NOVEL NEXT Vol. 1 - Ch. 381 - Zero
"With this, your company should have the funds to revive itself, right?"
The plump, potbellied man's eyes sparkled as he looked at the large sum freshly transferred into his bank account. He had been confident that this deal would go through. After all, the other party's demands weren't excessive—just a simple favor: help quietly bring a few people into a certain cult.
They weren't even asked to believe in anything. And when money was involved, what cult couldn't they join?
He'd heard that these people came from overseas, but they all had Eastern features—faces that looked like his own. Yet he'd never seen any of them before, even after years of doing business in the heart of JingDu. They seemed to appear out of nowhere, and now they were taking over clients—especially those discarded by the Gu family.
Some people, he'd heard, could no longer endure Gu's dominance and had cut ties with them.
But they all knew the truth.
This so-called "cutting ties" was nothing more than the natural result of their own greed. The Gu family never actually pushed things that far.
There was still another obstacle: the Xia family.
After Xia GaoWu's downfall, many had tried to carve up the Xia family's assets. But it was then that Xia's young master revealed his astonishing talent, swiftly establishing himself within the company and even partnering with the Gu family.
Everyone who had tried to take a bite out of the Xia family ended up being "taken care of."
Over the past few years, the Gu and Xia families had firmly rooted themselves in JingDu—and kept growing stronger.
Many began to worry. Though neither Gu nor Xia had made any moves yet, who was to say they wouldn't one day try to take over all of JingDu?
Then came this cult.
It emerged from the shadows, and suddenly people began to believe—JingDu might still have forces capable of opposing the Gu family.
"Thank you… You're truly our saviors!"
The businessman bowed deeply, his head knocking the floor, but the other man quickly helped him back up.
"No need to thank us. We have faith in entrepreneurs like you who've hit rock bottom. You'll achieve great things."
"I will! I swear I'll return the money—with interest!"
Clutching his card, the man hurried away.
The moment he left, the man who had just spoken moved to the window. His smile faded completely.
He picked up his phone and made a call.
"Sir, the JingDu side is ready. The key officials are now under our control. But for safety, we didn't use the serum—our supply is limited, and wasting it would be risky."
"You did well," came the calm voice on the other end. "Gu ZhaoChuan will return to JingDu soon. But he has only one goal—to exact revenge on HuMing. I believe you can give him a little... nudge. Just be careful not to reveal your identity. Don't get directly involved."
"Understood, sir."
"Oh, and one more thing. About Shi Ren—are you sure he was killed by Kang Xin? I want to know if the serum worked on him. He had different feelings for HuMin. If he reacted differently, that would mean the serum is still imperfect."
The man on the phone fell silent for a moment, as if searching his memory. Then he replied:
"I noticed something strange—his body looked agitated, like his mind and body were fighting each other."
"…I see. So the serum is still unstable. But no matter—it's close to completion now. JingDu is in your hands, Zero."
"Yes, Mr. Francis."
The call ended.
Zero slowly placed the phone down on the desk, then stared out the window in silence. He rolled up his sleeve.
His arm was covered in hideous scars.
And yet, compared to the rest of his body, his arm was practically untouched.
"Zero…"
He whispered the name to himself.
But he'd known for a long time—he wasn't some orphan, not really.
His parents were still alive. They were out there, living their lives.
And they had a daughter. His younger sister.
Zero clenched his fists, then lifted his gaze, cold and sharp.
None of that mattered now. What mattered was completing the mission Francis had given him.
He glanced at the time. Gu ZhaoChuan should be arriving in JingDu any moment.
Whatever happens next—it was up to him.
But there was one person he couldn't stop thinking about.
That man named HuMing.
Zero had heard stories about him—his deeds, his feats, the kind that would make any grown man shrink away.
At HuMing's age, doing such things would be impossible without elite training.
Yet HuMing had grown up in the Han family household, living like a rich playboy. Could someone really act so convincingly while hiding their true identity all that time?
Zero didn't know. But the facts were right in front of him. He had no choice but to believe them.
He even felt a strange anticipation—hoping for the day they would finally meet face-to-face.
As if fate had tied them together, waiting for that final reckoning.
The setting sun burned crimson.
A figure emerged from the docks and walked toward the city.
Some drew closer out of curiosity. They saw a man—bearded and rugged, his eyes razor-sharp—strolling down the street.
He paused, glancing around.
Two years had changed so much. Shops he once knew had vanished or transformed. Only one thing remained unchanged.
That skyscraper.
"So… the Gu family still holds JingDu. I bet you've all been living quite comfortably these past few years. I wonder—what kind of faces will you make… when you see me again?"
A slow smirk spread across his lips as he walked purposefully into the city.
…
Inside a hospital room, Gu WeiYi looked at his resting wife, warmth filling his expression.
Both their son and daughter had been brought back. They'd wanted to stay and take care of their mother, but it was getting late.
Two years ago, HuMing had tracked down Dr. Huang's wife in the countryside—the very nurse who had helped deliver him.
She'd looked like any simple rural woman. When she first saw HuMing, she was confused.
But when HuMing took out a token, she froze.
Then, collapsing to the ground, she burst into sobs.
Villagers nearby almost intervened, thinking HuMing was bullying one of their own.
Only after hearing the full story did they understand—this visitor was from her husband's side.
Thanks to that, Dr. Huang had finally been reunited with his wife.
But because of Shi Zhong's influence, she still couldn't return to the city. They had to wait until Shi Zhong was fully brought down.
Still, Dr. Huang was more than satisfied.
He continued to treat Xie QiuLing with great care—and she was recovering much faster than anyone expected.
Gu WeiYi wiped tears from the corners of his eyes as he watched his wife slowly return to health.
It felt like, at long last, good days were returning.
He gently pulled the covers over her, then turned to leave the room.
But just as he stepped outside, his phone began to ring.
He answered it.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Gu… it's been a while, hasn't it?"
A familiar voice froze him in place.
A voice he had hoped never to hear again.
The voice of the person he hated the most.
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