He Zhun

Twenty minutes​‌‍​‌​​‌​​‍⁠​‍​‌⁠​‌⁠​​​⁠ later, Jiang Ci, now fully dressed, stood in the Legion Commander’s office.

Of course, Huo Xianfeng had come along. He was currently lounging on the sofa, while Jiang Ci refused to sit, so Huo Xianfeng used his tail to support his wife’s lower back, just in case he couldn’t stand steadily.

When Zhou Jiuya caught sight of Huo Xianfeng’s tail, he was momentarily stunned, but he stopped himself from asking. After all, the Zerg had a different anatomy compared to humans. Besides, there were more pressing matters at hand.

Similarly, Jiang Ci had no energy left to worry about Huo Xianfeng. He was staring at the confidential report marked “Top Secret” that detailed numerous pieces of evidence linking He Zhun’s collusion with the Illusory God Church.

Jiang Ci was stunned into silence and completely forgot the awkward incident from a few days ago when he accidentally walked in on his uncle being intimate with someone else.

“How… how is this possible?”

From thirteen years ago, line by line, all the way up to the incident on Winter Day Planet a few months ago, there were dense records of He Zhun’s frequent contacts with the Church. He had even secretly cultivated Gardenia Roses within the Capital Academy.

Zhou Jiuya’s voice was cold: “All the evidence has been verified. There’s no mistake.”

But in truth, he also felt troubled. Though not particularly close to He Zhun, Zhou Jiuya had watched the child grow up. He Zhun was smart, courteous, gentle, and humble. Compared to the prickly Jiang Ci, he was much more like Jiang Jingsheng.

Zhou Jiuya often saw a shadow of his older brother in that young man. Moreover, He Zhun had always been well-liked, getting along smoothly with everyone. Anyone who interacted with him couldn’t help but like him.

So, it wasn’t just Jiang Ci who had never suspected He Zhun—even Zhou Jiuya never doubted him.

—Until He Zhun slipped up himself.

And according to the investigators, it seemed as though He Zhun had intentionally left this overwhelming amount of evidence behind, deliberately choosing not to destroy it.

Jiang Ci stared blankly at the text in front of him. The memory of his gentle, kind brother suddenly seemed unbearably strange.

“He Zhun…”

“Well, well, if it isn’t Lord He Zhun?”

The unfamiliar voice made He Zhun pause slightly.

But he didn’t turn around immediately, as if he hadn’t heard it, remaining still.

This was the second military base of the Illusory God Church. He stood in the grand central hall of the base building, gazing coldly through the expansive glass windows at the distant horizon.

The sky was filled with densely packed warships and fighter jets. On the ground, rows of mechas stood in neat formation, while soldiers in modified white military uniforms hurried about.

Only when the footsteps behind him drew closer did He Zhun turn around, seeing several senior disciples approaching with malicious smiles, a mix of sneers and taunts on their faces.

“Why aren’t you staying in your precious lab? What brings a noble like you to our little corner?”

“…”

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Or have these mechas and warships scared you stiff?”

He Zhun knew that in most people’s eyes, he, a seemingly fragile beta researcher, probably hadn’t seen much of the military.

—But quite the opposite was true.

He was no stranger to the military, having grown up in the Jiang family for over twenty years. Although not particularly close to Zhou Jiuya, their outward relationship was cordial. He had even visited the First Legion before, so this display was nothing impressive to him.

Not to mention—

“Scared by what?”

He Zhun sneered,

“By this ragtag bunch of defeated soldiers fleeing from Bright City?”

These useless people were so beneath him that he couldn’t even be bothered to spare them a glance.

Their expressions stiffened, but they quickly latched onto a new topic.

“We underestimated you, Lord He Zhun. What’s this, you failed to get that crippled woman’s attention and now you came back to grovel at Lord Leinster’s feet?”

“Don’t bother trying, He Zhun. Do you really think Lord Leinster would take back a traitor like you?”

The young man listened lazily, letting them finish.

“… Crippled woman?”

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Seeing this, their faces immediately changed.

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But as an Archbishop, while she couldn’t interfere with major administrative affairs, she had more than enough power to deal with a few insolent senior disciples if she wanted to.

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They immediately tried to snatch the device from him.

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“…!!!”

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“Petty revenge?”

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“L-lord Leinster…”

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If not for this, many believed that on the very night He Zhun approached Cecilia, this slut beta would have been killed by the tyrannical alpha Archbishop.

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Everyone knew about the feud between Cecilia and Leinster. For He Zhun, who had once been Leinster’s favored paramour, to side with Cecilia was a blatant slap in the face.

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“Lord Leinster, this guy…”

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Bang—

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Leinster stood there radiating murderous intent, his hawk-like eyes cold as ice. In his left hand, he held a black scimitar and crimson blood dripped from its edge.

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An Archbishop had full control over the lives of their followers. Killing someone was as easy for them as crushing an ant.

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“Y-Yes, sir!”
The disciples scrambled to clean up the body, picking up the head and dragging the remains away as if they had been granted a pardon.

In an instant, the atmosphere became tense and silent.

Just as He Zhun was about to say something, Leinster sheathed his blade with a cold laugh. Without a word, he strode past He Zhun, completely ignoring him.

As the tall and imposing alpha passed by, a gust of wind carried his aggressive pheromones, sending a chill down He Zhun’s spine.

He turned his head and watched the man’s retreating figure.

He Zhun had expected Leinster to lose his temper and impulsively interrogate him like before. Yet now, it seemed that the man had somewhat matured—a surprising development.

—But that’s okay.

The cold, indifferent young man slightly raised an eyebrow and quickly followed him.

He had come here to get answers to some pressing questions.

Such as why Cecilia hadn’t shown up during the kidnapping thirteen years ago. He Zhun had a strong intuition that this was the key to uncovering her secrets.

After all, his father had been purged during Pei Changyun’s political cleanup the same year Jiang Ci was born and the Saintess had died. He Zhun didn’t believe this was a coincidence.

Moreover, the timeline was off.

Jiang Ci’s official records listed his age as twenty-seven, but based on the information He Zhun had gathered from Leinster, the Saintess had died twenty-eight years ago, meaning Jiang Ci should have been born that same year.

Why adjust his age by a year?

And Cecilia’s reaction last night made it clear that she hadn’t intentionally killed the Saintess.

So He Zhun had to figure out what had really happened back then. But after last night, it was evident that Cecilia wouldn’t tell him anything. That left him with Leinster as his only lead.

What’s more, He Zhun wasn’t ready to completely give up on Leinster just yet. After all, he had spent thirteen years carving out a place for himself in that cold-blooded man’s heart. There was no way he would abandon it so easily.

As He Zhun followed Leinster through the base, their movements were noticed by many patrolling soldiers.

Everyone knew about He Zhun’s delicate position between the two Archbishops. The fact that this beta could appear here without being killed on the spot by Leinster was already a miracle. To see him now following Leinster was even more shocking.

The soldiers exchanged glances, but none dared to stop He Zhun as he followed him.

Leinster strode into his office and was about to close the door when he was suddenly blocked by a pale and thin hand. The tall alpha looked down and was unsurprised to see that familiar face.

“What do you want?”

Leinster sneered.
“Offering yourself up again, brat?”

The words were dripping with mockery, but He Zhun showed no sign of humiliation. His tone remained calm.
“This time, I brought something else to bargain with.”

“…Not interested.”

Leinster moved to close the door, only to freeze at He Zhun’s next words.

“Are you avoiding me, Leinster?”

The man’s hand paused mid-motion. He Zhun heard a cold laugh.
“Quite full of yourself, aren’t you, brat?”

Leinster opened the door wider, propping himself against the frame with one hand. His towering figure exuded an overwhelming feeling of oppression.
“What’s the matter? Found that woman too much to handle and came crawling back to me with your tail between your legs?”

He Zhun stared at him for a few seconds, then stepped past him into the office.

“Exactly.”

The young man turned back with a very cute, obedient smile.
“You’re easier to handle.”

Leinster’s face instantly darkened. He slammed the door shut and walked toward He Zhun with a look as menacing as a fenrir ready to pounce.

Pa—

He grabbed He Zhun’s wrist in an iron grip and asked in a cruel tone.
“Brat, do you really think I won’t kill you?”

“So, are you going to kill me, Leinster?”
He Zhun looked up at him and asked softly,
“Just like you killed that disciple earlier—chop my head off?”

“…”