CHAPTER 240: CHAPTER 224: DO YOU LIKE ME? (PART 2)

They were already very close to the final terminal.

Sensing Yu Shujun’s hesitation, a member stood up, grabbed Yu Shujun’s hand, and urgently said, "Let’s abandon the previous tactics and use the most risky and aggressive method to dash to the finish line as soon as possible—"

"—it’s too late."

Yu Shujun withdrew his hand from the other’s palm and shook his head.

In his mind, the system prompt kept changing—

Junxin: [Detected target Ye Jiu’s golden control pattern radiation signal, currently in rapid decline, remaining signal: 13%.]

In just a few words, the other’s pattern signal had already dwindled from 20% to 13%, and it would soon fall below the detectable threshold of 5%.

Once it’s below the threshold, even if Yu Shujun wants to teleport himself over, it won’t be possible.

From his equipment backup list, Yu Shujun transferred all life-saving equipment and items to the member and instructed:

"Get through this stage in the most reliable way. If I don’t return before the mission countdown ends, don’t wait for me."

"What..."

The member was dumbfounded, staring blankly at Yu Shujun.

By the time she came to her senses, Yu Shujun’s figure had already disappeared completely in the golden light of the control pattern teleportation.

...

...

Stepping into room 404, he slashed off that woman’s head, Yu Shujun stood at the door, looking at Wen Nan.

He heard the other side chuckle and say, "You shouldn’t have come in here."

At that moment, the resentment in Yu Shujun’s heart grew heavier.

The golden cold gleam on the long sword flashed, Yu Shujun’s fingers tightened around the hilt, and he said coldly, "If I didn’t come, do you intend to be trapped here forever, never to leave?"

Wen Nan sighed inwardly.

When he was trapped in that illusionary yet real scenario earlier, he withdrew the message sent to Yu Shujun because he recalled Guardian Zero’s warnings.

Although he still didn’t quite understand what this ghostly place was all about, with Wen Nan’s keen intuition, he vaguely guessed that once you come here, it’s probably really hard to get out.

And precisely because of this, he withdrew that message and didn’t try to use the golden control pattern to summon Yu Shujun again.

Being trapped here was his choice; there was no need to drag Yu Shujun into it.

But, unexpectedly, the other still came.

Just because of that one withdrawn message, he came without hesitation.

This moved Wen Nan.

And amidst his emotional turmoil, he couldn’t help but feel a bit odd; with a slight smile, Wen Nan half-jokingly voiced his doubt:

"Knowing it’s a place with no return, you still followed in? Could it be... you’ve really fallen for me?"

Yu Shujun’s eyebrows twitched, and his wrist holding the sword trembled.

With a "swish" sound, the golden light swept horizontally, and a "pfft" sound came from outside the door, followed by a figure collapsing to the ground.

Wen Nan looked toward the doorway and saw the face of the female nurse, half-covered in blood, lying on the floor.

It seemed that she heard the commotion in the room and came to check, only to be dealt with by Yu Shujun in one strike.

Wen Nan got up from the ground, just about to head towards the door, when outside came a familiar middle-aged male voice, "I’ve already called the police, you better—"

Doctor Zhang had only spoken half a sentence when another sword fell.

By the time Wen Nan reached the door, he saw two figures lying in a pool of blood outside.

This place replicated the scene so realistically that when Wen Nan first came in, he thought he was dreaming; only the Taoyuan in dreams could be so accurately recreated.

So, seeing Doctor Zhang’s dying eyes brought a touch of emotion to Wen Nan’s heart.

Taking in Wen Nan’s expression, Yu Shujun coldly sheathed the lightsaber, "Sorry, I spoiled your paradise."

Wen Nan glanced at the person beside him and smiled, not knowing what exactly this person was being sarcastic about.

But speaking of which, why could this place so accurately recreate the scene of room 404 in the Taoyuan Mental Hospital?

Although some of the characters’ behaviors were slightly distorted, such as his first love not being so weak and tearful, overall, it was replicated to near perfection.

Especially in some details that only one or two people closest to Wen Nan knew about...

Moreover, there was even interaction between these people and Wen Nan. For example, the nurse and Doctor Zhang who came to inspect the scene; they had their own thoughts and behavioral logic.

"What exactly is this place..." Wen Nan murmured to himself, not expecting an answer.

Yet unexpectedly, the person beside him spoke, "Divine Staff Sheath."

"Hmm?" Wen Nan was startled, "You know this place?"

Yu Shujun’s brows furrowed, and the dissatisfaction and anger from earlier reappeared on his face, "You dare to venture in without even knowing what this place is?"

Wen Nan shrugged, "Once in, it’s in."

"This place is a one-way valve, possibly a place of no return, and you don’t know—"

"—I know." Wen Nan replied calmly.

Yu Shujun was stunned, then was further angered by the other’s indifferent attitude. "Why do you always make such reckless and thoughtless decisions?!"

"I need to find an attachment for Guan Ailin," Wen Nan replied, "This place might help her."

Yu Shujun was choked by the other’s words, falling silent for a moment.

After a while, Yu Shujun let out a snort of laughter, "She’s just a character in a game. Is it worth it to do all this for such an illusionary character?"

Wen Nan shook his head indifferently, "In my heart, I never treated her as a fictional character. We’ve had interactions, had feelings. Aren’t those real?"

Pausing, Wen Nan added, "Besides, I promised her that I would definitely release her from that card."

Yu Shujun stared blankly at Wen Nan’s face for a long time.

Wen Nan looked back at the other, expecting him to sneer again, mocking him for being foolish, stupid, or misplaced.

But Yu Shujun said nothing; he just quietly gazed at Wen Nan.

After a long pause, Wen Nan felt the atmosphere turn a bit strange.

He detected a hint of peculiar emotion in Yu Shujun’s eyes but couldn’t decipher it.

Overall, it wasn’t a negative emotion.

Lowering his eyes, avoiding further eye contact with Wen Nan, Yu Shujun raised his light sword and walked towards the wall, feeling around the window.

Wen Nan followed, listening to Yu Shujun say as he felt along the window frame:

"Inside the Divine Staff Sheath, great energy was left by the Creator God, the forger of the Divine Staff, and the Great Demon Master Ah Rham. This energy is beguiling, capable of extracting the most profound and unforgettable memory from an intruder’s deepest consciousness, crafting an illusory scene for them, and then trapping them here forever."

...The most unforgettable memory?

Wen Nan recalled the events that had just occurred. Although a lot had been distorted, it was indeed a deeply memorable part of his past in the real world.

Just as he was thinking this, he saw Yu Shujun open the window.

Outside the window, based on Wen Nan’s memory, there should have been a green lawn. However, at this moment, it was a vast white, with nothing in sight.

Yu Shujun raised his hand, inserted his palm into the white light, pressed it twice, and then withdrew it, "It’s the inner wall of the Divine Staff Sheath."

Saying this, Yu Shujun’s gaze swept quickly around the room, "Now this hospital room, plus the hallway outside, is the living coffin crafted for you by this Divine Staff Sheath."

Hearing the words "living coffin," Wen Nan chuckled, "It’s not that scary."

Yet Yu Shujun ruthlessly exposed him, "But you, too, believe there’s no return here, right? Otherwise, why insist on not summoning me inside?"

Wen Nan’s brows twitched in surprise, "Since you knew, why were you so angry just now?"

Yu Shujun was caught off guard.

This question had no answer for Yu Shujun.

If this man beside him were forever trapped here, the mark of the pattern on the back of Yu Shujun’s neck would be completely lifted.

Yu Shujun should feel relief and watch indifferently as the other courts disaster, yet he not only took the initiative to come in, but even felt angry because the other didn’t summon him...

Yu Shujun raised his hand, pressing his palm against the golden pattern mark.

Moments later, Yu Shujun found an excuse for himself:

"I’m angry because you don’t trust me, don’t believe I can take you out of here, which is why you gave up summoning at the last moment."

Wen Nan was slightly surprised, "You have a way to leave?"