CH 45.1

Xie Jianwei turned around abruptly to pull the black-robed man’s cloak.

Although he already had a hunch, he was still stunned when he saw the scene in front of him.

Skeleton.

Under the cloak was a skeleton.

What gripped Xie Jianwei’s heart the most was that the skeleton was…Lu Li. 

The black-robed man hastily pulled up his cloak, but his image was already completely exposed beforehand.

Skeleton Lu Li seemed to be a little nervous because he got discovered. The brim of his cloak pressed even lower, and his hands were hidden in his sleeves, refusing to show even a tiny bit of his white bones.

But he was a skeleton himself, his silhouette was thin and lean, and with the black robes hanging upon his body,  it made him look even more empty.

Looking at that almost hollow silhouette was heartbreaking.

Xie Jiawei, who was initially stunned, finally sighed after a long while.

Yan Ke: […..] Why did the Marshal become a skeleton? What kind of play is this? No— I mean — How could he play such tricks?! 

Xie Jianwei didn’t say anything. He only turned around again to continue treating Lorren’s injuries.

Yán Kè was quite ruthless and accurate with his actions.  Presumably, he’s an assassin. Well, it was especially evident given how he was able to stab an immortal reaper half to death. 

Lorren kept on groaning, exhaling more air than breathing in, therefore Xie Jianwei knew that he was only pretending that he’s dying.

Grim reapers can’t die as long as he keeps his breath. He‘s probably in a lot of pain,  but the thing that hurt the most was perhaps his dignity.

He was trampled to the ground and crushed by the soles of someone’s shoes.

Xie Jianwei healed him in silence, completely indifferent to the skeleton on the side.

Little Skeleton stayed where he was, unmoving, but anyone could feel his unease just from the thinness of his body.

Xie Jianwei never said a word to him.

By the time Lorren’’s wounds almost stabilized, the sky was already dark. Xie Jianwei was already planning to return to the Middle Realm, so he helped his companion to get up.

Lorren had such a robust physique that Xie Jianwei was having a hard time picking him up. Their posture got even more awkward especially since Xie Jianwei had to pay attention to avoiding Lorren’s wounds.

When the two were just about to leave, Skeleton Lu Li reached out his hand, without saying anything, but Xie Jianwei understood that he wanted to help.

The latter shook his head slightly and continued to help Lorren walk forward.

Little Skeleton had no choice but to withdraw his outstretched hands, and although he was nervous, he still followed the two.

The rope that Yán Kè used to tie them up was already removed, but its side effects still remained; therefore, Xie Jianwei couldn’t use his supernatural abilities and could only walk towards their destination slowly.

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Their walk lasted till dawn.

Throughout the night, Xie Jianwei continued their journey in silence while Lorren slept like a dead pig. The little skeleton followed three steps behind them. He didn’t approach them, but he also refused to leave.

Xie Jianwei was already tired from the long walk, so he put Lorren against a tree he saw nearby and he himself sat down to rest.

After a while, just when he felt his throat dry, a broad lotus leaf filled with water was presented to him.

Holding the lotus leaf was a pair of hands made of white bones, and those exposed bones under the sunlight were somewhat of a ghastly sight.

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Xie Jianwei couldn’t see the water… and he just stared at those hands.

Little Skeleton wanted to retract his hands, but he was afraid of the water spilling, so he could only continue to hold the lotus leaf as such while his fingers trembled uncontrollably.

After staring for a while, Xie Jianwei finally took the lotus leaf.

The little skeleton was visibly relieved. He wanted to look at Xie Jianwei but he was afraid that his appearance would scare him if he raised his head, so he could only keep his head down and stare at the ground.

Xie Jianwei took a few sips of the water and fed the rest to Lorren.

He then leaned back against the tree trunk to try to regain some of his strength.

The little skeleton left again and returned shortly with a handful of fruits. He placed all of it in front of Xie Jianwei and poked the latter with his finger.

Xie Jianwei was indeed a little hungry but he didn’t want to eat, so he shook his head.

Little Skeleton turned away again, and this time, the pile of fruits he brought back were redder, fresher, and plumper — everything looked like it would taste good at a glance.

He thought the previous bunch was not to Xie Jianwei’s liking.

When Xie Jianwei looked at him, the little skeleton even bowed his  head, but Xie Jianwei said, “Lift your head.”

Skeleton Lu Li: “…”

Xie Jianwei: “I won’t eat.”

Upon hearing those words, Little Skeleton immediately looked up, making his expressionless bones exposed to the morning light.

Xie Jianwei reached out his hand to touch him, however,  just as his fingers were about to approach him, Little Skeleton took a few steps back, then lowered his head again so that the tight brim of his cloak would cover his face.

Xie Jianwei could only curl up his hand which was left hanging in the air. 

For a moment, the atmosphere was wrapped in silence.

The little skeleton got up again, and he caught a small, succulent beast.

Xie Jianwei didn’t eat it. 

He went to catch a fish. 

Xie Jianwei still didn’t eat it. 

Skeleton Lu Li pondered for a while and decided to bring back a chicken this time, but he didn’t know where he would find it.

Early in the morning, a lot of things were piled up on the ground in front of Xie Jianwei —unidentified fruits, a few small animals, a flapping fish, and a hen that kept on clucking ……

Yan Ke whispered: [My lord… the Marshal is so pitiful…]

Of course, Xie Jianwei didn’t need to hear those words in order to realize Lu Li’s situation. He was in pain from the first moment he saw him,  like his heart was about to burst.

‘It’s only a dream’—This was a fact he truly understood, but….

But just how much does Lu Li despise and look down on himself? 

The little skeleton had been busying himself tirelessly all morning,  yet he still noticed something despite all of his tossings and turning:   Xie Jianwei is unhappy.

He hesitated for a moment, then his bone fingers emerged from the sleeves of his black robe, and he started scratching the ground with his index finger’s tip..   

Xie Jianwei glanced at the ground and saw some words: <Are you angry?>

Xie Jianwei: “….”

Little Skeleton continued to write: <Is it because of me?>

Xie Jianwei still didn’t answer.

The little skeleton shrank back, and his bone fingers trembled as if hesitating. In the end, he finally wrote:  <I’ll leave after I take you home, but for now, I still have to stay with you because it’s not safe here.>

He’s going to leave? Xie Jianwei looked at Skeleton Lu Li and asked: “Where are you going?”

The little skeleton shook his head. It’s not that he didn’t want to say,  but he himself didn’t know.

After staring at him for a long time, Xie Jianwei could only sigh.

He got up and leaned close to him. The little skeleton was so thin, but he’s also very tall. Xie Jianwei had to kneel down in order for him to level with the Skeleton Lu Li, who was sitting. 

“Look at me.” Xie Jianwei said to him.

Little Skeleton paused and lowered his head more as he wrote: <It will scare you.>

Xie Jianwei repeated: “Look at me.”

Little Skeleton slowly raised his head nervously.

A face made up of white bones which, even under the full daylight, still appeared eerie and gloomy. 

Xie Jianwei could neither see the handsome face that should have been there nor those pair of dark eyes. Despite all of that —even if his facial features were gone, even if his eyes were gone— Xie Jianwei could still see that overflowing love dedicated to him as if it’s deeply engraved in Lu Li’s bones.(t/n: author dashen, was this pun intentional? lmfao)

“Don’t abuse yourself like this.” Xie Jianwei held Skeleton Lu Li at the back of his neck and forced him closer until their foreheads touched. 

One felt a hard, stinging coldness, while the other experienced an unimaginable softness and warmth.

Little Skeleton’s body became tense, and he didn’t dare to move.  He felt like all of these were nothing but a beautiful dream, and he was afraid that if he moved even a little, he would wake up from it.

Xie Jianwei rarely got angry, and even if he did, most of the time, it was never directed towards Lu Li. Even when those dreamscapes tossed him around constantly, he never got angry at him and instead felt sorry.

But this time …… he was really angry.

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Translator’s notes:

The author alternately used Skeleton Lu Li, Little Skeleton, and Mr. Skeleton.