My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

"I know. You're the one who helped me escape…right?" 

Shi Nian couldn't describe how she felt. All these times, Si Zhening had always been the one who turned up in her memory and the subconscious fear she felt toward him was inexplicable, leading her to believe that he was the serial killer.

However, Shi Nian knew that it was untrue especially when the memories started to come back to her.

During that period of time, Shi Nian had no awareness of time, day and place. Her days confined in that room seemed like endless agony. However, at the last moment, the door which seemed unreachable cracked open, revealing the field covered in snow and a similarly cold man who looked as if he was going to merge into the background. Shi Nian's eyes clashed with his; one was desperate while the other remained stoic.

Shi Nian had a fuzzy recollection of what she had said. It should be between: "Help me" or "Please let me escape". She didn't know what was going through Si Zhening's mind at that moment but he suddenly moved, not to drag Shi Nian inside but to hold back the man behind her, the one who was truly hunting her down.

Then, Si Zhening turned sideways and told her. "Go."

Shi Nian was too overwhelmed by the thrill and excitement. Without caring for anything else, she dashed out without a slightest intention of looking back, throwing the ruckus and chaos between the two men behind. She entered an area filled with dense forest, blisters covered her bare feet and multiple shallow cuts formed across her body from the sharp branches. Nonetheless, the elation and anticipation numbed all the pain.

She kept running and running until at one point of time, an explosion erupted closeby, the sound was so ear-deafening that her ears rang in pain. The soil underneath her feet quaked violently and like a broken kite that was thrown astray by the harsh wind, she lost her footing and tumbled down the steep hill, the landslide following behind her steps.

At long last, she remembered.

…she remembered everything now.

A perplexed look flashed through Si Zhening's eyes. "You remember me?"

"Yeah, I do." Shi Nian turned around and proceeded to hammer the chain shackling Jiang Jinyan's hands with the glass shard in her hand. 

Clang! Clang! Clang! The sound reverberated through the space.

"Shi Nian!" Jiang Jinyan gritted his teeth.

"You know it…" Shi Nian said without lifting her head. Droplets of tears quietly fell from her eyes to the ground. "You know that leaving you is the last thing I will do."

The ruckus had surely attracted the serial killer's attention, proven by the footsteps that drew closer and closer. Yet somehow, Shi Nian wasn't afraid anymore. Deep cuts formed on her palms and the pain sent tremor up her arms, yet she persisted relentlessly. 

Regardless of whether her act was fated to be futile, regardless of whether she would live to see tomorrow's sunrise.

As long as Jiang Jinyan was here, there was nothing to be afraid of.

Shi Nian lifted her head, smiling. Throbbing pain not only tormented her physic, but also her heart. "Don't cry, General." She whispered and wiped the tears on the corner of his eyes. "Everything will be okay."

Jiang Jinyan's heart trembled as he shook his head, tears sliding down his cheek. In the end, he gave up trying to change her mind, inhaled deeply and started to cooperate with Shi Nian to yank the chains off. It was arduous and painful for sure. The chains looked clean and new with absolutely no chance of being broken just by a single fragile glass fragment.

Shi Nian's hands started to turn numb from the pain and sweat dotted her forehead. It wasn't until a crack formed on the chain and the tip of the glass lodged into it that she was forced to stop. Panting, she fell on her butt. 

The door swung open at the same time when Jiang Jinyan exerted a huge amount of force to forcefully snap the chain off. One of his hands was finally freed.

"What are you two doing there?" Nan Xukun asked with a smile. 

He stood on the doorway, the light illuminated his back and shadowed his features. However, his bloodshot eyes shone fiercely and whoever looked into them would know that he was absolutely furious.

Shiver ran down Shi Nian's spine and she grabbed the bloodied glass shard, holding it tightly in her hand with the sharp tip pointed to Nan Xukun.

Nan Xukun… Xiao Chun… Tears welled up in Shi Nian's eyes. She wanted to believe that none of this was real but her newly regained memories and his presence right now directly shattered her hope. 

Everything fell into place. When he asked if she remembered him, he wasn't talking about their recent encounter, but the days they spent together twelve years ago.

Two sides of Nan Xukun clashed in her mind. The Xiao Chun she remembered was a cheerful, easy going, laid back yet sensitive man but the serial killer Nan Xukun was cold-blooded, cruel and merciless. 

If their appearance wasn't the same, Shi Nian wouldn't have believed that they were the same person.

Their voice, aura, the way they carried themselves…everything was different.

He was Nan Xukun, but at the same time, he also wasn't.

Xiao Chun's smile was bright and lively and there was a naive glint on the way he saw the world. However, the man in front of her…he had a dark and gloomy disposition, low and frosty voice and sinister smile.

How could one person have two polar opposite sides?

Jiang Jinyan struggled to stand up and pulled Shi Nian behind him, his eyes sharp and fierce. Yet it was as if Nan Xukun couldn't see him at all. His eyes flew past him and met with Shi Nian. "Have you remembered me?"

Shi Nian couldn't bring herself to call this man 'Xiao Chun'. Thus, what came out of her mouth was his full name. "Nan Xukun…"

However, this single sentence was enough to blow his fuse. Enraged, he slammed the ax on his hand to the wall, forming a crack on the surface. "Haven't I told you to call me 'Xiao Chun'?! I give you permission! You're the only one who is allowed to call me that! How can you forget again?! You did it a year ago, and it's the same now! WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO REMEMBER EVERYTHING?! IT'S NOT FAIR!"

Shi Nian sucked in cold air. "I…I didn't mean to—"

"You sick bastard." Jiang Jinyan sneered.

Nan Xukun paused, his eyes finally fell on Jiang Jinyan. "...What did you say?"

"I said, you're a sicko." Jiang Jinyan ignored Shi Nian's panicked tug on his shirt and continued. "It's normal for someone to forget a childhood friend. Just because she forget you, does it give you the right to vent your anger on her, confine and torture her mentally? Just admit it, you're twisted down to your bones."

He pointed at his temple mockingly. "I heard you have killed many people before Shi Nian? See, that proves that the problem laid on you, not her."

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A/N: Yep, just a reminder. Nan Xukun doesn't start killing because of Shi Nian. He has killed eleven people before her and two more after. Nan Xukun only met her recently in the convenience store she used to work at. 

Next update is a mass release! Spoiler: please prepare your heart. 

It's only three chapters (not five sowwy) to conclude the final fight here but don't worry, each chapter is longer than average, there's one that even equal to two :) you won't be disappointed (maybe hehe)