Chapter 251
Chapter 251: Can’t Help Hugging Again and Again
Jiang Tea Tea took two steps back and made a small sound of surprise: “Hey, you are the Empire’s Top Leader, the one at the very top. You should really watch your words and your image.”
[Feed me until I am full? Why does that sound so suggestive.]
[Good thing there are only the two of us in this office. If there were even one more person here, they could write hundreds of thousands of words of ambiguous romance about this.]
[This dragon is shameless, but this little demon still cares about her face. I am not going to flirt with him in here.]
Chong Ming’s smile did not fade as he unfastened another button. Three buttons in all were now open. His neck, Adam’s apple, and collarbones were completely exposed, his chest muscles faintly visible. It was blatant seduction, not even bothering to act subtle.
Jiang Tea Tea looked at him as he was now and was grateful that she was already at the Great Demon Stage, with solid cultivation, strong presence, and a firm will.
Otherwise, with the dragon blood’s enchantment and that face right in front of her, she really would not be able to hold back. She would rush over, wrap her arms around him, and bite his neck to drink his blood.
Chong Ming leaned back slightly in his chair and patted his own thigh: “Jiang Tea Tea, you really aren’t coming over to drink a few mouthfuls?”
He added with a lazy smile: “Oh, I understand. You are scared of me, scared I will do something to you. You cannot beat me. You want to drink, but you will not drink.”
Jiang Tea Tea looked at his legs in the military pants, long, solid, powerful legs she had sat on before. Now he was patting them to lure her over.
She deliberately did not go: “That Chong guy, goading me does not work on me. Either you let out some blood for me to drink, or I am not drinking.”
“Then I will just stay hungry. A normal person can go ten days or so without starving to death. Someone abnormal like me can go three to five months and still not die.”
“It is fine. Look, just the little bit of fat on my belly can keep me alive for several months. Don’t worry, don’t worry.”
To let him see that she really had some meat on her belly, Jiang Tea Tea deliberately stuck her belly out a bit and patted it for him to look.
Chong Ming looked, but he did not see any little chubby belly at all. Instead, he felt that with every pat of her hand, the youngling in her belly was moving, wanting to interact with her.
By his count, the youngling was already eight months along. An eight month old youngling without an eggshell should be at least as long as two of his fingers.
Jiang Tea Tea waved her hand: “Enough, I am done talking to you. I am going to your Imperial Military Headquarters school cafeteria to eat first. After that I will find a place to decoct my medicine.”
Chong Ming stood up and called out to her: “Wait.”
Jiang Tea Tea stopped walking: “What is it?”
Chong Ming walked around from behind his desk, picking up Chong Xing Qi’s written confession along the way: “I already had food packed for you. Eat it before you go down.”
Jiang Tea Tea rolled her eyes at him: “You should have said so earlier. You always do extra, like taking off your pants just to fart. Totally unnecessary.”
Chong Ming came up beside her and reached out, wanting to grab her hand.
Jiang Tea Tea lifted her hand to smooth back her hair, neatly avoiding his hand, then lifted her feet and walked toward the sofa in front of the huge floor to ceiling window.
Chong Ming’s hand grabbed only empty air. His expression did not change. He let his hand fall and followed her over, setting all the dishes out on the table and placing a bowl and chopsticks in front of her.
Jiang Tea Tea did not stand on ceremony. She grabbed the bowl and chopsticks and started eating. The five little ones in her belly had grown a bit and become a bit livelier. The fresh blood she had drunk from Chong Ming earlier still was not fully digested.
Now when she ate, it was just ordinary mealtime hunger. It was not that panicked, heart empty kind of starvation anymore.
Chong Ming sat down across from her. After watching her eat for half a minute, he opened the eighty page confession and started flipping through, page after page.
His speed type ability when it came to reading confessions was even faster than Jiang Tea Tea’s speed type ability when it came to eating.
Before Jiang Tea Tea finished her meal, his orders had already been sent out.
The leaders of the various units that received his commands personally took charge level by level, redeploying troops and starting to raid every coordinate of the illegal laboratories and to arrest everyone on the list who had broken the law.
No matter where an illegal laboratory was or who the involved people were, as long as a name appeared on the list, they were to be caught, interrogated, and questioned.
For a time, the Empire’s judiciary, police, special forces, and the army were all working together, coordinating to arrest people.
On StarNet, whether it was the Empire’s own common citizens or common citizens from other nations, everyone was extremely anxious and concerned. They wanted to know whether the Infected Hosts could be cured and whether the Super Virus infection would keep spreading.
The Empire’s imperial authorities could not give a precise answer. Holding to an open and proactive attitude, they released some videos of isolated infected persons to inform the public that the Empire’s medical and research teams were actively trying to find ways to heal the Infected Hosts.
To give the common citizens a shot in the arm and some mental preparation, they also hinted between the lines that at the moment, there was no medicine that could heal the Infected Hosts. If, in the end, no healing plan or medicine could be found, the Empire would follow the Western Kingdom’s method from more than two thousand years ago in dealing with Infected Hosts.
Online, many of the Empire’s own common citizens expressed their support for this approach: “If they really cannot be healed, then to prevent the infection from spreading further, centralized destruction is the best method. I support any decision the Empire makes.”
“Right. Rather than letting them suffer, lose all reason and all dignity, and live on like a lump of dead meat, it is better to destroy them.”
“The infection has already taken away what they used to be. They are just a pile of rotten flesh, a skeleton, thinking only about biting people, tearing people apart, and eating meat. If they have to keep living like that, I agree with destroying them.”
“Don’t say that I am talking easy because it is not my family. I am not casually agreeing here. Among these more than ten thousand Infected Hosts, one of them really is my family member. We already did the genetic comparison.”
“With a huge country like the Empire and so many talented people, they will definitely find a solution. And raising more than ten thousand Infected Hosts should not be a problem.”
“Exactly, exactly. How much can just over ten thousand Infected Hosts eat anyway? Just throw some Aberrant Beasts in there and let them gnaw on them.”
“This way, when their family members want to see them, even if they are just rotten flesh and a pile of bones, they will still have something to pin their feelings on, right?”
“In the Interstellar Space era, we put people first. Infected Hosts used to be human too. They still have personhood. Destroying them is too inhumane.”
“The Empire raising more than ten thousand Infected Hosts will not be eaten poor, and it will not crush their medical system. Just fence off a piece of land, dig a big pit, and raise them there. Maybe later on they will find an antidote.”
“You up there, and you, and you, I want to ask, what plan are you using? Looking at your hidden IPs, should we reasonably suspect you are from the Insectoid Race, coming over to stir up trouble?”
“No need to suspect. They are obviously here to stir trouble and try to drag our Empire down.”
“What they say sounds better than a song. ‘Raise them.’ Damn, how vicious. They know they cannot be healed yet they want the Empire to keep them like this and let them exist long term?”
“I want to ask, how exactly are we supposed to raise them? If the people guarding them grow a second heart and let them out, even more people will be infected. Are we still supposed to live then?”
“Exactly, exactly. These are Infected Hosts, not cats and dogs who will wag their tails and meow just because you give them a little food and water.”
“With these Super Virus Infected Hosts, the people guarding them have to be fully armed and cannot let their blood, flesh, or saliva touch them at all. The people who say we should keep them are either stupid or bad.”
“No matter what, I support any decision Commander in Chief Chong Ming makes and any plan the Nation gives. Whoever stirs trouble and runs their mouth, I will go after them.”
“Same here. As a person of the Empire, I unconditionally trust and support every choice the Nation makes. I will not let people of any other race or nation lead us astray.”
Jiang Tea Tea rarely went online or scrolled through StarNet. Today, while interrogating Chong Xing Qi, she had scrolled for a while and forgotten to mute her device.
While she was eating, her light brain wrist terminal kept vibrating nonstop. Halfway through her meal, she tapped it open and saw that many people had mentioned her account.
Some of the people who mentioned her were asking her whether the Infected Hosts had any hope of being cured.
Some of the people who mentioned her were comforting her, saying that it was all right even if they could not be treated, and that she should not feel any psychological pressure, just do her best.
Some of the people who mentioned her were hurling abuse at her, saying that she was all show and no substance, that they had never actually seen her save anyone or help anyone sort out their problems.
They said that a Super Virus infection should be handled by people who research viruses, not by someone like her, who calmed supernatural abilities and combed through spiritual seas.
Jiang Tea Tea read through all the mentions and saw the other comments as well. The good and the bad, she accepted them all as they were. She did not like, did not share. She simply posted one sentence: “Leave it to Heaven’s Mandate and do all we can.”
This simple six character post shot to the trending list after she logged off StarNet and reset her light brain wrist terminal to mute StarNet notifications again.
She did not know she had gone trending. After she finished eating, rinsed her mouth, and wiped her lips, she stood up and said to Chong Ming: “I am going to find a place to work on my antidote formula. If it is nothing urgent, do not come looking for me.”
Chong Ming stood up with her and asked: “You do not need to go to the laboratory?”
Jiang Tea Tea replied: “A folk remedy does not need instruments.”
Chong Ming reminded her: “All right then, but you have to be careful. Of the ten plus herbs you asked for, eight are extremely poisonous.”
Jiang Tea Tea nodded and said: “I will just find a place within your Imperial Military Headquarters. I will not go far. If you turn on the Imperial Military Headquarters surveillance system, you can see me.”
Chong Ming was left speechless for a moment: “Thank you for reminding me. I do not need to use a satellite to watch you. I can just use the Imperial Military Headquarters surveillance system to watch you.”
Jiang Tea Tea reminded him again: “Your Highness, be serious. You are the Prince Regent holding great power, the Empire’s Top Leader, above billions and billions of people. Do not be a love brained fool. You absolutely must not turn into a love brained fool.”
Chong Ming took a big step to stand right in front of her and argued: “You are the successor I have trained and also the person I am courting. I am handling both my career and my love life at the same time. How does that make me a love brained fool?”
Jiang Tea Tea instantly stepped back two steps to open up distance between them: “Fine, as long as you are happy. I am going to work on my medicine. See you.”
“Wait a second…”
“What is it…”
Chong Ming stepped forward and lifted his arms. Before she could react, he pulled Jiang Tea Tea into his arms and lowered his head to kiss the top of her head: “Nothing. I just wanted to hug you.”
By the time Jiang Tea Tea reacted and was about to struggle, Chong Ming had already let go of her and taken the initiative to retreat two steps. He urged her: “All right, hurry and go research your medicine. If you need anything, tell Deputy Officer Ai, Secretary Wen, Secretary Yao, or me.”
[Dog of a man. Lucky for him that he let go quickly. Otherwise I really would have chopped off his paws.]
Jiang Tea Tea gave him a cold snort, then turned and walked away.
Chong Ming watched her leave his office, then had someone come in to tidy up the table and went back to work.
Jiang Tea Tea left the Imperial Military Headquarters building. In a large open space a short distance to the side of the building, she called over Sui Xuan Chu, Huang Da Zhuang, and the other seven.
Back in the Demon Realm, that Fallen Immortal had always used firewood plus Immortal Arts to boil his medicine. Whether it was poison or tonics, all the medicine he cooked had one word to describe it: fragrant.
Jiang Tea Tea set up a clay pot and took out the herbs. There were thirteen kinds of herbs, ten portions of each, all placed separately, fresh as if they had just been harvested.
Cheng Lin Yue stared at the thirteen kinds of fresh herbs, both frightened and curious: “Sister Tea, these thirteen herbs you mentioned are all poisonous. If you boil them together, poison on top of poison, will it kill everything nearby?”
When her uncle heard that Sister Tea wanted to make a detox agent, he did not have time to come himself, so he sent her over to follow along and learn properly.
She never expected that all thirteen of these fresh herbs, no matter which one you took alone, needed you to reserve a bed in the Healing Institute and find a healer in advance before you dared to take it. Otherwise, you could die.
As she poured water into the clay pot and added herbs, Jiang Tea Tea answered Cheng Lin Yue: “That is a good question. I am also curious whether it will kill everything nearby.”
She spoke lightly, but Cheng Lin Yue shivered in fear: “Sis, Sister Tea, maybe you should wear gloves. All those herbs are poisonous. Even touching them with your skin is poisonous.”
Jiang Tea Tea waved it off: “It is fine, it is fine. Those who are meant to live will not die, those who are meant to die will not live. Be a little braver.”
Cheng Lin Yue shook her head hard: “I cannot be even a little braver.”
Huang Da Zhuang asked curiously: “All of these things are deadly poison?”
Sui Xuan Chu reached his hand out: “My skin is thick. I will grab some and try.”
Jiang Tea Tea slapped his hand away: “No need for you. There is an order for when each herb goes into the pot and which one goes in first.”
With his hand slapped aside, Sui Xuan Chu let out an “Oh”: “Fine then, I will start the fire for you?”
Jiang Tea Tea refused: “No need. You all stand farther away.”
Sui Xuan Chu, Huang Da Zhuang, and the others were all action types. As soon as Jiang Tea Tea’s words fell, they quickly backed away several steps and squatted down to watch from a distance.
Jiang Tea Tea added three kinds of deadly poison herbs into the big clay pot, put the lid on, then took out her Flame Staff. Once she released the sealing on its spiritual power, a flame rose up, and she wedged the Flame Staff under the clay pot.
Huang Da Zhuang, Cheng Xiao Ting, and the others stared greedily at Jiang Tea Tea’s Flame Staff and whispered: “Sister Tea, what kind of black tech is that stick, exactly? Do any of you know?”
“Who knows. I do not know. She has had that stick ever since the interstellar Weapons Expo. It is so cool and flashy, so badass it could explode. I really like it. I cannot even find a knockoff.”
“Do you think it is the newest kind of hot weapon that the Commander in Chief had specially made for Sister Tea, the only one in the entire M31 Star System?”
“That cannot be. If there were only one in the whole M31 Star System, it should be in our Crown Prince’s hands, not Sister Tea’s.”
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Sui Xuan Chu started coughing violently. If his uncle ever got his little darling’s weapon, the first thing he would not think about was handing it to him. He would be thinking about how to mass produce it so everyone could have one and all be amazing.
Zhang Ting Zhou reached out and patted Sui Xuan Chu on the back: “Sui, Top Student Rank, we are talking about the Commander in Chief and the Crown Prince. Why are you getting so worked up?”
He was not anxious. He had just choked on his own saliva.
Sui Xuan Chu coughed so hard that he could not answer.
Cheng Lin Yue, who knew his identity, shrank like a little quail and stayed completely silent.
The big fire brought the pot to a boil. After more than ten minutes of boiling, they turned it down to a small flame and continued to simmer.
The fragrance of poison drifted through the air.
Cheng Lin Yue grew more and more worried.
The sky slowly darkened, but the place where Jiang Tea Tea and the others were was brightly lit, like daytime.
Only four types of herbs had gone into the big clay pot so far. For all thirteen types to go in, they would still need to wait several more hours.
Jiang Tea Tea said to them: “You don’t need to worry about me. Go do whatever you need to do. This has to cook until tomorrow morning.”
She thought that once she told them to leave, they would happily trot off. She did not expect them to slap their thighs and say: “We share blessings and hardships. You boil medicine here, and we will stay here to smell it. We will keep you company.”
“Right. We might as well stay here with you. I have food and drinks. Is anyone hungry?”
“I am hungry, I am hungry, take it out, let’s eat.”
In an instant, the place where Jiang Tea Tea was turned into an open air bonfire picnic.
Jiang Tea Tea sat beside the clay pot, pressing her feet into the ground. Her feet turned into branches that drilled down into the earth, absorbing Mother Earth’s essence.
“Commander in Chief, there is a strong supernatural ability fluctuation underground beneath the Imperial Military Headquarters.” Cai Xi Chao walked into Chong Ming’s office holding her supernatural ability fluctuation detector and reported to him.
Chong Ming looked up at the detector in her hand. The supernatural ability fluctuation signal was jumping sharply upward: “Sound the alarm and activate the underground supernatural ability detection…”
A loud boom cut off Chong Ming’s words.
“Crap, my medicine.”
Jiang Tea Tea watched as the big clay pot was smashed aside, pushed up from the underground by a giant yellow dragon that reeked of rot and stench. The clay pot crashed to the ground and shattered into pieces. She rushed to pull Sui Xuan Chu and the other seven out of the way of the impact, anger flaring up.
“You dare spill my medicine, I am going to tear you into eight pieces.”
Sui Xuan Chu grabbed Jiang Tea Tea’s arm and yanked her backward: “Roommate, this zombie dragon is Chong Xing Qi. He is infected with the Super Virus!”