Chapter 99: What Are You?

    Ten minutes ago, outside the door of the afterlife.

    Jin Jiuchi lowered his gaze to look at the icy blade held against his throat, then he tutted. "Nian’er, why are you so violent?" He gently let go of the silver hair he was gripping with a smile. Not only that, he even helped to tuck the loose strands behind Shen Nianzu’s ears. His fingers were unexpectedly gentle and careful, yet it still managed to send chills down Shen Nianzu’s spine, it was as if he was tied to a volatile bomb that could explode at any moment. "You are not this ruthless with that fool, so why is it different when it comes to me?"

    ’That fool?’ Shen Nianzu pondered for a second before he realized that the ’Jin Jiuchi’ in front of him must be talking about the other Jin Jiuchi – one with silver eyes.

    "Ha..." he let out a disbelieving scoff tinged with a hint of mockery. "Of course, that’s because he will not harm me, unlike you."

    Jin Jiuchi let out a gasp and clutched his chest with a wounded look, "How mean! What do you mean by ’unlike me’? We are one and the same, so if there’s something I can do... he will do it as well. Don’t tell me, have you been deceived by his harmless appearance?" he chuckled darkly.

    In spite of the man’s apparent disadvantageous position, Shen Nianzu noticed how his eyes darkened with displeasure upon being compared to the silver-eyed Jin Jiuchi, alerting his senses in an instant.

    He was quick to retreat and create some distance between them, with the tip of his blade pointed forward. He asked, "Who— no, what exactly are you?"

    With a groan, Jin Jiuchi rose to his feet and rolled his shoulders, his bones making faint creaking sounds under the exertion. In the dark and desolate corridor, his golden irises gleamed akin to a starving beast as he faced Shen Nianzu. Though, he still sounded petulant as he asked, "Really, Nian’er? It’s been so long since we last met, and that’s the first thing you are asking me?"

    The corner of Shen Nianzu’s right eye twitched. "So? What should I ask you?"

    Jin Jiuchi clicked his tongue, a bit sulky yet also amused. "Of course, you should have asked, ’Do you miss me?’ If you do, then I will say... yes," he licked the corner of his lips. His dark eyes pierced into Shen Nianzu with such intensity that it felt like a tangible force, pressing down on him and stifling his breath. He recognized that gaze at once; it was the gaze of a predator fixated on its prey. "What should I do? I thought that one bite would be enough, but I have become addicted. Deep down, he feels it too, even though he is reluctant to admit it. Isn’t that why he’s sticking close to you?"

    Shen Nianzu’s heart skipped a beat. He had no idea whether it was Jin Jiuchi’s words that triggered it, but he suddenly felt a prickling sensation on his neck from where the man had bitten into. It started as faint tingles at first, before it intensified into a sharp pinch of pain.

    Shen Nianzu’s eyes widened in realization. It was not his mere imagination! As he touched his neck, he could feel the jagged surface of his skin... akin to an old bite wound! He snapped his head to Jin Jiuchi, a mixture of dread and anger in his voice, "What have you—"

    But there was no one in front of him.

    Shen Nianzu’s head whipped around in disbelief. "Jin Jiuchi?!" Where had he gone to? How could he disappear without a trace, right under Shen Nianzu’s nose to boot?!

    His gaze quickly shifted to the colossal stone door in front of him with intricate carvings depicting the eternal cycle of life and death. Could this be... the so-called door to the underworld?!

    A jolt of shock surged through his small body, and his pale purple eyes went as wide as saucers. The loud rumble he had heard earlier, had it come from here? Had Jin Jiuchi entered through this door?!

    "Damn it!" Shen Nianzu cursed at his own oversight. He had let his guard down thinking that NPC would not be hostile toward players, especially Anna who looked like she was ready to be Jin Jiuchi’s beck and call. But who could have guessed that she would bring him to the door of the afterlife?! He should not have let Jin Jiuchi out of his sight even for a second!

    Soon, the other players would be drawn here due to the rumble as well, and he had to move as quickly as possible before they arrived!

    Biting down on his bottom lip, he craned his neck to stare at the stone door before him. "There must be some sort of mechanism here..." his hands roamed around the door, trying to find the spots he could press down on. But at that moment, he abruptly sensed a shift of the air behind him!

    Entirely by reflex, he swung the blade in his hand, unleashing a wave of icy purple energy that sliced through the air... only to be halted by a hand.

    Shen Nianzu stared at the figure in front of him in disbelief.

    "Tsk," Jin Jiuchi clicked his tongue and looked at the layer of ice coating his palm from the center before traveling outward. Even then, he had no plans to let go. "Troublesome weapon."

    It was Shen Nianzu who withdrew the blade first, his chest heaving in anger. "You...! Where did you go? Exactly what do you want?!" He lunged forward like a fierce cub and threw the first punch, and all the while Jin Jiuchi evaded him carelessly. For the attack he could not dodge, he merely accepted them without batting an eyelid, fueling the frustration in Shen Nianzu’s heart. "What do you mean by you and him being the same? Why does he have no idea at all about you, while you know everything about him? What are you?!"

    A solid kick landed on Jin Jiuchi’s chest, sending him flying to the opposite wall. Shen Nianzu did not stop there, however, as he rushed forward to seize the man’s collar.

    "Are you a nightmare creature?!" He finally raised the question that had been plaguing his mind. "Back then... when you bit me, what have you taken away from me?!"

    Jin Jiuchi coughed softly, yet the corner of his lips were curved into an uncontrollable grin. "Haha..." his laughter came out soft at first, before it morphed into loud guffaws. "Hahahaha!!!"

    Shen Nianzu had known that this man was not right in the head, but this time he still could not resist a curse, "You damned psycho!"

    "Haha...! M–My bad, your questions are just..." he struggled to hold his laughter, his broad shoulders quivering. Despite the bruises forming on his face and body, his dark eyes glinted with morbid excitement as he stared at the jade doll in front of him. "...too cute. How can you be so cute? You want to know what I have taken from you? Fine, I will tell you. But under one condition."

    He leaned forward until the tip of their noses almost brushed against each other, whispering enticingly, "Let me bite you again, okay?" He reached out to brush his fingers on the jagged surface of Shen Nianzu’s neck, and the scar vanished without a trace under his gentle caress as if it was a mere illusion to begin with. He let out a soft purr, "If you don’t like the pain, I can make it pleasurable for you too... so much that you may even beg me for more..."

    "Y–You...!" Blood rushed to the top of Shen Nianzu’s head, so angry that he was rendered speechless.