Chapter Forty-One: Wrath

"Are you joking?"

Xiao Xiao’s voice suddenly shed its previous restraint, even carrying a hint of a smile. Yet, in this setting, it gave one the impression that he was laughing out of extreme rage. For a fleeting moment, Xiao Xiao felt he had so much to say, but when the words reached his lips, he felt a sudden sense of listlessness.

What was there to say, anyway? Everyone understands these principles; no one should treat anyone else like a fool. Yang Yi was a sound-minded university student; he knew exactly what he was doing.

"Do you know what you are doing?" Xiao Xiao couldn't help but ask.

"Of course." Yang Yi reached out and gently stirred the coffee in front of him with a spoon, his voice light and airy.

"You are murdering people! Even if you aren't the one doing the killing directly, you are an accomplice! An accessory!" Why was he so nonchalant? What exactly did human life mean to him? Xiao Xiao’s usually steady voice fluctuated violently.

They were the same age, so why did he feel there was a generation gap between them deeper than the Mariana Trench? Xiao Xiao reached up and rubbed his temples hard, feeling his headache worsen.

Yang Yi seemed somewhat surprised by Xiao Xiao’s agitation, though it wasn't because of Xiao Xiao's reaction. He didn't look at him, but kept his eyes fixed on the ripples in the coffee, his expression focused, as if he were performing an extremely important task.

"They were just homeless people, beggars, and thugs to begin with. Even without me, they wouldn't have lived much longer."

"I am merely helping them reach the Pure Land sooner."

"Perhaps they might even have a better reincarnation in their next life?"

Yang Yi spoke casually, and to Xiao Xiao’s dismay, he realized with a sinking heart that he was serious. He actually, truly thought that way.

Xiao Xiao felt his own anger was a joke. Communication was completely impossible!

Xiao Xiao rested his head on one hand, his expression complex for a moment before he smoothed it away, leaving only calmness and a faint weariness. He refused to argue any further. If they could not see eye to eye, why waste his breath?

"One last question: how many people have you killed?" Seeing the slight arch of the other man's brow, Xiao Xiao changed his phrasing, "How many people has the Gu-diao... has 'Scythe' eaten?"

Yang Yi did not answer immediately, instead asking with a sensitive edge, "Gu-diao? Do you mean Scythe?"

Xiao Xiao did not answer.

Yang Yi’s expression darkened for a split second before returning to normal. The smile at the corners of his mouth deepened, a sweetness so cloying it radiated malice and coldness, making Xiao Xiao frown in discomfort.

"I’m not entirely sure of the exact number."

"Scythe has a very good appetite."

"At least a dozen or twenty, I suppose."

...

The conversation with Yang Yi was already a thing of the past. It had not been a pleasant experience; one could even say they parted on bad terms, at least from Xiao Xiao’s perspective. He had profoundly experienced what it meant to be unable to agree on a single sentence, and what it meant to talk to a brick wall. They were simply not on the same wavelength.

Within just half an hour, Xiao Xiao had taken the initiative to end the meeting. Honestly, in a sense, he had gained quite a bit of information, but none of it was of any practical use. The problem remained completely unsolved.

Xiao Xiao was distressed about how to resolve the Gu-diao’s predation, but he was at a loss. He couldn't call the police because he had no evidence to prove something as bizarre as a mythical beast eating people. However, that wasn't even the main issue. The primary problem was that the police could not see the Gu-diao at all. If he were to report it, how could he describe the case? How would the police conduct an investigation? His words would only be dismissed as ramblings; no one would believe him. The final result would only be him being labeled a psychiatric patient suffering from delusions.

...

In the end, he would have to handle it himself.

When Xiao Xiao returned to the University of Science and Technology, he was still uncertain if he should proceed. To solve the problem of the Gu-diao was simple: just eliminate the creature. But that Gu-diao was clearly not to be trifled with, and he was only a novice—who knew who would end up eliminating whom?

Xiao Xiao had actually gone to Xiangshan to seek advice from Ling-diao, but when he arrived, he found nothing; the creature was not in its usual haunts. Xiao Xiao had turned almost the entire mountain over, only to return in disappointment. But this matter could not be delayed. He didn't know the frequency at which the monster fed, but he knew that for every day it was dragged out, there would likely be one or more victims.

So, despite his heavy reservations, Xiao Xiao appeared there anyway. He didn't like meddling in other people's affairs, but he couldn't stand by and do nothing knowing that lives were at stake.

...

Xiao Xiao arrived at the basketball arena he had visited last time, only to be surprised to find the doors closed. He had come at the same time as before. After asking a passing student, he learned that the basketball team was taking a break today.

Now what? Where was he supposed to find Yang Yi?

...

Xiao Xiao first went to the men's dormitory building. Yang Yi was a prominent figure at the university, so Xiao Xiao found his room number with surprising ease. Unfortunately, Yang Yi was not in his room, and his roommates said they had no idea where he had gone.

Xiao Xiao scratched his head in frustration. He thought for a moment, then scanned the library, the study halls, and other places, but still found no trace of Yang Yi.

Xiao Xiao wandered aimlessly around the campus, pondering where Yang Yi might be. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind—could Yang Yi have taken the Gu-diao out to hunt? The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. He decided to check the alleys and backstreets around the school; perhaps he would discover something.

...

*Tap, tap.* In the silent alley, the sound of footsteps hitting the ground was exceptionally clear. Xiao Xiao checked several alleys in succession, finding nothing. A faint sense of worry made him restless. But then, he thought, this wasn't the worst-case scenario; at least he hadn't smelled any blood. He was truly worried that he would turn a corner deep in an alley and see a splash of dried, dusty blood on the ground.

...

Was this a jinx? Xiao Xiao mocked himself, though his eyes gradually grew cold enough to freeze.

He smelled the scent of blood. It floated in the air, elusive yet unmistakable. Xiao Xiao followed the scent, moving slowly forward. He knew he was a step too late.

Xiao Xiao was absolutely furious. Regarding the behavior of Yang Yi and the Gu-diao, he didn't know how else to describe it other than daring and unscrupulous! They had only spoken yesterday, and they knew he had discovered their evil deeds. By any normal person's logic, shouldn't they be lying low and keeping their claws tucked in for a while to avoid trouble?

And yet? They had completely disregarded him. To them, yesterday’s meeting had been nothing but a joke!

Very well. They were truly, very well!

Xiao Xiao had always been gentle by nature. As long as his bottom line wasn't crossed, he was easy to talk to. However, he had never been a pushover.