Chapter 287: Snatching Ice Cream
Time passed second by second.
Ji Ma finished nibbling on a roasted chicken leg and finally couldn’t help but toss the clean bone aside.
Is this king really going to be a miserable bystander here?
After all, this king is also a master of his generation, with thirty beauties in his harem.
A painful moan came from the tent.
It was time. Considering our feelings, I’ll give you face.
Ji Ma let out a delicate snort, raised her foot, kicked open the tent flap, and stepped inside, throwing off her cloak to reveal her battle uniform, her fighting spirit soaring:
“How can I not have a share of the ice cream?”
George, licking his ice cream, looked at Ji Ma in surprise.
There was an opening.
Ji Ma took a step forward, directly wrapped her arms around the half-licked ice cream and, in front of George, licked it vigorously, a victorious expression on her face.
She even lowered her head to taunt, “Did you really think I would obediently be a bystander like you? Laughable! You brought it to me, why can he eat it while I can’t lick it? Just a mistress, know your place well.”
George lunged forward and grabbed Ji Ma’s hand, but Ji Ma ignored him, licking the ice cream like a madwoman, so focused as if trying to make up for the regret of not tasting high-class food in her past life.
The two sides launched into battle, exchanging punches like two ferocious beasts, grappling and wrestling with each other, sometimes like gladiators in an arena, using ropes and nets. Both were drenched in sweat.
Poor ice cream, caught in between, fell to the ground and melted into a puddle, drops of blood staining the white ice cream liquid, turning it a shade of crimson.
The chaos continued until night fell. Both sides were battered and bruised, and ultimately, Ji Ma fell to the ground, exhausted. Clutching her head, she shouted, “I surrender, I surrender! According to the rules of the martial world, let’s stop here.”
But George was clearly not in good shape, lacking martial ethics, refusing to accept her surrender. He pinned Ji Ma’s head to the ground, holding a steel spear in his right hand, giving her a fatal blow with a thrust and a twist.
Her body turned to jelly, lacking strength and becoming George’s target.
What a tragic fate for Ji Ma, the master who roamed half of the demon world, to end up like this.
She gave up all resistance, her grand dream of unifying the martial world and becoming the leader of the myriad transformations palace began to crumble under George’s relentless attacks.
No, I can’t! This king… must get up.
Ji Ma strained her soft arms, managing to pull herself up slowly.
Then she stopped.
It was so hard to get back up.
Ji Ma gritted her teeth as her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
What supported her was just a small fragment of the dream of being a great ruler.
At that moment, she glanced at the melting ice cream liquid beside her.
The packaging was torn to shreds, only a few fragments lying atop the ice cream liquid.
This high-end brand ice cream had lost its exquisite packaging; its icy form melted away, and its whiteness was stained with dirt.
Yet, it looked so appetizing.
Greedy Ji Ma couldn’t help it, saliva overflowing as she extended her long, agile tongue, swirling it around to taste the melted ice cream liquid.
It was truly an unparalleled delicacy.
Ji Ma loosened her grip and completely collapsed, embracing the ice cream liquid, licking and stirring forcefully.
At that moment, a rich and warming peach blossom fragrance wafted in. Under the dual stimulation of flavors, she began to melt as well.
As for her ambition to dominate the myriad transformations palace, it had long dissolved into water and evaporated into the air.
The next day.
In the Dream Palace.
Ji Ma lay on a chair, holding her warm lower abdomen, feeling an overwhelming laziness filling her body, her eyelids drooping lazily.
Eve Frostleaf, with long legs, walked toward her seat like an ice mountain with legs, as she always did.
But sharp-eyed Ji Ma noticed she walked slightly limping. At the same time, Ji Ma’s gaze fixated on Eve Frostleaf’s legs, intentionally.
The latter instinctively returned her sharp and icy gaze.
Ji Ma then extended her sensitive tongue, made a licking motion, and Eve Frostleaf immediately turned her head, her ears slightly reddening, sitting upright in her chair.
Ah, I just love this unyielding girl who won’t easily change. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be fun without the contrast.
With her cheek resting on her hand, Ji Ma lazily watched Eve Frostleaf.
“Ji Ma.”
George, sitting nearby, called out Ji Ma’s name.
“What’s wrong?”
“The dark matter of the Demon Lord…”
Ji Ma slowly turned her golden eyes toward George’s handsome face, oh, he still had horns growing from his head.
Look at that serious expression, really, standing firm while talking. Last night he was like a wild beast, freely splashing holy water everywhere.
“Um, can I choose not to say?” Ji Ma tilted her head, the shoulder strap slipping down her smooth shoulder, while her tail playfully moved: “You’ve found happiness, gained warmth, and stepped out of the low points of life. People need to forget a thousand things each day, so why not forget this little thing?”
As her tail tightened, George grabbed it, breaking Ji Ma’s attempt to turn this beautiful morning into a three-way melee.
“This matter is very important.”
Don’t directly ask me if I am the Demon Lord Ji Ma. Well, since you asked, let’s ask.
With an overwhelming sense of laziness, Ji Ma was too lazy to think too much. She looked at George: “Go ahead.”
“Where did you take the dark matter of the Demon Lord?”
“Speaking of which, you should thank me, George,” Ji Ma said, “Where else would you find such a good wife? If it weren’t for me, you would have become a Minotaur long ago. Naturally, if you had been a mess, the mistress would have long said goodbye to you.”
Eve Frostleaf tightened her fingers wrapped in silk gloves around the table.
“Please, go on, dear.”
“That’s more like it,” Ji Ma said. “I have a stronger control over the dark matter of the Demon Lord. Since the Mother of All Beasts wants to give birth to a powerful demon child, why shouldn’t I play along? Let her give birth; what comes out is just my puppet.”
“I think you guys aren’t interested in lengthy technical explanations, and I dislike them too. So, in short, I also used the power of lies, and everyone present believed my lies—that this thing that ran out of the Mother of All Beasts is the Demon Lord himself.”
“I turned the fake into real. Now, the dark matter of the Demon Lord is housed within an illusion.” Ji Ma snapped her fingers: “Come out, Baldy!”
Behind her, the appearance of the bald Demon Lord Ji Ma materialized.
Upon seeing him, George instinctively placed his hand on the sword hilt, his gaze sharp and filled with hostility, staring at “Baldy.”
Eve Frostleaf frowned and said:
“Better to keep the Demon Lord’s dark matter contained.”
Ji Ma seized the opportunity to suppress Eve Frostleaf: “Oh dear, Little Frostleaf, it seems you are unaware of your position as a mistress.”
Eve Frostleaf glanced at Ji Ma and said, “For everyone’s good.”
“Someone rode away on a dragon. If it weren’t for my sacrifice and extraordinary performance, how could we achieve victory?”
Ji Ma shamelessly brushed aside George’s contributions, making it sound like she was self-sacrificing, completely ignoring that when she was captured, she was the one crying and shouting for George to help her, disregarding the bigger picture.
“In contrast, a certain girl watched the entire time from the dragon ship, causing a ruckus and making what should have been a private matter known to all, disrupting the original plan, almost getting herself excluded from the family. Show some respect for this meritous person; in this situation, don’t speak recklessly.”
Eve Frostleaf’s green eyes focused on Ji Ma, and Ji Ma matched her gaze. Ultimately, Eve Frostleaf averted her eyes, lowering her head in guilt.
Great, the kind people are always easy to feel guilty. Take advantage of this point to improve her obedience, then I can eat whatever I want.
George asked, “Ji Ma, are you going to keep him?”
“Yes, do you trust me?”
George’s blue eyes stared intently at Ji Ma. He said, “Before trusting, I need to confirm something.”
Ji Ma’s tail, relaxed by George, trembled slightly, praying that the spell “love can cloud a person’s judgment” would work on him.
George pointed at Baldy and asked, “Are you sure you won’t be controlled by him?”
“Of course I am.”
Ji Ma smiled: “Very much so, my dear.”
“Are you sure?”
“Sure.”
“Alright, I believe you.” George released his hand from the sword hilt.
“That’s great.” Ji Ma jumped up from her reclining chair, completely shedding her lazy cat demeanor.
“But can you take him away?” George said, “I really dislike Demon Lord Ji Ma.”
“Sure.”
Baldy disappeared into thin air.
“Next, let’s discuss future plans.” Ji Ma stretched lazily and asked, “George, what do you intend to do?”
“Return to the Holy Hall.” He was in good spirits now; since last night, all the regret and grievance intertwined with negative emotions had vanished. “Cure the horns on my head and participate in the Holy Hall’s full assessment.”
“What’s the worst-case scenario?”
“I’ll be placed under house arrest until I can be cured.”
“Then that’s a kind of imprisonment,” Ji Ma said. “I won’t let that happen. Don’t be like a whiny useless person. Even if I blow a hole in the dungeon, you still want to stay there unwillingly.”
After saying that, Ji Ma handed a sweet date to the gloomy Eve Frostleaf and turned to her, saying, “Frostleaf, you won’t stand by idly, will you?”
The elf nodded.
George asked, “Of course, what about you?”
“Me? Rest well and take a vacation.” Ji Ma lightly pressed her hand on her chest, feeling the dull pain deep inside that had eased a bit since last night, as if it had been anesthetized: “By the way, I’ll look for ways to continue becoming stronger and see if it can also cure my soul injuries.”
“Your soul injuries?”
“Yes, a relapse.” Ji Ma said, “This time, even Jenna can’t save me. Speaking of which, she’s been offline for a long time— when in the Dream Palace, I should go find her. Everyone, remember to be ready to help.”
Jenna once said that Ji Ma’s soul injuries stemmed from dark memories.
Before, he thought they were left by Demon Lord Ji Ma. But now, it had turned into a puppet.
George suddenly asked, “Can you tell me about your dark memories?”
“Sorry, I can’t.” Ji Ma replied, pressing her finger against her cherry lips: “But on the night before the wedding, when I put on my wedding dress, I will tell you everything. By then, let’s see if you want to marry me or not. If not, that’s fine too; we can maintain our current relationship.”
George thought: What kind of dark memories could lead Ji Ma to say such things?
It’s as if she guessed what George was thinking; Ji Ma said: “I simply don’t want to get married, but I can’t avoid it. Once married, there will be too many troubles.”
George looked at Eve Frostleaf and asked, “Frostleaf, do you plan to return to the Holy Hall with me in the future? I’m sorry for the rift this will cause between you and your parents.”
“My freedom is not your business.” Eve Frostleaf said in a calm and familiar tone that was still vexing: “I want to travel with you for a while longer.”
“Then never mind.” Ji Ma said, “Are you sure your father won’t organize a squadron of giant beasts to search for you, the runaway princess? What will George do then? At best, he’ll be called up to the dragon ship for humiliation, at worst, he might get killed?”
Eve Frostleaf’s lightly colored lips moved slightly, but she didn’t say a word.
Ji Ma smiled brightly as she approached her from behind, hugging her, leaning her head against her cheek, saying, “Frostleaf, just stay here with me. We can live together for now, and you can see George at night. Even if your parents come after you, they won’t be able to do anything to me. Right?”
After speaking, Ji Ma’s tail gently brushed against Eve Frostleaf’s calf.
Eve Frostleaf’s body trembled slightly as she said, “Alright.”
Ji Ma grinned and said, “That’s wonderful.” She lifted her head to look at George, who was awkwardly coughing with a slight blush, and said, “Isn’t it?”
