"The reason we're discussing this is because we need to come up with a plan."
As Shen Mengli sat quietly on his lap, nestled in his embrace, Ye Feng swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously.
"So... the plan you all came up with... involves me?"
"Of course it does."
Shen Mengli lifted her head from Ye Feng's chest, gently cupping his face with both hands as she gazed deeply into his eyes.
"After everyone discussed it, I ended up being the leader! As for the others... well, we're all equals, of course."
"Leader? Equals?"
"What? Don't you believe me, Xiao Feng? If you don’t, you can go back and ask them right now."
"No, no, Mengli, it’s not that I don’t believe you. I’m just wondering if this is really okay..."
"Xiao Feng!"
Shen Mengli turned his face back toward her when he tried to look away and pressed her lips against his in a sudden kiss.
"Mmm..."
But she pulled away just as quickly—her intention was only to calm him down.
As he met Shen Mengli’s tender gaze, Ye Feng unconsciously licked his lips, still tasting her sweet lingering warmth.
"Xiao Feng, since you’ve already chosen this kind of life, you shouldn’t look so troubled. Even if there are difficulties, you have to face them properly. We’ve all made our feelings clear during our earlier discussions. What matters now is how we move forward together."
"Mengli..."
Her words flowed through him like a soothing balm, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
"Sorry... I just..."
"It’s okay. As long as you’ve accepted it in your heart, that’s all that matters."
After a long embrace, Shen Mengli rested her head on Ye Feng’s shoulder, her voice softening slightly as she asked,
"Xiao Feng... do you ever dislike me?"
"How could I?! How could I ever dislike you? Mengli, why would you ask that?"
"Because... my progress hasn’t improved at all..."
"Mengli, that so-called progress isn’t important."
Ye Feng gently patted her back in reassurance, tightening his hold when he felt her tremble slightly in his arms.
"I know you all want to complete the mission, but everyone has their own perspective on this. I don’t want you to force yourself to do anything you’re uncomfortable with just for my sake. Honestly, compared to before, I’ve already come to terms with things."
"But I can’t accept that! This mission is about your life, Xiao Feng! I don’t want to lose you—never!"
Feeling her emotions rising, Ye Feng quickly changed the subject. "Alright, alright, I won’t leave you. We’ll succeed. And when we do, let’s go to the beach together, okay?"
"...Mm."
Only when Shen Mengli’s frantic heartbeat steadied did Ye Feng gently shift her to sit beside him on the bench.
"Mengli, feeling better now?"
She blinked her bright eyes and nodded slightly, aware that she had gotten too worked up earlier. But the moment she heard Ye Feng dismiss the mission so casually, her heart had ached unbearably.
"Y-Yeah... a little."
"Good. But Mengli, there’s something I want to say to you. Is that okay?"
"O-Okay."
Seeing how cautious she was, Ye Feng spoke softly. "Mengli, you’ve already done so much for me—saving my life, accepting a future that might not make you happy... I can never repay you. I know I owe you more than I can ever make up for. Sometimes, I even think... maybe it’d be better if it all just ended. But with all of you by my side, I... I don’t know what to..."
"Then just accept it."
Shen Mengli suddenly cut him off, gripping his hand tightly.
"H-How can I just accept it so easily? Every time I see you all together, my chest feels so tight."
"Then... let me ask you a simple question. Do you love us?"
"Of course I do, but—"
"I love you too, Xiao Feng."
"But—"
"I love you."
"Mengli, wait—"
"I love you."
"......"
Stunned by her repeated confessions, Ye Feng froze. Every time he tried to speak, she interrupted him.
"Mengli?"
"Xiao Feng, don’t you understand yet?"
Pouting, Shen Mengli leaned her head against his shoulder.
"I love you. Does love even need a reason?"
"Love... doesn’t need a reason."
Ye Feng murmured the words to himself before closing his eyes.
That’s right. Does love even need a reason? The reason is simply love itself.
When he opened his eyes again, the hesitation in them had vanished, replaced only by unwavering devotion as he looked at Shen Mengli.
"Xiao Feng?"
Her concerned voice reached his ears, but before she could ask if something was wrong, he suddenly pulled her into his arms. A soft gasp escaped her lips—then silence.
"Mmm..."
......
"Sigh~"
Su Yuxin twirled a strand of her long ponytail, her eyes darting toward the door every now and then.
"Why is Mengli taking so long to come back?"
"Yuxin, be patient. Mengli is our representative now. All we can do is trust her."
Li Mucheng reassured her while holding onto Su Yuxin’s hand, as if afraid she might bolt outside any second.
Meanwhile, Xie Yuyan appeared completely unbothered, sipping her coffee leisurely. But deep down, she knew one thing for certain:
That girl Mengli is probably sneaking another taste!
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
nto another world, I bought a slave for the first time, never expecting the silver wolf girl to be so cute... Lin Feng: I know it's cold, but you don't have to sneak into my bed! Yuna: Just sharing body warmth, if you dare do anything naughty, I'll definitely...
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
