Dedication

Duan Wen straightened his suit and stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, where red flowers swayed and a table of chess played to a stalemate draw.

That was before he and Li Yun.

After arranging the task of device transfer to his competent subordinates, he had a hand-to-hand talk with Li Yun. It had been a long time since he had played a game of chess with someone so enjoyable, and Li Yun's level of play was good enough to give him the pleasure of a match. He loved this feeling and wanted to prolong it indefinitely. He had played half of the game after twenty years, and it was fine to keep half of it for the evening.

Li Yun had already passed out, and although the modified human's brain had implanted Li Yun's consciousness, it was extremely easy to get tired.

Duan Wen smoothes the folds on his lapel, emerges from the bedroom, and stands alone in the living room, listening to the urgent report from his Lu Yuzhu clone.

"That's how it happened." Lu Yuzhu The clone said, "Mr. Duan, he said that he is the First Emperor. He wants to see you."

Duan Wen slowly finished a cigarette.

Lu Yuzhu The clone cautiously, "Look at ......"

"You go and bring him." Duan Wen's voice was inaudible, "I'll meet him here."

"Yes."

Lu Yuzhu, the clone has retreated.

Duan Wen looks out the window with a cigarette between his fingers.

A lot has happened in the last few hours, besides his own personal affairs and the report from Lu Yuzhu that Xie Qingcheng has suddenly admitted to being the First Emperor, Anthony has also finished the final brainwashing of He Yu and put him into the battlefield ......

Looking out from here, you can see the battle between Mandela and the Dream Breakers, and the Blood Compass has already gone to the front line a while ago. The back of the mech made by virtual imaging is like a burning mountain, enough to shock people's hearts, plus He Yu's greatly enhanced power, it's not hard to imagine how scared the Dream Breakers who are confronting He Yu are.

He could see from the surveillance transmitted by Anthony that He Yu's strength was amazing, and when the power of blood compulsion came out, it was a woeful, blood-soaked mess, as his companions raised their guns to kill each other, with a morbid, tragic beauty in its cruelty. This is completely different from the beauty of the weapons of the speed and cold light ice, as if the beauty of the Oriental sorcery-like killing.

Duan Wen viewed the war like a magnificent oil painting.

In some ways, Duan Wen is actually more cold than Duan Cuizhen - while Duan Cuizhen became what he is today from being a normal person, Duan Wen grew up in such a morbid state from a young age, and from the very beginning, he was a carefully nurtured, abnormal being of Duan Cuizhen. From the very beginning, he was carefully nurtured by Duan Cuizhen, an abnormal being.

Because of this, he is different from everyone else on the island. While people on the island seek fame, wealth and power, Duan Wen only seeks a scientific result.

The blood compulsion was undoubtedly very successful.

Unfortunately, the American lab researcher who developed the special rn-13 for Vivian has already died. Duan Wen still remembers that the day before he died, he lost a vintage photo frame necklace, which was picked up by Duan Cuizhen. Duan Cuizhen called the researcher to come and get it, and he said the person in the photo was his grandmother, and the necklace was his grandfather's relic.

Duan Cuizhen stared at the old black-and-white photo for a moment without a ripple, "They were so floundering?"

That American-raised researcher was not evasive in this regard and laughed, "My grandfather's labs were named after my grandmother."

"Oh." Duan Cuizhen put his hand on the palm of that researcher, clutched the necklace for a few seconds, then released it, "How earthy."

"What?" He didn't hear her because her voice was soft, snorting with mockery.

Duan Cuizhen says, "Nothing."

The next day the researcher died a bizarre death, I don't know what went wrong during the experiment, the necklace he was wearing around his neck got twisted into the machine, the machine had so much traction that by the time anyone realized it, his neck was almost broken ......

Duan Wen could tell at a glance that it was the tactics of the Tai Po woman, but he had little interest in the exact cause of the man's death, he just regretted that such a good medical talent was just gone. Over the years he had been looking for a better replacement, he had wanted Qin Ciyan very much and had made some efforts in the shadows, but unfortunately Qin Ciyan had lived a life of too much obstinacy, and had ended up in a tragic death.

After that, Xie Qingcheng became his very favorite candidate.

After Duan Wen talked to Xie Qingcheng, he was actually certain that, based on his many years of observing and studying human nature, Xie Qingcheng was full of guilt and love for He Yu, and it would be hard for him to leave He Yu behind. It was only a matter of time before he turned to Mandela.

But he didn't realize that Xie Qingcheng had an unexpected card in his hand.

First Emperor.

The Lu Yuzhu clone has just reported in a panic that Xie Qingcheng wants to trade his life for He Yu's freedom. At the same time, Xie Qingcheng gives Mandela a pass that no one can refuse and no one dares to touch-he says he is the First Emperor.

Duan Wen couldn't help but wonder why he and his wife had never thought of this - the First Emperor was not data, the First Emperor was a human being.

Why didn't you think of that?

In fact, he initially did not have no suspicion, why Xie Qingcheng in the car accident and then able to return to Huzhou intact, but Qin Ciyan acted too much, the old man dying to do a bunch of false data to mislead their investigations, the old man's daughter, Qin Rongbei, tortured and crazy are still biting his own know nothing, did not reveal the first emperor is a personal clue to the next twenty years, the dean of beauty education is even more cunning to create some of the next twenty years he also tried to find the first emperor data left behind the illusion. The first emperor is a personal tip to, the dean of the United States of America is even more cunning, in the next twenty years from time to time to create some he is also trying to find Qin Ciyan left behind the data of the first emperor of the false impression.

These determined, unbreakable people formed an impenetrable wall, protecting a truth that they actually should have discovered earlier.

What in the world makes something so fragile as a human being form such a strong wall?

What allows these otherwise disparate and very different people to keep the same secret for a decade or two?

Love again?

He once thought that he had studied the subject of love very thoroughly, he had read many academic and literary works, observed the feelings of people around him, experimented with family and friendship, and also experienced the relationship between the two sexes - the kind of relationship that was described as the "original sin" but was also regarded as the ultimate pleasure. He has also experienced the relationship between the two sexes - the kind of sex that is described as "original sin" but also regarded as the ultimate pleasure.

and many others. That is, many control samples have been changed.

But in the course of these experiments, he never experienced the so-called satisfaction. Gradually he felt disappointed and no longer interested in it; he even found the act of human reproduction a more boring affair than meetings. He could not understand why this was part of love.

Perhaps he had to admit that this was a subject he had never fully grasped until he had just talked to Li Yun ......

"Knock knock."

The door was knocked at that moment, interrupting Duan Wen's contemplation.

Duan Wen came back to his senses, "Come in."

The first to enter was Lu Yuzhu the clone, "Sir, the man has been brought in."

"Let him in."

Shackles rustling, Xie Qingcheng is pushed into the room.

The door closed behind them both, the clone Lu Yuzhu was on duty, the bedroom door was locked, and Duan Wen and Xie Qingcheng were the only ones in the living room.

"I didn't expect to meet again so soon." Duan Wen turned back to the other man, his gaze dark, looking him up and down, "And in this manner."

Xie Qingcheng did not answer his words immediately, but immediately cast his gaze out the window.

He had heard the commotion along the way and knew that He Yu had been awakened.

But he couldn't see what was going on outside, and it was only when he was transferred to Duan Wen's room that he saw Mandela and the Dreambreakers fighting.

"Your eyes can't see the Blood Compass Mecha, right?" Duan Wen also did not block Xie Qingcheng, walked over to the living room desk and started to heat up a pot of water and pour tea, "What the First Emperor can see should be the real sight. Tell me, what did you see?"

Xie Qingcheng didn't turn his eyes away, he knew He Yu was there.

He said, "Drones."

"Uh-huh." Duan Wen raised an eyebrow and smiled lightly, "But that doesn't make your words true. He Yu has been with you for so long, he'll have plenty of opportunity to tell you."

"You never trusted him."

"I don't have absolute trust in anyone." Duan Wen poured a cup of tea for Xie Qingcheng, "The same cup of Snowy Cold Fragrance, this time, will you drink it or not?"

He smiled slightly, looking at him, but the smile was chilling behind his back.

Xie Qingcheng sat down in front of him.

"Early on, you could tell we were acting in the room?"

"I could tell." Duan Wen said, "Just thought it was interesting. I knew he couldn't escape our control no matter how much he struggled, but I wanted to see how far he could go."

"In fact, you may not be so transportable." Xie Qingcheng said.

Duan Wen : "What do you mean?"

"If everything was in your calculations, you didn't arrive until after we had already destroyed the Radical Chill."

Duan Wen paused for a moment, his eyes skimming over the chessboard beside him and straightening his unbuttoned cufflinks.

Then he raised his eyes and smiled slightly.

"There was a bit of personal business at that time." Duan Wen says, "It got delayed. Sometimes it's like that, one thing just happens to run into another, and you have to make a choice. As the saying goes, it's not as good as God's plan."

The tea was poured very fragrantly, and Duan Wen took a sip for himself, and after the cups were set down, he said, "Let's talk about business. Xie Qingcheng, you tell the guards that the First Emperor isn't data, it's a human being, and that you're the one we've been looking for."

"Yes."

"Can you prove it to me."

"You have to get He Yu to stop killing first."

"...... Are you talking to me about a two-for-one request." Duan Wen smiled slightly, "Your Highness the First Emperor?"

"You didn't hear wrong." Xie Qingcheng sat there coldly, his eyebrows staring at frost, "I am talking to you about choosing between the two. You yourself just said that some things are just one bumping into the other, you can't have it both ways, after all, human calculation is not as good as heaven."

Duan Wen stopped laughing and said lightly, "Where did you get the chips. Besides, I'm not in a hurry this time."

Xie Qingcheng didn't go for a direct dismissal of him, but instead raised the still sharp eyes of that temperament, "The little boy's body doesn't work well, does it."

"......"

"The rejection was painful and made it hard for her to even appear in front of people, didn't it? I think she's at the end of her rope with that child's body, too, and maybe she's even been very sick the last few days. Otherwise it's been so long since the war started that she wouldn't have even shown her face."

Duan Wen sat up straight, his pupils cold, staring at Xie Qingcheng.

Neither of them mentioned Duan Cuizhen's lack of a name, but they both knew that "she" referred to Duan Cuizhen.

Duan Wen slowly said, "He Yu really did tell you everything. But now that it's you in our hands, I can actually utilize any means to force you into submission, so who are you to negotiate with Mandela?"

Xie Qingcheng : "Since I can directly showdown with you, do you think I'm really helpless to be slaughtered."

Hearing him say that, Duan Wen's body tensed slightly as his gaze swept over his entire body.

Xie Qingcheng : "I am unarmed, and the people who brought me here have searched me no less than ten times. But if I'm not willing to cooperate, you won't be able to grasp the secrets of the Primordial Emperor that quickly. I can control it, and I can even voluntarily stop its power. As you well know, once I self-destruct, you guys won't get anything."

"......"

"Duan Cuizhen I'm afraid he won't last much longer, want the First Emperor or the Blood Compass." Xie Qingcheng said, "You guys choose yourselves."

With a few simple words, Duan Wen was abruptly silenced.

After several minutes, Duan Wen then suddenly tilted his head and laughed: "Xie Qingcheng, you really deserve to be Xie Ping's son, you can handle any situation without being surprised ......!"

"You flatter me." Xie Qingcheng said, "I owe my ability to remain calm to Mandela. In these twenty years of struggling with the spirit Ai Bola, I have suppressed my emotions all the time, and eventually became what I am now. It is the result of your hands."

The smoky war outside continues.

Xie Qingcheng said, "Release He Yu. Otherwise, even if my people are here, you won't get the power of the First Emperor."

Duan Wen stopped ringing.

After all, the Primordial Emperor was not the same as the Blood Compass, a lot of what they knew about the Primordial Emperor was uncertain, and it was hard to tell the truth from a mixture of information from over twenty years. Currently, he didn't really know if Xie Qingcheng had any way to suppress the power within him, so he didn't dare to act rashly.

After repeated thoughts, Duan Wen opened his mouth, "Xie Qingcheng, why don't we each take a step back."

"What do you mean."

"Giving up the blood compulsion now is impossible, and once he's awake, we'll be very passive in case he comes for you again. And you won't necessarily just talk your way out of cooperating with us once he's gone." Duan Wen said, "But I can get him to stop attacking, reducing the casualties of the Dream Breakers first, as well as reducing the wear and tear on himself. I will let you see him returned unharmed to the Dreambreaker ship before you become Duan Cuizhen's donor."

"What if you don't deliver."

"Then you can also terminate your powers at the last minute, can't you."

"......" Xie Qingcheng doesn't actually have any ability to curb the Primordial Emperor attribute, and once Duan Cuizhen obtains his body, he will have complete access to the Primordial Emperor's power.

But this is something that must not be revealed to Duan Wen at this moment, it is a secret that can be lied to for a moment.

Xie Qingcheng sensed that Duan Wen was observing his expression with great care, as if he wanted to capture his innermost feelings from his expression.

Xie Qingcheng closed his heart city tightly.

Duan Wen peeped for a long time, but could not see anything.

"It seems that this is the best way for now." Finally, Xie Qingcheng said without a ripple, "You and I have no other choice."

"I'm glad you realized this quickly." Duan Wen said, "You know how to do things much better than He Yu did back then, and you didn't have to be locked up for as long as he was before you decided to work with us."

"...... How long was he ever in that basement?"

"The basement?" Duan Wen said, "He was too hurt to be in the basement at that point. We gave him a very clean room."

Duan Wen paused when he said this and thought for a moment, "I'm afraid it's no longer appropriate to lock up His Highness the First Emperor in the basement, so until the operation, you'll be staying in the same room he used to live in."

Xie Qingcheng said, "Yes."

"If you have no other objections, I will now order He Yu to end the fight. Then we will arrange for the donor transplant surgery as soon as possible." Duan Wen said.

Xie Qingcheng's response was calm, as if he was not the one who was going to be sacrificed: "When will the operation be."

"It won't be long after the various tests are done." Duan Wen surveyed Xie Qingcheng, "Don't you have any fear or regret at all."

Perhaps knowing that the dust will finally settle, Xie Qingcheng carries a tiredness and composure similar to that of a long journey.

He looked calmly at Duan Wen with those eyes of failing vision and said, "I know that even if you gain the power of the First Emperor, these darknesses will eventually end at the hands of our people."

Duan Wen was silent for a long time, "Why are you so convinced."

"There has to be some indelible faith in one's heart. I am like that, and you are probably the same." Xie Qingcheng said, "You're different from Duan Cuizhen, you're not a completely heartless person like you think you are, which is why I told the guards that the person I need to see is you, not Duan Cuizhen."

Not expecting him to say that, Duan Wen stared at the man in front of him - for a moment he felt as if he was not standing in front of a dying prisoner, and that they were not on the island of Mandela in the middle of a crisis.

He felt as if he was just having a painless conversation with someone who was not close to him, in a perfectly normal evening, in a perfectly normal place.

Duan Wen called out to Xie Qingcheng one last time before ordering him to be taken to the same cell where He Yu once lived, "Xie Qingcheng."

"......"

"I'm sorry that you are the First Emperor and that she has to rely on your body to continue living. I had wanted to wait until you were willing to serve us instead of making you a brain transplant donor. I promised him I wouldn't kill you, but now I have no choice but to do so."

Xie Qingcheng sidled up, "I'm also sorry why you have to follow her, Chen Lisheng."

Duan Wen: "......"

He didn't answer.

But he knew in his heart that he was not following Duan Cuizhen, but had grown up with this treacherous island since childhood, and that it held too many answers he longed for, fruits he had seen, and things he did not want to lose.

Big as that future Mandela world.

Small enough, this unfinished game of chess in his hand.

"This oath you made to Li Yun twenty years ago." Xie Qingcheng turned back, looked at him with a somber face, and calmly said, "It's going to be broken by you after all."

"......"

"First Emperor for Blood Compass, one life for another. I'll be waiting for you to take me to Duan Cuizhen," he dropped these words and turned to leave the area.