Spring in Gedu finally carried warmth.
Sunlight pierced through the clouds, casting a warm glow as it reflected off the windows of the Royal Grand Hotel.
Inside the suite, packed suitcases stood neatly against the wall.
Lou Mengling and Lin Shuhan were carefully folding Lu Shi'an's tiny clothes one by one, placing them into a separate baby suitcase.
Their faces brimmed with unrestrained joy and anticipation.
Everything was waiting for that final signal.
The signal arrived quietly at two in the afternoon.
No press conference, no official announcement.
Only a notice, tucked away in the most inconspicuous corner of the J Country Supreme Procuratorate's official website.
The title of the notice was unremarkable:
"Announcement Regarding the Conclusion of the Investigation into the Case Involving Xia Country Citizen Mo Qingli."
The body consisted of just a few lines.
The wording was precise, laden with legal terminology.
The core message was singular:
After a comprehensive review, no evidence was found to suggest that Mo Qingli had engaged in any activities violating J Country's laws.
Effective immediately, all restrictions on her were lifted, restoring her full freedom.
A belated exoneration, nearly three years overdue.
In an almost perfunctory manner, it declared the end of this globally watched standoff.
Lu Jinlin's legal team immediately relayed the news to Lu Chenyuan.
Lu Chenyuan glanced at his phone, his expression calm.
He walked over to Mo Qingli, who was gently tucking a thin blanket over their sleeping son.
"Qingli," he said softly.
"Hmm?"
"It's official."
Mo Qingli paused mid-motion.
She looked up, meeting Lu Chenyuan's gaze.
No excitement, no tears—just the quiet understanding and serenity of two people who had weathered storms together.
As if this were nothing more than an inevitable milestone in their long-planned journey.
"I see," Mo Qingli replied.
She leaned down, pressing a kiss to her son's warm cheek.
"Shi'an, we can go home now."
Lu Chenyuan moved closer, wrapping his arms around his wife as they both gazed at their son. Softly, he echoed,
"Shi'an, we can go home now."
……
The seemingly insignificant announcement was like a depth charge dropped into the global media’s turbulent waters.
At first, it sent out only small ripples.
Within minutes, it had stirred a tidal wave.
Major news agencies worldwide almost simultaneously pushed the story as breaking news of the highest urgency.
"J Country Declares Mo Qingli Innocent!"
"Three-Year Standoff Ends in Victory for Xia Tech Giant!"
"A Country’s Defeat? Major Shift in J Country’s Foreign Policy!"
In an instant, the world’s attention refocused on Gedu.
On that suite atop the Royal Grand Hotel.
The hotel’s phone lines were overwhelmed.
Within half an hour, the lobby below was swarmed by journalists from across the globe.
Cameras and microphones were trained on every entrance, every exit.
Like sharks scenting blood, they clamored for even a glimpse of this historic moment.
The entire hotel entered an unprecedented state of high alert.
Ambassador Li Wenbo’s call came through swiftly.
"Mr. Lu, congratulations," Li Wenbo said, his voice brimming with genuine delight.
"Thank you, Ambassador, and to all your colleagues for your hard work these past three years."
Lu Chenyuan’s gratitude was sincere—for their efforts, for every bit of support during those long years.
"It was our duty," Li Wenbo replied.
After a pause, his tone grew serious.
"You’ve seen the situation outside. What are your plans?"
"A press conference," Lu Chenyuan answered.
"To clarify everything at once."
"Understood," Li Wenbo said without hesitation.
"I’ll arrange it immediately. The venue will be the hotel—rest assured, security won’t be an issue."
After hanging up, Lu Chenyuan turned to Mo Qingli.
"Shall we do it together?" he asked.
He meant bringing Lu Shi'an along.
Letting their son witness his parents’ triumph.
Mo Qingli nodded without hesitation.
"Of course," she said, her gaze tender yet resolute.
"Our family stays together—always."
……
Just as global media braced for the press conference scheduled in an hour, J Country’s national television abruptly cut to a special broadcast.
The President of J Country was about to deliver a nationwide address.
This was highly unusual.
In J Country’s parliamentary system, the presidency was largely ceremonial.
Only during moments of national crisis or celebration did the President step forward to communicate so directly.
On screen, the President stood in a dark suit, a purple tie—symbolizing "uniqueness" and "autonomy"—knotted at his collar.
His expression was solemn, steady.
Behind him, the national flag of J Country.
He began speaking, his voice carried by radio waves to every corner of J Country—and to the world beyond.
"My fellow citizens,"
"Today is a special day."
"It marks the end of an old era, and the dawn of a new one."
……
His speech never once mentioned Xia Country, nor did it utter the name "Mo Qingli."
He spoke of J Country’s history, of its future.
He emphasized that J Country was an independent nation, with the sacred right to choose its own path.
He recounted J Country’s historical contributions as an ally of A Country.
Yet he also pointed out that, in the new global landscape, a one-sided, unequal alliance no longer served J Country’s national interests.
"The world is diverse,"
"And so too should our friendships be."
"We honor history, but we must also embrace the future."
"An open, inclusive, and equitable future."
"A future built hand in hand with all peace-loving nations."
He concluded with a weighted statement:
"J Country will stand among the world’s nations with greater maturity, greater confidence. We will create a more just and prosperous environment—for our people, and for our friends."
This speech was a political manifesto.
It provided the most authoritative endorsement for Mo Qingli’s exoneration.
It seemed to tell A Country outright: The times have changed.
It seemed to whisper to Xia Country: The foundation for cooperation is laid.
And it declared to the world: J Country will be master of its own fate.
With this masterful political address, the President of J Country secured dignity—for himself, and for his nation.
He framed a forced compromise as a deliberate strategic pivot.
Lu Chenyuan and Mo Qingli watched the entire speech from their suite’s television.
"J Country has no shortage of shrewd politicians," Mo Qingli remarked.
"Indeed," Lu Chenyuan agreed. "A clever opponent who knows how to adapt."
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
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.
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!
