Chapter 57: I Once… Trusted You
"So you can smile too. I always thought that expression would never appear on your face."
Esdeath, after her initial surprise, returned to calm.
"I once… trusted you."
Esdeath murmured softly.
"Yeah, I know."
Su Xiao's voice was calm as the two locked eyes.
"Since we're not on the same path, today one of us dies."
Esdeath's tone was icy cold, frost radiating from her body as ice crystals formed on the ground beneath her feet.
Su Xiao held the Little Emperor in one hand while picking up the floating key with the other. A notification from Reincarnation Paradise appeared.
Difficulty Level: 8
Mission Brief: Obtain the activation key for the Imperial Armament: Supreme Power.
Mission Info: The Imperial Armament: Supreme Power is the strongest Imperial Armament, currently held by the Little Emperor of the Empire.
Mission Time Limit: 30 natural days.
Mission Reward: 4 attribute points, 12,000 Paradise Coins.
Mission Penalty: All attributes -…
…
Selecting to complete the mission, the activation key for Supreme Power shattered in Su Xiao's hand. This scene caused an uproar among those present.
"How… could this be, you damned bastard!"
A furious roar came as the obese Minister ran out from the crowd, his expression twisted with rage.
The Revolutionary Army had already surrounded the Imperial Capital, and the Supreme Imperial Armament was the last trump card in the Minister's hands.
"Esdeath, didn't you say there was no problem? What's going on!"
The Minister lost control of his emotions, shouting at Esdeath.
"Fat pig, shut up."
Esdeath coldly glared at the Minister, who shuddered, suddenly remembering that this female general had once ordered the live burial of hundreds of thousands.
The Minister lowered his voice and said, "What do we do now? Without the Supreme Imperial Armament, we're finished."
"At worst, we'll be surrounded and killed by the Revolutionary Army. You're too afraid of death, Minister."
Esdeath didn't take life and death too seriously.
"What? You have no confidence in repelling the Revolutionary Army?"
"Are you dreaming? The Revolutionary Army has nearly two million troops surrounding the Imperial Capital. If you have the ability to break through two million people, go ahead and escape."
The Minister's face gradually turned pale. He didn't want to die; he still wanted to control the Empire and become Emperor.
"It's all your fault, you bastard. I'll skin you alive."
The Minister pointed at Su Xiao.
"Oh? Are you sure?"
Su Xiao's eyes held a hint of amusement. He was very interested in killing the Minister.
"You…"
The Minister's face flushed red as he took two steps forward.
"If he truly wants to kill you, he'll likely succeed. So hide in the back like the pig you are."
Esdeath suddenly spoke, causing the Minister to stop in his tracks. He looked at Su Xiao with fear, reassessing him.
Being surrounded by the Empire's strongest general and tens of thousands of soldiers without changing expression—such boldness made the Minister sigh.
"Minister, I'm so glad you're okay. Think of a way to save me quickly. I've been kidnapped."
The Little Emperor smiled joyfully at the Minister.
"Your Highness?"
The Minister looked at the Little Emperor with a half-smile.
"I was worried about you earlier…"
The Little Emperor's words were cut off by the Minister.
"Useless."
"Huh?"
The Little Emperor stared at the Minister in shock.
"If you can't activate the Supreme Imperial Armament, what use are you? Wasting so many of my secret medicines."
The Minister looked at the Little Emperor with dissatisfaction, his face full of contempt.
"Huh?"
The Little Emperor began to fail to understand the situation. The Minister was calling him useless and was about to abandon him. Was this still the Minister who had always taken care of him?
"Your Highness, you're useless now. Go die with this villain. I've had enough of playing along with this act."
The Minister's words shattered the Little Emperor's hopes, his face as pale as paper.
"Minister… have you been using me all along? This must be a joke, right?"
The Little Emperor looked dazed, but this time the Minister didn't even spare him a glance.
The Revolutionary Army was approaching. Without the Supreme Imperial Armament, the Little Emperor was worthless. The Minister had to flee.
"General Esdeath, after dealing with this villain, we'll find a way to leave the Imperial Capital. Our era of ruling the Empire might be coming to an end."
The Minister sighed. The shattering of the Supreme Power key earlier had made him lose his composure.
"If you want to leave, find your own way. I'll stay and fight to the death with the Revolutionary Army."
Esdeath didn't deny that the two of them ruled the Empire. It was the truth: the Minister managed the Empire's internal affairs, while Esdeath handled external conquests. Major matters were decided by the two of them together.
"You…"
The Little Emperor now fully understood. He had been used all along. His most trusted Minister and General were the true rulers of this country.
"Guards, arrest them both."
The Little Emperor shouted, but the hundreds of soldiers around him remained unmoved.
"Arrest us both? I'm your most trusted Minister. I raised you from childhood, hahaha."
The Minister laughed mockingly at the Little Emperor, who actually thought he could command his men.
"When attacking, don't worry about the Little Emperor. He's useless."
"Yes, sir."
Unlike the Little Emperor's command, when the Minister gave the order, most of the soldiers in the shrine responded in unison. The rest were Esdeath's subordinates.
Su Xiao ignored what the Minister and Little Emperor were saying. He was checking the notification from Reincarnation Paradise.
Difficulty Level: 4
Mission Brief: Arrive at a specific location in the derivative world and set up a coordinate marker. The coordinate locator has been stored in the Hunter's storage space.
Mission Info: The coordinate locator is a valuable resource. If lost by the Hunter, 100,000 Paradise Coins will be deducted. If insufficient, equipment and items of equivalent value will be forcibly taken from the Hunter.
Mission Time Limit: 10 natural days.
Mission Reward: Return qualification.
Mission Penalty: Forced execution.
…
The return mission had finally appeared. Su Xiao didn't know why Reincarnation Paradise wanted him to set up coordinates, but the location was ridiculously troublesome—outside the Imperial Capital and not close at all.
Su Xiao was now trapped with no way to escape. The only option was to fight his way out, but with Esdeath + Will + tens of thousands of soldiers, his chances of breaking through were extremely low.
This was a dead end and a lesson. In the future, he needed to pay attention to details—if there was a future.
Touching a woman's corpse and not washing his hands afterward—what a painful lesson.
"Hahaha."
Su Xiao suddenly burst into laughter. He had meticulously planned from the far north, only to be exposed by the scent on Kurokome's body.
"What are you laughing at?"
Esdeath's lips curled into a smile for some reason as well.
"I fooled you, I fooled the Minister, I fooled hundreds of thousands of soldiers, but in the end, I was tripped up by Will's nose. What an… absurd outcome."
Su Xiao had no regrets. This was how it was in derivative worlds—success and failure both possible. And he might still be able to fight his way out.
"Let's have a good, bloody fight. If you win, my life is yours, Esdeath."
"Just what I was thinking. Now I finally understand why I trusted you. It turns out we're the same kind of people."
Esdeath looked very excited.