Chapter 2: Chu Shen Recognizes Qu Zhuzhu Qing

The silver pocket watch was quickly picked up by Qu Zhuzhu Qing, who carefully wiped away the dust it had gathered from the fall.

“Brother, don’t look. It’s not worth dirtying your eyes.”

Qu Zhuzhu Qing gently stroked the faded photograph with immense tenderness, his voice carrying a softness that starkly contrasted his usual icy demeanor.

He didn’t look up, nor did he spare Chu Shen even a glance.

He simply stared down at the photo, as if lost in thought.

The warmth in his eyes was utterly unlike that of the man known as the God of Slaughter, the Supreme Commander.

Meanwhile, Chu Shen remained frozen in his bowed posture, his rigid gaze still fixed on the now-empty floor.

His silver hair veiled his eyes, hiding from Qu Zhuzhu Qing the tears welling within them.

With a faint tremble, the crystalline teardrops clinging to his lashes finally fell to the ground.

How could it be…

How was this possible!

The newly appointed Supreme Commander was Qu Zhuzhu Qing, the very boy who, ten years ago, had followed him everywhere, calling him “brother” with every breath, the one he had raised with his own hands!

He was the person Chu Shen had most feared implicating over the past decade, yet also the one he had most longed to see again…

Xiao Qu was someone Chu Shen had found during a mission in his first year at the Enforcement Department.

Xiao Qu was only a few years old at the time. His parents had been killed by the Altered, and he was severely traumatized. Apart from remembering his surname was Qu, he couldn’t even recall his own full name.

It was Chu Shen who gave him the name Zhuzhu Qing.

Yet, on Qu Zhuzhu Qing’s thirteenth birthday, Chu Shen promised to return after his mission to celebrate with him. But after stepping out into the night, he never came back…

For the past ten years, the sole driving force that propelled Qu Zhuzhu Qing to his current position was his resolve to exterminate every Altered and avenge Chu Shen.

Qu Zhuzhu Qing drew a gleaming silver dagger from behind his waist, his gaze as cold as the blade itself.

“Do you really think that by creating a face identical to my brother’s, I would believe it?” Qu Zhuzhu Qing frowned in disgust, as if even looking at Chu Shen made him sick.

The sharp edge of the dagger pressed against Chu Shen’s chest; the slightest pressure would pierce through the fragile flesh beneath the thin fabric.

“Your name, your crimes, the next source of infection, and the list of your accomplices within the Commandery.” Qu Zhuzhu Qing’s tone was frigid. “With your clearance, you must know quite a bit, don’t you?”

The look he gave Chu Shen was so cold, brimming with undisguised revulsion.

Chu Shen’s eyes were half-closed, as if he no longer had the strength to keep them open.

He had been captured before, and he had endured torture.

But never had he suffered as acutely as he did at that moment.

In truth, no physical punishment was necessary; the sheer disgust in Qu Zhuzhu Qing’s eyes was enough to fly him alive, piece by piece.

Chu Shen’s downcast gaze happened to fall upon Qu Zhuzhu Qing’s hand, the one gripping the knife.

The blade pressed firmly against Chu Shen’s heart, leaving no visible wound.

Yet he knew that, beneath the skin, his heart was already torn and bleeding.

Nothing could torment him more excruciatingly than the hatred in Qu Zhuzhu Qing’s eyes.

Chu Shen tilted his face slightly, turning his grief-drenched eyes away from Qu Zhuzhu Qing, biting his lip to force back every shattered sob.

“I’ve never had much patience for you Altered. You’d better value this opportunity.” Qu Zhuzhu Qing tossed the dagger aside casually.

This blade truly isn’t the most sophisticated interrogation method. Stab too deep and it’s easy to kill, too shallow and it lacks intimidation.

Qu Zhuzhu Qing pried open the Locking Ring in his other hand, weighing it thoughtfully.

“An Altered lasted an entire night under this thing a couple days ago, said nothing,” Qu Zhuzhu Qing murmured. “I thought he had remarkable endurance, but when I checked the next day, he’d already gone mad.”

He spoke the cruelest words in an utterly detached tone.

“I released her, and she jumped from over thirty stories,” Qu Zhuzhu Qing narrowed his eyes. “You creatures, neither human nor ghost, require human blood to heal even when injured. Yet she didn’t even wait for me to fetch some blood before she stopped breathing.”

Extremely brutal words floated lightly from Qu Zhuzhu Qing’s lips.

As insignificant as crushing an ant.

Chu Shen’s pained gaze slowly lifted, as if even looking at Qu Zhuzhu Qing required tremendous effort.

When Chu Shen had been by Qu Zhuzhu Qing’s side, he’d raised Little Qu well, never exposing him to darkness and slaughter.

But the child he’d raised so purely now had both hands stained with blood.

Qu Zhuzhu Qing approached Chu Shen with the Locking Ring, forcibly gripping his jaw.

Yet when he lifted that face, he seemed to recall something, unconsciously softening his touch.

Though he refused to believe it, he had to admit his mind still wavered upon seeing this face.

“An Altered, daring to appear at the Commandery with this face,” Qu Zhuzhu Qing raised Chu Shen’s chin, gently brushing away tear tracks at the corner of his eye.

His voice was soft, not particularly cold.

Almost deceptively tender.

But before his words faded, his other hand already clamped the Locking Ring firmly around Chu Shen’s neck.

The cold metal pressed against skin, tightened enough to bring slight suffocation.

Several protruding metal points pressed uncomfortably, one positioned exactly against the gland at Chu Shen’s nape abnormally fragile during his Vulnerable Period.

“Chong You, I suppose you won’t confess easily either, so let’s not waste words,” Qu Zhuzhu Qing said, releasing Chu Shen’s jaw and moving toward the control panel.

A crimson button stood out starkly on the barren wall.

Even without deliberately looking, Chu Shen couldn’t avoid noticing Qu Zhuzhu Qing drawing nearer to it.

Pain would be amplified.

Heartache would be amplified.

Chu Shen knew he couldn’t withstand the hatred in Qu Zhuzhu Qing’s eyes.

“No… Qu Zhuzhu Qing, you can’t…” Chu Shen’s wrists, locked to the armrests, struggled violently, fists clenched with all his strength.

Altered’s physical capabilities far surpassed humans’, but they were no match for these specially crafted metal shackles.

Instead of breaking free, Chu Shen only deepened the wounds on his wrists from struggling, while the Locking Ring around his neck grew more pronounced.

His very breath trembled, heartbeats pounding increasingly louder.

This kind of neural stimulation could drive one utterly mad seemingly less bloody than other tortures, yet crueler than any.

Physical pain might still be endurable.

But the various reactions during his Vulnerable Period, and the uncontrollable, heart-wrenching agony he felt facing Qu Zhuzhu Qing…

How was he to endure all of this?

“Chong You, I’ve told you, my patience is very limited.” Qu Zhuzhu Qing seemed to find even staying here disgusting. He glanced at the time, “From the moment I press this switch, I’ll give you fifteen minutes. If you still refuse to talk, we’ll meet again tomorrow.”

Those fifteen minutes were the final chance he was giving Chu Shen.

Otherwise, after a night of torture, even if he wanted to speak, he might not have the life left to do so.

None of the Altered individuals Qu Zhuzhu Qing had captured these days had managed to survive more than three days in his hands.

He didn’t seem to care whether he obtained more useful intelligence or not.

It was as if casually eliminating one more Altered was considered a good deed in his eyes.

Chu Shen stopped struggling.

He raised his head and simply gazed quietly at Qu Zhuzhu Qing.

Those light-colored eyes were filled with profound sorrow.

Seeming to carry a silent plea.

Yet also appearing to have long lost all hope, beyond any expectation of mercy…

Qu Zhuzhu Qing averted his gaze from that face without further delay. His slender fingers lightly pressed the dark red button.

With a crisp beep, the Locking Ring around Chu Shen’s neck emitted an even more piercing light.

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Zephyr Yizelle

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