Kingdom's Bloodline, page 6
The famously efficient and ruthless assassin ran his hand over the scimitar behind his waist, as though feeling the sharpness of the blade.
Rick was startled. Confronting the Blood Bottle Gang…
The assassin took a deep breath. He then laughed and licked his lips, "Tonight, we will capture the Red Street Market."
.....
"Still no news from Yodel? What about the Sunset Temple?"
The middle-aged noble with gray hair was in front of a fireplace, facing a luxurious chair and asked somberly, "Patience, my friend. We have waited for twelve years, it does not matter if we were to wait a little longer."
The robust figure rose from the chair and grabbed the handle of a scepter that was inlaid with light blue crystals. Looking closely, the crystals of the scepter seemed to twinkle in a slow and steady rhythm.
"Our pointless conjectures here only casts doubt on Yodel's ability. Furthermore, is he not carrying the flame of the Lamp? I believe he is close to the target and simply needs to make a final confirmation." The robust figure said slowly.
The middle-aged noble gave a deep bow.
"I do not doubt Yodel's ability, nor have I ever underrated his loyalty. It is just…" The man paused and sighed. "He is too calm and callous. Other than his unwavering loyalty, he is not interested in anything else. Just like twelve years ago. I am worried that he…"
The middle-aged man did not continue, the robust figure also did not immediately reply.
The robust figure carried the scepter and went to the floor-to-ceiling window. He looked out the windows at the resplendent lights of the great shrine in the distance.
Even the moonlight could not compete with the brightness of that shrine.
"Then prepare yourself and secretly proceed to the temple… Begin the moment there is news, there is no need to wait for Yodel's signal."
After a while, the robust figure slowly added, "I have no reason to doubt Yodel. When he needs to act, he will not hesitate.
"However, it is good to have more than one hand prepared."
(The next chapter is added here because the chapter was missing from the upload platform)
The First Drop of Blood
By the time Thales recovered, Quide had grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up.
Thales struggled as he held on to the hand strangling his neck. However, he could not seem to gather his strength. He tried desperately to open his mouth but could not breathe. His two legs kept kicking as he began to feel faint.
The hubbub around him sounded muffled, as though they were blocked by a thick cloth. Coria was crying, Ryan had curled himself up at the hole and trembled continuously, Kellet was sitting in front of the wall, terrified and whimpering.
Sinti and Ned screamed as they boldly rushed forward fearlessly. One held on to Quide's thigh, the other struck Quide's belly with his small arms.
Sinti was blown away and crashed into the water jar, spilling water all over the yard. Ned was ruthlessly struck by Quide. He screamed as he fell onto the ground, unable to get up.
Thales did not have the time or the mood to be surprised at Ned's courage, or Kellet's and Ryan's cowardice (he was quite certain of Sinti's actions). Thales firmly used his fingernails to dig into Quide's hand that held his neck. He wanted to break free so that he could breathe.
Suddenly, Thales' nail sank into the back of Quide's right hand, digging into a hollow wound. Thales' face had already turned red by then, so he did not hesitate and desperately dug into the wound.
"Argh!"
Quide screamed from the pain. His loosened his iron-grip and then threw Thales towards a wall. Thales felt dizzy and his throat felt sore. He leaned against the wall as he coughed uncontrollably.
Quide clutched his palm. On top of it was the wound made by Jala which had started bleeding again.
"Damn Jala Charleton! Damned brat!"
Quide endured the pain as he roared furiously and drunkenly.
*Crack!*
The ferocious Quide suddenly turned around and saw only the child from the seventeenth house, Ursula, frantically trying to escape through the door. The door that had just collapsed earlier from Quide's trampling could not support her weight and had cracked open.
"Haha. Are you trying to run?"
Quide grinned hideously and strode forward. He then grabbed Ursula's left leg.
"No! Don't!"
Ursula cried out as Quide lifted her up by her leg.
"Brat. Have you struck iron before? No? Haha. Don't worry, I'll teach you!"
Thales climbed up in pain and was only in time to see Quide swing Ursula's left leg with both arms and smashed her head against the wall behind him.
Thales had just enough time to reflexively move out of the way.
The crown of the head made a compressed sound. It was the same sound as when he once saw the fruit seller smash open an Ellend melon.
That's right. We stole the Luminous Moon statue from that very person.
Coria's wail turned into a shrill scream. Thales was stunned and could not close his eyes in time. Red and white liquid splashed onto his face. It was warm, yet cold.
Ned had witnessed everything when he crawled up from the ground. He screamed as he collapsed. He then headed towards the dog tunnel leading towards the seventeenth house.
Quide opened his mouth and inhaled, looking intoxicated. It was as though he did not inhale air but black pine wine of the highest grade. This demon in human skin turned around and dropped whatever was left of Ursula. He then looked at Ned with a vigorous smile.
At that moment, Thales thought for a moment that Ned was small and nimble, and that Ned would be able to dig into the dog tunnel before Quide could reach him.
Dig into that hole and everything will be fine.
Dig and you will be safe.
Dig in.
Dig in.
Dig.
However, before Ned could dig halfway in, Quide grabbed Ned's legs.
"Are you the brat that had no money to give? Then what good are you?"
Ned screamed as he was dragged out of the hole by Quide.
"Scream! Your screams are not wretched enough! It is a pity that the water jar is broken. We cannot play fishing anymore."
Quide shook his head to dispel the dizziness caused by the alcohol. He gazed at Sinti who had just got up from the ground and the water jar beside him.
"That makes things easy."
Ned wailed and kicked. Quide grabbed his face and slammed him onto the ground. He then lifted the six-year old's right foot and ruthlessly stepped onto the center of the six-year-old beggar's back.
"Don't!"
*Boom! Crack!*
A heart-stopping crack resounded at the same time as Thales' heart-wrenching cry.
Everything in front of Thales blurred.
*Boom!*
Quide stepped a second time.
*Boom!*
A third time.
Crying out loud with the greatest effort ever, Sinti grabbed a fragmented piece of the water jar and charged towards Quide. Quide simply laughed and kicked away the fragment in Sinti's hand. He then grabbed Sinti's hemp collar and lifted him up.
Looks like I can't do anything.
Thales lowered his head. By the wall, Ursula's body was still quietly twitching. Ned was sprawled face-down on the ground, motionless.
I thought I was protecting them but I'm unable to do anything. I couldn't do anything.
Sinti roared as he kicked. Quide's high-pitched laughter became even more aggravated.
"Brat. Scream! Keep screaming! I love to hear you all scream! Maybe my mood will improve and I would let all of you go!"
Thales' eyes turned dim as he recalled a familiar scene.
"Deviant behaviour. This is what we define human behavior that opposes social norms. An average person is more accustomed to calling it crime. However, we must know that crimes are only one small part of deviation. What we are concerned about is not the act but the meaning at a social level and its comprehension. Durkheim was one of the earliest scholars to start sociology. He also looked at deviation from the functionalist angle…
"One viewpoint is that the enforcement and punishment of deviant acts is one of the ways the authority shapes and models the basic structure of society…"
This was a fragment of the memories from Thales' past life. He had recovered some of it just a moment ago.
"Demon! You demon!"
Just then, Sinti's roar and kicks dispersed Thales' vision.
"Yes! I am a devil!" Quide laughed. "Tell me, how would a devil cook you?"
Thales took a deep breath.
Damned bastard.
His mind was as clear as ever. He knew what to do. He knew what he should do. Thales clenched his teeth, turned around and rushed to a corner of the house. There, he grabbed a stone, lifted it up, and stretched his hand into the hole hidden underneath.
Quick. Quickly find it.
"Alright. Since you have guts, I'll leave you for last."
Quide laughed until his lips went crooked. He fiercely pulled Sinti's right leg until Sinti's face turned pale and then…
*Crack!*
It was dislocated.
Quide dropped Sinti and proceeded to stomp on his dislocated leg. Sinti tried to endure the pain but he still ended up howling tragically. Thales heard the screams, driving him to search faster.
Quide then left the yard and walked towards the inner part of the house. The bright moonlight shined through the half-collapsed roof and onto Quide's smile.
Ryan folded his arms. He stared at the floor as he tried to shrink deeper into the wall with his body.
Kellet trembled as he crawled out of the hole, wanting to pull Coria, who had turned silent from the hoarseness of her voice, to run away together with him.
However, Coria was seemingly paralyzed from fear. She sobbed and would not move. Kellet did not dare look over at Sinti, but just pulled Coria as though he was begging.
But Coria suddenly raised her head and then cried sorrowfully like a lamb. Kellet seemed to realize something and turned around... to see Quide's smiling face. He peed in his pants.
We're caught!
Thales found the thing he wanted and then forcefully yanked it out.
After that...
After that his right arm was grabbed by the mad, delighted Quide from behind.
"Did you think I would leave you out, brat? I know that you are the most cunning and most treacherous amongst all you bastards! Haha!" Quide gradually tightened his grip as he smiled proudly.
No.
Thales felt a tightening pain in his right arm. He struggled to turn around and attack Quide with what he found in his left hand.
"Look at that!" Quide said as though he had found a treasure. He turned and avoided Thales' strike.
Then he grabbed the thing from the child's left hand.
"It's a dagger! Haha! Brat. You actually thought of attacking me with a dagger? Hahaha. What were you going to do? Stab my thigh?"
Quide pulled Thales up and laughed wildly.
Don't! Don't!
Thales thought desperately. The dagger.
He had stolen the sheathless dagger at the Sunset Pub. It was his last hope.
"Yo!"
Quide was surprised when he looked behind Thales. He saw a coin that had been uncovered when Thales yanked the dagger out out of the hole.
"Look at what I've found. Is that a silver coin? It's a silver coin! Hahaha. You really are a damned brat! You stashed a silver coin away!"
Thales wanted to struggle with his left hand but the strength of a seven-year-old was inadequate. He could only attack futilely at Quide's abdomen which was as sturdy as an iron sheet.
That silver coin was a gift from a noble woman at the Red Street Market. Thales did not lie.
The goosedown-clothed noble woman had given him twelve coppers, but there was also one silver.
Thales began to lose hope. Everything ends here. I have failed.
"For the price of lying…"
Quide ignored Thales' perfunctory punching and kicking. He simply grinned and picked up the silver coin with the dagger. He threw the silver into the air and then caught it again with the other side of the dagger.
Even today, the kingdom's Mindis silver was still valuable and rare.Engraved on its front was King Mindis the Third. This was a historical figure in Constellation and was well-known throughout the continent. There was also a motto inscribed in an ancient font.
'A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.
The bloodline's glory rests on the deeds of the King."
Thales could not understand these words at all. Thales had bravely asked the noble woman for its true meaning and got an answer.
Ah. Thales silently thought. I also wanted to learn words and study. I wanted to learn the knowledge and wisdom of this world.
The result…
Quide held the silver coin with the dagger. He waved the knife around in the air and seemed very satisfied with his skills. Seems like I have not regressed.
He then pulled Thales out to the yard and threw the silver coin into the bonfire near the yard.
"For the price of lying, I shall reward you with this silver coin."
Thales looked at the silver coin that was gradually turning black in the fire. He suddenly realized what Quide was going to do and kicked even more wildly.
It was at this moment when Thales saw from the corner of his eyes, the crippled Ryan, who had always been timid, approached Quide from behind and raised a stone in his hand.
Don't do it. Thales thought sadly. Ryan had never fought before. That stone is too small.
"Da!"
Ryan's strength was insufficient. The stone struck the back of Quide's neck, but it was enough to attract Quide's attention.
"Run! Ryan!"
"Run quickly!"
Thales, and Sinti who was holding his right leg in agony, shouted loudly.
Unfortunately, Ryan was a cripple. When he went begging one time, his leg was broken by a bad-tempered thief. After some time, he became crippled due to the lack of medical attention.
Ryan retreated in panic, turning around as he limped hurriedly.
Quide dragged Thales along as he turned around and chased Ryan. Quide quickly caught up with him. He was so angry that he laughed.
"Cripple!" Quide opened his mouth and panted like a wild boar, "That hit earlier was really great!"
*Thump!*
Ryan was kicked to the ground. His eyes were full of fear and regret.
"I… I…"
Without waiting for the frightened Ryan to finish, Quide took the dagger and plunged it into Ryan's right wrist.
"Argh!"
Ryan's blood-curdling scream was deafening that even Thales trembled.
"Aren't you a cripple? Don't you already have one leg broken?" Quide yelled in a frenzy, "In that case, you must be more balanced top and bottom!"
After that, Quide pulled out the dagger. The smiling expression on his face became more intense. With one hand, he pushed Thales to the ground, and then concentrated on Ryan.
Thales saw Quide knee Ryan in the stomach. Quide then raised the dagger that had been used to stab the wrist and started cutting that hand as though he was sawing wood.
Thales closed his eyes painfully.
"No! No! Argh! Argh! Don't! Argh!"
Ryan's tragic screams had turned into a continuous howl. Sinti bellowed angrily from the side.
Thales glanced at the still-weeping Coria or the quiet Kellet.
Please, let this all come to an end. Just let it end.
When Ryan's uninterrupted wails turned into painful sobs, the numbed Thales found himself lifted up by the collar again by Quide.
He felt something hot near him.
Thales opened his eyes and saw the handle of the dagger in front of him. On top of it was the silver coin.
The boiling hot silver coin that was burnt until it was black. Its scorching heat seemed to assault his face.
"Open your mouth!" Quide said with ruthless indifference.
Nearby, Ryan held his bloody right hand. His eyes no longer showed any emotion. He simply lay down on his side and trembled from time to time. Only a little bit of skin was left of his palm at the right wrist.
Thales coldly glared back at Quide.
"Are you not willing?" Quide shook his head and laughed, "Your eyes would work too."
After that, Quide grabbed the dagger and moved the blackened coin that was on the dagger towards Thales' eyes.
The blackened face of King Mindis slowly approached his eyes.
The inscription on it also became clearer.
'A King does not gain respect by virtue of his bloodline.
The bloodline's glory rests on the deeds of the King."
In that instant that the coin was about to be stuck into Thales' eyes.
"Argh!"
Thales roared loudly. He struggled violently and suddenly bit into Quide's little finger at the handle of the dagger.
Quide cried out hoarsely in pain. His body leaned back and the coin fell from the dagger, towards Thales' bare chest.
A burning heat struck him!
"Argh... No!"
The severe burning sensation brought sharp pain.
Thales could no longer bear the pain. He then opened his mouth to let go of Quide, then reached for the silver coin.
"B*st*rd!" Quide looked at his bloody little finger and broke out in anger. "I will give you a souvenir!"
Quide punched Thales and then rushed forward to overpower him. He used the dagger to press hard onto the coin on Thales' chest.
*Hiss!*
It was like the sound of an iron cooling rapidly, except that the material cooling it was flesh.
"Argh!"
Thales howled. His scorched chest emitted a burnt smell. He felt sharp pain as though all of his muscles were burning. Quide pressed the silver coin down for a full five seconds. He then stared at Thales' painfully distorted face before feeling that he had vented enough and released Thales.
As soon as Thales broke free, he pried off the silver coin that was stuck to his chest despite the fact that it was still burning hot. The charred flesh, blood, and the silver coin fell onto the ground with a thud.
A drop of Thales' blood fell on the ground and quickly evaporated. Thales simply lied down on the ground. His tears poured endlessly.
