Chapter 70: Someone You Once Loved, Perhaps

"Qiao Muting, have you fallen for me?"
This question caught him completely off guard.
He straightened his posture, one hand nervously twisting the wrist of the other.
Meeting her bold and intense gaze, he swallowed hard, unable to speak for a long time.
He dared not answer.
He felt unworthy.
Today, he had indeed lost control, failing to restrain his emotions.

This place had previously been used for storage, but ever since she arrived with her people, it had been transformed into the interrogation room it was now.
But having a child changed everything. It gave her greater motivation to fight, and she felt a powerful sense of belonging to this world.

If her body hadn’t been taken, she would never have been forced to remain in it—not to mention the power of her former self. Even just the occasional slip of that great tail was enough for her, A Tao, to look down on this body.
But the steward watched Changge Yuyan for a long time; she simply sat there, staring blankly at the box of pills.
Seeing the cheerful conversation between the grandparents and grandchildren, everyone’s restlessness eased somewhat, and they even found themselves in the mood to chat. Naturally, the conversation revolved around Ji Wuche.
Some used allusions to lament the present age, others poured out their frustrations, mocking how the government had fallen into the hands of the nobility and lamenting the rulers’ inability to recognize talent.
Whenever he thought of climbing trees, he would glance up at the sky. Fortunately, there were no flying beasts overhead—he took comfort in knowing that fate had left him a path to survival.
The scent of the dried flowers was truly unpleasant. Although this one had been specially treated and the smell was much lighter, her nose could still detect the traces left behind from soaking in the petals.
Countless flawless spirit stones shone with dazzling light, circulating ceaselessly over her body.
Or perhaps, if this coming battle required sacrificing the lives of tens of millions of commoners just to win—then what was the point of victory? Should King Heng occupy the palace, ascend the throne, and rule the empire?
Only then did Li Youyou bring out some of Zhao Chen’s favorite foods and urge him to practice diligently. Zhao Chen nodded repeatedly before she turned and left, satisfied.
Huang Chang looked tenderly at Wang Meiying. Even after learning of the Wang family’s plan, he made no move against her. It was because he truly cared for Wang Meiying.
So, he instructed Gou Chen to stay put and continue observing Chiyou’s movements, while he set off to search for traces of the Golden Tortoise and the Nine Pheasant Spirits.

Although Yin Xiaoxiao harbored some doubts about Zhang Donghai’s martial skills, she obediently followed his instructions.
“Even these distilled experiences are not easily understood by everyone. Over time, talent withers away, and in the end, decline is inevitable. This is the real reason why the legendary Map Masters have vanished from the world. I imagine you have wondered about this yourself,” Tu Yi said, forcing a bitter laugh.
The workers then used a blender to mash up the water hyacinths they’d fished out, turning them into a fine pulp—which the fish and shrimp in the seawater seemed to enjoy.
Clearly, Shen Yun had planned this well! Tong Shuang sat calmly, betraying nothing, wanting to see what opinion Cao Liangse would offer.
By now, many people could no longer contain themselves. Some officers had even sent men to inquire about the situation with General Wei.
The life Tang Feng had lived before had always felt stifling, as if something was holding him back. Now, however, he felt a fire ignited by the challenge of facing something truly formidable.
Without hesitation, the excavator lunged again, this time with its rage mixed with calculated intent, already brewing a new offensive.
What did it matter who was Chairman of the Rehe Provincial Government for the Nationalists? What business was that of his? The Forty-First Army had indeed robbed tombs, but at the crucial moment of national survival, there could be no half-measures. At this moment, Wan Fulin’s forces of the Northeastern Army were locked in fierce battle with the Japanese in southern Rehe, and his own 117th Brigade was fighting the enemy on the Baling Grasslands.