Chapter 689: Female Sovereign’s Consort Selection (End)

The moment Tang Wan saw the ambush unfold, her instincts kicked in. Without hesitation, she seized Lan Xintong’s hand tightly. “Tongtong—be careful! Run!”

There was no time to think, no time to assess. Taking advantage of the brief opening created by the dark guards who had rushed forward to intercept Tang Can’s group, Tang Wan pulled Lan Xintong along and dashed toward the street ahead.

But almost immediately, something felt… wrong.

As she ran, the world around her seemed to blur unnaturally fast. The ground beneath her feet barely registered, her body light and almost detached, as though she were no longer bound by weight.

Her speed—it wasn’t normal.

It was too fast.

So fast that it felt like she was flying.

Tang Wan’s expression froze in stunned disbelief.

Wait… what?

Her mind blanked for a split second before panic surged in.

This isn’t running—this is flying!

And then she saw it.

A carriage approaching from ahead.

Her pupils shrank instantly.

Damn it—!

She couldn’t stop.

No matter how she tried to slow herself down, her body continued forward uncontrollably, propelled by the very skill she had activated.

I’m finished.

A string of curses exploded in her mind.

Little Cutie, you absolutely scammed me! You called this “enhanced speed”? This is basically losing control!

At the critical moment, just as they were about to crash headlong into the carriage, Lan Xintong reacted.

Without even thinking, he grabbed Tang Wan’s arm and pulled her sharply aside, redirecting her toward a nearby stall. At the same time, he stepped forward himself, placing his body directly in the path of the carriage.

The impact was inevitable.

But what neither of them had noticed—

Was what lay beneath the stall.

A sharpened fire poker, carelessly placed, angled upward.

In that instant, everything happened at once.

Lan Xintong collided with the carriage.

And Tang Wan—

Was driven straight onto the spike.

Time seemed to freeze.

Lan Xintong’s eyes widened, his entire world collapsing in that single moment.

“No…”

His voice trembled, disbelief and horror tearing through him.

How…?

He had meant to save her.

How had it become this instead?

How had he… killed her with his own hands?

Tang Wan, meanwhile, felt the sharp, searing pain—but her mind was strangely clear.

Of all the ways to die…

She almost laughed bitterly.

That stupid system really did me in.

But when her gaze met Lan Xintong’s shattered, guilt-ridden expression, her thoughts softened.

This wasn’t his fault.

It never was.

Summoning the last of her strength, she gave him a faint, reassuring smile.

Tongtong… don’t blame yourself.

Something in that smile snapped him back.

For a brief moment, clarity returned to Lan Xintong’s eyes.

“Wanwan…” His voice broke. “Wait for me.”

There was no hesitation.

No fear.

Only resolve.

The next instant—

His presence vanished.

Completely.

As if he had never been there at all.

At the same time, Tang Wan felt her consciousness being pulled away. The world around her dissolved into fragments, the pain fading, the scene collapsing into darkness.

Her soul detached from the body—

And left the mission world behind.

Back in the system space, Tang Wan opened her eyes with a sharp intake of breath.

The first thing she did was glare at the small floating figure in front of her.

“Little Cutie,” she said slowly, her tone dangerously calm, “did you do that on purpose?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why didn’t you tell me that using that skill would make me literally fly?”

At that moment, she truly felt like she had defied gravity—like some absurd martial arts master soaring across rooftops, except without any control whatsoever.

Little Cutie blinked innocently, putting on a completely harmless expression. “Host, I did tell you. I said your speed would increase significantly. You just… didn’t fully understand it.”

Tang Wan stared at him in silence for two seconds.

Then she let out a cold laugh.

“Oh, so it’s my fault now? I just ran myself into death?”

Little Cutie hesitated for a fraction of a second before quickly replying, “No, no… just… maybe be more careful next time? Anyway, you were going to die eventually…”

“Eventually?” Tang Wan’s voice rose instantly. “That doesn’t mean I wanted to die like that!”

Little Cutie shrank slightly under her glare but still tried to maintain composure. “But you said it yourself—it was your own mistake. What does that have to do with me?”

Tang Wan stared at him, expression blank.

Then she smiled.

A very dangerous smile.

“Alright,” she said calmly. “Since it has nothing to do with you… next time when the main system downgrades you, don’t come crying to me for points to upgrade yourself.”

Little Cutie froze.

“Host…?”

Tang Wan turned away coolly. “Your problems have nothing to do with me, right?”

Panic exploded instantly.

In the next second, Little Cutie practically dropped to his knees mid-air, blinking rapidly with exaggerated pitifulness. “Host, I was wrong! I’ll explain everything clearly next time, I swear! Please don’t be angry!”

Tang Wan didn’t respond.

But somewhere deep inside—

She had already remembered this grudge very clearly.