"Young Master Mansfield, you say it so tactfully, but to my ears, it all sounds like you're looking for cannon fodder, not a true ally, isn't it?"
Desmond Mansfield's meaning was already clear enough—he needed an ally to help him fight against the Ouyang and Baili clans for the Starry Void Sigil.
Everyone knew the current situation: fighting for the Starry Void Sigil was no longer a contest of wealth. Winning it at auction only gave you a head start—the real question was, who would end up with it in the end? That was still completely up in the air.
"Throne Chu, that's not quite right. Don't you even want to hear what you could gain by helping us?"
"Not interested. I came to Yellow-Blade Star-Region for the same reason—the Starry Void Sigil—and I intend to claim it for myself. I've never needed allies for that.
Thanks for the tea, Young Master Mansfield. I, Evan Chu, am truly grateful, and I apologize for the intrusion today. If I ever get the chance, I'll repay you in some other way. But when it comes to the Starry Void Sigil—sorry, I can't help you there."
Evan Chu rejected him outright, not giving Desmond Mansfield a single chance.
Desmond Mansfield froze for a second—what did that mean? He hadn't even finished speaking yet!
Seeing Evan Chu turn to leave, Desmond Mansfield panicked, "Brother Chu, wait!"
This time, Desmond Mansfield switched from 'Throne Chu' to 'Brother Chu,' obviously trying to close the distance between them.
"Brother Chu, it seems you didn't quite get what I meant. Of course I know you're here for the Starry Void Sigil too, but my intentions are different from yours. Would you let me finish explaining?"
Evan Chu paused mid-step. Could Desmond Mansfield really mean something else?
Truth be told, Evan Chu really didn't want to deal with schemers like this. Even though he hadn't spent much time with Desmond Mansfield, by every measure, this guy was a walking hive of hidden daggers.
Dealing with people like this, you had to stay on guard every second—otherwise, you'd get played before you knew it. And you could never guess what someone like that was really thinking. That's why, for all their cleverness, schemers always end up stuck below the top—they never become true kings.
Because when someone's got too many schemes, even their own brothers don't trust them.
Right now, that's exactly how Desmond Mansfield felt to Evan Chu—full of schemes, always calculating, and when people like that talked about allies, they usually meant cannon fodder.
This was nothing like when Evan Chu had worked with the Heavenwing and Lanridge Legions. At least then, he'd cared about their safety, spent plenty of Starstones to protect them, and even promised them a generous reward.
But that didn't mean Desmond Mansfield would do the same. Who knew if he'd end up scheming you to death?
But what Desmond Mansfield said next actually shook Evan Chu's long-held resolve.
"Since I've drunk your tea, I owe you a favor. I'll give you a chance—go ahead and finish what you wanted to say."