Chapter 165 Night Candle Rules 43 Farewell and another farewell.
The injury to his wrist seemed to hurt more. This minor injury wasn't worth wasting props on, Nanmen Jue thought, and for a moment he couldn't ignore the pain he should have gotten used to.
“That’s strange,” Nanmen Jue said. “So you would ask that question.”
Since you knew there might be another answer to this question, why didn't you ask before stabbing me in the back?
Zhu Wenjun understood what she meant, her thin face turning even paler, "After they came in, they all said..."
“Since you already believe them, what’s the point of asking me this now?” Nanmen Jue interrupted her.
"..." Zhu Wenjun remained silent for a moment, then lowered her head again.
Nanmen Jue didn't even look at her. Seeing that there was no sound behind him, he was about to leave again.
"I just want to know the truth!"
Zhu Wenjun's voice suddenly became louder.
"I'm sorry, but whether I go to heaven or hell, I want to know the truth!"
Nanmen Jue glanced at the other people secretly watching this area and pinched the bridge of his nose.
A wave of intense fatigue washed over her, and she felt sleepy.
How long has it been since she last rested? She can't remember. Once her physical fitness reached 90, she could go a week without sleep without much of a problem, which made her even more reckless.
“I didn’t kill him with my own hands,” she said softly.
The girl's eyes suddenly lit up. She didn't turn around and continued, "But in that world, we were always trying to kill each other. It's just that I wasn't the one who did the final blow."
There was complete silence behind them. Nanmen Jue's hearing was so acute that he could hear the girl's trembling breath.
"My second question," Zhu Wenjun said, "why...did you come to find me?"
Nanmen Jue had guessed that she would ask this question, but she herself hadn't figured out the answer.
Why would she go looking for someone else's sister after her brother died? There's no reason, no justification, no logic. The only explanation is that the tumor in her brain hasn't fully healed.
“Yes…” Zhu Wenjun took a deep breath, “Do you want to see me make a fool of myself, or do you pity me?”
Nanmen Jue turned around and looked at the girl who was only thirteen or fourteen years old.
The girl was already crying, but she didn't let her sobs out; she quietly shed tears, her eyes never to return to their former clarity.
Why cry? Nanmen Jue thought numbly. Right, her brother died, she should cry.
but……
“Don’t cry in front of the enemy,” Nanmen Jue said.
Zhu Wenjun's eyes widened.
"Does it matter why I came to see you?" Nanmen Jue said. "Zhu Wenjun, you have a heart. You can judge for yourself what I have done for you."
“I know, I know…” Zhu Wenjun took two steps forward, then stopped. “I’ve been reliving every moment since I met you, so I just can’t believe it…”
"But you still believed it."
“I didn’t!” Zhu Wenjun said. “If I believed you, I wouldn’t be here with you now. I’ve discovered your plot, and now that I’m no longer of any use to you, you’ll kill me!”
"A conspiracy? Useful value?" Nanmen Jue laughed. "Little girl, what do you have that I could use?"
“…I know.” Zhu Wenjun sobbed uncontrollably. “You all treat me like a child who doesn’t know anything. I believe whatever you say and do whatever you tell me to do. I have no ability outside, and I have even less ability here…I can’t even survive on my own.”
Nanmen Jue sighed silently, "You don't believe me, but you believe Zhang Jin?"
Zhu Wenjun shook her head, crying.
“I don’t dare to trust anyone. I just want to avenge my brother,” Zhu Wenjun said. “You give me food, you give me money, and you let me live. They also give me food, they give me tools, they protect me, and they let me live… I don’t know who to trust.”
Nanmen Jue said, "You..."
Zhu Wenjun raised her teary eyes and looked at her.
“…Zhang Jin specifically sought you out so that you could deal with me,” Nanmen Jue said. “When he discovers you can’t kill me, you’ll be the one who dies, understand?”
Zhu Wenjun gave a wry smile and said in her still-childish voice, "Do I have any other ideas?"
Nanmen Jue stared at her.
As long as this girl speaks up, as long as she asks for help, as long as she is willing to believe her, she will definitely help her.
Whether she had stabbed her in the back before, whether she was in pain or not, and whatever the future held, she would help her this time.
But Zhu Wenjun did not speak.
Nanmen Jue said, "It seems you're more willing to believe him than me."
Zhu Wenjun said, "I've finished asking."
Nanmen Jue gave a sarcastic laugh.
“Go back,” she said. “I’ll wait and see how you and Zhang Jin deal with me.”
In any case, she cannot be too friendly to Zhu Wenjun now, otherwise she will only die faster.
Zhu Wenjun trembled slightly. She didn't say anything more, lowered her head, and slowly walked away.
She was only a teenager, but her back view showed her tottering like a frail old woman.
Nanmen Jue pinched the bridge of his nose, glanced indifferently at the onlookers around him, turned and took a few steps, stopping in front of a large tree.
The person behind the tree didn't intend to hide it from her. Upon seeing this, she stepped out of the shadows, holding a candle in her hand. In the light, her facial features were very soft, and she didn't look aggressive at all.
"What are you doing here?" Nanmen Jue asked. "It's dangerous for them to be left alone."
Terra shook her head. "You underestimate them."
Nanmen Jue said, "But they..."
“They are at least blue-named, and there are two purple-named who are almost orange-named. Even in the entire Reincarnation Space, they are upper-middle level in strength. Whether it is age or the time they have survived in the apocalypse, they are all older than you.” Terra said gently. “Nanmen, you treat them all like children, like the weak, and want to protect them and not let them suffer any danger. But to them, you are the child.”
Nanmen Jue was taken aback.
“In this cycle of reincarnation, it’s not easy to see how old a person is, but I have my way. You’re definitely no more than twenty,” Terra said. “You’ve gone too fast and too far, taking on too much responsibility for yourself, but those responsibilities aren’t yours.”
“You don’t know me very well,” Nanmen Jue said rather rudely. “This is your first day meeting me, so don’t assume you know everything about me.”
She regretted it as soon as she finished speaking. Her emotions were like a punctured balloon; no matter how perfectly she had pretended before, once a crack appeared, they leaked out uncontrollably.
Nanmen Jue wanted to apologize, but then pursed her lips and glanced at Terra.
Terra still looked at her with that gentle expression, seemingly not having heard her words, "That little girl, even though she hurt you, you still wanted to save her."
Nanmen Jue suddenly had a flash of inspiration and said, "What did Ying Yao say to you? How come I didn't know he became such a blabbermouth?"
“He didn’t say anything to me,” Terra said. “But he did come to me, hoping I could talk to you.”
"What are we talking about?" Nanmen Jue said angrily. "What do I have to talk about with a stranger? Are you bored?"
“He said you also have a female elder,” Terra said.
Nanmen Jue was speechless.
She turned to look at Terra, this powerful, inclusive, and gentle woman who had built the only all-female guild in a cannibalistic world, and suddenly, as if possessed, asked, "Do you know Nanmen Yu?"
“Who?” Terra said.
"It's nothing." Nanmenjue was a little disappointed. She thought that according to Terra's personality, her sister should have joined Iron Drill.
Time passed slowly, and the darkness in the ghost realm remained unchanged. Nanmen Jue kept track of the time, and when he felt it was about time, he moved closer to the barrier.
It was a difficult night. Compared to the mirror figures, the original spirits were as cute as kittens. Most of the mirror figures were powerful and ferocious, and ordinary people and reincarnators could not fight against them at all. Nanmen Jue and the others were putting out fires everywhere when they discovered that so many people had been sucked into this strange realm.
She even wondered if all the reincarnators who had entered this world had come in.
When people get busy, their brains become saturated, and they subconsciously stop thinking about complicated issues. When Nanmen Jue saw Zhang Jin's reflection becoming fainter, he remembered that the day was over and the reflection should disappear as well.
Zhang Jin's expression remained calm, showing no trace of his impending sorrow. He looked at Nanmen Jue and smiled slightly, appearing somewhat...amiable.
Nanmen Jue shuddered, but walked over naturally.
Nanmen Jue knew perfectly well that Zhang Jin had come to say goodbye.
"What a pity, there's no sun, no moon, and no stars in this place," said Mirror Image Zhang Jin.
Nanmen Jue was taken aback.
"It feels strange?" Mirror Zhang Jin tilted his head. "I am indeed an existence that is reversed and copied from Zhang Jin's memories, but you know, I am very different from him... I haven't seen many things with my own eyes, and I'm a little curious to see what those things look like to me from his perspective."
"I really want to experience the world you live in for myself."
They were created by the judges, things that should not exist in this world, and were destined to be born one day and die the next, living like mayflies. If they were truly like mayflies, unaware of the vastness of the world, and willing to live and die in the morning, that would be one thing. But they also possess the cognition and emotions of the best among humans, and can only watch themselves being born and then watch themselves dying.
Seeing Nanmen Jue's expression, Mirror Image Zhang Jin smiled, patted her shoulder comfortingly, and said gently, "I'm not saying this to make you sad, but I also have my own selfish reasons."
Nanmen Jue moved his lips slightly, "You say it."
"Never, never confuse me with Zhang Jin himself." Mirror Zhang Jin said earnestly, "I have my own thoughts and feelings. This day is my birthday, and also my death day. I hope that in your eyes, I can die as a human being."
“Then give yourself a name.” Nanmen Jue looked at him. “For humans, having their own name means they are independent individuals.”
Mirror Image Zhang Jin was also taken aback, "Right, how come I didn't think of that?"
"Can I have my own name?" He suddenly became excited, spinning around in place like a puppy that had just discovered it had a tail. Then he stopped, looking intently at Nanmen Jue. "Can you give me a name?"
"I?"
“I want you to remember me. If you name me, you should be able to remember me, right?” Mirror Zhang Jin said happily. “When humans rescue stray cats and dogs, they don’t name them because once they have a name, they develop feelings for them and are reluctant to give them to adopters. So you name me.”
Nanmen Jue stared in disbelief: "But..." Didn't you say that was for stray cats and dogs?
But she didn't say it, because the eyes in front of her were so expectant. She wasn't good at responding to other people's expectations, but at this moment, she didn't want to refuse.
Nanmen Jue stared at him for a moment and said, "Jin is the residue after burning, which sounds lifeless and cold. You are the complete opposite of that, so let's call you Yan, the Yan of flame."
Like a flame, it burned fiercely in this dark and silent world.
"Zhang Yan, Zhang Yan." Zhang Yan murmured the name, a bright smile spreading across her face. "I like this name, thank you."
At that moment, a bright light shone from not far away, and a huge barrier appeared out of thin air, drawing the crowd toward it.
“Let’s go. The barrier will attract those spirits, and once they all gather around, it will be difficult to pass.” Zhang Yan looked at Nanmen Jue gently.
Nanmen Jue took two steps forward and then looked back at Zhang Yan.
They both knew that once they went inside, they would never see each other again.
Zhang Yan, still sporting a bright smile, waved to Nanmen Jue.
“Be careful,” he said. “Promise me that no matter what he plays, you must hold on. As long as you can hold on, the winner is still uncertain.”
Nanmen Jue knew this was an important reminder, because after saying those words, Zhang Yan's body, which had been relatively clear-headed, immediately became much less alert.
He broke the rules and is about to disappear.
“Let’s go,” Zhang Yan said. “Don’t watch me disappear; it’s too cruel for you.”
Nanmen Jue thought she was strong enough and had seen enough death, but when she heard those words, a pang of sadness still welled up in her heart.
She didn't show it, but just looked at Zhang Yan deeply and said, "I promise you, I will never admit defeat."
After saying that, she turned and strode towards the barrier without looking back.
Nanmen Jue stepped into the barrier in one breath, and almost everyone else had also entered. She looked around and remained silent.
After yesterday, there are far fewer people in the Ghost Realm.
Those who survived were clearly not in as good condition as they were a day before.
"Brother Jue, over here!"
Mo Gui's voice wasn't loud, but it wasn't quiet either, attracting some attention from those around him. When these eyes saw Nanmen Jue, they all revealed a complex mix of emotions.
Last night, Nanmen Jue was saving people, which many people saw. At first, some people thought that Nanmen Jue was taking advantage of the chaos to kill people and even attacked her. Later, they realized that she was targeting those mirror images and stopped in shock.
If you were to ask them what they think of Nanmen Jue now, their opinions would be quite complex.
There were far fewer looks of fear and hatred directed at her.
Ignoring the stares, Nanmen Jue strode toward the conspicuous little group. Ying Yao and Terra were also there, both looking at her with concern in their eyes. She smiled and patted Ying Yao on the shoulder.
She just promised someone that she would never give up no matter what happens, and this is nothing yet.
Ying Yao seemed to notice that Nanmen Jue's mental state was different, and he also curled up the corners of his mouth and smiled faintly.
Mo Gui looked at him with great curiosity. He glanced at him, and Mo Gui shrank back and whispered to Wei Chongru, "So Ying Yao can laugh."
Wei Chongru: ...
Do you even realize that at this distance, he can hear even the buzzing of a mosquito?
Having grown a bit bolder, he openly boasted about Jin Ming to his face.
Ying Yao also looked over, waiting to see what bad things Mo Gui would say next.
The young man's eyes made no attempt to hide anything; he could tell at a glance that this was his "love rival." He hadn't tried to conceal anything either; he could probably sense the boy's subtle observation and hostility before.
Then Mo Gui said, "It's actually quite good-looking. Why can't you smile more? It's pleasing to the eye."
Wei Chongru: ...
Ying Yao: ...
He's getting stuck on something, arguing with a simple-minded kid.
Nanmen Jue was unaware of the subtle interactions between the two men. She also heard Mo Gui's whispers and glanced at Ying Yao with interest.
When someone who doesn't usually smile suddenly does, it can be quite beautiful.
Ying Yao looked at her helplessly and gave her a look that said, "Don't go along with this nonsense."
Nanmen Jue laughed heartily.
At this moment, the surroundings became quiet. Zhang Jin and Zhou Yiming led some people through the separated crowd and approached this side.
"What happy thing happened?" Zhang Jin asked familiarly, as if they were not mortal enemies, but good partners fighting side by side.
Upon seeing this face, Nanmen Jue was reminded of Zhang Yan, who had already disappeared, and her smile faded.
Zhang Jin still wore that annoying smile, seemingly trying to be mysterious, but Nanmen Jue felt a sudden unease as he looked at him.
Something happened.
Nanmen Jue remained calm and asked, "Guess?"
Zhang Jin was surprised that Nanmen Jue would pick up on his words, and looked at her in astonishment, "Did the sun rise in the west today? I guess it's because the annoying mirror images have all disappeared, so you're in a good mood, right?"
He knew perfectly well that Nanmen Jue and Zhang Yan had a good relationship; this was clearly a deliberate attempt to hurt her feelings.
Nanmen Jue's expression remained unchanged. "You're right."
Zhang Jin looked at her and smiled, "Since that's the case, let's make your joy even greater."
He waved his hand, and a man stepped forward from behind, carrying something in his hand. As Nanmen Jue's expression suddenly changed, the man threw the object at Nanmen Jue's feet.
After seeing what it was, there was complete silence around us.
Nanmen Jue slowly lowered his head and looked at the thing at his feet, or rather, the corpse.
The girl who had been crying and questioning her loudly just hours before was now lying silently at her feet, her face pale, her eyes closed, blood still around her mouth, her body dirty and disheveled, and she was completely lifeless.
Nanmen Jue suddenly raised his head and stared straight at Zhang Jin, his eyes sharp, like sharp, burning nails, trying to burn through his soul.
“This girl didn’t distinguish right from wrong before, didn’t understand the truth of the matter, and even stabbed you. Knowing your personality, you must have wanted to kill her, right? Perfect, I’ll do it for you.” Zhang Jin said with a smile, “I heard she went to bother you again, no need to thank me too much.”
Nanmen Jue's breathing became heavy. She was expressionless, as if she were seeing Zhang Jin for the first time, and carefully looked him up and down.
This made those who wanted to step forward out of concern stop in their tracks.
The person who had inexplicably turned into Zhang Jin looked him up and down, asking, "What are you looking at?"
“I thought that as long as she still had some use, I could spare her life. I was wrong,” Nanmen Jue said slowly. “Zhang Jin, you are no longer human. What use is killing her now, other than taking another life?”
Zhang Jin stopped laughing. When he had no expression, his face looked somewhat sinister, even more terrifying than when he was staring at the dead man on the ground.
Then he smiled slightly, "Nanmen Jue, you've evolved. I thought you'd at least have red eyes, shed a few tears, and then pretend to be nonchalant when you talk to me. But now it seems that you, like everyone else, are being slowly eaten up by this world."
With emotions come weaknesses. For Zhang Jin, Nanmen Jue is easy to deal with. No matter how strong she is physically, she is just a facade. He needs to be cautious, but she is not a threat.
But what about Nanmen Jue, who has abandoned his emotions and is no longer bothered by them?
What changed her overnight? Was it that gossipy mirror image?
The two faced off, and a giant scale appeared in the sky, with the judge's yin and yang faces coldly overlooking all living beings.
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Author's Note: Just a few random thoughts, feel free to skip them _(:з)∠)_
Yesterday, when I was stuck on this book, I pondered for a long time why I was so stuck, to the point where I couldn't move forward at all. Was it really because I didn't have an outline? But I've always been a writer without an outline. I've written hundreds of thousands or millions of books without an outline. There's no reason why I'm stuck here.
I kept getting stuck, and even considered unblocking the app, before I suddenly realized that it was my imagination that was conflicting with Nanmen's actual personality.
This sounds a bit unbelievable. The characters are all born in the author's mind, so how can there be a conflict? My characters are not what I want to set them up to be. They are what they are. I need to "see" the characters first, perceive their behavior, tone, breathing... before I can write about them. However, in this book, because of this seemingly wish-fulfillment novel trope, I also imagined Nanmen as a cool, domineering, and arrogant wish-fulfillment novel protagonist, just like Shi Hanli. She should be decisive and ruthless, charming and composed. I couldn't wait to push her into a dangerous world and force her to show her charm, but she kept resisting me. The two of us were constantly fighting in my mind. I said, "Show off your coolness!" and she said, "If you're so good, you do it yourself."
I was wrong. Nanmen is different from Hanli. She didn't grow up in a cruel environment, didn't forge a resolute will, and didn't sacrifice half of her soul to exchange for the composure and calmness I wanted... When Nanmen first entered the world of reincarnation, she was just a girl who had just entered university. She was fearful, she was soft-hearted and sad. She was a girl with richer emotions than most people.
Nanmen's personality is fundamentally not that of a protagonist in a wish-fulfillment novel. She hesitates too much and has too many concerns. She is actually not suitable for this reincarnation world.
I never imagined that by the time I truly got to know her, she had already grown up.
This suddenly got me all emotional... I'll delete this part once I'm grounded again [laughing and crying with facepalm]
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