Chapter 125: Promise

Ma Jiang could not stand this silence that made him feel so uncomfortable, and after a short while, he said, "What made you, a person who has always been courting death, suddenly change your philosophy of life?"

"I have never craved death, Doctor, so it doesn't really count as wanting to court death," Du Zhengyi said. He turned his gaze away and continued, "Perhaps you think I am not afraid of death; what I am not afraid of is an unknown death. Of all the things I have experienced, only the fact that my time of departure is fixed is the most helpless. That feeling is like every time you look up, no matter what you look at, there is a giant hourglass hanging above it."

"How do you overcome this feeling?" Ma Jiang asked. He searched through all the pockets of his clothes before he found his cigarette case. He took out two cigarettes and handed one to Du Zhengyi.

"I have experimented with countless methods, hoping to ignore the existence of the hourglass." Du Zhengyi took the cigarette and lit it, continuing indifferently, "I have also tried every possible way to enjoy life; you know my credit points are so many they are useless. But in the end, I realized that only by doing things every minute and every second is the way to extend an effective life. Even if the duration is not enough, the dimension has the effect of increasing. Most importantly, sometimes, focus really makes me forget about that hourglass."

Ma Jiang snorted, exhaled a smoke ring, and avoided Du Zhengyi's gaze, "Cigarettes nowadays are made so effeminate, they're too thin. Human changes are always so fast."

Du Zhengyi also looked at the cigarette stick; it was indeed too thin. "You really are a person who loves to complain. Actually, I am also dissatisfied with everything; I just don't like to talk as much because talking wastes the time I have alive. I don't think much of all the living people either, because I know I am about to die. However, those heavy burdens that fall on my shoulders, I will still carry them out, not for the sake of any living person, but simply because it is the right thing to do. Doing these things is the way I exist."

The Doctor did not speak. Du Zhengyi bit the cigarette and continued to speak, looking increasingly cynical and roguish, "This is fine too; my friendship with anyone is not deep enough to cause them any serious harm after I die. Although sometimes, when I meet one or two pretty girls, I am willing to find an opportunity to walk a stretch of the road with them. But it is only walking a stretch of the road; I really won't go any deeper."

"No lover, no friends, but there is a Luo Qi, right?" Ma Jiang said.

"What can I do?" Du Zhengyi shook his head, "Luo Qi... he is shameless and thick-skinned, and like a stray cat, I don't even know where he came from to latch onto me. Sometimes, I feel that others look at me like they are looking at a dead person, perhaps also because I ignore everyone like a dead person. But Luo Qi... he is a person who can see ghosts; he has been pestering me, he can see me, and he has always been watching me."

"Hearing you say that, even if I wanted to persuade you to hand Luo Qi over to his father, it wouldn't be possible, right?" Ma Jiang said.

"Luo Qi has the right to use his innate talent; that is a part of his existence," Du Zhengyi said gently.

But Ma Jiang understood him and knew that such gentleness was because he never doubted the decisions he made.

"You care so much about existence," Ma Jiang said, but he shook his head and stopped talking.

"Doctor, after I die, you will finally not have to run around with me anymore. What are your plans then?" Du Zhengyi turned his head to look at him and said.

"By then, I will no longer work for the Qionglin. I plan to find someone to marry, have children, and completely isolate myself from these past lives," Ma Jiang said.

"That is a good choice."

"You still haven't said, since you had already chosen your life... no, it should be your way of survival, why did you suddenly go back on your word today?" Ma Jiang took a fierce drag, as if he had finished that thin cigarette in a few puffs.

"I am increasingly worried about Luo Qi," Du Zhengyi said honestly. Ma Jiang was almost amused; Du Zhengyi surely could not imagine how honest he looked right now.

But after a while, Ma Jiang realized again that Du Zhengyi was honest because he really had no other way.

Du Zhengyi looked at him and said honestly, "It was only at this moment that I suddenly discovered that I want to entrust someone to help Luo Qi behind my back, and you are the only one I can find."

Ma Jiang's cheeks were stiff and aching; he had to raise his hand to pinch his chin so he wouldn't make any shameful expressions. Du Zhengyi was still waiting for him to answer in person; he avoided Du Zhengyi's gaze, "Why are you worrying about others? His father is such an awesome Mage; could he really be heartless and not care about his son?"

"According to Luo Qi's will, help him get through the difficulties," Du Zhengyi added.

Ma Jiang had nothing to say, "Du Zhengyi, you..."

Du Zhengyi looked at him, waiting for his answer; he knew he had no other way.

"Fine, I promise you, okay?" Ma Jiang said helplessly, "You, why do you come to beg me when I don't even count as your friend? And you even went this far."

"The crying child gets the candy? He cried too loudly," Du Zhengyi said, "Looking at him like that, I thought, now I won't be able to lie peacefully in my coffin."

"It seems impossible for you to admit to anyone's face that they are your friend; you definitely have a disorder," Ma Jiang smiled, lowered his head, and said seriously, "But until the last moment, there is still hope. There are often new breakthroughs in the Mind Mage Society, and I have been in contact with other Mages. All these years you haven't had any desire to survive, heading straight down a dead end; I have long hoped that you could keep a thought in your heart that would hold you back."

Du Zhengyi did not speak. Ma Jiang leaned against the tree and looked at the rare, high, clear sky above the treetops. "I know, for someone who can Wind Ride, making him walk on the ground must be very painful; many people would probably rather die than live like this. But you must restrain yourself; don't participate in battles anymore, and buy me some time."

"I have already decided to cooperate with Wen Lin; I will hand over the new clues you found to her to investigate," Du Zhengyi said.

Ma Jiang nodded with satisfaction, "Can she be a friend? What kind of person is she?"

"She is an ambitious bitch," Du Zhengyi said in a calm tone.

"Oh," Ma Jiang said, slightly startled, yet somewhat understanding.

"I grew up in the Qionglin, and in the power center of the Mages, the people I see the most are this kind; you can smell them from three streets away. However, she might not be a bad person, just wanting to advance; perhaps when Fan Shi was young and not good at hiding things, he was like this too," Du Zhengyi said.

"Then it seems I should try to get on good terms with her; with your help, she will soon be full of military exploits, maybe she will be a future Venerable," Ma Jiang laughed, "Flattery must be done early to be effective. But you have been targeted by another blood-sucking leech again; it's always like this."

"It is a good thing that she is willing to squeeze benefits out of me; if she has ambition, she will work hard to get things done. In the current situation, I am really too passive and feel powerless," Du Zhengyi said.

"I would love for it to be this way. Let's go, let's go back to eat." Ma Jiang had some confidence, and his mood was much better, "However, in order to fulfill my promise, I must start strictly requiring Luo Qi to study from today; he can forget about sleeping well starting tonight. Can I use corporal punishment on him?"

"You can handle your apprentice as you see fit," Du Zhengyi smiled slightly and added, "Doctor, thank you."