Stabilizing Madness [Interstellar]

Chapter 24: Reliance

"Chapter 24: Reliance"
    "The cold, sharp edge of the blade pressed chillingly against his neck."
    "The blade slightly penetrated his skin, easily breaching Xu Qingran's nearly non-existent psychic defense, ready to slit his throat. Yet, he remained calm as if the deadly weapon at his life's threshold was merely a toy."
    "He even responded in a composed tone, 'So, what about it?'"
    "Having experienced bloodshed in the apocalypse far exceeding what this young man had likely ever witnessed, recognizing the unusual aura on the assailant was nothing out of the ordinary for him."
    "The person holding him, however, seemed to relish his reaction, laughing behind him. The warm breath on his neck caused discomfort and was his first real encounter with the kind of unsettling, sharp laughter often described in books."
    "Piercing and unsettling."
    "The person then lowered their voice, making it sound ambiguously suggestive: 'Just as you can sense my aura, I can equally perceive the messages conveyed by your soul.'"
    "Xu Qingran kept a neutral expression, offering no response."
    "The man behind him continued languidly, 'I've been thinking ever since that day, how can there be someone so special and contradictory in the world?'"
    "'A shell so pure and fragile, like an angel fallen to earth, making one yearn to cruelly break those tattered wings. Yet the soul inside is like a demon who's fought its way out of hell, the scent of blood on its hands so exhilarating it's trembling!'"
    "Xu Qingran thought to himself, this must be Ming Hai, the fugitive mentioned in the news reports."
    "Diagnosis complete: a genuine psychopath."
    "He glanced at the knife at his neck, commenting nonchalantly, 'Really? Yet your hand holding the knife against me seems quite steady.'"
    "As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly elbowed the person behind him."
    "Ming Hai reacted swiftly, as if he had anticipated such a move, swiftly evading the attack. But Xu Qingran's move was just a feint, seizing the moment of distraction to smoothly break free from Ming Hai's hold."
    "The hand holding the dagger tried to keep him in place, slashing forcefully. The psychic energy-infused blade barely grazed Xu Qingran's neck, leaving a deep red mark on his pale skin."
    "Despite this, Xu Qingran managed to put a small distance between them, temporarily pulling his life back from the brink."
    "His assailant was wearing a wine-red hooded sweatshirt today."
    "The hood, loosened by the scuffle and blown by the wind atop the hill, slipped off. His already pale face appeared ghostly under the moonlight, with deep, dark eye sockets and dull black pupils."
    "He indeed resembled the person in the wanted photos."
    "Ming Hai, lowering his knife, admired him: 'Impressive moves. I'd love to have a thorough and exhilarating duel with you.'"
    "'I'm not as strong in psychic power as you, wouldn't that put me at a disadvantage?' Xu Qingran raised an eyebrow, 'I appreciate an opponent who fights fiercely too. If you're willing to forego psychic power and engage in pure hand-to-hand combat, I'm not opposed.'"
    "Ming Hai's eyes lit up, then he casually dropped the dagger, his demeanor nonchalant: 'Of course, no problem.'"
    "Their gazes met in mid-air, one icy cold, the other wildly unhinged."
    "In the blink of an eye, the two collided."
    "Ming Hai, a seasoned murderer, owed his success to his overwhelming Type E psychic strength. Stripped of his psychic abilities, his bare-handed combat style resembled that of a wild dog."
    "Erratic yet deadly, relying on a natural instinct for life's vulnerabilities, each of his moves aimed for the most lethal spots. Although Xu Qingran in his previous life had relied on his special abilities for attacks, he often engaged in close combat due to the diversity of his group."
    "Thus, in this pure hand-to-hand combat, the experienced Xu Qingran showed his adeptness. He consistently anticipated and dodged Ming Hai's lethal attacks, and seizing an opportunity, landed a heavy punch on the most vulnerable part of Ming Hai's abdomen."
    "One infused with all his psychic strength."
    "Caught off guard, Ming Hai staggered back in pain."
    "His expression, a twisted mix of pain and a smile, accused: 'We agreed no psychic powers. That's cheating, breaking the rules of combat.'"
    "Xu Qingran chuckled, looking down at the slightly hunched figure: 'Do I look like a rule-abiding, law-abiding good citizen to you?'"
    "In a fight with a madman, of course, you take any advantage you can."
    "Only a fool would play fair, especially when the whole point was to trick him."
    "Ming Hai chuckled softly, looking down."
    "A faint glimmer flashed in his eyes, and the next second he unleashed all his strength, charging at Xu Qingran."
    "Although Xu Qingran anticipated this, the gap between his current body and a Type E was too vast. In a mere breath, he was heavily pinned against the crashed flyer, immobilized by the oppressive psychic force, meeting his opponent's gaze with icy indifference."
    "Ming Hai's smiling gaze roamed over Xu Qingran's exquisitely handsome face, finally immersing itself in those eyes."
    "He tilted his head slightly, his hand gripping Xu Qingran's neck tightly, remarking, 'Your soul hasn't fully formed yet, but by nature, you truly fit the mold of a Type E.'"
    "With those words, he maintained a firm hold, his intense gaze locked with Xu Qingran's."
    "But it's strange, you're different from other Type E individuals that I find repulsive. Your soul and spirit have a strong allure. I feel like if I look at you a bit more, I might find myself irresistibly falling in love with you."
    "Ming Hai's words were not spoken out of disgust."
    "Indeed, Xu Qingran's soul had stirred in him, a Type E, an inexplicable desire to possess and dominate, an urge he couldn't understand but simply expressed his innate likes and dislikes."
    "Observing Ming Hai's infatuated gaze, Xu Qingran pursed his lips, thinking that this was not the kind of love he wanted."
    "While he was still pondering a way to escape, he saw Ming Hai suddenly tilt his head towards something behind them, his smile vanishing. Ming Hai then pushed him forcefully to the side while retreating in the opposite direction himself."
    "As if dodging something."
    "Stabilizing himself, Xu Qingran looked up to see a bright, thin line, like a fishing line, streaking through the air. The tail of light quickly dissipated into the night, and in the next moment, the flyer they had been leaning against exploded."
    "He stared momentarily at the scattered metal debris on the ground, falling silent."
    "Damn, that was his only means of transportation."
    "From the direction of the psychic attack stood another tall figure. The black and gold long coat fluttered in the wind, the Golden Wing badge on the chest reflecting the moonlight, elegant and noble, with a faint luminescence still rippling beneath the blue eyes."
    "On seeing the newcomer, a look of hostility mixed with anticipation flashed in Ming Hai's eyes: 'Long time no see, General Shen of the Imperial Golden Wing Corps.'"
    "Xu Qingran was speechless."
    "He had known that only Shen Tingyu, this ruthless man, would carry out an attack targeting the objective without regard for collateral damage."
    "Ming Hai smiled carelessly, 'I heard you left the Evil Tower with top grades. Look at me, I got out without any exams!'"
    "'Rules, after all, are just ornaments for Type Es.'"
    "Shen Tingyu retracted the psychic gun he had used, smiling faintly with a deep voice: 'Indeed, I should have ignored the rules of the Empire and the Evil Tower back then and just killed you on the spot.'"
    "Ming Hai, too, had been a Type E convict, captured and imprisoned in Tower 2 several years ago."
    "Shen Tingyu had once fought with Ming Hai, who unlike other overpowered Type Es, would return again and again to face him, regardless of the beating he took. Each of their confrontations was brutally violent."
    "Later, he realized Ming Hai was different from typical Type Es."
    "At the very least, his psychic potential was higher than any of them, making him a particularly formidable opponent. Subsequently, Shen Tingyu ignored his provocations, only later learning by chance from the Tower Warden that Ming Hai had killed several patrolmen and fellow Type Es, and was transferred to Tower 1 for punishment."
    "The next time he heard that name was when Ming Hai escaped from prison."
    "The higher the talent of a Type E, the worse the impression they have of each other."
    "Before Xu Qingran could make sense of their grudge, he saw them clashing with short daggers in hand. Even the typically composed Shen Tingyu, his smile gone, eyes reddened with loathing and repulsion, seemed intent on tearing his opponent apart."
    "Ming Hai was no different."
    "The collision of their psychic-powered blades created a force field like a sweeping hurricane, stirring up dust and shaking trees. It even caused discomfort in the heart of Xu Qingran, a low-tier psychic power spectator."
    "The system exclaimed: 'This is a duel between two extremely strong Type Es!'"
    "Xu Qingran asked, 'Who is this Ming Hai?'"
    "'Not much recorded data, just that he's a super-antisocial Type E, acts wildly and unpredictably, devoid of empathy, relishing the thrill of torturing others to death.'"
    "Whether Shen Tingyu or Ming Hai, each strike was aimed at vital arteries, their eyes brimming with unhidden murderous intent. The ferocity of their psychic clashes grew with each blow, revealing that their earlier encounters with him were mere teasing, not yet intent on killing."
    "Xu Qingran sneered."
    "Should he be grateful that these two considered him so weak?"
    "Ultimately, the battle was gradually dominated by Shen Tingyu, more trained and experienced in combat. The thin and pale Ming Hai was kicked violently, coughing up blood, losing any chance of retaliating in his brief moment to catch breath, beaten until he suffered internal injuries and fractures."
    "Ming Hai lay curled up on the ground, while Shen Tingyu towered over him, his eyes carrying a mix of cold severity and heavy weariness. Pulling out his psychic gun, he contemplated breaking the rigid rules of the Empire to kill Ming Hai on the spot."
    "No one knew better than Shen Tingyu that leaving a Type E like Ming Hai alive would only lead to future troubles."
    "However, before he could fire his weapon, Ming Hai, lying on the ground clutching his wounds and laughing through the blood, suddenly pulled out a small mechanical device. Pressing a button, Shen Tingyu froze as a buzzing exploded in his psychic pool, momentarily halting the use of his psychic power."
    "'Ha, this thing really works on people whose psychic pools have been damaged,' Ming Hai remarked, shakily standing up, a vicious intent flashing in his eyes."
    "He bent to pick up the knife from the ground, chuckling softly, 'That's why I said, General, you chose the wrong way to leave the Evil Tower.'"
    "After speaking, he tried to counterattack in the moment of Shen Tingyu's weakness."
    "But when he looked up, he found Xu Qingran, who had been spectating from a distance, now standing in front of him, kicking away the weapon in his hand during his moment of hesitation."
    "With Ming Hai's strength greatly reduced by Shen Tingyu, Xu Qingran found him even less of a threat."
    "'Sorry, but if you want to kill him now, you'll have to go through me.' After delivering this emotionless line, Xu Qingran mercilessly kicked him down the hill."
    "He even stood at the edge of the cliff to look down."
    "Below was a dark forest, visibility low."
    "'Shen Tingyu,' Xu Qingran called out, then turned back to the unmoving figure, 'He won't die from that fall, will he?'"
    "Since Ming Hai pressed that strange device, Shen Tingyu's focus had become scattered, his vision blurred with double images. Only when Xu Qingran called his name did his consciousness slowly return, enabling him to clearly hear the words spoken."
    "After a moment, he replied with a faint smile, 'Indeed, he won't die.'"
    "'If you go after him, he might have already left.'"
    "Xu Qingran, slightly disappointed, pursed his lips and approached him, about to speak, but Shen Tingyu spoke first: 'Xu Qingran.'"
    "Shen Tingyu looked at him, his eyes softly veiled in the moonlight, the sincerity in them uncertain."
    "'Can you do me a favor?' he asked."
    "Xu Qingran, seldom seeing Shen Tingyu making a request, hesitated, 'That depends on what it is.'"
    "'It's simple,' Shen Tingyu sighed lightly, 'Let me lean on you for a bit.'"
    "Before Xu Qingran could even grasp the meaning of these words, the weight of another grown man pressed against him. Instinctively, he supported the other's sturdy waist, surprised to hear a soft murmur by his ear."
    "'Just a little drained of psychic energy these past days. Give me a few minutes to recuperate, and I'll be able to walk properly.'"
    "Shen Tingyu hadn't really slept for about ten days."
    "During this time, he was not only responsible for securing the defenses of the Tienying system but also handling trivial tasks assigned from above. Constantly on the move, he barely had any rest, and his slowly recovering psychic pool was already nearing its limit."
    "On his way home, he encountered Ming Hai, currently wanted by the Empire, and the ensuing fight nearly depleted him. Moreover, falling into Ming Hai's trap, his recently stabilized psychic pool began to fluctuate and ache again, likely necessitating an earlier than planned use of his next suppressant."
    "The issue with his psychic pool was becoming increasingly hard to ignore."
    "After a moment of silence, Xu Qingran suddenly punched him in the abdomen."
    "Then sneered, 'No, I can't.'"
    "Shen Tingyu's brow furrowed slightly, but he managed to suppress the grunt that threatened to escape his throat."
    "His supporting hand, however, did not immediately let go."
    "Xu Qingran remembered the recent incident, 'I recall someone's eyes turning red at the sight of their target, almost ready to kill me as well.'"
    "Shen Tingyu looked down with a faint smile, 'No, that attack couldn't even penetrate his body, let alone harm you, even if you didn't dodge.'"
    "After saying this, he received another punch."
    "Shen Tingyu couldn't help but laugh in exasperation."
    "Someone's really taking advantage of my inability to resist to vent their frustrations."
    "You blew up my flyer!" Xu Qingran's tone was both cold and fierce.
    "'Mm,' Shen Tingyu acknowledged with a drawn-out sound, 'I'll compensate you for it.'"
    "After speaking, he leaned against Xu Qingran and gently closed his eyes, allowing his psychic pool to recover a little."
    "The night was cool, and the faint fragrance emanating from Xu Qingran, matching his temperament, reached his nose. With each breath, he could feel the subtle psychic energy from the depths of Xu Qingran's soul."
    "Resting against him was unexpectedly comfortable, devoid of the aversion and rejection he had anticipated."
    "It was strange."
    "Despite being so close, in the moment their psychic energies intertwined, he realized he didn't really want to kill Xu Qingran after all."
    "In the quiet atmosphere, the person he leaned against suddenly spoke."
    "In a calm voice, Xu Qingran asked, 'So, what was that about just now?'"