Chapter 90: Because Ning Zhe Did Not Know

In the Central Plains there was a marsh called Yunmeng, fed by the Yangtze River to the west, flowing eastward, known as the Han River.

The Han River was one of the Yangtze’s largest tributaries and, in ancient times, the most vital water source and transportation route for Yundu City.

Lan Shiwen parked the car on the river-crossing bridge; beneath it churned white waves, above it stretched a sky sharply divided.

With the Han River Bridge as the boundary, the sky over the western Yunmeng Marsh was gloomy and dim as twilight, while above eastern Yundu City soared a clear, azure expanse—nature concentrated its marvels, yin and yang cleaved dusk from dawn.

“Tu Yu will seal this place soon; when he does, the entire Yunmeng Marsh will be pulled into another world,” Ning Zhe unbuckled his seatbelt and looked at Lan Shiwen in the driver’s seat: “Yet you say that in your foresight, the God of Wealth wanders within Yundu City.”

How, then, could the God of Wealth reach Yundu City if Tu Yu had dragged the entire Yunmeng Marsh into another world?

“Tu Yu will seal Yunmeng Marsh for only four hours—not a second longer,” Lan Shiwen explained. “Pay for what you get. Not a second extra, not a minute short. That’s Tu Yu’s way.”

Ning Zhe nodded slightly.

That meant, in Lan Shiwen’s foresight, even after the four-hour seal ended, the God of Wealth’s rule remained unbroken, the strange event still unresolved.

When the four hours were up, Tu Yu swept away, indifferent as the God of Wealth slaughtered millions in Yundu City.

He departed without a trace, untouched by worldly affairs—the standard behavior of an Ascended One. If it were Ning Zhe, he’d do the same.

As if sensing Ning Zhe’s thoughts, Lan Shiwen added: “It might be even more terrifying than you imagine.”

He stepped out of the car, his feet above the eastward-flowing Han River: “Wu Tong invited dozens of Ascended Ones to his funeral. At least ten Ascended Ones now gather over the Yunmeng Marsh, all seeking the God of Wealth’s rule to buy their own lives.”

What happened after that needs no further explanation.

The God of Wealth wasn’t defeated—meaning the ones defeated were the people.

In Lan Shiwen’s visible future, the God of Wealth Wu Tong slaughtered every Ascended One gathered near Yunmeng Marsh. At least ten rules were macroscopically activated. Strange events exploded in unison, turning the once-prosperous Yundu City into a hell littered with corpses.

“This was planned by Ji Baichang before his death,” Lan Shiwen gritted his teeth. “He was already insane. He knew he had no way to extend his life, so he intended to drag all of Yundu City down to hell with him when he died!”

As he spoke, a black sedan pulled up. Two middle-aged men in dark blue uniforms stepped out and bowed slightly before Lan Shiwen.

“Are these Wu Tong’s children?” the uniformed man asked, eyeing the brother and sister in the back seat.

“Yes. You can take them away. But first,” Lan Shiwen opened the back door and extended a hand toward Ji Yunying: “Give me the key.”

Ji Yunying stared in disbelief: “What key?”

“The key Ji Baichang hid in his mouth. I know you have it.” Lan Shiwen took a pistol from the uniformed man and disengaged the safety: “You have two lives left. This pistol’s magazine holds twelve rounds. I can kill you and still take the key.”

Choose: live or die.

Shi Yuru’s eyes widened in shock—she had no idea her father had left behind any key.

Ji Yunying clenched his fists, eyes blazing with fury: “That was my father’s legacy to me. Don’t push me too far—”

Bang—

The silenced gunshot was deafening at close range. A spent casing fell at Lan Shiwen’s feet; the hot barrel pressed against Ji Yunying’s temple: “You have one life left.”

“Yun… Yunying, if you really have the key, just give it to him…” Shi Yuru tugged at Ji Yunying’s sleeve, fear trembling in her voice. The relentless shocks had frayed her nerves.

Ji Yunying swallowed his rage, pulled a rusted iron key from his inner pocket, and handed it to Lan Shiwen: “Here.”

“Thank you.” Lan Shiwen took the key and fired—piercing Ji Yunying’s skull. This time, Ji Yunying had no lives left.

“You got the key—why kill him?” Ning Zhe asked casually.

“He’ll retaliate against me in the future. But this coward dares not act. He raped my sister at school.” Lan Shiwen raised the pistol toward Shi Yuru, paused, then lowered it: “Good choice.”

He had seen that Shi Yuru would never retaliate. Compared to her fiery brother, she was weaker.

Ning Zhe couldn’t help but marvel: Lan Shiwen’s rule was monstrous—like playing an FPS with wallhack. No chance of stepping into a trap.

But what was the flaw in this foresight ability?

Of course, Ning Zhe kept the thought to himself. Ascended Ones forbade others from probing their abilities—it was a matter of life and death, no room for jokes.

“What’s this key for?” Ning Zhe asked.

“To open a door.” Lan Shiwen handed his car keys to the uniformed men, instructing them to drive away the car carrying Shi Yuru and Ji Yunying’s corpses. He then took the driver’s seat of the black sedan.

Lan Shiwen fastened his seatbelt and said to Ning Zhe: “Deep in Chuyun Mountain lies a haunted mansion. Ji Baichang hid all his life’s savings inside. This key opens it.”

Only with this key can you enter the true haunted mansion. Any other method reveals only an ordinary abandoned house—no trace of Ji Baichang’s hidden money.

No further explanation was needed: Ji Baichang’s “life’s savings” hidden in the haunted mansion could not possibly be gold, silver, or jewels. In this context, “money” meant only one thing.

=9+ Shu _ Ba

The God of Wealth’s life-buying coins.

“How much did Ji Baichang hide inside?” Ning Zhe asked. “What do you need the money for?”

“I don’t know the exact amount,” Lan Shiwen shook his head. “I only know I must gather as much as possible, as quickly as possible.”

He paused, then continued: “Your earlier guess was right. The God of Wealth’s rule is indeed trade—trade in lives. Every life that reaches the God of Wealth is forged into a copper coin. Each square-hole, round copper coin corresponds to one living soul.”

“The God of Wealth consumes one life to forge one coin. But that’s the cost, not the price.”

“Only the first transaction follows a 1:1 ratio: one life for one coin. One coin buys one life.”

“In the second transaction, selling two lives yields only one coin. Paying two coins buys only one life. With each subsequent transaction, the ratio grows larger.”

“The God of Wealth’s assets swell rapidly with every transaction, until he buys every life in the world.”

“And the way to break his rule is simple: buy his life with more money than he holds.”

Lan Shiwen shut the car door and looked up at Ning Zhe standing beside it: “I must gather enough life-buying coins before the God of Wealth’s assets spiral beyond control. Some Ascended Ones hold scattered coins—but not enough.”

“I must go to the haunted mansion and claim Ji Baichang’s fortune. He served as God of Wealth for forty years. His inheritance is my only chance.”

No sooner had he finished than Ning Zhe opened the passenger door: “I’m coming with you.”

Lan Shiwen was taken aback: “I didn’t expect you to make this choice.”

Ye Yao didn’t seem like the type to be noble or morally upright.

“I’m not going with you to be some hero saving Yundu City. Empty fame is worthless.”

Ning Zhe said: “I’m helping you now because I want you to help me later. Simply put—I need you to use your foresight ability for me. So you can’t die here. In return, I’ll do everything I can to assist you now.”

“Fair enough.” Lan Shiwen pressed the accelerator. The black sedan sped away from the Han River Bridge, racing toward Chuyun Mountain.

(End of Chapter)