The cavity was dark and chaotic, like a land shrouded in perpetual night.
Inside, a man wearing a black mask hung under the night sky, calmly tightening his cloak, like a victor looking down on the one who was slowly arriving.
"It's you."
A hint of faint surprise flickered in Wu Suowei's eyes.
"Surprise—!" Apostle No. 03, Ye Yan, guffawed.
"Aren't you surprised I'm still alive? I told you long ago, that's my Dream Domain. You can't kill the true dream weaver, you can only be killed by the dream weaver! Hahaha!"
"Since you've come, enjoy the feast of death."
Ye Yan clapped his hands, and energy immediately surged.
Countless dark bats took flight, rows of soldiers with rifles marched in unison, the sky was divided by dense black holes, from which dark cannon barrels and gun muzzles extended, sharp swords and long spears...
All of it pointed at Wu Suowei alone.
Suddenly, cannons roared, arrows flew, and light blazed, magnificent yet silent.
Wu Suowei stood with his hands behind his back, his face as calm as an ancient well, showing no fear. Instead, a cold arrogance befitting someone of high status appeared. He lowered his gaze to the frenzied dream world.
"All flash and no substance."
The barrage of cannon fire was reflected in his pupils, like fireworks blooming in his eyes.
Boom, boom, boom—!
All attacks poured down, yet they vanished into nothingness around him, not even soiling the hem of his clothes.
Ye Yan became desperate. The entire dream world began to twist and distort, cycle, and split. Wu Suowei also twisted and changed with it, like a phantom detached from the three-dimensional world.
Suddenly, a colossal palm emerged from the void behind Wu Suowei.
Ye Yan's laughter died. Beneath this golden giant palm, he became a moth, easily crushed into dust.
The immense disparity in power filled him with terror.
"Who the hell are you?!!"
"Perhaps, a god," Wu Suowei's sleeves fluttered, his eyes held a detached indifference that looked down on all sentient beings.
Ye Yan swept his cloak and said urgently, "Gu Sang, you know what to do, kill Duan Chen quickly—!"
"Die."
Wu Suowei's thin lips parted slightly, and a torrential energy instantly pressed down on Ye Yan.
Bang—!
The giant palm descended from the sky, smashing Ye Yan into pieces with a single blow. But his body suddenly began to flow like liquid, rapidly dissolving into the darkness.
"Within the rules of the dream domain you created, it's indeed impossible to kill you completely... But what about outside the dream domain."
Wu Suowei opened his fingers, forming a seal with his hands in front of his chest. As his hands met,
"Break."
Boom!
The dream domain collapsed with a roar, and Wu Suowei's figure vanished along with it.
The residual energy waves rippled outwards, stirring up a hurricane. The nurses clutched their skirts, and a few frail, short nurses were even knocked to the ground.
The dream domain shattered. Gu Sang came back to his senses. He slowly raised his head and looked in Duan Chen's direction.
What kind of scarlet eyes were those, filled with cold-bloodedness, despair, anger, and sorrow, like a soulless beast.
Duan Chen tensed his body, shielding the nurses behind him. Just that one glance made him feel the extreme despair and suffering of the human world.
"Duan Chen, she's dead."
Gu Sang's hoarse voice came. Following it, a drop of turbid tear fell from his hollow eyes, splashing into the blood.
"Xiao Fang, she's dead..."
Gu Sang's voice trembled as he collapsed into immense despair.
Duan Chen glanced at the woman lying beside him. It was indeed Xiao Fang, who had completely cooled. Her expression was peaceful and serene, like a sleeping beauty.
Seeing Gu Sang in a highly dangerous state, Duan Chen gestured to the nurses behind him, signaling them not to approach, and then cautiously moved closer to Gu Sang.
Gu Sang did not resist, until Duan Chen reached his side.
"I caught up to that sea monster and tore it to shreds, but Xiao Fang still died before my eyes... I was so close, so close!! I could have saved her... We had already promised, that after she finished work, we would go to the coffee shop on Thirteenth Street, I would buy her coffee, order her favorite cappuccino..."
Tears streamed down his face, finally forming a line. His blood-stained hands trembled in the air, as if reaching for a nonexistent lover. He sobbed uncontrollably.
"Damn it, damn it! God! Why are you doing this to me!"
Duan Chen sighed, but found no words of comfort.
The nurses in the distance, seeing the deceased Xiao Fang, also showed saddened expressions. They lowered their heads, secretly wiping away tears.
After a while, Gu Sang forcefully wiped his tears and took out a pink diary from his embrace, handing it to Duan Chen.
"Xiao Fang gave this to me before she died... I can't see clearly, please read it for me."
Duan Chen took the blood-stained book. It wasn't the kind used by adults, but rather like one for elementary or middle school students, with shiny stickers that a young girl would like.
However, it was somewhat worn, showing that this diary had been through a long period.
He solemnly opened a page and read—
September 1, 2018, Monday, Sunny.
The new semester has begun. I'm so happy to have successfully advanced to junior high. I hope to make friends at the new school, and hope they won't mind my ugly appearance. I don't want to be called 'ugly monster' anymore.
Mom told me that everyone is not ugly, they just haven't met someone who appreciates their beauty. So, my friend who appreciates me, can you please appear soon... I am so lonely.
September 5, 2018, Friday, Sunny.
Today was a terrible day, and also the happiest day.
After school, I was cornered by some classmates at the school gate and beaten. They said such nasty things—'You're so ugly, why don't you just die!' 'You're so ugly, I want to throw up when I see you, don't come into the classroom anymore!'...
I thought I would get used to it after so many years, but no, I still cried sadly.
When I begged God to save me, he appeared.
He was so handsome, tall, and strong, he even pushed Xiao Ming, the strongest boy in class, to the ground with one push. He stood in front of me and yelled at those who were bullying me: 'So many of you bullying one person, have you no shame?'
He said: 'I'll protect this ugly girl. Anyone who dares to hit her again, I'll break their legs!'
I was so happy. No one had ever stood up for me before, only him.
I was afraid he would dislike my ugly face, but he didn't care at all. He smiled and called me 'ugly girl', and bought me ice from the snack bar! It was so sweet.
September 19, 2018, Friday, Light Rain.
Today, I finally gathered the courage to inquire about his name—Gu Sang.
I think I will remember this name for the rest of my life.
...
Reading up to this point, Duan Chen's heart felt heavy. He glanced at Gu Sang beside him. The strong man's silent tears had already covered his face.