Chapter 42

Chapter 42

996: "Split personality is a mental illness. He’s sick enough that he probably didn’t intentionally deceive you."

996: "But no matter what..."

Li Jingtang’s rising anger cooled slightly at 996’s initial words.

Split personality is an illness.

He observed Chen Mo, who was watching him with unease and concern. In truth, Chen Mo was also a victim.

"You—"

"Did you really kill Chen Zui?"

Chen Mo nodded.

Li Jingtang’s emotions were complex. At that moment, he desperately hoped Chen Mo genuinely had a split personality—otherwise, he was a murderer.

In the dead of winter, Li Jingtang’s breath fogged as he spoke: "How did you kill him?"

"I was feigning unconsciousness. He approached, momentarily careless, and I snatched the knife from his hand."

Chen Mo gestured: "I just stabbed him to death like that."

Ao Tian: The legendary "I killed myself."

He still admired how his host could lie without batting an eyelid.

Chen Mo made it sound simple.

Li Jingtang, however, felt that if Chen Zui had been a truly existing person, there was no way he could have been killed so easily—unless Chen Zui wasn’t real, which made it somewhat plausible.

Chen Mo took Li Jingtang’s hand again. Both their hands were freezing: "Do you think I shouldn’t have done it? Do you hate me now?"

He asked softly.

He exuded an air of pitifulness.

Li Jingtang was the type to yield to softness, not force. He couldn’t bear to see the young man who had repeatedly helped him look so wronged.

"No, I’m just worried you didn’t handle it properly and might get into trouble."

After all, he was CEO Li—sweet-talking came naturally to him.

He rubbed Chen Mo’s hand with his thumb: "Your hands are so cold. Let’s go back first."

"Okay."

Only then did Chen Mo brighten up.

On the way back, Li Jingtang was driving—still in Yuan Man’s van. Both were lost in thought, neither speaking.

Chen Mo felt Li Jingtang’s reaction was very odd. He had accepted the fact that Chen Mo had killed someone, and the news of Chen Zui’s death, so calmly. Given his personality, even if Chen Zui was dead, he should have wanted to mutilate the body for revenge. Even if there was no body, he should at least have gone to check the crime scene.

But he didn’t.

The reason behind his reaction was something to ponder.

Li Jingtang, however, wasn’t thinking about such serious matters. He had just realized that if it really was a split personality, then the one who slept with him was actually Chen Mo!

In the quiet van, the man’s ears turned red unnoticed, then his face, and finally even his neck flushed crimson...

Even though they were two personalities, they shared the same body. He glanced sideways at the person in the passenger seat—this was the very body that had had its way with him, not to mention...

And even peed...

His grip on the steering wheel tightened. Suddenly, he wanted to die right there.

To him, Chen Mo was like a kid brother—he had never seen him as a man he could sleep with. Now he even felt like he had corrupted an innocent young man.

He was both ashamed and guilty.

"Do you know what Chen Zui usually did?" he asked, trying to fish for information.

Chen Mo paused for a moment: "Not really."

Li Jingtang felt slightly less embarrassed. It seemed Chen Mo didn’t know what his other personality had done.

Chen Mo leaned back in his seat, his dark eyes behind the glasses watching Li Jingtang calmly.

Chen Mo was absolutely certain: "He’s figured it out."

Ao Tian: "What? Figured out what?"

"That Chen Zui and I might be the same person."

"OMG! What do we do? We’re in trouble—"

Chen Mo, however, wasn’t worried. It was expected—he had given such obvious hints. It would have been strange if Li Jingtang hadn’t caught on.

He was just curious about when exactly Li Jingtang had started to suspect.

Was it because he said he killed Chen Zui?

Chen Mo wasn’t sure yet, but what annoyed him was that Li Jingtang wasn’t even sad over Chen Zui’s death.

As they drove, they spotted Yuan Man crouched on the side of the road. Both were surprised he had waited there all this time.

Yuan Man immediately blocked the van, glaring at Li Jingtang in the driver’s seat.

Li Jingtang had no attachment to the beat-up van. He got out, and Chen Mo followed slowly.

Yuan Man didn’t recognize Chen Mo, focusing only on Li Jingtang: "How could you take my van!"

Li Jingtang was unfairly accused—it was Chen Mo who stole the van.

But he didn’t deny it. Instead, he took off his wristwatch and tossed it to him.

Yuan Man caught it reflexively.

Li Jingtang: "For your trouble."

With that, he grabbed Chen Mo’s hand and walked away.

996: "What are you doing? You’ve already messed up a lot of the story. Stop acting like a bossy CEO—be polite, be nicer, say something nice, and smooth things over."

Li Jingtang thought that was stupid. His life had been too turbulent lately, making him lose his drive—even his interest in Yuan Man’s buff chest had faded.

Although Yuan Man didn't recognize the brand, the diamonds on the watch face were blindingly bright. He wasn't trying to scam them; he just wanted to stop the two.

"I don't want your watch."

"Then what do you want?"

"I want you to apologize to me."

Yuan Man said with a serious expression.

Li Jingtang frowned slightly as if he had heard the funniest thing in the world. Chen Mo became a spectator. Yuan Man was truly honest, as expected of the original protagonist shòu. That was a kind of charm in itself.

At this moment, it was time to—

"Sorry." Chen Mo spoke, drawing both of their attention.

He lowered his head. "Last night, I was too impatient and took your car. I apologize to you. This matter has nothing to do with Jingtang gege, so please don’t blame him."

Li Jingtang: Jingtang—gege!!!

He loved how that sounded.

He wanted to make him his heir!

Ao Tian: "Favorability: 52%!"

Ao Tian: "Can you call me Brother Ao Tian?"

Ao Tian: "Can't wait~"

Chen Mo: "Next time, definitely."

Ao Tian: "Okay~"

Yuan Man looked at Chen Mo, who was all bundled up, giving off a fragile vibe. Having received the apology, Yuan Man didn’t push the issue.

He left with a final remark: "Don’t do something like this again."

Then he drove off in his van.

996: "Go after him! When will you ever get the plot back on track like this?"

Li Jingtang impatiently: "If you’re so good, you do it."

He looked at Chen Mo but couldn’t stop smiling. It just so happened that the brother persona that split off had died, so he could be his brother now. Such an obedient younger brother was hard to find even if you searched with a lantern.

"What did you just call me?" He wanted to hear that again.

"Do you like that person? You kept staring at his chest." Chen Mo answered with a question instead.

Li Jingtang shook his head: "No, I wasn’t staring."

This time, he honestly didn't!

"Let’s hurry back, it’s freezing." Li Jingtang felt inexplicably guilty and quickly changed the subject.

Back home, Chen Mo took out the first aid kit and treated the wounds on Li Jingtang’s wrists and ankles. He disinfected them first, gently swabbing the broken skin with a cotton swab.

Chen Mo: "If it hurts, just say something."

Li Jingtang hummed in response. He watched the focused Chen Mo. Although the other man was still wearing a mask, he could already imagine what he looked like now.

It just felt magical—clearly the same person, but giving off two completely different vibes.

Chen Zui’s persona had been killed…

Li Jingtang couldn’t describe the feeling in his heart. Although he always threatened to kill Chen Zui, now that he was really gone…

That man who dared to oppose him, that dangerous man, that man who slept with him…

Was no more.

From now on, his fears of darkness and reincarnation had also vanished.

After Chen Mo treated his wounds, he noticed the man was lost in thought. He sat down beside Li Jingtang: "What are you thinking about?"

"Chen Zui…" Li Jingtang answered instinctively before abruptly stopping himself.

"Does Chen Zui have anything that needs to be taken care of? I can help."

Ao Tian: "He’s thinking about you, hehehe, I’m shipping it."

Chen Mo: "It’s alright, I’ll handle it. You should rest well."

Li Jingtang didn’t press further, worried about aggravating Chen Mo’s condition if he pushed too hard.

"Okay, then I’ll head back first."

"Are you leaving?"

Chen Mo looked up at Li Jingtang, who had stood up, with an expression that seemed reluctant to let him go.

It was heart-melting.

996: "If you keep refusing to cooperate and get the plot back on track, I’ll have no choice but to continue punishing you. This time, the electric shock won’t be as mild as last time."

Li Jingtang: "Is there a way to make Chen Mo lose consciousness? I need to confirm whether he’s really Chen Zui or not."

Li Jingtang: "If you can do it, I’ll cooperate."

He wasn’t a masochist; the electric shock was truly awful.

996: "...Alright, give me a sec."

Li Jingtang didn’t know what the system meant by making him wait, but he agreed and stayed with Chen Mo.

The two made small talk on and off. Most of the time, Li Jingtang felt Chen Mo seemed quite normal—which was exactly what was wrong. He had just killed his brother, so it must be that Chen Mo’s personality had killed Chen Zui’s personality, allowing him to remain so calm.

Li Jingtang became even more certain of his theory.

Chen Mo had said so much without trying to hide much. Schizophrenia might earn him some sympathy points from Li Jingtang. Only 28% left was needed to complete the mission.

"Where will we go in the next world?"

"That’s confidential. Let’s focus on this world for now."

"Okay."

When dinnertime arrived, Chen Mo, who couldn’t cook, said: "I don’t feel like cooking today. Can we order takeout?"

Li Jingtang could understand him, seeing how pathetic he seemed: "Sure, what would you like to eat? Jingtang-ge will order it for you~"

He waved his phone.

Chen Mo narrowed his eyes and smiled.

Suddenly, he wondered what kind of reaction Li Jingtang would have if he called him "Jingtang-ge" when I’m fucking him.

After dinner, Li Jingtang stayed overnight at his place.

Chen Mo asked him, "Do you mind staying in my elder brother's room?"

Since learning about his split personality, Li Jingtang always felt like he was caught in some weird role-play.

"It's fine, I don't mind."

"Then rest well, good night."

Chen Mo considerately closed the door for him and went to the room next door.

Li Jingtang looked around the room. It had a minimalist, modern design. He casually picked up a book from the bedside table and was surprised to find it was about finance.

From the various arrangements in the room, it seemed as if a corporate elite, a high-flyer, had truly lived here.

996: "I'm back."

Li Jingtang: "When can we start the operation?"

996: "Now."

As soon as Chen Mo returned to his room, a piercing noise shot through his head, almost instantly knocking him out.

996: "Go on in."

Li Jingtang went to the next room and looked at the unconscious man lying on the bed: "How did you do it?"

996: "Targeting the Dark Transmigration Bureau, our Transmigration Bureau has developed exploit code to attack their systems. I just went to my superiors to apply for and obtain the key. If the target is bound to a system, they will definitely be attacked and fall unconscious. However, it can only last up to three minutes before they patch it and upgrade."

996: "What we can confirm now is that the Chen Mo you mentioned is indeed bound to a system."

It sounded impressive, but Li Jingtang felt that drama and power plays were everywhere.

He didn’t waste any time and quickly pulled off the mask from Chen Mo’s face, revealing a face identical to Chen Zui’s.

Li Jingtang took a deep breath.

Thinking about it and confirming it were two completely different feelings. He stared at the man’s handsome face, noticing only a tiny scar on his cheekbone.

Without hesitation, he touched it, his fingers fiddling with the edge of the scar until he felt a loose edge.

He pinched the loose edge and slowly peeled it away.

Without blinking, he watched as the scar was removed. Once again, he saw Chen Zui’s face, but this face no longer belonged to Chen Zui. It would no longer show that self-assured, domineering look, and those eyes would never again watch him with that ambitious gleam.

He actually felt a twinge of regret.

—

After restlessly tossing and turning well into the night, Li Jingtang suddenly sat up, his eyes gleaming in the dark. Who could prove that Chen Mo truly had a split personality and wasn’t just putting on an act?