Chapter 731: The Loneliness of the Emperor

A faint pressure exuded from Catherine’s body as if the prelude to a storm. Chen Rui squinted slightly as he suddenly felt a sense of danger.

In the [Analytical Eyes], Catherine’s overall strength had actually surpassed the original S+ and reached S++. It seemed that her strength had also improved a lot during this period. The black potions he gave away definitely had some credit.

This was like lifting a rock and stubbing his own foot.

“Wait a minute, you turn hostile too quickly, I haven’t said whether or not to agree.”

Catherine was taken aback. She retrieved most of the murderous intent and said surprisingly, “Then you just…”

“Don’t you know that there is a word called ‘reserved’? I was being reserved just now.” Chen Rui ignored the oppression and raised a finger, “I formally express my attitude - whether Catherine or Christina or some other identity, your prince consort, husband and man can only be me!”

Even Catherine was moved by that kind of resolute gaze. Her Majesty Empress’ momentum had been completely weakened. This guy added another sentence, “Of course it’s not a problem to give birth to an inheritor. I can promise to complete the task.”

This sentence made Catherine’s face feel a little hot, but she didn’t hear the next sentence for a long time. So, her pretty brows wrinkled slightly, “And?”

“And… Uh, it’s okay to have a few more inheritors!”

“That’s it?”

“Ah.”

Catherine’s murderous intent instantly soared, and her voice became cold, “Are you fooling me?”

“No, I’m serious. What I’m talking about is just a matter between a man and a woman, and it’s a man and woman who have feelings for each other and had an intimate relationship before. It has nothing to do with the empire and its interests. This is my answer. Chen Rui looked straight at Catherine, “I said back then that I will come to the Dark Shadow Empire with the strength that made the Demon Realm tremble and snatch you away. In the Crystal Valley, I also had left a will that ‘I will definitely come back’. Do you know why I didn’t go? Because my current strength is not enough.”

(Not enough.)

(Not enough to make you really let go.)

Catherine suddenly had a tacit understanding of his unspoken words. In the deep black eyes, the tranquil lake water seemed to ripple slightly like it was thrown with a stone.

After a moment of silence, Catherine said, “Could it be… you want to unify the Demon Realm to achieve this wish? If so, I can only comment on it as ‘foolish as always’. I came to the Dark Moon today not to listen to your so-called oath, so you don’t need to talk nonsense. I just want to tell you that since you don’t want to join the Dark Shadow Empire, then we are destined to become enemies.”

Chen Rui sighed and made a look of no resistance, “So, do you want to make a move? Get rid of me, the biggest threat to the survival of the empire? If you want to kill me, I don’t seem to have any room for resistance.”

Catherine’s momentum suddenly disappeared when she looked into his eyes, “I can’t kill you, not only because you are calm, but also because of my intuition; even though I have the Dark Shadow Cape and I’m only 1 step away from kingdomized. Don’t say you don’t know what is kingdomized, just like you never should doubt a woman’s intuition.”

Chen Rui smiled bitterly. A woman’s instinct is no doubt strong, but Catherine has no real killing intent from the beginning.

“Actually, I have guessed this based on Delia previously unintentionally revealing her trust in you, and the lady with the veil rest assured to leave you alone by my side. Your strength should have grown to… at least to the degree of being able to leave safely in front of me. If I knew this earlier… I would have made you stay in the Silent Night Wetland or take your life. Unfortunately, there is no way back in life.”

Chen Rui sighed, “You have never really looked back, how do you know that you can’t look back? It’s like, you have never really let go, how do you know you can’t let it go?”

“No need to waste my time. No matter what it is, you can’t shake my will. Maybe you are the only man whom I have feelings for, but I can’t let go of my persistence.” After speaking frankly about her good feelings for Chen Rui, Catherine seemed like she had removed a certain burden as her eyes became more determined, “If you really want to fulfill your foolish wish by conquering the Dark Shadow Empire, even if you succeed, you will only get my corpse. This is what I have to say and I will not disturb you anymore. You can leave. For a talent like you, I will leave a little bit of leeway. You don’t have to worry about the leak of your identity or secrets before we completely become enemies. If you change your mind, I will always welcome you. So… the next time we meet, it will be either in my palace or on the battlefield.”

No doubt she is persistent as always.

In order to protect the civilians.

Sitting alone on the icy throne.

Chen Rui stared deeply into Catherine’s beautiful and moving eyes as if he was trying to engrave her seriousness and determination in his mind.

“Frankly, Catherine, at first I was more attracted to your beauty, coupled with that relationship and man’s… possessive desire, but now, I’m truly fascinated by you, my Majesty Empress. Since the separation is coming soon, please allow me to play a tune for you.”

Catherine wanted to refuse, but her gaze turned to the familiar red piccolo in Chen Rui’s hand, and she finally nodded.

The melodious piccolo sounded. What surprised Catherine was that it was not the familiar ‘Solo Dance under the Moonlight’, but another song that she had never heard before. The clear and melancholy notes lingered in her heart with deep sentimental and persistence of no return.

She closed her eyes and seemed to see the window sill, the lonely moonlight, the vague overlapping shadows, the passersby, the reluctant gaze and the fading back.

One day, all the melancholy and sadness would no longer exist; even the soul would be annihilated, but the imprint of the intersection of 2 hearts and 2 lives was forever engraved at that moment. It was like the flash of stars in the sky; even if it was only a moment, there was no regret.

The music stopped, and Catherine who was immersed in it unconsciously opened her eyes slowly as a tear fell from the corner of her eye. She stroked the wetness on her face in astonishment, only to find that she was the only one left in the room.

Regardless of the result, for the rest of my life… will I not regret it?

After a long time.

“Damn guy… he didn’t even say the title of the song.”

Perhaps due to the music, this low voice was no longer dull and calm.

The Bloody Empire’s Iron Fist Estate.

Edmund was covered in blood as he stumbled through the woods.

The Iron Fist City fort was breached, and the last power he had in his hands was also lost.

Just half an hour ago, after his elite guards died to protect him, he had become a veritable loner without any backing.

After confirming that there were no chasing soldiers behind, Edmund panted and leaned against a tree, slowly sitting down on the ground with the long sword in his hand. The scene of the previous city collapse appeared in his mind. At that time, his army was either dead or surrendered. Seeing that the situation was over, he personally killed dozens of his wives and concubines to avoid being insulted by Aleus and others. When he was about to commit suicide, he was beaten unconscious and rescued by his elite guards.

Although his life was saved, the huge humiliation and blow of the failure were simply unacceptable by this second prince of the Bloody Empire.

“Why did Demon God bestow victory to Aleus? Why?! What did I do wrong?”

A furious shout echoed in the woods.

“You’re not wrong.”

A deep and indifferent voice sounded.

This familiar voice shocked Edmund, and his shout stopped abruptly.

“Father……”

A figure appeared in front of Edmund. He was not tall with long black hair and an ordinary face. He should be a random passerby in any place, but no one in the Demon Realm dared to ignore this ‘ordinary’ person. Instead, they needed to look up to this person.

Because he was Raizen, the Demon Realm’s top powerhouse, Raizen. Mammon.

“Father, when did you end the training…” Edmund struggled to stand up.

“Just when I learned that you failed.” Raizen stared at his son indifferently, “I’m very disappointed in you.”

“You have always been disappointed in me!” Edmund’s breathing became rapid as he said without scruples, “I’m your true eldest son. When I was young, Aleus and Teris called me elder brother. I was the Bloody Empire’s veritable great prince! Later… I became the second prince. This time I just want to regain everything that belongs to me. Unfortunately, I was wrong, seriously wrong!”

Raizen’s voice was calm, “I said that you are not wrong, Aleus is not wrong, and even… Teris is not wrong. It’s just that you lost.”

Edmund leaned down on the tree and sighed, “Yes, I lost; I lost completely. I have nothing left.”

“So I’m disappointed in you because you can’t face failure. It used to be so, and it is still the same now.” Raizen shook his head slowly, “As my son, I can spare your life and let you spend the rest of your life without worries.”

“Captive?” Edmund showed a sneer expression on his face as he clenched his fists, “Let me watch the winner reach the peak stage of strength and power step by step? Ever since I became sensible, the first thing I remember is what you said to me - The empire does not need losers.”

Raizen’s eyelids slowly closed. “There is an old saying that the losers are always in the wrong. It has been that way from ancient times to the present.”

“Yes… the empire really doesn’t need a loser.” Edmund laughed miserably as his face suddenly showed an abnormal red, then it gradually turned black. The real source of the change was in his clenched fist that held the poison crystals used for suicide. If he didn’t use his strength to resist, he would be poisoned to death in 10 seconds.

Raizen sighed softly as he quietly watched Edmund slowly fell down with a bleeding face. The faint sadness that passed through his eyes was quickly covered by the cold solemnity, and he suddenly punched to the sky.

In the dense clouds, an opening was split up as if a strange eye had been opened.

After a while, heavy rain poured down, and the blood on Edmund’s body was washed away by the rain.

In the rain, the back of that lonely emperor faded away.