CHAPTER 136: HENRY AND NINE

"Why did you suddenly attack Henry like that?"

Joshua spoke up, his tone clearly displeased. Nine obviously noticed, and quickly said, "I just wanted to test him..."

Hearing that, Joshua replied softly, "So you feel the same way I do, right? That Henry is like me."

Nine fell silent at those words. After a moment, he finally said, "Just based on that alone, we can’t conclude anything..."

Joshua said, "But he reminded me about the mission. He even knows about our mission. Nine, he’s definitely not ordinary!"

Joshua’s tone was firm—he had clearly reached this conclusion long before speaking to Nine.

Nine stayed silent. In truth, he also felt that something about this was strange, but what could he do? All he needed was for Joshua to complete the mission.

As for Henry? Nine felt he should grab his axe and pay Henry another visit.

After all, once he took care of Henry, Joshua would be sad, sure, but only for a while. Everyone gets forgotten eventually. Only he would remember Joshua forever.

"Alright, let’s say Henry isn’t ordinary. What do you want me to do then?"

Nine had already made up his mind; his voice sounded light, almost floating.

Joshua frowned, then finally said, "Don’t you have a way to make Henry fully awaken?"

Ha ha, I’m about to chop his head off, Nine thought cheerfully, then pretended to answer seriously, "I’ll think of something. Just focus on your own tasks. ShineOn has to return to the dorms today, right?"

Joshua responded, and with nothing else left to say, the two ended the conversation. After preparing everything, Joshua headed out.

But the moment he stepped out of the apartment gate, he saw a car stop directly in front of him.

Joshua didn’t dodge. He was even a little surprised, because he recognized it instantly—it was Luther’s car.

Was Luther waiting for him this early in the morning?

But when the window rolled down, Joshua’s expression tightened with even more shock. Luther was leaning slightly out of the car, looking exhausted. Heavy dark circles weighed down his eyes, bloodshot and unfocused, and his hair was a mess.

Joshua couldn’t help but stop for a moment. He reached out with both hands, gently lifting Luther’s face, and asked softly, "What happened to you?"

Luther looked at Joshua right in front of him and couldn’t help raising his hand to grab Joshua’s wrist. He pressed his lips together, and tears immediately streamed down his face. "I dreamed about you and me... we both died, Joshua. I’m sorry. I don’t need love anymore, just... please don’t die."

Joshua couldn’t help but feel a little amused, but Luther’s crying was genuinely painful, his tears and snot running uncontrollably.

Joshua opened the car door and pulled Luther into a hug, gently patting his back. "It’s okay, don’t cry. It was just a dream. I’m still here."

Luther clutched the corner of Joshua’s shoulder, sobbing and mumbling, "You’re not mad at me, right? You won’t hate me, right? I’m sorry... I shouldn’t have kissed you, or touched you..."

"Alright!" Joshua raised his voice a little. Luther paused, still sniffling. Joshua cleared his throat a few times and said softly, "I’m not mad, really. It was just a dream. We’ll live... and we’ll live well."

Luther hugged Joshua tightly, as if he wanted to merge completely with him.

Joshua felt slightly uncomfortable being hugged so tightly, but he could sense Luther’s insecurity. He didn’t even know what Luther had dreamed of becoming this distressed.

Looking at the dark circles under Luther’s eyes, Joshua couldn’t help but ask, "When did you get here?"

"Three o’clock..." Luther mumbled.

Joshua had no words left, so he just patted Luther’s shoulder to comfort him. "Okay, go home and change your clothes. Today we have to return to the dorms."

As Joshua moved to get out of the car, Luther quickly grabbed his hand. "Take me with you, Joshua... let’s go to the dorm together, okay?"

Luther blinked, his expression pleading and urgent.

Facing his sleepy, sorrowful eyes, Joshua could only nod.

Luther was overjoyed and immediately threw himself at Joshua, hugging him tightly. He exclaimed, "Don’t worry! From today, we’re pure friends. I’ll never think of you in bed again!"

As long as Joshua didn’t know, he would be close to him—closer than anyone. Maybe someday, Joshua would fall for him, too!

Joshua really just wanted to cover Luther’s mouth. "Alright, drive. Stop talking nonsense."

Luther wiped his tears, rubbing his face against the hollow of Joshua’s neck without stopping. While driving, he occasionally glanced at Joshua, then quickly looked back at the road, smiling foolishly.

Joshua’s lips twitched. "Focus on driving."

"I’m just too happy," he said softly, whining.

At that moment, Nine also stepped out of the house. He decided to observe Henry for a while.

Last time, during their struggle, he couldn’t win. Even at the fan sign, he couldn’t penetrate Henry’s sea of consciousness—it had been a complete failure.

But Nine never expected that he wouldn’t even need to look far. The moment he stepped out of the residential area, he immediately saw Henry’s tall figure. From head to toe, Henry was dressed in black, wearing a hat and a mask. Yet the moment Nine met his eyes, he instantly recognized him.

Henry was staring at Nine as well, looking as if he had been waiting here for a long time.

Nine couldn’t help but smirk. It seemed he wasn’t the only one looking to hunt.

Henry looked at the rat-faced young man in front of him, his eyes deep and unfathomable. "Come with me," he said directly.

Nine couldn’t help but laugh at Henry’s tone. "Why would I go with you? Do you think you’re—"

"I know you’re the one with the axe."

Henry’s words made Nine stop in his tracks. Henry looked at him, expression unchanged, and continued, "Joshua still doesn’t know this, right?"

Nine stared at Henry, his cold eyes suddenly breaking into a smile. "Fine, I’ll go."

Surprisingly, Henry didn’t lead Nine far—just to a bar with a private room.

The two of them sat across from each other. Nine drank, his feet kicked up on the table, leaning back, eyes provocatively fixed on Henry. He didn’t believe Henry could do anything to him.

And what was Henry planning to say? Nine felt there was nothing for them to talk about.

Henry looked at Nine’s attitude and went straight to the point: "Can I ask why you attacked me? Clearly, we have no grudge."

Nine shrugged. "What are you talking about? I don’t know anything. Don’t accuse an innocent person. If you have something to say, say it quickly—I’m busy."

He tugged at the large gold ring around his neck.

Henry didn’t mind. He just continued, "At the fan sign that day, what exactly did you do?"

Nine narrowed his eyes, feeling that Henry was far sharper than an ordinary person. Moreover, his thinking didn’t follow the typical patterns of a normal mind.

Henry went on: "I’ve investigated you, all the information. You should have been dead, yet here you are, under a name that probably isn’t even yours. And yet all the paperwork is legitimate. Strange... even my power couldn’t guarantee that, but a homeless person like you managed it."