After My Death, I Became a Heartless Madman - Chapter 64.2

There was a small path behind the temple. As the rain gradually eased, the sound of their argument seemed eerie amidst the drizzle. Many worshippers had already descended via the path.

Little Zheng handed over an umbrella.

“Miss Song, the second half of the opening ceremony is about to begin. We should return.”

Ah yes, there was still the latter half of the opening ceremony.

Song Shizhou felt momentarily dazed. Little Zheng’s words seemed to yank her back to reality. Clutching the black umbrella, she gazed up along its cold metal ribs, all the Council’s umbrellas appeared to be pure black.

Black, the color of impenetrable mystery.

Song Fengyu’s voice suddenly rang out behind her.

“Song Shizhou, there’s one more thing I must ask you.”

Something she had suppressed for too long, something that demanded utterance.

“Before everything happened, when you had just returned to the Song family, did you hate me?”

The other woman smiled faintly.

“Sister Yu, couldn’t I hate you?”

A dull thud echoed in Song Fengyu’s heart.

So it was true. She did hate her after all.

She hated her for stealing her life, hated her for being the shameless beneficiary. She had always hated her, just never showed it.

“You hate everyone around you. But what about Bai Ruowei? She hurt you too. Why did you forgive her?”

“Was it because she was willing to change for you?”

A faint irritation stirred in Song Shizhou’s heart.

“Whether I forgave her or why I forgave her has nothing to do with you.”

Master Zhao said Song Shizhou wasn’t a saint, but in truth she was, she treated everyone around her with indiscriminate kindness while condemning every wrongdoer.

The only difference was she had neither the obligation nor the inclination to redeem these people.

“Is that so?”

Song Fengyu laughed.

“Perhaps, it’s because you love her.”

“You hate all of us, yet you actually fell in love with someone. What a colossal joke.”

“But Shizhou, someone as cold-hearted as you shouldn’t be capable of love. So tell me have you ever unconsciously applied the same treatment you gave those you hated to the person you claim to love?”

Song Shizhou’s expression faltered.

Noticing this ripple, Song Fengyu smiled triumphantly.

“I don’t know what Bai Ruowei did to you, but it seems she hurt you too. Her path to begging your forgiveness must have been arduous. Did you use the same methods that drove us mad on her? Did you want to see her lose her mind for you, drown in you, become obsessed with you?”

Her smile grew increasingly radiant.

“These words mean nothing now, Song Shizhou. Whether you admit it or not, we two share the deepest bond in this world.”

She gave a sorrowful smile,

“Shizhou, I never wanted to steal your life.”

“So let us, die together.”

The headquarters of the Surveillance Institute was located in the administrative center of the Inner City.

Upon entering, one was first greeted by a spacious, brightly lit reception hall. The intelligent lighting system on the ceiling automatically adjusted its brightness with the changing daylight, creating a comfortable and pleasant environment. The walls were adorned with portraits of past Chief Inspectors, who had steadfastly upheld their duties throughout history, contributing to justice and fairness.

Beyond the reception hall lay the heart of the Surveillance Institute, the Monitoring and Command Center. Equipped with the most advanced surveillance technology, it could monitor all activities in the Inner City and the remaining twenty-four districts in real-time, ensuring the peace of the Upper City District and swiftly suppressing any riots in the Lower City District.

In addition to the Monitoring and Command Center, the Surveillance Institute housed multiple functional departments, such as the Case Investigation Division, Data Analysis Division, and Legal Advisory Division. Together, these departments formed the institute’s vast power structure. The towering headquarters loomed over the Inner City like a majestic beast.

Yet tonight, the lights in every department of the headquarters were extinguished.

In a high-end hospital room, Mr. Bai lay weakly on the bed, his eyes tightly shut.

The fluctuations on the electrocardiogram had grown faint. A somber crowd filled the room, and Lefei sat by Mr. Bai’s bedside, his face ashen, as if grief had seeped into his bones.

Bai Ruowei stood behind Lefei, her eyes lowered.

Suddenly, the man on the bed weakly raised his hand.

“Chief Inspector Bai, come here.”

In the heavy silence, all eyes turned to her.

Miss Bai’s eyes were rimmed with a dark red, evidence of the many tears she had shed these past few days. Mr. Bai was her adoptive father, and with his impending death, it was only natural for her to be overwhelmed with sorrow.

She exchanged places with Lefei and leaned down to listen to Mr. Bai’s whisper-thin voice.

“You’ve won!”

Mr. Bai smiled, though his voice was frail.

He had always taken pleasure in eliminating his successors. Countless brilliant young men and women, just like Miss Bai, had met their end by his hand only to be betrayed in turn by his chosen heirs.

It was retribution. A cycle of karma.

Mr. Bai clutched her hand.

“Do you think? I didn’t know, it was you trying to kill me?”

He had waited until his dying moments to say this, precisely because he had never found concrete evidence. But when he had tried to fabricate a charge to execute her, he discovered, to his shock, that Bai Ruowei’s influence within the Surveillance Institute had grown terrifyingly vast.

So vast that he could no longer simply dispose of her.

Just as he had done to so many successors before.

Yet even then, Mr. Bai had never considered sparing Bai Ruowei.

If the overt approach failed, he would resort to covert means.

Assassination was the Surveillance Institute’s specialty.

But why, then, was Bai Ruowei still sitting here unharmed, holding his hand with such sorrowful reverence?

“Father, don’t worry. Your illness isn’t serious. You won’t die.”

Her words sounded like both mockery and a warning. Enraged, Mr. Bai tried to shake off her grip, but Bai Ruowei only tightened her hold.

The exclusive reporter from the Surveillance Institute captured this deeply moving scene, a perfect opportunity to promote the Institute’s positive image. This photo could prove to the world that the Surveillance Institute was not a cold, impersonal organization.

“You’re clever. Your luck is far too good.”

“You actually bet on the right horse. You spend every day with Chen Ting’s daughter making it, making it.”

Impossible for the assassins he sent to get close.

“For the sake of the Surveillance Institute and the Council’s standing you’d even exploit emotions. Bai Ruowei you very well, very well…”

The icy, resentful words pricked at Miss Bai’s nerves but stirred no ripples in her heart. Her expression was respectful and heartbroken, yet when she heard the word “exploit,” she slowly released Mr. Bai’s hand.

A mocking smile surfaced on Mr. Bai’s face.

The Surveillance Institute dispatched its finest medical team to treat Mr. Bai, but his condition had already reached the point of no return. Despite their utmost efforts, he passed away just before sunset.

“Mia, suppress the news of Mr. Bai’s death. Schedule a press conference tomorrow at eight in the morning sharp. I’ll announce his passing myself.”

“Keep Lefei calm. Have someone watch her, don’t let her do anything reckless.”

“Let the old ministers stew for a day. After that, organize an internal meeting for the Surveillance Institute. All sixteen department heads under headquarters must attend. I need to restructure the power distribution among the departments.”

Mia nodded repeatedly.

Yet an unease still rose in Bai Ruowei’s heart.

Why had Mr. Bai given her such a strange smile before he died?

Triumphant yet venomous.

“Mia, did Mr. Bai make any recent work arrangements?”

Mia quickly reviewed the directives Mr. Bai had issued regarding the Surveillance Institute’s operations since falling ill.

“During his severe illness, Mr. Bai wasn’t involved in any of the Surveillance Institute’s work.”

Bai Ruowei paused.

“What about other matters?”

Mia froze, then shook her head.

With Mr. Bai so gravely ill, he couldn’t even attend to the Surveillance Institute, how could he have been involved in other organizations’ affairs?

Mia wasn’t as sensitive to archives as Li Ningzhi. After a moment’s thought, Li Ningzhi spoke hesitantly,

“A few months ago, Mr. Bai seemed to have purchased a plot of land in the northern part of the city. There used to be a temple on it.”

At the mention of the western district, Bai Ruowei stiffened.

“Where exactly?”

“Recently, the Inner City held some porcelain exhibition. Didn’t Miss Song attend? The temple isn’t far from there.”

Bai Ruowei’s expression abruptly changed.

Song Fengyu said, “Shizhou, let’s die together.”

Though the words were filled with resentment, Song Fengyu’s tone was light, as if she were saying, Shizhou, when should we go home to see Mom?

A gun pressed against Song Fengyu’s chest. Chen Ting cared deeply about Song Shizhou’s safety, so even her personal assistant was armed.

Song Fengyu gripped the barrel.

“It’s no use, Shizhou.”

“This temple was expensive to build, a historic ancient structure. I don’t know much about this field, but this temple, this land was given to me by someone.”

“You probably know him.”

“His surname is Bai.”

Song Shizhou’s expression changed abruptly.

“What did you say?”

Song Fengyu smiled.

“Shizhou, do you know why the pillars in this temple echo when struck?”

“Because every single pillar is packed with explosives.”

She held a controller in her hand, but just as she was about to press it, Song Shizhou suddenly snatched it away.

An indescribable sense of oppression overwhelmed Song Fengyu, the sheer pressure from Enigma left her momentarily paralyzed.

The controller was smashed into two pieces by Song Shizhou, the intricate data panel crushed beneath her foot.

Amid her stunned expression, she heard Song Shizhou’s voice, filled with utter disgust.

“Who would want to die with you?”

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