Xue Ke Takes the Blame
The noise stopped abruptly.
All the nobles' eyes turned to the doorway and landed on the young girl who slowly walked in.
It's Xiao Qiao!
In stark contrast to the disheveled state of everyone else present, she remained dressed in an elegant black gown, her steps light and steady, her stunning face showing no sign of panic, making her completely out of place in the simple conference hall.
The composure and nobility in her eyes, refined by the trials and tribulations of war, made these self-proclaimed nobles feel involuntarily ashamed of their own.
More importantly, with her rapid growth in strength, Xiao Qiao is no longer the puppet girl they initially saw, someone they could manipulate at will and use as a symbol of restoring their kingdom.
She has broken through her limits step by step and is now a powerful figure at the Titled Douluo level! She also possesses the inheritance of a god, and in this world where strength reigns supreme, this power itself represents an unquestionable voice.
They had long since realized that Xiao Qiao was not the kind of virtuous woman in the traditional sense who would be bound by family honor or love and willingly sacrifice everything for others.
She will always be herself.
If you want her to contribute, that's fine.
But tangible benefits must be offered—rare Soul Bone, rare and precious natural treasures that aid cultivation, or... a significant voice in the decision-making process.
There were once a few ignorant young noblemen who, relying on their handsome looks and distinguished family background, tried to use their charm to get close to her, fantasizing about becoming her husband and thus indirectly controlling this powerful force.
As a result, they didn't even get a chance to touch Xiao Qiao's clothes before the seemingly frail girl used her Soul Power to break their legs, forcing them to crawl back to their respective family camps on their knees like dead dogs. From then on, no one dared to play such ridiculous games in front of her again.
Xiao Qiao walked to the long table, her gaze calmly sweeping over each nobleman present, each with their own distinct expression. She didn't speak, but the invisible pressure she exuded made everyone hold their breath.
She doesn't need to argue; her very existence is order.
"It seems you haven't reached a conclusion yet." Xiao Qiao's voice was clear, yet carried a hint of coldness. "Then, from now on, I will take over command."
This is not a discussion, it's a notification.
No one dared to voice their opposition. Faced with absolute power and established prestige, all disputes and petty schemes seemed pale and powerless.
······································
The atmosphere inside the hall was heavy; you could hear a pin drop. Even the Second Prince and the Third Prince, who had previously wanted to compete with Xiao Qiao, had already retreated to lower positions, their heads slightly bowed, their faces showing no sign of opposition or resentment.
Xiao Qiao, seated upright in the main seat, calmly looked down at an official in charge of intelligence and logistics. Her clear, cold voice broke the silence. "Report the losses."
"Yes!" The official immediately stepped forward, his voice heavy with suppressed emotion, and began to report one by one, "Your Highness, in this battle against the Spirit Hall Empire patrol, our side suffered fifty Soul Master killed, forty-five seriously wounded, and over a hundred lightly wounded. One hundred and thirty pairs of standard armor were destroyed..."
A series of cold, hard numbers struck like hammer blows in everyone's heart.
"... Currently, our army's food reserves can only last for half a month, and medical supplies are in severe shortage. Most importantly..." the official's voice became even more strained, "... our Gold Soul Coin reserves are... are almost empty."
He explained in detail the predicament they faced: with the original territory of the Heaven Dou Empire almost completely occupied by the Spirit Hall Empire and the tax system completely collapsed, their restoration force had been living off their past achievements for years.
Every day's activities consume the vast savings accumulated by the Heaven Dou Royal Family and noble clans over thousands of years.
However, restoring the kingdom is no child's play. Soul Master need resources to cultivate, the army's equipment needs maintenance and updates, and the treatment and supplies for personnel are astronomical. In addition, the Spirit Hall Empire is like a cat playing with a mouse, launching purges from time to time to "harvest" them, and every resistance is accompanied by huge losses.
Xiao Qiao listened quietly, her once clear and bright eyes now filled with a fortitude and composure beyond her years. When she heard "the funds are running low," she raised her eyes, her gaze sharp as a sword.
"Only three years?" Her voice was clear and melodious, yet carried an undeniable skepticism. "Is the empire's millennia of accumulation almost exhausted?"
She couldn't believe that an empire that had stood for a thousand years could have such a fragile foundation.
The official who reported trembled, lowered his head even further, and hurriedly explained, "Your Highness, please understand! The main... the main expense lies in those Soul Tool we secretly smuggled from the Spirit Hall Empire at high prices through special channels!"
His voice carried a hint of helplessness and heartache. "The Spirit Hall Empire has extremely strict control over Soul Tool, especially military-grade ones. To obtain even a batch of the most basic Soul Tool Armor and weapons, we have to pay several times, or even dozens of times, more Gold Soul Coin than their actual value! This expense... is simply too enormous!"
The conference room was deathly silent.
Everyone understood that without Soul Tool, their army was like lambs to the slaughter before the Spirit Hall Empire, unable to even put up the most basic resistance. But the cost of purchasing Soul Tool was slowly draining the last lifeblood of their efforts to restore their kingdom.
··········································
The nobles seated below, listening to the official's report, subconsciously touched the Soul Tool armor or weapons they had acquired at great cost, their faces showing a complex mix of pain and resentment.
"Those damned profiteers!" a hot-tempered nobleman couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "They're treating us like lambs to the slaughter!" His words resonated with most of the people present.
Even the most basic Soul Tool discarded by the Spirit Hall Empire's army fetch out outrageously high prices on the black market.
The cheapest single component costs tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coin, while a complete set of Soul Tool Armor or standard Soul Cannon with slightly better performance can cost millions of Gold Soul Coin!
Acquiring Soul Tool from the Spirit Hall Empire to equip their own troops is practically like using a mountain of gold to fill a bottomless pit.
"But what can we do if we don't buy it?" another nobleman interjected bitterly, his voice tinged with barely perceptible fear. "Have you forgotten Jialing Pass?"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. The overwhelming destructive power and crushing advantage over traditional Soul Master armies displayed by the Spirit Hall Empire's Soul Tool legion during the Battle of Jialing Pass had long been a haunting nightmare for them.
The scene of it advancing like a torrent of metal, with soul-guided beams tearing through the sky and the earth, still sends chills down my spine when I think about it.
They're scared!
Without Soul Tool devices, their soldiers wouldn't even be qualified to stand in front of the enemy.
Xiao Qiao listened to the discussions below, and the corner of her mouth twitched very slightly.
Her slender fingers unconsciously tightened around the armrest. Of course, she knew who stood behind the "profiteer" who was being scorned by the nobles. Without His Holiness the Pope's Qian Xunji approval or even secret manipulation by Qian Xunji, even military Soul Tool discarded by the Spirit Hall Empire could not have flowed into the black market on such a large scale and continuously, and been precisely "fed" to their mouths.
She just hadn't expected Qian Xunji to be so ruthless and exploitative.
A thousand-year-old empire, with the accumulated wealth of countless noble families over generations, was drained of its essence and brought to the brink of financial collapse in just three years under Qian Xunji's "bloodletting" economic plundering tactics.
In the heavy atmosphere, an undercurrent of even greater despair and reality began to permeate the conference hall.
In fact, within the upper echelons of the restoration organization, voices of surrender had quietly emerged and were no longer in the minority.
What is the significance of persevering?
For a vague dream of restoring a kingdom, should we exhaust the last vestiges of our family's resources, only to die a meaningless death in some unknown corner?
They can no longer see any hope of victory.
The Spirit Hall Empire was at its zenith, its rule was becoming increasingly stable, and its Soul Guidance Technology was advancing by leaps and bounds.
They persisted for so long, trapped in a corner, lacking food, medicine, money, and equipment, and were also plagued by internal factions.
Perhaps... it's time to consider another way out.
Such thoughts, like a plague, are growing and spreading in the minds of more and more people.
However, the sunk costs were simply too great, so much had been invested in the restoration of the kingdom.
Coupled with Xiao Qiao's demonstrated strength, they are still holding on precariously...
··········································
In the simple room next to the conference hall, Xue Ke, like a ghost, silently pressed herself against the cold earthen wall, holding her breath and listening intently to the conversation taking in.
In this makeshift, minimalist base, the soundproofing of the wall panels was practically useless; Xue Ke could hear every single word clearly.
After hearing about the current situation of the restoration organization.
The last trace of color drained from Xue Ke's face, leaving only an almost ferocious gloom.
Her once clear, amethyst-like eyes were now shrouded in heavy shadows, churning with resentment, bitterness, and a kind of madness driven to desperation.
She sacrificed so much!
She followed the Second Prince like a plaything, enduring his contempt and exploitation.
She forced a smile, navigating the complex web of scheming forces, selling her dignity and her body.
She gritted her teeth and persevered to survive in this harsh, cold place, hiding and scurrying about like a rat in a sewer...
Wasn't all she did so so that one day she could restore her kingdom, reclaim her princess status and luxury, and trample all those who had wronged her—especially the second prince who had used her as a political pawn in a marriage of convenience—underfoot, and exact her revenge?!
But now, they're telling her there's no money left, no hope?
Wouldn't all her sacrifices and forbearance then become a huge joke?!
She absolutely will not allow it!
Xue Ke's eyes turned completely cold, like ice coated with poison. She quietly retreated, left the partition wall, and staggered back to sit on the cold, hard wooden bed.
Looking around, the room was shockingly shabby, with peeling walls and a lingering musty and damp smell in the air; there wasn't even a decent light.
This contrasts sharply with the ornate carvings and luxurious warmth of the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace in her memory, creating a scene of hell versus heaven.
She absolutely cannot let things continue like this!
I absolutely cannot rot and die here with this bunch of useless trash!
Since the restoration of the nation has become a pipe dream, since this path is no longer viable...
Xue Ke gripped the rough bed sheet beneath her tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.
A crazy and dangerous thought, like a venomous snake, crawled out from the darkest corner of her heart and quickly took hold of her entire mind.
In those dark eyes, the last trace of hesitation was completely crushed, replaced by a resolute determination, even tinged with a twisted sense of pleasure.
She stood up, walked to a dilapidated wooden box in the corner of the room, and pulled out a seemingly ordinary Communication Soul Tool from the bottom layer, which faintly emitted fluctuations of Soul Power.
This was the "escape route" that the mysterious person left for her when they first contacted her.
She kept it hidden as a last resort, and hesitated for a long time about whether to take this step.
Now, she no longer hesitated.
Since that's the case, we can't blame her...
··········································
As dusk fell and the sun set, the makeshift base was shrouded in a somber darkness.
Just then, a thin figure draped in a black cloak, completely covered up, quietly appeared at the base's makeshift exit made of giant trees and thorns.
"Halt!" The guards immediately raised their spears alertly and shouted, "Who goes there? Curfew is in effect, no one is allowed to enter or leave at will!"
The shadowy figure halted. In the flickering torchlight, a slender, pale hand emerged from beneath the cloak, gently lifting a corner of the hood to reveal a refined, noble, yet somewhat somber face.
"It's me." A deliberately lowered female voice, with its usual softness, rang out.
By the firelight, the guards could see the newcomer's face. Their tense expressions eased slightly, but they remained vigilant, as if fulfilling their duty. They recognized the face— Princess Xue Ke.
Chapter 277 Xue Ke Takes the Blame
"Princess Xue Ke, what brings you here so late at night?" The guards stood at the camp gate, their tone respectful but their posture ramrod straight, showing no intention of letting anyone pass.
Xue Ke pulled her cloak tighter and said in a low voice, "I feel restless and want to go for a walk."
"Princess, please forgive me," the guard shook his head, his attitude firm, "These are extraordinary times. The camp has strict rules that no one may enter or leave at night. You... please return."