"I know there's no point in saying this now," Xu Nianqing said.
"But I just wanted to tell you."
"If there's a chance to survive, please don't give up."
Chen Jinzhao looked at his first love, a complex feeling welling up inside him. They had once had many opportunities to be together, but they had gone their separate ways.
Perhaps it was fate that kept them apart.
As Xu Nianqing's eyes reddened, Chen Jinzhao hugged her.
Xu Nianqing was initially taken aback, but as she gradually came to her senses, she hugged Chen Jinzhao back, not wanting him to leave.
Neither of them spoke; silence was more eloquent than words.
After a while.
Chen Jinzhao released her and said to Xu Nianqing, "Take care of yourself. I have a feeling that one day you will avenge me."
Xu Nianqing wanted to speak but stopped.
Chen Jinzhao waved his hand, interrupting her, "Enough said. Help me inject the serum."
"Okay!"
Xu Nianqing used a syringe to inject the pale blue serum into Chen Jinzhao's right arm. Initially, Chen Jinzhao felt waves of intense pain, contorting his face in agony. Xu Nianqing said nervously, "Because the dose is much larger than the experimental dose, and it's not a finished product, you'll experience some pain at first."
"If you want to stop, I can do it for you now."
Chen Jinzhao gritted his teeth, "No need, this is fine."
The painful process lasted for several minutes.
As the pain gradually subsided, Chen Jinzhao felt his entire body filled with energy, as if he had returned to his peak.
But he knew it was an illusion.
At his peak, he had utilized his body to its fullest, his senses far surpassing ordinary people. What he felt now was merely forced growth, still slightly lacking compared to his prime.
"It's enough," Chen Jinzhao said.
He looked up at Xu Nianqing, "I want to know, what are the side effects?"
Xu Nianqing hesitated for a moment before saying, "The side effect is that it will damage your DNA structure. Even I don't know what the final outcome will be, because the process is chaotic and the results of each experiment are different. I can only tell you that some of the test subjects turned into monsters."
Chen Jinzhao laughed heartily, "Turned into monsters? That sounds pretty cool!"
"But whether I'll survive is another matter. I don't need to worry about the side effects for now. Thank you in the end."
"You're welcome, this is my..." Xu Nianqing trailed off.
Chen Jinzhao hugged her again, cutting off her words. Chen Jinzhao said, "No need for pleasantries. I have to go. In the days to come, I hope you can protect yourself. The Li family is eyeing the Kunlun Research Institute covetously."
Xu Nianqing's voice instantly became hoarse, "Okay, I understand."
After releasing her, Chen Jinzhao pretended to be nonchalant, "Why are you crying like a child? You don't have the demeanor of a top scholar. In my memory, you always remain rational."
"Alright, no more talk."
"I'm leaving. I hope we'll have a chance to meet again."
Without waiting for Xu Nianqing to say anything, Chen Jinzhao turned and walked out of the office, leaving Xu Nianqing standing there in a daze.
As Chen Jinzhao reached the doorway, he encountered Yu Mengzhi, who was pacing back and forth.
Yu Mengzhi walked up to Chen Jinzhao, tidied his clothes, and smiled faintly, "Why are you still like a boy, with your clothes all wrinkled?"
Their conversation was simple.
No shouting or tearful goodbyes.
Just the usual calm.
And yet, it was precisely this calm that made the farewell so unforgettable for Chen Jinzhao.
After a brief goodbye, Yu Mengzhi glanced at her watch and asked, "Aren't you going to wait for Yao Yao? I told her, and she's on her way."
"I..." Chen Jinzhao opened his mouth.
"Forget it."
"Let's just talk on the phone."
It wasn't that he didn't want to.
It was that he no longer had time.
Yu Mengzhi nodded, not forcing the issue.
They escorted Chen Jinzhao to the first floor. Just as Chen Jinzhao was about to get into his car to leave, a stumbling figure appeared in their sight.
It was Xu Yao Yao.
Xu Yao Yao said nothing, throwing herself into Chen Jinzhao's arms.
Chen Jinzhao's hands froze mid-air. After a long hesitation, he gently hugged Xu Yao Yao. Xu Yao Yao choked back a sob, "Are you really going?"
"I don't want to go," Chen Jinzhao confessed.
In the months he had been back in China, Chen Jinzhao had been exceptionally happy.
He had a lover, a daughter, and a confidante...
But the Li family's relentless pressure had pushed him to the brink. If he waited another month, the outcome would be entirely different.
The Li family gave him no choice.
Chen Jinzhao had long been prepared for this day.
"But I have to," Chen Jinzhao said.
"You're a grown woman now, why are you still crying like a little girl? They aren't crying."
Hearing this, Xu Yao Yao cried even harder, rubbing her eyes and sobbing, "I just want to tell you, what I said three years ago was a lie."
At the time, Xu Yao Yao had said she no longer liked Chen Jinzhao.
A gentle smile appeared on Chen Jinzhao's face, "I know."
After saying this.
Chen Jinzhao turned to look at Yu Mengzhi and the other woman nearby, hoping they could help him out of the situation. He couldn't afford to waste any more time.
The two women stepped forward and, after much persuasion, managed to get Xu Yao Yao to let go.
Chen Jinzhao took a deep breath and looked up at the scorching sun above. "After today, either the Li family or I will be swept into the dustbin of history."
"Farewell, everyone."
This time.
Chen Jinzhao did not look back. He got into his car and left alone.
Yu Mengzhi watched the departing car, then turned to Xu Nianqing beside her. "He always fights alone. I think we can do something to help him."
"I will do everything in my power to help him," Xu Nianqing said with firm resolve.
At that moment.
Chen Jinzhao was driving towards the Li family compound.
Chen Jinzhao didn't really have a good plan to deal with the Li family.
He had once considered a surprise attack on the Li family and stripping Li Buyan of his military command, but he later realized that Li Buyan's subordinates were fiercely loyal, making it almost impossible. He had also thought about taking down Li Tianze, but that was also not feasible.
So, after much thought, Chen Jinzhao was left with only one path—
Kill!
Annihilate the Li family completely!
If the key figures of the Li family were killed, the Li family would no longer be a threat.
Li Buyan's former subordinates would be leaderless, and Chen Jinzhao believed the Qin family would not miss such an opportunity. At that point, Chen Jinzhao's main threat would be eliminated. Of course, if Chen Jinzhao slaughtered the Li family, he would have no chance of surviving.
He would either die at the hands of Li Tiannan or be riddled with bullets.
But—
Trading his own life for the downfall of the Li family.
Overall, it was still worth it.