Joshua opened his eyes to the morning light. The sun was already high in the sky. A gentle breeze lifted the curtains, letting sunlight stream through the gaps, leaving patches of light on the floor that shifted with time. He yawned, catching a glimpse of Alois curled up in the blanket, staring with alert blue eyes like a wary animal. The morning sun cast a faint shadow on his eyelashes.
Both of them were completely naked, facing each other with the passionate marks from last night still visible on their bodies. Joshua, still a bit groggy, kissed Alois on the lips. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” Alois propped up his head and repeated. “Let’s go back to Milantu.”
“Why go back? Isn’t it good here?” They were currently staying at Joshua’s “old home”, sleeping in Joshua’s former bedroom, with a peaceful and tranquil Neo Athens morning outside the window. This life was almost like a fairy tale.
“It’s great here,” Alois said, reaching out to play with Joshua’s hair, twirling the silver strands around his fingers. “But I want to go back to Milantu.”
“Okay,” Joshua said, wrapping his arms around Alois’s waist and pulling him close. “Then let’s go back.”
“Really?”
“Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”
Alois suddenly jumped up, throwing off the blanket. “Then get up! We need to pack!”
“Is it that urgent?”
There was a spaceship departing for Nutalin in the afternoon, stopping by Olympus. Alois planned to transfer to another ship heading for the Empire border and then find a way to contact Milantu near the Binary Flame system. Leo would handle everything, even though he was currently trapped in a chip installed in a communication terminal, only able to use minimal functions—chatting. Because he was so bored, he constantly complained about everything in Neo Athens, from food to the Governor’s new robe. Sometimes Alois had to turn off the communication terminal to escape the chatter, leaving Leo unable to use even the minimal functions. It made him very sad.
In the morning, they went to say goodbye to Lord Giorgione. The old man was puzzled by their hurried departure and urged them to stay longer. Joshua declined his kind offer because Alois was eager to leave.
Mona Lisa, the AI of Neo Athens, personally escorted them to the spaceport, which startled Alois. “To be honest,” he whispered to Joshua, “seeing her smile gives me the creeps. Does turning from 2D to 3D make such a big difference?”
As soon as he said that, Mona Lisa turned back and gave him a slight smile, making Alois shiver and fall silent. The AI could undoubtedly hear their whispers. This was one of the reasons Alois was eager to leave—in Neo Athens, they had no privacy! The AI knew everything!
With an all-knowing AI accompanying them, Alois felt uneasy throughout the journey. As they boarded the ship, he saw Mona Lisa waving a white handkerchief in the farewell crowd, with the Neo Athens governor, Nolin Titian, standing beside her. This made Alois’s anxiety peak. It wasn’t until they were in their cabin and the ship had set sail that he finally relaxed.
“Finally away,” he said, sprawling on the bed. Joshua sat on the edge, playing with his hair.
“You don’t like Neo Athens?”
“I always felt awkward there, like I didn’t belong,” Alois said, pressing Joshua’s hand to his cheek. Joshua’s hand was cool, but his palm was warm. “You don’t belong there either,” he said. “You always looked so worried in Neo Athens.”
“Did I?” Joshua raised an eyebrow. His hand brushed Alois’s cheek, slipping inside his shirt. “Then where do you belong? Milantu?” He unbuttoned the young man’s shirt, caressing the chest still bearing the marks of last night. “Why are you in such a hurry to go back?”
“We need to return Leo’s chip.” Alois narrowed his eyes, enjoying Joshua’s touch. “Shouldn’t we go back? I don’t recall being kicked out of the pirate crew.”
“Joanna is dead,” Joshua said. “The pirate crew survived until now because she led it. No one can replace her. So, after her death, the crew will inevitably…” He didn’t finish his sentence.
Alois turned his back to him. He knew Joshua was realistic and right, but he didn’t want to think about what would happen to the crew after Joanna’s death. No one could replace Joanna—no one could unite the proud and arrogant pirates like she did. Alois didn’t want to see the crew disintegrate and didn’t know how to keep them together.
Unless Joanna came back to life. He thought. But that was impossible. So he preferred to avoid the issue.
Joshua didn’t let him off the hook. “What will you do after returning to Milantu?” he asked softly. “Continue being a pirate? Can the crew still operate? Will the Lady of the Night sail again?”
“Don’t ask me. I don’t know,” Alois mumbled. “I’m not like you, Joshua. If you stop being a pirate, you can still be a great assassin. But I’m different. I have nothing left. I…”
“Except me,” Joshua interrupted him. “You still have me.” He leaned down to kiss Alois’s ear, his hand slipping inside his clothes, moving lower.
“Yes, except you,” Alois smiled.
“If one day, we’re neither pirates nor assassins, what will we do?” Joshua asked. “Have you thought about it?”
“I haven’t thought that far. Is it even possible?”
Joshua continued, “We could leave everything behind and find a place to hide. Neo Venice is a good choice. We could buy a small island, drifting with the ocean currents to any part of the planet. We’d build a house on the island, raise a cat and a dog. On sunny days, we’d fish by the sea. During storms, we’d stay indoors, making love on a soft bed…” He grabbed Alois’s cock, stroking it slowly. “Would you like that life? Would it be too peaceful, not exciting enough?”
Alois suddenly felt tears welling up. He longed for a peaceful life, to spend his days quietly with his beloved, but fate seemed to enjoy tormenting him, making his life turbulent and never peaceful. Could they ever have a day where they left all conflicts behind, forgot all pain and sorrow, and lived peacefully? Could he beg the capricious and cruel God of Fate for such a day?
Joshua, seeing his lack of response, thought he wasn’t interested in the idea. “If you don’t like it, never mind,” the assassin said with a hint of regret. Then he put the idea aside and focused on the present.
In the heat of their passion, he heard Alois murmur, “The cat is Schrödinger. What about the dog? Are you planning to kidnap Pavlov?”
After Prince Annot’s funeral, Major General Darius Bayes invited several colleagues and friends to his home for a small gathering. Everyone knew that he and the Prince had been close friends since childhood and that the Prince’s death was a heavy blow to him. It was understandable that he wanted to ease his sorrow through a gathering with friends. No one objected to this, except that Princess Alveira also attended. A young noblewoman mingling with a group of military men was bound to attract some gossip. However, given that the deceased was the Princess’s brother, and the host was Darius, whom the Princess regarded as a brother, what was so surprising about it?
“No one would find it strange,” Alveira said, sitting by the window, pulling the curtain slightly aside to peek outside. Darius’s friends were entering the mansion gate one after another, being led to the living room by the diligent butler. From her position, Alveira could see each one of them clearly.
Darius stood beside her, introducing his friends. “The one with brown hair is Lieutenant Colonel Radruta, captain of the ‘Princess Nina’. He also holds the hereditary title of Viscount. His brother is a director at the Tower Energy Company, holding 51% of the shares.”
“The one wearing a hat is Major Moriel, captain of the ‘Astonishment’. Although he’s not a noble, his family has been running a luxury goods chain for generations. His cousin is the deputy editor of the ‘Unfallen Star Superlight News’.”
“The slightly overweight one is Lieutenant Colonel Hauser, captain of the ‘Black Lotus’. He was the president of the student council at school, known for his charisma and leadership.”
“The one talking to the butler is Colonel Casper, captain of the ‘Star Iron’. Very reliable and trustworthy.”
As Alveira listened, she nodded, memorizing their appearances and identities. These people would be her first allies when she stepped onto the battlefield. She needed her own power. Without subordinates and allies, she would merely be a puppet Princess, and eventually, a puppet Queen. The rebellion of Duke Winnet was a significant crisis for her but also a rare opportunity. By using the fight against the rebels as an excuse, she could mobilize resources to the fullest and seize power for herself. Once the war was over, she would have enough strength to eliminate the remaining obstacles within the Empire. Even the powerful Chancellor wouldn’t be her match.
As night fell, the butler came in to report that all the guests had arrived. Alveira, with Darius’s gentlemanly assistance, went to the living room and exchanged pleasantries with the young officers. Judging by their enthusiastic reactions, it was clear that they were quite curious about the Empire’s Princess. Among them might be some who aspired to become the Queen’s consort. Alveira thought that marriage could be a powerful weapon if necessary. She didn’t mind marrying someone she didn’t like since the one she loved was already dead, and it didn’t matter whom she married.
Darius introduced his friends to her one by one. Although she already knew their identities, Alveira acted pleasantly surprised to meet each person for the first time, shaking hands with them, asking about their absent family members, or inquiring about their proud achievements. This made her appear polite and considerate while subtly conveying, “I know you well and have been prepared to meet you.”
Some, like Colonel Casper, whom Darius described as “reliable”, raised an eyebrow when Alveira asked about his schoolmate Alois Lagrange, quickly understanding her intent to form alliances. Most only realized why the Princess was at a subject’s home after dinner.
Before dinner began, Alveira led everyone in a prayer for her late brother. “May the merciful Lord receive his soul, resting in Your eternal embrace. May the forgiving Lord pardon his sins and let him enjoy Your kingdom. May the just Lord grant him righteous judgment, not wrongly condemning an innocent nor sparing a guilty one.”
Everyone recited the eulogy, praying to the compassionate Lord. They realized that this wasn’t a prayer but a challenge for vengeance!
Alveira wouldn’t force anyone to ally with her, and these people weren’t yet trustworthy. After dinner, she said to the guests, “The night is still long. Please move to the next room to taste Darius’s fine wine. Of course, if anyone has other plans for the evening, they may leave.” A few hesitated, but no one actually left. Alveira noted their names.
In the adjacent lounge, the butler closed the door, separating the two worlds inside and out. Alveira sat in a central position, with Darius to her left and the others around them.
“I assume you have guessed why I invited you here.”
A murmur swept through the lounge.
“Quite surprising,” said Major Moriel, captain of the ‘Astonishment’. “Does Your Highness intend to avenge the late Prince Annot?”
“Shouldn’t I?”
“But the Prince committed suicide.”
“How bored must he have been to shoot himself in the head on his wedding day? That’s not fun,” Alveira sneered.
Colonel Casper said, “Your Highness, this is very dangerous. You could stay in the palace and wait for us to bring you Duke Winnet’s head.”
“And then? After the Duke’s death, let Chancellor Greenwald take all the power?”
“You are the Empire’s Princess and future Queen.”
“I’m not so sure.” Alveira spread her hands. “Have there not been enough assassinations?” She glanced at Colonel Casper, who lowered his head, mourning his friend, who had been framed and imprisoned.
“Moreover,” she continued, “I cannot coexist peacefully with Chancellor Greenwald, nor do I like his ‘pretty’ granddaughter.”
The crowd laughed. Alveira considered this a good reaction.
“I don’t want to be anyone’s puppet, and I’m sure you don’t either. I need your help.”
Lieutenant Colonel Radruta said, “Not everyone joins the military out of loyalty and passion for the Empire and the Queen. We have our own interests. What can you promise us?”
“What do you want?” Alveira opened her palm and then closed it as if grasping something. “When I, when you, have power, what can’t you get? Don’t you want promotions? Don’t you want to achieve fame and success? If you follow the normal path, you might become generals by the time you’re as old as Admiral Wilusack. Is that what you want? What best reflects a soldier’s value?” She paused. “War.”
The lounge fell silent as people exchanged glances filled with both doubt and excitement, silently weighing the young Princess’s bold words.
“You want to start a war?” Colonel Casper asked.
“War never stops,” Alveira replied. “There’s the war against the Duke now and future wars against the Chancellor. If the opportunity arises, we will fight against the Federation or other enemies. In these wars, you will be the vanguard, gaining far more honor and merit than others, providing more opportunities for advancement. The old, stale men will be driven off the stage, making way for your talents!”
Someone started clapping. Major Moriel said dryly, “Very stirring and tempting. I must admit, I was momentarily swayed. But Your Highness, why should we follow and trust you unconditionally?”
“Is there anyone else worth following and trusting besides me?”
“We could align with the Chancellor and help him establish a puppet regime. The Chancellor has power and influence, manipulating politics for decades with experience. He was playing power games before you were born. Why abandon a strong backer to support a young girl?”
Alveira pointed at him. “Because I am young, and you are young, but the chancellor is old. There is a generation gap between you.” Her subtext was, “If I am a little girl, then in the chancellor’s eyes, you are just a boy. When he doesn’t need you, he can kick you aside. You can’t defend against his schemes, but I won’t do that.”
Major Moriel, with a journalist cousin, understood the Princess’s implicit message, but he still looked unconvinced. “But you don’t have any power of your own. Your status relies entirely on others’ support. How can such a position last?”
“I have you.”
“You don’t even have a fleet that answers only to you.” Major Morier glanced at Darius. “Even Count Bayes’s troops belong to him, not you.”
“I will have one,” Alveira said confidently. “I will have a ship from the Neo Athens shipyard, equipped with an advanced AI. She is stunning, unparalleled, and everyone will bow before her.”
“Where is she now?”
Alveira pursed her lips and then pronounced the unfamiliar but thunderous name. “Milantu.”
Count Darius Bayes raised his head to look up at the towering door before him. It was tightly closed, leaving no gap, as if it were invisibly rejecting him. This was Lantrea, the largest cathedral in the Empire Capital. To show their mourning, the cathedral had extinguished all its lights tonight, leaving only candlelight in the funeral hall.
Prince Annot’s coffin lay just behind this closed door. Darius had been busy on the front lines, fighting against the rebellious Duke’s army, and hadn’t even been able to attend the sorrowful wedding. In a way, he had intentionally kept himself busy because he didn’t want to see Annot linking arms with another woman and getting married under everyone’s blessings. That scene would have been very warm, but unbearably cruel for him.
However, now Darius regretted it. He should have come back sooner, like an ordinary brother or a simple friend, to offer his blessings to Annot. Even if he couldn’t stop him from doing something foolish, at least he could have seen him one last time while he was still alive.
Now it was too late to say anything. Annot had ended his young life with a laser beam while Darius was still light years away. By the time he returned to the capital, he could only see Annot’s body the night before the funeral.
Darius reached out to push the door, but hesitated when his fingertips touched it. Was there anyone behind the door? If there was no one, he would be facing Annot’s body alone. What should he say? Annot couldn’t hear him anymore, so who would he be speaking to? Was the Prince’s soul resting in the embrace of the Lord, or was it still lingering in the mortal world? If it were the latter, would he see Darius, who was late? What expression would he show? Would he open his arms as usual, embracing his brother and friend, or blame him for being too late?
Trembling with fear, Darius pushed open the door. The warm orange candlelight illuminated the hall, which had its seats removed from the aisles to make space for the mourners. Now they were gone, leaving the hall empty, with only the sound of the night wind echoing.
Thousands of candles were lit in the hall, with a sea of flowers in the deepest part. The white flowers made the coffin look like a small boat sailing on a sea of flowers, carrying the person inside to heaven.
A slender figure knelt before the coffin, hands clasped in front of the chest, head bowed, seemingly praying for the deceased. Darius recognized her as Annot’s sister, Alveira. The Princess was dressed in a black mourning dress, her long hair tied up, and covered with a black veil. Because she had her back to Darius, the Count couldn’t see her expression.
A gust of wind blew in through the slightly open door, causing the candle flames to flicker. Alveira, startled, turned to see who had so rudely intruded into the funeral hall on the night of rest before the funeral. When she saw that it was Darius, she was so surprised she was speechless.
Darius silently closed the door and walked towards the coffin under the girl’s gaze, stopping at a spot where he couldn’t see the body inside the coffin.
“Darius?” Alveira asked. “Is that you? Have you returned?”
“Yes, I have returned.”
Alveira’s lips trembled, her blue eyes brimming with tears.
“You came too late… too late…” she said, trying to hold back her tears.
“I’m sorry.”
“What good is apologizing to me!” the Princess suddenly shouted, her voice shaking the nearby candles. “Apologize to Annot! Go! Apologizing to me won’t change anything!”
“I’m sorry.” Darius accepted Alveira’s anger, though he didn’t know why she was angry with him.
“Can I… see Annot?”
Alveira glared at Darius with eyes that seemed to burn through him, then lifted the skirt of her mourning dress, stepped back a few paces, and made way for him.
Darius felt as if his legs were filled with lead; each step was unbearably heavy. The air seemed to stagnate, making it hard for him to breathe.
The coffin was also filled with flowers. Due to the low temperature, the flowers remained as fresh as when they were first picked, just like the person lying in the coffin. Annot lay quietly with his eyes closed, hands folded on his chest, holding a golden eagle-headed scepter. The excellent mortuary makeup and low temperature preservation made him look nothing like a lifeless corpse but like a young man sleeping in a sea of flowers, ready to open his eyes at any moment.
Darius gazed at the prince’s peaceful face, feeling as if a sharp knife had carved out a piece of his heart, causing immense pain and emptiness. The last time he saw Annot, he was still alive, and now they were separated by life and death.
He still had many things left unsaid to Annot, many promises unfulfilled. He remembered the night before he left the comfort of the palace to attend military school. He knelt before Annot and offered a kiss, representing loyalty to the young prince, vowing to become the Empire’s sword, to clear all obstacles, and to kill all enemies for the heir to the throne. In the days that followed, this vow appeared in his dreams every night, and Darius climbed the ladder of power step by step, building his own fleet, gaining his own strength. He knew this power ultimately belonged to Annot, and in times of internal and external troubles, he would use this power to protect his Prince, ensuring he ascended the throne and became the ruler of the galaxy.
But now this vow could never be fulfilled. His Prince had left this world first, going to rule his empire on the other side. Sometimes Darius even ridiculously worried: Would Annot find a loyal subject like him in the other world? Would he find someone who loved him as much?
Alveira walked towards the door. The wind she stirred up disrupted the candle flames. “Darius,” she said, “You loved Annot, didn’t you?”
Darius’s eyes widened slightly. “When did you know?”
“I always knew. I was hiding outside the door, listening when you swore your oath to Annot that night. I was too young then, thinking you were playing some knightly game. Later, when I understood the conflicts of power, I thought it was a secret agreement between you. Only now do I understand…” Alveira walked to the center of the hall. “You loved him, didn’t you?”
Darius looked up at the statue behind the coffin. The Lord gazed at him with merciful eyes.
“Yes,” he answered. “I loved him.” May the Lord forgive this forbidden love, he prayed in his heart. May the Lord forgive me for not fulfilling my vow. Please let me meet Annot after death, to apologize to him face to face and then become his knight again, protecting him forever.
Then he grasped the edge of the coffin and leaned down to kiss the prince’s cold lips.
If this were a beautiful fairy tale, Annot would surely open his eyes and come back to life. But it wasn’t. This was cruel reality.
Darius found himself crying. He hadn’t shed tears since his mother died. The tears fell on the white flowers like dew drops on petals.
“What will you do now?” Alveira’s voice came from a distant place behind him.
“After the funeral, I will return to the front line. First, I must defeat Duke Winnet. Then…” he paused. He had planned to return to the capital after defeating the rebels. By then, Annot would have married the young lady of the Greenwald family, and the Chancellor would support his ascension. Darius could then eliminate the Chancellor’s power in the long political struggle, consolidating Annot’s position. But now the one he served was no longer in this world. What should he do next?
With Annot’s death, Alveira became the first heir to the Empire. Could this young girl take on the heavy responsibility and become queen?
“Darius, does your vow still stand?” the Princess asked.
“What?”
“You once vowed to become the Empire’s sword, to clear all obstacles and kill all enemies for the heir to the throne. Do you still decide that now?” Alveira’s voice was frighteningly calm. “Do you want to avenge Annot?”
Darius looked again at the merciful Lord. Would his vow ever be fulfilled?
“Darius, the Lord took my beloved from me, then took my brother. I have nothing left, only you. Will you help me?”
“What do you want to do?”
“I want to avenge the dead and send those who took their lives to hell. If you are the Empire’s sword, I will be the Empire’s shield. I will guard the throne left to me by my ancestors and brother. I will become the Queen who reigns over the galaxy.”
Darius turned back. The Princess had already reached the door, far away from him. He always thought Alveira was still a little girl, forever young in his memory. When did she become so strong? In the candlelight, her silhouette looked so tall.
“Yes, my vow still stands.”
Alveira pushed open the door and walked into the starlit night.
“…I bought a house on Olympus, then truly became a professional assassin. Later, because a client leaked my whereabouts, I was sent to Hecate… and then I met you.”
Joshua’s narration came to a pause. He lowered his head, looking at the young man sitting on the grass. Alois was also looking at him. The assassin’s black-gold eyes were as calm as an undisturbed lake, but beneath that lay turbulent undercurrents. Although he had vaguely suspected, Alois could never have imagined that Joshua had such a past.
He hugged Joshua. The other’s body was warm, existing tangibly in his embrace amidst the slightly cool evening breeze. He wanted to say something to comfort Joshua. However, at this moment, any words seemed pale and powerless. Could he erase that unbearable past from Joshua’s memory? Could he wipe away the pain Joshua had suffered?
He could do nothing. Just listening to Joshua’s story made Alois’s heart ache faintly. Joshua must have felt a thousand times worse. He couldn’t help but regret how childish he had been in arguing with Joshua before. If only he had met Joshua earlier, before any of this had happened. Then he could have protected Joshua, preventing him from experiencing pain and sorrow.
“Joshua…”
A pair of hands clutched the back of Alois’s shirt tightly, like a drowning man grasping at a life-saving straw. Joshua buried his head in his neck and began to cry again. Alois felt the scorching tears wetting his shoulder, seeping into his clothes, as if they would burn his skin.
“Alois… I’m so glad I met you… So glad…” Joshua sobbed.
Alois gently patted the assassin’s back, like comforting a child. He recalled the many times Joshua had said to him, “Stay with me,” “Don’t leave me.” He used to think it was just the assassin’s stubborn possessiveness. Now he understood it was a desperate plea.
He kissed Joshua’s hair, kissed his ears and tear-streaked cheeks. He kissed Joshua’s lips, tasting the salty bitterness of tears, but also an exceptional sweetness.
“I wish Kester could see what a wonderful lover I’ve found…” Joshua whispered.
He had stopped crying. Perhaps because he had cried, the assassin’s whole outline seemed softer. He leaned against Alois’s chest, gently rubbing. Alois nervously thought, ‘Could Joshua be acting coquettish?’ The idea was so shocking that it made other things seem natural, like the places Joshua touched feeling like they were on fire, the flames quickly converging below and burning hotter.
“Jo… Joshua…” Alois stuttered, pushing him away. “I… um… can we do it here?”
“Why not?” Joshua looked up, grasping the swing’s chains. “Can you do it?”
“…Me?” Alois blinked, afraid he misunderstood Joshua’s hint.
“……” The assassin awkwardly averted his gaze, staring at the grass beside him. “You do it.”
This time, it was Alois’s turn to be at a loss. “Really? Uh… are you okay with it?”
“Yeah.” Joshua nodded, his flushed earlobes particularly noticeable against his fair skin. “I don’t want to live in the shadows forever. If it’s you… If it’s you… I think I can overcome it…”
Alois felt his mouth go dry. This was a scene he had fantasized about for a long time. From the first time he met Joshua, he had wanted to push him down, possess him fiercely, make him his own. At first, this desire was purely driven by lust, but as they got to know each other better, Alois realized that even without a physical relationship, they were already deeply connected—inseparable. He had already claimed Joshua’s heart, and in the assassin’s heart, there was always a most important place for him—just as he had for Joshua.
Alois tried to control his trembling hands as he slowly unbuttoned Joshua’s shirt. Joshua obediently let him do as he pleased, even when his pants were pulled down, exposing his lower body, he didn’t resist at all—almost making Alois think he was having a bold spring dream.
He grasped Joshua’s rising member, slowly stroking it. He thought he must be gentle, making Joshua experience ultimate pleasure. Speaking of which, Joshua really had a sense of adventure, doing this on a swing…
The swing kept swaying, and Alois had to free one hand to support Joshua, while the latter tightly grasped the chains, the veins on his arms bulging, as if enduring great pain.
“Relax, Joshua.” Alois bit his nipple. “It won’t hurt much.”
“You said… it won’t hurt ‘much’? How much will it hurt?” Joshua frowned.
“I’ve been under you so many times, and I’m still fine, aren’t I?”
“Don’t you think this comparison is a bit… Ah!” Joshua suddenly cried out, because Alois lifted one of his legs and inserted a finger inside him. The strange sensation made Joshua tremble all over, like small electric currents dancing under his skin, not painful but bringing indescribable pleasure.
Alois quickly found his sensitive spot, pressing it repeatedly. Joshua bit his lip, trying not to moan, but eventually failed under the skilled assault, letting out a faint hum from his nose.
When the second finger entered, the feeling of fullness was more pronounced. “Slower,” Joshua whispered.
Alois knew he shouldn’t rush at this moment, or Joshua would get hurt. Though he was on the verge of exploding, he patiently continued to stretch him while kissing his sensitive spots, easing his tension.
When Joshua was fully prepared, Alois withdrew his fingers, grasped his own rock-hard cock, and entered Joshua.
The warmth and tightness inside made Alois sigh in satisfaction, almost making him cum instantly. He paused, calming himself and letting Joshua adjust to the intrusion, then began to move slowly.
Joshua tilted his head back, exposing his unguarded neck. The discomfort was more pronounced, but so was the pleasure that followed, doubling the impact on his body. He gripped the swing’s chains tightly and wrapped his legs around Alois’s waist to make the movements easier. This encouraged Alois, who quickened his pace, thrusting into Joshua’s body repeatedly, reaching the deepest parts each time.
Joshua was completely engulfed by the waves of pleasure, and after climaxing, he was too weak to even hold the chains. He slid off the swing, lying on the grass, and Alois embraced his waist, entering him from behind again. The assassin grabbed a blade of grass, tearing off its leaves in the thrusting motion. He smelled the scent of grass, soil, and flowers, mixed with the lustful aroma of the male body. These scents combined into a sweet dream, sweeping away the shadows that had shrouded him for over a decade, allowing him to face the brilliant light shining down from the mountain of purgatory and return to the human world.
Then he was flipped over. Alois kissed his lips, thrusting fast, and soon came.
Both were exhausted, lying in each other’s arms on the grass. The holographic clock above them, like the eternal stars, continued to rotate solemnly. At this moment, Joshua felt a sacred sense, as if their union was witnessed by the gods and history, more unbreakable than any vow.
Joshua held Alois’s hand, facing the young man. “I’m so glad to have met you,” he said. “My Alois is the best lover in the world.”
Alois leaned in to kiss him, then suddenly smiled slyly. “How do you know I’m the best? How can you prove I’m the best?”
Joshua gazed at the stars. “Well… if I had enough time, I’d date everyone in the world once, then I could proudly tell you, you are indeed the best.”
Alois was stunned. He just wanted to tease Joshua but didn’t expect such a serious and flawless answer.
“Don’t you dare see anyone else,” He hugged the assassin tightly, biting his lips in a fit of jealousy.
Joshua laughed from his throat, responding passionately to his kiss.
Time was indeed long—long enough to turn news into stories, stories into history, history into legends, legends into dust, and dust to vanish in the depths of the universe, becoming stardust and fading light. Yet, no matter how long time and space extended, their moments together would remain unchanged, etched in memory through millennia, never fading, as vivid as ever, just like the past.
Joshua will forever remember the scene when the scissors stabbed into Dr. Yulenta’s carotid artery. Blood spurted out like a fountain, splattering the white ceiling, walls, and sheets red. The doctor’s throat quivered, his mouth opening and closing like a stranded fish, so Joshua gave another slash to his throat. This time, the doctor stopped moving completely. Blood foam overflowed from the wound on his throat, like a bottle of overturned dark red sauce.
When the blood stopped spraying everywhere, Joshua dropped the scissors and intended to leave. Something tugged at him, and when he looked down, he realized it was the catheter inserted into his body. He sneered, slowly pulling out the catheter along with the electrodes. Midway through, he misjudged the force and caused himself great pain. But that was okay, Joshua thought, it was a pleasurable pain, granting him freedom.
After pulling out the catheter, he tried stepping on the cold ground. He hadn’t moved for so long that he couldn’t stand up at first. When he finally did, he felt dizzy from anemia for quite a while. Supporting himself against the wall splattered with dirty blood, he slowly walked towards the door. He needed to find his clothes first—he couldn’t run around naked—and then check if his chip was still there. He also had to find the man in black who had hired him to kill. That man was crucial to why he ended up in this situation, and Joshua intended to repay him well.
At the door, Joshua glanced back at the doctor. The body lay twisted on the bed, clothes disheveled, his exposed genitals hanging like a damaged, drooping pipe. The doctor’s pupils were already dilated, and Joshua knew that soon his eyes would become murky. Now, those blood-soaked eyes stared at him motionlessly, silently accusing him of murder. Out of nowhere, Joshua felt a surge of ecstasy, as if his soul was twisted in the dead man’s gaze. He felt supreme joy—the thrill of controlling another’s life, venting his own pain through this violent form of revenge—making him tremble with delight.
Joshua liked the eyes of the dead. When they stared at him, he even experienced a sensation akin to sexual climax.
He didn’t, like those haughty assassins in movies, close the dead man’s eyes and recite a phony eulogy. He would let the dead eyes remain open, witnessing their own demise.
Yulenta’s clinic was larger than he had imagined. It took Joshua quite some effort to find the doctor’s bedroom. Inside, there was a large wardrobe where he found his clothes. The chip was still in the pocket. Besides that, the wardrobe was filled with clothes suitable for boys his size, indicating he wasn’t the first one the doctor had brought to bed.
Joshua used the deceased’s bathroom to wash off the bloodstains before putting on his clothes. Just moving around made that private area ache with pain. He suppressed the urge to vomit and left the clinic through the back door.
The neighborhood where the clinic was located was unfamiliar, probably some distance from where Joshua was familiar. He wandered through the maze-like alleys for quite a while before finding a poorly run store, where he bought some gel food. He hadn’t eaten for so long that his stomach couldn’t digest solid food. There was money in the chip. At least the man in black hadn’t lied about that.
Then he found a secluded corner to sit down and enjoy the hard-earned food. He worried that if the doctor’s body was discovered, the police might trace him. But he doubted if creatures called “police” existed on this planet. In a world filled with thugs, prostitutes, assassins, and pedophile sadists, would anyone truly seek justice?
A shadow fell over him. Joshua looked up to see a man in black standing in front of him, wrapped so tightly he looked like a moving, breathing mass of darkness.
“Kid, long time no see,” the man in black grinned.
Joshua tilted his chin slightly, not surprised by the man’s sudden appearance. “Where’s the rest of the money?”
The man tossed another chip into his hand.
Joshua weighed the chip. “How did you find me?”
“I’ve been keeping an eye on you. Including when Yulenta caught you.”
Joshua stared at him intently. “You knew?”
“Of course. Yulenta’s interests are quite well-known around here.” The man chuckled. “Are you wondering why I didn’t help you?”
Joshua remained silent. The man continued talking to himself, “Isn’t it obvious? If you were played to death by the doctor, the remaining money would be mine.”
Seeing the fury in the boy’s eyes, the man laughed even more triumphantly. “That’s the rule of our world, kid. Being an assassin isn’t easy.”
“You’re an assassin?”
“Used to be. But now I’m retired, working as an assassin broker.” The man pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, but didn’t light it, “You did well, both with Hewitt and Yulenta. Interested in continuing in this line of work?”
“What?”
“Becoming a professional assassin,” the man lit his cigarette with a click of his lighter.
“Is it profitable?”
“Obviously. Profits always come with risks.” With that, the man turned and walked slowly towards the end of the alley. “Ah, my name is Sawyer,” he said without looking back.
Joshua swallowed the last bit of gel food, then stood up and followed the man. “Joshua Planck.” He made up a surname for himself.
“Ah, Planck. I hated him when I was in school.”
“Me too.”
Sawyer, the assassin broker, wasn’t only an excellent teacher but also an outstanding weapon collector. His arsenal ranged from the oldest flintlocks to the most advanced laser guns, from primitive stone daggers to the trendiest high-speed vibrating knives. He taught Joshua the skills and tricks for each weapon, letting him hone his techniques through repeated practice.
Besides that, Joshua didn’t neglect his existing knowledge. Under Sawyer’s arrangement, he interned at a private hospital for a while. When he left, not only had he eliminated his target, but he also obtained an internship certificate. With this, he took the physician license exam on Benjamin that year (it was surprising such a place even had such an exam). Like Old Earth, Benjamin required candidates to be over 16. Joshua lied about his age, though he could hardly remember how old he actually was.
On the day he received his certificate, Sawyer opened a bottle of expensive red wine to celebrate.
“Not bad,” the broker said. “If someone asks why you’re so good at cutting flesh, you have a legitimate reason.”
“Yeah,” Joshua echoed.
They finished the entire bottle. Sawyer was a bit drunk, and Joshua excused himself to get him some sobering medicine. When he returned, he had his favorite gun in hand. Without any explanation, he pointed it at Sawyer’s head and pulled the trigger. When the broker’s lifeless body fell into the pool of blood, his eyes were still wide with disbelief. Joshua bathed for a moment in his lifeless gaze, then found the communication terminal on his body. It contained all of Sawyer’s clients and the assassins he could contact.
Because the broker had helped Joshua a lot, he made a point not to leave the body to rot at home but transported it to the suburbs, dumping it in a ruin. Above the ruins stood a crooked iron plate, looking like a dark tombstone.
“Goodbye, Sawyer. Thank you for everything you did for me. I no longer need you. You can rest here forever.”
Joshua found a small white flower growing next to the broker’s burst head, like the flowers people lay at funerals. This was a perfect grave, he thought.
Then he left the ruins, took the light rail around the city, and went to the spaceport, where he bought a ticket to Olympus.
Joshua often recalled Dr. Yulenta’s question before he died: Can money buy life? The answer was no.
Money couldn’t buy life, but it could take life.
He had killed, his hands stained with blood. He knew that once he embarked on this path, there was no turning back. He walked in darkness, crawling alone in a hell devoid of light. Since no one would bring him justice, he would become his own justice.
The boy Joshua from Old Earth had already died in his memory. The one who survived was Joshua Planck. He had many nicknames: those who admired him called him “The Living Legend of the Galaxy”, others called him “The Dark Blade”, or “The Silver Assassin”. In the most popular version, he was known as “The Mourner”.
Fang Xiu finished speaking and scooped up a pile of Wangzai milk cartons from the pool of blood.
He treated them like hand-grenades, hurling them wildly into the evil toad spirit’s mouth. Struck repeatedly, the spirit grew furious. Its tongue suddenly yanked away from Yan Jing, causing Yan Jing to slam to the ground with a thud, dying on the spot.
“Conceal…” Fang Xiu didn’t even get the word out before everyone present, including Yan Jing’s corpse, was hidden away by Bai Shuangying.
He and his ghost were getting more and more in sync. Satisfied, Fang Xiu ran over to Yan Jing’s body, drew a circle around the corpse, and took Yan Jing’s Five-Emperor Coins in passing.
“Try it while it’s still hot.” He called out to Bai Shuangying, brimming with excitement.
Bai Shuangying grabbed Yan Jing’s still-twitching living soul and carefully rolled it into a circular “cake”, then took a cautious bite.
…It truly was delicious.
Yan Jing’s living soul trembled nonstop, emitting sharp, tiny wails. Bai Shuangying’s appetite only grew, as if that sizzling sound was fresh food straight off the stove.
It was rare for Bai Shuangying to taste such a delectable living soul. Its karma was abundant, and its sins were layered with subtle complexity. He savored each bite for a good while.
“It’s even better than Fourth Master’s,” Bai Shuangying remarked cheerfully.
He tucked the remainder of the ‘soul-cake’ away in his clothing, deciding to savor it later.
“‘Boss Jin’ will taste even better,” Fang Xiu said.
He dragged what was left of the corpse in front of the evil toad spirit. After all, the thing had helped out, so it deserved some sort of reward.
Once the body was in place, Bai Shuangying released the concealment.
However, the evil toad spirit didn’t appreciate the offering. Enraged, it opened its blood-soaked jaws wide, turning them toward Fang Xiu. Then…then it simply stopped.
In the dim light of the alley, one could just make out the red-clad human.
In the darkness behind that person, two pale glints shone. White irises stared coldly, exerting a crushing pressure like a collapsing mountain.
The evil toad spirit’s enormous body quivered, then lowered its head.
A few seconds later, it backed off dejectedly. Its purple-black tongue shot out and snapped back, biting down on Yan Jing’s corpse. Most of the corpse’s head flew off with a crack, clattering into the trash can.
Fang Xiu stifled a laugh. “Now there really is a head in the dumpster, so I guess I wasn’t lying.”
Bai Shuangying patted the struggling ‘soul-cake’ in his arms. “Mm.”
Guan He stood there, stunned.
Before this, he’d thought Fang Xiu was the type to keep a low profile, calm and rational, with normal morals. It was a stark contrast to Jia Xu’s pompous attitude, which made Guan He respect Fang Xiu more.
…Then Fang Xiu went and casually killed someone right in front of him.
Was what Fang Xiu said true?
Was Yan Jing really a drug trafficker? And how was Fang Xiu able to “pass along messages from the dead”? Weren’t they told there were no real practitioners among the sacrifices?
A hundred confused questions swarmed in Guan He’s mind, leaving him rooted to the spot, unable to react at all.
Fang Xiu walked over and patted him on the shoulder. “Classmate Guan He, listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”
“Uh…okay.” Guan He shrank back a bit.
“I work for an official special agency that handles cases the regular police can’t touch,” Fang Xiu said. “I personally don’t have the so-called ‘yin-yang eyes’, so I’m not really a ‘practitioner’. But I do have plenty of professional informants, and I promise you, every person I kill is someone who deserves to die.”
The moment Guan He heard “official agency”, his expression relaxed immediately. “So that’s it! That’s great, really great…”
Fang Xiu gave him a quick wink. “Keep it under wraps, okay?”
“Why not tell everyone else?” Guan He couldn’t understand.
Having an official professional in the team would be the perfect reassurance.
Fang Xiu fell momentarily silent, then said cryptically, “I’ve got my reasons. You’ll understand soon enough.”
Guan He nodded obediently. That made sense… Maybe Fang Ge was undercover or something. He must have his reasons.
Even though Guan He vaguely felt that it seemed a bit too casual to kill people like that—especially for someone working under the government—he didn’t overthink it. After all, it was killing a criminal. Maybe Fang Xiu was just someone who really despised evil.
“So Yan Jing really was a drug dealer?” Guan He asked.
“Yes.”
Guan He bit his lip, and there was a trace of hatred in his eyes. “So Boss Jin and his men are drug dealers too?”
“That’s right. But don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to handle them soon.”
“Tell me now, Bro!”
Fang Xiu shook his head with a smile. “No, your job right now is to rest.”
He picked a small security booth nearby, just big enough for Guan He to curl up and take a nap. He had Bai Shuangying completely conceal Guan He. At last, only Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying remained on the street.
“Let’s go shopping!” Fang Xiu stretched dramatically.
Just then, he noticed something a bit off in Bai Shuangying’s mood. There was a subtle disappointment on the ghost’s face.
Nibbling at the soul-cake, Bai Shuangying asked, “Are you with the government?”
“Oh, that? It’s just a lie to trick Xiao Guan.” Fang Xiu scratched his cheek. “What difference would it make if I were actually from the government?”
Bai Shuangying: “Souls that carry heavy karma are delicious, but those that carry positive merit taste awful. If you devour one, it damages your cultivation.”
Fang Xiu: “……”
No wonder Bai Shuangying had zero interest in the remains of the God of Weishan.
He spoke of “merit” the way one would talk about a shady additive in food.
Right now, Fang Xiu’s ghost was clearly suspicious that “Fang Xiu’s Living Soul” might be tainted with such “merit”.
“How exactly is ‘merit’ determined?” Fang Xiu asked nervously all of a sudden.
Thinking it over, Bai Shuangying used Yan Jing as an example. The scenario “drug dealer gets killed” could play out three ways:
First, Yan Jing killed people and was then killed in self-defense or executed by the law.
This would fall under ‘brought it on himself.’ The killer wouldn’t gain merit and there would be no karmic tie-in either way.
Second, Yan Jing died in a power struggle, an accident, or through revenge.
That motivation had nothing to do with benevolence, so the killer merely incurred a karmic bond and there would be no merit to speak of.
Third, Yan Jing was killed by government officers or heroic vigilantes acting in the name of justice.
This would be a case of ‘upholding Heaven’s law’. The killer not only would bear a karmic bond but would also rack up one piece of positive merit.
“…Heaven’s law is sharper than the E. It looks at both one’s actions and their motivations. Even if the final result is the punishment of evil, only those who act with genuine righteousness can accumulate merit.” Bai Shuangying concluded.
Fang Xiu felt that made a lot of sense. Otherwise, if drug dealers turned on each other and somehow ended up gaining merit, that would be the darkest of ironies.
“A genuine sinner that’s been killing ‘livestock’ for more than a decade. I promise there’s no added ‘merit’.”
Fang Xiu patted his chest in all seriousness. “Of course, I’m a pure plague on society. I’ve been killing since I was a kid.”
Bai Shuangying: “……”
True enough. Judging by how Fang Xiu chopped up Shan Huanzi, he didn’t look like a virtuous sort.
Also, his total disregard for evil spirits was definitely suspicious. Saying he doesn’t have ‘yin yang eyes’ must be a lie. But Fang Xiu clearly didn’t know much about the Underworld, so he probably wasn’t some official Enforcer from the afterlife either.
Right, there are indeed some humans who make money off of this kind of ‘Underworld talent’, so Fang Xiu was likely just a hired assassin. And if people pay money to have the Underworld kill someone, then that target is definitely no angel.
“Let’s go buy that vase.” Bai Shuangying was reassured now. He stuffed his sleeve into Fang Xiu’s hand.
“Ah.” Fang Xiu hesitated. “I still haven’t saved up enough money…”
Bai Shuangying pulled out a big wad of bills. “I picked up a lot too. Let’s pool our money and buy it together.”
Fang Xiu stared in surprise at that stack of cash. He hadn’t noticed when Bai Shuangying managed to collect it. The ghost must have done so quietly but clumsily; the coins included a few arcade tokens, while the paper bills were mixed with similarly colored coupons.
Even so, combined with Fang Xiu’s own stash, they had enough…plus some extra.
Bai Shuangying saw it as a matter of course. “First we got a paper flower, now we should get a vase. We’re friends. It shouldn’t be just you putting in all the effort.”
Fang Xiu gripped the white sleeve in his hand a little tighter.
“You’re right.” He smiled again.
……
A dozen or so minutes later, they were inside a souvenir shop called “Treasures of Huai Zhen.”
After getting the vase, Bai Shuangying didn’t leave immediately. He pulled Fang Xiu over to sit down in the shop.
“Give me the Five-Emperor Coins.” He extended his hand toward Fang Xiu.
Puzzled, Fang Xiu complied.
Bai Shuangying let out a low hum of satisfaction. He carefully undid the red tassel from the Five-Emperor Coins, separating the crimson cord from the coins themselves.
Once the five copper coins lay in his palm, they rapidly sprouted thick layers of verdigris, giving off an intensely ominous yin energy. Then Bai Shuangying restrung them on a red cord, forming a baleful copper-coin longevity lock.
Fang Xiu watched, intrigued. “What’s this?”
Bai Shuangying: “You want to protect that little burden, right? I can tell.”
It took Fang Xiu a second to realize he was talking about Guan He. “He’s young, that’s all. I’m just helping out along the way.”
Honestly, calling Guan He a “burden” wasn’t far off.
His child-ghost only had the ability to “blend in inconspicuously”, which couldn’t hold a candle to Bai Shuangying’s “concealment”.
And Guan He’s own intellect and combat ability were nothing special, putting him dead last in overall strength.
“Give this to his ghost. If that child-ghost wears it, it’ll be able to use the ‘Five-Ghosts Relocation’ technique.”
Bai Shuangying continued, “That way he can do things for you, instead of just wasting your time.”
Five-Ghosts Relocation, essentially “telekinesis”, really did suit the child-ghost’s abilities. In the right situation, it might come in handy.
Taking the copper-coin longevity lock, Fang Xiu casually teased, “What, you don’t like anyone else taking up our alone time?”
Bai Shuangying didn’t hesitate. “Correct.”
Fang Xiu’s joking words got stuck in his throat. His neck reddened a bit from embarrassment.
“Since you like me so much, why not leave the Five-Emperor Coins for me?” After a long moment, he finally managed a sentence.
“That thing is useless for you. Having me is already enough,” Bai Shuangying said with complete self-assurance.
With his exalted status, subduing one or two evil spirits posed no problem at all. Even with the seal he was under, he was still hundreds of times stronger than some ordinary magic weapon.
Fang Xiu fell silent for a while, wiping his face vigorously, and assumed Bai Shuangying was referring to the “concealment” ability.
He quickly changed the subject. “Since you seem to know a lot about magic weapons, can you recognize anything else Boss Jin has?”
Bai Shuangying thought for a moment. “Five-Emperor Coins make one item. He also carries a bagua mirror, but I’d have to see its surface to identify its specific function.”
So there weren’t many magic weapons in total. It suggested Boss Jin’s group were at least partly new to this. Then again, they had definitely survived at least one ritual. Fang Xiu recalled that when he mentioned “Destroy the E to get a reward,” Lao Jin’s show of surprise had looked staged, and at that moment, Mazi and the others instinctively glanced toward Lao Jin’s arm.
It was possible Lao Jin also had some reward from destroying an “E”, but Fang Xiu didn’t yet know what it was.
“How about that golden Buddha he carries?” Fang Xiu asked.
“It’s just a chunk of gold,” Bai Shuangying replied.
……
They wandered around the street together, leisurely taking in the modern toy shop and a small art gallery. Fang Xiu dawdled until around two in the afternoon before returning to the security booth to wake Guan He.
Guan He woke up refreshed, looking full of energy. When he was handed the newly-made copper-coin longevity lock, he brightened even more. “Fang Ge, thank you!”
Young people are straightforward. With Fang Xiu’s “official professional” cover story, Guan He didn’t question where the longevity lock came from. He summoned his child-ghost right away, carefully helping it put on the lock. The child-ghost hugged the lock, giggling happily.
Fang Xiu had a vague feeling Guan He seemed quite good at caring for children.
After briefly explaining Five-Ghosts Relocation, Fang Xiu got straight to business. “With your temperament, there’s no way you can fool a drug dealer like Boss Jin. So from here on, just pretend you’re traumatized. Don’t meet anyone’s gaze or talk to them.”
Guan He already wasn’t much of a talker, so it wouldn’t look odd at all if he kept quiet.
Still, Guan He hesitated. “‘Traumatized’…I’m afraid I won’t be convincing.”
Fang Xiu forced a grim smile. He took a breath and pressed his forearm against a wall studded with gravel, scraping it in such a way that a large patch of skin and flesh was torn open, all blood and raw wounds.
Then he stooped down, picked up a shard of a beer bottle, and walked toward Guan He. The piece was long, almost like a small dagger.
The thick smell of blood made Guan He shiver. “Fang Ge?”
“Next, I’m going to injure your head a bit. It might look pretty bloody, but I know what I’m doing.”
“Remember, we ran into a powerful evil spirit. Yan Jing was killed, and your head got grabbed by it. I only got scrape a bit because I’m good at hiding.”
As Fang Xiu toyed with the broken bottle, its sharp edge left tiny cuts on his hand. He didn’t seem to mind at all.
“…Your head injury will make you slow to respond. Jia Xu won’t send you outside anymore. As long as you stay at the base, Cheng Songyun will protect you.”
He paused. “What do you say, Xiao Guan… Can you do that?”
Guan He bit his lip, then closed his eyes. “Go ahead, Bro.”
……
A bit after three in the afternoon, Fang Xiu supported Guan He, whose head was covered in blood, back to the base. Blood had dried in clots around Guan He’s eyelids, so stiff that it was hard for him to even open his eyes.
Cheng Songyun let out a startled cry, rushing forward in a few quick steps. “What happened? What on earth—?”
The instant Lao Jin noticed Yan Jing hadn’t returned with them, his expression darkened.
But rather than lashing out, he showed measured concern. “Brother Fang, where’s my guy?”
Fang Xiu told his lie in vivid detail. When he got to the dramatic parts, he gestured so wildly that blood splattered onto Lao Jin’s Five-Emperor Coins.
Lao Jin didn’t notice that detail… It wasn’t his fault, as Fang Xiu was quite a sight. His eyes were red-rimmed, and he kept sobbing as he spoke. If tears were needed, he had tears to spare.
The performance was so pure and sincere that Bai Shuangying couldn’t bear to watch. He quietly hid his face behind his sleeve.
Seeing Fang Xiu in such grief, Lao Jin believed about seventy or eighty percent of it. “…Haa, this ritual really is lethal. It’s not your fault, not your fault.”
He said nothing more, though his gaze flickered. No one could guess what was on his mind.
Jia Xu’s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.
At first, he didn’t want to believe it, but Fang Xiu’s crying was too convincing and he got a bit rattled. “Stop weeping for a moment. Did you pay attention while out there? Any new evil spirits?”
“No new ones. They’re even fewer than yesterday,” Fang Xiu rasped.
“Fuck!” Blondie cursed.
“What happened?” Fang Xiu sniffled.
Jia Xu let out a sigh. “While you were gone, we confirmed the first taboo.”
“Basically, day and night are reversed here, and the time limit for the forbidden rule is 11:45 every morning, that is, midday at the third quarter… And the first taboo applies indiscriminately, so even the evil spirits have to kill each other, or else they violate the taboo.”
Then Jia Xu forced a somewhat lighter expression. “But at least that taboo isn’t a lethal one. If they violate it, the evil spirits just get progressively weaker. There’s no sign of outright death.”
He was skirting around the main point; that it applies to everyone, not just evil spirits, and humans killing each other might also fulfill the requirement.
Then again, Fang Xiu didn’t need Jia Xu to tell him. He’d already tested it personally using Yan Jing’s death. Killing people worked all the same.
Even if Fang Xiu didn’t strike the lethal blow himself and just caused Yan Jing’s death, he was still safe from violating the taboo.
When the third quarter of midday arrived, someone would pay with their life.
Although the first taboo wasn’t an instant kill, it forced them to slaughter each other… Everything about its timing and requirements was unsettling.
“I see at least two or three hundred evil spirits still out there. We have time. We can definitely handle this!” Fang Xiu said.
With only two taboos left to clarify and three remaining drug dealers at his disposal, there’d definitely be a way, he thought to himself.
“Midday at the third quarter, midday at the third quarter… People who don’t know might think they’re about to be beheaded at the vegetable market,” Blondie muttered.
While Cheng Songyun was busy treating Guan He’s wounds, she blurted out, “Maybe everyone here really is meant to die.”
When those words fell, an odd hush descended on the room.
For a moment, nobody refuted it.
“…Miss, that’s quite a statement,” Lao Jin said at last, stroking the golden Buddha at his chest, breaking the silence. “I’m just a simple businessman. And look at that kid… What could he possibly have done?”
Guan He shifted slightly, lips pressed tightly together.
Jia Xu immediately raised his voice, “I’m sure it’s just the E itself being irrational. That thing has no brains.”
“Maybe the one who left this obsession behind was some lowlife loser who wanted revenge on the entire world.”
Fang Xiu wiped his reddened eyes. “Uh, let’s not assume the worst in people. We should still hurry and figure out the second taboo…”
But at the mere thought of that horrifying blood-red night, everyone went quiet again.
That taboo obviously spelled extreme danger. Only someone with a death wish would rush to investigate it.
Fang Xiu: “Then let’s skip the second one for now. Figuring out the third one would also be good…”
Still no reaction from anyone, their expressions even gloomier.
Fang Xiu had a point, but they’d already explored for quite a while, and there was not a single hint of a third taboo. Meanwhile, the first taboo was ticking down ominously.
The atmosphere became awkward.
In the end, there was only one path forward, and everyone knew it, yet no one wanted to be the first to say it.
Time was running out. They had to figure out what that blood-red night was.
To investigate properly, using evil spirits alone might not suffice. Someone among them would have to make a sacrifice.
……
Satisfied that Fang Xiu had performed his tearful show to completion, Bai Shuangying finally lowered his sleeve.
He had no interest in hearing the humans’ endless prattle about strategy. Instead, his thoughts drifted outside, focusing in one particular direction…
Earlier, when finding “the most powerful evil spirit nearby” for Fang Xiu, Bai Shuangying already sensed something peculiar about this place.
There was a very unique presence in the streets.
It didn’t feel quite like a ghost but just half a step shy of an Immortal Ghost. It was far, far stronger than that neighborly Old Man Fu from before.
And yet this formidable creature had never shown itself. It merely followed them at a distance, its aura perfectly concealed, as if it were watching a show.
When it noticed Fang Xiu giving a living soul to Bai Shuangying, it even deliberately released a bit of its aura to probe them, but Bai Shuangying had bluffed it away. If not for his seal, he would have apprehended that insolent presence immediately.
“Fang Xiu.”
Bai Shuangying tapped the back of Fang Xiu’s neck, deciding to share his discovery with his human friend.
“…There’s an evil spirit here that’s half a step from becoming an Immortal Ghost. It’s already earned the E’s approval and only needs to build up enough power.”
“Once this round of sacrifices all die, the resulting living souls can foster the birth of a brand-new Immortal Ghost.”
“…What did you say?” Fang Xiu tried hard to keep his voice steady.
“It’s understandable that this ‘E’ is so hard to break.”
Bai Shuangying said evenly, averting his gaze, “I suspect that from the very start, the Underworld had no intention of letting you all win this time.”
“You’re called ‘sacrifices’ for a reason.”
The author has something to say:
I made a little reference to Coconut Tree—sorry, Coconut Tree (… )
Bai Shuangying be like:
Fang Xiu plays the innocent character: “The four foreigners: calm.jpg”
Fang Xiu starts chopping up stuffing on the spot: “The four foreigners: excited.jpg”*
After hearing Fang Xiu’s explanation of “drug dealers”, Bai Shuangying felt rather pleased.
According to Fang Xiu, a murderer at most destroyed a few families; a drug lord, however, would foster countless criminals and traffickers, harming thousands upon thousands of families. People like that obviously amassed heavy karmic debt. Once they died, evil spirits within a hundred-mile radius would all fight to devour their souls.
And now there were four of them available to eat. Indeed, this Mid-Autumn Festival felt delightful.
Still, Bai Shuangying grew more suspicious. “What about you, then? Are you an emperor who ruled a nation, or a general who slaughtered thousands?” How else could Fang Xiu be so sure he was more delicious than those four?
“I’m not some big shot,” Fang Xiu said, glancing casually at both sides of the street. “Think about it: I killed Shan Hunzi, so I got caught up in all his karmic entanglements. People like him pass their accumulated karma on to me, which makes me especially tasty.”
Bai Shuangying found that reasonable. “I see. So you recognized their faces because you specifically hunt people like them.”
Fang Xiu thought for a moment. “Pretty much.”
Bai Shuangying: “So you’re a vigilante, taking vengeance for others.”
Fang Xiu laughed. “I’m not that righteous.”
Bai Shuangying pondered. “Then perhaps you’re an assassin. Someone who takes payment to settle scores.”
This time, Fang Xiu actually burst out laughing. He leaned against Bai Shuangying’s arm, gasping for a moment before replying, “Not exactly. But the way you put it does sound pretty cool.”
Seizing the moment, Bai Shuangying pushed Fang Xiu’s bangs up to his hairline. His gaze swept across Fang Xiu’s features, and he remarked rather impartially, “You are pretty handsome.” …by human standards, at least.
Fang Xiu froze in place, ears turning red around the edges. Then he hastily yanked his bangs back down, as though wanting to hide under those few strands of hair. He mumbled for a while… Yet all that came out of his usually quick tongue was, “It’s…okay.”
Although the seal showed no reaction, Bai Shuangying’s mood improved anyway. Fang Xiu was an assassin with a clear goal, meaning the humans he went after for Bai Shuangying were all carefully selected, premium souls.
…Also, seeing Fang Xiu at a loss for words was quite entertaining.
Bai Shuangying patted down his own long hair, a hint of laughter curving his lips.
Fang Xiu touched his ears, which were burning. He took several deep breaths to settle his pulse. He couldn’t let himself become a King Zhou*. There was still much to do.
*The last king of the Shang dynasty of ancient China. He is usually used as a cautionary tale on what could befall a kingdom if its ruler gave into corruption and moral depravity.
All along the way, he kept an eye on the evil spirits.
When they first went out, the street had been nearly empty, with only a few small evil spirits around. Upon seeing a large group, those evil spirits had kept their distance.
But after five hours, even though it was nearly dawn, the number of evil spirits kept increasing. Tall ones emerged one after another, and countless eyes lit up in the dark alleys at the roadside.
Fang Xiu grabbed Bai Shuangying’s wrist and broke into a quicker pace toward their base. “How come there are more evil spirits? It’s almost daylight. Shouldn’t the yin energy be decreasing?”
Back in Weishan Village, evil spirits generally disliked going out in daylight, except for the weaker ones. Here, though, it was the opposite.
Did city dwellers like to stay up late so much that the city’s evil spirits also reversed their schedule?
“No, the yin energy is growing stronger. Night is falling.” Bai Shuangying let Fang Xiu pull him along. He briefly closed his eyes as though sensing the air.
Fang Xiu halted abruptly. “What?”
Bai Shuangying tilted his head slightly. “That taboo’s time limit isn’t the third quarter of the hour of midnight; it’s the third quarter of the hour of noon.” When they had left earlier, it had actually been midday in the real world, the time when yang energy was at its peak.
…The hour of noon?
…So the clock’s 11:45 was actually 11:45 in the morning, not at night?
Fang Xiu glanced at the full moon in the night sky, feeling a surge of foreboding. It was daytime outside, yet nighttime here. What would happen once it became night in the outside world?
He stopped hanging back, gripped Bai Shuangying more tightly, and sped to catch up with the main group.
The street wasn’t long, so within a few minutes they reached the clothing store again. They had captured twelve small evil spirits this time. Blondie and Mazi tied them up with plastic packaging tape, covered them with boxes, and put them in the back stockroom.
Ten would be stored for later use, with two reserved for testing the taboo.
Fang Xiu glanced at the large glass display window. “There’s an anti-theft shutter over there. Should we pull it down?” He had no idea what the outside would become soon. It was better to be safe.
Jia Xu: “Leave it. We need to see what’s going on out there.”
Fang Xiu raised his voice on purpose. “But it’s scary to look at.”
Lao Jin gave Fang Xiu a quick look, then smiled in agreement. “Let’s pull it down. It’s safer.”
Jia Xu: “……”
He sighed and told Blondie to lower the shutter. With the outside lights cut off, the interior grew darker. Yan Jing brought over two camping lanterns for some illumination.
Fang Xiu acted relieved. Right in front of Lao Jin, he activated his power, producing four roast chickens, two plates of pastries, and a box of almond milk.
Lao Jin’s expression momentarily flickered before he settled on apparent “delight”.
“Incredible. How did you do that?” Lao Jin asked.
“In our first ritual, the ‘E’ happened to be a piece of candy. In my panic, I ate it, and it counted as ‘destroying it.’”
Fang Xiu seemed a little proud as if boasting. “Being the first one to destroy the E earned me a reward. I was worried about going hungry, so I picked this ability.”
Jia Xu looked like he was about to faint. Even Blondie hissed in disbelief. “Bro, why didn’t you say so earlier?”
Fang Xiu gave a naive smile. “Huh? We’re all in this together, no worries, right?”
“Anyway, we’d have found out sooner or later. Better to let them see now so nobody worries about running out of supplies,” Cheng Songyun interjected, smoothing things over.
She had a good idea of Fang Xiu’s motives: if people knew about his ability, Lao Jin’s group would be wary of killing him unless absolutely forced.
Guan He remained silent, looking as though he trusted Fang Xiu’s plan. He was scrawny, still just a kid, so Lao Jin’s men didn’t pay much attention to him. Yan Jing and Dashun, however, kept eyeing Mei Lan.
Mei Lan was already timid, and with four additional men in the room, she wanted nothing more than to disappear. Unfortunately, she couldn’t vanish. Yan Jing gaze was like a slimy tongue that kept trailing over her calves, forcing her to change her sitting position repeatedly.
“Sister, don’t worry.”
Fang Xiu sidled over to Mei Lan, offering her a can. “There are more of us now. We’ll figure something out. Here, you’ve always liked canned foods.”
He spoke like he was talking to a real sister.
Lao Jin shot Yan Jing a warning look, who immediately lowered his eyes.
Under the lantern light, everyone ate their fill. Proteins and sugars revived spirits, and even Lao Jin’s grin gained sincerity.
He asked Jia Xu plainly, “How do you plan to proceed?”
Jia Xu: “It’s better to keep investigating while it’s ‘daytime’. We can send some people out while others watch over these evil spirits. Now that there are more of us, we can take shifts.”
He then gave a sketchy account of his own group’s abilities, repeating the lie Fang Xiu had used at the previous ritual; that they could borrow the powers of fierce ghosts at some cost. He never mentioned that the ghosts could act independently or spell out each person’s exact ability.
Still, Jia Xu was visibly nervous, making it obvious he was hiding things. Lao Jin didn’t call him on it. He just touched the Five-Emperor coins on his belt and said, “Our magic weapon can confuse evil spirits so they follow our orders.”
“The longer the control or the stronger the evil spirit, the weaker the effect. But for simply hiding on the streets, it should be enough.”
Fang Xiu: “Oh wow, that’s such a coincidence! My ability is about hiding too! Look, I can even hide my second shadow.”
Jia Xu: “…”
If Fang Xiu hadn’t delivered that last sentence so smoothly, Jia Xu would have suspected he had been cursed into stupidity.
Lao Jin coaxed him like a child. “Aren’t we lucky? It really is a coincidence.”
Then he half-joked to Jia Xu, “Your team is so versatile. All we have are these Five-Emperor Coins. They’ve recognized their master, so please don’t try to take them.”
Jia Xu responded, “No worries.” They were still far from the point of murder and robbery.
Lao Jin moved the topic along: “As for investigating, we’ll send him.” He pointed to Yan Jing.
Yan Jing lived up to his nickname: he wore gold-rimmed spectacles and had a rather sleazy-looking face*.
*Clarity: His name (眼镜) literally means glasses.
His build was slight, though not lean like Fang Xiu looking more unfit than strong, with a bit of flab around his waist. He hardly seemed ideal for scouting.
Jia Xu subconsciously glanced at the big, burly Mazi. “Huh…?”
Lao Jin: “We only have a few people. Some must stay here to watch the store. It’s not that we don’t trust you, but we have to look out for our own safety.”
“I’ll go investigate!” Fang Xiu volunteered.
His ability was indeed good for that, but going alone would be risky. Jia Xu scanned the team. Blondie needed to remain to keep Mazi in check. Cheng Songyun’s ghost shield was too valuable. Mei Lan’s water ghost demanded sacrifices, which would be a waste of evil spirits… That left only Guan He.
“Fang Xiu, Guan He, you two go with Yan Jing,” Jia Xu said.
Cheng Songyun frowned. “Why make Xiao Guan go? He’s just a kid.”
Jia Xu: “His power is good for reconnaissance.”
“You’re good at recon too, aren’t you? The child isn’t even of age!” Cheng Songyun protested.
Jia Xu’s expression did not change. “We still aren’t sure we’ve got the first taboo figured out. I need to stay here and keep order.”
He excluded himself from the start. If he left, there would be only women and children at the base, except for the brainless Blondie. What kind of situation would that be?
Cheng Songyun: “Then I’ll take his place.”
Jia Xu shook his head. “No. Xiao Guan is young and quick. You’d best stay behind.”
He didn’t mention the ghost shield, but the warning look he gave her made his point.
“Everyone, stop arguing. There’s no need for this, really no need.”
Fang Xiu quickly stepped between the two of them. “Cheng Jie really isn’t at the right age. She should take a good rest. Don’t worry, Cheng Jie, I’ll take good care of Xiao Guan.”
“…Honestly.”
Seeing Fang Xiu step in, Cheng Songyun sulkily returned to her original seat, still fuming with leftover anger.
After watching the quarrel with great interest, Lao Jin finally said slowly, “Letting Brother* Fang go might not be a good idea. We still need him to handle the cooking, you know.”
*Little Brother [Xiao Xiongdi] It’s an informal way to address a younger man by someone who is older.
“That’s okay. My life is incredibly tough. You see, even our boss trusts me.” Fang Xiu grinned and gave a thumbs-up.
Seeing Fang Xiu’s face looking so naïve, Bai Shuangying’s features slowly tensed.
It felt very unnatural, especially since Fang Xiu was putting on quite a convincing act. Bai Shuangying found it more and more uncomfortable. He couldn’t help stepping behind Fang Xiu, letting his fingertips glide across Fang Xiu’s neck.
Mm, his heartbeat really did speed up a bit. It seemed Fang Xiu’s trickery wasn’t convincing enough to fool his own heart.
With a slight movement of Bai Shuangying’s fingertips, Fang Xiu’s heart gave another extra beat.
Finding it interesting, Bai Shuangying kept rubbing his fingertips over the artery in Fang Xiu’s neck.
Finally, Fang Xiu quietly brought his hand behind his back and gave Bai Shuangying’s hair a light but firm tug. Only then did Bai Shuangying stop.
Lao Jin couldn’t see Bai Shuangying. Noticing a bit more flush on Fang Xiu’s face, he simply took it as a young person easily excited.
His attitude toward Fang Xiu was especially friendly. “Be careful out there. Everyone’s counting on you.”
“You got it!” Fang Xiu said cheerfully.
Guan He hadn’t said anything the entire time. He just silently walked up to Fang Xiu, ready to head out. Yan Jing looked a bit bitter, but didn’t dare show any reluctance.
After deciding on the exploration team members, Fang Xiu hurried to Mei Lan’s side, whispering all kinds of instructions for quite some time. Mei Lan seemed to understand his intentions and also acted as though she was on very good terms with him…
Lao Jin’s group placed great value on Fang Xiu’s abilities, so they wouldn’t turn on him too soon. Naturally, they wouldn’t easily touch her, either.
However, plans often fail to keep pace with sudden changes.
Before Fang Xiu could finish chatting, the sky outside turned ominously dark.
The display window had been covered by a roll-down security shutter, and the only view to the outside was through the door. The door was an antique-style thick wooden door with glass taking up only half of it. Before, it had let in some warm, orange-red light.
Now, everything outside was bathed in a blood-red glow.
All color had vanished. Everything was covered with a layer of dark red, as though in a photo darkroom. Through that small window in the door, the street was empty. There were no sign of any evil spirits. All the faceless passersby stood frozen in place, and it seemed the entire scene had been paused.
The temperature plummeted, and the white-noise-like crackling of fireworks abruptly stopped. Outside, everything fell silent except for the sticky drip of some liquid.
Gradually, a deep, heavy breathing echoed from outside, shifting slowly along the street, moving from far to near.
Fang Xiu grabbed some ragged clothes nearby and rushed to cover the window. Catching Lao Jin’s glance, Mazi also grabbed a pile of clothes to help block the glass.
Jia Xu: “W-what… what are you all doing?”
Lao Jin shot him a glance. “Doesn’t matter what’s outside… I’d rather it not see us.”
Over by the window, they blocked it so tightly that not a sliver of light got through. Meanwhile, Yan Jing and Dashun quickly turned off the camping lantern, plunging the interior into darkness.
Soon, heavy breathing was right outside the door, like someone breathing forcefully against one’s neck.
Everyone silently held their breath and dared not move an inch.
No one had expected they’d end up hiding like that for a whole half-day.
The breathing roamed back and forth along the street. Each time it seemed to recede, Lao Jin had Mazi lift a corner of the covering to check if that red glow was still filtering in.
A full twelve hours passed before that bloody hue finally disappeared. Lao Jin had a gold Rolex Daytona. He’d synced it with the clock here, keeping track of the precise time.
That half-day ordeal left everyone mentally exhausted. Aside from Fang Xiu, who snuck in a short nap leaning against Bai Shuangying, no one got any decent rest.
Out on the street, the lively scene had resumed, beautiful fireworks blossomed once again in the night sky, and the moon overhead was still full, in exactly the same position as before.
“That thing isn’t an evil spirit. It’s a taboo.” Bai Shuangying took the initiative to speak.
Fang Xiu scratched Bai Shuangying’s palm, indicating he got the message.
The second taboo had shown its tip of the iceberg. Judging by the display, Fang Xiu was more inclined to think this was a “death taboo”. He wasn’t sure if that was fortunate or unfortunate. Everyone hid so quickly that he hadn’t gotten the chance to learn more details. He’d have to find a chance to toss one of the drug dealers out there to test the waters, Fang Xiu thought.
“The Five-Emperor Coins didn’t react, so that thing’s a taboo.” Unexpectedly, Lao Jin took the initiative to speak about it.
Fang Xiu immediately feigned shock. “Oh my god, I thought it was some especially powerful evil spirit. How could a taboo be so over the top?!”
Lao Jin chuckled. “It’s exactly six o’clock right now, which leaves less than six hours until 11:45. You’ll have to push yourselves a bit and head out again to investigate. Everyone else will catch their breath, then tomorrow you can swap shifts.”
His words sounded warm and considerate, but the gist was that they were to work through their fatigue, in a tone that left no room for objection.
Yan Jing: “Got it, Boss.”
Fang Xiu glanced over at Jia Xu, puffing out his chest. “I think I can still manage. How about you, Xiao Guan?”
Sixteen-year-old Guan He had no problem pulling an all-nighter.
Only then did Jia Xu snap out of it. His lips were pale. What they’d just witnessed was more horrifying than the bizarre temple fair in Weishan Village, and it was a straightforward, brutal kind of terror.
“Fang Xiu, just make sure to leave enough food for everyone. You all be careful out there,” he said, face still ashen.
Fang Xiu obliged. Before heading out, he discreetly took the chance while handing out food to whisper a few words to Cheng Songyun.
“Cheng Jie, the day and night here are off-kilter. That first taboo is linked to midday at 11:45, not midnight. You just say that yesterday’s number of evil spirits was off. It’s best if you guide Jia Xu to that conclusion.”
Cheng Songyun nodded. She grabbed Fang Xiu’s wrist, lowered her voice, and asked, “Kid, are you going to be okay? Don’t push yourself too hard if you’re exhausted.”
Fang Xiu looked at the wrinkles on the back of her hand and lowered his gaze. “I’ll be alright, Cheng Jie. This is really important.”
……
By normal time, it was about six in the morning now, yet the street was still crawling with evil spirits. Even the remains of evil spirits had been devoured. Bloodstains on the ground had been licked clean, so ironically the streets looked tidier than the day before.
They’d already checked the shops on both sides yesterday. Today’s mission was to explore alleys and the rear areas of shops. Those spots were darker, narrower, and might also mean digging around in dumpsters.
Once they’d gone far enough, Yan Jing spat out some nasty curse words under his breath.
Guan He followed closely behind Fang Xiu, instinctively steering clear of Yan Jing. Fang Xiu spotted a small evil spirit on its last breath and immediately signaled Guan He to finish it off.
Guan He whispered, “Fang Ge, you found it first. You go on and finish it…”
Fang Xiu just shook his head with a smile, pressing his index finger to his lips to tell Guan He not to mention it further.
Back on the street, Bai Shuangying perked up considerably.
Earlier, there had been too many people around, so neither he nor Fang Xiu could enjoy strolling about. This time, even though they were still dragging along two third wheels… two was manageable enough for him to ignore.
He was about to pull Fang Xiu away when Yan Jing spoke up. “Hey, Fang, or whatever your name is… You’re supposed to be good at hiding, right? Then you go first.”
His tone was even more condescending than Jia Xu’s, treating Fang Xiu like a lackey.
But Fang Xiu didn’t get angry. He tugged at Bai Shuangying, who looked rather displeased. “It’s fine. I was going to lead anyway. Yan Jing Ge, watch my back for me, okay?”
Bai Shuangying still looked annoyed. “You’re heading to the back of the store?”
Behind the store were a swarm of evil spirits. It was just like going back home for him, and with zero shopping value.
“Bai Shuangying, can you sense where the most dangerous evil spirit around here is?” Fang Xiu quietly asked him.
Bai Shuangying gave him a definite “Mm” in a falling tone. But after a few seconds, that “Mm” changed in pitch, as though in surprise.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s a bit odd… Well, never mind.” Bai Shuangying casually pointed to a certain back alley. “The most dangerous one is in that alley. It’s very slow-moving, so as long as you don’t get close…”
Fang Xiu strode off, heading straight toward it.
Bai Shuangying: “……”
Bai Shuangying frowned slightly. “…What are you doing?”
“Making the most of our time. Once we handle it, we can go for a stroll.” Fang Xiu spoke while walking.
Bai Shuangying: “All right, it’s over there. Hurry up.”
“When we get into the alley, use your concealment on that evil spirit,” Fang Xiu said.
“Why?” Bai Shuangying asked, since he was clueless.
“You’ll know in a moment.”
As Fang Xiu predicted, Yan Jing had absolutely no intention of going into that pitch-black back alley first. Fang Xiu naturally had Guan He “guard the rear” while he went in alone.
A few minutes later, Fang Xiu emerged from the alley looking terrified. “Oh my God, you guys have to come see this! There’s a human head in the trash can!”
Seeing Fang Xiu unharmed, Yan Jing finally moved forward. Sure enough, the dim alley was just a row of garbage cans.
Yan Jing relaxed at last. “Where’s the head? Let me—ah?!”
Fang Xiu kicked Yan Jing square in the back. Then he snatched Guan He by the collar and backed away several meters. Yan Jing stumbled forward five or six steps before barely managing to steady himself.
He spun around in rage. “What the f—”
Before he could finish cursing, his expression froze.
Blood splattered, and a purple-black tongue pierced through his chest, lifting him high in the air. Black smoke seeped into the wound as his face took on a gruesome bluish-purple hue.
Bai Shuangying withdrew his concealment. The formerly empty alley was now filled by an enormous evil spirit that resembled a toad. Its entire head was basically a gigantic mouth lined with dense, razor-sharp teeth.
Yan Jing was impaled on that tongue, blood flowing along the length of it and into the creature’s mouth, which appeared to savor the taste.
“You… piece of sh—” Yan Jing’s body convulsed wildly from the pain.
“Yan Hao, thirty-four years old, from Province Zi. You’ve worked under that drug lord ‘Boss Jin’ for ten years now, and you like using narcotics while hiring prostitutes. In your hallucinations, you beat four prostitutes to death, and it was Boss Jin’s people who cleaned up after you.”
“Later you went even further, doing drugs at home and brutally murdering your girlfriend of eight years, Zhou Ruirui. She didn’t know a thing, and you literally beat her to death with your fists. Boss Jin’s people took care of covering that up for you, too.”
Eyes wide, blood pouring from his mouth, Yan Jing wanted to say it was impossible. Boss Jin’s people had been so thorough that even Zhou Ruirui’s parents believed she was still working out of town. How could this man possibly…
Fang Xiu just smiled.
“I’m saying hello on behalf of Ms. Zhou Ruirui.”
He nodded at the dying Yan Jing. “She also asked me to pass along a message… ‘Yan Hao, you scum-sucking bastard. Go fuck yourself.’”
“She… She’s already… dead…”
“I know.” Fang Xiu said, “I’m just delivering words on behalf of the dead.”
The author has something to say:
Fang Xiu: “Everyone’s just had lunch, so I need to get some lunch for my ghost, too.”
Bai Shuangying got some delicious street snacks to enjoy while shopping √
If the scope of “forfeiting life” included sacrificial offerings, Bai Shuangying thought this ritual was simply perfect.
The “E” had always been rigid; it wouldn’t force people to commit taboos. For example, in order to uphold the taboo “If you offend the Weishan God, you die,” the E would first create a Weishan God to fulfill the prerequisite.
…Therefore, as long as every living thing on this street that could die ended up dead, then until new people arrived, only he and Fang Xiu would remain here.
Because of their Underworld Ghost Contract, they would be regarded as one entity, so there would be no need for them to kill each other.
As long as Fang Xiu couldn’t resolve the E, they could live on this street for a very long time. Whenever new sacrifices or evil spirits appeared, they would just kill them all again. One year, two years, or even ten years could pass like this…until he figured out the anomaly of the seal.
Once the seal was successfully undone, he was going to devour Fang Xiu slowly, savoring every bite. After that, he would descend upon the world, taking thousands more along with Fang Xiu as burial offerings.
Before then, they could go shopping together every day. Fang Xiu would definitely like that.
When Bai Shuangying imagined this, he felt an incomparable sense of satisfaction.
Yet, even though he imagined it, he didn’t intend to deliberately hinder Fang Xiu. If Fang Xiu turned hostile toward him, that would be tedious. Rather than forcing Fang Xiu to comply, he preferred Fang Xiu’s voluntary company in picking out a vase.
Thinking of this, Bai Shuangying walked closer to Fang Xiu and took out the blood-soaked magic weapon whistle.
“Picked this up on the way. It’s yours.” He casually brushed Fang Xiu’s hair aside.
Fang Xiu took the whistle, his messy hair revealing bright, shining eyes. “For me? Really?”
Bai Shuangying nodded. Fang Xiu’s face turned slightly red. He pressed his lips together for quite a while, as if he were trying hard not to smile.
“Is this magic weapon powerful?” Fang Xiu asked again a few seconds later.
Bai Shuangying: “No, it was about to break. But you could feed it to Earth Knocking…or rather, your ‘Meal Card’. It could still summon a headless ghost, barely.”
Fang Xiu paused, then grew serious. “This is actually really useful. Thanks.”
He paused for a moment. “I really liked it.”
With that, Fang Xiu decisively bit his finger and smeared a bit of blood onto the whistle.
Bai Shuangying watched the whistle slip into Fang Xiu’s pocket and took the opportunity to pat Fang Xiu’s head. Unfortunately, his seal still didn’t react at all.
……
Fang Xiu put the blood-smeared whistle into his pocket, ready to top up that so-called “Meal Card” at any time.
When evil spirits became scarce later, he would summon a headless ghost to kill, at least handling the taboo once.
Ever since the first ritual ended, Bai Shuangying’s attitude had grown extremely proactive. Fang Xiu was certain it wasn’t just his imagination.
Even though their situation was very grim, Fang Xiu still felt a bit of untimely happiness.
His companions, on the other hand, had nothing to do with the word “happiness”—
Relying on his physical strength, Blondie had gone out again and captured two injured evil spirits. He tossed them to Jia Xu and Guan He, helping the two of them out of trouble for the moment.
“Everyone, act quickly. It’d be best if we solve this in three days like last time.”
In the next moment, Jia Xu overturned his previous statement. “This taboo is troublesome. If it only demands ‘killing’ and doesn’t restrict it to killing evil spirits, we might end up killing each other.”
Blondie said, “Huh? There are so many evil spirits outside. Everyone kills just one a day. Shouldn’t that be fine?”
Jia Xu said worriedly, “What if the taboo affects the evil spirits too, and their numbers decrease exponentially1?”
Blondie: “Exponential what—planting trees to reduce them1?”
1Clarity: Jia Xu says (指数递减), which means decrease exponentially. Blondie misheard him, or rather not educated enough to recognize the word, thought he said planting trees (植树), instead of exponential (指数), which sounds very similar but they mean entirely different things (the joke).
Even Guan He showed an expression that was hard to describe.
Jia Xu had no choice but to explain the horror of “halving and then halving again”. Once Blondie heard it, he scoffed. “Back in Weishan Village, that taboo didn’t limit evil spirits.”
Jia Xu: “Just because Weishan didn’t impose restrictions doesn’t mean there aren’t any here.”
Blondie thought for a while, then suddenly chuckled. “It doesn’t matter. Even if we all kill each other, I’ll definitely be the last one alive.”
He spoke so casually, as if they were just talking about a game rather than murder.
Fang Xiu interjected with a smiling face, “You want to be the last one alive? Then you have to kill me first. And by that time, you’d better hurry up and settle the E. Otherwise, you’d starve to death here by yourself.”
Blondie: “……”
Blondie: “Jia Ge is right! We must hurry and find the E!”
No one felt like waiting until tomorrow. Everyone agreed to check out all the shops today and catch a few more evil spirits to test the taboo.
Fang Xiu had taken a short nap and felt decent, so he didn’t mind strolling around with Bai Shuangying again.
There weren’t many types of shops on the pedestrian street. Most sold food and groceries, a few sold clothes or expensive items, and some offered products for temporary needs…
For instance, the first small shop next to the arch specialized in phone charging, appliance repair, and rentals. Inside was just one young, faceless clerk with an unlit cigarette, leaning against the storage room door while scrolling through short videos.
On the right side of the entrance hung gaudy phone cases; on the left side stood an offering to Guanyin Bodhisattva. The layout felt quite perfunctory.
Next to it stood a milk tea shop. Three or five customers were lined up at the front, and inside, two faceless girls were busy working, repeatedly making the same cup of milk tea. Opposite the milk tea shop was the “Treasures of Huai Zhen” where Fang Xiu and the others had picked out the vase.
Bai Shuangying watched as the shopkeeper added pearls that resembled insect eggs into the tea, showing faint wariness on his face. Fang Xiu, meanwhile, rummaged in his pocket for a while and took out the nearly useless Ziwei token.
“You mentioned this thing could make evil spirits uncomfortable,” Fang Xiu said as he toyed with the small token.
Bai Shuangying was still watching the pearls. “Yes. It has about the same effect as burning them with a flame.”
Fang Xiu simply raised his hand and pressed the token against the forehead of one of the customers. It was a faceless man who was waiting on his milk tea and pacing about impatiently.
When the token touched the man’s forehead, it was as if it pressed into a swirl of rainbow-colored liquid. Fang Xiu’s hand passed through the man’s head as though clipping through it, but the man didn’t react at all.
Fang Xiu said, “So he isn’t an evil spirit.”
Bai Shuangying made a soft grunt of acknowledgement. “Probably some type of illusion, maybe created by the E.”
Jia Xu had been listening in for some time and immediately spoke up. “It’s very likely that this street is already abandoned, and everything here is just an illusion made by the E.”
“That’s why the food and water are illusions, which is why we can’t eat them!”
Blondie: “Makes sense, makes sense.”
Fang Xiu neither confirmed nor denied it. Bai Shuangying remained uninterested, continuing to watch the pearls plop into the tea, seemingly about to fall behind the group.
Fang Xiu tugged on Bai Shuangying’s sleeve with a smile. “That isn’t anything weird. It’s just tapioca pearls.”
Only then did Bai Shuangying pull his gaze away and walk along with Fang Xiu. “What is tapioca flour?”
Fang Xiu: “It’s a kind of plant-based powder, like glutinous rice flour.”
“So it’s similar to glutinous rice? Would zombies be afraid of it?” Bai Shuangying was still thinking about those legendary zombie movies.
“Uh, well…”
……
It took them a full five hours to finish surveying one side of the street. By around five in the morning, the sky showed no sign of getting brighter, and they hadn’t found any shop that felt off.
Quite a few stores had statues of the God of Wealth, Bodhisattvas, or Guan Gong. These statues looked normal, lacking that unsettling appearance of the Weishan God.
When business was good, the faceless staff remained busy. If there were no customers, the staff busied themselves with their phones. Such was the plain routine of modern folks.
Aside from having no faces, the diners outside behaved no differently from ordinary people in daily life. There were no altercations on the street, let alone any bloodshed.
From start to finish, they only captured a few injured evil spirits and found not a single clue regarding the E.
Blondie said, “This place is so damn normal. What are we looking for anyway!”
“It’s faster to find clues from the taboo. There’s only one taboo so far, so it’s normal to have no leads,” Jia Xu remarked, feigning expertise. “The problem is that no one knows when the second taboo will emerge.”
Guan He bared his teeth and couldn’t resist muttering, “Would it kill you not to spew nonsense?”
Luckily, he kept his voice so low that Jia Xu didn’t hear him.
Behind him, Fang Xiu observed the surroundings in a relaxed manner. Jia Xu’s chatter went in one ear and out the other. Fang Xiu only occasionally glanced at Bai Shuangying, explaining some modern gadgets to him.
This time, Fang Xiu took extra care regarding the ground. Whenever he found money scattered among the battle debris, he picked it up cautiously, saving up for that white porcelain vase.
Even if it was only a temporary illusion, sincerity was still sincerity.
Fireworks continued to bloom across the night sky, crackling relentlessly, as though they would last until the end of time.
……
When the group moved on to the other side of the street, they finally had a breakthrough.
They discovered another group of survivors in an accessories store.
That group had five people left: four men and one woman. The woman lay motionless in a corner with her long hair covering her face. The four men didn’t look much better; they were all pale, with that peculiar restlessness born of hunger.
They wore five copper coins with red tassels around their waists that were neat and uniform; most likely Underworld products again.
Jia Xu lowered his voice and said, “Don’t alert them before we figure out the taboo. Let’s just quietly—”
“Bai Shuangying, hide yourself completely,” Fang Xiu whispered. Then the Kan trigram on his left arm flashed, and he retrieved two canned goods from a beer glass. “Hey, are you all okay? We have food here!”
He said it loudly enough that even a deaf person could hear.
Jia Xu: “?”
Cheng Songyun also glanced at Fang Xiu in surprise.
With a smile, Fang Xiu stepped forward holding the cans. “We brought these from outside. They’ll fill you up.”
The four men exchanged looks, or more precisely, three of them turned to look at one man. He was about forty, somewhat overweight, with a kind face. Besides the Five-Emperor coins at his waist, he also wore a golden Buddha around his neck.
He thought for less than half a second before beaming. “Thank you, young man.”
He gestured to a robust fellow with a face full of acne scars, who walked over and took the two cans of yellow-peach slices.
Jia Xu coughed twice, hinting at Fang Xiu to stop talking.
“A lot of people died outside. This ritual was really odd, so we should work together,” Fang Xiu continued enthusiastically, ignoring Jia Xu’s signal. “Sir, how should I address you?”
“Just call me Lao Jin. Which round is this for you?” he asked.
Fang Xiu: “Our second time. What about yours?”
“About the same,” Lao Jin said with a smile. “Interested in working together?”
Jia Xu coughed wildly, on the verge of yanking Fang Xiu’s ear and yelling “no.”
“That’s up to our boss.” Fang Xiu grabbed Jia Xu in one swift motion. “This is our Boss Jia. He’s a top performer, extremely smart.”
Lao Jin turned to look at Jia Xu, who immediately showed a standard business smile. “Hello, hello.”
Lao Jin raised an eyebrow. “You’re aware of the first taboo, right? Before 11:45 every day, each person has to kill one evil spirit. Why don’t we capture some weaker ones, keep them penned up, and kill them over time? That way, we can at least buy ourselves a few days to focus on finding the E.”
Jia Xu let out a forced laugh and didn’t answer right away.
Lao Jin, seeing this, just smiled again as if it was no surprise. “Ever hear the saying ‘Money can make even ghosts turn the mill*’? Our magic weapon can hypnotize evil spirits. Work with us, and you won’t lose out…”
*Idiom referring to if one has enough wealth, they can make someone do anything for them (AKA money makes the world go round).
With that, he gave Jia Xu a meaningful look.
Regardless of whether Jia Xu got the hint, Fang Xiu understood Lao Jin’s subtext. People had to eat, and if Jia Xu didn’t agree, they would find “other methods” to take their supplies.
“Work together? I think it sounds good,” Blondie said.
“Me too. It’s great,” Fang Xiu echoed from where he stood, the two of them acting as if their combined IQ barely broke triple digits.
Jia Xu whirled around, seemingly wanting to glare at them. After turning back, he spoke politely again. “Ah, cooperation…sure, cooperation… By the way, who are these gentlemen?”
“This is Mazi, Dashun, and Yan Jing. They’re my employees,” Lao Jin said gently, pointing to the three men.
Jia Xu looked at the woman for a moment. Seeing no reaction, he didn’t ask further.
After some discussion, everyone decided to follow them back to their base. That clothing store could house ten people and had a large storage area suitable for locking away a few evil spirits.
Before leaving, Jia Xu glared hard at Fang Xiu, but Fang Xiu pretended not to notice.
Cheng Songyun whispered, “Xiao Fang, that girl…”
“I know, Cheng Jie,” Fang Xiu whispered back. “She was beaten to death. Judging by the state of her body, she hasn’t been dead long.”
Her neck had been twisted, and there were bruises on her arms and legs, yet her body was intact, making it clear it wasn’t done by an evil spirit. Moreover, from the condition of those four men… They had been here a while, even tidying up a place to spend the night. They had definitely been present when she died.
“She was probably their reserve food, too bad the canned goods looked tastier than human flesh,” Fang Xiu added casually.
Cheng Songyun pursed her lips, at a loss for words.
Fang Xiu knew what she wanted to ask. “We need these people. We still don’t know if that earlier taboo was really a death taboo, or whether ‘killing people’ counted. We can’t test that on our own people.”
“I understand,” Cheng Songyun whispered. “But what if they weren’t the ones who killed her…”
“Trust me, they definitely were.”
Fang Xiu walked at the back, closing the jewelry shop door slowly. His back was turned to Cheng Songyun, so she couldn’t see his expression. Hearing how certain Fang Xiu sounded, Cheng Songyun chose not to pursue it further. Bai Shuangying, however, grew curious, hovering around Fang Xiu.
“Why were you so certain?” he asked.
Fang Xiu checked the surroundings, then leaned in to whisper, “Because I happened to recognize all four of their faces.”
“Bai Shuangying, do you know what ‘drug dealer’ means?”
The author has something to say:
Happy National Day, everyone! Have a great holiday!
Fang Xiu be like: “Time to hunt.”
He’s baiting them, baiting them, preparing ultra-delicious living-soul mooncakes for his ghost.
Anyway, there’s no way drug dealers are gonna make it out alive in my stories. Anyone in that trade is just a beast.
Kinky Thoughts:
Bai Shuangying is about to discover the world of boba.
Joshua had been smelling the strong mixture of disinfectant and iodine until he struggled to open his eyes and found himself lying on a hospital bed. The room was entirely white—white ceiling, white walls, white sheets, and a white-clad self. Layers of bandages were wrapped around his body, and an IV was attached to his hand, though he no longer felt any pain, likely due to the analgesics.
He watched the fluid level in the IV bottle drop bit by bit until it was empty. The door to the room creaked open as if precisely timed, and a man in a white coat entered, pushing a trolley.
“Good day,” the man said in a deep voice. He looked about forty years old, maybe younger, maybe older; Joshua found it hard to discern the age of people in this era.
“Good day,” he replied hoarsely.
“My name is Yulinta. And you are?”
“Joshua.”
“I heard you killed Hewitt?” Yulinta skillfully replaced the IV bottle and then tapped on a series of complex machines nearby, obtaining Joshua’s current physical condition data.
“Yes.” Joshua curiously observed his every move. This was his first time encountering medical equipment from this era, wondering how it compared to his own. “Are you a doctor?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Yulinta shrugged with a smile. He took a series of bottles and jars from the trolley and began to change Joshua’s bandages and apply medication. “And, coincidentally, the only doctor in this area. This is my clinic.”
“No wonder they’re so afraid of you.” Joshua could barely move and had to let Yulinta do as he pleased. The doctor’s movements were gentle, sometimes unexpectedly so. His hands lingered on Joshua’s private areas, making the young man feel uneasy.
‘I must be overthinking it,’ he thought. ‘The doctor is treating me. Touching is… normal.’
After finishing with the bandages, Yulinta gently stroked Joshua’s forehead, tracing from his brow to his nose, sliding over his lips, and lifting his chin to carefully examine his delicate face. “You’re a beautiful child.” The doctor breathed heavily. “I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful than you.”
Joshua’s heart pounded with fear, a sensation even killing had never induced. He had heard that some people had peculiar tastes, preferring young boys over voluptuous women. Could he have such bad luck to encounter one?
“Dr. Yulinta…?”
The man’s ambiguous caress stopped abruptly. He withdrew his hand, pushing the trolley away with a cold expression. Joshua sighed in relief. The doctor’s touch seemed to linger on his skin. He wanted to take a bath, wash away this strange feeling, but he couldn’t move. He thought, ‘I need to get better quickly so I can leave this place and go into space.’
When Dr. Yulinta came to change his bandages again, Joshua realized how wrong he was. After removing the bandages, the doctor didn’t immediately apply medication. Instead, his hands roved over Joshua’s skin, not just his cheeks but from his scarred chest to his slender waist and finally to that private area between his legs, thoroughly “examining” every part.
“You’re a good boy,” the doctor murmured. “Obey me. I’ll make you feel good.”
Joshua couldn’t resist. In this private clinic belonging to Dr. Yulinta, even if he screamed, no one would come to his aid. He had never experienced such treatment. His legs were forcibly spread, exposing his private parts to the doctor’s scrutinizing gaze. With tears in his eyes, he whimpered, “Doctor, please don’t…”
“Why not?” Yulinta applied some cold liquid to his rear, and a gloved hand carefully and precisely entered his body, eliciting a whimper from Joshua at the strange sensation.
“I saved your life, didn’t I?” The doctor’s voice was laced with lust. “Shouldn’t you repay me?”
“I… I’ll pay you…” He still had a chip with a thousand standard credits. Where was the chip now? In the pocket of his clothes. And the clothes? Where had the doctor put them?
“Can money buy life?” The doctor gasped. “You can only repay me with your body, right?”
Joshua wanted to answer “No”, but what came out was a miserable scream. The doctor forced his thick penis in and penetrated his body without hesitation.
Joshua felt that he was torn in half. His lower body was tortured repeatedly, and the pain filled his body and brain along the nerves. He couldn’t think of anything, couldn’t remember anything, and the only thought left was, so painful, so painful, so painful. In the end, he couldn’t even scream, and could only stare blankly at the ceiling. It was pale and empty, just like him.
After venting, the doctor regained his calm and composed appearance. He put on his pants, bandaged Joshua, caressed his cheek and said, “You’re a good boy. I like obedient children like you.”
Joshua didn’t answer. He didn’t know how to answer.
What happened next was a nightmare that would accompany Joshua forever and couldn’t be shaken off. Every day when he fell asleep, he prayed to God to let him sleep like this and never wake up, or to find himself still on the Boccaccio after waking up, and never landed on the planet called Benjamin. However, God didn’t answer his prayer.
Dr. Yulinta continued to violate him, about once every three days when his injuries hadn’t healed, once every two days after his injuries healed a little, and even every day to satisfy his lust on him. Sometimes Joshua’s lower body was really injured, and he couldn’t bear it, so he forced the boy to give him oral sex, stuffed his penis that stood up from the thick hair into the boy’s mouth, and forced him to swallow the smelly liquid after finishing.
After Joshua recovered, Yulinta was afraid that he would resist, so he tied him to the bed. But the doctor soon found that there was no fun in this way, because the boy always rejected him silently with a stiff posture. So he thought of a new way to inject Joshua with muscle relaxants, so that he didn’t have to tie him up, and he could let the boy do whatever he wanted, which meant that Dr. Yulinta could play more tricks.
Because Joshua had been lying in bed and couldn’t even defecate and urinate on his own, the doctor inserted a catheter into him. This special catheter was connected to an electrode and inserted deep into the boy’s tender urethra. When Joshua made him unhappy (such as trying to bite him during a kiss), the doctor would turn on the electrode and let the current flow into the boy’s body from the most vulnerable part of the human body, making him scream in pain and cry for mercy. Every time he did this, Yulinta was extremely happy. If he hadn’t been concerned about Joshua’s body, he would have made the music composed by this scream a part of his daily life.
After this inhumane torture lasted for a while, Joshua’s body gradually developed drug resistance, so Dr. Yulinta changed to another drug. This time, when the drug was injected into the blood vessels, Joshua didn’t feel weak as usual, on the contrary, he felt great. When the doctor violated him, he tried to move his fingers and found that he could control his body.
Dr. Yulinta was immersed in the joy of abusing others and didn’t notice this at all. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Joshua’s brain worked rapidly, as if his spirit had been separated from his scarred body. He guessed that he had a certain resistance to the new medicine. Perhaps the medicine was designed for the physique of modern people, and Joshua himself was “an ancient man from two thousand years ago”, and his physique was very different from that of modern people, so the medicine had no effect on him.
Regardless of the reason, the result was the same. Joshua was no longer a slave to the medicine. He had regained his strength!
He turned his head and saw a set of knives of different sizes on the cart pushed by the doctor. Sometimes Yulinta would use them to cut Joshua’s bandages, and sometimes he would use them to directly cut the boy’s body. Now, those knives were going to turn against their master.
When the doctor ejaculated in him with satisfaction and immersed in the pleasure of orgasm, Joshua suddenly stood up, grabbed the scissors closest to him, and stabbed the doctor’s neck!
The man looked suspicious, but in this place, who wasn’t? Without thinking, Joshua responded, “Yes.” He regretted it a moment later. He should have asked how the money would be made before agreeing.
The man’s hand, clad in a black glove, emerged from his pocket, pinching a tiny bottle filled with a transparent liquid. Against the backdrop of the dim sky and the filthy alley, the bottle shimmered like a crystal.
“I want you to kill someone for me,” the man said, tilting his chin up. “There’s a guy named Hewitt with blue hair and three earrings in his ear. He often eats at this restaurant.”
Joshua thought for a moment. Indeed, there was such a person—the boss of this block. “You want me to poison him?” the boy asked.
The man grinned, showing his stark white teeth. “Smart kid,” he said, placing the bottle in Joshua’s palm. The bottle was ice-cold, yet Joshua felt as if there were flames burning inside it.
“Just kill him. That’s all.”
“What about the money?” Joshua asked. “How much will you give me? How will you give it?”
The man stretched out three fingers. “Three thousand standard coins. I’ll give you a thousand now, the rest after the job is done. If Hewitt is dead, I’ll know, and then I’ll come to find you.”
Three thousand standard coins wasn’t much by normal standards, but it was enough to buy a life. For Joshua, who had nothing, it was a fortune that could solve urgent problems. He nodded, agreeing to the deal. The man smiled ominously again and pulled an envelope from his pocket, tossing it on the ground.
“Good luck, smart boy,” he said, disappearing into the alley strewn with stains and trash.
Joshua picked up the envelope and found a chip inside—paper money was out of fashion these days. He put the chip and the bottle of poison in his pocket and returned to the restaurant kitchen.
That night, Hewitt and his cronies were causing a ruckus in the restaurant as usual. He had a new woman with him—a haughty and beautiful prostitute wearing heavy makeup and emitting a pungent perfume smell.
Hewitt ordered a sandwich and beer, the woman a liqueur, and the rest of the gang ordered drinks. The chef, busy at the stove, muttered complaints about these freeloaders, who often ran up tabs. Joshua silently washed dishes, his heart pounding almost out of his chest, yet his mind was unexpectedly calm. All he had to do was pour the poison on Hewitt’s sandwich when serving it—so simple, a single action could do it. The ease of taking a life astonished the boy, and strangely, he felt no fear, as if his long drift had erased his emotions.
The chef set the tray with food aside. The waiter, who was supposed to work today, hadn’t shown up. “That bastard must be chasing girls again,” said the chef. “Joshua, bring the plates over!”
Joshua’s hand was in his pocket, clutching the bottle, prying off the cap with his fingernails. He approached the tray, used his body to shield his hand, lifted the top slice of bread, and poured the poison onto the not-so-fresh meat and odd sauce. Then he replaced the bread, picked up the tray, and walked out of the kitchen.
Hewitt was joking crudely with his friends. Laughter burst out occasionally, with the woman giggling and leaning into him. When Joshua set the tray on their table, the woman laughed and grabbed his arm. “Yo, handsome, come let sister have a look.”
Joshua stepped back in fright, her nails digging into his skin, causing pain. Hewitt pulled the woman’s hand back, spraying her face with smoke. “Stupid whore, thinking of cradle snatching?” Laughter erupted around them, and the woman flirtatiously leaned back into his embrace.
Joshua fled back to the kitchen, calming his breath and heartbeat. From a broken corner of the window, he saw Hewitt grab the sandwich and devour it greedily. After a few bites, he clutched his throat, emitting a discordant moan, his eyes bloodshot and bulging. The woman thought he was choking and offered him a drink, but Hewitt pushed her away, his chest heaving as if gasping for air. When the others realized something was wrong, they rushed to help, but it was too late. Hewitt’s hands, clutching his throat, lost strength, dangling at his sides, and his body stopped struggling. A bold guy pressed on his carotid artery, then howled, “Boss! The boss is dead!”
The restaurant immediately erupted into chaos. The owner ran out, trying to calm everyone down, but was knocked to the ground with a punch. Amid the turmoil, the woman’s shrieking was particularly piercing. “Hewitt died after eating! He was murdered!”
Blood drained from Joshua’s face, leaving him feeling especially cold. He didn’t know how advanced the poison was in this era, or how it could be detected, but as long as Hewitt’s men rounded up everyone in the restaurant for questioning, the truth would easily come out. He couldn’t stay here any longer!
Joshua quickly ran out the back door of the kitchen. It was already very dark, and the dying city was dim and lightless, its complex alleys even darker. He stepped over the garbage on the ground, splashing dirty water, with groups of rats scurrying under his feet, their sharp squeaks like a rebuke to this unwelcome intruder in their home.
Many years later, when Joshua recounted this experience, he realized his life seemed to be a constant flight—escaping Earth, escaping prison, fleeing the past. The difference was, back then he was alone, but now he was no longer lonely.
Joshua ran past a fork in the road, then found himself blocked both front and back. Hewitt’s men, clearly more familiar with this labyrinth of trash, were eager for a fight, brandishing clubs in their hands, planning to teach this audacious kid a lesson. Luckily, they didn’t have guns. Joshua thought, such high-end toys were beyond their reach.
“Little rat, where do you think you’re running?”
A hand grabbed Joshua’s hair from behind, throwing him to the ground, followed by punches raining down on him. The angry thugs unleashed their fury on him, alternating between clubs and fists on his back. Joshua protected his neck with his hands, curled up on the ground, futilely shielding his vital areas, hoping to endure their beating. But a voice inside him faintly told him: Give up. It’s useless. You killed a man. You deserve this. An eye for an eye.
His whole body was in pain. At first, he could distinguish whether it was his back or his chest that hurt, but later all the pain blended together, roaring like a flood through his nerves. He could only hazily guess that the difficulty in breathing was due to broken ribs, and the taste of fresh blood in his mouth was because his organs were injured, and so on.
I’m going to die. Joshua thought. Die in this unknown place. No future left. I’m sorry, Kester.
Then he heard a gunshot.
“Get lost,” a deep male voice said.
Suddenly, it was quiet around him. The previous cursing and shouting stopped. Someone trembled and said, “It’s Yulinta!”
“Get lost,” the man named Yulinta repeated.
“It’s you who should get lost, Yulinta. This kid killed our boss. We want blood for blood!”
“Get lost. You’re in my way.”
Another gunshot.
The sound of frantic footsteps told Joshua that the people who had been beating him had left. He opened one swollen eye, and through his blurred vision saw someone squatting next to him.
“It’s alright, good boy, you’re fine now,” the person said, lifting the blood-stained hair from his face. “Go back and clean up. You’re still a handsome kid.”
Joshua smelled a disinfectant scent on the person. A doctor, he thought.
Kinky Thoughts:
Normally, I don’t mention warnings except at the start of the novel, but in this case, I’ll make an exception. The next chapter depicts extreme graphic sexual assault on a minor. This is uncensored, written in 2010, so it’s not like the vague writings or allusions of recent times.
I strongly advise you to skip the chapter if this doesn’t sit well with you. The chapter basically explains why Joshua had trauma about getting intimate with Alois when they first got together.
Kinky Translations 