Shen Ying looked at Lien with a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "Why are you questioning me so confidently?"

"The warden's private life has nothing to do with you, a mere prisoner."

Lien was momentarily stunned, then grew indignant. This person was unbelievable—always taking advantage and saying whatever suited them. But now, with the warden not in sight, he was just a lowly prisoner.

He sneered, "Looks like I hit a nerve. I always knew that Crown Prince was a hypocrite."

"Isn't he supposed to ascend the throne tomorrow? Already rushing to get involved in scandal. I wonder if the live broadcast of the coronation will be a disaster?"

Shen Ying kept a straight face. "You're spouting nonsense. I'm not someone who disregards the bigger picture like that."

Lien was even angrier after hearing this. "So you're saying you've actually thought about it?"

Seeing that he was genuinely upset, Shen Ying decided it was best to stop teasing him. After all, a proactive pirate leader like him was a rare sight.

She reassured him, "There's nothing like that going on. Besides, let's not just talk about me."

"I'm an imperial official, after all. No matter what happens, there's always a proper protocol. But what about you guys?"

"Did you manage to escape without getting ambushed? How are Lu Yu and Niu Xi?"

Lien noticed she was finally asking about him and scoffed, "Don't worry, we're alive."

"As for those two, I haven't heard anything about them leaving the imperial capital star. They're probably still hiding somewhere."

After saying this, he urged, "Add me as a friend already."

This time, Shen Ying didn't refuse and promptly added him to her friend list.

Lien was instantly satisfied, his voice brimming with excitement. "Shall we play a couple of rounds?"

Shen Ying replied, "Sure, let's do it."

The two teamed up, but this time Lien wasn't as proactive as before.

Instead, he followed Shen Ying closely, slacking off and barely contributing.

The mission location was set in a primordial jungle, and the tropical rainforest climate made all the players feel the oppressive heat as if it were real.

Shen Ying felt stifled inside her tightly sealed combat suit, her entire body drenched in sweat.

To avoid dehydration during combat encounters, Shen Ying led Lien to a nearby water source.

Following the sound of rushing waterfalls, Shen Ying found a river.

In the game, rivers were always crystal clear, free from any signs of human pollution.

Shen Ying took a few sips, splashed water on her face, and filled her canteen.

She kept an eye out for potential threats like crocodiles or other predators in the water, so she didn't pay much attention to Lien.

When she finally tightened the lid of her canteen and looked up, she saw that he had already stripped off his clothes.

Lien stood under the not-too-turbulent waterfall, completely uninhibited.

Shen Ying was speechless. "...What are you doing?"

Lien ran his fingers through his thoroughly soaked black hair. His medium-length hair had always been slightly wavy, but now it was drenched, forming strands that clung to his forehead and the sides of his face.

Combined with the flush brought on by the heat, he looked particularly... enticing.

Lien's ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‍voice carried a teasing tone. "What? I'm hot and sweaty. Of course, I'm taking a bath."

Shen Ying retorted, "Do you think this is the right time for a bath?"

"We're playing a game here, man. If you keep sabotaging the team, are you planning to lose your account?"

Lien shrugged nonchalantly. "Why not now? Who said you can't take a bath in the game? As long as we win in the end, that's all that matters."

"Aren't you feeling hot too? I can see your hair is soaked with sweat. It's just a game; there's no need to suffer like this. Come down and take a shower."

Shen Ying initially wanted to refuse. Mahjong had fallen out of favor in this era, but the highly immersive gaming experience still brought her a lot of joy.

She generally respected the rules of the game, but the guy who camped under the waterfall for eight hundred nights did look quite tempting.

The gameplay in the primitive jungle was novel too.

For instance, the sturdy vines swung by the gorillas, the giant webs spun by enormous spiders, and even the nests built by large birds using soft downy grass.

Lien had chased away the animals to temporarily take over their transportation and homes.

The animals were bewildered when driven away. They wanted to resist, but the aggressive two-legged creatures eager to mate were too fierce.

They understood, though, since they acted the same way during their mating season. Thus, the animals reluctantly left their homes.

The two of them, after having disturbed many animals, performed remarkably well in the later stages.

When the encirclement tightened, Lien stopped hiding behind Shen Ying and slacking off. His superior skills quickly turned the tide of the battle, leading them to victory.

Their teammates were thrilled, crowding around Shen Ying and Lien to excitedly review the game.

"We saw your two red dots wandering in the dense forest, sometimes in the trees, sometimes swinging, and sometimes getting caught in spider webs. We thought you were lost."

"Exactly, I wanted to turn on voice chat to guide you out, but you refused. I almost cursed."

"So, you were pretending to be clueless to confuse the opponents. As expected from experts, though a bit sneaky."

Shen Ying chuckled awkwardly, while Lien rolled his eyes skyward.

By the time Shen Ying logged out of the game, it was already late. As a special officer, she definitely had to attend the crown prince's coronation ceremony tomorrow, so sleeping in was not an option.

After taking off the gaming helmet, she went to bed.

The next morning, it was Zheng Yanhui who came over to have breakfast with her.

She also brought along Shen Ying's uniform and informed her, "There won't be much to do today. Your position isn't prominent; just standing there will suffice."

Shen Ying suddenly asked, "Has the system talked to you recently?"

Zheng Yanhui's face twitched. She really just said it outright. Even though it was already tacitly understood, did she have to be so blunt?

But she could only brace herself and answer, "No, I haven't contacted it recently."

"Ever since I told it that I refused to be its host and applied for a new exclusive system, it hasn't said a word."

Shen Ying sighed. "Same here. Whether it's dead or alive, it should at least make a sound. This uncertainty is worrying."

Zheng Yanhui's face was about to freeze. Was she serious? If she were the system, she'd probably have applied for self-destruction by now.

A life without hope or relief.

The two of them chatted idly, and although Zheng Yanhui didn't hold a high position, her father was a political heavyweight, so she had a lot of information.

When the time came, she took Shen Ying to the coronation ceremony site, where arrangements had already been made.

Shen Ying found that although her seat wasn't at the front, it offered an excellent view.

She could almost directly watch the entire golden carpet and the throne, and thanks to the layout, there was no obstruction in her line of sight.

Shen Ying found it amusing. Just how eager was their proud crown prince to flaunt the moment he became the ruler of the empire?

Shen Ying opened her terminal, and the coronation ceremony was already being streamed live on the interstellar network.

The crown prince—no, he should now be addressed as His Majesty the Emperor.

He wore a crown, donned a solemn and magnificent imperial robe, his golden hair draped over his shoulders, and he held a scepter, walking step by step down the long corridor.

The interstellar network was buzzing with cheers, captivated by the young and charismatic leader of the empire.

The number of simultaneous viewers on major platforms had already surpassed 700 billion, marking this as the grandest event in the universe.

Shen Ying was taken aback by the number, a testament to the scale of the interstellar world.

Even in this world, this level of attention made him the most watched person in human history.

As His Majesty approached the coronation hall, someone reminded the officials present to put away personal items and maintain solemnity.

Shen Ying also turned off her terminal and, along with those around her, focused on the entrance of the hall.

A majestic figure stepped in, his pace not quick, but each step was solid and weighty.

It was easy to believe he was ready to shoulder the responsibilities of the empire.

The crown prince ascended the throne with fresh achievements, having cleansed bloody capital and saved billions, instilling confidence in the people.

This unprecedented support made the atmosphere of the coronation ceremony even more grand and solemn, and the officials present felt honored to witness the moment.

Yet, the crown prince casually glanced at a particular spot.

He saw someone in a familiar warden's uniform, and his steps momentarily faltered, though fortunately, no one noticed.

He felt a bit annoyed; even at such a moment, did he still have a subconscious reaction?

How long had he been in prison? Could it be that some things had truly become reflexive?

Being stared at by the other, he couldn't help but wonder what schemes were being plotted against him, especially yesterday—

Thinking of this, the sacred and solemn emperor's face flushed slightly, but he quickly suppressed it.

Shen Ying watched as he took the throne, declaring that from that moment, he became the true ruler of the empire in both name and reality.

The imperial calendar officially changed at that moment, marking his ultimate glory.

Shen Ying's gaze fell on the luxurious throne, thinking it was quite a good spot.

His Majesty seemed to sense her thoughts, and his gaze, sharp as a knife, suddenly turned her way.

Shen Ying: "..."

Is this the sensitivity of 3S mental power?

After the coronation ceremony ended, Shen Ying exchanged pleasantries with other officials before meeting up with Zheng Yanhui, who escorted her back to her residence.

At this moment, His Majesty the Emperor was still busy, formally meeting with important officials of the empire.

By the time he returned to the royal bedchamber, Shen Ying was already fast asleep.

The Emperor, without even bothering to change out of his imperial robes, merely removed his crown before heading to Shen Ying's quarters.

Looking at the way she treated this place like a carefree vacation resort, his heart burned with fury.

His gaze lingered on her face, and the humiliating scenes from yesterday flashed vividly in his mind.

This wouldn't do, he thought to himself.

He refused to be forever toyed with by this woman—not just the so-called victories she claimed, but also the genuine feelings she had once deceitfully stolen from him.

The Emperor had to admit that the false emotions conjured in the simulation chamber had deeply affected him.

Yet the woman before him remained indifferent, casually watching him struggle in disgrace. It was utterly unfair.

With this thought, the Emperor's eyes gleamed. He immediately ordered the steward to prepare the simulation chamber.

His command was executed swiftly and precisely. In mere minutes, not only was the simulation chamber ready, but even the simulated world’s code—personally specified by His Majesty—had been programmed.

Meanwhile, Shen Ying remained blissfully unaware, lost in her slumber.

Who knows how much time had passed when Shen Ying finally woke up. Opening her eyes, she found herself in an opulent and comfortable bedroom.

She awoke feeling refreshed, but for a moment, she couldn’t recall her identity. All she noticed was a blond man lying beside her, and on the nightstand was a photograph of the two of them.

In the photo, their poses were intimate, leaving no doubt that they were either lovers or married.

This piqued Shen Ying’s curiosity. Could it be that this simulation started her off in a married status?