"For example, when you woke up in the guest room, you murmured a few names. Were they your companions? Family? Enemies? It seems you've forged unbreakable bonds with many people and many things............
"Tell me, does the thought of losing those bonds frighten you?"
Huangquan's first question was heavy and piercing.
Five options appeared simultaneously.
Guinaifen was deliberating.
Meanwhile, viewers in the livestream flooded the chat with comments:
"This opening in Penacony feels like it's setting up something huge..."
"'Positive, sunny, uplifting options'"
"'College Student Mental Health Survey'"
"Xiao Guizi, be careful! These choices might affect the later plot!"
"Starting off with this much pressure? I'm sweating bullets."
After a long pause, Guinaifen selected: [If it means they'll be gone, then yes.]
Huangquan gave a slight nod.
Then came the second question.
"Hmm... What if there was a vast dream, so vivid it was indistinguishable from reality? A place without parting or death, where everyone could attain the happiness and fulfillment they deserve, living joyfully forever.
"Tell me, would you be willing to lose yourself in it?"
The question remained red.
Guinaifen's emotions were fully engaged now. She pondered seriously.
...
Meanwhile, among the Family...
Sunday's gaze sharpened!
To other players, these questions might seem baffling or even absurd—but to him, they struck a chord instantly.
He couldn't help but look upward.
"Yu Ling..."
"Are you... hinting at me?"
Turning back to the story, Sunday suddenly felt...
That this... wasn't so bad.
Perhaps this was a way to test players' attitudes toward the "Dream"?
After a moment's thought...
Yu Ling... might actually be laying the groundwork for me?
Sunday's lips parted slightly, as if he'd suddenly grasped Yu Ling's good intentions.
...
Now, he focused intently on the livestream comments.
This was a crucial metric for executing his plans!
"Isn't life just a grand dream anyway........."
"If it's truly indistinguishable from reality, then it might as well be another reality!"
"Sounds great, but if the dream never ends, happiness would just become numbness."
"Please, let me be numb! Working seven days a week makes me want to die!"
"What's so bad about a world of beautiful dreams?"
"Online: 'I'd never lose myself in a fake dream.' Reality: 'Please! Just let me sleep a little longer.........'"
Reading the comments, Sunday chuckled softly.
As expected.
Just as he'd always observed, this world was filled with far too much tragedy and injustice.
Only through the "Order" of the strong guiding the weak could Penacony's dream of salvation be realized!
A seven-day rest system was the ideal societal structure—every day should be a peaceful "Sunday"!
Sunday placed a hand over his heart, feeling his conviction grow even firmer.
Meanwhile, in the livestream...
Guinaifen made her choice:
[No matter what, I refuse to live in a dream.]
For once, Guinaifen set aside her usual lively streaming persona. A trace of solemnity flickered in her eyes.
She thought of her childhood.
If her homeland hadn't been destroyed by the Antimatter Legion, if she were still the youngest daughter of the Duke of Camelot, living in luxury...
But life offered no rewinds.
If that were just a dream, Guinaifen would never willingly lose herself in it.
Her current life might be hectic, but it wasn't dull.
She'd made many friends on the Xianzhou, and now she'd even set foot in Penacony...
The future held infinite possibilities.
Life... had no "best" path.
So, when making this choice, Guinaifen treated it as a real decision—one she took seriously.
After steadying her emotions, she continued the story.
Huangquan asked another question:
"Then... what if this beautiful dream was destined to shatter, if everything was fated to vanish: friends, family, strangers... then the gentle winds, the flying birds, the stars... and finally, yourself."
"Every person, every memory they held—the smiles, the tears, promises kept and unkept... all would march toward an inevitable end. If, at the very start, you knew this journey's final destination........."
"Tell me, would you still set out on this path?"
The first three options were variations of "No."
The last two were:
[I don't know.]
and
[I would forge ahead without hesitation.]
After a brief pause, Guinaifen chose:
[I would forge ahead without hesitation.]
"We're Trailblazers, after all!"
"We'll reach the ending on our own terms!"
"Xiao Guizi's really immersed now!"
"Seeing her so spirited every day is truly heartwarming........."
"I would too! Just like life—we all die eventually, but I want to live every moment of this journey."
"This feels more and more like a survey..........."
"Wait, is Yu Ling actually the Aeon of Finality? Is he using this game to collect players' preferences..."
"That's a wild theory..."
After her answer, Huangquan replied coolly:
"I know it's difficult. There's no need to rush your decision. As I said... the answer isn't what matters."
"Listen, touch, reflect—through this, you'll gain understanding. And with understanding, we make choices. So, returning to the first question..."
"Tell me... do you remember me?"
[I feel like I've seen you somewhere before.........]
Huangquan nodded slightly. "I see."
"How fascinating. For a moment, it was as if millions of similar yet different versions of you gave entirely different answers."
"This really is the last question. Thank you. We both have our own paths to walk—let's part ways here."
Just as they were about to separate, Huangquan suddenly spoke another riddle:
"The golden dream is beginning to stir. In the long night ahead, you'll likely face many setbacks, witness countless tragedies... until all you see is a world of black and white."
"But believe this: in that monochrome world, a fleeting speck of red will appear. And when the time comes for you to choose, it will reveal itself once more............"
As she spoke, Huangquan walked past Stelle, her left hand gripping her sheathed blade.
"And you... must ponder its meaning deeply—
Then,
As these final words hung in the air, Huangquan opened her eyes.
A trail of blood tears streaked down her right cheek.
At the same time, Stelle's body jerked as if struck by an invisible force, doubling over in pain.
Then—
The background abruptly darkened into a deep crimson.
Around Stelle, colors exploded like splashes of blood!
Huangquan's voice echoed one last time:
"Return to the waking world."
"We'll all find our answers there..."
The moment Stelle's eyes closed in collapse—
She jolted awake on the Astral Express's sofa!
Tears she didn't understand streamed down her face, dripping onto the back of her hand.
After watching this scene, Guinaifen was utterly stunned.
The livestream chat, too, was frozen in shock.
It took a long while before anyone could react.
...
"???"
"What just happened?"
"My brain short-circuited."
"MC: 'I'm done for!'"
"So scary... I don't dare go to Penacony now........."
"When did Huangquan even draw her blade? I couldn't see it at all!"
"Investigate Huangquan!"
...
Guinaifen licked her lips, unable to hold back her curiosity:
"What happened to 'relax and enjoy your holiday'?! They might as well have written 'THE REST OF THE STORY IS ALL PAIN' on the screen!"
"Should I just go back to the Xianzhou Luofu now?"
"Luofu feels so much safer........."
She picked up her phone, ready to book a return ticket—
Then remembered her collaboration with the Iris Family representative.
She'd have to stay in Penacony for at least a week.
With a sigh, she set the phone down.
"It's fine... My body's blessed with innate yang energy. Nothing bad will happen to me..."
Little did she know...
At that very moment...
In a room on the same floor...
Was Huangquan's quarters.
Inside, after finishing this segment of the story, Black Swan turned to Huangquan, who sat deep in thought.
"You really are fascinating........."
"I admit, I can't wait any longer."
"Let's... begin now."
"That dance we agreed upon."
Huangquan snapped out of her reverie and nodded.
"Give me a moment to prepare."
She headed to the bathroom.
Black Swan smiled faintly.
She knew this dance wasn't just a performance—
It was an intertwining of memories.........
The sound of running water came from the bathroom.
Then, Black Swan's expression shifted slightly.
She pulled out her phone.
Yu Ling had just posted something.
At first, she paid it no mind—now wasn't the time for distractions.
Huangquan was her primary interest.
The other's memories... even if condensed into a Light Cone, would be utterly unique.
This opportunity was too rare to risk losing.
But as she moved to put her phone away, her eyes caught the title of Yu Ling's video:
"Rondo Across Countless Kalpas."
A short film, just a few minutes long.
What surprised Black Swan...
Was the thumbnail.
The character featured—
Was a bewildered Huangquan.
"A short film... about her?"
Black Swan smirked.
She was about to delve into Huangquan's memories herself.
The timing of this release was... unfortunate.
"Still, no harm in watching."
"She seems to need a little more time to prepare."
"Consider it... an appetizer before the main course."
To be continued…
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