Saving the World in an Apocalypse-Style Text Game-Chapter 1234 - 551: Vermilion Crown Prince, Buddha Shows Saint

[You and the White Elephant Demon easily took care of the guards outside the hall without making any sound, silently sneaking into the Wen Hua Hall.]

[The Wen Hua Hall was brightly lit, with no maids or servants in sight. Only a black-robed middle-aged man was facing away from you, hunched over a desk, holding a booklet in his hands and softly chanting...]

[A state that governs the good with the wicked will surely fall into chaos, but a state that governs the wicked with the good will be well-governed and become strong...]

[When the people are weak, the state is strong; when the people are strong, the state is weak. Therefore, in a state that follows the Way, priority is placed on weakening the people...]

[There was something odd about the man’s recitation, as if he was struggling to restrain something.]

[Soon, the man’s body shuddered, and his reading came to an abrupt halt.]

[You and the White Elephant Demon looked closely and were surprised to see a beautiful woman kneeling under the desk, softly coughing and wiping the corner of her mouth as she emerged from under the desk...]

[You and the White Elephant Demon caught each other’s eye and tacitly hid behind a screen to secretly observe.]

[The woman’s voice reached your ears, "Your Highness, it’s getting late. It should return to the palace."]

[This is the last time, please do not summon it here again in the future, Your Highness.]

[The man put down his book but did not let the woman leave...]

[What’s the rush? Others may not know the Emperor’s hidden agenda, but you, Beautiful Consort, surely understand it?]

[You will stay here for the night, and in the morning you can return to the inner palace. The old undying one won’t care, even pretending not to know.]

[Restrain your speech, Your Highness!] The woman’s expression turned stern. She was about to say something else, but then cried out in surprise as the Vermilion Crown Prince pushed her onto the bed, swiftly tearing away her clothes.]

[A subtle sound filled the air...]

[Breathing heavily, the Crown Prince said, "Tonight, you will stay here, and you shall return to the inner palace early tomorrow."]

[The Beautiful Consort repeatedly shook her head, prompting the Crown Prince to roar with fury, "Now that impostor on the throne in the Taihe Hall is nothing but a puppet. Even if you’re afraid of the Emperor, why fear that fake?]

[The old undying already set sail in the Ironclad Battleship, fleeing overseas to seek the Daoist Immortal Venerable. He took along Lady Shu, Lady Hui, and Lady Chong, a few favored consorts, but he did not take you, Beautiful Consort. Can’t you see where you stand in the Emperor’s heart?]

[Once I remove that impostor puppet, even if the old Emperor returns from his quest, this world will have already become mine.]

[Could that old villain, despite his Great Divine Power, really contend with the entire world on his own?]

[Seeing that the Beautiful Consort still shook her head, refusing to submit, the Vermilion Crown Prince’s anger could not be contained and he continued furiously...]

[The old undying is only granted Great Divine Power because of the Buddha’s protection. Now, as the Emperor flees overseas in search of the Daoist Immortal Venerable, his actions are akin to betraying all Buddhas!]

[Ordinary people and the court officials may be deceived by that impostor, but can the Western Buddhas be blinded?]

[The old undying was merely a steward chosen by the Buddhas to collect human worship. Now that the steward is disobedient, the Buddhas will simply replace him with another.]

[Since the founding of the nation, the position of the Crown Prince has been nominal, with one replacement after another, yet no one can ascend the throne.]

[I have endured and wasted away until this age of no doubts, expecting to end up like previous Crown Princes, too old to take the throne. Yet, to my surprise, Heaven has shown me pity and blessed me with such an excellent opportunity.]

[As long as I dispose of that impostor puppet and dedicate all the world’s worship and prayer power to the Western Buddhas, my ascension to the throne will be just and rightful.]

[I am the second Emperor from the Vermilion lineage!]

[Evil boiled in the Crown Prince’s eyes as his hands gripped the Beautiful Consort’s neck tightly, thrusting violently into the woman beneath him, until her eyes rolled back bloodshot, and he let out a loud yell, exhaustingly collapsing.]

[The Beautiful Consort, coughing and holding her neck, took a while to recover, pushed the man off her, rose, and began to dress.]

[The Beautiful Consort gave the Crown Prince a cold look and said, "Your Highness, it is time for me to return to the palace. This is the last time; please do not summon me here again."]

[The Consort was determined to leave the Wen Hua Hall. Although the Crown Prince took her words lightly, he seemed satisfied and no longer sought to detain her.]

[The Beautiful Consort paused before departing, hesitated, and then spoke softly, "Your Highness, that impostor puppet is not as simple as you think. If you wish to undertake a great endeavor, I advise you to abandon this notion early."]

[The Vermilion Crown Prince was taken aback and immediately responded angrily, "What would a woman like you know? Get out!"]

[With a helpless shake of her head, the Beautiful Consort said, "I have spoken my piece; do not say I did not warn you."]

[After those words, the Beautiful Consort pushed open the door to leave, only to find that all the guards outside had disappeared. Just as she was about to cry out in alarm, she felt a pair of rough hands cover her mouth, and then darkness overtook her, leaving her knowing nothing more.]

[The Vermilion Crown Prince lay on the bed, having lost the desire to continue reading by lamplight, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, his mind filled with the warning given by the Beautiful Consort before she left.]

[The Beautiful Consort had leverage over him. Previously, with the old Emperor in the palace, she dared not act, but now that the old villain has fled overseas to seek immortals, he finally got to taste the Beautiful Consort’s flavor.]

[No wonder the old undying did not take the Beautiful Consort with him to sea; she was like a dead fish in bed. Were it not for the thrill brought about by her noble consort status, he too would not favor her.]

[But... were the Consort’s final words nothing but a lie to rid herself of him, or did they hold substance?]

[If what the Beautiful Consort said was true, would that mean the perfect opportunity he had waited half his life for was slipping away?]

[The Crown Prince hesitated. If the rebellion failed, he would face an irredeemable fate.]