Strategy to Capture Men

The morning sun was very comfortable, bright but not hot. Tang Ke's little hand in Han Yanyan's was warm. In the light of the sun, she looked carefully at him and found that you could very slightly see the blood vessels under the skin of his tender face. He was panting, hot and a little shy.

She calmed down. Even if he was a ghost, at least he was warm. It was better than those post-apocalyptic zombies.

She took Tang Ke to the flower beds in the courtyard, where there were outdoor tables, chairs, and intercoms. Then she instructed a servant to bring breakfast for two and invited Tang Ke to eat with her.

"N-no, I-I've already eaten." Just as he said that, Tang Ke's belly growled.

Today was a very important event. His mother had been carefully instructing him on what to do for days, making him a little nervous that morning and unable to eat much. Because he had gotten up early, he had also eaten early, so his stomach was empty right now. Tang Ke's little face flushed bright red.

Han Yanyan smiled, stretched out her hand and poked the little boy gently on the nose. "Hear that? Your stomach disagrees."

Putting food on his plate, she said, "You're a little boy, eating five meals a day is normal. How would you grow up to become a big strong man otherwise? Have some more."

She also carefully tasted the snacks that Xinya had made and praised them.

Tang Ke slowly relaxed under her gentle treatment, and by the time breakfast was over, his unduly precocious reserve and worries had lost out to his age. His innocent side was revealed and he called Han Yanyan "Sister", "Sister", as if there was no barrier between them.

Children are sensitive, able to keenly detect goodwill or malice. And Tang Ke, a child who had lived through great changes in his family situation, was especially so.

Taking his hand, Han Yanyan took him for a walk in the courtyard and asked, "Do you know why you and auntie came to our house today?"

Tang Ke paused, then nodded honestly.

"Go on, tell your sister."

"I'm eight years old, my spiritual power was measured," Tang Ke said. "Mom was so happy. She wants me to be a mecha warrior."

Han Yanyan couldn't even make fun of it.

According to this world's setting, being a mecha warrior was a highly respected profession. Within the military, mecha warriors were mighty champions; in the common people, mecha warriors were athletes. Mecha were used in all aspects and all walks of life, so a mecha warrior could easily find a job even if you didn't want to be a professional athlete.

It could be said that this was a society full of mecha fanatics. No matter what family they were from, if a child was gifted at handling a mecha, they were considered outstanding.

Such an illogical world... could actually be generated, and it hadn't collapsed!

Han Yanyan stared at the "cornerstone" right in front of her who was keeping the world from collapsing.

This departed spirit had died a highly-esteemed general. In the information about him that she had received, it was noted that not only had he been spiritually powerful in life, but that he had also been a great mecha warrior. He had made great achievements on the battlefield, and countless enemies had fallen to his mecha's sword.

So in his mind, mecha becoming a social trend and being sought after by people all over the world was perfectly reasonable and logical, wasn't it?

Sure, sure. Every one of us tries to beautify things a little when we examine ourselves.

"So Aunt Xinya wants you to go to school in the Eastern District?" Han Yanyan asked.

Tang Ke nodded. "Mom said that the best schools for spiritual power are in the Eastern District."

That went without saying. Training a mecha warrior was very expensive. A poor family would never be able to afford it. Just by spotting a young mecha warrior on the street, you would know that their family was at least 'decent'.

But for Tang Ke's family, just the tuition alone would be a great burden if they wanted to send him to a good school in the Eastern District. This was why Aunt Xinya was here; to humbly ask for the support of the Han family.

A large and prominent family like the Han family would generously support and train even good seedlings from the slums with no cause nor relation, let alone relatives. In fact, there were even several charitable foundations under their banner.

This was partly why Xinya had humbled herself to ask for help. Generally... this was more or less a sure bet.

It was just that...

Han Yanyan thought of her father. He certainly wouldn't be stingy with money and would indeed be willing to generously support Tang Ke. But for Xinya, a beautiful woman who had just delivered herself to the door, giftwrapped and beribboned, he wouldn't do it for nothing. What's more, this cousin had once proudly refused him, and what one couldn't get was always remembered. Even though he had countless young and beautiful lovers, even though Xinya's best years were past, it wouldn't hinder him from approaching the beauty and fulfilling his long-cherished wish.

This was something Han Yanyan had set up to increase the humiliation suffered by Tang Ke in his childhood. Because this mission goal had been a wanderer in his childhood, dependent on others for his living, he had been subject to a good many disdainful looks and had often been treated unfairly. Later he had risen up, shown no mercy to those who had once mistreated him, and taken merciless revenge with his own hands.

Han Yanyan had created such a setting for the purpose of awakening his spirit. But... that was what Leo had ordered her to do.

And Leo was asleep.