Chapter 1: The Last Night of the Kingdom
Scene 1 – The Emperor's Palace
The palace was quiet. Too quiet.
Zhang Xiao, the so-called Emperor of Liangzhou, sprawled on a silk cushion with one leg dangling over the side, humming a ridiculous tune. His long sleeves flopped onto the floor, and his hair stuck out in every direction.
"Finally… a night to do absolutely nothing," he thought.
He yawned, stretching dramatically, careful not to notice the empty throne room around him.
But that quiet was a lie.
Outside, the shadows of approaching soldiers flickered in the moonlight. Not ordinary soldiers—strangers from a neighboring nation, carrying swords sharp enough to slice silk.
Zhang Xiao, blissfully unaware, kicked over a cup of tea.
"Oops… hope no one saw that… oh wait, no one's here. Perfect."
Scene 2 – The Kingdom Falls
The next thing he knew, screams filled the palace.
Lanterns fell. Arrows whizzed. The walls echoed with the clash of steel.
Zhang Xiao's eyes widened.
"Wait… what? Why is everyone screaming?!"
He stumbled toward the courtyard, tripping over his own feet. Guards fell left and right. Ministers ran past him, faces pale with fear.
"This… this is… NOT supposed to happen tonight!"
By dawn, the kingdom lay in ruins. Every soldier, every servant, gone. Zhang Xiao was the last one standing. Alone.
And then… he heard it.
A single voice cutting through the chaos. Calm. Powerful. Terrifying.
"Step aside, human."
A figure emerged from the smoke and ruins: tall, black hair flowing, piercing dark eyes, his expression colder than winter itself.
"Who… who are you?!" Zhang Xiao stammered, panic bubbling.
The man didn't answer. With a single motion, he deflected an arrow meant for Zhang Xiao. Then another. And another.
"Okay… wow… you're really strong. Uh… thank you?!" Zhang Xiao said nervously.
The stranger's lips pressed into a thin line. Deadpan. "…Follow me if you want to live."
Scene 3 – The Traveler
Hours later, Zhang Xiao sat on the edge of a riverbank, soaked and shivering, staring at the figure beside him.
"You… you're really… old, aren't you?" Zhang Xiao asked, finally noticing the stranger's perfect, unchanging appearance.
"I do not age." The man's voice was calm, monotone, impossible to read.
"Right… totally… old… but… wow… you're… really… perfect," Zhang Xiao muttered under his breath, blushing furiously.
The stranger frowned slightly, as if he heard. Which he probably did.
"You should be more careful," he said, pulling a cloak around Zhang Xiao. The gesture was casual—but the warmth of his hand lingered on Zhang Xiao's shoulder far too long.
"Lin-lin…" Zhang Xiao whispered, testing the name he'd shortened in his head. "Lin-lin… you're… really tall."
"Yes."
No emotion. No softening. Just… perfect, terrifying perfection.
Zhang Xiao almost fainted.
Scene 4 – The Beginning of Chaos
That night, as they walked toward a safe hideout, Zhang Xiao tripped over a root and fell straight into Zhao Lin's chest.
"AHHH! HELP! I—uhhh… uh… you're really… heavy… wait, why am I holding onto you like this?!" Zhang Xiao screamed internally.
Zhao Lin, calm as ever, simply caught him without a word. His arms were broad. His gaze piercing. The kind of gaze that could melt mountains… or hearts.
"…You're clumsy," Zhao Lin said. Deadpan. And somehow, Zhang Xiao felt seen.
"And… Lin-lin… you're… really… really close…"
Zhao Lin made no comment, but the air around them shifted. A quiet tension that neither could ignore.
Zhang Xiao sighed dramatically. "Great… I'm doomed. Absolutely doomed…"
And so began the story of the tiny, dramatic emperor and the immortal, terrifying demon king—a story of chaos, love, and an accidentally married couple who couldn't keep their hands off each other.
End of Chapter
See you in next chapter!!