Chapter 403: Shi Huacheng’s End

2022-05-20

Shi Huacheng finally spoke. “I’ve stood in the light, guarding the rules of today, and I’ve stood in the dark, trying to upend them. I’ve seen heaven and hell. I am heaven and hell. That’s why, Wu Zui, you’re far luckier than me. You were born and raised in darkness—it’s your natural state. You’ll never know how torturous it is to straddle good and evil.”

A sudden heat washed over my face. Instinctively, I reached up and my hand came away covered in blood. Right after, I heard two splashes—two bodies hitting the water. Everything happened so fast, I couldn’t even process it.

When I finally took in the scene, I was even more stunned.

Now, only three people were left on the raft: me, Guan Zengbin, and Wu Zui.

The beam of light still cut through the gloom as our raft slowly drifted downstream. Wu Zui stared wide-eyed. Shi Huacheng was dead, and so was Jasmine.

Two bodies floated beside the raft. I never saw this ending coming.

I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. This had been a perfect chance for Shi Huacheng to escape. He’d kept silent for seven years, refusing to reveal the others’ whereabouts, all to earn a shot at freedom. So why provoke Wu Zui now of all times?

I didn’t understand, but this was the path Shi Huacheng chose. He killed Jasmine—cutting away Wu Zui’s final weakness. Now, Wu Zui had none. With his own sacrifice, Shi Huacheng forged his adopted son into the coldest, most ruthless person alive.

Seven years of patience. Seven years in darkness. All so he could pass that darkness on. Surviving wasn’t the real goal—continuing the evil was. Maybe, as he said, for someone who’s seen heaven and hell, every extra second of life is just torment.

“Stop the raft!” Wu Zui suddenly screamed, frantic. “Stop!”

Guan Zengbin, listening to Wu Zui, hurried to halt the raft.

Wu Zui dropped to the edge, stretching far over the side, and clung fiercely to Jasmine’s clothes.

Jasmine was the only person Wu Zui cared about in this world.

He looked like a child who’d lost his mother, refusing to let go, half-believing Jasmine might swim back and tell him it had all been a trick. She was skilled enough to survive so much. But here, in this world, everyone gets just one life, no matter how evil, kind, strong, or weak.

As Wu Zui gripped her clothes, a single tear tracked down his cheek.

I never thought Wu Zui would cry.

After that tear fell, Wu Zui let go. Relief washed over him as he straightened and calmly said to Guan Zengbin, “Let’s go. There’s a long road ahead.”

One tear held every emotion he had left.

Wu Zui looked at me. “See? That’s what it means to be a master. A real master never thinks their own life matters much. With his death, Shi Huacheng taught me one final lesson—never show the slightest feeling. I came into this world with nothing, so I should leave with nothing too. That’s destiny.”

For a moment, it struck me that Wu Zui was the saddest man alive. He might have bottomless wealth and women all around, but he’d never find anyone truly like himself. He was doomed to be alone in this world.

Me, I was lonely too, but at least I had friends. Even if I died, I’d become a star—someone would remember me, and as long as they did, I’d still shine.

“I guess I should thank Shi Huacheng. The last star on my dark path has finally gone out.” Wu Zui waved his hand through the air, pretending to see nothing. “Now that I can’t see anything at all, there’s nothing left for me to fear.”

While Jasmine was alive, Wu Zui still had a sliver of humanity. Now he’d lost even that.

I knew there was no turning Wu Zui back, but I couldn’t stay silent. “I spent over twenty years searching for who I am, for the truth.”

I looked him in the eyes. “Now I get it. We’re the same—we’ve both been outcasts all our lives, mocked and shunned. But we’re different, too. You walk deeper and deeper into darkness, while I’m searching for the light.”

“So I’ll try to stop you,” I said, slowly and firmly. “No matter what you’re planning, even if you’re smarter than me, I will stop you.”

“Stop me?” Wu Zui burst out laughing. “With what? With your pointless speeches? Give it up, little brother. Since we came into this world, you’ve always been a step behind. Whatever I do, you only ever catch half of it—and that’s why I win.”

“Now,” he said coldly, “there’s nothing and no one left in this world who can stand in my way.”

I knew—only one of us would walk away alive.

The raft kept drifting in the darkness. I had no way to tell time, no sense of how long had passed. With every silent minute, time seemed to drag on and on. But finally, a pinpoint of light appeared in the distance. I knew right away—that was the exit.

By now, going by the clock, we should’ve left the mountains on Dongxing City’s outskirts behind long ago. The encirclement set up there was useless here. Wu Zui’s escape plan really pulled the wool over their eyes—a perfect shell game. Everyone had been played.

About half an hour later, we finally floated out of the cave. The hidden river got steeper after leaving the cave, and further ahead it merged with a broad Dongxing City tributary. Wu Zui and Guan Zengbin jumped off the raft, then dragged me to one side.

Vivian had once said Yinzi and the others were waiting not far from the exit in a small apartment. I glanced toward the distance—sure enough, there was a little wooden cabin. Wu Zui led us over. It looked pretty rough, probably thrown together recently.

Soon, we reached the cabin door. Wu Zui used a special knocking pattern—a secret code.

When the door opened, we saw someone lying tied up on the bed inside, a towel shoved in his mouth. I recognized him—I’d seen this guy with a computer on the case with Liu Yinyan, caught by the spy camera.

It had to be Yinzi, but why was he bound here?

Yinzi caught sight of Wu Zui and shifted his eyes urgently, mumbling through his nose as if to say, There’s someone behind the door.

We all looked back at once. Right then, I felt a sharp kick from behind. I saw Wu Zui shoved forward too—we were both knocked onto the bed. Looking up, the scene almost made me want to cry.

The door slammed shut. On either side of the room stood a figure—Gu Chen to the left, Xiao Liu on the right.

But by Wu Zui’s account, Xiao Liu was supposed to be far away. So how had he turned up here in this little cabin? I was full of questions, but strangely relieved too.

Right now Guan Zengbin was stuck in the middle of the two. I knew she couldn’t be trusted—not anymore. I rushed to warn them. “Gu Chen, Xiao Liu, watch out for Guan Zengbin! Wu Zui’s got her under control. Right now, she thinks I’m Wu Zui, and that Wu Zui is me!”

Guan Zengbin frowned and snapped, “Don’t listen to him, Gu Chen, Xiao Liu! Wu Zui’s got all sorts of tricks—he’s just trying to confuse us. I like Wu Meng, I really do. We’ve even… done that together. How could I possibly not know who he is?”

Panic was burning inside me.

Wu Zui blurted out, “Xiao Liu, I thought you betrayed us! How did you end up here? And Gu Chen, are you okay? That night, after you got hurt, I ran straight over to check on you…”

He started to step forward.

Xiao Liu looked a little dazed. “How did things end up like this? You two, just stay put, alright? Someone will be here within the hour, then we’ll all be going back. You two look exactly alike—even your voices match! Should’ve run a DNA test back then for real.”

“Xiao Liu, don’t tell me you can’t tell who I am now. I’m Wu Meng—he’s Wu Zui.” I was getting anxious.

“We’ll sort it out when we get back,” Wu Zui said, interrupting. “Xiao Liu, nice work. Now tell us, how did you make it here?”