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“Yun, watch out!” The young exorcist felt a firm hand push his back as he toppled onto the ground.
“Bennett!” Chongyun cried out as he watched his friend get overtaken by a purple force.
It was supposed to be an easy commission, just to deliver some goods, that’s all. Aether allowed Chongyun and Bennett to take it on alone since the two of them could handle it. What they didn’t know was that the location of said delivery was none other than Wuwang Hill.
“Are you sure this is the place, Yun?” Bennett asked while he clung to the exorcists. “It kind of gives me the creeps.”
“Relax, Benny...it’s just the domain nearby.” Chongyun offered a small smile to the adventurer, who instinctively took his hand.
“I heard a bunch of people died here, though! Maybe it was some curse or something.”
“That’s ridiculous!” The exorcists interjected, “According to legend, a sea monster from a distant land ensnared the youths of Wuwang Hill using a certain whale-like song, luring them into Bishui River and drowning them..” Chongyun’s smile dropped into a devious smirk, causing Bennett to yelp.
“WE ARE YOUTHS! What if that could happen to us?”
“Bennett…” Chongyun placed a hand onto the adventurer’s shoulders and smiled. “It’s okay; I’m an exorcist...if there’s one thing I can do is to make sure nothing supernatural happens here.”
“Right! Maybe that’s why Aether sent you on this commission! But why did he send me?” Bennett crossed his arms and tilted his head, causing Chongyun to chuckle.
“Maybe cause I need help from Benny’s Adventure Team?” The exorcists laughed, causing Bennett to blush.
“You really needed my help?!” The adventurer’s eyes sparkled as he ran ahead. “Of course! Maybe that’s why Aether asked me to tag along?” Bennett placed his hands on his hips and punched the sky. “You here that world? Benny’s Adventure Team is awesome!”
“Quite down, you might wake the ghosts, my friend.” Chongyun couldn’t help but smile at his Bennett. But something in the back of his mind bothered him.
‘Friend...Friend…’ Something about that word bothered him...but why? He considered Bennett as his friend but his heart…
“Do I really consider him just as a friend?” Chongyun felt his heart skip a beat as he stared at Bennett. He took a good look at Bennett’s features; His green eyes, his bright smile, his body lined with battle scars…
‘Wait..wait...Chongyun, stop…’ The exorcists slapped his face and shook his head. ‘Calm down, ease yourself; don’t get excited again.’ Chongyun quickly took out a popsicle, took a bite out of it, and immediately felt the dessert’s cooling effects.
“Chongyun? You okay?” Bennett’s voice dropped to a softer tone as he pressed his forehead onto Chongyun’s. “You’re burning up too.”
“Bennett!” The exorcists jumped back and turned around as he chomped his popsicle. “Don’t startle me like that, dude...it’s…” His voice trailed off, ignoring the fact that the dessert dripped on his hand.
“It’s?” Bennett reached for his friend, but he froze as he spotted a purple haze that flew around. “Yun!”
“Bennett!” Chongyun looked in horror as he watched the purple haze flew inside his friend. “Benny?” He reached out toward his friend and grimaced as he felt a strong hand grip his wrists.
“Finally!” a raspy voice mixed in with the adventurer’s sweet voice filled the area, causing the trees to shake and the ground to sputter. “A worthy host.”
“What do you want?” Chongyun faced his possessed friend and bit his lip as he stared down at him. “Leave my friend alone!”
“Me? I’m just a spirit, that’s all!” The spirit smiled through Bennett’s body. Showing off a small set of razor-sharp teeth. His eyes glowing yellow with playfulness. “Just a simple spirit...who wants revenge!”
“Revenge? Why though? Wasn’t it just a sea monster that did it?” Bennett turned around and smiled as he held up a blade.
“Yes, that’s why I want to kill it! And I know where just to go!” Bennett pointed his sword towards the east. “Past Qingce Village…”
“Past...the only thing close to that is….” Chongyun realized that this spirit was trying to get his friend killed. “No! I won’t let you take him to the Oceanid!”
Chongyun pulled out his claymore and pointed it at Bennett.
“Oh? You must care a lot about this boy.” The possessed spirit touched his face and laughed as he looked at Chongyun. “I know how you truly feel about him.”
“Truly feel? What...what did you mean?” Chongyun faltered a bit but kept a firm hand on his weapon.
“Oh yes, I see it all how much he cares for you...his heart...he’s a sweet kid...strong body too...I can’t wait to test him out and see how he fares against that monster...but first…”
Without warning, Bennett rushed towards Chongyun and slashed at him.
“Whoa!” The Exorcists pulled his blade to deflect the attack and fell back as his possessed friend overtook him. “Bennett, please...snap out of it!” Chongyun pushed him back and set the claymore down. “I don’t want to hurt you...please...come back to me…” A single tear fell from Chongyun’s face, causing Bennett to laugh.
“What’s the matter, Yun? Scared?” Bennett snarled and grinned as he pushed his blade into Chongyun. Producing a small wound to appear on the man’s shoulder. “Go ahead and strike down your friend that you love so much…”
“How dare you…” Chongyun gritted his teeth and pushed Bennett’s blade away as he griped his wound. He slowly stood up and shook his head as he dropped his weapon. “I could never strike down my friend…”
“You love him, don’t you?”
“I…” Chongyun looked to the ground and shook his head at this notion. “I don’t...maybe…”
“It’s obvious...I can read his thoughts,” Bennett bellowed and shrugged as he looked at the sky. “You know...he loves you too...which makes this so much more delicious...either way, one of you shall die!” Bennett lifted his blade to strike, but suddenly a rock flew from the sky and struck him in the head, causing him to drop his blade. “Oww! What the-”
“Heart be pure, evil be erased!” Chongyun threw out his hands as blades of ice appeared from the sky and trapped Bennett. He then clapped his hands as a spectral talisman flew towards Bennett’s forehead.
“Benny...Benny...Bennett!” Chongyun shook his friend, who slowly came too.
“What...what happened?” The adventurer rubbed his eyes and looked around as he found himself in Wangshu Inn.
“You got hit by a rock, dude...you got knocked out!” Chongyun smiled as he patted Bennett’s back. “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay...but...Chongyun...there’s something I wanted to ask…”
“What’s that?”
“Uh…” Bennett blushed a bit and twirled his fingers as he stood up. “I don’t remember what happened after I called out your name, but I had a weird dream that you said something to me.”
“Oh…” Chongyun chewed his lip as Bennett nodded.
“Yeah, you said that you liked me…kind of crazy, right?”
“Yep, crazy...anyway...uh, I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Yeah...OH WAIT! THE COMMISSION!” Bennett quickly fished around his pockets and pulled out a letter. “We still gotta give it to our client!”
“Well, we better get going!” Chongyun held out his hand and smiled as Bennett took it.
“Let’s go!”
“Yeah, and uh...here…” Chongyun gave his friend a paper talisman and slapped it on Bennett’s face. “You might need this.”
“What for?”
“You’ll thank me later.” Chongyun walked away, leaving Bennett to ponder what just happened.
“Yun...maybe one day you’ll finally say it to me.” Bennett smiled and held the talisman close to his body, and noticed a small heart on the paper. “Maybe that could be today?” Bennett laughed and took on a big sprint to catch up with his friend. Eager to finish this quest.