173: He was the only one.
Amidst the intermittent, agonizing pain, Chu Changqi understood the meaning of "every second feeling like a year."
Twenty years earlier, perhaps the ending wouldn't have been like this, but he was old. His body was riddled with ailments accumulated over the years, and the closer he drew to death, the more he feared it—not to mention being relentlessly pursued by Chu Yilan recently, which had cost him countless men and resources.
Gradually, unable to avoid it any longer, Chu Changqi finally unearthed his truest thoughts.
He knew he would lose.
When Chu Yilan didn't turn into a complete madman and still had the strength to crush him while handling everything else, Chu Changqi knew his revenge against the Ming Family was not thorough.
Over these years in Country C, he had done everything possible to grow stronger just so he could return.
Because he was unwilling to let go, he wanted to see what kind of tree the seed he had planted in Chu Yilan's heart all those years ago had grown into.
If his soul and spirit were extinguished, he could still reclaim Hengtai, just as he had replaced Old Master Ming back then.
But his dear son had changed.
He remembered the first time he saw a photo of Chu Yilan from Liu Li—it was a photo with Shen Lian. He had been incredibly incredulous then. Chu Changqi had gone to such great lengths to sever Chu Yilan's dependence on any living thing, yet now he could actually see care and affection for someone in his eyes.
Chu Changqi wouldn't let Shen Lian off, but for all his calculations, he hadn't accounted for Shen Lian's true nature.
Despite having such a perfect opportunity to escape, he dared to stay behind and play a high-stakes game.
This room was Chu Changqi's favorite, so all the equipment was top-notch—the soundproofing, for instance. By the end, Chu Changqi's voice was hoarse from screaming, yet the Bodyguards outside noticed nothing. They were even thinking that the drunken lackey should be about done, wondering how miserable he would look when they carried him out later.
The lackey wasn't miserable; he was just huddled in a corner, watching Shen Lian's extraordinary talent.
While Chu Changqi was experiencing it, Shen Lian was able to figure out the uses and ways to play with the new "torture devices" in a short amount of time.
Shen Lian's chance to escape would be the next time they docked.
The figure Chu Changqi and the others had seen on the small boat earlier was Liu Li; Shen Lian had knocked him out and changed into his clothes. With the storm raging at sea, it wasn't suitable for taking risks, so he could only wish for Liu Li's safety.
"Shen Lian, Shen Lian..." Chu Changqi had been subjected to five "torture devices" in a row, and there wasn't a single spot on his body that didn't hurt. Yet, Shen Lian had no intention of stopping, dragging him toward the next one. At the sight of that device, Chu Changqi's face turned pale instantly. When a person is tortured to the point of mental breakdown, they no longer care about dignity.
Chu Changqi babbled incoherently: "Shen Lian, I'll give you... I'll give you money, lots and lots of money. I'll give you whatever you want, just let me go!"
Chu Changqi was ruthless, but he had no backbone.
Shen Lian's gaze was calm. "When Chu Yilan begged for mercy back then, were you merciful?"
"Just for Chu Yilan?!" Chu Changqi was somewhat manic, his head swinging back and forth as much as he could move it. "You did all this just to get revenge for Chu Yilan?"
Shen Lian: "Why else?"
Chu Changqi remained motionless for a few seconds, staring intently at Shen Lian with a storm in his eyes. His heart cried out: Why?
Even Chu Yilan hadn't realized that Chu Changqi's molding of him wasn't just out of revenge; Chu Changqi also wanted to turn him into a second version of himself. Even if he didn't succeed, Chu Yilan's ability to accept a normal life would be greatly diminished. He wouldn't be able to fit in and would be an isolated "freak." "Freaks" aren't loved—otherwise, why would Ming Mei hate him until her death when he was only trying to create a better future?
Yet Shen Lian was willing to go to such lengths for Chu Yilan.
This overturned Chu Changqi's understanding. Even as "the same kind," people like them should loathe each other!
Thinking of this, before Shen Lian flipped the switch, Chu Changqi sneered: "If Ming Mei had your level of resolve, why would we have ended up as enemies?"
Shen Lian grabbed Chu Changqi's chin, his voice cold: "Are you even worthy, you old geezer? Yilan's roots follow the open and upright Ming Family. What about you?"
In the depths of Shen Lian's pupils, Chu Changqi saw his own extremely distorted reflection.
At this moment, his human skin was peeled off, and it hissed as it was scorched by the sunlight.
He was the only true "vile ghost."
He was the only one.
The "torture device" started, and a tearing pain shot through his abdomen, as if his tendons were being ripped apart. Chu Changqi threw his head back, remaining uncharacteristically silent this time. The veins on his face bulged terrifyingly as he endured it. No wonder, Chu Changqi thought, Ming Mei would never accept him after seeing his true colors.
He had tried and failed time and again, using himself as a template, not hesitating to destroy his son and create so many "defective products," all just to prove that he wasn't the one in the wrong. He wanted to prove that it was these people who were vulgar and the existing social rules that were unfair. But in the end, what he couldn't let go of was the disappointment and disdain in Ming Mei's eyes when she looked at him.
Thump—
The luxury yacht shuddered violently, as if it had hit something.
Shen Lian strode to the window. Outside, dark shadows filled the sky, but a sliver of light from a lighthouse was visible.
They had docked.
Shen Lian opened the innermost window.
Capturing someone in this kind of weather would be no easy feat.
People were stationed all around the dock, making it impossible to go ashore from one side. Shen Lian looked into the distance, toward deeper waters. The tactic of hiding on the luxury yacht couldn't be used a second time. Previously, it worked because Chu Changqi only had four or five men available, and the most troublesome one, Liu Li, had been dealt with, leaving plenty of room to maneuver. But if the people below swarmed up, it would only be a matter of time before he was discovered.
"Well..." Chu Changqi managed to catch his breath, clearly realizing they had docked. According to the plan, the people outside were all his. "Can you escape this time?"
Shen Lian gazed at Chu Changqi for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"Generally speaking, I doing this would be very risky, but I suddenly thought of the deterrent power you have over your subordinates and decided it's worth a shot."
Chu Changqi: "..."
Even the lackey couldn't bear to listen anymore. Had the boss been tortured into stupidity? He was the best hostage, the greatest bargaining chip!
A faint commotion rose outside as a group of people boarded the yacht. The light was so dim that they were just a mass of moving silhouettes.
Liu Li's gun was tucked into Shen Lian's waist. He pressed his hand against it lightly and then walked toward Chu Changqi.
Chu Changqi was skilled at training "dogs." Not everyone was like Chu Yilan; those who revered him as a "god" or "father" wouldn't want to see him harmed too much. For Shen Lian, there were still many opportunities.
Shen Lian grabbed Chu Changqi's hair and pulled him close, using him as a shield. At the same time, the door let out a "beep" and was pushed open forcefully from the outside.
Sun Binghe stood in front of Chu Yilan. In truth, this action was quite redundant, because if Shen Lian was inside, he wouldn't be able to stop him anyway. At the same time, Sun Binghe felt an unprecedented sense of unease. With a pervert like Chu Changqi, what would happen to Shen Lian if he fell into his hands?
The sudden influx of light left everyone with nowhere to hide.
Half of Shen Lian's face was hidden behind Chu Changqi, his eyes sharp as blades.
Then... the chilling cold in Shen Lian's eyes gradually vanished, replaced by a touch of bewilderment. Clearly, he hadn't expected this scene either. He blurted out: "Eh? Assistant Sun?"