Chapter 230 Falling into the Water
As He Ling watched the eunuch approach step by step, her blood almost froze.
【Finished...】
[System! System, come out here!]
[Aren't you supposed to be high-tech? Hurry up and think of a solution!]
The system was silent for a second, and the electronic voice became unusually weak.
"This system is an emotional strategy auxiliary module and does not have physical defense capabilities. Moreover, the world rules clearly state that forced elimination has a higher priority than the system protocol. Host, good luck."
Are you trying to play dead?
How much does this world hate me? To die is one thing, but to be ruined before dying again...
He Ling was on the verge of a breakdown; her mind was a complete mess.
What do we do now?!
"The system suggests to the host..." it paused, its voice trailing off, "...run!"
Screw you!
He Ling was so angry she wanted to punch herself in the head.
My legs went weak!
The eunuch's breath was almost touching her face, and the pungent smell of alcohol sprayed onto He Ling's face, making her feel nauseous and her stomach churn.
She couldn't accept dying such a humiliating death!
A jumble of thoughts surged within He Ling, and her survival instinct drove her to search for a lifeline.
Suddenly, the shimmering Taiye Pool in the distance came into her view.
A crazy idea popped into my head.
She suddenly closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.
[Let's give it our all!]
Suddenly, she bent down, slipped under the eunuch's arm, and dashed towards the lake.
"Little beauty, don't run away!" The eunuch staggered and turned to chase after her.
He Ling's heart was pounding, and all she could hear was her own heavy breathing.
[Jump into the lake! Jumping into the lake is better than being caught by this old pervert!]
The system protested sharply: "Host, you can't swim!"
That's better than being disgusted to death!
She rushed to the lake and plunged into the water without hesitation.
The icy lake water instantly filled her mouth and nose, and the feeling of suffocation was like an invisible hand gripping her throat, dragging her into the dark abyss.
【Finished...】
[It's so cold, I feel so awful, is this how it's going to end?]
[Is anyone coming... to save me...?]
I...don't want to die...
Her consciousness rapidly blurred in the cold and despair, leaving only the instinct for survival that made her struggle in vain.
Splash—
Suddenly, a tremendous force grabbed He Ling by the back of her collar, pulling her back from the brink of death.
The icy air rushed into her lungs, choking her and causing her to cough violently.
"Cough cough cough... Ugh..."
He Ling lay on the shore, vomiting murky pool water in a disheveled state, feeling as if her internal organs were about to be coughed up.
She was panting heavily, her whole body trembling like a leaf, the biting cold making her teeth chatter.
"Consort Ling! Are you alright?"
"Quickly! Go and fetch the imperial physician!"
"What happened? How did they fall into the water?"
He Ling lay sprawled on the cold ground, her body still trembling uncontrollably.
She barely opened her eyes, which were covered by water, and looked around.
The drunken old eunuch was nowhere to be seen; only a few panicked, unfamiliar palace maids and nannies remained by his side.
It was as if the terrifying scene she had just witnessed was merely a nightmare.
[A person... I've finally seen a person...]
Does this prove that I dodged a plot-driven death?
A surge of immense fear and rage churned within her chest. She bit her lower lip hard until she tasted a hint of blood, barely managing to suppress the scream that threatened to burst from her lips.
But does dodging it once guarantee there won't be a next time?
I can't possibly win over the male lead, nor can I possibly survive well in this world...
Today I'm a drunken eunuch, tomorrow I could be a madwoman, the day after tomorrow, and the day after that, until one day I can get poisoned just by drinking water...
I've had enough! I've really had enough!
I can't live like this anymore, always on edge!
He Ling completely broke down, tears mingling with the pool water, streaming down her face in a disheveled state.
The system remained silent for a moment.
"The host's emotional fluctuation value is too high, it is recommended that..."
[Suggestion my foot!]
He Ling interrupted it, wrapping herself tightly in the cloak the palace maid had given her.
I've made up my mind. I'm going to find Consort Zhuang.
Tell her how I got trapped in this lousy system.
Tell her about the quest you forced me to complete for that ice-cold emperor, and about the system shop!
"Warning! Host behavior carries unpredictable risks!"
If the system had a face, it would be terrified right now.
"Exposing core information will lead to irreversible consequences; the system strongly opposes it!"
[Objection overruled!]
Could the worst outcome be anything worse than being violated by that old eunuch?
At least the Empress helped me; she's a reasonable person.
Unlike you, what can you do besides warn me, force me to do tasks, and watch me die?
She remembered Jiang Huan's gentle smile, the Chinese knot that symbolized good fortune and prosperity, and the words "live your life peacefully and steadily."
This was the only warmth she felt in this unfamiliar world.
Rather than let you ruin me, I'd rather take a gamble and bet the Empress will help me.
He Ling's thoughts were incredibly clear, filled with a desperate, madness.
I want to confess, I want to tell her the whole truth!
The system fell into an eerie silence, with only a faint crackling of electrical noise in He Ling's mind, as if the program was running at high speed but was on the verge of collapse due to overload.
A few seconds later, the cold electronic voice sounded again, but the volume was much lower.
"Based on in-depth system analysis, combined with the current host's survival status and external environmental variables, there might be a possibility of strategic adjustments?"
He Ling was taken aback.
【ha? 】
The system seemed to have found a new logical foothold, and its speaking speed increased.
"Data remodeling shows that the target, Jiang Huan, maintains a consistently goodwill towards the host and possesses considerable influence and resource mobilization capabilities within the palace."
Speak like a human being!
"...In other words, since the host has decided to lay his cards on the table, why not ask Consort Zhuang to help you get closer to your target, Huo Lin?"
"Jiang Huan holds a high position and is deeply favored by the Emperor. If she can mediate and help the host create opportunities, the host's efficiency in completing the mission will be significantly improved."
Didn't you say before that she was going to kill me?
He Ling's worldview was being completely shattered by the shamelessness of this system.
The system's electronic voice was self-righteous and showed no remorse.
"Data analysis has the characteristics of timeliness and dynamic adjustment."
【Pah! You're just an opportunist, a fence-sitter, shameless!】
He Ling ignored the system's suggestion, her mind preoccupied with seeing Jiang Huan.
A showdown is the only way out, and perhaps also an opportunity to change one's fate.
She wiped the water from her face and said to the worried palace maid beside her, "Please take me to see Consort Zhuang, right now!"
“Consort Ling, you can’t go!” A palace maid hurriedly advised. “You’re soaked to the bone. You need to go back to the palace quickly to change into dry clothes and drink some ginger soup to ward off the cold, or you’ll catch a cold.”
"Yes, Your Highness, you look so pale. You should go back to the palace first. You can go to Consort Zhuang's place after you've finished getting ready."
Several palace maids offered their advice, and He Ling was pulled along by them, feeling the biting cold. Her courage, which had been so determined, seemed to have been doused with cold water and gradually cooled down.
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