Meng Qingluan helplessly spread her hands and sighed with regret.
“Your Majesty, I would also like to cook for you, but my husband seems to have some objections.”
The emperor frowned deeply, then laughed.
"What? Are you two putting on a show for me?"
"Shen Yan, what do you want to do? I am the emperor of this country, and you were raised by me. Do you intend to assassinate me?"
"Don't be so presumptuous! I am still the emperor, and with a single order I give, both of your heads will be chopped off."
"Besides, have you wasted all your knowledge? You murdered the emperor! If you're not afraid of being etched into history as a despicable and ungrateful wretch, then go ahead and try! You'll be condemned by everyone, your crimes will be too numerous to record!"
The emperor spoke with a fierce tone, as if Chen Yan meant that anyone who dared to do anything to him would be beheaded in the next second.
But Chen Yan just frowned, his eyes lowered, and asked with amusement.
"The monarch of a country? I am defending a wise and virtuous monarch, not a monarch possessed by an unknown demon."
"You've harmed so many poor children, and even personally plotted against your own son and the Empress. What right do you have to cite the classics here?"
"Your Majesty, your lifespan has come to an end. I am acting on behalf of Heaven to relieve you of the suffering you have endured in this life."
As Chen Yan spoke, his voice filled with sorrow, and he raised his sword. The blade pointed directly at the emperor's heart.
The emperor raised his hand to his heart, looked down at it intently, and then burst into loud, unrestrained laughter.
“My dear minister! You truly live up to my high regard and appreciation for you, for you have seen through everything clearly.”
"Let me guess, when did you first notice something amiss?"
Shen Yan lunged forward and swiftly attacked him, stabbing him mercilessly.
"Your Majesty, I will answer all your questions at your bedside."
The emperor, who should have been old and frail, was surprisingly agile, somersaulting several times and dodging all of Chen Yan's moves.
Meng Qingluan stared in disbelief, then silently retreated to a safe area, hiding behind a large tree, waiting for her chance to strike.
She appeared calm on the surface, but her mind was racing.
[Useless system, get out here! Why are you silent after stating the mission? Didn't you say you were going to capture what's inside the emperor's body? Why aren't you doing it yet?]
Meng Qingluan was extremely anxious.
From her perspective, Shen Yan's attacks were all deadly, but the emperor dodged them with ease, seemingly without any pressure.
Chen Yan's attacks were visibly less sharp and perfect than before, and his speed had also decreased. The old emperor didn't even have time to catch his breath.
The so-called standoff is more like a one-sided mockery by the old emperor, teasing a self-important cat.
"Sizzle sizzle sizzle—"
A static-like sound came from Meng Qingluan's mind, and soon she heard that unpleasant, stiff mechanical voice again.
[Host, please use polite language. The system is currently trying to capture the other party's system; please be patient.]
[Civilization my foot! Look at Shen Yan! How busy he is! Weren't you in a hurry to capture the system from the old emperor? You can't be incompetent, can you?]
Meng Qingluan remained silent.
A few days ago, she had almost forgotten that the system even existed, and was focused on following the plot.
Unexpectedly, the system, which had been dormant for a long time, suddenly reappeared and even issued so-called "side quests" in her mind.
[Headquarters has detected unidentified machinery in this world. Please eliminate it immediately and complete the side quest.]
Meng Qingluan paused for two seconds while eating cucumber, then swallowed the cucumber and replied lazily.
[Speak in plain language...] No, this thing isn't even human. [Speak in simpler terms.]
[A second system has appeared in the book. Please destroy it, host.]
Meng Qingluan placed the remaining half of the cucumber on the table and laughed in exasperation.
[In this freezing cold, all over the country, where am I supposed to find you a second system? I'm not going. If you're so capable, go find one yourself by transmigrating into a body.]
After Meng Qingluan finished speaking, she lay back on the chaise lounge, closed her eyes, and didn't want to pay attention to the incessant chatter of the system in her mind.
The mechanical voice in my mind remained silent for a long time, hesitating whether to use electric shocks as a form of punishment or threat.
The electric shock punishment can only be used when the life of the chosen one is at stake, but this clearly doesn't fall under that condition...
[Please execute this order immediately, or you will be punished.]
The cold, mechanical voice rang out again.
Meng Qingluan was not afraid of it at all. She crossed her legs and clapped her hands.
Come on, come on! I love getting shocked; it makes me feel so much better.
Meng Qingluan's smile almost reached her temples.
She's not stupid.
If the system could shock her, she would have been electrocuted and begging for mercy long ago.
As a result, this piece of junk code didn't electrify her. What does that mean?
Does this mean the system has a crush on her?
No, no.
This means the small code can't shock her now; it's in a state of helplessness towards her.
She's the boss now!
How dare this tiny piece of code, which isn't even a metal shell, threaten her? She certainly wouldn't be willing to work like a slave for it.
system:【……】
Why do I suddenly feel like I've learned to sigh?
[Host, the emergence of another system constitutes a serious disruption to the world's operations; it's a major bug. If headquarters discovers it...]
[Wait, a major bug?] Meng Qingluan seized on the loophole in his words, [So this book is the world you're in charge of, yet such a huge bug has appeared. Headquarters will definitely dismantle and rewrite your code if they find out.]
Meng Qingluan said in a cheeky tone, her schadenfreude barely concealed.
【yes. 】
This time, the electromechanical tone was unusually heavy, as if it were spoken through gritted teeth.
[Why should I help you eliminate it? That's dereliction of duty on your part. Besides, do you think every system is as useless as yours? You trick people into coming here and then disappear. What if that system is some kind of super-powerful cheat code? I'd be beaten to death!]
No. The system on the other side is nothing more than an inferior, obsolete system. Like a parasite, it can only survive by living inside a character whose luck has been exhausted.
[Host, please rest assured, I will protect your life. That low-level, insignificant system on the other side will be sucked into my space and kicked out of this world.]
【oh. 】
Meng Qingluan nodded, her mouth forming an "o" shape. The system thought there was hope, but the other party immediately continued.
I'm not going.
[...]
If the other side is really as easy to deal with as you say, why don't you just take them all? You're just trying to drag me into this as cannon fodder.
Meng Qingluan sighed deeply, having seen through the essence of the matter, and was impressed by her own wisdom and powerful logic.
It's a real shame that I didn't become a female general with such excellent counter-surveillance skills.
[The host will unlock rewards upon completing the side quest.]
What reward?
Meng Qingluan finally became interested and asked.
My heart was still not very stirred. This system had been dead for more than half a year and was usually unreliable.
The only time she ever relied on her intelligence was when she abandoned Li Zhanjue and ran away alone, only to be electrocuted.
Just thinking about it makes me angry.
[Side quest complete, 80% of the story unlocked. The mission is successful if the protagonist survives the power struggle.]
Meng Qingluan was startled. She slowly lowered her legs and, in a moment, went from lying down to sitting up.
[You mean, as long as I cooperate with you to take away the foreign system, fix the bugs in this world, and complete the plot of seizing the throne, the mission will be considered a success?]
That's right. There's no need to go all the way to the end.
[Mission successful, can I go home?]
Yes, once successful, the host will be immediately sent back to the real world.
What will happen to this body?
As Meng Qingluan asked the question, her palm unconsciously clenched her sleeve due to nervousness.
【die. 】
Meng Qingluan felt a tightness in her heart, as if she had been punched hard. It was both expected and an unbearable disappointment.
[Shen Yan?? If he survives the power struggle for the throne, will he not die?]
Yes. The plot will force him to live until he dies of natural causes; this is a strong demand from the majority of readers.
[Host, would you like to accept this side quest?]
【accept. 】
"..."
As her thoughts returned to the present, Meng Qingluan frowned, her heart filled with worry.
The old emperor had already launched a counterattack, and Shen Yan was unable to withstand it, taking several blows from his opponent.
Unable to bear it any longer, Meng Qingluan picked up a brick and smashed it with a super long charge.
Like an arrow, it hit the target every time, striking the old emperor squarely on the head.
The scene fell silent. The old emperor's smile, which had been one of complete control, froze instantly. A warm trickle slowly slid down his forehead, and he subconsciously raised his hand to touch it.
His head was smashed open, and thick blood flowed down the rugged wrinkles on his forehead, then split into two streams down his face.
As the blood passed the corner of his mouth, the emperor, not wanting to waste a single drop, stuck out his tongue and swished it into his mouth.
The silver strands on the top of his head turned a blood-red, and Meng Qingluan noticed that his eyes were beginning to change color—
One turned a hazy gray, like cataracts, while the other turned scarlet, flashing a bloodthirsty red light.
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