Evening.
Wang Chen donned a black robe and mask, altering his appearance. He became Song Yu, a branch minister of the Ordinary Alliance—one of Mingdu's three major underground powers.
For the past two years, he had secretly used this false identity to gather power, recruiting many thugs and criminals to work for him.
His relationship with them was always one-way: Wang Chen knew who they were, but none of them knew his real identity. This was to prevent anyone from tracing things back to him one day.
And that "one day"… had finally arrived.
That afternoon, Wang Chen had investigated and discovered that the doctor treating Xu Tiannan had been silenced. From this, he understood immediately—Xu Tiannan must have suffered a humiliating injury that could not be revealed. Otherwise, why kill the doctor?
Wang Chen's plan was simple: through his criminal network, he would spread a rumor that Crown Prince Xu Tiannan not only lost his legs in the assassination but also lost his "third leg."
Once the rumor spread, he would cut all ties with those criminals, even discarding the Song Yu persona completely.
A cold smile tugged at his lips.
There's an old saying: "Spreading a rumor takes one mouth; clarifying it takes broken legs from running."
Once a rumor is born, quashing it is nearly impossible. Even if proof is offered, people only believe what they want to believe, not the truth.
And Xu Tiannan? He couldn't even clear his own name. If he dared bare himself in public to prove otherwise, his position as Crown Prince would be stripped immediately.
After all, if the heir to the throne turned out to be a eunuch, it would be a worldwide joke. And if such a eunuch ever became emperor, then wouldn't all future princes of the Sun Moon Empire be bastards fathered by outsiders?
With that, Wang Chen's figure vanished into the night.
Meanwhile, at the Crown Prince's Mansion.
As the news of Xu Tiannan's crippling spread through Mingdu, the once bustling palace gates—crowded with carriages, nobles, and officials—now stood deserted.
The officials and aristocrats were no fools. Each one knew the art of self-preservation.
Before, Xu Tiannan had been the Crown Prince. So long as nothing unexpected happened, he would ascend to the throne in due time after the frail Emperor Xu Jing passed. Naturally, it had been wise to offer gifts, flatter him, and show loyalty in advance.
But now… with the Crown Prince maimed, his claim was in doubt. Why would anyone risk currying favor with him?
If he were stripped of the position, anyone too close to him would instantly offend the new heir.
These nobles and officials already lived lives of luxury—good food, fine wine, beauty in their arms. Why gamble? Only the desperate gamble.
Thus, for now, they stood back, observing, waiting to see how the winds of power would shift.
At the gate, the eunuch in charge of receiving visitors sighed at the empty courtyard. His thoughts flashed back to the bustling traffic of the past, the endless stream of officials lining up to fawn over the Crown Prince. The contrast was bitter.
He curled his fingers in a delicate orchid gesture and hissed in his sharp voice:
"You sycophantic nobles and ministers, just you wait! The day His Highness secures his throne, you'll come crawling back like dogs with your gifts!"
Inside the study.
Xu Tiannan sat weakly in a chair. After intensive treatment and the empire's best healing pills, most of his wounds had healed. Only the loss of vital essence would take time to recover.
But his three legs were gone forever. Even with the Sun Moon Empire's advanced soul tool technology, limb regeneration was still far out of reach.
He turned to an old man in a purple robe. "Elder Li, how is the situation in court?"
This was Li Wen, like Wang Yan, a peak-level Contra. A man with no wife, no children, no ties—his entire life was devoted to cultivation. His dream was to ascend to a ninth-rank Soul Engineer.
But talent had trapped him at the Contra level, unable to advance. Thus, he involved himself in the succession struggle, hoping that by rendering great service, he could obtain resources to break through. With nothing to lose, even death was acceptable if it came on the road to power.
Li Wen bowed slightly. "Your Highness, today's court session was unfavorable. Many officials and nobles petitioned His Majesty, saying the Crown Prince must not be a cripple—it would disgrace the empire.
The factions of the Second and Third Princes went further, openly demanding that His Majesty abolish your position and select a new heir."
At the words, select a new Crown Prince, Xu Tiannan's face turned black. Rage filled his chest, fists clenching until his nails bit into flesh.
A new Crown Prince. A new Crown Prince. Very well… very well indeed.
He forced a deep breath, pressing the fury back down. "And what did Father say?"
Li Wen replied, "His Majesty did not agree. He said the title of Crown Prince is too important to be treated lightly."
Xu Tiannan exhaled in relief. Good. Good. At least Father has not yet decided to strip me of my title.
He asked further questions, learning that many nobles and officials who had once flocked to his side had returned to neutrality in recent weeks.
It angered him, but he knew their nature. They were only good for adding flowers to brocade and sharing in easy victories. In hard times, when true support was needed, they always fled faster than anyone else.
After a few more exchanges, Xu Tiannan dismissed Li Wen.
Alone, he sat in silence, fury simmering in his chest. At last, he slammed his palm down, shattering the desk into splinters.
From the exalted Crown Prince, he had fallen to a cripple, robbed of manhood, his title precarious. For most, such blows would have crushed their spirit completely.
But Xu Tiannan's will was iron. Even so maimed, his fighting spirit blazed.
He swore he would kill every last person behind the assassination attempt. He would solidify his claim as Crown Prince, ascend the throne, and rule as Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire.
So what if he had no heirs? He would conquer the entire continent, make his name echo through history, and be immortal for all time.
Perhaps it was the sound of the shattered desk, but a guard rushed in.
"Your Highness! Are you alright?"
Xu Tiannan waved him away. "It's nothing. Leave."
Since the assassination attempt, his vigilance had risen tenfold. Security at the Crown Prince's Mansion had been tightened, and even the smallest disturbance drew an immediate response.
After ordering a new desk, Xu Tiannan summoned Juzi.
From this day forth, he trusted no one but her.
When death had come for him, the Soul Sage woman who had shared his bed abandoned him. The Contra he had bound with great rewards fled without hesitation. Only Juzi, the little maid, had thrown herself into the line of fire for him.