Then let them offer their loyalty!

Page 538

"During this time, all my maids and servants were silenced by him. Then he refused my request to transfer people from the sanctuary. Instead, he directly arranged for a maid from the Kou family to keep a close watch on me."

"Although they did not restrict my movements, they complied with all my needs, whether it was intelligence or activities."

"But I know... this is actually a warning, and also a tacit understanding."

"I can only be my mascot in peace. If I do something out of line, they might break this tacit agreement... and really silence me."

Qiu Tu was slightly surprised upon hearing this.

To silence a princess? Has the Kou family's influence in the 6th Sanctuary grown to this extent?

Aren't they worried about the King of Kang's subsequent retaliation?

Perhaps sensing Qiu Tu's question, Princess Xi slowly closed her eyes and then revealed a shocking piece of news.

"King Kang... is ill."

In that instant, Qiu Tu's pupils contracted slightly, and he suddenly felt that everything connected.

No wonder Princess Xi's trip this time was so strange and rushed. And the Kou family is so unscrupulous.

It turns out that King Kang was ill...

While the extent of King Kang's power is unclear, his ability to single-handedly build the Sixth Sanctuary and even support and assist the Eighth Sanctuary suggests that his personal capabilities and strength are undoubtedly extraordinary.

Qiu Tu guessed that even if there wasn't a peak fifth rank, there should still be a fifth rank.

A cataclysmic being of this level should actually be immune to all poisons and have a very long lifespan.

Now, however, King Kang has fallen ill, and it is clearly not a minor ailment.

This is probably why the 6th shelter quickly went from a situation where "the Kou family and King Kang shared the world" to one where the Kou family held absolute power.

Thinking this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but look at Princess Xi, and then continued to probe, "So... what does Your Highness want to do by contacting me?"

'Surely you don't care who becomes Prince Kang, and you only want to be the Queen,' right?

Of course... Qiu Tu only thought the second half of the sentence to himself and didn't say it out loud.

Princess Xi said in a deep voice, "King Kang's illness is not incurable."

"The treasury of the Eighth Sanctuary contains a precious catastrophe material called 'Triple-Turned Snow Lotus'."

"It was obtained unintentionally by Elder Rao and Elder Tang during the creation of the 8th Shelter."

"After this catastrophic material is refined into a potion, it can repair the soul and restore consciousness."

"I hope I can obtain this treasure and then go back to save King Kang."

At this point, Princess Xi paused for a moment, then added, "Originally, I wanted to take this opportunity to contact Elder Rao and Elder Tang directly."

"But... Kou Yu has placed me under semi-house arrest, which has completely escalated the conflict. I dare not make any rash moves, so I can only turn to you for help."

"I know Speaker Qiu, you are a fifth-tier Cataclysm, and you will soon become a high-ranking member of the 'Fengtian Clique.'"

"If you could intervene, you could definitely help me persuade Elder Tang and Elder Rao to grant me the 'Three-Turn Snow Lotus' and save Prince Kang."

At this point, Princess Xi stood up, bowed to Qiu Tu, and said, "At that time, you will be the greatest benefactor of our 6th Shelter."

"We will certainly treat you with the highest honors, and even reserve a 'superior' official position for you at Shelter No. 6 as a token of our gratitude."

"Of course, we won't use the 'Triple-Tier Snow Lotus' for free. Our Sixth Shelter's treasury will also be opened for the Eighth Shelter. The Eighth Shelter can freely choose the necessary Cataclysmic materials, Cataclysmic artifacts, and supplies until they are satisfied..."

After Princess Xi finished speaking, the palace hall fell silent for a moment.

It must be said that Princess Xi's conditions are indeed very generous.

Super Rank is the highest official rank in the 6th Sanctuary. It is second only to Prince Kang and his consort, and is higher than the First Rank.

Ordinary officials simply cannot obtain it. Qiu Tu remembers that, according to the records, only Kou Xuan, the head of the Kou family, was a super-grade official in the entire 6th Shelter.

In other words, if Qiu Tu really helps Princess Xi save Prince Kang, he will become the number 4 person in the 6th Sanctuary.

If Kou Xuan is crippled, then he will be number 3.

Although such a position is likely to be nominal, it's enough for Qiu Tu.

With his superior official rank, he is equivalent to a high-ranking figure like the head of the 8th Sanctuary, and he will most likely be promoted through the "Order Path".

As for the compensation for the 8th shelter, it was also substantial. The national treasury was open, and anyone could choose freely.

This is practically equivalent to using the entire nation's resources to save King Kang.

From the perspective of the collective interests of Shelter No. 6, it was definitely a losing proposition.

But for Princess Xi, a woman who relied entirely on the power of Prince Kang, it was well worth it.

After all... without Kang Wang, the Sixth Sanctuary would have nothing to do with her anymore.

But what are mere material possessions compared to saving King Kang, returning him to the 6th Sanctuary, and giving his son a chance to succeed him?

Thinking about it this way, Qiu Tu was actually a little tempted.

The only question is... will Professor Rao and Professor Tang agree?

Although Qiu Tu had limited contact with the two leaders, his exceptional political acumen allowed him to perceive the significant risks lurking within the matter.

Don't underestimate the power of treating King Kang's illness; the conflict between King Kang and the Kou family is an internal struggle within the Sixth Sanctuary.

Helping Prince Kang is tantamount to standing on the opposite side of the Kou family.

This is equivalent to taking sides.

Putting aside the fact that if Prince Kang couldn't be saved, all the efforts would be in vain, and there was also the possibility of offending the Kou family;

Even if Prince Kang is saved... before, he was only evenly matched with the Kou family. Now that he's seriously ill, can he still suppress the Kou family?

Those who chose Sanctuary 8, which had chosen King Connor, were inevitably dragged into the civil war quagmire of Sanctuary 6...

Thinking about this, Qiu Tu suddenly felt that things were a bit difficult.

No wonder Princess Xi didn't have Ellie hand the "Dream Invitation" directly to Elder Rao or Elder Tang.

If such a request is made directly, it is very likely that the two old foxes will simply brush it off; a middleman is necessary to mediate.

So... that's why they chose me?

Thinking of this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but recall the turning point in Princess Xi's attitude towards him—when she learned that he was a fifth-tier expert.

Qiu Tu was stunned for a moment, and suddenly realized that this woman was indeed not simple.

The reason why the fifth rank is a turning point is not only because it represents Qiu Tu's status in the 8th Shelter, but also because once Qiu Tu stands on her side, her safety will be immediately guaranteed.

Moreover, once Elder Rao and Elder Tang agree to the deal, she can also ask Qiu Tu to escort her back to the 6th shelter to treat King Kang's illness.

In order to ensure the success of the transaction and to recoup their profits, neither Rao Lao, Tang Lao, nor Qiu Tu would refuse such a proposal.

After all, given the Kou family's current state, they certainly wouldn't allow the "Three-Turn Snow Lotus" to return to the 6th Shelter. They would inevitably try to stop it along the way, or even at the 6th Shelter.

At this time... a fifth-tier expert becomes extremely important.

With Qiu Tu's military might as well, they could maintain a balance with the Kou family in the short term, preventing the situation from spiraling out of control until Prince Kang recovers...

Thinking this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but glance at the elegant and dignified Princess Xi in front of him, who had exquisite makeup.

'Tsk...this woman is no simpleton.'

'But...is it possible that I have other options?'

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Chapter 501 "Twilight" Escapes! (10,000 words, please vote!)

Having lived two lives, Qiu Tu prefers this kind of complex situation.

The more complex the situation, the more actions he can take.

A good politician can never follow the rhythm and thinking of the other party.

However, Qiu Tu certainly cannot reveal his wolfish ambitions now.

It's like when you're dating a woman; you know when to "rub against" her and when to "remain still"...

If he had just come up and taken a powerful shot, the woman would have run away long ago.

So, with that thought in mind, Qiu Tu put on an innocent expression and smiled at Princess Xi in front of him, saying, "Your Highness, what you said is too important, and it may have a huge impact on the two shelters."

"So, please allow me to think about it..."

I'll give you an answer in a couple of days.

Princess Xi is indeed a very shrewd woman; her behavior in the real world is clearly a protective shield.

Now that she no longer pretended in front of Qiu Tu, she patiently and said in a deep voice, "Alright, then I'll wait for Speaker Qiu's good news."

Qiu Tu nodded slightly, then asked about another topic that interested him.

“Your Highness, you said that the Kou family has joined the evil god organization, and then you told Ellie that Old Man Pang is not trustworthy.”

"So...you believe that Elder Pang has also sided with the evil god, is that right?"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Princess Xi's expression remained unchanged, and she calmly replied, "I don't think so."

"The reason I don't trust Professor Pang is because he has always been strongly opposed to 'monarchy,' believing that monarchy is a step backward in history and a path towards authoritarianism."

"King Kang, on the other hand, believed that special times call for special measures. In such chaotic times and crises, the role of the leader is far greater than that of the collective."

"Therefore, even if it is a monarchy or a dictatorship, as long as it can lead humanity forward, it is fine."

At this point, Princess Xi paused for a moment, then said, "Speaker Qiu, as a fifth-tier Cataclysm user, you should already know the path ahead and have also noticed the strange selection process of the 'World Origin.'"

"Heroes rise with the tide, and times create heroes. Even the 'Origin of the World' is selecting a bloodthirsty dictator to lead the world through the crisis."

"How dare we, tiny humans whose lives are precarious, go against the tide of the times?"

At this point, a hint of distress appeared on Princess Xi's beautiful face. She said, "However, no matter what, Elder Pang does indeed disagree with Prince Kang's political views."

"So... if he knows that King Kang is ill, he most likely won't help us, and might even obstruct my plea for help."

"After all, only when King Kang is dead can the Sixth Sanctuary possibly return to a democratic or republican system."

Hearing this, Qiu Tu nodded slightly, feeling that Princess Xi's analysis was quite reasonable and well-founded.

Then he asked, "What about Ellie's parents' deaths...?"

Upon hearing this, Princess Xi gave Qiu Tu a deep look with her azure eyes and said, "I didn't expect that Speaker Qiu and Ellie have such a close relationship?"

"Could it be... that Ellie is also one of your lovers?"

Hearing Princess Xi's words, Qiu Tu smiled and said, "Not really."

"You know Ellie likes to gamble. And I don't have much else, but I have a lot of money."

"So, we often have to give her hundreds of millions."

Princess Xi: ?

Princess Xi is already a married woman, so she's definitely not a naive girl like Shen Lingshuang who can't understand risqué jokes.

Therefore, although Qiu Tu described the matter so completely, Princess Xi still couldn't hold back when the amount of "several hundred million" came out.

She glared at Qiu Tu, feeling both embarrassed and annoyed. She realized that the man in front of her was indeed just like the rumors said—an absolute lecher!

This guy actually dared to flirt with the princess!

That's incredibly audacious!

No wonder so many people guessed that his path to disaster was related to women.

But... Qiu Tu's words did indeed have a proper explanation, and even if Princess Xi wanted to find a grammatical error, she couldn't.

Furthermore, she was still counting on Qiu Tu, so she could only take a deep breath and suppress this humiliation.

She replied coldly, "I see."

Then he decisively changed the subject and began to explain Qiu Tu's question.

She said with a serious expression, "Ellie's parents were actually the direct descendants of the King of Kang."

"Don't be fooled by their seemingly low positions at the time; in the 6th shelter, they were somewhere between the director and the deputy state speaker. But... their abilities were already exceptional, and they wielded considerable influence in the 6th shelter."

“At that time, the Prince of Kang thought highly of them and only wanted to train them for a few more years before bringing them into the cabinet to check Kou Xuan.”