The whole world around them went quiet, as if even the wind had stopped.

Jiang Qing felt dragged back to his five-year-old self on the day his father died. Once again, he tasted that absolute helplessness, despair, and crushing agony that threatened to swallow him whole.

His mother, Jiang Yu, was a nurse at a top-tier hospital. Her workload was relentless. She often returned home long after he fell asleep and slept late into his morning, waking only to rush back to her shifts. His father, on the other hand, ran a modest dental clinic with far more flexible hours. Because of that, young Jiang Qing spent most of his childhood by his father’s side.

Shortly after learning to speak, Jiang Qing could read anatomical charts, name internal organs, and describe symptoms of various illnesses. Occasionally, he would stare at patients visiting the clinic and point out health issues before they even mentioned them. Surprised patients who later went for medical scans found his predictions spot-on.

“Your boy is a prodigy! Is he going to be a doctor when he grows up?” the neighbors often remarked.

“You’re amazing, son! Do you want to be a doctor?” His father loved hoisting him high into the air with pride.

“I want to be a dentist,” the little boy replied.

“Haha! Being a dentist is great too, though with your brains, it might be a waste of talent. How about saving lives instead? You’re smart enough for it.”

His father was a genuine, kind-hearted man. Dental care was expensive and lucrative, yet he charged only modest labor fees and offered materials practically at cost price. Word of his generosity spread far and wide, drawing patients from distant towns. Business boomed, but the family earned little profit.

Yet his father smiled every single day. “Toothaches might not kill people, but a bad tooth can ruin what little joy they have in life. Times are tough. If I can lend a hand to make their lives a bit better, isn’t that a great good deed?”

“What’s a good deed?”

“It means doing good things brings good fortune. Kindness always comes back to you. How else do you think I won your mother’s heart and got a wonderful son like you? It’s all good fortune, haha!”

“You’re embarrassing, Dad,” the little boy wrinkled his nose.

Even so, he kept his father’s words in mind. The respect and warmth shown by their neighbors seemed to confirm his father’s belief: good people receive good rewards.

One afternoon, he rode his tricycle alongside his father to the market. On their way back, an incident occurred near the neighborhood archway.

A suited man was arguing heatedly with a young woman. Waves of anger rolled off the man as he gestured wildly.

A small crowd watched from a distance. His father paused and frowned. “They’re fighting. Should I step in and calm things down?”

“Mom told you to stay out of other people’s family business,” the boy replied with precocious wisdom. Jiang Yu had warned him after a previous incident where his father tried stopping a couple’s fight, only to get knocked down, bloodying his head. Fearing medical expenses, the couple turned on him together, scolding him for meddling, which had infuriated Jiang Yu.

His father rubbed his neck. “I don’t care about the adults, but their child is crying so hard. I thought about bringing the kid to our house to take shelter. Let’s watch a bit longer. If the man raises his hand, we’ll call the police immediately. How about that?”

“Okay,” he nodded.

Before they could react, the man in the suit gestured toward his father.

Confused, his father pointed at himself to confirm, then walked over to ask what was wrong.

Without a word of warning, the man slammed a fist directly into his father’s face, knocking him flat to the ground.

Riding behind on his tricycle, young Jiang Qing froze.

Next, he watched the man raise a polished leather shoe and stomp heavily onto his father’s face. Stomp after stomp rained down with savage force. Blood splattered across the man’s shoes and face as bright red fluid mixed with white brain tissue pooled onto the pavement.

“You see that? My patience has hit its limit! If you don’t come back with me right now, the next one dying will be you! I’m an atavist. Who dares say a word if I kill an ordinary person? I gave you enough respect, so you better know what’s good for you!” the man roared at the woman.

Pale with terror, the woman offered no further argument. Without glancing at the corpse on the ground, she scrambled into his car, and they sped away.

That atavist had murdered a stranger in cold blood on a public street simply to prove his lawlessness to his woman—to demonstrate the absolute privilege atavists held. Who that unfortunate bystander was did not matter to him in the slightest.

Sitting on his small tricycle, the child watched his father get stomped to death. Numb, he pedaled closer inch by inch until reality crashed into his mind, and he burst into hysterical sobs.

“Daddy, Daddy! Help Daddy, please save Daddy!”

“Uncle Zhang, help Daddy! Auntie Yang…”

He cried aloud in sheer helplessness. The horrific sight of his father’s murder burned into his mind, an eternal scar of agony.

Yet what cut even deeper than the murder itself—what haunted his midnight dreams and fueled a burning hatred in his chest—was the behavior of the bystanders.

Dozens of people had witnessed the murder, including familiar neighbors. These were people who used to hold their swollen cheeks, coming to his father’s clinic with tearful gratitude, praising him for his fair prices when other hospitals ripped them off.

Yet not a single person answered his desperate pleas. They averted their gazes and backed away, terrified. The killer had left behind a final threat before leaving: “I killed this man. Let’s see if any of you dares to meddle.”

Because of those words, no one called the police, nor did anyone call an ambulance. Everyone feared bringing ruin upon themselves.

His father’s corpse lay by the curb under the blazing sun, stripped of life and dignity. The boy cried until his tears ran dry and his voice turned raspy, eventually sitting beside the body like a hollow doll.

For five long hours under the scorching heat, he sat on that dirty road until Jiang Yu finally received the news and rushed over to take his father away.

Is this your good reward, Dad?

Jiang Qing felt as if he were back on that day. Though the sun had scorched the earth, he felt stripped bare in a blizzard, frozen by bone-chilling pain.

He saw Wu Ying’s pupils contract. Her body swayed as though struck by a crushing blow to the soul.

“…Dad?” She shuffled forward, dropping to her knees to touch his cold cheek. “Dad, what’s wrong? Wake up, please wake up.”

She received no response. Master Wu did not open his eyes, jump up to startle her, or burst into triumphant laughter. He simply lay motionless on the ground.

With trembling fingers and tear-filled eyes, Wu Ying looked up at Jiang Qing. “Jiang Qing, what happened to Dad?”

Wu Ying had always carried herself with the proud stance of a peacock. Jiang Qing had never seen her looking so fragile and helpless. Her tears pierced him like sharp arrows, shaking his body with an overwhelming terror he had never felt before.

He dreaded her tears—dreaded them so deeply that his stomach churned violently.

“It was the organization. One of them belongs to the Skin-painter Clan, and he ambushed Uncle Wu. I’m sorry… I couldn’t help him in time.”

What am I saying?

“Why were they here? What were you doing here?”

“I don’t know either. I think I was mind-controlled by an atavist with possession powers, likely to draw Uncle Wu out. Uncle Wu came to rescue me. Look at those corpses—he killed them all. It’s all my fault…”

What on earth am I saying?

Jiang Qing felt split in two. His mouth no longer answered his cold, calculating mind. Instead, a panicked fool took over, offering clumsy excuses.

A paralyzing terror gripped him—the fear of Wu Ying discovering the truth and shedding even more tears. Wu Ying was no ordinary girl; she had witnessed heavy battles since childhood. Her father’s death would bring immense grief, but it would not shatter her entirely. What if she realized the man she loved was responsible for her father’s death?

He knew Wu Ying liked him — something he had planned carefully.

Now, the truth would destroy her. The mere thought of her breaking down nauseated him like blades twisting in his stomach. Driven by panic, he resorted to flimsy, easily exposed lies—not to protect himself or flee back to the organization, even though Wu Ying was now a lethal threat to his life, but solely to spare her further anguish.

Regret gnawed at him. He began thinking the original scheme involving Master Wu and Jiang Yu had been a mistake. Without that past plot, today’s tragedy would never have unfolded.

Overwhelmed by grief, Wu Ying failed to spot the flaws in his story and believed him. Slumping over Master Wu’s chest, she wept. “Dad, I’m sorry… I arrived too late, I’m so sorry…”

What do I do now? What can I do? Right—comfort Wu Ying first so she isn’t crushed by sorrow. Then I’ll find the information broker and make a deal. I’ll give her whatever she wants, slave away for her, anything, as long as she brings Master Wu back to life!

Just then, a sharp scream shattered the night.

Jiang Yu arrived alongside a Wu family atavist. The moment her eyes landed on Master Wu’s corpse, she shrieked and threw herself forward. “Husband! Husband! Oh God, husband!”

The accompanying Wu family atavist widened his eyes in horror. “Master?! Young Master, Jiang Qing! What happened here?!”

Jiang Yu hurriedly checked Master Wu’s pulse and dilated pupils. Tears streamed down her face as she turned a furious, disbelieving gaze onto Jiang Qing. “You killed him! You actually killed him! Do you have a shred of conscience left? Are you even human?!”

Wu Ying stiffened. “What?”

“It wasn’t me!” Jiang Qing’s complexion turned ashen as he protested, turning to Wu Ying. “It really wasn’t me! Listen to me—I’m an ordinary person. How could I kill Uncle Wu? I have no reason to!”

“You’re still making excuses! Still lying!” Jiang Yu refused to believe a word. Even if he hadn’t struck the blow personally, his subordinates had done it on his command. Once Master Wu discovered his identity and tried to bring him to justice, he naturally struck back to avoid capture.

“You didn’t hesitate to manipulate your own mother—is there anything you won’t do? I was foolish enough to beg him to spare your life! Did he hold back out of mercy, only for you to plot against him?!” On the verge of collapse, Jiang Yu burned with regret. She shouldn’t have confided in Master Wu alone. If she hadn’t, he wouldn’t have come here unaccompanied and fallen into this trap.

Jiang Qing jerked his head toward Jiang Yu, his lips twisting into a bitter smile. “Right… what other explanation could there be?”

“How could I give birth to a monster like you? What terrible sin did I commit in my past life?! Why didn’t you just kill me too?!” Jiang Yu sobbed hysterically.

Ignoring his mother, Jiang Qing turned back to Wu Ying, adopting the pitiful look he often showed her. “Sister, please listen to me. I never wanted this to happen. I didn’t want any of this. I can fix it—just give me a little time.”

Gradually piecing things together, Wu Ying stood up. Jiang Qing immediately dropped to his knees, clutching her hands and looking up at her like an abandoned dog terrified of being cast aside.

Tears welled in Wu Ying’s eyes as her body trembled with raw emotion. Unable to speak, she yanked her hands from his grip.

Jiang Qing scrambled forward on his knees, reaching for her hands again. “Let me explain! Whatever wrong things I did in the past happened before I met you! There were reasons for all of it. A person who turns away from wrongdoing can change! I turned my back on evil long ago to follow the right path. Today, Uncle Wu and I were both framed by someone else. Please believe me! Have pity on me… if you hear my story, you’ll understand.”

“You’re still trying to deceive Ying’ying!” Jiang Yu cried out in anger. “You approached her from the very start with hidden motives! You claim you reformed, so how did Uncle Wu die?! And that incident with Bubble 109—was that your doing too?! There were a hundred thousand people in there—how could you be so heartless?! How much blood is on your hands?!”

Being interrupted repeatedly during such a critical moment—and by his own birth mother—pushed Jiang Qing over the edge. He snapped and roared, “Why wouldn’t I?! Besides, I merely stood by and watched—I even saved them once! I fulfilled my duty to them! Jiang Yu, my dear mother, you found a new husband and a new family. Your past pain was healed and replaced by new happiness long ago, yet you never noticed that I was left behind in the dark!”

Jiang Yu froze in shock.

“When I cried and begged for help, no one answered. Everyone just turned away from me like I didn’t matter. When I went to the Tribunal Division to report my father’s murder, they kicked me five meters across the floor. When I was wandering the streets with nowhere to go, only the organization reached out to me. From that day on, whether this world lives or dies has nothing to do with me. What, this world treats me like trash and I’m supposed to praise it? That’s ridiculous. Whatever this world gave me, I’ll pay back in full!”

His roaring voice dripped with bitter blood, piercing every heart present.

Jiang Yu’s face turned deathly pale. Unable to bear the overwhelming shock of the night’s events, she let out a faint wail and collapsed unconscious.

After silencing his mother, Jiang Qing turned his gaze back to Wu Ying. The fiery anger in his expression vanished instantly, replaced once more by the pathetic, pleading look of a stray dog. “But I’ve changed now, truly! Sister, if you give me one more chance, I’ll become a good person. I love you. I’ll change for you—just give me one more chance, please?”

Wu Ying stared at him, squeezed her eyes shut, and allowed tears to roll down her cheeks. Trembling, she asked, “Did your people kill my father?”

Jiang Qing felt a sharp, twisting pain in his stomach. “…Yes.”

“Then do you honestly think we still have a chance?” With love and hatred warring in her eyes, her clenched fists trembled against his grip.

“Uncle Wu might still come back to life! There’s still hope, really!”

“How?”

“Wait for me—just wait for me!” Jiang Qing scrambled across the ground to retrieve his discarded phone. He quickly dialed the information broker’s number. Long Jin’s phone was switched off, but he still had another contact.

The three observers watched him in silence.

Jiang Qing dialed rapidly, his heart pounding loudly in his ears.

“The party you are calling is unavailable…” an automated female voice announced.

Stunned, he dialed again in desperation.

“The party you are calling is unavailable…”

His fingers shook violently as he tried Long Jin’s number one more time.

“The party you are calling is unavailable…”

Jiang Qing felt himself falling into an abyss.

Everything became crystal clear. She had lured him to this location, yet both numbers were turned off. Half of his despair tonight had been orchestrated by her hand. The hope that the information broker could resurrect Master Wu was nothing more than an illusion.

Wu Ying heard the recorded prompt and offered a bitter laugh. “I’d have to be insane to trust you again.”

“No… no! I didn’t lie to you!”

“You lied to me until a moment ago! You said my father died saving you, that you were mind-controlled, that you knew nothing! If Aunt Jiang hadn’t arrived, how long would you have kept lying? If I hadn’t come, would you have hidden my father’s body, leaving me unaware until he rotted away?!” Wu Ying broke down, her expression contorted in unbearable agony. “I will never forgive you, Jiang Qing.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I was wrong! Just give me a little time…”

“Young Mistress, stop listening to his nonsense!” The Wu family atavist couldn’t endure it any longer. He cared nothing for Jiang Qing’s tragic past; he knew only that Master Wu was dead because of him. In the face of such deep vengeance, love meant nothing.

Roaring, the man lunged forward and delivered a brutal kick. Jiang Qing flew through the air, slammed against a tree trunk, and collapsed, coughing up blood.

Yet Jiang Qing struggled back up, looking frantically at Wu Ying. “Sister, believe me just once…”

Another kick sent him sprawling. “Stop manipulating our Young Mistress! You bastard, letting you into the Wu family was our worst curse!”

Wu Qiang struck without mercy. As an atavist, his blows were formidable. Had Jiang Qing not undergone rigorous training and body refinement within the organization, a few strikes would have killed him.

“Enough, Wu Qiang.”

“Young Mistress!”

“I still have questions for him.” Wu Ying walked up to Jiang Qing. “Tell me—why did you try so hard to enter my family? What were you after?”

Jiang Qing lay battered on the ground, covered in dirt, dried blood, and fallen leaves. Pain racked his body inside and out. He coughed, tasting copper in his throat.

“Cough… N-No…”

“What?”

“I never intended to do anything to the Wu family.” He dragged himself up once more, reaching for Wu Ying’s hand. “Really… I never planned to harm your family. I never wanted to hurt you.”

“Still lying!” Wu Ying shoved his hand away.

“I’m not lying! It’s true! I love you—believe me, Sister…”

Wu Ying took two deep breaths and let out a sarcastic smile. “I don’t think I possess that kind of charm. If I did, if you truly changed for my sake and wanted to reform, how could you turn a blind eye to everything the organization did over the years? I don’t want your love.”

Jiang Qing froze. He remained motionless for a long moment before slumping to the ground and laughing hysterically.

“Haha… Hahaha…”

“What is he laughing at? Has he lost his mind?” Wu Qiang frowned.

“Hahaha…” Jiang Qing’s laughter grew louder and unhinged. His eyes turned bloodshot, and his frame shook uncontrollably. “Haha… How did I end up like this? Pitiful, stripped of dignity. Fine, fine! Now I won’t wake up in cold sweats dreaming of my true face being exposed. I won’t suffer stomach pains from terror, nor will I have to force a good man’s smile ever again!”

He glared at Wu Ying. “That’s right! Reform? What wrong did I commit? Why should I reform?! I never believed I did anything wrong! I merely stood by and watched—just as those people did when my father lay dead on the road! They could turn a blind eye to avoid trouble, so why couldn’t I?! I endured hell to become the Young Heir, not to play a saintly savior! Remaining a bystander without causing harm was already my greatest mercy! Even on my dying day, I will not feel a single shred of remorse!”

Even though his apathy toward the world would never alter, he could have acted like a machine—charitable and benevolent without feeling—playing the saint for her sake. If judged solely by deeds rather than heart, he could have performed far better than Long Ling ever did, if only Wu Ying had asked.

Yet Wu Ying rejected him.

“He’s beyond saving!” Wu Qiang snapped.

Wu Ying stared at Jiang Qing, her heart aching terribly, but she said nothing more. She turned to Wu Qiang. “Take him to the Tribunal Division.”

“Understood!” Wu Qiang moved immediately.

Before Wu Qiang could lay a hand on him, the situation flipped. Wu Qiang was pinned to the ground, a syringe filled with red liquid pressed tightly against his neck.

“My apologies, Miss Wu. Our Young Heir cannot be taken to the Tribunal Division,” Mister Fei said as he stepped into view.

“Did you kill my father?!” Killing intent flared in Wu Ying’s eyes.

“We are enemies. Killing and being killed is only natural,” Mister Fei smiled. “You’ve already lost one family member tonight. I doubt you wish to lose another.”

Wu Ying bit her lip until blood trickled down.

“Young Heir, it is time to return,” Mister Fei turned to Jiang Qing.

Jiang Qing remained still, staring at Wu Ying. “If I turn myself in to the Tribunal Division, will you forgive me?”

“Young Heir!” Mister Fei’s voice hardened with a threat.

Wu Ying looked at him, enunciating every word: “Never!”

“What if I die?”

Wu Ying froze, a surge of shock, anger, grief, and hatred trembling through her body. “If you die, can my father come back?! Stop talking to me—you make me sick! Get out!”

“…Alright.” Jiang Qing dragged himself up and cast a long, lingering look at Wu Ying—a glance laden with unspoken sorrow, love, hatred, and regret, before lowering his eyelids to seal it away. He turned and walked away.

Mister Fei offered a courteous nod to Wu Ying. “We shall take our leave then. We won’t be sending funeral wreaths on Master Wu’s burial day.”

“Damn it!” Released from the hold, Wu Qiang tried to charge forward, but Wu Ying held him back.

“Even my father died in their hands—do you want to throw your life away too?”

“…Dammit! Dammit!” Tears spilled from Wu Qiang’s eyes. As Wu Ying’s cousin, several years older and engaged to be married soon, he could no longer hold back his grief.

Wu Ying carried Jiang Yu, while Wu Qiang hoisted Master Wu’s corpse onto his back, both turning away to leave in the opposite direction.

Outside the wetland forest, several vehicles waited. A group of atavists straightened up as Jiang Qing and Mister Fei emerged. In unison, they bowed deeply. “Welcome back, Young Heir!”

Mister Fei held open the car door. Jiang Qing slid into the back seat without expression.

“You’re injured. Let’s tend to your wounds first,” Mister Fei offered.

“There’s no need. You brought me back in such a hurry because our main base is on the verge of being exposed, isn’t it? What are we waiting for?” Jiang Qing sneered.

A slight smile played on Mister Fei’s face. “If you can resume your duties immediately, that would be ideal.”

The car accelerated into the night. Jiang Qing stared out the window, clenching his fists so hard his knuckles turned white.

Long Jin, you stripped away the most precious thing in my life and unleashed the devil within me. Since you refused to be my friend, then let us be enemies!