Saving the Heartthrob Frenemy

With a burst of energy, the chains that had bound his limbs shattered, setting him free from his captivity. Qie Xieling was evidently confused but relieved at the same time. He couldn’t wait to kiss King Luo several times for gifting him this bracelet. He didn’t know why it rematerialised after being broken but he had no time to think about it.

Stepping off the bed, Qie Xieling’s feet met the cold, unforgiving floor. He curled his toes, feeling a sense of discomfort. He was like a baby stepping on the grass for the first time.

Though a spell had encased the bed, preventing his escape, the power of the bracelet had shattered the imprisonment circle, granting him freedom. A ghostly moan echoed through the air as the barrier disappeared due to the power of the bracelet. But that sound sent shivers down Qie Xieling’s spine. He couldn’t help but recall the horror movie he had watched before. Granted he watched half of it while hiding in Luo Muchen’s embrace and when he asked if he should remove it Qie Xieling would refuse. This thought brought a smile to his face.

The corridors were empty but fear still gripped his heart. He was scared but for Luo Muchen he was willing to press on.

To his surprise, Loviator seemed overly confident in the strength of her barrier. The number of guards or monks he encountered was sparse, giving him hope that his escape might go unnoticed.

Just as he turned the corner he almost bumped into one of these monsteric order monks. Luckily he had dodged in time before he was noticed. His heart was literally beating in his throat. However, as he delved deeper into the palace, the presence of monks became increasingly prevalent, forcing him to hide and evade their watchful eyes. Soon enough he had had enough. Crouching on the ground he asked internally, ’How am I supposed to get past these bald-headed donkeys? You must have something under your sleeve to help me.’

After a while, Prodigy finally answered. A map appeared in front of his eyes with the red dots appearing to be the hostiles in the palace.

Using his past experience gaming he followed the map’s direction which was really good because he had no sense of direction. He rushed through the labyrinthine corridors of the palace avoiding the monks.

Qie Xeiling’s determination burned bright within him, fueled by the knowledge that soon he would have King Luo’s dragon heart scales in his hands.

He rushed through the opulent corridors of the palace, his heart pounding with urgency. He knew getting these dragon heart scales could tilt the scales and make King Luo win this war. He knew he couldn’t afford to waste a single moment. Dodging past servants and courtiers, he manoeuvred his way towards the Queen’s chambers, his determination unwavering.

As he approached the grand double doors, they swung open, revealing a maidservant who had just finished cleaning the room. She did notice him and stepped back in surprise before scurrying away giving him a clear path to his destination. Like most servants in his palace, they were loyal to King Luo and hated Queen Yana. They just wanted to get rid of her so like the others she ignored him.

Qie Xieling was a little surprised but wasted no time and hurried inside. His eyes scanned the room for any sign of the dragon heart scales however, his anticipation quickly turned to astonishment as he realised that the room was not empty.

A group of monsteric order monks stood before him, their presence unexpected and perplexing. Both groups stared at each other in shock, unsure of how to proceed.

Before Qie Xieling could fully comprehend the situation, conflict erupted between the two factions. The monks, armed with their mystical powers, launched attacks against Qie Xieling, who possessed no magic of his own. Yet, to his surprise, the bracelet on his wrist still emitted a protective aura, shielding him from their assaults.

Though Qie Xieling was repeatedly defeated in the skirmish, the bracelet’s magical protection remained steadfast. Dust-covered and coughing, he struggled to regain his footing. As he walked through the cloud of debris, his ankle was suddenly caught nearly causing him to trip.

He tried to move several times but the person’s fingernails dug into his skin refusing to let him go. He finally fell over and found himself engaging in a fierce struggle with the only conscious monk. They were both lacking magical abilities as they rolled on the floor fighting. Qie Xieling unleashed a series of punches, eventually freeing himself from the monk’s grasp.

Determined to complete his mission, Qie Xeiling rose to his feet and resumed his search for the dragon heart scales. After a thorough exploration, he finally discovered them, and a mixture of shock and relief washed over him.

Unable to contain his emotions, he burst into laughter, marvelling at the unexpected turn of events. He couldn’t believe that he had actually managed to get the dragon heart scales. He was in excruciating pain but he was very happy holding on to that treasure box like it was a trophy.

***

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting an eerie glow over the darkened palace walls. Queen Yana, her eyes ablaze with fury, reached the top of the towering fortress overlooking the grounds where her rival, Luo, stood below, his fierce determination etched across his face.

With a regal poise, Queen Yana leaned forward, peering down at Luo with disdain. "What do you want?" she spat, her voice dripping with scorn, as if the mere act of acknowledging him was a burden. She was glancing around looking for the woman her mother was talking about but other than Yunning and Boran there was no one.

King Luo clenched his teeth, his hands trembling with anger and he refused to repeat himself. Queen Yana knew who he wanted but she couldn’t fathom why. He wanted Eling back, the man who had betrayed him.

She smirked, an air of mocking superiority surrounding her. "Eling belongs here, by my side. He is my man after all," she declared in a mocking tone. "Why would I ever give him to you?"

King Luo’s heart twisted with envy and anger as Queen Yana’s words echoed through his mind. She had openly declared that Eling was her man. Those words struck him like a dagger.

King Luo knew that Qie Xieling wasn’t Eling but it bothered him so much. He was afraid that the old Eling would resurface and these two would reconcile.

Jealousy burned through him, creating a turmoil that threatened to consume his every thought. The memories of his and Qie Xieling’s sensual encounter last night warred with Eling’s relationship with Yana.