Upon hearing Master Qin Si's words, Qiu Tu knew that Master Qin Si had been persuaded by him and was preparing to test him.
With this thought, he began to execute the last step of his plan, "Yes, I can save you."
He said slowly, "Fourth Master, your original plan was to use the Political Departnt's authority for internal supervision to pull down Qin Zhengguang."
"But you obviously forgot the most important point: Qin Zhengguang is also a man of the Investigation Bureau."
"At this sensitive ti, how could Director Yan possibly allow a director of the Investigation Bureau to have issues?"
"Isn't that just giving the Municipal Committee and the military a reason to criticize him?"
"So, even if I hadn't betrayed you and had beco your pawn to go against Qin Zhengguang, it wouldn't have been possible to succeed! Director Yan would just suppress everything."
"I believe you must have heard this analysis from your two brothers tonight...."
"So, the reason I betrayed you is truly because I was forced to..."
Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Master Qin Si fell silent.
Indeed, as Qiu Tu had said. When he had refused to take the fall for the Qin Family, furiously asking why Qin Zhengguang couldn't step forward to take the bla himself, Qin Heng had given him a lesson on the spot.
He had learned that Yan Chen and Qin Zhengguang were on the sa boat, and Yan Chen would not allow Qin Zhengguang to take the bla at this critical juncture.
The Investigation Bureau could not afford to make mistakes!
Sensing Master Qin Si's silence, Qiu Tu's lips curled into a smile, and then he whispered, "So, Fourth Master...do you want to switch camps?"
In that instant, Master Qin Si was taken aback.
His voice, full of disbelief, ca through the receiver, "Aren't you Yan Chen's confidant? You...?"
Qiu Tu laughed, his eyes wide open as he told a bald-faced lie, "I am indeed Director Yan's confidant. But...I'm certainly not Qin Zhengguang's confidant."
"You don't know, but this ti after I targeted the Qin Family, Qin Zhengguang was actually very grateful to , and he even took the initiative to give a car, along with many gifts."
"To be honest...I'm really scared."
Qiu Tu expressed, "Fourth Master. To be frank. If he had cursed out or threatened , I wouldn't worry; after all, that would indicate Director Qin is nothing but a brave sans strategic fool."
"But his sycophantic approach, even given gifts... I'm very worried he's harboring ill will and planning to settle scores with in the future."
"Furthermore, the Qin Family is about to lean towards the Bureau Chief and be accepted as a confidant. In the Bureau Chief's eyes, do you think I'm more important, or is such a large Qin Family more important?"
"So, I don't want the Qin Family to lean towards the Bureau Chief. Or to be more precise, even if they do, there must be soone I can control."
"For example... you."
The contempt and threats from Qiu Tu did not anger Master Qin Si. On the contrary, it brought quite a bit of peace to his heart.
Qiu Tu continued, "Fourth Master, I hold your damning evidence, the proof of you betraying the Qin Family. In the future, when you take charge of the Qin Family, you wouldn't dare harm ."
"Even if you can't swallow this humiliation and truly plan to make a move against , we might as well perish together."
"We have a basis for cooperation...."
After hearing Qiu Tu's words, Master Qin Si's expression changed continuously over the other side of the communicator.
After a long mont, he asked, "Which other camp are you suggesting?"
The smile on Qiu Tu's face grew broader as he softly uttered two words, "The military."
Master Qin Si's pupils contracted slightly, his heart shocked.
The military, the most inconspicuous of the three major powers. Even General Ye of the military kept an extrely low profile in Xinjie City.
But... No one could disregard the presence of this departnt and this powerful figure.
After all, two years ago, when he was still Colonel Ye, he led a division's troops to station in Xinjie City under the pretense of passing through.
Then, after having thoroughly investigated the distribution of power in the entire Xinjie City, he directly cleansed all the underground forces and dozens of families, big and small, in Xinjie City.
At that ti, rivers of blood flowed through Xinjie City, and all those who opposed the rule of the Sanctuary were genocidally destroyed.
Afterwards, Colonel Ye was promoted to Major General Ye, and while retaining a core force of a regint, he recruited and expanded to a division, continuing to station in Xinjie City.
Therefore, although the City Hall is the supre authority of Xinjie City, and the Investigation Bureau is a violent institution closely linked to most people in Xinjie City, there is no one who dares to overlook General Ye and the military...
'If I could really hold onto the military's coattails, then...'
At this thought, Master Qin Si shivered all over and suddenly realized he had almost been dazzled by the huge pie Qiu Tu was painting.
Once he ca to his senses, he couldn't help but question, "The military? Why would the military want to protect ?"
"Besides, the military has no authority to intervene in city governance. How can they protect ?"
"You're not telling that for my sake, a discard, they would publicly confront the Investigation Bureau, are you?"
Hearing Master Qin Si's words, Qiu Tu smiled again and then said softly, "Fourth Master, are you aware of... the military's Security Departnt?"
Master Qin Si's body jolted sharply, his face showing a realization and...excitent.
....
In the next fifteen minutes, Qiu Tu vividly laid out the benefits of siding with the Security Departnt to Master Qin Si.
For instance, the Security Departnt would protect Master Qin Si to the military's safe house and destroy all traces, ensuring the Investigation Bureau couldn't find any.
This was a lot more reliable than the Qin Family's promise to send Master Qin Si to prison.
For example, the Security Departnt would arrest Qin Zhengguang based on Master Qin Si's report, clearing the way for Master Qin Si and Third Master Qin to take over.
For instance, the Security Departnt would grant a special amnesty to Master Qin Si for surrendering and reporting others, he wouldn't be punished, and after everything was over, Master Qin Si would regain his freedom, and so on....
After hearing the prospects Qiu Tu depicted, although Master Qin Si still hesitated, he was clearly tempted.
Seeing this, Qiu Tu didn't pressure or rush him. Being deeply knowledgeable about human nature, he knew that in order to make soone take the bait, it was essential to balance giving slack and pulling tight—patience was crucial.
Therefore, they set a final deadline. Neither early nor late, it was precisely one hour before Qin Heng was to et Yan Chen: 7 o'clock.
After that ti, their deal would be void. Before then, Master Qin Si would have ample ti to think it over and make his final decision.
After hanging up the phone, Qiu Tu looked at the sky outside and felt the sunset was unexpectedly beautiful.
Although it wasn't yet ti, he was already more than 90% sure that this fire would ignite.
During the days he had been in contact with Master Qin Si, Qiu Tu had already figured out his character through various pieces of intelligence.
Perhaps because he was the last son of the first wife, Master Qin Si had been willful and defiant from a young age, not only cold-hearted but also a trendous gambler.
Qiu Tu rembered a saying that Master Qin Si often had on his lips: "To the victor belong the spoils, he who gambles must accept loss."
Therefore, if the sa conditions were given to Qin Zhengguang, he would most likely give up due to familial affection or the risks involved.
But Master Qin Si.... As long as there was a sliver of possibility, he wouldn't resign himself to fate....
So, having given him such great hope, all he had to do now was quietly wait for him to bite....
With this thought, Qiu Tu no longer focused on Master Qin Si but went to his bedroom to check on his Cataclysmic Potion.
Pushing open the bedroom door, he was first hit with a briny scent, like that of the sea. Following that, Qiu Tu felt as if he had been transported into the midst of a vast ocean.
At this mont, the whole room had turned azure blue, and the rippling surface of the water reflected on the ceiling as if it were the ocean floor.
The sounds of the sea breeze and the lapping waves surrounded him.
He reached out, and the sea water flowed over his body, soaking his clothes through and sticking them tight against him....
"Hey! Qiu Tu! Qiu Tu!"
While Qiu Tu was engrossed in this "indoor ocean" spectacle, suddenly, he heard Shen Lingshuang's voice calling out to him.
Groggily coming back to his senses, Qiu Tu realized he was standing in his bedroom.
But... there was no ocean, no sea breeze, no waves in sight, only a room full of alchemy equipnt and ingredients.
'Was everything just now a hallucination?'
Qiu Tu was startled, but then he noticed sothing was off because... he truly seed as though he had just been pulled out of the sea, drenched from head to toe.
"Drip... Drip..."
Qiu Tu looked down; his shirt, pants, and shoes were all soaked, dripping water.
He touched a drop of water and tasted it. It was salty....
Qiu Tu looked up at Shen Lingshuang, who appeared concerned, and asked, "What happened to ?"
Shen Lingshuang was hesitant.
She carefully said, "I'm not sure either...."
"I've encountered sothing similar before. But... my father told it involves the truth of the Cataclysm and the nature of the world."
"He said unless one embarks on the path of the Cataclysm, there's no need to know. So, I don't understand what's going on either. All I can say is, this isn't the first occurrence."
Hearing this, Qiu Tu's gaze turned to the bubbling blue Magic Potion within the device....
Could it be that all that just happened was caused by this bottle of Cataclysmic Potion in front of him?
Just a potion, and it could create such a vivid hallucination? Moreover... could this hallucination turn from fiction to fact?
Then... how wondrous must the world of the supernaturally gifted be...?
With these thoughts, Qiu Tu looked at Shen Lingshuang and inquired, "How much longer until the Potion is ready?"
Shen Lingshuang paused for a mont, "Ten minutes."
Qiu Tu nodded, "I'm going to change my clothes."
Having said that, he took a towel from the restroom to dry off his body, and then found a couple of clean clothes in the living room to change into.
Just like that, ten minutes passed in a flash.
By the ti Qiu Tu had changed, Shen Lingshuang walked slowly out of the bedroom holding two bottles of azure Potion…
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