Love, Gun, Cupid

Some of those captured will be used, while others will be used to carry out my plan. I think my scheme is going fairly well; the only problem is that the kids are too young and inexperienced.

I learned from the person involved that the incident originated from the fact that Midas had left his belongings at the scene. In order to avoid being held accountable, he called Miniature Snowman to come back and retrieve his things, which led to him bumping into Lin Jiade and his group who had come to investigate.

The two were no match for Lin Jiade and his group. The miniature snowman called for reinforcements, and after summoning Little Melon, they fought and retreated. By then, I already knew the situation. The Greeks wanted to test the combat power of the monsters that had broken through the Holy Land's defenses under the abnormal full moon mechanism, so they gave them to the fleeing trio.

My men ambushed Korobochka's men on the outskirts of the city, creating an opportunity for Lingard and his group to engage the fleeing trio in a direct confrontation.

The outcome may disappoint the 'Greeks', as the monsters that broke through the Holy Land's defenses under the abnormal mechanism were easily defeated and held back by a Holy Land Guardian from Lingard's party.

They underestimated Lin Jiade's fighting ability again, so they had no choice but to flee once more... If they had come this far, things would have been more acceptable, but..."

"The Midas Touch was captured. It is said that he almost escaped, but Lin Jiade's last round of blind fire hit his legs, slowing the retreat of the group. They were pursued by a swordsman who was extremely resilient and could unleash a tremendous burst of power."

You'll know everything that happened after that.

Iphigenia nodded: "Lingard is a monster of physical strength and has a strong desire to pursue, while the three who escaped were designed to fight with the help of mobile vehicles, so their own durability is not good."

Finally, realizing they couldn't escape with their burden, Miniature Yeti and Little Melon chose to finish off their teammate to prevent the secret from falling into the hands of the pursuers. However, Lin Jiade risked his life to block the fatal attack and caught the living Midas.

"He's still in the hospital being treated, it's only a matter of time before he wakes up, and we can't expect him to withstand the torture... After all, we have Korobochka around, she's a genius," Ragnar said.

"And who is Korobochka?"

"A top-tier sorcerer of the Empire, someone with the same strength as me. Considering I am 95 years old and she is only 32, I have to say it is an enviable talent."

"Are you very familiar with her?"

Ragnar chuckled. "I fell in love with her at first sight and couldn't help but propose to her. She angrily called me a pervert and decided to focus on her studies. Ha, twenty years later, she found herself a much younger boyfriend."

"So it was a romantic entanglement... Wait, twenty years ago?" Iphigenia was somewhat surprised. "I lived among humans for a few years. A twelve-year-old human is still just a child who hasn't fully grown up, right?!"

"Korobochka developed early; by the age of 12, she was already over 1.8 meters tall, taller than some adults. Moreover, she was very beautiful then, without the coldness and heaviness she has now, still retaining the warmth of humanity and the innocence of childhood, making me forget about race."

Now, when I see her again, she has grown into a disappointing adult, and has become ugly… Alas, I truly regret for paying the price to force a deal with the Empire, to have her as my wife. I will freeze her time forever in those beautiful years.”

Ragnar covered his face and sighed, his sorrow heartfelt, reminding Iphigenia of his men, who all appeared to be young boys and girls, and of his inexplicable attention to a short girl (Jasmine)—

Pedophilia.

Iphigenia could easily define Ragnar Sigurdsson in this way. She already knew that pedophilia was a heinous crime in human society, but did Ragnar become a pedophile because he saw twelve-year-old Korobochka, or did he become a pedophile and then take a liking to twelve-year-old Korobochka?

"So, what are you going to do?" she asked.

Ragnar spoke in a relaxed tone, clearly not too concerned about the matter: "The information that Midas knows is limited, and he was trained by the Greeks. In terms of relationship, he is your brother, so naturally they are more anxious."

No matter what methods are used, as long as the Midas touch can never be made to speak, the matter will naturally be accomplished.

Chapter 40 Division 1

Gladiolus knew that the enemy must have designs on the Golden Stone lying in the hospital. She didn't want things to turn into a clash between red and black, so she stationed an entire Special Tactics and Rescue Service team at the hospital to watch over the unconscious man.

At several key locations around the hospital, riot police were already in place, and the extraordinary individuals' societies of Sanam Dongdo University and Fu-Hsing Polytechnic University were also recruited to form two rapid response teams to deal with potential riots in the city.

For several days in a row, Fuxing City remained peaceful. Under the intense patrols of the menacing security forces, the local crime rate reached a new historical high, giving Jianlan a legitimate reason to mobilize these troops—her excuse was to rectify the social atmosphere.

"The situation has been dealt with for now, but unfortunately, due to insufficient evidence, I can't directly label Ragnar a terrorist. However, he hasn't been able to focus on things here lately, because he needs to operate in his own territory and prove that he has nothing to do with what's happening here."

On January 19, in the office, Jianlan was grading Lin Jiade's exam papers while talking. As she said, in Lin Jiade's exam to be promoted to intermediate professional title, the written test was just a formality.

Nevertheless, Lin Jiade answered the questions seriously, filling all the blanks with notes and scribbles, and finally gave him an A+ grade—not entirely out of favoritism, as the young man's answer was quite well written.

Jianlan has been staying at the police station for the past few days. She doesn't need sleep, but she gets mentally exhausted, so she's taking this opportunity to relax while she's on official business.

Afterward, she had Lin Jiade sit sideways on her lap, hugged him tightly, and pulled open his collar to smell his scent. Lin Jiade didn't want to engage in intimate acts in a serious public office setting, but Jianlan became even more excited when he mentioned it.

“Gladiolus, I’m a little worried about you. You’re becoming more and more like Korobochka.” Lin Jiade stroked her light golden braid with concern. “You’re playing Korobochka, but you are Gladiolus.”

“What does it matter if it’s Gladiolus or Korobochka?” Gladiolus said with a smile. “You can think of them as different facets of a person. In life, you are Gladiolus, and at work, you are Korobochka.”

Lin Jiade wanted to say something, but Jianlan sealed his mouth with a kiss. Her kiss was intoxicating and slow-actingly cold, and it took him a while before he felt her hand reach for his waistband.

“No,” he gasped, “not until at least June this year.”

So Jianlan asked for more kisses and caresses. In front of her, who was nearly 2.2 meters tall, he looked as small as a child. Only after Jianlan was satisfied did he sit up from his desk and put the utensils that had been pushed aside back in their original positions.

Jianlan wiped her mouth with a tissue and said seriously, "However, we can't keep this up. After all, these people are not my private soldiers. If it goes on for more than a month, public opinion and their cooperation with me will continue to decline."

Based on the video footage, we can preliminarily conclude that the enemies you fought were divided into two groups: one group used the abilities of the monsters in the Holy Land; the other group possessed fire-shaping abilities similar to Ragnar's.

What they have in common is that they look no different from humans, which makes me suspect that the things in Ragnar and the Holy Land use the same technology to create products for different needs.

So I'm wondering, besides the visible guardians of the Holy Land, is there another clandestine organization that created those monsters?

So I hope you can get on good terms with the Ice Cave—I mean, good enough that she'll tell you everything she knows, and then we'll dig out these monsters lurking in the darkness and uproot them.”

“You know, this is difficult. The Holy Land punished her, but she was loyal and devoted to the people she protected and her companions, and I personally understand that.”

"But you know, the longer the enemy prepares, the greater the chance that we will suffer heavy losses. It's a very simple choice: which is more important, the ice cave or all of us?"

Jianlan looked at Lin Jiade, who smiled wryly and said, "Do you think I would have a second choice?"

“I’m sorry, although it’s unfair to her, it’s the gentlest way I could think of.”

Lin Jiade knew that there were many ways for a sorcerer to get people to cooperate. Sorcery was gradually declining in the empire. In addition to the fact that the alien races from which the spells originated were becoming rare, its strangeness and mystery also meant that it would make everyone in the society of the superhumans feel insecure. Its dispersing effect was greater than its unifying effect.

“I’ll do it,” Lin Jiade said. “Please don’t use witchcraft on her.”

“Then let me see what you’re capable of,” Jianlan smiled. “If you and she develop a romantic relationship, at least I won’t object.”

"That's impossible, after all, she is... cough."

Lin Jiade's gaze toward the ice cave was innocent, but after Jianlan's instructions, the ice cave could sense that his gaze had changed. When they met, the ice cave would look away, but even when it couldn't see him, it could always feel his burning gaze.

His "chance encounters" with her were increasing. The ice cave didn't expose him, but Lin Jiade seemed to be just making conversation. He would hesitate halfway through a sentence, then change the subject to avoid the main point.

At first, she thought it was the effect of her magic, but later she realized that the effect of her magic was similar to paying for a house outright rather than paying in installments, so it was impossible for it to have a lasting effect.

Since it's not a continuous effect of magic, it means there's a possibility that Lin Jiade... is treating me like a girl!

The moment she came to this conclusion, Ice Cave felt a mix of happy troubles. She was delighted to be affirmed as a girl and to be looked at with special eyes by men.

But Lin Jiade is a married man, her classmate, and she also had a girlfriend when she was in her male form, so there was no possibility between them from the beginning... even though subconsciously she longed to melt in his warm and secure embrace.

A pebble was thrown into the pond of the ice cave's heart, and ripples lapped against the edge of the pond. The ice cave was at a loss whenever it saw him, wishing it could escape from this place. But when it locked itself in its room, it couldn't help but fantasize about Lin Jiade's lively home.

"I want to go out for a walk," she said to Lin Jiade. "It's so stuffy staying in the room, can I go out?"

Lin Jiade thought for a moment. The possibility of the ice cave being attacked during the day was unlikely, unless the enemy was exchanging a superior horse for an inferior one. But for safety's sake, he still quietly followed them out.

She initially thought Bingdong would just wander around the neighborhood, and that was true at first, but soon she found herself on a bus.

Lin Jiade had no choice but to wait for the next one. He wasn't worried about losing his target because the ice cave's location information was displayed on his phone in real time.

Because Tottenham beat Manchester City 1-0, there was no extra update. The recent voting is really weird.

Chapter 41 Division 2

Lin Jiade had tinkered with the ice cave's phone. While it was on, it would continuously send signals to his phone, and the ice cave never turned off its phone. Thus, he was able to pinpoint the ice cave's location.

This was a necessary step, even though the young man knew it was immoral and was ashamed to speak of it, just as he didn't want the ice cave to know that his kindness towards her was actually a way to find a way into the holy land.

Unexpectedly, Bingdong chose to get off near the school. Lin Jiade breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help but wonder what she wanted to do here.

He got out of the car and quietly found the location of the ice cave. The ice cave pretended to be waiting for someone and kept looking towards the pharmacy. Was this the ice cave or the shop owned by Mu Xiushi's girlfriend?

Lin Jiade moved to a spot where he could see both the ice cave and the pharmacy. He noticed that Old Mu's girlfriend looked rather haggard—after all, her pet puppy hadn't been by her side for several days, and even if the memory magic had helped her accept the situation, she probably wasn't feeling well.

But soon, Lin Jiade noticed that the ice cave's expression had turned ugly. Following the ice cave's gaze, he saw a sleazy-looking young man with his elbows on the glass counter, flirting with Old Mu's girlfriend.

Although Lao Mu's girlfriend only responded coldly, she did not drive him away, which was undoubtedly the result of an initial compromise. However, a woman's compromise often brings risks.

Lin Jiade took a deep breath upon seeing the ice cave. Sure enough, even with a change in gender, possessiveness would change. Then, the ice cave led into the pharmacy. Old Mu's girlfriend and the man resembling the blond-haired man stopped talking, watching the pretty girl enter.

Lin Jiade noticed that when Lao Mu's girlfriend saw the face of the ice cave when they went inside, she was obviously flustered. Later, when she was buying medicine in the ice cave, she looked at the ice cave again and again, her expression somewhat dazed.

Huang Mao secretly reached for Lao Mu's girlfriend's hand, but she dodged it. Lin Jiade's heart jumped. Lao Mu must have seen this. If she couldn't help but pull out her wand and cast the Avada Kedavra curse, how could he destroy the evidence and help her eliminate the criminal evidence?

Old Mu didn't make a move; perhaps from the moment he became the ice cave, he was prepared to witness such a scene. But when she came out, she was still dazed, staggering to the roadside, where Lin Jiade grabbed her from behind.

As if waking from a dream, she turned around and looked at Lin Jiade in surprise. Lin Jiade was a little embarrassed and said, "It's a red light now."

"You saw it?" she asked in a low voice.

“Hmm, I understand,” Lin Jiade said softly. “Shall we find some time to beat him up? It’s not good to steal someone’s partner.”

Ice Cave shook its head and said, "Let's go back."

Lin Jiade and Bingdong left the place of their heartbreak. That night, Bingdong didn't come to his house for dinner, so he prepared a meal for her and put it in the refrigerator. When he woke up the next day, he found that the food hadn't been eaten.

After Lin Jiade saw Jasmine off, he opened the door and found Bingdong lying on the bed. He lifted her blanket, but Bingdong pulled it back, covered herself up, turned over, and faced away from Lin Jiade.

"Eat something. Your periods are already irregular, don't make things harder for yourself. In the end, you'll be the one suffering." Lin Jiade shoved his shoulder. "Get up, eat something, and we can discuss this further."

Ice Cave refused to get up, but Lin Jiade insisted that she do so. He shook her shoulders more forcefully. Ice Cave was already agitated, and Lin Jiade ignited her anger. She pushed his hands away, sat up abruptly, and said, "What else do you want? After witnessing that scene, can you calmly eat anything?!"

"So I suggested you beat them up, and that would make you feel better."

"Whether you come or I do it, it's always troublesome for superhumans to fight ordinary people, right? We don't know our own strength, what if we hurt someone?"

I've already caused you so much trouble, and I don't want to cause you any more because of a moral issue, Lin Jiade. I'm so afraid you'll hate me; you're the only one I can rely on now.

Lin Jiade vaguely felt that something was wrong with what Bingdong said, but he didn't have time to think about it. He quickly pulled out a tissue and stuffed it into Bingdong's nostrils. The next second, her tears flowed like pissing beef balls.

"Sigh, cry, cry. I know you're feeling terrible, just like Lin Daiyu." Lin Jiade sighed. "Women are all made of water, and I've seen it for myself with you."

Ice Cave sobbed for a while, going through tissue after tissue, until her head was throbbing, her eyes were dry, and her throat was itchy. Only when she could cry no more did she feel a little better.

"I'm a little hungry," she whispered, tugging at Lin Jiade's sleeve. "Is there... anything left to eat at home?"

Lin Jiade chuckled: "Are you crying because you're hungry, or are you trying to amuse yourself by eating?"

Ice Cave's eyes were red, and the sickly crimson was fading beneath her pale skin. She glared at Lin Jiade, her glance unintentional yet possessing a gothic, decadent, and weary beauty.

Seeing Lin Jiade staring blankly at him, Ice Cave lowered his head, smoothed his hair, and whispered, "Why are you looking at me? What's so interesting about me?"

Lin Jiade snapped out of her daze, and soon after, he brought over the heated food. The steaming hot meal gave her energy, and after she finished eating, she whispered, "Let's have some wine, and have a... late-night chat."

"There's only one bed, where am I supposed to lie down?"

Ice Cave patted the bed next to her. It was a single bed, and Lin Jiade figured that if he sat down, the distance between him and Ice Cave would become very ambiguous.

"And, can you drink alcohol?"

Ice Cave looked displeased. Lin Jiade shrugged. A little while later, he returned with two cans of beer and a folding table. He unfolded the table, sat at the foot of the bed, and sat opposite Ice Cave. He put the beer and peanuts on the table and said, "That's how I used to be so shrewish at home in the winter."

“You’re so lazy,” the ice cave said.

"It's winter, so cold, and we can't play football. Isn't it nice to stay warm and cozy in bed?"