Shadows of Xiao Liwu's Requiem

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the old, decrepit mansion. Inside, Xiao Liwu's life had reached its final score. A score that was about to change everything.

The mansion had been Xiao Liwu's home for as long as he could remember. A place where laughter had once echoed through the halls, now it was filled with a heavy silence. The walls were adorned with faded portraits of a family long gone, their eyes hollow, reflecting the emptiness within the mansion.

Xiao Liwu, a man in his late thirties, had lived a life of solitude, shrouded in mystery. He was a brilliant mathematician, a man whose mind was a labyrinth of complex equations and theories. His only companion was a cat named Xiao Liwu, a feline with eyes that seemed to hold the secrets of the universe.

As the night wore on, Xiao Liwu sat at his desk, a single light illuminating the room. His fingers danced across the keyboard, his eyes focused on the screen. He was working on a problem that had eluded him for years—a problem that would change his life forever.

Suddenly, the door creaked open. Xiao Liwu turned, his eyes widening in shock. Standing in the doorway was a figure draped in shadows, a hood casting a deep, ominous shadow over their face. The figure's eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and Xiao Liwu's heart raced.

"Xiao Liwu," the voice hissed, "your time is up."

Before Xiao Liwu could respond, the figure lunged at him, a knife appearing in their hand. Xiao Liwu leaped back, but it was too late. The knife found its mark, slicing through the fabric of his shirt, drawing a shallow cut across his chest.

Panic set in as Xiao Liwu realized the gravity of the situation. He stumbled backwards, trying to reach for his own weapon—a pen that had served as a makeshift weapon in past encounters. But it was too late. The figure was upon him, and Xiao Liwu was forced to defend himself.

A fierce struggle ensued, each punch and kick a battle against the darkness that surrounded them. Xiao Liwu fought with all his might, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the situation. But the figure was relentless, their movements fluid and precise.

Finally, Xiao Liwu's strength gave out. He fell to the floor, gasping for breath. The figure stood over him, a sinister smile playing on their lips. "Your final score has been reached," they hissed.

Xiao Liwu's eyes closed as the world around him grew dark. But before he lost consciousness, he saw a flicker of light—Xiao Liwu the cat, leaping onto the figure's back, claws extended.

The figure stumbled, and Xiao Liwu, seizing the moment, lunged forward, knocking them to the ground. The figure struggled to rise, but Xiao Liwu was relentless. He pummeled the figure with his fists, each punch a strike against the darkness.

Finally, the figure was subdued, lying motionless on the ground. Xiao Liwu collapsed beside them, gasping for air. He looked up at the figure, now unmasked, revealing the face of his childhood friend, a man who had once been his closest confidant.

"You did this for me," Xiao Liwu whispered, his voice weak but filled with determination. "For Xiao Liwu."

The figure nodded, tears streaming down their face. "I couldn't let you go like this," they said. "I couldn't let you face the darkness alone."

Xiao Liwu's eyes fluttered closed, his breathing growing shallow. In that moment, he realized that the true enemy had never been the figure before him; it was the darkness that had consumed them both.

The mansion was silent once more, the final score of Xiao Liwu's life reached. But as he drifted into unconsciousness, he knew that the battle against the darkness was far from over. For Xiao Liwu, the cat, was still alive, and with every heartbeat, he would continue to fight.

In the quiet of the night, Xiao Liwu's final score was recorded, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the unbreakable bond between a man and his cat.