Chapter 70: Returning to the Origin
That night.
After returning home, Bai Wei and Yagyū Simozi started preparing dinner. Along the way, they were surprised by Yamada's visit, who brought some local specialties from his hometown. It seemed that he had recently visited his old hometown and decided to stay for the meal as well.
Saki Jingūji, for reasons unknown, surreptitiously took two cans of beer and without hesitation, opened them at the dinner table, producing a resounding sound as the beer was poured. However, her tolerance for alcohol proved to be lacking as she became tipsy after consuming only half a bottle, initiating a series of inebriated ramblings while clinging onto those around her.
Yagyū Simozi chose to ignore the situation as the intoxicated Saki Jingūji was causing too much commotion. In order to prevent her ample bosom from overwhelming a certain undisclosed emperor who remained a virgin, she reluctantly took on the responsibility of looking after her, coaxing her to bed well past eleven o'clock.
As the clock struck half past eleven in the night, Yamada departed early, and Bai Wei escorted Kichyō to the door. Together, they hurried to catch the last tram.
Upon arriving at the tram station, Bai Wei had originally intended to depart just like that.
However, Kichyō clearly had much more to say. Staying at the Yagyū residence meant being constantly watched, leaving little opportunity for conversation.
"Do you think this rollback will come to an end?" she asked, feeling anxious and uneasy.
"Perhaps," Bai Wei replied with some uncertainty. "As long as you remain safe and unharmed, we should have a high probability of welcoming the sun on the following day."
The core of the rollback doesn't lie with Bai Wei. The triggering mechanism of the exclamation mark indicates that its operational logic is formed based on the other party.
"In the unlikely event…"
"If there is indeed a rollback, then we shall continue; at worst, we can do it another hundred times."
Within the nonchalant words, resounds the resonant power.
He chose not to confront death directly; all the experiences in his life were merely honing the sword within his chest.
Striking, shaping, tempering, bestowing life with a unique splendor.
Life is like a distant boat, and that is the meaning of being alive.
Bai Wei sees this too profoundly; he could easily say that even in the midst of such hardships, he maintains a serene demeanor and finds enjoyment.
With a steady inner resolve, always prepared to make a move at any given moment.
The young girl cast a sidelong glance at the youth, even though he was already so weakened, yawning and swaying as he walked.
However, she knew that he was already prepared to give it another shot at any given moment.
"I am… envious, or perhaps I should say, I admire you."
"You are formidable."
She sincerely and wholeheartedly expressed her thoughts.
"Of course, I am well aware of that."
Bai Wei yawned; he was truly exhausted, yet he maintained his humility.
"But at present, I am not even one-ten-thousandth of my peak, during which a mere press of my finger would render my current self obsolete."
This sounds like boasting, even if he is sincere, very few people would believe it.
Kichyō held her hands together and said, "I have heard from Miss Yagyū that you left your hometown and came to Yingzhou with a non-blood relative, protecting her all by yourself. Normally, no one would make such a choice."
"I think having such courage is impressive… At least I wouldn't dare. I wouldn't even dare to venture far from home all by myself. Just going to the supermarket alone makes me feel quite anxious."
Bai Wei concurred, "Every wandering prodigal child out there has it tough, all striving to make a living, and all deserving respect."
"Perhaps, but I believe Mr. Bai is undoubtedly more remarkable," she said, clutching her fingers tightly, her gaze earnest and illuminated by the lights of the tram station, resembling moonlit waters.
She didn't know how to describe it, just clumsily saying, "Impressive, not just ordinary impressive, but… you, you never easily compromise with the status quo, you challenge and change things."
Bai Wei wondered, "Aren't you the same?"
"Quite the opposite," she retorted loudly.
Noticing that her voice was too loud, she lowered her head and muttered self-derisively in a soft voice, "It's different, I'm just… clouded by anger. Moreover, I've also failed, completely immersed in confusion. It's not about challenging anything, but rather… not wanting to quietly drown in oblivion. Just struggling a few times, that's all."
Bai Wei remained noncommittal, "Why are you saying these things?"
She spoke softly, "It's just an emotional outburst."
"Is that so?" Bai Wei retorted.
She bit her lip, neither nodding nor shaking her head.
"Deceiving oneself is not a good habit," Bai Wei remarked lightly. "Even if one were a foolish pig, there would still be progress after experiencing death a hundred times. Your swordsmanship has already improved significantly, and you won't hesitate when striking down an opponent. That is what improvement entails - a discontentment with one's former self and a desire to go further."
And you, you are that hungry person.
"Will you, help me?" she asked, with a tense and cautious yet earnest expression.
Bai Wei glanced at the top of the girl's head, sensing something undergoing a transformation, yet lacking a certain element.
He decisively shook his head, "No."
The girl's heart grew half cold, but it had not completely chilled.
She whispered, "But this afternoon, you helped me once, saved me once, and also altered my destiny."
Bai Wei mercilessly mocked, "Do you wish to become a worthless individual? Or do you desire to rely on others for your entire life? Becoming a person under my command, what fundamental differences exist between you and your past self?"
The words pierced the girl's heart like a sharp sword, leaving her speechless.
Bai Wei spoke gently, "My younger sister, Yagyū Simozi, even without me by her side, she will come back and fulfill the long-cherished wish that her parents were unable to achieve. As for Yamada, Yamada, he is exerting all his efforts to repay his debts. Good and evil will be rewarded accordingly, and that is the well-deserved retribution for him. Jingūji, she has never asked anything from others through prayers. She is an intelligent girl who lives to her fullest and does what she can within her capabilities."
He let out another yawn.
"Except for Simozi, I won't involve myself in other people's private matters… This time it was a forced bond, an accident. I only acted for my own sake. Besides the most basic goodwill I can offer you, there is nothing else. Therefore, I won't assist you. A girl must rely on her own strength."
The night breeze lifted the girl's hair and collar, and she pressed down on her hair, catching sight of the distant glow of the tram's headlights.
"Hah…" she exhaled a puff of white mist. "You truly are a straightforward and candid person. Just say what's on your mind."
"If you don't like me, you can say something pleasant… I have a big pot of chicken soup here, what flavor would you like to have?"
"No, please, do continue. These words hold extraordinary significance for me, allowing me to see clearly what kind of person I truly am," Kichyō's eyes reflected a vibrant spectrum of colors. "I believe I now know what it is that I truly desire."
…So, it turns out I am not satisfied at all. It turns out there are still so many things I want to accomplish. Therefore, I must not stop here!
Bai Wei noticed something forming above her head. Three characters emerged beneath the purple exclamation mark.
[Breaking the Cocoon]
He slightly raised the corners of his mouth.
Indeed, it is worthy of me.
…It seems that my sharp tongue skills have not faded.
…I am quite skilled at giving advice. Come, let me offer guidance to all of you as your mentor.
"The tram has arrived," Bai Wei stepped onto the tram and said, "Let's go."
…
Boarding the tram, they remained silent throughout the journey.
Bai Wei felt a bit weary, sitting in the car with his eyes closed, resting. Kichyō sat quietly beside him, occasionally stealing glances at the youth's silent, handsome profile.
Unbeknownst to them, the vehicle came to a stop at Ginza Station, where the crowd had thinned significantly.
At this moment, Kichyō realized that she was actually on the same route, but the followers of the malevolent deity were no longer present, so there was no possibility of any further mishaps.
With such thoughts in her mind, she suddenly started to feel a sense of weariness.
Unbeknownst to her, she began to doze off, as a wave of fatigue washed over her, becoming exceedingly strong.
She resisted the urge to succumb to drowsiness and stood up, attempting to dispel the weariness that had overtaken her.
Suddenly, a streak of crimson light flashed past outside the window, causing her to startle abruptly and lift her gaze.
In the darkness, there was something closely adjacent to the edge of the car window, flickering with a red radiance.
Their gazes met, and a chill ran through the young girl's heart, causing a shiver to travel up her spine.
It is an eye.
They were a pair of blood-red eyes!
The pitch-black crow's talons clutched onto the edge of the steel, drooping down and pressing closely against the car window, staring fixedly at her.
A crow? But I thought the followers of the dark deity had already been eradicated. Why, then, do we see a crow here?
She was overwhelmed with excitement, and consumed by fear, to the point where she accidentally bumped into the surrounding passengers.
"Little girl, be careful. What happened to you all of a sudden? Are you feeling unwell?" said the kind-faced old lady passenger.
"I saw a crow. I saw a crow," she pointed towards the car window.
"Crow?" The old lady pushed her reading glasses up. "Where is there a crow?"
"There…" she pointed again, the black crow remained motionless.
"Little girl, are your eyes playing tricks on you?" the old lady shook her head.
"Do you, not see?" Kichyō exclaimed, her expression filled with disbelief.
"Indeed, there are no crows," Bai Wei opened his eyes at an unknown moment, and stated with certainty.
The young girl stood alone inside the carriage, locking eyes with a crow, its irises as red as blood.
As she was about to say something, a pleasant ringing sound echoed, it was the announcement inside the tram.
"This tram is about to arrive at the next station. The current time is exactly midnight."
As the clock completed a full day, the hour, minute, and second hands aligned with impeccable precision, coming to a halt at the starting and ending position of twelve o'clock, also known as the auspicious moment of midnight.
Furthermore, a piercing shriek followed.
-Ka! Ka! Ka!
The crow let out a hoarse caw, its sound piercing, one call louder than the next.
That sound, like a sharp thorn, pierced through the mind of Kichyō, penetrating her heart, unleashing an uncontrollable, intense wave of pain.
She narrowly avoided collapsing to the ground, clutching the railing beside her, squatting down, pressing against her chest, the suffocating pain causing stars to dance before her eyes.
She had almost forgotten, nobody had ever told her.
-In the early hours of the morning, the engraved curse would take effect, causing her heart to cease beating.
The cessation of heartbeat typically signifies death.
She was gasping heavily, her complexion as pale as paper.
…Am I going to die?
…Here? In the present?
…No, it's not possible, absolutely not. I refuse to accept it!
She gritted her teeth, attempting to resist death, but the curse's power was only just beginning. In a matter of a few short seconds, the curse spread to the depths of her chest, causing her heart to abruptly halt. Her pupils dilated instantly, and her consciousness dissolved away.
The young girl felt her soul leaving her body, in the process of detaching from it. She wanted to scream, to make a sound, but was powerless to do so. No sound could escape her lips. All she could do was watch in silence, silently witnessing everything unfolding before her eyes.
Inside the carriage.
Bai Wei supported the young girl's shoulder and asked, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, just a bit out of breath." She gripped the railing, quickly stood up, lifted her head, and swiftly averted her gaze. "I'll be fine after sitting for a while."
"Alright." Bai Wei didn't think too much and continued to yawn, looking at the tram's route. He said, "We're almost at the station."
"Yes, we're almost there." The young girl replied in unison. Her voice was so cheerful, as if it was dancing with lightness and joy, as if it was about to enter heaven.
The train had stopped, and the platform was not far away. Bai Wei stood up proactively, with the girl standing behind him as well.
For some unknown reason, a strong sense of impending doom arose within Bai Wei. His mind trembled as he closed and opened his eyes. Suddenly, he noticed that black exclamation marks, symbolizing death, had appeared above the heads of all the surrounding passengers!
"Ah…"
Just as he uttered a word, he suddenly felt a sharp pain. He lowered his head and saw a sword tip protruding from his chest, remarkably sharp.
It swiftly twisted half a circle, mashing the flesh and blood into a pulp.
His heart grew icy cold.
A wave of darkness engulfed Bai Wei's vision, his heart, the source of strength, was pierced through. Despite his best efforts, he could not muster any strength, and the more he tried to exert himself, the more he coughed up blood.
The young man clenched his fist tightly, gritting his teeth in a bitter smile and muttered, "Damn it…"
His body slumped down.
Amidst his fading gaze, he caught a glimpse of bloodstained shoes and a skirt, heard the piercing screams of the crowd, and the mad laughter of someone.
Furthermore, he heard a rumble, that familiar rumble.
The deafening sound of the explosion reverberated.
After hundreds of rollbacks, the tram exploded once again, causing a temporal and spatial dislocation, separating it from the crowd.
Differently, this time, he experienced, in close proximity, the excruciating sensation of his body being torn apart inch by inch, and the pain inflicted by the licking tongues of fire.
However, more important than the pain, he realized one thing.
After meandering around in circles, he once again found himself back at the initial starting point.
Nothing has changed.
[Rollback]
