lingering fear

Her pale, bloodless fingertips trembled slightly, and the lingering fear in her subconscious surfaced uncontrollably when she was in a safe environment.

She almost lost him forever.

Alina's heart was still pounding, and her mind was buzzing as she couldn't help but think of the protective magic she had left on the other person.

Why can protective magic only be applied in one layer?!

What if she happens to be unable to come this time, and the enemy happens to have a backup plan?

If only we had items that could defend against magic!

Why didn't she study alchemy properly back then?

For a moment, Alina forgot the harsh reality that seeing those alchemical symbols gave her a headache, and felt only deep regret.

The crowd watching, who were being fed a deluxe version of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection),

Phew, I'm out of danger.

I thought I was definitely going to die...

Long live the Lady!

On the starship.

"Shouldn't this evidence be enough to convict him?"

Looking down at the USB drive between her fingers, Alina's lips curled into a cold smile.

"That's enough."

Chu Yanbing gave an affirmative answer.

The air seemed to distort as a fluffy kitten took the place of the handsome man.

In his mimicry form, Chu Yanbing jumped onto Alina's lap, rubbing his furry head against her lower abdomen, thinking to himself: The greatest luck of my life is meeting you.

Thinking about the points she was missing, Alina had no restraint and wanted to touch the other person's entire body.

But before her hand could even touch the other's warm, fluffy fur, the space around her distorted, and the other turned back into human form.

"You really only need to touch my mimicry to restore it?" Chu Yanbing's eyes were filled with undisguised worry; he felt that this solution was not very reliable.

She vomited blood!

"Of course! When have I ever lied to you?" Alina raised an eyebrow, her expression saying, "You don't believe me?"

His expression was very self-righteous, as if this treatment plan was extremely serious.

His silvery eyelashes fluttered, and his deep, inquisitive gaze was fixed on Alina's face. He caught her relaxed and confident expression and finally believed her. "If you need anything else, just tell me, okay?"

Chu Yanbing gently stroked Alina's slightly cool cheek and said softly.

"Okay, okay, hurry up and turn into a kitten!"

Alina, who didn't think that spitting out a trace of blood was a serious matter, suddenly felt that the other person was being a bit too long-winded.

Just as Chu Yanbing was about to revert to her human form, a thoughtful look flashed in her narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes, and she abruptly lowered her gaze and asked, "Isn't the half-beast form acceptable?"

Upon hearing this, Alina's pupils dilated suddenly: What did you just say? Did I hallucinate?

Immediately afterwards, Chu Yanbing proved with his actions that he was not joking.

The extra-thick, plush texture of the fur beneath her hands, combined with the incredibly alluring scene before her, transformed the shyness that had arisen from their unexpected intimacy into a different emotion that Alina could not describe in words.

Ultimately, she lost control.

"Go to the bedroom."

Seeing that the other party had no intention of returning to the bedroom, Alina instantly tightened her grip on the tail in her hand, her slightly hoarse voice filled with an uncontrollable stickiness.

"good."

In her hazy state of consciousness, Alina's mind kept ringing with notifications of increasing points, which made her think uncontrollably about her favorability rating, which had been stuck at 99% for a long time.

In an instant, his hazy consciousness cleared up considerably.

She was rational and clear-headed. 99% was already the deepest love among intelligent beings. Even she herself only had an 80% or so level of affection for him. How could she ask for anything more?

However, perhaps because she was still thinking about the 5x points she wouldn't get, Alina felt an uncontrollable sense of loss.

"Why aren't you concentrating? Hmm?"

Alina was lost in thought for a short while when Chu Yanbing noticed her distraction. His deep, magnetic voice, tinged with a unique huskiness and allure characteristic of that period, rang out as he looked directly at the person beneath him, his tone gentle.

"Um...no."

After all that, Alina successfully forgot another question she wanted to ask after her successful "escape."

*

"arrive?"

As she awoke from her daze, Alina opened her eyes and saw a man sitting on a small sofa not far away, handling official business.

“Yes.” Chu Yanbing took out the clothes he had prepared in advance from the wardrobe and naturally wanted to help Alina change into them. However, Alina, who sensed his intention, refused decisively.

"I'll do it myself!"

"Are you sure you don't need me?"

"Need not!"

"All right."

Alina pursed her lips: Why does it sound a little disappointing? Don't they remember who was the one who did something inhuman just now!

She quickly dressed, still under the covers, and looked up to see the man diligently working at his office.

A sudden thought struck Alina, and she remembered the inexplicable worry she had before going to sleep: "Is there any hope for them?"

The rapidly flashing words on the multiple light blue screens that were floating in front of Chu Yanbing suddenly stopped. The man frowned slightly and finally spoke the heartbreaking and infuriating truth.

"Most of them are beyond saving. It's not because of their mental state, but mainly because they have lost their will to live."

This "majority" refers to the vast majority of people who were arrested six months ago.

After enduring prolonged physical and mental torment, their minds had long since collapsed.

"I can give the 'spiritual sea' a try."

Alina said what Chu Yanbing expected, and then she continued, "What are your plans for these victims?"

"Establish specialized sanatoriums and equip them with professional medical teams for treatment;"

Find and contact their relatives, and try to awaken their will to live with their loved ones by their side;

Finally, bring the convicted criminals before them and let them take their own revenge.

That was all Chu Yanbing could think of and do.

"Is the last one okay?"

Does the law here allow "vigilante justice"?

Moreover, the culprit is a prince of the empire; would the emperor allow that?

"Why can't we grant the victim's reasonable request?" Chu Yanbing raised an eyebrow at Alina, his eyes full of confidence.

If done well.

"Ayan, you're so kind!"

Alina hugged Chu Yanbing, blinked, and thought to herself: He's amazing too! No wonder he's the partner I've chosen to spend my life with.

The moment the starship arrived at the central star, the evidence that Chu Yanbing had prepared also went through the special process. Chu Xishi, who was struggling with whether or not to "flee from justice," was caught red-handed by the law enforcement team that came to arrest him before he could make a decision.

Not far away, Chu Huyun, who witnessed this scene, was completely stunned: "Enforcement team!?"

They are a special law enforcement team responsible for arresting serious criminals!

What has he done now?!

"Mother, yes, I must go find Mother!"

If Chu Yanbing were to ascend the throne, she would never have a good life!

Fearing he wouldn't make it in time, Chu Huyun took out his mecha, which had never been used in a battle before, and headed straight for Xiyuan.

"Who's there?! Halt! No flying allowed in the palace! If you don't stop, don't blame us for taking force!"

Not far away, a newly arrived palace guard saw this scene and was about to step forward to arrest this person who disrespected the royal family, but before he could finish speaking, he was stopped by his partner.

"She is the empire's only princess, and she is very favored! His Majesty has granted her permission to use flying vehicles, and even mechs, for transportation within the palace!"

The new recruit put down his weapon, looked up at his partner gratefully, and said, "Oh? I see. Thank you, Lao Chen. I'll treat you to dinner after we're done!"

She couldn't help but complain in her heart that even though His Highness the Crown Prince had made great contributions to the empire, he hadn't received this kind of privilege that represented honor, while this princess, who hadn't made any contributions, was able to get it.

Your Majesty is far too biased.

"Mother, my brother has been arrested by the law enforcement team!"

Upon arriving at their destination, Chu Huyun nimbly jumped off the mecha. Seeing the palace gates open, she darted inside like a whirlwind, accompanied by a panicked cry.

"What!?"

The queen, who was leisurely pruning the flowers, was stunned by these words and froze on the spot. "Clatter"—the sound of the scissors falling to the ground.

The Empress was fully aware of everything Chu Xishi had done. In the beginning, she had helped him a lot, but later, as his power grew, she stopped interfering and erased all traces of herself.

"No, we have to go find your father!"

After straightening her clothes, the Empress lifted her foot to go to the main hall to find the Emperor, but she couldn't even step out of the West Garden gate.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has ordered that all suspects involved in the 'Nirvana' case are not allowed to leave their residences, but must remain there for investigation and await summons!"

"I am the Empress!"

The Empress flung her hand away, her tone angry and carrying a clear warning.

"The emperor is subject to the same laws as commoners, Your Majesty, please?"

Legg isn't afraid. You're the Queen, and I'm the Marshal and the Crown Prince's man!

Looking at the heavily armed and armed troops that had completely surrounded the West Garden, the Empress knew that she would not be able to get out.

Having calmed down a bit, she said, "If I can't go out, then surely the princess can?"

Hu Yun truly knew nothing.

Legg nodded: "Of course."

"Huyun, hurry to the main hall to find your father, the Emperor. Remember, you must make him come to me as soon as possible!"

The Empress took Chu Huyun's hand and said.

"What?!"

Chu Huyun was stunned for a moment, after all, she knew very well what happened to those who were taken away by that law enforcement team.

Then he clearly heard what came next: "Send the Emperor to find the Empress."

That's alright, as long as I'm not asked to rescue my brother.

"Okay, I'll be right there!"

At the same time, in the main hall of the imperial palace.

"You unfilial son, what did you say?! Say it again!"

The emperor, engrossed in handling state affairs, slammed the ornaments on the table to the ground, displaying his anger.

"I say, Father, you should abdicate."

Holding Alina's hand, Chu Yanbing's voice was unusually calm.

"Are you trying to force me to abdicate?"

The emperor was so angry that his heart ached, and as he raised his hand to cover his chest, a look of fear flashed in his eyes.

Chu Yanbing didn't want to waste words with him, after all, he had long known that he couldn't possibly willingly abdicate in his favor.

The materialized spiritual tentacles rushed straight to their destination, and before the emperor could react, the imperial scepter, hidden in layers of secret compartments, was violently taken out.

What caught Alina's eye was a magnificent scepter interwoven with gold and silver, on which a lifelike leopard was vividly depicted with silver lines. What surprised her most was that the energy surging throughout the entire scepter was actually magical elemental energy!