Wild Creatures

Chapter 98

12.01 pm Sunday

Song Lan was dreaming.

That was the only explanation which made sense to him.

His present situation was so bizarre, so unimaginable, that his poor brain was struggling to make sense of it and in desperation, it gave him this scenario, one where he was allowed to dream about a future.

Hopes were so important, allowing a person to strive towards a goal and taking that priceless first step. He had seen one of those motivational quotes written by some ascetic, saying 'a journey of a thousand steps begins with just one' and it had remained with him.

His memories were a blur and that would be putting it kindly.

And yet his mind had preserved the softness of a particular smile, of eyes that were filled with hope, and with more, because this was a dream and he was allowed to direct its point.

The face that his mind had kept safe against all kinds of pain, it was right here, offering him promises of more.

He remembers a time, not even sure when it was, that he would deal with struggles of another kind, ones that involved burying feelings that fought for freedom, against his better judgement. And it's only now with a safety net of illusions, that he can let himself hope.

He looks up from the precious blade in his hands, a faithful servant, no...faithful friend, one looked after by the one who held his heart in his possession.

Xiao XingChen has a small smile on his face, and is watching him back. His dark eyes are filled with questions, and Song Lan wants to answer every single one.

If this was a dream, then he was going to take what he can get.

He gravitates towards XiaoXingChen, wanting it, needing it.

To explain, even if this is just a dream, that he wishes it were real.

The promise of something good, without expectations, like a wrapped gift waiting for the one it is intended for, to open it finally.

And then Baoshan Sanren turns around to face them.

"So...shall we?"

Yes, Song Lan thinks, though the question is referring to something else.

Baoshan Sanren is dealing with her own emotions right now.

On the other side of this door is the hateful person whose family is responsible for killing her beloved husband and her precious children.

Immediately comes the thought: but, was it really him?

Did she have any proof?

Her mind wars with itself, as she thinks long and hard.

She might not have proof, but then, it's not like he did anything to stop it happening, either, and inaction made a person just as guilty. Culpable.

She's about to break open the door, and another thought invades: was it right to kill him? Just because she suspected his hand in the deaths of the people that she had loved?

No...she shouldn't kill him, the thought continues, playing with her.

How could she live with herself, knowing she had killed an innocent person? That it was her hand that dealt the killing blow?

The guilt would eat her up alive.

How would she ever face Wei WuXian again?

That single thought snaps her out of it.

She would never refer to A-Ying as Wei WuXian...and these thoughts were not her own.

Through this door, Wen Rouhan was trying to control her via mental manipulation. His sharp words were designed to infiltrate her mind, using her own moral compass to stab into her heart, because compassion was a crucial guiding point. Like targeted barbs burrowing inside the soft flesh of sorrow, to wound her where it would hurt the most.