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墨書 Inktalez
"What are you going to do?"
I stood in front of Little Bugs, blocking the chilling blade. Just a moment's hesitation, and Little Bugs would be dead.
Qin Ling glanced at me coldly, not even furrowing his brow, simply saying, "Step aside."
"I won't."
I held my ground; Qin Ling looked as if he wanted to kill Little Bugs. How could I allow that?
I thought he would at least explain himself, but he said nothing. His eyes narrowed slightly, and suddenly I felt my body stiffen, unable to move. Qin Ling waved his hand, and the reapers pushed me aside.
I was forced to sit on the edge of the bed, watching as Qin Ling walked step by step toward Little Bugs lying on the floor. My heart felt like it was being pulled down, "Qin Ling, don't hurt her; otherwise, I won't let you go."
No matter how much I shouted, Qin Ling ignored me and did not stop. He raised his sword high and then brought it down with incredible speed. When the red blood erupted from Little Bugs' body, a few drops splattered onto my face. My mind went blank in an instant, but the image of his stabbing motion was deeply etched in my memory.
"No—"
Even though people around me had left and I had experienced life-and-death separations, nothing compared to the feeling of helplessness when witnessing someone die right before my eyes. As that scene unfolded, I heard the sound of my nerves snapping in my mind.
A fierce whirlwind swept through the room like a tornado, lifting everything into the air. The reapers immediately raised their scythes, entering a defensive stance and staring at me. Only Qin Ling remained quietly standing to the side, holding his sword as red blood dripped down its blade.
One drop, two drops, three drops… until my vision was completely stained red.
I felt a surge of power within me, ready to explode, but suddenly a chilling force swept in from afar, suppressing that impulse deep inside me. In the next moment, I saw Little Bugs rise from the ground.
"Little Bugs."
My heart raced as my eyes fixed on Little Bugs. She casually shook her hair, and the sword wound on her left chest vanished in an instant. After flicking the bloodstains off her clothes and straightening herself, she bowed slightly to Qin Ling. "Thank you, Lord Qin Ling, for saving my life."
Qin Ling's cold gaze was locked onto Little Bugs, his deep-set eyes reflecting no color. Yet, I felt he was observing her closely. Little Bugs appeared as usual, but there was an air of aloofness about her.
"Little Bugs, he wanted to kill you; why did he save you?" I asked, confused.
Little Bugs smiled gently at me and explained, "I collapsed just now because someone attempted to devour my soul; I was almost consumed. It was the work of the Soul Devouring Insect from the Underworld. Lord Qin Ling's sword pierced through and killed the Soul Devouring Insect that had entered my body, so he saved my life."
"Soul devouring? Soul Devouring Insect?" I exclaimed in shock. "Wasn't everything fine just a moment ago? How could this happen?"
"Did you hear any strange sounds in the room?"
Qin Ling, usually so terse with words, spoke more than usual this time. I pondered for a moment before replying, "I think there was a sound before Little Bugs came in, but I can't remember what it said."
"Recently, the barrier at the entrance to the Underworld has been unstable. East City is closer to the Underworld than the other three cities; do not let your guard down and attract trouble."
After saying this, Qin Ling left. I glared at him, clearly remembering his warning and that cold yet disdainful look in his eyes. He was cautioning me not to stir up trouble.
"If you're afraid of attracting trouble, then go stabilize the barrier! You can only talk but not act; I can do that too!"
The reapers who had originally followed Qin Ling out of the room suddenly stopped just before crossing the threshold. I noticed them shudder slightly, their expressions filled with fear as they stood frozen in place.
The coolness in the room grew more intense, and I shivered a bit, still maintaining my proud gaze on him.
"Lord Qin Ling is always magnanimous and busy with official duties, so I won't see you off. I still need to attend to Miss Anxin's bathing and changing."
"Hmph." Qin Ling coldly snorted and walked away. The reapers seemed to be released from a heavy burden as they quickly closed the door and stood guard outside. I kept my eyes on Little Bugs, feeling that she had lost some of her previous cuteness and gained an unsettling familiarity in her indifference.
"Little Bugs, you—"
Before I could finish my sentence, Little Bugs grabbed my arm and dragged me straight to the bathroom. Despite her seemingly small stature, her grip was surprisingly strong, lifting me like a chick. With a bang, she shut the door and pressed me against it.
Due to our height difference, I was momentarily stunned, trembling as I looked into Little Bugs' eyes, which glowed red. "L-Little Bugs, what happened to you? Or are you not Little Bugs anymore?"
"Then who do you think I should be?"
Jun Chong's voice emerged from Little Bugs' mouth, startling me. My nose tinged with a sense of sorrow. "Jun Chong?"
"Damn it, don't cry."
Jun Chong yanked me forward, and I stumbled into darkness. I felt those hands pulling me along until I opened my eyes again, standing beneath the Cherry Blossom Tree.
The pink Cherry Blossom Tree looked just as it had when I first arrived in the Voidless Realm, with cherry blossoms dancing in the air, exuding a unique beauty. The tree was large, its blossoms beautiful, and a faint fragrance stirred my senses.
The wide black robe rustled in the wind, and the gentle strands of hair brushed against my face, causing a slight itch. I reached up to push them away, but instead, I felt a cold grip tighten around my hand. A powerful force suddenly pulled me back, and before I could brace myself, a soft yet forceful kiss silenced my startled cry.
Our lips tangled together in an instant, fierce and unrelenting. There was no space between us, occupying every breath I tried to take, leaving only the sound of my heart pounding in my chest, drowning out all other sensations.
The overwhelming dominance was unlike anything I had ever experienced. It hurt, but under his invasive touch, resistance was not an option; being completely consumed seemed to be the only outcome.
I couldn't understand where his anger stemmed from. If anyone should be angry, it should be me. He deceived me and used me while speaking so grandly about it all. Now, despite my innocence, I had to bear his punishment—no one would be happy about that.
So I bit him.
With all my strength, I sank my teeth into his tongue.
The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth before Jun Chong finally released my lips. He lifted his head slightly, staring at me with narrowed eyes that revealed a hint of displeasure. "Did you just bite me?"
"Is that not allowed?" I pushed him away with force and sat up from the ground, wiping the liquid from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand. Jun Chong's gaze turned icy, and the temperature around us plummeted below freezing. "What are you wiping off? Are you disgusted by my touch?"
His words only fueled my anger further. "So what if I am? Did I say you could touch me? Let go!"
I struggled to free my hand from his grip, but he held on tightly as if he were about to crush my bones. I fought back tears, knowing I shouldn't be angry. After all this time apart, I should have been happy to see him.
Yet upon seeing him again, all the suppressed feelings rushed back like a tidal wave, spreading through my body along with the blood in my veins. The weak words I wanted to say stuck in my throat.
"Let go!"
Jun Chong stared at me for a while before finally releasing his grip. He stood up from the ground and turned away, the wide sleeves of his robe brushing against my face. I felt the blood on them and was suddenly reminded of the injury he had sustained from Qin Ling.
"Your wound—"
The words I intended to say were ultimately stifled behind my lips. I quietly watched his back, noticing that he seemed even thinner than when we last met.
I understood his struggles; he had his responsibilities. I also knew that his visit meant there was something important to discuss. In a sentimental way, perhaps he missed me.
But I dared not think too much about it. What if that wasn't the case? My heart would ache again.
For him, I didn't want to feel pain; I only wanted to be happy. Yet the turmoil of the world made that impossible.
I lost track of how long we stood and sat in silence until Jun Chong's cold voice finally broke through, "I came to find you today because I need you to lure Qin Ling to the Underworld, so he can attract the evil spirits there. I need to go in and retrieve something."
"Oh."
I responded simply, but a surge of warmth rose in my heart, only to quickly dissipate, replaced by an icy chill that filled my chest.
A faint smile tugged at my lips, but inside, my heart was bleeding.
So he really did need my help; otherwise, why would he come looking for me at a time like this? The King of Hell resided in Fragrant Blossom Pavilion! If discovered, all would be lost!
I should have realized this much earlier.
"Where are you going?" Jun Chong's voice came from behind me after he finished speaking.
"I understand what you said. Are we heading back now? If I'm discovered missing, Little Bugs could be in trouble."
I tried to appear relaxed, forcing a slight smile as I brushed the petals off my clothes and adjusted my disheveled outfit. Jun Chong frowned, opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
I buried the drops of blood in my heart and walked forward without looking back.
I had no idea how long I had been walking, but I realized I was still trapped in this space, unable to escape.
"Could it be that I'm lost?"
I glanced around at the empty, dim surroundings devoid of any plants. I remembered Jun Chong mentioning that this was his space, where everything existed because of his thoughts. Yet aside from the Cherry Blossom Tree, there was nothing else around.
"That makes sense; every time I come in or out, I never walk out on my own. It's only natural that I can't leave."
I stared at the dark sky for a moment before letting out a self-deprecating laugh.
"Even though I don't really want to go back, with a great enemy ahead, Anxin, you must not let your emotions control you. You can get hurt and cry, but always prioritize the bigger picture. You cannot ruin Jun Chong's plan. You might die, but he may not be so lucky; if he dies again, he might lose everything. Your heart will ache, so you must be strong. I'll count to three and turn back to find him. You have to act like nothing's wrong; you can do this because you are Gu Anxin. One, two, three!"
As I counted to three, I resolutely turned around. When I lifted my head to look forward, that shadowy figure stood three steps away from me, its dark eyes fixed on me without making a sound.
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