Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

"Hmph, go!"

Thinking about it is one thing, but not playing a card when you have it is foolish. Jingliu brushed his fingertips across the cards, picked up a card, and played it.

"Eighty thousand."

Just as Xueyi was about to draw a card, Heita picked up the 80,000 that had flowed out of the mirror.

"Oh dear, that's a mistake."

Black Tower's smile deepened. He picked up the bottom of the deck, felt the patterns on the cards with his slender fingers, and played them without even looking at them.

"How come it's still a two of bamboo? Seriously..."

"There's a saying in your Immortal Journey: life is like a game of chess. In my opinion, isn't life just like this card game?"

"How can you gain anything, or even more, without making corresponding efforts?"

"Those who only seek profit without considering the consequences often end up losing everything."

Upon hearing this, Jingliu was 100% certain that Black Tower's words were loaded with hidden meaning.

She secretly mocked her for not making any effective and substantial contributions to her master, and for not being entitled to ask for more. She should learn to be self-aware and think things through carefully.

That's undeniably the truth.

Jingliu felt that he was not deceiving himself, nor was he being stubborn, and he was not as extreme as Black Tower thought.

Otherwise, the first to be harmed would probably be Xueyi and Hanya.

What about the facts?

Even before she left the Immortal Ship to find her master, she had already acknowledged the bond between the two sisters and their master.

As for what I should do for my master...

It's not possible right now, and there's no opportunity, but in this respect, isn't Black Tower in the same boat as her?

The pot calling the kettle black; utterly pointless.

Having figured this out, Jingliu's expression calmed down, and he retorted sarcastically, echoing Heita's words.

"Indeed, Lady Black Tower is truly remarkable. This genius of extremely noble status not only restrained her possessiveness but also displayed such magnanimity."

"Oh? How so?" Black Tower's smile remained unchanged.

"Most documentaries and books in the galaxy that describe your life achievements and experiences portray you as an aloof, arrogant, and unparalleled iceberg genius."

Jingliu seemed oblivious to the sarcasm in Heita's smile, instead adopting a slightly apologetic tone.

"I'm so sorry that the Mirror School has such strong stereotypes."

Xueyi glanced at the two of them, then at Yu Qingtu.

Yu Qingtu's faint smile was enough to make anyone, even a fool, realize that Black Tower Mirror Flow was exchanging sarcastic remarks.

However, she seemed to be taking no one's side and was just watching for fun.

…The right decision, Xueyi thought to herself.

She didn't want to get involved, even though, in terms of their relationship, Kagami was closer to her.

However, if we switch the perspective to that of Lord Zhimu, there is no such saying.

If I really want to know how you are doing, as long as we don't argue to the point of getting red in the face and fighting, I'll just pretend I didn't see anything.

With the mindset of a genius and the temperament of the Mirror School, they might blush with embarrassment, but a full-blown fight was absolutely out of the question.

One mistake is enough; even if Jingliu is stupid, he won't touch the places that Master Zhimu dislikes.

Upon hearing Jing Liu's words, a hint of amusement flashed in Hei Ta's eyes.

The progress is encouraging; it's more interesting when they can talk back...

"The stereotype is incorrect. This genius is very hypocritical, oh no, no, the word 'very' isn't enough—"

Black Tower tilted his head and said confidently:

"To be precise, it is an extremely, extremely, and utterly double standard."

"Where does your pride in being hypocritical come from?" Jingliu asked rhetorically.

"Of course, I learned it from my dear brother Mu~~"

"..." Jingliu narrowed his eyes, waiting for what was to come.

"Your stereotype of me is very accurate, just a bit too conservative. Well, this genius understands, after all, the mediocre people in the universe wouldn't dare to describe me too much."

"An arrogant, aloof, and invincible iceberg? That's too narrow-minded."

"I should be described as arrogant, aloof, and a hypocrite who looks down on everyone else. Where does this hypocrisy come from? Who else could it be but Zhi Mu?"

"For him, all the correct stereotypes don't apply."

"As long as Brother Mu likes me, I can be a sweet and innocent girl next door, or a charming and alluring mature woman."

"Or perhaps a delicate, frail beauty, or a naive, radiant girl... well, either way is fine."

Jingliu's left cheek twitched almost imperceptibly. He slowly shook his head, not forgetting to draw and play cards.

"You don't seem to understand the meaning of the word 'generosity' I used to say."

"I was just trying to save you some face. Since you put it that way, let's get straight to the point."

Black Tower shrugged, then rested his chin on the back of his hand.

"So you still don't see things clearly enough. The magnanimity you see refers to my letting Black Swan and Zhi Mu enjoy their time together, while turning a blind eye to Xueyi Hanya and Zhi Mu's threesome."

"Also, I invited Yu Qingtu to come to Luofu to help her and Zhimu improve their relationship."

"Don't rush to deny it. The reason you think this way is simply because of your stereotypes."

"If you think I'm being hypocritical, then the idea that a good attitude is reserved only for Zhi Mu is ridiculous. It's obvious he's surrounded by beautiful women of all shapes and sizes. Given my status, how could I not be angry? Right?"

"..." Jingliu remained silent.

Black Tower can play cards and deal damage at the same time, managing to do two things at once without any problems.

"From childhood to adulthood, Zhimu has taken care of me in every possible way, treating me like a precious gem.

"In every little thing in life, in every dangerous situation, they always put me first. They saved my life many times and ultimately sacrificed themselves for me."

"You've seen all of these, don't tell me you've forgotten them completely in just a few days."

"Even a dog, as long as it's not out of its mind, would wag its tail if someone treated it that well."

"Your experiences with Zhimu are essentially the same as mine, yet you don't see things from my perspective and ignore Zhimu's sacrifices for me. Is that right?"

"Jingliu, you wouldn't... mistake me for one of those stinky, loser web novel heroines who like turtles, would you?"

"Does he think that as a genius, I should give Zhi Mu a cold shoulder and make him so busy that he has no time to find other women, turning him into a lapdog?"

"The reason I am a genius is not only because I am smart, but also because I am a normal person who knows how to be grateful and think of those who have helped me."

"Please, Zhi Mu has saved me so many times, treated me so well, and he's still treating me well now. How am I any different from an animal if I still treat him badly?"

"It's true that 'the hero saves the damsel in distress' is a cliché, but it happens so often that who wouldn't want their lover to be that all-powerful hero riding on a cloud?"

"If the protagonist chooses to repay the kindness shown to her after rescuing her, then she must be tolerant of her loved one and share a life of mutual support."

"Of course, I had selfish motives in everything I did, but even with those selfish motives, didn't I also consider Zhimu's feelings?"

"I'll still get my share of the meat, and if I turn a blind eye to some things or even lend a hand, am I wrong?"

"It will save Zhi Mu a lot of trouble, highlight my understanding, make him feel indebted to me, and also make other women feel indebted to me."

"Even if it's Ruan Mei, I've accepted that she'll eventually be filled with Zhi Mu's affections, let alone you, or rather—all of you."

"..."

After listening to the string of words, Jingliu found himself speechless and began to play his cards absentmindedly.

Little did she know, the Black Tower was waiting for this card to be played.

"Hu! A pure suit plus pairs, a perfect hand with a winning hand, over 180 points. Unfortunately, even if you win all the remaining rounds, you won't be able to catch up."

Seeing this, Jingliu took a deep breath, and only one thought remained in his mind.

…We lost terribly.

In a dual sense.

……

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