Chapter 13: Daily life - 10

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Eunuch – Wei Qing (POV)

I struggle to hold back my laughter, though tears threaten to escape. Not tears of sadness, no—tears of sheer amusement. The court, blind as it is, cannot see what I see. The emperor is not just a figurehead; he is a force of nature, more powerful than they could ever imagine. Over the past year, a transformation has taken place in him, one that is invisible to the untrained eye. But I, who have served him closely, have witnessed it. The emperor's aura has changed—it is stronger, sharper, as if he has been reborn.

It all began when he befriended the foreigner, William. From the moment William arrived, I sensed something was different about him. He carries a presence, an aura of something ancient and terrifying, like a beast hiding in plain sight. My instincts screamed at me to flee whenever he was near, but I remained, because William bears no ill will toward me. Still, I know better than to cross him. Only a fool would mistake William for an ordinary man.

The emperor is like a dragon in slumber, feigning weakness to lull his enemies into a false sense of security. And now, as General Lu Su stands before him, blathering on and on with his hollow accusations, I can see that the emperor is merely toying with him. His expression is one of boredom, as if this entire charade is beneath him. How could these fools not see it? How could they not realize that the emperor has already anticipated every move they will make?

I cannot say for certain what changed the emperor so drastically after meeting William, but one thing is clear—he sees William as more than just an ally. There is a bond between them, a deep respect that goes beyond friendship. The emperor, who appears so cold to the world, is warm and protective toward those he holds dear. And William is among those few.

But it is not just William. I have seen the way the emperor looks at the child, Victor. It is not merely affection—it is reverence, as if the boy were a divine being in need of protection. Victor, silent and unassuming, has drawn the emperor's gaze in a way that no prince or princess ever could. The court may mock Victor for his quiet demeanor, but they would be wise to hold their tongues. If they knew the emperor's true feelings, their arrogance would crumble in an instant.

As for me, I know where my loyalties lie. I would sooner lose my head than harm that boy, for I know that William, the monster in human guise, would not hesitate to strike down anyone who dared to lay a hand on him.

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EMPEROR – Meng Tian (POV)

What is this fool yammering on about? It's insufferably dull. How many more empty accusations must I endure before this tedious farce is over? If I weren't so amused by the sheer audacity of it all, I might have silenced him by now.

Watching General Lu Su strut and preen before my court, spouting his rehearsed lines as if they hold any weight—it's almost laughable. He has the gall to think he can seize my throne with mere words? Perhaps his mouth has won him battles in the past, but today it will earn him nothing but his own demise.

Lu Su fancies himself a tiger, ready to pounce on his prey. But to me, he's nothing more than an insect, buzzing annoyingly in my ear. How this man ever earned the title of 'great general' is beyond me. His speech, full of bluster and bravado, grates on my nerves. A true general should let his sword speak for him, not waste time with such meaningless drivel.

But I am patient. I know how hard he has worked to stage this little coup, how long he has prepared for this moment. It would be a shame to cut it short. Besides, my sword—no, my sword—has been yearning for the taste of blood. It has been far too long since it was last fed. The emperor's sword, though precious and historic, is not meant for this kind of work. I would not want to damage it with the force of my blows.

Over the past year, my power has only grown. Every drop of blood I've spilled, every battle I've fought, has made me stronger. My abilities have evolved, and the shadow traveling skill I once struggled to master is now second nature to me. William and I have taken to hunting bandits as if it were a game, though I must admit, I have never beaten him. William is a pureblood vampire—a predator born for the hunt. But today, I will be the one to hunt.

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Lu Su (POV)

I rush forward, my sword aimed at the emperor's neck. This is it—the moment I seize the throne and rid the dynasty of its unworthy ruler. The emperor's aura, though formidable, does not deter me. I've faced death before, and I will not falter now.

But as I draw closer, something changes. The emperor's expression shifts, and suddenly, I feel a wave of killing intent wash over me, so potent it nearly stops me in my tracks. I push through it, my battle-hardened instincts keeping me moving. Yet, in the blink of an eye, the emperor vanishes from my sight. Where did he—?

A shadow crosses my vision, and pain explodes in my legs and hands. I don't even have time to process what's happening before I'm crashing to the ground, my body no longer obeying my commands. I look down and see blood pouring from clean, precise cuts at my joints. My limbs are useless, severed in an instant by an unseen blade.

Fear grips me as I glance up, and what I see freezes the blood in my veins. The heads of my allies, those who stood with me, are rolling across the floor, their lifeless eyes staring up at me. Blood pools around their decapitated bodies, painting the steps to the throne in a gruesome red.

The first prince—Meng Fei—lies among them, his hand severed and a deep gash across his mouth. My heart burns with fury, and I vow to kill the one responsible. But then, a voice cuts through my rage, cold and mocking.

"Are you still arrogant after all this?"

The words send a shiver down my spine. It's the voice of a predator, a hunter who has cornered his prey. I turn my head, and there he is—the emperor, Meng Tian, standing before me, his sword dripping with the blood of my comrades. His clothing is pristine, untouched by the carnage he has wrought. In that moment, I realize the truth. I was a fool—a fool who thought he could challenge a dragon and live.

The emperor's power is overwhelming, and as I lie there, broken and defeated, I know that begging for my life is all that remains.

"I forgot my arrogance, I forgot my pride, I forgot my achievements, I forgot my love… Will I still be left alive?"

The words spill from my mouth, a desperate plea for mercy. But it's too late. Regret floods my mind as I think of the wrong decisions I made, the daughter who led me down this path of betrayal. How could I have been so blind? The emperor was no mere man—he was a dragon, a god among mortals, and I had dared to challenge him.

If only I could go back, undo that first mistake, reject my daughter's ambitions, and stand by the emperor as a loyal general. Perhaps then, my name would be remembered with honor. But now, everything I built is crumbling before my eyes.

The weight of my failure is too much to bear. As my heart gives out, I collapse at the emperor's feet, coughing up blood. My vision blurs, and the last thing I see is the cold, unyielding gaze of the man I betrayed.

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Eunuch – Wei Qing (POV)

What!

What the f**k just happened? I knew the emperor had grown stronger, but this… This is beyond anything I could have imagined. Meng Tian is no longer just a ruler—he's a force of nature, a flood dragon that has swept through the court, cleansing it of all its filth.

I look around at the carnage, at the lifeless bodies of the rebels, and I can hardly believe my eyes. This was not a battle—it was a massacre, swift and merciless. The emperor didn't just defeat them; he obliterated them, as if they were nothing more than insects beneath his feet.

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Author's Note: Writing one reincarnation story is already hard. He wants another chance by rebirth? Good grief. If everyone got a second chance, there would be no spice in life.

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