They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 350: So cold, So Powerful

She was serious. She was really standing here, willing to be punished just to defend Abuchi.

She didn’t realize what that meant to him. She didn’t understand what it did to him. He wished he was the one she was protecting…

His jaw tightened.

“No,” he said finally, voice low but firm. “He’s the leader. He’ll be punished. That’s final.”

Nnenna opened her mouth to argue, but the tone in his voice stopped her cold. It wasn’t just final, it was desperate. As though he needed her not to fight this.

He was shutting the conversation down before she could make him do something he would never forgive himself for.

Punish her?

Never.

Not now. Not ever.

Her words could hurt him, her silence could confuse him, but her pain? He would never accept that again.

She didn’t know how close he was to breaking the walls he had built over the past ten years. Walls that were already cracking just by seeing her hurt.

“As for the rest of you,” Somto said, his sharp gaze sweeping over Ekene and John. His voice, now colder and more commanding than before, echoed across the execution ground. “You will be punished as well. Not just for agreeing to this reckless mission, but for failing to stop your prince from endangering himself and others. What kind of citizens blindly support such recklessness?”

Ekene and John bowed their heads, shame washing over their faces. They couldn’t argue. They had gone along with the plan, knowing the risks, yet unable to turn away from their loyalty to Abuchi.

“That said,” Somto continued, his tone softening slightly but still firm, “your loyalty is not unnoticed. You stood by your prince and protected my siblings when you could have walked away. For that, you will be rewarded. But only after you serve your punishment. It will be light.”

Their legs had nearly buckled from the tension. Facing death was one thing. Facing Somto’s wrath was another entirely. But now, with his judgment

their eyes darted to Nnenna, worry and awe mixed

sharpened again, and this

other

calm.

Karen.

no one had an

passed over the gathered group like a

Where was she?

been brought out with the others. Had she

turned to King

man paled again, sweat

send someone to get her now. Just say the word, execution, firing squad, hanging, life imprisonment, I’ll

get a

look at him. It was as if

mind to never allow Karen go free

time quietly took a step back, then two, and slipped into the crowd. He

wasn’t the

away, casting fearful glances at Somto as if he could see them even when his back was turned. The aura

the loyal guards and remaining officials that had already

voice that sent chills down

loyal guards didn’t

Some resisted, others didn’t. Screams echoed across the square, but no one dared interrupt the

“You’re no longer a king. You’re a prisoner.

argue. He