The sun was at its zenith as one could feel his skin burning under its scorching heat. Reflecting its rays, the iron walls of the carriage have long become burning to the touch, since it left the residence of the crown prince early that morning. However, sitting inside and facing his steward, the prince was sweating heavily as his servant came to wipe his forehead every so often. The handkerchief had been washed and cleaned many times, until the water that felt so refreshing at the start had already warmed up due to the rising heat inside the enclosed space of the carriage.

The black curtains were drawn in front of the small openings of the windows, so that it would be impossible to discern what was going on inside, which left the servant no choice other than exhausting his old wrist while fanning the scorching air at the prince's face.

"I'm not delicate to the point I can't even stand this much discomfort."

"Your Highness."

Seeing the warning in his gaze, He Sun stopped speaking and resumed his aloof and silent composure, not at all betraying the storm that is brewing within. He knew this servant for as long as he could recall. He was one of his late mother's people, and he was transferred to his side right after her death. The old man was one of the rare people he could still fully trust as he was aware of his most secretive matters and managing the whole crown prince's estate.

Even though he was already busy with his own work, Steward Qi still insisted on accompanying his master in this short journey to suburbs of the capital, to collect the taxes and let his Highness show his face to the pleb. He ignored the prince's rejection, saying it was his role to take care of his Highness and that he could never let him escape his field of view, it was the late Keen's wish.

Toward this unreasonable request, the prince still chose to yield in the end. As for why he conceded so easily... Being lost in thoughts, he didn't notice the carriage slowing down and coming to a halt until he heard the steward shouting to the coachman, and asking him why did they stop.

"It seems like there is a commotion ahead, sir. Two large carts are blocking the road. We can't advance anymore." The hesitant voice of the coachman reached them from outside, mixed with the angry shouts of some peasants.

"Tell them to move aside. His Highness can't wait." Steward Qi already started feeling impatient, the old man was apparently no longer able to endure traveling in such conditions. He was feeling exhausted and didn't think much about it. However, the prince started having a foreboding feeling.

"They aren't listening, sir-" Before the coachman could finish his phrase, the steward had already drawn the curtain on his side of the carriage to shout outside, and as the prince extended his hand-

WOOSH

A long arrow lodged into his left eye at a thundering speed, and he collapsed back to his seat. He Sun's eyes widened as he could no longer make any sound. The door of the carriage opened widely, and he couldn't react when his hand was grasped firmly and his stiff body was pulled outside.

Once out of the carriage, He Sun felt a slightly cool breeze hitting his face and rousing him from his profound stupor. Lifting his head, he saw thick clouds accumulating in the previously clear sky, effectively blocking the sun rays. The hand locked around his wrist tightened even more, sending painful bursts through his arm. He could finally have a look at the perpetrator. It was apparently a shabby servant boy with a look of distress on his face, "Please, hurry."

Without adding any other word, he threw a large gray cape on the prince's shoulders and quickly dragged him away from the chaos taking place all around. Blood splattered in every direction. He Sun stumbled at some point and nearly felt his wrist being dislocated because of the tremendous force pulling at it.

Groaning slightly, he stared unblinkingly at that slender hand, and started wondering how it could easily manage to exert such great strength. Raising his gaze to carefully take in the appearance of its owner, he couldn't help feeling stunned once more. The youth's body was so petite and slander that he seemed as if swimming in his loose attire. Actually, what's more disturbing was the fact that their builds weren't so far apart. However, strength-wise, they couldn't even compare.

At that moment, a shallow smile appeared on his face as he felt his existence being so laughable. Adding in to the dim light in his eyes and the dried drops of blood on his pale cheeks, his face seemed to have lost all traces of vitality.

He let himself being dragged all the way without expressing any protest. He was already feeling numb all over. Before his eyes, the word had lost all its colors and was then painted in shades of gray. Or was it because the sun rays no longer permeated through the clouds? As his mind was wandering away, he didn't even feel the grip on his wrist loosening and letting go. His feet still kept walking ahead, and eventually came to a halt when he ended up coming face to face against a huge obstacle blocking his way. It was a tall man, fully clad in shining armor.

"Your Highness." These reverent words resounded powerfully in a deep and firm voice, the tone actually lacking in some deference. But it wasn't clear if the prince was even listening at all, since he didn't show any reaction.

He Sun looked, unmoving, at that towering mass of iron slowly bending down while producing a ringing and discordant noise as the metal plaques collided and slid against each other. Shortly after, the man rested in a deep bow as he waited for the other's permission to rise. However, he waited for a long time and didn't hear any command. In actuality, he didn't feel any movement from the crown prince standing before him, even his breathing was so shallow to the point it barely was noticeable. His whole existence seemed to be drifting away, following his already absent mind.

For a fleeting instant, the man with heavily severe features let out an imperceptible sneer, which would normally never occur on his habitually emotionally deficient face. Though nobody noticed this anomaly since he kept his head lowered all along. After calling out once without receiving any response, the surrounding atmosphere felt even more tense, with the soldiers all around not daring to move an inch or make the slightest sound.

He wasn't willing to continue waiting forever, and finally raised his head to openly stare at the face of the dazed prince. He narrowed his eyes and wondered, did he make the wrong choice after all?

At that point, He Sun's mind had already gone blank for a while now, the surrounding voices reaching his ears seemed like a muffled buzzing sound. His face which was already fair and immaculate turned frighteningly pale, nearly reaching a morbid degree. The dried blood stains on his skin considerably contributed to this horrific image. His jaw hang open, his eyes unfocused. Looking at his appearance and bearing, no one would be able to tell he actually belonged to the highest noble rank.

After scrutinizing his delicate features for some time, the man in armor straightened slowly and rose from the ground, resuming his high stance and now looking down on the comparatively tiny prince in front. He no longer repressed the power in his voice, and called out as if yelling a command to his troops.

"Your Highness."

His voice broke down in a mighty and thundering loud noise, easily and clearly reaching tens of meters around. The effect on the person standing no more than 5 feet ahead went as expected. The shudder that ran through He Sun's body could even be seen to the ***** eye. He quickly covered his face with the palm of his left hand and exhaled deeply a few times.

Just as the other man expected him to regain some of his composure, He Sun's trembling hand lowered quietly reveling a pair of moist and breathtakingly attractive eyes. He closed them shortly after, squeezing out two fine dew droplets. As they slid down his cheek, the one on the right side of his face moistened a black stain of dried-up blood, from which emerged a crimson water streak, and resumed its course down his neck.

The striking scene actually managed to shake the sturdy man's mind as an image of He Sun crying tears of blood flashed before his eyes. Trying to repress these emotions, the man felt a needle like pricking pain piercing through his head, that subsided just as fast as it came. He didn't care to spare it any mind, and resumed his speech in a slightly gentler tone:

"I beg your pardon for this affront, Your Highness. This lowly servant didn't mean to scare you."

He waited for a short while and, seeing that He Sun didn't have any desire to respond, the man continued speaking slowly, and enunciated every word clearly, as if afraid the youth wouldn't understand him otherwise.

"Your Highness, please listen to me for a bit, it won't take long. Do you know who is aiming for your life?" His tone turned rather annoyed after seeing He Sun evading his gaze and no longer bothered asking as he thought- Useless, but he still continued impatiently, "In any case, you won't have anything to worry about anymore. Tian Bo will take care of you, you only need to do as he says."

The man quickly concluded and shot a glance towards the boy who brought him here, whose name should be Tian Bo. The latter received his commend and nodded silently as he lifted him arm decisively, which was holding an arrow that looked familiar to He Sun. Falling into a daze for the nth time, he didn't manage to react in time as the boy mercilessly drove the sharp arrow head into his thigh. However, he didn't manage to repress the muffled grunt that escaped his lips.

When He Sun was finally able to move again and hastily advanced towards him, he quickly came to a halt as he saw Tian Bo lifting his hand to stop him as he smiled lightly and said, "I'm fine, Your Highness. We better hurry and go back to the palace, you shouldn't be feeling very well now. I will go looking for the Royal Doctor to examine you, as early as we return. Here, you can lean on me, Your Highness, I will support you back to your residence. We better hurry."

Guiding He Sun's arm to press on his shoulders, the youth started limping forward at an insanely fast speed, considering his now crooked gait. The prince had been once again easily dragged away and left speechless. He even had the absurd impression that Tian Bo would have preferred carrying him all the way back if he was able to do so, instead of dragging him like this. Towards this young lad, He Sun didn't actually know what to think nor how to behave.

His mind finally cleared up after a long while as he turned his head to look back, he locked eyes once again with the already far away iron clad man, whose gaze indistinctly betrayed a faint hesitation, unbeknownst to the man himself. He knew all too clearly there was no longer any room for backing off. Do what must, come what may. He has already made his bid.

As an eerie smile played on his lips, the soldiers surrounding him sucked in a breath. They felt a shudder crawling down their spine, and thought in unison, Chief has definitely been possessed.