After Crossing Over, I Marked the Empress

Chapter 171 : Lock This Ship Down

The news of the Empress's state visit to Ksenrode had not yet reached the majority of the Federation's citizens, as it was not yet time for the news broadcast.

Typically, this news would appear in the evening report.

The report would be presented in a very official manner.

For example: The Empress was warmly received by King Hols, and she will be conducting energy inspections in her upcoming itinerary.

However, information about the Empress's state visit had already exploded on Ksenrode's major social media platforms before the Federation's official media could broadcast it!

This prosperous small kingdom adhered to the principle of freedom of speech, and online public opinion was not heavily controlled by the government.

Even royal family members often posted selfies on social media, showcasing their private lives to the outside world.

Of course, such an overly free internet environment had both advantages and disadvantages.

Open speech itself was a good thing, but it also became a lawless zone for many criminals.

When a large amount of malicious rumors, bloody violence, and vulgar pornographic information flooded the cyberspace, children with insufficient discernment were the first to be harmed.

By the time the Empress was about to enter the evening's state banquet, Ksenrode's entertainment rankings were flooded with pictures of Gu Junwan.

While the vast majority of netizens marveled at the Free Federation Empress's stunning beauty, a small group of people indulged in unbridled fantasies online.

This spark even triggered a 'holy war' of hacker groups attacking vulgar websites.

In short, within a single day, the Free Federation Empress had completely gone viral on Ksenrode's online platforms.

Such explosive information naturally also spread into the Federation through various channels.

Netizens who circumvented the firewall were endless, frantically collecting videos and pictures from foreign websites.

Unable to post portraits of the Empress on domestic social platforms, they could only pass them around in one small circle after another.

For a time, anyone who didn't have a set of photos of the Empress at the Ksenrode palace on their phone wouldn't dare call themselves a fashionable netizen.

The director of the Federation's Second Television Station had his phone blown up again.

He had to explain that the Empress's related videos and pictures were not leaked by his employees, while also explaining why the internet was in a frenzy over this visit, yet his station, as the only official accompanying media, hadn't released any reports.

The director was at his wit's end, feeling like what little hair he had left was about to fall out.

He rushed into the studio, asking the busy host team, "Has the news about the Empress's foreign visit been broadcast?"

A staff member quickly replied, "Not yet, there are still three minutes before we get to that segment."

The director clapped his hands, "Quick! Tell them to withdraw the finalized version and switch to the alternate one."

Three minutes later, the news report about the Empress's arrival at the Ksenrode palace was officially broadcast on the television station.

The host, in a professional and steady voice, introduced the Empress's visit itinerary to the public, as well as the significance of this event.

In the video, the moment when Gu Junwan and Shen Han gazed at each other in front of the ancient castle was also edited in.

Young viewers watching in front of their TVs immediately became excited.

They let out chicken-like calls in the living room, enduring the strange looks from their elders.

Then they pulled out their phones and computers to express their current excitement on domestic social media platforms.

On a certain entertainment platform, the topic "The Female CEO and Her Super Soldier King," which had been dormant for months, soared to the top of the trending list with overwhelming momentum.

Several newly opened topics about the same event, with different titles, also dominated the list.

However, because many accounts posted GIFs of Gu Junwan and Shen Han, the new topics that had just rushed to the top were quickly blocked by the platform.

Only the original Female CEO topic, having stood the test of time, remained evergreen!

Although the discussions among netizens in the topic were also very heated, with some even writing series in the comment sections, the entire thread did not mention keywords like "Empress," let alone post real pictures.

So, this topic has remained strong since its establishment last summer.

[Did everyone watch the Federation news just now? Is this considered an indirect official announcement?]

[Pretty boy screaming! Please lock this ship down for me!]

[I can be single, but the Female CEO and the Soldier King must get married!]

[Ahh! I really ship it, the way the Female CEO looked at the Soldier King was so gentle.]

[I've brought the civil affairs bureau here, marry her quickly!]

[How many more days will the CEO stay in the foreign country? Can we get sugar every day?]

At the same time.

In a rest area somewhere in the Ksenrode palace, Xu Zhao, after scrolling through her phone and reporting several platforms that were randomly posting Gu Junwan's pictures, casually clicked into the familiar Female CEO topic thread.

Upon seeing the netizens' comments, she pushed up her glasses and inwardly laughed: It's impossible to give sugar every day, and even if we did, you wouldn't be able to see it.

Unlike me, I'm guarding the sugar jar every day, ready to indulge at any time.

Just as she was checking public opinion, two Alphas wearing guard uniforms walked towards her.

Xu Zhao closed her phone screen and looked up at the newcomers.

Upon realizing that the guards approaching her were from the Soul Shadow Strike Team, suspicion immediately arose in her heart.

'What are they coming for? Is there a problem with some handover procedure?'

At this time, Gu Junwan was dining in a nearby palace.

Xu Zhao and the guard team members were waiting in the adjacent rest area.

There were guards arranged by King Hols in the banquet hall, so it wasn't convenient for the Empress to have her personal guards by her side even during meals.

Shen Han was quietly discussing tomorrow's itinerary with the team when she suddenly caught sight of the Strike Team captain who had been rudely staring at Gu Junwan earlier in the day.

"Ning Xi, go over the arrangements for tomorrow with the team again. I'll go check things out."

Leaving these words, Shen Han walked towards Xu Zhao.

Sensing that her captain's aura seemed a bit off, Ning Xi quickly asked in a low voice towards her retreating back, "Do you need help?"

Shen Han waved her hand, "No need!"

Xu Zhao looked up at the tall woman standing before her and asked in fluent Ksenrode, "Is there something I can help you with?"

The lead person took off her military cap, revealing shoulder-length golden hair.

She bent slightly, giving Xu Zhao a very gentlemanly bow, and said with a smile, "Miss Xu Zhao, my name is Lauren Cole. Duke Francor is my father."

"I'm curious, are all the women in your Free Federation as gentle and beautiful as you and the Empress?"

This female Alpha named Lauren Cole was polite and proper, with no inappropriate behavior.

But her words made Xu Zhao feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Although she was complimenting, the arrogance emanating from her words and actions was ubiquitous.

She directly revealed her identity as a member of a ducal family, not out of honesty, but to make Xu Zhao understand the noble position she occupied.

And the question that followed, in Xu Zhao's view, also contained disrespect.

It felt like being stopped on the street by a confident rich second-generation trying to strike up a conversation, making one feel entirely uncomfortable.

Xu Zhao maintained her professional demeanor on the surface, but couldn't help sighing inwardly.

In many countries outside the Free Federation, Alphas held the power of speech and leadership in various fields.

In their eyes, Betas were like hardworking ants, while Omegas were their private possessions to be protected.

It was said that in some places, Omegas weren't even allowed to go out in public on their own.

To go out, they first had to obtain permission from the Alpha of the household.

Although the Kingdom of Ksenrode had not reached such an outrageous degree, the overall social hierarchy still generally held Alphas in high esteem and Omegas in low regard.

Xu Zhao and her colleagues, due to their special status and being in a high-end place like the palace, naturally received different treatment.

Seeing that the petite and beautiful woman before her hadn't answered her question, Lauren Cole not only didn't get angry, but her eyes even flashed with interest.

She took half a step forward, looking down at Xu Zhao's soft white facial skin, and smiled, "May I have your personal contact information? I'll take you out to play, Ksenrode's nights are beautiful."

The Alpha's strong sense of oppression suddenly enveloped her, and Xu Zhao's delicate brows furrowed as she instinctively stepped back.

Lauren Cole's lips curved in a smile as she reached out her arm to support the other's slender waist, "Beautiful lady, be careful."

Xu Zhao had originally retreated steadily, but seeing the other reaching out to her, her heart skipped a beat, and she nearly twisted her ankle.

Just as Lauren Cole's hand was about to touch Xu Zhao's waist, another hand suddenly extended from the side, grabbing the former's palm.

"Hello, I'm Shen Han, captain of the Free Federation Empress's guard. You can discuss any issues with me."

Upon hearing Shen Han's voice, Xu Zhao's tense nerves immediately relaxed.

She steadied herself, regaining her original composure and poise.

Shen Han, still gripping the Alpha's hand, turned her head and asked Xu Zhao in the Federation language, "Are you alright?"

Xu Zhao adjusted her glasses and replied, "I'm fine now."

The members of the Soul Shadow Strike Team had also been intensively learning some Federation language in these days, but were far from being able to understand the conversation.

Even if they could understand the word "fine," they couldn't grasp the profound meaning of the Federation language.

Xu Zhao's reply "I'm fine now" actually conveyed the message that "there was a problem earlier."

Shen Han turned her gaze back to Lauren Cole and continued in relatively fluent Ksenrode, "What were you saying just now? Ksenrode's nights are moldy?"

Lauren Cole was stunned for a moment, then struggled to free her hand while correcting the other, "You heard wrong! I said beautiful, not moldy."

Shen Han slowly tightened her grip and asked in confusion, "Did I hear wrong? Didn't you just say your father is Duke Francor?"

The pain transmitted through her palm made Lauren Cole break out in a cold sweat.

She was both angry and anxious, wanting to order her subordinates to handcuff this annoying Alpha.

But she didn't dare cause trouble in this place, and could only grit her teeth and tense her arm muscles to fight back, "I know a very skilled ear specialist, do you want to-"

Before she could finish her taunt, Lauren Cole was already twisting her body and screaming in pain.

The terrified scream rolled in all directions, even creating an echo in the palace.

The guards standing in the corridor thought there was an enemy attack, and all became vigilant!

Even the distinguished guests dining to light music next door vaguely heard the scream.

King Hols, with a displeased expression, called for an attendant: "Go out and see who's howling like a ghost!"