National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

Ji Shengyue’s gaze swept over the severed heads. Her pupils contracted violently, her face a mask of shock and grief.

Her lips trembled slightly. She wanted to say something, but was too stunned to speak.

She recognized every single head. They were the members of the brain trust she had painstakingly cultivated. These people had once been her most capable aides in governing the nation, devising strategies for her. Now, without exception, they had all died at the hands of these Vampires.

Looking at the bloody scene before her, a profound despair welled up in Ji Shengyue’s heart.

Her eyes grew vacant and lifeless. Her body trembled slightly, and the color drained from her lips.

In that moment, her heart turned to ash. She understood completely that she no longer had any chance of turning the tables.

The once-glorious Great Jing Empire had gradually declined under her rule, and now it was about to fall completely under the Vampire Clan’s control.

Countless images flashed through her mind: her own high-spirited ambition when she ascended the throne, the myriad efforts she had made to consolidate her rule... but at this moment, it all turned to dust.

She slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but tears still couldn’t help but slide from the corners of her eyes.

...

The Great Jing Empire—a place where prosperity and decay intertwined.

Its towering city walls bore witness to its former glory, yet the streets were permeated with an air of decline.

Beneath this seemingly calm surface, a breathtaking storm of power was quietly brewing.

Back in the Lighthouse Empire, the Vampire Clan had already woven a vast network of commercial empires, relying on their extraordinary intelligence and ruthless methods.

Multinational corporations, financial consortiums—all were but tools for their amassing of wealth. The fortune they had accumulated and the influence they had forged were far beyond the scope of mortal imagination.

Now, for them, seizing control of the Great Jing Empire’s upper echelons of power was effortlessly simple.

The Great Jing Empire’s Royal Palace, once the pinnacle symbol of power, was now completely shrouded in the grim aura of the Vampire Clan.

Inside the palace, the luxury remained. Dazzling crystal chandeliers cast brilliant light, but they could not dispel the oppressive fear that filled the air.

Ye Lingyun sat languidly on the throne that had once belonged to Ji Shengyue, her legs crossed elegantly, toying with a pigeon’s-egg-sized Ruby in her hand.

The gem spun between her fingertips, its reflected light glinting off the disdainful smirk on her lips. The Great Jing Empire was now a plaything in her palm, and everything was under her control.

The upper echelons of the Vampire Clan indulged themselves wantonly in the Royal Palace, reveling in the ecstasy that power brought.

Some of them lounged lazily on soft velvet sofas, holding glasses of top-tier red wine from the Bordeaux Vineyard. The mellow aroma of wine filled the air, but it could not mask the greed in their hearts.

Others gathered in small groups, conversing in low voices about how to further exploit the Great Jing Empire’s resources. From land and minerals to the commoners’ taxes, nothing was beyond their calculations.

In their eyes, the people of the Great Jing Empire were nothing more than lambs to the slaughter, completely powerless to resist.

And Ji Shengyue, the once boundlessly glorious Queen, was now merely a puppet to be manipulated at will, devoid of any dignity.

Her eyes were filled with resentment and fury; her former pride and confidence had been worn away to nothing.

Forced to sit beside Ye Lingyun like a soulless puppet, she mechanically obeyed Ye Lingyun’s commands, her hand trembling as she signed one document after another, each one pushing the Great Jing Empire further into the abyss.

With every stroke of the pen, she felt as if she were personally burying her country’s future bit by bit. But she was powerless, able only to endure it in silence. ’I must wait for a chance to strike back,’ she secretly vowed.

Beneath this seemingly tranquil power structure, a secret plot was quietly unfolding.

...

On a dark and windy night, the sky was thick with black clouds that completely obscured the moon, plunging the entire world into darkness.

Raphael, like an agile cat in the night, silently infiltrated the Great Jing Empire.

He skillfully evaded the many lookouts posted by the Vampire Clan, made his way to the Royal Palace, and successfully entered Ji Shengyue’s chambers through a little-known secret passage.

Ji Shengyue was sitting on the edge of her bed, her mind consumed with worry as she plotted her escape. When a dark figure suddenly appeared, she jumped in fright, instinctively about to cry for help.

Seeing this, Raphael quickly moved forward, pressing a finger to his lips in a hushing gesture. He whispered, ”Her Majesty the Queen, do not be alarmed. I am here to help you.”

Ji Shengyue’s face filled with suspicion. She watched him warily and demanded in a sharp voice, ”Who are you? Why would you help me? Don’t you know I’m now nothing but a prisoner of the Vampire Clan? I can’t even protect myself, so what could I possibly do to help you?”

Raphael bowed slightly, an expression of utmost sincerity on his face, and said slowly, ”Her Majesty the Queen, I am Raphael, an Archbishop from the Bright Holy See.”

”We at the Bright Holy See have been closely monitoring the situation in the Great Jing Empire, and we simply cannot bear to see you being bullied by the Vampire Clan like this.”

”Although you are in dire straits, your influence in the Great Jing Empire is not to be underestimated.”

”Think about it. Your loyal subordinates, the subjects who still hold deep affection for the Great Jing Empire... if you just give the word, they will surely give their all to restore the glory of the Great Jing Empire.”

Ji Shengyue’s heart stirred, but she knew all too well that this world was full of conspiracies and betrayal. Trusting a stranger so easily could very well lead to her utter destruction.