Chapter 245: Sprinting Down the Path of Cao Cao
Qin Chu patted Heloise’s head, praising her.
This public display of affection made Heloise blush, her body feeling strangely warm.
She was puzzled by her own reaction, biting her lip. It must be the heat, she thought, definitely not because of his praise.
But this highlighted the difference between her old and new masters. Diabolique had never praised her, no matter how well she performed, as if her service was simply expected. And now, she had heard from Qin Chu the words she had longed to hear from Diabolique.
In comparison, Diabolique seemed cold and uncaring.
But she quickly shook her head, pushing these thoughts aside. Such comparisons were disrespectful to her new master.
Meanwhile, Diabolique, seeing their intimate exchange, was fuming.
Heloise had never been so docile with him, and now she was practically fawning over this human.
And Qin Chu praising her… it was like him saying to Diabolique directly, Your girlfriend… is amazing!
The humiliation fueled his rage, his rational mind receding, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
He had wanted to see Qin Chu suffer, even die, but instead, he was the one being toyed with, made to look like a fool.
For Qin Chu, Heloise was indeed a beauty.
What was the difference between a Demon Beast and a human, anyway? Her figure was better, her skin smoother, her face more beautiful, her voice more pleasant…
Qin Chu didn’t care. He was a man of…broad tastes.
And Diabolique’s rage only fueled his own perverse satisfaction.
This feeling of stealing another man’s woman… it was intoxicating.
He felt himself becoming more and more like Cao Cao, sprinting down that path.
No, no, I’m not like him, he thought, It’s just a coincidence that some of the women I like happen to have… other admirers…
He smiled, his gaze sweeping over the ground, then at the surrounding area:
“Your Highness Diabolique…” he began, his voice dripping with mockery, “I thought that as the First Prince, a being of such high status and power, you would fight me honorably. But instead, you set up traps while I was engulfed by lava? If I’m not mistaken, this entire area is riddled with them, isn’t it?”
“Although Demon Beasts are known for their ferocity and brutality, at least you’re usually straightforward, using your overwhelming strength to crush your enemies.”
He used the term “straightforward,” which sounded better than “stupid.”
“But now… tsk, tsk… Such underhanded methods, Your Highness. You truly disappoint me.”
Demon Beasts were competitive and prideful, placing great importance on appearances, even more so than humans. While they hadn’t questioned Diabolique’s orders to set up traps before, now, called out by Qin Chu, they felt a sense of shame. After all, such underhanded tactics were usually associated with humans, not them.
This only applied to the higher-ranking Demon Beasts with some intelligence, of course. Those lower-level ones lacked the capacity for such complex thoughts.
These powerful but not-so-bright Demon Beasts, with their easily provoked tempers, were perfect targets for manipulation.
They whispered amongst themselves, their morale faltering.
Diabolique’s heart sank. He hadn’t expected this Hero to be so cunning… Demon Beasts rarely used schemes. As Qin Chu had said, they usually just charged head-on, relying on their numbers and strength.
They looked down on those who used underhanded tactics, considering it the method of the weak.
Diabolique had considered this, but his priority was to ensure the Hero’s death. As long as the Hero was dead, the entire Demon Beast race would be celebrating, and no one would care about such minor details.
But he hadn’t expected the Hero to not only survive the traps but also to expose his scheme. He could sense the disdain in his subordinates’ eyes. Even if he killed the Hero now, his reputation would be tarnished, the glory diminished.
“Your Highness…” Iyeta’s voice, low and urgent, came from beside him, “Now is not the time to be silent, with the troops’ morale wavering…”
“Why not say that you did this to capture the Hero, to prevent further losses among the Demon Beasts? Even if you bear the shame, it might earn you their loyalty,” she suggested quickly.
Diabolique’s eyes lit up.
As expected of a cunning Blood Elf, her mind worked quickly.
He had been worried that Iyeta’s control ring might have fallen into Qin Chu’s hands, that she might be a spy.
Even if not, he doubted that this insidious Blood Elf would still obey him without the ring.
But her suggestion reassured him. She wasn’t a traitor. If she were, she wouldn’t give him such valuable advice.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward, not a trace of shame on his face, only a confident smile. “Hero,” he said, “why would you say that?”
“You are the Hero, the strongest among humans.”
“If I let you escape now, countless Demon Beasts will die… If I can trap and kill you here, preventing the deaths of thousands of my brethren, then I, Diabolique, am willing to bear any shame, any insult, any mockery.”
His words had the desired effect.
The Demon Beasts’ eyes lit up with renewed loyalty. So that was what their prince was thinking! They had chosen the right leader!
Only Iyeta, listening to Diabolique parroting her words almost verbatim, shook her head inwardly.
It seemed that this First Prince was a little smarter than the others, but only a little.
Compared to the Hero, his intelligence was far inferior. At this moment, Iyeta was certain that Diabolique would be no match for Qin Chu.
It was fortunate that she had found a smarter and more powerful master, and wouldn’t share Diabolique’s fate.
Diabolique, pleased with himself for boosting his troops’ morale, didn’t bother to thank Iyeta. He was the First Prince, and she was his subordinate. Assisting him was her duty.
“Hero,” he said, “since you know about the traps, I won’t hide it from you. What you’ve experienced so far are just the weakest ones.”
“If you’re smart, hand over Heloise and kneel. Perhaps I’ll grant you a swift death. Otherwise, you will experience the true cruelty of Demon Beasts.”
“One of your Hero Squad members has been captured by my brother. He’s having a… difficult time… you know. My brother arranged for a few thousand Demon Beasts to… entertain… him. You wouldn’t want to share his fate, would you?”
Diabolique still wanted Heloise. He wanted to reclaim the ring that controlled her and make her pay for her betrayal.
His ferocious gaze made Heloise tremble, and she instinctively clutched Qin Chu’s clothes.
But instead of letting her go, Qin Chu held her even closer, a mocking smile on his lips, “Diabolique, do you really think I’m like you?”
“Heloise is amazing. She was yours once, but now she’s mine. And I, Qin Chu, would never abandon my woman like you did.”
Then, his gaze swept over the surrounding Demon Beasts, his mockery intensifying, “And those traps you mentioned? You think you can defeat me with those? Your Highness, how little do you think of me?”
“Anthea!”
“Phil!”
Qin Chu’s face hardened, and he roared.
The next second, Anthea and Phil appeared simultaneously.
Although Phil’s energy was depleted, she had recovered some of it in the lava, and most importantly, she seemed to be able to draw energy directly from the sapling within Qin Chu. As long as the sapling wasn’t drained, she could maintain her full strength.
Anthea, the strongest Valkyrie, had arrived, her chains dancing wildly.
And the Flame Witch’s graceful silhouette appeared behind Qin Chu.
This sight made Diabolique seethe with jealousy. The Flame Witch, whom he had paid such a high price to try and subdue, was now the Hero’s subordinate.
It felt as if something that belonged to him had been stolen.
But he didn’t have time to speak. Anthea stomped her foot, and her chains, extending and thickening, lashed out like giant pythons, smashing against the collapsed rocks and the ground.
And the Flame Witch spread her crimson wings, soaring into the sky like a firebird, raining down fireballs.
Rumble…
Deafening explosions echoed through the air.
The traps and barriers that the hundreds of Demon Beasts had painstakingly created were triggered almost simultaneously.
The earth shook, the mountain trembled.
And Iyeta was getting closer and closer to the Grand Prince, a strange glint in her crimson eyes!
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