HLLY Chapter 57

As the song ended, Jiang Huan straightened the collar of Shen Shanwu’s clothes at the edge of the dance floor. “I haven’t finished my business yet. I have to go back first.”

Unexpectedly, he had intentionally slipped away in the middle of it? Shen Shanwu couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sure, take care.”

Reluctantly, Jiang Huan stared at Shen Shanwu for a few seconds before adding, “No flirting around, don’t attract unnecessary attention.”

“Innocent.”

“What did I frame you for? In just a short while, you managed to charm the city lord’s sister,” Jiang Huan’s voice took on an unusually aggrieved tone. “And you even have an ex-boyfriend who can’t seem to forget you…”

Shen Shanwu made a disgusted face and pursed his lips. “Don’t bring him up to annoy me.”

This response was beyond Jiang Huan’s psychological expectations, a perfect answer that was even more satisfying than something like ‘I have nothing to do with him’ or ‘We’ve completely broken up.’ Jiang Huan was pleased and said, “He won’t be able to struggle for much longer. I promised he would pay a heavy price.”

“Oh?” Shen Shanwu smiled, “I’ll wait and see then?”

Jiang Huan tugged at the white glove on his right hand. “Tonight, the bill will be under the name of Shanhai.”

“No need, the CEO has plenty of money,” Shen Shanwu patted Jiang Huan’s shoulder. “Go on then.”

Jiang Huan nodded, turned, and walked towards the staircase, returning to the second floor of the nightclub. Shen Shanwu watched him until he opened the door and entered the room before slowly withdrawing his gaze.

He didn’t immediately return to the group of mutants. Instead, he put his hands in his pockets and walked around, finding a quiet grove at the back of the nightclub. The chilly wind brushed through his hair as Shen Shanwu glanced at the bright full moon in the sky. He stood still, turned around, and looked at the person who had been following him all along.

“Shanwu…” He Jingyang cautiously called his name, “I didn’t expect to meet you here. Originally, I wasn’t assigned as the representative for the Northern Security Team. It’s as if some unknown force guided me here. If I were to miss this opportunity, I’d regret it for the rest of my life.”

Is this person really foolish or pretending to be foolish? Is his memory muddled, or is mine? Shen Shanwu’s eyes behind the mask narrowed into a slant, and the betrayal he had suffered years ago had caused him so much pain. Did He Jingyang really expect a simple smile to erase all the grievances?

“I don’t care why you’re here,” Shen Shanwu said coldly, “I’m just here to warn you. Don’t act recklessly, and don’t even think about exposing my identity to the public. You can try it, but I’ll make sure you understand the meaning of a fate worse than death.”

He Jingyang appeared very aggrieved as he pleaded, “I haven’t done that. I know I was wrong. For years, I’ve lived in guilt and self-blame. I’ve been trying to make amends for my mistakes. Please, Shanwu, for the sake of our years of friendship, help me.”

“You deserve it.”

Seeing Shen Shanwu’s cold tone and complete lack of emotion towards him, He Jingyang gradually dispelled his pitiable expression and asked with a hint of anger, “Are you already together with that Jiang Huan?”

Shen Shanwu had a playful attitude when dealing with Jiang Huan, but he simply nodded his head in response to He Jingyang, not bothering to say anything.

He Jingyang pressed on with determination, “When did this happen?”

“What does it matter to you?”

“…” He Jingyang clenched his lips, “Why does it not matter? After all, I was… your boyfriend.”

“Ex-boyfriend. The kind that’s dead and gone, reduced to ashes.”

“We haven’t broken up! Why won’t you admit that you can’t forget me?” He Jingyang’s voice became more desperate.

“…Idiotic,” Shen Shanwu didn’t want to waste any more words on him. He had already gone on a self-reflective monologue to the point of achieving a state of self-absorption. Speaking further would be pointless. Shen Shanwu turned to leave, but he heard He Jingyang loudly questioning from behind, “Then why haven’t you killed me? Why do you keep sparing me time and time again? For you, taking my life would be so easy, wouldn’t it?”

As if ‘playing dead and reviving’ had reached such an extent, Shen Shanwu had never heard such a demand before. It truly gave him an itching urge, making him want to satisfy the other’s wish immediately.

“Back then, you couldn’t bear to hurt me, and now it’s the same. You say heartless words, but you haven’t harmed me in the least,” He Jingyang took a couple of steps forward, as if trying to reach out and hold Shen Shanwu’s hand that hung by his side, “Can we start over, just the two of us?”

Shen Shanwu deftly evaded He Jingyang’s touch, his anger turning into a sarcastic smile. He turned back, looking coldly at He Jingyang, a mocking curve forming at the corner of his lips, “He Jingyang, curious why I’ve never killed you all this time?”

“I could easily kill you with a flick of my hand, but I’ve always restrained myself from doing so because…” Shen Shanwu emphasized each word, “I. hate. you.”

“If I had killed you back then, who knows if I would have regretted it later? Would I have forgiven your attempted actions as time passed and memories were beautified, questioning whether you really deserved death due to shifting moral perspectives?”

“But now, I don’t have any guilt about my actions. It’s you who wronged me, betrayed my trust. And I, I only feel pure disgust and loathing towards you.”

Shen Shanwu said contemptuously, “Of course, if you’re so eager to court death, I don’t mind giving you a one-way ticket. My hands have been stained with too much blood already, and my moral compass has twisted significantly.”

He Jingyang’s face turned ashen. Shen Shanwu’s words undoubtedly shattered his last trace of hope. The reasons he had clung to for the possibility of reconciliation were shattered. He realized that he was facing a mutant who despised him, with absolute force to suppress him, and this mutant was backed by a high-ranking general.

The power gap was too vast, and he was almost fleeing for his life, not daring to look back.

Shen Shanwu slowly wiped away the cold smile from his lips, and then his gaze shifted towards a dark corner of the garden. He asked, “Have you had enough of the show?”

From the shadows of the corner came the sound of a lighter being ignited. Shortly after, a tiny red ember glowed, and a well-dressed man emerged from the darkness. He held a cigarette between his fingers and exhaled a wisp of smoke as he walked.

Shen Shanwu had excellent eyesight, and in the instant the man entered his line of sight, he clearly saw his face. His pupils under the mask slightly contracted, and he was very surprised to find that this man’s appearance was remarkably similar to Jiang Huan, about sixty or seventy percent alike. Jiang Huan had a more rugged and masculine aura, exuding an imposing presence when he wore a stern expression. In contrast, this man had a somewhat softer and slightly sinister appearance. His faint smile even carried a hint of charm.

In an instant, Shen Shanwu understood the man’s identity. He was Jiang Huan’s father, Gu Ke. While realizing this, Shen Shanwu couldn’t help but feel an uncontrollable surge of resistance from deep within. He disliked this man intensely; he was selfish and self-serving. When Jiang Huan was younger, he narrowly escaped being harmed by him.

Gu Ke maintained his appearance well. Despite being in his forties, he looked like he was in his early thirties. If he were to dress in youthful sportswear, one might even believe he was in his twenties.

He walked up to Shen Shanwu and took another drag of his cigarette. “I am Jiang Huan’s father. What relationship do you have with Jiang Huan?”

Shen Shanwu tightened his lips, torn between the impulse to give this man a beating and simply walking away.

Unexpectedly, Gu Ke suddenly smiled, “Look at how repulsed you look. Has Jiang Huan told you about our past? It seems you’re not just a plaything he’s keeping, but a lover with genuine feelings?”

Not just that, but it was actually Jiang Huan who pursued him.

“Jiang Huan has changed a lot.” Gu Ke’s tone as he said this was hard to describe—neither proud nor jealous, as if stating a fact. But what he said next was definitely not something good, “I never thought that a spoiled child like him, pampered by his mother, could endure such hardships and climb to his current position step by step. I also never thought he would be embracing and kissing a man in front of everyone.”

“You, on the other hand, haven’t changed much.” Shen Shanwu had no respect for this man. “Still dependent on women for your life.”

“Key is, I’m living quite well.” Gu Ke smiled, with a faint wrinkle at the corner of his eye, a detail that added charm to his face. “That’s my skill, something you all can’t learn.”

Shen Shanwu was surprisingly left speechless for a moment.

“Rest assured, I never raised Jiang Huan, he doesn’t even share my surname. In the future, he won’t be required to take care of me,” Gu Ke bit down on his cigarette, “I only hope that when you seek revenge on me, you won’t be too harsh. I’ll behave myself properly.”

“…” Shen Shanwu had nothing more to say.

“Alright, I’m self-aware enough not to cause you trouble. Wishing Jiang Huan a bright future, and wishing you both eternal happiness,” Gu Ke waved his hand, “…”

Due to the unexpected encounter with Jiang Huan’s father, Gu Ke, Shen Shanwu inevitably thought about his own parents. Compared to the dramatic family situation of Jiang Huan, Shen Shanwu’s parents were ordinary individuals who provided him with a very ordinary life, allowing him to grow up in an ordinary manner… even though his life became extraordinary due to radiation-induced mutation. Shen Shanwu never even had the courage to open the door to his home.

But if he had to compare, Shen Shanwu didn’t think he had it worse off than Gu Ke, who was such an unpleasant father. Losing both parents was still better than dealing with someone like him.

The next day, Shen Shanwu lay in bed until mid-morning, feeling somewhat gloomy. When he could no longer stay in bed, he reluctantly got up and went out for a stroll. However, just a couple of steps away from his doorstep, he was intercepted by Wolf Dog who had been waiting for him, and led to the side of the road for a conversation.

“Going out in your child form? What’s the matter?”

“Not in the mood.”

“Well, let me tell you something that might cheer you up. The Middle Schooler practically burst out laughing when he found out yesterday morning. The masterminds behind the anti-mutant protester groups were apprehended.”

“Apprehended?”

“Yeah. The Executioner saw it with his own eyes. He had been staying in the outer city area all this time and had already caught wind of it. But before he could make a move, Wuyou City itself charged them with anti-social and anti-human crimes and wiped them out with military force. Even the group that escaped from Saint Harmony Hospital, they’re really stubborn. Who knows, they might still have some mutant genetic samples on hand.”

“Those can’t be left. We can’t provide humans with any blood samples either,” Shen Shanwu said. “Who knows what kind of monstrosities they could develop with the current immature human technology.”

“We’re not sure if they have any or not. The Executioner is following up on it. Also, you can ask Jiang Huan about it. Wuyou City had been tolerating the anti-mutant groups for a while, but now their attitude suddenly changed. See if he knows anything about it.”

“…” Shen Shanwu understood what Wolf Dog was implying. Most people in this city probably held indifferent or hostile attitudes towards mutants, and the events of last night were biased towards mutants.

So, how many people were actually biased in favor of mutants?

Jiang Huan was definitely one of them.

 

 

 

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