Munitions Empire

Chapter 2022 - 1884: Frenzied Red (Part 2)

Now, Sofia has been completely blinded by the obsession with revenge. She can’t see the danger ahead, nor hear any advice, much like a machine with a set program, marching resolutely toward destruction.

"You’re absolutely crazy..." The man squeezed these words out through gritted teeth, his trembling finger pointing at Sofia, eyes filled with fear and disbelief, "In this situation, you don’t stand a chance anymore! Look at you now, like a trapped beast, struggling desperately!"

"No!" Sofia sneered, her tone filled with confidence: "Quite the opposite, I have a great chance of success. Do you think the Empire Tang Mo built is really unbreakable? Naive! This empire is entirely built on Tang Mo alone; he is the foundation stone of the empire. As long as he dies, this empire will collapse and disintegrate in an instant, like a towering building losing its foundation, crumbling with a crash."

"His subordinates are indeed formidable." The man gasped, staring at the pills in front of him, muttering to himself: "Luff, Tagg, Chu Muzhou... none of them will bow to anyone; the Great Tang Empire will surely implode on its own. By then, we won’t need to lift a finger—they’ll tear themselves apart!"

"Even so." The man struggled to sit up, shouting in despair, "But you’re already dead! Look at yourself! You’re neither human nor ghost; you’re practically a corpse!"

"It doesn’t matter." A hint of madness flashed in Sofia’s eyes: "If I can die with him, I would be more than willing to. To go to hell together with him is, to me, a great honor."

"You..." The man looked at Sofia’s deranged appearance, momentarily speechless, overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness.

"That’s also why I dyed my hair back to red..." Sofia caressed her long red hair, her eyes dreamy, as if returning to the past: "Today at the celebration, I will be the most beautiful woman... when he sees me, his eyes will be filled with regret. This will be our first meeting, and it will also mark his last day in this world."

The man was silent for a moment, finally unable to resist speaking: "Do you really think he’ll regret it? He might not even care about you. In his eyes, you might be nothing."

"No." Sofia’s eyes suddenly became sharp: "He will regret it. I understand him, I know what he deeply desires, I know what he wants most."

"If there’s another world after death." Sofia’s voice became gentle, as if narrating a beautiful dream: "I will allow him to kiss my hand... he is the only man who interests me, I can grant him this honor. He will regret opposing me; he should, like all other men, kneel before me, lick my toes... and present the Great Tang Empire as a gift to me!"

"Crazy woman..." The man collapsed helplessly on the ground, his eyes empty, muttering to himself: "You are a madwoman! You are completely insane!"

"Hahahaha." Sofia laughed heartily, her laughter filled with madness and despair: "Thank you for the compliment. Hurry and eat these Black Crow Pills, so we can attend the grandest... ceremony in the world."

"Stop being stubborn..." The man pleaded bitterly: "Turn back, give up, Sofia! You still have a chance to start over! However you live, you’ll always live better than others..."

"There’s no chance left." Sofia shook her head, her gaze resolute: "I have gone too far to turn back."

"Are you really going to do this?" The man asked desperately.

"Yes!" Sofia answered firmly: "I have decided."

She won’t let anyone alter her plan; it is the best ending she has ordained for herself and the world.

"You’ll regret it!" The man roared.

"I do not regret." Sofia said calmly: "I have never regretted."

As she spoke, Sofia seemed to recall something, as if something in her heart had slipped away... what she wanted to destroy might once have been something she yearned to possess in a fleeting moment.

"Madman! You madman!" The man cursed again.

"Perhaps." Sofia smiled faintly, glanced at the clock on the wall: "But this is who I am."

"Hurry up and take the medicine!" Before the man could continue to speak, she urged, "There isn’t much time. You’d better hurry up, I’m pressed for time."

"I..." The man hesitated.

"Don’t be afraid." Sofia consoled him, "Death isn’t frightening; what’s frightening is living as if you’re dead."

"I... don’t want to die..." The man was still undecided.

"Trust me." Sofia said gently, "Living worse than dying is the most painful thing in this world. You are lucky because you can choose... This will be the best choice of your life."

"We will go to hell together..." The man finally made up his mind, trembling as he picked up a Black Crow Pill and put it in his mouth.

After the last line of defense was shattered, after the pain overshadowed the fear of death, after taking the first Black Crow Pill, he gave in to despair and began to grab the black pills from the ground and stuff them into his mouth.

In that pitiful and humble state, he looked like a wretched beggar scraping for leftover food on the ground. Sofia, devoid of any sympathy, simply looked down at the endless devouring of Black Crow by the man, a pathological smile appearing on her face.

"That’s right." Sofia nodded in satisfaction, "We will embrace a new beginning together."

"A new beginning..." The man murmured to himself, as his body was now free from pain due to the pills, his eyes gradually grew dazed, and his face showed a sickly calmness, appearing like a walking corpse.

"Yes." Sofia affirmed, "A new beginning... or perhaps the final ending."

...

The heavy oak door was gently pushed open by the butler, making a low creaking sound. The first sight was of a man in a sharp black suit, impeccable, restored to his usual composure and wealth.

He stood by the scarlet velvet sofa, like a loyal knight guarding Sofia who was sitting there. His eyes were no longer dazed, replaced by an empty calmness, as if nothing mattered anymore. Sofia reclined lazily on the sofa, gently swirling a glass of amber-colored liquid in her hand, the crimson liquid rotating at her fingertips, like dancing flames.

"Sir, the car is ready." The butler bowed slightly and said respectfully, "According to the schedule, you and madam should be on your way." His voice was low and steady, with a barely noticeable reminder.

Sofia elegantly placed the wine glass on the ornate tea table and rose slowly, her red dress accentuating her fiery red hair, as if a burning flame was gently dancing. Time had left its mark on her face, and life in the Dorne Southern Jungle had made her skin no longer as fair as it was ten years ago, but this mature charm was still incredibly captivating, still radiant and irresistible.

"I know, let’s go." Sofia responded faintly, her tone carrying a hint of undeniable authority. She walked gracefully toward the door, the man closely following behind her, like a faithful shadow.

The butler silently watched the two leave, his many years of professional demeanor hiding all emotions beneath a calm exterior. He had long become accustomed to following orders from the new mistress, used to holding his tongue and not easily revealing his likes and dislikes.

The original mistress had died inexplicably a few months ago, and the master quickly married this beautiful and mysterious woman. Whatever had happened in between, he knew a bit about it but could only bury the questions deep within. As a butler, his duty was to obey, not to question.

The black sedan smoothly started, merging into the endless stream of traffic outside the window. Most of these vehicles were luxury cars for guests attending the celebration, lavishly decorated, and extraordinarily grand.

A few hours later, the largest coronation ceremony in the world was about to unfold at the world’s center, the largest city, Chang’an...

Sunlight filtered through the car window, casting onto Sofia’s face, reflecting the ambition and desire in her eyes. She wanted to step onto that stage, under the spotlight, and deliver a shock to the world, ensuring everyone remembers her beautiful red hair forever.