Chapter 695: Redemption

The red butterfly danced in the rain, like a trace left by a gentle breeze;

The silver creature, with the force of a thousand jun, stepped across the ruins, its body spikes like an unstoppable chariot, tearing a gap through the rain curtain.

At the moment the two figures intertwined, the red butterfly turned lightly and gracefully. A slash, like a flipped silver moon, drifted across the surface of the silver chariot, and its figure suddenly froze in place.

The red butterfly did not stop, but slowed its pace unhurriedly, casually sticking the silver blade into the earth, walking through the rain curtain as if strolling in a courtyard.

[Killing Waltz].

Crack—

A crisp fissure burst open on the silver chariot. The intimidating long spikes snapped and slid off simultaneously, and a clear slash ran through the tall body, cutting it in two.

The two halves of the silver creature fell in opposite directions, hitting the explosive ruins and kicking up clouds of dust.

"M-Mr. Chen?"

Not far away, the soaked Kong Baosheng watched this scene, as if he hadn't woken from a dream.

Kong Baosheng hadn't expected Chen Ling to return. After all, Chen Ling had clearly stated that they would meet in Liu Town, and the Jinghong Pavilion was just a product of his acting... When that red-clad figure truly appeared, Kong Baosheng was stunned, followed immediately by excitement and ecstasy!

Mr. Chen hadn't abandoned Jinghong Pavilion, nor had he abandoned them... Mr. Chen was still the same Mr. Chen.

Chen Ling saw Kong Baosheng in the distance, but he had no time to talk to him right now. Instead, he frowned slightly and walked to the side of the blood-soaked girl.

"Special Envoy..."

Huang Suyue lay in the ruins, staring blankly at the figure... The overcast sky, the flying dust, and the severe pain in her body seemed to disappear at this moment. In her world, only that touch of red remained.

"Special Envoy... why are you here?"

"I came to find myself."

Chen Ling crouched down slightly, his gaze sweeping over the mangled body in the pool of blood, his brow furrowing deeper. "You are badly hurt."

Huang Suyue felt no sadness, nor did she cry out in grievance. She just looked at the red-clad figure in the rain, her eyes holding stars, and whispered softly:

"Yeah... I'm dying."

"You won't die." Chen Ling paused for a moment. "I know a very capable doctor. I'll take you to him."

Without waiting for Huang Suyue's reply, he reached out and picked up her soft body, then stepped onto the void, rising into the air and walking toward the city outskirts step by step.

[Cloud Step].

Huang Suyue lay in Chen Ling's arms.

The ground was moving away from her, and the clouds were drawing closer. At this moment, if she tilted her head slightly, she could overlook half of the Red Dust Main City from high above—a view most ordinary people would never see in their lives... But she didn't do that.

She just lay there quietly, her eyes fixed on Chen Ling's face. Her pale lips curled upward involuntarily, and then, as if embarrassed, she tried hard to suppress it.

But a girl's feelings cannot be hidden. Chen Ling lowered his head slightly and saw a slightly flushed face dodging his gaze.

"What's wrong?" Chen Ling asked.

"Nothing... Special Envoy, I'm fine."

"You don't need to call me Special Envoy. That was just a disguised identity. My name is Chen Ling."

Since Chen Ling intended to find himself, he didn't plan to continue wearing a false facade. Besides, Huang Suyue was no longer an outsider; she had helped him a lot in Red Dust Main City and could be considered a companion.

"Chen Ling." Huang Suyue murmured. "Is it the 'Ling' from 'lingren' (actor)?"

"Yes."

"Sir, your name sounds very nice."

Chen Ling didn't answer. He felt the hand holding Huang Suyue becoming increasingly wet. Large patches of scarlet spread over his arms and the hem of his costume, gradually merging with the opera robe.

Huang Suyue was too badly hurt. Her blood was flowing out uncontrollably, drops of scarlet mixing with the rain and drifting toward the ruined earth.

"Stop talking and stay awake," Chen Ling frowned.

Huang Suyue pursed her lips. She looked at Chen Ling's face and his lake-like, calm eyes, and suddenly spoke:

"Sir, are you sad for me?"

Chen Ling was startled.

He held Huang Suyue, rushing toward the city outskirts with his head down. Hearing this question, he didn't look down into Huang Suyue's eyes... or rather, he didn't dare to.

He was silent for a long time before he could answer:

"I don't know."

"...Don't know?" Huang Suyue was stunned. She hadn't expected Chen Ling to give this answer. She couldn't help but ask, "Then, then why are you working so hard to save me?"

"You are my companion. In the past, I would definitely have saved you... so now, I should do the same. This is who I am."

Huang Suyue didn't understand what this answer meant, but she could see the coldness and indifference in Chen Ling's eyes that didn't seem to belong to this world, like an emotionless spectator.

Huang Suyue froze.

She lay in Chen Ling's arms, her heart silently shattering into dust, mixing with the scarlet blood and drifting beneath the clouds.

"Truly... actors are heartless," Huang Suyue said softly.

"Don't talk anymore," Chen Ling felt the vitality of Huang Suyue in his arms fading wildly. The faint flush on her face had disappeared, leaving only snow-like paleness and coldness. "...You must live."

"No, I insist on talking."

Her vision was dimming, her consciousness blurring. Huang Suyue knew she didn't have much time left. The emotions that had been deeply suppressed under her rationality were surging out at this moment...

She didn't need any business rationality now, no calm mind, and she didn't need to think about being a vassal or being independent... She looked stubbornly at Chen Ling, just wanting to make some things clear.

"Sir... no, Chen Ling." Huang Suyue's weak tone carried a hint of resentment. "You are a liar!"

"...What?"

"The first time we met, you swindled 500,000 from me."

"..." Chen Ling retorted, "You bought it voluntarily."

"That was because you took advantage of the situation and raised the price... No one does business like that!"

"But I compensated you with intelligence later." Chen Ling tried to reason with Huang Suyue, or rather, settle the accounts, using rationality to balance the so-called gains and losses.

"Didn't I help you later? Your identity was all given by me."

"But..."

"You made me tell everyone that you were an actor I signed, but you didn't share the money you earned with me... You didn't even treat me to a meal." Huang Suyue gritted her teeth and said it all in one breath. "I helped you hide your identity, helped you renovate the opera house, and later the money I earned was spent on you. When you got into trouble, I covered for you. Whatever you did, I helped you..."

Chen Ling was silent for a long time, as if he had seriously calculated it for a moment, then let out a long sigh.

"Alright, I do owe you."

"That's not what I wanted to say!"

"Then what do you want to say?"

"I... I..."

Huang Suyue pursed her lips together, wanting to say something several times, but couldn't get it out... She blinked, and tears of frustration or grievance slid from the corners of her eyes, silently swallowing both her words and her tears.

She sniffled slightly, buried her head in Chen Ling's arms, and hugged him tightly.

Her voice sounded softly:

"If... if you were really my actor, how good that would be..."

"I am willing to spend a lifetime to redeem you."

……