The Death of a Hero
Xu Huo didn't go to the study. Instead, he returned to the guest room the butler had arranged for him. He hadn't expected the Scholar and the other two to be waiting there. The two red-feathered hummingbirds were alive and well, and the Photographer was playing with them beside their cage.
"How did it go?" the Gourmet asked.
"There's no room for compromise," Xu Huo replied. "He looks like he wants nothing to do with the world, but in reality, he has no choice after losing his power. He'll never close the Dungeon just to ease his own feelings."
The Photographer's expression changed at once. "After all this, he still won't behave. The people in District 022's government are something else, too—luring Outer District Players here to keep him entertained!"
"He can't move and spends most of the day lying in a chair, yet he's still having a pretty interesting life."
"Have you ever seen someone who'd lost all interest in life grow so many rare flowers and trees on his estate?" the Gourmet said. "It's just that his Aftereffect has gotten so bad he can't help it."
"Reasoning with him won't work," the Photographer said after a moment. "Why don't we all stay here tonight and guard the door?"
"No." Xu Huo spoke first. "You should all leave in a little while."
He brought the birdcage over, submitted the memento, and put it into the Storage Compartment. Only after sitting down did he continue, "He'll come to kill me before long. It wouldn't be convenient to have you here."
The three exchanged glances. After a moment, the Gourmet asked, "Did the conversation go badly?"
"Not exactly," Xu Huo said calmly. "He just wants to pick a fight with me."
Human emotions were complicated. People