Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters - Chapter 18 - 11 Graduation package distribution, is there such a good thing? (Part 1)

Vainqueur Knightsbane is your average dragon: a giant, fire-breathing lizard who loves to take naps on his golden hoard, kidnap princesses for fun, and make the life of adventurers miserable. Vainqueur's only pleasure in life is to watch his treasure get bigger, one coin at a time.

So when a would-be thief turned unwilling minion tells him about "classes," "levels," and "quests," Vainqueur wonders if maybe, just maybe, he should consider a career change.

After all, why bother hunting monsters for free when you can get paid for it?

Jiang Jiuqing is the princess of a vanquished nation. No one knows her extreme cleverness hidden under her ordinary skin——she also doesn’t want others to know either. Staying out of things is her manner towards handling affairs, and wanting nothing is the norm in her life. However she has a white moonlight. After not seeing him for many years, he has now completely blackened, causing trouble everywhere——The world’s number one lobbyist, the peerless and magnificent Young Master Ji Yu.

Jiang Jiuqing had always thought that the reason why her white moonlight is a white moonlight is because he has forgotten about her, and will never belong to her. He is her master, and she assists him in lobbying the world. They are just allies, a symbiosis relationship, mutually using each other.

A long, long time later, Ji Yu said——

“This world is frantic and absurd. Malicious people die an ugly death, and the merciless people are sought after. I was never reluctant to leave until I met you.”

There are thousands of people in the world, and thousands of beauties, yet it is only you who can disturb my heart.

Are you ready to fall in love with the smartest and most cold-hearted people in the world?

The calm and cool-headed princess of a vanquished nation x the ruthless and revengeful number one lobbyist.

Male and female leads are both very strong, white cuts black.

“White cuts black” = someone who looks very gentle on the outside, but in fact, is actually very ruthless and two-faced

- Description from Novelupdates

Xi Nan had loved Cheng Yi for ten years.After graduating from college, she confessed her feelings but faced rejection.Eventually, one went abroad and the other ventured into the entertainment industry.Five years later, Xi Nan became a highly sought-after celebrity in the entertainment circle, and Cheng Yi rose to be the youngest head of the Cheng family, known as a business genius by the media.An arranged marriage contract reconnected them once again.Rumors had always spoken of Cheng Yi, the CEO of Yi Feng Group, as decisive and aloof, a unique figure with almost no romantic scandals, yet he attracted countless admirers.However, the latest news drove all the high-society ladies in Jing City mad.Reports claimed that Cheng Yi was secretly married and had even commissioned a famous international jewelry designer for a priceless engagement ring.One day, as Xi Nan was watching television at home, Cheng Yi called her, asking her to retrieve a document from his study.Finding the document on the desk was easy for Xi Nan.But at the same moment, she discovered Cheng Yi’s secret—a small black box inside a cabinet.It contained a diamond ring, easily seven to eight carats, fittingly described as a 'pigeon's egg'.Xi Nan tried the ring on, and it fit perfectly.In that instant, something deep within seemed to blossom, her eyes swirling with a layer of subtle surprise and bewilderment.

Bad news: Xu Yanmiao traveled back to ancient times, but he himself is lazy and uninterested in anything but internet cybersecurity, which is useless in ancient times.Good news: He’s bound to a system.Bad news: The system is called the Gossip System, not the fortune-telling kind, but the kind that contains other people’s private information and scandals. Utterly useless.More bad news: This system is also glitchy, and the extent of the bugs is unknown.Even more bad news: This body is that of a minor official who can attend court meetings, while Xu, the time traveler… doesn’t understand the classics, can’t write with a brush, and is at risk of being exposed for cheating in the imperial exams.Xu Yanmiao: “…”Forget it, just lie low, wait to die, maybe dying quickly could lead to another time travel.…In the court, the emperor was furious about state affairs, and the courtiers trembled in fear.Xu Yanmiao pretended to listen attentively but was actually focused on browsing the Gossip System.[Wow, the emperor just took in a 16-year-old noblewoman yesterday! A beautiful addition! He’s getting stronger with age! And he was tossing and turning in bed all night but still has such a powerful voice now! Amazing!] [This noblewoman used to be the crown prince’s concubine! And the crown prince even knows how to write passionate love letters!] [Wow wow wow! The crown prince sneaked into the grandpa’s harem… hiss—got intimate while the old emperor was attending court! Do it quickly! Why isn’t there any video…] [Huh? Why is there no sound?]Xu Yanmiao cautiously raised his head and glanced around.[What happened? Why is everyone kneeling? Where’s the emperor?]—The emperor went to catch adultery in the harem.The “imperial exam cheating” bomb finally exploded.Xu Yanmiao couldn’t explain why his handwriting on the exam paper didn’t match his usual handwriting, nor could he answer why he didn’t understand the classics.The evidence prepared by the ousted crown prince of the emperor hit the nail on the head, and his personal bodyguard was ready to drag Xu Yanmiao away to the prison, awaiting execution in the autumn.Xu Yanmiao held onto the gossip that proved his innocence but was in a quandary:How do I explain the source of my information…[Say that I secretly met with the Chief Examiner, the Minister of Rites, three nights before the exam? Impossible, that night, the Minister of Rites was dressed as a woman, spent the night at the General’s Mansion, with the general…]The general’s body shook, and he interjected: “Your Majesty!!!!”“Although the evidence of exam cheating is solid, I believe there’s still something fishy about this. It should be re-investigated! Especially Xu… Xu… Xu Yanmiao’s attire is neat and tidy! Someone who cares so much about their appearance, how could they tarnish their reputation!”The crown prince, who couldn’t hear his thoughts: ??[Also, what’s with saying that the examiner faking yawning and tiredness was intentionally leaving me a gap for cheating? He spent the night before the exam in the pigsty without sleeping, how could he not be tired the next day? But, surprisingly, the Imperial Academy lecturer actually believed in pig’s milk…]The Imperial Academy lecturer’s face went pale, and he burst out: “Your Majesty!!!!”“I… I agree with the General’s words! How could Xu Lang cheat in the exam! He… he… he deliberately drank a glass of pure water before the exam, believing that only good-hearted people can use pure things, such a kind-hearted person, how could he cheat in the exam!”Thinking he had everything under control, the crown prince: ??Xu Yanmiao was deeply moved.[They’re all good people, even if their brains don’t work well, they’re trying their best to find reasons and excuses for me.] [But I really have no way to turn the tables, alas, it’s a pity that I haven’t finished watching the TV series I’ve been following. The old emperor angered the empress last night and got kicked out of the bedchamber, and now I’m going to die before seeing the ending. He seems to be planning to paint his face with ink and pretend to be a cat to cheer up the empress…]“Bang—”The old emperor slammed the table, forcibly interrupting the continuous stream of thoughts: “I believe Xu Yanmiao did not cheat in the exam! Release him, innocent!”The civil and military officials couldn’t wait to echo, fearing that if they were too slow, Xu Yanmiao might spill more gossip.“Yes yes yes! Release him innocent!”“Long live Your Majesty!”“Your Majesty, please end the court session! Let Xu Lang go home and rest! You’ve tired him out by making him stand for so long!”The crown prince: ??Did Xu Yanmiao drug them with hallucinogens or something?