Chereads / The Unhallowed Child / Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: The Vessel

Chapter 22 - Chapter 22: The Vessel

Yinou awoke to a hazy world, the familiar scent of her brothers haven a suffocating reminder of her present predicament. It was a cruel irony she hadn't even had the chance to struggle, to fight against his grasp. Had she been so naive to think she could make a difference by opposing him? Or was she destined to be a pawn in his and Su Ning's game, a silent witness to their tyranny? No, it didn't matter. She had already made her decision. She would be the voice for justice, even if it meant facing him, her own brother.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, a hollow sound that mocked her own weakness. How could she have been so weak?

In the corner, Hua Lin approached, her steps quiet. "You're awake," she said, her voice devoid of emotion.

Yinou looked at her, her eyes sharp. "Where's Zhang Li?"

"Oh! Zhang Li? Your brother?" Hua Lin's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Why not address him as 'brother'?" She leaned closer, her whisper laced with venom, "Are you guilty? Guilty of the lives he took for you?"

The accusation stung, a raw, burning truth that Yinou had to acknowledge. Yes, Zhang Li had done this all for her. But she didn't know. She couldn't have known the depths of his depravity, the sacrifices he had made in her name. She was innocent, wasn't she?

Hua Lin sat down on the edge of the bed, her grip around Yinou's hand. "I know you'll oppose Zhang Li. But you love him," she pressed, her voice gaining urgency. "Instead of bringing him to his doom, why don't you just help him get what he wants? It's for you too! Don't you know what's happening to you? You're ungrateful!" She squeezed Yinou's hand, her nails digging into the flesh, the pain a sharp reminder of her captive state.

Hua Lin had always been Zhang Li's shadow, her life woven into his ambitions. He treated her as a sister, but Yinou, the real one, the one he doted on, was always the favorite. Hua Lin yearned for that same affection, that same devotion. "Am I not good enough to be his sister?" she would ask herself. "What do I need to do?" Now, she saw an opportunity, a chance to be acknowledged, to be loved. But the path to Zhang Li's heart was paved with blood, and Yinou, the one he loved most, stood in her way.

Hua Lin love and longs to be also Zhang Li's sister. She followed his ambitions, and vowed to stay and protect him in her life. This was what she can do for him. She hopes that one day Zhang Li would also love her, as much as Yinou.

Hua Lin let go of Yinou's hand, her eyes etched with sadness as she was face to face with the one she was envious of. Her heart clenched as she walked away.

She peaked into Zhang Li's room, there he was pale, weak, and tired from yesterday's attack. His eyes opened and it met Hua Lin's, "Hua Lin, what's wrong?" his voice tired, acknowledged her presence. She walked inside, a bottle of medicine in hand, "I got this for you, brother." she offered. Zhang li smiled and nodded, "Thanks," 

"Yesterday, Yueqing caused some damage to Su Ning's camp. It was enough to weaken their military for a while. Some of our soldiers died, some severely wounded." Hua Lin reported.

In the presence of the steadfast woman before him, Zhang Li's mind wandered back to the moment he first encountered Hua Lin. "I vowed to protect you, and you pledged to stand by my side. We have come a long way," he reminisced, the gravity of their journey evident in his words. 

"I have been with you from the beginning and will continue to do so," Hua Lin's voice rang with sincerity and determination. 

Zhang Li placed his hand on her shoulder. "I hold the artifact now. I will refine it further and give it to Yinou to awaken her dormant demonic core and grant her power." 

Hua Lin questioned, "But her immortal body contradicts with such power. What do you intend to do?"

 "A new, stronger vessel, one capable of hosting a demon spirit," Zhang Li's confidence shone through. "Do not worry, we are almost there." 

Hua Lin chuckled, "Brother, let's not tempt fate," playfully silencing him with a gentle gesture. Their bond, akin to that of siblings, was evident in their camaraderie. 

Unbeknownst to them, Yinou observed their interaction through a miniature device she had crafted. "Your sins are justified in the name of saving me," she contemplated, torn between stopping her brother's quest for power and protecting others.

In the following days, Zhang Li, accompanied by Yueqing and Hua Lin, visited Yinou. Zhang Li stood by her bedside, "I'll infuse the power in your body today, it'll hurt. Just for a while, but fret not brother's here." a reassurance of the impending power infusion, Yinou regarded him with a mixture of disdain and pity. 

Subsequently, she was led to a secluded chamber, bound and prepared for the ritualistic infusion of power. Before the ceremony could begin, Yinou broke free, unleashing a torrent of energy against her captors. Amidst the chaos, a sudden wave of anguish washed over her, she was getting emotional, a manifestation of her cursed affliction.

"Damn it!" she shouted, legs shaking. 

Cursing her lack of control, she steeled herself against the frigid tendrils of the curse, amidst the a sensation both of chill and excruciation she continue to fought. 

In a moment of hesitation, Hua Lin intervened, delivering a decisive blow to Yinou, rendering her momentarily incapacitated. There she tumbled back, her knees now on the ground, hands clutching her dress, her head bowed down.

Zhang Li's burning gaze bore into Hua Lin, a silent threat for hurting his sister. He was reluctant to inflict harm for a moment, yet they came back in their resolve, they pressed on with the ritual, intent on subduing Yinou's rebellious spirit. 

As Yinou grappled with the conflicting forces within her, her demonic core stirred, shrouding her in malevolence. The same malevolence Su Ning saw in her and tried so hard to cleanse. 

Her once dangling head now lift up, boring eyes with Zhang Li, her aura black and red, eyes crimson; she was Yinou, but also wasn't.

With a surge of unearthly power, she overpowered Yueqing and Hua Lin, fixating her gaze upon Zhang Li. In a swift motion, she advanced towards him, her claws poised to strike, only to be thwarted by an arrow released by Hua Lin. In the ensuing tumult, Yinou fled into the depths of the forest, her consciousness waning as the darkness within her consumed her.