This strike was swift, accurate, and ruthless.
Li Qi instinctively sidestepped to evade, his hand moving towards A hao's neck—this was muscle memory honed by a thousand trials, his body reacting before his mind.
However, to his surprise, A hao did not dodge.
He voluntarily leaned into the glimmering blade, letting his neck graze Li Qi's knife edge.
"Psshhh—"
Blood gushed out, instantly splattering all over Li Qi's face. Warm blood drops speckled his face, carrying a metallic, rusty odor.
Li Qi stood dazedly, as if he had been put under a spell of immobilization.
A smile slowly emerged on A hao's face—a smile not of relief, but of acceptance.
"A hao!"
Li Qi rushed forward, catching A hao's faltering body in his arms, one hand pressing desperately against the wound on A hao's neck. The blood was too much; it gushed through his fingers, unstoppable, uncontainable. His eyes turned red, uncontrollable tears mixing with the blood on his face.
"Why... why would you do this?"
