Chang'an City
In a grand courtyard adorned with picturesque small bridges and flowing water, a massive pavilion stood at the center of a serene lake. Inside, a rotund man, draped in luxurious robes, held a beautiful maid in his arms, a serious smile on his face.
The man was enormous, weighing at least five to six hundred pounds, and the maid in his embrace seemed as small as a child compared to him.
"Hehehe, Your Majesty, please, not here," the maid giggled, her voice tinged with playful resistance.
The man's eyes narrowed, revealing his lustful intent. "Serve me well, and you'll be handsomely rewarded," he whispered, his voice dripping with greed.
The maid's eyes lit up, knowing the reward was all she cared for. She smiled seductively, allowing her thin garments to slip off one by one under the man's heavy hands. She pressed herself against him, playing her part well.
But just as the man was getting excited, a figure clad in black appeared silently before them, like a ghost emerging from the shadows.
The maid gasped, fear gripping her heart as she saw the intruder. Before she could scream, the fat man let out a small sigh. "What a waste," he muttered.
With a swift motion, the man tightened his grip, and a sickening crack echoed through the pavilion. The maid's body went limp as her bones shattered under the pressure, her life snuffed out in an instant. The man casually dropped her lifeless body to the ground.
His demeanor had changed entirely. Gone was the lecherous grin; in its place was a cold, calculating gaze. His small eyes, barely able to open fully, now radiated a chilling intensity.
"Didn't I instruct you not to appear in front of me when there are others around?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Do you want to break the rules I've set?"
The man in black, now drenched in cold sweat, immediately knelt on one knee. "My lord, news has come from our spies," he began, his voice trembling slightly. "The Wenjian Sect has been completely destroyed by Orion's army."
The fat man's expression shifted from annoyance to shock. "What? The Wenjian Sect... destroyed? How is that possible?"
The Wenjian Sect was the most powerful sect in the Great Zhou Dynasty, boasting hundreds of thousands of disciples and a leader who had reached the realm of Martial Saint. It seemed unimaginable that such a formidable force could be eradicated so easily.
"Isn't the Sect Master of Wenjian a Martial Saint? And what about Patriarch Wenjian, who has been in seclusion? Did they not intervene?" the fat man demanded, his voice tinged with disbelief.
The man in black kept his head low as he explained. "The Sect Master is missing, likely captured by Orion. As for Patriarch Wenjian, though he emerged from seclusion, he was swiftly killed by Orion's forces. The entire sect was laid to waste in the battle."
The fat man was stunned. Two saints from a single sect, both defeated? He took a sharp breath, trying to process the information.
"Orion... is he really that powerful?" the fat man murmured, realizing he needed to reassess his view of Orion.
For a moment, he was silent, pondering the implications. Then, a smile crept onto his face. "Orion's strength could work to my advantage," he mused. "Fortunately, I placed Ruolan close to him and gained his trust. If she plays her part well, Orion will be mine to control."
The fat man chuckled, recalling the chess piece he had placed beside Orion. The plan to seize the Northern Territory seemed closer to fruition.
"Inform Ruolan to return to Orion immediately!" he commanded. "She was careless to let him leave her alone in Yubeicheng. This time, she must stick close to him and do whatever it takes to bring him under our control!"
At this point, the fat man's identity was clear: he was none other than Prince Zhou Huang, the Third Prince.
But before Zhou Huang could revel in his plans, the man in black hesitated, then spoke with a bitter tone. "My lord... Ruolan's life card has been broken."
Zhou Huang's smile vanished instantly. "What did you say?" His voice was icy, a dark aura beginning to emanate from his body. "Are you lying to me? You should know what happens to those who deceive me."
The man in black trembled under the Third Prince's terrifying gaze, struggling to breathe. "My lord... Ruolan's life card is indeed broken. We believe her identity was exposed, and she was killed by Orion."
The Third Prince's eyes flickered with suspicion. "But Ruolan was Orion's favorite. Why would he kill her?"
The man in black, now visibly distressed, replied, "Orion has changed, my lord. He's not the same as before. Powerful masters have appeared around him, making it impossible for our people to get close. Ruolan, despite being a Martial King, stood no chance."
Zhou Huang fell silent, his thoughts racing. Finally, he exhaled deeply. "I was careless... underestimated Orion," he muttered, his voice laced with regret.
He had focused too much on the potential benefits of controlling Orion and overlooked the fact that Orion had become a formidable force in his own right.
Sending another operative like Ruolan would be futile, he realized. The game had changed, and Zhou Huang would need a new strategy.