193 FORTUITOUS MEETING (2/2)

”Why? You are an identity I made, and I gave you this name.”

”Ha-ha-ha, is that what you think?” The woman jumped down from her perch.

”Of course, I made you up.”

The woman walked closer to Hu Lei. Hu Lei realised that her eyes were black, and even the sclera was almost completely dark, with only a little white remaining in the edges.

”Even without covering the fact that I am you and you are me, I can tell you that I did not first come to be when we got in contact with the criminal world. I existed even before you can remember. Who do you think holds those memories that you have hidden in the recesses of your mind?”

”How do you think that you were able to survive a childhood like you had? How do you think that you are not burdened by the weight of all the things that you have done? And how would you survive the last three years of your life? Do you really think that you are that strong?”

”I have been holding everything. We are only alive and somewhat normal for now because I am holding the darkness which wants to swallow us up at bay. I know that you think that I am the darkness within you.”

”But I have only existed to protect you. In any case, I did not call you for an argument about our identities. I wanted to tell you that I am reaching my limit.”

Hu Lei felt a chill in her heart at these words. But more than the words, she could see the wistfulness and sadness in her other self's eyes.

”What do you mean?” Hu Lei asked with a solemn look.

”I am not the darkness in you. I am the only thing holding back the darkness. I have brought you here because I can feel that I cannot protect you for much longer. That is why every time that you are emotionally or physically weak, the memories that have been hidden by me keep leaking out to you.”

”Once the darkness swallows me up completely, I am not sure about what is going to happen. But I know that everything that has been held back will flow into you. All the darkness will become yours.”

”What will happen to you?” Hu Lei had never wanted this person in her to disappear. Even though it seemed like an evil part of her, she had always believed that they were one.

”Ha-ha, are you worried about me now?” the woman looked amused before becoming serious once again. ”In the best case scenario, we will become integrated into one. In the worst, I will disappear completely.”

”What will happen if you disappear?” Hu Le was curious about this worst case scenario.

”Your mind is too fragile without me. If everything I have held back is carried by you, I am afraid that you might not survive. That is why I told you before, we are not separate. If one of us dies, our body might be alive, but our mind will break.”

”What can I do to stop it?” She asked this question because they might the same person, but it was a different part of her consciousness.

”I don't know. I thought that exerting my consciousness a little more and suppressing yours could help us become integrated. But it weakens our body too much. I have tried to come out when you are asleep. But that only happens if you are vulnerable. I have no other idea. That is why I used this chance when your mind is inebriated to talk to you.”

Hu Lei wanted to speak a little more with her other self and come up with a solution. However, their honed natural defences kicked in when they felt a foreign presence and an intense gaze. The two projections of herself stiffened at this unwelcome sensation.

Hu Lei opened her eyes with the usual eerie suddenness. Though the yellow colour was still there, there seemed to be some darkness and ice as she looked at the intruder who had approached their spot. That gaze caused Qi Han to pause for a moment.

But how could he give up on the angel after this fortuitous meeting?