Chapter Twenty: Vengeance

“Revenge?” Zhou Shen was puzzled upon hearing this. After all, Teacher Chen was known for his good reputation on Qingshui Street, praised for his conduct and work. How could someone like him be hated enough to incite murder for revenge?

“Yes!” Chen Hao let out a relieved smile. “I started learning Gu magic a year ago. It all began then.

“At that time, I had just been appointed as a teacher on Qingshui Street. Though not yet officially inaugurated, I was already preparing for the advanced teaching certification, hoping to make the best impression when I started.

“That year, my girlfriend and I lived at No. 21 Qingshui Street. Life was harmonious, except for the occasional late rent. Everything else was fine.

“But one day, when the landlord came to collect payment, he bluntly announced he would raise the rent—by two hundred percent, doubling it. It was clear he wanted us gone.

“It was probably because I often delayed the rent. As a student, I had no income, juggling work and study, exhausted and without any savings. Worse still, the landlord demanded three months’ rent in advance, or else we had to move out immediately. He even brought several men to threaten us.

“The landlord owned the house, and I knew my frequent late payments left me no ground for argument. Since he had ordered us to leave, I felt embarrassed to stay any longer.

“After the landlord left, I began packing. When my girlfriend returned and asked why, I explained the rent increase. She was furious and insisted on confronting the landlord.

“I tried to stop her, but she threatened to break up if I interfered, saying such extortion needed to be challenged.

“A few hours later, there was a commotion outside. As I packed, I went to check and saw my girlfriend in a scuffle with the landlord and his men. Her dress and clothes were torn off, leaving her naked on the ground. The people around pointed and stared, some even taking photos.

“I rushed over, covered her with clothes, dispersed the crowd, and brought her back inside. She was silent, stunned from the ordeal.”

“My heart ached. If I hadn’t been so poor at that age, she wouldn’t have suffered such torment.

“I thought the matter was over. The next day, as we finished packing, neighbors still pointed as we left. I comforted my girlfriend, telling her people would soon forget and that I would never leave her.

“But then something I never expected happened. Someone posted those photos of her naked online. My girlfriend saw them by chance, and her spirit shattered. On a midnight by the Qingshui River, she sent me her last message: ‘I’m sorry, life is too bitter.’

“She then jumped, ending her life.

“No matter how much I grieved, nothing could bring her back. I didn’t make the incident public. Instead, I secretly apprenticed myself to a Gu master, honing my skills for a year, all to avenge the landlord who maliciously raised the rent and tore off my girlfriend’s clothes, humiliating her in the street.”

Fang You sighed deeply upon hearing this. “Life is unpredictable; not everything can go as planned. There will always be hardships and disasters, big and small. This is life. But causing death is unjustifiable.”

“But they destroyed my girlfriend’s life!” Chen Hao cried angrily. “She had hoped to take the teacher’s exam with me and work together on Qingshui Street. But after that incident, rumors spread, and she lost her dream. They deserve it!”

“An eye for an eye, a debt for a debt. Teacher Chen, please come with me to the police station.” Zhou Shen sighed heavily. Chen Hao, revered by all, had such secrets in private. Sympathy aside, law must prevail.

“My revenge isn’t finished yet! The voices of ridicule still echo in my mind. Those who posted the photos online, those troublemakers—I won’t let any of them go!” Chen Hao pulled a golden Gu bell from his left pocket. Though the insects inside were restless from the scent of sugar, he forced himself to control them.

“I’m not willing. My revenge isn’t over. I can’t let myself be caught now!” Chen Hao smashed the Gu bell in his hand. Hundreds of black insects instantly spread across the floor.

“Through the art of controlling insects, I command you—heed my will and obey!” Chen Hao recited the incantation, his fingers weaving complex gestures, directing the insects according to his commands.

“Teacher Chen, please don’t be stubborn!” Zhou Shen watched as the insects, as if following a unified order, swiftly gathered toward Zhou Shen, Zhang Shengnan, and Fang You.

“What do we do now?” Zhang Shengnan hid behind Fang You in fright.

Zhou Shen held his gun, but he couldn’t fire recklessly. As he hesitated—

Suddenly, Fang You pulled a packet of powder from his pocket and scattered it into the air. The strange-smelling powder drifted down, and when the insects touched it, they went wild, scattering in all directions, completely out of control.

“This is camphor!” Chen Hao recognized it instantly. The scent was highly unfavorable for someone newly practicing Gu magic.

“You only learned Gu for a year, barely scratching the surface. Your master was Old Ghost, a bone-controlling expert, one of the six elders of the Miao Gu school. He meant to teach you the righteous arts, but you defected to the rebellious He Bi’an and learned evil techniques. Life is brief—why throw it away for revenge?” Fang You sighed heavily at Chen Hao’s mistake.

“You don’t understand. Someday you’ll realize—some things are worth pursuing even if it costs your entire life. They transcend life itself.”