Wreckage of the Jingwei Mothership.
Princess Luling landed in front of Wang Chuzhong, swiftly dispatching the guards attempting to protect him with a few precise shots, then kicking him hard to the ground.
The psychic amplifier rolled to the ground and was promptly shot to pieces.
"Cough, cough." Wang Chuzhong spat out blood, revealing crimson teeth as he grinned fiercely. "I never thought my final journey would be escorted by Princess Luling..."
"His Majesty decrees that the Duke of Wuchang, having been injected with foreign blood leading to systemic failure, 'died of illness' two months later," Princess Luling stated indifferently.
"Your father is still the same as ever." Wang Chuzhong laughed mockingly. "Having already used my hand to weaken the aristocracy of Jiankang, why not directly announce my execution? Is he still wary of Su Zigao?"
"The dying need not ask questions," Princess Luling said coldly, producing a syringe. "Quick death, with a painkiller included."
"Thank you for your grace." Wang Chuzhong grabbed the syringe and pressed it against his neck.
"By the way," his eyes, clouded by blood loss, suddenly sparkled with one last light, "Cheng Jinyang, he inherited that terrifying power from his mother, didn't he..."
"...No, even a great demon can't use multiple abilities simultaneously... Their powers are usually singular, powerful, and deadly, whereas Cheng Jinyang's ability... remains powerful and deadly, but is more complex..."
"If the Emperor uses him as a blade, he may repeat the mistake of Sima Zhengdu..."
"I won't relay this," Princess Luling interrupted coldly. "You can stop hoping to plant a seed through me."
"Plant a seed?" Wang Chuzhong laughed, both triumphant and wretched. "No, the seed was planted long ago... I'm just revealing its existence..."
"Seeking solace?" Princess Luling asked.
"Perhaps." Wang Chuzhong closed his eyes and ruthlessly injected the syringe into his neck.
After a moment, his hand fell limply, and his pupils dilated.
Princess Luling looked at his corpse calmly for a moment before lifting it and flying towards Jiankang City.
After handing the body over to the Jinyiwei, she pondered for a while before deciding to visit her sister in the hospital.
With the destruction of the Jingwei Mothership, Jiankang City no longer needed to maintain the city shield, and Princess Nankang, this 007 guard, could finally rest... However, instead of resting, she went straight to guard her "Jinyang."
Tsk, tsk.
Princess Luling wanted to mock but, finding no one around, had to restrain herself.
Might as well visit the hospital first.
At the hospital, after asking for Cheng Jinyang's room, the receptionist nurse looked at her with a peculiar expression.
What? What's so interesting to look at? I've replaced all my metal parts with spare cloned organs! From head to toe, I'm now a pure beautiful girl, no external implants!
She went to the restroom to confirm her facial skin again.
Yes, yes, full of elasticity, no abnormalities.
Happily, she took the elevator to the 17th floor, found Cheng Jinyang's room, and knocked on the door.
"Come in," someone inside said.
Princess Luling pushed the door open.
And saw one, two, three, four, five, six—six girls packed into the room.
Xing Yuanzhi sat by the bed, wiping Cheng Jinyang's face with a wrung-out towel as he wore an oxygen mask. Miss Wang lay on the empty bed next to him, reading a book. Chu Qingqing stood by the bedside table, intently peeling an apple, the peel falling in curls.
Yang Wangshu leaned against the balcony door, holding a gaming console, her fingers clicking rapidly. Cui Jinqi sat on Miss Wang's bed, watching a drama on her tablet with headphones, occasionally smiling.
Princess Nankang stood at the door, flipping through a medical report. As Princess Luling entered, only her sister turned to look at her.
"How is he?" Princess Luling asked softly.
"He's in shock." Princess Nankang handed her the medical report.
Princess Luling opened it.
The report clearly stated that Cheng Jinyang's body had been greatly overexerted, and currently, all his vital functions were maintained at a low level.
However, there was no immediate danger to his life.
The time for him to regain consciousness was unknown, as his body had already entered a dormant state, somewhat akin to a mild vegetative state, judging by his hormonal and neurological status.
But there was no immediate danger to his life.
Additionally, it was worth noting that his body was extremely fragile as all his indicators were barely within safe limits.
A common flu, which might make an average person sneeze for a few days, could be life-threatening for him. Therefore, the hospital had set up 24-hour vital signs monitoring alarms and suggested that family members accompany him as much as possible — just in case his vital signs suddenly deteriorated, at least they could see him one last time.
But... that was just in case; he indeed had no immediate danger to his life right now.
Princess Luling frowned as she finished reading the report, feeling that the doctor who wrote it seemed a bit schizophrenic.
One moment it said Cheng Jinyang's condition was unfavorable, and the next moment it repeatedly emphasized that there was no immediate danger to his life, giving the impression that the doctor wanted to tell the truth but was afraid the family would misunderstand.
"Sister, why are there so many people here?" Princess Luling asked again.
"It's bustling here," Princess Nankang sighed instead of answering directly. "Jinyang truly lives up to his name, much better than his father. If the teacher could see how popular he is now, she would surely be very happy."
Princess Luling: ?
"So if he doesn't wake up, you all will just keep watching over him like this?"
"No, we take turns caring for him." Xing Yuanzhi washed and wrung out the towel in the basin, saying lightly.
"Yuanzhi." Miss Qingqing put down an apple and said, "Stop wiping, his forehead will peel off if you keep doing that."
"The patient needs to stay clean!" Xing Yuanzhi argued. "Didn't you read the medical report? His body is very fragile now, a little bit of bacteria could kill him!"
"And!" She turned to look at the pile of peeled apples on the bedside table, saying helplessly, "What's the use of peeling so many apples? He can't eat them now!"
"Who said they were for him?" Miss Qingqing retorted, "Can't I peel them for everyone else?"
"Then please give me one," Princess Nankang said.
Miss Qingqing grabbed an apple and threw it to her.
Princess Nankang caught it, took a bite, and noticed her sister's admiring expression. She asked, "What's the matter?"
"…I suddenly feel that you're amazing."
"What do you mean?"
"Being able to get along with these noble ladies so harmoniously."
Princess Luling glanced around the room again. The daughters of the Taiyuan Wang family, the Qinghe Cui family, the Hongnong Yang family, the Yangdi Chu family, the Hejian Xing family — all gathered here, along with her sister, a royal princess.
What kind of virtues and abilities did Cheng Jinyang possess to have so many noble ladies caring for him, keeping vigil by his side?