On second thought, Zero guessed that it wasn't just the sapient machines at fault. Other forces in the universe must have been fanning the flames and exaggerating as well, which was what led to these two jokes circulating about the Xianzhou people and the Galaxy Rangers.
Taking ten thousand steps back, even if it were true, there had to be other reasons for them to act that way.
For example, someone deliberately going onto the Xianzhou people's forum just to curse him.
Would any normal person do that? Otherwise, how would that be any different from standing in the streets of the Xianzhou angrily cursing the "Reignbow Arbiter" while praising the "Plagues Author"?
On top of that, he was often the target of assassination attempts. When his subordinates and the Xianzhou people saw those comments… it was inevitable that they'd grow wary.
In that case, them investigating that person's identity was only natural, wasn't it?
Once the investigation was complete and they found nothing wrong, the Xianzhou people naturally wouldn't interfere with that person's normal travel.
Zero busied himself patching up the first joke. After he finished justifying it, he was at a loss for how to explain the second joke.
He turned his gaze to Dan Feng and hesitantly said, "Let's set the first one aside for now. Isn't the second one a bit too exaggerated?"
Jing Yuan, who longed to become a Galaxy Ranger, nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Yeah, yeah, aren't Galaxy Rangers supposed to punish evil and promote good?"
How does hearing someone curse the former marshal turn into killing someone to silence them?
Dan Feng swept an impassive glance over Zero.
In his memory, the man indulged his subordinates unconditionally.
Take General Daiyang of the Luofu, who had dealings with the Imbibitor Lunae.
At first, Daiyang had represented the Xianzhou in communications with the Vidyadhara.
Only after interacting with him did they discover his true nature, his romantic debts alone could probably stretch in a line from the general's manor all the way to the Ambrosial Arbor.
Yet the former marshal always believed his subordinates were simple and easy to deceive.
Would it kill him to open his eyes for once? To pay even a little attention to the Ten-Lords Commissions of the various Xianzhou?
Not a single one of his subordinates was a pushover.
In their eyes, death was not a punishment for those assassins, it was release. It was a reward.
Dan Feng wasn't clear on the situation in other Xianzhou.
But he knew that in the Ten-Lords Commission of the Luofu, all those assassins who had tried to kill the former marshal were still alive today!
Considering that Zero, who came with his own filter, was present, Dan Feng didn't say much more and only said, "They're just jokes. I said them offhand. Don't take them seriously."
Yingxing's line of thinking was, as always, uniquely odd.
He didn't think the Xianzhou people or the Galaxy Rangers were extreme. Instead, his attention was caught by the person they were protecting.
Yingxing marveled, "To be so fiercely protected by both the Xianzhou people and the Galaxy Rangers… that former marshal must have been quite the extraordinary figure…"
Jing Yuan followed along. "Exactly! That person's deeds, no storyteller would dare write them."
Nothing the former marshal did followed any logic. If it were written into a storybook… it would absolutely get torn apart online.
After all, storybooks need logic. Reality doesn't.
Zero drank while listening to Yingxing and Jing Yuan chat. The two of them seemed in high spirits and showed no sign of stopping.
He couldn't stand hearing people talk about his past, so he turned his head toward Dan Feng once more.
Dan Feng understood the hint and was just about to say something to change the subject when Jingliu, who had been watching the two of them for some time, spoke up.
Jingliu sounded thoughtful, her tone unreadable in emotion, "I imagine the Xianzhou people back then really liked the former marshal."
At her words, Dan Feng immediately closed his mouth. No matter how much Zero looked at him, he didn't say a single word.
Zero had no choice but to withdraw his gaze. While scratching the cat under the chin, he steeled himself and listened as the group continued talking about the former marshal.
Among them, Jing Yuan was particularly proactive. With evident pride, he said to everyone, "Speaking of the former marshal… I know a lot! For example, how he led the Xianzhou to end the 'Emperor' war and eradicate the root of the 'Swarm Disaster'."
Zero listened with a calm expression.
Then Jing Yuan continued, "He's the strongest human who made the entire universe tremble..."
The more Zero listened, the more familiar it sounded. After Jing Yuan finished that line, he spoke up with difficulty, "Why do these words sound so familiar? Are they a direct quote from some book?"
Jing Yuan nodded. "Yeah, they're taken straight from a book, Five Thousand Years Walking with the Crownless Emperor, the Xianzhou Alliance."
Such a familiar book title brought back memories Zero very much didn't want to recall.
He lowered his head, doing his best to control his expression.
Seeing this, Dan Feng quickly picked up his wine cup, using the motion to hide his smile.
Yubie really hadn't lied to him. That man really couldn't stand being praised.
Jing Yuan chuckled proudly. "I came up with that book title myself, you know?"
Zero quickly rummaged through his memories of past chats with Jing Yuan and compared them with the contents of that book.
The wording in the book was far too exaggerated, it made his scalp go numb.
Wait, there was also something Jing Yuan had mentioned before but hadn't written into the book…
Zero hesitated for a long while. When Jing Yuan finally talked himself hoarse, Zero asked, "The person you mentioned… is that the same one you told me about before? The one who was ruthless in killing but refused to step on ants?"
Jing Yuan looked as if he were recalling it, then nodded.
"Yeah, that's him. The original draft recorded the whole incident in detail, but General Tengxiao thought that refusing to step on ants would damage the former marshal's image, so he cut it."
Zero, "..."
He instantly understood Teng Xiao's real meaning.
High EQ version, it damages the image.
Low EQ version, it makes him look mentally unstable.
Zero thought it through. This kind of thing… most likely happened after he met Hua.
Hua really had bad luck, running into him.
Zero felt a brief flash of guilt, then went back to petting the cat. By the time everyone dispersed and he was holding the cat with one arm and Jingliu's hand with the other, his mind was still full of Jing Yuan's words that had nearly killed him on the spot.
The two of them walked side by side, chatting idly.
Out of the blue, Jingliu said, "It seems you and Dan Feng get along quite well."
Zero released Jingliu's hand and pressed down on Jade, who was about to wriggle free from his arms.
Holding the cat tightly, he pulled Jingliu close and smiled at her.
"After all, that's a dragon. I don't think there's a single Xianzhou person who would refuse a dragon, right?"
"Besides, he's your friend, and I'm your lover. Of course we wouldn't do anything to put you in a difficult position."
Zero quickly offered his explanation. Jingliu said nothing more and instead changed the topic.
"Then why is it that you don't eat, don't drink, and don't sleep?"
Zero hadn't planned to tell the truth, but facing his lover, he paused for a moment. Then, in an extremely light, casual tone, he answered frankly, "Because I am an ordinary person."