Half an hour later, Emergency Room of City Third Hospital—

"Unknown cause!?"

"Yes. Heart failure of unknown origin. We're—"

"'Heart failure'!? Save my daughter! I beg you! Please!!"

"Family members, stay calm! We're doing everything we can, but—"

The stepmother was held back outside the ER doors, sobbing uncontrollably.

The father paced back and forth outside the ER, chain-smoking, his brow deeply furrowed.

Inside the emergency room, five or six doctors surrounded the unconscious Li Yuxin, frantically working with machines and medications.

Behind them, Yumo stared blankly at the scene.

It had happened half an hour ago.

Yuxin had collapsed mid-ballet performance at the New Year's Eve party. Her horrified parents and teachers rushed her to the hospital... leading to this moment before Yumo's eyes.

If only this were some cruel prank—but the parents' wails, the hospital's antiseptic smell, and his sister lying motionless on the bed confirmed this was reality.

Yumo had no idea what he could possibly do here.

He sat dazed on a corridor bench against the wall. The so-called demon, Yusuozaai, had somehow followed him and now stood before him.

"I’m already fulfilling your wish. Let’s start with this one."

Yusuozaai pointed to the first item on the list: *"Accept Zhang Yuanzhou’s challenge in front of the whole class and knock him down."*

"This is simple. I’m giving you eighty minutes. Only fifty remain. Time waits for no one."

"No, wait—I... I can’t process this... You mean I must fulfill my own wish with my own strength? And if I fail... people close to me will die?"

"Essentially. This time, starting with your sister."

"You’re serious...? Yuxin’s... her heart failure... you caused it?"

"Demons only speak truth."

"............"

This was utterly surreal.

Yet Yusuozaai’s presence was undeniably eerie.

She stood right in the middle of the bustling ER corridor, yet radiated zero presence. Doctors and patients flowed around her like water around a phantom only Yumo could see.

"You... you..."

Yumo’s trembling finger pointed at Yusuozaai’s face. Her polite smile never wavered.

For a split second—perhaps a trick of the light—he thought he saw something formless writhing within her empty eye sockets, a void connecting to another abyss, shattering every shred of common sense he’d ever known.

Demons truly existed.

And they were as evil as legends claimed, twisting human wishes into curses.

He didn’t know Yusuozaai’s limits, but crushing a girl’s life seemed effortless for a demon.

"Blaming me?" Yusuozaai tilted her head.

"I... you... of course I am! You did this to her! You—"

"You’ll have plenty of time to curse or hit me later. Right now, something more urgent demands attention... unless, of course, you think the death of an unloving stepsister is no great loss."

"'No great loss'? How could it not be..."

"But she hardly deserves saving, does she? She hoards your parents’ affection. The perfect 'other family’s child.' Her coldness and distance toward you—wouldn’t the world be lighter without her?"

"Even if you say that..."

Yuxin...

She *had* grown distant these past years. He couldn’t deny his jealousy. The sister before him now was nothing like the girl who’d clung to him when their families first merged. Her very existence grated on him.

But even so...

"She... she used to cling to me all the time, five years ago..." Yumo murmured.

"But that was the past. What matters is now."

"I’ve always wanted to know why."

"Why?"

"Why she suddenly pulled away... I’ve always wanted to ask her. If I knew why, maybe she’d become that sweet little sister again—" *Damn it!*

Yumo made up his mind. He bolted out of the hospital, leaving his frantic parents behind. He flagged a taxi at the entrance, shouting the school’s address.

As he turned in the seat, Yusuozaai sat beside him—her reflection absent in the rearview mirror.

"Fine! I believe you now—you really are some demon!"

"Oh? How flattering."

"I’ll settle this with you later. Right now—this first wish. I have to knock Zhang Yuanzhou down in front of the whole class within the time limit. Then Yuxin lives. Is that right?"

"Yes. The contract is binding. Unbreakable."

"Knock him down..."

Zhang Yuanzhou stood 190cm tall, gym-built, rumored to have street-fighting experience.

Yumo, nearly 180cm and decently strong, was still no match.

Beating him physically in minutes? Impossible. The consequences of a public school fight—*No time for that!* A life hung in the balance!!!! This wasn’t about winning or losing. *Winning was mandatory.* The question was *how*—how to overcome the gap in height, weight, skill—

Ambush him from behind with a sack?

Attack when he’s alone?

No. The wish demanded *"in front of the whole class."* A direct confrontation. Then...

"...I’ll risk it!"

Desperation, fury, helplessness—these emotions fused into reckless resolve.

"Uh... sir?" The taxi driver’s voice trembled. "Sorry to bother you, but... who are you talking to? You’re not on the phone... this is kinda scary..."

"Drive! Just drive! Get me to my school! Faster!!!!!"

"Y-yes! Right away!"

————————

————————

The New Year’s Eve party at Linhai No.1 High’s Class 3, Grade 11 had just ended—but the night wasn’t over.

Per plan, the whole class was heading to a KTV. The class monitor had booked a room. Their homeroom teacher had only warned, "Stay safe if you’re team-building," before rushing home to family.

With the monitor gone, other class officers half-heartedly managed discipline. The real star was Zhang Yuanzhou. He’d stolen the show with his guitar skills, drawing crowds from other classes. Now, buzzing with leftover excitement, everyone was eager to sing.

The whole class came—giving Zhang Yuanzhou face was non-negotiable, even for the reluctant.

Liyu blended into the crowd, sighing quietly.

She dreaded singing in public. Every time she stood up, girls would snicker. Just a greasy, fat nobody...

Come to think of it—how was the class monitor doing? He’d stormed out earlier, slamming the door. People laughed, but Liyu felt uneasy. No one else seemed to care.

...

...

They cut through a park on the shortcut. December’s icy wind howled. No one strolled here. The old park had few cameras—

That’s when the boy appeared.

Yumo.

He burst through the flowerbeds, gasping as if he’d sprinted a kilometer. Before anyone could react, he spread his arms, blocking their path.

"Zhang Yuanzhou!"

Yumo’s gaze swept the crowd, locking instantly on Zhang Yuanzhou near the front.

"Well, well! If it isn’t our class monitor? You little coward—"

"Fight me."

"............ Huh?"

"For reasons I can’t explain, I *have* to knock you out. Fight me now! I’ve only got ten minutes left!"

"Huh???"

Not just Zhang Yuanzhou—the entire class froze.

*Yumo?*

The pushover finally growing a spine?

"Pfft! HAHAHAHA! Hey, Monitor! Did your brain short-circuit?" Zhang Yuanzhou roared with laughter.

"Snapped from anger? Couldn’t let it go, huh?" "HAHA! Yuanzhou-ge, this shrimp’s lost his mind!" "Pathetic!"

His cronies chimed in. Amid the jeers, Zhang Yuanzhou swaggered forward, leaning in just like he had in class—

"Go on~~~ I’ll stand right here. Hit me if you dare—GWAGH!?"

A fist slammed into his nose.

A metallic tang flooded his sinuses.

"I’M NOT FUCKING JOKING! A LIFE’S ON THE LINE OVER HERE!!!"