INSIDER Chapter 105

Not long after, the resentment that had accumulated around the wound on Chen Hong’s chest began to dissipate, prolonging his life for a brief moment. Realizing that his time was running out, Chen Hong stared directly at Zhang Qian. He opened his mouth to speak, his eyes moist with genuine love and deep regret. He reached out, attempting to touch Zhang Qian’s cheek, but she avoided his touch.

In his final moments, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything. His eyes closed, and his outstretched arm fell limp to his side as he passed away.

After Chen Hong’s death, his body disintegrated into a cloud of resentment, uncontrollably floating towards Zhang Qian and merging with her own lingering resentment.

Zhang Qian’s attack had used the full power of her vengeful spirit. She had initially intended to kill Tang Shizhe, who was closest to her, to replenish the resentment sealed by Lu Chu. She had no intention of sparing his soul, only wanting to absorb the power she needed from it. Now, the fatal blow had struck Chen Hong, producing the same result. Thus, at the moment of Chen Hong’s death, his soul dissipated, becoming resentment that Zhang Qian could use.

He couldn’t reincarnate, nor could he become a wandering ghost in the mortal world.

Chen Hong no longer existed.

With that, the ghost marriage Zhang Qian had desired was no longer possible. They ultimately could not be together forever.

Lu Chu remembered his task — to sever the marriage ties. Zhang Qian intended to become ghost spouses with Chen Hong, so his task was to sever this ghostly marriage. It turned out that the female corpse that had entangled with Lu Chu was not the main objective of this scenario, but merely a coincidence. After all the twists and turns, he completed his mission in this unexpected way.

Watching the resentment of the man she had loved for two lifetimes float around her, Zhang Qian sat there, her eyes empty. The resentment on her body gradually faded as well.

All her cruelty and hatred had stemmed from Chen Hong. Now that even his soul had dissipated, she had no more ties to the mortal world. However, she had killed too many, her sins too grave to be pardoned. Even if she returned to the underworld, she couldn’t reincarnate but would be subjected to the torturous eighteen levels of hell.

With no hope ahead and no way back, it would be better to end herself and let her soul scatter.

Seeing this, the others realized they had narrowly escaped death and breathed a sigh of relief. They then turned to glare fiercely at the disappearing Zhang Qian, though still not daring to approach her — still fearful of the ghost, the hundred-year-old vengeful spirit responsible for countless deaths.

As Zhang Qian was about to vanish, Tang Shizhe couldn’t help but speak, “Zhang Qian, I know you harbor resentment, but you must realize that most of the people you killed had no enmity with you.”

Zhang Qian sneered, “You weren’t them, how do you know they didn’t do something to offend me?”

Tang Shizhe was momentarily speechless.

Indeed, one can never be sure of another’s actions.

“But Tang Shizhe didn’t hold any grudge against you, did he?” Du Yangnan interjected.

This time, Zhang Qian didn’t refute. She had intended to kill Tang Shizhe.

The resentment on Zhang Qian’s body weakened, and her figure became increasingly transparent. Before she completely disappeared, she turned to look at a spot behind Lu Chu, her expression full of envy.

Lu Chu followed her gaze and saw that it was where 7 stood.

She could see 7.

Perhaps there truly was sincere and faithful love in this world, but it wasn’t hers. Zhang Qian thought.

Everyone has their fate.

.

The moment Zhang Qian’s figure completely disappeared, everything around froze as if a pause button had been pressed. Tang Shizhe and the others remained still, their expressions and actions frozen.

Simultaneously, a door appeared behind Lu Chu.

The task was completed. Lu Chu looked at Tang Shizhe, who had just been speaking to him, full of life. Now, he stood motionless, like the entire world was about to be destroyed or dissolve into countless points of light. Would anyone visit this scenario again?

Probably not.

Each “scenario” was a parallel world, endlessly replicating. Once a person fulfilled their role without significant deviations, they lost their purpose.

Yet, they would never know their world was merely a setup.

.

After each scenario ended, Lu Chu had a few minutes to stay in it.

Previously, because 7’s spirit was too weak to stay visible for long, hiding in the red mark on Lu Chu’s chest to recover, they hadn’t had much time to talk. After 7’s spirit power fully recovered, various events prevented them from having a long conversation until the end of this scenario. Now, during these few minutes, Lu Chu wanted to confirm something 24 had mentioned about leaving the rules.

“What’s wrong?” Sensing that Lu Chu had something to ask, 7 inquired.

Lu Chu replied, “After the last scenario, Song Gui gathered a few of us who had participated in the Monopoly scenario and told us how to escape the scenarios.”

7’s eyes darkened, waiting for Lu Chu’s next words.

Lu Chu explained, “Song Gui said that if the time on our wristbands exceeds twenty-four hours, then during the transition between illusions, we have a chance to break free from here.”

7, who had long ceased to be a player in these scenarios, recalled the distant memories of “illusions” and said, “A long time ago, when I was still a player, my wristband’s time had already exceeded twenty-four hours.”

Lu Chu nodded, “That’s what I thought, but he also said that breaking free requires more than just time. There’s something else. He wasn’t sure what it was and suggested we find out together.”

7 pondered, “Where did this information come from?”

“He said it was obtained from a certain scenario. He didn’t explain the specifics, fearing that saying too much would get the information blocked by the rules.” Lu Chu said, “He suggested we look out for anything unusual during the tasks, which might give us a clue.”

Unusual?

Hearing these words, 7 first thought of Lu Chu.

However, the next moment, Lu Chu dropped a more shocking piece of information: “Song Gui knows, he knows I’m a scenario character.”

Hearing this, 7 frowned, his pupils shrinking, surrounded by a terrifying killing intent.

Kill him, 7 thought.

Kill that person who poses a threat to Lu Chu.

Sensing 7’s killing intent, Lu Chu knew he was worried about him. Feeling a warmth in his heart, he stepped forward and gently hugged 7, then quickly let go, “Don’t worry, I didn’t sense any malice in his words or actions.”

7’s killing intent remained.

Lu Chu continued, “I believe he sincerely wants to cooperate with us since our goals are the same.”

Both wanted to escape the game.

7 nodded in understanding, “If anything goes wrong, I’ll kill him myself.”

They talked for a while longer before stopping due to the limited time. Lu Chu bid farewell and turned to walk towards the door. Just as he was about to step through, he paused, as if remembering something.

7, about to ask, saw Lu Chu turn back and look at him with clear eyes, like a fawn, “Something’s missing.”

7 asked, “What?”

Lu Chu smiled, “This—”

He then walked up to 7, stood on tiptoe, and placed a brief kiss on his lips.

After a moment of stunned silence, 7’s eyes deepened, and he pulled Lu Chu into a tight embrace, then held the back of his head and kissed him deeply.

It was a long kiss, tongues intertwined, lips and teeth mingled, filled with uncontrollable love and cherishing, making them both weak and intoxicated.

After the kiss, 7’s eyes were as deep and soft as ever when looking at Lu Chu. He said firmly, “If there’s really a way to break free, I’ll find it with you.”

7 watched Lu Chu leave, silently enduring the sudden, excruciating pain of his flesh tearing.

——————

Their first meeting.

In the tower of the City of Lost Feelings.

Lu Chu had left the world he once knew.

A mechanical voice devoid of emotion echoed in the void, “7, you have violated the rules.”

The handsome man, clutching his chest, leaned against the wall as his skin tore and healed, blood staining his clothes. He replied calmly, “Yes, I know.”

“He is a scenario character.”

The man, undeterred, remained indifferent, “Yes.”

“He was supposed to die in this scenario, but you saved him, allowing him to leave as a player and escape being a scenario character.” The mechanical voice paused, its tone changing, “However, this tower is designed to eliminate enforcers. Only one person can leave alive.”

“The rules won’t show mercy just because you’re an enforcer.”

Meaning — you will die here.

The mechanical voice continued, “I have protected your life, but from now on, each time he survives a scenario as a player, you will endure the pain of death in his place.”

Bone and flesh tearing apart, a pain that cuts to the bone.

“Thank you.”

“Outside the scenario.”