Split Zone No.13

“I won’t be resting here tonight. Since it’ll take me more than half a day at a regular pace to get to the boundary forest from here, I should start making my way there now.” I said to Jiao S.

For a moment, Jiao S pondered quietly. “I still think you should rest here for the night. There are eighteen hours to go before daybreak. While you’re resting, Tao Lie and Mu Li can go ahead and prepare for the journey. There’s no hurry; you’ll definitely be able to reach the Western District before sunset tomorrow.”

That’s true. Though it hadn’t been long since our last break, why do I still feel so tired? I nodded. “In that case, I’ll share a room with Nie Zun and Jie Pa.”

Jie Pa spoke up at my suggestion, “Ms Ah Shen, that’s alright. I’m not tired, so I won’t be resting for now. Mu Li and I will continue our research on this bug.”

I swiped my gaze towards Mu Li only to see him gesturing in agreement.

Jiao S rolled her head slightly. “Alright then, you and Nie Zun should rest. During your stay I’ll send someone to stand guard at your door—look for them if you need anything. I’ll stay in the Academy as well, and review the recent events with my subordinates.”

I dipped my head in acknowledgement, then looked towards Nie Zun. “Let’s go, then.”

There was a momentary flicker across his eyes but he didn’t say a word. He merely shot me a cursory glance before making his way towards the Academy. I watched his retreating back, then turned towards Jiao S and gave her a little reciprocal nod before hastily moving to catch up with Nie Zun.

Once we were back in the room, true to his routine, Nie Zun poured a glass of water.

Such tranquility felt surreal; the fate of the Western District remained unknown, we’ve lost so many companions along the way, and those who were waiting for me might just be the demons who want nothing more than my demise. Somehow, with everything happening within such a short space of time, the sudden serenity was almost like a dream.

Even so, relief flooded my heart now that we were in the Eastern District.

Walking back to the bed, I finally removed the bow I stubbornly fixed on my back before the incidents started. Back then, I hadn’t dared to remove my weapon, afraid of the possible danger at any given time, and so it stayed uncomfortably on my back around the clock.

Once I was done, I lifted my left foot and detached the Piercer from my ankle. As I reached for it, I spotted the red silk tangled around it; the red silk Song Lu attached to me with her own two hands...

Song Lu...

Uncontrollably, a teardrop fell from my eyes and dropped atop my index finger, just centimeters from touching the red silk. An unexpected, black-colored finger came into view and stroked my face, lightly brushing away the second tear that was about to fall.

I glanced up—it wasn’t a black-colored finger, but Nie Zun’s gloved hand.

Unbeknownst to me, he had been standing by my bed, watching me with a glint in his eye. His gaze seemed to carry a modicum of shattered radiance and a sort of magnetism that caused me to momentarily forget my sorrow.

The tip of his finger was still by my cheeks, as though lost in nostalgia.

Perhaps it was the darkness of night, or perhaps it was the strange melancholy calmness that came with being back in the Eastern District, or it might even be due to the exhaustion the past few days had accumulated; in any case, I felt a hint of weakness.

I’m not someone who displays her vulnerability freely, but now as I gazed into Nie Zun’s eyes I was caught in a trance. My hand lifted on its own accord and gently caressed his face.

Nie Zun’s face was a little cold to the touch; it seemed to be his perpetual state of being. Always without heat, always in black, always quiet, just like a piece of shale. The exception was his radiant eyes—they always seemed to have a lingering warmth to it, like the moon.

It was my favorite—the moon. I haven’t seen it since I arrived at the split zone, but every time I meet Nie Zun’s eyes by chance, it gives me the false impression that I’ve seen it.

There was moonlight in his eyes.

Unwittingly, I began to graze against his icy skin with the pad of my finger, as if I wanted to give him some warmth. I didn’t know what had caught me in such a trance, but Nie Zun abruptly retracted the hand which was brushing against my cheek and clutched onto that finger of mine. His left hand held my finger in his grasp, then pulled me towards him.

I was curled up on the bed at first, but as he pulled my body towards his by my finger he leaned down at the same time, minimizing the gap between us.

The track of tears that had welled in my eyes for Song Lu finally slipped with the motion, but I didn’t feel like crying now.

Watching the tears that stained my face, there was a glimmer in his eyes before he was leaning forward, slowly closing the distance further. His fringe fell forward and tickled my face. Startled, my body leaned back in an effort to regain the lost gap between us.

However, I had forgotten about the finger still clutched tightly in his grasp. And so, just as I arched back—and I’m not sure if it was deliberate on his part—he fell marginally forward in return. While my finger subconsciously attempted to withdraw itself with a yank, my right hand hadn’t managed to hold steady. Nie Zun hadn’t loosened his grip, and with my fall he was dragged with me. My back was flat against the bed and he... He fell on top of me!

Feeling the chill of his chest pressed against mine, I was dumbstruck by the proximity of his face. He was still holding on to my finger, laying it between us. A weak exhale of his breath fanned my face, and I lost myself in Nie Zun’s starry eyes as it stared right into my own.

“Oh...” Nie Zun stayed motionless as he watched me. Wave after wave of indecipherable emotion in his eyes caused a surge of unease within me. I tried twisting my body to break away from under him, but even with the yanking of my finger he maintained a tight grip.

Nie Zun’s lips curved upwards slightly. His eyes flickered with a momentary impishness while I widened my own, and before I could even react he dipped in closer to me. I could feel the weight of his body on me, and our hands, sandwiched between our bodies, were crushed by the narrowing distance.

The thumping of my heart quickened with his movement. Since he was taller than me, his bangs fell into the hair on my forehead, and his lips hovered less than a centimeter away from my own. But it was his eyes that enveloped my sight. I had always known how beautiful they were; even the starlights couldn’t begin to compare. Looking into those eyes, feeling his breath skimming the tip of my nose, I couldn’t help the slight quiver in my lips. He seemed to notice this tiny motion, sparking a fire in his pitch-black eyes.

His gaze darted between my eyes, as though reluctant to look away, before finally settling on my lips.

My heart started beating erratically at that exact moment, and my mind replayed the memory of his lips brushing against mine. In the depths of my heart, there was an unfamiliar ignition of something strange. Was the spark between genders just as irresistible in the split zone?

But... Why would Nie Zun make me feel this way?

Without giving me the time to ponder further, Nie Zun closed the gap completely.

His lips had a hint of iciness, but at the same time they were electrifying. The sparks started where our lips touched, shooting through my heart and brain. My eyes grew larger for a split second, not missing the gloom that swept across his eyes in my moment of panic. I didn’t have time nor inclination to dwell on it though—not when the excitement his lips had sparked began to grow too intense for me to handle!

When I felt his lips beginning to move against mine, clearly wanting to deepen the kiss, I could no longer control the tremors of my body or the waves of frenzy the kiss was putting me through.

How did this happen?

When I looked into Nie Zun’s eyes, into the relentless tide that threatened to drown me, I pushed him against him urgently. He was taken aback by my sudden movement and, releasing my hand from his grasp, he staggered backwards from the impact.

I sat up immediately. In the haste, my hair was in a mess, loose strands of red sliding over my forehead.

While his lips had been cold against mine, in the moment of separation there was a peculiar chill that made my lips tremble. It was like I’d just dipped my lips into a frozen lake. Subconsciously, my tongue swiped itself across my lips in an attempt to warm them up.

The corner of my lips quivered... I... I actually started missing his lips the moment we parted!

Even though I was a weirdo who never dated when I was alive, at this age, am I really still that oblivious about it?! To the extent that even the slightest touch of our lips was enough to leave me at such a loss?!

I inwardly scorned myself, and my brows grew slightly knitted.

“I only wanted to console you when I saw you cry. Who would have thought you were this eager? You even pulled me down onto the bed with you.” After steadying himself, Nie Zun’s lips curved in delight. He stuffed a hand back into the pocket of his windbreaker and with his other hand... Ugh, with his other gloved hand, he had the audacity to glide it back and forth against his lips!

The gesture made me recall the electrifying touch from earlier. A little sullen, I glared at him. “You were the one who was eager; you didn’t even bother being picky about who you kissed. You were the one who violated my lips, so what are you wiping for?!”

I instantly regretted my words the moment they left my lips. What in the world was I saying? Not picky about who he kissed?!

Obviously, my self-deprecation knew no bounds...

Sure enough, Nie Zun burst into laughter, his amusement so abrupt he nearly bit the finger still resting on his lips. His eyes shone even brighter when he laughed. As I sat complaining to myself about how freaking pretty this impudent rascal’s eyes were, I couldn’t help stealing glances at him.

He really has such beautiful eyes.