From now on, I should call you Ling Qianyi! (Chapter 69)
That night, all the members of the Zhao family had the same "dream".
To be precise, this wasn't a dream, because many people were still awake when it arrived. It was more like an illusion, silently enveloping the entire Zhao family and dragging everyone into another time and space.
In that time and space, there was a huge and terrifying red moon that stained the entire sky with an ominous bloody light.
Mr. Zhao's daughter-in-law's surname is He. Since marrying Zhao Lixin, she has completely lost her own name and has become the sensible and understanding "Mrs. Zhao" in the eyes of the housekeeper and servants.
Her "dream" began with the piercing cry of a baby.
Awakened by the crying, Madam Zhao went to the window and saw the huge red moon, almost losing her balance in fright. In her haste, she grabbed the cabinet next to her, which wobbled, and the antique vase on top fell to the ground with a crisp shattering sound.
The cries and the sounds of breaking things mingled, finally waking her husband as well.
Zhao Lixin sat up impatiently and immediately scolded, "What's wrong with you? You can't even soothe a child? I already told you to send him to sleep with the nanny!"
Seeing the broken pieces of the vase on the ground, he became even angrier. "I bought this vase from Hong Kong, it cost me a whopping 5.7 million! What a jinx!"
Now completely wide awake, Zhao Lixin got up and dressed, grumbling and occasionally rolling his eyes impatiently.
Madam Zhao dared not utter a sound and silently comforted the child.
Although she also came from a wealthy family, she had married into the Zhao family from another region and now had no job, completely dependent on them for survival. No matter how Zhao Lixin treated her, she could only silently endure it.
In wealthy families, couples sometimes behave more like master and servant.
Occasionally, when Mrs. Zhao was in a daze, she felt as if she were living in an ancient feudal society, just like the noble ladies of the past, only able to endure the hardships of life and try her best to live until her son grew up and her husband became incapacitated.
She might turn from victim to perpetrator, arrogantly making things difficult for her newlywed daughter-in-law.
"What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and comfort him! If you wake Dad up, you'll be in trouble!"
Suddenly struck on the head, Madam Zhao snapped out of her daze, quickly banished the thought from her mind, and continued to focus on soothing the baby.
Unfortunately, it had little effect; the child seemed quite frightened and continued to cry shrilly.
Ten minutes later, both Mr. Zhao and Zhao Liheng arrived.
Old Zhao looked at her disapprovingly and took the child from her arms.
Even though his posture while holding the child was incorrect, Madam Zhao didn't dare to say a word and meekly lowered her head.
Old Zhao always told her to draw the curtains, his tone as if he were instructing a servant. She didn't resist and obediently did as he said.
Until that terrible sound rang out.
Zhao Lixin called the old housekeeper downstairs, and a terrified scream came through the phone.
The real nightmare began.
At first, all that could be heard were screams over the phone. Later, the screams continued to come from downstairs, echoing repeatedly through the ceiling and into the ears of everyone in the room.
Zhao Liheng turned on his phone and connected to the surveillance camera. They saw an incredibly terrifying scene in the footage.
A pale figure, like a ghost, slowly walked forward.
Its steps were firm yet slow, like a wind-up toy, somewhat mechanical and sluggish. Yet, it firmly guarded the villa's only escape route, indiscriminately tearing apart everyone who passed by.
Yes, shredded.
Every member of the Zhao family in the surveillance footage was torn to shreds by the pale figure, turning into a meaningless pool of flesh and blood, scattered all over the ground.
"What's this!"
Zhao Liheng was so frightened that he almost screamed, but quickly covered his mouth, seemingly afraid that the scream would be heard through the screen and alert the white figure committing the crime downstairs.
Zhao Lixin was also trembling, pointing at the white figure on the screen: "...Zhao Li'en, it's Zhao Li'en!"
Madam Zhao felt a chill run down her spine upon hearing this.
Zhao Li'en... isn't that my eldest sister who died ten years ago?
She subconsciously turned to look at Mr. Zhao and found that his face was more gloomy than ever before.
He murmured softly, seemingly lost in thought: "Li'en... do you still hate your father?"
The baby was still crying in Old Zhao's arms, the cries were shrill.
Zhao Lixin snapped out of his daze and immediately reached out to cover the baby's mouth.
They must remain silent if they don't want to be torn apart!
The baby's crying stopped abruptly, its face turned red, and its arms waved helplessly.
Madam Zhao immediately grabbed Zhao Lixin's hand: "Zhao Lixin, are you crazy? You'll suffocate him! This is your own child!"
Zhao Lixin's expression was fierce, his arms as hard as steel, refusing to budge: "Does a child's life matter? Do you want to be torn to pieces too?!"
Madam Zhao was filled with shock, anger, and sorrow.
She couldn't help but cry: "No, no, let go of my child!"
She is a mother; she cannot sacrifice her child's life to save herself.
While she was arguing with Zhao Lixin, Old Zhao suddenly reacted, slowly lowering his head to look at the baby in his arms, as if he had realized something.
"child……"
His voice was low and husky, like the whisper of a demon, which sent chills down Madam Zhao's spine.
"Oh right, how could I forget, child..."
Mr. Zhao looked up at the monitor again.
In just a few minutes, only a few living people remained in the surveillance footage, and the ground was covered in blood.
He looked at the white figure, his eyes suddenly softening: "Li'en, you've reached the age where you should have children. Are you blaming your father for only finding you good men, but not being able to give you a child?"
"I'll really miss Xiaobao, but if you like it, then it's up to you..."
"I've overcome the previous three hurdles, I refuse to believe I'll fail this time!"
All the blood rushed to her head, and Madam Zhao felt a chill run through her body. She felt as if the Zhao family members in front of her were demons in human skin.
She was ready to fight back with all her might, but Old Zhao turned to look at Zhao Liheng with icy eyes: "Knock her out. Put the child in her arms and lock her outside."
His words were so light and airy, as if he were not talking about his carefully chosen daughter-in-law, nor his beloved grandson.
No, no!
A huge panic surged through Madam Zhao's heart, but there was no time to do anything. The next moment, she felt a sharp pain in her head and lost consciousness.
She let out a long scream, snapping out of her nightmare and sitting up abruptly.
-
"The arrival of the Red Moon awakened Zhao Li'en, who had been buried in the small garden for ten years, and transformed him into an indestructible zombie. Zombies are extremely rare and even more terrifying than mutated zombies. The first thing Zhao Li'en did after awakening was to carry out a massacre throughout the entire Zhao family."
“Everyone, everyone in the Zhao family, anyone who was in the Zhao family that night, she didn’t spare a single one, she tore them all to pieces.”
In a room on the third floor of Xiaoming Building, Ling Shu leaned against Sheng Yunshen's bedside, holding his hand, her gaze distant as she recalled the original plot.
Old Zhao lay at the door like a lump of mud, his eyes tightly closed, his eyeballs rolling wildly as he experienced the scene Ling Shu had described.
"Old Zhao is a ruthless man. He didn't know that Zhao Li'en was awakened by the Red Moon. He thought she was showing up to take revenge because she had a grudge against him."
"I don't know why his thought process is so peculiar. He thinks that Zhao Li'en's resentment stems from the fact that he's still missing a child..."
Even Ling Shu paused at this point, her face showing disgust.
Sheng Yun Shen calmly added, "So, he decided to sacrifice his grandson to save himself."
"right."
Ling Shu sighed, "His daughter-in-law fought back desperately, but was knocked unconscious by her husband and left outside the door with her child. She became the first of them to die."
“After killing her daughter-in-law and grandson, Zhao Li’en did not stop. At that time, only the three Zhao family members remained. She kicked open the door and walked into the room where the father and sons were hiding.”
"Then there was Zhao Lixin, the eldest son of the old boss Zhao. He was the scapegoat that the old boss Zhao and Zhao Liheng worked together to push out. When Zhao Lien tore Zhao Lixin apart, she didn't hesitate for a moment. Perhaps, she had been hoping to do this for a long time."
"In the end, only Zhao Li'en and Old Zhao remained. The father and son, who used to be very close, fought fiercely in the room, using all the most despicable and vile means against each other. In the end, Old Zhao had the upper hand and pushed his most beloved son toward the blood-covered Zhao Li'en, trying to escape through the door."
"Of course, he ultimately failed to escape."
“When tearing him apart, Zhao Li’en was the most meticulous, starting with his fingers and toes, tearing off pieces of his flesh one by one. He screamed in agony for hours before finally dying from blood loss.”
After recounting Old Zhao's fate, Ling Shu fell silent.
Sheng Yunshen understood what she was thinking. No wonder Ling Shu had always said it wasn't necessary when the Sheng family wanted to take action against the Zhao family. It turned out that when the apocalypse came, the entire Zhao family would meet its end in such a tragic way.
Evil will be punished, and the way of Heaven is constant.
Those who killed Zhao Li'en deserve to be personally punished by Zhao Li'en.
Sheng Yunshen asked, "What about Zhao Li'en? What was her fate...?"
Ling Shu's voice was somewhat muffled: "After killing everyone in the Zhao family, she set up a pile of firewood in the garden and burned herself to death."
In the original book, Guan Mengxing and Shen Zui came to the Zhao family and deduced the truth through surveillance footage and traces at the scene.
The surveillance footage clearly captured Zhao Li'en's self-immolation. She spent several days slowly gathering firewood, slowly lighting it, and finally slowly walking into the burning fire, enduring the excruciating pain of being burned without moving an inch.
It's truly unimaginable that a powerful zombie would choose the path of self-destruction.
Ling Shu said, "I admire her, but I don't agree with her choice. Her actions prove that she has self-awareness, and if she wanted to, she could become one of the strongest zombies in the world. It's just a pity... her heart has been overwhelmed by hatred and can no longer hold anything else."
She squeezed Sheng Yun Shen's hand. "Actually, your situation is similar to hers, but you were able to stay strong and survive, instead of seeking death like her. I think... no matter what, you should live, because only by living can you have a chance."
Once you die, you have nothing left.
Love and hate are both fleeting illusions.
Sheng Yun Shen sighed softly: "Everyone has their own choices. She experienced betrayal and harm from her family before she died, but she didn't pass on that hatred and anger to more innocent people, which already shows that she was a gentle and good girl."
"Um."
Ling Shu nodded.
A rustling sound came from the doorway, and the drowsy Old Zhao screamed, waking up from his "dream" and groping to sit up.
Ling Shu turned her head and saw that Old Zhao's eyes were blank and empty, as if they were stained with a fear that could never be erased.
Yes, anyone who has personally experienced being torn to pieces would probably feel the same way.
She said with some regret, "Oh, it's a pity I can't see it."
Sheng Yun Shen had just explained the origin of this "gift" to her. The mechanical male voice that had appeared before approached him again, seemingly wanting to ask him something. He took the opportunity to propose a condition: that the mechanical male voice show the Zhao family the Zhao family their original fate.
Unfortunately, everyone can only see their own ending, not the endings of others.
Ling Shu was unable to witness the "grand scene" in the Zhao family's dream.
Seeing Old Zhao's dazed look, Zhao Li'en indeed showed no mercy.
That's really great.
Releasing her grip on Sheng Yunshen's hand, Ling Shu stood up and walked to President Zhao: "President Zhao, didn't you just swear that you didn't kill Zhao Li'en? Can you still say that now?"
Mr. Zhao looked up at her, his eyes blank, as if he didn't understand what she was saying.
Hmm, he might be too scared to speak.
Ling Shu curled her lip in disgust: "The police will be here soon. For the rest of your life, you'll live with this terrible memory in prison."
For someone like Mr. Zhao, death is a form of mercy.
Living with terrible memories is a long and prolonged torment.
Old Zhao tilted his head, his eyes still looking lost.
Just then, Ling Shu's phone rang.
It was Butler Wang calling, his voice trembling with excitement: "Miss Ling, I just received news that Zhao Liheng, who was speeding in the US, was involved in a fatal car accident!"
It was Zhao Liheng's bad luck that the "nightmare" struck while it was still daytime in the United States, and he was speeding in his car.
Caught off guard, Zhao Liheng was dragged into a nightmare and witnessed his own tragic death in another timeline. Terrified, he was so weak in the knees that he couldn't turn the steering wheel and crashed hard into a stone pillar by the roadside.
He died on the spot.
Butler Wang added, "And things are getting out of hand at the Zhao family too. Apparently, Zhao Lixin's wife is determined to divorce him, even if it means leaving with nothing. She's already left the Zhao family with the child, and Zhao Lixin fainted from anger and had to be taken to the hospital!"
It seems that the nameless "Madam Zhao" has finally woken up from her nightmare.
As for Zhao Lixin, I heard that his health has never been very good. I wonder if he might have a stroke or something after fainting this time.
"The servants of the Zhao family have gone mad. It is said that they are lining up to resign overnight. Some of them don't even have time to resign and just pack their bags and run away. The old housekeeper who was imprisoned suffered a heart attack and is still being treated."
This news is truly heartening.
After hanging up the phone, Ling Shu told Old Zhao, "Zhao Liheng is dead, in a car accident. Ms. He insists on a divorce, and Zhao Lixin fainted from anger. The old housekeeper had a heart attack, and all the Zhao family's servants ran away."
"The Zhao family is gone."
As for the cause of Zhao Liheng's death and the reason for Ms. He's divorce, Ling Shu doesn't need to explain in detail; Mr. Zhao naturally understands.
This statement is like a stone thrown into a calm pond, creating ripples.
Old Zhao slowly widened his eyes, which were bloodshot.
He slowly opened his mouth and let out a heart-wrenching scream.
"Li'en, Li'en, Dad didn't mean it. Dad is having such a hard time. If we can't get through this, the Zhao family will be ruined, ruined!"
Stumbling to his feet, Old Zhao muttered to himself as he tried to run outside.
The series of bad news drove him to madness; he only thought about escaping and was completely unaware that he was running in the wrong direction.
Ling Shu quietly stood up and watched as Old Zhao ran towards the terrace.
"You were such a sensible child, you didn't even struggle when you died... I never imagined you... hated me so much..."
"For the Zhao family, Dad did everything for the Zhao family!"
While "escaping" out, Mr. Zhao explained his "dilemma" to his hallucinatory daughter.
Before him stood eighteen-year-old Zhao Li'en in silence, his dark eyes devoid of any emotion.
She asked coldly, "Father, you have four children, why did you choose me?"
Mr. Zhao replied, "Because I love you the most, you are my favorite and proudest child!"
Zhao Li'en forced a smile, tears of blood streaming down his face.
She said, "If... I had been a son instead of a daughter, would you still have chosen me?"
"I……"
Old Zhao was speechless for a moment.
He couldn't even utter the word "yes".
Eighteen-year-old Zhao Li'en smiled.
"Father, you disgust me."
After saying that, she seemed to have no more regrets and vanished into countless bubbles.
“Li En, no, that’s not it…”
Mr. Zhao subconsciously took two steps forward, trying to persuade him to stay.
His foot slipped, his body lost its balance, and he plummeted downwards.
Ling Shu stood there and said to Sheng Yun Shen, "He fell down."
Sheng Yun Shen remained calm: "There are only three floors here, and the ground floor is a lawn. He won't die from the fall."
"Um."
Ling Shu remained calm as she slowly walked to the edge of the terrace and looked at the night view in the distance.
The sound of sirens echoed in the night sky, growing ever closer.
The police have arrived.
She crossed her arms, deep in thought, and said very seriously, "I want to keep that MP5."
Sheng Yun Shen chuckled: "Keep it. After this incident, Old Zhao will probably either die or go crazy. He won't remember anything about the MP5 anymore."
"Okay, then it's decided!"
Ling Shu laughed and skipped downstairs to get her MP5.
Fully armed police officers arrived outside the Sheng family manor, looking extremely tense and on high alert.
This is in Beijing, and it involves a battle between two powerful families. I heard that the opposing side consists of mercenaries from abroad, so their firepower should be quite strong... right?
Um?
etc.
Who are these people lying on the ground?
The police arrived as if facing a formidable enemy, but left in a daze.
When they left, they took Old Zhao and all the mercenaries with them.
The Sheng family members all came out of the shelter, with Butler Wang taking the lead and actively cooperating with the police to transport all the prisoners away.
Sheng Zhujun stood beside Ling Shu, looking somewhat dazed: "Have we become this strong? With so many bad guys, we still couldn't even get through the gate."
Ling Shu remained calm: "That's how powerful it is; high technology makes a big difference."
Sheng Zhujun murmured, "This will definitely be breaking news tomorrow, so..."
She turned to look at Ling Shu, her gaze intense.
Ling Shu looked back, puzzled, and blinked.
Sheng Zhujun nodded firmly and shouted, "Ling Baiyi, you're going to be rich!!! From now on, I should call you Ling Qianyi!"
Ling Shu's eyes widened: "???"
What, Ling Qianyi?
-
The next day, Sheng Zhujun's words indeed came true.
Old Zhao, suspected of murder, escaped from the detention center and assembled a mercenary team, attempting a night raid on the Sheng family. Unexpectedly, the Sheng family "annihilated" all the mercenaries without anyone being injured, and even Old Zhao was seriously wounded and is said to be still unconscious.
Besides Old Master Zhao, the Zhao family seemed to have been cursed all of a sudden. The once-great family crumbled overnight, with some dying, some fainting, and others fleeing. Even Old Master Zhao is said to have broken his spine and may be completely paralyzed, spending the rest of his life in bed.
The public had never seen anything like this before, and the internet exploded instantly.
Although the police have not released any specific facts, various rumors are still circulating and escalating.
From various rumors, the public has heard about the "great achievements" made by drones, robot dogs, and nanowires.
Guan's company, along with several other companies invested in by Ling Shu, have all attracted outside attention. Numerous large enterprises have extended olive branches, eager to get a piece of the pie.
In just one day, Ling Shu's net worth skyrocketed, truly transforming from 10 billion to 1 trillion.
She herself said she was very calm and didn't have time to pay attention to these news reports.
She was having dinner with Mu Ting by Moon Lake.
The tragic end of the Zhao family comforted Mu Ting, bringing a glimmer of hope to her face. The remains of Mu Feng, unearthed from the small garden, were also collected and placed in their coffins.
Mu Ting said, "I plan to take my brother back for burial. Miss Ling, thank you."
Words cannot express the depth of her gratitude; at this moment, they are inadequate. Mu Ting knew she could never repay Ling Shu's kindness in this lifetime. If one day she could exchange her own life for Ling Shu's, she would do so without hesitation.
Ling Shu tilted her head, as if guessing what she was thinking, and said seriously, "Don't die, live well."
Mu Ting was a little stunned: "Huh?"
"I said, live well."
Ling Shu repeated earnestly, "If you die, you'll have nothing left, Mu Ting. I hope you live well, and live life to the fullest, with all the life your brother couldn't live. Don't die, don't give up, okay?"
Mu Ting bit her lower lip lightly, her eyes gradually welling up with tears.
As if she had made up her mind, she nodded emphatically: "Okay, I will live well. My brother's greatest wish was to take me around China. I... will fulfill that wish for him."
"good."
Ling Shu laughed and hugged her. "Then it's a deal. If you see any beautiful scenery, remember to share it with me."
After seeing Mu Ting off, Ling Shu stood by the lake, quietly watching the surface of the water.
In his mind, Sheng Yun Shen asked her, "In the original book...did Mu Ting die?"
"Yes."
Ling Shu replied, "In the original book, Mu Ting was able to escape from the mental hospital during the apocalypse. No one knows how she managed to travel all the way to Beijing during the apocalypse. Meng Xing and Shen Zui met her by chance and went with her to the Zhao family to learn about everything that happened there."
"Mu Feng's remains were dug up by Mu Ting and Shen Zui together. The day after confirming her brother's death, Mu Ting peacefully died in the small garden, holding Mu Feng's remains."
Perhaps the long journey had exhausted all her strength and vitality; she was already like a candle flickering in the wind, teetering on the verge of collapse.
Dying while holding her brother was the ending Mu Ting chose for herself in the original book.
Fortunately, everything has changed now.
Mu Ting will live well, after all, they made a promise.
Traveling around China...that's great.
With this, the Zhao family's affairs are all over. The dark clouds that once hung over the Sheng family have all dissipated, leaving only sunshine and a smooth road ahead.
Perhaps it's time to change our way of life and our mindset.
Facing the shimmering waves of Moon Lake, Ling Shu smiled and said to Sheng Yunshen.
"Sheng Yun Shen, let's travel around China together."
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