"Miss?"
The tentative voice of the little secretary echoed in Dongfang Zhixia's ears. It took several calls before Dongfang Zhixia finally snapped out of her daze.
Dongfang Zhixia let out a cold snort and swiftly closed the telescope lens, then rapped the little secretary’s head twice in frustration.
"Pathetic. Is this all you’ve got? Just because they’re wearing a little less, you can’t handle it?"
The little secretary blinked, her eyes filled with a hint of relief—had the young mistress not seen anything?
Well, when Dongfang Zhixia had arrived earlier, the little secretary had "fought tooth and nail" to shift the telescope’s original position. Even if she looked now, she’d only see people from other dorms on their balconies. There was no way she’d have the luck to spot that certain troublemaker.
The little secretary exhaled in relief, her heart—which had nearly leapt out of her chest—finally settling back down.
"Instead of losing weight like I told you, you’re peeping at night? Add another 10 kilometers to your run today. No sleep until you finish!"
"Wahhh, nooo, Miss! I was wrong, wahhh…"
Dongfang Zhixia remained expressionless as she dragged the little secretary downstairs for their run. The only evidence of their earlier presence was the trail of nosebleed left behind by the secretary.
---
Meanwhile.
Boys’ Dormitory.
Ye Cheng finally finished his cigarette. "Tyrannical Loser" mode logged off—now entering the stage: Kindergarten Sprint Champion, Elementary School Jump Rope Champion, Middle School Harmonica Competition Champion…
If only Ye Cheng were in an infinite flow novel, his titles alone would overflow the chat box. People wouldn’t even see him—his epithets would arrive first.
Was it just his imagination, or had someone been watching him earlier during his emo act?
No technique involved—just Ye Cheng’s "spider sense."
He casually flicked the cigarette butt downward without a second glance, turning back into his room.
The cigarette butt spun midair, leaving behind a faint, pleasant iced tea fragrance—uniquely potent and lingering. Even its trajectory carried the distinct aroma.
After several rotations, the moment the butt hit the ground, it vanished. The lingering scent disappeared too.
Returned to where it belonged.
Upstairs, in Ye Cheng’s room.
Ye Cheng lay on his bed, reaching under his pillow. A plain white cigarette—no branding—appeared in his hand again.
What flavor this time? He held it between his lips, images flashing through his mind. Every option seemed tempting.
This cigarette was the smoothest he’d ever smoked—no contest. Even premium brands couldn’t compare. Other cigarettes left him dizzy or nauseated afterward—nicotine assaulting his central nervous system.
But this shape-shifting cigarette? No nicotine. Just a harmless, otherworldly substitute. It felt like something from another era.
Too bad Ye Cheng feared being hauled off for experiments—otherwise, he’d set up a stall selling "specialty flavored smokes." Imagine: limited-edition "anime girl" flavors, marketed to otaku at double the price.
He’d even brainstormed the slogan:
"The distance between you and your goddess? Just one cigarette away."
It’d sell like crazy. After all, the taste matched whatever you imagined. Whatever flavor your "goddess" embodied—that’s what you’d taste.
Click.
Ye Cheng lit up, indulging in his thoughts—only he knew the exact flavor.
Cigarette dangling from his lips, he checked his phone. Unread messages: 99+. Every one was the same—demonic whispers from some bratty girl’s taunting voice:
"Giggle~ Mere trash like you? Since you lost, prepare for punishment! By my command, you will now—"
Idiot.
Ye Cheng couldn’t take it anymore, closing the chat. As for Xia Tongxin’s "punishment"? He hadn’t even listened. Punishment? Sounded like bad rap to him.
Ye Cheng wasn’t some pushover. Only a few high-maintenance young ladies gave him trouble—walking a tightrope where one misstep meant humiliation.
Honesty? That’s for businessmen. He was just an average guy—too dumb for fancy talk. If no one claimed it, finders keepers…
Ye Cheng swiftly blocked and deleted Xia Tongxin, exited the game, and dozed off.
But soon, his brows furrowed. That brat’s voice echoed in his mind:
"Trash~ Trash~~~"
---
Meanwhile.
Da’ao City.
Xia Tongxin was still basking in victory, chanting "trash" and reciting her lengthy, rule-like punishment like some cursed incantation.
After her usual routine, she sent another 60-second voice message—but this time, something was different.
A red exclamation mark appeared.
"Eh… what’s this?" Xia Tongxin blinked, her big eyes filled with confusion.
As the family’s most spoiled darling, no one had ever dared speak harshly to her—let alone block her. She’d never seen WeChat’s block indicator before.
She even mistook it for some special badge, like the "fire" emoji.
Tap tap tap.
Her tiny fingers danced across the screen as she searched online: What does a red exclamation mark mean when sending messages?
"Searching for relevant answers, please wait…"
"123 related results found."
"Analyzing data… Dear user, based on the provided information, the conclusion is: You have been blocked by the recipient."
Xia Tongxin: "…"
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
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."
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!
