BXBX NOVEL Chapter 397
Ru Quan touched his temples with closed eyes as he curled Dai An’s middle finger back to its rightful position within his palm, “We will be able to prevent your disappearance as soon as you agree to join my soul. You can gain my powers together with my knowledge and meet up with Bing Shi whenever you want, okay?”
At the same time, he understood how Dai An didn’t have a choice but to stay as a spirit. If she remained as a soul together with Bing Shi together, the faster she would get devoured like the rest of her lifetimes in order to retain Bing Shi’s identity, especially now that Bing Shi was going through her godhood.
Dai An was offered everything she had ever wished for since her childhood, for free. Before, she could only dream of possessing strong entities like him. The way the four men showed up with their own bodies independently was proof that she could have her own body and be herself too. His wish was by no means selfish; he was not chasing her away; he was not forcing her to sacrifice her existence for Bing Shi’s sake.
Yet, she was hesitating, “Not now. I have to stay back and remind her to cultivate because a certain someone has been spoiling her rotten.”
Ru Quan would do anything to subdue the uncomfortable memory, “Everyone knows how cultivating her powers would help her to be in less pain, but no more forcing. She killed her past lives and died on me because of the exact same reason.”
“I’m not forcing her, I’m helping her-” Dai An suddenly felt a swarm of dark miasma enveloping her soul, trapping her in an icy cage, and the only form of air she could breathe was filled with toxic cruelty.
Ru Quan feared his emotions would affect the sleeping Bing Shi and immediately let someone else take over Earl’s body, “I always thought I knew what was best for her, but I’m no longer of that opinion... Do what you see fit, but forget about my support; I’m fully on her side now. If she wants to die, I’ll be the one to hit the gas to drive us over the cliff this time,” Xuan Mu suddenly disappeared before Dai An’s eyes while covering his mouth, retching acidic bile as red veins in his eyes overtook his sight.
Bing Shi’s condition caused him to shake in a cold sweat upon the floor of his space.
.....
It was painful.
Terrifyingly.
While her heart thumped stubbornly within her pigeon chest, thousands of silent hand grenades would explode within, forcing her to surrender. The tribulation didn’t come in one full blast – it was beating her down, a person who has already had more than their soul could take, several times, over and over. From the moment she woke up to the moment she fainted from exhaustion, like an insatiable bully.
How could he ever get used to her continuous hardship? He didn’t give a damn if she never grew up or never got stronger again. There was no need for her to become a God. She could regress for all he cares, as long as no suffering came her way.
His brain was so bombarded by the dread that his actions became erratic, destroying everything in his close proximity, poisoning himself with his own paranoia.
This was not a war with a clear opponent. But if it was, he wouldn’t rest until it was beaten – and he didn’t mean just beaten down. He meant dead. There would be no place for it to hide, he would find it and destroy it. He didn’t care how it would happen, he only needed it to be extinguished from its existence.
But sadly, every enemy he ‘produced’ would be just an illusion conjured by his own mind. He wanted to take apart this twisted and sick reality – swallow every ounce of truth that he knew.
· · ———- · ???· ———- · ·
When Xuan Mu returned, he seated Bing Shi on his lap, rocking her gently while caressing her new, ginger colored wig, “Where is Dai An?”
“She refuses to come out,” Bing Shi narrowed her eyes suspiciously, “What did Ziek do to you? I told you not to scare Dai An away and you decide to do exactly that?”
“Just a small jealousy dispute. Don’t worry about it,” He pressed her head against his chest, glad that Dai An could read the situation good enough to keep Bing Shi’s stress at bay.
Bing Shi rubbed her cheek against his shirt, “She also reprimanded me for falling asleep without saying goodnight. I’m sorry.” If she gave up so quickly, all his hard work would go to waste.
He no longer wanted her to be pressured by anything, letting her do anything she wanted, “I will forgive you for a dinner date in the first restaurant we pass by. Don’t forget: Ru Quan’s and Dai An’s date is not over yet.”
Bing Shi looked up as if waiting for an opportunity to ditch Silvia’s grandma’s birthday party, “Really? Really? What about a gift for grandma?”
He nodded his head, “What do you want to give her?”
Bing Shi grinned in exhilaration, very glad Dai An didn’t have to take her place and meet the swarm of blood-sucking people in the party, “She doesn’t deserve more or less than a new grandson in law.”
“Earl Fester?” he asked if she was sure. She and her tendencies of asking for his hand in marriage with her tacky pickup lines would never get old.
“Yes!” She was waiting until it was time to sow some fruit of her labour, “I’m glad you showed up as Earl Fester. One of his kind gone equals ten saved lives. I can’t kill all the ‘Earls’ but a few gone won’t hurt anybody.”