812 Quagmire

While the whole world discussed the disastrous tragedy and pointed their fingers at the people involved, the Lu family who was deeply affected by this catastrophe was on the verge of collapse.

If it was not for IHZHI and SC's help to back them up financially and politically, they might have been crushed over by prying wolves.

Especially after the devastating death of their former head, and the heir's current condition, the elders of the Lu family and major shareholders of the Lu empire, had been living in tenterhooks.

After the heirs were rescued, they were sent to their own private hospital to recuperate. Some of the heirs have been recuperating well physically. But it was only the Lu young master who remained in a coma after the successful surgery in his face and hand.

When the young lad remained asleep for one week, the Lu elders started to worry.

The heirs were confined and tortured for half a day. Who knows what kind of inner demon and trauma it caused to their young master? They were worried that there was something wrong with their heir.

He should have woken up a long time ago, why he was still sleeping?

The Lu family and its empire badly needed a leader right now. But the only person they could rely on was still sleeping motionlessly.

The doctor appeased the troubled elders. The young master's body was exhausted. The patient was mentally and emotionally drained. It might be psychological that the young master chose to sleep as a way to recover from the damage in both his body and mind. But he believed that the young master would wake up soon.

However, this goes on the next week and the week after that.

As they thought that the Lu family was doomed, thankfully, Lu Yin Ze woke up on the third week.

The man wasn't able to eat and drink for three weeks and only relied on life support, naturally, it caused his healthy body to deteriorate.

His silver hair and silver-blue eyes lose their shine. His already pale body seemed lifeless. He had a bandage on his cheeks and on his hand, cutting a sorry figure.

Lu Yin Ze's first question to the doctor was not about his condition but about his grandfather's funeral.

The nurses and the doctor supported the man's weak body who wanted to stand up.

"It's been three weeks...? Then my grandfather's funeral....I need to leave." Lu Yin Ze's voice was hoarse. Clearly, he was weak to the point that it would be hard for him just to sit up or stand up.

The doctor stopped him. historical

"Young Master, you should stay still. You should at least rest and recuperate for one more week."

"No...I can't..." Lu Yin Ze's voice choked. His throat was on fire. But he did not ask for water but to leave instead.

It was a wonder where his strength came from, but those thin arms pushed aside the doctors and weakly ran towards the door. However, the two bodyguards who remained on watch 24/7 blocked his way.

Lu Yin Ze's lifeless silver eyes glared at them, "L-let me...pass."

The two bodyguards were troubled. They could not let their young master who was now a patient leave the room. But they could also not be rude and pushed him inside or else they might hurt his already weakened body. Thus they could only persuade him,

"Young Master. Your body is still weak. We will escort once you are well enough-"

"Out of my way!" A burst of energy suddenly came out of nowhere to the pale Lu Yin Ze.

He tried to bring down the bodyguard's strengthened arms. However, that little strength was not enough. Those arms continued to block him like an unmovable mountain. His strength was too weak compared to them.

At this moment, Tang Yin who received the doctor's call and ran all the way here arrived.

Her short hair was in disarray and her forehead was drenched with sweats. She was breathing hard.

"Y-yin Ze. Where are you g-going?"

Lu Yin Ze seemed not to see her. Nor recognized her. His silver-blue eyes were not focused. For a person who was in a coma for three weeks, it was already a miracle that he was able to run to the door without stumbling.

Lu Yin Ze just wanted to break from the people's hold of him and weakly muttered. "...I need to go. It's been three weeks. My grandfather....I have to take care of grandfather's funeral..." His glassy eyes turned hazy.

Tang Yin bit her lips. She doesn't want to see this kind of lifeless and frail-looking Lu Yin Ze. She looked at the guards.

"Let him go. He won't be able to go anywhere in that state of his."

The two bodyguards looked at each other and finally let go of Lu Yin Ze. Lu Yin Ze who was weak and was only leaning to the bodyguards as support lose his footing and balance.

Tang Yin hurriedly supported him.

She frowned. The man's body was so cold and was trembling a little. There was heartache and helplessness in her brows.

"Where can you go with this body of yours? You will collapse in the middle of the hallway instead. Take care of yourself first. Once you recovered you will be able to take care of Head Master Lu's funeral."

Lu Yin Ze was shivering. This was his illness that he thought he got over with. But the trauma of that night brought up this uncontrollable seizure again.

He leaned on Tang Yin for support. His head was dizzy as he weakly muttered, "I need to go....My grandfather..."

He repeated his words over and over again.

Tang Yin might have a petite figure but she also learned martial arts as a kid and have a good foundation. She was able to assist Lu Yin Ze towards the bed.

"I understand. You don't have to worry about your grandfather. Xiong Zhi and Linfeng are taking care of your grandfather's body. Once you recovered enough, we will proceed with the funeral procession."

Tang Yin was a musician with a good voice. She softened her voice to purposely make the man relax. As a result, Lu Yin Ze was able to close his eyes again and unknowingly entered slumber with her soothing voice.

....

In the darkness, Lu Yin Ze saw the demon who hunted him in his nightmares when he was a child.

That demon strangled a woman with long silver hair. Lu Yin Ze tried to ran to them and stopped the demon, but his little hands and little legs were too slow. There was also something on the ground that get in his way.

It was a pool of quagmire in bloody color. The sticky bloody mud reached his ankle and rapidly 12:11

increased in volume. As he was trying to get out of this bloody pool, he suddenly heard a gunshot.

It was a pool of quagmire in bloody color. The sticky bloody mud reached his ankle and rapidly increased in volume. As he was trying to get out of this bloody pool, he suddenly heard a gunshot.

The demon now held a gun and pointed it towards his nanny. Blood then followed. Lu Yin Ze wanted to get away. He was afraid that the monster would point his gun at him. But his powerless limbs were too weak against this quagmire. The bloody mud had already reached his waist. He could not get away.

Then the demon's weapon changed. It turned into a whip and hit a man. It was his brother. His brother was in pain. His brother's obsidian eyes looked back at him and mouthed...

'Forgive me...'

'No! Brother! Don't kill him!' But no voice came out no matter how much Lu Yin Ze yelled.

He wanted to get out and help his brother. He wanted to shield his brother from that ruthless whip.

He blamed his brother in his entire life and only said words of hate and condemnation. After learning the truth, he was not given a chance to say a few words of forgiveness or gratefulness and comfort towards his brother who lived a hellish life more than him.

Lu Yin Ze shouted without a voice.

No! Don't die yet, brother! Don't! I'm sorry!

The demon whipped his brother until his brother was ripped into pieces.

The quagmire on Lu Yin Ze now reached to his neck. He cried without tears.

Why? Why he can't get out?! If he can get out then he would have saved his brother! Why he was so powerless! Why?!

His heart was getting torn to pieces little by little. Tears and the grievance he wanted to pour out could not come out.

As feelings of self-blame, hate and helplessness overcame him, the demon not far away did not stop.

Then demon's weapon suddenly changed into a knife. An old man was kneeling on the ground. He mounted something to the demon which caused the demon to plunged the knife deeply into the old man's heart.

'No! Grandfather!'

'Don't! Don't leave me!'

'Don't die....'

But the quagmire had already reached his head and drowned him.

His grandfather....had died. He had seen how his life was taken away in front of him so mercilessly. He had embraced his grandfather's body....

That painful truth suffocated him more than the quagmire surrounding him.

Again, there was darkness. This familiar darkness was once again engulfing him. Chasing him so that he would never see light. He was plunged to its bottom and sinking him further.

He wanted to escape from this darkness. To end his curse. But how?

He was too powerless and weak...

He tried to live happily but it was futile. It was like the world was telling him to suffer and die.

Perhaps his fate was to give up and die. Shouldn't he be dead a long time ago?