Snake King.

After returning the trays, Zhou Heng and Helena walked in silence, neither of them spoke with the other.

The warm atmosphere they had earlier disappeared, Helena had a gloomy complexion and Zhou Heng had a thoughtful expression.

He was a bit curious about Helena's past, but it was only to an extent, Zhou Heng wasn't going to meddle in her life.

His thoughts were more on the gloved man, thinking about him he realized that he doesn't know his name, so he looked at Helena and carefully said, ''...What is that man's name?''

''...Ah? Oh, his name is Jacob Harding, he was once a noble.'' Helena was startled when he asked her.

Her mood isn't the best right now. Her hands showed her inner anxiousness as she kept moving them, pinching her dress and her eyes peeked at Zhou Heng from time to time.

In her mind, she felt as if she was bringing a child to a cliff to throw him mercilessly. Only when he took the initiative to start again a conversation did she realize that the best she could do for now is give him more information so he can be wary.

''A noble...? Is that the reason he has so many contacts?'' Zhou Heng raised an eyebrow when he heard Jacob's surname.

Is not like it's the first person he knows with one, the truth is that no matter noble or commoner, all have a surname, it doesn't need to have a deep history behind them.

Southerners select their surname using words with meaning like Jin Qian, the little fella learned in some way that 'Jin' was gold and 'Qian' was money, so he was jumping in excitement about his new name, wishing himself wealth.

As for most of the people in Ariethis, or even the entire Mesarthim, they select names with meaningful locations and objects; like the orphans from his orphanage, some of them take the 'Grayway' as a surname.

From where the 'Harding' came from, Zhou Heng doesn't have any idea, since the system banned him from going outside, he only learned about other cities and their trades with Ariethis City, to put it bluntly, he only cared about what could be of help while living here.

''No, being a noble here only gives you a bigger target on your head. More so being a former one, all nobles have enemies, so, when they lose their protection it's simply looking for death being high-profile.''

At this point she looked stealthy at him from the side, while blinking as if wanting him to understand her hints, ''He was like a snake, treacherous and cunning. He hid his identity and changed colors for survival. When he needed to be strong he was strong, when he needed to be weak he was weak.''

''When he arrived he used impressive insight to climb the ranks of one of the strongest forces back then. Approaching the leader and becoming his right hand. But in every movement ordered by that leader, he took advantage in the dark to bring forces to him and enemies to the others.''

''He made a big mess in the already messy relationships of the groups that 'ruled' the district at that time. At least twenty people were framed by him, it wasn't until the blood was spilled, washed, and forgotten that his machinations were revealed.''

''He not only backstabbed his former leader, but also many of the people that supported him.'' Helena said with anxiety in her voice, ''He can't be trusted.''

Zhou Heng frowned, he has more doubts about Jacob after hearing his deeds, and he isn't shy about asking, so he voiced them out, ''If everyone knows about what he did, how is it that he is still alive?''

Helena shook her head a little and said, ''Is not like everyone knows about it, and those who knew about him are three types.''

''The first one is those that are too numb of seeing blood and betrayal that they didn't care about him.'' She raised one finger, it wasn't for Zhou Heng, but to herself, as if she was a child trying to remember the list her father gave her.

She raised the second one, ''The next type are those that benefit from his existence. You could say that his time has already passed, he left the throne many years ago and his power was reduced to a certain extent, but he still has a voice and contacts. With that, many still are willing to be his clients.''

Zhou Heng's eyebrows rose a little, he could contain his curiosity and asked, ''How old is he? And how much time has passed since he was on the 'throne'?''

Helena had a dazed look when she answered, ''He is 55 this year, he arrived at the Rat District when he was 22... It took him three years of schemes to become the king...'' Helena gritted her teeth while she was lost in her memories.

Zhou Heng nodded, ''Impressive.''

Helena frowned, ''He wasn't the strongest, nor the most charismatic. To be the highest of the hill he didn't climb high, he only dragged down all of his rivals, so in a sense, he could be at the highest.''

A figure flashed in Helena's mind, it was a middle-aged man that had a bright smile, he was saying 'No way, I don't have the talent to be stronger than others. So my only option was to make everyone weaker than me'.

''Is impressive? Destroying others' lives and work, for selfish reasons, the development of an entire community was in chaos. I'm not saying that the people that died in his schemes didn't deserve it. But at that moment the Rat district was organized, showing signs of growing into something more than a Rat's Den.''

''...And all progress was erased because he wanted a crown. Even if is a dirty one.'' Helena whispered.

Zhou Heng was silent, he had many thoughts, many philosophies, and teachings from a 'more advanced' society. There are also the words his grandfather has been telling him from birth to shape his mentality.

But in the end, he is still a youth less than twenty years. He can quote many things while listening to Helena's narrative.

Things like, 'The struggle of the weak', 'The price of ambition', 'Chasing your heart even if you have to stomp the world in the way', how epic it sounds, worthy of praise, but is really like that?

A person that creates bloodshed for a title, really deserves the title? The world, or more specifically, Ariethis deserves to throw its growth because of an ambitious person?

Without a doubt, Zhou Heng's thoughts were with the 'Hero' and he, the 'Villain'. It sounds like a tale, but how much blood will be spilled out for their clash?

Soon Zhou Heng bit his tongue to calm himself. The feelings he had been developing for this world are clouding his mind. No matter what, even if he doesn't interfere, the system told him already, that the 'Hero' will rise and become a legend in his world.

He will never believe that the 'Hero' will grow to that extent in a peaceful way.

****

Two figures were walking in silence on the streets of Ariethis, one was a tall red-haired woman and the other was a short blue-haired young boy. Both of them were lost in their thoughts.

Soon the two arrived at a small building, with big glass windows at the entrance, seeing across them, the two could see rows of bookshelves. The building was undoubtedly a bookstore.

The red-haired woman sighed and said, ''Heng, I haven't finished what I want you to know... He took the throne at the age of 25, and as he considered himself weak, he suppressed all other factions of the district for twenty years.''

''He also showed his eccentric character at this point. He suppressed but never erased. He left the children and those far weak to threaten him immediately.''

''It wasn't mercy. It was a game for him, betting his life every time, if you ask him he will probably answer 'I like raising lions that want to bite me'.''

Helena's hand that was on her waist slowly raised a third finger, ''Here is the third type I told you about. Those that want to kill him more than anyone... Yet, he treats them like playthings.''

Across the window of the bookstore Zhou Heng could see, a corpulent man beating a thin young man on the floor. Punching his face without giving him any time to recover.

The young man didn't have the strength to defend himself, his face was hammered by the fists corpulent man. Blood painting the hands of the man, and even some books had red drops on their spine.

Zhou Heng's pupils shrank, he swallowed and his breathing was a bit distorted. Helena had an indifferent expression.

''He was truly weak, but his methods were the most effectively poisonous...'' Even with her indifferent expression, her feet were shaking slightly.

It wasn't for the blood or the cruelty of the beating. But the similarity of the scene with many memories she had.

''When he first got the throne, he was called 'Rat King'... When everyone discovered his true face and his deeds, his title changed.''

''The entire Ariethis began calling him, Snake King.''

The door of the bookstore opened and a gentle-looking old man appeared with the sound of the bell.

He looked visibly surprised at the two newcomers, with a bright smile he exclaimed, ''Welcome back! Lena.''