Chapter 39: Someone Wants a One-Way Ticket to Space, Huh
After a moment, Yi Ning finally came to her senses and pulled her hand away.
A flush crept up her cheeks.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Lu Zheng turned his face away and waved it off.
“Oh-ho~”
The tender moment was promptly shattered by the duo on the television screen.
“You two were all over each other while we were right here. And you still expect us to believe there’s nothing going on?”
Ji Ping looked at Lu Zheng with a disgusted expression.
“Exactly, exactly. No wonder you gave up your devious tactics. Saying things like ‘such underhanded acts are not worthy of a hero’—don’t tell me you just couldn’t stand seeing Yi Ning upset, and got soft.”
Xia An chimed in eagerly, joining Ji Ping in pointing fingers at Lu Zheng.
Yi Ning’s brow furrowed as she glared at the screen, radiating murderous intent toward the shameless duo.
She wanted to immediately expose them and hang them from a flagpole, give them firsthand experience of “living as a banner.”
But lacking concrete evidence—and knowing those two would just play dead and feign innocence—Yi Ning refrained, silently retreating to the corner, arms crossed, coldly observing.
Let them live a few minutes longer.
With both their attention focused on Lu Zheng, she wanted to see what else these clowns would pull to amuse her.
“If you want us to undo Yi Ning’s expulsion, you’d better offer something more sincere.”
Ah, how in sync they were.
Yi Ning rolled her eyes in the corner.
If she only suspected earlier, then this line confirmed it.
There was no way a decree from the Evil Council could be revoked so casually.
What, the upper echelon doesn’t care about face?
These two clearly used some unknown method to cut off surveillance from the Council, and now they were using this skit to scare her.
Yi Ning’s gaze toward them turned icy.
Trying to spook her like this? Looks like they’re itching to be strapped to a rocket and launched on a one-way trip to space.
But based on their performance so far, it seemed she was just a tool—bait to provoke Lu Zheng. He was their real target.
Yi Ning narrowed her eyes and habitually stroked her smooth chin in thought.
This should be their first time meeting Lu Zheng—so why the hyperfixation on him?
Unlike the now-calm Yi Ning, Lu Zheng had been fully roped in by the two and was going along with their rhythm.
Offer something more sincere?
He couldn’t figure out what they meant.
Hero Association intel?
But the D-City branch had no sensitive information worth stealing.
If anything, the only “classified” data was Pixel Mask’s true identity—which they already knew.
Might as well ask directly.
“What do you want as a token of sincerity?”
Lu Zheng looked at the pair on the screen, seeking clarification.
But of course, they didn’t intend to be straightforward.
“That thing~ You know, that thing,” Xia An teased with an exaggerated wink.
Lu Zheng discreetly rolled his eyes.
How the heck should I know what “that thing” is?
He couldn’t keep dancing to their tune—he needed a new approach.
If asking wouldn’t work, then maybe flipping the perspective would.
A lightbulb went off in his head.
All he had to do was show them what they’d lose if they lost Yi Ning.
After a pause, he sighed dramatically.
“If you’re that unwilling, then forget it.”
“Wait—what do you mean?!”
Seeing the main character of their act trying to walk away, both Ji Ping and Xia An panicked.
“You’re giving up just like that? How can we trust you to take care of Yi Ning, then? How do we know you’ll make her happy?”
Ji Ping slammed the table with anguish, furious at Lu Zheng’s so-called heroism.
“You call yourself a hero? She’s getting kicked out and you’re just standing there? Seriously?!”
Xia An stared at Lu Zheng like she was looking at a deadbeat.
Yi Ning almost cracked up watching them pull the “overprotective dad” act.
What, being sons and grandsons all your life wasn’t enough? Now you want to be a father?
But Lu Zheng didn’t flinch.
“I’ll take Yi Ning into the Hero Association. With her intelligence and talent, she’ll rise quickly and help us gain the upper hand at the border!”
He waved his hand, grandly laying out a blueprint for Yi Ning’s future.
“When that happens, you two—who expelled her—will be seen as the biggest fools in the Evil Council! You’ll be like rats in the streets—everyone will want you gone!”
If friendship wouldn’t work, then maybe pressure and blame would.
Let them feel the cost of their actions.
“Wait, hold on a sec…”
Realizing Lu Zheng had stopped playing along and was seriously planning to poach Yi Ning, Ji Ping and Xia An began to panic.
They’d just wanted to stir things up and test Lu Zheng a bit. They never intended to really kick Yi Ning out.
They still needed her to siphon evil funds from their boss!
Seeing their flustered expressions, Lu Zheng smirked.
As expected—when it came to villain types, threats and labels worked best.
He walked to where Yi Ning sat in the corner, deciding to finish strong.
He reached out his hand and gave her a quick, secretive wink.
“Join us. Leave the darkness behind, and become a hero.”
While speaking, he glanced sideways at the screen.
Seeing the two’s increasingly frantic looks, Yi Ning smiled too.
She deliberately lifted her right hand slowly, pretending she was about to accept.
“Stop stop stop! TIME OUT! One sec! Chotto matte!”
“Yi Ning! I was wrong! I'll take it back—you’re not fired!”
The two on screen began wailing.
“Heh~”
Seeing them fall apart, Lu Zheng couldn’t help but laugh.
He pulled his arm back—
Only to find Yi Ning had gripped his hand tightly first.
“Huh? But I seem to recall that the Council’s decision can’t be overturned that easily.”
Yi Ning raised an eyebrow, wearing a smug smile as she looked at the pair.
“Guess I’d better join the Hero Association after all.”
“……”
Hearing that, Ji Ping and Xia An’s eyes began to dart around.
They elbowed each other, neither wanting to take the fall.
“Hm?”
Seeing their cowardly behavior, Yi Ning narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice.
“We’re really sorry! We made up the dismissal decision for our own selfish reasons!”
As Yi Ning’s expression darkened, cold sweat broke out on their backs.
They climbed onto the table and bowed deeply toward the camera in a full dogeza.