Chapter 663: Chapter 576: I Will Not Survive in the Darkness

It was evident that the survival rules of men hadn’t let him survive. Four-leaf Phoenix Tree had devised his own ’trading’ rules.

He couldn’t devote his life to the bigwigs above, nor could he be blindly loyal to them.

Instead, he needed to trade with them, extracting as much personal gain as possible along the way.

Those bigwigs would be more than happy to see him extract benefits from it.

Their orders would be executed, even if not by him, then by another Executioner. He could handle things better, allowing those people to die with less suffering.

He never considered such a trade rule as a form of solace.

He never thought he’d set foot on the wrong path.

He was well aware the world was ill, and outside his nation, the world was even more deeply sickened.

He needed to climb step by step, binding his interests with those bigwigs through trades. Only by reaching certain heights could he change everything.

After becoming the Chief Executioner of Lai’an City, he knew well not to appear too competent in the eyes of those bigwigs. After making a few mistakes, he was quickly transferred from Lai’an City to a remote town.

At this point, the man suddenly grasped Four-leaf Phoenix Tree’s hand tightly, his almost decomposed jaw quivering violently as he tried to speak, agitated.

Four-leaf Phoenix Tree faintly heard:

"Survival..."

"I’m teaching you how to survive..."

"Everyone will die... death doesn’t mean survival itself is wrong."

He broke free from the man’s hand.

"Teacher, I cannot understand your sentiments."

"If you wish to prove your survival rule is correct by outlasting most other Executioners, then that’s the greatest mistake."

Four-leaf Phoenix Tree leaned on the chair, gazing at the man’s fervent eyes. His cold demeanor stunned the man, realizing the young man before him was no longer a student but a cold-blooded Executioner.

"With modern advanced medical standards, the average life span of ordinary people is twice that of Executioners."

"If survival is everything, then why did you choose to become an Executioner?"

"Have you gotten your priorities wrong?"

"Rather than ending my life with a bottle of strong acid in a corner like you, I hope to die a grand death after making reforms."

"I will never live in darkness."

Faced with the man’s astonished gaze, Four-leaf Phoenix Tree turned and left, stepping through the next door.

He found himself on a desolate wasteland, beneath a cold blue moon, where wandering spirits jostled below the abrupt cliffs.

Honestly, being trapped in memories, engulfed by pain and self-blame, dragged by the countless resentful souls — it was all rather cliché, Four-leaf Phoenix Tree couldn’t even remember where he’d met these people, let alone recall the transgressions he imposed on them, or what his sin was.

He acknowledged his guilt, but the day of judgment was evidently not now.

"I’m in a hurry, could you guys move aside?"

Those who feared him to the utmost in life wouldn’t dare approach him in death either.

The roaming souls howled and lamented as Four-leaf Phoenix Tree walked down a path, occasionally slicing through spirits with the sharp Willow Leaf Blade.

Gazing into the distance, where a girl with her hands clasped behind her turned to nod at him from the end of the canyon, Four-leaf Phoenix Tree lowered his gaze, wanting only to reach her side swiftly.

There was little obstruction, and shortly after the girl entered through the door, Four-leaf Phoenix Tree followed.

He returned to the two-story manor, but this time, he wasn’t in the hallway; he was in the study, where the girl’s father sat before the tea table, smiling at him.

As for the girl, she hid behind the door, gesturing at him with half her head poking out, her soft ears concealed under lustrous black hair, and her white dress bloomed like a folded flower, lively and vibrant.

"Phoenix Tree, Tang recently keeps bringing you up, young and handsome as you are with a career, there must be many girls pursuing you?"

The man’s voice was gentle and cultured. He had investigated the background of the girl’s father, who was a university professor before going into business and fairly knowledgeable.

Such people often bore an air of scholarly temperament, and it was necessary to be as modest as possible in communicating with them.

"No, I’m often too busy to take care of myself. Today, I’ve taken the time to groom myself for our meeting, much more formally than usual."

The man chuckled lightly, and the girl punched the air from behind the wall, gesturing ’Nice.’

After a brief and suggestive exchange, the man got straight to the point.

"What do you think of Xiao Tang..."

But as he spoke, the man’s expression froze, and his voice turned raspy and fractured.

Honestly, Four-leaf Phoenix Tree hardly remembered the details of that conversation. If things had continued like the beginning, the outcome might have been fine, but a fierce argument broke out between him and the man midway, ending in discord.

After that, his interactions with the girl gradually waned.

That night they discussed much, from recent life trivialities to the past, then moved on to views on the city, and finally ideals.

He couldn’t understand why, as a retired professor, the man’s thoughts were so hollow.

Listening to the man grandstand about a future of equality, harboring naïve views on many matters while knowing nothing about the present challenges, the upper levels, or the execution chain, even talking big, the man’s image crumbled completely in his mind.

He thought he could find some resonance with him.

He couldn’t stand that the man was merely an idealist.

Four-leaf Phoenix Tree couldn’t bear it anymore, ignoring the flushed face of the man behind him, he turned and left swiftly.

He had to find the girl faster.

Leaving the man’s study, Four-leaf Phoenix Tree saw the girl standing at the end of the corridor, her expression still hidden, the wind rustling her hair over her forehead, and the shadows on her face gradually faded. This time she didn’t attempt to walk away, but stood quietly, flipping through a black-covered fairy tale book.

Four-leaf Phoenix Tree hurried to the girl, his slight pants echoing in the darkness.

The girl sensed the footsteps approaching, looked up at him, revealing eyes intertwined with regret and complexity, a somber gaze.

The scent of crabapple lingering around her grew closer.

Four-leaf Phoenix Tree reached out to the girl, his steps turning hurried and frantic, striding quickly forward.

Bit by bit...

Bit by bit...

Clutching the girl’s throat.

"Lin Tang." Four-leaf Phoenix Tree pinned the girl against the wall, the Willow Leaf Blade in his hand pointed at her eyes.

"You can control those data entities, right?"

"Now, get me out of here."