Forge a path to success

So he couldn't help but laugh, thinking that it wasn't so bad to do something silly like this once in a while.

Ji Huaisu jumped onto the boat, and with a stroke of the oar, the small boat slowly moved towards the center of the lake. This floating island was undeveloped land reserved by the city lord's mansion, and he had applied for the right to use it for the afternoon under the pretext of a routine inspection. The entire process was legal and compliant, a small perk within the resurrection unit.

"Do you remember the first time we went out, we went boating too?" he said casually.

"I remember, after playing the game, we went to the small lake in the courtyard... There were quite a lot of people around at that time, it was so noisy that I didn't really enjoy the atmosphere."

“So this time I found a quiet place so we can chat slowly.” Chu Hengkong put down the oar and let the wind carry the small boat. “There are no other plans after this. I’m afraid you’ll get bored if we play for too long. We can talk about any places you want to go later.”

"No need, I had a super fun day," Ji Huaisu grinned. "There's just one small problem though~"

Chu Hengkong smiled wryly: "Still looking for trouble..."

"It's not a prank, we're being serious."

She sat on the edge of the swan boat, reaching her hand out over the water. A gentle evening breeze blew across the lake, ruffling the girl's golden hair. Strands of her hair brushed against her face, and her purple eyes flickered in and out of view, like a golden beast hidden in the forest.

"—Ah Kong, why did you suddenly ask me out?"

Chu Hengkong felt a sudden tightness in his chest for no apparent reason. He had considered this possibility and had even written down how to respond in his plan, after all, his partner was always so perceptive. But when he actually spoke, he was still a little nervous: "Because..."

But Ji Huaisu didn't give him a chance to speak at all. She continued, "A-Kong, you are immature in every way, but you are very mature in this aspect. You may be slow at times, but you are not really a blockhead."

I imagine you didn't feel anything when we first saved Huilong City. But after Jinye City, you actually had a vague sense of it. And when we returned from the wilderness, you knew perfectly well how everyone, including Qingxia, viewed you.

Ji Huaisu smiled slyly, "After all, you've shared a bed with me, so even if you're slow on the uptake, you should have realized it by now, right?"

"What else can I say?" Chu Hengkong smiled bitterly.

“So I find it a bit strange. Given your personality, Ah Kong, matters of the heart are always very important to you, and even if you find out, you won’t rush to deal with them. But after returning from the wilderness, you suddenly took the initiative to ask me out. Although it was neat and efficient, it was not like you at all,” Ji Huaisu said. “And during our date today, I realized that you were really serious about preparing. You did a lot of things that you’re not good at, and you wholeheartedly wanted to make me happy.”

"It's like making a promise to yourself that you must complete this task well."

Chu Hengkong could only manage a bitter smile.

When a man's thoughts are completely exposed, there's nothing he can do but smile bitterly.

"That's a rather strange way of thinking, so I guess it might not be like that~"

Ji Huaisu touched her lips with her fingertips.

“Ah Kong, after you came out of the wilderness, you felt that things in this world are unpredictable. You don’t know when we will be separated again. Now that you know my feelings for you, you must respond. You can’t let me wait in vain without receiving any news.”

"Your invitation to the date is a manifestation of this sense of responsibility, in other words—it's an 'obligation' you feel you should fulfill, isn't it?"

“Sometimes I really wish you weren’t so perceptive,” Chu Hengkong said.

"What a pity, I'm not an idiot when it comes to love!" Ji Huaisu said smugly.

He wanted to offer an explanation, but didn't know how to begin. His upbringing had taught him that men should take responsibility, yet he had never truly been a lover or a husband. He didn't know what normal romantic relationships were like, but his intuition and heart told him that now that he knew these feelings existed, he couldn't pretend not to see them.

Having gone through so much together, he should treat Ji Huaisu well.

He didn't dislike Ji Huaisu; rather, he liked this brave and upright girl very much.

Then he should strive to be a good boyfriend and a good husband.

Because this is his responsibility. It is his duty that he must face.

At this moment, the swan boat drifted to the shore, and Ji Huaisu jumped off the boat first. Chu Hengkong stood on the shore and took a deep breath.

"Ji Huaisu, I hope you won't be angry," he said softly. "My personality is rather eccentric, but I like you..."

"No, no, I'm really not angry," Ji Huaisu said with a sly smile. "Do you know why you feel guilty and awkward right now?"

"……I have no idea."

With her hands behind her back, she skipped and hopped closer, saying, "Because you only like me, but you haven't fallen in love with me yet!"

Her face suddenly magnified in Chu Hengkong's eyes, and she gently kissed the man's lips.

It was a light kiss, neither deep nor long, fleeting like a dragonfly skimming the water, yet leaving a thunderous shock in the man's heart. He froze, staring blankly at the girl's face. Her cheeks were flushed with shyness, but her eyes held no confusion, only a straightforward sincerity.

Ji Huaisu raised his hand and pointed straight at him.

"But it doesn't matter, because I love you," she said confidently. "I'll make you fall in love with me too, Chu Hengkong!"

"I had a great date today, next time it's my turn to ask you out!"

She leaped away as if flying, jumping off the small dust island and returning to the courtyard where they lived. Chu Hengkong remained frozen in place, motionless for several minutes. His mind was blank, his heart pounding wildly, but it was very different from when he was out of control before. It seemed to be urging him to do something, but when he really wanted to act, he hesitated and shrank back.

He slowly sat down against the tree trunk, gazing up at the starless night sky. After a while, he realized it was time to go home. Only then did he notice the large bags and packages he hadn't taken from the swan boat.

That girl must have been quite shy, right? That's why she rushed off and forgot her things.

He smiled at the ship, a smile tinged with foolishness. He took his spoils back to his dormitory and placed them at Ji Huaisu's doorstep. Then he sat down on the sofa, his mind filled with the kiss of that evening.

He grew increasingly restless, pacing aimlessly around the living room, wanting to go next door to say something, yet feeling there was no need to speak. But the blonde girl continued to haunt him, like a wisp of hot fog that he couldn't shake off. Finally, he threw himself onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Hey buddy?" Vande waved his tentacle at him. "How's it going? Can you hold on?"

"I don't know how to describe it..." Chu Hengkong's headache worsened. "I feel like... I just... don't know..."

"It feels like a mess," he said blankly. "What's going on?"

"How strange," Van der said in a strange tone, "What's going on?"

Chapter 262 Public Trial of the Touch Man

"Court is in session, in all its might!" The tentacle girl slammed her small gavel three times. "Summon the defendant, Tentacle Man, to court!"

The courtroom doors swung open with a bang, and the fallen girl and the red-haired woman escorted Chu Hengkong in, one on each side. The suspect, Touch Man, had a vacant stare and a stiff expression, looking like an innocent bystander who had stumbled into a horror movie set in a nightmare.

He was brutally forced into the dock by the two heretics, and the fallen girl used black mud to stick him firmly to the ground so he couldn't move. There was originally a chair behind the dock, but the red-haired woman smashed it on the ground three times with a loud bang, turning it into a pile of wood chips, and casually threw away the remaining chair leg.

"Huh?" Chu Hengkong was bewildered.

The Fallen Girl and the Red-Haired Woman walked to the witness stand, their eyes filled with such ferocity that they seemed ready to devour him whole. The Tentacle Girl's silver robe had transformed into a style resembling a judge's gown, and her pirate hat was adorned with a picture of Vande blowing bubbles.

She struck the hammer again and shouted, "Touchman, do you know your crime!"

Chu Hengkong was utterly bewildered: "What crime have I committed?"

Heaven have mercy, the One Heart Ritual was completed long before the Ascension Point 3. Everyone had already communicated and negotiated, so why is this happening now? Even if there's a commotion, Deathwing should be the one leading it, what business is it of yours?

The tentacle girl sneered, tossed the hammer aside, and crossed her legs: "You're about to die, and you still want to deny it. Prosecutor, please present the facts of the case!"

The female mechanic walked into the courtroom with a cold expression, holding a thick stack of indictment documents as thick as a dictionary. She tapped the documents and said, "72 standard hours ago, Chu Hengkong applied for assistance in designing a dating plan, citing 'stabilizing team morale and eliminating potential threats from the ghost body.' I assisted in designing three main plans and 18 backup plans, along with 648 lines of dialogue for different unforeseen circumstances, ensuring a flawless response."

"The prosecutor with the real weapon has worked hard." The tentacle girl nodded. "How was the actual execution?"

The cyborg woman's pupils turned a terrifying blood red: "0 complete execution plans! In actual testing, 7 simulated contingencies occurred, with a 0% application rate of the corresponding dialogue! The dating plan is a mere formality, a huge waste of the Empire's computing power!"

The tentacle girl empathized: "He's absolutely a bastard!"

"Not only that, but during the final date, Ji Huaisu, the woman he was dating, had already expressed her feelings, and the plan was only one step away from success." The cyborg woman fired a disintegration ray. "But he actually shut down on the spot, failing to achieve any of the strategic objectives. The operation was a complete failure due to his personal factors!"

Chu Hengkong dodged the ray attack with a flick of his head, his heart pounding with fear: "I made a highly flexible and improvisational response based on the situation at the time..."

The mechanical woman slammed the video data onto the table, and the blank expression on the first photo was clearly visible.

“Disgraceful wretch,” she said coldly.

"I..." Chu Hengkong was speechless, "Holy crap..."

"Then get to work!" the redhead slammed her hand on the table and yelled. "You talk a good game, but what about your actions?! Where are your actual actions? The girl had already confessed her feelings to you, and you just stood there dumbfounded! Bah!"

The red-haired woman spat disdainfully, and Chu Hengkong snapped, "What the hell is it to you if I'm on a date?!"

"Detective Chu seems to have forgotten that we are all of one mind. If you live a comfortable life, we are naturally happy too, but if you hesitate, we will suffer." The red-haired woman sneered repeatedly. "I don't have much of an opinion, after all, I already know what kind of person you are. This one over here is really not going to be able to hold on."

The girl, now completely lost, slumped onto the table and immediately began to wail: "It's hopeless! Even now, she's still hesitating. How many years is this relationship going to last?! I'll never see my family again! Waaah—"

This high-decibel wailing was incredibly devastating, a veritable ear-piercing scream. The tentacle girl secretly slipped two noise-canceling earplugs into her ears. The red-haired woman tenderly hugged the sobbing loser and gently comforted her, "Don't cry, don't cry, I'll fuck you."

"Wow! Don't come any closer!"

The fallen girl ran to the judge's bench for help in fear, but the tentacle girl dodged away in disgust: "Hehe, keep your distance, don't want to get your hands dirty."

"You all don't want me, I don't want to live anymore!"

The condemned lay on the ground, wailing uncontrollably, their massive black tears flooding the courtroom like a tidal wave. Seeing the water had reached waist-deep, Chu Hengkong quickly shouted, "Stop it! Let's discuss our needs properly!"

The tentacle girl hoisted the hammer and said, "So you're admitting your guilt?"

"What nonsense are you spouting..." Chu Hengkong said helplessly, "What's wrong with adults taking things slowly when they're dating..."

"Blushing and having your heart race after being kissed, unable to sleep at night—what kind of adult are you? Just a little tentacled guy!" the tentacle girl scoffed. "Now, I invite the prosecutor and the jury to announce the verdict."

“I refuse to provide it with computing power,” the mechanical woman said.

"Death penalty!" the red-haired woman shouted.

"Throw him out!" the fallen girl cried. "I don't believe him anymore, let's all die together!"

"That's the jury's opinion for now, buddy. What else do you have to say? Hurry up before the verdict is handed down, or you'll miss your chance," the tentacle girl said lazily.

Chu Hengkong gasped, thinking to himself that he never expected these bastards to collectively rebel over a date. Quick-witted, he said, "I object! I haven't hired a lawyer yet!"

"Since your performance was so disgraceful, no one is willing to be your lawyer," the tentacle girl gloated. "Then, I hereby declare—"

"I object!"

The tightly closed courtroom doors were flung open with a thud, and the intruder stood menacingly in the doorway, blinding light streaming in from behind. "The defendant's lawyer... is only now required to appear!"

"you are?"

"who?"

All the heretics and Chu Hengkong turned their heads in unison, only to see the intruder dressed in a scholar's robe, wearing a triangular mage's hat, and carrying an ebony staff. Her skin was a beautiful chocolate color, and her long, wavy golden hair flowed down her back.

"I am the partner of the weak, the magician of justice," she said loudly.

"It's the Spiral Tower guy..." "A menacing reflection." "Now, let's begin the practical test—"

The tentacle girl stopped the real machine with one hand: "Kid, don't test it, you'll get beaten to a pulp, and that would be bad for someone's spine. Attorney, please remember not to be late next time. The case is clear, do you have any further suggestions?"

The female sorcerer walked over with small steps, lifting her skirt, and seeing that there were no chairs, she leaped and sat down in the defendant's seat. She waved her staff, unhurriedly: "I believe that the actions taken by the defendant, Chu Hengkong, are the most reasonable judgment that meets the needs of everyone present."

"What makes you say that?" the tentacle girl asked with a forced smile.

The female mage raised her hand and pointed forward, saying in a resounding voice, "If you had agreed yesterday, how would it have been convenient for you to cheat on me later!"

"I confess!" Chu Hengkong shouted hoarsely, "Throw this scoundrel out!!"

The red-haired woman exclaimed in surprise, then thought to herself, "The lawyer is right...!"

The fallen also pondered: "This...this is also a concern..."

"What are you worried about? I haven't even started dating yet, are you assuming I'll cheat?! Is that the kind of person you think I am?"

The tentacle girl closed her eyes and shook her head: "Dude, I have to say, some things are better left unsaid to your brothers than to yourself..."

The female mage tapped the table: "Please don't laugh, everyone. This is a very practical consideration. Let's not even mention the little girl from the Guangshi family; Xiao Qingxia's heart is completely devoted to him. If we agree now, how are we going to explain it to Xiao Qingxia later?"

She grinned, sticking out a long, demonic tongue: "I'm sorry, Qingxia. I've decided to go live a good life with Sister Huaisu. Thank you so much for all your help before. We'll be best friends forever!"

Chu Hengkong's face turned ashen: "Shut up."

“It’s hardest to accept the kindness of a beautiful woman. The defendant isn’t a moral guardian, so it’s only natural for him to have such concerns,” the female monk said. “Besides, this is a minor matter. Everyone knows the real core issue perfectly well: the defendant is not in a state where he can talk about love right now.”

In her concluding remarks, she said, "We haven't found the boss yet, so we'll talk about everything later."

Sighs echoed through the courtroom, except for the mechanic girl who showed absolutely no interest. Everyone in the underworld knew what his true form was like; if he could let go of his obsessions and embrace a new life, he would already be at level 4 by now.

“I still don’t think this is right,” the fallen girl muttered. “Yes, the boss is important, but Huaisu is also a good girl who has been through thick and thin with us. It’s not right to just leave her hanging like this.”

Chu Hengkong silently rubbed his forehead; this tone sounded like the old man's spirit had returned from the dead to berate him. He raised his hands helplessly and said, "Alright everyone, I understand what you mean. Arguing with yourself isn't a good thing. Let me handle this myself, okay?"

“We really don’t trust you anymore,” the redhead said.

I'll talk to you first thing tomorrow morning!

"Since the defendant has such courage and determination, we have no choice but to compromise." The tentacle girl slammed her gavel. "This case is adjourned and postponed for retrial. Everyone, please disperse."

The mechanical woman glared at him, saying, "I refuse to provide you with computing power again."

"I'll definitely use your plan next time." Chu Hengkong's scalp tingled. "Everyone, let's disperse, let's disperse..."

The female mage laughed twice, grew wings, and flew away. The others who were supposed to fly away flew away, ran away, or flowed out flowed out. The tentacle girl was left with her small hammer thrown down and her tentacles resting on his shoulder.

"If I hadn't advised you, you would have been focused on the ritual for three consecutive nights tonight."

"Thank you..." Chu Hengkong said weakly.

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