Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 438 The Prince Is Not Here
same as usual.

Quick Rope snorted angrily and turned his head away, seemingly very dissatisfied with the boy's words.

“You still care.” Thales’ tone fluctuated slightly.

Kuai Sheng's brow furrowed slightly:
"what?"

“Your father, Dragon City, Exter, even your niece,” Thales took a few deep breaths, his voice filled with emotion and gratitude, as he spoke from an unseen direction.
"No matter how much you claim to be detached from the past, how much you abhor the chains that bind you."

The fast rope skipped a beat.

“But in some corner of your heart… you still care.” With his head on the rope’s shoulder, Thales buried his face in the darkness where the firelight couldn’t reach, his lips twitching slightly.

The rope swayed for a moment, then let out a cold snort.

"Hmph, laugh all you want."

"I'm just a stubborn coward. In the end, I still can't get over the past."

He quickened his pace in great displeasure, causing Thales, who was leaning on his shoulder, to stumble.

But the boy showed no anger or distress; he simply smiled gently.

“No, quick rope,” Thales’ smile carried an undeniable bitterness:
"I mean……"

"That's good."

Quick rope's body trembled slightly.

The boy lowered his eyes, gazing at the darkness beneath his feet.

"Compared to Morar, who abandoned everything for freedom..."

"This is the real fast rope."

Quick Rope did not answer.

He just snorted again.

But at that moment, Thales suddenly felt all the fatigue from before vanish.

"Leave her."

Thales came to his senses:
"Ok?"

All that could be heard was Kuaisheng, panting heavily, gritting his teeth and speaking:
"Leave her, leave Alex."

Alex.

Thales' slightly lighter mood turned heavy again.

"After we get out..."

"You filthy, disgusting bastard who likes to take advantage of girls."

Quickstrip spoke with disgust, his left arm tapping Thales' chest, as if in a show of defiance or warning:
“I don’t care what happened between you two before, but from now on… you are not allowed to approach her, covet her, or lust after her.”

"Stay away from Alex!"

The tunnel was swift and decisive.

In that instant, Thales' expression darkened.

That's so funny.

Not long ago, this person sincerely wished them "to become a couple."

Maybe.

This is reality, isn't it?

Thales suddenly laughed, which made Quick Rope's expression turn unfriendly.

“Drowning,” Prince Star suddenly said.

"what?"

Thales took a deep breath, his eyes filled with profound depth:

"Sometimes, I feel like a drowning person, struggling for their last breath in the water, instinctively grabbing onto anything usable and any tools at hand, trying to keep themselves from sinking."

As he spoke, Thales' voice fell silent.

His tone turned melancholy.

"But in my heart, I know what this means."

Quicksun's expression gradually relaxed, but he didn't say anything.

"Don't worry, Quick Rope is different from you."

Thales looked ahead.

In the corners where the torches couldn't reach, there was only darkness.

"Born with this fate..."

Thales gazed into the darkness, as if he could see the girl's tear-streaked face.

Yes, Thales.

【I trust you.】

I believe in you with my life.

He gave a strained and bitter smile:

"My shoulders can no longer bear anything heavier."

For example, another person's future.

The rope fell silent.

He resisted the urge to turn around and look at the people around him, and just kept moving forward.

Step by step, in the darkness barely illuminated by the firelight, they made their way forward toward the stone steps.

It seemed that nothing could stop them.

However, the next second, Thales's ears twitched.

Although it was very faint, he still heard it thanks to the amplification of his hellish senses.

Thales frowned slightly:
"somebody is coming."

The rope twitched slightly, and he glanced to his side out of the corner of his eye.

The two turned around in tacit understanding, left the stone steps, and turned into the dark corridor of this floor, where they crouched down behind a collapsed stone pillar.

Quickly lower the torch and skillfully stomp it out with two or three taps.

Darkness enveloped the two of them once more.

Soon, a fire lit up the spiral stone steps ahead.

A multitude of footsteps sounded from above.

"Sonny, over here!"

"correct!"

The sound startled both Quick Rope and Thales!
This is……

That steady, familiar male voice rang out amidst the footsteps: "It's definitely that prince! He must be here, nearby!"

what?
In the darkness, Thales and Quick Rope's breathing both quickened.

How did they discover and confirm that the nearby location was Thales?

A second male voice responded with a soft "hmm" from a short distance away.
"How can you be sure? We've already searched two floors."

The first voice rang out again:
“I did something to them in the tavern, so I’m sure of it.”

Thales and Quick Rope exchanged a glance in the darkness, sensing each other's surprise.

The second voice—Sonny snorted coldly:
"Hold your torches and, just like before, search every corner!"

"Beware of the cockroaches of the Shadow Shield—or as they say, the madmen released from the very bottom."

At this command, a multitude of footsteps left the stone steps, slowly dispersing and entering this level.

Thales felt a chill run down his spine.

"It's Dean."

In the corner, he said in a solemn, low voice, "And Sonny—one of the remaining members of the Blade of Calamity?"

Quick Rope turned his head, seemingly still feeling awkward:

"You don't need to remind me."

The footsteps grew closer and then faded away.

The flames were slowly getting closer.

The reports and responses grew louder and louder.

The two people hiding in the corner of the corridor became nervous.

“I remember,” Thales whispered.
"Dean should have been with you?"

Quick Rope shook his head in the darkness.

“Dean is shrewd; he was prepared. He tried to escape the moment we were attacked,” Quick Rope whispered in Thales’ ear.
"He also wanted to take me out with him, but the man with the chisel..."

He did not continue.

Soon, the mercenary Sonny's voice rang out again from the other end of the corridor.

"Hey, you in the darkroom, I'll say it again."

"You know, the Star Prince belongs to us—that's the condition of our cooperation."

Thales frowned.

It seems that although the people of the Sword of Calamity have lost their leader, their numbers remain, and they are still the most troublesome force in the Black Prison.

And Dean...

Dean's voice followed:
"Yes, I know."

"But according to the agreement, I want revenge."

His voice sounded somewhat strained and resentful.

"That man, the so-called Wyatt Cassel, the one who took me down," Dean said coldly, "he must pay the price."

"But I want to live."

Quick Rope let out a barely perceptible sigh.

"Is it."

In the distance, Sonny let out a cold snort:
"You're really not a magnanimous person, are you?"

Dean didn't answer him, but continued searching.

Thales took a deep breath, but was startled when he heard the enemy bending down to examine under the stone table.

Oops.

They didn't even miss a corner; were they convinced that their target was on this floor?
The firelight drew closer, reflecting off the stone pillar where they were.

In the dim light, Quick Rope and Thales simultaneously saw each other's faces.

The same solemnity and tension.

And shock.

"The situation is not good."

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Thales gritted his teeth and whispered, "They're determined to search this place thoroughly."

Without his prompting, Kuaishou had already grasped the current situation.

They hid behind the collapsed stone pillars, while footsteps and firelight grew closer in the distance.

Kuaisheng's brow furrowed more and more.

His eyes showed increasing struggle.

Thales did not notice his companion's expression.

He gritted his teeth and exhaled, gripping his sword tightly: he had just recovered from the extreme discomfort and pain following his loss of control, and was far from being in peak condition. Moreover, facing so many people…

As for magic power, I can give it a try... Ugh, damn it!

Thales turned pale and withdrew his attempt due to the excruciating pain.

Quick Rope looked at Thales with a complicated expression.

"We can't hide here; we'll be discovered."

Thales gritted his teeth, watching the firelight getting closer and closer on both sides, and the walls getting brighter and brighter.

Kaisen remained silent, his lips pursed as he stared intently at his feet.

"Yes, we will be discovered."

He turned his head and stared intently at Thales:
"But you won't."

Thales was taken aback:
"what?"

The next moment, before he could even react, Quick Rope shoved the backpack on his back into Thales' arms!
Before Thales could react, Quick Rope had already leaped off the stone pillar and was running away at full speed!
They rushed up the stone steps leading to the upper level.

tread, tread, tread...

Kuaisheng's footsteps were extremely heavy, and his figure cast a shadow in the firelight, immediately attracting the enemy's attention!

"there!"

"Chase!"

Footsteps sounded in unison as they headed towards the rope!

Thales was left alone by the stone pillar, clutching his backpack, staring blankly at the retreating figure of the rope.

And the hand that I reached out unconsciously.

he……

The commotion caused by the rope attracted most of the enemies, who no longer had any interest in searching carefully. Instead, they swarmed around and surrounded the person running towards the stone steps!

he……

Thales stared blankly at the receding flames, breathing in a daze.

"laugh!"

A string twanged in the distance!
One of the mercenaries cried out in pain, seemingly having been attacked by the rope.

But the footsteps stopped there.

They gathered together, some slowly, some still, following the firelight.

It appears that the rope has been wrapped around it.

He didn't run away.

No.

Thales closed his eyes tightly, gritted his teeth, and pressed his forehead against his backpack.

“Wow, wow, wow,” Sonny’s voice rang out coldly:

"Let's see who we found."

"The Little Prince's sidekick?"

Thales gripped his sword tightly and let out a painful sigh.

No.

Yes, we will be discovered.

But you won't.

Is that what you mean?
hateful.

Quick rope, Morar.

You idiot!
"Where is the prince?" Sonny's threatening voice rang out.

Quick rope didn't answer, only responded with a cold snort:
"died."

"He was killed by that madman named Sacelle."

At that moment, Thales recalled the angry and pained expression on Quick Rope's face just now.

His first encounter with her was filled with liveliness and humor in the desert...

It's completely...two different people.

A slight murmur rippled through the mercenaries.

"Quiet!"

Sonny's voice rang out again, but this time, his words carried a hint of anger and annoyance:
"died?"

"You know, if the prince dies too, then you're useless."

Quick Rope did not answer.

Thales breathed heavily, trying to walk out of the stone pillar.

But reason told him that going out would be pointless.

Two people, or even just one person, in such a disadvantageous situation...

Is there a difference?

A footstep echoed through the crowd.

"It's over, quick rope."

Dean's steady voice rang out again, carrying a faint solemnity and a hint of reverence that required considerable effort to discern:

"You have nowhere to run."

“Tell me where the Star Prince is, and you will survive… even survive better than before, if you know what I mean.”

"And you know how to choose."

Thales, who was lying behind the stone pillar, trembled slightly.

Damn!

No.

Thales gritted his teeth.

At that moment, he felt utterly powerless behind the stone pillar.

"You ask...where is the prince?"

The voice of the quick rope echoed softly, filled with indifference and sternness, devoid of the joy and cynicism of the past.

"The prince is nowhere to be found."

Hearing these profound words, Thales felt increasingly tormented.

"As for living better than before?"

Quick Rope chuckled, "Dean, when you get back, you might as well just tell that old woman the same thing."

Faint noises and commotion among mercenaries could be heard in the distance.

"Stop, quick rope!"

Dean's voice carried a hint of panic and anxiety:
"You're courting death!"

In that instant, Thales suddenly realized what the quick rope was doing.

He was re-stringing the crossbow.

No.

Thales stared blankly, then realized what was happening.

"Tell her."

"Quick rope, no," Moral Walton's voice rang out again.

Firm, sharp, and unwavering.

"I made my choice six years ago."

"My way of life."

At that moment, Thales was stunned as he recalled what the rope had told him.

Chains of power.

I either submit, yield, and let it lock my body and soul tighter and tighter.

Either abandon it completely.

Be true to yourself.

No.

Thales gripped his backpack in a daze, his whole body trembling, his palms icy cold.

That idiot.

He was not prepared to surrender, not prepared to yield, and not prepared to fall back into the hands of the Dark Chamber.

he already……

The final preparations are complete.

The sound of stringing continued.

"If he remains obstinate..."

Sonny drew his sword with a furious laugh: "Then let's grant his wish."

"No, Sonny! We agreed—quick rope, don't do anything stupid!" Dean tried to ease the tension.

But Moral ignored him completely and continued stringing the instrument.

The mercenaries had already drawn their weapons.

Thales gritted his teeth and breathed heavily, feeling inexplicably distressed.

I finally understand.

Morar is long dead, Thales.

[And it wasn't until the night I struggled out of the Black Path, out of Dragonsreaching City, that the man named Moral came alive for the first time.]

first……

Come back alive.

"despair!"

A soft sound.

Thales was awakened by the sound of the wind-up mechanism being completed.

"come."

Morar's voice was like a lion before its hunt, fierce and menacing:
"You bunch of useless trash."

The swords of calamity were breathing heavier and heavier.

Dean's anxious shouts were to no avail.

Sonny's ruthless command rang out coldly in Thales's dazed hearing: "Very good."

"kill him."

Behind the stone pillar, Thales listened to all of this with a distorted expression.

He closed his eyes in pain.

The update is complete.

Now I can watch the World Cup with peace of mind.

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(End of this chapter)