Chapter 23: Chapter 23: A Dark Gaze on Her Everything

If you were to ask who in this world was closest to Jiang Qingli, the answer would undoubtedly be Jiang Youchen.

The original novel didn’t contain much about Jiang Youchen. It only mentioned that he was three years older than Jiang Qingli, a rare S+ Level Dragon Beastman. Upon his coming of age, countless noble females came to propose marriage, nearly wearing down his doorstep.

But just because his younger sister said, "You’re not allowed to get married before I do," he rejected every last one of them.

A classic case of a doting older brother.

Three years ago, Jiang Qingli had a conflict with several A Level males. By the time the guards arrived, the three nobles were already dead.

According to a report in *Imperial Politics*, Jiang Youchen’s Superpower went out of control, making him the killer.

Footage of the arrest was released on the Star Network. Although it was quickly taken down, it still caused a massive uproar— 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Jiang Youchen stood in a pool of blood, holding his unconscious sister with one arm. His military uniform was immaculate, his expression cold and severe.

When he saw people arrive, he showed no emotion, as if he had been expecting them all along. He simply said softly, "Quiet."

Everyone’s gaze fell on the girl in his arms.

The girl had her eyes shut tight and trembled involuntarily. Jiang Youchen bit off the black leather glove on his other hand, then gently stroked her head with his clean, slender fingers, murmuring something with a gentle expression.

After that, Jiang Youchen was dispatched to the Lower District.

To say he was "dispatched" was an understatement; "exiled" would be a more accurate description.

He was stationed in the most heavily polluted region, constantly fighting Mutant Beasts. He accumulated countless military honors, yet was forbidden from returning to the Upper City District.

In the original novel, he wasn’t able to return to the First District until the following year.

After returning to Central City and learning of his sister’s death, Jiang Youchen was overcome with grief.

He channeled this grief into vengeance, launching a purge against the Underground City, suppressing the five former Beast Husbands and Bai Yiyi, and putting them in perilous situations multiple times.

But Bai Yiyi didn’t hold a grudge. Instead, she took the initiative to approach Jiang Youchen.

She was gentle, considerate, and empathetic.

Day by day, as she worked to win him over, Jiang Youchen’s stance gradually softened. He went from being so antagonistic he wanted to kill the heroine, to slowly lowering his guard.

Later, at a banquet, Jiang Youchen was framed by someone and suddenly went into heat.

Bai Yiyi pushed open the door to the lounge...

Unfortunately, just as she was reading this exciting part of the plot, Jiang Qingli somehow fell asleep.

When she opened her eyes again, she had arrived in this dump.

Still, based on the novel’s setup, the rest of the plot probably involved Bai Yiyi redeeming the villain, helping him let go of his hatred and turn over a new leaf, followed by some... indescribable... this and that and the other thing.

As for the original sister? She was just an excuse for the villain to be redeemed.

Just a tool character.

"Miss?"

When she didn’t reply for a long time, Yi Nuo spoke up tentatively.

Jiang Qingli snapped back to reality and looked over.

The girl was frowning, looking as disgusted as if she’d just swallowed a few flies.

Yi Nuo asked in a low voice, "Are you... unhappy? Or do you not want to contact Young Master Youchen?"

"I don’t want to," Jiang Qingli answered crisply. "We can talk when he gets back."

Jiang Youchen was a good brother, but the moment she thought about his future involvement with Bai Yiyi, and how they would use the memory of his sister as a part of their ’play,’ a tightness gripped Jiang Qingli’s chest, making it hard to breathe.

For now, she didn’t want to have any contact with Jiang Youchen.

With that, Jiang Qingli turned and walked away.

A parasol tree leaf, blown by the wind, drifted down and slowly brushed against the hem of her skirt, adding to the desolate air.

Yi Nuo wasn’t surprised by Jiang Qingli’s answer.

After all, back when Jiang Youchen left the Upper City District, the media had hounded Jiang Qingli relentlessly.

It was unclear what had set Jiang Qingli off.

When she woke up, she was like a completely different person, flying into rages and cursing everyone.

After failing to awaken a Superpower, she went so far as to move out of the Jiang Family home and even considered giving up her guaranteed admission to the Royal Empire College, which she had secured before the incident.

To this day, a popular saying circulated among the Jiang Family’s servants: "Has the young miss forgiven us today?"

Yi Nuo sent a message back to Jiang Youchen via her terminal, then took a flyer to the garage to wait for Jiang Qingli’s class to end.

-

「Ninth District Headquarters.」

A flickering electronic screen illuminated a cold, indifferent face.

A young man sat in the main seat, his tall, slender frame clad in a sharply tailored suit. He held a cigarette between his fingers, its crimson tip nearly burned to the end, but he paid it no mind, his eyes fixed on the countless screens before him.

Dozens of screens, large and small, clearly displayed the girl’s lovely figure.

She was restless in class.

One moment she was reading, the next she was slumped over her desk, then she was fiddling with her fingers, occasionally chatting with the female next to her.

The person next to her had changed. It wasn’t Du Xixi, but another girl with light brown hair.

’It’s the one who reminded her last time that Ye Linyuan was a professor. Her name is Lin Xiyue, and her family background is clean. She’s suitable as a friend.’

As Jiang Youchen mused absently, his terminal vibrated twice.

He pressed the call button and spat out a single, cold word: "Speak."

"Sir, the people sent to assassinate Ye Linyuan... are all seriously injured..." the person on the other end stammered. "Sorry, we failed to complete your mission."

Jiang Youchen frowned, but his voice remained calm. "Send them double compensation and put them on leave."

"Understood, thank you, sir," the person replied. "Also, the ones sent after the other target... have all gone missing..."

"Send another team."

Jiang Youchen said coldly before ending the call.

He raised his eyes, intending to continue watching the screens, but his brow suddenly furrowed.

In the mere dozens of seconds he hadn’t been paying attention, that person named Chi Yun had sat down directly behind Jiang Qingli.

His eyes were glued to the back of Jiang Qingli’s head, and he looked like he wanted to say something but was holding back.

Jiang Youchen stared coldly and sneered, "Worthless creature."

He picked up his terminal and sent a message.

Two minutes later, the professor’s voice sounded from the screen: "Student Chi Yun, please answer this: why is there such a huge wealth disparity between the Ninth District and the First District? What are the influencing factors?"

Chi Yun shot to his feet. "I, I... I think..."

He hastily grabbed his book and began flipping through it in a panic.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jiang Qingli pointing to a passage. Chi Yun’s heart skipped a beat.

’Is she helping me?’

Chi Yun stared at it and read aloud, "I believe the influencing factors are multifaceted. First, from a historical perspective..."

Surprised that this student who was perennially at the bottom of the class in theory could actually answer, the professor waved his hand. "Alright, sit down. And if you have nothing better to do, stop staring at the females!"

Chi Yun sat down, his face numb, the tips of his ears bright red.

He stared at his book, but his gaze drifted to Jiang Qingli’s back out of the corner of his eye.

’He just knew it. Even though Jiang Qingli always said she hated him the most, she still couldn’t let him go. That’s why she was helping him so secretly.’

’Besides, he felt that while he was answering the question, Jiang Qingli had looked up at him.’

’A female who can’t be honest with herself.’

Chi Yun slumped onto his desk, burying his head in his arms, but he could feel his ears growing hotter and hotter.

It was a very strange feeling.

It made him feel like he wasn’t himself, yet at the same time, it gave him a sense of freedom.

It was as if this was how things were meant to be.

Meanwhile, in another classroom, Bai Yiyi suddenly received a system notification—

[DING!]

[Capture Target ’Chi Yun’s’ Affection has decreased by 5. Host is penalized: Beauty -1! Charm -1!]

Bai Yiyi was startled.

Just then, the female beside her exclaimed, "Yiyi, you’re breaking out!"