CHAPTER 122: UNO REVERSE!

The people Xu Tao needed to reward were already fixed.

Arthur, Jehanne, and Yifa naturally received the best of the best.

For Arthur, an SSR Armor that gains a 1% bonus to stats for every minute it doesn’t receive damage—capped at 300%. It was a simple silver armor, but when Arthur wore it, the girls went wild with cheers. It was a mystery how their minds worked...

Jehanne received an accessory. It was an SSR Necklace, having the property of absorbing the impact from five separate attacks and releasing it back toward the attackers—the absorbed attack’s strength being cumulative.

For example, if five people attacked her at once, they would each get hit by a force equivalent to all their attacks combined—the released damage being fivefold what was received!

Yifa... was given a UR Costume. It was supposed to go to Jehanne originally, but she declined. After all, it was similar to, but slightly different from, the UR Bunny Suit. Instead of rabbit ears, it had fake horns, wings, and a tail attachment.

’It’s a bit wasteful since Yifa’s not going to stay here for long... but it can’t be helped if no one wants it.’ Xu Tao shrugged.

As for the new one, Wu Zetian...

"If you want to reward me, my Emperor, then a little of your time tonight would be more than welcome," she asked instead of requesting a material reward.

Xu Tao agreed, more out of exhaustion than interest. What harm could it do?

"I’m coming too!"

"Me too!"

But Jehanne and Yifa, who heard the conversation, raised their voices and declared. Jehanne, worried about her husband being "snatched" away, was a given... but Yifa raising her voice was unexpected.

"Well... I don’t mind," Xu Tao hesitated to reply.

"Oh, but I mind!" Zetian cried, frowning in displeasure. "I’d rather talk with my Emperor alone, without any prying ears around!"

"No way we’d allow that!" Yifa shouted. "You’re definitely planning to do something nefarious to Master Tao!"

"Right! If you’re just talking, then having us with you shouldn’t be a problem! Or is there a reason you wouldn’t want anyone else present?!"

After minutes of banter, it was decided that the two would come with them to ensure "fairness." Xu Tao was confused, having lost track of the discussion midway through, so he could only nod along.

With that settled, Xu Tao moved on to the rest of the defense troops.

Other than Yifa’s third squad—who received SR and above items—the rest were allowed to select any item they liked from a pool of Rare to SR weapons, armors, and miscellaneous goods.

With their numbers, a few quarrels for possession of rarer items were unavoidable. But instead of fighting among themselves, Xu Tao commanded that they decide who the item would go to through a simple game.

Thanks to that, the selection process was greatly prolonged. By the time everyone had picked an item, the day was already changing.

Of course, the celebration was still ongoing—probably well into the night. Xu Tao and the rest, however, returned to the castle early.

"What a tiring day..." Xu Tao grumbled.

He was sitting at the head of the table in the castle’s meeting room—the place Wu Zetian, currently seated to his right, had chosen to "talk" about certain matters. To his left, Jehanne and Yifa sat in the same order.

"So?" Xu Tao hid his hands under his sleeves, resting his arms on top of the table. "What is it that you want to talk about, Wu Zetian?"

She had been insisting on it a few times already, so even Xu Tao was getting curious. Could it be about his supposed "past," which he’d forgotten? Or about herself, and the time she spent searching for her Emperor?

Wu Zetian slowly folded her fan, lowering it to the table, before turning to face Xu Tao.

Her face was as beautiful as ever—not a single blemish on her white skin, and eyes that sparkled, reflecting the candlelight around the room. More than that, her pink lips parted ever so slightly, followed by sighs that could captivate the hearts of weak men.

"My Emperor, Tang Taizong..." she whispered, her eyes wavering for a brief instant. "Now that I’ve found you once more, it’s time to fulfill your promise to me."

Xu Tao almost wanted to say he wasn’t Tang Taizong again, but his curiosity won out. "...Promise?"

"Yes..."

Zetian’s fingers slid across the table, slowly grasping Xu Tao’s arm. Jehanne and Yifa’s eyes narrowed as they watched, but they didn’t say anything yet—after all, her actions were still within reason.

But that short delay... cost them greatly.

"On your deathbed, you promised me," Zetian reiterated, gently caressing Xu Tao’s arm. "That if I found you after you were gone, you’d finally fulfill my request... to carry your child. The bloodline of the only man I truly loved."

"You...!"

Jehanne stood up, about to interrupt—

WHOOSH!

—only for red smoke to come out of Zetian’s fan on top of the table.

Even without a breeze, the smoke clung to surfaces and spread fast, reaching Jehanne and Yifa within moments. Instantly, their vision shook, as if the world around them were spinning.

"W-What is this...?" Jehanne fell back into her chair.

Her body burned—but she bit her lips, trying to stay grounded. Still, her chest felt tight, to the point that she wanted to "liberate" it further.

"Ugh... This is... poison?!"

Yifa, who had more experience in covert operations, quickly realized what was happening. The effects she experienced were varied, but three stood out greatly.

One that dulled a person’s consciousness—a kind of drug. One that weakened their body—a muscle relaxant. And finally, a poison that enhanced blood circulation and hormonal release—an aphrodisiac!

’But the concentration is weird...’

It wasn’t enough to knock them out completely, but rather, just barely kept their minds intact. Though their bodies weren’t responding well to their will, it wasn’t sloppy execution—it was intentional.

"Right... Master Tao...!"

Yifa turned, only to see Xu Tao’s face flushed red, his breathing heavy and steamy. His eyes were hazy, as if unable to focus on anything in front of him.

Wu Zetian, on the other hand, looked completely unaffected—as if immune to the smoke, or having taken an antidote beforehand.

"My Emperor..." she whispered, casually loosening her entire dress at once. "Come, and become one with me..."

Right at that moment—

SHIIIING!

—something shone from Jehanne’s neck. An item she had just received a little earlier.

Her necklace, The Returner’s Prime Reversal, activated—returning fivefold the "attack’s" effect to the caster, ignoring all defenses!

"Huh...?"

Zetian, not expecting to fall victim to the poison she herself had set, staggered and collapsed to the floor. After all, she was now feeling five times the effect Jehanne was suffering.

"N-No..." she gasped. "I need...!"

Zetian’s setup had failed!

CLANK!

As the situation worsened, Xu Tao stood up, pushing his chair back.

His hazy eyes glanced at Wu Zetian. Slowly, as if in a daze, his hand started reaching toward her.

And then...