The City of Terror - Chapter 175 - What is a Zhua Guai?

“The masterminds are cooler than heroes,” I mutter as I stare at the chess pieces before me. It is easier to be the one who sits in the shadows and moves the pieces, likewise deciding the flow of the game.Heroes will foolishly sacrifice their lives for the good cause and villains will sacrifice the world for their own gain, but masterminds will use both the heroes and villains to their own benefit.Why, you ask? Well, that's because I've lost my life once while trying to be a hero so, I don't want that anymore. I'd rather be a mastermind who molds the world as per my convenience and live peacefully. Because, why not?***[Defender of Divine Glory says you are the hope of this world.]What?[Goddess of Wisdom believes that you will be the one to save the world.]Wait, what?![Propose the Grand Duke the idea of a fake marriage.]And, why would I do that?![Stop the assassination of Prince Eric.]Why would I save him?![The candidates for the throne are:... Who will you choose?]Ah! I give up...It seems like a curse that anyone who wishes for a slacker life in Isekai will have to go through the most troublesome things.In my past life, I died because of one rookie mistake but after being transmigrated in the world of fantasy I've gotten an opportunity to start afresh, but unlike the protagonists who look for their love and glory, I'd rather make money and live a life of a slacker.I have magic, I have power and I have money, what else do I need?Well, that was the plan but this damn system is getting on my nerves. I mean who in their sane mind would want to mess with the complicated royal family and political affairs? But that's not all though.I've also become the saviour of this world. Things just can't be anymore worse!Besides, the penalty of failing this quest is...[Failure: Destruction of the World.]It seems like if I screw up in selecting the right person then the destruction that is going to befall the world won't be stopped.If I speak of my reward then it's this vague thing.[Reward: Fulfillment of any wish.]“If that's the case then, I'd rather choose the person who would be the best fit for the throne.”And that's how I decided that I would become the Kingmaker.

【Female Lead’s pleasure-seeking + high IQ palace intrigue + female lead schemes against the entire harem + crazy villain personality】

Song Zhao has always been a woman who spares no means to achieve her goals, and at the same time she lives more clearly than anyone else.

From the moment she knew she was chosen by Xiao Jingheng to enter the palace as a concubine, her goal has been very clear:

“I entered the palace just to become the Empress, why else? To go cook for someone else?”

Therefore, as soon as she entered the palace, relying on her beauty and wisdom, she took steps to win the monarch’s heart, and played with the six palaces in her palm.

Anyway, the women in this harem, for the sake of family, for their own favor and honor, there are none who do not compete and snatch,

Since this is the case, what she has to do is take preemptive action,

Make herself a villain, defeat everyone, and successfully ascend to the Phoenix throne.

At first, Emperor Xiao Jingheng favored Song Zhao, just because of her unparalleled beauty in the harem.

The favored concubines often become arrogant due to favoritism, but Song Zhao was different.

Not only did she not compete for favor, she always advised Xiao Jingheng to share his rain and dew evenly, and often go to other concubines.

Her attitude towards him in her daily life was also visibly perfunctory.

This inevitably made Xiao Jingheng suspicious, feeling that Song Zhao was not truly sincere towards him.

The innate desire to conquer that emperors possess made him secretly determine to completely possess this woman:

Not just her person, but her heart as well.

The process of conquering Song Zhao was like climbing the highest mountain in the world.

It’s just that Xiao Jingheng never thought:

When he climbed Mount Song Zhao, he willingly climbed it for a lifetime.

【No transmigration, no rebirth, no golden finger】

The strongest wizard Alfred, in a hero’s party, subdued the Maou and in the process took a cursed arrow to the knee.

Even with the hurt knee, Alfred’s still the strongest wizard ever. So…

「We need a chief for our newly created knight squad!」 「Could you help us as our guild manager?」「We need someone to rid us of the dragon that resides in the North Mountain!!」

Alfred just wanted some time to rest and recover, but no one would LEAVE HIM ALONE!

Because of that, Alfred wished to spend time recovering in a small country village that no one knew about.

『Need a guard in Mulg Village. Wolves and boars attacking the village. Payment is food and board. *Village has a hot spring.』

「THAT’S THE ONE!」

So, the strongest wizard in the kingdom…decided on living the slow life in the country.

Beatty, a weak squirrel shapeshifter who was born into a lion family. Because of that, I lived my life being ab*sed at my aunt’s house in the Capital. When I told my only friend and fiancé, the Second Prince, that I would leave to achieve my dream, ‘Ritter, you bastard…!’ I died on his fangs. I opened my eyes again to my childhood, the time before I got myself involved with the Second Prince. At times like this, what do you need? Speed. I immediately withdrew my body only and ran away to the territory of my biological father, the Lion Duke. Though I won’t be welcomed, if I possess this one great secret that will only be discovered in the future, I won’t get kicked ou— “Welcome, Young Miss!” “OMG! When did you grow up like this…?” “Young Miss is walking with those two cute feet!” … Huh? Why am I welcomed like this? No way, is that my statue?