Never Saw It Coming

Alexander Hayes took a deep breath. Lord Huainan was truly a cunning old fox, to have set up such a deadly trap.

Knowing Lord Huainan’s level of ruthlessness, Alexander understood that if he really killed these two, all his friends and family would be doomed.

Even if Alexander did everything he could to protect his loved ones, with so many people to watch over and assassins lurking in the shadows, one slip would mean total disaster.

No one has the power to flawlessly protect that many people for a lifetime.

So today, it seems they cannot act.

Alexander exchanged a glance with Jade Hayes. In each other's eyes, they found mutual understanding and restraint.

If Alexander and Jade Hayes killed Lord Huainan and Emperor Leonard the Enlightened, the world would fall into chaos, the nation destroyed and families ruined. The couple had never truly intended to kill them, and now, knowing about Lord Huainan’s assassins, they were even less likely to strike.

Alexander drew in a long breath and fixed his gaze on Lord Huainan, who looked like he had already won. "You twisted the trust between me and Jade Hayes into this trap—your shamelessness is almost a work of art. Honestly, in a world full of faces, the truly shameless reign supreme!"

Emperor Leonard flushed, stung by Alexander’s mockery, while Lord Huainan just burst out laughing. "A man who can’t be ruthless isn’t a man at all. If I weren’t, Howie and I would be corpses on your carpet today."

Alexander sighed. "Since I can’t kill you now, and you can’t kill me, why don’t we sit down and negotiate?"

"Negotiation?" Lord Huainan and Emperor Leonard exchanged glances, watching Alexander Hayes and Jade Hayes gesture for them to take a seat at the end of the long table.

Lord Huainan and Emperor Leonard conferred quietly. Even though they’d set assassins to keep Alexander in check, their lives were still in his hands. If negotiations failed and Alexander decided to kill them, they'd have to plead their case to the King of Hell.

So Lord Huainan and Emperor Leonard sat down at the other end of the negotiation table.

Lord Huainan said, "Prince Alexander is a man who knows how to read the situation. That’s good. To be honest, this Dragon Throne isn’t all it’s cracked up to be—especially when the country’s beset by internal strife and outside threats."

Alexander snorted, raising his hand. Sean Hayes came forward with a scroll and handed it to Alexander.

Alexander unrolled the scroll on the table—it was a map of the Jin Kingdom, marked with a series of circles that formed one large boundary.

"What’s this?" Lord Huainan asked, puzzled, looking at Alexander.

Alexander stared at the map, his gaze icy. "This is the fiefdom I want."

"A fiefdom?!" Lord Huainan and Emperor Leonard were both stunned, exchanging a look.

"That’s right—a fiefdom. I want the Emperor to issue a decree, making me a Feudal Lord. This territory will be my domain." Alexander said coldly.

"This... A Feudal Lord’s territory—the biggest anyone’s ever gotten is maybe two or three cities. But Prince Alexander, you’ve drawn a chunk that’s a quarter of the whole Jin Kingdom! That’s not ambition, that’s a bottomless stomach!" Lord Huainan sucked in a breath. He’d thought Alexander was gunning for the throne, but never imagined he’d pull a bait-and-switch and demand a fiefdom instead.

If such a vast territory were ceded to Alexander, it would be like splitting off a country within a country.

Alexander’s smirk was pure mystery. "Did you really think I’d be thick enough to murder the Emperor and grab the throne right now? That’s just asking to be a dartboard for the whole world! I’ve said it before—I don’t want the throne. I just want a piece of land, to live out my days as a Feudal Lord. Of course, if His Majesty won’t hand it over, I don’t mind rolling the dice, killing the Emperor, and painting a target on my back for all to see."