Oh. My. Fate?! (BL, Volume 11, Part 1)

55 A Good System

Lin Shi perked up at once. It seemed she had been too hasty. It wasn't that Ye Yang didn't think highly enough of her to do the task he wanted to give Xia Wei, he simply had something else prepared for her to do. "What is it, Your Majesty? I definitely won't disappoint you!"

Ye Yang smiled faintly before curbing his smile. "I do hope you won't. The task I have for you won't be easy and it might take some finessing."

"Oh, I'm good at that!"

Ye Yang nodded. "Well, you were still out before so you didn't hear but I offered Jin Ling's spouses of mixed blood or those who were originally from the Nine Heavens or dragon realm to return to the other realms."

Lin Shi's mind churned. She knew that Ye Yang wouldn't tell her this without reason. The information had to be crucial to what he wanted from her. If it had been anyone else, she would have thought he wanted her to spy on them. But then, there would be people better suited to that job and also, Ye Yang clearly wanted to mend the relationship with the other realms. Why would he risk it by going behind the backs of the first batch of people that could speak well of him?

Ye Yang gave her a moment to think about what he had revealed before he continued his explanation. "Doing so is naturally part of my plan to re-establish the long-lost relationship between our races. It is a sign of goodwill if you so want.

"Now, Jin Ling's spouses are one thing. Too many of them ended up dead and we could only send back a few. But either way, they had a special status here. Their life shouldn't have been too bad. It is different for others in a similar position but with a ... partner of lower status."

Lin Shi's eyes narrowed. "Your Majesty wants me to find them and to offer them to go back as well."

Ye Yang inclined his head. "That is indeed the case. I trust that you can see the issue with this task."

Lin Shi's lips curved into a bright smile. "You can't spot a dragon or a god without them using their magic or otherwise giving themselves away." In other words: Finding them in the first place would be tiring. That was especially true since Ye Yang clearly didn't intend to have her only find those living in the palace or even the capital city but in the whole realm. That was a task that would require a lot of time and dedication.

Any other demon might have loathed being tasked to do this but Lin Shi felt happy enough. This task might look tedious but it was also an important one when it came to establishing their new position among the three immortal realms. In fact, the more gods, dragons, and half-bloods she was able to find in the demon realm and send back home safely, the more their king's trustworthiness would rise in the eyes of the Heavenly Emperor and the dragon king. Of course, she was thrilled to get this task!

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will fulfill this task to your satisfaction. I am afraid I can't give you a timeline yet but I will report after I have the first results and can make a better estimate."

Ye Yang nodded. "Very well. If you require any assistance, you can tell me."

Lin Shi gave a hum but didn't sound enthusiastic. Of course, the right assistance could make a task easier but it would look much more impressive if she was able to do it without. Since she wanted Ye Yang's recognition, she naturally wouldn't easily ask for help. No, as long as she could see a way forward on her own, she would follow that path.

She didn't dwell on his offer for too long and instead just inclined her head. "Then, if Your Majesty doesn't have any further instructions, I will leave immediately and start solving this issue. The sooner the first of them return home, the better it will be for your reputation in the other realms."

"Indeed." Ye Yang motioned toward the door and watched her leave.

When the gate closed behind Lin Shi, he couldn't help but smile once again. Lin Shi was somebody easy to understand so he trusted her more than the others for the time being.

As for this task, it was perfect for her: The more people she found, the better she would feel to have fulfilled the task. At the same time, the same was true of the state these people were in.

She wouldn't let somebody return to the Nine Heavens or dragon realm with unsolved issues. Your neighbor had stolen the family heirloom you came with? Lin Shi would be sure to get it back. Your spouse hit you? She'd break his leg and give him a kick for good measure.

By the end of it, these people would likely be grateful to Lin Shi. Their trust that had previously been broken would at least be partially restored. Even if they knew that there might be ulterior motives behind this help, they would keep it in mind. After all, it shouldn't be easy for them to be offered a helping hand after coming to the demon realm. And when you were treated with derision, a neutral face had a bigger impact in the absence of any friendly ones. Lin Shi could be this face to those people who received her help to go home.

Naturally, Ye Yang had his own plans. Yes, he wanted the gods and dragons to somewhat let down their guard so they could slowly mend the relationship between their races. At the same time, he was also thinking of his own future: He couldn't rule alone. As for how to go about it instead ... well, he liked that system the dragons had where their king was supported by several advisers.

Since he felt that it was suitable, he should start early to get himself into the position of cultivating a few such advisers. Xia Wei and Lin Shi could be the first two of them. As for others, he'd see about that after they had made it through the initial episode. For now, most demons would still be distrustful of him, after all. In any case, it didn't look much different the other way around.