Ten Classic Touching Supernatural Stories Collection

Chapter 9

They were young then.

Equally ignorant, equally innocent.

They thought that once the red thread of fate was tied between their fingers, it would last a lifetime.

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [66]: Classic Story No. 7: Loneliness, Falling, Sword Author: Lost Child Humans can never tolerate the existence of outcasts. Fairies—from the very beginning, they have not been recognized by humans. They possess power that terrifies humans. In order to survive better, humans have summoned an ancient artifact and decided to exterminate them all...

This is a 19-story building in a cluster of buildings, but very few people live in it. There are rumors that it is an ominous building because people keep jumping to their deaths from the top of the building. But every time, a girl dressed in white clothes will appear at the scene.

On the rooftop of a high-rise building, a girl dressed entirely in white sat on the edge, her legs dangling in the air. Her long, black hair contrasted sharply with her pristine white clothes; her silky strands were neatly tied back and fell to her chest. She looked up at a boy standing beside her, facing the sunlight, and smiled languidly: "Jump! Jump and it'll all be over, you know? The feeling of falling is wonderful." The seductive words escaped her naturally red lips. "The audience downstairs is waiting for your performance! Give them a good show!" The boy glanced at the angelic woman before him, closed his eyes, and jumped… She looked up calmly, basking in the sunlight. She knew the scene from the commotion below without even looking. Some had accused her of being cold-blooded; perhaps she should learn from those pretentious women, screaming and then hiding her excitement, even though she was secretly thrilled. After all, witnessing a suicide wasn't so easy! She reached into her pocket, pulled out a cigarette, put it in her mouth, and elegantly lit it with a lighter. She took a deep drag and exhaled, watching the smoke slowly dissipate. She smiled as usual, enjoying the hazy feeling. She remained seated on the edge of the building, swinging her legs, showing no intention of leaving, because she was waiting for the police to arrive.

A thousand years of waiting—who can understand her desolation? She waits alone, waiting for his return, but why does he linger, leaving her wandering alone in this bleak world? Do you remember our promise? You owe me...?

A thousand years ago: On a cliff, an invisible wind howled fiercely. A beautiful woman, protecting her child, ran in panic. Her hair, torn and wildly whipped by the wind, danced in the air, making her appear both tragically beautiful and breathtakingly so. She retreated to the cliff face, only to find nowhere to escape. A tall, slender figure attacked them. A long sword, still sheathed, pierced the thin veil covering the woman's head, revealing long, flowing silver hair. Her amber eyes were filled with terror and despair. She trembled as she kissed the child she held tightly in her arms, tears falling onto the child's delicate features. She didn't beg the man not to harm her child, for she knew that demon hunters showed no mercy to them, for they were anomalies to humans. She closed her eyes in despair, then slowly opened them, gently placing the child on the ground and whispering, "Child, your mother can no longer protect you."

The man watched indifferently, muttering incantations. His sword, drawn from its sheath, pierced the woman's heart and reached the rock behind her, pinning her to the cliff face. She slowly lowered her eyes, her warmth dissipating in the air. He skillfully withdrew his sword, but an invisible blade remained attached to the woman, a powerful resentment swirling in the air, her spirit lingering, perhaps clinging to her child. The infant in the pouch stared wide-eyed at everything, her mournful cries echoing through the valley, tearing at the hearts of all who heard them. The man pointed his sword at the baby girl. The infant stopped crying, staring at him with large, watery amber eyes filled with deep sorrow and resentment. In their gaze, the man sighed, closed his eyes, sheathed his weapon, picked up the baby girl, and fled along the path strewn by the herbs the woman had scattered as she ran…

This man was no ordinary hunter, but a hunter who specialized in hunting fairies; he was the wielder of the ancient artifact—the Lonely Sword. Little did he know that his momentary moment of weakness would intertwine their fates across two lifetimes.

Modified on: 2003-08-28 10:11:24

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [67]: Fairies grow very quickly in their early years. The need for survival forces them to grow rapidly in order to protect themselves. However, after reaching a certain age, their growth slows down, which is why they can cultivate for thousands of years without aging. In his eyes, she was always a very well-behaved child. She was no different from other children, but she had bright amber eyes like her mother. He was glad that her hair was not silver-white like her mother's, so that she would be more similar to humans. He wanted her to grow up happily like human children and live a happy life like humans, forgetting that she was a fairy. She learned things very quickly. He could see that she was trying her best to learn everything in this world, including human nature... Because he was a hunter, he lived on a sparsely populated hillside. He always thought of raising her as a human child. In addition, she looked very similar to humans, so she could become a very good human girl. In addition, she was very small when he picked her up, so he thought she would not remember that she was a fox fairy.

He watched her take her first steps, watched her grow, watched her strive to approach humanity, and her kind smile filled him with comfort. She tried hard to get used to the bitter tea he liked, taking a small sip and then frowning, "Is it too bitter? If you don't like it, don't drink it," he would always ask. And she would always smile and shake her head. Then one day she happily said, "So bitter tea starts out bitter but tastes sweet later." That joy infected him, and her sweet smile touched his heartstrings.

"Brother, can you take me to the market?" She looked at him pleadingly. She always sat halfway up the mountain, gazing at the bustling market. She had never been to a market because her brother had always forbade her. He never let her go near crowds or play with other children. He shook his head. Her developmental path was too different from humans. He didn't want her to get hurt. Besides, he wasn't the only demon hunter in the world, and he hoped she would never encounter another one. Moreover, she was so young; she didn't know how to protect herself. She lowered her head in disappointment, her eyes filled with endless dejection. She really wanted to go; she earnestly wanted to learn how to be a human.

He silently watched her, then took her small hand and led her towards the market. She looked up in surprise at his gesture. He said nothing, simply holding her hand; he had always been silent like this for so many years. The warmth of his hand transferred to hers, and she smiled warmly, tightening her grip on his hand. Perhaps she should just consider herself human for the rest of her life! She would be content if things could continue like this forever; just holding his hand was enough…

"In the end, she will still die by your hand, do you believe it?" The girl's calm smile was deeply etched into his mind, her words lingering like a dark cloud in his heart. She was a girl who looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, her long hair reaching the ground and entangled with strange threads. A prophecy, like a curse, escaped from her pale rose-colored lips, yet her eyes held a depth so profound, a world-weariness beyond her years. Her expression was so arrogant, as if she were the ruler of destiny, looking down upon everything in the world. "This is a calamity, the calamity of those who possess ancient artifacts..." She turned her head and gave him a charming smile. "Blame the people who created the artifacts!" Her expression immediately turned so mournful, she gave him a deep look, and then turned and left. He gripped his Lonely Sword tightly, speechless. He couldn't sense any human or fairy aura from that girl. Would her words really come true? Who... was she?

She felt him suddenly tighten his grip on her hand. Looking up at him, her brows were deeply furrowed. He seemed lost in thought the entire way there, as if constantly worried about something. She sadly lowered her head, wondering if she had caused him worry again. Her every move didn't escape his notice. This silly girl was overthinking again. Seeing her expression, he shook his head helplessly. She was always like this, always blaming herself for everything.

"You should have a name by now," he said, softening his expression and smiling gently at the child who was still blaming himself.

"A name?" She looked up at him in surprise. She had always wanted to have a human name, but he had never helped her name one.

"Yes, you should choose a name for yourself, a name you like." He always believed that she should choose her own name.

“I really like the word ‘lost’! But doesn’t it sound weird?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"It's very strange, it seems like no one would have this name, it's very unique..." It seems he should reconsider whether she should choose the name herself, it really is a very strange name.

“It’s good that no one has this name! That way, you won’t look for the wrong person next time you’re looking for me. I still want to have this name in the next life, so you must come looking for me!” She looked at him earnestly and said. “I definitely will!”

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [68]: She didn't understand why the two of them got lost. The crowd was too big, and they were pushed apart. She anxiously searched for his familiar figure in the crowd. She suddenly realized that everyone is different. Their feelings were so unfamiliar. She was really scared. She was so anxious that tears were about to flow. She just wanted to get back to him as soon as possible. She was already familiar with his scent, but the unfamiliar scents around her made her feel terrified.

She ran anxiously, but accidentally bumped into someone, who caught her as she nearly fell. His aura, similar to hers, made her subconsciously raise her head, but when she met his cold gaze, she involuntarily took a step back in fear. The similarity in their auras stemmed from the fact that they were both demon hunters; the flute in his hand radiated intense energy, suffocating her and leaving her standing there in panic, unsure what to do. Chenxi squinted at the little girl before her. The demonic aura emanating from her was very weak, mostly masked by the aura of a divine artifact. Such a contradictory aura would only appear if she had lived alongside the artifact for several years. However, it was unclear whether she possessed a divine artifact, simply because she was merely a little demon born of a demon, possessing only high talent. Her cultivation years were too short; directly touching a divine artifact would cause significant damage. Therefore, there was only one explanation: someone possessing a divine artifact had adopted her. If that's the case, and she's allowed to grow with the power of the artifact, she'll become a very troublesome demon in just a few years. So... we absolutely cannot let her live.

His murderous intent surged, and how could she not sense it? She forced a stiff, awkward smile, then turned and fled, leaving behind the unfathomable eyes that were watching her.

Chenxi stared intently at her small, panicked figure as she fled. Trying to escape? He chuckled mockingly, then picked up a flute and gently placed it to his lips. The melodious flute music drifted through the air, and people fell silent to listen. But to her, the music, infused with the energy of a divine artifact, was like a demonic blast piercing her ears. She painfully covered her ears and slowly crouched down in a corner. The music abruptly stopped, and in the darkness, she only saw his mouth move as he spoke: "She is a fox demon."

She raised her head, trembling, to meet the disgusted gazes of those around her and the man's cold stare. Dust and stones rained down on her as they shouted, "She's a monster! She's a fox spirit! Kill her! Kill her!" She frantically dodged the flying stones, but there was nowhere to hide. Bloody scratches appeared on her pale arms as she protected her head. Chenxi watched all this indifferently, showing no immediate intention to punish her. His eyes held a deep hatred for demons. Tears streamed from her wide-open eyes, mingling with blood to form a pale red hue, dripping onto the ground and seeping in… In despair, she closed her eyes.

It turns out that fairies and humans are fundamentally incompatible, and that humans can never tolerate those who are different. Why let her live? Why let her think that this was how things would go, only to face this situation? Why didn't she die with her mother in the first place? The pain of the stones hitting her body could never compare to the despair in her heart. After a long while, in her semi-conscious state, she felt a familiar figure approaching and pulling her into an embrace. The warmth felt like the embrace she had entered after leaving her mother's warm embrace. She could no longer open her eyes; pain and warmth mingled and overwhelmed her remaining senses.

He blamed himself for not holding her hand properly, causing them to get separated. The bustling market made it impossible to find her small figure. When he saw the crowd gathering in one direction, a sense of foreboding washed over him. He pushed through the crowd to her side, huddled in a corner. He tightly embraced her, her body covered in wounds and trembling; her skin was so pale and cold. His appearance stopped the villagers from throwing stones, for they all knew he was a demon hunter, and he had once been a hunter on this mountain; many had received his kindness. His heart was cold. He raised his hand to wipe away the undried blood and tears from her face, gently pressing his cheek against her soft hair. Her faint breath told him she was still alive, but her eyes remained tightly closed, her breath weak and elusive, as if it would cease at any moment. As if afraid of hurting her, he gently lifted her up, just as he had carried her back before, and carried her up the mountain. He would not allow anyone to harm her again.

"Don't develop real feelings for her. She's a fox demon and you're a human, a demon hunter. Don't forget the difference in your status," Chenxi coldly reminded him.

“She’s just a child, and she’s trying her best to get close to humans and learn everything about them. Can’t we treat her like a human being?” He stood there, turning his head slightly to the side, and said calmly.

"But she will never be human; she will always be just a fox spirit. And you? Can you disregard the fact that she's not human? You can't. Your heart keeps reminding you that she's a fox spirit. That's the truth, a fact you can never change, a fact you can't escape." Yes, a fact no one wants to face. He didn't want to face it either, but the truth remains forever, and no one can change it.

He closed his eyes in anguish, for he could feel the tears streaming from her unconscious eyes, and she had heard everything...

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [69]: Four years have passed in the blink of an eye. They have remained silent like this. After that upheaval of fate, life returned to normal. But he could feel that she was changing. Although she still smiled, she was so indifferent. In the blink of an eye, she turned twenty-nine. At eighteen, she had an amazing appearance. Her growth had also slowed down. It could be said that her appearance would not change for hundreds of years. During the time she was recovering from her injury, she would always curl up alone in the corner of the bed, pursing her lips and coldly looking at the things outside the window. Her sweet smile was gone. From the day she recovered, she put on a white gauze dress, as if to commemorate the self that had died. The indifferent smile was still there, but there was a loneliness and a faint fear in her eyes. But in the eyes of others, it was a fatal attraction.

Every day, she would sit on the grass waiting for passersby. Her mother's last words echoed in her ears, and fear slowly grew in those words. She was so lonely that she constantly created illusions for those around her to keep them company. But the loneliness and fear did not go away. She did not find that warm and cozy feeling. Seducing others was easy for her. She was a fox, and this was a skill she was born with.

The elders always say there's a fox spirit in this mountain.

"Have you seen me before? Do you think I look like you?" She would always ask with a sweet smile, tilting her head earnestly at the people she met. Her innocent demeanor made it impossible for anyone to suspect anything. At this moment, the man who had once carried her back would forcefully pull her up from the grass, saying with a hint of annoyance, "Let's go." She knew he was watching her every move, a smile spreading across his lips. Each time, she would obediently follow him back, leaving the bewildered onlookers standing there in surprise. Only then could she get close to him. She longed for him to hold her like he did when she was a child, because she needed that feeling. Only then did she feel safe. But every time she approached him, he would silently pull away.

"Why are you avoiding me?" she asked sadly, looking down.

"Why can't you change your nature..." He looked back at her. It was her amber eyes that prevented him from taking action back then. Perhaps he should have realized sooner that fairies can never become human, and foxes can never change their nature of bewitching people.

"You'll never love me, will you?" She already knew the answer, but she still insisted that he say it himself.

"Yes, I will not love you." Reality will never allow him to love her. She is a fairy, with fox demon blood flowing in her veins. She can never get rid of her fairy nature, and she can never become human.

Just like that hunter said, I am a fox demon, and you are a hunter who specializes in hunting demons. I can never become human, and you will never accept me. Don't tell me it's some unchangeable fact; it's just because of your human cowardice, isn't it? All along, in your heart, I am still a demon. You have never forgotten that I am a demon…” She closed her eyes, letting tears silently slide down her cheeks. The tears that seeped into her mouth were so bitter. Reality is never something one can accept. Her heart clenched into a knot, and the pain made it hard for her to breathe for a long time. Then, expressionless, she turned and left. He didn't stop her; he just stood there quietly watching her delicate figure disappear before his eyes.

On the cliff, her white gauze dress fluttered in the wind. She had walked the same path her mother had taken years ago, and now, she had returned. She cradled her mother's peaceful face in her hands, tears streaming down her face like broken beads. Shouldn't she seek revenge? But what was she doing now? In truth, a fairy's memories begin at birth, and their memory is hundreds of times stronger than a human's. From the moment they open their eyes, memories never fade. For a fairy, what exists will exist forever. They cherish everything that belongs to them, cherish it dearly! Because it is theirs, they will not forget… Her mother's tears, her mother's kiss, her mother's warm embrace, and her mother's last words—she had never forgotten them, including her mother's tragic death, him pointing his lonely sword at her, then carrying her home, and naturally, the silent gaze they shared. What was her mother's soul worried about? Why did the tears linger? She knew the resentment in her mother's heart. She had never harmed a single person in her life, always saving lives, yet in the end, she was killed by humans. How could she accept that? She pressed her face against her mother's pale, serene face, hoping to bring her warmth, but her tears only dampened her mother's beautiful features, as if she too was weeping for her…

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [70]: It's too long, I'll save it!

I'll watch it slowly later.

---Thief-like eyes

Reply [71]: They hadn't spoken for several days. He would always glance at her briefly, then turn away and not look at her again. The two seemed like strangers. Whenever this happened, her nose would sting, and she would silently walk to the hillside, sit on the lawn, and secretly shed tears. The wind would always gently caress her long hair and softly surround her, as if comforting her...

"Sister, why are you unhappy?" A tender child's voice whispered in her ear. She lifted her tear-stained face to look at the pale-faced little girl in front of her; it was clear the little girl was in poor health. The little girl gently wiped away the tears from her cheeks with her small hand.

"Because I'm not human! I'm a fox spirit, little sister, aren't you scared?" She reached out and pulled the little girl to sit down next to her.

"You didn't hurt me, which means you're a good fox spirit sister. Why are you afraid?" The little girl smiled at her, her big eyes filled with sincerity. She bit her lip and hugged the little girl tightly, tears welling up in her eyes again. The little girl tucked the wildflowers she had picked into her hair, then said wearily, "I sneaked out to play, don't tell my parents! I'll be very, very good..."

But no sooner had she finished speaking than the little girl fainted in her arms, her breath so weak, like a thread that might snap at any moment. She pressed her index and middle fingers against the little girl's wrist; the pulse was weak and feeble. She quickly understood the cause. Her mother was a fox spirit, so she naturally possessed a high aptitude for pathology. She picked up the little girl and ran back to her dwelling. After settling the little girl in, she grabbed a sickle and went up the mountain to find medicinal herbs. She was confident she could heal her.

Two hours had passed since she gathered all the herbs, and the little girl remained unconscious. Without even wiping the sweat from her brow, she busied herself preparing the medicine. But what worried her was the medicinal ingredient: half a bowl of the patient's blood. Without it, the medicine would be ineffective. However, half a bowl of blood was a heavy burden for a weak little girl. After hesitating for a moment, she steeled herself and used a knife scalded with boiling water to cut the little girl's wrist. Blood splattered onto her white dress, like plum blossoms blooming in the snow. After collecting the blood, she tore off a strip of white cloth and bandaged the wound… After feeding the little girl her medicine, she collapsed onto the bed, exhausted, and drifted off to sleep. She was so tired today that she didn't even bother to clean herself.

But everything changed in his eyes as soon as he got home: a pale, unfamiliar little girl; a blood-stained bowl; a white cloth strip stained with blood on her wrist; and her sleeping soundly by the bedside. He yanked her off the bed, the bloodstains on her clothes a shocking sight. His expression immediately turned cold… Pulled up, she blinked her sleepy eyes. He had pulled her so hard she almost slipped and fell, but he held her wrist tightly, making her stand before him, looking at him with confusion. Pain shot through her wrist to her brain. She frowned slightly, her face contorted in pain. His grip was so strong it seemed he wanted to snap her slender wrist.

"What are you doing? I thought you wouldn't hurt anyone, but I didn't expect..." He stared in disbelief at her wide-eyed expression, his face as if covered with frost.

"Me? I didn't..."

"Enough!" he interrupted her irritably. "Stop explaining! I saw everything perfectly clearly! You've disappointed me so much!" He glared at her innocent face.

"What are you saying? You've misunderstood, I..." She tried to explain anxiously, but sorrow weighed on her chest like a heavy stone, making it difficult for her to breathe.

"I shouldn't have let you go!" His heart ached so much. He had always thought she was different from other fairies. He had always thought that if he raised her like a human child, she would forget her fairy nature and stop hurting people. But all of this was just his naive delusion. She was a fairy, she had fairy blood, so all of this could never be changed. He didn't say anything, just pulled her up the mountain, then threw her on the mountain and strode away. She chased after him, crying. After falling several times, the sharp rocks on the mountain left her covered in wounds of all sizes. "No! Don't leave me alone! I just wanted to save her! I didn't mean to hurt her! Don't leave me alone, please don't leave me alone! I'm so lonely, so scared... please don't leave me..." Tears streamed down her face. She couldn't get up after falling, and just lay on the gravel, sobbing softly.

Her tears streamed down her face, chilling him to the bone. He stopped, turned slightly, and coldly said, "You're not human, you're just a fox demon..." Then he turned and walked down the mountain without looking back.

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [72]: She was stunned and didn't come back to her senses for a long time. Then she cried and shouted loudly at his back: "Actually, you have never treated me as a human being. You have always... always thought I was just a fairy in your heart. You have always had that knot in your heart. You have never believed me. No, no!" Her voice grew weaker and weaker. "Actually, I have always been trying to learn to be a human being, but... even you are not willing to treat me as an ordinary person. So how can I... become a human being?"

In the darkness, a mournful cry echoed across the hillside, carried by the chilling wind to every corner, accompanying it for a long, lingering time.

The unconscious child opened her eyes, her pure gaze sweeping across the room. She noticed the older sister who had always been with her was gone, replaced by an uncle. She tucked half her head under the covers, only her bright eyes peeking out as she stared at his icy expression, trembling as she asked, "Where's my older sister?"

He didn't answer her question, but after asking for her address, he took her home. Watching her anxiously searching for her mother, he fell silent. The little girl's mother, upon seeing her, burst into tears of joy, hugging her and kissing her forehead. A happy smile immediately appeared on the little girl's face. If her mother were still alive, would she be just as happy? He sighed and slowly walked back to his now empty home in the hazy night…

A few days later, the illness that had plagued the little girl for so long miraculously disappeared. Her parents came with gifts to express their gratitude, repeatedly praising him as a reincarnation of Hua Tuo (a legendary Chinese physician). He remained silent, gazing up at the mountain, his eyes filled with regret. The wind whispered past his ears, as if carrying the sound of sorrowful weeping. She was right. He had never forgotten the fact that she was a demon. He wanted to keep her by his side, yet he had always avoided her. In truth, he had been constantly reminding her that she was an anomaly… an anomaly that humans could not tolerate. He would never know how heartbroken she was by his actions, how much she cared about his opinion. After seeing the little girl's parents off, he strode up the mountain. Could he still find her?

When she arrived, she found her mother's body slowly disappearing, the faint trace of her former life gone. She quietly curled up beside her mother, keeping her company until she vanished completely. Her gaze remained fixed on the distance, unmoving for a long time. For the past few days, she had stayed there, crying, falling into a deep sleep when she was exhausted, only to wake up and continue sitting there alone, tears streaming down her face. Her mother, who had always been there for her, was gone too, leaving her all alone, so lonely, so very lonely. She had to return to where she came from, and she returned only to the spot where he had led her away. Sitting there, she no longer had the strength to leave. Where should she… return to?

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [73]: "So, you've never forgotten what happened from the very beginning," he slowly walked up to her and looked down at her. He never imagined that he would find her at the place where they first met. Was it a coincidence? Could it be a coincidence? Actually, she knew everything all along, but she was just keeping it from him. Thinking of this, his face immediately darkened.

His cold voice echoed around them, questioning her, making her heart grow even colder. A mountain wind howled, and she hugged herself, feeling as if her whole body was freezing. She slowly raised her head to look at him, sunlight making her eyes gleam with an amber light. She had intended to hide it forever, but now there was no need, was there? She looked at him coldly. Love and hate were separated by a fine line, weren't they? She was about to repent, because she had fallen in love with a human, wanted to be human, and had given up avenging the annihilation of her race. "A fox demon's memories will never be forgotten from the beginning. From today onward, I will take back everything you owe me."

"Ha! Perhaps I really shouldn't have let you go back then, otherwise things wouldn't be like this today." The kind smile from his childhood still felt like yesterday, but now everything was just a passing cloud, and his heart ached faintly.

"I should be the one asking why! Why are you trying to exterminate us?" she accused bitterly. "My mother never harmed any humans. She wasn't the kind of fox spirit who bewitched people. She was a medicinal fox who made a living by gathering herbs. Why generalize? There are bad people among you humans too, aren't there? Does that mean you humans deserve to be killed? My mother was unwilling to accept this! She was still unwilling to accept it even in death. What did she do wrong?"

"Because you are not human, because you possess abilities beyond that of ordinary people, because your existence is a threat to humanity, because you are demons and you have never considered becoming human, because once demons learn human nature, there will be no place for humans to survive. Are these reasons enough?" Humans are selfish, but is this selfishness? It's merely thinking of one's own survival. If someone were to control a demon, or if a demon were corrupted by humanity, the consequences would be unimaginable. He knew all of this was unfair, but what could he do for survival?

“It’s not that we don’t want to be close to people, but that people are unwilling to accept us.” She gently brushed aside the hair from her forehead, revealing a faint scar before him—the one left from the human attack. She had more than one scar on her body. After that incident, she refused to use her superhuman abilities again, letting her pain seep into her heart, leaving a faint scar as a reminder of what humans had done to her. She added with a bitter smile, “Even you aren’t willing to accept me, are you? Aren’t you…?”

Seeing the scar, a wave of pain surged through him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The scene from years ago flashed before his eyes: the child curled up on the ground, her body covered in wounds. What had turned that child, who once wore a sweet and kind smile, into the child before him with a detached smile, a smile that concealed hurt and pain? Perhaps taking her in was a mistake, perhaps letting her integrate into the human world was a mistake, because he forgot one thing—humans simply cannot accept those who are different, especially those with greater abilities than themselves. He himself couldn't do it, so how could he expect others to?

She rushed forward and hugged him, tears falling onto his clothes. His long hair, billowing in the wind, gently brushed against her cheek, the wind whipping their hair together, tangling them in a mesmerizing display. "I used to see myself as a human child, trying my best to be the way you wanted me to be. I tried so hard to learn, but humans wouldn't accept me. Why won't you accept me too? If you can't accept me, why did you let me go in the first place?"

He jolted and pushed her away from his arms. His companion's voice rang in his ears: No matter how she tries to learn to be human or fox demon, she can never become human. That is an unchangeable fact. The blood flowing in her veins is that of a demon, not a human. You are a hunter who specializes in hunting fox demons. Your inappropriate sympathy will only harm you.

He turned his head away from her, tossed her a knife, and said, "I only let you go back then out of pity, because you were just a child. But now everything is different. If you can hurt me, then I will repay what I owe you, and I will do whatever I want to you without breaking my promise."

The icy chill that seeped into her heart the moment she left his body, yet he still avoided her like the plague. His resolute expression made her heart ache to the point of numbness. Trembling, she picked up the knife from the ground and rushed at him. "Ah—!" she screamed, swinging the knife at him repeatedly, but he easily dodged each time. Tears danced in the air.

So this is what tears taste like: salty, astringent, bitter, painful, and sorrowful.

---Fish and shrimp

Reply [74]: She gasped for breath, realizing she couldn't hurt him at all. She shook her head with a self-deprecating smile, thinking how useless she was! She stared at him intently, her eyes filled with love and hate. She took a few steps back, then suddenly threw down the knife and ran desperately towards the edge of the cliff. This would be her last gamble, betting on whether he cared about her or not. If he really had no feelings for her at all, she would willingly close her eyes. He was stunned as he watched her rush towards the cliff. This was unexpected. He only came to his senses when her figure fluttered off the cliff like a white butterfly. "No—!" He rushed towards her in terror, grabbing her sleeve at the last second. Her fingernails scratched his arm, leaving a long gash, from which bright red blood seeped out. She struggled to look up at him and smiled gently. At that moment, he wanted to tell her that he had always cared about her, but he couldn't defy reality. Unfortunately, reality didn't give him time to speak his mind. The white veil snapped with a snap, and he watched helplessly as she plummeted downwards, her amber eyes filled with tears of pain and resentment.

"I've lost my heart, can you give it back to me?"

"Perhaps, I can't repay it..."

"In the next life, pay back what you owe me!"

Modern: Her name is Lost, yes, her name is—Lost.

She had been waiting for that person to arrive...

Please give her heart back to her...?

The mouse click opens a virtual area, her parasitic wandering place, where her lonely soul has always grown, grown. There are always some idle people who like to speculate on her words, trying to understand them, but they only sink deeper and deeper, unable to extricate themselves. Words fill everything, but her heart is empty. Cathartic music plays endlessly, alternating between restlessness and tranquility. On the screen, dialogues appear: "Why did you call yourself Lost? The platform says you can confide in us, but if even you are lost, how can you guide us?"

"Because a long, long time ago, I made a promise with a man that in my next life my name would be Lost, and he would come to find me."

Why is your article so despairing?

"It is the viewers who are in despair, not the words themselves."

"Lost, what would you do if someone you love owed you something?"

"I will seek revenge on him for all eternity, and then I will kill him." "Why would you kill him?"

"Because only in that way can eternity be attained."