130: Knock knock, the cat peeks out.

Just then, a sudden blast of icy wind blew in. Ling Qi and Shang Wan Ning turned to look at the doorway almost simultaneously.

“It seems someone is even more anxious than the Secretary-General.” Shang Wan Ning’s lips curled up slightly, a hint of cunning flashing in her eyes.

Before her voice could fade, a dark figure gradually emerged... followed by a voice carrying a touch of chill: “Your Majesty, are you willing to test your skills against this humble one?”

Instantly, Meng Jiang’s entire body ignited with a cluster of ghostly, cold fire.

The skin on her neck and her black robes were burned into tattered remains.

Her skin appeared incredibly aged, with wrinkles protruding high like withered roots.

Shang Wan Ning glanced indifferently at Meng Jiang, then spoke leisurely: “Sister Meng, you’ve come to ask me for a budget, haven’t you!”

“Ah la la... Your Majesty really isn't willing to accept this humble one's joke!” Meng Jiang snapped her fingers lightly, quickly returning to her original form.

Shang Wan Ning rubbed her aching brow and asked helplessly, “How much budget do you need this time?”

“30 billion.” Meng Jiang replied softly, a smile hanging on her face.

Shang Wan Ning’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Why don't you just rob someone! Didn't I just give you 5 billion a while ago?”

“How could 5 billion be enough? This humble one has trained many newcomers!” Meng Jiang said coquettishly, her tone carrying a hint of whining and grievance.

“Besides, if the incense offerings aren't enough, this humble one cannot guarantee the quality of the meng pos soup!”

Meng Jiang looked at Shang Wan Ning pitifully, her eyes revealing a charm that made it impossible to refuse.

Shang Wan Ning’s heart softened, but she still forced herself to say, “Can it be a bit less?”

She honestly told Meng Jiang that she had many expenses recently and really didn't have much money.

[So poor, so poor, so poor...]

Meng Jiang seemed to see Shang Wan Ning’s difficulty. She gave a soft laugh, waved her hand, and changed the subject. “The souls in the Underworld are dozens of times more numerous than the people in the mortal realm.”

“All things can develop spirits, and once they have spirits, they have souls,” Meng Jiang continued to explain.

“The mortal realm and the Underworld are different; most of the space in the Underworld is void.”

“As long as there is enough spiritual energy, larger and larger spaces can be derived, but the number of people a space can hold is limited.”

“As souls continue to increase like a rising tide, the slots for reincarnation become like clear springs in a desert—increasingly rare.”

“After all, the capacity of the mortal realm is like a finite container, and only those without sin in their past lives can reincarnate again in the shortest amount of time...”

Meng Jiang’s words plunged Shang Wan Ning into deep thought, as she realized the severity of the problem.

“If this humble one's meng pos soup accidentally has a quality issue, that would be terrible!”

Shang Wan Ning gritted her teeth and finally agreed. “Fine, fine. I’ll have finance transfer it to you later.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Meng Jiang happily gave a respectful bow.

After Meng Jiang left, Shang Wan Ning looked at Ling Qi. “Do you think the meng pos soup will have problems?”

Ling Qi remained silent for a moment. “Currently, there aren't any major issues. However, from ancient times to the present, there will always be a few fish that slip through the net and reincarnate with memories of their past lives.”

Shang Wan Ning nodded in agreement. “Fortunately, Chief Assistant Lin also has the fate of a Celestial Official.”

“I don't believe it; if I train another version of Lady Meng and have them brew two pots of soup, there will still be quality issues.”

Ling Qi squeezed Shang Wan Ning’s fingertips, a hint of a smile in her eyes.

“The position of Lady Meng can only be held by a woman with the Full Fate of a Celestial Official, and the main ingredient of meng pos soup must be the essence extracted from the flower of the other shore by the Wangchuan River.”

“Ordinary ghosts can't even resist the toxins of a regular flower of the other shore, let alone this essence.”

“Its core essence lies in a small amount of spiritual herbs and the essence blood of Lady Meng...”

“If Lady Meng were to fall ill, the Underworld's high-level officials could still handle the flower of the other shore. However, without the blood of a woman with the fate of a Celestial Official, the efficacy would be unstable. At that time, we would have to trouble you, Wanling, to personally brew the medicine.”

“Am I right? From the first moment Your Majesty saw Lin Ran, you wanted to hold her tightly in the palm of your hand.”

“Thinking about it now, Your Majesty’s calculation is truly...”

Ling Qi gazed at Shang Wan Ning, paused for a moment, and changed her wording: “Your Majesty’s plan is truly a masterstroke! This way, you can ensure both the quality of the meng pos soup and Lin Ran’s loyalty.”

An inscrutable light flashed in Shang Wan Ning’s eyes: “I naturally have my own considerations.”

“Qi Qi, you don't need to say such insincere words,” she said softly.

Ling Qi’s face stiffened, and she forced a smile: “Your Majesty, I understand the simple truth that being with a monarch is like being with a tiger.”

[Get angry quickly! If you get angry, I can go find the white-haired little loli tonight.]

[I can't take it anymore. I had too much fun with them at the hot springs yesterday.]

[I really can't 'get up' today!!!]

Shang Wan Ning let out a light laugh, but a bone-chilling coldness seeped from her eyes. “Tsk tsk tsk, what a trashy woman,” she muttered to herself.

“Hmph! I’m angry. I won't be better until you coax me tonight,” Shang Wan Ning said, feigning anger.

Hearing this, Ling Qi felt as if she had been struck by a bolt of lightning from a clear sky.

“Fine!” she responded with utter helplessness.

[It's over, tonight I'll have to frantically rehydrate like parched land again!]

...Underworld Headquarters Building, Employee Lounge

“7th Floor Empress’s Three Thousand Beauties Gossip Group: Hey, brothers and sisters! Lady Meng Jiang has come to the company!”

A dozen gossip groups instantly exploded. No one dared to hold their phones up to take a picture in front of Lady Meng.

They could only chat secretly in private~

“4th Floor Empress’s Three Thousand Beauties Gossip Group: It’s like Her Majesty has been possessed by a gentle little elf. Do you guys know? Just now—the finance department allocated 30 billion in incense offerings to Lady Meng Jiang!”

“3rd Floor Empress’s Three Thousand Beauties Gossip Group: Ahhh! Her Majesty loves Lady Meng Jiang too much; she’s truly generous.”

“6th Floor Empress’s Three Thousand Beauties Gossip Group: (✧∇✧) Do you guys know? The Secretary-General is also in the office. What do you think about the three of them... Unh-hunh!!!”

“9th Floor Empress’s Three Thousand Beauties Gossip Group: Wow! Are they going to start a threesome mode? *Slurp slurp*~”

“12th Floor Empress’s Three Thousand Beauties Gossip Group: What a pity, Lord Prefectural City God is out on official business. Otherwise, a foursome would be quite nice.”

“14th Floor Empress’s Three Thousand Beauties Gossip Group: 12th floor, you probably forgot about Chief Assistant Lin! That’s a high-level boss. With just a mortal body, she slept her way directly into Her Majesty’s bed...”

“Ding dong...”

A cat emoji floated through the gossip group.

“Lin Ran (Chief Assistant Lin): Cat peeking out! (Emoji)”

“Lin Ran (Chief Assistant Lin): Eh! Why did you stop chatting? I want to hear the gossip too!”