Then let them offer their loyalty!

Even if Ellie didn't know Qiu Tu was a fourth-tier Cataclysm, such items are incredibly rare...

The reason is simple... Once you reach the strength of a fourth-tier Cataclysm, each one of them is a high-ranking official at the Sanctuary State level.

How could I possibly participate in those low-level gambling games...?

They need money, so let's just levy it directly...

Besides ensuring a 100% chance of victory, the second key is: how to "seduce" Ellie.

In Yan Yan's plan, in order to win Ellie's heart and soul, Qiu Tu would ultimately have to release Ellie and Yan Yan.

After all... if he really took advantage of this opportunity to completely win over Ellie and Yan Yan.

Even if Ellie lost to Qiu Tu, she would still harbor resentment. She might even come to hate Qiu Tu completely.

However, if Qiu Tu lets Ellie go, Ellie's impression of Qiu Tu will indeed change drastically, and she might even develop feelings for him.

But this feeling of goodwill is one of "gratitude," not "ambiguity," and certainly not "liking."

Therefore, Qiu Tu must, on this basis, make himself not just a "benefactor" or "ordinary friend" in Ellie's heart, but rather an "ambiguous object of affection".

So... Qiu Tu thought of the famous scene from his previous life where he was "having sex with his girlfriend's best friend while calling his girlfriend."

So... he just went ahead and demonstrated it himself. And he ordered Ellie not to hang up the phone and to keep listening.

He refused to believe that after listening to him for several hours, Ellie would still see him as just a "benefactor" or an "ordinary friend" in the future.

He thought that Ellie would probably blush and feel weak in the knees whenever she saw him again, recalling those absurd hours.

Yan Yan, this girl with a contrasting personality, is even more cunning than Guan Xiao... so after learning about Qiu Tu's idea, she immediately raised both hands in agreement.

So, when Qiu Tu carried Yan Yan upstairs to the bedroom and was pretending to tear her clothes, he also left a "ownership stamp" mark on her lower abdomen, which was covered by her underwear.

Afterwards, once Yan Yan and Ellie returned home, Yan Yan was summoned directly.

Qiu Tu's original plan was that if Ellie didn't contact him, he would call her.

But clearly, their plan was a success. Under Qiu Tu and Yan Yan's seamless brainwashing, Ellie had Qiu Tu's image firmly etched in her mind, so she took the initiative to call him.

And that's how what just happened came about...

After reviewing the entire plan for tonight, Qiu Tu put his arm around Yan Yan, stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, and then asked curiously, "Actually... I've never understood why you would scheme against your best friend like that?"

Can you tell me why?

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Yan Yan's innocent face was full of indifference. "The reason?"

There's no particular reason.

"If I had to say something... it might be because of jealousy?"

"Jealousy?" Qiu Tu was taken aback.

Yan Yan leaned against Qiu Tu's chest, her eyes slightly trembling. She said, "The two of them, one has a happy family, a father and mother who dote on her, and a brother."

"Let her have the best of everything in the world without having to do anything."

"One of them is benefiting from the legacy of her parents, and everyone treats her with deference and cares for her."

"She can do whatever she wants. She can even get promoted quickly."

Yan Yan said with some resentment, "She's only been in the system for two years. In just two years, her rank is already only one level below Yan Chen's."

Do you really think she has that level of skill?

At this point, Yan Yan paused, then pointed to herself and said, "And me! Don't be fooled by the fact that I'm their best friend, but actually... I'm just their follower."

“Yan Chen had the lowest rank and the lowest status. Back then, it was in order to curry favor with them that Yan Chen volunteered within the faction to let me take care of them and befriend them.”

"That's why we've been playing together since we were kids."

"But actually... I didn't want to be friends with them at all! It was Yan Chen and the others who forced me to!"

"Moreover... because of the unequal status, in our daily interactions, the two of them were like real princesses, while I... was just a lowly maid!"

In the end, Yan Yan's eyes blazed with fury, "So, I want to bring them down to earth, watch them fall, watch them all grovel before the same man!"

Qiu Tu: .....

To be honest, Qiu Tu felt a little surprised, but it was also reasonable.

Unexpectedly... he hadn't anticipated the reason would be so "simple." Yet, logically... throughout history, jealousy has been the greatest original sin.

Many best friends turn against each other out of jealousy, stabbing each other in the back.

Especially between close friends whose social statuses are mismatched, it is easier for jealousy to cause psychological distortion.

However... while listening to Yan Yan talk, Qiu Tu also noticed how Yan Yan addressed Yan Chen.

She actually called Yan Chen by his name instead of calling him father?

Thinking this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but probe, "Yan Yan, it seems... you also have a problem with your father?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Yan's expression froze. Then she straightened up, looked at Qiu Tu, and asked, "Shouldn't I have one?"

Yan Yan touched her body, then said with hatred in her eyes, "I won't say anything else, just one thing..."

"What father would use his daughter's cells to clone his mistress?!"

How disgusting he is!

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu was first stunned, then suddenly realized what was happening.

"Qin Shuman" was cloned by Old Master Qin using the genes of Yan Chen's wife after her death.

However... because Larilu needs Yan Yan's body as a vessel for her descent.

So when communicating with Yan Chen, Old Master Qin lied and said that to resurrect Yan Chen, relying solely on posthumous genes wouldn't be enough; he also needed the cells of Yan Chen's daughter, Yan Yan. (Chapter 257)

Yan Yan is Yan Chen's daughter; her intelligence and shrewdness are extraordinary, so she probably found out about this from somewhere.

For a daughter, being used by her father to clone his mistress, even if it was to resurrect her mother, would indeed be unacceptable.

After all, this involves a variety of ethical issues.

Besides, even if Yan Yan didn't say it, Qiu Tu could still guess Yan Chen's controlling nature, domestic emotional abuse, and even impersonation based on some of Yan Chen's actions.

These things might not seem like much to Qiu Tu, an outsider.

But for a daughter who should trust her father, this might be unacceptable.

For example... knowing that Lariluo wanted to kill Yan Yan and take her place, she still sent Yan Yan to the New Territories to "die." (Chapter 250)

For example... having an assassin use Yan Yan's face to carry out the assassination. And so on. (Chapter 321)

Thinking of this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but look up at Yan Yan's loyalty level.

Since then, Yan Yan's loyalty level has soared to 46 points.

Although it's still not very high, it's definitely showing steady improvement. This suggests that Yan Yan is probably not a double agent...

Thinking this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but look at Yan Yan and then asked, "Do you want to get revenge on your father?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Yan's face immediately lit up with interest. "How do you plan to get revenge?"

Qiu Tu said, "Come up..."

.......

And so, the night passed without further incident.

As dawn approached, Qiu Tu quietly escorted Yan Yan back to the villa.

Yan Yan left quite freely, but even after the treatment in the "Order Space,"...

......

Early morning. Ellie got up, feeling a little tired, and went downstairs to have breakfast.

Last night, after hanging up Qiu Tu's call, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Her mind was filled with Qiu Tu's brave and strong appearance, and the sound of him playing cards that had been going on for hours.

So, having no other choice, she ended up turning her room into a QQ space where she played Dou Di Zhu.

So, I was inevitably a bit tired when I woke up this morning.

When I went downstairs, there was only Xue'er eating her meal with a blank expression.

Upon seeing Ellie, Cheryl looked up at her and then said expressionlessly, "Judging from your appearance, you are destined for bloodshed today."

Ellie was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "You've even learned how to read faces?"

Xue'er shook her head. "No, it's your period that's leaking from your nose."

Upon hearing this, Ellie wiped her nose and, sure enough, it started bleeding.

She coughed and said, "It's been a bit dry lately..."

After saying that, she quickly ran to the toilet to wash herself.

Watching Ellie's flustered figure, Xue'er shook her head slightly.

She had a feeling that her two best friends had been acting strangely lately, as if they were hiding some secret.

However, she's been busy cleaning up the villa that was sealed off after Jia Shu's death these past two days and hasn't had time to investigate...

After the two finished their meal, Ellie drove herself to work.

Upon arriving at the investigation department, Ellie had just stopped her car when a tall figure appeared beside it.

Ellie paused for a moment, looked up, and then saw... Qiu Tu, who had been haunting her dreams all night, standing by her car window with a half-smile.

Ellie was startled and instinctively touched her nose.

Then, the next second, it was as if Qiu Tu's muffled groans and the sound of him playing cards last night were all around her ears.

Her face flushed slightly, then she forced herself to remain calm and said, "Director, what a coincidence."

Qiu Tu glanced at her indifferently and said, "What a coincidence."

After saying that, Qiu Tu shook his head and then said, "Let's go together, Deputy Director Ellie."

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Ellie couldn't refuse, so she had no choice but to get out of the car.

Security personnel were scattered around as Qiu Tu and Ellie headed toward the office building.

On the way, Qiu Tu casually asked, as if he didn't care, "Deputy Director Ellie, is the bet from last night still valid?"

Ellie awkwardly tucked her ponytail back and hummed in response.

Qiu Tu said, "I see. Then I hope you can do something for me during the meeting later today."

Upon hearing Qiu Tu's words, Ellie was startled, as if recalling a scene from a doujinshi. She awkwardly pressed her legs together, stood still, then lowered her head and whispered, "Director... could you... could you please not...?"

Qiu Tu seemed not to understand her meaning, then looked at her strangely and said, "Don't want? Don't want what?"

"I just want you... to be a traitor."

"Traitor?" Ellie breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that it wasn't what she thought.

But upon hearing the word "traitor," she tensed up again.

Seeing this, Qiu Tu stopped and said, "Speaker Huang is going to launch the 'Disaster Zone Expansion Plan,' aiming to establish a disaster zone."

"However, we must first pacify the internal situation before we can deal with external threats. If things get out of hand at this time, it will be troublesome."

"Therefore, I plan to launch a comprehensive crackdown on the anti-government armed groups and extremist religious spies and personnel in the New Territories."

"And to get this plan through, I need your support."

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Ellie was a little puzzled, "But what does this have to do with traitors?"

Qiu Tu said, "I hope that after I finish explaining my plan at the meeting, you will be the first to stand up and support me."

Upon hearing this, Ellie frowned slightly. She instinctively felt there was some conspiracy at play...

---------

Two chapters, 10,000 words each, please vote with monthly tickets!

Chapter 423 The Academy: Ellie Has Betrayed Us? (10,000 words, please vote!)

Thinking this, Ellie hesitated for a moment, then looked up at Qiu Tu and said with a smile, "Director... what plan do you want to execute?"

Qiu Tu glanced at her and then said, "Yesterday, the Speaker held a meeting in the state to prepare for infiltration and expansion into the surrounding disaster zones. To conquer another state for the shelter."

"We received news this morning that the plan has been approved at the shelter and has already begun implementation."