01x24 - Episode 24

[bunniefuu]

Ming?

Xiaoming?

Xiaoming?

Xiaoming!

Wang Xiaoming!

Looks like I'm asking too much of you.

I guess we're not as close as I thought.

No, that's not true.

Hong,

I've never forgotten my promise to you.

I really wish we could
keep living like this, admiring flowers,

watching the sunset,

and running the restaurant
with my mom and your dad.

I'd make something new
for you to try every week.

We'd live happily forever.

Isn't that what we have now?

But there are still people waiting for me.

Are they more important than me?

They're comrades who've
risked their lives with me.

We've put our lives on the line together

to fight for a better future.

Only after we achieve our goal

will I truly deserve to
be your dad's son-in-law

and be with you.

Thank you,

Hong.

You

really are stubborn.

Remembering our pinky promise

woke me from that beautiful dream.

So many innocent people died

in the uprising I started.

Do you think it was worth it?

Yes.

You overthrew a class system
that had long outlived its time.

You're still a hero in my eyes.

Every new beginning comes with loss.

Death itself isn't the problem.

The problem is forgetting why
we fought in the first place.

Besides, I'm with you this time.

Together, we'll protect

every life worth protecting.

It's time

to fight back!

This can't be!

Everyone,

sorry I'm late.

It's Meow!

Was he sealed away before?

Why is Long Ao here?

What happened?

We'll figure that out
after we save everyone.

You broke free from the illusions I spun.

As expected, you are the mastermind.

Instantly casting high-level magic...

Only a high priest should
be capable of that.

How can he...?

Is everyone okay?

Long Ao protected us.

He disguised himself as that tycoon

all this time.

Looks like this is more
complicated than I thought.

We'll talk later.

Get him somewhere safe first.

The blood threads he
controls are razor-sharp.

They're extremely dangerous.

Meow, I can support
you with healing magic.

Her hair has gone completely white.

Could it be...?

It's been a long time
since I've faced an opponent this exciting.

Supervisor Huang, get some rest.

Leave the rest to me.

He used to be your subordinate,

but don't hold back.

Even if you hadn't said that,
I'd still deal with him impartially.

I've never seen him use this spell before.

We can't keep dodging forever.

So you're nothing more
than a lowly commoner with a few cheap tricks!

Take over my body and buy me some time.

I'll search the forbidden
book for a counter.

All right.

You won't get the chance.

I'll cut you to pieces!

This is bad. - Rid all rigidity.

Break through the tension. - Meow!

Reshape into supple flow.

Let waves of wheat roll.

Let a thousand strands fall.

Make them smooth and
supple between my fingers.

Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Noodles,

First Move:

Resting the Dough!

Impossible!

I spent years perfecting
this secret technique!

Blood Threads into Blades!

Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Noodles,

Second Move:

Kneading the Dough!

How can someone wield such advanced magic

and possess such overwhelming
physical strength?

No. I can't lose.

I'm the most gifted one here.

This wood carving is
a pretty good replica.

It's every bit as good as the original.

You've got real talent.

Did you learn from your father?

Are you kidding?

That useless old man can barely
hold a carving knife steady.

What could he possibly teach him?

True.

Tian,

I usually have snacks in the
afternoon. Come by more often.

If I get the chance, I'll
find you some side jobs.

That'd be great. Thanks, sir.

Ever since I was little,
I knew I was different.

I could see it in the
way people looked at me.

Where did this money come from?

Have those country bumpkins been

filling your head with talk
about how talented you are again?

Know your limits!

Don't bite off more than you can chew!

Pride will only ruin your craft!

One day, it'll ruin you too!

I'll do it.

As long as you pay me what I asked for.

Tian, are you sure about this?

Does your father approve...?

We're doing him a favor.

If this works out,

maybe he can finally get away
from that useless old man.

A buyer is offering a high price

for a wood carving identical
to the one in the temple.

But the wood used for the original
is too rare and expensive,

which makes fast delivery impossible.

Luckily, we found another kind of wood

that looks almost identical once carved.

With your skill and our finishing touches,

no one will be able to tell.

Tian, believe in yourself.
You're a real genius.

I knew my father's beatings and scolding

were nothing but jealousy.

He couldn't bring himself to admit

how mediocre and useless

he'd been his entire life
compared with a child.

To carve a divine idol,
you have to believe the deity exists.

At that moment, I felt

as if a god had given me a chance

to escape my old life,

find people who truly appreciated me,

and start a whole new life.

But...

You're the brat who sold us that fake?

I have talent.

I have talent.

I can't...

I can't go down here!

Weren't you one of the Eight Tiger Generals
who swore loyalty to King Lie?

Why did you betray him?

I did betray him.

But you got one thing wrong.

I never

accepted him as my king!

So you were the traitor all along!

Ridiculous!

At the start of the uprising,
I was the third to join his ranks.

Whenever our forces faced stronger enemies

and morale began to crumble,

I devised strategies time and again

to steady the troops and secure victory!

When we were lured into a trap,

I turned the enemy's scheme against them,
broke through the encirclement,

seized a vital stronghold,
and turned the tide!

Later in the w*r,

when mages secretly colluded
with people within our ranks,

I uncovered the traitors
and helped him eliminate the threat!

Yet after all that,

I ended up seventh among
the Eight Tiger Generals.

A man who can't even reward
people for their achievements

doesn't deserve to be king!

Abracadabra.

Earth Glide!

Is what he said true?

When I first took over the kingdom,

I was overwhelmed every day.

But whenever those who'd earned merit
asked for something, I did my best to grant it.

As for him,

he kept everything to himself.

Even when I asked, he
wouldn't speak plainly.

But I don't believe he'd betray me
just because of how he was rewarded.

Did you two ever clash over policy?

There were countless
decisions we disagreed on.

But everyone had their own opinions.

I could only choose the
path I truly believed in.

From beginning to end,

all you ever cared about
was proving yourself,

not what was truly best for this country.

For that reason alone,

you have no right to
challenge his authority!

Authority?

What authority does he have left?

That brute you're
talking about is history!

You know King Lie's body
has been taken over?

Looks like you know quite a lot too.

In that case,

I have even more reason to make sure
none of you leave here alive!

Mia-chegga-see, babara-bara.

Pew!

What?

Who is really behind the
plot to replace King Lie?

Stop bringing that man up.

He never had what it took
to rule this country!

Military strategies,

trade programs,

and social policies...

I handled them all!

Even the blueprint
for dividing the kingdom into ten districts

was my work.

At first, I thought he would
understand and appreciate me.

As for the people beyond District Eight,

let them fend for themselves for now.

We should focus on developing
the core districts first.

No.

Equal wealth will only
lead to equal poverty.

Wealth gaps will create class divisions.

If we allow that,

how are we any different from
the old king we overthrew?

I'm not abandoning or exploiting them.

They just need to wait a bit longer.

Then why must they be the ones to wait?

Why can't it be you and me?

Everyone has already waited long enough.

I want everyone to be treated fairly.

This is hopeless.

Talking to an uneducated
fool is exhausting.

You little devil!

How many times have I told
you to behave yourself?

Don't touch my things!

Stop it!

Get out of the way!

Stop!

Stop!

What a shame. Such a
fine fake, now tainted.

The kid's hands are dirty now.

Let's go.

After that,

it felt like even the
gods had abandoned me.

No matter how well I carved,

no one ever bought my work again.

I was so gifted,

but that useless old
fool ruined everything.

You're all ignorant fools.

I won't make the same mistake again.

I tried everything to reason with him,

but he wouldn't listen to a word.

He couldn't even grasp basic economics.

This country

was bound to fall apart under him.

What I'm doing now

is ridding the people of a menace

and giving everyone a more hopeful future!

Die with that useless fool!

He's out of his mind!

Is he trying to flatten
this whole district?

It's time, Lie.

Oh, gods...

Why are you

still making a fool of me in this life?

You've only just recovered.
You need more rest.

I'm fine.

What kind of magic was that?

That was incredible.

It actually countered Qin Tian's moves
and defeated one of the Eight Tiger Generals.

You flatter me.

Just some tricks I picked
up here and there.

Is that so?

I didn't recognize those strange spells,

and I certainly didn't know
anyone in District Ten

with skills like yours.

But I did recognize the
force behind the moves

you used to defeat Qin Tian.

It belonged to a leader I knew
who should already be dead.

Who are you?

After all these years,

your insight is still as sharp as ever,

Eight-Horse Ao.

You're...

Your Majesty!

"Your Majesty"?

No wonder he's always talking to himself.

So King Lie's soul has been
inside him all this time?

So he's the true King Lie?

Greetings, Your Majesty!

No, no, no.

My name is Ming.

But King Lie's soul really
does reside inside me.

The man in the palace right now

used some kind of magic

to take over King Lie's body.

So please keep this secret

and don't alert that impostor.

But Qin Tian's death

is bound to draw attention.

We need to be even more
careful from now on

and move faster.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Welcome, Mr. Long Ao.

Please, don't call me that.

Thank you for saving my life twice.

Among Qin Tian's associates,

can you tell who might be the mastermind?

That brute you're talking about

is history!