Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Chapter 145 The Method of Escape

Cheng Yu has regained his senses, but he seems to have forgotten all his previous memories.

He looked around in confusion. It was pitch black all around. Although he had forgotten many things, he could still sense that he couldn't stay in this place for too long, so he prepared to find a place to leave as soon as possible.

In the darkness, only his golden-bronze eyes shone with a faint light. He searched for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn and found that everything here was perfectly normal.

So he began to ponder. He strolled in the darkness, and suddenly, he seemed to have kicked something. He bent down and picked it up, and then he saw clearly that it was a square box. The thing looked very strange and was something he had never seen before. However, his intuition told him that this thing seemed to be his.

So he picked it up.

This place no longer seemed to affect his consciousness. After staying here for so long, he didn't feel the same pain as before. Perhaps he had already forgotten the unbearable memories he had experienced before.

Cheng Yu wandered through the darkness, clutching the mysterious square box tightly in his hand. His bronze eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness, like two lonely lamps illuminating a small area around him. His memory remained hazy, fragments scattered in his mind like pieces blown away by the wind, unable to piece together a complete picture. However, his intuition told him that this place was fraught with danger and he had to leave as soon as possible.

He looked down at the square box in his hand again; it was a strange device he had never seen before. Its surface was smooth and cool, with small bumps along the edges, like some kind of button or switch. Cheng Yu's fingers gently traced the surface of the box, and suddenly, his fingertips touched a recessed area. He instinctively pressed it down.

With a click, the box vibrated slightly, and then a blinding white light burst forth from it. Cheng Yu instinctively raised his arm to shield his eyes. The white light instantly illuminated the entire dark space, like a bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky. Cheng Yu felt dizzy and involuntarily took a few steps back.

The white light lasted for a few seconds before gradually dissipating. Cheng Yu lowered his arm, opened his eyes, and found a thin piece of paper on the ground. He bent down, picked up the paper, and examined it carefully. The pattern on the paper felt both familiar and strange—it was the place where he was, but the details in the picture were somewhat different from the scene before him.

Cheng Yu frowned, a sense of doubt welling up inside him. He picked up the square box again and examined it closely. He discovered that each time the button was pressed, the box emitted a white light and generated a new piece of paper nearby. The patterns on each piece of paper were slightly different, as if recording some kind of change.

"Could it be... that this thing can record the surrounding environment?" Cheng Yu muttered to himself, a thought suddenly flashing through his mind. He decided to continue using the box to see if he could find more clues.

As he walked, he pressed a button, and white light illuminated the darkness time and time again, revealing pieces of paper beneath his feet. With each piece of paper, Cheng Yu gradually discovered a pattern. The patterns on these pieces of paper seemed to depict a path, a path leading to some kind of exit.

"Could this be... a clue to leaving this place?" A glimmer of hope surged in Cheng Yu's heart. He quickened his pace, following the path on the paper. Every so often, he would press a button to generate a new piece of paper, confirming that he was still on the right track.

As he ventured deeper, the surrounding darkness seemed to grow even denser, and a suffocating atmosphere filled the air. Cheng Yu felt his heart pounding and his breathing becoming rapid. He knew he had to find an exit as soon as possible, or he might fall back into that madness.

Suddenly, he felt a strange sensation beneath his feet. Looking down, he found himself standing on soft ground. He crouched down and gently brushed away the dust, revealing an ancient stone slab. Strange symbols were carved on the slab; Cheng Yu couldn't understand them, but he could sense a certain power within them.

"What...is this?" Cheng Yu murmured to himself, his fingers gently tracing the symbols on the stone slab. The instant his fingers touched the symbols, the stone slab suddenly emitted a faint light, and then the entire ground began to tremble.

Cheng Yu abruptly stood up, cautiously looking around. The ground was shaking more and more violently, as if something was awakening from the depths of the earth. He felt a strong sense of unease, and an urge to flee surged within him.

Just then, the square box in his hand suddenly trembled violently, and then a white light, even more dazzling than before, burst forth from the box. The white light instantly illuminated the entire space, and Cheng Yu felt his body enveloped by a powerful force, as if he had been pulled into some unknown dimension.

His vision blurred, and a low buzzing sound filled his ears. He felt his body being pulled by some force, as if it were being torn apart. He tried to struggle, but found himself completely unable to move.

"What...what's going on?" Cheng Yu was filled with fear and confusion. He didn't know where he would be taken, or what would happen next.

Just when he thought he was about to be swallowed by this power, the white light suddenly disappeared. Cheng Yu felt his body suddenly sink, and his feet were once again on solid ground. He opened his eyes and found himself standing in a completely unfamiliar place.

This was no longer an endless darkness, but a spacious and bright room. The walls were covered with all sorts of strange devices and symbols, the floor was paved with smooth stone slabs, and a faint fragrance filled the air.

Cheng Yu looked around, his mind filled with confusion. He didn't know how he had gotten here, nor where he was. He looked down at the square box in his hand and found that it had returned to its calm state, as if nothing had happened.

"Where...am I?" Cheng Yu murmured to himself, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him. He felt as if he were getting closer and closer to the truth, but at the same time, he felt a nameless fear.

Just then, a soft footstep sound came from the other end of the room. Cheng Yu abruptly raised his head, looking warily in the direction of the sound. A figure slowly emerged from the shadows—an old man in a white robe, a kind smile on his face, and a profound wisdom in his eyes.

"Welcome, Cheng Yu." The old man's voice was deep and gentle, as if it carried a certain magic. "You have come a long way. Now, it is time to know the truth."

Cheng Yu's heart skipped a beat, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He hadn't expected that this old man would know his name.

"Who are you? Where is this place?" Cheng Yu asked warily, leaning forward slightly, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

The old man smiled slightly, took a few steps closer, his gaze gentle yet carrying an undeniable authority: "I am the guardian of this city, and also part of the answer you have been searching for. As for this place... this is the core of 'Intelligent Core City,' and the place where your destiny took a turn."

Cheng Yu frowned, his doubts deepening. He gripped the square box tightly in his hand, as if it were his only support: "What are you talking about? Why am I here? And this square box... what is it?"

The old man's gaze fell on the square box in Cheng Yu's hand, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes: "That is the 'Memory Box,' your only connection to the past. It records everything you have experienced and guided you to this place."

"The Box of Memories?" Cheng Yu looked down at the square box in his hand, a strange emotion welling up inside him. He recalled the patterns on the scraps of paper, each one seemingly telling a story of his past experiences. However, his mind remained blank, unable to piece together these fragments into a complete memory.

"Who...who am I?" Cheng Yu's voice trembled slightly, his eyes filled with confusion and pain.

The old man sighed softly and said slowly, "You were once one of the guardians of 'Intelligent Core City,' but in a disaster, you lost your memory and your sense of self. You were swallowed by darkness and turned into a beast that only knew how to kill. However, deep in your heart, you still retained a sliver of reason. It was this sliver of reason that led you to find the 'Memory Box' and eventually return here."

Scattered images flashed through Cheng Yu's mind, as if responding to the old man's words. He saw himself standing on the towering city wall, overlooking the entire city; he saw himself fighting alongside a group of people in white robes against some unknown enemy; he also saw himself struggling in the darkness, his body gradually being devoured by bestiality.

"I...I really was once a guardian?" Cheng Yu's voice was filled with disbelief.

The old man nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes: "Yes, Cheng Yu. Although your memories are sealed, your soul still belongs to this city. Now, it's time for you to rediscover yourself."

A complex mix of emotions welled up in Cheng Yu's heart, a longing for the past mixed with a fear of the future. He didn't know if he could bear the sealed memories, nor whether he could once again shoulder the responsibility of being a guardian.

"What...what should I do?" Cheng Yu asked in a low voice, his voice tinged with helplessness.

The old man smiled slightly and gently patted Cheng Yu's shoulder: "Follow your heart, Cheng Yu. The 'Memory Box' will guide you to the answer. When you are ready to face the past, the truth will naturally emerge."

Cheng Yu looked down at the square box in his hand, a surge of determination rising within him. He knew he could no longer run away. No matter how painful the past was, he had to face it in order to find his true self.

"Okay... I'll give it a try." Cheng Yu's voice carried a hint of determination.

The old man nodded, then turned and walked to the other end of the room: "Come with me, Chengyu. I'll show you some things that might help you regain your memories faster."

Cheng Yu followed the old man out of the room. They walked through a long corridor, the walls of which were covered with ancient murals depicting the history and legends of the 'Intelligent Core City'. Cheng Yu's gaze lingered on the murals, a sense of familiarity welling up inside him, as if these images had once been a part of his life.

Finally, they arrived at a huge circular hall. In the center of the hall stood a tall stone monument, covered with intricate symbols and patterns. Cheng Yu approached the monument, his fingers gently tracing the symbols, a strange emotion welling up within him.

"This is the 'Monument of Memory,' which records all the history and secrets of 'Smart Core City.'" The old man's voice echoed in the hall. "When you touch it, it will awaken the memories sealed deep within your heart."

Cheng Yu took a deep breath and slowly placed his palm on the stone tablet. The instant his palm touched the tablet, a powerful energy surged from it, flowing down his arm and into his body. Countless images flashed through his mind in an instant, as if a storm had swept through his consciousness.

He saw himself standing on the towering city walls, overlooking the entire city; he saw himself fighting alongside a group of people in white robes against some unknown enemy; he also saw himself struggling in the darkness, his body gradually being devoured by bestiality.

Memories flooded back like a tidal wave, and Cheng Yu felt his consciousness gradually being overwhelmed. His body began to tremble, and his breathing became rapid, as if he were enduring immense pain.

"No...don't..." Cheng Yu's voice was filled with pain and fear.

The old man stood to the side, a hint of worry in his eyes: "Hang in there, Chengyu. You must confront these memories to find your true self."

A final image flashed through Cheng Yu's mind—a massive catastrophe, the entire city plunged into darkness, and countless lives vanished in an instant. He saw himself standing at the epicenter of the disaster, a long sword gleaming in his hand, his eyes filled with despair and pain.

"Ah—!" Cheng Yu let out a painful roar, his body falling backward violently. His consciousness gradually faded, and he eventually sank into endless darkness.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in an unfamiliar room. The walls were covered with all sorts of strange devices and symbols, the floor was paved with smooth stone slabs, and a faint fragrance filled the air.

Cheng Yu slowly sat up, feeling his mind filled with chaotic fragments of memories. He looked down at his hands and found that he was still tightly clutching the square box.

"Who...who am I?" Cheng Yu murmured to himself, his voice filled with confusion.

Just then, the door to the room was pushed open. The old man walked in, a kind smile on his face: "Welcome back, Chengyu."

Cheng Yu raised his head, a complex look in his eyes: "I... I remember now. I am the guardian of 'Intelligent Core City' and a survivor of that disaster."

The old man nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes: "Yes, Chengyu. You have regained your memories and your true self. Now, it's time to take on your responsibilities again."

Cheng Yu took a deep breath and slowly stood up. His eyes showed a hint of determination: "I will. I will protect this city, and I will protect those innocent lives."

The old man smiled slightly, turned and walked to the other end of the room: "Come with me, Chengyu. There are still many things waiting for you to do."

Cheng Yu followed the old man out of the room. He knew that his journey had only just begun.