So much so that Yao Yao only needed a flicker of inspiration to instantly grasp the general idea of what was happening.

No, how could Wang Zhan possibly avoid eye contact?

One should know, that guy would always be either overbearing or harmless; he would never be this evasive. Therefore, Yao Yao could immediately be certain: the man in front of her, despite being an almost perfect replica of Wang Zhan, was definitely not him!

This realization immediately led her to another question: then, at this very moment, where was the real Wang Zhan?

Of course, even if Yao Yao had truly figured out that the Wang Zhan before her wasn't the real one, she wouldn't say it aloud, not even to Wei Daoming, who was relatively trustworthy, let alone Edward. After all, in the eyes of everyone who knew Wang Zhan's history, Edward's true nature was still a matter of doubt. Who could say if he was good or bad?

So, Yao Yao immediately chose to keep this secret, a decision born from her long-standing affection and trust in Wang Zhan.

But at the same time, Yao Yao couldn't help but find herself in the same predicament Wei Daoming had faced earlier. She simply couldn't determine if Wang Zhan had a hand in this scheme. These matters were far from the simplicity Wang Zhan displayed in their relationship. Naturally, the more brilliantly Wang Zhan performed, the more Yao Yao admired him. Only by becoming increasingly cunning and powerful could Wang Zhan thwart those hidden in the shadows, who were always plotting to put them on the chopping block. This was the rare sense of security Wang Zhan provided Yao Yao in this seemingly prosperous, yet perilous, era.

After all, if even the Martial King's strength was currently insufficient to contend with their enemies, then why not temporarily avoid a direct confrontation and find an alternative path to buy more time?

Therefore, Yao Yao, deep in thought, decisively chose to play along. She continued to feign a gentle, loving expression, as if gazing at her beloved, and softly asked the young man, "How have you been doing in there?"

In the final analysis, the reason for all this was that Yao Yao didn't know the crisis within Wang Zhan would erupt so suddenly and swiftly, directly within the Ming State Underground City. The accompanying change was that, for some unknown reason, Wang Zhan had gained the heaven-defying means to summon the mad man from within himself, disguising it as another version of himself. In essence, he had staged a grand play of the real versus the fake Li Kui! Moreover, not even the Federation's most advanced instruments could detect it, or rather, they had no way to detect it.

Of course, Yao Yao never suspected that anyone in the Federation would dare to easily kill Wang Zhan and replace him with an impersonator. One should know that Wang Zhan's father, that once formidable and domineering figure, though long vanished, still had many old associates lurking within the Federation. If such a thing were to happen, it was highly probable that by the next morning, there would be violent attacks against the Royal Family or other key figures.

Consider Li Chengyuan: once a man of high standing with a boundless future, he had directly slaughtered a prince due to the Royal Family's collusion with the Beast Clan, all without any consultation. Even after his actions were discovered, the worst outcome was his relegation to some forgotten corner, left idle like a shepherd. Yet, no one thoroughly investigated the matter or attempted to retaliate against Li Chengyuan, not even the Federation Royal Family—the Federation's largest noble family and its most deeply hidden power—could find a suitable opportunity.

Besides, if something had truly happened to Wang Zhan, Yao Yao didn't believe for a second that hussy Qin Ying would remain silent. Does she really think I'm an emotional fool, completely oblivious? All this was simply because Yao Yao understood that her own family consisted of ordinary people and couldn't offer Wang Zhan any substantial help. So, she turned a blind eye, allowing the powers behind Qin Ying to slightly tip the scales in Wang Zhan's favor when he faced the unknown. After all, Wang Zhan's true circumstances were, in essence, countless times more perilous than anything Yao Yao herself faced.

However, Yao Yao's simple question immediately made the young man feel something was off. A sense of unease instantly gripped him.

What kind of lovers act like this when they meet? Wang Zhan, oh Wang Zhan, I never expected this. You two are quite the pair! This woman is so cunning!

Even though the young man had never interacted with Qin Ying, he could tell from observing Wang Zhan and Qin Ying's daily interactions that they were like a typical, somewhat reserved couple; they didn't constantly speak of love and always treated each other with respect. For such a pair, a greeting like "long time no see" might seem perfectly normal on the surface.

But here was the crux: Yao Yao and Wang Zhan had just been together a few days prior, separating in the Ming State Underground City after spending who knew how long together. So where would a "long time no see" even come from in their case? With this, wasn't there enough reason to suspect that Yao Yao had noticed something? The young man was no idiot.

Of course, Yao Yao's question would have been entirely reasonable if directed at Wei Daoming or Edward. Coming from Yao Yao, however, it felt like a thinly veiled attempt to probe him.

But still, the young man knew. Though he saw through it, and Yao Yao saw through it, only the two Martial Emperors remained in the dark. So what? It was a matter of mutual, unspoken understanding. It was enough to maintain this tacit agreement and continue their elaborate performance.

Naturally, the young man—himself a quick-witted genius, perhaps not as unconventional as the oddballs Wang Zhan and Yao Yao, but certainly no fool—reacted swiftly. While continuing to mimic Wang Zhan's mannerisms, he grinned and explained, "Actually, it's been fine. I've had food and shelter; it's much more comfortable than outside. Anyway, you don't need to worry about me. What about you? How have you been? Have those guys outside bothered you?

Also, is Mom doing okay? She must know about my situation by now. When I get out, you absolutely have to hold me back a bit, or I'm afraid Mom will beat me to death…"

Wei Daoming and Edward, listening, both sensed the genuine mother-son affection in "Wang Zhan's" words, though he smiled silently as he spoke. As the saying goes, "scolding is a sign of affection, and spanking is a sign of love!" Judging from "Wang Zhan's" current demeanor, this saying perfectly described his relationship with his mother.

However, as Yao Yao looked at "Wang Zhan," there was always a peculiar, lingering glint in her eyes.

Now, she was even more certain. Wang Zhan was definitely fine, and goodness knew where he was off enjoying himself. All this was clear because, apart from Wang Zhan himself relaying the information, no one could so effortlessly mimic the tone of conversation between Wang Zhan and Yang Cui, and in such simple words, reveal the truth.

Therefore, the young man before her was indeed speaking with hidden meanings; they were both acting!

Yao Yao immediately smiled sweetly and said, "How could that be! I wouldn't dare stop Auntie, even if I could stop anyone else. After all, I'll have to listen to her when the time comes…"

At this, Yao Yao's face flushed slightly. No matter what means Wang Zhan had used to create the person before her and deceive the world, to Yao Yao, the face he wore was still that of the man she yearned for day and night. So, naturally, speaking such words to the young man, Yao Yao's face once again colored, showing a hint of shyness. It was all due to a playful embarrassment.

After regaining her composure, Yao Yao continued, "But I'm doing fine. With Dean Wei by my side, those people wouldn't dare act rashly against me, no matter what they think. So, no one has dared to give me trouble. As for you…"

And just like that, the two of them continued their sweet exchange, completely ignoring the presence of the two elders. Indeed, anyone watching them, even those closest to Wang Zhan or Yao Yao, would likely assume they were the perfect golden couple, as long as they didn't interact more deeply. They would absolutely never realize that this was, in fact, just two master actors who had reached a private agreement in the blink of an eye and were now continuously putting on a show.

Therefore, the two elders, who had some connection to Wang Zhan but didn't know him well, could only helplessly endure the shameless, unrestrained public display of affection the young couple was flaunting. Then, they waited quietly once more, watching the "lovesick" young man and woman, and "savoring" the sour stench of their supposed love. How could they ever imagine that this very stench of love was merely a tool the two were using to deliberately confuse them?

Fortunately, their reunion, all under the pretense of acting, didn't waste much time and finally came to an end. Yao Yao then yielded the floor to the two elders, stepping aside to wait quietly.

But as the young man met Yao Yao's gaze—a gaze fixed on him as if he were a peerless beauty, brimming with tenderness—his heart, already fraught with anxiety, trembled.

For a fleeting moment, the young man desperately wanted to blurt out:

Stop looking! If you keep looking, when I get back, your man will skin me alive if he finds out!

The young man could even foresee such a tragic scene possibly awaiting him in the near future.

And so, his heart was now filled with nothing but endless regret. He deeply regretted his earlier actions.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.