Chapter 80: Mark me

The Emperor exhaled sharply, suppressing the frustration coiling in his chest. Another guard stepped forward, voice cautious. “Your Majesty, what are your orders?”

He tilted his head back, gazing at the sky. A faint glow on the horizon signaled the approach of dawn. Too late. He had chased enough rebels in his lifetime to know—once they disappeared into the shadows, they would not be found unless they wished it.

His hands curled into fists. Hua Ren. His Ivory Warlord. Gone.

And with a man.

The thought sent a wave of something sharp and bitter through him. The anger in his veins simmered into something cold and cruel. He turned to his men, his voice deep and curt.