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Hidden Dead Ends-Chapter 68
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Outside Suiyang, the rolling yellowing grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see. Sparse clusters of trees dotted the landscape like patches of lichen. A narrow, winding stream meandered under the bright white moon, the only source of light in the quiet night.
Zheng Qingrong awoke to the cool touch of the evening breeze. Groggily, she sat up, realizing she was on a sloped grassy hill. Around her, there was nothing but the open field and the faint gurgle of the stream stretching into the distance.
A tall, imposing figure stood nearby, silently watching her.
“You’re awake,” said Li Chengyi, his deep voice calm but firm.
“Who are you?! Why am I here?!” Zheng Qingrong scrambled to her feet, her hands instinctively checking her clothes for any tampering.
She was dressed in a fitted black long-sleeve shirt and pants, chosen for practicality and ease of movement. Though snug enough to show her figure, they avoided the risks of snagging or tearing during action. As a martial arts enthusiast and amateur cold-weapon fighter, she had prepared herself for violent retaliation the moment she saw her sister’s body.
Unfortunately, she had overestimated her own strength. Against the three burly enforcers, she had barely lasted a few moments before being beaten down. If not for someone providing covert distractions, she wouldn’t have escaped as far as she had.
Ultimately, she was cornered and subjected to a brutal beating, the scene that Li Chengyi had stumbled upon earlier.
“What happened to those three? And what kind of game are you playing?!” Zheng Qingrong demanded coldly.
Li Chengyi didn’t answer right away. He simply approached her slowly.
As he drew closer, the details of his appearance came into focus. He was clad in full-body armor of dark purple and black metal, with a completely enclosed helmet. Even the eyes were obscured by two crystal-like red-violet lenses, shaped into diamond-like slits. His entire suit was intricately engraved with patterns of wisteria blossoms, the designs radiating an aura of mystery and foreboding.
Zheng Qingrong barely had time to take in his bizarre outfit when a gust of cold wind suddenly struck her.
She doubled over with a sharp gasp, clutching her abdomen as a searing pain spread from where she’d been punched. She fell to her knees, retching violently, only to be sent rolling down the hill by a powerful kick. Curling into herself on the damp grass, she trembled as the pain overwhelmed her.
“Do you want revenge?” Li Chengyi asked casually. “I’d say your chances are pretty slim.”
From the information he’d gleaned from the three enforcers, he had pieced together some of the circumstances surrounding her situation.
“The higher-ups want you gone for good. Should I bury you here, or weigh you down with rocks and throw you into the stream?” He took slow, deliberate steps toward her.
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“You’ll all... get what you deserve!” Zheng Qingrong spat through gritted teeth as she forced herself to her feet. She had already guessed that he was connected to Iron Peak Corporation.
“It’s your weakness that put you here,” Li Chengyi said, his tone indifferent. “Your sister, too—if she hadn’t flaunted her looks and wandered into a bar late at night, unprotected, she wouldn’t have ended up as someone else’s prey. She walked into the lion’s den like a piece of fresh meat, begging to be devoured.”
“Shut up!” Zheng Qingrong screamed, lunging forward. Her fist landed squarely on Li Chengyi’s chest.
The blow produced a sharp metallic clang but left no mark on the armor. Her hand, on the other hand, reddened almost instantly from the impact.
Li Chengyi didn’t flinch. Beneath his helmet, his expression barely changed, but a stream of notifications flashed in his mind.
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +1**
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +1**
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +1**
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +1**
The notifications came rapidly, the energy flowing into the **Evil Flower**, causing his **Gladiolus Armor’s evolution progress** to jump from 0% to 17% in mere seconds.
If he could complete the follow-up steps to stabilize the dark thoughts, the energy would be his to keep.
“You couldn’t hurt me even if I let you,” Li Chengyi continued, his voice sharp and unyielding. “You’re weak. Like weeds, trampled underfoot without anyone giving a second thought.”
“You couldn’t protect your sister. You can’t even protect yourself. She was foolish, and you’re even more so. Maybe that’s the way the world works—weaklings like you are eliminated so the strong can thrive.”
“Shut up! Shut up!!” Zheng Qingrong screamed, her fists flying as she attacked him wildly.
Her punches and kicks were futile, unable to dent his armor. The **Wisteria Armor**, enhanced after its first evolution, could even withstand close-range gunfire. Her efforts were as ineffective as hitting a brick wall.
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +1**
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +1**
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +1**
The notifications continued, pushing the progress to 36%. Watching her frenzy, Li Chengyi confirmed what he had suspected: **quality trumped quantity**.
“You’re just flailing around like an idiot. Do you think this will change anything? Your family will still suffer because of your and your sister’s actions.”
Zheng Qingrong’s movements grew more erratic as she tried in vain to choke him, biting at his shoulder armor in desperation.
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +2**
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +2**
- **Dark Thought (Wrath) +2**
Her rage fueled his progress, and soon, the Gladiolus Armor’s evolution bar reached 87%.
By then, Zheng Qingrong had exhausted herself, clinging to him weakly and struggling to breathe.
Li Chengyi, pleased with the results, grabbed her by the collar and yanked her backward. She fell to the grass with a thud.
“Now you understand how powerless you are. Clean yourself up and run far away. People like you can do nothing but die pointlessly,” Li Chengyi said coldly.
“What... do you mean?” she asked, her voice trembling with confusion.
“Exactly what I said.” He tossed a small bag at her. It contained medical supplies and a thick stack of cash.
“Head west. Three hundred meters from here, there’s a countryside hotel. I’ve booked a room. Rest there.”
Before she could respond, Li Chengyi vanished into the night.
---
At **Iron Peak Corporation’s Sunshine Tower**, one of the most iconic buildings in Suiyang, security patrols circled the premises.
Without warning, the massive iron gate at the entrance was blown apart, shattering into countless shards.
A figure clad in black and purple armor, wielding two golden blades of different lengths, stormed through the debris.
“Where is Zheng Jiayu?” the figure demanded, his voice distorted by a sharp electronic modulator.
---
What followed was a whirlwind of chaos. Gunfire, screams, and blood filled the halls as Li Chengyi carved his way through the building. Security personnel, even those armed with armor-piercing rounds, fell one after another, their efforts futile against his enhanced armor.
Reaching the 34th floor, Li Chengyi confronted Zheng Jiayu in a final, brutal encounter.
The air in the elevator shaft crackled with tension as the confrontation reached its climax.
“Grass should know its place,” Li Chengyi muttered, his golden sword slicing through the cables of the elevator.
The severed lift plummeted, cutting Zheng Jiayu’s final scream short.
As the echoes of the crash faded, Li Chengyi stepped back into the hallway, ignoring the terrified stares of the remaining security guards. His mission was complete.
---
This was the balance of power in Iron Peak’s territory: no heavy weapons, no chance to stop him. This was the inevitable result.
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