Chapter 98 (First Release)
The slightly cool temperature brought a shiver like an electric shock.
The wound was slightly painful, but the man's cool fingertips seemed to have a pain-relieving effect.
But this... is too strange.
Jiang Yuyuan also seemed to have become somewhat strange.
The girl was unaware that her bewildered appearance, wrapped in the man's oversized suit, was as if she had been marked, her entire body tainted with his scent.
As if bewitched, he placed his palm on the girl's delicate skin on her neck.
He didn't use any force, he simply covered it with his palm and rubbed it repeatedly, as if confirming the girl's real existence.
Ning Wanwan thought that this was quite an abnormal situation.
Because of the man's actions, Ning Wanwan was forced to raise her head and watch him slowly bend down, his intensely imposing dark eyes gripping her tightly.
"You're alive," Jiang Yuyuan murmured to himself, as if in awe. "You fell in... and you're alright."
The magnetic voice was low and indistinct, yet so close it was almost touching his ear, bringing a tingling sensation with every breath.
"Really, it's just a little scratch..." Ning Wanwan didn't hear him clearly and thought he was talking about how she had been captured and almost killed.
She endured it for a while, but as the man's actions became increasingly inappropriate, she finally couldn't hold back any longer and grabbed his hand, which was still moving around her neck, to stop him.
She pursed her lips and said tremulously, "Jiang Yuyuan, what's wrong with you..."
Jiang Yuyuan then slowly blinked, his dark eyes returning to calm.
“I’m sorry,” he said, “this place might evoke some negative emotions.”
Ning Wanwan was stunned for a moment: "Is it true? I was wondering if I have a bad mentality, which is why I keep overthinking things..."
“No.” Jiang Yuyuan answered her last question first, and then explained, “This place has a built-in effect that can arouse and amplify certain negative emotions in your heart, so you need to try to stay calm here.”
Ning Wanwan made connections quickly; based on just one sentence, she immediately thought of more: "So, does that mean we need to remain emotionally calm before leaving here?"
"Yes, you could say that."
Ning Wanwan blinked and blurted out, "Leaving here should be the easiest thing for you."
Jiang Yuyuan glanced at her.
Then, unexpectedly, he shook his head.
“No,” he said.
"That might have been true before, but it's not true now."
Ning Wanwan stared wide-eyed in disbelief: "...What?"
Jiang's words were almost a clear indication that he was unable to remain calm.
But he seems very calm and rational right now...
Even if something seemed a little off just now, it was only a little, and she quickly recovered from the emotional state.
And at this moment, Jiang Yuyuan even said, "Perhaps, you can leave more easily than I can."
Ning Wanwan looked at Jiang Yuyuan's still indifferent and calm face as he spoke: "..."
Judging from that expression, she's much calmer than I am!
"I'm so scared right now, how could I possibly be calmer than you..." Ning Wanwan quickly waved her hand.
The girl's flustered and uneasy expression was evident, but Jiang Yuyuan actually curled his lips slightly and revealed a smile: "You only judge by appearances?"
Ning Wanwan: ""
She didn't understand what Jiang Yuyuan meant, but Jiang Yuyuan didn't say anything more. The faint smile quickly disappeared, and the curve of his thin lips returned to its straight state.
Jiang Yuyuan didn't intend to continue the conversation, so Ning Wanwan had no choice but to shut up.
But she also felt that after this conversation, she had even more doubts. She couldn't help but glance at Jiang Yuyuan several times, hoping that he could provide more explanations about this inescapable, haunted place.
But at that moment, she suddenly noticed that Jiang Yuyuan's brows furrowed and a trace of pain appeared on his otherwise expressionless face.
Immediately afterwards, the man's tall body fell uncontrollably towards her!
Ning Wanwan: "!"
Ning Wanwan thought she would have to help him up again like last time, but to her surprise, the other person was still conscious and slowly regained his balance on his own.
But Ning Wanwan was still a little worried: "Jiang Yuyuan... what's wrong with you? Don't scare me."
Jiang Yuyuan pressed his temples: "It's nothing."
He took a few more breaths and then sat down against the rock wall.
Ning Wanwan exclaimed in surprise, "Wait a minute, there's ice over there! Didn't you tell us not to touch it?"
Jiang Yuyuan interrupted her: "These things are not important anymore."
“I know part of the situation here. Now, to make a long story short, listen carefully.”
Jiang Yuyuan's voice remained steady, but now it carried a slight urgency. Ning Wanwan's expression turned serious, knowing that he was about to say something important, so she squatted down and listened obediently.
Jiang Yuyuan: "This is a very special space, designed to protect, or rather, imprison—'humanoid weapons'."
"We are in a relatively safe area now, but it won't be easy to get out of this dark area."
"However, it's not too difficult."
"You just need to remember to stay calm here, don't overthink, and keep your emotions pure and stable."
"Then, just keep going forward, you don't need to stop."
"Until we completely get out of here."
Jiang Yuyuan's words were short and simple, but Ning Wanwan had already realized something from them.
"If you want to leave here, the important thing isn't to find a way out from the side, but to keep moving forward without letting the negative effects of this place affect your emotions, right?"
"Mm." Jiang Yuyuan nodded slightly.
He hesitated for a moment, then unusually explained, "Originally, the more you say it like this, the more people will be unable to stop thinking about it, and the harder it will be for them to remain calm."
So he didn't say it beforehand, but instead took Ning Wanwan away, wanting to get her out of there first.
Unfortunately, after forcibly entering this special space, they found a fragile girl who could easily die in this place, but she was still alive and well.
When I can't see him, I can't stay calm; once I find him, it's even harder to stay rational.
Having clarified this point, the situation is still relatively under control, and delaying for external assistance remains a good option.
Unfortunately, with the arrival of another group of people, and most importantly, with the chill intensifying, it signified that the "humanoid weapon" was gradually spiraling out of control...
The girl must leave this place as soon as possible; there can be no further delay.
If the "humanoid weapon" completely loses control here and reaches a point of no return, and there is still a possibility that I can withstand it, then Ning Wanwan here is basically doomed.
As an ordinary person, her chances of survival are zero.
"Your departure from this dark place does not mean you have truly left this special space. There are even greater dangers ahead."
This is also why Jiang Yuyuan chose to delay and wait. His own injuries prevented him from moving forward, and the girl, alone, even if she left this darkness, what were the chances she would make it to the end?
Jiang Yuyuan coughed a few times, and Ning Wanwan smelled the strong stench of blood again.
She realized something: "Jiang Yuyuan, you're not coming with me, right?"
Jiang Yuyuan: "Mm."
Jiang Yuyuan: "I'll be waiting for you here."
Ning Wanwan held back her tears and obediently refrained from asking why she hadn't left with her.
"Alright, you're injured, so rest here... I'll find a way to leave and then notify your subordinates to come find you..."
"Okay." Jiang Yuyuan agreed, a slight smile playing on his lips, like a cold machine finally smiling.
"I'm waiting for you to come and save me."
Ning Wanwan nodded vigorously. No matter what, Jiang Yuyuan had been protecting her all along, and she had to repay him in some way.
Jiang Yuyuan: "After you escape this darkness, you will see another path."
"I can't be sure what path you'll be taking... There are two possibilities: one is a test of strength, and the other is a test of character."
"Generally speaking, the path you encounter will be the one that tests your strength and your character. The probability of encountering such a path is very low; you might not encounter it even once in a hundred attempts."
Ning Wanwan: "Ah"
She frowned, thinking, "If it's a test of strength, I definitely can't do it. With my physique, what strength could I possibly have?"
Moreover, Ning Wanwan had no doubt that this "strength" was for people with special abilities!
If I went in, I'd be instantly annihilated! There's absolutely no doubt about it!
"I hope I'll encounter a path that tests my character..." Ning Wanwan sighed softly.
Although Ning Wanwan wasn't very confident in her own character, at least there was still some hope, unlike the other path which seemed completely hopeless.
Jiang Yuyuan scoffed lightly, "You think testing one's character is so easy?"
"The reason why it has a low probability of appearing is because the possibility of it passing through is extremely small."
“Strength can be compensated for with external forces, but temperament can only be relied upon by oneself.” Jiang Yuyuan shook his head, coughed a few more times, and his face became even more unpleasant.
Ning Wanwan: "Ah... is that how it is...?"
Her heart jumped again, and she felt like there was no point in continuing.
They're just destined to be cannon fodder!
No, she was just cannon fodder to begin with...
She was caught in a dilemma and felt uneasy when she suddenly felt a coolness in her hand. Jiang Yuyuan placed a vial of medicine in her hand.
Ning Wanwan opened her eyes wide: "What is this?"
"The potion is specifically designed for those 'monsters' on the path that tests your strength." Jiang Yuyuan quickly put a few more protective items on her.
Ning Wanwan: "..."
Jiang Yuyuan: "If you're lucky enough to encounter a path that tests your strength, these things will be enough to get you through safely."
The man's voice was calm, though slightly weak, yet resolute and determined.
Ning Wanwan suddenly felt much safer.
"But what if we encounter another path..."
"..."
Jiang Yuyuan seemed lost in thought for a moment before slowly speaking.
“I wasn’t sure before, but after you said those things, I think that even if you encounter it, there is still a possibility of escaping.”
Ning Wanwan was somewhat confused about what she had said and what she had said.
Jiang Yuyuan stopped talking. The more he knew, the greater the test of his character would be once he embarked on that path.
“You just need to maintain your current mindset,” Jiang Yuyuan said. “Perhaps you will succeed and see the ‘humanoid weapon’.”
-----------------------
Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 17:22:18 and 17:30:41 on February 21, 2024!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the plants with nutrient solution: He Yan 10 bottles; Chun 4 bottles; and today's follower Yuan 1 bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
