Chapter 13: My Host, You Are Breaking the Rules (I)
Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
As the saying goes, "Your brother's wife is your best lay." The secret relationships of Leader Four's wife were not surprising at all.
It made perfect sense to her that the married woman would accept visitors into her room while her husband was away. Later, she mentioned it boldly in front of the bandits, and some of them responded with a slight uneasiness as she expected. That was her evidence, and she took note of the characteristics of those people.
In addition, she concluded from her observations that Leader Four was very bad-tempered, so it was possible that he habitually abused his wife.
Men, especially members of a gang, were sometimes complicated. They wanted other women, but they couldn't bear to have anyone touching theirs. There was no way a mindless, possessive outlaw would stand his very brothers insulting him in such a way. Therefore, she knew how probable a physical fight among them would be.
Impulse was a demon. One should either keep his brain in his head or control his temper.
"Alright, that is all. You can rest in peace now and have fun with your brothers in hell."
The System commented sarcastically, "How kind it is of you, to let him rest in peace!"
"You are wrong. I wasted time explaining because he should know how his own stupidity killed him."
"…"
For heaven's sake! Just let him die!
"My host, will you really not consider a romantic relationship with a dashingly powerful king so as to rectify your mindset and values with pure love?"
From intentionally misleading to making daring assertions, she had used every piece of intelligence available to her, and she had made a detailed plan. The seeds had been sown very early, indicating that she had planned to eradicate the bandits from the moment she woke up.
Their cooperation, which had begun only several hours ago, showed Jiang Pengji's personal traits and capabilities. And the System was worried.
Its host furrowed her brows impatiently. "Shut up! Or you will see me killing the king someday." The independent, noisy System in her mind irritated her.
The System immediately went silent.
Then, Toudu Feiqiu, the only viewer who had been quietly watching her for a long time, sent a bullet screen.
Toudu Feiqiu: "My host, your strategies were way too dangerous, were they not?"
If one carefully considered her tactics, one could easily spot the logical weaknesses in what she had said. And if the kidnappers had found out she was lying, she would have been the miserable one instead. But when the viewer remembered how she had killed all those bandits in her broadcast, his hands on his keyboard trembled.
Host V: "Bold assumptions and careful inspections are the essence of logical inferences. Besides, most of the assertions were not based on my own guesses, but on what those dumb bandits said. As for the danger you mentioned… I know the thrill that comes with a game. Isn't it too boring if we are always 100 percent correct?"
For her, every gamble was like walking on a thin wire high up in the air. The risks of falling from heaven to hell in the next second brought her extreme excitement, and she loved that feeling.
Host V: "To make others believe in you without any suspicion, you must first believe in your own lies. As you are watching them, they too are keeping an eye on you. Any mistake could allow them to take the upper hand and lure you into their trap."
Jiang Pengji had once met a comrade who was very keen on spooky logic games. Playing with him resulted in her first and only defeat because her friend had misled her. After that, she reflected on the experience, recognized her errors, and learned from them.
The System was once again speechless. It seemed its host had an inappropriate mindset. Was she really suitable for court intrigue among women?
Similarly, Toudu Feiqiu could not respond because he felt as though he were being lectured by an experienced deceiver.
Before she left, Jiang Pengji left another wound on the leader's body to ensure that he was dead. She then left the crimson room for something far more important.
The apprehensive noble girls had gathered in the back hall. Wei Jingxian and Shangguan Wan, who were close friends, consoled each other during the endless waiting.
"Liu… Liu Xi, what have you done?"
The only sound they could hear was the wind blowing. Other noises, including the bandits' footsteps and their offensive words, seemed to have vanished altogether. Still, they were too afraid to walk out of the door. Fatigued, they had remained where they were until Liu Lanting came in like a savior. They sighed with relief at the assurance that they were safe.
However, before they could weep with ease, Liu Lanting suggested that they leave the back hall. "This place is too crowded. Let us move to somewhere more spacious and take a rest after the long day."
The System sensed something unusual. "I have an ominous feeling… What do you want from them?"
Leading the girls, Jiang Pengji kept her head low to hide her smile in the darkness of the night. She praised the computer for its judgment. "Not bad. You know me better this time."
Before long, the System noticed that they were heading to the room where the bloody fight had taken place. If it had a face, it would have expressed as much disbelief and disapproval it could have mustered.
The young ladies, despite their doubts and fear, followed Liu Lanting because she had saved them. Without a clue of what was going to happen, they looked at the girl's clothes, which were stained with blood. She looked intimidating, so no one rejected her proposal.
But they would regret it soon.
Before entering the dim place, they were shocked by the strong scent of blood. And when some girls accidentally stepped on some severed body parts and slipped on the floor, they could not help but scream. Others started sobbing.
Creak. Jiang Pengji shut the door. She lit the oil lamps one by one so they could see clearly what was in the room. The shrieking became even louder.
Anyone passing the village would have thought the sounds were from howling spirits.
Jiang Pengji searched for Wei Jingxian and Shangguan Wan. Their faces were pale but calm. The noises persisted.
When they had finally ceased, Jiang Pengji, who was playing with the dagger again, looked at the ladies indifferently. After roughly tidying her clothes and hair, she said, "You know what I want, no doubt. We are all clever people. I guess there is no need to speak further."
She had scanned through Liu Lanting's memories and therefore understood that being a female would bring her trouble in the outside world. People in this era were more demanding of women, and there were personal reasons that prompted Liu Lanting to hide her real gender.
To make sure that things would not be complicated, she decided to take advantage of the present situation and make a deal with them.
"Are you threatening us?" asked one of the ladies, aghast.
"Obviously." Jiang Pengji admitted this without shame and then grinned. "Does this seems like flirting to you?"
The noble girls could hardly believe it, and they were so shocked that they could almost be pitied.
The System could hardly bear the scene. It was a landslide victory for its host. It felt deeply sorry for the girls.
For heaven's sake! Leave the girls alone! Plot against the women in palace, but not them!
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone