Chapter 1462: Red King Chen Ling

Whoosh—

As the script was turned to its final page, the surging words gradually faded. Chen Ling felt his consciousness sink, rapidly falling downward.

Those images, those scenes, the Fifth Red King's unforgettable past, all flashed before his eyes like a rewinding film.

The Red King did not bid farewell to Chen Ling, nor did he leave him any letters. Instead, he concealed his entire life within this mask, revealing it to Chen Ling.

It seemed as if they had no communication, yet everything had been said. In the face of this most direct witnessing, all conventional verbal communication appeared pale and powerless. Everything he wished to say, to explain, to guide, had already entered Chen Ling's mind.

Amidst the chaotic light and shadows of memories, a blurred figure cloaked in a grand red opera robe pierced through, chasing directly after the falling Chen Ling!

"You..."

As he fell, Chen Ling was slightly startled to see this figure.

It was the Fifth Red King. He emerged from the memories of the mask, and in a flash, appeared above the falling Chen Ling. His form was blurred, like a ghost, but the next second, he raised a fingertip and gently touched Chen Ling's brow...

At the same time, a whisper echoed in Chen Ling's ears:

"...I'm sorry."

Buzz—!!

Chen Ling felt a surge of heat from his brow, and his mind jolted violently!

Above the unrippled ancient lake, Chen Ling, clad in a red and black patterned opera robe, suddenly awoke. The Red King's mask on his face peeled away, leaving only a flashing light at his brow.

Chen Ling lowered his gaze to his reflection in the lake. At the center of his brow, a mysterious pattern was outlined.

The moment this pattern fully appeared, Chen Ling's unique ability, Painted Vermillion Face, automatically activated. The previously blank, subtle areas of his makeup were filled in by some power. Within mere seconds, a perfect opera makeup was reflected in the water's surface, every detail revealing an effortlessly natural beauty!

The final stroke of the Painted Vermillion Face was completed. This face, unique to Chen Ling, had reached perfection!

This was the Red King's final legacy to him... and also an apology.

Chen Ling gazed at the perfect opera mask reflection in the water, lost in thought for a long time before slowly coming back to himself.

The Red King had apologized to him.

This apology was not just for their previous argument, but also for Chen Ling's entire life. The Red King was Chen Ling's creator and the hidden hand behind his progress. The hardships and setbacks Chen Ling endured throughout his growth were inextricably linked to the Red King, and he indeed owed Chen Ling an apology.

He also filled in the last missing part of Chen Ling's Painted Vermillion Face, making this "face," unique to Chen Ling, completely perfect.

Once, it was the Red King who transformed him from a fictional character into a tangible being. Now, it was also the Red King who completed the final essence of this character.

From this moment on, Chen Ling fully understood his past and present, comprehending all cause and effect. His mind became completely clear, no longer clouded by even a trace of confusion.

From now on, Chen Ling was no longer a mere composite of Cha Zai, Chen Yan, and Yao. He possessed his own independent personality; he was a living "person" who had emerged from the Red King's fictional story!

Chen Ling was simply Chen Ling.

From now on, his destiny would be his own.

With a thought, Chen Ling's Painted Vermillion Face slowly faded, concealing itself beneath his skin. His gaze returned to the Red King in the coffin, his expression complex.

For a moment, he couldn't articulate his feelings for the Red King.

Love? Not quite. Hatred? Not quite either.

The Red King before him, though he looked like A-Yan, Chen Ling knew well that he wasn't the brother he had known. He had experienced too much, endured too much, and had become a different, unfamiliar person. If there was any similarity left between him and A-Yan, perhaps it was only that deep-seated tenderness they both held for Chen Ling, or for Yao.

Chen Ling looked at the silent, lifeless body of the Red King, remaining like a statue for a long time. A thousand words welled up in his heart, finally coalescing into two:

"...Thank you."

No matter how much suffering he had made Chen Ling endure, at least, he had created him.

Without the Fifth Red King, he would still be a mere "spectator" in chaos.

A gentle breeze brushed across the gem-like clear lake surface, sending silent ripples across it.

Beneath her gray robe, the Gray King slowly closed her eyes. Facing the opera-robed figure before the coffin, she bowed little by little...

Then, she knelt on one knee.

"I, Zhu Yu, the Gray King of the Twilight Society, following the last wish of the former Red King, respectfully ask Mr. Chen... to assume the position of Red King and lead the Twilight Society."

The Gray King, the most mysterious figure of the Twilight Society, who was only half a step away from achieving the rank of a Ninth-tier Demigod, now knelt, solemnly raising her hands towards Chen Ling. In her palm lay a single playing card.

A red JOKER.

Seeing this, Liu Qingyan, who was behind her, immediately knelt without hesitation. Two figures, one gray and one black, adorned the gently rippling lake surface, and the air once again fell silent.

Chen Ling turned to look at the kneeling Gray King and the playing card in her hand, his gaze deep and calm.

In the Red King's memories, he had created Chen Ling precisely so that Chen Ling would become the Sixth Red King, and using his unique nature, lead the Twilight Society to restart the world and find a way to rewrite everything. It was for this very purpose that the Red King had continuously set up schemes, guiding him step by step towards growth.

Chen Ling didn't particularly like being led by the nose.

Yet, in the Red King's memories, there was no intention of concealment. He had directly told Chen Ling everything. He also didn't forcibly demand that Chen Ling take over as the Red King; instead, he had the Gray King request it in this manner.

The Red King had orchestrated Chen Ling's growth, but at this truly critical moment, he deliberately left no contingencies.

He had completely handed over the right of choice to Chen Ling.

Chen Ling could, of course, refuse.

He was Cha Zai; even if the world fell into chaos, as long as the Red Star didn't impact Earth again, he could survive alone even if all humanity perished.

But was that truly what he wanted?

Faced with this open-ended question, Chen Ling seemed to have a choice, yet also no choice at all. Because from the moment he inherited Yao's memories and Chen Yan's body, he was already a "human." Even if he didn't care about the survival of humanity, there were always some important people who would become his compelling reasons to act.

Time passed, second by second.

Chen Ling remained standing before the Gray King, unmoving.

The Gray King showed no intention of rushing him, remaining half-knelt like a statue, holding the playing card in her hands, awaiting Chen Ling's choice.

Finally, Chen Ling extended his hand, slowly reaching towards the playing card in her palm.

However, just as the Gray King was about to exhale in relief, Chen Ling's hand suddenly paused in mid-air...

Then he withdrew it.

The Gray King and Liu Qingyan both froze, looking up simultaneously.

Above the rippling green waters of the lake, the figure in the opera robe calmly walked past them.

He did not accept the Fifth Red King's playing card.

He refused?

As the Gray King's thoughts reeled, the back of the opera robe, red with black patterns, slowly raised a hand. On his fingertip, a Heart 6 card shone brightly and vividly.

Chen Ling's fingertip gave a gentle twist.

The next second, the Heart 6 magically transformed into a brand new JOKER!

"That's his card, not mine," Chen Ling stated calmly. "Let his card rest in peace with him in this world."

"From now on..." he continued, "my destiny is my own to control."