We Are Filthy, Born From Mud - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Yes, They Are Very Ambitious

Yougu, Liangu…

It was spring, and the sunshine was naturally bright.

Zong Liangu squinted in the sunlight, greedily soaking up all the vibrancy of life.

She sat swaying gently in the car. The occasional bump in the road gave her a stronger sense of being truly alive.

“Sister Yougu, would you like to go home first or to the company?” Hu Yinghua asked.

Zong Liangu frowned in thought, her index finger constantly rubbing near her brow bone.

She smiled: “Hmm, home.”

Home?

She was curious about what her home looked like in this world.

She also wondered if the real Zong Yougu was still there.

It would be best if Zong Yougu had simply vanished, because Zong Liangu was very satisfied with her current life and didn’t want anyone to threaten it.

However, even if Zong Yougu still existed, it wouldn’t be a major problem.

After all, Zong Liangu wasn’t proficient at many things, but she was highly skilled in killing, silencing, and disposing of bodies.

She smiled smugly.

Zong Liangu pulled open the sunshade curtain on the back window. The sunlight instantly became dazzling.

She carefully observed everything around her.

As the car drove on, the environment grew increasingly familiar. The scenery gradually overlapped with what she had seen in her previous life.

After a turn, the vehicle entered a residential area.

In front of her were buildings of varying heights, their drab gray walls patched with brightly colored paint.

Zong Liangu’s eyes widened slightly.

Because this was the exact place where she lived in her previous life, without the slightest difference.

The car stopped here.

“Sister Yougu, we’ve arrived,” Hu Yinghua reminded Zong Liangu.

“Good.”

“Sister Yougu, the director mentioned that the shooting schedule has been moving quickly lately. There might be a celebration party later, so please keep your time free. Ms. Liao will communicate the specific work arrangements with you later.”

“En,” Zong Liangu smiled.

Zong Liangu listened carefully to Hu Yinghua’s words, meticulously planning her future again.

Yes, she was a person with a future now.

Zong Liangu heavily shut the car door. Turning her back, the smile on her face turned into a loud laugh.

She effortlessly pulled open the heavy iron gate and walked through the constantly winding, cement-colored stairwell of the tenement building.

She stood at her doorway once again.

Her right hand was tucked into her pocket, concealing a small utility knife.

As she said, she was highly proficient in killing, silencing, and disposing of bodies.

The knife was her most frequently used weapon.

Zong Yougu had slept soundly for two nights and was now completely refreshed.

She picked up the script and read it word by word.

Her state had improved significantly over the past two days, so she repeatedly rehearsed in front of the mirror.

However, no matter how she presented the lines, she always felt there were flaws, always something unsatisfactory.

She wanted to be perfect. Only a perfect performance was worthy of her.

And so, an overwhelming and irresistible sense of frustration washed over her like a tide.

“There is no… kinder person on earth than I am.”

Zong Yougu was still unsatisfied. She felt restless, as if a piece of charcoal was burning in her chest. The stifling frustration made her gasp for air.

Tears involuntarily welled up. Zong Yougu stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror, finding fault no matter how she looked.

What could she possibly accomplish? Nothing.

Slap—

She harshly slapped herself. Half of her face felt numb, and a few strands of hair stuck to her cheek.

She stood dazed in front of the mirror for a long time before letting out a breath.

One more time. The last time.

She told herself.

“There is no…”

Due to her strong emotions, her voice started to tremble. She couldn’t utter a complete sentence.

The fire in her chest burned hotter. Every breath felt ragged.

She was frustrated and depressed.

The toothbrush cup was fiercely thrown at the mirror, finally hitting the floor and leaving a dent in the old wood.

She threw herself heavily back onto the bed, burying her head in the quilt, breathing hard through the fabric.

After an unknown amount of time, she finally emerged from the covers.

Her messy hair clung loosely to her face, and the quilt left shallow red marks on her cheek.

Picking up the toothbrush cup, she walked back to the mirror.

She stared blankly at her reflection, unable to resist reaching out to caress her own cheek.

She was perfect. Nothing was impossible for her.

She was perfect.

Perfect.

The familiar smile finally returned to Zong Yougu’s face. She placed the script aside.

She lay back down on the bed, doing nothing.

She liked this.

Her gaze suddenly fell on her phone.

Counting on her fingers, today should be the third day she skipped work. She then realized that her assistant hadn’t called her once.

She frowned, feeling confused.

Did she quit?

That was normal.

Ding-dong—

Her phone chimed.

Assistant 17: Sister Yougu, this shoot went really smoothly. Happy wrap party!

What?

Wrap party?

But she hadn’t been to the set at all?

Zong Yougu stood silently in place, the only sounds being a sharp ringing in her ears and the harsh chirping of birds outside the window.

She vigorously shook her head, dismissing the wild thoughts in her mind.

Maybe the director was displeased with her and just cut her scenes.

In that case, she was relieved and glad that she wouldn’t leave behind a flawed performance.

She grabbed the script near the entrance and threw it heavily into the trash can.

Having done all that, she crawled back under the covers, rolled over, and continued to clear her mind.

Ding-dong—

Her phone chimed again.

Assistant 17: Sister Yougu, I really didn’t expect you to find your state so quickly! Actually, I was a little worried at first, but even the director praised you! I’m so happy to be your assistant. I feel so proud when the director praises you, Sister.

What is this?

Zong Yougu quickly skimmed the messages and immediately realized something was wrong. She sprang up from the bed.

Standing stunned in front of the bed, her vision momentarily went dark.

“Please enter the password.” The password lock on the front door activated.

The emotionless prompt tone rang out abruptly.

Zong Yougu’s gaze immediately focused on the door.

The dreams she had a few days ago suddenly played back in her mind.

Being chased, a sharp knife, a person exactly like her.

She seemed to understand something instantly, and her eyes turned icy.

“Please open the door.”

The door was pushed open with a squeak, and then the iron security door was slammed shut with a clang.

As Zong Liangu stepped into the room, she saw Zong Yougu sitting calmly.

She raised an eyebrow in surprise, but quickly lowered her eyes and smiled.

She pointed at the other person and asked, “Zong Yougu?”

Zong Yougu simply snorted.

Zong Liangu smiled. She said, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Zong Liangu. We should have met before. Yes, in a dream. Although it sounds bizarre, and maybe a little chuunibyou, I still have to say: I am a very excellent killer.”

Zong Yougu smiled too. She asked, “What does that have to do with me?”

“Miss Yougu, as an actress, you should know that interrupting others casually is very impolite. But it’s okay; I never bother arguing with the dying. I am very satisfied with your job and your identity. I am going to replace you.”

As Zong Liangu spoke, she pushed the blade of the utility knife forward.

The crisp click-clack sound was particularly clear in the silence.

Zong Liangu’s gaze was locked firmly on Zong Yougu. Everything else was blurred out.

This was how she completed her hunts, time after time.

“Ha,” Zong Yougu laughed. The sharp sound pierced the frozen air like sawdust flying beneath a saw. “I actually don’t think you can kill me.”

“Killing you won’t cause trouble. After all, I told you, I am very excellent. What I am best at is disposing of bodies,” Zong Liangu remained calm.

Zong Yougu laughed louder, the raspy sound reaching Zong Liangu’s ears. She leaned casually against the chair, swinging her hands haphazardly. With her movement, the chair and the floor squeaked together.

Zong Liangu continued to watch coldly.

“You’re so stupid,” Zong Yougu said. She stood up, looking Zong Liangu up and down.

Zong Liangu pulled the knife from her pocket, and the sharp blade clicked out.

However, the other person ignored her threat. Zong Yougu embraced her from behind.

Zong Liangu had always hated being touched by others, but strangely, she subconsciously accepted the hug.

It was hard for her to describe the feeling. It was like… like her left hand reaching for her right.

She quickly regained her senses, spun around, and swung her right arm. Zong Yougu was pushed aside, crashing into the old shoe rack.

Zong Yougu constantly rubbed her scraped arm. A flash of resentment crossed her eyes as she looked at the red, swollen wound.

“You absolutely will need me,” she sneered.

“Is that so?”

Zong Yougu leaned on the wall and stood up from the floor. She turned to the mirror and meticulously straightened her hair.

She spoke casually with her back to Zong Liangu.

“Why do you want to replace me? Doesn’t it feel good to be surrounded by cameras? Isn’t it satisfying to finish a performance?

You are me, and I am you. How could I not know what you want?

Killer or actress, they lead to the same destination, don’t they? We are both trying our best to use our talents, climbing up step by step, wanting to trample everything underfoot.”

Zong Yougu finally turned around, her eyes burning as she stared at the person who looked exactly like her, as if looking into a mirror.

“We are both ambitious. In the journey to achieve our ambitions, having me will guarantee twice the result with half the effort.”

Zong Liangu carefully considered every word.

As a newcomer, this world and the acting industry were both new to her.

She looked up at Zong Yougu and smiled.

She believed that Zong Yougu must have taken many unnecessary detours. In that case, she didn’t need to repeat them.

Yes, she was ambitious. She wanted more than just financial security.

“You’re right. You are indeed useful. But,” she pointed to herself and asked, “Tell me, who am I?”

Zong Yougu smiled. She said, “You are Zong Yougu, a moderately famous actress.”

Zong Liangu finally put away the knife. She spread out her hand and said, “Give me all your identification and your phone.”

Zong Yougu shrugged. She turned and opened a drawer, handing Zong Liangu a dark blue document folder. She then pointed to the bedside table and smiled: “The phone is right there. Good thing I’m not addicted to the internet.”

Zong Liangu ignored the jest. She spoke: “Starting today, I will ensure your basic living expenses. Please never leave this place again. Are you ready to say goodbye to the identity of Zong Yougu?”

Zong Liangu watched the other party’s expression. Unfortunately, she found none of the expected panic on Zong Yougu’s face. Feeling unamused, she reached out to close the bedroom door.

Ding-dong—

The doorbell rang.

Zong Liangu looked at Zong Yougu in surprise.

The other party, however, actively pulled the bedroom door shut. Her voice was muffled through the door: “Since you want to replace me, this is your first task. Miss Liao is here.”

The voice held a hint of schadenfreude. Zong Liangu silently looked towards the front door.