Qin Dynasty: They've all turned into zombies, what's there to fear about a rebellion?

The night banquet in Youdu never follows the usual path.

There was no elegant music played by string and wind instruments; instead, there was the dull, thunderous sound of chime bells striking the ground, each echo sending shivers down one's spine.

On either side of the main hall, where beautiful palace maids should have stood, rows of heavily armored, black-clad warriors with glowing red eyes now stood. They were like silent statues, with only the occasional crackling of their mechanical eyes reminding all visitors that this was the underworld, not the human world.

Chu envoy Song Yi sat at the guest table, looking at the rare steak on the plate in front of him that was still slightly bleeding, and felt as if he had a handful of sand stuck in his throat.

He felt nauseous, but dared not.

Because the "Lord of Youdu" sitting at the head of the table was holding a cup of dark red liquid and drinking it with great relish.

"Glug."

Ying Zheng put down the empty crystal cup, his tongue tracing the lingering crimson at the corner of his mouth, his eerie green eyes sweeping over the Chu delegation below with lingering interest.

"Envoy of Chu, why aren't you eating?"

Ying Zheng's voice had a metallic, abrasive quality that sent chills down one's spine. "This is 'blood food' that I specially ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare. It's very nourishing."

"Thank you... thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty."

Song Yi shakily cut off a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth. He didn't even dare to chew it and swallowed it whole, choking so badly that his eyes rolled back in his head.

Just then, the sound of the chime bells inside the hall suddenly changed, becoming rapid and eerie.

"The Qin Dynasty is bitterly cold, and we have nothing good to offer in hospitality."

Su Ming, seated below Ying Zheng, spoke lazily, a glass of "tomato juice" in his hand, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "I've heard that Chu is home to many beautiful women, skilled in dance. Since we're here today, why not let that girl in the carriage come out for some fresh air?"

Song Yi's heart skipped a beat.

But before he could speak, a figure in pure white floated into the center of the hall like a cloud.

Yu Ji.

She wasn't wearing any gaudy dance costumes, but rather a simple white dress, which made her stand out in the dark, blood-red Youdu Palace, yet she was breathtakingly beautiful.

It's like a spider lily blooming on the road to the underworld.

As she danced, a faint ripple seemed to spread through the air. Every movement of hers was extremely graceful, her waist as supple as a water snake, yet her gaze always seemed to drift towards the two people on the high platform.

One is the tyrant who has turned into a monster.

One is that legendary sorcerer who created all nightmares.

"Tsk, this is interesting."

Su Ming leaned back in his chair, seemingly enjoying the dance, but in reality, he was frantically tapping on the system in his mind.

"System, open your eyes and scan me."

[Beep! Scan initiated...]

[Target: Yu Ji (Xiang Yu's lover)]

Race: Human

[Constitution: Extremely Yin Body (Unawakened)]

[Personal belongings: A highly poisonous dagger, "Achilles' heel," concealed in his sleeve; a poison sac hidden in his teeth.]

[Current Status: Desperate, intense killing intent.]

Upon seeing the string of data on the panel, Su Ming's eyes lit up instantly.

It wasn't because of the dagger; that thing was just a pedicure knife to him.

What excited him was that section—[Extreme Yin Body]!

Wow, we've struck gold!

Su Ming whistled inwardly, "This physique is simply a natural-born 'ghost cultivator'! If I could capture him and combine him with Shao Siming's wood-type true energy, and then modify him a little..."

"Wouldn't that create a 'Netherworld Saintess'?"

While Su Ming was making plans, Ying Zheng next to him made a move.

"call……"

Ying Zheng's nostrils twitched, and a primal restlessness gradually surfaced in his originally calm green eyes.

He stared intently at Yu Ji, who was spinning and dancing. His gaze did not linger on her beautiful face or graceful figure, but instead was fixed on the throbbing blue vein beneath her snow-white neck.

"The Imperial Preceptor..."

Ying Zheng leaned forward slightly, his fingernails unconsciously scratching at the armrest, making a grating sound, his voice low and hoarse:

"This woman...smells so good."

"May I...eat this?"

Su Ming almost spat out the tomato juice in his mouth.

Brother! She's here to use a honey trap, to assassinate someone! Can't you give me some face? You come up here asking if I can eat?

"Your Majesty, calm down. This is a guest, not takeout."

Su Ming quickly lowered his voice, afraid that this Corpse Ancestor might impulsively pounce on him and start eating. "Besides, raw food is unhygienic and can easily cause stomach upset."

Just as the emperor and his minister were whispering to each other, the dance in the arena reached its climax.

Yu Ji turned around, her long sleeves billowing out like clouds, and using the momentum of the spin, she flew towards the high platform like a swallow.

"Your Majesty, Emperor of the Great Qin Dynasty, this humble woman wishes to offer this dance to celebrate Your Majesty's birthday."

Her voice was clear and melodious as she stood before the imperial steps.

Immediately afterwards, she picked up a cup of wine from the servant's tray beside her, and under the guise of toasting, she slipped and cried out "Ouch!" as if she had lost her balance, but in fact, she used the momentum to rush towards the middle of Su Ming and Ying Zheng.

That instant.

Her originally soft and boneless right hand suddenly retracted into her sleeve, and when it came out again, there was a cold, eerie blue light at her fingertips.

dagger!

That was Madam Xu's dagger, coated with deadly poison!

See you in the picture!

"Die! Tyrant! Evil Path!"

The tenderness in Yu Ji's eyes instantly transformed into a resolute killing intent. The dagger sliced ​​through the air, aiming straight for Ying Zheng's throat.

Song Yi was so frightened that he immediately crawled under the table, covering his head and trembling.

however.

The anticipated bloodshed did not occur.

There wasn't even a gasp of surprise.

Just as the dagger was three inches from Ying Zheng's throat, a hand—a slender, fair hand that appeared to be free of calluses—firmly gripped Yu Ji's wrist.

It's Su Ming.

He didn't even stand up; he just leaned back lazily in his chair, holding the glass of tomato juice in his other hand.

"Girl, don't bother."

Su Ming sighed, looking at Yu Ji, who was staring at him in astonishment, as if she were an idiot. "Your professional skills are terrible. Your murderous aura is so strong it's like a sieve. I could smell it from two miles away."

"Let me go!"

Yu Ji struggled desperately, but found that the hand was as if cast in iron, completely immobile. She gritted her teeth and was about to activate the backup plan—to bite off the poison sac in her mouth and commit suicide.

"Hey, hey, stop it!"

With lightning speed, Su Ming reached out and grabbed her chin. With a slight force, he snapped her jaw off with a "crack".

“Wuwu!”

Yu Ji was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face, and she sobbed incoherently.

"Your poison is nothing more than a seasoning to His Majesty."

Su Ming released his grip, snatched the dagger from her hand, and casually tossed it to Ying Zheng, who had been watching with growing hunger.

"Your Majesty, this knife is also an antique. May I use it as a toothpick for you?"

Ying Zheng caught the dagger, didn't even glance at it, and stuffed it directly into his mouth, snapping it in half with a "crunch," chewing it twice before swallowing it.

"Too brittle, lacking flavor," Ying Zheng commented.

Yu Ji was utterly desperate.

What kind of monsters are these? Using poison as seasoning? Eating fine iron daggers like cartilage?

She collapsed to the ground, awaiting death.

But Su Ming did not kill her.

Instead, he stood up, circled around Yu Ji, and the light in his eyes was even more intense than when Ying Zheng had examined her veins.

It was a frenzy of discovering top-notch material.

"An extremely Yin body..."

Su Ming squatted down, grabbed Yu Ji's wrist, placed his fingers on her pulse, and felt the unique chilling aura emanating from her. A wild smile crept onto his face.

"I'm more interested in your body than in assassination."

Yu Ji trembled, her eyes filled with humiliation.

This sorcerer is indeed as rumored—a lecherous man!

"Kill me! I will never tolerate your insults!"

"Insult? You're overthinking it."

Su Ming patted her cheek, smiling like a child who had received a new toy. "How could I bear to kill you? You're a rare resource, the key to taking my Great Qin's 'God-Making Plan' to the next level!"

He stood up and looked south, towards the direction of the State of Chu.

"That brat Xiang Yu sent you here; he really gave me a great gift."

Su Ming waved his hand and shouted to the mechanical corpse puppets that were already waiting outside the door:

"Guards! Take this Miss Yu Ji to 'Laboratory Number One' and lock her up with Shao Siming!"

"Remember, take good care of him, give him three... no, five nutritious meals a day, and help him get better."

"After all, there will be many more days of blood draws in the future."

Yu Ji was carried away, her eyes filled with confusion and fear.

Laboratory? Shao Siming? Blood draw?

What kind of hell on earth is this?

Su Ming watched Yu Ji being dragged away, then turned and winked at Ying Zheng:

"Your Majesty, we accept this gift from Chu. As a return gift, shouldn't we also visit Chu...?"

Ying Zheng licked his fangs, his eyes blazing with green fire:

"Very good. My teeth are almost worn down."