335: Three people sticking together

The commander shook his head, his expression gradually clearing, completely forgetting the chaos he had just witnessed.

He reined in his horse and said in a deep voice, "The Mining Area is orderly as usual. Continue the patrol."

"Yes."

The armored guards snapped out of it, responding blankly as they urged their horses forward, the sound of hooves gradually fading away.

You Yu watched their departing backs and whispered, "This 'Traceless' technique has certainly saved us a lot of trouble."

Tudor hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic battle in the mine: "The person who injured Valerius is someone the City Guard will inevitably turn everything upside down to find. It's safer to cover it up with Traceless."

His eyes darkened: "The Abyss's roots are still shallow; it can't withstand much turmoil. By the time that old fox Valerius senses something is wrong..."

"...we will have already rooted ourselves much deeper."

As You Yu spoke, another curve formed at the corner of his lips, but this time, the chill was even more intense... Inside the inner hall of Jiaotai Palace, agarwood incense was burning, the wisps of smoke curling around the tassels of the palace lanterns hanging from the beams.

On the wide phoenix couch, Shang Wan Ning leaned back.

Her inner robes were loose, the collar slightly open to reveal her delicate collarbones. Her long hair was unbound, spread across the dark brocade mattress like a splash of thick ink.

Meng Jiang sat sideways on the edge of the couch, one leg bent in a lazy posture.

Shang Wan Ning's head rested on her lap.

Meng Jiang held a peeled Purple Gold Poria fruit; the flesh was translucent, and wisps of clear spiritual energy seeped out.

"Ah, open wide," Meng Jiang said.

Shang Wan Ning's phoenix eyes were half-closed, and she lazily opened her lips upon hearing this. The fruit was fed into her mouth, and with a snap of her pearly teeth, it let out a crisp sound.

The sweet juice dissolved on the tip of her tongue, and the spiritual energy flowed down her throat, soothing her meridians into a state of comfort.

"Mmm~"

The Secretary-General stood by the couch, her pale fingers resting on Shang Wan Ning's shoulders, kneading them with just the right amount of pressure.

Her gaze behind the gold-rimmed glasses was lowered, falling on the skin beneath her fingertips; her technique was so proper that not a single fault could be found.

On the small table by the couch, spiritual fruits were piled like a small mountain on a jade plate, all of them tributes specifically for the Grass Spirit Dog Clan.

Of course, the reason Meng Jiang and Ling Qi were being so diligent was as clear as a mirror to Shang Wan Ning.

o(´^｀)o

[She still remembered the account of them stripping off her phoenix robe.]

The Empress swallowed the fruit, a small hum of satisfaction escaping her throat. Without even lifting her eyelids, her voice was soft and drawn out.

"Mmm~ to the left... a bit more pressure."

Her toes subconsciously rubbed against the brocade quilt, seemingly accidentally touching the stockings that Ling Qi had just taken off.

The Secretary-General's hand paused for a moment.

She increased the pressure as requested, and the lines of Shang Wan Ning's neck and shoulders visibly relaxed.

Sister Meng watched the scene playfully, waving a spiritual fruit in front of Shang Wan Ning's eyes.

"Oh, still angry?"

Shang Wan Ning let out a hum from her nose and shifted her head on Meng Jiang's lap, finding a more comfortable position.

"I have a small heart, is that not allowed?" Her phoenix eyes glanced sideways at Ling Qi's hands massaging her shoulders.

"Unlike some people... who were so fast when tearing my robe! One look and you can tell they're a veteran in the field of flowers."

Ling Qi pursed her lips, her hands massaging the shoulders stiffening slightly.

She didn't want to argue; she simply adjusted her angle and pressed her fingertips onto a sensitive spot on the back of Shang Wan Ning's neck.

"Sss..." A sour, swelling sensation surged.

Shang Wan Ning took a breath, her brow furrowing for a moment before slowly smoothing out again.

"This... this is more like it."

Meng Jiang stuffed a fruit into her mouth and said coolly, "Enough already. The Secretary-General's year-end bonus is gone, and her wrists are nearly broken from copying 1.3 billion reports."

"It's just stripping off a piece of clothing; Your Majesty's divine body didn't lose any flesh."

"What about my dignity?"

Shang Wan Ning protested indistinctly while chewing the fruit.

"Dignity?"

Meng Jiang poked Shang the Tsundere's puffed-out cheek. "When a certain Empress was thinking about catching the Elf Goddess to do a group dance stream, it probably fell to the bottom of the Wangchuan River, didn't it?"

Shang Wan Ning choked, the tips of her ears quietly turning red.

She turned her head to glare at Meng Jiang, but the movement was too sudden, and the back of her head hit Meng Jiang's kneecap with a "thud."

"Ouch!" Both of them cried out in pain at the same time.

Ling Qi's hands stopped massaging, and she subconsciously reached out to support Shang Wan Ning's head.

Shang Wan Ning clutched the back of her head, grimacing in pain, tears nearly welling up.

"Sister Meng, is your leg made of iron?"

Meng Jiang rubbed her bruised knee and said crossly, "You're the one making trouble, and you're blaming me?"

"Who told you to bring that up!" Flustered and exasperated, Shang Wan Ning raised her foot to kick Meng Jiang's waist, but her ankle was swiftly caught by Meng Jiang.

"Mmm~ let go!" Shang Wan Ning struggled, but couldn't break free.

Meng Jiang's hand was like an iron pincer.

"Your Majesty, be careful not to expose yourself."

Ling Qi's voice cut in with a hint of helpless persuasion. She leaned over to pull up the brocade quilt, trying to cover Shang Wan Ning's inner robe, which had slipped off her shoulder during the struggle.

A large patch of translucent white skin was already exposed... Shang Wan Ning was still wrestling with Meng Jiang when she saw Ling Qi's hand reaching over. By reflex, she grabbed it and clamped down on her wrist.

"AQi wants to get her hands on me too?"

Shang Wan Ning arched an eyebrow and pulled hard, dragging Ling Qi onto the couch.

Caught off guard, Ling Qi's legs went weak, her knee hit the edge of the couch, and her gold-rimmed glasses almost slipped off.

She stabilized herself with one hand on the couch while the other was still held by Shang Wan Ning. She whispered, "Your Majesty, your Subordinate wouldn't dare."

"Tsk, wouldn't dare?" Shang Wan Ning sneered, not letting go of Ling Qi's wrist.

[You bullied me so many times before; was that all just an illusion?]

Her other foot reached for Meng Jiang again. "I think you all have plenty of nerve."

The scene immediately became chaotic.

With one hand holding Ling Qi's softness and one foot caught by Meng Jiang, Shang Wan Ning's remaining foot kicked out wildly.

The brocade quilt was kicked onto the floor, and her inner robes became even more disheveled... Fearing she might actually hurt Ling Qi, who was only at the sixth rank, Meng Jiang released the ankle and instead held down Shang Wan Ning's flailing leg.

"Have you had enough? How old are you? Aren't you being childish?"

"Hmph ╯^╰, I feel like it!"

The foot that Shang Wan Ning had just freed poked accurately at the soft flesh of Ling Qi's waist.

Ling Qi let out a muffled groan, her waist shrinking sensitively, and the hand supporting her on the couch lost its strength. She was pulled down completely by Shang Wan Ning, falling onto the couch and pressing against her side.

The gold-rimmed glasses hung crookedly on the bridge of her nose, and in the eyes behind the lenses, a rare hint of bashfulness 〃∀〃 appeared.

Shang Wan Ning laughed triumphantly, her phoenix eyes curving into crescents, looking exactly like a cat that had successfully stolen a treat.

She didn't let go; instead, she took the opportunity to pull Ling Qi closer into her arms, resting her chin in the Secretary-General's shoulder, sniffing the familiar scent of cold ink.

"AQi's body fragrance is even sweeter than the fruit." Her breath brushed against Ling Qi's ear.

Ling Qi's fingers instantly stiffened, and the tips of her ears turned red at a visible rate.

She struggled with a mix of resistance and compliance: "Your Majesty, this is not proper... Meng..."

"Whether it's proper or not, I have the final say." Shang Wan Ning tightened her arms, not allowing Ling Qi to move.

She turned her head to look at Meng Jiang, who was still holding down the base of her thigh, a hint of provocation in her eyes. "Is Sister Meng jealous?"