Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

The two left the now-ruined mental hospital, the sunlight outside blinding them. Bai Yu and Cheng Yu walked along the street, the surroundings silent, as if the battle had never happened. Their wounds still throbbed, but their hearts were filled with hope for the future.

"We need to find a place to rest and recover our strength," Bai Yu said, his voice tinged with fatigue, but his eyes were unusually determined.

Cheng Yu nodded, looked around, and said, "We're not far from the city center. Let's flag down a car and find a quiet place to rest."

The two quickly reached the roadside. Bai Yu and Cheng Yu stood there, gesturing to flag down a taxi. A short while later, a taxi slowly pulled up in front of them. Cheng Yu strode to the car, opened the door, and said to the driver, "Sir, please go to the nearby Sunshine Apartments."

The driver nodded and said, "Okay, get in." Cheng Yu got in first, followed by Bai Yu. He skillfully opened the car door and sat in the back seat. The driver glanced at Bai Yu, paused slightly, but quickly regained his composure. In this era, people in all sorts of strange costumes were not uncommon; the driver assumed Bai Yu was cosplaying, just a little too realistically.

Bai Yu laughed heartily at Cheng Yu's puzzled expression. He patted Cheng Yu's shoulder heavily with his tiger paw and said, "Cheng Yu, don't let my tiger-beastman appearance fool you. I'm not exactly a country bumpkin. I've been to many places with my two masters and seen many high-tech civilizations. Cars are something I'm very familiar with."

Cheng Yu smiled slightly and said, "I thought you had never been to this world before. It seems you're adapting much better than I expected."

Bai Yu nodded and said, "Although this world is somewhat different from the places I've been before, it's largely the same. With a little adjustment, you'll get used to it."

The driver glanced at the two people in the back seat through the rearview mirror, a sense of curiosity creeping into his heart. He had overheard their conversation, and although he didn't quite understand what they were saying, he felt there was something unusual about them. However, he didn't dwell on it, after all, he encountered all sorts of passengers every day.

"Driver, please drive slowly, safety comes first," Cheng Yu said to the driver.

The driver nodded and said, "Don't worry, I've been driving for so many years, safety is always the most important thing."

The car moved slowly along the road, and Bai Yu and Cheng Yu sat in the back seat, starting to discuss their next plan.

"We need to find a safe place to recover our strength first," Cheng Yu said. "Once we've recovered, we can go find Hei Yao."

Bai Yu nodded and said, "I agree. However, we need to be careful. Although I have temporarily defeated Bowen, he certainly won't let this go. We need to be prepared to deal with his counterattack at any time."

Cheng Yu sighed and said, "I know. But for now, we can only take care of ourselves. We'll deal with him when we have enough strength."

Bai Yu nodded and said, "You're right. We need to recover our strength first, and then we can think of a solution."

After a moment of silence, Bai Yu suddenly said, "Cheng Yu, have you ever thought about why we came into this world?"

Cheng Yu was slightly taken aback and said, "Of course I've thought about it, but now I know that it's all because of my master. He wants me to live a peaceful life... But I don't know what the right choice is. Maybe it's all arranged by fate."

Bai Yu shook his head and said, "I don't believe in fate. I think that since Hei Yao sent me to this world, there must be some purpose. Maybe Hei Yao brought me here so that I could find some kind of power to fight Bo Wen, and incidentally take you back, but it seems I can't go back..."

Cheng Yu nodded and said, "We can't go back? Maybe. But for now, we can only take care of ourselves. We'll think about these issues after we recover."

Bai Yu nodded and said, "You're right. We can only take care of ourselves for now."

The car soon arrived at Sunshine Apartments. The driver stopped the car and said, "We've arrived, you two."

Cheng Yu paid the fare and said, "Thank you, driver."

The driver nodded and said, "You're welcome, drive carefully."

Bai Yu and Cheng Yu got out of the car and went into the Sunshine Apartment. They found a quiet room to rest. Bai Yu sat on the sofa, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing. Cheng Yu sat on the chair next to him, watching him.

"Bai Yu, are you really alright?" Cheng Yu asked.

Bai Yu nodded and said, "I'm fine. I'm just a little tired. We'll go find Hei Yao after I recover."

Cheng Yu nodded and said, "That's good. You should rest now. I'll stay here with you."

Bai Yu smiled slightly and said, "Thank you, Cheng Yu."

Cheng Yu shook his head and said, "We're brothers, no need to thank me."

After a moment of silence, Bai Yu suddenly said, "Cheng Yu, don't you feel like something's wrong with this world?"

Cheng Yu was slightly taken aback and said, "Something's not right?"

Bai Yu nodded and said, "Yes. Although this world is somewhat similar to the places I've been before, something feels off. I have a feeling that this world is hiding some kind of secret."

Cheng Yu was slightly taken aback and said, "A secret?"

Bai Yu nodded and said, "Yes. I always feel that this world is hiding some kind of secret. Perhaps, this secret is related to our coming into this world."

Cheng Yu nodded and said, "You're right. Perhaps this secret is related to our coming into this world. However, we can only take care of ourselves for now. We'll think about these issues after we recover."

Bai Yu nodded and said, "You're right. We can only take care of ourselves for now."

After a moment of silence, Bai Yu slowly opened his eyes, looked at Cheng Yu, and said, "Cheng Yu, what do you think we should do next?"

Cheng Yu thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to the park near Sunshine Apartment first. It's quiet there and good for recovering our strength. Once we've recovered, we can go find Hei Yao."

Bai Yu nodded and said, "Good idea. Let's go."

The two stood up, left the room, and walked towards the park near the Sunshine Apartment.

The park near the Sunshine Apartment was a tranquil place, shaded by green trees, filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers. Bai Yu and Cheng Yu entered the park and found a quiet corner to sit down. Bai Yu closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing to recover his strength. Cheng Yu sat beside him, cautiously observing their surroundings.

“When I went to him for help before, he left a letter and that forbidden stone. Then I was sent here by the energy he left there. So Cheng Yu, where do you think Obsidian will go?” Bai Yu suddenly opened his eyes and asked.

Cheng Yu was slightly taken aback and said, "How would I know? I suddenly returned to this world, and I had no way of knowing about your side. Besides, Hei Yao is always elusive; he could be anywhere."

Bai Yu nodded and said, "You're right, I didn't think it through. However, I believe he will definitely reappear, after all, I am the body he wants to possess. As long as we find him, he will definitely choose to help us."

Cheng Yu nodded, but then he looked at Bai Yu in surprise: "What did you mean by what you just said? Hei Yao wanted to force himself on you, what does that mean?"

Bai Yu nodded, then said seriously, "Because he felt that my body was better than his current one. He believed that if he had my body, he could return to his peak condition. He originally planned to find you, but you disappeared."

The atmosphere froze instantly. Even the birdsong in the park seemed amplified by the sudden silence, sounding exceptionally clear. Cheng Yu sat there, stunned, his thoughts a jumbled mess. He had never imagined that Hei Yao would target their bodies, especially Bai Yu's. He stole a glance at Bai Yu beside him; the other's eyes remained closed, his breathing steady, as if the shocking news had never been revealed. Cheng Yu felt a mix of emotions. He desperately wanted to know more, to know what agreement Bai Yu and Hei Yao had reached, yet he dared not ask, afraid to shatter this hard-won peace, and afraid to hear an answer he couldn't accept. Perhaps, Bai Yu's silence was precisely to lessen his worries.

He sighed deeply, swallowing back the question that had risen to his lips. The most important thing now was to recover his strength; everything else could wait.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. A gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness. Cheng Yu, imitating Bai Yu, closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind and immerse himself in this rare tranquility. The park benches were uncomfortable, digging into his back and causing pain, but he couldn't care less at this moment. Exhaustion and pain quickly lulled him into a dream. His dream was bizarre and fantastical; one moment Bo Wen's menacing smile, the next Hei Yao's unfathomable eyes, leaving him restless.

After an unknown amount of time, Cheng Yu was awakened by a commotion. He opened his eyes and found that a crowd had gathered around them, pointing and whispering about him and Bai Yu. He then realized that they had actually fallen asleep on a park bench, no wonder they had attracted such a crowd. He sat up somewhat awkwardly, rubbing his sleepy eyes, and saw that Bai Yu was also awake, looking helplessly at the crowd around him.

"Looks like we've become a tourist attraction in the park," Bai Yu said with a wry smile.

Cheng Yu scratched his head sheepishly and laughed along. "Yeah, I didn't expect us to be so unladylike."

"Let's go find a place to eat something." Bai Yu stood up and dusted himself off.

Cheng Yu also stood up, and the two left the park side by side, heading towards a nearby small restaurant.

The small restaurant wasn't crowded, and the environment was rather simple, but it was clean and tidy. The two found a seat by the window and ordered two bowls of noodles.

"What you just said about Obsidian..." Cheng Yu hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't help asking.

Bai Yu put down his chopsticks, looked at Cheng Yu, and a complicated look flashed in his eyes. "I know you have many questions, but now is not the time to tell you. Once we find Obsidian, I will tell you everything."

Cheng Yu nodded and didn't press further. He knew Bai Yu had his own reasons, and he chose to believe him.

The two ate their noodles in silence, the atmosphere somewhat subdued. After finishing, Bai Yu paid the bill, and the two left the small restaurant.

"Where do we go next?" Cheng Yu asked.

Bai Yu looked up at the sky; the sun was already setting, and it was getting dark. "Let's find a place to stay first, and we'll think of something else tomorrow."

The two walked slowly along the street, looking for suitable accommodation. Finally, they found a room in a small hotel. The room wasn't big, but it was clean enough, and the price was relatively cheap.

The two entered the room. Bai Yu put his backpack on the floor, then sat on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing. Cheng Yu sat on a chair next to him, watching Bai Yu.

"Bai Yu, are you really alright?" Cheng Yu asked with concern.

Bai Yu opened his eyes, looked at Cheng Yu, and smiled slightly. "I'm fine, just a little tired. You don't need to worry about me."

Cheng Yu nodded and said nothing more. He knew Bai Yu needed time to adjust himself, and so did he.

The room fell silent, broken only by Bai Yu's even breathing. Cheng Yu looked at Bai Yu, his heart filled with worry. He knew Bai Yu was under immense pressure, and he wanted to help him, but he didn't know how.

Night deepened, and the chirping of insects drifted in from outside the window. Cheng Yu gradually felt sleepy, yawned, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, Cheng Yu was awakened by a knock on the door. He opened his eyes and saw that Bai Yu was already awake and standing at the door.

"Who is it?" Cheng Yu asked.

"It's me, the person you've been looking for." A familiar voice came from outside the door.

Cheng Yu was stunned for a moment, then realized that it was Obsidian!

Cheng Yu quickly got up and opened the door, only to see Hei Yao standing outside, still dressed in black, with a faint smile on his face.

"Obsidian! You've finally arrived!" Cheng Yu exclaimed excitedly.

Hei Yao walked into the room, glanced at Bai Yu, and then said to Cheng Yu, "I'm late, I'm sorry you had to suffer."

"It's alright, we're all fine now," Cheng Yu said.

Hei Yao nodded, then looked at Bai Yu and asked, "Bai Yu, how is your injury?"

Bai Yu opened his eyes, looked at Hei Yao, and said, "I'm much better now, thank you for your concern."

Hei Yao smiled slightly and said, "That's good. Now, let's get down to business."

The three sat down in the room, and Hei Yao told Cheng Yu the whole story. It turned out that Hei Yao wanted Bai Yu's body because he wanted to return to his peak condition. His original plan was to find Cheng Yu, but Cheng Yu suddenly disappeared, so he ended up finding Bai Yu instead.

“I know you have many questions, but now is not the time to tell you everything. I will tell you everything once we have dealt with Bowen,” Hei Yao said.

Cheng Yu nodded, indicating his understanding.

“Now, let’s discuss how to deal with Bowen,” Hei Yao said. “Bowen is very powerful, so we must be careful.”

"What is the ability to be knowledgeable?" Bai Yu asked.

“Bowen’s ability has always been imitation; he has always been imitating Kurosawa,” Heiya said. “The reason he has become so powerful is because Kurosawa has taken a path to heaven.”

"Then what should we do?" Cheng Yu asked.

“We need to find Bowen’s weakness,” Obsidian said. “Only by finding his weakness can we defeat him.”

"What are the weaknesses of Bowen?" Bai Yu asked.

"His teacher, Kurosawa, directly brought him out. Although he dislikes my younger brother, this was the only way I could deal with Bowen, hehe..."