The Same Fate Awaits All Sins Chapter 26

Worship – 11

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Gu Yanta didn't believe it at first, but after listening to Lu Zheng's description, he began to investigate the records of the other victim from back then, albeit with some doubt. The database only contained a brief summary of the initial rescue details.

Lu Xiaobao, male, seven years old, unconscious, no visible physical injuries, transferred to hospital for treatment.

"So, you used to be called Lu Xiaobao?"

"Yes, my grandmother gave me that name," Lu Zheng nodded and continued, "After the incident, my family transferred me to a sanatorium in Lingzhou. Perhaps due to the brain's self-protective mechanism following trauma, I couldn't remember anything when I woke up. That's why I've always said I have no memory of anything before school, it's true."

"Consultant Lu, so how did you remember it?" Chen Chen tilted his head. "Isn't recovering lost memories supposed to involve something dramatic, like being struck by lightning or surviving a car crash? Hey, hey... Boss, why are you kicking me? That's how they always show it on TV..."

"So, how did you remember?" Gu Yanta turned to ask.

"I don't know, I just looked at that girl's photo, and all of a sudden, it all came back to me," Lu Zheng replied with a frown. "Even I'm finding it hard to believe, but this is definitely part of my memory."

"Can you recall any more details? Since the suspect in Li Wenli's case is connected to the victim from the tenth case back then, there must have been some crucial information we missed at the time."

"I'm not sure. Back then, he pretended to be a worker at the orchard, and with his mask and gloves, no one would have suspected him. Maybe I should visit the crime scene and take another look."

"Let's go, I'll go with you." Gu Yanta stood up and turned to Chen Chen. "We need to quickly get to the bottom of the girl's situation from back then."

"No problem, Boss!"

Lu Zheng glanced at the green car key in Gu Yanta's hand and quietly took out his own set of keys.

"Navigation starting. Please keep to the left. There is a traffic camera five-hundred metres ahead..." The mechanical female voice echoed in the car.

"I can't get used to driving this luxury car of yours..." Gu Yanta fumbled with the in-car navigation system.

"How about I drive instead?" Lu Zheng suggested softly.

"I'll drive, I'll drive, I just don't know the route very well. You rest for a bit. By the way..." Gu Yanta glanced at Lu Zheng with concern. "Recovering memories, does it really happen like Chen Chen said? That's how it's shown on TV... Now... are you feeling any discomfort?"

"I'm fine, really, just drive. What kind of TV shows are you two watching all day? Temptation of XX or something?" Lu Zheng crossed his arms helplessly. "Amnesia is fundamentally a self-protection mechanism of the brain. When your psychological capacity reaches a point where you can accept the truth, the memories come back bit by bit. Perhaps the photo triggered my memory. But I can tell you with certainty, it's not a painful process."

It was the evening rush hour, and the traffic jam stretched into two long lines of cars, completely clogging the northern highway.

Gu Yanta lazily lit a cigarette, carefully directing the smoke out of the car window. He turned to Lu Zheng in the passenger seat and said, "Get some sleep, we won't be there anytime soon."

"Mm." Lu Zheng leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Usually, he didn't sleep well, so he only intended to rest briefly. But unexpectedly, he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

In his dream, he found himself back on the university campus. His first boyfriend held his hand as they walked along a path filled with drifting willow fluff. Under the fiery red blossoms of a royal poinciana tree, they shared a lingering kiss. He closed his eyes and could feel the warmth of the other's breath. When he opened his eyes again, the scene shifted to a flashing-light-filled private room at Cnclub, and the person in front of him had turned into...

"Wake up, we're here." Someone gently patted his shoulder.

Lu Zheng slowly opened his eyes, realising that Gu Yanta's jacket was draped over him. It carried a faint scent of tobacco. As the face in front of him overlapped with the one he had kissed in his dream, he suddenly started coughing violently.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Gu Yanta patted Lu Zheng's back, hurriedly unscrewing a bottle of water and handing it to him. "Is this some after-effect of recovering your memory?"

"Cough cough..." Lu Zheng waved his hand and took a sip of the water. "I'm fine... I was just dreaming and got startled."

"Hurry up and wake up properly, we're here, get out of the car," Gu Yanta said as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

They had arrived at a small forest in the countryside. Under the cover of night, the woods appeared dense and mysterious. The warehouse where the crime had occurred years ago lay hidden deep within the trees. They parked by the roadside and got out, preparing to walk the rest of the way.

Gu Yanta frowned, gazing at the scene in front of him. "This... I think I've been here before. I didn't notice when we were following the GPS, but this looks like the little forest behind my grandma's house." He picked up a fallen tree branch and began tapping it against the nearby tree trunks as they walked.

"Ah, don't mind me. When I was a kid, everyone was so scared because of the serial killer that I developed this habit. Whenever I walk at night, I feel the need to make some noise to steady my nerves."

Lu Zheng suddenly froze. "Is there something like steel pipes around here?"

"There is, this warehouse was originally part of a steel pipe factory. When we were kids, we used to climb over the hill to play here all the time," Gu Yanta replied casually, pointing ahead. "Look, it's right there."

Lu Zheng followed the direction Gu Yanta pointed in and saw the faint outline of several factory buildings in the distance. The rhythmic tapping of Gu Yanta's stick on the tree trunks overlapped with a sound in his memory.

"Thank you," Lu Zheng murmured as he looked towards the factory. "Brother Gu."

"Huh? What are you thanking me for?" Gu Yanta was stunned. Lu Zheng had always seemed distant and aloof. Sometimes, he acted as though he liked Gu Yanta, only to turn cold at a moment's notice. Other times, he would teasingly flirt, leaving Gu Yanta unsure of what to make of it. But now, that soft and familiar "Brother" left Gu Yanta momentarily dazed.

"It was probably you who saved us back then." Lu Zheng turned to look at Gu Yanta, his eyes sparkling with tiny, flickering lights. "Also, Brother, you don't have to keep testing me. I'm gay."

"What... brought this on so suddenly?" Gu Yanta, a thirty-one-year-old single man, felt a rare trace of panic in front of someone he liked. In the past, he had always confessed straightforwardly when he liked someone, even if they were straight. Worst case, he'd just get rejected. But now, he couldn't help feeling he was indeed getting older, overthinking matters of the heart.

"I just had a dream, I dreamt about my ex-boyfriend," Lu Zheng said.

"Oh..." Gu Yanta was a little unhappy, all this was just to talk about his romantic history?

"It's nothing, it's all in the past. I just wanted to explain why I don't dare to confess. The pressure from my father has always been immense." He lowered his head, as if he had fallen into memories. "He is a person who values his image above all else. Back then, his and Uncle's business was thriving. After my accident, he quickly changed my name and sent me to Lingzhou to avoid complications. If something like that could prompt such drastic measures, how much worse would it be for my sexual orientation? My dad gave him a hard time back then, in the end, he just couldn't take it anymore..."

"So... you guys broke up because of this?"

"Mm, he said he just wanted an ordinary boyfriend and a peaceful life," Lu Zheng replied. "That's also why I've barely kept in touch with my dad over the years, only my brother comes by to look after me sometimes. I don't care about business, and I couldn't care less about inheritance, I just want a normal life like anyone else. That's why I hate it when you call me rich kid, because I'm not one."

"Ha! What was I expecting? What's wrong with that? That's nothing!" Gu Yanta leaned casually against a tree. "Who doesn't go through something like that? When I came out to my family, it was a big mess!!" 

"And then?" Lu Zheng raised his head and asked.

"They just had to accept it, what else could they do? Now, if they don't ask, I won't tell. Anyway, I'll be single for the rest of my life, so it's not like I'm in anyone's way." Gu Yanta patted Lu Zheng's shoulder. "Don't worry, Lu Xiaozheng, if you date me, I definitely won't be afraid of your dad. Even if he throws five million at my face to break us up, I'll take it head-on. Being thick-skinned has its perks."

Lu Zheng couldn't help but laugh lightly. "Screw you, who said I want to date you?" With that, he turned and started walking toward the warehouse.

"Hey, don't play coy! I confessed to you today. No matter the result, you owe me an answer!" Gu Yanta quickly ran after him.

"I'll think about it..." Lu Zheng waved a hand, leaving only his back for Gu Yanta to see. 

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: December 17, 2024 by Angel

Edited: January 14, 2025 by Angel