Chapter 378: Accomplice

Where there is positive, there is negative.

Where there is light, there is shadow.

Where there is justice, there is evil.

No matter where one is, no matter in which world, this seems to be a theorem that can never be bypassed.

But there is another question.

How exactly should justice and evil be defined?

Is it to be judged by the universal set of logic?

However, the majority does not necessarily mean correct, and truth may also be held in the hands of the few.

Sometimes, the most evil person, unforgivable in the eyes of some, is a saint who saves the world in the eyes of others.

Among the villains in the eyes of the world, some perform "evil" deeds for the sake of the "justice" in their own hearts; they believe they are the ones who are righteous.

In their eyes, all the misunderstanding from others is merely prejudice born from different stances.

This difference comes from one's stance.

Because the stance is different, the destroyer of the world can be the savior of the world, and vice versa.

And among those evil people, there is a most special type.

They do not care how this world operates, do not care how the world views them, and do not even take their own lives to heart.

Their actions do not have that much profound meaning; there is no game or struggle hidden behind them.

Many times, they will perform those shocking acts for only one reason—it's fun!

Because it is fun, they will press the red button in front of them without hesitation, admiring the world as it falls into a sea of flames.

Because, this is interesting enough.

……

Fun.

After receiving this answer from the mouth of Ren Yidao, Huang Huang fell silent.

She had thought of many possibilities, but had never thought of such an answer.

Fun?

Does he understand what he is saying?

"Sister, looking at your expression, do you think I am joking with you?"

Ren Yidao's voice, filled with joyful laughter, brought Huang Huang back to her senses, and she looked at the demon fox youth swaying his waist from side to side below the palace steps.

"No, oh."

"I am not joking with you."

"I would do that, simply because it is very interesting."

Ren Yidao spread his hands with a smile, shrugged at the silent Demon Emperor, and asked with a smile:

"Demon Emperor sister, don't you think so?"

"Don't you think that the Demon Emperor City at this moment is full of vitality? Is full of hope? Is interesting?"

Ren Yidao walked to the bottom of the steps and stopped, not taking another step up, just looking up slightly at the serious-faced Huang Huang.

"Before I came, this Demon Emperor City was so boring!"

The youth sneered, counting their "crimes" on his fingers:

"At that time, those with ulterior motives dared not act rashly, those who were loyal did not know how to be loyal, and those who were wavering could not make up their minds... It looked like a pool of stagnant water, but in reality, it was a pile of loose sand."

"Really, calling them 'outwardly compliant but inwardly disobedient' is giving them too much credit; they were clearly on the verge of collapse, and a civil war of the Demon Race was imminent."

"If they were allowed to continue like this, the Human Race wouldn't need to attack; the Demon Race would head toward destruction on its own."

"Regarding this point, I think you are also clear about it, right?"

Ren Yidao stood with his hands behind his back, looking up to admire the cold and beautiful woman on the throne, taking in all of her reactions.

Heh heh.

"Right, you don't need to answer this question; you already gave me the answer."

From a long time ago.

"……"

The Demon Emperor was silent.

How could she not be clear about the current situation of the Demon Race?

Huang Huang was clearer than anyone about the current crisis of the Demon Race; although it was peaceful on the surface, behind the scenes, it had truly reached a moment of critical survival.

But what could she do just by knowing?

The current Demon Race is truly a case of pulling one hair and moving the whole body, giving her no chance to sort it out bit by bit.

Ren Yidao spoke, coincidentally picking up the whisper in Huang Huang's heart:

"You want to change this situation, but you don't know how to start."

Yes, the crux is clear, but no method of treatment can be found.

Everyone knows that as long as a pile of legacy code still works, do not move it easily, because you cannot guarantee what will happen after you touch it.

If you mess it up, the whole pile of code will completely collapse.

A total loss!

A cold light flashed in Huang Huang's eyes; she thought of that dangerous idea she had considered hundreds of times.

Therefore, one can only...

"The only thing that can be done now is to destroy in order to build, to completely smash this mess, and then let it be rebuilt after destruction."

"However, why is it that until I came to the Demon Emperor City, this situation showed absolutely no signs of changing?"

"Because..."

Ren Yidao stared quietly at Huang Huang, feeling a sense of incredulity in his heart, yet also a touch of understanding.

"Because you cannot bring yourself to act."

What an interesting matter this is.

"Let me guess... In your eyes, even if these fellows have their own little schemes, even if their internal fighting has reached the point of being irreconcilable, you still hope that one day they will take the initiative to correct themselves."

"You really are a mother who loves to dote on her children, aren't you?"

Ren Yidao looked at the increasingly silent Huang Huang, his eyes widening.

I was just saying that casually, but you're actually taking it seriously!

"They would never imagine that the contemporary Demon Emperor, who in everyone's eyes ignores state affairs, is actually the one who loves the Demon Race the most of all."

The great hall fell into silence.

After finishing his words, Ren Yidao looked quietly at Huang Huang, waiting for her to give a reaction.

But Huang Huang remained silent, her gaze lowered, not knowing what she was thinking.

... Heh.

Since you are unwilling to speak first, then fine.

I will help you.

Ren Yidao made up his mind in his heart, put away the smile on his face, and bowed solemnly:

"However, Demon Emperor, please abandon your illusions and face reality!"

"They will not change."

"The sword has already tasted blood; it is hard to return to the scabbard!"

A dog cannot change its habit of eating excrement; those who have already gained vested interests will not give up the benefits they have already consumed!

"What's more, sister, what you are doing is not just propping up a building on the verge of collapse, but also... atoning for your sins."

In the current situation, the Demon Emperor Huang Huang cannot escape the blame.

Ren Yidao spoke in a relaxed tone, laying the bloody reality out on the table.

"When you let it slide the first time, acquiesced the second time, by the time the third time comes, you won't even need to give a reaction; they will make their own choices."

"So, from the very beginning, whose fault is it?"

It is you.

It is you, Huang Huang, who indulged them, let them slowly grow bold, and let them taste the sweetness.

Admit it!

It was the freedom you gave that went too far!

You!

Are the Pandora who opened the box!

Ren Yidao seemed to have stacked up a lethal rhythm, his offensive becoming more ferocious each time, giving Huang Huang no chance to refute.

"I..."

Just as Huang Huang was about to open her mouth to explain, Ren Yidao directly changed the subject and said:

"However, I also understand your compassionate heart for the Demon Race, and that you are unwilling to send them to the guillotine yourself."

"But don't worry, I happen to have a perfect solution here!"

He pointed at himself, bowed theatrically, and said in a loud voice:

"Since sister is kind and benevolent and unwilling to do it, then it is time for me to take the stage."

"If you are unwilling to risk the infamy of being a sinner, then let me do it; I do not care about my reputation after death."

Ren Yidao reached out toward Huang Huang and smiled:

"Since you need a blade, then let me be the sharp blade in your hand."

Does the person holding the blade have a Heart?

It doesn't matter; it is fine as long as the blade is heartless.

Who killed them?

Not you, but the blade!

Huang Huang gazed at Ren Yidao for a long time and slowly said: "... You don't understand; it is not that I am worried about infamy."

"Whether it is or isn't, what difference does it make?"

Ren Yidao retorted: "Sister, you are the one who doesn't understand; apart from you, no one will care about this truth."

"Besides, even if the world doesn't know, don't I still exist? I know your Heart."

You need a blade, and I can be that blade.

You need a confidant, and I can be the one who understands you best.

The conditions are already so generous, what else are you dissatisfied with?

Could it be that you want me to... hiss.

"True colors."

"... Hm?"

"Uh, I mean, in times of Danger, one sees the true colors of a hero, *cough cough*!"

Ren Yidao forcibly found an excuse for his slip of the tongue and said solemnly: "So, wouldn't letting me step forward be a good thing for you with a hundred benefits and no harm? Oh, it's not entirely without drawbacks."

"This means you have to let me, this unstable factor, swagger around Demon Emperor City."

"But, didn't I already confirm this with you long ago?"

Ren Yidao tilted his head, looking somewhat puzzled, and said with a pointed meaning:

"Was it not you who promised me yourself that everything would be left for me to handle? Is that not so?"

"Didn't I say at the time, 'If something happens then, don't regret it, and by all means don't blame me for not warning you in advance,' didn't I?"

Do not say that you were not warned!

Huhu here did give you a heads-up!

Ren Yidao's smile was somewhat mischievous; he blinked and asked with some uncertainty: "We've barely started, and you're already beginning to feel distressed?"

"Admit it, the current Demon Race is just a tottering tree; the roots have already rotted, rotted to the very core."

"Have you decided to just watch it topple? Or have you decided to try and save it, to cut away the rotten branches and leaves, dig out the decayed roots, and set everything right?"

"Also, you still don't need to answer this question."

Ren Yidao reined in his smile and spoke with exceptional seriousness:

"When you didn't stop me at the first opportunity and let me go find the State Preceptor and He Shou, you were already my partner."

"Or rather... an accomplice."

Yes, Huang Huang was an accomplice, and always had been.

Whether it was for this chaotic Demon Emperor City or for Ren Yidao, who was a demon blade poised to strike at the Demon Race's main artery, she was an accomplice.

Regarding this point, Huang Huang was still clear.

After a long while, she put away her stern expression as a superior, rose from the throne, and walked down the palace steps step by step.

Finally, she stood still in front of Ren Yidao, looked him in the eyes, and asked seriously:

"What do you intend to do?"

She decided to treat this extremely unstable Crown Prince seriously.

Huang Huang was serious.

But... some people did not intend to be serious.

"I don't know!"

Quality answer: I don't know.

Huang Huang:?

"I'll just take it one step at a time." Ren Yidao chuckled, completely disregarding the Demon Emperor's seriousness, still wearing that look of someone out to stir up trouble: "Planning before acting is a good habit, but I prefer facing random challenges."

"But rest assured, once the arrow is loosed, there is no turning back. Even if I stop fanning the flames later, they will continue to proceed according to my pre-conceived plan."

"Sister, there is no need to worry too much. When the time is ripe, you will naturally notice, and at that time, you can strike in one fell swoop and round up all the rebellious subjects, including me."

"Ah, right, right, I almost forgot, please help me pass a message to that Moon Sacrifice."

Ren Yidao turned his head, looked at an empty corner of the great hall, and said:

"If you don't want to see me, that's fine, but you must at least let me see Yaoyue, right? After all, I was the one who brought her back; seeing her once shouldn't be too much to ask, right?"

After finishing, he raised an eyebrow at that side, chuckled, turned his head back, bowed, and then turned and walked out of the hall without any lingering attachment.

"..."

Watching Ren Yidao walk away with such ease, Huang Huang's tightly locked brows finally relaxed; she shook her head helplessly and whispered: "Breaking and then establishing, where is that such a simple matter?"

After speaking, she turned her head to look at the corner Ren Yidao's gaze had swept over earlier and asked softly: "How did you get exposed? When did he discover you?"

The Sacrifice Shuo emerged from the void; the expression under the veil was somewhat complex. Shuo shook her head and said: "From the very beginning, the moment he entered the hall, a resonance was produced between us."

"Resonance?" Huang Huang raised an eyebrow and muttered to herself somewhat strangely: "Resonance between those of the same race? Or could it be that he is your offspring?"

Shuo was not angry, just shook her head firmly and explained: "He is not my offspring, and I have no offspring at all. Furthermore, his bloodline is even purer than mine."

Besides, Shuo hid half a sentence in her heart: "He is the true Demon God's Child of the Heavenly Fox, but where exactly does his bloodline come from? Is it really Bloodline Ancestral Return? Or..."

Shuo shook her head, suppressed the speculation in her heart, and said to Huang Huang:

"Also, there is no need to continue investigating the source of the previous rumors... it was he who instigated it from behind the scenes."

"No matter what method he used, the current situation is certainly manipulated by him alone."

"Moreover, he is right; the Demon Race has indeed reached the point where it must be broken to be established. Since he has a way, let him do it."

"When he needs help, we will provide some appropriate assistance... hmm?"

As they were speaking, both Huang Huang and Shuo turned their heads at the same time to look toward the palace gate.

They saw it.

Ren Yidao stood still before walking out of the Demon Imperial Palace, seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then slapped his own chest with one palm.

"Pfft!"

That palm was extremely forceful; he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, then wiped the corner of his mouth hard with his sleeve, leaving only a small bloodstain on the fabric.

After doing all this, he straightened his back, pushed open the palace gate with an appearance of nothing being amiss, and strode out of the Demon Imperial Palace...

Inside the Demon Imperial Palace, Huang Huang and Shuo stared at each other for a long time.

"We... seem to not need to worry about him anymore."

"Hmm."