Absurd!
Absurd!
Absurd!
Extreme emotions brewed in her chest, then in an instant turned into towering fury and resentment. The Sovereign grabbed Mei Meng by the collar with one hand and dragged her forward until they tripped and fell amid the wreckage. With her other hand, she drew the round pipe dagger and pressed its tip against Mei Meng's neck!
Her ragged breaths blew across Mei Meng's face, and her contorted features were reflected in the other woman's eyes. "Mei Jinghe! If you want to preserve your integrity, go do it yourself! As your sovereign, what gives you the right to decide for me? Which of us is the subject here, and which is the puppet? Yes, you're broad-minded, lofty, and high-minded. You regard life and death as fleeting clouds, and value integrity more than life. But don't use me as your sacrificial offering!"
Facing Mei Meng's utterly calm eyes, the Sovereign's loss of control made her seem like a joke, like a ridiculous fool throwing a tantrum!
That realization only made the flames in her heart burn higher.
The round dagger pricked Mei Meng's neck, drawing a tiny spot of crimson.
Neither of them paid the slightest attention to the wound.
The Sovereign poured out all the grievances she had buried in her heart over the years. If she didn't speak them now, she felt the immense pressure would crush her soul until she couldn't breathe. The expectations Mei Meng had imposed on her, all on her own, tore at her from every direction. "Jinghe, what am I to you, really? Your sovereign, your friend, or a stepping stone for you to fulfill your principles—a sacrifice for your martyrdom? Was there even one moment when you truly, sincerely regarded me as your liege? Jinghe, tell me: do you even