Chapter 403: The Choice Without a Choice
Behind absolute righteousness lies relative ruthlessness.
Su Tao didn’t know what to say for a moment.
Was Shen Wencheng wrong to be so persistent? From the perspective of the greater good, he wasn’t wrong—in fact, he was noble.
Seeing Su Tao’s silence, Shen Wencheng’s heart pounded anxiously.
“Boss Su, some sacrifices are necessary and unavoidable. Besides, in her current condition, it’s better to send her to the lab. We have medication that can ease her pain—it’s better than her living in this agonizing state. Look at her now—besides the pain, is there any dignity left for her?”
“I promise that during the experiment, there will be no inhumane procedures. And the experiment won’t kill her—I will do my best to repair her body. Brother Jiang can visit her anytime, right?”
Thinking of Jiang Tong’s suffering expression, Su Tao closed her eyes.
“…Go and bring Jiang Yu here. Let the siblings say their goodbyes.”
Maybe being on the lab table was better than this gruesome reality.
But this was a choice without a choice—soaking in those liquids, losing freedom, and watching herself be dissected piece by piece… She couldn’t think about it anymore.
Shen Wencheng said nothing more.
Su Tao tucked the blanket carefully around Jiang Tong, only leaving her still-intact face visible.
Jiang Yu stumbled into the room. Seeing his sister weakly calling for him, he rushed forward.
Su Tao stopped him.
“Don’t lift the blanket—let her keep some dignity. Say what you need to say quickly. Someone will come to take her to the lab soon.”
After speaking, she turned to leave but returned after a few steps. She pulled Jiang Yu into a tight hug.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect her—and I hurt you.”
Jiang Yu’s feet felt like they were weighed down by lead. He couldn’t move.
Outside the room, Su Tao leaned against the wall, staring blankly at the sky.
From a distance, Ling Yu struggled to carry a dirty backpack, flapping its wings toward her.
Su Tao straightened up and whistled.
Ling Yu began to descend, but exhausted, it dropped the backpack and collapsed into Su Tao’s arms.
“This bird is exhausted, absolutely exhausted.”
It panted heavily, rolling its eyes in exaggerated frustration.
Su Tao quickly called Zhuang Wan to watch over the siblings and carried Ling Yu and the backpack back to her office.
After feeding Ling Yu some water and food, she carefully unzipped the backpack.
The moment the zipper opened a crack, the pungent smell of blood filled the room.
Amidst the various items inside, two exquisitely wrapped boxes stood out.
Ling Yu, now recovered, immediately began chattering.
“It’s this—it’s human skin, human skin!”
So, the boxes really contained human skin.
Suppressing her nausea, Su Tao put on gloves and opened one of the boxes.
Inside were several face skins—not whole bodies—some still fresh with oozing blood.
Su Tao immediately realized something—Huapi had a habit of collecting trophies.
These “masterpieces” in the ornate boxes were her prized possessions. She would definitely come back for them.
As Su Tao prepared to use her powers to “predict” the future and locate Huapi’s hideout, she hesitated.
If Jiang Tong would be sent to the lab soon—was there even a need to catch Huapi?
But after only a moment’s pause, her resolve hardened.
Yes, there was a need.
For the people Huapi had killed, for the skin she had flayed—and for what she had done to Jiang Tong—Su Tao had to capture her and make her pay.
Calming herself, Su Tao removed her gloves and lightly touched the items. Her consciousness drifted—sure enough, Huapi would return for her “collection.”
“Brother…”
Jiang Tong’s voice trembled as she opened her eyes. Her pupils had already begun to dilate, and the blood seeping into her vision dyed everything red and blurry.
The sensation triggered memories of her human life.
Frantically, she cried out, “Brother—I can’t see again—I can’t see…”
The memory terrified her—the inability to see the people who hurt her, the monsters who abused her. She couldn’t see whether the path ahead held light or only darkness.
Jiang Yu grasped her hand tightly through the blanket. “Tongtong! I’m here!”
Hearing his voice calmed her slightly, but tears soon rolled down her face.
“Brother, it hurts so much… I thought becoming a monster would stop the pain—but why does it still hurt? I don’t want to be a monster anymore…”
Jiang Yu trembled uncontrollably, his mouth opening in a silent wail.
“No one will hurt you again—I’ll protect you—I…”
His words cut off abruptly.
He had never protected her.
Not when she was abducted.
Not when she was used as bait.
A crushing sense of failure consumed him—an overwhelming, irreversible grief.
Jiang Tong struggled to free one mangled hand from the blanket, reaching out weakly.
Jiang Yu’s heart shattered as he saw her skeletal, bloodied hand.
He began to punch the ground, bloodying his own face in his anguish.
“Brother… hold my hand… I’ll be good—I won’t ask for food again—I don’t even want to know what it tastes like… I promise…”
She stretched out her hand, desperate to hold his one last time.
Jiang Yu crawled forward and clasped her trembling fingers.
Her bloodied lips curled into a painful smile.
“Brother… I can’t hold on anymore… It hurts too much…”
Tears streaming down his face, Jiang Yu pulled out his handgun, aiming it at his suffering sister.
Perhaps death was the only true release.
No more pain.
No more experiments.
He could bury her somewhere quiet—far from this cruel world—so she could find peace and start anew.
In truth, she should have been laid to rest that summer years ago.
Bang—
The gunshot echoed through the blood-soaked room, the lingering smoke blurring his vision—whether from tears or gunpowder, he no longer knew.
