#he lets DAZAI dictate whether he lives or dies

[videogamelover99]

what would chuuya and dazais "greatest fears" be ? i was thinking about it just because, and i can't really seem to come up with a clear picture

Oooh I like this question anon.

Let's see.

Dazai's greatest fear is pretty explicitly stated. "Everything I ever want to keep, I lose." He's scared of attachment, so apathy is his go-to strategy.

You could also argue his greatest fear is the loss of control. Current Dazai's biggest flaw isn't even his use of cruelty or violence, or his lack of empathy, it's his inability to give control to others at the expense of his own. He fails countless times to tell other ADA members what exactly his plan is, in favor of them doing what he needs them to do in order for his plan to work. He doesn't trust Atsushi, Akutagawa, Ango or even Kunikida to work with him, instead he manipulates circumstances so that they would act in a way he can predict. He lies to people's faces so that whatever he decides needs to happen, happens. It's because of this tendency that I think Dazai is scared of losing control, because when he can't control a situation, he might lose something important to him. Like, yes, his current goals are saving people and pursuing justice, but a lot of people fail to see that to do so he actively has to work against his worst tendencies. He can't be emotionless and purely rational like Mori. All of his decisions, at the end of the day, are hinged on personal attachment. Mori leads the Port Mafia for the sake of the city. He abused Yosano and her power for the sake of the country. Dazai doesn't do anything for the "greater good", not really. He does it because he wants to find the desire to live. Because it was important to Oda. Because there are people he doesn't want to lose. And ironically enough, he lies to those same people for the sake of their long-term safety, for the sake of what is "best" for them.

Onto Chuuya!

Chuuya's mirror Dazai's in a very interesting way. He cares so much about people close to him, and there is also a sense for "the greater good" (saving the city) instilled in him that leads him to pledge his loyalty to Mori back in Fifteen. He keeps losing friends, over and over, to the point where the pattern becomes ridiculous. But Chuuya's not afraid of attachment, and while I'd also argue he's afraid of failure and losing control (specifically the agency to make his own decisions), I'd say his biggest fear is Dazai.

Heh, lemme explain. Stormbringer let us know that deep down, Chuuya is afraid his existence is meaningless, that he shouldn't have been born, and associates this fear very heavily with Dazai. "I shouldn't have been born? There's no way I'd think like that, like that bastard Dazai!" Chuuya is scared of becoming apathetic and nihilistic, because I think for him it is a very real possibility he has to fight against. He points out that he could have easily become Verlaine, a person who hates humanity and his own existence, who pursues indiscriminatory violence because of that, a person who finds Dazai relatable. But he had friends, people who could assure them, with their presence, that he matters in some way, be it because he's protecting them (the Sheep), or because he matters to them (the Flags, Adam). BUT he thinks becoming like Verlaine was a real possibility for him, and that speaks volumes in and of itself. (In the Beast Movie (spoilers), he arguably had). Chuuya doesn't just hate Dazai because he's selfish and manipulative and cruel (yada yada yada), he hates him because he looks at Dazai's apathy towards life and personal attachments and sees his own worst fears realized in another person. He doesn't want to fall into the same pit as Dazai, but he's terrified that at some point he will, and that's...damn. It's also why Chuuya shows very little sympathy toward Dazai. He can't let himself properly empathize because he's terrified of thinking like that! He's struggling to not fall into the same pit, he doesn't wanna get near it, there's no way he's gonna try and pull Dazai out.

[writing-radionoises]

attachment

ship: odazai, kunikidazai

genre: angst with a bittersweet ending

prompt: dazai slowly learns to deal with feelings

notes:  i actually got really pissed that people kept saying fake deep shit about soukoku and throwing just about everything odasaku did for dazai away so then i decided to. write this odasaku did not die just for yall to say chuuya is the reason dazai decided not to kill himself. also thank you to mushroom mother by pinocchiop for the inspiration

It was easy to categorize at first, Oda and Dazai's relationship.

Dazai had never had any attachments, and Odasaku wasn't going to change that.

He had never had any friends, lovers, parental figures, ect.

There was no point in having them, anyway, because in the end, they would die.

They always did.

Dazai would live and die as a Port Mafia executive, and the only ones to remember his name would be government officials.

And he was fine with that. He couldn't change it anyway.

At least, he was pretty sure he couldn't…

--

"Don't tell me you actually like that guy," Ango said while they sat at the bar, sipping at a rum and coke.

"Well, I don't know," Dazai answered, scratching at the bandage over his eye, "He makes me happy, though I suppose a friend could do that too… I don't think it matters anyway, it's not like we can really have any sort of relationship."

"You're a strange one, Dazai."

"I'm fully aware," answered Dazai as he passed his drink but the bartender, "Did you put cyanide in this like I asked?"

The bartender nods his head, "You ask every single time, no, I will not put cyanide in your drink."

Dazai sighed, taking the glass into his hand, "I guess that's fine… Ango, tell me something."

Ango looks back at Dazai, fixing his glasses, "Yes?"

"Would you care if I died?"

The bar falls silent as the brunette awaits Ango's response, watching him swirl the drink around in his hands.

"To be honest, I don't think so. You are a good friend, less of a friend and even more of a good silence filler. But, I don't think I value our relationship enough to really miss you."

Dazai's lips curve up into a slight smile.

"I thought you'd say that."

--

"Hey, Odasaku!"

The reddish-brown haired man turned around from his place in the parking lot, looking back at Dazai as he waved him down with his free hand. Dazai rushed up to him, struggling to keep his jacket on with one broken arm, but he managed.

His apprentice was rather rough with him during this last training session, not that Dazai minded.

He just wished Akutagawa would kill him already.

"Hey, I haven't seen you in awhile," Odasaku commented, "You need something?"

"No, I was just in the area and wanted to see you," Dazai responded, "I'm not interrupting you, am I?"

Odasaku nodded a no, "Not at all. I just got done visiting the orphans. Maybe we can go out? Talk a little bit?"

"... Like a date?" Replies the brunette hesitantly.

"In a way, yes."

Dazai smiled a bit, "I'd like that."

--

They ended up at a park, sitting by the water underneath a cherry tree, talking this and that.

Dazai just watched Oda intently, listening to him talk as the sun started to go down.

"... I think, if I were to get out of the mafia, I'd like to settle down. You know, like how couples do when they hit thirty or so. Get married, adopt some kids… Domestic things like that," Oda replied, "I'm not boring you, am I?"

Dazai nodded a no, "Not at all. I like hearing your thoughts, it's interesting."

Oda chuckles, "I am afraid you're the only one who thinks that."

"Well, other people aren't very smart, hm?"

"Maybe so."

The two fell silent, listening to the river rush by as Dazai turned his head away from Oda, and instead up towards the falling flowers of the cherry tree.

"Odasaku."

"Yes?"

"Would you care if I died?" Dazai asked.

"Of course," Odasaku answered without a second thought, "I'd care very much, you're very dear to me, Dazai."

"Are you… certain?" Dazai asked, a puzzled look on his face, "You aren't supposed to form attachments in the mafia…"

The last part was more of a reminder to himself than Odasaku.

"You can't let the mafia dictate your entire life, Dazai," the brunette replied, looking back at Dazai, "I know you were raised here with those beliefs, but there is much more out there, much more to experience. Don't be the mafia's pawn, be a person."

Be a person…

"Hm…" Dazai replied, looking down at his knees.

He'd think about it.

--

Oda is smiling as his head lays in Dazai's lap.

If it weren't for their current environment, Dazai could've forgotten he was even dead.

He runs his fingers through the other's red-brown hair.

It's so soft. So pretty.

He shouldn't have died so soon…

Dazai doesn't even realize the cold tears running down his cheek, the shivering of his body or the shaking of his hands.

"Odasaku…" Dazai manages to choke out, shortly after muttering thousands upon thousands of apologies.

This is why you don't get attached to people, is what Dazai's brain says, but it doesn't even matter.

Dazai is too busy mourning his fallen friend, his unrequited would-be lover.

There was so much more he wanted to do with him, so much he wanted to tell him.

Dazai wanted to leave the mafia with him, get married and adopt orphans and live happily ever after, like Odasaku had talked about so much.

Even if it would've made this moment more painful, he would've like to tell Odasaku he loved him…

… Become a good man.

That's what he said, isn't it? Dazai thought.

He began to dry his tears on his jacket.

Oda wasn't here to protect or take in orphans anymore… People like his pupil, Akutagawa, could easily just die on the street without people like Oda…

Oda isn't alive to leave the mafia, either, or settle down like he wanted…

I'll… do it for him. Dazai thought.

I'll do what he never got to do. Just for him.

--

"You look to be mourning," said an older man, his name is Fukuzawa, Dazai reminded himself.

"I am," Dazai answered from his place in front of a grave. Fukuzawa takes a seat beside him.

"Oda Sakunosuke?" He asked, and Dazai nodded, "A friend or a lover?"

"... It's complicated," Dazai replied.

"Would you feel better to explain?"

Dazai fell silent for a moment, then continuing, "I had never met someone I genuinely felt connected to until the moment I met Odasaku. It felt like having mushrooms grow all over me, being infected with feelings I couldn't process… I tried getting rid of them, time and time again, but they always came back… I didn't hate my feelings for Odasaku, I just knew it was a danger for both of us… When he died, I went back to having one singular emotion of sadness, like all the mushrooms just fell off. And then seeing other everyday people experience feelings and not having to worry about them made me… feel silly looking and pathetic. I never got to sort out my feelings for him or even tell him but everyone else… Nevermind, that's not a very kind thing to say… sorry…"

"That's okay," Fukuzawa says, "You haven't been showing up to the agency recently. Is this why?"

"Kind of. I just miss him dearly, even though it's been two years…"

"It's okay to miss someone, no matter how long ago they just your life, whether or be through death, a fight, or anything in between. You can still miss Sakunosuke twenty years from now, and it'll be perfectly valid, Dazai," Fukuzawa explained calmly, placing a hand on Dazai's back.

Dazai snickered, "You sound like the dad I never had."

"Perhaps I should be."

--

"... Kunikida is an amazing fiance, and I'm sure he'll be a great husband, too," Dazai said from his spot beside the grave, under a cherry tree.

"And Atsushi… he's like a son to me, you would have loved him. And Kyouka, too, she's so cute. You would've loved the whole agency…"

Dazai sighs, looking over to Odasaku's grave, with fresh roses placed by it.

"... I'm trying really hard to be a good person, Odasaku. It's hard… I'm trying to make things up with Akutagawa, but I just keep… fucking up…" Continued the brunette, "I've hurt him so much, and I just keep falling back into hurting him… but I'm trying. It's the thought that counts, right?"

Odasaku doesn't respond, not that Dazai expects him to. He knows his friend is long dead, but talking to him like this eases the pain.

"I haven't been thinking about killing myself as much, or at least, not in a serious way. I wouldn't say I'm happy to be alive but… At least I'm not upset that I'm alive…"

Dazai falls silent, standing up and moving in front of the grave, "I like to think you're proud of me, Odasaku. I hope that's true… Odasaku, I'll talk to you tomorrow..."

Dazai turns his back, beginning to walk away from the grave as he hums one last thing under his breath to Odasaku.

"I'm still in love with you, you know?"

[kaylichun]

Inspiration/ King Arthur Legends, Moon Princess, legend of Zelda, Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, Black Butler

The True Goddess- The Fallen Goddess.

Kay grants wishes and luck within the world, while Kai contains the darkest in wishes. Kept the hidden from the light of the world’s hope. But there’s always the middle grounds, Father of Gods themselves Quinn. He is the balance of the middle grounds of realm, wise in watching over with his godly children. He had fallen in love with a mortal women by the name of Meryl and died with her by heartbreak. His depression of his fawned love. He separated and passed onto the world his life near the grave of his only wife. The descendants of his 5 children became the beacons of what became gifts of many traits of men and magic. One over will and might, one over animals to be able to tame or become authentic animal/ shifter within, powers of nature the overgrowth of plants and trees through healing, knowledge by the books; elemental sorts of magic, and last the dark arts symbolism of death.

Kay and Kai, along their vital follower, Sōseki. The servant blessed by her to watch alongside her and keep her company. The day saw misery of the two couples, so she fell off and mortalized into another life a human birth with an infertile mother, who saw it as a blessing. Named the vessel Kay, after the said goddess. Her blessed form prefaced within the mortal, as it attracted the many eyes. She was the first blessing of the true Oracle. Foretold many fates tied and needed in the future. She settled off to seek them.

There was the calico cat who followed close to the Oracle. Small and speckled in brown and yellow eyes. He was insistent in following her, so she has taken care of the creature. She needed to find her reason being entrapped in this form. She had searched for the man she needed to complete the prophesied. Fukuzawa Yukichi will be king of the Full Moon. The Moon was a Lunar symbol to the Goddess. He denied any interaction with the Oracle, as spoke the future of the home of his. Corrupted by the calamity that will befall upon them, as their King is Dying and the Kingdom of the sun will take the chance to seize dictatorship over them. In which, he agreed after realizing the prophecy is an unwilling risk he’ll take.

On their journey to the kingdom of the sun, Mori Ogai a healer and talents of the dark arts. The dark arts were frowned upon, the man begged to be set along the journey to prove his worth. Their Party grew, Yosano Akiko a child gifted with life, but blinded by death, and Ranpo Edogawa blessed by Life. Illusioned his luck and intelligence to be a Seer himself. Their bonds grew, even if Yukichi wanted nothing do with it. He fell for their Oracle, as Mori matched his moves.

After the war had ended, so did the oracle’s journey. She died within the eyes of the king Wolf and his fellow allies. Mourning the lost of the voice, her body set to the lake within the forest, who then became the deity of Tranquility. Kouyou The Mother of Tranquility.

Mother had stayed within the forest, as she was seen by a child enraptured by the God of Calamity. The child however was bitter after his exile from his birth, he was a child bawling his eyes, the young youth had seen no purpose in his life. A whole village decimated by the monster within himself. An elven child had lost all rights to heaven. Only to feel warmth of Mother. Mother had a pacifying effect over the hatred. He stayed by mother and mother let him in her arms.

Mother had chose to protect the location of the Summoning temple, in which she must give her freedom to the cult. The Cult of the man who had been mourned with his daughter the closest thing to the women he loved. He had kept part of her before her body was set to sink into the lake. That created his obsession of “their” daughter Elise. The man would not let go. It was unfair to him, as he slain the mad king of the country of Portima, The Crescent Crest.

Chuuya Nakahara was the village’s small cult by few worshipper of the god of calamity, Arabahaki. They live for centuries while maintaining their youthful appearance, dark elves with their feature of long sharp ears. They are the storytellers of endless times, the archives of history. Segregated by their nature of rumors as dark elves; fictional creatures. During the reign of the sun dictator’s reign, asked for their offering of their alignance by marrying one of their women to cultivate the ultimate heir. A rebellious orphan, he was seen and only one to escape with the tragedy befallen him. Given at least one day to finalize their thoughts, they went to work to their God in hopes to save themselves. They had to give up a child to leave behind; Chuuya Nakahara. Invested him to take in as the host for their god to disappear once again. Leaving him alone again.

The outside country had fooled the young child and left him within the barrier of their mage setted up. A sacrifice of an sick and scrawny, they did it in return if retribution to the goddess. Atsushi was forced to be appointed the counter guardian by the Goddess, as his appointed role of the goddess temple protecting the resting place of hers. As it was made under her name and she blessed it. However pitted the young child and gave it a holy form. What the mortals irresponsible actions did not speak for the goddess. So she accompanied him within his slumber. Her warmth has protected him, till his forgotten centuries and one day he is needed.

Kyoka Izumi, was the Heir of the imperial princess of snow and the warlord sun. Her mother was intended to be arranged to keep the two allied. The man was a feared by many who crossed his path, instilling his power over her and her mother. She lived to fear her ancestors who follow binded by spirit to protect her. In fact the grandmother; the imperial mother. Each generation must bond with an ancestral spirit, her abilities alongside summoning.

Saint Oda Sakunosuke was gifted sight as a Seer. An Oracle is both equal to 2 seers. If he were a Seer someone else must have the same gift as he did. One thing he cannot see is how he truly ends, but only prevent minimum events. He saughted out children during the wreckage, housing them within his own church. In which he was promised protection if he did them favors. Predictions and small travel trading. He had befriended a spy Ango Sakaguchi and a man who called himself Merlin. Who trusted him with his true name Osamu Dazai. He knew to be weary around Ango, but his emotions got the best of him as he died by the other Seer. But within sacrificing of the seers was for the cause between the CULTure of Portima and the Government of the Rising Sun. Mori true purpose was to get an Oracle after two Seers dying in the same temple. Oda, his children were with him, his Goddess let him live happily with them, after

Dazai Osamu, did not trust many, after his mother left him alone after a night with a mortal mage. His Father died after that night, he was left to wear his father’s place.His mother was a beautiful succubus, who had charmed and left her son to pass on for eternity. He wouldn’t even die if anything tries, as her son taken suicidal tendencies after the father who purposely summoned his mother. Maybe it was because he aligns to light magic, purification or nullification . To die with a beautiful woman any day. Joined the cult, after being welcomed by Mori for the heck of it, felt more comfortable with Saint Odasaku. Only to be more driven to death after his human emotions affecting him deeper into depression and granting a wish/promise of the Seer. Leaving the cult to journey to the kingdom of Portima.

Ango Sakaguchi, was the double knot spy in the ranks of the government and the mafia during the dragonhead.

Tanizaki Junichirou was fated to be king of his own kingdom, that was when his Sister Naomi first prophesied his fate. They were born from the sun district, after the warlord of sun was overthrown by the villagers of the oppression.

The Central city of the rising Sun was not trusted, in which the King of Ardect; Fukuzawa Yukichi had once knew the first Oracle. He knew the Importance of the Oracle second coming, seeing that the past 2 seers set against each other. He had high suspicions of what Mori had done, in which he swiftly taken them hidden into arms of his court. He truly did become king, as Fate predicted. His shoulders weighed by the royal cloak of the past king’s spirit by his throne. He was truly lucky to have Kunikida as his scholar and his second in command. Yosano who lead battle and saved many before death. Their Wise tactician blessed by the god themselves, Ranpo Edogawa. Kenji was the representation of the friendship of the villagers of a small village, blessed highly for their youthism and strength. Junichirou was a King and Knight in training. Their purpose in hidden objective to protect both the blessing and eyes of the gods; Ranpo and Naomi.

Naomi Tanizaki was the Village Girl who danced for her passion. She was dedicated to her king; both Fukuzawa and Junichirou. Her own personification of a clingy sister to derail many to expect her to be holy Oracle. Her truth is how serious she becomes, she is wise as how she learns to change how she acts around people. She defined as a childish, bold and bright. But really, she guilty even if her brother shakes off her reasonable actions. It was the only way to not be suspected as one. After all Mori's cultivated obsession to the gods.

Kyūsaku Yumeno the prince who destroyed his own kingdom by the curse borned Q crippled his name. A prince hated by his small country. Why his mother died because of his birth prematurely. But he shared the face the king loved from his wife. He could not help decide how he felt about his only son and heir to the throne. Whether he hated him for what he was out of his control of the past or loved him for the current result of the love between his wife. He remained ignorant to the abuse and hatred of people even the staff. The boy however broken out of his broken shell to lose sense of mind. Tormented back every person with his curse, paying back what they did to him dying in pain. The last one to die was his father, he did not do anything to stop or tried to prevent the whole event to ever exist. Here all he had to do was hurt him to die for his penitence of his ignorance. He teared up, his curse did not kill his father. His father had died from a broken heart because he loved him. Leaving the prince to cry in the place of his own father “Why didn't you hit me, hurt me, yell at me and bruise me?! Why did you make me hurt in such a way!?!” Portima picked him up, grew the territory of their land.

The Akutugawa Siblings. Loving family and children blessed with a noble family. The oldest son Ryuusuke, loved his sister Gin. Gin was named after an adoptive peasant mother who was well loved for the father who was the orphan taken in by her. Ryuusuke was born sick, His lungs struggling with asthma, his respiratory failure thankfully for His father being able to get a doctor to help. Only to be prescribed doses of medication 2 times a day. Which made Gin the first to the name to the company, yet they're both able to share the title. Ryuunosuke will always be the spare to Gin. Yet happiness still born in their hearts. His father owns his success and struggle rising to his name. He saw where he stood and stranded with wealth, a childhood for his children. Jealousy ensued by other noble who saw nothing but filthy peasant with money. Waiting for their maid to give Ryuusuke his dose of medication before they both went to sleep. Their family dog Russell barking at the door, until a man in black swung at with force. You could insinuate the dog's skull was cracked from such brute force. Snatched Ryuusuke, they knew well that he couldn't go against him and struggle. His illness was his weakness, he tire easily from exercise. Which was why he relied on his magic orb tied at his hip when he needed things. Gin was the stronger and healthier one tries to take him away from the man. Only to be knocked out and over by the column of the bed. She was taken as well. So that night, the scent of ash and warm of the fire burning the manor. Ryuusuke watched as their parents burned down with the manor. He had seen dead eyes of children, their life sucked from their own leaving him with no one to even speak to him. He felt the cold prick of human contact of magic snapping him from consciousness. He found himself chained to an alter, fear bulging from eyes from the crowd of strange dark cloaks and masks. Their pupils dilating with insanity, you couldn't count how many sacrificial knives. Polished and the gleam from the candle lights from the dimming candelabra. They were speaking Latin, strange proverbs of words. The leader rose his knife over their heads with both hands and roughly jabbed into his heart. He SCREAMED! The first time he screamed, his lungs never gave out, as his air was fear and pain. Blood, Blood, BLOOD!

A demon did come to His table, he made his contract before the selfish did stole away his life. His monstrous power was called Rashōmon.

Gin was not there where Ryuusuke woken to become a corruption of a vessel to a demon dog. Who ate and swallowed him whole from his heart and soul. He made a deal to seek revenge, power and find his sister. Gin was shipped into slavery, she could have become a slave if a pirate hadn't raided the ship she was on and took away their merchandise.The Black Lizards; Ryūrō Hirotsu the captain of the ship. He had taken in the child, taught her how to live and become how she will become. A commander and assassin for the black lizard.

Higuchi Ichiyou. A spoiled brat, compared to her reliable younger sister who was closer to being chosen for her coronation instead of her. Selfish as she may be and a father who knew what was best. As their father chose to be peaceful and small nation. During the true mad king of Portima demanded the decimation and won. They had no choice but to join the Portima. Higuchi finally stood up to be responsible older sister. She cut her beloved hair and took up archery. She may have fallen for Ryunosuke Akutagawa.

[wenqtranslations]

Mo Dao Zu Shi 魔道祖师 - Chapter 3

魔道祖师 Translation Project by 杨文秋 （为了学读中文）

It’s actually incredible how fast reading improves your language skills. I have to admit, I’m already on chapter 12 (edit: just finished reading chapter 12, it’s freaking beautiful I’m in tears). I did half the translation for this chapter while I was reading it, then I came back to it this morning and finished it off -- some of the paragraphs I’d puzzled over in my first parse suddenly made sense! Anyway, enough excitement from me X)

Recently I’ve been reading Donald Keene’s translation of Osamu Dazai’s seminal works (finished “No Longer Human”, in the middle of “The Setting Sun” atm), and this got me thinking about translation in general -- given both Japanese and Chinese are asian languages, I’d imagine they share much of the same peculiarities. Keene did a really great job, I think. The crux of his skill is the ability to convey the same message in fewer words (isn’t that poetry?) but it’s much easier said than done.

Chapter 3

Wei WuXian’s immediate thought was – could it be possible that the young cultivators made an error in their flag formation?

Just a small moment of incaution could brew a calamity. That’s why he’d gone intentionally to check the inscriptions on the shade summoning flag, in case of an error. Hence, when the two cultivators dragged him away, Wei WuXian meekly let them manhandle him.

The East Hall was very quiet, though the numbers gathered around the Mo household during the day time had not diminished. All the servants and their relatives had come out, still rough from sleep - some of them still in their underclothes, hair a mess, faces pinched in fear. The Mo Mistress was slumped, stunned on a chair. The corner of her eyes appeared stained with tear tracks, her eyes still wet and shiny. But when Wei WuXian was dragged inside, that tear shine turned into a cold light of resentment.

On the ground lay a person shaped thing. The body was covered with a white cloth, leaving only the head exposed. Lan SiZhui and the other disciple were bent over the corpse, conversing in a low voice, a grave expression on their faces. Wei WuXian caught their words.

“… it has not yet been a candle’s length since you found him?”

“He’s just deceased. When we rushed from the West to East gardens, we found the body lying in the corridor.”

The corpse belonged to Mo ZiYuan. Wei WuXian swept his eyes over it but could not resist looking at it again.

The body looked as if it was Mo ZiYuan, but also wasn’t. Though its shape and appearance was unmistakably those of his cousin of circumstance, his cheeks were deep sunken, his eye balls bulged, his skin wrinkled. Compared to the Mo ZiYuan of yesterday, a child who’d barely entered the Spring of his youth, he seemed aged by twenty years. His blood and flesh seemed to have been sucked dry, until he was a paper-thin, wizened layer of skin stretched over a skeletal frame.

Wei WuXian had leaned in for a closer look, when the Mo Mistress suddenly rushed over. Something in her hand glinted. She was clutching a dagger. Lan SiZhui – quick eyed and nimble handed – knocked the dagger from her hand, and hadn’t had the chance to speak, when Mo Mistress rushed at him and screamed at the same time, “My son died a wretched death, I will avenge him! Why are you stopping me?”

Wei WuXian crouched again behind Lan SiZhui’s body, using him as a shield. “Your son’s wretched death has nothing to do with me!”

Lan SiZhiu had seen Wei WuXian clowning around in the daytime in the East Hall, and later heard from bystanders many rumours regarding the bastard child, embellished from person to person. He could not help but feel compassion for this madman, and couldn’t resist speaking up for him, “Mistress Mo, the deceased is in this shape – his spiritual essence has been sucked dry. This is obviously the method of an evil spirit. This man shouldn’t have been the perpetrator.”

The Mo Mistress’s chest rose and fell. “What do you know! This madman’s father is a cultivator, he must have learned some sorcery!”

Lan SiZhui said, “This… the Mistress has no proof, or…”

“The proof is on my son’s body!” The Mo Mistress pointed at the corpse. “Look for yourselves! A-Yuan’s body is telling me, who his murderer is!”

Taking the initiative, Wei WuXian grabbed the cloth and flicked it off the body, uncovering it from head to toe. Mo ZiYuan’s dead body was missing something.

His left arm, from below the shoulder, had disappeared without a trace.

Mo Mistress said, “You see now? You’ve all heard what was said today -- what this madman said. He said, if A-Yuan ever touched his things, he would cut A-Yuan’s arm off!”

After this moment of arousal, she covered her face and choked out muffled sobs. “… But my A-Yuan didn’t even touch this madman’s things. Not only was he framed, he had his life taken by this sick hearted, sick minded man.”

Sick hearted, sick minded!

How many years has it been since he had heard this evaluation of his character, what a truly familiar feeling. Wei WuXian pointed at himself, speechless. He didn’t know whether he was the mad one or Mo Mistress was the mad one, who through a random figure of speech would bite him dead. Exterminator of clans, exterminator of families, a river of blood on which souls floated -- he’d certainly not minced his words when he was young, but those words largely remained words. If what he said were really done, he’d have long declared hegemony of the Cultivator society. Mo Mistress didn’t want to avenge her son, she just needed to vent her grievances. Wei WuXian didn’t care to be entangled in her affairs. He pondered a while, then stuck his hand into Mo ZiYuan’s breast and rummaged around. He found something. Spreading it open, it was a Spirit Summoning Flag.

His heart brightened. He thought: it was your own undoing!

Even Lan SiZhui, seeing the thing taken out from Mo ZiYuan’s bosom, understood.

Recalling the theatrics of the day, what eventually happened wasn’t hard to guess: during the day, Mo ZiYuan lost face from Mo XuanYu’s clowning. Filled with resentment, he sought him out to make him pay measure for measure. But Mo XuanYu had been wandering outside, so he couldn’t find a trace of him for half a day. Mo ZiYuan decided to wait until he returned to teach him a private lesson.

He waited until night fell before he snuck outdoors, passed by the West Gardens – and there saw the Spirit summoning Flags waving on the walls.

Even though he had been implored countless times, that in the half-light of night he can’t go out, can’t go to the West Gardens, and especially, don’t move the black flags, but Mo XiYuan thought it to intentionally frighten him away, for fear that some people will steal some magic items. He was not aware of the inauspicious function of those flags, whereupon tucking one into his breast, would be henceforth transformed into a living target. He was used to stealing Mo XuanYu’s scrolls and magic tools, so seeing this new item was a new itch to be scratched. He need to get his hands on it! Seeing the owners of the flags were distracted by the imminent appearance of the walking dead in the West Gardens, he stealthily tucked a flag away.

The formation used six flags. Five of them were not in the West Gardens. Instead, they used the Lan disciples as bait, who carried on their person countless spiritual weapons. Though Mo ZiYuan only stole one side of the formation, he carried no protective items. To the undead, he was like a ripe persimmon -- the evil spirits would naturally be attracted to him. If it were just undead, then that would have been the end the story. He would’ve had a few chunks bitten off, but would not have died in such a short while. But as fortune would dictate, this Shade summoning flag summoned something more frightening than walking dead. It summoned a malevolent spirit, who killed Mo ZiYuan and snatched away his arm!

Wei WuXian lifted his wrist – as expected – a laceration on his left hand had healed. It looks as if the “body offering sorcery” decided Mo ZiYuan’s death was at his hands, because the Shade Summoning Flag was his creation. A product of many mishaps, or a wild stroke that met its mark; it seemed Mo ZiYuan solved one of his headaches for him.  

The Mo Mistress was sensitive towards any small slight to her son. And while she soon guessed the approximate circumstances, would not acknowledge Mo ZiYuan’s death was his own doing. She was both shameless and spoiled, her temper rearing like a forest fire. She grabbed a ceramic tea cup and threw it towards Wei WuXian’s face. “Yesterday -- If not for you, framing him in front of all those people, would he have gone out in the middle of the night? It’s all your fault, you bastard child!”

Wei WuXian was long prepared. He dodged and hid himself. Mo Mistress turned to Lan SiZhui and shrieked, “And you! You useless things! Cultivate what power, exorcise what demon, you can’t even protect a child! A-Yuan is only 19!”

The disciples were young and inexperienced. They’d only been in the field a few times. They had thought this would be the usual situation and did not expected such a savage spirit. Originally, they thought it’d be drudgery, so now felt a degree of regret. But, now becoming the new target of Mo Mistress’s indiscriminate savagery, their faces drained of colour. They were born in a distinguished family and would never had dared to treat other family’s juniors this way. But the family teachings of GuSuLan were strict; even though their hearts were sullen, they stifled it until their faces screwed. Seeing this, Wei WuXian could not help but step in.

He thought: So many years have past and the Lan family is still this morally uptight*, what are they using that self-restraint for - they’ll stifle themselves to death. He sighed heavily, “Who do you think you’re scolding, treating other people like your own servants? These people -- who travelled here from afar to exorcise without charge – owe you an apology? Your son’s age? This year he’s 17 years old, and he’s still a child? How old is a child that still doesn’t understand what people say? Yesterday he was told over and over: don’t move anything and especially don’t go near the West garden, but your son in the middle of the night went out to steal the birds from the trees, the dogs from their kennels, and you blame me? Blame them?”

The Mo Mistress was at once despondant and resentful, her thoughts cycling like a broken record: “… die die die…”. If not her dying to join her son, then to have everyone in the world die, no, especially the people in front of her!

Seeing these thoughts running across her face, her husband gave her a hard shove. “Call someone in! Call everyone inside!”

Her husband’s face was expressionless as wood. He had swat her like a bug. Mo Mistress, caught off guard, collapsed to the ground, stunned.

In the past, she’d just need to raise her voice, and he’d comply. Yet today he dared to retaliate!

The servants of the household were scared to death by her expression. A-Ding, knees knocking, helped her up. The Mo Mistress clutched the lapels of her robes closed, her voice trembling, “You… you… you get out!”

It fell on deaf ears. Mo Mistress looked as if she were about to faint, A-Tong noticing A-Ding had made several cluing expressions, A-Tong hurried to support the mistress outside. The East Hall had become a mess with no reprieve. Wei WuXian, now that it had finally quietened, prepared to continue examining the corpse to determine the identity of the spirit. He hadn’t yet given it two glances, when another shrill scream emitted from the gardens.

The people inside the hall rushed outside. In the East gardens, two people were twitching on the ground. A dazed A-Tong was alive. As for the one sprawled on the ground, their blood and flesh had been sucked clean. They looked wrinkled and parched, their left arm missing, no blood leaked from their wounds. The corpse was in the same condition as Mo ZiYuan.

Mo Mistress shook off A-Ding’s arm, but then saw the body on the ground. Her eye balls grew rigid. Finally sapped of energy, could only take a tilting step towards it. Wei WuXian was standing nearby, so gave her some support, before handing her over to A-Ding.

He looked at his wrist. Another laceration had disappeared.

He’d only just stepped over the threshold of the house and hadn’t walked out of East garden, when Mo Mistress’s husband died on the spot. Lan SiZhui and Lan JingYi’s faces were white. Lan SiZhui was the first to recover his composure. He persistently questioned the dazed A-Tong. “Did you see what it was?”

A-Tong was scared half dead. His jaw seemed frozen shut. They could not get a word out of him. He could only shake his head. Lan SiZhui, despite the mounting pressured, let his fellow servant take him inside the house. He turned to Lan JingYi. “Did you send the signal?”

Lan JingYi said, “The signal’s sent, but even if there’s a senior nearby to help, I’m afraid they need two hours at the least to come over. What do we do now? We don’t even know what it is. Should we leave, or should we defend?”

The spirit had already arrived. If they left, the remaining members of the Mo household wouldn’t have the heart to run and would descend into senseless plunder. Lan SiZhui grit his teeth. “Defend. Wait for someone to come.”

Since they’d already sent the signal, other cultivators should soon hurry to assist. To avoid involving himself unnecessarily, Wei WuXian decided to retreat. If whoever came was someone he didn’t know – well and good. But in the case it were someone whom he was acquainted with, even he wasn’t sure what would happen.

With the body offering sorcery’s lingering effect, he could not leave the Mo household. Plus, in this short span of time this summoned thing had already snatched away two lives. If Wei WuXian dusted his hands and left, he could not ensure the entire household were not annihilated -- when someone finally comes to find the entire Mo household resting row upon row, their bodies all missing a single left arm.

As for now, he could only try end it quickly!

*a stick up their arse (sorry, couldn’t resist) I wonder if that would be something wwx would say?