Chapter 286: Volume 1, Chapter 286 – Empress x Courtesan (16)

Five years later.

Jiang State fell, and Northern Wen State unified the world.

Jiang Zhi, who had thought she had failed her mission and been erased by the Main God, woke from the crystal coffin; as soon as she awoke she felt a chill, she opened her eyes, and what came into view was a sealed underground chamber on all sides.

She wasn't only not dead, her heart was still beating normally—it was practically a medical miracle.

After five years, 777 came out to answer: 'The villain had Old Poison Whip use witchcraft to forcibly extend the Host's life.'

Jiang Zhi couldn't believe it: 'Is that even possible?'

Witchcraft isn't some proper, orthodox technique; in ancient times it was equivalent to sorcery and dark arts, making people tremble at the mere mention of it.

777 then said: 'Host, your Hatred Value task is already complete; you only lack Love Points.'

Jiang Zhi opened the data panel.

【Villain Hatred Value 100 points, Love Points:?】

The data for the villain Wen Ci was still the same as five years ago—his Darkening Value and Hatred Value were both one hundred, while his Love Points were surprisingly a question mark.

She refreshed it several times, but the question mark remained.

'Another bug?'

777: 'Not a bug; the question mark means the villain's feelings toward you are very complicated.'

Jiang Zhi: '.'

How complicated?

She crawled out of the coffin made of clear, translucent crystal stone and fell onto the uneven ground.

Aside from feeling weak and limp, her body had no other problems.

777 was very worried: 'Host, you ended things in front of the villain by suicide—how are the Love Points supposed to increase?'

If Hatred Value had no limit, its current value would probably have already surpassed the heavens.

Jiang Zhi leaned against the wall to stand up, recalling what had happened before she lost consciousness, her heart trembling.

'I choose to escape.'

Anyway, no one would notice she had awakened right now; she could take the chance to flee and think of other things later.

Jiang Zhi followed the narrow corridor forward; after stepping onto the stone stairs, she pushed open a thick door, and finally the outside sunlight came into view.

This is a sleeping hall; triggering the mechanism at the bookshelf leads directly underground.

She looked around at everything before her, feeling a sense of familiarity.

It suddenly occurred to her: 'Isn't this the palace where she lives?'

Before she could confirm it, footsteps sounded outside the palace gate, drawing nearer.

Jiang Zhi's expression froze; she hurriedly turned and hid in the narrow crack behind the screen.

When she got a clear look at the person coming, she was stunned.

It was a bewitchingly beautiful woman; she undid her outer garment, revealing a sheer gauze dress that was slightly translucent, walked nervously toward the bed, and finally lay down on it, her breathing somewhat rapid.

Jiang Zhi immediately noticed something off about her body; the beauty had obviously been drugged.

Her face flushed and ears red, the half-hidden gauze dress slipped to her shoulders, a sight to behold.

Any normal man looking at her would be unable to restrain herself.

Jiang Zhi's eyes lit up; she formed a plan in her heart.

777 excitedly guessed: 'Host, could you be intending to take her place and go to Mount Wu with the villain?'

Jiang Zhi resigned: 'Little 777, why is your head completely filled with lewd thoughts these days?'

That's just absurd.

If Wen Ci saw her, he would surely want to make her wish she were dead.

As for using witchcraft to keep her alive, that definitely means he doesn't want her to die so easily.

777 said pitifully: 'Then what do you want to do?'

Jiang Zhi eased her breathing, sat in a comfortable posture, focused her gaze outward, and said: 'Naturally, I'll wait until Wen Ci is entangled by the beauty, then look for a chance to slip away.'

Although her meridians were ruined and she couldn't practice martial arts, she could still draw talismans.

In a moment, she'll use the brush she just stole to draw an invisibility talisman, then sneak away from here.

Since the task only lacks Love Points, changing her identity to enter the palace would be far better than staying so passive as she is now.

She thought confidently that her plan was truly flawless.

Until the last glow of dusk was swallowed by darkness, Jiang Zhi grew so exhausted her forehead kept drooping; a door-opening sound came from nearby, she suddenly woke, held her breath, and fixed her stare on the palace gate.

Inside the palace, the dim yellow candlelight scattered the darkness, casting that tall silhouette on the wall, faintly wavering and growing longer.

Perhaps hearing the movement, the beauty on the bed let out a sound; her soft panting carried ample allure, inviting one forward.

But the figure stopped abruptly not far from the bed, unmoved no matter how the beauty on the bed called out and panted.

Jiang Zhi, who had been waiting a long time, could only see a sliver of a back from this side: a dark black robe embroidered with a domineering dragon, long black hair falling down his back, his tall, straight stature like a pine tree, his back to her, his face unseen.

The beauty on the bed, unable to wait, barefoot stepped onto the floor and walked seductively up to him.

'Your Majesty~'

That utterance of 'Your Majesty' made one's bones go soft.

The air also carried a strange, faint fragrance that easily stirred desire in people's hearts.

A top-tier aphrodisiac, the fragrance of pleasure—even a sage could not resist its temptation.

Behind the screen, Jiang Zhi smelled that faint fragrance; her chest gradually grew hot, sweat beaded on her forehead, her cheeks flushed, she desperately suppressed the urge to tear off her clothes, and sat up straight and proper.

Who could possibly withstand this?

Such a seductive beauty, combined with the fragrance of pleasure, must have been specially prepared to deal with Wen Ci.

She gritted her teeth, thinking that if she didn't leave here, she wouldn't be able to hold on.

Crack—

A breaking-neck sound shattered the silent night.

The beauty's fragrance faded and her jade shattered; in just a few seconds she fell to the ground, lifeless.

Jiang Zhi felt a chill down her back.

This...

This isn't how the script was written!

Before she could flee, footsteps gradually approached her, stopping before the screen.

Jiang Zhi knew she couldn't escape, so she sat on the ground awaiting death.

Come out.

The young man's voice was clear and calm, without a trace of emotion.

Jiang Zhi froze, motionless.

The young man continued, "Do you want me to have you come out?"

His faint, low voice carried an irresistible intimidation.

Jiang Zhi crawled out, eyes bewildered: "Who are you?"

A flicker of tension showed in her phoenix eyes, mostly from her unfamiliarity with him.

The young man furrowed his brows, leaning close to her face, near enough to feel each other's breath.

You don't remember?

Jiang Zhi thought it over, "I don't remember."

The young man suddenly lifted his head and laughed; his sickly pale face flushed with a faint healthy red.

After a long while, long enough for Jiang Zhi to think he'd gone mad, the young man stopped laughing, his expression turned icy again, he hooked her chin and said nonchalantly:

Remember, you are my consort.

The order was issued, granting her the lowest consort rank, Constant Attendant.

As soon as she received the rank, she was cast into the cold palace.

The lonely, desolate cold palace.

The palace had long lain abandoned, weeds overgrown, thick dust covering every interior surface.

Jiang Zhi didn't mind the dilapidation; in her previous world she had lived in even worse places.

After cleaning up, she lay on a sour-rotting bed, eyes open, gazing at the ceiling.

777 said: "The host's act of feigning amnesia is truly excellent."