Inside the brocade box lay a black-edged, crimson-red shoulder strap, engraved with magical runes and exuding a faint aura of magic power.
It was a [Rune Armor].
“This is a shoulder strap that only our Executive Captain General is qualified to wear. It has magic rune carvings on it; just by injecting a little magic power, it can enhance magical defense,” Minister Sai Wei explained.
Just then, that wretched black cat appeared with a system quest.
[Humiliate the Female Lead No. 2.]
[Quest Requirement: Must be done in public.]
[Quest Success Reward: Maximum Mana Value +1.]
[Quest Failure Penalty: Severe cramps in both legs.]
Laige Caicai noticed one difference: the quest prompt had become vaguer.
Previously it always told her to insult the heroine, but now it was to humiliate her.
This suddenly gave much more room for maneuver, and the difficulty had dropped significantly.
She had plenty of ways to humiliate someone subtly.
Looking at where Female Lead No. 2 was now, she must have been demoted after being defeated by her last time.
She didn’t even qualify to stand in front and could only shrink to the back.
This was the best way to humiliate her.
“Minister, I think I’d rather start as an ordinary patrol officer.”
Laige Caicai waved her hand and spoke tentatively.
“This…”
This completely disrupted all of Minister Sai Wei’s plans.
“I wish to join Captain Lu Xiya’s team and work under her,” Laige Caicai added.
Faced with these words, everyone present first exchanged glances.
Then, as if by unspoken agreement, with a hint of probing and speculation, they quietly turned their gazes toward Lu Xiya, who was standing at the back of the crowd.
Those gazes intertwined, carrying silent inquiries, causing an indescribably subtle atmosphere to permeate the air.
Lu Xiya also felt those focused gazes, and her body trembled involuntarily.
Those looks seemed to turn into solid, fine needles, dense and sharp, silently pricking her, causing a wave of intense discomfort and embarrassment to well up from her skin to her heart.
“Student Lu Xiya is no longer an Executive Team Leader,” Minister Sai Wei said with slight embarrassment.
“That’s fine. Then let her be reinstated as captain, and I’ll be her patrol officer. The two of us can form a team. Everyone, don’t worry about us; we won’t disrupt your original arrangements.”
Laige Caicai spoke with a light laugh.
“Since this is the mage’s wish, then very well.”
Minister Sai Wei could only agree.
“So what do I need to do next, Minister?” Laige Caicai asked.
“Please follow me.”
Minister Sai Wei led Laige Caicai to the second floor and arranged a luxurious office for her.
The office was quite elegantly furnished.
In the center was a spacious, imposing desk, equipped with a high-performance computer for handling various work tasks.
Along the walls stood several tall bookshelves, neatly stacked with books and documents.
In one corner of the room was a comfortable sofa set for resting or receiving guests.
Even more surprising, in the corner there was actually a small refrigerator stocked with many sodas, and on a metal shelf beside it were packs of snacks.
Such comfortable arrangements—was she here to work or to enjoy herself?
Even someone as sharp-tongued and mean as Laige Caicai couldn’t find fault.
She turned on the air conditioner and couldn’t wait to play with the computer.
Moreover, Minister Sai Wei gave her no work assignments; basically, he provided the mage with good food and drink.
“Lu Xiya, come here.”
But once outside, Minister Sai Wei grabbed Lu Xiya and immediately reverted to his usual cold, aloof attitude that kept people at a distance.
Although anyone with clear eyes could see that the minister almost knelt down and acted like a grandson toward the mage, none of his subordinates felt any dissatisfaction about it.
Because Laige Caicai’s fearsome reputation had long spread throughout the entire campus.
She was recognized as a mad mage, extremely overbearing in her actions.
At the slightest disagreement, she would use Air Slash to cut people.
Even the Student Council President had been slashed.
There was probably no apprentice she dared not cut, which showed just how arrogant she was.
Although Caicai’s villainess image didn’t work well with the heroine, she had successfully shaped the public’s impression of herself, deeply rooted and hard to shake.
“This mage is obviously sent by the higher-ups to supervise us.
I don’t care what grudges you had with her before.
Since she has singled you out, you must serve her well.
If anything goes wrong, not only will you be finished, I’ll be finished too.
Got it?”
Minister Sai Wei commanded coldly.
“Got it.”
Lu Xiya replied with a dark face.
“Go see what she needs.
Remember, unconditionally obey and satisfy.
Don’t forget what the Internal Affairs Department has brought to your life.
Your scholarship, your job, your key development slot—all were made possible through our connections.
Although you messed everything up before, the mage is the one who kept you here.”
Minister Sai Wei spoke in a deep voice.
After saying that, he left, leaving Lu Xiya standing in the corner of the corridor, sulking with a face full of indignation.
It seemed that Minister Sai Wei, who looked righteous and stern on the outside, was actually a seasoned bureaucratic professional through and through.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gotten to this position.
But this kind of person also has an advantage: they generally don’t actively offend those higher than themselves, know how to sail with the wind, and won’t cause trouble recklessly.
Lu Xiya composed herself, took a deep breath, and arrived at the Captain General’s door.
She raised her hand but hesitated to knock, her mind filled with extreme inner turmoil.
“Click~”
But the door to the Execution Corps office had a remote lock and opened automatically.
Lu Xiya stood at the door, looking inside with an embarrassed expression.
It was then she realized there was a camera at the door, and the mage inside could see the view from the entrance.
“Why are you standing outside?
Come in quickly,” Laige Caicai called out.
“…”
Lu Xiya walked in with a gloomy expression.
“Get yourself something to drink from the fridge.”
Laige Caicai continued battling away on the computer.
Lu Xiya felt curious and quickly walked over, only to find Laige Caicai actually playing a game.
She couldn’t help but scold,
“What are you doing during work hours?”
“The minister didn’t assign me any work,” Laige Caicai replied.
“Do you even have any dignity as a mage?
Instead of studying magic when you have time, you’re here playing games?”
Lu Xiya questioned again.
“If magic were such a cheap thing that could be improved through hard study, then this massive city of ours couldn’t have been built.”
Laige Caicai said,
“Cultivating magic relies on talent, insight, and spiritual sensitivity.”
“Isn’t it about inheritance?
Your mage families come with centuries of magical knowledge, giving you a starting line far, far ahead of us espers,” Lu Xiya said.
“Among mages, there are also those with exceptional talent—what you espers would call a genius among geniuses.”
Laige Caicai laughed.
“For example, me.”