After Being Transformed Into Cannon Fodder For Death, The Heartthrob Chapter 56
byWhen the notification sound rang, let alone the owner, Ye Qingyun himself was stunned.
He, he genuinely didn’t know a single answer, choosing everything based purely on instinct. Although he didn’t know why he felt so mysteriously confident while choosing, how could he actually get everything right?
Could this be the so-called principle that knowledge is interconnected, and all roads lead to Rome? Were the things he studied before finally coming into play?
Or perhaps this was his Golden Finger after Transmigration, making his luck incredibly good?
The answer board asked again: [Do you wish to continue with the next challenge?]
Ye Qingyun immediately wanted to answer yes, but the owner beside him quickly interjected, “You must consider this carefully. According to the rules, if you continue with the following questions, the prize money you’ve already won will be forfeited if you get even one question wrong.”
Analyzing it rationally, Ye Qingyun knew he should stop now, secure the basic profit, take the money to escape poverty, and then focus on further studies.
But at this moment, Ye Qingyun felt a rare surge of hot-bloodedness, and with great bravado, he pressed the continue button.
So what if he ended up with nothing? What was there to fear!
Half an hour later.
The crowd of onlookers squeezed the small shop until it was impassable. They surrounded Ye Qingyun, craning their necks to watch and whispering among themselves.
“He can write that too? He doesn’t even think, just scribbles it down, and it’s right? This answer board must be broken!”
“Exactly! Boss, don’t give him the money right away when he finishes. You must check it; don’t let him exploit a loophole!”
The surrounding chatter was noisy, but Ye Qingyun’s expression remained unchanged. He continued answering at a steady pace of one question every three seconds, and the System sound confirming correct answers kept ringing, its stable frequency becoming somewhat hypnotic after a while.
[Congratulations, you have answered all questions correctly! Your grand prize is on its way. Please do not leave.]
A clamor erupted around him, everyone questioning the validity of Ye Qingyun’s perfect score.
What kind of joke was this? Everyone knew the questions in this quiz were devilishly difficult and obscure to an outrageous degree.
It wasn’t that people hadn’t tried to study the few books rumored to be the source of the questions for the massive prize money, but managing to answer the first five correctly was already impressive. How could this person have answered all of them? It was impossible!
Immediately, someone grabbed the answer board Ye Qingyun had placed on the table, clicked on the quiz, and started answering.
“I’ll show everyone, this machine is definitely broken!”
[Ding—Unfortunately, your answer is incorrect. This round of questioning is over. Thank you for your participation!]
The noise instantly ceased. People looked at each other, unwilling to be the first to speak.
Ye Qingyun felt a little nervous inside, but on the surface, he maintained a noble, cold, and mysterious demeanor. He spoke to the quiz shop owner: “Where is my reward?”
The shop owner explained that the prize for a perfect score was too valuable to keep in the store. He would immediately notify headquarters to dispatch it and asked Ye Qingyun to wait briefly in the VIP waiting area.
Ye Qingyun nodded, and under the incredulous and shocked gazes of the crowd, he lifted his chin and walked toward the resting area.
—-
Main Star, inside the newly constructed Supreme Sovereign’s Residence.
It was already dinner time, and preparations were bustling inside the residence.
“It’s ready, it’s ready. The dinner can be sent up now.” The chubby chef handed the meal to an elderly attendant waiting nearby, hesitating for a moment before saying, “Try to get him to eat a little more.”
The old man sighed, picked up the tray, and walked out of the kitchen.
The food was perfect in color, aroma, and taste, yet everyone knew that not a single bite of this dinner would be touched. The only thing Gu Shenyuan would consume was the small nutrient paste tube placed on the edge of the tray.
Most people felt gratitude toward Gu Shenyuan, the strong man who had overthrown the old imperial rule, and they wished him good health and longevity.
However, the leader’s mental state was clearly terrible. He ate little and slept little, making people wonder if he might suffer a mental breakdown from lack of sleep one day.
Several ministers had privately discussed that if Gu Shenyuan could not move past the shadow of losing his beloved, his lifespan might not be long.
Halfway there, the old man suddenly felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, causing him to clutch his stomach.
A handsome young man happened to step out from around the corner. Seeing the old man’s actions, he walked over and asked with concern, “What’s wrong? If you’re feeling unwell, should I take the meal up for you?”
The old man hesitated: “This…”
He recognized the youth; he was someone recently hired into the residence. Although those who passed the assessment usually weren’t problematic, what if…
The youth offered a helpless smile: “I know what you’re worried about. Don’t worry, there are surveillance cameras all along this route. I certainly can’t add anything to the food, or I’d be the first one arrested before the meal even reached the leader.”
The old man thought about it and realized the youth had a point. He handed the meal to the young man and hurried off toward the restroom.
The youth turned and walked toward Gu Shenyuan’s study, a hint of successful conspiracy flashing in his eyes.
He had prepared for so long, and finally, this moment had arrived.
Who wouldn’t want a man who was strong, deeply devoted, and held such a high position?
He wanted him, and he wanted him desperately.
He wanted to be the First Lady, to enjoy the feeling of being second only to one person and above everyone else. This was the life a beauty like him deserved!
What the youth didn’t expect was that, by chance, he had stumbled upon a backup copy of a surveillance video. And in it, was a conversation between Gu Shenyuan and his lover just before the latter’s death.
Seeing the video, the youth was first startled, then overwhelmed by a surge of ecstasy.
His appearance was five parts similar to Gu Shenyuan’s lover! Especially the eyes; their eye colors were very close!
What did this mean? It meant his opportunity to rise to power had arrived!
Gu Shenyuan had been empty for so long and must be incredibly lonely. The youth didn’t mind being a substitute first, helping Gu Shenyuan alleviate his loneliness.
Or perhaps… taking a more unconventional approach: pretending to be Gu Shenyuan’s lover who had simply lost his memory.
Gu Shenyuan’s lover had laid so much groundwork, speaking of reincarnation and cycles, likely intending to give Gu Shenyuan hope to live on. But now, it all benefited him.
The youth reached his destination, knocked on the door, and entered after receiving permission.
Gu Shenyuan was sitting behind his desk, looking at documents, not sparing a glance in his direction.
He looked somewhat gaunt, but this didn’t detract from his appearance. Coupled with his dark eyelashes and fair skin, it only made him appear more aloof and unapproachable.
The youth placed the tray on the desk but didn’t leave immediately. He put on a well-practiced smile that bore some resemblance to Gu Shenyuan’s deceased lover.
Gu Shenyuan didn’t look up or touch the tray.
“Leader, aren’t you going to eat?” the youth asked softly. “You must eat on time, or I… we will all be very worried.”
“Get out,” Gu Shenyuan said, his tone icy, seemingly completely unmoved.
Gu Shenyuan’s refusal to even look at him was completely unexpected. The lines the youth had prepared for Gu Shenyuan’s stunned reaction were useless. Fearing he might miss this opportunity if he didn’t act, he gritted his teeth and initiated the conversation himself.
“Leader…” The youth offered a bitter smile. “You might not believe me, but the first time I saw you, I felt a sense of familiarity.”
Gu Shenyuan finally raised his head, his eyes cold.
The youth looked down at him, his warm-colored eyes curving into an arc that was familiar to Gu Shenyuan.
“It’s strange, looking at you like this, I feel like crying.” The youth forced a smile. “Ah, I apologize for saying such strange things to you! I was hit on the head once, and after waking up, everyone felt like a stranger, but only you made me feel familiar, so I couldn’t help but…”
“I’m truly sorry!” The youth covered his face and quickly turned to leave.
“Stop,” Gu Shenyuan commanded.
The youth was overjoyed internally, struggling to control his expression and hide his delight.
Gu Shenyuan had taken the bait!
Heh, well, after being lonely for so long, and with this stimulation, his long-suppressed emotions were probably ignited, desperately seeking an outlet.
Gu Shenyuan might not fully believe he was his deceased lover, but a seed of doubt and curiosity would surely be planted in his heart.
This doubt would compel Gu Shenyuan to pay attention to him, focusing his gaze on him.
Once he started paying attention, the things the youth could do would multiply.
Thinking this, the youth turned around, looking at Gu Shenyuan with watery eyes.
“You don’t need to go back,” Gu Shenyuan said coldly.
Not letting him go back—didn’t that mean he wanted him to stay and remain by his side?
The situation was developing so smoothly that the youth was ecstatic. Just as he was about to say something, he felt a chill around his neck, as if something had encircled it.
He looked down and saw a layer of black mist, surging and covering his neck.
Everyone in the galaxy recognized this mist and was fully aware of its power, having seen the videos showing how this seemingly ordinary black fog had utterly destroyed the entire royal family.
The youth trembled, realizing something was wrong, and looked at Gu Shenyuan in panic.
Gu Shenyuan’s eyes were icy, his gaze filled with undisguised killing intent. The oppressive aura emanating from him permeated the air, making one’s legs weak.
“Who gave you the courage,” Gu Shenyuan’s voice was as cold as thousand-year-old ice, “to dare imitate him?”
“I’m not—!” The youth was terrified. His mind raced, trying to find a way out. “I’m not imitating, I really am—”
“Snap—”
The sound of a neck breaking rang out, followed by silence.
The youth’s body was completely enveloped by the black mist. When the mist dispersed again, there was no trace of the body left.
Gu Shenyuan retracted his Ability, pressed his forehead, and suppressed the violent emotions churning within him.
The person’s clumsy acting allowed him to instantly distinguish the truth from the fake, yet it still managed to stir his emotions.
Ye Qingyun was dead. He had watched him die with his own eyes.
Gu Shenyuan picked up the nutrient paste tube from the tray and took a large drink.
…There was no such thing as reincarnation in this world. Mistaking someone else for Ye Qingyun would only be an insult to Ye Qingyun.
He missed Ye Qingyun, missed him terribly, but even so, he would never allow anyone to be Ye Qingyun’s substitute.
No one could replace Ye Qingyun. Not before, and not ever.
Never mind that the person only looked three or four parts similar. Even if someone was ten parts similar, completely identical, so what?
…Ye Qingyun was dead. Everyone else was a false imitator, and he would not believe them.