Chapter 314: My Heavens, So Squishy?

Xiao Li admitted it, but Xu Nianqing lost his composure. He stared intently at Xiao Li for a long time, his anger cooling into stunned disbelief.

He tried to find what he was looking for in her expression.

’He knew his birth mother hadn’t looked forward to his birth, so it was only natural for her to despise and hate him. But all he saw in the Empress was amusement and malice.’

’That wasn’t how one looked at their own child. There wasn’t even the complex entanglement of hatred.’

’There was only a gleeful interest in killing him.’

’She just wanted to kill him.’

"Who in the world are you?"

Xiao Li smiled. "Who am I? Shouldn’t you be the one who knows best?"

She raised a hand, slowly opening it, smiling like a kindly wolf beckoning its prey. "Haven’t you been looking for me? Haven’t you always wanted my love? Why don’t you come over?"

Jiang Zhou and the others, who had just emerged from inside, were both dumbfounded and shocked. "???" Huh?

Looking at the man opposite them, who bore some resemblance to Her Majesty, Jiang Zhou’s expression grew even stranger.

’Isn’t this Xu Shuangnian’s son, the Empress’s blood-related cousin?’

’They’re cousins. What are they talking about now?’

The Empress’s words were strange, but Xu Nianqing’s expression was indescribably bizarre.

Jiang Zhou watched, his brow furrowed so deeply he could have crushed a fly between them.

’He was so sick of these days when it felt like the whole world was full of lunatics, and he was the only sane one.’

Though he had already reached a conclusion in his heart, Xu Nianqing refused to give up. The people blocking his path stepped aside, and he strode toward the Empress, his gaze locked on her.

The woman from the Southern Domain, Zhu Ying, grabbed him, watching the Empress ahead warily. "Ah Qing, it’s dangerous! Don’t be bewitched by her."

’The man she loved was about to throw himself into another woman’s arms. She should have been jealous, furious, but all she felt now was fear. Her sense of danger was screaming.’

’That Empress was sinister and extremely dangerous.’

Of course, Xu Nianqing knew the Empress was dangerous. He had nearly died at her hands not long ago, after all, and her current attitude was bizarre. But he didn’t flinch. He pushed Zhu Ying’s hand away and stepped forward.

His eyes saw only his birth mother—the obsession he could never let go of.

’He wanted to confirm for himself just what he had found.’

Five steps, three steps, two steps. He stopped.

His profound gaze was fixed on this woman who brought him both pain and longing.

"Why?"

’Why do you hate me so much? I was just a child, separated from you by death the moment I was born. Why do you hate me this much?’

Xiao Li looked up. "What did you say?"

Xu Nianqing suppressed his fragile thoughts and regained his composure. "How do you know the name Lu Nianqing?"

’She died right after I was born. My name was supposedly chosen after my first-month celebration. How could she know it?’

’How could she even recognize me on sight?’

’I’ve been using the identity of Xu Qingyun and have never once appeared before her.’

Xiao Li smiled enigmatically. "Is that all you want to know?"

She stared at him, as if piercing through his flesh to see his very soul.

She leaned slightly forward, her gaze malicious. "Lu Nianqing, do you think a loser so pathetic she was killed by an idiot like Liu Xueyin could ever become an Emperor?"

Xu Nianqing’s pupils shrank. The next instant, a long blade shot out. With a sickening squelch, it pierced through a body of flesh and blood.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t Xu Nianqing.

Xu Nianqing was lost in his obsession, but the others were on guard. The moment Rong Qing struck, one of them quickly moved to shield Xu Nianqing, and Zhu Ying instantly pulled him back.

Rong Qing withdrew his blade. The person crashed to the ground, all life instantly gone.

’A piece of cannon fodder arranged by the ’golden consciousness’ for Xu Nianqing,’ Xiao Li thought with a sneer, ’meant to be sacrificed at a critical moment.’

Xu Nianqing was pulled back several steps, while the Silver Armor Guards behind them also closed in.

Xu Nianqing stared intently at Xiao Li, his eyes filled with shocked disbelief.

He’d had a vague premonition before but hadn’t fully understood it. Now, prompted by the Empress, it was as if he were waking from a dream.

’That’s right. His birth mother, Princess Xuanyang, had been tormented by the Empress Dowager since she was a child, making her timid and mild-mannered. After being married off to Lu Yanzhi, all she wanted was her husband’s love. Though she died a painful death filled with resentment, there was no way she could have suddenly transformed into an Emperor capable of ruling the world.’

’Xiao Jingyu, Xiao Jingrong, and Xiao Jingzhao had all been defeated at her hands. Prince Wei, for all his cunning, was also thoroughly suppressed by her.’

’If Princess Xuanyang had possessed such abilities, she never would have been killed by the likes of Liu Xueyin and her lot.’

’Xu Nianqing was also someone who had been reborn. He had even been an Emperor once. Putting himself in her shoes, he doubted even he could reach the heights Xiao Li had achieved.’

’After discarding all the impossibilities, only one truth remained.’

She wasn’t his mother at all!

Seeing that he had figured it out, Xiao Li was quite gratified.

She didn’t know how long Xu Nianqing would last against her, but she couldn’t stand him looking at her with that nauseating gaze.

’If he had shamelessly called her ’Mother,’ she couldn’t imagine how repulsed she’d be.’

’That’s right. She wasn’t Xiao Xuanyang. She was a demon that had devoured Xiao Xuanyang. He would never find his mother again.’

Seeing Xu Nianqing’s expression shift from pained complexity to shocked despair, Xiao Li was satisfied.

’Now that’s more like it.’

’Enemies should look like enemies. What was that all about, with eyes full of hope and longing?’

’She could never have spawned such a monstrosity.’

Just as the Silver Armor Guards were about to move, Zhu Ying suddenly held up a sachet. "Nobody move!"

She stared at Xiao Li, cold and wary. "This sachet of powder can summon countless Gu Worms and turn a living person into bones in an instant. Your Majesty has seen it with her own eyes. Do you still want to try me?"

Rong Qing immediately moved closer to Xiao Li, his tall frame covering her, ready to use himself as her Shield at any moment.

Xiao Li glanced coolly at Zhu Ying. "If that was really so deadly, you wouldn’t have announced it. You would have just used it."

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and asked with an amused smile, "Has this young lady happened to meet any old acquaintances recently?"

Zhu Ying’s pupils shrank. "Lu Ling is one of your people."

Xiao Li didn’t deny it. She just smiled, raised her hand slightly, and the Silver Armor Guards immediately attacked.

Now that he knew Xiao Li wasn’t his birth mother, Xu Nianqing’s soul ignited with hatred, and he went berserk.

However, he had been rampaging for only a moment when a series of "BANG! BANG! BANG!" sounds rang out.

Zhu Ying was hit in the chest, Xu Nianqing was hit in the arm, and a guard was hit in the back.

’Tsk!’

’Yang Jun’s aim is atrocious,’ Xiao Li thought with disdain. ’I can’t even watch.’

She raised her hand, and a box was passed to her. Xiao Li quickly assembled it, loaded it, chambered a round, and aimed.

"BANG!"

A headshot!

Xu Nianqing collapsed again. The Silver Armor Guards moved in to finish him off.

Zhu Ying wanted to save him, but it was too late. There was no time at all.

Seeing Xu Nianqing die, she angrily threw down a packet of poison and fled in the chaos.

Xiao Li slowly tilted her head. ’Huh?!’

"He’s dead?"

’My god, he’s this squishy?’

’That can’t be right...’

Xiao Li had someone bring the body over. It was indeed Xu Nianqing, and he was indeed dead.

But Xiao Li felt it wasn’t that simple. After all, this body wasn’t even his own.

’Things are getting more and more interesting.’