Chapter 126: An Unimportant Truth

Wang Jinkai ignored Chu Ning’s urging, showing no reaction to the swarm of insects closing in. Given the X-07 strain manifesting within him from time to time, the answer was obvious.

"Stay calm under pressure, stay calm under pressure..." Tanya muttered, praying that the swarm would ignore them and pursue others fleeing in the chaos.

Better them than me; this was the credo everyone held. In an era where egoism ran rampant, Tanya possessed no altruistic spirit to sacrifice herself for the sake of unrelated strangers. Even when it came to following a plot, one had to choose the right time; Tanya had no desire to be buried in a sea of insects out of mere curiosity. Hearing the rustling of the swarm, she felt goosebumps rise all over her skin.

"It wasn't until my reincarnation ritual was complete that I realized I had been played. She accelerated my condition; for an expert in poisons, that was no difficult feat!" Wang Jinkai spoke with a heavy tone about his tragic encounter. If he hadn't fallen for her, all of this would have been his own fault, with no one else to blame.

But once emotions were involved, everything became complicated. Wang Jinkai had known she was plotting against him; the traces he found in his daily life were perfect evidence. They proved she had approached him with ulterior motives, and his deteriorating physical state was a trap she had meticulously designed. For someone like Wang Jinkai, who walked in the shadows, one did not need concrete proof to eliminate a threat; legal and moral constraints held almost zero power over them.

"She laced the reincarnation ritual array with X-07, and it began to propagate within my body, forming a bizarre symbiotic state," Wang Jinkai said with a sigh, feeling profoundly conflicted about her actions. He felt both the resentment of having his plans ruined and the lingering, beautiful feelings of his affection for her. Moreover, given her actions, he didn't know how to interpret her motives.

"Wait, I remember you mentioned you ate the target yourself, right?" Tanya interrupted, troubled by this detail that had left a deep impression on her. She cast a look of disgust at Wang Jinkai. In her estimation, this was undoubtedly an act of vengeful catharsis. Even if she could understand his choice to retaliate, the method he used was something she could not accept.

"Yes, that is correct!" Wang Jinkai’s voice sounded weary, his eyes momentarily vacant. "When I woke up, I found myself devouring her corpse, and I couldn't suppress the frantic urge to consume food. In the end, I witnessed myself devouring a human being alive!"

Wang Jinkai recounted this in agony, clutching his head as he recalled the events. He desperately wanted to understand what had happened to cause such a transformation in his body.

"I see! The story is so full of twists and turns; it’s truly a tragedy," Tanya said, feeling despondent after listening to Wang Jinkai’s one-sided account. She looked up, puzzled, as Chu Ning placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You are far too naive to believe the ghost stories he’s spinning!" Chu Ning covered his face, speechless; he had finally realized just how simple-minded Tanya truly was. She believed everything without reservation just because someone said a few sentimental words, never once considering that these tales might be fabricated. Their authenticity was highly questionable.

"What? You mean he’s lying?" Tanya asked in surprise. She hadn't detected any falsehoods. The details were so vivid that it was hard to believe they were fictional.

Chu Ning explained with a mocking tone, "What he said is based on reality, and you can sense the texture of life in his descriptions—that is not something one can invent overnight. But you must understand that sometimes, creating a lie isn't just about stamping a seal; it requires a tedious series of preparations to ensure the deception isn't easily pierced."

"Thus, most of what Wang Jinkai said is true, but he made slight modifications at the most critical points, concealing the most important information. You know that with a minor change, the nature of a situation can be turned completely upside down."

Tanya asked in amazement, "How did you figure that out?"

"Observe your surroundings, especially when you are in danger; it might just save your life. Am I right, Wang Jinkai?" Chu Ning said calmly, his eyes shifting toward the encroaching swarm.

The reason Tanya hadn't sensed the gravity of the situation was that the insects were advancing in total silence. Biological instinct compelled them to maintain a tactical advantage while hunting.

Wang Jinkai laughed heartily, pointing his finger mockingly at the closing swarm. "That’s right! Surprised? Caught off guard?" he said triumphantly. "You actually believed the nonsense I spewed; it was all a ploy to buy time. Chu Ning, I really should thank you—if you hadn't changed your old habits and refrained from attacking blindly, my plan wouldn't have been so successful. Tanya, don't look at me like that; it makes me shy. Remember for next time: don't get fooled twice. Learn from your mistakes; expecting people as heartless as us to find a conscience is impossible."

Wang Jinkai laughed until tears streamed down his face. He hadn't been certain he could defeat Chu Ning, so he had stalled for time. Only when the swarm had fully assembled did he reveal his true, sinister face.

"Is it all fake? Was everything just a fabrication?" Tanya asked, feeling lost and doubting her own judgment. What was real, and what was false?

Chu Ning sighed softly. Seeing Tanya’s pitiful expression, he couldn't help but comfort her. "Do you really think everything Wang Jinkai said was false? Does he have the capacity to fabricate a story with such rich detail and rigorous logic?" He knew that this might be the truth after all; otherwise, Wang Jinkai wouldn't have gone to such lengths to lure them here. If it were merely for the sake of his physical condition, he might be disappointed.

Wang Jinkai’s laughter ceased abruptly. He looked at Chu Ning with a complex expression, finally settling into a demand: "Tell me the method to reverse the Life Conversion Ritual, and I might just spare your lives!"