Nathan Ye had no idea.
Overnight, his safety had been ensured to an unprecedented degree.
If he had known, he might not have been able to keep his spirits so high. Indeed, at this very moment, Nathan was smiling.
Reclining on his chair, he grinned brightly.
Because he was finally poisoned.
Death was counting down.
In three days, he would breathe his last.
Death, so feared by others, was liberation for him.
"When I die, I'll repay you all."
Nathan was a man who believed in gratitude.
Anyone who had ever tried to kill him was his benefactor.
When I become the Heavenly Emperor, I'll make sure to reward every one of you!
The first day passed.
On the second day, Nathan's smile wasn't as bright as the first.
He massaged his chest.
"Heartbeat, normal."
He hopped up and down a few times.
"Legs, still working."
He glanced in the mirror.
"Complexion, rosy."
Everything about him seemed normal.
But the better he looked, the more uneasy he felt.
Do I even look poisoned?
Doubt began to creep into his mind.
Could this be another twist?
"Impossible!" Nathan shook his head.
Clara Xiao's secret was out, and this was serious. There was no way they'd let him walk away alive.
If he were in her shoes as a spy from Raksha, he would certainly kill anyone who found out.
There was no room for doubt.
"I'm overthinking. The poison is definitely in my system. It's just one of those unique kinds that remains dormant until it's ready to strike, and when it does, it'll kill instantly!"
Taking a deep breath, he convinced himself that he was indeed poisoned.
This was a world with powerful forces, and making such a poison wouldn't be difficult.
Nathan lay back down, avoiding any contact with the outside world. If he ventured out, some skilled healer might just come along and cure him.
After so many failed attempts, Nathan was now paranoid. The closer he got to his supposed death, the more he believed that avoiding complications was best.
The second day passed as well.
By the third morning, after a sleepless night, Nathan's eyes were bloodshot.
"It's already the third day. Why am I still alive?"
He looked at himself but saw no signs of poisoning.
No... This can't be...
Swallowing hard, Nathan's confidence began to waver.
Could this really go wrong?
His nerves were starting to fray. He paced his room repeatedly until finally mumbling to himself, "It must be that the poison hasn't had enough time to activate. There's no reason Clara Xiao would lie to me... If I don't die, she's the one who's finished!"
Yes, it had to be a matter of time.
The poison had a full three-day activation period. It must need all seventy-two hours to work, not a minute less!
Clinging to his last hope, Nathan hunkered down in his room, waiting.
His servant, Old Huang, knocked several times, trying to deliver breakfast, lunch, and then dinner.
But Nathan didn't respond.
Finally, late into the night, Old Huang brought him supper.
His eyes were filled with concern.
"What do I do? The young master hasn't eaten all day!"
This was an urgent matter for Old Huang. A starving master was a cause for immediate concern.
He knocked gently, intending to coax Nathan to eat.
But before he could say a word, Nathan suddenly appeared in the doorway.
Without a word, he grabbed a steamed bun and swallowed it in a few bites.
Then he took the bowl of porridge and gulped it down.
"Absolutely infuriating!"
Having filled his stomach, Nathan had enough energy to unleash his frustration.
With an angry scowl, he stormed out the front door.
Old Huang stood there, stunned.
What on earth was going on?
Out on the street, Nathan fumed.
If he didn't realize he'd been deceived by now, then he was truly beyond hope.
She actually tricked me!
"I trusted you! And you deceived me, heartless woman!"
Nathan's fury knew no bounds.
In the last three days, he'd made careful plans for his death.
First, he would ascend as Heavenly Emperor, perform a grand display, and impress the world.
Then, he'd return to this life and express his gratitude to everyone who had tried to kill him.
But what happened?
What happened indeed!
You toyed with my emotions!
Nathan stormed into the Spring Breeze Pavilion.
He was here to cause trouble.
No one dared stand in his way.
"Nathan is here!"
The courtesans blushed at his arrival.
"Master Ye."
"Good evening, Master Ye!"
Passersby greeted him with friendly smiles.
But Nathan wasn't in the mood.
Thundering up the stairs, he marched straight toward Clara Xiao's room.
For anyone else, barging in like this would be out of line.
But Nathan was an exception.
Clara had specifically instructed that he was to be granted access whenever he sought her out.
And so he walked in unimpeded.
Flinging the door open, he stormed in with a fierce expression.
"You owe me an explanation!"
He demanded, his voice full of indignation.
Watching Nathan's intense expression, Clara Xiao held back a chuckle, adopting a look of gratitude instead.
"Master Ye, your words the other day truly touched me."
Nathan's anger faltered.
"What did I even say?"
He barely remembered his impassioned speech from that day.
"Master Ye said, 'The base use treachery as their pass, while the noble wear honor as their epitaph.'"
"Master Ye said that although I've taken refuge with Raksha, I cannot deny the Da Zhou blood that flows within me..."
"Master Ye said..."
Clara repeated every word he'd spoken.
Three days had passed, but each phrase was etched deeply in her heart. Each time she recalled them, her spirit was stirred once more.
"I said all that?"
Nathan was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained his scowl.
"Even if I said those things, so what?"
Clara took a deep breath.
"Listening to your words was worth a decade of study. That day, your teachings awakened me."
"You... were enlightened?"
"Yes. I came to a profound realization, a commitment to be a better person. You, Master Ye, rekindled my conscience!"
"So?"
"So, I turned myself in, cooperated with the authorities to dismantle all of Raksha's spy networks. When His Majesty learned of this, he forgave my past misdeeds in light of my repentance."
Nathan took a few unsteady steps back.
He was at a loss.
You've had an epiphany?
You're just lying to yourself!
As a spy, where's your loyalty? Where's your principle? You were so easily swayed—don't you feel any guilt for Raksha and all the training they invested in you?
"Then... then what about the poisoned wine?"
Clinging to his last shred of hope, Nathan's voice trembled as he asked.
"There was no poison, just a harmless jest."
A jest!?
It felt like lightning had struck Nathan.
Heartless woman, please act like a decent person!
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]