Chapter 32

Chapter 31: Mountains and Seas 9

After leaving Cen Qianshan’s house, Shi Zong quickly found an internet café nearby to check which hotel Cen Qianshan stayed in when he proposed to Liang Yuyan.

There had to be a solution in the game. Shi Zong only had 30 minutes.

Therefore, the hotel had to be in this city and shouldn’t be too far from his current location.

Not long ago, after entering the first door on the third floor of the castle, Shi Zong had looked through the gap in the wardrobe door and faced the floor-to-ceiling window direction.

Through the window, he had seen several signs.

The first sign read “Ye Bank,” with the front part blocked. Shi Zong guessed it was likely “Agricultural Bank” or something similar.

The second sign was clear, reading “Baili Hotel.”

The third sign was “S37,” with the characters behind it blocked.

Shi Zong searched with this keyword and found it was a chain beauty salon.

Cross-referencing “Agricultural Bank,” “Baili Hotel,” and “S37 Beauty Salon,” Shi Zong didn’t get a satisfactory answer. He then searched local banks with “Ye Bank” as a keyword.

He chose “Industrial Bank” and, through cross-searching, found a commercial district where the bank, Baili Hotel, and S37 opened together. Finally, by checking the map, he successfully pinpointed the hotel where Cen Qianshan proposed: “Yunshang Hotel,” not far from a film shooting base.

After finding the hotel address, Shi Zong didn’t leave the internet café immediately.

He also checked Liang Yuyan’s schedule and news for March 3, 2021.

Luckily, Liang Yuyan was a public figure, so plenty of information could be found online.

There was indeed news about her that day—

Reports showed that at 8 p.m. she was attending a promotional event for a skincare brand.

During the event, a fan who adored her suddenly rushed toward her but was stopped by security.

However, the fan injured his right leg in the process.

Many online commented that Liang Yuyan, a mere newcomer, had so many bodyguards and suspected her of being high-maintenance.

After about 10 minutes of searching, Shi Zong arrived at Yunshang Hotel.

At this point, less than 15 minutes remained before his deadline to leave this timeline.

Yunshang Hotel was quite upscale, a five-star hotel.

It was built above a high-end shopping center.

The hotel occupied floors 5–23, and the shopping center occupied floors 1–4.

Shi Zong didn’t take the elevator straight to the hotel but entered the shopping center first.

After a short walk, he saw a store with a “LOUIS VUITTON” sign.

In the timeline behind the first door in the castle, after Cen Qianshan and Liang Yuyan were intimate, they went to shower together.

Cen Qianshan exited the bathroom first. Soon after, Liang Yuyan’s phone rang.

Cen Qianshan took her phone from her bag and handed it to the bathroom door for her.

Liang Yuyan said Cen Qianshan could look at her phone freely.

This meant she had already deleted any flirtatious messages or intimate photos with other men.

Shortly after handing her phone back, Cen Qianshan left, saying he had an interview to attend.

At that time, he hadn’t installed a camera in the room, and his demeanor was normal.

This indicated he likely hadn’t discovered Liang Yuyan’s infidelity yet.

Only 15 minutes later, Cen Qianshan returned to the room. He not only installed a camera but also wore an unusually serious expression.

So the key issue happened within those 15 minutes.

After leaving the room, what did Cen Qianshan encounter that made him suspect Liang Yuyan’s infidelity and want to test her?

Where did the camera come from?

What exactly happened in just 15 minutes?

When Cen Qianshan handed Liang Yuyan the phone, he only touched her phone and her bag.

If the problem wasn’t with the phone, the answer had to lie with her LV bag.

For these reasons, Shi Zong quickly entered the LV store.

With his good looks and a decent suit he had obtained from Cen Qianshan’s home, Shi Zong received enthusiastic service.

He asked the clerk, “I want to buy a bag for my girlfriend. It’s purple, medium-sized, with several patterns… Do you have this year’s catalog? I can show you.”

The clerk brought a fashion magazine, turned to a page, and pointed at a model holding a bag. “Is it this one?”

“Yes,” Shi Zong said. “Do you still have this bag?”

“No,” the clerk replied. “You have great taste. Buying it for your girlfriend? Unfortunately, this bag is a limited edition. Only three exist in our city. All three were sold from our store. By the way…

“Sir, you look a bit familiar…”

Shi Zong sighed dramatically. “You think I look like Cen Qianshan? Honestly, this face has gotten me into a lot of trouble. Why do I have to look so much like a murderer…”

The clerk frowned. “Yes, I know him. He killed Liang Yuyan. Such a terrifying criminal. What a pity, I’ve met Liang Yuyan before. She’s beautiful and should have had a bright future…”

“Yes, I saw her carrying this bag, so I wanted to buy it for my girlfriend.”

Shi Zong asked, “Did Liang Yuyan come herself to buy the bag?”

The clerk nodded, “Yes, she came herself.”

Shi Zong asked again, “Have you seen Cen Qianshan in person?”

“No,” the clerk shook their head.

“Back in March this year, were you working here? For example… March 4, who was on duty? Did they see Cen Qianshan?”

“Sir, aren’t you here to buy a bag? Should I introduce some other items?”

The clerk grew cautious.

Shi Zong quickly left the store.

Next to the store was a side entrance to the mall.

Through the side entrance, he noticed a digital products store in a nearby alley. The sign read—

“Latest pinhole cameras, easy to use, quick to operate…”

Thus, it wasn’t hard to reconstruct Cen Qianshan’s movements that day—

He left Yunshang Hotel, took the elevator to the mall, then went to the LV store.

After leaving the LV store, he bought a pinhole camera and returned to the hotel to install it.

The critical point was what exactly happened in the LV store.

Standing in the alley of the alternate timeline, Shi Zong imagined himself as Cen Qianshan that day, putting himself in his shoes, trying to recreate his mood.

At that moment, he recalled a crucial line Liang Yuyan once said.

It was when Cen Qianshan finished installing the camera and left the room, and Liang Yuyan called “Brother Wen”: “I even told our screenwriter I’ve never been to this hotel.”

The truth became clear—

Cen Qianshan had written too many bad films, his reputation declined every year, and his life grew poorer.

Finally, he wrote a script “Mountains and Seas” that the director barely approved, and managed to charm the actress Liang Yuyan.

He still wanted to please Liang Yuyan.

He proposed to her and, knowing she liked LV bags, planned to buy her one.

But his finances didn’t allow extravagance. So, before buying the bag, he wanted to check the price of the LV bag Liang Yuyan already had to buy a comparable one.

Otherwise, if he bought an expensive one, it would be too lavish and costly; if too cheap, Liang Yuyan might feel the bag from her fiancé was inferior to her own.

Thus, Shi Zong’s earlier questions to the clerk reflected what Cen Qianshan had asked that day—

“Do you have a purple bag shaped like this… how much is it?”

The clerk told him the price and showed him a catalog.

“Sorry, this bag is limited edition. Only three exist in our city, all sold. Look at these instead? These would also be good for your girlfriend. I’ll explain them.”

“Fine,” Cen Qianshan said while browsing, bragging, “None of these models are as pretty as my fiancée.”

Perhaps fearing disbelief, the vain Cen Qianshan showed his phone with Liang Yuyan’s photo.

“See, I’m not exaggerating!”

The clerk, surprised, said, “Oh, that’s Liang Yuyan! I know her! So she’s your fiancée?

“So lucky for her. She’s a star, just bought a limited edition bag, and her fiancé is buying her another one.”

Cen Qianshan’s expression completely changed.

Liang Yuyan’s LV bag was limited edition, only available at this store in the city.

But at Yunshang Hotel, she told him she had never been there.

Then where did the bag come from?

Even when the clerk mentioned “limited edition,” Cen Qianshan’s heart sank.

If she hadn’t been to the hotel, the bag must have been bought by another man for her, right?

No, that can’t be. Yuyan wouldn’t lie to me.

Soon Cen Qianshan dismissed the thought, convincing himself she likely had a friend buy it or had it

At that moment, Cen Qianshan felt a chill all over.

Earlier today, when he walked into the hotel with Liang Yuyan, she said it was her first time there.

As soon as she entered the mall, her face lit up with delight. “Wow, there’s a big mall under this hotel! After you finish work, you have to take me shopping properly!”

If she had only come to the mall to buy a bag, she could have just said she had been here before.

Why pretend it was her first time entering?

It could only be because she wasn’t afraid he would know she came to this mall. She was afraid he would know she had been in the hotel above the mall.

Could it be… could it be that she had a room here with another man?

Liang Yuyan had been to this hotel with another man.

If she hadn’t deliberately said it was her first time, it wouldn’t have mattered.

The film base wasn’t far away; she could have said she stayed here because she disliked the hotel by the film base.

Yet she deliberately said that one line, clearly afraid Cen Qianshan would know she had stayed here before, which instead revealed a flaw.

Cen Qianshan left the LV store in a daze, still unable to believe Liang Yuyan could lie to him.

Soon after, he saw the store selling pinhole cameras.

Staring at it, he might have even called the director. “Director, will there be any scenes with Liang Yuyan soon?”

“Oh? No, thank you.”

The clerk and the director’s words both indicated Liang Yuyan was lying.

But even at this point, Cen Qianshan hadn’t given up.

He simply bought the camera and returned to the hotel upstairs.

All of this happened in just 15 minutes.

Yet these 15 minutes changed Liang Yuyan’s entire life.

Cen Qianshan’s proposal to Liang Yuyan and his discovery of her infidelity occurred on March 4, 2001.

Shi Zong could, through the spacetime phone, call Liang Yuyan on March 3—the day before—for three minutes.

The question now was: what should he say in those three minutes to change her fate and prevent her murder?

Simply telling Liang Yuyan not to summon “Brother Wen” after Cen Qianshan leaves the hotel on March 4 would be meaningless.

If “Brother Wen” doesn’t come on March 4, there’s still March 5, March 6.

Without “Brother Wen,” there’s “Brother Li,” “Brother Zhao,” and so on.

Telling her to remove the camera was also meaningless.

Even if she removes it this time, what about next time?

Moreover, the action itself arouses suspicion.

The key answer actually lay with that LV bag.

Like a butterfly stirring a hurricane, it planted a seed of suspicion in Cen Qianshan’s heart.

He would still spend a long time with Liang Yuyan, and with that seed of doubt, he would test her repeatedly.

Liang Yuyan might avoid detection once with Shi Zong’s warning, but not the second, third time…

Often, fate is determined by the smallest differences.

Without this bag, Cen Qianshan might never have discovered Liang Yuyan’s infidelity. After all, she usually lied flawlessly, playing the perfect girlfriend extraordinarily well.

The remarkably skilled Liang Yuyan slipped only this once in front of Cen Qianshan.

It was this single slip that cost her life.

After leaving the hotel, Shi Zong quickly ran to No. 27 Huaihai Road.

He found the green spacetime phone and, following the instructions, called Liang Yuyan’s phone.

“Hello, who is this?”

Through the distance of time, Liang Yuyan’s voice came.

“Hello, I know you have a purple LV bag. If you want to survive, destroy it immediately and never let Cen Qianshan see it. Especially tomorrow, when you go to Yunshang Hotel with him, do not bring it. And do not tell Cen Qianshan it’s your first time at that hotel.”

Hearing this, Liang Yuyan was clearly stunned. “Y-you… who are you? What are you saying? How do you know tomorrow I’m going to—”

“I am from the future. Tomorrow, after Cen Qianshan is with you in the hotel room, he will go to the LV store downstairs to buy you a bag and discover your infidelity.

“Then he will, out of love turned to hate, kidnap and torment you, eventually killing you.

“Tonight, you will be promoting the AUY skincare brand.

“A male fan will injure his right leg because of you. You can wait for that to happen, then decide whether to follow my advice.”

Huaihai Road wasn’t far from the door back to the castle.

After the call, Shi Zong ran back quickly.

Passing a newsstand and seeing books on Buddhism, he didn’t forget to spend the last of his money to buy one.

When Shi Zong reached the door, only one minute remained.

Sweat soaked the fringe on his forehead, his clothes were damp, and the white collar over his collarbone was almost semi-transparent.

Entering the alley, he saw He Zhen returning money to the little girl, retrieving the golden candlestick as promised.

His face bore a smile, his eyes gentle… even a little compassionate.

This reminded Shi Zong of He Zhen’s ears reddening when receiving the money earlier.

The He Zhen of that moment and the He Zhen now were completely different from the one holding a dagger, trying to kill him.

The well-educated, noble, disciplined, compassionate He Zhen.

The He Zhen who could mercilessly send Shi Zong to his death at their first meeting, or who could immediately draw a dagger to stop him from completing a side quest.

Which one was real?

Only 30 seconds remained.

He Zhen turned, in this unfamiliar timeline, locking eyes with Shi Zong.

He Zhen’s expression was unreadable, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Shi Zong gave a faintly amused look, then turned and yanked open the door behind him.

Through the dense fog, in an instant, Shi Zong was back on the third floor of the castle.

During this, he didn’t forget to ponder one question—

Why had He Zhen also delayed coming back so long?

Did he have a separate side quest?

With this doubt, Shi Zong walked toward the stairs, quickly flipping through the book he had bought.

It mentioned—

“Those who steal, commit sexual sins, or deceive, can reduce karmic obstacles, cleanse sins, and avoid entering the hell path after death by doing good deeds, giving alms, or performing merit in temples.

“Among all karmic obstacles, murder is the heaviest. Murderers are unforgivable and must enter the hell path after death.”

At this point, Shi Zong raised an eyebrow, realizing he had been outwitted.

When searching Cen Qianshan’s room and receiving the side quest, he had too many things to consider, including how to complete the side quest and guessing He Zhen’s true role.

So he hadn’t deeply explored He Zhen’s motives.

He had prepared the “rope” from bed sheets just in case, because in his view, He Zhen really might have killed him.

At that time, from Shi Zong’s perspective, He Zhen suffered nightly torture, confirming he came from the hell path.

But he wasn’t Cen Qianshan of the hell path; he was Liang Yuyan.

Liang Yuyan ended up in the hell path after death, likely because of sexual sins.

In this case, if Shi Zong saved Liang Yuyan of the human path, preventing her death at Cen Qianshan’s hands, she naturally wouldn’t go to hell. This meant the He Zhen character would disappear.

Of course, the saved Liang Yuyan would still die naturally decades later, but by then, the Liang Yuyan entering hell would no longer be the one He Zhen had been playing.

Because the timeline had changed.

Therefore, to avoid disappearing, He Zhen might indeed try to kill Shi Zong to stop him from completing the side quest.

Looking back, Shi Zong noticed three anomalies—

First, as soon as He Zhen entered Cen Qianshan’s house, he seemed to be searching with purpose.

Second, although he drew a dagger as if really intending to kill Shi Zong, during the side quest, he never appeared or obstructed him.

Third, He Zhen returned to that door very late.

All these indicated He Zhen had his own separate side quest to complete.

Shi Zong initially thought He Zhen drew the dagger just to stop him from completing the side quest, and truly didn’t want to die.

But now it seemed the dagger act was merely a ruse.

—He only wanted Shi Zong out of Cen Qianshan’s room.

He wanted Shi Zong to hurry and save Liang Yuyan, allowing him to quietly, without Shi Zong noticing or interfering, complete his own side quest.

The book he bought further confirmed Shi Zong’s judgment.

It contained hidden world-building for the side quest.

According to the side quest rules, only those who commit murder will go to hell.

So Liang Yuyan went to hell because of murder, not sexual sins.

Shi Zong recalled the comment: “Sincerely wish Liang Yuyan could reincarnate, then

So, the real story should be like this: Cen Qianshan killed Liang Yuyan; later, the Cen Qianshan played by Shi Zong saved Liang Yuyan through the spacetime phone.

Liang Yuyan, who was supposed to die on June 7, 2001, survived, and according to parallel timeline theory, her survival created a new timeline.

In this second timeline, Liang Yuyan realized through that phone call how terrifying Cen Qianshan was, became wary of him, and during their subsequent interactions further discovered that the person on the phone was telling the truth—she had been killed by Cen Qianshan in the old timeline.

Even though her infidelity wasn’t immediately discovered by Cen Qianshan because she destroyed the purple bag, one day he might notice some clue and choose to kill her.

So this time, to avoid being killed by Cen Qianshan, she killed Cen Qianshan first.

Thus, Liang Yuyan committed the sin of murder.

This is the real reason she fell into the hell path and was reincarnated as the character He Zhen now plays.

He Zhen is the hell path Liang Yuyan from the second timeline.

Therefore, Shi Zong completing this side quest not only wouldn’t make He Zhen disappear, but would affirm his existence.

Now Shi Zong only had two remaining questions—

First, what side quest had He Zhen secretly completed?

Second, now that two timelines exist, which timeline’s Cen Qianshan was he?

Shi Zong put away the book he had just bought, his expression a little unsettled.

As the two of them had just reached the stairs, Shi Zong suddenly stopped, spun around, grabbed He Zhen by the collar, and pressed him against the pitch-black wall.

Shi Zong’s action was too sudden and forceful.

He Zhen’s back hit the wall sharply, almost making a “thud.”

A streak of dim light fell from the fourth floor; the yellowish color cast a hint of gentleness in Shi Zong’s gaze.

“Clever trick,” he said to He Zhen. “So, what exactly is your side quest?”

This time He Zhen answered truthfully. “You saved Liang Yuyan, which opens a new timeline. The system gave me something called a ‘spacetime mailbox,’ allowing me to write a letter to that Liang Yuyan saved in the second timeline.

“I studied all of Cen Qianshan’s schedules and designed a perfect plan for that Liang Yuyan, one that could kill Cen Qianshan without being caught by the police.”

After saying this, before Shi Zong could question him, He Zhen looked at him with an unfathomable gaze and in an indescribable tone asked, “When we were at Cen Qianshan’s house, I drew the dagger only to force you to leave quickly, without ruining the completion of my side quest.

“But at that time, you didn’t know this.

“In your perspective, whether I was the hell path Cen Qianshan or the hell path Liang Yuyan, either could have disappeared because of your side quest.

“But you recklessly chose to complete it.

“Boss Shi, see, me drawing the dagger to kill you was acting, bluffing. I didn’t truly want to kill you. But you actually considered killing me.”

Shi Zong, full of mockery or questioning, was suddenly blocked by He Zhen’s words.

Even he was momentarily stunned, unable to refute He Zhen.

After a long moment, he said, “Just for points. I remember your performance in the first dungeon, and I thought we were similar. Could it be you…”

He almost laughed mid-sentence. “You’re not seriously questioning me? In this kind of game, life and death hang by a thread, everyone fights for their own benefit—you don’t actually think—”

He Zhen abruptly interrupted. “So to you, my life isn’t even as important as 120 points?”

Shi Zong: “…………”

After a long silence, He Zhen continued: “I just want to say, if we were allies, I would bring you benefits far exceeding 120 points.

“But you might not believe me. You think that, in a different place, I would surely make the same choices as you.”

He Zhen’s gaze grew deep. “Maybe to you, life isn’t precious. When necessary, even human lives can be tools you use. But I don’t see it that way. For example…

“The little girl from that other timeline, when handing the money to you, the ‘big star,’ she carefully smoothed the creased, dirty, worn bills—so careful, so cute, vivid, alive. Right?

“Even the most ordinary, mundane people have endearing qualities. That’s one of the reasons they exist. They aren’t like ants, to be erased at will.”

Shi Zong felt He Zhen’s words growing increasingly strange.

He squinted, slightly annoyed. “You 18-year-old kid… are you lecturing me?”

After another pause, He Zhen grabbed Shi Zong’s wrist and then pushed his hand away.

He turned and walked straight upstairs.

“I have to go back and endure tonight’s torture. Are you going to prepare for the upcoming faction battle, or just watch me be tortured?”