The torrential rain swallowed the Holy City.
The alarm bells sounded as if muffled inside thick drums—dull echoes that struggled to carry.
General Hong Lei charged to the edge of the cliff.
What met his eyes was not men.
It was eleven long blades.
They stood before a grave, unmoving in the downpour, like a tombstone forged of steel.
"Who?!"
He roared, but his voice was torn apart by the rain.
Behind him, the Holy City guards rapidly formed ranks, iron armor locking together.
Across the curtain of rain, ten figures stood like stone statues—only their killing intent pierced the storm.
The dark silhouette at the very front slowly turned around.
Rain washed the dust and old scars from his face,
yet it could not wash away the gaze in his eyes.
Hong Lei was struck as if by lightning.
The hand pressed against his sword hilt went instantly cold and rigid.
"It's… you? Hong Chen?!"
Hong Chen spoke calmly.
"Five years. Today is Qin Feng's death anniversary. I came to see him."
Hong Lei flew into a rage.
"You traitor—how dare you set foot in the Holy City?!
The king treated you like his own son, yet you murdered him with your own hands!"
Before the words had fully fallen—
Hong Chen raised his hand.
Blue flames burst forth.
Boom!
The cliff edge was suddenly empty.
Eleven figures vanished into the storm along with the azure fire.
Deep within the royal palace.
For five years, the little princess Ning had not spoken a single word.
She sat quietly by the window.
Thunder and lightning lit up the night sky.
For the first time, the corners of her lips lifted ever so slightly.
She knew.
He had returned.
The entire Holy City was already in panic.
The explosion at the cliff had yet to fade,
yet within the palace halls, only the scent of wine remained.
King Kai reclined crookedly upon the throne, robes disheveled.
He lifted his goblet to his lips again and again, eyes clouded.
General Hong Lei stood below the steps, armor still wet, his expression tense.
"Your Majesty," he lowered his voice, unable to hide his urgency,
"Hong Chen has appeared."
No response came from the throne.
Hong Lei could not help turning toward the High Priest, Faer.
"The Holy City has been breached. The traitor has shown himself.
Is His Majesty not worried at all?"
Faer fell silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile and bowed toward the throne.
"Your Majesty… at this moment, how should we respond?"
King Kai raised his head. His eyes were unfocused—yet suddenly, he laughed.
"You're asking me?"
He swirled his wine cup, the liquid splashing onto the armrest of the throne.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you?"
"Otherwise, what exactly am I paying your salaries for?"
His tone was slurred, yet carried a chill that cut to the bone.
"Do you even understand what it means to—"
"To take the king's pay,
and bear the king's worries?"
As the words fell, King Kai slowly—steadily—poured the remaining wine onto the steps before the throne.
The liquid wound its way down the stone stairs,
spreading to the edge of Hong Lei's war boots.
The hall fell into dead silence.
Only the soft dripping of wine against stone remained—
one drop, then another, as if counting something.
Faer remained silent for a long time.
A bitter curve tugged at his lips, but in the end, he said nothing.
At that moment, Vice General Kari stepped forward.
He swept his gaze across the hall of lowered eyes—
as if to ease the tension for the officials,
or perhaps to find an exit for himself.
"Since he has revealed himself," Kari said in a deep voice,
"then we proceed according to the law."
"I request the Holy City issue an immediate execution order."
"And notify all vassal states—
Hong Chen remains a traitor."
No one spoke in support.
No one voiced opposition.
After listening, King Kai merely gave a vague chuckle.
"So be it."
He waved his hand, as if dismissing a trivial matter.
Then he rose to his feet, steps unsteady,
his swaying figure disappearing into the depths behind the hall.
Below the throne,
the traces of spilled wine had yet to dry.
雨瀑吞没了圣城,警报的钟声仿佛蒙在厚鼓之中,闷响难传.
大将军洪雷冲上崖边,第一眼看到的不是人.
是十一柄长刀,立于墓前,在暴雨中纹丝不动,宛如一座钢铁铸成的墓碑.
"谁?!"
他怒吼,声音却被雨水撕碎.
圣城卫军在他身后迅速结阵,铁甲相扣.雨幕之中,对方十人如石雕伫立,唯有杀气穿透风雨.
那立于最前的黑影,缓缓转过身来.
雨水冲刷掉他脸上的尘垢与旧疤,却洗不淡那双眼睛.
洪雷如遭雷击.
按在剑柄上的手,瞬间僵冷.
"是...你?红辰?!"
红辰淡淡开口:"五年了.今日是琴风的忌日.我来看看他."
洪雷怒不可遏:"你这个叛徒,也配踏入圣城?!"
"国王待你如亲子你却亲手弑君!"
话音未落,红辰抬手.
蓝色火焰骤然绽放
轰!
崖边一空,十一道身影已随蓝炎一同消失在暴雨之中.
王宫深处.
五年来从未开口说话的小公主宁,静静坐在窗前.
雷雨映亮夜空,她的唇角,第一次微微上扬.
她知道,他回来了.
整个圣城已陷入恐慌.
崖边的爆鸣尚未散尽,王宫内却只剩酒香.
国王凯斜倚在王位上,衣冠未整,酒盏一次次送到唇边,眼神混浊.
大将军洪雷站在阶下,盔甲尚湿,神情焦灼.
"陛下,"他压低声音,却掩不住急切,"红辰出现了."
王位之上,没有回应.
洪雷忍不住转向一旁的大祭司法尔.
"圣城被闯,叛徒现身,陛下一点都不紧张吗?"
法尔沉默片刻,苦笑了一下,向王位躬身.
"陛下...眼下,我们该如何应对?"
国王凯抬起头,眼神涣散,却忽然笑了.
"你们问我?"
他晃了晃酒杯,酒液溅落在王座扶手上.
"是我在问你们才对吧?"
"不然我发给你们的薪水,是拿来做什么的?"
他语气含糊,却带着一丝刺骨的冷意.
"你懂不懂什么叫"
"食君之禄,担君之忧?"
话音落下,国王凯将杯中残酒,缓缓地,平稳地,倾倒在王座前的台阶上.
酒液顺着石阶蜿蜒而下,漫过洪雷战靴的边缘.
殿内死寂.
只剩酒水滴落在石面上的轻响,一声,一声,像在数着什么.
法尔沉默良久,唇角牵起一抹苦涩的弧度,却终究什么也没说.
这时,副将军卡里上前一步.
他扫了一眼满殿低垂的目光,像是为了替众臣解围,又像是在替自己找一个出口.
"既然他已经现身,"卡里沉声道,"那便依律行事."
"请圣城即刻发布追杀令."
"同时通告各附属国,红辰,仍是叛徒."
殿内无人附和,却也无人反对.
国王凯听完,只是含糊地笑了一声.
"就这样吧."
他挥了挥手,像是打发一件无关紧要的小事.
随即起身,脚步虚浮,身影摇晃着消失在殿后深处.
王座之下,酒痕尚未干透.