Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: An Unspeakable Burden

Bai Bing, Su Xue, and Chu Jun stood inside the doorway, glaring at Wang Zheng. Their expressions were like those of the King of Hell scrutinizing a corrupt official who had just checked into the underworld. With eyes wide and brows arched, their foreheads seemed to broadcast: "Confession brings leniency, resistance brings severity. Submit or die!"

Faced with the three gatekeepers, Wang Zheng remained calm. He had done nothing wrong, so he had no reason to fear any ghosts knocking at his door. These girls were just bluffing; if they really tried to play hardball, would he be afraid of them? With cool detachment, Wang Zheng walked past them without a word of explanation and headed toward his room.

Seeing that Wang Zheng had no intention of admitting fault or repenting, the three women reacted differently, yet they shared a common conclusion: "Confession brings severity, and resistance brings even greater severity!"

Just as Wang Zheng entered his room and prepared to close the door, four hands shoved it open with force. Chu Jun, who had been standing behind Su Xue and Bai Bing, didn't join in, merely watching the spectacle. This girl was picking up bad habits from the other two.

"It's late. Go to sleep! I'll tell you tomorrow!" Wang Zheng said as he looked at them. Hoping to dodge the issue for tonight, he shed his top with a graceful "cicada molting its shell" maneuver and then, with a "hungry tiger pouncing on prey" motion, flopped onto the bed. "Time to sleep!"

"No way! You have to say it tonight! If you don't, we won't be able to sleep, and neither will you!" Bai Bing stood by the bed, staring at him.

During the time Wang Zheng had been away, Bai Bing hadn't been idle. She had thought about his request to borrow her house, so she had driven back to her hometown for a surprise inspection. The result, however, was disappointing—the place was deserted, and she found nothing. She had also checked his company and Lin Xiaolei’s home, all to no avail. Being one to torment herself, Bai Bing was not about to give up; she had to vent the frustration in her heart, or she wouldn't be able to sleep.

Wang Zheng opened one eye and glanced at Bai Bing, whose face had turned the color of Guan Yu’s. Who does she think she is?

"Some things can only be felt, not spoken. Next Monday, even if you don't want to know, you will. So get some sleep!" Was he supposed to tell them he had watched someone get killed? Given Bai Bing’s personality, she would surely press for details on who was killed and by whom. If he didn't tell her, she would investigate it herself. If she traced it back to those sisters, it would be trouble. Wang Zheng couldn't guarantee that the National Security agents wouldn't target such killers who threatened social stability.

"We want to know now!" Bai Bing remained as relentless as ever, determined to get to the bottom of it.

"I went to kill someone. I took out Zhao Yi. Are you satisfied with that answer?" Wang Zheng said, taking all the responsibility upon himself. He would never betray the sisters.

"Zhao Yi? Who is Zhao Yi?" Bai Bing asked, confused. Compared to the fact that Wang Zheng had killed someone, she was more interested in who the victim was.

"Zhao Yi...!" Su Xue froze upon hearing the name. Her eyes locked onto Wang Zheng, filled with astonishment, while Chu Jun’s expression was even more dramatic—it escalated from surprise to something else: shock.

"Brother, you... you’re not joking, are you?" Su Xue asked, staring at him.

"You’ll know about this when you go to work next Monday! Can we sleep now?" Wang Zheng said flatly.

Su Xue studied Wang Zheng carefully. His expression didn't seem like he was joking or stalling. She knew that while her brother might joke about anything else, he would never lie about killing someone. If he said he did it, he did it. Although Su Xue had spent years in the organization, her work was strictly hacking. She knew Wang Zheng had often killed while on missions, but that was long ago. Moreover, this time, the victim was someone she knew, so she was naturally stunned. There had been no warning. Why kill him? What was the motive? Su Xue didn't know, but knowing Wang Zheng, he wouldn't kill the innocent. If he killed, the person must have deserved it.

Su Xue took one last look at the man lying on the bed and walked out of the room. After a killing, it was best to get some rest.

Bai Bing looked at the departing Su Xue and Chu Jun in confusion. They were just leaving? They seemed very familiar with this "Zhao Yi." She looked at Wang Zheng. With her own strength, interrogating him was hopeless. The "Trio Alliance" had disintegrated. Bai Bing immediately left the room.

"Who exactly is Zhao Yi?" Bai Bing asked as soon as they were outside.

"Zhao Yi... he’s the deputy director of our television station. You’ve met him!"

The next morning, since it was Saturday, Wang Zheng lingered in bed for a while. Outside, the usual noise was gone; it was quiet—so quiet it was suffocating. A tense, oppressive atmosphere seeped through the door crack, forcing Wang Zheng to get up and see who was emitting such overwhelming resentment.

He opened the door and followed the trail of gloom to the dining room. Su Xue and Chu Jun were absent; only Bai Bing sat there, chin in her hands, lost in a daze. She didn't even notice when Wang Zheng sat down in front of her.

Wang Zheng started eating breakfast, but suddenly, Bai Bing slammed her hands onto the table, startling him.

Is she staging a revolt?

Bai Bing looked at him with complex eyes, her thoughts unreadable. After a moment of hesitation, she whispered, "Why did you kill him?"

Wang Zheng looked up. The youthful, radiant woman was gone, replaced by a "tired" woman with deep, dark circles and bloodshot eyes. It was clear she hadn't slept well, or perhaps not at all.

It was just one person killed, and it wasn't even her. Was she really making such a big deal out of it?

"Because he deserved to die!" Wang Zheng said calmly.

Deserved to die? There were plenty of people in this world who deserved to die. But why did Wang Zheng only kill Zhao Yi? If Bai Bing remembered correctly, this was the first time Wang Zheng had killed since returning to the country. If the reason was just that he "deserved it," she wouldn't believe it.

"Was it because of Lin Xuan?" Bai Bing suddenly asked.

"You knew, so why ask?" Wang Zheng countered. Given Bai Bing’s judgment and what she had seen and heard earlier, it wasn't surprising she’d connected Lin Xuan to this. Otherwise, she’d be a complete fool.

"You... at first I didn't believe it. Now I do!" Bai Bing shouted at him, her emotions running high. "You killed Zhao Yi for a woman like her? Do you think it’s worth it? Is she worth you killing for? If you wanted to vent, there are plenty of women in the red-light district with set prices. I can tell you where they are if you don't know. But for a woman like Lin Xuan... I really don't understand!"

Wang Zheng looked at the confused and angry woman. He really didn't understand why she was so worked up. He glanced toward Su Xue’s room and asked quietly, "Are they not here?"

"No! They were called away early for an urgent shoot at the station!" Bai Bing snapped. She didn't understand; she really didn't.

"You must be very confused, right?" Wang Zheng said. "To be honest, I’m planning to have her move into your house, too!" She would find out sooner or later, so he might as well tell her now.

"Bang!" Bai Bing jumped up, slammed her hand on the table, and shouted, "No! I will not tolerate a woman who doesn't love herself living in my house. No! Absolutely not!"

Watching the highly agitated Bai Bing, Wang Zheng remained silent and calmly picked up his chopsticks to continue his breakfast. Arguing with someone while they were in a frenzy was never a smart move. Sure enough, seeing Wang Zheng’s silence, Bai Bing’s emotions gradually settled, though she still wore a stubborn look.

"There is no woman in this world who doesn't love herself!" Wang Zheng said calmly after she sat back down. "Mistresses, prostitutes, call girls—do you think they were born not knowing self-respect? Were they destined to be toys for others? You have a good family, everything has gone smoothly for you, and you’ve been treated like a treasure. But not everyone in the world is like you. Have you seen the slums of Africa? Have you seen mothers so thin they have no milk left? Have you seen children die of hunger before they could even walk? Have you seen children forced into mines before they could even run? This is an unequal world. Those without the power to resist have only submission. Is anyone born base? No. There are only unspeakable hardships...!"

"Stop it! I don't want to hear your twisted logic. I just don't agree!" Bai Bing interrupted.

Wang Zheng’s expression chilled. He had been pouring his heart out for nothing. He put down his chopsticks; if he didn't teach this woman a lesson, she would always be this way. He looked at her with a cold sneer.

"Do you know? You eat my food, live in my house, and drive my car—you’re no different from Lin Xuan. Actually, no, you’re even worse than her, because... you don't even have the capacity to 'give'!"