"Why did he do that?" Persephone's heart pounded. "Is he not happy with our family? Did anyone bully him? Why…""Calm down." Seamus held her shoulders. "There are many reasons why people do what they do. Nobody bullied him. Perhaps there are some distorted desires that he can't fulfill.""What do you mean?""I don't know." He shook his head. "But I know that he has done everything since coming here. Including the first day we arrived when we ran into a gang!"She shuddered, feeling a chill crawling on her back.There was a saying: "It's difficult to guard against a thief within one's house."The person who had said that was wise. The one who would harm you would usually lurk around you."Ryan might have clues about Greta," Seamus lowered his voice and beat her to it, "But we can't stay here looking for her! You'll bring many troubles to the Hamertons and Thompsons!""Seamus—""The gangs here have great conflicts. They want to rule, and nobody wants to yield. It's lawless here.
There was a dimly lit office on the other side of the underground arena. It belonged to Fat Jim, who loved the dark.At that moment, he held a cigar while shaking his legs on the table. The vinyl player was broken, but that did not stop him from smiling.The case of cash in front of him was the source of his happiness. He didn't calculate how much money there was, but he knew it was the amount that made him happy. He didn't care who the person trading with him was. All he knew was that it didn't matter if Morpheus died—his profit was endless.-Earlier."Kill Morpheus."That was the first thing the mysterious man said as soon as he came in.Fat Jim was stunned at first, thinking that the man had come to the wrong place. Just when he was about to get his men to chase him out, the man placed the case agilely on the table.The cash in the case made one fall into a daze.Fat Jim frowned. "What's this…" "You're the boss of this underground arena. You call the shots for who lives
Fat Jim stood stunned momentarily, then turned to his trusted subordinate. The guy shrugged, indicating he didn't know what was happening either.Fat Jim then looked at the man again. "What's the meaning of this?""This person is yours." The man chuckled. "You just mentioned that this is a different price?""Um...""I'm giving you this person for free," the man said, looking at Fat Jim. "He's in excellent health. His annual check-ups show all his readings are perfect."The bound person had a cloth stuffed in his mouth, making muffled sounds while glaring resentfully at the man. The man turned and harshly slapped him across the face."There are many useful things in him! Such a good container of organs is right in front of you. Do you still want to name another price?""Well..." Fat Jim grinned, his eyes shining with avarice.Indeed, the captive was sturdy, struggling up from the floor several times, although the man pushed him back down each time. This indicated his good health
Morpheus' gradual recovery unfolded day by day. Capitalizing on the sunny weather, he meticulously cleaned his home, both inside and out.However, in the process, he encountered an array of poignant memories tied to a particular individual—a bunch of dried flowers, a half-eaten box of chocolates, a stack of prescriptions...His heart suddenly clenched with pain.Persephone cherished the streets of Flinge, particularly the unknown little colorful and vibrant flowers blooming by the roadside. She claimed these flowers were never seen in Centrolis. After confirming they were unattended, she secretly plucked a bunch and turned them into dried flowers. Each day, she would beam at the flowers with a bright smile.With a penchant for sweets, especially after he scolded her, she would guilt-trip him with her big teary eyes, prompting him to feel he had been too harsh. Consequently, he would regularly buy her chocolates. There were limited dessert options in Flinge, and this brand of chocol
Fat Jim chuckled, giving Morpheus' shoulder a friendly pat with his chubby hand. "Think about it carefully. Your next opponent is too formidable. You're the brother I value the most. I can't stand by and watch you perish!"Morpheus didn't turn to look at him, only hearing his heavy footsteps gradually receding.Once out of the building, Fat Jim grinned sinisterly.Morpheus wouldn't take the drug, but his opponent would. The opponent taking the banned substance would result in Morpheus' death in the ring. Fat Jim had fulfilled his obligation to warn him.In this underground arena, they signed their lives away. Even if someone was killed, there'd be no justice for the deceased. Lives were worthless there. The only thing of value was money.-After Fat Jim left for some time, Morpheus slowly turned around, gazing at the bottle of drug on the table with disgust. He was about to throw it in the trash when Wynn entered, hurriedly reaching out to stop him."Morpheus, don't act rashly!"
On the day of the match, Morpheus held the banned drug in his hand. After hesitating backstage for a moment, he unscrewed the cap and swallowed it.His throat felt as though it had been sliced open by this tiny pill. He seemed to envision a version of himself, gutted and covered in blood, utterly grotesque.Even on the battlefield, he had never resorted to underhanded methods. He had always been upright. He could fend off others' hidden attacks, but he couldn't bring himself to harm someone with deceit.Today, however, he broke his rule for Persephone for the first time. All his principles and beliefs collapsed when he saw that tiny figure in the crowd.All he knew was that she was watching him from the stands, and he didn't want her to witness him being defeated.He grabbed the nearby bottle of water, gulped it down, slammed the cup to the ground, and stormed into the ring.-Persephone sat somewhat uneasily in the stands. Amidst the uproar, she recalled her first meeting with
Seamus stared at her blankly.Yeah, he had crossed the line first, forgetting that Persephone was a pampered heiress from childhood. Which heiress ever had a good temper?However, during her time in Flinge, he had personally witnessed her change for Morpheus, leaving him feeling quite uneasy.Seamus silently lowered his head, saying nothing.Persephone vented her frustrations at him, releasing pent-up emotions. However, upon reflection, a twinge of guilt crept in as she observed his current state."Alright, get out and wait for me!" she muttered. "You didn't really want to watch the match anyway. Why suffer? Go outside and get some fresh air!"Seamus glanced at her and coldly turned away.As Persephone watched him vanish, a wave of guilt overwhelmed her once more.At that moment, it felt like she had been divided into two parts—one tethered to Centrolis, the Hamertons, and teenage years spent with Seamus. The other was solely devoted to the figure in the boxing ring.She inhal
Persephone's hoarse cries were quickly drowned out in the crowd. No one could hear her voice as protests began to rise. Before the match, they had bet heavily on Morpheus' victory, but this match would leave them penniless."Useless, get up!""You wasted our money!""Give us back our money!"However loud these people shouted, the more pleased Fat Jim seemed. With such high odds, he could make a fortune. Morpheus could still earn him so much money even before dying, making the most of his usefulness.He chuckled, spat out his sunflower seed husk, and instructed his men to find a decent grave for Morpheus. After all, they were like brothers, and a blank tombstone could serve as his own remembrance."Boss, look quickly!"Fat Jim's subordinate's sudden panic surprised him.He followed the direction his subordinate pointed at and saw a slender figure amidst the chaos. Like a determined little rabbit, she desperately climbed toward the ring.Guards were trying to stop her, but she s
"Only Morpheus and Sephy aren't like that. They respect and understand me. Sephy told me once, 'One's appearance doesn't indicate anything. A clean heart is what truly matters!'"Rebecca chuckled dismissively."You're a psychologist, yet you fail to grasp this," Wynn said coldly. "Actually, I pity you. You could have stepped out, yet you insist on dwelling on the trivialities."Morpheus has psychological barriers, a consequence of returning from the battlefield. No one has cured his PTSD except Sephy... It shows that a true psychologist is never just a title."What truly heals everything is love!"-One particular morning a year later, sunlight streamed through sheer cream curtains onto the floor.Persephone was sound asleep when she suddenly felt something pressing down on her... Then, Morpheus' strong arms wrapped around her slender waist. She drowsily opened her eyes to find him sealing her lips with heated kisses.Over the year, his kissing skills had improved, and Persepho
With Morpheus' involvement, the police didn't slack off and quickly found Rebecca.That day, Rebecca was preparing to escape from a small port. The boat she had found was an illegally operating one.As she was about to board, piercing sirens sounded nearby.The boat owner, enraged upon hearing the sirens, grabbed Rebecca by her hair and pushed her into the water.Rebecca screamed for help, but he roared, "I didn't expect you to be sent by the cops!""I'm not..." Rebecca choked on water. "Sir, let's leave now. Your boat is fast. As long as we reach the open sea, no one will catch you!""Dream on!" The boat owner wanted to strangle her. "Do you not understand? These sirens are from the royal guards! Who did you bitch provoke?"Rebecca was dumbfounded. Being a foreigner, she naturally didn't understand the local affairs in the Southeast Aciatic region.The police and royal guards quickly caught up, armed, and surrounded them.Rebecca turned pale and trembled all over, her gaze gr
"You had no choice on the battlefield."Persephone looked at him with her crystal eyes. There was a magical power in them. Even if a devil was tearing him apart, her eyes would always bring him back to light.She smiled and caressed his cheek. "Though you killed your father, you saved the country.""Do you really… think so?"She nodded. "You're not at fault. He was the one who made a mistake. You were just fulfilling your job as a general to protect the country."But I also understand that he's your father who brought you up, after all. You guys must have had happy days before that happened, right?"Morpheus held his head low in silence."You did well as the protector of the country," she said softly. "But as a son, you can secretly pay homage to him."Persephone held his hand. "Reconcile with your father, Morpheus. You'll also reconcile with yourself by doing that, okay?"He was stunned for a long time and felt a lump in his throat.-Morpheus stayed with Persephone in the
"No way!" Christopher smirked, glancing at Morpheus. "To him, you're his only princess! I just got lucky for the princess carry, thanks to you!""Yeah, at least you're self-aware!" Persephone nodded, rubbing her chin."We've known each other for so long! What kind of person do you think I am?" Christopher laughed. "I can be a bit shameless at times, but..."But upon learning that the one she loved was the unbeatable god of war, he willingly stepped back, offering his blessings with a smile."Okay, okay. You two stop crowding around me!" Christopher waved his hand. "Sephy needs more rest, and I'd like to get some more sleep, too! Once we heal, let's go out and have some fun together!""You're still thinking about fun?" Morpheus' deep voice intervened with a wry smile. "With the factory explosion incident, the royal family is furious and will thoroughly investigate it. Many people will probably be coming to talk to you both in the next few days. After all, you two are the most direc
"Let's get out first!""Hey, wait..." Persephone pointed to the other side.In moments of life and death, it wasn't appropriate to laugh, but Morpheus still chuckled. The young Prince Christopher was sprawled on the floor in a very ridiculous pose, and they almost forgot about him!"Don't worry," Morpheus whispered. "I won't let anything happen to him."He had Persephone cling to his back and then carried Christopher.Christopher was a tall fellow, so it took some effort to carry them both to a safe place.Fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars rushed in. Their sirens pierced the sky, startling a flock of birds.The fire was soon extinguished, and Persephone and Christopher received timely treatment. Luckily, their burns weren't too severe, and even more fortunately, their faces were unharmed.When Christopher woke up, he felt bandages wrapped around his head, and his skin had a burning sensation. His heart sank, and he was almost on the verge of tears."Tell me the truth! A
There was fire everywhere. Flames rushed toward Persephone like menacing dragons. Her consciousness grew increasingly blurred, but the searing pain coursing through her body became clearer. She struggled to get up, the agony almost unbearable.Despite several attempts, it was futile...Something was pinning her feet down, and stones kept falling on her. She couldn't even muster a shout.Many images flashed through her mind in that fleeting moment, each frame featuring Morpheus' face…She remembered the times they had spent together in Flinge, how he had initially distanced himself from her, then later had exerted every effort to protect her. She recalled how he would gently ruffle her hair and call her "silly goose"..."Morpheus, I'm afraid I might have to go first..."The fire grew fiercer, explosions resonated continuously, and she could no longer hold on.Christopher, who was nearby, wasn't any better.Amidst the roaring flames, he couldn't see anything clearly, only pulling
"No need, you can go back first." Morpheus glanced at him. "I'll wait here for her a little longer.""Prince Christopher wouldn't do anything to Ms. Hamerton...""Alfred, what are you thinking?" Morpheus couldn't help but chuckle. "I know exactly what Christopher is like, but I just want to wait here for Sephy. Christopher mentioned that she'd specifically designed these fireworks for me. Hah! I'm the useless one. I don't even dare to go inside and take a look.""Sir, don't say that.""If I wait here, will it count as accompanying her in her efforts?"Alfred nodded.Morpheus smiled and sent Alfred back. He continued waiting under the tree.The air in Southeast Aciatic was hot and humid. The shade of the banyan tree offered some relief, but it couldn't completely dispel the oppressive heat.Morpheus took a deep breath, about to move elsewhere, when he glimpsed a suspicious figure swiftly darting through the factory's side gate.The security at the side gate was lax, making it e
Christopher struggled to swallow the bite of the sandwich in his mouth for what seemed like ages. He gazed at Persephone, his mind wandering back…He didn't just know Morpheus. He had been close since childhood to the children of the two prominent military families in Southeast Aciatic.Compared to the Harrises, he preferred visiting the Ortons, especially when he got to spend time with Morpheus. He considered Morpheus a friend, a brother even, having engaged in countless mischief together, much to their parents' dismay.In his memory, Morpheus was someone who smiled a lot, radiating warmth and brightness like the Southeast Aciatic sun when he did.However, from the moment Kaiden betrayed the country, Morpheus never smiled again, gradually growing distant from Christopher as well.It wasn't until that evening at the gates of the palace that Christopher felt like it had been a lifetime."I... I don't know him." Christopher forced a smile. "Where would I have met your boyfriend!"
Morpheus wasn't just an ordinary person!Christopher wholeheartedly accepted his defeat to Morpheus."Then... I'd like to invite you to come over to my place for a while as a friend. That's fine, right?"-A few days later, Persephone finally ran into Christopher, who had been missing in action for days, in the classroom."Hey, you finally showed up!" She dashed over, plopping down in the seat beside him and handing him breakfast. "You haven't eaten, right? Let's eat together!"Usually, Christopher would readily accept, but he waved his hands now. "No, no, no!""What's wrong?" Persephone widened her eyes. "This breakfast isn't poisoned!"Christopher awkwardly smiled. "You have a boyfriend, so maybe... we should keep some distance."Persephone burst into laughter. Then she remarked, "Strange... Morpheus was right!""Uh, what?""My boyfriend!" She chuckled. "He made this breakfast. I asked if he could also make a portion for you, and he said sure, just worried you wouldn't tak