Chapter 30
Zhang Yang seemed to be struck at her vital point, her face instantly drained of color. Her eyes filled with clear pain as she opened her mouth but couldn’t muster the strength to defend herself.
The name Ke Yu represented a lifetime of regret and guilt for her, a tragedy and a nightmare.
Ke Yao paced in front of Zhang Yang, slowly crouching down with a burning hatred in his eyes. “Why did you kill him? I could tolerate your foolishness, your selfishness, your hypocrisy. I was willing to overlook all of that because you helped us establish connections. But why did you have to kill him!”
Zhang Yang, tearfully, said, “I… I wanted to save him, to set him free.”
“Set him free? Nothing comes without a price. We are paying it, he is paying it. Mr. Wen was an important part of our plan. By killing him, you almost ruined everything, taking away the freedom that was within his reach!”
Zhang Yang’s confused mind suddenly caught hold of crucial information. “Wait, are you saying that Ke Yu… he intentionally wanted to go…” She recalled Ke Yao’s earlier words about customized memories gradually recovering over time.
Ke Yao revealed a cruel and bloodthirsty smile. “That’s right, Ke Yu has regained his memories. He remembers you.”
Zhang Yang was thunderstruck.
“Not only does he remember you, but he also likes you.” Ke Yao’s eyes turned blood-red. “He said you are a good person, the only one who genuinely cared for him. He said that once he had freedom and an identity, he would find you and fulfill the promise between you two.”
“No… it’s impossible…” Zhang Yang shook her head frantically, retreating backward, her buttocks scraping against the ground. The person in front of her appeared like a ferocious beast rushing towards her, something she couldn’t escape.
“I really can’t understand why a useless woman like you, who has no redeeming qualities, would be worth his affection. You, who engage in human trafficking, fraud, bribery, murder, and forcing others into prostitution. What makes you deserving of being called a ‘good person’?” Ke Yao seized Zhang Yang’s chin, his voice filled with malice. “You claimed to love him, but when you brought me home and realized I didn’t meet your expectations, you blamed everyone but yourself. You killed him, causing him to die on the path to freedom, and now you want to use me to make money and start your new life.” Ke Yao took a deep breath. “After all the evil you’ve done, you still want a fresh start. On what grounds? What about my younger brother? What did he do wrong? He’s so innocent, never harmed anyone, yet he never had a chance to truly live!”
Zhang Yang screamed, covering her ears, collapsing to the ground and crying out, “Stop… don’t say it… don’t say it…”
She felt like she had gone insane. She felt like she was already dead, or else she wouldn’t have heard these words that pierced her heart like a thousand arrows.
Ke Yu remembered her! Ke Yu liked her!
What had she done?! She killed Ke Yu, the person she loved. She killed the only person in the world who liked her, the person she wanted to spend her life with. When they were about to find happiness together, she killed Ke Yu! She personally fed him poison, watching him convulse, struggle, and writhe in front of her. She witnessed his once handsome face contort in agony, his pain and helplessness pleading with her through his eyes, asking why, why did she kill him. Weren’t they in love with each other? Weren’t they supposed to be together forever? Didn’t she promise to take him home? Why did she kill him?
“Ah… ah… ah…” Zhang Yang broke down, screaming in despair, clutching her head.
Ke Yao wiped away the tears from his eyes, stood up, and glared at the woman curled up on the ground. He exchanged a glance with Ke Shun and said with hatred, “Tie her up.”
Ke Shun signaled two customized individuals who came over and bound Zhang Yang to the side, just like they did with Yuan Fei.
Zhang Yang’s body was limp as if all the bones had been removed. She didn’t offer any resistance, her face covered in bruises, crying and muttering to herself, appearing completely deranged.
Yuan Fei glared at Zhang Yang with disdain.
Ke Yao looked at Yuan Fei and coldly said, “Where is Sheng Shi? If you don’t speak up, we’ll be forced to use violence.”
Although Yuan Fei was securely bound, she was a woman who had seen the world and remained calm as she said, “I know what you want to do. Feng Bo… the customized individuals like him, they are your leaders, right? He indeed succeeded in replacing his original self, but he was trained by the real Feng Bo…”
“Where is Sheng Shi?” Ke Shun repeated in a more forceful tone. “Stop the nonsense.”
Yuan Fei smiled faintly. “What I’m about to say is definitely not nonsense. Please let me finish.”
Ke Yao nodded slightly.
“You want to replace Sheng Shi, that’s true. If all of you could be like Feng Bo’s customized individuals, seamlessly replacing your originals without leaving any traces, those originals have social status and plenty of money. It would be enough for you to change your own destiny. However, firstly, you haven’t received the training, so your performances won’t be convincing. At least in the short term, there will be flaws. Secondly, if the originals are destroyed, then your efforts would be in vain.”
Ke Yao narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”
“The police will soon investigate Sheng Shi. There are communication records between the director and me on his phone, and the hotel’s surveillance cameras captured you. Although you disguised yourselves, anyone familiar with you would recognize you at a glance. They will soon come looking for Sheng Shi. And what do you think they will do once they find him?”
“Continue.”
“They will make him take a urine test,” Yuan Fei said with a cold smile. “You know better than anyone what’s in that suite.”
Ke Yao’s face turned grim. “Are you suggesting…”
“That’s right, Sheng Shi won’t pass the urine test,” Yuan Fei said expressionlessly. “You want to help Sheng Shi clear his name. He should have an alibi for tonight. Most likely, he’s with one of his flings. But once he takes the urine test, it’s over for him. His path to stardom will be ruined. Do you want to be a highly anticipated superstar or a disgraced drug offender?”
“Indeed, Sheng Shi won’t pass the urine test,” Yuan Fei said expressionlessly. “You want to help Sheng Shi clear his name by providing an alibi, suggesting that he was with one of his flings tonight. But once he takes the urine test, it’s over for him. His path to stardom will be ruined. Do you want to be a highly anticipated superstar or a disgraced drug offender?”
Zhang Yang slowly turned her head, looking at Yuan Fei with an expression as if she were about to die, drained of her last drop of blood.
Yuan Fei felt her gaze and glanced at her, revealing a mocking smile, finally finding relief. “Surprised, aren’t you? You thought your brother was some untainted deity? Let me tell you, he indulged in gambling, drugs, and prostitution. Even when he was an obscure model, he relied on sleeping around to climb the ladder. His dick gets harder than anyone’s at the sight of a beautiful woman. With his handsome face, you all imagined him as a saint, while he spent the wealth he didn’t earn, blaming poverty on others. Who is to blame?”
Zhang Yang trembled as she spoke with a trembling voice, “Nonsense… you’re talking nonsense…”
Yuan Fei sneered and looked at Ke Yao with sharp eyes. “Regarding the two issues I mentioned earlier, you need to cooperate with me.”
Ke Yao raised an eyebrow.
“I know Sheng Shi better than anyone in this world. I can help you seamlessly impersonate him, and you can take the urine test on his behalf to clear his name, helping me maintain this cash cow. I’ve had enough of him anyway. He’s becoming increasingly uncontrollable, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets into trouble. All I want is the ‘Sheng Shi’ brand. He wasn’t even originally named Sheng Shi. I don’t care who becomes ‘Sheng Shi.’ Nobody cares,” Yuan Fei said, glancing at Zhang Yang with a cruel expression. “No one.”
Zhang Yang’s eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t believe the vicious woman’s words. She believed what she had seen, she believed in her heart, she believed in the person she loved. Sheng Shi couldn’t possibly be that kind of person. This woman must be slandering him to save herself, even willing to give up on Sheng Shi and replace him with a counterfeit!
Ke Yao calmly said, “You’re a smart person.”
Yuan Fei smiled, “We can make money together. Why not?”
Ke Yao turned to Ke Shun and said, “Take a few people and find Sheng Shi. Control him. I’ll take her to Sheng Shi’s place to prepare.”
Ke Shun nodded and looked coldly at Zhang Yang. “Brother, what about her?”
Ke Yao didn’t even want to spare a glance at Zhang Yang. “She’s still useful. Beija’s place has many of our brothers and sisters. We’ll rely on her to lure Beija out.”
A chill ran down Zhang Yang’s spine. The man in front of her terrified her. She wished she could tear the skin off his face, the face she deeply loved, so he wouldn’t have to carry out the despicable acts she despised!
Ke Shun beckoned to Wen Yu, a customized individual of Yue Chen-Guang, and said, “I’ll leave two people here. You watch her, and we’ll give you further instructions.”
Wen Yu nodded, hesitatingly said, “Qian…?”
“We’ll discuss it later.”
Ke Yao and Ke Shun left with their respective groups, leaving only Zhang Yang, Wen Yu, and an unknown man and woman in the room. Zhang Yang didn’t recognize the man and woman, unsure whose customized individuals they were.
Wen Yu glanced at Zhang Yang and sat down, playing with his phone. There was silence in the room for a long time, with no one speaking.
Zhang Yang sat there in a daze for a while before regaining some consciousness from her state of madness and collapse.
She thought that these people would end Sheng Shi’s life.
She had done so many wrong things, her life was completely over. Ke Yao and Ke Shun hated her to the bone and would surely kill her. It didn’t matter; she didn’t want to live anymore. She only hoped that after she died, she could still see Ke Yu and have a chance to redeem herself.
However, if she could use the last bit of her energy in this despicable life to do something right, then the only thing left was to save Sheng Shi.
She didn’t believe Yuan Fei’s words. That woman was cunning and deceitful; she was definitely smearing Sheng Shi to save herself. She couldn’t let them harm Sheng Shi, couldn’t let Ke Yao replace him. Her brother was innocent, he hadn’t done anything wrong, he shouldn’t bear these ugly consequences. She had to find a way to save her brother; it would be her only remaining purpose.
Zhang Yang forced herself to calm down, her gaze falling on Wen Yu. She cleared her throat. “Wen Yu, do you remember me?”
Wen Yu glanced at her but didn’t respond.
“We met at Qian’s house. Do you remember me?” Zhang Yang said. “I’m really thirsty. Can I have some water?”
Wen Yu hesitated, glancing at the other man and woman, who seemed to be even more indecisive than him. They exchanged glances.
Wen Yu got up and poured a glass of water, handing it to her.
Zhang Yang was indeed thirsty and quickly drank the entire glass of water.
Wen Yu was about to leave when Zhang Yang stopped him. “Wen Yu, you know Yue Chen-Guang, right?”
Wen Yu furrowed his brow and looked at Zhang Yang. “Of course. Do you know him?”
“He’s a big star. Who doesn’t know him?” Zhang Yang said. “Do you want to become him too?”
Wen Yu nodded. “That’s the plan because I am a 100% customized individual.”
“But how do you plan to become him? Ke Yao and Ke Shun have Sheng Shi’s manager helping them. What about you?” Zhang Yang asked.
The woman in the room spoke up. “Wen Yu, don’t talk to her anymore. These people are smarter than us. Don’t be fooled.”
“Okay,” Wen Yu turned around and left.
“What about Qian?” Zhang Yang called out.
Upon hearing that name, Wen Yu froze.
“What… What did you do to Qian?”
