Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared-Chapter 1692: Two Faces

Since it was his own child, Gu Fan naturally wanted to hold him properly.

Just as Gu Fan reached out his hand, he was intercepted halfway by Gu Xiaojin, who was fast-eyed and quick-handed.

"Come on, Xiaotian, call me sister. If you do, I’ll give you candy; if you don’t, I’ll spank you. Remember the last time you didn’t listen? I spanked you so hard you ended up crying with a runny nose and teary eyes," Gu Xiaojin said with a sinister smile, a devilish gleam in her expression.

Xiaotian’s eyes revealed his fear of Gu Xiaojin, and he quickly and obediently called her "sister."

Gu Fan watched this scene unfold and immediately understood that Gu Xiaojin had bullied Xiaotian, her younger brother, many times before.

At this moment, Li Shi glanced at Gu Fan, and Gu Fan glanced back at Li Shi. Their eyes met briefly before they both awkwardly looked away.

Who would have thought, after everything they’d been through, that the one staying by Gu Fan’s side would be Li Shi.

The sky gradually darkened. If they didn’t leave soon, they would be discovered. So, Gu Fan said goodbye to Gu Xiaojin, and the two of them soared into the sky.

Li Shi watched their figures disappear into the dark horizon, her heart heavy. She couldn’t predict what might happen after this farewell.

Xiaotian didn’t quite understand and asked Li Shi, "Where is Daddy going?"

Li Shi lovingly patted Xiaotian’s head, smiled, and said, "Don’t worry, Daddy will be back very soon."

The wind grew stronger, and Li Shi, afraid that the child might catch a chill, carried Xiaotian back toward the house.

But the scene that followed left Li Shi in shock. Standing at the entrance of the castle villa was a man, hands clasped behind his back, solemnly staring at her.

"Why are you here!" Li Shi’s voice trembled, unable to comprehend why the Dark Lord had appeared without any warning.

Xiaotian, however, was delighted. "Daddy, didn’t you just fly away? How are you standing here now?"

"Oh, you just saw me earlier," the Dark Lord approached, picking Xiaotian up.

Xiaotian excitedly recounted everything that had just happened.

The Dark Lord maintained his composure, praised Xiaotian for his obedience, and then had someone take Xiaotian away, leaving only him and Li Shi alone.

The atmosphere grew tense. Li Shi felt deeply uneasy, worried that the Dark Lord might interpret her actions as betrayal.

The Dark Lord finally spoke, his tone cold: "You claimed Dark City, shrouded in eternal shadow, was unsuitable for Xiaotian’s growth. I agreed to let you live here with him for a long time. But behind my back, you secretly contacted Xiaojin."

Li Shi hurriedly explained, "Xiaojin is your daughter, and Xiaotian is your son. I don’t want the siblings to lose their bond just because they are separated for too long."

"A very good reason. A very good excuse. But do you think I don’t know about the information you’ve been secretly passing to Xiaojin?" As he spoke, the Dark Lord suddenly grabbed Li Shi’s neck—not with force, but the murderous intent emanating from him was enough to make Li Shi tremble, certain that he could kill her if he wanted to.

His voice grew colder. "You wanted to save me, but you didn’t understand that my heart froze completely with Su Hui’s betrayal and Gu Ling’s treachery. You think I killed Gu Ling merely because she let Su Hui escape? Wrong. She and Lin Yue colluded in secret to overthrow me."

"Maybe Gu Ling was just like me, hoping that you’d return to being the person you used to be?" Li Shi’s voice quivered, her body trembling even more.

The Dark Lord’s killing intent softened slightly, and he released Li Shi.

Though the immediate danger was alleviated, it was only temporary. Li Shi now felt that the Dark Lord had become increasingly unpredictable, proving the saying, "to serve a king is to tread thin ice."

"I’ll give you one last chance. If I catch you betraying me again, your fate will be the same as Gu Ling’s," the Dark Lord said coldly before turning away.

Having narrowly escaped death, Li Shi was still shaken, watching the Dark Lord’s departing figure with a dazed look. She couldn’t fathom how Gu Fan had turned into the person he was now.

"Wait!" Li Shi suddenly remembered something and called out to the Dark Lord.

He paused, then turned back indifferently. "What, is there something else you want to say?"

Li Shi took a deep breath to steady her nerves and resolutely met his cold gaze. "You said something to your past self, that everything he experienced is exactly what you’d been through before. In other words, you knew I would encounter your past self, and you knew what I’d say to him. Isn’t that right?"

The Dark Lord nodded. "Yes, that’s why I came here today—to see if you would betray me."

Li Shi shook her head. "I did not betray you. I helped your past self undergo what you yourself have already experienced."

Hearing this, the Dark Lord momentarily froze, finding it difficult to make a definitive judgment on the matter.

The current Dark Lord and Gu Fan were enemies, and it was only a matter of time before they clashed. If Li Shi helped Gu Fan, it would essentially mean betraying the Dark Lord.

But the problem was, the Dark Lord was Gu Fan’s future self, and Gu Fan was the Dark Lord’s past self. Helping Gu Fan didn’t seem inherently wrong.

Li Shi continued, "You told Gu Fan that you once traveled through time to confront another Dark Lord in the future. What you did was the same as what Gu Fan is doing now. That means, when you arrived in the future, many people helped you. Yet now, you want to completely destroy those who supported you."

"Enough. Don’t say another word. For the sake of you being my wife, I’ll spare you this time. There won’t be a next time," the Dark Lord curtly cut the conversation, clearly unwilling to delve further into the topic, as it would paint him as a hypocrite who repaid kindness with cruelty.

Just as the Dark Lord was about to leave, Li Shi stopped him again. "Tell me, after Gu Fan went to that ancient town, what did he discover?"

"Do you want spoilers now?" The Dark Lord chuckled darkly, his expression carrying hidden depths, as if warning Li Shi to stop probing further.

Though Li Shi sensed that knowing too much might bring trouble, her curiosity was insatiable. She nodded; she needed to know.

"Alright, I’ll tell you what happens next," the Dark Lord’s expression turned stern, his tone heavy. "Li Shi, listen closely. In the end, you’ll still help Gu Fan, giving him the means to oppose me. And I detest traitors more than anything. So in the end, you will die by my hand." freewebnoveℓ.com

Upon hearing this, an icy chill swept through Li Shi’s entire body. She realized the Dark Lord wasn’t joking.

"Why?" Li Shi couldn’t accept it. After everything she’d done for Gu Fan, this was the outcome she received. Her gaze lingered on the Dark Lord, filled with sorrow, hoping for an explanation.

The Dark Lord let out a cold laugh. "Li Shi, you need to understand. My past self and I are no longer the same person."

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