Chapter 551: Is This Your Horse?

Even though everyone knows this is a meaningless commercial hype, the nearby players almost couldn't keep their cool upon hearing it.

No wonder, Xiguang Duke has acted twice recently; whether in the Fallen God Mountains or the Western Frontier of Hui Guang, the Deep Forest people can be considered the aggressors.

So the prince of the invading nation, publicly praising the invaded nation's generals as brave, isn't that a bit (pinching nose)…

How low, that's just too low.

But Ji Ming didn't notice the flattery that smelled of a hellish joke, because Ke Li Si Ting had already walked up to him.

Warhorse Girl's expression was subtle, a look of wanting to speak but holding back, yet under everyone's gaze she indeed said nothing strange.

Instead, after a light cough she resumed her business mode, spouting a flood of lines she could never have produced before.

"Greetings, Divine Choice. I am the Pearl Count of the Deep Forest Kingdom, honored to be here…"

As he listened, for some reason, Ji Ming, who isn't usually sentimental, felt a tinge of bitterness.

—How tragic, reality truly is a ruthless giant dye vat, even Ke Li Si Ting has become slick!

But as he let out a soft sigh and grasped the lower end of his spear, he vaguely heard a faint voice from above.

"I remember everything you said back then; I really have changed, haven't I?"

"Hmm?"

Ji Ming felt his heart flutter, quietly lifted his head, and could only see two towering mountains encased in steel.

【Not an auditory hallucination】

"I know."

This is the widest main avenue in Qixia City, bustling with traffic, even important diplomatic events cannot occupy it for long.

Thus, after the main members of both sides completed introductions one by one, they were led by the players to a nearby reception hall for detailed talks.

It seemed the diplomatic visit had just begun, and the next phase would be a tense, fierce verbal sparring—debate, argument, and a beating.

But in reality the visit was already over, because the Deep Forest delegation's main purpose in traveling to Hui Guang was simply "to make a diplomatic mission."

The moment they stepped into Qixia City, the mission was complete, and there was actually nothing substantive to discuss with the Hui Guang people.

If you don't believe it, look at this list: the only merchant representative who might discuss business—what does he do? He sells grain!

Generous crab, half of Hui Guang's territory is fertile plains—why don't you sell seawater to Hawaii!

Of course, even if Deep Forest wanted to negotiate, Hui Guang wouldn't talk to them this time.

Otherwise, Hui Guang would send the Arc Light Duke, who is relatively easier to bargain with, instead of the veteran hardliner Xiguang Duke.

Thus the message they wanted to convey was: "We won't discuss any humiliating, compromising topics with you Deep Forest folk—get lost!"

But after the high officials of both nations finally met and the tea was brewed, they can't just do nothing.

So with the players' assistance, they chatted about some low‑profit topics concerning cooperation in commerce and education.

—Talk! Anything can be talked about! Nothing is off‑limits!

—But only a little.

And fearing they'd repeat circular arguments and exhaust themselves, the players limited the meeting to just a short hour.

After a standard Hui Guang‑style lunch of sweet‑savory bread and stew, the afternoon had no official agenda, only a cultural entertainment event.

In short, both sides will watch a grand stage musical—'Full River Red'—crafted with devotion by the Pioneers, funded with 500 million, shot in one take, the first to employ digital life technology.

…

Alright, just kidding—no matter how much the players troll, they can't let them gather to eat a defense… uh, I mean, sit together and revisit Lord Changge's story.

So they merely performed a 'Romeo and Juliet' that was neither too bland nor too spicy for the occasion, with no hidden subtext to decipher.

But with wind, drums, strings, and singing, even this relatively simple script was performed by the players for a full two and a half hours.

Regardless of which side the audience belonged to, they had to give thunderous applause at the end, repeatedly praising, "Great! So great!"

It's not that the players deliberately wanted to disgust anyone; per the plan, they simply needed this to pass the afternoon.

So when the crowd, still dazed, finally exited the newly built theater, winter in Qixia City had already arrived early at dusk.

And after only a few steps, a host suddenly appeared from nowhere, reaching toward the opposite corridor.

"Everyone, please follow me; we have prepared a sumptuous dinner."

—Exactly, since you have nothing to discuss, then don't discuss.

Everyone ate, watched, ate, then slept; staying idle for three days, each returning home, all screwed up.

But this is the Arts Street, still some distance from the banquet hall the players arranged, so Ji Ming mounted his celestial horse.

The cold evening wind blew fiercely, causing Ji Ming to yawn uncontrollably.

He was about to rally his spirit, confident that at the upcoming banquet he could skillfully employ his prized 100% escape urine‑vanish technique, but he noticed the side wind had suddenly vanished.

Turning his head in confusion, he saw a mountain walking right beside him.

It was truly terrifying, so after a moment's thought, Ji Ming decided to speak first.

"It's been almost a year, hasn't it? How have you been lately in Deep Forest?"

"Fine."

"I heard you fought the Beimosian orcs in the Northern Realm a few months ago and earned considerable merit."

"Indeed."

"So now you're a Deep Forest Count; your original wish has been fulfilled, right?"

"Yes."

"……"

If Ji Ming wanted, he could certainly force a one‑sided chat with Ke Li Si Ting all night until they silently left.

But since she approached him this time, it means she definitely has something to say, making that approach meaningless.

Therefore Ji Ming decided to change tactics, asking more practical questions to try to pry open the conversation.

However, before he could change his approach, Ke Li Si Ting spoke up first.

And the words she said caught Ji Ming completely off guard.

"I'd like to ask you out alone, is that okay?"

Ji Ming hesitated a moment, realized he really couldn't refuse, and simply agreed.

"Um… sure, where do you want to eat?"

But the reply was just a single line.

"I don't know."

Ji Ming:???

Probably realizing her answer had too many holes, Ke Li Si Ting immediately added.

"Actually I mainly just want to talk to you alone. I have a lot to say, and I'm not thinking about anything else."

"…Fine, let me think about it."

Ji Ming pondered for a moment.

"How about this: we'll still go to the banquet hall as usual, then I'll find you and we'll go somewhere quieter, without delaying anything."

"Okay."

A moment later, the group arrived at the banquet hall where the dinner was being held.

After three rounds of wine warmed the room, Ji Ming found the Xiguang Duke, who was chatting leisurely with the Li Jiang Marquis.

"Wha… what?"

When they heard that the Divine Selection wanted to find a suitable place and reminisce with the Earl of Deep Forest, the old men were all stunned.

Although the duke always seemed stern, gossip is a basic trait of everyone, so he also knew the matters concerning the Divine Selection and the Earl.

Originally he thought that, given the Divine Selection's terrifying self‑control, such bizarre rumors were 100 % false.

He was ready to strike hard afterward, to straighten out the increasingly erratic news industry caused by the Pioneers, when you…

"Tsk."

The Xiguang Duke sighed and went to find the leader of the Pioneers who was in charge of this reception.

The old fellow worked efficiently and quickly brought good news to Ji Ming.

"The Pearl Earl's physique is too robust; there probably isn't any private space inside the hall for you… for you… to discuss matters privately."

"But there's a private garden near the banquet hall. Since it's scheduled for tomorrow morning's tour, it's currently closed, so we can let you… uh, go in early to take a look."

Although the duke spoke hesitantly, as if each sentence required careful wording, at least the matter was arranged for Ji Ming.

And the situation was a classic case of getting darker the more it was described, so Ji Ming didn't explain further and simply told Ke Li Si Ting the location of the private garden.

"Okay, not bad. When shall we go then?"

"We can go right now."

But the two definitely couldn't walk together, so they would part ways and agree to reconvene at the back door of the banquet hall.

Ke Li Si Ting finally squeezed out of the somewhat low gate, looked up, and saw that Ji Ming was still riding that Celestial Horse.

"This…"

"Hmm? Ah, this horse is very precious. I don't feel comfortable leaving it alone here, so I'll take it with me. You don't mind, do you?"

"…I don't mind."

On the plains, the winter wind in Qixia City is naturally cold and biting, and by this hour there were few people on the road.

The two walked quietly along a silent path for a while; Ke Li Si Ting looked at the unusually bright Mechanical Moon in the sky and exhaled a puff of white vapor.

"Ji Ming, I forgot to ask earlier—this is actually your horse?"

"Yes. After I cured the king's illness, His Majesty awarded me this Celestial Horse, a specialty of the capital region. It really can fly."

"Oh, I thought they arranged it to highlight your Divine Selection status, but so that's how it is…"

The Warhorse Maiden pondered briefly, then suddenly said.

"Ji Ming, do you ride this horse often?"

"Yeah."

Ji Ming thought she was simply curious, and since there was no suitable topic at hand, he just started explaining.

"Because it can fly, it's very convenient for traveling quickly. I've been shuttling north and south of the kingdom lately, and it saves me time and effort…"

But after he devotedly introduced it to Ke Li Si Ting for ages, she seemed a bit disinterested.

After a long while, she asked again, incoherently.

"So how long have you had it?"

???

Ji Ming began to feel something was off; why did Ke Li Si Ting seem to have a hidden meaning?

"Um, probably… about half a year, I guess?"

"Half a year? Then isn't that…"

The first few words were clear, but the rest was mumbled, and even Ji Ming's ears couldn't make them out.

But he was sure Ke Li Si Ting was thinking of something very bad, because he saw her teeth clenched together.

He replayed the dialogue in his mind seven or eight times, yet still couldn't see where he had struck her soft spot.

—Complicated, too complicated!

Damn it, the promised dumb horse maiden—how could even a master of my level fail to read her mind!

And by then they had already reached the tightly locked gate of the garden; Ji Ming still had to follow the Xiguang Duke's lead to get the key, so he could only step away temporarily.

Only Ke Li Si Ting and his beloved horse remained standing there, along with a phrase that faded into the cold wind: "Take care of my horse for me!"

"Take… care."

Since Ke Li Si Ting exuded a strong horse scent, the centaur could naturally be considered a member of the great horse family.

And as a naturally gifted contestant bearing the true Heavenly Horse bloodline, she is several times larger in size and rank than the robustly famed Heavenly Horses.

Therefore, today, wherever Ke Li Si Ting appears, the usually swaggering Heavenly Horses all clutch their tails, lower their heads, and behave like horses.

Especially now, the owner who could support it fled on the spot, frightening it to the point of nearly sitting on the ground.

"Don't move!"

But Ke Li Si Ting did not show a pitiful, obedient, submissive posture; instead she let out a cold snort and began a deadly spin around the Heavenly Horse.

As she walked, her breathing gradually quickening, she suddenly reached out and forcibly grabbed its tail amid the Heavenly Horse's stressed whinny.

"Obey, let me have a look!"

She gave a hard stare at the spot beneath the tail, then let out a slight sigh.

"Fortunately, it's a mare..."

Then she inhaled sharply.

"No! You're actually a mare! How dare you!"

Ke Li Si Ting kicked the ground with her hooves, took a few steps forward, then, as if recalling something, suddenly turned back.

"What a shameless thing! You appear before Ji Ming every day... saying, how did you get close to him?"

"What is your purpose?"

"What is your plan?"

"How far has it progressed?"

She clenched her fists and pressed forward step by step, the deadly questions coming one after another.

Cornered against the wall, the Heavenly Horse's eyes filled with terror; she frightened it so much that even a child would almost learn to speak.

Unfortunately, it is merely a beast, so it has no idea what the questions specifically mean, and can only emit a helpless scream.

"Neigh!"

"Playing deaf, huh? Watch how I deal with this little rascal..."

But just as Ke Li Si Ting opened her mouth, ready to, according to equine customs, bite the Heavenly Horse's neck hard and then kick its legs,

Ji Ming, appearing at the nearby intersection with a key in hand, said, "Uh…"

"Cough."

Ke Li Si Ting composed herself, stood upright again, and said calmly,

"Your horse wants to run, I stopped it."

Heavenly Horse:???