Chapter 878: Shattered Reflections in Gaoshan City

“Wah wah wah wah…”

When Lu Xin’s voice, resonating with mental power, reached through the tremors from beneath Gaoshan City, a magnificent palace-like structure at its very top suddenly filled with the desperate, angry cries of a child. Outside, black vines slithered along the building’s facade, their cold stone and harsh patterns lending the place an air of unfamiliar indifference.

One such vine stretched toward a tightly closed window. At its tip, a swollen bud burst open to reveal a half-exposed child, his body speckled with black particles, wailing uncontrollably.

“Why are you still crying?”

Irritated by the incessant cries, the Dark Queen, her face pale, sat beside a towering brass mirror.

Her black court dress had been removed, and the thorny tiara atop her head had vanished. Once exuding noble grace, she now appeared as an ordinary woman, deeply wounded yet having learned to face reality.

Before the mirror, she slowly combed her hair, noting a clear, spiderweb-like crack on its surface.

That crack distorted her reflection, rendering her image strangely uncanny.

She continued to fix her appearance while casting a look of annoyance out the window.

Every stroke of her comb sent clumps of hair tumbling down.

With each cascade, her mood plummeted further, a chilling anger building like an imminent volcanic eruption.

Almost mockingly, she addressed the shadowy figure outside, “Don’t you understand by now?”

“There’s not even a shred of hope left.”

“…”

“Wah wah wah wah…”

The crying resumed, a defiant child expressing his dissent and discontent.

Yet the Dark Queen’s face betrayed a strange satisfaction at the ear-splitting wails.

“It won’t matter if you’re upset,”

she sneered. “Aren’t all of these choices yours to make?”

“It’s laughable. At first, I thought you were just like him, but now I see how different you truly are.”

“He’s a man corrupted by anger, while you are merely contaminated by it.”

“So in the end, he became human while you turned into a greedy, foolish monster.”

“…”

“Crash…”

As if enraged by her words, the black vines outside reacted.

Suddenly, a massive hole appeared in the glass as a snarling, black vine surged in from the window.

It coiled around the Dark Queen’s neck with unyielding force, tightening its grip relentlessly.

Its spiky tips pierced her fair skin, letting bright blood trickle down.

The vivid red stained her pajamas like a swarm of ants.

Yet the Dark Queen showed no fear; a mix of pain and perverse pleasure contorted her face.

In a strained voice she asked, “Aren’t you scared?”

“Then you should be…”

“When you betrayed me to join Gaoshan Laboratory, you didn’t hesitate for a second, did you?”

“I found you meticulously and nurtured you. I even helped set up the Black Spade Office to secure a new throne for you. But why didn’t you care enough? Why did you just rush into Gaoshan Laboratory? What did they have that I didn’t?”

“So now, you must accept the consequences…”

“Stop chasing those delusional dreams. You’ll never become him; after all, you’re just a monster…”

“He’s here now…”

“He’s come for us, ha ha…”

“And those two ambitious fools you trusted? They’re too scared to leave the laboratory…”

“…”

“Thud…”

Seemingly stung by her words, the black vines abruptly released their hold on her neck and raced forward, sweeping up the mirror before disappearing silently from the room, slithering through the dark city like colossal serpents.

The Dark Queen sprang to her feet and rushed to the window, shouting outwards:

“Don’t even think about escaping. It’s too late now…”

“You know he won’t let you off the hook…”

“…”

“Wah wah wah wah…”

Her cry was met only by more hateful, furious wails.

Throughout Gaoshan City, as thick, vine-like growths—resembling a sprawling snake pit—began surging amid a forest of vines, a black child clutched onto the mirror. He greedily sucked in streams of silvery mental power from it.

That mental energy clung to him, causing his body to transform continuously. He shot up in height while his skin gradually shed its darkness, revealing the form of a lean young man whose features shifted rapidly.

Lu Xin.

He now mirrored Lu Xin exactly, with every hair identical.

Only, one of his eyes was blind.

It had been blasted out by a Qinggang shell long ago.

The new Lu Xin’s face twisted into a snarl, his lips straining in a grimace. It was the same ferocious, cold, and disdainful reflection Lu Xin had seen in car windows so many times before, brimming with suppressed anger.

He raised his hand as layers of black particles emerged on his skin—particles imbued with the power to annihilate.

“Kill, kill, kill you…”

Suddenly, he glanced towards the mountain, then dashed forward as countless black vines surged after him.

“…”

“…”

“Kill him, kill him, kill him!”

After exchanging polite greetings with his mountain-dwelling relatives, Lu Xin sensed a change in the atmosphere of this black city.

He noticed that within this forest-like, dark metropolis, lamps began to turn on one by one.

Only after they lit up could one glimpse the tall, beautiful, fairy-tale structures concealed within the forest.

Gaoshan City was home to countless people.

Now, they had all emerged from their buildings, dressed in smart suits and elegant skirts.

Each face exuded reserved nobility as they stood at different heights in the city, gazing down at themselves from the mountain.

It was like affluent city relatives looking down on a rustic newcomer from the countryside.

Because they believed this intruder had disturbed the city’s tranquility, even tainted their hallowed grounds.

Every resident now glared at him with a hateful, fierce expression, completely at odds with their refined attire.

Crowds spilled onto the street, their eyes fixed in disdain.

Imagine being eyed contemptuously by an entire city—it was exactly how Lu Xin felt.

…

…

Glancing at the A4 printout in his hand, which recorded detailed information about Gaoshan City:

S-Rank Forbidden Zone — Code 009 Gaoshan Divine Kingdom

Founded by the ultimate known as the Dark Queen, this illusory realm was believed to house the headquarters of the Black Spade Office. It once commanded absolute respect among the Western Nomads, who worshipped it as their ‘god’. Later, following revelations at Gaoshan Laboratory, it was confirmed as one of the lab’s bases—a portal linking the laboratory to reality.

True master of Gaoshan Divine Kingdom: Unknown

Relationship between Gaoshan Divine Kingdom and Gaoshan Laboratory: Subordinate

…

…

Lu Xin merely skimmed the page before tossing the A4 printout aside.

From these scant records, one could glimpse the inner turmoil his relative had endured over a few decades.

The first to establish an entire illusory realm and set up the Black Spade Office to control reality’s ultimate force,

only to eventually discover they were nothing more than someone else’s puppet.

How pitiful…

Lu Xin thought as a polite smile masked his inner feelings. He approached the sole large iron door leading into Gaoshan City. As he raised his hand to push the firmly closed door, he hesitated slightly—choosing instead to knock gently.

“Dong dong…”

The large iron door replied with a courteous sound.

Satisfied, Lu Xin shifted from knocking to pushing, gently pressing his hand against it.

With a resounding crash, the door collapsed, hurled by immense force and landing tens of meters away.

This sudden, jarring noise left the proud, indifferent citizens of Gaoshan City momentarily stunned—their haughty expressions and composed strides faltered.

Under the weight of so many disdainful stares, Lu Xin steadily strode through the gateway.

“Wah wah wah wah…”

Suddenly, a loud, furious cry erupted from above Gaoshan City.

Looking up, Lu Xin saw another version of himself charging down the mountain—a mirror image clad in identical clothing to when he once faced the fallen Sword-Bearer in Qinggang. He, too, was shrouded in black particles, leaving shattered air in his wake like the wake of an icebreaker.

Trailing behind him, endless black vines—each thick and twisting like massive serpents—followed relentlessly.

He barreled down the mountain like a tidal wave of fury.

The overwhelming mental power, carrying the momentum of his descent, incited a fierce anger among the citizens of Gaoshan City. Their proud faces twisted into expressions of biting hatred as they fixated on him, ready to charge.

Lu Xin lifted his head slightly to glance at his descending doppelganger.

Without a frown or pause, he simply began his slow ascent back up the mountain, as a vast distorted force field materialized beside him.

Within these warped fields, a gateway to hell seemed to open—crimson tentacles sprouted from underground, swaying menacingly as if reaching for the heavens.

Then, as the descending ‘himself’ concentrated all his rage and propelled himself using the vines to leap into midair, Lu Xin’s nearby tendril erupted, ensnaring his counterpart and slamming him onto the stone steps.

“Crack…”

The steps shattered into splinters, the violent tremors shaking the very foundations of Gaoshan City.

In an instant, the furious wave triggered by his counterpart’s descent vanished without a trace.

The residents stationed along the steps, who had glared at him with vendetta, fell suddenly silent.

Some even blinked innocently in disbelief.

…

…

“Is that another me?”

Lu Xin glanced at the shattered figure of himself embedded seven or eight meters into the ground. The once mirror-like surface of his doppelganger’s body had fragmented, revealing the bizarre, almost skeletal form beneath.

He could feel the ominous, trembling black particles radiating a terrible, destructive aura.

Yet, beneath the abyssal tentacles he had summoned, these particles held no true power of obliteration.

Lu Xin shook his head in disbelief while glancing at the black child.

“This bears nothing of my likeness…”

The realization struck him with disappointment, mingled with a trace of pride: “I sure have a better look…”

He remembered the white-coated old man’s introduction when meeting the First Researcher, mentioning that not only him but others had once been tainted by the ‘god’s’ rage without completely losing control.

This black child, however, was evidently far less stable.

Earlier, Lu Xin had wondered if it was simply the result of his youth. Now it was clear—this was nothing more than a little monster.

Consumed by rage, he seethed with anger day in and day out.

How could someone constantly angry ever mature?

…

…

Lost in these thoughts, Lu Xin’s tendril scooped him up and continued his ascent up the steps.

Under the protective watch of innumerable crimson tendrils, as he entered Gaoshan Divine Kingdom, the once proud and haughty citizens of the city began to tremble uncontrollably. As Lu Xin passed by, their arrogance vanished in an instant.

Replaced by sheer terror.

Their bodies quivered violently as if two conflicting forces warred within.

From afar they tried to stand tall, but as Lu Xin approached, their knees buckled.

One after another, as he passed, they fell to their knees in trembling fear along the road.

Some even collapsed forward, foreheads to the ground, crying uncontrollably.

Simultaneously, as soon as they knelt, insects began to emerge from every pore.

The creatures struggled for a moment, then their bodies stiffened and they lay lifeless on the ground.

They had prided themselves as the gods of this realm, towering above ordinary people.

But at this moment, confronted by another horrifying presence, they were forced to bow down.

The very moment they knelt, their pride was slain.

…

…

From her elevated position, the Dark Queen surveyed her subjects, who lay like fallen wheat before her.

With each step the young man ascended into Gaoshan City, more and more people crumpled in submission.

Her body began to quake violently, spasming as if struck by electricity.

Pieces of her body seemed to shed like insects, falling to the ground in twisted, painful contortions, gradually stiffening.

She watched the figure coming up from the mountain, noticing how his form seemed to expand.

At first, he was barely a speck at the mountain’s base.

But as he climbed, he aligned with the heights of those on high, eventually towering over them.

She even saw that the young man’s shadow now dwarfed the sky, eclipsing the Red Moon above, dominating her entire view. His gentle yet commanding gaze regarded her coolly.

It reminded her of the earliest presence she once knew.

Her knees buckled; the urge to collapse overwhelmed her as she gripped the window ledges, her knuckles bleeding.

“Buzz…”

Just as her knee was about to hit the ground, a violent mental tremor jolted her awake.

Only then did she realize she had never truly fallen—everything had been an illusion.

The young man had already entered her palace, setting the black child aside as he settled onto a spacious sofa.

The all-pervasive mental pressure that once weighed on her had been reined in.

In that moment, the Dark Queen couldn’t help but feel a bittersweet gratitude—or perhaps a profound sorrow.

After a brief hesitation, she whispered, “Thank you.”

On the sofa, Lu Xin had just taken out a cigarette. He paused momentarily, then shook his head with a smile and said, “You’re welcome.”

He added, “After all, we’re family.”

A complex emotion flickered across the Dark Queen’s face.

Her final dignity had been preserved by his act.

“You’re welcome. I only spared you because of Mom…”

Prideful as she was, she excelled at reading subtle cues. She fully grasped the implication behind Lu Xin’s words—yet rather than being moved, her emotions surged fiercely.

Summoning all her strength, she steadied herself and slowly turned, her gaze fixed complexly on Lu Xin’s face.

After a prolonged silence, she whispered, “You really care about your sister…”

Lu Xin lit his cigarette and glanced around. Not finding an ashtray, he casually grabbed a nearby box—a cover from the Dark Queen’s dressing case—and set it aside.

Ash clattered into the box. Lu Xin then pondered the noisy exchange for a while before nodding.

He replied, “Of course. They are my family.”

Yet this simple statement stirred a mixture of emotions in the Dark Queen’s eyes.

Her trembling lips barely managed, “I really… am not as good as my sister…”

Lu Xin smiled and nodded, saying, “Naturally.”

The Dark Queen fell silent again.

…

…

Admittedly, meeting a relative under these circumstances was hardly ideal.

After all, Mom had never been fond of her, and Father had just beaten her up. Besides, this relative rarely interacted with our family and often harbored ulterior motives—so perhaps a casual tone was acceptable?

More importantly, Lu Xin now had every right to speak his mind freely in any setting, to anyone…

“Will you kill me?”

The Dark Queen’s heart hesitated at the thought.

But given her nature, she would never actually ask such a question, not even now.

Instead, in the swirling cigarette smoke from Lu Xin’s fingers, her expression shifted several times before hardening.

“I have no power to resist you…”

She paused, a hint of challenge in her eyes as she looked at Lu Xin, “So, what do you intend to do?”

“I won’t rush to strike you,” Lu Xin replied thoughtfully. “I do have a few questions.”

“Questions?”

A trace of pride softened the Dark Queen’s face. She relished being sought out—whether for answers or for her supposed grace.

Her expression solidified into one of arrogance. “Since Sister is gone, no one will guide your path anymore.”

“So you want to ask how to ascend to the throne?”

“…”

“?”

Lu Xin hesitated, a small smile tugging at his lips at the mention of a ‘throne’.

Yet in the presence of this relative, he suppressed his amusement and shook his head slightly.

“No.”

He met the Dark Queen’s gaze intently, “I want to know what Mom truly desired…”

“…”

The Dark Queen was suddenly struck dumb.

Lu Xin exhaled softly, explaining, “Mom was exhausted. She feared my path might stray just as…”

He paused, glancing briefly at the shattered, bone-cracked black child nearby.

After a brief moment, he continued, “Just like him.”

“So when she was with me, she rarely mentioned these things, fearing my emotions would falter—that I wouldn’t live at my best until, after her temporary departure, I discovered her many hidden acts and the plans she left behind…”

“But she devoted herself wholly to our family, neglecting herself in the process.”

“So I want to know, as the ultimate—what did she truly want?”

“…”

In the end, Lu Xin found it difficult to express everything too plainly.

Mom was a complex figure.

She was an ultimate force yet also a woman—one devoted mother within this family.

So, what was it that she truly yearned for?

It was a question too delicate to ask Father or Sister.

…

…

Listening to Lu Xin’s earnest inquiry, the Dark Queen felt both stirred and sorrowful, her body trembling slightly.

Sitting opposite him, Lu Xin could clearly sense the deep envy and bitterness emanating from her—a complex emotion a proud woman might feel toward another.

“I really am not as good as my sister…”

After a long pause, the Dark Queen spoke softly, as if unaware that she had already uttered those words once before.

“I never understood what Sister desired…”

“But I do know what she, as the ultimate, pursued…”

“Breaking the cycle…”

－－－－－－Side Note－－－－－－

The most critical part is coming up. I’m under immense pressure—time to refine this several times.