Chapter 286

What happened?!

Fang Yue's expression changed instantly; he rushed to Tail's side and carefully observed the surroundings.

But… nothing.

Under his Analysis Pupil, he saw no anomalies, no signs of anything—around them… unnervingly silent.

He lowered his voice, concerned: "Tail, are you alright? Were you attacked by something strange? Can you sense which direction it fled?"

Fang Yue suspected his Analysis Pupil hadn't activated yet, or that he'd encountered an extraordinarily elusive strange.

But there was no response.

When he turned back, he saw Tail blushing, looking at him shyly.

"I—I'm fine… Ye Ge, I just felt a sudden sharp pain in my chest, but now I feel nothing at all. You're too tense."

Fang Yue:???

"You're sure you're fine?"

"Completely fine!"

Tail spun around on the spot and bounced twice—she felt absolutely nothing, as if the sudden, bone-shattering pain moments ago had been an illusion.

Tail remembered she'd once seen something similar described before.

Scientifically speaking, this was called phantom pain, roughly akin to what netizens called phantom limb pain, yet slightly different.

Because just now, Tail had truly felt a sudden, violent stab in her chest.

But it was only for an instant—after that fleeting pain, she felt nothing at all, no sensation of injury.

Moreover, before that, she hadn't sensed any abnormality or spotted any trace of a strange.

So she hadn't taken it seriously.

At that moment, Hai Ming suddenly asked with a strange expression: "Tail Goddess, you… you just felt a sudden sharp pain in your chest?"

"Yes."

Tail's tone instantly grew cold, replying calmly.

This differential treatment made Hai Ming, who had been about to speak, feel his heart sink.

Fang Yue said: "Don't let your guard down. I suspect you were just attacked by a strange—its method was just too stealthy for us to notice. Perhaps the strange that attacked you is already lurking nearby."

Fang Yue dared not relax his vigilance.

After the four of them explored the surroundings and found no anomalies, Fang Yue finally relaxed slightly.

But he still muttered to himself: though he knew this game was unusual, why did it simulate a stabbing pain? Could Tail's real-world body be in serious trouble?

Thinking of this, Fang Yue told Tail to log out first and check if she was physically unwell, while the other three stayed put on guard.

Soon after, Tail logged back in.

"I really am fine, Ye Ge, you're too cautious!"

Tail didn't have heart disease, her daily routine was regular, her body had no issues—how could anything be wrong?

"Alright, let's keep moving."

They hadn't walked far when they discovered a second open room.

The room's entrance wasn't cast in bronze—it was a flowing curtain of water.

The water curtain rustled loudly, obscuring what lay inside.

Fang Yue frowned and didn't move rashly.

"Ye Ge, let me go in first and scout the situation."

Tail said then, since this was her Trial, she felt guilty making others take risks.

But Fang Yue stopped her—he first tossed a small iron ball inside. After the ball passed through the water curtain and returned the sound of a normal ground impact, he let Tail lead the way.

"Then I'm going."

Tail stepped forward and plunged straight into the water curtain.

Fang Yue was about to enter next when suddenly—*THOOM! *—a heavy impact rang out.

Before he could react, a figure shot backward out of the water curtain, blood spraying violently, staining the curtain and the ground red.

Fang Yue's face changed instantly—he looked at the flying figure and recognized… Tail!

She lay on the ground, clutching her chest, coughing blood nonstop, her clothes slowly turning crimson.

"Tail?!"

"Tail Goddess!"

"Hey! Are you alright?!"

The three shouted in alarm and rushed to Tail's side.

Fang Yue sat on the ground, holding Tail in his arms, immediately forcing a Qi and Blood recovery pill into her mouth—this was the one he'd begged Liaodashi for, and now he poured it all into her.

But Tail remained barely alive—though slowly, her eyes opened.

"Ye… Ye Ge…"

"Don't speak. Your injuries are severe. I'll contact Ni Dongmei—she might be able to save you!"

Fang Yue immediately pulled out the meatball and poured his inner force into it… but there was no response.

The meatball's connection to Ni Dongmei had been severed by the vast ruins!

Fang Yue's face darkened—he understood: Tail's chances were slim.

From the blood oozing from her chest, it was clearly a bone-shattering wound—unless An Shenyi was right beside her, no one could save her!

"Hey, what happened behind the Shuilian Room? How did you end up like this?"

Liao Moran grabbed Tail's hand, frantically asking.

"It's… a trap… a massive iron hammer trap—right to my chest… Don't go near that room… don't go near…"

Its tail's voice grew halting, as if it had used up all its strength, making Fang Yue feel a pang of pity.

He sent a message to the tail: "Enough, don't speak anymore. Rest properly. If anything happens, just send me a message—I can see it. I'm taking you back to the Bronze Room right now; the Water Gate might still be open. As soon as we're out of the Water Gate, I'll contact Ni Dongmei immediately and have her save you!"

After sending the message, Fang Yue stared firmly at the tail.

Then, he received a reply from the tail.

"???"

"Ye Ge, what are you talking about? What rest? My chest doesn't hurt at all anymore. Besides, the Jade Pendant hasn't been found yet—I'm not going back! And you're way too slow! Didn't we agree to stick right behind me? Why have I been waiting in the Shuilian Room for nearly five or six minutes and still haven't seen you guys?"

Fang Yue: …

Fang Yue:???

Fang Yue:!!!

What the hell!

What's going on?!

Looking at the tail's reply, Fang Yue's heart lurched—a cold chill shot up his spine, and he felt as if plunged into an ice cave. His neck stiffened as he stared at the 'tail' in his arms.

If… the tail is still in the Shuilian Room, then what the hell am I holding right now?!

Just as Fang Yue was about to draw his blade and pierce the thing in his arms clean through, Hai Ming suddenly burst out with a slap, shoving Fang Yue aside and tightly grasping the tail's hand, eyes brimming with tears.

"Tail… Tail Goddess! How could this happen? How could something like this really occur? So the corpse earlier really was you—it really was you! It's all my fault! If only I'd noticed sooner, you wouldn't have died!"

(End of Chapter)