I struggled to control my emotions and hit the spacebar. Old Ghost's recorded video seemed to be conversing with me. He said, "You're crying, aren't you."
"You bastard, if you're so capable, couldn't you have figured out a way to save yourself?"
"Don't curse, let's talk about the past."
"Talk about the past? I don't want to hear it. What is there about your past that I don't already know?"
As it turned out, Old Ghost had predicted this, and the Old Ghost in the video pondered before saying, "You probably don't want to hear it, but I'm telling you these things so you can understand past events and thus judge the future. I understand if you don't believe me for a while. After all, my senior brothers Li Jiu, Zhang Si, and Zhu Guang all appeared before you as villains. And I, too, told you about the 'demons'."
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"Why talk about this?"
Old Ghost was not a god after all, and the video didn't interact with me. Old Ghost continued, "I believe with your intelligence, you must have considered how Old Man Wende trapped me for a lifetime with a sham like metaphysics. However, this sham of metaphysics has a principle: it exists if you believe, and it doesn't exist if you don't. As a foodie, how could I believe in ghosts and gods? But, over the years, I've been orchestrating a scheme, wanting everyone to believe that the highest realm for a schemer is 'demon,' and that true masters of schemes can know the future from the past."
"Why did you do this?"
"You must want to know why I did this? It's not that profound. In the beginning, I was deceiving Zhu Guang. I knew a fact, told to me by Old Man Wende, that at the Dongyang Psychological Clinic, there was a man named Huang Youdao, a mad schemer. He became this way because he wanted to become a 'demon.' I found it quite interesting, so I used this concept to create a scheme for Zhu Guang, and thus discovered that he was the one designing those bizarre and mysterious cases. I never expected this 'demon scheme' to last a lifetime."
"You used this 'demon scheme' to trick Gao Ji?"
"You guessed it. Yes, I used this 'demon scheme' to trick Gao Ji."
"Is this really not a video call?" I said, hitting the spacebar. Old Ghost's plump face froze on the screen. It was a video, yet Old Ghost kept guessing my inner questions.
After pressing the spacebar again, Old Ghost continued, "To deceive someone like Gao Ji, how intricate a scheme, even a scheme within a scheme, wouldn't work. The only way to make him fall for it was through time. After learning that Li Jiu had cancer, we changed our strategy, shifting from undetectable to leaving traces that could be followed. Gao Ji gradually became aware of my purpose around him. It was after that painting, 'Woman 3,' that Gao Ji began to deal with me. To make him believe that 'demons' were powerful, I specifically went alone to Zhang Si's place. Although Zhang Si was not a good person, he had taken care of Old Man Wende for many years as the senior disciple, which is why I spared his life for so long. In that scheme, I used Zhang Si, giving him the opportunity to capture me. Honestly, it was such a risk. I was starving to death, drinking congee every day. Your wife also came later. On one hand, hunger; on the other, cruel human nature. Do you know how I endured it?"
"Thank you."
"You don't need to thank me."
ID card - Wu Liu San Qi Si San Liu Qi Wu
"Damn~"
"Don't curse!"
This is supernatural, I muttered softly, glad Old Ghost didn't guess this one. He took a breath and said slowly, "That scheme wasn't in vain. Gao Ji believed that the highest realm for a schemer was 'demon.' He even feared that the 'Logical Paradox' from back then, renamed 'Demon Forest,' would produce more 'demons,' and that he would be implicated because of dealing with me."
After speaking, Old Ghost paused for a long time before adding, "I know you're not speaking, but I'm thinking about how to say it. The reason Zhu Guang and Duan Dongyang parted ways amicably was that Old Master Gao secretly provided funds to Zhu Guang. With the funds, Zhu Guang established the 'International Human Nature Gambling Game.' Zhu Guang's senior brother might never have imagined that after his comeback, he would meticulously plan his moves, even at the cost of altering his brain. This precisely proves the theory of 'demons'."
"You tricked such a powerful person, you're amazing."
"I tricked Gao Ji, am I amazing? Gao Ji watched every human nature gambling game you participated in. His intelligence was extremely high, and he began to study Zhu Guang's tactics, thus turning himself into a 'demon.' From then on, he began to deduce. With my covert instigation, he saw the future and guessed every outcome. Thus, his lifelong flaw was exposed: he was a winner, never defeated, confident and arrogant. Therefore, he devised this inheritance dispute scheme."
"Gao Ji thought he saw the ending, didn't he?"
"Gao Ji thought he saw the ending. I invited trouble in, using the second wife to lure Qianqian into the scheme. Old Master Gao wasn't afraid; he even thought of you to balance Qianqian. If you hadn't come to Hong Kong back then, Gao Ji would have brought you here. His method of dealing with you was simple: compromise, and present a choice between your safety and that of all your friends and family? Actually, this method wasn't very effective because you've proven more than once in Zhu Guang's schemes that when you can't choose within the rules, you choose to break them."
"That's a good method!"
"Learn from it. We'll use it again next time."
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I was used to it; this guy always guessed almost everything correctly. I looked at his thoughtful expression, waiting for him to continue, "The general situation is like this. Gao Ji will pretend to be dead, and also let you see through it, then tamper with the will and launch a battle for inheritance and equity. Gao Ji promised Qianqian my position in the future. He controlled you, knowing I would also take advantage of his downfall to deal with him, and would then support the kind Gao Xiaoqing to take the throne. He speculated alone, thinking he had become the omnipotent 'Demon King'."
After speaking, Old Ghost fell silent. I, knowing it was a video, still guessed and asked, "Did Cao Qian really tamper with Gao Ji's medicine?"
"Gao Ji believed Cao Qian was on his side, so he didn't expect Cao Qian to instigate Gao Zihui to tamper with the medicine directly. Qianqian is different from you. She lacked empathy since childhood, enjoyed playing cruel games with high intelligence, indulged herself, and controlling others through abortion was commonplace. Li Jiu said people like her are called born criminals. You probably know what that concept means? He advised me not to take Qianqian as a disciple. I thought that since being a born criminal is an instinctive behavior, perhaps postnatal behavior could improve it. I had been deliberately trying to influence Qianqian, but I failed. So, I died." https:/
Old Ghost fell silent in the video, and I also fell silent.
After several minutes, Old Ghost continued, "Gao Ji definitely won't wake up. Not only Qianqian, but no one wants him to wake up. After a lifetime of scheming, he ended up trapped by his own stratagems because of the word 'demon' I designed. Remember, Tang Nan, the highest realm of a schemer is..."
We said this sentence together: "Nothing in the world is owned, but everything in the world is used by me."
After saying it, I started crying, but Old Ghost in the video chuckled leisurely. He gave a thumbs-up to the camera, "Correct, Tang Nan, you will definitely become the most formidable schemer in my heart."
Hearing this, I cried even harder, sobbing uncontrollably.
"You're crying, aren't you? Alright, finally, I'll tell you a secret. Didn't you ask me if I had ever been involved with a woman? The answer is yes!"
As he spoke, Old Ghost took out an old photograph and held it up to the camera. I quickly wiped away my tears and looked intently. The photo showed a plump woman who had just given birth, holding Old Ghost's arm and looking at the baby in Old Ghost's arms. Looking at Old Ghost's smile in the photo, it was happiness, pure happiness.
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"This is my son, born in '98. I was forty years old, a late bloomer. Do you know his name? He's Cao Xueqin. Is this the only world where I'd dare to name my son like this?"
Seeing the happy Old Ghost, I didn't know whether to cry or laugh.
"Tang Nan, one last favor. After you finish watching this, please destroy this USB drive. Don't look for my wife or son, and don't think about supporting them. I have many enemies; let them live a normal life. Farewell, Tang Nan."
Finally, Old Ghost gave a thumbs-up to the camera, and the image froze there.
...
I pulled out the USB drive and couldn't help but cry again. After crying for a long time, I put the USB drive on the fire and burned it. I will keep this secret for Old Ghost, and at the same time, I will end Gao Ji's 'inheritance dispute' scheme.
...
The next day, with swollen eyes from crying, I went to see Gao Ziyan. Gao Ziyan's team of advisors was still discussing the purchase of the shares I held. Seeing me arrive, Gao Ziyan pulled me into a secluded room to discuss privately, "Tang Nan, I will use credit to gather enough money to buy the shares. I hope you will support me and sell your shares to me."
"No need for credit. As long as you agree to one condition, I can transfer my shares to you unconditionally."
"What? What condition?"