The person in front had reddened eyes and was restrained and polite, with the expression of a caring father dedicated to his child's love.
It made some on-duty officers feel moved and reminded them of their own sons or parents, lamenting the universal woes of parenthood.
"From an emotional standpoint, I support it."
Qi Yuan lowered his head to look at them, realizing they had misunderstood his meaning, and hastened to add the latter half of the sentence.
"But this matter is not under my jurisdiction."
The gratitude or delight that had just emerged on their faces froze.
Qi Yuan shook his head slightly. He had only chosen to use a gentler tone to avoid appearing unreasonable in refusing outright, but little did he know it would be mistaken for consent.
He didn't know if these reclusive clans had some mental issue, always preoccupied with who was the clan head and whose fist carried more weight.
What use did they have approaching him so early in the morning, when the responsibilities of each department were already clear?
He wasn't in charge of this area and lacked the authority.
While he sympathized with them, impacting others' normal work would be inappropriate.
The officers following Qi Yuan sighed in resignation.
Here goes Qi Squad again, they thought, unsure why he had to be so mischievous.
"Young man, you mustn't..."
The Ma Family Patriarch's expression soured. After being turned down by Qi Yuan, he could have simply said, "Let's disperse, everyone, and not put Director Qi in a difficult position." But Qi Yuan's giving them hope only to refuse and play with them - what was the difference?
But when he met Qi Yuan's calm gaze, the Ma Family Patriarch fell silent, unable to utter a word.
It wasn't a mischievous look of playing with them, but a serene gaze that seemed to see through everything.
Rumors had it that the Golden Eyes could discern one's heart and manipulate others at will.
He had initially thought Qi Yuan was merely more intelligent than his peers, hence the acclaim from others.
Little did he expect to have underestimated him...
His plan to take advantage of this opportunity and gain some insider information from the officers was dashed. The Ma Family Patriarch felt regretful.
If he remained obstinate after Qi Yuan's warning, the situation would not look good.
The Ma Family Patriarch quickly understood all this and instead asked on behalf of the others,
"If any survivors or remains are discovered during the investigation, could you inform us?"
The logistics officer, aware that his superior would be visiting the reclusive clans soon, didn't want to sour relations and quickly stepped forward to say,
"That's only natural."
The Ma Family Patriarch stared directly at Qi Yuan, awaiting his response.
"Yes, we will."
Qi Yuan had no choice but to repeat the logistics officer's words under the patriarch's gaze.
Indeed, the Golden Eyes had seen through his intentions.
The Ma Family Patriarch understood.
As long as they didn't enter the fusion realm, his request would be granted.
This indirectly confirmed the great importance of the matter above.
"Thank you."
Having received a definite response, he turned to reassure the family members behind him.
The logistics officer was truly astonished at how easily Qi Yuan had made the Ma Family Patriarch yield. He had heard complaints from his superiors and colleagues before.
While these clans wouldn't create a ruckus, they would masterfully evade and deflect by exploiting the fact that officials had to operate by the rules, always setting traps with their words or adeptly brushing things off.
Never would they simply give up after a short exchange, completely contrary to their usual style.
He carefully analyzed the exchange between Qi Yuan and the Ma Family Patriarch and discovered the reason.
Qi Squad had refused the patriarch's request for a reason, and had warned him not to harbor futile hopes through his playful manner, hence the patriarch's retreat in the face of difficulty.
The logistics officer clenched his fist. His sympathy had ultimately been misplaced.
No wonder Qi Squad had toyed with the patriarch - that cold-hearted old man!
"Well done, Qi Squad!" he said, giving Qi Yuan a thumbs-up.
His voice drew the attention of the others.
Qi Yuan frowned in confusion.
Seeing Qi Yuan's frown, the logistics officer quickly pondered the reason and suddenly realized.
"I understand."
Although Qi Squad also had no respect for that old man, the basic courtesy was still due on the surface - see through but don't call out.
Seeing his startled and presumptuous demeanor, Qi Yuan's frown deepened.
Convinced of his conjecture, the logistics officer apologized, "My mistake."
He then returned to the team.
His teammates gathered around, curious about what had happened, but he remained tight-lipped.
It wasn't until they had taken a helicopter to Jidu and Director Yu had pulled Qi Yuan aside for a chat that the logistics officer finally spoke to his friends with an air of mystery,
"Let me tell you, but you must not spread it further."
"Do I seem like someone who can't keep a secret?" his friend reassured him, thumping his chest.
"It was like this..."
"Uh-huh." His friend nodded along with the narration, then slapped his thigh. "I see, the patriarch was already in such a sorry state, yet Qi Squad still had to toy with him. No wonder."
"Indeed, Qi Squad was even willing to damage his reputation for this cause. We had underestimated the situation."
"Who says it's not?" agreed the friend, and the two nodded vigorously before exchanging a glance.
Wait, neither of them had said that last bit. Then who did?
They turned to see a group of people eavesdropping, ears perked.
Noticing they'd been discovered, the group grinned sheepishly, not the slightest bit abashed.
The two friends clenched their fists.
These scoundrels!
They had let their guard down!
...
At Qi's Villa in Jidu,
Qi Yuan lounged on the sofa in his room, browsing forums.
After spending some time abroad, he missed the leisurely days of being a slacker at home.
Conveniently, Director Yu had told him that a delegation from Buddha Country would be arriving soon, so he should refrain from going out during this period.
Judging from Director Yu's bright smile, this delegation was likely less than enthusiastic about the visit.
Thus, Qi Yuan had naturally ended up spending several days holed up at home and in the headquarters' data room.
He glanced at a post on his phone and clicked into it.
[Does anyone know if the floating fusion realm in our sky is real or fake?]
[One look and I can tell it's real, pure NT]
[Sweating soybean.JPG]
[If it really was floating in the sky, even if Dragon Country doesn't publicize it, other countries' satellites would capture it and make a huge fuss about it. I don't know what you're thinking to believe this.]
[Dude, that news is outdated. We've discovered a new world now, we're about to move to a different world to live in. Woohoo!]
The last comment sparked a chaotic discussion below.
[You're NT-ing, it's the discovery of the Underworld]
[Huh? Isn't it the discovery of a fusion realm leading to a parallel space-time?]
[Is the one above for real?]
[Caught an honest person]
Qi Yuan couldn't help but admire the public relations efforts of the logistics team, who had completely controlled the narrative.
The fusion realm codenamed "Moon" had been concealed by the state using anomalous objects, and a research team had been dispatched to take up long-term residence there.
There was also a research institute in Jidu dedicated to analyzing this realm. Director Yu had told him that if he wanted to learn more, he could approach the institute, as long as he didn't disrupt their work.
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
