Who left their last words here?

Chapter 63 Dark Clouds Loom Over the City, the Crow Returns! (4.5k)

This was the first time Bai Zhou had encountered this...

The last words that exist in the photograph.

Although he had only seen a few photos in total, apart from his ID photo.

But Shiraishu was somewhat confused about this.

If this graduation photo is that girl's last possession,

Why was it in Fang Xiaoxia's bedroom?
Feeling curious, Shiraishu decided...

With a soft "hum"—

The shadows are elongated.

A boy covered in bandages appeared cross-legged on the windowsill.

A few seconds later…

"Feel your breath, gradually become calm..."

"Let your thoughts become light... ethereal..."

A deep, resonant sound drifted softly through the bedroom.

Fang Xiaoxia sat up in bed, still groggy.

—Under the witness of the moonlight in the dead of night, Bai Zhou hypnotized the girl wearing a nightgown.

"Is this your graduation photo?"

"its mine."

Fang Xiaoxia nodded in response without hesitation.

But this answer made Bai Zhou fall silent for a while.

—Was the graduation photo not that girl's "last possessions"?
Then what right did she have to leave her last words on it?

They have absolutely no sense of boundaries...

Then, Bai Zhou pointed to the girl in the photo with the suicide note above her head and whispered to Fang Xiaoxia:
Who is this girl?

"What happened to her?"

"This is……"

Fang Xiaoxia carefully examined the photo, nodding slightly:
"Who?"

"I don't know this person."

Bai Zhou: "?"

Do you just sleep all day at school and never make any friends?
But soon, Bai Zhou realized that something was wrong.

The girl in the photo is pretty, tall, and clean-cut; she looks like she's a good student...

A girl like that shouldn't have a low profile in class.

—The key point is that she was standing right next to Fang Xiaoxia.

The two of them were shoulder to shoulder; anyone would believe they were best friends. How could this be...?

Don't you recognize me?

I don't know why, even though they're completely unrelated and not the same thing at all—

But for some reason, Bai Zhou thought of crows.

It was neither a corpse nor a personal belonging, just an ordinary photograph, yet it contained a suicide note.

A girl Fang Xiaoxia didn't know left behind a particularly thought-provoking last message.

All sorts of confusion turned into a gray mist, shrouding Bai Zhou's eyes.

...Things are getting interesting.

[Spiders, red spiders, that person's hands are crawling with red spiders!]

They're all dead, only I am left...

I must escape this hellhole!

I looked at the last words on the photo again...

Who are "them"? Where is this den of iniquity? Is it the major's "property"?

But the Major's industry is clearly aimed at those extraordinary individuals in the base, so how could it involve a junior high school girl?
"..."

With so little information available, Bai Zhou felt his thoughts were in turmoil.

He had initially thought that Fang Xiaoxia could provide him with useful information—

Useless Fang Xiaoxia, sigh.

Regardless of the circumstances, the existence of this mysterious girl in the photo is certainly a direction for investigation.

Otherwise, relying solely on an encrypted ledger, they would be searching like headless flies throughout this vast city, battling relentless pursuit, for a "business" that had been hidden for who knows how long...

The difficulty is ultimately too high.

"Om..."

There was another soft sound.

Hypnosis session ended.

The black cat reappeared under the gentle moonlight.

The girl, wearing a monkey-patterned nightgown, lay sprawled back on the bed, her fair and rosy feet facing Bai Zhou.

The sweet aroma of milk filled the entire bedroom, and the girl slept soundly, almost to the point of snotty noses.

"..."

After a moment's thought, the black cat silently got into bed and pulled the air-conditioning blanket over her lower belly.

Perhaps sensing the weight, Fang Xiaoxia hugged the blanket tightly and turned over.

She smacked her lips twice with a soft "mmm" sound, and her breathing became more even and relaxed.

A dark shadow moved through the room, and the black cat nimbly leaped onto the windowsill again.

The emerald green vertical pupils swept around the bedroom one last time, and after confirming that there was nothing unusual—

He turned and left without ever looking back.

Encounters always happen unexpectedly, just as farewells always happen silently.

Accepting separation is a necessary lesson in life, no matter who it is with.

Although he felt inexplicably guilty about it, Bai Zhou felt that not doing so would be the real "crime".

Perhaps the girl will wake up tomorrow crying and making a fuss, blaming herself for forgetting to close the window...

But that's about it.

Humans' fondness for pets stems from the childhood fantasy of having a companion, and the envy and longing that "everyone else has one"...

As to who the pet actually is, it doesn't really matter.

One leaves, another comes; after the tears and fuss, they forget... This applies not only to pets, but sometimes to relationships between people as well.

Having regained some strength and with its body wrapped in bandages, the black cat nimbly leaped down from the windowsill.

A strong wind blew through his hair, and the ribbons on his head fluttered in the wind as Bai Zhou jumped onto the windowsill of the building opposite.

Jumping down step by step, the white boat quickly landed on the bustling street.

The vibrations as the car drove over the roadside were clearly captured by the cat's paws. The black cat's figure merged into the bustling crowd and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

The black figure moved nimbly through the streets and alleys, freely exploring every corner, while Bai Zhou gradually felt his strength failing.

Ultimately, the injuries were too severe, and he was too weak...

—Is the recovery too slow?

It was only at this moment that Bai Zhou suddenly realized the problem.

How come his injuries have only improved slightly after a day? And his spiritual recovery is even slower than a tortoise crawl?

It is suspected that this is related to the depletion of spiritual energy during the battle with Van Gogh.

After the first overdraft, he had just recovered half of his spiritual energy, but immediately used it to activate [Life Stealing]...

The white boat, already on the verge of breaking apart, now resembled a dried-up riverbed riddled with cracks.

While it wouldn't lead to irreversible consequences, Bai Zhou made a rough estimate and found that...

It may take at least half a month to recover from this state to its peak.

Not to mention the [Cursed Colossus] and the [Moonlight Oath Saint Slash], during his recovery period, he was even less able to use much of his extraordinary power.

—This won't do!

Bai Zhou couldn't wait that long.

While being hunted across the world, he must not lose his reliance on being an extraordinary being.

The major won't stop; he has plenty of ways to do things.

Once the white boat in this state is found...

They are certain to die!

However, Shirazuki had little experience dealing with this kind of problem.

If only Crow, who is suspected to be a long-time wanted criminal, were still by my side at this time.

She definitely has a way to help Bai Zhou solve this problem...

After pondering for a while with a heavy heart, Bai Zhou shook his head.

Worrying about these things is useless. Having too many lice makes you less itchy. There are too many problems to solve, so for a while, you don't have to worry about anything.

They were already seriously injured and in such a bad situation, could things get any worse?
At worst, I can just crawl under the bridge and hide in the form of a black cat for a while.

Imagining yourself as a real stray cat is, in a sense, a remarkable role you're playing...

all in all--

Let’s talk about it after tonight.

Shiro will likely be more intelligent in solving this problem tomorrow.

...So, with his last bit of strength and means, Bai Zhou climbed up the residential building next to him.

The agile black cat climbed straight up to the top floor, the 20th floor, panting heavily.

— Resting here, no one will ever disturb you.

A while later, the boy in the black trench coat appeared on the air conditioner unit outside the 20th floor.

"Buzzing buzzing—"

Bai Zhou bent his knees and rested on it. The air conditioner unit under his buttocks mooed incessantly like an old ox, making his buttocks slightly numb.

The dark figure blended into the mysterious night, the hem of the oversized trench coat fluttering in the night wind as if it were about to be carried away.

No one would look up and notice him at this time, so Bai Zhou could freely look down and observe the human world.

At 11 p.m., the city of Tinghai was still bustling with activity.
In the distance, the familiar "Welcome to the Sea" landmark still stood. This landmark, invisible from the southern part of the city, now reappeared, evoking a sense of warmth and familiarity in Bai Zhou.

Light and shadow intertwine, traffic flows like a river, streetlights gleam with golden light, and neon lights of skyscrapers create a dazzling spectacle.

The passersby looked as insignificant as ants, and behind the few windows still lit up upstairs...

I could vaguely see someone gesturing wildly in front of the screen, but I didn't know what they were doing.

"call--"

A whistling wind blew from the end of the night, as if to blow down the stars in the sky and to lift the tuft of hair sticking up on Bai Zhou's head.

a little cold.

Bai Zhou tightened the collar of his trench coat.

Then he naturally recalled his night in the city.

Although the stars and moon in the city at night are very different from those here, the white boat back then seems no different from the one now.

Bai Zhou's childhood lacked "flowers, ice cream, and little red flowers awarded by her parents"...

But it has the moon, stars, and the gentle evening breeze, and it lacks nothing compared to others.

It's all the same.

Unable to sleep, Bai Zhou moved the recliner that the old man next door didn't want to give him out and lay down in front of his house to watch the moon.

The moon was chewed up and turned into stars, and loneliness is hidden in the starlight.

Actually, if you break down the word "loneliness," you'll find that there are children, fruit, animals, and mosquitoes—enough to fill a bustling alleyway on a summer evening, full of human warmth.

—But all of this has nothing to do with Bai Zhou.

Bai Zhou often deliberately avoids using the word "lonely" because he feels it would make him seem overly sentimental.

And it's very embarrassing.

In reality, the young people who pretend to be melancholy are not actually melancholy, and those who constantly talk about loneliness are truly suffering from a pretentious, artsy type.

But those who deliberately avoid these things are always alone and truly lonely.

But Bai Zhou really didn't think it was a big deal. He was used to it. Just like tonight, when he left Xiao Fang without hesitation, he didn't think it was a big deal.

Even after leaving the comfort of the room, covered in wounds and exhausted from being chased, he found himself alone, squatting on the air conditioner unit on the 20th floor, enjoying the evening breeze…

It was also because of the choice he made firmly.

It's nothing, really—just like he still doesn't feel lonely because of this scene.

It was a bit chilly on the 20th floor, and the air conditioner under my seat was really noisy. But the distant noise seemed so quiet to me, which was quite magical...

As the evening breeze brushed against Bai Zhou's face, it ruffled the hem of his trench coat—

Under the boundless night sky, the tiny white boat evoked an indescribable emotion within me.

But Bai Zhou was certain that this feeling was neither sadness nor loneliness; it was simply a sense of bewilderment about his future as he looked up at the moon in a foreign land.

So what? Who isn't confused? The moon itself might be lost in the deep, dark night sky.

At least he was certain he was on an "adventure."

He is now living a "thrilling life" that he could never have imagined in the past.

Although being hunted down as an extraordinary being with nowhere to go but to sleep on an air conditioner unit is indeed so miserable that it's hard to bear the thought...

But he's quite handsome.

What adventurer doesn't live a life of hardship and sleep in luxury hotels every day on their adventure?

Bai Zhou quickly calmed himself down.

He is a person with a strong inner self and blind optimism.

Rather than the "sun," Bai Zhou personally feels that his mood is more like a star, shining brightly all year round, occasionally hiding from the dark clouds.

That's pretty good.

"Whoosh..."

...At the end of August, no one can predict when a sudden downpour might occur.

Like now.

Just a moment ago the sky was clear and blue, but now dark clouds have suddenly rolled in.

The stars dimmed, the clouds hung low, and even the wind smelled different, a mixture of the earthy stench and the dampness of the rain.

The city, still ablaze with neon lights, seemed oblivious to the rising clouds above, with only the figure sitting atop the air conditioner unit facing the vast expanse of dark clouds surging in the distance.

Storm is coming.

Bai Zhou's expression froze, and he thought to himself that he might have to find another place to spend the night.

But the next second, as he was being blown by the strong wind, he inexplicably felt a surge of heroic spirit.

"Crunch, crunch..."

The metal sheet of the air conditioner outdoor unit is making noise.

For some unknown reason, Bai Zhou slowly stood up on the air conditioner unit and opened his arms.

When he was a child, he often did things like this. For example, after he finished reading an adventure novel, he would take a wooden stick, walk outside, laugh strangely at the dark clouds on the horizon, and swing a cool sword like a protagonist.

—Although this kind of handsomeness only exists in his own imagination.

This foolish behavior disappeared after he grew up.

Until now.

Anyway, nobody saw it...

With this in mind, Bai Zhou stood on the top floor, welcoming the wind.

His hair was blown wildly, and the wind filled his open trench coat, making it flutter like outstretched wings.

Beneath its feet are countless lights of the world, above it are dark clouds pressing down and a storm is brewing. The white boat opens its arms to meet the oncoming gale, like a fledgling bird about to take flight.

My mood immediately improved.

All worries and fatigue seem to be blown away by the wind.

"Tsk."

Suddenly, Bai Zhou felt a pang of regret...

It's a real shame there were no spectators at this scene.

then,

The next moment——

A black ribbon flew out from Bai Zhou's arms and swirled in the air, blown by the wind.

"flap……"

The sound of wings flapping rang in my ears.

A jet-black raven suddenly flew out from the ribbon, blinking its red eyes and curiously observing the white boat that was opening its arms to welcome the baptism of the gale.

then,

A voice came from above to beside my ear—

"What are you doing, Bai Zhou?"

His tone was questioning, and his voice was hoarse.

The cold but familiar voice made Bai Zhou freeze.

Looking up in disbelief, Bai Zhou saw—

Under the cool moonlight, a girl in a light veil and trench coat stood in the void, holding a sword, her expression still as familiar as ever.

The wind rustled the hem of her clothes, the sound giving her a strangely reassuring sense of security.

Yes--

"crow?!"

Bai Zhou exclaimed in surprise.

But at this moment, the crow tilted its head, its ruby-like eyes silently reflecting the figure of the white boat with its arms outstretched.

"Hmm, are you imitating Jack?"

The girl, floating in the air like a goddess or a demon, seemed deep in thought:
"So your Lucy is...?"

I couldn't understand a word this person was saying.

But Bai Zhou was so embarrassed that he wanted to jump off the 20th floor right then and there; his face was burning hot.

I did something stupid when no one was around, and then I got arrested on the spot by someone I knew... What should I do?
"Crow, why are you awake?"

"Is that not allowed?"

The crow's answer was completely unmoved.

"—It sounds like I shouldn't have woken up."

"No, I was asking you why you had to come back at this time of year..."

Bai Zhou waved his hand repeatedly, but it seemed to only make things worse.

"Ah."

The crow nodded solemnly, slowly descending from the sky to a height parallel to the white boat:
"I see, I was just being redundant."

"No, not exactly—"

Bai Zhou waved his hands repeatedly, his emotions aggravating his injuries, and he couldn't help but cough repeatedly.

"Ok."

Raven surveyed Bai Zhou's weak and battered body, its ruby-like eyes narrowing into a dangerous arc.

"...It seems I've arrived just in time."

It's like a drowning person seeing a towering tree floating downstream...

It's like hearing the tinkling echo of a clear spring in the ears of someone dying of thirst in a desert on a long journey—

Bai Zhou's numerous injuries successfully caught Ya's attention.

She frowned slightly, a hint of concern and doubt in her eyes:
"It's only been one day... What did you do while I was gone?"

"Was it trampled by an elephant herd, or fell into a blender?"

"How did your body, which was perfectly healthy before, suddenly become such a mess?"

She shook her head, carefully examining Bai Zhou's injuries, amazed at how efficiently he could have managed to wreck himself in just one day.

Although the peculiar milky scent emanating from Bai Zhou puzzled Ya for a moment, she quickly put the question out of her mind.

Then he said:
"I think……"

"You might need some help."

(End of this chapter)