CHAPTER 370: CHAPTER 226: JUDGMENT, ANNIHILATION OF A NATION, DEVOURING THE WHALE

Within the vast palace, it was deathly silent at this moment, sparse silhouettes, a flicker of torchlight on the high walls flanking the red carpet illuminated Cezar’s face.

He cast his gaze downward, his eyes vacantly fixed on Cosimo, Lorenzo, and Carolina who were kneeling on the ground.

The three were exceptionally wretched at this moment, gagged with cloth, chained up, bound in front of the throne they had dreamed of, resembling a group of livestock awaiting slaughter rather than dignified nobles.

Urushibara Osamu stood at the palace’s entrance with arms folded, silently observing Cezar’s back, then breaking the silence after a moment.

He slowly said, "Then as agreed, we will accept the treasury of the Whale Royal Court."

"No problem."

Cezar spoke without turning his head, his face still expressionless.

Urushibara Osamu lingered no longer, retreating into the shadow, his form then scattering like crow feathers.

Cezar grasped the White King’s Staff in his left hand, a sword in his right, stepping forward to halt before Carolina.

"As agreed... Mother, I’ve come to kill your family."

After the white-haired youth finished speaking, his blade swiftly swung down, slicing towards Cosimo’s neck.

The second prince’s head rolled to the ground, emitting a clear sound, and then slowly slid to the front of Carolina and Lorenzo, blood gushing forth.

"The first one."

Cezar whispered expressionlessly, the menacing red splattering his face.

Lorenzo was startled.

After a long moment, he belatedly turned his head, staring fixedly at the second prince’s body on the ground.

Carolina widened her eyes, tears seeping from the corners, streaking down her pale cheeks.

"In the past, I was ignorant; now I understand, my second brother was simply foolish, which is why you manipulated him, so I gave him a swift end, there’s no need to delve further." Cezar turned to Lorenzo, "But as for you, brother, it’s different."

Lorenzo trembled all over.

"If you don’t want to die, then you should kill Mother yourself."

Cezar spoke softly, as if narrating something utterly mundane, then raised his hand to pass his sword to the approaching attendant.

The attendant accepted the sword, nervously walked over, unbinding Lorenzo and removing the cloth gag from his mouth before handing the sword to Lorenzo.

"Why? Is it really necessary to do this? Aren’t we family, Cezar? I took you riding as a child, do you remember?" Lorenzo’s hand trembled holding the sword, raising his head to look at Cezar with eyes almost pleading.

"Too late, brother... If I were you, I’d shut up, avoiding angering someone who has just experienced betrayal, do you understand?"

Cezar calmly spoke, gazing into his eyes.

Lorenzo hesitated for a long time, bowed his head in thought, finally resolved, gripping the sword, rising to step over Cosimo’s corpse.

"Mother, I’ll try to make your release quick..." he rasped.

Carolina shook her head vigorously, emitting mournful cries through the gag, but nobody heard them clearly.

Lorenzo took one last look at his mother’s face, then closed his eyes, raised the sword tip, and pierced through Carolina’s skull in an instant.

"This is the pain of being betrayed by family, mother..."

Cezar lowered his gaze, silently watching Carolina’s eyes widen as she gradually lost breath.

"I did as you said, you will let me go, won’t you... Cezar." Lorenzo rasped, casually tossing aside the sword, shakily stepping towards Cezar, forcing a feeble smile.

Cezar looked up at him, paused in silence, then spoke unhurriedly, "Brother, I will give you a chance to challenge me. If you win... then I’ll let you go."

He lowered his voice, "Haven’t you always wanted to be king? Went so far as to harm Li Qingping, the opportunity is now here, surely you haven’t reached this point just to give up?"

He paused, "Don’t make me say it twice, pick up your weapon."

With that, Cezar casually kicked the sword lying on the ground back to Lorenzo’s feet.

Lorenzo was stunned for a long time, then slowly knelt down again, once more picking up the sword.

He stood up, raising his head to meet Cezar’s gaze, "Where’s your sword?"

"Me? I remember when brother said as a child that I was unsuited to wielding a sword, claimed you’d protect me, although that was a joke, I believed it... So I won’t wield a sword, I’ll confront you in another way."

The moment the words fell, a Phoenix bathed in flames rose behind Cezar, his white hair fluttering in the wind.

Lorenzo’s pupils contracted to the extreme, gripping the sword tightly as his body trembled, his face contorted, spitting out words from between clenched teeth, "Too far—! You wretched bastard colluded with a band of rogues and now actually consider yourself something?"

Cezar remained silent.

The next moment, Lorenzo charged at Cezar, head lowered, sword raised, roaring furiously.

Amid deafening cries, the Phoenix descended from the sky, Lorenzo’s head flew to the right, while the headless corpse remaining on the ground spurted upwards like a fountain.

The ocher bird spread its wings, blowing out a blaze of ocher fire, turning the throne and the bodies below to ash together.

Cezar kept his head raised, silently watching the burning throne, his gaze never touching the three bodies on the ground.