Chapter 73: The Unearthing Truth

“It’s quite incredible, isn’t it? Envy actually managed to obtain Arrogance’s Blood Fruit.”

“We always believed the Sins wouldn’t cooperate closely, but now, it seems we’ll have to reconsider that assumption.”

“Thankfully, the most formidable Arrogance has already fallen. Otherwise…”

Old Nie continued to ramble on from the other end of the line, but Lu Chen could no longer process his words. A profound sense of dizziness overwhelmed him.

Arrogance had only been passed down for two generations, and most people knew nothing of his magic.

However, a year prior, after Xia Shi defeated Arrogance, Lu Chen had heard her speak of this enemy once. She had revealed two crucial things to him.

Firstly, unlike ordinary individuals, Arrogance possessed two unique magical abilities.

One was the authority granted by the Sin of Arrogance itself, allowing him to lord over the other Sins. The other was a lingering trace from his human life, which enabled him to analyze and mimic any magic.

This, naturally, included Envy’s “Painted Skin, Hidden Bones” ability.

Secondly, she and Morning Star had successfully cast Arrogance into a volcano, seizing the treasure he had been secretly crafting. However, they had not ventured deep enough into the volcano to personally confirm his demise.

Lu Chen listened intently to the phone call. A terrifying realization dawned upon him.

From the very beginning, whether it was he, Xia Shi’s supposed closest confidant and boyfriend, or the New Light Group, which had long battled the anomalies, or even the strongest Morning Star in history—they had all overlooked a critical blind spot, committing a fatal error.

Enemies capable of replacing and impersonating others were not limited solely to Envy.

This single clue, like a merciless gravedigger, unearthed every buried doubt Lu Chen had tried to suppress.

The raven that had informed Morning Star, the excuse she had offered that day…

The scenes witnessed in the Corridor of Memories, Xia Shi’s unusual tears during their date… the small hut filled with surveillance screens… and Silvermoon’s creator…

A biting wind howled through the shattered window frame. Its twisting chill seeped into his very bones.

Clues surged forward like rabid hounds. They tore open a bloody, undeniable truth.

Lu Chen felt the strength drain from his limbs in an instant. He collapsed to the ground like a puppet with severed strings, his shoulders, indeed his entire body, began to tremble uncontrollably.

He braced himself against the floor, dry heaving, desperate to expel the nausea churning in his gut. Yet, only a few meaningless tears escaped him.

Arrogance, Envy, deception, denial, betrayal. Xia Shi. Xia Shi.

Xia Shi, whose wrist was slashed by the raven in the small hut. Xia Shi, who confronted Morning Star.

Xia Shi, who turned black-haired and crushed the giant serpent in the vault. Xia Shi, who spied on him from the office.

Lies. Lies, lies, lies.

Lies.

Xia Shi, watching fireworks. Xia Shi, frightened by horror films. Xia Shi, running on the beach.

Xia Shi, eating cake. Xia Shi, smiling radiantly. Xia Shi, weeping. Xia Shi, covered in blood.

Xia Shi, bidding him farewell. Xia Shi’s palm. Xia Shi’s eyes. Xia Shi’s warmth. Xia Shi’s bracelet, Xia Shi’s phone, the comic convention…

Death.

Xia Shi, Xia Shi, Xia Shi, Xia Shi, Xia Shi Xia Shi Xia Shi Xia Shi Xia Shi Xia Shi Xia Shi—

“Clang.”

The phone slipped from his grasp, striking the hard floor of the hallway with a jarring clang. Its screen spiderwebbed into countless cracks.

The call was instantly disconnected, returning to the home screen. The screensaver appeared, a cherished photo of him and the girl.

This treasured image, too, fragmented with the shattered screen. It dissolved into formless, indistinct blobs of color, torn apart from each other.

“Ah… ahh.”

The young man let out a disoriented whisper. His mind abruptly went blank.

He stared blankly at the screen, then, with trembling knees scraping against the floor, he crawled towards it. He had to pick up the phone, piece the screen back together, and restore the photo to its original state.

However, a cascade of soft black hair fell forward. Another hand, fair and slender, reached out and lifted the phone first.

Arrogance, in her transformed guise, held the phone. She moved towards the young man, her pale blue skirt swaying gracefully in the silent evening breeze.

Lu Chen snapped back to reality, a sharp, surging fury rushing to his brain.

‘Get away! Get away! Die! Go to hell! Get out of Xia Shi! You’re not allowed to approach me with her face!’

Countless furious words churned in his throat. Ignoring the vast disparity in their strength, Lu Chen gritted his teeth, stood up, and clenched his fists tightly.

“What’s wrong all of a sudden? Are you feeling unwell?”

The clouds obscuring the moon suddenly parted, allowing its bright glow and the soothing rhythm of the tide to stream through the window. The girl leaned down, her voice as light and gentle as Lu Chen remembered, her exquisite, flawless face filled with concern.

Lu Chen stared blankly at the face identical to Xia Shi’s. The torrent of rage within him, which even the cold wind couldn’t disperse, abruptly extinguished.

He opened his mouth, but no threats or curses emerged. Only a weak, broken reply escaped his lips.

“No… I’m just a little tired.”

“I told you not to stay up late… sigh. I’ll take you home; you should get to bed and rest quickly.”

The girl took Lu Chen’s hand, the soft, flowing hem of her dress swaying gently. A warm sensation spread through the young man’s palm, flowing into his body as smoothly and effortlessly as mercury.

The arm the girl held felt strangely light, as if his body had been severed at some point, clinging precariously to his shoulder.

Lu Chen himself felt weightless, allowing the girl to lead him through the corridor, down the stairs, and out of the building.

The corridor was bright with moonlight, the stairwell dim and silent. Outside the building, the vast space felt somber, accompanied by the soothing sound of the waves.

The girl walked on in silence, while the young man stared blankly at her back. Her form, bathed in the soft moonlight, was reflected in his dark pupils.

The girl led him to the street.

She removed her hairpin, then guided a wisp of flame to gently sweep away the surrounding gravel and dust. A clear space emerged on the old street.

Then, the girl turned to face the young man, opening her arms.

“Hold me tight; we’re flying back now.”

The girl stood amidst the hazy night, her slender, crimson hair drifting softly with the sea breeze.

Lu Chen gazed blankly at her bright eyes, his lips twitching into a faint smile.

He took one step after another, approaching the girl until he embraced her warm, soft body.

“Yes. Hurry… let’s go back quickly.”

After escorting Lu Chen to his door, the girl departed. She had offered to stay and look after him, but the young man had mumbled a refusal.

He gripped the cold doorknob, twisting it several times before it grudgingly yielded. The iron door groaned open slowly, and the damp, stuffy scent of the room wafted out.

He hunched his back, stepping into the dim room, and fumbled for the light switch.

The bright fluorescent light flickered on, illuminating the fruit wine and glass on the table.

Two days prior, the girl had only consumed half a bottle of fruit wine. The young man had intended to share the rest with her after a successful proposal, so he hadn’t put the bottle away.

Lu Chen’s legs felt as heavy as lead. He leaned against the doorframe, stumbled to the table, and then slumped onto a chair.

Feeling intensely cold, he snatched up the wine bottle and gulped down the liquid. He yearned to fall asleep immediately or to awaken from this nightmare.

Yet, this half-bottle of wine felt like air, devoid of taste or weight. It poured down the young man’s throat without any effect.

Suddenly, a surge of strength returned to him. He abruptly stood, rushed into the kitchen, pulled out all the bottles of alcohol he had bought that day, and smashed their necks against the table edge.

Amidst the grating sound of shattering glass, the slightly spicy liquor splattered across the floor. Lu Chen arched his back, pressing his lips to the jagged, broken edge of a bottle. The sharp fragments tore his skin, and the metallic tang of blood mixed with the cold liquor as he gulped it down. The kitchen echoed with a chorus of desperate gulps and low growls.

After consuming six bottles in quick succession, Lu Chen finally felt a faint warmth begin to spread through him.

He casually smashed open the remaining bottle, then clutched the broken glass tightly to his chest. He stumbled unsteadily back into the living room.

His vision blurred, his mind a chaotic mess, and his body unresponsive. Yet, Lu Chen still couldn’t find sleep.

He wandered aimlessly through his home, his heavy eyes darting around. After an unknown duration of drifting, he suddenly noticed the photo album resting on the bookshelf.

The young man froze for a moment, then tossed aside the wine bottle and lunged towards it. With trembling arms, he retrieved the album.

He intended to return to his bedroom or the living room, but a sudden wave of dizziness overwhelmed him, causing him to stagger and fall to the floor. He lay on his side, beginning to flip through the album.

The light was stark and bright.

Pages turned, and one Xia Shi after another appeared before Lu Chen’s eyes, only to turn and fade away.

He stared at the photographs, both ravenous and vacant, sometimes bursting into laughter, other times weeping inconsolably. Half the album was quickly consumed, so Lu Chen began flipping through it from the start once more.

Once, twice, thrice, four times…

He continued to turn the pages for a long, long time. Slowly, his consciousness began to sink into an abyss.