156: Chapter 156 A Smile That's Hard to Suppress

Among all the seemingly unrecommended Famous Scholars, in Chen Aoyun's eyes, only the [Bride-to-be] was the most special!

Her reward is a [Dowry].

The other two are [Famous Item] and [Mount], respectively.

There is nothing to say about [Famous Item] and [Mount]; Chen Aoyun couldn't really elaborate on them either.

But this [Dowry] is interesting!

Chen Aoyun looked around, then gazed at the Japanese with a look of disdain for petty people, and said,

"Among all the rules, which rule states that the gift from the [Bride-to-be], [Craftsman], or [Beast Tamer] cannot be a Heroic Spirit?"

Perhaps.

Perhaps in your understanding, the word [Dowry] has absolutely no connection to a Heroic Spirit.

But for me, and for Huaxia Civilization, the word [Dowry] is just too perfect!

You must know, in the historical anecdotes of my Huaxia, the dowry of Empress Wei Zifu, the second empress of Emperor Wu of Han, was absolutely something that would make every emperor covet!

Because her [Dowry] was none other than the Empire's Twin Walls, hailed as the 'Strongest Dowry in Huaxia' — [General Wei Qing] and [General Huo Qubing]!"

Who is [General Wei Qing]?

And who is [General Huo Qubing]?

No one knew.

But with Chen Aoyun's final move, at this moment, everyone finally understood all of Chen Aoyun's machinations in the first act!

Perhaps it started with the phone calls with the [Strategist] of other countries.

From the moment these countries randomly reported the number of ancient book fragments in their hands, totaling over 200 pages, Chen Aoyun knew that in this act, the Japanese had completely blocked all paths for the Dragon Kingdom to obtain the friendship of Famous Scholars!

Those phone calls, the transactions discussed in those calls, were all nonsense!

The benefits promised by the Japanese were too great; no one was genuinely discussing transactions with Chen Aoyun. The so-called transactions on the phone were instead deliberately orchestrated by the Japanese to balance the interests of all parties.

Perhaps from that moment on, Chen Aoyun was planning to think about the possibility of obtaining a Heroic Spirit from elsewhere, from a place no one expected.

Finally, he set his sights on the [Bride-to-be]!

The 'Famous Scholar Gift' of the [Bride-to-be] is a [Dowry].

Who would have thought that Chen Aoyun could link a [Dowry] to a slot for a Heroic Spirit?

To make it less obvious, continuing to complete the tasks for the [Ranger] and [Maritime Merchant], who could recommend Heroic Spirits, was Chen Aoyun's cover.

The strategy for the other two Famous Scholars who only provided 'Famous Scholar Gifts', the [Craftsman] and the [Beast Tamer], was also a cover used by Chen Aoyun!

Ever since he saw through the hypocrisy of the transactions, Chen Aoyun had no hope of obtaining a Heroic Spirit slot from the [Ranger] and [Maritime Merchant] under the cost-no-object blockade of the Japanese!

His target had long been locked onto the Famous Scholar [Bride-to-be].

Until this moment, when Chen Aoyun revealed his true intentions, everyone realized it was already too late!

The Dragon Kingdom's favorability with the [Bride-to-be] was overwhelmingly high.

Her favorability was not affected by the ancient book fragments. The ancient book fragments left in the hands of the Japanese became useless paper after Chen Aoyun made this move!

Actually, even if the ancient book fragments could affect the [Bride-to-be]'s favorability, it wouldn't change anything. The Dragon Kingdom's favorability with her was just too high, so high that even if all the ancient book fragments in the hands of the Japanese were used to increase the [Bride-to-be]'s favorability, the Dragon Kingdom would still be first by a landslide!

"Damn it, I was wondering why you were so concerned about these Famous Scholars who don't recommend Heroic Spirits. Even when our favorability was already first, you still made me keep grinding their favorability in the last few days.

So this is what you were waiting for!

You had a plan all along, why didn't you say so sooner? You had me worried sick and miserable for those last few days, thinking our Dragon Kingdom wouldn't even get a Heroic Spirit slot in this act..."

Although he was complaining about Chen Aoyun's lone wolf behavior, Fan Ling was overjoyed in his heart. He could understand why Chen Aoyun kept his mouth shut; it was simply that before he was sure he could connect with the [Support Group] outside the arena, any disclosure could potentially lead to his plans being countered.

Turning his head to look at the Japanese Saku Kenichi across from him, Fan Ling put on a reckless posture and said,

"Keep barking, keep barking! Didn't you have a big mouth just now? You even started lecturing us Dragon Kingdom people. Why aren't you continuing your lecture now? Struck dumb?"

Saku Kenichi narrowed his eyes; he already realized that his calculations had failed.

When Chen Aoyun placed his piece on the avatar of the Famous Scholar [Bride-to-be], even though the Heroic Spirit Chen Aoyun spoke of had not yet appeared, he knew he had completely miscalculated.

Chen Aoyun really was as always able to bring surprises.

However, Saku Kenichi concluded: This surprise was a choice Chen Aoyun had to make out of helplessness.

[Dowry]?

A Heroic Spirit, his identity is actually a dowry?

Doesn't that sound ridiculous?

May I ask, how strong can such a Heroic Spirit be?

Don't forget, obtaining a Heroic Spirit is just a prerequisite for the first act of the battle against the [Calamity Demon]. If the Heroic Spirit itself is not strong enough, and if the Heroic Spirit's strike against the [Calamity Demon] cannot make it into the top three, the Dragon Kingdom will still not get points in the first act!

Saku Kenichi was not the only one with this thought. Not many people cared about the so-called 'Dowry Heroic Spirit' that Chen Aoyun had secured for the Dragon Kingdom. It didn't even compare to other people's interest in the fact that Chen Aoyun still had a 'Gift' from the [Beast Tamer] in his hand.

In everyone's mind, this move of the 'Dowry Heroic Spirit' by Chen Aoyun was just to make up the numbers.

Chen Aoyun naturally read their disdain from the eyes of the [Raider]s from other countries.

Angry?

What is there to be angry about?

Chen Aoyun's favorite thing to do is to play the pig to eat the tiger, and then slap the faces of those who underestimate the Dragon Kingdom's Heroic Spirits and those who underestimate Huaxia Civilization.

Swish, swish, swish — all countries had made their moves.

The world, with the Famous Scholar Compass as the background, began to rain down light like specks of gold foil. These lights corresponded one by one with the avatars of the Famous Scholars and with the 'Famous Scholar Gift' held by the [Strategist] of Britain and Chen Aoyun respectively.

The drizzling light was reminding all countries that if they didn't use the ancient book fragments now, there would be no need to use them again.

But for the Japanese, what difference does it make whether they use it or not?

In the blink of an eye, the drizzling golden light turned into beams of light.

Chen Aoyun was enveloped by such a beam of light, and he began to unconsciously construct the image of the Heroic Spirit in his heart.

One can regard the word [Dowry] as the 'Type of Recommended Heroic Spirit'.

Therefore, at this moment, Chen Aoyun had to finally confirm the Heroic Spirit to 'seek worthy' between [General Wei Qing] and [General Huo Qubing].

[General Wei Qing]'s steadiness is like a mountain, [General Huo Qubing]'s sharpness is like fire!

Both are the 'Empire's Twin Walls', and although it is a pity to give up [General Wei Qing], Chen Aoyun ultimately chose [General Huo Qubing]!

The reason goes without saying.

Just ask what the four words 'Fenglang Juxu' mean; is there any need for further explanation?

'Dowry Heroic Spirit'... weak?

Then just wait and see!

[General Huo Qubing]'s image was sketched in Chen Aoyun's heart. Under the dazzling light, the Famous Scholar [Bride-to-be] seemed to walk out from another world.

At this time, the [Bride-to-be] had changed her image, gentle and graceful, just like that 'Wei Zifu' in history. She walked slowly to Chen Aoyun's side, smiled slightly, and sent her [Dowry] into the [seeking worthy order] in his palm.

Handing the [seeking worthy order] back to Chen Aoyun, she only paused for a moment before this token, representing a successful quest for talent, turned and flew into the sky, heading towards the 'Background World' of the empire ruled by Duke Xiao of Qin, [Ying Quliang]...

There was also the 'Gift' from the Famous Scholar [Beast Tamer]; Chen Aoyun also sketched out the image of [Red Hare] in his heart.

[Red Hare] paired with [General Huo Qubing]; just thinking about this combination made Chen Aoyun's smile harder to suppress than an AK47...