CHAPTER 424: CHAPTER 424: THE THREE NO-ACCEPTS

"Who’s checking in?"

"Seriously, got nothing better to do?"

As soon as the call connected, Grandma Chu heard Chu Jiaojiao’s voice full of disdain. Far from being annoyed, Grandma Chu proudly threw glances around her and said, "See... just mentioned the little one’s coming to check in, and here she is."

Chu Jiaojiao frowned, "I said I’m not checking in."

Grandma Chu lovingly replied, "Alright, alright... Jiaojiao my darling said no, so it’s a no."

Chu Jiaojiao: "..."

Unable to hold back, Chu Jiaojiao cursed, "Just wanted to make sure you weren’t cold, I’m very disappointed, hanging up now."

With that, she immediately cut off the communication.

Grandma Chu looked at the reporters around, chuckled heh-heh, and said, "Ah! My granddaughter is angry again, such a worry! What do you think would cheer her up? Should I give her a starship with big guns or is a mechanical warship stronger?"

A few reporters murmured softly, "As expected of Commander Chu, lavish with kids, it’s either a starship or mecha..."

Nevertheless, Chu Jiaojiao’s call gave Grandma Chu a good excuse to get out of the situation. After hearing Grandma Chu’s explanation, out of respect, love, and admiration for the hero, the reporters didn’t keep pestering her for interviews and quickly departed.

Meanwhile—

Chu Jiaojiao ended the call, her face darker than ever, cursing, "Clueless old hag! When will you ever let me have some peace?"

Sheng Qingyan, standing beside her, covered her mouth and snickered, "Jiaojiao, you just care too much. Look at me with Elder Sheng; we keep our distance, content to avoid each other. I never think of calling Elder Sheng voluntarily... If Elder Sheng didn’t always make trouble for me, I’d be living the easy life—every meal delicious and full of energy for everything..."

Chu Jiaojiao ignored Sheng Qingyan’s rambling nonsenses. She scrutinized the recent videos of her grandma and finally pieced together a bit of the cause and effect.

Turns out, her grandma’s sudden loss of contact with her old comrades wasn’t because they disappeared but took the opportunity to secretly converge on the borderlands where members of the Moon Fox Alliance, the Galaxy Empire, and the Blue Light United States come together, plotting to sneak in. What would these interstellar pirates lurking in the shadows intend to do? Why, but to murder and loot, of course.

They are interstellar pirates, a band of desperados, at home anywhere in the cosmos, no distinction between nation or family, no sense of belonging to a state and its people; they rob anyone they see, taking as much as they can, killing as many as they can... Of course, to them, anyone outside their organization is an enemy. So, in the borderlands of these three countries, these desperados committed countless atrocities, indifferent whether their victims were from the Alliance, the Empire, or the citizens of the Blue Light United States...

It can be said that people of all three countries despise these pirates to the bone.

A royal succession is imminent in the Galaxy Empire—will the throne go to the deposed Crown Prince Ji, or will it fall to Prince Qi, originally the second in line for the throne?

A crown stirs the hearts of the people across the Eight Star Systems, as well as all the interstellar pirates. Of course, the pirates have no interest in whose head the crown falls on; they’re focused on the opportunities provided by the internal conflicts spurred by the Empire’s royal succession for them to fish in troubled waters!

These blood-thirsty pirates, eager for action, especially the Moon Fox Alliance, with its leader ’Gu Yue’ personally leading his men, are lying in ambush at the borders, planning to hit it big.

Little did they expect that while the mantis catches the cricket, the sparrow waits behind; Lady Chu Zhan, the former commander of the First Legion of the Alliance, got wind of their movements and launched a surprise counterattack!

...

Chu Jiaojiao read the limited press releases, guessed roughly what was happening, and her face darkened, "Reckless! At this old age, all bones brittle, and still daring to court death? Tch!"

Sheng Qingyan whispered, "But, I hear your grandma’s hair still looks thick and glossy, doesn’t seem like someone who has osteoporosis at all."

Chu Jiaojiao scoffed, "What’s osteoporosis got to do with hair? Besides, when did that old woman have black hair? It’s all dyed black!"

Sheng Qingyan covered her mouth, saying, "Oh? Grandma Chu actually dyes her hair? I’ve been fooled before..."

Chu Jiaojiao said, "If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now."

Sheng Qingyan said, "Oh... I’m going to check out the Master’s shop by myself..."

However—

To Sheng Qingyan’s regret, the Green Glaze Master’s shop seemed as bustling as ever, but it was empty inside. Every speck of dust had been wiped clean by the visiting customers with their hands.

Stomping her foot, Sheng Qingyan sighed, "No announcement again. When exactly will Green Glaze Master release new products?"

...

What Sheng Qingyan didn’t know was that Green Glaze Master, whom he talked about constantly and longed for, was currently frowning, looking troubled, and staring at his challenge request page with a deeply furrowed brow, full of anxiety.

Hero King.

King’s Expedition.

Dominate the Universe.

...

And even a Little Shengsheng!

For some reason, after a few days, Little Shengsheng wanted to challenge Ji You again. In case Ji You refused, she even added a few words to her challenge declaration: [New Mecha, test?]

Huh?

Does it mean she wants him to take the new Mechanical Blade for a spin against her?

Ji You had personally experienced Little Shengsheng’s strength and while he was confident, he was not conceited, so Ji You could not say that after changing his mecha, he could definitely beat Little Shengsheng.

Accept?

Reject?

Ji You was conflicted.

Just at that moment, Hero King sent a message: [Rag Queen, this is the ninth time I am challenging you. If you admit defeat, I can withdraw my request.]

Ha!

Such an arrogant tone!

Expecting him to admit defeat to boost someone else’s reputation?

Dream on!

Without a second word, Ji You clicked to refuse and added a comment: [Listen up!!! Rag Queen has three ’NOs’ in life: First, I don’t accept fights with the petty. Second, I don’t accept fights with the weak. Third, I don’t accept fights with those who have already lost to me. And you, you check all three boxes, a veritable poison to me!]

Hero King saw the message and his face darkened immediately: "This Rag Queen is outrageously arrogant! Does she really think by refusing several IDs to challenge her, she can actually make it to the finals?"

"Wishful thinking!" King’s Expedition chimed in from the side.

After a moment of contemplation, Hero King said softly, "She has already rejected two challenges. If she rejects one more, she’ll be eliminated. If she’s really that stubborn, I’ll admire her for it, but she definitely won’t refuse a third challenge request. So, let’s keep sending her challenges."