136. Xiling: We Will Eventually Part Ways
"I'm too ashamed to face anyone..."
Kiana buried her face in her hands, the tips of her ears peeking out between her fingers, burning red. She sat on the sofa in the living room, her legs tightly pressed together.
The images flashing through her mind made her want to disappear into the ground—that bastard Xiling, carrying her on his back in public while shouting in an exaggerated tone, "The young lady has arrived!" Even worse, he deliberately chose the busiest shopping street!
"Serves you right for wanting to be carried at your age." Xiling grinned mischievously.
Kiana peeked at him through her fingers and found that he was completely unfazed, showing no shame whatsoever.
"Isn't this guy ashamed?" she groaned inwardly, her cheeks burning even hotter.
"Alright, you can stay shy here all you want. I'm going back to my room." Xiling stretched and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Kiana instinctively reached out, her slender fingers gently hooking the hem of Xiling's clothes.
Xiling turned around, looking at Kiana with a puzzled expression.
"What's wrong?"
"Sit down first."
Xiling tilted his head slightly, but still obediently took a step back and sat down next to her. The sofa sagged slightly under his weight, and Kiana could feel the warmth of his body beside her.
Silence filled the air. Xiling waited quietly for Kiana to speak.
"I want to ask you something." Kiana finally mustered up her courage and raised her head, her blue eyes looking straight into Xiling's eyes.
"Then go ahead and ask," Xiling said casually.
"Otto, what does that guy want with you? Don't lie to me."
As if afraid that Xiling would deceive her, Kiana brought her face close to Xiling's, trying to let the other person see her seriousness.
Xiling paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. He extended his index finger and lightly flicked Kiana's smooth forehead.
"Ouch!" Kiana clutched her forehead and recoiled.
Only then did Xiling speak.
"Why would I lie to you about something so small?"
"Then tell me what it is," Kiana persisted.
"A deal. I made a deal with him. I helped him realize his dream, and he would die the moment his dream was realized. That's the whole story of our conversation."
Kiana's pupils contracted sharply. She cried out urgently, "You can't trust him! He—"
A warm hand gently covered her head, interrupting her agitation.
"Alright, little Sirin," Xiling ruffled her soft hair, "Adult matters are complicated. Just live your life happily every day."
Kiana opened her mouth, but fell silent the moment she saw Xiling's expression. She lowered her eyes, feeling the warmth coming from above her head, and quieted down like a cat being stroked.
"I...I'm not a child anymore," she muttered softly, but the urgency in her voice was gone.
"It's pretty much the same." Xiling smiled and tried to pull his hand back, but Kiana suddenly grabbed his hand with both of her hands.
Kiana looked up at Xiling and asked, "Xiling, will you... Will you leave me?"
She asked the question that had been suppressed in her heart for a long time, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible.
She knew Xiling and the others weren't from this world. Would they leave her?
Actually, Kiana already had an answer in her heart.
Sure enough, she heard the same answer she had in her heart, too.
"Yes," he answered crisply, without a trace of hesitation.
Upon hearing the answer, Kiana lowered her head.
"...I knew it."
Yes, this is not their own world after all. It's normal for them to leave. Perhaps their family and friends are still in the other world.
Kiana felt extremely depressed and wronged. Yes, she couldn't say those words. What right did she have to ask them to stay? Besides, she herself had people and things she couldn't bear to leave behind.
"Kiana, you can't be so selfish...you can't say those words," she told herself, but her chest ached, and she forced down the bitter feeling she felt.
Seeing Kiana trying to force a smile but looking aggrieved, Xiling smiled again.
"You're already feeling reluctant to part with us, aren't you?"
"...Yeah."
"People will always separate; no one is an exception, but separation does not mean goodbye forever. As long as we are alive, no, even if some of us go to death, we may still turn everything upside down, just for the next meeting, right?"
There was a seriousness in Xiling's voice that Kiana had never heard before.
"Okay, okay." Xiling reached out his other hand and pinched Kiana's cheek.
"You're still such a child, crying before the separation has even begun."
"I'm not a child."
"Okay, okay, you'd better grow up quickly, so we don't need to worry about you."
"And don't cry, if Kevin comes back, he'll think I bullied you, and he'll definitely fight with me again."
Hearing Xiling say this, Kiana, who was originally sad, burst out laughing.
"When Kevin gets back, I'm going to tell him you bullied me."
"Damn it, how could you be so mean!"
—
"Stand up."
Flames scorched the earth. [Kevin], wielding the Judgment of Shamash in Cleaver of Shamash form, and several other figures watched the figure lying on the ground.
Kevin gritted his teeth and rose from the ground, his body already covered in wounds.
He did not use the blessing; this was training and instruction, not a fight.
At that moment, Sakura stepped past [Kevin] and slowly drew her weapon.
Kevin roared and attacked Sakura.
The others watched the battle silently. They watched the roaring man swing his weapon relentlessly, being knocked down repeatedly, only to get back up and continue his attack.
[Kevin]'s eyes reflected that resolute face.
Knowing the enemy he would face, knowing what he was about to encounter, the other party did not retreat an inch. It wasn't a desperate struggle; it was the path he was about to face.
He... is better than me.
After being taught by six heroes—Kevin, Sakura, Kosma, Hua, Elysia, and Su—Kevin, dragging his weary body, returned to Kalpas's location.
As soon as he entered that space, a fist came flying at him.
Kevin's figure was instantly sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground, leaving a long furrow.
However, before Kevin could even stand up, a figure engulfed in flames descended instantly, the earth groaning under the weight. A figure like a wild beast began to fight a figure as radiant as the sun.
This was a brutal battle.
After an unknown amount of time, Kevin, covered in wounds, emerged from the Kalpas location and headed to another place.
Lying on the lab table, Kevin closed his eyes as if asleep, but the surrounding instruments continuously scanned him. Mobius stroked her chin, studying Kevin's data.
The data showed that he was no longer human; his body acted like a vessel, constantly receiving some power. What surprised her even more was that he seemed to possess some protection, constantly providing that power to him.
Normally, she might have studied it more thoroughly, but now, her task was to find a way to grant him an even greater power, perhaps—a MANTIS warrior, or…
The Chimera Project.
Without much conversation, Mobius, having obtained the data, told Kevin to get out of the lab.
Kevin embarked on his journey once more, and this was the last thing he would do of the day: those who knew and had experienced the future would offer him guidance on how to cope with what might happen thereafter.
In other words, it was a strategy plan.