“Shut up.”
Ryann’s face turned pale. He walked down from the high place, crossing the red-carpeted steps. “Shut up… if you say such things again, I’ll…”
He stopped halfway, his gaze losing focus as he looked around.
There was emergency medical equipment in the council hall. The emperor quickly brought over a treatment device and roughly pulled the commander’s injured right hand.
“If you object one more time, Zhen will order the suspension of tranquilizer supplies for the entire country.”
“Your Majesty, please stop saying such childish words in anger.”
“Angry words? These are not angry words.” Ryann stared at the cut on Jiang Jianming’s palm. The light from the treatment device was already shining on it, but the blood wouldn’t stop flowing.
“Zhen knows you won’t agree. It doesn’t matter. Zhen will lock you up, hide you away. If you try to kill yourself, Zhen will tie restraints on all your limbs and inject you with drugs daily according to the prescribed dosage.”
The blood was still flowing. Damn it, was the wound that deep? Ryann muttered, fighting the tingling sensation in his scalp, his eyes fixed. “…until a new tranquilizer is developed to cure you.”
Cure you. Even to this day, His Majesty still harbored such a delusion.
Jiang Jianming, furrowing his brow, pulled his hand away and said, “That’s enough.”
Ryann tried to grab his hand again. “No. It’s not yet…”
“Ryann.”
But Jiang Jianming raised his right hand and pressed his palm against the emperor’s cheek.
Something made Ryann shudder, perhaps the cold skin and the warm blood.
Jiang Jianming calmly said, “Do you think if I really wanted to die, you could stop me?”
Ryann’s expression turned horrific.
He revealed a miserable, angry, defeated look.
Because he knew Jiang was right. He dared to attempt an interstellar expedition, but if this person truly had the will to die, he had no confidence in being able to keep him.
“…I, I’m trying so hard to beg you to live.”
He grabbed Jiang Jianming’s forearm, his grip so tight that his knuckles and veins protruded under the skin. “Yet you think about dying every day?”
“Then tell me, all these years, what exactly have you seen me as!?”
The emperor’s eyes flashed with unrelenting obsession. He suddenly threw the crown he was wearing to the ground and stomped on it, crushing it.
He chuckled coldly. “Aslan, Jiang Jianming, for whom does your blood flow? Is it for Zhen, or for this crown?”
Jiang Jianming’s breath trembled, revealing an incredulous expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think no one knows?”
Blood slowly seeped into Ryann’s eyes. “The empire, the people, the civilization…Zhen’s beloved commander, these are the only things in your heart, aren’t they?”
“Back then, you were just interested in Zhen’s high-level crystal bones and position as a prince, wanting to use Zhen as your weapon and puppet. Do you dare say it’s not true?”
“To achieve your ambitions, you didn’t hesitate to tame a monster for so many years…”
Ryann laughed coldly. He touched Jiang Jianming’s carotid artery, applying slight pressure. “Zhen is very curious, have you ever been afraid, even for a moment, that Zhen would bite you, Commander?”
At some point, Jiang Jianming’s face had turned as white as paper.
He shook his head, “If Your Majesty thinks this way, today should have come much earlier.”
Ryann took a breath, feeling a buzzing in his head.
“…Zhen originally didn’t mind these things. It was also the result of Zhen’s permission before.”
The angry person had no rationality. The emperor now vaguely felt he had gone too far. His face turned gloomy again, stumbling to make amends, “So… I mean, as long as you obediently stay with me…”
Yes, he just needed the person by his side, it was that simple.
Why wouldn’t Jiang concede? It was so simple. If he just gave in this one step, Ryann would solve everything else. There would be no conflict between them, they could be together forever…
“Your Majesty.”
But Jiang Jianming’s voice suddenly turned cold, “If Your Majesty feels inferior when interacting with me, I must say, this all stems from your own issues.”
Ryann’s breath caught.
“If I lose a loved one, I might grieve, or maybe not so much. But I would eventually find other people or things to devote my emotions to. I would never become a monster or anything else. I would still be me.”
“But you’re not like that, Ryann. You believe that without me, you have nothing.”
“You ask me what I see you as, but what do you see yourself as?”
“—!”
Anger suddenly flared in Ryann’s eyes, but he couldn’t speak. He glared at the disabled human so close to him, his five fingers tightening like an iron vise on that arm.
Almost immediately, a resisting force came from the other side. Jiang Jianming’s forearm wrestled against Ryann’s palm.
“How can I love you like this? Think about it, why would anyone love an empty shell, love a projection of themselves?”
Cold sweat suddenly fell from Jiang Jianming’s forehead. Intense pain exploded from his arm and other parts of his body, but he seemed to have lost all sensation, staring directly into Ryann’s green eyes.
He said hoarsely. “If you want to love me as an equal, then you must learn to…”
“Shut up,” Ryann said through gritted teeth.
“Lose me.”
“Zhen commands you to shut up!”
“See yourself clearly.”
“Stop talking. Aslan, Zhen doesn’t want to hear your words anymore.”
“Be a real human.”
“—You’re wrong, completely wrong!”
“Not a monster driven by others.”
“You’re wrong, it’s you who can’t lose me, you who can’t leave me! You’re just a terminally ill disabled human…”
Ryann’s body was trembling, whether from anger or something else, he was clutching Jiang Jianming’s arm like a lifeline.
That proud emperor, his eyes now completely red, a tear fell unwillingly.
“Everything you have today was given to you by me, including your ideals and perseverance… What could you do without me? Nothing, you would achieve nothing!!”
Ryann felt his heart beating violently, his vision distorting. The gray pillars of the council hall, the red carpet on the floor, the midsummer sunlight outside, all melted together like an overturned palette.
And the golden tassels on the marshal’s uniform, the fresh blood winding on the pale arm, the deep black eyes.
Ah, those black eyes.
Jiang’s eyes were always so calm and profound. He really liked them, had treasured them for many years.
But now, whose figure was reflected in those eyes? That vicious face, was it him—
Suddenly, Ryann heard a strange sound.
A strange sensation also came from under his hand.
What was under his hand? He suddenly remembered that he had been gripping Jiang’s arm, not loosening his hold.
Ryann slowly released his fingers. He stared at that pale forearm wrapped in the military uniform as it fell, swaying at an unnatural angle.
The wound on the palm had long since burst open again, blood gushing out, staining all ten fingers red. It was terrifying.
The council hall was empty, with only the sound of intersecting breaths.
For about four or five seconds, Ryann lost the ability to think, standing there woodenly.
He… he had…
Had he broken Jiang’s arm?
Ryann dazedly raised his gaze. His commander was still standing there, just two steps away.
Jiang Jianming’s black hair was already soaked with cold sweat. Even though his arm was broken, he seemed unaware of the pain, his gaze could even be called gentle.
…Well done.
Ryann was certain that was what Jiang wanted to say, the man’s expression was saying just that. But the voice that reached his ears was. “I’m sorry.”
“All these years, for so long…” Jiang Jianming said softly, his other uninjured arm stroking the wounded one, “I should have realized earlier.”
Ryann’s right hand shook violently. He could no longer understand what Jiang Jianming was saying.
His pupils dilated, his breathing uneven. He felt like he was in a dream, an ominous and nauseating dream.
Wake up soon. If he woke up, he would go knock on the commander’s door, climb into that person’s bed and complain. It’s all your fault for not taking care of your illness properly, that’s why Zhen had such a nightmare.
He wanted Jiang to hug him, stroke his hair, comfort him with a gentle voice. They used to be that close. Although they had been arguing more in recent years, they were still very close.
Ryann raised his head, letting the sunlight shine on his face.
So the sky today was azure blue.
He murmured. “You see, you’re so weak. Destroying you is so simple.”
He wanted to leave this place, but stumbled a step due to weak knees. Jiang Jianming came to support him, but unfortunately couldn’t hold him up. They both sat down on the ground.
The brilliant skylight enveloped them.
Ryann scrambled to his feet, not daring to look at Jiang Jianming’s face, and fled in panic.
He left the council hall, passing through clusters of blooming golden roses in the White Jade Palace. The rich rose fragrance made him vomit.
He had broken Jiang’s arm.
He had said those things.
But thinking about how Jiang had spoken to him that way, Ryann felt he absolutely shouldn’t feel guilty.
He remembered when he was in the Gray Owl laboratory, Odin had created him, trying to control him. But before he could kill this tyrant with his own hands, Odin had died.
Later he met Jiang Jianming, another person who drove and used him. But because he liked it, he gave up resisting, obediently following orders, all the way until today.
Until today, the little monster had finally crashed through the transparent glass door, walking out of that inorganic laboratory.
Yes, so he hadn’t done anything wrong. Ryann thought dazedly as he went to wash his face, changed his clothes, and left the palace as if nothing had happened.
Soon, the Great Emperor was walking alone on the streets of Aslan Star City.
Passersby widened their eyes in fright, hurriedly hiding to the sides to bow.
Ryann seemed not to notice, walking aimlessly forward.
He thought to himself that he was free now, all shackles shattered. There was nothing in the world that could bind him anymore.
“Is that His Majesty Kaios? Is it really His Majesty?”
Some citizens prostrated themselves, their eyes filled with tears.
“Great Emperor, we are grateful to you. You saved us from dire straits…”
“Long live the Great Emperor! Long live the New Empire!”
Ryann found it all laughable. From now on, he could stop loving humans, he could stop being a good emperor. He could even instantly slaughter all the pedestrians on this street, and no one could discipline him anymore.
Ding-a-ling. The wind chimes of a shop rang.
Several children climbed to the second floor, poking their heads out of the window.
“Is that the Great Emperor? I want to see the Great Emperor!”
“Me too, me too!”
“The Great Emperor is so handsome.”
“But His Majesty looks a bit fierce. Is he unhappy?”
“I want to see too—”
“Hey, don’t push!”
Noisy children. His Majesty thought grimly, they were all weak and inferior humans. Moreover, they were so ignorant, completely unaware of what was about to happen, still complacent.
He was a monster walking the streets, he was a calamity hidden under the blue sky.
Jiang would regret provoking him. It seemed even the commander had his moments of misjudgment. Did he not know the consequences of releasing a devil from its cage?
Soon his commander would show a pained and remorseful expression, perhaps even look at him with hateful and disappointed eyes. Because next, he would…
“Ahhh!!”
Screams erupted as a child fell from the second floor.
The wind rose, then fell.
No tragedy occurred. Cheers erupted on this street.
Ryann’s eyes widened slightly. He found that he had instinctively extended his right arm, palm up, the crystal bones bursting from his wrist supporting the falling child.
“Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!!”
The mother came running out of the house, crying and kneeling on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly.
Falling from this height, while probably not fatal, would have inevitably meant months of bed rest.
The mother cried and scolded, pulling the child’s ear as she left.
The emperor stood bewildered at the bustling street corner, the sad warm summer breeze passing through his fingers.
Amidst an even greater wave of praise, Ryann stiffly withdrew his right hand. That dreamlike feeling appeared again.
He turned around dazedly, looking back at his path and the way home, suddenly feeling an urge to burst into tears.
Why? When did it start to be like this?
Only when the so-called shackles fell off did he see his true self clearly.
Then he realized with a shock…perhaps, it was possible that he had not been shackled at all.
He had been tamed.
