Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Meanwhile, in a secluded corner of the painted world within the temple atop the mountain in the Bull Tribe, Cheng Yu was tiptoeing towards the exit. He hunched over, his steps light, careful not to disturb his master—Long—who was enjoying tea. The exit was right before him, radiating an alluring light, as if leading to a paradise of freedom. Cheng Yu's heart pounded, his free spirit stirring within him. He knew his master had confined him to this painted world to protect him, but that didn't mean he willingly accepted his bondage.

As the exit drew ever closer, Cheng Yu was overjoyed, like a bird about to escape its cage. However, just as he was about to take the final step, his face suddenly collided with a warm and sturdy chest.

"Ah!" Cheng Yu exclaimed in surprise. He looked up and saw Long looking down at him with a hint of helplessness and doting in his eyes.

In the world of the painting, dragons are omniscient and omnipotent beings, able to appear anywhere at any time. Cheng Yu's petty tricks are utterly insignificant in their eyes.

Cheng Yu knew he couldn't escape, but he didn't intend to give up. Suddenly, dozens of photos appeared in his hand, each one showing him. He threw these photos with all his might towards the exit, hoping at least one would fly out. If even one photo could reach the outside of the frame, he could travel through the photo to the real world.

However, with a mere wave of his hand, the photos froze in mid-air as if under a spell. Then, they slowly drifted down and finally landed in the dragon's hand.

Cheng Yu sighed inwardly, but still didn't give up. He bowed deeply to the dragon and said, "Master, I'm sorry!"

Before he finished speaking, Cheng Yu produced dozens more photos in his hand. This time, he hurled these photos at Long like sharp blades.

Long was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Cheng Yu to attack him. However, he was not angry. He simply waved his hand, and the photos stopped half a meter away from him, as if they had hit an invisible barrier.

Cheng Yu didn't see any barrier; he only saw his attack easily neutralized. He knew he had utterly failed.

Long shook his head helplessly, grabbed Cheng Yu by the collar, and lifted him up like a chick. "You child, you're such a worry."

Cheng Yu obediently let Long carry him, not daring to resist. He secretly glanced at Long's right hand and noticed that Long was holding a delicate little teacup with a little tea left inside.

Long took Cheng Yu back to his room and put him on the bed. "Get some rest, and don't think about running away anymore."

Cheng Yu nodded obediently, knowing that any struggle would be futile. He looked at his master's retreating figure, his heart filled with helplessness and admiration. He knew his master was doing it for his own good, but he still yearned for freedom.

Long left the room and gently closed the door. Silence returned to the room, broken only by Cheng Yu's soft sigh echoing in the air.

After confirming his master had left, Cheng Yu quietly opened the door a crack. Only after making sure no one was around did he close the door and return to the center of the room. He didn't want to resort to that method unless absolutely necessary, as it was a terrible experience. He hoped to leave this place on his own until the very last moment.

Cheng Yu pulled a photograph from his pocket, or rather, it was more like a painting. The painting depicted a revolver, its metal sheen gleaming, incredibly lifelike. Cheng Yu dipped his claws into the photograph; instead of shattering, his claws seemed to disappear into the painting, as if submerged in water. The next moment, he pulled a real revolver from the photograph.

After confirming once again that his master had not returned, Cheng Yu held the gun in one hand, spun around stylishly, then skillfully rotated the magazine with his left hand, and finally pointed the cold muzzle at his temple.

"boom!"

A gunshot rang out, and Cheng Yu's head exploded instantly, blood and brain matter splattering out and staining the walls and floor of the room red. His body slowly fell to the ground and eventually disappeared, leaving behind only bloodstains and a nauseating stench.

A moment later, everything in the room returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the painted world, the dragon leisurely sipped tea, a helpless smile on its face. It knew it couldn't trap Cheng Yu forever; the child was destined to walk his own path, a path far too long and arduous. All it did was hope that Cheng Yu could grow as strong as possible before leaving, capable of facing future challenges alone. It knew Cheng Yu possessed limitless potential and believed he would eventually find his own answer. However, this process of growth was always accompanied by pain and sacrifice.

Long sighed softly, put down his teacup, and looked out the window. Outside was nothingness, like a world at the dawn of creation. Long seemed to see Cheng Yu running along the path of the future, sometimes stumbling, sometimes rising, ultimately reaching the pinnacle of glory.

Long stood up, walked to the window, and stretched out his hand, as if trying to grasp that elusive future.

“Go, my child,” the dragon said softly, “go and find your own destiny.”

When Cheng Yu opened his eyes again, he found himself in a dark, damp dungeon. Last time, he had successfully "painted" the dungeon's scene into a photograph—his secret weapon for escaping his master's control, and the ultimate "artwork" unknown to the dragon. However, now Cheng Yu felt a splitting headache, as if he had been struck by a giant hammer. He regretted it; he regretted choosing such an extreme way to escape. The excruciating pain of his head being pierced still haunted him. If he had known it would be this painful, he would have talked to his master properly; perhaps his master would have changed his mind and released him.

But it was too late for regrets now. He had to bear the consequences of his choice. The intense pain lasted for an hour before gradually subsiding. Cheng Yu slumped to the ground, panting heavily.

After regaining his senses, Cheng Yu pulled a photograph from his pocket. The photograph showed a lifelike gargoyle with a kind and gentle face. This was the gargoyle he had encountered while exploring the dungeon, and it had now become his temporary "vehicle." "My head is still a little dizzy," Cheng Yu muttered to himself, "Looks like I'll have to find a 'public bus'."

He tossed the photo aside, and it instantly transformed into a giant gargoyle, nuzzling affectionately against Cheng Yu's cheek. Cheng Yu gently stroked the gargoyle's head and said, "Big guy, give me a ride." The gargoyle obediently nodded, bent down, and gestured for Cheng Yu to climb onto its back.

Cheng Yu's target was the Northern Wolf Clan mentioned by Evand. Although he wasn't sure what the wolves' purpose was in seeking him out, he had to go and see. As for other matters, he wasn't interested. Even if his appearance caused a significant deviation from the plot, at least it wouldn't completely stray from its original trajectory. Before reaching the snow mountain, he decided not to interfere with Evand's actions any further.

Cheng Yu, perched on the gargoyle's back, pointed out the direction. The gargoyle spread its enormous wings, left the dungeon, and flew north.

About half an hour later, they arrived at the mist-shrouded north. The scene before them astonished Cheng Yu. This world covered by mist seemed to be protected by an invisible barrier, preventing anyone within from leaving. So, where did the northern wolf clan come from? There was no trace of the wolf clan in this mist at all. He searched the north for a long time but found no trace of any pack.

By this time, the gargoyles were also tired from flying, so they found an open space to land and rest. Cheng Yu's mind had cleared up considerably, so he told the gargoyles to rest where they were, while he continued searching for clues nearby.

He wandered across the desolate land, the withered grass beneath his feet, and the rolling mountains in the distance. The sky was overcast, as if rain could fall at any moment. A mist hung in the air, making him feel oppressed and suffocated.

"Where exactly is this place?" Cheng Yu muttered to himself. "Do the Northern Wolf Clan really exist?"

He continued walking forward, hoping to find some clues.

Just as Cheng Yu was about to give up the search, a strong, pungent odor mixed with a domineering scent of male hormones suddenly assaulted his nostrils. The smell was so intense that it almost made him lose his senses, and his desire began to stir. Cheng Yu quickly covered his nose, trying to block the assault of this pungent smell, and then followed the direction of the scent.

Soon, he saw a large, muscular male werewolf-orc. The orc was bare-chested, his muscles bulging, exuding power. He was leaning against a large tree with his eyes closed, seemingly resting. Cheng Yu was secretly amazed; the powerful aura emanating from this werewolf instilled a sense of fear in him. He guessed that this must be the envoy sent by the northern werewolf clan to meet him, as Evand had mentioned.

"As expected, you were bound to find this place, just as the chieftain said." The werewolf opened his eyes, looked at Cheng Yu, and said with a hint of a smile.

Cheng Yu inwardly complained. He had searched the entire area before finding this place, and this werewolf actually thought he knew the other party's location from the beginning.

Before Cheng Yu could speak, the werewolf suddenly sprang into action, charging towards him at astonishing speed. The large tree he had just been leaning against snapped in two from the impact. Cheng Yu was taken aback and hurriedly pulled out a stack of photos, throwing them at the werewolf.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Cheng Yu shouted while dodging the werewolf's attacks. "Weren't you looking for me? Did you come looking for me just to fight?"

The werewolf didn't answer, continuing its relentless pursuit of Cheng Yu. As Cheng Yu ran, he cursed, "No sportsmanship! Who asks someone for a favor and then beats them up first?"

The gargoyle in the distance seemed to sense the danger to its master and immediately rushed towards Cheng Yu. Seeing this, the werewolf stopped its attack and looked at the gargoyle with interest.

"The chieftain was right, you're quite formidable." The werewolf nodded with a smile, then charged at Cheng Yu again.

The gargoyle stood in front of Cheng Yu, brandishing its fists and engaging the werewolf in a fierce battle. The gargoyle and the beast exchanged blows, locked in a close and evenly matched fight. Cheng Yu took the opportunity to hide to the side and observe the battle.

"Who exactly are you? Why are you attacking me?" Cheng Yu asked again.

“I’m here on orders to take you back,” the werewolf replied while fighting the gargoyle.

"Take me back? Where to?" Cheng Yu pressed.

“Of course, we’ll go back to the territory of the northern wolf clan,” the werewolf said.

"The territory of the Northern Wolf Clan? What would I be doing there?" Cheng Yu was even more puzzled.

"Well..." the werewolf paused, "you'll know when we get there."

The battle between the gargoyles and werewolves continued, both sides giving their all, making for an exceptionally fierce scene. Cheng Yu watched from the sidelines, his heart pounding with fear. He had no idea what kind of incident he had been drawn into, nor what fate awaited him.