Chapter 221 The Path Chosen

Chapter 221 The Path Chosen

"After getting off bus 444, the talent I gained was 'Every step forward is another step forward.'" Zhang Yibu stood by the sofa, like a dutiful student answering a teacher's question.

And Zhang Yibu's talent, much like those acquired by other players, sounded equally underwhelming.

Su Bai, whose eyelids were already drooping from exhaustion on the sofa, could only extend a hand, gesturing for Zhang Yibu to sit on the adjacent sofa. In a hoarse, apologetic voice, he said, "My body isn't well right now; I get so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. Lying down like this is the only way I feel somewhat comfortable, so please excuse my lack of hospitality. But don't worry, even with my eyes closed, I'll be listening carefully to what you say."

"Brother Su Bai..."

Zhang Yibu's expression was filled with emotion, as if deeply moved that Su Bai, despite his severe illness, still wished to help him awaken his abilities.

"Have you already sensed a connection between your talent and your abilities?" Su Bai had been pushing himself since the reception room, and the physical strain had reached its peak. To cope with any potential developments, Su Bai needed to rest his body as quickly as possible, hoping to prolong his endurance for the next time he had to push through.

"Yes."

"Although many people say my talent is utterly useless, with eleven words that sound like pure nonsense, I actually like it very much. So I've been thinking seriously about what kind of ability it could bring me," Zhang Yibu said, a little bashfully. "After all, 'Yibu' (meaning 'one step') is the name my parents gave me, and this talent feels like another gift from them."

Su Bai, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them to glance at Zhang Yibu.

Compared to the Zhang Yibu described by Auntie Zhang—the one who did nothing at home, neglected his studies, and only wanted to sneak his phone to play games all night—the Zhang Yibu before him now seemed to possess much more.

Though his appearance hadn't changed like Su Bai’s, the experiences in the Nightmare World were enough to transform anyone.

"Gradually, I started to wonder if this talent was related to 'step-by-step progress' and 'accumulating little by little.' Then, it felt like something new appeared in my mind," Zhang Yibu said very earnestly. "I don't know if it's just my imagination, but every time I enter the Nightmare World, even though I feel very cold, I can sense some kind of energy inside my body. Though these things are tiny, I seem to vaguely be able to control their movement."

Su Bai was somewhat surprised.

"You're fortunate," Su Bai's voice was so hoarse that a few words occasionally failed to emerge, yet his tone was equally serious. "Many people acquire abilities haphazardly, leading them to have only a superficial understanding of how to use them for a long time. Some might even lose their lives in the Nightmare World before they truly grasp how their abilities work."

"Does what's appearing in my body really have to do with abilities?" Zhang Yibu was surprised, then asked as if a thought had struck him, "Brother Su Bai, during my last game, I met an experienced player who helped me. After hearing about my talent, he said my ability might be related to 'feet,' so he suggested I pursue speed enhancement."

"Later, I tried it myself and found that I could indeed guide those things inside my body to move slowly. But when I tried, it was only smoother when I guided them toward my legs," Zhang Yibu mused. "I think maybe I can try moving those things to my legs and feet. That way..."

"That way, you would become a speed-type physical enhancer, possessing greater speed than ordinary players, and possibly quicker reflexes and evasion abilities as well," Su Bai finished Zhang Yibu’s thought. "That's a certainty."

"Really?" Zhang Yibu's eyes lit up at the mention of the abilities he might possess in the future.

After all, at this moment, Zhang Yibu was almost just an ordinary person with no combat power, yearning for the "superpowers" that experienced players possessed. To Zhang Yibu, a speed-type physical enhancer might seem like the Flash from real-world movies.

"Speed is a good ability, but unless it's absolutely necessary, I don't recommend you take that path," Su Bai opened his eyes again and warned seriously.

Su Bai knew that Zhang Yibu had truly found the threshold of his ability. With just a thought, he could move the power within his body to his legs, activate the enhancement for his legs, and smoothly become a speed-type physical enhancer.

After becoming a speed-type physical enhancer, Zhang Yibu would immediately gain the ability to protect himself.

So Su Bai didn't think there was anything wrong with speed-related abilities; he just felt... since Zhang Yibu could already sense the presence of the Red Moon’s power within his body, speed-type physical enhancement might not be the ultimate focus of his ability.

"Unless it's absolutely necessary?" Zhang Yibu still knew too little about abilities.

"Because if you decide to become a physical enhancer, then for a long time... perhaps even for the rest of your life, you will only be a physical enhancer," Su Bai had to inform the boy of the consequences of his choice.

As he spoke, Su Bai pushed himself up from the sofa and extended his right hand toward the boy.

In the palm of Su Bai’s outstretched right hand, a small cluster of blue flames ignited out of thin air.

Su Bai’s body was only inconvenienced by the side effects; the power within him and the ability of the Evil Ghost Puzzle were unaffected—though the "door" of the Evil Ghost Puzzle had loosened, the puzzle pieces themselves were unaffected, and so was Su Bai.

"This is..." Zhang Yibu stared wide-eyed at the cluster of blue flames in Su Bai’s hand, watching as they disappeared when Su Bai withdrew his hand. "Brother Su Bai, is this the same as what you did on bus 444? Is this your ability? Can players really have abilities beyond physical enhancement?"

Su Bai closed his eyes again, exhausted, and sank back into the sofa.

"All I can say is, most players who enter the Nightmare World are physical enhancers, but among the veterans who survive three, four, or even five years or more in the Nightmare World, there are very few physical enhancers," Su Bai spoke slowly, struggling to enunciate clearly with his hoarse voice.

"Zhang Yibu, if it truly comes to a life-or-death situation, 'speed' can save your life," Su Bai sighed. "But you have the potential for special abilities. There are other possibilities within you."

"That's all I can say. The path ahead must be chosen by you," Su Bai had spoken a lot in one go, and his throat felt as if it had been repeatedly cut by a knife. He had to stop and rest.

Zhang Yibu also sat quietly on the sofa, lost in thought.

*Creak—creak—*

Faintly, Su Bai heard strange noises coming from the hallway outside Room 101, as if someone were dragging a broken chair through the corridor.