Volume 4
256 Falling Apart

Is this really the latest chapter in Split Zone 13…? I think I"m going insane. No one noticed me, sadly.

Nie Zun interrupted suddenly, "If her second personality is really of such great use, then I"m sorry, because her heart is with me now. She"ll never be able to summon her second personality without her heart. All your plans would turn to dust."

Du Yue laughed before addressing me. "See it now, Li Shen? You"re the root of all problems. Take your heart back. Do you think you"re of any value now that you"re without your heart? Take your heart back, and those two friends of yours. I can send them back to the real world."

She pointed at Yu Liang and Song Lu.

They were standing at the sidelines, not looking at each other all this time. But when they heard her say this, both of them turned to look at Du Yue.

"What did you say…" The three of us spoke at the same time.

Du Yue smirked. "I"ve found the corresponding soul splitters for these friends of yours. If you"re willing to take your heart back, I can bring them here immediately through spatial transference. There might never be an opportunity like this to return to the real world again. It"s okay if you don"t care about yourself, but are you not going to spare a thought for your friends?"

"Why do you want me to take my heart back?"

"Does this need any further explanation? Unless you"re willing, who else here can actually take your heart back from Nie Zun? Seems like you"re really underestimating that demonic prowess."

I glanced at Nie Zun.

He spoke casually, "No matter who it is, you can forget about taking this heart, even if it"s her. I"m sure you"re aware of this, but you"ve been trying all ways and means to change the situation from earlier. I"m curious, just what is your goal? Who is it who"s backing you?"

Du Yue"s expression changed when Nie Zun said those last words.

Si Luo looked at me and asked, "Nie Zun took your heart?"

I nodded in response.

Though I moved, I didn"t feel that unbearable pain anymore. I guess I might have gotten used to it.

Getting used to things is pretty scary.

Nie Zun headed for the door as we entered a stalemate once again.

Du Yue stepped forward with a sharp gaze. "Leave her heart."

Even Gaoqin Jiuye lifted a hand to stop Nie Zun.

Apart from them, no one else moved.

I stood where I was, looking at the back of Nie Zun"s figure.

Si Luo spoke. "Gaoqin, let him go. Her second personality can"t help me. Don"t be so hung up about it."

Gaoqin Jiuye did not move nor speak. He didn"t intend to heed Si Luo"s instructions this time.

Si Luo then turned to Du Yue. "I"ll suggest for you to hold your horses. How about we continue talking about Rong Jin?"

Right, what did they mean by saying that Rong Jin was Ta Lai? Were Rong Jin and Ta Lai actually one person…?

That enormous shadow of Rong Jin"s and his weird cackling rang in my mind. I just couldn"t reconcile that with Ta Lai"s elegant style.

With his right hand, Nie Zun pushed Gaoqin Jiuye away slowly.

In a split second, Gaoqin Jiuye whipped Shen Qi out and wrapped it around Nie Zun"s neck.

From the speed at which Shen Qi was released and the blood that could already be seen on Nie Zun"s neck, I could tell that Gaoqin Jiuye was really furious. It was unlikely that he would let Nie Zun go.

I rushed forward, causing my entire chest to feel like it was engulfed in flames.

The blood dripped down my palm as I grabbed the bottom half of Shen Qi.

I looked at Gaoqin Jiuye. "Let him go."

Pain flashed past Gaoqin Jiuye. "Li Shen, I"m not doing this for you. Since your second personality can save Si Luo, I"m not going to let up on this, no matter who it is."

"I know. But Nie Zun is innocent. You can drag me into things, but don"t do that to him. That second personality belongs to me. I won"t allow you to hurt him like this."

I felt like I was about to be sucked into Gaoqin Jiuye"s eyes as he spoke. "I think that last sentence was what you actually wanted to say. You"ve become irrational trying to protect him."

I shook my head. "No, I"ve never been more rational in my life. I"ve already given my heart to him, and he can take it if he wishes to."

Gaoqin Jiuye slapped me suddenly.

Smack.

Everyone seemed stunned at this.

My face turned to the side from the force. I didn"t turn back.

I"ve been slapped quite a number of times here in the Split Zone.

Gaoqin Jiuye"s voice trembled. "Li Shen, are you going to trample all over my feelings like this? Even when you now know that you were in love with me previously? Even when you"ve recalled part of those lost memories? There"s no real need for you to say it so clearly like this. Aren"t you just trying to get me to give up on you? You can really be heartless, Li Shen."

Instead of crying, I simply turned back to look at him blankly.

I spoke slowly. "You"re right. I"m merely stepping all over your feelings for me. Who was it who entered my world and messed up my life? Who gave you the right to do that? Tell me, what right did you have to do that? I was living well in that world, whether or not I"d end up loving Gao Qi, whether or not he"d hurt me, that was still my life. Who gave you the right to intercept it and leave just like that? Let him kill me if he wants to. Why did you have to come save me… Why did you have to bring me here? Tell me, Gaoqin Jiuye, why?"

I caught a glimpse of Nie Zun from the corner of my eye. There was a flash of sorrow in his eyes.

Without a heart, my chest was throbbing with a dull pain.

Gaoqin Jiuye then loosened his grip on Shen Qi and let Nie Zun go. "Yes, Li Shen. That"s my fault. I should"ve just let you die in that world, in his hands, instead of trying so hard to obtain the power to go to that world after having seen you just once in my dreams."

Gaoqin Jiuye"s words made me stop in my tracks. I snapped my head up as I asked, "What do you mean?"

Gaoqin Jiuye looked at me as he placed Shen Qi back around his waist. "Li Shen, we"ll have nothing to do with each other from today onwards. Whether or not you manage to recall all those memories, I, Gaoqin Jiuye, will have nothing to do with you ever, from now on. Don"t even think about trampling on my feelings again."

His words were cold and harsh, and they carried a hint of hatred.

He then turned to leave the laboratory.

The situation changed just like this.

Gaoqin Jiuye turned out to be the first one to leave, and the second individual would also leave soon after.

Nie Zun looked at me with an unfathomable gaze. "We shouldn"t see each other from now on either. I hope you"ll be able to leave the Split Zone soon. As for your heart, I"ll take it as a present from you for all this time that I"ve been by your side."

I did not expect for Nie Zun to say something like this. I grabbed him as he turned to leave. "What did you say? Say it again, Nie Zun. You brought me to that flower field just moments ago, and now you"re telling me that we shouldn"t be seeing each other again? Am I an idiot to you or what? Tell me, what"s happening…"

Nie Zun freed himself from me and headed for the door without answering.

I wanted to chase after him, but Jie Pa was quicker. With a quick movement of his hands, a screen made of air dropped from nowhere. It looked like that restriction technique he used previously, except that it looked much st.u.r.dier now.

That air s.h.i.+eld created a fence between us. He adjusted his gla.s.ses as he said, "Apologies, Miss Ah Shen. I believe Nie Zun has his reasons for doing so, and I have to help him in this case." He left the laboratory right after.

That air s.h.i.+eld seemed to have trapped the rest of us within the room.

I was almost hysterical as I screamed, "What"s happening? What do you guys want…!"

Si Luo said, "Calm down. It"s not all that bad now that the two of them have left. We can solve the remaining issues with Du Yue here."

This meant that he was on my side.

Jiao S was right beside him, just like how Nie Zun would be by my side in the past. Even so, her eyes were on me, looking as if she did not want to interrupt although she was filled with nothing but worry for me.

Du Yue smirked. "This is interesting. It doesn"t look like I"m at any advantage even after some people have left. How about this, Li Shen? I"ll make you an offer. I"ll send these two back to your real world. How about that?"

Si Luo laughed. "Du Yue, no need to use petty tricks like these. Yu Liang and Song Lu have been working under you for quite a while now. You"re just worried that they"ll reveal certain things you don"t wish for us to know, now that the tables have turned against you. You can"t kill them in front of us, so you"re trying to get them to leave so that they"ll never be able to tell. Sadly, I"m awake now. Do you think this can escape me?"

Du Yue laughed loudly. "Oh, Si Luo. You really think things are still like they were in the past, where you can control everything with a simple wave of your hand? Do you still think that you are the one whom the Gate of Heaven"s Feng Zhu trusts the most? Those times when you could control everything are already over. You couldn"t even protect the Southern District, and now you"re here, trying to read me?"

I interrupted her. "Judging from this defensive reaction of yours, I"m guessing Si Luo hit the nail on the head."