Another Self

Thinking thus, a laugh emerged from the depths of his heart, a laugh imbued with mockery. Immediately after, he heard another self within his heart speak to him: "I am not as good as you think."
In the moment he closed his eyes just now, he saw what happened at night, only then realizing what his nighttime self had done. Clearly, it was to protect others that he went to kill monsters, so why did his nighttime self tell him he wasn't that good?
Moreover, why could his nighttime self converse with him? Why only communicate with him now?
Did his nighttime self always know of his existence? But never actively spoke to him, only opening his mouth after he "saw" the nighttime situation.
If that were true, his nighttime self was also hiding things from Xi Chang, deceiving Xi Chang.
"My name is Gui Bi," he said, "I am your other half-soul. I knew of your existence, but only today did you know of mine."
Shang Xing stopped, and Xi Chang also stopped. They stood side by side. Xi Chang tilted his head, his brown-gold hair slightly lifted, like sunlight shining on the strands. In his eyes, his brother, every single strand of hair, was glowing.
"What's wrong?" Xi Chang asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
That nighttime self—Gui Bi—stood vaguely between the two, also staring at himself.
Shang Xing was momentarily speechless. As soon as night fell, he would fall into a deep sleep, never truly waking up. He had guessed that someone else used his body at night, but he hadn't anticipated that person was his other half-soul. To say he wasn't surprised, fearful, or confused would be a lie.
Gui Bi knew of his existence, yet hid it from Xi Chang, appearing weak and pitiful in front of Xi Chang, making him seem like a kind "white lotus," yet harboring unknown motives and thoughts.
Xi Chang saw him not speaking and grew more worried: "Are you unwell? Why did you stop?"
Shang Xing shook his head: "I'm fine."
Xi Chang wanted to ask again, but Shang Xing held his hand and led him back.
He asked Gui Bi in his heart: "Why do you kill monsters?" If Gui Bi said he wasn't that good, then his monster-killing most likely had another reason, not for protecting ordinary humans.
Gui Bi's voice was calm, like an unmoving lake. He did not answer Shang Xing's question, but instead said: "You are like the daytime, wearing a white mask, going out and performing as a benevolent person. When night falls, you change into a black mask, becoming me, the night."
"Shang Xing, you are not a benevolent person, and I am even less so."
"But at night, I wear your mask and perform as a benevolent person. Because I want to hasten destiny's arrival."
Cold sweat broke out on Shang Xing's back: "What is destiny?"
Gui Bi chuckled softly: "I won't tell you."
Shang Xing felt a slight dizziness in his mind; something was looping, entering a cycle.
Gui Bi killed monsters to hasten destiny.
If not for Xi Chang repeatedly stopping Gui Bi, Gui Bi was too powerful. He probably would have long since finished killing all the monsters of the old world. But all the inhabitants of Hell could turn into monsters. He tried to imagine: if all the inhabitants of Hell turned into monsters, and Gui Bi, under the guise of "protection," killed all the monsters, wouldn't that be killing all the existing inhabitants of Hell?!
He didn't know what the consequences would be, but they certainly wouldn't be good.
He forced down the sweet taste in his throat, growing even dizzier, almost unable to stand steady. He stared at Xi Chang. Xi Chang's neck looked exceptionally fragile, a slight pinch could crush it, flesh and blood bursting, hot blood splattering on his face, allowing him to taste his brother's blood.
Could this be the thought of monsters when they torture their loved ones?
He was terrified, shaking his head, forcing himself to look elsewhere. However, all he saw before him were disasters, easily visible skeletons—monster skeletons—and rivers of blood from the old world—monster blood.
An unspeakable desire gripped him, polluting his bright, clear eyes. The card in his pocket was heating up.
Xi Chang noticed Shang Xing's abnormal state. He knelt down, turned to Shang Xing, and said: "Brother will carry you."
Xi Chang's physique was not considered robust. Around twenty years old, his bones were not very tough. The barren life of the old world made him seem very delicate.
Shang Xing couldn't bear it and wanted to refuse, but Xi Chang gently urged him: "Come on, quickly get on. We're going home."
He was growing dizzier, so he had no choice but to lean on Xi Chang. Xi Chang steadily carried him, walking forward.
Shang Xing leaned against Xi Chang's back, closing his eyes. Xi Chang's back was warm, possessing a warmth unique to his brother, suppressing the inappropriate bloody desires.
Xi Chang talked as he walked: "You don't wake up at night, do you? When we reach the new world, we'll have a chance to visit a hospital there."
The old world had no hospitals. People in the old world who fell ill recovered on their own. No matter how great the pain—gouging out hearts, drawing blood—people of the old world could endure it, let alone other minor ailments.
The new world was completely different from the old world. There were hospitals exclusively serving the nobility. The people of the new world were truly precious.
The new world suffered injustice, while the old world was abandoned. This much could be seen.
He replied to Xi Chang: "Okay."
*
As dawn broke, the morning light illuminated the entire old world. The moment the sun appeared, Shang Xing finally opened his eyes. He first raised his hand; there was no usual bloody smell he could detect, suggesting that Gui Bi hadn't killed monsters last night.
The two arrived at the perimeter wall on time. Many people had apparently been waiting for a long time, standing on tiptoes with anticipation. Before long, the inner gate of the wall opened, and red-robed angels entered the old world. In front of them were workers from the Zhi Shan Company. They wore work badges, on which the Zhi Shan Company logo was exceptionally clear.
They stood on a high platform, looking down at the crowd. Seeing the dense mass of people, their eyes were cold, devoid of much emotion. They systematically organized the队伍 (teams/ranks) and distributed small GPS trackers to everyone. The trackers automatically embedded into their flesh.
A Zhi Shan Company worker said: "Do not attempt to remove the trackers to escape the ranks and sneak into the new world on your own. Once you use violent means to remove a tracker, it will turn into a bomb, and you will be blown to smithereens."
Leading the way, the red-robed angel repeatedly admonished: "You must remember, you are only visiting the new world. You are not residents of the new world. Engrave your identities in your minds. Remember not to conflict with the residents of the new world, otherwise, you will suffer greatly!"
...
Passing through the gate that led to the new world, Shang Xing's eyes brightened. His most intuitive feeling was that the new world was brilliantly lit. Unlike the old world, which was always gloomy and dark, it had a clear, boundless sky, and the sunlight generously enveloped every plant and tree of the new world. But in the old world, sunlight was a luxury, extremely stingy, not freely bestowed upon it.
The streetscape of the new world was ancient and clean. This kind of cleanliness and simplicity was unmatched by the desolate old world.
Before them was a wide road, surrounded by buildings of various styles. They passed through numerous structures, traversed streets, and finally arrived at a square, where they boarded flying wings.