Twenty minutes later, Senti skipped merrily towards a grand hall, dragging three bruised captives behind her using the chains from her peculiar artifact while humming a tune.
Hmm? You're wondering if her weapon wasn't destroyed by Zeke earlier?
Ah, the Key of Domination—through archaeological digs worldwide and treasures excavated from Taixuan Mountain, Zeke had amassed hundreds of these keys. Giving a few to Senti was no big deal!
"Hum~hum~hum~"
"Zeke, I'm back!"
"Bang!"
Smiling triumphantly, Senti kicked open the door, dragging her three prisoners.
Instantly, the heavy door swung back with even greater force, catching Senti off-guard and pinning her beneath its weight.
"Ahh!" x4
The door exerted an unusually strong gravitational pull, affecting not just Senti but also Kia, Rita, and Durandal, who were being dragged along the ground behind her.
A short while later, Senti knelt inside the grand hall, dusty and disheveled, with the other three captives similarly kneeling behind her.
Only now did the trio from the Huang Empire, despite their pitiful appearance and relatively minor injuries, get a clear view of the chamber's interior.
Amidst towering bookshelves, countless spherical orbs about the size of a fingernail navigated back and forth, emitting beams of light that scanned across the shelves.
In front of this mesmerizing scene beyond their wildest imaginations sat a slender silver-haired youth at a reading table, legs crossed as he perused an ancient tome.
Noticing their gazes, the young man looked up, his expression calm and unflinching.
At that moment, all three felt a primal shiver deep within them. Their minds went blank, replaced by an inexplicable dread that overwhelmed their thoughts. Feeling drained of strength, they could only remain frozen, kneeling stiffly on the spot, unable to react otherwise.
Finally, Zeke shifted his gaze towards the indignant Senti.
"Don't cause unnecessary destruction; it's a bad habit."
"...I get it already!"
"Your words may agree, but your heart resists. Seems like you haven't learned your lesson."
Zeke shook his head, set down his book, and produced a notebook and pen from his hand, beginning to jot something down.
This sight instinctively made Senti's antenna-like hair stand straight up.
Zeke typically favored high-tech tools, so using primitive paper and pen for this specific purpose must signify its importance. And Senti felt that whatever he was recording targeted her directly.
"What...what are you writing about?"
"I'm documenting your behavior throughout our journey—both good and bad will be meticulously recorded—and upon returning, I'll hand it over to Little Fuxi."
"Wait! I was wrong! Please, don't include today's events!" Senti earnestly bowed and prostrated herself, completely disregarding her pride and dignity.
Of course! Such records were meant for outsiders, and recalling how grim-faced Fuxi had looked when receiving the Book of Fuxi's notes—well, the priority now was to convince Zeke to overlook this incident!
Cold sweat dripped from Senti's forehead.
[Pfft!]
["Hey, Old Antique, don't just laugh! Quickly come out and say some good words for me! You wouldn't want Little Fuxi to grab me upon my return for a three-day lecture, would?!"]
Fu Hua did not respond.
Senti grew even more anxious.
Zeke, pen in hand, silently observed Senti's humble prostration. After half a minute, he put away his paper and pen.
"For now, I'll let it slide. But if there's another offense, I'll note them all together."
"Yes! I promise to behave impeccably! Thank you, Master Zeke, for your magnanimity!"
Relieved at narrowly escaping punishment, Senti straightened up, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
"Find somewhere to clean yourselves up; tidy up those girls as well. It's too unsightly, hurting the eyes," Zeke commanded indifferently, resuming his casual perusal of ancient texts.
From their earlier struggle, all four individuals had inevitably gotten splashed with various liquids. The trio from the Huang Empire, especially, were dragged across the ground by Senti, compounded by being crushed under the gate—let's be honest, they indeed looked quite disheveled, no matter how naturally attractive they might have been.
Senti directed the trio from the Huang Empire to lead the way.
With no strength to resist, they wisely chose cooperation and arrived at a hot spring bathhouse. Together, they cleaned up their appearances and changed into fresh clothes.
An hour later, all four returned to the library hall. By then, three ornate wooden chairs had been placed directly below the reading platform.
The arrangement was unmistakably clear. After a brief hesitation, the Huang Empire group took their seats, with Imperial Prince Kiana positioned centrally.
Without a chair of her own, Senti blinked, glanced at the trio, then looked at Zeke, who remained engrossed in his ancient tome without raising his head. Her cheeks puffed out momentarily, but ultimately, she pursed her lips, obediently moved behind Zeke, and stood with hands clasped behind her back, resembling a dependable attendant.
"Flip!"
Zeke turned another page, showing no intention to speak first, seemingly fully absorbed in the contents of the ancient book.
However, amidst this silence, the distinctively diverse members of the Huang Empire grew increasingly uneasy.
Finally, it was Imperial Prince Kiana who broke the tension:
"Cough! Gentlemen, I may not know your origins, but your abilities are undoubtedly extraordinary. In any case, please feel free to state your demands; since we can't defeat you, the terms are yours... Aiya!"
Rita pinched Kiana's waist sharply.
Kiana turned, noticing the prominent vein pulsing on Rita's forehead despite her smiling expression.
"What's your problem? Fine, you talk then," Kiana grumbled unhappily as she rubbed her sore waist.
The vein on Rita's forehead bulged even more prominently—If you're aware of our situation, why did you rush to speak up?! Now I can't negotiate freely! Oh heavens, how come within the esteemed imperial family, aside from Zhuge Kongming, the only one with any influence is this dimwit second prince? He might as well be a plant!
At that moment, Zeke finally closed the ancient tome and placed it on the table, looking down at the trio below him.
"To put it simply, I claim this nation for myself. Feel free to voice any concerns."
"Ridiculous! Do you think Huang's mighty army is made of paper? Arrogant traitor, even if you slay us, you'll never succeed in bringing ruin upon this vast kingdom and its millions of innocent citizens!" Durandal stood, pointing at Zeke with unwavering resolve.
However, Kiana clutched her cheeks, eyes wide with terror. "Ahhhh! If you want to die, go ahead by yourself! I'm not done living yet!"
"Your Highness, dying for one's country is a noble duty. As royalty, we must set an example, standing firm even unto death. Please do not undermine the prestige of the Huang Kingdom at such a critical time!"
"Dang it! Can't we just have a civilized discussion? This handsome guy looks so approachable; surely there's room for communication! Are you out of your mind?"
"Your Highness, when faced with rebels coveting power and territory, do you lack even the courage to stand your ground?"
Thus, two individuals with starkly contrasting approaches began exchanging heated barbs.
Rita forced a smile, her eyes twitching. If not for the inappropriate setting, she would have eagerly disregarded her status, grabbed her scythe, and given these numbskulls a taste of its blade.
As Zeke observed this scene, he stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Kiana and Durandal, huh? I never witnessed such a tableau in that other world..."
"Cough! Esteemed stranger, please forgive Rita's impudence, but brute strength alone does not equate to governing a nation effectively. The Huang Empire has endured for centuries, boasting countless loyal ministers and heroes. Moreover, Imperial Heir Zhuge Kongming remains outside the palace... Beware, excessive ambition may lead to an untimely end."
"Hmm, compared to them, conversing with you seems more worthwhile. However, I never said I sought your opinions; I'm merely informing you of reality. I have some experiments that require using this country as a test bed. You can choose to actively cooperate, or I'll leash you like dogs and make you comply regardless."
"Um, sir, as I mentioned, Imperial Heir Zhuge Kongming is still..."
"I don't care about your opinions. Now, I will outline my plans and assign each of you a role accordingly. Listen carefully; save any questions until I'm finished. First, this device is called the Central Core—a comprehensive administrative system built upon artificial intelligence. It..." Zeke continued, "...blah blah... blah..."
Zeke began detailing his governance design for the nation and the tools he had created to manage it. Under some mysterious force, the three women sat attentively, unable to interrupt as they listened.
To these individuals from ancient times, high-tech gadgets naturally seemed incomprehensible. However, understanding wasn't crucial; as long as their roles were clear, they would naturally follow Zeke's lead.
Time slowly passed, with more question marks and circles filling the eyes of the captive listeners. As dawn approached, Zeke finally dismissed them, leaving the trio dazed and disoriented as they exited the hall.
Turning back, Zeke noticed Senti standing rigidly behind him, arms crossed, head slightly bowed, her eyes wide open yet vacant.
The only giveaway was a shrinking bubble of sleep drool hanging beneath her nose.
Zeke raised an eyebrow but picked up the ancient tome again without disturbing her slumber.
Sleep well; there's still much to be done. A rested mind works best.
******
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