Futile Devices Scans

With dark circles under his eyes, Ke Bu rested his chin on top of his book. He had barely slept at all last night, spending the entire time trying to think of some way to stop Dora. This involved his life, after all. Since morning, Ke Bu had been cautiously watching his surroundings. Dora was not someone who could be underestimated—he had learned that lesson deeply back in high school. Ke Bu was not weak, nor had he ever thought about seeking protection from Zhi Li. Although he had never realized it himself, he was surprisingly strong, just as he had been during the Xue Fang incident. What was he supposed to do? Beat Dora up and throw her off a bridge? Or have Yu Tai assault her so she could never hold her head up again? Impossible. Ke Bu simply dropped his head onto the book. From all the wild thoughts running through his mind, he had come to understand one thing clearly: no matter how horrible Dora was, no matter how afraid of her he was, he still could not bring himself to hate her. It was not because he was some idiot who believed all people were born good and loved the entire world. Ke Bu had a far more personal reason: love me, love my dog! The scope of that “dog” had expanded far too broadly. Just how much did he like Zhi Li? Groaning in frustration, Ke Bu rubbed his head back and forth across the desk.

“What are you fussing about now?”

Without even looking up, Ke Bu knew whose voice it was. Still, he raised his head and revealed a miserable face. Zhi Li carefully examined the dark circles under his eyes. “Is there something I should know about?”

Too perceptive! Rubbing his eyes, Ke Bu said, “Yeah. I think I like you even more than I thought I did.”

Zhi Li paused for a moment before looking at him with an innocent expression. “Don’t you feel embarrassed saying something like that?”

“It’s pretty ironic hearing that line from you.”

“Is it? I consider myself quite innocent and kindhearted.”

“That’s the most shameless thing about you!!!” Ke Bu shouted.

“Forget it.” Zhi Li was about to return to his seat when he stopped. “Ke Bu.”

“Hm?”

“If there’s ever something you can’t handle, let me teach you a spell.”

“What spell?”

“Please, Zhi Li.”

“There’s no way I’d say something that embarrassing!”

A meaningful look flickered across Zhi Li’s profile. “Then I’ll appear.”

Zhi Li returned to his seat. Warmth that he could not hide tugged at the corners of Ke Bu’s lips. Seriously, this guy. His demonic little sister was a constant threat to his life, and yet he was saying things like that. Even so, Ke Bu still muttered under his breath, “Please, Zhi Li.”

A book flew from the front of the room and smacked him on the head. Wincing, Ke Bu rubbed the spot. “What was that for?”

“Don’t use it casually.”

Chu Hao Yu entered the classroom looking haggard. He exchanged a glance with the equally exhausted Ke Bu.

“What happened to you?” Ke Bu asked.

“I don’t know. I just haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

Ke Bu’s first thought was Dora. Had even Chu Hao Yu been dragged into this? He could not just stand by anymore. He had to drag Dora out into the open.

In a dimly lit room, a man wearing amber-tinted glasses bared teeth stained dark from years of smoking. He studied the photograph displayed on his computer screen. He had just received a commission. Was this boy the target this time? With skin that smooth and delicate, how should he play with him? Excitedly, the man enlarged the photo. The glow of the screen reflected off his greasy face. The boy in the photograph was none other than Ke Bu.

At that moment, a pair of hands seized the man’s head. Cold sweat instantly broke out across his body. His voice trembled as he tried to turn around, but the hands held his head firmly in place, making movement impossible. Shaking, he asked, “Who? Who are you?”

Behind him, a beautiful figure held a cigarette between her lips. Narrowing her eyes, she spoke in a cold and elegant voice, “That child in the photograph belongs to someone precious to my precious one. If you dare do anything that makes my precious one sad…” Leaning down slightly, she breathed into his ear and whispered, “I’ll kill you.”

By the time the man recovered his senses, the only thing left was the open door. There was no sign of anyone. Pressing down on his trembling legs, he wondered who that person had been. Just someone trying to scare him? Yet what terrifying force had rendered him completely immobile? He turned back toward the screen. The photograph had already been deleted.

Ke Bu searched all over campus for Dora. Finally, he found her inside their hideout. Her petite figure was crouched behind a notice board, with only her back visible.

“What are you doing?”

Dora froze for a moment before standing up. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Stop playing dumb. What’s that in your hand?”

“I’m obligated to tell you?” Dora shot back before suddenly turning and running. Ke Bu immediately chased after her. “Don’t think you can run!”

He pursued her all the way to the rooftop of the school building. The moment Ke Bu pushed open the door and stepped out, the door slammed shut behind him. Dora smiled.

A bad feeling washed over him.

In his haste to chase her, he had overlooked something. Knowing Dora, even if she had been discovered, there was no way she would be afraid of him and flee. When had she ever been afraid of him? Besides, the rooftop door was usually locked to keep students from coming up. Would someone who was escaping really run to a place with nowhere left to go?

“You realized it too late.”

“True enough. So what? What can you do to me? Last time you pushed me down the stairs, I only fell because I wasn’t paying attention.” Ke Bu swallowed hard. The old injury in his leg had started throbbing again.

“And this time? Will you be paying attention?” With her hands clasped behind her back, Dora advanced toward him step by step.

Ke Bu did not retreat. He could not retreat. If he backed up to the railing, he would be in trouble. He pushed Dora away when she got too close. She seemed even more fragile than he had imagined. Although he knew it was only an illusion, he still subconsciously held back his strength. Looking at the shoulder he had pushed, Dora asked, “Ke Bu, are you going to hit me?”

“N-No.”

“So you won’t hit me? Why?”

“I won’t hit you. As for why, isn’t it obvious? You’re a girl. And more importantly, you’re Zhi Li’s little sister.”

Dora froze.

She stared at Ke Bu in confusion. The darkness in her eyes seemed to soften.

“Why? After everything I’ve done to you?”

Throwing herself into Ke Bu’s arms, her thin shoulders trembled. Just as Ke Bu was about to pat her head, a violent blow slammed into his stomach.

Pain exploded through him.

Doubling over, Ke Bu bent at the waist. Dora stepped back from him. The darkness in her eyes immediately gathered again.

“You’re still as naïve as ever. Did you really think those stupid words of yours would move me?” She sneered. “Since you won’t fight back, then it’s my turn.”

Dora pulled a small knife from inside her boot. Taking advantage of the moment Ke Bu was distracted by the pain in his abdomen, she pressed the razor-sharp blade against his face.

Her eyes widened.

A bloodthirsty, demonic expression spread across her face.

Her lips parted slightly as she muttered, “I’ll ruin you. I’m going to ruin you. People like you should disappear from this world.”

“Why do you have to go this far?”

He would be lying if he said he was not afraid with a knife pressed against him.

“Because I love Brother Zhi Li. None of you deserve to be with him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. What kind of love is that? It’s unbelievably stupid. Everyone has feelings of wanting to possess someone, but what matters more is the other person’s feelings, isn’t it? Have you ever thought about Zhi Li? The person you love most is yourself. To satisfy yourself, you hurt the people around him. You hurt Zhi Li. So what if you make him feel guilty? Is that really how you want him to remember you? You keep saying this person doesn’t deserve to be with Zhi Li and that person doesn’t deserve to be with Zhi Li, but the one who least deserves to be with him is you, Dora. Wake up already.”

Dora slapped him.

“Stop talking. Stop talking.”

“You can hit me. You can do whatever you want to me. But I’m not going to leave Zhi Li because of it. I like him. More than anyone else. I like him so much I can’t leave. So much that I’m powerless to leave. I want to stay by his side and see that expressionless face of his. I want to see him teasing people. Most importantly, I want to see him happy, even though that person will never laugh openly like an ordinary person.”

He remembered it.

The first time he had seen Zhi Li smile.

The corners of his lips had curved into a captivating shape, like a white flower blooming and drifting through the air. It had been dazzling enough to leave him stunned.

I miss it so much.

“Now that I think about it, maybe the reason I’ve stayed by his side all this time was simply to see that smile again. This is my love.”

The knife lightly traced across Ke Bu’s face. The burning pain made him knit his brows tightly together.

Dora stared at the wound on his face.

“Didn’t I tell you to shut up? Don’t you understand human language?” she said. “Let me carve up that annoying face of yours.”

She giggled.

With a twisted expression, she ran her tongue over her dry lips.

Ke Bu began backing away.

Meanwhile, Zhi Li asked Chu Hao Yu, who was catching up on sleep, “Have you seen Ke Bu?”

“No.”

A boy who had just come in carrying a bottle of water overheard the conversation.

“Ke Bu? I saw him chasing a girl up to the rooftop.”

Zhi Li’s handsome brows furrowed slightly.

Then he turned and ran out the door.

Ke Bu.

Ke Bu.

Ke Bu.

Don’t let anything happen to you.

Damn it.

Zhi Li’s mind refused to focus on anything except Ke Bu’s name. An uncontrollable anxiety seized hold of his reason.

Previous

Main

Next