Apocalypse: My Tattoos are Ten Yama Kings-Chapter 155 - 154: The Assassination Begins
In the secret chamber, Lin Yuan’s face was full of struggle.
Several times he reached out, wanting to pick up that blood-filled wine glass and drink it all, but then weakly put it down.
To drink or not to drink.
To die gracefully, or to live on in this neither human nor ghostly state.
For Lin Yuan, this became an excruciating choice.
If only...
If Ghost Leader hadn’t come, if he didn’t know his sister had woken up, if Ghost Leader hadn’t told him he could be restored...
If it weren’t for these factors, then Lin Yuan could have chosen death without hesitation.
When he chose to bind himself with chains and lock himself in the secret chamber, he wanted to die silently and unseen.
His sister’s awakening and the hope of restoration became obstacles in Lin Yuan’s quest for death.
He couldn’t bear to die anymore.
"I want to see Chan’Er, even if I die, I must see her."
"I can’t see him in this non-human, non-ghost state, I must restore myself, I must recover."
"Three years, three years it is."
"I, Lin Yuan, have never wronged anyone in my life, even if it’s a mistake, it’s only for these three years." After much hesitation, Lin Yuan made his decision, muttering to himself.
Lin Yuan wasn’t a fool. At this point, he vaguely guessed that this was more than just a simple business organization.
The so-called chamber president, who seemed to treat him well, was more than just a business president.
Agreeing to this three-year pact, he might indeed commit many wrongs.
But he had no other option.
On the surface, it seemed he had a choice.
But did he truly have one?
Wrong, let it be wrong!
Lin Yuan wanted to live for himself once.
Thinking of this, Lin Yuan grabbed the blood-filled wine glass on the ground, and gulped the blood down.
After drinking the blood, Lin Yuan lay on the ground, tears streaming down from the corners of his eyes.
...
...
In the adjoining office.
Ghost Leader was leisurely brewing tea, pre-rain Dragon Well, a specialty tea from Lin’an City.
If this were ancient times, it would be the imperial tea, only drunk by emperors.
But then again, in this world, isn’t he the emperor of Lin’an City?
"Ghost Leader, do you think Lin Yuan will come?" the confidant accompanying him asked.
Ghost Leader lifted the tea bowl, took a sip, and said slowly, "You can question my character, but you can’t doubt my judgment."
"He’ll come, he definitely will."
Lin Yuan was a great weapon, especially the demonized Lin Yuan, comparable to a nuclear bomb before the eerie invasion.
A nuclear bomb requires a nuclear code to launch, similarly, there is a key to controlling Lin Yuan.
Now, this key to controlling Lin Yuan was in Ghost Leader’s hands.
This key was Lin Yuan’s sister.
Ghost Leader had made it very clear, and believed Lin Yuan could understand.
The Zhang Family’s Blood Pill, the resources consumed to save him, all were investments in him.
If this investment couldn’t be recouped from Lin Yuan, then, was his sister really safe?
Why did Lin Yuan choose to live?
Because he dared not die!
On the surface, he seemed to have a choice.
In reality, Lin Yuan had no choice at all.
What bullshit three-year pact?
Three years later, helping Lin Yuan return to normalcy?
Ghost Leader had no means of restoring Lin Yuan to normal.
It was just Ghost Leader’s deceitful talk, handing Lin Yuan a self-persuasion excuse.
Good people don’t last, disasters linger for a thousand years.
Lin Yuan was destined to be the good man who, after enduring trials, accepted reality and turned bad.
The world is just this unfair.
The confidant seemed unable to understand Ghost Leader’s confidence, tentatively saying: "I think Lin Yuan’s quite principled, his bottom line shouldn’t be easily shaken."
Principles?
Bottom line?
These things might be the most ridiculous in the eyes of businessmen, right?
Businessmen value most, the interest.
"Principles can be changed!"
"Bottom lines can be pushed, especially once they’ve been pushed the first time, they’re no longer bottom lines." Ghost Leader continued, pouring himself a second cup of tea, speaking slowly.
"Tap."
"Tap, tap."
At that moment, heavy footsteps were heard outside.
Hearing the footsteps, Ghost Leader showed a smug smile and whispered: "See, here he comes!"
A creaking sound was heard, and the office door was pushed open.
As Ghost Leader expected, it was Lin Yuan who entered.
After entering, Lin Yuan said nothing and silently sat across from Ghost Leader.
"I knew you’d come." Ghost Leader spoke first, breaking the silence.
He pointed to the tea bowl in front of Lin Yuan, indicating for him to drink the tea.
The tea had cooled, and Lin Yuan realized he was completely in their grasp.
Playing with minds.
Or rather, everything was within his predictions.
He was merely a pawn in their game.
Looking at the man in front of him, Yang Jing had the confidence to easily snap his neck.
But would he dare to do it?
Yang Jing did not dare!
At present, he didn’t even know where his sister was.
Let alone make a move against the Ghost Leader, he didn’t even dare to have the slightest rebellious thought.
Yang Jing picked up the tea bowl and drank it in one gulp.
"Who to kill?" His question was simple and direct.
"Yang Dingguo," the Ghost Leader informed Yang Jing of the target.
Last time, to get Yang Jing to kill Lin Yuan, they had to tempt him with the Blood Pill.
Now, that’s no longer needed.
This feeling of having complete control over Yang Jing as a pawn made the Ghost Leader exhilarated.
When hearing this name, a conflicted expression appeared on Yang Jing’s face.
Yang Dingguo’s name was known by everyone throughout Dragon Country.
For Yang Jing, this name was as well known as thunder to the ear.
Anyone would know Yang Dingguo is a good man; under his leadership, Peng City thrived in the world after the strange invasion.
Yang Jing inwardly resisted killing, especially a good man.
"He is a good man, right?" Yang Jing murmured, conflicted.
"A good man?" The Ghost Leader sneered, "Whether he’s a good man or a bad man, what does it have to do with you, Yang Jing?"
"In your current state, do you still count as a human?"
"If you want to become human again, you have to exchange for life. Yang Dingguo’s life is the first, you’ll gradually get used to it."
Yang Jing closed his eyes, clenched his fists, his molars grinding with a "creak."
But he simply had no choice.
"Ah!" After a long while, Yang Jing exhaled heavily and responded, "Alright!"
Whether Yang Jing was forced into it or went willingly!
Anyway, he has agreed to it now.
Just as the Ghost Leader said, he’ll slowly get used to it.
This type of thing, like betrayal, once there’s a first time, there will be countless times.
"Go prepare!"
"The team is about to set off!" The Ghost Leader stood up and left.
...
...
Meanwhile.
Yang Dingguo’s convoy had already passed Huai City and Su City, and representatives from these cities followed Yang Dingguo together to Emperor Dragon City for a conference.
This time, Yang Dingguo’s strive was not only concerning Peng City alone.
Rather, it was concerning the entire Huaihai’s significant matters.
If this could be secured, it would be a boon to survivors across Huaihai Region.
The matter was significant, and official organizations in various cities of Huaihai Region had already expressed: everything was as Yang Dingguo led.
On the minibus, representatives from Huai City and Su City were present.
Time was pressing, couldn’t stop at every city, so after picking people up, meetings were conducted onboard.
"Elder Yang, this time, the competition at Emperor Dragon City conference is intense!"
"Do you think our Peng City has a good chance?" the representative from Huai City questioned.
Prior to the eerie invasion, Peng City in Dragon Country was just a third-tier city.
Regardless of population or economy, nationally, it didn’t rank high.
Peng City truly gained the attention of Dragon Country’s upper tiers only after the eerie invasion.
An eerie invasion unexpectedly turned Peng City from an average student into the top of the class, a model good student.
Zhang Zhen: "?????"
The representatives from Huai City and Su City were facing this "Yang Dingguo," but the person was actually Zhang Zhen in disguise.
No matter if Zhang Zhen burnt his CPU, he couldn’t respond correctly.
Because he simply didn’t know the purpose of this trip to Emperor Dragon City?
Zhang Zhen pointed to the real Yang Dingguo beside him and said, "Ask him."
Huai City Representative: "???"
Su City Representative: "???"
Both of them had a face full of perplexity, not understanding what it meant.
Then, the actual Yang Dingguo across explained: "To avoid potential assassination, we did some small disguising."
"He’s the stand-in, I’m the real Yang Dingguo."
Small disguising?
The two representatives thought, it’s not just a small disguise!
It’s clearly a big act of person-shifting!
Yet they thought further, as Yang Dingguo worried about assassination, could they also encounter assassination?
"Maybe get us a stand-in too?" The two representatives asked tentatively.
Lin Yuan glanced at the two and said, "No need, Deceitful King Faction wouldn’t bother to assassinate you two."
What Lin Yuan’s words essentially meant was, "You two aren’t worth it."
On the minibus, Yang Dingguo began to meet with the two, delving into potential issues at the Emperor Dragon City conference.
Meanwhile.
Yang Jing and the people sent by Deceitful King Faction were already gathered on a distant hilltop.
"Is Yang Dingguo, the old man, in that car?" Zhang Peng asked, carrying a rocket launcher.
Poison Lord pointed at the convoy ahead, answering: "The third one, been watching—it didn’t stop since morning boarding."
At this moment, Day Traveler at the back of the crowd was silently reciting, "Lin Yuan, Lin Yuan, Lin Yuan..."
Since Day Traveler already bore the flame mark, when silently calling his name, Lin Yuan felt a sense.
Lin Yuan quickly drew back the curtain, glancing toward the rear.
At this moment, he saw a rocket with a long flame tail flying toward the convoy.
