Wicked Reincarnation

It was true that Fourth always had a certain adrenaline rush, a certain longing that made him want to go out, explore the world and do different things.

It was also true that soon after he grew tired of it, he would stay at home and have nothing to do. He was good at using people, he was clever but he knew that the source of his spontaneity was because he lacked that certain something in his life.

The immortal world was huge and had lots to offer, the same went for the mortal world. However, soon they also ran out of things to keep Fourth's interest.

When he came back from being a fisherman, he was on time to witness the K family's murder. He didn't feel anything and he didn't care. It wasn't until he met Min, the Ghost King, that he felt the spark he was missing.

The intense pleasure and joy in his life that none of the activities he did in his life could give him. Min gave him powers just like he gave to the other children of the families who joined his private army.

Then he confided in them about his vision. The great vision that would change both worlds completely.

Fourth had no idea what prompted Min to do so, he couldn't read him and he couldn't use his skills that allowed him to enter the hearts of people on this unfathomable Ghost King.

All he knew was Min showed him a possibility of worlds he would have never imagined. Everyone in the private army agreed to support this vision, while Fourth had no combat abilities he stayed at home, helping Min to gain more information and come up with a plan.

After all, he was the most intelligent and cunning one in the group. Until he debated if Lia really was able to get out of the abyss and appear before the Z family.

He lied to her when he said that Min would also come. He only informed his father and told him not to tell Min. How could Fourth let Min know of this blunder?

So, together with his father, he had to pretend that everything was alright while they secretly capture Lia and throw her back in the abyss. As if nothing has happened.

He had his powers and his father knew the location of the abyss. This was how the plan was supposed to go, but Fourth didn't calculate that Lia would be able to escape the illusions. On top of that, she had unimaginable power. The power that was able to move the dead.

He has heard about this before but for some reason, it didn't come to his mind where and what he heard about it.

He didn't want to disappoint Min, the very person that made his life brighter, yet he figured he couldn't stop Lia. The very thing he could do now was to remain quiet and provoke Lia enough to make her agitated, so she would storm to the palace on her own, be captured and thrown into the abyss again.

Yet, the Lia he heard about was different than the one before him. The first time he talked to her in the room, he thought she was really as naive and stupid as Min and the Elders let on, but now this cold and cruel person, who knew how to torture others and kill, was completely insane.

This wasn't someone who was naive and innocent, who would falter at the smallest obstacle, this was someone who would even dare to go against heaven and hell to quench the urge of vengeful desire in her heart.

All of this made him laugh, and blood sprayed out of his mouth.

This time it was his loss. He had underestimated her too much.

Rumours were always rumours. If one didn't witness the truth of the rumours themselves, then God forbid them forming a perception solely based on the rumours in their minds before even personally testifying it.

"Kill me," Fourth spat as he felt his neck veins popping as they touched the oxygen in the air. He could barely speak and the intense pain of having his skin shed off was unbearable.

"I won't," Lia stopped, "let's meet your father, shall we?"

She commanded the corpses to drag him behind her as she infused a soul piece in Madam Z, "Elder Z is the person I could never forgive."

These words brought hope to Fourth. If he could use this then there was no other choice but for Lia to expose herself and meet her demise. He had to reconsider his previous statement. Naive people would stay naive.

In front of the burning mansion, Lia stood with her corpses and the hurt, blindfolded Fourth laid before her feet. Her face was as deep as the abyss and nothing but violent hatred was portrayed.

The mansion creaked under the flames and the smoke reached the sky to alarm all the people in the capital. A tumult would capture this fleeting dream of safety in the immortal world.

Soon, everyone would receive the news that the Z family has perished and who would be slandered for it?

Lia's mouth curved, Elder Z would know soon how it feels to be tossed in a void full of nothing but despair.

She looked at the corpses and found Third, she took his cloak off and put it around her.

There she stood, in the midst of the bright spectacle, the golden, red brilliance, suffocating enough to take people's breath away. The army of undead behind her showcased the true terror the fall of the Z family brought.

And this visually capturing sight stunned and numbed all muscles in Elder Z's body as he fell to his knees to see everything he worked for crumble before him.

His view fell on Lia and his eyes widened visibly. Veins littered his forehead, his mouth opened and closed in despair and anger, yet nothing he wanted to say came out to contaminate the air.

It was Lia who took a step forward and smiled warmly, "Elder Z, it's been a long time. I'm here to personally thank you for everything."

Just 10 years ago, he was the one in her position, greeting the desperate form of a pitiful girl, sending shivers of death and hatred, of abhorrence and despair into her little heart with the mountain of corpses that covered the ground like wilted flowers, with the soul tearing appearance of her dead loved ones, with the downfall of everything that she had.

Just 10 years ago was the beginning of his rise and just 10 years later, he would face the same ending, the same fate he once brought upon her. Never once did he think that the sacrifice he gladly offered, he gladly tortured would come back and send him to an abyss deeper than the depths of hell could reach.

He saw the mocking glint in her eyes, saw the curved lips, saw the confidence and he knew that this was her beginning, soon she would rise like him and overcome great obstacles to reach new heights never seen before, but he also knew that the path she took was not any different than the one he chose, and inevitably, she would end up like him meeting his karma.

But if he went back in time would he regret what he had done?

"I don't regret," he spat as Lia kicked him in the stomach.

"I will never regret!"

If he could do it for a second time, he would do it all over again. However, he would not make the same mistake of leaving her alive. If he could return to the moment of her family's murder, he would make sure to personally end her life.

"I never asked if you regret it. It's better if you don't," her voice trailed along the sharp edge of the knife that slowly penetrated his abdomen, "it's better this way. Don't regret."

Then the horrifying, painful gliding of the knife ran along his stomach, tearing his skin open, leaving a gaping hole for his intestines to spill out, "If you don't regret, we can play longer. I have suffered for 10 000 years, waiting for you to grovel beneath this world's weight that I once carried and face all of the abuse the immortal world has to offer."

Elder Z grit his teeth confining the desperate screams that wanted to make it past his quivering lips. His whole body violently shook and the sight of his own bloody wound made him almost faint.

Yet he couldn't remove his gaze trailing the knife she held. The knife that caused him to suffer unbearable pain now pierced his intestines that laid astray on the ground.

His eyes couldn't help but follow the intestines dangling on the knife's tip as Lia held it in front of his face. He was barely able to tear his gaze away when she made a surprised sound.

"I shouldn't do that."

If she continued to use the knife he would really die. Lia looked at Elder Z but the latter turned his face away.

"Where are you looking at? My dear corpses? Do you want them to greet you?" Lia stood up before watching her corpses.

"Ah, how rude of me, you should see your family before you die, no? You gave me a great favour, I can only return it."

She called out to the brothers and Madam Z, and one after another one, they staggered towards Lia and Elder Z.

"What- How?" Elder Z couldn't understand. He saw the corpses moving, saw them walking, saw them coming towards him but he couldn't understand.

"Don't forget to take your younger brother with you," Lia casually said as if she was telling the cashier not to forget to bag her items.

Fourth was dragged along until the family reunited.

"What a happy family, no?"

"Lia... you... will regret it," Elder Z huffed out as desperately tried to grab his intestines with trembling hands and put them back in his stomach.

"Regret it? I have such a great teacher in front of me who showed me how to not regret even when his intestines decided to abandon him, so how could I regret, Teacher Z?" Lia crouched down and lightly slapped his cheek.

Asserting dominance this way was really fun. Lia turned to Fourth, "You have a vile hobby."

Fourth, who couldn't see what was happening and only relied on his hearing, was perplexed. Then in a heartbeat, everything happened so fast, giving Lia no time to react.

"Fourth!" Elder Z screamed as he reached towards Fourth and pulled off his blindfold, and while Lia was frozen, Elder Z used the opportunity to roll backwards and crawl away as he left a blood trail.

This all happened within three seconds, yet Lia was too arrogant in her confidence and didn't notice what was going on until it was too late. She immediately shouted, "Put his head down!"

Fourth needed to adjust his view, but before he could look at Lia, his head was smashed on the ground, not stopping his vile and infuriating laugh. Fourth used his strength he managed to save up and wriggled free out of the hold of the corpse.

Then he moved to Lia who wanted to run after Elder Z's gradually disappearing form. His hands grabbed her hair wanting to pull her down with him.

"Damn," Lia cursed and instantly ducked down as she yanked up again and hit Fourth in the chin.

Then she stabbed the knife in his throat. Fourth surprised eyes met hers but then he gave her a last mocking smile as the blood gurgled in his throat and he fell dead backwards.

Lia regretted she didn't slash his eyes as she felt herself fall into the illusion. In the last moment, before her consciousness faded, she couldn't help but raise her arms to fumble in the air trying to grasp Elder Z.

She didn't dare to command her corpses to follow after him as she didn't know for how long she would be stuck in the illusion.

The anger that rose inside of her made her want to explode.

Fourth last thoughts were full of ridicule and hope. He knew Lia could break out of his illusion but he was sure he bought enough time for his father to make his way to the palace and when Lia woke up, she wouldn't miss the opportunity to chase after him. Then inside the palace, Min and the private army would await her.

It didn't matter if Min was disappointed in him, he was dead after all but he could at least give Min a last gift, to return the favour. His last thoughts merged with the words he wanted to say, 'Lia, you're finished'.

When Lia came to her senses again, Elder Z was nowhere to be found. She ordered First to carry her followed by Second and Third to go after Elder Z.

No matter where Elder Z went, she would follow him and painfully tear open his skin and use his bones to stir his own flesh. He could never escape, she would make sure of it.

Lia suddenly remembered the random warning the gatekeeper at the Red Light District gave her.

She was furious, a venomous poison crawled its way up to her head as she cursed these words coming true.

'Your confidence will be your downfall.'