IRCDM Chapter 38

Deng Meng felt like he was working himself to death. Although he grew up in the Black Market and used to engage in shady dealings, and ordinary Black Market residents avoided him, he had never worked so desperately. He hadn’t slept for seventy-two hours, running from the seventh floor to the eighth and back to report to Liang Huan. During this time, he had also collected many residents’ opinions and suggestions for Liang Huan. When he entered the villa with supplies, he saw Liang Huan buried in virtual files. Liang Huan’s usual goji berry health water had been replaced by a special extra-large concentrated coffee. Deng Meng was terrified when he saw Liang Huan gulping it down. “Brother Liang!”

“Hmm?” Liang Huan placed the empty cup on the table. “You’re back. You’ve worked hard, Deng Meng.”

Deng Meng threw down the supplies and rushed to his desk, asking in horror, “Brother Liang, where did you get this coffee?”

Liang Huan pointed to a pop-up ad on the virtual screen without looking up. “I watched a few minutes of live broadcast while resting before. I liked it, so I bought a few boxes and put them in the hall. You can get them if you need them.”

“Brother Liang, this coffee is a military special. It forcibly enhances mental power during combat. Just a few sips can sustain you for a day…” Deng Meng felt something was seriously wrong. “How much did you drink?”

“When Ling Xuan came over, I asked someone to make it for her. Everything was too rushed, and we didn’t have any good tea to offer guests.” Liang Huan smiled at him. “I thought it was quite good, so I gave her a box.” He worried that the sixty-something Mrs. Ling wouldn’t be able to carry it, so he specifically sent a subordinate to help deliver it.

Deng Meng clutched his head, wanting to scream. He grabbed a passing subordinate. “Quick, have someone take this coffee away.”

Liang Huan said with slight dissatisfaction, “Deng Meng, I spent five hundred thousand Condensed Coins on it.”

Deng Meng was about to kneel. “Brother Liang, this is used by special forces. Even those with dual S-grade physical and mental power dare not drink too much. Ordinary people who drink it can easily suffer from mental power disorder. These unscrupulous merchants really dare to make money from anything.”

Liang Huan frowned. “I don’t feel any discomfort. I even went to find Li Yao and slept with him for two hours. He deleted my pupil scan and deliberately didn’t lie with me. If I hadn’t been too tired…”

“Brother, Brother Liang.” Deng Meng quickly handed him a glass of water. “Drink some water.”

Liang Huan took it and took a sip, sighing with dissatisfaction. “Deng Meng, I am fine.”

Hearing him refer to himself as “I” (I), Deng Meng’s expression was about to crack. He quickly dialed Yue Hang’s communicator. “Hang Ge, are you on the first floor? Quickly get Wang Le Ren to come up. Brother Liang seems to have a mental disorder.”

Liang Huan was flipping through the files in front of him. “No need to make a fuss. Li Yao said I’ve always been in a state of mental disorder, and he’s used to it.”

Deng Meng was on the verge of tears. “Brother Liang, should I stay on the seventh floor to watch you?”

Liang Huan raised his hand and placed it on his shoulder, looking him sincerely in the eyes. “Deng Meng, you are the one I trust the most. Your abilities are far beyond these small tasks of serving tea and water. I sent you out to gain experience. You must grow quickly, understand?”

Deng Meng was moved to tears. “Don’t worry, Brother Liang, I understand. But… can you ease up a bit? My shoulders are about to break.”

Liang Huan let go of his hand and continued to review the documents with a frown. Deng Meng was worried he would approve things haphazardly. He quietly leaned over to take a look, only to find that every matter had been handled perfectly, with even detailed suggestions. He couldn’t see any signs of mental disorder at all. What was even more terrifying was that Liang Huan’s speed in reviewing documents was getting faster and faster, with almost no pauses. Even so, he could still find time to talk to him.

“Li Yao is a bit spoiled,” Liang Huan confided in him. “I’ve uploaded my pupil scan again. Deng Meng, do you think he will continue to delete it?”

“…” Deng Meng dared not comment on his boss’s personal feelings. While praying that Yue Hang would quickly bring Wang Le Ren up, he replied with a dry mouth, “Although I’m not sure, if he hasn’t deleted it, perhaps he’s no longer bothered by past events. If he continues to delete it, it means he still cares about you, Brother Liang.”

Liang Huan looked at him with approval. “Not bad.” Deng Meng breathed a sigh of relief.

With a satisfactory answer, Liang Huan became even more comfortable reviewing documents and soon forgot about the pupil scan, dedicating himself entirely to his work.

Yue Hang drove Wang Le Ren from the first floor to the seventh floor. When they got out of the car, Wang Le Ren’s legs almost went weak and he knelt on the ground. Yue Hang grabbed him by the back of his collar and lifted him. “Director Wang, no need to be nervous. Liang Huan is easy to talk to and won’t make things difficult for you.”

Wang Le Ren tentatively extended his left foot into the hall and heard a cool voice say, “Wang Le Ren is two-faced, and I don’t like him. In the past, I would have had him beheaded.”

Yue Hang: “…”

Wang Le Ren turned to run, but Deng Meng, who was rushing, grabbed his arm and pulled him in front of Liang Huan. Deng Meng whispered in his ear, “Our Brother Liang seems to have a mental disorder and mistakenly thinks he’s an emperor.”

Wang Le Ren broke out in a cold sweat and chuckled dryly. “Ha… Haha, I have experience.” He knelt before Liang Huan with a thud and said emotionally, “Your Majesty—this old subject is late! This old subject has come to take your pulse!”

Liang Huan was unhappy about being interrupted at work. He lifted his eyelids and said lightly, “Humans have developed to the New Era, yet you still cling to these feudal and ignorant etiquettes. Deng Meng, drag him out and execute him.”

Wang Le Ren quickly got up, almost crying. “Mr. Liang, I’ve come to test your mental value.” Deng Meng and Yue Hang both looked at him with concern. Liang Huan didn’t want his subordinates to worry, so he reluctantly accepted the instrument’s examination. “I’m fine, just a bit tired. My mental power has always been stable—” Before he finished speaking, the instrument that tested mental power issued an alarm: [Warning, warning, the mental value of the person being tested is in a state of severe disorder. The danger level is extremely high. Please inject a tranquilizer immediately!]

Liang Huan: “…Is this instrument accurate?”

Wang Le Ren had no choice but to steel himself and test himself, Deng Meng, and Yue Hang. Their mental values were all within the normal range. Liang Huan’s face darkened. Wang Le Ren took out a tranquilizer injection tube. The slender needle, about the length of a finger, reflected a faint cold light. Facing Liang Huan’s murderous gaze, he said, “Just one shot. Rest for another night, and you’ll be fine when you wake up.”

Liang Huan glanced at the syringe, then at Wang Le Ren. Wang Le Ren and the tranquilizer were directly thrown from the center of the hall to the doorway. The needle was violently smashed against the doorframe, bending into a pathetic arc. Deng Meng and Yue Hang exchanged glances.

Yue Hang hesitated. “How about using a tranquilizer spray?”

“His condition is too severe… intravenous injection is best…” Wang Le Ren struggled to get up. “If it’s prolonged, he’ll have a mental breakdown. You guys grab him.” Deng Meng swallowed. Yue Hang and Liang Huan made eye contact and took half a step back.

“Got it.” Deng Meng had a flash of inspiration and quickly ran to the third floor, knocking vigorously on Li Yao’s door. “Mr. Li, are you there? Brother Liang is in a bit of trouble and needs your help. Do you have time? Mr. Li? Mr. Li?”

Li Yao struggled to open his eyes from his sleep. With his hair messy, he slowly walked over and opened the door. Seeing it was Deng Meng, he yawned lazily and asked with drooping eyelids, “What’s up?”

Deng Meng grabbed his arm. “Mr. Li, Brother Liang’s mental power is disordered.”

“Oh.” Li Yao closed his eyes and then opened them again with difficulty. “He’s always been in a disordered state. It’s fine, he won’t die.”

Deng Meng exclaimed in horror, “He thinks he’s an emperor!”

“Hmm.” Li Yao said with half-closed eyes, “Before, I even had to kneel and greet him at home. You guys can shout ‘Long live’ for fun. Don’t disturb my sleep for trivial matters, just like your boss, you have no manners.” Saying this, he was about to close the door.

Deng Meng, seeing his calmness, was about to collapse. He quickly reached out and held the door open. “No, Brother Li, Brother Liang drank military-grade special concentrated coffee. The testing instrument gave an error just now. When he came to find you, didn’t you think something was wrong?”

“…” Li Yao yawned again. Deng Meng grabbed his arm and dragged him out the door. “Brother Li, please, none of us dare to get close to him. You just need to help persuade Brother Liang to accept the tranquilizer injection.”

Li Yao was dragged forward by him, saying listlessly, “We mercenaries have rules when taking jobs. How much are you offering?”

“Brother Liang is all yours. You can have as much as you want!” Li Yao was sluggish. Deng Meng gritted his teeth and dragged him downstairs. “Brother Li, saving his life is the priority. Wang Le Ren said this situation can easily lead to a mental breakdown. If we delay further, it will be too late.” The dragging force from behind suddenly loosened, and Deng Meng almost fell down the stairs. He narrowly grabbed the railing next to him.

Li Yao scratched his head and put his hands in his pockets with some annoyance. “Alright, I’ll go take a look.” Deng Meng was immediately relieved. However, he was not very familiar with Li Yao, and this formidable mercenary had a fierce reputation, so he quickly followed him.

Seeing Li Yao go downstairs, Wang Le Ren looked as if he had seen a savior. Yue Hang and Deng Meng exchanged glances. Deng Meng nodded subtly, signaling him not to worry.

Liang Huan was sitting on the sofa, reading documents. The sound of simulated paper pages turning made Li Yao’s head hurt.

“Awake?” Liang Huan looked up at him briefly before returning to his work.

“Not awake yet. I was forcibly dragged down.” Li Yao sat down on the sofa next to him. Liang Huan’s hand, which was turning pages, paused slightly, then continued as if nothing had happened. “My mental power is very stable. There’s no need for tranquilizers.”

Li Yao glanced at the pathetic syringe in Wang Le Ren’s hand and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Liang Huan, are you afraid of needles?”

Liang Huan put down the documents and calmly raised his head. “Nonsense. I said I’m fine, so I’m fine. If you continue to make trouble, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

Li Yao raised an eyebrow. When Liang Huan came to find him earlier, he hadn’t felt anything wrong. Even now, he didn’t seem to have any problems, except for referring to himself as “I” (I) without regard for others—previously, this guy was very cunning and only deliberately called himself that in front of him. Li Yao crossed his legs, resting his arm on the back of the sofa. “Are you really fine?”

Liang Huan gave him a nonchalant glance. “Go back and rest. Don’t wander around outside.”

Li Yao looked at everyone. “He seems quite normal.” Deng Meng showed him the coffee packaging. Li Yao took the packaging and looked at it repeatedly, then casually threw it on the coffee table. “This stuff is advertised as impressive, but it’s fake goods produced in small workshops. The effect isn’t as exaggerated as advertised. Even if it were real, Liang Huan, whose mental power is S-grade, would be fine after drinking two packs. It wouldn’t cause a disorder.”

Wang Le Ren handed him the test results. Li Yao stared at the numbers for two seconds, then suddenly turned to look at the wound on Liang Huan’s cheek. “Shit.”

Liang Huan said with slight displeasure, “Don’t curse.”

“Did you use a treatment device for the wound on your face?” Li Yao asked him.

“No need, it’s just a minor injury.” Liang Huan reached out to touch the scar on his cheek, but Li Yao grabbed his wrist.

“Where’s the positioning chip for the light sniper?” Li Yao stared at him. Liang Huan took it out of his pocket. A thin, translucent light blue chip seemed exceptionally crystal clear under the light.

Li Yao cursed profusely. “Why are you keeping this thing?”

Liang Huan frowned. “I forgot to throw it away.” Li Yao snatched the chip and threw it directly away, saying irritably, “This kind of chip is used to help light snipers with long-range positioning. The radiation value is very high. You have such a deep wound on your face, and the bullet from a light sniper can already annihilate mental power. You also keep the positioning chip on you. It’s no wonder you’re getting radiation poisoning. What were you thinking, not even using a treatment device?”

Liang Huan frowned. “I wanted to use your treatment device.”

“I—” Li Yao was choked by him. “Are you sick?” Liang Huan looked at him coldly. Li Yao turned to Wang Le Ren and said, “He’s hallucinating from radiation poisoning. His high mental power makes the symptoms unclear, and it only manifests as excessively high mental values. The degree of mental disorder is not as severe as the instrument detected. Just give him some anti-radiation infection medicine and some disorder-reducing spray.”

Wang Le Ren nodded repeatedly. Liang Huan’s gaze fell on the small black dragon on his wrist. After a moment of thought, he grasped it and slowly rubbed it twice. “I don’t need it.”

Li Yao looked at him with a blank expression. “Spray more on him. You’re really something, getting like this from a pack of coffee.”

Liang Huan looked at him intently. “Li Yao, I still like—” Li Yao picked up the bread on the table and stuffed it into his mouth. “I’m leaving if there’s nothing else.”

“Brother Li, I suddenly remembered there’s a lot left to do on the eighth floor. I really can’t leave anyone behind. We’ll be going now!” Deng Meng winked frantically at Yue Hang. Yue Hang looked at him in confusion for a few seconds before understanding. “…Yes, that’s right. We’ll have to trouble Mr. Li to look after him. I’ll escort Director Wang.”

Wang Le Ren, having written the prescription, fled faster than anyone, as if his feet were greased, fearing that Liang Huan would truly have him executed if he became unhappy.

“Wait—” Li Yao hadn’t finished speaking when only he and Liang Huan were left in the hall.

“Don’t worry about them.” Liang Huan swept aside the medicine Wang Le Ren had prescribed and picked up the documents to continue reading. “I’m fine, I’m perfectly fine. Just stay here with me.”

Li Yao said expressionlessly, “Let go of me first.” Liang Huan squeezed his wrist. “Having you here makes me feel very at ease.”

Li Yao was already immune to his baseless ramblings. He sat on the carpet, picked up the medicine Wang Le Ren had prescribed, and squinted at the dosage instructions. It took him a long time to figure out how many pills of each to take. He usually took medicine based on his mood and needs, never so carefully. He might as well take this opportunity to poison Liang Huan.

He placed seven or eight colorful pills in his palm and handed them to Liang Huan. “Eat them quickly, don’t go crazy.”

Liang Huan glanced at them and nonchalantly looked away. “You’re afraid of needles, and you’re afraid of taking medicine?”

“I’m not.” Liang Huan sneered, no longer even willing to touch the small black dragon. He moved to the other side of the sofa and opened the documents seriously. “I suspect this instrument was intentionally set with incorrect values by Wang Le Ren. Perhaps we should investigate who handled those coffees. A pack of coffee causing mental disorder is truly unbelievable. I think you should now—”

Li Yao quickly pried open his jaw and stuffed the medicine into his mouth, then firmly closed it. “!” Liang Huan looked at him in astonishment, a hint of anger faintly appearing in his eyes. Li Yao grinned wickedly and said, “Give up resisting. The anti-radiation infection medicine is instantly effective upon contact with the mouth.”

An indescribable bitterness spread in his mouth. Li Yao, standing extremely close, covered his mouth. Liang Huan’s nostrils were filled with Li Yao’s scent. Liang Huan couldn’t help but close his eyes.

Estimating that the medicine had mostly dissolved, Li Yao released his hand and patted Liang Huan’s face triumphantly. “Just wait. Radiation poisoning from light sniper bullets will cause mental disorder. You’ll have a hard time for the next week. Even an S-grade constitution will suffer for a week, let alone a weakling like you with E- grade.”

Liang Huan looked at him without speaking. “It might induce terrifying nightmares, or even gene mutations in severe cases, or even severe mental disorder, losing the perception of time and space… tsk.” Li Yao looked at him maliciously. “Be careful, you might really turn crazy.”

Liang Huan had been staring at him. He didn’t actually feel any obvious changes, only that he was a bit impulsive and frivolous, unable to control some of his instincts. Moreover, he remembered everything that had happened but had lost some judgment. Just like now, looking at Li Yao, he could understand what the other person meant but still wished the other person would accompany him to read documents. He tried to disguise his true intentions. “If mental power temporarily increases, even in a disordered state, it can greatly improve work efficiency,” he said to Li Yao. “But Wang Le Ren asked me to rest, so I’ll read documents in bed, and you can sleep next to me and exchange opinions with me at any time. I want to discuss issues regarding the Black Market with you.”

“…” Li Yao directly picked up the spray and sprayed it in his face. Under the effect of multiple drugs, Liang Huan finally couldn’t hold on and closed his eyes.

Li Yao immediately felt quietness around him. If Liang Huan continued to talk, he felt like he would be mentally polluted. Just as he was about to get up, he felt resistance on his wrist. He looked down and fell silent. What’s wrong with this guy?

Liang Huan’s brows furrowed deeply, and he gripped tighter and tighter. Li Yao tsked, then grabbed the coffee bag packaging next to him and started reading the instructions, trying to regain the sleepiness that had completely vanished. However, as he looked at the dense text, his gaze suddenly paused. On the edge of the torn packaging bag, there was a very inconspicuous black symbol, which looked familiar, like something he had seen somewhere before. He picked up the unopened bag of coffee that he had thrown on the coffee table. The ingredients list was almost identical to the opened bag, except for the absence of any symbol on the edge. The product code was also a non-official code, indicating obvious counterfeiting. He then looked at the opened packaging bag. The code at the end… was the unified identification code of the Dawn Group.

He pried open Liang Huan’s hand and asked a subordinate at the door. He found those boxes of coffee in the next room. Upon opening them, they were all fake goods without exception. The only genuine one was the pack Liang Huan had opened and drunk.

“Who made coffee for Liang Huan before?” Li Yao asked the person. “It was Brother Jing Si.” The person replied confusedly. “Where is he?” Li Yao asked. The person pointed to the empty room. “Hey? He was just helping to inventory supplies here… Mr. Li, is there a problem?”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Li Yao put his hands in his pockets and leaned against the doorframe. “Your Brother Liang always complains that my hands are clumsy and I don’t know how to make coffee. I want to learn from him.” The subordinate smiled ambiguously. “Heh, I understand, I understand.” Li Yao nodded to him. “You get back to work.” The subordinate dutifully went to the door. Li Yao had one foot on the stairs, then turned to look at Liang Huan sleeping on the sofa, sighed leisurely, and came back to carry him to his room on his shoulder.

Liang Huan was unsure whether he was in a dream or reality. This was a manor in the suburbs. He didn’t really have a concept of a manor, but he had heard the maids mention it. His memory was a bit blurry. He only remembered that at regular intervals, he would be force-fed a bowl of dark, viscous medicine. The bitter taste and sharp pain made him cry out hoarsely. He struggled desperately but was still held down by the maids, who would pry open his mouth and force the medicine into his stomach. It was a long, endless period of pain and torment. He used to remember what his mother looked like, but now he couldn’t even remember her face. He was afraid that one day he would completely forget his mother. Occasionally, an older servant would secretly take him out to buy groceries. It wasn’t out of pity, but to pawn some of his accessories. The items his mother left him were sent away one by one. His cries were useless; he would only be beaten by the servant. Fortunately, after a while, he completely forgot his mother’s appearance and gradually forgot which items were left by his mother. He only remembered that drinking medicine was very painful.

The curtains of the manor were thick and high. In the dark night, they shone with a cold, frosty white. He listened to the wolf howls and insect chirps outside. His tears dried up and then flowed again, soaking into his collarbone and becoming cold. He pulled his blanket tighter, curling himself into a ball, but still felt cold and couldn’t say where it hurt. He always had to drink medicine and always had to be beaten. Those adults looked so tall and strong, yet even a frail maid could lift him up and yell at him. He was afraid of these tall things approaching him, and he would involuntarily feel nauseous, causing his whole body to tremble.

He couldn’t remember how many years this had gone on, but he felt like a very long time. Then one day, a man appeared, squatted in front of him, extended a hand, and said gently, “Liang Huan, my name is Wang Dian. You can call me Uncle.” The person seemed more dangerous than anyone he knew. He should have hidden, terrified, but the person persistently visited him every day, never force-fed him medicine, and didn’t hit or scold him casually. He also patiently told him stories. The servant who pawned his accessories liked to listen to storytellers, so he would be made to sit on a small stool and listen. He vaguely understood the stories, but Uncle’s stories were different from the storytellers’. He would sit far away on the ground and tell stories himself. The stories had large birds that could fly, cars with four wheels that didn’t need horses, and very tall buildings where people worked and lived. There was no war, no famine, everyone could eat their fill, and children his age could go to school. Both men and women could support themselves through their own abilities… He liked listening to these stories and liked Uncle very much. In his only memories, Uncle had given him candy many times, and he loved eating it.

He was eating candy, sitting grayly in the snow, watching the thick snow fall. Uncle died. Uncle Nineteen also died. He would call him Emperor Father when there were many people around, even though he knew that the man named Cui Qi was his father. He and Cui Qi had many arguments. The most intense argument was when he took power at the age of sixteen. He forgot what he had to insist on. Cui Qi, struggling, got out of his wheelchair and knelt on the ground, pleading earnestly. He waved his sleeve and left, his anger unabated, when he received the news that Emperor Cui Qi had passed away. People stood beside him, and people knelt before him. The snow fell harder, and he felt a bone-chilling cold. The people around him became fewer and fewer, while those kneeling before him increased. The rolling heads, covered in blood and flesh, piled up to form a golden, noble emperor. He sat alone on the cold, hard Dragon Throne, accepting the overwhelming scolding and curses, smiling and speaking sincere and gentle words, watching everyone die, watching everyone submit, with no ripples in his heart. He had long since merged with Northern Liang. Everything was a plaything in the emperor’s palm.

‘Liang Huan, no one will genuinely stay by your side! You are destined to never find peace even in death!’

‘You are just a tyrant cloaked in benevolence and virtue!’

‘You have no heart, no soul, you are eternally damned!’

‘A lonely man!’

‘You are a madman!’

‘Madman!’

Liang Huan suddenly opened his eyes. The crackling sound of electricity passed through his ears, and a stinging sensation on his cheek. Cold metal adhered to half of his face. Just as he was about to remove it, someone grabbed him. “Don’t move. There’s still a minute left. I won’t be responsible if it leaves a scar,” someone said lazily from the side. Liang Huan’s dark pupils rotated, and his gaze fell on Li Yao’s face. Li Yao was sitting on the sofa by the bed, playing a game with one hand. “Had a nightmare? You’re sweating enough to wash the sheets.” Liang Huan stared at him without speaking, his gaze falling on Li Yao’s wrist. “Hey, wake up.” Li Yao snapped his fingers in front of him. “I sprayed a whole bottle of tranquilizer on you. If you’re still disordered, you’re being a bit unreasonable.”

Liang Huan glanced around. It was Li Yao’s room. He still remembered what happened during his disorder. Although nothing too outrageous had occurred, it was still a bit embarrassing upon careful consideration. He’d rather forget it directly. Li Yao pinched his chin and swayed it back and forth, then tapped the treatment device on his face with his finger. “Crazy? If you really go crazy, that 2S mecha will be mine. Here, put your fingerprint here.” He took out a virtual contract and was about to press Liang Huan’s finger onto it.

“I’m not crazy.” Liang Huan pressed the contract’s close button, meeting Li Yao’s regretful gaze. “If you want to open it, Shen Feng is next door.” Li Yao listlessly let go of his hand. The treatment device’s timer beeped. Liang Huan took it off his face. “I didn’t expect the wound infection to be so severe. Sorry for the trouble.” Li Yao raised an eyebrow. “It’s fine, just pay the treatment fee. Five hundred thousand each time.” Liang Huan smiled. “Fifty thousand for one treatment?”

“Radiation pollution seriously affects judgment. Under normal intelligence, people shouldn’t spend five hundred thousand Condensed Coins to buy a few boxes of fake coffee.” Li Yao said, “But they can spend five hundred thousand Condensed Coins to save a life.”

“…Okay.” Liang Huan directly transferred the money to his account. Li Yao whistled. “Brother Liang is generous.” Liang Huan tugged at the collar of his shirt and got off the bed. “I’m leaving now.” Li Yao put down his legs that were draped over the bed and made way for him. Liang Huan nodded and walked to the door. He turned back and frowned slightly. “The bed wasn’t specifically arranged. The pupil scan at that time was to observe your condition. The medicinal soup might make you sleep too deeply. If you mind, you can change them all.”

Li Yao’s legs were draped over the bed. He was lighting a cigarette and smoking with it in his mouth. Upon hearing this, he snorted, looked up, and blew a perfectly round, beautiful smoke ring at him. “Don’t worry, I deleted it long ago.”