Chapter 852: Secrets and Shadows

“The Old Director’s Secret?”

At that moment, Lu Xin’s heart was awash with a storm of conflicting emotions, leaving him utterly speechless.

There was the surge of exhilaration when, amid despair, he saw his fellow orphanage mates rally to his aid; the puzzlement sparked by Number Five and Number Three’s hesitant display of restraint against the primordial power; and the bewilderment stirred by Number Fourteen’s words.

He had the distinct feeling that every event was connected by a single, invisible thread.

Yet, there was one thing he still couldn’t understand…

“Jiu Ge, the answer is really quite simple…”

Number Fourteen looked at Lu Xin’s perplexed face and grinned mischievously, “Didn’t Fifth Sister ask you before?”

“Have you never wondered how we were rescued in the first place?”

…

“How were we brought back to life?”

That very question shattered his confusion, and suddenly his mind was illuminated with understanding.

A cascade of strange, restless thoughts surged from deep within his heart.

Unable to help himself, he turned to Number Five, who was controlling the body of a withered burly man, swinging a chainsaw furiously as she hacked into the black flesh buds—a grotesque scene that strangely resembled a macabre dance in a dark forest.

The primordial force had seeped into reality only sparingly, yet it was terrifying enough.

The grotesque black flesh buds writhed grotesquely, radiating waves of mental power so horrifying they could shatter any inherent trait.

Yet, at that moment, Number Five’s ability seemed unexpectedly weak.

In truth, she hadn’t truly unleashed any power at all—she was merely swinging the chainsaw as though cutting through grass.

But as she wielded the chainsaw, a peculiar mental force vibrated within her, normally so deeply hidden it was almost undetectable. Amid the interwoven might of the black flesh buds, this force became conspicuously apparent, neutralizing the massive, icy mental onslaught of the buds as if stripping away their defenses.

And that is why an ordinary chainsaw took on a mysterious quality.

The dark forest that had once filled Lu Xin with despair now appeared to stage a one-woman performance by Number Five.

The secret lay in that odd mental force.

Confirming his suspicions, Lu Xin quickly surveyed the person beside him.

Sure enough, Number Three also brimmed with that power.

Number Fourteen, too, had it coursing through her.

Even Little Nineteen possessed that force; that was why she had been able to grasp him when the primordial first affected him.

This force had merged with their minds, producing a miraculous effect.

It was by recognizing this strange mental energy that Lu Xin suddenly understood so many things.

Many of his companions exhibited anomalies that ordinary theories of mental mutation simply could not explain.

For example, why was Number Five able to merge her body with that of the burly man, synchronizing with him as if controlling a machine, while endowing him with strength and explosive power far beyond normal?

No surgical procedure, however precise, could achieve such a result.

Or consider Number Three—how did she manage to drape a dead pig’s carcass over herself as if it were nothing more than clothing?

That transformation was no illusion; it was a real, tangible change.

She infused the dead pig’s flesh with vitality, making it eerily similar to live human skin, while allowing its appearance to be altered at will.

And as for Little Nineteen, she had always excelled at disassembling and reassembling things in the Puppet-type style.

Yet, being human, how could she so effortlessly perform feats that defied logic?

At that moment, the origin of the answer became clear.

So…

“Every Ultimate carries two sides.”

Seeing that Lu Xin had grasped the essence, Number Fourteen’s plump face took on a mysterious, profound look as she declared:

“Jiu Ge, you are the most formidable among us at the orphanage because you inherited the destructive power of the primordial – or rather, you were tainted by its most deathly aspect, a force of destruction.”

“But we are different from you…”

Number Fourteen patted her rounded belly and whispered, “After you killed us, the Old Director revived us.”

“The power that revived us came from the primordial as well.”

“But it’s the other side – Life.”

“…”

As she spoke, she looked up and softly revealed the secret, “The other side of the primordial is Life!”

“…”

“Swish…”

Upon hearing Number Fourteen’s final explanation, Lu Xin felt a complete sense of clarity wash over him.

Countless questions that had long tormented him were finally answered.

Every Ultimate truly possesses two facets.

The primordial is both the remnant of divinity and one of the Ultimates.

Thus, it naturally embodies two aspects.

One facet is Death—reflected in Lu Xin’s current state, being ‘dead,’ which is why he is confined to the depths of the abyss.

The other is Life, for though it appears dead, it remains perpetually active.

Lu Xin had inherited an ability more aligned with the ‘death’ facet of the primordial, enabling him to kill Number Two, tormented by the Nightmare of God; this was why, when Number Two first encountered him in Flame City, he begged Lu Xin to end his suffering.

Only a force as profoundly death-aligned as his could truly terminate him.

Number Two, relentlessly hounded by the Nightmare of God, had elevated his own life force to extraordinary heights.

Revived by the Old Director’s life-giving power, he had become nearly impossible to kill permanently.

Destruction and Life—two extreme opposites.

That is why Teacher Xiao Lu, whose spine Lu Xin had broken, could not have her legs healed by Qinggang’s meager medical resources.

For the effects of ‘death’ can only be counteracted by the force of Life.

Looking back further, the path behind Mom’s actions began to crystallize.

The Old Director had mastered the power of Life – or rather, methods to harness it – and naturally passed this knowledge to Chen Xun of the Black Spade Office, his most loyal assistant, so that Chen Xun could carry out those horrifying experiments at the Black Table.

Back then, Mom was struck with alarm when she discovered the so-called ‘Violin Brain’ produced by the Black Table, realizing that they were learning to harness the power of Life – the essence of the primordial – and withdrew for a while in astonishment.

At that moment, she began investigating and set in motion the plan that would later unfold.

It was then that she suspected a secret lay hidden within the rescued children of the orphanage.

For when she met Little Nineteen, she immediately sent her to the Moon Eclipse Research Institute.

…

…

“The primordial…”

“Life…”

These two elemental forces surged within Lu Xin, unraveling his myriad doubts.

At the same time, his curiosity about the Old Director’s secret intensified.

After all, it had been over a decade since the orphanage children were rescued.

That meant the Old Director had wielded the power of Life back then?

But he was just an ordinary man…

How did he manage it?

…

…

“Since we’ve decided to help you, there’s still much left to do.”

Number Fourteen patted her belly and smiled warmly at Lu Xin, “Jiu Ge, don’t rush. We’ll tell you everything we know.”

“You…”

Lu Xin drew a deep breath, disentangling himself from the tangle of thoughts and emotions.

Number Fourteen’s words made him hesitate, and with a hint of excitement he asked, “Are you really willing to help me?”

“I told you from the start I would help you…”

Number Fourteen patted her belly like a drum and declared confidently,

“I’m not much use on my own, so I had to check if everyone else was on board before deciding…”

“…”

Suddenly growing serious, she leaned in close and stuffed a hefty wad of cash into his hand.

“Take this as your severance fee.”

“Jiu Ge, you’ll still cover my meals during this time, won’t you?”

“…”

A bit embarrassed, Lu Xin accepted the money and exclaimed, “Huh? Why are they all one-dollar bills?”

Number Fourteen puffed her cheeks at his surprised expression and remained silent for a long moment.

At that moment, Little Nineteen gently reached out her little hand and grasped Lu Xin’s.

She lifted her small face to meet his, a faint smile softening her usually impassive features.

Little Nineteen had made her decision long ago.

“I’ve already made up my mind.”

Number Eight, having surveyed the surroundings, returned carrying a suitcase. Catching their conversation, he ruffled his hair and said, “This was always my plan. Once I found you, I should head straight to the Old Director.”

“But I must admit…”

After a brief pause, he looked seriously at Lu Xin and added, “Jiu Ge, I really admire what you just did.”

“Our orphanage now believes you have the best karma…”

“…”

Lu Xin, slightly awkward, let the remark drop without a reply.

Number Fourteen and Number Three exchanged a knowing smirk and a cold laugh.

It was obvious that Number Eight still wasn’t as favored as before…

“What’s the point of all these idle remarks?”

Number Three, after everyone had voiced their opinions, curtly stated, “My wife told me to help you.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Xin relaxed further, smiling in the direction of Number Three.

Before he could speak, Number Three suddenly added, “But my wife also said…”

“Your watch seems rather nice…”

“…”

The smile on Lu Xin’s face froze as he cautiously eyed Number Three.

“Yes.”

Number Three nodded coldly, “Hand over the watch and consider past matters settled, and…”

“…I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

“…”

“?”

Everyone was stunned—including Number Fourteen and Number Eight. Sister and Little Nineteen suddenly lifted their heads in unison.

Was there an extra condition to this?

Unperturbed, Number Three remarked, “Don’t you usually expect a little token when hiring someone in Qinggang?”

“…”

Lu Xin suddenly realized that Number Three had a point.

But what about that watch—and 200,000, no less…

“Jiu Ge might have gotten more subdued, but that doesn’t mean you can push around someone who’s honest…”

Just then, an icy voice intervened.

Everyone quickly turned to see an aged, burly man approaching with a chainsaw in hand.

Behind him, the black flesh buds had either been chopped into fragments or wriggled back into the abyss. Number Five’s head poked out from the burly man’s left shoulder, her delicate, gaunt face streaked with mysterious blood. At that moment, she looked visibly excited—as if she had just enjoyed a hot bath and a relaxing massage.

Raising her face deliberately, she towered over Lu Xin and the others, exuding the air of a big sister as she coldly declared, “Jiu Ge, it was never about you needing our help. It’s us – those trapped in the lab desperate to escape – who need you. So stop begging and offering bribes…”

“Number Five…”

Lu Xin sighed deeply, lowering the hand adorned with the watch as he looked at Number Five with emotion.

“So, don’t indulge their annoying quirks.”

Still carrying the lethal aura from her chainsaw display, Number Five stated coldly, “You may have money, but money isn’t meant to be thrown around, right?”

“So invest in me. I have a research breakthrough on the brink of fruition.”

“Just invest tens of billions, and I’ll grant you a 50 percent stake in my new drug for treating male impotence…”

“…”

In an instant, Lu Xin was stunned, his earlier excitement evaporating completely.

Both Number Fourteen and Number Three’s expressions turned peculiar as they stared intently at Number Five.

Number Eight, standing nearby, wanted to interject but held back.

“Let’s discuss this later…”

Lu Xin hesitated and then cautiously asked, “Shall we talk about the Old Director’s matter first?”

“What’s there to talk about?”

Number Five replied impatiently, “From beginning to end, we never really had a choice.”

“Jiu Ge, this applies to everything.”

“Frankly, we all know you need our help—and we need yours even more.”

“But I admit, I was hesitant, even a bit scared…”

“…”

At that, Lu Xin was momentarily speechless.

Memories of the orphanage and a somewhat naive escape plan flooded back, along with the sting of his past failures.

He felt both touched that Number Five was willing to trust him again and guilty about past mistakes.

He opened his mouth as if to promise something, only to discover it was too hard to express.

“But we’ve already made our decision, Jiu Ge.”

Number Five slowly continued, a faint, elusive smile appearing on her face:

“You’re not the same as before. Now, you’re someone we can trust—someone who won’t lose control like you once did.”

“Back then, we invited you into the escape plan because we all knew you possessed terrifying power.”

“And this time, it’s because we truly believe in you.”

“…”

Hearing Number Five’s deliberately indifferent tone, Lu Xin was briefly stunned.

He couldn’t put into words how deeply that ordinary statement struck him.

At long last, his heart finally surrendered.

From the moment he set out to reunite with his old comrades, Lu Xin had felt both anticipation and unease.

Now, their unwavering gazes seemed to smooth the creases on his heart.

That thrilling yet reassuring feeling defied description.

Likewise, Number Fourteen, Number Three, and Number Eight all appeared noticeably relieved, exchanging glances in silent understanding.

The Red Moon overhead said nothing, merely bathing them in its soft glow.

For a long, silent moment…

Number Fourteen suddenly exclaimed, with a spark of excitement, “Shall we gather, pat each other’s shoulders, and chant a number or something?”

“…”

Everyone paused, then simultaneously shook their heads and dispersed, “No, no…”

“That would be too awkward…”

“…”

“Such a ceremonial gesture…”

Number Fourteen shook her head ruefully as she watched them scatter, murmuring, “We were just one step away…”

“Mainly because…”

Number Three walked by coolly, “When it comes to hugs, no one can really handle you…”

Number Fourteen froze for a moment, a bit annoyed, but after a brief look at Number Three’s indifferent expression, she quickly subdued her irritation.

“You’re right, Jiu Ge…”

Beaming, she grabbed Number Three’s arm and nervously said, “But there’s one thing I need to clarify—it wasn’t like I gave your address to Jiu Ge…”

“…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Seeing his nervous look, Number Three smiled warmly, “I don’t like killing anymore.”

“Huh?”

Number Fourteen paused, visibly relieved.

Then Number Three looked him up and down and murmured, “I enjoy turning pigs into clothing…”

“Number Fourteen…”

He looked at her with admiration, “I think you could easily make two out of them.”

“Swish…”

Cold sweat instantly streamed down Number Fourteen’s forehead as she stood frozen in place.

……

……

“This is only the beginning. We still have so much to do…”

Once everyone had dispersed, Number Five moved to the edge of the Forbidden Zone and surveyed the chaos within.

The black flesh buds that had seeped from the abyss were already cleared away by her.

But that wasn’t due to an extraordinary surge in her power.

In the abyss, the primordial force that could be drawn out was naturally scarce.

In a way, this had always been a meticulously planned trap set to kill Lu Xin.

Lu Xin paused, then said, “Aren’t their assassinations over yet?”

“No, the assassinations are over, but this matter is far from settled.”

Number Five scoffed coldly, “Since they dared set a trap to kill you, we must root them out one by one until they all taste the fallout. Isn’t that right?”

Lu Xin paused, his face hardening as he replied, “Yes.”

“Now, we must unmask every single one of them.”

Number Five scanned the area coldly, “The Black Spade Office certainly has its own tricks.”

“They possess something that can completely conceal them.”

“I’ve been monitoring them for a long time, but until now, I haven’t really seen what they look like.”

“All Fat Fourteen can see are four cloaks, each emblazoned with the symbols of Spade, Diamond, Heart, and Club.”

“But since they’ve mobilized such a massive operation, there must be clues to draw them out…”

“…”

“…”

Listening to Number Five, Lu Xin felt his heart stir as he whispered, “Perhaps I can find them faster.”

He paused, then murmured, “Among these assassins, I’ve already planted a spy.”

“…”

“?”

At this, Number Five was taken aback, glancing deeply at Lu Xin before laughing, “Jiu Ge, I have even more confidence in you now.”

“I truly thought that after becoming human, you’d become dull.”

“I didn’t expect you to even plant a spy…”

“…”

“Well…”

Lu Xin felt slightly embarrassed, unsure how to explain—

He had planted that spy not to unmask a hidden mastermind…

“Output ends here”