"An emperor in your past life? Ha," I scoffed, bending down to slowly approach his filthy face. His face was covered in scars and stains; his former handsomeness was gone. "Prince Ning, you yourself said that was your past life. In this life, you are nothing but a prisoner, a sinner about to be executed." My voice was cold and merciless, echoing in the small space.
He suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot, looking like a madman. "Lin Qian! You can't do this to me! I love you! I love you so much!" His voice was hoarse and desperate, as if a roar came from the depths of hell.
I took a step back in disgust, brushing away imaginary dust. "Love me? Your so-called love is just using me, betraying me, and ultimately driving me to my death?" My tone was icy, each word like a sharp knife piercing his heart. My eyes were filled with anger and loathing, as if I were looking at a disgusting monster.
He curled up on the ground in agony, the clanging of the chains jarring in the silence. "No...it's not like that...I love you...it's just..." His voice trembled as he tried to justify his crime.
“Power is more important, isn’t it?” I interrupted him, mercilessly exposing his lie. “Prince Ning, you are a complete hypocrite.” I looked at him without a trace of pity. This man who once made me give everything has now become like this; this is the end he deserves.
He stopped speaking, only groaning in pain, like a dying beast. Looking at him like this, I felt no emotion whatsoever. The original owner of this body had cried for him, laughed for him, given everything for him, only to receive this ending in return.
I smiled contemptuously and kicked his hair, which was scattered on the ground, with the tip of my shoe. "Were you an emperor in your past life? Ha, in this life you're just a stray dog." I deliberately emphasized the words "stray dog" so that he could savor the feeling.
He suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with even more madness. "Lin Qian! How dare you humiliate me!" His eyes were filled with anger and resentment, as if he wanted to devour me.
"Humiliate you?" I laughed uncontrollably, as if I'd heard a joke. "Prince Ning, get this straight, you're the prisoner now, and I'm just here to watch the show. What right do you have to make me afraid?" My laughter echoed in the cell, sounding particularly jarring.
He stared intently at me, the hatred in his eyes almost tangible. I knew he hated me, hated that I had taken everything from him, hated that I had watched him walk towards destruction. But I didn't care at all. The original owner had given so much for him, and what did he end up with? Why should I pity him?
"Lin Qian, do you think you've won?" He suddenly calmed down, his tone terrifyingly sinister. "Let me tell you, even if I die, you won't have an easy time! I'll be waiting for you in hell, waiting for you to come down and join me!" His voice sounded like a curse from hell, sending chills down one's spine.
I scoffed. "Hell? I know that place very well. But you, don't come crying to me when you get there." I bent down, leaned close to him, and whispered in his ear, "After all, there aren't any fools like Lin Qian in hell to be manipulated by you." With that, I straightened up, turned, and left the cell, leaving Prince Ning to struggle alone in the darkness.
Lin Qian felt incredibly pleased as she watched Prince Ning's disgraceful state. She turned to leave, and as she did, she whispered to 003 beside her, "Give him the Forgetfulness Pill."
003 nodded and remotely fed a Soul-Forgetting Pill, which he had brought from the previous world, into Prince Ning's mouth.
Prince Ning was completely oblivious to anything amiss; he continued to curse Lin Qian incessantly.
Lin Qian walked out of the prison without looking back, feeling no remorse whatsoever. For someone like Prince Ning, this was the end he deserved.
Sunlight filtered through the clouds, scattering like golden sand across the courtyard, yet it couldn't penetrate the thick gloom in Lin Qian's heart. She sat wearily on a stone bench, her body seemingly bent under an invisible burden, her expression filled with weariness. 003 stood quietly to the side, her posture upright as a pine tree, but her eyes revealed an undisguised worry.
"003, I've already put Prince Ning in the Heavenly Prison, but Heaven seems very unhappy." Lin Qian sighed softly, her voice tinged with helplessness and weariness. Her eyes were somewhat vacant as she gazed at the sunlight spilling onto the ground, yet felt no warmth. The sunlight seemed merely an illusory play of light and shadow, unable to touch the coldness within her heart.
003 frowned, a deep "川" character forming between his brows, and said, "Master, the displeasure of Heaven may bring some trouble. Your time is running out, only three days left." His tone was full of anxiety and worry, his voice like a countdown clock, constantly ringing in his heart and echoing in Lin Qian's heart, bringing wave after wave of unease.
Lin Qian remained silent for a moment, her gaze gradually hardening. She slowly raised her head, looking towards the distant sky, where the answers she sought and the liberation she longed for seemed to lie. "I plan to bid farewell to the Prime Minister and his wife, and then settle A'Luo in peace." Her voice, though soft, carried an undeniable resolve, like a faint but tenacious ray of light shining in the darkness.
“Then we need to hurry,” 003 said. A resolute glint flashed in his eyes, as if he were prepared to face any difficulty. His figure appeared even more upright in the sunlight, like an unyielding mountain peak, ready to meet the coming storm.
Lin Qian stood up, her clothes fluttering gently in the breeze, giving her an air of loneliness and determination. The swaying of her clothes seemed to mirror the turmoil within her heart, yet it was suppressed by her unwavering will. "Yes, I must finish everything I need to do in these three days." Her eyes revealed an indomitable spirit against fate, as if she wanted to unleash the most brilliant light within this limited time, even if only for a fleeting moment, to illuminate the world.
Lin Qian strode confidently toward the Prime Minister's residence. The main gate was tall and imposing, its vermilion doors tightly shut, seemingly proclaiming the mansion's solemnity and mystery. Stone lions sat majestically before the gate, their piercing gazes suggesting they were guarding the mansion's peace. Lin Qian took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the heavy door.
Inside the Prime Minister's residence, pavilions and towers are scattered in a pleasing arrangement, and flowers, trees, and shrubs are lush and verdant, creating a vibrant scene. Winding paths meander through the flowerbeds, and the fragrance of flowers fills the air, making one feel refreshed and relaxed.
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