He spoke calmly, each word clear and distinct. Ye Chen was domineering and arrogant, wanting the whole world to hear. Qin Xiao's calm and composed demeanor, on the contrary, seemed jarring.

Ye Chen frowned. He stared at Qin Xiao, his gaze sharp. This good-for-nothing dared to speak to him in such a tone?

"Trash, you're courting death!" Ye Chen didn't want to say anything more. His life was glorious; crushing Qin Xiao, an ant on the roadside, required no reason, no argument—he could simply lift his foot.

He took a step forward, his imposing aura pressing down. The air in the banquet hall froze, and the temperature plummeted.

The nearby guests turned pale, unable to withstand the oppressive aura, and retreated repeatedly. The aura of a grandmaster was terrifying indeed.

Qin Xiao felt an invisible, immense force pressing down on him, making it difficult to breathe and causing a heavy feeling in his chest. He forced himself to straighten his spine, his gaze sharp as he met Ye Chen's without flinching. He knew that retreating now would mean certain death. Showing weakness would mean utter ruin.

"What? Can't win an argument, so you resort to violence?" Qin Xiao's voice rose, filled with undisguised mockery. "The young master of the Dragon King Palace, the future king of mercenaries in the underworld, is this all the composure you have? Or are you feeling guilty, afraid the marriage certificate is forged and can't withstand scrutiny, so you're rushing to silence me?"

He used the information gap to intimidate the guests, letting them know that Ye Chen was no good. At the same time, he continuously provoked Ye Chen. The Dragon King was an extremely arrogant creature, easily angered.

"What nonsense are you spouting!" Ye Chen's expression changed again. This time, he was somewhat surprised and suspicious. How could Qin Xiao, this ant in his eyes, know his background? Even the Dragon King's Palace and the Mercenary King?

He wasn't afraid of his identity being exposed, but being publicly called out by Qin Xiao disrupted his original script of "the king of soldiers returning, fulfilling his promise forcefully, and winning the heart of the beauty." He originally intended to crush Qin Xiao as a disciple of an old friend of the Gu family and the one fulfilling the marriage contract.

Now that the truth has been revealed, things have become more unpredictable.

The Gu family patriarch and the other guests looked at Ye Chen with a mixture of curiosity, wariness, and apprehension. Dragon King Palace? Mercenary King? It didn't sound like a righteous force. Was it really a good idea for the Gu family to get involved with such people?

Gu Siqing, who had been observing coldly, suddenly felt a flicker of surprise in her clear eyes. She re-examined Qin Xiao, her nominal fiancé, and saw a side of him she didn't understand. Her indifference faded, replaced by a hint of curiosity.

[Ding! Successfully angered the Chosen One Ye Chen, publicly revealing some of his trump cards, disrupting his show-off rhythm, and stealing 20 points of luck value!]

[Yun Yiyi (System Assistant) notifies: Host! Well done! Although it wasn't much, it's a great start to turning the gears of destiny around! Keep it up!]

Qin Xiao felt at ease. He had gambled correctly. He had angered Ye Chen, caused him to lose his composure in public, weakened his aura, and plundered his luck. Now, it was time to choose the system. Time was of the essence.

Without hesitation, his mind raced, and he quickly made a decision. The first slot had to be the [Galgame Strategy Options System]. Keeping Gu Siqing calm was key; he couldn't let her completely side with Ye Chen.

For the second slot, select [Lucky Braking System]. It's for survival; Ye Chen might act at any moment.

The third slot, gold quality… [NTR System] Explosive risk, suicide button. Only a fool would choose that. [Divine Doctor System] Useless right now. Choose [Detective System]. Superb observation and reasoning abilities might reveal flaws in Ye Chen's plan amidst the chaos, or find other clues to break the deadlock.

[System selection confirmed!]

[Currently Activated System:]

[1. Galgame Strategy Options System (Silver): Lasts until the interaction with the current target, Gu Siqing, ends.]

[2. Lucky Braking System (Silver): Passive skill, may trigger at any time, with a 24-hour cooldown after activation.]

[3. Detective System (Gold): Active skill, lasts 10 minutes, cooldown 1 hour.]

The moment the system selected the information, Qin Xiao's mind refreshed with information about Gu Siqing.

[Target: Gu Siqing]

[Current favorability rating: -10 (dislike) → -5 (Your behavior has slightly improved the situation, but I still find you troublesome)]

[Impact of the Power of Rules: Moderate (Significant doubts arise about Ye Chen's domineering behavior; independent consciousness begins to awaken)]

[Triggering Galgame options:]

[A: Continue to ignore her and focus your attacks on mocking Ye Chen, showing your "courage." (Consequence: -20 favorability points, she will think you are reckless and disrespectful, and you will miss the opportunity to win her over.)]

[B: Immediately look at her with deep affection and loudly declare that she is your woman, and no one else shall touch her. (Consequence: Favorability -50, treated as a clown seeking attention, Ye Chen's hatred +200, directly triggering a deadly battle)]

[C: Calmly turning to her, his gaze gentle yet questioning, he smiled and said, "Siqing, what do you think of this? I trust your judgment and respect your choice." (Consequence: Favorability +10, further reinforcing her independent thinking, returning the choice to her; Ye Chen's hatred +50, believing you are challenging his authority)]

"Do I even need to choose?" Qin Xiao silently chose C in his mind. He turned his head, his gaze falling on Gu Siqing. There was no eagerness or aggression, only calmness and respect.

"Siqing, what do you think about this? I trust your judgment and respect your choice."

These words seemed to strike a chord in Gu Siqing's heart. Her body trembled slightly, the struggle and confusion receding, replaced by clarity. Yes, this was about her engagement, a major event in her life. Why should Ye Chen, who had suddenly appeared, have the final say? Even Qin Xiao, her nominal fiancé, respected her more than he did.

She looked up at Ye Chen. His tone, which sounded condescending, was grating and unpleasant.

“Mr. Ye,” Gu Siqing’s voice was cold and distant, “the matter of the engagement is of great importance, involving both families, and requires careful consideration. The elders of both sides should sit down and discuss it. Today is my grandfather’s birthday banquet, so please do not make a scene here and disturb everyone’s enjoyment.”

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!