Helian Jue remained unconscious for three whole days.
Over the past three days, undercurrents have been swirling within the royal court. The King remains unconscious, with the newly appointed and incredibly powerful Queen Su Nian by his side at all times, sparking numerous speculations. Rumors circulate that the King suffered a hidden injury in the Northwest, while others claim the Queen used some underhanded methods… The old nobles are restless, but intimidated by Helian Jue's accumulated power and the support of Su Nian's three hundred guards and some generals, none dare to act rashly for the time being.
Su Nian publicly declared that the King was overworked and needed to rest, temporarily taking over all state affairs. In the name of the Queen, she swiftly and decisively handled several cases of attempts to take advantage of the chaos, showing no mercy and quickly stabilizing the situation.
She sat beside Helian Jue's bed, watching his still-furrowed brows as he slept, feeling the chaotic energy caused by the intense conflict between the different fragments of his soul within him. She held his cold hand, trying to convey a sense of warmth and reassurance.
[Host, his soul fragments are rapidly merging, but the process is highly unstable.] 088 analyzed the data. [The obsessions and memories from the 'domineering CEO,' 'immortal lord,' 'prince,' and even the faint 'e-sports god' are all impacting the core personality of this world, 'Helian Jue.' His last words before he fell unconscious indicate that his main consciousness has begun to cross the world barrier and perceive your uniqueness.]
"What will happen after the fusion?" Su Nian asked in her mind.
[Theoretically, completing the fragments would make him more whole and his soul stronger. But in this small world, his existence is based on the identity of 'Helian Jue'. Excessive fusion might lead to rejection by the world's rules, or... he might awaken prematurely and realize he's just one of the fragments.] 088 said seriously, [In either case, we must complete the core task of this volume as soon as possible, otherwise it might trigger uncontrollable consequences.]
Su Nian understood that time was running out. She had to push through that final change before Helian Jue woke up, or before he underwent even more drastic changes.
Late on the third night, Helian Jue finally woke up slowly.
He opened his eyes, a moment of confusion in them quickly replaced by a familiar sharpness and depth. He saw Su Nian standing by his side, looking exhausted.
"You're awake." Su Nian breathed a sigh of relief and handed her a glass of warm water.
Helian Jue didn't take the water. Instead, he suddenly grabbed her wrist, his gaze sweeping over her face with an almost tangible intensity, a scrutiny that came from loss and a deeper, almost overflowing possessiveness.
"How long have I been asleep?" His voice was hoarse and dry.
"Three days."
“Three days…” Helian Jue murmured, his eyes shifting as if he were processing the chaotic fragments of memories in his mind. He rubbed his still throbbing temples, his gaze towards Su Nian becoming even more complex and unpredictable. “I think… I had a lot of dreams.”
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat, but she remained outwardly calm: "What did you dream about?"
Helian Jue stared at her for a long time before slowly saying, "I dreamt of you... in different places, wearing different clothes, looking at 'me' in different forms." His fingers tightened, "But your eyes never changed."
Su Nian's breath hitched slightly.
He did sense it!
Helian Jue propped himself up and sat back on the couch. Although his face was still somewhat pale, the oppressive aura of a king had returned. "Those... weren't dreams, were they?" he asked, his tone not a question, but an almost affirmative statement.
Su Nian knew that denying it now would be pointless and might even exacerbate the instability of his soul. She met his probing gaze and said frankly, "Yes and no. You can understand it as a projection of your soul in different times and spaces."
Helian Jue fell silent, his deep eyes churning with turbulent emotions. After a long while, he suddenly forced a smile that was filled with hostility and obsession: "So, no matter which 'I' it is, I will eventually find you, seize you, and make you belong only to 'me'."
He reached out and stroked Su Nian's cheek, the gesture carrying a sense of ownership: "You are my queen, you were before, you are now, and you can only be in the future."
He didn't inquire about specific details like the system or the mission; perhaps in his mind, those things weren't important. What mattered was that she was his, a realization that transcended worlds and became the unifying obsession of all the fragments of his soul.
Helian Jue's awakening and rapid recovery completely shattered the last vestiges of discontent within the royal court. He returned with an even more assertive demeanor, handling the backlog of government affairs with clear rewards and punishments, and no one dared to question him.
Su Nian, meanwhile, began to use her status as "Queen" and Helian Jue's almost blind indulgence to implement her long-planned and ultimate reform.
At a formal council meeting, in front of all the tribal chiefs, nobles, and generals, she proposed the idea of abolishing slavery.
"Slavery is a remnant of the primitive era, the root of hatred and bloodshed." Su Nian stood beside Helian Jue, her voice clear and firm. "It stifled people's intelligence and weakened the royal court. The root of Luger's rebellion lies here. If the royal court is to enjoy lasting peace and stability, if Your Majesty's kingdom is to be truly secure, slavery must be abolished, all slaves must be freed, and they must become commoners, paying taxes and performing corvée labor to serve the country!"
These words caused an uproar among the audience!
Abolish slavery?! That would be tantamount to uprooting the foundations of all nobles and tribes! Slaves were their most important source of property and labor!
Opposition surged forth like a tidal wave, more intense and direct than when she was previously opposed to becoming queen.
"Your Majesty! This is absolutely unacceptable! Slavery is an ancestral institution, the foundation of all tribes!"
"Without slaves, who will till the land and herd livestock? Who will serve the nobles?"
"If this proposal is implemented, the royal court will surely be thrown into chaos!"
Even some neutrals who originally supported Su Nian's reforms looked hesitant, believing the move was too radical.
Helian Jue sat high on the throne, listening to the argument below with a blank expression, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest.
Su Nian didn't argue with the others; she simply turned to look at Helian Jue. She knew the final decision rested with him. And she was gambling—gambling on his promise to her, gambling on that spark of longing for another possibility that she had awakened deep within his soul.
All eyes were on Helian Jue.
Helian Jue raised his hand, and the hall fell silent instantly.
He looked at Su Nian, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "Tell me, why must you do this?" His question was not an interrogation, but rather a reason to convince everyone, or rather, a reason that would ultimately lead him to make up his mind.
Meeting his gaze, Su Nian said, word by word, "Because a dynasty that relies on oppression and hatred to maintain itself can never truly be strong. Because what Your Majesty wants is not just a country full of slaves and rebels, but a powerful empire where all its subjects can fight for themselves and for their homeland. Because..." She paused, her voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears, "I don't want future history books to only record Your Majesty's glorious achievements and boundless slaughter. I also hope to record a great monarch who ended ignorance and created a golden age, and the... order and hope he brought."
Her words, like a ray of light, cleaved through the stagnant air in the hall.
Helian Jue stared intently at her, his eyes swirling with emotions—shock, emotion, and a kind of... a stirring of his deepest, most secret desires, as if she had just spoken his mind.
Killing and conquest were his instincts for survival, the means by which he ascended the throne. But deep down, didn't he also yearn for a kind of "greatness" that transcended bloodshed and could be truly remembered by posterity? The "golden age" that Su Nian depicted, that "order and hope," was like a seed that fell into his cold heart and quietly sprouted.
After a long silence, Helian Jue slowly stood up.
He swept his gaze across his subordinates below, whose expressions varied, his voice cold and authoritative, carrying an unquestionable resolve:
"Effective immediately, slavery is abolished within the territory of the Royal Court!"
"All slaves shall be freed, registered as citizens, given land to cultivate, and required to pay taxes and perform corvée labor according to the law!"
"Anyone who dares to disobey will be killed without mercy!"
"Anyone who dares to own slaves shall be considered a traitor, and their entire clan shall be exterminated!"
A chilling killing intent, accompanied by a thunderous decree, swept through the entire hall and was about to engulf the entire dynasty.
Helian Jue, with his characteristically ruthless methods, forcefully implemented the decree abolishing slavery. Naturally, he encountered immense resistance, even witnessing several small-scale rebellions, all of which he swiftly suppressed. Blood once again stained the land, but this time, it was to bury an old, corrupt era.
Su Nian assisted him in formulating detailed implementation rules, appeasing the freed people, allocating land, and establishing new tax and military service systems, keeping her extremely busy. She watched as hope rekindled in the eyes of the once numb slaves, and as the barren land was reclaimed, her heart filled with a sense of accomplishment. This was not merely the completion of a task, but a genuine transformation she had personally participated in and promoted.
A month later, a grand coronation ceremony was held in the largest square of the royal court, which was also a celebration and affirmation of the epoch-making move to abolish slavery.
Helian Jue, dressed in a magnificent royal robe and wearing a crown symbolizing supreme power, received the homage of the people. His aura was even more imposing than before, and the ferocity in his eyes seemed to have subsided, replaced by a more profound and dignified presence.
At the climax of the ceremony, in front of everyone, he picked up a crown that was equally exquisite but slightly smaller.
He looked at Su Nian, who was standing beside him.
Sunlight bathed her, casting a golden glow upon her. She wore a magnificent dress that matched his, her face beautiful and her eyes clear and resolute.
Helian Jue picked up the crown and walked step by step to her.
He didn't put it on her immediately, but looked deeply into her eyes and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"I'll give you half of my lonely kingdom."
"My people, I share with you."
"From now on, I only have you."
After speaking, he raised his hand and placed the crown, which symbolized the queen's honor, steadily and solemnly on Su Nian's head.
[Ding! Key plot point detected! Core missions "End Tyranny" (99% progress) and "Obtain the Crown" (100% progress)! Main quests for Volume 5 are essentially complete! Evaluation in progress...]
[Warning! Target's soul fusion level has exceeded the critical point! The world's rules are intensifying their rejection! Forced removal from this world is imminent! Host, please prepare!]
The moment the crown was placed on top, Su Nian heard the system's notification and alarm. She looked up at Helian Jue.
He was looking at her, his eyes filled with a complexity she had never seen before. There was satisfaction at completing the ritual, confirmation of her identity, and a trace of... a deep unease and obsession, as if he had seen through something.
“Su Nian…” he called her name and reached out to grab her.
However, just as his fingertips were about to touch her, Su Nian felt a tremendous, irresistible pull away! The surrounding scenery began to blur, the cheers seemed to be muffled by a veil of water, and Helian Jue's figure rapidly faded from her sight...
"wait for me……"
In the last moment before her consciousness completely faded, she seemed to hear his roar, filled with extreme obsession, echoing across the world, yet it also seemed like a hallucination.
Everything went completely black.
[World Leap Initiated! Target: Volume Six, "The Pianist with a Dual Personality"! Teleporting—]
(End of Chapter 124)
(The End of Volume 5, The Enchantress of the Slave Dynasty)
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