Kikyo ventured out on a mission after a long time, but the outing was far less effective at cheering her up than she had hoped. Since becoming a mother, she couldn't help but worry about her children; everything else took a backseat, even her beloved husband.
If she had to choose between the two, "children" were, of course, more important.
However, not every "child" was more important than her "husband." After all, her "husband" could still have more "children" with her, creating new "hopes." But some "children" were "defective." A child's aptitude was determined at birth, and no amount of effort could push them beyond their inherent limits.
With her hand pressed against her abdomen, Kikyo thought again, no, that didn't matter anymore. With a near-perfect creation like Killua, she felt her role as a mother was more than fulfilled.
"…Little Ki." Ah, her most proud child.
Her heart fluttered like a young girl in love as she savored the name, the sweetness filling her mouth.
For this child, she would gladly give her life with immense joy.
Killua was still young and shouldn't have been able to detect an opponent using "Ren." But Kikyo's emotions were probably too intense. Standing on the Sky Arena stage, Killua suddenly looked towards the stands with a wary gaze. The circle of lights aimed at the arena was dazzling. Killua narrowed his eyes, unable to find his target.
She'd been discovered, from so far away… Such keen perception, truly worthy of… worthy of her Killua…
Her heart pounded uncontrollably. Kikyo covered her mouth with both hands, her shoulders trembling, stifling an excited scream in her throat.
The atmosphere here was indeed different from the recordings; it was far more captivating. His posture on the stage was a perfect replica of his father's in his youth. He had flawlessly inherited all the excellent qualities the Zoldyck family wished for their heir.
The next head of the family must be Killua; no one in the Zoldyck family doubted this.
Deciding to personally witness Killua's situation was absolutely the right choice. Kikyo's volatile mood instantly soared to full capacity.
Hiding her presence even more carefully, concealed in the shadows, Kikyo only left with lingering fondness after Killua had returned to the private rooms provided for fighters above the hundredth floor of the Sky Arena.
After such an exhilarating experience, the atmosphere of Mount Pkru would feel particularly desolate, making Kikyo feel a sense of restlessness.
Her husband and children were not around. The remaining two at home were an unsatisfactory second son and a youngest son who couldn't be treated as "human." Neither was someone who could alleviate her inner turmoil.
She recalled Illumi, the child who once understood her best and obeyed her most. He was increasingly drifting away from her control—this meant he was growing up, a reasonable phenomenon, and temporarily bearable.
But Milluki… Milluki was different. At least Illumi's words and actions were mostly understandable; he wouldn't betray the family. As for Milluki, Kikyo found him increasingly inscrutable.
Milluki had detonated explosives all over the house without hesitation for a piece of cake. Silva had said his eyes looked insane.
When Milluki, subdued by Silva, lay unconscious in a hospital bed, Kikyo had a fierce argument with Silva, denying that such a thing was possible.
"Indeed, no one knows Milluki better than you," Silva admitted, then made a cold decision. "But regardless, he is enough of a threat. A 'failsafe' must be put in place."
A micro-explosive the size of a fingernail, with a special coating to counteract metal detector signals. The kinetic energy from a heartbeat would keep it powered, and as long as the heart beat, the device would function continuously. Even if there was a temporary cessation of heartbeat, the device would resume operation once the heartbeat returned.
One of the most advanced technological products in the world, as an instantly lethal tool, implanted into the heart of her only daughter.
Before the surgery, she had sobbed by Milluki's bedside.
"You chose to keep her in the first place," Silva said, leaning down and placing a hand on her shoulder. "You are her mother, so I will give you the final choice."
The detonation code could be customized; only Silva and she knew the specifics.
"Ah… ahhh…" Kikyo turned and threw herself into Silva's arms, sobbing, unsure if it was from sadness or joy. "My dear…"
Silva gently stroked her back. Later, they left the room, and the surgery began.
The Zoldyck doctors were first-rate. Without any mishaps, the surgery was a complete success. Milluki noticed nothing. What was even more comforting was that Milluki, as she had thought, showed no signs of madness. The child had merely lost his reason temporarily. After waking up, he immediately wanted to compensate the Zoldyck family for the damage he had caused.
Milluki cared. Hiding his head under the blanket with a worried expression was truly adorable, just like when he was little and still had a childlike innocence. Her Milluki seemed not to grow up, which was proof that Milluki "was a problematic child" and required constant supervision.
Recalling this, Kikyo asked the butler to fetch a photo album she had designated. After the butler retreated, she opened the top album by herself.
The photos in this album were not taken under normal circumstances; they were all captured from surveillance footage. Of course, Milluki didn't know about this album's existence—this was one of many things Milluki didn't know.
With a silver whistle hanging from her chest, the young Milluki had just learned to climb trees. Sharp branches had torn her skirt. Although she didn't speak and appeared quiet, she was actually quite active. Shortly after the butler changed her clothes, she would invariably get them dirty or torn. Ample physical activity was undoubtedly beneficial for a child's growth, so she had no choice but to let her be and switch from kimonos to more practical Western-style dresses.
Milluki was perched on a tree branch, her fluffy, silver-white long curly hair covering her small body, like a cat crouching, slowly inching forward toward the bird's nest at the fork of the branch. Four chicks were crowded in the nest, their feathers not yet grown, only dark brown down.
Kikyo traced the outline of Milluki's profile in the photo with her fingertip. A standard child's face, with a rounded contour, only faltering slightly at the tip of the nose.
Sunlight filtering through the tree leaves poured into those sky-blue eyes, blending with specks of light, making them sparkle and gleam like jewels.
Then, what was that child going to do?
No, it was impossible to forget; these were very precious memories.
Kikyo smiled with immense nostalgia and turned to the next page.
In the photo, Milluki took a small biscuit from her pocket. That child liked to carry snacks with her. As part of the family's traditional training, those snacks were specially made by the Zoldycks, with an appropriate amount of poison mixed in according to her physique.
Breaking off a tiny piece of the biscuit, Milluki fed it to one of the chicks.
After eating it, the chick stopped moving.
Milluki remained on the branch for a while before slowly climbing down. She didn't go far. After the parent bird returned to the nest to feed the chicks, she looked up, staring absently at the birds.
The parent bird seemed not to notice the dead chick. After feeding the remaining hungry chicks one by one, it rested. As the chicks scrambled for food, the dead chick was pressed to the bottom, becoming a soft cushion of down in the nest.
The next day, the third day, the fourth day, Milluki repeated the process, feeding one chick each day until all the chicks in the nest were dead.
The parent bird, with no chicks to feed, stopped coming the next day.
Milluki climbed the branch and reached for the bird's nest.
Manipulating prey to die one by one in an orderly fashion, what a cruel game. This was innate cruelty, unparalleled talent for killing.
All children are blank slates, their perception of the world derived from the input around them. With guidance, Milluki could also, without hesitation, apply the same game to humans.
Oh well, it didn't matter what happened to others, as long as Milluki was taught to make "family" an exception.
Kikyo smiled and stroked the thin back in the photo. Killua had not yet been born then; Milluki was her most beloved little cat, whom she cherished deeply. There were ways to address Milluki's lack of vocal cords; it was not a problem at all.
Back then, she was full of anticipation, thinking Milluki would surely grow into the person she envisioned, believing that killing the chicks was the beginning of exploring life and death. Next, Milluki might try to kill the hawk her father had given her—how perfect an enlightenment education for someone born to be an assassin.
The result was entirely different.
Kikyo flipped further back, stopping at a page with an indentation. She placed her finger in the indentation, which was just the right size for her fingertip.
In the indentation was a hawk, and next to it, a smiling young Milluki.
"Mill…" Kikyo stroked the small smiling face in the photo. She clearly remembered feeling disappointed and annoyed at the time.
The cruel game of toying with life had ended before it even began. Milluki had not played it again afterward, not out of boredom, but because Milluki had grown fond of the hawk.
Her Milluki, a child who stiffened at the slightest touch, she thought Milluki's personality was such that she disliked closeness, so she hadn't paid much attention.
Who would have thought Milluki would bestow so much affection on a mere hawk, a beast?
What was she, Kikyo, then? What about the other family members? The Zoldycks surrounded Milluki, offering concern and love in ways unimaginable to outsiders, yet Milluki cared for none of them.
Kikyo remembered Milluki's lifeless eyes at birth, the eerie quietness and stillness. Yes, she had forgotten; Milluki was indeed a problematic child.
Patience… she had to be patient. The indentation in the photo was left from that time.
She endured with all her might, enduring.
Love is everlasting patience.
She believed Milluki was merely indulging in a temporary diversion and that her enthusiasm would fade with time. If the hawk died while Milluki was still infatuated, Milluki might miss the hawk forever, missing a mere beast. Therefore, she couldn't intervene; she had to be patient.
However, love was gradually consumed by patience, until the last snowflake fell, triggering an avalanche. Kikyo had been patient for years, patient enough for her belly to begin nurturing her third child.
Milluki still loved the hawk dearly, inseparable from it. And the hawks raised by the Zoldycks usually lived for forty years.
Forty years. There was still a long way to go.
During Milluki's and Illumi's second Hunter game, Illumi hid a stone in his hand, considering using it to hit the hawk's eye, rendering the hawk useless during the game. He was still young and knew his strength was insufficient, so he could only challenge precision.
Through the surveillance footage, Kikyo watched Illumi pick up the stone. That child, who looked so much like her and shared a similar personality, like another version of herself in the world, had a sudden flash of insight. She probably understood what that child was about to do.
…This was an excellent opportunity.
Kikyo quietly hurried over and struck the hawk with a Nen projectile from a distance. Although that Nen projectile was a "Ki" without a visible form, and invisible to those who didn't understand "Nen," the wind generated by the projectile's passage was still tangible.
Illumi sensed the extra gust of wind and looked back. That young, delicate face was exactly like Kikyo's childhood face. Their images overlapped. Yes, that was herself.
No further explanation was needed; the child was incredibly intelligent and surely knew what to do.
Kikyo smiled and moved slightly, melting into the shadows of the trees.
The child's performance did not disappoint her expectations.
She was so happy to finally have an opportunity to remove the troublesome obstacle. Even if there were side effects, they were acceptable; she would spend time and effort to rectify and rebuild.
"I taught Illumi; don't think I can't tell," Silva's brief words exposed the truth, understood instantly only by Kikyo and Illumi.
Holding the birdcage containing the dead hawk's specimen, Milluki cried heartbrokenly for the first time, her expression somewhat vacant. The child was too preoccupied to think, and Silva urged her to leave.
The exposure of the matter was within expectation. Kikyo believed Silva could see through it, and she also believed Silva would not fully reveal the truth.
Revealing the truth would only increase the target of Milluki's resentment. After all, Illumi had also intended to attack the hawk. In the current situation, it could be downplayed as a common conflict between children, which would not affect the child's trust in her parents.
"Do you have anything to say?" Regarding the hawk, all three present knew the truth. Silva merely wanted to give Kikyo a gentle warning, to make her restrain herself, and had no intention of saying anything more. The reason he continued the conversation was because he knew Kikyo still had a strong desire to express her feelings about the hawk.
This was Silva's affection as a husband for his wife, which moved Kikyo deeply.
Setting aside Silva's earlier command for her to "rest," Kikyo instantly lost her temper and said gently, "My dear."
"…"
"Love is blind," Kikyo clasped her hands over her chest. When her emotions were calm, her voice was as beautiful as her appearance, as if reciting poetry, slow and affectionate. "And lovers cannot see their own absurdities."
Silva's gaze shifted to Illumi, who appeared lost in thought, his expression distant.
"You cannot interfere with the next hawk," Silva said, looking back at Kikyo and admonishing her.
"I won't do it again," Kikyo gently curled her red lips. "There's no need. Milluki will never love a pet the same way again."
Milluki was a sensitive child; once hurt, she became exceptionally vigilant. No one knew Milluki better than she did.
It should have been like this.
But as the child grew and became erratic, Kikyo found herself increasingly unable to understand her thoughts.
The distance grew greater, the kite string taut, about to break, or perhaps, it had already snapped.
She didn't know when Milluki would return.
She could only stay home, waiting continuously.
She didn't know if Milluki would return next time.
She could only stay home, waiting hopelessly.
Waiting.
The bad premonition, like rough grit, constantly ground away at the mother's waiting heart. She always suspected Milluki was holding back something, secretly brewing it, waiting to erupt when she least expected it.
Earlier this morning, she had a nightmare. She saw Milluki lying in a white wooden coffin. Milluki's complexion was already pale, making it impossible to tell if she was alive or dead. So, Kikyo held the edge of the coffin and leaned in to check for a pulse in Milluki's neck.
Just as she was about to touch Milluki, Milluki suddenly opened her eyes. They were blood-red eyes, overflowing with blood. More blood, red as raging fire, surged from the bottom of the coffin. The pale Milluki melted like a snowman in a fire, her features blurred, sinking and dissolving into the pool of blood.
The world was desolate, devoid of any life. Kikyo searched alone in the blood with her hands, touching nothing but invisible liquid.
"Mill…" Kikyo called out anxiously as she stepped into the coffin.
The coffin had no bottom, and she began to fall.
Then she woke up.
Subconsciously, she checked the surveillance footage with her electronic eye, only to remember that the surveillance in Milluki's room had been removed some time ago.
"That's not right." She covered her forehead. "Mill isn't home either."
Like an addict searching a shriveled cigarette pack for one last forgotten cigarette, even just a stub.
Her craving was intense; she had to chew on something.
Kikyo chose to review past surveillance footage.
She saw Milluki on her last return to Mount Pkru, walking in the rain.
No matter how far she walked, Milluki would come back, right?
Because this was the only home for the Zoldycks.
Every Zoldyck would return home.
They would all come home.
And I should wait here. Kikyo closed her eyes.
…
Far away, Milluki sat backward in a chair, her hands resting on the backrest, watching Shalnark fiddling with a toolbox, repairing the clasp of a necklace.
Compared to the intricate and small parts of electronic devices, the simplicity of a necklace clasp was self-evident. It would be done quickly.
After the repair, Shalnark thoughtfully used an ultra-fine fiber cloth to polish the entire necklace, then walked behind Milluki and fastened it around her neck.
"There."
"…" Milluki lifted the whistle pendant on the necklace, her fingertip gently rubbing the pendant.
"Are you satisfied?" Shalnark bent down, his golden hair brushing against Milluki's cheek. "This service does come with a fee, you know."
Milluki turned her head to look at him. Shalnark tapped his own cheek with his finger. "Give me a little reward."
The soft lips met the spot he designated, and it was over. Shalnark couldn't help but think, his girlfriend often didn't think things through. Oh well, was that a good thing or a bad thing?
Perhaps it was also related to her emotional perception disorder.
"This is… slightly insufficient," Shalnark leaned in, half of his face covered by Milluki's hand.
Milluki pointed towards the bathroom with her other finger.
Hmm, because she didn't overthink things, his girlfriend always got straight to the point. Although he didn't dislike this direct attitude, summarizing his experience last time, this attitude was probably one of the root causes of her issues.
Gulping it down was merely to relieve thirst. If one understood enjoyment and contemplation, one should treat it like fine wine: pick, ferment, filter, clarify, decant, observe color, smell the aroma, taste, and savor, requiring keen senses and spirituality, as well as appropriate patience and time.
It seemed that Milluki's previous male companions were likely not very skilled.
Let him be the one to swirl the glass and release the wine's fragrance.
Shalnark closed the bathroom door.
Elsewhere, the door behind Phinks also closed. The silver-haired girl, as she called out "I'm back!" to the inside, turned to change her shoes at the entrance. Suddenly, she saw the ghost-like figure behind her and was so startled that she fell to the floor. She hadn't noticed she was being followed and had even been followed into her home.
When humans are extremely terrified, their muscles stiffen, rendering them immobile.
Even if she could move, it would be futile. The girl's scream couldn't escape her throat; Phinks' slender blade had already pierced her throat.
"Welcome back," Phinks repeated the reply the woman inside had given the girl. He put away his knife and snapped the neck of the woman who had rushed to the entrance upon hearing the fall.
There were no other living people inside. Not wanting to be easily disturbed, Phinks locked the main door, picked up the girl, and dragged her into the bathroom.
The bathroom door opened.
Shalnark was only wearing a bath towel. He was quite satisfied with his physique; he usually paid attention to exercising. His muscles were firm. If it weren't for certain people's abnormal constitutions overshadowing him, his strength wouldn't be inferior to others. The key was the point of comparison, the point of reference.
Milluki stood blankly by the floor-to-ceiling window. Shalnark walked over and wrapped his arms around Milluki's waist from behind, his tone proud, like a child who had just learned to eat independently asking parents for praise. "I'm done!"
Milluki nodded, pushed Shalnark's hand away, and walked towards the bathroom.
Even though he knew she would definitely go to the bathroom, her reaction was so indifferent! She lived too rigidly, as if following a set program. That's why she couldn't feel any particular pleasure.
"It's okay if you don't shower, Mill," Shalnark said, following behind her. "I didn't smell anything on you earlier…"
"…" Milluki turned her head.
She wrote in the air: I mind.
"What a spoiled young lady," Shalnark sighed, shaking his head. Suddenly, he remembered something, and his eyes lit up. "Then let me help you wash!"
"…" Milluki puffed out her cheeks.
"Alright," Shalnark put his hand up to block the bathroom door. "But really, is it no good? I really want to try."
Milluki was shorter than Shalnark. Standing together, Shalnark could see the top of her fluffy hair and couldn't help but place his hand on her head. The feel was indeed good. "If you try something you haven't done before, perhaps you'll have a special feeling?"
"Trying it won't hurt. Come on." Seeing her attitude softening, Shalnark seized the opportunity, coaxed her into the bathroom, and closed the door.
Phinks, carrying the silver-haired girl, put her into the bathtub. He didn't close the bathroom door because he wasn't there to bathe.
He went to the kitchen, picked out a rather sharp chef's knife, and walked towards the bathroom. The silver-haired girl was already struggling to her feet, holding onto the bathroom door. Seeing Phinks' figure, she immediately retreated, instinctively trying to close the door, attempting to use this laughable defensive measure to ward off external harm.
Her movements were too slow.
Phinks deliberately waited for her to close the door before walking to the door and repeatedly turning the handle. The girl inside desperately gripped the shaking doorknob with both hands, struggling against the person outside. She was terrified and crying, but couldn't make a sound. The blade that had pierced her throat earlier had only damaged her vocal cords, not killed her.
Her throat was blocked with blood, making breathing difficult. The more she tried to breathe, the worse the sensation of oxygen deprivation became. The girl felt dizzy and weak. In her moment of slackening, the doorknob was pulled off, and the bathroom door swung open.
The girl's breathing was abnormally rapid; she was on the verge of fainting. Phinks picked up a bath towel at the bathroom entrance and covered her face, preventing her from hyperventilating further.
His years of practical experience in interrogation had equipped Phinks with numerous first-aid techniques. It wouldn't be fun if the other party died too quickly, would it?
The girl's hyperventilation was resolved. The tear-blurred eyes of the girl were not blue.
Finding a perfectly suitable prey was difficult; don't dwell too much on the details.
Besides, the color of the eyes could be fixed.
Phinks began to take off his cloak.
Milluki's clothes were half removed by Shalnark.
"In my eyes, you're still shy, aren't you? Well, I know it's for other reasons. You're not used to it." Shalnark grabbed the showerhead. "When I say I'm good at taking care of people, I mean it. I promise I won't do anything else."
"If we handle this place, it'll look much better," Phinks said, gripping the chef's knife and gouging out the girl's eyeballs in the bathtub. The girl, with her dislocated limbs, couldn't resist, opening her mouth in vain, unable to make a sound.
"You're quite lucky," Phinks picked up a necklace he had obtained during a previous troupe activity. It was a chain strung with moon-white pearls, with blue diamonds inlaid in silver flowers, emitting a faint glow under the light. Anyone could tell this necklace was very expensive. "This is for you."
The boss's reminder was clearly excessive. Whether to give it or not was his business, whether to accept it was the other party's business. Did these two matters… have any connection?
The ability to refuse was what mattered.
The girl with hollow eye sockets couldn't see what was wrapped around her neck. That thin, cold thing, she thought it was a snake, and a shiver ran through her body.
Milluki also trembled in the bathtub. Shalnark withdrew his hand. "As expected, the stimulation is still not enough. And you're always so reserved."
"So I've prepared some little props. Don't worry, they're just toys," Shalnark handed Milluki the bath towel, smiling mysteriously and playfully. "However, they've been adjusted and improved by me."
Milluki, wearing a nightgown, walked to the bedside. Shalnark had just dragged a large box from under the bed. "These are them. You can check them first."
"When we play later, you should cover your eyes," Shalnark dangled an eye mask in his hand. "It's good for loosening up."
"…"
The eye mask was placed over her eyes, and Milluki's vision was also obscured.
In the darkness, Shalnark said to Milluki.
In the darkness, Phinks said to the girl in the bathtub.
"Let's start doing something more exciting." x2