strictlysupreme Chapter 905 Are you alright?
Chapter 905 Are you alright?
Zhang Hai did not respond; his gaze remained fixed blankly ahead, as if he could not see Xi Yan's presence. She stood before him, silently watching him, her heart filled with unease and worry.
"Are you alright?" Xi Yan finally asked, her voice so low it was barely drowned out by the sea breeze.
Zhang Hai turned his head slightly, his eyes still unfocused, but he nodded gently. "It's nothing." His voice was low, as if carrying endless weariness, as if this one sentence contained all his emotions.
A flicker of doubt crossed Xi Yan's eyes. She knew Zhang Hai wasn't "alright." His heart was breaking, and he chose to bury all his emotions deep inside, not letting anyone see. She suddenly felt she couldn't bear the silence any longer and whispered, "I know what you're going through, Zhang Hai. But you don't have to keep holding back. At least... let me know you're still alive."
A flicker of emotion crossed Zhang Hai's eyes, but it was as fleeting as a flash of lightning. Even as his inner turmoil raged, he chose to remain silent. "I'm alive, and I don't need anyone to know," he said coldly, yet his answer betrayed a deep weariness.
Just then, Sasori and Kakuzu suddenly appeared not far away. Sasori's eyes were sharp, and through Zhang Hai's silence, he saw that unsettling aura. "You're not doing well, Zhang Hai," Sasori said, his tone full of calm and insight. "You haven't released these negative emotions for too long, and sooner or later you'll break yourself."
Kakuzu stood beside Sasori, silently watching Zhang Hai. Both of them knew Zhang Hai's potential and understood that he was facing an inner collapse. Although they weren't enemies, they remained vigilant at this moment. They weren't sure how Zhang Hai would react, but there was no doubt that he was in an extreme emotional predicament, and could unleash an even more terrifying power at any moment.
"You've arrived," Zhang Hai finally spoke, his voice still calm, as if devoid of any emotion. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
Scorpion's sharp gaze was fixed on Zhang Hai's eyes, as if trying to see into the depths of his heart. "You're not doing well, Zhang Hai. You don't look like the person you used to be."
"I'm just dealing with some things." Zhang Hai's words were calm, but every word carried a heavy weight. He turned away from them, his eyes still cold. Xi Yan stood behind him, her gaze complex; she knew Zhang Hai was going through a tremendous internal struggle.
Seeing this, Scorpion nodded slightly. "If you need help, just let us know."
“I don’t need help,” Zhang Hai replied coldly, his voice carrying an undisguised resolve. “This is my own business, and I don’t need anyone’s interference.”
Kakuzu emerged from his silence, raising his voice slightly: "Do you think you can bear all of this alone forever? You need to know that only by releasing the pain in your heart can you truly get out of this predicament."
Zhang Hai ignored Kakuzu's words; his gaze deepened, as if he were lost in thought. The deep-seated pain within him surged again, but he showed no outward expression, only gazing more resolutely into the distance. He sought self-redemption, not the pity of others.
“We’re not here to advise you,” Scorpion said calmly, “but you should understand that your power needs an outlet, otherwise it will eventually become your greatest constraint.”
Kakuzu chuckled softly: "Although you are now so powerful that almost no one can stop you, this ruthlessness will soon devour everything you have. You should learn to let go and learn to rely on others."
Zhang Hai frowned slightly, a cold smile appearing on his lips: "Rely on others? Only people like you would say something like that."
Sasori remained silent for a moment, then turned to look at Kakuzu, seemingly weighing whether to continue the argument. He knew that Zhang Hai's current state was unsuitable for discussing any emotional issues; his power had reached its limit. His cold-heartedness had rendered him incapable of perceiving the care and kindness of others. Finally, Sasori slowly spoke: "If you truly don't need anyone, then please handle it yourself. We're leaving."
Kakuzu took a deep breath, walked towards Sasori, and left with him. After they left, Yugao gently approached Zhang Hai and whispered, "Are you really alright now?"
Zhang Hai was silent for a moment, then finally lowered his head. "I'm fine." His voice was somewhat hollow, but still firm.
Night deepened, and the sea was empty, only endless darkness shrouding the desolate beach. Zhang Hai remained seated on the rock, his face unusually pale in the weak moonlight, his eyes sunken, as if his entire being was crushed. From the moment Bai disappeared, he couldn't shake off the self-blame and regret in his heart. Every time he recalled it, it made him more remorseful: "If I had let go sooner, let her pursue her own freedom, perhaps she wouldn't have disappeared."
He took a deep breath, the pain echoing in his mind, yet Bai's image lingered in his thoughts. She had been his closest companion and the pillar of his soul. Her departure was like a sharp thorn, deeply embedded in his heart, and no matter how he tried to hide it, he could not forget her.
"I should have set her free sooner, instead of letting her live in my shadow all this time," Zhang Hai muttered to himself, his tone filled with deep self-reproach.
He raised his hand and covered his face, trying to suppress the pain in his eyes. On the surface, he appeared calm, even strong, but he knew he was merely putting on a brave face. In this silent night, he felt utterly exhausted—not just physically, but also spiritually drained. All his emotions were suppressed deep within him, unable to be expressed any longer.
"Zhang Hai, are you alright?" Xi Yan's voice rang out from not far away. She approached softly, looking at his motionless back, her heart filled with worry.
Zhang Hai didn't turn around; he continued to gaze into the distance, his voice indifferent: "I'm fine."
Xi Yan stood behind him, her eyes filled with complex emotions. She knew that Zhang Hai was not "okay"; he was suffering immense pain. And she could only silently stay by his side, unable to share even a fraction of his suffering.
“You can tell me about your pain,” Xi Yan said softly. She walked to Zhang Hai’s side and looked through his clenched fists, seeing the unspeakable self-blame and pain in his eyes.
Zhang Hai remained silent, only closing his eyes briefly as if contemplating something important. After a moment of silence, he finally whispered, "If I had realized sooner that what she needed was freedom, not dependence on me, perhaps she wouldn't have disappeared."