Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 219: Father and Son

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The royal capital of the Ram Kingdom.

Robin strolled along the street, her hat tilted low, obscuring her face in the shadows.

The scene before her was shocking.

The state of the capital was simply appalling. According to her investigation, the drug known as "Bliss Pills" had been in circulation for less than a year, yet it had already left a trail of countless broken families.

The streets and alleys were littered with homeless individuals.

And it wasn't just the royal capital; from what she'd uncovered, the entire Ram Kingdom was likely ensnared in the grip of these drugs.

Robin paused, adjusted her hat, and raised her gaze.

A grand, imposing structure loomed ahead.

The royal palace of the Ram Kingdom.

From the intelligence she had gathered over the past few days, Robin knew the kingdom's stance on drugs was suspiciously ambiguous. While publicly denouncing them, the authorities had taken no meaningful action to curb their spread.

It was hard not to draw some unpleasant conclusions.

Robin sighed softly. She had seen this pattern far too many times over the years.

She resumed her walk, blending into the chaotic streets.

The drug epidemic ravaging the Ram Kingdom's capital was, ironically, advantageous for her.

In such turmoil, it was easier to move unnoticed and survive.

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The main hall of the palace was awe-inspiring and grandiose.

Golden dragon motifs coiled around towering pillars, supporting the magnificent dome, while the walls were adorned with masterpieces by renowned painters.

A plush red carpet stretched from the entrance of the hall to the base of the staircase, at the top of which sat a regal throne.

Upon the throne sat an imposing old man crowned with authority—Harold, the supreme ruler of the Ram Kingdom. He had presided over the kingdom for more than forty years.

Guards lined the sides of the hall, while ministers stood respectfully below the steps.

"Your Majesty!"

General Graham stepped forward from the ranks, his voice steady but firm.

"Your Majesty, the drug problem has become increasingly severe and is wreaking havoc on the lives of our people!"

Harold's gaze was cold and detached as he regarded the general. "Drugs are but a minor ailment. The general's duty is to guard the borders and defend against any incursions from the Kano Kingdom. Do not concern yourself with such trivial matters."

"Your Majesty, the drug problem cannot be underestimated!" Graham pressed.

The general was a towering man with dark skin, his presence as unyielding as a buffalo's strength.

Harold, however, was unmoved. "I will delegate the handling of drugs to others. Your sole focus should be on safeguarding the kingdom's borders."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Graham replied reluctantly, stepping back into line.

The other ministers remained silent, their expressions impassive as they avoided Graham's gaze.

"If there is nothing further to discuss, court is adjourned," Harold declared, rising from his throne. He left the hall with his guards, his robe trailing behind him.

Graham frowned deeply.

As a general, he had no desire to involve himself in such matters. However, the growing drug crisis was beginning to infiltrate even the military ranks, leaving him no choice but to report directly to the capital. The king's dismissal of his concerns was disheartening.

Around him, other officials watched with varying expressions—some amused, others pitying, and a few wary.

They all knew the truth.

As kingdom officials, many were privy to the inner workings of the drug trade. Some were even active participants, profiting handsomely from it.

In this crowd, Graham was the anomaly.

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Meanwhile, Harold had far more pressing matters on his mind.

Unbothered by Graham's complaints, the king made his way to a private palace on the grounds, leaving the throne room behind.

Inside the secluded chamber, a composed middle-aged man waited. Upon seeing Harold, the man immediately stood and bowed.

"Father!"

He was none other than Bonar, the eldest prince of the Ram Kingdom.

"How's the investigation going?" Harold asked without preamble.

Bonar's expression darkened slightly.

"It's been confirmed—the experimental base has been destroyed, and all personnel are dead."

"What about Laboratory No. 1?"

Bonar shook his head grimly. "The entire experimental base was reduced to ashes. Laboratory No. 1 was not spared."

"Who's responsible?"

Harold pulled out a chair and sat down, his tone as steady as ever.

His years of ruling had taught him to conceal his emotions flawlessly. Despite the fury roiling within him, his face betrayed nothing.

Bonar bowed his head, visibly uneasy. "We don't know. Everyone is dead, the base has been utterly destroyed, and we couldn't find any useful clues."

Harold said nothing, his piercing gaze fixed coldly on Bonar.

Beads of sweat formed on Bonar's forehead as he hastily added, "However, there was an extremely violent explosion at the base. Judging by the extent of the destruction, a large amount of explosives must have been used.

"This kind of attack isn't something that one or two individuals could accomplish. I suspect it's highly likely connected to those two countries!"

Harold tapped the arm of his chair, his expression unreadable.

He knew exactly which countries Bonar was referring to—the Kingdom of Kano and the Kingdom of Tagona.

The three nations, locked in a tense rivalry, frequently clashed. When an incident of this magnitude occurred, suspicion inevitably turned toward the others. More often than not, such assumptions proved correct.

However, this situation was different.

If the research conducted at the experimental base were exposed, it would spark an international scandal. If the attack had been orchestrated by either of those two countries, they wouldn't have passed up the opportunity to exploit it. They would have publicized their findings far and wide by now.

Yet several days had passed, and neither the Kingdom of Kana nor the Kingdom of Tagona had made any move.

If it wasn't them, who could it be?

Harold's mind turned to the two other families nearby with the resources and capabilities to pull off such an operation.

After a moment of silence, Bonar ventured, "Father, what should we do next? Should we rebuild the base?"

Leaning back in his chair, Harold's face remained impassive. "Let's wait and see. Whoever is behind this will reveal themselves sooner or later. There's no rush to rebuild the experimental base."

In truth, Harold was deeply anxious. But he would never allow anyone—not even his own son—to perceive his unease.

The scientists working at the experimental base had been personally recruited by Harold from across the West Sea. Losing them all in one fell swoop was an immeasurable setback. Without those scientists, rebuilding the base was a futile endeavor.

"Understood," Bonar replied respectfully.

After leaving the palace, the grim expression on Bonar's face gradually faded.

As he looked back at the grand structure, a faint, almost imperceptible sneer curled at the corner of his lips.

For him, the destruction of the experimental base wasn't entirely a misfortune.

The old man had reigned for over forty years—surely, that was enough.

Bonar had no intention of remaining a mere prince for the rest of his life.

Even if his father somehow discovered a way to prolong his life, Bonar would find a way to undo it.

The destruction of the experimental base merely saved him some effort.

The only regret was the temporary halt in the production of Bliss Pills.

Those pills had been a lucrative venture, filling his coffers with wealth.

But that wasn't a major concern. Bonar had long since acquired the formula for making Bliss Pills.

The factory could be rebuilt anytime.

"Old man," Bonar muttered to himself, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "you've lived long enough. Just die peacefully."

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