Solace finally? No?…. No

The evening was cast in a dim, melancholic light as Xiao, Huan Jing's loyal best friend, sat in the lavish living room of their opulent mansion. The television screen flickered with images of chaos and terror, broadcasting the latest news about the infamous Silver Mask, the relentless psychopath murderer who had struck once again. The news anchor's voice quivered as they reported that twelve more lives had been claimed, all in the same gruesome manner.

Xiao's heart sank as he watched the horrifying scenes unfold on the screen. He knew that Huan Jing, his closest friend, had been deeply affected by the reign of terror perpetrated by the Silver Mask. Huan Jing had always been a complex and enigmatic figure, but the recent events had pushed him into a deeper abyss of depression.

Determined to provide comfort and solace, Xiao rose from his seat and made his way to Huan Jing's chambers. The door was partially ajar, and as he entered, he saw Huan Jing sitting alone in the dimly lit room, his face etched with the weight of his emotions.

"Huan Jing," Xiao began softly, his voice carrying a mixture of concern and compassion.

Huan Jing turned to look at his friend, his eyes reflecting a profound sadness. "Xiao," he replied, his tone heavy with despair.

Xiao walked over to Huan Jing and sat beside him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I saw the news, my friend," he said, his voice filled with empathy. "I can't even imagine what you must be going through."

Huan Jing sighed, his gaze fixed on the floor. "It's a nightmare, Xiao. I can't escape it. The Silver Mask haunts me, and I feel responsible for all of this."

Xiao nodded, acknowledging the depth of his friend's torment. "I understand your pain, Huan Jing, but you can't let it consume you entirely. You can't stay trapped in this darkness forever."

In the somber confines of Huan Jing's private sanctuary, the truth hung heavy in the air, a revelation that had long been concealed. Xiao, Huan Jing's closest friend, sat across from him, a sense of trepidation building as he waited for his friend to speak.

Huan Jing's voice trembled with a mixture of sorrow and guilt as he finally confessed, "Xiao, there's something you need to know, something I've kept hidden for far too long. The Silver Mask, the one responsible for all these horrors, is Si Jian."

Xiao's eyes widened in disbelief, and his heart sank at the revelation. "Si Jian?" he echoed, his voice barely a whisper.

Huan Jing nodded, his gaze fixed on a distant point in the room. "Yes, Si Jian. She's come to avenge what my family did to her and her own. It's a cycle of revenge that I thought would never end."

As he spoke, Huan Jing recounted the gruesome deeds of his parents, the torment they had subjected Si Jian and her family to. The chilling details of their cruelty painted a horrifying picture of the past, a past that had haunted Huan Jing and driven him to the depths of despair.

Xiao struggled to process the magnitude of the revelation. "But why, Huan Jing? Why didn't you tell me this before?"

Tears welled up in Huan Jing's eyes as he replied, "I couldn't bear to face the truth myself, Xiao. I was blinded by my own guilt and shame. I thought that if I could bury the past, I could escape the darkness that had consumed my family."

"But now," Huan Jing continued, his voice stronger, "I can't hide from it any longer. Si Jian's quest for revenge is still incomplete, and it's tearing her apart just as much as it's torn me apart. She's the one behind the deaths of my family members. She's become a monster that she never wanted to be."

Xiao reached out, placing a comforting hand on Huan Jing's shoulder. "Huan Jing, you can't carry the weight of your family's sins alone. It's a tragedy, what happened to Si Jian and her family, but there's still a chance for redemption, for both of you."

Huan Jing nodded, his resolve firming. "You're right, Xiao. I can't change the past. Si Jian's revenge is still incomplete and as I could analyse I'm sure she will come back for me too.....she is much stronger and maniacly psychotic than any other and she could switch her emotions,turn it off and do anything….she loves me and is immensely in love with me but the other moment she'll switch it all off from her head and heart and will complete her revenge for sure.. "

Huan Jing's eyes welled with tears, and he finally allowed himself to lean into Xiao's comforting presence. "I don't know how to go on, Xiao. I've done terrible things, and I can't escape the guilt."

Xiao's grip on Huan Jing's shoulder tightened. " And I kept trying to find out what made you such a gloom hurted soul, a depressed soul and you showed me that Si Jian left you and you loved her and that's why you're broken......…You're not alone in this, my friend. I'm here for you, always. We've faced adversity together before, and we'll do it again. But you have to gather your strength and find a way out of this despair. The past can't be changed, but you can shape your future."

Huan Jing wiped away a tear, his gaze meeting Xiao's with a glimmer of hope. "Thank you, Xiao," he whispered. "Your friendship means more to me than you'll ever know."

Xiao offered a reassuring smile. "Then let's face this darkness together, Huan Jing. You're not defined solely by your past actions. You have the power to choose a different path, to make amends in your own way."

As the two friends sat there in the dimly lit room, a sense of unity and determination filled the air. Xiao's unwavering support had kindled a spark of resilience within Huan Jing's heart. It was a small glimmer of hope, but in the face of the relentless terror of the Silver Mask, it was a start. Together, they would confront the shadows that threatened to engulf them, and with Xiao's unwavering presence by his side, Huan Jing began to find the strength to face the future.