Chapter 137: Dark Prophecy

Just like that, Feng Yan was carried back to his lodgings by the soldiers.

After the soldiers lifted Feng Yan onto the bed, they arranged for a maid to attend him for sleep; the maid acknowledged, saw off the soldiers, and closed the door.

The maid stood where she was, looking at Feng Yan lying on the bed, awaiting something.

But Feng Yan did not wake; the maid let out a long sigh, began to take off her own clothes, and at that moment a voice suddenly sounded.

"Don't you think this is rather disgraceful?"

The maid stopped her movements, searching in the dim room from where the sound had come, but found no clue.

She looked again at Feng Yan lying on the bed, closed her eyes, confirmed what she had done, picked up the clothes she had just taken off, and put them back on.

Then she gently blew out the oil lamp on the table.

"Good night, sir!" the maid said softly.

On that night, Feng Yan did not fare much better; he dreamed he was in an abyss, with a giant dragon circling around, Feng Yan on the stone wall of the abyss, looking down at the fiery red lava below.

Feng Yan gazed at the scene before him, lowered his head to look at his feet, feeling the stones beneath him about to give way, and in an instant he fell into that fiery lava.

Feng Yan dared not look down; he turned to face the stone wall, and heard the sound of stones falling into the lava in his ears.

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of stones falling into the lava ceased, and the lava beneath the abyss began to gurgle like boiling water.

Next, with a soft pat, Feng Yan looked up to see a huge stone falling from above his head, then sweeping past beside him!

Feng Yan was terrified by this sight, his whole body began to tremble uncontrollably, and then his body, like a deflating balloon, slowly collapsed.

The scorching lava roasted Feng Yan, simultaneously making him feel uneasy; then he heard the stone beneath his feet crack and fall away.

Feng Yan watched as he drew ever closer to the scorching lava, and calmly closed his eyes.

As the night was gradually pushed back by light, the maid was also struck by the light from outside the window and woke up.

She slowly rose to her feet and saw Feng Yan, his whole body flushed and sweating.

She stepped closer step by step, coming to stand before Feng Yan.

Seeing Feng Yan's ragged breathing, the maid knew that capturing him would make her life a legend of this nation.

Even if others called her a whore and gossiped behind her back, it was irrelevant; they were merely jealous, lacking the ability to deal with adventurers, and they were simply envious of her having this opportunity.

Thus, the maid made up her mind once more; this time she would not hesitate.

She removed her garments piece by piece, revealing smooth skin; the maid almost blushed, hoping only that the adventurer could fully enjoy her body and thus bring her pleasure……

However, things did not unfold as the maid had imagined, as Feng Yan let out a loud shout.

"Ah!"

Feng Yan was jerked back to reality, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, lifted his head, and in an instant was dazed.

A woman nearly naked stood before him, her cheeks flushed, slowly walking toward him.

Feng Yan stared straight at the maid before him, the maid likewise gazed fixedly at him, both almost sharing the same desire; thus Feng Yan rose to his feet.

The maid felt that this time there would be some action.

But upon reaching Feng Yan's side, she saw him grab the blanket on himself, wrap himself up directly, and place it on the bed.

"You shouldn't do this; although I would gladly accept, I cannot accept."

The maid heard these words but could not understand.

Men and women are different; yet they also share some similarities—when encountering something beautiful, everyone pursues it, but the things one cannot obtain are often the most abundant.

Men cannot obtain true love; women cannot be rational.

Such a voice suddenly sprang up in Feng Yan's mind; thereafter he opened the room's door, and without looking back told the maid, "Put on your clothes."

"Or perhaps it wasn't successful?" the maid sighed, feeling inevitably disappointed; while hoping for pleasure, she also hoped for fame and fortune, but now had neither.

All had vanished, just like the calculations in her heart.

The maid slowly got off the bed, picked up the clothes she had thrown on the floor, and put them back on.

Watching Feng Yan's retreating back, she unconsciously realized there was another kind of life beyond power.

She simply did not know whether she yearned for it.

Feng Yan arrived at the secret chamber where the nation's supreme treasure was kept; although the king had said he could take it to his residence, he still had not done so.

Feng Yan asked the king to find a secret place to store the nation's treasure, which would also facilitate his own contemplation on how to repair the nation's treasure.

Clearly, Feng Yan's idea was correct; the king selected for him a very secluded corner, sheltered by several huge pines, and looking at those umbrella-shaped trees, Feng Yan felt a sense of safety in his heart.

"You have come!" the soldier said respectfully, performing a salute, and then opened the door.

Just like that, Feng Yan entered the inner chamber, and the soldiers, sensing the situation, closed the door to the room.

As the door closed with a creak, only Feng Yan remained in the room; he walked slowly, observing the surrounding jade-green light, which appeared mysterious, while the night pearls around him seemed especially precious—these were all the night pearls in the treasury, and within this country night pearls are a royal exclusive; commoners may possess them only after obtaining permission.

Feng Yan approached the rotted axe handle, examining it carefully; this was the first time he had encountered such an object, and the nation's treasure was already severely damaged.

Feng Yan sighed; his heart was already full of helplessness—originally he knew nothing about so-called restoration, and he had taken on this task merely because he had taken a dislike to someone.

Moreover, three days and two nights had passed, and he had been in this country for ten days.

Still there was no progress; Feng Yan grew anxious, he picked up the axe handle, and without exerting force, merely gave it a light squeeze, whereupon wood shavings fell from it.

"Ah, Feng Yan, what kind of person are you?" he asked himself in this way, also hoping that by such self-questioning he might find some answers.

Whether it was his former self, his own story, or even his past sorrows.

It was then that something in Feng Yan's bosom fell out—a damaged Adventurers' Book.

The vellum of this Adventurers' Book looked utterly ruined, with a large hole in the center, as if something had pierced through it.

"Ah~" Feng Yan uttered a soft sound; then a hand gently stroked the tear in the Adventurers' Book, and suddenly his head felt as if struck by electricity, whereupon a scene appeared.

A beautiful girl, her eyes full of tenderness, gazed at Feng Yan; her chest had been pierced, the blood at the corner of her mouth not yet wiped away, and she had already collapsed into the arms of the man before her.

Afterward followed a fierce battle, and then he saw himself being snatched away by a giant dragon and brought to this country.

"So this is one of my memories, then."

As this memory returned, Feng Yan murmured to himself, feeling joy at the recovery of the memory, yet also grieving for the girl who had died in that memory.

Feng Yan looked at the Adventurers' Book in his hand and said to it, "If you can grant wishes, will you help me revive her?"

However, all he got in reply was silence, and another hand held an axe handle continuously shedding wood shavings.

Then came Feng Yan's disappointed expression, having recovered this small fragment of memory—what could he do?

Himself, still knowing nothing?

Since arriving here, several days have passed; he encountered a crowd of ministers fawning over him, and still that dog-like king. Feng Yan understood these people valued him only for his usefulness.

This matter must not be known to them, so Feng Yan set down the axe handle and picked up the rusted axe blade.

The condition of this axe blade was also terribly bad—its surface covered in rust, perhaps leaving the marks of time.

The rotting axe handle, the axe blade mottled with rust—these made Feng Yan feel utterly powerless, yet he seemed also to lack the so-called strength for struggle.

"Well, I probably can't do anything about it." Feng Yan said dejectedly, then set down what he was holding.

Just then, the room suddenly emitted an orchid-colored light, followed by the sound of metal being polished.

Feng Yan followed the sound, his heart full of doubt—after all, the king had previously told him this room was for his sole use, so why?

What other sound could there be in the room besides me?

This is Feng Yan's question, and also the reason he sees the room filled with azure light all around.

"Ah, the great prophet's prophecy—beginning now, it matches up one by one..."

From the depths of darkness came an old man's voice, low but continually echoing in Feng Yan's mind.

"Great…… prophet…… on the eve of our destruction…… brought a prophecy of salvation…… repair the nation's treasure…… find…… the lost memories…… then gradually restore the free self, returning to the world that rightfully belongs to us."

That voice was fragmented, yet it still gave Feng Yan a hint; now Feng Yan knows one thing—the most important matter at present—repair the treasure before him.

This is the first step, and also the best answer to give the king when leaving this nation.

"Repair?" Feng Yan asked himself.

He clearly understood in his heart that this answer was also quite obvious.

This will be his, a task.

Feng Yan thought, this is my work here.