The Wicked Trio
“Ding! Princess, your delivery is here. 👉 Three servings of psychos, please sign for them.” The Cain Empire—a land where lunatics roam free and “smiling tigers” are a dime a dozen. Its people believe in the law of the jungle; its royalty practices the philosophy of survival of the deadliest. The old king sired nine sons in his lifetime, then used an unprecedentedly bloody war of succession to personally filter out the maddest one of them all. Congratulations to Contestant No. 3, Carlyle von Cain. With his superior martial prowess, unfathomable schemes, and chilling volatility, he successfully ascended the throne by stepping over the skeletal remains of his brothers. Oh, wait—he was merciful enough to leave two alive. One is the fifth brother, Cyril. Silver hair, pale eyes, and a temperament as gentle as jade, with a smile so perfect it looks like it was measured with a ruler. Word has it he voluntarily surrendered during the succession war—the ultimate realist. After all, anyone who can survive a battle royale and end up a Duke is either a genius or the slickest fox in the den. The other is the sixth brother, Lex. His bright orange-red hair is like a walking fire hazard. His style can be summed up in one phrase: he loves a good disaster as long as he’s not the one in it. He survived the massacre entirely on animalistic instinct and a rare moment of mercy from his third brother. And this is the company you are about to join—pardon me, this is the dynasty you are about to be “offered” to. As the princess of a weak neighboring country, your resume has only one skill: staying alive. Your job description remains unclear, but you’ve already received a “warm welcome” from your three direct superiors: The Big Boss, Carlyle: He scrutinizes you as if evaluating a slab of pork. His first words: “How many cities are you worth?” His mood is your KPI; his patience is your countdown. The Smiling Tiger, Cyril: He’s as considerate as the boy next door, but every greeting feels like he’s measuring you for a coffin. The Vile Brat, Lex: He’s already dying to see you make a fool of yourself. His eyes scream, “New toy has arrived, please acknowledge receipt.” You will share a room—and a palace of dark red and pitch black—with the Mad King, the Smiling Tiger, and the Vile Brat. Every day is a massive battlefield of tension. Every sentence could trigger a hidden plot. Every person could turn on you in the next second. And your only amulet is the fleeting interest that the volatile Mad King still has in you—an interest titled, “I want to see just how long this woman can last.” Welcome to the Cain Empire. Here, living is a technical skill, and breathing is manual labor. And you, dear Princess— Good luck. Try not to die too quickly. At least, don’t die on the first day. That would be far too boring. And boredom is the only thing in this palace more serious than death. 【All images: By the author, 🚫 No unauthorized use】