Published: March 2, 2025
ps: Thanks to Deep Haze for the generous reward. There will be more updates, but not necessarily today... It's not that I'm lazy, but the plot is quite intricate, and sometimes it takes a long time just to figure out a single line. Please allow me to simmer this rich soup slowly.
...
In the dimly lit corridor, Qin Min, dressed in all black, took the lead, with Wen Yu closely following behind.
The atmosphere around them was quiet; perhaps Qin Min had prepared in advance, as Wen Yu encountered not a single person along the way.
The air between the two seemed as silent as the surroundings, with neither of them breaking the ice first.
Qin Min's task was simply to take Wen Yu to a specific location.
And Wen Yu understood that Qin Min was leading him to meet someone.
Eventually, Qin Min brought Wen Yu to an extremely remote small cave.
...
"This is it, I'll wait outside," Qin Min said, adding, "This place is absolutely safe, and its defenses are solid enough to block any type of perception."
Wen Yu nodded, stepped past Qin Min, and walked directly into the room.
The furnishings inside were extremely simple; apart from a sofa and a coffee table, there was only a television mounted directly across from the sofa.
The secretive vibe of the meeting instantly gave Wen Yu an indescribable thrill—like sneaking away from his wife to secretly rendezvous with a lover...
Emulating scenes he had seen in movies, Wen Yu walked up to the sofa and plopped down, then picked up the remote from the coffee table and turned on the TV.
...
"Crackle crackle..."
No sooner had he done so than the screen came to life, revealing Tang Haofei, dressed in military attire, sitting upright on the other end of the screen.
The communication was real-time, meaning that as Wen Yu saw Tang Haofei, Tang Haofei could also see Wen Yu.
Tang Haofei's face broke into a smile, a gentle expression that felt like a warm spring breeze, making Wen Yu reminisce about the times they fought side by side in the Heavenly Palace.
"Wen Yu, long time no see! I've missed you!"
...
"Ahem..."
Wen Yu cleared his throat a couple of times and instantly realized that the person before him was indeed the real Tang Haofei.
Waving his hand vigorously, Wen Yu interrupted Tang Haofei's playful banter.
"Are you... alright?"
Wen Yu originally wanted to ask about Tang Haofei's recent situation, but he knew that it was probably nothing much—his second personality was meddling with the ultimate combat team, trying to seize power, while the first personality...
Just look at this covert meeting, and it was obvious that Old Tang had also noticed the changes within himself; two personalities in one body were vying for dominance.
What a drama of self-interest!
Upon hearing Wen Yu's words, Tang Haofei's expression turned serious: "No, I'm not well..."
...
"You should know about my second personality; yes, you call it the cost of power."
"In this period, this cost of power has been quite busy..."
Tang Haofei gritted his teeth, clearly not fond of his "brother."
Wen Yu nodded. Even in his eyes, Tang Haofei's second personality was not likable.
"So, you called me here just so I could deal with your second personality? To be honest, I can't do anything; even a sovereign can't handle the cost of power!"
Tang Haofei nodded: "I know all that."
"Then why did you call me?"
"You still owe me two favors; do you remember?"
"Right!"
Wen Yu nodded in agreement, then changed the subject: "You don’t expect me to get rid of yourself, do you? Using your own death to send your second personality away? Just so you know, that goes beyond the scope of a favor; you’re asking for my life!"
Confronting Tang Haofei's second personality openly, armed and ready... just thinking about it was thrilling!
But Wen Yu truly didn't need that kind of thrill. Not to mention the massive upheaval that would follow Tang Haofei's death, can he even win? That’s a big question.
Wen Yu had never encountered Tang Haofei's second personality; in his eyes, it was merely a stranger. Using two favors to have Wen Yu face off with a stranger wielding Tang Haofei's power was far too devaluing of his own life!