The Cold Crown Prince and the Maniac Tyrant - Chapter 2

Since the situation couldn’t be changed, Sang Wan accepted his new identity quite readily. Twenty-six years of living as an orphan in his past life had long since forged a resilient mindset.

Sang Wan leaned over and checked the middle-aged man’s pulse, but it was no longer beating.

He felt no sympathy for those who dared to scheme against him (or rather, the person he had become: Crown Prince Sang). He looked at Bei Haizhao, his voice tinged with coldness: “Since it was my carriage that struck your father, you will come to the Crown Prince’s mansion.”

The crowd of onlookers clamored.

“He gets to enter the Crown Prince’s mansion? This kid is so lucky.”

“Indeed, everyone knows our Crown Prince is famously as loving toward the people as he is to his own children.”

Bei Haizhao remained silent.

Sang Wan simply scooped him up. He was surprised to find that he could easily lift the twelve-year-old Bei Haizhao with one arm, and he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

So light?

“Hiss—” A piercing pain shot through his arm.

Caught off guard, Sang Wan’s left arm stiffened, his brows knitting together in agony.

This damn male lead is just like a dog, there’s no mistake about it. He actually bit me.

He really wanted to drop the boy on the ground and leave him there.

Meng Tian said angrily: “How bold, release His Highness at once!”

Sang Wan’s brows were practically knotted in pain as he gritted his teeth and ordered Meng Tian: “See to it that his ‘father’ is buried properly.”

Meng Tian protested: “Yes, Your Highness!”

【Corruption Value +10, current Corruption Value 31】

【Corruption Value -10, current Corruption Value 21】

…

The corruption value flickered back and forth.

System 996: “?”

Sang Wan: “…??”

Is the system glitching?

Finally.

【Corruption Value +10, current Corruption Value 31】

So, the progress bar for the world’s destruction has just surpassed one-third this easily?

System 996 panicked: “This shouldn’t be happening. How could the corruption value jump up so much?”

“Host, I told you the male lead already has signs of veering off the righteous path.”

“Host, your top priority now is to straighten the male lead out. You must bring his corruption value down.”

“Host…”

Meng Tian chimed in from the side: “Your Highness, you’re sending a little beggar under my blade. I could chop him down in one stroke!”

“Your Highness…”

The system and Meng Tian kept chirping away in Sang Wan’s ears—one inside his head, one outside.

Sang Wan couldn’t take it anymore: “Shut up.”

System 996 and Meng Tian fell silent simultaneously.

Sang Wan frowned, enduring the pain as he placed Bei Haizhao onto the red fox fur pelt he usually hesitated to even sit on. Bei Haizhao kept his biting posture fixed.

Sang Wan laughed out of frustration: “Kid, if you don’t let go, I’m not going to be so polite.”

He grabbed the back of Bei Haizhao’s collar with his other hand.

Suffocated, Bei Haizhao finally raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot, and he glared at Sang Wan with raw ferocity.

Sang Wan didn’t even glance at him, his focus entirely on the wound on his arm. The fabric had turned black, soaked through with blood.

Sang Wan muttered a curse under his breath; he felt like biting someone back!

This brat is so malnourished he’s skin and bones, yet his teeth are sharp as ever.

“Your Highness, I should kill this little beggar,” Meng Tian said, glaring viciously at Bei Haizhao.

Bei Haizhao turned his head and glared back, unyielding. Despite his youth, his gaze was more ferocious than Meng Tian’s.

Meng Tian felt a shiver run down his spine, startled by the boy’s look, and felt rather annoyed once he regained his composure.

“Your Highness, the meat sandwich you asked for is here.” The voice arrived before the person, belonging to the other crown prince attendant—Meng Hai.

Meng Hai pulled back the curtain, and his eyes immediately went to the injury: “Oh my goodness, Your Highness, how did you hurt your arm? Where is the medicine? Someone, apply medicine for His Highness at once!”

He shouted at Meng Tian: “Meng Tian, what are you standing there like a statue for?”

Meng Tian had been planning to continue his suggestion to the Prince, and he was left stunned by Meng Hai’s outburst, suddenly realizing his own dereliction of duty: “I, no, I…”

Meng Hai didn’t hold back his criticism: “What ‘I, I’? Where is the medicine? You’re always saying I’m not calm enough, yet you’re the one who let the Prince get injured.”

Sang Wan painstakingly raised his arm and rotated it. The pain felt like it had reached the bone; he feared Bei Haizhao had bitten down deep.

The two men kept arguing, giving Sang Wan a headache: “Both of you, get out.”

Meng Tian was unsatisfied: “Your Highness.”

Meng Hai sounded aggrieved: “Your Highness.”

Sang Wan said firmly: “Out!”

Meng Tian and Meng Hai exchanged a look: “Yes.”

Sang Wan: “Wait.”

Meng Hai turned back, delighted.

Meng Tian perked up his ears.

Sang Wan: “Leave the meat sandwich.”

Meng Hai replied with a disappointed “Oh,” handed over the food and the medicine bottle, and left looking deeply reluctant: “Your Highness, remember to apply the medicine, I’ll take my leave now.”

With the sandwich on his left and the medicine on his right, Sang Wan reached for the left side without hesitation with his uninjured right arm.

Nothing is more important than eating. He wouldn’t be waiting for any roommate’s sandwich, but he had to have a bite of this era’s version.

Sang Wan opened his mouth, took a large bite, and squinted in satisfaction.

Hmm, crispy crust and savory meat, this is the taste.

“Gulp.”

Sang Wan looked toward the sound, meeting a pair of eyes filled with aggression and vigilance.

Bei Haizhao bared his teeth, revealing two sharp canine teeth. His thin body was tense, as if he were ready to pounce and bite at any moment.

This was the first time Sang Wan had truly studied the male lead.

He had to admit, he was worthy of being the male lead of the book. Even though his cheeks were gaunt, his underlying features were striking—deep-set eyes and strong bone structure. There was no doubt he would grow into a handsome man; it was just a pity he looked so frail.

Sang Wan doubted that if the male lead remained this weak, how would he ever compete for power, dominate the world, and eventually sit on the throne?

Sang Wan decided to test him. He shook the fragrant meat sandwich in his hand, his voice cool.

“Want some?”

“Then come and take it.”

“If you manage to snatch it, it’s yours.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere inside the carriage became tense.

System 996 watched silently.

Bei Haizhao’s eyes sharpened instantly. His thin back hunched low, like a hungry wolf ready to spring.

Sang Wan appeared calm and unbothered, but he had already straightened his back, mentally preparing himself. Even though Bei Haizhao was only twelve, he was the male lead—he couldn’t afford to be careless.

Bei Haizhao lunged for Sang Wan’s right hand like a cannonball. Sang Wan was prepared and dodged aside.

This is it.

Bei Haizhao saw the fully exposed left arm, licked his sharp canine teeth, and with lightning speed, reached out and pressed hard on the wound.

Sang Wan drew in a sharp breath.

In that split second of distraction, Bei Haizhao’s eyes glinted with dark light, and he leaned in to snatch the sandwich with his teeth.

If he weren’t the victim, Sang Wan would have had to praise him: Nice, what a clever feint.

Heh, no need to test him anymore. He’s so cunning at such a young age—if Bei Haizhao isn’t the male lead, who is?

Right, where is the medicine? Where did it fall?

Sang Wan’s mind wandered as he scanned the carriage, trying to distract himself from the pain.

Bei Haizhao devoured most of the sandwich in two or three bites. His lips were stained with oily meat juice, and he kept his gaze fixed on the man opposite him, flashing a defiant grin.

Sure enough, things snatched by force taste especially good.

【Corruption Value -1, current Corruption Value 30】

Sang Wan was surprised.

System 996 perked up.

Watching as the entire sandwich—or rather, the bitten-off remains—were about to be swallowed, Sang Wan’s expression shifted. He leaned forward and grabbed Bei Haizhao by the chin: “Spit it out.”

Bei Haizhao was forced to lift his head, his small, developing Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

“If I snatched it, it’s mine.”

This was the first sentence Bei Haizhao had spoken to Sang Wan, his eyes filled with stubbornness and madness.

Sang Wan laughed. To think he would use his own words against him.

Since it was already swallowed, he released Bei Haizhao’s chin and said nonchalantly: “Kid, let me teach you another lesson.”

“Not everything you snatch is good for you. It might be poison; if you eat it, it could rot your intestines and leave you battered and bruised.”

【Corruption Value -1, current Corruption Value 29】

Sang Wan: “?”

Is he scared stupid?

System 996 frantically calculated the reason for the decrease in corruption value.

Sang Wan’s laugh was like flowers blooming in a mountain of ice that had been frozen for ten thousand years, stirring the heart.

Many years later, Bei Haizhao would still remember this smile—it was the beginning of his infatuation.

But the young Bei Haizhao didn’t understand the reason for his heart’s palpitations. He was stunned for a moment, then quickly came to his senses and turned his head away.

Only what I have snatched, eaten, chewed, and swallowed truly belongs to me—even if I end up bloodied and broken.

This was the creed Bei Haizhao lived by.

The carriage drove low-key into the royal palace and stopped outside a massive palace complex with a plaque inscribed with the words: “Crown Prince’s Mansion.”

The carriage was deathly silent.

Meng Hai gave Meng Tian a look: “You go.”

Meng Tian glared: “Why don’t you go!”

“You go!”

“You go!!”

The two men were locked in a heated silent argument with their eyes.

“By order of King Sang, the Crown Prince is summoned to the Lujin Terrace immediately, without delay,” a sharp, high-pitched voice suddenly came from behind.

Meng Tian and Meng Hai were startled and turned to glare. Upon seeing who it was, they exchanged a look and walked up to him, grabbing one arm each.

The eunuch, Lin, looked panicked, trying to pull his arms back but failing: “What are the two attendants doing?”

Meng Tian said with a straight face: “The Crown Prince has just returned from the Temple of Heaven after praying for the Emperor and has yet to wash or change. Could you please wait for His Highness to tidy up before meeting the Emperor?”

Meng Hai added with a stern expression: “Indeed, Eunuch Lin, please show some flexibility; it won’t take long.”

“This… I cannot make that decision. The Emperor’s decree was to go immediately,” Eunuch Lin replied cautiously. “Please, don’t make it difficult for me.”

Meng Hai narrowed his eyes dangerously, about to teach him a lesson.

The curtain parted, and Sang Wan stepped out with a cold, composed expression: “Don’t make it hard for Eunuch Lin. I will go now.”

Meng Tian stood to attention: “Your Highness!”

Meng Hai grinned: “Your Highness!!”

Sang Wan nodded. As he passed Meng Tian, he whispered a brief instruction before continuing on.

“Many thanks, Your Highness!” Eunuch Lin raised his voice specifically, yanked his arms free, and trotted off after him.

Sang Wan said: “996, tell me about this King Sang.”

System 996 asked: “King Sang? Host, you should be focusing on Bei Haizhao. His corruption value is at 29 now.”

It suspected the host was trying to slack off.

That wouldn’t do. It had spent so much energy bringing the host here from another world; it wasn’t to let him drag his feet.

Sang Wan replied: “I just instructed Meng Tian to take good care of him.”

System 996 raised its tone: “Is that the same thing? At such a critical time, you’re actually comfortable leaving Bei Haizhao alone in the mansion?”

The Emperor isn’t worried, but the eunuch is dying of anxiety!

Sang Wan said unhurriedly: “Don’t rush. There are still six years until Bei Haizhao leaves the Sang Kingdom to return home and inherit the throne.”

“What’s more urgent right now is this King Sang.”

Sang Wan had an intuition that he, as the Crown Prince, didn’t seem to be held in very high regard by the current ruler of the kingdom.