Chapter 99: Meaning

Looking at the officer lying on the ground, Chen Hao pulled him to a spot leaning against the city wall.

"That guy, really a dog‑type, ouch!" Feng Yan flicked his hand, then looked at his bitten arm, which had already turned purple.

The bitten arm still throbbed faintly, and Feng Yan walked toward Chen Hao's direction; the woman had already been released earlier. He arrived at Chen Hao and said, "This plan is really good, although I still think your method is unreliable and a bit treacherous."

Chen Hao scratched his head and replied, "At least the result isn't bad, right?"

Feng Yan nodded, as a response to Chen Hao's retort.

Chen Hao watched the Dwarves bustling beneath the city wall as they began to enter the city gate one after another. Meanwhile, the soldiers, engrossed in money, were knocked unconscious and fell to the ground.

The Dwarves stripped off their clothes and dragged them into a room.

"Good, they're all up. Our plan has already taken one step, and the next step— the most important thing— is now." Chen Hao said, looking at the Dwarves entering the city.

The Dwarves were pleased; this surprise attack was very effective, they suffered no casualties and also obtained something that allowed them to survive.

The moat was very cool, and the Dwarves leapt into its water one after another.

Chen Hao and Feng Yan laughed; the plan was a complete success, but the next phase would not be so simple. They faced the kingdom's royal direct troops and bounty hunters who might break the deal at any moment.

The defending soldiers had been stripped of their clothes and locked in a small dark room.

"By the way, Jin Meng? What is he doing?" Feng Yan asked.

"He, uh, is doing something some people love most," Chen Hao replied.

The soldiers hadn't realized what was happening when the Dwarves had already knocked them out. Of course, this was Feng Yan's order; otherwise, according to the Dwarves' thinking, they would have died long ago.

The soldiers woke up one after another, looked around the darkness, and understood—they had been bound.

Just as the soldiers felt a surge of panic, they forced themselves to stay calm, then heard the door creak open.

Outside the door stood a dark silhouette, and a voice sounded, saying, "That's everyone, right?"

The Dwarves replied, "Yes."

The cold voice said, "Bring a large cauldron to the gate tower, then heat oil in it."

Hearing this, the soldiers couldn't sit still; they grew anxious and tried to wriggle free of the ropes.

"Stop struggling; it's just a waste of effort. I'm going to ask you a few questions; answer them properly and I'll let you go," the dark figure stated its demand.

"Who do you think you are, putting on a big head in front of us, get lost!" one of the soldiers shouted.

"Then, take them away. Remember, after they go into the pot, sprinkle some cumin and pepper," the dark figure ignored the soldier's words, issued the order, and prepared to leave.

The shouting soldier was dragged out by the Dwarves; he yelled loudly and struggled, but the dark figure never let go. He saw the scalding oil in the pot, beads of sweat forming on his face. Finally, in terror, he said, "Stop, stop! I'll say anything, anything I know, I'll tell you!"

Upon hearing this, the dark figure signaled the Dwarves to halt, then the Dwarves, torch in hand, looked at the soldier, smiled, and said kindly, "We've been doing this all along, haven't we? Why pretend to be important? Honestly, this is a chance to save your life. Do you think I'm harming you?"

In the torchlight, the dark figure finally saw that it was the fellow who comes each time with gold coins to collect moat water.

"You...!" the soldier began, but Jin Meng cut him off.

"What are you, answer the question quickly, the oil pot is already on!" Jin Meng pointed at the pot behind him and smiled at him.

"You! How... how could this be!" the soldier stared wide-eyed at the guy who, just days ago, was buying moat water, unable to speak in surprise.

"Are you surprised?" Jin Meng replied, then fixed his gaze on the soldier and said sternly, "You'd better answer the question quickly!"

The soldier swallowed, then asked, "What do you want to know?"

"That strange tree!" Jin Meng said.

"Actually we aren't clear on the tree's origin; it just sprouted suddenly right in front of the Red-clothed Devil's laboratory," the soldier hurriedly said, then looked at Jin Meng and asked, "That's all I know; they probably know about the same."

Jin Meng nodded, then signaled the Dwarves to put it back into the room.

The Dwarves dragged the soldier back into the room, realizing they were temporarily safe, and let out a sigh.

Night was about to end, and beyond the city wall lay a desert.

Beyond the wall, it was already a sea of yellow sand; the wind blew, raising dust.

Inside the city, once peaceful and still prosperous, the lights shone brightly. How luxurious and extravagant it was, watching the previously golden wall once again inlaid with jewels, Feng Yan couldn't help but start pondering.

Money, life? Why are we here? We are born into the world—why do we pursue meaning? Or is it what they call love?

But Feng Yan never found answers to these questions; the more he thought, the more distressed he felt, his heartbeat quickening, and he stamped his foot.

"No answer, still no answer? What am I even thinking?" Feng Yan said gloomily to himself.

"Perhaps, for this question, we both have no answer," Chen Hao comforted Feng Yan, then replied, "The so‑called meaning is that we don't know what meaning is, right? Yes, that seems to be it."

After hearing Chen Hao's words, Feng Yan felt a little better; he watched the Dwarves take the soldiers' weapons and toss them into the furnace.

"Their weapons are terrible, seem like half‑finished pieces," Jin Meng said, watching the busy Dwarves; the furnace fire made their faces flush red, sweating from the effort.

Jin Meng said to Feng Yan and Chen Hao, "I've obtained some information about that big tree."

Chen Hao and Feng Yan laughed and asked together, "Speak up, what did you discover?"

Jin Meng relayed all the information he got from the soldier to Feng Yan and Chen Hao; upon hearing it, the two's expressions turned serious instantly.

Chen Hao thought for a moment, then said, "The World Tree was created by the Red-clothed Devil, which explains a certain issue."

"What issue?" Feng Yan asked.

"This tree isn't the World Tree; the true World Tree would cause the golden phoenix forest to wither and the lake water to disappear, right?"

"Well, indeed..." Feng Yan didn't know what to say, but still felt something was wrong.

"How about calling it the Inverse World Tree?" a voice came from behind them; the two turned and saw Lin Xiyan waving, looking at Feng Yan.

"How did you get here?" Feng Yan asked.

Chen Hao looked at the two, then gave a mischievous smile, patted Feng Yan's shoulder, and said, "I'll go ahead first."

Feng Yan wanted to say something, but Chen Hao, already with Jin Meng, was heading toward the Dwarves; Feng Yan tried to call them, but then thought they wouldn't respond.

Chen Hao quietly glanced back at him, then said, "I can only help you up to this point, Feng Yan."

The two were at a stalemate, silent; they looked at him, seemingly waiting for something.

Feng Yan's mind flashed through many topics—alcohol, elementary school, girls, even past trivialities—but finally he calmly said, "You came."

"Yes, I still came," Lin Xiyan said with a smile, "What about the other person?"

She is tired, I let her rest.

Oh, you like a girl who likes virtual games?

Hmm.

Why is it like this?

I don't know.

After this Q&A, Lin Xiyan felt a bit down, looking at Feng Yan's weary eyes, they finally stopped asking.

Lin Xiyan hoped Feng Yan would tell them the matter, but they themselves could not ask.

Lin Xiyan turned and walked away slowly, Feng Yan stood in place, showing a smile worse than crying, he said: "Yeah, why? Is it the initial love? Probably like that."

"You, you still didn't say it after all." Lin Xiyan said with a smile

Feng Yan came to the Dwarves, looked at their work, then said: "We should launch the next attack."