For a beat, both were silent, the surroundings hushed enough that Bingyu could hear Xiao Shu’s breathing—a steady, calm sound, as if to assure her the world wasn't so cruel, that the stories in the fairy tales were playing out in reality.
“Are you truly willing to risk your life to find that Xiao Yu?” After a long hesitation, Bingyu finally spoke.
“Am I not already risking my life standing here before you?” Xiao Shu frowned slightly, countering.
Bingyu’s face suddenly flushed crimson. She pulled her hand from Xiao Shu’s grasp and leaned back against the cold wall, murmuring, “The middle-aged man who carried me away last time might know Xiao Yu’s whereabouts. However, he is always elusive, appearing before me silently, without warning; I’ve never sought him out.”
“Did he tell you that you must kill, that you must secure survival, fulfill the pact of ninety-nine departed souls, and then attain immortality?” Xiao Shu inquired.
“Yes,” Bingyu nodded, continuing, “At first, I was utterly undecided. Then, he simply appeared before me, pressing these boomerangs into my hand, saying: If you find the killing too gruesome, you can stay far away from them and just throw the blades; that way, the blood won't spatter onto you.”
“Heh.” Xiao Shu let out a cold laugh, thinking the middle-aged man was akin to a godfather. Without his interference, perhaps many would have simply chosen to perish where they stood, bowing to fate’s arrangement, using their final three days to achieve their unfinished wishes before bidding the world farewell. She then asked, “If you stop killing, if you cease fulfilling that life-and-death contract, will he appear, using various means to persuade you to continue?”
Bingyu shamefully lowered her head, mumbling, “That’s right. Initially, I didn’t want to kill either; I just wanted to use these last three days to fulfill my own unachieved desires. But he appeared and told me that once the contract requirements were met, I would have abundant time and opportunity to pursue my wishes, and that unexpected happiness awaited me, so…” Before she finished speaking, Bingyu glanced at the scythe in her hand, and Xiao Shu instantly understood the unspoken meaning behind her words.
“Sigh!” Xiao Shu sighed toward the heavens, wondering if, without this man’s intervention, Xiao Yu might still be with them, spending his last days with his friends.
“What are you thinking?” Seeing Xiao Shu silent for a while, Bingyu grew anxious, unsure if she should have said any of that.
Hearing the question, Xiao Shu turned her head, managing a strained smile, “Thinking of nothing, just intensely curious about your friend. He seems deeply invested in your growth, hoping you attain that so-called eternal life.”
“Yes,” Bingyu nodded. “As soon as I cease the killing, he will appear quickly.”
“Quickly?” Xiao Shu found her own ears hard to believe. “During the time we’ve been talking, you haven't killed anyone, and he’s going to appear soon?”
Before Bingyu could answer, that weighty voice resonated again from behind Xiao Shu. “Of course, quickly. Seventy-two hours vanish in an instant; everyone’s opportunity is precious. If they hesitate, they will lose the chance for rebirth while wavering.”
Following the sound, Xiao Shu spun around violently. A scythe was already leveled at her throat. The mirror-like blade vividly reflected her own scarred cheek.