dark.
dark.
——Behind the light is endless darkness.
Amidst the excruciating pain and dizziness, Khan once again saw the temple floating in the void. He saw an entrance facing him, like a gaping maw. The dazzling core was like a deep-sea anglerfish's lantern, emitting terrifying light and heat that made him instinctively want to block it with his arms.
"Don't move! Damn bastard! Put your hands where I can see them!"
The light burned him, and his arm was immediately clamped by the power of a god, unable to move. He could only turn half of his face to avoid the sharp edge.
Only then did he truly understand his own arrogance—a down-and-out nobleman content with his status quo, a homeless dog, helpless, powerless. He was just a homeless man with a little money and skills. Why would he disturb the murderous official when he knew the road ahead was dangerous?
He should have crawled out of the dog hole, exposed himself to the patrolling guards, paid a modest fine, and then gone back to where he belonged. This was Sunset City! Even in decline, even if it had become a mere old capital that the poor talked about, it was the birthplace of the empire. It wouldn't tolerate a lowly fellow like him engaging in such thievery!
"I... I plead guilty!" he said with his drooping chin.
Another whistling slap was received.
"Okay, that's enough! Sir Vanna, don't forget, we are guests today."
Khan felt his body loosen, his legs slamming against the floor with a dull thud. Then, he collapsed helplessly, his cracked lips kissing a leather shoe. The cold touch sent a shudder through his body. He struggled to his feet, remaining in a kneeling position, squinting his swollen eyes and staring forward. This time, the light faded, revealing a blurry, hazy, pale blue figure high above.
He thought it was the god living in the temple, and muttered to himself, "Who... are you?"
"Garbage is garbage!" A powerful electronic synthesized voice came from the front left. "You should use honorifics! The one before you is a descendant of the Empire, daughter of Red Moon III, child of God, elf of the Snow Nation, honorary governor of the Vetro and Queen districts, Her Royal Highness Princess Snow!"
Khan blinked when he heard that, and saw his room clearly. He saw the guard in a finely forged exoskeleton who was talking seriously, and he saw the violent maniac who was washing the dirt off his hands with cheap wine in preparation for the next beating, but he still couldn't see the person sitting in the chair clearly.
"Yes... yes, Your Highness." In order to avoid suffering more unnecessary pain, he could only do as the guard said.
"Very good." The princess's mouthpiece did not embarrass him again, but she quickly spoke again, "Now, Her Highness, the kind and benevolent Princess, will ask you some questions, and you must answer them completely and truthfully. We will record everything that happened today so that Her Highness can review it at any time. Commoner, you are responsible for your words, do you understand?"
"Understand, sir!" Khan felt that his speech became clearer and his eyes no longer wandered - his body began to repair itself.
"Step aside." The mysterious princess gestured to the megaphone, then put down the object in her hand, leaned down slightly, and asked in the ethereal voice that Khan had heard before, "Empire's herd, answer me. What did you just see?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com