"Then why did you still divorce me?" Jiang Lijin leaned against the doorframe, following his words with a flat, uninflected tone.
Kieran sighed, his eyes full of bitterness. "Because of your mental energy. You used to be only a C-grade, and I am an S-grade. If we forcibly bonded, my mental energy would slowly destroy your mental domain. Over time, you would die."
He looked into Jiang Lijin's eyes, speaking with utmost sincerity. "I couldn't just watch you march toward death just to keep you by my side. So I had to push you away, using the most ruthless method to make you give up on me. Only then could you survive."
It had to be said, this excuse was perfectly orchestrated. It forcibly packaged a scumbag who abandoned his wife into a tragic male lead who endured the pain of letting go for the sake of his beloved.
If it were the original owner of this body, she probably would have been moved to tears by now, throwing herself into his arms.
Seeing that Jiang Lijin didn't speak, Kieran thought she had taken it to heart and continued to up the ante. "I know, hearing me say this now, you must think I'm very hypocritical. You must be wondering if I came here to tell you this because you've now become a 3S-grade female, coveting your status and abilities."
The air in the corridor fell silent for a few seconds.
Jiang Lijin looked at his earnest face and suddenly let out a laugh.
"Aren't you?"
Kieran froze. "What?"
Jiang Lijin's gaze pierced straight into his eyes. "I said, aren't you coming here to tell me all this just because you covet my 3S-grade status?"
A crack finally appeared in the deep affection on Kieran's face.
He had imagined that Jiang Lijin would be moved, would hesitate, or even angrily accuse him. But he never expected her to use such a mocking tone to directly rip off his fig leaf.
But he was Kieran, after all; his psychological fortitude far exceeded that of ordinary people.
Pausing for merely two seconds, he regained his footing.
He gave a bitter smile. "I just feel that since our mental energies are compatible now, the obstacle between us no longer exists. I don't want two people who clearly love each other to lose one another forever because of some past misunderstandings."
In her mind, Xiao Yi let out an extremely exaggerated gagging sound.
[Blech—Host, I can't take it anymore. Is this man's skin made of starship hull plating? It's bulletproof!]
Jiang Lijin deeply agreed. She took a half-step back, widening the distance between them, and casually pulled the door closer to block her body.
"Are you done?" She yawned, squeezing out two physiological tears from the corners of her eyes. "If you're done, then hurry up and leave. I did a lot of work today, and I'm really sleepy. As for being compatible or not, Major General Kieran, have you forgotten? The lowest requirement on my matching list right now starts at 2S-grade. You, a mere S-grade..."
She looked him up and down and dragged out her words, "...aren't qualified."
Kieran's face finally darkened completely.
Those words, aren't qualified, embarrassed him even more than her earlier exposure. This was a crushing defeat based on hard metrics, a chasm he could not cross.
But he quickly reined in his emotions and nodded. "Alright, get a good rest. I'll come see you another day."
With that, he turned and left, his pace still steady, his back straight.
Jiang Lijin watched his back disappear around the corner of the corridor and closed the door behind her.
[Host, are you just letting him go like that?] Xiao Yi was a bit puzzled. [He obviously came to probe for information about Baal. You didn't reveal anything; will he jump the wall in desperation?]
[He won't.] Jiang Lijin lay down on the bed, analyzing in her mind. [The more impatient and impervious I act, the less he can figure out my true bottom line.]
[Furthermore, I just used the 3S-grade to provoke him. With his ambition, he absolutely cannot tolerate being excluded from the core circle. If he wants to climb higher, he has to kill Baal. And right now, Baal's life or death is uncertain. He has no idea if the poison he administered achieved the expected effect.]
Jiang Lijin closed her eyes, sorting out her next plans.
[He's so smart, won't he see that you're bluffing him?] Xiao Yi was still a little worried.
[It's highly possible.] Jiang Lijin chuckled softly.
[Then what do we do?!]
[Xiao Yi, I once heard a story.] Jiang Lijin said unhurriedly in her mind. [Once upon a time, someone catching monkeys would dig a small hole in a tree trunk and place sweet fruits inside. A monkey would reach in and grab the fruit, but after clenching its fist, its hand would be stuck in the hole and couldn't be pulled out. Actually, all it had to do was let go of the fruit, and it could easily escape. But the monkey was too greedy and stubbornly refused to let go, ultimately watching helplessly as the hunter walked over and captured it alive.]
She opened her eyes, looking at the cold fluorescent light on the ceiling, her gaze icy.
[Kieran is that greedy monkey. He wants Baal dead too badly. If he loses this perfect opportunity, it will be as hard as ascending to the heavens to plot against Baal again in the future. Moreover, as soon as Baal 'wakes up' and investigates even a little, he will be exposed sooner or later. So, even if he guesses this might be a trap, his inflated ambition will force him to take a gamble. He can't bear to let go of that fruit called 'power' in his hand.]
Jiang Lijin rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head.
Meet soldiers with generals, and water with earth. Right now, the most important thing was to catch up on sleep. As for that deeply calculating ex-husband, let him slowly suffer in his own suspicion and ambition.
