Then let them offer their loyalty!

Page 712

Chapter 623 The Princess Consort of Xi Returns to Her Heart

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Princess Xi's face immediately revealed a stunning smile.

She blinked her bright blue eyes gently, then asked in return, "Did I invite you here?"

She parted her lips slightly and teased, "Speaker Qiu, don't frame me. You could have chosen to talk to Yan Chen too."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu immediately smiled.

He bluntly stated, "How can a smelly old man compare to the fragrance of Your Highness?"

Hearing Qiu Tu's irreverent words, Princess Xi's eyebrows curved slightly, but she did not respond.

She put the intelligence report aside and then brought up the serious matter, "Speaker Qiu's late-night visit must be to ask me some questions, right?"

Qiu Tu did not deny it. As he approached Princess Xi, he said, "Yes."

He said, "You, Kou Xuan, and Yan Chen have really turned the 'Northwest Region'—no, I should say the entire human camp—upside down these past few days."

"Don't you have anything to explain to me?"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Princess Xi couldn't help but show a hint of surprise on her face.

She was one of the most beautiful women Qiu Tu had ever seen. With her fair, snow-white skin, high-bridged nose, and deep-set eyes, she exuded an exotic charm completely different from other women.

She looked deeply at Qiu Tu with her azure eyes before smiling slightly and saying, "Back then, when Kou Xuan said you could guess all of this, I didn't quite believe it."

"Now it seems that the one who understands you best is actually the one you've only met a few times."

Hearing Princess Xi's words, Qiu Tu smiled, casually pulled up a chair with one hand, placed it behind him, and plopped down. Then he said with a smile, "I don't think this is hard to guess."

"I can even guess roughly what Yan Chen and Kou Xuan are thinking."

"The only thing I can't understand is you. Given your personality, why would you get involved? Why would you choose me?"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Princess Xi placed her hands on the table, resting her heavy chest on it. Then, she looked at Qiu Tu with interest and asked, "Then tell me, why did Kou Xuan and Yan Chen get involved in this plan?"

Having possibly regained power and become the most powerful woman in the entire "Northwest Region," Princess Xi was radiant in both her speech and actions, exuding confidence and aggression even in front of Qiu Tu.

Qiu Tu didn't care about Lin Xi's aggression. After all, for him, who had already transcended the "Northwest Region," no matter how high Princess Xi's status was or how much she acted up, it was useless.

From the moment Qiu Tu's rank completely surpassed that of Princess Xi, Princess Xi was destined to never escape his grasp.

Therefore, he casually began to analyze, "Yan Chen and Kou Xuan are true political beings. In their hearts, interests are above all else."

“If I can bring them more benefits, they will choose me. If the second or third shelter can bring them more benefits, they will choose the second or third shelter.”

Qiu Tu paused for a moment, then said, "So, it's not hard to understand why they chose me."

He said, "The Second Sanctuary is too far from other human sanctuaries, and too close to the evil god. The waters run too deep."

"In addition, there's their dark history of enslaving humans and committing adultery. Nobody knows how effective their promises really are."

"In contrast... my reputation is impeccable throughout the entire Northwest region."

"I have never treated those who have sincerely pledged allegiance to me unfairly. If I have a bite of meat to eat, my brothers will have a second bite!"

"Moreover... the Second Sanctuary has three Rank 8 Heavenly Kings in charge, and it has been developing for fifty or sixty years, with deeply entrenched interests. There are countless rent-seeking groups around it."

"Given the meager strength of the three major shelters in the 'Northwest Region,' none of them even have a single Tier 6 expert. If they were to actually join the Second Shelter, they would most likely be divided up by the Second Shelter's numerous Tier 2 and Tier 2 super-tier experts."

"In contrast, I'm just starting out and have very few capable people around me. If they genuinely want to join me, I'll definitely make good use of them. So... even though they missed out on my earliest angel investment, investing now will certainly bring huge returns."

"Furthermore, I already possess strength at the seventh rank or higher, and I have the unfathomable Zhao Ji by my side. Even if I'm not a match for the Second Sanctuary, I should be able to barely protect myself and have time to develop."

At this point, Qiu Tu shrugged and said, "So... after thinking it over, it's not surprising that they ultimately chose me."

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Princess Xi's smile deepened. She said, "You really haven't disappointed us."

“I now feel that our final decision to join your side was really the right one.”

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu countered with a question, "Then can you share your thoughts now?"

Qiu Tu didn't say it too directly, but Princess Xi immediately understood what he meant.

Although Princess Xi is a typical political figure, considering everything from the perspective of self-interest, she is also a woman who "values ​​hatred above all else."

She experienced too many betrayals in her life, which shaped her vengeful nature.

Although her collaboration with Qiu Tu went relatively smoothly overall, Qiu Tu actually caused her quite a bit of trouble.

Based on her past personality, even if she doesn't retaliate against Qiu Tu, she probably won't trust him or side with him.

But now, with this sudden and dramatic shift, they've firmly sided with Qiu Tu, even going so far as to frame the Second and Fourth Shelters, inciting an internal conflict among the three shelters. There's clearly a reason for this.

That's why Qiu Tu asked that question.

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's question, Princess Xi glanced at him indifferently before saying, "What if I told you... I just felt that this plan would allow me to do some things I wanted to do?"

Qiu Tu exclaimed "Oh?" and asked curiously, "What do you want to do?"

Princess Xi bluntly stated, "Disrupting the Third Shelter."

Her gaze was deep and chilling. "During this time, I've actually been investigating the origin of the Lin family's 'Butterfly Transformation Gu' from back then."

"As I continued my investigation, I stumbled upon the Third Shelter. It turned out that the Third Shelter was the source of the 'Butterfly Transformation Gu'." (Chapter 600)

"Back then, the Lin family went to the Third Shelter for an exchange and inadvertently learned the 'Dual Cataclysm Path' technology. Under the guidance of the Third Shelter, they returned and continued experimenting, which led to the creation of the 'Butterfly Transformation Gu.'"

"Later, in return for the Third Shelter, the Lin family provided them with some backups of the 'Butterfly Transformation Gu.' To this day, the Third Shelter continues its research on the 'Butterfly Transformation Gu.'"

Upon hearing Princess Xi's words, Qiu Tu's face showed a hint of realization. Lin Xi really was still that woman driven by hatred.

Thinking this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but continue to ask, "If the third shelter won't work, what about the second shelter?"

"If you want to disrupt Shelter 3, you can simply cooperate with Shelter 2. That will achieve your goal just as well. There's no need for you to side with me."

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Princess Xi glanced at him, a hint of sorrow in her eyes. "Actually... the Second and Fourth Shelter are also plotting against the 'Butterfly Transformation Gu.' One of the conditions for their cooperation with me was that they wanted to collect the 'Butterfly Transformation Gu' from me for research." (Chapter 620)

Qiu Tu: .....

Good guy.

Qiu Tu knew that the "Butterfly Transformation Gu" was Princess Xi's Achilles' heel, but he really didn't know that Princess Xi cared about it to this extent.

However... the 2nd and 4th shelters truly deserved it. Princess Xi was imprisoned and forced to collect "Butterfly Transformation Gu" back then; that was her most painful memory. The pain was so intense that anyone whose files touched upon that painful spot would become her enemy.

As a result, these two shelters actually wanted to extract the "Butterfly Transformation Gu" from her body. This is practically suicide!

Thinking this, Qiu Tu suddenly paused, pointed to himself, blinked, and then asked, "So... the reason you chose me is because, among the three forces, I'm the only one who isn't interested in the 'Butterfly Transformation Gu'?"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Princess Xi nodded noncommittally.

Qiu Tu: 6

Although he found the "reason," Qiu Tu wasn't particularly happy.

Because he still sensed something was amiss. The "Butterfly Transformation Gu" was indeed Princess Xi's Achilles' heel. But surely it wouldn't be enough to completely change Princess Xi's attitude towards him?

And...it can also instantly boost loyalty to 62, a whopping 20 points?

Thinking this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but glance at Princess Xi with suspicion. He had a feeling that this woman might be hiding something else.

Unfortunately, Princess Xi's expression remained completely open and honest when facing Qiu Tu's gaze, as if what she said was the truth...

Meanwhile, Princess Xi looked at Qiu Tu in front of her, her face as majestic as an empress, but a hint of a smile was hidden in her eyes.

She didn't lie to Qiu Tu. The "Butterfly Transformation Gu" was indeed the core factor in her decision to join the three factions. However... her change in attitude towards Qiu Tu wasn't solely due to that reason; it was more because... Qiu Tu respected her.

Actually, at first, Lin Xi didn't really like Qiu Tu. This man was lecherous, greedy, treacherous, and cunning.

Every derogatory term that can be used to describe a politician can be used to describe him.

In particular, Qiu Tu's apparent collaboration with her, followed by his betrayal and selection of the Kou family, further diminished her opinion of him.

However... after getting to know Qiu Tu better, she found that Qiu Tu seemed like a nice person.

Although Qiu Tu was somewhat cynical, cunning, and lecherous, he always had a bottom line and a sense of justice.

He never harms those who haven't harmed him; and he never mistreats those who are close to him and treat him well, always giving them the benefits they deserve. Even if there are setbacks, he will find other ways to make up for it.

Just like Princess Xi. Although Qiu Tu took away her hope of entering the 6th Shelter, because of their previous agreement, Qiu Tu did indeed help her reach the 7th Shelter. He gave her compensation.

Moreover... after Princess Xi ascended to the top of the 7th Sanctuary, Qiu Tu did not make her a puppet.

Perhaps it was because he wasn't interested in politics, or perhaps he was genuinely sincere towards Princess Xi. In any case, after taking control of the 7th Shelter, Qiu Tu never interfered with it.

As a typical politician, Princess Xi noticed this and then tentatively attempted to seize power.

So she tentatively established the new central office, the Privy Council, in the 7th Shelter, and then wanted to test Qiu Tu's reaction.

She was certain that Qiu Tu had seen through her little scheme, and if he cared, he would have intervened. However, Qiu Tu didn't. (Chapter 599)

After that, Princess Xi began to bribe the army. Because it involved a wide range of people, it was inevitable that news would leak out, and Qiu Tu probably also learned some information, but Qiu Tu still did not stop her.

Later, Princess Xi secretly sent people to rescue Xiao Heng and Li Hanxiang. However, because the rescue was done somewhat carelessly, it caused quite a stir.

This incident also clearly exposed Princess Xi's disloyal intentions. Princess Xi thought Qiu Tu would definitely question her or stop her, but Qiu Tu still didn't respond. (Chapter 613)

After so many tests, Princess Xi confirmed her suspicions: Qiu Tu was deliberately delegating power to her, paving the way for her, and fulfilling his promise to her.

This greatly changed Princess Xi's impression of Qiu Tu.

The real turning point was... before Qiu Tu left, he sent someone to leave her a letter and a "thread".

In the letter, Qiu Tu pointed out the difficult situation of Princess Xi in the 7th Shelter: After the 3rd Shelter established an office, it would definitely restrict Princess Xi, and the elders of the 7th Shelter would likely ostracize Princess Xi as well.

However, Li Feng has been secretly making some moves lately. If she needs a new backer, Princess Xi can go to the Fourth Sanctuary.

That's right... Qiu Tu was the one who brought Princess Xi and Li Feng together. (Chapter 620)

Even without Qiu Tu's letter, Princess Xi would probably have made contact with Li Feng and the Second Shelter soon. Qiu Tu had simply brought everything forward a little bit.

But once the words are spoken, the sentiment is conveyed. And the promises made are kept.

It was this sentiment that made Princess Xi suddenly connect Qiu Tu's indulgence and compensation to her during this period.

To some extent, although Qiu Tu had wronged her, he had indeed been fulfilling his promises to Princess Xi. In fact, he had done even better.

To be honest, I've probably been surrounded by deception and lies since I was a child.

Suddenly encountering someone who treated her well and kept his promises, Princess Xi's heart softened at that moment.

And to be honest, if Qiu Tu had trusted her completely, or given her everything, she probably wouldn't have been so deeply moved.

But the behavior of prioritizing himself and making her suffer losses with restraint really hurts someone like her who has lived a life of hatred and being sacrificed for.

Moreover, judging from the experiences of everyone around Qiu Tu, he never disappoints those who trust him. He is indeed someone worth following.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Princess Xi rejected Li Feng after he contacted her.

As a result, after rejecting Li Feng, the Second Shelter unexpectedly found her. It was the Second Shelter's rash contact that made her realize something was amiss, and she guessed something. This made her even more convinced that Qiu Tu might be the right person.

Furthermore, the Second Shelter's reputation is indeed mediocre, far inferior to Qiu Tu's. The Third Shelter has a grudge against her, the Fourth Shelter covets the "Butterfly Transformation Gu," and the other forces are all incompetent. All things considered, Qiu Tu is still the most reliable...

This led to her contacting Kou Xuan through Yan Chen. The three of them plotted together, scheming against the second and third shelters, and their heroic act of rushing towards Qiu Tu...

Thinking this, Princess Xi couldn't help but glance at Qiu Tu. Under the lamplight, Qiu Tu was strikingly handsome, with an air of authority and nobility between his brows.

'Following someone like that doesn't seem so bad?'

'If he truly treats me the same way he treats his other confidants, and doesn't betray me, then what's wrong with offering my loyalty to him?'

'After so many years of deceit and treachery, I'm really tired...'

"Princess Xi's loyalty +2, now at 64"

Qiu Tu:?

Looking at the prompt in front of him, Qiu Tu, who was looking at Princess Xi across from him, slowly had a question mark appear above his head.

Although I don't understand why Princess Xi's loyalty has increased inexplicably, an increase in loyalty is always a good thing.

Especially those with loyalty scores above 60, while not exceptionally high, are already considered usable.

So after Princess Xi came to her senses, Qiu Tu slowly began to explain the next steps of the plan.

He said, "No matter what, I'm very happy that the three of you have come to me so sincerely."

"However... I still have an important matter to attend to in the 'Boundless Sea of ​​the Heart - Core Area'."

"It may take six or seven months before I can come back."

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Princess Xi immediately asked, "So the collapse of the 'Isolation Mountain Range' happened six or seven months later?"

Now that they're practically on our side, and the other side had already deduced the information, Qiu Tu didn't bother to keep it a secret any longer.