Chapter 458 - 457: "Can I Switch My Target?

Silan City was the original homeland of the Snake Clan. Though it had since become a remote town, the presence of the Jinshe Clan had brought it back to bustling splendor.

Yu Xiang, dressed in a light-blue aristocratic gown, stood smiling beside an exquisite stone sculpture.

Yu Zhizhi overheard people behind her murmuring, "It’s been years, and Miss Yu Xiang has grown even more beautiful."

"The Yu Clan of the Jinshe were originally just an offshoot of the Snake Clan. They’re certain to ascend in rank now."

To go from a common clan to nobility was something countless Beastmen envied.

"Of course! She’s the First Duchess of the Valoran Empire!"

"I heard the Duke chose her himself?"

"That’s right. She was taken to the Imperial City a long time ago and has been living in the Duke Mansion ever since."

"The fact that Lord Bolun is willing to come to Silan City for the wedding is enough to show how much he dotes on Miss Yu Xiang."

"Exactly. Lord Bolun has never left the Imperial City for anyone before!"

"In any case, the Mist Domain is stronger than ever!"

"SHHH—"

A young Beastman tugged on his companion’s sleeve and gestured with his eyes. The delegation from the Deep Sea Empire was not far off.

Word was, their Imperial Marshal, Lord Shen He, was here as well.

The Moon Rising Empire sent their blessings, too.

Gossiping about relationships was one thing, but it was best not to discuss matters like talent and Spiritual Power in public.

It’s true that the Three Great Empires were currently in an unspoken truce, united against a common external threat.

But this cooperation was only temporary.

Their ambitions to annex one another had never ceased.

Yu Zhizhi silently followed Shen He. After entering the banquet hall, she couldn’t resist looking back at Miss Jin She one more time.

’Is she the female the Duke...’

’...likes?’

’If that’s the case, his affection score must have dropped a lot by now.’

’Since we last parted, the Duke hasn’t contacted me at all.’

’He and the Jinshe female are probably in their honeymoon phase...’

Yu Zhizhi sighed softly to herself.

She pulled her gaze away and had only taken two steps forward when she heard a stir from outside the entrance. Someone shouted, "Lord Bolun has arrived!"

The crowd surged toward the entrance.

Standing at the edge of the banquet hall, Yu Zhizhi felt a knot of nervousness tighten in her stomach.

Slowly, she turned her head. She saw the tall, slender figure stop before Yu Xiang. The Jinshe female tilted her head back, happily telling him about the interesting things that had happened that day.

The Duke watched her, his focus entirely on her.

A breeze stirred.

He took a navy-blue cloak from an attendant and draped it over the Snake Clan female’s shoulders.

Perhaps it was because she was too far away, or perhaps there were too many people, but Yu Zhizhi couldn’t quite make out the Duke’s expression. She only felt that in that moment, he looked incredibly gentle.

’Yu Zhizhi had been holding onto a tiny sliver of hope... that maybe, just maybe, it was only a political alliance. But now, it seemed she had to accept reality.’

Yu Zhizhi’s hands slowly tightened on her gown. She suddenly turned to the man beside her and said, "I... I want to get some fresh air. It’s too crowded in here..."

Without daring to meet the Big Shark’s eyes, she hastily slipped away.

’She didn’t want to be at this banquet.’

’There was no reason to go to the wedding tomorrow, either.’

’She just wanted to stay in her room, wait for this to be over, and leave with the Big Shark.’

Buli noticed that something was wrong with Miss Rabbit.

He glanced at the First Duke of the Valoran Empire and the Jinshe female—

’Ms. Zhi Zhi’s feelings were easy to read. This matter clearly weighed heavily on her heart.’

Buli glanced at Lord Shen He, who seemed not to have heard Ms. Zhi Zhi at all. He was simply discussing a joint military campaign, scheduled for half a month from now, with the Moonrise Envoy beside him.

Buli hesitated, wondering if he should say something...

After a long moment of deliberation, he saw Lord Shen He’s gaze fall upon him. Bracing himself, he said, "Lord Shen He, Ms. Zhi Zhi just left. Shouldn’t you go and see her?"

He added, as a reminder, "Ms. Zhi Zhi seemed very upset."

Shen He’s gray eyes were placid. "Whether she is happy or sad has nothing to do with me."

Buli immediately fell silent. It was best not to provoke Lord Shen He right now.

Hugging the wall, Yu Zhizhi slowly slipped out of the banquet hall.

The moment she reached the steps, she hiked up her skirts and broke into a run.

’She wanted to escape this place, the faster the better.’

Silan City wasn’t large. Beyond the residence, exotic buildings with an ancient, ritualistic style towered over the streets.

The earliest records of this place described it as a massive tomb for a deity.

Over time, the civilization of the Snake Clan arose from it.

Yu Zhizhi stood under the covered veranda outside the residence, watching the clean streets and the carriages passing by, her thoughts a tangled mess.

"...What do I do now?"

She couldn’t help but call out to her system. "Can I switch my target?"

The system didn’t respond.

Aside from issuing missions and announcing rewards, the system rarely spoke.

After waiting a moment, she murmured, "Then... I’ll check the affection scores of the others."

"I want to check Tang Luo Ke’s affection score."

[System: Querying target’s affection score. Please wait... DING! Tang Luo Ke, Affection Score: 99.]

Oh!

Yu Zhizhi’s eyes lit up. Compared to last time, Tang Luo Ke’s affection score had risen again, nearing a perfect one hundred!

’The score is still rising! That means nothing bad has happened to him!’

’At least he’s still alive!’

’I just don’t know where he is now.’

Just as Yu Zhizhi was about to check the others’ affection scores, she heard steady footsteps approaching from behind.

She turned to see a servant from the residence approaching her. His tone was gentle and polite. "Miss, the City Lord requests your presence."

’The City Lord of Silan City?’

Yu Zhizhi had no desire to meet him.

She said softly, "I’m a bit tired today. If there’s something you need, please speak with Lord Shen He."

’After all, she came here with the Big Shark.’

’As far as anyone else was concerned, she was from the Deep Sea Empire.’

The Beast Clan attendant’s lips curved into a slight smile. He slowly raised his hand. "My apologies, but this is my job."

The moment he finished speaking, Yu Zhizhi felt the world spin, and she quickly lost consciousness.

「When she awoke.」

She found herself lying on a soft bed. The bedchamber was vast but dimly lit, and its golden windows were carved with golden lotuses.

’Has it gotten dark?’

Yu Zhizhi raised a hand to her head and slowly sat up. A pale lilac-colored gauze shawl that had been covering her slid from her lap to the edge of the bed.

The entire bedchamber was perfectly silent.

She glanced down at her palm. Perhaps because this was Valoran Empire territory, Yu Zhizhi didn’t feel as frightened as she might have.

’Besides...’

’She still had Soul Resonance.’

’If anything happened to her here, both Lord Shen He and the Duke should be able to sense it.’

’It was just that... the Duke...’

’Would he come?’

CREAK—

The main doors to the chamber swung open. Yu Zhizhi looked up, but before she could see who had arrived, a cloud of white mist billowed in with a gust of wind, gradually filling the entire room.