Chapter 144: The Princess

Beneath the entire Deathrow Paradise, in the underground clock-shaped base, only the twelve SS-class death row inmates’ quarters remained calm; everywhere else erupted into chaos!

“Attention all S-class death row inmates: the slaughter begins! The one who kills the most will claim the vacant twelfth SS-class death row inmate title. The A-class final assessment for all surface death row inmates participating in the Never Look Back trial officially starts now. Those who survive for three days will earn the A-class death row inmate title. Eight instructors, your covert missions commence—those who complete them will receive the S-class title. The final battle of Never Look Back, ‘The Immoral Tale,’ begins now. Enjoy the carnage!”

“What?!”

“Damn it!”

“How is this even a game now?”

“There are a full hundred S-class death row inmates in Deathrow Paradise!”

“We’re done for!”

“Run! They’re coming!!!”

“Pfft… Help…”

“Don’t come near me… ah!!”

“God bless us, they can’t see us, they can’t see us!!”

“Sinking to the bottom of the lake, they can’t see… wait, there’s something at the bottom too—run!”

In an instant, the entire Deathrow Paradise erupted into pandemonium.

——

At the Solitary Bar.

Clink—

The crisp, melodious sound of glasses meeting echoed as two statuesque beauties leaned against the railing, eyes fixed on the high-definition screen above the bar displaying the ongoing match. They drained the blood-red liquid from their cups in one go.

Dongguan looked at the flawless beauty before him—both in demeanor and appearance—and gently set down his glass, teasing, “What’s the matter, princess? This competition happens every year. Why are you paying extra attention this time?”

“That kid, Mu You, his last attack… it carried the aura of a divine oracle…”

“Once you step into S-class, you can wield the SS-class oracle. Compared to you, that kid is but a minor player. Besides, you’ve already been rated SS-class, the highest gifted death row inmate in the Paradise, standing at the pinnacle of the Deathrow Hall. Would you really care about such a kid?”

Dongguan couldn’t help but mock her as the princess seemed lost in thought.

“Why do you say that?”

“You’ve never joked with me like this before,” the princess replied.

Dongguan’s smile faded. “Why the sudden change?”

“Wasn’t it you who gave him the corpse-fragrant snow lotus nectar? Only you can obtain such a thing in the entire Deathrow Paradise. I can use the oracle across boundaries thanks to that corpse-fragrant snow lotus, which once deeply and thoroughly unlocked my gene chain. It’s what allowed me to repeatedly escape danger and survive against all odds.”

The princess’s grip tightened on her glass. The air itself rippled as intense, repressed heat condensed in her palm, melting the glass instantly into a molten puddle.

Dongguan’s eyes narrowed.

“In other words,” the princess said, “you’ve shifted your favor from me to him. Am I right, benefactor?”

“Oh dear, why so serious all of a sudden? That’s not entirely true. I’m just laying out more paths. Which one is taken doesn’t depend solely on me but also on you, him, and possibly others in the future. You have to understand, in this vast Deathrow Paradise, I have to survive too. I raised you, made you who you are. I don’t need your complete loyalty, but don’t cross the line. We’re still friends, aren’t we?”

Dongguan smiled softly and continued.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll reveal your secrets?” The princess smiled back. “Aside from that legend, I’m the highest-gifted SS-class death row inmate. Maybe the Warden will listen to me.”

“Not afraid.” Dongguan replied succinctly, then smiled even brighter. “There’s one thing you’ve always overlooked. You’re currently the most talented in this generation of death row inmates, yes, but Deathrow Paradise still harbors inmates from the previous generation. ‘That legend’ is a previous generation inmate. Warden Mo Han is also from the last generation. Oh, and I forgot to tell you…” Dongguan turned away, his smile growing more reserved, a shadowy gleam flickering in his eyes, “I am too…”

The princess’s smile vanished completely, her figure frozen in place.

Watching Dongguan’s retreating figure, she crushed the now-solid glass in her hand into shards.

“You still treat me like a dog, even after all I’ve done, you remain indifferent… I’m different from you. My trump card is something no one else has ever known.”

The scattered shards instantly turned to ash, vanishing into thin air as if sucked into a vacuum. Even the surrounding air briefly emptied, yet the princess remained calm and composed amid this absolute cold.

“A dog… can still bite to death if it changes masters. I admit I’m a dog, but I have my own meaning. You have me, so why would you keep another dog? Why does betrayal always find me, even when I degrade myself so utterly? Why can’t I earn anyone’s true heart?”

The princess slumped forward in her wheelchair, hands clasped in front of her, falling into silence.

“Hey, little miss, feeling lonely? Need your big brother to keep you company?”

At that moment, a few delinquent-looking death row inmates approached. One boldly patted the princess’s frail shoulder, but in an instant, a piercing scream shattered the silence of Solitary Bar.

The thug’s hand rapidly carbonized, turning to ash. Simultaneously, an unmatched, colorless flame engulfed the entire bar. All death row inmates below S-class were instantly incinerated into nothingness.

The sole survivor was an S-class peak death row inmate with fire attributes. Wrapped in shimmering multicolored flames, he looked despairingly at the princess wheeling herself toward him.

“Hello there,” the princess smiled alluringly.

“You, you… ah!!!” The S-class peak inmate barely opened his mouth when the princess’s smile turned ice-cold. Her murderous intent, combined with unparalleled flames, tore the inmate to shreds in an instant.

“I have the right to speak to you. You do not!”

The princess extended her delicate hand, touching the inmate’s face, then covered her own face with it. When she withdrew, her face perfectly mirrored the fallen inmate’s.

The ‘princess’ rose and summoned the multicolored flames, casually casting them onto the corpse.

“Being killed by yourself is the most loyal way to die. No need to thank me.”

Having spoken, the ‘princess’ glanced at Mu You on the screen, a sweet and dignified smile curving her lips once more.

“How immoral is this ‘Immoral Tale’? Hee hee~”

——

Mu You’s eyes suddenly snapped open.

He had reached the peak of A-class; he could even distinctly feel the barrier of S-class.

“You’re finally awake. Something seems to have happened,” Yantai Mingyue said, exhausted as she lay on the ground while the surrounding azure water curtain dissipated.

“What is it? Another unexpected problem?”

Hearing this, Mu You was instantly filled with a sense of deadly foreboding.

A gust of wind rushed from behind. Mu You swiftly turned and caught it—Wanyan Cang’s severed head!

“My mother, I’ve finally found you all. The SS-class title is mine without question!”