It’s Better To Have One Less Eye To See

Orion strode confidently through the rows of ministers, his footsteps echoing in the grand hall as he made his way toward the dragon chair, the symbol of ultimate power in the Zhou Dynasty. Eyes lowered, the courtiers dared not look up as he passed. His path, though seemingly unobstructed, was safeguarded by the silent presence of elite Emperor's guards, their vigilant eyes scanning every move around him.

A few bold ministers attempted to sneak a glance at Orion, but immediately felt a crushing weight settle on them, as if a predator had just locked its gaze upon them. Cold sweat beaded on their foreheads as they hurriedly bowed lower, fearing the consequences of even a brief moment of defiance.

"So, this is the dragon chair?" Orion's voice was casual, almost amused as he ran his hand across the ornate golden surface. He sneered. "Tsk, tsk. It's so vulgar. All gold? How predictable."

Without ceremony, he dropped into the seat, crossing his legs with ease. The ministers stirred uneasily at the sight of him seated on the throne, yet none dared to protest. Orion, for his part, felt no surge of triumph. To him, this throne was merely a stepping stone, a prop in a much larger play. He had claimed it with little resistance, and its significance was lost on him.

But the ministers, those trembling bureaucrats who had once served Zhou Linglong, knew better. Their lives, their fortunes, and their very existence now hung by a thread, and the one holding the blade was Orion.

Breaking the oppressive silence, Orion leaned forward, his voice light yet laden with malice. "Relax, gentlemen. I'm not some bloodthirsty tyrant eager to spill your precious noble blood," he said with a grin that sent a chill through the room. "In fact, I've gathered you here today for a different kind of spectacle."

The ministers exchanged confused glances. A spectacle?

"Bring her in!" Orion clapped his hands, and moments later, the shadow guards dragged in a disheveled figure. The once-regal Empress Zhou Linglong, now a mere shadow of her former self, stumbled into the hall. Her luxurious hair was undone, her clothes tattered, and bruises marred her once flawless skin. Despite the physical injuries being superficial, the humiliation in her eyes was deeper than any wound.

"Your Majesty the Empress!" The ministers gasped in unison, but none dared move. Zhou Linglong's gaze swept the room, her fury palpable. These were her ministers, her supposed loyal servants, yet none had the courage to stand for her now.

Orion smirked. "Ah, my Empress. Quite the fall from grace, isn't it?" His voice dripped with mockery. "Tell me, how does it feel to be paraded like this before your own court?"

Zhou Linglong's chest heaved with rage. Her eyes blazed as she fixed them on Orion. "You despicable villain! What do you hope to gain by humiliating me like this? I am the rightful ruler of Zhou! You think these ministers—my ministers—will recognize you after such treachery?"

Orion chuckled, unbothered by her outburst. "Treachery? My dear empress, you seem to misunderstand the situation." He rose from the dragon chair, his voice hardening. "These ministers—your ministers—serve only one thing: power. And right now, I hold it. You, Zhou Linglong, are nothing but a relic of a crumbling empire."

He turned to the assembled ministers, his gaze sweeping over them like a hawk. "Isn't that right?" he asked coldly. Without waiting for an answer, he pointed to a random minister. "You. Tell me, does the Empress still deserve your loyalty?"

The minister froze, his face draining of color. Silence fell over the hall, but Orion's patience was thin. "Shadow Guard," he commanded.

A black-clad figure stepped forward and, with a swift motion, beheaded the minister where he stood. The lifeless body crumpled to the floor, blood pooling at Orion's feet. The message was clear.

Orion barely glanced at the fallen man. His gaze moved to another trembling official. "And you? What do you think of your Empress now?"

The minister, pale and trembling, stammered, "T-the Empress... deserves to die! She has failed the dynasty!"

Orion's smirk widened as he clapped his hands mockingly. "Now that's the spirit! A man who knows how to survive."

The rest of the ministers, having witnessed the fate of their peers, bowed even lower, their loyalty to Zhou Linglong evaporating as quickly as their fear of Orion grew. One by one, they echoed the sentiments of the condemned, denouncing the Empress in desperate attempts to save their own necks.

Zhou Linglong's face turned crimson, not from the physical abuse, but from the sheer humiliation of seeing her once-loyal subjects betray her so easily. "You cowards!" she screamed, her voice raw with despair. "Do you not have any honor left?"

Orion's laugh rang out through the hall. "Honor? These men serve survival, not honor. Just like you did, until you lost the game."

He leaned down, his face inches from hers, and whispered, "Welcome to the end of your reign, Empress. Watch as your empire crumbles, piece by piece, just as I promised."

The ministers kept their heads bowed as the weight of their fate pressed down on them. They were now, more than ever, at the mercy of Orion, the new master of Zhou.