Qin Shuman Is Dead?

‘So... Qin Shuman's contact is at least a section chief with real power in a classified department?’ At this thought, Qiu Tu's expression turned somewhat strange. He felt he had underestimated the woman. He had originally assumed she was merely a negligible pawn among several competing factions, but who would have thought she actually carried significant weight? As for whether Qin Shuman herself might belong to the Security Bureau, Qiu Tu considered it highly unlikely. After all, unless Qin Shuman was Lin Zuo's superior and had personally arranged the matter, there was no reason for Lin Zuo to step forward as her liaison even if she held the rank of deputy section chief. And so, half an hour later... "Yes, you guessed right. I'm Lin Zuo's superior." Looking at Qin Shuman's stunning face, Qiu Tu was struck speechless. He raised a hand to stop her from continuing, looking utterly conflicted. "Wait a second. Let me sort this out first." With that, he hurriedly reviewed everything that had transpired over the past half hour. Half an hour ago, after concluding their cooperation discussion, Qiu Tu had returned from the Milan Hotel to the Qin residence. Upon reaching the guard corps' quarters, Qiu Tu first inquired about Cao Dabiao's situation. Learning that Cao Dabiao had not yet returned, he did not wait around, heading straight to Qin Shuman to probe her background. Qin Shuman seemed to have been waiting for him as well, so the two quickly hit it off and went to the bar where they had shared drinks the previous night to continue talking. Out of habit when fishing for information, after discussing Lin Zuo's situation with Qin Shuman, Qiu Tu casually tested the waters with feigned nonchalance: "Actually, if you wanted to cooperate with me, there was no need to send your subordinate to approach me. "Is there anything between us that can't be said openly?" Qiu Tu had merely intended to probe her on a whim, but who would have guessed that Qin Shuman would actually admit to it without hesitation? Straining to pull his thoughts back onto a logical track, Qiu Tu studied the beautiful woman before him in the bar's dim lighting, carefully analyzing the possibility of her being Lin Zuo's superior. Yet... no matter how he looked at it, there were far too many holes in the logic. Unable to make any sense of it, he stared at Qin Shuman with a bizarre expression and said, "You aren't messing with me, are you?" Perhaps accustomed to seeing Qiu Tu always looking composed and in control, Qin Shuman burst out laughing at the rare sight of his composure crumbling, rocking back and forth as her generous bosom heaved. Once she caught her breath, her expression turned serious. She sighed and said softly, "Actually, let alone you, even if you went and told Lin Zuo everything right now, he probably wouldn't believe it either." Thoroughly bewildered by Qin Shuman's roundabout talk, Qiu Tu stared at her in confusion. Qin Shuman suddenly asked, "Qiu Tu, do you remember the question I asked you last night: do you believe a person can suddenly turn into someone else?" Qiu Tu keenly caught the hidden implication in her words. His eyes narrowed slightly. "What do you mean? You aren't the Qin Shuman from before?" Qin Shuman nodded. Leaning against the bar counter, she looked at Qiu Tu and said in a low voice, "From your interactions with that little girl Shen Lingshuang these past few days, you should know about Cataclysm-users, right?" Qiu Tu nodded. Qin Shuman took a sip of her drink. "Actually... I'm a Cataclysm-user. "Or rather, I used to be one." Her eyes filled with reminiscence and melancholy. "My original identity was section chief of the Investigation Section in the Military Department's Security Bureau, code-named Rain Butterfly. "My Cataclysm Path is Mystery. And my Cataclysm ability is Control and Possession. "This ability allows me to remotely manipulate possessed targets. Not only can I possess a target's body to communicate telepathically across distances and read their thoughts, but I can also forcibly seize control of their physical movements. "It's an exceptionally powerful ability. "And Qin Shuman—or rather, the original Qin Shuman—was one of the people I possessed. "She was a very kind, very sweet girl. Despite her tragic background, living a brief life meant solely to serve as a plaything for powerful figures, she remained remarkably positive and optimistic. "Perhaps because she was so lonely, even though I was never warm toward her, she always treated me as a friend. She often talked with me, and sometimes she even took the initiative to investigate things on my behalf. "Everything was going fine until you..." At this point, Qin Shuman glanced at Qiu Tu, paused, and added, "Or rather, your predecessor." Qin Shuman continued, "It was love at first sight between her and your predecessor. In just a few short days, they fell head over heels..." Qin Shuman sighed. "I was busy during that period and hadn't possessed her, so I had no idea it was happening. "So when I finally possessed her one day to check in, I found the situation had spiraled completely out of control... "I was truly terrified at the time. Not because I feared losing an intelligence source if something happened to her, but because I knew Yan Chen's temperament. If he discovered their affair, he would never let them live. "So I tried my utmost to dissuade her, urging her to break it off. But she showed a resolve she had never displayed before. "I still remember what she told me that day. "She said, 'Sister Rain Butterfly, I only have five short years to live. Meeting someone I truly love is a miracle. When I die and look back on my life, I don't want to remember only being pinned beneath some fat, bloated man.' "I had no idea how to talk her out of it. I could only watch helplessly as the two of them stepped toward the abyss, stride by stride. "And then... until that day." As Qin Shuman reached this point, she buried her face in her hands, her voice laced with anguish. "That day, after finishing my official duties, I was worried about her and wanted to see how she was doing. "Who could have known that when I activated my ability and possessed her body, I would find her and your predecessor lying naked in bed? Their bodies were still breathing, but their souls were completely shattered. "Frightened out of my wits, I tried to pull back and flee. But a searing, soul-deep agony struck, and I lost consciousness on the spot." Her gaze filled with deep sorrow. "And when I woke up, it was the moment you suddenly forced yourself onto me. "I was terrified. I wanted to fight back, but I couldn't resist at all." She let out a heavy sigh. "Only then did I realize that I had become 'her.' "I had shifted from a third-person possessor to a first-person occupant. What had once been a link I could sever at any time had turned into a permanent possession. "So, without understanding what had happened, I had no choice but to take things one step at a time and disguise myself as her. "Fortunately, I had observed her life frequently in the past and communicated with her often. Combined with the habits lingering in her physical body, no one could tell the difference—except for someone close to her." Her gaze drifted into the distance. "Of course, she had no one close to her. "Except... your predecessor." Listening to Qin Shuman's tale, Qiu Tu's mouth slowly fell open, leaving him stunned for a long, long time.