The Mage of Primordial Chaos

Chapter 236 - Paintball - Interlude

How long can you last, I wonder?

I wouldn't receive an answer to that question until a long ass while later. I was honestly impressed by how long Lan Xiao Su lasted, thinking - hoping - I would just leave this place after getting a sufficient amount of rest. But alas, unknown to her, she was the exact reason I was here, and I wouldn't be leaving until I got what I wanted from her. That being said, some rest was always nice. I didn't mind it.

After a good twenty minutes of literally nothing, I decided to try a different strategy. It was one that even I myself found crazy, but at this point, I had to give it a shot.

"Ah...so tired..." I murmured 'to myself'. Of course, I was, in reality, saying this so Lan Xiao Su could hear it, but I made it seem like I was merely talking to myself and didn't have a single idea she was there. "There's...no one around...I guess...I can just take a short nap..."

Then, I closed my eyes, and relaxed my muscles. I even pretended to snore softly, even though I actually didn't snore at all when I slept...but she didn't know that, which worked in my favor. It was all an act, after all. 

After several minutes, I nearly had legitimately fallen asleep. It happens sometimes - when you keep your eyes closed over long periods of time and haven't slept in a while, you...tend to automatically drift off into dreamland, even if you weren't actually intending to sleep. But luckily, Lan Xiao Su decided this was a good time to make her move, and those slight actions triggered my Third Eye, snapping me back into reality. Of course, I didn't open my eyes or body, since I still wanted to keep up my fake sleeping impression.

I heard her shuffle around from behind the garbage trolleys, movements slow and careful. She was being extremely precise in order to not wake me up accidentally, but little did she know, I was watching every single one of her movements. Gently, she slid her body in between two trolleys, and squeezed herself past swiftly.

She paused for a brief moment, I'm guessing to look at me and to confirm I was still indeed 'sleeping'. She seemed to be hesitant - thinking about something, as if she was making a tough decision.

And I think...I know what that decision is.

Lan Xiao Su then turned around, having made her choice, and prepared to leave. But at that moment, my eyes flew open, and in one swift motion, I got up to my feet, pulled Ace out of its holster, and aimed it at the back of her head.

She noticed the sound, and spun back around, a frightened expression on her face.

"Ah!" she yelped, putting her two hands up high in the air as if it was a natural reaction.

"Fight, or die," I said in a cold, merciless voice, nothing like the usual tone I used to address the girls. Instead, the voice I was using right now was more similar to the one I used when talking with strangers, or even worse - outright enemies.

I didn't actually regard her as an enemy, but for the purpose of this operation, I had to convince myself that she was my foe. If I can do that, then I can act out my character flawlessly.

"W-What?" she blinked a few times in a panic, confused at what's going on.

I narrowed my gaze, my eyes devoid of any emotion. "Was I not clear enough? I said...fight, or die."

After a few seconds, she finally comprehended the meaning of what just happened, and my violent words.

"...Y-You knew I was hiding here the whole time?" she asked hesitantly. "B-But then...why did you not just eliminate me outright? I-I'm an easy target, s-so-"

"Shut up," I cut her off, then gave her a condescending look.

"'I'm an easy target,'" I mocked. "Are you proud of that fact? Do you feel happy being a punchbag anyone and everyone can just kick around whenever they like?"

I noticed her clench her fists - the first real form of defiance, of anger I've seen her show. She looked downwards at her feet, and I couldn't see the expression on her face.

"I...I'm not proud of that..." she muttered, biting her lips in frustration - with herself. "I-I'm not proud...but...I can't help it! I'm weak!"

"So what?" I interrupted.

"So...so I'm scared!" she finally looked at me directly, and I saw that her eyes were full of tears. "I have two elemental affinities, but I don't know what to do with them! The only spells I've really used are utility ones! I was never taught any attack spells, since I quit school at such a young age!"

She yelled these words as she cried.

She...she must have held these words for god knows how long. Waiting. Just waiting for the day someone will finally listen to her cry out her soul. I guess...I'm that person.

"Again...so what?" I continued, not fazed by her outburst of emotions. "You only have two elements - you can get more. You don't know any offensive spells - you can learn. You're weak - you can get stronger. Instead of complaining, how about putting in some real work? Listen - strength isn't something that you can just randomly get. Strength is something that comes after years of hard work and suffering. So if you want to stop being weak...the answer is simple: work for it. Strive to achieve your goal, by any means possible."

She stared at me, shocked by my unfazed attitude and calm demeanor.

"You know about my past, no? The other girls must've already told you," I continued, setting away Ace back in its holster. "I was once a mere child with no magic. Nothing more than a powerless idiot you wouldn't bother sparing a second glance at, just like a random piece of trash on the streets. But on one fateful day, after 14 years of suffering and torment, I received redemption. A chance to prove myself, and get back at all the bastards who have done me wrong in the past. According to Mei Gui, I didn't just get this power by chance. The Chaos chose me - me, particularly, our of the six billion inhabitants of this planet. And it did it for a good reason."

I walked closer to her, and gently removed her veil to reveal a beautiful but tearful face underneath.

"In this world, you either fight for your life, or you die. Kill, or be killed. Become a murderer, or be murdered yourself. This is a place where might makes right, and strength is the only true justice. So fight. Fight for the sake of the adrenergic thrill of victory. Fight for the sake of those who care about you. But most importantly...fight for yourself."

"..." she looked at me, a new spark within her eyes. She seemed to have been enlightened by my speech one way or another, and I now saw a burning passion within her I never found before. She was no longer the weak and meek Lan Xiao Su from the past. She was now Lan Xiao Su, forged anew. She now had a goal to strive for, and she was going to fight for it.

Lan Xiao Su smiled, and wiped away the tears on her face.

"I understand now, Xuan Kai. Thank you."

I grinned. "Thank me by showing me a good fight."

We exchanged glances, and both knew what was coming next. I drew Ace from its holster once more, and she did the same with her pistol, Nine. We backed away from each other slowly, and then both raised our gun and pointed it at the other's head.

"Before we begin...you changed out the bullets, right?" I asked, slightly nervous. After all, if she had no intention of participating in this fight in the first place, it's possible she never bothered to switch out the real bullets in her gun with the special, harmless ones Old Man Leng gave us earlier.

"Don't worry! I did," she replied, and I let out a sigh of relief.

It wasn't just relief at her remembering to change out the bullets, however. It was also relief from succeeding in my plan. This, was my backup plan - the one I would use if Lan Xiao Su didn't try to fight me, which was exactly what happened here. I would try to talk to her. Literally. That simple. Words are far more powerful than some may think, and sometimes, even the toughest of villains only need a few rightly-chosen words to defeat, not to mention Lan Xiao Su.

My plan had worked. And because of it, Lan Xiao Su was now saved, in a sense.

"Well then...show me what you've got," I said with a smug smirk.

And just like that, with a loud bang from Lan Xiao Su's pistol - since Ace was a silenced weapon - we began our duel.