Tonight, Alice joins the hunt.

The path of disbelief will naturally collapse. And the path of 'disbelief' will then spread and grow. He felt countless tiny, distracting thoughts running rampant deep within his heart, like a herd of horses freed from their bridles. All sorts of sinister thoughts that would never have appeared before, or that appeared so suddenly that he himself was unaware of them, began to surface one by one.

He felt that everyone was his enemy, that everyone was secretly plotting against him. Those who seemed honest and kind might stab him in the back at any moment, and those who seemed loyal and righteous might scheme against him at a crucial moment. The capable fighters were definitely thinking of taking him, the captain, and becoming the leader themselves, while those cunning and treacherous guys were definitely just using him as a tool, to be casually killed in some dark corner after he was no longer of use!

Yes, that's it, that's definitely it.

They all want to harm me, everyone is a traitor, no one can be trusted, the only thing in this world I can trust is what's in my own hands...

...What's in your hand?

He suddenly laughed silently, and before his eyes, a scarlet greatsword clearly appeared in the void. The blade was sharp, the body thick and sturdy, and crimson lightning crackled around it, clearly capable of unleashing immense power. However, beneath the hilt of the sword were three grips.

One of the grips was his own, the roughest and simplest, looking like a piece of wood glued to the knife—his understanding and mastery of the knife was probably only at the level of this glued-on wood. It was fine for cutting people, enough for combat, but its control… was just so-so.

The second grip was an exquisite one, almost unused, yet perfectly fitting the blade. Numerous fine puppet lines connected it, and a considerable number of runes faintly glowed… This grip was prepared for Margot Royde. She had undertaken almost the entire modification of this weapon, possessing intimate knowledge of its internal structure and minute mechanisms, and given the certainty of a hidden backdoor, she could likely change control of the weapon with a mere thought.

The third grip is the original grip of this knife. It's perfectly natural, without any sense of disharmony. And its owner can only be one person. That person is the one who once dealt a heavy blow to the Central Continent Team, wiping out the entire team. She was the original forger of this knife, and neither Margot Lloyd's modifications nor her own handling of it could escape the scope of her control.

Zheng Zha knew her, but he didn't understand her. He thought he should hate that woman named Bina Mingju Tianzi. Hate her so much that just thinking about her would make his teeth itch and his blood run cold. However… he found that he couldn't muster any hatred for that woman at all. He had vaguely felt that way before going to the Star River World, but he hadn't paid it any mind. Now, at the bottom of this abyss, he had to face this terrible reality.

“My path is false, my sword is false, my power is false.”

"Even my hatred, my emotions, are fake!"

The crimson greatsword in the void before him rusted and decayed at a visible speed, transforming from a divine weapon worthy of being mentioned in myths and legends into a piece of scrap metal that even junk dealers wouldn't want. All the complex emotions within him vanished in an instant, leaving only a deep sorrow as profound as the night.

Everything was fake, nothing was trustworthy. The realm of 'disbelief' eroded everything he possessed and then enveloped him entirely. He no longer had confidence, no faith in his own sword, no faith in his own fist, no faith in his own will, no faith in his own emotions.

If there's nothing to believe in, then nothing can be considered important. Since everything is unnecessary and worthless, then... what's wrong with abandoning everything?

The spiderweb-like cracks that covered the entire clubhouse gradually spread towards him, touching his hands, taking over his feet, and extending from his knees to his entire body—he knew he could easily dispel these cracks and return to his original form. But…

Why do that?

So what's the value of doing this?

In any case, whether they are friends, teammates, family, or lovers, they are all worthless. I have never trusted them, so abandoning them is insignificant. Besides... I myself have no need to continue this relationship.

I am bored……

So useless...

Let everything vanish into nothingness, silently decaying...

Zheng Zha watched as black cracks spread across his entire body, crossing his neck and jawline towards his face. He observed this unfolding, yet made no move to react. He simply waited, watched, remained silent, and withered away, and then…

A slender, delicate, but icy hand covered his eyes before cracks appeared on his eyelids.

Everything turned into darkness in an instant.

......................................................

Everything flows...

Zheng Zha felt he might be rotting away, starting now at twenty-five, rotting until old age, turning into soil, dust, becoming just a name in records. No, not even a name would exist, because no one would remember him, no one would remember a lowly white-collar worker, whether he was genuinely elegant or just feigning bourgeois sentimentality, he was just a speck of dust in this world… a speck of dust only fit to exist as statistics.

He wanted to change something; he wanted to have his own meaning.

Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you want to truly...live?

Just as Zheng Zha was about to shut down his computer at the company today, a message suddenly popped up on the screen. This was clearly a trick by some inexperienced hacker to attract attention. Whether you chose yes or no, the result was the same: the virus would be downloaded. Zheng Zha chuckled and was about to close it when a strange feeling of unease made him stop as his finger touched the mouse.

Should I click it? Or not?

No, of course you should click it.

His hesitation was only momentary, and he immediately and decisively clicked the mouse. Watching the pop-up disappear with the close command, a sense of loss washed over him. However, this feeling came and went quickly, disappearing in less than a few seconds. He then shut down his computer, packed his things, and went home.

Ah, yes, home. I have a family now. Although life is as boring as ever, a good family man has to take responsibility. Occasionally, I might daydream, imagining myself as a chivalrous knight or superhero from a movie or novel, rightly fighting evil and righting wrongs. But after the daydreaming, I still have to return to the real world and slowly deal with the real enemies—the daily grind of life.

I was lucky today; my idiot boss didn't suddenly pull out an urgent project five minutes before the end of the workday and yell for everyone to work overtime. Those colleagues who are unreliable once they're not working all had their own leisure activities. When I got into the elevator, it was in the perfect state—just one person short and it would be overloaded. This meant that going from the office to the first-floor parking lot was a straight line, without wasting time on the various floors in between.

Excellent, even though it's boring and mundane, it's all excellent.

With a hard-won good mood, Zheng Zha stepped out of the elevator smoothly, having long since forgotten about the computer pop-up. He cheerfully greeted a few somewhat familiar colleagues or employees from the neighboring company, and walked briskly to the parking lot. Then, he expertly lit up the secondhand Audi he had bought from the used car market for 80,000 yuan.

The car wasn't great, but it was suitable. However, as the engine, which wasn't exactly new, roared to life, Zheng Zha's phone rang at the same time. And when he saw the name displayed on the screen, the good mood he had painstakingly built up vanished.

Zheng Zha rubbed his face, trying to soften his expression. Then he let out a soft breath and answered the phone labeled "boss" ten seconds before the ringtone.

"Boss, this is Xiao Zheng. I just got off work. What can I do for you?"

The person on the other end of the phone launched into a tirade of criticism.

"Xiao Zheng, I'm not trying to be mean, but shouldn't you young people be full of energy? Huh? When I was your age, I was working overtime until at least 11 pm every day. If the boss didn't fire me, I'd want to sleep at the company. How come you, at such a young age, want to run away as soon as you finish work? What's wrong, kidney deficiency?"

"Boss, I'm just rushing home to see my family..."

Before he could finish speaking, the voice on the other end of the phone interrupted him, not rudely but also impolitely.

“Xiao Zheng, I know you young people love to have fun. You have all sorts of ideas. I’ve been there too, so I understand what you young people are thinking. But having fun is fine, a man should have some ambition, right? You’re still young, you have plenty of time. If you don’t take this opportunity to develop yourself, it’ll be too late to regret it later.”

"Alright, I won't chat with you any longer. There's a document on your desk that I just had someone put there; you'll need it tomorrow, so you'd better hurry. Let me make this clear: if anything goes wrong, you'll be held responsible. That's all, bye."

A busy tone came from the phone, the screen flashing and reflecting Zheng Zha's unpredictable face. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, raising his hand to smash the phone but stopping himself. All that remained was a soft sigh. Finding someone to cover for him was out of the question; his colleagues were all untrustworthy. And while he was a figure in the company, his subordinates were all utterly unreliable.

Sure enough, I'm destined to rot away in this boring life. If only I hadn't closed that window...

...Tsk, what are you thinking?

Zheng Zha shook his head and resignedly turned off the Audi's engine. While waiting for the elevator, he saw the beer-bellied boss, arm in arm with his young and beautiful secretary, get into a Mercedes-Benz parked not far from his secondhand Audi. Then he had to bend down and force a smile whenever that fat guy looked over.

He wasn't angry, because anger... was useless. By the time he finished the extra work he had been assigned and returned, exhausted, to his three-bedroom, two-living-room apartment in a second-tier neighborhood that he had bought on a mortgage, it was already 2 a.m.

"You big bad guy, you're so busy and you're not home until so late again!" His petite wife stood with her hands on her hips, looking at him angrily, but her eyes, though dark circles under her eyes, showed undisguised concern.

"I'm busy with work... I'm sorry," Zheng Zha replied weakly. Facing his childhood sweetheart and current wife, whose physical development was hampered by cancer in her youth, he couldn't bear to utter even a harsh word. She was his support, his reliance, his only... trust.

Perhaps it can be considered trust.

After all, if there was anything important in this world for him, it was only Lori in front of him. He didn't know how he would live without her, even if…

He shook his head and sat down on the sofa.

Lori lay behind the sofa and gently massaged his neck and shoulders.

"You don't need to apologize to me, you bad boy. I'm already content as long as you're safe and healthy," she whispered in his ear. "It can't always be like this; you need to take good care of yourself too."

"Work isn't that simple. Making money isn't easy these days," Zheng Zha said with a wry smile, shaking his head helplessly. He took a deep breath, stood up from the sofa, and walked towards his bedroom. "Alright, you should listen to me. I'm going to get some sleep now. You should rest early too."

Lori responded softly, then got off the sofa and followed him.

"You big bad guy, did you find what you were looking for?" she suddenly asked softly.

"Ah, I found it." Zheng Zha suddenly turned around and picked up the screaming Luo Li tightly. "You've asked this question every day for more than ten years since you were discharged from the hospital. I'm too lazy to answer it anymore."

“But…” He pulled Lori into a tight embrace.

"My answer will never change. What comes to mind is a girl named Lori, whom I am holding in my arms right now."

Section 46: The Inheritance of the Way

The night passed, and life went on. Back at the company, Zheng Zha continued his monotonous routine, just like before: work, off-get off work, overtime, holidays. Occasionally, on legally mandated holidays when overtime and voluntary work were prohibited, he'd have the chance to accompany his wife to nearby tourist attractions. While not particularly exciting, it at least helped alleviate some of the boredom.

He still found every day incredibly boring, but he realized he was gradually getting used to it. After all, he had to take care of his family, and a man always has to make sacrifices sometimes. And gradually, he discovered that working overtime every day wasn't such a bad thing after all. Although his boss was mentally challenged, his connections and resources were genuine. And while his seemingly unreliable colleagues and subordinates weren't exactly trustworthy, using them as laborers or scapegoats wasn't a big deal.

He spent five years diligently cultivating his position, rising from an ordinary, insignificant office manager to become the boss's true confidant. Then, he spent another five years gradually accumulating resources and building his network of connections. He also quietly brought some of the company's shady dealings under his control.

And in this fifteenth year of the entire year...

"Zheng Zha! I've treated you well, why..."

In the top-floor office of the company, Zheng Zha, dressed in a well-tailored suit, looked with amusement at the middle-aged man who had treated him like a dog for the past fifteen years. He held a thin document in his hand and casually tossed it onto the man's desk.

"Boss, the truth will eventually come out. Do you really think the higher-ups have never cared about all those shady dealings that have been going on in the company over the years? That's impossible. Even if I don't expose them, someone else will do it sooner or later, and then I'll be in jail too. Let's be dignified, boss. We've come this far, don't make it so ugly."

“I’ve placed this document on your desk here myself. You’ll need it in an hour, so you’d better hurry. Let me be clear from the start: take responsibility for what you’re supposed to do. It’s better for everyone, for me, and for your sister-in-law and the others. That’s all I have to say. I hope you can be rational. Of course…” He tilted his head slightly, his eyes holding the look of a predator eyeing its prey. “…If you don’t cooperate, it doesn’t really matter.”

Five years ago, a phrase that had stuck with him deeply resonated with him was uttered in a similar tone. This gave him a surge of satisfaction. He knew the middle-aged man before him had long forgotten what he'd said five years ago. But it didn't matter; the die was cast. Now, all that mattered was being happy. He wasn't going to wait to witness his former boss's final, disgraceful act; he shrugged and prepared to leave.

"Zheng Zha," the middle-aged man growled as he was about to push open the door. "What exactly do you want?"

"I need to take care of my family." Zheng Zha paused slightly, then used these four words as the end of the conversation.

A few days later, the company underwent a major reshuffle. Many veterans were fired, new employees were promoted, and the former boss was imprisoned after evidence of various illegal and unethical activities was exposed. The government authorities ended the company's suspension period after seizing his personal assets and investigating some of the company's shady dealings. Zheng Zha, leveraging his past influence and the favor of high-ranking officials in the city, successfully rose to power, taking charge of the company at the prime age of forty.

He still found every day boring, even after rising from a lowly soldier to a boss; life wasn't much different from before. Going to work, leaving get off work, and overtime had been replaced by parties and social engagements. He didn't trust anyone other than Lori, including the subordinates he'd trained, so he had to do many things himself. While his decade-long climb and struggle had kept his body relatively healthy, excessive socializing was always harmful.

He was distrustful, distrustful of everyone. He trusted neither the juniors he had personally promoted nor the high-ranking officials who had appreciated him during his time of weakness. After all, his subordinates could betray him, and those above him could abandon him. He was stunned to find that after fifteen years of struggle, his situation had not fundamentally changed—he was still oppressed, and his subordinates were still dissatisfied. Aside from having more money in his pocket and a higher position, he was essentially no different from fifteen years ago.

Five years later...

A cocktail party somewhere...

Zheng Zha's once robust physique had become bloated, his abdomen, which used to show off his eight-pack abs, was now covered with a layer of lard. His thick black hair had gradually thinned, his smile lines had become prominent, and his once bright and resolute eyes were now filled with only shrewdness and cunning. And just like that, without realizing it, he had become the same kind of person as the foolish boss he had put in prison.

"Mr. Zheng." Another company CEO, whose appearance was not much different from his at that moment, toasted him, and he smiled and raised his glass in return. After some polite greetings, the two quickly found a quiet place to talk about business matters, and as some consensus was gradually reached, the topic gradually deepened.

"I've heard that Mr. Zheng has quite a few connections at customs. Coincidentally, I have a batch of goods that are inconvenient to go through regular customs for various reasons. I wonder if Mr. Zheng could offer some guidance on this matter?"

"I wouldn't call it giving pointers, but I do have some connections. Let me make this clear first: I won't do anything illegal or unethical. But if it's just normal business dealings, then I, Old Zheng, will naturally take the lead. However, this..." He gave his impromptu conversation partner a meaningful look, which the latter immediately understood. He laughed heartily and steered the conversation elsewhere.

After a series of pleasantries, both host and guests enjoyed themselves. However, as the party was drawing to a close, Zheng Zha's business partner extended an invitation that all men would understand.

"Brother Zheng, I've heard there's a famous club nearby with an excellent reputation, renowned for its tea ceremony and dance. Since we've hit it off so well today, how about..."

"Haha, I can't refuse your kind invitation. Then I'll gladly accept..." Zheng Zha replied with a smile, but just as he was about to finish speaking, his cell phone, which only had one number saved in its pocket, beeped softly. He raised an eyebrow slightly, apologized, and took the phone out of his pocket. A line of elegant handwriting appeared on the screen.

—'You big bad guy, why aren't you back yet?'

Oh, correction to the previous text. Zheng is a bit different from his former boss. At least he won't keep a mistress or engage in casual flings. Even though he's gone from an energetic young man to a greasy middle-aged businessman, he still remembers what he values ​​most—his love for Luo Li, and that will never change no matter what happens.

Of course, business still needed to be discussed. Especially some deals that couldn't be considered shady. He didn't decline the invitation to the club. Instead, they discussed business matters thoroughly, and just as they were about to have some interesting evening activities, he took his leave. And just like that day fifteen years ago, when he returned to his villa reeking of alcohol, it was already two in the morning.

Lori stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, glaring at him as always. Although she was over forty, time hadn't left many marks on her. It seemed that the cancer she'd suffered as a child hadn't been entirely bad news after all. After all, while it hindered her growth, it had also slowed her aging process.

"Sorry, I'm busy with work."

"I've told you so many times, you don't need to apologize to me, you bad boy. As long as you're safe and healthy, I'll be content." She whispered in his ear. "But this can't go on forever. You're getting old, you need to take good care of yourself."

“Making money isn’t that simple. Besides…” Zheng Zha rubbed his forehead, then suddenly, amidst Luo Li’s startled cry, he gently picked her up. “Don’t you know whether I’m old or not? I’ll prove to you right now how young I am!”

"Ugh! You're so mean! You're so mean!" Lori gently punched his chest, but didn't protest much. After all, they were an old married couple, and she could tell at a glance that Zheng Zha had been cooped up outside for a long time before coming back.

"You big bad guy, did you find what you were looking for?" she suddenly asked softly.

“For decades, you’ve asked me every single day.” Zheng Zha shook his head, looking helpless. “I’ve already found it, darling. You are the only thing I’ve ever wanted, and I plan to be a family man.”