Zero inwardly cursed his luck.
He had misspoken and almost made it obvious.
Fortunately, it wasn't a big problem.
There was still room to recover.
Zero steadied himself and asked softly, "Are you unhappy in the Luofu?"
"Were you wronged?"
With just one sentence, he defined this conversation as one between a superior and a subordinate.
Jingliu knew she wouldn't get the response she wanted.
The sun hanging high in the sky would stop for no one.
So she buried all the feelings she couldn't speak aloud.
Jingliu rarely met the Marshal's eyes.
She would look at the dishes the Marshal picked up most often.
She would look at the side of his face when he turned slightly while chatting with others.
Jingliu would look in the direction the Marshal was looking.
But she would never look at the Marshal himself.
Whenever the Marshal looked at her, Jingliu would avert her gaze first and lower her head.
Only when the Marshal was speaking to everyone would Jingliu, like the others, meet those eyes that seemed capable of embracing all the ugliness and evil in the world.
Jingliu carefully recalled their conversation just now and couldn't tell what she was feeling.
After learning of her feelings, the Marshal had been troubled, yet he had left room in every sentence.
He was very gentle and hadn't exposed her feelings.
After seeing the transfer request she had personally submitted, he only asked, "What are you doing?"
"When did this start? How long has it been?"
On the surface, the Marshal only assumed that Jingliu wanted to transfer away from the Luofu, so he deliberately skipped over the flaws in her words and asked, "Are you unhappy in the Luofu? Were you wronged?"
Jingliu could have followed the step he offered and continued talking with him as a subordinate.
The Marshal would do everything he could to fulfill the wishes of all Xianzhou people.
He granted whatever they asked for.
Jingliu could talk about powerful enemies on the battlefield and speak about the difficulties she had encountered.
The Marshal wouldn't develop any prejudice against her. He would give rewards that no one could refuse.
From then on, Jingliu's road ahead would be smooth.
Perhaps he would even feel guilty and clear away obstacles for her?
But if she stepped down from this stage...
Once the Marshal left the Luofu and returned to the Yaoqing, she would never have another chance to see him.
But...
Would the sun truly stop for no one?
At this moment, Jingliu realized she was somewhat similar to her friends.
Dan Feng, High Elder of the Vidyadhara and head of the Alchemy Commission.
Yingxing, who had won the title of "Flame-Chaser" despite being a short-life species.
When Jingliu was only in her teens, she had stood out among the hundreds of billions of people in Cangcheng, gained the General's appreciation and recommendation, passed over a dozen rounds of examinations and interviews, and appeared before the Marshal.
Rules that had been enforced for thousands of years were changed because of her.
She joined the guard unit and later became the Sword Champion through her outstanding swordsmanship.
She had won first place in the martial ceremony three times in a row.
Weren't they naturally arrogant and proud?
Jingliu's expression shifted slightly.
That's right. How would she know without trying?
If she missed this chance...
She would never have another opportunity to reveal her true feelings.
As she was thinking, the Marshal pushed the transfer request back in front of her.
"Take it."
"I don't agree."
Jingliu raised her head, revealing those brilliant red eyes with a faint trace of obsession.
"Which matter... are you referring to?"
Zero froze for a moment before smiling and asking, "What do you mean?"
Jingliu's voice was very soft.
"Which thing are you rejecting?"
"This transfer request?"
She paused for a moment, then smiled as she spoke the feelings she had hidden for hundreds of years.
"Or..."
"Me?"
Rare surprise appeared on Zero's face.
He had tried his best to help Jingliu cover it up, yet she had exposed it so directly.
Jingliu stared at Zero without blinking.
She couldn't help but think... 'Someone like the Marshal... actually had moments like this?'
It seemed the Marshal wasn't good at dealing with emotional matters.
Would he show her more expressions that no one else had seen?
Zero quickly regained control of his expression. Just as he was about to say something else to help her out, she spoke again, "Didn't you already know last night?"
Jingliu's ears were burning. She pressed her lips together.
But at the critical moment, she couldn't speak.
Yet if she stayed silent any longer, the Marshal would simply brush past the issue.
At this point...
She could only tear off the roof.
Jingliu gritted her teeth and reached out as if to hold his hand.
Zero's pupils shook. He abruptly stood up and put some distance between them.
The atmosphere froze for quite a while before he said stiffly, "Jingliu, you're still young..."
Jingliu had already known what Zero would say.
Nothing more than believing she was too young to distinguish admiration from love.
Jingliu interrupted, "The legal marriage age in the Xianzhou is twenty."
Zero couldn't refute that.
'Daiyang, what are you doing?'
'Wait, how could this be Daiyang's fault?'
It was clearly that man's fault.
That man had deceived Daiyang.
Jingliu continued, "There are three standards for adulthood among Xianzhou people. As long as one is met, they're considered adults."
"One is marriage, the second is reaching two hundred years old."
"The third is passing the examination and graduating from the academy."
"I graduated from the academy at eighteen."
"Nearly eighty percent of Xianzhou people gradually begin showing signs of mara-struck after the age of eight hundred."
"And people my age have already fallen to mara."
Jingliu spoke solemnly, "Marshal, I'm an adult."
"I can tell the difference between admiration and love."
Jingliu predicted his response in advance and blocked off his words.
Before he could speak, she deliberately paused and then asked, "What do you think?"
"Would you..."
"Find it disgusting?"
As she expected, Zero frowned slightly, and his eyes became gentler.
"Why would I?"
"I admire you very much."
"I admire your honesty and your courage."
Jingliu met Zero's eyes.
Those eyes gave her the illusion...
That she was loved by him.
Zero had originally planned to use harsher words to draw a line and keep his distance.
After the martial ceremony ended and he returned to the Yaoqing, he wouldn't see her again.
But when Zero saw Jingliu belittle herself and think that these feelings would disgust him, he softened.
Jingliu was a child he had watched grow up.
Not to mention that she was only eight hundred years old now.
Even if she were over a thousand years old, she would still be a child.
Zero began reflecting on himself.
Back then, Jingliu wasn't even two hundred years old.
How old had she been?
She was at an age when she needed guidance from her elders.
Zero softened his tone.
"I know you must have made up your mind with great difficulty before saying this."
"Compared to you, my attitude... was too casual. I failed your honesty."
"I should have properly responded to your feelings."
After saying this, Zero paused.
Many details he hadn't noticed before now connected together.
For example, whenever he teased Jingliu, her tone would stiffen and she would often avoid his gaze.
And for example, after leaving the guard unit and coming to the Luofu to meet him, she rarely looked him in the eyes.
Zero cursed himself in his heart.
It was all his fault.
Why tease a child when he had nothing better to do?
Could Jingliu really distinguish love back then?
Thinking of this, Zero completely forgot about things like "drawing a line" and "keeping distance."
He looked at Jingliu with a loving gaze that seemed capable of embracing everything.
"I'm a very... slow person."
"It took me this long to notice your feelings."
"It must have been hard all this time, right?"
Hearing this, Jingliu closed her eyes and then shook her head.
With those words from you, how could it have been hard?
His eyes were as warm as sunlight.
Though he was right in front of her, he still felt far away.
She didn't like that at all.
But she couldn't look away.
Zero raised his hand, instinctively wanting to pat Jingliu's head, but withdrew it halfway.
"Jingliu, you deserve someone better."
"I can't give you what you want."
"I wish you a smooth future and greater heights."
Jingliu looked at Zero without speaking.
After a while, she lowered her head, picked up the transfer request from the table, and handed it to him again.
Zero, "..."
So after all that, Jingliu hadn't listened to a word?
Jingliu laughed softly.
Tearing off the roof could only be used once.
Now, she directly gave him a choice.
Pointedly, she said, "You have to agree to one thing, don't you?"
Zero thought, 'Isn't this all stuff I had taught before?!'
When people didn't think carefully, they often followed the options others presented.
After remaining silent for a while, Zero made a rare exception and revealed a secret known only to those inside the institute.
"Wait a little longer. The experiment in Cangcheng is almost over."
'Go back to Cangcheng! Why go to some remote star system?!'
Jingliu looked determined to get to the bottom of it.
"You want me to wait. Then how long do I have to wait?"
"Will it be finished tomorrow?"
Zero suddenly realized that when people were driven into a corner, they could let go of all prejudices.
He even missed Aha a little.
Human or god...
No matter what species, anyone would do.
He didn't want to discuss romance with someone younger than him.
Just then, a servant stopped ten meters away in the reception room and carefully said,
"Marshal, General Teng Xiao has arrived."
Zero instantly relaxed and called out, "Let him in."
He snatched the application from Jingliu's hand, crumpled it into a ball, and casually tossed it into the trash can beside the dining table.
Zero walked to the reception room and sat down wherever he pleased.
Jingliu followed closely behind him and stood by his side in the posture of a protector.
Zero opened his mouth but said nothing.
Soon, Teng Xiao entered the reception room with a smile.
Sitting on the opposite side, he softly reported to Zero.
The Luofu was about to hold the martial ceremony.
The Xianzhou and its affiliated planets would send representatives to the Luofu to compete.
Speaking of the martial ceremony, one naturally couldn't avoid mentioning Luofu's Sword Champion, Jingliu.
After winning three consecutive championships, the Xianzhou had specially changed the rules for her.
Contestants who had won the championship were no longer allowed to participate.
If they wanted to challenge other experts, they had to seek the other party's consent and report it to the Xianzhou, which would arrange the time and location.
Teng Xiao wanted to promote his subordinate, but she was a sword fanatic, so he had to find another way.
He very naturally threw the topic to Jingliu, every word intended to bring his subordinate closer to the Marshal.
"I heard that when you first participated in the martial ceremony, you belonged to the Marshal?"
Zero held his forehead and corrected Teng Xiao, "At that time, she was my guard."
Teng Xiao didn't care and cheerfully said, "That's right. She was from the Marshal's residence."
As he spoke, dissatisfaction crept into his tone.
"How did Jingliu get snatched away by the Yaoqing General after winning first place and become one of the Yaoqing people? You can't favor them this time."
Zero sighed lightly.
"Fine. I won't favor them."
Teng Xiao continued helping Jingliu build connections, praising his subordinate lavishly in front of Zero.
After praising his subordinate, he began praising his superior, speaking with emotion.
"I still remember the recommendation letter you personally wrote after she won her first championship."
"You wrote in that letter..."
"Wishing her a smooth road ahead and endless success..."
Jingliu lowered her eyes and stared at Zero's back.
His body stiffened, and his fingertips moved almost imperceptibly.
Zero refuted Teng Xiao, "You're remembering wrong. I never wrote one."
Teng Xiao immediately became anxious.
"It was clearly your handwriting! How could I mistake it?"
"The last line was, 'If there are any problems, contact the Marshal's residence...'"
After noticing the gaze from beside him, Zero smiled somewhat stiffly.
He forced himself to chat with Teng Xiao for a while before finding an excuse to send both of them away.
Before parting, Zero lowered his head and stared at his jade abacus, using it to avoid Jingliu's eyes.
After the two left, he checked his friends list and was shocked to discover that there wasn't a single normal person around him.
Zero had already asked Akivili last night.
If he asked again today... it wouldn't be appropriate.
After hesitating for a long time, he called Guanliang.
"I have a friend. He was confessed to by someone younger."
Guanliang said, "Wait a moment."
He looked out the window. The simulated sun of the Yaoqing still hung high in the sky.
The direction was right.
It hadn't risen from the west.
After his mind shut down for a while, Guanliang let out a long sigh.
At first, he had been shocked when he learned that someone was pursuing Zero.
After investigating, Guanliang couldn't help cursing inwardly. Making money was hard, and eating shit wasn't easy either.
Even the most powerful family in the universe had to bow before reality.
And this time...
Zero had gone to the Luofu.
The Luofu was about to hold the martial ceremony.
The only people he could come into contact with were Xianzhou people.
After deducing that the younger person Zero mentioned was a Xianzhou woman, Guanliang blurted out,
"That's way too bizarre."
"This is a relationship crossing species!"
In Guanliang's eyes, Zero wasn't a god.
Nor was he human.
His boss was more like a rare species somewhere between god and human.
There was only one such being in the universe.
Naturally, Guanliang didn't judge Zero the way he judged ordinary men.
What a joke. Zero wasn't even human. Could he count as a branch of humanity? Could he be considered a normal person or a normal man?
Zero had good looks, enough to deceive women.
It was one thing to fool outsiders before, but how had he fooled one of their own this time?
Guanliang couldn't help asking, "Who is it? How old? Has she gone mara-struck? I remember the jade abacus gives warnings in advance. Did it malfunction? Or is the Ten-Lords Commission not doing its job?"
After a moment of silence, Zero threw out a "Get lost" and immediately hung up.
He had to admit that Guanliang had a point.
Normal people were hard to come by.
Of course, even if Hua found a normal person...
He still wouldn't agree to the marriage.
Zero went to find Akivili.
The Aeon didn't respond.
But that wasn't a problem.
When the day of the martial ceremony arrived, Akivili would bring the Nameless to the Luofu.
He would ask then.
Zero took a deep breath.
He dialed Zandar's number.
'It's decided. Teacher, you're up!'
Meanwhile, after thinking for a long time, Dan Feng decided to give things a push.
Skipping over the underaged Jing Yuan, he went straight to Baiheng and Yingxing.
The High Elder hinted at things for quite a while. Only after seeing the shock on his friends' faces did he nod and confirm their guesses.
Then Dan Feng brought his friends to meet Jingliu.
The four of them came to a tavern that Dan Feng had booked in advance.
With a wave of his hand, servants poured wine for them.
After several rounds of drinking, Jingliu finally spoke and summarized what had happened with just a few sentences.
Dan Feng was filled with emotion.
As expected of Jingliu.
As expected of his friend.
On the surface, she wanted to transfer to a remote star system, but in reality, she was retreating in order to advance!
The Marshal had always cherished talent.
Could he bear to let Jingliu go to some remote place and bury her talents forever?
Of course not.
Dan Feng narrowed his eyes and advised Jingliu earnestly, "A person like him... don't you understand him by now?"
"Even if you offend him, he'll only blame himself."
The High Elder said meaningfully, "He'll think he led you astray."
Jingliu unconsciously tightened her grip on her wine cup.
"...I know."
Dan Feng abandoned his usual quiet style and began giving Jingliu advice.
The methods he proposed left the other three stunned again and again.
Baiheng looked confused.
Why did this sound like something out of a romance novel?
Yingxing couldn't understand it at all.
The Vidyadhara High Elder had never been in love.
So how could he speak so confidently?
After several more rounds of wine delivered by the servants, the four finally left the tavern.
After saying goodbye to Jingliu, Yingxing couldn't help asking,
"Dan Feng, where did you learn all that stuff you said earlier?"
Dan Feng folded his arms, his tone carrying a trace of pride.
"Romance novels."
The two of them, "..."
'It's over!'
'How could Jingliu possibly catch someone like him?'