ABFMV Chapter 31 Part 1

So it was settled—she would enter the palace.

The next morning, when Xu Linlang saw an entire contingent of guards posted outside the Marshal’s residence, she finally realized just how big a scene this was.

Rong Ruyue stood on the steps. “If anything happens to Linlang, I’ll hold you all accountable.”

The guards raised their heads and shouted in unison: “We swear to protect the young lady!”

Linlang leaned over and whispered to her mother, “Mom, are all these guards coming with me to the palace? Didn’t you say His Majesty wouldn’t do anything to me?”

Rong Ruyue gently rubbed her back. “Better safe than sorry.”

Linlang counted nearly a hundred guards. All of them were going with her into the palace? That was basically treating the imperial guards like they didn’t exist.

No wonder Rong Chen was always plotting to get rid of the Xu family—having the military in someone else’s hands would make any emperor uneasy.

Her mother knew that even better than she did, yet still put on such a bold display. It was all about not showing weakness.

As long as the Xu family stayed strong, the emperor would tread carefully, unwilling to make a rash move. But if they ever appeared weak, he’d seize the chance to strike.

Only if both sides balanced each other’s power could there be a fragile equilibrium.

Qiye, standing beside her, didn’t so much as flinch at the show of force. He simply followed her onto the starship.

Linlang had a bad habit: whenever she was nervous, she turned into a chatterbox, always needing to talk to ease the tension.

This was her first time entering the palace since arriving in this world—worse still, to meet a man who wanted her dead.

She didn’t know why Rong Chen had summoned her, but she figured there was a 99.999% chance it wasn’t for anything good.

The remaining 0.001%? That he had something even worse in mind.

She glanced at Chu Luochi, who was absorbed in his handheld game, and asked, “The emperor didn’t even summon you this time. Why are you tagging along with me?”

Chu Luochi scratched his head. “Of course—to protect you!”

Qiye shot him a frosty look, eyes sharp and scrutinizing.

Short, weak presence, decent looks at best, and skills that were nothing to brag about. What exactly was his worth?

But what if Linlang liked that type?

Qiye’s inner alarm bells went off. He quickly turned to study Linlang’s reaction.

She rapped her knuckles on the table. “Tell the truth.”

Chu Luochi’s face fell. “My dad made me come. He said since I’m on good terms with the Crown Prince, I should check in on him—and while I’m at it, keep my eyes open about the palace’s situation.”

Linlang arched a brow. “On good terms?”

“If liking one of my posts on the Starnet counts.”

Linlang: “…”

She immediately gave up on expecting him to be “observant.”

Honestly, even his father, Academician Chu Shao, probably hadn’t expected much from that part either.

Eating, drinking, and having fun—that was Chu Luochi’s specialty. Intrigue and strategy? Not a chance.

Still, the fact that Chu Shao had sent him was a statement.

As the Empire’s top geneticist, Chu Shao was already rattled by the discovery that the Zerg had produced more advanced experimental soldiers.

That meant a full-scale war between humans and Zerg might break out soon.

And that would be nothing like the occasional border raids—this would be the real thing.

At such a critical moment, the geneticist clearly didn’t want Rong Chen to suppress the Xu family.

With Marshal Xu around, humanity still had a chance at victory.

So Chu Luochi was there as his father’s stand-in, a way of backing Linlang publicly. Combined with her being Elder Jiang’s student, plus her own family background, Rong Chen would have to think long and hard before moving against her.

Chu Luochi finally set down his game console, sighed, and told Linlang, “After today, I’m afraid His Majesty will see me and you as tied together.”

Qiye’s voice was cold. “I’m here too. Does that mean he’ll tie you to me as well?”

Chu Luochi: “…”

Why did Qiye’s tone sound so strange?

He was pretty sure he’d never even met Qiye before, much less offended him.

So what was with this antagonism?

Maybe Qiye held a grudge against his dad over genetics and was taking it out on him?

Chu Luochi quietly scooted a little closer to Linlang—and a little farther from Qiye.

But then he caught Qiye’s eyes turning even colder.

Chu Luochi: “!?”

Linlang patted his shoulder. “From here on out, you two and I are in the same boat. So please—don’t let me make any fatal mistakes.”

Chu Luochi thumped his chest. “Relax. With all our years of friendship, even if you do mess up, I’ll stand with you. If the sky falls, I’ll hold it up for you!”

Expressionless, Qiye calmly pulled up the holoscreen from his game and aimed it toward Chu Luochi.

A massive Zerg beast suddenly lunged straight at him. Chu Luochi yelped, “Mommy!” and instantly dove behind Linlang for cover.

Linlang eyed the looming image of the monster and arched an eyebrow with a smirk. “The sky falls, huh? You’ll hold it up for me?”

Chu Luochi: “…”

He gave a sheepish laugh. “That was an accident—pure accident! Next time for sure!”

Linlang: …

Yeah, right. Next time wasn’t looking too likely either.

Meanwhile, Qiye looked at Chu Luochi with lifted brows, his mood visibly lightening.

So that was it.