Offer me that blissful death

by Lucky Moony

It was a calm night in Qinghe. The weather was warm and the waning moon, which was already high in the sky, emitted a soft silver glow. At this late hour, honest people were deep in slumber.

Jiang Cheng wasn’t.

With all the killings he had done in the past few months, he couldn’t be considered an honest person anymore.

And tonight, if everything went according to plan, he would add another kill to his long list.

Except, this time, it was no ordinary kill.

No, tonight, Jiang Cheng was finally going to get his revenge.

A sweet revenge he had craved for way too long…

As swift as a shadow, Jiang Cheng walked closely to the wall of an imposing residence, his senses heightened as he did so.

If he was caught, he would probably not see the dawn of the next day.

After all, his death had already been ordered by the same man he was seeking out tonight.

A few minutes later, Jiang Cheng finally reached the room he was looking for.

A room he had sneaked into a few times before, albeit for some very different reasons… But now was not the time to dwell on the past.

After checking that no one was keeping guard in the surrounding area, he adroitly crawled up the wall and sneaked into the room through an open window, landing with a soft thud on a richly embroidered rug.

As he had expected, the room was pitch dark, the last burning candle snuffed out by a gust of wind a few hours ago.

Careful not to break the assorted trinkets that were laid here and there on the various pieces of furniture elegantly dispersed within the room, Jiang Cheng quickly located his victim.

A few feet away from him, wrapped in a light silk blanket, was Nie Huaisang, sleeping peacefully.

Under the soft glow of the moonlight, he looked even more ethereal than usual. His small frame curled up on one side and a long strand of hair that looked even softer than the fabric he rested on fluttered on a rosy cheek with every soft breath he took.

Jiang Cheng let out an annoyed, muffled, groan. This might turn out way more complicated than he had first expected it would be.

But now was not the time to feel sentimental. As his late mother had once told him many times before, emotions were a weakness that could cost one dearly.

The faster he was done with his task, the sooner he would be able to leave this wretched place and forget about his and Nie Huaisang’s shared past.

Jiang Cheng clenched his jaw. Without any further hesitation, he reached for the plain but sharp dagger that was hidden in the folds of his dark grey robes.

With a firm grip on the dagger’s hilt, he wondered about how he should proceed.

Should he slit his victim’s throat with one sharp move? Or stab him in the heart, maybe? After all, this gesture would only be considered as an honest payback, with the way Nie Huaisang had used him as a tool and had toyed with his own.

There were other ways too, ways that would leave his victim on the verge of life and death for a few days. Ways that would render Nie Huaisang more useless than he actually was.

Although for someone who was barely able to cultivate, Nie Huaisang was particularly resilient.

A quick and fast way to get rid of him, just like the client who had sought Jiang Cheng out a few days ago had ordered, was without a doubt the best option.

Just as Jiang Cheng was about to strike, Nie Huaisang turned around in his sleep, thick black eyelashes fluttering against ivory cheeks. For a second, Jiang Cheng thought that he would wake.

But it seemed the gods were on his side. Nie Huaisang’s delicate, frowning eyebrows quickly relaxed, meaning he was still blissfully asleep.

There was no more time to waste. He needed to do this now, or else…

Jiang Cheng held his breath and raised his dagger high in the air, aiming for his victim’s heart. He was a few seconds away from bringing it down when a sharp cry that almost sounded like Nie Huaisang’s name came from an intricate silver cage on the other side of the room.

It was the myna. The stupid bird. The damn bird that was Nie Huaisang’s pride and joy.

Jiang Cheng mentally cursed said bird. He was thinking that he would gladly roast it on a stick and eat it once he was done with his murder when the silk blanket shuffled some more and Nie Huaisang sat straight into his bed, his hand quickly clutching onto one of his favorite folded fans.

The bird sang once more and Jiang Cheng clenched his jaw even tighter as Nie Huaisang quickly took in the scene.

‟Zhengui, hush,” Nie Huaisang muttered as he delicately tucked a long strand of hair behind his ear. ‟Jiang Wanyin, I see that you are eager to find your way back into my bed...”

The light grey robe Nie Huaisang was wearing for the night had slipped slightly at the hem, revealing a delicate shoulder. With his tousled hair, his sleep-laden eyes and his pursed yet full lips, Nie Huaisang looked as pretty as the fine pieces of art and jewelry he liked to collect.

Not that Jiang Cheng was going to be swayed by any of this.

‟You only wish,” he hissed, a dark expression on his face as the slender blade of the dagger he was still holding glimmered in the moonlight. ‟I was asked by someone to come here and to kill you.”

Nie Huaisang’s face didn’t show any expression as he studied the other man’s face and the weapon with one long look.

‟What are you waiting for then? Kill me.” Nie Huaisang tilted his head back, revealing the smooth and creamy skin of his tender throat to the other man’s glare. ‟I’m ready. I don’t mind death. Do whatever you please with me. At least this nightmare will all be over.”

Upon saying this Nie Huaisang closed his eyes, a single tear glistening and rolling down his cheek as he awaited the cold blade on his skin, the heat of the blood that would pour out from his body and flow out like a river; the calm and soothing numbness of life leaving his body.

His only regret was for his lovely Zhengui and he wondered if Jiang Cheng would kill it as well. It would be better if it was him rather than one of those Wens…

Nie Huaisang waited, and waited some more. But death never came.

As the sun began to rise, Zhengui started to sing. Another day was about to begin.