Chapter 98: Reality

Chapter 98: Reality

◎Belief◎

Having slept all afternoon, Shi Youqing felt quite refreshed. Believing everything was settled with Bao Huai, he cheerfully turned his head to look at what Bao Huai had been crafting earlier—a silver whip. It was wrapped in what looked like leather, covered with a layer of woven silver thread, with a silver metal handle on the other end.

...It was quite beautiful.

"Are you making crafts to sell?" This was the first thought that came to Shi Youqing's mind. "How much for this one?"

"…No, it's for you," Bao Huai turned around, took the whip, and placed it in Shi Youqing's hands, "Try it out. If it's too light or too heavy, we can adjust it."

Shi Youqing looked at the whip in his hand, intrigued, and quickly flicked it onto the bed, producing a loud "thud". He commented, "That's loud."

"That's not good enough," Bao Huai pursed his lips, pondering briefly, "You can't tell the effect like this. Try hitting my arm with it. It needs to hurt enough."

Shi Youqing threw the whip aside, frowning, "No."

Bao Huai bent down to pick up the whip, looking up at Shi Youqing, a shiver running through him.

He can't bear to hit me…

Bao Huai could test the whip himself, but since it was intended for Shi Youqing's use, it was more accurate to test it with Shi Youqing's strength.

"I'll just carry a dagger," said Shi Youqing, "I don’t need a whip."

"You need both the dagger and the whip," Bao Huai snapped back to reality and explained, "The dagger is for close combat, but for distance, the whip is best for you and also easy to carry."

He wished he could always be attached to Shi Youqing, like in the last copy where he became Shi Youqing's protective scales. But in the game, apart from gathering clues, there might also be individual mandatory tasks... In short, ensuring Shi Youqing's safety was paramount.

Of course, besides the malevolence in the copies, the whip was also meant for certain players with ulterior motives.

"Hit my arm with it, just once," Bao Huai coaxed, "I don't mind the pain. I didn't even feel it when I got injections as a child."

Shi Youqing was genuinely astonished, "You didn’t feel injections?" He had had his fair share of shots from childhood, but never got used to them and still feared them. His gaze at Bao Huai changed.

...Adorably naïve, Bao Huai's heart raced, but he kept his composure, "Yes."

"Alright, but you asked for it," Shi Youqing reluctantly took the whip, "I’ll only hit once."

Bao Huai stepped back a bit and extended his arm, "Go ahead."

A sharp swish filled the air, and the silver whip struck the arm where veins were visible.

Shi Youqing immediately looked guilty.

"Not enough, it needs to be harder," Bao Huai felt that Shi Youqing had held back. Seeing his reluctance to continue, Bao Huai stepped forward, leaned down, and grabbed Shi Youqing's hand, "Like this."

Before Shi Youqing could react, the whip in his hand lashed out fiercely. A deep red mark instantly appeared on the man's arm, much more intense than the previous one, almost to the point of breaking the skin.

"...This whip is really effective."

"That's the right amount of force," Bao Huai said without changing his expression, tucking the injured hand behind his back and lightly laughing, "I'll make some adjustments to it later, so it's easier for you to use."

Shi Youqing was puzzled, "Your hand..."

"It's fine."

Shi Youqing stared at the two red marks on Bao Huai's arm, not understanding why; he couldn't even bear the lighter one, let alone the heavier. He tilted his head, suggesting, "Couldn’t you practice with a box or something similar? Just to see the level of damage – wouldn’t that be the same?"

Bao Huai, hiding his hand, agreed, "Alright, I'll find some wooden boxes for you to practice on tomorrow."

"..." Then why didn't we just start with a box?

Shi Youqing changed his posture, frowning in thought.

Nevertheless, the whip was indeed useful. Throughout the night, Bao Huai moved his arm as if nothing happened, cooking and cleaning. Shi Youqing, concerned he was enduring the pain, lightly poked him to see his reaction. Besides blushing, Bao Huai showed no other signs of discomfort... so the matter was left at that.

The next morning, Shi Youqing had an unexpected gain.

Before entering the last copy, Bao Huai had used a portrait he had commissioned to search for someone on various online channels. That morning, they finally received some news.

A local netizen replied, saying his father and the person in the portrait were both from Chengjia Village. He thought the portrait looked familiar, so he showed it to his father, who was certain the man in the portrait was a fellow villager from his youth.

Seeing the words "Chengjia Village," Shi Youqing's hope ignited—Cheng Yang's surname was Cheng.

After contacting the netizen, they learned that his family had moved to the city. The father wasn't close to Cheng Yang, and apart from providing the location of Chengjia Village, they couldn’t glean much else.

But getting this address was already an unexpected joy. After expressing their gratitude, they set off for Chengjia Village.

Chengjia Village was located in a rural area under an umbrella city known for tourism. The village still housed many residents.

When they arrived, they encountered several tourists. As the village was adjacent to a resort and near tourist attractions, many self-built homes had been converted into guesthouses, making it easy to find people.

Bao Huai had driven there. After parking, they walked along, showing the portrait to locals who didn't appear to be tourists. However, they mostly received headshakes or were ignored.

As evening approached, they checked into a guesthouse, which led to a turning point. The young owner of the guesthouse, upon seeing their portrait, exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't this... Cheng Yang?"

"You recognize it?" Shi Youqing asked with delight, "I've asked many elders, but they all said they didn't know."

"It's not that they don't know, they just don't want to speak about it," the young man replied cheerfully, but glanced outside as if afraid of being overheard. After quickly finishing the check-in, he led them inside, "I heard it from my parents and my late grandparents. The incident with Cheng Yao is something everyone prefers to avoid discussing, and it’s too complex for a brief chat. Naturally, strangers won't tell you."

Bo Huai asked, "Then why are you willing to speak about it?"

The young man laughed, "You’re my customers, and the customer is king. Plus, I don’t believe in bad luck. I've done nothing wrong to their family, so why shouldn’t I mention it?"

...It seemed there was a story to be told. Shi Youqing followed him to a stone table in the inner courtyard. The owner beckoned them to sit and offered them cigarettes.

Shi Youqing declined, "Thank you, we don't smoke."

The owner then sat down, taking back the cigarettes: "I enjoy chatting with people. There haven’t been many guests lately. I like your hairstyle, like a little elf... Hahaha, I mean it as a compliment. Don’t be offended, let's continue talking! By the way, why are you asking about Cheng Yao? I remember his entire family died. You're not his friends, right? You don't seem to be from the same age group."

Shi Youqing and Bo Huai exchanged a look.

Bo Huai replied, "He was friends with my parents many years ago. They're getting older and wanted to see him one more time."

"That's a true friend..." The owner sighed and shook his head, "But you definitely won't be able to see him now."

Shi Youqing inquired, "Why not?"

"Cheng Yao used to be from our village, around the same age as my parents. At that time, he was considered the pride of our village. Unfortunately, things changed after that incident..."

With a gentle breeze blowing, the owner gazed at the portrait on the wall, sipped his tea, and slowly recounted the story from the past.

Cheng Yao, originally named Cheng Yang, was a child prodigy in playing Go. Once, he was so engrossed in the game that he forgot to eat for a whole day, only realizing he needed food when he became dizzy from hunger. His talent in Go was extraordinary; by the age of eight, he could defeat all the adult players in several neighboring villages.

However, his family and the village were poor at the time. His parents, focusing solely on his academic achievements as a means to a better future, didn't see the value in playing Go. Understanding his parents' perspective and their lack of plans for him to pursue Go professionally, Cheng Yang devoted himself to his studies.

He was exceptionally intelligent with an excellent memory, consistently topping his class and school. He eventually got into a prestigious university, becoming the only college student from his village.

After entering university, Cheng Yang took control of his future, choosing computer science. He excelled in college and later created a Go-themed game that became popular at the time. By his early thirties, Cheng Yang had established his career and was on an upward trajectory, moving his elderly parents to a new house to live with him.

However, that same year, tragedy struck the thriving Cheng Yang.

During a vacation, while taking his parents on a trip for relaxation, their car was hit by a drunk driver and rolled down a hill into a reservoir.

Cheng Yang wasn't in the car at the time. Being too busy, he had decided last minute to stay at the hotel to work, asking his best friend to accompany his parents.

His friend and parents all drowned, and the driver fled the scene.

Upon learning about the accident, Cheng Yang went mad, screaming that the three deceased were standing by the reservoir, claiming they hadn't died initially. The car hadn't completely rolled into the water at first; they were severely injured, unable to move, moaning for help, and the driver had seen them... If only they had been rescued in time, they wouldn't have died...

Everyone thought he was traumatized, but soon, the hit-and-run driver was caught. One of the officers, remembering Cheng Yang's words, mentioned it casually.

Surprised, the driver, thinking the officer had evidence (as no witnesses survived), inadvertently confessed under pressure.

His confession matched Cheng Yang's account.

The driver, thinking there were no cameras or witnesses nearby and not wanting to take responsibility, had watched as the injured people and the car slowly sank into the water.

Though the case was closed, Cheng Yang's mental state deteriorated. He began to talk nonsensically, claiming he could see dead people, many of them...

A year later, Cheng Yang's company building caught fire. He said he mistook a ghost for a living person while escaping, delaying his exit. Although he survived, his face was disfigured.

Afterward, there was a significant change in Cheng Yang's mental condition.

He had started to often say terrifying and bizarre things, sometimes acting mad, sometimes crying, sometimes polite, and sometimes obstinate. His company was soon taken over by his partners, but facing the loss of everything, he seemed oddly unresponsive.

It was that year when Cheng Yang suddenly changed his name to Cheng Yue. Everyone thought he had really gone mad. Already so unlucky, and yet he chose such an ominous name.

However, Cheng Yue had laughed, "This name suits me well. You don't understand; it's perfect for me and that world."

"Then, fourteen years ago, Cheng Yue just vanished," the boss sighed, "He completely disappeared, nowhere to be found, alive nor dead. There was a fortune teller in the village who said he had used up all his luck in the first half of his life, which is why his later years were so tragic. But that's obviously just hindsight! And besides, does that mean everyone who is successful in the first half of their life is destined to suffer later? It’s baseless!"

"But you know how it is, one word leads to ten, and soon everyone believed he brought bad luck wherever he went. For instance, his company went bankrupt the year after he disappeared, and many of its executives met untimely ends. Naturally, people are afraid to talk about it, but I don't believe in such superstitions. I even discussed this with my college friends before graduation, and we're all fine. Most people prefer to err on the side of caution, so it's not surprising you couldn't find much information."

Shi Youqing fell into silence.

Fourteen years ago was when he had his accident.

After he died, he indeed encountered Cheng Yue in the mountains, but back then, Cheng Yue was trying to capture him...

Seeing his somber expression, the boss felt the topic was too heavy and quickly changed the subject, laughing and joking for a while. Then someone called for him, and he got up to leave, advising them to rest well.

Bo Huai noticed Shi Youqing sitting motionless with his head down and hurried over, crouching beside him, "What's wrong?"

Shi Youqing lifted his eyes, "There’s something off about that story."

Bao Huai paused slightly, "Are you referring to the part where he said he saw dead people?"

Shi Youqing nodded, "Because his family and friends died, he gained the ability to see ghosts. The cause and effect here seem a bit strange."

Either one is born with such ability or encounters some evil spirits or sorcery from a young age… Cheng Yang most likely fell into the latter category. To outsiders, it seemed he started speaking nonsense due to the trauma he experienced.

"If I'm not mistaken, that reservoir is where it all started," Shi Youqing spoke softly, "Cheng Yang might have encountered evil spirits there."

Bao Huai's gaze shifted, thinking of Shi Youqing's past, and suddenly gripped his hand tightly.

Shi Youqing noticed his trembling hand and shook his head, "I am now living my second life; that chapter has already been restarted." He paused, unsure what more to say, and gently rubbed his hand against Bao Huai's palm.

Bao Huai remained silent, his heart churning like a tempestuous sea. Ever since his childhood separation from Shi Youqing, he had regretted not insisting on staying with Shi Youqing’s family for a holiday. After losing contact with Shi Youqing, his daily routine at the kindergarten involved asking the principal, "Has Qingqing returned?"

The answer was always a shake of the head.

Eventually heartbroken, he became melancholic. While his family took him out to cheer him up, passing by the mountain where Shi Youqing was seen, the adults were captivated by the scenic beauty and stopped for photos. To their surprise, Bao Huai disappeared.

Bao Huai hadn't run away intentionally. He saw a small head pop up from below the mountain, staring blankly at them. Overwhelmed with joy, he rushed towards the boy, who turned and ran.

Desperate not to lose sight of him again, Bao Huai chased after him, unknowingly venturing deep into the mountains.

Longing for Shi Youqing, Bao Huai finally caught up to him on a small hill, grabbing his arm firmly, "Qingqing! Don’t run anymore, you're out of breath!"

The boy was panting heavily, exhausted. After being caught, he first tried to push Bao Huai away, but upon failing, he stopped moving.

Bao Huai felt distressed, watching him sit down wearily. He carefully asked, "Qingqing, do you remember me?"

Shi Youqing's voice was hollow, sounding indifferent, unlike a child, "I remember."

"Why don't you come to school?"

"I've been sick," his head hanging low.

Bao Huai then noticed his skin was almost paper-white, unnaturally pale. Clutching his hand, he trembled, "What illness?"

His voice shook, fearing it was an incurable disease.

Fortunately, the other boy shook his head, "I don’t know, still undergoing treatment."

As darkness fell, Bao Huai realized something was amiss, "Why are you here? Where is your home? I'll take you back."

Shi Youqing remained motionless, not speaking.

Bao Huai lifted him up, "Are you feeling unwell? I can carry you back."

The boy's limp legs suddenly straightened, "No need."

"Why not? It's getting dark, Qingqing..."

"Someone's chasing me," the boy's voice held a hint of crying, "someone's after me..."

Seeing him in such a state, Bao Huai panicked, holding him protectively, "Who is it? Don’t be afraid, I'll call my family over... No one dares to chase you! I’ll fight them!"

After speaking, he led the nodding boy towards the mountain's exit. However, it felt like entering a maze; no matter how they walked, the road leading out seemed endless, impossible to exit.

As the moon rose, suddenly, voices echoed from a distance.

Bao Huai distinctly heard the eerie sound:

"Youqing, why are you hiding again, still playing hide-and-seek? Then I'll come find you—"

His face turned pale, realizing Shi Youqing was indeed being targeted by someone malicious. He pulled him and started to run.

During their last moments together, Bao Huai ran through the mountains carrying Shi Youqing, heartbroken, feeling tears on his neck. His feet never stopped, but his mind raced, wondering why Qingqing had to suffer this fate, why he couldn't keep him always within sight...

Just like now, he still regretted the separation from their childhood days.

—Qingqing deserved the best life.

This belief took root in his heart after waking up in the hospital that year.

From initially trying to uncover traces of another world, to becoming a player in the game, and finally... he found him.

[Author’s Note]

Thanks to the angel who launched a rocket: --Waiting for Aurora-- 1;

Thanks to the angel who threw grenades: Folding Jump 2;

Thanks to the angels who threw landmines: Folding Jump 2; Big Quilt 1;

Thanks to the angels who irrigated with nutrient solution: Salty Tea 46 bottles; Soy Sauce Glass 30 bottles; --Waiting for Aurora--, Big Quilt 20 bottles; ENXI, Beloved Pet, Indescribable, Pillowed Stone Rinsed Stream (Fast Reading Version), Song Jiuqing 10 bottles;

Thank you everyone for your support, I will continue to work hard!