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Cloud Cat God King: "At the time, I thought, since I've already been captured, the worst that can happen is that I'll die. Anyway, since I'm the kind of person who wouldn't refuse to join any faction, those high-ranking God Kings probably won't care much after I die."
Her words carried a hint of cynicism, but Qiu Tu could detect a trace of sadness in them.
A guardian god-king who made great contributions to the temple (Chapter 874) was ostracized and abandoned simply because he did not align himself with any faction. He was assigned to a position that he was neither good at nor liked because of political struggles. The bitterness he endured is indeed hard for outsiders to understand.
At this moment, Zhao Ji, perhaps feeling a bit empathetic, spoke up, "And then?"
Zhao Ji's voice pulled the Cloud Cat God King back from his memories, "And then?"
The Cloud Cat God King raised his head, and for the first time, a look Qiu Tu had never seen before appeared in his round cat eyes—an incredibly complex emotion. There was worship, there was awe, and there was also a trace of… an unspeakable bond.
"Later, she... gave me a condition that I could hardly refuse."
"An offer you can't refuse?" Zhao Ji asked coldly.
The Cloud Cat Goddess nodded, then lowered her voice to an extremely low hue, as if those few words carried the weight of a thousand pounds, "Hire a cat slave."
"Hiring a cat?" Zhao Ji repeated, then frowned slightly, clearly not knowing what it was either.
Cloud Cat Goddess nodded, put the pipe back in her mouth, and lit it with a flick of her finger.
A flash of crimson light crossed her face, reflecting her complex expression.
She took a deep breath, the smoke swirling around her, making her look somewhat unreal.
“That is a very ancient contract of our Cloud Cat Clan.” The Cloud Cat God King’s voice became somewhat hoarse in the smoke. “Very few people know how to use it, and very few people use it.”
She seemed to be carefully choosing her words, speaking each one extremely slowly.
"A master-servant contract?" Zhao Ji guessed.
“No.” Cloud Cat God King hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and nodded. “It’s similar to that one, but much more complicated.”
She took another drag of her cigarette, and through the swirling smoke, she slowly said, "The betrothal gift is given with sincerity; the marriage gift is given with love and life."
"Simply put, she shared a portion of her power with me and formed a life-and-death pact with me."
“If I die, she will be devastated.”
"And I can also be resurrected using the life force of her high-ranking god-king. Up to... eight times."
"In other words, from the moment she hired me, I will have nine lives and can borrow a portion of her power."
"The price is that I must serve her as my master and be absolutely loyal to her. My body and my memories must be completely open to her."
"She can merge with my body at any time, possessing my power and memories. And after she dies, I will die with her."
Whether Zhao Ji was surprised by Cloud Cat God King's words, Qiu Tu didn't know. But Qiu Tu was truly shocked.
Sharing the life of a high-ranking god-king, possessing nine lives? And also able to borrow her power?
What an enticing offer!
As for the price... body and memories are shared, and life is bound to the high-ranking god-king...
Thinking about it simply, it does seem somewhat humiliating, like becoming someone's slave.
But upon closer reflection, the high-level god-king isn't some kind of pervert who comes to check memories and share bodies every day for no reason.
As for the matter of life being bound to... based on the transcendent status and natural lifespan of the high-level god-kings in the "Eternal Continent".
Even if the Cloud Cat God King died nine times, she probably wouldn't die. That's hardly even a price to pay.
'No wonder Cloud Cat God King said it was an offer he couldn't refuse.'
It's like one day aliens kidnap a modern-day cow or horse and threaten him: they'll make him work three days a week and have four days off, from 10 am to 4 pm, with 180 days of vacation a year, and give him 100,000 yuan every month!
That cow or horse was probably stunned: Is there really such a good thing?
So, no wonder Cloud Cat God King wavered and accepted it.
After all... the six major powers were originally a loose organization. Many gods and god-kings from other paths would join organizations that were not their own.
At that time, Yunmao God Queen had become a victim of the political struggle within the "Temple," so it was normal for her to switch allegiance.
This also explains Qiu Tu's suspicions at the time:
According to the records, Cloud Cat God King was clearly an eccentric and short-tempered assassin-type god king. How did he suddenly become a mature head of an intelligence agency? (Chapter 874)
It turns out... it wasn't that she changed, but rather that the one who had been operating the "Temple of Order" intelligence agency within the "Court of Destruction" all these years wasn't her, but rather the First Princess...
Thinking about it this way, the silver-masked god-king who was communicating with me was most likely not the Cloud Cat God-King at all...
Thinking this, Qiu Tu's heart skipped a beat, and a sense of foreboding washed over him...
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Requesting monthly votes.
I recommend a friend's book, "My Senior is a Bit Suspicious."
Chapter 889 Qiu Tu: How about we vote? (Seeking monthly votes)
This is a very simple logic.
It is known that the silver-masked god king who communicated with Qiu Tu was not the cloud cat god king.
But Cloud Cat God King said that Ghost Blade wasn't the bait or the trap; she was. He also said that Qiu Tu was exposed the moment he found her.
It is also known that the eldest princess has the ability to share and merge bodies with the Cloud Cat God King.
All these clues point to a terrifying truth: the silver-masked god-king who communicated with Qiu Tu is very likely the third high-level god-king of the "Path of Destruction," the eldest princess, Princess Huiming.
Therefore, if Qiu Tu hadn't been cautious enough to remain hidden that day and hadn't prepared a backup plan to leave at any time, he might have already been captured by the First Princess.
As he thought this, a flash of insight struck Qiu Tu, suddenly connecting all the clues.
In fact, ever since the Cloud Cat God King was turned against the God, the intelligence agency of the "Temple" has been completely controlled by the First Princess.
Over the years, she has been using the intelligence agency controlled by the Cloud Cat God King to pass on the information she wants the "Temple of Order" to.
Furthermore, through the status and authority of the Cloud Cat God King, it quietly shared the intelligence network of the "Temple of Order".
This explains why the "Four Giants of the Temple" were completely unaware that the "Star Moon Princess" was an "Undead."
This also explains why all the forces on the "Ancient Continent" were so shocked when the "Destruction Tyrant" launched a war so brazenly, and why they were not prepared with any contingency plans.
Because... over the years, the eldest princess has most likely infiltrated and turned the intelligence agencies of the other five major powers into their own, just like she subdued the Cloud Cat God King.
In the eyes of the five major powers, nothing about the "Destruction of the Royal Court" was normal.
But in reality... this place may have already become the vortex of a storm.
Following this line of thought, Qiu Tu came up with even more ideas.
For example... he was likely noticed after leaving the "Land of the God of Wine".
However, because of his unique methods and his dislike of playing by the rules, he was not caught when he entered the "Destruction Court".
Therefore, the eldest princess used the "Ghost Blade" plot to lure Qiu Tu out.
That's why, on that day, the eldest princess used the body of the Cloud Cat God King to personally come and pick up Qiu Tu.
Unexpectedly, Qiu Tu was far too cautious, communicating with the Cloud Cat God King only through his clone. The First Princess couldn't directly capture him, so she could only probe Qiu Tu's intentions.
However, by a twist of fate, Qiu Tu discovered something amiss: the Cloud Cat God King's intelligence capabilities were far too strong.
Even now, recalling that conversation, Qiu Tu feels a chill run down his spine.
Because... the eldest princess seems to have been subtly guiding Qiu Tu's true form to appear.
As for the first meeting between Cloud Cat God King and Qiu Tu.
The eldest princess most likely noticed Qiu Tu's alertness and, instead of alerting him, sent Cloud Cat God King to probe and gather intelligence.
As for what happened afterward, it goes without saying that Cloud Cat God King betrayed Qiu Tu.
Even if the Cloud Cat God King doesn't say anything, the First Princess will probably check the memories of Qiu Tu's interactions with her.
So this doesn't even count as betrayal.
This also reasonably explains why Cloud Cat God King can be in charge of "inner court" affairs and knows many royal secrets that Ghost Face God King does not know.
Thinking this, Qiu Tu recalled his two meetings with the Silver-Masked God King once again.
He felt that, most likely, he had only faced the First Princess directly the first time. The second time, the Silver-Masked God King had completely lost the cunning and shrewdness he had displayed the first time.
However, even just once was enough to make Qiu Tu wary.
As Qiu Tu thought this, Zhao Ji's memories naturally came to an end.
As the illusion before him transformed into starlight and gradually disappeared without a trace, Qiu Tu once again "returned" to the back of the earth dragon.
The night wind blowing through the destroyed royal court was exceptionally cold, feeling like a knife cutting into your skin.
Qiu Tu gazed ahead and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, which condensed into a cloud of white mist in the cool air and lingered for a long time.
He pulled on the reins, signaling the earth dragon to continue back, while his mind, focused on two things at once, returned to the purgatory space to check on the progress of the two women's conversation and... do something.
......
Meanwhile, just as Qiu Tu was preparing to get involved in the "war" between the two women.
Prison Island.
The Berserker God King strode towards the room where Qiu Tu and the Ghost Face God King were talking.
The heavy armor clattered on the stone surface, each step feeling like a blow to the heart.
With a loud "bang!", the heavy iron door was pushed open. The door slammed against the wall, making a heavy sound.
The Berserker God King ripped off his helmet, revealing a face etched with frustration and annoyance. "Damn it!"
He walked to the main seat, let out a low growl, and slammed his heavy helmet onto the stone table with a deafening crash. "Where on earth did that Level 4 Goddess Queen go? I've searched the entire royal court, but I can't find a trace of her. It's as if she's vanished into thin air!"
After saying that, he sat heavily on the iron chair in the main seat. His enormous weight made the chair creak and groan.
Meanwhile, Ghost Face God King, who had just finished his business with "Wei Lin", was humming a little tune in a good mood while slowly wiping his short blade with a piece of silk.
Hearing the Berserker God King storm in, cursing and swearing, he paused in his actions and looked up at the Berserker God King.
Behind his ghost mask, his unfathomable eyes gleamed, as if he were helping the Berserker God King think.
After a moment, he frowned slightly, as if he had thought of something, and then asked, "vanished into thin air?"
His hoarse voice echoed in the room, tinged with a hint of doubt, "So, you haven't been able to find that Level 4 Goddess Wang all these past few days?"
The Berserker God King gasped for breath, his nostrils flaring, before finally speaking in a muffled voice.
"Yes. We searched from the entrance all the way through, checking every city, but we couldn't find her."
"I just can't find it!"
"It's like they're deliberately avoiding me!"
At this point, the Berserker God King rubbed his head heavily with his large, fan-like hand, then said angrily, "What? Is my reputation really that bad?"
"I'm a single guardian god-king, and I'd like to get to know a goddess-king who's powerful and beautiful. Is there a problem with that?"
Upon hearing the words of the Berserker God King, the Ghost Face God King's eyes flickered for a moment before he spoke in a hoarse voice, "She... might indeed be hiding from you."
The Berserker God King suddenly raised his head, his tiger-like eyes wide open. "What do you mean?"
The Ghost-Faced God King, however, nonchalantly sheathed his short blade and looked at the Berserker God King, his ghost-face mask contorted in a ferocious grimace. "Or rather... she's hiding from all of us."
"Hiding from all of us?" Upon hearing Ghost Face God King's words, Berserker God King was stunned for a moment, almost unable to react.
Seeing this, the Ghost-Faced God King slowly stood up, walked to the window of the stone chamber, and looked at the gray sky outside the stone fortress.
"Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence?" he said slowly. "When did such a powerful goddess-king suddenly appear in our territory?"
"Moreover... she appeared precisely at the same time Qiu Tu came to 'destroy the royal court.'"
"And Qiu Tu secretly went into hiding, and she also disappeared without a trace."
"Even if a fourth-level God King is extremely skilled at concealment, it's impossible for him to disappear so cleanly right under our noses, right?"
The Berserker God King wasn't stupid; he was just impatient. After the Ghost Face God King's prompting, the anger on his face slowly froze, replaced by a look of astonishment.
His eyes began to flicker as he pondered.
After a moment, he frowned deeply, then asked in a low voice, "So, you mean... that Goddess King and Qiu Tu are actually in cahoots?"
"I've recalled it, and the intelligence from the Temple of Order does indeed indicate that Qiu Tu brought a Goddess King with him."
"But his strength is only at level two."
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