Miss Beautiful C.E.O and her system

Again, Ling Qingyu sighed dramatically, placing a hand over her heart with theatrical flair. "Aunt Gu, my enemies are many; my equals are none."

Gu Yi: "…"

Xiao Yue: "…"

The two operators at the front: "…"

Ling Qingyu wasn't finished. She raised her chin and stared wistfully out the window as if gazing upon a war-torn horizon. "I walk this path alone—not because I want to, but because none can keep up. To spar with me is to flirt with disaster, to challenge me is to embrace ruin. The birds in the sky dare not fly too close; the rivers part when I approach. Even thunderstorms bow before my wrath."

On the other side of the channel, Gu Yi's brow twitched. "You—"

But Ling Qingyu was just getting started. She extended her hand toward the ceiling like she was delivering a grand speech atop a mountain peak. "The world is vast, yet I stride across it unchallenged. Empires tremble at my name, tyrants whisper it in fear, and even the mighty Spirit Fox operators…well, they just look at me like I'm insane right now."

One of the operators couldn't help but whisper to the other, "Is Boss always like this?"

The other replied with a deadpan expression, "I think it's too late to discuss this issue."

Ling Qingyu cleared her throat and continued, unbothered by the peanut gallery. "In the heart of a true warrior, strength is a burden. The burden of endless victory! To be unbeaten, untouched, unmatched—ah, it is a lonely road paved with the tears of my enemies."

Xiao Yue rubbed her forehead. "She's really going for it today, huh?"

Gu Yi nearly choked on her saliva. "You—you can stop now."

Ling Qingyu gave an exaggerated sigh, crossing her arms with a dramatic pout. "Fine, fine. I'll stop. But I hope you all understand the plight of being this exceptional. It's a heavy crown I wear."

Gu Yi: "…"

Xiao Yue: "…"

The two operators: "…"

Although Gu Yi hadn't heard of similar quotes, Ling Qingyu's words sparked something deep—an ambition to conquer, a desire to dominate. Her ridiculous tone aside, the sheer weight of her words sent ripples through those listening. I see, I come, I conquer.

Even through the distant connection, Gu Yi felt it—the confidence, the raw presence of Ling Qingyu's vision. This girl wasn't merely a reformer; she was a force that looked far beyond Country C's upper echelon.

The three-year-old-style monologue almost caused a car accident. Xiao Yue, seated beside Ling Qingyu, was practically numb from her acting. During the entire speech, she had unconsciously gestured a very familiar hand sign—the kind reserved for international 'salutes.'

Ling Qingyu, of course, noticed. But rather than call her out, she simply raised an eyebrow at Xiao Yue's stiff posture and office-lady outfit. It was almost as if her exaggerated antics were contagious.

While some speculated that Ling Qingyu had just created history with iconic quotes, Xiao Yue remained skeptical. Her gut told her this bastard had probably copied it from somewhere and just dramatized it for effect.

But…where had she heard it before? Xiao Yue combed through her knowledge, recalling history from her world, parallel worlds, and the current world. An odd pattern emerged. In almost every recorded case, those who created chaos at a continental level were... short.

Short.

Xiao Yue stared at her own legs. She remembered the secret sutra she practiced—how it helped her strength, her combat abilities, but…not her height. While other Spirit Fox operators shot up like weeds, she remained almost unchanged.

Tang Ziyi had comforted her before, saying that the girls only grew because of imperfections corrected during training. But that logic never fully satisfied her. After all, Tang Ziyi didn't grow. Ling Qingyu didn't grow. Only the newer girls did.

A ridiculous thought crept into her mind. Was she destined to be a conqueror?

Perhaps greatness wasn't measured in centimeters after all.

The other average women: "Your 1.72 meter is already tall, what do we have?"

But that wasn't the real issue. Why had her ambition dwindled? Why had she settled for just a piece of land and the ability to protect her people?

No. She had to be the unifier. As a warlord, she should strive for greatness once she returned. She had the best starting point.

Compared to the other warlords, she had an edge—they were confined to the strategies and politics of their era, while she had learned the intricacies of human affairs and the art of social science from the modern world.

Countless strategies and battle tactics paged through her mind, far surpassing her peers in ways she couldn't even fully comprehend yet.

Her goal shouldn't just be to unify the country; she also needed to prepare her compatriots against the devils planning to invade—an insight she gleaned from the histories of the parallel world.

Perhaps she couldn't be entirely sure if an invasion would come, but preparation never hurt anyone.

And once she had the chance to return, how could her confidantes stay idle? Sister Tang would undoubtedly follow her back.

Ling Qingyu wasn't just her nominal boss; she was also a close sister she could rely on and confide in.

More than that, it was the mysterious force behind Ling Qingyu that had brought her and Tang Ziyi to this new world and given them this opportunity.

Although nothing much was explicitly said, Xiao Yue speculated that cross-world travel might be possible with Ling Qingyu's manipulation.

When that time came, if Xiao Yue dared not follow her ambition and desire for conquest, especially with her newfound strength, she might as well forget everything she had discussed with Ling Qingyu.

New technologies, fresh concepts, enriched culture, and potentially raw support from her two closest sisters—Xiao Yue felt a surge of confidence, the urge to mutter a challenge: "Who else?"

Ling Qingyu noticed the sudden change in Xiao Yue's expression—a spark of elation, a flicker of enlightenment. Instinctively, she shivered.

No, this girl had definitely turned weird. Since when did this lazy, cute shortie, usually devoid of ancient elegance, suddenly exude such an aura?

Wait—had she ever felt this kind of presence from Xiao Yue before? Did shoving middle finger at her gain strength? Ling Qingyu pushed the odd feeling to the back of her mind.

Little did she know that her words had ignited a flame of ambition in Xiao Yue—a woman who had been wandering without purpose now had a path forward, her mentality matured and her resolve crystallized.

That would be far in the future—when Ling Qingyu finally accomplished her ambitions—that she would realize Miss System's gift of two characters wasn't free. In reality, she served as a literal coolie.

Not that she minded, but a minor complaint lingered in the back of her mind.

For now, Ling Qingyu catered to Gu Yi, humoring the elder's vanity. After chatting about light topics for a while, Gu Yi suddenly shifted the conversation.

"Since you girls are out and about, wouldn't you be free to take on a job?"

Ling Qingyu chuckled. "Is it a favor or a paid gig?"

"Come on, Qingyu."

"Don't 'come on' me, Aunt Gu. You know my girls have to sweat and bleed to complete your missions." Ling Qingyu deftly dodged the suggestion.

The last time she accepted one of Gu Yi's requests, she wouldn't have considered it—if not for the many benefits dangled in front of her, ones too good to refuse.

Of course, that was her surface reasoning. The real incentive came from Miss System posing missions with tantalizing rewards.

"You're as pragmatic as ever. I thought with your happiness, you'd have let your guard down a bit," Gu Yi joked.

"I can't let their guard down because of me. Honestly, I didn't gain much last time apart from helping you, Aunt Gu."

Gu Yi: "…"

An independent airfield, aircraft that were nearly impossible to purchase without serious connections, not to mention network growth with military officials.

Moreover, Ling Qingyu's wealth and business empire expanded under Gu Yi's guidance.

Please, if anyone else overheard this conversation, they'd think I was a tyrant, Gu Yi mused silently.

Noticing the silence on the other end of the line, Ling Qingyu cleared her throat. She realized she might have overplayed her hand.

Feigning poverty needed to stay within certain limits; otherwise, it might just come off as distasteful.

Not that it mattered much—Gu Yi was family, after all.

"My dear Qingyu, I'm not asking you to complete the mission right away. I'm just hoping you'd consider it."

"What happened?" Ling Qingyu asked, sensing the sudden gravity in Gu Yi's tone.

"Four citizens overseas have been reported missing. Last known location, the Middle Kingdom—not too far from you," Gu Yi explained.

"So, you think I have that kind of reach?"

"No, the question is whether you're willing to help," Gu Yi replied calmly.

"Agents or civilians?"

"Two agents, two civilians. No one knows the agents' identities. At least, I hope they don't."

"You might want to check if your circle is leaking like a sieve, Aunt Gu." Ling Qingyu sighed. "Wouldn't it be easier to go through diplomatic channels? The locals should help you, right?"

"If it were that simple, would I be calling you? In fact, this is a personal request," Gu Yi's voice softened, almost pleading.

"Is there a female victim involved?" Ling Qingyu asked.

Gu Yi's veins throbbed. Was this question even necessary? "Why are you asking this? You're still as misandrist as ever from the mouth."

"At least, saving a beauty is better than saving an ugly uncle. It soothes my heart and increases my life span."

"Maybe you should just gulp at the mirror, yourself," Gu Yi complained. "The rumor that even male insects aren't allow in your residence seems true."

"So, you can't negotiate at all?" Ling Qingyu hit the main point.