Deliberate Possession [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 113

Chapter 113: I’ll Protect You

Jiang Yumian kicked her back, her face red. “Idiot!”

Jing Xiaoyan was stunned and didn’t dare to dodge. Her face was also pinched by Jiang Yumian. She realized she might have really done something stupid.

Proposal…

She hadn’t even thought about that aspect. She was only focused on getting married.

It was all because her progress with Jiang Yumian had been too smooth. Since her mother brought up the marriage issue that day, she had only thought about getting married.

Jing Xiaoyan nervously licked her lip. Actually, she couldn’t be entirely blamed. She was inexperienced, after all. Hmm, not her fault.

Although Jing Xiaoyan was self-brainwashing, telling herself it wasn’t a big deal, she consciously lowered her head, letting Jiang Yumian pinch her face to vent her anger.

“I only left for a moment, and you two are already fighting again?” Lin Xi’s voice came from the doorway.

Lin Xi stood with her arms crossed, staring at them. These two had endless energy and were constantly messing around.

Lin Xi, who had just returned, didn’t save the recently teased Jiang Yumian, but she saved the currently guilty Jing Xiaoyan. With her “help,” Jing Xiaoyan successfully diverted the topic. She grabbed Jiang Yumian’s hand, looked at Lin Xi, and retorted, “Don’t you understand flirting?”

“Peh, who’s flirting with you.” Jiang Yumian pulled her hand back, glaring at the thick-skinned Jing Xiaoyan.

It wasn’t appropriate to discuss proposing now that Lin Xi was here.

Seeing that Jing Xiaoyan didn’t bring up the previous topic again, Jiang Yumian was actually the one who felt the most relieved. She was genuinely afraid that Jing Xiaoyan would tell Lin Xi that she was hinting at a proposal. If that got out, it would make her seem too unreserved.

Jing Xiaoyan reached out and draped her arm over Jiang Yumian’s neck. If she couldn’t hold hands, surely she could put her arm around her shoulder.

Lin Xi rolled her eyes unceremoniously. “Let’s go eat. The proprietress said it’s on the house.”

The group left the medical hall, talking about their respective discoveries as they walked, and then connected all the clues.

It turned out that after the princess discovered the poison doctor’s intention, she tried to escape. The princess had an excellent physique, and the poison doctor had been looking for her ever since she escaped. Three days ago, the poison doctor found Xiaoya. To avoid wasting the newly prepared medicinal ingredients, she decided to use them on Xiaoya first to see if there were any flaws before improving the formula after finding the princess.

Jiang Yumian: “So, although this poison doctor is evil, she is on the side that doesn’t want the princess to die. If the princess dies, she won’t be able to refine the human medicine ingredient.”

Xie Yunhuan chimed in, “So, which one of you is the poison doctor?”

Lin Xi raised an eyebrow. “I’m not, at least.”

Jing Xiaoyan held Jiang Yumian’s hand without speaking, her mind preoccupied with the previous event.

How should she propose?

She didn’t want it to be too casual.

Noticing that Jing Xiaoyan was distracted and absent-minded, Jiang Yumian probably knew why. She took Jing Xiaoyan’s arm, which was draped over her shoulder, and dropped it from behind.

“Hurry up, it’s going to rain.”

Jiang Yumian quickly took two steps to avoid Jing Xiaoyan. She was a little embarrassed. It was quite shy to talk about wanting someone to propose. She wasn’t as thick-skinned as Jing Xiaoyan.

Jing Xiaoyan, who was a few steps behind, paused slightly. She looked at Jiang Yumian’s back, her expression tightening, her heart slightly anxious.

Was Jiang Yumian unhappy because she hadn’t proposed?

She quickened her steps, hesitated for a few seconds before pulling Jiang Yumian’s hand again, keeping her lips sealed. Jiang Yumian also didn’t speak, letting her hold her hand.

The strange atmosphere didn’t affect the other two people’s conversation. Jiang Yumian would occasionally respond casually, while Jing Xiaoyan remained silent, but held Jiang Yumian’s hand tightly.

The four of them quickly reached the inn’s entrance. Just as they entered, it started to drizzle outside. Aunt Lu had already prepared a large table of food for them. Jing Xiaoyan watched Jiang Yumian while eating, diligently helping her with food.

Since they were eating so late, it could almost be called dinner. Jiang Yumian was truly hungry. She ate whatever Jing Xiaoyan gave her, and if it was something she didn’t want, she put it back in Jing Xiaoyan’s bowl. The whole process was very natural.

Lin Xi and Xie Yunhuan quietly focused on eating, occasionally sneaking glances at them. Although watching them be affectionate up close was nice, they felt like they were glowing a little too brightly.

During the meal, the number of surrounding customers didn’t seem to decrease. Listening to the information revealed during their conversation, the outline of the story became clearer.

Jing Xiaoyan felt increasingly sour. She silently analyzed the relationship between the female general and the princess, and it made her incredibly jealous.

The princess and the general were discovered being together, which led to the arrangement of the princess’s marriage to a foreign land. The general, who was highly respected by the common people, was also consequently despised by them. All her great achievements seemed to have been ignored…

Jiang Yumian pouted. “That’s truly disheartening.”

Lin Xi rested her chin on her hand and nodded. “That’s truly soul-crushing.”

Xie Yunhuan blinked and added, “What a pity.”

It was indeed a shame that they were separated like that.

Jing Xiaoyan’s gaze swept across the faces of the three of them, finally resting on Jiang Yumian’s face. She lightly blinked. “Are you full?”

Jiang Yumian was in the middle of analyzing. Hearing Jing Xiaoyan ask her, she quickly paused. She still didn’t know Jing Xiaoyan’s identity.

Jing Xiaoyan slightly tilted her head. “Hmm?”

Jiang Yumian cleared her throat. “I am.”

She was pondering who was really on her team. The Emperor and the Princess were both targets for elimination, so they must be on the same team. The poison doctor wouldn’t kill the princess, and the general had feelings for the princess, so she wouldn’t either.

Jiang Yumian raised an eyebrow. So, among the remaining people, there must be those who want to kill the Emperor and the Princess. She now needed to find the poison doctor and the Emperor.

It was winter, and due to the rain, it got dark quickly. They waited until the rain stopped before continuing the filming.

The North and South City areas were closed, and the staff took all of them to the West City, which had a smaller area. Then, the eight people split up to search for the final identity information on their own.

Jiang Yumian didn’t ask Jing Xiaoyan directly. She knew her own identity. If Jing Xiaoyan was a villain, she would be completely finished if Jing Xiaoyan betrayed her.

However, she still didn’t know how to eliminate people. The elimination rules hadn’t been found yet.

Her current goal was to find clues, and then go find Chu Qianyuan to protect herself.

The area wasn’t very large, so it was easy for the eight people to run into one or two others. She ran into Ling Yisong and Lin Xi, but she only exchanged greetings before leaving.

Jiang Yumian searched a courtyard and found one clue, but it wasn’t a major discovery. However, when she came out, she ran into Luo Cheng, who was rushing in.

Luo Cheng’s anxious demeanor startled Jiang Yumian. The two simultaneously bounced back, both on guard, with alertness in their eyes.

Jiang Yumian stood inside the door. She was wary of Luo Cheng, and took a step back before asking, “What’s wrong with you?”

Luo Cheng grabbed the large wooden door, gasping for breath. “What else could be wrong? Your Jing Xiaoyan is chasing me, so I ran.”

Jiang Yumian raised an eyebrow, lowering her guard and stepping out of the door. “Why are you running?”

Startled by her sudden closeness, Luo Cheng retreated a few steps to the side of the door, nervously saying, “What, what! Stay away from me. Stand there and don’t move!”

Jiang Yumian stopped, crossing her arms and looking at Luo Cheng. “Why is she chasing you? How come she didn’t catch up?”

She tilted her head and looked outside. There was no one there. Although it was dark, there were some lights around, so it wasn’t impossible to see the road.

Reminded by this, Luo Cheng quickly realized. She straightened up and said confidently, “How would I know why she’s chasing me? If she chases me, I run. I’m afraid she’ll kill me.”

Jiang Yumian almost laughed. “But the elimination rules haven’t been released yet. What are you afraid of?”

Luo Cheng froze for a moment. “Oh, right!”

Jiang Yumian spoke casually, “You’re so afraid of dying. Are you the Emperor?”

Luo Cheng’s eyes darted around, and she subconsciously stepped back. “What’s wrong with you? Do I have to tell you just because you asked?”

Jiang Yumian said calmly, “Don’t pretend. I could tell long ago. You are.”

Luo Cheng was shocked. She defended herself, “I’m not. Everyone’s afraid of being eliminated, okay? Of course, I’d run if she chased me.”

Jiang Yumian raised an eyebrow. “Then why do you think Jing Xiaoyan only chased you?”

“How would I know!”

Jiang Yumian sighed deeply. “Because she knows you’re the game ‘black hole.’ She deliberately scared you. You have ‘afraid of dying’ written all over your face. If she chases you, you run. That definitely means you’re the target identity.”

“Furthermore, if you were any other identity, I’d guess that if you saw Jing Xiaoyan chasing you, you wouldn’t run, but rather stand there foolishly asking her why she’s running.”

Jiang Yumian fabricated a story to brainwash Luo Cheng, feeding her a bunch of seemingly reasonable words.

Then, she personally saw Luo Cheng slowly nodding. When Luo Cheng had almost lowered her guard, she spoke again, “So stop pretending, Your Majesty.”

Seeing Jiang Yumian’s expression that said, “You are clearly obvious,” Luo Cheng could only sigh. “Fine.”

Jiang Yumian burst out laughing. “I was making it up just now, but Chengcheng, you really are a game black hole. You were tricked immediately.”

Luo Cheng’s face fell. Did Jiang Yumian know that would make her look very foolish?

Seeing Luo Cheng’s resentful expression, Jiang Yumian curved her lips, laughing without reservation. Perhaps after spending so much time with Jing Xiaoyan, her ability to trick people had also improved.

However, she wasn’t entirely making it up just now. She just guessed it that way. She felt that Jing Xiaoyan deliberately scared Luo Cheng because she noticed her nervousness.

Luo Cheng couldn’t help but “tsk.”

Jiang Yumian cleared her throat and started to speak pompously again. “I actually gave you a chance. The princess is also in danger. You didn’t even ask me why I didn’t suspect you were the princess.”

Luo Cheng twitched her mouth and ignored her. Since her identity was exposed, she had to find a safe place to hide.

“Hey! Wait!” Jiang Yumian quickly grabbed Luo Cheng’s arm to stop her from leaving. “Alright, because I know who the princess is. It’s only the beginning now, so I won’t tell you too much. Anyway, I’m good. I can protect you. Don’t go. Let’s stick together.”

“Are you that kind-hearted?” Luo Cheng was suspicious of her. This person was not much better than Jing Xiaoyan.

Jiang Yumian scoffed disdainfully. She actually didn’t believe her. It was true, though. She just wanted to drag someone along as a shield, and this person couldn’t die, so she had to keep a close eye on her.

Jiang Yumian: “It’s better to follow me than to run into Jing Xiaoyan halfway, she’s very bad.”

“Who’s bad?”

Jing Xiaoyan’s voice suddenly rang out. Jiang Yumian and Luo Cheng were both startled and simultaneously looked in the direction of the voice.

The guilty Jiang Yumian licked her lip. Before she could say anything, Luo Cheng immediately pushed her into Jing Xiaoyan’s arms.

Luo Cheng: “You two villains, you deserve to be locked together.”

She ran away after saying that, either because she was afraid of the two of them or because she didn’t want to be a third wheel here.

Jiang Yumian didn’t have the time to pay attention to her either. Jing Xiaoyan was hugging her tightly.

“I didn’t say you were bad. I was just kidding to trick her, really.” She didn’t even believe her own words.

Jiang Yumian forced a smile. She was afraid Jing Xiaoyan would tickle her. Jing Xiaoyan’s hand was on her waist, and she was already starting to feel itchy.

Jing Xiaoyan let out a soft “humph,” patted her on the waist, and then held her hand. “You come with me. I’ll protect you.”

Her tone didn’t sound like she was tricking her. Jiang Yumian carefully observed the expression on her face, but couldn’t find any flaws.

“Then are you the poison doctor?”

The only identity left that could protect her was this one. The others were already claimed.

Jing Xiaoyan’s footsteps paused as she led her. She leaned close to her ear and whispered, “I’m your girlfriend.”

I’m your girlfriend, so I’ll protect you.

Jiang Yumian’s palm tightened. She mumbled softly, “It’s a game now…”

Jing Xiaoyan stopped teasing her and said seriously, “I have to protect you in the game too.”

However, Jiang Yumian misinterpreted her words. She didn’t realize Jing Xiaoyan meant she was on the protection team; she thought Jing Xiaoyan had brought her “love-struck brain” into the game.

So, Jiang Yumian was secretly delighted. Her eyes were shining when she looked at Jing Xiaoyan, but her mouth was still saying snarky things. “The people who are on your team are extremely unlucky.”

Jing Xiaoyan was confused for a moment, then turned her head to look at Jiang Yumian. “What are you thinking? You don’t actually think I’d protect you even if we weren’t on the same team, do you?”

Then, she added a very realistic sentence, which instantly shattered Jiang Yumian’s blissful heart. “If we weren’t on the same team, I would quickly eliminate you, end the game, and go back to the hotel to sleep.”

Self-deluded Jiang Yumian: “…”

Her confidence instantly vanished. She thought Jing Xiaoyan was having a “love-struck brain” moment…

Jing Xiaoyan pulled her hand and continued, “Actually, protecting the princess is just a facade. The one who truly needs protection is the Emperor, and then you. After all, the Emperor’s life is much more valuable than a princess’s life.”

Jiang Yumian’s eyes widened. “That makes sense. Then what should we do? Chengcheng has already run away!”

Jing Xiaoyan nodded. “So let’s go find Luo Cheng quickly.”

She forgot to stop her just now, and made her run away in anger.

Jiang Yumian was still very confused. “Then what exactly are you?”

Did she analyze it incorrectly?

Jing Xiaoyan smiled. “I’m the greatest in the martial arts world.”

Jiang Yumian opened her mouth, feeling that Jing Xiaoyan was actually not lying to her.

Jing Xiaoyan showed Jiang Yumian all the clues she had found. Jiang Yumian read them while listening to her analysis. “The poison doctor definitely doesn’t want the princess to die, but if the team protecting the princess wins, and the princess is taken away by the poison doctor, it’s pretty much the same as being dead. So we have a hidden mission: to kill the poison doctor. The poison doctor is on her own team and doesn’t participate in the two-team competition.”

Jiang Yumian was shocked. “You figured all that out?”

So now there were two possibilities. One was that, including the poison doctor, their white team had five people, and the other was that Jing Xiaoyan was lying to her, and the two teams were still four people each.

Jiang Yumian chose to believe the former. Jing Xiaoyan wouldn’t lie to her.

“Then let’s go find Chengcheng and Sister Yunyun first.”

Jing Xiaoyan hesitated for two seconds and said, “Let’s find Luo Cheng first. We don’t know if Chu Qianyuan is good or bad yet.”

Jiang Yumian blinked. “Sister Yunyun’s identity is the general, don’t you know that?”

Jing Xiaoyan nodded. “I know, but her motivation is not clear yet. We haven’t found all of her clues, so we can’t trust her.”

“Are you jealous again?” Jiang Yumian looked at her amusedly. She had been jealous several times today because of a character’s identity.

Jing Xiaoyan nodded and then shook her head. “Just a little, but I’m not wrong either.”

Her own identity was a swordsman saved by the princess’s birth mother. The Prince’s hostage didn’t hire her to find the princess, but to kill the princess. Because the Prince’s hostage liked the general and wanted to team up with the general’s family to kill the Emperor and usurp the throne.

The relationships were very chaotic. In short, among the eight of them, it was a big CP mess, where “you like me, and I like her” kind of thing.

So, this general might not be a good person either.

The two analyzed the situation logically, but before they could find Luo Cheng, the broadcast sounded.

Jing Xiaoyan eliminated.

Jiang Yumian watched Jing Xiaoyan leave, dumbfounded. What was going on!

On the other side, Su Mumu wrote Jing Xiaoyan’s name on her card, then quietly apologized. “Sorry, you’re too smart.”

Her tone was not sincere at all. Then, the next second, she took out another card and filled in Ling Yisong’s name.

“You know too much.”

The information that Ling Yisong was eliminated was soon broadcast.

This was the unique skill of the poison doctor. During the game today, she had placed her domesticated poisonous insects on all of them. Now, all she had to do was find her unique elimination cards and eliminate everyone except Jiang Yumian.

However, she had only found three elimination cards. Starting from the third card, the subsequent cards had additional conditions. For example, the one she had with Chu Qianyuan’s name on it required Chu Qianyuan to say the specific sentence written on the card before Chu Qianyuan could be eliminated.

Su Mumu sighed and mercilessly flicked the card. “Yunyun, you should go rest early.”

It would be too simple for her to make Chu Qianyuan say one sentence.

Besides the elimination cards, she also had a resurrection card, but it probably wasn’t very useful to her. Her only job was to kill, kill, kill.

However, the one who found Chu Qianyuan one step faster than Su Mumu was Jiang Yumian and Luo Cheng.

Jiang Yumian pulled Luo Cheng behind her, staring vigilantly at Chu Qianyuan. She remembered Jing Xiaoyan’s analysis: Chu Qianyuan couldn’t be completely trusted.

Chu Qianyuan stood with her arms crossed, looking at them amusedly. “I know your identities. We are all on the same team. Why are you so wary of me?”

Jiang Yumian turned to look at Luo Cheng. “Did you tell her?”

Luo Cheng had spotted Chu Qianyuan earlier than her. She shook her head. “I didn’t say anything, but she guessed it herself.”

Jiang Yumian’s face was covered in black lines. How obvious was Luo Cheng being?

She tentatively asked Chu Qianyuan, “You know my identity too?”

Chu Qianyuan held a blue ball in her hand and said casually, “I’ve guessed everyone. You’re the princess.”

Seeing no other reaction from her, Jiang Yumian temporarily lowered her guard.

Regardless of whether Chu Qianyuan was good or bad, as long as she didn’t attack her and Luo Cheng, it was fine. She would trust her for now. She had to quickly figure out the elimination mechanism and protect Luo Cheng at the same time.

She took Luo Cheng to look for clues, and Chu Qianyuan also stayed by their side, protecting them.

Jiang Yumian discovered a hidden compartment in a drawer, and inside was a letter.

Jiang Yumian was shocked after reading just two lines. She immediately folded it up and stuffed it into her pocket, not letting anyone else see it.

While Chu Qianyuan was busy looking for clues, she pulled Luo Cheng from the other room and ran.

Although Luo Cheng was very confused, she followed and ran. “What’s wrong!”

Jiang Yumian: “The general’s family is rebelling, attempting to usurp the throne. Sister Yunyun is the female general. She wants to kill the princess to stabilize the army’s morale and seize military power, and kill the Emperor to help the Prince’s hostage who secretly returned usurp the throne.”

Luo Cheng was shocked. “Holy cow! She’s a scumbag!”

Jiang Yumian’s face was drawn. “Yeah, a scumbag.”

Fortunately, she listened to Jing Xiaoyan’s words and remained wary of Chu Qianyuan. She saw the small blue ball in her hand just now. Jing Xiaoyan told her it was used to eliminate people, but Chu Qianyuan only had one, probably because it was difficult to kill since both she and Luo Cheng were present.

Jiang Yumian looked back and saw that Chu Qianyuan was already chasing after them. She quickly asked, “Chengcheng, do you have a blue ball?”

Luo Cheng nodded. “I did just now, but I just gave it to Sister Yunyun when you arrived.”

Jiang Yumian: “…”

Jiang Yumian didn’t even want to run anymore. She was silently weeping in her heart. Please give her back her wife, she wants her wife!

Without Jing Xiaoyan, she couldn’t win at all.

Perhaps Chu Qianyuan threw it accurately enough. Jiang Yumian was hit before she could run much further.

Jiang Yumian eliminated.

Luo Cheng blinked. “Emmm, I’m very sorry.”

Jiang Yumian twitched the corner of her mouth. This was the fastest she had ever died in a game, and it was because of a useless teammate. She took a deep breath, smiling as she patted Luo Cheng’s shoulder. “You live well. She can’t kill you now.”

Let Luo Cheng handle the 1V4 herself.

Anyway, she was happy to go find Jing Xiaoyan now.

Jing Xiaoyan and Ling Yisong were sitting in the lounge. They couldn’t watch the footage from outside, so they were lying there bored until they heard Jiang Yumian’s name and sat up.

Seeing Jiang Yumian enter, Jing Xiaoyan’s eyes lit up.

“Who did it?”

Jiang Yumian looked at her, who seemed happy that she was eliminated, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Sister Yunyun did it. Who killed you guys?”

Jing Xiaoyan: “I don’t know.”

Ling Yisong also shook his head. “I don’t know either.”

Jiang Yumian sat down close to Jing Xiaoyan. She figured the cameras here would probably be edited out anyway, so she just leaned into her arms, letting out a long sigh. “True love changes in an instant. The princess is so miserable.”

Jing Xiaoyan also sighed, mimicking her. “It’s okay. I’m here with you. It’s actually quite nice that we both died together.”

Jiang Yumian nodded forcefully. Since she was already eliminated, what was there to hold back? She could pretend to be deeply in love.

She pouted, pulling on Jing Xiaoyan’s sleeve. “Aiya, I actually saw the ball in Sister Yunyun’s hand long ago. I just wanted to come accompany you sooner, that’s why she eliminated me.”

Ling Yisong, on the side, quietly lowered his presence, secretly watching the couple being affectionate.

Jing Xiaoyan raised an eyebrow. “Wow, you’re not putting the game first anymore?”

Last night, she was still insisting on “game first, girlfriend second,” telling her that she wouldn’t hold back.

Jiang Yumian raised a finger and waved it. “NO, NO, NO. The game can’t compare to you. Of course, I want to be with you.”

“I was only eliminated with great difficulty. Even if they resurrected me now, I wouldn’t be happy.”

Since she was already eliminated, what was there left not to say?

But as soon as she finished speaking, the broadcast sounded again.

“Jiang Yumian, resurrected.”

The broadcast looped three times.

What would have happened if the broadcast had played a few seconds earlier!

Jiang Yumian’s face instantly froze. She hadn’t even lowered the raised finger…

Jing Xiaoyan raised an eyebrow and smiled at her.

Jiang Yumian blinked awkwardly, cleared her throat, and said with a dry laugh, “Well, I’ll go take a look outside.”