Chapter 1401: The Red King's Thoughts

The Red King's Thoughts

The underground palace, which had been silent for a long time, was brightly lit once again tonight.

Little scorpions lined up to enter through the doorway, each carrying a delicate dish made of poisonous insects on its tail stinger. However, compared to last time, the quantity this time was much less. Not to mention, countless poisonous insects died from infighting in the Ghost Mockery Abyss every day; this bit of "ingredients" was merely the tip of the iceberg.

The scorpions arrived at the entrance of the dining hall. Bright firelight leaked out from the crack in the door, and even from here, one could hear the sounds of talking and laughing coming from inside.

Several small scorpions exchanged glances:

[It's been a long time since we saw the Great King laugh so happily.]

Upon opening the door and entering, they saw several empty wine cups placed in front of Chen Ling and Ning Ruyu. Their faces bore traces of drunkenness, looking as if they were already well into their cups.

"I'm telling you... this isn't the first or second time Fifth Brother has done something like this... A couple days ago, when Second Sister went to collect the laundry, everyone else's clothes were fine, but Master's theatrical robe happened to have a grimace drawn on it... Do you know what he used to draw it?"

"Used what?"

"Do you know what the funniest part was?"

"What?"

"Master didn't notice at all! He happened to be wearing that theatrical robe when he went down the mountain that day. As a result, everyone on the road laughed when they saw him. No matter how he changed his face, it was useless. It was only after doing a full lap that he realized it as an afterthought and found a mirror to look at himself... Then, he was so angry he laughed at himself too."

"Haha, and then what?"

"And then Fifth Brother got beaten up severely. Master even confiscated the big spoon he used for eating and gave him an earpick instead, making him use that to dig out his food bit by bit every day."

"Hahahahahahaha..."

Chen Ling laughed out loud, a glimmer of tears seemingly forming at the corners of his eyes from laughing. He couldn't help but ask another question, "Isn't Fifth Brother being way too mischievous?"

"He's always been like this, but these past few months, he's played exceptionally many pranks on Master."

"Why?"

"Who knows..." Ning Ruyu took a small sip of Five Poison Wine. "Perhaps, he's also blaming Master for driving you away."

The air suddenly fell into silence.

The smile on Chen Ling's face stiffened somewhat. After a long while, he silently poured a large gulp of wine into his mouth.

"What about you guys... do you blame him too?"

"For us, it's more that we don't understand." Ning Ruyu paused for a moment. "Because in our impression, Master has never been that kind of person... We feel he must have his reasons, it's just that we can't see through the old man's thoughts yet."

Chen Ling gazed into Ning Ruyu's eyes and suddenly chuckled lightly:

"So... he had you come over to act as a lobbyist?"

"The old man didn't say it directly, but I could guess his meaning... Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to Fourth Brother's request at this time, yet only sent me over alone." Ning Ruyu had no intention of hiding his motive, directly stating,

"Little Junior Brother, come back with me. Master probably wants to see you."

"Heh... probably??

"If he wants to see me, why doesn't he come find me himself? If he wants to see me, why doesn't he just tell you directly? Why does he have to use this roundabout method??" The hand Chen Ling used to hold the wine cup gradually tightened.

"Who does he think he is? A chess player sitting high above, or an Emperor whose eyes are full of the country and requires others to guess his thoughts?

"He isn't even willing to say a single sentence directly, and he expects me to obediently go back to see him?"

"Little Junior Brother..." Ning Ruyu opened his mouth but didn't know how to reply, ultimately only able to fall into silence.

After a long while, he let out a long sigh.

"To tell you the truth, let alone you... right now, even the few of us can't understand what the old man wants to do... Recently, he's been spending more and more time in the ancestral shrine, and the opportunities for him to come out and talk to us have become fewer and fewer... It seems like Master has something weighing on his mind."

"He has his affairs, and I have mine." Chen Ling downed the Five Poison Wine in his cup in one gulp.

"First Senior Brother, I'm truly very happy that you came to see me... But, I won't go back with you to see him."

"Alright, I understand."

Ning Ruyu waved his hand and didn't mention the matter anymore. Instead, he similarly raised his wine cup and lightly clinked it against Chen Ling's. "Forget about him, as long as we're happy, that's what matters."

"Mhm."

"This wine of yours truly packs a punch. I can't drink anymore... If I drink anymore, I won't be able to go back later."

"If you can't go back, then don't go back. This royal palace of mine has hundreds and thousands of rooms, there's bound to be a place for you to stay, First Senior Brother," Chen Ling said with a grand wave of his hand.

Ning Ruyu shook his head: "No, Master only gave me 22 hours. I should be heading back soon."

A trace of doubt flashed across Chen Ling's heart.

Not 12 hours, nor 24 hours, but specifically 22 hours... This detail was caught by Chen Ling. He faintly seemed to have guessed something, a thought surging into his mind.

"Alright, then I won't keep you." Chen Ling stood up. "First Senior Brother, after finishing this cup, I'll see you out."

"Haha, alright!"

The two clinked cups once more, drinking down the last mouthful of liquid.

Ning Ruyu had indeed drunk a lot, perhaps even enough to compete with Jiang Xiaohua from before. By the time he left at the end, his steps were even somewhat unsteady...

Chen Ling escorted him all the way to the cliffs of the Ghost Mockery Abyss. Afraid that he would get lost in the Gray World because he had drunk too much, he specifically prepared a centipede to take him to the Ancient Vault of the Drama Path.

Ning Ruyu staggered onto the centipede's back and waved goodbye to Chen Ling:

"Little Junior Brother, I hope we'll meet at the Ancient Vault of the Drama Path next time."

Chen Ling smiled slightly. "Alright... goodbye."

Carrying Ning Ruyu's figure, the centipede crawled up the nearly vertical cliff like an arrow, vanishing from Chen Ling's field of vision in the blink of an eye.

The great crimson theatrical robe stood quietly in place. It was only after Ning Ruyu's figure had completely disappeared that his gaze grew profound once again.

He could feel that Ning Ruyu's visit this time was definitely not as simple as it appeared on the surface...

Was this a signal?

And what did this signal represent... Just what was the Red King plotting?

"22 hours, huh... It should be almost time." Chen Ling roughly calculated the time, and it was about what he expected.

He returned alone to the underground palace. By now, the numerous torches had burnt out, and patches of darkness had once again encroached upon the place, returning it to its main theme of loneliness and deathly silence.

Carrying the remaining Five Poison Wine, Chen Ling lay on the throne and casually turned on the radio beside him...

Voices from the channels of various domains sounded beside his ear. After listening carefully for a while, there was nothing worthy of attention. Chen Ling shook his head.

"Forget it... The survival of the domains, what concern is it of mine?"

After saying that, he directly drank all the Five Poison Wine left in his hand and fell asleep groggily upon the throne.

...