Chapter 69: Blacklisted Part 1

Lai Li’s entire body itched.

It felt like countless ants had crawled out of his heart, slithering along his dense blood vessels and nerve endings toward his limbs, itching so intensely that his scalp tingled and he couldn’t stop trembling.

I love you.

He heard it again.

Those three words he’d forgotten, the ones he’d crawled back from the brink of death to hear once more.

Even after the plane landed and Dai Linxuan led him into the cabin, Lai Li remained in a daze, his ears filled with a jumble of sounds.

Among them, his brother’s voice was the most pleasing: Bro loves you.

Unlike the earlier confession laced with restraint and suppression, this phantom echo in his ears carried more gentle enthusiasm, like a pool of rich, fragrant aged wine that intoxicated him just from the scent.

As they turned a corner, Lai Li’s palm suddenly felt empty.

He snapped out of his drunken reverie and looked down—

Dai Linxuan’s fingertips slipped away as he pivoted toward the spacious cabin, his tone shifting to polite courtesy: “We’ll land in about eleven hours. Please bear with us; let us know if you need anything.”

Ye Qingyun smiled faintly: “This is top-tier travel treatment for a business trip. Calling it ‘hardship’ is an exaggeration.”

Travel was tiring no matter what, but Dai Linxuan had arranged everything perfectly. He glanced at the time just before takeoff and immediately turned back to the bedroom.

Lai Li was closing the blackout shades, then flopped backward onto the bed.

Dai Linxuan’s heart skipped a beat. He strode over but still couldn’t catch him, so he sat down beside Lai Li with some irritation and flicked his hand: “Think you’re indestructible?”

Lai Li said indifferently: “The wounds are mostly healed.”

He lay on the bed, gazing quietly up at Dai Linxuan: “Bro, before we get home, is there nothing you want to tell me?”

“Tell you what?” Dai Linxuan got up, washed his hands, poured a cup of warm water, took a bottle of medicine from the drawer, and shook out a pill into his palm. “What do you want to know?”

Lai Li propped himself up slightly, grasped his wrist, and licked the pill from his hand.

His tongue left a trail of wetness on the palm, and Dai Linxuan’s fingers twitched: “It’s dirty, isn’t it?”

Lai Li shot him a look that said what are you talking about? and drank from the cup using his hand.

Dai Linxuan averted his gaze and said after a moment: “Nothing special happened. No progress on the car accident case. The nurse who was used was just an ordinary person; she didn’t see the other party’s face. But regardless of whether it was Second Uncle’s orders, his embezzlement is nailed down—minimum three years.”

“Let me think… Oh, your ex-friend He Shuxin. He pestered Auntie He for some money to invest in a gaming club, but got scammed. All he ended up with was an empty shell; the valuable esports players all bolted.”

Lai Li asked without a shred of guilt: “When did that happen?”

Dai Linxuan glanced at him: “Probably before the car accident, but it blew up at Uncle He’s birthday banquet.”

It started when He Shuxin deliberately mocked the Lai Li whose life or death was unknown with his sleazy friends. Dai Linxuan was walking and talking with He Chengze when he overheard it, and his face darkened immediately.

Before either of them could react, they heard Jing Deyu’s voice.

Jing Deyu’s tone was even more mocking as he publicly called He Shuxin a good-for-nothing: “No matter what, Lai Li’s ten thousand times better than you. At least he didn’t get scammed out of his boxers buying a gaming club.”

He Chengze’s face turned pitch black, and he said coldly: “Shuxin, to the study.”

No one knew what the punishment was afterward, but Dai Linxuan saw the aftermath—

When he went to the study to say goodbye, He Shuxin was still kneeling on the ground, his back covered in bloody welts from whip lashes.

He Chengze wasn’t really upset about the money; it was too embarrassing. Plus, He Shuxin had insulted Lai Li, and Dai Linxuan had heard it.

After all, Lai Li was still in the ICU; as a parent, he had to make a statement.

·

Lai Li’s expression twisted for an instant: “He Shuxin shirtless?”

“…That pisses you off?” Dai Linxuan ruffled his spiky hair. “You spiky little gremlin.”

“That idiot might’ve—”

Might’ve even gotten off on his brother seeing him like that.

Lai Li was so furious he felt short of breath, regretting not sending He Shuxin to the hospital sooner: “Bro, from now on, treat him like air no matter the occasion!”

“Okay.” Dai Linxuan patted his back, smoothing down the spikes. “Xiao Yu’s been good to you.”

Lai Li said matter-of-factly: “Anyone you introduce is bound to be solid.”

Dai Linxuan chuckled and changed the subject: “Remember that manager who died at Cloud Summit?”

Lai Li’s eyes flickered as he pushed the water cup away: “It traced back to Song Zichu?”

“The killer wasn’t Song Zichu.” Dai Linxuan wiped the water from the corner of his mouth with his thumb. “It was a pipe repairman.”

Lai Li wasn’t convinced: “Just a repairman?”

Dai Linxuan got up to rinse the cup: “On the surface, yes.”

“Why’d he kill Chang Fangyi?”

He even remembered the name.

Dai Linxuan tugged at his lips, dried his hands, and sat back on the bed: “He said they bumped into each other on the road, his tools scattered everywhere, Chang Fangyi refused to apologize, it escalated into an argument, neither backed down, and in a rage, he pulled a knife.”

It wasn’t odd for a repairman to carry a knife; what was odd was that Chang Fangyi had been too scared to sleep the night before due to Lai Li’s “threat,” yet he went to Cyber City the next day.

If the killer really was that repairman, he couldn’t have been ordinary—the kill was too clean and swift; Chang Fangyi didn’t even have time to struggle.

Meanwhile, Song Zichu, who had the strongest motive, had an alibi…

Borrowed knife to kill—the words popped into Lai Li’s mind.

There was too much surveillance in the city now; Song Zichu doing it himself would be too easy to spot.

So how could Song Zichu ensure the repairman would kill for him?

First, the repairman couldn’t be a deliberate accomplice; Song Zichu had only been in Danshi less than a year, and anyone like-minded he’d know would be tied to his backer—no reason to create trouble.

That left one possibility.

Cyber City Undeveloped Area was remote, with hardly any people or cameras… perfect for illicit deals or body dumps.

Song Zichu knew the repairman had a job there at that time, so he planted a clue like a note at Chang Fangyi’s lover’s place, luring him to the spot.

Chang Fangyi stumbled upon something shady, forcing the repairman to silence him.

Lai Li laid out his deductions one by one, utterly confident this was the truth: “If it were me, I’d do the exact same…”

Smack.

Lai Li turned sideways, glaring coldly at his brother: “Dai Linxuan, you addicted to hitting me?”

“I raised you; what’s wrong with a smack?” Dai Linxuan prodded his waist. “You wouldn’t kill over a petty argument. Don’t make those assumptions.”

Lai Li blurted out: “How do you know I wouldn’t?”

Dai Linxuan looked at him.

After a staring contest, Lai Li looked away: “That repairman might be one of the Slum District criminals. Remember, the year the big cleanup started, there was a fire in the Slum District that killed a bunch of people—lots of criminals on the death list. But three years ago, four of those criminals came back to life trying to kidnap you.”

“They were already dead.”

“Was getting hit by that truck really an accident? Maybe none of the criminals on that fire list actually died—they just got new identities and someone kept them around!” Lai Li took a breath and stared into Dai Linxuan’s eyes. “Bro, be honest. Are you investigating this?”

“I did look into it back then, but found nothing.” Dai Linxuan explained slowly. “The truck driver was an ordinary couple with a kid, not locals from Danshi, no ties here. They survived but were left permanently disabled, unable to work again.”

Lai Li took a deep breath: “Bro, you didn’t give their family money, did you?”

Dai Linxuan didn’t deny it, saying flatly: “They did nothing wrong but suffered because of us. Pitiful people.”

The four kidnappers ran the red light and were fully at fault, but since they were dead, no compensation. The truck couple had no recourse.

It wasn’t Dai Linxuan’s fault, but the trouble stemmed from him, so in the end, he donated five million to the couple under the guise of charity.

The physical damage was irreversible, but money could at least provide some comfort and security for their family and child.

“It was those four kidnappers who caused their disabilities! What does it have to do with you?”

“I know it doesn’t.” Dai Linxuan said patiently. “But I don’t miss that money, and it could save their lives.”

Lai Li was furious.

He knew this was how Dai Linxuan was, but he was insanely jealous of everyone his brother showed kindness to—the Welfare Home kids, that couple, all the people who’d received his donations, even the damn Dai Family. They all diluted his brother’s affection and attention.

And yet, Dai Linxuan was still the perfect, universally praised Dai Linxuan, but…

Lai Li lowered his eyes, hiding the dark gloom in them.

It was precisely because Dai Linxuan’s heart held so much that he was vulnerable to corruption from within.

If Dai Linxuan’s eyes and heart held only him—

He would protect Dai Linxuan perfectly, never letting him get hurt, pained, or defiled. Anything he wanted, he’d have.

“If the killer’s confirmed as that repairman, he and Song Zichu share the same master. That master is likely a masked guest from the old Beast Fighting Arena.”

Lai Li closed his eyes, suppressing those dark cravings: “There were many masked guests, but in Danshi, only a few could afford to keep criminals and Crickets—Dai Linxuan!”

His butt got another smack.

Lai Li glared at his brother in annoyance.

Dai Linxuan could hit him, even put him in the hospital, but not like this.

“Aren’t you my possession?” Dai Linxuan quirked his lip, though his eyes held no amusement. “I hit what I want.”

“…” Lai Li remembered he’d said that.

“Fine, hit away.” Lai Li said indifferently. “I’ve got plenty of wounds. Make it bleed through the bandages. Kill me and be done.”

With every word Lai Li said, Dai Linxuan’s hand itched more: “Getting too cocky.”

Lai Li kept going nonchalantly: “If I’m dead, I won’t bother your eyes anymore. You won’t have to worry about placating a nutjob. Do whatever you want…”

Dai Linxuan’s face turned icy.

He closed his eyes, stood, and walked away.

Lai Li’s heart clenched; he grabbed his wrist fiercely: “Bro!”

Dai Linxuan paused, exhaled softly, and said: “I’m too lenient with you. You say anything.”

Lai Li immediately hugged his waist from behind, apologizing blindly: “Sorry, I was wrong.”

Dai Linxuan glanced back: “Wrong where?”

Lai Li: “…”

Dai Linxuan said: “You think you’re not wrong, huh? Let me tell you where.”

Lai Li was hopelessly stubborn on this; he’d never learn without teaching.

Dai Linxuan pried his hands off, turned around, and pinched his chin: “You just got out of the car accident, comatose for seventeen days—I thought you’d never wake up. And how long have your eyes been open? You’re already telling me ‘if you’re dead, you won’t bother my eyes anymore,’ calling yourself a nutjob. Are you devaluing yourself, or stabbing my heart on purpose?”

“I’m not…”

“You don’t even know what ‘self-deprecation’ means.” Dai Linxuan looked at him calmly. “Xiao Li, treat me like a person.”

Lai Li’s heart jolted; he buried his face in his brother’s chest: “I know I was wrong… Bro, sorry.”