285: Do not look at what is improper

(I caught a cold and had a fever yesterday, making up for it today.)

Just at this "warm" moment~

"Bang!"

The palace door was violently pushed open.

"Your Majesty, Sister Meng. Guess what good stuff I found?"

"The tears of a Loach Demon from the Misty Marsh, the soup is incredibly fresh..." Chen Yu rushed in impetuously, her voice abruptly cutting off.

The White-Haired Loli's eyes widened, her gold-rimmed glasses slid to the tip of her nose, and her mouth was open wide enough to fit an egg.

She saw the two people stacked on the phoenix couch: Meng Jiang was embracing someone with a look of satisfaction, while Shang Wan Ning was buried in a large chest with a look of utter despair.

The scene was once extremely harmonious (*´I`*).

Chen Yu blinked, then suddenly covered her eyes. She let out a sarcastic wail: "Oh my, see no evil, hear no evil."

"I didn't see anything, you two carry on, carry on! I'll go to the Secretary-General to reimburse this 'paid content' later..." With that, she tried to slip away.

"Stop right there, why are you back so soon?"

"Didn't I tell you to stay in the Demon Realm and continue your mission!" Meng Jiang said lazily, without even raising an eyelid.

With her other hand, she grabbed in the air, and Chen Yu was lifted by the back of her collar.

Her feet left the ground, and she was flailing as she was pulled back, landing steadily on the carpet by the phoenix couch.

"You came just in time!"

Shang Wan Ning struggled to get half her head out of Meng Jiang's embrace, her cheeks flushed, trying hard to put on the air of an empress, but her voice was still a little muffled.

"Since everyone is here, we'll have a quick meeting while we're at it."

Just then, Ling Qi seemed to have timed it perfectly, holding a new scroll of parchment map.

She slipped in through the crack in the door that Chen Yu had just opened, and then closed the palace door tightly.

She held the corner of the map, her gaze sweeping over the three people in their strange postures on the couch, her face still expressionless.

[Tsk, this scene~ how desperate are they?]

Shang Wan Ning noticed the deep meaning in the Secretary-General's eyes and cleared her throat twice to break the awkwardness.

"Ahem~ everyone's here. AQi, you go first!"

"Okay~" Ling Qi got straight to the point, unfurling the map with a "whoosh" on the table.

"The Demon Realm's terrain, power distribution, resource points... preliminary surveying is complete.

"Combining Chen Yu's 'achievements' from this year's 'cultural exchange' and Sister Meng's interrogation results..."

She pointed to the eastern edge of the map, to the location of the freshly formed giant pit on the Obsidian Plain.

"Ao Ya taking that beating and Zhu Yan being forced to show up to rescue him proves two things."

A cold glint flashed in Ling Qi's glasses, "First, they're desperate for the 'bait' that is the Grass Spirit Dog. Second, Zhu Yan's lair is most likely in the eastern core area, near what they call the 'Floating Island'."

Shang Wan Ning finally completely broke free from Meng Jiang's "embrace kill," tidied her disheveled clothes, and leaned towards the map.

"Floating Island? I've seen records in the Forbidden Books Pavilion. Legend has it that even ancient deities easily get lost there."

"Zhu Yan and his group named it this, could there be some hidden mystery?"

Meng Jiang leaned on the couch, playing with a newly condensed flower of the other shore, her tone casual: "Who cares what mystery it is, since the old turtle has shown his head, he shouldn't think of shrinking back."

She looked at Shang Wan Ning, her eyes curved with a smile.

"A Ning, it's time for you to stretch your muscles. After being in seclusion for so long, you should practice with your Eighth-Rank Divine Power. That eastern region is perfect for you as a whetstone."

"Don't end up with divine power but unable to even defeat a Seventh-Rank Great Demon."

"When I was fierce back then, I personally slaughtered even Eighth-Rank Great Demons."

Shang Wan Ning's eye twitched.

[Alright, the experience card for being a hands-off boss has expired.]

Chen Yu squatted on the carpet, raising her hand to speak: "I apply to be the vanguard. I know the ropes, and I guarantee to thoroughly investigate the threshold of Zhu Yan's lair for Your Majesty."

"However, shouldn't the bills for the various shops on Yin Street be settled? You only owe eighty million incense offerings in total."

Ling Qi glanced at her, her tone cool: "It was cleared for you long ago. How could the Underworld owe money? Do you think the rule of compound interest is just for show?"

Chen Yu choked, but Meng Jiang chuckled softly, tapping the White-Haired Loli's forehead across the air.

"Alright, A-Yu's contribution is not small this time. Sister will reward you with seven figures of incense offerings later."

She then turned to Shang Wan Ning, her eyes showing a hint of indulgence, "A-Yu will lead the way in the east, the Secretary-General will coordinate the rear. I will accompany Your Majesty on this trip, lest you, this little Pillow Princess... ahem, Underworld Empress, get knocked out by the demonic winds of the Demon Realm."

Shang Wan Ning: "..."

[Who's the pillow!]

Just as she was about to retort, she met Sister Meng's half-smiling gaze and instantly wilted.

[Fine, with Sister Meng covering me, a pillow is a pillow, safety first.]

"It's settled then!" she declared.

"We'll create a diversion in the surrounding areas first, then head straight for Floating Island in six months. I want to see how long Zhu Yan, this old turtle, can remain stubborn."

After the meeting, Ling Qi left with the map and jade slips, acting decisively, her back practically screaming "Overtime makes me happy"!!!

Meng Jiang stretched, then hooked a finger at Shang Wan Ning, the meaning clear: "Come here, continue charging."

Shang Wan Ning's scalp tingled. Just as she was about to make a strategic retreat, she felt her collar tighten.

"Sister Meng, I am the Empress, I need to save face!"

"Be good, just for a moment..."

"Ugh..."

Chen Yu squatted on the carpet, quickly pulling out a Recording Stone.

"Click!"

A flash of white light perfectly captured the precious image of Shang Wan Ning's despair as she was being hugged like a cat by Sister Meng.

[Hehe, success. The extortion money for Ling Qi's overtime is secured.]

[Won't pay? Then I'll slice and sell it to the hungry Empress fans on the Underworld APP.]

[At worst, I'll get a spanking and hand over three-tenths of the ill-gotten gains for safety, making a seven-tenths profit.]

She was happily calculating her "fortune-making plan" when she suddenly met Meng Jiang's sidelong glance.

The look was chilling, carrying a hint of "this little brat is asking for a beating."

Chen Yu felt a chill down her neck, and the Recording Stone "whooshed" into her sleeve. She put on a fake smile.

"Ahaha, Sister Meng, you two are busy, I... I'll go research the eastern specialties." With that, she slipped away faster than Big Dog.

The palace door closed with a "thump," completely cutting off any outside prying.

Meng Jiang contentedly rubbed the stiff "large power bank" in her arms, resting her chin on Shang Wan Ning's head.

"A Ning is still the best. A few sips after a fight are much more comfortable than chewing on the flower of the other shore."

Shang Wan Ning: "???"

Her face was buried in the familiar softness, her nose filled with a cool, clean scent, and the Empress's dignity shattered to pieces.

[Pillow Princess it is! At least it's a VIP seat, full of experiential value.]

She gave up struggling, resignedly adjusting herself to a more comfortable position, her voice muffled.

"Sister Meng, Floating Island~ are you really coming with me?"

"Otherwise?" Meng Jiang played with a strand of Shang Wan Ning's hair around her finger. "Let you, this little pillow, go by yourself? If you get blown apart by the demonic winds, who will compensate me for my power bank?"

Shang Wan Ning: "..."

[Fine, you're strong, you're right.]