Chapter 350 - 246: Fantasizing About Being Loved (Part 2)

Su Mo nodded, "I watched it, ’Kill the Devil,’ with the people in the group."

This ’Kill the Devil’ is a recently released fantasy film, featuring a protagonist who is a naturally deformed freak from the Royal Family, bullied since childhood.

Yet in the cold Imperial Palace, the protagonist has a shining light, King’s ninth daughter, the kind-hearted Ninth Princess.

The Ninth Princess did not despise the protagonist’s twisted appearance and became his childhood friend, always accompanying him as he grew up, also being the motivation keeping him alive.

But the good times did not last long; in the subsequent power struggle, the kind-hearted Ninth Princess was cruelly murdered by her elder brother, the only light in the protagonist’s heart vanished.

Years later, the protagonist fled from the palace and returned with strong powers, slaughtering the Royal Family clean, finally drawing the sword and committing suicide before the Ninth Princess’s grave, ending his tragic life.

The story itself is not novel, a very common revenge theme.

However, its release caused extremely intense controversy in society.

Because the protagonist’s revenge in the film is too "pure," pure to the point where there’s only blood and hatred left.

In the current era of cultural creativity, humanistic values prevail; whether games or films, they all advocate love and tolerance.

Even revenge stories often end with "using love to transform the avenger," "everyone’s life is hard, understanding each other," etc.

Even if the protagonist’s father had his head blown off with a golf club, the writer would make the protagonist choose forgiveness against the murderer, celebrating understanding.

But ’Kill the Devil’ took a completely opposite direction.

The protagonist in the movie is a true "devil" with an ugly face, twisted personality, extreme, and insane methods.

Those in the Royal Family who participated in the murder of the Ninth Princess, whether subjectively or forced, whether they had their reasons or repented afterward, were all indiscriminately slaughtered by the protagonist, making rivers of blood flow.

Even until the end of the film, the protagonist did not undergo any self-redemption— I am the devil, here solely to kill all my enemies, and after my revenge, I’ll die. You don’t need to pity me; I don’t need your pity.

Imagine the level of controversy such a film created after its release.

During half of the premiere, a large number of audiences couldn’t help but leave, cursing the director as a psychologically twisted pervert.

Some pacifists even sat at the cinema entrance fasting, demanding this film be banned to uphold the world’s mainstream values.

Upon hearing Qi Ling mention this film, Su Mo curiously asked, "Did you also watch it? What do you think?"

Qi Ling, resting her chin, gazed across the river at that hideous demon, murmuring, "I actually quite like this story. But the public’s evaluation of it is poor; yesterday, I saw the rating drop to 5.2, and there’s a lot of criticism online."

Su Mo snorted coldly, "In my opinion, those who criticize the protagonist are all hypocritical saints, each showing generosity with others’ resources."

"A background like the protagonist’s, such a growing environment, naturally leads to a twisted personality, hard-won having a healing white moonlight in childhood, only to have her murdered. Who wouldn’t go mad?"

"I think the protagonist has been quite restrained; he later killed only those involved in harming the Ninth Princess, those truly having grudges, without harming the innocent."

"Honestly, even if he completely lost it and destroyed the whole world, killing both the guilty and innocent, I can understand such feelings."

Qi Ling chuckled, poking Su Mo’s waist: "If you posted these words online, you’d surely be besieged by netizens."

"Let them criticize, anyway they are not on the same path." Su Mo lazily leaned back in the chair, slowly saying, "Actually, sometimes when I see those hypocritical comments, I feel like the world has become particularly strange."

"When exactly did ’understanding’ become the standard to judge if a person is good or bad?"

"It seems in everyone’s eyes, only those who can let go of hatred and forgive enemies are good people."

"And those deeply harmed and obsessed with revenge are harshly criticized."

"I think this trend is awful. Why? Why should understanding become the norm?"

"Facing hatred, whether understanding or revenge, should be the choice of the person involved."

"Understanding doesn’t necessarily mean nobility, it could be weakness."

"Revenge isn’t absolutely ugly, it could be persistence."

"Those hypocritical saints don’t actually care about so-called justice; they just enjoy exporting their views to others, the sense of achievement it brings; these lofty hypocrites are the real villains."

The river water gently flows, reflecting the distant skyscraper lights of neon skies, the evening breeze brings the city’s hustle, seemingly telling the tale of both its prosperity and loneliness.

Unnoticed, Su Mo felt Qi Ling resting her head on his leg.

Qi Ling lay back on Su Mo’s thighs, raising her small hand to lightly touch his face, those amber eyes reflecting a captivating light.

"We... might get along well."

Su Mo brushed aside the hair blown by the wind for her, smiling, "What do you mean by might? Didn’t we have quite a fun time on our date today?"

Qi Ling looked into Su Mo’s eyes, her gaze blurred, "Yes, though knowing it’s an assignment, knowing it’s fake between us, today was really happy."

Su Mo asked curiously, "So why did you come looking for me for a date? You’re so beautiful, I’m sure there are many guys trying to please you."

Qi Ling replied playfully, "They just can’t satisfy me~"

Su Mo: "That’s true. Any guy who went through what I did today would definitely run away overnight."

Both of them burst into laughter.

Qi Ling curled up like a kitten, murmuring, "I thought there was no one in the world who would go crazy with me, until I met you."

Su Mo gently played with Qi Ling’s long hair, thoughtfully smiling as he said, "Xiaoqi, you love wild adventures, so let me ask you a question—what’s the craziest fantasy you’ve had in your life?"

Qi Ling froze, like a statue, solidified in Su Mo’s embrace, staring blankly at him.

Her craziest fantasy... what could it be?

The other meaning of "craziest" is most unattainable.

She didn’t know how to answer.

She had never thought about this question.

She could only reminisce about the past, trying to ask her former self—what do you think is the most impossible thing to achieve in your lifetime, yet you desire the most, to the point of turning it into your craziest fantasy?

Her amber eyes filled with confusion, lost in the ever-changing memories of fireworks.

Finally, that sense of being lost melted away, and all her memories gave her the same answer.

She looked at Su Mo, her lips curled into a desolate smile, and she told him that answer...

"To be loved."

...

In the darkness, Xiaoqi crawled arduously.

Her surroundings were narrow and damp, filled with the thick scent of wet earth in her nostrils, her knees and elbows occasionally hitting rocks and plant roots, each step seeming to drain her energy to the brink.

But she didn’t stop, as if a flame burned within her heart, a strong obsession continuously erupted, driving her forward.

The presence of plant roots indicated she was close to the surface...

Xiaoqi grasped a dining spoon, digging upwards relentlessly.

Exhaustion...

Suffocation...

Drowsiness...

She didn’t know how long she’d been digging, only that her arms felt fatigued and numb, and the thin oxygen made breathing increasingly difficult, as her whole body neared collapse.

Yet the flame in her heart continued to burn, supporting her upward climb.

Can’t stop...

No time left...

Only one day is left...

This is the last hope...

As time passed, Xiaoqi kept digging until a large mound of loose soil suddenly lost support and cascaded down from above her head.

She struggled to thrust her head out from the dirt, suddenly catching the scent of fresh air, and her vision brightened, seeing the snow-flurried sky.

She crawled out from that narrow earth hole, witnessing a new world.

The cage that had confined her entire life was now behind her, a tall wall separating them, and it could no longer hold her.

And far ahead, thousands of lights greeted her, pure white snowflakes falling on streets and alleys, shimmering in the faint glow of street lamps, like tiny stars descending to the mortal world.

Xiaoqi lifted her head, gazing longingly at the vast night sky, every breath forming white mist in the winter chill, seemingly merging into the flurry of snow.

She extended a trembling hand, catching the falling snowflakes in her palm, though it was such a common thing, tears suddenly streamed down, and she gently placed her hand over her heart, as if trying to let them melt into her soul.

Snowflakes melted on her face, trailing down her cheeks, leaving it unclear whether it was snow water or tears, as she stood alone amid the snowfall, choking and murmuring...

"Little monster, the world outside is truly beautiful..."