Chapter 546

What?

Fang Qi stared at Liguang in disbelief.

“Liguang, you…?”

The silver-haired girl didn’t look flustered in the slightest.

In fact, she even blinked at him innocently!

“Master, don’t panic.”

She sat down beside him with another giggle.

“Didn’t Master say you weren’t afraid of sharks at all?”

She picked up a piece of beef brisket with her chopsticks, supporting it from underneath with her other hand…

And held it out to Fang Qi’s mouth!

“So…”

She looked at him with a bright smile, her phoenix-like eyes curving into crescents.

“Let’s eat first!”

“We’ll be better able to deal with the ‘sharks’ once we’ve had our fill!”

“Come on, Master. Say ‘ah~’”

The beef brisket was brought right to Fang Qi’s lips.

He could smell the tempting aroma of the meat.

Fang Qi: “???”

For a moment, his mind went completely blank.

But when he heard Liguang’s soft, syrupy little “ah~”…

His mouth opened of its own accord.

The beef was gently pushed inside. The tangy sweetness of the tomatoes and the rich flavor of the beef melted across his tongue.

Mmm. It was good. Really good…

…No, no, no!!

His eyes suddenly sharpened as he glared at the silver-haired girl, who was still smiling smugly in front of him!

What the hell was going on?!

“Liguang!”

He shot up from his chair and glared fiercely at her!

“What exactly is going on? You…!”

Then he lowered his head and looked at the glaring messages Gu Xi had sent to his phone!

【Leave the house immediately!!!】

【The authorities are going to make a move against you!!!】

His eyes trembled slightly.

The authorities…?

What exactly did “the authorities” mean…?

His Adam’s apple bobbed hard before he abruptly looked up again.

“Liguang, you…!”

He stared at her in disbelief.

“You knew something like this was going to happ—!”

“Master, say ‘ah~’”

“Mm.”

Liguang fed him another piece of beef brisket.

Once again, he opened his mouth and swallowed it instinctively.

Fang Qi: “…”

Oh no.

It had become a conditioned reflex.

Still, he continued chewing the beef while glaring at the silver-haired girl, who was still grinning at him.

Crazy!

Crazy woman!

She had actually kept something like this from him again!

Although, judging from how calm she looked, it seemed like she had been prepared for this all along?

Fang Qi’s expression softened slightly.

That did reassure him a little…

But!

He forcefully swallowed the beef in his mouth.

Then he stared at Liguang with an incomparably solemn expression.

Just how many truthful words had this crazy woman ever spoken?

Couldn’t she trust her Master just once?!

“Liguang!”

He lowered his voice into a growl.

“You kept this from Master. Do you not take Master seri—!”

Before he could finish, the pretty face in front of him suddenly leaned closer.

And gave the corner of his mouth a lick!

Fang Qi: “…?”

He could feel the warm tip of her tongue lightly sweep across the corner of his lips, while the sweet fragrance of strawberries brushed against his face.

“Hehe!”

The silver-haired girl giggled, her eyes curving into crescents as she leaned back again. Tilting her head, she looked at him.

“Master had some tomato sauce stuck on the corner of his mouth just now!”

Fang Qi stared at her, speechless.

“And besides…”

Liguang blinked at him, completely self-righteous.

“Of course Liguang doesn’t have Master in her sights!”

Fang Qi: “?”

Wife, since when did you develop a poisonous tongue?!

But then Liguang smiled at him again, her crimson eyes gleaming with delight.

“Because Liguang has Master in her heart’s core!”

Fang Qi: “…………”

He was expressionless.

Where had this crazy woman learned such cheesy lines?

But, he had to admit…

His old face flushed slightly.

It really was embarrassingly sweet to hear…

He looked helplessly at the little yandere who was still giggling in front of him…

Then shook his head.

Honestly, she was unbelievable…

He dropped back into his chair at the dining table!

Taking a deep breath, he stared at Liguang and spoke in a solemn tone.

“Fine, fine, fine. I’ll keep eating!”

“But while I eat, you have to explain everything to me too. Got it?”

Liguang immediately smiled.

“Okay—!”

At the same time, she picked up a piece of braised spare rib, used her chopsticks to strip off the bone, and held the meat to Fang Qi’s mouth.

“Master, say ‘ah~’”

Fang Qi took a bite.

While chewing, he stared straight at her.

But Liguang pressed her lips together and fed him several more pieces…

Without saying a word!

So Fang Qi just kept chewing and staring at her.

That was all he did!

He stared until she began squirming uncomfortably, the watery light in her amber eyes starting to swirl, while her crimson eyes flickered guiltily…

He stared until she…

Suddenly put on an utterly pitiful expression!

And then—

“Thump!”

Her knee hit the floor.

Fang Qi’s “cold and heartless” expression instantly froze!

Huh?

He lowered his head.

The silver-haired girl had knelt right at his feet, both hands clutching his trouser leg as she looked up at him…

Her amber eyes glistening with tears!

“Master, Liguang was wrong!”

She gazed at him pitifully, her voice carrying a hint of a sob.

“Please punish Liguang harshly, Master!!”

Fang Qi: “???”

He stared at the silver-haired girl kneeling at his feet, his mouth opening and closing.

Huh?

No…

What was this supposed to mean?

I’m not going to punish you, you idiot!

How the hell would that be any different from rewarding you?!

“Y-you get up!”

He hurriedly exerted some force and pulled Liguang to her feet by the arm.

“The floor beside the dining table is dirty!”

“And another thing!”

He glared at the silver-haired girl, who was still looking utterly pitiful.

“Don’t change the subject!”

“Explain everything to me properly! What exactly is going on?”

Liguang let out a soft “Mm” as he pulled her up, then simply took advantage of the momentum and sat down on Fang Qi’s lap.

She looked at him innocently again, her crimson eyes still flickering.

But she didn’t say anything.

Fang Qi glared at her, grinding his teeth!

Liguang!

Since when did you start speaking in riddles like Lin Xiaoyou?

You’ve really gone bad!

Still…

Fang Qi stared at the little yandere who was clearly hiding something from him.

Seeing how effortlessly calm she was, he wasn’t in a hurry either.

If something had really happened, Liguang would be far more anxious than he was!

There was no way she would still be sitting here, feeding him one bite after another and kneeling on the floor to act cute.

But he couldn’t shake the feeling…

Fang Qi narrowed his eyes.

Wife, why do I feel like…

You’re deliberately trying to stall for time?

…Why?

You…!

He took a deep breath!

“Fine, fine, fine! You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

He glared at Liguang, then immediately picked up his phone again.

“Then I’ll ask someone else!”

As he spoke, he scrolled to Gu Xi’s number and called her directly!

He would just ask Gu Xi!

What exactly was going on right now?!

As for Liguang…

She simply sat on his lap, innocently watching him make the call without trying to stop him.

Her little legs even swung back and forth!

And then…

【Sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable…】

…?

Unwilling to believe it, he called several more times.

It was still unavailable.

Fang Qi: “…”

Tsk.

…But it wasn’t a big deal!

Gu Xi was also one of the people from “the authorities.” She had secretly tipped him off in private, so now…

She definitely couldn’t answer his call!

Maybe she was in a meeting, or perhaps someone had started watching her?

Fine.

If he couldn’t reach Gu Xi, then…

He would call Lin Xiaoyou!

That genius’s brain was more useful than his!

Fang Qi glanced up at Liguang, then immediately dialed Lin Xiaoyou’s number!

He was going to make the call right in front of his wife!

Thus, the silver-haired girl in his arms pursed her little lips.

“Hmph…!”

She even let out a soft snort.

But she didn’t stop him. The small hand wrapped around his waist merely tightened a little.

The phone rang twice.

“Beep—beep—”

Then…

[The user you are calling is busy. Please try again later…]

Fang Qi froze.

Huh?

…Did they just hang up on him?

Lin Xiaoyou?

She hung up on him?

Seriously?

Ah…

Was his call interrupting whatever “good thing” Lin Xiaoyou and Xiaoqing were doing?

What good thing could they possibly be doing…?

…No, no, that wasn’t right!

Fang Qi shook his head violently.

This didn’t make sense!

Lin Xiaoyou was currently counting on them!

She was still eagerly waiting for Liguang to teach her how to “alter the world in a targeted manner”!

With her shameless personality, how could she possibly not answer a call he had made himself?

Unless…!

“Master, there are two possibilities.”

Liguang suddenly spoke from beside him.

Fang Qi turned his head instinctively…

Only for a pair of chopsticks holding garlic broccoli to be brought to his lips.

His mouth moved before he could think and opened on its own. He swallowed the broccoli directly.

Still chewing, he glared at her!

“The first possibility…”

The silver-haired girl gazed at him with crescent-shaped eyes.

“Is that Miss Lin is currently in the middle of an emergency evasion and can’t answer the phone!”

“So…”

There was even a hint of teasing in her voice.

“Your call may have gotten her into trouble instead, Master~”

Fang Qi: “…”

The corner of his mouth twitched.

Not you too, honey. Could you stop looking so delighted at someone else’s misfortune…?

No wonder you didn’t stop me from calling…

…Hmm?

Wait!

Fang Qi’s pupils contracted, and his body shuddered. Only then did he realize what she meant.

“Liguang, are you saying…”

He stared at Liguang, his eyes slowly widening.

“Something happened on Lin Xiaoyou’s end too?!”

“That’s right~”

Liguang picked up another bite of food and held it out to him.

Fang Qi opened his mouth and ate it.

Only then did Liguang purse her lips lightly and say:

“So, the second possibility is…”

Her phoenix-like eyes narrowed as she cast a brief glance out the window.

“That Miss Lin may have already run into trouble.”

“Her phone may no longer be in her hands, which is why…”

She looked back at Fang Qi and blinked softly.

“You got hung up on, Master~”

Fang Qi stared blankly at the silver-haired girl before him, whose face was still completely innocent.

A chill raced up his spine.

Did that mean…

The authorities had made a move against Lin Xiaoyou too…?

Gu Xi, Lin Xiaoyou…

Then what about An Lian?

What about Sister An Lian?!

She wouldn’t have…!

He instinctively lowered his head toward his phone, wanting to call An Lian.

But when his finger hovered over the name “An Lian,” it abruptly stopped.

His eyes trembled.

Could it be like Liguang had just said…?

Would calling An Lian actually put her in danger instead?

What was he supposed to do now…?!

“Miss An Lian should be fine.”

Liguang’s gentle voice sounded beside him once more.

She picked up a piece of steamed sea bass, carefully removed the bones, and brought it to his mouth.

“However…”

The silver-haired girl looked at him and tilted her head slightly.

“I don’t recommend contacting Miss An Lian right now, Master.”

Fang Qi chewed the fish in his mouth, staring blankly at her.

“…Why?”

“Because…”

The corners of Liguang’s lips curved up slightly.

“She will be our ultimate trump card.”

“Trump cards are meant to be played last~”

…?

Huh?

Fang Qi’s cheeks, which had been chewing the fish, suddenly stopped moving.

Sister An Lian… was a trump card?

Sister An Lian?

Why…?

…Ah!

His pupils trembled violently. He swallowed the fish in his mouth with a gulp.

“You mean…!”

“Ah…!”

Liguang suddenly let out a soft cry.

Fang Qi: “?!”

His heart instantly tightened.

What happened?!

“Liguang, what’s wrong…?!”

He grabbed Liguang by the shoulders and stared at her, but before he could finish speaking…

A string of distinctly blue code suddenly flashed across the amber iris of her left eye!

In that instant, he saw it clearly!

[PARTIAL_PERMISSION_UNLOCKED]

At the same time, the crimson light in her red eye dimmed considerably!

Liguang’s brows relaxed slightly, and the smile on her lips…

became carefree and content once more.

…Hmm?

Fang Qi truly couldn’t understand what was going on.

All he saw was Liguang immediately pick up another bite of meat and happily offer it to him.

“Open wide, Master~”

Her pretty face was filled with a satisfied smile!

But this time, Fang Qi didn’t eat it.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at her.

“Liguang…”

He lowered his voice, speaking slowly and heavily, one word at a time.

“What—exactly—is—go—ing—on…mmph?!”

Liguang simply shoved the chopsticks straight into his mouth!

Then she looked at him with a bright smile and spoke softly:

“That’s right, Master. This time, our enemy is…”

“Bzzzz—!”

Suddenly, a dense buzzing came from beyond the balcony window!

What?!

Fang Qi whipped his head around!

Outside, against the pitch-black night sky…

Countless drones were rising from all directions!

Their indicator lights, mounted beneath their fuselages, formed a vast web of icy radiance!

The entire apartment building was surrounded layer by layer!

“Bzzzz—!”

The combined buzzing swelled into a deep, rumbling roar!

Even the bulletproof glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows trembled faintly from the vibration!

“This time, our enemy…”

A gentle whisper suddenly sounded beside his ear.

“Is another…”

Warm breath brushed against his ear, making it itch.

“Super Core, just like Liguang~”

Fang Qi sat frozen in his chair.

The air around his ears was filled with the dense buzzing of drones.

He stared at the countless points of light outside and held his breath.

Another…

Super Core…

So that was why things had turned out like this…?

But…

“Liguang…”

he murmured, his throat bobbing.

“Master doesn’t blame you for keeping it from him, but…”

“We’re already surrounded, aren’t we…?”

“So…”

He looked at the densely packed swarm of drones, his eyelid twitching.

“Why didn’t we choose to escape just now? Gu Xi clearly…”

“Because that wasn’t an escape at all, Master.”

The warm breath, carrying the sweet scent of strawberries, continued to brush gently against his ear.

“Because Miss Gu Xi…”

The gentle voice whispered:

“…was trying to trick Master into coming out.”

Fang Qi: “…?”

He slowly turned his head toward the silver-haired girl beside him.

Liguang’s phoenix-like eyes were slightly narrowed, and that gentle smile still hung upon her lips.

So gentle.

So gentle that it sent a chill down his back.

“Besides, if Master had gone to find them, I’m afraid…”

Her slender finger lightly touched Fang Qi’s chest, then slowly traced upward along the opening of his shirt.

“Master would no longer have chosen…”

Her fingertip stopped at his collarbone and pressed down lightly.

“…to return to Liguang’s side.”

She looked at Fang Qi tenderly…

Then a faint blue light flashed through her amber eyes once more!

[PERMISSION_OVERRIDE_INITIATED]

[TARGET:ALL_HOSTILE_DRONES]

Fang Qi felt a slight pain in his mind!

Immediately afterward—

“Crackle—!”

A series of shrill noises rang out from outside the window!

Fang Qi immediately turned to look outside again!

The drones that had been swaggering through the sky just moments ago suddenly erupted with blue electrical sparks!

Their indicator lights flickered wildly a few times, and then…

They all went dark!

Fang Qi stared blankly at the scene.

Hundreds of drones…

Just like dumplings dropped into a pot, they came tumbling out of the night sky one after another!

“Bang! Bang-bang-bang!”

They crashed onto the ground below, filling the air with a succession of heavy impacts!

And Liguang…

She was still sitting on his lap.

She was still looking at him.

She had not even turned her head to glance out the window.

One slender finger remained lightly pressed against his chest. The deep blue in her amber eye had already faded away once more.

In her crimson eye, that streak of scarlet continued to pulse with gentle, steady flashes.

“So…”

She gazed at him tenderly.

“Liguang absolutely won’t…”

“Let you go looking for other super AIs, Aqi.”

Fang Qi stared at her blankly.

He didn’t understand.

What did she mean by tricking him into going outside?

What did she mean by not returning to his side?

He…

“You need to eat your fill first, okay~”

Before his eyes, the silver-haired girl picked up another piece of beef brisket with her chopsticks and gently held it to his lips.

Her phoenix eyes curved into crescents, and that soft smile hung at the corners of her mouth.

A faint shimmer of moisture rippled in her amber left eye, with a hint of deep blue barely visible within it.

Her crimson right eye quietly watched him.

Tender.

And faintly sick in its devotion.

“Come on, Aqi…”

“Say ah~”

Fang Qi stared blankly at her.

He truly hadn’t understood a word.

But…

He still opened his mouth instinctively.

And ate the piece of beef brisket.

…It was really delicious.

…?