473: Rebellious spirit VS Old grudges

" 'De', 'di', 'de'? No, that's too basic... 'Zai' and 'zai'? 'Xiang' and 'xiang'... Right, and then there are the modal particles..."

Zhao Yun slowly removed her reading glasses, lifted the hem of her simple, clean garment, and meticulously wiped the lenses, her movements gentle and focused.

After putting them back on, she didn't immediately look at the screen, but instead cast her gaze toward the hazy lights of the Underworld Market outside the window. She watched for a good while before lowering her head to stare at the sent private message on the screen.

She whispered to herself very softly: "My grandson used to complain that I was long-winded, rambling on without getting to the point, saying it gave him a headache to listen to me."

"If that little brat knew that the 'long-winded words' his grandma is writing now are actually a game of chess against gods and demons, would he praise me a little?"

Star stood in the center of the private room, silently watching the group of ghost runners before him.

Their eyes were all shining.

That light did not stem from confusion, but from the burning clarity ignited after parting the fog.

His Majesty's words just now were like pouring scalding hot oil onto a pile of seemingly extinguished cold charcoal; flames suddenly surged, illuminating every single face.

"Did you all hear clearly?"

Star drew everyone's gaze to himself.

"His Majesty has already blazed a trail for us and pointed out the path ahead." He walked to the front and waved his hand to bring up a massive projected light screen.

"Correct all the issues pointed out just now immediately, without a single detail missed. Grandma Zhao!"

"Yes." Zhao Yun replied, her eyes bright and clear.

"Your approach remains the same; continue to use genuine emotion, but adjust the pacing. Send two messages a day—one in the afternoon and one right at the hour of the Rat. At night, when it's quiet, defenses are weakest."

"Zhou Wenyuan."

"Here!" Zhou Wenyuan raised his head, his eyes behind his lenses flashing with unprecedented focus.

"Limit the technical discussion letters to one per day. The questions must be specific, but the tone must be relaxed, carrying a touch of clumsy exploration."

"You can intentionally make some trivial 'minor mistakes,' for instance, asking, 'Big sister, why don't you use warm lighting during your night streams? The image seems a bit cold.'"

"Remember, Her palace is built of ten-thousand-year-old black ice; it has no need for warmth."

Zhou Wenyuan grabbed a pen and recorded it in his open notebook, his handwriting slightly messy due to excitement.

"Liu Shuo."

"Here!" Liu Shuo's voice was loud and clear, and he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"Limit the provocative private messages to three per day, and make sure to stagger the sending times to catch Her off guard. Remember, you are 'pretending' to be a villain; don't actually become one."

"Even if you get blocked, it's still a merit; mark the exact time you were blocked clearly."

Liu Shuo bared his white teeth. "Understood! Just watch me!"

...

On the way back to Jiaotai Palace, the lights of the Underworld Market gradually blurred behind them. As Chen Yu walked, she suddenly reached out and tugged at Shang Wan Ning's sleeve.

Her fingers hooked onto the silver buckle of the trench coat belt, fiddling with it absentmindedly.

"Your Majesty."

The White-Haired Loli leaned toward the Empress's shoulder. "That wave of reverse-psychology motivation just now was really powerful. Did you see the look in Liu Shuo's eyes?"

"It was like he wanted to devour the Zhulong alive."

Shang Wan Ning let her tug at her sleeve, not stopping her pace. "Otherwise what? Should I have said, 'This matter is dangerous, everyone take care'?"

She glanced at Chen Yu from the corner of her eye. "If I said that, the ghost runners would only feel restricted."

Chen Yu chuckled. She released the silver buckle and instead loosely circled Shang Wan Ning's wrist.

She didn't use any real force, just resting it loosely, her fingertips brushing against the Shang-style kitchenware.

"That's true. The ghost runners in our Underworld all have a rebellious streak hidden in their bones. The more Your Majesty says the opponent is a Ninth-Rank Great Demon, the more they can't suppress that urge to 'just give it a try.'"

Hearing this, Shang Wan Ning turned her wrist and backhanded the White-Haired Loli on the head.

With a soft "pop," not heavy, much like tapping a ripe watermelon.

"Still talking about them having a rebellious streak?" She raised an eyebrow. "I think you have just as much of one."

Chen Yu didn't dodge after being tapped; instead, she leaned forward half a step in that posture, her forehead almost touching Shang Wan Ning's shoulder.

The white hair brushed against the ink-black fabric, fine and soft.

"How could I?" She dragged out her voice, the tail end curling upward.

"Is there anything Your Majesty has ordered that Yu Yu hasn't handled perfectly?"

Shang Wan Ning looked down at her.

The little loli tilted her face up, her red eyes wide and round, reflecting the dim light of the Netherworld, bright enough to dazzle. A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, like a calico cat that had stolen a treat.

"Oh?" Shang Wan Ning replied slowly.

"I said not to break into the Research Institute's classified warehouse. Did you remember that?"

Chen Yu blinked. "That time was an accident."

"I said not to have 'in-depth exchanges' with Lin Ran in private. Did you remember that?"

"That was required for official business."

"I said not to use the Wangchuan River water to cook snail rice noodles, you..."

"Your Majesty!" Chen Yu suddenly gripped her sleeve tightly and buried her entire face into the crook of her arm. "You're digging up old scores!"

Her voice sounded muffled, with a hint of grievance.

Shang Wan Ning's sleeve was wrinkled from being rubbed by the White-Haired Loli.

She wanted to pull her hand away, but this wretched woman was gripping it tightly.

She wanted to say a few more words, but when she looked down and saw that tuft of swaying white hair, the annoyance in her heart inexplicably dissipated by more than half.

"Alright, alright, alright, that's enough!"

She sighed in the end, raised her free hand, and placed it on top of Chen Yu's head, ruffling it messily.

The hair was soft, carrying a hint of the night wind's chill.

"I won't lecture you anymore." Shang Wan Ning turned her head away, her gaze cast toward the hazy silhouette of Jiaotai Palace in the distance. "Get up, what kind of behavior is this."

But Chen Yu refused to move.

She maintained the posture of burying her face, mumbling vaguely: "Then, Your Majesty... back in the private room just now, did you also think my arrangements were quite good?"

Shang Wan Ning rolled her eyes.

"The idea for Star was thought up by me, and I picked the ghost runners too." The White-Haired Loli nuzzled against her. "Even the private room at Wangchuan Internet Cafe was booked by me in advance."

Her voice grew quieter and less confident as she spoke.

But the hand gripping the sleeve refused to let go even a little.

Shang Wan Ning was silent for a moment.

The night wind brushed under the corridor, carrying the unique fishy scent of the Wangchuan River. In the distance, the faint tolling of the night shift bell from the Department of Reincarnation could be heard, deep and heavy, one chime after another.

She suddenly chuckled.

"Hmm." The Empress said, "The arrangements were good."

Chen Yu looked up.

It was as if a cluster of fireworks suddenly burst in her red eyes, making them sparkle. She grinned, revealing two sharp little fangs. "Really?"

"Fake." Shang Wan Ning made a move to pull her sleeve away.

"A Ning!"

Chen Yu lunged at her, wrapping her arms around her waist, and rested her head in the crook of her shoulder, rubbing back and forth. The white hair brushed against her neck, feeling ticklish.

"Yu~ Yu knew that Your Majesty loves me the most."

Shang Wan Ning was made unsteady by her antics, stumbling half a step before regaining her balance. She wanted to scold her, but swallowed the words back. In the end, she just raised her hand and pressed down on the back of her head, not too lightly or too heavily.

"Let go." She said helplessly, "My clothes are going to get wrinkled."

Chen Yu finally let go and took half a step back, but her eyes were still glued to her girlfriend's face.

The smugness in her heart couldn't be hidden at all.