The Whole Empire Raises Me - Chapter 32

 

Chapter 32

Notes: I'm so sorry for the long hiatus. Had a lot going on since I decided to quit my old job and transition to a new one. 

Will make up for my absence with daily releases for the next couple of weeks. Thank you so, so much for waiting. Happy reading! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

Five minutes later.

Wen Xingze returned to his seat, apologizing profusely for not being able to find the bottle of red wine that Fang Ruxue wanted to drink. Fang Ruxue waved it off, saying it was no problem.

Everyone was curious why Wen Xingze took more than ten minutes to fetch a bottle of wine, but he seemed lost in thought, so no one pressed him for an explanation.

Just then, the waiter brought the appetizer soup. Wen Xingze hadn't even picked up his spoon when he let out a small burp.

Zhu Bo and the others exchanged puzzled glances.

Wen Xingze had already deactivated his Blood Clan filter, but the blood he had just consumed still left him satisfied. His appetite for regular food was minimal, but what concerned him more was Ansel's depressed expression.

After only a brief meal, Wen Xingze bid farewell to his companions and took Ansel for a walk along the coast. The sunset painted the sky, and the gentle sound of waves accompanied them.

"Ansel, what were you about to say earlier?" Wen Xingze asked.

Ansel had never felt so disheartened and angry. His bat form drooped, wings sagging. "Your Majesty, you, I..."

The gift of the royal necklace had backfired in more ways than one. It inadvertently allowed Chi Yan to complete half of his PK mission.

But the most critical issue was this:

Vampires were extremely selective about their blood sources. The primary blood supply on the Blood Clan main star came from a specific animal, which had to be raised in sterile conditions and subjected to rigorous standards. After drawing blood, it even underwent pasteurization.

Vampires didn't directly feed on human blood. First, most human blood couldn't compare to the sterile, specialized blood they were accustomed to. Second, there was a belief that once a vampire consumed a particular human's blood, they would be bound to that person. Prolonged abstinence from the donor's blood could have severe consequences.

It was like a two-way bond. Vampires had long lifespans, and binding themselves to a human with a lifespan of less than a century was akin to suicide. Abstaining from human blood was a rule written into their code.

Because it had been so long since any vampire had consumed human blood, Ansel couldn't be certain about the truth of this belief.

And that was precisely why Ansel's plan had backfired. He had hoped that Wen Xingze, with his filter activated, would wreak havoc. Instead, it awakened the king's craving for blood. Most human blood was repulsive to vampires, but if it happened to match their soulmate, it would taste sweet and irresistible.

If Wen Xingze now required Chi Yan's blood...

The thought sent Ansel into a panic. He floated cautiously in front of Wen Xingze, studying his mental state and pupils. "Your Majesty, the blood you just drank wasn't sterilized. Are you sure it won't make you ill?"

Wen Xingze chuckled. "Your concern for health and safety is commendable. I should be fine."

"And perhaps you shouldn't wear the necklace around your neck anymore. Maybe on your wrist instead."

Ansel berated himself. He even considered destroying the necklace, but abruptly taking it back might have unintended consequences. He helped Wen Xingze remove the necklace and looped it around his wrist, effectively nullifying its effects. Soon, no trace remained on Wen Xingze's skin.

"Are you all involved in something I don't know about?" Wen Xingze suddenly asked, his intuition sharp. "Ansel, why are you so upset?"

Ansel was prone to blaming himself and was too shy to express his feelings.

"..."

Ansel lowered his head, sniffling like a rain-soaked puppy. He had discussed the blood issue with Wen Xingze, which was indeed quite tricky. However, now that it had happened, it wasn't entirely Ansel's fault. Even if other vampires didn't blame him, he might still feel upset for a long time.

Ansel was like a dog-type child.

Sea serpent Dahei was also like this. Xingze's former partner and steed in "Desolation," the black dragon Lei Qi, was also a dog-type child. Thinking about Lei Qi made Wen Xingze lose focus momentarily. After the war, Lei Qi had run away from home, and Wen Xingze had asked Astor and the others, but they couldn't establish much contact with Lei Qi. He wondered how Lei Qi was doing now...

Regardless, Wen Xingze had some insights into how to comfort dog-type children.

Wen Xingze stared intently at Ansel and suddenly said, "From now on, we can only communicate in dog language. Woof."

Ansel blinked. "Huh?"

His expression puzzled, Ansel asked, "Your Majesty?"

"Woof woof!" Wen Xingze corrected him. "Woof woof, woof!"

Ansel somehow managed to follow Wen Xingze's train of thought. "Woof woof?"

Wen Xingze nodded in satisfaction. "Woof woof woof!" He produced a rainbow lollipop and held it up to Ansel's nose. "Woof?"

Ansel's eyes gleamed with desire, and he nodded vigorously. "Woof—woof!" It was the king's gift—a lollipop!

Wen Xingze then took the lollipop away, leaving Ansel looking dejected.

But as the lollipop approached again, Ansel's vitality surged back in an instant.

It was like flipping a light switch.

Wen Xingze found it amusing and played a game with Ansel. He moved the lollipop closer, then farther away, and Ansel mirrored his emotions—disappointed, happy, disappointed, happy... Finally, Wen Xingze surprised Ansel by biting off a piece of the lollipop and chewing it. "Woof woof."

Ansel was utterly bewildered. "Woof woof woof?"

"Woof!"

Wen Xingze gestured, indicating he would perform a magic trick for Ansel. He took a deep breath, then exhaled—

Brilliant golden-red flames ignited along the airflow, consuming the remaining lollipop stick. The evening beach became a canvas for miniature fireworks.

In the fiery glow, Wen Xingze's eyes softened, resembling orange candies.

When he opened his hand again, it held thirteen candies—rainbow-colored and various flavors—for Ansel to choose from.

"Woof!!!" Ansel transformed into a full-on puppy, afraid Wen Xingze might change his mind and take the candies back. His bat wings fluttered happily as he clung to Wen Xingze, whimpering tears of joy.

Ansel couldn't decide whether it was the lollipop, the magic trick, or the fact that Wen Xingze was making him so happy.

Wen Xingze sighed inwardly. Originally, the thirteen candies were meant for the thirteen princes, to prevent them from being upset with Ansel. But in this special circumstance... oh well, he'd buy more lollipops later.

Speaking of which, he could now freely control the activation and deactivation of the Dragon Clan and Blood Clan filters. Although it was still a vague sensation, he was getting the hang of it. However, the newly acquired Mermaid's Blessing filter wasn't ready yet—perhaps because he hadn't worn it long enough.

"..."

Not far away, Zhu Bo finished his meal and went to find Wen Xingze. Instead, he encountered the photographer carrying equipment. The photographer gestured for Zhu Bo to be quiet while he continued shooting.

Peering through the viewfinder, Zhu Bo had to admit the photographer was skilled. The blue-purple sky and the evening Tenerife beach formed a stunning backdrop. Wen Xingze sat alone by the shore, his hair slightly tousled, half his face turned toward the camera, exuding a gentle expression.

Beautiful.

This scene could serve as material for the theme song of "Fantasy Cruise."  

Then they watched in astonishment as Wen Xingze barked at the air for quite some time, then breathed fire and conjured a lollipop out of thin air—

Zhu Bo: "..."

Photographer: "..."

Was this the beloved idol of the entertainment industry and the nation's top feng shui master? Adorable!

Zhu Bo: "Is this some mysterious ancient ritual?"

The photographer, perhaps imagining a heart-wrenching drama, wiped his eyes with a tissue and said, "Touched."

Zhu Bo: "?????"

________________________

At 7 PM, on the pier.

The guests, who had been busy with their individual tasks, gathered once again. It was time for the main event of the day—the voting session!

Similar to the game of Werewolf, whether there were casualties during the night or not, the daytime vote was mandatory. Before voting, the guests would convene around a round table for brief discussions and information sharing. The production team had rented an open-air restaurant on the pier, complete with sea breeze and moonlight.

The round table was just right for ten guests, with a central candlestick providing the only light source.

The atmosphere was charged.

"Take twenty minutes to discuss," the director announced. "Then write down the number of the guest you want to vote for on the whiteboard provided. You have one minute to decide; any delay will be counted as abstention."

The photographers took their positions as well.

This segment involved not only overhead shots but also close-ups of each guest's micro-expressions—essential for post-analysis. After all, Werewolf was a game of lies and truths.

Throughout the day, everyone had grown familiar with each other. Wen Xingze, in particular, had excellent rapport, and every guest greeted him cheerfully.

The director cleared his throat. "Oh, by the way, a reminder for our male guests. Do you remember your penalty for failure?"

All the male guests fell silent.

After a day filled with events, Wen Xingze suddenly recalled his punishment: performing a hot dance in a maid outfit!

Three seconds of silence followed.

Competitiveness blazed in the eyes of every male guest. The tension in the air became palpable.

They locked eyes, sparks flying as their gazes clashed.

The director was pleased with the effect. In post-production, this scene would be accompanied by an adrenaline-pumping soundtrack—a dramatic touch.

The female guests exchanged puzzled glances.

Then, the director counted down: three, two, one. The twenty-minute discussion officially began.

Wen Xingze and Zhu Bo, being among the few actors present, had a clear advantage in their professional skills.

Wen Xingze, in particular, had mastered the art of "bewildered expression," "utter confusion," and "question marks all over the face." He navigated smoothly, even when questioned about how he managed to leave the house last night during the feng shui incident.

But a twist occurred with just one minute left on the countdown.

Male Guest #5 suddenly pointed at Jean and asked, "Jean, are you a traitor from the Sailor team?"

A critical hit!

Everyone: "???"

Unbelievable! If the traitor has been exposed, the game should end immediately. If it really is Jean, Male Guest #5 would win individually, and the rest of us would fail.

Why is this happening so quickly?!

Jean blinked. "Ahaha..."

Other guests were equally surprised. They asked Male Guest #5 why he suspected Jean. He scratched his head and explained, "Well, my room is next to Jean's. Last night, around 9 PM, I heard his door open and footsteps. If it were a sea creature, they would have left at 8 PM... So, I guessed Jean was the sailor targeted for murder by the sea creature, but he didn't die."

Wen Xingze realized the trap. Unlike the tabletop game Werewolf, in the Fantasy Cruise version, the murdered person could see the true identity of the killer because of the name-tag-ripping segment.

Jean, as the murdered sailor, must have seen the sea monster's true form. This was a significant advantage for the sailor team. Jean could have directly accused Zhu Bo, Fang Ruxue, and Wen Xingze, allowing the sailors to vote them out.

But Jean didn't say anything! In the past twenty minutes, he hadn't uttered a word!

The only possibility was that Jean had defected due to some reason and had become part of the sea creatures team...

Fang Ruxue hadn't caught on yet. She thought Male Guest #5 was guessing randomly and glanced at Jean. "Just because he didn't die doesn't mean he's a traitor."

Male Guest #5 was a graduate of a prestigious domestic university, with exceptionally sharp thinking. He was about to explain further.

But the countdown reached zero.

Wen Xingze hadn't even exhaled in relief when Male Guest #5 suddenly raised his hand.

"I hold the special role of 'Captain' among the sailors," Male Guest #5 declared. "I choose to use my one-time ability to force everyone to vote Jean out."

All guests: "............"

The director grinned. "Oh, well."

How was this even possible? An ability?

Seeing Male Guest #5's unwavering determination, it seemed almost certain. The male guests felt defeated, envisioning nurse uniforms, high-slit cheongsams, Lolita dresses, sailor suits, and magical girl cosplay...

Wen Xingze felt the same. He could already see himself in a maid outfit with lace trim and a white apron. No, no, no—everything was still up in the air; both he and Jean were dark horses!

"Wait," Wen Xingze stood up before the director could announce the result. "Director, I'm a mermaid. I have the ability to use the Mermaid's Song once a night to disrupt and neutralize other guests' abilities. Can I use it now?"

At this point, he didn't care about exposing his identity. Even if he revealed himself as a sea creature, he still had a chance. But if the traitor was discovered here and voted out, it would be all over.

The director checked his watch. The male guests held their breath, waiting for his response. Finally, he said, "It's nighttime now. You may."

The entire room's attention shifted to Wen Xingze, especially Jean and the other male guests. Their gazes burned with intensity.

In their eyes, Wen Xingze, already strikingly handsome, now shone even brighter. An angel with a horn danced around him, and a halo hovered above his head.

The savior!

Zhu Bo looked at him, teary-eyed. "A'Ze, I love you."

The director cleared his throat. "So, sing."

Wen Xingze: "?"

Director: "The Mermaid's Song—sing it! For at least one minute. Go!"

Wen Xingze: "..."

The close-up camera captured Wen Xingze's expression—his lips slightly parted, eyes filled with confusion.

In capital letters.

Utter bewilderment.

"What do you mean, sing?" Wen Xingze said in despair. "Nobody told me I had to sing! Director, your variety show is really something."

Even at this moment, Fang Ruxue managed to laugh. "Hehehehe!"

The director, now a different person from the morning, sounded quite cheeky. "I didn't tell you? Oh, haha, my bad. Apologies, apologies."

Wen Xingze continued his despair. "Apologies won't help. What do I need the police for?"

Director: "????"

Wen Xingze felt this way because of the three days of special training with the Merfolk elders. Although it had upgraded his singing ability, it also left him with some psychological trauma.

And let's face it, he didn't have much potential in singing and dancing. Even at level 1, he was only slightly... less cringe-worthy than before.

Of course, others didn't know all this. They were aware that Wen Xingze played the suona well, so how bad could he be at singing?

Six cameras focused on Wen Xingze from various angles, and the recording equipment was ready.

Zhu Bo even pulled out a spoon and chopsticks, intending to help him keep the beat. Everyone looked prepared to groove.

Wen Xingze: "..."

After struggling in vain, he covered his eyes and gripped the microphone. "Twinkle, twinkle, little star."

Guests: "..."

Wen Xingze: "How I wonder what you are."

Guests: "............"

They had all just recalled Wen Xingze's suona playing—extremely cool and captivating. His suona had set the whole place on fire, making everyone tap their feet and dance from the mountaintop to the foothills.

But who would have thought that the same person would have such a different singing style? Wen Xingze's voice was undoubtedly pleasant—unique, clear, with a touch of nasal sweetness. If you listened closely, it even carried a strange, distant charm.

But his singing...

How should I put it?

It was, well, quite adorable.

If he were in kindergarten, Wen Xingze would definitely be the little singing prodigy there. Imagine that. And then the production team brought out a tambourine. The entire variety show set exuded a peaceful and childlike atmosphere.

________________________

One minute later.

Wen Xingze sat down, feeling like a defeated soul. Zhu Bo and Fang Ruxue patted his shoulder, comforting him. "A'Ze, it's okay. Stay strong."

Wen Xingze had given up. He thought the voting for the day would end here, but to his surprise, Male Guest #5 raised his hand again. "Director, I successfully completed my daytime task today. I obtained a card that negates skill effects. May I use it...?"

Director: "You may."

Guests: "?????"

Wen Xingze: "?????"

The Mermaid's Song, which could neutralize abilities, had been neutralized?

Wen Xingze looked at Male Guest #5, his eyes filled with shock.

Unexpectedly, Male Guest #5 burst into tears. Yes, actual tears. He said, "I didn't want this either. The production team forced me. If I get another chance, I'll definitely avoid this variety show. Do you know what my failure punishment is? You'll never guess."

Zhu Bo asked, "What is it?"

Male Guest #5 replied, "A bikini dance."

Understanding between people can be difficult, but sometimes it becomes quite simple. The male guests instantly empathized with Male Guest #5. Wen Xingze patted his shoulder. "Stay strong."

"So, Director," a female guest raised her hand, "how do we determine the winner between the skill negation and the item card negation?"

The director didn't hesitate at all, clearly well-prepared. He said, "Male Guest #5 and Little Wen, you two will battle. It's a game of Truth or Dare. The first one who can't handle it loses."

Dirty move.

This variety show is truly devious.

With everything at stake, Wen Xingze carried the hopes of all the male guests. He had no choice but to face it head-on. The production team was indeed prepared—they even had a Truth or Dare card. After shuffling, they signaled for Wen Xingze to draw first.

Wen Xingze randomly picked a card. Upon closer inspection: "Initiate a video call with the most recent chat in WeChat and collaborate with the other party to perform a talent. The video must be projected onto the large screen prepared by the production team for all guests to watch and confirm."

Wen Xingze's heart skipped a beat. A staff member handed him his phone.

As expected.

It was already past 7 PM—the peak time for dragon parents. The 'Your Majesty's Dragon Parent Group' had a fresh notification count of 99+.

"My most recent chat is a group chat," Wen Xingze said. "Can I choose another one?"

Director: "No, but you can choose to forfeit."

Wen Xingze: "..."

The dragon parents were busy on WeChat, and the group chat kept updating. Wen Xingze quickly glanced at it and saw Auster's message: "Your Majesty, rest assured, we won't reveal anything suspicious. Initiate the call."

Just as the mighty dragons unconditionally trusted Wen Xingze, he also trusted them unconditionally.

With Auster's reassurance, Wen Xingze felt more at ease.

He clicked the video call button, and it connected swiftly. His phone screen was projected onto the large screen that had been set down.

Guests and production staff held their breath.

The camera started blurry, then gradually focused, becoming clear.

An endless expanse of snowy mountains appeared on the screen.

But soon, something massive blocked the view—a tail or some kind of creature, with visible scales. As it got too close, everything blurred.

Wen Xingze: "?"

Finally, the audio connected.

First came the howling wind and the rush of air, followed by—

"Roarrrr!"

Majestic, imposing, extraordinary—the roar of a dragon.

Guests: ?

And now, it was time for an intense and thrilling magic moment...??? 

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