Chapter 430: An Alliance Forged in Love and Strategy
Xu Ruoxue was surprised to hear this. "Sister Ruoshui, you don't blame me?"
Xu Ruoshui released a soft, weary sigh, her eyes—currently her sister's eyes—holding a complicated mix of exasperation and deep affection. "When have I ever truly blamed you for anything, you silly girl?"
In truth, a storm of curiosity was raging within Xu Ruoshui. Why would her intelligent, cautious younger sister, knowing full well that Shen Anyu was her man, resort to such a convoluted and risky deception? Even if it stemmed from a misunderstanding, her actions felt disproportionate, almost desperate. At that critical moment, there was no need for concealment. If Ruoxue had simply confessed, she would have understood. She would never have held it against her.
More than that, beneath the layers of confusion, Xu Ruoshui sensed a raw, obvious truth. Her sister's feelings for Shen Anyu were not a fleeting fancy or a simple crush. They ran deep.
Hearing the gentleness in her sister's voice, a wave of relief washed over Xu Ruoxue, loosening the knot of terror in her chest. She took a deep, shuddering breath and began to recount everything, her voice barely a whisper at first, then growing stronger as the memories flooded back.
She spoke of their first encounter, a consequence of her dangerous mission to infiltrate the Modu Ji Family. She described the chilling precision of the family's security, the cold sweat that beaded on her brow as she edged closer to their hidden safe. Her voice trembled as she relived the moment she triggered the trap—the near-silent Hiss! of poisoned darts slicing through the air, a scent of bitter almonds promising a swift, agonizing death.
"I thought I was dead, sister," Xu Ruoxue confessed, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "There was no time to even scream. But then... he was just there. He moved so fast it was like the world had slowed down. He saved me without a second thought."
She then spoke of the second time, a brush with a force even more terrifying than hired thugs—the state itself. She painted a vivid picture of the Female War God, An Zhiyue, her aura as cold and unyielding as polished steel, her gaze promising nothing but a long, bleak future behind bars.
"An Zhiyue had me cornered. There was no escape. My life as I knew it was over. And once again, he appeared. He faced a War God for me, Sister. He spoke to her as an equal, and she... she backed down. For him."
As she spoke, the misunderstanding that arose from their swapped souls seemed almost trivial in comparison to the life-or-death stakes she had faced. Each word was laden with the weight of her gratitude, her awe, and the burgeoning love that had taken root in the fertile soil of desperation and salvation.
"So that's how it was..."
Listening to the harrowing tale, Xu Ruoshui's heart clenched in her chest. The surprise was so profound it left her breathless. She had always seen her younger sister as a brilliant academic, safely tucked away in a foreign university. To learn that Xu Ruoxue had been living a double life, joining the infamous Blood Skull Mercenary Group, rising to become their head of intelligence, and personally infiltrating the viper's nest that was the Ji Family... it was a reality she could barely comprehend.
Her sister, her precious little sister, had been dancing on the edge of a knife.
If Shen Anyu hadn't intervened, not once, but twice, Xu Ruoxue's fate would have been sealed. The image of her sister's body, pale and cold, succumbing to a fast-acting neurotoxin, flashed through her mind. It was quickly replaced by an equally grim vision: Xu Ruoxue, stripped of her name and her future, wasting away in a maximum-security prison for decades. The thought was a physical blow, sucking the air from her lungs.
[Ding! Detected an increase of +5 in the destined heroine Xu Ruoshui's favorability, plundering +15,000 Destiny Points!]
…
At this moment, Xu Ruoshui's gratitude towards Shen Anyu was an overwhelming, all-consuming force. It transcended simple appreciation and bloomed into a form of reverence. He hadn't just saved her sister's life; he had preserved her family's future. The return of her brother, Xu He, and now the salvation of Xu Ruoxue—the weight of this kindness was immeasurable.
'Alas, I owe him so much…' Xu Ruoshui's beautiful eyes grew hazy, a shimmering film of emotion blurring her vision. 'How could I ever repay such a debt in a single lifetime?' She felt a profound desire to dedicate her entire existence to him, to be whatever he needed her to be.
Thud!
The soft sound jolted her from her thoughts. Xu Ruoxue had suddenly dropped to her knees on the thick, plush carpet, her expression one of solemn, heart-wrenching resolve. She looked up at her sister, her voice ringing with the finality of an oath.
"Xu Ruoshui, I promise you," she declared, her voice cracking. "I will absolutely never have anything to do with Shen Anyu again. I will cut him out of my heart. And I will never, ever do anything to let you down again. I will spend the rest of my life making up for my mistakes, and in the future..."
She was ready to renounce it all, to sacrifice her own burgeoning happiness on the altar of her sister's. But just as she was about to continue her vow, Xu Ruoshui's calm voice cut through the air, sharp and clear.
"What if I don't object?"
What?
Xu Ruoxue froze, her words dying in her throat. She stared up at her sister, her face a mask of utter disbelief and shock. Her mind reeled, trying to process the impossible words. 'Don't object?' What could that possibly mean? Could it be... was it possible that...?
Xu Ruoshui sighed, a soft exhalation of breath that carried the weight of her decision. She looked at her kneeling sister, her expression unreadable.
"We don't know what caused this change, but our souls have swapped," she stated faintly, her voice a low murmur. "For all we know, this is permanent. We may never swap back."
She paused, letting the gravity of that possibility sink in. "Other things... other things I can compromise on. But when it comes to An'yu, I cannot concede him to another body. Nor do I want to."
Her gaze sharpened, a flicker of steel entering her gentle eyes. "Since you also have feelings for him, and he has saved you twice... then let's be together."
Xu Ruoxue's jaw went slack.
"As for who An'yu loves more," Xu Ruoshui continued, a pragmatic, strategic tone coloring her voice, "that will be a fair competition between us. But if we have to face other women, then we sisters will stand together, with one heart and one mind."
For a moment, Xu Ruoxue was completely bewildered. Then, as the meaning of her sister's words fully registered, a breathtaking, incandescent delight bloomed in her chest. An irrepressible smile threatened to break free, but she quickly masked it with a pained, conflicted expression, shaking her head vigorously.
"Sister Ruoshui, no, I can't... This kind of thing, I..."
"Alright, that's enough," Xu Ruoshui interrupted, rolling her eyes with a hint of her old playfulness. "Stop being so polite. If you say one more word of refusal, I'll take back my offer."
Xu Ruoxue's mouth snapped shut instantly. She pressed her lips together into a firm line, not daring to utter another sound.
But her face betrayed her completely. The relief was so potent it was like a physical weight had been lifted from her soul. A radiant joy lit her from within, and her eyes, unable to contain her happiness, curved into beautiful crescents.
The biggest obstacle had always been her own conscience, the fear of betraying her beloved sister. But now, with Xu Ruoshui's explicit permission—no, her proposal—what was there to fear?
Her mind became a whirlwind of memories. The moment she had thrown her body in front of the poisoned darts in the Ji Family's mansion, a decision made in a split second. The feeling of his arms around her. The scent of his cologne. The way the world seemed to bend to his will. The events of the past few days, culminating in their passionate encounter that very afternoon, flashed before her eyes like a cinematic reel.
A sweet, genuine smile blossomed on her lips, originating from the very bottom of her heart. She, who was naturally aloof and slow to warm up to people, had found the one man who could melt her icy exterior with the barest touch, the slightest glance.
[Ding! Detected an increase of +11 in the destined heroine Xu Ruoxue's favorability, plundering +33,000 Destiny Points!]
[Ding! Detected the destined heroine Xu Ruoxue's total favorability has reached 100. Extra plunder of +300,000 Destiny Points!]
[Ding! Detected the destined heroine Xu Ruoxue's total favorability has reached 100. Activating cashback reward...]
…
"Oh? Xu Ruoxue's favorability maxed out just like that?"
Across the city, Shen Anyu sat in quiet contemplation, a flicker of genuine surprise followed by deep satisfaction in his eyes. He had deliberately given the sisters space to talk, predicting that the magnanimous Xu Ruoshui would clear the air and grant her blessing. He had even anticipated a significant rise in Xu Ruoxue's favorability once the primary emotional barrier was removed.
But for it to jump directly to 100—a complete and total surrender of her heart—was an unexpected and most welcome bonus. It seemed his two life-saving interventions and the 'hard work' he'd put in during the day had paid off spectacularly, justifying every calculated move.
'Xu Ruoshui is at ninety-five, and Xu Ruoxue is at one hundred. That's more than sufficient,' he mused. 'It's time to let their souls swap back.'
The Divine Soul Swapping Technique was a miraculous power, allowing him to exchange the souls of any two people whose strength was beneath his own. He could even swap them into animals if he so desired. However, the technique came with a caveat: the soul and the physical body were intrinsically linked, each influencing the other over time.
A man's soul in a woman's body would inevitably be affected by the flood of female hormones. A once-straight man could find his mannerisms softening, his preferences changing, perhaps even becoming attracted to men. A human soul swapped into a cat's body might, over time, develop a genuine craving for raw fish and mice. If swapped into a dog's body, the potential outcomes were even less savory.
A short-term swap was harmless, a novel experience that could add a bit of spice and fun. But long-term, it risked spiritual degradation and corruption of the original personality. These were his women, prized additions to his collection. He cherished them as a connoisseur cherishes priceless art; he would not allow them to be damaged or altered.
As the thought solidified in his mind, Shen Anyu's will reached out. An invisible, undetectable ripple of spiritual energy emanated from him, crossing the city in an instant.
Inside the Xu Family villa, the sisters Xu Ruoshui and Xu Ruoxue suddenly went limp, their consciousness fading to black as they slumped against the soft cushions of the sofa. It was a gentle, instantaneous process, precisely controlled by Shen Anyu to ensure they wouldn't fall and hurt themselves.
A few moments later, they began to stir.
Xu Ruoxue let out a soft gasp, pressing a hand to her forehead. Her mind felt foggy, as if she were waking from a strange, vivid dream. Her vision cleared, and she saw the person sitting opposite her—it was herself. No, wait. It was her sister, Xu Ruoshui, once again in her rightful body.
'Did we... swap back?'
Her eyes darted to the large ornate mirror on the nearby wall. A wave of pure joy washed over her as she saw her own familiar face staring back. Her true face.
"That's great! We finally swapped back!" she exclaimed, a giddy laugh escaping her lips. She had no desire to live her life in her sister's body. She wanted to use her own body, her own lips, to say those words to Shen Anyu, to feel his touch on her own skin.
Just then, Xu Ruoshui's faint voice drifted over from the sofa.
"Since we've swapped back, does that mean our previous discussion doesn't count anymore?"
"Huh? Huh? Sister Ruoshui, no, it can't be! You can't go back on your word!"
Xu Ruoxue was dumbfounded, her newfound joy instantly replaced by wide-eyed panic. How could this be happening?
…
Shen Anyu chuckled softly to himself, a low, rumbling sound of pure amusement. He could sense everything. Xu Ruoshui had no real intention of rescinding her offer; she was simply teasing her flustered younger sister, a playful jab born from a lingering trace of jealousy. It was only natural. No matter how benevolent a person was, sharing the man they loved would always stir such feelings. It was simply human nature.
In a few days, once the jealousy subsided and their new dynamic settled, it would be the perfect time for a bountiful harvest.
Just then, Shen Anyu stroked his chin, a look of interest on his face. 'So, Long Hao has temporarily given up investing in the Dragon King Consort, Han Qi, to find a new prominent figure? A powerful child of destiny who can help him soar... Interesting...'
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