Douluo : People are writing diaries in Douluo

Qian Renxue listened to Su Ming's words, admitting he made a good point, but she countered, "It's said that Dugu Bo may be reclusive, but he values loyalty. Prince Xue Xing saved his life, and he's close to Xue Beng, so it seems reasonable for him to help Xue Beng, usually just cleaning up after his messes."

Su Ming shook his head. "From what I've seen in the past few months, Old Monster Dugu may be loyal, but he's no fool. If Xue Beng didn't have some tricks up his sleeve and Dugu Bo saw through him, he wouldn't support him."

"After all, his loyalty lies with Prince Xue Xing, and he's likely done enough to repay that debt. If that's the case, why would Dugu Bo continue to help Xue Beng? He's always emphasized that he wants to remain free from factional influence, yet by siding with Xue Beng, he's openly affiliated with a prince. People will assume Dugu Bo is backing Xue Beng. Imagine—a mere fourth prince with a Titled Douluo protector, while the 'crown prince' of the Heaven Dou Empire might not even have a Contra as a guard, let alone a Titled Douluo."

"Ning Fengzhi may be your mentor, but only in name; his allegiance is with the empire. He likely gives you face for Emperor Xue Ye's sake, but I bet you already know he doesn't fully trust you."

Qian Renxue was speechless; she knew Ning Fengzhi's mentorship was a formality, but Su Ming's bluntness was startling.

At that moment, a guard called out from outside the hall, announcing, "Your Highness, the luncheon is prepared."

Qian Renxue responded in her practiced male voice, "Understood. You may go."

Su Ming nodded, "Well, I've said my piece. There's definitely something suspicious about Xue Beng; go investigate for yourself. He's good at hiding his true colors, or maybe he's just indulging himself for the time being. A prince playing the spoiled brat? He'd fit right in, enjoying his life while waiting for a chance to strike."

Without waiting for Qian Renxue's response, Su Ming strode toward the exit.

Today's meeting with Qian Renxue had indeed been full of surprises. He hadn't expected her to drop the act so quickly. Originally, he had planned to tease... er, probe her more, but this development made things simpler. With Qian Renxue dropping her disguise, it'd be easier for Su Ming to connect with her openly. After all, building rapport with a supposed man would have led people to misunderstand his intentions toward "Xue Qinghe."

Although he told Qian Renxue he only wanted to be friends, he was playing a calculated game. A woman as proud as Qian Renxue wouldn't easily tolerate sharing her partner, so he was aiming to win her over slowly.

At worst, building a positive relationship with Qian Renxue would do him no harm. Who knows? Friendship might one day blossom into romance.

While Su Ming believed the chances were slim, he couldn't forget that in the original story, Qian Renxue had fallen for her enemy. Given time, she might not mind him having multiple partners. The future held many possibilities.

Meanwhile, Qian Renxue mulled over Su Ming's insights. Realization dawned on her; why hadn't she thought of this? She had believed she could leave Xue Beng untouched, viewing him as a harmless spoiled prince. But Su Ming's words rang true—leaving loose ends posed a risk.

She turned to her two protectors and asked, "Snake Spear, Porcupinefish, what do you make of Su Ming's assessment?"

After a brief silence, Snake Spear spoke, "Young Mistress, Su Ming makes a good point. Leaving Xue Beng unchecked could be a risk. Perhaps we should take action, arranging an 'accident' to remove him."

"However, using poison again would be unwise. It'd be better to wait until Xue Beng leaves the capital, then arrange an accident. We could even ask Ghost Douluo to eliminate him silently."

Porcupinefish, the more temperamental of the two, cut in, "Why make things so complicated? Xue Beng's already known for his debauchery. Have him die in bed. Make it look like one of his usual parties with the nobles turned deadly, then blame the whole thing on some lower-level noble or courtesan."

Qian Renxue's eyes lit up. Xue Beng's image as a libertine was well-known. Why not use that to her advantage? She could arrange for him to take a highly addictive aphrodisiac, one that would cause his health to gradually deteriorate until he wasted away. His demise would be attributed to his indulgent lifestyle, especially as he grew visibly weaker over time.

Satisfied with this plan, Qian Renxue considered the specifics, though it would require careful preparation. Today's diary entry from Su Ming might reveal even more insights.

She activated her spirit bone's transformation ability, returning to her Xue Qinghe disguise, and instructed her guards, "Both of you, withdraw for now. Once I've refined the details, I'll give further instructions."

Snake Spear and Porcupinefish exchanged glances before respectfully replying, "As you wish, Young Mistress."

The two Titled Douluos melted back into the shadows, their concealment artifacts rendering them undetectable except to someone with Su Ming's unique talents.

After finishing lunch, Su Ming returned to the academy and began documenting his experience in his diary. Meeting Qian Renxue face-to-face was a significant moment, and he couldn't help but shake his head at her character in the original story. Here was someone blessed with both beauty and intelligence, yet burdened with an undeniable weakness—she was a hopeless romantic.

A romantic streak wasn't necessarily bad, but it was dangerous when misdirected, especially when it led her to fall for her mortal enemy!

Entry: Today, I finally found the time to visit "Prince Xue Qinghe"—that is, Qian Renxue. Apparently, when she heard about my run-in with Xue Beng, she wanted to apologize on his behalf. It's a pity I've been so busy these past few months, always out of town after enrolling at Heaven Dou Academy. When I met her today, her expression was practically oozing with disappointment and… resentment? It was hilarious!