Act 22

A beautiful woman wore jewelry fit for nobility gazed upon the murky sky outside, a befuddled light trickled within her empty gaze. Her hand placed itself above one another atop her crossed legs, her back comfortably resting on a padded white seat.

Chiming sounds from her bracelets came with every movement she made whilst her two feet tapped slowly on the velvet carpet. In a white limousine was where she warmly sat, a cigarette lit on her hand.

The woman felt empty within as she gazed on her past sin, rethinking the stories they wrote within. A frown painted her clean face while she muttered in a tone of voice only she could hear, a suffocating feeling sprouting in her essence.

She winced in pain as a bad premonition lurked inside her soul, commemorating the past decisions she hastily decided to perform. Her memory spiraled in disdain as the phone beside her rang in a tone nobody could make.

Beads of sweat trickled her forehead as she anxiously charged into the lion's den, picking the ominous ring from the phone she discreetly hid.

"Be here at 8."

The husky and muddled voice from the phone said, in a firm tone he commanded, without giving time or the woman to refuse his orders.

But as it wasn't like she could ever refuse him, the woman obediently adhered to his call. With a sweet smile plastered to her face, she threw the phone, to the backmost seat of the limousine, grumbling while she was at it.

"F*ck!"

A loud cursed echoed, startling the suited men who sat afront her, clearly working for the woman. Afraid of angering their boss further, they forcibly plastered indifferent expressions on her face, not a single word uttered.

Tightly gripping the strands of hair on her head with a hand, the woman's formerly noble mien disintegrated, not a trace of them could be found from her.

Slowly calming the palpitating heart that resonated within, the woman crossed her hands, panting in an attempt to calm herself. She smoked her cigarette yet again, blowing grey murky bubbles from the two scarlet lips.

The brief sense of guilt she still held decayed as what replaced it was the repulsive and envy she had centuries prior. Blaming everything on the conditions that surrounded her, she cussed upon the tragic fate borne with her.

Wondering why she didn't end the life of her someone she previously despised, she realized a sense of humanity still buried deep amidst her fiery and blazing conceit.

A strange smile surfaced itself, as the protruding eyes of the woman startled everyone including herself.

"Come at me if you dare. I've ended you once and I am not afraid to do it again."

***

Gazing at the midnight sky above, a handsome young man curled his lips to a smile, whilst he stared at the skyline from above. With a large window placed afront him, nothing could escape his glistening eyes as everything seemed visible exclusively for him.

Twirling then silvery watch that comfortably positioned itself on his wrist, the man hummed through the century-old beat he loved. One he would listen in parties while accompanied by a certain someone he secretly loved.

Though that person disliked it, it was the songs played in the few events she customarily attended, as in the last years she lived, nearly none was audited.

A hurt smile revealed itself as the man turned his back from the window, picking his phone up to call a person he appointed to meet prior. Facing the spacious condo he lived in, the man walked up the door, beckoning his secretary to prepare the necessary measures he needed.

With a brief nod, the secretary scurried, not an extra word spoken. Clenching his two fists, a mist of darkness walked upon him, silently crying with an attempt to steel himself with the resolve enough to fight a beast.

He and his newfound comrade were supposed to wander into the gates of hell by next week, hence he was often busy than not in preparing for what he would need.

After the end of their brief scolding, the two quickly exchanged numbers, often seen chatting with one another.

However, Tang Xiqing had yet to reveal what was in store as he wanted Chen Xiao to experience the things he had before. With a light giggle, he opulently walked, excitedly awaiting to see what was in store for him during the trip.

For once, the camp didn't feel as dreadful as it always had been, for he now had a comrade and a source of entertainment to view along with it.

Commanding the nearby employees to prepare the things necessary for the boss's trip, the man attracted the attention of other high-class tenants who quickly scurried in astoundment.

Though they wished to properly lay their eyes on the imposing man who stood behind him, a sense of unease was what they felt instead.

Indeed, apart from ruining business and ending the longevity of those who offended him, the man was more notoriously known for sending men and women alike to a hellish camp.

A camp like no other, where those who entered mostly returned shell-shocked merely due to the deterring situations they met in there.

But the chosen people who survived emerged stronger both mentally and physically, ready to face the challenges slammed on them.

Thus, Li Qiang decided to make it customary for all his higher-ranking employees to attend the camps he sponsored, as he wanted the people who worked for him to be the cream of the crop, unparalleled amongst thousands of others.

However, though the camps consisted mostly of his employees, an innumerable amount of his former enemies worked in there. Most were sent as free labor there, as he had the power to force others below him to do so, under the guise of community service.

Despite being let out after a year or two, a large number of them were rendered mentally scarred, unable to adapt to the harsh lifestyle that contrasted their formerly lavish one.

Due to this, the people were rendered speechless and decided to avoid eye contact whenever they spot him.

Though rumor has it, one person was unluckily sent there when he accidentally gazed at a girl beside him for too long.