Filthy, So Filthy!

Having made up her mind, Qian Renxue no longer hesitated.

She looked at Lin Jin, her tone turning resolute and forceful. "General Lin, tell me your arrangements in detail. How do we need to cooperate?"

Lin Jin knew that the most critical moment had arrived. He had to present a clear, seemingly foolproof plan before Qian Renxue and the two Dulo would commit with confidence.

"Your Highness, this matter must proceed in three steps, carried out simultaneously, to ensure a One-Hit Kill!" Lin Jin said in a low voice, laying it out methodically.

"First, ask Patriarch Yang Wudi to come forward. Using his authority as Patriarch of the Breaking Clan, he will state that the poison in Your Majesty's body shares the same origin as certain hidden symptoms that appeared before the deaths of the two Imperial Princes many years ago."

"Second, ask Your Highness to mobilize the palace's forces. We need Your Majesty to discover letters showing that Xue Beng has been secretly corresponding with certain officials, so that he knows Xue Beng only pretended to be a wastrel because he had a guilty conscience."

"Third, and most crucially, capture the ringleader and seize both the culprit and the evidence! Your Highness must deploy your guards, while I lure the Assassination Squad into making a move."

Qian Renxue listened carefully. Though risky, every step seemed feasible, especially since the most critical combat portion would be handled by the two Titled Douluo. It could practically be called a sure thing.

She exchanged glances with Pufferfish and Snake Lance again, receiving affirmative responses.

"Good! We'll proceed as the general says." Qian Renxue finally made the decision. "Guard Pufferfish, Guard Snake, you will take full responsibility for the third step. Make sure to cooperate with General Lin, capture the Star Luo Assassins, and obtain Ironclad Evidence."

"This subordinate accepts the order!" Lin Jin and the two Dulo answered in unison.

Qian Renxue suddenly asked Lin Jin, "General Lin, if the plan succeeds, how long until I can ascend the throne?"

She had realized that Yang Wudi could certainly cure the Seven-Colored Splendor Poison in Xue Ye's body, which had yet to take effect.

After all these years, she had only just managed to make Xue Ye take five different medicinal ingredients.

If Yang Wudi detoxified Xue Ye after this incident, she did not know how long it would take before she could administer the Seven-Colored Splendor Poison again.

"His Highness the Crown Prince, what do you think is the most poisonous thing in the world?" Lin Jin asked in return.

"What do you mean?" Qian Renxue froze, caught off guard by the sudden question.

She considered countless answers: Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor Poison, Seven-Colored Splendor Poison, and all manner of Severe Poisons in the world.

Looking into Qian Renxue's puzzled eyes, Lin Jin slowly said, "The Poison of the Heart."

He further explained, his tone calm though every word was chilling. "If this succeeds, Xue Ye will not only have to face betrayal from his younger brother, but also endure the cruel truth that his fourth son was the murderer who killed his other two sons."

"Losing sons one after another, then being betrayed by his Dearest, abandoned by all, with a lonely and miserable old age... Your Highness, do you think an aged Emperor's mind can withstand such successive heavy blows?"

"So," Lin Jin said, his gaze seeming to see straight through people's hearts as he looked directly at Qian Renxue, "the most potent poison in the world is none other than a heart that has died of grief."

"Yang Wudi may be able to cure poison of the flesh. But there is no medicine for the wound of a dead heart. After this, even if Xue Ye's Dragon Body remains unharmed, his will shall inevitably collapse. With his spirits depressed, the decline of his Dragon Body will only be a matter of time."

"At that point, Your Highness can govern in the Crown Prince's capacity, and it will all follow naturally. And Your Majesty may soon need to recuperate due to 'excessive grief' and 'illness born of worry,' completely handing the burden of the realm over to you."

When Lin Jin finished explaining, the study fell silent.

Qian Renxue, Pufferfish, and Snake Lance were all shaken by his words.

Before this, they had only considered eliminating their enemies physically or bringing them down politically. Never had they thought of utterly crushing Xue Ye mentally.

This method was more concealed, more natural, and harder to trace.

The Poison of the Heart! This was true killing without shedding blood!

Qian Renxue looked at Lin Jin, a chill rising from the depths of her heart.

Pufferfish and Snake Lance felt the same.

They did not fear powerful opponents. Even if the other side were a Peak Douluo above Ninety-Five Rank, they would still have the courage to fight.

But as they faced Lin Jin now, they felt a threat from an entirely different dimension.

It was not the oppressive force of a Martial Soul or soul skills, but a heart-striking scheme that was silent and shapeless, yet could make someone fall into an abyss without realizing it.

This was simply impossible to guard against!

If one became enemies with such a person, one might not even know how one died. Even at the moment of death, one might not understand who had harmed them or how.

He might not need to do anything at all. With just a few casual words or a glance, he could kill with a borrowed knife, turn everyone against you, and send you into an abyss of eternal ruin.

Seeing the three of them staring blankly, Lin Jin knew that his words might have touched their souls.

He then took his leave. "Your Highness, if there are no further instructions, this subordinate shall take his leave first. Everything will proceed according to plan."

Qian Renxue took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the Waves in her heart and trying to make her voice sound steady. "Good. Go, General. Be careful in all things."

Watching Lin Jin turn and leave, his back vanishing beyond the door, Snake Lance Douluo let out a breath. "His heart is truly filthy!"

Pufferfish nodded in agreement. "Filthy. Too filthy!"

After seeing Lin Jin leave the residence, Qian Renxue recovered herself. Her brows furrowed slightly as she seemed to ponder something.

Seeing Qian Renxue's expression, Snake Lance asked in confusion, "Your Highness, what is it? Is there a problem with the plan?"

"There's no problem with the plan." Qian Renxue continued troubledly, "But I keep feeling that something about this is not right."

"I just feel there's a problem, but I can't say exactly what it is!?"

Snake Lance and Pufferfish looked at each other, completely bewildered.

Then Qian Renxue carefully recalled Lin Jin's Three-Step Plan from beginning to end.

She even analyzed it word by word in her mind.

"No, there is a problem!" Qian Renxue immediately stood up.

"What problem?" Snake Lance and Pufferfish were both stunned.

"First, how did he know Xue Ye had been poisoned? The Seven-Colored Splendor Poison hasn't even taken effect yet, and Yang Wudi has not come into contact with Xue Ye."

"Second, every part of Lin Jin's plan is actually aimed at things we did. We are the ones who killed people, and we are the ones who administered the poison."

"Third," Qian Renxue said, a trace of chill in her voice, "don't you find it strange? He could clearly have used this plan to threaten us directly, so why is he helping us instead?"

Her words were like thunder, instantly jolting the two Dulo awake!

Pufferfish slammed his hand on the table. "That's right! How did that brat know Your Majesty was poisoned? Young Lady, you personally administered the Seven-Colored Splendor Poison. Even we don't know exactly when it will take effect!"

Snake Lance also came to his senses. "And throughout the entire process, we're the ones doing all the dirty work, while Lin Jin remains completely clean. If this is exposed, all the evidence will point to us."

"There is only one possibility..." Qian Renxue took a deep breath.

"What?" Pufferfish and Snake Lance hurriedly asked.

"He knows I am not Xue Qinghe. We've been exposed!"