The members of the royal family who had rushed to the scene were dumbfounded and horrified by the sight of corpses strewn about. They couldn't believe that such a delicate and fragile young girl like Qiao Ying could possess such formidable strength, especially when she was still holding a gun and the only remaining guard was desperately struggling to escape from under her feet.
Even their most skilled soldiers in the army couldn't compare to her.
Everyone crowded at the doorway, their expressions grave, not daring to make a sound.
Apart from a few sons of the old king, no one dared to step forward to protect their sovereign. They were all afraid of being shot and could only pray that Lin Cheng would quickly calm Qiao Ying down and persuade her to put the gun down.
The old king himself was somewhat disoriented, not due to the sight of the corpses and blood, but because of Qiao Ying's skills. The old king, who had seen much of the world in his lifetime, had to admit that he was lacking in knowledge.
It wasn't until Lin Cheng stood in front of him that the old king's tense nerves were able to relax a little, and he swallowed his saliva before speaking, "...Duke Lin."
Faced with this situation, Lin Cheng didn't know what to do either.
Because he knew very well that Qiao Ying wouldn't listen to him. Even so, Lin Cheng still had to do something.
Speaking in Mandarin, Lin Cheng said, "Xiao Yin, put the gun down first. Let's talk. There's no need to harm him. It will only lead to more losses. Don't you have other things to do?" With everyone watching, if Qiao Ying were to injure the king, things would become really serious.
Lin Cheng then turned to Qin Hanyue for help, saying, "Mr. Qin, don't just stand there. Please lend a hand." Qin Hanyue remained indifferent and helpless, "Duke Lin, if you can't persuade her, how can I?"
When Qiao Ying showed no response to Lin Cheng, she tilted her head slightly and looked at the old king behind him, speaking in French, "Actually, I really dislike this image of mine."
Her voice was calm, "Every time I have to use my hands and point the gun at your heads, only then will you believe that I am capable of killing."
Despite the deaths of more than twenty Karina's guards, this stubborn old man still couldn't wise up and had to see it with his own eyes to feel fear.
The old king could only express his inner anger through his eyes.
Soon, a large group of guards arrived and within moments, the meeting hall was packed to the brim. The leading guard reprimanded Qiao Ying to put down her weapon. Qiao Ying instantly found herself outnumbered, and the old king regained his confidence and sense of security.
The old king regained his composure.
Looking at Lin Cheng in front of him, the old king said, "Duke Lin, what crime is it when someone commits murder and attacks royal guards like this?"
Lin Cheng slightly turned his head back and asked in response, "Didn't you say you wanted to talk to Xiao Yin alone? Why did so many guards show up?"
Lin Cheng's defense of Qiao Ying displeased the crowd, who believed that he couldn't distinguish between urgency and importance. At a time like this, instead of thinking about subduing the dangerous Qiao Ying, he even had the audacity to question the king.
Regardless of the reasons, the fact remained that Qiao Ying had killed people and aimed a gun at the king. No excuse could absolve her of guilt.
The old king said, "Duke Lin, at this point, I have nothing to consider anymore. She has killed so many royal guards and severely injured Karina. I will now arrest her in accordance with the law and sentence her to death."
Without waiting for Lin Cheng to speak, the old king continued, "If Duke Lin wants to intervene, don't blame me for not showing mercy and arresting you together."
Lin Cheng's face turned slightly cold, caught between a rock and a hard place. He whispered to Qiao Ying in a negotiating tone, "Can you put the gun down for now?"
The king pushed Lin Cheng aside and took a step forward, deliberately exposing himself to Qiao Ying's gun. He stood tall.
"I want to see if you dare to pull the trigger."
"There are thousands of guards in this palace, and outside the palace, there are elite armies. Let's see how you can withstand that."
Qiao Ying showed no sign of hesitation on her face. On the contrary, she remained calm and resolute. "If we're all going to be sentenced to death, who else should I be afraid to kill?"
She put her finger on the trigger.
Is the king terrifying?
She had killed people of equal status before.
It was not difficult to find a code-named assassin from the shadows who had killed several high-ranking officials on the mission list.
The old king's face slightly changed, but he did not back down.
Everyone, except Qin Hanyue, was too frightened to breathe.
Lin Cheng took a step and once again stood in front of the old king. Qiao Ying was full of youthful vigor, and he was afraid she might act impulsively.
He also worried that the guards might suddenly shoot at Qiao Ying.
So he took a few steps forward, getting closer to Qiao Ying, to prevent the guards from shooting without any scruples. At this moment, if the old king publicly executed Qiao Ying, he wouldn't have a valid reason to hold anyone responsible. If it weren't for some reservations, the old king would most likely seize this opportunity to take Qiao Ying's life.
Qin Hanyue also took a few steps closer to Qiao Ying.
The two of them positioned themselves in the middle, doing their best to block the guards' guns.
The situation reached a deadlock for a moment.
Caught in the middle, Lin Cheng had no choice but to sacrifice himself. He said to the king, "Can I talk to you alone?"
Lin Cheng intended to confess about Qiao Ying being Qin Hanyue's girlfriend.
Apart from that, he couldn't think of any other way to ensure Qiao Ying's safe departure after killing so many royal guards.
The old king knew that Lin Cheng was ready to compromise.
It was a bit late for him to compromise. The old king, who had been humiliated in public, felt dissatisfied and didn't immediately leave with Lin Cheng.
"Of course, you can." He glanced at Qiao Ying. "But this person is really dangerous." He asked the guards next to him to bring a pair of handcuffs.
"For safety's sake, Duke Lin, it's better to restrain her first before we talk." He held half of the handcuffs and handed them to Lin Cheng.
Lin Cheng turned around and looked, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, but he didn't take them.
"If Duke Lin can't bear to do it, my men can do it on your behalf." He gestured with the handcuffs.
This was a lesson he was teaching Lin Cheng.
Lin Cheng's face turned slightly cold.
In the next moment, a gunshot rang out, and the silver handcuffs in the old king's hand were blasted away, falling to the ground, rendered useless.
The guards were shocked.
Reacting quickly, they raised their guns and loaded their bullets.
Everyone in the conference hall was startled, and after seeing the situation clearly, they looked at Qiao Ying with disbelief. This was beyond being brave; it was truly fearless.
Lin Cheng turned to look at Qiao Ying, and finally, her calm face showed some expression—a mix of astonishment and nervousness.
The old king's arm went numb, and his face turned pale and grim as he stared at Qiao Ying.
Qiao Ying, under his gaze, slightly adjusted the position of her gun, aiming it at his head.
The situation became uncontrollable.
Lin Cheng suppressed his voice and called out to her, "Qiao Ying."
But it didn't make Qiao Ying step back even half a step.
At this moment, the butler appeared again, bringing someone with him, and said loudly, "Prince Lin is here."
"Prince Lin?"
"Prince Lin has returned?" Everyone turned their heads to look outside.
Sure enough, they saw the long-lost familiar figure walking towards them, and everyone couldn't help but exchange glances, their expressions becoming intense.
As the person approached, everyone awkwardly greeted him.
"Prince Lin..." and they made way for him.
"Prince Lin?" The old king looked at the person who walked in.
Lin Cheng was surprised, "Uncle."
Lin Cheng's uncle nodded to the old king and Lin Cheng, then looked at the horrifying scene on the ground.
Finally, he looked at Qiao Ying.
He raised his hand, gesturing for Qiao Ying to put down the gun, his voice gentle and his tone kind, "Child, put the gun down first, don't act impulsively. Let me handle this, I will talk to them." He spoke as if comforting a child.
Qiao Ying glanced at Lin Cheng's uncle, then looked back at the old king.
After a moment of thought, she raised her hand and accurately fired several shots, knocking down the three flags above the old king's head.
"You..." Under the old king's furious gaze, Qiao Ying forcefully slammed the gun on the table, coldly glanced at the old king, put her hands in her pockets, and walked away without looking back.
