Deep Love

“You actually colluded with the Empire?” Xie Shenhong stared at Sima Le, his voice laced with disbelief. “Are you not the president of the Society of Patriots?”

“He deceived you all, yet why do you seem so indifferent?” Xie Shenhong glanced around, only to find everyone wearing expressions as if watching a farce unfold.

“I am indeed the president of the Society of Patriots, but no one ever stipulated that I couldn’t establish ties with the Empire.” Sima Le stepped forward, looking down at Xie Shenhong with an air of superiority. “Nor did anyone decree that such an approach couldn’t save the nation.”

The members of the Society of Patriots echoed his sentiments in agreement.

“Exactly, we are saving this fallen kingdom!”

“Precisely, the kingdom is beyond redemption! To think they’d relegate me to an obscure department over such a trivial matter—was it not simply a beating given to a weak, blind idiot? Did it warrant such a punishment? And they dare to preach about prioritizing talent!”

“Yours was a minor inconvenience. I, with clearly more talent and strength than that fellow, was ultimately made his subordinate simply because he was more popular and knew how to flatter! What a garbage nation!”

“This country is beyond saving!”

“The administrators of this country are nothing but condescending scum!”

Witnessing these individuals grow increasingly indignant as they began comparing their misfortunes and airing their grievances, Xie Shenhong seized the opportunity to draw his magic-guided pistol, aiming to fire at the person nearest the door.

A click echoed.

Xie Shenhong pulled the trigger, yet nothing occurred.

“My apologies, but under the radiance of this crystal, the enchantments on magic-guided pistols cannot be activated.” Sima Le toyed with a crystal emitting an eerie red glow before tossing it to one of his men. “Take Lord Xie Shenhong away and ensure he is ‘well-cared for’ until we reach Imperial territory.”

****

Subsequently, despite Xie Shenhong’s valiant attempts to resist, the strength of a non-magic user proved too meager, and he was ultimately escorted and confined within an isolation chamber.

While termed an isolation chamber, it was, in fact, a first-class cabin that had been converted, offering considerable comfort.

However, its walls and floor were constructed from special materials, ensuring that Xie Shenhong, once inside, would be unable to utilize his Crimson Twin Guns to break out.

Evidently, abducting Xie Shenhong, or perhaps someone else, to the Empire was a long-premeditated plan of Sima Le’s.

‘In my previous life, I recall hearing about an attack on the research institute around this time. I had assumed it was Imperial spies, but now it seems… perhaps someone other than me was abducted.’

No, his situation was more akin to walking straight into a trap. A smile involuntarily touched Xie Shenhong’s lips at the thought.

After his brief amusement, he closed his eyes, silently sensed his surroundings for a moment, then opened them again.

‘A cruising speed of 23 knots… While it will take three days to reach the Empire at this pace, being too far out would certainly complicate things.’

Xie Shenhong quietly brewed a cup of tea and continued to wait.

‘Escape?’

‘Outside the door, two Silver-rank soldiers are waiting with interference crystals, likely rotating in three shifts until we reach Imperial territory.’

‘He is utterly finished.’

“Ah, why must I endure such suffering!”

Xie Shenhong roared and shouted, his voice suggesting he was noisily struggling to accept reality. Yet, this display only served to reassure the guards outside.

Bang!

The door was violently flung open.

Xie Shenhong stared blankly as the blond-haired youth entered the room.

“Shenhong, are you alright?”

Upon seeing Lyte’s anxious and concerned expression, Xie Shenhong let out a sigh.

He then drew one of his Crimson Twin Guns and aimed it at Lyte.

“Shenhong, stop messing around, come with me quickly. It’s dangerous here.” Lyte started to approach.

Bang!

Xie Shenhong fired a shot at the spot beside Lyte, then re-aimed at the now-frozen Lyte.

“Live ammunition?”

“Precisely, and it’s live ammunition on par with my magic bullets… In this room, your defensive magic isn’t very effective, is it?”

Lyte stared blankly at the red-haired youth before him, whose gaze was sharp, expression solemn, devoid of any weakness or fear.

“You’ve been waiting for me?”

“Indeed.” Xie Shenhong drew his other gun, pointing it towards the door, slowly retreating and adjusting his angle to ensure Lyte had no room to dodge.

Lyte, however, paid no mind to these subtle movements, instead exclaiming with agitation:

“Shenhong, you’re far too reckless! How could you put yourself in such peril just to test me?”

“But I succeeded. Now tell me, why are you here?”

“To save you, of course!”

“Heh.” Xie Shenhong scoffed disdainfully. “You should be grounded at home right now, shouldn’t you? Do you really expect me to believe you violated orders just to save me?”

“Yes, I violated orders, but compared to your safety, that’s utterly insignificant!”

“Hah.” Xie Shenhong continued to sneer. “Please, come up with a better excuse. You, of all people, previously couldn’t even…”

“All this time, I’ve been investigating the Society of Patriots’ collusion with the Empire—that was the hidden objective of my mission!”

Xie Shenhong’s smile froze.

He never could have imagined that Lyte, in his bid to earn his trust, would go so far as to shatter his long-held image of loyalty to the kingdom.

‘This guy… he’s truly insane.’

“Shenhong, I know you still doubt me, but it’s alright. I can prove my innocence to you!”

“How will you prove it?”

“I don’t know, but I will do as you command until you are willing to trust me!”

“Typical of you, to be so brazen without any means to prove yourself… Very well then. I command you to turn around immediately, with your back to me!”

Even on the old Earth, techniques for dodging bullets existed.

However, the specific method involved evading the shooter’s line of sight and the muzzle of the gun, as a person cannot outrun a bullet, only outmaneuver the person firing it.

The same principle applied to dodging magic-guided pistols in this world.

Furthermore, in combat, let alone against an enemy, even turning one’s back on a neutral party was a perilous act.

Even if one initially felt nothing would happen, as time passed, the suspicion in one’s heart would transform into immense pressure, potentially causing the person with their back turned to react excessively.

Thus, for Lyte, the best course of action would be not to turn around.

However, if he didn’t, Xie Shenhong would immediately open fire!

“Well, are you worried I might…”

‘Harm you’—before Xie Shenhong could utter these three words, Lyte had already turned around.

He did so openly and without reservation.

There was no hesitation, no uncertainty.

It was as if he held absolute trust in the person behind him.

After a moment, Xie Shenhong’s gun-wielding hand began to sweat, yet Lyte remained perfectly still, waiting.

“Typical of you. Are you so audacious because you’re convinced I can’t get back on my own?”

“I never thought that!” These words, paradoxically, made Lyte anxious.

“Don’t move!” Xie Shenhong commanded. “You want me to trust you, correct? Then tell me, what did you discover during your investigation here?”

‘This is a trap.’

‘Last night, Xie Shenhong had already transformed into the Hai Zhu doll and investigated this place in advance.’

‘If Lyte intended to conceal anything—’

“I didn’t explore many locations, but I can confirm that the cargo hold is entirely filled with the kingdom’s most cutting-edge machinery.”

Xie Shenhong remained silent.

After a moment, Lyte urged anxiously:

“Shenhong, I’ve set up a sound-insulating barrier, but the longer we delay, the higher the chance that the guards I knocked out will be discovered. So, can we please escape from here first before…”

“I won’t be leaving. Staying here is precisely where I’m safest, given they captured me for the knowledge within my mind… Don’t rush to object. Think carefully about your mission. Since you already know Sima Le’s plan, do I really need to tell you what you should do?”

“You mean for me to go and destroy the machinery in the cargo hold?”

“I will wait for you here. If possible, destroy the power core as well. We’re not too far from the coast yet, so whether by flying or using a lifeboat, we can both make it back.”

“I’ll go immediately, Shenhong! Don’t wander off, wait for me here!”

Lyte dashed off without a backward glance.

Not once did he look back, nor did he show the slightest hesitation or fear, right until the very end.

‘This guy’s acting has truly reached perfection…’

With a soft sigh, Xie Shenhong stepped out of the room.

‘An agreement?’

‘What’s that?’

‘With so many traitors on board this ship, how could I simply stand by and do nothing!’

‘Lyte?’

‘Just a nuisance.’

‘It’s even possible he’s covering for someone.’

Therefore, Xie Shenhong intended to take on everything by himself.

After all, it was agreed from the start that he would handle this matter.