Chapter 45 Fantasy World: Who's Calling My Name?

Lu Jin swallowed the small bite of cake that Sang Li handed him, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.

He suddenly realized that he looked exactly like Sang Li's "unseemly" lover.

No, it's out in the open.

Sang Li smiled, glancing at the crumbs on her fingers as if she had just fed a docile wild animal.

Their eyes met, and Lu Jin felt as if he were melting under Sang Li's burning gaze.

The crowd was buzzing with discussion.

"So...Miss Sang Li has fallen for someone else?"

"Having a lover is perfectly normal, isn't it? Which nobleman doesn't have a lover!"

“Count Slo is so rich, and he even has royal status. Miss Sang Li doesn’t want anything. It must be because of love.”

"This man seems alright, but surely he wouldn't give up his comfortable life now?"

"If Miss Sang Li is willing to choose a lover to spend her life with, I can also be her lover."

People are just different because they have different ideas.

This is Sang Li's purpose.

Who doesn't love watching a drama of infidelity and divorce?

Zhou Fangyang reported promptly: "It's working. Cracks have started to appear, the entire painting is beginning to collapse, and a black hole effect is appearing in the magnetic field."

Lu Jin gave the order: "Then prepare to provide backup."

Sang Li rubbed her fingers together; it seemed that it really wasn't difficult.

Once you find the flaws in the painting, you can find the gaps in its logic.

Sudden.

A heart-wrenching roar seemed to tear the banquet hall apart.

Oh, I forgot there's another main character.

Slo's bloodless face was contorted almost unrecognizable, rage surging from his eyes, which were bloodshot, and his body trembling. His lips parted, but no sound came out, his fingertips shaking so hard he could barely hold his sleeve. His gaze was fixed on Lu Jin and Sang Li, his breathing rapid, and in a few seconds, anger turned to surprise, and then to sorrow.

I've seen this man before.

It was him.

The man who had always been by Sang Li's side—no, the man who had only recently become attached to her.

He had been following Sang Li for a long time, so of course he knew the man's name!

Slo said slowly and deliberately, through gritted teeth, "You... are Lu Jin."

How could Lu Jin possibly get in?

This is his own world; it's impossible that Lu Jin entered without being noticed at all!

How did they manage to do that?!

Lu Jin leaned lazily against the wall, a trace of cream and provocation still lingering at the corner of his mouth. He slowly wiped away the trace and said softly, "You think this little thing can stop me? BEAM-0248, you're really too young. All anomalous derivatives have flaws, and your paintings are no exception, are they? Paintings are not perfect."

Slo's face was almost manic.

No, his paintings are perfect!

It has the most perfect fairytale life! It has the most beautiful scenery!

No desires, no wants!

They can live every day like they're in paradise!

Sang Li doesn't need to go back to those days of fear!

Isn't this exactly what Sang Li wanted? He had heard Sang Li's thoughts before. He had met Sang Li many years ago, and Sang Li said that she didn't want to hide anymore and wanted to find a place to settle down peacefully!

Isn't painting just such a place?

Has Sang Li forgotten everything?

Sang Li sighed and said, "Let's leave, Slo. Even if you refuse, there's no turning back now."

Sloe bit her lip and looked at Sang Li with difficulty: "We were perfectly fine. Didn't you want to live a carefree life? I'll still have cherry blossom flavored ice cream here, and I'll prepare tiramisu cake for you. You can keep drawing forever. You're lying to me, aren't you..."

Slo's eyes were unfocused, and his face was so pale it was almost transparent.

His emotional breakdown left Sang Li somewhat bewildered, even wondering if it was really that serious.

He looked like a melting candle, a rose about to wither.

Sang Li didn't understand why Slo had such a strong obsession with her.

This isn't love either.

Sloan seemed to be begging for a dream from which he would never wake: "We'll be together forever, how could it all suddenly... lover... no, you don't have a lover, you have nothing to do with this man. I've been so good to you because you said you liked the flowers I arranged, you said the banquet hall should have your favorite rose cake, you said..."

By the end, he seemed almost out of breath.

Sang Li did not answer, as if she had truly softened at that moment.

Is this what they call a kidnapper?

This tone sounds like that of a child.

Slo stared at Sang Li, then suddenly raised his voice, as if he had realized something: "No, no, no, no! You begged me! I asked you to protect you! He couldn't protect you, and Lu Jin couldn't protect you either! I can, I can take you away from the real world, isn't that what you've always wanted?"

“I know, those bastards at the Bureau have brainwashed you. You’ve forgotten the freedom you want, you’ve forgotten how they treated you. Now only I can protect you, I can create a world for you!” Slo’s nails dug fiercely into his palms. “You can’t leave, she’s mine. I have to protect her!”

Even if she forgets, I will still protect her!

"None of you can take her away!"

The lights flickered on and off.

"This is my painting, none of you are allowed to leave!"

Sang Li couldn't understand what Slo was saying, but he was so certain that Sang Li even had a slight hallucination, as if they had really met before and that he had really sought help.

What exactly are they talking about...?

The crystal chandelier overhead in the banquet hall suddenly emitted a low, rumbling sound, like the cracking sound of bones being forcibly dislocated.

The lights went out instantly, and the dim yellow flames danced wildly in the air.

The wallpaper patterns on the walls began to peel off, like festering skin. Patches of wallpaper fell off, revealing dark, mottled cement, like rotting tombstones.

The floor began to vibrate slightly, and the door automatically clicked shut.

Rose vines slowly twined around the back of the door, blocking the way out.

The once-delicate cupcakes were now oozing crimson liquid, one after another.

It wasn't jam, it wasn't syrup, but... blood.

Slo stood in the middle of the pool of blood, his expression blank.

He turned to look at Sang Li, his voice as soft as a gentle breeze:

"Don't be afraid. It's just a nightmare, Lili... I can protect you... He can't protect you, but I can..."

Sang Li stood on the shaky floor, unable to understand.

Is he Lu Jin?

who is he?

"After you wake up from this dream, everything will be back to normal. I will prepare your favorite cupcakes again, but instead of blood, they will contain roses and raspberries, your favorite flavor."

He took a step forward and raised his hand as if coaxing a child: "Didn't you say you like lively banquets? We can do it again."

Sloan approached Sanli, step by step.

Sang Li stepped back and observed her surroundings.

This place is about to collapse.

But why haven't the cracks retreated yet? Is it because they haven't reached the threshold?

must.

Before Sloan collapses.

Let the painting collapse!

Otherwise, everything will be over.

The goal is to make all the data fluctuate.

Suddenly, a hoarse, static-like sound reached Sang Li's ears.

It was Zhou Fangyang's remote communication: "The crack has fully opened, but due to the magnetic field problem of BEAM-0248, the crack is now beginning to heal. The external quantum wave frequency cannot maintain the stability of the channel, and all the 'wave forces' need to be concentrated. Boss, the magnetic field energy is not enough right now, and the painting is gradually being stabilized by Slo."

Lu Jin frowned. This place was about to collapse, and there was no time to start over.

Making Slow collapse does not mean making everyone's magnetic field fluctuate.

He stepped forward and pressed down on Sang Li's hand: "Fluidity, your imagination. Don't be afraid, I'll catch you."

Sang Li knew what Lu Jin was talking about. She leaned against Lu Jin's chest, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

bring it on.

Anyway, she has a very rich imagination.

The next second, a muffled "bang" came from the ceiling.

Immediately afterwards, the chandelier and a section of the ceiling collapsed, blood slid down the steel frame, and a corpse dressed in a banquet dress with its head twisted at an eerie angle fell straight down, crashing into the center of the banquet.

"Click click click".

The corpse suddenly raised its head, its pale, lifeless, bloodshot eyes staring intently at the crowd.

Yes, zombies.

Lu Jin: "..."

He thought there would be at least one handsome guy.

Thinking about how Sang Li had wanted to see the newly released zombie movie with me after having Western food last night, I felt a pang of sadness.

I'll watch it when I get back!

Look how anxious she is!

Screams erupted in the banquet hall as guests scattered and fled.

Zhou Fangyang: "We still need to improve by 1.5%, Sangli."

Sang Li closed her eyes tightly, gripped Lu Jin's wrist, and silently pleaded, "Give me some inspiration."

Lu Jin: "Then let's play the hero and save the damsel in distress. The suspension bridge effect should work."

Sang Li: "Can Qin Ye appear?"

"Can't."

"oh."

The next instant, the silver-haired knight pushed open the side door of the hall, wearing metal armor, his face cold and stern. With a flash of sword light, the zombie's arm was severed.

"Don't be afraid, princesses, I'm here."

A window on the other side of the banquet hall burst open, and a blond, blue-eyed prince leaped in, his cloak casting moonlight through him.

Lu Jin raised an eyebrow.

At the same time, a female angel in a flowing white dress descended from the sky, her pure white wings unfurling.

The entire banquet hall was suddenly filled with people who appeared out of nowhere: a handsome knight, a charming nobleman, a fairy angel, a female warrior in a tight leather outfit, a twin-tailed loli nurse, and even a sexy middle-aged man in a suit wearing rabbit ears.

"..."

Sang Li is trying to take care of everyone's most private, shameful, and unbearable XP.

Cats were running around on the ground, and there were octopus tentacles on the walls.

There's bound to be one that suits you.

Zhou Fangyang, who had been staring intently at the screen, suddenly raised his voice: "It's open. The magnetic field fluctuation value has reached the critical value, and the painting is starting to collapse."

The moment he finished speaking, the world suddenly spun around him.

The walls, chandeliers, cakes, and floors of the banquet hall all seemed to flow, tear, and collapse like melting oil paintings.

Multicolored light exploded and spread out in the air, burning in mid-air.

Sang Li opened her eyes wide, but her body seemed to be suspended in mid-air as if weightless.

She heard faint sobbing.

"don't want."

"Don't leave me..."

"Sang Li, I can protect you."

Who is crying?

The crying wasn't loud, but it was filled with a heart-wrenching sorrow.

Who exactly needs protection?

“Sang Li”.

A deep, resonant voice, as if from the deep sea, came from the darkness.

It's not Sloan, it's not Lu Jin.

Who is calling her name?

She turned her head slightly, trying to see who was speaking.

But I only saw Sloan.

His voice was almost trembling, as if he had lost the whole world.

“Slo?” Sang Li instinctively reached out her hand. “It was you just now…”

The next second.

Don't look.

Lu Jin covered her eyes.

The body is warm, firm, and feels like a hot spring.

It's very safe.

"Close your eyes."

Sang Li felt his voice close to her ear, and at that moment, it felt as if she had been completely swallowed up by the vortex of the world.

Everything went black, and then there was nothing left.

***

When I opened my eyes again, I was greeted by a blinding incandescent light.

"Hmm..."

Her head was throbbing with pain. She sat up instinctively and found herself lying on a folding bed covered with a military green blanket. All around her were the enclosed metal walls of a warehouse, metal shelves, and people coming and going.

Lu Jin gave instructions from the side.

Many unconscious victims were lying in the warehouse.

"You're awake." Tang Lan leaned closer.

What time is it?

Tang Lan: "It's alright, you were only missing for two or three hours. It's 11:30 PM now. They all went to help, but the boss told me to stay with you. How are you feeling? Have you regained your memory yet?"

"Headache." Sang Li rubbed her temples. "Is it over?"

"Yes, the world of BEAM-0248 has collapsed, and it has been contained." Tang Lan seemed very happy. "Thanks to you this time, we were all saved by you. There are too many victims affected by 0248, and it will probably take a long time to process. By the way, you must be hungry, you haven't eaten much. The cafeteria is still open, I can go get you some..."

"I'll do it."

A figure approached.

It is Bai Heng.

"Leave it to me," Bai Heng said to Tang Lan.

With his left hand in his pocket and a steaming cup of cocoa in his right, he said, "I've come to pick her up."

Tang Lan frowned, stood in front of the bed, and said in a rather impolite voice, "She just experienced the impact of the rift. Why are you taking her out now? The observation period is not over yet."

"Check it out." Bai Heng glanced at her and said calmly, "I need to do a cognitive assessment."

Tang Lan was conflicted; her boss had specifically instructed her to stay by his side at all times.

However, cognitive testing is indeed necessary, after all, Sang Li was just brainwashed by Sloan.

Sang Li stood up: "It's alright, you go ahead and get busy."

Tang Lan pouted: "Then why don't you contact the boss?"

"OK."

Bai Heng handed the hot cocoa in his hand to Sang Li.

The cup was warm, and the warmth transferred to my fingertips was reassuring: "I added cream, to your preferred sweetness."

Sang Li took it, lowered her head, and took a sip.

Bai Heng looked down at her: "You don't look well. Lu Jin was too careless."

Sang Li smiled slightly, pursing her lips, and shrugged gently: "It's all because I'm charming."

Bai Heng didn't reply, but handed her one of his cashmere sweaters as an outer layer: "Shall we go?"

"Let's go. What do you want to eat?"

What would you like to eat?

"...Can we drive out?"

"Yes." He paused, his tone gentle. "I'll take you."