Chapter 953: Chapter 957: Huo Wei’s Love (15)
For those who would rather deceive themselves than accept the truth, Su Li would directly grant their wish and erase their previous memories.
Let them survive a little longer for now.
When those actors find their supplies running out and the crew unreachable, these deceived protagonists, no matter how unwilling, will have to passively accept the truth.
Everyone has their own choices. Su Li doesn’t judge their decisions, but this doesn’t prevent her from preferring those with a tenacious personality like Zheng Kong.
Su Li once again returned to take a look at the virtual spaces of Wasted Star No. 29 and Waste Star No. 30.
When she went back, the time flow in different virtual spaces was not the same, but one thing was similar: everything had either settled or was nearing its end.
On Wasted Star No. 29, the city that was still bustling when Su Li left had now become a ruin.
The streets were filled with parked and chaotic vehicles, covered in dust, with many cars crashed beyond recognition, which painted a picture of the chaos and the haste with which people left.
The shops along the streets were wide open, with interiors vacant of any human presence.
Su Li strolled slowly, noting that while stores selling food and daily necessities were ransacked, the other shops were left untouched.
Su Li was curious about what happened in this short time span to turn this virtual space into a scene reminiscent of an apocalypse, with millions of people disappearing.
But Su Li had a hunch that it might have something to do with Zheng Kong.
She wondered what he had done.
Soon enough, Su Li’s questions were answered.
After strolling leisurely on the streets for about half an hour and reaching the landmark building at the city center, a ten-meter electronic screen on the wall suddenly lit up.
Zheng Kong’s sharp features appeared on it.
"Outsider, please come to the top floor."
There was no need for more words; the outsider referred to by Zheng Kong was herself.
Fearing that Su Li might refuse, Zheng Kong quickly continued, "Perhaps you would be interested in knowing what happened here."
"If you want to know, then come see for yourself."
As Zheng Kong finished speaking, the lit-up screen turned dark again.
Su Li chuckled softly, changed direction, and headed toward the building.
As soon as Su Li stepped through the door, all the lights in the mall lit up, as if welcoming her arrival.
Contrary to the chaos outside, the mall’s interior was no different from before, except for the absence of any living beings.
The elevator’s red button continued to glow, and as Su Li approached, the elevator doors automatically opened.
Without any action needed from Su Li, the elevator directly took her to the rooftop garden on the top floor.
Zheng Kong sat like a King of the night, with half of his body hidden in the shadows, sitting alone on his throne.
Upon hearing the sound behind him, Zheng Kong did not turn around but simply pointed towards the floor-to-ceiling window, his voice dark and sarcastic, "All my life, I was told that the abandoned land outside the city was forbidden for humans."
"I always took it for the truth, never doubting it."
Following Zheng Kong’s gesture, Su Li slowly walked to the window, where the whole city lay at her feet.
This city was vast, with skyscrapers filling every corner, but from the highest point, the towering city wall marking the city’s edge was still visible, and beyond the wall lay the dense jungle, a clash between technology and nature.
"But I never imagined my whole life was a joke—a predetermined setup."
The Zheng Kong in front of her seemed to need no answer from Su Li; he simply needed someone to listen.
"Do you know where all the city’s people went?"
"Not long ago, a plague broke out in the city. Some died, some survived, and those who lived were driven to the Abandoned Land. They seemed to want to reach out to the outside world, but I think by the time you came here to tell me the truth, their so-called hope was already beyond reach, yet they seemed still unwilling to give up."
Su Li smiled, genuinely praising, "You are very clever."
If he wasn’t clever enough, how could he, single-handedly, manipulate the entire city’s people under his watch?
Zheng Kong chuckled darkly a few times, "Everyone knows I have a talent for business, but no one knows I’m also interested in medicine."
"Even Xu Tiantian didn’t know that I not only had the interest but a significant talent. So I made a little medicine powder and added it to the municipal water supply, though I misjudged their physical endurance."
Zheng Kong turned his head, eyes filled with regret. "Some managed to escape."
Su Li suddenly understood why the plot was set that the main character wouldn’t live past thirty.
Zheng Kong was intelligent and perceptive, able to be temporarily deceived in the name of love, but the crew couldn’t guarantee he wouldn’t eventually notice inconsistencies.
They didn’t dare let him exist for too long, fearing exactly what is happening now could occur.
Without Su Li’s intervention, this commercial drama would have already ended perfectly.
The protagonist, Zheng Kong, would have reached a certain height in his career, surrounded by a beautiful wife and children, long becoming the winner of life.
According to some unofficial history, a modern man’s life goal is to get promoted, become a CEO, marry a wealthy and beautiful woman, and reach the pinnacle of life.
Zheng Kong’s gaze towards Su Li was complex, filled with gratitude, yet anger.
Sometimes he thought it would be better to die in confusion than to live in pain.
But soon he would dismiss that idea; he wanted to live, even if in pain, he still wanted to live.
Because pain would eventually pass, but eternal rest would not wake up.
"Would you like to see how those people are living?"
Before Su Li could answer, Zheng Kong pressed the Light Computer on his wrist, projecting a screen between them.
Su Li’s gaze lingered on Zheng Kong’s wrist for a few seconds, raising her evaluation of him.
Noticing Su Li’s gaze, Zheng Kong flicked his wrist and praised, "This technology is truly astounding."
Su Li replied, "I don’t think so. I find you more astonishing."
"It seems the whole city is under your control."
Zheng Kong nodded noncommittally, coldly pointing to the scene on the screen and said to Su Li, "These noble interstellar citizens are no better after all."
The screen showed the actors, exiled to the Abandoned Land, fiercely fighting over food.
When facing the threat of survival, who is nobler than whom?
The screen flashed, revealing the figure of Xu Tiantian.