Prince Cheng stumbled through the grand halls of the palace, his breath labored and mind spiraling into madness. The long corridors, adorned with tapestries of his family's legacy, felt suffocating. His heart raced, pounding against his ribcage like a caged animal trying to escape. He had seen too much, learned too much, and now his thoughts were consumed by one haunting truth: Chen Ming was alive. And not just alive—he was Meng Qingshan, the feared Blood Demon.But Cheng had a plan.He would save him. He would bring Chen Ming back from the darkness, no matter the cost. And more than that—he would make him his. No one else could have him. Not anyone.With each step, Cheng's mind became more twisted, his thoughts circling a singular, dangerous obsession. If he could save Chen Ming from the demonic path, he would belong to him. They could rebuild their bond, stronger than ever. Chen Ming had sacrificed everything for him once, and now it was his turn to do the same. But a dark, insidious thought whispered in the back of his mind, twisting his intentions.He would save him... even if it meant destroying everything in his way.Cheng reached Prince Feng's chamber, his heart thrumming with a sick anticipation. His younger brother had been bedridden for weeks, the mysterious illness ravaging his body.As he entered the dimly lit room, the smell of incense filled the air, masking the scent of sickness that clung to his brother. Feng lay in the center of the room, his pale face turned toward the window, as if gazing at a distant dream. His chest rose and fell in shallow, labored breaths."Feng," Cheng whispered, his voice cold, almost mechanical.Feng's eyes flickered open, dull and tired, but they managed to focus on Cheng. "Cheng... you're back."Cheng stepped closer, the weight of his newfound obsession settling over him like a shroud. "Yes. I've been thinking about... everything."Feng coughed weakly, his body wracked with pain. "I see. There's something... I've been wanting to tell you." He paused, his breathing growing more ragged. "I've always... loved Chen Ming. Even when he was gone, I thought about him every day."Cheng's eyes widened, the words piercing through his fragile mind like a knife. Loved? His heart twisted, a boiling rage bubbling to the surface. Feng... loved Chen Ming? His brother—his Chen Ming? The idea of it made his blood run cold.Feng continued, his voice growing fainter. "I never told him... but I always wanted to... and now... it's too late."Cheng's mind fractured, the last vestiges of sanity slipping away. Loved Chen Ming? No. Chen Ming was his to save, his to keep. Not Feng's. Never Feng's.A voice echoed in his head, dark and twisted. Kill him. The thought whispered softly at first, but it grew louder, more insistent. Kill him, and Chen Ming will be yours. He can't love him if Feng is gone.Cheng's eyes darkened, his hand instinctively reaching for the dagger that hung at his side. His grip tightened around the hilt, the madness in his mind taking over. The words echoed again, louder, more sinister. Kill him. He'll be yours if you kill him.His vision tunneled, and all he could see was Feng's frail form lying helpless before him. The brother who had dared to confess his love for Chen Ming, even with his dying breath."He's mine," Cheng whispered, his voice hollow and detached. "Chen Ming is mine."Before he could even register his own actions, Cheng lunged forward, the dagger in his hand flashing in the dim, flickering light of the room. It sliced through the air with deadly precision and plunged into Feng's chest, sinking deep into the flesh with a sickening thud. The blade tore through muscle and bone, scraping against ribs as it entered. Feng's eyes went wide, a look of shock and horror blooming across his face as the pain took hold. A gurgling sound bubbled up from his throat, blood spilling from his lips, staining his teeth crimson.Cheng's hand shook, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. His grip on the dagger tightened, knuckles white, and he yanked the blade free with a wet, sucking sound, only to plunge it back into Feng's chest. The blade sliced through his brother's skin again, driving deeper, piercing vital organs with brutal force. Each thrust was stronger than the last, fueled by something dark and unrelenting, the desperate need to erase Feng from existence.Blood spurted in warm jets with every strike, spraying across the bed, splattering the stone walls, coating Cheng's hands and face in a sticky, hot mess. The smell of iron hung thick in the air, mingling with the faint scent of incense that still lingered in the chamber.Feng's body jerked with each stab, his hands weakly trying to fend off the blows, fingers grasping at Cheng's arm, but his strength was fading fast. His gasps became ragged, wet, as more blood pooled from his mouth, trickling down his chin and soaking into the front of his robes. His eyes—once full of life, warmth, and familiarity—began to cloud over, losing focus, drowning in the agony of betrayal.Cheng's breath came in harsh, erratic gasps as he continued. The blade, slick with blood, slipped in his hand, but he drove it forward again, over and over, until Feng's body lay still, twitching in its final death throes. The rhythmic sound of the dagger plunging into flesh gradually slowed, each thrust more labored, more unhinged. He didn't know when he stopped, only that when he finally did, Feng's lifeless body lay beneath him, torn apart by his own hand.The dagger slipped from Cheng's blood-soaked fingers, clattering to the floor. His chest heaved, heart pounding in his ears, the scent of blood overwhelming everything else. His brother's face, once so full of life, was now frozen in a grotesque mask of pain and disbelief. The room fell into eerie silence, save for the steady drip of blood hitting the stone floor.And then it hit him—he had done it. He had killed Feng.A wild, hysterical laugh escaped Cheng's lips, growing louder with each passing second, echoing through the chamber like a maddened ghost. His throat burned as he laughed, the sound twisted and broken, mingling with the tears that now streamed down his blood-streaked face. He laughed until his vision blurred, until he felt like his body would collapse from the weight of it all.But it didn't matter.Feng was dead. And now... now, Chen Ming would be his.He stumbled toward the door, still laughing, the sound of his own insanity echoing in his ears. As he reached the hallway, an aide rushed toward him, alarmed by the commotion."Your Highness... is everything alright?"Cheng's laughter quieted, a wide, twisted smile spreading across his face. He wiped the blood from his hands on his robe and turned to face the aide, his eyes gleaming with unhinged satisfaction."My brother," Cheng said, his voice disturbingly calm, "is dead."And with that, he walked away, leaving behind the twisted remains of what was once a family, and the beginnings of a madness that would consume him entirely.