Returning to the Time of the Tyrant's Seizure - Chapter 2

As the end draws near, could Qin Li actually have had a heart?

The sudden turn of events stunned the armored guards nearby. They froze for a moment before swarming forward in a chaotic rush. They struggled to pull Qin Li away—this fierce tiger who, even with his teeth pulled, remained terrifying—and forced him violently to the ground.

Qin Li had faced a tragic fate since childhood, but he had never knelt to anyone in his entire life. Even now, at the end of his road, he refused to bow his head and beg for mercy. Supporting his battered and bruised body on one knee, his gaze pierced through Li Xuehong like a sharp blade before sweeping past him to land on Xie Linchuan.

He strained to keep his head high, the veins in his neck bulging, desperate to maintain that last shred of pathetic dignity in front of the other man. Qin Li’s eyes were bloodshot. His dark, pitch-black pupils stared straight at Xie Linchuan, stubbornly refusing to blink as his breathing grew heavy and labored.

It was difficult to describe his gaze in words; it was more tangled than resentment, more turbulent than passion, thicker than sorrow, and more desolate than silence. The moment their eyes met, Xie Linchuan instinctively looked away as if he had been burned.

But why should he be the one to look away? Was this not the retribution Qin Li deserved for his tyranny and debauchery? With a darkened expression, Xie Linchuan met his gaze once more.

In that instant of eye contact, the filth of those nights, where they had torn at and tortured each other like wild beasts, swept back like a tidal wave. One refused to yield; the other refused to let go. In the end, they were like two hedgehogs tied together. The more they struggled, the more they left each other bloodied and bruised.

Xie Linchuan had imagined countless scenarios of seeking revenge on Qin Li, but now that the moment had truly arrived, seeing Qin Li like a fallen tiger or a bedraggled stray dog, he felt none of the pleasure of revenge. There was only a boundless weariness, confusion, and an indescribable sense of loss.

“Qin Li must hate me to the core,” Xie Linchuan thought with a sigh, recalling the trap he and Li Xuehong had set for him. That was the only time Xie Linchuan had ever shown Qin Li a kind face; it was when Qin Li wanted to celebrate his birthday. At the time, the man’s expression could even be described as “overwhelmed by favor.”

Qin Li never suspected that the kindness was merely a sugar coating for poison, designed to numb his guard. And Qin Li had willingly eaten the sweet cake Xie Linchuan fed him—the one hidden with tendon-relaxing powder—until he finally lost all ability to resist and fell to his current state.

Deception, poisoning, and usurpation were unpardonable crimes to any monarch, let alone a domineering and selfish tyrant like Qin Li. Would Qin Li regret the sins he committed over the past three years? No, he would not. He would only want to hack Xie Linchuan into a thousand pieces and scatter his ashes to the wind.

Li Xuehong’s eyes swept between the two of them. His expression darkened as he stepped close to Xie Linchuan’s side, placing a hand on his shoulder with a slight squeeze. “Linchuan, what are you waiting for?”

“Waiting for what?” Xie Linchuan slowly shook his head. Qin Li was as unyielding as he was cold. Even if you broke every bone in his body one by one, it would be impossible to force his submission. How could he possibly listen to the words of his enemy? He said indifferently to Li Xuehong, “I advise you not to waste your efforts.”

Li Xuehong shifted his gaze back to Qin Li, looking down at him from a height. “You have seen the person you wanted to see. Stop stalling. Hand over the Imperial Seal and the military tally immediately. I can have Linchuan give you a quick death. My people will find them eventually. If you keep holding out, you are the only one who will suffer.”

He gave a signal, and a guard quickly brought the imperial edict, brush, and ink from the table to Qin Li. Qin Li ignored Li Xuehong entirely. Not even his eyelashes flickered, as if everything around him were mere air, as if this were not a dark prison, but still his royal palace.

He continued to stare wantonly at Xie Linchuan. Only when Li Xuehong was on the verge of an outburst did Qin Li finally speak. His raspy voice was as arrogant as ever. “Xie Linchuan, why are you not speaking?”

Xie Linchuan’s brows furrowed slightly. “What do you think I should say?”

Only then did Qin Li deign to glance at the edict before him, his lips curling into a mocking sneer. “The twenty thousand troops outside the pass are still in Nie Dong’s hands, and he only listens to my orders. If news of my death spreads, he will only raise an army to avenge me. The Li family’s third son, that stray dog Li Fenghao, is still alive, after all.”

“So?” Xie Linchuan knew this was exactly what Li Xuehong feared.

Qin Li narrowed his eyes, looking at him with an aura of absolute supremacy. “No one can force me to do what I do not want to do. However, why do you not try asking me? Perhaps I might change my mind to fulfill your wish.”

Xie Linchuan remained silent for a moment before slowly crouching down in front of him, meeting those fierce, wolf-like eyes at eye level. “Qin Li, when you imprisoned, humiliated, and coerced me in the past, did you ever see me bow my head to beg you?”

Qin Li’s gaze instantly darkened, becoming deep and indecipherable.

“Now you have lost your throne, your power, and your strength. You cannot even protect your own life, and yet you still expect me to beg you? Qin Li, do you not find that ridiculous?”

A long silence followed. A raspy laugh rumbled from Qin Li’s throat. “Yes, you are right. I am being ridiculous. I have nothing left, and I am of no use to you anymore, yet I still hoped you…”

He stopped abruptly, as if the second half of the sentence was too humiliating to speak. He closed his eyes tightly, forcing himself to look away. The aura he had been struggling to maintain finally collapsed into silence.

“You are indeed ridiculous.” Seeing him become so despondent sparked an inexplicable anger in Xie Linchuan’s heart. He grabbed Qin Li’s chin forcefully, forcing him to look up again.

The dim candlelight cast sharp shadows across Xie Linchuan’s features, hiding the red mole beside the bridge of his nose. His gaze was like a knife, his voice cold. “Qin Li, you will never understand. The power and strength you relied on your whole life will get you nothing from me!”

He leaned in closer, their breath and gazes tangling together, burning with an unbearable intensity. “All you will ever get is today.”

Qin Li’s pupils trembled slightly. For a moment, he seemed moved. He opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated. In the depths of his dark eyes, complex emotions surged like a turbulent sea, nearly erupting before finally sinking into silence within his reddened eyelids.

Xie Linchuan did not know what Qin Li was hiding, nor did he want to guess. Silence and mutual loathing were the destined end for them in this life. Looking at the man’s final gaze, Xie Linchuan felt a sudden, inexplicable stab of pain in his head and instinctively pressed his hand to his forehead.

“Have you two had enough of your reminiscing?” Li Xuehong interrupted, his face grim. His patience had completely vanished during their ambiguous entanglement. He had the dagger brought back to Xie Linchuan. “Linchuan, since Qin Li refuses the easy way, there is no need to waste more words. No matter how stubborn he is, he will naturally become obedient under severe torture.”

“This dagger cuts through iron like mud. Whether it is gouging out eyes or severing fingers, it takes no effort. I want you to chop off Qin Li’s fingers and toes one by one, then gouge out his eyes. Let us see who begs whom then.” He was impatient to see the miserable sight of Qin Li being tortured to death at Xie Linchuan’s hands.

Xie Linchuan frowned and said nothing. He ignored Li Xuehong and did not look at the dagger; he only stared silently at Qin Li. Li Xuehong’s expression grew even more sinister. He could feel something slipping out of his control, making him extremely uneasy.

“Linchuan, do not forget what I just told you. If you do not want to dirty your own hands, I will have someone else do it.” Li Xuehong paused, warning him slowly, “Even if you no longer care about revenge, do you no longer care about the entire Xie household either?”

Xie Linchuan finally reacted. He turned to look at Li Xuehong with a strange expression, as if seeing the man clearly for the first time. “If I kill Qin Li, will you let them go?”

Li Xuehong felt a sense of relief and softened his tone. “I told you, as long as you follow my arrangements, take the Oblivion Pill, and forget those unworthy people and things, you and your family will be safe.”

Xie Linchuan raised an eyebrow. “And if I do not want to take it?”

Li Xuehong said with a hint of impatience, “Linchuan, do not push me. I have already been lenient enough with you.” No emperor could tolerate the person he loved having a history with another, nor would he tolerate a living person by his side who held secrets that could threaten him.

“No one will ever treat him better than I do,” Li Xuehong thought. Even if Linchuan was a bit demanding and spoiled by his favor, as long as he was obedient, he could still be forgiven.

Xie Linchuan let out a low laugh while covering his forehead. The dim light made his handsome features appear even more profound and defined. At the mention of the “Oblivion Pill,” Qin Li’s brow furrowed, but his gaze was soon captured by Xie Linchuan’s smile.

Xie Linchuan lowered his eyes, looking at no one. It was unclear whom he was mocking; was it Qin Li, Li Xuehong, or perhaps himself? Ignoring the constant stabbing pain in his forehead, he slowly stood up, his expression returning to calm. “Bring the pill here.”

Only then did Li Xuehong show a satisfied smile. He raised his hand, and the fawning jailer from before hurried forward, holding the small medicine bottle on a tray with both hands.

Xie Linchuan did not reach for the bottle. Instead, he first picked up the short dagger that could cut iron like mud. The moment he unsheathed it, the thin, sharp blade glinted with a cold light, briefly illuminating his eyes, which were as dark as a deep pool.

Holding the dagger in one hand, he pointed the tip at Qin Li. “Do you have anything else you want to say?”

Li Xuehong wore a victorious smile, eager to enjoy the show he had been looking forward to most. Qin Li looked up at Xie Linchuan in silence. After a long while, he said hoarsely, “Do not eat that thing. Do not trust Li Xuehong.”

“Is that all?” Xie Linchuan was stunned. He had not expected Qin Li’s final words to be anything other than curses or insults. Qin Li did not speak again. He did not struggle; he simply gazed at the other man with a rare sense of peace before slowly closing his eyes.

Xie Linchuan waited a moment, but the expected searing pain did not come. He picked up the medicine bottle and rubbed it in his hand for a moment. Then, without hesitation, he threw it away. It flew through the bars of the cell and crashed into the burning brazier outside, shattering with a loud pop and a flurry of crackling sparks.

Li Xuehong’s face changed instantly. “Linchuan, you!”

Everyone around was caught off guard, momentarily unsure how to react. Taking advantage of this sudden distraction, Xie Linchuan gripped the dagger and suddenly spun around, lunging toward Li Xuehong.

However, by pure coincidence, the jailer happened to be dazed between the two of them. Before the man could realize what was happening, Li Xuehong gave him a shove from behind, sending him falling directly onto Xie Linchuan. In that critical split second, he blocked the path.

“Take him down! Protect the Emperor!” Sharp screams rang out from all directions.

Xie Linchuan shoved the jailer aside and violently hurled the dagger at Li Xuehong, who was hiding among the guards. The moment he raised his hand, a violent stabbing pain struck his head again. His wrist trembled, causing the dagger to veer off its intended path. It flew past, just barely grazing Li Xuehong’s neck.

It left only a faint line of blood and a cold shiver of terror. Qin Li was shocked for a second, then reacted violently, struggling against his chains until they clattered at their limit. Ultimately, he was no match for so many hands and was pinned back down by a group of armored guards.

His brow was tightly furrowed, and blood continued to seep from his wounds. His chest heaved as he stared at the other man with an indescribable complexity in his eyes. He finally realized he had been wrong. Xie Linchuan had never intended to compromise with Li Xuehong from the start, just as he had never bowed his head to Qin Li.

Li Xuehong felt a trace of wet coolness on his fingertip. His face was full of disbelief as he stared fixedly at Xie Linchuan from behind the heavy protection of the armored guards. “You actually tried to kill me?!”

The other jailers and armored guards had already swarmed forward, hurriedly seizing this “twice traitorous” rebel. Xie Linchuan gave up his futile resistance. His hands were pinned behind his back and locked in iron chains, leaving him unable to move.

“A pity.”

Facing his end, Xie Linchuan’s expression became even more composed. His eyes only showed a hint of the regret that comes with a failed, desperate gamble. This indifferent attitude completely infuriated Li Xuehong. He pushed past the guards and grabbed the dagger he had gifted to the man to finish off Qin Li. He grabbed Xie Linchuan’s collar and pressed the sharp blade against his neck.

“Why?!”

Li Xuehong was absolutely livid. The mask of the gentle, elegant, and refined Prince Xuehong finally shattered, his face almost distorted. “I loved and respected you so much! I exhausted my efforts to protect you! And yet, you dare to betray me now!”

“Is it for Qin Li? He ruined you like this, and yet you would betray my sincerity for him?!”

Li Xuehong passionately accused Xie Linchuan of ingratitude. The latter watched his mouth opening and closing but could not hear a single word. He only felt utterly exhausted. “Just do it already.”

Perhaps he could cross back to his own world. Maybe he would wake up and find it was all just a nightmare. Even if he died, it was better than being fed an Oblivion Pill and becoming a walking corpse.

“Do you really think I cannot bring myself to kill you?” Li Xuehong’s eyes were bloodshot. The hand holding the dagger trembled, and the blade easily cut a wound into Xie Linchuan’s upturned neck. The dripping blood was a stinging red, snaking its way down. If he applied just a little more force, he could easily slice the man’s throat.

Xie Linchuan did not want to look at him anymore. He closed his eyes, waiting for his release. Unexpectedly, what came instead was a raspy, low growl.

“Li Xuehong!”

Qin Li’s voice took everyone by surprise. His expression was abnormally calm, though a mocking sneer still hung on his lips. “Do you not want the Imperial Seal and the military tally?”

Li Xuehong’s gaze shifted back to him, and he gradually calmed down. “Oh? You are willing to talk?”

Qin Li said flatly, “Let Xie Linchuan go. Let him leave this place. Whatever you want, I can give you, including the edict.”

Xie Linchuan opened his eyes and looked toward Qin Li, his brows slowly furrowing, his thin lips pressed into a line. What was Qin Li saying? His brain was still throbbing, and his eardrums were buzzing; he almost suspected he had heard wrong.

“Heh.” Li Xuehong’s gaze circled between the two of them. “Do you think you are in any position to negotiate with me now? Tell me where the things are first.”

Qin Li gave Xie Linchuan a long look before reaching up to feel his hair crown. With a light press of a mechanism, he pulled out a finger-length copper tally. It was uniquely shaped, with a piece of green jade embedded in the center.

Li Xuehong’s eyes narrowed. He felt a bit of admiration for Qin Li; the man had actually worn something as important as the military tally on his head crown, displaying it right under everyone’s noses. No wonder they could not find it. Had he not surrendered it voluntarily, it likely would have been tossed into a mass grave with his corpse or destroyed.

Qin Li tossed the tally onto the floor. “Release Xie Linchuan.”

Xie Linchuan watched him in a silent, confused daze. He suddenly wanted to know what the man was actually thinking. By now, the grievances between them were a dead knot; there was no room for reconciliation. What was the point of Qin Li doing this now? He should hate him. He should want nothing more than to see Xie Linchuan and Li Xuehong destroy each other.

The jailer presented the tally and the edict. Li Xuehong rolled the tally in his hand, saying playfully, “These things alone are not enough to trade for his life.”

He gave a few instructions to his subordinates. Soon, two braziers of charcoal were brought in and poured out onto the bluestone floor. The glowing red charcoal quickly made the stone slabs searing hot and smoking. Even standing slightly near them, the intense heat was unbearable.

Li Xuehong said slowly, “Qin Li, do you know why I did not have your legs broken?”

Qin Li sneered but said nothing. He showed no fear, and his brow did not even twitch. “I want to see you kneel before me of your own accord, bowing your head and submitting to me.” Li Xuehong’s smile widened. “You want him to live? Fine. As long as you kneel on these coals and crawl to me to beg!”

Xie Linchuan felt a sense of utter absurdity. He even felt Li Xuehong had gone mad; only a madman could tell such a ridiculous joke. He scoffed. “Have you lost your mind? If you are going to kill me, just do it. Stop with the nonsense!”

Li Xuehong only looked down at Qin Li with interest. “Well? Xie Linchuan’s life is in your hands now. Whether he lives or dies depends entirely on what you do.”

Qin Li narrowed his eyes, staring at him with a mocking, cynical look. A few strands of his silver-grey hair were soaked with blood and clung to his cheeks. Despite his bedraggled state, the murderous intent in his eyes was undiminished. “Why should I believe you?”

Li Xuehong crossed his arms and smiled. “I simply want to humiliate you, to return all the humiliation you heaped upon me years ago. Do you have a choice? Unless you are willing to watch him die before your eyes.”

Qin Li let out a deeply disdainful laugh from his throat.

Xie Linchuan’s expression was calm. Yes, this is the tyrant I know. Li Xuehong is just humiliating himself with this wishful thinking. Why would Qin Li not be willing? Perhaps his only regret would be not doing the deed himself.

The pain in Xie Linchuan’s neck grew stronger, and the blood loss made him feel dizzy. A very faint sigh seemed to drift into his ear. Before he could tell who it came from, Xie Linchuan’s eyes suddenly widened. He watched in shock as that figure actually moved.

Under the stunned gazes of all the jailers and armored guards, Qin Li slowly lowered his proud head, bent his straight back, and lowered his last, unyielding knee. His eyelashes fluttered slightly as he looked at no one. He painfully moved his shackled legs and knelt onto the stone slabs covered in burning charcoal.

The charcoal was coarse and searing. It was more than thin prison clothes or fragile skin could bear. The terrifying heat instantly burned his knees, shins, and toes, making a sizzling sound of burning flesh and sending up plumes of hot smoke.

Xie Linchuan was shaken to his core, watching the scene in disbelief. It felt as if something was clutching his heart. His previous composure vanished; he opened his mouth, but his throat was so hoarse he was nearly speechless.

Who was Qin Li? A hegemon who fought for supremacy in a chaotic world, a tyrant who considered himself supreme. And Xie Linchuan was nothing more than a trophy he failed to conquer, a transgressor who had violated him, and a mortal enemy who had taken his throne and dragged him into the dirt!

There should be nothing but a resentment so thick it could never be dissolved between them until death. But what was Qin Li doing? How could he, after losing everything, discard his remaining dignity for the sake of the person who caused it all? Why would he bow his head to his enemy? Why was he willing to accept this humiliation?

The air was filled with the smell of scorched flesh. Qin Li’s movements were slow but resolute. He used his knees to crawl bit by bit across the charcoal toward Li Xuehong. Large beads of sweat rolled down his hair and chin, causing plumes of smoke to rise where they hit the coals.

Xie Linchuan did not know how much pain and torture the man was enduring. He could only see his jawline and cheekbones tensed like plaster, his eyes twitching despite his best efforts to suppress it, and his bloodless, cracked lips. Everyone stared with wide eyes, holding their breath in dead silence. Only the sizzling of the heat and the heavy breathing were audible.

After a moment of shock, Li Xuehong suddenly erupted into a terrifying laugh. His shoulders shook so much he could no longer maintain his composure. “Qin Li, you finally have this day!”

“Do you regret it? You should not have taken what did not belong to you! The throne is mine, and Xie Linchuan is mine!”

Qin Li knelt across the red-hot charcoal, half-collapsed in front of Li Xuehong. Both of his legs were in a horrific state. His breathing was shaky and weak, and his voice was so hoarse it was barely recognizable. “Since you want to be a ruler, you should at least keep your word and let him go.”

Xie Linchuan’s pupils trembled. His fingernails dug deep into his palms as a massive upheaval stirred in his heart. It felt as if a dull knife was churning in his brain, giving him a splitting headache. Familiar yet strange images kept flashing, but he could not grasp them. Cold sweat soaked his clothes.

In a daze, he thought, “In the end, could Qin Li actually have been sincere toward me?”

Li Xuehong looked down at the bedraggled Qin Li with the smile of a victor, feeling satisfied. He raised the dagger high in his hand. “Qin Li, you can go to hell in peace.”

The cold dagger swung down, plunging into flesh. Blood immediately gushed from the fuller. However, Li Xuehong’s smile froze on his face, and his color drained away. “Linchuan!”

In that instant, Xie Linchuan, who was already close by, used every last bit of his strength to break free from the guards. He threw himself onto Qin Li and took the blow himself. He had voluntarily cut off his own path to survival, but he had also resolutely cut off all the resentment, the sorrow of parting, and the pain of unfulfilled desires.

Qin Li froze in shock, almost at a loss. Warm blood dripped onto his hand; it felt even more burning than the charcoal, making his hands tremble and his heart feel weightless. “Xie Linchuan!”

His lips moved. In a daze, he met a pair of eyes as dark as ink, with the red mole beside the nose appearing startlingly vivid.

“Qin Li,” Xie Linchuan leaned against his shoulder and let out a low laugh, meeting his final gaze with a calm and resolute expression. “I do not owe you.”

“And you…”

His final words were never finished. Before his life slipped away, his blurred vision captured one last image: a pair of dark red eyes filled with madness and pain. And then, everything fell into darkness.