【Source Collection】Chaohua Collection

11

The old pendulum swayed slowly, making a slight friction sound, like an old man grinding his teeth in sleep.

The light in the room is dim, the doors are all closed, and some warm yellow light faints through the paper door.From a corner of the room came the sound of clothes rubbing and low panting.

"Brother, take off your shirt..."

The shirtless young man pushed his elder brother against the wall, impatiently kissing his Adam's apple and blue veins, sucking eager hickey marks on the healthy skin.

"Don't leave a hickey in a place like this."

Genji paused for a second, and then kissed Hanzo's side neck harder and deeper in anger, sucking and breaking the capillaries under his skin.

There was a strong fishy smell all over Hanzo's body, and his blood-stained haori and sword and bow were all thrown on the bamboo couch beside him, apparently he had just returned from work.

Ever since he impulsively went to Yangwu to find Genji on the night of the sacrifice, and was seduced by his younger brother and made a delirious sacrifice, the tacit taboo between them has lasted for eight years.

The second young master of the Shimada family is no longer wandering around, drunk and dreaming, because he no longer needs to aimlessly find ways to fill his desires.

He's already got the best avenues.

Genji's desire for sex—or for his brother's body—became endless, like an insatiable glutton. If Hanzo didn't stop him, he could have sex with his brother anytime, anywhere, until he was exhausted until.

There is no more questioning, no more unwilling shouting, no one needs to torture their own sincerity, no need to whip the other party to ask for a response, and they no longer talk about righteousness and ethics, nor the future of tomorrow.

In sex, everything sinks into a black quagmire, everything sleeps in a secluded dream.

His black hair was scattered in front of his forehead, as if the night had covered his face, Hanzo's eyes did not fall on Genji, he reached out and clutched the skirt of his clothes tightly: "Don't take it off, just do it if you want to."

The green-haired young man's face was illuminated by a ray of sunlight, his bright pupils were translucent amber, he reached out and pressed Hanzo's abdomen, Hanzo snorted unexpectedly, he knew Genji's eyes were falling on his pale face face.

Genji yanked open the hem of his shirt, revealing circles and circles of blood-stained bandages under the torn fabric.

Enraged by his offensive gesture, Hanzo raised his hand and gave Genji a slap. He panted slightly, and with the movement of his abdominal muscles, more red spread out from the blood stain, like a cluster of more and more blooming Han Feiying.

He could see what a serious wound it was.

As Hanzo gradually accepted most of the family's affairs, the tasks he dealt with became more and more dangerous. Not long ago, his elder brother experienced a life-and-death fight, with a blade or bullet piercing his muscles, picking him apart. The vertical and horizontal blood vessels in his body opened several gaps in his body.This time it was the abdomen, and maybe sometime in the future it would hit the left chest, robbing him of his heartbeat forever.

But he has to go through life and death, glory and fame drive him to fight and encourage him to dedicate himself.

"Stop going out on missions yourself, brother."

Hanzo lowered his head, dizzy from the excessive blood loss, he was silent for a long time, and waited for such an expected persuasion, Hanzo didn't answer, he hummed vaguely.

Then Genji's trembling fiery and chapped lips were printed on his lips, as if he was kissing a ball of fire, kissing the iron that melted into flames but was still unshakable.

12

The next day, there was news of the branch family who defected a few days ago. The hiding place was not far from Hanamura. Everyone in the family believed that it should be cleared immediately, but considering Hanzo's injuries, some personnel replacements were needed.

The young master of the Shimada family has always set an example, rejected the arrangement of recuperation without any accident, and counted his subordinates in the early morning to prepare for the mission.

It was another cloudy and gloomy morning, Hanzo put on his ironed black suit, walked to the gate of the court with a knife on his back, only to see Genji, also in a neat suit, leading a group of people waiting for him.

He had never seen Genji, who was always casual and unruly, dressed so formally, and a feeling of unreality arose in his heart.

Genji came to his side, glanced at his eyes, left behind a thousand words, and then followed his footsteps out of the gate of Shimada's house.

Hanzo was walking on the moss-covered flying stones, and some light from the gaps in the thick cumulus clouds fell on his feet, and the light faded as soon as he stepped on it.

The appearance of Genji became a visual remnant in Hanzo's mind. His hair was still vibrant green, but his soul was imprisoned in the black clothes. He picked up the knife and set foot on the bloody road of no return with his brother. .

The young master, who was supposed to be relieved by this, only felt his footsteps getting heavier and heavier. For a moment, he felt that he was the owner who clipped the feathers of the sparrow, and the sinner who killed the vitality and freedom.

But it was only for a moment, like an insignificant out of tune.

After all, in his heart, the honor and responsibility closely related to the family is the eternal and immortal theme.

***

The fierce battle to annihilate the rebels did not end until the afternoon. This was a well-planned trap with ulterior motives. Hanzo lost most of his manpower. Fortunately, there was an extra Genji today, so they were not completely wiped out and defeated when they were caught off guard.

The narrow alleys under the setting sun are full of corpses lying horizontally, and the winding bloodstains spread along the terrain, like the intertwined roots of a big tree, and the gray and white walls are covered with shocking bloodstains.

The light of the sunset fell through the interlaced electric wires in mid-air, and shone in this square inch of hell. Those hideous faces that were frozen before their tragic death were shrouded in the blood-red setting sun, and the soft light was blurred, like the afterimage of the dead who left their bodies.

All the injured team members were picked up by those who came to respond and sent for treatment, and some investigators were left to clean up the aftermath.

Hanzo put away his knife and walked into the alley, waving his hands to reject the doctor's inquiries and his subordinates' concern. He walked quickly all the way, leaving the place where there were living people, and went deep into the dead body, at the end of the alley.

The wind blew up his black hair scattered on his shoulders, and the bleeding wound on his face no longer hurt, and the fine blood beads were diffused in the warm wind before they could drip off.

He walked around the corner, and a rusty, tall iron door appeared in front of him, with some dull green paint remaining on the uneven red rust.

Genji was sitting on the stairs next to him. His face was scratched, which was the mark left by the fierce battle just now. He hugged Long Yiwen, watching the residual heat of the late scorching sun dissipate in the distance, roasting the sky red, like molten iron. , into a new horizon.

He took off his black suit jacket, and undid a few buttons of his white shirt stained with other people's blood, revealing his strong chest.

Hanzo, who couldn't bear to break the tranquility at the moment, stopped behind Genji.

Genji had never meddled in family affairs before this, nor had he used his favorite knife to kill anyone against his will.The Bushido in his heart is holy and should not be touched by profit and power. Although others regard this as childish and naive, as his elder brother, Hanzo can understand a thing or two about his mind.

But now he has rebelled against his Word.

"Brother, do you know where it is over there?"

Hanzo stared at his handsome profile in the afterglow, without answering.

"Out of this door, one more street is Hanamura."

"I used to travel around this area a lot, and I stumbled upon this shortcut, which connects two blocks."

"If I hadn't found this place by chance, I might still have to walk several streets to get to Huacun."

The iron gate was very high, about two stories high. Hanzo looked up and found that there were some sharp thorns on the top of the gate. Apparently Genji didn't have a key, so he could only cross the high gate by climbing over the top.

"It's too dangerous."

Hanzo shook his head.

"Follow me to Huacun."

Genji was deaf to his words, and proposed with a smile.

The second young master of Shimada's family was vigorous and fast, and climbed up the iron gate in two or three strokes. He turned his head and looked up at his elder brother, his eyes were still clear and hot, and he was about to jump down, as if Hanzo's promise was the last sentence that could bring him back to life. spell.

His soul that believes in freedom and love has never really died, even though Hanzo stabbed him time and time again and strangled him, even though he was determined not to have sincere and pure love, but he still could not deceive himself—he was still full of love. Looking forward, unwilling to build a coffin for yourself.

A bell sounded faintly in the distance, flocks of birds flapped their wings and flew from the eaves into the burning red clouds, the too bright sunlight hurt Hanzo's eyes, he opened them slightly, feeling like he was about to shed tears.

He sighed, and followed Genji through the door.

Genji seemed to be back in his teens, holding Hanzo's hand and running all the way down the clean and tidy downhill, into the streets of Hanamura.Pedestrians kept their distance when they saw their dark suits and blood-stained wounds, but Genji still introduced Hanzo to the shops along the street without knowing it.

"All the highest records of video game stores on this street are held by me, and no one can surpass them so far."

"That ramen shop is delicious, even though the location is hidden, it is always full of customers."

Listening to his casual narration, Hanzo slowly realized how much Genji's growth experience he had missed.Hanamura is strange to him, just like the Shimada family is strange to Genji.

The grocery store close to work pulled down the gate, and the booming sound startled the sparrows playing on the wires nearby.

The palms of Genji and his elder brother were clasped tightly, and Hanzo could feel the wet and cold sweat in Genji's palms. These hands were once petite and soft, but they were only the size of palms in Hanzo's hands, but after they grew up, they were strong and rough, tight He held Hanzo's waist and stroked every inch of his body.

Pedestrians on suspended bicycles and multi-storey buses passed by them, and the straight crimson cherry trees were in full bloom, looking like a sea of ​​flowers.

Crowds of female high school students wearing knee-length skirts and carrying small schoolbags ran across the street, and shouted excitedly and shyly after taking a peek at the two.

The two brothers slowed down their pace, and Genji didn't speak any more, just walked silently as the red sun faded into the night, and the glow of the sun was extinguished at the end of the world.

Under the crimson sky, Genji turned his head and stared at his elder brother, his gaze was still serious and focused as always.

He said, "Leave, brother, leave with me."

"You shouldn't be asking me this question, Genji."

"No, this is the last time, tell me, the last answer in your heart."

Genji clenched his fingers so tightly that it almost hurt Hanzo, he raised his head, but still couldn't see Genji's backlighting expression clearly.But Hanzo vaguely sensed Genji's abnormal seriousness and solemnity.

This made Hanzo feel afraid of this relationship for the first time.

His younger brother leaned his forehead against his, and their noses touched, Genji whispered, "It doesn't matter if you don't want to, I will always be by your side, no matter heaven or hell, life and death can't separate us."

"I'd rather die than live alone."

Even the pitch-black sky descended overwhelmingly, eroding the last sunset glow, as if urging his decision, if he couldn't speak, he would be left in the night forever.

The last wind of summer was still warm, passing between the fingers and between the lips and noses of the two of them, the wind almost stopped, Hanzo opened his eyes wide, and the murmur that echoed countless times in his heart became louder and louder.

The voice was so deafening that he couldn't hear the main theme of the tune.

Take me away.

To the time and space where tomorrow and the past do not exist,

Go to a world where life and death and fate cannot be grasped.

He opened his mouth, but before he could even utter the first syllable, he was blocked by an abrupt kiss.

Genji hugged his elder brother's waist fiercely, and kissed him deeply and long, the pleasure of entwining lips and tongue was almost comparable to sexual intercourse, this time Hanzo did not refuse, but kissed back with the same ferocious force, and tasted it soon The fishy smell of rust.

After a long time, Genji let go, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, closed his eyes and said: "I thought about it, but I still dare not listen to my brother's answer."

But the wind still stopped, dusk finally came, all the street lamps were turned on, and Hanzo who had turned away looked like a lonely soul on the side of the road.

His voice was low and rough.

"Don't ask."

13

It was already late at night when the two returned to Shimada's house, but there were still lamps for them in the hall. From a distance, it looked like an isolated island in the water, and also like a brightly lit tomb.

On the wall facing the center of the lobby is the huge calligraphy and painting with a dragon head and a snake tail. Several elders of the Shimada family are sitting in it to discuss matters. The daimyo is not in good health recently and has been recuperating for a long time. Showed up.

Hanzo walked into the hall to say hello to the elders, while Genji stopped in the dark not far behind him, bowed his head and held the knife, like an outsider who had nothing to do with himself.

The old Hojo suddenly mentioned Genji's name during the conversation, and he was full of praise for his performance, and the two beside Hojo began to echo.

"If it weren't for the second young master to help me today, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to be kind."

The young master slightly raised his eyes and looked at them in astonishment. The elders were talking to themselves, and their expressions were strange under the dim light, like ferocious statues of cannibal gods, politely discussing whether to eat the hands first or not. foot.

Saito and the other elders have always admired Hanzo and sneered at the second ancestor of the Shimada family. These few responded indifferently, and there was a hint of hostility in their words.

"That's just the job of the second young master. It's great that he can learn to take up his own responsibilities."

"Mr. Saito, don't be too negative. The second young master has been smart and brave since he was a child, and he will definitely become the sole head of the family in the future."

Originally, everyone had tacitly determined that Hanzo would be the next successor of the Shimada family, but Hojo's words disturbed the calm lake water, and made everyone start to weigh the situation that was about to come.

Of course Hanzo understood their intentions. He originally thought that he could avoid the struggle for power by taking over all the family affairs with one hand, but things went against his expectations.

There was some indescribable panic in his heart, he was afraid that Genji would catch the branch protruding from Hojo, and he was afraid that Genji would be stirred into a futile melee.

Genji in the past would not do this, but now Genji has been elusive to Hanzo, his body is calm, filled with hysterical madness, like a spring rain full of variables, and thunder and lightning will fall at an unknown time.

Hanzo turned his head slightly to see Genji's expression, but he couldn't see Genji's eyes that couldn't see the light clearly.

His younger brother raised his head, smiled unexpectedly, and said, "Mr. Hojo is over the top."

14

The daimyo of the Shimada family is dead.

The news that spread like wildfire sounded like the death knell of Shimada City, and the lingering sound was hard to dissipate under the cloudy sky.

People in plain clothes and black clothes came in and out of the Shimada family's mansion, the sound of monks chanting sutras could be faintly heard, and everyone was silent and busy.

The daimyo's death was sudden and hasty, without even leaving any will about the heir.

Hanzo was extremely unfamiliar with his father, he let both Hanzo and Genji go his own way without any restraint, and he didn't know whether the current situation was in his expectation.

No one understands his mind, Hanzo is no exception.

And Hanzo didn't mourn the father-son relationship with too much sorrow, and most of his thoughts were spent on controlling the situation after the death of the daimyo.

Wearing a black yukata, Hanzo walked through Hiroen, holding a white candle in his hand, the light was dim, and he walked through the rain with him.The cypresses in the yard were soaked by the fine rain, and their color turned dark green. The branches were dying, but there were no new buds around. The smell of incense and soil enveloped the entire Shimada family.

As the young master, he had to stay in the mansion to watch for his father on the day of the funeral, and all tasks were handed over to Genji to go out.Now it is well known that Hojo and his henchmen want to support Genji and compete with Hanzo for the succession of the patriarch.

Hanzo saw the courtyard of the pavilion with red beams and pillars all the way, and the servants bowed their heads to say hello and passed him by. The bricks and tiles of the Shimada family are all things passed down from generation to generation. Loyalty and Tao in his flesh and blood.

He had already chosen self-sacrifice, just like the samurai of the Shimada family for generations.Hanzo understands his own path, even if it is shaken by Genji, he will eventually run towards his destiny without hesitation, even if the end is a quagmire that will never be restored.

And Genji shouldn't end up in the same end as him, nor should he fight for the shackles of succession with him in a moment of confusion. Sadly, he couldn't stop Genji.

He was so tired that nothing could stop him.

***

↓

i'm a piece of meat

↑

15

The Hanfei cherry tree in the yard has been standing there silently since the Shimada family owned the land. The red cherry blossoms fall and float through the four seasons, witnessing the legends of the Shimada family from generation to generation.

Hanzo and Genji used to play around here when they were young.

Genji was active and flexible since he was a child, and Hanzo still vaguely remembers Genji climbing up the cherry tree happily showing him his newly learned ninjutsu.

The brown sparrow feathers slowly fell on his palm, and Hanzo looked at the red cherry blossoms and the morning sun in the sky, and said angrily, "Come down quickly."

"Young master, I really want to chop this tree down..."

Hanzo stood on the corridor, holding his favorite knife in his hand. He took a last look at the dead cherry trees in the yard that had passed their flowering period, and said to the hesitant workers, "Cut it off."

Then he went to the mourning hall of the daimyo to sit quietly, the sound of chanting sutras and the fragrance of lotus flowers lingered around him, but his heart was still unable to calm down until the loud sound of a big tree falling to the ground faintly heard in the distance.

Hanzo closed his eyes, frowning deeply.

Something in his heart also collapsed, maybe it was the high wall or gate that Genji had wanted to climb with him.

Now Hanzo has destroyed all of this with his own hands, cut off the road to tomorrow, and turned everything into a lifeless cemetery. As he retreated into the night, he became a dark tide, slapping and pushing away and grasping himself. Put Genji.

Recently, Genji has been running around outside, dealing with various forces. In the eyes of outsiders, he just wants to compete with Hanzo for power, but only Hanzo understands the absurdity of his original intention.

Several elders also said something euphemistically to Hanzang in a circumstantial manner, nothing more than wanting him to suppress and restrain the arrogant Genji.

But Hanzo still guarded the spirit indifferently, he was waiting, and Genji was waiting, even if they both knew, no one would change their minds.

Until the day of the funeral finally arrived, the choice of heir was imminent.Everyone changed into Zhuang Su's black clothes again, and performed the final ceremony.

When he walked through the torii gate again, Hanzo walked side by side with Genji, and his peripheral vision glanced at the scriptures on the red beams, which are Buddhist scriptures that calm the soul. While mourning the dead, they also pay tribute to them.

All sentient beings in Jambudva, every thought and thought is nothing but karma.

Hojo and the others followed behind Genji, he had grown wings, Hanzo looked at his lowered eyes, calm face, his feelings for him became more and more blurred, he was almost out of control.

The shrine is located in the middle of the mountain, and the daimyo's wooden coffin was placed in the open space. The monks stood around and chanted scriptures, and the rest of the people all retreated. At this moment, the elders had a dispute.

The sky was drizzling with drizzle, and it was so gloomy that it could not shed a ray of light. The wind in the mountains howled, passing through the forest, as if weeping.

"Genji didn't have the consciousness to inherit the Shimada family at all. I can't watch this family lose in his hands."

"The actions of the second young master these days are obvious to all. It must be Mr. Saito who insists on his own opinion."

"Since he was young, he was ignorant, and when he grew up, he spent a lot of time, and even the power of the dragon god did not favor him, not to mention inheriting. This kind of person is simply ashamed to be the blood of the Shimada family."

The hoarse and fierce quarrels of the elders were interrupted by Genji's drawing of the sword, and the green-glowing Long Yiwen came out of its sheath together with Long Xiao. No one saw his movement. In almost an instant, Genji had already stuck the blade on Saito On his neck, the brilliance and roar of the dragon struck with invincible momentum.

After the light dissipated, Genji saw Hanzo standing in front of Saito. His elder brother was wearing a dark mourning dress, and he drew his sword to block his cut.

The heavier and heavier rain drenched Hanzo, and there was a faint blue light in front of him, but his eyes were dim, and his gaze fell to the ground.

Those words that heralded farewell and execution tormented Hanzo day and night. He dreamed that he killed Genji again and again, or that Genji killed him again and again, until he could not distinguish between day and night, dream and reality. .

He is afraid of the destination of fate, he resists, he deals with it, he submits to it, but he still can't escape the same goal by different routes.

But after saying that sentence at this moment, he was finally relieved.

"Fight me in a duel, Genji."

16

When Hanzo's blade pierced Kaiyuan's chest, the blood splashed out in the rain and scattered, like scattered cold crimson cherry blossoms, shockingly red.

Hanzo's sword was very steady, facing the position of Genji's left chest and heart, he used the same ruthless technique to penetrate countless people, this is a fatal wound that has no possibility of survival.

Everyone around was silent, witnessing the tragedy of this bloody fight.

There were too many emotions in Genji's eyes, including his unspoken questioning, unbelievable surprise, and unwilling resentment, all of which were extinguished by the downpour of rain in an instant, leaving a loose tranquility in the end.

He knelt down on one knee slowly, inserted the knife into the soil to support his dying body, and let out a final scream.He reached out and broke off the blade on his chest abruptly, making his palms bloody and bloody.

Hanzo's face was covered with rain, he stared at the struggling Genji, shaking the broken knife in his hand.

Genji vomited blood uncontrollably, he stretched out his palm and squeezed Hanzo's wrist for the last time, the red and warm liquid splashed into the soil.

His lips and teeth were opened and closed, but there was no sound, but Hanzo knew what he was talking about.

"Brother, look, the cherry blossoms are blooming, come with me."

Hanzo witnessed Genji retreating and falling off the cliff, and witnessed Genji's life slipping away under his knife, leaving only scarlet blood on the ground.He could no longer hear any sound, and his world was dead.

His beliefs, his dogmas, his ambitions, and his responsibilities have all become so ridiculous and insignificant.

Genji has never been his distraction, but a part of flesh and blood.

Someone had already started calling him his daimyo, but Hanzo just gently removed the golden headband around his wrist and tied back his wet black hair.

***

That night, a big fire broke out at Shimada's house. The raging fire burned the night sky red, and even the rain couldn't extinguish the fire that burned everything.

The heir of the Shimada family also disappeared after killing his younger brother.

The old Hanfei cherry tree was left with only a solitary stump, which was also burned to the ground in the fire. With its scorched body, it witnessed the end of the day for the Shimada family.

17

Everything is withering, I know their roots are rotting, but I miss the flowers that fade and the thorns that sting me.

Until now I finally uprooted them, and the dead petals scattered in the wind, as if speaking to me.

It's windy, live well.