The underground testing grounds of Muxi, a prison.
Jerome, the ninth in line of the 'Legion of Conflict' and the holder of the 'Disintegration' ability, had his left hand, bound by the metal box, behind his back, while his right hand supported him on the ground as he did a one-handed push-up. Sweat dripped from his muscular physique, collecting droplets on the ground. Hearing the approaching footsteps outside the iron gate, he didn't even look up, saying, "Your appearance came earlier than I expected."
The black figure stood outside the prison gate, its hood pulled back, and Rachel stared at the man in front of her with a chilling expression.
Jerome got up from the ground, cracked his neck, and said in a somewhat mocking tone, "Let me guess, your plan failed."
Rachel glanced at the box sealing Jerome's left hand and gently pushed open the iron door of the cell: "His Majesty has long allowed you to move freely within the camp, so why do you always prefer to stay here?"
Jerome patted the wall: "What's wrong with this place? Food, water, guards, everything I need is here, why would I want to go out?"
Rachel shook her head, seemingly unable to comprehend this behavior. After a pause, her voice was unreadable: "You guessed right, His Majesty rejected my proposal."
“Not surprising. I’ve spoken with the King a few times, and he’s unlikely to condone the existence of an illegitimate child for the sake of the alliance.” Jerome put on his coat, sat on the wooden bed in the prison, and said to the woman outside the door, “I advised you before that using this method to coerce him was not a wise move. To be honest, Rachel, this behavior is not like your style. I always thought you would use a more… tactful approach to solidify this alliance, but in the end you chose the most irrational path.”
"Although His Majesty rejected me, the reason was not what you imagine."
"The reasons may be different, but the result is the same, isn't it?"
After a moment of silence, Rachel said, "I trust Your Majesty."
Jerome frowned. "To persuade the 'Dispute Legion' to join the Kingdom of Twilight, the weak reason of the king's trust is far from enough. Although King Todd is also an alien, in my opinion, his methods and actions are more like using the power of others to strengthen his royal authority. I cannot imagine the legion betraying the 'Elders' Council and entrusting their lives and future to such a person."
"He's not that kind of person."
Upon hearing this, Jerome looked into Rachel's eyes and said in an incredulous tone, "The you now is a completely different person from the you back in the 'Legion of Conflict.' You would never have said such a thing in the past."
“People always change…” Rachel reached out, and with the activation of her 'telekinesis' ability, the prison's iron door twisted and collapsed. She said to Jerome, “Are you planning to let your body rot here? If not, get out of here and help me!”
Seeing that Jerome showed no intention of getting up, Rachel continued, "According to my latest information, Elder Clarence has already arrived within the borders of the Silver Ring Kingdom. I don't think I need to remind you how the 'Conflict Legion' deals with those who fail in their missions, do I?"
Jerome sighed deeply, smiled wryly, and lowered his head, sniffing his clothes. "I need to take a shower and change my clothes. Oh, and this box, you'll have to find someone to open it for me."
————————————————
Fresh blood.
A thick layer of blood, resembling moss.
Inside the vast castle, human limbs and scattered internal organs were everywhere.
The man, whose entire body was covered by giant worms, was shirtless, and the tattoo on his back was faintly visible: an eagle with outstretched wings, below which was the Roman numeral 'VII'.
With a whooshing sound, a crossbow bolt shot down from above, accurately piercing the man's brow.
There was no thud as expected.
A worm, about the thickness of a thumb, emerged from the man's mouth. Its mouthparts, resembling those of a lamprey, bit down hard on the arrow shaft, gnawing at the fletching. The iron arrowhead, embedded in his forehead, sank deeper into his brain as the worm writhed beneath his skin. Moments later, the blood-stained blade clung to his tongue before the man spat it onto the ground.
Upon seeing this, the castle guards, clad in iron armor, turned ashen-faced and nearly lost their minds. They dropped their crossbows and fled.
The worm-like man crouched down and reached his hand into the 'blood moss'. The 'blood vessels' that were originally motionless beneath the moss suddenly came to life, writhing and twisting like venomous snakes as they rushed toward the attacker.
The survivor had only run ten steps when, before he could even reach the top of the steps, the 'vessels' in the moss tightly wrapped around his legs. Countless tiny red worms crawled out from the gaps in the 'vessels,' pierced the victim's legs, and spread along his skin to his entire body.
Fresh blood gushed from the survivor's body like a fountain, nourishing the moss beneath his feet; his body burst open like a balloon filled with dirty water, bones and internal organs falling everywhere.
A fair-skinned girl, dressed in a pure and flawless princess dress, sat on a round candlestick lamp hanging from the ceiling, holding onto the iron chain of the lampstick with both hands, happily swinging on the swing, her clear and melodious singing voice floating in this "blood-red castle".
"My mother killed me; my father ate me; my brothers and sisters sat under the table; picked up my bones; buried them under the cold gravestone..."
On the long table beneath the chandelier, a slightly overweight man in his thirties was stripped naked and tied to the surface. His bloodshot eyes stared at the girl on the ceiling as he screamed desperately, "Who are you?! What have you done to my daughter Nancy?!"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com