Why Are the Psychos Obsessed with a Mere NPC?

A long chime sounded.

The competition officially came to a close.

As evening arrived, Jian Yu was about to leave with Ling Yanzhi, but Xi Yu grabbed her arm the moment she stood up.

"Where are you two going?"

Xi Yu raised his eyes, meeting Ling Yanzhi’s gaze.

He recalled the morning’s events. His mouth formed a straight line as his eyes posed the question.

Ling Yanzhi answered as if he could hear Xi Yu’s thoughts. "We’ve found the Dean. We can’t take you."

He added placatingly, "You’re too strong. If we bring you, they won’t feel at ease."

Jian Yu turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on Xi Yu’s hand.

She reached out with her other hand, patting the back of his, and gently pulled it away. "I’ll be back soon."

Xi Yu stood frozen in place, watching them leave.

He clenched his fist, knuckles turning white, the veins on the back of his hand faintly visible.

...

"Hold on tight." Ling Yanzhi sent a request to the Alliance to open a spatial gateway.

It was approved in three seconds.

He piloted the Mecha, flying them away from Imperial Capital Star.

Jian Yu clutched her head, feeling a wave of Dizziness. "The Dean isn’t in the Imperial City? What about tomorrow’s competition?"

"She’s on Liu Xing. He wouldn’t dare keep her in the Imperial City." Ling Yanzhi’s fingers slid across the control panel as he adjusted her seat.

Staring straight ahead, he said, "The Mecha can reach Liu Xing in just a few jumps. It won’t affect tomorrow’s competition."

Jian Yu closed her eyes.

Only after they passed through the first spatial gateway did she open them again. "His target is me. He’ll definitely propose trading the Dean for me later."

"I won’t agree to that," Ling Yanzhi blurted out.

"No, you have to agree," Jian Yu said, blinking.

This was the first time she didn’t feign being frightened by his crimson eyes, which were tinged with hostility.

Her brows furrowed slightly. "The Dean is just an ordinary person. I’m stronger than her. I’m confident I can get away."

"I’m not," Ling Yanzhi said, his blood-red pupils retracting as his eyes returned to their normal color.

He had only agreed to bring Jian Yu because he didn’t want her to act rashly and run off on her own to save the Dean like a headless chicken.

He certainly hadn’t said anything about trading her for someone else.

"Don’t worry. I’ll trade someone else for the Dean."

Jian Yu lowered her gaze in thought. "But your father’s target is me. You’re very powerful. I trust you can protect me."

Ling Yanzhi was completely unyielding. "I’m useless. I’m not powerful."

He turned his head. "That old fossil is a Level 2S Awakener. His Soul Beast is a two-headed snake."

Jian Yu looked up, her expression serious. "You’re Level 3S. Red Snake is very strong. You can have it follow me."

"He’ll inspect you. He can sense Red Snake’s aura—it’s a special ability of our family."

"You have to listen to me."

"I’m listening. What did you say?"

"..."

Jian Yu pressed her lips together, hesitating.

She tried to organize her thoughts. "Or... you could tell me his weakness. What’s his fatal flaw?"

Jian Yu pressed on, her big eyes blinking. "The tail? The head? The eyes?"

Ling Yanzhi set the Mecha to autopilot and silently turned his head to the side.

His eyes sized up Jian Yu.

Big eyes, a small mouth. Though her expression was neutral, she had a certain naive charm.

Pei Yin had said Jian Yu was cute.

Ling Yanzhi had always assumed he meant her personality was cute.

’Looking at her now, was he talking about her face?’

"It’s the Snake Tongue."

Ling Yanzhi’s gaze returned to the control panel. "Red Snake’s is, too."

His voice was low, his profile stern.

But in Jian Yu’s eyes, he seemed to be bathed in a radiant halo.

"I promise I won’t hit you," Jian Yu said, lowering her head and pursing her lips, her lashes fanning downwards.

Ling Yanzhi chuckled. "Look at you now."

’Tsk, he’d created such a romantic, intimate, and moving atmosphere.’

’He’d even handed over his own weakness.’

’How disappointing.’

The Mecha entered Liu Xing’s airspace and headed toward their destination.

It passed over a willow forest and arrived at a vast, empty expanse of land.

Jian Yu had excellent eyesight. She peered down below.

Artificial light posts lined both sides of a road, and dozens of people stood beside Ling Chengfeng.

"I see the Dean." Jian Yu turned her head. "Your father brought a lot of people."

She didn’t ask what to do, silently calculating her own combat potential.

’If their Levels are between A and 2S, I should be able to control fifteen of them.’

Since Ling Yanzhi was being so sincere with her, Jian Yu didn’t want to be coy at a time like this.

She looked at the fully Awakened red Hidden Beast Aura on her wrist.

"If there are any Alien Beasts nearby, I think I can try to summon them for help."

Ling Yanzhi’s expression wasn’t particularly surprised.

He let the Mecha descend slowly, leaned over, and hugged her. "Don’t be afraid. I can handle this."

Jian Yu’s fingers brushed over her heart. "Wait a little longer. Go out slowly. The distance is too great, I’m afraid I won’t be fast enough."

A red mist erupted from her, spreading out through the Mecha’s open window.

Ling Yanzhi slowed the Mecha’s descent to its minimum speed.

Red Snake flew out, its small wings fluttering.

It sensed the auras. "They’re all Awakeners, Level A and above. Besides your father, there are three Level 2S."

Ling Yanzhi’s gaze swept over the people below.

His tone was cold and laced with nonchalance. "He really thinks highly of me."

Jian Yu didn’t really want to comment on their sham of a father-son relationship.

But at this moment, she had to ask.

"If he goes too far, can I use lethal force on him?"

Ling Yanzhi’s eyelids lifted. "He’d be asking for it. If you succeed, I’ll be proud of you."

Jian Yu’s principle was to not say or do more than was necessary about things that shouldn’t be discussed.

Today, that principle might have gone out the window.

"Is there anything I need to do? Or should I help you test your father?"

Ling Yanzhi looked into Jian Yu’s clear, bright eyes, finding them more and more precious the longer he looked.

He thought to himself: ’Revealing my weakness wasn’t entirely useless. At least, I was moved by her reaction.’

Ling Yanzhi didn’t know what kind of relationship he could possibly have with Ling Chengfeng.

"No need. I’ve never believed that relationships can be repaired."

He was just a little resentful.

The Mecha descended slowly, but Ling Chengfeng didn’t dare to lash out.

Before they came, Jian Yu had changed out of her favorite Princess dress.

She put on pants and even wore shoes that were best for a quick getaway.

The two sides took their positions. Neither broke the silence.

Jian Yu looked at the Dean, who was gagged and had injuries on her face, and started to get antsy.

’No one’s talking? Then I will.’

"Let the Dean go, and I’ll be your hostage."

Jian Yu thought she was just stating his plan out loud, but Ling Chengfeng looked at her with a wary expression.

He looked exasperated. "Your soul beast level is Level 3S—the entire interstellar community knows that! Trade her for you? Am I an idiot? Do you take me for a fool who doesn’t know the situation? You think I’m not connected to the net?"

Jian Yu took two awkward steps back. "It seems I’m the one who didn’t understand the situation."

Her eyes flashed with anger. "Be careful! That blade is about to cut my mother’s face."

Ling Chengfeng sneered. "They’ve already roughed your mother up several times. Are you really worried about a few more injuries?"

Jian Yu’s eyes reddened, and she could barely hold back the welling tears.

Ling Yanzhi frowned.

He forcefully suppressed the surging irritation in his heart.

"Just say what you want."

Ling Chengfeng tossed over a Soul Beast suppression collar. "Put this on. Then throw over everything you have on you."