24 chapter 24
Is this how a human would act? Lan Hua is a monster!
Luo Ying: "..." He finally understood what Lan Hua meant. Lan Hua's so-called love might really just be love itself. He only cared about that feeling, and was obsessed with it like a spiritual opium.
His Highness was merely the best vessel for this feeling he had so far; in fact, only with His Highness's death would this feeling remain unchanged, eternal. Therefore, Lan Hua's supposed madness over the deceased His Highness might truly be just enjoying the feeling, rather than genuinely grieving for His Highness as a person… Perhaps, from Lan Hua's perspective, the deceased Crown Prince might have been the one who best represented his perfect love…
Having understood Lan Hua's thinking, Luo Ying felt that this person was truly utterly twisted and selfish. He couldn't let His Highness be misled by such a selfish and heartless person. When His Highness returned, he would definitely tell him Lan Hua's thoughts!
"Are you insulting me?" Lan Hua glanced at Luo Ying, whose expression was constantly changing, but it was easy to guess. "Are you thinking I'm a pervert?"
"Don't you think you are?" Luo Ying was anxious about the imminent war with His Highness the Crown Prince, and felt sorry for His Highness being deceived by this selfish, black-hearted, and perverted person. She felt it was not worth it for His Highness. She was also extremely dissatisfied because Lan Hua clearly had the ability to help His Highness but stood by and watched coldly. Therefore, even though she was afraid of Lan Hua, she still asked him in return.
At this moment, Lan Hua's headache had almost disappeared because the Philosopher's Stone was almost completely destroyed. He was also bored because the guards left behind by Regas to protect him, who was actually "sick and delicate," were all taciturn. Only Luo Ying was chattering away, so Lan Hua's patience with Luo Ying improved a bit.
"I am, but you underestimate Regas too much." Lan Hua sometimes felt that people had an unusually thick filter on Regas. He was selfish and self-centered, but he was also open and honest. Regas was the kind of person who would scheme against others, then gently deliver the final blow, and in the end still care about whether you were in pain. People still thought he was a good person.
Regas understood the Lan family's distorted views on love all too well; otherwise, how could he have so easily attracted him? Only Regas could understand what he was pursuing and thus create the love he craved. In this light, Regas truly was unique and irreplaceable.
"Your Highness is simply blinded by love." Luo Ying naturally thought His Highness was wise and capable, but even the wisest and most capable person will soften when faced with love, making them vulnerable to exploitation by those with ulterior motives.
Lan Hua couldn't help but chuckle. "You're really funny."
Luo Ying: "..." He always felt that he was being looked down upon.
Being with Lan Hua was suffocating. Seeing Lan Hua's detached, amused expression, Luo Ying concluded that Lan Hua was definitely not going to help His Highness. He then went to the remaining guards, intending to persuade them to help His Highness. However, to his disappointment, they directly refused Luo Ying, stating that His Highness had kept them on to protect Lady Lan Hua, and that during this time they would only obey Lady Lan Hua's orders.
Outside the protective perimeter, lightning flashed and thunder roared, dark clouds almost touching the ground. The sheer number of these "divine beings" was terrifying; their expressions were cold and arrogant, their bodies surrounded by faint, scattered blue electric sparks. Some of these "divine beings" had deep blue armor plates, and their lower bodies had even transformed into snake tails. If someone unaware of the true nature of these "divine beings" witnessed this scene, they would only perceive it as a miracle of divine intervention. The overwhelming sense of holiness and oppression would compel ordinary people to kneel and worship.
Inside the protective circle, Lan Hua watched the projection, while the guards remained on standby, ignoring Luo Ying's pleas even without his orders. Apart from Luo Ying, the protective circle was peaceful and serene, even somewhat relaxed and leisurely due to Lan Hua's relaxed, vacation-like demeanor… Luo Ying found this scene both ironic and absurd, almost driving him to despair. However, Lan Hua had once said something quite true: his presence there would be utterly useless, except for sending him to his death and distracting others. He even regretted not having practiced martial arts more, now unable to offer any help.
"Please stop hovering in front of me." Luo Ying's constant pacing around like an ant on a hot pan greatly disturbed Lan Hua's viewing of the projection.
"I can't be as leisurely as Lord Lanhua," Luo Ying said directly, still annoyed. However, her body betrayed her, and she walked to the side, not wanting to disturb Lanhua watching the projection.
Lan Hua saw some family records passed down in the Lan family. When his consciousness was attacked by the magnetic storm from the Philosopher's Stone, he felt that the Philosopher's Stone was familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before. Now that he was conscious, he naturally remembered that he had not seen it with his own eyes, but had seen it by chance in some of the Lan family's records.
He pulled out the materials and projected them again to confirm. He was right; the grayish-white philosopher's stone in the projection looked very similar to the philosopher's stone here, but the location clearly showed that it was Venus in their universe.
"Is this the Philosopher's Stone?" Lan Hua hadn't set up any shielding or protection, so others could see it too. Therefore, when the huge Philosopher's Stone was projected, Luo Ying, who was standing to the side, naturally saw it as well.
He was born into a declining noble family in the Silver Glow Empire. His family held the title of baron, but their lives were actually quite ordinary. The aristocratic life of palaces, manors, and servants that most people imagined was completely foreign to them. He even had to take out loans to pay for his university education. If it weren't for the fact that he possessed the legendary bloodline of the god "Chong," which he himself was unaware of, and was found by His Highness and placed in His Highness's guard, he would still be working to pay off his student loans.
His Highness had witnessed a new world he had never seen before, and he was no ordinary person; he possessed the blood of an ancient god. His bloodline and abilities were irreplaceable to His Highness, and it was precisely because of this that Luo Ying felt that his relationship with the Philosopher's Stone was unique. Therefore, he was greatly surprised when he saw Lan Hua bring up the projection of the Philosopher's Stone.
He had found all four Philosopher's Stones in this universe. Although each Philosopher's Stone appeared similar, their environments and characteristics differed. Luo Ying was certain that the Philosopher's Stone projection that Lan Hua had retrieved was not from any particular stone in this universe. And according to his understanding, there were a total of eight Philosopher's Stones. He had already found all four in this universe, so the Philosopher's Stone in this projection—
“It belongs to our universe.” Lan Hua casually filled in the blank that Luo Ying hadn’t said.
"This is impossible!" Luo Ying felt a growing sense of panic, a panic he didn't know where it came from, yet it filled him with unease, shaking his already limited confidence. If his connection with the Philosopher's Stone wasn't unique, then his belief in its unparalleled value to His Highness was nothing but wishful thinking and a joke. He didn't want to accept this fact.
Lan Hua: "..." His and Luo Ying's brainwaves weren't on the same wavelength. He was exploring archaeological mysteries, while Luo Ying's mind was filled with thoughts of men.
Lan Hua thoughtfully projected another life-size projection of Regas onto Luo Ying, saying, "If you want a man, go to the side and think about it while you watch." Just don't bother him. This was Lan Hua's favorite Regas outfit: military uniform, riding boots, and a wide belt—perfect.
Luo Ying: "..." He couldn't understand Lan Hua's thought process either. Should he praise Lan Hua for being generous or call him a pervert? Showing his lover's projection to his rival—was that something a normal person would do? It was utterly insane! He truly felt sorry for His Highness!
"Anyway, you can only look." Lan Hua saw Luo Ying's expression and knew he was muttering to himself again, so she said directly, "I love seeing you guys like it so much, but you can't have it."
Luo Ying: "..." He was certain that this person had truly survived to this day through sheer strength. If Lan Hua had been even slightly weaker, with his twisted and obnoxious personality, he would have been beaten to death and his ashes scattered long ago.
After Lan Hua finished speaking, he ignored Luo Ying. He was going through the records left by the Lan family. The Lan family had existed for so long that records existed even when humanity retreated from the entire universe to Venus and then to ancient Earth. However, these records had all been sealed away before, except for one photograph of the "Philosopher's Stone" on Venus, which seemed to be an accident, or perhaps the reason it was left behind.
Previously, when Lan Hua saw this picture, he didn't find it special, simply assuming it was a primitive pyramid memorial photo left by his ancestors when humans were still active on Venus. But now, combined with everything he'd seen and heard in this universe, and Regas's explanation, when he pulled up the photo again, many things connected. Even the previously sealed materials were no longer blocked.
Lan Hua: "..." Their Lan family ancestor was so cute and considerate, just like the kind of person he had known since childhood. Lan Hua didn't immediately read through all the deciphered materials, but instead picked out some parts he wasn't sure about and found that his previous guesses were all correct.
Lan Hua put away the materials, planning to read them slowly later when she had time. Flipping through boring ancient records was nothing compared to the impending war between gods and humans. Even if it wasn't as grand in scale as before, it was still ongoing, far more exciting than those old records.
"Hmm, I actually saw an old acquaintance." When Lan Hua turned his gaze back outside, he saw a familiar figure.
Although Luo Ying disliked Lan Hua, Lan Hua was currently the only person he could communicate with, and although he wouldn't admit it, he felt a strange sense of security deep down. Therefore, he couldn't help but look at Lan Hua, paying close attention to his every move. Reason couldn't stop this unconscious behavior.
"You have old acquaintances in this universe?" Luo Ying overheard Lan Hua's mutterings. Luo Ying didn't believe that Lan Hua, having only been here a short time, could know "gods." After all, in this universe, "gods" were far more powerful than the nobles of the Silver Glow Empire. While Lan Hua held a noble status, that was only within their universe. Here, Lan Hua was merely an ordinary person in the eyes of those "gods," and ordinary people were like ants in their eyes. No matter how powerful Lan Hua was, he was still a newcomer.
"Yes, he was an interesting little fellow." Although he liked to put on airs and was greedy, swindling him out of two gems and making him sacrifice a bottle of Panacea Water, he was indeed an interesting soul. But... now he's probably just an empty shell.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
