Chapter 11: Identity Exposed
The “usual place” Wu Li Hong mentioned to Zhao Dong was an Internet Cafe in Peaceful City.
According to Zhao Dong, the cafe was under the protection of Wu Li Hong’s lover, making it her frequent hangout spot.
Chen Xue Wen pulled his cap down and slipped into the cafe unnoticed.
The air inside was thick with smoke and the stench of unwashed feet. This place had no legal permits and was tucked away in a remote part of the city. Most of its patrons were either small-time gangsters or truant students.
Walking through the dimly lit space, Chen Xue Wen took in the sight of rowdy young men with brightly dyed hair and bespectacled students hunched over keyboards. The atmosphere buzzed with excitement as they immersed themselves in games, either hacking away in Legend or shooting enemies in Counter-Strike.
A wave of nostalgia hit him. Once upon a time, he had been one of them, enjoying carefree days of gaming with friends. But now, he was a fugitive, a stray dog hiding in the shadows, desperately seeking a way to survive.
He took a deep breath, shoving his emotions down, and moved toward the back of the cafe, following Zhao Dong’s directions.
At the farthest end of the cafe stood a private booth. Inside, there was a single computer and a small bed. This was the personal office of He Fei, the man in charge of security here.
He Fei was six or seven years older than Chen Xue Wen and was once a well-known thug in this area. In his early days, he made a living by extorting students from nearby schools. No one knew how, but over time, he gained a reputation and eventually landed the role of enforcer at this Internet Cafe.
Back when Chen Xue Wen used to frequent this place, he had heard rumors about He Fei’s booth. Allegedly, He Fei had taken the virginity of dozens of girls here. Some even claimed that Wu Li Hong herself had been one of them.
He had dismissed the gossip back then, but standing here now, he realized that the rumors were true.
So Wu Li Hong really did have a relationship with He Fei!
Chen Xue Wen peered through the crack in the booth’s door. Inside, a slender woman sat with her back to him, wearing a revealing outfit. Her long, shapely legs were wrapped in black stockings, making them look even more alluring. Her waist was impossibly thin, but her curves at the chest and hips were nothing short of mesmerizing.
Even from behind, he recognized her immediately—Wu Li Hong.
She wasn’t a School Beauty, but back in the day, she was even more captivating than one. Compared to her, the School Beauty was too innocent. Though Wu Li Hong’s face wasn’t the most delicate, she was undeniably beautiful. More importantly, her figure was leagues ahead, and she knew how to dress and carry herself. Naturally, she became the dream girl of countless boys in school.
Staring at her familiar silhouette, Chen Xue Wen felt a mix of emotions. Nostalgia, bitterness, but above all, rage.
This woman had framed him, sent him to prison, and caused his parents’ tragic deaths.
His hand clenched around the Bone Cutting Knife hidden under his clothes, his eyes burning with fury.
But he controlled himself.
Instead of acting rashly, he checked his surroundings. Seeing that no one was paying him any attention, he stealthily entered the booth.
Wu Li Hong remained absorbed in her game, slumped in her chair, completely unaware of the danger approaching her.
Step by step, Chen Xue Wen closed the distance, ready to subdue her.
Just then, a voice called from outside.
“Sister Hong, phone call.”
Chen Xue Wen froze.
Wu Li Hong turned around, startled. Seeing him standing there, she frowned. “Who the hell are you?”
“This booth is off-limits to outsiders. Get lost!”
Without sparing him another glance, she walked out to answer the phone.
Chen Xue Wen hesitated but chose to follow suit. If he acted now, He Fei’s men would be on him in seconds. There was no way he could escape.
At the reception desk, Wu Li Hong took the call. The noise in the cafe was overwhelming, so she cupped her hand over her ear and shouted into the receiver.
“No signal on the Personal Handy-phone, couldn’t pick up.”
“What did you say? Say that again?”
“Who isn’t dead?!”
Hiding on the other side of the desk, Chen Xue Wen had been waiting for her to finish the call so he could lure her out.
But that last sentence made his blood run cold.
At the same moment, Wu Li Hong’s face changed drastically.
Her eyes darted around, scanning the cafe anxiously.
Then, she saw him.
Despite the cap shielding half his face, her expression told him she had recognized him.
Without a second thought, Chen Xue Wen bolted, dashing out of the Internet Cafe.
A terrified scream erupted behind him, but he didn’t dare look back. He ran with everything he had, sprinting down narrow alleys, cutting through dark paths, his breath ragged, his chest ready to explode from the exertion.
Finally, he reached a deserted patch of wilderness. He collapsed into the tall grass, using it as cover.
Taking deep breaths, he forced himself to calm down and analyze the situation.
Wu Li Hong had asked, “Who isn’t dead?”
His first thought? His secret was out.
And her reaction confirmed it.
The Autopsy Report must have revealed the truth—Old Du was the real corpse, not him.
The Peaceful City Law Enforcement Squad must have realized it too.
Whoever had orchestrated this setup was now aware. That’s why Wu Li Hong received that call so quickly.
And the moment she learned he was still alive, her instinct was to find him. That was why she had searched the room and discovered him.
If he had hesitated for even a second longer, He Fei’s men would have caught him, and his chance for vengeance would have been gone forever.
But now, his identity was exposed. Avenging his family just became infinitely harder.
He had two choices.
Stay in Peaceful City and continue his revenge, though he would likely be caught within three days and face certain death.
Or flee—escape far away and preserve his life.
Without hesitation, he chose the first option.
He wasn’t afraid of dying.
The only thing that scared him was dying without taking revenge.
But with his cover blown, how was he supposed to pull it off?
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation