Chapter 1031: Across the abyss

"How did you guys come?"

Chen Ling’s tone was very surprised.

The point of his surprise wasn't that the three of them would come to save him, but that they could actually charge all the way to the church... He knew there were a large number of Fire-Tampers outside, and Arbiters sitting in town.

"It's very simple." Jian Changsheng spread his hands, "It's already a mess outside, everyone is in a melee, and we relied on Club’s ability to bypass it easily... No one noticed us at all."

"No, can't you save him first before talking nonsense?" Sun Bumian pointed to Chen Ling who was still nailed to the cross,

"Just because we killed those three Fire-Tampers doesn't mean we can handle all the Fire-Tampers coming later. We finally rushed in, don't get wiped out here."

Only then did everyone remember that Chen Ling was still hanging on the cross, and they immediately scrambled in a panic to help take him down.

Jiang Xiaohua climbed up to one side, stared at one of Chen Ling’s restrained arms for a long time, and gave it a tentative, forceful tug... To his surprise, the arm came off Chen Ling’s body completely, as if it were a toy, and ended up in his hand.

Jiang Xiaohua shouted in rare shock:

“I dismantled Heart’s arm!!”

“？？？”

“Don’t panic,” Chen Ling said calmly. “It’s a method the Silver King used to restrain me. My limbs aren’t under my own control right now, so you can just take them off.”

With Chen Ling’s explanation, the group finally relaxed and carefully took him down from the cross. Sun Bumian and Jiang Xiaohua each carried an arm and a leg, while Chen Ling’s torso was strapped tightly to the back of Jian Changsheng, who had the most stamina.

“Operation Rescue Heart complete!!” Jian Changsheng waved his hand grandly. “Retreat!”

The three of them, carrying “Chen Ling” and his “parts,” turned and sprinted out of the church... Almost simultaneously, several more Fire-Usurpers rushed to the entrance of the confessional, and upon seeing this scene, they cried out in alarm and gave chase!

Noise, chaos, the air filled with the dust of explosions and Jian Changsheng’s giggling laughter.

The pitch-black confessional receded before Chen Ling’s eyes. In the reflection of those pupils that hadn’t seen light for so long, a blinding white light was closing in frantically... Finally, Chen Ling’s vision blurred, he closed his eyes instinctively, and the next moment, he felt a cool, free breeze brush against his face.

Chen Ling’s limbs did not belong to him,

but at this moment, with the help of the other three 6s... freedom belonged to Chen Ling.

After growing accustomed to the brightness of the sun, Chen Ling opened his eyes hazily. He saw a massive breach towering at the edge of the Wuji Domain, a shocking chasm cutting across the city... The once lifeless domain was now engulfed in smoke and fire, with the roar of explosions and combat coming from all directions.

“This is...”

Chen Ling looked at the figures fighting amidst the torrent of silver monsters, as well as the terrifying aftermath of the battle radiating around the church, and was stunned for a moment. “Who are they?”

“Who else could it be? The members of the Twilight Society, of course.”

Jian Changsheng shrugged. “All four [K] cards were played at once, spreading the mission directly to every member. This seems to be a first in the history of the Twilight Society... You really have a lot of pull.”

“Of course, setting aside your relationship with the Red King and the others, you’re the one paying all the members’ salaries now. Those members who weren’t interested before, as soon as they heard you were their ‘bread and butter,’ they rushed right over...”

“You didn’t see it when we entered the city just now; it was spectacular.”

Chen Ling was stunned.

The three of them carried Chen Ling as they wove through the ruined city. Chen Ling stared blankly at this city at the center of the storm, and a strange emotion stirred in his heart, which had long since become numb and dead...

“Your existence is not without meaning... A puppet created by others can still have a life of its own.”

Yao’s voice echoed in Chen Ling’s ears once again.

At the time, Chen Ling had been perpetually immersed in the pain brought by a false past, but as he stood under the sunlight once more and saw this domain overturned because of him, he finally began to understand what Yao meant.

Regardless of identity, regardless of truth or falsehood... this storm had come because of “him.”

“...Thank you.”

Chen Ling said softly.

Even though Chen Ling had tried his best to keep his tone calm, how could he fully suppress his emotions now? His red-rimmed eyes gazed at the distant city. Seeming to notice his voice trembling, Jian Changsheng turned his head in confusion...

“Huh... Heart, are you crying?”

“No.” Chen Ling kept a straight face and glanced at him. “Just got some wind and sand in my eyes.”

“...Oh...”

“By the way, have your memories returned?” Chen Ling changed the subject.

Chen Ling remembered very clearly that Jian Changsheng had indeed called him “Brother Fangxin” just now. If Jian Changsheng had still been in the state where his memories were stolen, it would have been impossible for him to use that nickname...

“That... it is indeed strange when you think about it.” Jian Changsheng scratched his head. “When we broke into the Wuji Domain, our memories suddenly came back... but we hadn’t done anything, had we?”

“Is it very strange?”

Sun Bumian’s lips curled slightly. “Our memories were stolen by the Silver King... Now that they’ve suddenly returned, it naturally means...”

The others were stunned and said in unison:

“Something happened to the Silver King??!”

……

Soft snowflakes, like cotton wool, drifted slowly from the sky.

Above the chaotic ruins, a simple wooden stage stood silently. No one could be seen on the stage, yet it seemed as if countless figures were scurrying about, their footsteps making the old wooden floorboards creak... Faintly, the sounds of explosions and combat drifted from the empty stage, as if a grand drama spanning dimensions was being performed.

At this moment, below the stage, a square pear-wood table stood alone, with two figures sitting on opposite sides, like the only audience in this world.

The sleeves of a bright red opera robe lifted gently.

The youth took a sip of steaming tea, seemed to find it a bit too hot for his tongue, and placed it back on the table.

“I’m a person who doesn’t like to be flashy, and I like causing trouble even less... Ever since the Great Cataclysm, I haven’t fought anyone in many years.”

“On one hand, I find it troublesome. On the other, I’ve always felt that since I hold the unique ‘God Position,’ I should do something for this world—at the very least, not engage in petty infighting...”

The youth sat at the table in the vast snow, wearing his opera robe. Both his appearance and voice were full of youthful energy, yet every gesture he made exuded a suffocating pressure. It was as if it wasn’t a youth speaking, but some unspeakable, unknown existence hiding its true form...

Like a black hole devouring everything, or an endless abyss at the bottom of the sea.

And at this moment,

the Silver King was sitting across from the “abyss.”