Chapter 13: Scum’s Counterattack – 3

After routinely checking on Su Zhiyi in her hibernation pod, Gu Xizhou finished washing up. Holding a simple boxed meal, she sat with Lin Ling in front of Cross’s data monitoring station, examining the brainwave information presented by the “virtual” data.

Lin Ling was a prodigy in engineering medicine, only 34 years old this year. The Cross project had been developed under her direction.

However, due to clinical issues, currently, besides Gu Xizhou and Su Zhiyi, no one else was using this equipment.

Therefore, Gu Xizhou’s test data had become an incredibly rare experimental sample for her.

In the dim laboratory, the slender female alpha, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, sat upright before the complex instrumentation. She stared at the dense data flooding the computer screen, her brow furrowed.

The blue glow of the computer screen and the red and green indicator lights of the instruments reflected off her glasses, casting a cold light.

Sliding her finger across the screen, Lin Ling scrolled through the massive amount of information, looking quite excited: “This model, 1022 Gu Xizhou, operates according to one of the one billion transformation sequences we revised.”

“The life trajectory of 1022 is also one of the possible trajectories of your own life.”

“When your consciousness was projected into the virtual world and informed her of the ‘future’, under your observation, she produced astonishing changes. And her changes even affected others.”

“For example, 1022’s mother, that is, 1022 Gu Jing, also underwent corresponding changes and began to assume the responsibility that a mother should have.”

Gu Xizhou wasn’t very interested in this. Her tone was flat: “Is that so? What about my wife?”

Lin Ling’s excited tone hitched instantly. She paused for a moment before speaking hesitantly: “Well… there haven’t been any unusual brainwave fluctuations…”

“Madam’s consciousness has been slumbering under 1022’s virtual shell without any signs of awakening.”

Gu Xizhou’s brow furrowed deeply, displeasure coloring her voice: “Then why did she appear at No. 1 High School this time, in the same school as 1022?”

At this, the cute-looking research genius reached up and rubbed her face, looking somewhat awkward: “Ah… about that…”

“I added a few settings to the virtual program.”

Gu Xizhou frowned, her gaze turning dark and venomous as she looked at her: “You tampered with her data?”

Lin Ling offered a placating smile, looking sheepish: “Just a tiny bit…”

Gu Xizhou pressed her lips together and asked coldly: “What did you add?”

Lin Ling said cautiously: “I just projected some of your youthful experiences, the entanglements between you and her, and Su Nanfeng’s future into the consciousness of the virtual program…”

Gu Xizhou’s expression instantly darkened: “Don’t meddle in affairs that don’t concern you.”

Lin Ling made an “ok” gesture, chastened: “Alright, alright, I’ll delete this part when we get to 1023…”

Gu Xizhou swept a cold glance over her: “There won’t be a 1023.”

Lin Ling let out an “Ah?”, looking at Gu Xizhou with great surprise: “So, Boss… you mean we should continue running 1022?”

Gu Xizhou stared fixedly at the screen, as if peering through the flood of information to see that bright-eyed, smiling sixteen-year-old girl.

In that fabricated world, the sunlight felt so real, even the scent of cherry on her was so vivid and familiar, worthy of nostalgia.

Four years… it had been four full years since she had last smelled that fragrance, which made her somewhat enchanted.

For years, constantly switching between reality and illusion, Gu Xizhou could no longer distinguish what was real and what was a dream.

Only when she saw Su Zhiyi submerged in the tank did she understand that her reality was living in hell.

But this time, Gu Xizhou felt that the person she loved might have awakened in the virtual world.

She wanted to try again, to confirm once more, to see if the 1022 Su Zhiyi might not be the Su Zhiyi running on the virtual program, but her own Su Zhiyi.

The woman standing outside the screen adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, the lenses reflecting the blue monitor light. She tapped on the desk: “Maintain the operation of 1022. I have matters to attend to during the day, I’ll be back tonight, and we’ll continue.”

She wanted to see her Su Zhiyi once more.

————

As usual, Gu Xizhou set up a camp bed outside Su Zhiyi’s hibernation pod. She spent the night in the lab, accompanying her vegetative wife.

Around six in the morning, Gu Xizhou awoke from her dreams. She got up, washed up, kissed the glass of the hibernation pod where Su Zhiyi lay, put on light makeup, and left the laboratory building by car.

Since Su Zhiyi jumped to her death four years ago, Gu Xizhou had relinquished power, recruiting professional managers to handle the group’s affairs.

Now, holding a majority stake in the Su Clan, she lived year-round in this experimental building constructed in the suburbs, pouring all her energy into the Cross research, solely to awaken Su Zhiyi.

Except for specific dates, like the anniversary of her own mother’s death, she would only briefly go out.

Or, for instance, on Su Nanfeng’s single yearly visitor’s day at the prison, she would pick fine weather to go humiliate the other party and savor the fruits of her revenge.

This was the only trophy worth tasting in her long, drawn-out nightmare.

Like poison, drinking it to quench thirst, yet unable to stop.

Only in this way could she maintain the thought of having no regrets, and avoid being tormented by guilt and remorse, where days felt like years.

—-

Five years ago, through clues Gu Xizhou deliberately let slip, Su Nanfeng found the truth about her plotting against Su Tianyu. She secretly brought a recording pen to the office to confront Gu Xizhou.

Gu Xizhou intentionally let her record, and just when Su Nanfeng thought her scheme had succeeded, she lightly pierced through her childish trick, forcing Su Nanfeng to take desperate measures and plan her murder.

She controlled all of Su Nanfeng’s movements, deliberately letting the unknowing Su Zhiyi witness how Su Nanfeng “went mad,” attempting to kill her younger sister’s lover based on mere delusions.

The moment Su Nanfeng stepped on the accelerator and Su Zhiyi, trembling, called the police, Gu Xizhou tasted endless ecstasy in Su Nanfeng’s shocked gaze.

The joy of revenge was the finest wine in this world, and Gu Xizhou was intoxicated by it.

Attempted murder, combined with Su Zhiyi’s profound disappointment in Su Nanfeng and her unwillingness to find a good lawyer to defend her, led the court to sentence Su Nanfeng to twenty years in prison.

The day after Su Nanfeng was incarcerated, Gu Xizhou began her first prison visit.

That Su Nanfeng, who had been so high-spirited in her youth, using every coercive means to bully others, now sat dejectedly opposite her, hands propping up her forehead, shoulders slumped, utterly despairing: “You won…”

“Gu Xizhou, you won.”

Su Nanfeng looked up, her eyes bloodshot, filled with remorse: “Loved ones deserted me, I have nothing left. This is my retribution, I admit it!”

“You have blood on your hands, you’ve done so many filthy things, but everyone believes you’re innocent. Your methods are truly superb.”

Gu Xizhou savored her howls like a wild dog’s, pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses, and spoke with feigned modesty: “You taught me well.”

Su Nanfeng was so enraged she nearly stood up to punch her, but forcibly restrained herself. She slumped back into the chair, gazing at Gu Xizhou’s delicate face, pleading in her eyes: “It’s my fault, everything is my fault.”

“But Zhiyi is innocent. She loves you so much. If you’re going to hide it, then hide it thoroughly… it’s best she never know the filthy things you’ve done in this lifetime.”

Betrayed and used by her most beloved person—her sister, with her strong sense of justice, would surely go mad if she learned the truth.

Gu Xizhou clearly understood this too.

But after years of great vengeance achieved, she was immensely proud.

Savoring Su Nanfeng’s pleading posture, Gu Xizhou curled her lips into an extremely pleased smile: “Sure, as long as you beg me.”

Su Nanfeng’s pupils dilated instantly. Gu Xizhou pointed at the leather shoes on her own feet, full of spirit and satisfaction: “Kneel down, and lick my shoes clean.”

“Once they’re clean, I’ll consider whether to agree to you.”

Ah… after so many years of being steeped in it, her soul had finally fallen into hell forever, just like Su Nanfeng’s.