It's late at night, and the lights of Heaven Dou City are extinguished one by one.
By the lake outside the Shrek Academy, Xiao Wu was sitting alone on the grass, hugging his knees and looking at the broken moonlight on the water.
She didn't go back to the dormitory. She didn't know what kind of expression she should use to face Rongrong, let alone how to face Tang San.
Today she went to see Chen Jieqi.
She didn't even know why she wanted to go. Maybe she just wanted to hear the man say "swim out by yourself" again.
Maybe I just want to confirm that there is really a body of water in this world, and I won't drown if I swim in it.
The sound of footsteps came from behind, very light, stepping on the gravel, with a dragging heaviness.
Xiao Wu There is no looking back.
It was Tang Hao who took him all the way back to Heaven Dou City. Soul Power of Titled Douluo was carrying the night wind,
The hundreds of miles of mountain road were crushed for a moment, but the injuries on Tang San's body were not dealt with in time.
The scorch marks have not faded, and the dried blood at the corner of the mouth glows dark brown in the moonlight.
The hem of his clothes was still stained with mud and grass clippings from Sunset Forest.
He could have gone back to his room immediately to heal his wounds, but he broke away from the medicine bottle handed to him by his father.
He just said "I'm going to see her" and then shuffled here step by step.
"Xiao Wu."
Tang San's voice is hoarse, cracked, and like sandpaper rubbing.
Xiao Wu's shoulders trembled, and her fingers unconsciously tightened the hem of her skirt.
Tang San walked to her side and stood for a while,
Then he squatted down and looked at her level. He didn't cover up or get closer.
"I went to see my dad." He said,
"He told me something."
Xiao Wu's breathing suddenly became shallow.
"You are Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast." Tang San's voice was very calm.
So calm without any ups and downs,
"He could see it the first time he saw you."
Xiao Wu's body began to tremble.
She wanted to run, to escape, to shrink herself into the night.
But her legs seemed to be entangled in water plants and she couldn't move.
"I'm not afraid." Tang San said, "I just... suddenly understood."
Xiao Wu raised his head.
The moonlight shone into his eyes, which were very red, but they were not from crying.
It's bloodshot and it's a struggle to endure to the limit.
"I have never been afraid before Suotuo City."
Xiao Wu's voice is very soft, like paper torn by the wind,
"But when he blocks in front of you and the momentum is suppressed... I suddenly wake up."
"Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast transformed, what does it look like to Titled Douluo?"
She raised her head, her eyes were very red,
"It's Soul Ring who's walking, and it's Spirit Bone who's been delivered to your door."
"I thought those six years were real."
Xiao Wu's lips are trembling,
"But now I can't help but wonder... if it starts from the Nuoding Academy,
Are you just waiting for me to grow up? Waiting for you to need me?"
Tears fell down, not out of grievance, but out of fear.
It's the kind of panic that "it turns out that I have been sleeping on the tip of a knife, but I thought I was lying in the clouds."
"No."
Tang San interrupted her with a strong tone,
"Never before Suotuo City, my dad knew who you were.
He showed up just to protect me, not to keep an eye on you."
He stretched out his hand and took her clenched fist.
Her hands were cold, her nails dug into her palms, and blood seeped out.
He didn't push it open, but pressed his palm against her knuckles.
"I've thought it through." he said,
"From Nuoding City to Suotuo City, and now Heaven Dou City, I only know that you are my sister,
It's not because you are Soul Beast, it's because you are Xiao Wu."
Xiao Wu finally cried out.
It's not wailing, it's the loss of control after cognitive collapse.
The peace of mind that had been established for six years was completely torn apart by the appearance of someone who was forced into a desperate situation.
The cracks are filled with instinctive revaluation.
Tang San didn't hug her.
He just squatted there, holding her hand, waiting for her to finish crying.
After a long time, Xiao Wu's crying gradually became weaker.
She withdrew her hand, wiped her face carelessly with her sleeve, and lowered her head.
"Aren't you afraid of me?" she asked.
"Not afraid."
"You don't hate me for finding Chen Jieqi?"
Tang San was silent for a while.
"I hated it, but then I figured it out. You didn't go to him because he was better than me."
He paused,
"It's because he... doesn't make people afraid."
Xiao Wu was startled for a moment.
"My dad said that his Martial Soul is too clean."
Tang San lowered his head,
"It is so clean that there is no plundering smell. But my Blue Silver Grass is contaminated by the poisonous ring, and the smell is getting more and more turbid.
When you are with him, you don't have to guess, hide, or be afraid of being used as material one day."
Xiao Wu opened his mouth but said nothing.
"I won't let you be afraid of me."
Tang San raised his head and looked at her,
"My dad won't touch you, and he can protect you secretly.
He said that if he wanted to kill you, he would not wait until today."
Xiao Wu lowered his head. "But I'm still afraid."
"I know."
"I'm scared when your dad is standing there."
"I know."
"Sometimes you stand there and I'm afraid."
Xiao Wu's voice is softer,
"I'm afraid that if you know the truth, you will look at me again.
I'm afraid that those six years... were just a well-established illusion."
Tang San was silent for a long time.
The night wind swept across the lake and scattered the strands of hair on his temples.
"I won't," he said, "I swear."
Xiao Wu raised his head and looked at him.
The moonlight fell on his face, which was paler than during the day, with sunken eye sockets and dried blood at the corners of his mouth.
His eyes were very bright, like two cold stars washed by water.
"Are you hurt?" she asked.
"Yeah. I went to Sunset Forest and wanted to forcibly add a ring to the hammer."
"Are you crazy?" Xiao Wu's voice suddenly rose in pitch, with a vibrato.
"Can't wait." Tang San twitched the corner of his mouth without laughing.
"Suotuo City After that incident, I know that I can't protect anyone by just waiting."
Xiao Wu lowered his head and slowly loosened his fingers. The blood marks on his palms had become thin scabs.
"You don't need to become stronger." She said, "I don't need your protection."
Tang San was stunned for a moment.
"I will protect myself." Xiao Wu said,
"I have lived for so many years, and I came here even without you."
Tang San said nothing.
"But I don't want to be alone." Xiao Wu's voice became softer, "I'm afraid of being alone."
Tang San stretched out his hand, and this time, he hugged her.
Xiao Wu did not break away.
She buried her face in his chest, tears welling up again.
The smell of burnt clothes and blood rushed into her nose. It was unpleasant, but she didn't hide.
"You... don't hide anything from me in the future." She said dullly.
"Okay."
"No one is allowed to die alone."
"Okay."
"Don't die before me."
Tang San smiled. "Okay."
They sat like this by the lake for a long, long time.
The moon moved from east to west, and the scattered lights in the lake dimmed one by one.
"I'm going to a place." Tang San suddenly said,
"Blue Silver Ancestral Land. My dad said that I can see my own path there clearly."
Xiao Wu raised his head. "How long?"
"I don't know. Maybe a few months, maybe half a year or even longer."
Xiao Wu was silent for a while. "Then go ahead."
Tang San looked at her. "You won't wait for me?"
"No wait." Xiao Wu stood up and patted the grass clippings on his skirt.
"I won't wait for you, I want to swim out by myself."
Tang San was stunned.
"You said, I came to you because you are reassuring."
Xiao Wu turned his head and looked at him,
"But I have to learn to be at ease when you're not around.
Otherwise, what will I do if you die?"
Tang San opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
Xiao Wu took a deep breath, raised his head, and looked at the night sky.
"Two years later, Continental Soul Master Tournament will fight together, not to see you win."
She paused,
"To see that you are still alive."
Tang San stood up and looked at her.
"I will live." he said.
"Then let's go." Xiao Wu turned around, facing away from him.
"If I don't leave, I'm afraid I'll regret it."
Tang San stood for a while, then turned around and left.
He didn't look back.
Xiao Wu stood alone by the lake, listening to his footsteps getting farther and farther,
Finally disappeared into the night.
She lowered her head and looked at her hands.
There are blood marks on the palms from the nails pinched when I made a fist just now.
And the warmth Tang San left when he held her.
"I'll swim out by myself," she said softly.
The wind blew across the lake, causing ripples, and the moonlight shattered and then closed again.
In the distance, the bell tower of Heaven Dou City rang the early morning bell.
A new day has begun.