C119 —- Violent Possession

Chu Chen’an hurriedly turned off the TV, opened the system control panel’s [Items] tab, hesitated for half a second, and still pulled out the brand-new Human Skin Mask item card.

[Item Card Name]: Human Skin Mask.

[Usage Duration]: 1 day. [Click here to view extension guide]

Chu Chen’an clicked on [Click here to view extension guide], and the screen immediately loaded a coin recharge page.

[Exchange 1 day]: X88,888 coins

[Exchange 2 days]: X168,888 coins

[Exchange 3 days]: X268,888 coins

[Exchange 4 days]: …

Chu Chen’an exited the panel and checked his coin balance: 1.69 million+

Over the years, his balance had been maintained by fans who liked his live-stream. Since he had few expenses, he had managed to save up this much.

The system had clearly set its sights on his balance.

So stingy!

He silently complained in his heart, but there was no other choice. He had to spend nearly all of his coin savings to exchange for a two-day extension.

Chu Chen’an activated the item card, and almost instantly, his face transformed into an ordinary, unremarkable one.

He went to the bathroom, looked at the unfamiliar yet plain face in the mirror, and took a deep breath.

He could maintain this disguise for three days.

That meant he had three days to complete his mission.

After hurriedly packing his belongings from the system’s storage, he left the hotel.

At the ship boarding point, he joined the long queue. Wearing a black hat and a scarf, he blended into the crowd.

—

Seeing the massive cruise ship for the second time, Chu Chen’an still couldn’t help but be in awe.

It stood like a pale blue iceberg amidst the vast blue sea—towering and majestic.

Chu Chen’an had bought a regular ticket, staying in a double room with a window. His roommate was a newly graduated college student named Liu Fanzhi.

Liu Fanzhi was very outgoing. They had chatted nonstop from boarding until the evening.

“What a coincidence! I also majored in journalism.” Liu Fanzhi sat on the opposite bed, holding his camera. “But I didn’t go into news reporting. Now that I’ve graduated, I’m working as a photographer. What about you? Are you in the journalism field?”

Chu Chen’an was cautious and shook his head. “No, I’m a freelancer now.”

Liu Fanzhi nodded. “Freelancing is great. So many people are doing it now—high pay, flexible schedule. Oh, by the way, I heard there’s a party on the ship tonight. Are you going? We could go together.”

Chu Chen’an nodded. “Sure.”

“I also heard that Qin Jue will be attending. Damn, I can’t believe how lucky I am—just taking a vacation and getting a chance to meet my idol up close…” Liu Fanzhi said excitedly. “I just wonder if I’ll be able to snap a couple of photos.”

Chu Chen’an looked at the crimson sunset over the ocean, subconsciously clenching his hands.

Liu Fanzhi continued, “Wait… you don’t know who Qin Jue is, do you?”

Chu Chen’an looked at him blankly, not responding.

“Qin Jue,” Liu Fanzhi slapped his thigh, “he’s a big name in charity! Over the past few years, he’s funded 118 impoverished regions, made it onto the national billionaire rankings, and was even recognized by the A-country Charity Association as the Most Benevolent Capitalist of the Year. He’s officially acknowledged, too! I see him on the news all the time. How do you not know him?”

Were they talking about the same person?

How could that psycho have such a good reputation?

Chu Chen’an forced a smile. “I don’t really remember.”

—

Night fell.

Chu Chen’an and his roommate, Liu Fanzhi, arrived at the grand ballroom. The hall echoed with loud, lively music, and the dance floor in the center was filled with people dancing passionately. Brilliant lights illuminated every corner of the venue.

The dim, shifting lights made the shadows of the crowd overlap and flow together, almost dizzying Chu Chen’an.

He found a corner to sit in, holding a glass of juice, and politely declined Liu Fanzhi’s invitation. “I don’t know how to dance. You go ahead and have fun.”

Liu Fanzhi nodded. “Alright, I’ll come find you later.”

Chu Chen’an nodded. “Okay.”

In the chaotic, noisy crowd, Chu Chen’an unintentionally caught sight of a figure. The man had a buzz cut, a bandage covering a wound on his head, and was moving among a group of overweight men, constantly toasting and smiling apologetically, his face full of wrinkles.

Chu Chen’an recognized him instantly—Zhou Qiangshan!

He quickly opened the system control panel in his mind and contacted Jiang Lin.

Chu Chen’an: 【Wasn’t Zhou Qiangshan crippled by Qin Jue? How is he on this ship?】

Jiang Lin:[I heard he took some special medication. Why? Why are you asking about him all of a sudden?]

Chu Chen’an:[Nothing, I just saw him.]

Jiang Lin: -You’re on the ship now, right, Chen’an?]

Chu Chen’an: [Yeah.]

Jiang Lin: [I’m on the ship too.]

Jiang Lin: [Did you use that item card?]

Chu Chen’an: [Yeah.]

Jiang Lin: [Qin Jue is still keeping an eye on me, but we can find a chance to meet.]

Jiang Lin: [After all, he won’t recognize you now.]

Chu Chen’an hesitated for a moment before replying.

Chu Chen’an: [Okay.]

Jiang Lin: [You should keep an eye on Zhou Qiangshan first. Their gathering will likely happen in the next two days. If there’s any progress in the mission, contact me immediately—don’t act rashly.]

Jiang Lin: [This mission is extremely dangerous.]

Jiang Lin: [Once we finish this mission, we can go home, Chen’an.]

Jiang Lin: [Don’t be nervous. I’ll take you home.]

Chu Chen’an froze for a moment, realizing that this was indeed the last mission.

No need.

I’ll go home on my own.

He thought to himself.

He sat near Zhou Qiangshan, positioning himself with his back to him, concentrating on eavesdropping on the conversation.

One of the middle-aged men, wearing a floral shirt, said, “Old Zhou, didn’t you say you were bringing a little boyfriend for us to enjoy?”

Someone chimed in, “Yeah, where’s the treat?”

Another person teased, “Don’t tell me you got too attached again, President Zhou?”

“No way, how could I be reluctant?” Zhou Qiangshan, visibly drunk, shook his head and rubbed his bulging belly with a grin. “I already took care of him.”

Chu Chennan’s pupils shrank slightly, his eyelashes trembling as he turned his head and clenched his fist.

The fat man in the floral shirt asked, “When did this happen?”

“A week ago. Left the body in the house for two days. Damn, when I got back, the meat was already rotting. The stench—ugh, made me want to puke…”

Zhou Qiangshan chuckled, as if recounting some trivial anecdote.

Chu Chen’an suppressed the fury surging in his chest, clenching his fists tightly.

How could this have happened so suddenly?

Cheng Hao clearly said he wanted to leave this circle—so why did he still end up…

“How’d you kill him?”

Zhou Qiangshan narrowed his eyes, suddenly slamming the table. “That damn brat was ungrateful! I spent so much money on him, and guess what? He said he wanted out! He wanted to run! Where in the world does that happen? A fattened animal thinking it can escape? And he dared to give me attitude every damn day! You think I’d put up with that?”

The fat man in the floral shirt took a swig of alcohol, his arm draped around a sultry woman in a mini skirt, and asked again, “So, how’d you kill him?”

Zhou Qiangshan continued, “I stitched his mouth shut, sliced open his stomach, and scooped everything out… With what? A kitchen knife, of course!”

He recounted the details enthusiastically.

The people around him clapped and cheered, laughing uproariously.

Someone gave him a thumbs-up. “Did you eat any of it?”

Zhou Qiangshan smirked. “Had a bit of his liver. Bitter as hell. Damn waste of all the money I spent on him.”

Chu Chen’an lowered his eyes, his entire body trembling with rage, his knuckles turning white from his clenched fists.

Zhou Qiangshan had butchered Cheng Hao like gutting a fish—then boasted about it as if it were some achievement.

To them, Cheng Hao was nothing but livestock, a fish, a dish on their table…

No one cared whether he lived or died. No one cared if he was willing or not.

One of the men chuckled, “Doesn’t matter, we’ve got plenty of fresh stock this time. Everyone’s gonna eat their fill.”

Zhou Qiangshan rubbed his hands together, grinning, his yellowed teeth showing. “When’s it happening?”

The fat man in the floral shirt, surnamed Wu—known in their circle as Fatty Wu—replied, “Tomorrow night. We need to keep things clean.”

Zhou Qiangshan frowned. “Will the big shots be there?”

“Of course. I heard some important guests are coming.” Fatty Wu’s voice lowered slightly. “We have to be quick and follow their lead.”

“Alright, alright.” Zhou Qiangshan, growing more irritable with the alcohol, waved a hand. “We know the drill. Come on, let’s drink.”

—

Chu Chen’an couldn’t listen anymore. He memorized the time and location of their gathering, then quietly slipped away into the crowd.

As the party neared its end, he trailed behind Zhou Qiangshan.

Zhou Qiangshan, clearly drunk, staggered into the restroom. He turned on the sink, twisting the faucet to full blast. The sound of rushing water filled the room, but as Chu Chennan approached, he caught the faint sound of sobbing—muffled, with a few small choking noises mixed in.

Zhou Qiangshan, slurring through his drunken stupor, wiped the water onto his clothes. “I’m sorry, Haohao… I’m such a piece of shit… I’m really sorry…”

His eyes were red and swollen, tears streaming down his face as he wept, his unsteady figure swaying like a mourner grieving a lost lover.

Chu Chen’an, standing at the doorway, couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He turned and left.

As he walked away, he muttered under his breath, “Psycho.”

What was the point of regretting now?

If he really cared, he shouldn’t have killed him in the first place.

Maybe Zhou Qiangshan did love Cheng Hao, just like Cheng Hao once said.

But that love was nothing—nothing compared to his own selfish, gluttonous desires.

—

Returning to the ballroom, Chu Chen’an had just met up with Liu Fanzhi when the music suddenly cut off.

Liu Fanzhi, buzzing with excitement, smacked Chu Chen’an’s shoulder. “Oh my god, look! Qin Jue is here!”

Chu Chen’an turned at the sound of the name.

Under the dazzling lights, he saw Qin Jue standing on the second-floor balcony.

The grand hall, large enough to hold hundreds, was bathed in luxurious lighting. Qin Jue, dressed in a black trench coat, stood tall. His sharp, hawk-like eyes held a faint smile as he spoke into the microphone, saying only a few simple words:

“…I wish you all a pleasant trip.”

Then, he took a step back, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

For a brief moment, his eyes passed over Chu Chen’an’s figure.

A shiver ran down Chu Chen’an’s spine. In an instant, he lowered his head in fear, his heart pounding.

He felt too guilty to meet Qin Jue’s gaze.

Qin Jue paused for a few seconds before leaving the main stage on the second floor. He walked down the hallway of the presidential suite on the cruise ship, with his butler, Borek, following closely behind.

Qin Jue walked forward slowly, lowering his head to light a cigarette. “Any movement from Jiang Lin?”

“No, Master,” Borek answered cautiously, stealing a nervous glance at Qin Jue’s back. “He has remained in the suite all day. Aside from reading books and browsing the internet, he has not shown any unusual behavior. Additionally, as per your instructions, I have thoroughly checked the passenger list multiple times. All their identity information is genuine, and there are no discrepancies.”

Qin Jue’s expression darkened as he took a drag from his cigar, exhaling a cloud of white smoke. “Are you certain?”

“Y-Yes, I can guarantee it,” Borek stammered. “The staff has used the intelligent verification system to check three times. There are no errors.”

Qin Jue didn’t say anything, turning around and continuing forward without looking back. His voice was low and indifferent. “Good job, Borek.”

Borek followed carefully, the coldness in Qin Jue’s tone making him feel immense pressure and unease.

It was clear that Qin Jue wasn’t satisfied with this result.

Qin Jue entered the suite and pressed an invisible switch on the wall, revealing a hidden refrigerated chamber. This newly renovated chamber had been meticulously arranged, showing no signs of haste or carelessness.

Cold air filled the room.

Lying on the icy bed was Chu Chen’an’s motionless body, his skin pale and cold. Beside him, a bouquet of his favorite flowers was carefully placed.

“Why are you being so obedient today? Waiting for your husband to come back,” Qin Jue murmured as he walked over, leaning down to press a kiss to Chu Chen’an’s frozen forehead.

He took Chu Chen’an’s delicate, fair hands in his own, carefully applying nourishing oil. “Don’t let yourself get too cold, or you’ll start complaining again when you wake up—such a little crybaby.”

His tone was fierce, yet his actions were gentle.

“Baby, tell me,” Qin Jue’s dark, obsessive gaze lingered on Chu Chen’an’s face. His fingers traced the delicate curve of his brow as he whispered, “Were you hiding in the crowd today, just waiting for me to find you?”

A sinister smile curved his lips.

He continued talking to the icy body in front of him, his obsessive thoughts warping his rationality. His emotions teetered between madness and control, making the dimly lit room feel all the more eerie.

…

Chu Chen’an sneezed and suddenly sat up.

His forehead was damp with sweat as he took a deep breath.

Across from him, Liu Fanzhi was still awake, scrolling through his phone. Hearing the movement, he looked over. “What’s wrong? Did you have a nightmare?”

Chu Chen’an lowered his long lashes, his expression dazed for a few seconds before he softly responded, “…It’s nothing.”

A shiver ran down his spine.

---

TN:

QJ is so intense 😂