Chapter 309

"Pfft." A chill followed by pain ran down her waist. Hua Xin stared in disbelief at the sight of her Return City Aura vanished, replaced by a longsword piercing her waist. Turning her head slowly, she saw a familiar face reflected in her disbelieving eyes. "Why..." "Dong Miao." (Extra Chapter: Hua Xin's Adventure Journey 7) Blood flowed like a gentle stream in summer, slowly trickling down her seemingly indestructible armor. The crimson stains stained the once gleaming armor, a stain that seemed impossible to wash away. Despite its vibrant color, it exuded a chilling silence. "Why..." Hua Xin's lips trembled slightly, her face filled with disbelief as she looked at her former partner and comrade-in-arms. She had clearly planned to defeat all her companions with a single, simple sentence from the Demon King, then disappear to safety using Return City Magic Power facing the Demon King and his Demon General alone. Dong Miao also had the Return City Blessing left by the Archmage, so there was no need to worry too much about him failing. In that case, the hero's responsibility would end there. She could handle everything herself. But why... "There's no why." "Actually, I once thought about being a good person." Dong Miao simply sighed softly, his previous resolve and fighting spirit completely gone, replaced by a ease that Hua Xin had never seen before. Hua Xin remained silent, simply staring at the man before her. She seemed to be trying to discern details of Dong Miao's lie, or perhaps he was joking. Dong Miao wanted to say something, but in the end, he pulled out the longsword that could Easily Cuts Iron Like Mud. Blood immediately flowed slowly from Hua Xin's body, which had been pierced at the waist. There was no scream, no sign of pain, not even a curse. There was only the longsword in her hand that she hadn't lowered, and a complicated look in her eyes as she looked at Dong Miao. But the Hero's Sword only a human hero could wield, did not point at the person who had inexplicably stabbed him in the back. Instead, it fell to the ground. The Magic Staff that Dong Miao had been tightly gripping had lost its outer skin. In the imperceptible gap, a cold glint was hidden. The Magic Staff, which should have been used as a medium for casting magic, had been used to conceal the peerless sharp sword within. And this sword, he had honed for many years before it had the chance to be forged from hardship. Now... it was time for the plum blossoms to bloom after enduring the bitter cold, wasn't it? Dong Miao waved his hand. Then, Mu Feng, who was pretending to be the Demon King in mid-air, and Xiang Guan, who had been blocking the rear of the team, seemed to understand each other perfectly. They didn't speak, but slowly lowered their heads, as if using some kind of magic, and instantly disappeared from the scene. On the vast grassland, only the hero Hua Xin and... Dong Miao remained. "I never thought it was you." "Why did you betray me?" A trace of pain flashed in Hua Xin's eyes. The conflicted look in his eyes seemed to say that even if only the two of them were left to face the encirclement of the demons, Hua Xin would not doubt Dong Miao, but would only doubt whether he was a spy sent by the demons. They were brothers who had risked their lives for each other... but why had it turned out like this? "I had no choice, Brother Hua." "Perhaps this is the choice of fate. The great World Will brought us together and allowed us to spend so much time together." Dong Miao's voice sounded somewhat melancholy, but more so, it was because his conspiracy had succeeded. No one knew how long he had endured for this day, how long he had lay low, or what unacceptable things he had to abandon. No one knew any of it! This time, he was determined to reclaim what he had lost, and to let the world know that the Demon Realm was not to be trifled with, nor was it some alien race that lurked and lurked on the continent... They were the masters of the world!!! Dong Miao couldn't help but recall the many years he had spent escaping death, traversing various races and kingdoms, stealing... no, picking up—all that wealth he had accumulated to the point of being incredibly rich. This wealth wasn't like that of a dragon, simply collected for its glittering appearance; he intended to use it to accomplish a feat powerful enough to overthrow the entire Hachimid Continent. But now... his thoughts, which had changed only in the last year, had given him a new plan. "What have they controlled about you, Dong Miao?" The hero Hua Xin, who had been silent for a long time, spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, startling Dong Miao, who stood opposite her. He didn't quite understand what Hua Xin meant. Wait... what's going on? Isn't the current situation obvious enough? Could it be... she thought she was forced to become a traitor because she was threatened by the Demon King? "I will defeat the Demon King and free you from these shackles." "Whether he kidnapped your friend or threatened your family, I will liberate them and let you live a free and honorable life!" "Dong Miao! Let's join forces!" Although she had a bloody hole in her body from Dong Miao's attack, Hua Xin seemed oblivious to the pain and the culprit who had just attacked her, still looking at Dong Miao with excitement and sincerity. "?" Dong Miao's lips twitched. Seeing his "good brother" of almost two years with such an expression, he, the villain, couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. No, how could he still be so naive even at this point? Is this "hero" even normal? He had already killed her, so why was he acting so righteous, talking about getting rid of the Demon King and freeing her? "Oh no... I really want to laugh, but I can't." Dong Miao's expression was incredibly complex, a barely concealed tension. The feeling of wanting to laugh but not being able to, waiting to utter the key words, was perfectly embodied in him. Hua Xin, however, was still waiting for her good friend and comrade's answer. "Okay..." Dong Miao let out a long sigh, then a slight smile appeared on his face, as if he truly agreed with Hua Xin's words, reforming his ways and rejoining the righteous ranks of the heroes. "I'll tell you the truth." A look of joy flashed in Hua Xin's eyes, as if she could see the Saintess deep in the goblin cave picking up her Bible again, ready to save everyone. "Actually, I am the Demon King." Dong Miao looked at Hua Xin with a bright smile, then playfully stabbed Hua Xin again. "?" "WTF!!" The girl was stunned, then her face flushed red as she angrily cursed at Dong Miao. Side Story: The Adventure of the Brave Hua Xin 8 "Dong Miao, you dog!" "You fucking lied to me for so long?!" "Say it again? Say it again what you just said?!" "If I don't cut off all four of your limbs and turn you into a pig, then..."