If I Cannot Have It, I Will Destroy It

Although William Wang Jinling persuaded Serena to return to the Capital and didn’t ask anything on the surface, he knew in his heart that if Nolan Dongling hadn’t completely broken Serena’s heart, she would never have acted like this, publicly humiliating the emperor.

If not for the fact that Serena was safe and sound, William would have already given Nolan Dongling a beating.

It didn’t matter if he couldn’t win; as long as he could land a hit on Nolan Dongling, he’d feel better. After all, Nolan Dongling is now Emperor of Eastlyn, and William rarely gets a chance to confront him.

But William was destined for disappointment; Nolan Dongling would never tell him what happened on Destiny Cliff. William didn’t press further, just smiled at Nolan Dongling, indicating he couldn’t help, then decisively turned and left.

Just because he helped persuade Serena to come back doesn’t mean he’s taking Prince Nolan’s side; he simply didn’t want Serena to suffer or be upset.

With William refusing to help, Nolan Dongling couldn’t really force Serena. He could only use the simplest, most direct method: go straight to Feng Manor to find her.

On the very night Serena returned, Prince Nolan paid a visit to Feng Manor. Unfortunately, he didn’t see Serena this time.

The steward of Feng Manor knelt in utmost respect, saying Serena was exhausted from travel and had gone straight to bed. After reporting, he quietly asked Prince Nolan if he should rouse Serena to meet him.

"No need." Even knowing Serena was deliberately avoiding him, Prince Nolan couldn’t say anything. He waved the steward away and sat alone in Feng Manor until midnight, then… walked out slowly, step by step.

The steward escorted Prince Nolan all the way to the gate, his attitude humble and his manner respectful—far beyond anything ever seen before…

Are you kidding? This man isn’t just the Regent Prince anymore—he’s the Emperor of Eastlyn. Sure, when Nolan Dongling was Regent, his power rivaled the emperor’s, but it wasn’t truly legitimate.

Now, when Nolan Dongling visits Feng Manor, it’s the emperor himself coming in person. Yet our mistress actually turned the emperor away at the door—how could we not be anxious, how could we not show utmost respect…

By the time Nolan Dongling left Feng Manor, it was already deep in the night, just a few hours before morning court. He wasn’t sleepy at all, so he headed to the prison and signaled for Prince Damien of Southlyn to be brought out.

Prince Damien had been locked up in Eastlyn’s prison ever since he arrived. Nolan Dongling hadn’t rushed to see him, nor did he immediately ask about the Ghost King’s whereabouts.

Today, Serena returned to the Capital, but Nolan Dongling didn’t get to see her. Frustrated, he took it out on the Ghost King, and now he was here to ask Prince Damien where Ghost Hall was.

Prince Damien was completely ruined—aside from his face, there was nothing left of him that could be shown in public. His flesh was rotting away in chunks, and he reeked of a foul stench.

The jailers dressed Prince Damien in clean clothes and tidied him up, but the stench still seeped out from his body. Nolan Dongling frowned slightly, clearly displeased.

Prince Damien was dragged out like a dead dog, his whole body unable to move—only his eyes and tongue still worked.

The jailers hung Prince Damien on a torture rack and fixed his head in place so he could see Nolan Dongling and speak normally.

"Nolan Dongling…" Prince Damien was calm—he’d long known that Wendy Summers was unreliable. If nothing went wrong, fine; but if trouble arose, she’d definitely betray him.

"Where is Ghost Hall?" Nolan Dongling didn’t have the patience to waste words with Prince Damien—he got straight to the point.

"Heh… you know what I want," Prince Damien said, forcing the words out painfully.

If it weren’t for Divine Doctor Guile and Divine Doctor Redwater keeping him alive, Prince Damien wouldn’t be able to say a single word—even if he wasn’t dead yet.

"Can you even call this living?" Nolan Dongling glanced at Prince Damien with contempt. "The Ghost Doctor’s skills have improved." Compared to Prince Damien, the Taishang Emperor died even more horribly—his corpse was eaten clean by corpse-worms, his whole body crawling with maggots. He died utterly and completely.

"No one… wants to die." The closer he was to death, the less Prince Damien wanted it—he wanted to live, to live better than anyone. But that was just a fantasy now.

"I can give you a quick death." That was Nolan Dongling’s bottom line.

Reid Yale, Prince Jason, Charlotte Chase, even Prince Rowan—Nolan Dongling didn’t mind keeping them locked up. But Prince Damien? Nolan had no interest in keeping him around.

Prince Damien was a wild, venomous snake—no matter how few chances he had, he’d always find a way to strike back.

Letting Prince Damien off once didn’t mean he’d get a second chance.

"I’ll trade Southlyn for my life." Prince Damien knew he couldn’t threaten Nolan Dongling anymore; his only option was to offer enough leverage to make Nolan save him.

"Taking Southlyn is only a matter of time." Nolan Dongling leaned back slightly, smoothing his sleeve and lowering his gaze.

If he could get Southlyn’s military secrets from Prince Damien, all the better. But to let Prince Damien live just for that? Not something Nolan Dongling was willing to do.

"I can help you… get twice the result with half the effort." Nolan Dongling was his last chance, and Prince Damien had to seize it.

"Without you, I’ll still get twice the result with half the effort." Nolan Dongling stood, brushing dust from his sleeve. "I’ll give you one more chance—where is Ghost Hall?"

"You’re… ruthless." Blood trickled from Prince Damien’s mouth—he knew he couldn’t win against Nolan Dongling.

Nolan Dongling understood perfectly—he wanted Ghost Hall destroyed too. Even if Nolan didn’t come looking for him, Prince Damien would have found a way to leak Ghost Hall’s location. Ghost Hall was their common enemy, and Damien couldn’t get revenge himself; he could only use Nolan Dongling’s hand.

"Hmph…" Nolan Dongling sneered. He never thought of himself as ruthless—he only hated that he was too merciful.

After getting Ghost Hall’s location from Prince Damien, Nolan Dongling was still unsatisfied and added, "Give me Southlyn’s secrets, and I’ll let you die peacefully."

"Hahaha…" Prince Damien laughed, ignoring the pain in his tongue. "Of course—the person who understands me best is you."

When he forced Wendy Summers to come to Eastlyn, Prince Damien had already considered the worst outcome. But even the worst was within his expectations. He and Nolan Dongling were just using each other.

"Too bad—we’re enemies." Prince Damien’s voice was ice-cold, sending chills down the spine of anyone who heard it.

Nolan Dongling said nothing, waiting in place for Prince Damien to sell out Southlyn.

Just as Prince Damien said, Nolan Dongling understood him. He knew that, facing certain death, Damien would never let Ghost Hall or Southlyn off the hook.

If he couldn’t have it, he’d destroy it.

Without a trace of resistance, Prince Damien revealed the locations of Southlyn’s granaries, the weaknesses and vices of its military commanders, and even the latest battle plans he’d managed to uncover.

Prince Damien had clearly prepared long ago—he was ready to drag all of Southlyn down with him.

"If I can’t have it, then no one else will." Prince Damien’s face twisted into madness, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth—a chilling, wicked sight…