“ Do you think I’m going to kill you? “, Thư squatted down slowly, praying that her body remained perfectly normal.

CRACK!

A loud sound from her ankle’s bone sent everyone to silence, behind her mask Thư closed her eyes out of embarrassment. Dương stared and she looked at him.

“ Don’t say it- “

“ You have quite the bad bone, saintess, have you tried exercising? “

Anh Thư was so close to rewriting her whole existence from this universe. She flipped her hair to the side and turned to the girl again, smiling as an attempt to reassure her.

“ Did you forget you’re wearing a mask? “, Dương popped up behind her again as he annoyingly swam-floated around her.

“ Shut up. “

The little girl could only helplessly watch as she was tightly tied to the place. She was just about to look for an alternative route before Anh Thư snapped her neck to look at her again.

“ Is this mask too intimidating for you? “, the girl slowly nodded. “ Would you tell me your name if I take it off? “.

Upon seeing the girl nodding her head again, this time with more energy, Anh Thư reached over to take off her mask. The spirit didn’t know what she was expecting, but she certainly wasn’t expecting to see such delicate features.

Behind the crafted fish mask was a kind looking woman, one could even deem her good looking, the dark aura around her changed, replacing it with a more diligent energy. She gawked as Thư let out a gentle chuckle, “ Well? Are you ready to tell me your name? “.

They were quickly invited with a hesitant quietness before she quietly mumbled, “ Vy, Yến Vy… “.

“ That’s a pretty name! “.

Vy parted her mouth out of astonishment, the light in her dark eyes wavered for a moment, she was confused. This stranger succeeded in both tying and taming her, the only thing left to do was to exorcise her, but she’s over here asking for her name.

“ My name is Anh Thư, you can call me Thư for short. “, Thư wore a warm smile. Vy looked down at her bare feet with a gloomy expression.

“ Why aren’t you killing me? “.

“ Why should I? “, Anh Thư had a playful expression which confused the girl even more. “ I just feel like talking to you, don’t you have a story to tell? “.

Dương poked out from her hair. “ What she meant is that she’s willing to hear you out, kid “.

“ Wait, can you see him? “, Thư pointed at him.

“ Yeah I can.. “.

“ Did you just realise this? “, he judged her with his arms crossed. Anh Thư quickly defended herself, “ You never told me that! “.

“ Only mortals can’t see me, other than that, I’m pretty much visible to any other mythical beings out there “.

Vy pursed her lips, she looked almost pitiful with her drenched long hair and raggy shirt, her current form looked nothing like the vengeful ghost everyone was talking about. “ Are you guys..not human? “.

“ Wait, am I human? “, Thư asked Dương just to be greeted with the same puzzled expression on his face. Technically she already died once but her body and soul was brought here as a living thing, she has powers….

“ I’m guessing you’re not, saintess.. “.

“ Ah, I see.. “.

Yến Vy’s expression darkened, the headlights in her eyes hushed itself, allowing the black irises to consume it in it’s wallowed sorrow. “ I really didn’t mean to kill all those kids but I couldn’t help it. Everytime, I see a child with caring parents, I always have the desire to sink them deep beneath this river, and let them die in the most painful way. Am I selfish? It’s not fair….it’s not fair that my life was nowhere as colorful as theirs.. “, Vy gritted her teeth in a mixture of anger and grief, droplets of tears rolled down her pale cheek, her clenched fist trembled.

“ I wanted them to understand how I felt on this very cold night, trapped helplessly beneath these shallow waters, unable to swim. “.

Dương pointed at something, Thư glanced over to see the water surface reflected two people looming, they looked grimmed and extremely grief-stricken. Are they..her parents maybe? Anh Thư watched as the pair started moving and speaking.

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“ Are you sure about this, honey? She has grown too old for..for..for this.. “, the woman held a sleeping child close to her chest.

“ We have no choice. “, the husband’s tone was harsh and loud. “ We can barely feed the whole family, either we get rid of her or the whole family starves! “.

“ But why her? Why did you choose her with no hesitations? “, she retorted but was careful not to wake the sleeping Yến Vy from her slumber.

Her husband gazed at her, speechless for a second, before he chillingly responded. “ You know why “.

Of course, they both know why, Vy was the only daughter in her family. What’s the use of wasting money and food on her, just to have her wed off sooner or later?

What happened next caused Anh Thư to look away and cover her ears. The mother walked through the deepest part of the water, it reached up to her chest before she shakily let go of Vy.

The cold water woke the little girl up from her sleep, “ Mama? Mama, it’s cold! “. Vy kicked and thrashed with no outcomes, she reached out to grab her mother’s shirt, the woman looked at her with tears and untangled Vy’s hand from her clothes.

“ I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, please forgive me “, The mother swam away leaving her screaming child behind, still reaching her hand over to grab her own mother back.

Through the night, a child bellowed in agony before she finally succumbed to the river’s depth. Water filling her lungs, the sharp pains of not being able to breath mixed with the sorrowness and disbelief, betrayal. Just betrayal.

Dương sighed and had his focus on the floor as Thư tried to swallow the tears threatening to escape.

Thư reached over to the grief-stricken girl and gently patted her head, Vy widened her eyes in surprise before she closed it. The feeling of this stranger's hand was so comforting, she allowed herself to indulge in it’s peace. It was like her mother’s hand.

“ It’s okay, what happened to you is beyond anything good in this world. “, Thư whispered her hands kept stroking the girl’s hair. “ You don’t deserve this “. Yến Vy let out a choked sob causing Thư to look up at the sky, this was to keep her tears from spilling out.

“ I have no right to lecture or dictate how you should cope with this, but these are innocent souls you killed. They have families who love and care for them and I know you envy that, even I would. However, we both have seen that lashing your anger on other people simply does not help, it fuels your grudge even more. Could you still have the heart to set them free and allow their body to be found? “, Anh Thư tenderly comforted her.

Vy nodded, she was always driven by her grudge and fury to the world. The long decades of killing and cursing have stained her soul, she no longer could ever remain in her human form. No one gave her a burial, no one prayed for her, no one remembered her in her own light, not even her own family. Amid all the chaos she had caused, even Vy wanted freedom, the desire to let go, she only needed someone to listen.

Thư put on the biggest smile she could withstand and nodded. Of course they weren’t going to just let her go like that. No matter what her circumstances were, the crime will still weigh heavily on the scale of justice. Anh Thư whispered to Dương, “ Who’s going to decide on her trial? “.

“ You, either you allow her soul to pass onto this puppet and let the river guide her towards a god. “, the water puppet stirred slightly in Thư's sleeve. “ This god will carry out his punishments or, you expel this spirit from its existence. Choose. “

Dương's words sent a chill down her back.

Who is she to decide someone’s fate? And most importantly, who is she to decide whether someone should die or not?

After a brief moment, the saintess made her choices.

Just then a gush of wind enveloped them in it’s embrace. “ An, release her “, the rope unties itself and slowly reverses itself with the passing river. Thư carefully wrapped her arms around Vy and lifted her up, not caring if her clothes were wet, Dương can always fix that up.

Yến Vy closed her eyes and allowed her soul to pass onto the water puppet.

“ Are you sure about this? “, The merman asked.

Anh Thư gently held the water puppet in her arms, rocking it back and forth as if it was a baby. “ I trust that this god you’re talking about, will carry out the rightful punishment “.

The water puppet did not resist as its body was helplessly coveted by the river. Has Vy understood that her crimes were too heinous, has she accepted the inevitable? We’ll never know, except keep in mind that she never once protested.

“ River, show me the bodies. “

After retrieving all the corpses, they were quickly sent to the morgue. The Nguyên family thanked Thư and prepared a payment just as they promised. Of course, Anh Thư had her mask on, can’t forget the mask!!

“ It’s quite the long day, saintess “, Dương yawned out of exhaustion and she nodded in agreement. “ And it was sad too.. I didn’t expect it to turn out that way “.

“ Yeah, it kinda hit home too “, Thư mumbled in response.

“ What? “

“ Nothing! “.

They decided to stay in for today and recharged while Dương was sleeping away, Thư was wide awake, she couldn’t sleep. Instead, questions clouded her mind with it’s dreadful ashes.

Have I done the right thing? Or was killing her for good, better?

Her whole life, she never knew what was right and wrong. The path she forged was hazy and full of self doubts. Her knowledge, her personality, her thoughts, her opinions, were all crafted on their own. Would it be so much easier if the decision was already made for her, for someone to guide her, maybe….it wouldn’t be so easy to get stuck?

The pitiful water spirit plagued her with guilt.

Living creatures are so complicated.

I hate it, I hate this, I hate myself, I hate everything.

Thư covered her bare face with two hands.

There really wasn’t any difference between her old world and the world she’s currently living in. No matter where you are, or where you go, your own insecurities will always find a way to catch up.

A sigh escaped her lips, she allowed herself to fall asleep.

Anh Thư opened her eyes again to the unusual ceiling, white, and strangely familiar. A feeling of dread filled her heart, she quickly sat up, trembling and shaking.

She was back in her old house, her old world.

The door was quickly opened by a short haired woman, looking to be in her mid 50s, holding a phone to her chest. She bored a cold, judging expression. “ Come over here, we need to talk “.

Did I do something wrong? Is she going to hit me? Thư tried her best to stay calm and show no emotions. Auntie hates emotions. The screen appeared in front of her, her heart stopped. Is this a dream? She hopes so because this event happened before, back when she was 14.

It was an instagram post of Thư wearing a crop top and sweatpant, posing casually to the camera. “ Remember what I told you last night? About the girl who had her boobs appearing on her profile pic? “, Thư nodded.

“ Why are you doing the same thing? Don’t you know men online love preying on girls like you- “.

“ The intention of seducing men was never on my mind when I posted it. I only wanted to be proud of my body, that’s all. “, she rushed in to defend herself. The words she always wanted to tell her auntie.

The woman gazed at her and let out a scoff.

“ What’s there to be proud about? “.

She was caught speechless this time.

“ What’s there to be proud about? Your body is nothing to be proud about, I mean look at that fat…”, her auntie kicked her stomach lightly. Thư clenched her fist quietly.

“ I want this post deleted. I’m telling you this for your own good “, The woman snapped as she tossed the phone at her. “ If you show me that attitude again, I’ll be bashing your head against the wall “. Her auntie pointed at her before she exited the room with a ram.

Thư looked down at the phone screen, droplets of tears dripped down it’s light, she chanted.

“ I want to go back, take me back, I want to go back, take me back, I want to go back, take me back, I WANT TO GO BACK, TAKE ME BACK- “.

Thư woke up with a gasp, tears stained her pillow.

“ Saintess? Saintess, are you alright? “, a worried Dương hurried over to check on her. She sighed in relief as the ceiling was no longer white.

She’s back, she’s back, thank god.