Chapter 542: Inquest!
Inquest! . . .
Subsequently, the king collapsed onto the floor, his voice choked with anguish.
"Yong-Er..."
Tears streamed down the king's face. He had always been aware of his second son's limitations, recognizing that this child would never achieve great feats. However, despite his knowledge that his son had likely entangled himself with dangerous forces and committed unforgivable acts, he couldn't escape the bond of familial love.
[Despite his grave mistakes, he is, after all, my son.]
[He is my flesh and blood.]
Lying on the floor, tears staining his cheeks, the king wrestled with profound grief and a burning question.
[Who was responsible for the palace attack?]
[Why such brutality? Why such mercilessness?]
...
The king's anger raged, and thunder reverberated through the kingdom.
The entire realm was thrust into chaos. Houses were subjected to thorough searches, and soldiers roamed the streets with a palpable air of menace. Generals, leaders, captains—all bore somber expressions as they regarded every citizen with suspicion, each one a potential suspect.
Suddenly, the once-thriving city was gripped by a pervasive sense of insecurity.
Many individuals who had witnessed the confrontation between the two great sects had sought refuge within the city, evading earlier investigations. Now, however, they found themselves exposed and vulnerable, as the ongoing scrutiny became even more stringent.
...
"Second Prince," Cha Eun Xiao remarked, seated in a chair and casting a cold, calculating gaze upon the prince. "The city is in turmoil due to the bloodshed within your palace. The king harbors great affection for you. It's a misconception to think that royal figures lack familial connections; that's not the case."
The Second Prince stared back at Cha Eun Xiao with swollen, terror-stricken eyes.
[You fiend!]
The figure before him was nothing less than a demon.
Over a decade ago, the prince had failed to recognize, let alone imagine, that this seemingly foolish son of General Cha would evolve into such a terrifying entity.
But now, it was too late. He was ensnared in the devil's grasp.
[Do I stand any chance of survival?]
The events of the previous night had been a nightmarish ordeal for him. Guards he had entrusted were methodically silenced, their throats slit, and their heads sent sailing through the air before landing in a macabre circle around him. It marked the beginning of his nightmare, a nightmare that showed no sign of ending. The culmination of this nightmare could very well be his own demise.
"Cha Eun Xiao, do not act recklessly. You should consider releasing me now. If your nefarious scheme is exposed, your entire clan will be annihilated, your bodies desecrated. Your father's actions today reveal much. You are but a commoner, daring to defile the honor of the royal house! That is treason! Cha Eun Xiao, you deserve to die!" the Second Prince gasped, his voice hoarse as he shouted.
He was fully aware that his words would do little to threaten Cha Eun Xiao, but he clung to any semblance of hope for survival.
"Please, Your Highness, maintain your composure. There's no need to raise your voice; lower it, and I shall hear you just fine." Cha Eun Xiao took a sip of tea and continued, "Do not harbor delusions now. I won't be swayed by your words, nor will I entertain them. In fact, I won't listen to you at all. Currently, you are positioned several meters below me."
"I can allow you to shout to your heart's content, but regardless of your efforts, no one will hear you. However, I find it rather tedious to witness you squander your energy," Cha Eun Xiao said with a cold smile.
"By the way, Your Highness, no matter how resolute your father may be... Allow me to speculate: will he come to inspect the Northern General's House?" Cha Eun Xiao inquired, a wicked grin playing upon his lips.
The Second Prince crumpled to the floor upon hearing Cha Eun Xiao's question, as if his bones had turned to jelly. He shook his head, his eyes shrouded in gloom.
The entire kingdom knew the immense significance of Cha Nantian to the realm.
The Second Prince was acutely aware of the immense importance he held in his father's eyes.
No one would dare to threaten him.
Even when the soldiers embarked on their search of the royal house, they wouldn't dream of creating any trouble for the Northern General's House. It was widely regarded as the most secure place in the capital. Foreign forces and assassins alike would not entertain the notion of launching an attack on this establishment, irrespective of the commotion they might create throughout the city.
This was due to the universal knowledge that crossing Cha Nantian was a perilous endeavor. Should General Cha brandish his sword and declare, "Identify the intruder who has dared to disrupt the sanctity of my residence," any individual, regardless of their standing, would be swiftly expelled and held accountable for their actions. No one wished to witness General Cha in a state of wrath.
That, in itself, was a compelling reason to exercise caution.
General Cha was, unequivocally, the most formidable individual in the entire Land of Han-Yang. No one else came close. Only recently, he had decimated tens of thousands of assassins from all corners of the world who had attempted to thwart his path.
His efficiency was breathtaking, his might unrivaled.
General Cha was a man who could not easily be vanquished. He stood as an invincible figure in the eyes of all who knew him.
None dared to provoke him, not even the monarchs of the three most potent kingdoms in the world.
Cha Eun Xiao was his only son, and therefore, the apple of his eye.
The Second Prince now felt a profound sense of helplessness. He understood that the King would never locate him. The prospect of being rescued seemed inconceivable, given that no one even knew of his whereabouts.
Cha Eun Xiao's smile was as smooth as silk as he softly uttered, "Even if the King were to find the Second Prince, I would invite the Second Prince to speculate—could he truly liberate his son from my grasp?"
It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck the Second Prince's heart.
For many years, he had battled against his own brothers, which had left him far from ignorant. He had witnessed the formidable power that Cha Eun Xiao possessed. Steward Song, an unbelievably powerful figure, and the three formidable assassins—any one of them held the capacity to astonish the world.
Second Prince had held Hua Liushui in high esteem, considering him a seasoned and powerful individual, a pinnacle figure of the world. Yet, in the face of Cha Eun Xiao, Hua Liushui had been manipulated as if he were a mere child. By no means did this diminish Hua Liushui's strength. Rather, it attested to the extraordinary power of Cha Eun Xiao himself.
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