In the dim and damp underground room, only a single incandescent bulb overhead flickered with a faint light.
The cold light danced hollowly over the man standing with hands behind his back, casting his silhouette into even deeper solitude.
Upon hearing the questioning voice behind him, he slowly turned around, his face—previously gentle and unable to hide its handsome features even if a thousand pearls were dimmed—was now filled with a cold killing intent, chilling to the bone.
This was the first time Gu Yu had come face to face and communicated with this man.
Before, the only way he knew and understood him was through stacks of documents and photographs.
The man in those pictures had an air of naive honesty, always appearing benevolently pure and kind-hearted.
But now, the one standing before him was truly a bloodthirsty Shura, whose emotions even he couldn’t see through.
Ha, how could the man who had pursued him to this point from Hua Country possibly be naive and honest?
They had all been deceived by him!
"Zhao Lang," Gu Yu said through gritted teeth, tied to a chair, "Don’t think that just because you’ve returned to the Capital, you can take back everything that’s yours. It’s too late! I am Gu Yu, I am the eldest grandson of the Gu Family, and that is an undeniable fact!"
Zhao Lang toyed with the dagger in his hand. The reflected cold light occasionally swept across his brow, casting a layer of frost upon it.
He lowered his brows, half his face obscured in the shadow, inscrutable and somber.
"Yet only my body carries the true blood of the Gu Family. That is also an undeniable fact." He gently lifted the dagger, positioning it against Gu Yu’s neck, "In this world, there is only one true Gu Yu, and that is me."
Had it not been for the mix-up over twenty years ago when he and the man before him had been switched at birth.
Perhaps no one would know that the young master of the Gu Family, who now commanded the Capital, was actually a brute from the countryside.
And the one trapped in that small mountain village, living in obscurity, was the true eldest grandson of the Gu Family.
Watching the blade draw ever closer, a flicker of panic finally crossed the depths of Gu Yu’s eyes.
"You—you can’t kill me. I took care of grandfather for over twenty years. Although we have no blood relation, we are as close as grandfather and grandchild. If you kill me, grandfather will never let you off! Even if you are his biological grandson, I am the one who lived with him!"
Zhao Lang let out a contemptuous laugh, "Do you really think that Old Sir Jiang is in the dark about me being after you?"
Gu Yu’s pupils dilated in an instant.
"Why don’t you guess why Old Sir Jiang knew yet didn’t reach out to help you?" The dagger in Zhao Lang’s hand was now pressed against his cheek, gently scraping, "That’s because you are now a useless pawn that’s been discarded."
Boom, something collapsed inside Gu Yu’s heart.
"No, it’s impossible... wasn’t grandfather the one who loved me the most? How can it be possible......"
"Let me tell you the truth, all those dirty deeds you’ve done behind the Gu Family, not only do I know about them, but Old Sir Jiang knows about them too." Zhao Lang spoke the brutal fact in the softest of voices, "Those poachers from Chixia Village, ostensibly working for you smuggling goods, were actually sent by your order to take my life, right?"
"How unfortunate," he chuckled lightly, straightening up, "I have tough luck." freёwebnoѵel.com
Gu Yu completely lost his composure, letting out a piercing scream as he sat in the chair.
"Yes, those men were sent by me! But you actually didn’t die! You actually didn’t die! Hahaha—I should have realized sooner, I should have known you weren’t that simple. I shouldn’t have shown mercy, the moment I learned your true identity, I should have killed you!"
Suddenly, he broke free of the ropes somehow and lunged fiercely at Zhao Lang.
Zhou Xu and Pei Ye, standing by, hurriedly pounced to pin him down.
But it was already too late. Gu Yu raised his hand, driving the Poison Needle hidden in his sleeve viciously into Zhao Lang’s heart.
"Hahahaha, you want to kill me and become the true Gu Yu? No way! If I can’t survive, if I can’t have it all, then you’re coming to die with me!!!"
Pei Ye landed a punch on the crown of Gu Yu’s head, causing him to spit out a large mouthful of blood, dizzy and collapsing backward.
Zhao Lang clutched at his chest, staggered up from the ground, then snatched the gun from Zhou Xu’s hand and aimed it at him.
"Bang—" With a gunshot, Gu Yu completely collapsed in a pool of blood, breaking off his breath.
Zhao Lang could no longer hold himself up and knelt to the ground as well.
Upon seeing this, Zhou Xu quickly supported him and shouted loudly for help, "Quick, go find a doctor, damn it, go find a doctor!"
But Zhao Lang raised his hand to stop him.
Zhou Xu, however, clung to his hand and yelled, "Boss, what time do you think it is, and you still want to play tough? That little bastard’s Poison Needle is no joke, have you forgotten how Old Xu died at Devil’s Bay? You—"
"I...I’m fine." Zhao Lang squeezed these few words out between his teeth.
"How can you be fine, Boss, you—"
Zhou Xu stopped talking, his eyes suddenly widened.
Because he saw Zhao Lang pull out the Poison Needle from his heart area.
—There wasn’t a trace of blood on it, but it had deeply sunk into a small piece of triangle talisman paper.
Zhou Xu was momentarily stunned, "This is....."
Zhao Lang let out a laugh, "Peace charm."
This time, he owed Jiang Li so much, he feared he would never be able to pay it back in his lifetime.
Old Sir Jiang felt that the house had been unusually quiet recently.
He only went to the company for inspections for a few days, and since returning, he felt the whole atmosphere had once again changed completely.
Jiang Yan, breaking with precedence, hadn’t escaped and had actually been properly confined for a few days.
Jiang Shi Xu got up and ate at regular times every day.
Jiang Li was even more quiet, staying in his room to read and study, not stepping out of the main gate or the second gate.
What surprised him most was the change in Jiang Cheng. Usually, when he returned home, this child was always the first to come out to greet him, brimming with enthusiasm.
But now, he only greeted him from a distance and then hobbled upstairs.
Even the housekeepers were more dedicated and diligent than before.
Jiang Zhao Yuan suspected he had returned to an impostor home.
Why was it that every time he left for a while and came back, things were different?
This anomaly continued until lunchtime.
At the dining table, everyone ate the food in front of them quietly and with exceptional manners.
The table manners he had emphasized for over a decade, these little brats had suddenly all achieved overnight.
In his amazement, the old man couldn’t help but feel dissatisfied.
"It would be nice if Lao Er and Lao San were here. It’s been years since our family had a meal together."
As Lin Manru was serving soup to the old man, she said, "Third Sister-in-law just called yesterday, saying they would be back a few months later. The two boys fell ill again, and she needs to stay to take care of them."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhao Yuan promptly asked, "Is it serious?"
"Kids, you know. Colds and fevers are common, nothing serious, but they probably can’t endure the journey."
"I suppose so," he said, then snorted, "It’s understandable that Lao San’s wife can’t come back, but Lao San himself uses excuses to stay at the company every day and not return. I know he just finds his old man too nagging!"