After a pause, Madam said in an extremely stern, icy tone, “In any case, I’m making this clear today: as long as I’m here, don’t even think about letting Zhang Shi join us smoothly!”
“I will not allow you to gamble the lives of every soldier along the Yangtze defense line on something so brainless!”
With that, Madam turned and walked away.
Clearly, she was going to make arrangements.
Her retreating figure fell into Zhou Mengyan’s eyes, making them blaze with fury. His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked.
He was the commander of this army!
Yet because he had borrowed her influence back then, quite a few people in the military camp still remained loyal to Madam. Everything he tried to do was hampered at every turn!
He was the Grand Admiral of the Navy!
How could he continue enduring such humiliation?
And for so long, at that!
“Brother Mengyan…”
Ruan Fei understood the conflict between the two of them better than anyone. She gently urged him, “Madam is being far too unreasonable. She so casually rejected your opinion and even insulted you outright. It’s simply too much.”
“I feel sorry for you. It’s unfair to you!”
“Fortunately, General Zhang Shi will be arriving soon. Once he gets here, Brother Mengyan, you’ll finally have the freedom to deal with Madam.”
Madam’s every word had struck at Zhou Mengyan’s weak points. Ruan Fei, on the other hand, spoke every word straight into his heart, filling him with warmth. He reached out and pulled her into his arms.
This time, embracing Ruan Fei carried an air of openness, as though he were declaring war in broad daylight.
His eyes also revealed a hint of resolve and ruthlessness.
“This military camp must be under my command!”
“Xiaofei, send people to make the arrangements now. When General Zhang Shi arrives in person, I will welcome him with the grandest ceremony possible!”
“He…”
“He will become my strongest ally.”
Ruan Fei beamed with delight. “I knew it, Brother Mengyan. You’re the best judge of character!”
…
At dawn, the morning mist still lingered over the river. Shen Zhian’s fleet had already reached the shore. Zhang Shi, who had been too excited to sleep all night, stepped out of the cabin and breathed in the fresh air around the Yangtze’s natural defenses. His entire body was filled with energy.
Ning Wanqin emerged beside him, likewise brimming with vitality. She leaned closer and smiled. “General Zhang Shi, the steward said horses have already been prepared for us. Shall we set out now?”
“Let’s go!” Zhang Shi nodded. “I’ll follow your lead, Miss Ning.”
“All right!”
Ning Wanqin answered cheerfully. The two mounted separate warhorses and galloped away, rushing toward the naval camp at top speed.
Before long, the naval camp came into view. Zhang Shi looked up at it, struggling to calm the turbulent emotions in his heart as he considered what he might face next and how he should respond.
Then, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly spotted a martial arts academy not far away.
“A martial arts academy?”
Zhang Shi’s heart stirred.
While investigating the Yangtze’s natural defenses, he had happened to hear some news: a merchant had built a martial arts academy there. It was magnificent and lavish, reputed to be the finest sight along the entire Yangtze.
Originally, it had been nothing more than an unexpected discovery while gathering information, and it was of no importance to Zhang Shi.
He simply happened to remember it.
But now…
Zhang Shi looked over. Through the hazy mist, the once-grand and glittering martial arts academy was…
Closed down!
The entrance was in complete disrepair, with the desolate appearance left behind after a move. It was as though the great beast had died, leaving only its corpse behind.
And not only had it closed down, a crowd had gathered outside, shouting angrily. Every one of them appeared outraged. From the looks of it… they seemed to be there to collect debts!
This aroused Zhang Shi’s curiosity. He turned to Ning Wanqin, who was riding beside him, and asked, “Miss Ning, is that the largest martial arts academy in the Yangtze’s natural defense?”
Ning Wanqin had been riding close beside Zhang Shi all along, worried that he might ask something along the way and wanting to be ready to answer him at any time.
The moment she heard his question, although she had not yet seen the academy clearly, she replied without hesitation, “Yes, General Zhang Shi. That martial arts academy is a landmark of our Yangtze defenses.”
“It has a resounding reputation, famous on both banks of the Yangtze!”
“And furthermore…”
As she spoke, Ning Wanqin deliberately slowed her horse. A hint of pride appeared on her face as she said, “The person who founded that magnificent martial arts academy was none other than my good friend and Ruan Fei’s good friend, Sister Shen Zhian!”
“Speaking of which, Sister Shen Zhian truly isn’t an ordinary person. She’s a thoroughly capable woman who built such a martial arts academy all on her own, leaving all the men in Cloud Capital staring in astonishment!”
“Her ability and strength surpass those of countless men in the world. She’s a role model for all of us women!”
Ning Wanqin continued talking animatedly, sounding rather as though she were showing off. In truth, it was an instinctive attempt to curry favor with a renowned general like Zhang Shi.
At the same time, it reflected her blind faith in Shen Zhian.
“General Zhang Shi, when we have the chance, I’ll take you to meet Sister Shen Zhian. I guarantee that once you meet her, you’ll be completely won over…”
Ning Wanqin went on and on until even Zhang Shi, a military man, grew impatient. He interrupted her, “No, Miss Ning, what I mean is…”
“How did this martial arts academy go out of business?”
Ning Wanqin answered casually, “It definitely hasn’t gone out of business. At most, they’re moving!”
“Moving? They’re being surrounded while they move. How does that look anything like a debt collection?”
Ning Wanqin yanked hard on the reins. The sudden stop of her horse nearly threw her from the saddle. She cried out, “What?”
“What debt collection?”
Zhang Shi had no intention of answering her—and in any case, he was too lazy to do so. She had already turned her head to look.
Through the dense mist, she could indeed see the once-magnificent martial arts academy, a sight that had once inspired awe. Not only was the entrance in ruins, it was surrounded by a large group of people shouting loudly.
Shock surged through Ning Wanqin’s heart.
She hurriedly urged her horse over to take a closer look.
The academy was not far away, and on horseback she reached it in an instant. Ning Wanqin saw everything clearly and heard every word distinctly.
The martial arts academy she had proudly shown off to anyone and everyone had truly gone bankrupt—and its creditors were chasing after it!
“Where’s Shen Zhian? That shameless woman! She tricked us in the beginning, claiming General Zhou Buzhang would guarantee it and telling us to invest. Now she’s run off without even saying a word?”
“Damn it, my money! My money… To hell with this! Give me my money back!”
“She moved without even telling us? Does she take us for fools? Damn it, I knew Shen Zhian couldn’t be trusted. If she weren’t General Zhou Buzhang’s wife, I wouldn’t have invested in her even if I’d been out of my mind!”
“Damn it, what are we supposed to do now? No, we should go blockade the Zhou residence. Shen Zhian has to give us an explanation. We can’t just throw all that money away!”
“That’s right! We can’t let all that money go to waste!”
…
The uproar from the crowd shattered the idol Ning Wanqin had built of Shen Zhian in an instant. Her face was still filled with disbelief.
Sister Shen Zhian was a famous, extraordinarily capable woman—her idol. How… how had she fallen into such a miserable state?
Even if the martial arts academy moved—or even went bankrupt—at most, it would simply have to compensate these people for their money. Sister Shen Zhian was so wealthy that she had casually produced banknotes worth a million taels. How much could these people possibly be owed? Wouldn’t it be easy to pay them off?
What on earth was going on?
While Ning Wanqin was still utterly bewildered, Zhang Shi was growing impatient.
They had agreed that he would be persuaded to switch sides. He had already agreed to come with them to the Yangtze’s natural defenses, so why had he suddenly refused to leave because of a martial arts academy?
He was still waiting!
If not for the million taels of banknotes Ning Wanqin had given him, Zhang Shi, a military commander, would have lost his temper on the spot. For now, he managed to wait a little longer.
But not for long. Soon, he shouted, “Ning Wanqin, are you coming or not?”
“If you’re not coming, I’ll go find Grand Commander Zhou Mengyan myself.”
Only then did Ning Wanqin snap back to reality. She hurriedly said, “I’m coming, I’m coming! General Zhang Shi, let’s go!”
However, as she left, Ning Wanqin glanced back and saw that amid all the shouting and commotion, the crowd had already begun moving toward the Zhou residence. Clearly, they intended to go and cause trouble for Shen Zhian.
“Sister Shen Zhian is no ordinary woman. She’s a true capable businesswoman. She should be able to handle this sort of matter with ease!”
Clinging to this beautiful hope, Ning Wanqin returned to the naval camp with Zhang Shi.
Unfortunately, reality was completely different from what she had imagined.
Shen Zhian’s solution to dealing with these creditors could be summed up in one attitude:
“Stay out of sight and refuse to see them!”
The gates of the Zhou residence were tightly shut, making it clear that they had been prepared for this all along. This completely enraged the creditors. One after another, they began bombarding the gates of Zhou Buzhang’s residence!
Not only did they hurl every kind of random object at the gates, but they also cursed especially viciously.
“Shen Zhian, do you have no shame? You made all those fine promises back then, and now you’re pretending to be dead?”
“Damn it, Shen Zhian, you shameless woman! And Zhou Buzhang, do you have no shame either? You’re a respected figure on the Yangtze, a former star of the military whom everyone admired. What are you doing now, hiding like a coward?”
“Damn it, pay us back! You owe us money—when exactly are you going to return it?”
“Fuck, don’t tell me you’re planning to welch on your debts? Zhou Buzhang, you son of a bitch! How long do you think you can keep hiding?”
…
Inside the gates of the Zhou residence, Shen Zhian stood calmly. Though the insults reached her ears, she remained completely unmoved, her expression serene.
Her thoughts were perfectly clear.
Only those who could endure great slander were worthy of receiving great honor!
For now, she was facing a temporary difficulty. Being cursed at was no big deal. Once her all-female army succeeded, all the investments that had gone down the drain would return to her in full.
By then, she could simply repay these people.
What was there to worry about?
However…
Shen Zhian could endure it, but Zhou Buzhang could not!
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
