Chapter 190: Who’s the Weakling?

　　This pervert!

　　Lu Mingshu’s hands continued to shake. They only stopped after a while.

　　It was true – Xie Lianzhen had caught her soft spot. She was still somehow a gentle girl under her tough side. There was a place of softness in her heart, and everything that was important to her was kept there.

　　She wanted to tell Xie Lianzhen that, even if she stayed, the queen would be the one to decide her fate, not him. It was impossible for him to get what he wanted.

　　However, Xian Lianzhen told her that she wasn’t what she thought she was – not an invincible stronghold, but rather, full of weakness. He knew what she valued, and it was as simple as drinking water for him to manipulate her. If he wanted to be thorough, he could even create a new weakness for her.

　　Lu Mingshu had never met someone like him – dark and full of malice. At the thought of what he said, chills ran down her spine. She felt like she was now freezing in an icy cave without any warmth.

　　No matter what she thought, the past fifteen years of her life had been relatively simple. As he spoke, this was her first time truly experiencing how evil a person could be.

　　It’s okay. She reassured herself. Just as he said, it’s too early, which means I still have time.

　　And he may sound evil, but he may not do what he says.

　　The unknown was the most interesting. He knew this clearly, which was why he was interested in her – because he couldn’t tell which option she would choose. To give in, or to struggle. If Xie Lianzhen could get a confirmed answer, he would already have lost interest in her and left her alone. There was no point in continuing if he already knew the result.

　　Seeing her expression change back to being calm, Xie Lianzhen gave her a thin smile. “Not bad. Tougher than I expected. I see that I’m right.”

　　The wheelchair passed by Lu Mingshu slowly. He reached out his hand and plucked a fresh flower.

　　“You’re doing this on purpose, huh?”

　　Before this confrontation, Lu Mingshu was already feeling tired. After the confrontation, she felt even weaker. She leaned onto the glass wall and looked at her feet.

　　She could hear him talking; “From the moment you stepped into the greenhouse, it was all arranged. From your perspective, there’s nothing more you can do. You have been to the arenas, and you ranked first on the New Ranking. Still, you only get to speak up when the queen is willing.

　　“But I’ve already blocked your way. The queen likes you, and it will be impossible for her to disobey my will. You have nowhere to go now.” He looked up at her and smiled.

　　He snapped his fingers, and the dew on the flower petals fell. “You don’t have any bargaining chips. Nine Jade Palace will never be your support. I’m the key person in this whole situation now; if you want any change, it will be from me.”

　　“I must admit that you got me,” he hummed. “You know what I desire, and what I hate. I have not been angered for a long time, but you did it.

　　“Acting drunk as an excuse to test my limits and trying to find a chance to breakthrough.” He nodded. “Nice move, but you have underestimated a pervert’s mentality.

　　“Lu Mingshu, you’re normal – you have something you care for. But I’m not. Just as you said, I’m sick. I don’t have anything I care about, and I don’t see any hope for my future. What could you possibly use to defeat me?”

　　“Is that so?” she suddenly asked.

　　Xie Lianzhen turned. “Huh?”

　　“Do you really not have anything you care for? Is your future really hopeless?” She stared into his eyes. “If that was the case, why are you still ill?”

　　She forced herself to stand up. Lu Mingshu looked into his eyes and emphasized every word. “It’s just because you’ve been forced to lose everything you value and your hopes were all dashed, that’s why you’re ill. You said that, if time could rewind, you would want to have a proper and happy family, nobody sacrificing for you, and no need to do unpleasant things. If you had lost all hope, you wouldn’t be thinking about such a thing. It’s just you trying to rationalize, telling yourself that that’s never going to happen.”

　　“Xie Lianzhen, you’re not as powerful as you think you are. You’ve abandoned yourself. Becoming what you are today, it’s all because you’re too weak!”

　　Her voice was as cold as the clear pond of an icy mountain as it rang throughout the greenhouse. “You just dare not face reality. Your father died, and your mother remarried. You invested all your emotions into your new master, and he sacrificed himself for you. You can’t bear the heavy weight of life, so you bury your true self and continue to be ‘ill.’”

　　She slowly walked toward him and leaned down. “Envy me, do you? Back when you first met me in front of Nine Jade Palace, it was as if you saw your younger self. Why else would such a cold-blooded person tell me all these things? After nine years, you envy me. I’m in the same situation, or maybe even worse, but I’m still going strong. You’re not interested in me, but yourself,” she gently said.

　　She stood up, snatching the flower away from his hand. “Weak. Not wishing to give in, but daring not to move forward. Fate was evil to you, but you don’t even have the courage to rebel. You want to torture me, and yet you don’t. A person like you has no rights to defeat me.”

　　The moonlight shone onto Xie Lianzhen’s cold face. The wind seemed to stop as well.

　　“Go back,” she said. “It’s late, and I have to return tomorrow.”

　　She placed the flower in the vase and prepared to leave.

　　When she passed by him, she felt her wrist tighten as she was pulled over.

　　Lu Mingshu fell onto him. She screamed in anger, “Xie Lianzhen, what are you doing!?”

　　Xie Lianzhen held her tight and signalled for her to keep quiet. He leaned nearer to her and whispered, “Hold on tight, don’t let go. Something’s not right.”

　　What? Lu Mingshu didn’t understand. She looked up and all she saw was him looking serious.

　　Not right? What’s not right? Lu Mingshu dared not move, and she realized what wasn’t right very soon.

　　It was too quiet. The sound of the wind howling, the insects chirping, and water flowing could no longer be heard. It was as if everything was dead.

　　What’s going on?

　　“Isn’t your attendant Xie Zhanghui outside? If there’s something wrong, he’ll come, right?” she whispered.

　　Xie Lianzhen shook his head. “No, I suspect that…”

　　Before he could finish, Lu Mingshu felt her knees shaking, and she lost balance.

　　She let out a soft cry and tried to find something to balance herself. Unfortunately, Xie Lianzhen was in the same situation as well.

　　Afterwards, something shocking happened.

　　The space in front of her started to crack like shattered glass. The cracks became bigger until they suddenly burst.

　　“Ah!” There was no longer anything below her feet. The floor had cracked open.

　　Xie Lianzhen jumped over to catch her. The wheelchair lit up, covering them both.

　　Lu Mingshu wanted to do something, but she couldn’t find her balance, as if there was something surrounding her and freezing her mystic force.

　　The world was spinning, and she fell quickly. With a loud thud, she lost her consciousness.