165: Chapter 165 A Meeting of the Century: Empress vs. Female Academician, Sparks Fly

The crystal chandelier in the living room was swaying precariously, a result of the tremors from that "falling star" just moments ago.

The lights flickered on and off, stretching the shadows of the three people, making it look like a scene from a horror pantomime.

Jiang Chen sat upright on the only surviving single sofa in the center.

His back was straight, his hands rested properly on his knees, and his posture was as standard as a primary school student awaiting judgment.

And on his left and right sides sat two stunning beauties capable of making any man's heart stop or causing him to drop dead on the spot.

On the left.

Jiang Wanqiu sat with her legs crossed. Her long, powerful legs were still clad in the damaged battle armor, and dried blood was still visible on the bits of skin exposed here and there.

She toyed with the alloy dagger in her hand, the sharp blade dancing between her fingertips, making a teeth-gritting "swish" sound.

Those red eyes were undisguisedly broadcasting a signal that said, "I want to kill someone."

On the right.

Academician Chen Shuyin adjusted the glasses on the bridge of her nose. Her lab coat was spotless, and she held a cup of freshly brewed black coffee in her hand.

Although she wasn't holding a knife, the cold aura radiating from her was even more freezing than liquid nitrogen.

She glanced sideways at the Empress opposite her with the look one might give an "uncivilized ape."

"Zzz—"

Behind the sofa, two sneaky little heads peeked out.

Ikaros's pair of mechanical cat ears stood alertly, and data streams were scrolling frantically in her emerald green eyes:

[Warning: High-energy Shuraba reaction detected.]

[Current environmental danger index: SSSS level.]

[Recommendation: Play dead.]

Beside her, Pikachu was clutching its electric sacs as if facing a formidable enemy, terrified that if it leaked even a little electricity, it would be stewed as a punching bag by these two terrifying stars.

"Ahem..."

Jiang Chen truly couldn't stand this low pressure that felt like it was about to freeze the air solid.

He cleared his throat, attempting to break the silence and regain a bit of his dignity as the "head of the household":

"Um... we're all on the same side, can we please put the weapons away?"

"Who is on the same side as her?"

Jiang Wanqiu sneered, slamming the dagger into an apple on the coffee table, sending juice splattering everywhere.

She turned her head to look at Jiang Chen, her tone filled with the resentment of someone whose expectations had been disappointed:

"Father God, when did your taste become so poor?"

"This kind of woman, her arms are as thin as noodles, her skin is as pale as a dead person's; she looks like the kind of trash who couldn't even step on a mutant cockroach."

"Why are you keeping her by your side? As a vase? Or is it..."

Jiang Wanqiu narrowed her eyes, her gaze scraping over Academician Chen Shuyin's chest like a knife, her tone contemptuous:

"Are you just after the white cloth (lab coat) she uses to hide her ugliness?"

"Heh."

Academician Chen Shuyin set down her coffee cup, letting out a chuckle that was extremely elegant yet highly mocking.

"This... Miss Jiang, right?"

She looked Jiang Wanqiu up and down, her gaze like she was watching a monkey performing tricks:

"I forgive your ignorance; after all, your brain may not have fully evolved to the point of understanding the word 'intelligence'."

Academician Chen Shuyin pointed to her own head, her tone flat, yet every word was piercing:

"In this universe, muscle is the lowest form of productivity."

"Only primitive people take pride in being able to crush a cockroach."

"Although I cannot lift a blade, I can build the spaceship that brought you here, and design the chips that make the tattered armor on your body function. If I wanted to, I would only need to move a finger to turn your weapon into scrap metal."

She leaned forward slightly, looking directly into Jiang Wanqiu's fire-spitting red eyes:

"So, may I ask, this... barbarian lady from the Wasteland."

"Besides shouting about killing like a brute, what else can you do? Do you know calculus? Do you know quantum mechanics? Do you know what the gravitational wave equation is?"

"You——!!"

Jiang Wanqiu was left dizzy by this barrage of technical jargon. Although she didn't understand it, she was deeply shocked and felt greatly humiliated.

Barbarian? Primitive? This was simply the greatest insult to a God's Envoy!

"I think you're looking for death!"

Jiang Wanqiu abruptly pulled the dagger out of the apple, stood up with a "clang," and her killing intent exploded instantly. "Enough talk! If you have the guts, let's go outside and practice! Let's see if your equations are tougher, or if my blade is tougher!"

"Vulgar."

Academician Chen Shuyin didn't even budge, simply calmly pulling a miniature EMP generator (specifically for self-defense) from her pocket. "You are welcome to try. In my domain, I have a hundred ways to make you kneel and sing 'Conquer'."

"Enough!!!"

Jiang Chen finally exploded.

He slammed the table and stood up abruptly, standing between the two women who were about to turn the living room into a battlefield.

"Sit down, both of you!"

"This is Earth! This is a society ruled by law! This is not a gladiator arena, nor is it a debate competition!"

Jiang Chen pointed at Jiang Wanqiu: "Put the knife away! This is for cutting fruit, not for cutting people!"

Then he pointed at Academician Chen Shuyin: "Turn that thing off! If it misfires and fries all the appliances in the house, are you going to pay for it?"

The two women glanced at each other, snorted simultaneously, and turned their heads away.

Although they were unconvinced, they still had to give face to Father God (the boss).

"Jiang Chen."

Jiang Wanqiu took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in her heart. She hugged Jiang Chen's arm again, pressing her whole body against him, attempting to use a "tender offensive" to assert her sovereignty.

"I won't lower myself to the level of this female craftsman."

"However, you must give me an explanation."

She looked up, her eyes filled with possessiveness, her voice soft and sweet yet carrying an unquestionable dominance:

"I am the one you brought out of the Wasteland; my life is yours, my soul is yours, everything I have belongs to you."

"My loyalty to you is absolute; it is a faith that transcends life and death."

"What about her?"

Jiang Wanqiu pointed at Academician Chen Shuyin, her gaze contemptuous:

"This woman, what can she do for you? Can she block bullets for you? Can she die for you? If she can't, what right does she have to sit on your right side?"

This was a fatal question. It was also an ultimate interrogation regarding "status."

Jiang Chen felt his scalp tingle. This wasn't just jealousy; this was a fight over "who is the first-in-line successor!"

Academician Chen Shuyin watched how Jiang Wanqiu was clinging to Jiang Chen, and the sourness in her heart bubbled up.

She was a rational person. But at this moment, screw rationality.

"What right?"

Academician Chen Shuyin stood up and adjusted her collar, the arrogance belonging to a top-tier academic genius revealed completely at this moment.

"Just because I am his—"

She paused, her eyes flickering, as if looking for the most lethal word.

Suddenly, she thought of something. A victor's smile curled at the corners of her mouth.

"I am his Chief Partner."

"I am the second-largest shareholder of Chenxing Technology."

"And..."

Academician Chen Shuyin pulled a document from her bag; it was the "Lifetime Employment and Technology Sharing Agreement" that Jiang Chen had signed with her earlier to cover their tracks.

She slammed the document onto the table, pointed at the bright red official seal on it, and said word by word:

"Legally."

"I am his only legal, state-recognized, and interest-deeply-bound—"

"Partner."

"Even if it's a business partner, it's still a partner."

"And you?"

Academician Chen Shuyin looked at Jiang Wanqiu, her gaze pitying:

"A black household without even a household registration."

"At best, you're just a... what was it? Oh right, an illegal cohabitant."

Boom—!

These three words were like a bolt from the blue, directly striking Jiang Wanqiu into a daze.

Illegal? Cohabitant? I am an Empress! I am a God's Envoy! How did I become illegal?!

And Jiang Chen, sitting in the middle, listening to these two women elevate their fight for a "title" to the heights of law and faith, only felt his vision go dark.

He knew. This time, it was truly impossible to resolve.