Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT) novel Chapter 420

Chapter 420: Where is he?

Undeterred, a noble named Lord Gao, a man who had long coveted the Imperial throne for himself and whose faction still refused to believe the truth, rose to his feet. "How can we be certain you are truly the child of Imperial Lord Han?" he challenged, his voice laced with scepticism.

Gao and his cronies, desperate to cling to their fading ambitions, clung to the hope that this was some elaborate ruse, a puppet being placed on the throne by Marshal Wu.

They couldn’t deny, however, the unsettling feeling that had washed over them when Han Xin entered the court. They had felt the undeniable weight of his presence, the primal urge to kneel, the chilling certainty that defiance would be met with swift and decisive retribution.

Even under Imperial Lord Xiang, they had never felt such an oppressive force. But pride and ambition blinded them to the obvious truth. They would not, could not, admit the truth of what they felt in their bones.

Han Zhan, who had been silently observing the proceedings, finally snapped. He’d endured years of watching his cousin endure slights and humiliations. Now, these self-serving councillors dared to question Han Xin’s birthright. Enough was enough.

A sneer twisted his lips. "Didn’t you match his genetics in the system?" he demanded, his voice ringing with disdain. "That must have been the very first thing you did when you heard you could put whoever you wanted on the throne."

His words dropped like a bombshell, igniting a firestorm in the court. Accusations of manipulation and backroom deals filled the air. The holographic displays flickered with the outraged faces of other leaders who could make it, their murmurs echoing through the hall.

Han Xin raised a hand, a simple gesture that instantly silenced the chaos. All eyes turned to him. His gaze, cold and piercing, fixed on the middle-aged noble who had dared to question his lineage. "Would you like to do a genetic match right now, in front of the entire Republic?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with steel. "So we can settle this once and for all?"

He didn’t wait for a response. "The Republic is at war," he continued, his gaze sweeping across the assembled councillors. "We need a leader now. Let’s not waste any more time on this charade. Let’s get this done."

The noble’s beard trembled. He hmphed, a weak show of defiance, but he couldn’t meet Han Xin’s eyes. The weight of the accusation, the potential consequences of being proven wrong, hung heavy in the air.

Marshal Wu, sensing the shift in the room, stepped forward. "I agree with His Majesty," he said, his voice firm and resolute. "In order to move on to other, equally important matters, let us settle this here."

A wave of murmurs rippled through the court, this time in agreement. The councillors, sensing the will of the people and the undeniable aura of authority radiating from Han Xin, began to nod. The challenge to his legitimacy was losing ground, crumbling under the weight of his presence and the sheer absurdity of the situation.

Thirty minutes later...

Palpable tension hung in the air as they anticipated the results. In the centre of the room, a state-of-the-art DNA tester machine stood ready, flanked by three physicians.