DEG - Chapter 33
Chapter 33: Jiang Xun Still Has Her Old Guard!
Jiang Xun attended classes for another two days, watching as the situation escalated dramatically.
Her comrades-in-arms had probably issued some quests to the players.
The players, as if possessed, began harassing the people who had emigrated from Qingfei Star, trying to find evidence that Jiang Xun had not committed treason.
Even the forums were buzzing with activity.
Yes, Jiang Xun could see the forums now.
After Jiang Xun gave Luo Nanqiu the engagement ring, a small corner of Luo Nanqiu's intricate heart, veiled by layers of petals, couldn't help but open up to Jiang Xun.
Luo Nanqiu's heart felt as if it had been encircled by this small ring. To her, none of the vows Jiang Xun had ever made provided as much security as this ring did.
Only after receiving this ring did Luo Nanqiu truly believe that Jiang Xun was willing to spend a lifetime with her.
The world that belonged solely to her began to open up to Jiang Xun-for instance, the Ability she used to control the players, the world map that only game players could have, and even more so, the game forum she had established for the players.
But Jiang Xun felt this was more like a declaration-Nanqiu was telling her that every single player was her eyes and ears.
As long as Jiang Xun appeared in a player's line of sight, she would be able to find her instantly.
It was like opening up her world to Jiang Xun, yet also like a kitten extending its soft paws toward her.
An attempt to threaten her with her power.
See, everything about you is under my control.
Everything about you is under my surveillance.
You can't run away.
No matter where you run, no matter what mischief you get into, I will catch you.
Honestly, Jiang Xun's heart itched from her scratching, and she even felt a little proud of how formidable the Eldest Miss had become.
She was actually quite indifferent to being monitored.
She had always felt that there was nothing she did that Nanqiu couldn't see.
Until now...
She really wanted to make the Little Emperor write an Edict of Self-Condemnation.
But she also knew that wasn't what Nanqiu wanted.
Otherwise, with Nanqiu's personality, she would have killed the useless Little Emperor long ago.
But Jiang Xun also knew that Luo Nanqiu understood her better than she thought. She knew Jiang Xun hated having her name dragged through the mud, so she would definitely cause trouble for the Little Emperor.
However, given Nanqiu's current subtle, scheming nature, she would certainly monitor her through the players.
So she had to bypass the players.
Jiang Xun's thoughts drifted for a while before returning to the forums.
The threads were filled with players sharing which NPCs had given them quests.
【Collection Thread: Mainly want to see how strong Jiang Xun's network is.】
OP: As the title says, I've already seen five or six big shots from the Imperial Military issue quests to players to clear Jiang Xun's name. I'm waiting to see just how strong her network can be.
1F (OP): First is the star of the military, Colonel Qing Yue. Hmm, it's common knowledge she has a crush on her, so it's only natural she'd speak out on Starbo.
Then there's our old friend, Lieutenant Colonel Liu Si, who's always leading us in fights on the border.
...
3F: OP, don't bother counting. I have a feeling you won't be able to finish.
6F: I've got some reliable info. Jiang Xun was the top dog of Qing Yue's class, a figure of immense admiration. At the very least, all the military academy students from Qing Yue's year will speak up for Jiang Xun.
9F: By the way, a long-standing mystery was solved today-Liu Si is the eldest daughter of a noble family. She was pampered and spoiled, constantly complaining about the environment on the border planet, living in misery, but she still suppressed it all to guard that godforsaken place.
We suspected it was faith, or that her long-lost white moonlight was buried on this land.
I really never thought this would be related to Jiang Xun!
10F: Stop keeping us in suspense, upstairs! Hurry up and tell us!
11F: Her deceased white moonlight is Jiang Xun. One year, the Regent went to collect Jiang Xun's belongings. When she got to Liu Si, Liu Si, relying on her family's bit of power, refused to give them up, swearing to protect them with her life. Then she was dispatched to the border planet by the Regent.
13F: ...?
15F: Yes, that's what happened. And she didn't even get to keep Jiang Xun's belongings; the Regent still collected them.
23F: Say what you will, but that's our ever-villainous Regent for you.
...A portion of the OP's list is omitted.
43F: OP, there's really no point in collecting this, because it seems the residents of Qingfei Star have realized the Regent wants to clear Jiang Xun's name. They're all handing out quests like crazy now.
47F: That's right. Some of the Qingfei Star residents are doing quite well for themselves. Logically, this should also count as Jiang Xun's network, but it's more like a posthumous network, right? By the way, the people of Qingfei Star like to record videos of their medical techniques. Isn't it possible that some of those videos recorded something that could serve as evidence of Jiang Xun's innocence?
65F: I'm still more interested in Jiang Xun's love life and rivalries. My gut tells me her admirers aren't just in the military. It's impossible for someone with no charm to suddenly become a heartthrob after entering university.
Reading this, Jiang Xun had a very strong, ominous premonition.
In truth, her luck with romance wasn't bad.
Although few people confessed to her in high school, every single one was powerful and influential. Even though she left those young ladies behind when she went to university, some of them still ended up at the same institution as Nanqiu.
At that graduation ceremony Nanqiu had forced her to attend.
The people Luo Nanqiu said would laugh at her were those other young ladies.
Although Nanqiu had said those young ladies only wanted to pursue her to mock Nanqiu, so logically they couldn't have liked her that much.
So they probably wouldn't stir up trouble at a time like this, right...
Jiang Xun was completely unsure.
She even went on the StarNet, skillfully found the Eldest Miss's side account, and uncertainly tried to find those few people in her 'following' list.
Damn it, she couldn't match the usernames to the people at all.
But it didn't matter.
They had already posted on Starbo.
Their words were barbed and sarcastic, each one dripping with passive-aggressive remarks. Some even threw dirt on Nanqiu, all but explicitly stating that Nanqiu, having failed to win Jiang Xun's affection, turned love into hate, killed Jiang Xun, and then smeared her name.
The crucial part was that the comment section thought they were people in the know, and the gossip they were consuming was utterly shocking.
【Is that true? Is it really that exciting?】
【Wait, the head of the Luo Family can have a day where she can't get what she loves??】
【Not you, Sister Luo. Can't you lower your standards a bit? I'm not like her, I'm very easy to pursue. Just say the word and I'll throw myself at you. [Crying]】
【Am I the only one who's curious? What kind of splendor must a person possess to be desired by even the head of the Luo Family?】
【Hehehe, I still have the video of the military academy tournament from back then. Luckily, I was into the retro style and burned it onto a disc, otherwise it would have been confiscated by Her Excellency, the Regent! By the way, Jiang Xun is super handsome, exceptionally handsome. After the tournament that year, almost the entire internet was her fan. But I still like the final scene the most. After she received the trophy, she smiled and waved at the camera, as bright and cheerful as a puppy. Then she ran over and gave the trophy to... the Regent, who was next to me. Yes [Crying with sunglasses on], my seat was next to the Regent's. I watched with my own eyes as she gave the trophy to the Regent after winning, then picked the Regent up and spun her around. From that moment on, I became half a CP fan.】
【Damn, upstairs, please share!】
Jiang Xun skimmed through the comments, reported the one about "throwing myself at you," and cringed in embarrassment.
She had no doubt that Nanqiu's private messages must have exploded by now.
They wouldn't believe she had been reborn.
They would only think that the Eldest Miss had finally been unable to bear the pain of losing her and had completely lost her mind.
Jiang Xun sighed, knowing that given the current situation, the waters would only get muddier.
She had to resolve this as quickly as possible.
So, when she returned to the military academy the next day, she made a phone call.
Jiang Xun could feel that Luo Nanqiu was monitoring her at all times.
But she didn't care, not ever.
She felt she had nothing to hide from Luo Nanqiu, and even if she did, she considered it a test of her ability to transmit information.
So she didn't use the players, nor did she use her Gacha Ability.
She went to the principal's office alone and, as if she owned the place, naturally borrowed the office's landline to make the call.
The principal was stunned by Jiang Xun's casual confidence. He watched blankly as Jiang Xun made the call and only remembered he should stop her after it had already connected.
"You..."
But the phone on the other end rang a few times and was quickly answered.
In the interstellar era, even landlines used holographic projections.
The principal watched, dumbfounded, as the person he usually only saw on the StarNet appeared in the room as a hologram.
It was a woman with white hair, whose kind face could not hide her stern aura. A black military uniform enveloped her somewhat slender frame, and the golden insignia on her shoulder clearly announced her identity to everyone.
A General of the Empire, the Guardian of the Empire, one of the few people in the galaxy whose Ability had reached the rank of demi-god.
How could this student place a call to the General?
The principal was inevitably shocked and suspicious, but then he saw Jiang Xun address the person with familiarity, "Teacher, this is enough."
Jiang Xun sighed, her expression softening as she spoke coaxingly like a junior.
"Can you let me handle the rest?"
"If this continues to muddy the waters, Nanqiu won't be able to take it."
The high-ranking official, with her kind face but extremely cold demeanor, absentmindedly pushed aside the documents on the corner of her desk.
This was, in fact, part of Jiang Xun's old guard.
After spending so much time in the military, she was bound to have some connections of her own.
Although these people didn't quite believe she was Jiang Xun right now.
But they would give her a chance to test her.
The code word had been spoken. After Luo Nanqiu fell asleep, Jiang Xun went to their appointed meeting place.
The current General of the Imperial Military, one of the handful of demi-gods in the galaxy, the Empire's only demi-god, Cen Rubai, was already standing there.
She was still looking Jiang Xun up and down.
But Jiang Xun said, "Teacher, I'll explain the rest to you another day. Once Nanqiu wakes up, I won't have a chance to deal with this."
Hearing this, Cen Rubai's lips twitched slightly, her smile somewhat forced and stiff, as if she had thought of something.
She didn't press the issue of whether Jiang Xun was real or fake.
She nodded and said coolly.
"Follow me."
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