Evil Emperor Zun

Chapter 2030 Baili Ji and Cain's Past

Baili Ji finally arrived at the cage of the Devouring Clan.

Since the other party had gone to great lengths to send him an invitation, he naturally had to come and take a look.

Looking at the ugly, menacing creatures in front of him, he didn't hesitate about which one to choose and immediately spread his divine sense to cover them all.

The moment their souls connected, his consciousness merged into a pitch-black space.

This must be the spiritual sea of ​​consciousness of the Devouring Clan. Upon arriving here, Baili Ji finally gained a deeper understanding of what Chen Shiyu meant when he said that "the Devouring Clan is a unified whole."

Whether in adult or juvenile form, they possess the same spiritual sea of ​​consciousness. In other words, they share the same consciousness.

Now, that consciousness, representing the entire space itself, is sending him a friendly signal.

"Hehe, Lord Baili Ji, you've finally come to speak with me. I've been waiting for you."

This was the first time Baili Ji had heard the Devouring Clan use language so clearly. Although it was only a signal of consciousness, not something he had directly "spoken," Baili Ji was still deeply shocked. It was hard to imagine that these deformed monsters were speaking.

"Please forgive me for not yet having a complete form and therefore not being able to appear before you. However, I believe that the day we officially meet is not too far away."

He meant that he would soon emerge as a king, which aligns with what Zhoujian Shuo said.

Baili Ji steadied himself and sent a response through his mind:
"It's alright, I never expected you to be a beauty anyway."

"Say what you want to say now."

Even though it was just a thought, the arrogance and frivolity floating on it were still clearly conveyed.

"Lord Baili Ji's reaction is quite indifferent. I originally thought this would be a meeting we had been looking forward to for a long time."

"As you wish, I will answer your questions."

“You are observing us, and we are observing you. You are the most intelligent one in this group, and I admire you very much.”

Baili Jimo responded calmly: "I think you say that to everyone."

The king's mind laughed: "No, no, so far, I have only had such an equal conversation with you, which proves my sincerity."

"Lord Baili Ji can absolutely believe in his own specialness. You are known as the 'man favored by the calamities of heaven'."

He earned this title ever since he survived Ye Yunyan's revenge battle. The term has two meanings: one refers to his ability to survive one inevitable calamity after another, while the other, "calamity of heaven," refers to Cain, a metaphor for "calamity of the laws of heaven and earth." The rest can be understood literally.

Baili Ji didn't like this assessment. He didn't want to be seen as someone merely protected by Cain; he wanted his backer to be himself. Therefore, when the King's Will delivered this comment with a hint of mockery, he was certain that anger was welling up within him.

Correspondingly, the emotional fluctuations of the king's will became more joyful.

"Now you understand why I chose you, right?"

"I am an existence that heaven and earth cannot tolerate, while you, without me saying it outright, we both understand that heaven will not destroy you. As long as we are connected through a soul contract, my life will be guaranteed, and you can obtain the kingly power you desire. How about it, aren't we well-suited for a mutually beneficial cooperation?"

That guy did say that... At that moment, Baili Ji almost subconsciously recalled something.

……

There was indeed a unique bond between him and Cain.

At first, he didn't know the identity of the Calamity of Heaven; he was the one who foolishly provoked Cain. But later, that guy became entangled with him, turning into a hot potato that he couldn't shake off.

……

In its initial state, Cain had no physical form, no gender, and no preferred appearance. He walked the world alone, pitying the suffering of all beings, yet hating himself for being forced to bring them suffering.

He was the embodiment of the law, capable of remaining perfectly pure and untouched by any stain. Yet, as he walked across the ravaged land, he accepted the endless stream of blood, fire, and filth, allowing them to remain on his face and body. In his eyes, this was his sin.

He didn't want to associate with ordinary people. He knew everyone's fate. Many of those he brushed past at this moment would later be the ones he personally brought to disaster. Interactions created feelings, and farewells were all the more sorrowful. He would rather bury a group of strangers than cover the faces of old friends with yellow earth.

His only companion was a little ferret. It wasn't a real animal, but rather an aggregate of light elements—when the light or evil energy in a place becomes concentrated to a certain degree, it can condense into form and give birth to sentience. Such a creature was half of Cain's kind, possessing endless life as well, and not subject to karmic retribution, allowing him to raise and cherish it with peace of mind.

Meeting Baili Ji was an accident.

That day, a group of temporarily formed interstellar pirates had just pulled off a heist and were gathered in town drinking and celebrating, while also discussing their next operation. Cain, disguised as a dirty, mute little man, was pulled into the group by Baili Ji as they passed by.

This group will soon be wiped out in the upcoming treasure hunt. Only the one who invited him will survive. And that person is unaware that he has just brought death into the group. Cain's sorrowful gaze swept over the excited faces. This was his first time being so close to his target group, being among them—something he had desperately wanted to avoid.

The only saving grace is that these people are all despicable villains who deserve to die. It's because such people exist all over the world that the concentration of malice remains high, forcing innocent people to bear the brunt of divine punishment in their place, and plunging themselves into such a tragic fate. If it were them, even a brief encounter wouldn't bring sadness for them, so perhaps it's alright.

Baili Ji's initial intention was just a whim, just as he would sometimes feel like befriending ordinary people in Tiantan. However, both his kindness and his fickle nature were equally unpredictable.

During that time, he took good care of Cain. He would give him clean and nice clothes to wear, share delicious food with him, and joke around with him, even though Cain was always silent. He still treated him like an important companion.

Cain had never experienced such a relationship. In the past, his ragged clothes and gloomy, melancholic demeanor were enough to deter anyone from even approaching him. Never before had anyone shown such intense interest in him, so easily breaching the high walls of thorns he had built, leaving their mark on his sinful life, which should never have existed in the first place, leaving him bewildered.

Understanding and getting along are two different things. He probably knew Baili Ji better than Baili Ji himself, and Baili Ji wasn't the type to inspire any affection in him. But as they spent time together, especially since Baili Ji was the "only one" with whom he had a deep connection, he couldn't deny that special bond. Gradually, the world in his eyes became divided into "him" and "others."

His gaze began to follow him for extended periods, and even when caught, he wouldn't look away, just staring intently, his eyes brimming with an unbearable sorrow, as if they were about to break. Baili Ji, unaware of the reason, felt even more that he was a pitiful little thing who needed to be protected.

From some point onward, when Cain looked at Baili Ji again, he felt from the bottom of his heart, "It's so good that he can live."

Until the appointed day arrived, this entire group was wiped out in the secret realm. Standing on the ruins after everything was over, Cain revealed his identity to him. Then, as always, he gazed at him with sorrow and earnestly asked:

"Now, do you still want me to continue being your companion?"

That innocent and beautiful face made Baili Ji furious. If he could, he would have chopped him up without feeling any satisfaction.

"Is it too late for me to tell you to get as far away from me as possible?"

Actually, it makes no difference whether this guy is in the group or not. Even if I hadn't invited him, he would still go to the same destination with them and bring disaster upon them at the finish line.

He didn't care at all about the total annihilation. Whether it was his temporary comrades or Cain, they were all cannon fodder he could discard at any time. But he just couldn't suppress the inexplicable irritation in his heart.

Perhaps it was because he realized that the pitiful person he thought he was bestowing friendship upon was actually the one standing at the very top of the world. In the other person's presence, he felt like he'd been made a fool of. The thought that the guy clearly knew everything, was probably laughing at his arrogance in his heart, yet could still put on that pitiful face, infuriated him.

As he trudged through the ruins, searching for his flying machine, Cain remained with him, his expression and tone unchanged.

"Don't worry. You have a long life ahead of you. I am merely an executor of the laws of nature and cannot defy the 'rules' themselves. I pose no threat to you."

Baili Ji's face was gloomy, and every step he took exuded an air of ruthlessness: "Have you ever heard the saying, 'A toad on your foot won't bite, but it's disgusting'?" Then, remembering that his identity meant he was omniscient, he added mockingly, "Yes, you definitely know that."

There was a long silence behind him. When Cain spoke again, he did not show any displeasure at being offended. He remained calm, but the ever-present sorrow was like the pale mist swirling in the mountains, so heavy that it could not be ignored.

Is that all?

This question was strange, and even Baili Ji stopped and turned around to look at him: "...What?" Cain's gaze was no different from before, but it seemed to have something more complicated about it.

"If you knew how much self-loathing I experience every moment, your assessment would even be considered kind."

"Besides pain, I can't bring anything more to this world. Only when I'm in contact with you and interact with you can I briefly break free from my own identity and exist in another form and meaning, beyond being a disaster. Even though you're annoyed by me, this 'self' that I felt for the first time because of you is still the moment that brings me closest to being an ordinary person."

Just as a drowning person desperately craving a breath of oxygen, he also longed to live like an ordinary person, where every heartbeat is not a debt to anyone.

The embodiment of the laws of heaven and earth was actually expressing that he was very dependent on him and wanted to continue traveling with him, which was a complete surprise to Baili Ji. However, after staring into those eyes and remaining silent for a long time, he finally swallowed the malice that was about to be uttered.

……

Since then, Cain has maintained the appearance he had when they first met, and his attire has become befitting of his noble status. The existence of the incarnation of the Heavenly Dao gradually ceased to be a secret within high-ranking circles.

The person who was admired, feared, disliked, or curious by many people hadn't changed at all. He remained closed off, refusing to interact with others.

He would appear by Baili Ji's side without any hesitation. This time, it was him who talked incessantly, while the other party ignored him. Nevertheless, Cain still regarded him as his "anchor" for living in the world, just as he had said before. He persistently sought to communicate with him and tell him about the good and bad fortune of his journey.

"Your generosity makes me suspect a conspiracy." Baili Ji was unmoved. "According to the nature of Heaven, heavenly secrets should not be revealed, right? Is it alright to tell me this like this? You don't mean to make me offend the heavens, do you?"

Cain followed him calmly, only when he looked at him did a glimmer of life appear in his eyes: "No matter what I say, you won't listen to me. Fate hasn't changed because of this."

That's true. Even if people knew the outcome beforehand, most would still choose the path their hearts desired, rather than the correct one. This is especially true for those who are already defiant of fate, who are more likely to be provoked into rebellion.

Baili Ji accepted this explanation, followed by a cold laugh: "Is this your twisted sense of humor, letting others know what they've missed?"

Cain didn't elaborate; he only responded with one key phrase: "No. Just you."

The only person I'll remind is you.

He speaks very directly. Most people hone their language skills to gain more benefits in interpersonal communication, but he doesn't have that need. He only wants to communicate with one person, so he only conveys his most genuine thoughts to that person.

At times like these, Baili Ji would often find himself at a loss for words.

……

After all, it was a "retribution" in human form, especially for someone like Baili Ji who had committed many evils. His view of Kaiyin was the same as that of the Black Dragon later on: bad luck.

Baili Ji had tried to get rid of him more than once.

"It's quite uncomfortable for the great laws of heaven and earth to follow me around all day," he once complained half-jokingly. "I never thought even calamities would have a chick complex?"

The "baby bird complex" refers to a deep and unforgettable emotional attachment that people form when they first encounter a person or thing, due to specific emotional experiences, much like a small animal's affection for the first animal it sees.

If Cain had met someone else first, he might have found solace in that person as well. But such a "what if" doesn't exist.

"Then you should tone it down a bit." Cain replied expressionlessly to his sarcasm.

Baili Ji retorted, "What if I don't restrain myself?" Before he could answer, she put her arm around his shoulder, just like before, and provocatively moved closer to him.

"You'll be in a lot of pain, won't you? Watching me do whatever I want, but you still have to follow your damn heavenly rules and not punish me even a little bit. My sins will also increase the concentration of malice in the world, and then you'll have to punish those unlucky people who did nothing wrong."

"Is what I'm saying enough to clear up your misunderstanding of me? I am not your salvation. Staying by my side will only make you more miserable."

"But the thought of you being in so much pain makes me much happier." She patted his shoulder lightly twice, her cold expression softening again. "It's only fair that we reciprocate. You can't be the only one getting comfort from me. I need to have some fun too, right?"

Cain listened quietly as he finished speaking, just as he had always done, easily tolerating all the malice Cain had directed at him.

"If you want to confirm whether I will kill you, then my answer is no."

The two had now separated again, and Baili Ji still had a faint arrogant smile on his face: "What if I wanted you to 'get lost as soon as you understand'?"

Cain seemed to never show any other emotions; his eyes were calm and still, devoid of anger or disappointment. After a long pause, he uttered a seemingly irrelevant remark.

"You're not good at handling relationships other than those with subordinates and enemies, are you?"

His attitude was calm; he wasn't retaliating, but simply stating a fact in a calm manner.

It was a fact that he didn't have any relationships he could call "friends," and Baili Ji didn't care at all. But being declared so bluntly made him suddenly feel very uncomfortable.

Cain ignored his low spirits and continued speaking in a way that completely exceeded his expectations.

"I'm not good at it either."

"So, I want to learn how to be your friend."

……

This was on Baili Ji's spaceship. He casually poured himself a glass of wine, placed it on the bar, and pushed it towards Cain, who was sitting next to him.

"The laws of heaven and earth have become conscious, and their first thought is not to strike me dead with lightning, but to want to befriend me. It's unbelievable. I always thought that I was someone that the heavens could neither tolerate nor eliminate."

Judging from the atmosphere between the two at this moment, their relationship has improved a lot.

Cain quietly drank the wine offered to him, looking quite harmless.

In truth, he couldn't taste either the wine or the food. He was the law itself, and those delicacies and wines were essentially composed of elements of that law, like moving a string of data in a database. But because it was him who provided them, he would still drink them every time.

“You are not a good person for the world,” he replied calmly.

This was indeed his true feeling, and a mocking expression naturally appeared on Baili Ji's face. Yes, I'm a menace in your eyes, so why are you still so eager to get close to me?

"But the world won't be any better just because you're not here." Cain's expression at this moment was ambiguous; he was simply stating his true thoughts without intending to hurt anyone, but he also didn't consider anyone's feelings.

"I don't intend to form friendships with anyone else."

"Whatever their reason for approaching me, I can't help but feel guilty at the thought of what kind of existence they are going to do good for."

“If it were you, you would have to bear more sins than this one. Even if I brought this karma upon you, I would not feel sorry for you.”

That's really impolite of him. Baili Ji was almost laughing out of anger.

“Besides, you represent another side of me that is unattainable.” Cain said, taking the delicate, transparent wine bottle in front of him and pouring him a glass of wine as well.

“I cannot let the gears of fate turn because of me. My will is less than a speck of dust. Although you will make a mess of everything you go through, a part of me is drawn to your intense freedom. When I look at you, it is as if the part of my life that I am missing is being realized in you.”

……

It was probably from that time that Baili Ji tacitly allowed Cain to frequently linger around him, even though he would still put on a disgusted expression.

Of course, Baili Ji would never admit to calling this guy a friend. But this entanglement is indeed different from any other existing relationship, and he doesn't know how to define it.