My whole body was trembling as I followed Mr. Blackmask to a more open area. He stood with his back to me, and I had no idea why he'd called me over. I watched him warily, unsure of his intentions.
"Yesterday, when you told us that someone had achieved immortality—was that a lie?"
I let out a surprised sound and looked at Mr. Blackmask. The moment he turned around, I clenched my fists.
"I mean no harm. I only want to ask about the Immortality Society. If you know about them, it's normal for you to be wary of me, Ethan Zhang. I have no ill intentions—just want to talk."
My clenched fists slowly relaxed. I sighed and sat down.
"Immortality is nothing but an unrealistic fantasy," Mr. Blackmask said wistfully. I saw a trace of sorrow in his eyes.
"Everyone in the Immortality Society is a bastard."
I finally couldn't hold back and cursed.
"That's true. The people in the Immortality Society are all bastards. They can't even be called human."
Mr. Blackmask sighed, covered his mask, and squatted down. Then I saw him forcefully tug at it, removing the black mask. Under the moonlight, a chill ran down my spine. I was terrified as I looked at Mr. Blackmask.
At this point, I had completely let down my guard around Mr. Blackmask, so I told him about Chen Miaoqiang, Chen Hongyan, the Thirteen-Day Calamity, and that psychiatric hospital.
I must have talked for nearly two hours, sharing all the major events with Mr. Blackmask.
“Is that so? So many methods have already been developed, huh.” He let out a low, mirthless chuckle.
Mr. Blackmask only smiled faintly, but suddenly, I saw a single, glistening tear slip from his right eye.
“In this endless, unchanging Forest of Desire, immortality—for me—is nothing but torment, you know? Do you know what I miss most right now?”
Tears kept streaming down his face. I stared at him in shock. He was clearly a monster of the Immortality Society, yet he shed tears only a human could shed.
“It’s not those damn missions from the Immortality Society. It’s my family. Even now, I still remember my daughter, my wife. Year after year, day after day, the longer I’m here, the more their faces haunt me, the heavier they press on my heart. I want to get out. I want to visit them—even if it’s just their graves, I want to see my wife and daughter…”
Mr. Blackmask clutched his head and crouched on the ground, sobbing. I limped over, reached out my hand, and looked at him.
"Maybe... I have a way out."
Suddenly, Mr. Blackmask looked up at me, hope flickering in his eyes. At that moment, I made up my mind. Of the five people here, aside from Lao Ren, whom I trust, I’m wary of the other five. First, because they’re incredibly strong; second, because I have no idea why they’re here at all.