02 Bai Feiyin and The Snake Beast Deity, Hong

Chapter 2: Bai Feiyin and The Snake Beast Deity, Hong

Aside from a sudden chest pain, the last thing that she remembered was people frantically screaming, and her dimming eyes could tell that they were calling her name.

Some were nervously tapping their phones with visible panic on their expression. She spotted others talking to someone on the line, but she couldn't make out what they were saying.

***

Inside the void, before she was perpetually sent to the beginning of her life, Bai Feiyin was held afloat, clasped with invisible chains. She gritted her teeth at the sight of a familiar figure she had once treated as a companion.

If looks could kill, perhaps she had become a murderer.

"Hong, you unlucky snake! If I don't flay your scales today, I will never rest in peace! Fucking release me, argh!"

[A/n: Hong literally translates as snake/red. Curtis is that you? Just kidding!]

In the stillness of the space, of Bai Feiyin's consciousness, the girl's screams became the sole background sound. 

"And who in their right mind would release someone threatening them?" the formless figure replied, "Would you?" Hong drawled, saying the obvious.

Bai Feiyin glared at him and showed how much she felt wronged in this situation.

"Blah! Who cares? If you don't do something about this, I will go down to the underworld and find a demon to curse you to grow bald and be filled with pus for tricking a mere mortal! I'd sell my soul for your retribution you shitty serpent—" 

"Okay! Okay, fine! Just stop cursing me with your malevolent words!" The manly voice shouted like a crooked screw, abruptly cutting off the girl's words.

The light of the figure shook vigorously, revealing how much affected he seemed to be. A long pause ensued as he weighed what was on his mind.

Before long, he heaved a long sigh and his words came out like an ultimatum for Bai Feiyin.

"Listen, I cannot meddle and change what had transpired. The only thing I can help you with is if you return to the past and change your actions. I'm telling you, it won't be easy Bai. But the choice is yours to make if you want to alter your future." A sudden stench of uneasiness filled her senses.

Seeing her calming down and deep in thought, Hong lifted the binding spell and put her at eye level.

Bai Feiyin clenched her fist, looking hurt and betrayed she glanced at Hong with accusation and hopelessness, "So, after centuries of relentless effort, three decades with a daily dose of five cups of coffee to fuel my reason just in this lifetime alone... this.... solitary existence without a drop of romance, I'm just… gone?" 

Filled with exasperation, her laughter was tinged with bitterness. Hong chose to stay silent and watched her cry and laugh.

"W-Whoa! That... that's so unfair! And my hard-earned wealth, my company shares, all usurped by those vultures who've done nothing but bide their time for their share?"

She muttered filled with mockery, "Well, at least my company and reputation won't disintegrate overnight," before reluctantly swallowing her indignation, 

"Ok-okay! Fine," she choked and let out a defeated sigh, before glancing back at the other person, "Now what about my personal belongings? My personal assets, house, cars, designer bags…"

Her voice trailed off as she studied the silhouette before her. To her, his deafening silence was a dreadful confirmation.

"N-No way… Don't tell me…" Her voice weakened just as how the strength of her knees left her, her face a mask of disbelief as the reality of her situation sank in.

"What?! Even a vagrant has claimed a piece of my empire, don't tell me some hobo swiped those too?"

Her head throbbed, the pain intensifying with each passing second at the realization of that grim truth.

"This is absurd!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the void.

The ethereal figure before her flickered anxiously, "Your assets were seized by the state due to the absence of a will or immediate family from your side. It was an unfortunate but inevitable circumstance—"

"Unfortunate? Inevitable?" she echoed, her voice shrill with disbelief.

"You promised me a prosperous life in my fourth reincarnation in exchange for three lifetimes of virtuous deeds to aid your ascension, you deceitful snake! And yet, here I am, dead! With nothing on my name nor someone to light me a joss stick! You've deceived me!"

Despair, anger, and a sense of betrayal washed over her.

Hong gazed at her intently, his voice softening as he gave a flat button-pushed response, "Don't worry I'm still here. I will definitely light you a joss stick and burn paper money—"

Bai Feiyin popped her eyes, hearing what he said bluntly, 'This freaking dumb guy that's worse than an apathetic robot… Did he really want me dead? Forget it!'

"Aish shut up!" she roared in frustration. "What's the point of it anyway?" She whimpered and glared at him, causing the light of his body to flicker as he flinched.

In the end, Hong can only try to explain but he doubts if she will take it, "As a lesser deity, I cannot interfere with the laws of causality that govern the mortal realm. Even the higher Gods won't meddle with it because of its sanction. Your... actions resulted in a death; consequently, even your chance of reincarnation is... at risk."

"... Are you trying to paint me a villain here?" Somehow, she felt so exhausted to even bother with all the crappy reasons. But how can those gods bully her like this?

They're implicating her just because she was tied with Hong as his karmic contractor, but that was eons past! Why can't they just treat her like a normal human?!

Damn it! They don't even care much about humans' misery but they always have a say when it comes to punishment. 

[A/N: Like your dad.] 

Even her reincarnation will be affected? Their brain is the infected one here!

"Stop cursing the gods, Bai. You'll be in trouble" he uttered with worry knowing fully well what she was thinking just by the look of her face, the other just snorted.

"I don't care!" 

Hmph! What trouble would they still dare to give her when she's already in a deep shit. Those petty gods!

Argh, that wheel of fuckers too whatever it was!