Chapter 162: The Truth About Li Chen
In the living room, Li Yanyan, visibly concerned, turned to Ding Chengxi for an explanation. "What happened?" she inquired, searching for clarity amidst the perplexing events.
Ding Chengxi hesitated, struggling to articulate the surreal experience he had witnessed. "Honestly, ma’am, I don’t understand either. It was like he was facing a battle within him. It’s like... I don’t know how to explain this," he confessed.
"Try to explain it," urged Sun Lixia, her gaze fixed on Ding Chengxi, seeking any insight into the enigmatic situation.
Ding Chengxi attempted to convey the inexplicable. "It’s like he’s three different people," he finally revealed, his words hanging in the air, defying conventional understanding.
Li Yanyan, processing this revelation, suggested, "Like multiple personalities?"
"No, not like that," Ding Chengxi clarified, grappling with the complexity of the situation. "Like he is literally three different people."
Concern etched across their faces, Li Yanyan contemplated the implications. "Maybe he has multiple personality disorder. He needs to see a doctor," she proposed, hoping for a more conventional explanation.
Ding Chengxi, however, emphasized the intricacy of the situation. "I just don’t know how to explain it either. But I brought someone who I think can explain everything."
Li Yanyan, determined to unravel the mystery, asserted, "Where is he?"
"At your villa’s basement," Ding Chengxi informed them, prompting both women to decide on seeking answers from this mysterious figure.
"We’re going there now," Li Yanyan declared, her resolve firm. Ding Chengxi assured them, "I’ll get the car ready, ma’am," and promptly left the room.
As they made their way toward the villa’s basement, Sun Lixia and Li Yanyan shared a mixture of concern and curiosity. The basement, usually a place of relative obscurity, now held the promise of unraveling the secrets surrounding Li Chen’s perplexing condition.
The basement door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit space that held the potential to bring clarity to the shadows shrouding Li Chen’s psyche. The journey to understand his profound struggle and the mysterious forces at play was about to begin.
In the dimly lit basement, the air thick with tension, Li Yanyan and Sun Lixia confronted the enigmatic Chen Lao. Unfazed by their presence, Chen Lao remained seated, seemingly indifferent to their arrival.
Li Yanyan, determined to extract answers, commanded, "Bring him here," directing Ding Chengxi to usher Chen Lao closer. The old man, still seated with an air of nonchalance, made his way to a chair positioned near Li Yanyan and Sun Lixia.
Addressing the mysterious figure, Sun Lixia demanded, "Who are you?" Chen Lao, without lifting his head, retorted, "If you want to kill me, just do it. I have lived long enough."
Li Yanyan, unfazed by his defiance, issued a stern warning, "Listen, old man. We will ask questions, and you will answer, or my associate there will make you beg for mercy. Now, one more time, who are you?"
Chen Lao, sensing the seriousness in Li Yanyan’s tone, reluctantly replied, "My name is Chen Lao." Undeterred, Li Yanyan pressed on, "What do you want with Li Chen?"
Chen Lao, adopting a mocking tone, quipped, "Who is Li Chen? Oh, you mean the ’chosen one.’"
Sun Lixia, growing impatient, demanded clarification, "What do you mean, the chosen one?" Chen Lao, amused, chuckled at their lack of knowledge. "Are you his mother?" he asked, provoking Sun Lixia.
Brushing off the personal question, Sun Lixia insisted, "That is none of your business. Now, answer my question." Chen Lao continued to laugh, prompting Li Yanyan to cast a glance at Ding Chengxi.
Unholstering his gun, Ding Chengxi took a step forward and declared, "Since you don’t want to answer, how about a round of Russian roulette?" Chen Lao, visibly unsettled, swallowed hard and attempted to reason, "Hey, young man, there is no need for that."
Li Yanyan, unyielding, retorted, "I thought you said you didn’t care about death." Chen Lao, realizing the severity of the situation, conceded, "Not with a gun."
The interrogation had just begun, and Chen Lao found himself at the mercy of Li Yanyan’s relentless pursuit of answers.
Li Yanyan moved closer to Chen Lao, her eyes narrowing as she demanded, "Now, I won’t ask questions. You will sing everything you know, or you can choose the way you want to go. We have all methods available, and we are not afraid to use them."
Chen Lao, now feeling the pressure, swallowed hard and finally relented, "What do you want to know?"
Sun Lixia, annoyed by his evasive attitude, pressed, "Everything. Why was Zhang Mei kidnapped? What did you want from Li Chen? Tell us everything."
Chen Lao, still smirking, began his cryptic revelation, "Do you believe in the paranormal?"
Li Yanyan, unamused, retorted, "What does that have to do with this?"
Chen Lao chuckled, enjoying their confusion, and then continued, "Let me rephrase. Do you believe in transmigration?"
Li Yanyan, dismissing the notion, stated, "That is a myth."
Chen Lao laughed, finding their skepticism amusing, and said, "You are clueless. There are things that we are made to believe are myths when they are actually real."
Sun Lixia, growing impatient, demanded, "What are you trying to say?"
Chen Lao, still with a smirk, explained, "Let me first explain transmigration. It is a process where another person’s soul takes over the body of someone else, usually happening when that person has died. The transmigrator lives their life in that person’s body, inheriting their memories."
Li Yanyan, growing increasingly curious, urged him to get to the point, "What does this have to do with Li Chen?"
Chen Lao, enjoying the suspense, finally revealed, "Li Chen is not just Li Chen. He is also someone else".
Sun Lixia and Li Yanyan exchanged puzzled glances, struggling to comprehend the revelation.
Sun Lixia, still struggling to grasp the concept, muttered, "I still don’t understand."
Chen Lao leaned in and elaborated, "Li Chen has another soul residing in him, a transmigrator. Not just any transmigrator, but the God of War from 2000 years ago."
Li Yanyan scoffed, "That is impossible."
Chen Lao turned to Ding Chengxi, asking, "You were there during the fight. What did that man Li Chen was fighting call him?"
Li Yanyan and Sun Lixia turned their attention to Ding Chengxi, awaiting his response. Ding Chengxi, recalling the intense confrontation, answered, "He called him God of War."
Chen Lao grinned triumphantly, saying, "Exactly. Now, tell me, the fighting style he was using. Have you seen it anywhere before?"
Ding Chengxi shook his head, admitting, "No."
Chen Lao continued, "That is because that was no longer him fighting. The God of War had taken over, using ancient martial arts—martial arts that this era has never seen or heard of."
Sun Lixia, in a sudden realization, felt a spark of recognition. The day of the fight in Li Chen’s villa, she had also identified the unique fighting style. Now, things were starting to become clear. It wasn’t just about why Li Chen could easily defeat Agent 17; it was about the extraordinary power dwelling within him.
Chen Lao calmly continued, "There are many transmigrators roaming around the world, and that boy of yours is going to be their main target. Most transmigrators are enemies of the God of War, which means..."
Li Yanyan finished his sentence, saying, "Which means they are Li Chen’s enemies."
Chen Lao leaned back in the chair, acknowledging, "Bingo."
Sun Lixia, absorbing the information, asked cautiously, "Wait, you said a transmigrator takes over the body of a dead person... Does that mean..."
Chen Lao reassured her, "Don’t worry, Li Chen is not dead. Li Chen is... what they call special. He is the chosen one."
Li Yanyan, curious, questioned, "Chosen for what?"
Chen Lao admitted, "Unfortunately, I don’t know. But someone else does. I don’t think he will tell you. There are things ordinary people like you are not supposed to know."
Sun Lixia recalled that Chen Yunlong had also referred to Li Chen as ’special.’ She now wondered what exactly that meant. Chen Lao provocatively added, "You can kill me if you want, but I assure you, you will need me soon."
Li Yanyan and Sun Lixia exchanged a meaningful look, and Sun Lixia instructed Ding Chengxi, "Keep him alive. I still need more answers from him."
Chen Lao smirked and said, "Good decision."
Li Yanyan, Sun Lixia, and Ding Chengxi left the basement, their minds struggling to fully grasp the situation. What they all understood, however, was that Li Chen’s life was in imminent danger.
