Chapter 197
Chapter 197: Phoenix Clan Flame Orb—Take It and Use It Yourself. The Power Stays the Same
“You’re not fast?” Jiang Tea Tea got hauled in and slapped at his face. “If you’re not fast, then nobody in the M31 star system is fast.”
Chong Ming held the baton with one hand and caught her striking hand with the other. He refused to admit it. “I’m really not fast. You’re fast. Not me.”
Her hand was trapped. Jiang Tea Tea let go of the baton with her free hand, clenched a fist, and punched toward his stomach. “If you weren’t fast, you couldn’t catch me. You are fast. I’m praising you.”
“Thank you for the praise,” Chong Ming said, dead serious. “I’m really not fast.”
He twisted.
Jiang Tea Tea’s punch hit air.
Then—clang—Chong Ming flung the seized baton at Zhong Li He.
It struck Zhong Li He’s knee dead-on with a heavy crack.
Zhong Li He’s knee buckled. He dropped to one knee, as if proposing to nobody.
Chong Ming lifted an eyebrow. “Classmate Jiang Tea Tea, your ally is kneeling to beg. Are you still fighting?”
Jiang Tea Tea turned, saw Zhong Li He’s deep blue eyes ready to spit fire, and said without hesitation, “If he kneels or begs, that’s his business. Me hitting you is my business.”
Chong Ming grabbed her arm, spun her, and twisted it behind her back, trying to force her to stop.
Jiang Tea Tea dropped low, twisted free, and swept a leg at him.
Seeing she didn’t care about her own arm, Chong Ming released her fast and hopped back to dodge the sweep.
Freed, Jiang Tea Tea planted a palm, flipped up, blink-shifted to Zhong Li He, picked up the baton, and asked, “Knee shattered? Still able to fight?”
Zhong Li He gritted his teeth and stood. “Not shattered. Just hurts. I can fight. I can definitely fight.”
Jiang Tea Tea’s eyes lit with a new idea. “My aim is good. You throw fireballs. How about it?”
Zhong Li He’s grin turned sharp. “Perfect. Let’s do it.”
He gathered power, formed a fireball, and tossed it at Jiang Tea Tea.
Jiang Tea Tea swung her baton and struck the fireball like a ball off a bat.
The fireball shot out with a scream, racing straight at Chong Ming.
Chong Ming answered with lightning.
Lightning struck the fireball—then another, then another. One fireball became two, became countless. Sparks burst everywhere.
No spectator could dodge them all. Everyone got splattered.
Clothes, hair, boots, skin—wherever a spark landed, it blistered or burned. Even Kong Que didn’t escape. The sparks clung stubbornly, refusing to go out with a simple slap.
Zhong Li He, thrilled to see Chong Ming forced to strike down fireball after fireball, threw them like they were free—launching several at a time, relentless.
His desire to beat Chong Ming made him forget everything else.
Jiang Tea Tea kept swinging her baton, her timing crisp and cold. And in the chaos, she quietly wrapped a few fireballs in magic power and slipped them into her storage button.
Phoenix divine fire of rebirth was a treasure. Since she was already here, not taking some would be a waste.
After more than ten minutes of bombardment, a huge thunderclap hit.
The training ground’s fire alarm blared, and ceiling sprinklers roared to life, pouring down like a storm.
Sparks on the floor, walls, and ceiling—some of them still burned stubbornly even under the water.
Jiang Tea Tea, the spectators, and even Zhong Li He and Chong Ming were soaked through, all of them looking a little bedraggled.
Chong Ming raised a hand. “For the sake of my ship, we pause today. Another day—we’ll find an open place and keep fighting.”
Zhong Li He wiped his wet hair back, smug. “Are you conceding?”
Chong Ming laughed. “Chief Executive Zhong, how about we move to your ship and fight right now?”
Zhong Li He instantly turned into a hypocrite. “No.”
He knew exactly how corrosive his fireballs were. If he fought on his own ship, he’d ruin his own ship. Lose money and face? Not a chance.
Chong Ming cursed with a laugh. “You hypocritical dog.”
Zhong Li He lifted his chin. “What can you do abou—”
“You two can keep chatting and playing.” Jiang Tea Tea cut in, baton in hand, drenched to the bone. “I still have things to do. I’m leaving.”
She walked off fast.
In a blink, she was already at the training ground door.
Sui Xuan Chu and Cheng Lin Yue tried to call after her and follow, but they couldn’t match her speed. She vanished within seconds.
Chong Ming narrowed his eyes at the direction she’d gone. People only ran that fast when they were doing something suspicious.
Zhong Li He shouted, “Chong Ming, give me a room. I need to wash.”
“I’ll take you.” Chong Ming swept a sharp look over everyone else. “Dismissed. Go wash. Go change. Go to the medical bay for a full-body check.”
Everyone scrambled up and answered in a rush, “Yes, Commander-in-Chief!”
Kong Que followed behind the drenched Zhong Li He. Zhong Li He walked beside Chong Ming, curiosity burning through his irritation. “That bite on your throat is fresh. Your mate is on your ship. Why don’t you drag her out and show her off in my face?”
Chong Ming stared ahead, voice cold. “She’s shy.”
Zhong Li He didn’t believe that for a second. He took a long stride ahead, then walked backward to face Chong Ming, grinning. “She’s your mate and she’s still shy? Chong, with our friendship, do you really have to hide her this hard?”
Chong Ming looked at him, unbothered. “I’m not hiding her. She really is shy. Right now, she doesn’t want anyone to know she’s my mate.”
Zhong Li He frowned. “Does she think being your mate is embarrassing?”
Chong Ming’s golden eyes hardened. He sidestepped past him and didn’t answer.
Zhong Li He turned to Kong Que. “Did I say something wrong?”
Kong Que glanced at Chong Ming’s back and answered softly, respectful but blunt. “You didn’t say anything wrong. You said it too accurately.”
Zhong Li He’s grin widened. “I knew it. If his mate doesn’t want anyone to know, she obviously looks down on him.”
“Oh Beast God above—Commander-in-Chief of Zhen Lin Empire getting looked down on. That’s galaxy-shocking news.”
Kong Que said flatly, “Chief Executive, control your smile. Don’t gloat in front of me.”
Zhong Li He chuckled. “Right. Gloating to you is useless.” He started forward, eyes bright with mischief. “Come on. Catch up. I’m going to mock him to his face, kick him while he’s down, and annoy him to death.”
Kong Que’s alarm bells went off. “Chief Executive, don’t—”
Zhong Li He didn’t wait. He ran after Chong Ming, needling him. “Chong Ming, your mate thinks marrying you is embarrassing. It’s fine. Love’s like that—you love her more, she loves you less.”
“With your status, looks, and ability, show your domineering side. Three to five days and she’ll cave. She’ll get addicted to you.”
Chong Ming snorted. “You talk like you have experience.”
He didn’t deny it. So Zhong Li He had hit the mark?
Zhong Li He got excited and lied shamelessly, selling out Kong Que. “I don’t have experience, but Kong Que does. He’s dating. He’ll have a mate soon.”
“You’re saying Lieutenant General Kong Que is dating?” Chong Ming sounded genuinely surprised. He turned his gaze to Kong Que, loud enough for him to hear.
Kong Que’s mind blanked.
Who was dating?
The chief executive was inventing a romance to bait the Commander-in-Chief?
Zhong Li He nodded hard. “Yes. He’s dating. The partner is a phoenix clan female huang bird.”
“Beast form: colorful feathers. Human form: tall body. They’re super affectionate. Once they register marriage, they plan to lay at least twenty eggs.”
Chong Ming’s look at Kong Que turned meaningful. “Twenty eggs, huh.”
Kong Que couldn’t expose the lie. He could only force a polite smile.
Zhong Li He pressed on, shameless. “Right, right. Twenty eggs. So I’m inexperienced, but he’s experienced. That means I’m experienced too.”
Chong Ming smiled faintly. “That counts.”
Zhong Li He beamed. “If I’m experienced, then your mate not wanting to meet people doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to meet me. How about you let her meet me—or let me meet her. I’ll persuade her. As the madam of a Commander-in-Chief, a regent prince consort, she has to face the public. How can she hide?”
Chong Ming’s smile vanished. “Thanks, but no. She has my cubs. She doesn’t need to face you or the public. She only needs to face me.”
Zhong Li He’s mouth twitched. After all that, Chong Ming still wouldn’t let him see her.
It was maddening. He wasn’t poaching. He wasn’t snooping. He was just curious what kind of woman could bring Chong Ming to heel.
He tried again. “The gift I prepared for your mate.”
Chong Ming held out his hand. “Give it to me. I’ll pass it on.”
Zhong Li He refused. “No way.”
Chong Ming pulled his hand back. “Then forget it.”
Zhong Li He was so irritated he wanted to throw fireballs again.
Chong Ming walked faster.
Zhong Li He had to stomp along behind him.
Chong Ming brought him to a room near his own quarters. As he opened the door to let Zhong Li He in, there was a sudden boom from the direction of Chong Ming’s room.
Chong Ming’s face changed.
He ignored Zhong Li He, gathered power, and tried to blink-shift to his room—only to see a fireball had blasted a hole straight through his door.
The fireball rolled out through the hole, hit the floor, and vanished without leaving a single spark.
Zhong Li He rushed to his side, shocked. “That fireball just now—that was phoenix clan flame orb power. Chong Ming, did you kidnap a phoenix clan female huang bird?”