Moonlit Hearts

Chapter 38: Revenge's Shadow

The words hung in the air like a dark promise. Without a moment's hesitation, Wangji struck, swift and precise, sending Su She crashing to the ground in a single, calculated movement. Su She lay motionless, his chest barely rising and falling, and for a fleeting moment, as Wangji studied his still form, he could almost believe the man was already dead. His instincts screamed for a final blow, a decisive end that would silence this threat for good. I should kill him, the thought echoed in his mind, insistent and relentless. It would be so simple. 

But he held back, his fists clenched tight as he forced himself to stay grounded. Not now—there was too much at stake, too many answers he still needed, and Su She was the only link he had left to Odin's twisted designs. Killing him now would solve nothing; it would only sever his chance to unravel every thread of deception Odin had spun. For now, Su She's life hung in the balance, a tool Wangji was reluctantly forced to keep in his arsenal.

Yet as he gazed down at the broken figure before him, an ache gnawed at him, far deeper than anger, the sharp sting of betrayal still fresh and unrelenting. Su She had tainted the image of Wei Ying, used his likeness to deceive, to entangle Wangji in lies so insidious they had nearly poisoned the bond he held sacred. He could feel the weight of it pressing on him, a deep-seated pain bordering on fury, a rage that throbbed just below the surface. But fury would have to wait. This was the time for strategy, not rage; for precision, not vengeance. He would make Su She talk—one way or another.

Wangji drew a measured breath, forcing his rage into a cold, lethal calm. Su She had dared to wear Wei Ying's face, to mimic his voice and mannerisms with such precision that even Wangji had been fooled. He, who should have known Wei Ying better than anyone, had fallen for the deception, mistaking a puppet for his beloved.

For every second of that lie, he vowed silently, his expression an unreadable mask as he studied the man sprawled before him. You will pay.

Wangji's thoughts drifted briefly to Sizhui, whom he had sent back to the safety of Cloud Recesses. But the memory of his son's face—shocked, betrayed, and fearful—hung in his mind, as vivid as a fresh wound. War loomed, and Sizhui was left wondering if he would ever see his father again. It was for him, as much as for Wei Ying, that Wangji would see this deception burned away. For that, he needed clarity—a plan, a path forward. But after months of drinking that cursed tea, his mind was frayed, fragmented. All he could feel was raw anger, pulsing like a live wire within him.

Steeling himself, Wangji crouched beside Su She's unconscious form, binding him with layers of spiritual restraints. Odin would soon discover that his pawn had failed, but Wangji would be ready. He tightened each knot of energy, his resolve hardening, while his mind remained a haze of unyielding wrath.

Hours passed, and Wangji waited, unmoving. At last, Su She began to stir, his eyelids fluttering open before widening in horror.

"You're awake," Wangji said, his voice flat and unyielding. "Good. There's much we need to discuss."

Su She's mouth twisted into a sneer, though a flicker of fear clouded his eyes. "Think you've won, Lan Wangji?" he spat, voice hoarse. "You've only delayed the inevitable. Odin will—"

"Silence." Wangji's voice cut through the air like a blade, freezing Su She in place. "You deceived me once. I allowed you a chance to explain yourself. That ends now. You will tell me everything you know of Odin's plans. Every secret, every lie. You will give me the information I need, Su She, and you will do it willingly."

Su She laughed, though the sound was hollow, a shade of its usual arrogance. "And if I don't?"

Wangji leaned in, his voice dropping to an icy whisper. "Then you will learn what I am capable of—and you will not enjoy it."