difficulty.”
“Alright.” Chong Ming stood. “Want me to take you to eat?”
“Pack it up for me,” Jiang Tea Tea said. “I’ll take it back to camp and eat with Sui Xuan Chu, Huang Da Zhuang, Cheng Lin Yue, and the others.”
Chong Ming’s throat moved. He bent close. “When I say ‘take you to eat,’ I mean letting you bite my neck, gnaw meat, and drink blood. What, do you want me packed up and brought over so they can eat me too?”