Chapter 196: Do You Think I Don’t Read Chat Logs?
Having served as a deputy commander for so long, and faced countless complex situations, Xiao Qiao Yi’s emotional control had become masterful. However, when it came to someone she cared about, her emotions would stir, and subtle details would betray her true feelings. Roger saw through her little act, but he was rather bored himself. He cleared his throat, “Since that’s the case, to avoid delaying important imperial matters, you may come over.” He directly sent the palace’s coordinates to Xiao Qiao Yi.
At this moment, the entire Royal Capital of the Sea Kingdom was filled with a joyous atmosphere. Ever since the Naga Empire initiated this war, the Sea Kingdom had been in a constant retreat, falling back all the way to Black Shark Fortress. Beyond that point, there were no more natural defenses, marking an unprecedentedly critical juncture. The Mermaid Sea Emperor had already packed his bags, ready to retreat to the deep sea and establish a government in exile at a moment’s notice. Unexpectedly, Crown Prince Shaq stepped forward at this crucial time, organizing a flanking force that directly cornered and killed Cromwell, forcing the Naga expeditionary army to retreat hundreds of miles. Just like that, the difficult siege of Black Shark Fortress was broken, and the Sea Kingdom felt revived. Although the battle was not officially over, the atmosphere within the Sea Kingdom was no longer as desperate. The pink rabbits that had struck immense fear into them had been captured after their energy reserves were depleted. The Sea Kingdom’s mages were now dismantling and researching them. Even if they couldn’t replicate them, controlling this equipment would allow the Sea Kingdom to form its own Raging Thunder Punishment Legion, providing an additional trump card for the fortress defenders. Magic crystals were not an issue, as they were abundant in the ocean depths, and the Raging Thunder Harvesters were simple enough to operate, being mere agricultural machinery.
And the focal point of this celebration was none other than Crown Prince Shaq. For his first taste of battle, he had gifted the Sea Kingdom a great victory. As the rightful heir to the throne, the long-dormant Empress’s lineage finally had reason to celebrate and promote their prince. The most ironic part was that the Fourth Prince, Doyle’s faction, had previously promoted him with titles like “God of War.” Yet, they had repeatedly retreated against Cromwell. Now, Shaq had achieved victory in a single battle. While the war was not over and it was premature to declare him the ultimate victor, whispers could be heard in every street and alley, stirred by those with intentions. Especially during the lull in the war, the Sea Emperor summoned Shaq back to the Royal Capital for commendation. Shaq entered the city riding a magnificent white seahorse, with black individuals carrying a transparent coffin containing Cromwell’s frozen corpse behind him. The Naga Marshal’s dignified appearance, just as it was in life, greatly amplified Shaq’s gallantry, earning him cheers from all the citizens along the route. Following this, Shaq’s approval rating increased by at least twenty percentage points.
Throughout the entire propaganda of this victory, the Azurevine Empire was not mentioned at all. The empire’s support was only known to the upper echelons. There was no need to let the citizens of the Sea Kingdom know that the true deciding factor in their struggle for dominance was actually people from the mainland… Shaq had returned to the Royal Capital, and there was no point for Roger and Margaret to remain at the front lines, especially since it seemed the Naga would not be attacking anytime soon. They decided to return to the Royal Capital and join the festivities. The Sea Kingdom had been suppressed for too long and desperately needed a catalyst to boost morale. Although it was only a “phased victory,” it was a rare major triumph in recent years. To their surprise, the mermaids’ rituals were exceedingly long and tedious. They had expected performances like sea lions juggling balls or seals tumbling, or perhaps alluring sea demon beauties in revealing attire. Instead, it was a ceremony to worship the meritorious ancestors of the mermaids, with actors portraying ancestors to commend Shaq. This put both Roger and Margaret to sleep. Margaret decided to head outside the city to observe the livelihoods of the Sea Kingdom’s inhabitants, while Roger chose to relax in the palace, playing games with Xiao Qiao Yi, waiting to return to the front lines.
Roger didn’t wait long before the space before him distorted, and Xiao Qiao Yi directly teleported in front of him. “Lord!” the young girl exclaimed, affectionately wrapping her arms around his neck, sitting on his lap, and planting a kiss on his cheek. Roger had been in the Sea Kingdom overseeing the war for less than a week, but from the young girl’s perspective, it felt as long as a dozen years. “You haven’t gotten fat, have you?” Roger playfully pinched her cheek. Xiao Qiao Yi pressed her entire body against him, pouting, “So what if I’m fat? I’ll crush you. It’s because you left me behind, and I’ve been exercising a lot less every day.” “I suspect your ‘exercise’ isn’t entirely wholesome.” “Whether it’s wholesome or not depends on your intentions, my lord…” They hugged and kissed, lingering for a while longer to alleviate their longing for each other. Just as Roger was considering taking things further, she suddenly slipped away like a swimming fish. “My lord, your subordinate has important news to report.” Xiao Qiao Yi’s lips curled into a triumphant smile. Though her face was flushed, she deliberately looked at Roger with disdain, a clear “I won’t let you have me” expression. What mischievous thoughts did the little fox have? “It seems the bard’s close-combat skills are still useful; my evasion skill has improved considerably… and the perfume is very tasteful!” Roger exclaimed, sniffing his fingers as if he could still detect her lingering fragrance. “It’s the latest ‘Dreaming Mist No. 9’ from the Life Ritual. Do you like it, my lord?” Xiao Qiao Yi’s hand brushed across her collarbone, as if referring to the perfume, but intentionally drawing his gaze to the proud snow-capped peaks above. She blinked her left eye charmingly, a blend of cuteness and allure. “About the news!” Roger glared at her sternly. Unbeknownst to him, her skin had become thicker than his, and she was now proactively flirting with him.
“During the handover, the military discovered that Chapter of Imbalance had sold a batch of equipment under the guise of experimental explosions, but we haven’t found any recorded explosions. We suspect that the Arcane Council has been infiltrated.” Xiao Qiao Yi stated her findings, “The destructive power of those weapons far exceeds legendary spells. If they fall into the wrong hands, they pose a huge threat to the empire’s security. The Dark Night Guard is urgently investigating, and I need to borrow your Eternal Night Token to order Chapter of Imbalance to cooperate with us.” Roger had previously given the Eternal Night Token to Xiao Qiao Yi, but he had since kept it with him for his own actions in various places. Now, with Xiao Qiao Yi’s investigation blocked by Chapter of Imbalance, she needed to use this token, which held the same authority as the Empress of Eternal Night. Coming to the Sea Kingdom in person for this item was completely within protocol. However, she could have easily ordered someone else to do it, rather than using this opportunity for a secret rendezvous.
Upon hearing her explanation, Roger immediately understood what batch of weapons she was referring to and couldn’t help but chuckle, “Ah, those mushroom bombs. The Dark Night Guard is doing well to notice them so quickly… But you don’t need to worry; Frankenstein sold them to the Naga. You don’t need to be concerned.” Xiao Qiao Yi’s expression shifted to one of utter confusion and shock, mixed with a hint of anxiety. “We in the empire are struggling to figure things out, and you, here in the depths of the sea, know as if you were there?” The Minister of Industry personally engaged in illegal operations, and the Commander of the Dark Night Guard is fully aware of it. Is this a distortion of human nature or a decline in morals? It’s obvious there’s a conspiracy behind this; this person right here is the umbrella shielding the illegal organization! Xiao Qiao Yi, having stumbled upon a seemingly impossible conclusion, wore a solemn expression and reprimanded, “So you’re colluding, selling out the empire’s interests!” Roger saw through her act and, feigning interest with a menacing tone, pressed closer to Xiao Qiao Yi, “You shouldn’t know about this.” “You… Don’t come any closer!” “It’s too late. I’m very curious now. Will the righteous Commander of the Dark Night Guard report me, or will she offer herself to the tiger and persuade me to reform?” “I choose three. If I can’t beat you, I’ll join you. We’ll get rich together!” Xiao Qiao Yi pouted and threw herself into Roger’s arms, looking up at him, “My lord, you knew this all along, didn’t you?” Roger nodded. Frankenstein had been furious at the time and sold the restricted weapons to Nicole. However, he could still see the updated equipment list on the Anti-Azurevine Alliance’s public channel. Roger had remained silent then and hadn’t instructed Frankenstein not to sell them. Consequently, Frankenstein believed Roger was either unaware or indifferent and decided to go through with the sale, planning to surprise Lydia. What good would your biochemical fish swarms do? They are still carbon-based life forms. I’ll just nuke them, and how numerous can your fish swarms possibly be?
Xiao Qiao Yi pondered the matter, a hint of sulkiness in her voice, “Then why didn’t you tell me? My lord, while you’re in the Sea Kingdom, I’ve been worried about your safety.” “You should have more confidence in me.” “Confidence aside, I still worry.” “Are you blaming me?” “Yes, I am. And I’m so upset that you have to tell me the whole truth to appease me!” Xiao Qiao Yi grabbed Roger’s arm, acting a bit spoiled, hoping he would satisfy her curiosity. It seemed like a stone had been lifted from her heart, and the atmosphere between them became much lighter. Previously, Xiao Qiao Yi had discovered an inside informant in Chapter of Imbalance selling weapons of mass destruction abroad. She was extremely worried about causing irreparable trouble for the empire and even threatening the safety of Roger and Margaret on the front lines. As a result, she couldn’t relax and had been carrying a burden. Now that Roger claimed he had known all along and assured her there was no need to worry, it was clear he had orchestrated the entire situation himself without informing her, giving her ample reason to be angry. As a member of the Dark Night Guard, the Commander should share important intelligence and make joint judgments. However, their relationship transcended that of a mere leader and subordinate; they were lovers. Therefore, this curiosity could serve as a lubricant for their relationship, allowing for communication in a more relaxed environment.
Roger chuckled, “Explaining this is rather troublesome. Why don’t you just take a guess?” Xiao Qiao Yi self-deprecatingly replied, “I’m so foolish, how could I possibly guess?” “It’s alright. Whatever you guess, I’ll consider it correct.” “This… You just don’t want to tell me!” “You’ve discovered my secret.” “My lord, my dearest lord, please tell me…” “Shall we follow the old rule?” “My lord, here… ” “Don’t worry, no one will disturb us.” Xiao Qiao Yi gazed at Roger with a seductive smile, her body slowly leaning forward…
… …
Sea Kingdom Palace, night, Roger’s palace. Xiao Qiao Yi did not return to Audu. With approval from her superiors, she was permitted to remain in the Sea Kingdom to observe the upcoming battles and gain practical experience, and so on… This had also been Xiao Qiao Yi’s long-held wish. Since joining the military, she had only participated in one battle disguised as a rebel army, which was essentially a poorly fought skirmish on par with rural brawls, not a true war. It was also after that operation that she met Roger. To stay by Roger’s side, she had directly resigned from the military. The battle between the Sea Kingdom and the Naga, regardless of its skill level, was at least large in scale and a clash between regular armies, making it the largest-scale battle in the Eternal Night World at the time. Xiao Qiao Yi had fought thousands of virtual wars and was now just one step away from a real battlefield, unwilling to leave. As for whether there were other reasons for her reluctance to leave, those who understand, understand… Using “since I’m already here” as an excuse and deliberately acting well-behaved, she successfully persuaded Roger to stay with her. Of course, this was also because the upcoming battles were not particularly dangerous. Even Frankenstein’s “irregular” actions were ultimately under Roger’s control. He claimed he was playing along, but Xiao Qiao Yi had strong reason to suspect that this scoundrel might have intentionally guided the situation to its current state. Given Roger’s understanding of Frankenstein, a simple word to Frankenstein before testing Base Coral, or a different way to inform her in advance, could have prevented Frankenstein’s impulsive actions.
However, Roger did not do so. The first notification Frankenstein received was feedback on Saint Nicole’s equipment, giving her the illusion of being abandoned. This prompted her to resort to desperate measures to regain control of the situation. A brief explanation of the cognitive differences between the two worlds is necessary here. Nuclear weapons, while highly valued in the empire, do not hold the same world-altering significance as they did on Earth. Magic spells with yields of millions of tons, or even greater, have always existed. The persistent environmental damage caused by some magical experiments is no less severe than nuclear contamination. To mages, mushroom bombs are seen as “powerful, quick, and energy-producible weapons.” Their value lies in their ease of manufacture and cost-effectiveness, not in their absolute supremacy. This is a characteristic of different worlds. Just as the appearance of submarines wouldn’t be as impactful as the giant sentient whales of the sea races, it wouldn’t cause the morale of the sea races to collapse. Therefore, Frankenstein didn’t take the sales ban too seriously, believing the Empress simply liked these “big boom booms” and wanted to hoard more. After calming down, she didn’t consider it a major issue and proceeded with the transaction. Roger… was in a similar situation now. He had received the news long ago but allowed the situation to unfold, giving Xiao Qiao Yi several reasons: Firstly, only superweapons could solidify the Naga’s determination to continue fighting. Otherwise, Nicole would enter a fanatical state. Secondly, by holding Frankenstein’s leverage, the Empress of Eternal Night would naturally deal with her, calming her overconfidence from this period. Thirdly, by letting the Sea Kingdom understand the enemy’s power and instill fear, it would push them to align more closely with the empire. Lastly, if the Minister of Industry could secretly sell weapons abroad, why couldn’t her Dark Night Guard Commander secretly add a little “spice” to these two weapons? Thus, in the end, the sale of these mushroom bombs to the Naga actually expanded Roger’s room for maneuver.
Moreover, the Naga are not foolish. If Terra were to sell weapons of this caliber normally, they would inevitably suspect a trap and become extremely cautious. However, Frankenstein’s impulsive actions, combined with Nicole’s assessment of her emotions, actions, and transaction channels, allowed her to definitively conclude that this was the impulsive act of an alchemical master. It was her “extreme luck” to have rolled into a limited-availability pool… How could she miss this opportunity? “I’m going to spend big!” As the Naga received their equipment, the front line once again became tense. Roger, Xiao Qiao Yi, and Margaret returned to the second defense line along with Crown Prince Shaq. “You’ve sent quite a few people from the Dark Night Guard, haven’t you?” Margaret eyed Xiao Qiao Yi suspiciously, seemingly detecting something unusual between her and Roger.
