Then let them offer their loyalty!

Page 899

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, both Elena and Qing'e were startled and turned to look at Qiu Tu.

Shepherd God King is no small fry; he's a fifth-tier God King, just like Elena. He's a top expert in the entire "Ancient World."

Furthermore, since it is now the "Chaotic Era," his strength has been amplified, making him even more difficult to deal with.

Elena hesitated to act because she feared the Heart-Shepherd King, even though she wanted to save the Seven Kingdoms.

If Elena was like this, then the other god-kings and gods must be even more so.

But now Qiu Tu claims he can hold off the God King of Shepherd Heart! This truly shocked Elena and Qing'e.

This time, before Elena could speak, the Goddess Qing'e spoke first.

She looked at Qiu Tu and then questioned, "God King Qiu Tu, if I'm not mistaken, you should only be a Level One God King. Mu Xin is a Level Five God King. What makes you think you can hold him off?"

Hearing Qing'e's words, Qiu Tu smiled. He patted his clothes, then looked up and said seriously, "By my own fate."

He looked at Elena and said, "Your Majesty, I am willing to swear a pledge. If I cannot hold off the God-King of Shepherd Hearts for four days, I am willing to accept any punishment!"

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Qing'e immediately fell silent. Elena also frowned slightly, as if pondering whether Qiu Tu's words were reliable.

At this moment, Qiu Tu, with a seductive air, slowly said, "Your Majesty can recall the worst and the middle strategies..."

"My plan may be a bit radical, but I'm absolutely confident in its success..."

"Both the worst and the best options involve taking risks for you and the 'Temple,' and you're still somewhat tempted after much deliberation."

"Then why are you hesitating about the best option, which is for me to bear all the risks?"

It must be said, Qiu Tu was indeed eloquent. Elena, who was already somewhat hesitant, saw her eyes flicker even more intensely upon hearing Qiu Tu's words...

She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "How will you hold Mu Xin back?"

Qiu Tu could directly retort to Qing'e, but he needed to give Elena a more direct answer.

So... Qiu Tu directly used the explanation he had already prepared.

He said slowly, "The reason you rejected the middle strategy is because the God-King Shepherd's power in the 'Chaotic Western Capital' is too great."

"But... now you are personally taking action to cleanse the chaotic gods and god-kings who have invaded the seven 'underground divine kingdoms.'"

"To stop you, the God-King Shepherd will inevitably have to leave the 'Chaotic Western Capital.' In doing so, he will lose the buffs he receives within his own divine kingdom, significantly weakening his power."

"And I happen to have companions who can amplify my strength, and my own cataclysmic ability is mainly used to control people..."

"so...."

At this point, Qiu Tu didn't continue, deliberately leaving it blank and giving Elena room for imagination.

Sure enough, following Qiu Tu's description, Elena mentally completed Qiu Tu's plan. This made her eyes show a hint of realization and contemplation.

However, as the guardian god-king of the western part of the "Temple of Order", she was obviously more cautious. So after hesitating for a moment, she still spoke up and said, "God-king Qiu Tu, I already know about your plan."

"I need half a day to think about it."

"I will give you a formal answer tonight."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "During this time, you can complete the procedures for joining the 'Temple,' and then choose a department that interests you."

"In this way, once you've made a contribution, you can also get a promotion and more power within this department."

"Let Qing'e give you a more detailed explanation."

After saying that, she picked up the glass of wine and began to take a sip.

Clearly, this means to see the guest off.

Therefore, Qiu Tu tactfully bowed and followed Qing'e out of the main hall.

It must be said that the Guardian God King truly possesses the aura of a Guardian God King.

Qiu Tu and the others hadn't felt anything while they were in the main hall, and because of Elena's gentle attitude, they didn't feel much pressure.

As soon as they stepped out of the main hall, they felt a sudden sense of relief, realizing just how much pressure they had been under inside.

Especially Xiao Qinglan, who had the least experience and life experience among them, had her back completely soaked with sweat. As a result, she received several eye rolls from Zhuwu.

In contrast, Qing'e, who frequently dealt with Elena, had a much easier time.

She didn't notice or care about the abnormality of the few people, but instead introduced the situation of the "Temple of Order" to Qiu Tu in a very businesslike manner.

She said, "The 'Temple' is the abode of all the gods and kings of order, and it is also the embodiment of 'order'."

"Therefore, the rules and regulations of the entire 'temple' are extremely strict."

"Each department has its own responsibilities, and each level has its own treatment and power."

"Our Western Temple, for example, has seven departments: the Archives Department, the Execution Department, the Management Department, the Training Department..."

"Each department has a minister and several deputy ministers, all of whom are appointed by the God-King. Their positions are adjusted based on their contributions, and their strength is increased or decreased accordingly..."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu immediately became curious and asked, "Is promotion or demotion based on contributions, and does that affect corresponding strength?"

"How does this have an effect? ​​Isn't the power of a God-King all due to his own great power?"

Qiu Tu's question was clearly a question shared by many of the newly joined God-Kings, so Qing'e was not surprised. She slowly explained,

"It's very simple. Within the 'Temple' system, the strength and realm of the God-Kings are divided into two parts."

"Owned by myself, and attached to the temple..."

"Your own strength needs no explanation." She pointed at Qiu Tu and said, "Just like before you joined the temple, you were a first-level god-king, so whether you devoured or subdued the gods, they all belonged to you."

"It is your personal strength, and no one can take it away, not even the temple."

She paused for a moment, then said,

"As for the 'Temple Addendum,' it is the Temple's greatest weapon in attracting 'Order Path' deities—the power to allocate resources among Order Path gods..."

Qiu Tu blinked, then listened attentively to Qing'e's explanation.

......

Meanwhile, Qiu Tu had just left the main hall.

Elena sat on the tatami mat, and there were 12 people around her at some point.

Those figures were somewhat illusory, clearly projected through special means.

Elena finished speaking at that moment, and said expressionlessly, "That's how it is. Now, tell me your opinions: how feasible is this plan?"

No sooner had Elena finished speaking than one of the figures spoke up, "What do you mean by 'feasibility'? Is this plan even feasible?"

"Why should we trust a god-king who has never joined the 'Temple,' a god-king who has never achieved any merit?"

"Just because of his words?"

Hearing his words, the other figures nodded in agreement, adding, "Yes, this plan essentially puts everything on Qiu Tu's shoulders."

"But he... has never proven himself."

How can we trust him?

"I think it's too risky."

Hearing the objections from so many people, Elena's expression clearly darkened. Her gaze swept over the figures, finally settling on the one at the very edge. A thought struck her, and she asked, "Starforge, what's your opinion?"

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Today's chapter includes an extra chapter and the main story, totaling 1.1 words. Also, it's my birthday today, so please vote with monthly tickets!

Then, in May, you can vote for monthly tickets to enter a draw for an iPad, JD.com gift cards, and Three Squirrels products! Also, there's a second side story of Zhao Ji to read, so please vote!

Chapter 754 That's a different price (Win an iPad with monthly tickets!)

This meeting was clearly an internal meeting of the western high-ranking members of the "Temple of Order". Those present were all high-ranking members of the western "Temple".

Among them, apart from Elena, the guardian goddess, the other 12 figures are clearly the heads of the 7 departments or other important high-ranking officials.

According to the tradition of linking status, position and strength in the "Temple of Order", they should all be third- or fourth-level god-kings.

Therefore, although the Star Forger King is the undisputed ruler of the "Star Forger pantheon," he is clearly one of the lowest-ranking figures among them.

This caused him to be taken aback for a second after Elena called on him to answer a question.

He didn't answer Elena's question immediately, but pondered for a moment with a somber expression before slowly speaking.

"Actually... I think this plan is pretty good."

"Furthermore, I don't understand why the God-Kings feel there is danger involved."

Having said this, he seemed to have finally made up his mind, and then, with a calm gaze, he swept over the several god-kings and began to speak.

“If you carefully analyze this plan, you will find that apart from Qiu Tu himself being in danger and needing to face the God King Mu Xin, we are not in any other danger.”

He meticulously listed out the tasks his side needed to complete.

"The battle is currently at a stalemate. All the Order Gods and God Kings who are tied up in those seven divine kingdoms were unable to withdraw in the first place, so there is no need for us to do anything more."

"As for Lady Elena, although she has left the 'Land of Dionysus' and separated from her own divine realm, she will face some danger."

"However... the other four major pathways all consider the 'Chaos Faction' an enemy and won't hinder us at this time; and the 'Chaos Faction's' attack on the 'Star Forging Kingdom' was a spur-of-the-moment decision, not specifically aimed at Lady Elena."

"Therefore... the probability of being attacked by multiple level 5 god-kings is too small. The probability of Lady Elena encountering danger is also very low."

"So it goes... Qiu Tu bears all the risks. Even if the plan fails, we won't suffer much loss; but if it succeeds, we can reap a great reward."

Finally, the Star Forger looked at Elena on the couch with his cloudy eyes and said, "So... I don't think there's anything wrong with this plan."

"It could very well help us resolve this crisis."

Despite saying this, the old God-King of Stars did not show much joy on his face.

Upon seeing that the Star Forger God King had spoken in support of her, a smile clearly appeared on Elena's beautiful face.

Clearly... she had planned all of this.

Even within the same organization or faction, everyone's interests are different.

Most leaders find it difficult to dictate terms. In such situations, understanding the interests and needs of each subordinate, skillfully balancing them, amplifying supportive voices, and weakening opposition are crucial to achieving consensus and effectively implementing one's plans.

As the guardian deity who has ruled the west for two or three hundred years, Elena is naturally very familiar with the personalities and interests of her subordinates.

In this discussion, she could easily figure out the different attitudes and positions of these people without even thinking for a second.

It's important to understand that even within the "Order Faction," there are radicals and conservatives; some want to drag things out until the "Chaos Era" arrives, while others want to escalate the conflict, unite the other factions, and launch a direct counterattack against the "Chaos Faction."

Besides differing political views, everyone also had their own selfish motives. For example, some harbored grudges against the Star Forger King, some were eyeing Elena's position, and others simply distrusted the newcomer.

Of all those involved, only the Star Forger was a direct participant in the entire affair. His interests were also more aligned with his own—to end the war as quickly as possible.

More importantly... Qiu Tu offered three strategies: superior, middle, and inferior. However, only the superior strategy could protect the interests of the Star Forging God King, and Elena was not worried that he would not agree.

Furthermore, since the Star Forger was a participant in this great battle, his words carried the most weight, which is why Elena called on him to speak.

At this moment, with the Star Forger God King speaking first, Elena's confidants immediately seized the opportunity and chimed in with their own words.

So, it wasn't long before the voices supporting the plan gained the upper hand.

Seeing that the tide had turned against them, the opponents stopped struggling and fell silent.

Seeing that no one objected, Elena narrowed her eyes and concluded, "Since everyone has reached a consensus, let's let Qiu Tu give it a try first."

"Let's see if he can actually do it."

That being said, most of the people present had expressionless faces or lingering hesitation in their eyes.

This can be seen from the final summary of the leading god-king.

After discovering that Elena was determined to support Qiu Tu, although he eventually agreed to Elena's plan, he said something along the way.

"We don't know anything about this Qiu Tu, nor do we know where he came from. There's no basis for trust between us."

"But when he was explaining his plan, he kept a secret, which made people even more hesitant to trust him."

"What he's about to do is something that could change the entire situation in the West. If it's not handled properly, nobody knows what kind of chain reaction it could cause."

"And more importantly... in his plan, he said he could use his 'cataclysmic ability' to hold off the Shepherd God King for four days..."

At this point, the god-king chuckled lightly, "Forgive my stupidity. I truly cannot fathom how powerful a first-level god-king's 'cataclysmic ability' must be to trap a guardian god-king."

"I don't even know if he's crazy or I'm crazy."

However, despite many dissenting voices, Elena still maintains strong control over the western part of the "Temple".

Furthermore, since the plan did not require the "temple" to contribute anything, it was ultimately approved after Elena pushed through the discussion.