New Times, New Hell-Chapter 125 - Luo Wanxiang
Chapter 125 - Luo Wanxiang
Luofeng’s annual party was both lively and interesting. It lasted all the way until nine at night, which was when people slowly started leaving. While leaving, many people were still very reluctant.
Because of the kinnaras’ “Changing Heads” performance, the annual party also ended up on the trending topics list. Even CEO’s family dance of《Calorie》was a popular topic of discussion for a while. The entire annual party received a lot of attention, garnering the envious gazes of others in their field.
The day after the annual party was a weekend. Perfect for Luofeng’s employees to get a good day of rest after going crazy all night. However, Yu Zhengdu and Shang Que took《Trip to Songfeng Pavilion》with them to see Luo Wanxiang.
The location they had set up to meet with Luo Wanxiang wasn’t far from the neighborhood Shang Que lived in. It was a fancy coffee shop.
Yu Zhengdu and Shang Que arrived right on the dot. The two of them pushed open the glass doors to the coffee shop; Yu Zhengdu scanned their surroundings. His gaze landed on a booth next to the glass wall.
Coincidentally, the person in the booth stood up too. With a slight smile, he waved at them. “Here.”
That was a tall, skinny youth. He looked to be just over the age of twenty. His skin was very pale, in a rather unhealthy way. However, his facial features were quite seemly. Only, he didn’t really look like any pictures of Luo Sen, the boss of the Luo Corporation, that they had seen in the media.
He was wearing a casual thin sweater and long pants. His hair had been trimmed very short. He didn’t look very different from any youth on the street. If nobody pointed it out, no one would be able to connect him with a Buddhist disciple. There was a chain of prayer beads around his wrist, but in the eyes of passersby, this was probably the same as a normal bracelet.
Yu Zhengdu and Shang Que walked over, then sat down across from Luo Wanxiang.
There was a cup of water in front of Luo Wanxiang. He looked at Shang Que with a smile. “Long time no see.”
Shang Que apathetically gazed at him. “So it’s really you.”
Yu Zhengdu’s heart skipped a beat. He subtly snuck a glance at Shang Que. Shang Que was largely expressionless. Even his eyes were the same deep pits that they usually were. One couldn’t really tell any emotion from them.
But there were too many meanings behind the four words “so it’s really you.”
At this moment, there was only one person who could make Shang Que say these four words.
Luo Wanxiang didn’t seem surprised that Shang Que had instantly recognized him either. The faint smile on his face didn’t change. He said, “I heard that the authentic《Trip to Songfeng Pavilion》appeared, so guessed it was you.”
Shang Que didn’t answer, but Yu Zhengdu was struck by realization. “As expected, wanting to see《Trip to Songfeng Pavilion》was really just an excuse.”
“Not entirely.” Luo Wanxiang smiled at Yu Zhengdu. “If Shang Que is willing to part with Qu Lanzhi’s work, I’d definitely be willing to buy it at a high price. However……”
His gaze shifted back to Shang Que. His tone was filled with nostalgia for an old friend. “He never sells anything.”
Yu Zhengdu nodded. “Un, only useless sons sell their possessions.”
Luo Wanxiang seemed to be slightly surprised that this youth actually knew Shang Que’s way of thinking and reasoning. He cocked an eyebrow. “Well, you know quite a lot?”
“Un, I do.” Yu Zhengdu’s tone wasn’t very polite either. He coldly said, “I also know that you ordered Jiang to do lots of bad things, Great Emperor of Fengdu.”
Luo Wanxiang had been accused to his face, but he didn’t seem regretful at all. With a natural expression, he explained, “That was all unavoidable. Those were special times. I could only use some special measures.”
But speaking of Jiang, his smile faded a bit. His eyes also darkened slightly. “However, I didn’t expect for King Qingguang to sacrifice himself.”
“Didn’t expect for it?” Shang Que leaned back a bit. Faint emotion finally appeared on his face, but it was a completely unhidden look of scorn. “Didn’t you order him to come to the mortal realm before the collapse of the Heavens and Hell as a backup plan?”
Luo Wanxiang’s plan became completely and straightforwardly exposed by Shang Que. He still wasn’t upset. He only lowly said, “Shang Que, I had no other choice.”
Shang Que still looked completely unaffected. Who knew if he had actually taken the other’s words to heart.
He didn’t respond. The atmosphere instantly became tense. There was a hint of glumness and awkwardness in the air.
The silent atmosphere continued on for an unknown amount of time. In the end, Luo Wanxiang cracked first. He revealed an awkward smile. “You’ve found out?”
Shang Que made a sound of acknowledgement, but still refused to respond.
The two of them were speaking in riddles. Yu Zhengdu didn’t know what they were talking about, but could sense that something was off. However, he couldn’t confirm if now was the time to ask questions. Thus, he didn’t say anything and only silently took a sip of coffee.
A long time later, Luo Wanxiang heaved out a long sigh. “King Qingguang misunderstood.”
“The collapse of Luofeng Mountain, the escape of the evil ghosts, the human face sore panic in the mortal realm&#k2026;&#k2026; He thought that these were all aftereffects of your birth, which is why he hated you and couldn’t accept you.”
Yu Zhengdu’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
At Si Mountain Ridge, Shang Que had once told him that a thousand years ago, the Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain had previously been sealed away into the Chaos Realm by the three realms working together. This was because at the time, a hole had appeared in Luofeng Mountain. Evil ghosts had escaped and were wreaking havoc in the mortal realm. Everyone pointed their fingers at Shang Que when placing blame.
Some people thought that it was because Shang Que’s birth had used up too much of Luofeng Mountain’s energy, causing Luofeng Mountain to collapse.
Others also thought that Shang Que had intentionally used the power of evil ghosts to release the malicious ghosts locked under Luofeng Mountain.
But everything that had happened a thousand years ago had already turned to dust. The Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain, who had once been immensely popular, had been erased from the three realms. No one remembered the Ghost King’s name anymore in the mortal realm.
As of now, the Heavens and Hell had disappeared. The greats had vanished. What had the truth actually been back then? Yu Zhengdu had originally thought that no one would be able to give him an answer, but had Shang Que actually already formed a hypothesis?
Shang Que looked at Luo Wanxiang. “Why would King Qingguang think that?”
“At the time, why did the three realms – Heaven, Hell, and mortal – think that too?”
His voice was cold, but his expression remained unchanged. It seemed like he was only asking an exceptionally normal question.
“Shang Que, before your birth, I ruled over Luofeng Mountain for a whole four thousand years.” Luo Wanxiang gazed deeply at Shang Que. “In those four thousand years, nothing as serious as that ever happened to Luofeng Mountain. But as soon as you appeared, the magical boundaries around Luofeng Mountain started deteriorating……”
“I couldn’t not think of you.”
“That was the most logical explanation at the time.”
“Is that so?” Shang Que only lightly asked in response. He seemed unbothered.
Yu Zhengdu glanced at Shang Que, quite surprised.
He actually hadn’t known Shang Que for too long. All this time, Shang Que had always displayed his competitive and petty side. He seemed to be a Ghost King who absolutely needed to get his revenge all the time.
This was also the reason why Shang Que’s current nonchalance was causing Yu Zhengdu to look at him.
Luo Wanxiang seemed to be slightly surprised by Shang Que’s composed attitude too. He froze for a moment before smiling and continuing to ask, “I thought that you would refute me?”
“There’s no need,” Shang Que calmly said. “You’ve already come up with an excuse. No matter how much I say, I’d just be wasting my time.”
“A ghost that wants to fake sleep can’t be woken up. Just tell me your conclusion.”
Luo Wanxiang: ???
Yu Zhengdu: “……”
He had been wrong. He had originally thought that he had dug up another side of Shang Que. It turned out that Shang Que had only gotten better at arguing.
Luo Wanxiang almost choked. Though Shang Que hadn’t directly refuted him, what he had said was obviously more incisive. He had basically held a sword to his throat. After thinking for a long time, he still didn’t know how to continue this conversation.
He finally started feeling a bit of rage because of this embarrassment. “I looked after Luofeng Mountain for a whole four thousand years and never made a single mistake. I care for the citizens of the Ghost City of Fengdu more than anyone. It was impossible that such a terrible mistake would occur in the area I was in charge of.”
The gaze he used to look at Shang Que was slightly unimpressed. “Shang Que, if someone had to take responsibility for Luofeng Mountain’s collapse, no matter what, that shouldn’t have been me.”
There was finally a hint of emotion in Shang Que’s eyes. However, it was mockery. “This is your excuse for placing the blame on me?”
Luo Wanxiang was once again rendered instantly speechless by this question.
Yu Zhengdu finally understood their conversation now. He stared at Luo Wanxiang with slight disbelief. “Could it be that you were the reason the three realms believed that Shang Que caused Luofeng Mountain’s collapse back in the day?”
“Even if it wasn’t me, someone else would’ve had the same thought sooner or later.” Luo Wanxiang suddenly scoffed. “The Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain’s reputation preceded him. He had long since garnered the fear of the three realms. Aside from him, who else had the power to release the evil ghosts under Luofeng Mountain?”
Yu Zhengdu suddenly looked at Shang Que. “You’re right. If a ghost wants to fake sleep, you can’t wake him up.”
Shang Que nodded. In a very experienced tone, he said, “Just deflect it back to him.”
Luo Wanxiang: “……”
Just when Yu Zhengdu believed that Luo Wanxiang was planning on arguing until the end, he suddenly sighed again instead. “I was wrong.”
Shang Que coldly gazed at him.
“At the time, when the three realms were investigating the matter of the evil ghosts escaping from Luofeng Mountain to wreak havoc, everyone wanted me to come out and give an explanation. But what explanation could I give?” Luo Wanxiang stared at Shang Que. “Nothing ever happened in the four thousand years that I ruled over Luofeng Mountain. You were the only variable after those four thousand years.”
“But I was ultimately wrong. I hadn’t thought that Luofeng Mountain would entirely submerge itself to protect you. Even the entire Ghost City of Fengdu sank into the earth too.”
“Only after sealing you away into the Chaos Realm did the three realms finally discover the truth of the entire situation.”
Here, Shang Que finally spoke up again. “Way back then, the magical energy in the Heavens and Hell were already disappearing……”
Luo Wanxiang was slightly surprised. “You already know?”
“What else? Be sealed away for a thousand years for naught?” Shang Que still appeared completely unbothered.
Luo Wanxiang revealed a self-mocking expression. “Truly so ironic.”
He gazed out at the street outside the glass wall, but his eyes weren’t focused on anything. It seemed like he was looking at the distant past.
A thousand years ago, a gap had appeared in Luofeng Mountain, a mountain that held a hundred thousand evil ghosts at bay. The evil ghosts under the mountain escaped into the mortal realm, starting the large-scale horror incident of the human face sores.
The three realms had asked the Great Emperor of Fengdu, the one in charge of Luofeng Mountain, to take responsibility. Ultimately, all the clues had pointed at the Ghost King of Luofeng Mountain who had appeared out of nowhere.
The three realms had expended all of the greats’ energy trying to destroy the Ghost King. At the last moment, Luofeng Mountain had suddenly moved. This sacred Underworld location that had birthed the Ghost King had suddenly collapsed, using the last of its powers to save the Ghost King.
Shang Que got sealed away into the Chaos Realm. From that point on, Luofeng Mountain also disappeared.
The sinking of Luofeng Mountain affected the entire continent. The three realms suddenly discovered that the foundations of Hell were loosening up too. Immediately after, signs of collapse were appearing in the Heavens as well.
Luofeng Mountain had only been holding too many evil ghosts at bay. Because of this, it had been covered in much more malicious energy. As such, it had collapsed earlier.
After this, the three realms rushed to fix the foundations of the Heavens and Hell. However, the continued depletion of magical energy ultimately rendered all these efforts to be for naught.
“If you hadn’t been sealed away back then, given how many worshippers you had in the mortal realm, perhaps the Heavens and Hell could’ve lasted a while longer,” Luo Wanxiang said.
Shang Que was apathetic. “It only would’ve been dragging out the inevitable.”
Luo Wanxiang stared at him. Suddenly, he asked, “Shang Que, do you want to bring back the hundred thousand citizens in the Ghost City of Fengdu?”
Something abruptly flashed through Shang Que’s eyes.
“Luofeng Mountain originally shouldn’t have suffered. In these thousand years, never has a moment gone by when I haven’t been thinking of how to save the Ghost City of Fengdu.”
“Now, I finally know.”
Luo Wanxiang’s gaze sharpened. “Shang Que, if you and I work together, we’ll definitely be able to get the Ghost City of Fengdu to appear again.”
His voice was deep and filled with incitement. However, as soon as he finished speaking, he heard Yu Zhengdu very crisply respond, “We refuse.”
Luo Wanxiang paused. He scanned Yu Zhengdu with a rather displeased look in his eyes. “Can you answer for Shang Que?”
Shang Que: “He can.”
Luo Wanxiang paused again. “What’s his relationship to you?”
Shang Que simply said, “Boyfriend.”
“Huh?” Luo Wanxiang was stunned. A long pause later, he finally regained his wits. There was still bewilderment in his gaze. “Boyfriend?”
Yu Zhengdu kindly added, “Significant other.”
Luo Wanxiang: “……”
He fell silent for a moment before turning to ask Yu Zhengdu resentfully, “Even if that’s the case, why are you declining on his behalf?”
“Because I don’t believe you.” Yu Zhengdu set the phone that he had been looking at this whole time down. “Where’s the real Second Mr. Luo?”
Luo Wanxiang slightly narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean by that?”
Shang Que glanced at Yu Zhengdu too.
Yu Zhengdu said, “You aren’t the real Luo Wanxiang at all. You’ve only taken over Luo Wanxiang’s body.”
Shang Que picked up Yu Zhengdu’s phone and took a glance. He instantly understood.
Yu Zhengdu had the backend system of the Life and Death Accounts system open on his phone. At this time, it was displaying Luo Wanxiang’s information page.
According to the Life and Death Accounts system’s operation laws, the accounts of living people couldn’t be checked. If one was dead, it would display a list of information from that person’s life.
However, they could see the status of Luo Wanxiang’s account right now, but there was no information on it. The important life events page also only listed one event, birth.
This circumstance had occurred in the past too, in the death replacement incident with those people whose spirits had been removed from their bodies before their death dates.
They had originally thought that the Ghost Emperor had turned into the second son of the Luo Corporation after reincarnation. If this was the case, his account as a living person wouldn’t be able to be looked at.
Or, he had simply used his own powers to escape the Life and Death Accounts system’s examination. The Life and Death Accounts system wouldn’t have his information.
But now, the Life and Death Accounts clearly had Luo Wanxiang’s information. And, he clearly wasn’t dead, but his spirit had left his body. It was obvious that the situation before their eyes didn’t match up with Luo Wanxiang’s situation.
The only explanation was, there was a different Luo Wanxiang. Additionally, his spirit had left his body and his body had been possessed.
The Ghost Emperor hadn’t thought that his true identity would be exposed in this manner. He froze for a moment, but reacted very quickly. “This is how you guys stopped King Qingguang’s plan?”
“Un.” Shang Que lifted his chin. His tone was filled with satisfaction. “Modern technology effectively restrains superstitions.”
The Ghost Emperor: “……”
Yu Zhengdu: “……”
Boss, have you forgotten that you yourself are a superstition?
The author has something to say:
Xiao Kui: Bullshit. I believe in science!
