Chapter 22-4: Kong(IV)
Yingkong smiled lightly again as she dislocated Zhao Zhuikong’s wrist with a jerk of her hand, before moving to his arm. However, before the wrist was dislocated, Zhao Zhuikong had used his remaining, uninjured fingers to flick his dagger away.
Zhao Zhuikong seemed to have given up on this arm, not caring about Yingkong’s actions. He used his other hand to smack the handle of the dagger in the air, the force sending the dagger flying to a weird position. He then pulled back the arm under Yingkong’s control, a abrupt twist easily snapping it. Zhao Zhuikong didn’t even seem to feel the pain, even laughing as he did so, his body shivering slightly in what seemed to be excitement, allowing Yingkong to dislocate the arm.
“Little apple… it’s time for it all to end.” Zhao Zhuikong smiled slightly. The dagger he had sent flying had somehow ended up behind his back, and it shot forward along his dislocated arm. Yingkong didn’t notice the dagger whizzing towards her due to the obstruction of the arm. In the process of dislocating the arm, Yingkong was very close to the dagger as well. Even without his spatial Light of the Soul, Zhao Zhuikong definitely still wouldn’t be a weakling that could be played around with.
Swish!
The dagger easily cleaved off Zhao Zhuikong’s dislocated arm, shredding through the meat and piercing into Yingkong’s hand. At the same moment, he escaped Yingkong’s control due to losing his arm and immediately used Inchstep. His remaining hand pointed, and the dagger autonomously turned around as if there was a hand controlling it. It was still embedded in Yingkong’s hand at this time, and it cut her hand off in the process. It didn’t stop there, as the dagger lunged at her throat with a flash of red light.
“It’s not so simple, big brother. How could I die when I haven’t beaten big brother yet?” Yingkong smiled, not even sparing her lost hand a glance. Her body seemed to flicker, and an invisible sword was suddenly blocking the dagger. Looking again, the smile on her face had vanished, instead replaced by a certain hatred.
“Secondary personality?”
Zhao Zhuikong had only just reacted when a delicate palm extended from behind, easily fastening itself over his collarbone, two fingers even about to come into contact with his larynx. In an instant, Zhao Zhuikong used his remaining hand to point before his Light of the Soul could be sealed, exerting control on the dagger once again, and commanding it to thrust towards himself.
“Big brother, if we grow up… Hey, I’m being serious here. I’ll marry you then. Then, I’ll find a good husband for Zhuikong… Heh, we’ll be together forever then. If those old fellows in the clan annoy us, then we’ll just exterminate the assassin clan first. What do you think…”
“...Big brother, it hurts so much. It feels like the demons inside are about to burst out… Big brother, how long can I keep them in check?”
“... I've said it many times. When facing enemies, smile slightly, but have coldness in your eyes as you watch the enemy. Don’t plaster your face with a dumb smile, big brother…”
“... Don’t die. I said everyone has to live on together, We’ll find a way to resolve the lurking dangers in our body, then live happily for the rest of our lives...
In the past, three children had lonelily watched over each other, encouraging the others to live. They had hoped for each to become the light of the others’ life, and to find their own light of their life in another. They may not have been able to see the future, but being able to see each other had made them feel very blessed. However, everything had come to an end, and what had remained was the darkness and coldness from losing light. They could no longer see a path to the future, and they sunk deeper the further they walked...
(Big brother, for I who have already found a new light in my life… I definitely won’t let you sink any deeper alone!)
The entangled two crashed onto the ground, forming a deep pit in the ground. Yingkong was still tightly sticking onto Zhao Zhuikong’s back, while Zhao Zhuikong was standing silently on the ground. They looked like a pair of lovers if the surroundings and circumstances weren’t taken into account. “Big brother, this won’t do. Are you going to force me again? Are you going to bear the pain and loneliness alone again? This time, I’m not going to let go.”
In front of Zhao Zhuikong, that red dagger was actually piercing towards his heart. However, only half of it had entered. The hand that had originally been around his collarbone, was using its palm to clutch the dagger. Zhao Zhuikong’s hand was on the handle, intending to stab it into his heart.
“Big brother, this is the Vampiric Touch, the rank AA magical weapon. It doesn’t have any additional attributes, and it’s only able to absorb the target’s Light of the Soul attributes, but not the Light of the Soul itself. It absorbs the special characteristics of the target’s Light of the Soul, and only for a moment. To others, this would truly be something not as useful as it sounded, but to us… all those incomplete created by the assassin clan, it is the only path to survival for us.”
As Yingkong spoke, tears suddenly began to flow out. They flowed non-stop as she lay on his broad back. The dagger in her hand had already cut open her palm, the blood spilling out flowing along the dagger and mingling with Zhao Zhuikong’s blood.
“Our Light of the Soul has been incomplete since birth. Although it’s much stronger than normal people in certain aspects, and we can easily interact and control it, it’s exactly because of that that it’s easier for the heart’s devil to control us. The closer we get to the mid fourth stage, the more hopeless it is for us. I only found out about all this when I merged with my secondary personality. This Vampiric Touch happens to be able to mend the parts we lack, which is why I paid attention to it. It just needs to absorb another similarly incomplete Light of the Soul, like you or me. We're the only carriers of an incomplete Light of the Soul as the only members of the assassin clan in the realm. We also happen to have similar levels of power. When this daggers impales us, you’ll die first since your heart was stabbed through first. Then, your Light of the Soul will flow along the dagger to me. I’ll thus be able to live on with a complete Light of the Soul. Big brother… you big, big idiot!”
The tears never stopped flowing as she gently rubbed her face against his back.
“Why did big brother keep forcing my secondary personality to get stronger? Why did you have to make her stronger even if it was through hatred, warping her soul, venomous words and violent attacks? Because you were waiting. Waiting for my Light of the Soul to reach the level of yours, so that I would be able to withstand your Light of the Soul. Idiot. You’re obviously consumed by your heart’s devil already, so why did you have to wake up and do all this for me… You big idiot!”
Yingkong began to sob uncontrollably at this point. She looked nothing like a peak combatant, and was obviously nothing more than a broken hearted young girl.
“... It really is foolish, whenever I occasionally wake up…”
Zhao Zhuikong’s back continued to face Yingkong. His eyes were no longer bloodshot, and that cruel smile was gone as well. Only a thoughtful look as if in reminiscence of the past remained. He muttered, “I would always think of the three of us in the past when I wake up occasionally. It’s impossible to forget. That’s why… little apple, even if it’s just you, live on for me and Ruikong’s share. I know you’ve found a new light in your life, and will no longer sink into darkness and loneliness. I’m very, very happy…” As he finished speaking, he suddenly exerted more force, and his dagger entered another fraction.
“No, you’re too selfish. You want to pull my hand along as you stab yourself? It was like that before, and it’s like that again now… I hate the big brother that’s like this… so…”
Yingkong suddenly looked away. Another Yingkong had appeared before the two. Her expression was warped, and she walked mechanically towards the two, as if she wasn't in control of her body.
“It’s a secondary personality after all. I can control her even if it’s just for a short few seconds. Sorry, I’m forcing you to do this against your will. However, there won’t be a next time.” Yingkong smiled radiantly as she said softly to the other Yingkong.
The other Yingkong held Excalibur aloft, pointing at Zhao Zhuikong’s chest. And right behind his chest, was Yingkong’s body.
“Little apple, is this your revenge against me? Really… you make me want to give you a kiss. I’ve always liked you since a long time ago, and yet we…”
Zhao Zhuikong gave a brief struggle, but his Light of the Soul was under Yingkong’s control, and she was using her Light of the Soul to the utmost, rendering him unable to move. He could only let go of the dagger, reaching out to his back with his bloodstained hand towards his back. There, his light was. The reason for him to live on...
The bloody hand gently stroked her face. The blood was warm, and the gentle caress was like a relative’s, like a lover’s...
(Big brother, together. I won’t let you be alone this time!)
“No, it’s not revenge, you stupid big brother… This is my repayment to you. This time, I’ll push forward this sword and pierce both our hearts… Let me do it this time.”
As she spoke, the other Yingkong pushed Excalibur through the two, piercing through their hearts and joining the two together...
(Other me, thank you. Sorry. If my body dies, my Light of the Soul should persist another hour. In this hour, help me complete our mission on my behalf. Let Zheng win this final battle! Also… Tell everyone, sorry, thank you…)
A slight smile was on her face as Yingkong’s eyes shut. Her hand had already let go of the dagger. Just as it was about to fall, Zhao Zhuikong suddenly reached out to hold it tight. The two were smiling slightly as their eyelids slowly fell...
TL Note: Among the meanings of the word 空 of Zhao Yingkong and Zhao Zhuikong's names, are empty, hollow.
Team China Fallen: Xiao Honglu, Zero, Anck-Su-Namun, Qi Tengyi, Dragon, Kampa, Lan Feng, Imhotep, Zhao Yingkong (Main Personality)
Remaining Survivors: Zheng Zha, Chu Xuan, Cheng Xiao, Zhang Heng, Luo Yinglong, Ming Yanwei, Liu Yu, Lin Juntian, Wangxia, Zhao Yingkong (Secondary Personality)