TYMIMA Chapter 62.2

He didn’t even know whether the former Second District director’s words he’d overheard and their overly ruthless obstruction of him were also part of the plan.

 

He had once been bottom-tier in this restricted zone, despising the unrestrained privileged class. Now he had become the privileged class, his hands also stained with blood. He ultimately couldn’t escape the curse of the dragon-slaying youth.

 

In the last moment before losing consciousness, Si Hongche dimly saw Oliver’s tear-filled eyes.

 

Oliver gripped his pant leg forcefully, hideous wounds seeping blood, staining his torn prison uniform red.

 

Oliver arched his back, curled up his body, trembling violently while screaming in breakdown: “Just kill me, please kill me, consider it my life for my brother’s! Kill me! Hurry up and kill me!”

 

His gradually failing sanity could no longer control his ability. [Envelop] quietly shattered, and the last trace of Oliver’s scent completely dissipated from Si Hongche’s embrace.

 

He was destined to fall into hell forever, with no shore to return to.

 

Harbor Tan City was now experiencing torrential rain like a waterfall, with ten-meter waves rising near the sea, heavily crashing against the embankment.

 

In High Tower Guild’s fireplace, a vigorous flame lit up, the fire dancing and roasting the wood, enveloping the room in warmth.

 

The truth of the matter was now roughly clear—this was a trap set long ago.

 

The rainforest ecological zone required high-level clearance to enter, yet that night, Si Hongmei had entered without any obstruction.

 

Kluova or someone else first guided Si Hongmei to the rainforest ecological zone, then Kluova took on Uriel’s appearance and brutally killed Si Hongmei, leaving molestation-like marks on her body.

 

Si Hongche was just a newly hired team member then, without even qualification to settle in the restricted zone. He absolutely couldn’t imagine someone would set such a large trap waiting for him to fall into, so he naturally fell for it.

 

Uriel initially waited confidently and calmly in prison, but suddenly one day, he frantically begged Oliver to release him, even willing to involve his most beloved younger brother in the incident.

 

But once he got out, he was killed, and this became fleeing in fear of punishment—case closed.

 

If Si Hongche had any reservations before, he would now completely believe the entire affair.

 

The mastermind was meticulous, ruthless, and powerful.

 

But Lance still had some unresolved questions, such as where exactly Uriel went that night, why he refused to say, and what Uriel saw that made him determined to escape at any cost. What was his purpose in escaping?

 

What Uriel saw might not have been the truth either. Perhaps the opponent’s goal was to lure him out and create the illusion of fleeing in fear of punishment.

 

—Everything is terribly wrong. He must go save those hundreds of lives.

 

Oliver said Uriel only left this inexplicable sentence.

 

Hundreds of lives.

 

Judging by Uriel’s fate, he probably didn’t save those hundreds of people and ended up sacrificing himself instead.

 

Eighteen years ago, hundreds of people, capital city.

 

The Rebellion Suppression?

 

Lance suddenly had this theory.

 

Oliver’s eyes were confused as he murmured: “Why… did they… do this? Brother… offended people… but… Sui Sui was innocent.”

 

He knew Uriel had written many articles criticizing current affairs, some extremely detrimental to the Federation government’s autocracy.

 

Many forces had always obstructed Uriel from exposing social darkness, but Uriel would rather break than bend, never willing to submit.

 

This would inevitably offend people, so they framed his brother, ruining his reputation.

 

But why target Sui Sui? Sui Sui was just a child staying in employee dormitories. She posed no threat, was so well-behaved, never caused trouble.

 

Lance looked at Oliver with some helplessness. In this entire affair, Oliver knew almost nothing. He was too innocent yet paid the most tragic price.

 

Lance said softly: “I’m afraid the opponent’s target wasn’t Uriel at all.”

 

But Si Hongche, Si Hongche’s unique [Death Oath Curse].

 

How to assimilate an originally upright and kind person into one’s own kind?

 

They had to make him experience unbearable pain, lose the most important things, see the world’s ugliness and sin. He had to be devoured by hatred, shattered by reality, reshaped by darkness. He had to completely abandon his once-unwavering beliefs and join the camp of fighting violence with violence, blood with blood.

 

Lan Wendao cleared his throat, timely reminding: “Alright, the little girl’s spirit can’t stay much longer.”

 

Indeed, Si Hongmei’s figure seemed to lag like dropped frames, flickering in the ghostly green sphere.

 

The coldness in the sphere seemed stronger, darkness gradually spreading outward, devouring Si Hongmei’s body.

 

“Oliver!” Si Hongmei reluctantly threw herself at Oliver, wanting to hug him tightly, but could only watch helplessly as her arms disappeared into Oliver’s body.

 

“Sui Sui…” Oliver was extremely panicked, like trying to protect his most important thing, repeatedly swatting at the darkness, trying to keep Si Hongmei’s spirit.

 

But the cold wind froze his skin red, and he couldn’t grasp even a trace of Si Hongmei’s soul.

 

Si Hongmei seemed to understand she had to leave. She pretended to be strong, forcing out a childish smile.

 

“Oliver, please tell brother that Sui Sui loves him. Also, you don’t need to worry about me. There are many big brothers there, very deep down, and a beautiful sister, but she…”

 

Si Hongmei didn’t finish speaking before her figure completely disappeared.

 

Abaddon gasped heavily, withdrawing his ability. The beige hair clip also vanished.

 

Oliver looked at his empty hands and finally couldn’t restrain himself, crying out in grief: “Ahhhh—ah—”

 

However, Fata’s ointment was also beginning to lose effect. His body was already at its limit, and now with emotional turmoil, he soon couldn’t bear it.

 

Lan Wendao’s sharp eyes saw the blood congestion in Oliver’s eyes. He quickly jumped up from his chair: “No good, give him a sedative immediately. If he keeps crying like this, he’ll have acute cerebral hemorrhage!”

 

Fata moved faster. He unscrewed a white bottle cap and waved it under Oliver’s nose. Oliver indeed collapsed to the ground, slowly falling into unconsciousness.

 

Dream Witch stepped forward, easily lifting Oliver and placing him on a cushion nearby.

 

She said sympathetically: “How did little golden retriever become so light? Even for an Omega, this is too extreme.”

 

Duma slowly scooted over, crouching beside Oliver, looking curiously.

 

He had never cried so sadly. He didn’t know why people could be so heartbroken.

 

Lance frowned, putting on a stern face as he said to Fata: “Find a way to cure him. I recruited him to work, not to collect his corpse.”

 

Dream Witch reached out and pinched Lance’s serious cheek: “Still so stubborn on the outside, soft on the inside.”

 

Lance was pinched by his sister and helplessly broke character, but he still had to maintain White Pharaoh’s dignity, muttering quietly: “No.”

 

Ten thousand meters high, above the clouds, was a rare gentle pale white.

 

In the private jet, Yan Qili sat barefoot, wrapped in pajamas, hunched over, saying helplessly: “Guild Master Zhan, I’ve told Si Hongche everything. Are you satisfied now?”

 

Zhan Qinghe was looking down, sending messages to Chu Fu—

 

[Wife, are you sleepy, have you eaten, are you anxious waiting? I’ve safely boarded the plane, arriving in Desert City in about six hours. This time was quite thrilling. We just took Yan Qili away when the other side’s people arrived. I originally planned to capture and interrogate in one go, but suddenly realized the plane’s limited space couldn’t fit those seven A-level Awakened ones. Wife, can’t we really get a bigger private jet?]

 

[Sigh, look at me at this age, still having to go on missions with young people, still having to use abilities to intimidate others. I’m really physically and mentally exhausted and need some insignificant reward from family.]

 

[Wife, tomorrow night, I want to use white tiger form to…]

 

“Guild Master Zhan! Are—you—satisfied—now?” Yan Qili suddenly raised his voice.

 

Zhan Qinghe’s sweet talk was interrupted. He couldn’t help but frown and look up, his expression slightly darkening: “You’re just a small pawn, posing no threat to the mastermind. We took you away and still have to protect you. What am I satisfied about?”

 

Yan Qili shivered from the plane’s air conditioning. Thinking about becoming a fugitive, he felt depressed: “Then you might as well have left me behind.” At least I could still be a puppet principal.

 

Zhan Qinghe moved his finger, flipping his phone screen toward his palm and putting it away.

 

He leaned against the chair back, straightening up, his expression instantly stern: “Leave you behind to continue concealing from Si Hongche, continue watching him commit more sins, watching him torture his lover and serve his enemy. Do you still think you’re just an observer, that you’re just powerless?”

 

Yan Qili hung his head low, sparse hair drooping to his forehead.

 

“Guild Master Zhan, if you were me back then, what could you have done? I’m just a mere B-level. I just wanted to live.”

 

Zhan Qinghe was blunt, his tone quite ruthless: “During the four years you waited for rewards in the restricted zone, you were only a few hundred meters from Si Hongche. During the fourteen years you were Star University’s principal, Si Hongche visited the campus multiple times with you receiving him. You had countless opportunities to remind Si Hongche to show mercy, that turning back was still possible, but you didn’t. Today, that Star University graduate named Oliver died.”

 

Yan Qili’s heart sank heavily.

 

Oliver was dead?

 

He slowly raised his hand to cover his face, rubbing hard.

 

As he rubbed, his fingers finally felt wet traces.

 

Oliver was dead. He Jing’en was probably completely disheartened now.

 

After becoming Star University’s principal, he only got along well with this old fellow. He Jing’en accompanied him in slacking off, being lazy, working passively, and playing dumb.

 

But they both knew the other harbored unspeakable anguish.

 

He sympathized with He Jing’en’s loss of his beloved student. He Jing’en sympathized with him being just a puppet.

 

If He Jing’en knew he had countless opportunities to help Oliver but never acted, he probably wouldn’t be friends with him anymore.

 

“Sigh, so be it.” Yan Qili sighed deeply, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

 

He truly regretted it.

 

But his regret came too late. At his age with one foot in the grave, he finally couldn’t help telling He Jing’en the classified archive password. Only today did he dare tell Si Hongche the truth from back then.

 

If he could have been a bit braver, a bit earlier, perhaps…

 

But he could no longer make amends.

 

Zhan Qinghe wasn’t harsh. He knew Yan Qili was just a manipulated pawn. The truly sinful one was whoever designed all this.

 

He gestured, instructing someone to hand Yan Qili a tissue.

 

The cabin fell quiet again.

 

Far away in Desert City, Chu Fu came out after showering, drying her hair while picking up her phone to check messages that filled more than one screen.

 

She read Zhan Qinghe’s texts with a normal expression, calmly typing a few words—

 

[We’ll talk when you get back.]

 

Zhan Qinghe’s phone vibrated. He immediately looked down, seeing the characteristically cold, brief reply, and couldn’t help smiling.

 

[Wife, I don’t feel tired at all now.]

 

After years of marriage, he was used to Chu Fu’s thin skin and many mental constraints, so he now had a special translation system for Chu Fu.

 

No clear objection meant agreement.

 

Asking if he was sleepy tonight meant heat was coming and she wanted it.

 

Asking if one more time was okay, answering “don’t know” meant several more times were possible.

 

Answering “no more” meant only once, then wanting to be held while sleeping.

 

Before Zhan Qinghe could put away his smile, his chat with his wife was interrupted by an abrupt message.

 

[Son: hello? Dad? Found Yan Qili? Are you still alive? Do we need to rebel? Why isn’t anyone answering me on the earpiece?]

 

Simultaneously, Chu Fu also received Zhan Pingchuan’s message—

 

[Baby: Mom! Is dad okay? He’s not replying to my messages. How are you both?]

 

Only then did Zhan Qinghe realize he’d forgotten his son!

 

He quickly straightened his expression, pretending to be too busy, replying to Zhan Pingchuan—

 

[Dad’s safe, don’t worry.]

 

Chu Fu put down her towel, sat on the bedside, and typed with both hands.

 

[Don’t worry, everything went smoothly. You did very well. I’m proud.]

 

After reading both messages, Zhan Pingchuan quickly bounced up from bed. The stone weighing on his heart finally disappeared.

 

After returning to the dormitory, he’d countless times wanted to rush into Lance’s room, wanted to hold the little red fox, smell the pleasant star magnolia pheromones, and wait for fate’s judgment in his beloved’s embrace.

 

But he still restrained himself. He couldn’t bring even a trace of danger to Lance. He couldn’t let Lance get involved in the Rebellion Suppression conspiracy.

 

Fortunately, the mission was complete, the crisis resolved. No need to rebel for now, and he didn’t have to become a fugitive.

 

Zhan Pingchuan quickly ran his hand through his hair, pinched the turquoise pendant hanging from his ear, then checked his newly changed clothes in the mirror, feeling his image was quite good.

 

Tonight’s high-speed training had made his muscles engorged with blood, creating beautiful contours even through clothes. His skin, repeatedly washed by sweat, had a healthy, natural flush from exercise. Except for slightly dark circles under his eyes, he looked absolutely sunny and refreshing.

 

Zhan Pingchuan’s heart raced. He yanked open his door and strode to Lance’s door.

 

“Little classmate Lan, are you awake? That secret—I want to tell you now.” Zhan Pingchuan knocked on the door.

 

No response for a long while.

 

Perhaps sleeping too deeply, Zhan Pingchuan guessed.

 

Then he’d just climb through the window—he knew the way well anyway.

 

Zhan Pingchuan couldn’t wait a moment longer. He returned to his room, opened the window and jumped out, heading straight for Lance’s window.

 

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 (advanced chapters available on kofi)