"You... it's actually you!"
Lu Hong clenched his fists, staring blankly at Chen Gang.
Initially, when he investigated "Lai Wuying", he found that Lai Wuying was connected to Chen Gang and started suspecting him then.
But as he pursued further, he discovered that Chen Gang had been harmed and thought he had misunderstood his old friend, even blaming himself for half a year!
Over this half year, he had always felt guilty about the death of Chen Gang.
But now, he realized that all this was merely orchestrated by Chen Gang!
His intuition had been right all along.
"Why? You were already the captain of the enforcement team in the East District, why would you engage in shameful dealings like those of Lai Wuying? Your duty should have been to protect your city, not to commit crimes!"
Lu Hong spoke in a deep voice.
"Protect the city?"
Chen Gang's expression suddenly twisted.
The [Thousand Faces Refined] system required learning to disguise oneself as different people, inherently ensuring he could not just be a law-abiding citizen.
There was a time he wanted to use this system to engage in espionage, fight criminals, and restore peace and order.
However, he gradually found that being a spy fighting against crime gave limited boosts in the system, and having a moral baseline often tied his hands during missions.
It was better to be a criminal, not bound by ethics or laws, doing whatever it took to grow stronger, which allowed for much faster improvement.
Thus, he took a different path, leveraging the system to become the elusive "Lai Wuying". From then on, the system made him stronger and his desires grew uncontrollable.
"We all have our choices. The moment we awaken our systems, our futures are bound. You have no right to judge others' rights and wrongs. What kind of system one has dictates what kind of person one becomes."
Chen Gang responded coldly.
In his view, awakening the [Thousand Faces Refined] system meant he was destined to become a criminal.
"Nonsense!"
Lu Hong glared at Chen Gang, growling, "We may not be able to choose our Awakening Systems, but we can choose our paths! Don't you dare blame your misdeeds on your system."
Boom!
Lu Hong burst forth, his arms glowing with red fire, as if flames of rage were burning. The flames wrapped around his fists, distorting the air around them.
"What kind of person to become is a choice we make, not one made by a system!"
Lu Hong threw a punch at Chen Gang. The fiery punch's wind was fierce and powerful, evaporating the mist above and sending two cars next to it flying.
He punched Chen Gang, showing no mercy, feeling only fierce anger, unable to forgive Chen Gang for knowingly breaking the law!
Chen Gang's body also emitted a blue glow, numerous lights interweaving on him, instantly transforming myriad times. His dagger radiated a cold moon glow, as he too met the explosive fiery punch head-on—
Boom!
The chilling moon blade collided with the fiery blast, white and red lights exploded fiercely, and the powerful shockwaves sent nearby cars hurdling into scrap metal!
The clash of two Meridian Opening experts wrought extreme destruction!
Bang!
Chen Gang was thrown backward, crashing into a wall and creating a large dent in it.
"You are not a murderer, but I am!"
Chen Gang's face twisted into a sinister smile, his hand lighting up again with brilliant moonlight, this time stronger than before, ready to integrate the data collected on Lu Hong into Thousand Faces Slash Moon.
This strike, imbued with others' perception of Lu Hong and at such a close distance, would seal all of Lu Hong's potential escape routes—Lu Hong was doomed!
"You—"
Lu Hong's complexion drastically changed!
He thought Chen Gang had lost his fighting capacity, but unexpectedly, he had been deceived by Chen Gang once again.
Chen Gang sneered; he showed no mercy—
However, his sneer suddenly froze!
For some unknown reason, the Thousand Faces Slash Moon, which contained information on Lu Hong, suddenly disappeared!
This Thousand Faces Slash Moon, specifically against Lu Hong, needed to fully integrate to flawlessly block any of Lu Hong's defenses.
Once it disappeared, this attack became just a normal strike in front of Lu Hong, even filled with flaws!
Lu Hong's perception was top-notch; even though caught off guard, he managed to react in time. With no room for mercy in such urgent circumstances, he punched Chen Gang in the chest.
Bang!
Chen Gang's chest caved in.
"How could this..."
Chen Gang's eyes bulged in disbelief.
This punch was fatal to him!
Until his death, he couldn't understand where his collected fatal strike had gone?
It was the system's ability; he had never missed before when killing others, but he couldn't understand why the system would malfunction now!
As his life force ebbed away, for some reason, Chen Gang inexplicably thought of a person.
That young man who had quietly stood by and completely unraveled his disguise.
In the last flicker of his consciousness, his gaze turned to Xiang Beifei.
The young man watched him calmly, undisturbed.
And in his hand, he astonishingly held the Thousand Faces Slash Moon aimed at Lu Hong.
Then he even waved at Chen Gang.
—Was he waving at him?
Chen Gang glared resentfully at Xiang Beifei.
Why... why was it in his hand?
Chen Gang couldn't fathom it.
He really couldn't fathom it!
But he no longer had a chance to think about it.
Darkness swiftly engulfed him.