Chapter 229: The Prisoner's Dilemma
Upon hearing Dai Yao's ultimatum, Dai Weisi's face twisted in anguish. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Dai Yao! You've won; just end it quickly!"
Dai Yao shook his head with a mocking smile. "Naïve! You tormented me back then without a shred of mercy. Why is it that now, when it's my turn, you think you deserve a swift end?" His tone turned cold as he continued, "So, who will it be—will you die, or will she?"
Dai Weisi's expression flickered with indecision. Zhu Zhuyun was not only his fiancée but the love of his life. Yet, if she were to live... what would that mean for him?
Noticing the hesitation in Dai Weisi's gaze, Dai Yao knew he'd struck a nerve. He only needed to stoke the flames a bit more to shatter Dai Weisi's mental defenses completely.
With a wave of his hand, Dai Yao formed a soundproof barrier between Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun, then smirked and said, "Take your time, Dai Weisi. I'm going to give Zhu Zhuyun the same choice: she lives, or you live. If you both choose for you to live, then you live. If you both choose her, she lives. But if you both choose yourselves or each other, then both of you die."
Dai Weisi's face contorted as he grappled with the dilemma. Zhu Zhuyun's life meant everything to him, yet... what about his own survival?
Seeing Dai Weisi's wavering resolve, the crowd began murmuring as they picked up on Dai Yao's true aim: not just Dai Weisi's death, but a complete erosion of his spirit.
Under this setup, unless one of them displayed complete selflessness, they would both die. And even if one survived, they would forever bear the guilt of betraying the other. In the end, surviving would be the real torment.
"Don't worry about answering just yet," Dai Yao said. "I'll ask Zhu Zhuyun first. You think it over."
Turning his back on Dai Weisi, Dai Yao walked over to where Zhu Zhuyun lay on the ground, her once regal demeanor now shattered. "So, feeling humiliated?" he sneered.
Unable to move, Zhu Zhuyun clenched her fists, her breathing ragged, her pride wounded. Dai Yao laughed softly as he continued, "I once felt just like you—helpless, humiliated. The only choice I had was to endure. But now, it's your turn. How does it feel?"
Zhu Zhuyun remained silent, her gaze steely.
Satisfied, Dai Yao explained the choice he had given to Dai Weisi. After a pause, Zhu Zhuyun glared at him, her weak voice laced with anger: "You're despicable. Giving us this choice forces one of us to betray the other."
Dai Yao waved a hand dismissively. "Oh no, Zhu Zhuyun, I'm not forcing you to make any decision. I'm simply telling you the rules. It's entirely up to Dai Weisi whether he chooses you or himself. I'm simply curious—what's your choice?"
Zhu Zhuyun's eyes widened with sudden clarity, her voice trembling. "You... you mean to say that Weisi might choose himself over me? He'd... abandon me?"
Dai Yao only smiled in response.
Gritting her teeth, Zhu Zhuyun finally muttered, "Let Weisi live."
At this, Dai Yao clapped, a smirk on his lips. "Ah, the women of the Zhu family—always so loyal," he said, a cruel smile tugging at his mouth. "I hope Dai Weisi won't disappoint you." With that, he sealed her mouth with spirit energy and removed the soundproof barrier.
Turning to Dai Weisi, Dai Yao said with a slow, mocking clap, "Well, Dai Weisi, Zhu Zhuyun has made her choice. Now, it's your turn."
"What...?" Dai Weisi stammered. "Zhuyun has already chosen?" His mind raced as he glanced over at her silent figure, desperately trying to guess her decision.
Had she chosen him or herself?
If she had chosen herself, he would have to choose her as well, or else they would both die. But if she'd chosen him... then he could choose himself without consequence.
"What should I choose?" he muttered to himself.
Dai Yao watched Dai Weisi's struggle, a cold smile never leaving his face. This was the moment he had planned for—Dai Weisi, the prince who had always lived in luxury, had never faced a choice like this. Only in the grip of such a dilemma would Dai Weisi's true nature be exposed.
"So, have you made your choice?" Dai Yao asked.
Dai Yao urged him again. Dai Weisi clenched his teeth, his face twisted in agony as veins bulged across his forehead, his inner turmoil evident. Finally, after a long silence, he forced out each word through gritted teeth:
"I… choose… myself."
As soon as he spoke those four words, Dai Weisi trembled as if he'd fought a grueling battle. His answer was met with a wave of shock from the audience. Zhu Zhuyun's face filled with disbelief, and even the titled Douluos observing from the Pope's Hall allowed a faint smirk to slip.
With a prince like this, the Star Luo Empire was hardly a threat.
Dai Yao's look of mockery deepened, and he taunted, "Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"
Hearing the muttered discussions around him and seeing Dai Yao's cold smile and Zhu Zhuyun's devastated expression, a horrible thought crept into Dai Weisi's mind.
"Zhuyun… did you choose yourself?" he asked, his voice panicked.
His question only intensified Zhu Zhuyun's expression of despair as tears streamed silently down her face. Even though Dai Yao had sealed her voice with spirit power, the pain and disappointment were clear in her eyes.
Dai Yao burst into laughter, a sound that rang out across the arena as if releasing years of repressed resentment. When he finally stopped, he released Zhu Zhuyun from the spirit seal.
Zhu Zhuyun crumpled to the ground, defeated and lifeless. The disappointment had completely hollowed her out.
Seeing Dai Yao's laughter, Dai Weisi roared angrily, "Dai Yao, what are you playing at?!"
When Dai Yao's laughter subsided, he sneered, "Dai Weisi, do you know something? I was never even going to ask for Zhu Zhuyun's choice. My only aim was to see how you would choose."
Spreading his arms triumphantly, he continued, "And as I expected, you chose to abandon her!"
Dai Weisi froze, his eyes darkening with venomous hatred. "Dai Yao, you're despicable!"
Dai Yao shrugged. "Not nearly as despicable as you and your mother."
The spectators openly jeered at Dai Weisi, clearly having heard Zhu Zhuyun's selfless choice to let him live while he selfishly chose himself. Dai Weisi's reputation was shattered.
Finally, with a face drained of all color, Zhu Zhuyun whispered, "Dai Yao, just kill me."
Zhu Zhuqing, witnessing Zhu Zhuyun's despair, felt a brief flash of sympathy. Although she had suffered at the hands of her elder sisters, she, unlike Zhu Zhuyun, had someone she could rely on for life. Zhu Zhuqing thought of all the moments Dai Yao had stood in front of her, shielding her from danger—from battles with spirit beasts in the Star Dou Forest, to the pursuit of the Fifth Elder, to the arena where Dai Yao broke his silence to protect her from death.
As she reflected, Zhu Zhuqing was filled with a sense of gratitude, knowing that she had entrusted her heart to someone who would always protect her. Zhu Zhuyun, on the other hand, had no such protector.
Hearing Zhu Zhuyun's wish to die, Dai Yao did not respond but instead turned his gaze back to Dai Weisi.
"Dai Weisi, do you know something?" he asked. "After Zhuqing's advice, I'd already decided I wouldn't kill you."
Dai Weisi's eyes widened in surprise. "Then why did you—?"
Realization dawned on him mid-sentence, his face going slack as he pointed a trembling finger at Dai Yao. "You… you…"
Dai Yao laughed again, his gaze cold as he locked eyes with Dai Weisi. "That's right. I was betting that you would choose to abandon Zhu Zhuyun. And you know what? I won."
"Your status as crown prince wasn't because of any merit. It's because you have an empress for a mother, and you were born first—nothing more! On your own merit? You're worthless!"
"If we'd been born in the same year, you wouldn't even be qualified to carry my shoes. No, you don't even measure up to Dai Mubai!"
"In the end, you're just a pathetic prince wrapped up in a crown he doesn't deserve!"
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10