Han Xuhan knew he had little time to make his choice. Xuanyuan Zhou was staring at him a bit too intensely, as if his opinion of Mu Ran mattered a lot to her.
So he went through the system's arrangement without pausing to think deeply.
[ Available Survival Tokens ]
[ 1. Bronze Grade: 1 ]
[ 2. Silver Grade: 1 (3) ]
The Bronze Survival Token was usable only when his life was in immediate danger. It was the Silver Token that he could use right now.
Han Xuhan willed the usage command, and the number of usages available for the Silver Token went down from 3 to 2.
Instantly, he felt something click in his mind. It was almost a bit like seeing four options in a multiple-choice question, and feeling that one of the options somehow looked more legitimate than the other three, despite having no idea what the real answer could be.
In the depth of his mind, a massive crossroad took shape, showing him his choices and the mysterious paths they would lead to.
First Path: Tell Xuanyuan Zhou the full truth.
Second Path: Tell Xuanyuan Zhou only what you know about Mu Ran's true identity without explaining how you came across the information.
Third Path: Say nothing of value and avoid leaking Mu Ran's secret, lest (s)he should find out.
Fourth Path: Praise Mu Ran excessively to ensure that Xuanyuan Zhou is attracted towards him and establish yourself as the wingman in their relationship.
Fifth Path: Portray Mu Ran in a highly negative light to ensure that Xuanyuan Zhou avoids him for now, establishing yourself as a potential love rival of Mu Ran.
Han Xuhan's thoughts raced with unprecedented clarity, processing the information and analyzing the outcomes faster than he ever had.
From a purely opportunistic point of view, path number four would probably bring him the most benefits in the future, considering how kind a protagonist was likely to be towards their wingmen.
But doing so would probably feel like pimp-duty, and he didn't like the vibe of that job.
Besides, who would want his sugar-mommy to direct all of her affection towards someone else?
Xuanyuan Zhou was a golden thigh in the making. How could he let go of the possible benefits and take a gamble by pushing her towards Mu Ran?
As for the first, second and fifth path, all three would be utterly foolish choices. Not only would Xuanyuan Zhou's suspicion be triggered, he would end up as an incorrigible enemy of Mu Ran if the word ever got out.
So, without much hesitation, Han Xuhan chose the third path. His gut feeling was clear. This path didn't carry direct benefits. But it would let him keep his cards hidden.
Xuanyuan Zhou would not suspect that he had some kind of connection to Mu Ran.
Mu Ran would never know that he, Han Xuhan, knew about his biggest secret.
Secrets are the most precious tools in politics; Han Xuhan had comprehended this truth early in his journey as a politician back on Earth. These secrets could be distorted and used against a target much more effectively than any weapon.
"Attendant Xuhan has been silent for almost thirty breaths. What kind of evaluation are you preparing in your mind? Is this fellow disciple of mine truly worth such deliberation?"
Xuanyuan Zhou broke the silence between them and pushed Han Xuhan out of his mental world. Now that his choice was ready, he could speak freely.
"My lady is overthinking it. This fellow named Mu Ran simply didn't leave any impression distinct enough for me to formulate an opinion my lady would deem valuable. Hence I was taking some time to assess him from memory."
"Oh?"
Smirking at his excessive fawning, Xuanyuan Zhou grabbed the meal package he had placed in front of her. Seeing her ravish the oily food without any table manners suddenly made Han Xuhan see her in a new light.
She didn't seem so mysterious and unrelatable anymore. He felt like he was overthinking while dealing with a simple girl.
But he snapped out of it quickly, realizing that this action was intentionally performed to elicit that kind of thought.
Not bad, not bad at all, young lady!
"And what assessment have you come up with, Attendant Xuhan? Don't take so long to form an opinion!" Xuanyuan Zhou urged him through a mouthful of rice.
Seeing that she wanted to play mind games with him, Han Xuhan had the idea to mess with her a bit. So he took a deep breath and began his analysis.
"He is someone with a deep-seated arrogance, but it is not directed towards lowly figures like me. Rather, this arrogance seems to be an instinctive response against the influence of a superior person.
"His handsomeness has apparently landed him into a fair share of amorous affairs, on which I cannot say much. But the lack of self-control and the passion of youthfulness is evident from such a history.
"His financial status is on the lower side of the outer court, but the confidence aura infused in his words and actions makes me think he is a resourceful young man with some secrets and a powerful pillar to rely on."
"Overall, it can be said that he may be a special existence in our Salted Fish Peak, somewhat similar to you, my lady. But it can also be said that his specialty is laced with potential for trouble.
"With this kind of person, one must tread carefully in forming a relationship. Neutrality should be the foremost acting principle, followed by general goodwill when it comes with no possible risks. The relationship should be shallow, but it must not be negative."
By the time he had finished speaking, Xuanyuan Zhou's eyes and mouth had gotten as wide as they possibly could. She had even forgotten about the food in his hand. The look in her gaze could not quite be called 'shock', but the trace of surprise and staggered thoughts was apparent.
"How do you feel about my assessment, my lady?" Han Xuhan asked, hiding how much he enjoyed that impressed gaze.
This was the look he loved to see in the eyes of his voters after a fiery speech!
Xuanyuan Zhou finally spoke.
"...Attendant Xuhan, I realize now that I don't know much about your background. You're a local of this mountain range, right? What were you doing before you got endorsed for the sect recruitment?"
"I was learning how to farm, my lady."
"...Are you sure that's all you were doing? Why don't you be a bit more honest?" She pouted, trying to come off as an adorably demanding child. Han Xuhan was immune to those tricks, unfortunately for her.
"If my lady has doubts about my background, you can investigate it yourself, hahaha! I'm really not lying! It's just that the memory awakening ceremony seems to have had an impact on my personality. The extra experience of a lifetime sure comes in handy when judging people!"
Xuanyuan Zhou slowly nodded, seeming convinced. It surprised Han Xuhan a little. She wasn't the type to believe anything so easily.
"Well said, attendant Xuhan. Truly well said. It makes sense to me. If you have the extra experience of a whole lifetime, being so perceptive is just natural."
The way Xuanyuan Zhou spoke made him sense that her words carried a deeper meaning than what he understood. But Han Xuhan couldn't just dig deeper into a pit where he himself could be trapped. Feeling wistful, he could only let it go.