189: Fish in the Net — Shang Wanning

"You Yu." Shang Wan Ning's face was as calm as water, her crimson lips slightly parted as she uttered these two words.

"Subordinate is present." Hearing this, You Yu immediately stepped forward and responded respectfully.

He lowered his head slightly, not daring to meet His Majesty's icy gaze.

Shang Wan Ning narrowed her eyes slightly, coldly glanced at Olexia, then turned to You Yu and asked in a cold voice, "Exactly how many people from Xia Country have died?"

Hearing this, You Yu's heart tightened, and a hint of self-reproach appeared on his face as he replied softly, "To this day, we have gathered 456 souls."

After speaking, he sighed softly. If they had decisively deployed troops when the Information Department first detected the anomaly, perhaps more people could have been saved.

[However, the great BOSS, the God of Desire, probably requires His Majesty to personally intervene to capture him.] You Yu pondered internally, but he dared not say this aloud in front of Shang Wan Ning.

After hearing this number, Shang Wan Ning's expression grew even gloomier. She twitched the corner of her mouth, asking with a fake smile, "Have the lifespans of these people not yet run out?"

"Indeed, none of these souls have reached the end of their lifespan." You Yu hurriedly replied... The newly deceased souls below the Ghost Gate Pass were originally waiting obediently beside the Soul Ferrymen. After hearing the conversation, they suddenly became agitated.

Normally, recently deceased ghosts should be mindless, but the extremely dense Yin energy of the Netherworld allowed them to recover their consciousness prematurely.

"TMD!" A burly male ghost couldn't help but curse loudly.

"How unlucky can I be? I shouldn't have come to R Country for vacation!"

"Exactly! I wasn't supposed to die at all!" another female ghost cried out, her face full of remorse.

"I thought R Country was as safe as our Xia Country. Who would have thought something like this would happen..."

For a moment, numerous ghosts echoed the sentiment, their complaints rising and falling... "Impudence! Who dares to cause a ruckus at the Ghost Gate Pass?"

Blood Slaughter rushed out of the e-sports room in a flurry, wearing cool gaming headphones, hands in his pockets, shouting loudly.

He looked furious, as if he wanted to skin alive the person making the noise.

Seeing this, You Yu helplessly rolled his eyes, raised a slender index finger upwards, signaling Blood Slaughter to look up.

Blood Slaughter looked up suspiciously in the direction You Yu was pointing, and upon seeing it, he froze on the spot as if struck by lightning.

His previously arrogant expression vanished instantly, replaced by terror and ghastly pallor.

"Yo... Your Majesty... Your Subordinate greets Your Majesty!" Blood Slaughter stammered, his voice trembling like a withered leaf in the wind.

Where was the imposing aura he had moments ago? He looked exactly like a startled 'Die Shi Guan'.

Shang Wan Ning stood tall and graceful, her skin fair as snow, warm and delicate like white jade.

She was gently flexing her wrists, her movements elegant and composed.

"Blood Slaughter, is it your turn on duty today?" Shang Wan Ning asked expressionlessly. Although her tone was low, it carried an undeniable imperial authority.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it is indeed my turn on duty!" Blood Slaughter replied with a troubled expression, secretly lamenting his misfortune.

"In that case, you will be fined three months' salary." Shang Wan Ning spoke, still as calm as water, seemingly indifferent to the punishment.

Blood Slaughter was stunned for a moment. It took him a while to react, and he quickly replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Although his heart was filled with reluctance, he dared not disobey the Empress's punishment.

[Wuwuwu, my latest Alienware m15 R6.]

Just then, the surrounding ghosts, who had been making a racket, suddenly heard the word "Majesty." In an instant, they fell silent.

They all widened their dark eyes, their gazes unanimously fixed on Shang Wan Ning, faces showing extreme astonishment.

"The Empress!!!" Someone shouted first, and immediately the entire Ghost Gate Pass was thrown into shock.

"I thought she was just a Soul Messenger Miss from the middle ranks of the Underworld! I never expected the supremely noble Empress to come in person!" a ghost whispered, his tone filled with disbelief.

"Oh dear! We were so disrespectful in front of the Empress."

"I wonder if this means we'll be reborn as pigs in the next life!" the burly ghost said worriedly... Shang Wan Ning coldly swept her gaze over the ghosts, "Since you have died, you must accept your fate."

"Now, I will give you a chance to re-enter the cycle of reincarnation. But if you dare to cause a ruckus again, do not blame me for being merciless."

Hearing this, the ghosts kowtowed in gratitude, expressing their willingness to follow the arrangements.

Immediately after, Shang Wan Ning slightly turned sideways and transmitted her voice so only You Yu beside her could hear, "Quickly send people to escort these souls to the Bridge of Helplessness."

"Remember, when passing through Evil Dog Ridge, instruct Big Dog to go easy on the ghosts burdened with sin, biting them lightly, considering it a small compensation for them."

"As for those who accumulated merit during their lives, let them be reborn into a good family in their next life."

Upon hearing the command, You Yu quickly and formally replied, "Subordinate obeys the order."

Once everything was properly arranged, Shang Wan Ning nodded in satisfaction. Her jade hand naturally took the boneless right hand of the God of Desire beside her.

The two then transformed into two streaks of light and sped toward Jiaotai Palace.

Inside the System Space, Little Four was lying comfortably on a delicate rocking chair.

Seeing Shang Wan Ning return, she immediately beamed, blinking her lively big eyes and repeatedly winking at Shang Wan Ning, saying sweetly, "great host, you must thank Little Four properly this time!"

"If I hadn't urged you to use all your incense offerings to break through to the Seventh Rank, how could you have subdued the enemy without a fight so smoothly???"

Facing Little Four's demand for credit and rewards, Shang Wan Ning merely nodded casually and replied dismissively, "Mhm~ mhm, I really should thank you, Little Four."

"Tsk! Boring woman, can't you offer something more substantial?"

"For example..."

Little Four's sly gaze, like a hungry wolf spotting a plump lamb, targeted the Host's tempting lips.

Clack.

Shang Wan Ning mercilessly cut off the conversation with Little Four. "Hmph! Single Lesbian System, stop trying to scheme against me!"

Little Four, seeing this, wasn't annoyed. Instead, she showed a cunning smile, like a fox whose scheme had succeeded, and carelessly lay back down to rock the chair.

"Hehehe..."

[Host, you have long been like a fish caught in the net, unable to escape Little Four's airtight large net!]