Chapter 170 The Love Advisor

Chapter 170: The Love Strategist

After reading Chu Zexuan's profile, Hua Diao's eyes gleamed with intrigue. This underdog, whose level was a dozen points lower than even the weakest of the three, actually dared to face them alone?

Was he truly that desperate to earn merit and trust? Hua Diao mused.

*Crash—*

Sure enough, within seconds, Chu Zexuan was sent flying by the Glacier Fox, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Only then did Anfoya’s guards finally arrive. "Quick, capture those three!"

Guard Captain Dylan issued the order with a stern face. As the guards rushed to apprehend the assailants, he personally approached Hua Diao, his handsome yet cold features softening into deference as he bowed slightly and asked with concern, "Are you alright, My Lady?"

Chu Zexuan, still lying nearby and spitting blood, watched the scene with a contorted face, his eyes burning with jealousy.

He had known before that Hua Diao held a high status in the Succubus Emperor’s palace by posing as a mermaid, but he had never witnessed it firsthand. Now, the disparity was painfully clear. The guards’ first concern was for her—standing there unharmed—rather than him, who lay bleeding on the ground after risking his life to intercept the enemies!

Why was the treatment between players so vastly different?

Gritting his teeth, Chu Zexuan’s face darkened further. Unable to suppress the surge of pain in his chest, he spat out another mouthful of blood.

Hua Diao smiled and shook her head at Dylan. "I’m fine."

Then, glancing at Chu Zexuan, who was still gushing blood, she couldn’t resist subtly stirring trouble in front of Dylan. With a soft, concerned voice, she said, "But Mr. Chu seems to be in a bad way. Even though he knew he was no match, he still risked his life to stop those three. Such sacrifice and devotion to Anfoya are truly admirable. A hero like him shouldn’t be overlooked, Dylan. After tonight, Princess Anfoya might hold him in even higher regard. You should make sure he’s well taken care of."

Her eyes, however, screamed: *Dylan, look! This man wants to steal your position and has designs on Anfoya! You better watch out!*

As expected, Dylan caught the underlying message. His handsome face darkened, and his gaze toward Chu Zexuan turned cold and wary. In an icy voice, he ordered, "Take Mr. Chu back and ensure he receives proper treatment. I will inform Princess Anfoya that his injuries are severe and require rest."

With that, ignoring Chu Zexuan’s stunned expression, he gestured for his subordinates to haul him off.

Hua Diao flashed a smug grin at Chu Zexuan before turning her attention back to Dylan. She glanced around cautiously, ensuring no one was watching, then leaned in and whispered, "So, how are your proposal plans coming along?"

The previously composed guard captain immediately flushed red. After a quick scan of their surroundings, he replied in a hushed voice, "I-it’s almost ready. But with Anfoya facing so many attacks lately, I’m afraid she won’t have the headspace for romance."

Hua Diao’s expression turned serious. "That’s the wrong mindset. You *have* to confess within the next two days. Once Anfoya ascends the imperial throne, your chances will plummet. The status of the Succubus Emperor and the current princess are night and day. Confessing now proves your sincerity—that you’re willing to stand by her through life and death, regardless of whether she succeeds. But if you wait until after she’s crowned, it’ll look opportunistic. Even if your feelings are genuine, they’ll only be seen as 60-70% sincere. Haven’t you heard? Monarchs are prone to paranoia."

Dylan gave her a doubtful look and shook his head honestly. "No, I haven’t."

Hua Diao choked. "Well, whatever. Just listen to me—confess in the next two days. The best moment is when you’re gravely injured protecting her. Strong women like Anfoya usually prefer someone weaker, someone they can pity. You—"

She rattled off a mountain of advice, effectively becoming Dylan’s romance strategist. By the end, Dylan was nodding along with a look of deep respect, leaving the guards who had returned but dared not approach baffled. What on earth had their cold, ruthless captain discussed with the mermaid? And since when had he become so obedient, like a declawed tiger?

Unbeknownst to them, Anfoya had also arrived at some point. Watching the two from a distance—especially her own guard captain—she felt an unsettling pang in her chest, her brows furrowing in discomfort. Since when had her captain grown so close to the mermaid?

But before she could decipher the sour feeling in her heart, another wave of assassins struck—ferocious and swift.

Dylan’s flushed face instantly hardened. Without even a word to Hua Diao, he flashed in front of Anfoya, shielding her as he counterattacked.

This group was clearly stronger than the three Hua Diao had encountered earlier. Hiding on the sidelines, she discreetly cast Identify. All were from the Succubus Race, their levels above 60—some even surpassing 80. Among them were two Epic-tier succubi. *Yikes—*

Hua Diao was utterly stunned. Who sent this wave of attackers? The assault was too fierce, like a fight to the death. Soon, Dylan was wounded, and Anfoya didn’t fare much better, sustaining injuries as well.

Panic set in—what now? What now? If her bet died, what would happen to her mission?

But soon, she had no time to worry about Anfoya anymore, because one of the Epic-tier attackers had locked onto her. The killing intent in his eyes left no doubt—he was out for blood.

Hua Diao’s heart skipped a beat. Had her mermaid cover been blown? Or had she been exposed? Either way, this was the biggest, baddest crisis she had faced since the apocalypse began.

Without hesitation, she began pulling attack scrolls from her space, tossing them all out indiscriminately. But since none of the scrolls were Epic-level, they were nothing more than minor annoyances to the Epic-level succubus—like mosquito bites, or merely tickling him.

Yet Hua Diao clearly hadn’t relied on the scrolls as a lifesaving measure. After using them to buy time, she immediately pulled out the Amplifying Conch from her space and shouted decisively:

"Help! Help! A mermaid’s under attack! A succubus is trying to kill a mermaid—they want to stir conflict between our races! This is a blatant provocation—!"

Her booming voice startled the entire palace. Even the Succubus Emperor, who usually stayed out of his children’s squabbles, shot up like a corpse at a funeral, his face dark with fury as he cursed, "Who?! Which brat dares lay hands on a mermaid? Such audacity! Quick, go save that mermaid—she absolutely cannot die in my palace! That voice carried all the way outside the palace walls. If she dies, there’s no hiding it..." Thus, even the princes, who normally minded their own business, scrambled into action, grumbling about which brother had the nerve to pull such a stunt.