490 Suffer (1/2)

”M-Master, please!” The servant dressed in brown begged on his two knees, with his palms touching the ground. He was folded over, with his forehead touching the hard floor.

”What do you mean they are dead?!” Marquis Qin roared. His furious voice traveled down the hallways, waking up everyone.

”T-the ship miraculously showed up at the harbor, b-but everyone on board had been drugged.” The servant shivered at the horrific memory. The Qin guards were notified that a ship with the Marquis's sigil carved to the side of the boat was sighted near the harbor.

A few servants were sent out to fetch the cargo, but when they got there, they were greeted with a sight that turned their faces pale. There were men lying on the deck with blood staining their teeth and lips, dripping down their chins. It seemed the crew had consumed a slow-acting poison.

”USELESS DOGS!” Marquis Qin screamed. He smashed his hand into the nearest thing he could find. The serpent stamp flew to the ground, its head shattering on impact.

”A-and…” The servant gulped. He squeezed his eyes shut, knowing this would be his last words.

”They were the last crew under your employment, Master. T-the ship was empty, there wasn't any cargo in it.”

Marquis Qin saw red. He rushed forward and grabbed the servant by his collars, his eyes shaking with fury. He breathed out like a fire-breathing dragon. There was a wild look on his face as if he was going to snap someone's neck.

”What. Did. You. Just. Say?”

The servant trembled in his boots. There was nothing intimidating about his Master, except his raised voice and snarls. His Master had a beer belly, but his body was healthy, like any aristocrat could be. The servant still remembered the first time he saw his elegant and wealthy master, living in privilege like that of a blue-blooded aristocrat.

Who would've thought this Marquis was just a peasant in disguise? His blood was filthy like dirt, for he came from humble beginnings.

”T-the crew failed to bring back the daggers shaped like a full moon.”

Marquis Qin had reached beyond the point of sheer fury. Everything inside of him snapped. He let out a furious roar and tossed the servant onto the ground. Shortly after, he rushed to his bookshelf, like a child throwing a tantrum. In the blink of an eye, he had pulled the bookshelf to the ground, as expensive books tumbled onto the wooden floor.

Only a single book laid open.

And when he saw the book, he nearly ripped it into two.

”The Art of War.”

Indeed, this was war. With the damn Crown Princess!

”That rat-faced whore!” Marquis Qin screeched, with flushed cheeks and popped veins.

His precious ship…his precious servants. All of his men were dead, his ship was empty. His men had failed him. His ship was an empty vessel. There was nothing he could sell this time, all because he had wasted every single effort to acquire the Crown Princess's damned daggers.

”That bitch!” Marquis Qin roared. He raised a leg and kicked the chair over, watching as it loudly crashed onto the ground.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw something moved. His servant was attempting to crawl out of the room.

”You!” Marquis Qin snarled. He stormed up to the servant and kicked him to the ground.