Chapter 19: A Misstep

Chapter 19: A Misstep

"Yu Zechuan..."

When Lu Yan softly spoke the name, it echoed through the basement. He hadn't expected this person to show up at this time. The unconscious Jiang Boyun on the ground and the gradually intensifying scent of blood in the air were stark reminders to Lu Yan that his own fate might not be much better.

He rose slowly from the ground, his mind racing. A mixture of relief and astonishment, like that of a survivor witnessing a narrow escape, subtly graced his features. "How did you come to be here?" he asked.

"After you asked me to leave last time, I resigned from the Yinchuan Group. I didn't expect Jiang Boyun to still not let me go, he had me captured."

"Thank goodness you came."

The insincerity of those words was known only to Lu Yan himself. He rambled on and on, his voice echoing in the vast basement, creating an eerie scene. Eventually, with a parched throat, he fell silent.

Yu Zechuan stood by the entrance, displaying remarkable patience. He waited until Lu Yan's voice faded before asking, devoid of any detectable emotion, "Are you done?"

Lu Yan was unsure whether to nod or shake his head. For he saw Yu Zechuan advancing steadily towards him, subtly adjusting the knife in his hand to a more conducive position for striking.

It was clear that the other man intended to kill him. All that patient listening seemed to have been merely a means to wait for Lu Yan to finish his last words.

As Yu Zechuan approached, Lu Yan had already started to retreat subconsciously. He couldn't figure out where he had gone wrong. The last time Yu Zechuan had chased him away, he could clearly sense that there was no intention to kill in the other's demeanor.

When sensing danger, people instinctively retreat to a safe zone.

Lu Yan retreated slowly.

One step, two steps...

Until his back unexpectedly collided with the cold wall.

Startled, Lu Yan realized that he had nowhere else to go. In the face of imminent death, he found an odd calmness within himself. Still, he couldn't grasp where he had made a mistake. His hand hanging by his side clenched quietly as he looked at Yu Zechuan and asked,

"When did you change your mind about wanting to kill me?"

"Did you really think you could deceive me?"

Yu Zechuan countered coldly. The folding knife spun effortlessly between the joints of his slender fingers, creating a mesmerizing sight, while his voice was as icy as the blade itself,

"I never intended for you to live."

Yu Zechuan reeked of blood, not only from Jiang Boyun's, but also his own. The two bodyguards outside clearly found it challenging to deal with him simultaneously. Yu Zechuan overpowered them, albeit at the cost of severe injuries to himself.

Lu Yan covertly assessed the other man's stamina, pondering the odds of success if he were to pounce and seize the knife. Yet, he couldn't arrive at a definite conclusion.

Lu Yan didn't understand why he could still manage a smile. Nonetheless, he did laugh softly. The bright moonlight streaming through the window accentuated the clarity in his eyes: "Since you put it that way, I suppose I must die today."

With his arms outstretched, he adopted a vulnerable posture, then earnestly asked, "Out of consideration for my feelings for you, can I have one last embrace?"

Yu Zechuan fixated on him, unmoving.

Seeing Yu Zechuan's silence, Lu Yan mustered the courage to take the initiative and approach him at an excruciatingly slow pace. He moved so cautiously that his breathing became shallow, as if he was afraid of disturbing something. Eventually, his fingertips brushed against the cold and bloodstained corner of Yu Zechuan's garment.

Lu Yan's fair and elegant fingers continued to ascend gently, like a fluttering butterfly, eventually slipping behind Yu Zechuan.

He cautiously wrapped his arms around the other man.

Their bodies were pressed together, leaving no room for air.

Throughout the entire process, Yu Zechuan remained unresponsive.

Lu Yan accidentally brushed against the sticky substance on Yu Zechuan's back. He lowered his gaze and paused at the sight of his own crimson palm. "Are you injured?"

The brim of the cap cast a shadow, obscuring Yu Zechuan's facial features. He pressed the tip of the knife against Lu Yan's abdomen, gently sliding it, sending shivers down one's spine. "Does it concern you?"

Lu Yan smiled. "Of course it does. If you were hurt, I'd be worried sick."

This was the second time he said those words.

The previous instance was in their rented apartment when Yu Zechuan had inadvertently been stabbed by Xue Jin while saving him.

Lu Yan spoke with sincerity, his tone deep and gentle, his eyes filled with emotion. It was hard to detect any trace of dishonesty in him. The knife in Yu Zechuan's hand unconsciously lowered, as if he was momentarily lost in thought.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a dull thud echoed.

Without any warning, Lu Yan struck swiftly, snatching the knife from Yu Zechuan as fast as lightning. At the same time, he raised his left hand, elbowing his opponent's shoulder and forcefully pinning him against the wall.

The cold blade once again touched the neck, but this time, roles were reversed.

Yu Zechuan's face contorted with fury and his eyes reddened, giving him the appearance of a malevolent demon rising from hell: "Lu Yan, you're lying to me again!"

Despite gaining the upper hand, Lu Yan didn't feel overly triumphant. Gripping the knife blade against Yu Zechuan's throat, he dared not loosen his grip for a moment. His voice was hoarse as he spoke, "I just want to live."

The basement had air vents, but no breeze could be felt. It was hot, humid, and sweat drenched his back, making the discomfort worse than any scorching summer day.

"You finally got out of prison, isn't it good to be alive?"

"Alive?"

Yu Zechuan froze at the question, then an inexplicable low laugh escaped his throat. He trembled with laughter, his entire being exuding a nervous, hypersensitive aura.

With his bloodshot eyes and pallid complexion,

an eerie, ghostly presence seemed to envelop him, making him appear both living and dead.

Yu Zechuan laughed relentlessly until he couldn't catch his breath, leaning weakly against the wall, gasping for air. The brim of his cap slipped off, revealing his flawless, alabaster face marred by a scar that cruelly split his right cheek.

He slowly lifted his gaze to meet Lu Yan's, tears of crimson and boundless hatred pooling in his eyes. Through gritted teeth, he asked,

"For five long years, every night has been a torment that made me wish for death. What right do you have to live on?!"

Through a thousand and eight hundred torturous days and nights, he nearly drowned in the torrent of his own hatred.

"How can you continue to live comfortably after destroying my life?!"

Faced with Yu Zechuan's hysterical accusations, Lu Yan fell into silence. As a former cancer patient who had once teetered on the edge of death, he instinctively believed that there was nothing better than the gift of life.

He thought that once time passed, all traces would vanish, never realizing that someone, even after clawing their way out of hell, endured daily flames of agony.

Yu Zechuan, in the heat of his emotions while speaking, unintentionally brushed against the blade, leaving crimson marks on his neck. Lu Yan instinctively withdrew the dagger slightly, completely unaware that Jiang Boyun, lying in the corner, had somehow regained consciousness.

Jiang Boyun's blurred eyes flickered open, his vision awash with a crimson hue. Every inch of his body throbbed with pain. Struggling to raise his hand, he reached for his forehead, only to feel it covered in dried, sticky blood.

The exhaust fan in the basement spun ceaselessly, casting fleeting shadows of its blades overhead, causing a dizzying sensation before the eyes.

Jiang Boyun gasped for air, the pounding in his head slowing his thoughts. The last image imprinted in his memory was of himself sitting on the sofa, making a phone call, when suddenly a man had pressed a blade against his back from behind.

"Jiang Boyun, it's been a long time."

A deep, chilling voice whispered in my ear, familiar yet estranged,

The person was clad in dark attire, almost blending seamlessly into the night. Under the brim of their hat was a sharp and aloof face, with a rebellious glint in their eyes. The only unfamiliarity lay in the scar on their right cheek — everything else was the very image that made Jiang Boyun shudder in his midnight dreams.

"Yu... Yu Zechuan..."

Upon witnessing the scene, Jiang Boyun's face turned ashen, nearly losing his composure from fear. Previously, he had been warned that Yu Zechuan seemed to have recently been released from prison. He had even gone to the trouble of conducting a discreet investigation, but the private detective's report indicated that Yu Zechuan had assumed an alias and moved to a remote town, showing no intention of returning to City A.

Jiang Boyun never expected the other party to suddenly appear in his private villa. Feeling the blade pressed against his lower back, he frantically waved his hands, "Ze Chuan... please calm down... whatever the issue is, we can talk it out... let's not resort to violence... I can return the money and the company..."

This villa has two security guards. Jiang Boyun attempted to buy time for them to arrive, but Yu Zechuan saw through his plan with a casual retort, "Ah, are you waiting for your two half-dead bodyguards?"

Jiang Boyun's body stiffened. "What do you mean by that?"

Before he could finish his sentence, a tearing sound echoed from his abdomen. The attacker's knife was swift and ruthless, leaving Jiang Boyun momentarily stunned before the pain set in.

In disbelief, he looked down to find a dagger now embedded in his stomach, blood gushing out and staining his pristine white shirt, dripping steadily onto the floor.

"There's no deeper meaning. I just knocked them out," Yu Zechuan said nonchalantly.

Yu Zechuan pressed the tip of the knife into Jiang Boyun's flesh with a stony expression, twisting it savagely. The pain made Jiang Boyun bend over, retching, his screams echoing through the room – though no one would hear them.

"Aaaahhh!!!"

One advantage of the suburban villa was its tranquility; another benefit of the rich's homes was their soundproofing.

When abducting Lu Yan, Yu Zechuan had learned one thing: never listen to their nonsense.

He inhaled deeply, the scent of blood filling his nostrils and momentarily bringing him pleasure. His voice was low, slow, and crystal clear, "You can repay the money, you can return the company, but those five years in prison and my grandfather's life..."

Abruptly, he pulled out the blade and stabbed back in the same spot, whispering, "Jiang Boyun, how do you intend to repay that?"

Yu Zechuan suddenly shook his head, "Don't bother repaying it. Just give me your life..."

Jiang Boyun struggled desperately, but he stood no chance against a madman. The wound in his abdomen was pierced repeatedly until the pain became almost numb. Summoning an unknown strength, he pushed Yu Zechuan away violently and fled blindly, leaving behind a trail of blood.

Jiang Boyun stumbled as he ran, eventually collapsing to the ground.

Yu Zechuan, knife in hand, pursued at a leisurely pace. Upon seeing him, his first question was,

"Where's Lu Yan?"

Jiang Boyun's expression shifted from agony to astonishment upon hearing this. "Lu Yan?!"

It was only now that he realized what was happening. He stared in shock at Yu Zechuan's attire, which seemed increasingly familiar. It was the same outfit he had seen on the man shopping with Lu Yan that day.

Jiang Boyun's mind spun like a chaotic whirlpool. He shook his head in disbelief. "You... Lu Yan... No... This can't be... When did you two start sneaking around behind my back?!"

Yu Zechuan didn't bother explaining. Catching sight of the hidden door in the basement from the corner of his eye, he pulled Jiang Boyun up from the ground and started walking forward. With an ulterior motive, he taunted, "If you could be with him, why can't I?"

This revelation appeared to be the final straw for Jiang Boyun. Clutching his aching abdomen, he trembled with rage. Knowing death was imminent, he erupted into a crazed laughter. "Yu Zechuan! You can't seriously think Lu Yan likes you, can you?! He's just a damn gold digger, incapable of telling the truth..."

"I've been putting up with your nonsense since school!"

"You're just some rich brat with an attitude problem, aren't you? But when you have your episodes, you cower in a corner like a dog. Who would want to be with a lunatic, hahaha..."

"Someone like you... Someone like you will never be loved genuinely... If it weren't for the money, do you really think I'd give you the time of day...?"

As Jiang Boyun's laughter grew more deranged, his sanity began to slip. Eventually, the blood gushing out of his wounds choked his throat, prompting him to cough and fall silent.

Yu Zechuan seemed to ignore his words and opened the basement door silently, pushing him inside without hesitation.

With a thunderous crash, dust filled the air.

...

Jiang Boyun stumbled to his feet, reason long lost to him. A single obsession dominated his mind now: he would take someone down with him, even in death.

It didn't matter if it was Lu Yan or Yu Zechuan, both of them deserved to die!

Jiang Boyun picked up the bench from the ground, his face twisted in fury. He swung it with incredible speed towards the back of Lu Yan's head, the wind whistling as it moved –

"Bang!"

In that split second, Yu Zechuan abruptly shoved Lu Yan aside and sidestepped the incoming bench. A glint of cold steel flashed in his hand as he kicked Jiang Boyun in the abdomen. Seizing the opportunity as the man fell, he swiftly plunged the blade downward, piercing the throat –

"Spurt!"

Blood spewed several meters high from Jiang Boyun's throat. Yu Zechuan managed to turn his head just in time to avoid the spray, but he still ended up drenched. The pungent metallic smell filled his nostrils, and his vision was tinged with a crimson hue.

Lu Yan stumbled, dazed and seeing stars, only to regain consciousness in time to witness Jiang Boyun's twisted face contort in agony as his body convulsed in death. Yu Zechuan, with a swift motion, pulled out the blade, his pale cheek splattered with speckles of blood, a strangely beautiful and chilling sight as he approached, step by step.

It turned out he had been hiding a knife in his sleeve all along.

But Lu Yan couldn't deceive him a second time.

The overwhelming stench of blood enveloped him, sticky and damp.

Caught off guard, Yu Zechuan's grip on Lu Yan's throat was ruthless, pressing him fiercely against the wall once more. The edge of the blade was already digging into his skin. Panic-stricken, Lu Yan knew he couldn't escape, but still, he clung to a sliver of hope for an answer. "When did you start suspecting me?"

Yu Zechuan's gaze fell coldly upon Lu Yan's throat, his tone devoid of emotion. "I never trusted you."

"Why?" Lu Yan asked.

At the question, the curve of Yu Zechuan's lips paused, then slowly fell, revealing his displeasure. His Adam's apple moved as he finally whispered two cold words into Lu Yan's ear, "Idiot..."

"It was Xue Jin who liked matcha cake, not me..."

Matcha cake was something Xue Jin enjoyed.

Stir-fried pork with green peppers was also one of Xue Jin's favorites. However, the peppers that day were bitter, leaving the dish untouched.

Yu Zechuan had spent five years in prison; he wasn't picky about his food.

He favored black clothing, but Grandpa Yu preferred him in brighter hues, so at work, he typically wore light blue or white.

"You said you liked me with your own lips, yet didn't guess a single question right. Even at the brink of death, you had to deceive me once more."

Yu Zechuan gazed at Lu Yan's stunned face, gradually tightening his grip until it felt like suffocation. He forced a smile, though it looked more painful than crying. "Lu Yan, I've told you before, I despise being deceived the most."

He shook his head slowly, veins bulging on his forehead, and a tear finally trickled down from his reddened eyes. "In my entire life, I've never received anyone's genuine affection."

"Never even once."

"And you... you're fake too..."

Struggling with great difficulty, Lu Yan mustered his last breath to ask, "What do you like? Can you tell me?"

It seemed like an essential matter; he insisted on getting an answer even as death loomed. "Yu Zechuan... please tell me... what do you truly like..."

Yu Zechuan paused in his action. "Does it matter?"

Lu Yan's eyelashes quivered. "It does. What if we have another lifetime?"

And,

"Could you give me a swift end? I'm afraid of pain."

Something like their first encounter would be fine.

Without notice, a hint of dawn pierced through the dark sky outside the window. Dust particles danced gently in the air. Though daybreak was imminent, not a single ray of sunlight reached the basement.

Yu Zechuan lifted the blade slowly, aligning it with Lu Yan's back before piercing it swiftly. With every inch the blade sank deeper, blood rushed out faster, yet they embraced each other intimately, as if lovers.

Closing his eyes, Yu Zechuan whispered into Lu Yan's ear, "Five years, too long. Even I'm almost forgetting."

But in those distant times, there were things he cherished. "I loved dark chocolate, watching movies on rainy days..."

"I liked black clothes, and warm places..."

"But I'm afraid of the cold and thunderstorms too..."

"I've always wanted to go to an amusement park, but I've never been..."

His mother had promised this before she passed away, but that promise could no longer be fulfilled.

Yu Zechuan spoke at length, more than he ever had in his life.

"Lu Yan, actually, I don't mind being lied to."

Yu Zechuan himself didn't know what he was hoping for. For the first time in his life, he was gentle as he lowered his gaze and gently wiped away the dried blood on Lu Yan's cheek with the tip of his finger. This person was much more handsome, and it wouldn't do for him to be marred by blood.

"Remember what I said. If there really is a next life, be smarter..."

"Deceive me for a lifetime, just don't let me find out..."

Yu Zechuan murmured to himself, "If Xue Jin hadn't found your handwriting in Jiang Boyun's computer files a few days ago, I might have really let you off."

Lu Yan listened intently, so much so that he forgot the pain in his body. Gazing at the dried blood on Yu Zechuan's face, he managed a weak smile. "Alright, I'll remember..."

He had never been more sincere. "Yu Zechuan, I've taken note..."

But what end awaits you?

Lu Yan choked on blood, mustering his last bit of strength to ask, "Yu Zechuan... Now that you've killed me... What will you do...?"

Yu Zechuan gazed down at Lu Yan. It was only now that his tormented soul found a rare moment of respite. He shook his head slowly. "Lu Yan, no one can escape the law's punishment, not even me."

With a sudden smile, he withdrew the blade from Lu Yan's body and whispered something indecipherable.

"But I won't be going back to prison..."

In the next instant, the sound of the sharp blade slicing through fabric and flesh echoed. Blood spurted out, but their entwined bodies held it in. It was scorching hot, and Lu Yan no longer had the strength to open his eyes. He finally gave in, his figure sliding downward, falling completely into Yu Zechuan's cold embrace. Yu Zechuan caught him steadily.

The two of them knelt on the ground, as if in a penitent's stance, or like those mired in mud, awaiting redemption.

As the sun rose, a sliver of light pierced through the window, landing precisely on Yu Zechuan.

A chilling system notification sounded, foreboding the dawn of a new chapter.

" Ding! Host's death detected, automatic rebirth opportunity activated!"

"The game... begins..."