Zhong Daolong looked at the old man and said in a deep voice, "And besides, after governing for so many years, I've developed a habit… I trust my intuition more than the evidence others lay before me."

"All data and information can be modified, but intuition will not deceive."

"Though he is always respectful upon our meetings, I can feel it, that young man harbors hatred towards me."

"So, is it that you placed him in the Monitoring Bureau because you wanted him to become a knife for you, to clear away obstacles?" the old man shifted to a more comfortable position.

From the moment the escape pod landed on Hate Mountain, a power struggle began, a battle of wits and bravery.

You know my strengths, and I know your depths.

Then, a contest of acting skill ensued.

Though they faced countless dangers, they became the ultimate victors.

Perhaps not the final victory.

But at least, they had achieved a stage of such.

At least, the man he hated with all his heart was sitting right in front of him.

Countless sleepless nights, countless times waking from the pain of burning fires, his hatred distorted him, prematurely whitening his hair.

But when Zhong Daolong was truly sitting before him, he instead became calm.

An inner peace like never before.

He had waited twenty years, and suffered for twenty years.

He had imagined that upon seeing that man again, he would devour his flesh, drink his blood eagerly.

He would spit in his face, then ask him if he regretted, if he regretted…

These were the scenes he had fantasized about countless times in his mind.

In this moment, his heart was as still as water.

"That's just one of the reasons. I had countless choices, and countless knives at my disposal. I could use him, or I could use someone else."

"But if I wanted to expose him, to draw out those of the Tang Family's rebel party, I had to give him power, let him see the opportunity for success."

"Indeed, he did not let me down; he led out the Sunshine Orphanage… To tell you the truth, it was a real eye-opener."

"These people were hiding right under my nose, and I had no clue… If I let them grow, if I wait until my two useless sons take power…"

"At that time, would they have the ability to excise these tumors? Would they have the means to pull out these thorns?"

"Didn't you also fail?" the old man said with a sneer.

"Yes," Zhong Daolong sighed heavily, "to be honest, I really didn't expect things to get this far, nor did I expect to be in this position..."

"The righteous will have many aides, the unrighteous few."

"Ha, Lu Yu, after all you've experienced, you still believe in such nonsense?"

"People are fluid, it is their station that remains unchanged."

"As long as I sit in this seat, as long as I remain the ruler of a nation, there will be countless people willing to offer their abilities and loyalty."

"However, during this process, there were a few things I truly didn't expect… I did not expect Xuanyuan Mingjing to take Tang Fei as a disciple."

"The Great Grandmaster is at the pinnacle of Martial Arts, safeguarding the nation's security. For decades, he had only taken Shen Xinglan as his sole disciple… His acceptance of Tang Fei became the first variable in this plan."

"I didn't expect Tang Fei's Cultivation Realm to advance so rapidly… When he first arrived in New Star, I had someone test him, a mere Qi-controlling Cultivator, commonplace within the Empire."

"Such a person can be used if useful; otherwise, it's simple enough to have someone kill him. Just consider it a casual move in the game..."

"And the third unexpected thing…"

Zhong Daolong's face darkened.

He did not articulate what the third unexpected event was, but the old man, sharp as he was, clearly understood.

"You didn't expect such unfilial behavior from your own sons?"

Zhong Daolong shook his head quietly.

"The struggle for the throne has continued for thousands of years. The seat I sit upon was also fought for; how could I expect my sons to live in harmony?"

"Although I've taken many precautions, even selfishly hoping to groom the second son into an idle Prince… yet, the blood of the Zhong Family runs in his veins… How could there be indifference without strife, without competition?"

"They may fight, may seize, may resort to every possible means, may stop at nothing... That's how everyone acts; I don't blame them for it."

"But… they must not be foolish."

The face of Zhong Daolong, usually scholarly and refined, contorted viciously as he cursed uncontrollably, "They should not resort to such low methods; they should not trust anyone..."

"Stupidity is the original sin."

"They are not stupid." The old man's cheery demeanor, upon seeing Zhong Daolong's pain, made his own mood particularly good. "As far as I know, Zhong Tianque was taken away by the Shen Family during an external event."

Not just that; he didn't forget to twist the knife further into his heart and lungs.

"You've been locked up here for half a day, yet there hasn't been any action outside… No assault on the door, no rescue attempt."

"Up to now, the entire Phoenix Palace remains as peaceful as usual... This makes our previous arrangements seem superfluous."

"..."

Zhong Daolong's chest heaved; the wounds that had been treated felt as if they were being torn open again.

That was his son, his own flesh and blood, the Crown Prince he had nurtured for over twenty years.

It could be said that from the moment he was born, he had not been the focus.

Yet, when his old father faced danger, his son disappeared.

They say the Royal Family is heartless, but this goes beyond heartlessness...

This is parricide; this is sheer madness.

Such pain!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.