Chapter 75: A Good Death
…give me a reason not to kill you.
Bai Wei said so.
He patiently waited, but it was not that his murderous intent had truly subsided. Instead, it was in the ultimate moment, offering the opponent an opportunity to utter her last words.
It is both the composure of an emperor and the dwindling mercy of a executioner.
Nishino Junko also remained silent, wearing an unfavorable expression on her face, staying completely mute for a full three minutes.
Bai Wei said lightly, "The time has come."
It's time to hit the road.
Nishino Junko shouted in a low voice, "Stop! Stop right there!"
She used not words of entreaty, but words of command.
With a raised eyebrow, Bai Wei wondered, "Even in the face of impending doom, are you still speaking defiantly?"
Nishino Junko's face turned pale, as just a few minutes ago she had indeed plummeted into the depths of despair. The other party, like a detached narrator, emotionlessly recounted the events, peeling away the layers like an onion, gradually unraveling her plans, her treachery, her intentions, leaving no room for concealment. In a straightforward and unapologetic manner, they tore apart the desires she had been trying to hide.
She couldn't refute it, nor could she explain, because it was true… Almost entirely accurate.
She lost, yet she lost without understanding. As she walked the path to success, only one step away from the coveted realm of dreams, she was suddenly smacked down to the ground by a heavenly blow. Disheveled and discredited, she felt a ringing in her ears, her mind heavy and foggy. She struggled to comprehend what had transpired and how she had come to this point.
Where did this heaven-sent tough guy come from, insisting on picking a fight with a delicate woman like me?
Nishino Junko's inner thoughts emitted a silent curse; if possible, she would undoubtedly unleash a torrent of furious curses upon him, screaming sharply, wishing to tear the handsome face of this man into fragments like a banshee.
However, she suppressed this impulse.
She indeed lost, lost completely, like a reckless gambler brought to ruin at the gambling table. However, there are aspects of a gambler's character that can be commendable. She should not dwell on her losses, but rather contemplate how to cut her losses in a timely manner. She could not afford to lose more, for what the other party desired was not just her failure, but also her remaining life!
Being alive is more important than anything else. She can accept failure, but she cannot accept death.
During the silent span of several minutes, Nishino Junko only performed one action.
She extended her right hand into her collar and retrieved an electronic device, displaying it to Bai Wei. This was a radio walkie-talkie, a precursor to mobile phones.
"Have you seen it?" she spoke up. "Two minutes ago, I had already established a connection with the police headquarters' wireless radio and transmitted the pre-recorded audio I had prepared. They will soon trace the signal and find this place."
A faint trace of color flushed Nishino Junko's pale complexion. After taking a deep breath, she spoke in a low, steady voice.
"I… have surrendered myself."
A hint of composure and calmness appeared in her eyes as she repeated it once again.
"I have already turned myself in!"
"I am aware of numerous intricacies regarding the cult of the Malevolent Deity. The police headquarters as well as the governing shogunate display a profound interest in me, hoping to obtain further insights from my person, as the devoted followers of the Malevolent Deity seldom divulge their confessions willingly, exhibiting no trace of fear towards coercion."
"My value is significant to them. As long as I provide sufficient information, they will be able to systematically dismantle the strongholds of the Cult of the Dark God within Yingzhou… This is a matter of the safety and well-being of millions of people."
Nishino Junko tightly clenched the wireless transmitter in her hand.
"Do you understand?!"
"I cannot die here! The police headquarters will not stand idly by."
"If you kill me, you will bear the consequences and lose valuable leads and intelligence. What will you use to justify yourself?"
"You are ultimately a person from the Ming Country, on the land of Yingzhou. Regardless of who you are or how capable you may be, you don't have the authority to enforce the law!"
After Bai Wei quietly listened, he touched his chin and fell into contemplation, "Hmmm…"
Nishino Junko's heart leaped with joy, and the other party began to hesitate. Seizing the opportunity, she boldly declared, "I have already turned myself in. According to legal provisions, you cannot harm me!"
"You can only stand here, watching as I am taken away by the authorities!"
Bai Wei's silence grew even deeper.
Nishino Junko completely let go of her anxious state of mind. Meanwhile, in the distance, the sound of police sirens could be heard.
She couldn't help but feel a sense of joy, overflowing with delight… In her daily life, she had never imagined that she would yearn for the arrival of a police car like this.
She successfully rescued herself!
Victory!
The hope of survival was right before her eyes. She caught a glimpse of Bai Wei's silent expression, and the memory of being pushed to the brink by this person resurfaced. A surge of hatred welled up in her heart, and a fierce fire burned in her throat, longing to be released.
She immediately let out a cold laughter, saying, "The police car has arrived… You have no chance to kill me anymore!"
"Although I am destined to face the calamity of imprisonment, as long as I willingly cooperate, there is a high probability that I will not be sentenced to death."
"From now on, I will have little freedom for the rest of my life, but I will not die. Moreover, as an informant providing intelligence, I can expect decent treatment."
"The police will not kill me, and they will provide me with delicious food and drink, ensuring my safety and well-being…!"
"Have you regretted it, the man from the Ming Country?"
"You gave me three minutes to think of my last words, but your mercy instead led to you missing the best opportunity to kill me!"
She could not help but sneer and mock.
However, her mocking smile only lasted for three seconds.
Bai Wei concluded his somewhat lengthy contemplation, and took a casual step forward… without sheathing his blade.
Nishino Junko suddenly felt something was amiss and hastily exclaimed, "I have surrendered myself, you cannot…"
Bai Wei unsheathed his sword with a resounding buzz, flicking his sleeve in a commanding gesture.
Her wrist suddenly felt a lightness, and she glanced sideways to see that her hand, still connected to the radio, had been cleanly severed into two halves. The instrument, engulfed in sparks, was drenched in blood and had become inoperable due to a short circuit.
Nishino Junko let out a wretched scream, clutching her severed palm, and exclaimed, "Are you insane? If you kill me, you will also face imprisonment!"*
Bai Wei blinked his eyes, his gaze innocent and pure, "I'm sorry, I don't understand Japanese."
"…As a person from the Ming Country, I don't even comprehend Japanese, so how would I know that you have already reported and turned yourself in to the authorities?"
"…I am merely acting based on international consensus, eliminating followers of cults."
Nishino Junko widened her eyes, even if given three days and nights, she could not comprehend that there existed such shameless tactics of justification. Frustrated and enraged, she burst out, "Shameless, truly shameless! You scoundrel!"
Bai Wei waved his sleeve once more.
She desperately avoided the sword aura, with imminent death right before her eyes. Unable to contain her emotions any longer, she threw herself into a dirt pit, mourning and crying out, "No, don't kill me! I know I was wrong, I already know!"
"What grudge do I have with you? Why do you want to kill me? There is clearly no enmity between us, I have never even set foot in the Ming Country in my entire life! I have already experienced failure, my life is ruined. Am I not miserable enough? I beg you, spare my life, please spare me!"
She pleaded and begged for mercy while running away, hoping to save her own life.
Bai Wei's facial features froze, as if wearing a mask, showing no trace of change.
"You're mistaken about this."
"What did I say wrong?" Nishino Junko pleaded, "I will definitely change… I promise to change!"
"Why are you so certain? What grievance do you have with me?"
Bai Wei raised the Han sword, its blade reflecting a terrified expression, filled with mud, tears, and blood.
Nishino Junko, aware that her imminent death was unavoidable and beyond salvation, held within her eyes a nostalgia for life, yet refused to surrender to the carousel of memories. Instead, she turned her face towards the youth and unleashed a curse, roaring with a hoarse cry, "Even if I become a ghost, I will never let you escape! I curse you to never find a peaceful death throughout eternity!"
Clang! From the Ring-head Han sword, there seemed to emanate the roaring sound of a fierce tiger.
Bai Wei swung his blade down in a cleaving motion, and the gleam of the sword transformed into the illusory shadow of a fierce beast. Its bared teeth and slashing claws formed a gaping maw, devouring the sinner in a swift, downward descent.
On the ground, only a pit remained along with a few traces of blood, fragments of clothing, and strands of hair. Nothing else was left, as if every trace of the person had vanished without a trace, as if they never truly existed in this world.
Bai Wei calmly sheathed his sword, with the echo of her curse before death still resonating in his ears. In response, he merely smiled it off.
"It sounds as if I have had a fortunate death in the past," he exclaimed.
…
Stepping out of the alleyway, they were greeted by the rapidly approaching figures of law enforcement.
"Please hold on!" inquired an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department. "Have you happened to encounter a high school girl around here? Her surname is Nishino."
"I have seen her."
"Where is she?"
Bai Wei shrugged and raised his hands, saying, "I don't know."
