"Yes." The second stunned nodded, wiping his swollen eyes.
The two worked with clear roles: Ren Ye searched the bookcases and shelves, while the second rummaged through the former king's resting and tea-drinking area, all the while sobbing uncontrollably.
Ren Ye initially didn't want to pay him any attention, but recognizing the explosive military value in his subordinate, he decided to cultivate him. Flipping through the bookcase, he spoke softly, "Wang Jingzhong is dead. Are you sad?"
"Of course, except for the first king and Your Highness, only Uncle Wang treated me like... I..." The second's eyes were red from crying.
Ren Ye's gaze remained on the dusty folds of old documents, his head buzzing. "Then do you know what kind of mood I'm in right now?"
The second stunned thought for a moment, then shook his head.
"Besides feelings, he was my right-hand man," Ren Ye said flatly. "In terms of sadness or distress, can you compare to me?"
The second was silent.
"Today's humiliation will be repaid tomorrow; if not tomorrow, then in three years, or five," Ren Ye's frown deepened. "But the premise of repayment is that we must survive first. If you really make Li Changshi's wife serve in the military camps, do you think you'll live to see it? Remember, the things you say with your mouth can be ruthless; but real ruthlessness is in the heart."
The second stunned remained silent for a while, before speaking hesitantly. "Your Highness… You wouldn't have said that before."
"You should be dead," Ren Ye muttered as he knelt again, searching beneath the bookcase. "Let me ask you, your time in the guard camp hasn't been short. If there's a great upheaval in the palace today, how many people do you think can obey your orders?"
The second stunned thought carefully, then responded. "The situation in the guard camp is a bit complicated, and when Uncle Wang was here, I was certain about my position…"
Ren Ye rolled his eyes. "No preambles. Just answer me."
"I did have close connections with some of the general flags in the pro-guard battalion…" the second stunned hesitated, carefully choosing his words.
"Enough with the nonsense! Just tell me—after two years of lurking, how many people can actually listen to you?!"
The second stunned paused, then sighed. "Well, I can only guarantee that one person would completely obey my orders."
"One?" Ren Ye frowned, surprised. "Who is it? The deputy commander?"
"It's just me. I can only trust myself completely." The second stunned answered truthfully.
"Rinima," Ren Ye cursed under his breath, his patience running thin.
"Why did Your Highness insult my mother?"
"Shut up and stop talking to me!" Ren Ye exploded, realizing that he shouldn't have expected anything from this reckless man. "Hurry up and find the secret edict! If you don't find it, I'll have you serve the military horses!"
At that, both men fell silent, tacitly agreeing to work in earnest. They began scouring the meditation hall, flipping through every possible corner and turning over nearly everything in the room.
It was nearing afternoon, but still, they had found nothing. The entire main hall only held a collection of ordinary government records, books, antiques, and calligraphy.
Ren Ye sat down in the "father" chair, exhausted, gazing at the ceiling. He quietly thought to himself that his suspicions had been correct. If there was indeed a secret edict hidden within the palace, it would most likely be in the former king's office. How could it not be?
Nearby, the second stunned continued to rummage through the cabinets. He showed little interest in the secret edict, his mind more consumed by the prospect of serving the military horses.
Ren Ye shot him an irritated glance before slowly rising. His gaze wandered, and his eyes fell upon the Zhenguo Sword placed behind the throne.
It was a golden sword, studded with gems along both sides of its scabbard, exuding opulence. The hilt, carved in the shape of a dragon's head, looked incredibly lifelike.
Ren Ye had noticed this sword earlier when he entered the hall, but in Zhu Zigui's memory, it was clear that the former king had tried and failed to take it. This person had been far too wasteful. The Zhenguo Sword refused to acknowledge him. With the pressing need to locate the secret edict, Ren hadn't given the sword much thought until now.
"Second stunned, let's go to my father's bedroom," Ren Ye said as he approached, his mind also on the mission that had involved the Zhenguo Sword.
"Your Highness, don't worry, I'll search… just give me another quarter of an hour, just a quarter of an hour!" The second stunned was lost in his thoughts, imagining himself serving the military horses. His legs turned weak at the thought, and he pleaded for more time.
Ren Ye ignored him and circled the throne. He grabbed the Zhenguo Sword's hilt and, with a determined motion, lifted it.
Bang!
The moment the sword left its stand, a thunderous sound erupted in Ren Ye's mind, splitting apart his already scattered thoughts. His entire body trembled, his soul vibrating with the force.
Burst!
A slender beam of sword light flashed, slicing across Ren Ye's right palm. Hot blood poured out, splattering onto the sword's surface. The dull blade immediately regained its brilliance, glowing fiercely.
Boom!
In that instant, a sharp aura surged from the sword, as if it could pierce through the very heavens. The energy was so intense that it felt as though it could cut through tens of thousands of armies in a single strike.
Wave!
The air vibrated with the force, shaking the main hall, but soon a complex formation appeared around them. A brilliant wall of light emerged, quickly suppressing the violent energy, ensuring that the disturbance didn't attract attention from the outside.
[Ding - Congratulations to His Royal Highness King Huai for reawakening the sword of Zhenguo. I wish you prosperity and invincibility in the world.]
A cold voice echoed in Ren Ye's ears, and at that moment, he felt a subtle connection to the Zhenguo Sword.
Kneeling on the ground, bewildered, he watched as the wall behind the throne cracked open, revealing a hidden passage that slowly began to emerge...
At the same time, the other ten players heard the sound of the Star Scar Gate in their ears.
[Congratulations, a player has triggered an important legacy story, and you will now begin the main quest.]