"Mr. Fang Zheng, you’re back. Where’s Yuki?"
Fang Zheng had just returned to the guild headquarters when he saw Eiriri grinning and coming up to greet him. Currently, because the main team had all been hit by a DEBUFF, the raid group was resting, and Eiriri’s favorite activity nowadays was hanging around the gate waiting for soone.
"Hasn’t Yuki co back yet?"
Hearing Eiriri’s question, Fang Zheng frowned slightly. Seeing Fang Zheng’s expression, Eiriri sensed that sothing might be wrong.
"What’s wrong? Did sothing happen?"
"Co to my room."
Fang Zheng glanced around. Luckily, it was noon, and most people were resting. The night owl Sophie wasn’t around, just Eiriri and a few cats nearby. So he didn’t say much, just casually said this and turned towards his residence.
Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s words, Eiriri’s face also changed slightly as she quickly followed Fang Zheng into the room.
Once the door was closed, Fang Zheng quickly recounted the situation, leaving Eiriri stunned after hearing it.
"There’s actually sothing like this... Mr. Fang Zheng, you wouldn’t have bullied Yuki, right?"
"Do I look like soone who would do such a thing?"
Fang Zheng rolled his eyes in frustration. Yuki was the guild’s beloved; every day, she was lively, full of energy, and always enthusiastic. She was always cheerful and vivacious, and everyone liked her.
Why would Fang Zheng bully her? That’s a surefire way to spark rage.
"Have you noticed anything unusual about Yuki recently?"
Fang Zheng tossed the question back to Eiriri. Asuna was a leveling maniac, Black Cat was too much of a chuunibyou; within the guild, Eiriri and Aoba had the best interpersonal relationships. The forr was skilled in socializing, and the latter was diligent and hardworking, fostering good relationships with many.
Fang Zheng got along well with all the girls, but as a man, there were certain things he wasn’t in a position to inquire about, which was why he relied on Eiriri.
"No, Yuki has always been fine, happy every day."
Saying this, Eiriri suddenly paused to think.
"But if you put it that way, that’s actually a bit unusual."
"Oh?"
Hearing Eiriri, Fang Zheng raised his eyebrows slightly, and Eiriri continued her own explanation.
"Since I t Yuki, she’s been cheerful every day, but in reality, it’s quite strange, right? Though our raids are going well, we are all trapped in a death ga. I’ve even seen Aoba occasionally spacing out or sneaking off to cry... But I’ve never seen Yuki act like that."
"Is that so?"
Taking this in, Fang Zheng began to think deeply. As Eiriri ntioned, even though he had tried to provide the best living conditions to ensure everyone’s ntal health, they were just ordinary people, and it was natural for them to miss their hos and families.
Even Black Cat, with her chuunibyou tendencies, worried about her sister and parents, so naturally, Aoba and Asuna, as the sensible ones, weren’t exceptions, and the rest of them were no different.
But Yuki... didn’t have such concerns?
"I’ve never seen it. Yuki and I joined the guild at the sa ti, but I’ve never seen her act like anyone else; she seems to be living happily and contentedly every day... It’s almost like..."
Pausing at this point, Eiriri seed to be contemplating the right words.
"... It’s almost like she was originally a resident here."
"..."
This ti, Fang Zheng didn’t respond imdiately, but he agreed with Eiriri’s observation. It seed like Yuki was hiding sothing; she just never showed it in daily life.
"Thank you, Eiriri, I know what to do now."
With this in mind, Fang Zheng made his decision.
The sun set in the west.
Yuki sat hugging her knees on the hillside, staring blankly at the sunset gradually disappearing in the sky. At this mont, she had none of her usual cheerfulness and liveliness, only sitting there expressionless, motionless.
"You picked quite a spot."
A voice ca from behind. Hearing it, Yuki shuddered. Then she saw Fang Zheng walk over to her side and sit down beside her.
"Here, you don’t have to worry about being bothered by respawning creatures or players finding you... You found this place?"
"I just happened to discover it."
Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s question, Yuki quickly turned her head and wiped her eyes.
"Brother Zheng, how did you find ?"
"I have my ways."
Fang Zheng didn’t explain in detail. Actually, there was no need for that. He only needed to ask Yui to help with the search, and he could imdiately locate Yuki’s position. For Fang Zheng, this was not difficult.
"...I’m sorry."
Yuki lowered her head and said softly.
"I’m sorry, Brother Fang Zheng, I didn’t do it on purpose, I just..."
"You’re just scared."
However, before Yuki could finish her words, Fang Zheng interrupted. Hearing Fang Zheng’s response, Yuki raised her head in surprise, staring wide-eyed at Fang Zheng beside her.
"Brother Fang Zheng, how did you know..."
"I have so experience in reading people."
Looking at Yuki’s expression, Fang Zheng realized that his guess was probably right on target.
"Your behavior was normal before, but when I was about to make contact with you, you instinctively chose to resist and avoid. This indicates that you are very scared of others getting close to you. This isn’t due to any fear of the opposite sex or discomfort with intimacy. In this situation, if specified to a certain area..."
At this point, Fang Zheng focused his gaze on Yuki and didn’t continue. He had been with Yuki for a long ti, and much of Yuki’s swordsmanship was taught by Fang Zheng. During those lessons, physical contact was inevitable, but at that ti, whether Fang Zheng held Yuki’s hand or put his hand on her shoulder, her reactions were normal.
This ti, however, Yuki’s reaction was so intense because he intended to kiss her.
Though it wasn’t a mouth-to-mouth kiss, Yuki was terrified, leaving only one possibility.
"...I really can’t hide anything from Brother Fang Zheng."
Even though Fang Zheng hadn’t said it, Yuki smiled wryly, then closed her eyes and spoke.
"That’s right, just as you guessed, Brother Fang Zheng. I’m an AIDS patient."
"......"
Although Fang Zheng had so suspicions, hearing Yuki confirm it still shocked him. In all his lives combined, he had never t a real AIDS patient. Moreover, Yuki didn’t give him that impression at all...
"My sister and I were infected at birth due to an ergency blood transfusion when my mother had a severe hemorrhage."
Yuki’s voice was calm, lacking her usual energy.
"After learning our entire family was infected, my mother once considered taking us all away from this world. But in the end, she persevered, supported by her faith and my father’s support, and began a life fighting the disease with and my sister..."
At this point, Yuki’s voice trembled slightly.
"...I always believed that my illness could be cured, that one day it would be cured. But after everyone learned about my condition, everything changed. The friends I once had started distancing themselves, and their parents opposed being in the sa school as their children..."
"......"
Hearing Yuki’s story, Fang Zheng remained silent. The discrimination AIDS patients face in society is nothing new. Before his rebirth, Fang Zheng occasionally saw lengthy discussions about this issue in newspapers or on the news. Strictly speaking, AIDS can only be transmitted through sexual behavior, blood, and mother-infant transmission, and shaking hands or eating together with an AIDS patient in real life won’t cause infection.
But people fear improbable scenarios, which is the predicant AIDS patients currently face. Even though laws can regulate and protect, those who enforce the laws are still human.
Fang Zheng had read many reports about this, but it was the first ti he t soone he knew who was infected.
"My parents passed away two years ago...and my sister died a year ago. My ti is also running out. At that ti, doctors suggested I switch to palliative care...but I don’t want to give up like that. I want to try hard one more ti...so I ca here."
At this point, Yuki looked at Fang Zheng again.
"Brother Fang Zheng, you might wonder why I chose my companions through duels. In fact, after learning everyone was trapped in this Death Ga, I wanted to rely on my strength to help everyone leave this world and return to reality. My parents and sister are gone, but they all still have families and loved ones. I want to help them reunite with their loved ones...but I can’t do it alone. I need a strong team, strong power, to work together. So...I ultimately chose to join the Dark Moon Sword."
At this ti, a smile appeared on Yuki’s face.
"Everyone in the guild is great. I really enjoy life here. It’s like a second ho to . I hope I can see everyone leave here safely before I leave this world. So......"
Yuki bit her lip and clenched her fists.
"I don’t want anyone to know my situation, not even Brother Fang Zheng. I’m afraid that if you knew my secret, especially after what we’ve done together, you might hate ...so I..."
As she spoke, Yuki looked at Fang Zheng and shouted.
"I don’t want...ugh...!"
However, Yuki didn’t finish her sentence, because at that mont, Fang Zheng approached and covered her lips with his own.
"......"
Yuki’s eyes widened in shock at the sudden move, rendering her speechless for a mont. After a while, they slowly separated.
"I told you, I’ll save all of you."
Fang Zheng looked at the girl in front of him and said each word clearly.
"You too, Yuki, don’t think about sacrificing yourself. You might not understand what I an now, but I promise you...I will save you."
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