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墨書 Inktalez
On a winter day, the sky was covered in snow, and the air felt fresh. Where did the sandstorm come from? The girl behind the young man knew it was merely the gentlest of accusations.
Only those who bore the pain could truly understand how much it hurt.
"Uncle Zheng is handling the old man's affairs," Flower Snow Moon said as she stepped forward, trying to calm her mind and forcing herself to speak.
Upon hearing this, Jufeng took a few deep breaths of the cold air, then turned around, his expression darkening.
"Let's go. There will be someone waiting for me there."
The figures of Jufeng and Flower Snow Moon vanished from the balcony, their footprints quickly covered by the falling snow. Soon after, a sharp whistle echoed, and a shadow darted through the curtain of snow.
If you were to replay this moment in slow motion a million times, you would see a blue-gray falcon, no more than half a meter long, its talons glinting like cold blades!
…
On Fragrant Mountain lay Huaguo's most luxurious cemetery. Only those of high status and deep backgrounds were allowed to be buried here.
As snow fell on Fragrant Mountain, peace enveloped the area.
Fragrant Mountain was vast, rising several hundred meters. Standing at its foot did not evoke the same sense of grandeur as standing at the base of Mount Tai, but it instilled a deep-seated reverence. This was not only because it was a place where yin and yang converged but also because those who lay here were once prominent figures in Huaguo.
Jufeng and Flower Snow Moon stood before a tombstone like two birds perched on a branch in a forest, silent and contemplative.
The tombstone bore no photograph, only strong, upright characters inscribed.
"The Tomb of the Ju Clan's Sealed City."
Jufeng knew that the old man now rested peacefully here. Once a wealthy figure in Huaguo, he wondered if life in another world would be just as vibrant. Regardless, with so many accompanying him in death, the old man must have been happy.
There was just one person missing.
"Once Uncle Zheng's affairs are settled, let him be buried next to the old man."
Jufeng's words seemed to be a monologue, but Flower Snow Moon understood it was directed at her. No one responded, yet everyone had already taken note in their hearts.
Snow always accompanied the relentless wind. The wind tore at their clothes like a mischievous child. Jufeng's garments fluttered in the snowstorm, while Flower Snow Moon's long hair danced in the same tempest.
Black clothes, black hair, and a white snow blanket under the dark night.
Suddenly, a group of people emerged from the snow, their figures gradually becoming clearer.
Jufeng did not turn his head; his gaze lingered on the tombstone. However, Flower Snow Moon could not help but be curious and looked towards the approaching figures.
Just a fleeting glance was enough to leave Flower Snow Moon in a daze.
"I never expected it would be you!"
A young man stepped forward from the group, his eyes sweeping over Flower Snow Moon before settling on Jufeng. His expression was inscrutable, tinged with sadness, awkwardness, and a hint of greed. Such a rich array of emotions converged in a single gaze.
The young man spoke, "Actually, I didn't expect it would be me either."
Back at the Residence, Jufeng had told Flower Snow Moon that someone was waiting for him at the cemetery. She understood why he was so certain; she had guessed who it was that awaited him here. The death of Father Ju was indeed suspicious—there had been no assassination attempt, which meant it must have been someone from their own circle. However, with hundreds of people at the Residence and numerous individuals who had close ties with Father Ju, how could one determine who it was? Fortunately, Politeness provided good news: the assailant had targeted Father Ju's immense wealth. Now they had only obtained one-third of it; the remaining two-thirds could only be accessed through Jufeng. Thus, he was certain someone awaited him here. The identity of that person became clear—it was none other than the direct murderer of Father Ju.
Yet Flower Snow Moon could never have imagined it would be him!
"Beastly scum!"
Flower Snow Moon had never pretended to be a demure lady; now she was furious, her hands clenched tightly as she shouted in anger.
However, the man paid no attention to Flower Snow Moon, instead focusing on Jufeng. There were no words exchanged, nor did he step forward, as if he were wary of something.
Time slipped by unnoticed, and it was only after a while that Jufeng slowly turned his head.
There was no surprise, no anger; instead, a hint of pity emerged. It was reminiscent of a few months ago at the Guipin Pavilion in Huan City University Town, where a gentle voice softly spoke, "Long time no see, Sharp Blade."
Indeed, the visitor in the snow was none other than the current King of Football, known by the nickname Sharp Blade, an old acquaintance of Jufeng.
Sharp Blade hadn’t expected Jufeng ’s opening to be so calm; instead, his feelings of guilt intensified. It would have been more comfortable if Romain had shouted at him like Flower Snow Moon did.
After a long pause and a deep sigh, Sharp Blade said, "I know that no matter what I explain, you won't forgive me. I don't expect your forgiveness either. The purpose of my visit is clear; for the sake of our past friendship, if you could hand over the remaining two-thirds, we could split it evenly. I will also ensure that nothing happens to those people in Washing City."
Upon hearing this, Jufeng burst into hearty laughter that echoed across the hillside. After a long while, he finally calmed down.
"I heard you're getting married; congratulations."
Jufeng didn’t respond to Sharp Blade’s proposal but instead brought up an unrelated topic and took a couple of steps forward.
"Do you remember when we used to play football together? I always played midfield while you were the forward. Every time I would pass the ball to you, and you would score. You were always the one who received the most applause."
As Romain walked ahead, he was now five meters in front of Sharp Blade when suddenly a figure blocked his path.
"I used to think that with all you’ve achieved, you should be content for life. But seeing you again today made me realize that nobody is ever truly satisfied with these things."
At this point, Romain fell silent and turned to the person blocking his way. "You look familiar; I wonder what your rank is in the Starlight Ranking?"
The sudden shift in topic caught the person off guard for a moment, but it quickly passed as excitement flickered in their eyes.
"I’m ranked third in the Starlight Ranking. I heard you were ranked Fifth when you were younger; I wonder if you've fallen behind these years."
Jufeng murmured to himself, "Am I really old now? It seems like everyone from back then has changed identities."
With a helpless shake of his head, Romain struck out like lightning, throwing a punch forward. The person opposite him clearly did not expect Romain to make the first move. Although caught off guard, he reacted with remarkable speed. A sharp spike appeared in his right hand, and instead of defending himself, he lunged at Romain. The spike was longer than his arm, and he was confident that if Romain did not save himself, this thrust would pierce his chest. Even if Romain managed to hit him, it would be a loss for Romain.
Thinking he had successfully countered the attack, the man felt a sense of pride in his reaction, but the next moment, his expression froze.
Indeed, his thrust struck Romain's body, but not in the chest; it hit his shoulder instead. Blood spurted out, staining the snow beneath them.
However, Romain's fist also reached him. He could never have imagined that this punch would carry such force, as if a train were hurtling toward him. In an instant, his body flew backward, his chest caved in, leaving him uncertain of his fate.
The Starlight Ranking was a notorious assassin list from Huaguo, known for its quality. When Romain was in his teens, he had indeed killed a master from the Starlight Ranking, which had elevated him to the Fifth position. Little did he expect that now he would rise two more places.
Seeing Romain incapacitate the assassin, the sharp-bladed man was suddenly alarmed and attempted to retreat behind another disciple. However, something suddenly fell from the sky and zipped past him like lightning before vanishing without a trace.
Unbeknownst to the sharp-bladed man, the last scene of his life would be marked by a feather slowly descending from above.
Against the backdrop of white snow, that feather appeared particularly dark.
Suddenly, a fierce howl echoed through the air, startling two bodyguards who had been dumbfounded beside the fallen assassin. They looked at the sharp-bladed man lying on the ground with blood gushing from his throat and let out a terrified scream before hastily fleeing down the mountain.
Romain took two steps forward, leaving a trail of blood behind him. He then sat beside the corpse of the sharp-bladed man and remained silent for a long time before speaking slowly.
"Do you know? I've always been grateful to you because I often wasn't around my old man. You took care of him for so many years. But how did he treat you? He nurtured you from an unknown player into a star athlete. I thought you should have been content with your life; however, seeing you again today made me realize that no one is ever truly satisfied."
He had already spoken those last words directly to the sharp-bladed man earlier.
"We once played football together; I thought those were our happiest times. Yet happiness is always so fleeting. Now you no longer focus on playing but are obsessed with wealth, and I have changed too—I’ve grown accustomed to killing."
"But you are ultimately not someone who can embrace darkness. Do you think being a third-ranked assassin on the Starlight Ranking can save your life?"
"Upon hearing that you are getting married, I find myself unsure whether to congratulate you."
"I hope you will take good care of the old man down there; I believe you will."
...
The howling of the snowstorm quickly drowned out Jufeng's words, along with the two bodies on the ground. Yet it could not obscure the passage of night and the approach of dawn.
Jufeng sat in the snow, conversing with the sharp blade throughout the night; Flower Snow Moon stood in the snow, keeping him company for the entire night.
The blood on his shoulder had long since stopped flowing, and the cold snowflakes had crystallized there. But what about the blood in his heart? How could it be made to cease?
(To be continued)
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