Chapter 355: A Rude Awakening

“BLECH—!”

Inside the private room’s bathroom, Gu Heng could no longer suppress the violent churning in his stomach. Bracing his hands against the wall, he began to vomit. He threw up everything he had eaten at Champion Scholar Pavilion and all the alcohol he’d drunk since arriving, emptying his stomach completely.

Gu Heng, who had grown up in an era of peace, had never witnessed such a bloody scene.

Splatters, bone fragments, shredded flesh, coagulated blood…

The video he had just seen and the severed limb in the wooden box replayed over and over in Gu Heng’s mind, making him lean against the wall and retch again.

Only when his stomach was completely empty did he slowly straighten up.

He flushed the toilet first, then walked over to the sink.

RUSH…

The cold water in Beichun’s winter was truly bone-chillingly icy.

Gu Heng splashed the cold water on his face. At this moment, his mind was unusually clear.

‘I can’t be complacent anymore…’

‘I have to complete the first-level unlock mission for the Scepter of Momentum as soon as possible.’

At this very moment, Gu Heng truly felt as if he were waking from a dream.

When had he started to get so lazy?

Perhaps it began with that decadent pool party in Zhonghai.

The unlock mission for the first level of the Scepter of Momentum was right there, but with no time limit to constrain him, Gu Heng had gradually grown complacent and lazy.

Tired today, so he’d put off his reading. Something came up tomorrow, so he’d put it off again.

The extravagant pleasures and cloying flattery had, without him realizing it, lured Gu Heng into the cocoon of comfort he had woven for himself.

“Chairman Gu” here, “Young Master Gu” there.

It all made Gu Heng gradually lose his way, his head floating into the clouds.

But just moments ago, the sinister-looking machete in Gao Zhengyang’s hand had not only severed Gao Hailong’s right hand, but it had also slashed through the cocoon of comfort Gu Heng had woven for himself.

Today’s Gao Zhengyang…

Could that be me tomorrow?

He was indeed very rich now, but he lacked the power to match the wealth he controlled.

Take Wang Junjin and Chu Zhengxiong, for example. The former was a renowned super-tycoon on the national Hurun Rich List, while the latter was a local powerhouse in Beichun with influence in both the legal and criminal underworlds.

Why were they so respectful and courteous to Gu Heng?

A large part of the reason stemmed from the mysterious background behind his vast fortune.

A mere eighteen years old, single-handedly controlling billions in assets.

Faced with such a reality, anyone’s imagination would run wild.

But only Gu Heng himself knew that he had absolutely no one backing him.

Fake it until you make it!

Pretend you’re capable, until you actually are!

When he first received the immense wealth from Father Tongzi, Gu Heng had used this sentence to motivate his lost and terrified self. But lately, he’d been caught up in this illusory self-hypnosis, deluding himself into thinking he was truly capable.

‘You’re not strong enough…’

‘Not nearly strong enough!’

Gu Heng stared at his reflection in the mirror, letting the water drip from his cheeks as his gaze gradually hardened with determination.

…

When he walked out of the bathroom, he had already composed himself and returned to his usual demeanor.

Returning to Jiang Ruan’s side, she immediately clung to him, looking completely insecure. After all, if even a man like Gu Heng had reacted that way, how much more so would a delicate woman like Jiang Ruan?

“It’s okay.”

“I’m here.”

Gu Heng patted Jiang Ruan’s head, comforting her softly.

“I want a drink.”

Jiang Ruan said, tilting her cool, elegant little face up at Gu Heng.

“Here…”

“Drink if you want.”

Gu Heng pushed a glass toward Jiang Ruan, then instructed the hostess waiting beside him, “Fill this one to the brim for me.”

“Right away.”

Hearing his order, the girl immediately picked up the bottle and poured the drink.

“Stop groping.”

“Another couple of drinks, then we’re getting ready to leave.”

“I’ll have them go back to the hotel with you. You can grope all you want then.”

Gu Heng patted a flushed Wan Jiakai on the back and raised his glass to him.

“Hehe…”

“Drink up, drink up!”

Wan Jiakai’s eyes lit up at his words.

“You’re hopeless.”

Gu Heng shook his head with a smile. He then clinked glasses with Wan Jiaze, Sun Ye, and the others nearby before finally turning his gaze to Jiang Ruan.

“Big Brother’s buying you a drink~”

Jiang Ruan was imitating the tone of the girls around them. She had no idea that her cool, stunningly beautiful face, paired with such a coquettish tone, created a unique and captivating allure.

“Then how about we link arms for this one?~”

Gu Heng raised an eyebrow, taking the opportunity to make his request.

“Fine, let’s do it!”

Jiang Ruan pursed her pink lips, acting surprisingly bold.

They linked arms, each holding a glass, and Gu Heng downed his entire glass of liquor in one go.

“My, my, Big Brother is quite skilled at this~”

Jiang Ruan’s tone was a little sour. “It seems you do this with girls all the time~”

“I swear.”

“This is really my first time.”

Gu Heng took the napkin a hostess handed him and gently wiped his mouth.

“Really?”

A strange sense of joy blossomed in Jiang Ruan’s heart.

“Mhm~”

Gu Heng nodded, his expression completely frank.

“Then I want to do it again later~”

Jiang Ruan said in a coquettish voice.

“Oh?”

“A greedy one, are we?”

“Can’t you leave a chance for the other sisters?”

Hearing her say that, Gu Heng knew exactly what she was thinking.

“Nope~”

Jiang Ruan had also just downed half a glass. Unlike Gu Heng, she had a low tolerance for alcohol. The liquor was enough to make her fair, radiant face flush a rosy pink, and her voice took on a coquettish tone she rarely revealed.

Seeing Jiang Ruan’s radiant and lovely appearance, the bloody memories in Gu Heng’s mind couldn’t help but fade. The two of them then continued to hang out with Wan Jiakai and the others in the private room for about another hour.