[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens":3,"chapter-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-169":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Heir to the Kingdom of 1.4 Billion Citizens",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2271044,4434,"Chapter 169: The Assassins Are Ready to Strike","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-169",169,"\u003Cp>In the deep night, the city square blazed with light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, you are the Sage!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When this exclamation reached the crowd, the entire square erupted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sage, thank you for saving my family—please accept my deepest bow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My father was nearly driven mad by Sunset Tea pain, but thanks to your intervention, our whole family will pray to the gods day and night for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Brother Sage, here’s some candy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People surged forward in excitement, their thanks never ceasing—even the child standing in line beside Xia Mingyu handed him a piece of candy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the patrolling guards bowed respectfully from afar toward Xia Mingyu’s position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This had nothing to do with status; it was pure, heartfelt reverence for this young elder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the entrance, the magician checking tickets for the children noticed the scene at the end of the line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his keen eyesight, he clearly saw Yude hiding behind Xia Mingyu, overwhelmed by the excited crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So the one who saved Monkey-Face Alchemist is that Sage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magician pondered, his heterochromatic eyes burning with growing interest—he could hardly wait to meet the man and discover exactly what kind of person he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saint? Good man? Ordinary man? Evil man? Or perhaps… a devil like himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time slipped away second by second, and the long line, amid children’s cheers, finally reached its end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sage, I’ve long heard of your name—please hand me your invitation.” The man dressed as a magician spoke gently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.” Xia Mingyu handed over his invitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, this man with his utterly ordinary face gave Xia Mingyu an uncanny impression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had to describe it, it was as if the man carried an illusionary quality—present before him, yet unreachable, as if existing in another world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu shook his head, shaking off the strange thought—surely he was just exhausted from these past days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re the one from that day…” Yude, standing beside him, exclaimed suddenly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I am Lu En, leader of this circus. Welcome to you both.” The magician smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Xia Mingyu’s puzzled gaze, Yude briefly recounted their meeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was offering Yude a new life about performing for children in the circus?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just imagining that scene made Xia Mingyu feel an urge to smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet for most deformed people, shunned or even hated by society, this truly was already a good life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looking back, my invitation that day was presumptuous—I assumed your past without asking. Forgive my foolish arrogance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magician bowed deeply to Yude, his stunningly beautiful face filled with remorse, his voice sincere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, no—I’m grateful for your invitation, but I’ve vowed to serve the Sage for the rest of my life.” Yude waved his hands frantically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he lowered his head, Xia Mingyu suddenly noticed—the circus leader had heterochromatic eyes!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His left eye was as mesmerizing as violet amethyst; his right eye blazed like molten gold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, recalling what Tamerlan had said in the Starfire Hall, Xia Mingyu tensed, his vigilance rising to its peak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when he remembered the gentle, kind silver-haired girl, his body relaxed instantly, and a faint smile touched his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, he felt he couldn’t judge people through prejudice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A person’s true nature must be judged by personal contact—not by first impressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, even good people could be driven to evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though subtle, this detail was noticed by the magician, still bowing his head in apology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone of his rank, many things didn’t need sight to be perceived—he sensed information through superhuman acuity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magician’s lips curled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please enter, honored guests. May you have an unforgettable night.” He extended his right arm, bowed, and smiled brightly, gesturing them in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the black-haired youth and the alchemist beside him stepped into the brilliantly lit circus tent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind them, Luo Yi and Luo Lan, along with Kallen, hurried to follow and protect the Prince—but the magician raised a hand to stop them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Magician, the one who just entered is my lord, whom I am sworn to protect. May I ask you to allow us to enter as well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kallen spoke politely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, he removed his concealed protective artifact, revealing the emerald-green noble aura atop his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In my circus, only children of pure innocence may enter—besides those I personally invite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magician said calmly, his tone quiet but absolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Kallen frowned slightly—he couldn’t risk leaving the Prince unprotected in such a crowded circus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned his gaze to Luo Yi beside him, hoping the eldest son of Crimson Fox Fortress could sway the magician with his influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to his surprise, Luo Yi—who was usually bold and brash—now stood stiffly before the magician, utterly devoid of the confidence he once showed riding through the city gates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle…” Luo Yi’s lips moved, uttering the word as Luo Lan looked away in discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magician’s face darkened. He turned and swept away, pulling the tent flap shut behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kallen, who had overheard, froze in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uncle?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This heterochromatic leader was none other than Lady Rosa, Lord of the Southern Region’s younger brother!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though inwardly stunned, Kallen stayed silent, respectfully waiting with the two uncles at the circus entrance for the Prince’s return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Target has separated from the three Crescent Knights.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the shadows of the square, assassins—hidden by magical artifacts or innate abilities—reported to their leader.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their communication was unique: they compressed their voices with magic, making them inaudible to others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain, should we storm the circus and strike now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assassin captain hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On one hand, this opportunity was rare—the target had always remained within the castle, making assassination too difficult and costly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other, his superior—the leader of the Faceless Assembly, the great “Shadow of the Throne,” Ramon—had warned him before accepting the mission: do not provoke the circus named after monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait for my order.” In the end, the captain suppressed his killing urge and decided to observe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",992,"2026-06-19T22:18:43.340Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","ddb807b7a069f179251b5806f605991975792a36a61b04a5fb3315a5dea9df2d","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-170","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-168",186,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fheir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-cover.jpg"]