World of Rules

...

The head of the Shu family sighed deeply, his body still trembling despite his efforts to stay composed. He had survived… but he didn’t feel alive.

Those eyes, those words… They were etched into his mind like wounds that would never heal.

But there was no time to dwell on it. He had to return to the city.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he felt something strange.

The atmosphere… was different.

The air was heavy, as if something invisible was pressing down on everyone’s chest. The streets were not as lively as usual, and the murmurs among merchants and soldiers were low, tense—like everyone was walking on the edge of a blade.

People spoke, but there was no laughter.

The buildings stood silent, yet the shadows they cast seemed longer than they should be.

It was as if the city itself was holding its breath.

But it didn’t last long.

Chaos erupted.

There was no warning—no drums, no calls for alert.

Just one scream.

Then another.

Then, like wildfire, panic spread.

"The Han family lords…! They’ve all been killed!"

"It wasn’t a battle! They weren’t just killed… They were wiped out!"

"Who did this?! How?!"

Shouts, fear, suspicion spread among the noble families. Everyone pointed fingers at each other. Even those who had no ties to the Han family knew—this event would shift the balance of power in the island.

…

Shu wasted no time.

He made his way to the harbor, determined to leave this madness behind and return to Burning Coral Island.

The sea was calm, in stark contrast to the city. The ships rested peacefully, and the sound of the waves was the only thing that remained unchanged amid the chaos.

He boarded the ship quickly, avoiding conversation with the sailors. Soon, the ship set sail, heading south.

Inside his cabin, he finally felt like he could breathe.

But… he wasn’t alone.

Suddenly, the air in the room turned cold.

Before he could even react, a black shadow stretched from the dark corner, as if the darkness itself had taken a living form.

And from that shadow, Di emerged.

There was no sound.

No door opening.

No creaking of the floorboards.

He simply appeared.

Shu trembled instantly, his body stiffening by instinct.

"You…!"

Di didn’t move. His dark eyes never left Shu for even a second.

Then, in a calm voice—one that carried a suffocating weight—he said:

"There are others on this ship."

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.

Shu swallowed hard. He didn’t even dare to deny it.

"Yes…"

"Either kill them, or drive them off."

Silence fell.

This wasn’t a request.

It was an order—cold, inhuman.

Shu’s breath quickened, his mind racing to make sense of this insanity.

"But… why? There’s no need to—"

"No need?"

Di took a step forward.

Shu felt as if death itself was approaching him.

The room felt smaller. The air heavier.

"I don’t want anyone else on this ship."

His words were simple.

But they carried a death sentence.

"If you insist on keeping them…"

Di paused. Then, in a voice that was low yet terrifying, he added:

"I will count you among them."

Shu felt his blood freeze.

There was no argument.

No chance to negotiate.

Either he obeyed… or he would join the others at the bottom of the sea.

He trembled, his hands shaking, his mind screaming for a way out.

But he found none.

"A… Alright."

A faint smile appeared on Di’s lips.

But it wasn’t human.

Then… he stepped back into the shadows and disappeared as if he had never been there.

Only the sound of the sea remained… and the trembling body of Shu.

He had survived once again.

But he no longer knew if he deserved to.

---

The night was dark. The sea was calm. But on the ship… there was no peace.

"Get off the ship! Now!!"

Shu’s voice was filled with anger—or perhaps fear. He held his sword tightly, his eyes darting wildly between the crew and passengers who stood frozen in shock and terror.

"But… what’s happening?!" one of the sailors cried, his face pale.

But Shu wasn’t in the mood to explain.

"Either you jump… or—"

He raised his sword, dried blood still clinging to its edge.

He didn’t need to finish his sentence.

The screaming began.

Panic overtook the ship.

The sailors and passengers, realizing this was not an empty threat, backed away. Some began to plead, but there was no time for mercy.

"I won’t die here!"

With a desperate shout, one man jumped overboard.

Then another.

Then another…

The sound of bodies hitting the water echoed again and again—like stones being tossed into a bottomless well.

Even those who couldn’t swim didn’t dare stay behind.

Within minutes… the ship was empty.

It drifted quietly on the sea’s surface, the blood that had been spilled earlier now drying in the night air.

Finally, silence fell.

Shu stood there, staring into nothingness, his hands still shaking.

Then, slowly, he turned around.

He didn’t need to look.

But he did.

Di was there.

Standing amidst the shadows, as if he wasn’t human—but a being made of nothingness itself.

"See? It wasn’t difficult."

His voice wasn’t mocking.

It wasn’t even amused.

It was simply the truth.

Shu didn’t respond.

How could he?

…

Time passed.

Under the dark sky, the ship sailed across the vast sea.

No captain.

No crew.

Only two passengers.

There was no one left to steer.

No one left to guide it.

And in the end… there was no choice.

Shu did it himself.

Dragging his exhausted body, he took hold of the wheel and began guiding the ship toward Burning Coral Island.

…

By dawn, the island appeared on the horizon.

Burning Coral Island lived up to its name.

The rising sun reflected off the nearby coral reefs, making the waters look as if they were set ablaze.

But to Shu, there was no beauty in the sight.

The sea looked like blood.

The air felt like it carried the whispers of the dead.

The ship finally docked at the shore.

Neither of them spoke.

Shu didn’t look back.

He didn’t even try to see if Di was still there.

He simply vanished into the shadows—returning to his family as if nothing had happened.

But he knew.

He knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

...