Chapter 101 Chaos's Turn (Part 3) Rotting Tissue and the Smelly Stink...

Wei Yuanye said, "Whatever you call it, it's fine. Isn't this what you like the most?"

Zhang Deng unconsciously said the wrong thing, but quickly covered it up and said, "I just thought it was too ugly."

Wei Yuanye rubbed the soft roots of his newly grown hair and said in surprise, "It's grown a lot."

Zhang Deng said, "Hu Ningning is coming to see us. Let's find a place to sit down and wait for her."

Wei Yuanye searched online for a long time and asked Zhang Deng, "Do you want to eat grilled fish?"

Zhang Deng said, "It's great. I haven't eaten it in a long time."

The two of them standing in the mall were very eye-catching, but it was mainly because Wei Yuanye's appearance was indeed outstanding and unique, which gave people a strong impact, and Zhang Deng standing next to him was also forced to be noticed. Everyone realized belatedly that their aura and appearance were very compatible.

Last time, Zhang Deng was looking for a restaurant with Wei Yuanye and didn't notice the gazes of people passing by. This time, he was more idle and had time to look at the various people passing by. He found that many people were secretly looking at the two of them.

Wei Yuanye rarely expresses intimacy, but this time on the way to the restaurant, the two of them held hands naturally, and Zhang Deng, like last time, couldn't help but lean tightly on his shoulder.

Zhang Deng knew that there were some roads he had to walk alone, but he also wanted to pretend that he could rely on Wei Yuanye.

Wei Yuanye also leaned slightly on Zhang Deng, and the two of them just silently, as if relying on and snuggling with each other, went to find the restaurant that they heard was delicious.

After ordering the food, Zhang Deng still placed the ugly fish in front of the grilled fish and took a photo. He still chose to adjust a very warm filter and posted it on WeChat Moments.

His copy read: "No matter what, I will be happy."

Hu Ningning quickly liked his post and commented: "Coming soon."

He Xiaoqiu pointed his finger downwards at him.

Half an hour later, Ye Hong called and started by asking, "Why didn't you tell me you were back?"

Zhang Deng said, "What's going on?"

Ye Hong used the same excuse again, asking him to go out for dinner. This time, before she hung up the phone, Zhang Deng decisively rejected her: "I have an appointment with someone else."

"Is it something important?" Ye Hong asked, "You haven't had a job lately, have you?"

Zhang Deng said, "I can't go, and I won't be able to go in the future. Mom, let's just leave it at that."

He didn't want to repeat the goodbye words over and over again, so he said, "Let's leave a good impression on each other."

Ye Hong said, "If you don't come, how can others eat well? Why do you only think about yourself?"

Zhang Deng hung up the phone and blacklisted her number.

Wei Yuanye studied his expression and said, "Not bad."

"Did you do well?" Zhang Deng was a little surprised. He realized that Wei Yuanye actually didn't want him to get too close to his parents.

Wei Yuanye said: "Very brave."

Oh, Zhang Deng thought, so Wei Yuanye had been tolerating his cowardice and indecision before.

Wei Yuanye has a pretty good temper, but you can't tell from his face at all.

Zhang Deng had a good temper and accepted this fact.

Sometimes he felt that his relationship with Wei Yuanye was very mature, but it was mainly due to the fact that Wei Yuanye was very smart and good at avoiding possible crises in the relationship.

Hu Ningning arrived quickly and even had a bite to eat. She said, "Thank you for being in a relationship and still taking me with you. Damn, this fish is so ugly."

"I saw it on WeChat Moments, and it's not this ugly in the photos," Hu Ningning said. "It's really ugly in person. Why is it so ugly?"

Zhang Deng said, "Why are you repeatedly humiliating a fish?"

Hu Ningning: "I think the designer is crazy. He was imprisoned in northern Myanmar and fed canned herring for a month before he came up with this."

"Give it to me," Hu Ningning said, "I really like ugly things."

Zhang Deng hesitated for only a moment before giving it to her. He suddenly realized something: "Actually, he just can't possess this ugly fish. In the first world, he simply didn't get it. This time, he did get it, but Hu Ningning wanted it. So, in fact, the so-called 'fate' does exist, it just exists in another form. If it's not his, it will never be his. Fate will do everything in its power to prevent you from obtaining it."

This is what is called cause and effect, the so-called mystery.

Just like he and his mother would have had a fight on the phone even if they hadn't had that dinner, and what was supposed to happen would still have happened, but the process would have been different.

So will Tong Ying die again?

Zhang Deng wasn't sure. He and Wei Yuanye spent the day as Hu Ningning's henchmen. Hu Ningning went on a shopping spree at the mall, buying a lot of designer goods and spending money like water. Zhang Deng and Wei Yuanye just acted confused and then said, "It looks good."

Hu Ningning was very happy after spending a lot of money. She said, "I haven't been shopping for a long time. After the breakup, no one can go shopping with me. Everyone just wants to drink with me."

Hu Ningning didn't like eating out, so she suggested going to her house for dinner. Zhang Deng looked at the time. It was a little after five in the afternoon, more than three hours before Tong Ying's death. Zhang Deng didn't want to go back to Hu Ningning's house, so he said, "Let's go to my house."

"Sure," Hu Ningning said, "Then eat the meal your husband cooks."

So Wei Yuanye went to the supermarket first, while Zhang Deng and Hu Ningning went home first with bags.

When Xiao Mi saw them coming back, she stood at the door and meowed. Zhang Deng touched the kitten, picked it up and kissed it twice. Then Xiao Mi felt annoyed and kicked him away and jumped away.

Hu Ningning lay on his sofa, sighed, and said, "I'm so tired."

"Well," Zhang Deng said, "Would you like some water?"

Hu Ningning: "Why are you so polite? Do you have coffee?"

Zhang Deng was afraid of sleep problems and never drank caffeine. He turned around and looked at Hu Ningning.

Hu Ningning raised her eyebrows at him cunningly.

The two looked at each other, then quickly turned their eyes away, as if nothing had happened.

Zhang Deng poured her a glass of water and sat next to her.

Hu Ningning asked again: "How is your writing going?"

Zhang Deng: "Your interest in my books is a bit exaggerated."

"You're really curious." Hu Ningning asked, "Let me see."

Zhang Deng threw the computer to her and lay on the bed to coax Xiao Mi to sleep. Xiao Mi's body was soft, and she lay on her back in his arms and soon fell asleep snoring. Zhang Deng felt so happy. The only sounds in the room were Hu Ningning sliding the mouse and Xiao Mi snoring.

Even if the end of the world comes, Xiaomi will not be angry. It will just stretch and lie in its father's arms.

Zhang Deng fell asleep slowly while pinching Xiao Mi's flesh pads. In his dream, he walked into Li Xin's playground and saw Hu Ningning chatting with Li Xin.

He also walked over. Li Xin seemed very confused. Zhang Deng sat on the other side of Li Xin. He knew Li Xin and knew that she was not an easy person to get along with, so he did not introduce himself.

Although Li Xin is lonely and envies others who have many friends, she does not have the ability to make friends and has a bad personality. She likes an exciting life and people with personality. She suffers from the usual pain of those who have high expectations but low skills, and her brows are always furrowed.

Zhang Deng asked Li Xin: "Don't you have classes today?"

"Seniors," Li Xin said, "Who are you two?"

Zhang Deng was at a loss for words, so he simply asked, "No competition?"

"How do you know I'm competing?" Li Xin said.

Zhang Deng: "I'm your fan."

Hu Ningning smiled and said, "Me too."

Li Xin asked: "I still have fans?"

"I think so," Zhang Deng glanced at Li Xin, "I think you have great potential."

Li Xin snorted. She was still immature and childish, and said, "Me? Forget it."

Hu Ningning said, "Don't underestimate yourself."

Li Xin stood up, stretched, and said, "You guys continue chatting, I have to go to training."

Hu Ningning watched her walk away and said, "Your good daughter."

"How can it be so disgusting?" Zhang Deng said, disliking the name. "She is she, and I am me."

Hu Ningning: "Didn't you create it?"

Zhang Deng: "She is in her world, I am in mine, we are just two strangers."

"Oh," Hu Ningning said, "That makes sense."

Zhang Deng looked at her carefully, and after a while asked, "When did you start plotting against me?"

"Why are you saying such hurtful things?" Hu Ningning asked, "What do you mean by scheming?"

Zhang Deng said, "Think carefully, it was you who got Chi Xiaoxia drunk back then. Many things have happened because of you, and I actually didn't notice it all this time."

Hu Ningning's figure and Bufa's figure slowly overlapped, and Zhang Deng realized that he had been looking in the wrong direction from the beginning. From the beginning to the end, all the news about Tong Ying was said by Hu Ningning herself, and Tong Ying herself had no chance to clarify.

Hu Ningning leaned back on the bench and said, "Because in real life, being a woman is more convenient."

She stretched out her hand, looked at her long manicure, and said, "If you ask when it started, I found you before Wei Yuanye."

Zhang Deng: "You just don't want to post it?"

"It's a bit insensitive to ask such a question," Hu Ningning said. "Even if it's not posted, it's still a very useful identity."

Zhang Deng asked, "How many identities do you have?"

"It depends on how many identities I need," Hu Ningning said. "Oh, by the way, my real name is Bai Cheng."

Zhang Deng: "I've heard a lot about you, but no one remembers your name."

"Of course," Hu Ningning said, "I'm very cautious about names. Knowing my name will create a relationship with me, which is a very scary cause and effect."

Zhang Deng said, "You actually managed to make it so that no one knows your name."

Hu Ningning: "I think your husband knows."

"He forgot," Zhang Deng said. "He might have really known it before, but then he went through so many memory erasures that he can't remember many things."

"This is why he loves you." Hu Ningning suddenly said without any context.

"What's the meaning?"

Hu Ningning: "You believe whatever he says."

Zhang Deng: "He won't lie to me. Wei Yuanye doesn't lie."

It’s not that Wei Yuanye won’t lie to Zhang Deng, but Wei Yuanye doesn’t lie. Even if he remains silent, he won’t lie.

Zhang Deng said: "He is a very upright person."

"He's honest," Hu Ningning said, as if she had just heard a joke. "Do you think someone who gets first place in strategy is honest?"

Zhang Deng was silent. His silence was actually due to anger. He felt that Hu Ningning was denying a fact.

Hu Ningning asked, "Do you know why he doesn't lie?"

"Because he doesn't need to lie to you," Hu Ningning said, "There are too few people in this world who can use him to lie."

Zhang Deng looked at Hu Ningning carefully and suddenly asked, "Are you afraid of him?"

Hu Ningning laughed and said, "It's okay."

"He's really smart," Hu Ningning said. "I thought he was too cunning when I was in school, and we weren't on the same page."

Zhang Deng said, "He considered you his rival at that time."

"He never took me to heart," Hu Ningning said, "Believe it or not, his mind is not on me."

But--

Hu Ningning said: "At that time, the organization had a Gemini Project, which wanted to implement a two-person partnership system. They first found us because we both had good grades and our strengths and weaknesses complemented each other. We trained together for more than a month, but in the end, the organization canceled the project because the disadvantages outweighed the advantages."

"Do you think he doesn't even remember my name?"

Zhang Deng had indeed never heard Wei Yuanye mention this matter.

Hu Ningning lost herself in memories. "This plan was confidential, so only the two of us and a few senior leaders knew about it. Back then, I felt that the mechanisms of this World Tree were illogical. I've lost a lot of my memories since I appeared in the World Tree. I only know that I was here as an executor and needed to follow orders. I had a lot of doubts, and I thought Wei Yuanye was very reliable, so I wanted to ask him for help. Do you know how he treated me?"

Zhang Deng didn't answer.

Hu Ningning said: "He didn't even talk to me."

Hu Ningning said, "Later I found out that he was born over a month earlier than me, and his number was over a hundred less than mine. I guessed he knew more than me. Maybe he thought I was too conspicuous, so he always deliberately avoided me. The reason I fought so hard to escape from the World Tree was because of him. I think he had already planned to escape, and I couldn't be later than him."

Zhang Deng: "But he never left."

Hu Ningning: "Yes, I only realized later that I could learn more there."

"So," Zhang Deng said, "Did you two come to find me on purpose?"

Hu Ningning said: "I don't know how he found you. I saw the end of this world, and in the end, I saw you."

"This world is a wasteland abandoned by the Four-Dimensional Gods. Once the World Tree's system collapses and no one is left to repair the world, it will collapse," Hu Ningning said. "The world's spiritual energy is exhausted, making it difficult for anyone to cultivate and achieve enlightenment. The World Tree rarely receives new supporters, so collapse is inevitable."

"At the end of the world, I saw all the worlds folding and rapidly collapsing into a black hole. But at that moment of collapse, I saw the only person who escaped. It was neither me nor Wei Yuanye."

"It's you." Hu Ningning looked at Zhang Deng.

Zhang Deng pointed at himself and repeated, "Me."

Hu Ningning said, "I've calculated countless times. There shouldn't be any chance of life, but every time I test, there's still that 0.1% error that can't be calibrated. I can't find where you're hiding. Finally, I remembered the method I used to escape from the World Tree. You escaped into your own book. Although all physical entities have disappeared, you will evolve rapidly in the book. Eventually, you will have an epiphany, successfully escape from the earth, ascend to a higher dimension, lose your physical entity, transcend the shackles of cause and effect, and then the earth will completely disappear."

Zhang Deng: “…”

Hu Ningning looked back at the playground and said, "But I don't know how Wei Yuanye found you. The only thing I can confirm is that he definitely doesn't treat you purely."

"He's the most cunning and calculating person I've ever met," Hu Ningning said. "I know he has a plan, and perhaps the higher-ups at World Tree also know he's unreliable, but no one knows what he's really up to. Things always unfold according to his ideas, and we don't know what role he plays in it."

Zhang Deng said: "Maybe he didn't do anything."

"His existence has already disturbed the cause and effect," Hu Ningning said, "You're right to think so."

Zhang Deng thought of the cause of Tong Ying's death that he saw in the word "death". In order to make him understand the cause and effect, Hu Ningning stirred the boundary between the virtual and the real in Zhang Deng's mind, and used Tong Ying's death to plant a milestone flag in his life, guiding him to this step.

This means that Zhang Deng's life has been completely directed. He has no privacy at all and is monitored by Hu Ningning and her informants throughout the life. When Zhang Deng saw Tong Ying's memory, he was angry, but this anger soon disappeared.

Now Zhang Deng was not angry at all, because Zhang Deng knew that he could not defeat Hu Ningning, and he could not stand against such a person.

Zhang Deng chose to give up his emotions in a very economical and practical way.

If what Hu Ningning said was true, then his fate of being exploited was doomed from the moment Hu Ningning discovered him, and Zhang Deng could not escape it. Because of the persistence and madness of this kind of person, once you provoke him, there will inevitably be two outcomes: destruction for both parties or complete victory.

There are few compromises.

Hu Ningning said: "I know it's difficult for you to say this."

"But I still have to say this," Hu Ningning's figure overlapped with Bufa again, and she said, "between me and Wei Yuanye, can you choose me?"