Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Chapter 121 Escape! (Updated while working overtime for Chang'an)

A faint smile returned to Cheng Yu's face. Yes, no matter what, he still had his companions by his side. He believed that even if they knew his true identity, they wouldn't abandon him. Having figured this out, Cheng Yu felt much lighter, and he turned to go back to find Bai Yu and the others.

The instant he turned around, a hand gently patted his shoulder. Cheng Yu froze, his body as if struck by lightning. A chill ran from his feet to the top of his head; his face turned deathly pale, and his heart pounded violently. Who was it? Who was behind him?

"Heh, figured it out?" A mocking voice rang out behind Cheng Yu, a voice as sharp as a venomous snake's tongue, sending chills down one's spine.

Cheng Yu's heart clenched. He slowly turned his head, but because his body was stiff, he couldn't see the person behind him clearly. However, he recognized the voice—a voice he would never forget—Bo Wen!

"What? Surprised to see me here?" Bowen chuckled, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. "I've been observing you, and only after you 'figured it out' did I deign to come out and see you."

Cheng Yu's expression darkened further. He hadn't expected Bo Wen to have been secretly monitoring him all along. Although he knew Bo Wen was a transmigrator like himself, he never imagined that Bo Wen would pay so much attention to him.

“Although we are enemies now,” Bowen continued, “I still want to congratulate you on coming to your senses. Although this congratulation may sound somewhat ironic.”

Cheng Yu remained silent, staring intently at Bo Wen with a look of vigilance and hostility in his eyes.

Bowen didn't seem to care about Cheng Yu's attitude. He said to himself, "I know you have a lot of questions, such as why I am here, what my purpose is, and so on."

He paused, then continued, "However, I cannot tell you the answer now. When the time is right, you will understand everything."

“Now, I have more important things to do.” Bowen said, reaching out to gently stroke Chengyu’s cheek. “Remember, we will meet again.”

His fingers were icy cold, like the touch of a dead person, which made Cheng Yu feel nauseous. He tried to move away, but found that his body was still unable to move.

Bowen withdrew his hand and turned to leave. His figure gradually disappeared into the night, leaving Cheng Yu standing there alone, his body stiff, his heart filled with fear and unease.

A night breeze blew by, bringing a chill. Cheng Yu shivered, feeling as if his body had been hollowed out, and slumped helplessly to the ground. He looked up at the starry sky, his eyes filled with confusion.

The moment Bowen touched him, he felt an unprecedented sense of oppression. It was so suffocating that Cheng Yu even thought that Bowen could kill him with just a thought. Could such a being really be dealt with?

Just then, footsteps sounded in the distance. Cheng Yu looked up and saw Bai Yu, Xing Luo, and Abu running towards him. Their faces were filled with anxiety and worry.

"Cheng Yu, are you alright?" Bai Yu asked with concern.

Seeing his companions, Cheng Yu felt a warm current surge in his heart. He shook his head and forced a smile: "I'm fine, just... a little tired."

"Let's go." Bai Yu said, helping Cheng Yu up, and then left the quiet grassland with Xing Luo and Abu.

As night deepened, tranquility returned to the grassland. Only the sound of the breeze rustling through the grass echoed in the silent night air.

Bowen reappeared on the deserted grassland. He gazed in the direction the others had gone, a cryptic smile playing on his lips. He looked up at the bright moon hanging in the night sky, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. Finally, he sighed softly, "This artificial sky still can't perfectly replicate reality..." With that, his figure vanished into thin air like a bubble.

Bai Yu led Cheng Yu back to their temporary campsite for the night. After handing Cheng Yu the grilled fish, he sent Xing Luo and Abu away, telling them to go back to their tents and rest, saying he wanted to talk to Cheng Yu alone. Xing Luo and Abu were a little confused, but they didn't ask any questions, nodded, and went back to their own tents.

Cheng Yu silently ate the grilled fish in his hand, without saying a word. His movements were slow, as if time had stood still. Seeing this, Bai Yu gently patted Cheng Yu's shoulder and sat down beside him. He cupped Cheng Yu's head in his two huge tiger paws, making Cheng Yu lift his head to look at the bright moon hanging in the night sky, and asked in a low voice, "Do you think... all of this is real?"

Cheng Yu's gaze fell on the bright moon, his eyes somewhat unfocused. He turned to look at Bai Yu, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Bai Yu smiled slightly at Cheng Yu, then lowered his head and poked at the campfire with a branch, making it burn brighter.

"How long has it been since you last really looked at the moon or the sun?" Bai Yu's voice was somewhat low, tinged with a hint of melancholy.

Cheng Yu paused for a moment, then thought back carefully. Since arriving in this void, he realized he hadn't really looked at the moon and the sun properly. Perhaps, in that void, he had forgotten these natural beauties.

"It's been a long time..." Cheng Yu's voice was a little hoarse, with a hint of confusion, "So long that I've almost forgotten what they look like."

Bai Yu sighed and said in a low voice, "Perhaps we have always been in a huge illusion, an illusion carefully woven by Bo Wen."

Cheng Yu's heart sank. He turned to look at Bai Yu, his eyes filled with shock and unease. Although he had guessed it the moment he saw the moon, he was still shocked when Bai Yu said it.

Bai Yu nodded and said in a solemn tone, "I suspect that Bowen's goal is the same as Hei Yao's, but he doesn't just want to seize the 'Heart of God'. He wants to trap us in this false world so that we can never escape."

Cheng Yu's breathing became rapid. He gripped the phonograph camera tightly, as if it were his last hope. If all of this was fake, then could everything he had experienced also be fake? But how could that be?

Seeing Cheng Yu's panicked state, Bai Yu gently patted his shoulder and said in a gentle tone, "Don't be afraid, Cheng Yu. No matter what happens, I will be by your side."

Cheng Yu looked up, meeting Bai Yu's resolute gaze, and a warm feeling welled up inside him. He knew that no matter what the future held, he was not alone. He still had his companions, and they would face all challenges together.

"Thank you, Bai Yu. Perhaps I will be able to see Bowen again soon." Cheng Yu's voice was somewhat ethereal. At this moment, he looked up at the false moon in the sky and recalled what he had experienced. Perhaps the truth and falsehood cannot be truly defined.

As night deepened, the firelight illuminated their faces, outlining their resolute features. They sat side by side on the grass, gazing silently at the night sky, awaiting the arrival of dawn.

The campfire gradually died down, and the night grew cooler. Bai Yu and Cheng Yu awoke from their light sleep. "Ah, I actually fell asleep," Bai Yu chuckled, rubbing his eyes. They carefully got up, trying not to make any noise so as not to wake Xing Luo and Abu, who were fast asleep in their tent. After returning to their own tent, the two quickly drifted off to sleep.

In his dream, Cheng Yu saw Bo Wen again. Unlike last time, Cheng Yu didn't panic this time. He walked calmly to Bo Wen. "I told you, we'd meet again soon," Bo Wen said, his face still bearing that enigmatic smile. Cheng Yu nodded slightly and replied calmly, "Yes, I knew we'd meet in my dreams."

Upon hearing this, Bowen gave Chengyu a thumbs-up with a hint of amusement. An antique-style tea table appeared out of thin air before them. Bowen skillfully brewed two cups of tea, handing one to Chengyu while picking up the other for himself. Chengyu took the cup but didn't drink it. He looked at Bowen, a touch of sarcasm in his voice: "You really like drinking tea? Is it because of your teacher? But he doesn't seem to approve of you."

These words seemed to have touched a nerve with Bowen. His relaxed demeanor vanished instantly, and he crushed the teacup in his hand. The shards fell to the ground with a crisp sound. But Bowen quickly regained his composure. He conjured another teacup, poured himself a cup of tea, and retorted in the same sarcastic tone, "But it seems someone doesn't spend much time with their master. Is it because they don't like their master?"

Cheng Yu's expression changed slightly, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes. Bo Wen's words were like a sharp knife, piercing the softest spot in his heart. He was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "My relationship with my master is none of your business."

"Oh? Is that so?" Bowen chuckled. "Then why won't you drink the tea I brewed for you? Are you afraid I poisoned it?"

"I'm not drinking because I don't want to have anything to do with you." Cheng Yu's tone was icy, and his eyes were full of disgust.

Bowen was not annoyed by this. He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and said, "It seems our conversation ends here."

As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding scenery began to distort and warp, the dream peeling away piece by piece like a shattered mirror. Cheng Yu suddenly woke up, finding himself lying in a tent, his body drenched in cold sweat.

Outside the tent, the sky was already beginning to lighten. Cheng Yu took a deep breath, trying to calm his wildly beating heart. He knew that Bo Wen's appearance was no accident. This dream was more like a warning, a threat.

He got up and walked out of the tent, and saw Bai Yu standing not far away, gazing into the distance.

"You're awake?" Bai Yu turned his head and looked at Cheng Yu, his eyes filled with concern.

Cheng Yu nodded, walked to Bai Yu's side, and watched the sun gradually rise in the distance with him.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Bai Yu asked softly.

Cheng Yu hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded.

"You dreamt about Bowen?" Bai Yu seemed to have already guessed Cheng Yu's dream.

Cheng Yu nodded again without saying anything.

“Don’t worry,” Bai Yu patted Cheng Yu on the shoulder and said firmly, “No matter what conspiracy Bo Wen has, we will face it together.”

The morning light bathed the earth, dispelling the chill of the night. Cheng Yu silently walked to Bai Yu's side, and the two stared at each other in silence. A strange atmosphere hung in the air, like the calm before a storm. Suddenly, both men flashed their claws, striking at each other. Bai Yu was faster, swatting Cheng Yu away with a single blow. Cheng Yu crashed heavily to the ground, several deep, bone-revealing gashes appearing on his face.

He struggled to his feet, his eyes glaring fiercely at the "Bai Yu" before him, his heart filled with anger and confusion. No, this wasn't Bai Yu! It was Bo Wen! Cheng Yu realized then that he hadn't woken up from the dream at all; everything that had just happened was merely another illusion created by Bo Wen. Looking at Bo Wen's enigmatic smile, a deep sense of powerlessness welled up within him.

Bowen extended a dragon claw towards Chengyu, gesturing for him to grab his hand and stand up. "We are all the same kind of people," Bowen's voice was deep and magnetic, "Why not cooperate?" His tone carried a hint of seduction, as if luring Chengyu towards an abyss.

Cheng Yu stared at Bo Wen's outstretched dragon claw, a flicker of struggle crossing his eyes. He understood Bo Wen's meaning and knew what agreeing to cooperate would mean. But a sliver of hope, a sliver of trust in his partners, still lingered in his heart. He took a deep breath, his gaze hardening. "I will never cooperate with someone like you!" Cheng Yu's voice was firm and resolute.

Upon hearing this, Bo Wen's smile gradually vanished, replaced by a chilling aura. "Since that's the case," Bo Wen said coldly, "then don't blame me for being impolite." His figure disappeared instantly, reappearing behind Cheng Yu. He swung his sharp claws, viciously clawing at Cheng Yu's back.

At the last second, Cheng Yu instinctively dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding Bo Wen's attack. He turned and swung his claws to counterattack, but only caught a fleeting afterimage. Bo Wen's speed was astonishing; Cheng Yu couldn't catch a trace of him at all.

“Give up, Cheng Yu,” Bo Wen’s voice rang in Cheng Yu’s ears. “You can’t possibly be my match.” His tone was full of mockery, as if he were laughing at Cheng Yu’s helplessness.

Cheng Yu gritted his teeth. He knew he was no match for Bo Wen, but he would never give up. He had to find a way to escape this dream and return to his companions.

He began to run through his dreams, trying to find a crack, a glimmer of hope. He ran through dense forests, across desolate deserts, and over turbulent rivers, but he could never escape the pursuit of Bowen.

“You can’t escape,” Bowen’s voice followed Cheng Yu like a shadow, always echoing in his ears. “Give up, accept reality.”

Cheng Yu's strength was waning, and his breathing became rapid. He knew that if things continued like this, he would be caught by Bo Wen sooner or later. He had to find a way, he had to find a breakthrough.

He stopped and looked around, trying to find a clue. Suddenly, his gaze fell on a huge ancient tree not far away. The tree soared into the clouds, its branches and leaves so lush that it seemed to connect heaven and earth.

A thought suddenly struck Cheng Yu. He took a deep breath and ran towards the ancient tree.

Bowen's figure reappeared in front of him, blocking his path. "How long are you going to struggle?" Bowen's tone was tinged with impatience.

Cheng Yu ignored Bo Wen and walked around him, continuing to run towards the ancient tree.

Bowen snorted coldly and chased after them again.

Cheng Yu ran to the ancient tree and looked up at its towering canopy. He took a deep breath and began to climb.

Bowen followed suit and began to climb as well.

The two chased each other across the enormous ancient tree.