Chapter 902: Chen Ling's Deal

Li Fu stood frozen.

Chen Ling didn't delve deeper into the topic, but calmly asked, "Do you want to change everything yourself?"

"What?"

"To change the ending of the story." Chen Ling glanced at the imperial throne behind him and said indifferently, "Right now, you're a worthless man, abandoned by everyone, incapable of bearing the Mandate of Heaven... I know what you're thinking: entrusting your sister to someone else and finding a quiet place to wait for death. But do you really think it will be that simple? Although Wu Qiong also has potential, only one person can ultimately become emperor. Compared to Zhu Chong, her chances of winning are not great. So, even if you want to entrust your sister to her, she might still end up in Zhu Chong's hands after all is said and done."

Hearing this, Li Fu's body trembled slightly, and his face instantly turned extremely grim. Chen Ling was speaking the truth. Zhu Chong currently commanded the most forces and possessed the strongest combat power. If it came down to a fight for the sole imperial throne, Wu Qiong would likely be no match... Li Fu had also realized this; no matter who he pleaded with or knelt before, he might still not be able to avoid Zhu Chong in the end.

What would happen if Ah Qian fell into Zhu Chong's hands? At best, Zhu Chong would use Ah Qian to force him out for revenge and beat him to death. At worst, after he was killed, Ah Qian might even become Zhu Chong's plaything.

"You can't bear the Mandate of Heaven, you're powerless, and even if you know how everything will unfold, you can't change anything..." Chen Ling said slowly. "As I just said, this story is destined to be a tragedy."

Li Fu clenched his fists tightly, his chest heaving violently. He abruptly turned his head to look into Chen Ling's eyes. "You said... I could change everything?"

"Of course."

Chen Ling's lips curled slightly, like a seductive demon, as he whispered, "Changing the ending is simple: you just need to kill Zhu Chong."

"I can't bear the Mandate of Heaven, I have no power. How can I kill him?"

"You need power; I can lend it to you."

"...You?" Li Fu frowned, looking into Chen Ling's eyes, unable to fathom what he was thinking.

"You don't need that Mandate of Heaven; I have a thousand ways to let you kill him with your own hands, in plain sight... At the same time, I can personally escort your sister and ensure her safe departure from this ancient tomb."

After he finished speaking, the great hall fell into a dead silence.

Li Fu sat on the steps, staring blankly at the man in the crimson opera robe before him. In his eyes, this place seemed to be hell already... and Chen Ling, the red-robed demon tempting him to sell his soul. Li Fu's gaze shifted from initial suspicion to struggle, and finally to numbness...

He was silent for a long time before speaking without a ripple of emotion: "What do I need to give in return?"

"Your life."

As expected... Li Fu seemed to have anticipated Chen Ling's answer.

"However, I don't need you to die immediately. You can personally kill Zhu Chong, witness your sister leave this ancient tomb, and even enjoy a few more months or even years of life..." Chen Ling said with a smile. "But one day in the future, when the time comes, I will require you to end your own life with your own hands."

Li Fu couldn't understand Chen Ling's demand. He frowned, finding it incredibly strange: "When the time comes? When is that?"

"You'll know when it happens."

"Aren't you afraid I won't honor it then? Or are you going to sign some kind of soul-selling contract with me?"

"I want you to swear on your integrity, your soul... and your sister's life."

Li Fu's pupils contracted slightly.

Li Fu hesitated. He knew the Actor Emperor had wanted to kill him from the very beginning, but when that murderous intent transformed into a strange transaction, it suffocated Li Fu even more... More terrifying than death itself was a deferred death, coupled with unknown dread.

Chen Ling's gaze seemed to penetrate Li Fu's thoughts. He pulled a boning knife from his sleeve. His eyes, full of "pity" and "helplessness," were reflected on the blade, cold as frost and snow. "Of course, you can choose to refuse. After all, if I wanted to, I could kill you right now."

"I want to help you this once simply because we are the same kind of people... Even if everything is destined to end in tragedy, I still hope the middle part of the story can be thrilling and moving... Constant suffering would only turn the story into a pile of negative garbage."

Chen Ling seemed to be losing patience. He slowly stood up from the steps, holding the boning knife in his hand, his gaze indifferently fixed on Li Fu's neck...

Finally, after a struggle, Li Fu spoke: "Can you... truly give me the power to change everything?"

The fish had taken the bait.

Chen Ling's lips curved slightly, then quickly settled back into a neutral expression. He casually removed a ring from his finger and tossed it onto the steps of the great hall as if it were trash, where it landed with a crisp clinking sound.

"This is a ritual artifact. It has no name, but even an ordinary person can use it... Just let it devour some flesh, then turn it towards the person you want to kill and utter 'Róu.' Everything will be over."

The ring rolled in a circle until it reached Li Fu, bumped against the tip of his shoe, and then lay still on the ground, swaying slightly. Li Fu's eyes reflected the ring, as if he were glimpsing his own tragic end.

Chen Ling's voice sounded at the opportune moment: "Will you abandon yourself and wait for death, or will you change everything with your own hands... You choose."

Li Fu seemed to have found his answer. He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled... Ultimately, he was destined to die anyway. Rather than perishing in this ancient tomb and taking Ah Qian with him, he might as well gamble everything and leave behind a tumultuous and magnificent past for himself.

He bent down, picked up the ring, and calmly slid it onto his middle finger, like a warrior facing death, drawing a final blade from amidst the blood. "I accept."

Li Fu stood in the golden sunset, looking into Chen Ling's eyes. "...When that day comes, I will return my life to you."