Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 617 Climbing High

Chapter 617 Climbing High
Thales' eyelids twitched.

He gazed at King Kessel's face and, for the first time, discovered that even that resolute and cold face could contain different emotions.

Is it.

His...father.

"No, Your Majesty."

Thinking of this, Thales said calmly:
"What I want is still the same as the previous conditions."

But then he changed the subject.

“But not for the sake of so-called ‘moderation,’ so-called ‘compromise,’ or so-called ‘gradual progress,’” Thales’s face darkened.
"At least this time, it's not."

King Kessel's knife sliced through the next piece of food, making a crisp sound as it hit the plate.

"What's that for?"

The king mocked:
"Did this dinner really change anything for you?"

Thales silently looked at the other person, and at that moment, he was filled with a myriad of emotions.

"Don't you understand, Your Majesty?"

The prince lowered his head, picked up his spoon, and sighed:
"You can't beat them."

"You can't do it on your own."

Thales stared intently at his spoon, watching it scoop out a piece of food:
You need me.

You need me.

King Kessel remained silent for a long while:

"Isn't it too late to seek peace now?"

Upon hearing this, Thales couldn't help but smile, but his smile was somewhat bitter.

"Seek peace?"

"Who said I'm seeking reconciliation?"

Thales raised his head, his expression growing cold:

“I have come to declare war on you, Your Majesty.”

In that instant, the king's knife struck the plate squarely.

Kessel slowly raised his head and looked at his son:

"what?"

Thales's face was grim, and his tone was grave:

"From this day forward, Your Majesty, I will give you a weapon unlike any you have ever seen before."

"Truly helping you succeed."

Across the table, King Kessel stared at him coldly, his expression unfriendly.

"Amory's chips are no longer in your hands."

Thales shook his head.

“No, she’s not an orphan from the Amory family,” the prince said nonchalantly.

"That's just an extra bonus at most."

"Additional items?"

Thales nodded:
"Yes, just like the 'Sand King,' it was only the beginning, a carriage that started off poorly and deviated from the right path, but was eventually pulled back to the right track by us."

King Kessel remained silent; he knew that Thales' words went beyond that.

Sure enough, the next second, Thales's expression turned serious:
"In order to defeat them, to defeat your slippery and unpredictable opponents, Your Majesty, you must change your strategy. You can no longer rely on your strength to charge ahead recklessly, you can no longer be so aggressive and domineering, you can no longer aimlessly wield your sword, and you can no longer be on high alert day and night."

Thales said in a low voice:
“You need them to step forward, stand up, and show themselves.”

“You need them to let their guard down, to be negligent, to make mistakes.”

"You need to understand them, control them, and lull them into a false sense of security."

At that moment, the king's expression changed slightly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Thales' attitude was frank and magnanimous, as if this were the most natural and self-evident thing.

"In the Star Kingdom, in this mess left by the wise ruler, where the situation is so clear that there's no way out, what you truly need, what you lack..."

The next second, Thales' expression turned stern, and his voice suddenly turned cold:

"He is an opponent."

"A worthy opponent who can rival you."

In that instant, King Catherine V's eyes widened suddenly!
As Thales gazed at the other person from afar, he felt a strange sense of peace and relief.

That's right.

Swords and blades have always been drawn from their sheaths.

What he wants to become is not a sword.

It was a sword sheath.

"And this opponent must be like you, powerful enough, noble enough, enough to command the heroes and shake the kingdom. With his existence..."

Thales didn't continue, but instead glanced tentatively at King Kessel.

For the first time, the iron-fisted king, known for his absolute authority, responded impartially and in a deep voice:

"I am listening."

Thales sighed inwardly.

He found it.

Approaching the enemy, observing the enemy, and responding to the enemy.

In this hasty and difficult battle that brought them into close combat with King Kessel.

He charged, fell, resisted, was defeated time and time again, and rose again and again...

Finally, we've reached the last step.

The sins of the River of Hell flowed wildly within him, finally departing with satisfaction.

The next second, Thales suddenly looked up!
"Logically, this is the only way."

"With him, you can mislead your enemies: the Iron Fist King is not invincible, not unstoppable, not a mortal enemy."

"With him, you can deceive your enemy: the Palace of Restoration is not monolithic, not without gaps, and not without weaknesses."

King Kessel's expression turned solemn, no longer displaying his previous disdain or indifference.

Thales continued quietly:
"With him, you can weaken your enemies: in false hope, they lose their vigilance, become complacent and lazy, and die in comfort."

"With him, you can pinpoint your enemies: the banner of the rebel king flies high, and all those gathered under it will fall into the trap and be wiped out in one fell swoop."

"And he will give you unexpected and tremendous help, helping you to see through them, dismantle them, and ultimately—destroy them."

King Kessel put down his knife without realizing it.

At that moment, his expression as he looked at Thales was incredibly complex.

The king frowned deeply:

"you……"

Thales didn't give him a chance to reply; he raised his voice and continued speaking to himself:

"From a profit perspective, this is the only way."

"With him, your opponents will no longer hide and lurk, no longer be scattered in all directions. They will gather like a pack of wolves, or herd like a herd of horses. They will become traceable, traceable, and identifiable. You will clear the way for the chariot and point the way for the sword."

"Is there a battlefield simpler and easier to understand than this?"

King Kessel clenched his fists, his brow furrowing in struggle.

Thales' voice echoed through Ballard's room, causing the lamplight to flicker and the light to dance back and forth:

"With him, you'll have the most unsolvable undercover agent, deeply lurking in the enemy camp as the enemy leader. No matter which player you face or what game you play, you'll firmly control the opponent's king, manipulating the enemy at will, allowing them to take whatever they want."

"Is there a game of chess with a better chance of winning than this?"

At that moment, the king gritted his teeth, his face contorted in a grimace:

"you--"

"And in reality, this is also the only way!"

Thales jumped up:
"Today, I have committed a heinous crime, carrying a sword to force the emperor to abdicate, and my actions are so outrageous that they are almost treasonous!"

Looking down at the incredulous king across the long table, Thales felt for the first time that the king was "hiding" behind the table.
"At this moment, no matter how much Ren Mi Ke tries to plug the leaks, the news has already spread throughout the capital and is about to sweep across the whole country."

"No matter how loving and filial we may be in the future, there will always be people who remember the rift between the king and his heir, the confrontation between us, and who will try to take advantage of the situation and interfere."

Thales' voice dimmed:

"Our relationship is beyond repair and irreparable."

"And all your efforts for 'filial piety and parental love' have been lost and are meaningless."

King Kessel's expression changed several times, and he reached out and gripped the table tightly.

“In that case,” Thales said expressionlessly, his tone indifferent.
"Why not make the most of it, make the most of this opportunity?"

Why not go with the flow and ride the waves?

"Riding the waves and surging tides?"

Iron-Fisted King breathed heavily, spitting out the words through clenched teeth:
"you……"

"Therefore, for the sake of reason, for the sake of interests, and for the sake of reality, Your Majesty."

Thales gazed at him with a deep, melancholic expression, seemingly both righteous and cold-blooded:

“I am Thales Shining Star…”

"I am destined to be your enemy."

The words fell.

The atmosphere in Ballard Room seemed to have returned to peace, incredibly tranquil and comforting.

It's pleasant.

Several seconds later, King Kessel recovered from his shock and then questioned him incredulously:
"Do you know what you're talking about?"

Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

strangeness.

He smiled slightly:
"More or less." "No."

Iron-Fisted King interrupted him, his suppressed rage palpable:
"you do not know."

King Kessel took a deep breath and regulated his breathing.

"On the surface, you must sever all ties with me, openly oppose and condemn me, stand against the Supreme King, join that treacherous and greedy camp, become brothers with the kingdom's enemies, speak out for them, and become their banner and hope?"

"Behind the scenes, you will conspire with me, betray your conscience and act as my spy, colluding with the tyrant and despot, destroying your former stance and foundation, selling your soul to the monarchy, serving the king faithfully, and stabbing him in the back countless times with despicable and insidious words?"

Iron Fist King gritted his teeth, as if looking at the biggest bastard in the world:

"Do you know what this means?"

why.

Why was he so surprised?

Isn't this situation entirely his doing?

Looking at King Kessel's expression, Thales chuckled.

Strangely, when this moment truly arrived, the emotions he expected to feel—resentment, grievance, indignation, sorrow, sadness, and loss—didn't come to pass.

They all vanished without a trace.

All he could feel was boundless silence.

"It's funny, I have a friend who taught me a lesson."

Thales smiled, recalling his "old friend," and said nostalgically:

"Betrayal is the true essence of alliance."

Strangely enough, besides resentment and disdain, he suddenly felt a pang of longing for that ugly woman at that moment.

So, this is how she felt.

King Kessel's expression changed again.

But this time, he suppressed his excess emotions and tried his best to return to the calm and rational king he had been before.

"Do you know the potential costs and worst-case consequences of your proposal?"

Iron Fist King's eyes blazed with fury:
"If you take this as a stopgap measure to appease me, hoping to profit from the wavering or even fickleness of both sides," you are sorely mistaken.

Thales pursed his lips, feeling that the air in Ballard's room was finally beginning to move.

“You'd better understand,” the king said, his voice laced with a stern expression, a hint of threat in his tone.

"This is not a chess game or a game."

"This is real—war."

Thales' eyelids twitched.

"And anyone, regardless of their name, rank, power, wisdom, courage, ambition, or gentleness, who is self-righteous and dares to stand in the center of the battlefield..."

At that moment, King Kessel was filled with murderous intent:
"They will all be utterly destroyed."

"Let alone being able to get along with everyone."

"Benefit from it."

In that instant, Thales felt a void in his heart.

That's right, a scabbard.

Thales silently said to himself:

More than just welcoming the wind and frost outside the sheath.

It is even more important to be able to withstand the sharpness hidden within the sheath.

This is the proper way to deal with the iron-fisted king.

No matter how heavy the price may be.

Is it what they mean by sealing away a thousand blades?
The prince lowered his head and exhaled with difficulty.

"Yeah, I know."

When he looked up again, his eyes had become serious:
"But as you said: I was born for the stars."

King Kessel's eyes narrowed.

"Compared to the vast stars and the majestic kingdom," Thales said calmly, "our father-son relationship, our grudges and affections, and even our lives and property."

"None of them are that important yet."

At that moment, King Kessel's expression shifted; he struggled several times, but ultimately remained silent.

Seeing the other person's reaction, Thales smiled slightly:
"Just like five hundred years ago, King Denggao sacrificed his son to the gods."

King Kessel was slightly startled.

Thales looked up at the dark ceiling and sighed:
"Those who heard or listened only knew that this matter violated human ethics and was cruel and terrifying."

"Only those who know and act can understand the tragic, heroic, and generous nature of the story."

Recalling the story he had unearthed, Thales gradually drifted into a daze:

"Elam I, the 'King of Ascent,' was vilified and his prestige was completely destroyed."

"Prince Hyman, the alien, bled and sacrificed his life."

"The Brilliant Stars joined forces, father and son conspired together, igniting the kingdom's passion and provoking the people's anger to launch a campaign against them. In the end, they brought down the Sunset Temple, which had held absolute power and dominated the world for two hundred years, causing it to split, decline, and never recover."

At this moment, the room was brightly lit, and the words resonated deeply.

But King Kessel's eyes changed:

"This version of the story has always been a royal secret. How do you know it?"

Thales looked at him, smiled knowingly, but offered no explanation:
“Yes, outsiders may not know, but the Shining Star royal family knows that this is the truth and meaning of ‘climbing high to sacrifice to the son’.”

"With the blood of the son and the grief of the father, the sash of divine authority was stripped from the king's scepter."

The next second, Thales' expression turned solemn.

"Let me step forward, Your Majesty, let me become your enemy."

"Your spy, your pawn, your bargaining chip."

"Your sword."

He leaned on the table, looking directly at the king:

"That way, I can help you achieve your wish."

“Not just the ‘Sand King’, not just the Western Wilderness, but the entire kingdom.”

At the end of the long table, King Kessel stared blankly at the boy before him, swallowing hard several times.

Perhaps it was the captain of the guard's coming and going that made the lights shine brighter, and the chill in Ballard's room gradually dissipated, and warmth returned.

"As I said, Father, when you are overwhelmed by the weight of the crown."

At that moment, the prince's gaze was piercing:

"I've come to save you."

"For this, I will stake my reputation, my life, and my future."

"To help you achieve an unprecedented kingdom."

Thales clenched his fist and slammed it heavily into his chest.

Years ago, the burn scar seems to be starting to heat up again.

"This is my real bargaining chip today."

He looked at the speechless king and said in a deep voice:
“It took shape from the moment I brazenly stormed the palace to rebel, under the watchful eyes of the entire kingdom, and broke with you completely at the royal council.”

"And you have no reason to refuse."

Thales pounded his chest, his eyes icy cold:
“Accept it, and you will receive unprecedented benefits,”

"The predicament is over, and the problem is easily solved."

"The road ahead is wide open, and everything is renewed."

Thales paused, took a deep breath, and forced himself to speak sharply:
"As long as the stars remain, the empire will endure."

The next moment, Thales suddenly reached out his hand towards the king!

King Kessel trembled slightly.

"but……"

He stared at Thales in a daze.

It was as if the person standing in front of him was not his son.

Instead, he was a complete stranger.

"For the stars, Your Majesty," the young man said, raising his palm, his tone resolute, his eyes filled with a death-defying resolve:
"Let's be enemies."

The room was deep and secluded.

But the king did not answer.

His breathing was disordered.

"Kaiser Star..."

Thales remained unmoved, still glaring at the man before him:
"what do you say?"

The lights flickered.

Kessel did not answer.

He looked dazed.

"Iron-fisted King..."

Thales's expression was somber; he drew out his words, his tone low and unsettling:
"what do you say?"

Iron-fisted King did not answer.

He was stiff all over.