Forge a path to success.

Chapter 358 A Friendship as Faint as a Phantom (3)

That night, he was playing games on QQ as usual when he noticed a stranger had sent him a picture before he was about to shut down his computer. The picture showed a beautiful girl with a hot figure, tall and long legs, long golden wavy hair, wearing compass-like high heels, standing in the middle of a pile of strange corpses, blowing a kiss to the camera.

Chu Hengkong was amused and casually replied with a message: "It's a real shame you don't apply for the female secretary position."

“Your boss has driven two secretaries to the brink of collapse again this year. I’m hardly capable of taking on such a heavy responsibility.” Wang Quan sent a smug emoji. “Perhaps you should consider wearing an office lady outfit and a miniskirt to serve her tea and water. I guarantee Vilbert would enjoy it.”

Give me your address and I'll go tear your mouth apart right now.

"Come on, buddy, I'm dealing with mutant vampires in Kenya. They'll love your invincible muscles."

"Do you really need to make even your typing style like a brainless, white woman?"

"Do what you love, do what you love." Wang Quan added a disgusting heart emoji. "I'm here tonight to tell you some good news. The old men of the Blood Alliance are making a list of the world's strongest... or the world's most powerful... I forgot the exact name, but that's the gist of it. I'm number one, and you didn't make the list because you're too inexperienced."

"They even have leaderboards, making it seem like a real ranking system."

"This is quite a good reference, as it includes many people you know. I'm currently debating who should be No. 2. Do you think White Wolf or Double Butterfly would be more suitable?"

Chu Heng laughed in the air: "Putting a schizophrenic patient second, are you trying to infuriate Bai Lang?"

"Having a dual personality is better than terminal cancer, right?"

"You're mistaken. The White Wolf is powerful because it's unafraid of its impending death. The Double Butterfly, on the other hand, sees itself as a stumbling block, possessing talent but destined to be a mediocre player." Chu Hengkong replied, "Let's put her at the end of the first-rate masters' ranks as the gatekeeper, that's just right."

"Aren't your standards a bit too high for your peers? If Lylena Barry is only considered a first-class goalkeeper, then who is the top-class player?"

"Me and you."

Wang Quan replied with a crazy thumbs-up GIF: "Okay! Awesome! You win because you're shameless! I'll still talk to the elders about adding you as No. 2."

"If you're not number one, there's no need to contact me."

"opinionated!"

Wang Quan posted a GIF of a baby seal frolicking in the snow: "By the way, please pass on a message to your boss: stop investigating. She can't find anything, but the older folks don't like being investigated."

"It's just that you don't like it."

"No, I'm just a scepter. I do whatever the king tells me to do."

It sent a few crying emojis and then went offline. Chu Hengkong opened the QQ account and found that it belonged to a female junior high school student studying in the north. It was full of convenience store snacks and horoscopes, and occasionally she would post a few riddles complaining about her teachers and classmates.

This damned killer probably just randomly hacked an account to contact him... or perhaps that "middle school girl" was just another disguise for Wang Quan, and he had countless similar identities to hide himself.

He returned to his boss's office and placed his hands on the desk: "Vilbert, stop investigating the royal power."

“I’ll pause for now,” Vilbert said without looking up. “What do you think of No. 0?”

"What?"

Vilbert turned her laptop; a newly released leaderboard was displayed on an internal website. She refreshed the page, and a line of blood-red text appeared out of nowhere at the top of the list, accompanied by a photograph and the seal of the caduceus.

"Your new nickname."

·
"Let us congratulate the strongest person in the world!"

"His new year will surely bring more... bloodshed to the world!"

"Bullshit! That's called merit!"

The family's thugs were shouting and yelling, banging bottles around, making so much noise that the restaurant staff dared not say a word. On his 17th birthday, the whole family was celebrating, and even Wilbert suggested they join in for a couple of drinks.

They had reason to be happy; the reputation of the "Snake of Sacrifice" was so great that the family's business had improved significantly this year. People said that Violet was a brilliant strategist, exchanging a hollow title for billions of dollars. But Chu Hengkong knew that this had nothing to do with business; the boss simply wanted to help him prove himself.

"Are you alright, A-Kong?"

Violet held her wine glass in one hand; her alcohol tolerance was still quite low, and her face began to flush after only a few sips. Caught up in the party atmosphere, she seemed even more adorable than usual. Chu Hengkong approached her, one hand resting against the wall behind her.

He pinched the girl's ear: "Your earlobes are all red. Drink less alcohol."

In a fit of pique, Violet downed her drink. He thanked everyone profusely for their support, led the drunkards back to their hideout, and then escorted his boss back to her room. Only when the manor quieted down again did he breathe a sigh of relief in the corridor.

He was insane. For a split second, he almost kissed Vilbert. Years of trust could be destroyed by such a simple action. That impulse would tear their relationship apart; Vilbert would never trust him again. And he would never trust himself.

"Have some backbone," Chu Hengkong told himself in a low voice. He walked back to his room, intending to vent his frustrations and fall asleep quickly.

He froze when he turned on the light. Standing in his room was a slender figure, dressed in country-style overalls and a cowboy hat, her face dotted with youthful freckles. The blonde girl jumped up, holding up a large plastic sign: "Happy 17th Birthday!"

The damn sign had a picture of a smug little snake wearing a tacky gold chain and smoking a cigar. Chu Hengkong gave it the middle finger in response: "Go to hell. Thanks."

"How was it? How was it?" Wang Quan, the country girl, eagerly leaned closer. "You're 17 now! No longer a little boy. Did you take this opportunity to confess to your favorite, Violet?" "Get lost, she's my boss."

He shoved Wang Quan aside, pressing his forehead down. This bastard was disguised as a blonde, blue-eyed American country girl this time, a head taller than him and with a stunning figure. Having her constantly in front of him was really bad for his mental and physical health. Wang Quan sat on his bed, covering his mouth and groaning, "Oh, oh, oh, someone's shy! On one hand, they're ashamed to face their own feelings, and on the other hand, they feel embarrassed to be alone with Sister Wang Quan because she's so lecherous..."

"Do you still remember that your persona is that of a country girl? Now you talk like one of those open-minded, weird aunties from Japanese anime."

Wang Quan made a gun gesture with his hands: "American country girls are more open than you think. Even if you don't have a great figure, they don't mind having sex with you."

"Is that right?"

"Look at you, you're showing your inexperience. That's a sign of a lack of life experience," Wang Quan sneered. "When I first finished my investigation and got the conclusion, I couldn't believe it, but now it seems... you really are still a virgin!"

"What's so strange about a 17-year-old not having any sexual experience?" Chu Hengkong took off his coat.

“You’re in America, boy. By local standards, you’re practically a loser.” Wang Quan lay casually on the bed. “Do you know how much you’re suppressing yourself? You were practically smitten when you saw me just now, you were practically overflowing with hormones.”

"Go to hell."

"Honestly, I suggest you speed up your pursuit. Your girl is getting more and more beautiful, and many people will fall for her, but she won't wait for you forever."

“I’ve already said we’re not in that kind of relationship.” Chu Heng went into the bathroom and casually washed his face. “When that day comes, I will proudly send her to church and wish her a bright future.”

"And what about you?" Wang Quan shouted. "What will you do?"

Chu Hengkong was splashing cold water on his face when he heard this and was taken aback. He had considered many things, but this was the one thing he had never considered.

He wiped his face haphazardly and said casually, "I... I don't know. Maybe I'll find a compatible woman to date later."

"Hmm?" Wang Quan leaned over the bed and looked at him.

"Find someone who can protect themselves... maybe a colleague?" He shrugged. "I haven't considered it."

“Like this…” Wang Quan nodded slowly, “Then what about me?”

Chu Hengkong nearly choked: "What the hell did you say?"

"I really can't bear to see the number one in the world suffering from uncontrollable lust during puberty. How about we date?" Wang Quan said with a grin.

"roll roll roll!"

Wang Quan rolled over and looked up at him: "Think about it seriously! The only person in this world who can communicate with you on an equal footing is me. You don't need to worry about anything in front of me. Besides, I'm the person who understands you best in the world."

She grabbed two strands of hair and styled them into pigtails: "If you like pigtails, I'll tie them into pigtails; if you like long, straight black hair, I'll change to long, straight black hair; if you're tired of the mature, big-breasted girl look, no problem, I'll become a flat-chested beauty the next day! I know what kind of look you like, and I can change my style every day for 365 days without repeating. Doesn't that sound tempting?"

Those blue eyes blinked, their innocent charm tinged with a hint of deliberate fawning. Chu Heng cursed inwardly; he was actually somewhat taken aback… after all, he genuinely liked that type…

But he still didn't approach, instead pulling up a chair and sitting down: "No discussion."

"Why, why?" Wang Quan asked, looking aggrieved.

"How can I even talk to you if I don't know if you're a man or a woman? What if you're a man? Wouldn't I be the ultimate bastard?!"

"Damn, that's not true at all! True love knows no gender!"

"True love, my foot..." Chu Hengkong gradually calmed down and casually lit a cigarette. "Would you fall in love with someone who wears a mask? Would you say 'I love you' to an image built entirely of lies?"

Wang Quan pinched his cheek: "If you really like it, what does it matter whether it's true or false?"

"The only true love left in a person's heart is that little bit of love; no one would give it to someone wearing a mask." Chu Hengkong exhaled a smoke ring. "If you want to play for real, then take off your mask. I'll seriously consider you no matter what you look like."

Wang Quan patted his cheeks and said seriously, "No! Trying to find out the true identity of a mysterious beauty is unromantic!"

"See, that's why you, a scoundrel, haven't made a single friend after all this time."

“Don’t I still have you?” Wang Quan chuckled. “Everyone always speaks with a mask on. Once the hidden truth is exposed, who can still see the other person with the same mindset as before? So you have to learn to play dumb and enjoy the happiness of ignorance.”

Chu Hengkong scoffed: "Once you chicken out, you start spouting all sorts of mystical nonsense, but that can't hide the fact that you chicken out."

"Did Violet ever tell you that you have a terrible personality?" Wang Quan retorted. "If not, I'll add for her: Your personality is awful, you self-righteous idiot. Enjoy your 17-year-old single life, Mr. Virgin."

"Call me next time it's your birthday, I'll celebrate with you."

"Hypocrisy!"

Wang Quan jumped out of the window and left. Chu Hengkong leaned against the window for a while, pondering whether the other person was male or female. This question concerned his vital interests, because if Wang Quan was really a beautiful girl, wouldn't he have just thrown away a romantic encounter that was practically within his grasp?
But after thinking about it, he realized that everything the masked person said was insincere. The so-called romantic encounter was just another despicable joke from the other party. If it actually happened, a bald, middle-aged man would emerge from under the pretty girl's mask in less than two seconds, and the next day, stories would circulate about the sacrificial snake touching the bald man inappropriately.

This is the way monarchy operates; anything can become a weapon in its hands. Even friends must maintain their distance.

(End of this chapter)