Chapter 58: Truth

"Looks like, there are still some things I can't understand." Feng Yan said with feeling, then slowly bent over, carefully searching in that pile of treasure for the most precious thing.

But when he stood up, what he held in his hand was an ordinary iron rod, its appearance really not likable, pitch black, looking just like burnt charcoal, yet Feng Yan gripped it tightly as if it were treasure, then said: "We, we share the same fate, so I chose you, and I also hope you choose me."

After saying that, Feng Yan covered his mouth with his hand and began to cough violently; when he loosened his grip, he saw it was bright red blood. Feng Yan knew it was his old wound flaring up; he understood he could not collapse here, let alone lose to that person. Feng Yan leaned on that black iron rod and slowly walked forward, gradually approaching the darkness, until he vanished into its depths, only the sound of that black iron rod striking the ground could be heard; Feng Yan walked like that, believing he could meet Chen Hao, that they were the final victors.

"Probably, this is fate—I was betrayed by someone, but I met someone who won't betray me, at least for now." Feng Yan walked on; although his figure had long disappeared, his voice still echoed there, not fading for a long time.

"Is this what adventurers are like? How pathetic!" The Red-clothed Devil laughed, looking at Feng Yan through a transparent crystal ball; there were four such crystal balls, each corresponding to a different person. Feng Yan, Chen Hao, Yang Xin, Wang Tingwan—the Red-clothed Devil saw Feng Yan weakly leaning on his stick, walking slowly, and his smile grew even brighter. He summoned the soldiers and ordered: "Once all the adventurers have come out, you may act."

"Yes!" the soldier replied, but he remained there, not moving.

The Red-clothed Devil sensed something wrong and asked: "What's the matter?"

The soldier panicked and said: "Golden Paulownia Forest, capturing the dwarves—we lost."

The Red-clothed Devil first stared, then understood; he waved his hand to signal the soldier to leave, then sat back in his chair, pondering, and said: "It seems their wizards' prophecy has begun to come true?"

"That probably is, the downfall of Benefit State?" the Red-clothed Devil showed a smile and said: "Looks like that's quite a good show."

Next, he turned his head, looked at Wang Tingwan's position, and then said: "So, does this person have anything worth my looking at?"

The two boys before them had gone from best friends to mutual enemies of hatred; then, since they knew each other well, what would happen next? Should they keep gathering? Their story, or perhaps because of a girl, that would be an even more laughable melodramatic tale—but Wang Tingwan didn't expect that in that story, she herself was the female lead.

Wang Tingwan slowly woke up, unable to return to reality; her heart was anxious, but she also knew that either someone else would kill her, or the game would end—but who would want to be killed by someone else? So, the only way forward was to clear the game levels! She slowly stood up, trudging with difficulty, when a familiar face appeared before her—it was Feng Yan! His appearance and figure were exactly the age of her first stirrings of love in memory.

Wang Tingwan hurriedly got up, she saw Feng Yan's mouth corner slightly rise, showing a smile, then turned around—perhaps that was Feng Yan's most relaxed smile ever—he extended his right hand, hoping Wang Tingwan would grab it; Wang Tingwan ran to his front and stopped.

"Why?" Feng Yan felt puzzled and asked her.

"I am Yang Xin's girlfriend now, so I'm sorry." Wang Tingwan's face darkened, she coldly replied, then turned and prepared to leave.

"Did you hear that? She's mine!" Yang Xin stepped out, then pulled out a dagger flashing with cold light from somewhere and walked toward Feng Yan.

Hearing that, Feng Yan's spirits sank; he lowered his head and said: "I know, yeah, you're his girlfriend, but, but I, yes, I still can't let go, so I came here again, I saw you again, I'm happy, I know this isn't right."

"But I still—like you!" Feng Yan shouted; the empty surroundings echoed, and after a long time it slowly faded.

Wang Tingwan heard that sound and turned back, just seeing that scene—Yang Xin's dagger had already been driven deep into Feng Yan's chest; Feng Yan widened his eyes, staring at Yang Xin, whose face was ferocious, looking satisfied; Feng Yan gripped Yang Xin's hands with both of his and asked: "Now, are you satisfied?"

After saying that, Yang Xin pulled out the dagger; with a "puff," bright red blood spurted out; Feng Yan collapsed to the ground, constantly twitching, blood slowly flowing onto the ground, soon staining the earth beneath the Phoenix Eye red. Feng Yan thought, given their past friendship, he wouldn't do this—but the moment the dagger pierced his heart, he understood: since junior high third year, they had been separated by a thick wall; their friendship had perhaps gradually faded with time, then become estranged, although they still occasionally greeted each other, yet that former friendship also slowly, with the passage of time, gathered dust.

Feng Yan felt his life slowly ebbing, his body also growing cold; Yang Xin laughed loudly, then after a moment showed an expression of hatred and said: "You, treating me as your best friend? Cut it out—back then, you didn't know I also liked her? Fine, even if you didn't know, but Wang Tingwan is now mine, mine! And you? What have you done? You actually tried to take her from me again—I killed you here, but you're not really dead, you'll just return to reality, so goodbye."

"Wait a moment!" Wang Tingwan shouted.

"How? Do you want to stab him again?" After saying that, Yang Xin handed the dagger in his hand to Wang Tingwan.

She took the dagger, looked at the fresh blood on it, still carrying a bit of Feng Yan's warm blood, she silently thought for a moment, then wiped the blood off the blade with her hand; Yang Xin laughed and shouted: "Come on, give him another stab!"

Wang Tingwan picked up the dagger and stabbed directly at the person beside her; Yang Xin first stared, then lowered his head to look at his own chest, showing an incredulous expression, and asked: "You're my girlfriend, but why? How could you?"

"You're not him! Besides, if he were that kind of person, I would say goodbye to him!" Wang Tingwan said sternly, simultaneously pulling out the dagger.

Yang Xin collapsed to the ground, slowly turning into ash and gradually disappearing. Seeing Feng Yan still had a breath, she hurriedly placed his head in her embrace; Feng Yan, using his last breath, opened his eyes, smiled, and said: "Looks like this game journey, I haven't lost out."

Wang Tingwan's tears kept falling, drop after drop onto Feng Yan's face; Feng Yan reached out his hand to help wipe her tears, weakly saying: "Looks like I'm about to finish the game; before that, can you tell me something?"

Wang Tingwan nodded and asked: "What?"

Feng Yan said: "How did you and Yang Xin get together?"

"Friends said it from the side; I myself couldn't choose." Wang Tingwan said, tears flowing again.

Feng Yan wiped her tears again and said: "Back then, that is, at the start, we were both in eighth grade; I saw a girl who, because her grades were mixed up, felt very upset; later, I gradually told her that there would surely be a good day—at that time, my parents—had already been away from home for five years, only I and my grandmother were at home; grandfather, at that time he was on a secret mission, as to what it was, even now I don't know......"

"Who is that girl you're talking about?" Wang Tingwan asked.

Feng Yan didn't answer her question, but continued: "Later, the people around kept spreading rumors about me and that girl; until one day, the girl could no longer bear those rumors, finally lost control of her emotions, lay on the desk and cried—how heartbroken she was then—but I, I didn't dare step forward to say any comforting words, because I was afraid; now seeing you again, I also want to make up for something."

Feng Yan breathed his last, then collapsed heavily to the ground; Wang Tingwan finally learned the truth of that matter, but Feng Yan's body had gradually turned to ash like Yang Xin's, slowly disappearing; only Yang Xin's dagger remained, still in Wang Tingwan's hand.

Wang Tingwan stood there, her expression sorrowful; she finally understood the truth of the matter and Feng Yan's candid confession, but perhaps it was already too late, she thought. A sound came from behind; Wang Tingwan turned and saw it was a treasury—although there weren't many things, she still went inside.

She took a rope, she slung it over her body, slowly walked, and disappeared into the darkness.

At the same time, Feng Yan opened his eyes; the Black Sword emitted red light, but after Feng Yan opened his eyes, the Black Sword no longer emitted red light—only see the Black Sword slowly manifest a soul, which asked Feng Yan: "Is it worth it?"

"I don't know; maybe to you it's not worth much, but for me, I feel I have to do these things!" Feng Yan replied.

The soul said nothing, then returned to the sword; Feng Yan continued forward, leaning on his stick, but he was also extremely weak; after a long while, he had only gone a few dozen meters, and Feng Yan weakly said: "Looks like my strength is exhausted?"

He found a wall, lay down again, as if answering the soul's question: "I don't know if it's worth it, but some truths, or rather, that is the answer I want; wasting a bit of strength is also worthwhile. So, Chen Hao, hurry up and come."