"Your beloved God of War killed the pitiful maid just to play my game. To him, she's a pawn. As long as he would still have the upper hand in our game, he would kill anyone. . ." Yihuai trailed off and looked down at Jingrui. "But now, we shall see whether his love for you is true, or whether you are just another pawn he is willing to sacrifice."

Every string that held her from crumbling down snapped in half at that moment. Jingrui thought back to Prince Zhanying, the man that gently caressed her, and the man that would give the world to her. Was he really someone with a heart as cruel as the tide? Was his true nature, concealed beneath his soft touch, as cold-blooded as a beast?

As if the course of seasons no longer made sense, she suddenly didn't know who Prince Zhanying truly was.

Tears slid down her cheeks as Yihuai waved for guards to drag her out. She let them with no more struggles. Life was drained from her, and she was left like a dull corpse; a dull corpse whose heart scorched with unbearable pain.

Soon, she submerged into the light, and they dragged her towards a dimmed study hall. The hall towered over her with hanging chandeliers, casting eerily lights against her drained complexion. Her heart thudded, tearing and torturing her soul. And then, her sight landed on Prince Zhanying who sat within the shadow. Unlike how she would normally launch at him and hug him, she went rigid.

The sight of him stabbed her, and she fought not to let out any tears. He didn't look at her, upholding his blind façade. There were creases of pain gracing his barren expression, otherwise he was calm and collected.

Yihuai told the guard to drop her in the middle of the floor as he trotted up to his throne and spun around towards them. "Right then, Brother. Here it is, the animal I want for an offering. Please kill it for me," he ordered Prince Zhanying, his teeth flashing.

Prince Zhanying stiffened. His eyes wavered, but then he clenched his jaw to stay placid. "It is just an animal, why must Your Majesty trouble me with a task guards could do?" he asked, picking his words with care.

"Come on, God of War. It's a blessing when someone as strong and revered as you would do my bidding. I must trouble you with it," Yihuai laid back on his throne and yawned. Grabbing a knife that laid on the table, he threw it at Prince Zhanying. "Kill it."

Prince Zhanying caught the knife as he glanced at her. Their eyes locked and deep pain embedded his face. Jingrui shook her head as she sniffled. The colours within her heart withered as he stood from his seat with the knife glimmering in his hand.

He crouched down before her. His hands shook as he ran his thumb across her damped cheek and scanned down at her frayed state. As if it took every ounce of strength in him, he lifted the knife up. Jingrui trembled, and her heart froze. And at his touch, she wondered why it was so cold.

There was conflict in the Prince's eyes, but a hint of ruthlessness ran within them. At that moment, Jingrui knew that the Prince could go through any means to survive within the Palace, even if it meant slaughtering the innocent.

The knife glinted in his hands, and pain vied over the coldness in him. At last, as if he didn't have any strength left, he dropped the knife, letting it cluck against the marble floor. He swallowed as he let go of her and stood up.

Turning to Yihuai, his eyes were rid of emotions. "I . . . I feel ill today, Your Majesty, I must disobey you."

Yihuai raised his brow before he broke off into a laugh. "You have never disobeyed me before, Zhanying."

Prince Zhanying bowed. "Please let her free. Your Majesty knows well that she is a palace maid, not an animal for sacrifice."

Yihuai's smile widened. He snickered in satisfaction and brought his hands in front of him, clapping. "Blunt, God of War. You have never been so honest. Don't you normally play along? Or perhaps, you no longer value your survival and want to go against me?"

"My survival matters the least," Zhanying muttered, and his gaze darkened. A substantial amount of threat convulsed in his eyes. "I do not care how you'd punish me, I'm already too numbed to such things. Let her go."

Yihuai tensed at the threats in Prince Zhanying's voice, and he forced out a grim chuckle. "You are not the one to decide that—"

"You will let her go." Prince Zhanying repeated, cutting Yihuai off.

Yihuai rolled his eyes. "Why so mad? Don't worry, Zhanying, I'll let that little wretch off. You will bear the consequences though, I can see the treason mindset that's rooted deep in you slowly being unraveled." He cracked his knuckles and lay back in the throne. "You love her a lot, don't you? So, I hope you know that I'm only letting her off because I don't think that, from now on, she could ever bring herself to love you again."

With that, he waved a hand, and the guard rushed to Jingrui. They pulled her to her feet and jerked her out of the hall. She watched as the Prince's figure faded into the distance.

Once she was back within the shadows of the dungeon, Yuetong was standing with crossed arms as if she were waiting for her. The guard tossed Jingrui into the cell and her bruised skin collided against the cold ground.

She winced and pushed herself to sit up. Ignoring her pain, she hustled toward Xiaobai's lifeless body.

All that Xiaobai had ever wished for was to live a simple life. Yet, she ended up dying by the hands of the deity she vowed to serve. Her fists clenched as she ran her hands over Xiaobai's open eyes to close them.

Yuetong watched her, and she tapped her fingers against her crossed arms. "The Heavenly Emperor told me to free you," she said before throwing a glinting blade into the cell. "Your friend has died in such a horrid manner. The Emperor wanted me to give you this knife. You can choose what you want to do with it. But really, you should know what to do with it." A smile formed at the corners of Yuetong's lips. "If you truly love your friend, don't let her die with her eyes open. Give her her justice."

Jingrui's eyes wavered as she picked up the knife, her hands cradling tightly around the handle. Hot tears filled her eyes as she stared down at the silver blade.

What she was to do with it, she did not know.

But one thing she knew was that, in her life, she had never known how to forgive but never forget.