People were talking in the Elders' Committee.
"What's happening, when did this malefic creature enter the border, wasn't he at the W galaxy?"
"It seems that he entered the planet just two hour ago."
"Hell, why did he chose such a time to return?"
"It appears that he received the notice of her highness's awakening, so..."
"What, a matter of such importance, which asshole notified him?"
"Seems to be...Minister Yan!"
Everyone froze, then turned in unison to look at Yan Xuan who was holding the notice of entry in his hands.
Yan Xuan's hands shook. "After her highness's bloodline was examined, under the urgent circumstances, I notified every bloodling within the first forty generations, so..." The message was in mass, and he forgot to block that single person.
Every elder's face immediately darkened. The second elder stood up and said in haste, "Immediately lock the capital, we must not let him reach her highness."
"Too late."
"What?"
"He's already arrived at her highness's place."
"..."
The silence was like death, everyone collectively stiffened then rushed out of the conference room together.
Your highness, you must hang in there!
—
Meanwhile, Yao Si was staring dumbstruck at the man who had suddenly appeared before her eyes and was smiling at her like a flower.
"Yo, so this is our newly awakened ancestor." He walked around her in a circle, examining her from top to bottom. "How cute." Unlike other bloodlings who acted reverent and respectful, his attitude was free and unreserved.
"...Hello!" Yao Si felt a little uncomfortable from his staring, so she extended her hand and greeted him.
He smiled even more widely, making his eyes and eyebrows wink into a thin line. The average good looks of the bloodlings were already exceptional, but he was clearly one of those that pulled up the average line. From his single smile, it was as if the whole room had bloomed with flowers.
He reached out and took her hand, but then turned it over and lowered his head and kissed the back of it with full devotion. "It's a great pleasure to meet you, my highness." All his actions were very attentive, while his thick golden hair scattered down his back like golden beams.
"Hahaha... Great elder." Yao Qian on the side suddenly came back to his senses. He stepped between the two people with a long stride and, pulling his ossified lips apart, said, "What wind brought you here?"
"Ah, thirteen, you're here too!" The man looked as if he had just noticed Yao Qian's existence. He gestured toward him, then continued saying to Yao Si, "Oh right, your highness, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Qu Ze, I am a thirtieth generation bloodling."
"I wasn't aware that the great elder had suddenly returned, was it because of anything?" Yao Qian continued to block the two, an expression of facing death unflinchingly on his face. He must never let that man get close to her highness.
"Ah, thirteen, why are you so uptight?" Qu Ze patted his shoulder. "Since I'm also a descendant of the bloodlings, is there anything wrong with me coming back to visit the ancestor?"
"Haha... Now that you saw the person, the great elder you can return."
"Why the hurry." The newcomer continued to smile at Yao Si. "I heard your highness is looking for a butler to take her around and familiarize with the things in the galaxy. Why not consider me."
"There's no need." Before Yao Si could open her mouth to answer, she heard the unhesitating rejection of Yao Qian. "The Elders' Committee has already decided that I will be helping her highness get used to the things in the galaxy." There's no way I'm letting you do it.
"Thirteen, there's no way you know more than me." Qu Ze pushed him aside without hesitation, and continued to maneuver himself before Yao Si. "Your highness, what do you make of me? I know a lot and look pleasing to the eyes, how about replacing him with me."
Yao Si knotted her brows. She just wanted to learn some common sense, no matter who taught it, it wouldn't make a difference, right? Besides, judging by Yao Qian's stressed look, she had a premonition that this supposed great elder was a little unreliable.
"There's no need..."
"Okay, that's decided."
Huh?!
He walked up and draped his arm around Yao Si. "Then let me take you around to understand the Red Planet on-site."
Wait? I haven't agreed!
"We're leaving." He suddenly took something out.
Yao Si could only feel sceneries flash in front of her eyes before quickly appearing behind her.
The panicking voice of Yao Qian reached her ears. "Your highness!"
Then the next moment, she was already standing in a patch of red forest.
"Wow, I would have never thought that this particle transmitter actually works." Qu Ze clattered the little box in his hand with slight surprise, then turned and faced her, smiling like a flower again. "Your highness, do you like it here?"
Yao Si wasn't able to recover herself for a complete minute.
After a long while, she began to come to her senses. After examining her surroundings, she realized that this was a forest that was completely different from the forests she'd seen before. Red plants were everywhere: some reached to the sky, others covered the whole ground, there were even bright flowers that were as tall as people and gigantic colorful mushrooms. She had a feeling that she had entered the world of fairy tales.
This place was really... quite beautiful!
"Great elder..."
"Your highness, just call me Qu Ze."
"Oh, Qu Ze, where is this place?" she asked.
Qu Ze nodded his head while smiling. "Yes, where is... this place?"
"..." Yao Si's mouth twitched. So you don't freaking know!
"Hahahaha, don't get me wrong, the place we were transported to by the particle transmitter is random, but the distance is within two hundred thousand kilometers." He lifted the little box in his hand. "As to where exactly, a location detector would know, but with the current situation of your highness, don't you think we can learn the environment better this way?"
Sounds reasonable!
"Now that we have arrived in the forest, let me introduce your highness to the most common plants of the Red Planet and other matters that need attention."
Yao Si nodded her head and listened carefully.
Qu Ze cleared his throat and began to explain seriously.
"There are many variations in plant species on the red planet, relatively speaking, they are divided into dangerous and purely ornamental."
"Yes."
"The species that have currently been discovered total to..." He paused as if deep in thought, then continued solemnly, "A lot!"
"..."
"Come, look at that over there which is very tall and like a tree, yes... That is a tree!"
"..."
"The patch on the ground that looks like grass...That is grass!"
"..."
"And those over there that are round and tall are..."
"Mushrooms!"
"Wow, I would have never guessed that your highness would be such a fast learner!"
Learn your ass! Who would do an introduction like you? You don't even have the bloody teacher qualification certificate, right?!
Why did he bring her here?
"I have eyes, thank you!" As long as you're not blind, you can guess it, alright? She inhaled deeply, pushing down the fit of rage to the bottom of her heart, then turned and looked at the giant flower beside her. "Qu Ze, I think that flower over there..."
Ever since she had arrived, she had spotted that all the plants here were mostly red, only that flower was white. It was particularly outstanding at first sight, especially since it had grown so tall, a whole chunk taller than Qu Ze. Besides, it had no stem or leaves, only a lonely bloom. Maybe it was just a delusion, but she seemed to have seen it move.
"Your highness, you're interested in this? It's..."
"If you dare say flower, I will beat you up!" I've been tolerating you for a long time already.
"Eh..." Qu Ze was stupefied, but soon after he continued while smiling cheerfully, "Don't be like that, your highness. You must believe me, I'm actually quite knowledgeable."
"Haha..." She had already experienced it.
"I'm quite familiar with this type of flower." He walked straight beside the large flower and poked its petal. "It seems to be called 'Gluttony'. To be exact, it doesn't count as a plant, but rather an animal."
Animal?!
"It can't be mobile for a long period of time, and its appearance is akin to that of a flower. It also likes to pretend to be one, luring animals close, then with a single bite..."
Before he could finish his sentence, the flower that had remained silent beside him suddenly lowered its head and opened its mouth, swallowing Qu Ze whole. Inside it echoed the words that he hadn't finished, "...Eat it."
Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!
"Qu Ze!"
Yao Si had a fright, but the next moment in this urgent situation, she took hold of one of his legs with all her might. "Are you freaking insane. You know it eats people and you go up to it and poke it anyways." He must be brain-damaged, completely damaged!
"I'm just doing a demonstration for your highness." Half of his body was already swallowed inside the flower, yet he never ceased to answer her. "Her highness actually came to rescue me personally! Qu Ze feels so blessed."
"Shut up!" Now Yao Si finally realized why Yao Qian was so stressed. This jerk was a full on lunatic. "Can you at least struggle for a while, I can't hold on anymore."
"Come on your highness, the other trait of Gluttony is that as long as it took a hold of something it will never let go."
"..." Would it have killed you to have said it earlier! I'll throw you! Are you so happy that you're being eaten? Can't you at least have a sense of crisis?
"Oh your highness, forgot to mention another point to you. Don't ever touch any part of the flower, otherwise..."
Yao Si froze, staring at the foot she had placed for leverage on the petal.
Hell!
With the sound of "ahwooo", in a blink of an eye, they reunited inside the stomach of the flower.
Only now did Qu Ze finish saying what he hadn't managed previously. "...You would be swallowed too."
"..."