Chapter 1903: The Path of Escape

From the moment Chen Ling woke up here, Painting the Crimson Face had been in a state of overload.

But Chen Ling knew very well that he hadn't activated Painting the Crimson Face at all, and in this world, there was only one person who could trigger it besides himself...

"The makeup of the theater, the drums of the Nuo... and that bizarre palm."

"They exist here, but they are not part of the Red Star's consciousness. They didn't attack me, but kept trying to get my attention, as if wanting to remind me of something."

"It was these details that made me start to become alert..."

"And what truly made me certain of all this was another matter."

As Chen Ling narrated, the questioning and confusion in the young man's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a chilling, indifferent coldness that made one's scalp tingle.

"...What?"

"You said the Actors Nameless of the generations who ascended to the Red Star all left through this gate." Chen Ling stared fixedly at the young man, speaking decisively.

"But... that's impossible."

"I'm not sure about the Second and Third, but the Fourth and Fifth would absolutely never give up just like that."

The Fourth Generation Red King was Yao. He had personally trained his younger brother to be the next Actor Nameless; how could he just pat his butt and leave this world, leaving his brother in such an unsolvable, desperate situation?

The Fifth Generation Red King went without saying. Chen Ling didn't believe he would just accept that Earth was at a dead end and leave alone.

"If I'm not mistaken, this gate should just be an illusion you created. You bring every generation of Actor Nameless who ascends to the Red Star to this gate, lure them in, and then completely erase them..."

"You are not the Second Generation Actor Nameless at all... You just stole his appearance and his identity."

"You..."

"...are the consciousness of the Red Star itself."

Chen Ling's words were resonant and forceful.

The moment his voice fell, the swelling pain in the corners of his eyes suddenly vanished.

Painting the Crimson Face, which had been forcibly triggered, began to activate according to Chen Ling's will. His hazy vision gradually cleared, and the mist covering the ground dissipated along with it...

Four silhouettes branded into the void, like rivets hammered into this world, were etched before Chen Ling’s eyes.

They were pitch black, like branded shadows. Chen Ling could not make out the details on their bodies, only barely discerning their outlines...

One was dressed in theatrical robes, appearing as a youth with long hair tied high behind him; it was the Fifth-Generation Red King.

Beside him, that person wore Nuo dance robes, identical to the ones Chen Ling was wearing, with a small drum slung at his waist; it was the Fourth-Generation Red King, Yao.

Next to him was someone Chen Ling did not recognize, but behind him, a thousand hands seemed to extend. Judging by the silhouette, it was the Hand of the Evil Eye that had tugged at Chen Ling at the entrance just moments ago.

As for the final black shadow, it was exactly the same as the "Second-Generation Actor Nameless" before Chen Ling’s eyes.

Even though Chen Ling had mentally prepared himself, seeing these four figures still sent a shock through his mind.

The burning pain in his eye sockets earlier, the Nuo drums he heard, the Nuo robes on his body, and the evil hand at the entrance... all of these were these four silhouettes, hidden within the mist, warning Chen Ling.

Seeing that Chen Ling had discovered the truth behind the mist, the youth seemed to abandon his disguise entirely.

His clothes gradually faded, his outline grew blurry, and a crimson color welled up from within his body, slowly occupying his entire form. Thick ley lines extended from the earth of this world, intertwining with him as if he were an existence born from this place, mimicking a "human form."

Yes, it still retained a human outline; perhaps this was the most vivid and profound biological form recorded in its core after devouring countless fragments of Earth's civilization. But its face lacked features, its entire body smooth and symmetrical, like a crimson doll with perfectly proportioned lines but no distinguishing characteristics.

It was the embodiment of consciousness, created by the core of the Red Star.

It stood there quietly, and an emotionless voice resonated from within its body:

"...You are wrong."

"Where am I wrong?"

Chen Ling frowned subconsciously.

"This door is not some illusion." The crimson consciousness slowly raised its head, as if looking toward the direction of the Gate of All Wonders. "It was indeed left behind by that damned guy... and stepping into it really can allow one to escape this world."

"This door was never a trap; it is a true path of escape."

Chen Ling was stunned...

This door is real??

He turned back to look at the Gate of All Wonders. As the mist dissipated, the characters on both sides actually had a second half slowly emerging:

Left side: The Red Star covers the world, all paths lead to an end, please enter this gate;

Right side: The Mysterious Door connects the universe, one step into the galaxy, I shall protect your safety.

Four characters had been added to each side, but the overall meaning changed instantly.

The original "The Red Star covers the world, all paths lead to an end" sounded more like a verdict on this desperate world, persuading everyone who came before this door to give up the struggle, step into the mysterious gate, and leave this place...

But reading it now, "all paths lead to an end" did not refer to the world losing hope, but rather to the predicament of the person standing before the door.

"The Red Star has descended; if you have reached a dead end, please walk into this gate... This door leads beyond the world, and once there, I will protect you."

One must remember, this is the Red Star. Anyone able to stand before this Gate of All Wonders must have seen the words left by the First-Generation Actor Nameless on the spirit tablet, choosing to ignore everything to ascend the Red Star as a successor Actor Nameless.

So this door was left by the First-Generation specifically for other Actors Nameless. He knew that many might sacrifice themselves to step onto the Red Star because of those words, so he left a backup plan for them...

However, to think he could open a door on the Red Star leading beyond the world?

How on earth did he do it?!

"You people... truly stupid in the same vein." A cold voice sounded.

"The chance to escape unscathed was right before your eyes, yet one after another, you chose to die rather than leave, insisting on staying here to study how to defeat me... In the end, you only met this fate."

Chen Ling’s gaze swept across the surroundings.

The Fifth, Fourth, Third, Second... these four Actors Nameless, each had stood before the Gate of All Wonders just like him, each had had the chance to transcend this world...

But in the end, none of them chose to leave.

Chen Ling could no longer feel any aura from these silhouettes. They seemed to have vanished long ago, leaving behind only a blurry shadow, a trace of unwilling lingering thought, carved into the consciousness of the Red Star...

Chen Ling’s fists clenched involuntarily, and a cold murderous intent spread through the air.

"I will give you one last chance."

The crimson figure raised its hand and pointed at the Gate of All Wonders.

"Leave this place, and do not come back..."

"Otherwise, you too will become my 'collection,' just like them."