"Oh, my dearest Li Dongze, it's absolutely wonderful to see you! You can hardly imagine how I've been these past three days. I've missed you so much—more than I miss my grandmother's apple pie. I'm telling you this sincerely, and God will bear witness." Zhang Yuanqing approached with a bright smile and warmly embraced Li Dongze. At that moment, a young female employee kindly offered him a glass of red wine. Li Dongze gracefully raised his hand to gently deflect it, saying seriously, "No, please—replace it with a chilled cola!" So Zhang Yuanqing took the chilled cola and moved to the sofa, greeting Wang Tai and Teng Yuan separately. "You'll soon be leaving the second team, won't you? Or perhaps, you'll become the head of the second team." Wang Tai held a cake in his hands, enjoying it with satisfaction. "It's made with animal cream—it's quite delicious. The advantage of animal cream is that it never grows stale, unlike plant cream, which is often cheap and unappetizing. Their ingredients are quite different..." No, I'm not interested in their division! Zhang Yuanqing interrupted urgently, "I don't know why, but Dog Long hasn't spoken to me since he joined. I've called him several times, but he never answers. That's quite strange—what do you think?" Tang Yuan, Wang Tai, and Li Dongze couldn't respond. Guan Ya sat in the corner, pretending to chat with a female employee. Zhang Yuanqing looked at Jiang Jingwei, who was busy eating and drinking. "Jingwei, do you know?" Jiang Jingwei was immersed in her meal, completely oblivious to what was happening outside. "Jingwei, Jingwei..." Zhang Yuanqing gave her a sharp cut across the back of her neck with his hand. "Jingwei!" Jiang Jingwei let out a sudden burst of grilled meat and ham, startled and hurt, exclaiming, "What are you doing?" Zhang Yuanqing repeated his question. "Ah!" Jiang Jingwei suddenly understood, sadly watching Tang Yuan sweep the meat she had spat out into the trash bin, saying, "Probably still immersed in the killing quest." "Seeing that her colleagues didn't understand, she explained: 'Every year, the Grand Master takes a group of elders to observe the killing instances from outside the arena—outside the battlefield. But how can you watch from outside? I still don't quite grasp it. My father said that people of lower ranks couldn't enter. Only when I reach the Dominance Realm will he take me along to experience it.' Could the Grand Master actually bring the elders inside to watch? The second team members were deeply astonished—this was the first time they'd heard of such a thing. Zhang Yuanqing was equally stunned, even more so, because during the killing instances, he had revealed so much. The messenger talisman of the Demon King, and the disguise ring of the Demon King—though these weren't necessarily the Demon King's signature items, if any senior figures outside had seen them, they would certainly have raised suspicions. ——Neither of these items belonged to the Night-Wanderer deity's typical gear. In theory, it was highly unlikely that he would have obtained them. Moreover, he naturally recalled the moment during task settlement when the hidden black crescent moon on his character card suddenly manifested and transformed him into a crescent moon shape." This is the character card concealing itself, hiding its identity as a descendant of the Magus King. "Ah, so that's it..." Zhang Yuanqing murmured softly, his face looking quite pale. He realized now that the character card possessed a sense of self-awareness. When the Black Full Moon appeared during the Tiger Seal incident, it had been stimulated by a rule-based item and had stepped forward spontaneously—passive. But this time? No influence from the senior figures outside the scenario had been exerted on him, yet the character card had willingly masked the Full Moon itself. This clearly demonstrated that it had self-awareness—it knew there were powerful figures watching from outside, that it must not reveal its identity as a Magus King descendant, and it—what exactly was it? If the character card lacked self-awareness, then that self-awareness must have originated from something else. This revelation left Zhang Yuanqing uneasy, restless, with a persistent sense of unease. He could readily accept the character card as a mere object—after all, it was just an item. But if within that very object lay another being's consciousness, then it became something that could not be easily dismissed or ignored. "The only advantage is that we won't have to worry about the exposure of my identity as the heir of the Mage King anymore..." he humorously endured. With this, there would be no need for him to constantly conceal his identity—his character card would naturally evolve to "hide itself." For instance, the inquiries made by the Taoist priest at the stone temple that day would inevitably fail. His response would surely be the classic three-act rebuttal: "I'm not! You're making it up! Don't blame me!" Wait—what if the elders witnessed the entire killing quest sequence? Then, what about the things I told Yuan Ting? Zhang Yuanqing suddenly felt heavy-hearted, sensing a growing sense of uncertainty ahead. At that moment, Teng Yuan said, "The killing quest at the Saint's Realm should conclude tomorrow." Zhang Yuanqing nodded. "The transcendent realm quest lasts three days, and the Saint's Realm quest five days—around seven in the morning tomorrow." Teng Yuan nodded. "I'm really looking forward to the outcome." Then, he resumed his usual listless demeanor, like a thousand-year-old fish, quietly eating his meal. The clerical staff and attendants from the second team didn't disperse until eleven in the morning, leaving a few clerks to clean up. While using the restroom, Zhang Yuanqing sent a message to Kou Beiyue: "I've learned something—senior leaders in the Lawful faction have a habit of watching the Killing Runes episodes. The Chaotic faction likely does too. Be cautious." Kou Beiyue replied promptly: "Hah, I've known this all along. Xiao Yuan mentioned that the big figures might not even remember me. But just to be safe, I've been keeping low profile lately. Once those people return to reality, Xiao Yuan will gather information on whether I've been targeted." That's good news! Zhang Yuanqing exhaled in relief. Kou Beiyue then sent another message: "Are you making a point of giving my younger brother the cold shoulder?" You're quite well-informed, indeed. Zhang Yuanqing replied with a simple "Yes." "I understand your concern, but I don't think it'll work out. Those senior figures have been watching the entire episode, so they must be aware of everything. Once they return from the Killing Runes, they'll surely vouch for my brother." Kou Beiyue sent a message. How could any other organization, besides the southern branch of the Formless Sect, possibly endorse the claim that "meritorious ministers choose their sovereigns and kill them"? They'd rather see the young man eliminated. Zhang Yuanqing remained calm. Kou Beiyue was still too young—her mind still operated in black-and-white terms. Within her own organization, there were fierce, life-or-death struggles. The three evil factions certainly weren't united. And when it came to eliminating a brilliant talent from another organization, the evil factions would surely be more proactive than the lawful ones. "You don't need to worry about that. Just reach out to the 'meritorious ministers choose their sovereigns and kill them' faction a few days from now," Zhang Yuanqing sent the message. He didn't receive a reply for a long time. When he finally tucked his phone into his pocket and stepped out of the restroom, Kou Beiyue's message arrived late: "Holy cow, I'm telling you—I just ran into the landscaping strip and spilled my entire lunch box! All my takeout is gone. You're paying for that!" Zhang Yuanqing silently sent a five-jiao red envelope and then turned off his phone He took a bunch of roses that had been gathered by clerical staff and were meant to be discarded, hiding them behind his back, and walked up the steel staircase to the second floor. On the second floor, only Guan Ya and Wang Tai were present. Jiang Jingwei had been picked up by the housekeeper sent by his mother to attend school, and Teng Yuan was certainly not going to stay at the office—so the office space was left with only Wang Tai and Guan Ya. Wang Tai was comfortably full, fully immersed in his own world. Guan Ya was wearing headphones, watching a variety show, and noticed the footsteps. She looked up, then calmly lowered her gaze. The events of yesterday were still vivid in her memory; she had yet to fully shake off the embarrassment, shyness, and the feeling of social failure. Every time she saw Yuan Shi, images of her damp bedsheet and pants would come to mind. She longed to disappear into a crack in the ground. "Miss Guan, here's a rose for you," Zhang Yuanqing presented a vibrant red rose. The elder official glanced at it, then sighed with both annoyance and amusement, saying, "Pure Zhang Yuanqing seemed to know exactly what she would say, and immediately replied, "Then let's pick someone more sincere—Guan Ya, I'd like to invite you to dinner with my grandmother, just tomorrow evening." "No way!" Guan Ya remained fully absorbed in the program. At this point, he had to be persistent, even pushy—she absolutely had to be driven to it. Zhang Yuanqing remembered his mentor’s advice, and smiled warmly, saying, "If you don’t come, I’ll take the whole family over to your place for dinner." Guan Ya was completely taken aback by his pushiness, lifting her eyes, glaring, and exclaimed, "Why should I go to your house for dinner? What’s our relationship?" This wasn’t what she had expected. In her mind, the best course was to downplay yesterday’s incident, let the awkwardness fade with time, and then, once everyone grew comfortable, simply continue chatting with Yuan Shi as usual. That, she believed, was the most reasonable and ideal outcome. Yet, given her understanding of Yuan Shi, though the young man was always talkative, he lacked experience in matters of the heart. By his natural flair for social interaction, he should have sensed his own sensitivity and awkwardness, and thus taken the initiative to engage in conversation—perhaps even to lighten the mood with some more intimate topics—to ease her discomfort. Instead, he not only failed to alleviate the tension between them but actually seized the moment, extending an invitation to have dinner at his home. What kind of relationship are we in, really? Just asking to be invited to dinner at one’s house? Zhang Yuanqing glanced toward Wang Tai in the distance, then pulled a chair over and sat beside Guan Ya, gently blowing soft, intimate breaths into her delicate, petite ear, his tone low and suggestive. "What do you think our relationship is?" They were close, and he was taller than her. With his gaze, he could easily catch the view of the white, soft fabric of her shirt, the two buttons undone, revealing the smooth, creamy expanse beneath. She had always been the type who made her shirt tightly fitted—slender waist, full bust, always a standout in the realm of professional attire, radiating subtle allure. Guan Ya's body went stiff; her cheeks flushed instantly. She held her face firmly. "Colleague relationship." Indeed, as Ling Jun had predicted, she adopted an evasive posture—trying to act like a ostrich, quietly carrying yesterday's incident without making a sound, pretending nothing had happened, and then maintaining a lingering, ambiguous closeness with me. What a selfish woman! Zhang Yuanqing thought to herself. Guan Ya's ostrich mentality actually stemmed from pressure from her family. She longed for romance, yet feared her family's attitudes, feeling deeply discouraged and pessimistic about the future—deeply conflicted. "At this point, you need to seize the initiative and actively shape the relationship between the two of you. Relying on her to take the lead is simply impossible," the life coach's words flashed through her mind. Zhang Yuanqing didn't hesitate—she gently bit into the clear, delicate lobe of Guan Ya's ear, cool and fragrant, blending the scent of her body with that of her perfume. It was quite pleasant. Guan Ya was caught off guard; her body stiffened like a bolt, instantly tensing up. Her ears warmed up, her fair neck quickly turning a captivating blush, fine goosebumps rising on her skin. She sat there motionless, as if she hadn't expected the boy to be so bold—so light and intimate in the office, and now, now, to actually eat her tofu. Zhang Yuanqing saw fit to stop there, gazing at Guan Ya’s flushed cheeks and saying, “Last time my cousin was promoted, it was all thanks to you. My grandmother has long wanted to invite you for dinner. I’ll pick you up tomorrow evening.” Guan Ya hurriedly stood up, grabbing her bag from the table, her face stern. “I have matters to attend to—I need to leave early. Yuanshi, I’ll be unavailable tomorrow evening.” She picked up her bag, stepped firmly on her heels, and walked off with a crisp sound of footsteps. “Definitely come,” Zhang Yuanqing called after her retreating figure. Once Guan Ya’s hurried footsteps faded, Wang Tai lifted his head, his eyes dull and fixed on Zhang Yuanqing. “Have you decided on the child’s name yet?” “If not, I can help you choose one. Believe me, being a bachelor is "Zhang Yuanqing shrugged, "If it's free, then it's you." He was in a good mood and pulled out his phone to call Fu Qingyang's rabbit-girl, asking her to bring the Blood Rhododendron back. That day, after leaving Guo Ya's house, he had returned the Blood Rhododendron to Fu's village once more. Now it was time to retrieve it. If Guo Ya was firm in her refusal, he wouldn't press the matter—he'd need a backup plan to handle his grandmother. "Fu Qingyang will be back tomorrow. Well, he probably won't hold it against me—after all, who would take issue with his rather unimpressive arguments? It's just something he said, and that's that. But Dog Elder will certainly scold me... " "Uncle hasn't yet carried out the arrest on the target..." As his thoughts shifted, Zhang Yuanqing took out the Fumagong杵 and placed it in the drawer of the desk. Fu Qingyang pressed his lips, coughed forcefully, and blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He had sustained serious injuries during his killing quest, and although at the moment of ascending to the status of Sovereign his life essence had been elevated, passively healing part of his wounds, his physical condition remained frail. Fu Qingyang walked to the bedside and pressed the "call button." A moment later, two tall, graceful rabbit maidens were summoned, pushed open the master bedroom door, passed through the adjacent hall, and came before him. "Master, are you awake?" the rabbit maidens beamed with joy and delight. Every rabbit maiden throughout the villa had been preparing, worrying, and praying for his return. Fu Qingyang nodded slightly. "Prepare food, hot water, and clean clothes..." He then added, "Retrieve the leaderboard from the Transcendent Realm Killing Quest." He had fulfilled his own promise, and now it was time to see how Master Yuanshiben had performed.