Forge a path to success

"The mask is of good quality."

“Using your muscles to stick it to your face can fool most of the detectives,” Wang Quan said. “However, if you squeeze it too hard, even the best mask will break.”

He or she pinched the loosened "cheek" and ripped the mask off. A handsome white-haired boy then appeared, just as rumored, a beautiful man with a pair of dark, bright eyes.

Chu Heng glanced at it and commented, "Not as good-looking as last time."

Wang Quan put his hands in his pockets and sat on a fire hydrant by the roadside: "You're a teenager in your adolescence, aren't you? I think that image would make you feel awkward, and you wouldn't really want to chat with a blushing sacrificial snake."

"You seem to have looked down on me from the very first time we met," Chu Hengkong sneered.

"It was just a little joke."

He leaned back sharply, dodging Chu Hengkong's sudden grappling move: "Don't be so rough, what should I do if I'm really a girl?"

“In our line of work, we believe in gender equality. If someone provokes me, I’ll fight them without hesitation,” Chu Hengkong told him. “You better watch out, kid. I’ll definitely recognize you next time.”

·

"Please enjoy your ice-cold beer."

"Thank you."

Chu Hengkong pulled the tab and took a sip, noticing a simple smiley face drawn on the can. The waitress turned and smiled, "Dark Power sends its greetings."

"Go to hell."

He tossed the beer can over, and Wang Quan caught it with a grin, sitting across the table and taking a sip. Chu Heng was furious; he rarely suffered a setback, yet he had been outmaneuvered twice by this man.

"how did you do it?"

·

“It depends on observation,” said Wang Quan, who was dressed as a newspaper boy. “Imitation of appearance is not important; what is truly important is demeanor. You need to hide in the shadows for a long time to observe a person, imitate his actions, and imitate his thoughts.”

Wang Quan, who works at a gas station, smiled at him: "Imagine yourself as him, live your life, pursue what he pursues, despise what he despises, love the people he would love, hate the people he would hate, until one day you forget your original name and think that he is who you really are..."

“On that day, you will truly become a different person.” Magician Wang Quan blinked, took off his top hat, and released a flock of pigeons.

They began a little game without rules, the outcome of which depended on whether one could identify Wang Quan from among those who passed by. Chu Hengkong suffered repeated defeats in the early stages of the game, failing to recognize any of the acquaintances Wang Quan impersonated for a whole week. In the second week, he became more alert, throwing stones before Wang Quan even greeted him.

On the third day of the third week, he casually grabbed a petty thief's wrist and pinched the boy's face hard.

"I'm starting to recognize you."

"Why?" asked the thief Wang Quan.

"Your eyes. There's something deep in your eyes that can't be changed."

Wang Quan rubbed his cheek, lost in thought: "Looks like next time I'll have to pretend to be a blind flower girl to get close to you."

"Go back to your own workplace," Chu Hengkong told him.

Chapter 357 A Friendship as Faint as a Phantom (2)

"Good sir, please buy a bouquet of flowers!" the blind girl pleaded, chasing after the car.

Chu Heng rolled down the car window and reached out to ruffle the blind girl's hair into a mess: "I really admire your perseverance... damn it, there are even lice in your wig!"

"The key to disguise is authenticity."

The blind girl ripped off her blindfold, revealing Wang Quan's sly gaze. She, or he, slipped through the car window like a cat, past Chu Hengkong, and sat down in the passenger seat. Chu Hengkong waved his hands repeatedly: "Get out of the way, this is my boss's seat."

"He's so petty about even a seat; he values ​​women more than friends."

When Wang Quan removes his wig, he reverts to his appearance as a handsome white-haired boy. This seems to be one of his favorite disguises; when he speaks in this form, he often wears a smug smile, making one want to punch that handsome face flat.

Chu Hengkong rolled his eyes: "Are you fucking bored? You don't do anything productive all day but disgust me?"

“Unfortunately, my workload is much greater than yours. I’m on a mission right now,” Wang Quan said. “This mission is to observe you. So I need to contact you from time to time, observe your reactions in various scenarios, and try to figure out your thoughts, until one day I understand you thoroughly and can completely simulate your thinking. Only then will I be considered a master.”

Its tone was like a medical professor explaining how to dissect a mouse, treating humans as mere material rather than living beings. That natural, blatant indifference could send chills down the spine of a sensitive person, yet Chu Hengkong remained completely unresponsive, like a lazy student sleeping in an anatomy class.

"How much have you learned?" he sneered.

"Four points...maybe three points?" Wang Quan hesitated. "Imitating you is indeed very difficult. You seem like a very simple person, but I can never figure out what's going on in your head. You have no goals, no perseverance, no meaning. You're like a lonely black hole. No one can imitate a black hole, right?"

It glanced sideways at Chu Hengkong: "What exactly are you pursuing? What is most important to you?"

"No one can imitate me," Chu Hengkong said dismissively.

"Perhaps I should change my approach and start by imitating the people around you?"

Wang Quan cleared his throat, using his most familiar voice, and casually snatched the cigarette from his hand: "Ah Kong, this is your fifth cigarette today. It proves that you completely disregarded my instructions."

Chu Hengkong laughed heartily; after all, its imitation was so lifelike that with eyes closed, it was easy to mistake it for the boss nagging beside him. He snatched the cigarette back, lit it, and suddenly said in a deep voice, "You're not allowed to impersonate Violet, or we'll start a war."

"You're really strict with your friends!" Wang Quan said insincerely, then rolled down the car window and floated out.

Chu Hengkong instinctively braked and glanced down, because he was driving on an overpass, and jumping out of the car at this speed would be dangerous. But there was no horrific scene of someone falling to their death below the bridge, nor any smell of blood. A gentle breeze passed through the angry honking of horns, like the malicious laughter of someone.

He felt relieved and stepped on the gas, speeding forward. At that moment, he realized that he had indeed come to regard Wang Quan as a friend.

·

They had never faced life-or-death situations together, so there was no deep affection between them; they had known each other for a very short time, and the longest time they spent alone together was when he first brought the box containing the king's power; their interactions were full of meaningless perfunctory exchanges, with the king throwing out lies while he rarely responded.

There was no real relationship between the two, but Chu Hengkong had to admit that he quite enjoyed spending time with Wang Quan.

Because this person is strong enough.

When interacting with anyone around him, even with Violet, he had to be restrained, reserved, and shackled, as if bound by invisible chains. Because their power levels were not the same, even the slightest exaggerated movement of his would bring suffering or even death to her.

But Wang Quan was unbelievably strong. His technique and physical abilities were absolutely top-notch. Even disregarding his masterful disguise, he was a world-class martial arts master. Communicating with such a person was completely unrestricted. He could pat the other's shoulder, pinch their head, and even joke around like an ordinary person, pushing and rubbing them. Because he knew Wang Quan wouldn't get hurt, and Wang Quan, like him, didn't care about these small gestures. Wang Quan could even have a proper fight with him.

They could chat idly while slashing with daggers, and use deadly assassination techniques instead of greetings. They didn't care about such things; they lived in the same world. Many times, they exchanged martial arts techniques during their casual conversations, sharing their views on certain moves and stances. He learned many secrets of joint locks from this, and in return, he taught Wang Quan how to utilize the power within his bones.

They could talk about the missions, recounting the details and jokes about the otherworldly beings. He couldn't mention these things with his underlings, because they were all terrified of the otherworldly beings and would only boast about his strength. But what he wanted wasn't boasting; what he wanted was…

Ordinary communication.

“Last month I went to deal with a group of cultists. Those guys had eyes and scales all over their faces, and I didn’t want to go near them.” Wang Quan made a disgusting gesture. “So I put one hand on their back and said, ‘I’m an ophthalmologist doing free clinics. Would you like a ride?’”

"Are you a weasel?" Chu Hengkong laughed.

“That cultist yelled ‘Ah!’ and I snapped its neck. I saw dozens of eyes staring at me from inside the room…” Wang Quan said seriously. “Then I apologized to them because I realized I’d forgotten my eye drops.”

Chu Hengkong covered his forehead and laughed, like any American high school student you'd see anywhere. After laughing, he commented, "Bad joke."

“I’m very serious.” Wang Quan shrugged. “After the mission, I led scientists to dissect those cultists, and the report said that their mode of existence may be even more ancient than that of modern humans.”

"This means your boss should fire these pseudo-scientists."

“Who knows if it’s true?” Wang Quan shrugged. “The outcasts all have origins. Don’t you think they always have some similarities? Like those who worship the sea, those who worship the fog, those who worship the moon… Perhaps one day we will find that they are the original forms of life, and we are the outcasts born on this planet, thinking ourselves superior primates and violently driving out the rest of life.”

"Then when the Dinosaur Empire revives, go and surrender. I'll kill you, you traitor, for the Blood Alliance."

"No way, I'll be fighting on the front lines against the dinosaurs with the LidX robot in the open."

Chu Hengkong was taken aback: "You still read such old comics?"

“I’m not looking, you are,” Wang Quan said lazily. “Have you forgotten that I’m imitating you? I’ve read through all the works you like and the games you love to play. I’m the person who knows you best in the world.”

Chu Hengkong raised an eyebrow: "What am I thinking right now?"

"You're wondering what kind of reward the Blood Oath King gave me to make someone like me so obedient."

"You guessed right this time."

Wang Quan smiled smugly. The night was clear and bright, with the gentle moonlight spilling onto the river. He leaned against the stone bridge railing, the white moon reflected in his dark eyes.

The answer is 'none,' there is no compensation.

"You're so kind as to volunteer."

“This is necessary work,” Wang Quan said. “Chu Hengkong, have you considered the significance of your work?”

This is an area where Chu Hengkong has an advantage, as he has always been someone who is obsessed with meaning.

"The purpose is to protect my boss's home and keep out any strange creatures so they don't frighten the children."

"You used a very interesting metaphor!" Wang Quan's eyes sparkled. "Scaring children. Absolutely right, our job is to protect children!"

Chu Hengkong was taken aback. He had only told a joke casually, but Wang Quan seemed to deeply agree. He turned to look down at the bridge and pointed to the tourists on the boats under the moonlight.

"Look at those people beneath our feet, do you think they're happy?"

"They are doing quite well."

“But they don’t think that way,” Wang Quan said. “They feel that life is too hard and the pressure is too great. They are troubled by mortgage payments, car loans, their children’s education, family conflicts, careers with no future, and their aging parents. The vast majority of them believe that their lives are far from peaceful and joyful, and they harbor a lot of grievances in their hearts.”

But in our eyes, their lives were so blissful, without bloodshed, without death struggles, without ever having to teeter on the brink of life and death. They had never seen anything truly terrifying—pagans, werewolves, dark wizards, and so on. Their ignorance allowed them to enjoy harmless troubles.

Wang Quan looked at him and said softly, "Suppose one day, the heretics and the blood alliance are exposed to the public, can they still be so happy?"

Chu Hengkong had pondered this question long ago, and he believed every member of the Blood Alliance had considered similar ideas. Is it a good thing to force the public to confront reality? Will allowing forces in the sunlight to participate in the eradication of heretics make the world a better place?

"impossible."

Blood guilds possess experience, capability, and the constraints of their covenants, along with discipline passed down for millennia; the general public lacks these. Naturally, certain factions will consider researching these outcasts. Naturally, oligarchs will view them as resources. In this process, people will be infiltrated by these outcasts, much like those blood guild traitors who choose to worship evil gods during long missions. And many more will experience panic, fear, and sleepless nights due to the existence of these outcasts.

They will discover that the world is not a peaceful continent, but an isolated island surrounded by the unknown.

“That’s why our work is so important.” Wang Quan smiled. “We ensure that humanity lives in the unknown, like parents placing their children in a cradle. They don’t need to know crazy knowledge, they don’t need to face bloody battles, they can enjoy the luxurious troubles of ignorance.”

"This is 'love,' Chu Hengkong, selfless love. The blood oath must exist because we are protecting humanity's childhood."

Even if Wilbert were here, she would admit that this theory is correct. But for some inexplicable reason, Chu Hengkong retorted, "Children will always grow up."

“That would mean the Blood Alliance’s mission has failed!” Wang Quan chuckled and turned away. “So I won’t let that happen. Humanity will eventually enjoy happiness in its cradle.”

·

For nearly a year afterward, Chu Hengkong's social life returned to its pitiful state, consisting mainly of bickering with his underlings and occasionally sparring with White Wolf. This was because he hadn't seen Wang Quan since.

This might be because the task of observing him failed, and the guy, realizing he couldn't imitate him, stopped wasting time. A more likely reason is that Wang Quan lost interest in him and turned his attention to observing other strange humans. He felt the latter was more probable, after all, Wang Quan was more like a monster than a human. Monsters in stories are always fickle and capricious, passionately pursuing something one moment and then carelessly discarding it the next.

As Wang Quan disappeared without a trace, the boss became intrigued by it. She began collecting information on children who went missing 15 to 20 years ago, meticulously investigating every orphanage she could find and the illegitimate children of wealthy people who had vanished without a trace. Chu Hengkong remained silent on this until one day the boss pulled out a stack of printed papers and asked him which one he thought was most likely Wang Quan.

He folded the papers and put them aside: "Believe me, boss, this trick won't work. It can't leave any record of itself. It's probably just a test-tube baby bred in a secret room by some assassin organization of the Blood Alliance. It's undergone some kind of genetic modification. It has no ID card, no household registration, no trace of the surface world. It's all empty."

Vilbert wasn't going to give up: "What's your reason?"

“Any normal person wouldn’t spout that childhood theory,” Chu Hengkong said. “It thinks it’s something beyond humans, a faceless protector above all living beings. No one with a normal life experience would think that way. I can only conclude that it received that nonsensical cradle education from the Blood Alliance since birth, thus wholeheartedly believing itself to be a dark hero contributing to human society.”

Vilbert stared at him silently, and Chu Hengkong frowned: "I'm not that kind of person."

"In many people's eyes, you are the same kind of person as royalty. Powerful, aloof, and incomprehensible."

"I have no responsibility towards humanity," he said with a grin. "I'm only responsible for you."

Velbert ignored him completely; this girl was getting harder and harder to please.

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."