Rules of the Unusual: I am the Final Boss

Shi Mo stood in the corridor and finished smoking the cigarette.

The ashtray, which had always been in the castle, sat on the windowsill. It was made of black iron and had intricate patterns carved along its edges. He pressed the cigarette butt in, pressing hard, until the embers were completely extinguished.

The corridor was quiet, save for the occasional footsteps in the distance—the sound of castle servants moving about. They walked so lightly, almost inaudibly, like ghosts.

The system dared not speak.

It sensed that Shi Mo was in a very bad mood, not the kind of bad mood from anger, but a kind of... empty, cold bad mood. Like a dry well, bottomless, where even if you threw a stone in, you wouldn't hear an echo.

Shi Mo lit another cigarette.

He rarely smokes one cigarette after another like this. Usually, smoking is more of a posture, a habit, but he rarely actually inhales. But now it's different. He takes each deep drag, letting the smoke linger in his lungs for a long time before slowly exhaling.

Smoke filled the corridor, mingling with the chilly morning air, creating an indescribable sense of decadence.

The restaurant doors were still closed.

Bai Xu is still inside.

Shi Mo knew he was crying, even if he couldn't hear the sound. Bai Xu cried quietly, not loudly, but in muffled sobs, his shoulders shaking violently, his tears falling silently.

Like a wounded little animal, hiding away to lick its wounds.

Shi Mo's fingers trembled slightly.

The cigarette ash fell and landed on the back of his hand; it was a little hot, but he didn't move.

He stared at the grayish-white cigarette ash on the back of his hand for a long time, then raised his hand and brushed it off.

A small red mark was left on the back of my hand.

He took another drag of his cigarette and turned his gaze toward the restaurant door.

The door was made of solid wood, very thick, and carved with intricate patterns. You couldn't see inside, nor could you hear anything from within.

But he could imagine it.

Bai Xu squatted on the ground, hugging his knees and burying his face in them, tears falling one by one onto the floor. The wound on his knees might have reopened, blood seeping out and staining the bandages red, but he couldn't feel the pain, because the pain in his heart was much heavier.

Shi Mo closed his eyes.

The system finally couldn't help but speak up: "Host...would you like to go in and take a look?"

Shi Mo didn't open his eyes: "What are you looking at?"

Captain Bai Xu...

"He cried, I know," Shi Mo interrupted. "So?"

The system choked.

Shi Mo opened his eyes, stared at the door for a long time, and then said, "He cried because he was sad. He was sad because he did something wrong, said something wrong, and now he regrets it."

He paused, then said in a flat voice, "He deserves it."

The system whispered: "But just now... weren't you punishing him? You said you didn't..."

"I didn't punish him," Shi Mo said. "I just told him the truth."

He finished his cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray.

The ashtray already contained three cigarette butts, crammed together crookedly.

"The truth is," Shi Mo continued, "we're not compatible. We weren't compatible before, we're not compatible now, and we never will be."

The system fell silent.

It didn't know what to say.

Shi Mo turned around and walked towards the stairs.

After taking two steps, he stopped again and looked back at the restaurant door.

The door was still closed.

He stood there for a while, then continued walking.

After going downstairs, we walked into the castle hall.

Casper and Augustus were still waiting there. When they saw Shimo come down, they quickly lowered their heads.

"Master," Casper said softly.

"Get the car ready," Shi Mo said. "We'll take him home."

Casper hesitated for a moment: "Now?"

"Um."

"But Captain Bai..." Casper glanced upstairs, "...he hasn't had breakfast yet..."

"He'll eat it," Shi Mo interrupted him. "After he finishes eating, send him away."

His voice was cold and brooked no argument.

Casper dared not say anything more and nodded, "Yes."

Shi Mo walked to the throne, sat down, leaned back in the chair, and closed his eyes.

It looks like they're tired.

Augustus asked in a low voice, "Master, about... the difficulty of the dungeons in the industry..."

"Do as I say." Shi Mo didn't open his eyes. "No need to turn on the water."

"Yes."

The two of them retreated.

Shi Mo was the only one left in the hall.

He leaned back on the throne, eyes closed, motionless.

His eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady, as if he were asleep.

But the system knew he wasn't asleep.

He was very clear-headed, frighteningly so.

The system cautiously asked, "Host, are you really going to send Captain Bai Xu away?"

Shi Mo did not answer.

What if he doesn't want to leave?

Shi Mo still didn't answer.

If he...

"Shut up," Shi Mo said, his voice cold.

The system immediately went silent.

The hall fell silent again.

Only the occasional sound of footsteps in the distance and the faint crackling of torches burning on the wall could be heard.

After a long time, the restaurant door finally opened.

Bai Xu walked out.

His eyes were red and swollen, and there were still tear stains on his face. A little blood had seeped through the bandage on his knee, a dark red that stood out starkly against the white bandage.

He stood at the top of the stairs, looking at Shi Mo in the lobby.

Shi Mo kept his eyes closed, leaning against the throne, as if he hadn't noticed his arrival.

Bai Xu slowly walked down the stairs.

He walked slowly, his knee wound aching terribly, but he gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

He stopped in the center of the hall and looked at Shi Mo.

"Shi Mo," he said, his voice hoarse.

Shi Mo opened her eyes and looked at him.

His eyes remained the same, calm and devoid of warmth.

"The car is ready," Shi Mo said. "Let Casper take you home."

Bai Xu shook his head: "I'm not leaving."

"You have to leave," Shi Mo said. "This is not a Seventh Sequence base, and you have no reason to stay here."

"I have a reason." Bai Xu took a step forward. "You."

Shi Mo smiled.

"Me?" he repeated. "Bai Xu, are you still not awake?"

He stood up, stepped down from the throne, and walked to Bai Xu.

The two were very close.

Shi Mo looked down at him, her eyes narrowing: "What use do you think you are, staying here like this?"

Bai Xu looked up at him, her eyes reddening again: "I...I want to stay with you."

"Keep me company?" Shi Mo raised an eyebrow. "Keep me company with what? Smoke with me? Kill with me? Or watch those contestants die one by one in the dungeon?"

Bai Xu's lips were trembling.

"Bai Xu," Shi Mo's voice turned cold, "you're not that kind of person. You can't do it."

He turned around, his back to Bai Xu.

"Go back. Go back to the Seventh Sequence, be your captain, and protect those who need protection." His voice came from ahead. "That's what you should be doing."

Bai Xu stared at his retreating figure for a long time.

Then he took a step forward and hugged Shi Mo from behind.

They hugged me very tightly and forcefully.

Shi Mo's body stiffened.

"I won't leave." Bai Xu buried her face in his back, her voice muffled and trembling with tears, "Please don't send me away... Shi Mo... I beg you..."