Chapter 64 Love, Methods, Escaping Desperation with a New Past...

After squandering his remaining ammunition quota, Fu Ze declined the range owner's invitation to celebrate and left the range alone. He sat in the shade, gazing at the cranes rising and falling in the now autonomously operating Dala Harbor, holding a bottle of ginger ale with a straw and lost in thought.

His hot fingers rested on the glass bottle, tiny droplets of water condensed and gathered at the edge of his fingers before finally flowing and dripping down the bottle, leaving a trail that resembled a tear.

After the adrenaline from exercise subsided, Fu Ze felt a sense of emptiness.

Because he discovered that he had nothing to do.

At least for today, it seems he only has one task left—to wait for Yuan Jianxing to get off work, and then go to Cui Ya's restaurant for dinner.

It sounds just like a date between a "canary" and a "sugar daddy".

Fu Ze chuckled self-deprecatingly, raised his wrist, put the straw into his mouth, and took a big gulp.

The pale yellow liquid swirled upwards through a straw twisted into the shape of a heart, rushing into Fu Ze's mouth with a refreshing coolness and intense spiciness, making his eyes slightly moist.

Just then, the sun shifted to an angle that allowed it to penetrate the shade of the trees and shine directly into Fu Ze's gray-purple pupils. Fu Ze couldn't help but raise his forearm to shield his eyes.

At the same moment he lost his vision of reality, other images automatically appeared in his mind as a substitute.

These dazzling array of scenes took turns appearing and vying for attention in Fu Ze's mind, creating quite a lively scene.

Their only common point is that they were originally named Jianxing.

Hara Mihoshi, who gets off the heavy loader; Hara Mihoshi, who pretends to accept the coffee he's given but secretly throws it away halfway through, cutting off his view; Hara Mihoshi, who deliberately gets up early to challenge his ahoge (cowlick); Hara Mihoshi, who leans close to his neck in the dim light; Hara Mihoshi, whose figure is blurred through two layers of glass in the sea...

No matter how hard Fu Ze tried, he couldn't get rid of these Yuan Jianxing from his mind. Later on, it even became a situation where if he drove away one, two more would pop up.

Finally, he opened his eyes in an escapist manner.

In an instant, all the original stars disappeared, leaving only a message on Fu Ze's phone from the original stars that they had successfully booked Cuiya Restaurant and completed the order.

Fine, you're everywhere.

Fu Ze resignedly sat up to face the problem.

"Sugar daddy" and "canary in the coal mine"?

Fu Ze sighed softly.

If it were that simple, that would be great.

From that barely audible "yes," he seemed to have found the answer to the question of "why Hara Miki's attitude towards him had changed 180 degrees."

When Fu Ze first realized this, he felt as if he had instantly entered a space where time had almost stopped.

In such a space, he was able to perceive even the most minute details of this body.

Increased breathing, a stopped heartbeat, tense muscles, dilated blood vessels, constricted pupils...

These changes ultimately resulted in a record-breaking 10.0, where the ball landed in the center of the target, surpassing Bodan's limit.

But just as the gold foil that fell from the sky to celebrate the new record refracted into thousands of stars, Fu Ze felt a sudden tightness in the back of his head.

...I can't completely rule out the possibility that this is the original star-spotting illusion.

After all, once the social constraint relationship of "superior and subordinate" fails, Yuan Jianxing has to find new means to restrain himself.

Take love, for example.

Fu Ze believed that with Yuan Jianxing's abilities and professionalism, he was absolutely capable of making such a choice and packaging it in an incredibly convincing way.

Although Fu Ze spent most of his time adapting to his new body and dealing with the ensuing crises, and only a small portion of his time inquiring about the [Key], in his rare moments of leisure, he would choose to sit in a bar and listen to strangers, fueled by alcohol, pour out their life's bitterness.

Commonly known as the Eight Trigrams.

Ninety percent of these are related to love.

You love me but I don't love you, I love you but you love him, and so on and so forth.

At times like these, Fu Ze would listen to the other person tearfully recount the emotional trauma they suffered, while carefully and perfunctorily responding with a few words, and casually ordering a low-alcohol cocktail and putting it on the other person's bill as compensation for his emotional distress.

He couldn't understand why, despite the fact that humans have developed brains far superior to those of most animals through long evolution, they would be used to think about such trivial matters.

But now Fu Ze understands.

Just like now, if he could shed the assumption that "Yuan Jianxing is using him in this way" and simply enjoy the anticipation of meeting in the evening, then he would be no different from the fox in "The Little Prince".

His statement, "For example, if you come at four in the afternoon, I'll start feeling happy from three. The closer it gets to four, the happier I'll become. Once four arrives, I'll be restless. I'll show you just how happy I am!" is almost a true reflection of his current mood.

It is only natural for people to indulge in such pleasure.

Fortunately, unlike those heartbroken men and women who drown their sorrows in alcohol on late-night radio shows, there was one thing that always stood between her and Hara Mikihoshi—

【key】

Based on the information available so far, there is indeed only one key.

Therefore, there can only be one winner in this battle.

If Hara Miki got the key, would she entrust this important object, which could affect the world order, to me for safekeeping because of "love"?

Thinking of this, Fu Ze chuckled and stretched his waist, which had been in one position for a long time due to deep thought.

Obviously not, otherwise he wouldn't be able to sit in the position of CEO, Hara Mihoshi.

Therefore, no matter what the appearance is, in the end they cannot escape the fate of going from "being of one mind and one heart" to "having different dreams while sleeping in the same bed" and finally "fighting among themselves".

Conversely, if I were to obtain the key, would I hand it over to Hara Mihoshi?

Fu Ze suddenly stopped moving.

My initial desire to obtain the "key" was simply due to the guidance I heard during my various "deaths and rebirths," which sounded like the whispers of deities.

At that time, he was dragged into an endless chain of nested deaths by the first death that had vanished without a trace, so he had no choice but to cling to this one and only miracle to survive.

Seemingly realizing something significant, Fu Ze suddenly stood up, only to fall back down due to his numb ankle from sitting for so long.

Now he has nominally "died" once, and is about to receive a new identity.

Doesn't this mean that I've escaped the dead end of "an endless cycle of revenge"?

Then why do I still need to look for the "key"?

Why bother fighting with Hara Miki for the key?

Fu Ze collapsed onto the most classic iron chair in L City, as if utterly exhausted, letting the wind blowing from Dara Port sweep past him and roll away the clouds overhead, revealing a clear sky.

Let's live on with this new identity and this new past, as Fu Ze's soul!

As long as Yuan Jianxing needs him for one more day, he will have to be bound to him for one more day with some unknown form of "love" or something else.

Fu Ze has plenty of ways to make Yuan Jianxing need him.

If a fake thing can be carried out to the end, then it's not a fake thing.

Fu Ze hooked the phone over and unlocked the screen to reply to Yuan Jianxing's message.

Fu Ze: Here are some flowers for you.jpg

-

Holding the large bouquet of flowers, Yuan Jianxing walked steadily up the stairs to Fu Ze on the second floor. "These flowers are for you."

Fu Ze stood up, took the bouquet, and asked somewhat uneasily, "Why so suddenly?"

Although he was mentally prepared for a "long-term battle of love," he did not expect Yuan Jianxing's offensive to be so swift, which caught him somewhat off guard.

“I didn’t buy it,” Yuan Jianxing said calmly, sitting opposite Fu Ze.

"...Who is that?" Fu Ze was somewhat surprised, and also a little disappointed.

Then, at Yuan Jianxing's prompting, he pulled out a tag from the large bouquet of flowers.

"How could it be him? Didn't I say I'd never see him again?" Upon recognizing Alexei as the giver, Fu Ze covered his eyes with his hand, then awkwardly explained to Yuan Jianxing, "You know, I did that entirely because..."

"It's alright, it's been resolved." Yuan Jianxing's voice was calm, as if this was just a trivial incident. "I just thought that since it was a gift from him to you, even as your boss, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to overstep my bounds and throw it away or give it away."

Fu Ze roared inwardly: That's perfect!

Just then, Cui Ya came over to serve the dishes, and Fu Ze grabbed him as if he had seen a savior, and stuffed the bouquet into his arms. "Come on, take this flower and put it at the front desk. If there's no place to put it at the front desk, you can take it down and give it to the guests."

In short, make it disappear immediately!

disappear! ! !

Cui Ya, who was pulled back by Fu Ze, looked surprised at first.

The negotiations have fallen apart?

But after looking at the two men's postures and expressions from the left and right sides of the bouquet, he rejected his initial guess.

It doesn't seem like it.

Adhering to the principle that an excellent manager should meet all customer requirements, Cui Ya finally picked up the bouquet of flowers that was wider than his shoulders and went downstairs thoughtfully.

Workplace romances are far too complicated.

But what does this have to do with him, who's just observing workplace romances?

After forcibly exchanging the flowers in her hand with a waiter carrying a tray, Cui Ya turned and walked upstairs again.

-

Looking at Cui Ya who had returned, Fu Ze could guess what the man was up to with a snap of his fingers.

It seems that if I can't get rid of this guy once and for all, my date tonight is probably doomed.

"Would you two like to try this week's highly recommended new product—Noir & Nectar?" Cui Ya stood upright by the table, looking nothing like someone who was there to listen to gossip.

Fu Ze: "Speak like a human being."

Cui Ya: "...Mulberry Honey Cheese Pie".

“Oh, fruit pie.” Fu Ze rattled off his judgment on this food with practiced ease, “It’s a food made by chopping fresh fruit into a puree, cooking it in a pot, mixing it with sugar of the kind that would keep a mummy from decaying for a thousand years, and finally stuffing it into a greasy, crumbly pastry. It’s practically a spectacle created by the Creator after having a nightmare and drawing inspiration from it.”

This explanation left Cui Ya dumbfounded.

Once he realized what was happening, gossip was no longer important. As the esteemed restaurant owner and the co-developer of Noir & Nectar, he had to refute Fu Ze's fallacies with reason and evidence.

Just as Cui Ya was bracing himself and preparing to launch a counterattack, he suddenly felt himself being subjected to a chilling gaze.

At this moment, only one person can do this...

Through the reflection of the liquid in the stemmed glass, Cui Ya also noticed a polite smile on Yuan Jianxing's lips.

The way this person looked at me seemed to say: My wife is being unreasonable, please bear with her.

Oh ho.

Just as Cui Ya was pondering what kind of surrender posture would allow him to retain as much of his own dignity as possible, an employee carrying a tray rushed up to the second floor and said to him, "Boss, you'd better go down and take a look. It looks like the customers in A5 and A6 are about to start a fight."

This opportunity came at such a opportune moment that Cui Ya slipped away before the other party could finish recounting the background.

The employees looked at their boss, who usually caused trouble but was able to calm everyone down and regain their composure after the restaurant was destroyed, with mixed feelings. They turned and walked towards Fu Ze and Yuan Jianxing, placing the food on the trays one by one on the table between the two.

"A set meal of sous-vide lamb with pumpkin truffle puree. A set meal of vanilla cream sole with seared vegetable tarts, including a fruit pie in place of rice pudding."

"The meal is ready, please enjoy your meal."

-

"When was the last time we ate together?" Longji cracked open a hard-boiled egg in an exquisite dish with a spoon, scooping out a spoonful of perfectly set orange-yellow yolk.

"Several weeks ago, right?" Deer Ears on the other end of the video stopped forking the slightly overcooked beef on her plate and recalled carefully, "Ever since you got the [key], you've rarely had time to stay here with me."

Longji swallowed the soft soup and said gently, like a considerate lover, "That's why I came to keep you company, even though it's from a distance."

"Oh? I thought you came to hold me accountable, but this is my last supper." Deer Ears turned his head, looking at Dragon Spine with slight surprise.

"Accountability? What accountability?"

Setting down his knife and fork, Deer Ears elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin. "That batch of firearms was intercepted just after crossing the border."

Upon hearing this news from Lu Er, which was theoretically very unfavorable to the Cummins Group, Long Ji on the other end of the video seemed completely unmoved.

He picked up the wine glass beside him, swirled his wrist slightly to coat the amber liquid on the glass, and asked casually, "Do you know who intercepted us?"

"According to those who escaped from the chaos, they were kidnapped by rebel forces in their own country." Deer Ear picked up a small plastic bag and showed it to Dragon Spine.

The plastic bag contained a twisted, deformed, bloodstained bullet.

"From the weapon model to the accent, everything matches up."

She put down the plastic bag, then picked up the wooden beer mug on the table and took a small sip of the vanilla beer inside.

The villages along the border are not as well-stocked as L City. This low-alcohol beer, which would normally be a non-issue on Deer Ear's menu, is the best drink you can buy here.

Surprisingly, she quite liked the taste.

It has a sense of vitality and wildness.

She is freer than him.

Using the tip of his tongue to scoop up the foam stuck to his lips, Deer Ears shrugged: "But the handover was completed under the watchful eyes of both of us, and the evidence that needed to be uploaded was uploaded, so no matter how you look at it, it can't be blamed on us."

Longji curled the corner of his mouth slightly, but didn't say anything.

But Deer Ear knew that his action meant—

I doubt they would dare.

Yes, for someone as influential as Longji, who ranks among the top in the world, there's only the opportunity for him to find fault with others; there's no possibility that others would actively make things difficult for him.

“If it were just for this, you definitely wouldn’t have called me.” Dragon Spine’s gaze fell on Deer Ears’ hands. “That wine looks interesting. Bring some back for me.”

“No problem.” Lu Er hesitated for a moment, but finally forced the conversation to her main point, “There’s one more thing, I think you might need to let me know—Xi Jiao seems to be planning to make a move against Yuan Jianxing.”

"Yuan Jianxing, the CEO of V City?" Longji's expression finally changed noticeably, and he looked at Lu Er with a serious expression. "Does he have some kind of grudge against Xijiao?"

“I don’t know for now.” Deer Ears shook his head. “But I think doing this is tantamount to giving the executives an opportunity to investigate us.”

"Previously, due to the various anomalies caused by the appearance of the [key], the Adjudication Bureau had already strengthened its supervision of the Cumming Group."

“Whether it’s me, Rhinoceros Horn, or even the detached Sparrow Tail, we are all under close surveillance.”

"Later, when Snake Eyes was being secretly escorted to V City, Sparrow Feather received a message from Wells Lee, which led to a chaotic battle between the two sides, and in the end, all the key figures were wiped out."

"Even if the adjudication board is slow to react, it should have realized that something is really wrong."

"So from a personal perspective, I strongly suspect that Yuan Jianxing's arrival in L City was deliberately arranged by someone behind the scenes."

"In short, if such a person were to die here, it would probably cause quite a bit of trouble."

Although her analysis appeared logical on the surface, Lu Er knew that the reason she spoke up for Yuan Jianxing was entirely for the sake of another person.

Dragon Spine may have been aware of this, but he didn't care.

Just like how owners wouldn't mind their pets secretly hiding their favorite toys.

After downing the wine in his goblet, Dragon Spine smiled slightly at Deer Ears.

"Okay, I'll talk to Rhinoceros Horn alone later."

-----------------------

Author's Note: [Three-colored cat head] Fu Xiaozhe is planning to settle down and live a good life.