"Orion, how dare you!" Zhou Linglong's voice trembled with rage, her imperial authority flickering beneath her words.
Orion's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Oh, Your Majesty, your anger flatters me," he sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Zhou Linglong clenched her fists, at a loss for words. Insulting Orion, she realized, would only feed his twisted amusement. He thrived on her indignation. Her silence was a feeble attempt at restraint, but even that was fleeting.
"What's the matter, Empress? You seem speechless," Orion taunted, his eyes gleaming with malevolent satisfaction.
Just as she braced herself to respond, a flash of energy surged from Orion's hands. Zhou Linglong gasped as her intricate robes disintegrated, leaving her vulnerable in the cold night air. Her mind raced—had it all happened in a blink?
Her breath caught in her throat. A surge of shame and anger overtook her as her eyes dropped to the ground, the remnants of her dignity scattered like torn silk. She instinctively moved to cover herself, but the spiritual restraints around her wrists held firm, rendering her struggles futile.
"Orion!" Her voice was raw, equal parts fury and desperation. "You will pay for this! I swear it!"
Orion's eyes narrowed, though his grin remained. "You really should learn to watch your tongue," he said, his voice soft but edged with danger. "Resistance is only going to make things harder for you."
Zhou Linglong trembled, but not from fear. It was rage—a deep, seething rage that coursed through her veins, igniting something within her. She had been a ruler, feared and respected across her lands, and now this wretched man sought to break her spirit. But she refused to give him that satisfaction.
"Is this what you wanted, Orion?" she spat, her voice regaining strength. "To humiliate me? You think you've won?"
Orion raised an eyebrow, intrigued by her defiance. "Winning?" he echoed with a chuckle. "Oh, Empress, I haven't even started."
But Zhou Linglong's mind had already shifted. She no longer saw herself as the victim. She was plotting, her thoughts sharpening like blades. She would survive this. She would endure, not out of fear or resignation, but because she knew that her vengeance would one day be exacted, and Orion would face her wrath.
Orion's smirk faltered for just a moment as he saw the fire in her eyes. It wasn't the fear he had hoped to see. Instead, he saw hatred—burning, undying hatred. He had not broken her after all.
Leaning closer, Orion whispered, "Keep your hatred, Empress. It might be the only thing that keeps you alive."
As he stepped back, he gestured to the shadows. From the darkness, Ying Mo, his loyal assassin, emerged, his cold gaze fixed on Zhou Linglong. Orion's smile returned, though it was now tinged with cruel satisfaction.
"Ying Mo," Orion said, "remind her of her place. But don't kill her… not yet."
Ying Mo nodded, his expression unreadable. He approached Zhou Linglong, his presence menacing. Yet, as he loomed over her, Zhou Linglong's resolve only hardened. This was not the end. This was merely a chapter in her story—one that she would one day rewrite in blood.
"You'll regret this, Orion," she hissed, her voice low but resolute. "I promise you that."
Orion only laughed, turning away as the door closed behind him, leaving Zhou Linglong to her thoughts—and to her growing thirst for revenge.