Douluo Dalu 2: The True God King

Jiujiu wore a sweet smile on her face, but her heart was full of vigilance. If Wang Dong'er could still be considered simple, with everything written plainly on her face, then the Su Yu in front of her was far more difficult to deal with. She didn't believe a word Su Yu said, but she couldn't find a single flaw in his words. Just as Su Yu had said, was it impossible to study purely for the sake of learning? Coupled with the fact that Su Yu's origins were unknown, Jiujiu felt even more uneasy. The unknown was always the most frightening.

"Su Yu, would you be interested in coming to study at our Star Luo Imperial Academy? The welfare and benefits in Star Luo are quite good," Jiujiu said with a smile after some deliberation.

Su Yu smiled in response, "I appreciate the kind offer from Princess Jiujiu, but I am from the Heavenly Soul Empire. How could I betray my empire?"

Jiujiu's smile remained unchanged, but secretly, she clenched her jade-like hands. So it's fine for you to join the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, but coming to Star Luo would be considered a betrayal of the Heavenly Soul Empire? Fine, fine, fine! Jiujiu was seething with anger in her heart, but she had no choice but to suppress it.

"Does Princess Jiujiu have any more questions? If not, I'll be taking Wang Dong back now. After all, our team is still waiting for us," Su Yu said calmly.

Hearing this, Jiujiu's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. After a brief pause, she smiled sweetly and said, "Of course, Su Yu. It was a pleasure meeting you. I hope we'll have the chance to meet again."

"I think we will," Su Yu replied with a smile as he stood up.

"Let's go," he said, patting Wang Dong'er on the head.

Wang Dong'er quickly stood up.

"Princess Jiujiu, we'll be taking our leave now," Su Yu said before turning around and walking out. Wang Dong'er shot Jiujiu a glare before hurrying to follow him.

Just as they reached the door, Su Yu suddenly turned back and said, "Oh, one more thing, Princess Jiujiu—safe travels."

With that, he turned the corner and disappeared.

Jiujiu's willow-like eyebrows knitted together. Something about Su Yu's parting words felt off to her.

"Princess, why didn't you detain them?" asked a Soul Douluo standing behind Jiujiu. In his eyes, Su Yu and Wang Dong'er were far too insolent, daring to act so freely in front of the princess of an empire.

"Right now, it's just a simple inquiry. Even if someone were to bring it up later, it would be easy to deal with," Jiujiu explained calmly.

"At worst, we might owe a little compensation, but it wouldn't cause a major disturbance. But if we were to detain them, that would be a complete rupture of relations. Unless it's necessary, there's no need to take things that far."

As the two left, Jiujiu's smile had long since disappeared.

"The situation with Wang Dong isn't resolved, and now new troubles are coming. We must investigate Su Yu's background."

"My intuition tells me that there's a lot hidden in this matter. If we don't get to the bottom of it, I won't be able to sleep or eat in peace." Her face grew serious. One wave of trouble hadn't subsided, and another was already on its way. This time, the hidden threat might be even more severe. Her heart was filled with urgency. She stood up and walked outside. She needed to report this situation to her imperial brother to see if he had any new instructions. The two Soul Douluo quietly followed behind her.

...

Meanwhile, Su Yu and Wang Dong'er quickly returned to Wang Dong'er's room. Only after returning did Wang Dong'er finally relax. Su Yu casually closed the door and sat on Wang Dong'er's bed without a second thought.

"Why are you closing the door?"

Wang Dong'er asked, puzzled.

"There are some things that are best not shared with too many people," Su Yu replied nonchalantly. Then he asked, "So, how did you feel about what just happened?"

"Hmph, I don't like that Princess Jiujiu. She kept that fake smile on her face the whole time—so fake and hypocritical," Wang Dong'er snorted in discontent. She's scheming in her heart while wearing that fake smile. Who's she trying to fool?

"That's royalty for you. Being full of schemes is par for the course. Fake smiles are probably a required class for them," Su Yu said with a chuckle.

"I think Princess Jiujiu is alright. At least she's pretty."

Wang Dong'er glared at him.

"All you care about is looks, huh? You big flirt! I was being bullied, and you still have the mind to think about how pretty she is? You're driving me mad!"

At that, Wang Dong'er lunged at Su Yu like an angry kitten, clawing and swiping. With a swift move, Su Yu caught Wang Dong'er's wrists and pinned them with one hand. With his free hand, he squeezed Wang Dong'er's cheeks and laughed, "I was just joking! You took it seriously?"

"A woman like Jiujiu isn't my type. I prefer someone more pure and simple."

"Hmph, as if I'd believe that. You big flirt," Wang Dong'er muttered, her tone filled with doubt. Su Yu didn't mind and released Wang Dong'er. He pulled her to sit at the edge of the bed and said softly, "Alright, don't be angry. I've already avenged you for that earlier incident."

"You did? How?"

Wang Dong'er asked, her face full of confusion.

She stared at Su Yu, utterly baffled. When did this guy help me get revenge? I was there the whole time and didn't see anything like that!

"You didn't notice?"

Su Yu rapped Wang Dong'er lightly on the forehead.

"You're the one who's clueless, you big dummy," Wang Dong'er retorted, still fuming. We've been together for so long, and you still don't know I'm a girl. You don't even realize that I like you, you absolute idiot. Wang Dong'er's heart was full of complaints, and her eyes were filled with a hint of grievance as she gazed at Su Yu.

Su Yu chuckled lightly.

"Don't you remember when Jiujiu asked which family I belonged to in the Sun-Moon Empire, and I said I was from the Heavenly Soul Empire?"

"And what about it?"

Wang Dong'er asked, still confused.

"You don't get it? You're supposed to be smart, but you're missing the point this time," Su Yu said, tapping Wang Dong'er's forehead again. "Your Clear Sky Hammer being exposed has already made Star Luo suspicious of whether the Clear Sky Sect has defected to the Sun-Moon Empire. The Clear Sky Sect was once the number one sect on the continent. If even they could defect, wouldn't Star Luo wonder if other sects might also betray them?"

"Yeah, they would," Wang Dong'er admitted after thinking it over.

"So, I deliberately claimed to be from the Heavenly Soul Empire, reinforcing their suspicions," Su Yu explained.

"Jiujiu must have assumed that I'm from a prestigious family. And since I'm also the captain of the Sun-Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy's reserve team, she can't help but overthink it."

"I want them to believe that it's not just the Clear Sky Sect that could defect. I want them to think that many other sects might be at risk too."

"Since they were already paranoid about your Clear Sky Hammer, let them be even more paranoid."

"Since they love to worry, I'll make sure they never run out of things to worry about."

Hearing this, Wang Dong'er was stunned. She finally understood that Su Yu had turned Star Luo's paranoia into a weapon against them. Her eyes sparkled with admiration as she gazed at Su Yu.

This guy... he's devious. But at that moment, he looked a little cool.

"I bet that at this moment, Princess Jiujiu is already panicking, maybe even rushing back to arrange for an investigation on me, hahaha."

Su Yu laughed heartily, a sly grin on his face. Only then did Wang Dong'er suddenly realize, "So you did it on purpose."

"Of course. Aren't they anxious?"

"Then let them stay anxious. I want to see just how many foolish moves they'll make."

"To me, the fact that Xu Jiujiu approached you directly to question you was already a stupid move."

"If it were me, I wouldn't have confronted you so directly. Doing that only makes you more alert."

"I would have found a chance to create a coincidental encounter and become friends with you. With your gullible personality, it'd be easy to get you to spill a few words unintentionally."

"At worst, I could even use a honey trap. Charm you so thoroughly that you'd spill everything without me even needing to ask."

Su Yu shook his head as he spoke.

He could understand the Star Luo Empire's sense of urgency. After all, if the Clear Sky Sect were to betray them, it would be a huge blow. And when people are anxious, they tend to do stupid things. However, the fact that the Star Luo Royal Family hadn't directly captured Wang Dong showed they were still somewhat rational — but only barely.

The logic Su Yu had just explained was probably something the Star Luo Empire had also considered. They were simply too impatient, wanting to get results as quickly as possible. That impatience had led to the current situation. Of course, it was also possible that while the Star Luo Emperor himself remained calm, Xu Jiujiu had botched things on her own.

Xu Jiujiu was often portrayed in the original story as smart and cunning, but Su Yu always felt her intelligence was exaggerated. She might have been good at navigating short-term gains, but when it came to long-term strategy, she didn't seem that remarkable.

Beyond the Star Luo side of things, there was also the Wang Dong'er factor. First, Wang Dong'er's surname was Wang, not Tang — which was the typical surname for the direct descendants of the Clear Sky Sect. This discrepancy could easily lead people to believe she was an illegitimate child. Secondly, the Clear Sky Sect had remained in isolation for far too long. Their former glory as the number one sect on the continent had long since faded.

During this era, the name Clear Sky Sect wasn't even as well-known as the Body Sect. If a sect like the Clear Sky Sect had sealed itself away for millennia without taking action, people would inevitably doubt its strength. They might wonder if the sect was all bark and no bite.

As a result, few people took them seriously. This was clearly illustrated in the original story when Protector Douluo Cheng Gang still dared to bully Wang Dong'er, even after Wang Dong'er had revealed his Clear Sky Hammer and Huo Yuhao had demonstrated his Ultimate Martial Soul. Even Yan Shaozhe, knowing Wang Dong'er's Clear Sky Sect background, still dared to threaten expulsion if certain secrets were revealed. Later on, people even dared to ambush Wang Dong'er.

Everyone knew Wang Dong'er was a member of the Clear Sky Sect, but did that deter anyone? Not at all. In the original story, Wang Dong'er never seemed to gain any particular privilege from her status as a Clear Sky Sect descendant. At this point, the Clear Sky Sect's reputation had fallen behind that of Shrek Academy, Illustrious Virtue Hall, and the Body Sect. Even though, in terms of raw power, the Clear Sky Sect was still formidable.

If the Clear Sky Sect had showcased its strength at least once, Su Yu figured today's situation might have played out very differently. Sometimes, you have to show your fists to make people respect you. That's just human nature.

While Su Yu was lost in thought, Wang Dong'er was staring at him with a strange expression.

"You're such a schemer. You're not secretly plotting against me too, are you?"

Wang Dong'er said warily.

"You, a silly little deer, don't even need to be plotted against."

"Haven't I always been good to you?"

"Ungrateful little thing, have you forgotten I just helped you out of a tight spot?"

Su Yu's eyes flashed with mock anger. He grabbed Wang Dong'er, turned her around, and playfully smacked her on the back three times.

Wang Dong'er's face instantly flushed red.

"Pervert! Always bullying me!"

Wang Dong'er sat up and moved away from Su Yu, grumbling softly under her breath. Su Yu shrugged, unconcerned.

"By the way, that strategy you mentioned earlier has a flaw," Wang Dong'er muttered, her tone still laced with indignation.

"Xu Jiujiu is a princess. How could she personally execute a honey trap?"

"Who said it had to be her?"

"With a whole empire at her disposal, do you think she can't find a few beauties? They'd set up a scene where you 'just so happen' to pass by and witness a beauty in distress. You swoop in as the heroic savior, and from then on, she follows you around calling you 'Brother Wang Dong' with admiration in her eyes."

"Could you resist that? Could you?"

"I absolutely could!"

Wang Dong'er huffed with confidence. Beauty or not, she would resist. After all, she wasn't even a man. But Su Yu's words sparked a peculiar idea in Wang Dong'er's mind.

What if… what if she revealed herself as a girl and met Su Yu as "Wang Dong's sister"? That way, she could interact with Su Yu as a girl without revealing her true identity. If she played her cards right, she might even be able to steal Su Yu away from Meng Hongchen. She firmly believed that faced with her true appearance, Su Yu would not be able to resist.

The more she thought about it, the more her heart pounded with excitement. It was worth a shot. But as Wang Dong'er's face shifted from confusion to excitement and then to a thoughtful grin, Su Yu glanced at her, puzzled.

"What are you scheming now?" he muttered, a bit wary of Wang Dong'er's sudden mood shifts. Still, his mind wandered back to Xu Jiujiu and her entourage. By now, he figured, the show should already be starting. Why didn't he confront Xu Jiujiu head-on? Because there was no need.

After all, someone else was about to step in. There was someone who was probably bored and looking for entertainment. These people had walked right into the lion's den. Just as Su Yu had expected, the show was already underway.

— — —

On the other side, Xu Jiujiu was accompanied by two Soul Douluos as they left the Star Emperor Hotel. They made their way back toward the imperial palace. But as they moved further from the crowds, nearing the outskirts of the royal city and entering a quiet alley, something odd happened. Suddenly, everything around them went eerily silent. This street, which should have been guarded by soldiers, was now empty. Not a single person in sight.