Chapter 1128: Moment

At five in the morning, on the eastern side of the Qingyang Bridge, an abandoned bus sat on the riverbank overgrown with weeds. Its wheelless frame had surrendered to rust, graffiti claiming both interior and exterior. Local children had declared it their secret base, and young couples occasionally sought refuge in its shelter.

Ke Yo and Vermilion Bird sat inside, looking out at the quiet dark gray river and the rising city across. Above them was the bridge. Whenever a heavy truck sped through, rumbles would accompany the orange light sneaking through the bus windows, flitting across their faces.

An hour earlier, Vermilion Bird had spirited Ke Yo away with Unreachable. They'd emerged downtown, where Ke Yo hailed a taxi unhurriedly.

The driver asked her where they were heading. Ke Yo said, “Forward.”

She gave instructions until they crossed the Qingyang Bridge to the other side. Her eyes lit up then, looking out of the window.

“Park wherever once we’re off the bridge.”

Minutes later, they'd stopped at the riverbank. Ke Yo led Vermilion Bird down to the levee beneath the bridge, stopping at the abandoned bus.

Vermilion Bird said nothing until now. “If you don’t trust me, Ke Yo, why did you take me away?”

Ke Yo turned around. “I trust you.”

“Then why did you take me here?” Vermilion Bird looked around. “Don’t tell me this is the hideout of the death monsters.”

Ke Yo chuckled and looked out of the windows, voice softening. “Be patient, Sister Xia. Stay here with me for a little while, will you?”

“Sure,” Vermilion Bird said nonchalantly.

They settled into the back of the bus together. Ke Yo's mood seemed to lift as she began to hum—an old classic with a warm melody. Vermilion Bird's fingers found the rhythm first, then her voice joined in harmony.

Mid-verse, Ke Yo turned to her. “Do you ever have a favorite moment in life, Sister Xia?”

“Yes, many,” Vermilion Bird said.

“Such as?”

“Such as when I itch for a smoke but don’t fancy a trip downstairs, only to find a cigarette left in the box on my nightstand.”

“Such as when a package finally arrives, and the real thing turns out to be better than the pictures.”

“Such as discovering I haven't gained weight the morning after late-night snacks and milk tea.”

Ke Yo chuckled. After a moment, she said, “I have a favorite moment, too. It’s when I ride a bus.”

“Do you like riding a bus?”

Ke Yo shook her head.

“Do you like traveling?”

Another shake of her head.

“Then why?”

“I like the moment when the bus starts,” Ke Yo said.

Vermilion Bird quietly listened.

“Back when I worked with Edmond, there were times when I had to ride a bus,” Ke Yo reminisced, her eyes glinting. “I hated going outside and moving about. It was exhausting to me.”

“But the moment I got on a bus, and the bus started, the tiredness faded away. I felt safe and comfortable, like whatever happened had already happened. I no longer had to think about anything. I could just fall asleep. The bus would take me to my destination anyway... That’s the feeling I get.”

Vermilion Bird imagined it. “I think I understand a little.”

Another truck rumbled along the bridge above them. Blinding light flooded into the bus, harsh and sudden, before racing away and leaving them in dim silence.

“I’m sorry, Sister Xia,” Ke Yo whispered.

“What for?”

Vermilion Bird was about to turn to her when Ke Yo grabbed her hand. Vermilion Bird started and tried to use Unreachable, but it was too late. The scenery outside the bus had already changed.

The river became ribbons of blue, and black and white patches comprised the sky. Massive stars hung, accompanying a moon with a smiley face. The Qingyang Bridge now consisted of wobbly black lines.

The whole world had transformed into a colorful drawing, created by a child’s hand with broad strokes of crayons.

The change wasn’t limited to the outside scenery. The bus lurched into motion. Vermilion Bird looked down to find her hands sketched in crayon strokes. Beside her, Ke Yo had undergone the same transformation.

Vermilion Bird knew she was now in a domain Ke Yo created with Strange.

“What are you trying to do, Ke Yo?” The words came out in a little girl's voice.

The same applied to Ke Yo. “Don’t you understand, Vermilion Bird? I lied to you. There’s no ticket. There’s no me.”

“The Ke Yo you knew never existed. I’m Greed. Greed is me. Soon, I’ll occupy your fate. Then you’ll be Greed, too, and Greed will be you.”

Vermilion Bird fell silent.

“I don’t understand how you live to this age while still holding onto such naive beliefs. Love? Bonds? Haven’t I told you that I’ll do anything to survive?”

Ke Yo slowly reached out to Vermilion Bird’s forehead. “This is goodbye, Vermilion Bird.”

Vermilion Bird stayed silent.

Ke Yo’s hand stopped right before touching her.

“Keep going. Why did you stop?” Vermilion Bird snorted. “Aren’t you going to occupy my fate? I’m right here. Why don’t you continue?”

It was Ke Yo’s turn to fall silent.

“You can’t do it, can you?”

In an instant, the vibrant colors vanished, and the world reverted to normal. Vermilion Bird and Ke Yo were back in the quiet, bleak bus, standing face to face as if nothing had happened.

Another rumble came from overhead. Orange light flooded in before receding.

Ke Yo seemed to be waiting for something. The confusion in her eyes betrayed her feelings despite her silence.

Vermilion Bird chuckled. “Are you waiting for the others to come to my rescue and kill you, Ke Yo?”

A visible shudder ran through Ke Yo. Her carefully constructed facade crumbled.

“You may be able to fool the others, Ke Yo, but not me.” Vermilion Bird stared at her.

Ke Yo wanted to hide from her heated gaze, but there was nowhere to run.

“Ke Yo, you assume that we won’t trust you anymore. You assume that we cannot accept who you once were. Even you believe yourself to be a threat. Thus, you might as well play out the act as a villain.”

Ke Yo blanched, her eyes reddening. “Won’t that be the best? You can kill me and feel justified. You don’t have to feel guilty—”

Vermilion Bird slapped her, sending her head twisting to the side.

“Ke Yo! Listen to me! As long as you know who you are, it’s fine! It doesn’t matter how others see you and think about you!”

“No... You don’t understand...” Ke Yo burst into tears. “I’ve...recovered all my memories... Who I was has no right to be in your ranks... I hate that Ke Yo, but that is me... I can’t be sure. I don’t know which one is the real me. I wish I had never recovered my memories and never would...”

“Ke Yo. Both are you, and it doesn’t matter.” Vermilion Bird went up and reached out to her. “What matters is which Ke Yo you want to continue forward as.”

Ke Yo stared at her.

“Isn’t the answer obvious?” Vermilion Bird smiled, pulling her into her arms.

Ke Yo bawled like a child. The emotions she had bottled up flooded out. Vermilion Bird held her tightly, eyes stinging. “It’s okay. As long as you’re back... Let’s return home... Let’s go home...”

Ke Yo continued to wail in Vermilion Bird’s embrace. It took a long time for her to settle down and stop crying. She pushed Vermilion Bird away, putting some distance between them.

“Ke Yo...?”

“Sister Xia.” Ke Yo beamed, the joy on her face at odds with the tears she had shed. “I so wish that this weren’t an act, that the bus would start and take us away... But it’s all my wishful thinking. Thank you, for not giving up on me until the end.”

Anxiety rose in Vermilion Bird. She went up to Ke Yo. “Then you should come with me and return—”

“There’s no returning anywhere.” Ke Yo shook her head ruefully. “Sister Xia, there’s one thing I didn’t lie to you about: the real Ke Yo never exists.”