Chapter 13: Returning to the Modern Era with Empress Ma

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Zhu Xiongying’s address of “brother” nearly choked Chen Lin. Damn it, I told your father to call me uncle, but you went and demoted me two generations. Zhu Yuanzhang laughed heartily, feeling delighted. Finally, he saw this kid get put in his place—our eldest grandson is truly impressive.

“Go away, grown-ups are talking; kids shouldn’t interrupt,” Chen Lin grumbled. Zhu Xiongying pouted, looking wronged. Zhu Biao quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. “Immortal Chen, you and I are about the same age, so I’ll just call you little brother Chen.” “Little brother Chen, is the meal to your liking?” Chen Lin put down his chopsticks. “Not quite. Is this really the royal breakfast?” Zhu Yuanzhang scoffed. “What did you expect?”

“Hurry up and eat; once we finish, we need to set off.” Chen Lin glanced at the knife in Zhu Yuanzhang’s hand. The time was nearly up; it was time to move. He drank the last of his bowl, set down his chopsticks, and beckoned to Zhu Yuanzhang with a finger. “Hand me the knife.” Zhu Yuanzhang was taken aback. “You want to use a knife?” “What else?” “No, you can’t use a knife—you have to let our sister go without pain.” Chen Lin protested. “Then tell me, what kind of death isn’t painful? Strangled alive? Choked? Or hit on the head?” “Uh…” “Enough of this. I have experience—one stab through the heart is the fastest. Hurry up…”

Inside the room, Chen Lin gripped the small knife and approached Empress Ma. “Your Majesty, don’t be afraid. It will be quick. Just close your eyes once, and this life will be over.” Could she not be afraid? Empress Ma glanced nervously at the glinting blade and then at Zhu Yuanzhang, who was holding a knife himself. That was meant for Chen Lin. “Don’t be afraid, sister—it’s just a little shiver. We’ll meet again in a day.” Zhu Xiongying also stepped forward to comfort her. “Grand Empress Dowager, when your grandson was strangled before, it was painful, but once awake, his body was fine. Don’t be afraid.” Empress Ma stroked Zhu Xiongying’s head. “Grand Empress Dowager is not afraid.” Then she looked toward Zhu Biao. “Take Xiongying downstairs first.” Zhu Biao led Zhu Xiongying away, leaving only the three of them in the room. Even the four imperial guards were dismissed.

Chen Lin gripped the small knife tightly. If he suddenly attacked now, he could die together with them and surely take down the old couple.

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But that was just a thought. The assassination attempt on Zhu Yuanzhang was meant for Zhu Yuanzhang to kill him in return. He couldn’t really kill the carrier of 100 million soft currency, after all.

“Begin!” Zhu Yuanzhang kissed Empress Ma’s forehead one last time, then stood behind Chen Lin with his knife raised. Chen Lin took a breath, holding the small knife. “Your Majesty, close your eyes. I’ll take you flying~~~” *Pfft* *Clap* The plan proceeded smoothly. As the small knife pierced Empress Ma’s heart, Zhu Yuanzhang, filled with boundless hatred and resentment, severed Chen Lin’s head in one stroke.

Though it was all arranged, when Zhu Yuanzhang saw Empress Ma pierced through the heart yet still not fully dead, tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. He reached forward, grasping her hand. “Sister, my sister~~~” “Zhong Ba, Zhong Ba, cough, cough, cough~~” Zhu Biao rushed in at that moment. The family of three said their final farewells, while the disembodied head of the so-called immortal master lay nearby.

Zhu Yuanzhang found the head bothersome and even kicked it aside. Chen Lin’s brain still had some awareness; he opened his mouth to curse but no sound came out. Damn you, Zhu Yuanzhang, just you wait…

As his final consciousness faded, his eyes slowly closed. When they opened again, he was back in the rented room’s bed. “Damn, the feeling of having your head chopped off really isn’t pleasant,” Chen Lin muttered, touching his neck, still shaken.

[Congratulations, host! You have died for the second time at the hands of Zhu Yuanzhang. Reward: 100 million soft currency. Please continue your efforts...]

[Countdown: 1 minute begins...]

The system’s prompt sounded again, snapping Chen Lin back to reality. He quickly looked around. “Where’s Empress Ma?” “No way!” “Failed?” “System, didn’t you say that those I kill with my own hands would travel with me?” “Where is she?”

Just then, the bed sank as Empress Ma made a grand appearance. Chen Lin breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Damn, you scared me to death. Why the delay?” [Because Ma Xiuying died eight seconds after the host…]

“I see. So decapitation really is the fastest death method…” By now, Empress Ma had also regained consciousness. She looked down at her chest, then curiously around the room. “Is this the underworld?”

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Chen Lin quickly got out of bed. He couldn’t lie in the same bed with Empress Ma! “Sister Ma, check your body. Has it fully recovered?”

Empress Ma finally came to her senses, took a deep breath, and stretched her arms. “It’s really all healed! The joint pains and chest aches when breathing are gone!”

“All healed, huh? I have some business to attend to. Will you come with me or stay here?” Chen Lin glanced at the countdown in the air—34 seconds remaining.

System, give me 30 minutes first.

[30 minutes granted, deducting 300,000 from host’s balance. Remaining balance: 208,032,108.32.]

Empress Ma replied, “I’ll go with the Immortal Master.”

“Good, then get up quickly and come with me.”

And so, Chen Lin, dressed in ancient garb, led Empress Ma—still in her pajamas—downstairs. They started the pickup truck his unit had provided and headed to the nearby courier station.

Why a pickup truck? Because Chen Lin had been a construction supervisor at a contracting company, also in charge of small equipment procurement—things like welding machines, cutters, screws, and nuts. In short, while large purchases like rebar, cement, and bricks were handled by a dedicated procurement manager, all other miscellaneous items on-site were his responsibility.

Originally, this was a lucrative position for kickbacks, but with a procurement manager above him and no connections, he hadn’t made much illicit profit. At most, he earned about twice his salary, and his monthly wage was 4,000 yuan, though he worked like a dog.

Always up early and working late, he went wherever needed. Without this extra 4,000 or so from kickbacks, he would have quit long ago.

Empress Ma sat in the passenger seat, looking around and touching things, but she didn’t ask questions. She quietly watched the bustling street outside.

Soon, the pickup reached the courier station. “Stay in the car; I’ll be right back.” “Don’t worry, Immortal Chen…”

Chen Lin nodded and rushed inside, taking eight minutes to load all the packages onto the truck.

With 22 minutes left, he drove straight to the nearest hardware and electrical market, following the list he’d prepared in his mind.

“Hey, haven’t seen you in a few days, Manager Chen. Going full Hanfu today? What’s the order this time?”

“In a hurry today, make it quick.”

“Got it~~~”