Chapter 24
Sitting cross-legged with a straight posture, a man appeared to stare forward with eyes full of confidence.
He was Huan Zheng, a man whose name was known in the Upper Territories not for kindness, but for his cunning in wielding control.
It had long been certain that he regarded deception as his trusted weapon, treating it as a hereditary legacy that must be preserved.
At the edge of his sight, a woman was found, half-limp and lying, her presence revealed after a sharp spike had pierced.
The Enlightened Outcast, named Ling Xu, that was her name, now trapped in an illusionary snare woven by Huan Zheng.
At first, she had believed, seeing the sweetness in the agreement spoken by the man as a form of goodwill.
She had thought that good intentions would be reciprocated with similar actions, but now she realized it had all been nothing but lies.
The brilliance of Huan Zheng's deception seemed to ensnare, but it was nothing more than a deliberately set web to trap her.
Between them, a tension-filled dynamic had emerged.
Huan Zheng, the manipulator, remained calm as if no sin clung to his shoulders.
Meanwhile, Ling Xu, the victim, could only stare blankly, regretting the innocence that had brought her to the brink of suffering.
Huan Zheng sat with an air of triumph, a faint smile spreading across his lips.
In his eyes shone unwavering confidence, as if the entire world lay submissive beneath his palm.
He felt a burning thrill in his chest, a sensation that only emerged when a meticulously planned scheme was executed.
For Huan Zheng, this was not mere success, but a destiny meant specifically for him.
"As planned," he murmured inwardly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table as though engraving the rhythm of his victory.
He doubted not at all that Ling Xu had completely fallen into his game.
To him, the woman was merely a pawn on the chessboard he controlled with ease.
This was no ordinary happiness.
This was absolute victory, the pinnacle achievement proving that Huan Zheng was indeed destined to win.
Not merely deceiving, but he had completely shattered Ling Xu's trust, transforming her from a hopeful woman into someone crushed and broken in despair.
For Huan Zheng, this was more than a game. This was self-validation.
All this time, he had lived under the shadow of a curse passed down through his family line.
Legend had it that his cunning and cruel ancestors always ended in suffering, betrayed by fate just as they betrayed others.
But Huan Zheng was different.
He was confident he could surpass that curse, and his victory over Ling Xu was proof.
Happy?
That word was far too simple to describe the surge inside Huan Zheng's chest at this moment.
It felt as if the entire universe trembled in witness to his triumph.
He could hardly contain himself from leaping with joy, or even dancing like a child who had just received a coveted toy.
But he restrained himself. He had to remain calm, at least until his final plan was fully executed.
In his mind, the list of desires he had kept began to be checked off, one by one.
Each stage completed gave him indescribable satisfaction, like a chess player watching the pieces of his opponent fall.
And Ling Xu?
Oh, she was merely the last pawn he needed to sacrifice before achieving perfect victory.
Yet, something continued to gnaw at his thoughts.
The bitter memory of the single defeat he had once suffered, when he had been humiliated by those residing in the Lofty Place.
They had looked at him as humans look at ants, as if all his cleverness and cunning meant nothing at all.
It was a wound that had never truly healed, and now, having honed his skills to perfection, he was ready to repay that debt a thousandfold.
Huan Zheng began to devise his grandest strategy.
This was no longer merely trapping an individual, no longer a small game to drain wealth or crush a heart.
This time, he aimed for something far greater.
He would dismantle their system of belief, shake the foundations of faith that underpinned their existence, no matter how many layers of the Lofty Place protected them.
Every step was calculated meticulously, every possibility mapped precisely.
He imagined their expressions when they realized that the being they had underestimated could overturn their world.
Panic would spread, chaos would be inevitable, and finally, acknowledgment that Huan Zheng was a real threat.
This was the peak of all his ambition, the moment when he was no longer just a player, but the one who determined the game.
Huan Zheng had just opened his mouth, a mocking tune for Ling Xu tickling the tip of his tongue.
He intended to celebrate his victory with words sharp enough to shatter the remnants of the woman's dignity.
Yet before a single word was uttered, something strange occurred.
His chest suddenly tightened.
The grin he had been about to release froze instantly, transforming into a stabbing sensation that spread from his ribs throughout his body.
His knees trembled, and then, without warning, both legs gave out.
With a loud thud, he collapsed, his knees striking the floor with force.
"Ah—!" A cry of unbearable pain escaped his lips.
This was no pretense, no part of the initial plan.
A genuine, piercing pain made cold sweat flood his temples immediately.
Ling Xu felt her heart race.
Her body still shook, but the legs that had gone weak were gradually regaining strength.
Without hesitation, she planted her feet on the floor, pushing her previously limp body upward.
Across from her, Huan Zheng lay powerless.
The figure that had always been so formidable, who had constantly belittled with sharp words and sly manipulation, now lay weak.
Ling Xu saw her chance, a moment that might never come again.
Her first step wavered, but her resolve burned.
One by one, she approached Huan Zheng, who still groaned in pain. His breathing was heavy, but this time not from fear.
It was long-suppressed anger, a vengeance finally finding its explosive outlet.
"You think I'll stay silent?" Ling Xu whispered, her voice trembling yet filled with determination.
Her hands clenched, nails digging into her palms.
"What's happening? Why is it like this?"
"Shut up, you vile human!!"
"Arghhhhhhh!!
"Please stop, whatever it is…."
"… Before I remove the Mustraya charm?"
"Ho- how could you understand? Impossible, it couldn't have been you secretly planting it?!!
"Answer!!"
"A drop, just a drop."
"Arghhhhhh!!!"
Ling Xu summoned all her remaining strength.
Her previously unsteady legs now propelled her with unexpected speed, covering a distance that had earlier seemed impossible.
Each step left dust in the air, as if the earth itself was aiding her to reach the master manipulator.
Huan Zheng remained seated, using his knees for support, a posture unusual for someone who always appeared so powerful.
His usually confident face now contorted in pain.
He only realized Ling Xu's approach when her shadow had already covered the light before him.
To be continued…