Breathing

"Only a Shadow can become the family head?" Qing Chen asked, puzzled.

He still had no clear understanding of the Shadow Struggle. Previously, because he could not expose himself, he could only pretend vaguely that he knew everything.

Now, he could finally clear up many of his doubts.

Just ask directly!

Li Shutong knew that Qing Chen was not from the Inner World, so he explained patiently, like a teacher answering his student's questions. "It is said that the Qing Clan existed in the era of the previous human civilization. Back then, Shadows were merely disposable pawns of the Qing Clan Group, chosen from Qing family members with no background. They held nowhere near as much power as they do now."

"Later, one exceptionally gifted Qing Shadow turned the tables and overturned the whole arrangement. From then on, he established new rules."

"Every family head had to have served as a Shadow and witnessed the filthiest things in this world. And anyone who had been a Shadow would be supported by the family for the rest of his life, never abandoned."

Qing Chen asked, puzzled, "How many Shadows are there?"

Li Shutong answered, "On average, a new generation is selected every decade or so. One family head may have been accompanied by more than a dozen Shadows."

He continued, "Medical technology in this era is already incredibly advanced. A family head can live for over a hundred years, and some can even live past one hundred and fifty. So when a family head steps down, he must choose the one he approves of most from among more than a dozen Shadows."

"What about the other Shadows?" Qing Chen asked.

"They relinquish power," Li Shutong said. "But they can still live out their old age in peace. Becoming a Shadow not only grants one the qualifications to become family head, but also a get-out-of-death-free card."

"I still think this system is strange. Since that Qing ancestor had been a Shadow himself and knew the suffering of Shadows, why did he establish such a cannibalistic system?" Qing Chen asked, confused.

"Oh, the rule of nine people competing for the position was not set by him. It was set by his son. Apparently, his son chose several generations of Shadows, and they all turned out useless. With no capable people around him, he simply made those below compete among themselves. The winner would naturally be the strongest," Li Shutong explained.

"That Qing ancestor did not stop his son?" Qing Chen asked.

"At first, the Shadow Struggle merely involved giving everyone missions. Whoever proved more capable won," Li Shutong said. "But nearly a thousand years passed, and the Shadow Struggle gradually changed. It began to become a matter of whoever survived becoming the Shadow."

Qing Chen nodded. That made sense.

The family rules established by the ancestors had been an embodiment of idealism, but all ideals gradually decayed with time.

Nothing remained unchanged, because people's hearts were always changing.

"Later, this custom of the Shadow Struggle continued on," Li Shutong said with a smile. "Perhaps the Qing family heads all understood that if the Qing Clan was not ruthless, how could it gain a foothold in the Inner World?"

"True." Qing Chen nodded. "So I need to be careful now, because all nine Shadow Candidates want to get rid of the others."

"Mm." Li Shutong nodded. "To be honest, this has exceeded my expectations as well. I did not expect someone to try eliminating the others right from the start. It was never this fast before. Unless someone has sensed the threat you pose."

"Because I am close to you?" Qing Chen analyzed. "No, no. Before I even knew you, the dead soldier had already followed me in."

"Do not overthink it. Given enough time, you will naturally find out," Li Shutong said.

"Can I withdraw from the Shadow Struggle? Does being part of the Qing Clan conflict with joining the Knights?" Qing Chen asked.

"It does not." Li Shutong shook his head. "But it would still be best not to let people know you have joined the Knights. Have you not seen that I am imprisoned here? From now on, I will teach you at midnight, while during the day things will remain as they are now. And I do not recommend that you withdraw from the Shadow Struggle, because you have yet to see just how much power a Shadow possesses."

"Mm." Qing Chen nodded. He was not someone lacking courage. Since Li Shutong had told him not to withdraw, then he would play with the other candidates for a while.

Prison No. 18 was exceptionally empty at the moment, and Qing Chen actually felt less constrained without the others around.

Li Shutong sat cross-legged on the ground. Big Cat had curled up against him and fallen asleep, while Qing Chen sat cross-legged opposite him.

"Anything else you want to ask?" Li Shutong asked.

"I see that the standard weapons of the Inner World are still firearms. Are there other, more powerful weapons?" Qing Chen asked.

"Yes, but not many," Li Shutong said. "There are small EMP grenades designed specifically for mechanical limbs, as well as special weapons mounted on mechanical limbs. But the military forces of the financial groups still mainly use firearms, and the bullets are basically copper."

Qing Chen asked, puzzled, "The Inner World's technology should already be extremely advanced. Why are its weapons still so similar to those in the Outer World?"

Li Shutong smiled. "Because one bullet is enough to kill a person."

Qing Chen understood. People continued using them because they were the most cost-effective weapons, and they were enough.

Those words—enough—were crucial.

It was like how some people online said that mirrors in the Inner World were not as technologically advanced as imagined. Other than defogging, they had no additional functions.

That was because a mirror's function was that simple. More complex technology did not mean everyday objects had to become more complex.

"All right, enough trivial matters. Let us talk about something important," Li Shutong said.

"That road—the longest shortcut in the world?" Qing Chen asked.

"That is right." Li Shutong nodded. "Hold out your right hand."

Qing Chen spread open his right hand and held it out before him, only to see Li Shutong suddenly seize his wrist.

In that instant, Qing Chen felt his breathing stall. It was as though an immensely powerful will was controlling the rhythm of his breathing, even the speed at which his blood flowed.

The pulse held in Li Shutong's grip felt as though it had been shackled.

The next moment, Li Shutong's breathing rhythm changed. Qing Chen watched as he exhaled a puff of white vapor, followed by Flame Markings spreading from his cheeks to the sides of his ears.

Qing Chen froze!

Everything the other man displayed completely defied biological common sense!

But before he could react, Qing Chen felt his own breathing rhythm begin to change by force. His heartbeat, his breathing—everything became different!

As Qing Chen inhaled, he felt as though a torrent of fire surged down his throat, then spread through every alveolus in his lungs. That terrifying heat swept through his entire body, followed by agonizing, soul-rending pain!

It was not real heat, but an illusion caused by inexplicable pain.

Gradually, Flame Markings began appearing on Qing Chen's cheeks as well, and the pain spread along the markings all the way into his brain.

He wanted to break free of the wrist Li Shutong held, but Ye Wan calmly said from beside him, "Endure it."

Qing Chen gradually calmed down. He neither struggled nor begged.

Just as he had during the water torture yesterday.

Lin Xiaoxiao said, "Do you remember what I told you? Only a life that has endured pain can become more elevated."