Chapter 1030: A Golden Opportunity

Chapter 1030: Chapter 1030: A Golden Opportunity

Jiang Qi has deep strategical thinking and unpredictable thoughts. If this were a test for him, any slight mistake might lead to a heavy price.

However, if Jiang Qi truly doesn’t know that Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao have already fallen into his hands, revealing this now would just be letting Jiang Qi know of his capabilities, thereby gaining a touch of favor?

"But, would this make Jiang Qi feel I’m acting without permission, and instead become displeased?" Chen Rui was torn inside, his thoughts as tangled as a ball of thread.

He knew that in front of Jiang Qi, any wrong choice could bring irreparable consequences.

After pondering, Chen Rui decided to conceal the fact for now. After all, Jiang Qi’s attitude doesn’t seem informed.

Ultimately, Chen Rui decided to act cautiously. He lowered his head, displaying an expression of utmost respect, his tone filled with careful probing and deference: "Saint Heir, those filthy pigs under me are indeed skilled at targeting those with Demonic Qi, but... I heard Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao don’t have any noticeable Demonic Qi fluctuations. This... might be a bit tricky."

He spoke with extreme caution, his tone tinged with hesitance, fearing that a single wrong word could arouse Jiang Qi’s suspicion.

Chen Rui tried hard to make his tone sound like he was stating facts, not evading responsibility, while also probing whether Jiang Qi knew Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao’s situation.

He expressed a willingness to serve Jiang Qi with a humble attitude but hinted at the task’s difficulty, neither outright refusing nor readily agreeing, appearing watertight.

After Chen Rui finished speaking, his heart remained filled with anxiety.

He secretly raised his eyes to observe Jiang Qi’s reaction, constantly speculating whether the other had already seen through his thoughts.

However, Jiang Qi’s face still had a faint smile, seemingly unaware of anything unusual.

A moment later, Jiang Qi laughed heartily, his voice echoing in the palace, full of confidence and pride.

His slender eyes slightly narrowed, revealing wisdom and treachery, as if he had already seen through everything.

His laughter was filled with certainty, as if everything was under control.

"Chen Rui, you certainly don’t know what’s going on with those two." Jiang Qi smiled coldly, his tone full of disdain and confidence, "Ye Qingchen might be very cunning, able to hide his tracks, even thoroughly concealing Demonic Qi. But that Xiao Xiao isn’t as lucky as him. She definitely carries Demonic Qi on her, but she has just been suppressing it well."

As Jiang Qi spoke, the smile on his face grew even more smug, as if he had already determined Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao’s fate.

He confidently continued: "Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao’s relationship is deep; they wouldn’t separate easily. Therefore, as long as we find Xiao Xiao, we’ll naturally capture Ye Qingchen. Aren’t your filthy pigs’ abilities specifically used against people with Demonic Qi? As long as they approach, Xiao Xiao’s Demonic Qi will be unable to hide."

Jiang Qi’s tone was full of certainty, evidently brimming with confidence in his plan.

He seemed to have already foreseen Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao’s downfall, with the light of conspiracy flickering in his eyes.

He was sure that as long as Chen Rui followed his plan, Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao wouldn’t escape his grasp.

However, just as Jiang Qi was smug, Ye Qingchen, disguised as Da Hei behind Chen Rui, suddenly tightened inside, shock almost impossible to suppress.

"How does Xiao Xiao have Demonic Qi on her?" Ye Qingchen wondered silently to himself, surprise and disbelief flashing in his eyes. He had been with Xiao Xiao for a long while and had never sensed any Demonic Qi fluctuations on her.

She had always appeared extremely pure, not at all like someone who would have any association with Demonic Qi.

However, Jiang Qi’s words made him unable to ignore it; he couldn’t help but begin wondering whether he had overlooked some vital detail.

Ye Qingchen’s mind raced, recalling every detail with Xiao Xiao, trying to pick out any clues.

But no matter how he recalled, he couldn’t connect Xiao Xiao with Demonic Qi. How was she related to Demonic Qi?

Could she have been hiding something all along, and not even he noticed?

"This can’t be!" Ye Qingchen negated this thought within, but Jiang Qi’s confidence forced him to be vigilant.

If Xiao Xiao indeed bore Demonic Qi, then her danger level far exceeded his expectations.

More importantly, this meant she might be in great jeopardy, at any time liable to be discovered and exploited by Jiang Qi or other powerful figures.

Ye Qingchen’s mood instantly became complex; he worried for Xiao Xiao’s predicament while also becoming enraged by Jiang Qi’s plot.

Though he remained outwardly calm, the shock and unease within were hard to quell.

He understood now it was imperative to be even more careful, needing to protect himself and quickly uncover Xiao Xiao’s secret; otherwise, both of them would land in even more dangerous situations.

After a moment of shock, Ye Qingchen swiftly gathered his composure, struggling to remain calm.

For now, he could only temporarily hide his emotions, waiting for an opportunity to act. Although circumstances were becoming complicated, he was determined to protect Xiao Xiao, regardless of whether she bore Demonic Qi.

He privately vowed that, regardless of how meticulous Jiang Qi’s plan was, he wouldn’t let the latter succeed.

Hearing Jiang Qi’s words, all the doubts in Chen Rui’s mind vanished instantly, everything became clear.

He finally understood that Jiang Qi was completely unaware that Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao had already fallen into his hands.

This information discrepancy was a huge opportunity for him!

He could fully exploit this chance, perform well in front of Jiang Qi, seek rewards, and also feign hardship, gaining Jiang Qi’s sympathy and trust.

With this thought, a wave of uncontrollable pride and excitement surged within Chen Rui.

"Haha, so it’s like this!" Chen Rui chuckled inwardly, rapidly planning his next steps.

He had already captured Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao, which was originally a problem, but now had turned into a big piece of fat in front of him.

As long as he skillfully used this opportunity, exaggerated the difficulty of the capture, and added some embellishments, this matter would certainly make Jiang Qi view him in a different light.

The more Chen Rui thought, the more excited he became, his pride almost manifesting.

He even started devising how to appear more heroic in front of Jiang Qi, portraying himself as a subordinate faithful and courageous enough to execute tasks under extremely difficult conditions.

By that time, he not only could earn Jiang Qi’s commendation but might also gain a higher status in his view.