7-24

Chapter 24: "Palace Secrets Part 1" - Consort Abused by Depraved Emperor, Emperor Entices Young Prince to Molest His Mother 

"Quick, hide inside." 

Hu Rongr hurriedly stuffed Li Ying into the wardrobe, reminding him before closing the door: "Don't listen, don't look, no matter what happens outside, don't come out." 

Li Ying nodded obediently. Hu Rongr immediately closed the wardrobe door, adjusted her clothes, and knelt by the bedchamber entrance. 

The current emperor was an utterly depraved ruler who especially enjoyed humiliating beautiful women. Not a single palace consort had escaped his cruelty. 

He had once forced his ministers to gang rape the empress with him, and had led many consorts on leashes, making them crawl through the palace without dignity. He even threw one consort to a group of beggars, ordering the entire city's beggars to rape her. 

At that time, the empress dowager intervened to save that consort. But the next day, the emperor wanted to give his own mother to a eunuch as a wife. The empress dowager was so ashamed and furious that she immediately committed suicide by smashing her head against a wall. 

What the depraved emperor enjoyed most was raping the mothers in front of their prince and princess children. Seeing the women and children cry in fear made him laugh with glee. 

Hu Rongr had not yet given birth. Li Jue's birth mother died in childbirth, so she had raised the young prince as her own. She viewed Li Jue as her own child, and their bond was as strong as any birth mother and son. 

The beauty knew the depraved emperor's nature well. Every time, she would have Li Ying hide somewhere in advance. Today the emperor came too suddenly, so she could only have him hide temporarily in the wardrobe. 

"This concubine greets Your Majesty." Hu Rongr's face wore a gentle smile, her almond eyes sparkling with moisture as she quietly gazed at the man before her. 

"Beloved consort, you may rise." Li Xuan helped her up from the ground, taking her hand as he walked towards the inner chamber. The palace servants immediately withdrew, slowly closing the hall doors. 

"Where is Ying'er? Why haven't I seen him again?" Li Xuan reached inside the beauty's collar, squeezing her breasts, then slid his hand into her pants to caress her lower body. 

"Is that so... I see."  

Li Xuan nodded thoughtfully, revealing a slightly sinister smile. The man's previously calm gaze suddenly turned fierce as he slapped the beauty's breasts, harshly berating her: "Why are you still standing there stupidly?! You slut, hurry and service my dragon root!" 

Though Hu Rongr was used to his volatile moods, his shout still made her knees go weak. She immediately knelt on the ground, trembling as she undid his waist sash. The man chuckled lightly, slapping her face as if toying with an object. 

"Why is my beloved consort so afraid? I won't eat you. Come, smile for me." 

Hu Rongr had long grown tired of his various perversions. Before, when Li Ying wasn't present, she could still numb the pain in her heart. Now with the child so close, how could she not feel utterly humiliated? 

The beauty was overcome with grief, but could only press her lips together and force out the gentlest, most submissive smile. 

Seeing this, the man laughed loudly and slapped her again: "Good smile. Now cry for me." 

Tears instantly fell from the beauty's eyes. Her sorrowful expression was infinitely more genuine than her fake smile just now. The man backhanded her again: "Alright, now smile again." 

Hu Rongr took a deep breath, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't smile anymore. She desperately tried to lift the corners of her mouth, but tears streamed down endlessly. The man ignored this, slapping her over and over, turning the beauty's exquisite face bright red. 

"Why aren't you smiling? Beloved consort, keep smiling for me." 

Little Li Jue watched everything from inside the red wood wardrobe. He felt very angry and confused. Why hit Mother? His mother was so good! 

Li Jue wanted to push open the wardrobe door, but was frightened by the man's excited, crazed expression. He trembled as he pulled back his small hand, eyes wide as he stared outside, tears falling non-stop. 

"What's wrong, beloved consort? Can't smile?" The man viciously yanked off Hu Rongr's hair ornaments, pulling out some hair with them. The beauty cried out in pain, her face contorting. 

Li Xuan excitedly watched her pained expression, his massive member beginning to rise. 

Hu Rongr did her best to suppress her sobs, lowering her eyes submissively as she undid the man's belt. She then stood to remove all his clothes before kneeling back on the ground. 

The beauty was still wearing her consort's robes, but her hair was now extremely disheveled, looking just like a fallen noble lady. She took the man's penis into her mouth, using her fragrant tongue to lick and service the shaft. 

The beauty's hands caressed the man's testicles as her tongue alternated between light licks and deeper swirls, pleasuring his organ in various ways. The man's huge member quickly became hard and thick, filling her entire small mouth. 

Li Xuan looked down imperiously as she licked his penis. He folded the belt in half, tapping it idly against his palm. 

"Such a skilled mouth on this whore. This cheap mouth truly never tires of being fucked. Hiss - use your big tits to service me too!" 

The beauty shed two more lines of tears, replying indistinctly: "This concubine obeys. Serving Your Majesty is this concubine's greatest fortune cultivated over three lifetimes." 

She continued orally pleasuring the man while removing her top, cupping her breasts to sandwich his meat pole between them. Her hands rapidly kneaded her jade peaks, using the smooth breast flesh to stroke his shaft. 

Li Xuan greatly enjoyed her submission. His lower body thrust forward heavily, burying his entire thick organ into the beauty's throat! 

Hu Rongr gagged once but immediately suppressed her discomfort. She sucked hard on the meat pole while rapidly moving her body, controlling the cock's slide from between her breasts into her mouth, using her throat muscles to squeeze the shaft. 

The man's scalp tingled with pleasure. Low groans of satisfaction escaped his mouth as he tilted his head back, eyes closed as he enjoyed the supreme bliss. 

"Hiss - you slut, not going to a brothel to be a whore is truly a waste of your talents." 

The man couldn't help thrusting his hips, forcefully fucking the beauty's throat. Hu Rongr's head was pushed back repeatedly, a large area of breast flesh rubbed red! 

The ferocious cock plunged between the beauty's fragrant breasts, then up into her throat. It rapidly entered and exited between the beauty's pink lips, his huge testicles violently slapping her cheeks! 

Little Li Jue stared unblinkingly outside, many questions arising in his mind. What was a whore? Why was Mother eating Father Emperor's stick? He had a stick too, why did Mother never eat his? 

He stared at the huge thing between Father Emperor's legs, then touched his own crotch. Suddenly he understood. He thought, my stick must still be too small. When it grows bigger, Mother will come eat it. Maybe then, Mother will find my stick even more delicious! 

Li Xuan gripped the beauty's head as he frantically thrust his hips, completely disregarding that she was already convulsing, her eyes rolling back. He continued increasing the force of his thrusts, treating her like a lifeless object for venting his lust. 

The man brutally fucked the beauty's throat. Each time his meat pole pulled out, it brought along a huge wave of saliva! 

Hu Rongr was fucked until dizzy, her lips and tongue going numb. The man's organ suddenly swelled even larger, the glans twitching. 

She hurriedly sucked hard on the meat stick, her hands circling and sliding on his lower abdomen. The man thrust violently dozens of times, letting out a rough roar as his hips slammed forward heavily! 

A large amount of pungent white fluid spurted into the beauty's mouth. She immediately swallowed, but there was still a lot of milky liquid that gushed out, flowing from the corners of her lips onto the ground. 

The man instantly flew into a rage. He gripped his cock and viciously slapped the beauty's face. He struck her dozens of times left and right, splattering the remaining semen and saliva from his shaft onto her face. 

"You whore! Lick up every last drop of my dragon essence for me, or I'll have the entire palace guard come fuck your cheap hole!" 

The beauty covered her mouth and coughed a few times, then immediately趴 on the ground to lick up the man's semen. As she licked, she couldn't help crying. She turned her head slightly and made eye contact with Li Ying in the wardrobe. 

She saw her child cupping his face in his hands, looking at her with clear eyes. 

Hu Rongr froze for a moment, feeling her head buzzing. Intense pain welled up in her heart. Her body trembled violently as she looked sorrowfully at the innocent Li Ying, feeling increasingly humiliated. 

Seeing Mother looking at him, Li Jue waved excitedly. Though young, he could tell Mother was sad. He could only silently mouth "Mother" over and over, hoping to cheer her up somehow. 

The man coldly laughed, gripping the belt tightly as he viciously whipped down! 

The belt was made of animal hide, inlaid with various jade pieces and jewels. It had considerable weight. 

The man stepped on her head, pressing it to the ground. He ground down hard, using her face to wipe up the semen on the floor! 

The man tilted his head slightly, looking at the wardrobe as he said: "Ying'er, stop hiding. Come out." 

Hearing this, Hu Rongr's whole body shook. She struggled violently in panic. She watched Li Jue push open the wardrobe door and run anxiously towards her. 

"Father Emperor, you can't hit Mother!" 

Li Ying hugged the man's legs, trying to push him away. Li Xuan smiled as he moved his foot, crouching down to coax the child. 

"Jue'er be good, Father won't hit her. From now on, do whatever Father tells you to do, understand?" 

Li Jue nodded heavily, his eyes full of determination. Hu Rongr's face had gone deathly pale. The man roughly lifted her up and, in front of the child, tore off her remaining pants. 

"No... no! Your Majesty... please spare this concubine... this concubine begs you!" 

The beauty wept as she struggled, but was still stripped completely naked by the man. Her snow-white body was exposed bare before father and son. Li Xuan laughed lewdly, throwing her forcefully onto the bed before pressing down on top of her. 

"Jue'er, do you see that box to your right? Bring me the rope from inside!" 

"Don't go!" Hu Rongr cried, tears streaming down her face. She knew the man would surely torment her terribly today. Li Ying hesitated for a moment. The man lashed the belt at Hu Rongr again, leaving another bloody red mark on her body! 

Li Ying was frightened and immediately ran to get the rope. The man quickly tied the beauty's hands and feet to the bedposts at the head and foot of the bed. 

Hu Rongr's arms were stretched taut, her legs spread wide apart. Her limbs were bound in an "X" shape. 

"Ying'er, come look. Your mother's lower body is different from ours, isn't it?" 

Li Ying curiously climbed onto the bed, examining Hu Rongr's genitals closely. He exclaimed excitedly: "That's right! Mother doesn't have a little stick, only two pink pieces of flesh. It's very pretty." 

Hearing Li Ying describe her genitals, Hu Rongr was utterly humiliated. Her whole body struggled forcefully, but she was tightly bound by the ropes and couldn't move at all. 

"Your Majesty! You can't! Please... he's the child I've raised since he was small!!!" 

Hu Rongr wept in anguish, feeling more desperate than ever before. She sobbed: "Jue'er, don't touch Mother! If you touch me... from now on don't call me Mother anymore, let another consort raise you..." 

Li Jue instantly didn't dare move. The man frowned, gripping the belt as he viciously lashed it across the beauty's chest! 

The snow-white breast flesh instantly bore a bright red mark. The hard jade pieces scraped across her nipple, immediately breaking the delicate skin and drawing drops of blood. 

The beauty screamed in agony. Seeing the man about to strike again, Li Ying quickly placed his hand on Mother's fleshy folds. 

"No! Father Emperor don't hit her, your son is touching!" 

Li Ying anxiously kneaded those two soft pieces of flesh. The man gripped his hand, pressing his five fingers together as he guided them to the entrance of the beauty's vagina and pushed in. 

"No! How can this be... wuwu... no... spare me..." 

The beauty realized these fingers were much thinner than usual, immediately guessing it was Li Ying fingering her pussy. She felt utterly desperate, almost losing the will to even beg for mercy. 

Li Xuan gripped his son's wrist, moving it to rapidly thrust his small hand in and out of Hu Rongr's hole. Li Jue was confused, not understanding what Father Emperor was doing, but still obediently let himself be manipulated. He even actively shook his arm, imitating the man's motions. 

"Good, Jue'er is so clever. Keep moving, don't stop until Father says so." Li Xuan released his hand, watching his son finger his adoptive mother. 

The ten-year-old child already had some size to him. His five fingers were almost as thick as a man's penis. Hu Rongr quickly felt pleasure from being penetrated. She felt extremely ashamed, but couldn't escape her body's natural reactions. 

The beauty's cheeks flushed red. Her pink lips parted as she began to pant, her chest heaving noticeably faster. Li Xuan observed her changes, a crazed excitement in his smile. 

"Does it feel so good to be fucked by your own son? You whore." 

Hu Rongr had no strength left to argue. She bit her lower lip hard as she silently wept. Suddenly, the most sensitive spot inside her was forcefully jabbed. The beauty's body violently shuddered, completely unprepared. She let out an extremely soft, coquettish moan! 

"Hahaha, what a wanton cry. Ying'er, where did you just poke? Aim for that spot and thrust hard!" 

Li Ying nodded, his small hand speeding up as he thrust towards the place Father Emperor mentioned. He even inserted half his wrist! 

The beauty's g-spot was continuously poked forcefully. She could barely suppress her moans. Her snow-white body was covered in a sheen of sweat, her beautiful face flushed an even deeper red! 

Juices flowed non-stop from her flower, soaking Li Ying's fingers and wrist. He felt his hand getting sore, so he switched to his other hand and continued penetrating that fleshy hole. 

Sticky fluids dripped down his fingertips. The man reminded him to lick the liquid off his hand. 

Hearing the man's inhuman words, Hu Rongr felt utterly exhausted. She knew persuasion was useless, so she used all her energy to fight against her body's pleasure, afraid of letting out more lewd moans. 

"Jue'er, does your mother's fluid taste good?" 

Li Ying nodded. 

"See this little bean?" Li Xuan pointed at the beauty's clitoris. "Go suck on it. Your mother will produce even more delicious water." 

Li Ying took that little bean into his mouth, sucking with all his might. The beauty was sucked to ecstasy, no longer able to suppress her cries. 

"Ah! You can't... Oh! It feels so good... No... Don't lick there... Mmm ah... Ying'er stop... Oh oh!!" 

Li Ying only thought about drinking more of the sweet juice. He sucked the beauty's clitoris with all his strength. His hand was rough, inserting most of his wrist into her flower, repeatedly jabbing at her g-spot! 

She screamed as she reached orgasm! 

"No!!! I'm cumming... I'm cumming ah--" 

The beauty shook her head frantically, unable to believe she had been brought to orgasm by the child she had raised for years. Her legs trembled non-stop as her honey pot squirted wildly. Li Ying immediately sealed his mouth over her flesh hole, sucking in the sweet water his mother was squirting. 

Hu Rongr lay exhausted on the bed, panting. Her spirit was utterly broken. Li Ying drank all of her juices, licking his lips with lingering desire. 

"Did it taste good?" the man asked. 

Li Ying nodded happily. The man smiled lewdly as he moved him aside. He got on the bed, kneeling between the beauty's legs and gripping her thighs. 

"Watch closely, Ying'er. Your mother is about to start acting wanton!" 

Li Xuan aimed his glans at her entrance and thrust his hips forward forcefully. His penis plunged in! 

The beauty's body shuddered, still sensitive from her orgasm. Her flower squirted out a bit more fluid, all of it coating the man's meat pole! 

The man took a deep breath, concentrating all his strength in his lower abdomen. He shook his hips and buttocks as he thrust powerfully. He quickly found the beauty's g-spot. 

He aimed for that spot each time, bringing intense pleasure again. The beauty couldn't help but moan and pant. Tears fell from her eyes like pearls on a broken string! 

"Ying'er, hurry and knead your mother's breasts!" 

The man called out excitedly. He gripped the beauty's thighs as he thrust rapidly below. His huge meat pole forced open the layers of flesh in her pussy. His glans determinedly pounded her sweet spot! 

Li Ying climbed onto Hu Rongr's body, afraid of hurting her. His little bottom hovered just above her. 

He pressed his hands against the beauty's breasts, squeezing and kneading. He thought his mother's breasts were just like white dough - soft and bouncy, very fun to play with! 

"Ying'er... Ah... Let go of Mother..." 

He looked sadly at the wounds on his mother's chest. He took a nipple into his mouth, wanting to lick away the blood. 

A tingling pleasure spread from her nipple. The beauty cried out in surprise. Her lower abdomen suddenly tightened, her small hole clenching tightly around the meat stick! 

The man's scalp tingled with pleasure. He thrust below even more vigorously, frantically pounding the beauty's g-spot! 

Hu Rongr couldn't accept being toyed with by the young child she had raised. She could only desperately close her eyes, trying to escape reality. The darkness amplified her other senses. Her body's pleasure became even more apparent. The beauty felt so good she nearly climaxed again! 

"Hah... I can't... I can't cum again..." 

The beauty opened her eyes helplessly, only to see Li Ying's innocent childish face. She immediately turned away in shame, driven mad by her body's pleasure and the shame in her heart! 

Li Ying curiously played with Hu Rongr's breasts, molding them into various shapes. He tugged hard on her nipples. He lightly patted them a few times with his small hands. The soft flesh immediately jiggled, making him giggle with delight. He began rapidly slapping his mother's breasts. 

Li Xuan caressed the smooth flesh of the beauty's thighs. Below he thrust wildly, powerfully fucking her lewd hole. Her flower seemed to have a life of its own. As soon as his cock plunged in, the flesh walls quickly clung to it, sucking and licking his penis! 

The man felt like he was floating to the heavens from the suction. He sped up his thrusts non-stop. His penis forced open her tight flesh, plundering her pussy. He fucked the beauty until she screamed incessantly, her juices flying everywhere! 

The beauty's breasts were kneaded like dough by Li Ying. The child's palms were soft, bringing an extremely pleasurable sensation when they brushed over her nipples. 

The penis inside her pussy moved at a frenzied pace, hitting her g-spot each time. She was so pleasured she didn't know where she was! 

The beauty moaned and panted non-stop. Tears and saliva flowed uncontrollably. Soon she was fucked to another climax. Her body shook even more violently! 

"I'm cumming... Stop... Oh oh-- I'm cumming again... Hah... Ah!! I'm, I'm flying!!" 

The beauty cried out as she squirted a huge gush of juices. Her pussy was flooded with fluid, extremely wet and slippery. The man effortlessly sped up his thrusts, viciously pounding her g-spot while she climaxed! 

His waist moved rapidly as he thrust. His palm covered the beauty's clitoris, rubbing it at high speed! 

The beauty let out a long cry. She shook her head non-stop, begging for mercy. The man's hips moved in a blur. His cock pulled all the way out before plunging back in forcefully. He savagely fucked the beauty's squirting pussy! 

The beauty screamed and cried out. Her willow waist suddenly arched upwards. Her body bent like a drawn bow. Her pussy gushed juices non-stop as the man fucked her to an even higher peak! 

Her tight little hole contracted violently, desperately sucking the man's penis. The man let out low growls. One hand gripped the beauty's ass while the other frantically rubbed her clitoris. His thrusts below grew even more intense. He slammed into her pussy with loud smacks! 

The beauty's small clitoris was rubbed until it swelled to the size of a red grape. Even the slightest touch brought a piercing ache and itch. The man increased the force of his thrusts non-stop, pressing down on her clitoris as he rubbed it! 

The beauty's eyes rolled back in pleasure. Her tongue stuck out long. Li Ying laughed when he saw her expression. His little hand mischievously tugged on her tongue before returning to knead her breasts. 

The beauty felt a pleasure like ascending to immortality. She wished she could drown in this endless ecstasy! 

The man thrust like a wild beast. His cock moved so fast it was a blur. He fucked her over a hundred times in an extremely short period. He roared as he ejaculated, continuing to thrust. He pumped his thick semen into the beauty's lewd hole! 

A powerful jet sprayed against her g-spot. The beauty was intoxicated in body and soul from his ejaculation. She unconsciously twisted her slender waist as she moaned wantonly. Where was her usual noble and dignified appearance as a consort? 

Li Xuan panted heavily as he pulled out his penis. A huge gush of white fluid immediately flowed from the beauty's hole. He stood up and viciously kicked her pussy several times. He then inserted his toes into her flower, stirring them around. He coated both his feet in the mixture of semen and her juices. 

"Ying'er, were your mother's breasts fun to play with?" Li Xuan slowly walked towards Hu Rongr. 

"So fun!" Li Ying clapped his hands holding her breasts. The two soft mounds collided with crisp slapping sounds. 

The man laughed loudly. He stood by the beauty's head and shoved his toes into her mouth. 

Hu Rongr still hadn't recovered from her orgasm. Her body trembled non-stop as she numbly licked the man's toes. 

The beauty licked the foot in her mouth resignedly. Her tongue skillfully probed between the man's toes, licking out the fluid inside. She sucked each toe in turn, cleaning all the white fluid from the man's foot. 

After she finished licking, the man forcefully shoved his foot deeper into her mouth. His toes gripped her tongue and pulled it out. He rubbed the sole of his foot against her tongue. 

"You bitch, does my foot taste good?" 

The beauty nodded in a daze before putting on a numb smile: "It tastes good... This concubine is willing to lick Your Majesty's feet for life." 

Li Ying was unhappy and angrily retorted: "Mother is not a dog!" 

Li Xuan smiled meaningfully. He untied the ropes binding the beauty's hands and feet. As Hu Rongr trembled and tried to move her limbs, the man suddenly flipped her body over, positioning her in a doggy-style pose. 

"Ying'er, call in all of Father Emperor's attendants outside." He spread the beauty's ass cheeks and inserted his cock again. 

Li Ying ran out, looking back every few steps. He saw his mother looking at him with an expression he couldn't understand, making his heart ache terribly. Father Emperor was thrusting on top of her like riding a horse, laughing as he slapped her ass. 

Hu Rongr knew what the man intended to do. She suddenly burst out with a surge of strength, knocking him to the ground. That effort seemed to drain all her energy. The beauty struggled to get up, stumbling as she ran outside. 

Li Ying stood in place. He saw his mother quickly caught by Father Emperor. He gripped her waist with both hands, seeming to insert that stick into her again. Mother cried out in that strange yet pleasant voice. Their bodies shook at the same frequency. 

"Ying'er... Mother begs you... Don't go!" Hu Rongr reached out her hand, walking forward step by step, wanting to pull the child back. The man panted as he thrust his hips, following closely behind as he fucked her. 

A great fear suddenly rose in young Li Ying's heart. It felt as if running out of here would cause something that would pain him for life. He unconsciously walked back. The man snorted coldly, pressing Hu Rongr back to the ground. He gripped her ass and thrust forcefully. 

Li Ying heard the crisp sounds, feeling very worried. He hesitantly began walking out. He saw his mother still crawling persistently towards him. Father Emperor grabbed her ankle and pulled her back. Their bodies moved rapidly, making muffled sounds mixed with wet noises. 

"Father Emperor calls you all to enter." Hu Rongr heard Li Ying's childish voice outside the hall. 

When she saw Li Ying leading a large crowd into the hall, Hu Rongr's heart instantly sank. Her whole body went limp as she collapsed on the ground. The man raised her ass high, his thick cock relentlessly whipping her g-spot! 

The guards seemed to have already guessed the purpose of being summoned. They laughed lewdly as they took off their clothes, rushing quickly towards the beauty. 

Thick penises rapidly plunged in and out of the beauty's mouth. Her face was covered in pungent white fluid. Her eyes were vacant. Two naked men lay beneath her, lifting her waist as they simultaneously fucked her asshole. Two other men knelt between her legs, excitedly inserting into her flower. 

The beauty gripped a meat stick in each hand. Her breasts were squeezed by the men as they rubbed their cocks. Her entire body had become a receptacle for the men's semen. Even her navel was filled with a pool of white fluid. 

The cock in the beauty's mouth suddenly sped up its thrusting. After rapidly plunging in and out dozens of times, it forcefully shoved in deep. Even part of the testicles were squeezed in. 

Large amounts of white fluid overflowed frantically from the corners of the beauty's mouth. She let out a small burp. Another cock immediately inserted, rapidly thrusting. 

Li Ying crouched nearby hugging his knees, nervously watching his mother covered in filth. Li Xuan had even taken off the child's pants at one point, forcing his still small immature penis into the beauty's mouth, making her swallow it. 

This obscene sexual act didn't end until noon the next day. Li Xuan stretched lazily and casually tossed Hu Rongr to a guard. 

"Clean her up. I'm going to receive the Mongol barbarians later. I'll fuck her hole together with those savages, letting them see the slut I've trained." 

Li Ying slowly woke up, finding himself somehow placed on the bed. Li Xuan sat beside him, smiling as he spoke. 

"Ying'er, do you remember what happened last night? Did you enjoy playing with your mother like that?" 

Li Ying carefully recalled the feeling from last night. Mother's breasts were indeed very fun to play with. Especially when she took his stick into her mouth - that indescribable good feeling made him uncontrollably leak white pee. But Mother seemed very unhappy the whole time. He didn't want to see her sad. 

"I see," Li Xuan said, still smiling. "Then Father Emperor will let her play with others a few more times. When she becomes more skilled, we'll let her play with us together." 

Li Ying didn't know how to respond. He could only nod in confusion, feeling Father Emperor's smile grow even stranger. 

At this moment, the young child could never have imagined that the events of this day would become an indelible trauma that would haunt him for the rest of his life.