Chapter 362 A Key

Chapter 362 A Key

"What kind of experiment is that force conducting?"

“Our game can end early.” Su Xuan didn’t answer Su Bai’s question. Instead, he looked at the distant city streets, a complex light in his eyes. “You can go outside and take a look.”

"Is that something I can't know?" Su Bai sensed the other person's abrupt avoidance of the topic, and his curiosity grew even stronger.

Su Xuan turned around, his eyes filled with deep worry and helplessness.

“As soon as a person knows something, they subconsciously pay attention to it, chase after it. So the best way to avoid danger is to remain ignorant of everything,” he said slowly, his voice low and firm. “Their purpose has little to do with the people of the real world. You just need to know that they are a group of madmen chasing a 0.01% possibility for a vague dream. For this absolutely impossible goal, they are crazy enough to kill indiscriminately, and humanity is likely to become a casualty in this process.”

Su Xuan’s words once again reminded Su Bai of the strange administrator. When he had asked the administrator about Su Xuan, the other party had refused to answer, instead recounting some so-called truths about the game.

According to the administrator, a great war would break out between the real world and the nightmare world, and all humanity in the real world would be drawn into it. To give humanity a fighting chance, some forces had selected a portion of humanity, or "players," to enter the nightmare world as a vanguard.

But if the nightmare game was created by the madmen Su Xuan spoke of, how could they be as benevolent as the administrator described?

Judging from the administrator's avoidance of questions related to Su Xuan, he most likely knew Su Xuan, was familiar with him, and might even be an "old friend" who tipped off Su Xuan. Otherwise, the mysterious force would not know the name "Su Xuan," which belongs to a human in the real world, let alone the relationship between Su Xuan and him.

So, as a well-meaning old friend, did that administrator lie and embellish the motives of those madmen in creating the nightmare game, or is there a dissenting voice among the mysterious forces hidden beneath the red moon?

Could it be that within that force, besides that strange administrator, there are other beings who harbor goodwill towards Su Xuan, towards him, or even towards humanity?

In addition, the voices Su Bai heard earlier revealed that the force seemed to be trying to get the test subjects to enter the Void Sea one after another to find a gap to the past, even at the cost of dragging the two worlds down with them.

However, judging from Su Xuan's words, finding a rift to the past within the Void Sea is virtually impossible, with only a 0.01% chance. So, why is that force doing this? Is it because the rift to the past holds a treasure, or is the future world so terrifying that they want to escape?

This mysterious force, which is gradually emerging, is forming a new and massive puzzle in Su Bai's mind.

"He's right." At this moment, Yao's voice came from the puzzle, her tone even more serious than Su Xuan's. "Never pursue the truth."

Su Bai even felt a chill run down his spine.

"So don't attract the attention of those lunatics anymore," Su Xuan emphasized again, his eyes pleading.

“But if it really can’t be avoided…” Su Xuan said, taking out a small and exquisite key from his pocket.

The key didn't look particularly special, but when Su Bai took it, he could feel its cool touch and the distinct power of the Crimson Moon contained within it. Moreover, the key was incredibly light, appearing to be made of wood.

“As long as you use this key to open any door with a lock, you can return to this city.” Su Xuan’s voice softened slightly, and his eyes held a hint of warmth. “This city is hidden in a safe crevice, enough to keep you away from some potential dangers. And… I’m here.”

Su Bai looked at the key in his hand and thought of the Misty Shop that the Ghost Witch had entrusted to him. It has to be said that it was not entirely accidental that Su Xuan and the Ghost Witch were able to talk to each other; at least when it came to dealing with his escape route, their ideas were practically identical.

“This key was made from that severed finger. The power within it is extremely complex, but it was created for you and can only be used by you.” Su Xuan’s tone was warm. “So don’t worry about accidentally losing this key, because no matter where you lose it, it will return to you.”

A smile finally appeared on Su Xuan's face. Although the smile contained a hint of weariness and vicissitude, it was mostly filled with determination and warmth. "Just like my useless older brother, although I can't leave this fake city for the time being, I've always been here."

"I've always been here..."

"I've always been here."

When Su Xuan said those words, a tightly closed door to memory in Su Bai's mind suddenly began to loosen. The voice that kept repeating in his mind seemed to come from the past, and also from the future, as if it came from his ears, as if it came from some distant, ethereal place, and also as if it came from somewhere behind him.

But Su Bai knew there was nothing behind him, only his shadow...

At that moment, a flood of complex emotions welled up in Su Bai's heart, emotions he could not even describe. He took two steps forward and hugged his long-lost brother, just like when he was a child.

This was his real brother!

A brother who would always love his family and never hurt them.

The light reappeared in the sky, falling on the two brothers, and the city's outline gradually became clear amidst the interplay of light and shadow. Su Xuan's appearance seemed exceptionally gentle in the sunlight, the weariness in the corners of his eyes contrasting sharply with the firmness within them.

Although Su Xuan's "shell" was not as warm as before, Su Bai, embracing his brother, felt his brother's support and strength. His inner doubts and anxieties dissipated, replaced by boundless joy and attachment.

They stood there silently, enjoying this moment of tranquility and warmth, as if everything in the world had come to a standstill, leaving only the two brothers in their own corner.

"Alright, go finish this simple game," Su Xuan said, patting Su Bai's head as he used to. "I'll always be here."

Su Bai also knew that he was no longer the childish boy who used to cling to his brother. In this game, there were things he had to do. So he untied the white rope he had gotten from Yao from his hair, and then re-tied the rope with the key to his now dry hair.

After listening to his brother's nagging for a moment, he reluctantly turned and left.

And Su Xuan, standing on the rooftop, watched his brother walk out of the gates of Honghuai No. 10 Middle School and wave back at him. Only then did Su Xuan's figure disappear directly from the rooftop of Honghuai No. 10 Middle School.

Almost in the next second, Su Xuan, as the owner of "Honghuai City," had appeared in a dark, confined space completely different from the sunny metropolis outside.

The only light in this confined space, which was actually located beneath Honghuai No. 10 Middle School, came from the flickering candlelight in the corner.

In the dim light, one could vaguely discern a humanoid figure tightly bound to a shelf in the center of the space. The humanoid's appearance was very similar to Su Xuan's, but its hair and clothing were disheveled, and its expression was as listless as if it were suffering from a hangover.

But the humanoid's expression was one of terror, even despair.

That humanoid was clearly "Su Xuan," or rather, the strange entity that had occupied the shell Su Xuan had discarded.

"Now it's time for us to settle accounts." Su Xuan's smiling expression from a moment ago turned utterly cold. "What you've done cannot be atoned for even by turning to dust. So, are you ready to endure the darkest side of this city?"

"This hatred will be endless."