The woman slowly looked up. Chen Rui was surprised to see that there was only one eye left on the dirty and scarred face. The eye glanced at him indifferently, and she didn’t say anything.
Chen Rui noticed that there were already several baskets in front of her, but the food inside wasn’t moved at all. They gave Nalini a meal every 2 days. It seemed that she planned to suicide by starving herself. However, the magic array engraved on the prison bars seemed to have a role in reducing the body’s energy consumption. Otherwise, she would’ve starved to death a lot earlier.
This magic array was crueler than some tortures for a prisoner who wished for death.
“Mrs. Nalini, do you really want to die?”
Nalini saw this imp actually didn’t put down the basket and left, she said coldly, “Don’t call me Mrs.”
Her voice had little strength, but it expressed an obvious contempt.
“Eat a little and drink some water, so we can talk properly.”
“Are you sent by that old bastard specifically? This time he actually sent an imp!” Nalini’s palm seemed to be powerless and she could only support her body up with her elbows. “Don’t waste your effort! I said I will not tell the whereabouts of the ring.”
“You gave the ring to Lennon right?” Chen Rui sighed, “That guy wasn’t worth it.”
“This tone would be more deceptive if it is spoken by a woman who sympathizes with me.” Nalini said disdainfully.
Chen Rui was silent for a moment and asked, “Do you want to leave this place?”
“The price must be telling you the whereabouts of the ring right?” Nalini laughed with a hoarse voice and said, “Such little trick is completely useless. Didn’t I say it the last time? Tell the old bastard that my soul will be cursing him eternally in hell until his dirty old body decays into ashes.”
“There is no price.”
The lighting ring on Chen Rui’s left-hand suddenly shone and made Nalini couldn’t open her eye for a while. When she slowly adapted to the light, she saw the imp in front of her became a human form of mutated Great Demon (from Nalini’s perspective). There was a ring in the palm of the other hand.
The silver ring was engraved with a strange magic inscription and the middle of the ring was inlaid with a purple gem.
Nalini was taken aback and dragged her body forward, looking at the familiar ring through the cell.
“This kind of aura fluctuation… Yes, it’s Purple Flame Heart!” Nalini looked at this “Great Demon” with surprise. “How did you get it!”
“I… am a friend of Lennon.” Chen Rui thought about it and decided to lie for Roman, “He was wanted by Town Leia, so he couldn’t return here. I am here to save you.”
Nalini stared at the Purple Flame Heart and her one eye became even bleaker. She shook her head, but she didn’t speak.
Chen Rui thought she was worried that she couldn’t escape, so he added. “The security here is strict, but tomorrow is Old Kander’s birthday. At that time, I can create chaos and save you along the way.”
Nalini looked at Chen Rui and said, “You don’t have to.”
“Why?” Chen Rui’s brows frowned, “Your injuries can be recovered slowly. Regardless if you want to revenge or start a new life, you need to survive to have hope.”
“Now, I truly believe that you’re a friend of Lennon. Do you know why I became that old bastard’s plaything?”
Chen Rui whispered, “I’ve heard a little.”
“From the moment I was drugged by the man and given to the old bastard, I was already a corpse.” When she was talking about the most painful thing in her heart, Nalini’s tone was surprisingly calm, but Chen Rui heard the hate and despair within.
“My adultery with Lennon…” Nalini said faintly, “… was just for revenge. Perhaps it can be seen as an indulgence before my death.”
“Lennon is lustful on the surface, but there is deep pain in his heart. It’s because of that pain… that I choose to cheat with him. Other than that man and the old bastard, Lennon is my third man. He is actually an unqualified prodigal as he proposed to take me with him when he left. I didn’t agree. I just forced him to take the Purple Flame Heart, and I even threatened him with death. Do you know why?”
Chen Rui shook his head. At that time, the best thing to do was to be a silent listener.
“It was because I know that his heart isn’t with me, so it’s pointless for me to follow him.” Nalini paused and said calmly, “Most importantly, my heart has already died completely.”
“Yet, that old bastard can’t live for a long time either. Although he has reached the level of Demon King, he is always cautious and afraid that someone would assasinate him.” Nalini said coldly, “Yet, he would never have thought that I will poison myself. When he defiled me, he was infected with a slow poison called violet ripple flower. The more he defiles me, the more deadly it gets. This poison is very special. Usually, there are no symptoms at all. When encountering the scent of the dragon’s incense, the poison will manifest and multiply violently in about an hour. The more one tries to suppress, the more the poison spread. The dragon’s incense is very rare and is only used on special occasions, for example, tomorrow’s birthday or when someone comes from the capital…”
“Unless there’s a potion master at his side, he will definitely die.” Nalini laughed self-deprecatingly as she said. “My ambition was to be a pharmacist. Unfortunately, my knowledge is all used on this. I’m truly pathetic…” Chen Rui was silent for a long time. Then, he asked, “What can I help you? Kill Ross?”
“You don’t have to. That man and I have no relationship at all now.” Nalini lowered her head and looked at the shackles, “If you want to help me, break the magic array and shackles. The bones in my limbs have been crushed and one of my eyes was stabbed blind. Even without these, the poison of the violet ripple flower has already permeated into my bone marrow and my internal organs are almost rotten. There is no cure. The funny thing is that when the old bastard interrogated me, he forced me to drink various poisons that curbed the symptoms of the violet ripple flower. This shackle is to restrain my strength while the magic array is to maintain my life. The old bastard can’t bear me dying too fast as he wants to torture me while interrogating for the ring’s whereabouts.”
Chen Rui knew that she really wanted to die and secretly sighed – Roman is also a jerk! He should’ve forcefully taken her way at the beginning!
“Can I ask you a few questions?”
Nalini nodded.
“Lately, Town Leia has a very strict martial law. It seems that a noble from the capital city is coming. I want to know detailed information.”
“I once heard the old bastard inadvertently mentioned that a rare devil pomeg tree was found in the Luray Valley of Town Leia and it was near the moment of fruit ripening. This fruit is very rare and has a special function for a certain big shot in the capital city. The old bastard surely wouldn’t let the opportunity to earn a merit slip away, so he immediately report it to the capital city. The capital city attaches great importance to this, and they send a special envoy to collect it. It is said that the devil pomeg tree is very strange. Once picked, the fruit tree will wither and it will only mature once in a lifetime.”
Chen Rui nodded slightly, then he remained silent for a while before asking, “What is the use of Purple Flame Heart?”
“The ring was actually taken by the old bastard 300 ago from a certain fallen family in the capital city. The ring can enhance the male’s ability. The old bastard is over-indulgent in lust, and he has been impotence in terms of sex. Without this ring, it is impossible for him to defile women.” Nalini looked proud, “However, the secret of Purple Flame Heart is far more than that. It seems to be related to an ancient treasure map, but I’m not very clear about the details. You can keep it or destroy it as long as it doesn’t fall into the hands of the old bastard.”
It seemed that the “infatuation ring” was worthy of its name. Of course, the most important value was that it was an old treasure. However, it was useless for the time being for Chen Rui.
“Don’t worry!” Chen Rui waved his hand and kept Purple Flame Heart. With his hand glowed faintly, he struck horizontally for a few times like lighting, and a door-shape was cut out of the sturdy bars suddenly. Chen Rui walked into the cell and cut off the shackles on her limbs.
“You truly don’t want to leave? My previous promise to save you is still valid.”
Nalini refused again. Her body strength began to gather slowly and her body glowed faintly. Suddenly, it turned into a flame. It was not the demonic fire that enhanced but a true flame with extremely destructive power.
In the dim dungeon, the bright firelight was particularly dazzling. That was the last brilliance of her life and soul.
A burnt smell came from her body. Her body involuntarily twisted because of the pain. Yet, there was no suffering or sadness in her eye. There was only the peace of relief.
Chen Rui felt that he couldn’t do anything; he could only watch it while clenching his fists. Perhaps letting her burn her tainted body could truly free her ashen soul.
“Are there any messages that you want me to bring to Lennon?” Chen Rui couldn’t help but ask.
“If…” Nalini, who was wrapped in flames only said one word but didn’t continue. Chen Rui clearly saw that a tear fell from the human figure within the flame.
From the beginning to the end, Nalini didn’t shed a single tear, even when she mentioned her most miserable experience. Yet, in the end, she still left this drop of tear.
Even the flame couldn’t evaporate this tear.
Chen Rui clenched his fists as he knew that he might not forget this scene for his entire lifetime. Nalini’s suffering had gradually disappeared as the flames extinguished.
The deceased had passed away and the more important ones were the living. Exactly because he had seen the pain and tragedy of others, he should cherish everything he had now. Chen Rui secretly vowed that he’d never let his beloved woman suffer or regret!
He returned to the imp’s look, concealed the cage a little and turned back.
The devil pomeg at the Luray Valley; the birthday of the town’s mayor, Kander; the arrival of guests from the capital city; the Scarlet Guards… these things are connected in series, and the time was very tight. How should I plan?
No matter how he planned, aside from Barnacle, there was still someone who had joined the must-kill list, which was Ross who betrayed Nalini!
It might be a bit redundant, but Chen Rui had decided to do so.
When the one-eyed imp jumped out of the dungeon gate, the two centaurs inexplicably shuddered, as if the imp brought the gloominess and murderous intention out from the dungeon.
On that night, the centaur, Yach of the Scarlet Guards came to the Hammer Tavern again. The centaur who earned free drinks for two consecutive days was very happy. However, at the corner seat, he didn’t see Robin but a cloaked man with an unclear face.
“Are you Yach? Robin asked me to look for you. Come with me.”
Yach thought about it, followed the cloaked man out of the tavern and came to a secluded alley.
The man saw that there wasn’t anyone and took off the cloak on his head. When Yach saw, he was shocked. His vigilancejust now was turned into horror. He immediately bowed.
“It’s Sir Culia!”