Forbidden Zone of Deception

Chapter 186 Bloodstained Memories

dark.

The boundless darkness.

Zhou Chen felt himself sinking, as if he were falling into the deep sea, with only the faint sound of his own heartbeat in his ears.

"Boom...boom..."

Each heartbeat felt like someone was knocking on his soul.

This is the feeling of being on the verge of death.

Before consciousness completely dissipates, fragments of memory flash by like a revolving lantern.

Muxu Market.

Yaochi Club.

And then there are the Blood Lord's unfathomable eyes.

After Zhou Chen rose to prominence as a new star, he was quickly noticed by the Blood Lord.

In fact, Zhou Chen originally intended to take the police academy entrance exam and become a narcotics officer. However, his status meant that he could never take the civil service exam.

Being the son of a drug lord is a shame that will forever be etched on his body.

To him, Zhou Hongling was merely an egg donor with whom he had a biological DNA relationship, and had nothing to do with the noble word "mother."

She should have been taken to the execution ground and sent to the deepest hell long ago!
After he demonstrated his talent, the government offered to arrange a meeting between him and his mother, which he sternly refused.

After being noticed by the Blood Lord, he planned to hand over the management of the Yaochi Club to him.

This place is essentially a dark place where powerful businessmen collude, and all sorts of shady dealings take place there. Therefore, the government needs some reincarnated beings to help them manage it.

Zhou Chen was initially very resistant to managing Yaochi Club.

Blood Lord could certainly force him to obey, but using the Soul Seal for such a small matter would lower Zhou Chen's loyalty.

Zhou Chen asked, "Why are you assigning this kind of task to us?"

“Some things, big shots need someone to act as their front man. Of course, don’t worry, I know your concerns. Yaochi Club’s business absolutely does not involve drugs. I also have my bottom line. And normally, I will only ask you to handle things if something happens, so it won’t affect your daily cultivation.”

Zhou Chen then agreed.

"Okay, no problem at all."

If anyone else dared to act so evasively in front of him, Blood Lord would never tolerate it. But for a genius like Zhou Chen, a little arrogance was actually considered reasonable by Blood Lord, who was willing to delegate some authority to him. Of course, this also sowed the seeds of suspicion.

A week later, Blood Lord summoned Zhou Chen to his office.

"Zhou Chen, weren't you a bit too radical in what you did yesterday?"

"Does the commander mean I should report this first?"

The Blood Lord was very dissatisfied with his attitude. It seemed that being too young had its downsides; he didn't understand respect for others. He had always respected Zhou Chen and rarely used his soul imprint to forcefully command him.

Zhou Chen said coldly, "Those people broke the rules yesterday, daring to bring that batch of goods into the club. They deserve to die."

“I know it’s my fault for not managing things properly. I never thought someone would dare to do something like this in my place. But you were too impulsive.”

Blood Lord suddenly stood up.

Do you know why I admire you?

Zhou Chen narrowed his eyes.

Blood Lord released his grip and threw a stack of photos out of the drawer—all of them were the criminal records of Zhou Chen's mother, Zhou Hongling.

"Because you are ruthless enough, but also pure enough. And I... just happen to need a knife like that."

Zhou Chen remained silent for a long time.

Then, Blood Lord looked at him.

"But there are ways and methods to do things. I'll teach you a lesson today: when adults do things, don't argue with the other party about right and wrong. Whoever has the bigger fist is right! Movies and textbooks won't teach you this lesson! If you want to do something, you have to wait until your fangs are sharp enough before you make your move!"

Then, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

The person who walked in was Long Cang, carrying a blood-stained sack.

Blood Lord looked at the sack, his eyes sharp as knives.

"Has it been dealt with?"

Long Cang threw the sack on the ground, and a human head rolled out.

"I buried all seventeen of Black Viper's men."

Blood Lord laughed, stood up, walked to Zhou Chen, and patted him on the shoulder.

“You see, only with sharp enough fangs can you do things decisively and efficiently. This guy is called Black Viper, and he's the one who came to my place to sell his goods. After that, no one dared to do it again.”

He handed Zhou Chen a glass of whiskey, then snapped his fingers, and Long Cang took out a file folder from the Reincarnator's Watch.

"Your new identity—Zhou Chen, 17 years old, orphaned, transfer student."

Blood Lord slapped the file onto Zhou Chen's chest.

"Go to Silverleaf High School tomorrow to register. Nobody will know who your mother is."

Zhou Chen took the file, his fingertips trembling slightly.

This was the first time he had the opportunity to be a "normal person".

Silver Leaf High School is a prestigious private school in Muxu City, and its students are all from wealthy and influential families.

Zhou Chen stood at the classroom door in his school uniform as the homeroom teacher introduced him to the class.

"This is our new classmate, Zhou Chen."

Whispers rippled through the audience.

"so hot……"

"Cold and unapproachable."

Zhou Chen walked to the last row and sat down without expression.

In his desk drawer was a butterfly knife—a "gift" from Blood Lord.

"If there are any fools in the school, just take action. As long as no one dies, I can take care of it for you."

Although the government strictly controls those who reincarnate, everyone knows that... the laws of the court are never equal for everyone.

Without special privileges, which reincarnator would be willing to become a lackey of the government?
Obeying the law only applies to those who practice reincarnation in the private sector. This has long been an open secret.

Zhou Chen stroked the hilt of the knife, his eyes gloomy.

Nobody here knows he is "the son of a criminal".

No one would spit on him or call him a "bastard" or a "bastard."

He should have breathed a sigh of relief.

But whenever someone gets close, he still subconsciously tenses his muscles, as if someone is about to stab him.

After school, Zhou Chen went directly to Yaochi Club to "work".

Later, rumors began to circulate at the school that he frequented nightclubs.

He didn't care and let the rumors spread.

Memories recede like the tide.

In the darkness, Zhou Chen heard a voice—

"Zhou Chen! Wake up!"

It's Qin Mei.

He tried to open his eyes, but the poison of the Heart-Eating Gu could not be easily cured by the Zhu You Aura.

The fragments of memory continue to flash back.

Blood Lord handed him the school uniform: "From today onwards, you are an ordinary student."

In the infirmary of Yinye High School, he and Qin Mei embraced and kissed.

Gunshots at Yaochi, the screams of those scumbags before their deaths.

The final image focuses on the Blood Lord's deep eyes.

"Remember, Zhou Chen."

"You are my sharpest knife."

"do not let me down."

……

"cough……!"

Zhou Chen coughed up a mouthful of black blood, his fingers digging deep into the ground.

Qin Mei was overjoyed and helped him up: "Zhou Chen! You're awake?!"

He struggled to lift his head; his vision was blurry, but he could still clearly see the situation before him—

Rin Shirakawa is dead; his body has turned into a charred corpse.

Yu Tianlun, Jiang Jin, and Liu Yan looked at him.

With magic-suppressing shackles on his hands, he had become a prisoner.

"Commander Zhou," Yu Tianlun's injuries had been mostly healed by Xu Yinqiu by now, "it took us a lot of medicine to save you."

"Commander Yu," Zhou Chen said, cupping his hands in thanks, "thank you for saving me. I, Zhou Chen, am not a heartless beast. Since I was captured by you and then miraculously saved, we have lost this time. As long as you agree to release Qin Mei, this Blood Key will naturally be yours. To be honest, I admire you, Commander Yu. Back when Edo fell, the Japanese [Night Parade of One Hundred Demons] meme almost invaded Muxu, and it was you who turned the tide. If we weren't on opposing sides, I really wouldn't want to kill you."

The reincarnation systems and meme contamination differ from country to country. For example, the professions of reincarnators in Japan and China are vastly different; they include samurai, ninjas, kumatori, yakuza, puppeteers, onmyoji, kabuki practitioners, etc.

The corruption and erosion caused by the memes in the "Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" has long been suspected to be fueled by some Japanese reincarnators who want to expand the scope of meme contamination and drag them down with them. However, there has been no evidence. In fact, the fall of Edo was just the beginning, and the imperial court in Heian-kyo was well aware of this.

"Don't talk like that," Xu Yinqiu said coldly. "You're the son of a drug lord, do you think we don't know that? The way you are makes me want to vomit. The real reason you're hunting us down is because we're unwilling to do the same dirty work as you."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen immediately roared, "She is not my mother! I am not her son!"

My memory goes back to a few months ago, to the night of my eighteenth birthday.

In Muxu City, at one of Blood Lord's private estates.

Zhou Chen stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his black suit accentuating his tall and slender figure.

It's his birthday today, and Blood Lord prepared this "coming-of-age ceremony" for him.

But he knew very well that the Blood Lord never did anything meaningless.

"What are you thinking about?"

A deep voice came from behind.

Zhou Chen didn't turn around, but slightly tilted his head, catching a glimpse of the Blood Lord slowly approaching out of the corner of his eye. The man was wearing a dark red suit, an unlit cigar between his fingers, and a faint smile playing on his lips. "It's nothing," Zhou Chen said calmly. "I actually don't want to celebrate my birthday at all; it reminds me of that woman."

Blood Lord chuckled and stood beside him, looking out the window together.

"At eighteen, it's time to make a clean break."

Zhou Chen's fingers trembled almost imperceptibly.

"You come with me."

The manor's basement.

In the dim light, a thin figure huddled in a corner, with a burlap sack over his head and his hands and feet chained.

Zhou Chen stood at the door, his breathing slightly labored.

The sack was taken down, and he recognized the person.

Although he had never met this person in person, he had seen her photos countless times.

Zhou Hongling.

His mother, the source of the dirtiest blood flowing in his veins, came from this woman.

Blood Lord leaned against the wall and slowly handed Zhou Chen a cigarette and a lighter.

“She was released on parole a year ago.”

Zhou Chen had a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and it took him several tries to light it with a lighter.

His eyes were obscure and unreadable amidst the swirling smoke.

“I had someone pick her up... specifically to wait for your coming-of-age day.”

Zhou Chen's pupils contracted slightly, and his voice was low and hoarse: "Why?"

Blood Lord exhaled a puff of smoke and smiled.

"Because there's always a thorn in your heart."

He approached Zhou Chen.

"You'll have to pull this thorn out yourself."

Zhou Chen's jawline was taut, and his knuckles were white from clenching his fists.

Blood Lord patted him on the shoulder, his tone as calm as if discussing the weather:

"Let's settle this tonight."

He turned and left, the iron gate slowly closing behind him.

"You can choose whatever you want, I won't interfere, and no one will hold you accountable, so don't worry."

The basement returned to silence.

Zhou Chen stood still for a long time.

The woman raised her head, trembling, the chains rattling.

"Is it... Ah Chen?"

The first time I heard my mother's voice, it was so hoarse.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that the face looked much older than he remembered.

Sunken cheeks, dry and yellow hair, and wrinkles around the eyes.

Zhou Hongling squinted to adjust to the light, and after seeing Zhou Chen's face clearly, she actually managed a smile: "I... I've finally met you..."

Zhou Chen stared at her coldly, his voice sounding as if squeezed out from between his teeth: "Why did you give birth to me?"

Zhou Hongling hurriedly said, "Ah Chen, I've actually been thinking about getting out of prison as soon as possible to come and find you..."

She shook the iron chain on her wrist: "Ah Chen, I'm your mother..."

Zhou Chen's heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand.

Zhou Hongling sized up his sharp suit and chuckled, "Looks like you're doing well? Which boss are you working for? Ah Chen, listen to me, I've been completely reformed, I won't..."

Zhou Chen did not answer.

She panicked immediately: "Let me go, I'll give you some money. I have three million US dollars in my secret account in the Philippines..."

Zhou Chen suddenly laughed.

He leaned down and grabbed Zhou Hongling's chin with such force that he almost crushed her bones.

You think... I care about money?

Zhou Hongling winced in pain and continued to beg for mercy...

At three in the morning, the rain poured down.

Zhou Chen dragged Zhou Hongling out of the back gate of the manor and threw her into the back seat of a black car.

Blood Lord stood on the second-floor terrace, quietly observing everything.

Long Cang asked in a low voice, "Should we follow?"

Blood Lord shook his head, the red glow of his cigar flickering in the darkness.

"Let him choose for himself."

The car sped away through the rain and quickly disappeared around the bend in the mountain road.

Zhou Chen still remembers that night.

The black sedan sped along the winding mountain road, its windows blurred by the rain. Inside, Zhou Hongling's screams and pleas for mercy could be heard continuously.

"Ah Chen, you can't do that! I'm your mother, Ah Chen!"

Zhou Chen did not answer.

He didn't question his mother about why she had chosen this path, because he remembered the words of the Blood Lord.

It's pointless for adults to discuss right and wrong.

The size of your fist is what truly matters.

The windshield wipers swung mechanically, slicing through curtains of water, but they couldn't erase the wounds in his heart.

At the edge of the cliff, the car finally stopped at an abandoned viewing platform.

Zhou Chen turned off the engine, opened the door, and got out of the car.

The icy rain instantly soaked him through, but he was completely unaware.

He quickly opened the back door and pulled Zhou Hongling out.

She stumbled and almost fell to her knees in the mud.

"Ah Chen, please, I'm begging you, I... I don't want to die, I really don't want to die..."

Zhou Chen's eyes were colder than the rain.

Of course she didn't want to die. Otherwise, why would she have given birth to him in order to survive?

He dragged her toward the edge of the cliff.

Below was a bottomless abyss; falling in would mean certain death.

Zhou Hongling was terrified.

More than a decade of imprisonment has long since worn away her former arrogance, and now she will face a long-overdue trial.

Zhou Chen's fingers tightened suddenly.

He finally spoke.

"You can die a thousand times, ten thousand times, and it still won't be enough. You are my eternal shame."

"No! Ah Chen! Listen to me, you're still young. As long as we have money, we can leave here and live a life of luxury..."

"Aa ...

Zhou Chen let out a shrill howl as he looked up at the sky!

As dawn broke, the black sedan drove back to the manor alone.

As Zhou Chen entered the hall, Blood Lord's gaze shifted to the empty space behind him.

"solved?"

Zhou Chen walked straight to the liquor cabinet, poured himself a glass of strong liquor, and drank it all in one gulp.

The alcohol burned my throat.

He put down the cup, his eyes as cold as iron.

"It does not matter."

Blood Lord laughed, stood up, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Welcome to adulthood, Zhou Chen. Alright, this matter is settled, and you can let go of your worries now. I've already picked out a few suitable partners for you; you can choose one to be your wife. Working together as a couple can enhance your professional skills."

"Commander, I'm not in the mood for that right now." Zhou Chen wasn't particularly interested in the photo that Blood Lord had handed him.

Frankly speaking, every woman in the photos is stunning. This is quite normal; the reincarnation system offers a vast array of advanced beauty equipment and skincare products, some even possessing miraculous effects that allow you to burn fat only in specific areas, regardless of your workout routine. With enough perseverance and a solid foundation, you can achieve the body fat percentage and perfect physique that countless people dream of.

To the Blood Lord, Zhou Chen was the future third vice-captain of the Bloody Clan. He harbored suspicions towards Zhou Chen, but also held expectations for him. After all, he had planted a soul imprint on Zhou Chen, and he dared to invest heavily in him.

“You’re already eighteen, so the reincarnation system allows you to get married. It would be a waste not to get married with your talent,” Blood Lord said. He wasn’t afraid of his subordinates being greedy and lustful, but he was afraid of someone like Zhou Chen who was indifferent to women and money. “If you still feel psychologically uncomfortable, it’s okay. Just adjust your mindset for the next couple of days.”

"Let's put it another way for now... Commander. I want to marry someone I truly love."

Blood Lord nodded and did not try to persuade him further.

Zhou Chen is still at the age where he believes in love and fidelity, and he can't listen to the Blood Lord's advice of someone who's been there; instead, he just rebels.

People can't teach people, but they can learn from experience.

Ultimately, marriage was just him helping Zhou Chen find a comrade-in-arms.

In the future, during the apocalypse, the Blood Lord believes that only Zhou Chen is capable of surviving in the Abyss with him, and that the rest of the team will die.

Zhou Chen never told Blood Lord what he did after he took Zhou Hongling away that day.

He will take this secret to his grave.

Just then, Zhou Chen suddenly looked at Jiang Jin in front of him.

At this moment, on the other person's neck...

There is a ring-shaped bruise!
This immediately reminded him of... Rule number nine: If you encounter someone with a deep ring-shaped bruise on their neck, stay away from them as much as possible, and never let them into your home.

"How...how did you get those bruises on your neck?!"

(End of this chapter)