"Can't you just hold back for a moment?!"

Covering the younger one's mouth quickly, I tried to lower my voice as much as possible to reprimand him for his dangerous actions just now. I wonder if that big guy heard it or not?

"Sorry, I just couldn't help it... I'll be more careful next time."

Even when he was apologizing, his expression was blank, showing absolutely no sense of guilt or self-blame!

"Never mind, let me take a look and see if that guy has gone far?" I cautiously approached the peephole of the security door, trying to look outside as much as possible.

Although the visibility was not great, I could still tell that the big fool hadn't noticed us here.

In the room, there was a bed in the corner, and the only other things were a military knife and a pistol with the logo of the Elena Group carved on it -- the goddess of war.

These military-exclusive weapons required authorization to be used. As for why they appeared here, it's not surprising to see them in the Elena Company, right?

"Well, in that case, let's leave the basement for now. It's not far anyway." I had already put my hand on the doorknob, ready to turn it.

"Aaaaah!"

Buzzing...!

The sound of a chainsaw and beastly howls suddenly thundered through Yuzuki's ears from the other side of the door, almost shattering his eardrums.

Suddenly, a chill ran down my arm.

"You idiot, stop!"

The junior swiftly rushed forward to grab my left arm and threw me about a meter and a half away from the door.

"Huh?"

As I broke free from the gate, a long iron rod covered with thorns pierced through the center of the door, stopping just half a centimeter from my chest, with dark red blood flowing along the spike, a scene that was both stunning and horrifying.

"Aaaaah...!"

It seemed like the chainsaw was stuck on the security door, no matter how hard the monster tried, it couldn't pull it out.

"We're temporarily safe."

Having narrowly escaped death, I sat exhausted on the bed, panting heavily, the sweat soaking through my pants.

"No, we're still not safe!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Watching the violently shaking iron door, my junior picked up the pistol that Yuzuki had dropped, fired three shots at the opposite door, and the monster grunted, halting its movements.

As the monster came to a stop, it turned its head and gave a clear, affirmative smile to the stunned me.

"What's wrong? Can't even hold the knife steady."

"Are you a member of the New Weapons Testing Team in the Alliance Military Plan?!"

"Correct. This little... I mean, this grand... sir is one of the first-generation testers of the Phantom project!"

With his hands crossed in front of his chest, exuding an arrogant demeanor while standing on the bed and looking down at me, he almost forgot the current situation.

"Wu wu!" The monster's awakening shattered his pride and arrogance. The three shots just now didn't have much effect. Its anger at being attacked was vented on the security door.

Watching the gradually destroyed iron door, my usually silent heart felt fear for the first time in so many years, but the realization of his worth in this world filled him once again with the courage of a true man.

Click!

The crack in the security door enlarged, revealing a hole the size of an egg, followed by a pair of eyeballs already torn open poking inside.

The gaze immediately fell on me lying motionless on the bed, but the figure of the junior was nowhere to be seen...

"Aaaaah!"

The wailing echoed through the entire basement, leaving only the sight of the monster lying on the ground, waving its arms vigorously, a long military knife inserted into the sole eye on its face.

"Come, sit on my shoulder!"

I commanded, wiping away the sweat on my forehead before hoisting Xun onto my shoulder, his slender white thighs pressing against my cheek.

"Xiao Wei... I," my actions seemed to make him uncomfortable, but he hesitated to voice his protest.

In this precarious situation, I unexpectedly behaved inappropriately towards the boy.

Just as I gazed up at him, a sudden explosive pain pierced through my head.

A flood of information overwhelmed my nerves, this might be the final batch...

One was the campus queen, the other an inconspicuous or rather unassuming fellow.

Left behind by my father, I detested being seen differently by other students, preferring to pass my time at school alone, engaging in activities contrary to my true desires.

Normally, these two individuals would never have interacted, until one afternoon.

The golden sunlight cast a particularly cozy glow, even a desolate soul like Yuzi couldn't help but savor the warmth of the moment.

"Has the young lady not emerged yet?"

The anxious housekeepers gathered at the school gate, scrutinizing every student leaving, fearing any negligence, especially since Xun was missing.

Kidnapped? The young boy couldn't help feeling anxious.

"The young lady is such a child, even at this age!" The housekeepers' words shattered his illusions.

"Nowadays, the rich kids are so willful," I sighed self-deprecatingly, but then thought, "Perhaps they indeed have some unavoidable troubles?"

And so, I encountered her, the runaway, detesting the arranged marriage imposed by her family, hence her decision to leave home.

On the way back, passing by the park entrance, I glimpsed Yukari sister engrossed in her book.

Though petite, the unique elegance exuded by her made it hard for me to disturb her peace.

"Is it because of their own willfulness that they neglect the expectations of their family to grow up?" Calming my expressionless face, I approached the saddened and angry Yukari sister on the swing step by step.

I only wished to comfort others but always ended up hurting the innocent.

That's what being an emotionally stunted man back then, a truly despicable person.

Having lived through so many generations, enduring days far more bitter... more painful than others.

"Who knows, really?"

From then on, I spent my afternoons teasing Yukari sister, and from that moment on, I failed to notice my mundane life no longer repeating as before.

"Hehehe, your skin feels just like a girl's."

"What... like a girl's?"

Yuji chuckled after his profound statement, appearing as if he was relishing in the moment. "Just kidding... hehehe, don't take it seriously. I haven't experienced it yet, that's what I meant."

"What are you saying, you perv? Rot in hell a thousand times, let me down!"

Blushing, the junior extended two claw-like hands and viciously pinched Yuji's ears, causing him to yelp in pain.

"If you know it hurts, then put me down!"

"It would be meaningless to do so, look up!"

Following my gaze, the junior finally noticed a ventilation duct about four meters above the ground, spanning half a meter wide.

"Maybe we can crawl out through the ventilation duct?"

Trained as he was, he effortlessly squeezed into the duct, just as she turned and said with a smile, "Your turn... Lieutenant Juxi?"

He suddenly realized that this ventilation duct – only one person could climb up!

"Are you stupid? What's the use of an escape route that only one person can use?"

"That's enough, it's sufficient."

I turned around, walked towards the soon-to-be breached security door, and, with a hint of a smile on my face like a man, said, "Escape, if the disaster really happens, please take care of Edward for me. It's not in vain to save you."

"Fool, how could I leave my companion behind!" The younger one, with a grim expression, insisted on climbing down the ventilation shaft.

"Softie, it's because of this that you are stubborn!"

Quick as a flash, I grabbed his ankle and with force, pushed him back again.

"Sorry, I can only say, don't let this world play with you anymore. Be your true self, a truly existent being!"

"Isn't that the mission of Phantom, to not sacrifice your life for someone who doesn't even value their own, especially when I have memories worth cherishing. That's enough."

"Then shouldn't you live on to carry it forward?"

Angry, he fiercely clenched his fist and punched the duct wall, leaving a sizable indentation.

"But don't you have memories of your own to cherish?" I couldn't bring myself to look directly at the junior.

We only knew each other for two days, yet in those two days, I recalled everything.

He had nothing to say, just waited silently, his eyes filled with sorrow. Hindered by everyone, even at home, she was always being belittled, without any worthwhile memories to hold onto.

"Take care, stop being reckless and let meaningful people live on!" Just as I finished speaking, a tornado, whose origin was unknown, whisked away the stubborn junior who had been resisting here.

A miracle? Ha, why bother thinking so much when one's already doomed? I had completely come to terms with everything.

Though we no longer remember when it all began, our past...

"Psycho, shoot... We're done for, it's over for us!"

In the dark, damp dungeon, Vicorc sat on a wooden chair. Dressed only in tattered and filthy jeans, he had completely given up.

I kicked open the dungeon's iron door, holding a gun with a ominous black muzzle aimed at his head.

"You're the last one... Speak, do you have any last words?"

"What the hell are you joking about?!" Vicorc stood up angrily from the chair, saying, "I may not be the first, but I won't be the last either!"

Without hesitation, I pulled the trigger, a bullet whizzed past, and I warned him, "Do you think I'm joking with you?"

Solemnly, I aimed the gun back at Edward's head.

"I promise you, the next bullet will be for your head!"

Unbelievable, I couldn't believe I had already turned into a devil.

"Is that so... Haha..." Vicorc burst into arrogant and helpless laughter, "Come on... Shoot me!"

"A great reward to disturb your peace at night... isn't it? You selfish man!" Vicorc placed his head in front of my gun barrel.

Bang!

The second bullet whizzed past... and he calmly closed his eyes.

I thought it was all over, because I had killed the man who murdered my wife.

But I also thought, at least there was one thing I and Edward did not have in common – we both killed quite a few people, just as he said!

"Vicorc slowly opened his eyes.

The bullet hit the table in front of him.

The bullet hole it left behind lay bare between him and me, a final warning.

"Did you think I would shoot you dead? No... I won't! Because I am not an executioner." I unleashed all my fury upon him.

I lived in my own hell, just like my victims, including Vicorc!

Because I have had enough of death.

So, he will have one chance, and that chance is me—right now!"