Translator: CinderTL
Suddenly sensing an eerie presence, Jiang Cheng slowly turned his head. A shadow had appeared on the opposite wall.
He was alone in the room, so it should have been his own shadow. But strangely, while he was sitting, the shadow stood rigidly upright.
The shadow shimmered with an unsettling distortion, its darkness deeper than the surrounding gloom. Staring at it too long made him feel like he was being swallowed whole.
It was Wu, the entity he had brought through the Gate.
Exhausted by the Crimson Squad and Night Watcher affair, Jiang Cheng found his fear of Wu strangely diminished. He glared coldly at the shadow, instinctively sensing it had something to say.
After a moment, bizarre symbols materialized on the wall. Twisting like tadpoles and glowing with an eerie crimson light, they eventually formed a crude line of text: "Women are all untrustworthy."
The implication was clear. Jiang Cheng knew Wu was referring to Lin Wan'er. He had always prided himself on his rationality, but Lin Wan'er had been the exception.
He didn't want to doubt her, couldn't bear to.
To do so would be to deny all their cherished memories, forcing him to confront a brutal truth: all of Lin Wan'er's kindness toward him had been a lie. There was no genuine connection between them; she had simply been after something he possessed.
That was all.
The words on the wall shattered, the bizarre symbols writhing and twisting before reforming into another line: You are just like me.
Jiang Cheng had experienced Wu's Gate firsthand, so he knew the Black-Clothed Wu's history well. Wu's creator, the sister he trusted most, had ultimately been the one to wound him the deepest.
She had poured all her despair into the Black-Clothed Wu, reserving all light and beauty for the White-Clothed Wu, who represented her benevolent side.
In essence, Wu's duality was nothing more than the culmination of Lin Chen's choices.
"No, I'm not like you," Jiang Cheng said, his gaze fixed on Wu. He felt only curiosity toward Lin Wan'er, not even a trace of suspicion.
As if sensing the truth in Jiang Cheng's eyes, Wu's figure trembled slightly. The bloody script vanished from the wall, replaced by a scene that slowly materialized, like an old-fashioned slideshow unveiling its scene.
Jiang Cheng found himself in an antique-furnished chamber, the same one from the instance. A woman stood beside his unconscious form, her hand hovering over his forehead. A pale blue aura emanated from her palm as her figure gradually faded, as if dissolving into his memories.
The long-sealed door creaked open. White candles flickered to life one by one, and a servant swiftly wiped the dust from the ornate high-backed chair.
This was an auditorium of ancient design, its austere decor radiating solemnity and authority.
But it had been a long time since its doors had last opened.
Located beneath Night Watcher Headquarters, this hall served to commemorate secret victories, announce pivotal decisions, issue stern warnings, and even carry out executions.
The tolling of a bell echoed through the hall as figures cloaked in black entered in orderly procession.
Twelve groups, each comprised of ten members, took their places in the twelve designated sections below the dais.
One section, slightly to the right of center, remained empty. There should have been thirteen sections, corresponding to the thirteen founding families of the Night Watchers.
The Xia Family had not received an invitation.
This victory was not theirs to claim.
Beside the raised black platform stood a long table, behind which sat seven cloaked figures in a row.
This elevated position symbolized absolute authority within the hall—the Tribunal.
A black wooden gavel tapped lightly on the table. The man at its head, cloaked in black with a golden badge pinned to his chest, slowly lifted his heavy eyelids. His raspy voice, like the tolling of a death knell, cut through the air.
"Silence!"
The murmurs below the dais ceased. Pale faces, shrouded by hoods, tilted upward, their naked gazes fixed on the platform.
Today marked a rare victory for the entire Night Watcher organization.
They had successfully captured Crimson No. 4 alive.
While they had previously managed to hunt down Crimson members, these successes had come at a terrible cost, yielding only mangled corpses.
But today was a day for the history books. They had captured Crimson No. 4 alive and would put him on trial for his crimes in this hall, a symbol of absolute justice.
Two candles flickered to life on the once-dark high platform, revealing a figure bound to a pillar. The figure hung his head, drenched in blood.
A collective gasp erupted from the audience as the figure materialized.
"Wei Jinting," a deep, resonant voice boomed from the judge's bench, vibrating in the ears of all present. "Former member of the Abyss Plan, dispatched by the Wei Family."
"Formerly affiliated with the Night Watcher Crimson Squad, designated No. 4, Class S, S-level clearance, security classification: Top Secret."
"Identity confirmed."
"Wei Jinting, your sins are grievous, your evil deeds countless. Yet divine mercy still lingers. If you confess your crimes now, repent sincerely, reveal the intelligence we require to eradicate Crimson, and assist us in cleansing Crimson, we will extend your life as far as possible."
The voice beneath the cloak was gentle and coaxing. "After your death, we will bury your ashes in your family's ancestral tomb. All your shameful past will be concealed, and we will rewrite your history. Every descendant who visits will be proud of you!"
"They will read the story on your tombstone, their eyes brimming with tears before your grave. They will..."
"Spare me the platitudes," a discordant voice interrupted from the platform, soft but clear enough for everyone to hear.
"I have no desire to be buried in that revolting place, nor do I need anyone to visit me. Least of all do I want anyone shedding tears over my stories."
Wei Jinting, his head bowed, shook his head, his chin caked with dried blood. "I despise tears, especially at my grave. I have no kinship with those people—their tears would only defile my path to reincarnation."
"Insolent wretch! Even on the verge of death, you refuse to repent!" someone hissed from the crowd, their voice trembling with suppressed fury. "You're the one who brought shame upon our family!"
Hearing the voice, Wei Jinting stirred slightly, as if trying to lift his head, but ultimately remained still. "Is that my dear uncle?"
"Long time no see. Has the Gate within you still not erupted? I thought you were dead."
The leader seated in the Wei Family's position had veins bulging on the back of his hand, betraying his suppressed fury. "Your father wouldn't even grant you a final audience. He was ashamed of you—no, the entire family is ashamed of you!"
"Spare me the sanctimonious drivel," Wei Jinting said calmly. "While I despised the man you speak of, he was stronger than you. He was merely ruthless, while you are both ruthless and foolish. Among dwarfs, the tallest stands out—there's a reason he inherited the Wei Family, and you didn't."
A faint ripple of suppressed laughter rippled through the audience. The Night Watcher families were far from united, and many took pleasure in witnessing the Wei Family's humiliation.
(End of the Chapter)
---
📖Read (NS) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c1002.🎉 [+4]
🔑Early Access at $1.
✍Translated (6) Series, (4.1K+) Chapters, (5.8M+) Words.