Three days before the succession ceremony.
Late at night, Wei Qing sat alone at home.
Staring at the main quest the system had issued, his thoughts gradually began to take shape.
Suddenly, there came a knock at the door. Wei Qing didn't bother to respond—yet the door opened on its own.
A figure he'd expected walked in.
A Foxian woman.
Yes. It was Huanlong again—the one who so doted on Foxians.
"You're here," Wei Qing said flatly, his face expressionless.
Huanlong seemed in good spirits. She sat down beside him of her own accord, speaking in a teasing, intimate tone.
"So the General sits alone at midnight… Is it worry over the succession ceremony three days from now, or…" Her eyes glided as her fingertip traced lightly across the tabletop. "Are you missing me?"
Wei Qing didn't look at her. He only said, "You people are bold. Aren't you afraid the Xianzhou Alliance will pay any price to bring in the Aeon of the Hunt personally?"
Huanlong gave a soft laugh, lazily sinking into the sofa.
"If the heat isn't high enough, how can you fool that jumpy bird? Shuhu may be greedy, but she isn't stupid."
"Three Lord Ravagers appearing at Yaoqing, the Xianzhou Marshal personally arriving to oversee it…" She paused, voice turning playful. "That kind of spectacle is what befits a finale that truly lures the prey into a trap."
Then, leaning in a little, she spoke with amused satisfaction.
"I simply didn't expect the ending to be even more… delightful. You swallowed the gift—and even drew the gaze of the Abundance Yaoshi."
Huanlong moved closer still, her warm breath almost brushing Wei Qing's ear.
"As one of Destruction, yet favored by both Hunt and Abundance…" Her lips curved. "You, sir, are a miracle in every sense."
"…A miracle?" Wei Qing fell silent for a moment, then asked abruptly, "Huanlong—what kind of destruction do you desire?"
She blinked, then laughed like tinkling silver bells.
"What a direct question."
"In my eyes, the death of matter is not an end. Only when something fades from the spiritual realm—erased without trace—can it be called true destruction."
"What I crave," she said softly, a flicker of fervor passing through her eyes before settling into a deep, dark glow, "is watching those resilient, beautiful, self-righteous things wither slowly inside the despair I so carefully weave. To me, that is supreme pleasure."
"But sometimes I enjoy the process even more than the result." Her gaze lingered, fascinated. "For example… watching a being like you, and seeing where you will drag fate."
Just as their plan had intended, this colleague of Destruction was about to become a Hunt General.
To Huanlong, there was nothing more enjoyable than that.
Wei Qing neither affirmed nor denied it. He simply nodded, then asked, "So what's your next move?"
"War," Huanlong replied. "A celebration worthy of your new identity, my dear colleague."
"The target?" Wei Qing pressed.
"Zhuming." A cruel curve lifted her red lips. "That artisans' Xianzhou. They pride themselves on unrivaled craft—arms and armor forged there have equipped countless Cloud Knights, the Alliance's sturdy shield and sharp sword."
"Smash it. Break the Alliance's arm. Let panic spread like a plague across the other Xianzhou…" Her voice purred as she painted the scene. "There is no finer proclamation than that."
She watched his reaction and continued, her tone sweet as poison.
"When the time comes, I will personally lead the army to their gates."
"And you—the newly appointed Luofu General—will naturally be the first to rush in with reinforcements. We'll build you the most magnificent stage…"
Huanlong chuckled. She could hardly wait for the Luofu to discover that their new General was, in truth, a Lord Ravager—imagining how spectacular their faces would look.
"At your moment of greatest glory, we deal the Alliance its most agonizing blow. Under the eyes of the masses, you display your true destination."
"Just think of it—how exquisite the beauty of despair and destruction would be."
"Of course," she added lightly, "if you're reluctant to reveal yourself so early, I can understand."
"After all, the identity of a Hunt General can earn Destruction quite a bit of profit."
After a long silence, Wei Qing slowly raised his head and looked at her.
"The plan sounds exciting—but you're thinking of everything far too simply."
"…What do you mean?" Huanlong's smile thinned.
"That Xianzhou Marshal…" Wei Qing said quietly. "She seems to have noticed what I am."
"What?!" The lazy amusement on Huanlong's face froze instantly.
"That's impossible. If she'd discovered your identity, how could she tolerate you becoming the Luofu's General?"
If it were true, it meant all their plotting might already be exposed under the edge of the Hunt—and "failure" would be the mildest outcome.
In Huanlong's view, Wei Qing's disguise had been flawless. Unless he chose to expose himself, even fellow Lord Ravagers wouldn't be able to tell.
She seriously suspected he was playing her.
"To be honest, I'm not certain either," Wei Qing admitted. "She didn't say it outright."
"But I did feel it."
Wei Qing saw the suspicion in her eyes, but he didn't care.
"…Then what do you intend to do?" Huanlong asked.
Wei Qing laughed.
"Do it my way, of course."
"In the cosmos's understanding, each Lord Ravager has their own distinct aesthetics of destruction. I'm no exception."
"And next… I'll let you see what myDestruction looks like."
…
In the end, Huanlong fell silent.
Whether she believed his last words or not, she ultimately compromised—and left.
Wei Qing wasn't surprised.
Given his current status and power, even if Huanlong were furious enough to tear the partnership apart, she'd have to think carefully about whether she could afford it.
Besides, his reasoning was perfectly plausible. He hadn't lied to his colleague.
That Marshal truly might have seen through him.
And he truly was preparing to do something big.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 175)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 126)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter105)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter100)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter82)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter134)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 70
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 87
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 79
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 64
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 73
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 45
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 49
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 45
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 45
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