Soul Lock

The Third Life (JX)

In his next life, Ju Xin was born in the Kingdom of Dong as the son of the king and queen. The king was a bit paranoid, so he didn't announce Ju Xin's birth. He grew up in the palace, and could go out only in shabby clothes, hiding his identity. Nevertheless, Ju Xin was happy.

However, it didn't last long...

When he was eighteen years old, the drought hit the kingdom hard. The common people had to reduce the times of the meals as well as the portions. The king and queen were extremely concerned about the happenings and they tried to seek help from other kingdoms. However, seeing the opportunity for conquest, the other kingdoms refused to help.

Hearing the news, the king died because of a heart attack and the queen passed the throne to Ju Xin.

After the coronation, the whole kingdom heard about the news and wished a long life for the new king.

After Ju Xin became the king, he burned the midnight oil and tried to find a way out. He offered the treasures of the palace in exchange with rice and wheat and the Kingdom of Huang accepted the offer. Ju Xin sent almost all of the valuables of the palace, but the promised items never came. All the carriers were empty!

With the revelation, the queen collapsed and the entire kingdom came to the point of starvation. Rice was long gone and pumpkin was diminishing fast. Before long, there were only wind and water to eat and drink. Ju Xin didn't give up. Day and night, he was writing letters, offering marriage, the remaining gold and jewellery, some land...

There was no reply.

The other kingdoms were waiting for his kingdom to fall like carrion crows...

Soon, the queen died and Ju Xin sent all the palace workers home except one maid and five guards.

Although the guards were completely against it, at one midnight, Ju Xin wore his shabby clothes and distributed every bit of food that the palace had to the people's doorways.

As they didn't know that their king chose to starve alongside his people, they organized a revolt, but it was subsided as nobody had the energy to fight.

Then, one day he received a letter from the Kingdom of An. The An King offered to help him as long as Ju Xin accepted to hand his kingdom to the An King and kill himself. Although the offer was outrageous, Ju Xin wrote a letter, saying it was acceptable, but the king had to promise prosperity for his people.

Ten days later, the King of An paid a secret visit with one hundred carriers full of food. After fifty of carriers were distributed, starting from the small villages, Ju Xin took his sword out and leaned it against his throat under the amused gaze of the King of An. He was about to cut his own throat when an angry voice heard.

"Ju Xin!"

Ju Xin didn't answer, hoping whoever he was would go out soon. However, the owner of the voice was insanely stubborn and he kept on yelling Ju Xin's name.

Ju Xin excused himself for a second and went to check out the situation.

"What are you doing here?" he asked tiredly, seeing the panting figure on the stairs.

The man raised his head and stared at Ju Xin in a strange way, his blue eyes shining dangerously under the flickering light of the candle Ju Xin was holding.

"I asked you a question," Ju Xin pressed, but the man kept his silence.

Ju Xin couldn't wait any longer, "you can do whatever you want, but don't take too much time," he said softly and attempted to go, but the man's voice stopped him.

"You didn't recognise me again, but it is okay as it doesn't matter anymore."

Ju Xin looked at him in confusion, his eyebrows knitted together. Then he exhaled heavily and said, "I am truly sorry for not recognising you, but I have to go now."

"WAIT!"

"What now?" the tired king asked, irritated, but he kept standing nonetheless.

"Why did you abandon us? How could you let your own people die while you were sitting comfortably here?!"

Hearing his words, Ju Xin's lips twitched unwittingly. He was doing anything but sitting comfortably, but he couldn't accuse the man for thinking like that as he didn't know what Ju Xin was about to do.

From his red sleeve, he took out a half-rotten orange which was the last thing to eat in the palace. Silently thanking his maid for her kindness to hide an orange for him, he threw it to the man who caught it with no little difficulty.

"Hang on for a short while," he said calmly as the following day, all the food would be distributed with the announcement of the new king. Apologizing to the man inwardly, he shouted "GUARDS!"

In a second, two guards appeared and dragged the jibbing body of the man out of the palace.

Then, Ju Xin went back to his room where the King of An was waiting for his suicide with a bored expression on his face.

"Now they are your people, so cherish them," Ju Xin said softly and raised his sword.

A second later, his dead body hit the floor.