My brother entrusted his child to me, and I livestreamed raising the baby, making the Empress cry wi

Lin Ye stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the sea, where the horizon met the sky in the distance, a vast expanse of white.

His thoughts drifted away.

He suddenly remembered some of the things Ye Fan had said, things that were buried deep in his memory and had faded somewhat, but now they became exceptionally clear.

Ye Fan said that when they get old, they will bring their families back to the orphanage and take care of other children, just like the director took them in and cared for them back then.

When they finally couldn't walk anymore, they were buried together on the back mountain.

That's their home.

Lin Ye's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.

...In the end, Ye Fan wanted to take the illusion formed by the Phantom Stone home himself, probably influenced by this memory.

He sighed silently and took out his phone.

The screen lit up, illuminating his slightly lost-in-thought face.

At this time, the headmistress should have finished lunch and be sunbathing in the yard.

Lin Ye opened the number he knew by heart and dialed it.

……

In the Great Flame Kingdom, the emperor's carriage bumped along the official road.

The car was covered with thick velvet carpets, and sachets hanging in the four corners emitted a calming fragrance, but this fragrance could not suppress the violence in Shu Jingwei's heart.

The imperial physician carefully applied ointment to the wounds on my face and body, and the cool touch was followed by a burning pain.

The pain constantly reminded her of the humiliation she had just suffered.

Her eyes were closed, her lips pressed into a pale line, and her chest heaved violently with suppressed anger.

"Those...those deserters..." she suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse like the grinding of sand, each word dripping with venom.

"Investigate! Investigate them thoroughly, leaving no one out! Including their nine generations... no, ten generations! Arrest all those connected to them! I want to watch them be completely wiped out, piece by piece!"

The commander of the personal guards standing to the side, his back already soaked with cold sweat, lowered his head even further upon hearing this, almost to his chest: "Yes... Your Majesty. This subordinate has already sent men to investigate the identities of those people, and..."

"And those lowly people on the mountain!" Shu Jingwei suddenly opened her eyes, her eyes filled with bloodshot veins, looking ferocious and terrifying.

"How dare you crowd around and laugh at me! You are all traitors! Arrest them all! Execute you by slow slicing!!"

"Yes! Your Majesty, please calm down and take care of your health..." The commander's voice trembled as he repeatedly responded, but his heart was filled with bitterness.

Qingfeng Mountain is so big, the person has long since disappeared, where are we going to catch them? But he didn't dare say a word about it.

Shu Jingwei seemed exhausted from her scolding. She took a few heavy breaths, closed her eyes again, but her fingers nervously gripped the blanket beneath her, almost tearing it to shreds.

Lin Ye... a demon! And Ye Fan, that traitor!

You just wait!

I will repay today's humiliation a thousandfold, ten thousandfold!

Don't you care about those lowly people?

Then she'll kill them all, kill everyone who dares to praise Ye Fan and Lin Ye!

Let's see how long you can hide!

Mad thoughts churned in her mind, and only imagining rivers of blood could slightly alleviate the excruciating shame and pain.

The carriage finally approached the capital city amidst a somber and oppressive atmosphere.

However, the closer Shu Jingwei got to the city gate, the stronger the inexplicable sense of unease became.

It's too quiet.

In the past, when the emperor returned to the capital, even without prior notice, the soldiers guarding the city would be on high alert upon seeing the imperial carriage.

They would come out to drive away and purge the nearby people, creating an image of imperial majesty.

But now, the carriage had arrived at the city gate, yet the usual shouts and commands were nowhere to be heard; only the monotonous clatter of horses' hooves and wheels, and…

The wind howled hollowly as it swept through the streets.

"What's going on?" Shu Jingwei couldn't help but open her eyes again, frowning.

Why is it so quiet? Where are the defenders? Are they all dead?

The commander of the personal guards also sensed something was wrong and quickly focused his gaze.

The tall city gate was tightly closed, and a few soldiers could be vaguely seen on the city tower, but they all stood crookedly, completely unlike their usual upright and alert appearance.

The area around the city gate was deserted; there wasn't a single person in sight, let alone any welcoming procession.

An eerie unease gripped the leader's heart.

He steeled himself and shouted upwards, "His Majesty is returning to the palace! Open the city gates immediately!"

A head popped out from the city wall; it seemed to be a gatekeeper, his face pale in the dim light.

He glanced down in a panic, then stammered back, "His Majesty...His Majesty is back! Open the door! Open the door quickly!"

squeak-

The heavy city gate was slowly pushed open a crack, just wide enough for carriages and horses to pass through, completely lacking the majestic grandeur of its former grandeur.

The carriage entered the city gate, and dim light swept through the windows.

Shu Jingwei's displeasure reached its peak.

Have all these lowly slaves lost their souls today?

I'll deal with you all properly when I return to the palace!

However, the moment the carriage completely drove out of the city gate and into the main street of the city—

Shu Jingwei was stunned.

The commander of the personal guard and all the soldiers who followed him into the city were stunned.

Zhuque Avenue remains straight and wide.

But at this moment... it's completely empty.

The shops on both sides of the street were all closed, and some even had their signs crooked.

The half-fallen sign swayed gently in the dim midday sky, making a soft creaking sound.

There were no people who should have come out to kneel and worship, and the streets were no longer bustling as usual.

All that remained were trampled shoes and overturned broken baskets scattered on the ground...

The whole street—

No, the entire city as far as the eye could see was shrouded in a deathly silence.

The pale sunlight cast long shadows of the buildings onto the deserted cobblestone street, making them look like ghosts.

"Where...where is he?" Shu Jingwei murmured, seemingly still not having reacted.

She pushed away the imperial physician who tried to help her, lunged to the carriage window, forcefully pulled back the curtain, and stuck her head out.

As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but emptiness.

Only the soldiers she brought with her stood blankly in the middle of the street, looking out of place and ridiculous.

"Where are my people?!" She turned her head sharply, her eyes flashing with a terrifying glint as she stared intently at the equally dumbfounded commander of her personal guards. Her voice suddenly rose, becoming shrill and piercing.

"Where are all these lowly people in the city?! Are they all dead?! They dare not come out to kneel and greet me upon my return to the capital! Who gave them the audacity?!"

Shu Jingwei screamed shrilly, her face contorted like a demon.

"Go! Go! Drag out all the lowly people of this street, no, all the people of this city! Drag them onto this street! I want them to kneel, kneel until they die!"

"Yes! Yes! Your subordinate obeys!" The commander scrambled off his horse, mustered a squad of soldiers, and pounced on the houses and shops on both sides of the street like wolves and tigers.

Bang! Crash!

The sounds of banging and kicking against the door rang out one after another, particularly jarring in the deathly silent street.

"Open the door! The authorities are investigating! If you don't open the door, you will be charged with treason!"

"Get out here! Did you hear me?!"

The soldiers' shouts initially carried a fierce tone that was actually a facade of bravado.

But as door after door was forcibly broken open, and nothing was found inside except overturned furniture, the shout gradually changed tone, carrying an incredulous panic.

"Report—Commander! This house is empty!"

"Commander! It's the same here! There's not a soul in sight!"

"The wardrobe was open, and a lot of clothes were missing! All the valuables were gone too!"

……

Reports came one after another, each word like a heavy hammer blow to the hearts of the soldiers who remained by the vehicle.

It also reached Shu Jingwei's ears clearly through the car window.

Empty?

It's all empty?

How is that possible!