Chapter 923: A Million Times for You (285)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The door opened with a loud and crisp sound, and in came Tuoba Gucheng, just like An Xiaoning had expected.
Standing with his hands behind his back, he said with a sullen expression, “Are you still refusing to admit it now?”
“Admit what? Are you afraid even though all of you are in cahoots?” she sneered sarcastically with a smile.
“I can’t believe you’re still smiling when things have already come to this.”
“Am I supposed to fulfill your wishes by crying? Am I supposed to plead with you and beg you for mercy? Like I mentioned before, I’ll never concede and give in to you ever again from now on. However, do you still remember that get-out-of-jail-free card that you’d given me in the past? You said that you’d spare my life no matter what happens, as long as it’s not related to Jin Qingyan. I still have that message. Would you like to keep your promise, Your Majesty?” she asked, staring at him.
He would have forgotten it if she had not brought it up.
He suddenly recalled it now that she mentioned it.
It was just a casual promise that he had made back then. It had never crossed his mind that she would actually put it to use.
“I will keep my promise, but not right now. You may be spared from death, but you can’t be spared from the punishment. Don’t think that there’s nothing we can do about you just because you refuse to confess and because we don’t have any solid proof. I shall see if your beloved man will come and save you now. I shall see if he’ll let himself get embroiled into this because of you.”
After a moment of silence, An Xiaoning said, “Why are you standing up for Lin Shishi when you don’t even love her at all? I refuse to believe that you’re on such good terms with your parents-in-law. You claim that you love me, yet you try to kill me time and time again. You clearly knew that it was the Lin family that tried to poison me and my family. You were well aware of that and yet you didn’t try to stop them. I can never figure out what you’re thinking, Your Majesty. You really have a very unique way of handling matters. I shouldn’t have thought that you were different from your mother when I entered the Autumn Palace back then. I used to think that you and your mother were vastly different individuals. However, I gradually realized that you’re no different from her. You’ve long been influenced by your mother’s vicious ways. Perhaps it’s just in your blood all along. How I wish my biological father could return to his position as the president now! I may not wish to acknowledge him at all, but my biological father would at least treat me way better than my half-brother!”
Tuoba Gucheng was shocked out of his senses.
“Ever since you became the president and Lin Shishi became your wife, both of you have begun drifting farther and farther away from your morals. I’ve never thought of reincarnating as a human in my next life. Perhaps I’ll be banished to the eighteenth level of hell and suffer a great ton of pain in the netherworld. However, I’m not going to allow you people to insult and bully me and my family while I’m alive. As long as I’m still breathing, I’ll never allow it!” An Xiaoning said while he was remaining silent.
Tuoba Gucheng was seething with anger after hearing her words, which were like hard slaps to his face.
“Are you never going to confess even if you die?” he questioned sternly.
“I’ll need to see the evidence before pleading guilty. Where’s your evidence? Please show me the solid proof before you talk to me about owning up!”
“How are you going to explain the fact that you tried to harm Shishi?”
“Both you and I know clearly what is going on. Is there really a point in asking such a redundant question? Lin Shishi tried to shoot me dead but she failed and, in turn, she decided to shoot herself instead. What a fool!”
“We only know that you tried to kill Shishi but failed to do so and hence you shot her in her leg instead. I reckon the citizens will definitely stand together and request the governement to execute you for attempting to murder the president’s wife.”
Clenching her fists tightly, An Xiaoning said, “I think it’s the citizens’ misfortune to have you as their president. I’m looking forward to the day that you’re dethroned.”
“What did you say!?!” he hollered, glaring at her sternly.
“I said that I’m looking forward to the day that you’re dethroned, are you deaf? Although the presidency of S Nation follows a hereditary system, I doubt there has been any president in the past who has lost his position in less than two years, is there?”
He walked toward her and began strangling her slender neck. Her breath began to quicken and she felt asphyxiated by the time he gradually let go.
She gathered some energy and gave him a push with her handcuffed hands. Tuoba Gucheng felt as if he was struck by a strong wave and was flung one meter away onto the ground pathetically.
Bewilderment and shock were written all over his face, and he could not understand where that power had come from.
An Xiaoning got out of bed slowly, feeling a dull ache in her muscles every time she tried to lift her ankles, which were weighed down by the chains.
She walked toward him and questioned. “Are you thinking of getting rid of me in the dungeon?”
Getting back up on his feet, Tuoba Gucheng said, “You… how did you…”
The quick-witted Tuoba Gucheng immediately thought of the incident about the book of witchcraft and said, “Turns out that book does exist, after all!”
“What are you talking about, Your Majesty? I don’t understand you at all. What book?”
“An Xiaoning, quit feigning ignorance!”
“I’m not feigning ignorance. There isn’t a single pocket on me at all, how am I supposed to feign ignorance? Your Majesty, stop abusing your authority and driving me into a corner! Otherwise, I’ll definitely kill you. I hope you’ll understand that.”
Although he knew that An Xiaoning was different from other women, it had never crossed his mind that she would be this invincible.
Tuoba Gucheng felt a cold shiver down his spine. He had belittled her.
He initially thought that she would compromise and concede now that things had come to this.
However, she did not.
No wonder the poison did not take its toll on her. No wonder she never conceded again.
He was now certain that he would never be able to subdue An Xiaoning again if she were to make it out alive this time.
“I take back my words about sparing your life. How dare you hide the truth about the book from me!?! Are you trying to stir a rebellion by mastering those techniques of witchcraft!?! What awaits you is a harsh and severe punishment.”
“When I was abducted by Pei Yi, you gave up the chance to save me for the sake of the nation’s interests. You then fed me with the lethal poison but I didn’t end up dying. Later on, you even sent me to find the treasure map. Despite knowing clearly that none of your 3000 elite soldiers or top spies managed to survive, you still sent me into the lion’s den. Worst of all, you still allowed Lin Shishi and her family to try and poison me and my family. Tuoba Gucheng, you caused me to end up in a divorce and tried to take my life on several occasions. Just what feud do I have with you? Why do you have to do this to me time and time again!?!”
She scoffed and continued, “You tried to harm me again and again in the name of love. Do you really think I won’t retaliate? Don’t forget, we’re all the same. You’re Tuoba Rui’s child and so am I.”
“Don’t you know why I treated you that way? Regardless of whether or not you admit to killing the Lin family and practising witchcraft, there’s no way you can deny the fact that you tried to harm Shishi. Things have already come to this and yet you’re still so unrepentant. I wish you a smooth journey to hell.”