Chapter 686: Key

Chapter 686 Key

“After all this waiting, you are finally here.”

After pushing and making their way through the door, Shen and Adam heard a charming and gentle male voice.

Beyond the door was a small room. The only furniture there were two soft leather sofas.

There sitting on the sofa facing the door was a man.

He had golden hair, a handsome face and a perfect figure.

Shen!

Another Shen.

Adam stared with widened eyes at the man on the sofa before turning his gaze back to the Shen who was leading him. “You two… … why do the two of you look exactly the same?”

Shen smiled and said, “Because… … he is me.”

Shen then turned his attention toward the ‘Shen’ seated on the sofa. “It has been so long. Has anyone ever entered this place?”

“No.” The other ‘Shen’ shook his head. “Naturally, it is also possible that I simply did not get to meet them. You know as well, to reach the core, the three stages that must be overcome are picked at random.”

After saying that, he reached out with his hand to pat the sofa positioned opposite him and said, “Sit, let’s talk.”

“No,” answered Shen with a smile. “I want to hurry.”

“You are not even going to sit?” The other ‘Shen’ knitted his brows and smiled. “It wasn’t easy to finally be able to meet you once more. Do you have no other words to say?”

“If I recall… … I am not the type of person who likes leisurely chats.” Shen tilted his head and regarded the other ‘Shen’ who was sitting on the sofa. “Why are you…”

“Because of this place. It has been too lonely here for me. Staying in here is like staying in prison. It changes your character. Even me, your doppelganger, could not escape that.” The other ‘Shen’ sighed and smiled bitterly as he stretched out his palm. “Fine, since you are here, you are probably feeling very anxious

There on his palm was a shining key.

“It’s been hard on you.” Shen nodded his head as he received the key from the other ‘Shen’.

A door appeared on the side wall of the room.

“It’s so easy?” Adam looked at Shen with a look of surprise.

“Of course.” Shen shrugged. “Why else would I leave this backdoor? However, there is only a 50 per cent chance for me to encounter the stage that I set. This is quite a fortunate occurrence.”

“Right, there is one thing I need to tell you.”

Shen had led Adam to the door when the other ‘Shen’, who was still on the sofa, turned his head over. Placing his arm over the backrest, he said with a lackadaisical tone, “Although no one has entered the core… … she came before.”

“She?” Shen abruptly turned around. There was a frown on his face.

“Yes.” Seeing the expression on Shen’s face, the other ‘Shen’ smiled. “I am just the guardian of a stage. The number of things I can find out is limited. However… … I can be certain of one thing. She had modified her stage. I do not know what awaits you after you push open that door. However… I believe I should tell you about it.”

“I understand. Thanks.” Shen was silent for a moment and a wry smile emerged on his face.

“Who is ‘she’? How do you know who that person is even though he did not tell you her name?” Adam raised his head and asked with a curious tone.

Shen hesitated for a moment. Then, he shook his head and reached his hand out to pat Adam’s head. “Didn’t I tell you, Adam? He… … is me.”

He had only answered Adam’s second question and not the first.

After saying that, Shen inhaled slowly before pulling the door handle.

The other ‘Shen’ watched as the door was pulled open. However, when the first rays of light spilled through the opened gap, he quietly turned his head back.

Then, he released a soft sigh.

…

“I made a mistake.”

They had only just opened the door and neither Tian Lie nor Nicole had stepped through it when they heard Zero’s voice coming from behind them.

“What happened?” Tian Lie, who already had one foot partially extended forward, halted his steps. Instead, he turned around and asked.

“I had wanted to arrange for stages that are relatively easier for you two. However, I had instead allowed Shen to pass his faster. I had not expected him to leave a backdoor for himself.” Zero shook his head. “At present, there is only one blockade left for him.”

“Even smart people would sometimes do stupid things, let alone a smart program.” Tian Lie simply whistled before stepping through the door.

A solitary mountain peak. Looking down, all they could see were thick clouds. There was no end to them.

Snow coated the ground beneath them. There were no footprints on the snow at all.

Before the three of them was a figure, who sat cross-legged in the middle of all the snow. His head was lowered as he used a small branch to either write or draw something on the snowy ground. Despite the falling snow, he wore only one layer of robes on him.

Hearing the arrival of the three, he raised his head to give them a glance before lowering his head back down.

His face was extremely pale, so much so that it appeared almost transparent in quality. It was even possible to see the bones beneath his skin and muscles.

“There is only one opponent this time?” Tian Lie rubbed his fists and said, “This looks much easier.”

“No.” Zero shook his head. “This one does not require a fight. This person is not someone you can defeat. I will talk to him.”

As they were talking, the lone man raised his head. Reaching out with his hand, he erased the contents of what he had written on the ground before standing up. Then, he walked toward Tian Lie’s group.

“Why did you lead them in? This seems like a violation of the rules.” His eyes swiftly swept past Tian Lie and Nicole before finally resting on Zero’s face.

Like his face, his voice was one of extreme ancientness and hoarse to the ears. He sounded like an ailing old man.

At the same time, both Tian Lie and Nicole turned their gazes toward Zero.

In the first stage, the labyrinth, there was no guardian. Even the wooden puppets in the second stage had no self-awareness. They only possessed combat instincts that had been placed within them beforehand.

This man, however, was talking to Zero.

Clearly, he… … he was a living, self-aware human.

“This is an emergency. The rules do not apply here,” said Zero calmly. “Let’s save some time. I want to bring them through this stage quickly. I know you are a reasonable person, Chris.”

“And why?” The one called Chris smiled ambiguously. “I never thought the day would come when you would personally lead others into your own governing core.”

“Because I have received a command from an authority holder. Unlike you, I only have the clearance to execute the orders I am given. I am not qualified to challenge or change it.”

“What is the content of the command?” asked Chris.

“Do everything in my power to stop one person from obtaining my core authority.”

“Who?”

“A man known as Shen.”

Hearing the name, Chris’ eyes suddenly narrowed. “Did you say… … Shen?”

Zero looked at Chris. “Are you acquainted with him?”

“Not exactly acquainted. I only know of him.” Chris smiled. “Interestingly, it appears that you do not know him?”

“I know. He is a High-level Player and the Guild Leader of Thorned Flower Guild. Among all the Players in my data banks, he is the strongest. It is likely that he is one without parallel.” Zero’s face remained devoid of emotions.

“No. It seems… … you really do not know him.” Chris sighed gently, the same smile on his face. “Perhaps, it would be more accurate to say, you no longer remember him. Truly… … a saddening state.”

“I understand what you mean.” Zero looked at Chris. “Once, he had possessed the highest level of authority over me, right?”

Chris’ eyes abruptly widened. “You… … you knew?”

“I am indeed just a program. However, I am not a fool.” Zero revealed what appeared like a smile. “In one of the six obstructive stages is a fellow who looks exactly like him. Although he does not exist within my memory banks, I am not lacking in basic deductive abilities.”

“Indeed…” Chris slowly nodded his head. “Since you already know that he had once held the highest level of authority over you, why then…”

“I know that he had once possessed the highest level of authority over me, and so what?” Zero answered emotionlessly. “I am dutybound to obey and execute the commands that I have received. The present him does not possess the authority. Thus, I must follow the command I received to stop him from obtaining that authority.”

“Fine.” Chris waved his hand. “If so, how do you plan on stopping him from obtaining the authority?”

Zero himself revealed not much in terms of curiosity. Instead, he simply nodded his head and pointed at Nicole and Tian Lie. “Let one of them obtain the authority first. This is the only option I have at the moment.”

“Let them obtain it?” Chris frowned. “Doesn’t that mean…”

“Yes.” Without waiting for Chris to finish his words, Zero nodded and said, “The entity known as Zero City will disappear forever.”

“That includes you. Are you really prepared to face such an end?” Chris laughed.

“Letting Shen obtain the authority ends with the same result. Besides, I have already received the command.” Zero’s tone remained calm.

“Fine, I understand.” Chris lowered his head and pondered silently for a moment. When he raised his head once more, he smiled. “If that is the case, then go.”

He stretched out his hand to reveal a key resting on his palm.

“That… that’s it?”

Both Tian Lie and Nicole exchanged glances, doubtful of what they had just witnessed.

In the first stage, the labyrinth, they had not encountered any other obstacles. However, they were only able to pass the stage smoothly thanks to Zero’s guidance.

In the second stage, there were the wooden puppets and their battle formation. If Nicole was the only one there to fight against their formation, she would likely be dead by now. While it was true that she could leave the red circle – especially without a vexing existence annoying her – and begin anew, the wooden puppets had shown that they were capable of growing stronger. Even if she were to attempt the stage a hundred times, the chances of her passing the stage alone were nil.

In the third stage, there was this guardian. Although he was alone, judging by Zero’s words, his strength was above than of both Tian Lie and Nicole combined.

A person such as this had willingly handed over the key just because of a few words between him and Zero? 

“Thank you, Chris.” Zero, who had always maintained an emotionless face, revealed a rare smile.

“If you do not know how to smile, don’t smile. A forced laugh is ugly.” Chris shook his head. “I have been locked in this cage for a long time. I also want… … a release.”

“I figured. That is why I arranged this stage for them.” Zero looked at both Nicole and Tian Lie. “You two, what are you waiting for? I cannot touch the key.”

Nodding his head, Tian Lie stepped forward to take the key from Chris’ palm. Next, a door appeared before them.

“Go then.” Chris sat down cross-legged once more and slowly closed his eyes.

Zero led the two through the door and the door slowly closed before disappearing. Suddenly, Chris’ eyes snapped open to reveal a flash of light.

Stretching his hand out, he grabbed the small branch once more and used it to write a line of text on the ground.

After the line of text was written down, it glowed faintly before quickly disappearing without a trace as the ground was once again covered with snow.

…

[TL note: Chris is another character for Dancing’s other novel Law of the Devil. Btw, the full name of the protagonist for that novel is Duwei Rudolph Rowling. Coincidentally, there was a Rudolph who appeared in Chapter 454.]