Free Web NovelChapter 202: Chapter 166: Dual Perspectives: Are the Casualties Settled?
’If he hadn’t met Fu Tailan, Chaisi might have gone on thinking he actually liked kids.’
He had been mentally prepared, but Fu Tailan was still proving harder to kill than he’d anticipated.
The probability of successfully killing him hadn’t increased, but the desire to do so had flared up like gasoline on a fire, burning even more intensely. He’d seen his share of skilled schemers and liars, but this slippery, endlessly tricky creature—a cunning rabbit with sixty-odd burrows—was in a category all its own. It was so infuriating that Chaisi wanted nothing more than to blow Fu Tailan and the entire building to smithereens.
’Take this key, for instance. Who knows if Fu Tailan simply had two made, one inscribed with "7704 days" and the other with "7703 days"?’
’He could have put on a show, taking one out only to slyly pocket it, then dropped the second one to create the illusion that a fake key was counting down.’
’That’s the first possibility.’
’Then there’s a second: one of them is the real key, and Fu Tailan simply made several fakes based on its countdown.’
’When the real key counts down to 7703, he pulls out one marked 7704. Or, if the real key is at 7704, he drops one marked 7703. When it hits 7703, he’ll have another one ready at 7702.’
’He’s like a series of rabbit holes. When dealing with him, you never even know if you’ve fallen in, let alone how deep you’ve gone.’
’Judging by the sudden appearance of a bulletproof Illusion, which threw off the total count, it seems there is no "real" key in this apartment at all. If my opponent were an ordinary Hunter, that line of reasoning would be the end of it—case closed.’
’But my opponent is Fu Tailan.’
’Fu Tailan excels at using fragments of truth and lies to create a dazzling kaleidoscope. Once you fall in, it’s like a hall of mirrors, with no clear way out.’
’He has to have other tricks up his sleeve. An Illusion that conceals the existence of other Illusions? Or perhaps the target key isn’t an Illusion at all?’
He’d originally thought the key had to be in the apartment and he could finally kill Fu Tailan, but now, Chaisi wasn’t so sure.
’No, I shouldn’t let him lead me astray.’
’Even if I don’t get the key today, killing Fu Tailan is still progress.’
Chaisi hesitated for a moment, then left the key inscribed with "7703 days" on the surface of the TV stand.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Fu Tailan retreated into the corner by the floor-to-ceiling window. Or rather, what used to be a window was now just a gaping hole, constantly flooding the room with the night and a cool breeze, its frame lined with the jagged, menacing teeth of broken glass.
’Why run to the window? Isn’t that a dead end with no escape?’
The humanoid chicken bone gave him the answer right away. Fu Tailan crouched by the window, his eyes fixed on Chaisi, and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Help! Someone’s attacking me!"
’...Does he have any dignity as a Hunter?’
"His name is Chai—"
Before he could finish, the blood-red cleaver—the same one used to pierce Fu Han’s calf—flew straight at Fu Tailan’s face. His reaction wasn’t slow; he snapped his head to the side, and the blade scraped past the tip of his nose before tumbling into the darkness outside the window.
A ripple of commotion and faint, indistinct screams rose from downstairs. Fragments of the voices startled by the falling knife were carried in by the wind.
"There’s someone by the window... What if they fall... Call the fire department, it’s dangerous..."
From ten floors up, you couldn’t hear clearly unless they shouted. The few clear sentences seemed to be drifting over from the neighboring building.
Right then, in the second drawer of the TV stand next to Chaisi, there was a gun. But it was useless now.
It was one of the weapons he had hidden in various corners of the apartment after searching it. He knew Fu Tailan wouldn’t be easy to kill, so he’d prepared backups. But he hadn’t expected the bullets to be completely ineffective. Pulling out the gun now wouldn’t kill Fu Tailan; it would only add another unnecessary risk for himself.
He had initially thought Fu Tailan’s line of sight was making the bullets disappear, but even after he’d nearly shattered the man’s jawbone, the bullets still vanished without being seen.
’I can think about that later.’
’He can make bullets disappear, but not himself. It just means he’s chosen a more painful way to die.’
"So you prefer being beaten to death over a quick, clean shot?"
Chaisi snatched a knife from the floor—one Fu Tailan had thrown at him earlier—and ran through his next move in his mind: a long kick to knock the target down, followed immediately by plunging the knife into the back of his neck. He could end countless future troubles tonight.
Chaisi wouldn’t even be satisfied with kicking him out the window. He had to personally witness Fu Tailan’s life signs cease at his own hand.
Fu Tailan seemed to sense the danger. His body tensed as he stood up, pressing against the window frame and scanning his surroundings as if also looking for a weapon.
Chaisi, knife in hand, had just taken a single step when a white light suddenly flashed in the darkness outside the shattered window.
He immediately froze.
’I almost forgot.’
’A small but timely stroke of luck. Thankfully, someone just used their flash, which reminded me.’
Chaisi didn’t like to waste time on his phone, but it wasn’t hard for him to imagine what was happening right now. Down on the street, in the homes of nearby residents, and from the neighbors on the floors across the way, countless phones were probably already pointed at Fu Tailan Apartment: taking pictures, recording videos, maybe even live-streaming...
It was one thing while he was inside the room, but if he attacked Fu Tailan in front of the window, his face would be recorded by who-knows-how-many phone cameras.
If this was Fu Tailan’s ploy to buy time, Chaisi had no choice but to grant it to him. Cursing under his breath, Chaisi pulled a remote control, the length of his index finger, from his pocket.
The instant Chaisi aimed the remote at his own throat, an indescribable expression flickered across Fu Tailan’s face. It was a mix of exhaustion, a bitter smile, and a flicker of desperate resolve.
’...He’s about to make his move.’
As the thought surfaced, Chaisi pressed the "replace" button on the remote.
Anyone watching him through a phone camera at that moment would have seen a massive, goat-headed figure in a black robe pocket the remote and lunge toward the youth by the window. At the same time, the youth didn’t dodge or retreat. Instead, he lowered his stance and rammed straight into the goat-head’s chest.
Never mind a sharp knife; with Chaisi’s strength, even a splinter of wood in his hand could pierce a person’s flesh.
The moment they collided, Fu Tailan’s flesh offered almost no resistance.
Skin, muscle—layer by layer they were split and torn open by the knife’s tip, sending a spray of blood-mist into the air that stained the light and the atmosphere red.
No matter how much he loathed Fu Tailan, when the time came to act, Chaisi had long since cast aside all emotion. His mind was calm and still, like a tranquil lake reflecting every detail of that single instant.
At the last second, Fu Tailan had twisted his body slightly, avoiding vital organs and taking the knife in his back and shoulder.
He knew Fu Tailan wasn’t dead. He also knew that Fu Tailan’s other hand had managed to wrap around his left shoulder, its cool touch resting on his collar.
With a hard twist and pull of his right hand, Chaisi yanked the knife free from where it was lodged between bone and muscle, drawing a hoarse scream from Fu Tailan. He raised the blade again, this time aiming for the back of Fu Tailan’s neck.
In the darkness outside the shattered window, more and more windows in the nearby buildings opened up. Distant camera flashes blinked on and off, one moment glinting like wandering sparks on the broken glass and the knife’s edge, the next plunging the entire bloody struggle into deep, somber darkness.
It was as if this was a blood-soaked red carpet, and the world was waiting to see which actor would make it to the end.
The tip of the knife sank into the back of Fu Tailan’s neck.
Just a bit further, enough to sever the neck bone, and Fu Tailan would cease to exist. Chaisi suspected that Fu Tailan himself wasn’t actually that opposed to the idea of death.
But Chaisi couldn’t exert that last bit of force.
His vision flickered and blurred.
***
In all his seventeen years, he had never felt pain like this.
The knife hadn’t gone deep, not yet into his neck. As Chaisi lost his strength, it CLATTERED to the floor.
The wound on Fu Tailan’s side felt as if it had been doused in alcohol and set ablaze. He felt his body and soul had become a piece of paper scorched by fire, curling and twisting, perhaps never to return to its original state.
Cold sweat, confusion, fear... He might have been screaming in pain without even realizing it.
Beyond all this hazy, chaotic pain, a heavy weight thudded to the ground beside him. The floor shook, and the vibration was enough to jolt Fu Tailan back to his senses, just slightly.
He turned his head and, through his blurry vision, saw that it was indeed Chaisi.
Though he had collapsed, Chaisi hadn’t lost consciousness as he’d expected. He was still fighting against whatever was consuming him.
Gasping for breath, Fu Tailan fumbled around on the floor for a few moments but couldn’t find the small, black sliver. It must have fallen off somewhere when Chaisi collapsed, losing contact with his skin.
He had gritted his teeth and endured a nearly fatal stab wound, charging forward to embrace Chaisi for the sole purpose of secretly sticking that black sliver to the skin of his neck, inside his collar.
Chaisi had held it for less than three minutes, but that was long enough. When the black sliver made contact again, it should have activated its neurotoxin. That was why Fu Tailan had fled to the window—to find a chance to pick it up.
Under normal circumstances, Fu Tailan would have probably discarded this plan immediately. He had never used the black sliver before. Who knew if the neurotoxin would take effect instantly? Who knew how potent it would be?
There were too many uncertainties, too much risk. And on top of that, he had to gamble with his own life and endure such pain.
But against Chaisi, his usual repertoire of cunning tricks, traps, and elaborate lies... seemed to be hitting a wall, completely ineffective.
Without trading his own flesh and blood, he couldn’t secure Chaisi’s death.
Trembling, Fu Tailan grabbed the knife. He dragged his body, forcing himself to endure the pain that felt like he was still curling up in flames, and crawled inch by inch toward Chaisi.
The neurotoxin was potent, but it wasn’t enough.
Chaisi was on his knees, his back arched. Something deep inside him seemed to be convulsing, threatening to erupt from his mouth. All his strength seemed to have been converted into the force of his body’s spasms. It was likely the first time he’d ever been so out of control, unable to even get back on his feet.
But he was still alive.
A mad bull like him might recover after just a few moments of heaving on the floor.
Fu Tailan was anxious, but with every move, the world spun around him.
Actually killing him with the knife was an impossible task. One of his arms felt like it had already died in his place, hanging limply at his side, impossible to lift. His other hand trembled even when he wasn’t trying to use it.
Besides, killing him with his own hands could lead to future trouble. This was Blackmoor City, after all.
But...
Fu Tailan looked up at the completely shattered floor-to-ceiling window, then back at Chaisi.
Even speaking was difficult now. His mouth was filled with the taste of rust.
Clutching the knife, he managed to drag himself in front of Chaisi and gasped, "...Now, it’s my turn to pay you back with a stab of my own."
After speaking, he waited a moment, only to realize Chaisi seemed too dazed by the poison to hear him. His own voice was so weak and breathless that it hadn’t registered at all.
"Now!" Fu Tailan tried to raise his voice, desperate to make him pay attention. "It’s my turn to pay you back with a stab of my own!"
The groggy Chaisi, whether because he finally heard the words or just caught a glimpse of the knife, stumbled backward on weak limbs. Fu Tailan followed close behind, stabbing the knife into the floorboards but deliberately leaving him enough space to continue stumbling and rolling backward—
Chaisi fell from the tenth floor.
From outside the window, a wave of screams erupted from below.
