Bizarre Honkai, a Wife-Chasing Crematorium

"Tsk!" Li Mo whirled around, shielding Mei, his gun aimed at the bushes. But there was no one there, only a leaf pierced by a bullet.

"Brother, your shoulder…"

"I know. Be quiet." Blood flowed freely from his shoulder, dripping onto the ground.

He assessed the situation. A weak shot. A cheap gun. A single shot, then silence. They were low on ammo, their weapon needing time to reload, aiming for a kill shot.

The two bandits from earlier?

"That's the incongruity…" He'd spoken to them in Japanese. Japan, like China, had strict gun control laws. These men, dressed like common thugs, shouldn't have had a gun.

Why were they targeting him? For Mei? Or for his gun?

His left hand trembled as he gripped the weapon. He was an adult again, but his body was still human, vulnerable. The blood loss was making him dizzy, his thoughts sluggish.

Bang! Bang! He fired two shots into the bushes.

The movement betrayed their position. He charged into the undergrowth, finding the two men.

"You're dead!" One raised his antiquated gun, but the shot went wide.

Three more shots rang out. One from the bandit, two from Li Mo.

Mei rushed over, finding him standing over two corpses.

"Brother! Are you alright?!"

He holstered his gun, grateful for his foresight. "I'll live. Help me bury them. We can't leave bodies lying around. Luckily, this place is deserted."

"Bury the bloodstained soil too, and the leaves. Too much blood will attract attention." A few drops could be explained away as an accident. This much blood suggested a serious, untreated injury.

Mei nodded, silently digging a shallow grave. She glanced at him nervously, worried about his injury.

Li Mo bit his lip, digging his fingers into the wound, retrieving the bullet. Sweat and blood dripped down his face.

"Ugh…!"

He tossed the bullet to Mei. "Bury this too."

He wrapped Mei's jacket around his shoulder, hiding the bloodstain. "Find a river. We need to wash up."

"I'll go! You rest!"

"We'll go together."

"I won't leave you!"

He didn't trust her. Not yet. He needed to keep her in sight.

They found a stream nearby, washing away the blood.

Li Mo, shirtless, handed his wet clothes to Mei.

"What are you looking at?" He'd felt her gaze.

"N-Nothing! I wasn't staring!" She covered her eyes with one hand, peeking through her fingers.

"Are you hot?" He noticed her flushed cheeks.

"Y-Yes… a little…"

A perfectly normal human reaction. He knew she was flustered by his bare chest. He was looking for cracks in her facade, for any sign of Bizarre behavior. But there was none. She was acting like a normal human.

Unless I recreate last night… I'll never know the truth about her.

They continued walking, Mei unusually quiet.

"Brother, this isn't the way. Aren't we going east?" They were near the burial site, hidden among the trees.

"We're resting here. I need to confirm something."

"Confirm what?"

"Nothing to do with you. Stay hidden." He pulled her down beside him, observing the area.

Less than two hours later, an old woman appeared, inexplicably digging at the exact spot where they'd buried the bodies.

Li Mo had been careful. There were no visible markers. And the spot was well-hidden. This was too much of a coincidence. Almost as if the world itself was conspiring against him.

If the bodies were discovered, the police would investigate. DNA, fingerprints, a manhunt…

"She won't report it. Why would she? It's none of her business. Too much risk, too little reward. What if the killer comes after her?"

But she did. She called the police, giving a detailed account of her discovery.

Li Mo considered killing her, but his aim wasn't good enough at this distance. And if she died now, after making the call, it would only make things worse.

"Brother… what do we do? They found the bodies… will they execute us…?" Mei whispered, her voice trembling.

Li Mo's eyes narrowed. His theory was confirmed. This world was hostile.

"I did it. It has nothing to do with you."

"I told you I wouldn't leave you! You were protecting me! Even in court, we'll win! They had a gun! It was self-defense!" Mei said confidently.

Li Mo disagreed. This world had been trying to kill him from the moment he arrived. The ambush, the old woman…

He doubted the court would see it as self-defense.

This world was preventing him from finding the truth.

"You're naive. This is more complicated than you think. We need to find your father, Raiden Ryoma. He might be able to help us."

Mei's eyes widened in fear. "Brother, how did you know…?"

"It doesn't matter. I'll take you somewhere safe. You'll die if you stay with me." He wasn't joking. The world's malice was growing. First, bandits with a rusty gun. Now, potentially, a full-scale manhunt.

The Notebook's message echoed in his mind: The dead never return. He'd interpreted it as a warning of his own death. Now, he suspected a different meaning: The dead cannot return to the world of the living.

Was this world rejecting him, a dead man walking? Or was it connected to the truth he sought?

They walked towards the city, their clothes drying in the warm air, their faces hidden by their hoods.

"Brother, I'm hungry…"

"Stay behind me. Keep your head down. I'll get you something to eat." He couldn't let her starve. They needed their strength.

He'd prepared for this, bringing various currencies.

He bought two bowls of ramen, paying with small bills, avoiding suspicion.

They sat in a quiet corner, their hoods up, Mei's head bowed.

"Out with your girlfriend, young man?" the owner asked, his eyes lingering on them. Something about them felt… off.

Li Mo pulled down his hood, smiling disarmingly. "Yes. We eloped. Hiding from her family."

Mei's head sank lower, her face burning.

"Haha! Young love!" The owner chuckled, his suspicion easing. That explained the hoods, the furtive glances. He studied Li Mo. Handsome. The girl was probably a rich heiress. A classic tale of star-crossed lovers, fleeing with their meager savings. The small bills confirmed his theory.

They ate quickly, their hunger evident.

"Could I borrow your phone? Mine's dead."

"Sure. Just don't look at my photos or browser history."