ice vulnerability // shuangshui

four

but they didn’t end up on the black water’s island in the end. however, he xuan was determined to come out superior from his little misfortune from the other day, so he and shi wudu ended up on yet another beach.

this one was sandy but rather lonesome, and they climbed up the cliff overlooking the vast space. the horizon spread far, marking no end to the world. they both behaved like civilised humans, but it took great awkwardness to sit on the goddamn ground and even more great awkwardness to open their goddamn mouth.

“you’re a horrible liar, black water.”

“that’s such an empty phrase to say in my case, water master.”

“perhaps your skills decreased.”

he xuan snorted; he didn’t even know if he tried to hide in the first place, “if that’s what you want to believe in then go ahead.”

“you’re funny if you think there’s anything i believe in.”

“oh? that’s new. what about yourself?”

“myself?” shi wudu sniggered. “i wonder if all of you truly believed i was this ensured in myself all along.”

wasn’t he? he xuan wanted to dig deeper into this particular information. shi wudu was once again proving he lost his invincible shi wudu cover.

he glanced at he xuan briefly and shrugged his shoulders, “what? really believed i was so confident? if i was, would i befriend the biggest martial twink in the heavens apart from… “he scoffed. yeah, apart from the one who sent the reverend on him in the first place and was responsible for the avalanche that followed. “you’re all so gullible. just act like a little bitch on the outside and you’ll fool everyone.

he xuan played with grass at the side, “that was your strategy? make everyone hate the little play you performed?”

“of course. how else was i supposed to ensure myself that no one would bother me? people like to put their nose into someone else's armpits like it could grant them big income. honestly, do i need fake kindness and respect to later pay back for the broken trust or do i state it clearly that i don’t take the bullet and walk away?”

“such an exquisite plan with such a great outcome, now, wasn’t it?”

“that… that is the other story.”

“that’s one and the same story and it’s not ending anytime soon. but you did end your failed strategy.”

“well” shi wudu smiled, “it failed, right? why would i continue on with a wrong approach?”

“a wrong approach” he xuan repeated. “then what is the right approach?”

shi wudu didn’t answer. he rested his chin on his knees and stared ahead at the seagulls creaking loudly above the mounting waves. was it because it was the proximity of water that eased their minds and allowed human communication? maybe.

he xuan gave it up and spoke instead, “then what made you decide who was worthy of befriending you? was it just to have a human wall to take bullets for you?”

“you come from the hypothesis that excludes my humanity from the very beginning.”

“just giving you my perspective. you know i can’t look at you through misty hearty eyes after everything you’ve done.”

shi wudu nodded, “so that equals your belief that gods were never human inthe first place.”

“didn’t say it.”

“that’s what you think.”

“that’s what you show.”

“no, that was the show. and you believed it.”