Chapter 30 Part 2

Supporting Jing Chi’s limp body, he prayed fervently that his brother would pull through.

Fortunately, they were right in the city center, just minutes from the hospital. The ambulance arrived in no time.

The paramedics rushed over and loaded Jing Chi onto the stretcher.

“Who’s family?”

Jing Shao wiped the sweat from his face and hurried forward. “I am.”

He tried to follow the paramedics onto the ambulance.

Just then, a hand seized his from behind. He turned to meet Nan Musheng’s gaze.

“I’m sorry, Jing Shao. I didn’t know it would hurt Jing Chi.”

If Nan Musheng hadn’t shoved him, his sword never would have gone out of control. It never would have pierced Jing Chi.

Jing Shao couldn’t fathom how the warm, gentle young man he once knew had turned into this ruthless schemer.

Prying Nan Musheng’s fingers loose one by one, Jing Shao fixed him with an icy stare the likes of which he’d never shown before.

“We’re not friends anymore.”

With those words, he boarded the ambulance without a backward glance.

The vehicle sped away, leaving Nan Musheng alone in the empty space.

The night wind blew cold and unrelenting across his skin.

Suddenly, a shrill laugh pierced his ears, growing louder by the second.

Terror-stricken, he whipped his head around, scanning the surroundings. Nothing. He was utterly alone.

“No… it’s just in my head. All fake. The evil spirit is gone.”

He muttered to himself.

But the laughter swelled, drawing ever closer.

A fierce gust whipped up then, icy and foreboding against his body.

“It’s all fake!” Nan Musheng bellowed.

Clutching his ears, he bolted from the scene.

Inside the Soul-Storing Casket, Yu Xingzhou pressed himself against the inner wall, straining to catch any sounds from outside.

Unfortunately, he heard nothing at all.

Despondent, he curled up in the corner, knees drawn to his chest, head buried between them.

He yearned for things to be like before—Jing Chi opening the casket like a door, appearing right before him in an instant.

But nothing happened. Only endless darkness surrounded him.

Softly, Yu Xingzhou murmured, “I know you wouldn’t lie to me, right? I’ll wait for you.”

A single tear traced down the young man’s cheek before falling to the ground with a faint plink.

Yet in that moment, the warm embrace he craved felt impossibly distant.

~~~

Outside the emergency room, Jing Shao paced anxiously, his mind replaying the harrowing events over and over.

Regret gnawed at him. Why hadn’t he listened to Jing Chi from the start? If he’d just taken Nan Musheng and left, none of this might have happened.

The thought of Nan Musheng twisted his features in pain. How had that kind, mild-mannered youth become so unhinged—so unlike the person he’d once been?

Slumping against the wall in exhaustion, Jing Shao slowly slid down until he sat on the floor.

He had never dreamed his own hesitation could bring harm to his own kin.

His eyes drifted to the wooden casket resting on a nearby chair—the very thing Jing Chi had sacrificed himself to protect.

Just before they wheeled him into the emergency room, Jing Chi had refused to let go. Only after Jing Shao’s repeated vows to safeguard it had he pried the casket free.

This time, Jing Shao wouldn’t play the fool. He knew exactly what it was.

No, it was the person inside who truly mattered to Jing Chi. The only thing Jing Shao could do was protect it well and avoid disappointing his brother again.

Time dragged on, each moment feeling longer than any he could remember.

Finally, the green light above the emergency room flickered on.

The doctor pushed open the door and stepped out. Jing Shao hurried forward, his face etched with anxiety, bloodshot eyes betraying his exhaustion.

“Doctor, how’s my brother?”

The doctor glanced at him and replied calmly, “No danger to his life. The wound was a bit deep, so we stitched it up, but it missed the vital organs. With proper rest, he’ll recover just fine.”

Jing Shao let out a long breath of relief. “Thank you, Doctor.”

The weight lifted from his shoulders all at once.

Soon, Jing Chi was transferred to a VIP room.

The space was quiet. The young man lay still on the hospital bed, his handsome face pale, even his lips drained of color. The anesthesia hadn’t fully worn off yet, leaving him in a deep coma.

Jing Shao entered and placed the casket Jing Chi had entrusted to him by the bedside.

This should put him completely at ease, he thought.

As he set the casket down, he noticed the faint furrow in Jing Chi’s brow finally smooth out.

Just as he suspected.

With that thought, Jing Shao pulled up a chair and sat by the bed to keep watch. It was the only thing he could do right now.

Inside the casket, the boy slowly opened his eyes. He had no idea how much time had passed.

But gradually, he caught that familiar scent—Jing Chi’s scent. Yu Xingzhou finally roused himself. He knew Jing Chi must be all right.

He couldn’t help inching closer to the edge of the casket, unwilling to miss even the faintest trace of it.

The boy sat on the floor, hugging his knees tightly to his chest before closing his eyes. Jing Chi’s scent filled his nostrils.

It was just like being cradled in Jing Chi’s arms. This was Yu Xingzhou’s sole comfort in that moment.

The sun rose slowly from the horizon, its light slipping through the gaps in the curtains to illuminate the bed—and rouse the man who had been unconscious all night.

Even in his coma, Jing Chi had been dreaming.

He saw the Yu Xingzhou of the past life, the boy he had failed to save.

Those once-clear eyes brimmed with darkness and hatred, blood-red lips twisted in a wicked grin.

Cruel, deranged, obsessive—that boy, in the instant his final trust was betrayed, had dragged the entire world down to hell without a second thought.

Bathed in rivers of blood, a slumbering devil awakened.

Malevolent energy spilled from the Illusion Realm, gradually engulfing the real world. Evil Spirits ran rampant, plunging everything into chaos.

The boy who had been playfully coquettish with him one moment became that world’s Evil Spirit the next.

Jing Chi’s eyes snapped open. The sunlight outside was blindingly bright, a stark contrast to the gloom of his dream.

His gaze immediately fell on the casket beside him. He breathed a sigh of relief.

It was finally over.

He reached for the casket but accidentally tugged at his wound, drawing in a sharp hiss of pain.

It had been ages since Jing Chi had sustained such a serious injury. If circumstances hadn’t been so dire, he would have given Jing Shao a thorough beating.

And the reason Jing Chi had thrown himself in front of the attack without fear? He knew the System wouldn’t let him die.

The System remained silent.

Jing Shao jolted awake at the movement.

Concern flooded his face. “Bro, how are you feeling? Want some water?”

Without waiting for an answer, he sprang up, poured a glass with practiced efficiency, and brought it right over.

Jing Chi took a sip, then eyed the young man brimming with guilt. He knew Jing Shao must have stayed up all night watching over him, but he still felt like rolling his eyes.

If only he’d listened yesterday and taken Nan Musheng away like instructed, none of this would have happened.

Had Jing Shao followed his advice, Jing Chi wouldn’t be laid up in a hospital bed right now.

Jing Chi hadn’t said a word, but Jing Shao read his expression perfectly and knew he was being blamed.

“It’s all my fault,” Jing Shao said quickly. “I was too stupid.”

Jing Chi coughed lightly. “Good that you know.”

Jing Shao lowered his gaze, looking dejected. “I’ll go apologize to Uncle as soon as we get back. This is all because of me.”

Jing Chi was speechless. Apologizing to their father while he was injured? That would only make things worse.

“No need. Don’t let the family know about this. If you breathe a word of it, I really won’t forgive you.” He could even give him a real thrashing.

Now Jing Shao looked puzzled, his expression blank.

Jing Chi changed the subject. “What about that Nan Musheng?”

The mere thought of the man made Jing Chi even angrier. Jing Shao had merely been used; the real culprit was that guy.

At the mention of Nan Musheng, Jing Shao’s eyes darkened, a sour feeling rising in his chest as he replied, “I don’t know. But Bro, I promise I won’t contact him again.”

Jing Chi raised an eyebrow. Even a fool could see through Nan Musheng’s true colors now. He wasn’t completely hopeless after all.

“Raise the bed for me, then go outside and keep an eye on the doctor. I have something to take care of.”

“Bro, do you want to see him?” Jing Shao pointed at the casket sitting beside Jing Chi.

Since Jing Shao already knew, Jing Chi didn’t bother hiding it and nodded.

But Jing Shao shook his head. “Bro, you’re still too weak right now. It’s not a good idea to use Spiritual Energy.”

Jing Chi gazed at the casket containing the youth. “He’ll worry about me if he’s stuck in there. I have to see him first.”

Seeing how insistent Jing Chi was, Jing Shao relented. “Fine, then. I’ll do it for you.”

Jing Chi eyed him skeptically, making Jing Shao’s face heat up. He couldn’t help clarifying, “Bro, my talent might not match yours, but I’m still one of the best in our generation, you know.”

He was right. Jing Chi had forgotten that the man before him was a bit dim but still the protagonist top of this novel. He had to have some real skills to hold his own.

“Alright. I’ll tell you how to do it. Then you stand guard outside and make sure no one comes in.”

Following Jing Chi’s instructions, Jing Shao channeled Spiritual Energy into the casket. With a soft click, it opened, and the youth emerged.

Of course, this was only temporary. He would have to return soon, as the casket was the best place to nourish Yu Xingzhou’s soul body.

Yu Xingzhou blinked, unaccustomed to the sudden brightness.

Once his eyes adjusted, the first thing he saw was Jing Chi’s familiar, handsome face.

Without a glance at anyone else around them, he threw himself straight at Jing Chi.

Jing Chi raised his uninjured arm and gently touched the youth’s cheek, smiling as if it were no big deal. “I’m fine, Xingxing. See? I didn’t lie to you.”

Jing Shao, standing off to the side, went wide-eyed in shock at the scene unfolding before him.

He had never heard his cousin speak in such a gentle tone to anyone—let alone an Evil Spirit. Hell, it was rare enough for Jing Chi to be soft-spoken with any living person.

And now this…

Heaven above. It was as if he’d stumbled onto some explosive secret—a romance between human and spirit? Or human and ghost?

Jing Chi shot Jing Shao a glare at his bizarre expression. Finally getting the hint, Jing Shao nodded quickly, slipped out of the hospital room, closed the door behind him, and began his diligent watch as a sentry.

He could also call himself his brother’s love bodyguard.

Now Jing Shao understood why his cousin hadn’t wanted him telling their uncle.

If word got out, it wouldn’t just be him getting a beating—Jing Chi would catch hell too.