Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 661 Each Bearing Their Own Difficulties
Thales and Jann both fell silent, and the only sounds in the confessional cubicle were their distinct breaths.

"she left."

Jenn's voice came from the darkness.

“I know,” Thales replied sullenly.

Several more seconds passed before Jenn's voice rang out again:
"Now, can we put aside our prejudices and have a proper talk?"

Thales took a deep breath, composed himself, and nodded:
"So, you didn't kill Moss; you just knew about his death beforehand and then kept it a secret?"

“If I really want to kill that wine merchant, I’ll release him first and then give him a discounted cross-sea ticket,” Jann scoffed. “Even Inquisitor Brennan can’t say a word against it.”

Thales remained silent for a while, then sighed, his emotions complex:

“Before entering the city on the first day, I told Morse: if he didn’t want to, he didn’t have to do it. I would find a reason to kick him out, and there wouldn’t be so many problems later—at least he wouldn’t die in prison under mysterious circumstances.”

Jann scoffed dismissively.

"Can you please stop being so overly compassionate and sentimental? Instead of feigning sadness for a scumbag who doesn't deserve sympathy, why not consider what really happened behind his death—"

But Thales coldly interrupted him:

"The phrase 'a piece of trash who doesn't deserve sympathy' is not enough to defend us."

"Regardless of who Morse was or what he did in his life, he was drawn into our struggle in these past few days and ultimately died because of us. This is something we cannot ignore or evade."

Thales turned to Jann in the darkness:
"It has nothing to do with who he is, but with who we are."

But Jenn also gave a cold laugh.

"In such a struggle, there will always be collateral damage and the sacrifice of others. This is inevitable and normal. If you cannot accept this," the Duke of Iris said sarcastically, "then you would better immediately withdraw from the royal family, give up your right of succession, and retire to the mountains. No, to be on the safe side, just commit suicide. That way, no one else will die because of you, Great Sage Thales."

Thales took a deep breath.

"I do not blame you."

"what?"

Thales shook his head and chuckled indifferently:
There are three kinds of people in this world—scum, ordinary people, and saints. Scum always mock ordinary people: 'If you can't stand scum, why don't you become a saint?'

After he finished speaking, it was Jenn's turn to fall silent.

But he quickly recovered and retorted:

"That wine merchant, Morse, did you really tell him 'If he doesn't want to, he can choose not to do it'?"

"Yes."

“Yes, you gave him a choice,” the Duke of South Bank sneered, “but do you think he still has a choice?”

Thales frowned.

"I know."

“Most people can’t become saints,” Jann exhaled, seemingly with a sigh, “especially when they realize that they can’t even be ordinary people.”

Thales was silent for a few seconds, then let out a soft hum:
"Whatever you say."

Silence fell again in the confessional.

"How is my sister?"

Thales was taken aback:
“Who—oh, you mean Hilla?”

Thinking about what happened yesterday, Telston immediately felt a headache coming on.

“It’s ‘Ms. Kevin Deer,’ don’t call her by her first name,” Jann warned him coldly.

“Oh, yes, Ms. Kevin Deer,” Thales nodded perfunctorily in the darkness, “she…”

She's sick, seriously sick, and she needs treatment, and it needs to be treated severely.

"She's wonderful, great, absolutely wonderful. She's a beautiful, intelligent, lively, lovely, and incredibly creative girl. She's fantastic, absolutely wonderful. I can't think of any girl more perfect than her..."

The prince's words came to an abrupt halt, and he vaguely sensed that Jann slowly turned his head, his eyes reflecting a cold, faint light.

Thales swallowed hard.

"I mean, well, actually she has her shortcomings, there's room for improvement. Like you said, she lacks manners, has unusual quirks, strange tastes, is cold and aloof, keeps people at arm's length, and has a terrible personality. I can't imagine what blind idiot would want to marry her..."

Thales, growing increasingly resentful, ultimately failed to finish his sentence: Unbeknownst to him, Jann's eyes flashed with a cold light, his ruthlessness surpassing anything before.

They slowly tightened in the darkness, like nooses on a rack.

The prince had no choice but to surrender.

I think it's best if I don't mention her.

Jenn remained silent for a moment.

"When did you know her?"

"last night."

"I'll ask you one more time, Thales, when did you two meet?"

"Well, just last night, I was unlucky and ran into her at the banquet. She was terrifying..."

"Before I drastically cut the prince's food, clothing, and other necessities to set an example of frugality for the Emerald City, you have one last chance: when?"

“Well, actually it was a few days ago,” Thales was quite touched by the other person’s concern for his sister, and he couldn’t bear it, so he decided to tell her the truth. “I was ‘chatting’ with the Karabyan sisters when your sister just appeared out of nowhere… well, she said hello.”

"The time you asked me if there were ghosts in Kongming Palace?"

Damn, how does this guy remember things so accurately?

Thales muttered under his breath, "Probably."

"The Corpse Lady with Smallpox?"

"You know that's good—wait, why are you so skilled at it?"

"I installed that elevator mechanism for her before. What did you two talk about?"

Faced with Jenn's aggressive and probing questions, Thales could only sigh deeply.

"No, we didn't say anything... Then came last night's showdown. I swear, that's it, I haven't had any other contact with her since. And I didn't mean to hide it from you, it's just, you know, for the sake of the bigger picture, for the sake of stability."

At this point, Thales shrugged ironically:

"After all, who can guarantee that after I meet your sister, I won't throw a childish tantrum and do something impulsive—maybe ruining your 'perfectly trouble-free' banquets and celebrations?"

Jenn remained silent for a moment.

“Repeating what others say in retaliation only makes you seem petty and narrow-minded.”

"Stingy?"

Thales shook his head dismissively: "When you sent vampires to hunt me down seven years ago, why didn't you think of this?"

"And what did she say to you at the competition banquet?"

"It's nothing, just saying hello again."

"So you were hiding in a corner whispering to each other, and she even asked you to help her unbutton her back clasp, just to say hello?"

Thales had a headache again.

"Um, well, last night, she said, she said..."

She said she was actually a spy sent by my father?
She said, "On behalf of the Kingdom's Secret Service, I send my greetings?"

She also said that I should become a real man?
Sensing Jenn's gaze growing increasingly sharp, Thales had no choice but to speak:
"Okay, she told a whole bunch of ghost stories, like Faceless Kirk, the Smallpox Corpse Lady, the Ghost Hand Queen, and the Soul Bone Yaco..."

"Jacques".

"what?
“It’s ‘Soul Bone Jacques’,” Jan said quietly. “That’s a nursery rhyme about a demon cannibal that’s circulated around the East Sea Territory.”

Thales sighed helplessly:
"Okay, Jacques. She also talked about some tricks of magic performances, like close-ups and long shots, distraction, and misdirection, but I don't really understand them—"

"Wait!" Jenn's tone shifted, and he suddenly raised his voice.

"what?"

"Misguided guidance".

Jenn squinted, as if he had thought of something:
"This makes me wonder, why did Morse die? Why did he have to die?"

Why did Morse have to die?
Thales had a sudden thought and started racking his brains as well:
"Or rather, what will his death lead to?"

Jenn pondered for a few seconds:
"No, Morse has been dead for a day, or rather, for a whole day..."

Thales followed his train of thought and continued the conversation:

"What consequences has his death caused?"

The two fell silent, deep in thought.

“No, everything is normal in Emerald City as of this morning.” Jenn shook his head.

“And my men have also gone to the prison to investigate—” Thales’ expression shifted, as if he remembered something.

They both turned to each other at the same time and saw a glint in each other's eyes.

“Everything is normal in Emerald City,” Jann said quickly, “because out of concern and caution, I took measures at the Contest of Champions to cover up Morse’s death and make it look like a normal suicide or revenge killing.”

Thales nodded:

"That's why I was so angry when my men uncovered the suspicious points in the case, and that's why I came to question you..."

"You mean you insulted me?"

"It does not matter……"

“So, misdirection,” Jann squinted, “the focus of Morse’s death is not the case itself, or even Morse.”

"And us?" Thales followed up on his words.

The two looked at each other.

“The men who killed Moss, they know us,” Jann said.

“I know it all too well.” Thales nodded.

Jenn frowned: "They anticipated my caution and your recklessness."

Thales raised an eyebrow: "You mean, your suspicion and distrust, and my persistent enthusiasm?"

The two remained silent for a few seconds in the darkness.

"Let's skip this topic..."

"I agree……"

Thales took a deep breath and guessed:

"That means Morse is dead, and the more intense the conflict becomes..."

“The more you do that, the more it plays into their hands—like that plate you smashed in front of the altar just now,” Jann asserted.

“Misdirection,” Thales understood somewhat. “Moss is just a trigger: they need you and me to clash, to confront each other in the pursuit of one side and the concealment of the other.”

"And it would be best if there were bloodshed, a fight to the death, so that they could find a weakness and seize the opportunity to strike."

"Then, as a response, we must..."

“Recognize this point and reach a consensus,” Jann said in a deep voice, “then pretend you don’t know and maintain the status quo.”

"you sure?"

"Do you have any suggestions?"

In the small confessional, the two were lost in their own thoughts, and the only sound they could hear was each other's breathing.

“In that case, I should continue to fight against you. For example, I should continue to investigate and find out about Morse’s death,” Thales rolled his eyes. “That’s normal, isn’t it?”

Jenn did not answer immediately.

“Yes,” the Duke said softly after a few seconds, “and I will do everything in my power to hinder you, conceal things from you, and thwart you.”

"Um, don't obstruct too much?"

"Didn't you say: if we're going to achieve results, then let's see it through to the end?"

Thales paused for a moment: "Do you know that repeating someone's words as revenge only makes you seem petty and narrow-minded?"

"Don't you think that sounds familiar?"

The two faced each other silently in the confessional.

“There’s one more thing,” Jenn suddenly said, “If they’re really trying to stir up trouble between us, waiting for me to slip up, then…”

Thales' heart sank:
"What is that flaw?"

Jenn didn't speak for a full ten seconds before he spoke softly:
“Listen up, Thales.”

"Ok?"

“From this moment on, whatever we do, whatever we encounter, whatever our back-and-forth struggle with the King and the Secret Society,” Jann’s voice was as calm as ever, “whether it’s good or bad, promise me, none of this has anything to do with Hillai.”

Thales fell silent.

Don't involve Hilly...

He only realized what was happening when the other party urged him repeatedly.
"Uh, is that right?"

Jenn continued:
“My younger sister was frail and sickly from a young age. She didn’t grow up like a normal child. Her education was intermittent, and she didn’t get along with her peers.”

Thales rubbed his eyebrows: "I totally agree."

"In the end, I had to send her away to study and recuperate," the Duke said in a deep voice, "which only made her develop a strange temper."

Thales wholeheartedly agreed: "It is indeed strange."

But he quickly sensed the other person's intense gaze and hesitated before adding:

"Well, actually it's not... that weird?"

Jenn glanced at him:
"Therefore, she was also naive and ignorant, and did not understand anything about political interests or the wickedness of human nature."

Naïve and inexperienced...

Thales narrowed his eyes: "Are you sure?"

Jenn's eyes pierced through him like knives.

Thales quickly changed his tune:
"Oh, that makes sense. She's your sister, so of course you know her best."

Jenn remained silent in the darkness for a long while before sighing:

“She doesn’t belong here, Thales, she doesn’t belong in our game.”

Thales frowned deeply.

“So, no matter what we, these scumbags…do,” the Duke’s voice was strained, as if he was trying to suppress his emotions, “don’t drag her into this.”

Don't drag her into this...

Thales fell silent, and after a long while, he sighed softly.

"But what if she still gets involved?"

Jenn's eyes flickered.

“I mean,” Thales said sadly, “if Hillay had stayed in Emerald City…”

“It’s ‘Ms. Kevin Deer,’” Jann said coldly. “Don’t you have any manners?”

"Yes, Ms. Kevin Deer."

Thales had no intention of arguing with him about the issue of address:
“But what I mean is, Xi, your sister is already here, and of course we don’t want to and won’t involve her. But what if my father, or the Kingdom’s Secret Service, were to include her in their schemes, in the power struggles of Emerald City?”

The Duke of the South Bank remained silent.

He pondered for a moment and then spoke:
“Then, Thales, I need you to do something else.”

“Understood,” Thales nodded in agreement, “I will try to minimize contact with her so they don’t have an excuse…”

"Stay with her."

“Okay—what?” Thales turned his head sharply, his eyes wide.

Surprisingly, Jann remained remarkably calm at that moment.

“If everything is as we think,” he said thoughtfully, “Moss’s death was just a prelude to pit us against each other so they could seize the opportunity to act… then I’m sure Hillay is such an ‘opportunity,’ or at least one of them.”

Thales gritted his teeth.

“Her sudden return to Kongming Palace is no coincidence; it is very likely that the Secret Bureau is behind it,” Jann changed his tune. “No, not just possibly, but they will definitely involve Hillai, and even use it as a breakthrough to defeat Kevin Diehl.”

He turned to Thales, his eyes gleaming with a ghostly light that stood out starkly in the darkness.
"Therefore, I need to keep a close eye on her and watch out for any disturbances around her."

For a full ten seconds, Thales just stared blankly at him. "Could you... find someone else?"

"Yes, but she won't be happy."

"So, do you think I'll be happy?"

“Don’t worry, she knows we don’t get along,” Jann sneered. “You’ll be fine.”

"Oh, that's good—wait, what kind of expression is this? What does 'nothing will happen' mean?"

"Anyway, you keep an eye on her, I'll handle the rest."

Thales' eyes darted around:
"But aren't you worried about me and your sister..."

“You can’t marry her,” Jann said firmly, “and she wouldn’t even look at you.”

That's so straightforward.

Thales lowered his head sheepishly:
"You know, I thought you were always wary of me contacting Xi, um, your sister?"

"That's true, but..."

Jenn nodded in agreement:

"But since you're willing to risk your own safety to stand up for that Western Wilderness assassin at the royal banquet, and even risk a complete falling out with me..."

Jenn sighed.

“Yes, I can’t stand your attempt to be a saint,” he said quietly, “but at least you’re not scum.”

Thales fell silent.

"What if I fail?"

Thales looked up, his feelings complicated:
"What if they still... still drag her into this?"

Jann's figure paused in the darkness.

“Then I swear, in Kevin Deer’s name, whoever did this, I will make them wish they were never born—”

"Okay! Stop!"

Thales quickly raised his hand to interrupt:
"That's enough, no need for the rest of the harsh words, thank you."

Sensing the strange look in the other person's eyes, Thales shrugged:

"You know, as you get older, you can't stand oaths and curses."

Jenn smiled.

“That only means you’re not old enough, Thales,” said the Duke of the South Bank, his words carrying a deeper meaning, “you haven’t experienced enough despair, enough to make you wish the curse were real.”

Thales also gave a soft hum:
"That's not necessarily true, Jenn, not necessarily."

Jenn said no more. He opened the cubicle door, leaned into the light, and prepared to leave.

“And, Thales,” Jann paused, “although the one-eyed man may have mentioned it at the royal banquet, but…”

He turned around and winked at Thales, who was sitting in the dark:

"Xinxing's proposal remains valid."

The rising star's proposal...

Thales frowned.

“Not only that, but also what I said last night… I am waiting, Thales.”

Jann straightened his clothes, his eyes sharp:
"Wait for you to offer a suitable price."

Having said that, he strode out of the confessional.

Thales was left alone, sitting in the darkness, lost in thought.

Jenn walked out of the confessional, greeting the guests with elegance and gentleness along the way, until Ashford, the butler, appeared silently behind him.

"You'll be inspecting the people and listening to sermons soon," the old butler said respectfully. "Would you like to rest?"

But Jann did not answer; he simply gazed at the enormous statue of the sunset goddess behind the altar and smiled mysteriously.

“I know, I just found out today,” Jenn laughed heartily. “Turns out that kid is pretty good.”

"Oh?"

The next second, Jenn's smile vanished:
"A good liar."

Ashford nodded.

“I just confirmed it—he may not know, but his feigned innocence is laughable,” Jann said coldly.

Ashford remained calm and offered the cloak: "So you're sure?"

"This prince is a trap, from the Palace of Restoration."

The Duke of the South Bank turned around, took the cloak, and said calmly, "He and His Majesty the King..."

"They're in cahoots."

----

Meanwhile, Thales emerged from the confessional, exhausted, ignoring the mysterious and wicked smile of the priest Chadwi, and made his way to his captain of the guard.

"Thor, do you know what the hardest thing in the world is?"

“You asked before, and it was a lie—oh, sorry, a half-truth.” Marius had just finished greeting a few guests and turned to look at him.

"Yes, but I just discovered something even more difficult."

"Confessing with your enemy and coming out reeking of smoke?"

Thales' smile froze.

Marius immediately coughed:
"Excuse me, please continue."

Thales then let out a soft hum, unconsciously patting his clothes and sniffing the scent on them:

“What’s even harder is pretending to believe a lie—that’s much harder than lying.”

"I see. It is so difficult. Only you in the whole world could have done it."

Thales shook his head, having no intention of retorting to his sarcasm:
"Whom did you send to gather intelligence on Morse?"

“Kumto, he has connections.”

“Not enough. Send more men and dig deeper,” Thales’s expression grew serious. “Trust me, Morse is the key.”

Marius's eyes flickered:
"Can I ask why?"

Thales was silent for a moment, then turned to look at the statue of the goddess of the setting sun, and below it, the Duke of the South Bank, who was preparing to leave for an inspection:

"Because I just discovered..."

The prince narrowed his eyes, his gaze landing on Jann, a hint of coldness in his eyes: "Dagori Moss, that wine merchant..."

"He's the one who killed him."

Marius frowned upon hearing this and fell into deep thought.

A few seconds later, a familiar figure walked towards them from a distance and grabbed Thales' arm!
"follow me!"

The round-faced girl, expressionless, dragged Thales's hand and strode forward.

"Wait, no, no, you can't! My men are still here—"

Upon seeing who it was, Thales looked terrified.

Hilly Kevindeer paused, as if remembering something, and suddenly turned around.

“By the way, you’re his babysitter,” Hilly said, pulling Thales along and leaning close to Marius, forcing a forced smile. “We’re going on a date, you don’t mind, do you?”

Dating?

nanny?

Marius raised an eyebrow, but still smiled politely: "Of course not, madam, but please understand—"

Before Marius could finish speaking, Hilly's smile vanished.

"I guess so."

She grabbed Thales (who was trying to explain but didn't know how) and drifted away.

Marius was left standing alone, his brow furrowed.

nanny……

"The most difficult thing in the world, Your Highness..."

Marius stared at the spot where they had disappeared, muttering to himself:

"You really don't know?"

----

My dearest little Thales:

As my verbal fiancé, have you been eating properly, growing tall and strong, and becoming a handsome young man that everyone loves?
Are you still as delicious and lovable as before?
Have the teeth marks on your neck and wrists near the blood vessels disappeared? Do they hurt when it rains?
For the past six or seven years, you must have been in the North, being fucked to death by the Northerners, right?
Haha, that's great. Without blood, sweat, and toil, without being tempered by steel, how can one become a pillar of strength, capable of turning the tide?

It was just a joke, don't be angry, and definitely don't tear up the letter.

I know what you think of me, but you at least have to admit one thing:
Without me, you would have fallen into the hands of the Black Prophet or even Kevin Deer long ago, or into the mouth of that bloody, disgusting monster, and who knows what you would have been crushed and digested into.

You are welcome!

You are welcome!!
You are welcome!!!

What's more, it is you who, having been painstakingly tempered and honed by me, can crush King Nunn and half of Dragonstreet with a flick of your finger, and seduce the Grand Duchess and half of Exter with a wink of your eye (what a womanizer)?

In the end, you abandoned me after starting something, and started a war that swept through the Golden Corridor. At the cost of countless corpses, you managed to fight your way back to the stars—ah, that's more like it. If you had always been timid, mediocre, and cowardly, how boring would that have been? I wouldn't have even bothered to look for you.

But I've also heard that you haven't been doing so well lately since you returned home? Is your father wary of you, and are the court officials ostracizing you?

To be honest, I'm not surprised. I know your personality; sometimes you're as soft as my lips, and other times you're as hard as my claws—that's fine, unpredictable prey makes hunting more challenging.

It's okay. I understand your situation, and I'd be happy to give you some advice. After all, who doesn't have a father who's your sworn enemy and dreams of killing him, and a group of hypocritical subordinates who want to oust you from power?
I swear in my mother's name, Thales, that I hesitated for a long time while writing this letter, revising and rewriting it repeatedly.

I'm so conflicted. What tone should I use? Should I make up with you? Should I beg for forgiveness in a humble voice? Should I use Chen Qingli's methods to seek cooperation? Should I gradually win you over with affection and reconcile? Or should I pour out my grievances and longing with heartfelt admiration?

No, I realized later that it wouldn't work.

Anyway, you cunning, ruthless bastard wouldn't believe it anyway.

So, whatever, I'm not going to hide anything, I'll just tell the truth:
I miss you, Thales!

I miss it so much!
I miss it so much, I'm going crazy, I'm going insane!

Every day and night, every hour and every second, every moment of setback and pain, I am filled with pent-up anger and hatred. I wish I could tear off every hair, every piece of skin, every drop of blood, every muscle, and every bone from your body, you shameless little bastard who deserves to be beaten, killed, and die, and watch you tremble, scream, roar, and cry in endless torment, pain, regret, and fear, unable to live or die!
Can you feel it? Can you feel how much I miss you, to the very core of my being, to the very blood in my veins, to the very soul!

You have no idea, you little rascal, you can't imagine what I've been through all these years.

Damn it, this is more than I've experienced in the past few hundred years, much, much, much, much, much more!

You heartless bastard! You caused me to lose my home and wander thousands of miles, searching for food, avoiding the sun, and seeking shelter in the shadows. You were constantly scheming and maneuvering against all sorts of ambitious villains. All the hardships, bloodshed, pain, and humiliation along the way are debts you owe me! You will repay me with everything that belongs to you and everything that doesn't belong to you!

Fuck!
Okay, I apologize. I got agitated and lost my composure.

But the meaning is correct:
you are mine.

You can't escape.

Yes, I've been to Emerald City. That's right, it was the year I met you by fate. I landed on the shore in Arch Sea City. Unfortunately, the Iris family was so obedient back then, they would fall for it with a flick of their finger. Now, they're much harder to tame.

Therefore, you don't need to hold back. Go ahead and wipe out his entire family to pave the way for your throne.

That way, you can be ready to welcome me back to you.

But I've digressed again. Well, I heard that my crybaby little sister also sent a messenger to Emerald City. Perhaps she'll bring you a letter, just like I did.
If not, then forget it. But if there is, hehe, let me guess. If the crybaby addresses you respectfully as "My friend, Your Highness Prince Thales," then without a doubt, run! She's about to kill you, and you'll be the last one!
If the crybaby calls you "my dear brother," it's like a monarch addressing another with a barrage of flattery. Haha, no doubt about it, her rule must be in trouble—you and I both contributed to this, and the two extreme vampires are an irreparable loss.

I strongly suggest you take this opportunity to ask for an exorbitant amount. No matter how much meat she has, bite off three times the amount! If it's only twice the amount, don't say you're my fiancé. If it's less than twice the amount, I think you have no hope of ever being married. If it's less than one time the amount, I'll go back and bite you to death myself, so as not to dishonor my past teachings.

Then, if the crybaby gets straight to the point and says something like "I want your head" or "I want your lower head," oh dear, she has plenty of leverage and doesn't bother with unnecessary words. But at least she's being open about it and not hiding anything.

But if she is kind and considerate, speaks gently and empathetically, and even kindly explains the pros and cons to you and offers advice, oh congratulations, little Thales, she has truly reached a dead end and has nowhere else to turn!

Hahaha, I bet all six great families under Corleone in the Night Kingdom are suspicious of Nightwing King's disappearance (guess why they would suspect her?), openly and secretly opposing her, plotting against her, intending to overthrow her rule, and even tearing her apart. She's all alone and is frantically searching the world for help and allies!
Then the crybaby will definitely start to ask you in a humble voice, "The most handsome and dashing Prince of the Stars, do you have any free time lately? If you do, could you please bring your thick, big, and hard... money bag and grace my humble abode with your presence? Oh, a night of passion, any position is fine—but I digress, anyway, she wants money, food, people, and face, she wants everything."

To maintain her throne, aside from the fact that she would never dare to dig up her dead father's grave, she also had the stubbornness to grit her teeth and hold on to her fate. She would even sell her own mother, well, even herself!
Then I guessed that whatever she said, the crybaby would definitely tell you two things:

First, I am a bitch.

I am indeed, and I am destined to be, the one you fear most and are most afraid of in your life, yet also the one you can never forget, hahaha!

Second, she's in cahoots with you.

Hahahaha, that's hilarious! What's her situation now? A fallen queen, a monkey in a crown, her rule is teetering on the brink of collapse. She's not even worthy of being associated with you.

However, if she doesn't humble herself, if she acts all high and mighty and says, "This young lady won't sell herself," oh dear, that would be terrible, extremely terrible.

This means she must be brewing something, planning something. Most likely, she has found a way out and is confident in stabilizing her rule in the country. Damn it, my return date has to be postponed again.

Oh, I forgot to mention, you should check who the messenger who came to Emerald City to deliver the message and is in charge of negotiating a reconciliation with the Iris is, and pay special attention to whether there is an old man from the Far East named Li.

If he is there, then my premonition has come true. The Crybaby really has a new trump card. Damn it, she found a way. Therefore, Li can leave the country and, as the person closest to her father, represent Blood Fang and the Night Kingdom.

If Li didn't come, it means she didn't find him! Li needs to stay in the country to keep those restless vassals in check! Hahaha, with the scheming methods of the Castigliani and Sullivan families (and perhaps with my tiny bit of intelligence help from thousands of miles away), she's doomed!

No more joking around, little Thales. You know perfectly well that compared to her, you and I are the real deal!

Don't rush to deny it. Yes, that's right, we have at least one thing in common, or rather, the most important thing:

We are the survivors!
I am, and so are you. Yes, we may feel lost, waver, or hesitate, but no matter how few we have, how bad our circumstances, how strong our opponents, or how unlucky we are, even when faced with the most terrifying, terrible, or desperate situations, in the end, we are still ourselves!

We will not give up, we do not believe in failure, we will not retreat even half a step. We will still grit our teeth, shed tears and swallow blood, drag our battered and broken bodies, pick our nails, grind our teeth and roar until our throats are hoarse, and crawl back inch by inch from even the deepest part of hell to demand the price from this world!
Because we only have ourselves!

I'm!

The same to you!
As for that crybaby, what can she do?
Seven years ago, when we stood in the snow, using all our wisdom and strategies, betting everything, in a tense standoff, a game of strategy, hoping to determine the winner and, incidentally, decide life and death, that useless little girl was still lying in the snow with her limbs crippled, pouting and drooling while talking in her sleep!
But, little Thales, little Thales, if you want to go further down the road to power, you have to learn to deal with different dangerous people, learn to play games with them, trade chips with them, and make deals with them—including me.

Then, you also need to learn to be ruthless, to be cold-blooded, and to become an inhuman being.

Trust me, especially the last point, it's very helpful, especially when I'm facing my father.

So, I look forward to seeing you again, trading with you, and forming an alliance with you?
Don't take offense, but to put it bluntly, if you can't face me, if you're afraid to face me, then even if you sit on the highest throne of the stars, you're nothing more than a lump of dead flesh, a walking corpse. Sooner or later, you'll be skinned and bones pulled off, beaten into blood and gore, roasted into ash, crushed into dust, and then sold off cheaply as unwanted garbage.

But are you willing to accept this?

Do you want to?

Are you willing to do that?

Are you angry?

Do you hate it?

Do you want to!

Since that's the case, let's grit our teeth, clench our fists, and keep going despite the blood and tears!
The stars are lonely, the night is cold and desolate. They were never meant to meet; they only met by chance and passed each other by.

But each of them bore their own hardships and madness, gritting their teeth, bleeding and weeping, tearing at the last inch of their belief, convinced that as long as they held on to the end, they would win the future.

I hope that by then I will still be able to see you, little Thales.

Therefore, you must work your hardest, lest you be taken out halfway through.

Oh, you must have missed me a lot, right?

Haha, don't be ashamed to admit it, you'll never forget me in this lifetime, and you'll never be able to get rid of me!
Because I'm thinking about you too—you shameless little bastard who deserves to be put on the gallows and torn a thousand times.

Don't be in a hurry, don't be in a hurry.

We will meet, sooner or later.

We will have the opportunity to settle debts, put an end to grievances, and perhaps even repay our debts of love and hatred.

Let's begin with tonight's letter.

Until your last breath.

I'm sure you've already met the person who delivered this letter to you. He's a councilor from Feast Territory, the young master of the Holler family, the beloved adopted son of 'Ghost Lady' Anna Holler, young and promising with a bright future—but he's mentally unstable and extremely annoying.

Or perhaps, he's not actually bad, just hiding his true nature, and is just like his mother—gloomy, vicious, bloody, and terrifying.
Oh, I forgot to mention, he was gay before he became a vampire, and he had a particular fondness for handsome young men (wasn't he out of his mind?).

You must take good care of yourself!
May you dream every night, and may I be in your dreams, for there we will be intimate, our blood intertwined—until one of us bleeds to death in agony!

The stars still shine, but can you truly cure the bloodline forever?

—I love you to the point of madness, I want to hear your screams, then tear you apart inch by inch, and devour you piece by piece, so that every drop of your blood becomes nourishment for my life.
—Your dearest, Serena L.A. van Corleone,

—In every one of your nightmares
(A dark red lip print with a faint smell of blood)
P.S.: I hope you feel the same way.

(End of this chapter)