Mingmei left with the tray, feeling utterly despondent. There was really no way to do it at the banquet, and the private transaction couldn't be delayed for too long. Alas!

However, Mingmei quickly came up with a plan. Before leaving, she looked in Charlie's direction and saw that they were also looking at her.

Mingmei's gaze flickered from left to right, making sure that no one was paying attention to her. Then, she winked at them, signaling them to sneak out.

...

The moon was bright and the stars were few, and a gentle breeze caressed the night. Mingmei, having returned with the wine, stood in the darkness watching the two men approach her. They exchanged a glance, a casual sweep of the eyes, as if unintentional, and then looked away again.

As the three of them brushed past each other, she opened her mouth slightly and whispered that the boxed meals were behind the haystack on the southwest side of the banquet hall, before quickly leaving...

"Holy crap, these boxed meals actually work!"

The moment they got the boxed meals, their effect was immediately displayed in their game backend.

One could understand the Chu Rong language, and the other could speak it!

Julian and Charlie, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, squatted behind the haystack and began to wolf down their meals. Halfway through, Charlie couldn't help but speak, even with his mouth full of food.

"God knows, I couldn't understand a word those NPCs next door were saying, jabbering away like birds. It was driving me crazy! I couldn't even understand the information coming to my ears. So annoying. Now I can finally understand!"

"It's probably nothing good. Lord Cui's expression hasn't been good since they started talking. I heard them say that Lord Cui knows some Chu Rong language."

Lord Cui was the lord they had bummed tea from at noon. He was also the one who had brought them back after they were released. He was a very nice uncle.

Their acting had been full of loopholes and clumsiness, and if Lord Cui hadn't been covering for them, they didn't know how they would have died.

To be honest, when they heard that their training was in cooperation with a game company, Charlie scoffed at the time. But after entering the game and experiencing everything, they were completely slapped in the face.

It was hilarious. Not only was their IQ lower than the NPCs, but even their EQ couldn't compare!

They had been completely crushed by the NPCs in the beginner village, and then in the *Thorn Emperor* dungeon. Starting with the scenes they experienced in Hua Liang Emperor City, they were shocked.

When they opened their eyes, the young emperor of Hua Liang, who had only recently ascended the throne, was kneeling before them, begging for their help.

In this ancient world where imperial power was paramount, the sight of an emperor kneeling to others was astonishing!

Even the Star Empire's royal family, who were basically mascots, wouldn't do something like that!

The emperor in the game was a good one. After taking the throne, the young ruler was unable to fully grasp power due to court disputes. With strong enemies invading from outside, he had no chance to "develop," and Hua Liang was already in danger.

With no one reliable at his disposal, he had to rely on a few trusted confidants to find assassins from the common people to help him complete his plan...

And they were the assassins who had been chosen.

"That's perfect. After eating this, if I understand what they dare to say to me, I'll give it right back to them! Anyway, Lord Cui said I'm not steady, so I won't be steady. I'll help him curse them."

Charlie finished speaking and continued to eat ravenously. Julian looked at Charlie's reaction and shook his head helplessly, letting out a soft sigh.

How could the crumbling Hua Liang be saved just because of the tyrant's death?

After the tyrant died, could the crumbling Hua Liang be preserved under their anger?

Julian scoffed and cursed the game in his heart.

The new emperor was never as simple and naive as they had imagined.

And this game had been screwing people over since the very beginning with the mission!

[Player Mission: Assassinate the tyrant and save Hua Liang.]

When Mingmei returned to the banquet with the wine, she felt the tyrant's gaze on her.

His dark, abyss-like eyes were fixed on her, making Mingmei feel immense pressure!

Mingmei tensed her face and walked forward slowly until she stood in front of the tyrant. Before she could pick up the wine pot and fill his glass, a large hand snatched the pot away.

Mingmei looked up and saw that he was staring straight at her, as if she were being targeted by a wild beast, and couldn't help but shudder.

Then, Mingmei saw him take the wine pot, pour a cup of wine, and hand it directly to her.

She didn't know if it was her imagination, but the people below seemed to have quieted down for a moment when the tyrant made this gesture.

Just as Mingmei was staring at the offered cup in a daze, the tyrant suddenly looked up and dispersed all the prying eyes.

For a moment, the banquet was still filled with singing and dancing, and the feeling that something was wrong seemed to have been her imagination.

"Drink it. Test for poison."

As if because Mingmei still hadn't taken the cup, the tyrant reluctantly explained.

Mingmei had no choice. She took the wine and drank it all in one gulp. Even though it was just a game, the burning sensation of the white wine going down her throat was surprisingly realistic!

Mingmei's cheeks flushed red, and she looked up to see a slight curve on the tyrant's lips.

It was kind of good-looking?

For a moment, Mingmei felt a little dazed.

The tyrant then took the wine cup back from her and began to pour and drink for himself, without any hesitation that Mingmei had drunk from the cup.

It was both seductive and dangerous!

Mingmei's mind was starting to get a little fuzzy, but she handled her alcohol well. Even though she was a little drunk, she stood there quietly, as if nothing had happened.

[Host?]

Gui Gui sensed that something was wrong with Mingmei and called out.

But no one answered.

Gui Gui: ?!!

[Host?!]

Mingmei: ...

Gui Gui was about to explode. It seemed like its host couldn't handle alcohol!

Help!

What was its system supposed to do?!

As if sensing the tyrant's good mood, the atmosphere at the banquet rose again.

At this time, a wealthy merchant, sitting in a position only slightly worse than the Hua Liang envoys, stood up with a bulging belly and a flattering smile on his face. He stepped forward and flattered the tyrant for a long time in broken Chu Rong language.

Hearing the merchant's bootlicking, Charlie's lips clearly turned down. This kind of traitor... ha!

Thinking this, Charlie downed a glass of wine.

"Hiss—this simulated liquor from Hua Lan Star is really potent. Do they really have such strong liquor?"

Charlie, who almost choked on the white wine, whispered to Julian.

"When the game is over, go check out the Hua Lan Star liquor stores on the Star Treasure Network and you'll know," Julian said, putting down his wine glass. He couldn't get used to the white wine. He then glanced at the merchant's daughter NPC standing next to the tyrant.

That flushed face was so different from her cold appearance during the day!

The tyrant put down the wine pot and tapped his fingers lightly on the table, looking at the merchant with a half-smile. "Beauty? Although my Chu Rong is located in the north, we are not lacking in beauties."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Mingmei beside him, causing everyone who was paying attention to the tyrant's movements to follow his gaze and look at the dizzy Mingmei.

However, just because he could look at her like that didn't mean that others could follow his gaze and look at Mingmei for even a moment. In an instant, the tyrant threw the short knife in his hand directly, and a scream instantly woke everyone up.

The tyrant's short knife was stuck in the eye socket of a follower standing behind the merchant, half of his face covered in blood.

Suddenly, the atmosphere at the banquet took a sharp turn. Everyone immediately held their breath and withdrew their gaze, then turned to look at the culprit, the merchant, with a "you're full of shit" look of blame.

If you hadn't been talking nonsense, would His Majesty have gotten angry?

Look at this short knife, tsk!

Seeing this, the system Gui Gui started blaring alarms in the background.

[Host, wake up! There's a bad guy who's super cruel!]

[Host!]

[Host, you're still young. Never accept drinks from strange men when you're out alone!!]

[Ah! Wake up, Host! There's a pervert who's watching you!]

If Gui Gui had a physical form right now, it would probably be a recreation of the famous painting—*The Scream*.