Chapter 24

The spies had woken up a while ago, their eyes narrowing with hostility as they glared at Hua Ren, the Ivory Warlord.

But Hua Ren paid them no mind. His focus was elsewhere. Ignoring the burning gazes of his fellow prisoners, he continued to knock on the walls of the dungeon, his ear pressed close to the surface as he listened intently.

He was searching for a hollow space, a weakness in the stone that might offer a way out. His knuckles tapped rhythmically against the wall, the sound resonating in the small, dark chamber. He didn't know why but they hadn't shackled him with iron chains like they did to the spies. Instead, they only tied his hands with a strong rope. The knots were tight and his brows furrowed as he recalled the way that Beta, Blaze smirked smugly when he tied his wrists.

He'd have to give that guy a thorough beating when he gets out for the rope would surely leave marks on his skin. He continued to knock on the walls, listening intently.

The spies, still glaring, couldn’t understand what he was doing or why he was ignoring them. To them, Hua Ren’s calm, focused demeanor was infuriating. They were shackled, imprisoned, and yet he seemed almost indifferent to their state.

But they weren't surprised. After all, they had seen with their own eyes, the Ivory Warlord and the Rebel leader locked in a passionate embrace.

After Hua Ren and Hei Long had departed for the Eternal Grain Valley, no one heard from them for days. The Emperor got worried and sent them out to investigate and they managed to get a lot of information. They heard that the Ivory Warlord colluded with the Rebels and killed all the soldiers they went with, including Hei Long, the Beserker and his Captain, Liara Fang. At first they didn't believe what they heard and decided to investigate further. That was when they saw the Ivory Warlard and the Rebel leader hugging and staring into each other's eyes, full of love.

Everything became clear then. The Ivory Warlord was a traitor!

After knocking around for a while, Hua Ren sighed. It seemed like the dungeon had no weak spots. He turned around and glared at the spies. "Spit it out."

Startled, the spies shifted back, staring at him warily.

Hua Ren felt annoyed. "What? Don't you three have anything to say?" He asked impatiently. "You've been glaring at me since you woke up. Whatever it is, spit it out now. Let's clear this up."

The spies, who were full of courage and anger a while ago, all averted their gazes in fear. For some moment, they had forgotten that the person they were glaring at was the Ivory Warlord, not some mere soldier. He was the First General of the Celestial Kingdom. Someone they couldn't afford to offend.

Hua Ren gazed at their cowardly expressions and sneered. "Spineless."

He turned away and went to the small window high up on the wall. He could not fit but if could just make the window bigger, he was sure he would be able to escape.

One of the spies, a short Beta male with dark hair and thin eyes like slits felt angry at the Ivory Warlord's behaviour. Unable to contain his emotions any longer, he muttered under his breath, "Traitor."

Of course, Hua Ren’s sharp ears caught the word instantly, and a surge of fury shot through him. He could tolerate many things, but being called a traitor was something he could never accept. His loyalty to the Celestial Kingdom and the Emperor was absolute, and the accusation cut deeper than any wound. He turned to the spy, his eyes blazing with anger. "How dare you?"

The spy, despite the fear that flickered in his eyes, held his ground. "How dare I?” he echoed, his words shaky but defiant. “How dare you, Ivory Warlord? We know everything you did. You colluded with the Rebels, lured your own comrades into a trap and killed them all. They were all innocent soldiers who trusted you, who believed in you. How could you do that to them? How could you murder them?"

The spy’s thin lips twisted into a grimace, his voice rising as he poured out his grievances. “You killed them in cold blood, and for what? The Rebel Leader? How long have you been with him? How long have you been deceiving us? Let me tell you, the Emperor will never forgive you for what you’ve done. You’re a traitor, and everyone in the Celestial Kingdom will know by tomorrow morning. Did you think we'd allow ourselves to get captured without sending word to the Emperor? Right now, as we speak, a messanger bird is on it's way to the Emperor. The entire Kingdom will learn about your betrayal you traitor!"

Hua Ren’s skin paled as the spy’s words cut through him like a blade. His heart pounded violently in his chest, and for the first time in his life, his body trembled uncontrollably.

He didn't care about the people of the Kingdom. He didn't even care about his parents hearing such things. He only cared about the Emperor.

His Emperor.

The thought of the Emperor believing the lies filled him with a dread so profound that it nearly suffocated him. His loyalty, his dedication—his love—everything, would go to waste. The idea that the Emperor might see him as a traitor, that he might despise him, was too much to bear. He would no longer be able to stay by the Emperor's side, quietly watching him, loving him.

His mind spun, the world around him blurring as tears filled his eyes.

'No.' He thought. 'This can’t be happening. The Emperor mustn’t believe this.' He had to do something.

Hua Ren stumbled backward, his breath coming in shallow, panicked gasps. He had to stop the bird. He had to stop the message from reaching the Emperor before it was too late. If the Emperor gets the message, he would never be able to clear his name.

He turned and rushed to the door of the dungeon, his hands slamming against the cold metal. “Hey! Let me out!” he shouted, his voice cracking with desperation. “I need to speak to your leader!”

But the guards outside paid him no mind. His shouts were met with silence, the heavy door absorbing the sound of his fists as he pounded on it, over and over.

“Please!” he cried out, his voice growing hoarse. “Let me out! You don’t understand! It's urgent! Let me meet your leader!”

The spies, still chained to the wall, watched Hua Ren’s frantic display with smug satisfaction. To them, his desperation was a clear sign of guilt, and they snickered amongst themselves.

“It’s too late, Ivory Warlord,” one of them sneered. “The Emperor must have already gotten our message. You cannot save yourself any longer.”

"And by the looks of it, the Rebel leader doesn't care about you either." The Beta with the thin eyes said. "He wouldn't lock you up with us if he did. You are a dead man, Hua Ren."