Redeem
A red butterfly danced in the rain, like a gentle breeze leaving a trace;
The Silver Phantom stepped across the ruins with a momentum of a thousand pounds. The spikes all over its body were like an unstoppable chariot, crashing a gap through the rain curtain.
In the instant the two figures intersected, that red butterfly instantly circulated lightly. A trace of a slash lightly streaked across the surface of the silver chariot like an overturned silver moon, its figure suddenly freezing in place.
That red butterfly didn't pause, but unhurriedly slowed its footsteps, casually thrusting the silver longsword into the earth, Strolling Leisurely amidst the rain curtain.
[Slaughter Dance].
Crack——
A crisp cracking sound exploded from the silver chariot's body. Those highly intimidating long spikes actually broke off and slipped down simultaneously. A clear slash mark pierced through the tall body, cutting it into two.
The two sections of the Silver Phantom's body fell towards two different directions respectively, crashing onto the explosive ruins, kicking up clouds of dust.
Not far away, the soaked Kong Baosheng looked at this scene, like he hadn't awakened from a big dream.
Kong Baosheng never thought Chen Ling would return. After all, Chen Ling had explicitly said before to gather at Willow Town, and the Jinghong Theater was just a product of his playacting... The moment that red clothing truly appeared, Kong Baosheng was stunned, followed by excitement and ecstasy!
Mister didn't abandon the Jinghong Theater, nor did he abandon them... Mister was still that Mister.
Chen Ling saw Kong Baosheng in the distance, but he had no time to converse with him right now. Instead, with slightly furrowed brows, he arrived beside that blood-mangled young girl.
"Lord Special Envoy..."
Huang Suyue lay in the ruins, staring blankly at that figure... The drizzling sky, the flying dust, and the severe pain coming from her body, seemed to all disappear at this moment. Only that wisp of red remained in her world.
"Lord Special Envoy... why did you come?"
"I came to retrieve myself."
Chen Ling crouched down slightly, his gaze sweeping across that mangled body in the pool of blood, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter. "You're heavily injured."
Huang Suyue wasn't sad, nor did she cry bitterly out of grievance. She just looked at the red clothes in the rain, her eyes seemingly containing stars, speaking softly and gently:
"Mhm... I'm about to die."
"You won't die." Chen Ling paused for a moment. "I know a very capable Doctor. I'll take you to find him."
He didn't wait for Huang Suyue to answer, reaching out to pick up that soft body, then taking a step onto nothingness, actually soaring into the air, walking out of the city step by step.
[Cloud Steps].
Huang Suyue lay in Chen Ling's embrace.
The ground was leaving her, the clouds were gradually approaching. At this moment, as long as she slightly turned her head, she could overlook a small half of the Red Dust Main City from high above. This was a scenery the vast majority of Ordinary People couldn't possibly see in their entire lives... But she didn't do so.
She just lay there quietly, her eyes gazing at Chen Ling's face. Her pale corners of the mouth unconsciously rose, and then, as if embarrassed, she tried hard to suppress it.
But a young girl's thoughts couldn't be hidden. Chen Ling just lowered his head slightly, and saw a slightly flushing cheek, dodging his gaze.
"What's wrong with you?" Chen Ling asked.
"Nothing... Lord Special Envoy, I'm fine."
"No need to call me Lord Special Envoy, that was just a disguised identity. My name is Chen Ling."
Since Chen Ling planned to retrieve himself, he didn't intend to continue wearing a fake coat. What's more, Huang Suyue was no longer an outsider. She had already helped him a lot in the Red Dust Main City, and could be considered a companion.
"Chen Ling." Huang Suyue mumbled. "Is it the Ling from 'Lingren' (Actor)?"
"Mhm."
"Lord, your name sounds really nice."
Chen Ling didn't answer. He felt the palm he was holding Huang Suyue with was gradually getting wet. Large patches of scarlet overflowed across his arm and the corner of his clothes, gradually merging with Theatrical Robe.
Huang Suyue was injured too heavily. Her blood was flowing away uncontrollably. Drops of scarlet mixed in the rain, drifting towards the ruined earth.
"Talk less, stay awake." Chen Ling frowned.
Huang Suyue's lips pursed slightly. She looked at Chen Ling's face, and those eyes calm as a lake, suddenly speaking:
"Lord, are you sad for me?"
Chen Ling was startled.
He hugged Huang Suyue, flying silently out of the city. Hearing this question, he didn't lower his head to look at Huang Suyue's eyes either... Or rather, he didn't dare to look.
He was silent for a long time, only able to answer:
"I don't know."
"...Don't know?" Huang Suyue was stunned. She didn't expect Chen Ling to give this answer. She couldn't help asking, "Then, then why are you trying so hard to save me?"
"You are my companion. In the past, I would definitely save you... So now, I should also do this. Only then is this me."
Huang Suyue didn't understand what this answer meant, but she could see that the coldness and indifference in Chen Ling's eyes that seemingly didn't belong to this world, was like an emotionless Audience.
Huang Suyue froze.
Laying in Chen Ling's embrace, her heart shattered silently into dust, mixing in the scarlet fresh blood, drifting towards beneath the clouds.
"Truly... Actors Are Heartless." Huang Suyue said softly.
"Don't speak anymore." Chen Ling felt that the vitality of Huang Suyue in his embrace was madly flowing away. The original wisp of flush on her face also disappeared, leaving only snow-like paleness and coldness. "...You have to live."
"No, I insist on speaking."
Vision was dimming, consciousness was blurring. Huang Suyue knew she didn't have much time left. The emotion that was once deeply suppressed under Rationality gradually surged out at this moment...
Right now, she didn't need any business Rationality, didn't need any calm mind, and didn't need to think about any dependency or independence... She stubbornly looked at Chen Ling, just wanting to make some things clear.
"Lord... no, Chen Ling." Huang Suyue's weak tone carried a trace of complaint. "You are just a liar!"
"...What?"
"The first time we met, you swindled five hundred thousand from me."
"..." Chen Ling retorted, "You bought it voluntarily."
"Weren't you taking advantage of someone's precarious position and extorting them... How could anyone do business like this!"
"But later I compensated you with intel." Chen Ling tried to reason with Huang Suyue, or rather, settle accounts, using Rationality to balance the so-called profit and loss.
"Then later, didn't I also help you? I gave you all your identities."
"But..."
"You made me tell everyone you were a Thespian I signed, but you didn't share the money you earned with me... You didn't even treat me to a meal." Huang Suyue gritted her silver teeth, speaking all at once. "I helped you hide your identity, and helped you repair the Theater House. Later, the money I earned was also for you to spend. When you got into trouble, I Act as a Safety Net for you. Whatever you did, I helped you..."
Chen Ling was silent for a long time, as if earnestly calculating for a moment, letting out a long sigh,
"Alright, I indeed owe you."
"I don't want to talk about this!"
"Then what do you want to say?"
"I... I..."
Huang Suyue's lips pursed together. She wanted to say something several times, but couldn't get it out... She blinked her eyes, tears of unknown annoyance or grievance sliding past the corners of her eyes, silently swallowing the words and tears together into her stomach.
She sniffled slightly, burying her head into Chen Ling's embrace, hugging him tightly with both hands,
Her voice sounded softly:
"If... if you were truly my Thespian, how great would that be..."
"I'm willing to spend a lifetime to Redeem you."
...