Chapter 651: Old Friend

Chapter 651 Old Friend

Xia Xiaolei held onto a bowl of instant noodles as he slurped down its contents. His eyes were constantly swivelling about the room.

He had not slept a wink since Guild Leader Chen Xiaolian gave them the order. He had done everything he needed to do inside the room, everything. For he feared that he would fail to notice it should his Guild Leader decide to make contact.

Somewhere beside him was a mattress and Lun Tai slept on it, snoring.

The lamp continued burning. They had just filled up the wax for the lamp.

After finishing his bowl of instant noodles, Xia Xiaolei put down the bowl, a look of contentment on his face. After releasing a burp, however, he suddenly jumped to his feet.

He had heard Toto’s voice once more.

“Who is inside the room?”

“Guild Leader! It is me, Xia Xiaolei!”

Xia Xiaolei quickly turned around to inspect his surroundings. As expected, the piece of mosaic had appeared in a corner of the room once more.

“Good.” Toto continued relaying Chen Xiaolian’s words, “Now, I need you to do something for me.”

“Yes, Guild Leader.” Although Xia Xiaolei knew that the piece of mosaic was actually the little boy known as Toto and not his Guild Leader, he had instinctively stood upright with his chest puffed up.

“Guild Leader… … is that really you?”

The moment he heard the commotion, Lun Tai had flipped himself up from the mattress. Following Xia Xiaolei’s gaze, he then saw Toto.

Although he was 99 per cent convinced, this was still Lun Tai’s first time seeing the piece of mosaic that Xia Xiaolei had mentioned. 

“Big brother, someone else is talking to me. I do not know who he is…” Lun Tai watched as Toto turned his head to the side as he uttered those words. Lun Tai hastily spoke up, “Tell Guild Leader, I am Lun Tai!”

Soon, Toto turned to face Lun Tai and said, “That is good, with two people there, I feel more at ease.”

“Understood.” Lun Tai nodded calmly.

“This child’s real name is Wang Duo. Right now, he is with me in World’s End. However, for a certain reason, I want to send him back to the outside world first. The Guiding Link Fire has already locked down onto his head. Thus, what you two need to do is very simple.

“Inside the room, you two should be able to see his silhouette within the areas illuminated by the lamp, right? Pick up the lamp, move toward his silhouette and put it on the middle part of his head.

“Here in World’s End, there is also a lit lamp on his head. However, you fellows are unable to see it. What you two need to do, is to let the position of the two lamps superimpose each other perfectly. The instant it happens, the rate at which the wick burns will grow extremely intense. When that happens, you need to ensure that the flame does not go out.”

“That simple?” Lun Tai smiled. “From the sound of it, even Xia Xiaolei can do it.”

“No, when the wick starts burning intensely, it will quickly burn up the wax inside the bowl. Within that 30 seconds of intense burning, you need to ensure a constant, unending supply of wax inside the bowl.”

“I understand.”

Lun Tai nodded and said, “Then, Guild Leader… … when will you return?”

There was a moment of silence. Then, the other side replied, “The amount of time I have here is 1 day and 18 hours. I will not be here longer than that. When the time arrives, if I do not make it out, you all will need to elect a new Guild Leader. Mm… … that Roddy is too sloppy, I am not feeling too at ease with him being the leader. If you are willing, I will leave this burden to you.”

Lun Tai clenched his fists. “Guild Leader, you… … what are you talking about?”

“It is nothing.” As Toto was the one relaying Chen Xiaolian’s words, they could not hear Chen Xiaolian’s sigh. “It is just an emergency plan, just in case. Alright, listen up.

“Since Roddy already knows that I had contacted you all, I guess he should be on his way back right now. Don’t tell him that I am sending Toto back first.”

“Got it, but… … why?”

“At present, Toto is our only means of communication. After sending him over, I will no longer be able to contact you all. Thus, I need you to tell Roddy not to resurrect me in advance. Also, do not use points to extend my time here. Once the timer ends, activate the Lifehymn Music Score immediately. Don’t ask me about it. I know that you do not understand what I am talking about. Just do as I say for this.”

“All right.”

“Well then, let’s get started. We don’t have much time.”

…

Lun Tai, Bei Tai, Xia Xiaolei and Qimu Xi. The four of them opened up the tens of boxes of candles; they also found tens of stainless steel basins from the island resort’s warehouse.

Lun Tai led the others, breaking the candles into pieces, and throwing them into the basins. Next, he retrieved a flamethrower from his storage equipment. After adjusting the flame output to the lowest setting, he unleashed the flames at the basins for a few seconds each, melting the candle pieces inside the basins.

“Guild Leader, our preparations are complete.”

After heating up the basins, he snapped his fingers toward Bei Tai.

“All right, let us begin.”

Lun Tai carefully picked up the Guiding Link Fire that was on the table. After carefully shifting its position so that it was right on top of the piece of mosaic, he gently put it down.

He then shifted the lamp’s position several times, but nothing happened.

“Guild Leader… … it is not working!”

Lun Tai uttered with knitted brows.

“It needs to be slightly higher. This thing requires thorough precision. I cannot see your lamp from my end. At any rate, just keep trying.”

Lun Tai wiped the cold sweat on his forehead and he anxiously shifted the bowl bit by bit as he attempted to superimpose the two lamps together.

After around five minutes, without any advance warning, the little flame on the wick suddenly flared up, increasing in size by over ten times. It was such that it was nearly licking the ceiling of the room.

The wax in the bowl decreased at a visible rate.

“Guild Leader! We got it!”

Lun Tai shouted with a lowered tone as he did his best to maintain the position of his hands. “Bei Tai! Qimu Xi!”

Both of Bei Tai’s hand moved and one of the heated stainless-steel basins on the floor flew up as Bei Tai utilized his Air Incarceration skill to fix it atop Toto’s head at a slightly tilted angle.

Qimu Xi followed up, aiming the flamethrower at the basin before pressing the trigger.

The blazing flames from the flamethrower quickly melted the partially melted wax inside the basin, which then flowed down into the lamp bowl, replenishing the supply of wax there.

It did not take long before the basin was emptied. 

“Second basin incoming!”

Bei Tai shouted as his two hands moved again. After his Air Incarceration skill fixed the second basin in position, Qimu Xi aimed at the basin and pulled the trigger once more.

“His body… … it is getting clearer!”

Xia Xiaolei, who was acting as the observer, did not have to take part in the actions. His duty was to observe by the side. At that moment, as the Guiding Link Fire was burning intensely, the piece of mosaic was also quivering intensely.

With every passing second, the piece of mosaic quivered and Toto’s body grew a bit clearer.

“Excellent!”

Lun Tai dared not avert his eyes. In order to ensure that his hands remained fixed, he could only utter out a word in an utmost whisper.

Soon, the basin became half empty while Toto’s figure grew ever clearer.

…

“Toto, when you get there, be sure to listen to them.”

Sister Yun stood before Toto and said to him calmly. She watched as his figure gradually grew faint.

“I know, Aunt Yun.” Having received instructions not to move, Toto dared not nod his head. He simply whispered, “Then… … after I return there, can I still meet you?”

“… … you can.” After a moment’s hesitation, Sister Yun nodded her head.

“All right! I will wait for you there! Hurry up and return as well!” Toto blinked and continued, “When you return, I will bring you to meet my father and mother.”

“Sure, I will.” Sister Yun extended her hand and placed them gently on Toto’s face. She continued watching Toto’s fading figure. “Don’t move. Just let me feel you.”

“Mm… …”

Toto sat there obediently, looking back at Sister Yun.

The two of them continued staring at each other. Finally, Toto, who had been gradually fading away, disappeared before Sister Yun’s eyes.

…

“Done!”

Lun Tai watched as Toto’s figure grew clear, just like that of an ordinary human. The flame on the lamp, too, gradually decreased in size. Lun Tai then gave a sigh of relief before giving Bei Tai a sign.

The basin above Toto’s head tilted to an even position before slowly coming to rest on the floor beside Toto.

“Stand up, little child. Everything is all right now.”

Lun Tai let out a lengthy exhalation. Then, as he was about to lift up the Guiding Link Fire and place it back on the table, the flame of the lamp flickered a bit. Next, it went out.

“I… …”

Lun Tai turned left and right and saw looks of stupor on everyone’s faces as they stared at him.

“Hey! That wasn’t me!”

…

“Thank you.”

Sister Yun continued standing there, gazing at the spot that Toto had been seated upon. She had not turned around to speak.

“There is nothing to thank,” replied Chen Xiaolian with a faint smile. “If we don’t send him back, you will not feel at ease.”

“Thank you for your understanding.” Sister Yun nodded her head before finally turning around. With a wave of her right hand, her armour set appeared on her body once more as she wielded her spear. Likewise, a white horse appeared beside her. “You don’t have much time, move.”

“Wait. There is something I want to ask.” Chen Xiaolian raised his hand to stop Sister Yun.

“Ask ahead.”

“Earlier, you mentioned that you had once brought Bai Qi back from World’s End. Back then, you used the Guiding Link Fire and there was no need for you to come here.” Chen Xiaolian’s heart was thumping. He calmed himself down before continuing, “At present, the Guiding Link Fire is with me. If I succeed in returning, does that mean… … in the future, if one of my Irregularity companions end up dying, can I do the same thing you did for Bai Qi? Can I directly bring them back? In other words…

“I can resurrect any Irregularity without facing any limitations?”

Sister Yun looked at Chen Xiaolian. Suddenly, a smile appeared on her face. “Do you think… … there could be such a good deal in this world?”

“It would appear not.” Chen Xiaolian sighed. “However, can you at least tell me what I can use the lamp for?”

“When you received the wick, did you receive a system prompt?”

Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “No.”

“That is right.” Sister Yun mounted the horse and said, “The Guiding Link Fire is not a system-produced prop. The current Guiding Link Fire is something I created by infusing the power of the insight I gained from the Oddity into it. It will always be mine and mine alone. If even Umbrella could not utilize it, could you?

“Be it Heaven or Earth, the land of the living or the land of the dead, I am the only one who can utilize it.”

“If that is the case, why did Mr San had me take the wick and light it up again?” Seeing that the horse was about to gallop away, Chen Xiaolian quickly shouted out.

“Maybe, Umbrella… …”

Sister Yun turned, giving Chen Xiaolian a profound gaze. There was a hint of complexity in her eyes, one of emotions. “Even though it has been so long, he still did not forget his old friend in the Yellow Springs.”

…