Wen Ze remained indifferent, but that didn’t mean Zhou Zichen could easily find peace of mind.
He arrived at Wen Ze’s apartment, seething with rage.
The one thing he had going for him over Shen Ruan was that he still possessed a key to the front door, so he didn’t have to face a door slammed in his face before seeing Wen Ze.
Upon entering, Zhou Zichen froze.
Had the key not matched the lock, he would have been unable to identify this apartment at all.
Naturally, Wen Ze had no intention of “making do” in a place that had been trashed like that, so he had opted for a total renovation, choosing a completely new layout and decor.
Zhou Zichen had been relatively generous toward the original host, it must be said that he was always generous toward every lover who suited his tastes.
It was a three-bedroom, one-living-room, one-bathroom apartment with a large balcony, an open-concept kitchen, and a small study.
The original host had been with Zhou Zichen for quite some time, receiving countless wire transfers, cash, and luxury goods. The value of these items alone was enough for someone to live comfortably for a lifetime.
Wen Ze had money, leisure time, and property, so he had carried out a massive, sweeping reform of the space.
He lived alone, and since his partner was a demon who couldn’t cross over, he wouldn’t have any lovers. Consequently, he simply knocked down the wall between the living room and the second bedroom to maximize the space and installed an ultra-large screen. Wen Ze did everything here: attended classes, worked out, played, rested, and relaxed.
The kitchen was converted into a closed-off room the little succubus didn’t know how to cook, and since he barely touched the kitchen once every ten days or half a month, keeping it open was just an eyesore.
The study held his data, and the bedroom was used purely for sleeping.
The original warm-toned decor was replaced by Wen Ze with deep, dark colors predominantly black, accented with red and purple and decorated with various scattered knick-knacks. It looked no different from his quarters back in Hell. At night, without the lights on, one could practically use it as a location for filming a horror movie.
Succubus aesthetics were just like that; using various human skulls as decorations was completely normal.
However, the room still contained a few soft, fluffy items. Although they were also chosen in dark fabrics, they were simply a matter of Wen Ze’s personal preference.
The lights in the living room were off, and darkness engulfed everything, infinitely magnifying the fear in one’s heart.
Vague sounds of talking drifted through the air; Wen Ze was in the middle of an online class, a sound that should have been comforting.
But Zhou Zichen remained standing at the doorway, hesitant and wavering; for a moment, he didn’t dare to step inside.
Wen Ze was currently applying a face mask, lying on the sofa.
While the original host’s brain hadn’t been this sharp, a demon’s soul was incredibly efficient. For Wen Ze, this coursework was simple. If he could memorize complex arcane spell models and difficult, twisted incantations, could he not handle this trivial subject matter?
The moment Zhou Zichen’s footsteps hit the stairs, Wen Ze detected him.
He didn’t know who was who, but the original host’s instincts told him.
The original host had branded everything about Zhou Zichen into his memory, including the sound of his footsteps. Just by listening to that gait, Wen Ze could determine that Zhou Zichen was in a state of blind fury.
If it were the original host, he likely would have rushed out to greet him, accepting all of Zhou Zichen’s rage regardless of right or wrong, fawning over him obsequiously, hoping for even a single glance in his direction.
But what did that have to do with Wen Ze?
Wen Ze monitored Zhou Zichen’s footsteps, hearing the key violently jammed into the lock that brutality was exactly what Zhou Zichen had offered the original host and then the man standing frozen at the doorway, too terrified to enter.
Wen Ze couldn’t help but feel it wasn’t worth it for the original host.
A selfish, cowardly, vain, and unfaithful asshole who happened to have a handsome face people like that were everywhere. Why had the original host allowed himself to be deceived?
Suddenly, he understood why the game system said he had to “live on well in the original host’s place until the natural end of his lifespan.”
So this is what it means… to die an unjust death.
A smile curled Wen Ze’s lips. If one looked only at his face, he appeared soft and approachable, but with the addition of the tear mole assimilated from his succubus bloodline, he appeared mysterious and dangerous.
The sound of his finger snap wasn’t loud, but it resonated like a thunderclap in Zhou Zichen’s ears.
The lights in the room suddenly went out, and even the faint sound of the online lecture vanished completely.
A familiar voice seemed to drift through the air, sharp and piercing: “Zichen, Zichen, I love you! I love you! Why didn’t you come to see me? Why… why didn’t you save me…”
Amidst the sobbing and wailing, a face loomed right in front of Zhou Zichen.
It was a face he was intimately familiar with, yet blood dripped from all seven orifices. The once-bright eyes—which had always held stars whenever they looked at him—now appeared as nothing but empty, hollow sockets.
The person was clad in red robes, their horrific face suddenly magnified before his eyes: “Why! Didn’t you save me!”
Zhou Zichen retreated step by step, his face a mess of snot and tears, unidentifiable as handsome or otherwise: “I, I didn’t… I didn’t! I didn’t refuse to save you… I didn’t know, I knew nothing at all!”
The door behind him closed at some unknown moment without a sound.
Zhou Zichen’s back hit the wall; he had nowhere left to retreat.
Watching those sharp, skeletal fingers reaching for his throat, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted, a puddle of liquid soaking the floor beneath him.
He had actually been scared to the point of wetting himself.
“Ew.”
The blinding lights flickered back on, illuminating the hallway with a stark white glare. Where was the ghost in red?
Wen Ze had leaned against the doorframe at some point, having watched the entire performance from start to finish.
Whether due to the lighting or not, his hair and eye color seemed to flash with a hint of purple, and something seemed to shimmer faintly above his head.
He offered his assessment: “Trash.”
Then, he dialed the police and waited quietly.
He had learned the common knowledge of this world: if there’s trouble, call the police. You can never go wrong with the government.
As for Zhou Zichen, Wen Ze didn’t touch him at all.
It was too disgusting.
Wen Ze was afraid he would ruin his own carpet.
He had just replaced it; it was incredibly expensive.
The police arrived quickly. Wen Ze was pleased with the government’s efficiency and decided to look into it later to see if it could be applied to Hell.
As a pure-blooded succubus, he was certainly destined to inherit the leadership of his clan one day.
In any case, demons were long-lived. While the government of Hell couldn’t be called “good,” it had been running for so many years without major incidents. Reforming it a thousand years early or late wouldn’t hurt.
Zhou Zichen was currently too famous both in terms of his career and gossip and even the police had seen him in promotional entertainment news.
The lead officer looked at Zhou Zichen, then at Wen Ze, his eyes filled with suspicion.
Wen Ze spread his hands, appearing innocent: “I was inside taking an online class; he suddenly showed up, then started screaming for no reason. When I came out, he had already fainted.”
Meeting the lead officer’s skeptical gaze, Wen Ze said helplessly: “Officer, don’t disbelieve me. The security in this building is very good; there’s surveillance in the hallway. You are welcome to check it.”
Wen Ze wasn’t lying. Naturally, Zhou Zichen wouldn’t have sent a lover to a run-down neighborhood; the security was beyond reproach.
The officer checked the footage, confirmed Zhou Zichen was merely unconscious with no physical injuries, and had two young officers escort him to the surveillance room.
Upon checking the surveillance, it was exactly as Wen Ze had described.
Zhou Zichen had arrived on his own, seething with rage, and for some reason, had suddenly gone crazy at the door. Throughout the entire ordeal until he fainted, Wen Ze hadn’t appeared on camera once.
Even after Zhou Zichen had been unconscious for a while, Wen Ze only came out to look, appearing extremely cautious.
This effectively cleared Wen Ze of suspicion.
Although police officers were steadfast believers in materialism, those who walked the night often encountered ghosts; they had seen their fair share of inexplicable events.
With celebrities all glittering and polished on the outside it wasn’t uncommon for them to practice black magic or worship spirits behind closed doors until they drove themselves insane. Naturally, the lead officer assumed Zhou Zichen was one of those people.
After this, the officer’s gaze toward Wen Ze softened considerably. When they sat in the police car, he even kindly handed Wen Ze a cup of warm water.
Wen Ze clutched it to his chest, flattered and surprised.
When the car arrived at the police station, Zhou Zichen woke up before they could even question Wen Ze.
Before the police could utter a word, Zhou Zichen screamed, ran to the corner of the wall, and crouched down, covering his head while shivering against the wall, muttering: “It wasn’t my fault you died!” “It was your own choice!” “Don’t come looking for me!” “I didn’t mean not to save you!”
Some of the younger policewomen had originally been fans of this “Best Actor,” and their gazes toward Wen Ze had been quite hostile. Now, seeing this, their faces darkened.
Clearly, this man was no good.
Throughout the entire process, Wen Ze sat quietly to the side with his head bowed, saying nothing.
His fair, slender fingers rested on the rough water cup, applying slight pressure. One could see a pale blue tint on his fingertips, and his long, thick eyelashes trembled slightly like the wings of a butterfly.
Looking closely, one could see his body trembling slightly, each shudder striking at the hearts of those around him, making them itch to step forward and console him.
The police officers’ gazes toward Zhou Zichen grew even more indignant, while their pity for Wen Ze deepened.
One senior policewoman even walked over to Wen Ze, gently patting his back in consolation: “Don’t be afraid. We will see that justice is served for you.”
Wen Ze looked up, his eyes suddenly welling with tears: “I…”
Before he could finish a complete sentence, tears streamed down, tracing paths across his fair face and dripping from his exquisite chin, making him appear all the more pitiful.
“Poor child.”
The policewoman’s own child at home was about Wen Ze’s age, and her heart ached terribly.
She glared fiercely at Zhou Zichen, who was still shivering in the corner; she had clearly already branded him a total villain in her heart.
The only person who could still maintain a balanced psychological scale was the lead officer.
Yet, even that was a struggle.
Seeing Zhou Zichen in such a poor mental state, fearing he wouldn’t be able to answer questions, the officer sat down before Wen Ze.
Cough, cough.
The officer pulled a teapot beside him, clearing his throat, which caused Wen Ze to flinch, earning him a glare from the policewoman.
“…”
What kind of life is this?!
The lead officer said helplessly: “Don’t be afraid. We’ve checked the surveillance and know you are innocent. We just want to understand the cause and effect of this incident.”
Wen Ze raised his head timidly and looked at him, whispering: “It’s just… I’m a D-list celebrity. Recently, because… we broke up.”
When Wen Ze got to this point, his eyes reddened again. He glossed over the details and continued: “I received an invitation for a dating show. Mr. Shen… is probably his current boyfriend. He came to the house wanting to take the spot, and I didn’t agree.”
Once he said that, the situation was clear.
The police officers glared at Zhou Zichen like daggers.
What a scumbag!
If you wanted the spot, spend money to buy it. Why go over there so aggressively? To beat someone up?
Wen Ze lowered his head and wiped his tears: “It’s just that after that incident, he hadn’t returned for a long time. He probably only came over because of this. As for why he suddenly turned into this… I have no idea.”