Chapter 97: Phoenix

Everyone was a bit confused.

Today's Airplane indeed had too much contrast; usually, the two most retarded people in this building were Airplane and Qian Lele.

But today, Airplane gave everyone a feeling of being unfathomable.

Wen Xishu soon brought everyone to 4-26.

In the 4-26 of the Tower of Desire, everything in the room looked very tidy, and the quilt on the hospital bed was folded squarely.

One could see many embryos of items; these items were still in the construction stage.

At the same time, 4-26 also had a fountain pen; the pen didn't have any patterns, looking like a white metal straw.

Wen Xishu looked for it, and sure enough, under the bedside cabinet, he found that blank piece of paper.

In the timeline, although the Tower of Desire was before the Mysterious Tower, it looked like this paper was no different from the one in the Mysterious Tower and didn't look any newer.

"Here, I need to ask everyone one thing: are you grateful to Ding Dong from the bottom of your heart?" Wen Xishu looked at everyone.

Mo Yuan said:

"Of course... I actually, quite like him."

Grandma Wu said:

"After that incident with my daughter, I treated Ding Dong as my own child."

Xiang Yang said:

"He counts as half a teacher to me; although he didn't teach me, he made me no longer hesitant and confused."

Lei Yihong said:

"I am very grateful to him; Ding Dong is my relative."

Qian Lele just giggled foolishly, then added:

"Everyone is telling the truth, hehehe, the truth."

Wen Xishu said:

"Logically speaking, Ding Dong would tell you about the item hidden on this floor that is sufficient to protect us."

"But for some reason, Ding Dong seemed to have left because of some sudden situation before he had time to say it."

"It's a pity; I can't solve this part of the secret, but I think everyone just needs to draw a star on this paper with this pen."

Wen Xishu said, and then drew the symbol "※" on the bedside cabinet with his finger.

Everyone didn't understand; Mo Yuan asked:

"Why is it this? This... what is the significance of this? Airplane, how did you know this symbol?"

Wen Xishu shook his head and said:

"It's hard for me to explain, but everyone just treat it as me being helped by a god today."

Everyone wasn't surprised, or rather, being surprised had no effect; for everyone, Airplane seemed to have been possessed by a god today and had changed into a different person.

But deep down, they still believed in Airplane.

Wen Xishu saw that everyone didn't pursue the question, so he continued:

"In short, after I woke up, after Ding Dong left, I received some... revelations."

For things that couldn't be explained, he just glossed over them with unknown power. Wen Xishu deliberately linked Ding Dong's departure with his own waking up.

In this way, everyone who had felt many miracles was even more likely to believe him.

In fact, Wen Xishu had been thinking that there were many ways to draw the star for five-star praise; according to the usual meaning, it should be drawing a heart.

But why did Ding Dong choose to use "※"? Wen Xishu pondered for a long time without thinking of any reason.

He just felt that this symbol was very familiar.

Everyone believed in Airplane. In order to rescue or find Ding Dong as soon as possible, Mo Yuan was the first to pick up the pen and draw a ※ on the paper.

Afterward, Grandma Wu, Xiang Yang, Qian Lele, and Lei Yihong all drew ※ on the paper.

When all five ※ were drawn, everything was very similar to the scene Wen Xishu had in the Mysterious Tower.

Qian Lele's pipe, Xiang Yang's rice cooker, the desk lamp in Mo Yuan's hand... were all covered with a layer of luster. The difference was that in the Mysterious Tower, after Wen Xishu drew the five ※, the luster of the desk lamp was much dimmer.

And in the Tower of Desire, at this very moment, the luster of these items was dazzling.

"Grandma Wu, go to the room and get your radio; I think the ceremony has already begun."

Grandma Wu nodded and trotted to 4-8. The rest of the people had looks of shock on their faces, not knowing what was happening.

Wen Xishu didn't know what ceremony it was either. But he knew that the reaction of these items was definitely different from after he drew the five ※ in the Mysterious Tower.

Because he wasn't the owner of the five ultimate hearts. Historically, the character Airplane later died by suicide and had indeed died.

The role Wen Xishu was playing wasn't a key character. In the Mysterious Tower, Wen Xishu was also just an investigator.

But now the situation was different; Wen Xishu realized that another meaning of five-heart praise was the blessing of the owners of the five ultimate hearts. And these five people were very likely to possess some kind of qualification.

It was just that the content of this blessing was a strange symbol; Wen Xishu still didn't understand the meaning of this symbol.

Grandma Wu soon brought the radio over.

With the arrival of the radio, Wen Xishu felt that these five items clearly established some kind of connection.

Five items,

The desk lamp symbolizing eyes shot out a beam of light, and above Mo Yuan's head appeared the pattern of two eyes. And the radio also shot out a beam of light, and above Grandma Wu's head appeared the pattern of an ear.

Qian Lele, Xiang Yang, and Lei Yihong also had patterns of nose, mouth, and feet appearing above their heads respectively.

These patterns were each connected by a line, but Wen Xishu immediately discovered that one thing was missing, causing what should have been a hexagon to ultimately be empty for a section.

Eyes, ears, mouth, nose, feet.

"No, the hand is missing."

Wen Xishu remembered that there was also a pair of gloves. He immediately headed to 4-22.

It was in the room at 4-22 that Wen Xishu and Zheng Zai discovered the location of the gloves, and there was also a piece of paper in the bedside cabinet.

On the paper was a stick figure.

Wen Xishu understood everything at this time. He took the paper and the gloves and headed to 4-26.

So soon, Wen Xishu, holding the gloves, also had the pattern of two hands appearing on his head.

When all the items were gathered at 4-26, these patterns floating above everyone finally formed a hexagon.

That stick figure's head was a simple circle, and the body was a somewhat narrow hexagon. The white paper with the stick figure suddenly started to present a golden luster.

Wen Xishu noticed that the pattern of two feet on Lei Yihong's head disappeared.

Or rather, it didn't disappear, but transferred into the white paper; the stick figure's legs in the drawing soon had many rich details.

Next was the pattern of two hands on the gloves, which also transferred to the white paper; just like before, the stick figure's hands also soon had many details, no longer simple, as if they were real hands.

Afterward, the stick figure had a mouth. In that round head, the first facial feature appeared.

In this instant, everyone noticed that the image on the white paper could no longer be described as a "stick figure."

It started to become richer and richer.

Its body had already become rich because of the richness of the hands and feet.

Afterward, the nose and ears also appeared. That face already presented the details familiar to Grandma Wu and others:

Qian Lele cheered:

"It's Brother Ding Dong; is Brother Ding Dong coming back?"

Everyone thought so, but what was regrettable was that the pipe grew longer. This was a lie.

Ding Dong wouldn't come back, and the one who came back wasn't the Ding Dong in the original sense.

Wen Xishu waited patiently; this painting still had the last step. Dotting the eyes.

The pattern of two eyes finally appeared on the drawing paper. Wen Xishu didn't look at the drawing paper, but looked at the gloves.

Eyes, ears, mouth, nose, feet all had corresponding people; why was the extremely important hand, instead, without anyone?

The stick figure on the drawing paper had already become rich under the "ceremony." The person in the drawing paper was precisely Ding Dong. When the eyes appeared, all the luster gradually faded.

Not long after, everything in the room became normal. After a little silence, someone finally spoke:

"This... what exactly happened? Airplane, can you explain?" The one speaking was Mo Yuan.

Xiang Yang touched his chin:

"This painting and these gloves, is there any connection?"

Wen Xishu nodded:

"I think this is the item Ding Dong left for everyone to protect everyone."

Lei Yihong was quite puzzled:

"But how should this be used? These gloves, I have seen them; they were the gloves Ding Dong used when making things; you should all remember, right? He always wore these gloves. He didn't even take them off when sleeping."

The other few people nodded; Mo Yuan also remembered that once she wanted to hold Ding Dong's hand, but the touch was the touch of leather gloves.

Wen Xishu shook his head:

"It shouldn't be the gloves; the ability of the gloves is also very important; I guess the gloves are the switch, but the truly powerful item is this drawing paper."

Wen Xishu didn't continue to add after speaking, but thought for a while. He started to think, if he were Ding Dong, what kind of item would he design?

First, the apocalypse had arrived, monsters were everywhere, and strange rules were everywhere. In this situation, no item could dare to say it could protect Grandma Wu and others one hundred percent.

Some of Ding Dong's props were very bugged, and Ding Dong's ability was undoubtedly very strong.

The most terrifying thing about an inventor is not a certain item of the inventor, but should be the inventor's imagination and creativity.

Considering this layer, Wen Xishu looked at that paper again:

"This is Ding Dong's portrait; at first, this was just a 'skeleton,' but with the ※ left by everyone, it had flesh and soul. The only power I can imagine for this prop is summoning Ding Dong."

Everyone was shocked, and then everyone's face revealed a smile. Mo Yuan hurriedly asked:

"Summoning Ding Dong? Ding Dong... is he still alive? Meaning... this drawing paper can let Ding Dong come back?"

Wen Xishu shook his head; his hand had already started touching the gloves; he was preparing to wear the gloves to try if there was any way to "activate" this portrait of Ding Dong.

"I think the Ding Dong in the painting will give us the answer."

Wen Xishu said so, and both hands were already wearing the gloves. When Ding Dong's gloves touched the drawing paper with Ding Dong drawn on it...

The pattern of five ※ appeared on the gloves, and then the surrounding air started to twist. In everyone's eyes, it felt like there were several layers of autumn water in between.

In the twisting space, Wen Xishu felt the gloves were repelling him; at the same time, the cheating knife of Scorpio suddenly shook.

Wen Xishu actually had a feeling that the two items were fighting. What surprised Wen Xishu even more was that a prompt appeared in his mind.

【You are always able to find those hidden, cheating-level items that are not noticed by people. But this item does not belong to you; it belongs to those five people who should have been drowned in the tide of the apocalypse.】

【In the cruel apocalyptic environment, not loving, not believing, not helping, not doing, and not raising are the true survival rules; although they possess qualifications, they clearly didn't live long.】

【But now, you have an opportunity to change all of this; kill them, and you can take away the ownership of the gloves; only the owner of the gloves can become the master of the portrait; anyway, their fate has not changed. Or you decide to give up this huge miracle and return everything to them?】

a: Seize 【Phoenix Gloves】, become the master of the portrait.

b: Give up 【Phoenix Gloves】, abandon this opportunity.

Time seemed to stand still; the expressions of Mo Yuan, Grandma Wu, and others around were in a frozen state.

No matter what role they played in the apocalypse, but existing in the Tower of Desire, they were just NPCs; Wen Xishu was the true player. So at this time, only Wen Xishu was in a state where he could act.

Players could of course take everything from NPCs.

At this moment, Wen Xishu seemed to be standing at a crossroads; he had to make a choice.

"Phoenix Gloves, so the name of this thing is Phoenix? Why would it be called Phoenix?"

Wen Xishu suddenly thought of that ※ symbol.

His association ability was very strong; why did this glove have the name Phoenix? And why, Ding Dong clearly couldn't let go of these people... but chose to die outside.

With the appearance of the two characters Phoenix, he actually had a clue; he suddenly thought of constellations; except for the twelve constellations familiar to people, there was actually a constellation called Phoenix.

This thought immediately made Wen Xishu excited. The central part of the astronomical pattern of the Phoenix constellation, looking from afar, was a huge x.

If one counted the surrounding star clusters, using points to represent dense star clusters... wouldn't that be this ※ pattern?

And the fate of the Phoenix is to be reborn from the ashes.

However, just because of the name of a glove, having such a guess was somewhat far-fetched.

The light finally started to fade, and the scene around was no longer frozen, because Wen Xishu let go of the hand holding the scroll; he took off the gloves.

People around looked at each other, and finally, it was Lei Yihong who asked:

"Airplane... what happened just now? How is this thing used? Did you find the method?"

Wen Xishu nodded:

"I am different from the five of you; my fate with Ding Dong is not that deep, and I cannot use this item."

The Scorpio knife also stopped shaking and was well-behaved, as if it had never shaken.

Wen Xishu handed the gloves to Mo Yuan:

"Let it be you, Mo Yuan; you just need to use the gloves to touch Ding Dong's portrait. Ding Dong will give you the answer."

Mo Yuan didn't understand but wore the gloves; once again, the person wearing the gloves started touching Ding Dong's portrait.

Only this time, the golden light soared instantly, and Mo Yuan didn't feel repelled by the gloves.

And in the huge golden light, a figure seemed to walk out from the endless void.

"Ding... Ding Dong! It's really him!" Xiang Yang said happily.

Qian Lele also clapped his hands and said:

"It's Brother Ding Dong! It's Brother Ding Dong!!"

His pipe grew longer, indicating that this sentence didn't point to truth and reality. However, everyone didn't care about this. Joy appeared on everyone's face.

Including Wen Xishu.

Wen Xishu knew that this person wasn't Ding Dong, but he should possess everything Ding Dong possessed, as well as things Ding Dong didn't have.

This was an upgraded version of Ding Dong, a Ding Dong born after the choice of a confused person.

The golden light gradually faded, and the Ding Dong in the painting finally came before everyone. "Ding Dong" looked at everyone and said softly:

"We have reunited again, A-Yuan, Grandma, Qian Lele, Brother Xiang, Brother Yihong. Forgive me for leaving too hurriedly that day, but I knew you would definitely be able to find me."

In the eyes of everyone present, Ding Dong had flesh and blood, and there was no difference from the Ding Dong in their impression.

Even this Ding Dong gave them a feeling of being more vivid and having more emotions than the Ding Dong in their impression.

"This... this, it's good to be back! It's good to be back!" Grandma Wu had tears in her eyes.

Mo Yuan hugged Ding Dong directly. Xiang Yang revealed a smile, Lei Yihong also clearly breathed a sigh of relief, and Qian Lele kept clapping.

Wen Xishu said:

"Everyone is very happy about your return, but I think you should explain to us what exactly is going on, right?"

Wen Xishu ultimately didn't make that choice of seizing the gloves. He wasn't not tempted, but felt that this option had huge risks. Because if the key target was killed, it counted as mission failure.

Wen Xishu didn't dare to verify this point; what would happen if the mission target was killed? Had anyone in history done this?

At the same time, deep in his heart, he felt these people were worth living. Their lives, because of insisting on certain things, were already failed enough, but perhaps in a world about to break, they could live on.

Although he didn't admit that he had this idea in his logic of acting.

Ding Dong looked at Wen Xishu, his face showing surprise, and then revealed a smile again:

"You are Airplane? That's really great; it seems I'm quite lucky. Just in time, I also want to tell everyone about what happened to me."

Wen Xishu nodded; he had a feeling that Ding Dong saw that he wasn't Airplane.

The change in Ding Dong's expression just now made Wen Xishu feel a bit strange. But there was no hostility in Ding Dong.

That sentence "It seems I'm quite lucky," he thought, had a deeper meaning.

Ding Dong's first sentence made everyone quite surprised:

"I am actually a fugitive."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 98 =====