Traveling through the second dimension, the joy system encourages me to laugh heartily!

Chen Ming leaned in the warm pool water, charging his phone while activating the system's identification function.

His eyes were like a precise scanner, carefully examining each photo. The system interface quickly flowed through his mind - name, age, height and weight could be ignored for the time being, the power bank was 0, and the favorability was 100, so he mainly looked at the overall appearance score.

Chen Ming's fingertips slid across the virtual interface, flipping through the photos one by one, like flipping through an album of growth and beauty. He knew most of the girls' information by heart, but occasionally, when a close-up of a young girl froze, his gaze would linger a moment longer, as if reassessing.

Finally, among the maids who were over 18 years old, two "slippery fish" who met the system's highest beauty standards were found:

[Name]: Lilia (mute girl, cured)

【Age】：21

[Height]: 170cm

[Weight]: 57kg

【Overall appearance】: 87

【Power Bank】：0

【Status】: Good health

[Favorability]: 100

-

[Name]: Alin (broken arm, healed)

【Age】：18

[Height]: 160cm

[Weight]: 50kg

【Overall appearance】: 88

【Power Bank】：0

【Status】: Good health

[Favorability]: 100

Looking at the two faces on the screen that were a little shy but couldn't hide their beauty, Chen Ming's mouth corners slightly raised. It seemed that the "harvest" of this Thanksgiving was far richer than he expected.

Chen Ming naturally would not turn a blind eye to these two girls who fully met the system requirements and were full of loyalty and love.

They are treasures that have been carefully cultivated and now is the time for them to bloom.

Thinking of this, Chen Ming directly sent a clear and concise summoning message to Lilia and Alin, informing them to report to the second floor of the villa.

When the two girls, feeling both nervous and expectant after receiving the notice, hurried over, Chen Ming had already prepared a gift that symbolized acceptance and grace - five bottles of [Beauty Potions] emitting a warm blue glow.

The potions were handed to them separately, 3 for Lilia and 2 for Arlene.

The two girls' fingertips trembled with excitement, their eyes instantly filled with incredible surprise and gratitude. They drank the potion given by the master without hesitation.

On the system interface, their comprehensive appearance values ​​are quietly growing, and finally fixed at 90 points, which symbolizes stunning beauty!

[Ding, recharge with the alluring girl Lilia and gain 20 points of joyful power. The first recharge will reward you with an additional 10000 points of joyful power!]

[Ding, recharge with the stunning beauty Arlene and gain 20 points of Joy Power. First recharge will reward you with an additional 10000 points of Joy Power!]

……

That night, the lights in the master bedroom on the second floor of the villa were still on. The four new maids who had joined the battlefield - Susie, Sophie, Lilia and Arlene - spent a long and warm Thanksgiving night with Chen Ming.

When the first rays of dawn illuminated the earth, Chen Ming emerged from the manor in the morning light, full of energy and spirit, and began his daily practice of [Sun Dou Qi] with great interest. He slowly absorbed the warm energy of the morning sun, circulating it throughout his body, not only dispelling any weariness that should have been there, but also making him even more energetic.

In sharp contrast to him are the four new "wives" who have just received the emperor's grace.

Without exception, they overslept and missed their regular work time on weekdays - because their bodies needed sufficient rest to adapt to last night's battle and restore their vitality.

But that no longer matters.

Their status, like that of Mejia and Meimi who had been promoted earlier, had already transcended the scope of daily labor. This small "dereliction of duty" seemed insignificant in the face of a higher status, and they had ample time to recuperate.

In order to make rational use of his time, Chen Ming, who was practicing in the sun, opened the system interface to check the results of last night's battle.

Susie, Sophie, Lilia and Arlene all got the tenfold first-charge reward for full favorability, allowing Chen Ming to obtain 10300 points*4=41200 joy power.

However, 5000 points were deducted for exchanging 5 bottles of [Beauty Potions].

Adding the original 932000 points, Chen Ming's total joy power has now reached 968200 points.

When Chen Ming was checking the results of the battle,

The holographic projection of [Crimson] quietly appeared beside him, like a silent elf.

"Master," she reported in her characteristic lolita voice, "Brave Epona is requesting to establish a communication link with you. Do you wish to grant access?"

"catch."

Chen Ming raised the corner of his mouth slightly and agreed readily.

Over the past year, this brave woman, burdened with a heavy mission, had maintained constant contact with him by phone. Originally, she wasn't very good at using a phone, but Mirei, a teacher reincarnated from the modern era, was very familiar with its operation. Under Mirei's guidance, Epona and Chen Ming's communication became very smooth.

In order to prevent himself from completely sinking into violent killing intent during the battle, Epona sent him messages for help twice at critical moments.

Chen Ming never let her down. With his ability of [Teleportation], he always appeared in front of Epona on the verge of losing control like a god, and pulled her back from the edge of the abyss with absolute strength - usually with a well-timed knockout blow.

Miraculously, this experience of being "knocked unconscious" did not make Epona angry. Instead, it increased her trust and dependence on Chen Ming day by day. The favorability displayed by the system has steadily climbed to 70 points.

Epona once admitted that it was precisely because she knew that Chen Ming was her last line of defense when she lost control that she was able to fight with greater peace of mind and give her all.

……

As the communication connection was established, Epona's slightly embarrassed and apologetic voice came through: "Sorry to bother you, Master Chen Ming."

"You're welcome," Chen Ming could almost foresee what she was going to say next, and his tone was full of familiar teasing. "Tell me, which battlefield are you planning to go all out on this time? Do you need me to come to the rescue?"

"Uh...things are a little different this time."

Epona's voice was filled with a hint of distress and helplessness. "It's His Majesty the King of the Alban Kingdom. He...he wants to use me to formally invite you to the capital to attend the upcoming celebration."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming raised his eyebrows slightly, revealing a playful expression.

This is a new situation.

Every time Chen Ming went to support, he would teleport there and then teleport away. In addition, he only chatted with the brave man Epona and ignored other people in the kingdom.

As a result, in the eyes of the Kingdom's Knights and even the nobles, he is always shrouded in mystery and his origins are unknown.

The only bridge to contact him is this female hero.

"Oh?" Chen Ming asked with interest, "What does the king want to see me about? He doesn't want to give me the 'Best Firefighter' medal, does he?"

Epona seemed to hesitate for a moment before cautiously explaining with a tone of obvious disagreement:

"Lord Chen Ming, the situation is this... Recently, demonic invasions have become unusually frequent and growing in scale. The Kingdom's Knights on the front lines... are often only responsible for the aftermath of clearing the battlefields, leaving the core combat pressure almost entirely on my shoulders. This situation has caused unprecedented panic among the nobles of the capital. They are extremely worried that if a powerful demon force directly attacks the core area of ​​the capital, and I happen to be away from the capital..."

Chen Ming was such an insightful person that he understood the key point before Epona finished speaking.

He smiled crookedly and pointed out directly, "I see. The nobles have been frightened and are planning to switch to a full-scale defensive strategy... Let me guess, they are planning to confine you, the only main force in exterminating demons, to the vicinity of the royal capital, and from now on, you will only be responsible for defending the royal capital and will never be allowed to support other attacked areas again?"

"Ugh……"

Epona sighed deeply, his voice filled with a sense of helplessness. "Master Chen Ming's prediction is absolutely correct. The nobles have reached a consensus: from now on, no matter where the demonic threat arises, as long as the area is beyond a certain distance from the capital, a brave warrior like me will no longer be sent to provide support... This is tantamount to declaring that I will not help the people of the rest of the kingdom!"

She paused, her tone growing increasingly indignant. "They're saying things like, 'Once the capital is destroyed, this country will be finished,' but I think this is just a selfish excuse used by the nobles to protect their own wealth and fortune!"

Chapter 195: Sharing the Mission, Sharing the Skills

Listening to Epona's indignant accusation, Chen Ming's face did not show much surprise.

He already knew very well the ugliness of human nature.

The fear of death is an instinct deeply rooted in human nature, especially among those who hold power and wealth. When a huge threat looms, those who enjoy the most resources and honor on a daily basis are often the group most willing to sacrifice others to preserve themselves.

It is obvious that only heroes can truly kill the demons, but they want to restrict the heroes to the royal capital.

This action by the Alban Kingdom's nobles was just another example of the ugly nature of human nature in the power game. Chen Ming was no longer surprised by this.

But he was still a little confused: "Why did they drag me, an outsider, into this? Do they think I will obediently follow the royal family's orders?"

Epona on the other end of the line had clearly anticipated this question. Her voice was clear and frank:

"The nobles whose territories were far from the capital were fiercely opposed, arguing that 'the lives of border nobles matter too'. They could not accept the king's decision to stand by and watch them perish while the demons were rampaging. The protests were quite intense. Just as the dispute between the two sides reached a stalemate and threatened to devolve into civil war, a great noble proposed a solution—to seek help from you, the angel."

She paused, as if trying to formulate more precise words:

"This noble proposed entrusting the responsibility of defending the capital entirely to the brave, ensuring the safety of this 'heart' of the kingdom. At the same time, he implored the angel of supreme power—you—to subdue the demonic threats emerging throughout the kingdom. This proposal cleverly soothed the angry local nobles, making them feel that the capital had not completely abandoned them, but had found a more perfect 'alternative plan'. After all..."

Epona's voice was filled with awe and a matter-of-factness:

"You've easily subdued me, even when I was in a frenzy, several times in a row. Each victory was witnessed by the knights present and reported faithfully to the highest levels. Add to that the sacred and magnificent wings of light behind you... and in the eyes of the king and all the high-ranking nobles, your identity as the 'Goddess's Messenger' is almost unquestionable. And to be able to so easily subdue a hero must be even more powerful, naturally 'more than enough' to defeat the demons."

Chen Ming snorted coldly when he heard this: "You want me to kill the demons? Why does the king think I would agree to such a request?"

Although he does have such ability, it doesn't mean that he will definitely take action?

Will the goddess's messenger definitely go and kill the demons?

That’s right, in the general perception of humans in this world, heroes are sent by the goddess to fight against the devil and save humanity.

Then, sending a more powerful "angel" to the lower world to assist or supervise does sound reasonable...

Epona's voice was a little awkward and apologetic. "His Majesty the King specifically instructed me to convey this to you. This is merely an invitation, a pretext to appease the local nobles... Whether or not you accept the invitation and come to the capital, whether or not you are willing to fight the demons, we fully respect your wishes and will not force them..."

After listening to Epona's explanation, Chen Ming understood.

The core demand of the king and the nobles in the royal capital was simply self-preservation.

As long as the brave Epona stays in the capital, their safety will be guaranteed.

As for whether the angel Chen Ming will go and kill the demons?

They don’t care!

After all, this is just a cover to quell local grievances.

Even if he refused, the nobles in the capital would find other high-sounding excuses to continue their strategy of "doing nothing to help" and brush off the protests of the local nobles.

As his thoughts raced, Chen Ming had already made a decision.

He wasn't acting on the king's orders—he had already used hydrogen bombs to eliminate the demons in the Cross Star Forest. His motivation for conquering the demons came from within himself:

The kindhearted little girls in his family—Taldo, Maho, and Tia—had pure hearts and could not bear to see the tragedy of innocent villagers being slaughtered by the demons. He was happy to fulfill their wishes and protect the "goodness" in their eyes.

In the hearts of the girls in his harem and the maids, he is not only a powerful husband and master, but also a "messenger of justice" who protects the human world. Suppressing the demons is undoubtedly the best way to consolidate this glorious image.

Now, I can also improve the favorability of the female hero at the same time, killing two birds with one stone...

So in the end, what he has to do is no different from before - that is to capture beautiful girls!

Chen Ming smiled evilly, his voice clear and firm:

"Epona, I understand. Slaying the demons, and ultimately confronting the Demon King, is the duty bestowed upon you by the Goddess, and a heavy mission that you, as a hero, cannot shirk. I will not hypocritically deny your duty and mission with beautiful words like 'duty is a bondage' or 'mission limits freedom'!"

He paused slightly, and his tone became deeper and more powerful:

"But, precisely because this mission is so heavy, you don't have to carry it all alone! Let me share half of the weight with you. Don't bear all the pressure and loneliness alone anymore. You can always rely on me!"

Chen Ming didn't watch so many anime for nothing. He learned this trick [Sharing in Half When We Meet] from a male protagonist in anime. It is very effective against the bitter and vengeful female protagonist. If he performs the head-patting kill at the same time, he can complete the strategy directly.

As expected, on the other end of the communication, Epona's eyes widened and tears flashed in them.

[Ding, Epona's favorability increased by 5, currently at 75!]

Chen Ming had conquered her with his strength, and now he conquered her with his love and care.

Epona closed her eyes, tears rolling down her cheeks, and asked in a trembling voice, "Am I qualified... to be allowed to do this?"

The strong barrier that has supported itself for a long time seems to have cracked at this moment, revealing its hidden fragility.

Chen Ming's voice was firm and resolute, with an unquestionable determination: "Even if others don't allow it, I will definitely allow you!"

"but……"

"no problem!"

Chen Ming interrupted her domineeringly: "It's just the demon clan, right? As long as it's alive, I will kill it even if it's the Demon King!"

This overwhelming confidence, like the warmest sunshine, instantly dispelled the last bit of haze in Epona's heart.

The girl chuckled softly, and exclaimed with a voice of relief, touching, and dependence: "Hehe~ You really are my hero!"

Being called a hero by Epona, Chen Ming took it calmly, because he had saved her from the brink of losing control several times in critical moments, and this achievement fully deserved the title.