"Fine. He wants you to take care of him personally, so go ahead and do that. It’ll save the trouble."
After walking away, Sang Luo sent out a wisp of her spiritual power. She saw Duotu wrap an arm around Martha Brent’s waist and pull her into his embrace the mont she entered the room.
"The Queen was just here. Why did Your Majesty summon too?" Martha Brent asked, her tone aggrieved.
"She’s pregnant and has been worried sick for days. I had her co over to put her mind at ease... but the one I truly wanted to see was, of course, you." Duotu’s smile was gentle and affectionate, utterly captivating.
Sang Luo watched the lovey-dovey scene, the corner of her mouth twitching. ’That bastard really is a quick-change artist. One second he’s acting all deeply in love with , and the next he’s whispering sweet nothings to another female.’
’It’s all just a false show of affection. The only thing he truly values is his own self-interest. No female could ever truly enter his heart.’
’Duotu could put on an act for Martha Brent, just as he could feign civility with .’
’In his eyes, there’s essentially no difference between and Martha Brent.’
’The only thing that makes special is that I’m carrying his child. For that, he’ll put on a complete performance, acting with such genuine passion—giving the mate’s mark, risking his life to get a Soul Bone, nearly dying in the process.’
’All for the sake of a pure-blooded heir who could help him solidify his throne.’
Sang Luo stretched languidly, her figure vanishing. She returned to Taoyuan Village to continue sleeping her days away.
「In the Beast King’s Chambers.」
Martha Brent blushed shyly, secretly surprised. ’According to the intel from my informant, isn’t the Beast King severely injured?’
’Her father had specifically sent her into the palace to gather information, but from the looks of it now, that wasn’t the case at all.’
’It was true Duotu was injured, but he was nowhere near as badly hurt as the rumors claid. His complexion was actually quite good. He was chatting and laughing with her, and was even in the mood to flirt. He didn’t look like a patient on the brink of death at all...’
"Your Majesty’s injuries have healed?"
"It’s just a small matter, nothing serious. Is Martha worried about ?"
"How can Your Majesty say that! You really scared . A few days ago, I heard from the Imperial Hospital that Your Majesty was gravely injured. I’ve been wanting to visit, but the Beast King’s chambers were heavily guarded. I never had a chance to get in. I thought Your Majesty..."
"If you don’t make the act complete, how can you lure the snake out of its hole?"
"W-What?" Martha Brent’s captivating eyes widened slightly.
"Six months ago, the rebel army on the border received a massive sum of military funding from an unknown source. This allowed them to expand rapidly in just a few short months, and we failed to eradicate them despite several encirclent campaigns."
"I ordered the reconstruction of the Empire’s defense network, but the plan was leaked ahead of ti, resulting in heavy losses."
"Two months ago, the Kolsuo Empire, in league with three other beast nations, took advantage of the clash between the Empire’s army and the rebel army to secretly send people to burn down our garrison’s backup energy warehouse."
"...One month ago, I went out in secret and was targeted in an assassination attempt. Then, on my return journey three days later, I was ambushed again by the sa group."
Duotu chuckled softly and took out an ancient-looking black Token, rubbing it gently with his long, slender fingertips.
"All these incidents involved the Empire’s top secrets, information that only the highest echelons of the Empire could possibly know! Since there’s a traitor within the Empire, I’ll use myself as bait. Cast a long line and hook the big fish hiding in the deepest waters!"
When Martha Brent caught sight of that Token, her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched tightly, breaking out in a cold sweat. "Your Majesty’s severe injuries this ti... you were deliberately putting on a show for those people on the outside?"
"While I’m supposedly severely injured and unconscious, it’s impossible for those people to not make a move. I’ve already set up nurous ambushes within the palace. If they dare to co tonight, not a single one of them will leave!"
Lure the snake from its hole, and capture them all in one fell swoop.
"Your Majesty’s plan is brilliant. Even I was deceived, let alone those people..." Martha Brent stood up, her smile a bit strained. "I’m feeling a little unwell. I’m afraid I won’t be able to attend to you. I beg for Your Majesty’s forgiveness."
After Duotu gave his consent, she left in a hurry. She forced herself to appear calm, but her hurried steps betrayed her panic.
’Martha Brent didn’t know the details of Prince Brent’s secret plot. But she knew her father had recently been in clandestine contact with several foreign spies. She also knew he had spent years and vast sums of money to maintain an elite unit of ten thousand n. Each one was capable of fighting a hundred; all were hand-picked and trained as High Rank Death Warriors! They would be invincible on the battlefield! Given the chance, overthrowing the Yalan dynasty wouldn’t be out of the question!’
’She had once stumbled upon them, and the Tokens those Death Warriors used were the sa kind Duotu had just shown her...’
’And her father’s visit to the palace this ti clearly had other motives. It was highly likely he had fallen for Duotu’s trap and was walking right into it!’
’No, I have to tell Father about this imdiately!’
Once Martha Brent was completely gone, the warmth on Duotu’s face vanished instantly, his eyes growing as deep as the night. He clutched his chest, staggered two steps, and, unable to hold on any longer, collapsed to the ground.
In the middle of the night, Sang Luo’s eyes snapped open. She looked out the window.
Her gaze held a flicker of confusion.
For days, she had sensed an unusual atmosphere in the Beast King Palace. Ever since Duotu had returned severely injured, this strange tension had taken root and spread quietly in the shadows. Tonight, it had reached a peak.
She had thought the palace was about to descend into chaos, but in the latter half of the night, those auras quietly retreated.
After a mont of contemplation, she returned to the Beast King’s chambers. She had intended to discuss the matter with Duotu, only to find the man collapsed on the floor, looking as if he were dead.
’He was actually severely injured. He had barely escaped with his life.’
’When he was smiling and talking with her earlier, Sang Luo had sensed that he was just putting on a brave face. Perhaps he didn’t want her to worry, or perhaps he was afraid of being targeted by schers in his mont of weakness. Sang Luo was more inclined to believe it was the latter.’
She carried the man back to the bed. In the next instant, she reappeared on the roof of the Political Hall.
This was the highest point in the Beast King Palace.
From here, she could overlook the entire palace.
Sang Luo spread out her spiritual power and located the group of black-clothed figures hiding in the shadows. Their strength was imnse; all of them were above the Seventh Rank, and their leader was even at the Half-King Peak.
She frowned, her heart clenching. Just as she was about to make a move, the group seed to suddenly receive a new order. They retreated into the darkness like a receding tide, vanishing without a trace, as if they had never been there at all.
Sang Luo waited for a long ti. Only when dawn broke, and she was certain the group had left for good and would not return, did she go back to Taoyuan Village.
Duotu remained in a deep slumber for another half a month before his body was mostly recovered.
He got out of bed, took out a cigarette, and lit it.
Smoke curled around him, obscuring his features.
This type of cigarette had analgesic and hallucinogenic properties, which made his body feel much better.
He flicked off the ash and opened his Light Brain.
He looked at the various physical stats on the display—they were Sang Luo’s. All of them were fluctuating within the normal green range.
His tightly furrowed brow relaxed considerably.
To ensure there would be no accidents during childbirth, from the mont her pregnancy was confird, a physical monitoring system had been implanted in her Light Brain. It constantly scanned her various biotrics to determine her physical condition.
The Imperial Hospital received one copy of the data, and he received another.
After smoking half the cigarette, Duotu seed to rember sothing. He stubbed out the cigarette and headed for Taoyuan Village.
Reviews
All reviews (0)