Storytelling
Lin Hai. Song Yang Beach. Within the bounds of the mansion by the beach.
Seeing Ye Cang taking care of the girl with straight black hair, jealousness got the better of Wu Na.
Ye Cang was standing under the tree where his future grave would sit and Wu Na came over.
“I know what you want to ask,” Ye Cang plucked a leaf and ate half of it. “The scent is just…”
“Nana, I’ll tell you everything but you can’t tell anyone, except Rose...this is my sin,” Ye Cang smiled bitterly as he looked at the half leaf.
Wu Na nodded and did not say a word.
“Well, you know what happened in the beginning. Xinxue and A’Xiong were born into a broken family. Their mother pa.s.sed away when they were young and their rogue father alledgely beat them up regularly and even attempted to rape her. They almost died in the chilly night after leaving the house so I took them to seek refuge in the house my grandma left for me…” Ye Cang ate the leaf and sat down, leaning against the tree. Wu Na rested by his side.
“You know about my background too. I’m an artificial human abandoned at the river. It was grandma who taught me everything. Love, care, responsibility and the limit a human should have. I took in Xinxue and the others in the second year after grandmother pa.s.sed on. Xinxue is older than me by a few years. She was the one who managed the flower shop. I thought that the three of us would live an ordinary and peaceful life until the end of our lives...”
“When I was fifteen, I fell in love with her. Her scent, her gentleness, even her scoldings and her stubbornness were so attractive... I thought we would be together, happily ever after…”
“At least, that’s what I thought it would be...I bought a wedding ring even though I was still a minor back then. I hoped the three of us would always be a family, no matter rich or poor or whatsoever. All I ever wanted was the three of us staying together. Yet, she was diagnosed with brain cancer. In order not to waste any more money and not burdening A’Xiong and I, she decided to end her life by jumping off the roof.”
“Nana, to be honest, that moment, I couldn’t react. Hugging her corpse, I couldn’t say a word. All I had in mind was A’Xiong losing a sister and I losing my love. Only darkness and pain were left in the future. Grandma had left me and now it’s Xinxue. I was so insane back then. I didn’t know whether it was tears or blood that was flowing out. In order to resurrect her, I went to the underworld, walked the Bridge of Forgetfulness, searched the River of Forgetfulness, tasted the Water of Yellow Spring, and even saw the sea of Red Spider Lily. Yet, I couldn’t grab the warm hand ever again…”
Wu Na then understood why Ye Cang had been wearing the ring necklace all these while. “So, that was why…”
“In this period, I’ve awakened the power of artificial humans. In order to save A’Xiong, I’ve given him my bone gene but I’ve also put him in harm. He was monitored by a lot of superpower a.s.sociations and he almost died. In the end, I joined the 10 Commandments and could use their power to protect A’Xiong and Lele. Also, I was part of the missions against multiple terrorist attacks that happened in China. Cold Moon was one of the survivors of the disaster in Zhentan City. Facing those horrible creatures, she was swinging the sword bravely alone, protecting her family member’s corpse. I was the one who saved her and taught her how to kill those mutated creatures, how to simplify a ma.s.sacre and how to be a killing machine. The current her that you see, I’m responsible for that…”
“So, she is your apprentice?” Wu Na seemed to understand something.
“No, after some period of time, I always brought her along when I went for destructive missions. She protected me and I protected her too. You can say...subordinates? Family? Friends? Apprentice? I don’t know anymore. I remember an occasion when she protected me with her life. Her left hand was cut off but she continued to hold the sword with her right hand. Her left leg was chopped off but she hopped with her right leg. No matter what, her persistence did not stop her from holding the sword bravely at my side…”
Wu Na then recalled the girl and realized that she was quite cute, “Then, why didn’t she be with you?”
“Revenge…” Ye Cang thought Wu Na was talking about living together. “In order to protect her family’s corpse, the price she paid to be awakened was to lose all expressions and most of her emotions. She could not feel the normal sensations of happiness, anger, sadness and joy. Just like me who can’t feel love, unless it was super strong…”
“In order to get revenge, I’ve turned her into a sharp sword. Except for killing, she seems to have no other specialty…” With regrets, Ye Cang stared at his pair of white hands, “Maybe, unknowingly, I’ve been the one who hurted her…”
“No...you saved her, just like how you saved me in the past…” Wu Na hugged him tightly.
Ye Cang was smothering himself with her embrace. That feeling returned after a while of unfamiliarity. Yet, leaning against where he would be buried, Ye Cang caressed her hair, “Nana, if one day, I kick the bucket and leave this world forever, can you promise me to look after Lil’Tian, A’Xiong, Lele and the rest?”
Wu Na was terrified at such words and just when she was about to say something, Ye Cang leaned forward. His lips held onto hers, “Promise me, would ya?”
Seeing Ye Cang’s determined eyes, streams of tears ran down Wu Na’s cheek like crystal clear springwater, “I promise but you have to tell me why!”
“I’m just kidding. I won’t die this easily…” Ye Cang hugged her.
“Don’t ever joke about your death anymore...Lil’White…” Wu Na hugged him so tight as if Ye Cang would fly away.
“I’m sorry…” Ye Cang apologized while caressing her hair. Staring at the sea, he recalled the situation in Mount DuKing. If, some day in the future, I’ve completely lost myself and become a creature of void, there has to be someone to kill me. He thought of A’Xiong and Lele. I hope the honor will be given to you guys...
Staring at his torn clothes, Panty Uncle asked Liu Bei who was even better at sewing things to help out. With their cooperation, the clothes were restored to their original state. Liu Bei was exhausted but he gave it his all as he was touched by Panty Uncle’s love for his deceased wife. At the end of the tuxedo, Liu Bei sewed the image consisting of Panty Uncle’s deceased wife and Moutan Peony. It was completely natural and the appearance of the image depended on the person’s thoughts when viewing it. After completing the job, both of them fell asleep together in the living room. FrozenCloud took out a virtual camera and snapped a picture of them. WIth much satisfaction, she went back to her room for a nap.
Lin Liang was in his room, thinking about Ye Cang. Brother Lil’White, I can’t predict your future. Same as Brother Lil’Lin’s. His life is filled with numerous turning points but yours is filled with the unknown. Three spirits and seven souls. I’ve only sensed their fragments in you. The disaster of a hundred years later...must have some sort of relation with you. But this disaster is the new nirvana between humans and the Earth. The connection of this world and the virtual one is too complicated. It’s just a matter of time...
Lin Liang calculated with both of his hands as blood leaked out from the corner of his mouth. “So that’s how it’s going to be...the beginning...everything will return to its beginning. You and I are just a variable before the change... All the hope you are carrying is within your reach, unlike mine which I’ve left behind somewhere...The Great Destruction Era...well...it’s no longer related to me…”