Chapter 40 - Role Playing the Dark Horse Character

**Chapter 40: Time for Extra Training!** Le Shan had died, but only Li Li knew about it. Adopting Le Shan's appearance, she became the director of ‘The Twins’ and mimicked Le Shan's mannerisms, striding briskly down the hallway with her hands clasped behind her back, her lab coat billowing like a sail. “Tie him up there,” she directed, pointing to the operating table where Yi Ming had been restrained, ordering the blue-robed individuals around. Despite the recent upheaval, the golden-haired, blue-eyed director seemed as unaffected as ever. In reality, a different person had taken over; this director was not the same as before. Li Li adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, an enigmatic smile playing on her lips. Once done, she meticulously scoured every inch of ‘The Twins’ to map out the entire layout. Out of 26 rooms, nine were laced with traps, eight were living quarters and storage for research subjects for the researchers, and the remaining nine housed various instruments and experimental setups. She unearthed the office storing experimental materials, which contained not only Le Shan’s progress notes but also a manual control method for the entire ‘Cube.’ Moreover, from a stack of documents, she discovered the experimental plans related to Mo Mo. Methodically, Li Li leafed through the papers, her expression growing ever colder. She had a fair idea of how this chapter might conclude. Setting the documents aside, Li Li tucked a pen into the pocket on her chest and swiftly exited the room. “System, you wouldn’t reject something that makes the comic more interesting, would you?” she inquired. [Everything is in service of the comic, "Beyond Black and White,"] the system replied mechanically. Then she would proceed in her own preferred manner. From the pocket of her lab coat, she retrieved her phone and dialed a single number. “Come to ‘The Twins.’” ... Called over by Li Li’s summons was An Heyu. He had likely been able to rest for just a short while before hurrying over. Despite maintaining his noble demeanor, faint traces of fatigue lined his face. “Sir Noble, your speed exceeds my expectations,” Li Li praised without reluctance. In his presence, she appeared in the guise of Heige, with a subtle smile at the corners of her lips, seated in an office chair, she looked up at An Heyu with seeming indifference, as if she were looking down rather than up. Before her stood the nobleman, exuding arrogance in his every gesture. His expensive attire shimmered with a matte finish under the fluorescent light. His crimson hair crowned golden eyes that narrowed slightly, embodying a sharp arrogance. However, he spoke in contrast to his demeanor: “Your willingness to let me handle this means you regard me as a partner rather than a mere tool.” He seemed to have his own interpretation, believing there was a mutual understanding between them. Li Li could speculate about the assumptions he’d made, likely thinking Heige and he had both lost everything overnight, their pain resonating. Heige could understand him, and he could understand Heige. They were both avengers. Li Li hummed softly, causing the chair to pivot, revealing the corpse behind her. “Read his memory,” she instructed casually, gesturing towards it. An Heyu seemed to have anticipated the scenario, showing minimal surprise, yet subconsciously expressed some worry upon seeing Le Shan's body. “You confronted Le Shan right after receiving the news?” he couldn’t help but ask, “Without any planning?” It was evident that An Heyu disapproved of Li Li’s aggressive tactics. Li Li blinked, finding it quite amusing. She had previously felt that this noble wavered too much, lacking decisiveness. Yet, she didn’t expect An Heyu, perhaps from failing to educate his younger brother, to be somewhat meddlesome. “Sir Noble,” she said, Heige’s voice low and magnetic, “What do you suggest I should have done?” Without hesitation, An Heyu replied, “First, make a plan.” “What kind of plan?” Li Li coaxed. “Investigate his social connections first, then look into acquaintances who might pose threats. Make a move only after avoiding these threats…” He had plenty to say once he started. But Li Li extended a finger, wagging it gently. “Sorry, Sir Noble,” she chuckled, “We commoners don’t have the luxury of such leisurely time.” She remained seated on the office chair with remarkable composure, sounding both reasonable and irrational: “When I feel the time is right, I take action.” “Without considering the consequences,” she added. An Heyu was momentarily stunned, as though he had only then realized the difference between Li Li and himself. He had noble dignity and a sole younger brother to take care of; his actions never plunged him into truly perilous situations. But Li Li was different. She never left herself any escape route. An Heyu found himself aboard a pirate ship, one recklessly charging ahead, with its only destination being a crash upon an iceberg. “I hope you can get accustomed to my style, Sir Noble,” she continued, gesturing behind her, “Now you can read the memory, can’t you?” The noble pressed his lips tightly, saying nothing more. After the brief exchange, An Heyu obediently activated his power. “Requiem of the Spirits,” he intoned. The golden circle expanded, enveloping the space around the corpse. Golden particles took shape in the air, forming a vague human figure, whose features gradually sharpened. “It hasn’t been too long; you should still be able to converse,” An Heyu explained. He turned to look, but the black-haired youth beside him remained seated, smiling as if he hadn't heard a word. In reality, her expression was frozen, utterly frozen. Figuring it out, An Heyu decided, “I’ll just read the memory then.” He took it for granted that Hei Ge held deep disdain for this individual, wishing he had never existed. With the power activating, the golden particles formed a visage of agony, which soon dissipated, scattering into the air. Simultaneously, An Heyu closed his eyes, and after nearly a minute, he reopened them. His golden irises reflected the golden ripples of his power's realm. After a long pause, he spoke: “Le Shan and Yue Qing have known each other since childhood. Le Shan is Yue Qing’s brother, an illegitimate child of the Yue family.” “Le Shan despised two people the most—first, the prophet, and second, Yue Qing.” He paused briefly, quickly adding, “He cared about you the most, and Yue Qing suffers from claustrophobia.” From the urgency in the noble’s tone, it was clear those words had received some embellishment. Heige, the one Le Shan cared about most? More like the one he loved more than anything, like Le Shan’s sole affection. Li Li regretted not knowing how the comic artist would portray this scene, thus abandoning the idea of declaring to Le Shan’s face they didn’t know each other. That would have made Le Shan’s final expression even more interesting. Contemplating this, Li Li lamented slightly in her heart. She paid little heed to An Heyu’s deliberate tact, pondering a moment before asking, “What about Le Shan’s relation with Tang Zeng?” “Merely acquaintances,” An Heyu replied. Next, An Heyu selectively shared some intelligence, yet nothing significant emerged concerning Le Shan and the events six years ago, or even the experiments twelve years prior, all memories seemed dimly imprinted and unnoteworthy. Having concluded all necessary steps, An Heyu prepared to leave. Before departing, he suddenly mentioned, “By the way, Yue Qing might seek assistance from the nobility in the Floating City. If he approaches the Qu family, half the citizens of Four-Way City could become bargaining chips in his negotiations.” “Is the Qu family connected to the former Ability Guild?” Li Li inquired. “All I know is after the chaos, he placed the heads of half the former high-level Ability Guild members in a personal collection room, holding an exhibition every few years,” An Heyu responded swiftly. “Then let him come,” Li Li nonchalantly remarked, accustomed to mounting debts. Hearing this, An Heyu glanced deeply at her, then turned on his heel and left with urgency, as if something monstrous might pursue him and devour him. Unruffled, Li Li realized she truly had startled this indecisive noble. Once An Heyu departed, she snapped her fingers nonchalantly, re-adopting Le Shan’s guise. Standing up, she ventured out of the room. Having not appeared in the comic for days, she felt a tinge of excitement for her upcoming debut. ... When Yi Ming awoke, the first thing he saw was the fluorescent lights, causing him to squint and close his eyes against the harsh white glare. Upon reopening them, he found himself encircled by individuals clad in blue robes. Their expressions were uniform, staring woodenly at him, like lifeless figures carved from wood. Yi Ming laboriously lifted his head and, beyond the circle of blue-robed people, saw the master of the place. A blonde, blue-eyed researcher was seated comfortably, left leg crossed over the right, holding a stack of papers. As Yi Ming gazed upon him, the researcher twisted a pen in the gloved fingers, clicking it shut before sliding it into the pocket on his chest. Strangely, Yi Ming perceived a shift in the man’s aura. Previously, it had been a fiery blaze of madness; now, it was an abyss without end. Yet, of one thing Yi Ming was certain: this person was definitely no good. "You're livelier than I imagined," the researcher finally spoke, casting a gaze upon Yi Ming as if he were an object under evaluation. His tone brimming with appraisal, he stated, "It's a bit of a waste to use you as a disposable item." As he spoke, the blue-robed figures surrounding them stepped back, making way so Yi Ming and the researcher could directly face each other. The golden-haired, blue-eyed researcher adjusted his glasses, exuding a casual demeanor that nonetheless exerted immense pressure. Yi Ming knew this person was formidable, far more so than himself. Perhaps even more powerful than the ice-type A-tier he had encountered before. "What do you intend to do?" Yi Ming asked. He watched the researcher intently, having already confirmed that Mo Mo was not present. The researcher flicked the edge of his documents lightly, his grin widening. "Don't be anxious, it's just to test the possibilities of your ability’s evolution," he said, the gold-rimmed glasses casting a white glare under the fluorescent light. After a brief pause, he added an offhand remark: "For the sake of my research and experiments." Suddenly, a wall rose from the crevice in the floor, and with a rumble, a barrier formed between them. The metallic wall gleamed with cold light as mechanical components whirred, revealing a two-way mirror. Behind the glass, the researcher, showing a trace of interest, interlaced his fingers under his chin, eyes fixed on Yi Ming in front of the glass. With a 'beep,' the biological restraints holding Yi Ming were released, while the blue-robed individuals formed a line and stepped aside. Yi Ming massaged his wrists, cautiously stepping down from the operating table. As he moved, the table sank into the floor with a hiss, and the floor sealed shut again. The mad researcher casually picked up a sheet of paper: "Subject 18632, Spell-type Water Controller, D-tier, that's you. Go on." He watched like someone observing a cage of lab mice, an expectant smile playing across his refined features. Come on. He seemed to be saying. And Yi Ming was more certain than ever: This person was nothing short of a heartless madman!