Then, Let Them Offer Their Loyalty!

Chapter 56: What a Damn Man

Chapter 56: What a Damn Man

Hearing Qiu Tu’s words, Qin Shuman’s pupils contracted sharply, and her body trembled slightly. Qiu Tu had perfectly targeted her weakness.

As a cataclysmic individual, Qin Shuman desperately wanted to resolve her current predicament. It wasn’t just that her current body was too unique, too sensitive, and too dangerous; it was also due to the operation rules of her cataclysmic ability.

All cataclysmic abilities required a “cost” to sustain them. The stronger the ability, the higher the cost. For short durations, this “cost” could be paid with “mental energy.” But if the duration was too long and mental energy was insufficient or unusable, terrifying consequences would ensue.

Qin Shuman had already been using her possession ability for four days, nearing her limit. She couldn’t imagine the horrors that would occur if she continued for a few more days. Even if she returned to her original body, it might already be too late.

Thus, she had seduced and surrendered herself to Qiu Tu, had risked revealing her identity to him, and had blindly followed his plans to leave the Qin family with Fourth Master Qin. The mysterious person who had “possessed” the original Qiu Tu was her only lifeline.

Qiu Tu had indeed accomplished this. Though he used Fourth Master Qin and the Security Division, he successfully rescued Qin Shuman from danger.

What Qin Shuman didn’t anticipate was that Qiu Tu’s apparent affection wasn’t genuine. He was as rational as she was. While they seemed to share a deep connection on the surface, Qiu Tu’s heart remained cold and calculating.

Fourth Master Qin’s stab was both a warning to him and to her: deep connections are fine, but interests come first. In chaotic times, there’s no room for love-stricken minds.

Faced with Qiu Tu’s new bait, Qin Shuman did not let her head be clouded. Knowing Qiu Tu’s knack for manipulation, she quickly analyzed the genuineness of his offer and the benefits he sought, weighing the pros and cons.

After a moment, she had her answer. She signaled to Lin Zuo with a nod. Lin Zuo understood and led Fourth Master Qin to the next room, closing the door behind them.

With the room now empty, Qin Shuman walked to the window, lowered her voice, and calmly stated her terms, "Tonight's operation was conducted independently by our Security Division and has nothing to do with you."

“The official record and archive will state that we were investigating the Qin family's ties to the anti-government forces, which led us to contact Fourth Master Qin. When the Qin family decided to scapegoat him, he retaliated by setting fire to the Qin estate and killing Qin Shuman. Subsequently, we took him into protective custody.”

“That’s the official story. Regardless of who investigates, that’s what they’ll find.”

“Moreover, I guarantee that even if the Political Division demands it, we won’t hand over Fourth Master Qin and his family.”

“Or… won’t hand them over alive.”

Hearing this, Qiu Tu smiled. He knew Qin Shuman was offering to shoulder all the blame internally to ensure his safety. But he shook his head, “Not enough.”

Qin Shuman wasn’t surprised. After a brief pause, she upped the ante, "I remember you have a few close friends. I’ve observed them these past few days and see potential in them."

"I can recommend two to join the military and ensure one of them becomes a lieutenant within a year."

Qiu Tu pondered this. A lieutenant, equivalent to a first-level agent, usually commands about 30 soldiers. It was the highest promotion an ordinary person could achieve.

Though generous, Qiu Tu still shook his head, “Not enough.”

Growing slightly frustrated, Qin Shuman was about to retort when Qiu Tu preemptively stated, “I also want some information on cataclysmic artifacts and abilities.”

After a moment's hesitation, Qin Shuman slowly agreed, “Deal.”

With the terms settled, the atmosphere became more relaxed. Qin Shuman visibly exhaled in relief but didn’t forget to warn Qiu Tu, “Qiu Tu, I’ve been very generous. If you dare deceive me, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

“If it comes to that, the blame I took and this stab wound, I’ll repay them all.”

Qiu Tu laughed heartily and teased, “They say a day as a couple grants a hundred days of grace. Would Miss Qin really bear to hurt me?”

The emphasis on “day” added a layer of intimacy to the conversation.

Qin Shuman's voice turned sultry, “Chief Qiu, you’ve already stabbed me. How could I not bear to stab you?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be as heartless. When I stab you, I’ll choose a beautiful knife, maybe a pink one. Does Chief Qiu like that?”

Qiu Tu laughed, “Miss Qin, how about we meet at Milan Hotel at 11 PM tomorrow?”

Qin Shuman’s lips curled into a slight smile, and she softly agreed.

They chatted a bit more before ending the call.

After setting down the communicator, Qin Shuman stood quietly for a moment, then glanced at the window. The dim light inside caused her reflection to show clearly on the glass—a beautiful woman with a hint of shyness.

Seeing her reflection, Qin Shuman was momentarily stunned.

Qin Shuman quickly concealed her expression and silently scolded herself, 'Why am I smiling? What's there to smile about after sparring with that wretched man? It must be this body's residual instincts.'

She turned to leave the room but winced as her movement aggravated her shoulder wound. Clutching the wound, she gritted her teeth and murmured, "What a damn man."

Meanwhile, at the Investigation Department building, Qiu Tu also ended his call.

Unlike Lin Zuo, Qin Shuman shared his interests. Their fates were intertwined—one's loss was the other's loss. Thus, once Qin Shuman agreed to cover for him, Qiu Tu was confident she would handle everything properly.

With the Security Division taking the fall, the web of lies Qiu Tu had been spinning since his transmigration would transform from falsehoods into accepted truths. Even if Jia Shu and Yan Chen were suspicious, they couldn't refute the fact that the Security Division was genuinely involved.

Consequently, all of Qiu Tu's previous fabrications would be "verified": his predictions about Qin Shuman's identity, his suspicions about the Qin family, and his warnings about Yan Chen. Following this logic, a reexamination of the entire situation would reveal an interesting conclusion: Qiu Tu appeared to be genuinely "wronged."

Jia Shu and Yan Chen, who doubted Qiu Tu, would be blamed for the Investigation Department's failures. This was Qiu Tu's ultimate objective for the night: to clear his name and eliminate all unstable elements around him.

Afterward, even if Yan Chen and Jia Shu still suspected him, the matter would be over. Qin Shuman would be "dead," Fourth Master Qin would have fled, and the Security Division's records would be sealed, leaving no evidence or grounds for further questioning. The final "truth" of the incident would be firmly established.

Feeling a sense of relief after executing his plan, Qiu Tu took a deep breath. The crisis was resolved, Qin Shuman was free, and he had awakened his cataclysmic ability. The night had left only Yan Chen, Jia Shu, the Qin family, and Fourth Master Qin wounded.

Now, he only needed to avoid making mistakes and slowly dismantle Yan Chen and Jia Shu. Additionally, he needed to investigate what had transpired on the day he transmigrated—what had happened to the original Qiu Tu and the original Qin Shuman.

For some reason, thoughts of that day always left Qiu Tu feeling uneasy.

After a moment of contemplation, Qiu Tu took a few deep breaths to adjust his state of mind, ready to "return to reality."

He put away both communicators and deactivated his cataclysmic ability. As "Reshape Order" deactivated, reality reformed around him, restoring everything to normal.

The next second, Qiu Tu felt a wave of dizziness, similar to the sensation he experienced after using clairvoyance for half an hour. This surprised him.

‘It’s only been five or six minutes. Why does it feel so draining?’

‘Is my cataclysmic ability particularly taxing on mental energy? How much mental energy would it take to sustain it for 24 hours?’

Steadying himself and maintaining his composure, Qiu Tu calmly returned to the interrogation room.

In the interrogation room, the female spy had been brought in and was handcuffed to a chair. Liu Fuping, Song Qing, and Wang Xi were quietly discussing the interrogation procedure.

Upon seeing Qiu Tu, they stood at attention and greeted him. Qiu Tu waved them off, indicating they should continue.

Knowing his role as a figurehead, Qiu Tu refrained from intervening in the interrogation, preferring to observe and learn rather than offering uninformed guidance.

Watching the interrogation throughout the night left Qiu Tu with two impressions.

First, the female spy was exceptionally cunning, shamelessly manipulating the interrogators. She had a knack for exploiting men’s gullibility.

Second, Liu Fuping, despite her seductive appearance, was brutally efficient. Watching her methodically break the spy’s fingers with her perfectly manicured nails made Qiu Tu’s scalp tingle. Remarkably, Liu Fuping maintained a serene, smiling demeanor, even while inflicting pain.

Qiu Tu couldn’t help but admire Chief Liu from the next room: How did he avoid psychological trauma from this?

Few could endure endless torture. The female spy eventually divulged all the information the Interrogation Office sought: her contacts with the anti-government forces, the details of installing eavesdropping devices, her codename, her superior, and more.

According to her, her relationship with Deputy Chairman Tian was a fluke. She had been an ordinary scout until she inadvertently charmed him, leading to her solitary infiltration without comrades.

Qiu Tu remained skeptical of information obtained under torture but didn’t intervene, understanding his observer role.

When the interrogation concluded, dawn was breaking. The group tidied the interrogation room, stretching as they left.

Qiu Tu led the way, with Liu Fuping walking beside him. After the night’s events, Qiu Tu no longer harbored fantasies about the alluring widow. However, she initiated the conversation.

“Chief, you must be exhausted after a night of interrogation.”

Yawning, Qiu Tu replied, “Not too bad, just a bit tired. After all, most of the work was done by you, Sister Liu. If anyone’s tired, it’s you.”

Liu Fuping’s voice turned languid, “I am a bit tired. All I want now is a hot bath and a good sleep.”

As she stretched, her well-developed curves were perfectly outlined in front of Qiu Tu. Seeing this, Qiu Tu's eyes gleamed mischievously, suddenly feeling wide awake.

Perhaps sensing Qiu Tu's gaze, Liu Fuping lowered her arms and threw him a sultry glance, boldly inviting, "My place is nearby. Would you like to come over and sleep for a while, Chief?"

Hearing this, Qiu Tu felt a sudden jolt, a familiar sense of being lured into a trap. He quickly calmed himself internally but outwardly feigned surprise, "Sleep at your place? Sister Liu, if you say it like that, I'm bound to get the wrong idea. Let's go, let's go! I can't wait any longer!"

Liu Fuping laughed heartily at Qiu Tu's blunt teasing, lightly hitting him as she pressed her soft waist against him. Qiu Tu laughed along, enjoying the flirtation while remaining inwardly composed.

Behind them, the other interrogation agents exchanged glances. Pharmacist Wang Xi nudged the backs of Qiu Tu and Liu Fuping with his chin, winking at the young girl Song Qing. She rolled her eyes and mouthed, "Adulterer and adulteress."

Meanwhile, in the Surveillance Room of the Information Division at the Investigation Department, a shadowy figure received a call. Answering it, the voice of Jia Shu came through, "Any anomalies?"

Author's Note