Volume Three: The Academy Runs Wild - Peach-Colored Ambush (Final)

At such a critical moment, hesitation is the most foolish thing to do.

It's too late.

"If... if this is the end for me... at least, none of you will leave here alive!!!"

"...!?"

It was only then that Xiao Wu noticed a strange phenomenon.

Siyana's hands remained clasped together.

Why?

Then, Xiao Wu understood.

Something blue was visible between her palms, pressed tightly together.

"Do you know what this is? This is a precious item made from Crystal Fruit from the North Realm Continent. It's a bomb I went to great lengths to obtain! I've already set it up. These two triggers are attached to the palms of my left and right hands respectively. As soon as the triggers are separated, the main body of the bomb, hidden in a secret location, will be activated, and most of this Angel Garden will crystallize and explode! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!"

Once the trigger is broken, the main body of the bomb hidden in the secret location will be activated, and most of Angel Garden will crystallize and explode!

"Hateful--"

This woman wants to die together with everyone else!

In battle, any hesitation is fatal.

Xiao Wu was filled with remorse.

She felt ashamed of herself for having felt sympathy for Siyana for a fleeting moment.

It was this small act of sympathy that prevented her from immediately subduing Siyana, giving her a chance to retaliate!

Stop her—that was Xiao Wu's only wish.

But it was too late.

The tightly clasped hands began to separate.

In the next instant, truly just a moment, the trigger will detach.

The house was very spacious, and the distance between her and Siyana was at least thirty meters.

Bullets cannot stop her from opening her palms; they can only get closer to her.

No matter how fast Xiao Wu moves, it's still too much of a stretch to stop Siyana.

We're doomed.

Siyana wore a victorious smile.

"They'll all die--"

Pfft!!!!!

The imagined explosion did not occur.

Only blood splattered everywhere.

"Huh...?"

Siyana slowly looked at her hands.

"This is...?"

It was pierced by a nail.

It was a long spear that pierced both of her hands, pinning them together completely, making them impossible to separate.

This spear is entirely golden, as if it were formed from golden moonlight, beautiful and ethereal, yet possessing an astonishing aura of killing intent.

"I made it! Golden Moon - Moon Wheel Spear is the fastest attack I have, almost light speed!"

A voice as melodious as a silver bell.

Qipao Girl appeared behind Siyana like a ghost.

"Who are you--?"

"You don't need to know, die, you bitch."

Click!!!

Without the slightest hesitation, without any pause, without the slightest pity.

The white longsword slashed vertically down, from the top of her head to her crotch, splitting Siyana in two.

Brain matter spilled out, intestines came out, and blood gushed out.

Siyana, a world-class idol, head of the Song and Dance Department, and manager of Angel Garden, the largest underground brothel in the Central United Academy, was transformed into a corpse reeking of pungent blood in the blink of an eye.

This was her fate.

Haoyue's expression was very strange.

There was neither disgust for Siyana nor joy at resolving the crisis.

"Qipao Woman, you..."

Looking at the bright moon, Xiao Wu wanted to say something, but didn't know how.

Haoyue silently looked at Xiao, who was still lying on the ground, and then struck her with the hilt of her sword.

With a soft thud, Xiao trembled and lost consciousness.

"Hey, what are you doing!"

"It's just to let her take a nap so as not to disturb her. But you..."

Haoyue's gaze towards Xiao Wu was incredibly complex, containing a mixture of disgust, anger, and disbelief.

"Just how kind are you?"

"... What do you mean?"

"Stop playing dumb, okay?"

Haoyue kicked the piece of flesh called "Siyana" hard.

"What were you hesitating about just now? 'No matter how tragic a person's past is, it cannot wash away their present sins'—don't tell me you don't even understand such a simple truth!"

"Of course I understand..."

"Then what are you hesitating for? You're just giving her a chance to retaliate!"

"... If she dies, the interrogation and such cannot proceed."

Stop making excuses for your kindness. In a crisis like this, who cares about that?

"..."

Haoyue and Xiao Wu gaze at each other from a distance.

"Now I finally understand why I feel disgusted by you the moment I see you, Urahara Sakura Dance."

"... Why?"

"The daughter of the Asura Martial God, Urahara Mai Ryu. Just from that identity, I can guess what kind of life you led as a child. You were used as a tool to pass on your combat skills, repeating hellish training day after day, knowing nothing of happiness or family, and completely disconnected from society—am I right?"

"It's disgusting."

"Then that's it. In this respect, you and I are very similar. I grew up in a mafia family, a dark world full of criminals and lunatics, teeming with the darkest parts of human nature. There were countless bitches like Siyana. I grew up in that kind of environment. I killed for the first time when I was seven. By the time I was ten, the number of people who died at my hands, whether innocent or guilty, had reached three digits."

Are you showing off your achievements to me?

"Don't you understand what I mean? You grew up bathed in cold pain, and I grew up bathed in the evil of humanity. It sounds different, but in essence, we are the same—but why are you and I so diametrically opposed?"

"..."

"I am an extreme egoist devoid of any sense of right and wrong, defying common sense—I am aware of this, so I have always used a glamorous appearance and superb social skills to cover up my filthy nature. And you? You appear to be a delinquent girl, with the blood of a serial killer, working as Scavengers, keeping everyone at arm's length with your cold attitude—yet you, despite all this, are unwilling to kill, and even exploit yourself to protect the weak. Even knowing the evil in human nature, you prefer to believe in the inherent goodness of humanity, using indifference and violence to mask your overly kind heart..."

"..."

"Using white to cover up black and using black to cover up white, you and I are practically two sides of the same coin. That's why I can't accept you, and I can't even tolerate your existence. And you feel the same way, don't you?"

"You seem to know quite a bit... Indeed, in my opinion, you are utterly hopelessly evil."

"Me too. In my opinion, you're hopelessly kind."

The two fell silent for a moment.

Silently, Haoyue drew her longsword, the tip aimed at Xiao Wu.

"Well, how should I put it," a long-lost smile reappeared on Haoyue's face, "That we can be such opposites is quite a coincidence, isn't it? It's like the saying 'things reach their extremes and then reverse,' isn't it? I've actually... become 'interested' in you."

"... What, you want to fight, Qipao Woman? Consider the occasion!"

"Cheer up! This is the first time I've ever felt such a strong interest in someone other than Xiao Ye..."

"So you want to fight? What kind of logic is that?"

Despite saying that, Xiao Wu subconsciously adopted a fighting stance.

"What words cannot convey, we convey through battle. That's how it was between Xiao Ye and me back then, and I'm sure you can understand. Besides... to be honest, this strange feeling of both disliking and being interested in someone is something I've never experienced before. And besides, your appearance is quite to my liking..."

"I'm sorry, my sexual orientation is perfectly normal."

"Don't say that, everyone can be gay at some point."

"... If you really want to fight me, stop talking and come at me!"

"Hahaha! Seriously, you're putting on that 'it's too much trouble' face, but you're actually looking forward to it too, aren't you! You're so dishonest, Xiao Wu- chan!"

Remove the 'sauce' from it!

A halo and runes appeared beneath the bright moon's feet.

Xiao Wu's muscles were tense.

A battle that should never have happened is about to erupt.

A Girl's Memories - Part Four

Now fifteen years old, Xiao Wu is a graceful young woman in the prime of her youth.

Girls my age are probably busy with studying and dating.

But her daily routine remained unchanged.

Every single day, he was subjected to violence and retaliated against, watching his bloodied opponents with numb eyes, wallowing in self-pity.

He had no dreams, no goals, no plans; he simply indulged in violence day after day.

However, it should be stated that Xiao Wu does not enjoy violence.

Rather, she couldn't adapt to a life without violence.

Although she was unwilling to admit it, she had long been aware of it.

Ultimately, I'm just someone who can't adapt to society.

Growing up under her mother's hellish training from birth, she was disconnected from society from the very beginning.

Xiao Wu isn't stupid; if she really wanted to integrate into the group, she certainly could.

But she just couldn't take that step.

Is it clinging to a past that's not worth clinging to? Or is it fearing the changes that will follow? Xiao Wu herself doesn't know.

But without a doubt, the violent daily life of constantly fighting with others was closer to her upbringing than the stable school life.

However, if that's the case, why would she stay at the Central United Academy, the highest institution of learning? If an environment filled with violence and conflict suits her better, why doesn't she go to those war-torn regions to survive?

There is only one reason.

"... I'm back."

"You're back? Come wash your hands and eat."

If there's one factor that binds me to this situation, it's probably her.

The woman was an acquaintance of hers, and also the one who brought her to this Central United Academy, Auntie Lucy.

"Did you get into a fight again today?"

"Um..."

Are you injured?

"Without..."

"So that means we've won?"

"Um..." "..."

Both of them fell silent, and the only sound in the small apartment was the clinking of cutlery.

"Xiao Wu..."

"Um?"

"I think you'd better... not continue like this."

"... sorry."

Instead of "I understand," it was "I'm sorry."

She knew that the only person here who would worry about her was Auntie Lucy. Even now, she still hoped that Xiao Wu could live like a normal girl, even though Xiao Wu disappointed her time and time again.

"Oh, right." Xiao Wu remembered something.

"How?"

"I met a strange person today who asked me if I wanted to be a 'Scavengers'."

"...!"

Auntie Lucy's hand trembled violently.

After a long silence, she finally spoke.

"Indeed... I'm still wondering if bringing you to the Central United Academy and trying to help you live a normal life was a mistake from the start."

"..."

"Your mother, Mairu, was the same way."

"Don't mention her to me..."

No one knows what she's thinking; she's always like a lone wolf, and no one can walk alongside her.

"I told you not to mention her!!!" Xiao Wu hand on the table, knocking over a spice bottle.

"... sorry."

"Ah, no, it's me who's... I'm sorry."

Xiao Wu began to hate hearing her mother's name, though she didn't know when it started.

To be precise, it's the existence of Urahara Mai Ryu that I dislike.

If her mother weren't her, she would probably be living a carefree life like any other girl, laughing and joking around.

Instead of the violence and bloodshed we see now.

"Xiao Wu, what is your reason for resorting to violence?"

"There's no need for a reason at all."

"It's not necessary, but if there's a reason, your power called violence will have more value."

"I do not understand..."

Simply put, 'using violence for oneself' and 'using violence for others' are different.

"They're both acts of violence, what's the difference?"

"Yes, is there any difference...? Well, I'm afraid you'll have to understand that gradually, and depending on the situation, you might never understand it in your entire life."

"What? Just making things complicated..."

"But Xiao Wu, you and Mai are completely different in one respect."

"Didn't I tell you not to mention her?"

Ignoring Xiao Wu's protests, Auntie Lucy continued speaking.

"Xiao Wu, I can sense that you are a kind person."

Are you kidding me?

"I'm not kidding. Even when facing opponents who genuinely intend to kill you, you would never actually kill them, would you?"

"It's just a coincidence, you're overthinking it."

"But, Xiao Wu, I hope you will never kill anyone again."

"... Why?"

"There's no going back. Once you've tried killing, there's no going back."

"... Who knows?"

Dinner as usual.

Home as usual.

As always, Xiao Wu's life is maintained on a precarious balance.

Perhaps Auntie Lucy's existence is the last line of defense preventing me from going further astray.

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Chapter 200, Worthy of Commemoration