Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Cheng Yu sat up in bed. The unfamiliar environment didn't make him feel uncomfortable at all. For him, it was all the same wherever he was. As long as he had his phone and games, he could find his own comfort zone. Just like a programmer who was used to the life of a corporate slave, even if he changed companies and workstations, he could still quickly adapt and immerse himself in endless coding.

Yun had meticulously prepared breakfast, which was placed on the bedside table, emitting an enticing aroma. She even reminded Cheng Yu to eat breakfast, her tone as gentle as if she were coaxing a child. However, for a seasoned otaku, breakfast was optional, especially when the game had already started, awaiting his exploration and conquest. Cheng Yu was already immersed in the virtual world, indifferent to everything around him.

Upon re-entering the game, Cheng Yu found himself back at the place where he had been forcibly logged out—halfway up the mountain behind the Minotaur tribe. He looked around; the dense forest, the rugged mountain path—everything seemed so familiar, yet tinged with a sense of strangeness. He vaguely remembered experiencing an internal struggle here before being pulled back to the real world by a mysterious force.

"Could I relive everything that happened before?" A bold idea suddenly popped into Cheng Yu's mind. He felt that if he could walk the same path again, he might find some clues about how he returned to his original world and resolve the lingering doubts in his heart.

He walked down the mountain path, his steps hurried, as if something was urging him on. He was eager to find the answer, eager to unravel the mystery, eager to return to the world of his memories.

"Evand! Wait for me!" A familiar voice came from behind.

Cheng Yu stopped and looked back, only to see Tarn running towards him, panting heavily.

"Why are you walking so fast?" Tarn asked, his tone tinged with doubt.

Cheng Yu stared at Tarn, speechless for a moment. He didn't know how to explain, nor how to face this former comrade. In Evand's memories, he and Tarn were brothers who fought side by side, but now, he felt a sense of estrangement from Tarn, even a certain resistance.

"I...I have something urgent to attend to," Cheng Yu replied vaguely, then continued walking forward.

Tarn grabbed his arm: "What's the rush? Where are you going?"

Cheng Yu shook off Tarn's hand, his tone somewhat impatient: "This has nothing to do with you."

Tarn was stunned. He looked at Cheng Yu, his eyes filled with incomprehension and worry. He had never seen Evand so cold and unfamiliar.

"Evand, what's wrong with you?" Tarn asked. "Are you hiding something from me?"

Cheng Yu did not answer. He did not want to get entangled with Tarn any longer. He just wanted to leave this place as soon as possible and find the answer he wanted.

“Tahn!” A loud voice came from afar.

Cheng Yu and Tarn turned their heads at the same time and saw Axel walking towards them.

"Tahn, what are you doing here?" Axel asked, his tone carrying a hint of authority.

Tarn quickly replied, "Father, I... I saw Evand leave in a hurry, so I followed him."

Axel looked at Cheng Yu, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Evand, where are you going?"

Cheng Yu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down: "I...I have something to take care of."

Axel pondered for a moment, then said, "In that case, go. However, I hope you can come back as soon as possible; we still have many things to discuss."

Cheng Yu nodded, then turned and left without lingering.

He continued down the mountain path, his figure gradually disappearing into the dense forest. He didn't know where he was going or what he should do, but he held a firm belief in his heart: he must find the answer, he must reclaim everything that belonged to him.

He walked through the woods and came to a relatively open lake. In the distance, a low wooden house came into view. He knew that was Flo and Lo's little home, and his destination.

He quickened his pace and headed towards the cabin, his heart filled with anticipation and unease.

Cheng Yu arrived at the door of the small house and gently knocked on the wooden door. One knock, two knocks, three knocks… The knocking echoed in the silent air, but there was still no response. A sense of doubt rose in his heart. Was Luo not home? He knocked harder, several more times, but still no one answered. A strange unease welled up in his heart. He tentatively pushed the door, and the door opened silently.

The room was dimly lit, with a faint musty smell in the air, as if it had been uninhabited for a long time. Cheng Yu looked around; the simple furniture was covered with a thick layer of dust, cobwebs spread rampantly in the corners, and everything looked dilapidated. He then realized that Luo might have moved out, or... something might have happened to him?

Cheng Yu gave a wry smile, feeling rather foolish. He had actually wasted so much time here, and all of this would cause his current plan to miss a step—a crucial step in his memory: sharing a bed with Luo, and then…

At that moment, he suddenly remembered Yun's story and the wonderful time they had spent together in a small house. A wave of sadness washed over him. He was terrified that it was all real, that he was mentally ill and living in his own fantasy.

"If I could sleep in a small bed like before, drifting along the lake to the void, maybe I could find the answer," Cheng Yu murmured to himself. He knew it was just wishful thinking, but at this moment, he just wanted to grasp at this last straw, even if it was just self-comfort.

He decided to stay in the cabin that night and try rafting down the lake the next morning. He went inside, rolled up his sleeves, and began cleaning the dusty cabin. He clumsily swung the broom, the dust kicking up making him cough incessantly. He rarely did housework and was completely helpless when it came to cleaning.

"Cough cough cough..." The dust filled the air, making it difficult for him to breathe. He had to put down the broom, go outside, and take a few deep breaths of fresh air.

As the sun set, golden sunlight spilled across the lake, creating a shimmering, breathtaking scene. Cheng Yu gazed at the view, yet a profound sense of desolation filled his heart. He didn't know if he could ever return to that familiar world, or even find a way back.

He went back inside and continued cleaning. Although the dust made him very uncomfortable, he persisted in cleaning the entire hut. He changed the worn-out sheets and found some dry grass to spread on the bed, trying to make himself more comfortable.

Night fell, plunging the cabin into darkness. Cheng Yu lit the firewood in the fireplace; the flickering flames illuminated the entire room and dispelled his fear. He sat by the fire, roasting nuts he had gathered from the woods, while pondering his next plan.

"Tomorrow, I'll drift down the river; maybe I'll find some clues," he decided to himself. He knew very well that it would all be in vain, because this was just a game, and he would have to follow the data, unlike Cheng Yu, who could do whatever he wanted.

After finishing his nuts, he lay on his simple bed, gazing at the ceiling, lost in thought. He felt a pang of guilt for what he had done that day—Tarn and Axel. I don't know if what he did hurt Tarn, but Cheng Yu also had his own difficulties.

As night deepened, an exhausted Cheng Yu finally fell into a deep sleep. In his dream, he returned to that familiar world, back to the tavern, back to his friends. He smiled happily, as if nothing had changed.

The morning sunlight streamed through the cracks in the wooden cabin, falling on Cheng Yu's face and waking him from his sleep. In his dream, he returned to the familiar tavern, saw his master's kind smile, and heard his companions' hearty laughter… everything was so beautiful, so real. However, when he opened his eyes, he saw only the dilapidated wooden cabin and the cold reality. He knew that a dream was just a dream, and reality was the cruel reality he had to face.

He got up, went outside, and took a deep breath of the fresh morning air, trying to dispel the lingering sleepiness and confusion in his heart. The lake shimmered, reflecting the azure sky and verdant trees, a breathtakingly beautiful scene. However, Cheng Yu had no mind to appreciate this beautiful view; his heart remained heavy, filled with anxiety and unease.

Following the steps he remembered, he began preparing for his next move. First, he gathered some dry firewood near the hut, just in case. Then, he went to the lake, sharpened a branch with his dagger to make a makeshift harpoon, and began fishing. He remembered catching many fish here in the game, enough to feed him for several days.

The lake water was crystal clear, and Cheng Yu could clearly see the fish swimming in it. He held his breath, aimed at a plump fish, and hurled the harpoon. The harpoon struck the fish precisely in the belly, and Cheng Yu pulled hard, flinging the fish ashore.

He skillfully processed the fish he had caught, skewered them with branches, and roasted them over the fire. The aroma of the roasting fish filled the air, whetting Cheng Yu's appetite. As he roasted the fish, he pondered his next plan.

He knew that, following the steps he remembered, he would need to wait for a while, then lie on the boat in the cabin and drift downstream to reach the Void. Although he knew it might all be in vain, he decided to try anyway. After all, it was the only method he could think of at the moment.

Time ticked by, the sun rose higher and higher, and the sunlight grew stronger and stronger. After finishing his grilled fish, Cheng Yu returned to the cabin, extinguished the fire in the campfire, and then went out of the cabin to the small wooden boat. He lay down steadily on the boat, closed his eyes, and waited quietly.

His heart was filled with trepidation and unease. He knew what would happen next, but he had no control over it. He could only resign himself to fate and pray for a miracle.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he felt a slight tremor. He knew it was time. He opened his eyes and saw that the small boat had begun to move, drifting slowly downstream with the current.

The scenery on the lake kept changing; the trees on both banks rushed past, and the water became increasingly turbulent. Cheng Yu gripped the edge of the boat tightly, afraid of being thrown overboard.

He didn't know how long he had been drifting, nor where he would end up. But at that moment, he was extremely happy; it felt like he had truly succeeded.

The small boat continued to drift downstream, its speed increasing, and the surrounding scenery became increasingly blurry. Cheng Yu felt a wave of dizziness, as if the whole world was spinning.

Suddenly, he felt a lightness in his body, as if the small boat had detached from the water and was suspended in the air. He opened his eyes and saw that everything around him was distorted and deformed, as if he were in a strange dream.

He knew he would soon reach the entrance to the Void.

All around was chaos; there was no sky, no earth, only boundless darkness. Cheng Yu felt a surge of fear. He didn't know what to do or where to go.

He tentatively reached out his hand, but couldn't touch anything. He felt as if he were in a void, a space devoid of any tangible existence.

"Is anyone there?" he shouted, his voice echoing in the empty space, but there was no response.

At that moment, he discovered that he couldn't quit the game.

He felt a wave of despair. He didn't know if he could ever return to the real world, or if he could ever get back everything that belonged to him.

Just when he was about to give up, he suddenly saw a glimmer of light in the distance. He grasped at it like a lifeline and swam desperately toward the light.

As he drew closer, the light grew larger and brighter. Finally, he reached the center of the light and saw a familiar figure.

"Aolian!" Cheng Yu exclaimed excitedly.

Standing before him was his good "friend," Aolian.

"Cheng Yu!? No, why are you here again?" Ao Lian said with a wry smile. Although her tone was full of exhaustion, Cheng Yu could still sense a trace of tenderness in it.

Cheng Yu burst into tears. He threw himself into Ao Lian's arms and hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to pour out all his grievances and pain.

"Aolian, I miss you so much," he said, his voice choked with emotion.

“I know, you silly boy.” Aolian gently stroked his hair. “I know you’ve been through a lot and suffered a lot.”

“Aolian, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, why I’m back in my hometown again. I want to go home,” Cheng Yu said.

“I know, I know,” Aolian said. “I will help you.”

……

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Recently, I've been having some mental issues, and I'm really overwhelmed. I don't feel like writing at all, but I'm still dragging this tiring novel along to update... Haha (Hey, great, I've finally reached 4000 words, hehehe...)