Chapter 230: then translation of chapter title

This is boasting, also serving as a witness, and more importantly, we need to quickly settle this matter so that nothing else goes wrong later.

If this were in the real world, we'd probably have to arrange voice recorders, pinhole cameras, signed documents and the like.

Wait, I vaguely recall Eleanor gave me a magic crystal that can record sound……

Alright, it's possible they're actually recording everything right now.

Oh, I knew the Divine Chosen One would surely forgive my clumsiness and mistakes.

A hint of old scheming flashed in An De Lu's eyes, and he expressed his present 'surprise' and 'gratitude' with an exaggerated tone and gesture.

But afterward, contrary to Ji Ming's expectation, after achieving his goal he didn't just exchange a few pleasantries and leave directly.

Instead, he chatted on and on, even willing to belittle himself a bit, using the pretense of academic exchange to press hard to talk with Ji Ming.

But position doesn't equal ability; even if An De Lu is the dean, so what? He sits in that position merely to facilitate lining his pockets.

At first Ji Ming tried to drop some professional knowledge to dissuade him, but the other couldn't even answer the basic knowledge in the Barefoot Doctor's Manual without stumbling.

Nevertheless, despite several awkward silences, Dean An forced himself to keep the conversation going, and his demeanor grew even more excited.

Ji Ming (sweating version): Enough already.

Moreover, the other's topics became increasingly dangerous, many points directly targeting Ji Ming's most confidential core knowledge.

For example, the current flagship product, the Rejuvenation Elixir Fourth Generation; the SpiritGathering Liquid they intend to keep hidden; and the Talisman Armor they don't plan to proliferate in the short term.

"The Rejuvenation Elixir is a very complex potion; the latest version is the fourth generation, with no higher version. The Talisman Armor requires the blessing of the divine……"

Even though Ji Ming is skilled in rhetoric and Tai Chi, facing such a concentrated assault and relentless tactics makes it somewhat hard for him to hold up.

In the end, having no choice, he could only tap into a reserve of hidden energy that most men would never want to activate in their lifetime……

"Sorry, actually I handed over my medical duties because my body has developed a problem."

He quietly turned up the fluorescent tube a bit, casting the already fair skin into a sickly pallor.

Ji Ming returned to an extremely weak state after training, even swaying a bit.

"Even just prolonged social activity could impose a burden on my body……"

An De Lu hurriedly stopped talking and steadied Ji Ming.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, chatting with you was just too enjoyable—I absentmindedly overlooked your feelings."

"I need to rest a bit; let's continue another day."

"Alright, please take care of your health."

Ji Ming turned away, his expression instantly turning grim.

Damn, what bad luck—I not only had to chat with a dog today, but the dog even pawed at me……

He silently cursed An De Lu's several generations of marquises, as well as his even earlier peasant ancestors.

He walked with three parts elegance, three parts brokenness, three parts dreaminess, and ninety-one parts flustered haste, slowly leaving the hall.

But An De Lu, who remained where he was, silently blew a celebratory whistle; the few bits of concern he'd shown turned into the delight of having victory in hand.

He downed the cup in one gulp, then asked proudly in a low voice.

"How did I just perform?"

Johnson shuddered all over, his eyes widening.

After a long while, he hesitantly said.

"Cousin, I didn't realize you also liked……"

An De Lu's face trembled with anger; he originally wanted to toss that idiot cousin who enjoys watching giant beasts duel straight out the window.

But thinking about the recent talent drain in the mercenary band, with no usable hands left, the grim situation.

... An De Lu, control your anger! A qualified noble always controls his anger!

"Cousin Johnson, does my textbook‑level noble small talk only make you grasp these twisted ideas?"

Clenching his back teeth, he spat out a reprimand, trying to soften his voice as much as possible.

"Think about it—how many identities does Ji Ming have?"

"Um… the Holy Light Church's Divine Chosen Saint, the famed charitable Divine Doctor, skilled at making a potent elixir, and also specializing in Talisman Armor to counter the uncanny?"

"If someone were to pull him into their own organization, what benefits could they gain?"

"Fame! And… the people who come seeking to buy the elixir and armor?"

"Talent is cultivated, so An De Lu, by gentle persuasion, finally got to the point."

"What if we pulled him into our team?"

Johnson's eyes lit up instantly, then quickly dimmed.

"But he's considered a person of Radiance, and besides, he's from the Holy Light Church—this… doesn't sit well with us."

"Wouldn't that actually show how formidable we are?!"

An De Lu let out a sharp shout.

"Think again—if we successfully poach their corner, lure the so‑called Holy Light Divine Chosen back to the Deep Forest, what could we gain?"

Such a bold idea was like a massive bomb; Johnson felt his skull about to blast off, and he could only speak with a trembling voice.

"Good heavens, whether it's His Majesty the King or His Holiness the Pope, they'd surely punish us to death!"

But there were still some things An De Lu didn't say.

Through his own efforts, he has recently succeeded in sidelining Fein the warrior's authority within the alliance.

As long as he can be provoked into making some mistakes he shouldn't, taking over his position as alliance leader is no problem for him.

Moreover, if he manipulates things a bit more, he could even become his benefactor, thereafter gaining a reliable enforcer.

According to Sheldon's report, the mercenaries' progress in the underground plains has been very smooth lately, helping him amass a huge fortune.

Once he possesses the achievement of swaying the heretical Divine Chosen, even if he doesn't obtain the marquisate, the king will richly compensate him.

Then, with money and troops at his disposal, all he needs is a noble patron to give him a slight push, and wanting to achieve distinction in the kingdom's northern borders will certainly not be a problem.

When that day comes, whether it's the lecherous and violent Marquis father or the cold‑blooded and stingy Marquis mother, they'll have to look at me with new eyes!

I, An De Lu, am the noble person whose veins run with aristocratic blood, not some second‑generation good‑for‑nothing who lacks any ability.

He could already envision the scene of himself being made a Marquis—money, beauties, power, status—all would be his!

Having gone over this superb script in his mind, An De Lu decided to give his little cousin a little provocation.

"That's why I patiently chatted with him, and specifically expressed a strong interest in his likes, especially related knowledge."

"That way, in his eyes I would be an excellent leader who can correct mistakes, cares for subordinates, and especially respects professional knowledge."

"Johnson, a scholar as innocent and naive as him, will surely be moved to tears behind his back."

He pinched his little mustache and couldn't help letting out a laugh.

"Study hard, young man—maybe that kid is still thinking fondly of me in his heart, hahaha!"

"An De Lu, with a single holy judgment I'll send your xylophone soaring, then with a backhand fire‑spell I'll ignite the twisted hair you're strumming, then with a perfect precision throw I'll score a headshot to obliterate your ancestors' stone‑dam sack, and finally I'll use grave‑digging to build a prehistoric joint tomb, cremating your whole family, bathing them in red light, exceedingly gentle…"

Ji Ming restrained the urge to take off his coat and wash it, and vigorously patted the shoulder spot that An De Lu had touched.

With a pattering sound he gave himself an eight‑by‑eight shoulder massage, barely suppressing the nausea.

No, I need to find a way to intensify the conflict between the players and the mercenaries so that both sides formally declare war.

Then lure An De Lu to lead the remaining troops to the underground plain to reinforce Sheldon, thereby wiping them all out……

Hmm, later I can discuss this with Bai Lang Fei Er Luo, who's in charge of the mission system.

Let's see, as a hardcore tough guy and former gang boss, does he have any rich experience relevant to handling this situation?

Ji Ming was calculating the upcoming operational arrangements when he heard extremely heavy footsteps.

He lowered his body to slip through a door that, to it, was as low as a cave mouth, and walking into the Rest Room was a monster‑like centaur.

Exaggerated muscle lines, supple abdominal curves, coarse and disheveled mane, soft hair tied back……

Many contradictory traits can be found in Ke Li Si Ting, just as befits her position as Minister of Taxation.

They sound like a group of well‑dressed civil servants, but in fact they're all tough nuts even gangsters would fear.

If Ji Ming didn't know who she was, as a fanatic lover of colossi and steel, he couldn't help but take another look.

But whether it was their first meeting or their conversation, the other party left him with a very poor impression.

So he pretended not to have seen anything, gestured to the other guests at the long table, and took a sip of his drink.

Unfortunately, whether it's the ordinary doctor Ji Ming or the Divine‑chosen Ji Ming, he seems to have a constitution that's easy to hit on.

Even if he had no reaction, he still felt the surroundings gradually darkening.

Ji Ming remained silent for a moment, slowly lifted his head, and saw…… wow.

He shifted his body, tilted his head, and finally saw Ke Li Si Ting's face looking down at him from above.

In front of this mare who is likely eighty percent a transformed Sherm, he felt like a tiny mammal.

Little mouse: "Now you know how I feel, huh!"

As the saying goes, a scholar meeting a soldier can't make sense of his reasoning.

Under the pressure of arrogance, Ji Ming, a silver‑tongued expert, didn't think he could communicate normally with such a hardcore negotiator.

So he didn't bother to embarrass himself; instead he picked up his cup, ready to walk out.

But just as he stood up, he realized the space ahead had already been blocked by another high wall.

In theory, guests aren't allowed to bring bodyguards, but rules like this exist only to be broken.

Just as An De Lu brought Johnson along under the title of mercenary corps vice‑leader, Ke Li Si Ting also brought that female Shuang Ju Ren, who is her deputy.

As beings naturally affined with a water‑element variant, the Shuang Ju Ren have low body temperatures, so their skin is very pale and their facial hair is perpetually frosted.

Damn, is there a big fridge blocking the way…? Then I'm out!

But when Ji Ming was about to slip to the other side, Ke Li Si Ting had already reached out and blocked this last exit.

Sandwiched between two terrifyingly fierce monsters in the corner, Ji Ming suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.

This…… feeling of going back to elementary school—what's going on?

Back then, Ji Ming didn't back down; the first time he was blocked, he pulled out the thick ruler he carried.

Taking advantage of the moment when the two top‑year students who were ace fighters were off guard, he pressed down on the leader, that spoiled brat, and gave him a nasty little combo.

Moreover, each strike avoided the head and face, hitting spots that rarely leave marks but hurt a lot.

Seeing their boss being ridden like a dog by Ji Ming and beaten, the other kids never dared to trouble him again.

Even when they met him head‑on in the hallway, they would politely step aside for him.

The spoiled brat would even avoid him from afar, and didn't dare say a word to him all the way through elementary school graduation.

Gee, anyway someone has to carry a childhood trauma; since I'm not willing to be that someone, I'll just beat him to death.

So……

Don't think I won't hit you just because you've grown up—besides, this isn't the first time—and now I'll blow your minds!

But just as Ji Ming was about to flip the table, Ke Li Si Ting suddenly reached out…… and with three fingers pinched the bottle of brandy on the table.

???

Then she slightly tilted the bottle's mouth and carefully poured Ji Ming a cup…… and a hand.

!!!

"Cough, Ji…… Divine‑chosen Sir."

She used a light cough to ease the embarrassment and spoke somewhat hesitantly.

"Since we last parted, I've missed you dearly; I don't know if you're doing well, but the recent rampant beast incident has been resolved thanks to your efforts…… and then…… uh…… and then what was it again?"

With a helpless sigh, the Shuang Ju Ren could only lean close to Ke Li Si Ting's ear and whisper a reminder.

"As the Minister of Taxation……"

"Ah? Oh right! I…… no, as the Minister of Taxation, I express my profound gratitude for everything you've done in this whole incident!"

So…

What is this?

Looking at this horse, it wasn't wearing full armor as usual, nor was it laden with swords and polearms.

Instead, it was dressed in gold and silver, even the horse's back draped with a gorgeous tasselled tapestry—a centaur—and Ji Ming suddenly understood.

The sun is rising from the west!

Going out for a stroll, even passing dogs get kicked twice; the tax minister Ke Li Si Ting, notorious for his arrogance and cruelty, is actually speaking formally to me!

Old brother Kuò, do you see? Your boss is reciting lines from behind the script, and he can't even make sense of these three sentences!

「Er, you flatter me, this is all……pfft……」.

Hold it in, can't laugh!

Suppressing the urge to laugh, Ji Ming steadied his expression and voice.

「Minister Ke Li Si Ting, maintaining peace and stability for the citizens of Sunshine City is what we, the Sheng Guang Jiao Tang, should do. 」.

「Good! 」.

Ke Li Si Ting replied loudly, then continued speaking.

「Furthermore……uh, thank you for providing excellent medical conditions, which not only rescued countless Sunshine City residents but also, whether it's tax revenue or debt, saved many frontline workers injured in the struggle. 」.