The first rays of morning light crept through the thin curtains, casting a soft glow across the empty room, creating a strangely tranquil atmosphere. But within Vạn Thiên Phong, there was no peace. Everything around him seemed to whirl, chaotic and uncontrollable.
He stood before the large mirror, staring at his own reflection. A face hardened by time, cold and detached, yet beneath it was a man full of contradictions. A man whom the world saw only as a villain, a sinner. But was he really the villain? Or was all of this simply part of a game he had never chosen to play?
"Vạn Thiên Phong…" He murmured, the name itself feeling like a curse. All his plans, all his goals, all his hopes seemed to be crumbling into darkness. Since he entered this world, he knew his fate was doomed to be different. But something inside him still longed for change, for the truth behind the chaos.
Stepping out of his room, he walked into the courtyard, where the sunlight gradually poured in. Yet, in this world of brilliance, he felt only cold. Because in this world, he had chosen the solitary path.
"A villain is always isolated," Vạn Thiên Phong thought, but he wasn't afraid. Because he knew the path he walked would never be understood, and he didn't need that understanding.
A soft sound brought him back from his thoughts. Bạch Tiêu Nhiên had appeared at the entrance of the courtyard, her silhouette standing out against the rising sun.
Her eyes met his, calm yet sharp, as if she had always known the weight he carried.
"You've changed, haven't you?" she asked, her voice steady but carrying an unspoken weight.
Vạn Thiên Phong didn't answer immediately. He knew she could see through the mask he wore, knew she understood the storm within him. But he had always kept his emotions locked away, even from her.
"Is it so obvious?" he replied, his tone as cold as ever, but there was a flicker of something deeper behind his eyes.
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên stepped closer, her gaze unwavering. "It's not about what's visible. It's about what's inside. You're no longer just the villain everyone thinks you are. There's more to you, Vạn Thiên Phong. You've begun to realize that, haven't you?"
Her words pierced through the walls he had built around himself, and for a moment, he found himself at a loss for words. Was it really so clear? Had his journey already begun to shift his fate?
Before he could respond, a loud crash interrupted their conversation. The ground beneath them shook as a sudden force erupted in the distance. Vạn Thiên Phong's eyes narrowed as he turned toward the source of the disturbance.
"Looks like we're not alone," he muttered under his breath.
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên's expression hardened, her eyes sharpening as she assessed the situation. "You knew this day would come, didn't you?"
Vạn Thiên Phong didn't answer. He didn't need to. The path ahead was clear now. It wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about something far greater. Something that could change everything.
With a swift movement, he turned to face her, determination flooding his veins. "Get ready, Bạch Tiêu Nhiên. The real game begins now."
The distant rumble of the explosion echoed through the air, shaking the ground beneath them. Vạn Thiên Phong's gaze hardened as he scanned the horizon. The peaceful facade of this world was quickly cracking, and soon, the chaos he'd been waiting for would begin.
"What was that?" Bạch Tiêu Nhiên asked, her eyes narrowed, looking towards the source of the sound. Her voice was laced with curiosity, but there was also an edge of caution in it, as if she already knew what was about to happen.
"Trouble," Vạn Thiên Phong replied flatly, his expression unreadable. "But we both knew this day was coming, didn't we?"
She said nothing, but the look in her eyes spoke volumes. She had always been able to see through his facade, and that unnerved him more than he cared to admit. After all, there were very few people who could truly understand him, and even fewer who dared to stand by his side.
He turned away from her, his mind already racing through his next moves. The battle that was approaching would require more than just strength—it would require cunning, strategy, and the willingness to sacrifice everything. And in that moment, Vạn Thiên Phong knew that nothing would be the same again. He wasn't just a villain in this story anymore. He had become something far more dangerous. A force of nature.
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên stepped forward, closing the gap between them. "We can't avoid it, can we?"
He shook his head, his lips curling into a thin smile. "No. Not anymore."
With a flick of his wrist, the air around him seemed to twist. Shadows swirled, as if bending to his will. The ground beneath his feet cracked and splintered as he summoned the dark energy he had spent so many years mastering. It surged through his body, filling him with power, with purpose. The time for games was over.
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên watched him carefully, her own power pulsing faintly in the air around her. She was no stranger to the darkness, but even she could feel the intensity of the energy Vạn Thiên Phong was now wielding. It was dangerous, unpredictable—yet undeniably powerful.
"You've changed," she said again, her voice softer this time. "But are you sure this is the path you want to walk?"
Vạn Thiên Phong's eyes flickered to hers for a moment. There was a depth to his gaze, an uncertainty that she hadn't seen in him before. For a brief second, he almost seemed... human.
"I don't have a choice," he replied quietly, more to himself than to her.
And then, with a swift movement, he vanished, disappearing into the distance, leaving behind only the faint echo of his words.
---
Bạch Tiêu Nhiên stood still for a moment, her thoughts racing. She knew that whatever Vạn Thiên Phong was about to face, it was going to be something far beyond the realm of ordinary battles. This was no longer about revenge or power—it was about something much darker, something that could change the fate of the entire world.
She sighed, a sense of inevitability settling in her chest. She knew she couldn't let him face this alone, no matter how much he might want it. She had seen the storm brewing inside him for so long, and now it was about to break.
Turning on her heel, Bạch Tiêu Nhiên followed him, her steps light but filled with determination. The game was about to shift, and she had no intention of letting him walk it alone.
The world was about to change, and Vạn Thiên Phong would lead the charge. But this time, he wouldn't be the only one in the fight.
---
The distant city was now visible in the horizon. Vạn Thiên Phong appeared once more, standing atop a high peak that overlooked the sprawling metropolis below. The wind howled around him, but he remained unmoving, his eyes locked on the distant city.
The time had come.
A figure appeared behind him, and he didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Bạch Tiêu Nhiên stood there, her silhouette a stark contrast against the rising sun.
"You're ready," she said simply.
"I have to be," he answered, his voice cold, but underneath it, there was a flicker of something more—something deeper. "The time for hesitation is over."
The figure of his past—the person he once was—was long gone. Now, only the future remained, and it was one he would carve out with his own hands.
And as he stood there, overlooking the city that would be his to claim, he realized that no matter the cost, he would see this through to the end. He would become the villain that the world both feared and revered.
But this time, he would be the one writing his story. Not fate.
"Let's go," he said, his voice filled with an icy determination. And with that, the game began anew.
[End of chapter 21