Then let them offer their loyalty!

Page 678

Seeing her like that, Shen Yuzhou, who was already annoyed, had veins bulging on his forehead and scolded, "Look at the way you are!"

"It's just a few pieces of fruit, you're acting like you've never seen anything like it before. Throw them away and come with me!"

Upon hearing Shen Yuzhou's words, "Candle Dance" rolled her eyes at him, then suddenly opened her mouth wide and threw the cantaloupe, skin and all, into it, chewing it with a "crunch crunch".

Perhaps because her mouth was too small, her cheeks were bulging from being filled with cantaloupe.

Upon witnessing this scene, Shen Yuzhou: .....

He took a deep breath, wanting to lash out, but then he felt that his relationship with "Candle Dance" was too bad right now, and he might still need her in the future, so he couldn't make things worse. So, after a moment of change in expression, he snorted coldly and walked out of the room first.

Meanwhile, "Candle Dance," who had successfully angered Shen Yuzhou and sent him away, rolled her eyes triumphantly and muttered to herself,

"Keep urging me, keep urging me. You old bastard, I'll get rid of you sooner or later."

After saying that, she smugly picked up a handkerchief, wiped her mouth, and her face returned to its cunning and proud expression. Then, she walked out quickly with her head held high.

As foreign guests visiting Shelter 7, the two received top-notch treatment there, so staff were already waiting outside the door.

Upon seeing the two, they immediately bowed respectfully and then politely led them to the reception room.

Soon, they arrived at the courtyard where the reception room was located. As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, Shen Yuzhou and "Candle Dance" could hear Li Feng and Qiu Tu chatting in the distance.

Li Fengyu said jokingly, "I had heard before that Speaker Qiu was not only young and promising, but more importantly, handsome."

"I finally saw the real Lushan Mountain today. I didn't expect it to be even more handsome than in the photos."

"I wonder if Speaker Qiu has someone he has in his heart?"

Compared to other gentle and tender women, perhaps due to years of fighting or a powerful background, Li Feng is as bold and direct as if she were made of fire.

Even as the mistress of the Fourth Sanctuary, holding a high position, her personality remained as fiery as a flame. And of course, her figure was equally stunning.

Faced with such an aggressive woman, an innocent young man would likely be unable to resist.

But who is Qiu Tu?

He's a ruthless hero who rose from the ranks of women.

So, when Li Feng asked, he chuckled and said, "Which one is the Commander asking about?"

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Li Feng's phoenix eyes scoured him without restraint, then she chuckled and asked, "Does Speaker Qiu have so many women in his heart?"

Qiu Tu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then shook his head, saying, "No, that's not it."

"But my heart is disposable. It's refreshed every day at midnight."

"So, I don't know which day or which person you're referring to."

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Li Feng was visibly taken aback. But she quickly recovered, her smile widening as she said, "It doesn't matter which one. As long as no one is permanently residing in your heart, then there's no problem."

"After all, I'm a veteran of many battles, and what I'm best at is winning people's hearts."

"I believe that no matter what, your heart will eventually belong to me."

What were clearly flirtatious words, when spoken by Li Feng, carried a hint of bloodshed.

Seeing this, Qiu Tu didn't mind. He took a sip of tea and then said with a smile, "As expected of a heroine who single-handedly opened up the 4th Shelter, truly domineering."

"It even makes me, an ordinary person, swoon."

"It seems that with you protecting me, Commander, I'm almost certain that I'll gain recognition from the human faction."

Hearing Qiu Tu talking about relationships and then suddenly shamelessly taking the opportunity to ask for "benefits," Shen Yuzhou, who had stopped at the courtyard gate to eavesdrop, could no longer hold back.

He coughed loudly, then strode into the reception room with a smile. "Gentlemen, what are you chatting about so happily?"

The people present were all super-level cataclysmic beings, and Shen Yuzhou's entry into the courtyard had already been detected by their mental energy. Therefore, neither Qiu Tu nor Li Feng were surprised.

Upon seeing Shen Yuzhou enter the reception room, Qiu Tu smiled and put down his teacup, then teased, "We're talking about the wedding."

"I fell in love with General Li Feng at first sight, and we were kindred spirits."

"Therefore, General Li Feng wants to marry me in exchange for the 4th Shelter."

"We are discussing an auspicious day."

"Speaker Shen, you must come and have a drink at our wedding!"

Qiu Tu's experience from two lifetimes taught him that when facing a woman who takes the initiative, he must be even more proactive than her. Otherwise, he would only become her plaything.

Unfortunately, Li Feng is far more wild than Qiu Tu.

So when she heard Qiu Tu's words, which were so presumptuous and opportunistic, she was not only not annoyed, but even chuckled twice before saying, "That's true."

“Speaker Shen, I have decided to give the entire 4th shelter as my dowry to Speaker Qiu.”

"And Speaker Qiu also offered the 6th and 7th shelters as a dowry. At that time, our two families will unite and jointly govern the three major shelters."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu glanced at Li Feng with a half-smile and then said, "General Li Feng is joking."

"The 6th and 7th positions aren't mine. After all... I haven't even been recognized by the human camp as a vice leader."

Neither of them are simple characters; their verbal sparring is fraught with tension and conflict. There's a kind of bloodless, romantic tension on the battlefield.

They exchanged a few blows back and forth. Shen Yuzhou and "Candle Dance" took their seats, and Qiu Tu and Li Feng also slowly stopped fighting, each taking a sip of tea to moisten their throats.

While Qiu Tu was drinking tea, Shen Yuzhou was also observing the situation in the reception room.

Unlike in the morning, Qiu Tu did not sit in the second seat this time, but in the main seat.

Princess Xi, dressed in formal attire, sat in the same spot where Qiu Tu had sat that morning, with a smile on her face.

This indicates that after the falling out in the morning, Qiu Tu finally stopped pretending to be someone else and revealed his true colors, beginning to speak formally with several people as the controller of the 7th Shelter.

Sure enough, just as Shen Yuzhou thought this, Qiu Tu put down the white jade teacup in his hand, then looked around at the people present and asked bluntly,

"Half a day has passed now. I wonder what your thoughts are?"

"It's time to give a clear answer as to whether it will be war or peace."

Qiu Tu's direct approach instantly brought the atmosphere in the reception room to a freezing point.

Just moments ago, Li Feng was engaged in a heated exchange with Qiu Tu, but now she sat there expressionless, not uttering a word.

Shen Yuzhou remained expressionless and showed no reaction for a long time.

Seeing this, Qiu Tu didn't tolerate the two of them. He placed his hands on the armrests of the chair and stood up straight. "Since that's the case, then you two shouldn't blame me."

"You can choose a body bag color you like."

Upon seeing Qiu Tu ready to start a fight at the slightest provocation, both Shen Yuzhou and Li Feng's expressions changed.

However, both of them had weathered many storms, so they weren't frightened into making excuses. Instead, they exchanged a glance, and Shen Yuzhou spoke first.

Shen Yuzhou coughed and said, "Elder Qiu, don't be in such a hurry."

"It's not that we disagree. It's just..."

Shen Yuzhou was only halfway through his sentence when Qiu Tu raised his hand to interrupt him.

Qiu Tu looked sharply at Shen Yuzhou, then suddenly changed the subject as if making a pointed remark, "Speaker Shen, do you believe there are two people in this world who look exactly alike?"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Shen Yuzhou's pupils contracted sharply.

Qiu Tu continued with a half-smile, "Moreover, not only do they look exactly alike, but they also share the same name, background, and memories."

"It's just a pity that, because of fate, one of them was high above, while the other fell into the mud."

Shen Yuzhou's expression began to turn ugly.

Seeing this, Qiu Tu said with a smile, "To be honest, if nothing unexpected happens, these two people may never meet in this lifetime."

"There will be no more surprises."

"But unfortunately, each of them encountered an ambitious person."

"And what's more, these two ambitious men met."

Do you think... this will create an interesting clash?

Everyone present was shrewd. Although Qiu Tu's words were not directed at anyone, they were clearly an implication for Shen Yuzhou because they were spoken to him.

Although it was unclear who Qiu Tu was referring to as "the exact same person," it didn't stop Li Feng and Princess Xi from both turning their attention to Shen Yuzhou.

At this moment, upon hearing Qiu Tu's implied threat, Shen Yuzhou's expression changed slightly.

As the mastermind behind the "enslavement of the gods" plan, Shen Yuzhou naturally knew what Qiu Tu was talking about...

In that instant, his mind was filled with flashbacks of conversations and images between him and the leaders of the "Lawful Order" faction...

"You think you can enslave 'gods'? You're dreaming!"

'If it weren't for that great upheaval, the "gods" would be standing at the pinnacle of the world, true deities high above all others. You actually want to enslave them? Are you insane?'

Does the "fragment of the divine persona" contain the "divine soul"? Could fusing that fragment with the soul allow one to establish contact with the divine soul?

'Can your cataclysmic abilities also be limited?'

"You want to use your daughter as a vessel? To let the gods devour and merge with her soul, forming a pact with you? Do you know what you're saying?!"

'This is utterly immoral, and... it involves using high-ranking relatives for experiments. If this is exposed, the higher-ups in the human camp will not tolerate it. We, the "Lawful Faction," are also likely to be severely affected at this critical juncture! Therefore...'

'You must be very careful.'

'What?! Ling Shuang's mother risked her life to disrupt the ritual? She caused the "Candle Dance" to fail in its devouring, only absorbing two souls and six spirits? And one soul and one spirit are still missing? Damn it!'

'Can a 'reincarnated deity' only be partially controlled?'

'Damn it! Damn it! What could have been a superweapon for humanity was ruined because of a woman!'

As the conversation from his memory faded into the distance, Shen Yuzhou slowly came back to his senses.

It has to be said that the fact that Shen Lingshuang's soul and spirit fell into Qiu Tu's hands was exactly what he needed to control.

Although the "lawful faction" has gradually gained control of Sanctuary 3, this matter, even if exposed, will not cause any serious damage.

But... who would willingly suffer losses if they could avoid them?

Moreover... after all, the "Orderly Faction" and people of Shen Yuzhou's status and position are destined to leave their mark on history.

Who would want such a scandal to accompany them or their faction throughout their lives, and to be pointed at and criticized by their descendants after their death?

This only covers the aspect of "fame"; even more important is "profit".

It should be noted that... because Shen Lingshuang's soul and spirit are missing, "Candle Dance," this "reincarnation of a celestial being," cannot be completely controlled and often acts insincerely.

According to normal logic, the soul and spirit of Shen Lingshuang that Qiu Tu is currently controlling can resonate and connect with the soul of "Candle Dance".

No one knows what this resonance and connection will bring. No one knows if Qiu Tu has any other means to influence "Candle Dance" through Shen Lingshuang. But... is it worth the gamble?

It was this series of uncertainties that made Shen Yuzhou want to test Qiu Tu, to see how many of Shen Lingshuang's secrets Qiu Tu knew, what his thoughts were about Shen Lingshuang, and what kind of exchange he was willing to make.

As a result, Shen Yuzhou tried to contact Qiu Tu all afternoon but received no response.

Now that Qiu Tu has brought up the matter himself, and with so many outsiders present, it's even less convenient for him to discuss it in detail.

Thinking of this, Shen Yuzhou was momentarily stunned. Then, his gaze turned incredibly deep, his eyes filled with anger.

'This guy... is deliberately applying extreme pressure!'

'He's deliberately avoiding negotiation, and intentionally creating an information gap to exploit people without any scruples!'

'He probably didn't influence "Candle Dance" through Shen Lingshuang either, but he deliberately made it ambiguous to keep me from betting!'

After figuring this out, Shen Yuzhou's mood did not calm down; on the contrary, he became even angrier!

Because... he really didn't dare to gamble!

For Shelter 3, acknowledging Qiu Tu as the number two in Shelter 6 and 7 was just a piece of paper, requiring no cost whatsoever.

However, if they really fight to the death with Qiu Tu, Qiu Tu could very well drag the Third Shelter down and into a quagmire!

Such risks and rewards are completely disproportionate!

With this in mind, Shen Yuzhou immediately made a decision.

He took two deep breaths, quickly composed himself, and then said with a smile, "Elder Qiu, thank you for telling that story. It was very interesting."

"However, unfortunately, now is the time to talk about serious matters. Let's focus on the important stuff."

At this point, Shen Yuzhou spoke again, saying earnestly, "Actually, this afternoon, Commander Li Feng and I had a serious discussion about the 6th and 7th shelters."

"We've been in the Northwest region for six or seven days now."

"I also witnessed the current situation of shelters number 6 and 7."

"Based on our assessment, we believe that the 6th and 7th shelters are currently very stable in terms of politics, economy, and military. Moreover, their values ​​are also positive."