Chapter 440: Little Jian's Inner Demon

Jian Changsheng froze, staring at the familiar face.

"You... you're not..." Red Heart 9's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"Red Heart 6????"

They both exclaimed almost simultaneously.

Jian Changsheng rubbed his eyes, confirming that the person before him was indeed the Red Heart 6 he knew. He was utterly bewildered. His gaze drifted from the over 200 million silver notes behind Red Heart 6 to the luxurious VIP lounge, and his mind simply shut down.

"Keep your voices down," Chen Ling said, making a shushing gesture.

"No, you... how are you the Golden Guild Special Envoy?" Red Heart 9 couldn't help but ask. "Were you the one dragging that mountain of gold into the city that day? And robbing money at the restaurant?"

"Yes, that was all me."

"But... that doesn't make sense. Your eighth-rank identity, and the Golden Guild background..."

"The eighth-rank was an act," Chen Ling said with a slight smile. "As for the Golden Guild... it doesn't exist at all. It was just a rumor that spread, and I simply guided it along."

A sudden silence filled the air.

After a long moment, Red Heart 9 suddenly smacked Jian Changsheng on the back of the head with a sharp crack.

"Ouch!" Jian Changsheng cried, dazed. "Why did you hit me?"

"You're both 'Red Hearts', yet Red Heart 6 can fool the five major consortiums into a frenzy, while you can't even get out of a train station without being detained! Can't you learn from him?"

Jian Changsheng was speechless.

"He's from the Way of the Drama God! How can that be the same?" Jian Changsheng's voice trailed off, his gaze on Chen Ling as if he were a monster. "It was the same in the Aurora Domain; he's practically a master of disguise... no, he *is* the God of Drama!"

"Wait, all of this is fake, but who was that child?" Red Heart 9 asked, puzzled.

Red Heart 9 racked his brain, unable to comprehend the child's background. How could someone so young knock him out with a single punch? Chen Ling could fake everything else, but that child was undeniably real.

"That's my... um... fifth senior brother," Chen Ling said, his expression a little odd.

Red Heart 9 paused, then tentatively asked, "Is he from the Ancient Repository of the Way of Drama? Is he... with that Clubs K?"

"He's Clubs K's junior brother."

"That makes sense then," Red Heart 9 said, letting out a long breath. "I was wondering how a regular child could be that strong... so he's a senior."

"You sneaky Red Heart 6!"

At this moment, Jian Changsheng finally snapped out of his daze. Gritting his teeth, he pointed at Chen Ling and declared, "It's time we settled our old scores!"

"What scores?"

"In the Ancient Repository of the Way of Warfare, the time you killed me!"

Chen Ling blinked. "I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Stop feigning ignorance! Before you left that day, Senior Bai Ye let it slip... the foundational fragment of the Way of the War God was taken by you! You *are* Chen Ling!" Jian Changsheng gnashed his teeth in anger. "You killed me once back then, and I'm not done with you about it!"

"Alright then..."

Chen Ling rose from his swivel chair and slowly walked towards Jian Changsheng, his eyes narrowing dangerously. As a surge of mental energy emanated from him, he smiled faintly.

"So, are you planning to fight me... or would you prefer I throw you onto the main road of the capital city to be chased again?"

Jian Changsheng was silent.

Jian Changsheng immediately backed down. With his skills sealed, he stood no chance against Chen Ling. And as for being thrown onto the main road... Chen Ling might very well do it.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough..." Jian Changsheng coughed strategically. "Let's let bygones be bygones... but you do owe me some compensation, don't you?"

"What kind of compensation do you want?"

"You earned so much money; can't you share a little with me?" Jian Changsheng asked tentatively, gesturing to the piles of silver notes filling the room.

"No, these aren't my money. They're yours."

"...Our money?"

"This is the Twilight Society's salary for several months, or even years, to come."

Chen Ling briefly explained his purpose for coming to the Red Dust Capital City. Red Heart 9's expression became priceless; he and Jian Changsheng had been causing so much trouble, almost robbing themselves of their own future salaries.

Jian Changsheng felt disheartened upon learning that the money was off-limits. He simply walked over to the guest sofa, grabbed a handful of melon seeds, and started cracking them. If he couldn't take the money, he could at least freely eat the complimentary melon seeds, right? He felt like he was on the verge of starving to death in the Red Dust Domain if he didn't eat something soon.

Chen Ling, seeing their desperation, eventually had Gu Kaixian send a meal to the room: two excellent steaks. His expression became odd as he watched Red Heart 9 and Jian Changsheng devour them in no time. "What have these two been doing in the Red Dust Capital City?" Chen Ling wondered. "They're eating like starving ghosts."

After eating and drinking his fill, Jian Changsheng finally felt alive again. He stood up from the sofa, pointed righteously at Chen Ling, and declared, "Red Heart 6 Chen Ling... *hiccup*... our business isn't over yet... *hiccup*, you just wait! One day, I'll properly settle this score with you!"

*When I can actually beat you,* Jian Changsheng secretly added in his mind.

In the Ancient Repository of the Way of Warfare, Chen Ling had left a profound psychological trauma on him. Even now, Jian Changsheng still had nightmares about that scene: Chen Ling emerging from the piles of bones, killing everyone in front of him, and then emotionlessly shooting him. Chen Ling was like a crushing mountain on Jian Changsheng's heart, a veritable personal demon. After learning that Chen Ling and Red Heart 6 were the same person, Jian Changsheng had been sleepless. When he was promoted to the third rank in the South Sea Domain, he had fantasized about finally confronting Chen Ling and personally breaking free from this personal demon. He never imagined that upon arriving in the Red Dust Capital City, things would take such a turn.

"Alright, alright, I'll wait for you," Chen Ling replied dismissively.

He seemed to recall something and then asked, "By the way, didn't you leave the Red Dust Domain? Why are you back?"

"I received a mission, so I came back," Jian Changsheng shrugged. "The mission also stated that other society members would come to help me complete it, and then Red Heart 9 arrived. But... I still have no idea how to proceed with the mission."

Chen Ling's interest was piqued. "What mission?"

"There are two missions in total. One is for me to infiltrate the Red Dust Capital City, establish myself, and ideally set up a safe base to receive other society members." Jian Changsheng scratched his head, speaking with a bitter tone. "But so far, forget about a base, I can't even afford food..."