Exclusive Possession – CH 073

Chapter 73.

The spotlight was very bright, and the female reporter sitting across from me had exquisite makeup, like a beautiful flower in full bloom.

“Miss Hua Yao, why did you choose to reveal this information to the Empire six months before the disaster?” Her voice was sweet and intelligent. “Is there a special meaning behind it?”

I looked at her and the camera behind her and remained silent for a short while.

“Miss Hua?” she asked tentatively.

“It has no special meaning,” I replied calmly. “The Time Clan shouldn’t interfere with the fate of other races, but I just happened to remember this matter and didn’t want Nuo’er to be sad. That’s why I brought it up.”

My indifferent attitude successfully stunned her.

But she reacted quickly, smiling and saying, “Miss Hua and Prince Nuo’er’s relationship is indeed steadfast and deep. Miss Hua is also a woman. There are only 138 days left until the day of disaster you predicted, and you will remain in the capital, sharing life and death with Prince Nuo’er. Are you afraid or nervous?”

I guess she asked that question just to satisfy the public’s gossip-loving nature.

I paused for a moment before replying, “This question is meaningless. I can open a spacetime rift and leave at any time, so there’s no danger like what you’re facing. Staying here now is just to wait for Nuo’er to finish his work.”

She was speechless again.

I asked her, “Any other questions? I have an appointment this afternoon.”

…

After Morin saw the reporters out, I stood by the window and watched the female reporter say something to her assistant with a dissatisfied expression. She must have thought I was too cold and arrogant.

But this was exactly the effect I wanted.

Morin protested my attitude, not understanding why I had abandoned my approachable style. But the next day, when he saw the reports from various media outlets about the interview, he had to admit that it had been effective.

The results were truly remarkable. Some of my advisors were initially worried that my visit might lead the public to suspect I was a fraud and that it might incite public demonstrations and protests.

But now, most of the public discussion revolves around the interview content, focusing on how to respond to crises more effectively. Of course, some newspapers had criticized me for being of a superior race, expressing disrespect towards the Stan people. But only a few had questioned the veracity of my statements.

Coupled with the official disaster announcement issued by the Academy of Sciences and the emperor’s heartfelt mobilization speech to the entire nation, within a few days, public opinion had already shifted—relocation was the only way to survive.

However, this tactic of “retreating to advance”—using the indifferent attitude of a superior race to gain the blind admiration and natural trust of the Stan people—was taught to me by Yi Pucheng.

Yesterday morning, Mu Xian had just left when Morin came running over, looking embarrassed and angry.

“Miss! Yi Pucheng is utterly lawless!”

“What’s going on?” I sighed; this emperor was really hard to please.

Now, Mu Xian had heavily guarded the palace. Firstly, to prevent any potential exposure of the situation in Yi Pucheng, and secondly, to protect our safety. Any disturbances within the palace were reported to me by Morin first, because Mu Xian simply didn’t have the time.

Morin angrily retorted, “Yi Pucheng slept with two maids yesterday!”

I froze.

I immediately rushed out and hurried towards the “Emperor’s Palace” with Morin. Morin gave me a stop-and-go report along the way. Apparently, Yi Pucheng said he wasn’t feeling well last night and had two maids serve him in the inner palace. Who knew he’d end up having a threesome in the middle of the night, making so much noise that the guards outside the palace blushed? Mu Xian and I had gone to sleep, which was why Morin only came to report this morning.

As soon as I stepped into the palace, I saw His Majesty the Emperor sitting on the bed, one hand on the bed, looking languid and smiling. Opposite him, under the light, a beautiful female reporter with slightly flushed cheeks said in a voice as sweet as a nightingale’s, “Your Majesty speaks so well! After this televised address is broadcast, the whole nation will be moved.”

I could feel my skin tightening.

Yi Pucheng certainly saw me. His gaze swept over me, and his smile deepened. “Yaoyao, what do you need your father for?” As soon as he spoke, the reporters and cameramen all turned to look at me.

Father?

I forced a smile and said, “Your Majesty, there are some important matters that require your immediate opinion.”

Yi Pucheng smiled and said, “Child, don’t be so reserved. You can call me Father directly.”

Me: “…Father.”

He nodded in satisfaction, and the reporters and cameramen looked touched. He then said to them, “Let’s go to the side hall for tea first, and we will talk later.”

Finally, it’s quiet.

“Yi Pucheng!” I roared. “How could you sleep with a woman? The emperor has been bedridden for three years, and you…you still…”

He picked up some fruit from the table, popped it into his mouth, and casually replied, “It’s nothing. I’ve already told the reporters that you used your spiritual power to heal me, and I’m much better now. The emperor has been thirsty for three years; he needs to release some pent-up desire.”

I was completely speechless.

“But how could you harm those maids?” I said coldly.

He glanced at me and said, “Then you’re wrong. They did it willingly.”

Looking at his ambiguous smile, I knew perfectly well that my confrontation with him had officially ended in defeat.

I decided to go back and instruct Morin to have the guards keep a close eye on things and also to replace all the maids in the bedchamber with older, less attractive ones. Thinking this, I calmed down again.

There was no point in arguing, and just as I was about to get up and leave, the reporters returned. I smiled at them, and the beautiful reporter smiled back and said, “Ms. Hua, since you’re here, how about we begin our interview this afternoon?”

I was taken aback; of course, I didn’t want to. Yi Pucheng was right there, and he was in the way. But to my surprise, he seemed to know what I was thinking, and before I could refuse, he said, “Okay, Yaoyao, come sit over here.”

Of course, I didn’t sit down there; instead, I sat with the reporter on a sofa five meters away from him.

“Could you first tell the people of the whole country what kind of race the Time Clan is?” the reporter asked.

Facing the camera and the lights, I felt a little nervous. I smiled and said, “Our people are very peaceful. Actually, we aren’t much different from the Stan people, except we are all pure human beings…”

The reporter then asked, “Why are you making this disaster prediction at this particular time?”

I replied, “Because I was injured before.” Then I repeated what I had said to the scientists and ministers a couple of days earlier and concluded, “Please believe me!”

The reporter smiled and gave me an approving look. I felt a sense of relief and was about to exchange pleasantries with her when I felt two intense gazes fixed on me.

Yip City.

“You all go out first; I have something to say to Yaoyao,” he suddenly said.

As soon as the reporters left, he blurted out, “If this interview were broadcast, half the population of Stan would take to the streets in protest.”

I was both angry and confused: “You jinx!”

He glanced at me and said, “Don’t you understand that human nature is inherently base?”

I was stunned: “What do you mean?”

“I will reluctantly give you some pointers, considering the amount Nuo’er paid.” He sat down on the sofa opposite me, glanced at me sideways, and said, “Bring the grapes over.”

I……

She silently walked over, picked it up, and placed it on the table in front of him.

He ate a few grapes with satisfaction, spitting the skins all over the table, before lazily saying, “The higher you stand, the less you care about them, and the more they will believe you. That’s what human nature is all about. The way you were just now, having to watch the reporters’ reactions before you even speak, you’re just waiting to be drowned in the spittle of the proud Stan people.”

I frowned as I listened.

The education I received from childhood taught me to be an honest and approachable person. Yi Pucheng’s words were aggressive, yet they seemed to make some sense, which made me feel very uncomfortable.

“Sincere communication is the key to winning someone over,” I said firmly.

“Psychological tactics are the key to confusing the enemy,” he added even faster.

For a moment, I felt completely unable to communicate with this person. Yet, vaguely, I sensed that what he said was on another level. My mind involuntarily drifted to a meeting a few days ago, where I spoke so earnestly, almost to the point of tears, but those who should have voted against it still did.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right, and I wanted to take the risk and give it a try.

“Thank you.” I pondered for a moment, then stood up and said, “You are right; I will try it as you suggested.”

This time, he was taken aback, looking at me thoughtfully, a smile rising from his wrinkled eyes: “You aren’t too stupid, woman.”

I didn’t want to laugh, but he now had the face of an emperor, old and pale, yet he was laughing so sinisterly it was really eerie, like an old monster.

“What are you laughing at?” He noticed it keenly and narrowed his eyes.

I didn’t answer and left.

So I had Morin reschedule the visit, and following Yi Pucheng’s instructions, I put on a very formal and respectful demeanor. But the results were unexpectedly good.

Yi Pucheng was truly an unfathomable person.

…

It influenced public opinion, which could be considered a help to Mu Xian.

Thinking this, I felt relieved and asked Morin to compile excerpts from the reports of major media outlets and put them into the chip. Mu Xian probably hadn’t had time to read them yet.

When the stars had all risen into the sky, Mu Xian, unsurprisingly, hadn’t returned. I took the chip, had the cook make some hot soup, and went to Mu Xian’s office to visit him.

The night was deep and still, and Yu Mountain lay pale and quiet under the starlight. As we passed the emperor’s palace, one of our guards gave me a hand gesture, indicating that Yi Pucheng was celebrating again.

I had no choice but to let him go.

The white palace that Zheng used as his office was brightly lit. I walked to Mu Xian’s door and knocked lightly.

“Come in,” a cold voice said.

Just hearing the voice softened my heart. I pushed open the door and froze.

Mu Xian and Ta Rui, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time, stood side by side by the window. When they saw me, Mu Xian strode over to greet me and took the things from my hands, and Ta Rui gave me a friendly smile.

Tarui, at the moment, hadn’t yet joined the interrogation of me under the emperor’s orders. Looking back, perhaps he was unaware that the emperor had executed me, or perhaps he genuinely wanted to clear my name.

Seeing his slightly shy smile at that moment, I still felt a little choked up.

However, Mu Xian didn’t stand on ceremony. He picked up the late-night snack I had brought and said to Tarui, “Wait a moment.” Tarui nodded, and Mu Xian sat down to eat. He couldn’t share the food I had brought with anyone.

“Are you cold?” I asked.

A faint smile appeared in his eyes: “Perfect.”

A sweet feeling welled up inside me. Tari glanced at us with a smile, then turned to look out the window.

Mu Xian finished eating quickly, put down his bowl, and said, “Wait for me a moment. I will go back after I finish talking to Tarui.”

My heart leaped with joy; he could go back to sleep today. I nodded. “No rush; you guys get back to your work.”

They sat down again, opened some data reports, and began to discuss. After a while, Tarui turned off the hover computer and asked, “Should we recall Kenya?”

Upon hearing this long-forgotten name, I looked up.

Kenya, the second prince, was imprisoned by the emperor on an asteroid three thousand light-years away from Stan after his failed coup attempt with Mu Xian in the capital.

Thinking about it this way, Zhuo Wu, 30 million years later, actually reminds me a bit of Kenya. I wonder if it’s just my imagination.

I’d heard rumors about him on and off. His mother’s family was already prestigious and wealthy, wielding considerable influence in the government. I’d heard he hadn’t stayed put on that asteroid; instead, he’d bought several asteroids and satellites in that area and maintained good relations with mercenary forces there. He was practically establishing himself as a regional warlord. But since he didn’t return to the capital, the emperor seemed to turn a blind eye.

Should we summon him back?

I recalled his deep jealousy of Mu Xian and suddenly felt something was amiss.

Mu Xian’s answer was even more concise: “No need.”

Likely, Tarui was already hesitant, but after listening to Mu Xian’s words, he nodded and took his leave.

Walking hand in hand with Mu Xian in the night was a rare moment of peace after several days.

I told him about the news reports, but I didn’t dare say it was Yi Pucheng’s idea; I only said that Morin taught me by reading a psychology book. Mu Xian patted my hair: “Good job.”

We found a quiet patch of grass and sat down. Morin, who had been following us at a distance, chased away the nearby guards. Mu Xian had already flipped over and pinned me to the ground.

Of course not, physical intimacy alone never seemed enough. I lay on the cool grass, gazing at the high-hanging stars, a gentle night breeze caressing me. Mu Xian’s hands were already inside my clothes, his head buried in my neck, and wandering over my chest. I felt like a sacrifice lying in the wilderness, while his handsome face, like a deity, silently savored me.

“Have all 2,400 mental power users been sent away?” I asked in a low voice.

“Yes. They were delivered to the space fortress this morning.”

This was what I was most concerned about, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

I discussed with Mu Xian that we should secretly send these people away and then send them to different planets in batches—the more dispersed, the better—so that it would be impossible to stimulate their potential.

However, the people of Stan were also awakened to their potential in the darkness, and eventually, the majority of the population possessed extraordinary mental strength. Even if we send away those who already possess mental strength, we couldn’t guarantee that other civilians of Stan wouldn’t reveal their mental strength in the future.

The only option was to nip any potential dangers in the bud.

“Mu Xian, let’s have a child after this is all done.”

“Um.”

I paused for a moment and then said, “Before, my physiological functions were artificially suppressed. Now it’s fine.”

He suddenly looked up at me, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

I felt guilty: “I’m sorry.”

He stared at me, a smile slowly rising in his eyes.

I understood why he was laughing; he must have been thinking of the past. I laughed too.

Just as I was about to speak, I saw him pause, look up into the distance, and gaze at me with a solemn expression.

My heart skipped a beat: “What’s wrong?”

He straightened my disheveled clothes, pulled me to my feet, and kept his gaze fixed ahead. I looked in the same direction, a chill running down my spine: it was the direction of Yu.

“I felt Yu’s energy vibration,” he said in a deep voice.

I was taken aback: Was it because he had stayed in Yu for a long time that he could clearly sense the subtle changes in Yu’s energy field? What happened over there?

Without further ado, we flew swiftly past the green fields and woods of the palace, heading towards Yu Mountain, one after the other.

The night was dark, and everything on the ground seemed to rush past. Passing over the roof of a tall palace, one could see Yu Mountain, like a white behemoth, lying dormant on the ground. In the shadows, a black figure leaped swiftly from the summit of Yu Mountain and disappeared into the night.

We chased after them, but soon arrived at a palace where the water and starlight reflected each other. Several guards stood guard at the gate, several palace maids quickly made way for us when they saw us, and a group of soldiers under Mu Xian stopped at a distance and saluted us.

The person had vanished without a trace.

“What should we do if we lose them?” I asked.

Mu Xian’s eyes darkened slightly: “He didn’t lose it. He took a highly energetic substance from Yu. I could feel it.”

I found it strange—is there some kind of highly energetic substance in Yu?

Mu Xian frowned: “I didn’t sense the existence of this substance before, but its energy field is exactly the same as Yu’s, and it just burst out with energy.”

I was even more surprised to hear this—energy matter that had just burst forth from Yu?

Could there be other secrets hidden inside Yu?

Despite the many doubts, Mu Xian’s gaze still landed precisely on one spot.

The emperor’s bedroom.

Could it be Yi Pucheng?

We entered the palace, walked through a long corridor, and arrived at the door of the emperor’s bedroom. The door was ajar, and we could faintly hear the sounds of a man and woman making love.

I froze slightly. I hadn’t told Mu Xian about Yi Pucheng’s extravagant lifestyle yet, afraid of upsetting him. Just then, Mu Xian suddenly pulled me into his arms, and with a wave of his hands, I felt warm spiritual energy envelop my ears, and I couldn’t hear anything anymore.

Mu Xian’s face darkened—he naturally didn’t like me hearing other people’s voices like that.

Mu Xian said something. A few minutes later, a maidservant, her clothes disheveled, rushed out, her face flushed, and bowed to us before hurrying away. We stood at the door for a while longer, then the force covering my ears suddenly disappeared, and Mu Xian led me inside.

Yi Pucheng was already dressed, his body casually stretched out on the sofa, the top two buttons of his shirt undone, revealing a small patch of skin.

“What’s up?” He looked at us lazily. “It’s unethical to interrupt others!”

Mu Xian glanced at him and waved his hand, and a flash of blue light appeared. Suddenly, a bright, luminous object flew out of Yi Pucheng’s pocket, leaving a faint trail of light before landing in Mu Xian’s palm.

I was utterly bewildered. Yi Pucheng’s expression changed drastically, and he sprang up from the sofa: “Again!”

Mu Xian stared at the chip in his palm, then waved his hand again. A flash of blue light appeared, and Yi Pucheng was knocked back onto the sofa. His face was gloomy, devoid of any smile.

“You agreed to cooperate with me just for this?” Mu Xian asked calmly.

My heart skipped a beat—was Yi Pucheng’s help really premeditated? If Mu Xian hadn’t been able to sense Yu’s energy, wouldn’t he have already taken the chip? Was his nightly debauchery just a cover for his true purpose?

In his previous life, he didn’t do such a thing.

Or perhaps in his previous life, he simply didn’t have the chance to do it?

What secret was he hiding?

Yi Pucheng suddenly laughed again, but it was a cold laugh: “What are you talking about? This is my stuff.”

“What is this?” Mu Xian’s fair face, illuminated by the faint light of the chip, appeared cold and sinister. “If you don’t tell me, I will crush it.”

Yi Pucheng stared at Mu Xian for a few seconds, then slumped back and cursed, “Damn it.”