Herta's little face immediately tightened. Her violet eyes narrowed in obvious irritation, her voice sharp with displeasure.
"What do you mean by that? What's there that this genius can't hear?"
"I'm part of Ruan Mei's project too! Are you saying you've got a problem with me?"
Before Wei Qing could answer, Ruan Mei spoke first.
"Herta, if Mr. Dian Dao has concerns, then it likely involves something not suitable for public discussion. Still, since you and I are working on the same project, there's no need for you to avoid it."
She turned to Wei Qing, her gaze calm yet carrying an unmistakable certainty that brooked no refusal.
"Mr. Dian Dao, please rest assured. Herta may be blunt, but she is the strictest about boundaries. She will not leak a single word she shouldn't."
"Besides, when it comes to life sciences, her insights can sometimes be even more groundbreaking than mine. She may be able to help."
Herta instantly straightened, chin lifting like a cat getting its fur stroked back into place.
"Did you hear that? I'm not an outsider! If you've got a question, ask it. Don't try to pull any special-treatment nonsense."
Wei Qing looked at the "gentle-soft" and "hard-prickly" duo in front of him and sighed inwardly.
In his plan, what came next was absolutely something he should keep from Herta.
He didn't speak. Instead, he raised his eyes to Ruan Mei—and the aura around him shifted, quietly but decisively.
The Destruction presence he'd been suppressing began to seep out.
It was faint, almost invisible… yet it pierced straight into Ruan Mei's perception with surgical precision.
Her pupils tightened. Her fingers unconsciously curled.
As a genius who had long studied the Paths, Ruan Mei's sensitivity to Path energy was nearly instinctual.
This "Dian Dao" was a dual-Path pathstrider.
Dual Paths were rare, but not unheard of. What truly stirred her curiosity was the grotesque pairing of Beauty and Destruction.
"…Very well." Ruan Mei nodded lightly. "Since Mr. Dian Dao insists on speaking with me alone…"
She turned toward Herta.
"Herta, could you step aside for a moment?"
Herta's smug expression froze on the spot, like someone had hit pause.
She stared at Ruan Mei in disbelief, her whole face screaming, How dare you betray me? Then she glared at Wei Qing so hard it could've turned steel cold.
Wait—what?!
Something definitely just happened. And now you're switching sides?!
"Ruan Mei! What is this supposed to mean?!" Herta's voice shot up, her tiny fists clenched tight. "Aren't we allies? You're actually helping this outsider kick me out?!"
Hands on hips, she stomped her foot—an angry cat robbed of its fish treat.
"I knew it! He's doing it on purpose! 'Private matters,' my ass—he just doesn't want me to hear!"
"Maybe he's not even asking about life sciences. Maybe he's trying to probe our research!"
Ruan Mei let out a helpless sigh.
It wasn't ideal… but after the aura Wei Qing had just revealed, she had to admit her curiosity had been hooked.
"…I'm sorry, Herta." She didn't explain further—she simply offered a quiet apology.
Herta wanted to argue, but seeing Ruan Mei's "I've decided" expression, she knew there was no point.
This seemingly gentle genius, once interested in something, could be stubborn to a terrifying degree.
Herta shot Wei Qing one last vicious glare—Just you wait—then spun on her heel and marched off with rapid little tap tap tap footsteps toward the display area.
But her deliberately slowed pace and rigid back made her unwillingness painfully obvious.
When she reached the corner, she still couldn't resist glancing back. Seeing the two of them already moving to a secluded spot, she folded her arms and pretended to study the Stellaron in the exhibit case.
Wei Qing couldn't help the slight curl of his lips at Herta's sulking posture. Then he turned back to Ruan Mei and drew his aura in again.
"My thanks, Madam Ruan Mei."
"No need." Ruan Mei dipped her chin, her probing gaze unhidden now. "That Destruction aura just now—it wasn't a disguise."
"A Pure Beauty Knight named Dian Dao who bears two Paths… that is indeed a rare case in the cosmos."
She paused, then added, "And your Destruction… is unusual."
"It isn't the murky stench of the Annihilation Gang, nor the restless volatility of ordinary Destruction pathstriders. It has a kind of… almost orderly, condensed quality."
"That is why I'm willing to speak with you alone."
Wei Qing wasn't surprised by her sharpness.
This genius's mastery of Path research far surpassed the norm. That she could sense what he deliberately let slip was only natural.
"Your insight is keen, Madam Ruan Mei," he admitted frankly. "I've thought carefully before deciding to approach you."
Ruan Mei's eyes shifted slightly, signaling him to continue.
Wei Qing didn't answer immediately. With a small movement of his fingers, an invisible layer of power spread outward from him, sealing the two of them off from the outside world entirely.
"Now we can speak freely," Wei Qing said. Inside the quiet barrier, his voice sounded unusually clear.
He looked directly at Ruan Mei. The earlier gentle mask was gone from his eyes.
"It's been a long time, Madam Ruan Mei. Do you need me to introduce myself again?"
As the words fell, the disguise on his body dissolved completely.
He returned to his true appearance.
Ruan Mei's breathing paused for a fraction of a second.
Even though she'd already suspected many possibilities, seeing the face known as "Qingzhou" with her own eyes—and feeling the pressure that was utterly different from "Dian Dao"—still stirred ripples deep in her normally placid gaze.
She didn't try to call for help. She didn't show panic.
She simply watched him, as if reassessing the existence standing before her.
After a brief silence, she finally spoke.
"Lord Ravager Qingzhou… or should I call you… Wei Qing?"
"We're old acquaintances, after all," Wei Qing replied calmly. "In front of you, Madam Ruan Mei, I can be honest. Call me Wei Qing."
"Honest?" Ruan Mei's expression flickered—just slightly.
"To appear in the Luofu's restricted zone like this… Mr. Wei Qing, your 'honesty' is rather… astonishing."
Her gaze swept over the barrier.
"Aren't you afraid I'll raise an alarm? Even if you can restrain me instantly, Herta is still outside, and the Luofu's guards are not mere decorations."
"If I were afraid," Wei Qing said, smiling faintly—an arrogant confidence woven into the curve of his lips—"I wouldn't be here."
"And I trust that your curiosity toward knowledge and truth will outweigh the impulse to capture me immediately."
"After all… isn't the reason you cooperated with the Luofu precisely because you wanted me on the table for study?"
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 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 147)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter185)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter215)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 185
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/1
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 206
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 190
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/23
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 106
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 125
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 90
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 80
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 86
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 81
Still playing traditional Honk 65
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 65
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 57
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 45
Transmigrated as Sukuna 59
Checking In in Demon Slayer 59
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 73
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 45
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 36
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 40
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 60
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 30
Why did they assign me to Uma 35
MYGO Beauties 43
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 30
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 31
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