20demayo Chapter 224 The Mastermind Suddenly Becomes a Victim
Chapter 224 The Mastermind Suddenly Becomes a Victim
Chapter 224 The Mastermind Suddenly Becomes a Victim
The tranquility of Xingluo Imperial City did not last long.
Just as Xu Jiawei and Ling Ya had predicted, a few days later, a strongly worded letter bearing the exclusive seal of Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion was delivered directly to the Emperor of the Star Luo Empire through special channels.
The letter contained no surprises. It questioned the Star Luo Empire in the strongest terms why it had allowed Ling Ya to plunder Huo Yuhao's personal belongings from Shrek Academy in broad daylight, and demanded that the Star Luo Empire immediately and unconditionally return all the items.
The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was solemn.
Xu Jiawei looked at the letter, which practically conveyed the sender's anger, but his face showed little surprise. He had already prepared a countermeasure.
Soon, a carefully orchestrated response was released through official channels.
The Star Luo Empire did not directly deny the fact that it had taken the ring, but it cleverly shifted all the "leading responsibility" onto Dai Youheng alone.
The official statement claimed that this was Dai Youheng's personal act. He harbored a long-standing grudge against Dean Yan Shaozhe of Shrek Academy, and upon learning that an important Shrek disciple had returned with a treasure, he planned and carried out the operation out of revenge and a desire for compensation. The Star Luo Empire was also deeply shocked upon discovering this.
Immediately afterwards, Dai Youheng himself stepped forward. Facing Shrek's questioning, he neither denied nor acted arrogantly, but remained unusually calm, even speaking with a hint of grievance about the promise Yan Shaozhe had made in public two years ago.
"Dean Yan, it is an indisputable fact that you attacked me without cause that day and even falsely accused me of being an evil spirit master. After His Majesty and the Princess mediated, Shrek Academy promised that if I had any conflicts with your academy in the future, as long as I did not harm any Shrek Academy student, your academy would not pursue the matter. This time, although I took something from Huo Yuhao, did I harm him in the slightest during the process? Did I harm any member of Shrek Academy? No, His Majesty Bingkong even intervened as promised, helping Dean Xian Lin'er repel the evil spirit master and save Huo Yuhao's life."
"Since that's the case, this incident fully falls within the scope of the promise made back then. This ring will serve as your final compensation and apology, Dean Yan and Shrek Academy, for what happened back then. This matter is now closed. If your academy insists on pursuing the matter, it would be a breach of promise and a betrayal of commitment, witnessed by all Soul Masters under heaven!"
These words were well-reasoned and supported by evidence, and they directly accused Yan Shaozhe of "betrayal."
Upon hearing these words, Yan Shaozhe's face turned ashen with anger, his chest heaving violently, yet he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
When he made the promise, he only thought it was to get rid of Dai Youheng. He never expected that this seemingly useless promise would be used so precisely and cleverly by Dai Youheng today, putting Shrek Academy in a real bind!
He truly broke his teeth, but he could only swallow the blood and grievances, feeling extremely frustrated.
When the news reached Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao was shocked and confused when he learned that Dai Youheng was the one who ultimately stole the treasure. He even felt a surge of resentment at being betrayed.
In his memory, although his half-brother had become increasingly unfamiliar, it was an undeniable fact that he had once given him warmth in his early years. Why would he now try to take advantage of him?
Seeing his distress, Cai Meier wanted to comfort him. After all, she was experienced and saw things more clearly. She sighed and said, "Yuhao, this matter is not as simple as it seems on the surface. Dai Youheng is probably just a pawn that has been pushed out. The real mastermind behind it is most likely the Star Luo Royal Family. It just so happens that Dai Youheng has a promise that our academy owes him, which has become the Star Luo Empire's best shield to deflect our questioning. This is an open conspiracy. We know that he has his reasons, and may even be forced, but as long as he doesn't come forward and admit that he is taking the blame for someone else, we cannot break this game."
She further analyzed, "From Dai Youheng's perspective, he has now completely broken ties with the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, and his only support in the Star Luo Kingdom is the royal family. He cannot afford to offend the Xu family. For his own safety and future prospects, he has no choice but to take the blame, and he must even appear to be willing. He is also caught in a dilemma."
After listening to Cai Meier's analysis, Huo Yuhao suddenly understood, and most of the resentment in his heart dissipated in an instant, replaced by a complex sense of sympathy.
It turned out that her brother's situation in Xingluo was so difficult. He seemed to be living a glamorous life, but in reality, he was nothing more than a tool in the hands of the royal family that could be sacrificed at any time, and he was even forced to bear such a stigma. He was not doing well either.
Shrek is not the only company holding similar views.
When the news reached the ears of the top leaders of various forces, almost everyone with a bit of political acumen and intelligence analysis ability, such as the top leaders of the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Fighting Spirit Empire, and even Jing Hongchen of the Sun Moon Empire, came to the same conclusion as Cai Meier.
The Star Luo Empire benefits, while Dai Youheng takes the blame. This is almost obvious.
Especially Du Bu Si of the Body Sect, this straightforward and impulsive sect leader, openly mocked in his sect's main hall, "The Star Luo Xu family is really getting worse! They want that little bit of soul tool technology from the Sun Moon Empire, but they don't have the ability to get it themselves, so they put forward a son-in-law to take the fall? Using an innocent junior as a shield, bah! They have utterly disgraced the imperial family!"
As a result, Dai Youheng's image subtly changed in the minds of the top figures of various forces. He went from a promising young genius with considerable talent to an unfortunate "bad boy" who was used by the imperial family, forced to bear the stigma, and worthy of sympathy and even pitifulness.
However, within the Star Luo Empire, the version of events that ordinary people and low-level Soul Masters, who were completely unaware of the truth behind the power struggles at the top, were told through deliberately misleading official channels that Master Ma, Dai Youheng, was both wise and brave, and that he had "legally" obtained a large amount of valuable Soul Tool data from Shrek Academy, greatly enhancing the empire's strength.
He was a hero and loyal subject who was unafraid of powerful figures and devoted to the empire!
One pot boils down to two sides.
The benefits that Dai Youheng truly desired—the core technologies and materials that had been quietly transferred—had already been firmly secured in his possession.
The Xingluo royal family obtained the information they wanted and Lingya's loyalty, and were deeply satisfied with Dai Youheng's understanding of the bigger picture.
As a result, Dai Youheng's threat level in the eyes of powerful figures outside the country has been greatly reduced, and he has even gained unexpected sympathy: his reputation in China has risen instead of falling.
Most importantly, this pot wasn't originally a black pot; the whole thing was actually orchestrated by him from beginning to end.
Then he himself pinned the blame on himself. But through this whole process, the truth was twisted into falsehood, and he, the mastermind behind it all, disappeared perfectly, becoming the biggest "victim" in the process.
Knowing the whole story, Nana couldn't help but mutter to herself as she secretly protected Dai Youheng, "Young Master is so despicable. He's the one stirring up trouble, yet the whole world thinks he's a delicate flower battered by the storm—"
The most direct benefit of this compassion and sacrifice was that Xu Jiujiu was almost overflowing with guilt and love.
The way she looked at Dai Youheng was so tender it could melt your heart, and she was filled with a desire to make amends. She clung to him even more, almost inseparable from him.
For six or seven days, Dai Youheng did not step out of the princess's residence, immersing himself in the princess's meticulous and gentle comfort.
However, Dai Youheng was ultimately not one to indulge in the pleasures of love. In his eyes, while romantic love was certainly an important seasoning and tool, there were things far more worthy of pursuit than the tenderness of beautiful women.
Power, authority, and that supreme divine position.
He finally found an excuse to escape from their long and intimate moment, and immediately summoned Nana in secret.
"Nana," he instructed, his eyes regaining their usual clarity and sharpness, "you set off immediately and infiltrate the vicinity of Shrek City. Keep a close eye on their upcoming Sea God's Fate Blind Date Event. After the event ends, Huo Yuhao should go out for a while. Once he returns, no matter what has happened, you return to me immediately and report all the details."
"Yes, young master!" Nana accepted the order, her figure quietly blending into the shadows and disappearing from sight.
Dai Youheng stood with his hands behind his back, gazing in the direction of Shrek City. The Sea God's Fate—that was the opening bell of another great show. He wouldn't miss it.
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