The Burdened Night: Dreams and Desires

His return was swift and silent, only the sound of the owl's hoots were haunting, echoing through the stillness of the night like an omen. He cleaned himself and then went directly to sleep.

Thoughts left his mind, ceased from their natural order—manifestation. He was like a blank paper, hollow and isolated.

The night carried on as he slept in search of comfort and inner peace.

Alas, his sleep brought only endless nightmares and misery, tossing and turning as he lay on his bed. His face unveiled a pain much more horrific than the physical one.

"No!" Cheng shouted as he woke up from his sleep, his voice filled with desperation, terror, but mostly guilt. He was panting as he gazed at his quivering hands and mumbled, "It... It was just a nightmare. It felt so real... but my hands... why are they like this?"

Cheng's nightmare, was horrid and scary. He saw all the people he killed—the assassin that ambushed him, the squad that tried to kill him. Every one of them killed him in the same way they were murdered, again and again, as they repeated words of regret and anguish. Their voices, torn and fraught with sorrow, conveyed deep hatred and loathing.

"I did what is necessary for my survival, even if it's against my belief of what is morally right... Yes, I did that to protect myself. It was all to protect myself," Cheng clenched his fist and said.

Unexpectedly, a voice in his head seemed to be against his reasoning as it whispered, "You had the ability to run, but you didn't."

"Then I would have been hunted and killed mercilessly... that's right, it was all just to protect myself," Cheng justified, his voice growing agitated as he continued.

"You know you're lying," the voice said once again.

Cheng's body froze as he closed his eyes. He saw his victims' faces, frozen in a perpetual state of fear and disbelief. The realization of the lives he had taken gnawed at his soul—a constant reminder of the irreversible damage he had caused. The guilt was too heavy to bear .

In actuality, Cheng was fully convinced that killing in this world is inevitable, but what he didn't know was that this was real life, not some fantasy action movie or novel. His act of murdering those people appeared to be too much of a change and also a burden for him.

While he was a competent person, he did not hesitate to end those lives, and he was prepared to do whatever it took to protect his own life in any situation. However, his mind, or rather his subconscious, refused to accept the situation and easily abandon the values and principles that had been built over the years on Earth.

The transition from a tranquil society to one filled with chaos did not bring about an immediate metamorphosis in belief. The process proved to be arduous, challenging both mentally and physically, with no guarantee of an easier adaptation to the new reality. But unfortunately Cheng has to walk this thorny path full of uncertainty to achieve his ambitions.

Right now, Cheng looked like he could really use a good night's sleep, but he truly didn't want to have another horrid nightmare.

Exhausted and drained of his energy, he decided, in the end, to head out.

He left his bed and looked at himself in his newly bought mirror. What was reflected was a man with chiseled features and a strong jawline, with a face that exuded an air of confidence and refinement. But his once deep, piercing eyes appeared heavy, with drooping eyelids that struggled to stay open. The skin around them showed subtle signs of puffiness and dark circles.

In contrast to what is real, what he saw, was a devil. Its eyes that stared back at him held a haunting emptiness, a constant reminder of the irreversible path he had chosen.

On his body, a long tattoo stretched from his left hand all over to his leg. It was a dark, twisted mark—an intricate design that seemed to writhe with a life of its own. From the perspective of an observer, it appeared as if the ink moved beneath the surface of the skin, as though it was a living being.

He wore a luxurious robe to hide the big tattoo and quickly left his abode, taking another route down the mountain and descended.

Lost in thought and weighed down by the burden of his actions, Cheng wandered aimlessly until he found himself roaming in one of the big villages under the justification of the sect.

As he walked, the sound of raucous laughter and the distant playing of a violin gradually grew louder, pulling him out of his contemplation. Intrigued by the lively atmosphere, Cheng followed the melodic notes and found himself standing in front of a bustling establishment—the flickering sign above said, "The Petal."

Instantly, a surge of nostalgia overwhelmed him as past memories flashed in his eyes.

"This was the brothel my previous body owner frequently visited," Cheng thought as he smiled.

At this moment, he was yearning for a distraction. He hesitated first before he finally stepped inside. The moment he crossed the threshold, a cacophony of sights and sounds engulfed him. The air was heavy with the scent of perfume, mingling with the scent of alcohol and desire.

"Waiter, another cup!" a drunk man said.

"Where is my love? I missed you, Xiao Lingyun."

"Yes, when is she gonna start performing?"

"Where is the Jade Blossom? We want to see her."

The brothel was very crowded with all kinds of men from all kinds of backgrounds, and they all seemed to be waiting for a performance.

Cheng went and sat in a corner, patiently waiting for his wine to come.

"Xiao Lingyun, I've heard of this name before..." Before he could finish his thought, a voice interrupted him.

"I'm terribly sorry, brother, but can you please let me sit beside you?" He turned his head and continued, "As you can see, all the tables are full."

Cheng turned his head and faced the man. "You can go to the other floors, they have plenty of seats."

The middle-aged man had an embarrassed look on his face as he said, "But today is Xiao Lingyun's show. I can't miss this chance." He finished and had a look of anticipation on his slim face. But contrary to his friendly behavior, the man had a sharp and stern face that seemed to have been through a lot in life.

In the end, Cheng couldn't really refuse as he was also really curious about this girl nicknamed the Jade Blossom.

"Sure, you can have a seat."

"Thank you very much, respectable sir," the man replied as he sat.

"Cheng Xiao."

"Zhang Fenglei."

"A rare name indeed" Cheng said.

"I appreciate the compliment. Actually, my mother gave me this name, expecting me to achieve great things in the future. I was also inspired by her optimism but..."

"But what?" Cheng questioned.

"What can I say, brother Cheng? The outside world wasn't as I expected. It was too cruel and unforgiving." His last words contained bitterness and great regret, but he quickly changed the subject. "But enough about me," Zhang Fenglei said, forcing a smile. "What brings you here tonight?are you also here for the show?"

"No...I had no idea there was something happening here tonight, but I'm curious who is this person that everyone seems so excited about, she definitely wasn't here a month ago " Cheng asked curiously.

"Well, I can't really blame you she just recently appeared. Ohhh man you don't know how stunning she is, but her talents is what made her famous, she plays the Guzheng and is also a singer" he said.

"Tell me more " Cheng asked eagerly.

"She's incredibly talented. She has this natural ability to captivate an audience with her Guzheng skills. Every time she plays, it's like she transports you to a different world with the enchanting melodies that flow from her fingertips."Zhang Fenglei said in a daze as he continued" her voice when she sings, it's as if the whole world stops to listen. Her vocal range is astonishing, effortlessly hitting the highest notes with such clarity and precision. it's a heaven to watch her play, she makes us man forget about our worries and struggles for a moment, bestowing us the bliss of serenity during her performance"

Cheng looked at the man in front of him and thought" Everyone has his set of problems after all"

Just as he turned his head he spotted a familiar figure.