Chu Tian’s voice was not loud, yet it possessed a lingering arrogance and momentum that seemed enough to make the entire kingdom pay attention.
He paused, his dark eyes locking onto the young girl’s figure as if he were admiring a rare treasure about to radiate a brilliant light.
“The location of your reappearance will be the Central Square of Academy City.”
“Before that, I will release the news in advance so that all forces and all the people will wait with bated breath.”
“They will look forward to the reappearance of you, the great Hero who saved Academy City.”
The Horned Demon’s plan was very direct.
Academy City, Central Square.
It was the most densely populated heart of the entire city.
It was also the point of destruction where that Floating Fortress would have certainly crashed had its direction not been changed.
There was no place more suitable for Su Nian, the “Hero” who saved the city, to announce her return in a way that would attract everyone’s attention.
When Su Nian heard the Horned Demon call her a great Hero, an uncontrollable sense of pride quietly rose from the depths of her heart.
If she had a tail right now, it would already be wagging.
That was her “great achievement.”
She involuntarily puffed out her chest, her chin slightly raised.
The confidence and radiance belonging to the strong returned to her once more.
“Master, what are the contents of the blueprint?” Su Nian asked.
Her voice had regained its former coldness and serenity, as if the woman who had just been kneeling on the carpet doing everything she could to please him did not exist at all.
“The design blueprints for an ultra-large floating magic array.”
Chu Tian did not keep her in suspense and spoke directly.
If it were anyone else, even the monarch of a kingdom, they would have certainly shown a look of greed upon hearing about technology capable of changing the global landscape.
But the girl before him simply listened calmly…
“Oh, the blueprint that can make a city fly in the sky.”
Su Nian merely nodded gently, her sky-blue eyes showing no ripples.
The Floating Fortress did indeed look advanced.
But it had already exploded.
That aerial fortress, which once symbolized the highest magical achievement of Academy City, along with the unique ultra-large floating magic array inside it, had all turned into the dust of history.
Now, that this Horned Demon bastard could produce the complete blueprints indeed proved his determination to deal with the Demon Race, and it also showed his unfathomable foundations.
She could… temporarily form an alliance with him.
Chu Tian felt somewhat shocked as he looked at her nonchalant, indifferent expression.
Although he had long expected that this arrogant little wildcat would not be so easily driven wild with excitement, he still felt a trace of indescribable bafflement — and displeasure — after she actually gave such a casual “oh.”
One must realize that this was a strategic technology capable of making a fortress take flight, enough to overturn the entire Continent’s war landscape.
He had originally wanted to use this to shock her a little, hoping to see a trace of admiration or praise on that face that was always filled with stubbornness and coldness.
Fine.
This little girl possessed that shocking magic and healing ability, along with a Giant Dragon and a Spatial Spirit Cat; it was indeed unnecessary for her to feel shocked by this.
‘Humph.’ Chu Tian let out a cold snort in his heart.
‘There will be opportunities… I will make sure this girl is “shocked” in other fields.’
“Showing this blueprint… and then what?” Su Nian pressed, caring more about the specific steps that would follow.
“Then, you will act like a true Saintess, warning of the threat of another Demon Race Invasion and proposing the formation of a Human Allied Army to the world to jointly resist the Demon Race.”
Chu Tian rubbed his well-defined chin, his eyes flashing with the cold light of a strategist.
“At the same time, this blueprint will eventually be offered to the nations participating in the crusade against the Demon Race,” he analyzed slowly.
“In the current situation, even though the shadow of the Demon Race Invasion has loomed over the entire kingdom, the various human nations are still immersed in their own little schemes. One can tell just by how they are racking their brains to find the missing you, rather than thinking about how to prepare for war…”
“Those countries and noble forces far away from the Demon Race are even more unwilling to go to war.”
And this blueprint was a potent medicine, a bait strong enough to forcibly bind all forces together.
“They can choose not to join the Allied Army.”
“But in that case, the ‘design blueprints for the floating magic array’ will have nothing to do with them anymore.”
Chu Tian had no time to instill the concept of “if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold” into the people of this world.
There wasn’t enough time.
Therefore, he chose the fastest method.
For their respective interests, for this technology that had once repelled the Demon Race, and to occupy a place in the future sky, those proud kings and nobles would likely sit down at the same negotiation table to discuss the formation of the Allied Army.
He paused, his dark gaze landing on the girl once more.
“Of course, during this period, you will become the focus of all forces. It will be very dangerous.” Chu Tian’s gaze felt substantial, carrying a burning temperature as it scrutinized her inch by inch, as if he wanted to see through her completely from inside to out.
“But do not be afraid.”
He deliberately lowered his voice, and there was a hint of unquestionable possessiveness in his tone, as if he were declaring sovereignty.
“I will protect you.”
Su Nian let out a sneer in her heart and nearly could not resist rolling her eyes.
‘Has this guy become a good person now?’
Tell her not to be afraid?
He even had the gall to say he would protect her.
The cold metal collar around her neck reminded her at every moment who the most dangerous existence in this luxurious bedroom truly was.
Forget it.
Getting angry with this guy would only increase her troubles.
She wouldn’t get angry…
She would just treat him as an “ally” who could be used temporarily to deal with the Demon Race, and a “partner” to obtain Humiliation Value.
“So, are you willing to participate in my plan? It is also fine if you refuse…”
Chu Tian asked seriously, tossing the choice back to her lightly.
Those dark eyes were bottomless, like two whirlpools wanting to suck her soul inside.
Su Nian was silent for a moment.
She raised her head, met his deep eyes, and nodded decisively, “Mm… I agree.”
She felt that she did not really have any other choice.
Although this Horned Demon bastard said he was giving her the right to refuse and put on a complete show of it, with his moody personality, who knew if he would immediately turn hostile because of a single “no.”
Over the past few days, heaven knew how many magic crystals used for recording images had been placed in every corner of this Shadowmoon Manor by him.
Those unsightly, humiliating scenes sufficient to ruin her reputation were still in his hands.
Moreover… her plan to become a god with “100 million Humiliation Value” could not succeed without this bastard’s full “cooperation.”
Only by accumulating enough Humiliation Value could she truly and completely escape this man, from her soul to her body.
Even if she left him now… what would happen to the plan to become a deity with 100 million Humiliation Value?
Faced with the temptation of immortality, even Su Nian could not remain indifferent.
Moreover, “victory” was right before her eyes.
She could not possibly go to some filthy bandit’s den just for the sake of immortality and let those men reeking of stench watch her, could she?
Or go to those dark Underground Auctions to be displayed in a cage like cargo and accept the scrutiny of countless greedy eyes?
Just the thought of that possibility made her stomach churn with a wave of nausea.
‘At least… at least Master Horned Demon, though a bastard, hateful, and perverted, was… somewhat easy on the eyes.’
‘His body was always clean, carrying a cold and pleasant scent of ambergris rather than any sickening sweat. Even his physique was good enough.’
Those firm and smooth muscle lines were full of explosive power.
Every time she was held in his arms, she could clearly feel that irresistible dominance.
Thinking about it this way… the Horned Demon was actually okay.
“Cough.”
Su Nian forcibly interrupted the dangerous thoughts in her mind, her cheeks burning slightly.
What was wrong with her?
How could she give the Horned Demon a rating of “actually okay”?
Shouldn’t she hate him intensely?
How could she… wuwuwu.
‘It must be because I’ve been bullied by this bastard for too long that even my aesthetics and judgment have declined together.’
‘Yes, it must be that!’
In short, since this Horned Demon bastard had clearly stated that this plan was to deal with the Demon Race, there was no problem with her participating.
She still believed that Master Horned Demon and the Demon Race were in an adversarial relationship.
In the battle of the Floating Fortress, she remembered very clearly that it was he and her contract beast, Little Violet, who had cooperated to finally close that damned Demon Race portal.
The Horned Demon had indeed personally slaughtered countless Demon Race soldiers.
His cold and decisive killing posture as he brandished his Longsword was still clearly branded in the depths of her mind.
So be it.
She would trust him this one time.
***
Meanwhile, after hearing the girl’s crisp and decisive response, the corner of Chu Tian’s mouth curled into an imperceptible arc.
He was very satisfied.
Extremely satisfied.
Secretly, he opened the System Shop in his mind and flipped to an extremely hidden page.
A dazzling array of items flickered with various dangerous and tempting lights.
He was still a bit bothered by the fact that the girl had “cheated” earlier with the popping candy.
That sudden sense of losing control that had caught even him off guard, and the way the girl hummed a little tune as she went to bathe… appearing as if she had “won”… this made him dwell on it.
This little wildcat was increasingly learning how to use her advantages to fight back.
If he had not been in his demonized state to barely resist her, he really might not have been able to handle her if he changed back.
This could not go on.
One day, he would still have to face Su Nian in his pure human form.
It would be embarrassing if he “disappointed” Su Nian right then and there…
Therefore, he needed an alternative.
And Su Nian’s cheating with “popping candy” had enlightened him.
Chu Tian’s gaze swept rapidly over the descriptions of the items in the shop one by one, finally settling on several special items.
‘Heh heh, you have your popping candy, and I have mine.’
He had to make Su Nian understand that no matter what tricks she played, the final control was always in his hands.
A smile full of wicked amusement and anticipation appeared on Chu Tian’s face.
After Su Nian reappeared in the Central Square of Academy City, she would, as expected, facilitate the establishment of the Human Allied Army.
Combined with the following of a Giant Dragon and her heaven-defying healing abilities, her prestige would reach an unprecedented peak.
At that time, he would use these newly purchased “items” to deal with her.
Chu Tian could almost imagine the scene.
During the day, she would be the Star-Moon Saintess — revered by all, holy, flawless, and inviolable.
She would be the spiritual leader of the Human Allied Army, the light of hope resisting the Demon Race Invasion.
But when night fell, the girl would shed all her halos, return to Shadowmoon Manor, and obediently kneel before him, her only Master…
Waiting for him to “cheat” using the items.