Then, Let Them Offer Their Loyalty!

Chapter 27: Creating the Cataclysm Potion

Chapter 27: Creating the Cataclysm Potion

"What attention? You’re a suspect, and you think you deserve attention?"

Upon hearing the familiar sarcasm, Shen Lingshuang's eyes lit up. She jumped to her feet and exclaimed, "Qiu Tu? You're here!"

As she spoke, Qiu Tu walked in from outside the courtyard, hands in his pockets.

With his long legs and perfect figure, the black uniform of the Political Division looked exceptionally sharp on him. Add his handsome features, bathed in the evening glow, and Shen Lingshuang couldn’t help but stare.

Method 7 of 108 Ways to Enhance Relationships: If you have good looks, make sure to use them. It helps win a woman's heart quickly.

Qiu Tu walked up to Shen Lingshuang and motioned for the Special Operations Division agent and the maid to leave.

The agent visibly relaxed, saluted Qiu Tu respectfully, and hurriedly left the courtyard. The maid also left quickly, not forgetting to snatch the kitten from Shen Lingshuang's arms, tearfully running away with it.

Seeing how they avoided her like the plague, Qiu Tu was puzzled: What had this little demon done to make her guards so frightened?

Blushing slightly at Qiu Tu's handsome presence, her strong pride still made her lift her head and demand, "What were you doing today? Why didn’t you come to see or interrogate me?"

Qiu Tu frowned, unyielding to her scolding, "What I do is none of your business."

But he added, "As the captain of the guards, I must stay by Miss Qin’s side."

Initially, Shen Lingshuang felt slightly pleased but still somewhat defiant at Qiu Tu’s rebuke. However, hearing his second statement shifted her focus.

"Miss Qin?"

Recalling the fairy-like woman she had seen upon arriving at the Qin family, Shen Lingshuang felt a pang of envy.

She sighed inwardly, then, as if possessed, asked, "Who do you think is prettier, Miss Qin or me?"

Qiu Tu looked her over.

The young girl was indeed pretty, but still too immature to compete with Qin Shuman's beauty.

So...

"Definitely you."

"How could Qin Shuman compare to you?"

Method 9 of 108 Ways to Enhance Relationships: Make obviously false compliments to quickly increase the other person's affection.

Shen Lingshuang, taken aback by his answer, blushed and asked shyly, "Do you really think so?"

"Of course," Qiu Tu swore, "I swear on my superior Yan Chen's life, if I lie, may he die without a burial."

Hearing this, Shen Lingshuang felt sweet inside. Everyone knew Yan Chen was Qiu Tu's mentor, and his rapid rise to a high-level agent in the Political Division was thanks to Yan Chen's support.

——Shen Lingshuang had learned a lot about Qiu Tu from the guards watching her today.

Feeling satisfied, Shen Lingshuang didn’t say it, but she was pleased.

After winning her favor, Qiu Tu brought up his reason for visiting, "Lingshuang, I need you to do something."

Although his previous charm offensive had hooked Shen Lingshuang, her pride made her reluctant to comply immediately.

Pouting and acting haughty, she said, "Just because you ask me to do something, I have to do it? What about my face?"

Qiu Tu replied, "This is an order, not a request."

"If you refuse, I can remind you of yesterday's punishment."

His domineering yet ambiguous words made Shen Lingshuang's heart skip a beat.

Blushing, she turned her head, muttering, "Fine, I’ll do it. No need to threaten me."

She then asked, "What do you want me to do?"

Qiu Tu pulled out a package from his pocket and handed it to her.

At first, she accepted it indifferently, but when she saw the contents, her eyes widened, "Aurora Stone! Moonlight Tears!"

Recognizing the rare Cataclysm materials, Shen Lingshuang looked at Qiu Tu in shock, "Where did you get these?"

Qiu Tu shook his head, refusing to answer, "That's a secret. Don’t ask."

Shen Lingshuang complied. Qiu Tu’s refusal to let her ask silenced her, but as she stroked the materials with her silver handcuffed hands, her expression grew complex.

She put away her playful demeanor and seriously asked, "Our relationship isn’t that good, right? Are you sure you want to entrust these to me?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll mess up the potion on purpose?"

"Have you ever seen a Cataclysm Potion? Aren’t you afraid I'll make a fake potion and keep these materials for myself?"

"Have you seen my alchemy skills? Aren’t you afraid I'll fail?"

Instead of answering directly, Qiu Tu asked, "Would you sabotage the Cataclysm Potion?"

Shen Lingshuang shook her head, "No."

"Would you keep these materials for yourself?"

She shook her head again, "No."

"Do you believe you can successfully make the Cataclysm Potion?"

This time, she hesitated but finally nodded, "I’m at least 90% sure."

Qiu Tu smiled, "Then what do I have to worry about?"

"You think we don’t have a good relationship, but I trust you."

"So... I believe in you."

Shen Lingshuang was stunned.

No one had ever trusted her like this before, leaving her momentarily speechless. She stammered, "But, I, you..."

After a few deep breaths to calm herself, she looked at Qiu Tu with a complex expression, "But Qiu Tu, I can’t guarantee that drinking the potion will definitely awaken your Cataclysm power."

"You know, the awakening probability of Cataclysm Potions is less than 20%, it’s a gamble with your life."

Qiu Tu patted her shoulder solemnly, "Then I’ll entrust my life to you."

Time seemed to freeze. Shen Lingshuang felt the world around her shrink, focusing solely on Qiu Tu.

Author's Note