Zhiyan’s beautiful eyes trembled. She stopped her tears and bit her delicate lips tightly. Taking a deep breath, she finally made a decision in her heart.
“I will not see Huai Bingyi,” Princess Zhiyan said. “Uncle, please meet him on my behalf and settle the matter regarding the purchase of weapons and armour for the hundreds of thousands of troops.”
Duke Zhiting was stunned.
It was understandable that Zhiyan did not wish to see Huai Bingyi, but at a time like this she still wanted to discuss weapons and armour?
Soren was supposedly already dead. There was no longer any hope left in the struggle for the throne.
Princess Zhiyan said, “I firmly believe Soren is still alive.”
Zhiting replied in shock, “That valley has already turned completely into a hellish swamp. Soren’s command ring and even his skull have already been delivered to Zhili. I have personally seen it. It really was Soren’s skull.”
After Zhili obtained the skull, he immediately invited Zhiting to examine it. Although Zhili said nothing, Zhiting felt as though he had been struck by lightning.
The reason Zhiting recognised it at a glance was because the teeth matched Soren’s exactly.
Zhiting remembered clearly that one of Soren’s front teeth had a crescent shaped indentation, not especially obvious.
He had once eaten with Soren, and while eating a half raw steak, the blood had seeped into that indentation, making it particularly noticeable. That was how Zhiting discovered this very private feature of Soren.
Zhiyan said, “No. I firmly believe he is not dead.”
Zhiting asked, “Why do you think that? I already examined the skull. Zhili also invited Tulingduo, Gui Xingfu, and others familiar with Soren to inspect it. Not only the teeth, but even the back of the skull and a scar on the forehead matched perfectly.”
Zhiyan replied, “It is only a feeling.”
Zhiting almost wanted to laugh. A feeling? Zhiyan, a woman almost devoid of emotions and desires, speaking of intuition?
Zhiyan said firmly, “I know Zhili wanted you to inspect the skull so we would completely give up resisting and accept reality. But I will never compromise, and I absolutely do not believe Soren died so easily.”
Taking a deep breath, Zhiyan regained her cold composure. “Uncle, go discuss the weapons and armour with Huai Bingyi. From now on, I will completely sever ties with him and never see him again.”
Zhiting was once again stunned. If she intended to cut ties with Huai Bingyi, then why still buy weapons from Overlord Continent?
Princess Zhiyan continued, “Do not let Tianshui City learn about Soren’s situation. Recruitment and military expansion there must continue. I will leave everything here to you. I am going to save Soren.”
“Save Soren?” Zhiting said. “He is already dead. And even if he is not, where would you even go to rescue him?”
“I do not know,” Princess Zhiyan replied. “But I firmly believe he is alive. That demoness Wanyuan would never kill him so easily. Even if I must search the ends of the earth, I will rescue him.”
Zhiting tried to speak further, but Zhiyan waved her hand to stop him. “Say no more. I have already decided.”
Half an hour later, Princess Zhiyan secretly left the Princess Manor and the royal capital in disguise, travelling alone toward Doom Mountain in Black Furnace County. She intended to inspect the site of Soren’s ambush personally and search for any clues.
At that time, it was the fourth day since Soren’s disappearance.
…
Western sea region of the continent.
The luxurious great ship continued sailing toward an unknown destination.
Soren remained confined within the magnificent cabin, unable to tell day from night and forbidden from stepping outside even once. The room contained everything imaginable, comparable to a five star hotel suite on Earth.
For the next three or four days, Princess Wanyuan never appeared.
Just when Soren thought he would not see her again before reaching land, the cabin door suddenly opened and a young girl dressed in light green walked in.
The moment she entered, Soren was genuinely stunned.
Because the one who entered was a bright and youthful girl who looked no older than sixteen.
Yet the face was still that of Princess Wanyuan.
The first time he saw her, she had been an enchantress overflowing with seductive charm.
The second time, she had resembled a noble and refined young lady.
And now, she looked as though she had become younger by nearly ten years, transformed from a woman in her mid twenties into a girl of fifteen or sixteen.
Her eyes, skin, and figure all belonged to an immature teenage girl.
Her once full chest now appeared flat.
She had transformed from a ripe peach into an unripe apple.
It truly seemed as though she possessed demonic magic, changing appearance every single day as if she had become an entirely different person.
Even her voice startled Soren. The seductive tone had vanished completely, replaced by the clear and youthful voice of a young girl.
Behind her stood a handsome man over one point eight metres tall, with a narrow waist, long legs, and a powerfully athletic physique. His hair was cropped very short, giving him a masculine appearance. He was an exceptionally handsome man.
“His name is Zhuang Zhixuan. He is my male companion,” Wanyuan said.
At this moment she looked completely like a young girl, yet the words she spoke felt strangely out of place.
Still, Soren was not surprised that Wanyuan had such companions.
The people of the Demon Continent were notoriously unrestrained, especially regarding relationships between men and women. This princess might very well have more than one companion.
“Zhuang Zhixuan, this is Count Soren,” Wanyuan introduced.
Zhuang Zhixuan nodded politely toward Soren.
Princess Wanyuan sat down before Soren and said, “I heard your musical talent is unmatched, Lord Soren. Might I be fortunate enough to hear heavenly music from you?”
Soren shook his head. “My apologies. I truly have no interest.”
Wanyuan’s eyes flickered slightly before she continued, “I also heard your painting skills are unparalleled, that the people you paint seem almost alive, like reflections of their souls. Could I ask you to paint a portrait for me?”
“Just trivial skills, not worth mentioning,” Soren replied coldly once more.
A trace of coldness appeared in Wanyuan’s beautiful eyes. “Lord Soren, do not forget that you are merely a prisoner now, with your life entirely in my hands. Provoking me like this will not help you.”
Soren said, “When I paint women from pleasure houses, it is to change their fates. When I play music, it is for those who genuinely love it and to express my own heart. I would never paint or perform merely for someone else’s amusement.”
“Very well said,” Wanyuan replied, resting her chin on her delicate hand. “Do you know that Zhili and Zhiyan both believe you are dead? I created a skull identical to yours, even replicating the crescent mark on your tooth. What changes do you think your reported death will bring to the Furious Wave Kingdom?”
Soren’s eyes trembled slightly.
Upon hearing of his death, Zhili would undoubtedly relax completely and stop restraining many of his desires.
Soren had noticed more than once the greedy way Zhili looked at Gui Qinshao.
He only hoped Gui Xingfu and Ling Ao loved her enough to protect her from harm.
As for Zhiyan’s side, hearing news of Soren’s death would probably cause them to completely abandon hope of fighting for the throne. Once Zhili inherited the throne, if Zhiyan wished to survive, she would either need Fang Qingshu’s protection or Huai Bingyi’s.
Between the two, Zhiyan seemed much closer to Huai Bingyi. Moreover, Huai Bingyi’s influence in this world perhaps even surpassed Fang Qingshu’s.
However, in Soren’s ambush, Huai Bingyi might well have played some hidden role.
At the very least, he had kept Zhiyan in the royal capital rather than allowing her to return to Tianshui City with Soren.
Otherwise, with Zhiyan’s spiritual power and sensitivity toward the strange energies of the Demon Continent, she would have sensed danger from thousands of metres away, and Soren would never have fallen into such peril.
Soren recalled his interactions with Huai Bingyi during the royal banquet. Being around him had felt like a gentle spring breeze. Those eyes had shown no hostility whatsoever, only admiration and appreciation.
Suddenly Soren said, “Zhili alone should not be capable of commanding a grand princess of the Demon Continent to kill me. And merely avenging Ashiro should not have required such a massive operation.”
Princess Wanyuan replied, “I know what you want to ask, but there is no need. However, if you wish to know, we can exchange answers.”
Soren said, “Please continue.”
Wanyuan asked, “Why did the Divine Dragon Temple pay such an enormous price to kill Ashiro? What hidden secret or identity did he possess?”
Soren shrugged. “How could I possibly know such a confidential secret?”
Wanyuan chuckled softly and said nothing more.
Then she suddenly asked, “Soren, what do you think intelligence is?”
Soren replied, “Terrifying memory, terrifying logic, terrifying inspiration.”
Wanyuan asked, “Then does luck count as part of it?”
Soren narrowed his eyes bitterly. “I understand now.”
Wanyuan looked surprised. “I have not even said anything yet, and you already understand?”
Soren replied, “Best two out of three.”
Wanyuan and Soren had agreed to a contest of intelligence, best two out of three.
If Soren won, she would let him go. If he lost, he would die.
Soren had already won the first round. If he won the second as well, the contest would end immediately.
Wanyuan suddenly said, “Originally, I intended to wait until we reached land before beginning the second round. But just now you refused both to paint for me and to play music for me, which completely angered me. So I have decided to begin the second round early.”
Soren said, “Please proceed.”
Wanyuan replied, “This second round is extremely important. If you win, the third round will not be necessary and you will win outright. I will release you immediately. I always keep my promises.”
Soren smiled faintly. “Please.”
Wanyuan said, “Of course, if you lose, you will still be punished. But this time it will not involve four burly men, only one person, my companion Zhuang Zhixuan. See? I am treating you rather kindly.”
The moment those words were spoken, Zhuang Zhixuan’s body trembled and his face turned pale.
Soren also looked at the tall and masculine Zhuang Zhixuan and immediately turned pale himself.
A devilish gleam appeared once more in Wanyuan’s beautiful eyes as she raised her right hand into a fist.
Her hand was soft, pale, and delicate, the clenched fist resembling a snow white ball.
“The second round of our contest begins now,” Wanyuan said. “Inside my fist are Go pieces. There may be one piece, or there may be two. No other possibilities exist. Guess whether there is one or two. If you guess correctly, you win.”
The moment Wanyuan mentioned luck, Soren already knew what was coming.
She had said luck was also part of intelligence.
In other words, she intended to cheat. Since Soren had already won the first round, winning the second would end the contest early.
No matter what, Wanyuan intended to win this second round.
The demoness smiled and said, “Lord Soren, make your guess. One piece or two? You have a fifty percent chance. Victory or defeat depends entirely on fate.”
Soren had no x ray vision. How could he possibly know whether her fist contained one piece or two?
Wanyuan continued, “If you guess correctly, I will let you go immediately. But if you guess wrong, then you will suffer the consequences with my companion Zhuang Zhixuan.”
Soren closed his eyes and carefully extended his spiritual senses, especially toward Zhuang Zhixuan standing behind Wanyuan.
Then he opened his eyes.
“Two pieces,” Soren answered.
A triumphant smile appeared on Wanyuan’s lips. “Wrong. You lose. There is only one piece.”
She turned her fist over and slowly opened her hand.
Sure enough, in her palm rested only a single black Go piece.
Soren had lost the second round.
But what if Soren had answered one piece instead?
He still would have lost.
Because Wanyuan’s hand could contain either one piece or two. Before she moved, there were two pieces. But when she flipped her hand over, she merged the two pieces together into one.
So no matter what Soren guessed, he would lose.
Soren had realised this from the beginning. The moment Wanyuan brought up luck, he already understood the outcome.
Wanyuan smiled. “We are both intelligent people. I know you saw through my trick long ago. I simply wanted to preserve the suspense until the very end. Rest assured, the third round will be a genuine contest of intellect. I will use every scheme and trick I possess. If you win then, you live. If you lose, you die. But for this second round, let us consider you defeated.”
Then she stood gracefully and said to Soren, “A wager is a wager. Accept the consequences.”
She lightly waved her delicate hand before Soren.
A strange fragrance entered his nose and he immediately collapsed unconscious.
Soon after, his entire body became burning hot and flushed red.
Zhuang Zhixuan immediately looked toward Wanyuan with pleading eyes.
Wanyuan replied coldly, “Do you intend to disobey me?”
Zhuang Zhixuan shook his head.
Wanyuan said, “Then do as I ordered. If you fail, you will answer to me.”
After speaking, she took out a pink pill and forced it into Zhuang Zhixuan’s mouth.
Instantly, Zhuang Zhixuan’s entire body flushed red as though consumed by flames.
“Begin,” Wanyuan said as she sat back down, making no move to leave. Her beautiful eyes glowed with excited cruelty.
Zhuang Zhixuan gritted his teeth and tore off the fitted warrior outfit.
Revealing a graceful female body beneath.
That was right, a woman.
Her hair was cut short, her face handsome, and her figure tall and athletic.
Dressed in warrior clothing, she appeared entirely like a handsome man, yet she was actually a woman.
A tall, athletic woman carrying a unique and striking presence.