Love, Gun, Cupid

“We are not in a tragedy,” said Ju Kui. “On the contrary, we are very happy because our parents love us so much that they have turned each of us into the image of Sister Kapok.”

Kapok froze, then slowly relaxed. She said, "I'm sorry, I didn't have the power when I wanted to save you, and now that I have the power, it's too late to save you."

If I could become the new head of the Hart family, I would replace them and give you a different kind of education... no, a different kind of love. I would turn you back into normal people.

"What is normal, and what is abnormal?" Wild Sunflower countered. "Are we normal in the eyes of superhumans? Are my sister's values ​​normal in the eyes of superhumans? Are the values ​​of superhumans normal in the eyes of ordinary people? Who defines the scope of 'normal'?"

"Don't be unreasonable," Mu Mian said, exasperated. "Just wait until I win, and then I'll change you all."

The figures of winter melon, wild melon, and chrysanthemum melon disappeared, and the community returned to normal. Kapok turned to Lin Jiade: "Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine. They were just here to assess the situation, so they didn't attack you or me."

"I'm sorry you had to see my family's situation," Mu Mian said. "At this moment, I'm glad I'm not an ordinary person. If I were in an ordinary family, no matter how much you love me, you would turn around and leave if you saw my family's situation."

“I won’t. As a swordsman and as your boyfriend, I will face this with you,” Lin Jiade replied.

"Thank you."

“But how could they possibly have invaded here?” Lin Jiade said with some unease. “It’s fine if they’re just observing, but if they had joined forces with Di Tao, they would have already swarmed in to defeat us by now.”

"First of all, Fuxing City is my territory. Here, even those who are older than me and are considered extraordinary within the system must bow down to me, not because I am young and accomplished, but because of my surname."

Admittedly, I had a falling out with my family, but I am still considered a member of the Hart family because the Hart family is known for its cunning and scheming in the eyes of the superhumans. Although they are despised, my monstrous parents have successfully made people both despise and fear them.

So when people see me, they wonder if this little snake from the Hart family is up to something, or if there's some kind of conspiracy involved.

My silence signifies acquiescence, my explanations signify guilt. No matter what I do, once people form the impression that I am the Lord, everything I do will be interpreted negatively.

When I was fighting against outsiders as the Hart family, they naturally helped me out of a favor to the Hart family. But when my sisters came to me, it was an internal matter for the Hart family, so no one—including the members of the society and your Gladiolus—was willing to get involved.

Lin Jiade wanted to say something, but Mu Mian waved her hand: "That's normal. She's devoted to you, and her relationship with me is all about interests. I even think that if Di Tao said she could marry you, Ms. Jian Lan would betray me without hesitation."

“Jianlan isn’t that kind of person,” Lin Jiade protested. “Jianlan, she would at least think for a few minutes before betraying someone!”

Kapok shrugged: "A few minutes, thank you very much."

"You're welcome."

Gladiolus's figure appeared behind them, startling them both.

Chapter 83 The Meaning of a Boyfriend

“Rafaam and Yilu Tingfeng have successfully made contact, but unfortunately, the information she obtained is of little use,” Jianlan said.

"The competition rules have changed, and everyone's plans have failed," Kapok replied.

Jianlan rubbed her shoulders: "This is also the reason why the organizing committee gave you two weeks to prepare."

Lin Jiade couldn't help but interject, "Why?"

"I don't know. Korobochka doesn't have many connections in this area, so I can't find out the inside story."

Hehuan didn't get any news either. She said goodbye to Mumian. Lin Jiade tutored Jasmine and spent some time with Jianlan. Jianlan was initially interested, but seeing Lin Jiade's empty wallet, she became jealous.

Considering how much she had done for him, Lin Jiade felt he should reward Jianlan, so he satisfied her. Then he took a bath, and halfway through, Jasmine came in, so he helped her without any ulterior motives. Then he fell asleep with his two girlfriends on either side of him in bed.

But everyone's surprise only lasted until Monday, because Du Juan returned and said, "Diana, who has been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up in the Celestial Realm. She is a senior, so the Celestial Realm had to make temporary adjustments to the format of the Empire's promotion tournament on the First Continent this year."

More than Diana's involvement, Lin Jiade was surprised by the person behind her. Wei Ying poked his stomach: "A surprise."

Lin Jiade looked like he'd seen a ghost: "How did you get here?!"

“At Mars High School, students only need to have one-third of their attendance and pass the final exam to be considered qualified. Wei Ying passed the exam and had more than one-third of her attendance, so her semester ends here,” Du Juan said.

“It’s quite boring at home, and our courses aren’t finished yet. As a teacher, I can’t give up halfway,” Wei Ying said.

Jasmine pulled Lin Jia aside: "Save your breath, he won't mate with you."

"How vulgar!" said the reed warbler. "I have far higher aspirations and pleasures, and I am not some perverted creature that can go into heat at any time!"

As a freakish creature capable of going into heat at any time, Lin Jiade felt somewhat hurt. Then, Wei Ying nonchalantly grabbed his other hand: "What's the point of being all lovey-dovey with the little female dragon? You are a weapon; your life's pursuit should be to temper yourself to the highest level."

Jasmine exerted her strength, but Reed Warbler didn't want to give way. Lin Jiade was caught in the middle, so he put on the Pain Mask and looked at Azalea, saying, "Help me!"

Dujuan hugged him directly from behind, the warm feeling spreading. As expected, Jasmine and Weiying let go of each other's hands. Jasmine tried to push Dujuan away, but Weiying grabbed Jasmine's hand.

Kapok was also not happy about Reed Warbler's return, because the other party would inevitably compete with her for Lin Jiade, but she did not show it.

"Where is Lady Gladiolus?" Du Juan asked.

Lin Jiade replied, "She was monitoring one of Kapok's competitors, listening to the news all the way. Because of the change in the competition rules, Qiyanli and Ditao are also Kapok's competitors, and Ditao is the biggest threat to Kapok because she is Kapok's sister and another Kapok."

Lin Jiade compiled the information and gave it to Du Juan. Du Juan nodded: "There is such a quick method that is limited to blood relatives. However, in modern society, it is rare to sacrifice one's lifespan to become one's own blood relative. That Di Tao is more like a member of the Hart family than the ones on our side."

"So, why did Diana interfere with this competition format?" Mu Mian asked.

"To put it in a way you can understand: my family's status in the Heavenly Realm is similar to that of the Hehuan family in the Empire, while Diana's status is equivalent to the Empire's chosen father. I'm not related to Diana, so how could I possibly know what this ancient goddess is thinking? You'd be more reliable to ask Chang'e than me."

Lin Jiade asked, "How can we ask Chang'e?"

“Go find Diana,” the cuckoo replied.

How do we find Diana?

“Go ask Chang’e!” Du Juan smiled. “The celestial inhabitants whose concepts are related to the moon are quite special: you know, the moon itself does not emit light; its light comes from the sun, but people have changed its appearance in their eyes and call it moonlight.”

Therefore, the celestial inhabitants associated with the moon and their divine protectors possess the ability to change their appearance; you can only find the whereabouts of the other by finding one of them or their divine protector.

"How much do you know about Diana's oracle and the King of the Forest?" Kapok asked.

The cuckoo smiled but didn't answer. The kapok tree asked, "What do you want?"

“When my sister wants to ‘use’ Lin Jiade, you can’t interfere or stop her… unless it’s a critical moment.”

Mu Mian was silent for a few seconds: "Lin Jiade is very important to me."

"I can tell you about the strengths and weaknesses of the Oracles."

"He entrusted me with his trust and friendship..."

"A possible weakness of the King of the Forest."

Kapok and Azalea clasped hands: "Deal."

Lin Jiade pointed to himself: "Kapok, what happened to the trust and friendship I entrusted to you?"

“I made full use of it and sold it for a good price,” Kapok replied calmly. “After all, I’m a heartthrob at heart.”

Lin Jiade collapsed sadly into Jasmine's arms. Jasmine rolled her eyes. Lin Jiade had some less-than-honorable hobbies. Sometimes he and she would play role-playing games. The two most frequently played roles were: a little girl mother and a big boy, and a father and his budding daughter.

Jasmine wanted to angrily denounce this perverted relationship, but she herself was having a lot of fun, so she let it go.

Now, during Jasmine's "mother" time, she hugs her tall and strong "son" and pinches his buttocks with her fingers. This is a conclusion she and Jianlan reached during a late-night chat about which body part of their mutual partner is the most attractive: Lin Jiade's buttocks are the most attractive.

Jasmine had never paid attention to this before, but she couldn't resist Jianlan's urging. One night, while Lin Jiade was asleep, she actually touched his buttocks, and the feeling was like a man touching a woman's breasts.

However, Lin Jiade's "treasure" was not for her to enjoy alone; Wei Ying's wicked hand also reached for Lin Jiade's buttocks.

Lin Jiade felt extremely embarrassed. From a traditional moral perspective, it seemed that only when a man casually touched a woman was it considered indecent. If a man was too concerned about the touching of his own body, he might be ridiculed for being like a woman.

He pretended nothing had happened and went to the kitchen to get a drink. Jasmine and Reed Warbler tacitly withdrew their hands. The former glared at the latter: "Why did you touch my boyfriend?"

"Tuition fees!" Wei Ying retorted. "Does that mean a boyfriend is someone you can just touch anywhere?"

"Otherwise what?" Jasmine looked at the other person strangely. "If a boyfriend can't touch you freely, what's the point of dating?"

Chapter 84 The Theory of Green Hat Relativity

"So, you're with him because you're lusting after his body?" Wei Ying asked.

“To like someone is to like their heart and body. They are mine, and I have legitimate demands on their body and mind, but you do not.”

Strangely, when Jasmine said this, Reed Warbler gave a mocking smile and ended their conversation.

Meanwhile, the cuckoo and the kapok, having reached a deal, went to the balcony with their currency, Lin Jiade. After closing the door, the cuckoo said, "The first question, about Diana's woodland and the oracle of her priests, you already know the answer: it is murder and inheritance."

I don't know much about the specific details of the oracle's unfolding, but I would like to add one point: don't overlook the Diana Virgins, the armed sects that protect the Temple of Diana.

They do not participate in the battles between priests and challengers; their usual work involves reporting the empire's activities to Diana and maintaining the temple's existence. On rare occasions, they will be deployed according to Diana's instructions.

I returned to the Celestial Realm to examine history and discovered that the Diana Virgin had only appeared once in the last forty millennia…

"Why did you stop talking?" Lin Jiade asked.

Du Juan turned to Kapok: "This involves a secret of the Empire that has never been marked as secret. Are you sure he's suitable to hear it?"

"In the life I plan for Lin Jiade, his professional title will be at least senior, so that his de facto marriage with a red dragon, a lich and a sword will not be coveted by outsiders."

"???" Lin Jiade was completely bewildered. "You can steal other people's husbands and wives?"

"When men and women from humble backgrounds enter this circle, few people take the initiative to play with them, and there will be no arranged marriages. Since they have just made it in, they are arrogant and will naturally do some ugly things to expand their resources."

Those unambitious descendants of the powerful sometimes act arbitrarily against the classes they deem powerless to resist. As long as no one is killed, most superhumans will turn a blind eye.

In terms of specifics, you don't need to worry about anything, because the three of us are all very capable fighters, and you also have some friends with connections, including two celestial residents, so they won't dare to touch you, but they might still do some disgusting things.

Lin Jiade nodded, and Mu Mian continued, "Assuming you become a high-level superhuman, I can reveal to you the secret behind Miss Du Juan's hesitation."

"Speaking?"

What are your impressions of our country's system, which has two sides?

"On the surface, it's a normal multi-party system with a hollow emperor title serving as the nominal head of state. But inside, it feels like a mix of slavery, feudalism, and modern systems. There's a Senate and lords, but what everyone talks about and thinks about is the modern system... It's quite contradictory," Lin Jiade said.

"The ancient yet modern nature comes from the influence of the heavens, while the modern yet ancient nature is our own choice."

Kapok said, "The Senate is the ruling center of the empire. No one can defy the collective will of the chosen fathers. But just a few decades ago, the glory of ruling the empire did not belong to the chosen fathers. At that time, the Senate was also known as a retirement home. It was the limit of a phoenix man's promotion and the place of exile for the losers in the struggle for power."

Presiding over the Senate were the Emperor and his staff, while in the provinces, the thirteen intercontinental lords were extensions of the Emperor's will. The Emperor was the Empire's most powerful researcher of magic, master of sorcery, and protector of divine oracles.

"Oh."

Because he hadn't experienced that era, even with Kapok's elaborate concept of the emperor, Lin Jiade didn't feel a sense of reality. He asked, "And then?"

"The Emperor system was established forty thousand years ago, when humanity ruled only half of the Third Continent. After humanity's success, the Emperor, as a leader who combined secular and religious, material and spiritual aspects, existed in the imperial system for a long time until a few decades ago."

The last emperor launched a war against an alien civilization of equal size to the empire. Halfway through the war, the elders realized that it was a losing war.

The emperor's faction was weakened in the war, and his beloved generals grew weary of the unrewarding conflict, but the emperor persisted... Soon after, the emperor died, and the empire took the opportunity to establish a half-century-long truce with the alien civilization.

The reason it took so long was that the elders believed that the emperor's favorite generals—the intercontinental lords of the thirteen continents—would return to their home planet after purging the emperor's faction from the army, which would lead to a brutal civil war, and the empire would need at least fifty years to recover its ability to wage war abroad.

In fact, the intercontinental lords did indeed return to their home planet to fill the power vacuum left by the emperor's death. The Celestial Realm had initially maintained a neutral stance, its sole aim being to ensure that the new imperial regime remained its subservient servant.

Du Juan picked up where Kapok left off: "At this moment, the Virgin of Diana came out. Her handmaids arrived with the majesty of a goddess, forcing both sides to sit at the negotiating table to get what they wanted. This ultimately led to a dual relationship between the central government, represented by the Senate, and the local governments, represented by the intercontinental lords."

Over the years, the Senate has been trying to infiltrate areas controlled by intercontinental lords. Here—Revival City in District 18—is one of the cities that has been relatively successful in infiltration. It is loyal to the Senate and the Empire first, and then to the lord of the 18th District of the First Continent.