Chapter 4: Seeking Survival

Chapter 4: Seeking Survival

In their final moments, people often utter nonsense they themselves don't comprehend, and Lu Yan was no exception. However, his was deliberate; he knew that the more absurd his last words, the greater the pique of Yu Zechuan's curiosity.

Worried Yu Zechuan might have missed it, Lu Yan repeated himself, "Yu Zechuan, I've actually had a crush on you for a long time."

"I recognized you when you were downstairs. Otherwise, would you really think I'd be foolish enough to bring a stranger home to shelter from the rain?"

Yu Zechuan, of course, didn't buy Lu Yan's fabrication. Coming back to his senses, he kicked the dagger away from the ground to prevent Lu Yan from using it as a weapon, then reached out to strangle his neck. "Lu Yan—"

With a cold drawl, Yu Zechuan felt that Lu Yan was acting like a sly fox. "Do you honestly believe that with your pretty face, all men would fall at your feet? Save such lies for that fool Jiang Boyun, because they won't work on me."

Lu Yan lied without blinking an eye. "I'm not lying. I genuinely like you."

Villains often perish due to excessive talking. The most sensible action for Yu Zechuan at this point would have been to kill Lu Yan in one swift stroke rather than engage in further argument, for the man was bound to say more things to disrupt his mind.

But Yu Zechuan let his guard down. He couldn't resist mocking, "Like me? If you truly liked me, why would you team up with Jiang Boyun to send me to prison? Is that what you call liking someone?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan fell silent.

Yu Zechuan sneered. "Can't think of anything else?"

Lu Yan shook his head and hesitantly admitted, "Actually… I was fueled by love turned to hate."

Yu Zechuan: "…"

"I've liked you since the day I joined the company. But no matter how much I tried to catch your attention, you never noticed me. Instead, you fell for that despicable Jiang Boyun."

Indeed, the original host had frequently appeared before Yu Zechuan after joining the Yinchuan Group as a financial officer. However, it wasn't out of "liking" as Lu Yan claimed, but rather to extract confidential information.

Recalling the past, Yu Zechuan realized that Lu Yan did indeed often show up in front of him. But preoccupied with work, he had never given him any attention.

With effort, Lu Yan reddened his eyes and spoke in a hoarse whisper, "At first, I didn't plan on framing you. I just wanted to send Jiang Boyun to prison so you could see his true colors. But I didn't expect you to be so devoted to him that you took the blame."

Yu Zechuan: "…"

The embezzlement case from years ago involved too many people. In reality, everyone was implicated, with Yu Zechuan being at the forefront. To protect the others, he had taken the blame himself, knowing that the entire company would collapse otherwise.

Since escape was impossible, it was better for one person to fall than for an entire group to suffer.

This incident was like a thorn stuck in Yu Zechuan's heart, festering and rotting over the years. Any touch would bring excruciating pain, yet it was repeatedly brought up on this rainy night.

Yu Zechuan fell into an eerie silence. He suddenly released his grip on Lu Yan and took a step back, lighting a cigarette in the darkness. A ghostly blue flame illuminated the scar on the man's right cheek, making it appear even more grotesque.

Lu Yan didn't let his guard down. Leaning against the door, he wondered if Yu Zechuan had fallen for his earlier fabrication.

Lowering his gaze, Yu Zechuan exhaled smoke before speaking, "Open the door."

Hmm? Open the door?

Lu Yan thought that perhaps the other party was finally planning to leave – a thrilling piece of news. He stood up "hesitantly," swinging the door wide open to 180 degrees and pretended to be reluctant as he asked, "You... are you leaving?"

Hurry, hurry, hurry, the rain will get heavier soon.

But Yu Zechuan didn't respond to the question. With an expressionless face, he flicked off the ash from his cigarette, "Lu Yan, do you know what I hate most in this life?"

Ah, he knew the answer; Yu Zechuan had mentioned it before.

Lu Yan felt an inexplicable excitement, as if he had cheated on a test. He nodded and said, "I know, you hate being lied to the most."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a sharp needle pricked the back of his neck, injecting a cold liquid into him, causing his body to slip and fall to the ground. Lu Yan turned in shock, only to see a man with a black mask had appeared in the corridor at some point, his pupils contracting in astonishment—

Yu Zechuan actually had an accomplice?!!

Yu Zechuan was momentarily stunned by Lu Yan's response, but he quickly regained his composure, extinguished his cigarette, and walked over to Lu Yan. He crouched down, removing the needle from the back of Lu Yan's neck. "You were pretty close."

Yu Zechuan patted Lu Yan's face, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips, though devoid of any warmth. "So next time, don't try to deceive me with such nonsense."

Lu Yan...

Lu Yan felt like he needed to restart this game.

This time, the awakening took longer. Lu Yan felt as if he had been trapped in a very long dream. After struggling to break free from the mire of his subconscious, his head throbbed painfully, and his body felt weak and powerless.

With great effort, Lu Yan lifted his heavy eyelids, but the surroundings that greeted him were not the familiar room he rented. Instead, it was a cool-toned apartment, with heavy curtains blocking the blinding sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows. An unsettling silence filled the air.

"Slush—"

Startled, Lu Yan sat up in bed, feeling the cool silk sheet slide off his waist. Surveying the room, he instinctively called out, "System?"

A black heart materialized silently in the air, accompanied by its familiar mechanical voice: "Is there something?"

Lu Yan frowned. "Why am I not in the rental apartment this time around?"

The System, surprisingly, replied, "You didn't die. Yu Zechuan brought you back to the apartment where he currently resides."

"It's already noon on the second day. Quite remarkable that you managed to survive for 24 hours."

The last statement was delivered with a hint of detachment, almost as if the speaker was enjoying the spectacle.

Lu Yan, upon hearing this, couldn't help but be surprised. He rubbed the sore nape of his neck, pulled back the covers, and walked to the door, where he could faintly hear voices from outside.

Opening the door just a crack, he saw two men sitting on the couch in the living room. One was Yu Zechuan, while the other had his back to the entrance, his face obscured. However, there was an eighty percent chance that this was the same jerk who had ambushed him from behind the previous day.

Xue Jin sat with one leg crossed over the other, observing as Yu Zechuan typed swiftly on his laptop, which rested on his knees. He nudged the corner of the coffee table with his foot. "Hey, what do you plan to do with the person in the house? He'll wake up soon enough, and keeping him around will surely be a headache."

Yu Zechuan's brows knitted as he stared at the computer screen, his irises reflecting a barrage of data. His tone was cold and detached. "I'll deal with him once he wakes up."

Xue Jin raised an eyebrow. "If you're planning to get rid of him, why wait until he wakes up?"

Yu Zechuan: "..."

Xue Jin teased, "He's clearly 'deeply devoted' to you. Are you hesitant to take action?"

Yu Zechuan closed his laptop decisively. "Only fools would believe him. I asked you to investigate Jiang Boyun's itinerary for the next two weeks. Have you found anything?"

At the mention of this, Xue Jin's expression turned somber. "He might have heard about your early parole this morning; he suddenly added more bodyguards around him. Apart from a business trip to the US next week, Jiang Boyun should mostly be in the country."

Yu Zechuan wasn't surprised. "With all those lackeys around him, it's not surprising we could find out. Keep an eye on him at the company these few days and keep me informed of any developments."

Xue Jin glanced at his watch and stood up from the sofa. "Alright, it's getting late. I'll head off then."

It was only now that Lu Yan could see Xue Jin's face clearly. The man was well-groomed and dressed in a suit, exuding the aura of a high-flier. There was something strangely familiar about him.

Scouring through the memories of his original host, Lu Yan was startled to discover that this man was actually an investment consultant Jiang Boyun had lured away from abroad with a lucrative salary three years ago – Xue Jin.

Well played, Yu Zechuan. Your move has been well-concealed.

Observing as Xue Jin left, Lu Yan quietly closed the door and returned to bed. He frowned, pondering over the situation. It seemed like things were becoming more complicated. "System, where did this Xue Jin come from? What's his relationship with Yu Zechuan?"

The system maintained its monotonous tone: "One question will deduct five points."

Lu Yan found it quite reasonable: "Then go ahead and deduct them."

System: "You don't have any points. What can I deduct?"

Lu Yan: "..."

Closing his eyes, Lu Yan buried his face in the pillow, struggling to accept that he was destitute in his previous life and still was in this one.

The system believed in self-reliance when one lacked resources: "If you have doubts about character backgrounds, the player is encouraged to explore on their own."

Explore on their own?

Lu Yan opened his eyes and scoffed. If that's what it took, so be it. Who was afraid of who? However, just as this thought crossed his mind, a pale blue game interface suddenly pinged:

"Ping! Player has triggered a side quest:

Investigate Xue Jin's identity and background."

Success Reward: 50 Points.

Failure Penalty: None.

Time Limit: 30 days."

Lu Yan raised an eyebrow. "There's actually a side mission?"

The system seemed caught off guard, pausing for a moment before responding, "Side missions occur randomly. Since it's been assigned, just complete it. The challenges will become harder as you progress, and points can be exchanged for life-saving items."

As Lu Yan was about to ask a question, footsteps echoed from outside the door. He quickly climbed back into bed, feigning sleep. The sound of a door creaking open followed, and someone slowly approached the bedside, casting a shadow over his face.

"If you enjoy sleeping so much that you never want to wake up, I won't mind lending a hand," a voice said.

Lu Yan's eyes snapped open at the words, revealing Yu Zechuan standing by the bed, staring intently at him. A beat behind, he regained his composure, threw aside the covers, and sat up, adopting a disheartened expression. "I thought you'd kill me yesterday."

"I will kill you, but not now."

The effects of the drugs on Lu Yan were still lingering, sapping most of his strength. Thus, Yu Zechuan didn't restrain him but led him out to the living room, forcefully pushing him down onto a chair.

Emerging abruptly from the darkness, the sunlight was somewhat blinding. Lu Yan couldn't help but squint, and when he opened his eyes again, a cold mobile phone suddenly pressed against his ear.

Yu Zechuan stood behind Lu Yan, his tone laced with amusement, "Didn't you say you liked me? Invite Jiang Boyun out and let me see your sincerity."

Oh~ So the other party wanted to use him as bait.

Lu Yan understood, but honestly shook his head, "I can't get him to come."

Yu Zechuan frowned, "Why?"

Lu Yan fell silent for a moment,

"… I called him a stinky idiot yesterday."