The boy let out a sigh of relief and strode toward the door, ignoring even his wounds.
For some reason, at that moment, he even felt that this perfectly ordinary-looking home seemed far more terrifying than the Guard Bureau's prison.
Even under these circumstances, the boy remained cautious. He pushed open the door and carefully surveyed his surroundings. Only after confirming that no one from the Guard Bureau was there did he step outside.
I'd escaped with my life.
That was the truest reflection of what was in the boy's mind.
But the instant his foot crossed the threshold, he felt what seemed to be a hand grabbing his collar and roughly hauling him back.
The owner of that hand was very strong. Had he not been injured, he might have been able to put up a struggle.
But now...
Back in the room once again, the boy raised his head in bewilderment and looked at Yu Sheng standing opposite him, his eyes full of incomprehension.
Yu Sheng casually shut the door, his expression as calm as ever. "I didn't restrict your freedom, so... this shouldn't count as unlawful imprisonment anymore."
"At least you left this room."
"Yes, that's right."
Finally, Yu Sheng even remembered to nod, proving that what he had said did indeed make perfect sense.
The boy could no longer remember how many times he had broken down in just half an hour.
In his eyes, Yu Sheng's youthful face was as terrifying as a devil's.
"Sit wherever you like."
"Your injuries are serious. You'd better not move around too much, and remember to clean the blood off my floor."
"Otherwise, I'll be unhappy."
After giving him these instructions, Yu Sheng casually put away the medicine on the cabinet, sat down in a nearby chair, and slipped back into that vacant state.
The boy stood rooted to the spot, somewhat dazed. For a moment, he actually had no idea whether he should rest or clean the room.
"Looks like it wasn't my imagination."
Yu Sheng sat in the chair, somewhat lost in thought. Every time the boy broke down emotionally, wisps of pale gray energy rose into the air and sank into the scroll painting in his mind.
The Dragon-Patterned Staff within the painting also looked a little more solid than before.
Although progress was slow, it was indeed working.
In other words, this energy came from other people's emotions, and those emotions had to be caused by me?
Yu Sheng had vaguely figured something out, and his eyes brightened a little as he looked at the boy.
Meanwhile, the boy, who was dragging his severely injured body around to clean the room, felt a chill down his back, as though needles were pricking it.
What he found most unbearable was that the wound in his chest was still dripping blood. Every time he wiped some away, more dripped onto the floor, without end.
Seeing the boy's breathing grow increasingly labored and his body sway on the verge of collapse, Yu Sheng considerately stepped forward. "Your injuries are serious. Any more strenuous movements, and you'll die."
Under the boy's incredulous gaze, Yu Sheng fetched a bar of soap from the bathroom and placed it in his hand. "Sulfur soap makes cleaning blood easier. That way, you can rest sooner."
The boy took the sulfur soap expressionlessly, feeling neither joy nor sorrow. Numbly, he knelt on the floor and scrubbed it.
Yu Sheng watched as the gray vapor escaping from above the boy's head dwindled until it disappeared. He froze for a moment, then immediately rose and approached the boy again.
"I thought about it. Sulfur soap is bad for your hands."
He snatched the sulfur soap back. Only after seeing gray vapor rising above the boy's head again did Yu Sheng return to his chair in satisfaction.
"I agree!"
As though he had made some important decision, the boy drew a deep breath and stood up, looking at Yu Sheng as he spoke solemnly.
"Give me a pen and paper. I want to leave a final letter before I die."
Yu Sheng looked at the boy blankly, puzzled.
"Even if I don't kill myself, I'll die of blood loss anyway."
"I might as well die with some dignity."
"Didn't you say I owed you a life? I'll repay you now."
The boy lifted his chin with a touch of pride.
At that moment, he was like the dashing, high-spirited youth he had been on that bright, sunny afternoon when he decided to become the world's greatest assassin.
An assassin should have no fear of death, and should even have the courage to face it head-on.
So... somewhere along the way, I'd forgotten why I started. Luckily, at the very last moment, I recovered my dignity as an assassin.
"You can't die."
Yu Sheng firmly shook his head without the slightest hesitation.
It would be such a waste if such a stable energy source died.
"No, I have to die!"
"Only death can defend my dignity as an assassin."
But the boy stubbornly shook his head. "Forget it. Since I'm going to die anyway, I might as well skip the final letter. An assassin... has no feelings."
As he spoke, a small razor blade suddenly appeared between his fingers, and he slowly drew it toward his neck.
Slowly closing his eyes, the boy followed the usual practice of those about to die and once again looked back over his life.
Half a year ago, he decided to become the world's greatest assassin.
Three days ago, he accepted his first job.
In the morning, he scouted the location. In the afternoon, he struck.
Outmatched, he fled, stumbled into a wolf's den, and died.
Though it wasn't quite perfect... it still counted as an assassin's life, after all, didn't it?
Without realizing it, the boy's lips curved into a smile of release.
Yu Sheng rose and frowned. By the moonlight, he studied the boy's face properly for the first time, then spoke with some puzzlement. "Are you really an assassin?"
"You haven't killed anyone. There's not a trace of blood about you."
The boy's eyes snapped open, and he glared at Yu Sheng. "I just failed this time. Give me time, and sooner or later I'll become the world's greatest assassin!"
"Forget it. You wouldn't understand even if I explained!"
With disdain for Yu Sheng, the boy closed his eyes again and once more looked back over his life.
"Wrong spot. You're about to cut your windpipe. You won't die right away."
"And it'll be very painful."
Yu Sheng kindly offered him some guidance.
The boy's hand froze in midair, the blade pinched between his fingers. After a moment's hesitation, he adjusted its position slightly.
Damn it, now I have to look back over my life again.
The boy cursed inwardly.
"That spot won't work either. Blood will spray everywhere."
"If the room gets dirty, it'll be hard to clean."
Yu Sheng frowned, somewhat unhappy.
"I'm about to die! Die! Do you know what that means?"
"Could you stop interrupting me?"
"Huh?!"
Veins bulged on the boy's forehead as he roared at Yu Sheng!
Because he had exerted himself too much, his wound tore open, worsening his injuries again. The pain sent him collapsing onto the floor, clutching his chest. He wanted to let out a couple of cries of agony, but forced them down to maintain his dignity as an assassin.
"What it means to die?"
"I don't understand."
Yu Sheng pondered for a few seconds, then shook his head. "Next time, before I kill someone, I'll ask them."
Before you continue