Chapter 424


    Spirit Gathering Pill was undoubtedly benign, yet the craft of creating it was intricate. To the eye and


    nose, it was utterly colorless and odorless. Nobody would be able to discern whether Spirit Gathering


    Pill was a lethal poison or a miraculous cure.


    Simon was testing whether Marlington King''s intentions were sincere or deceitful. If Marlington King


    dared to ingest a Spirit Gathering Pill, it would reveal his honesty.


    This was a psychological warfare.


    In a deep voice, Marlington King said, “I''m not opposed to taking your Maleficent Lethal Pill, but I must


    warn you in advance. Should you invite holy king silkworm into your body, you cannot leave Holy


    Maiden Cave. the moment you step outside, holy king silkworm will go berserk, and you''ll be dead.”


    Simon''s brows knitted together. “If I can extract holy king silkworm, you must help escort Mauve down


    the mountain.”


    “Agreed!” Marlington King paused and added, “Given that I am under the control of your poison pill,


    how could I possibly harm her?”


    Simon tucked Spirit Gathering Pill back into his spatial ring and said, “Marlington King, I trust your


    word. Let''s leave the matter of the poison pill behind. Lead the way.”


    Taken aback, Marlington King breathed a sigh of relief.


    Naturally, Simon wouldn''t truly let Marlington King consume Spirit Gathering Pill. Firstly, it was


    invaluable. Secondly, the man was an expert both in parasites and poison art. Hence, Simon''s tricks


    would be revealed. Lastly, it helped to alleviate the tension between them, showcasing his absolute


    trust in Marlington King. With Marlington King''s honest nature, he would not easily go against his word.


    However, Simon realized that Marlington King was the stubborn type, seeing as thetter was only


    open to negotiation after Simon had demonstrated his resolve by killing someone.


    Soon after, under Marlington King''s guidance, they proceeded toward Holy Maiden Cave.


    Before they set off, Marlington King advised Simon, “You may well understand the act of intimacy


    between the male and female, but you can''t let the female resist, nor let her know you intend to draw


    away holy king silkworm. If she resists you in any way, the holy king silkworm will do the same. That


    will make it impossible for you to draw it into your body.”


    Simon nodded. Out of curiosity, he asked, “The holy king silkworm seems rather fragile, but you appear


    to highly value it. Why is that? What can you use it for?”


    “The holy king silkworm canmand all parasites in the world,” Marlington King replied in a stern


    tone.


    Realization dawned on Simon.


    Before long, they arrived at the entrance of Holy Maiden Cave.


    “I won''t go in,” Marlington King dered.


    Nodding, Simon stepped into the cave.


    To his surprise, the cave was a sanctuary with the mostfortable weather, adorned with stctites


    from above and traversed by a natural stream ahead.


    In the cornery a stone bed covered with quilts, and there were even toiletries on a stone table


    nearby.


    His eyesnded on Mauve.


    Donned in a white tracksuit, she sat in front of the stone table, lost in thought.


    “Regretting it, aren''t you?” Simon asked coolly.


    Mauve sprung up with joy. She was greeted by the sight of Simon as soon as she turned around and


    called out, “Simon!”


    He regarded Mauve with a wistful gaze. As a man whose heart was known to be as unyielding as iron,


    Simon found himself touched with an unforeseen tenderness upon the sight of this youngdy.


    “I have no regrets!” Mauve dered, closing the distance between herself and Simon. Her feet


    throbbed with pain with each determined step, but she remained ted.


    With excitement brimming in her eyes, shetched onto Simon''s arm, a radiant gaze beaming up at


    him. “Simon, are you finally all right?”


    A solemn look passed over Simon''s face. “Do you understand what you''re up against?”


    “I do,” Mauve replied. “I understand that I''ll be imprisoned here for a lifetime. I''ve thought this over. If I


    ever find it unbearable and can''t stand it any longer, I''ve resolved to end my life here.”


    “And what about your parents?” Simon asked.


    Mauve froze, tears pooling in her eyes before they cascaded down her cheeks.


    How could I not think about them? Yet, what could I have done then? I can''t stand idly by and let Simon


    die.


    However, she knew she had to stay strong in front of Simon and quickly wiped her tears. The sadder


    she looked, the guiltier he would feel. “Simon, as much as I miss my parents, I know they''re still alive


    and doing well. But what I desire more than anything else is for you to also live on,” Mauve exined.


    Simon was at a loss for words.


    After a considerable time, he gently held her petite hand and led her to sit by the bed.


    “Let me see if your foot is better?” Simon carefully ced her foot onto hisp.


    Her foot had already been tended to by Marlington King with some herbal concoction.


    “It doesn''t hurt that much anymore,” Mauve admitted, her lips curling into a blissful smile.


    Studying her, Simon murmured, “How could there be such a silly girl like you?”


    Mauve let out a hearty chortle. “I''m truly one of a kind.”


    Suddenly, Simon asked, “Do you want to know who I truly am?”


    Mauve looked at him in surprise, her excitement palpable as she asked, “Simon, are you willing to tell


    me?”


    She had fallen deeply in love with Simon and held an insatiable curiosity about his past, imagining it to


    be filled with riveting tales.


    Seeing her enthusiasm, Simon drew in a deep breath and nodded. “My surname is Lawson, and my


    given name is Francis. I''m thirty-one this year.”


    With her head slightly titled, Mauve listened earnestly.


    “I''m an orphan, adopted by an assassin''s organization when I was young. I don''t know who my parents


    were, and perhaps, they were murdered by that very organization. But who knows? They''d never tell


    me the truth.”


    Simon divulged the harsh training he endured as a child, the pet he was forced to kill with his own


    hands, and the losses he''d suffered. Heid bare his experiences, his pain, and his sorrows. He also


    told her about Olive.


    Having already epted Mauve in his heart, Simon feltfortable enough to open up to her.


    After he finished speaking, Mauve felt a deeper understanding of thisplex man.


    “Simon!” Mauve flung herself into his arms, eagerly seeking his embrace. “Let me always stay by your


    side, okay?” she pleaded, tilting her head upward to meet Simon''s gaze.


    “Do you wish to be my woman?” Simon asked.


    With a firm nod, Mauve locked her determined gaze onto his. “Yes.”


    “Once you be mine, you''re forever mine. Betrayal is not an option.” His words were heavy with


    sincerity, “And moreover, life with me will be fraught with danger, hardship, and bitterness. Are you


    willing to ept all these?”


    Mauve nodded again. “Yes.”


    “Good.”


    “Simon,” Mauve said, her cheeks tinged with a blush, “will you love only me forever?”


    The question was so simple yet so profound. She was unlike other girls, yet her query was as innocent


    as any.


    Simon regarded Mauve and abruptly sat up.


    His sudden movement startled her. Could it be that Simon doesn''t love me at all? Why has he be


    so distant all of a sudden?


    A wave of panic swept over Mauve at the thought. She found it difficult to understand the enigmatic


    man.


    This time, however, she managed to hold back her tears. With a defiant tilt of her chin, she managed to


    choke back the sobs threatening to escape.


    “Simon, I''ll never ask again if you love me or not.” Her words were filled with a stubborn determination,


    and it was more like a note of self-reassurance.


    However, it was undeniable that her heart was wounded.


    Turning to face her, Simon noticed her distress and suppressed his harsh words.


    He sat back down and quietly instructed, “Mauve, look at me.”


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    She did as she was told, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.


    “You must realize that life with me will not be like that of ordinary people,” he warned her.


    “I understand.” Her response was quick. “You have already promised that I could be your woman. Are


    you regretting it already?”


    “You don''t understand!” Simon insisted. “That was because...” he trailed off mid-sentence before


    continuing, “Don''t you know that the holy king silkworm resides within you? As long as it is within your


    body, you cannot leave Holy Maiden Cave. If you leave, the holy king silkworm will die, and so will you.”


    Mauve''s confusion was apparent. “I know about the holy king silkworm. But what does that have to do


    with our previous conversation?”


    Simon replied grimly, “I need to draw out the holy king silkworm from your body. Everything we''ve been


    through was to persuade you to willingly transfer the holy king silkworm to me. And now, you''re free.


    Even though I have imed your body, you have also gained lifelong freedom. In a way, you didn''t lose


    anything either.”


    The truth of the situation hit Mauve hard. She finally understood what truly happened.


    Simon gently brushed his fingers across Mauve''s delicate cheek. In a rare disy of tenderness, he


    said, “Mauve, I have never felt for anyone the way I do for you. You asked me if I love you but the truth


    is I''m not sure if I do. Maybe I don''t even know what love truly is. But I am bound here, and I don''t want


    you to stay in this cave with me forever. Consider all that has transpired as a beautiful yet thrilling


    dream. When you wake, it''s time to return to your normal life.”