"Tap, tap, tap..."
Ye Feng tiptoed quietly to Shen Mengli's bedside, his heart aching as he watched her furrowed brows—clearly trapped in another nightmare.
"Xiao Feng... no... don't..."
What kind of nightmare was Mengli having? It seemed like she was trying to say something.
Hearing Shen Mengli murmur indistinctly, a puzzled Ye Feng leaned closer, pressing his ear near her lips.
"No... Xiao Feng, don’t leave me..."
This time, Ye Feng finally caught the words whispered in her sleep. Just as he was about to straighten up and wake her, a pair of smooth, delicate hands suddenly reached out from under the blanket and wrapped around his neck.
"Huh?"
Startled, Ye Feng turned to look at Shen Mengli—only to find her eyes wide open, their usual warmth replaced by a deep, unsettling crimson.
"Meng... Mengli! When did you wake up?"
Ye Feng wanted to pull away, but the lifeless void in her gaze pinned him in place. Shen Mengli looked as though she had fallen into an abyss, her eyes devoid of any spark of awareness.
"......"
Shen Mengli merely parted her lips slightly, shaking her head as if lost in a daze.
"Mengli!"
Seeing her like this, even the usually composed Ye Feng panicked. He gripped her shoulders, shaking her urgently, desperate to pull her back to reality.
"......"
But no matter how hard he tried, Shen Mengli remained unresponsive—a hollow shell of herself.
"No... how could this be? She’s never acted like this before! What’s going on?"
Realizing he couldn’t wake her alone, Ye Feng swiftly scooped her up, ready to rush out for help—when Shen Mengli suddenly spoke.
"Mmm... Xiao... Xiao Feng..."
"Mengli!"
Relieved, Ye Feng abandoned his plan and carefully set her down on the wheelchair, kneeling beside her with urgent questions.
"Are you okay? Do you feel unwell? Why didn’t you respond earlier?"
Shen Mengli blinked at the barrage of questions, then softened when she noticed the worry in his voice. A warmth bloomed in her chest as she gently cupped his face.
"Xiao Feng, having you here is so nice~"
"Mengli, this isn’t the time for sentimentality. Answer me properly, okay?"
"Hehe, you’re so concerned about me~"
Shen Mengli’s heart fluttered at his fretful expression, her mind replaying his tender care.
"Mengli!!"
"I... I know, no need to shout~"
She pinched his cheek playfully before smiling.
"I’m fine, really. It was just... a nightmare."
"A nightmare? Impossible!"
Ye Feng didn’t buy it—her earlier state was far too unnatural.
"If you lie to me again, I’ll be angry. I don’t want you hiding things from me."
"Mm..."
Shen Mengli studied his stern face and sighed. She knew he’d only be upset because he cared.
"Fine, I’ll tell you."
"Go ahead. I’m listening."
After a deep breath, Shen Mengli met his gaze with tender resolve.
"It’s because... I love you, Xiao Feng."
"......"
Silence. Undeterred, she pressed on.
"I know you’re aware of my feelings. But I can’t let my selfishness ruin your happiness."
"Mengli..."
"Your kindness pulled me from the darkness. You’re the only light I’ve ever known."
Her voice trembled as she recalled her bleak past before Ye Feng illuminated her world.
"So when I dream of you disappearing... I lose myself. That’s why I seemed so out of it earlier."
Ye Feng stared, stunned. Shen Mengli knew mere words wouldn’t win his heart—she needed a chance to outshine Xie Yuyan.
"I never planned to confess this..."
"Sigh."
Ye Feng exhaled heavily. The unspoken tension between them now lay bare, thickening the air. Shen Mengli bowed her head, awaiting his response.
After what felt like an eternity, Ye Feng finally spoke.
"Mengli... I’m sorry. I understand your feelings, but my heart belongs to someone else. I can’t return your love."
"It’s okay, Xiao Feng. I expected this."
Though she smiled, sorrow flickered across her face. A part of her had hoped—but now she saw that gentle persuasion alone wouldn’t sway him.
"Just visiting me sometimes is enough. That’s why I chose to stay at the orphanage—"
"No!"
Ye Feng cut her off abruptly.
"Today, you’re coming home with me. As your legal guardian, I’m responsible for you. Even if you refuse, I’m taking you back!"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
iaobai: "Councilor Dad, front me some funds. I want to hire ten thousand professional miners for a project!" [Five-Star Mission Issued: Capture the leader of the Blood Heaven Pirate Gang, who is on the run in the Radiant Star Sector. It is said the gang has over a hundred members. Proceed with caution.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, lend me the family's hundred-thousand-strong Lu Army!" [Seven-Star Mission Issued: Subdue a juvenile Void Dragon Beast.] Lu Xiaobai: "Councilor Dad, I'm taking your tamed Void Dragon Beast King out for a family reunion!" I said, System, don't you have any slightly more challenging missions? You're just not up to par! [Nine-Star Mission Issued: Become the Human Councilor.] Lu Xiaobai: "Dad, there's a small matter I'd like to discuss with you..."
lity and could only live as an ordinary mortal. He only wished to live a peaceful life. Yet he didn't know— The dog he adopted, because it ate his food, became a legendary demon king. The kitchen knife he casually forged became a peerless divine weapon, causing numerous experts to fight desperately for it. The young disciple he took in became an immortal lord that led an era, due to cultivating the techniques Ye Feng taught him. Even the skeletons he looked down on the most were ominous demon kings that suppressed countless worlds. Many years later, looking at the void shattered with a punch, Ye Feng murmured to himself: It turns out the peerless kings were myself all along...
