Chapter 44: The Foolish Girl and the Assassin’s Vow

Liu Li, pointing an incredulous finger at Yingning, demanded, “You… you say that again?”

The dutiful girl, who wouldn’t even utter a curse word on normal days and whose sole focus was her studies, had suddenly defied a teacher in front of the entire class? And even yelled, “This old lady isn’t studying anymore?!”

It was as if something had been unleashed from Yingning’s small chest.

Yingning’s chin lifted slightly as she deftly pulled off the hair tie securing her ponytail.

Her long, silky black hair, like a cascade of satin, billowed in the wind, transforming her from her usual demure and prim self into someone free-spirited and vibrant!

Her lips, curving slightly upward, were like the winter sun melting an iceberg as she declared, “I don’t like repeating myself!”

Everyone around, men and women alike, felt their hearts pound wildly, their scalps tingle, and their blood boil!

So… damn… cool!

It was a coolness of aura! Captivating both sexes!

‘Hold on, I’m a bit bewildered…’

‘Has the little girl just torn up her own persona?’

‘No… she did this to stand up for me, to prevent me from feeling wronged…’

‘Though discreet, a glimmer of moisture was clinging to the corner of the little girl’s eye…’

‘Was it the vast chasm between her ideals and reality… or perhaps her self-reproach for not being able to help when I was bullied?’

‘Ah… my foolish girl.’

‘In her mind, there was no option for me to leave while she remained alone at school… She had decided to leave with me, and to prevent me from feeling wronged, even if we were leaving, she would stand up for me! Then, together, we would depart with dignity!’

‘She possessed her own steadfastness and a dream of upholding justice…’

‘Yet, between me and her dream, she chose me without a moment’s hesitation.’

‘Yingning hadn’t changed; she was still the same Yingning—the little girl who held onto her convictions, foolishly innocent, and would shed tears when bullied.’

‘Before this, whenever I saw the little girl righteously upholding justice, her heart overflowing with kindness, I would feel immense joy… because I never wanted her to walk the path I once had.’

‘Once embarked upon, that path offered no return.’

‘Even after this, I would continue to rejoice in her kindness.’

“If what I believe in cannot uphold justice, then I will use my own strength to uphold it!” The little girl’s voice was clear and crisp; it might have sounded a bit chuunibyou (TL Note: A Japanese slang term referring to a teenager who has delusions of grandeur or believes they have special powers.), but everyone knew she wasn’t just talking.

‘She was doing just that.’

‘Though insignificant, merely an ant trying to shake a great tree, she truly acted, rather than being a hypocritical, sanctimonious do-gooder who only paid lip service.’

‘Foolish girl, if you need strength, I will lend you mine.’

‘This is the recompense for everything you endured today.’

‘Heaven surely sent me to be your brother not so I would idly watch you suffer.’

‘Perhaps, becoming your strength is the very meaning of my existence in this world?’

‘Right and wrong, I’ve never cared about them… I am merely an assassin.’

‘I take people’s money and eliminate their troubles.’

‘And in this life, I am your personal assassin…’

‘After all, a collar belonging to you, Ning Beibei, has already been placed around my neck…’

‘If you desire justice, I will deliver justice to you.’

‘Should you ever grow weary, I will accompany you into the abyss.’

‘Who else but me, your brother… and your pet?’

****

“You truly are a foolish girl,” I mused, pushing my bicycle as the little girl and I walked towards the school gate. “Didn’t you even consider what the teacher was actually trying to say? What if it wasn’t an expulsion notice for me, but rather a demand for the Xiang siblings to apologize?”

Yingning pouted, her eyes still a little red, yet her face was alight with the lightness of profound relief.

“How could that be?” she retorted. “For someone like you, Big Brother, who has absolutely no presence in class, what other possibilities could there be when Teacher Liu suddenly brings you up, besides a major punishment or forced withdrawal?”

‘What could I possibly say to that?’

“Actually, I sent Xiang Ling’s mother’s nudes to her father…” I confessed, having no choice but to tell the truth.

“No one would believe that!” she scoffed. “Come on, let’s go! Time to go home and focus on gaming! I swear, I’m going to make the [Gunfire Roses] guild stand tall on the continent of Ardell!”

I took the little girl’s schoolbag and placed it in the bicycle basket. “Alright, I’ll help you kill people.”

“Big Brother, just stick to being a casual player! Who knows, maybe one day you’ll advance to Grandmaster, and *that* would truly be a big help!”

“Oh… then I’ll start working towards becoming a Grandmaster!”

We walked out of the school gate, laughing and chatting, just as we had on every other day spent in this school.

“Wait!”

A familiar male voice called out from behind us.

“Wu Ming?” Yingning looked at the newcomer with surprise.

Wu Ming, hands on his knees, bent over, panting heavily; it was clear he had been running frantically.

First, he straightened his back, then, still gasping for breath, he stood at a perfect military attention.

And then, he bowed deeply.

“I’m sorry! But… please let me join [Gunfire Roses]!”

“Eh?” Yingning froze.

The ordinary boy remained ordinary, yet something about him seemed to be slowly changing.

“For a long time now! I’ve deeply admired Yingning for truly standing up to uphold her beliefs and personally defending the justice she yearns for! I’ve always wanted to do the same, but I was too afraid, too cowardly, I was a good-for-nothing…”

“But then, that would mean completely falling out with Xiang Ling and Xiang Renhe…”

“I don’t care anymore! If they come again, I’ll fight them with all I have!” Wu Ming’s eyes blazed with conviction, and he bowed deeply once more. “Your words finally made me realize that by continuing to be cowardly, I would never reach my dreams… If you leave, I will take on the burden on your shoulders until the day you return, until the day we both possess enough strength to uphold justice!”

“Our guild… it’s plagued by many troubles… [The Pursuit] is a very important second world, are you sure you want to join? You’d be gambling with your own future!” Yingning, though eager for her guild to grow, also didn’t want others to get dragged into such a mess, and thus found herself in a dilemma.

“I’m sure!”

Wu Ming’s words were resolute.

‘Tsk, another one gone mad…’

****

“Which gear?”

“Fourth gear… no, second gear, I suppose. There’s no hurry anyway, and we left school early today, so Einstein and Miss Lu Xun probably haven’t reached their usual meeting spot yet…”

“That’s why I say you’re foolish!”

“Why are you calling me foolish again! What part of me is foolish!”

“Kindness, you see, is a drug. Once they experience kindness, they become addicted to that warmth, and they’ll never leave… It’s true for humans, true for cats, and true for dogs. From the moment you first fed them, they had already decided to make that place their home!”

“How can that be?!”

“See? If you don’t believe me, look! Miss Lu Xun is beating up Lao She again!”