What does it feel like to lose the only thing in life?
It's like a tsunami filled with despair, roaring waves approaching, sweeping away everything, ripping everything apart, and finally burying everything.
Once, Yuan Yong tenderly nurtured the flowers, joyfully watching them unfold their petals bit by bit. But now, the flowers, before witnessing the beauty of the distant world, were ravaged to mud amidst bloodshed.
That smiling sister who gently cradled the light in the forest died at the blossoming age of eighteen.
And a part of Yuan Yong's soul followed her in passing.
Pain, oppression, despair, hands clutching the agonizing head, sharp nails leaving bloody imprints, the bloodthirsty beast breaking free from its shackles, howling and wailing in anguish.
No longer a knight for the princess, but a corrupted monstrosity rotting in a filthy curse.
Yuan Yong suddenly became silent and laconic, sitting alone in the darkness, expressionless, his eyes icy cold.
His slender fingers picked up pristine cotton, dabbed with alcohol, meticulously wiping the blades, their edges now gleaming coldly, razor-sharp.
The veteran comrades who had fought alongside him for years kept staring at Yuan Yong, their clouded, aged eyes filled with concern: "You've changed."
Yuan Yong paid no heed.
This was his true self, merciless, cold, and extremely bloodthirsty; the gentle side of him belonged only to his sister, and it died along with her.
When his sister was alive, Yuan Yong had always strived to imitate a normal person.
In the forest cabin, the young him only knew to display what he liked, those bloody scenes leaving terrible memories for his 6-year-old sister. He didn't want her to be afraid of him anymore.
"They said: "Killing is for upholding justice!"
So Yuan Yong suppressed his evil instincts, only killing those who were guilty.
"They said: "Yuan Yong, forgive him. Even children wouldn't dare approach you when you're angry."
So Yuan Yong endured the ignorance of the masses.
"They also said: "People should help each other!"
So Yuan Yong did his utmost to rescue his comrades. Despite being a ruthless killer, he became a hero in the eyes of the world, receiving endless flowers and gratitude, donning glory and justice.
Sometimes, little cats would pass by Yuan Yong's window, their fur shimmering in the sunlight as they stretched out their small paws to catch something, frolicking and rolling around amidst the tangled shadows and dappled light.
Before, when Yuan Yong saw such scenes, he would only ponder how to kill those overly lively little creatures.
But now, they reminded him of his sister.
Because of her, the chance encounters with landscapes in time gained meaning.
The rays piercing through the clouds, the babbling stream, the shimmering fireflies – they were all like his sister, yet Yuan Yong felt they paled in comparison to her beauty.
In his leisure time, Yuan Yong would gaze at the North Star, its serene radiance in the night sky guiding lost sailors back to port, while Yuan Luoyi was in the north.
One day, he would return to her side, fulfilling his childhood vow to protect her.
However, when Yuan Yong returned, the one who had given his life meaning had already departed before him.
Big brother Yuan Ao said: "They slandered her, insulted her, deceived her, shouting justice while using batons to shatter her bones."
"She was waiting for us all along."
"She never gave up."
"We must avenge her."
So Yuan Yong did the same to them.
When killing the first person, Yuan Yong could see the fear in his eyes. After days of pursuit, he would face judgment.
The blade kept pressing down, piercing the skin, severing the sternum, pausing before the wildly beating heart.
He begged and cried: "I was wrong, I shouldn't have harmed her. I'm willing to give you all my wealth, spare me!"
Yuan Yong said coldly: "It's meaningless, no matter what, my sister won't come back."
To make him suffer longer, Yuan Yong slowly pierced his filthy heart with the blade.
A scream echoed through the sky, blood soaking the earth, cleansing the sins and comforting the pure, immaculate soul.
While disposing of the corpse, an unknown bird flew past the treetops, the faint sound of its fluttering feathers catching Yuan Yong's attention.
He looked over, the orange-red evening glow filling the sky, a leisurely breeze lifting its wings as it soared amidst the dazzling radiance, rolling, diving, then suddenly rising, fully enjoying the joy of life, so carefree and free.
So beautiful.
If only she could be so carefree and free.
The further he went, the more people he killed, the clearer the truth became, and Yuan Yong saw what his sister had experienced in her life, guilt creeping in.
He had greedily absorbed her warmth, yet failed to notice that she had already fallen into an icy abyss.
He was still the same as before, only hurting his sister. A lousy brother, perhaps they shouldn't have met from the start, his shattered soul growing more agonized.
He wanted to go to his sister's grave to repent, only to find the tombstone maliciously defaced with red paint.
Complete breakdown was but a single moment.
Now, in the dilapidated Yuan residence, under the desolate moonlight, Yuan Yong wielded his blade, his hatred soaring, each strike ferocious and merciless as he bathed in the rain of blood, killing tirelessly.
People screamed, cried, fled, putting up meaningless resistance.
Were they guilty?
By normal standards, their actions didn't constitute a crime; they were simply morally depraved and vain, typically resolved with criticism and education.
But to Yuan Yong, they were unforgivable.
A few people ran towards Yuan Luoyi in terror, intending to use her as a shield, forsaking any notion of justice or image, simply wanting to hold the blade to Yuan Luoyi's neck and demand Yuan Yong's surrender.
Yuan Yong, of course, saw through this ploy and charged forth, granting them death.
His former friend still tried to stop Yuan Yong, his hair now graying, gazing at Yuan Yong with sadness and anger as he roared: "What are you doing?!"
Yuan Yong sneered.
He still saw Yuan Yong as a hero of justice.
That was merely a miracle brought about by his sister, bound to vanish with her departure.
Amidst the drifting blood droplets, Yuan Yong swung his blade, slaying more people, stepping on the corpses in madness.
"Everyone is guilty! Everyone must die!"
Including himself.
His evil soul would surely descend to hell after death.
What a pity, his sister would surely be in heaven.
Swinging his blade, Yuan Yong charged towards his former friend...
"Bang!"
The heavy gates of the Yuan residence suddenly made a sound.
"Click!"
The lock turned.
Yuan Yong stopped his killing spree and looked warily toward the entrance.
"Creak!"
Someone from outside pushed open the door.
Through the crack, the starry night sky slowly came into view. Eager breezes rushed in, dispersing the stench of blood in the room and gently brushing back the stray strands of hair on Yuan Luoyi's forehead as she gazed outside.
There, a tall figure stood backlit, cradling a large paper bag filled with vegetables, fruits, and a long loaf of bread.
Yuan Fa's gaze swept across the room littered with corpses and pools of blood, finally settling on his younger brother Yuan Yong.
Clearly, he never respected others' hard work. The Yuan residence that Yuan Fa had painstakingly cleaned for two weeks lay ruined in an instant.
Enraged, Yuan Fa drew his loaded pistol.
