Chapter 9: A Display of Mighty Power
At five in the evening, the rear district of the Royal Palace.
Rather than calling this place a palace, it was more like the core inner city of the royal capital. After five in the afternoon, the front district where the Royal Hall was located enforced a curfew, while the rear district of the palace began to stir with activity.
A luxurious rail train moved steadily forward. The train had three carriages in total; the rear two were fully occupied, while the first carriage contained a round table. The window’s light-blocking layer had been lowered, and warm-toned lamplight cast a glow over the table. Seated around it were five people, engaged in a relaxed card game.
High Commander · Ritavig.
One of the Three Ministers · Minister · William.
Vice Chancellor · Enmu.
Minister of Imperial Special Affairs · Kukulin Bai Ye.
First Prince · Baratheon · Saint · Adez.
...
High Commander and Vice Chancellor Enmu needed no introduction; they were the old king’s right and left hands. In terms of authority, the Vice Chancellor held a higher position, often representing the old king on many occasions.
The High Commander stood over two and a half meters tall, with an eagle-eyed, lion-faced presence. Those lacking inner strength dared not meet his gaze.
The Vice Chancellor was a smiling, slightly plump middle-aged man who had served the old king for decades. Had he been born into royalty, he would have been a strong candidate for the next king.
Minister William exuded a sharp aura. Standing over three meters tall, he gave off an impression not of bulk or clumsiness, but of lean ferocity—like a lone beast that had wandered lost in the darkness for years.
Compared to these three, the First Prince’s presence was far weaker. He frequently twisted the ring on his finger, betraying his inner tension despite his outward calm. His face bore an eighty percent resemblance to the old king in his youth, inheriting his handsomeness but lacking that subtle, hidden depth.
At thirty years old, the First Prince seemed unprepared to inherit his father’s throne. Even though he was now the empire’s sole legitimate heir, with six sons and four daughters, his personal ability aside, he was the top choice for succession.
The card game underway resembled Texas Hold’em, though the hand rankings differed. After a few rounds, Su Xiao quickly got the hang of it.
Beside him was a stack of Soul Coins, each with a face value of 100—larger than standard Soul Coins—certified by the Void Tree. Yes, the stakes for this game were Soul Coins, which gave Su Xiao greater confidence in the treasuries of the world’s major powers.
Su Xiao tossed out a Soul Coin worth 100. His total remaining assets now amounted to 2,900 Soul Coins. But that didn’t matter—someone was deliberately losing today: Vice Chancellor Enmu. At 4:30 PM, Su Xiao had received an invitation. The Vice Chancellor’s youngest daughter, turning seventeen this year, was about to hold her coming-of-age ceremony.
This ceremony had been ongoing for half a month, but tonight was the formal banquet. The Vice Chancellor’s true purpose in inviting Su Xiao was, of course, not this seemingly important yet trivial matter.
His real goal was to introduce the newly appointed Minister of Imperial Special Affairs to the First Prince, ensuring the prince gained more support.
The First Prince, seated nearby, nervously picked up a goblet and took a small sip of fine wine. He was tense, feeling he had already messed things up. Uncle Enmu had warned him in advance: today’s task was to lose—lose generously to this new minister. Though the stakes weren’t high, it was a gesture of goodwill.
Moreover, Uncle Enmu had explicitly told him to treat this man as a top-tier powerhouse on the level of the Lord of the Soul Clock Tower, the Three Pillar Gods of the Mechanical Church, and the Grand Elder of the Rune Family.
This made the First Prince take the card game even more seriously. Inside the carriage, he discreetly wiped the sweat from his temples. He wasn’t sweating from the heat—he was sweating from winning. He was supposed to lose to this Minister today. The problem was, in the previous hand, everyone had chosen to check without raising. As for cheating, everyone present had such strong perception that anyone caught cheating would be utterly humiliated.
When the final reveal came, only Su Xiao and the First Prince remained in the game. The First Prince was extremely nervous, fearing his hand was too strong. But when he flipped over a mixed 3-4-4, he breathed a sigh of relief, feeling this round was secure.
However, when the Minister across from him revealed a mixed 3-3-4, the First Prince’s eyes nearly bulged out. He almost exclaimed, “How did that win?”
What followed was an absurd situation. The First Prince, desperate to lose to Su Xiao, had to ensure that when the final reveal came, Su Xiao hadn’t folded. So, if Su Xiao called, he called; if Su Xiao didn’t, he didn’t. This resulted in the First Prince chasing Su Xiao and winning relentlessly.
The First Prince was winning so much that sweat beaded on his forehead, leaving the game organizer, Vice Chancellor Enmu, utterly baffled. High Commander Ritavig remained stern-faced, but the empire’s sword was struggling not to laugh.
“Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”
Minister William stood up. The twitching corners of his mouth showed he was holding back laughter too. Soon, from the adjacent restroom, unrestrained laughter echoed out.
By the time the card game ended, Su Xiao had only 500 Soul Coins left. Across the table, the First Prince looked utterly defeated. Vice Chancellor Enmu chuckled and said,
“What a... thrilling game.”
High Commander Ritavig glanced at the First Prince and shook his head with a light laugh. The First Prince tried to speak but was cut off by Minister William.
“Silly boy, Bai Ye accepted the invitation and came here—that means he supports you. Relax, your Uncle Enmu was just messing with you.”
Minister William spoke. As one of the Three Ministers, he should have been an agent of the Abyss Descendant Rune Family. However, Minister William was actually the old king’s trusted confidant.
If it were any other faction, they would have noticed this. As for the Rune Family, it wasn’t that they couldn’t investigate—they simply didn’t care. That was the Rune way: absolute survival of the fittest.
The Rune Family had one Grand Elder, three Elders, and ten Rising Stars, with the rest being ordinary humans.
To become a member of the Rune Family, one didn’t even need to be an Abyss Descendant. One only needed to find a Rune Family member, challenge them, and kill them. If they seized the causal position on the family’s “Origin Clan Emblem,” they could take their place. If they chose not to become a member, there were only two outcomes.