126: Chapter 126 What if... it's love?

Su Chen shook his head.

"I came to Jianghai City from a major northern province known for its college entrance exams. My family is quite poor; let alone traveling to other places, I rarely even went to other cities within my own province. I've basically never left home."

"My apologies."

Having touched a sore spot for Su Chen, she hurriedly apologized.

"Then... you awakened a superpower, and your mental strength is quite good. From childhood to now, have you ever experienced any rather strange dreams that are difficult to explain with common sense?"

"For example, battlefields, imperial palaces, ancient times, and the like?"

Su Chen was stunned.

What on earth does this warrior from the Hall of Valor mean?

What dreams I have, what does that have to do with her?

However, this doesn't count as a private matter.

Considering the other party's strength, he answered truthfully.

"Dreams... I seem to have dreamt of being chased by monsters."

"Ancient ones? No impression."

"My memory is decent, and most of the dreams I have are related to reality."

He emphasized again that his "memory is decent." This was a form of self-protection and also a reverse probing.

What exactly are you trying to imply?

Zhuge Jinyu's heart sank.

Her delicate hand under the bodysuit curled unconsciously.

She was unwilling to give up and tried another approach.

Her tone became even softer, as if just chatting casually.

"I heard you say that you are also a member of the Huayu Association. At such a young age, your cultivation isn't low; you can be considered a talented young warrior."

"Some secrets can naturally be told to you."

"The recent anomalies in the Snowy Plateau have involved quite a few ancient remnant species."

"In the records of the Hall of Valor, there are some vague descriptions regarding even more distant eras."

"For example, some dynasties that had already perished or even had their records broken have reappeared in the era of spiritual energy recovery."

"The way they dealt with similar crises sometimes relied on special contracts or were entrusted to the spirits of artifacts."

"Do you think this way of entrusting hope to external objects is reliable?"

Zhuge Jinyu swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

After all, this hint was already quite obvious.

Back then, Su Chen, who lived in the mirror, helped her unify the world.

This was what she called "entrusting to the spirit of an artifact."

Su Chen frowned.

This question was even stranger.

As a member of an official organization, why ask him such a tricky question?

Even HR from global Fortune 500 companies might not necessarily ask this kind of question.

Could it be that this woman with a great figure has taken a liking to him and wants to take the opportunity to ask a question as a formality, intending to trick him into joining regardless of how he answers?

Thinking of this, he looked Zhuge Jinyu up and down, taking in her almost perfect, hot figure under the bodysuit.

Maybe... I should answer properly.

It wouldn't hurt to suffer a little for this.

"Historical experience is worth learning from, but every era has its own solutions."

"Excessive reliance on external objects might lead to missing opportunities for self-growth."

"Of course, if the contractor and the spirit are partners who trust each other, that's another matter."

Su Chen deliberated for a moment before finally answering.

His answer was steady and safe; there shouldn't be any problems with it.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this answer, the other party instantly fell silent.

Partners, trust...

Zhuge Jinyu felt her eyes heat up.

Once upon a time, she was his most trusted "investment target."

She was the "partner" he carefully guided from across the ancient mirror.

But these words, heard in the ears of the current "Xiao Yan," were just generalities.

She still wouldn't give up, using almost all her strength to keep her voice steady.

She threw out the last question, one that was enough to kill all doubts.

"After the recovery of spiritual energy, some civilizations' legends mentioned a very special kind of 'investment.'"

"It's not the kind of monetary investment common in the business world today; what the investor pays is something much more precious."

"For example, time, or life."

"The investor gives their all, just to exchange it for the growth and future of the investment target."

"Student Xiao Yan, if you were that invested person, after knowing all these costs, how would you view that investor?"

While asking this, Zhuge Jinyu's beautiful phoenix eyes under her mask immediately stared intently at Su Chen.

She didn't want to miss any subtle change on his face.

Sir...

If it really is you, will you remember?

Remember the immortality you gave up for me.

Remember the rain of flowers at Wuzhang Plains that burned yourself?

Su Chen was shocked inwardly upon hearing this.

The reason was simple.

The other party's question touched upon his deepest secret.

The angel investor system.

What he had accomplished in the system was almost exactly the same as what Zhuge Jinyu was describing before his eyes.

In an instant, his brain raced, and dozens of different possibilities flashed through his mind.

Was the system exposed?

Impossible.

This female warrior before him looked like a top-tier expert, but according to the system, she should still be unable to detect its existence.

Then there was only one possibility.

The two rounds of angel investment he conducted were real!

In other words, Zhuge Jinyu, Cang Mingyue, and Ye Jingjun were very likely from those so-called "civilizations."

Rather than saying it was the present, it was more like he went to a past timeline and cultivated them.

Afterward, they, having been cultivated, recorded their own "investments."

After the recovery of spiritual energy, it gradually became known to the people of Blue Star.

Including this female warrior before him.

His vigilance instantly rose to its peak.

Su Chen remained calm, even answering with a hint of perfectly appropriate confusion and detachment.

"A very romantic legend."

"But in reality, this kind of contribution without regard for cost is often accompanied by heavy pressure."

"If it were me, I might feel guilty, and I would work even harder to not fail those expectations."

"But how to view it specifically... depends on the relationship and original intention of both parties."

"Also, there is one point I must mention."

"Since we are talking about 'investment,' then this investor must definitely be looking to get some return for doing so."

"Legends are just legends after all. Although very romantic, in reality, there shouldn't exist such an investor who gives everything without asking for a return."

Guilty...

Work hard...

Not fail...

Shouldn't exist in reality...

He spoke so rationally, so objectively.

Although it sounded correct, it was as if he were evaluating a story that had nothing to do with him.

There was not a shred of emotion, not a hint of familiar resonance.

He is not Sir.

Or rather, Sir's memory really did not awaken with this "return."

Of course, based on Zhuge Jinyu's understanding of Su Chen.

With his intelligence, if he wanted to play dumb to fool her, it wouldn't be impossible.

"Then what if... it is love?"

"If I said that the investor in the legend actually fell in love with their investment target, and that investment target also always admired their investor."

"They are both willing to sacrifice everything for each other."

"Student Xiao Yan, do you think this explanation... is reasonable?"

(Emergency teaser: Before the third round of investment, the protagonist will meet and recognize all three known heroines.)

(( ° ㅅ ° ) ㅍ ㅅ ㅍ)