102 The Still City (1/2)

The entire city was in a nightmare. The Indigo Moon shone down from the sky, illuminating the suddenly menacing world. It also illuminated the blood-red puddle under Ye Qingxuan’s feet.

Behind the Tower Bridge, the city revealed its sharp ridges in the dark night. It was completely different during the day. After losing all light and color, Avalon became an entirely different city. Its silhouette was sharp and menacing, like a demon reaching out for the sky. The distant fog shifted and changed according to the silhouette. It looked like a reflection of hell…

The stillness was shattered by a sharp sound. In front of Ye Qingxuan, the closed copper gate was pushed open by an invisible force. Moaning and creaking, it suddenly opened! Angry winds came from the other side of the city, bringing with it the smell of something rotten. The coldness in the wind sucked away Ye Qingxuan’s strength and he practically collapsed.

”Seriously what is this?” He looked down at the ‘puddle’ beneath him. Illuminated by the Indigo Moon, the puddle was a glistening crimson redness. The red liquid flowed continuously from the other side of the Tower Bridge like a river. It came from the peak of the city, flowed through the entire city, crossed the bridge, quietly went past the youth’s feet, and finally disappeared into the fog behind him. The bloody water meandered soundlessly, leaving behind a trail dyed red…a blood path!

”Blood path?” His face stark white, Ye Qingxuan stumbled back. He finally knew where he was. According to legends, ‘Avalon’s Shadow,’ which hid King Arthur’s treasure, was hidden in the shadow of this city, but no one had ever found it. If one wanted to find the city hidden in the world of nightmares, one must find the key to the lock—a path made of blood. A…blood path!

”It’s all real?” Ye Qingxuan looked down at the fresh blood flowing under his feet. He felt like he was in a hyper-realistic nightmare. So all the legends were true, everything they said was true, Avalon’s Shadow really existed, and he…really was at it’s entrance! He had spent an entire day running for his life, but he found this blood path and walked into hell. So…

”What the f*ck even is all this?!” he roared angrily at the other side of the bridge. ”I don’t even want to see you! Why do you have to drag me into this? I don’t care about the stupid treasure! Get it away from me!”

Of course, Avalon’s Shadow did not reply. The demonic city was still menacing under the moonlight, but the Indigo Moon dimmed gradually, as if its tired eye had closed.

As he glared angrily, Ye Qingxuan’s vision suddenly blurred. Falling into a daze, a shapeless force shook his body.

The Indigo Moon disappeared while he was in that drowsy state. The blood path under his feet stopped flowing, dried, and disappeared. The heavy fog shook crazily as if an outside force was moving it.

”Yezi! Yezi!”

He heard someone calling his name. Everything around him trembled and changed as if the nightmare was about to end, and the demonic world was collapsing. The fog dissipated quickly. Everything went black. When he opened his eyes again, everything was back to normal.

”Yezi, are you okay?” Charles grabbed his shoulder, shaking the disoriented youth. ”Yezi? Yezi? Can you hear me?” He stared at the blank youth, shaking a hand before him. ”What happened?”

”Senior?” Ye Qingxuan gazed dumbly at Charles’ stupid and annoying face. He really wanted to punch him, but he also found him so lovable at that moment.

”You’re finally awake. Are you okay?” Seeing that he had recovered, Charles let out a sigh in relief. ”How come you disappeared in the blink of an eye? I searched the entire city for you. I thought a human trafficker had taken you. Are you sure you’re okay? You have wounds all over…”

Ye Qingxuan looked around. Everything was familiar but still felt strange. ”Senior, where am I?”

Charles sighed. ”Idiot, you’re in Avalon of course.”

”Which Avalon?”

”Are there two Avalons in this world?”

”…There better not be.” Ye Qingxuan smiled with difficulty. But his vision darkened. When his tense nerves finally relaxed, he fell unconscious. He had had enough of this unlucky day.

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In downtown, on a still street under the fog, a beam of cold moonlight illuminated even the darkest place. The Professor waited wordlessly under the ghastly light.