Chapter 125: The Brutal Truth
The butler wore a look of confusion. “Prosecutor Hong, you intend to…”
“Don’t worry about it.” Hong Que turned and waved a hand, striding toward the exit of the hall. “Just do as I say.”
The butler hesitated but eventually turned to prepare the items.
Meanwhile, Hong Que stood outside the hall, looking up at the balcony of one of the rooms.
He took a slight step back with his right foot and muttered to himself, “It’s time for me to show off my skills.”
…
Pushing open the doors to the reception hall, Xie Qiang saw two gazes fall upon her.
Xie Kong and Sen Ji were sitting across from each other. For some reason, the atmosphere was somewhat tense, but upon seeing the girl, both offered gentle smiles.
“Imperial Sister, you’re finally back.” Xie Kong rose and strode toward Xie Qiang, his face full of worry. “Where did you go to play? Why are you back so late?”
He raised his hand to brush the snow from Xie Qiang’s shoulder, his gaze concerned. “Have you forgotten the words your Imperial Brother told you?”
What did he say?
Xie Qiang couldn’t remember at all. She slightly dodged Xie Kong’s reaching hand, ignoring his stiffened arm, and looked toward Sen Ji, who had walked over with him.
“You’re back.” The man’s eyes were soft. “Did you play in the snow? Your clothes are wet; do you want to change first?”
“It’s fine.” Xie Qiang shook her head. She intended to use this to dismiss Xie Kong in a moment.
“Imperial Sister.” Xie Kong withdrew his hand and smiled with narrowed eyes. “Can I chat with you alone?”
He glanced at Sen Ji, his smile noticeably fading. “Sentinel Sen, staying in my Imperial Sister’s palace so late is truly inappropriate. It’s better if you head back early.”
“I am the Princess’s Sentinel; what is inappropriate about staying in her palace?” Sen Ji was significantly taller than Xie Kong. He looked down at him, his tone cool. “Furthermore, the Princess and I already had an appointment. On the contrary, it seems the First Prince didn’t receive an invitation, did he?”
Xie Kong’s expression turned cold. “I sent a message to my sister long ago!”
This defect. Back when the Princess hadn’t been born, he was clearly just a dejected tiger that anyone could step on. Now, relying on the Princess’s favor and purification, he dared to challenge his royal authority!
And her—
What was going on with her! She actually marked a Sentinel outside and even purified them?
Xie Kong looked at Xie Qiang, his expression becoming extremely grave. “Imperial Sister, we must talk immediately!”
Xie Qiang pursed her lips slightly.
She didn’t want to talk to Xie Kong alone, but she was curious about what he had just said.
Perhaps the mystery of why she had no memories of Xie Kong would be solved next.
“Sen Ji, go wait for me in my room first,” Xie Qiang said, looking up at the blond man. “If you don’t know where it is, ask the butler.”
Concern flickered in Sen Ji’s eyes. “But…”
“Don’t worry.” Xie Qiang patted his arm. Xie Kong likely wouldn’t harm her here.
“Mhm. If anything happens, call me loudly,” Sen Ji said uneasily. He gave Xie Kong a few warning looks before reluctantly leaving the reception hall.
“This beast. Just because he received purification, he dares to look down on me and disregard royal authority!”
After Sen Ji left, Xie Kong finally couldn’t hold back his curses.
Xie Qiang curled her lip and sat on the sofa.
Where does royal authority even come from… Interstellar resources were in the hands of the noble families, and military power was dispersed. Before reclaiming the military strength of the various combat zones, the Emperor was no different from a CEO working for a conglomerate.
After cursing Sen Ji, Xie Kong sat down beside Xie Qiang, his tone softening. “And you, sister—why did you mark Sen Ji?”
“He’s my fiancé…” Xie Qiang said quietly.
“So what if he’s your fiancé! He’s still a Sentinel! He might hurt you!” Xie Kong’s face darkened. “Have you forgotten? When you first awakened, you were almost—by an A-class Sentinel!”
Xie Qiang was briefly stunned. The moment Xie Kong finished his sentence, it felt as if the parietal cortex of her brain was triggered. Fragments of memory were rapidly flowing into her mind.
In the images, the original host had just awakened as an S-class Guide and was almost pounced upon and forcibly marked by an A-class noble Sentinel.
Fortunately, the First Prince arrived in time to stop the host from experiencing something even more terrifying.
Xie Qiang’s shoulders trembled slightly, and her heart pounded.
In the memory, that Sentinel’s face was hideous, his eyes full of evil intent. The original host had cried and struggled for a long time. Xie Qiang could completely feel the helplessness and the rage “she” felt at the time.
No wonder this memory had been hidden away.
Seeing Xie Qiang trembling with fear, Xie Kong reached out to put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her gently into his embrace.
“Sister, ever since you were little, I told you that except for Father and your brother, all Sentinels out there are bad people to their core. They are all selfish devils! They all covet your status and purification ability, wanting to use you to become the new Emperor!”
“Once they use force to humiliate you, you have no way to resist!”
Xie Kong lowered his head, his lips close to Xie Qiang’s ear as he whispered, “If you want to protect yourself, you must become brutal. Make them all afraid of you, so they won’t dare to harm you…”
Xie Qiang’s body shuddered.
What did he say?
“My kind sister, you really disappoint me…” Xie Kong’s gentle voice rang out as he lightly patted Xie Qiang’s head. “How could you let those Sentinels who would harm you mark you?”
“Especially Sen Ji. What did Brother tell you? He’s a desperate defect. As long as you show him even a hint of kindness, he’ll shamelessly cling to you and do something terrible to you, just like that A-class Sentinel!”
“And Hong Que. Because the Zhuque family often produces SS-class Sentinels, they frequently challenge royal authority. You must crush Hong Que’s dignity under your feet. Make this next family head fear you, so he won’t dare challenge royal authority in the future!”
“As for that Wanyan Jin…” Xie Kong’s eyes grew gentler, but his tone became chillingly sinister. “A thief who stole royal genes, a beggar living on royal charity. He is not your brother. He’s relying on that identical gene fragment to make you let down your guard and despicably take you for his own…”
Xie Qiang’s mind drifted for a moment as she finally remembered the words the host hadn’t finished saying to Wanyan Jin.
“You’re not worthy of being my brother! I only have one true brother, the First Prince! You’re just a thief who stole royal genes! You think I don’t know what kind of filthy thoughts you have for me? Get lost! Don’t show your face before this Princess ever again!”
Ha…
No wonder the young host could say such vicious words. It turned out someone had been whispering in her ear every single day.
Xie Qiang finally understood. The reason the host became a “bad seed,” humiliating Sen Ji, bullying Hong Que, and loathing A-class Sentinels, was largely thanks to this “Imperial Brother.”
He brainwashed the host every day, making her hate Sentinels. He groomed her to be vicious and brutal so she would be loathed by all Sentinels and lose the support of the noble officials—thereby losing her right of succession.
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