Chapter 34 Daji (I) First Arrival
My consciousness was like sinking into a dark deep sea. I struggled in the chaotic quagmire for an unknown amount of time before I finally broke free and slowly floated up.
Lin Jiaojiao suddenly opened her eyes!
The mist of water vapor hits your face, bringing with it moist warmth and a strange fragrance that is a mixture of fresh petals and crisp grass.
The warm water flow is like the softest silk, wrapping every inch of her skin, bringing a lazy and comfortable feeling.
She found herself leaning against a huge jade pool wall that was soft and smooth to the touch. The water was crystal clear, and layers of petals were floating on the surface: pink peach blossoms, white jasmine, red peonies... They swayed gently with the waves, like a piece of brocade scattered on the water.
[Where is this?] A huge sense of bewilderment gripped her instantly, her memory blank, only a newborn, unfamiliar feeling of being outside the world. [Who am I?]
At this moment, a steady, cool, jade-like voice, like a stone dropped into a deep pool, resounded directly in her mind, with strange penetrating power, instantly dispelling the chaos: "Host Lin Jiaojiao, identity confirmed: Su Daji.
Current Location: Shang Palace, Tangquan Hall.
Core goal: to survive and wash away the stigma of being a "troublemaker".
Please remain calm.
I am Zero, your system."
[Zero? System?] Lin Jiaojiao was suspicious, but the voice strangely gave her a sense of peace, like a beacon in the darkness. [Su Daji?] The name carried a heavy sense of fate.
"Second world, activated." Zero's voice was calm, yet filled with undeniable power. "Memory module: Partial shielding (protection mechanism), focus on the present."
[A second world?] A vague, heavy feeling of fatigue passed through Lin Jiaojiao's heart, as if she had experienced some turbulent waves, but she could not grasp any specific scene. The sense of Zero's presence made her instinctively choose to trust.
"Attention, high-energy individual approaching, target: King Di Xin of Shang.
Emotional State: Unknown.
Threat Level: To be assessed.
Advice: Stay natural and observe." Zero's voice carried a subtle hint of vigilance, like a taut bowstring.
Lin Jiaojiao's heart skipped a beat, and an inexplicable sense of tension gripped her. She subconsciously shrank her body deeper into the pool wall, leaving only her shoulders and head exposed. Like a frightened cub, she looked vigilantly towards the entrance of the bathtub, her wet long hair sticking to her cheeks and neck, and water droplets rolled down her smooth skin.
The heavy footsteps came from afar, carrying with them an invisible, mountain-like pressure. Every step seemed to step on the tip of one's heart, making the mist seem to stagnate.
“Swish!”
A large hand with distinct joints and thin calluses suddenly lifted up the thick brocade curtain embroidered with intricate animal patterns. A stream of cool air from outside instantly rushed in, stirring up the warm and humid air in the room.
A tall and burly figure appeared at the entrance of the bathhouse.
He was wearing a dark-colored suit with dark gold patterns. The fabric was luxurious and the cut was perfect for him, outlining his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and upright figure like a pine tree. His face was deep, as if carved by a knife or an axe, with high brow bones, a straight nose, and a firm jawline.
His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, with the fierceness of someone who had been in a high position for a long time and an indifference that looked down on all living beings. He was none other than the King of Shang, Di Xin.
His gaze was like a physical searchlight, cold, scrutinizing, and with an all-seeing penetrating power, sweeping across the entire bathtub in an instant.
However, when his gaze fell on the curled up figure in the pool, the cold scrutiny instantly melted away as if encountering the scorching sun.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
Emperor Xin's eyes were fixed on Lin Jiaojiao.
He saw her long hair spread out in the water, like inky silk, and water droplets sliding down her smooth and full forehead, rolling over her delicate cheeks like porcelain, and her eyes slightly widened due to nervousness - as clear as the purest glass, but now filled with confusion, panic and a hint of innocence that was ignorant of the world.
The air was filled with mist, and her long eyelashes trembled slightly like butterfly wings, stained with tiny water droplets. I saw the water droplets slide across her slender and graceful neck, sinking into the water, vaguely revealing her round shoulders and delicate collarbone...
It is a kind of beauty that cannot be described in words, pure, fragile, and untainted by dust, like the first drop of dew condensed when the world was first created, and like a peerless night-blooming cereus quietly blooming in the dark night.
Her beauty was not at all aggressive, but carried a fatal attraction that instantly captured all of Emperor Xin's senses and mind.
The indifference and sharpness in his eyes, like ten-thousand-year-old ice, shattered and melted the moment he came into contact with this beauty. Instead, there was an incredible surprise, a burning possessiveness that instantly swept through his body like a volcanic eruption. His gaze was so hot that it almost penetrated the water vapor and imprinted the person in the pool deep into his soul.
Emperor Xin's breathing stagnated for a moment imperceptibly, and his Adam's apple rolled, as if he was suppressing something.
Then, without any hesitation, he strode into the bathing pool. The heavy footsteps echoed in the empty hall, and each step carried unquestionable majesty and a sense of...anxious approach.
He walked straight to the edge of the pool and looked down at Lin Jiaojiao in the water. His tall figure cast a heavy shadow, completely covering her. The smell of ambergris, leather and masculine scent forcefully invaded her senses.
Lin Jiaojiao felt a huge sense of oppression coming towards her. She could even feel the burning touch of his gaze on her skin. She subconsciously shrank back again, her body almost completely sinking into the water, leaving only a pair of panicked eyes exposed on the water, like a frightened deer.
Emperor Xin bent down. This action slightly subsided the overwhelming pressure he exuded, but it also brought with it a more frightening sense of aggression. He extended his hand, a large hand with distinct joints, slender knuckles, calloused and powerful, and with an irresistible tone, gently pinched Lin Jiaojiao's small chin.
His fingertips were slightly cool, and when they touched her warm skin, she couldn't help but shudder. The force was not strong, but it carried a sense of absolute control, forcing her to raise her head and meet his deep eyes that seemed to be burning with dark fire.
Their eyes met.
Lin Jiaojiao saw surging emotions as hot as lava in those eyes - surprise, possession, exploration, and a fanaticism that was almost obsessive. The gaze seemed to swallow her whole and dismantle her into its stomach.
"You..." Di Xin's voice was low and hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing against each other, with a barely perceptible, forcibly suppressed exclamation, "What's your name?"
His voice had a strange magnetism, but it made Lin Jiaojiao's heart beat faster. She opened her mouth, but her throat was tight and she couldn't make any sound.
"Daji." Ling's voice sounded clearly in her mind like timely rain.
"Daji..." She repeated the name a little awkwardly, with a soft and moist voice. Her voice was not loud, but it was as clear and pleasant as pearls falling on a plate.
When this name came out of her mouth, it seemed to carry some kind of magic, and the fire in Di Xin's eyes suddenly burned even more vigorously. The tip of his thumb, with thin calluses, gently stroked the tender skin of her chin. The touch was accompanied by a tingling sensation, which made Lin Jiaojiao's body stiffen instantly.
"Su Daji..." Emperor Xin repeated in a low voice, as if savoring the most precious nectar in the world. Every syllable carried a heavy weight. The corners of his mouth curved up in a determined smile, which carried the dominance of an emperor and an unquestionable possessiveness. "What a nice name. From today on, you are my Daji."
His words, like golden words, carried the will of a king, and instantly imprinted on Lin Jiaojiao's fate. He released her chin, but his eyes were still locked on her like chains, as if he wanted to deeply engrave her current appearance in his heart.
"Someone!" Emperor Xin abruptly straightened up and turned around. His voice regained its imperial dignity, but with a subtle hint of urgency and... excitement. "Prepare clothes and send Concubine Su back to the palace. From today on, she will live in... Zhaixing Pavilion!"
A respectful and quick response came from outside the curtain: "Yes!"
Emperor Xin turned around again and took a deep, deep look at the figure in the pond that looked like a lotus emerging from the water.
The possessiveness in his eyes was so strong that it seemed to declare unquestionable ownership. Without saying anything more, he turned around, and the corner of his black robe drew a sharp arc in the air, and he strode away.
The heavy footsteps gradually faded away, leaving only steam rising in the room and a heart that still felt a little cold in the warm pool water.
Lin Jiaojiao leaned back against the pool wall in a daze, the touch and strength of his fingertips still seemed to remain on her chin. Everything that had just happened was so fast like a bizarre dream.
The man named Di Xin, his gaze that was so hot that it almost set her on fire, the declaration "You are my Daji"... and that name - Su Daji.
[Zero… I… What should I do?] A huge sense of bewilderment and helplessness swept over her. She knew nothing about this identity or this world. Only the existence that called herself "Zero" was her only support.
Ling's voice sounded gently but firmly, like a lighthouse that never goes out in the darkness: "Jiaojiao, don't be afraid, accept it, accept everything he gives. I will always be by your side, guiding you and protecting you."
The warm water wrapped around her, dispelling the coldness from her body, but it could not completely dispel the strangeness and uneasiness in her heart. However, Ling's voice, that steady, cool voice with a strange soothing power, was like a magic needle that stabilized her panic.
She lowered her head, watching the reflection gather again on the water. That face… a stunning beauty? Su Daji? Emperor Xin’s… Daji?
[A new world, a new identity, a new unknown destiny...] Lin Jiaojiao took a deep breath, and the moist air with the fragrance of flowers rushed into her lungs. She closed her eyes, feeling Ling's silent but firm presence.
[Zero, let's... face this together.] She said silently in her heart.
"Yeah." Zero's voice responded softly, with a subtle warmth that was like a promise. "We've been there before, and this time is no different."
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