Chapter 154.2 - Fear (1/2)

Huang Ting stopped and stood on the high wall. He said seriously, “Where do you guys want to go now? Help me seize my totem back? I won’t cooperate, and you guys won’t be able to get there. Leave immediately, right now!”

“Hei.” Zhou Sheng found it amusing instead. He carried his jingubang on his shoulder, then turned his head sideways to shoot a provocative glance at Huang Ting.

“What’s the meaning of running over so recklessly?” Huang Ting said, “Just to save someone like me who’s about to die? To tell you guys the truth…”

“Aplastic anemia,” Chen Yekai said, “Acute. We already know.”

Huang Ting suddenly fell silent. Yu Hao said, “Can’t you treat it as palliative care? Also, you might not necessarily die. You’re still waiting for a bone marrow match, right?”

Huang Ting still wanted to insist, but Zhou Sheng said, “What’s in the centre of the maze? Let me guess?”

“You guessed right.” Huang Ting said, “My fear of death.”

Yu Hao said, “Keep walking. Don’t stop. The longer this gets dragged out, the more dangerous it gets. If you’re really concerned about our well-being, then please face the fear in your heart and seize your totem back.”

Zhou Sheng laughed. “He’s right. Huang Ting, I don’t want to go through the experience of getting arrested while sleeping again.”

“Will we be suddenly awakened?” Yu Hao asked.

Zhou Sheng said, “Not necessarily. We still don’t know what Zhao Liang wants to do.”

Yu Hao was guessing as well. Although he had deduced that Zhou Sheng must know— perhaps Zhao Liang wanted to observe and analyse the entire process of them entering Huang Ting’s dream, obtain detailed information, and even try to crack the secrets of the Golden Crow Wheel. No matter what though, Zhao Liang had already discovered that the Golden Crow Wheel was still in Zhou Sheng’s hands, and since he hadn’t come over to wake them up, perhaps letting them deal with Huang Ting’s dream as they pleased was also one of their means in achieving their goal.

“Go,” Chen Yekai said, “Listen to them. At this moment, your situation is what’s most important. Don’t roll around tossing and turning over this problem anymore.”

The gales were gradually settling down. Huang Ting could only lead the way ahead, while Zhou Sheng and Yu Hao followed behind. Yu Hao glanced at Zhou Sheng with an inquiring gaze, yet Zhou Sheng showed him a mischievous smile and mysteriously winked at Yu Hao.

Yu Hao, “?”

Huang Ting said from the front, “Nicky, do you remember? We used to discuss how we would die in the future, and what kind of place we would die in?”

“I remember.” Chen Yekai said, “Three days after Ryuusei passed away, when you caught wind of the news, you called me from abroad.”

“I thought that I might die under the gunshot of a hoodlum, or in a car accident while chasing after a fugitive…” Huang Ting raised his head and looked at the thick dark clouds in the night sky. He said, “But I never thought that I would die in such a way.”

Chen Yekai said, “I have already said that you may not necessarily die. No matter how much money you need, I can fork it out for you, as long as you can keep on living well.”

“I don’t believe in luck.” Huang Ting said, “Waiting for a donor is like buying lottery tickets. Nicky, we need to learn to face reality.”

“I’ve never been fucking willing to face reality!” Chen Yekai suddenly said, then seized Huang Ting’s collar, twisted his head over, and violently forced him to look under the high wall, “If this world is as realistic as you said it was, then why would we meet in a dream? Would you have the opportunity to ask such a question?”

Yu Hao wanted to go up to separate them, but he was stopped by Zhou Sheng. Chen Yekai pushed Huang Ting and almost pushed him off the wall that was ten metres high. He made him face the ground and said, “Say something ah! Talk!”

Huang Ting didn’t reply. Zhou Sheng wielded his jingubang, signalling to Yu Hao that he could separate them now.

Chen Yekai dragged Huang Ting back a little and pushed him forward. He said, “There’s no inherent difference between dying from a bullet or while lying on a sickbed. Whether or not you die sooner or later, it’s all the same in the end.”

Huang Ting said, “Just now, when I saw you, what I thought wasn’t that I was saved, but to…use the gun on you, to shoot me, like this.”

Huang Ting pulled Chen Yekai’s hand up and made him hold the gun against his forehead.

Chen Yekai said, “Don’t do this!”

Huang Ting laughed. “On the contrary, I don’t feel any torment or fear at all in this dream.”

Yu Hao said, “Because in the spiritual world, most emotions have been concretized and separated from one another. It’s only when you come into contact with the boss before fear will appear. Right now, you should be very calm.”

“Why don’t I take the chance to end everything while I’m this calm?” Huang Ting said, “It’s only at times like this that I won’t fear death.”

Chen Yekai said, “Even if I were to shoot you, you wouldn’t die in reality.”

Zhou Sheng explained, “The entire dreamscape will collapse and fall into the subconscious. Your consciousness will dissolve and merge with the subconscious world, while the you in reality…”

“Will fall into a vegetative state?” Huang Ting said, “Just like Liang Jinmin.”

“Yes.” Chen Yekai shrugged, “And it’ll become even more troublesome instead.”

“It won’t be.” Huang Ting said, “There’s no need to prolong my life. At that time, I won’t be able to feel the pain of my organs failing on me. It can be considered euthanasia in another sense? I’d rather leave this world unwittingly than suffer through the ordeal.”

“Your suffering is given to you by yourself.” Yu Hao said, “As long as you’re not afraid, you won’t suffer.”

Huang Ting said, “You’ve never experienced this kind of feeling before.”

“I have.” Yu Hao answered, “How could I not?”

Huang Ting suddenly remembered and actually couldn’t refute Yu Hao for a moment. He kept silent for a long time, then continued, “Your frame of mind at that time is different from mine.”

“It’s very similar.” Yu Hao said, “I understand how you feel now. At this time, there’s a kind of faint resonance between our souls. But, Huang Ting, we can also continue walking forward, until the moment you seize your totem back. If you’re still this insistent after finding yourself, I will respect your decision.”

Huang Ting fell silent again. In the end, he nodded. “Okay, then let’s go.”