Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Cheng Yu hugged his master tightly, tears streaming down his face like a broken string of pearls. He couldn't understand why such a powerful master would perish before his eyes. Was Bowen truly that powerful? How could he, a mere wolf-beastman who hadn't even become a god, possibly contend with him?

Even if he wanted to avenge his master, with his current strength, it would be like throwing an egg against a rock—a pointless and futile act. Yet, Cheng Yu's heart was filled with resentment. He had done nothing wrong, yet the world forced him to bear such a heavy responsibility. He was just an ordinary wolf-beastman; without his master's guidance, he might have remained an unknown, ordinary beastman forever.

"Why...why did it turn out like this?" Cheng Yu's mind kept repeating this question, but he couldn't find the answer. He began to regret it, regretting that he shouldn't have gone to the northern wolf tribe with Qian Tu. Perhaps if it weren't for that trip, everything wouldn't have turned out this way.

Tears streamed down Cheng Yu's cheeks, dripping onto his master's aged face. He wept like a child, as if he had suffered a tremendous injustice. However, it was all his own doing; he had dragged his master into this conflict, ultimately leading to his master's demise.

Just as Cheng Yu was crying uncontrollably, his master in his arms began to slowly disintegrate, turning into starlight that eventually vanished into the air. Cheng Yu tried to grasp the starlight, but he couldn't. He watched helplessly as his master disappeared, his heart filled with despair and helplessness.

Cheng Yu felt utterly empty and lost after his master's departure. He didn't know where to go next or how to face the future. He had lost his master's protection and his direction in life.

“Master…” Cheng Yu murmured softly, his voice hoarse and filled with sorrow. He knelt down, burying his head deeply in his arms, letting the grief engulf him.

After an unknown amount of time, Cheng Yu slowly raised his head, his eyes red, but with a newfound determination in them. He wiped away his tears, stood up, and gazed in the direction where his master had disappeared, silently vowing in his heart: "Master, I will avenge you! I will find Bo Wen and make him pay the price!"

He looked around and found that his master's room was empty, with only some simple furniture and paintings remaining. He walked to the table where his master usually painted, picked up his master's usual paintbrush, and gently stroked it.

"Master, I will carry on your legacy and continue your creative work." Cheng Yu's eyes were filled with respect and determination. He knew that his master's departure did not signify the end, but rather a new beginning. He had to pull himself together, fulfill his master's unfinished wishes, avenge his master, and find a new direction for himself.

He picked up his paintbrush and began to sketch on the blank canvas, each stroke brimming with power and emotion. He poured his longing for his master, his hatred for Bowen, and his aspirations for the future into his paintings.

He knew that the path of revenge was extremely difficult, almost impossible. But he was not afraid, because he knew that his master's spirit would always accompany him, guiding him in the right direction.

At this moment, Cheng Yu is no longer the extremely abstract blond boy he once was. He now carries the mission of avenging his master, and he will not fall easily again.

As Cheng Yu held his master's paintbrush, a strange feeling welled up inside him. He felt as if he were being drawn by an invisible force, and involuntarily began to paint on the canvas. He didn't know what he was trying to paint, but he felt as if something was being brought to life on the white canvas through his hands.

Time ticked by, and Cheng Yu's painting gradually took shape. On the canvas, a wolf-beastman stood with his eyes closed, surrounded by layers of scrolls, as if immersed in an ocean of knowledge. His fur, as if soaked in ink, displayed varying shades of black and white, exuding a unique scholarly aura.

Cheng Yu stared at the figure in the painting, utterly astonished. He had actually painted himself! However, the figure in the painting seemed somewhat different from the real him. The figure in the painting was more serene, more reserved, as if possessing boundless wisdom and power. Perhaps because of the ink, the figure in the painting was only black and white; if he could use other colors, he would certainly have painted his fur the golden yellow he loved.

Cheng Yu carefully examined the figures in the painting, feeling that something was missing. He pondered deeply and finally found the answer—his beloved and his revered master were absent. He was alone in the painting, appearing somewhat lonely and forlorn. In Cheng Yu's heart, his partner and master were the most important parts of his life; how could his painting be without them?

So Cheng Yu picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and added the figures of Hakan, Aolian, and his master to the painting. Hakan still had that cheerful smile, Aolian looked at him with tenderness, and his master gazed at him kindly, as if silently encouraging him.

Looking at the figures in the painting, Cheng Yu finally smiled with satisfaction. This painting was not only a tribute to his master, but also an expression of his hopes for the future. He believed that even though his master was no longer with him, his loved ones and friends would always be there for him, supporting him and helping him overcome all difficulties to move towards a brighter future.

Cheng Yu's gaze fell once more on his master's portrait, a wave of sorrow washing over him. If his master were still alive, upon seeing this painting, he would surely, as always, criticize his skills while simultaneously praising his progress. But his master was no longer there…

Thinking of this, Cheng Yu's eyes welled up with tears again. He took a deep breath, suppressing the sorrow in his heart. He knew he couldn't remain immersed in grief forever; he had to pull himself together, fulfill his master's last wish, and protect everything he cherished.

He gently placed his paintbrush on the table, then turned and left the room. He knew he still had a long way to go and many things to do. He had to become stronger to protect those he loved and to bring peace to his master's spirit in heaven.

Stepping out of the room, Cheng Yu looked up at the sky and silently prayed, "Master, please rest assured, I will definitely work hard! I will definitely make you proud!"

Just as Cheng Yu was immersed in grief and memories, the surrounding scenery suddenly began to distort, shattering like a broken mirror into fragments of digital material that eventually disappeared. It turned out that someone had forcibly kicked him out of the game.

Cheng Yu suddenly opened his eyes and found himself back in his room in the real world. Yun Zheng looked at him with concern and asked, "Cheng Yu, are you alright? What happened? Why are you so sad?"

Cheng Yu looked at the unfamiliar Yun in front of him, his heart filled with mixed feelings. Although he didn't know her, he still politely replied, "I'm fine." Then, he grabbed a few clothes he could wear, picked up his phone, and left this unfamiliar home, leaving behind this strange woman who claimed to be his partner.

Seeing Cheng Yu leave, Yun hurriedly chased after him. Watching his departing figure, she leaned sadly against the wall and silently sobbed.

Cheng Yu walked alone on the bustling street, savoring the long-lost urban atmosphere. However, he felt out of place, as if he were in another world. Having spent too long in the game world, he had become accustomed to its tranquility and peace, and felt somewhat uncomfortable with the hustle and bustle of the city. Moreover, this unfamiliar body also made him feel somewhat uneasy.

But he had to find a way back. Perhaps he could go back to his old rented apartment; maybe there would be some clues there.

Cheng Yu opened his phone's map app, entered his old address, and found the location of his rented apartment. However, that place was far away; he would have to take the high-speed train to get there. He glanced at his phone's balance and couldn't help but feel a little worried. In his previous life, he hadn't been wealthy, and he didn't know how much money he had in his phone now. What if he didn't have enough for the fare? He opened his payment app and, seeing his balance, breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, he had enough money to get to his old rented apartment.

He didn't know if this world was the same as the one before. But he could only pray that they were the same world, so that he could find a way back, return to his master, and return to the world he knew.

Cheng Yu bought a high-speed rail ticket and embarked on his journey to his rented apartment. Along the way, his mind was filled with a multitude of thoughts, recalling the events that had occurred in the game world, his heart brimming with doubt and unease.

As the high-speed train sped along, the scenery outside the window rushed past, and Cheng Yu's heart, like the speeding train, was filled with anticipation and trepidation.

Upon arriving at his destination, Cheng Yu stepped out of the station and looked at the familiar streets before him, overwhelmed with mixed emotions. He followed the route he remembered and returned to his former rented room.

He took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

Cheng Yu rang the doorbell several times, but there was no response from inside. He looked around but didn't see anyone else. It seemed he could only wait here for the landlord to return. He thought to himself that perhaps he could just call the landlord, since landlords usually leave their contact information when renting out such houses.

However, Cheng Yu hesitated. He vaguely remembered that when he rented a place before, he often called the landlord, but he almost never got through, or the landlord would hang up immediately after answering. The landlord would only contact him when it was time to collect the rent. So, he decided to wait and see.

Time ticked by, and Cheng Yu's stomach began to rumble. He realized he was hungry. With no other option, he went to find something to eat nearby.

Having only recently moved here and entered the game world, Cheng Yu was unfamiliar with his surroundings. He walked along the street for a while before finding a noodle shop. He ordered a bowl of noodles at random, quickly finished it, and returned to the entrance of his rented room to continue waiting.

As night fell and the streetlights came on, the number of pedestrians on the street gradually decreased. Cheng Yu waited at the door for a long time before finally seeing a middle-aged man walk over. The man was carrying a briefcase and walking briskly, looking like he had just finished get off work.

"Who are you...?" The man walked to the door and looked at Cheng Yu with a puzzled expression.

"Hello, I'm here to rent a room," Cheng Yu said quickly.

"Renting a place?" The man looked Cheng Yu up and down. "Have you lived here before?"

Cheng Yu nodded: "Yes, I've lived here before."

"Oh, I remember now." The man suddenly realized, "You're that... Xiao Chen, right?"

Cheng Yu nodded again: "Yes, it's me."

“The house you used to live in is currently vacant,” the man said. “If you want to rent it, you can move in now.”

All of this was done in such a hurried and even perfunctory manner. The landlord was just asking casually; he didn't know Cheng Yu at all, and he didn't even remember having such a guy in his memory.

"Great!" Cheng Yu exclaimed with delight. "Can I go in and take a look now?"

“Of course.” The man took out his keys and opened the door. “Come in.”

Cheng Yu followed the man into the rented room. The furnishings inside were exactly the same as he remembered, but they lacked a sense of life and felt somewhat deserted.

“You’ve lived in this house before, so you should be quite familiar with it, right?” the man said. “I won’t go into too much detail. If you’re okay with it, we can sign the contract now.”

Cheng Yu looked around and, after confirming that there were no signs of anyone else living in the room, said, "No problem, let's sign the contract."

After signing the contract and paying the rent, Cheng Yu officially became the new tenant of this rented house. He put his luggage away, tidied up the room briefly, and then lay down on the bed to rest.

Although he was back in familiar surroundings, Cheng Yu's heart was still unsettled. He didn't know what to do next, nor how to return to the game world that haunted his dreams.

He took out his phone and browsed the game's discussion groups, hoping to find some clues. However, there was no information about anything unusual about the game in the forums; players were still enthusiastically discussing various gameplay mechanics and strategies.

Cheng Yu sighed, put his phone aside, closed his eyes, and the image of his master appeared in his mind, along with the bits and pieces he had experienced in the game world.

"Master, I will definitely go back." He silently vowed in his heart.

Outside the window, night deepened, and the lights of thousands of homes flickered, reflecting Cheng Yu's bewildered yet determined gaze.

Cheng Yu searched the room meticulously, trying to find clues about the game or his own identity. He looked through almost every corner, and finally, his gaze fell on a crevices in the cushion on the windowsill. He reached in and felt around, finding something hard. He carefully removed it and discovered it was a USB flash drive.

Cheng Yu was stunned. He clearly remembered that he had thrown away this USB drive. At that time, his computer got a virus while he was downloading something online, and in a fit of anger, he threw the USB drive into the trash can. But now, this USB drive had reappeared in front of him, as if it had never left.

A strange unease welled up inside Cheng Yu. He took the USB drive and left the rented room. He wandered aimlessly through the streets, lost in thought. Finally, he entered an internet cafe. He had made sure to bring his ID card when he left that unfamiliar place, so he easily entered the internet cafe. He randomly picked a computer and plugged in the USB drive.

Cheng Yu hovered the mouse pointer across the screen a few times and clicked the mouse a few times, discovering that the contents of the USB drive were completely different from what he remembered. According to his memory, as soon as he plugged this USB drive into the computer, the computer would immediately become infected with a virus and start playing a catchy, addictive song on a loop. But this time, the computer wasn't infected, and the USB drive only contained one video file, instead of the hundreds of video files he used to have.

Cheng Yu hesitated for a moment, but finally clicked on the video. The video started playing, the image gradually becoming clearer. Looking at the content, Cheng Yu's face showed embarrassment, and he subconsciously picked at his toes. The video playing was actually the one he had watched that night. It was because of watching this video that he had died suddenly for some reason and then come to the game world.

An indescribable sense of absurdity welled up inside Cheng Yu. He felt as if he were trapped in some kind of loop, yet he couldn't find a way to break free. He turned off the video, unplugged the USB drive, and sat blankly in front of the computer, at a loss. The noisy sounds of the internet cafe and the flickering screen made him feel incredibly unfamiliar and alienated.

Just then, a figure appeared beside him. Yun had come to his side at some point and was looking at him with concern. "Cheng Yu, are you alright?" she asked softly.

Cheng Yu looked at the clouds before him, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He didn't know how to explain everything, nor how to face the woman who claimed to be his partner. He opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

"Do...do you still remember me?" Yun asked cautiously, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Cheng Yu was silent for a moment, then finally shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't remember you."

A hint of disappointment flashed in Yun's eyes, but she didn't give up. "It's okay, I can tell you slowly."