Chapter 121
Chapter 121
That organization had spent so many years upgrading Soul Reincarnation in Corpse, eventually developing the insane, wicked technique known as Seven Deaths for Life Exchange.
During that time, just how many people had died…
How many had become vengeful spirits who perished in vain…
“At that time, I was already married, and my child had been born. I named him Zhao Zimu.”
Old Zhao Seven shook his head and sighed. “I had a good home-a virtuous wife and a cute son. Yet, my mind was entirely consumed with how to deal with The Organization, and I neglected my family.”
“The complete version of Seven Deaths for Life Exchange had already been developed back then. A large group of us swore to fight The Organization to the bitter end. We were preparing for a death match; we had to wipe them out.”
“But my Master advised me not to participate. He calculated that The Organization’s fate had not yet run its course, and this direct confrontation wouldn’t be enough to sever their roots. If we failed to destroy them, it would result in a deep-seated, irreconcilable hatred.”
“I understood my Master’s perspective, of course. He saw that I had a family, and if something happened to me, there would be no one to look after my wife and child. While it was a selfish sentiment, it was only human.”
I nodded, feeling the weight of his words personally.
My father and grandfather had been good men their entire lives, yet they had committed wrongs for my sake and ended up in their current state.
Old Zhao Seven had been adopted by his Master as a child. Though he was his Master, he was effectively his father. What father wouldn’t worry about his own child?
“You must have ignored the old man’s advice…” Song Xiaotian said.
Old Zhao Seven nodded. Even though thirty years had passed, he still showed an uncontrollable sense of guilt. “I was young. I was truly too young back then-full of youthful arrogance. I didn’t listen to my Master.”
“I didn’t have such high moral principles back then either. I just wanted to make a name for myself. It wasn’t for wealth or status; I just wanted future generations to know of my achievements, to know what a great cause I had championed.”
“Later, my Master and I joined forces with many righteous men and people of extraordinary talent. We fought relentlessly for an entire month. We hit them so hard that we actually broke The Organization, forcing many of their high-ranking members to flee abroad.”
“But it was just as my Master had said. We dealt them a heavy blow, but we didn’t sever their roots.”
“Following that great battle, I achieved the fame I had desired. The feat we accomplished together was something that would likely be praised by future generations in our circles even a hundred years from now.”
“Carrying my pride and glory, I prepared to go home and share the good news with my wife…”
At this point, Old Zhao Seven’s emotions began to fluctuate visibly. “I returned home, but something had happened. A key figure from The Organization had taken revenge on my family while they were fleeing.”
“When I saw my wife again… her head was gone. Zimu had also been murdered by them. His head was missing too. I still haven’t found it to this day.”
The three of us widened our eyes, our hearts trembling.
What kind of pain was this… For a man, how suffocating must that have been?
I couldn’t imagine it. I only knew that the Old Zhao Seven of that time was likely in even more pain than I am now.
“My wife’s name was Shen Qingran. She was from Lanjiang City.”
Old Zhao Seven introduced his wife to us with a somewhat numb expression.
“I’ve been living in Lanjiang City all this time. Besides investigating the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange case that happened here fifteen years ago, the main reason is that this is my wife’s hometown.”
The three of us listened intently, falling into a momentary silence.
So many years had passed-thirty years, to be exact. Perhaps Old Zhao Seven had introduced the name ‘Shen Qingran’ to others more than once.
They say death isn’t the end; being forgotten is.
From his prime back then to nearly reaching sixty now, Old Zhao Seven had never once forgotten that name.
“I was even worse off than you back then.”
Old Zhao Seven suddenly looked at me. “After the tragedy at home, I even thought about suicide. It was my Master who stopped me several times. But by the time I regained hope and stood back up on my feet, my Master was gone.”
I felt a sense of suffocation listening to him.
I felt that the only reason Old Zhao Seven had managed to survive until now was likely because hatred was sustaining him.
Song Xiaotian sighed. “Master was also killed by that Organization…”
Old Zhao Seven shook his head. “After we crushed the Organization, those who could run fled. The country was peaceful for many years. My Master died because he was injured in that great battle, which left him with chronic health issues. Plus, the deaths of my wife and son were a massive blow to him. After all, they were his daughter-in-law and grandson.”
“Master died of illness.”
I suddenly remembered something and asked hurriedly, “Since the Organization fled thirty years ago, why is there still someone who knows the Seven Deaths for Life Exchange… Have they come back?”
“Yes, they’re back. They’ve been back for many years, they’re just more low-key and secretive than before.”
Old Zhao Seven said with a grim face, “Their faith is that very sinister ‘Buddha.’ The members tattoo that Buddha onto their bodies. Du Ruhai’s Body Double had that tattoo on him. This proves that Du Ruhai-or rather, Lv Zhengxian-is connected to the Organization. There is absolutely a connection.”
“The Organization even provided one of its members to serve as his Body Double. Du Ruhai likely holds some status within the Organization.”
The three of us were instantly shocked, our expressions turning solemn.
If that were true, then we weren’t just facing Du Ruhai, but the Organization as well.
No wonder back at the Club, when Old Zhao Seven saw the tattoo on the Body Double, he said he wouldn’t treat anyone with that tattoo as a human being.
“Wait, Lv Zhengxian learned the Seven-Deaths Life-Exchange Technique from Chen Mo’s grandfather.”
Song Xiaotian realized something and asked quickly, “Since he’s connected to the Organization, why didn’t they teach him the complete version of the Seven-Deaths Life-Exchange Technique? And if a complete version already exists, why would an Incomplete Version be circulating out there?”
Old Zhao Seven fell into thought and said, “There’s only one explanation. Lv Zhengxian wasn’t in contact with the Organization before he became Du Ruhai. He only established a connection with them after he took over Du Ruhai’s identity.”
“As for why an Incomplete Version would be circulating, that’s something I’ve never been able to figure out either.”
Saying this, Old Zhao Seven looked at me again. “Do you remember how your grandfather got the Seven-Deaths Life-Exchange Technique?”
I replied, “A Fortune-Teller taught it to him.”
Old Zhao Seven said meaningfully, “Since the Organization made its comeback, I’ve seen many versions of the Seven-Deaths Life-Exchange Technique. Every single one was an Incomplete Version or an Erroneous Version that had been deliberately modified before being leaked to the public.”
“Until many years ago, I caught a man who had circulated an Incomplete Version. That man was once a member of the Organization.”
Song Xiaotian and I understood Old Zhao Seven’s meaning instantly. “These incomplete and erroneous versions were deliberately leaked by the Organization!”