Chu Ge looked at Zhang Qiren, who was curled up, feeling a mix of emotions. He couldn’t help but feel a strong dislike for the things he had done, but seeing him in this state, he couldn’t bring himself to scold him.
He knew that Zhang Qiren had feelings for the girl next door, but he never expected it to be to this extent. He had previously pretended it was just a passing fancy.
They had never even spoken to each other, yet a certain feeling had naturally arisen, leading to such strong affection… It could only be said that love had no logic.
Alternatively, Zhang Qiren was a stubborn person, once he had made up his mind, it was difficult to change it.
But this tragedy was still sigh-inducing. Zhang Qiren, who had committed his first misdeed, had destroyed his own love. The hatred Moon Shadow held towards him now, it was likely that there would be no chance to mend that rift in the future.
One could only say that bad deeds should not be done?
Suddenly, Chu Ge thought of his own book. The fate that Qiu Wuji and the others faced was truly mysterious.
After a long, long time, he finally heard Zhang Qiren’s barely audible voice, “Thank you, Chu Ge. Thankfully, you saved her.”
Chu Ge shook his head, “It’s useless now. You two are no longer possible. Even if you turn over a new leaf and become a hero to save her, it’s useless. When Moon Shadow was in despair on the stage, you never gave her a chance.”
“Stop scolding… I know it’s useless… I just want to thank you for saving her life. As for me…” Zhang Qiren leaned against the electric pole, slowly getting back on his feet, “I don’t think I can go back on this path anymore, nor do I want to. Anyway…”
He suddenly smiled, but it was a smile without any joy, more like crying. Chu Ge couldn’t help but advise, “You’ve just started, why can’t you turn back? Is it because it’s difficult to give up the luxurious life? Can’t let go of the big mansion, the entourage, and the fame?”
Zhang Qiren pondered for a moment, “I won’t deny that I enjoy all of that… I should say, my current actions serve a great purpose, which is to continue enjoying these things in the future, to enjoy even more. So I won’t pretend to be frugal. If it’s my entitlement, I’ll enjoy it. But, Chu Ge, it’s not just that.”
“What else is there?”
“There’s also a sense of pride,” Zhang Qiren said lightly, “Why not?”
Chu Ge fell silent.
Zhang Qiren suddenly added, “In a sense, the awakening of superpowers is like a pie falling from the sky. Many people are trying to profit from it, and changes are quietly taking place all over the world. You have the ability, and if you’re interested, you can live a more comfortable life than me. Why spend your days writing and getting criticized by others?”
Before he could finish speaking, Chu Ge interrupted, “I don’t want that.”
Zhang Qiren wasn’t surprised by this response. He simply said, “I think sooner or later, you won’t be able to avoid it. Looking at your peaceful and contented demeanor, your desire for adventure is actually quite strong… Do you really think anyone can go out and fight in illegal fights to save people? What’s that called? Chivalry? Loyalty? As long as you have those notions, you can’t escape it.”
Chu Ge remained silent.
Zhang Qiren continued, “Anyway, if you need to understand anything about these matters in the future, you can come and ask me. You will need it.”
After hesitating for a moment, Chu Ge nodded, “Okay.”
Zhang Qiren smiled and said, “I know you find it hard to accept what I’m doing now. If you want to sever ties with me, I have no complaints… But I still consider you my brother.”
Chu Ge was about to say something when a sense of danger suddenly arose in his heart. It felt like an extremely dangerous energy was rushing towards Zhang Qiren.
Instinctively, Chu Ge stepped forward to intercept, a faint golden light appearing on his body. With a clang, Chu Ge let out a muffled groan as he collided with Zhang Qiren.
Zhang Qiren quickly supported him, asking, “Are you okay?”
Chu Ge shook his head slightly. He only had a torn hole in his clothes and a bruise on his shoulder. It wasn’t too painful. The Golden Bell Shield was indeed effective.
Zhang Qiren checked and confirmed that he was fine. He couldn’t help but sigh, “Impressive, Chu Ge. I didn’t expect this to be your ability.”
“What do you know about my abilities?” Chu Ge said irritably, “You were targeted for assassination, and all you do is ask me questions? Are you crazy?”
Zhang Qiren shook his head, “Why should I care about that? I even know who did it. But Chu Ge, now do you understand why I can’t leave? Once I lose my power, tomorrow you can be the one to collect my corpse.”
Chu Ge calmly said, “You don’t need to explain your path to me.”
Zhang Qiren finally smiled, “No matter how you view my situation, no matter how cold your tone is… I’m glad that you instinctively stood in front of me.”
Chu Ge remained silent.
In the midst of their conversation, the sound of clothes rustling through the air could be heard. Qiu Wuji arrived with a disgruntled expression, carrying a skinny man and floating over. She threw the man in front of Zhang Qiren and said, “Handle this properly. If it causes us any trouble, I won’t acknowledge you as his friend.”
Zhang Qiren looked at Qiu Wuji in surprise and laughed, “So, it turns out the highly experienced ability user from that day is sister-in-law…”
Qiu Wuji remained silent with a dark face. She wasn’t an ability user herself but rather a creation of an ability user.
“Don’t worry,” Zhang Qiren kicked the man on the ground, “Chu Ge is living a peaceful life and shouldn’t have been involved in all this. I’ll take care of everything.”
Chu Ge hesitated and asked, “Are you… going to kill again?”
Zhang Qiren smiled brightly, “Of course not. This is a valuable chip.”
Chu Ge didn’t speak further. He felt it was difficult for him to understand the mindset of the underworld and what Zhang Qiren was considering now.
But when assassinations like this happened right in front of him, he knew he couldn’t persuade someone to give up their criminal activities.
All he could say was that their friendship had become difficult, and in the future, they probably wouldn’t be able to sit together and chat casually anymore. They were no longer part of the same world. It was difficult for Chu Ge to enjoy a lively conversation with a friend who was involved in murder and arson.
Zhang Qiren seemed more at ease. He picked up the man from the ground and slowly walked away, his voice echoing “I’m leaving, Chu Ge. Maybe we won’t meet again. I just hope… you can continue to work hard and keep writing.”
In the distance, faint shadows could be seen. It seemed like Zhang Qiren met up with his subordinated. As they moved further away, the conversation became indistinct. Chu Ge watched from a distance, feeling as if they were worlds apart.
The shadow of the person who had been crouching under the streetlight was no longer visible. He wondered if it was still hidden within his heart.
Qiu Wuji withdrew her gaze from that direction and commented, “If it were in our world, with this person’s determination and willpower, they would have great prospects. But it seems more challenging in your world.”
Chu Ge said, “It’s not just challenging; it feels like a dead end. Especially since the police are after him, and that department with Gu Ruoyan seems even more terrifying. He’s practically being watched like a hawk. If he doesn’t go in now, it feels like he’s fishing for trouble. No matter how I think about it, it seems like continuing on this path only leads to a dead end…”
“He probably knows it better than you do,” Qiu Wuji smiled. “If he truly lives up to his name as a remarkable person, I’m actually looking forward to seeing how he turns a desperate situation into a way to survive.”
Chu Ge couldn’t help but say, “He said I have a desire for excitement, but it feels like it’s you who has that desire…”
Qiu Wuji responded naturally, “You’re the one writing, and I’m not just a pure cultivator who avoids worldly affairs. I have a duel scheduled next month.”
“Now you’re acting so nonchalant about the fact that ‘I’m the one writing’?” Chu Ge wondered. “Aren’t you struggling against it?”
“I can only struggle against it once you acknowledge your influence. You made me hit a wall, and I realized that the authority and influence you have on our world is beyond comprehension. It even astonishes me more than that sense of destiny I had before. I even wondered if you could actually kill me at any moment just by writing it.”
Chu Ge almost jumped up. “Hey, what are you thinking? I may be a bit artsy, but I’m not brain-dead. In reality, you’re the one who can easily crush me whenever you want, right?”
Qiu Wuji said, “That was just an example, of course I know you wouldn’t. Chu Ge, I can’t even distinguish how much of our natural interaction now is influenced by the implanted thought of ‘If she were to find a man, it would be the Creator God himself.’ I can’t tell, can you?”
Chu Ge hesitated for a moment. “Technically, you know that I’m the one writing, so you shouldn’t really feel that way, right?”
“I know that my character is written by you, so why am I still like this? Since the setting has taken effect, we can’t even tell how much it’s affecting us.”
“…” Chu Ge scratched his head. “There’s no need to distinguish it so clearly. It’s too confusing.”
Qiu Wuji calmly said, “Yes, we live our lives as usual, right? I explore my world, and you interpret your loneliness. But if we can’t even distinguish that, how can we talk about breaking free from the constraints of fate and achieving self-realization? It would be nothing but self-deception. Chu Ge, when it comes to understanding oneself, you and I are even inferior to Zhang Qiren. So, let’s not lament for others.”
“Wait, so you’re not conflicted, but instead, you’re advising me?” Chu Ge asked.
“Why would I be conflicted? Validating my true self is not an instantaneous task. I just need to know what I am doing.” Qiu Wuji smiled faintly. “The Creator God could never have imagined that I would come out and pretend to be a fan. He might even think that this move doesn’t fit my ‘character design,’ but ironically, it’s something I genuinely wanted to do. There isn’t much forced intention behind it. This is the result of my efforts. One day, I will be myself, while the Creator God is entangled in mundane matters. Do you still remember what you truly want?”
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