It was 6:30 PM on June 23, 2065, half an hour before the spiritual energy revival.
Two bright beams of light from an extended Lincoln, like the greedy eyes of a beast, finally stopped in front of the Ling Corporation’s two heavy black iron gates.
A foot clad in gleaming alligator-skin shoes stepped heavily onto the meticulously manicured pebble path, and Mu Zhengyang was the first to emerge from the car.
Mu Zhengyang took a deep breath of the overly rich wisteria fragrance in the courtyard, a somewhat boisterous smile stretching his lips, yet unable to hide a hint of tension:
“Ling Chen! Uncle Mu has brought Mu Xi to bother you! This place of yours is truly becoming more and more magnificent!”
The other car door opened, and Mu Xi stepped out with slightly delayed movements.
The evening breeze brushed against her neck; it was a gentle scene, yet it made her feel somewhat breathless.
She looked at the brightly lit mansion before her—the “Uncle Ling’s house” she had run in and out of countless times—now illuminated to the point of seeming almost fake.
There was no butler, no welcoming servants, just an eerie silence, broken only by the harsh, prolonged metallic groan of the hinges as the heavy iron gate slowly slid shut behind them.
Just then, the two copper-clad gates, several meters high, slowly opened from within.
A tall, slender figure stood silently within the threshold, silhouetted against the strong light of the entrance hall.
Ling Chen had opened the door himself.
He stood alone at the intersection of light and shadow, his posture straight, his face adorned with an impeccable, gentle, and appropriate smile, his handsome features divided into light and dark halves by the dim boundary.
“Uncle Mu, Mu Xi,”
His voice, laced with a smile, cut through the stillness of the night, “Please come in quickly.” He turned slightly, making a standard inviting gesture, his movements fluid, natural, and flawless.
The fake smile on Mu Zhengyang’s face deepened, and he laughed even louder: “Good! Good!”
He strode over, his well-maintained hand, adorned with a jade thumb ring, slapped heavily on Ling Chen’s shoulder with considerable force, carrying an invisible, elder-like sense of pressure.
“Ling Chen, you are increasingly embodying your father’s demeanor from back then!” His gaze subtly swept over Ling Chen’s face, then landed on the brilliant lights within the doorway.
Evidently, the mourning hall for Ling Chen’s parents had long since been cleared away.
Mu Xi felt as though every pat her father gave Ling Chen’s shoulder was a blow to her own taut heartstrings.
She kept her head down, trying to avoid Ling Chen’s gaze, and followed them inside. The threshold felt cold, like crossing an invisible boundary.
18:35 PM, 25 minutes until the spiritual energy revival.
The dining room lights were dazzlingly bright, the overly luminous crystal chandelier reflecting a blinding cold glare off every piece of silverware and glass.
This meticulously crafted “normalcy” terrified her more than the open hostility she had anticipated.
Ling Chen naturally pulled out a chair for Mu Xi. The chair was heavy and opulent, with a high back adorned with dark gemstones and flowing silver lines, giving a strange sense of confinement when seated.
“Today, I’ve specially prepared truffle white asparagus, and cod caught from the deep sea.”
Ling Chen sat at the head of the table, his voice steady and emotionless.
There were no servants in the house, as they had all been killed two days prior, and Ling Chen began serving the dishes himself.
Mu Zhengyang looked at the plate of perfectly roasted partridge, drizzled with sauce, golden in color, and enticingly fragrant, placed before him.
However, he did not immediately begin to eat. Instead, he picked up a silver fork from the table and poked at the partridge meat a few times, as if inspecting something.
Then, he looked up again, forcing a smile that could be described as amiable:
“Nephew, you’re too kind. But the outside world is quite turbulent lately, isn’t it? I heard it’s not peaceful around Ling Corporation either? It seems a few groups of ‘guests’ from outside don’t quite understand the rules? They haven’t caused you any trouble, have they?”
His words were slow, each carrying the weight of a probe.
Ling Chen unhurriedly cut the cod on his plate, the snow-white fish meat clearly textured. He didn't lift his head, his voice still calm:
“Uncle Mu, you worry too much. Those ‘guests’?”
He forked a piece of fish and gently put it into his mouth.
“Coincidentally, just as they were about to come ashore to stretch their limbs, they were ‘invited for tea’ by the coastal defense ‘patrol team.’ It seems it was a sudden inspection, very thorough, so they probably won’t be quiet for a while.”
He looked up, his gaze meeting Mu Zhengyang’s directly, a faint, extremely hard-to-read smile playing at the corners of his lips.
“Perhaps they just had bad luck. We… should just eat normally.”
These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Mu Zhengyang’s heart.
The smile on his face froze.
Those sweepers he had hired at great expense, were they intercepted by official forces just for killing his servants? Was it a coincidence? Or… had this young brat planned it all along?!
Mu Xi listened beside them, her heart pounding, her fork unconsciously stirring the truffles on her plate. As Mu Zhengyang’s eldest daughter, she naturally knew how ruthless her father was, and he had sent the world’s top assassin team, the Sweepers.
Her father’s probing and Ling Chen’s understated response made her feel as if she were sitting on pins and needles.
Is this… is this still the naive, easily deceived, weak and incompetent young man?
She secretly glanced at Ling Chen, just in time to see him elegantly chewing a piece of tender, juicy cod.
He ate with genuine enjoyment, his expression so natural it was as if he wasn't discussing a deadly crisis he had just averted.
But this only made Mu Xi feel more terrified.
This was a maturity that simply did not belong to his age!
Just then, outside the dining room’s large, stained-glass French window, in the deep night sky, a murky, rust-colored dark red suddenly bloomed without warning!
That ominous color was like a huge drop of blood slowly spreading in a bottle of pure ink! The eerie bloody light penetrated the glass, dimming the brilliant lights of the dining room by several degrees!
(Spiritual energy revival countdown: 00:10:00)
Mu Xi’s heart leaped into her throat! She couldn’t help but let out a gasp, and her fork clattered onto the porcelain plate with a harsh, sharp sound, particularly startling in the dead silence of the room.
Ling Chen and Mu Zhengyang’s gazes were also drawn to the anomaly outside the window.
Ling Chen’s eyes flickered slightly, a barely perceptible understanding quickly flashed across them, then returned to their deep, calm stillness.
Mu Zhengyang, on the other hand, suddenly widened his eyes, a mix of confusion and horror in them, his lips moved, wanting to say something but not speaking.
“The… the weather is so strange…” Mu Zhengyang squeezed out a few dry words, trying to mask the turmoil in his heart, but the hand holding the wine glass had already begun to tremble uncontrollably.
He finally realized that Ling Chen’s invitation tonight was by no means just about revenge or showing off! Just as he himself was certainly not just here for a meal!
The abnormalities this little brat displayed, the maturity that shouldn’t have been evident in him, and even the bizarre sky before them… all pointed to a larger, more terrifying trap!
His intuition told him he couldn’t wait any longer!
“Bang—!”
Mu Zhengyang suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up! The heavy oak dining table shook violently from his action!
The immense force overturned the wine glass beside him, and expensive red wine, like spilled blood, gurgled onto the pristine white tablecloth, rapidly spreading into a glaring crimson stain!
The composure he had feigned completely shattered, leaving only the ferocity of being cornered and the madness of a desperate gamble!
“Ling Chen!!”
Mu Zhengyang’s voice was hoarse and distorted. His scrawny, eagle-claw-like finger pointed directly at Ling Chen’s nose, his eyes blazing with naked killing intent:
“Act! You f*cking keep acting for me! My patience has run out!!”
He fiercely pulled out a scroll of documents from his suit’s inner pocket and slammed it onto the table in front of Ling Chen with a “thwack,” splashing soup and wine onto Ling Chen’s shirt front!
“Sign it! All the controlling shares of Ling! Now! Sign it for me immediately!”
He advanced a step, almost spitting in Ling Chen’s face, his voice lowered to a bestial growl:
“Don’t think I don’t know what tricks you’ve been playing, kid! Your little cleverness, your little schemes are nothing in my eyes! Otherwise… I’ll send you down to join your dead parents today!”
He abruptly lifted the front of his suit jacket!
A cold, gleaming, unusually shaped pistol appeared in his hand. The dark, hollow muzzle, carrying the scent of death, instantly rose, steadily pointing at Ling Chen’s glabella!
The cold metal reflected a cruel light under the dazzling lamps! Mu Zhengyang’s finger was already on the trigger, his wrist trembling slightly from extreme tension, but his gaze was locked onto Ling Chen’s forehead!
“Dad! No!!” Mu Xi was terrified out of her wits by the sudden gunpoint, screaming in alarm, wanting to rush forward to stop him, but her body was stiff with extreme fear.
She didn't dare, but most importantly, her subconscious told her that Ling Chen wasn't worth it!
He was just a loser about to die; although he had been very lucky two days ago, it was all over now!
Perhaps he was a good companion before, but once that bullet passed through, or even shattered his head, it would all be over!
No matter if he truly understood the secrets of business and human relations, no matter how brilliant his future might have been, it would all be over!
Thinking of this, Mu Xi even felt a faint sense of relief.
Just at this critical moment, as Mu Zhengyang’s killing intent was like an arrow on the string, and his finger was about to press the trigger—
Ling Chen moved!
There was no fear in his calm eyes; instead, there was a hint of mockery. How ridiculous this person was, even though he had clearly perceived the anomalies of this world, he still used his last trump card for money.
—Then, Uncle Mu, it’s rude not to return a favor!
Within the few tenths of a second that the gun barrel was raised, his body did not choose to retreat or lunge, evasive actions that would be almost ineffective against a gun.
He raised his right foot like lightning, and precisely, with immense force, stomped down on a corner of the dark carpet in front of his chair, a spot that seemed no different from any other!
“Whir—click!”
A dull yet clear sound of machinery engaging, as if the joint of a sleeping beast had been forcibly actuated!
Immediately following, centered on the area where Ling Chen’s right foot had landed, a heavy oak floorboard, about one square meter in size, instantly lost its support and abruptly split open downwards! The opening was like the mouth of an abyss, dark and deep!
“What?!”
Mu Zhengyang’s sneer froze on his face, a sudden change leaving his mind blank!
All his weight was pressed onto his leaning upper body, and as his foot missed a step, his center of gravity instantly went out of control! His gun-wielding hand had no time to adjust direction before his body plunged headfirst into the pitch-black abyss!
“Ahhh—!”
The feeling of freefall and extreme fear of the unknown darkness made him let out a shrill, terrified scream that instantly echoed throughout the entire restaurant!
This whole process happened too fast!
Mu Xi didn't even clearly see Ling Chen’s movements; she only saw her father miss a step and instantly vanish beneath the cracking floor! That short, incredulous, and extremely terrified shriek ceased abruptly as the pit closed!
“Boom!”
Less than half a second after Mu Zhengyang fell, that heavy floorboard sprang back up with a powerful rebound driven by strong springs! It slammed heavily and seamlessly back into the floor, emitting a dull, solid thud!
The pitch-black trap that had just swallowed Mu Zhengyang now only left a barely perceptible hairline crack on the floor, as if the scene of swallowing a living person had never occurred!
Ling Chen slowly retracted the foot he had placed on the floor and straightened his body.
He patted the wrinkles on his shirt, which had been splashed with wine, in a slow and unhurried manner, as if merely dusting off a bit of dirt.
Then, he slowly raised his head, his gaze calmly shifting to Mu Xi, who stood frozen in place like a pale ice sculpture.
6:55 PM, five minutes until the spiritual energy revival.
The moment her father plunged into darkness seemed to be still frozen before her eyes.
That abruptly cut-off scream was like a red-hot branding iron, deeply seared into Mu Xi’s nerve endings.
Immense terror, like an invisible giant hand, clutched her throat, making it difficult for her to even breathe; every muscle in her body stiffened and trembled from extreme tension.
“Dad…Dad…?”
She struggled to move her lips, broken syllables spilling into the dead silence, laced with a heavy sob and incredulous terror.
Her gaze was fixed on the almost invisible seam on the floor, and she instinctively took a step back, nearly tripping over a chair.
Ling Chen’s eyes finally moved from that place of death and landed on Mu Xi.
His gaze was calm and unruffled, deep like a frozen cold pond, with no hint of victorious triumph or post-slaughter excitement, only a nearly mechanical calmness.
“He’ll be fine.”
Ling Chen spoke, his voice unusually clear in the empty, silent restaurant, carrying an eerie certainty.
“It’s very safe in there, five meters deep, with smooth walls. It’s just… it will take some time for him to climb out.”
His words were an understatement, as if describing an insignificant facility malfunction, yet they conveyed a bone-chchilling coldness.
That was not safety at all! That was a cage! An abyss her father had confirmed with his life!
Mu Xi trembled all over; Ling Chen’s words pierced through the chaos of her fear like sharp needles.
In an instant, all previous conjectures, unease, and doubts exploded! That string of missing Cleaners… he was controlling them! Her father’s abnormality… it was a trap he had meticulously designed step by step! Even this bizarre and terrifying dinner… it was a death trap he had laid!
He was not a harmless prey at all; he was the calm hunter!
“It was you!!!”
Mu Xi’s fear erupted like lava, transforming into hysterical rage and a desperate cry. Her voice became sharp and hoarse from extreme emotion.
“You did all of it!! What exactly do you want to do?! You restricted my life for half my youth! What else do you want?!”
Her tears instantly burst forth, mixing with fear, hatred, and the humiliation of being completely fooled, gushing out.
The corner of Ling Chen’s lips curved almost imperceptibly, the arc chillingly cold.
“Hey, hey, hey, my dear student Mu Xi, you need to understand, you were the one who initiative came into contact with me.”
“What will I do? I just need a little time, and a suitable… ‘thing’.”
“And then… eat you.”
His appreciative gaze, like a scanner, swept back and forth over Mu Xi’s body, which trembled uncontrollably from intense emotion. That look made her feel not like a person, but a delicious meal!
Outside the window!
That unsettling, turbid dark red light suddenly intensified! The entire night sky was completely covered by this eerie crimson! The glass windows hummed with a low resonance, as if enduring immense pressure!
Spiritual Energy Revival Countdown: 00:01:00
“Time’s almost up. If I recall correctly, it’s time for an earthquake.”
Ling Chen’s voice sounded calmly, like a judgment.
Before his words faded—
“Clang! Crash!”
Above their heads! Part of the crystal ornaments on one of the chandelier arms suddenly exploded without warning! Shimmering fragments rained down like hail, rattling and clattering!
At the same time, the entire incredibly sturdy basement space suddenly shook violently!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Dull, thunderous roars, like a deity beating drums, came from deep within the floor and walls!
This was the entire earth rumbling violently and deeply!
In Mu Xi’s eyes, the young man’s seemingly casual remark made the world bend to his will.
The tableware and dishes on the table jumped, collided, and rolled wildly! Expensive porcelain shattered into pieces on the floor! The entire restaurant seemed to be violently shaken by an invisible giant hand!
“Ah—!” Mu Xi let out a shriek distorted by terror, no longer able to endure the continuous stimulation! The only thought remaining in her mind was—escape! Get out of here! Get away from this devil!
She no longer looked at Ling Chen, abruptly turned around, and burst forth with all her survival instincts, rushing towards the heavy oak door at the end of the restaurant that led to the living area!
Her high heels clattered urgently and frantically on the messy floor, like a startled fawn.
However, she had only run a few steps when her arm was suddenly seized by an irresistible force! The grip was cold and iron-hard! It was Ling Chen! His speed exceeded her imagination! He appeared silently by her side like a ghost!
“Let go of me! You lunatic! Devil!” Mu Xi shrieked with all her might, struggling wildly, kicking and tearing with both hands and feet, her nails drawing blood on Ling Chen’s hand.
Her immense fear and concern for her father made her unleash extraordinary strength.
Ling Chen didn’t even frown, completely unconcerned by her futile resistance. He sidestepped her knee aimed at his abdomen, and his other hand, as if anticipating her movements, passed through the gap in her wildly flailing arms, precisely and firmly gripping her waist!
“Don’t move!” His voice was low and powerful, carrying an undeniable tone of command. Immediately after, he used his core strength, spun around, and actually lifted the fiercely struggling Mu Xi completely onto his shoulder!
Mu Xi felt the world spin! Head down, her stomach pressed against Ling Chen’s rock-hard shoulder, intense dizziness and a sense of suffocation washed over her! Her vision was filled only with overturned chandeliers, broken porcelain shards, and a shaking floor!
“Let me go! Let go! Help me—!” She screamed desperately, her legs kicking wildly, her hands pounding Ling Chen’s back with all her might, her sharp nails even tearing his suit jacket!
Ling Chen carried the wildly struggling Mu Xi as if she were a restless bag of goods. He ignored the faint pounding and the kicks on his legs, his steps steady and fast, striding through the messy restaurant with a clear destination: a very hidden, double-leaf oak small door in the corner of the restaurant, cleverly concealed by decorative wall panels. It was not the main exit, but a doorway leading deeper into the more secretive areas of the Ling residence.
He freed the hand that was controlling her waist—the hand that had cleverly avoided her frantic scratching—and steadily felt for an inconspicuous, dark recess on the wall next to the door, integrated with the oak paneling. He pressed down hard!
“Click!” A faint mechanical sound rang out.
The hidden wooden door silently slid inward, revealing a dimly lit staircase descending downwards.
A chilling, distinctly audible roar came from the basement! It sounded like a beast in its death throes.
Mu Xi’s pupils constricted intensely at the sudden appearance of the dark passage! What was in there? It sounded like bats! What was his true purpose?!
A deeper fear, like countless icy tentacles, tightened around her! Her struggles instantly became even more violent and desperate!
“No! I’m not going down! Let go of me! Ling Chen! Please! Everything before was my fault, I shouldn’t have teamed up with my father to trick you, let me go—”
Pleading and screaming mixed together, with a broken, tearful voice. Tears blurred her vision. At this moment, all the past affection of childhood sweethearts turned into the most bitter irony and the sharpest blade!
Ling Chen was deaf to her cries and pleas.
He used one hand to tightly restrain her kicking legs, preventing her from breaking free. His other hand held steadily onto the side wall of the staircase, and he unhesitatingly stepped into the descending, cold darkness that emanated a strong smell of disinfectant and formaldehyde.
The staircase was narrow and steep, and their footsteps echoed dully in the silent underground space.
Bang!
The small door behind them closed heavily and automatically! The last sliver of crimson sky light and noisy sounds from the restaurant were completely cut off!
Almost at the very instant the small door closed!
Whoosh—
Above their heads! The energy-saving light tube suspended above the stairwell passage suddenly lit up! A stark, blinding cold light, like the light of judgment, abruptly poured down! Instantly tearing through the thick darkness!
Mu Xi instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, stimulated by the sudden strong light, but then forced them open due to her inverted perspective from being carried on his shoulder!
The sight before her eyes instantly froze all the blood in her body! Her heart felt like it was seized and stopped by a cold hand!
This was not a normal room at all!