Chapter 329

Looking at Kristin's ten fingers, each able to crush his skull with a casual pinch, as if they were tightly clenched together grinding whatever lay in her palm into flesh, Ji Ming swallowed heavily.

If it were AdaiEr displaying this demeanor before him, Ji Ming would think she wanted him to take over her shift for a day so she could rest.

If it were Elinor displaying this demeanor before him, Ji Ming would think she wanted him to help her weigh the pros and cons of something.

If it were Bai Yesheng displaying this demeanor before him, Ji Ming would think she wanted him to help her find a resource with extremely bizarre XP.

If it were Buluowa…

Ah, okay, there's no such possibility; besides, we still need to sleep tonight, so don't entertain such horrifying thoughts.

Good grief, you're obsessed, right? Ji Gege, how's your emotional time? How come after finally pulling the topic away, you drag it back again!!

There's no way; Ji Ming could only try to maintain the smile that was almost taken from him.

"Yes, everyone has it; some people just fear reliving the pain and therefore choose to give up."

Her breathing gradually returned to calm; she gazed blankly at the sky, then lowered her eyes again.

By then, waving Deep Forest's flag as tough as dragon hide, with Kristin as the fearsome external monster serving as the main pillar, if they wished, they could at any time raise another mercenary troop; even if individual quality was poor, they could still continue to oppose Sunshine City, leaving endless future troubles.

"Kristin, you've already asked me three questions in a row; now it should be my turn to ask you three questions, right?"

This completely exceeded Kristin's expectations; her eyes widened slightly, but in the end she still nodded.

"Perhaps; who can say for sure about the future? But I can guarantee one thing: if you haven't figured it out, the answer you get from me will always be a refusal; and once you do figure it out, many things will actually be solvable on your own."

"What if I raise the rebel flag…"

"Miss Kristin Pearl, may I ask if you like me?"

Just that?

"I… I don't understand…"

Kristin had her mouth open, completely choked by Ji Ming's words, yet under his pressing gaze she could only answer with a trembling voice.

I'm doing great in the Holy Light Church, and I'm about to head to Guanghui Capital to boost my influence; why would I go to the baseless Deep Forest Kingdom?

But Ji Ming didn't let her finish; he stepped forward, lifted his head, and asked again.

Ji Ming tidied his coat and spoke loudly.

After a brief stunned pause, Kristin's expression turned fierce, and she spoke her words decisively.

"No, that's not what I want!"

Do you enjoy self-torture, retreading the path of youth?

"I understand, Ji Ming; you must despise the current me as a failure, right?"

"Because for many people, this is something that takes a lifetime to figure out."

"Um… I think I…"

???

"Is this hard to understand? I'm just advising people to do good!"

Ji Ming gave a slight smile.

She was like a little wife's follower; since Kristin chose to leave, she naturally had no objections and started packing her bags that very night.

"I admit, there aren't that many pure feelings in this world, so your theory would actually have considerable support here; indeed, if you simply swapped in another person to practice this theory, it would absolutely work, no need for such anguish—you might even be ready to have kids."

"Then… Ji Ming, if one day I figure it out, would you still be willing to reconsider me? I think I really do like you a bit."

Thus, having lived over forty years, no one has ever said such things to her; tonight should be the first time.

Kristin's breathing grew heavier and heavier; finally, as if she had made some resolve, she spoke harshly while simultaneously pounding the ground until it cracked.

So he immediately patted his chest to show his resolve.

Hehe, not understanding is fine, because even I'm not entirely clear on such a complicated problem~

【No, Savior, you don't understand yet you're still misleading people?】

"I don't want to hear any excuses; tell me, Kristin, are you doing this because you don't care about feelings, or because you simply don't understand what feelings are?"

"Not being clear ≠ I don't get it; a little understanding is still understanding!"

"Cough… Frost should have already told you, right? I followed the deputy's advice and decided to leave Sunshine City, returning to Deep Forest Kingdom to restore my family's title."

"Therefore, this world certainly isn't limited to needs for money, status, and power, nor is it limited to love as just one kind of feeling; you are now simultaneously obsessing over both, forcibly believing that possessing the former guarantees the latter, with an absolute and unique causal link between them."

Ji Ming couldn't believe his own ears—what did I do wrong? How could you have such an unrealistic fantasy?

"Then… go ahead and ask; I'll answer truthfully."

Now Kristin truly couldn't utter a word; she could only stammer, appearing as if she wanted to be tough but couldn't bring herself to.

He instantly felt a surge of complaints in his heart, to the point that he couldn't help but blurt out a sentence.

Moreover, she's not a fool; although it appears the two powers share rule, Sunshine City is actually the turf of the so-called High Tower Community; one can't break into the city's core, and even if one could revive the mercenary alliance, what good would that do? Trying to return to the peak state of the Fein era is probably impossible in this lifetime.

"Is that really the case?"

"I I I…"

Given Kristin's intellect, she's no match for Ji Ming; she's long been forcibly brainwashed by his theory, so although she still appears half‑understanding, she firmly nodded.

As for Frost in the trio…

"Kristin, I've investigated your past; your family suffered misfortune, and I too have experienced similar pain, so I can especially understand your feelings, but precisely because of that, I will cherish the existence of feelings even more, rather than simply linking them to other things and turning them into a commodity for sale."

"Then if I outright defeat the main forces of Bei Mo Si Ke Han, earning unparalleled merit to become the twenty‑fifth duke of Deep Forest Kingdom and a member of that ancient noble collective of the North, would you be willing to marry me?"

So the deputy, this clever person, needed to step in; the collapse of the hillfolk mercenary alliance already showed him that Sunshine City was hopeless, and after Ji Ming's subsequent consolidation, he became a steadfast defeatist strategist as firm as the Steel Seal Tribe, thus he would not only not assist Kristin in continuing resistance, but would repeatedly urge her to leave Sunshine City quickly.

Kristin lost her father before she could even form memories; soon after she began to remember, she lost her mother as well. That oddly deceased former city lord, while technically her temporary guardian, was also a stern fellow who didn't teach her much.

"Ah, the deputy was right; you will indeed refuse."

"Ah?"

"Okay."

And while Kristin appears violent and stubborn, seeming hard to persuade to change her mind, Ji Ming early on saw that she actually only has a hard outer shell; if one can find a way to break through, at least in this matter her heart can absolutely be turned.

Yes, I admit your confession is very courageous, and I also admit the promise you made to persuade me is very steadfast, but you still seem to be talking about feelings as if discussing business, appearing passionate and sincere, yet your words are actually full of cold doubt and indifference.

No matter how you say it, the Mountain Mercenary Alliance is an old power that has taken root in Sunlight City for many years; even though its surface combat strength has already been exhausted in that night's great change, a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse, and the hidden wealth scattered everywhere has not diminished at all.

Ji Ming lightly nodded.

Then if I go to the Northern Border Battlefield and earn great military merit, rising to become a powerful Marquis of a region, would you be willing to marry me?

Ke Li Si Ting, who was mentally prepared, was much calmer than Ji Ming had imagined; she just lowered her head, slowly clenching her fists under the gradually bulging muscles of her arms… and then, just when Ji Ming had already prepared to flee, she suddenly loosened her grip, her voice hoarse.

Ke Li Si Ting, the fundamental cause of emotions arising is actually 'need'; therefore, when people who like each other need each other, love arises; when siblings need each other, familial affection arises; when comrades need each other, friendship arises; including empathy, sympathy, and various other emotions, they can also be tied to this 'need'.

At this moment? You must be joking, right?

This was within Ji Ming's expectations, or rather he kept the deputy's life for this purpose.

Alliance Lord Ke Li Si Ting, if you have anything you want to say, just speak plainly; we are no longer strangers between us, no need for this!

Seeing Ji Ming almost finish arranging her travel for the next few days, Ke Li Si Ting hurriedly interrupted him, bent her knees to let her huge body sit before him, still unsatisfied, she lowered her head as far as she could until she could look him in the eye like a child playing with a toy, then she spoke word by word.

——If it really won't work, let's just get physical, please don't torment me mentally any longer!

Seeing everyone say that, Ke Li Si Ting was too embarrassed to keep haggling, and instead cleared her throat sharply.

Tell me, if I return to the Dense Forest Kingdom and truly regain my rightful noble title, would you be willing to marry me?

Having said that, Ji Ming paused, waiting for Ke Li Si Ting to start thinking before speaking again.

Ji Ming still shook his head.

「Lord Alliance Chief, given the current situation, I'm afraid no one in Sunlight City would agree to let us stay here; even if the Divine Chosen were willing to speak a couple of good words for you, regardless of the outcome, he would find it difficult to act in the city. 」

「I just want to ask, Ji Ming, are you willing to go with me? 」

Therefore, the deputy merely pried open Ji Ming's metal chip lightly, and Ke Li Si Ting, the nut spirit, laughed and followed his advice, deciding to cut losses in time, using the vast wealth Fei En had amassed over decades to exchange for her future in the Deep Forest Kingdom.

Then it looks like Ji Ming's move succeeded; as long as the mountain folk mercenary forces completely withdraw from the Black Forest Territory, this place will become the players' One-Man Rule, able to radiate to the various kingdoms outward and expand into the barbaric wilds inward, truly a land of rising dragon.

In short, if any other opposite-sex person displays such an attitude, regardless of their intent, they can at least be classified as coy.

Only Ke Li Si Ting makes Ji Ming feel she is hesitating whether to twist off her head and boil it into Old Ji's tasty soup, or to chop her with a big blade into skin-on Ming meat…

She lifted her head and stared at Ji Ming's eyes.

「I… I understand! I will strive to try to be a good person! 」

「Sorry, it's so complicated, Ji Ming, I still don't seem to get it. 」

「Ke Li Si Ting, I admit that after fighting side by side that night, my impression of you has changed greatly, but at least in this matter, how are you different now from before? Why do you think the same question could get a different answer from me? 」

Thus, like a great philosopher preparing to give a speech, Ji Ming gathered his breath and spoke softly.

Now Ke Li Si Ting became doubtful, her gaze becoming unfocused for a moment.

Ji Ming didn't speak, but shook his head.

？？？

「Like! Of course I like it! Who wouldn't…」

Ji Ming shook his head again.

【Still fooling! Still fooling! Savior, do you even understand all this nonsense yourself?】

So he quietly stepped back a step, while raising his voice.

Thus Ji Ming retreated, letting out a sigh.

However, Ji Ming stepped forward again, their cheeks almost within reach.

But before she could finish the second half of her sentence, Ji Ming, unable to bear it any longer, interrupted her.

「Then do I have a chance to think it through? 」

「Very well, then…」

This time Ke Li Si Ting didn't speak, remained silent for a long while, exhaled a turbid breath to the side, and suddenly curled the corner of her mouth.

「Stop! 」

「But the problem is, you happened to run into me. 」

「Ke Li Si Ting·Pearl, do you really like me? 」

「Are you planning to return to the Shen Lin Wang Guo? Congratulations, you can finally go home……Then why did you come looking for me, could it be because you lack travel funds? No problem, I can lend you, plenty enough! When do you roughly plan to set off? When the time comes, I'll go see you off; this journey is far, so please don't neglect you all……」

「The Shen Lin Wang Guo is a much more complex dye vat than Sunlight City; you need to open your eyes and think carefully about where you stand. At least as a Divine Chosen of orderly good, I hope my friends can choose to be good people, at least not betray their conscience, and I also hope that when we meet again it won't be on a battlefield of life-and-death slaughter, but even more, I hope we can still talk as calmly and kindly as we do today, okay? 」

「Ke Li Si Ting, do you love me! ？」

「Ke Li Si Ting can reach level forty-plus even in this remote place like Sunlight City; if she returns to the Shen Lin Wang Guo, with a couple of good meals, who knows how high she could level. 」

「By then he might turn out to be an enemy general; taking him out now would be a great achievement! 」