The weight of the evidence pressed heavier upon us with each passing moment. As Li Jun and I unraveled the secrets buried beneath the granary, the scale of the corruption became terrifyingly clear. This was no mere conspiracy—it was a cancer, its roots coiled deep into Moonlit Shadows' foundations, its tendrils stretching even into the palace's gilded halls.
To expose this meant standing against former allies. Meant danger beyond reckoning.
And yet—
I did not regret it.
This was the path I had chosen. The reckoning I would face.
At dawn, we delivered the evidence to scholars and influential figures, trusting their voices could amplify ours. But the world's shadows ran deeper than we'd dared to imagine.
That night, as we slipped into the city's central square to meet allies, black-clad warriors materialized from the darkness.
"Such small proof, yet you dream of upheaval?" Their leader's laugh was a blade's edge.
I forced a smile, though the truth was cold and clear: we had been anticipated. Cornered.
"If you think burying this will save you," I said softly, "then try. But you are no longer hunting helpless prey."
Li Jun stood silent, his tension palpable. These were no mere mercenaries—their masters moved in realms beyond merchants or ministers.
"A pity," the leader sneered. "Your road ends here."
Steel hissed from scabbards.
Then—
"Release them."
The command sliced through the night. The warriors stilled, parting like reeds before a figure bathed in moonlight.
The Crown Prince.
My breath caught.
"You—"
He ignored me, his gaze sweeping over the assassins with glacial disdain. "Did you truly believe yourselves beyond reach?"
Striding forward, he flicked a dismissive hand. "Let them pass."
"Your Highness, this is unwise—"
"Remember your words to me?" The Prince's smile was poison wrapped in silk. "I am no one's pawn."
Then he was before me, palm upturned. "Come."
I hesitated—but took his hand.
Li Jun followed, his suspicion a living thing between us.
"You came back," I whispered.
The Prince's fingers tightened around mine. "Did I not promise you'd never stand alone?"
Something fractured in my chest. All those years—his ruthlessness, his quiet protections—had they ever truly been just politics?
"What we are to each other," he murmured, "does not end."
Yet doubt lingered. This was no simple tale of loyalty or love. The game we played was written in blood and betrayal, its rules ever-shifting.
And I—
I would claim my place upon its board.
The pieces were set. The players ready.
Let the game begin.
ns216.73.216.174da2
and then Add to home screen.