Chapter 143

Hao Hu blinked his eyes. The conversation between him and Fann Quan had been quite natural, yet somehow, it left behind a lingering trace of information—something that hadn't been fully captured. What was it? Ah, yes. It was about people. He certainly had some complex thoughts about himself, considering himself someone touched by the shadow. Anyone who was told they were touched by the shadow, or who knew they were, would naturally feel a certain way. But the thing was, there was always the possibility—something he hadn't yet mentioned—that the shadow might also affect...

Hao Hu could not help but smile faintly at a sudden, whimsical thought before turning his gaze back to Fann Quan.

Fann Quan turned his head to meet Hao Hu's gaze, raising a single eyebrow. Hao Hu's lips curled into an amused yet helpless smile. He gestured slightly with his hand. *Who knows the real reason behind our tangled fates? Let's just leave it at that for now.*

Sensing Hao Hu's attitude, Fann Quan's expression darkened slightly. He furrowed his brow, but then, with a trace of a smile, he said, "If you're done talking, Hao Hu, I really don't have any more information to give you." Hao Hu simply smiled in response.

Fann Quan looked somewhat helpless. He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but Hao Hu cut him off gently. "It's all right, Fann Quan. To tell you the truth, I don't really know much about what's happening either. I just have a feeling—a strong intuition—that you will soon be affected by the shadow. And once you are affected... well, rather than speaking of its failure, why not say the shadow is expanding its reach? To be honest, what I feel right now is the only reassurance we have—the fragile peace maintained by the shadow itself."

With those words, Hao Hu cast a glance back and forth between Fann Quan and Abner, before fixing his eyes once again on Abner. "If you really want to achieve something, waiting isn't enough. You also have to deal with your own private affairs. When the time comes, take care of yourself. Farewell, then." Standing right there before the shadow, Hao Hu spoke with absolute calm and composure.

Abner’s expression shifted quite dramatically as he listened to Hao Hu’s words, turning over all his own secret thoughts in his mind—things like the fleeting glimpse of the girl he cared about, and how he needed to tear down the wall and run toward that female figure, grasping his destiny with his own hands as someone forever marked by the shadow.

"Well then, let’s leave it at that regarding the shadow's descent," Hao Hu said, the trace of a smile returning to his lips. "As for the relationship between the two of you... well, the shadow is bound to cause some kind of turbulence. Perhaps you forced the one you love to leave you because of your own selfish desires, or perhaps it was just another test of fate. So, whether the shadow plays a part in it or not..."

Abner listened quietly, his complexion softening gradually, and a faint smile touched his lips—perhaps because the shadow was descending once more, bringing with it a strange sense of comfort.

However, the smiles on both Fann Quan's and Hao Hu's faces froze instantly. Without warning, Hao Hu pointed a finger at Abner and chuckled softly, "Abner... your obsession really is quite something." Fann Quan didn't quite catch the underlying meaning, but he couldn't help smiling along, watching Abner amusedly.

Seeing both Fann Quan and Hao Hu laughing at him, Abner's expression darkened for a fraction of a second. Fann Quan’s unrestrained laughter echoed as he stepped closer to Abner, throwing a heavy arm around his shoulder. The physical contact generated a subtle, dark spiritual radiance that flickered and surged, shooting straight toward Fann Quan. It was a pity, though, that Fann Quan simply dodged with a light step, maintaining his mocking smile.

With a final, helpless look at Hao Hu, who still wore a faint smile, Abner patted Fann Quan on the shoulder, cast one last glance at Fann Quan, and then—with a heavy sigh and a shake of his head—he turned and strode purposefully into the distance. "Well, if you two are going to be this busy, I won't stay to bother you," he muttered over his shoulder as he walked away.

Just at that moment, a wave of warmth washed over Hao Hu. He closed his eyes, taking in a breath of fresh air, feeling a profound sense of peace. *Ah... I truly hope it stays warm here. Just like this... nice and warm.*

***

Who could have known that a casual remark by Caimo would carry such lasting weight at that exact moment? Back in the study of the Turon family estate, Abner stood frozen in place. The Turon family had already fallen—or rather, Turon himself had long since died. To protect his family, Abner had stepped up to become the new head of the house. In order to master the family's secret arts and survive, Abner had become ruthless beyond measure.

Abner stared coldly at the figure standing before him. It was Amuer. Taking advantage of the chaos, Amuer had managed to sneak into the Turon estate, hoping to catch Abner off guard and strike him down with a poisoned blade. Even though the original influence of the shadow had waned somewhat, Abner’s combat prowess was already formidable.

With a cold snort, Abner didn't even bother to draw his weapon. He simply swept his hand forward, though he didn't attack directly, keeping his gaze locked entirely on Amuer. He held a deep, heavy gaze—not one of hatred, but of a quiet, burning intensity. Even though Abner hadn't unleashed the full, oppressive force of his gaze, the sheer pressure of his presence was enough to make Amuer’s breath catch in his throat.

"Amuer, why don't you speak? In all the twists and turns of these events, what role have you really played?" Abner asked calmly, his tone completely level, completely detached from the situation. Only a slight twitch in his jaw hinted at any emotion, though a close observer might have caught it.

His gaze rested entirely on Amuer. Amuer, who had been glaring furiously at him the whole time, suddenly faltered. He hadn't noticed the subtle shift in Abner’s gaze—or perhaps he simply didn't understand it. Amuer didn't understand Abner at all. Therefore, when faced with Abner’s sudden question, he hesitated for a long moment before finally giving a stiff, cautious response.

Before Amuer could even finish his reply, Amuer suddenly lost his temper and snapped back, "What kind of face is that? You think you're so noble? If you're so unhappy, why don't you just die in the river?" Amuer's words came out in a rush, his complexion turning ashen, matching Abner's own pale tone. It was a rare sight—seeing Amuer lose his composure like this, displaying a rare vulnerability.

"Really? Is that what you think of me? Do you really see me as such a despicable wretch?" Amuer sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "Is that all you have to say? If you're going to treat me this way, then fine! Every time I look at you, I feel nothing but humiliation. No matter what I do, you always stand before me like an insurmountable wall, making me look like a fool by comparison!"

"Heh... you think I don't know? Whenever I look at you, my stomach turns. Do you think I don't know about you and that woman? How can you say those things to me? Where is your dignity?" Amuer's words were sharp, cutting deep, seeming to expose every ugly, buried resentment he held toward Abner.

Faced with Amuer's piercing glare, Amuer's expression twisted into something truly wretched. A pair of bloodshot eyes glared fixedly at the ground before him. Amuer seemed unable to accept it—that all his pure intentions, all his hidden devotion, had somehow been twisted into something venomous and cruel. *Is this who I am? Is this really the person I've become?*

"Amuer, look at me," Abner said softly, his voice cutting through the silence. He stepped closer, his gaze fixed entirely on Amuer. He couldn't bear the thought of Amuer walking away again. If he had to hate someone, he would rather bear the hatred himself. He was willing to let Amuer carve open his chest and spill his blood right here, if that’s what it took.

"Enough! Shut up!" Amuer roared, losing whatever control he had left. Did Amuer really want him to keep talking? Listening to Amuer's words felt like having a knife slowly twisting in his heart—each syllable a heavy blow. *How could I not? How could I not love the person I love more than life itself, even if it means drowning in a sea of my own blood?*

"Heh... then tell me, Amuer, are you hurting too? Have you lost a piece of yourself, too? Is your defense crumbling as well?" Amuer laughed bitterly, though there was no warmth in his laughter—only a profound, aching pain. He stepped closer to Amuer, his expression softening just a fraction, revealing a deep, agonizing vulnerability. "You talk about how fast time moves, Amuer, but you haven't heard the rest of what I wanted to say! Do you know how much I hated my parents every single time I looked at them? They traded everything for power, dragging me into this hell. I wanted them to suffer the way I suffered. But when they died at the hands of the monsters they invited in... my anger had nowhere to go. There was nothing left inside me except bitterness, a bottomless bitterness that will last lifetimes. And yet... even then, you were the one who walked away from me first!"

Abner stopped in his tracks. Hearing Amuer's words, he felt the color drain completely from his face. His expression turned pale and drawn, as if Amuer's words were carving pieces of flesh straight from his bones. Yet deep within his chest, a quiet voice kept repeating, *He's right... what he's saying is true. We were trapped in the exact same cage all along—two fools who loved the same woman, two fools who let the shadow's curse drive us apart, forever destined to wander away from one another.*