Lin Kong gazed at Zhu Zhuqing's face, which was etched with icy indifference. Her features were exquisitely sculpted like jade, yet her expression was one of utter complacency, as if "failure means certain death." He couldn't help but sigh helplessly, a barely perceptible hint of heartache in his voice.
"You weren't... raised with only the ironclad rule that 'losers must die,' were you? Did you never consider that other possibilities exist in this world?"
"No, isn't that right?" Zhu Zhuqing suddenly looked up, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes. It was a fear that went deep into her bones and a discipline etched into her soul that had prevented her from ever questioning the absoluteness of this rule in all her years.
She even clenched her fists unconsciously, her fingertips turning white, as if the abyss of "failure" would swallow her up if she relaxed even slightly.
Lin Kong lost his temper, his tone tinged with disappointment. "Just because of these absurd-sounding 'rules,' you're going to discard and arbitrarily eliminate those exceptionally talented young Soul Master in the family like expendable commodities? Don't you think that's ridiculously absurd? Even if the Star Luo Imperial Family values strength and competition, would they be so foolish as to sever their own foundation and destroy the family's future hopes with their own hands?"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes grew increasingly confused. Her usually clear and sharp eyes were now veiled in mist. Since she could remember, she had been surrounded by the admonition that only the fittest survive and the losers would perish. The stern rebukes of her family elders, the cautious discussions of her servants, and even the heavy tone in Dai Mubai when he mentioned this matter, all reinforced her understanding.
No one, never before had anyone guided her to think from another perspective. She murmured, her voice barely audible, "What... what's the problem? Hasn't it always been this way?"
Lin Kong shook his head helplessly, looking at the girl in front of him who was trapped by a singular and biased fear-based education, and could only let out a long sigh.
Well, this is yet another "beautiful idiot" who has been disciplined to the point of losing her ability to think independently.
Often, those seemingly insurmountable and terrifying rules are simply because those within them are deprived of the right and courage to consider other possibilities.
He hesitated for a moment, then decided to take a more direct approach. He looked intently at Zhu Zhuqing and asked, word by word, " Zhu Zhuqing, I'm asking you... you haven't actually ever looked at or learned about the specific rules and regulations regarding the succession to the throne in the Star Luo Imperial Family, have you? You just heard others say it and believed it without reservation, didn't you?"
Zhu Zhuqing was taken aback by this sudden question and froze on the spot.
She instinctively wanted to refute, but after racking her brains, she found that apart from the recurring phrase "losers die," which haunted her like a nightmare, she had absolutely no idea about the specific rules, the competition process, or even whether there were any exceptions.
All her knowledge came from snippets of conversation from others and an amplified sense of "fate."
Seeing her suddenly lost in thought, her eyes vacant, Lin Kong could hardly bear to look at her. He raised his hand to cover his face, his shoulders trembling slightly, unsure whether to be angry or amused.
Two blushes rose on Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks, but this time it wasn't from anger or excitement, but from genuine embarrassment. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes trembling like startled butterfly wings. She belatedly realized that she might... have really made an extremely low-level, even ridiculous, mistake regarding some crucial information that concerned her life.
Lin Kong lowered his hand, his gaze fixed intently on her, his tone solemn, each word clear as if etched into stone. "Listen, the so-called 'losers die' has a prerequisite—it's 'actively participating in the competition and then losing' that 'high probability' of facing such a tragic end. But what if you don't choose to step into this bloody game from the beginning? What if you voluntarily give up your right to compete and completely stay out of it?"
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly raised her head, a glimmer of light flashing in her misty eyes. She blinked, her long eyelashes trembling, as if something indestructible was quietly cracking open in her heart, letting in a sliver of light.
Lin Kong pressed his advantage, giving a simple and straightforward example. "Think about it carefully. Your older sister, Zhu Zhuyun, is quite a bit older than you; she's twenty now, right? If a little girl suddenly appeared in your family, would your sister have to strangle her to prevent future problems just because she theoretically has the qualifications to compete? Is that even possible? That's utter nonsense, pure rubbish!"
This absurd yet incisive rhetorical question was like a heavy hammer, slamming into the invisible wall in Zhu Zhuqing's heart. That wall, built of fear, discipline, and a sense of destiny, cracked and collapsed with a crash.
"So..." Her voice trembled with disbelief, the last syllable shaking uncontrollably, her eyes welling up with tears, "So... I've been... deceived all this time? Deceived by this unfounded fear for so many years?"
A tremendous sense of absurdity, anger at being fooled, excitement at suddenly seeing a way out, and the grievances and resentment that had been building up for more than a decade—all these emotions surged out like a flood bursting its banks, impacting her entire being.
She involuntarily hugged herself, her thin shoulders trembling slightly, as if a heavy burden had been suddenly lifted from her shoulders, or as if she had been overwhelmed by this sudden realization, leaving her dizzy and disoriented.
Seeing her struggling to hold back her emotions, on the verge of tears, Lin Kong felt a gentle touch on his heart and softened his voice even more. "If you want to cry, just cry. No one will laugh at you."
Zhu Zhuqing raised her head, and her usually clear and stubborn eyes were now filled with complex emotions. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
She looked at Lin Kong, nodded forcefully, her voice choked with emotion, yet filled with an unprecedented sense of relief. "Yes!"
As soon as the words were spoken, all the pretense of strength crumbled completely.
Lin Kong softened. He took a step forward, turned slightly to the side, patted his shoulder, and said in a voice so gentle it could melt your heart, "Okay, come closer and cry. No one will see."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't hesitate any longer, nor did she try to be strong. She gently pressed her slightly cool forehead against Lin Kong's warm shoulder. The fear, grievances, loneliness that had accumulated over the years, and the overwhelming sense of relief that surged up at this moment, finally turned into hot tears, which silently slid down and soaked the collar of his clothes.