Chapter 48: The Greatest Thief in History, Section 9

Yes, in the name of the Blood Wolf…
Blackhair murmured softly, watching the excited smiles on the Blood-Pupiled group. He said nothing, merely lifting his head slightly. His deep eyes gazed at the distant sky, where a pure white cloud had just passed by—resembling a large, sweet marshmallow.
In fact, what Monkey was worried about was precisely the same thing he was worried about. It’s just that as their leader, he couldn’t show it easily. Perhaps right now, somewhere in the universe, that terrifying Moor Emperor had awakened from his slumber, pondering with interest how to toy with those who dared offend him.
Don’t you think so? The great Moor Emperor, the ruler of the universe?
Is it all just a game in your mind? Well now I’ve broken the rules of the game—will you continue to wear that indifferent smile, or will you become enraged?
A faint smile appeared on Blackhair’s lips… This game seemed to be getting increasingly interesting.
“I don’t find it interesting at all.”
Meanwhile, in another corner of the universe, a man lazily raised his head and sighed.
It was a huge palace, exquisitely decorated. Countless gems on the surrounding walls shone brilliantly, and the palace floor was even more extraordinary—it was a single piece of crystal-clear stone, forming a seamless whole. Walking on it felt as if one were floating in midair, truly like a dream.
Unfortunately, such a grand and magnificent palace was eerily quiet now. Only a giant bed stood where the throne used to be. The bed was soft as clouds, and the man who had just sighed was lying lazily on it. His wavy golden hair spread across the bed like a waterfall, resembling strands of golden sunlight—so bright it was hard to look directly at.
The hall had originally been very quiet, but now it was disrupted by the man’s sighs. As the sound waves spread, something even more strange happened…
In the hall, which was otherwise empty except for the blond man, another voice appeared.
A melodious female voice.
By God, if anyone heard this voice here at this moment, they would instantly turn into a puppet. Even if someone shouted in their ear, they wouldn’t react.

There’s no other reason—just the fact that this female voice is absolutely wonderful. Soft and gentle, like a breeze. A few words alone seem to touch the strings of love. Even though one can’t see the person, anyone who hears her voice will be captivated in an instant. The infinite charm in her voice is truly comparable to that of a mermaid from mythology.

Unfortunately, though, such a beautiful voice speaks words that lack tenderness at all.

“Have you finally gotten bored? If so, let’s end this. It’s just a game after all. Why take it so seriously? Ants will always remain ants. A single finger can erase them from the universe.”

“With your onion-like fingers?” Hearing this, the blond man lying on the couch smiled… a lazy smile.

“Your jokes aren’t funny, my lord.” The beautiful female voice paused briefly before rising in pitch slightly, revealing clear anger.

Faced with such anger, the blond man remained extremely accommodating. He immediately spread his hands and apologized repeatedly. “Ha. I know, I know. I’m truly sorry. I was just joking. I didn’t expect you to react so strongly. You know, anger makes one age. All these years, why haven’t you changed your temper at all?”

“That’s none of your concern,” the beautiful female voice replied coldly, showing no gratitude. In return, he let out another long sigh. The blond man stopped smiling and slowly sat up from the bed.

“How can I not care? All these years, we’ve been through so much together. These long years weren’t as wonderful as I used to think. To be honest, I’m quite tired. But every time I think of you by my side, I gather my courage again. Because…” The blond man paused, a hint of sadness appearing in his sapphire-like deep eyes.

“We are companions. The only companions in this world.”

As the man spoke, a faint sadness echoed through the palace, spreading everywhere. For a while, the female voice remained silent. After what seemed like a long time, just as the blond man thought the woman had been moved by him, he heard a cold laugh.

“Companions? Is that what you think? That’s a shame for me.”

“How can you say that?” The blond man smiled lightly, unbothered by her rudeness. He still looked dignified, though the seriousness from moments ago had returned to his lazy expression. He spread his hands and shrugged.

“Actually, it doesn’t matter whether you admit it or not. We are partners—that’s a fact. Even if you don’t want to, there’s nothing I can do about it. Besides, after all these years—don’t you still know how I feel about you? In this world, no one, absolutely no one, loves you more than I do. Your smile is everything I strive for. So… you must accept me. You belong to me. No one can take you from my hands. For this purpose, I seize and possess. My footprints span the universe, and my fleet dominates all realms. It can be said that I now possess absolute power—the most supreme power in this universe.”

He took a deep breath. A faint blush appeared on the handsome face of the blond man. He suddenly raised his voice. “Yes. If you want to laugh, then laugh. That’s exactly why I crave power—so that no one can get close to you. I wouldn’t hesitate to unleash war across the entire universe! Time has taught me that only by mastering absolute power can I protect everything I cherish!”

By the time he finished speaking, the blond man’s expression had become monstrous, with veins bulging on his pale face. He looked terrifying—far from his usual composure. Yet it was precisely because of this outburst that the female voice across from him fell silent. After a long while, a soft sigh came from the vast hall. “I won’t laugh at you.”

“Really? Then you acknowledge me? You agree with my views? I… you… are you implying something?” In an instant, the monstrous expression on the blond man’s face vanished, replaced by ecstasy. Perhaps due to his excitement, his voice even trembled.

But this time, he received no reply. The female voice seemed to have disappeared. The entire hall was filled only with his own echoing voice. Until once again, he went from surprise to disappointment, from disappointment to despair, and then from despair back to apathy. Only then did that strange voice appear once more. “I’m not implying anything to you. Nor do I need to. Your Majesty, you are the ruler of the Moor Empire. So everything you say is part of your power and duty. Even if you hadn’t said those words, I wouldn’t have left you all these years, and I won’t leave now either.”

“Yes, I’ve never left. And I’ve never acknowledged you either.” The blond man gave a bitter smile, nodded, and leaned back against the luxurious, comfortable couch. “Is it really useless? No matter what I do, the result is the same? Tia… no, it should be Red…”

“Don’t dare say that name.” The melodious voice suddenly turned icy, cutting off the blond man’s words. In an instant, the entire palace seemed to enter winter—temperatures plummeted, turning icy cold in the blink of an eye. A thick, almost tangible aura of murderous intent filled every corner of the space.

“Snap!” With a crisp sound, a crack appeared in the soft ground beneath the blond man’s feet, less than three inches from his neck. Cold air seeped out from the crack, freezing everything around it white.

Yet the blond man seemed utterly unaffected, not even blinking. He slowly extended a finger, brushed it lightly over the crack, then brought it to his mouth and licked it.

“As expected, it’s still this taste—bone-chilling cold that seems to penetrate straight to the soul. If it were an ordinary person, even getting close would freeze them instantly, right? Tia, you’re still quite heartless. I’ve been wondering—is there really anyone in this world who can make you change?”

“Someone who can make you act like a normal woman, who knows how to be gentle and accept others’ care.”

“Stop dreaming.” The melodious voice grew even colder, with a hint of disdain in it. “Do you really know what emotions are? Or are you planning to deceive me just like you deceived others? Don’t forget—I’m the only one who knows your true nature. So better keep your tricks to yourself. Since you don’t want me involved, you’d better sort out the empire’s situation as soon as possible. Otherwise, don’t blame me if I take action. By then, as the emperor of the empire, you’ll have a hard time saving face. That’s all I have to say. I suggest you think it over carefully.”

After saying that, a fierce wind suddenly swept through the vast hall, dimming the light. When it lit up again, the woman’s voice had vanished without a trace.

In the palace, only the blond man remained, talking to himself.

“Emotions? It’s indeed a difficult problem to solve. But you’re right—compared to you, I truly don’t deserve to even mention such a word. Hehe, the goddess of the empire, ruling with icy coldness. Who would have thought that beneath your cold exterior lies such a passionate heart? Worrying so much about the empire’s situation… are you afraid that if my game continues, more people will die?”

“But…” The blond man’s pupils suddenly contracted, and his handsome face twitched uncontrollably.

“It’s inevitable… Tia. Because of this game, someone who must be eliminated has been drawn into it. Believe me, you’ll never guess who he is. So even if everyone in the empire dies, the game will go on. With my own hands, I’ll bring his head before you…”