Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 455 I hate him

A mass rebellion.

Thales stared blankly at Naki, whose breathing was unsteady.

Royal Guard? Rebellion?
No one responded to Samir's scathing words.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment, everything remained in the past, no longer moving forward.

It wasn't until Barney took a breath and gave a disdainful sneer that everyone was brought back to their senses.

“Ridiculous,” Barney’s voice sounded rather disheveled, “Naki, your shameless lies are like…”

"lie?"

Like an enraged animal, Naki shouted back, silencing Barney's awkward question:

"lie?"

Naki's tone carried a chilling despair that sent shivers down everyone's spine.

He glanced around at his fellow guards, whose expressions varied, and said to Barney with a half-smile:

"Then guess, Barney."

"All these years in the dungeon, what were the reasons for the deaths of those thirty-seven brothers you vowed to avenge and seek justice for?"

Thirty-seven...

Without warning, little Barney suddenly shuddered.

He wasn't the only one to react this way; many others, including Samir, Belletti, Tardin, and Cannon, had varying expressions.

Thales was still reeling from the terrifying news of the guards' mass defection, and he looked at everyone again, his face pale.

According to Naki, half of the royal guards were aware of the king's assassination at the time; many may not have been involved, but they were at least bystanders who did nothing.

So, what is the relationship between the majority of the participants and those in the royal guard who are no longer alive and the bloody year, the royal tragedy, and the mastermind behind it all?
Even those who are still alive here, those who swore an oath to guard the throne and remain loyal for eternity…

Belletti, Tardin, Cannon, Brie...

Unbeknownst to him, Thales' face turned pale, and he took a step back.

Naki's hoarse and pained voice continued:
“Remember Walker? He died in the infighting during the first year. I guess he found out the truth later and brought it to the forefront…”

Quick-Knife Walker.

For a fleeting moment, Barney's vision blurred, and the image of a slick, thin man appeared before him.

“Molian and ‘The Bug’ were innocent until they also learned that their close companions might be traitors, or that their obedience had indirectly led to the death of the late king. These facts were unacceptable to them…”

Naki's words were weak, yet carried a chilling meaning, causing the guards' expressions to change drastically, with Samir even letting out a painful sigh.

“Chimera knew the truth, but he was too proud, too proud to simultaneously live with both loyalty and sin, facing your relentless rebuke as if nothing had happened…”

Morian, "bedbug", Chimera.

Barney's breathing slowly stopped.

Belletti's breath trembled, and Tardin's eyes showed terror.

"And then there's big guy Larry. I don't know him well, so I don't know if he discovered the truth and that's why he's killing people, or if someone else discovered the truth and that's why they're killing him..."

One name after another floated in the air.

Naki's words were filled with sorrow, and he was sobbing uncontrollably:

“King and ‘Skull’ may not have been involved, but they were burdened with deep guilt that lingered for years, until those two bastards decided to abandon everything…”

"Rogo was very determined at first, but I guess the dark and hopeless prison life wore down his will..."

"Cox was calm, but he ultimately couldn't face the loss of so many people, and couldn't accept that he had implicated them because of his own selfishness..."

As Naki recounted his story, the guards were already deeply moved: Samir's eyes were bloodshot with exhaustion, Nai stood frozen in place, Brie clenched his fists in pain, and Cannon covered his forehead, trembling slightly.

In the end, Naki, with tears streaming down his face, almost screamed:
"How many people in here died from the agony of imprisonment, how many died from injustice and resentment, and how many died burdened by guilt and depression? Proud and resolute Quill Barney, don't you really know?"

As Thales listened to those hurtful words, he felt increasingly suffocated.

Back then, forty-six members of the Star Royal Guard were imprisoned, carrying shame, guilt, pain, guilt, and unspeakable truths...

How exactly did they spend those more than a decade and a half?

"I..." Little Barney opened his mouth helplessly, but he had no words to say and could only gasp for breath.

But Naki's words grew increasingly sharp:

"And you, when you, this paranoid maniac, spent more than a decade, day and night, endlessly complaining to them about your injustice, cursing the damned traitors, and spitting out the shameless conspiracy..." Naki said through gritted teeth.

Barney seemed to remember something; his expression became dazed, confused, and surprised.

A few seconds later, all the emotions on his face transformed into the deepest fear and panic.

"When you stood before those thirty-seven people, making a solemn vow to never turn back, threatening to uncover the truth, expose everything, make the sinners pay the price, and avenge the brothers, and even forcing them to support you..."

Naki's tears flowed uncontrollably:

Do you really know what your seemingly righteous and loyal accusations and determination mean to them, who are already disheartened and trapped in nightmares?

In that instant, Barney's body swayed!
He plunged the sword into the ground with all his might to keep from collapsing.

But the vanguard officer's face was ashen, and he was drenched in cold sweat.

“No,” Barney, almost in a daze, looked like a timid and helpless child.
"No!"

“You fucking have no idea what you’re talking about, Naki…”

Barney staggered back a step, shaking his head frantically, his expression one of terror.

“Over the years, I have watched them die, buried them, and given eulogies for them… I have endured until now for their sake, and for the hope that one day their names will be cleared…”

Barney Jr.'s situation had almost reached rock bottom; he was talking to himself like a madman, no less so than Sackel had been.

The guards stared at each other, almost in a daze, their eyes revealing unbearable pain.

But Naki, whose mental state was not much better than Barney's, was clearly not going to let the vanguard go.

"Hahaha, you mean they're the only reason you're keeping living?" Naki laughed and cried at the same time, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"But you don't know..."

"Most of them, after being imprisoned, lived with shame, guilt, self-blame, pain, and torment, facing their ugliest selves, barely surviving, each day feeling like an eternity..."

"And you, Quill Barney!"

Naki pointed at Barney with a face full of hatred:
"You think you're encouraging them, saving them, and seeking justice for them..."

"But in reality, you are constantly whipping their hearts, reminding them, recalling, and deepening their impressions and shame of that night, using your noble integrity and character, your righteous slogans and determination to make them suffer even in prison."

"They were driven to desperation, tormenting themselves..."

Hearing Naki's words, Barney was like an unfortunate traveler who had fallen into an abyss, trembling with fear and even struggling to breathe.

"It's you!"

Naki's vicious accusations are etched in my memory:
"It was you, one after another, day after day, who used seemingly encouraging but actually scornful methods to drive them to a dead end, ultimately forcing them to find release through death!"

Naki's words were heart-wrenching, echoing throughout the dungeon, causing all who heard them to turn pale:
"You are the real murderer who killed those thirty-seven brothers!"

"Quail Barney!"

Bang!

Amidst the tremors of the crowd, Barney's sword and shield fell to the ground simultaneously, trembling violently.

"No!"

Barney covered his face with his hands in pain, his whole body trembling.

"No...no, it wasn't me..."

His voice was timid and fearful.

Faced with Barney like this, Naki burst into laughter:

"And you, a pampered young master soldier, are now righteous and full of vigor, ready to return to the capital to uncover the truth and seek justice for them?"

His smile slowly faded:

"Stop joking, you son of a bitch, Barney..."

“You have no idea, every word you said when you were standing there, so self-righteously criticizing Sacel, made me want to vomit.”

Barney's groans grew increasingly painful.

Thales watched this exceptionally cruel confrontation with mixed feelings, the unease and doubt in his heart tormenting him. He recalled the cruel and merciless confrontation between his former comrade, the Meteorite, and the Death Howl Raven in the desolate wasteland of Qiyuan City.

But even then, it was hard to compare with the situation now.

The rest of the guard stared in disbelief at the scene, even Samir remained silent.

For a moment, only Barney's painful moans could be heard in the dungeon.

He bent over, pressing his knees, and gasped for air, as if only in this way could he obtain the sustenance to survive.

"but……"

"None of you know, do you?"

Barney turned shakily to the others, his former composure and authority completely gone: "That's right... it's impossible for none of us to know about something this big..."

“Tell me, he must have made this up…”

His tone was almost pleading.

I hope to get an answer.

But the answers are often unsatisfactory.

"I had my doubts."

A deep voice sounded.

Nai lowered his head under everyone's gaze, his face ashen.

"The order that day was too strange, too unusual, but no one stood up to object, so I..."

"Later, when I was in jail, I also had my doubts, but..."

He said no more.

Barney's eyes initially showed shock, then grew increasingly desperate.

Belletti stared at Nai in disbelief.

Another calm, fragile, yet unsettling voice broke in:
"it is true."

Everyone turned their attention to another person:

“It’s true… I know what Naki said.”

The speaker replied listlessly.

Barney's voice trembled as he looked at the person who had spoken:

"Taldin? You?"

Thales frowned: Tardin dropped his sword and spoke in a desolate and deathly tone:
“If they had told me this would happen, if I had known Constance would… then I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t…”

As he spoke, tears streamed down his face.
"I won't……"

Tardin's throat seemed to be blocked, and he lowered his head, never to respond again.

Samir looked at him with astonishment.

"No." This is the dazed little Barney.

A third trembling voice rang out:

"It shouldn't be like this..."

Thales turned his head: Cannon was shivering and leaning against the corner of the wall.

“I was the one who lagged behind. I recalled the sentries and left the door open... But according to the plan, everything should have been simple, straightforward, and over before they even realized it. Then I should have died with the assassin. I shouldn’t be alive now…”

Cannon's eyes were vacant as he muttered to himself:
"Sorry……"

Barney's eyes gradually dimmed, as if the last glimmer of hope had been extinguished.
"Cannon?"

Cannon gave a strained laugh.

“Naki is right, Samir is right, it’s our fault, we can’t run away from it,” he muttered, shaking his head nervously.

“We can’t leave Sacel alone… He’s already carrying too much…”

After Cannon finished speaking, the dungeon remained silent for a long time.

Until Barney's hoarse and wooden voice came again:

"Is there anyone else?"

A few seconds later, Brie sobbed painfully, knelt down, and stammered in anguish.

“Bri?” Barney stared at him in surprise.

Naki chuckled softly, his eyes glazed over.

“That’s why he can’t speak anymore…” Naki whispered; “He doesn’t have the courage to face it…”

Barney's last expression vanished.

“Taldin, Cannon, Brie, Naki…” The vanguard officer stared blankly at the four men before him, each behaving differently.

"Over the past ten years or so, thirty-seven people..."

Why...why didn't you tell me the truth?

His echo reverberated through the four walls.

No one speaks.

Thales looked at them with a heavy heart.

At that moment, nothing else seemed to matter.

"the truth?"

The one that opened was still Naki.

He stared at Barney with a sarcastic look.

"Barney, do you know who was in charge of what happened back then?"

Upon hearing this, almost everyone's expression changed.

Even Barney's almost numb, lifeless face twitched again.

Thales suddenly realized something.

Naki bent over and laughed painfully:
"Barney...you pathetic idiot, he really loves you, doesn't he?"

Naki's words reveal a deep-seated hatred:
"So he protected you too well, you know nothing... Maybe he was just hedging his bets, hoping that you could escape unscathed and stay in the palace by virtue of your innocence and ignorance."

"Could he even take his place?"

Barney's eyes widened suddenly!

"no no……"

The vanguard officer murmured.

A wave of immense sorrow and despair washed over him.

"Yes."

Naki coldly replied:

"Back then, the one who led the gathering of us, instigated us to let that palace coup go unchecked, threw us all into an endless abyss, and then escaped final judgment alone was none other than himself."

Naki clenched his teeth, his eyes filled with indescribable emotions:
“I hate him, I curse him.”

He said bitterly:
“That’s right, the deputy captain of the royal guard.”

"Big Quil Barney".

"Your damned father."

thump.

Barney dropped his weapon and his knees hit the ground.

He knelt on the ground, his breathing intermittent, his eyes vacant.

From that moment on, his face lost all its luster.

It was as if it had lost its soul.

(End of this chapter)