Chapter 35: The Goddess - One Shouldn't Be So Biased (1)
Su Qing took in Yun Rong's expression, immediately piecing together the situation with near certainty.
A slight sense of pity flickered in his gaze as he sighed internally.
She believed him so easily?
If it were the princess, she would have tested him multiple times before confirming that her prey had walked into the trap.
These so-called righteous figures always viewed the world too optimistically.
She was already of considerable age—how could she still be so naive?
It was no surprise that she was the heroine of 'The Goddess Chronicle', a game notorious for its grueling difficulty.
She had the perfect demeanor to fall into corruption at the hands of villains, maximizing her allure.
The difference from the game? Now, he had the strength to play without spending a single dime!
With her delivering herself to him, the difficulty of winning her over had dropped significantly.
But for this simple-minded beauty, Su Qing had another plan.
Bullying someone so easy to manipulate wouldn't be satisfying.
It would be far more rewarding to guide her toward his side.
It was much harder to reshape her worldview than to deceive her.
And in doing so, he could also deal a mental blow to the goddess herself.
Yes, just thinking about it was entertaining.
As for how to do it…
Simple people had their advantages—it was easier to reshape their beliefs compared to those with deep schemes.
"Aunt Yun, if you have no pressing matters, why don't I accompany you around the capital?"
"We don't know if there are more assassins lurking nearby. It'll be safer if we stay together."
With that thought, Su Qing smiled warmly and extended his invitation.
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for my benefactor? Perhaps I should just head back..."
Yun Rong hesitated, her face showing a hint of lingering fear.
If she wanted to win him over, she needed to build rapport.
Finding a good excuse to interact with him had been challenging.
Now that he was taking the initiative, she naturally wouldn't let the opportunity slip by.
"There's no need to worry. With me by your side, your safety is guaranteed."
"Besides, if more assassins appear, I can capture them and uncover the mastermind."
Su Qing's voice was filled with righteous determination.
At this moment, he had transformed into a selfless protector of justice.
"Then... I will have to trouble you, benefactor."
Yun Rong finally nodded, offering a slight bow of gratitude.
The surrounding onlookers had heard their conversation, their faces brimming with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
Many young men regretted not stepping up sooner—if given another chance, they swore they would have rushed forward!
Alas, the opportunity had fallen into the hands of the Empress' favored subject, leaving them completely out of the race.
The two began walking side by side.
"Aunt Yun, do you not go out often?"
Su Qing asked casually.
"Why do you ask, benefactor?"
Yun Rong's heart tightened slightly, though her expression remained composed.
Was he suspicious of her identity?
"If you often walked around, your reputation would surely precede you."
"With your beauty, I doubt there are many in the capital who could compare."
"It's just a shame I didn't recognize you sooner..."
As Su Qing trailed off, he abruptly stopped speaking, as if realizing he had misspoken.
"Benefactor overpraises me—I am but an ordinary woman, unworthy of such high praise."
"I only recently arrived in the capital, so I am not familiar with the city."
Yun Rong skillfully avoided addressing his last words, humbly deflecting his compliment.
Hearing that he wasn't suspecting her identity, she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
She truly wasn't familiar with the capital, only knowing key locations.
From the moment she arrived, she had been occupied with her mission, with no time to explore.
So she did not hide the fact that she was new—if she pretended otherwise and got questioned, she might expose herself.
---
"Aunt Yun is far too modest. But that assassin was truly bold, nearly succeeding in his attack."
"Incidents like this haven't occurred in the capital for a long time."
Su Qing's voice carried a tinge of anger.
"It's been a long time?"
Yun Rong asked in confusion.
Wasn't the Empress said to rule with tyranny, plunging the people into misery and inciting rebellion everywhere?
How could it be that such violent crimes had become rare…?
"Yes, under Her Majesty's governance, the capital is well-ordered, and crime has plummeted."
"The people live in peace, fulfilling their roles—did you not notice how surprised they looked just now?"
Su Qing smiled knowingly.
Yun Rong thought back and nodded.
Since the attack wasn't real, she had been able to observe the crowd.
Their shocked expressions were genuine.
"Come, let's take a walk while we investigate the assassin's background."
With that, Su Qing strode forward.
Of course, his true intention wasn't to investigate any assassin.
He simply wanted to use this as an excuse to show her the flourishing empire under the Empress' rule.
She would never actively seek such knowledge—she would dismiss any sights as mere facades.
But now, under the pretense of "investigation," she would have no choice but to see things as they were.
To truly determine whether the city was prosperous or merely putting on a show.
Yun Rong followed him, hesitation flickering in her gaze.
A peaceful, well-ordered capital... this wasn't what she had been told at all.
Su Qing didn't say anything more.
No matter how much he spoke, it wouldn't compare to seeing it firsthand.
As a favored subject of the Empress, he carried several official tokens, giving him full authority to conduct investigations.
Stopping at the entrance of a shop, Su Qing flashed a token and casually inquired,
"Assassins? we are law-abiding citizens—we have nothing to do with such criminals!"
Upon seeing the token, the middle-aged Shopkeeper's first reaction was to plead his innocence.
Yun Rong observed the scene and found the reaction quite normal.
"No need to be nervous. I know you have nothing to do with the assassin, I'm just asking some questions."
Su Qing reassured the shopkeeper.
"Your Excellency, please understand, he merely escaped over my shop's wall. I've never seen him before."
"He looked unfamiliar, not someone from around here, nor from the capital…"
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