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墨書 Inktalez
The Underworld Palace is the largest hall within the Underworld Palace, a symbol of the King of the Underworld's majesty and power. However, almost no soul knows that beneath the Underworld Palace lies a vast, dark chamber.
This is a place where the King of the Underworld has reflected upon himself since ancient times, a site where malevolent thoughts and delusions are released in abundance. The air is perpetually thick with a chilling aura; it is not that there are no lights, but rather that no natural light can penetrate.
With a soft "thud," in the darkness, a pair of pale hands dropped a white piece onto a board. As the piece landed, the chessboard suddenly illuminated with a bright glow, formed from gathered spiritual energy.
Another "thud" followed as a black piece was placed down, all from the same direction, giving the impression that he was playing chess alone.
The corners of his lips curled slightly as he placed the pieces, and on the board, the black pieces moved closer to the white ones until they pressed down upon them, causing the white pieces to vanish.
"Heh heh, this is getting more interesting!"
His voice was low and soft; though he seemed to be laughing, there was an undercurrent of coldness that instantly dropped the surrounding temperature to an unbearable level.
With another sharp "crack," the chessboard froze, a fissure splitting through its center. In an instant, the heavy board turned to dust.
"I never intended to marry her; you forced my hand, Jun Chong."
I jolted awake, my body shivering violently as I opened my eyes to find myself beneath a Cherry Blossom Tree.
This tree always exuded its most beautiful side upon my arrival; a faint floral fragrance filled my nostrils, allowing me to momentarily forget my troubles.
In this familiar place, my heart raced unexpectedly. I had been attacked by Stunning and lost consciousness—how did I end up here?
The surroundings were empty; there was no sign of Jun Chong.
I held my aching head. Although I didn't understand what Aunt Song's Stunning was all about or why she wanted to kill Little Bugs, when I encountered an identical Stunning, instinctively I felt a surge of caution. Yet ultimately, I could not withstand her powerful blow to my head and lost consciousness once again.
I didn't know where Stunning had taken me. In that moment of losing consciousness, all I could think about was Lianchi and Jun Jun. I felt that if I had been straightforward with Lianchi and told her I was willing, perhaps this wouldn't have happened.
But that was all in the past; regret was of no use now.
"But why am I here?"
My head felt a bit dizzy as I leaned against a tree, trying to get up, only to find my belly heavy and my body cumbersome, no longer as light as it used to be.
Looking down, I was genuinely surprised.
"Why has my belly gotten bigger?"
"Don't be scared, Mommy. It's because Daddy used my power that your belly got bigger. The Demon Fetus Power once activated will cause me to be affected by the outside world. Daddy has temporarily placed you here so that I can retain some of my power."
"Daddy?" I frowned, finally realizing, "Where is Jun Chongren?"
"Daddy went out. He said he would be back soon; he needs to deliver the Demon Fetus Power to Sister Jun Jun." The baby's voice was filled with uncontainable joy. "This way, Sister Jun Jun will definitely be safe."
Knowing that Jun Jun could be safe brought me some relief. I touched my belly, which was over six months along, still feeling somewhat unreal. It was the first time I had seen my belly this big.
"Baby, after using your Demon Fetus Power, will it affect you in the future?"
"Mommy, the baby doesn't plan to be born."
The sudden seriousness in the baby's tone caught me off guard. The tender voice intentionally lowered its pitch, sounding somewhat profound. After a moment of surprise, I shook my head and smiled, gently patting my belly. "What nonsense are you talking about? You will definitely be born safely."
"The baby isn't talking nonsense. If the baby's birth requires exchanging Mommy's life to save Sister Jian Rou again for Brother Molin, then the baby cannot do that! Although the baby is asleep, the baby knows everything. The baby understands Mommy's inner turmoil even more. If it could be so honest in making a decision, losing the baby would allow Mommy and Daddy to suffer less control from the Underworld King and make decisions more decisively. Mommy, don't you want your friends around you to be happy? Losing the baby could bring that about."
"Stop talking!"
Tears streamed down my face as I loudly interrupted her words. Although that thought had lingered in my heart, I had never truly made the decision. Yet, she sensed it.
No child willingly gives up the chance to be born in favor of death. So, her ability to voice such sentiments caught me completely off guard. But she was right; losing the Demon Fetus would mean gaining so much more.
Yet, who could decisively let go of something so dear?
The baby remained silent while I cried alone, suppressing the surging emotions within me. My chest rose and fell rapidly, eventually transforming into a silent sigh. Just then, a familiar chill wrapped around me tightly. When I opened my eyes, I found myself falling into an abyss.
"Jun Chong." I leaned my head against his chest, allowing him to embrace me from behind. "You're back!"
The familiar tone was meant to prevent our earlier separation from becoming a neglectful memory. Seeing Jian Rou and Shizui reunited made me wish fervently for Jun Chong to be by my side, holding me just like that, offering me support and peace of mind.
"Jun Jun is fine now; Lianchi is with her. You can rest easy!" His large hand gently rested on my rounded belly, his brow slightly furrowed with concern as he spoke with an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry for making this decision without consulting you again."
"It's okay; I was willing all along. I just couldn't express it at that moment."
But Jun Chong shook his head and reached out to touch the spot where Stunning had injured me. A warm coolness enveloped the area, easing the pain until it vanished.
"My apologies aren't just about this matter. Anxin, perhaps I'm really terrible! To achieve my goals, I sometimes resort to unscrupulous means and have repeatedly used you, causing you both physical and emotional harm. I can't erase what has happened; all I can say is I'm sorry."
Jun Chong rested his chin in the crook of my neck, his arms tightening around me as his body trembled slightly.
Means and manipulation...
I struggled to recall the events that transpired in the Underworld Palace while my hand on my belly began to tremble uncontrollably. Suddenly, I grasped Jun Chong's hand tightly, my breath quickening.
"You sacrificed Little Bugs."
Jun Chong didn't respond but held me even tighter. "I know you'll feel hurt and may even resent me, but Jun Rui is suspicious. If we hadn't done this, Stunning wouldn't have succeeded in obtaining what he wanted."
"So you have now obtained the Phoenix Feather from the Queen of the Underworld?"
"Yes."
"So it was you who arranged for Jun Jun to be injured?"
Jun Chong nodded in acknowledgment. There were many underlying reasons I was unaware of, but the Phoenix Feather was so rare that the King of the Underworld couldn't possibly be ignorant of our intentions. It couldn't have been that simple.
Jun Chong sighed heavily. "She volunteered. After you entered the Underworld Palace, I contemplated letting you obtain the Blood Flame for protection. With the Blood Flame within you, Jun Rui wouldn't dare to act against you, as he has some reservations about that thing. Then we sacrificed Little Bugs and used Stunning to create a diversion, attacking from both sides. Tonight, we obtained the Phoenix Feather."
I felt a weight in my heart. If it were me, I might have refused such a plan, but Jun Chong was a person of great ambition. Mu Yan had said he bore the safety and peace of the Underworld on his shoulders. At first, I didn't understand why until I learned from Lianchi about the evil thoughts from the Demon King that plagued the King of the Underworld.
If the King of the Underworld harbored malicious intent or fell under the control of the Demon King's evil thoughts, having a ruler inclined towards the Demon Realm would not bode well for his subjects. When the Demon Realm attacked and released the Demon King, it could lead to either the complete destruction of the Underworld or its subjugation to the Demon Realm. Thus, another ruler was needed to protect it.
Though no longer a king, Jun Chong was a child of the Jun Family and a former King of the Underworld. He had dedicated much to safeguarding the realm; he would not and could not allow it to suffer losses.
So even though I disagreed with their methods, I had no right to voice my concerns. Great achievers do not sweat the small stuff; sacrifices are inevitable.
"What will you do after obtaining the Phoenix Feather?"
While I said this, don't think I doubted Jun Chong's capabilities; I just felt they had acquired the Phoenix Feather too easily. The King of the Underworld was cunning by nature, and with such an important item as the Phoenix Feather, it couldn't have been that simple.
Yet I would rather these thoughts be mere suspicions than reality.
"I'll mobilize that unit and prepare to block any attacks from the Demon Realm at any time. Recently, however, their presence has been relatively subdued. But regardless, it's always wise to be prepared early; I must go personally."
I turned around and opened my arms to embrace Jun Chong, leaning against him and not wanting to let go. "Jun Chong, I want to go home. I want to return to the human world."
Jun Chong lowered his head and placed a kiss on my forehead, stroking my soft hair as he spoke softly, "I know. I'll take you back to the human world as soon as possible." He looked at my belly and added, "The baby could arrive at any moment. Anxin, are you ready?"
I didn't respond, knowing that nothing would be that simple. The weight in my heart only grew heavier.
"Did you hear that Jun Rui is going to marry the Queen of the Underworld?"
Jun Chong trembled, holding me tighter, his voice shaking. "I know. But I won't allow it, so wait for me to come back."
"I will definitely wait for you." I lifted my head, looking seriously at Jun Chong, pointing to my belly. "Jun Chong, let's name our child."
"Junxin," Jun Chong said without hesitation. "This name has two meanings. First, it represents the union of you and me—surname Jun, given name Xin—symbolizing that we will never be apart. Second, I hope this child has a heart that reigns over the world, not for achieving great things or establishing a grand career, but to be tolerant and open-minded, caring for others and loving everything, becoming a righteous person."
"Junxin, Junxin," I murmured the name, tears falling once again. "Baby, you have a name; that's wonderful!"
"But Mom, I—"
"Heart Eyes, the one making the decision is your mother, not you or me. Do you understand?"
Jun Chong's voice was calm yet conveyed the message clearly. I lowered my eyelids, letting my long lashes cover the colors beneath them; only my slightly pursed lips betrayed the emotions I shouldn't have felt.
I knew that if I truly chose to sacrifice our baby for the sake of others, neither of them would object. But I couldn't get past this hurdle within myself.
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