Killing the Same Person Every Time

Chapter 2

Feeling something push him from behind, Bu Bai’s vision spun before he exited Lao Da’s dimension.

Before his eyes, there was a crowd with an end he couldn’t see. Everyone was holding ritual implements as they advanced in a single direction with angry stares. Through the multiple layers of the crowd, Bu Bai was able to see that the glares were all directed at a single person in the centre.

Black clothing and ink-coloured hair. Every part of his body seemed like a carefully carved ice sculpture — incomparably exquisite and beautiful. And even through the dense crowd, Bu Bai was still able to clearly see the coldness in those eyes.

“Who is he?”

“Villain. The opponent that you have to kill this time.” LaoDa answered.

Bu Bai was somewhat dazed, staring woodenly at his enemy in front of him. At the moment, he wasn’t too sure on what to say, but he absolutely mustn’t say he felt that the Villain was too good-looking, or that he didn’t have the heart to take action and so on. He understood that Lao Da had his own difficulties, and so he doesn’t want to cause trouble for his only friend.

“Qi Ran Mo, why did you kill my entire family?” The Protagonist was dressed completely in white. Standing imposingly and righteously at the very front of the troops, his sword was pointed at the man before him.

“If I want to kill, then I’ll kill. Why would there be a need for a reason?” Qi Ran Mo casually answered, his smile never faltering and his voice filled with ridicule. From start to end, his eyes never held anyone present within them.

“This devil is indeed very cruel. For elder brother Xiao, we will use all our strength and get rid of this scourge.” At one side, a middle-aged uncle spoke in such manner to the Protagonist.

“He’ll die immediately.” LaoDa said in Bu Bai’s conscious.

“Remember, this kind of arrogant people without any ability will generally die the fastest.”

“Then, do I have any ability?” Bu Bai asked.

LaoDa lowered his head and thought for a moment.

“No.”

“Then, what do I use to kill the Villain?”

“Generally…… It’s luck…… I guess. It doesn’t matter! Since it’s your first time carrying out a task, I specially permitted you to be able to die several times.”

“Be killed a few more times?” All of a sudden, Bu Bai despaired. However, he didn’t turn around and start running for the hills. Perhaps it was because this person was his first friend, and that he especially wanted to cherish him more.

“Watch out for the Villain’s first attack.” Lao Da’s words hadn’t rang out for long before Bu Bai coughed out a mouthful of blood abruptly. He immediately collapsed. The first death was too quick and so Bu Bai didn’t experience too much suffering. However, that wasn’t a completely good thing either. Even after he returned back to being a soul, the overpowering taste of blood still remained on his tongue, bringing along severe agonizing.

“I died.”

“I know.”

Silence.

Towards the Villain, both a soul and a system were speechless.

“Do you want to revive now?”

“After a while. I want to recuperate for a bit.”

Bu Bai looked towards the direction of the Protagonist. His white clothes had already been stained with blood — although it was unknown whether it was his own or of others—and even though a difficult situation had descended, he continued to stand there firmly whilst using his sword as a support.

His strength had already been exhausted. Right now, the only thing keeping him going was a feeling called hatred.

However, Qi Mo Ran merely glanced at him indifferently, as if surprised by his vitality and tenacity, before once again throwing down another large attack.

The Protagonist stood still as he watched with wide, bloodshot eyes as the brilliant rays closed in on him. Previously, at the moment of his death, he had felt a strong power surge up from within him.

If that wasn’t the case, then he wouldn’t be able to continue standing here. However, this was his limit. That power was far from enough to resist the following attack, he was still too weak.

But, the expected pain didn’t arrive. Instead, he received a tender body with lingering warmth and had blood splashed onto their entire face.

He wiped away the blood on the person in his embrace, revealing a very familiar face. This was the person who he longed for every day. This was the person who he loved for more than half his life. This was the person who, no matter what, he always wanted to protect. “Bu Bai!” The Protagonist held said person’s body, and as an aching pain penetrated through his soul, he started to weep.

“What am I to him?” Bu Bai was somewhat confused. No matter who, if they suddenly saw a stranger hugging their corpse and looking at them as if they was a treasure, they would feel uneasy all over.

“Childhood sweethearts, that kind of lover.”

“What about his original lover?”

“It’s you.” Lao Da’s eyes seemed to be looking at a mentally handicapped person.

“This is the identity that the small world randomly selected for you. From now on, you are him, understand?”

Bu Bai didn’t really understand. However, he knew that as a lover, the least he ought to do was to love and protect this person.

Qi Mo Ran was really surprised about Bu Bai’s sudden emergence. After all, he had previously perceived that other than this idiot, who was quickly going insane, there wasn’t any other living humans in the vicinity. Yet, he…… interesting.

Bua Bai watched as the Protagonist hugged his body, his cries never ceasing. His sorrow was so obviously clear, it was to the extent that his soul body began to tear up a bit.

“He must really love him.”

LaoDa knocked his forehead.

“It’s ‘love you’.”

“It’s time to return.”

Bu Bai opened his tightly closed eyes, full of emotion as he looked towards the man in front of him. His eyes were gentle, similar to water, “Xiao Ye, I’m fine.”

“How could you be fine?!” Xiao Ye kept crying, as if a child who had lost everything. All of a sudden, he felt the person in his embrace breathe, and for a moment, he wasn’t able to react. He was stunned on the spot.

“I’m back.” Bu Bai wrapped his arms around Xiao Ye’s neck, lightly pecking his lips to placate him. However, his cries changed into an even more intense sobbing instead.

“I almost lost you.” Xiao Ye didn’t ask how a dead person had returned to his side. He also didn’t ask how a person who he had drove away could suddenly appear to block an attack for him. He didn’t ask about anything. Right now, he merely wanted to quietly stay in this person’s embrace, regardless of the incoming death or other cruel matters.

“You can revive?” Qi Mo Ran seemed to be excited by something. His eyes were filled with curiosity as he looked at Bu Bai. An abnormal curiosity that didn’t seem to be anything good.

But right now, as he could only save the protagonist, Bu Bai didn’t feel as if he had anything to lose. This was also part of his task.

“Yes.” All of a sudden, Bu Bai sealed Xiao Ye’s movements, taking great pains to not look at those eyes that were filled with confusion and hurt. Taking one step after another, he walked towards Qi Mo Ran.

“Let him go. Whatever you want, I’ll agree to it.” Bu Bai’s eyes were very determined. It had been a very long time since Qi Mo Ran had seen this kind of bright pupils. Ever since he became strong, there were only two kinds of people in front of him; those he could defeat, and those he couldn’t. The former feared and flattered him, whereas the latter were domineering and arrogant.

It had been very long since anyone looked straight at him. Abnormally, he felt an indescribable feeling of excitement. He wanted this person. For that reason, showing mercy to that insignificant being was not a difficult matter.

“Other than your body, you feel that there are other things that you have that deserves my desire.” Bu Bai gnawed on his lips until they turned red, however he still nodded his head firmly. Just before he left, he turned and looked back at the Protagonist, not knowing what to say.

He understood that it was highly unlikely he would be able to return. That’s why, he hoped that this person would live on properly. He needed this man to never point his sword towards the Heavens. He only wanted to see that naive child in his childhood again. The child who merely wielded his sword for his own heart, bringing goodwill and warmth with every swing of it.

“Reluctant?” Qi Mo Ran looked back and asked, “Want me to help you kill him?”

“I will accompany him. If he lives, I’ll live. If he dies, I’ll die.” Bu Bai spoke as he held a sword against his neck, leaving behind a horizontal welt. It seemed that if he said a single improper sentence, then he would immediately draw blood on the spot.

Qi Mo Ran destroyed that longsword, before he slid a finger across that tiny welt. Even when his skin was stained with blood, he paid no attention to it.

“Protect my belongings, don’t spoil it.” He carried Bu Bai and said, “If you aren’t here anymore, there’s no guarantee that I won’t go kill that Xiao Ye person. I always do what I say.

Perhaps it was due to the fatigue from dying twice in a row, or perhaps it was due to his embrace being excessively soft, but Bu Bai fell into a deep sleep very quickly. The sleep that lacked any dreams, was a stretch of endless darkness. It seemed extremely like he was recalling something from his memory, causing his heart to throb and shed tears for no apparent reason.

“Lao Da.” Bu Bai tried to call out, however, he didn’t receive the familiar response. His surroundings were dark and empty, similar to the silence of a world without human frailties.

As a habit, he reached out with his hand and, even if there wasn’t anything there, felt towards his side. As if recalling it from memory, he sketched out a rough outline, touching something that carried a slightly cold temperature.

“If you’re already awake, then stop pretending to sleep.” Qi Mo Ran’s finger gently stroked the top of Bu Bai’s eyes. A hole was ripped into that space filled with darkness, revealing a dazzling light and that person’s evil face.

Bu Bai pulled away unconsciously and created some distance between them, his pupils filled with wariness.

Qi Mo Ran couldn’t help finding it somewhat funny, but he didn’t stop him. Whilst preserving his original elegance, he rushed towards the other party and said, “Do you really believe that you can escape? Or, do you actually dare to try and escape?”

Thinking of that person, Bu Bai’s eyes dimmed. He gradually shifted towards Qi Mo Ran, clenching his fingers tightly together, to the extent they turned white.

He looked at him and made great efforts to chase away the fear he held for this person in his mind. As much as possible, he would face this person without yielding. He couldn’t cower, he still had to protect someone.

“What do you need me to do?” His voice couldn’t be said to be gentle. It was as if a jade that had been carefully polished, bright and clean.

Abnormally, he admitted that he had become fascinated. He couldn’t help pulling that person back to his side and using his hand to stroke that creamy skin. This feeling was as alluring as he had imagined.

Although, the abnormality may simply be abnormality, but he was an abnormal paradox. Even if cultivation took a very long time, he had never indulged in the thought of getting a Dao companion, to the point where the idea wasn’t even the slightest bit enticing to him. However, this person was unexpected, or it could be said that the entire person was unexpected. And, he had never liked things that aren’t within his grasp.

Bu Bai’s nails dug into his palms, welts already beginning to form. If he had encountered this kind of situation previously, it was likely that once he died, he would follow the normal procedure and make up an excuse to stop. But now, he didn’t dare to do so. His life was not his own.

Bu Bai closed his eyes in forbearing. He used all his strength to will back the tears in his eyes. He didn’t want to be humiliated in front of others. And even more, he didn’t want to look weak in front of his enemy.

“Open your eyes and look at me.” Qi Ran Mo commanded.

Bu Bai did so. But, he didn’t expect for a sword to pierce through his heart. Blood obscured his vision, and the last thing he saw was that person wearing a bloody smile, along with the sword that had been pulled out from his body.

No matter what he chose, it would always be a road to death.