Qin Dynasty: Who offended my frail and sickly minister?

[Okay, host, is there anything else you need?]

Zhou Wenqing paused for a moment, his expression becoming somewhat serious.

"007, there's something I need to know. Since I'm in someone else's body, what happened to the original 'Zhou Wenqing's' soul? Could it be because of me...?"

【Huh? Huh! Huh?! !!!】

007 quickly clarified.

[Host, rest assured! We are legitimate systems; we wouldn't do anything so despicable as to destroy people's souls! It was his own fate to die there; we didn't interfere in the slightest.]

I found him while rummaging through the floor for an empty body that could match yours, and that's when I carefully stuffed your soul into it!

[Waaaaah~ I'm suffering! Host, do you know how difficult it is to select from the vast sea of ​​people a corpse—uh… an empty body—that perfectly matches you, isn't rotting, has the same name, has no bad habits, hasn't committed any crimes, and has a decent reputation…?!]

Therefore, host, you don't need to feel any psychological burden at all. We are all strictly selected, legal and compliant, and will never cross the red line of the main system's rules!

It paused, then added: "Moreover, because you, host, are using the original owner's body, and you are destined to do great things for the country and its people, this merit will also be shared with his soul, ensuring his next life of wealth, health, and lasting blessings!"

"That's good."

Hearing this explanation, Zhou Wenqing's last worry was relieved. He breathed a long sigh of relief and stopped dwelling on it.

"Host, do you have any other questions?" 007 asked again, his voice revealing a barely perceptible urgency.

Zhou Wenqing raised an eyebrow slightly, looking a little puzzled.

It seems like it's asked this question several times already? Is it just my imagination? Why does it always feel like... it's in a hurry?

"For now... I don't have anything else to ask," he replied cautiously. "What's wrong?"

【Very good!】

007's voice instantly brightened, "[Since you're all set, host, I'll be off then~ Don't worry, the Wang Zuo System's learning module and basic database are all ready for you. You can access whatever you want to learn anytime!]"

"Withdraw?" Zhou Wenqing was taken aback. "Weren't you tied to me? You can still leave?"

【Oh dear, host, our system also needs to meet its KPIs and strive to achieve its performance targets!】

Surprisingly, the electronic voice of 007 conveyed a sense of the hardships faced by working people.

【You think I got my honorary number '007' from somewhere? Anyone can be called 007? No! It's the points I earned through countless missions, working tirelessly year-round! This time, I somehow ran out of battery while trying to teleport to you, which has already delayed me quite a bit. I also have several other hosts' progress to catch up on…】

It paused, then its tone softened to reassuring: "But don't worry, host! We're bound together now, so we're family. I'll come back to see you often! Good luck, host, I believe in you! Bye~"

"Hey? Wait! 007! Don't go! Hey! 007—!"

Zhou Wenqing called out repeatedly in his mind, but received no response. Only the mountain wind howled, swirling up a few withered leaves.

He stood alone on the dimly lit mountain path, his expression blank for a moment.

So... this is the legendary "binding means free-range"? What happened to the strongest support? How did it turn into "frequent home visits"?

The night wind was bleak. Zhou Wenqing pulled his thin clothes tighter around himself and stared silently at the sky, his mind blank.

Very good. I started with a broken body, the task difficulty is higher than the sky, and the system is just a part-time job.

This isn't much better than the previous disastrous start!

Zhou Wenqing took a step forward, supporting himself against the rock wall, and pondered the letter he had left behind.

Now that he'd left the letter, he didn't believe Li Yi hadn't returned by this late hour. How was he going to smoothly swallow back that "farewell letter"?

"Young master! No—!"

A startled cry suddenly rang out, and Zhou Wenqing turned his head in the direction of the sound.

Behind him, where the firelight flickered, a man dressed in a plain white scholar's robe was holding a torch, his face filled with fear and anxiety, staring intently at him—or rather, at the spot where he had just been standing.

The visitor was none other than Li Si.

They were ordered by the King of Qin to search in the deep, dark forest behind the mountain. However, they were already short-handed, and with the dense forest and tangled vines, it was not easy to find them.

We searched from afternoon until dusk, but didn't see a single person.

On the King of Qin's side, the atmosphere was eerily tense. He had ordered a temporary camp to be set up in the forest, and that they would advance deeper into the forest after daybreak.

Li Si also felt a heavy weight on his heart.

A truly talented individual, who was about to be used by the Qin state and add a crucial piece to the king's grand ambitions... just vanished without a trace.

He thought about the note he left behind, about the calm yet resolute words "last words," and his heart was filled with complex and indescribable emotions.

There is a deep sense of regret for the tarnishing of a bright pearl and the premature death of a great talent. At the same time, there seems to be an unspeakable feeling of "the rabbit mourns the fox's death" that is also present among fellow scholars when facing unpredictable fate and their own ambitions.

My thoughts were a jumbled mess, impossible to untangle or unravel, so I decided to go for a walk alone, just to get some fresh air and let the cool night breeze blow away the suffocation and turmoil in my heart.

Who would have thought that in this deep and lush forest, I would lose my way and unknowingly wander to the edge of this cliff.

Just as I was about to turn back, a casual glance revealed this breathtaking scene—

A frail figure, so thin it seemed it might vanish at any moment.

The man stood at the very edge of the cliff, just half a step ahead of a bottomless abyss. The raging mountain wind tore at his thin robes, making them flutter and sway his already slender figure as if he were about to be thrown off the cliff by an invisible force at any moment.

What alarmed Li Si even more was that the man was not standing blankly; he lowered his head slightly, staring at his feet, his expression a mixture of sorrow and relief.

The way he looked was... like he was ready to jump at any moment!

Li Si felt his blood rush to his head with a "boom," and all his emotions were completely overwhelmed by horror at this moment, almost causing him to scream.

Using the flickering light of the torch in Li Si's hand, Zhou Wenqing subtly observed the person in front of him.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"I am……"

Li Si was about to tell the truth, explaining that he was a guest minister of the King of Qin, sent by the king to seek him out and sincerely invite talented people to join him in planning important matters.

But the words caught in his throat.

In a flash, several thoughts raced through his mind:

Why did Zhou Wenqing attempt suicide?

If it is true, as he wrote in his letter, that he mistakenly took "elixirs," exhausted his vital energy, and was "out of breath," and thus sought death?

He doesn't believe it!

The literati of this time possessed their own integrity. Some died for their ideals, for the greater good of their country, or for upholding their moral principles. History is replete with accounts of such acts, and they are respected by the people.

However, to give up one's life lightly simply because of injury or illness, or because of temporary despair, is a cowardly act that is despised by the literati.

A virtuous person, even if physically disabled, will remain steadfast in their resolve.

Moreover, it's merely a case of being weakened by poisoning.

Although he had never met Zhou Wenqing in person, he had seen the handwriting and writing style of the "last letter." The brushstrokes were graceful and powerful, with a free and easy spirit in the turns.

How could such a person be a coward who was easily defeated by injuries and chose to end his life in such an undignified way?

Why is that?

The rapid change in heart rate prompted a more plausible explanation:

Zhou Wenqing entered Qin as an envoy of Han, carrying an unclear mission and receiving only a meager "favor" from the King of Han. However, he was seriously injured in an unexpected turn of events on the way, but was rescued by Li Yi, the secret guard of the King of Qin, and spent time with him day and night, taking care of him for a long time - this life-saving grace can be described as heavy.

By the time he realized Li Yi's true identity, the predicament had already been formed:

To follow the Qin dynasty was to "betray Han," betraying the Han king's perhaps meager but real recognition and bearing the name of disloyalty.

Refusing Qin would betray Li Yi's life-saving grace. Given the strictness of Qin law, refusing with words could very likely implicate his benefactor, thus earning him a reputation for injustice.

Torn by inner turmoil and caught between two difficult choices, he could only choose death to prove his resolve.

The more Li Si thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. The more he guessed, the more convinced he became that this was the case, and his brows furrowed tightly.

If that's the case, then he can't reveal the name of the King of Qin's guest minister.