Chapter 360: Responsible? Responsible for what? (First Update)

Cang Lan:?

He is flirting with me?

Was he just flirting with me just now!?

While Cang Lan's brain was still thinking, her body had already moved on its own.

The vigorous demoness guard immediately turned her spearhead toward her master...

Rebellion!

I'll stab you to death!

Swish!

As the demoness performed a desperate lunge, she shouted angrily:

"You actually flirted with me! Ren... Mmph!"

But in an instant, a flash of light appeared, and the long spear in her hand was knocked away, landing on the racetrack not far in front of Gui Yan!

"Eek!!!"

A great force came from her arm.

Not only was she dragged into Ren Yidao's embrace, but her mouth was stuffed with several peeled grapes by him.

???

"Mmph mmph mmph!!?"

What are you doing?

Cang Lan, with her mouth stuffed, struggled to get up, but was firmly held in place by Ren Yidao's arm, which skillfully neutralized all the force she exerted.

Ren Yidao appeared to be holding Cang Lan affectionately, but secretly, he warned her sternly via voice transmission:

【"Sigh, I've told you how many times, don't call me Ren Yidao here. You should either call me Crown Prince or call me Hu Wanwan."】

Want to make progress?

When working, use official titles!

"Understand?"

Gulp.

"You... Mmph!!?"

(You're doing it again!?)

Cang Lan had just managed to swallow the grapes with great effort, and as soon as her mouth was free to speak, another peach was stuffed in.

"Delicious, right?"

Not only that, but that detestable guy asked with a grinning face while continuing to stuff fruit into her mouth...

"If it's delicious, eat more, don't be polite with me!"

Mmph mmph! Mmph mmph mmph!! (I! Can't eat anymore!)

Ren Yidao admired Cang Lan's expression, which was full of joy, and said with some emotion:

"Usually it's Daji feeding King Zhou fruit, but here it's the other way around... Oh, wait, in a sense, that's not entirely wrong."

It's all fed by a fox spirit anyway.

Just as he was feeling emotional, Ren Yidao tilted his head and narrowly dodged the hidden weapon spat out by Cang Lan.

"Ptooey—"

A peach pit.

Oh, wait.

Not just one!

Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!

Dodge! Dodge! Dodge!

When Cang Lan finished spitting, Ren Yidao released the arm that was restraining her and stared at her little mouth in admiration.

The fruit flesh had all been eaten by Cang Lan, and what she spat out were all cleanly peeled pits.

"I didn't expect... you're quite agile."

Cang Lan was licking the juice off her lips with her tongue; hearing this, she rolled her eyes and snorted coldly:

"Hmph!"

Regarding the struggle between the two, the crowd busy with the tortoise and hare race had little interest.

Boring!

Such flirting had happened who knows how many times in the past half month; they were no longer as excited as they were at the beginning.

You two aren't tired of playing, but we are tired of watching.

Why don't you change how you play, or just change partners.

The candidate is already there; the snake girl next to you looks like she has wanted to participate for a long time.

But that's not entirely correct either.

The one who just handed fruit to Ren Yidao was none other than Qingteng.

She was also a part of this play.

It's just... well, she didn't look very happy.

Strange.

"Ahem..."

Cang Lan straightened her clothes and returned to her previous cold and stern appearance. She looked at Ren Yidao, who was still lying on the lounge chair basking in the sun, and frowned, unable to help but say: "Don't you have any proper work to do?"

"Proper work?" Ren Yidao raised an eyebrow and curled his lip, "I would like to have some proper work to do, but do you think the others would agree?"

Cang Lan remained silent.

"Besides, have I not been doing proper work during this time?"

For the past half-month, it was not as if Ren Yidao had not tried to get things done; he had made an effort.

He had visited the Cang Clan, drunk their wine, and eaten their food.

He had visited the Qingteng Clan, met with the patriarch of the Green Snake Clan, and held discussions.

Messy, familiar, or unfamiliar—Ren Yidao turned no one away and accepted everything as it came.

He had made contact, openly or covertly, with everyone he could, and had gained a preliminary acquaintance with all the major and minor figures in the entire Demon Emperor City.

Of course, he had not forgotten his real business, and in the gaps between various banquets, he had also asked many probing questions.

But what was the final result?

There was no result at all.

They were all the same.

Verbally, they were all sweet-talkers, calling him "Your Highness the Crown Prince," referring to themselves as "this old minister"—how affectionate! How harmonious the relationship between ruler and subject! How promising the future of the Demon Race!

He had managed to scrape together quite a bit of cultivation resources, but when it came to their actual stance on key issues, no one would give a straight answer.

When it involved key interests, no one would take a position.

And don't say the Demon Race is stupid; they are indeed slightly inferior to the Human Race in terms of schemes and tricks, lacking so many devious twists and turns.

But among those who could sit in the position of patriarch, there were truly very few idiots.

At a glance, they all looked honest and simple, but upon closer inspection, they were all full of schemes.

They were all thousand-year-old foxes, so why play at being Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio?

The cake had already been divided, and there was still infighting among them; where would there be any extra portion to give to him?

The various factions that had been fighting for years showed a tacit understanding when an outside force arrived, uniting against the outsider and displaying astonishing cohesion.

If one had to count, even the Eastern Palace residence was something Huang Huang had split off directly from her own, without involving anyone else, which was why he had felt no resistance.

It is not so easy for an outsider to break the deadlock.

Looking back, the Grand Preceptor, who had offered benefits right from the start, had actually done quite well in this regard.

Not because of anything else, but entirely due to the contrast provided by his peers.

Ren Yidao could only sigh helplessly: "Everyone is very unfriendly to me, this outsider Crown Prince."

"Isn't there a saying that 'the visiting monk chants the best scriptures'? Why is it like this for me?"

Huhu, who was being deliberately targeted, speculated maliciously: "Are these old things jealous of my youth, beauty, and thick hair?"

However, this half-month of hitting walls everywhere was not without gains; Ren Yidao had managed to see clearly the chaotic situation of the entire Demon Emperor City.

The bad news: the situation here was even more complex than he had imagined.

Various forces were intertwined, with you in me and me in you.

The major forces on the surface were just a facade; beneath that, they were divided into large and small medium-sized forces, and below those were even more intricate small forces.

To untangle these relationships, it would be impossible without spending ten or twenty years.

Just looking at it gave him a headache.

And there was good news, and there was only one:

These problems did not require him to be responsible.

Yes, once he realized this point, all the bad news was no longer a problem.

With his perspective opened up, everything became clear.

Ren Yidao did not actually need to earnestly be a Demon Race Crown Prince here.

Those things were what the Demon Race Crown Prince needed to do, and what he needed to worry about.

Ren Yidao did not intend to work himself to the bone for the Demon Race.

Was he here to be the Crown Prince?

Certainly not!

All he had to do was be a scumbag who messed everything up, left behind a pile of trouble, and walked away while dusting off his pants.

Causing trouble, he could do.

Being responsible, well, forget it~

Ren Yidao was here for sightseeing to broaden his horizons and to make a profit before leaving, not to seriously build the great rejuvenation of the Demon Race...

Wait, why does that sound strange?

It sounds strangely familiar!

"I won't end up in a Demon Race prison sewing shoes in the future, right? Becoming a featured character in 'Demon Race Anti-Corruption Specials'..."

He had even thought of the introduction for that time:

"Former Crown Prince Hu Wanwan, disloyal and dishonest to the Demon Race, inconsistent in words and actions, serious cases of double-dealing, deceiving superiors and subordinates, playing both sides, acting as a two-faced demon."

At this moment, he looked up at Cang Lan and Qingteng beside him and added to himself:

"Perhaps I should add one more: engaging in power-for-sex trades, causing a negative impact on Demon Race society."

Thinking of this, Huhu, I really am too abominable!

After his wild thoughts, Ren Yidao said to Cang Lan: "Besides, what is wrong with such peace?"

"Or is it that it only counts as proper work if it ends in rolling heads, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law fighting, and fathers-in-law and sons-in-law killing each other?"

Cang Lan wanted to argue, but after thinking for a long time, she finally remained silent.

She had been by his side during the time Ren Yidao was making contact with everyone, and she had witnessed the predicament Ren Yidao was facing.

What should be done?

She could not think of anything.

Cang Lan admits she is not cut out for political maneuvering and is not particularly clever.

But admitting she is wrong is out of the question.

Cang Lan shifts her gaze to the side and mutters stubbornly, "…The Moon Sacrifice surely didn't avoid seeing you on purpose."

No matter what, the Moon Sacrifice must have her reasons.

"Fine, fine, fine, whether it matters or not, it makes no difference anyway."

As for whether or not to see this Moon Sacrifice, Ren Yidao doesn't really care; he will see her sooner or later, and there is no rush.

"However, you do have a point; lying around like this forever won't do. It's time to get some real work done."

Ren Yidao stands up from the recliner, stretches his body vigorously, and lets out a big yawn.

"Qingteng."

The beautiful snake woman bows slightly and says respectfully:

"Yes, this subordinate is here."

"Go and rescue Gui Yan. Today's training ends here. Tell it to practice that technique thoroughly while it rests."

He turns and walks into the hall, instructing without looking back: "I specifically went to the Broken Land Turtle Clan to beg for that Turtle Walking the Earth technique for it, so tell it to make me proud."

"Don't let it cry and wail all day, making it look like I'm intentionally abusing it."

I got the technique, I gave you the opportunity, so you must work hard and make me proud!

As for the fact that the technique is for land turtles while Gui Yan is a sea turtle... that is not something he needs to consider.

If there are difficulties, you have to overcome them yourself!

Cang Lan follows Ren Yidao into the hall and asks him in confusion: "What are you going to do now?"

"Me?"

"Can't you tell? I'm going to have a chat with His Majesty the Demon Emperor."

"His Majesty? You're going to the Demon Imperial Palace after changing your clothes? Then I'll go prepare the carriage for you."

Cang Lan turns to leave but is stopped by Ren Yidao, who smiles and says: "No, no need for such trouble. Isn't it easy to see the Demon Emperor? Just open your mouth and it's done."

Cang Lan:?

Before Cang Lan can even think about how to see the Demon Emperor without going to the Demon Imperial Palace, Ren Yidao has already given an answer she never could have imagined.

Ren Yidao raises one hand and mutters casually:

"Demon God above, Demon Emperor Your Majesty as witness, I, Hu Wanwan, hereby swear that in this life, I will definitely be a good person who does things without needing to take responsibility."

Cang Lan:???

Crown Prince, what are you doing?

You dare to disrespect the Demon Emperor!

What are you saying with such a solemn oath!?

And...

Ren Yidao looks at Cang Lan's expression of shock and anger and laughs heartily, blinking as he says:

"Look, isn't she here now?"

Audacious Crown Prince!

What do you take His Majesty for!!?

Before Cang Lan can even speak, the temperature in the hall rises abruptly.

Hum—

Realizing what this signifies, Cang Lan ignores everything else, drops directly to one knee, and lowers her head.

The Demon Emperor has descended!