Love, Gun, Cupid

Lin Jiade was heartbroken, like a 190-pound child, insisting on touching Jasmine's tail before he would get up. Jasmine seemed to interpret the term "sister" as some kind of forbidden pleasure, and two blushes rose on her face.

Gladiolus watched this scene from a corner, a warm feeling spreading through her heart, mixed with a touch of melancholy. Lin Jiade and Jasmine, these fledglings, supported each other as they grew up. She, the mother bird, was no longer needed. Where would she find refuge then?

If there is no place for her as an educator, should she change her identity in order to stay here? She wondered.

After playing around with Lin Jiade for a while, Jasmine stopped, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and noticed that her lips were a little swollen, both from Lin Jiade's kiss and from the hickey she had left on his neck.

Lin Jiade asked, "What spell should we improve next, Lady Jianlan?"

Gladiolus snapped out of her melancholy and forced a reply: "The next improved spell? I already have an idea. In your Papa..."

"Just call it the 'Damage Magic'."

"In your lousy magic system, the most powerful spell is Lionheart, but the most practical one is Thunder. So I'm going to improve this one."

The Thunder spell can drain the energy from a target's body, interfering with their spellcasting or preventing them from having enough energy to cast spells. It sounds very useful, but the original version only has an awkward range of 15 meters, making it only effective against pure melee spells.

But even a fool would know that melee magic researchers rely on their physical abilities. Even if you extract the energy from someone's body, Lin Jiade would still be beaten to a pulp. Just like Arthur Dayne, the "Sword of Dawn," could easily cut down the rest of the Kingsguard while holding his penis in one hand and his weapon "Dawn" in the other.

Lin Jiade longed to be the Sword of the Dawn, but reality made him realize that he was at best Sir Perros.

Sword Orchid understood his meaning. Lin Jiade hoped to improve the Blood Spear spell and Lionheart spell to obtain stronger offensive firepower, so she said gently, "Among the people around you, your girlfriend Jasmine, and Kapok who is willing to draw her sword for you, both have strong melee capabilities."

Once you join the Kapok Squad, Miss Azalea can provide you with shelter in emergencies.

In this situation, your task is to utilize your abilities to earn more enhancement points through the empire's missions, thereby enriching your list of exchangeable materials and making yourself stronger.

"What will you do, ma'am?" Lin Jiade asked.

“Me? To be honest, I’m starting to give up,” Jianlan said frankly. “A considerable number of my soul fragments have fallen into the hands of six ‘just-passersby’ like the Kapok Squad. It seems that once they’ve collected all the soul fragments, they will hand them over to the relevant authorities.”

I don't believe the Empire only sent six teams of civilians; there must be a Plan B deployed simultaneously... So, let's see how much luck we have.

Chapter 50: The Strategy of Balance of Power in the Harem

Don't give up.

Lin Jiade murmured, knowing that what Jianlan said was true. Without knowing Jianlan's position in the Empire, he dared not speak out rashly.

Otherwise, regardless of whether Jianlan is unlucky or not, a nobody like him will definitely be unlucky.

Jasmine's story made him see clearly the order of the Empire's extraordinary power. Just like this power, it was savage, ruthless, and full of selfishness, and the head that kept it running was full of hundreds of thoughts, constantly fighting.

Lin Jiade is a beneficiary of supernatural powers, but he still believes that supernatural powers bring individual happiness and collective disaster, and that oppression and injustice are the main themes of this order.

He had considered the final outcome for him and Jianlan. The best result would be for the Empire to find the wrong secret from the collected soul fragments, and the operation would end.

Unable to regain her memories and complete soul, Gladiolus was forced to live with him, wearing beautiful clothes only for him to see, cooking delicious meals, chatting with him, and appearing and accompanying him whenever he needed her, always gentle and loving.

This seems...not bad?

Lin Jiade had a despicable idea: he wanted to keep Jianlan in his life forever; her knowledge, her management skills, and her charm were irreplaceable in his life.

Wait... why would I think that?

As if confessing his sinful thoughts, Lin Jiade raised his head and said, "Okay, I admit it's a football match where we're down by three goals at halftime, but even if we lose, I'll fight to the very last moment."

The ball is round, and the result isn't known until the game is over. The outcome is driven by people's will; even if you ask me to give up before the very last moment, I'll still feel resentful and deeply regretful—a regret that might stay with me for the rest of my life… I don't want that!

Jasmine and Gladiolus exchanged glances. Gladiolus sighed, "Such optimistic and naive words are the right of someone your age. I don't believe it, but I respect it. At the same time, I understand how you managed to win over a red dragon's offspring."

Jasmine proudly raised her head, taking the praise for Lin Jiade as a compliment to herself.

“It wasn’t that he pursued me; it was that we were mutually attracted,” she said.

"And what about Miss Dujuan?" Jianlan asked.

“Unrelated person,” Jasmine replied coldly.

However, Jasmine knew in her heart that Azalea was the current winner. Cupid won twice, Lin Jiade won once, and she didn't know whether she herself could be considered a winner.

Now, Dujuan is thinking about bringing gladiolus into Lin Jiade's life again. Sometimes she really wonders whether gladiolus's appearance is Dujuan's guidance based on her judgment of the situation, or the result of Dujuan's deliberate actions.

After confirming that Lin Jiade was alright, Jasmine left, leaning on her cane. Lin Jiade glanced at her worriedly, then turned to Jianlan and said, "Sigh, thankfully Miss Dujuan isn't here right now, otherwise we would have been arguing again."

“Once you have an economic advantage, then you can deal with them. In the meantime, let them argue as much as possible,” Jianlan said.

"Ok?"

"I'm not trying to sow discord, but think about it: in your family, the cuckoo represents the order of power, and the jasmine represents the order of the economy. If the two of them join forces, when you are with them, you will be like a contract slave shared by the two of them."

To prevent an order detrimental to you, you must never allow them to reconcile. Later, if new women join the group, you must maintain a balance of power so that you can retain your independence under the control of those domineering women.

Lin Jiade scratched his head: "You're talking as if I'm the male protagonist in a palace intrigue novel. Madam, what exactly is your role in looking at me?"

"Like a mother?" Jianlan laughed. "If I really treated you like a son, I would very much like you to find more partners. That would make you seem very successful."

Lin Jiade complained, "On this point, my mother and you agree. However, she hopes I'll have more relationships so I can understand women's hearts and won't get taken advantage of."

Secondly, I can find someone more suitable and better to me... Even back in high school, she was still very cunning, searching for any clues that I might be in a relationship early.

Once, someone threw a hair clip into my bicycle basket, and she saw it and questioned me for a long time. Sigh, maybe they just threw it in by accident, and I'm not handsome enough to make someone have a crush on me.

Then, after I went to university, she suddenly started pressuring me, saying that so-and-so's kid had a really pretty girlfriend...why?"

"Perhaps the contradictory requirements seem strange to you. In my view, adulthood and graduation are two distinct boundaries. People have very different expectations of minors and adults, and students and adults in terms of the social responsibilities they bear."

Lin Jiade didn't quite agree with Jianlan's conclusion, but he respected her opinion. A thirty-year-old woman who had worked for many years would inevitably have a completely different way of looking at things than a nineteen-year-old student.

He then thought that he had already completed his task and would take Jasmine to visit her parents next month—which, according to common sense, was a bit early, but Jasmine, out of love for Lin Jiade's family, was very interested in them and readily agreed.

The thought of his family of four living happily together filled Lin Jiade with joy. When a person's heart is filled with happiness, their outward behavior is often surprisingly silly.

So, Lin Jiade strode into the martial arts classroom with an air of indifference, while Mu Mian sat on the floor, facing the longsword on the weapon rack with her eyes closed and focused.

Lin Jiade's smile vanished instantly. It seemed that this was some kind of spiritual practice that Mu Mian was undergoing. Lin Jiade didn't dare to disturb her. He sat by the wall chatting with his good brothers, having declined their invitations to play football or have dinner together for who knows how many times.

Lin Jiade had read some novels where the authors often portrayed the protagonist as an orphan, without any ties or even a single friend to talk to. Lin Jiade didn't understand this when he read them, but now he does.

When he transcends himself and moves from one life to another, everything he had before becomes a constraint, a hot potato that is difficult to balance between morality and sentiment.

Therefore, the protagonist should be free from all burdens at the beginning, so that he can experience all kinds of extraordinary adventures later on, making him as tough as iron and without any obvious weaknesses or flaws.

What can I give up to become stronger?

Lin Jiade was lost in thought. A few minutes later, Mu Mian turned around and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "You've come?"

"Yes, I've been here for a few minutes. I saw that you were meditating, so I didn't dare to disturb you."

"My swordsmanship does indeed come from the sword school of the Ten Kings Peak of Jiuhua Mountain, but I am not a follower of Zen Buddhism. Although both are in Jiuhua Mountain, Ganlu Temple emphasizes helping people and saving the world, while the Ten Kings Peak is forging a sword for the common people."

Chapter 51 Asuka X (Bonus Chapter)

"The Sword of the Common People?"

In the "Miscellaneous Chapters of Zhuangzi: On Swords", swords are divided into three types: the sword of the emperor, the sword of the feudal lords, and the sword of the common people. In today's world, the sword of the emperor, which is known as a national treasure, is a mass-produced strategic magical weapon. The sword of the feudal lords is used by social elites and master-level magic researchers.

Their position is unshakeable, so the dejected modern swordsman can only aim to forge a sword for ordinary people.

The sword of a commoner is like the sword of a cockfighting crow; it is only satisfied with bloody and courageous fighting, and once the person is exhausted, it cannot continue and cannot play any role in national affairs.

But in this day and age, even forging a commoner's sword is difficult.

"Why?" Lin Jiade asked.

"Because before forging swords, swordsmen need to answer a question that is simple enough: are they still useful in this era?"

Swordsmen of every era must answer this question. Among today's swordsmen, some are still obsessed with forging swords, while others are denying themselves.

Which one do you think is better?

My goodness, senior, you can't ask that!

Lin Jiade actually dislikes being asked questions he can't answer, as it makes him seem ignorant, and he opens his mouth but doesn't know what to say.

He recalled his first math analysis class as a young man, when he was still stuck in the mindset of elementary mathematics and hadn't quite grasped the concept. When the teacher called on him to answer a question, he experienced that awkward feeling of wanting to say something but not knowing what to say.

"Can I have both?"

He said with an awkward laugh, "People who are obsessed with sword making are happy because they realize their self-worth; people who deny themselves are also happy because they have strayed from a dead end in their self-perception and are living a completely different life."

I think that as long as one can realize their self-worth, whether a swordsman maintains their individuality or forges a sword is irrelevant... or rather, self-worth is the swordsman's sword, and the process of realizing self-worth is the process of forging a sword.

To put it more simply, it's about all sorts of desires, and the process of a swordsman fulfilling those desires is, in my opinion, forging his own sword.

Kapok's gaze lingered on Lin Jiade for a few seconds before she said, "Indeed, you are driven by desire, and you are unintentionally inciting the desires of others."

"You make it sound like I'm a terrible person!"

“Being full of desire is not necessarily a bad thing. Hehuan is also full of desire, and she lives a very happy life. You two are very compatible in this respect, as the incident in the shower room proves.”

Lin Jiade gets frustrated whenever he talks about this. When he loses control of his energy, even a mid-level magic researcher like Hehuan can't handle it. It sounds like he has potential for development, but because he used it in a vulgar way, if a passerby sees him use it even once, it's enough to cause him social death.

Compared to that, shouting "One cut in two, the Ruyi Divine Sword" in front of others is simply a trivial matter.

Lin Jiade felt that Mu Mian was trying to pair him up with He Huan as a couple. He didn't know if he was being narcissistic or if it was true, so he cautiously changed the subject: "Where is Senior Mu Mian?"

"I am forging swords, and at the same time looking for suitable swordsmen to wield the commoner's sword."

"Was that what you were troubled about just now, senior?"

"No, I was just dozing off. I was busy until very late last night."

"Senior Kapok, take care of yourself. There's still over an hour until the assembly time, why don't you rest for a while?"

Mu Mian shook her head: "I am the captain, and I must set an example in order to convince others."

"Considering attitude, I think you are the one who is truly selfless in this mission. Everyone else is after points, but I... also have my own goals."

“If you don’t want to say it, you don’t have to. But I promise you, I will never betray you and will always stand by your side,” Kapok replied.

If Mu Mian's words were serious, they were a heavy promise, which is why Lin Jiade couldn't understand what Mu Mian saw in him.

The second expedition to the Mirror Realm began with a 17-kilometer march. There is a visible rule for the Mirror Realm in accepting destined individuals and the supplies they carry: the weight of the destined individuals is ≤150kg, and the supplies they carry are ≤15kg.

Teams from other regions were more dedicated to the mission and tried various ways to exploit loopholes, but all of them failed. In the end, they could only regretfully return to the most primitive old method, which was to focus on the 15kg weight limit.

With proper resource allocation, a five-person squad can free up about 30kg of space to carry supplies not used in combat. This weight will be allocated to the materials needed for the teleportation magic circle.

Find a suitable location as the starting point for each of the six teams to log in to the Mirror Realm, and then use the transported materials to set up a teleportation magic circle to teleport equipment that cannot be carried by a single person.

In theory, this method could also transport more ordinary "passersby" into the Mirror Realm, ensuring the Empire's personnel had a numerical and qualitative advantage over the wanderers. However, the five teams participating in the Mirror Realm expedition (Mumian didn't care about anything) opposed this transportation plan because the more people involved, the less benefit they would receive.

Compared to the teleportation personnel, the teleportation equipment relies more on a stable starting point, which is why the six teams decided to investigate the settlement after their meeting.

If it is indeed inhabited by a certain population and its security can be ensured, the Mirror Expedition's supplies and manpower will be guaranteed.

Therefore, after discussion, the six teams decided to meet at the only known settlement of Mirror Realm residents. The situation in that town was unclear; only the team from District 19 had glimpsed it from afar while passing through and noted it on their map.