Kingdom's Bloodline Chapter 438

'Still your old self . '

Quick Rope snorted angrily . He did not turn his head around, seemingly dissatisfied by the teenager's words .

"You still care . " There were very slight fluctuations in Thales' voice .  

Quick Rope's scowl froze on his face .

"What?"

"Your father, Dragon Clouds City, Eckstedt, and even your niece . . . " Thales took a few deep breaths away from Quick Rope's line of sight . He felt sentimental as well as emotional, and those emotions seeped into his words .

"Even if you claim that you've gotten over your past and you're disgusted by the chains that once bound you . . . "

Quick Rope slowed down his pace .

"But somewhere in your heart… you still care . " As he leaned against Quick Rope's shoulder, Thales' face sank into the darkness, and the flames could no longer illuminate his face . The corners of his lips moved slightly .

Quick Rope swayed before he snorted .

"Hmph, laugh all you want .

"I'm just a stubborn coward who can't move away from my past in the end . "

He picked up his pace unhappily, causing Thales to stumble while supporting himself with Quick Rope's shoulder .

Nonetheless, the teenager did not become irritated or panic . He just smiled .

"No, Quick Rope . " There was an anguish Thales could not get rid of in his smile .

"What I mean is… you're fine like this . "

Quick Rope's body shuddered a little .

The teenager lowered his gaze and looked at the darkness under his feet .

"Compared to Moriah who left everything for freedom…

"This is the real Quick Rope . "

Quick Rope did not reply .

He only snorted again .

However, at that moment, Thales suddenly felt his exhaustion from earlier disappear .

"Leave her . "

Thales came back to his senses .

"Hm?"

Quick Rope was panting heavily when he hissed through gritted teeth .

"Leave her . Leave Alex . "

'Alex . '

Just a moment ago, Thales had become slightly relaxed and lively, but right then, his heart turned heavy again .

"You disgusting bastard who likes to take advantage of girls…

"Once we get out…"

Quick Rope spoke with disgust . He tapped Thales' chest with his left arm, either as a demonstration of his displeasure or as a warning .

"I don't care how your relationship was . From now on… you mustn't approach her . Don't you dare think of her or cast your greedy eyes on her .

"Stay away from Alex!" Quick Rope said resolutely and decisively .

In that one second, Thales' expression became gloomy .

'Funny . '

Not long ago, this man had sincerely blessed them and wished for them to be together in the end .

'Maybe .

'This is the reality of the situation . '

Thales burst out laughing, which made Quick Rope's expression turn unpleasant .

"Drowning . . . " the Prince of Constellation suddenly said .

"What?"

Thales took a deep breath . His gaze was profound .

"Sometimes, I feel like a drowning man struggling in the water for my last breath . I'm instinctively grabbing all the tools I can find and everything else within my reach to try to keep myself from sinking . "

As he spoke, Thales' voice grew increasingly quiet .

His tone became desolate .

"But in my heart, I know what it means . "

Quick Rope's expression relaxed, but he did not speak .

"Don't worry, Quick Rope . It's not the same as yours . "

Thales looked ahead .

The corners that the torch could not reach were dark .

"With such a destiny…"

Thales looked at the darkness and seemed to see that girl's tears on her face .

"'Yes, Thales, I trust you .

'"I trust you with my life . "'

He wore a forced and anguished smile .

"For a long time now, my shoulders haven't been able to bear… something even heavier . "

'Like the future of another person . '

Quick Rope became silent .

He resisted the urge to turn around and look at the person beside him . He kept moving forward .

Step by step, they continued to search for their path in the darkness, which was lit as much as possible by the torch . They moved forward towards the stone staircase .

It was as if nothing could stop them .

However, the next second, Thales' ears twitched .

Although it was very light, he still heard it because he used Hell's senses to heighten his hearing .

Thales furrowed his eyebrows .

"Someone's coming . "

Quick Rope moved slightly . He looked to his side from the corner of his eyes .

The two people changed direction in a great show of teamwork . They left the stone stairs and went into the dark passage on that floor . They lowered their bodies behind a collapsed stone pillar .

Quick Rope put down the torch and skilfully extinguished it in three steps .

Darkness enveloped their bodies again .

Soon, light appeared from the stone stairs before them .

Multiple footsteps echoed from above .

"Shawn, over here!

"There's no mistaking it!"

The voice made both Quick Rope and Thales shudder!

'That's…'

A particularly steady and familiar male voice sounded among the footsteps . "It's definitely the prince! He must be here! He's definitely nearby!"

'What?'

Thales and Quick Rope's breathing became heavier in the dark .

How did they find out? And how were they certain that Thales was nearby?

The second male voice hummed in acknowledgment . He was not far away .

"How can you be sure? We've searched two floors . "

The first voice sounded again .

"When I was in the tavern, I put some things on them so that I could be sure . "

Thales and Quick Rope looked at each other in the dark . They saw the astonishment on each other's faces .

The second voice—belonging to Shawn—snorted .

"Hold up the torch and do the same thing as you did before . Search every corner!

"Be careful of the cockroaches from Shadow Shield, or what the others said about the lunatic they let loose from the bottommost floor . "

Once this command was given, multiple footsteps moved away from the stone steps and slowly spread out across the floor .

Thales felt chills in his heart .

"It's Dean . . .

"And Shawn… as well as the remaining Disaster Swords?" he whispered solemnly and softly in the corner .

Quick Rope turned his head around . The awkwardness and discomfort he felt towards Thales had yet to disappear .

"I don't need you to remind me about that . "

The footsteps drew closer . They also sounded more scattered .

The lights from their torches also drew closer .

The rising and falling sounds of people reporting their finds also grew louder .

The two individuals who hid in the corner of the corridor became nervous .

"I remember Dean being held hostage with you," Thales whispered .

Quick Rope shook his head in the dark .

"Dean's very smart, and he was well-prepared . He tried to run the first moment we were attacked," Quick Rope whispered into Thales' ears . He tried to be as quiet as possible .

"He wanted to get me out with him as well, but Stake's people…"

He did not continue to speak .

Soon, the voice of Shawn, the mercenary rose again from the other end of the corridor .

"Hey, Secret Room, I'll repeat myself .

"You know this, right? The Prince of Constellation is ours . That's the condition of our cooperation . "

Thales frowned .

It seemed that although the Disaster Swords no longer had a leader, the group was still at large . They were still the most difficult party to deal with in Black Prison .

And Dean…

Dean's voice rang out too .

"Yes, I know .

"But according to our agreement, I want my revenge as well . "

It sounded like he was gritting his teeth .

"That man . . . Wya Caso . The one who knocked me out . . . " Dean said coldly . "He has to pay the price .

"And I want him alive . "

Quick Rope sighed in a barely-noticeable manner .

"Is that so?"

In the distance, Shawn snorted .

"You're not a really magnanimous person, are you?"

Dean did not answer him . He just continued his search .

Thales took a deep breath but was immediately shocked when he heard the enemies bend down to check the bottom of a stone table .

'Sh*t . '

They did not even spare the corners . Were they certain that their targets were on this floor?

The firelight was getting closer . It shone on the stone pillar that Thales as well as Quick Rope were hiding behind, and the light refracted off the stone pillar .

In the dim light, Quick Rope and Thales saw each other's expressions at the same time .

They saw the same solemness and tenseness along with shock .

"The situation isn't good . "

Thales gritted his teeth when he heard the footsteps get closer . He whispered, "They've made up their minds to search through the entire place here . "

However, there was no need for Thales to give him that reminder . Quick Rope already saw the current situation clearly .

They hid behind the collapsed stone pillar as the footsteps and firelight inched towards them from the distance .

Quick Rope furrowed his eyebrow even more .

His gaze was filled with more and more conflict .

Thales did not notice his companion's expression .

He gritted his teeth and tightened his grip over the sword in his hand . He had just recovered from extreme discomfort and severe pain after losing control . He was far from being in his best state . . .

And they had to face so many people…

'As for my mystic energy, I can try . . . Ah, damn it!'

Thales was pale . He stopped attempting to use his mystic energy under the intense pain .

Quick Rope looked at Thales with a complicated gaze .

"It's impossible for anyone to hide here . We'll be discovered . "

Thales clenched his teeth and looked at the approaching firelight from both sides . The walls were getting brighter and brighter .

Quick Rope did not utter a word . He just pursed his lips and stared at his feet .

"Yes, we'll be discovered . "

He turned his head around and stared at Thales .

"But you won't . "

Thales was stunned .

"What?"

At the next moment, before Thales could react to what was happening, Quick Rope shoved the luggage behind him into Thales' arms .

While Thales was still startled, Quick Rope moved and jumped out from behind the stone pillar . He then madly began to dash forward!

He rushed towards the stone stairs, which led to the upper floor .

*Thud, thud, thud…*

Quick Rope's footsteps were very heavy, and his figure cast a shadow on the wall due to the firelight . This immediately drew the attention of the enemy .

"Over there!"

"After him!"

Footsteps rang out . They were moving towards Quick Rope!

Thales was left alone behind the stone pillar . He hugged the luggage in his arms and stared at Quick Rope's back .

Thales also saw he had stretched out his arm subconsciously .

'He…'

Quick Rope's movements attracted most of the enemies . They were no longer interested in carefully searching through the area . Instead, all of them surrounded the person who rushed up the stone stairs!

'He…'

In a daze, Thales stared at the firelight as it moved farther away from him, and he breathed absentmindedly .

*Schick!*

A loud noise could be heard in the distance!

A mercenary screamed . It seemed like he had been attacked by Quick Rope .

Then, the sound of footsteps came to an end .

The mercenaries either slowed down or stopped once they gathered around the firelight .

They appeared to have surrounded Quick Rope, but he did not run away .

'No . '

Thales closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he rested his forehead on his luggage .

"Wow, wow, wow," Shawn's voice echoed in the air coldly .

"Look who we've found .

"It seems like… we have the young prince's sidekick . "

Thales tightened his grip around the sword in his hand and sighed in pain .

'No . '

"'Yes, we'll be discovered .

"'But you won't . "

'This is what you meant?

'Damn it .

'Quick Rope, Moriah . . .

'You idiot!'

"Where's the prince?" Shawn threatened .

Quick Rope did not answer . He just snorted coldly .

"He's dead .

"He was killed by the lunatic named Zakriel . "

Right then, Thales recalled Quick Rope's angry and agonized expression from earlier .

He also remembered the liveliness and humor Quick Rope showed during their first meeting in the desert…

Those two versions… were polar opposites .

A small commotion broke out among the mercenaries .

"Silence!'

Shawn's voice rang again, but this time, it sounded a little more angry and annoyed .

"Dead?

"You know that if the prince is dead, it means you are useless as well . "

Quick Rope did not answer .

Thales breathed absentmindedly . He wanted to walk out from behind the stone pillar .

However, logic told him that even if he went out, nothing could be done .

'There's no difference in a person facing this disadvantage alone or with another person . '

A set of footsteps crossed the crowd .

"It's over, Quick Rope . "

Dean's steady voice resounded again . There was a faint solemness in his words along with a hint of respect, which could only be heard if one tried really hard to listen to it .

"You can't escape .

"Tell me where the Prince of Constellation is, and you can live… You can live an even better life than before, if you know what I mean .

"You know how to choose . "

Thales shuddered behind the stone pillar .

'Damn!

'No . '

Thales clenched his teeth .

At that moment, he could only sense how powerless he was as he remained behind the stone pillar .

"You ask . . . where the prince is?"

Quick Rope's retort sounded faint . His voice was full of indifference and sternness . The happy and cynical tone he had in the past was gone .

"The prince isn't anywhere in this place . "

Thales was in more agony when he heard those profound words .

"As for living an even better life than before?"

Quick Rope snorted . "Dean, when you get back, do me a favor and tell the old woman something . "

There was a faint drone in the distance coupled with the mercenaries' uproar .

"Stop it, Quick Rope!"

Dean sounded a little panicked and anxious .

"You're digging your own grave!"

Thales suddenly figured out what Quick Rope was doing .

He was restringing his bow .

'No . '

Thales was overwhelmed . He understood something .

"You tell her . . . "

Quick Rope . . . No, Moriah Walton's voice rang again .

It was firm, cold, and unwavering .

"I made my decision six years ago .

"This is the way I want to live . "

At that moment, in his daze, Thales remembered what Quick Rope said to him .

The shackles of power . . .

"'I had to either obey, yield, and let it chain my body as well as my mind tighter and tighter, or abandon it entirely so that I could maintain my true self . "'

'No . '

Thales pensively held the luggage in his hands . His body trembled and his palms were cold .

'That idiot . '

He did not intend to surrender, submit, or fall into the hands of the Secret Room again .

He was already… prepared for his death .  

The sound of someone stringing a bow continued .

"If he still chooses to remain stubborn and refuses to realize how foolish he is…"

Shawn drew his sword with an angry smirk . "Then we might as well grant his wish . "

"No, Shawn! We talked about it—Quick Rope, don't do anything stupid!" Dean tried to mediate the situation .

Despite that, Moriah ignored him . He continued to string his bow wilfully .

The mercenaries had already drawn out their weapons .

Thales clenched his teeth as he panted softly . His heart ached .

"'I get it now .

"'Moriah was long gone, Thales .

"'So that night, I climbed the Black Track laboriously and got out of Dragon Clouds City . There, the man named Moriah was brought back to life for the first time since he was born . "

'He was brought back to life… for the first time…'

*Thwoop . *

A soft sound rang .

Thales snapped back to his senses at the sound of the bow being strung .

"Come on . . . "

Moriah sounded like a lion before it went on its hunt, fierce and awe-inspiring .

"You pieces of trash . "

The breathing of the Disaster Swords grew heavier .

Dean's anxious cries were useless .

Shawn's merciless command sounded cold in Thales' word when those words traveled into his ears while he was in a daze .

"Very well .

"Kill him . "

When he heard all of this behind the stone pillar, Thales' face contorted .

He closed his eyes in anguish .

Chapter end