Replacing the Evil Way

Chapter 67: The Butterfly Effect

At 2:30 in the morning, a group of college students with mountaineering backpacks arrived at the quiet Fulong Mountain to explore.

“Captain, it’s only 2:30 now. Aren’t we too early?”

Lu Zhihua waved his hand, saying, “The expedition instructions state that it should be after 3 o’clock. We can start recording after 3 o’clock. I’m a native of Shengzhou City, and I heard that this mansion used to be owned by a wealthy entrepreneur. They left because of hauntings, so let’s go in and see what it’s like inside.”

“Yes, if it’s just an ordinary old house, we can create some… hehe,” a guy with a crew cut smirked.

Faking horror videos was nothing new, and the final price for the expedition could be adjusted based on the employer’s satisfaction. Since the employer had offered a high price this time, what if they couldn’t capture anything and the employer was dissatisfied? That’s why Lu Zhihua and the others had already planned that if there was nothing unusual, they would create some “spooky atmosphere.” They were experienced in such tricks and knew the ropes.

Little did they know, a pair of eyes behind the short bushes were watching them. As they entered the mansion, screams soon echoed, and the crowd rushed out like birds released from a cage. The girls turned pale with fright, shouting, “Someone’s dead! Call the police!”

He Wei stood up, left through a small path, and after descending the mountain, he entered a public telephone booth. He opened the phone book and found the number of a reporter he had interviewed before.

“Is this Reporter Gu?”

“Yes, I’m Gu Meng.”

“There has been a murder at the abandoned mansion on Fulong Mountain.” He Wei lowered his voice as much as possible, changing his tone, “The victim is Cheng Zesheng.”

“…Cheng Zesheng? The famous pianist? If that’s true, it’s explosive news! Who are you? Hello?…”

He Wei had already hung up the phone.

Once Reporter Gu got involved, those small studios that always tried to grab headlines from major media outlets would spring into action. The dormant Fulong Mountain was about to come alive, and He Wei would also arrive at the scene to continue his encounters with Cheng Zesheng.

———

He Wei returned to Lian Jingyuan’s house. Since Cheng Zesheng’s death, he hadn’t slept a wink, and after going through all of this, a deep sense of exhaustion overcame him. He fell into a deep slumber in the bedroom that Lian Jingyuan had prepared for him, sleeping until the sun hung over the western hills.

He woke up to the gentle and high-pitched meowing of a cat. It meowed repeatedly, and a furry bundle nestled on his shoulder. He Wei opened his eyes and met the bright blue eyes of Stephen.

“What’s wrong?” He Wei rubbed Stephen’s head, and Stephen meowed a couple more times before jumping off the bed and wagging its tail in front of an overturned water bowl.

“What a clever cat.” He Wei smiled, refilled the water bowl, and also took out a cat treats from the snack box. Just like before, he opened the cat treat, patted the window sill, and placed the treat there.

Stephen jumped up, his pink tongue licking the treat one bite at a time. After finishing one, he was still not satisfied and meowed softly, becoming even more charming.

He Wei picked him up, petting him gently, and finally, after being shrouded in an atmosphere of death for so long, his heart felt a ray of healing sunshine.

Lian Jingyuan left a note saying that lunch was in the fridge and that he would be attending a school-organized dinner in the evening, so he might return late. He asked He Wei to contact him if there was anything urgent.

He Wei opened the fridge and found three stir-fried dishes and a pot of chicken soup that Lian Jingyuan had prepared before going to work. Lian Jingyuan was naturally talented at cooking, or you could say there was nothing he wasn’t good at. Whether he followed a recipe or improvised, his dishes were always irresistible, possibly even more tempting than those showcased by professionals.

After heating up the dishes, He Wei tasted them. The flavors were mild and refreshing, just the way he liked them. Stephen was sitting at his feet, obviously drawn by the aroma in the air. Its nose twitched as it sniffed the scent, and He Wei couldn’t help but pat its head while soothing it, “Be good, it’s too salty for you; you can’t eat this.”

Stephen, like a clingy little spirit, rubbed against He Wei’s hand, making even the stoniest heart melt. At that moment, He Wei suddenly understood why Lian Jingyuan kept a pet. When you were lonely for too long, having such a companion was indeed comforting.

After finishing the meal, He Wei planned to clean his bloodstained clothes. However, when he checked the balcony, he found that his coat and clothes were already hung up there. The bloodstains had been cleaned, but some faint marks still remained at the edges. He would probably need to take them to a dry cleaner to completely remove them.

He Wei retrieved the clothes from the balcony and folded them neatly. Suddenly, he heard the sound of something breaking in the kitchen. Hurrying over, he found Stephen licking the spilled sauce on the floor. Its round, bright blue eyes met He Wei’s gaze innocently, and it kept licking its lips while staring at him.

“How did you manage this?” He Wei picked up Stephen with its two front paws. Stephen was happily eating, but when lifted, it expressed displeasure. Its hind legs kicked in protest, leaving paw prints stained with sauce on He Wei’s pants.

“…” He Wei sighed and carried Stephen to the bathroom, where he cleaned all four paws. Then he locked it in the cage.

After some time, He Wei opened the cage, and it had been half an hour. He Wei decided to change into a pair of khaki casual pants from Lian Jingyuan’s wardrobe. He tidied up the kitchen, folded the clothes, and let Stephen out to play.

He left a note for Lian Jingyuan, stating that he was going out for a while. Stephen stood by the door, tilting its head curiously. After putting on his shoes, He Wei patted its head and said, “Take care of the house.”

It was already late in the day when He Wei left Huyue Xingchen. He headed to Fusheng Jinlong Garden.

When he and Cheng Zesheng were looking for Cheng Zhenqing everywhere, they had been here once. The outer door had a password and fingerprint lock, which could be opened directly with Cheng Zesheng’s fingerprint. However, the door to the basement had a dial padlock. He tried to enter the password he remembered but couldn’t open it. It seemed that the password hadn’t been changed yet.

Returning this time, He Wei noticed that the outer door was not locked, and was slightly ajar. He pushed the door open and found that it was still an uninhabited, bare room. However, in the basement, there was a high probability of finding Cheng Zhenqing.

He went to the storage room to find the secret door and tried to unlock it with the password he remembered. After three attempts, the door remained locked.

Was the password wrong? Why wasn’t it working?

He Wei furrowed his brow, then left and found a public phone booth near Fusheng Jinlong Garden. He dialed a series of numbers.

“Yang Locksmith, come to Fusheng Jinlong Garden; there’s a big job.”

———

He Wei had prepared a stack of cash in his pocket, waiting patiently for Yang the Ghostly Locksmith to open the lock. Dealing with such a complex dial padlock, Yang was sweating, but He Wei stood by the window, allowing him to work at his own pace without rushing.

Yang, the Ghostly Locksmith, glanced at He Wei and then at the house. It was a bare, uninhabited house, but it had a well-locked basement. It was clear that something unusual was going on. This masked man with a mask couldn’t see his face clearly, but from his voice, Yang judged that he was a young man and was probably involved in some shady business. After all, who would dress like this late at night?

Finally, after Yang’s back was soaked in sweat, the lock finally clicked open. He breathed a sigh of relief, and He Wei handed him a stack of cash along with an additional five hundred as a gesture of gratitude.

The entrance to the basement was dark, with only a cement staircase leading down. As He Wei descended, he could see that there was no one in the basement at the far end. There were few daily necessities, and the safe was still there, but when he opened it, it was empty, and the envelope was not inside.

Could it be that at this point in time, Cheng Zhenqing hadn’t come here to hide?

“I’ve timed it quite accurately. I just came back and ran into you.”

A familiar voice sounded from behind, and He Wei turned around to see Cheng Zhenqing, wearing a cap, walking in, carrying a grocery bag filled with instant noodles, beer, ham sausages, and some pickled dishes that seemed freshly purchased.

“I knew you would come today, so I bought some beer and snacks. How about sitting down and having a chat?”

Cheng Zhenqing had just put the groceries down when he felt a gust of wind, and then his entire body was pressed against the wall. He Wei grabbed his collar, his eyes filled with anger. “Did you kill Cheng Zesheng?!”

Cheng Zhenqing looked innocent. “Officer He, as I told you during the interrogation, I’ve been here from the 13th until today. I haven’t left except to buy some groceries just now.”

He Wei stared into his eyes. Cheng Zhenqing had an excellent psychological disposition, and he was skilled at disguising himself. If he were to lie, He Wei might not be able to tell. But he didn’t release Cheng Zhenqing and continued to question, “Where were you all these days? You clearly knew everything but didn’t want to tell me. If you had appeared earlier, Cheng Zesheng wouldn’t have died!”

Cheng Zhenqing showed no signs of guilt. Instead, he wore a peculiar smile. “Who told you that if I had appeared, he wouldn’t have died?”

“Not only would he have died, but you would have too.”

He Wei was taken aback, and his strength gradually waned. Cheng Zhenqing pushed aside his hand, took out a can of beer from the bag, and handed it to him. “Sit down, let’s chat for a while.”

———

In the rudimentary basement, the only piece of furniture was a low table where they set the pickled dishes. He Wei and Cheng Zhenqing sat on the concrete floor, cushioned by two old newspapers.

“I haven’t been to many places recently, just wandering around where you guys couldn’t find me. I came here on the 13th, and I’ve only been here for two days longer than you.” Cheng Zhenqing pointed upstairs, “And I know the password and have the keys. During the interrogation, I even took the blame for you.”

“…” He Wei sneered, “Should I thank you for that?”

“Oh, don’t mention it. Just a small favor.”

“Why wasn’t the password working?”

“Because that detail has nothing to do with you. Changing it wouldn’t affect you.” Cheng Zhenqing smiled. “So I change the password each time to make it easier for you to get Yang, the Ghostly Locksmith, to unlock it.”

He Wei heard the word “each time” again, but this time he had no doubts. It was clear that Cheng Zhenqing had gone through this entire loop more than once.

Cheng Zhenqing dipped his finger in beer and wrote “13” on the table.

“Thirteen times. I’ve gone through this loop with you guys, back and forth, thirteen times.”

Suddenly, He Wei remembered the coded message Cheng Zhenqing had given during the initial interrogation, the shaking wristwatch. Everyone had thought it was a hint about the time after 12 o’clock, but who could have guessed that it was actually indicating that the loop had repeated 12 times already?

“What time does each loop start for you?” He Wei asked.

“Considering the entire loop, it starts on April 1st and goes until June 16th. But sometimes I come back midway, like when you die, the loop restarts.” Cheng Zhenqing shrugged. “It’s strange; when I come back, it’s like others have lost their memories. But for me, I remember the entire process clearly, time and time again. Every single time, I remember it vividly.”

“The first time Zesheng died, I thought it was the pianist of this world. Although I didn’t have the same deep emotional connection with him as I did with my original brother, I would still be sad and upset if he died. But as it turns out… it was my original brother who had died.”

Cheng Zhenqing smiled and looked at He Wei. “Every time you confront me angrily, asking if I killed my own brother, but if you think about it carefully, how could the murderer possibly be me? I’ve given you many hints before. I’ve died once, it doesn’t matter to me; my only goal is to save my little brother.”

He Wei noticed that Cheng Zhenqing used a different title for the pianist and Cheng Zesheng. He referred to the pianist by name, while he called Cheng Zesheng “my brother.” This detail was not easy to notice, and He Wei had never doubted the identity of the body, so he naturally assumed that Cheng Zhenqing wanted to save the pianist. He had never considered that Cheng Zhenqing wanted to save another world’s Cheng Zesheng.

It was only when He Wei entered this loop that he realized the true nature of the situation, and he suddenly understood the high-information conversations they had had earlier.

He Wei lowered his head. “I must save him.”

Cheng Zhenqing placed his hand on He Wei’s shoulder. “I know. You and he are in a romantic relationship, and he even took a bullet for you. But you shouldn’t blame yourself. Just like when you asked me why I didn’t appear earlier to warn you, now I’m telling you, it’s not that I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t.”

Cheng Zhenqing had been trying to save Cheng Zesheng since the moment he realized the loop. He had tried various methods, and hinting was his first choice. He had actively approached He Wei and Cheng Zesheng, who had returned due to the time loop, but the result was that both of them died in the mansion, and the Möbius loop did not break because he returned to April 14th.

In the second attempt, he tried to only contact Cheng Zesheng, telling him everything before the time loop, and Cheng Zesheng didn’t die in the mansion, but instead, he died earlier in another accident.

In the third attempt, Cheng Zhenqing tried to only contact He Wei. He Wei didn’t tell Cheng Zesheng about it, and they didn’t go to the mansion either. When April 14th arrived, there was no murder in the mansion, but on the 15th, He Wei was killed while on a mission, and the returned He Wei disappeared.

…

Repeated failures led Cheng Zhenqing to gradually discover some ways to navigate through this loop. He realized that he couldn’t use his own power to change the loop because the key point of this loop was He Wei.

Interfering with or modifying his history would undoubtedly lead to more chaotic outcomes. However, as long as He Wei died, the loop would restart from the time of the April 14th murder; but if only Cheng Zesheng died and He Wei survived, the time loop would expand to cover April 1st to June 16th, completing an entire loop.

“It’s like the butterfly effect. If I influence you too much before the loop, neither you nor Zesheng will have a good outcome.”

He Wei fell into silent contemplation for a long time before asking, “What happened next? You must have tried not to change my basic beliefs by just giving me subtle hints. How many times did you try that?”

Cheng Zhenqing pointed out the number—three times.

Starting with the ninth attempt, he tried very subtle hints. These hints seemed to elude the gaze of the Grim Reaper and gradually made He Wei aware that he was caught in this situation. This approach proved to be more effective, as He Wei successfully completed three full loops without incident, and met with him to discuss possible solutions. But unfortunately, the loop remained unsolved, and there was no telling when it would finally break.

“The key point is… on me?” He Wei muttered to himself. “Then what should I do to save him?”

Cheng Zhenqing leaned closer and whispered in his ear, “Do you ever wonder why, even though you’re the protagonist, you can’t retain all your memories of the loop?”

“…Why?” He Wei asked.

Cheng Zhenqing smiled lightly. “Actually, when I say one complete loop, it consists of two parts. The first part is the present, and the second part is after June 16th. Unlike me, your memory can only retain two loops.”

He Wei gradually widened his eyes and grabbed his arm. “Are you saying that when that time comes, I can really go back one more time?”

“That’s right. You have one more chance to save him. But if you fail this time, I don’t know where the current you will go, but the entire loop will start over.”