Chapter 44: Lyle: I Don't Know
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After walking out of the embassy's quarters, Jiang Cheng hurriedly dragged Lyle home.
There was no choice—it was the day she had called Ferran over to explain the plan. He was the key to it all; everyone else just had to follow Jiang Cheng's instructions, but Ferran's role was irreplaceable.
"Jiang Cheng," upon returning home, Lyle looked at Jiang Cheng in a daze and asked,
"How do you know so much? You're so strong. I don't know anything."
Amidst this hero's ordeal, Lyle felt more and more like an outsider, despite being the chosen hero himself.
Not only was he clueless, but everything he should do had already been arranged by Jiang Cheng.
He actually disliked this feeling, because he was the hero—the one destined to protect everyone.
If he kept going on this way, muddling through his own trials, how could he even talk about protecting everyone else?
What's more, he was supposed to protect Jiang Cheng, not have everything arranged for him by her, like now.
"Oh, that..."
Jiang Cheng shrugged, failing to pick up on Lyle's feelings, and replied casually,
"It's because I have special sources of intelligence. Don't worry about it,"
Jiang Cheng said, looking at Lyle.
"So there's no need to ask too much. You only need to become the strongest hero in this world, for my sake."
"As for what I'm doing..."
Jiang Cheng chuckled softly. "I won't tell you. But you should at least understand: even if I were to go on a rampage killing innocents, it would be to make you stronger—though I haven't needed to go that far yet."
"..."
Lyle fell silent. He wasn't good at expressing his feelings and didn't know what to say to Jiang Cheng.
"Forget it. Anyway, I'll keep an eye on you,"
Lyle said, meeting Jiang Cheng's pale golden eyes.
"Not just to make sure you don't go killing people recklessly, but even more so to make sure you stay safe."
That... Jiang Cheng was stunned. Hearing Lyle's words, tinged with ambiguity, she suddenly dared not meet his gaze; her eyes shifted away slightly with unease.
"You should just take care of yourself. Dangerous? I'm the one who brings danger to others, actually."
In the end, Jiang Cheng could only reply this blandly, turning her head to avoid his eyes.
After that, the atmosphere in the room gradually became a bit awkward. The two sat far apart, each silent, not knowing what to say.
"Ding-dong~"
The doorbell rang, finally breaking the slight awkwardness in the room.
Lyle blinked and glanced at Jiang Cheng.
"It's Ferran,"
Jiang Cheng said with a cheerful smile. "I told you, he's vital for your ordeal."
Though, only if he was willing to die for those events—Jiang Cheng added to herself in her heart.
When she opened the door, Ferran stepped in silently, clutching his pistol.
After all the recent hardships, though not much real time had passed, he had grown much more mature.
At least now, he definitely wouldn't do things like stealing from Jiang Cheng again. He even gave Jiang Cheng and Lyle a respectful bow.
Lyle fell silent off to the side. He knew this must be one of Jiang Cheng's plans again, though he still had no clue what it entailed.
Jiang Cheng, though, happily looped her arm around Lyle's and said to Ferran,
"Look, the only person who can help you get your revenge—the hero—is mine~"
Ferran hesitated, not expecting Jiang Cheng to say this the moment he walked in.
"Understood,"
Ferran nodded. "I'll follow your orders, as long as I can get my revenge."
"Even if it costs your life?"
Jiang Cheng teased with a smile.
"Even if it costs my life,"
Ferran nodded resolutely.
"So..."
Lyle suddenly blurted out in confusion, "this revenge you're always talking about—what exactly is it?"
?
Jiang Cheng and Ferran both froze and turned to look at Lyle.
Even Jiang Cheng had forgotten—Lyle still didn't know that Luan had died.
With a sigh, Jiang Cheng had to admit Lyle's ignorance was a bit shocking.
She could only briefly explain the situation.
"What? Master Luan... has passed away?"
Lyle said in disbelief.
Jiang Cheng nodded. "So, naturally, the now sole inheritor of the Adventurer God—Mr. Ferran—wants to avenge his teacher."
"Of course,"
Lyle nodded firmly. "If it's to avenge your teacher by resisting the god, it's my honor to help you."
Uh-oh~ Seeing their expressions, Jiang Cheng shrugged. Evidently, a youth who had lost his master, and a teacher killed by the Mechanist Association for the god's sake—
These traits in Ferran seemed to strike a chord in Lyle's heart.
Yes, seeing the two bonding over shared pain, Jiang Cheng sat nearby with a smile, not interrupting.
All her efforts arranging this drama had not been in vain. When it came down to it, if a friend with similar experience became what she had planned, Lyle would also be devastated, wouldn't he?
Definitely. She could hardly wait to see Lyle's reaction.
Hmm. Since she had just pulled off something big, she couldn't immediately use her other identities to mess with Lyle...
Jiang Cheng was so bored she was about to explode, and today she just couldn't help wanting to stir up trouble again.
Even though all this was already set up, it was just one idle move.
She'd never before felt such an urgent desire to complete the ordeal in this first city.
"Jiang Cheng,"
Lyle's voice pulled her back from her anticipation.
"So, what's the plan for this revenge?"
Lyle looked at Jiang Cheng seriously and asked,
"You should at least tell me—I can't always be clueless about what you're planning."
Jiang Cheng was about to tell Lyle, as always, to simply act as instructed, but after hearing his words, she paused, then sighed.
"Alright, alright," she said, shrugging with resignation. "I'll tell you, then."
Since the ordeal here was nearly finished anyway, it no longer mattered if Lyle knew.
"The most immediate thing—three days from now, as we agreed, the president of the Mechanist Association will begin purging the faction loyal to the Mecha God from within the association."
"And as you know, I've already made arrangements with the elves and dragons for them to nominally support the president and help keep the situation under control."
"Because the follower faction is so strict about recruitment, fearing traitors, there aren't many of them. The purge will go smoothly, with little commotion."
At this point, Jiang Cheng couldn't help but sneer. "A god having to spread faith so sneakily in his own city—how pathetic."
"What else can you expect from a usurper who hasn't fully digested the last god's power?" she said, casting a meaningful glance at Ferran.
"If it were a true god, with real strength, I wouldn't dare discuss plans to oppose them right under their nose."
"As for the Mecha God? Hah, it hasn't even finished digesting its divinity—no threat."
After ridiculing the Mecha God for a while, Jiang Cheng turned to Lyle seriously.
"In short, after that, it's your turn, my hero. With that holy artifact, let's go to the spirit realm together."