I sat gloomily in the corner, drinking, my mood foul. The others kept their distance. After reading through all the files, I felt a deep ache in my heart—so many things were supposed to be my responsibility, yet Nathan Li had taken such good care of Lily Wu.
Melancholy clung to my heart like a thick paste. I took deep, burning gulps of strong liquor.
"May I sit beside you?"
It was Susan Zhou. She held a glass of wine, her cheeks flushed, and sat down next to me, gazing at the sky.
"I was born down here. I was almost sold to a brothel once, but the people from Crimson Night saved me. Since then, I've lived underground."
I gave a noncommittal response. Susan Zhou's eyes were beautiful—clear and pure. After all this time in this world, it was the first time I'd seen someone like her.
"You and I are somewhat alike. Your eyes, though fierce, are very clean."
I stared at Susan Zhou. She smiled and raised her glass, toasting with me.
"Did you come here to find an old lover?"
After a moment of silence, I nodded.
"Women are like kites. The tighter you pull the string, the less you'll gain. Relax a little. After all, you're the leader of those ridiculously strong people."
I forced a bitter smile and poured myself another drink.
"Remember this: most of the time, when a man thinks a woman has changed, it's actually his own perspective that's shifted. Tomorrow, I hope you'll come with me."
I looked at Susan Zhou. Her eyes were fixed on me.
"It might be hard to say, but I hope you can help us. We've decided to start with Rachel Lan. She might be our only breakthrough. We have to uncover the Emperor God's secret, and she's the woman you used to love..."
"Not 'used to.' She always has been, no matter what happened."
I spoke gloomily, then stood up and took a long drink.
"You don't seem as weak as I imagined. That's better. As a leader, you shouldn't let a woman..."
"It's precisely because of a woman that I came here. I'm grateful to fate for giving me another chance."
With a sharp crack, I crushed the glass in my hand, glaring at Susan Zhou. She just laughed.
"You might jeopardize everything. I advise you to set your personal feelings aside."
I shook my head.
"Miss Zhou, thank you for your concern. Tell me, what exactly do you want my help with?"
"In the past few days, during the cleansing operation, there have already been heavy casualties, mostly innocent people. Rachel Lan has been dining at an upscale restaurant every day, as if she's waiting for someone."
My heart skipped a beat as I looked at Susan Zhou.
"So, Fang, I hope you'll come with me to that restaurant tomorrow. If she really is your woman, I'll help create an opportunity for you to speak with her in secret."
I nodded in agreement.
The next day, Susan Zhou and I went aboveground. She wore a white dress and looked beautiful. I disguised myself as a fierce bald man, which made Susan Zhou laugh. Black Moon came with us too. As before, we acted in pairs for every operation.
We arrived at a large three-story restaurant, packed inside and out. Many people looked on in fear. Rachel Lan had been staying at a table near the window on the second floor for days.
As soon as I went upstairs, I spotted Rachel Lan sitting alone by the window, her chin resting on her hand, wearing headphones and quietly watching the scene below. Several tables around her were empty. Susan Zhou and I found a table and sat down. I never took my eyes off Rachel Lan.
No matter the appearance or the aura, she was definitely Rachel Lan. I had confirmed this the very day I saw her.
Yet I couldn't shake the feeling that the Rachel Lan before me was not the same as before. Though she was the same person, her personality—and so many other things—had changed.
At that moment, Susan Zhou made a phone call. Soon, I saw several diners leave hurriedly, glancing nervously at Rachel Lan.
"That's enough. You should go over now."
I responded and walked over step by step. Rachel Lan noticed me, her eyes pausing on mine. She removed her headphones, and I was surprised—the music was loud, a song by Gu Dong.
"Miss, is this seat taken? May I sit here?"
Suddenly, Rachel Lan smiled gently. For a moment, I doubted my own eyes.
"Suit yourself, Ethan Zhang. This disguise can't fool me. You finally came."
A black murderous aura seeped from my skin. The burly, bald man I had become faded away, revealing my true appearance as I sat down.
Susan Zhou stood up, looking around in terror.
"Relax, little kitten of Crimson Night. There's only me here, and to deal with you all, I alone am enough. I don't need any help."
Rachel Lan rested her chin on her hand, smiling softly at me. Her gaze was gentle.
"Rachel, I..."
A warm hand grasped mine on the table.
"I told you before, didn't I? That I wanted you to live."
I nodded.
"And yet, heh, being hated by your former lover—what does that feel like, Ethan Zhang?"
A tremendous force surged through me. I broke free from Rachel Lan's hand, looked at her, and spoke each word deliberately.
"You're not Rachel Lan. Give her back to me."
Suddenly, Rachel Lan burst out laughing, shaking her head as she wagged a finger at me.
"I really am Rachel Lan, you know that deep down, Ethan Zhang. Let me get rid of the nuisances first, and then we can catch up properly."
With a thunderous roar, wild crimson flames shot out to both sides. Instantly, everything around us was set ablaze. The beauty in my hand blocked the Phoenix Blade in Rachel Lan's grasp.
For a moment, the smile vanished from Rachel Lan's face. Her cheeks stiffened and anger flashed in her eyes.
"What is it, Ethan Zhang? Sacrificing yourself to protect the woman behind you—is she your new lover?"
I smiled and let out a sound. With a crash, I wrapped my arms around the terrified Susan Zhou and smashed through the window. Huge, pitch-black wings unfurled from my back.
"Find a chance to escape later. I'll figure something out."
As I spoke, I let go. Susan Zhou floated in the air, surrounded by a violet glow. Rachel Lan had already caught up, appearing before Susan Zhou in an instant.
"Black Moon, cover us!"
I shouted. With two swift sounds, two intersecting violet flames instantly tore Susan Zhou apart and burned her to ash. But Rachel Lan immediately sensed something was off. Smiling, I revealed a flash of silvery light—what she struck was a silver moon.
"Ethan Zhang."
Rachel Lan spoke coldly. With a whoosh, I floated above her head, swinging the beauty in my hand down—clang! I leaned in close.
Rachel Lan was utterly furious now. The anger in her eyes threatened to tear me apart.
It reminded me of that time on the plane with Jing Le—she was smoking and mouthing off, and Rachel Lan immediately put her in her place.
"Still the same as before, Rachel."
With a roar, violet flames scorched my entire body, the furious fire pushing me backward. I was severely burned, but soon, murderous aura spilled out—streaks of black. I used the black flames I'd forged from my own aura to break through the violet fire. With a swift motion, I planted the beauty at my side and drew a Desert Eagle in my right hand.
"So, you're jealous, huh? Is the part of Rachel Lan inside you reacting?"
As I spoke, Rachel Lan glared at me and straightened up.
"I told you, I am Rachel Lan."
"Yeah, you're Rachel Lan—but you're not my Rachel Lan."
I roared and, with a whoosh, flew before Rachel Lan. The violet flames around her began to shift. Suddenly, golden light burst forth. I raised my hand and fired several shots, but the bullets vanished as soon as they crossed the space.
The buildings below were already ablaze in several places. The flames radiating from Rachel Lan were so powerful, so hopeless, that just standing near her burned my body relentlessly.
"Let's call it a day, shall we?"
As I spoke, I sheathed the beauty, and Rachel Lan dispersed her flames, sneering at me.
"Fine, I'll give you one chance, Ethan Zhang. If you want me back, you'd better fight for me—hard. Heh."
I made a sound, and suddenly, I understood everything. Completely understood.
"Zhu Tang, when we get back, there are a lot of things I want to ask you. We've come this far, and you still keep secrets, knowing everything but saying nothing, isn't that right?"
Rachel Lan drifted slowly toward me, and I gave him a smile.
"It's good to see you. No matter what happens, you're my woman. That will never change."
After landing in the street, I instantly transformed into a cloud of black mist, vanishing from Rachel Lan's sight.
"Thank you."
In the moving car, Susan Zhou looked terrified. After witnessing Rachel Lan's true strength, a ripple stirred deep within her heart.
"Rachel has always been stronger than me, both inside and out. I used to think she was fragile, but in truth, she was always stronger. The truly fragile one was me! Zhu Tang, get out here!"
I roared, and a black flame flared up on my shoulder.
"Oh, Ethan, whatever it is, let's talk when we get back. Family shame shouldn't be aired in public, right? I'll tell you everything."