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nZhang Wei’s gaze finally fell on Yu Lei, and as she saw him walking towards her, she instinctively backed away. ‘Z-Zhang Wei?’ she stuttered, looking around and muttering his name under her breath.

nBut there was no escape. Yu Lei was met with an obstruction, and she couldn’t back away any further.

nShe struggled to recognize the person in front of her, drenched in blood and looking nothing like the Zhang Wei she knew.

nShock and extreme fear gripped her, and she felt like she was in a nightmare from which she couldn’t wake up.

nThere was a small voice inside her, urging her to deny the reality that Zhang Wei could be capable of killing so many people in such a gruesome manner.

nBut the evidence was right in front of her, and there was no denying it. She could smell the metallic scent of blood and see the twisted expressions of the dead bodies around her.

nThis was no dream – this was her worst nightmare come true.

nAnd now this Nightmare was approaching her…

nZhang Wei looked at Yu Lei’s current state with a helpless expression.

nThe pleasures in life had the potential to bring about agony as well.

nThe person you love the most was also capable of hurting you the most, and it was a bitter truth that was rarely observed.

nYu Lei’s reality was crumbling down around her. Faced with so many things, including supernatural sightings, anyone would have lost their mind.

nOn top of that, she was tied to a chair, her blood flow interrupted by the ropes.

nZhang Wei let out a wry smile, but the situation wasn’t all bad.

nAt least, in her confusion, she was looking to him for help.

nIt meant that his actions from today hadn’t become a hindrance in their relationship.

nIf she did start to hate him for what he had done, he might have to use forceful measures.

nBut then again, she wouldn’t be worth as much as she was now.

nWhy?

nBecause Zhang Wei needed someone.

nJust like Yu Lei needed him, he also needed someone.

nHe wasn’t a psychopath capable of living alone and enjoying his own company.

nHe was a person who had lived a life full of freedom, a life where nobody was there to interrupt his sleep early in the morning or tell him to go to bed early at night.

nHe had grown up without any parental figure and had lived alone from a young age.

nBut was it really freedom?

nWas not having anyone to wake you up in the morning, to sleep with you at night, or to take care of you when you were ill truly what freedom meant?

nMany people aspire to become billionaires, and Zhang Wei was no exception.

nSo why did he have such a lazy attitude towards life and settle for the money he was receiving from Yu Lei? 𝒪𝑽𝓵xt.𝒸𝔬𝑀

nThe answer lies in the realization that what he truly wanted was not to become a billionaire, but to become financially independent.

nBeing financially independent means never having to worry about lacking the resources to acquire what one desires.

nBut could Zhang Wei acquire the entire Hanland country with finances alone? Even the president of the country doesn’t dare to claim it as his own.

nOf course, not everyone wants to acquire a country. Some people can settle with a three-bedroom house, a few wives, and a healthy life.

nFor them, that’s what being financially independent means.

nMost people only want to have a certain lifestyle. Almost everyone wants to be financially independent. No one wants to be a millionaire, billionaire, or multi-billionaire.

nThe word “financial independence” is often misinterpreted as being rich, while in fact, it is not. Well, if we glance at the literal meaning of “rich,” that word in itself is subjective, so is financial independence.

nZhang Wei knew he needed someone’s presence around him.

nIn all reality, he grew quite used to having a person around.

nThis might also be the reason he manipulated her to this degree, to the point where she became madly dependent on him.

nHe estimated that, at her current state, if he died someday, she might as well jump from the balcony and commit suicide.

nShe had already dedicated her whole life’s purpose to him.

nThe only reason she does her job so perfectly is so that he doesn’t have to face any hindrance back at home.

nIs this a bad thing? Maybe for others, but for Zhang Wei, no.

nHe indeed needed someone who would side with him even when the whole world was against him, even if he had no support system and was put behind bars for today’s actions. She might be the only person to still visit him… that was what he needed.

nThis type of behavior from Yu Lei, according to him, was irrational and unacceptable.

nWhether a woman or any other person in their right mind should always opt for their own benefit in a relationship…

nSo, according to him, Yu Lei wasn’t normal; rather, she was behaving irrationally. This behavior and thought process should never be possessed by a sound person.

nBut Zhang still needed someone like her. If not her, he didn’t know how long it would take for a new support system to form or what would happen in the future.

nHe might as well become a wanted criminal hunted by everyone, forced to hide alone. At that time, she could be quite helpful. Only a person like her, who was not in their right mind, would still care to help him.

nWhenever Zhang Wei performs an action, he keeps in mind the consequences he will face in the future without the presence of a support system.

nIt’s easy to say to become a Buddha, to feel nothing, and to be content with oneself. But in practical application, actually making peace with oneself isn’t as easy as it sounds in words.

nZhang Wei assumed Yu Lei was in an unfair relationship because she was giving more than she was receiving. Here, he was lacking, as she was indeed receiving many other things, like a purpose to live, satisfaction, etc., that he didn’t account for. He was yet to reach a level of understanding the world at the level of celestial beings.

n… Host?

nThe system beeped, jolting Zhang Wei back to reality. He shook his head, trying to clear the mental cobwebs that had been clouding his mind. He turned to face Yu Lei, who cowered in front of him.

nHe realized that lately, he had been lost in thought a lot, as if his brain was running on overdrive. But he couldn’t let that distract him now. He grabbed Yu Lei’s shoulders with force, making her scream in terror as she averted her gaze.

nZhang Wei’s eyes narrowed with determination as he spoke in a commanding voice, “Look at me!” Yu Lei recognized the tone of his voice and turned to face him, but quickly turned her head away again.

nZhang Wei felt a wave of confusion wash over him. ‘What’s going on with her?’ He couldn’t understand why she wasn’t responding to him, even though she was muttering his name under her breath.

nAs he pondered her strange behavior, a thought occurred to him. ‘Maybe she’s completely broken.’

nIf that was the case, he had no idea how to fix her. Perhaps he needed to buy something from the system shop to repair her?

nSuddenly, another voice rang out in his mind, distracting him from his thoughts. Your face, host…

nZhang Wei was stunned for a moment before he realized that his face was covered in blood and gore. Even if Yu Lei saw him in her current state, she wouldn’t be able to recognize him.

nShaking his head in frustration at his own ignorance, he used his control over water to clean his face. Once he was sure that he was presentable, he turned to face her once again. “Look at me,” he commanded.

nYu Lei hesitated for a moment before slowly turning her head to face him.

nHer eyes were red and puffy, tears still streaming down her face. She looked like a scared, lost child.

nZhang Wei’s heart ached at the sight of her. He knew that he had to be gentle and patient with her. “It’s okay,” he said softly, reaching out to wipe away her tears. “I’m here for you.”

nYu Lei flinched at his touch, but didn’t pull away. She stared at him silently for a few moments, as if trying to process his words.

nFinally, she spoke in a trembling voice. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

nZhang Wei shook his head. “You don’t have to apologize,” he assured her. “It’s not your fault.”

nThey sat in silence for a while, with Zhang Wei comforting Yu Lei as she slowly calmed down.

nAfter a while, Yu Lei spoke, her voice still trembling, “W-was it an illusion? I-I am ill right?” she asked trying not to look upfront.

nZhang Wei smiled, before answering, “It isn’t. Everything you saw was real.”

n“It was real!?” She shivered and spoke with surprise.

nHer gaze unconsciously darting to mutilated and unrecognizable bodies, instantly she felt like throwing up and didn’t try to look further.

nHer face drained of color, Zhang Wei’s noticed it and instantly pulled her close, his arms enveloping her in a protective embrace as she quivered in fear.

nHe could feel her trembling against him, her body rigid with anxiety.

n“It’s okay,” he whispered soothingly, stroking her hair with gentle fingers. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

nGradually, Yu Lei began to relax in his arms, finding solace in his embrace. She gazed up at him, her eyes wide with wonder and fear.

n“Zhang Wei, how did you do all of that? Those supernatural abilities?” she asked, still shaken by the recent events.

nHer mind was reeling with the horror of the day’s events.

nSo many innocent people had been killed, and she didn’t know who they were or why they had to die. But her focus was on Zhang Wei, the man who had saved her, and she needed answers.

nZhang Wei hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. “I’ll explain everything once we get back home,” he said finally. “It’s not safe to talk about it here.”

nYu Lei pouted, her frustration mounting. “Why can’t you just tell me now? You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”

nBefore she could say anything else, Zhang Wei leaned in and kissed her deeply, his lips warm and insistent.

nThe unexpected passion of his embrace left her breathless, her body responding eagerly to his touch.

nAs Zhang Wei chuckled, Yu Lei couldn’t help but feel confused by his amusement.

nShe absentmindedly wiped at the sticky substance on her face, not yet realizing what it was.

n“What is this sticky thing?” she asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

nZhang Wei shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s just blood,” he said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

nYu Lei’s eyes widened in shock as the realization finally hit her. “It’s blood!?” she shrieked, recoiling in disgust and frantically wiping at her face with her sleeve.

nZhang Wei couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction, finding it amusing.

nHe pulled her close for another kiss, despite the blood on her lips.

nYu Lei pushed him back, protesting,”It’s dirty!”, but Zhang Wei persisted, savoring the sweet taste of her lips.

nAs he finally pulled away, he whispered in her ear, “That’s tasty.”

nYu Lei’s eyes widened in shock. “Are you a vampire?” she asked, her mind racing with possibilities.

nZhang Wei, ” _ ”

nSeeing his speechless look, Yu Lei can’t help but speak, “You aren’t?” she asked.

nZhang Wei shook his head in denial , Yu Lei nodded, “Oh,” her voice tinged with disappointment.

nZhang Wei sighed, wondering if this was really anything to be disappointed about.

nThere were so many dead bodies around them, yet Yu Lei was more concerned about whether he was a vampire or not.

nWhat about the Song family and the police?

nHe couldn’t help but chuckle at her priorities.

nSuddenly, she received a sharp knock on her head. “Ow!” she cried out, rubbing the sore spot on her skull. “What was that for?”

nZhang Wei shook his head in exasperation. “You need to stop watching so many dramas,” he gently chided. “Vampires aren’t real.”

nYu Lei pouted, still feeling a bit let down. “I know that,” she grumbled, “but it would have been cool if you were one.”

nZhang Wei just shook his head, but then the system butted in. Vampires are real, host. it declared.

nZhang Wei was surprised for a second, but then he smiled bitterly.

nIf there were cultivators in this world, it shouldn’t be rare to have vampires around.

nHowever, he wasn’t going to tell Yu Lei about this right now.

nIt was equivalent to him losing the argument here.

n“Let’s go outside,” he said as he took her hand, taking her outside.

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