Chapter 267
Chapter 267: Chong Ming, You Old Loach—How Dare You Start Rumors That We Have a Thing
Official history wasn’t always true, but folk rumors were always unhinged.
Four words—”folk rumor”—could be wilder than any secret record.
Old Loach rumored to dislike females and like males? This gossip was insane.
Insane enough that Jiang Tea Tea wanted every detail.
Her eyes glittered. “Lieutenant General Kong Que, honest question—a country’s prince can just be gifted away like that? Do they have no shame?”
A prince. A human gift sent to Old Loach.
Didn’t they fear being laughed at? Didn’t they feel humiliated?
Kong Que’s gaze flicked toward his Chief Executive. Zhong Li He lifted his chin, sapphire eyes shining just like Jiang Tea Tea’s—pure hunger for gossip.
Kong Que cleared his throat, looked away, and spoke like he was reporting intel from agents. “Miss Jiang, you may not understand the merfolk clan, but you should’ve studied biology.”
“Whether river fish, ditch fish, or sea fish—aside from special species with low reproduction, most fish have dozens or hundreds of fry at once.”
“Same for merfolk clan merfolk. They’re fish. They’re multi-birth. Single births or twins are rare.”
“Their marriage law is the opposite of insect clan. Insect clan is one female, many males. Merfolk clan is one male, many females.”
“Besides the official queen consort, the merfolk king has eighty-nine registered merfolk females on the imperial family list.”
“Registered princesses and princes—aside from the six children born to the official queen consort—there are one thousand six hundred eighty more.”
Zhong Li He and Jiang Tea Tea both went still.
Kong Que continued without blinking. “But the merfolk king isn’t limited to the females on the official list. He’s promiscuous, seeks thrills, plays big. Not only does he have many domestic lovers off the list, he also hunts exotic females from other planets and species.”
“Lovers off the list means merfolk cubs off the list too. A male who doesn’t even know how many lovers or cubs he has won’t care about any cub, and won’t recognize them all.”
“Using an unfavored cub—a cub he doesn’t even know—to curry favor with Zhen Lin Empire’s Commander-in-Chief and regent prince, in exchange for weapons and patrol protection on fringe star planets…” Kong Que’s voice stayed steady. “It’s always worth it. Right?”
Jiang Tea Tea clicked her tongue in disdain. “Those abacus beads are clacking loud. Sure. Very sure.”
“I agree.” Zhong Li He nodded, then turned to Kong Que. “I’ve decided to delay returning to Da Xi Nation. I’ll stay in Zhen Lin Empire another month and a half to watch this gossip, eat this interesting melon, then go.”
Kong Que’s whole point had been to get the Chief Executive out of Zhen Lin Empire, not to make him stay longer.
They’d agreed to leave tomorrow. They could’ve left today.
Now he had lifted a rock and smashed his own foot.
Jiang Tea Tea stared, shocked. “Chief Executive Zhong, you’ve already been out for a month since the Zhen Lin Empire space weapons exhibition. Now you want to stay another month and a half? Aren’t you afraid Da Xi Nation opponents will rebel and pull you down?”
Zhong Li He’s voice brightened. “Rebel and pull me down? That’s great news. If that happens, I’ll stay in this blessed land of Zhen Lin Empire another three months.”
Jiang Tea Tea: “????”
What was going on?
Were officials in the interstellar era all this wild?
Not caring about power shifts? Not afraid of being blown up?
Kong Que: “…”
Miss Jiang hit the Chief Executive’s heart dead-on.
He’d sat as Chief Executive for years, living on the edge of rage. Every day he talked about letting Kong Que take over so he could go party, go play, become a star pirate, chase the sea of stars.
His biggest dream was someone pulling him down so he could hand power over cleanly.
And Kong Que had been stuck as lieutenant general for ten years not because others blocked him, but because he blocked himself. He didn’t move up—deliberately—keeping the Chief Executive on the seat.
“Clink!”
A teacup set down on the desk drew their eyes to its owner—Chong Ming.
Chong Ming stood, straightened his uniform, and walked toward Zhong Li He. “Chief Executive Zhong, your departure tomorrow is already in the news. All M31 star system knows.”
“If you suddenly don’t leave and stay in Zhen Lin Empire, people with sharp eyes will think you’re the rumored male I like.”
Jiang Tea Tea pressed herself into the sofa and covered her mouth. Her mouth must not laugh. Absolutely not.
Kong Que rubbed his forehead, then stepped aside, yielding space.
Zhong Li He pointed at himself. “Me? Your rumor? The male you like? Me, having a thing with you? By Beast God above, how blind do I have to be to like you?”
Chong Ming spread his hands. “Whether you like me is secondary. I don’t like you either. But the secret CP of us? M31 star system citizens sure haven’t stopped shipping it.”
Jiang Tea Tea: “!!!!”
Damn.
Chong Ming really was Old Loach—deep and shameless. He even led the ship himself.
God. Thrilling.
She needed to go online and read. There might even be fanfic.
Zhong Li He glared. “There’s no CP of you and me on Starnet. Stop throwing filth on me.”
Then Zhong Li He narrowed his eyes. “Oh, I get it. You want to use me as a tool. Use my hand to hit Tian Qiong Planet’s Princess Cong Bei, scare off the merfolk clan prince, so you can keep hiding her!”
Chong Ming lifted a brow and snapped back, “Who’s throwing filth? Stop flattering yourself. I just want you to leave.”
“Tian Qiong Planet and merfolk clan have no voice here. Letting them visit is just face-saving.”
Two males totaling three hundred years old bickered like children—basically, you don’t like me, I don’t like you.
Zhong Li He grew stubborn. “If you want me to leave, I won’t. What can you do?”
Chong Ming had plenty of ways. “Fine. If you won’t leave, then when Tian Qiong Planet’s princess and merfolk clan’s prince arrive, you’ll accompany me to receive them.”
He didn’t want anyone eating gossip or misunderstanding Zhong Li He had thoughts about him.
By Beast God above, his beast form was longer than Zhong Li He’s life. It was golden and had no gorgeous feathers at all. Who would like him?
Chong Ming dropped his hand, issuing an eviction. “If you won’t receive them with me, then leave now.”
Zhong Li He bristled. “I don’t—”
Chong Ming’s gaze went past him to Kong Que.
Kong Que’s eyes spun once, then he said respectfully, “Chief Executive, I feel a bit unwell.”
Zhong Li He immediately turned, alarmed. “Unwell? We just checked your ability and mind-sea. What’s wrong?”
Kong Que replied, “Maybe my level rose three at once. The check shows nothing, but my body hasn’t caught up.”
“Such trouble.” Zhong Li He grumbled, but he grabbed Kong Que’s coat, draped it over him, and supported him. “I’ll take you back to rest.”
“Thank you, Chief Executive.” Kong Que leaned half his weight on him, acting truly weak. Even his voice sounded faint. Then he glanced back. “Miss Jiang, if you visit Da Xi Nation in the future, you can call me directly. I’ll go with the Chief Executive to receive you.”
He inclined his head to Chong Ming. “Thank you for the Commander-in-Chief’s hospitality. The Chief Executive and I will leave first. May our friendship endure.”
Chong Ming nodded. “Long live friendship!”
He tapped his lightbrain to call Adjutant Ai and Secretary Wen, then ordered them not only to escort them out of the military department, but to send them to their hotel, watch them board their ship, take photos, and post announcements across the M31 star system confirming they had left.
Zhong Li He didn’t want to go, but for Kong Que he went.
Once on the flyer, he watched it drive straight onto his warship.
The ship doors closed. It rose, left Zhen Lin Empire’s capital planet, entered space, and performed a space jump.
By the time Zhong Li He realized, they were already halfway.
He slapped Kong Que’s face. “Kong Que, you’ve got guts. You even lied to me!”
Kong Que didn’t look ashamed or hurt. If anything, there was a flicker of excitement in his eyes. He spoke respectfully. “My Chief Executive, if you don’t want to be Chief Executive and want to be a star pirate roaming the sea of stars, then besides grooming me to replace you, you can groom others too.”
“The phoenix clan has a few good children. They have merit and strength. I have the files. Want to look?”
Zhong Li He snorted, making his favoritism obvious. “No matter how good they are, they’re not you. They can’t compare to you. I chose you. I don’t like the others.”
Kong Que suppressed the dark light in his eyes and looked at Zhong Li He with devout worship and trust. “I know your grooming, your fondness, your favor.”
“But the reason I became excellent and kept chasing is because the person I’m chasing is you. If you leave, I don’t want your seat either.”
“If you want freedom and want to be a star pirate across the sea of stars, I want to be your first officer at the helm, your shield charging forward.”