Capturing My Demon King Costar

MY COSTAR REMEMBERS

The Crown Prince's actions shock even Si Wang who recoils in amazement and drops the sword.

The Crown Prince's body crumples to the floor, a pool of blood spreading beneath him, as the light goes out of his clear eyes.

Xin Hulei is stunned silent, his eyes wide and his mouth open although no sound passes through his red lips.

Yao Shen is put in the uncomfortable position of seeing himself die. He knew this was coming, but it's still terrifying. For him to be here of course the Crown Prince had to die.

He's him and yet not. Variations of a same soul -- a cycle repeating.

Yearning across the centuries for the person standing in silence over his quickly cooling corpse. While Xin Hulei is frozen in amber, Yao Shen is dust, of the mortal world, of the underworld -- from the stars.

He tries to meet the eyes of this Xin Hulei who is beyond seeing him, seeing anything, but it doesn't happen.

Whatever is happening, he's far too deep into these forgotten memories. Yao Shen can't reach him here.

He wishes he could hold him, kiss his lips and whisper into his ear, "it's okay, I found my way back to you. I'm sorry you had to wait."

Yao Shen bets that half of the pain in Xin Hulei's eyes is due to the angry last words and accusations he exchanged with the Crown Prince before everything came crumbling on top of them.

That was a cruelty Si Wang couldn't wait to inflict on both of them.

Now all Xin Hulei has is his guilt, because the Crown Prince's eyes have grown dull, and dead.

"Seize him," Si Wang says, nodding towards the stunned Xin Hulei.

Xin Hulei has no reaction and lets himself be pulled up by a group of the other ghost kings. From the crowd, Tan Liansi screams and cuts her way towards the stage.

Yao Shen watches all of it happen without being able to do anything.

This is how they'll both be sealed. Yao Shen doesn't know how they weren't killed.

Tan Liansi barely makes it halfway up the stage before a swarm of ghouls surround her.

Si Wang grins at the scene in front of him. "Dig out their spirit stones."

It's then that a wizened voice rings out from among the crowd. "Haven't you put on enough of a show?" Meng Po asks.

The ghosts around her step away, giving her a wide berth. She makes her way up the stage unbothered.

Nothing in her wizened face betrays any recognition of Xin Hulei or Tan Liansi.

She looks down at the Crown Prince's corpse dispassionately. "On whose authority have you killed someone in Youdu?"

Si Wang's smirk vanishes, one of the corners of his lips curls up in disdain. "I advise you to stay out of this."

Meng Po smiles "I'm already in it. This has gone on too long, I suggest everyone go back to their lives."

Some of the ghosts below the wooden stage begin dispersing immediately. Many are far more intimidated by her than by any of the ghost kings.

Jiu Wang protests. "These are vile demons, we can't simply let them go!"

Er Wang voices her agreement, pulling her red lips away from her pipe to say, "they are far too great a danger to Youdu for us to let them roam free."

Meng Po hums and nods, pretending to give these matters some serious consideration. Er Wang smiles triumphantly, convinced she has already won.