Very stimulating.

Indeed, for Jun Yulin, it was a bit too stimulating.

He couldn’t help but suck and nibble again.

This feeling… mm, he liked it.

In the end, it was Yan Luo who couldn’t hold on any longer and forcefully pushed him away.

Her lips were flushed red, her face tinged with circles of blush, and she stared at him with bright, watery eyes.

So cute.

He wanted to kiss her again.

And he wanted more.

But she still didn’t explain anything, didn’t coax him either.

That made him really angry, but he had to hold himself back.

Jun Yulin pressed his lips tightly together. Thinking of what Yan Luo had just said, the fire in his eyes ignited again. He wanted to lean in, bite, nibble, kiss.

But his face remained cold, and he refused to say a single word.

What kind of terrible personality is this?

Yan Luo was internally ranting like mad, pushing against his chest, her voice filled with anger and dissatisfaction. “Royal Uncle, what do you want? At least say it clearly to me!”

“I want to lock you away.” His voice suddenly turned extremely dark, as he leaned in very close. The gloom in his eyes made it clear he wasn’t joking. “I regret it. I never should’ve helped you ascend the throne. You should’ve been mine alone.”

And not something so many others are watching like hungry wolves.

“Jun Yulin!” Yan Luo’s voice suddenly rose. “I am the ruler of this nation! Just because I like you doesn’t mean you can act however you want! Telling me to pick a consort, deliberately pushing me away—I’ve figured it all out now. You’re my Royal Uncle, my elder, but what are you acting like now?!”

—”I like you.”

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value -5 (65/100)]

After mentally filtering everything she’d said, Jun Yulin focused in on just those three words.

Mm… just as he thought, she liked him.

Then why wouldn’t she explain? Why wouldn’t she tell him there was nothing going on between her and Lu Xunche, that it was just a misunderstanding?

Then he heard what the little emperor said next.

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value +2 (67/100)]

With a dark face, he leaned in and cut off Yan Luo’s words, his voice cold enough to freeze people.

“I’m not your elder. I’m only eight years older than you.”

He was still refusing to explain. Yan Luo almost laughed out of anger—how could someone be this awkward? All his dissatisfaction was practically bursting from his eyes, and yet he still refused to admit he liked her. Even though he was jealous to the extreme.

Honestly, the drunk, chatty version of him was a bit more lovable and straightforward.

Perhaps the noise from within Yan Luo’s chambers was a little too much. Outside, the palace maids who had just gathered to wake her were confused and knocked on the door.

“Your Majesty?”

Before Yan Luo could even react, Jun Yulin—his face still dark—lifted a hand and swept it across the table. The teacups and teapot flew with a sharp gust of wind and shattered near the door.

*Crash!* A mess of shards scattered.

“Her Majesty is unwell and will not attend court today. You may leave.”

The cold voice, restrained but brimming with anger, echoed. Outside, all the maids were left stunned.

Was that the Regent Prince’s voice? But this was the Emperor’s bedchamber?

Lin Yuan was quick to react. She glanced at the door, and though she didn’t know exactly what was going on inside, since both His Highness and Her Majesty were present, it was not something they should question or meddle in.

She gestured for the maids to withdraw with her.

Once it was quiet outside again, Yan Luo stared at the man who had so thoroughly exposed himself, gritting her teeth. “Are you insane?”

“Yes.” If you still won’t explain, won’t kiss or hug me, then I really am going to go insane.

---

Yan Luo’s jet-black hair had also fallen loose, the ends curling slightly as they brushed against Jun Yulin’s cheek.

Although the situation now seemed a little precarious, looking at this scene, Jun Yulin still couldn’t help but stare blankly, swallowing hard.

He tried to sit up as well, but his little emperor shot him a sharp glare, her tone tinged with displeasure, “Don’t move.”

His movement immediately slowed. Jun Yulin blinked, looking at Yan Luo who had one hand pressing down on his shoulder.

Her phoenix eyes were half-lidded, the corners slightly seductive. Tilting her head, she spoke: “Last night, Royal Uncle said… you like me?

Jun Yulin’s body stiffened slightly.

She continued, “You said that whether it’s my cousin or those other random people, none of them are as suitable for me as you?

Jun Yulin’s eyes wavered slightly.

“And that you wanted to lock me up?”

Jun Yulin lightly licked his lips and replied solemnly, “I was drunk last night, Your Majesty. This… isn’t appropriate. Please let go.”

“Not appropriate?” Yan Luo’s lips curled slightly, and she let go.

She had seen through him. This man was just impossibly awkward. Clearly thinking dangerous thoughts, but still putting on a serious face for her. Did he need to be provoked that much?

Jun Yulin sat up and quickly adjusted his clothes, feeling the heat creeping up his ears. His lips pressed into a tight line, his eyes revealing a trace of embarrassment.

She’s always seducing him! If she kept doing this, he really wouldn’t be able to control himself!

Though he was still angry about what had happened earlier, thinking about last night—even if only a few fragmented memories—made the corners of Jun Yulin’s tightly pursed lips involuntarily curve up slightly… before he forced it down again.

“It’s getting late. Your Majesty should prepare for the morning court.”

Jun Yulin turned around and spoke sternly, seeing Yan Luo still watching him with those loose black locks and that white brocade robe from earlier.

But, Jun Yulin’s inner thought : Keep me here, please keep me here. Explain things to me!! Otherwise, I won’t forgive you!!

Yan Luo : Oh, keep acting, will you.

“I’m not attending court today,” Yan Luo leaned back slightly, her lips curled with a touch of indifference.

Jun Yulin’s body stiffened again as he heard her continue, “I didn’t sleep well yesterday. I recall Royal Uncle mentioning that the eldest son of the Zhang family studied some medicine and has decent massage skills…”

He indeed had said that, but the original version went more like this: “That Minister Zhang’s eldest son knows a bit of medicine, inherited some ancestral massage techniques, but he’s shady, has a bad reputation, and most importantly—not as good-looking as me…” and then rambled on for a while.

Well, now he’d dug his own hole, hadn’t he?

Yan Luo’s lips curled into a careless smile, “Royal Uncle must be tired from last night too. You should go back early and rest.”

As soon as she finished speaking and before she could react, a tall shadow loomed over her. Jun Yulin, face cold and violent, eyes nearly blazing with fury, squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: “I forbid it.”

A cold glint flashed in Yan Luo’s eyes as well. “Royal Uncle, aren’t you interfering a little too much with what I want to do? Besides, my birthday has passed, and the harem should also be—”

It was the first time Jun Yulin had acted so impulsively while completely sober. Staring at that mouth that just wouldn’t stop saying things that stifled him and made his chest ache, he directly leaned in and sealed it with his own.

Sweet. Soft.

Not like the fleeting touches from before, nor the hazy feeling from when he was drunk.

---

It wasn’t the first time Jun Yulin had smelled this delicate fragrance, nor the first time he’d been this close to it. Howeverm waking up with arms full of warm softness, with a delicate hand resting on his waist—this was a first.

The sky hadn’t yet brightened. With his exceptional martial skills and excellent night vision, Jun Yulin only had to lower his head to see a small figure nestled in his arms, sleeping soundly.

This feeling… hmm, it was his little emperor.

For a moment, the shock left Jun Yulin’s mind blank, a little dazed.

He pressed his lips tightly together, frowned, and tried to recall what had happened yesterday.

He had returned early to handle official duties so he could free up his evening to watch over the little emperor as she slept. Then he heard someone had gone to serve her in bed. Though he knew she had kicked them out, he still felt incredibly angry.

The desire to lock her away surged to its peak.

Although she would definitely resent being locked up now, once he dealt with Lu Yan and cleared up everything, it wouldn’t matter how much she resisted, she would still be his.

As for other messy tricks, he had tried them but they didn’t work at all. At this point, Jun Yulin was forced to admit something.

What he had always believed to be a guaranteed victory had only ever relied on the fact that the little emperor used to like him. But now… he wasn’t so sure. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking anymore.

That was why he felt more and more restless and agitated.

And then…?

A trace of confusion flickered in Jun Yulin’s eyes. He didn’t want to go to the palace and see the little emperor who only made his thoughts more chaotic. But he also couldn’t sleep at all.

So he remembered that drinking made him feel excited for a short while and then sleepy. He locked the door and drank some wine.

Then his memories became fragmented… he vaguely remembered pinning the little emperor down, kissing and rubbing against her.

Jun Yulin : “…”

Just then, Yan Luo let out a soft whimper in his arms and shifted slightly. Jun Yulin’s breath caught—the heat rising from his abdomen—and then he saw her fluttering lashes move gently like butterfly wings before her eyes slowly opened.

Just waking up, the girl’s eyes still held a dazed glimmer, even a bit of dewiness. She glanced at Jun Yulin, and her brows knitted slightly.

The little hand draped over his waist suddenly tightened and pinched the soft flesh there with a twist.

*Hiss—* Not expecting such a move right after she woke up, Jun Yulin took the hit completely off guard and sucked in a sharp breath.

Then, looking at the little emperor in front of him whose lips were curved into a faint smile, he heard her speak:

“Royal Uncle, do you want to explain what exactly is going on here?”

Jun Yulin : “…”

The dark thoughts in his heart were instantly suppressed. His mouth went dry as he opened it to speak, “I drank a bit last night… couldn’t control myself.”

“Oh? You couldn’t control yourself and wandered into my sleeping quarters?” Yan Luo smiled sweetly, and as he paused awkwardly, she continued leisurely, “And what’s with you showing up every night—and even at noon—when I’m sleeping, standing guard like that?”

Jun Yulin : “……??!!”

His expression didn’t change, but from this close, Yan Luo could clearly see the flash of shock and confusion in his eyes. He looked genuinely lost.

She then slowly pushed herself up to sit. The thin brocade quilt slid down from her shoulders.

---

On the contrary, Jun Yulin was very displeased that everyone around him had already found wives. Then, he became extremely picky and ended up not liking anyone except for Yan Luo, yet he refused to express his feelings openly.

As a result, Yan Luo and he interacted just like a normal monarch and subject. Even when they got a little closer, it still felt more like the relationship between an elder and a younger junior. So he spent his days sulking and stewing in silence.

He even told her that the officials he had deliberately assigned to deal with corruption and such were apparently chosen because they had, whether intentionally or not, shown a little public display of affection in front of the Regent. And now the Regent, who was not only single but seemingly also in a one-sided love situation, was very displeased.

Those officials, who had even less of a clue what Jun Yulin was thinking, ended up unlucky just like that.

Yan Luo : “……”

What is this supposed to be? The wrath of a single dog?

So basically, this Prince Regent who usually appeared ruthless and decisive, with a cold and aloof demeanor like a walking iceberg, was actually a jealous, petty, childish chatterbox on the inside??

What kind of gap moe is this?

Yan Luo couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile as she listened to him mumbling beside her ear, full of discontent and grievance. He kept talking bad about Lu Xunche, An Bai, and a bunch of other eligible young men—some of whose names Yan Luo had never even heard before. Yet somehow he had dug up all their flaws and was listing them out one by one, practically counting on his fingers.

And even after listing them all, he still wasn’t satisfied. He wanted to hear Yan Luo agree with him.

It was ridiculous, childish to the extreme… but kind of cute.

Yan Luo responded with a string of “mm-hm, mm-hm” as she snuggled into his warm embrace, yawning nonstop.

But he only seemed to get more energetic the more he talked, rubbing against Yan Luo and chattering endlessly. Then, little by little, the conversation took a turn…

“Luoluo, you don’t like them liking me, right?”

“Mmm…” Yan Luo yawned.

“Luoluo, you smell so good… so soft…”

“Mmm…” Her eyes slowly closed as she yawned again.

“Luoluo… I want you…”

“Mmm… Mm?!” That yawn suddenly choked in her throat. Yan Luo’s eyes flew wide open as she stared at him.

Somebody help! Someone’s being indecent!! Is he really being this direct?!

Maybe because he finally got a response from her, Jun Yulin became especially excited. As he kept talking, he also started getting a little handsy—but this time, he actually respected Yan Luo’s wish and let her lie comfortably in his arms, unlike last time when he’d pinned her down and slept like that all night.

His lips moved close. Though her eyes had by now adjusted to the darkness, she still couldn’t see his expression clearly in the night. Only those eyes, gleaming faintly under the pale moonlight. His body rubbed gently against hers, and his hand had already slipped open the front of her robe.

And then?

Before Yan Luo could say anything—

He tilted his head and fell asleep.

Same old pattern. So familiar.

Yan Luo’s mouth twitched as she looked at the arm draped across her chest. She tried her best to roll over, fix her clothes, and with a ‘to hell with it’ attitude, buried herself back into his arms, found a comfortable position, yawned, and closed her eyes.

After going through this a few times, she had basically figured out what kind of personality this guy had. That made things easier going forward.

Also… as for some debts… Hmm, she’d settle them in the morning.

---

Yan “Liar” Luo : …

What did she say that she became a liar??

“I spend almost all of my free time hanging around you every day, and yet you’re still out there attracting other people. And you don’t even bother explaining anything to me.” At this point, Jun Yulinm who suddenly transformed into a chatterbox, sounded extremely aggrieved, “I’m the one watching over you while you sleep every single night!”

Yan Luo : Dear Royal Uncle, are you okay? You’re about to tear your own disguise right off.

“They say drinking helps drown your sorrows, but why does it just make my head hurt more…” Jun Yulin clung tightly to Yan Luo’s small figure, hugging her with a death grip, “I just want to talk to you more, but I don’t know what to say or how to say it.

“I don’t want you to call me Royal Uncle either. I’m only eight years older than you.

“All that talk about being diligent and governing well, that was just to fool you. Why would I ever want you to work so hard?”

Once he got drunk, it was like he needed to let out everything he’d been bottling up.

“You were supposed to be my little emperor and no one else’s.

“It really hurts when I see you smile at someone else. It makes me feel awful, like I want to yell or hit someone.”

Jealousy. It was jealousy, the answer she thought was the least likely.

As he spoke, the *ding ding ding* sound of decreasing blackening values rang steadily in her ears, dropping from over 90 down to 70.

He kept mumbling, acting pitiful and clingy. Yan Luo had always been weak to this kind of sulky whining, and couldn’t help but raise her hand to wrap around his waist.

At the same time, she couldn’t help wondering: If I let him drink a few more times, would his blackening value drop even more?

Sensing her response, he leaned in close and smacked a kiss on her cheek, his eyes sparkling. “You hugged me. Now you have to take responsibility.”

“Okay, okay, okay…” Yan Luo was just about to agree—

When Jun Yulin tilted his head, think for a second, then say, “No, wait… It should be the man who takes responsibility…”

Then, under her puzzled gaze, he suddenly lowered his head, and without warning, captured her slightly parted lips.

His tongue, tinged with the scent of alcohol, boldly invaded, teasing and exploring every inch of her mouth without restraint.

Only when Yan Luo was left panting and breathless did he finally pull away, his face still sparkling with excitement. “I kissed you, so I have to take responsibility!”

Yan Luo : …Do you even realize you’re just blatantly taking advantage of me??

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value -5 (65/100)]

Fine, she thought. I’ll let it slide this time for the sake of that drop in blackening value.

Who knows how much he actually drank that he was so fired up. Then he went on confidently making conclusions all by himself, as he continued to murmur endlessly in her ear.

In the end, his mumbling actually made Yan Luo start to doze off.

From all the things he blurted out—which probably reflected his real thoughts—Yan Luo came away with several conclusions:

This guy is an extreme tsundere. He clearly likes her to death, and is insanely jealous inside, but just won’t say it. Instead, he bottles it up and expresses his displeasure with an oppressive aura. And if she doesn’t catch on to it, he gets even more aggrieved, without ever explaining himself.

Of course, he does vent, in his own way. Like now—he gets drunk from even a small amount, stays clear-headed for maybe fifteen minutes, and then immediately starts rambling, going from covertly flirty to blatantly flirty in an instant.

And she also can’t argue with him. Once he’s drunk, he’s like a sulking kid: domineering, spoiled, and totally unreasonable.

And lastly… she really hadn’t sensed any hatred or hostility from him toward her.

---

Yan Luo’s face darkened. She was just about to say ‘I’m not taking the blame for this,’ when she heard Little Pink continue speaking.

[But I believe in my cute, beautiful, gentle, and generous Dear Host! I’m sure you’ll be totally fine!]

Little Pink : (fawning face)

“Even if you’re telling the truth, that doesn’t excuse the mess you caused.” Yan Luo couldn’t figure anything out and decided to stop trying for now. She hugged her blanket and turned over, tilting her head slightly.

Little Pink : …

Little Pink : [I’m sick of being despised by my Dear Host! I want to level up!!]

Yan Luo blinked in curiosity. “What do you need to level up?”

Little Pink answered immediately, [I need points, Dear Host! I need a thousand points for my first upgrade…]

Without hesitation, Yan Luo cut it off.

“Alright. Time to sleep.”

Little Pink : Q_AQ *sob sob sob*

Just then, the nearly extinguished candle flickered, then suddenly went out.

Little Pink’s voice rang out again, [Dear Host, detected—]

It didn’t even finish the sentence before Yan Luo saw it: a dark shadow standing at the bedside. The moonlight was dim tonight, and the figure’s sudden appearance gave Yan Luo quite a scare.

[…blacking male god, Jun Yulin…] Little Pink’s voice paused slightly, but in the end, it still finished the sentence.

Then, due to the host’s privacy protection mechanism, its connection to Yan Luo was forcibly cut off.

This time, Jun Yulin didn’t dodge or hide. He stood right at the edge of the bed, staring straight at Yan Luo. When she widened her eyes, about to scream, he pushed her down.

And that’s when Yan Luo caught a faint scent of alcohol.

Thinking back to what happened last time, Yan Luo: “……”

“Luoluo…” Drunk Jun Yulin was once again like a different person, just like last time. He hugged Yan Luo like she was a big plush pillow, nuzzling into her with force.

He was full of dissatisfaction, grievance, and possessiveness, completely enveloping Yan Luo in his arms.

His eyes were bright as he leaned closer to her. His lips rubbed against her cheek, and his voice was pitiful and helpless.

Like a large dog that had been abandoned.

“Didn’t we agree that you like me and I like you? Why aren’t you behaving?

“I don’t like seeing those people in the palace, even if I know you don’t normally come into contact with them…

“See? Trouble happened today, didn’t it? Kick them all out of the palace. No, wait—kill all nine generations of their clans.”

Normally, he always wore a cold face and spoke in a calm, deep tone. But now his voice was soft and gentle, and the sharpness in his eyes had completely vanished. He was shamelessly acting cute with Yan Luo.

When it came to the ‘kill all nine generations’ kind of talk, at least he sounded a bit more domineering. His hand tightened slightly, and he pressed his lips together, showing that he was angry, very angry.

Hmm… Though she’d seen this once before, Yan Luo still wasn’t used to it. She licked her lips lightly.

Looking at the man in front of her, who was clearly throwing a childish tantrum… he was honestly kind of adorable like this.

But could he not appear by her bedside so suddenly next time? That was seriously scary, okay?

“Luoluo, you smell so nice… and you’re so soft.” Jun Yulin rubbed his head against her neck, then dazedly lifted his face to look at her. “Luoluo, why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Royal Uncle, did you drink again?” Yan Luo swallowed nervously and raised a hand to press against his chest. But before she could even touch him, he grabbed her hand in his.

Then he spoke again, clearly displeased, “You said you liked me!”

And added with a grumble,

“Liar!”

---

However, Lu Xunche even said things like ‘this won’t do,’ and ‘if this continues, Yan Luo will give up on him sooner or later,’ to Jun Yulin.

Which successfully made Jun Yulin’s face go dark.

He did want to lock the little emperor up so no one else could see her, but then he remembered how she had liked him for so long, and how he’d talked about choosing consorts for her, and then thought of Lu Xunche…

And then there were the matters regarding their family, some of which Yan Luo now knew.

In the end, Jun Yulin drove both Lu Xunche and An Bai away with a gloomy face, forcibly suppressing the violent emotions that were about to overflow from his heart, and went back to his previous routine in a disciplined manner.

Attending court, discussing politics, dining with the little emperor, watching the little emperor take her afternoon nap (secretly), strolling with the little emperor through the palace to ease her mind, reviewing memorials together, and watching the little emperor sleep (secretly).

He was clearly following that brat Lu Xunche’s advice to appear more often by the little emperor’s side, letting Yan Luo feel his concern.

But why wouldn’t his little emperor explain a single thing to him about what happened before??

He was furious, aggrieved, and knew it was the mess he had made in the past, so his face got even darker.

And originally Yan Luo was already very afraid of Jun Yulin due to what she knew about his background. Now this person was following her around every day with that dark expression, saying nothing, just coldly staring at her intently. His ‘blackening value’ fluctuated occasionally but stayed more or less the same.

Looking at this Jun Yulin, Yan Luo became even more cowardly.

But things finally changed when Lu Yan forcibly shoved a young gentleman into Yan Luo’s bedchamber, and was promptly thrown out by her.

The longer Yan Luo stayed here, the more she could sense the strangeness in Lu Yan’s behavior.

Lu Yan didn’t truly like her daughter. She appeared very concerned, as she paid attention to every detail of Yan Luo clothing, food, and daily needs. However, there was no warmth in her eyes. It felt like she was just mechanically fulfilling what a mother was supposed to do.

And whether it was Lu Xunche or those noble families’ sons who remained in the palace, they all had deep connections with the Lu family. But Yan Luo later discovered that Lu Yan’s summoning of Lu Xunche or retaining those young nobles was all at the behest of the Lu family head. She simply followed orders.

Lu Yan often looked at Yan Luo with a very complicated expression. Her true thoughts were impossible to read.

Feeling something was off, Yan Luo frowned and waited for Lin Yuan to bring people in to replace the bedding that still held traces of the previous man’s scent. Then they helped her change into a comfortable satin nightgown. Lin Yuan left a candle that almost burned out as usual, then led the attendants out.

Leaning against the bed, Yan Luo still couldn’t figure out what had really happened in this dimension.

She had investigated in secret. The Jun family, over a hundred people, had indeed been killed back then. And as for the death of the previous emperor, it seemed that multiple factions had made a move, but it had been so long that most of the evidence was now impossible to find.

There was also the inexplicably strange Jun Yulin, and Lu Xunche, who seemed to always cause more harm than help. Feeling frustrated, Yan Luo scratched her head and couldn’t help but ask Little Pink:

“Scam Pink, you messed up again this time, didn’t you?”

[Uh…] Little Pink, vaguely aware something was off too, paused slightly before replying cautiously, [Dear Host, you know… because of your abilities, I can’t fully control the difficulty level. I’ve already transmitted all the information I was able to access to you. As for the deeper truth… that’s something only you, Dear Host, can discover for yourself…]

---

When Jun Yulin heard Yan Luo’s voice, his expression darkened further. He glanced coldly at An Bai behind him—whose face didn’t look much better—then gave a soft, mocking laugh and strode straight toward Yan Luo. His eyes were slightly clouded, as if suppressing some kind of emotion.

“Your Majesty.”

He didn’t care whether Yan Luo had recovered from her shock or not. Grabbing her hand and tugging lightly, he pulled her away from the desk. She stumbled two steps forward and fell straight into Jun Yulin’s arms. He held her tightly for a moment, then let go.

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value +1 (97/100)]

“No, Royal Uncle, listen to me…”

Jun Yulin raised his hand and pressed a finger to Yan Luo’s lips, his voice cold and restrained. This was perhaps the time he had revealed the most emotions.

“Your Majesty, don’t make me angry…”

Then he let go and turned to leave, voice deep and repressed. “Lu Xunche…”

“No need to call me, Your Highness. I’ve just finished my business too, and I’ve got something to say to you as well.” Lu Xunche patted the dust off his clothes and smiled, making a playful gesture toward Yan Luo. Under her speechless gaze, the three men left the study together.

The room fell silent. Yan Luo glanced at the shattered vase nearby, her face calm as she called someone to clean up, though inside she was howling in despair.

“Scam Pink, I think I’m doomed” o(╥﹏╥)o

[Dear Host, I think so too…]

No one knew exactly what they talked about, but from then on, Yan Luo never saw Lu Xunche again, and An Bai also disappeared.

Rumor had it they’d received secret orders from the Regent to handle some matters, and naturally, the ministers didn’t dare ask questions. As for Yan Luo, seeing Jun Yulin’s perpetually dark expression, she didn’t dare bring it up either.

Now Jun Yulin, with a blackening value nearing 100, loomed in front of her constantly with that stony face of his, practically plastered to her side. And lately, it was like he’d swallowed gunpowder. Every time someone in court brought up the matter of selecting consorts, before Yan Luo even had to speak, Jun Yulin would shut them down with a cold, stone-faced rebuttal.

Because of Lu Xunche’s interference, Yan Luo had already half given up on this dimension. But precisely because of his meddling, she noticed a pattern in the way Jun Yulin’s blackening value rose and fell.

She eventually came to a conclusion—one she’d suspected all along, though it felt almost too simple.

Could it be… he’s jealous?

But that didn’t make sense. Given the background setting, what was there for him to be jealous of? Logically, Jun Yulin wasn’t even supposed to like her—the emperor.

Meanwhile, Jun Yulin, watching the little emperor obediently attending morning court from the dragon throne, felt more and more irritated.

He even felt a little… wronged.

Wasn’t she supposed to like him? He’d been trying to clear his schedule just to stay near her, so why wasn’t she trying to make it up to him?

Previously, he had nearly gotten into a fight with Lu Xunche. However, they only exchanged a few moves when An Bai interfered and ended the fight.

After that, Lu Xunche raised an eyebrow and said the little emperor liked Jun Yulin, but because of Jun Yulin’s moody behavior and pressure to have her choose consorts, she’d become disheartened and asked him to test Jun Yulin’s reaction one last time.

—Testing if I was jealous? How ridiculous.

As he thought so, Jun Yulin still wore a cold expression, quietly enduring Lu Xunche’s entire explanation.

Saying something like: with that kind of reaction, no way he didn’t like Yan Luo.

Jun Yulin simply acted as if it were a matter of course.

When had he ever said he didn’t like that little one?

---

Yan Luo was still stunned and hadn’t come back to her senses. She instinctively tried to push the person in front of her away, and just as her hand moved a little, the study door was pushed open.

Yan Luo, suddenly understanding what Lu Xunche meant : …

So the Combat Department is amazing, huh? Able to sense someone’s presence in advance, huh? Isn’t this a bit too intense? She truly couldn’t tell what Jun Yulin was thinking, and although she vaguely suspected he might like her, she wasn’t certain. Combined with the already complicated relationship between them…

What if instead of giving him stimulation, she ended up getting herself into trouble?

She was utterly flustered.

And then she heard the system notification sound in her ear.

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value +1 (76/100)]

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s blackening value +5 (81/100)]

[*Ding*—Jun Yulin’s Blackening Value +15 (96/100)]

Oh my god, Yan Luo was startled and tried to push the person in front of her away with a strong shove.

But to Jun Yulin, who had just entered the room first, all he saw was his little emperor sitting at the desk, and since she hadn’t turned to look at him, he could only see her side profile. Her eyes were slightly widened, seemingly glistening, and her hand was raised toward the young man standing in front of her.

No matter how he looked at it, this posture was utterly inappropriate.

A surge of fury seemed to rise in his chest. Yan Luo had only just begun to move when Lu Xunche suddenly retreated, dodging the fierce palm wind, casually taking a few steps to the side. Tilting his head with a smile, he looked at Jun Yulin—whose face was unreadable but eyes were dark and dangerous—and chuckled.

“Your Highness the Regent, even if you’re her Royal Uncle, you can’t just barge into the emperor’s study like this, can you?”

His mischievous eyes flicked to the shattered vase on the side, broken by Jun Yulin’s palm strike, and his lips twitched slightly. Then he glanced at the younger girl, who was still too shocked to react. Seeing her flustered, timid expression, Lu Xunche also had some thoughts in his mind.

—Look at Jun Yulin like this. How could he possibly not care? He obviously holds her dear, just refuses to say it.

And then Lu Xunche saw Yan Luo’s expression, and got angry. He curled his lips slightly, and chose not to say anything. He just let Yan Luo guess on her own. Who’s to blame? They deserved it.

“Lu. Xun. Che!” came another angry voice from the doorway. An Bai stood there with a dark expression, glaring at the man inside who still looked as lazy and indifferent as ever.

Back during a military operation, he had indeed offended Lu Xunche. However, Lu Xunche just ignored his apology.

Even after dealing with the matter, the guy didn’t even bother lifting his eyes.

An Bai had thought that with time and some coaxing, things would settle down. He never expected to walk in and see this scene.

Lu Xunche only gave An Bai a glance upon hearing his voice before looking away, clearly unwilling to engage.

It was infuriating.

“Defying your superior…” Jun Yulin seemed to be beyond furious, spitting out each word slowly, his eyes deep and filled with unmistakable killing intent.

Lu Xunche wasn’t the type to back down. Raising an eyebrow, he snorted, eyes flashing with excitement and an eager-to-fight look, as if he truly wanted to go head-to-head with Jun Yulin.

“R-royal Uncle…” Yan Luo looked at An Bai’s agitated expression at the door, then at the two inside who were on the verge of fighting, and finally spoke with a trembling voice.

She threw a few warning looks at Lu Xunche—“Are you trying to stimulate him? You’re obviously just stirring up trouble!!”

—Help! These people are terrifying.

Receiving Yan Luo’s signal, Lu Xunche finally calmed down his emotions.

---

The secret agent was sent there specifically to disrupt the internal affairs of Great Yan, so the usual defensive tactics were useless against her.

Originally, An Bai’s troops would have been thrown into a bitter battle because of this girl, ultimately suffering a crushing defeat. Following a series of ambushes, they would be forced into a desperate situation and perish in a foreign land.

But since Lu Xunche’s mission was to ensure An Bai’s safety while also increasing the An Bai’s trust, he naturally wouldn’t let such a thing happen. Moreover, with Yan Luo’s identity in this dimension, it gave him a lot of convenience.

“I killed that spy, and that idiot even glared at me. You should’ve seen the look on his face when he realized she was actually a spy,” Lu Xunche said with a light laugh, chewing on a small pastry and propping up his chin. “Anyway, the trust level is already maxed out. He can go freeze somewhere now. By the way, how are things going between you and that guy, Jun Yulin? He gives me a bit of a strange vibe. Seems like your target this time is a tough one.”

After listening to Lu Xunche’s story, Yan Luo’s smiling expression fell all of a sudden. She shared her own situation in a dull, unhappy tone.

This really was the first time she’d met a male god whose blackening value fluctuated so erratically.

“Maybe you’re just overthinking it. Anyway, I haven’t seen a single system assigned by the Dimensional Management Bureau that isn’t a scam. Little Pink’s just an intern, getting inaccurate intel about the dimension is totally normal. Red-Orange-Yellow was also the same back then. Just do more missions and level up, and the plot issues won’t be so bad anymore,” Lu Xunche said, raising an eyebrow slightly as he spoke, recalling old memories.

Back when he’d just started taking on missions, he really had researched how to get rid of the system in a few different dimensions.

Red-Orange-Yellow : […Master Host, could you not deliberately think about those things just to make me hear them?]

Lu Xunche : “Listen to me. Then shut up.”

Red-Orange-Yellow : …

Only God knows what happened in those planes when it bound to this godlike host.

A flood of bitter tears.

Yan Luo nodded seriously, indicating that she had taken it all to heart.

Meanwhile, Little Pink—who could faintly sense the dangerous aura beneath Lu Xunche’s laid-back demeanor—shivered inwardly. [I’m suddenly felt thankful that my Dear Host is a coward.]

Yan Luo : That’s enough. Shut up.

Just then, Lu Xunche suddenly stopped talking. All those fantastical topics about systems and the like paused abruptly. He cast a slightly subtle glance toward the study’s door and then spoke.

“Is there anyone who can enter your study without your permission?”

Hearing that, Yan Luo, who had been listening attentively, blinked instinctively. “Huh? Jun Yulin could—”

“I understand,” Lu Xunche cut in, getting up and stretched his neck a little before walking straight toward Yan Luo.

Yan Luo : ???

“If you’re not sure, why don’t we test it out directly?” Lu Xunche said lazily, grabbing Yan Luo and pressing her down against the desk. He leaned forward, and suddenly the two were extremely close.

So close that Yan Luo could clearly see the teasing look in Lu Xunche’s eyes.

Seeing the astonishment in Yan Luo’s gaze, Lu Xunche narrowed his eyes with a smile. Though they looked close, in reality there was no physical contact between them at all. Still, in this setting, in that posture, with just the two of them—it was all just a little too provocative.