Chapter Eighty-four I am very lonely

  Du Wei found himself standing on the street.

  To be exact, it's standing on a bustling metropolis street!

  The bookstore on the street is a place I often visit. Across from it is a movie theater and next to it is an arcade that I also frequent. And behind them, there's a 24-hour KFC where I often sneak out at midnight to buy food.

  Looking at the cars coming and going on the road in front of me, the red and green lights flashing at the intersection, and the neon lights hanging in front of the shops on both sides...

  Du Wei was stunned for a while, then he couldn't help but sigh: "Another trick like this, is it an illusion?"

  People passing by with a hurried expression, their faces indifferent, on the street square, a child holding a balloon, walking unsteadily...

  But himself, the magician's robe on his body was gone, wearing a jacket that he often wore in his previous life, and a pair of NIKE sports shoes.

  All of this is just like the "world" in his previous life.

  Of course, it's just "extremely similar" anyway.

  At this moment, that low and hoarse voice echoed in Du Wei's heart: "There is a very strange world hidden in your heart..."

  Du Wei snorted and looked up at the sky, saying coldly: "Although you used to be a snake, now that you're in human form, shouldn't you at least know how to respect other people's privacy?"

  That hoarse voice didn't show any anger: "I'm very curious. Your spiritual world and your other two companions are all different... Where is this strange place? These iron things that run back and forth without horses, and these tall buildings..."

  Du Wei didn't listen to the noise at all, he suddenly smiled on his face, then lifted his leg and walked across the road in big strides. Even when crossing the road, he carefully looked left and right at the cars, waited for the red light to turn green, and then calmly crossed the zebra line. He arrived at the 24-hour KFC on the other side, rummaged through his pockets, and surprisingly found his wallet, bought a spicy chicken leg burger with an ice cream cone.

  The familiar feeling at the entrance, that instant almost shook Du Wei's heart, and he was suddenly moved. Then, under the extremely realistic and delicate sweetness of the ice cream cone, Du Wei closed his eyes and savored it for a while. Then he suddenly laughed.

  "He let out a sigh: 'Thank you, although you peeked into my heart, thank you for giving me the chance to relive all of this... I originally thought I had already forgotten, but it turns out that deep down, I still remember these things so clearly.'"

  On the long street, neon lights flickered, a noble young man smiled with ease and composure, his eyes deep and profound...

  Just as Du Wei was savoring the sweet ice cream in his inner world of memories, Hussein and Dadaniel encountered a big trouble.

  Two people stood in a square similar to a circular arena, surrounded by high viewing platforms, empty and desolate.

  Hussein wore a suit of silver armor, the armor was bright and shiny, the holy knight emblem on his chest in front of the temple flashed!

  However, there is a lurking killer around them!

  The sacred knights of the temple in armor have surrounded the two men inside. These knights are all frosty masks, with a cold and stern killing intent on their faces. The long swords in their hands shine brightly, pointing directly at Dandanier and Hussein!

  "Hussein! You have betrayed the Temple and disobeyed the Emperor's decree. Don't you quickly surrender? When you arrive at the judgment hall to receive the divine judgment of the gods, perhaps the gods will show mercy and spare your life!"

  A tall and robust middle-aged knight shouted loudly, his face hidden behind a thick beard that obscured his original appearance. However, Dandanil was shocked to discover that on the chest of this middle-aged knight, in addition to the Holy Knight emblem, he also wore a 9th-level Knight Emblem issued by the Continental Knights Association!

  A ninth-level knight? Isn't that...

  "Ahahahaha! What a Medusa! You can also use this kind of illusion attack? Hmph! Do you think you've found my greatest weakness? Hmph!" He looked up at the 9th-level Knight in front of him with a cold smile, "Knight Captain Kaili! If I could kill you once, then in this illusion, I can kill you again!"

  These holy knights didn't care what Hussein said. The middle-aged knight with a big beard was indeed one of the three great knights of the Holy Knights' Corps who had already died, a 9th-level knight, Knight Commander Kayley!

  At once, they seemed to not hear what Hussein said at all. The Cavalier raised his hand and the dozen or so Holy Knights behind him simultaneously raised their long swords. The sword tips flashed with fighting spirit, countless sword lights flashing simultaneously, dazzling sword energy crisscrossing, for a time it was unclear how many sword energies were rushing towards Hussein and Dandanil's location...

  "Cone ice cream...... The latest volume of One Piece...... Let me see, Medusa, what else have you dug up in my memory..."

  Du Wei hummed a tune, his hands in his pockets, strolling along the street, looking at the passersby, vehicles and high-rise buildings around him.

  It really is, very realistic...

  Du Wei's face lit up with a smile, his eyes suddenly brightened as he saw a small shop by the road, went in and bought a pack of cigarettes. His face showed an excited expression, his hands trembling as he opened the package, lit one for himself, and took a deep drag...

  This familiar and enjoyable taste almost made Du Wei shed tears in an instant.

  Good heavens, I've finally gotten used to the taste of cigarettes again.

  That familiar, slightly spicy cigarette smoke swirled in his lungs, then slowly exhaled through his nostrils. Du Wei let out a satisfied sigh. That hoarse and low voice echoed in his heart: "This thing seems to be harmful to the body, why do you enjoy this harmful thing so much?"

  "Oh, it seems you've learned a lot again." Du Wei smiled faintly: "Harmful things, but many people can't resist them. There are too many examples in this world. Power, beauty, wine, wealth... Is any of these completely harmless to humans? It's just that most people are indulged in them and know they're harmful, yet still can't give up the thrill of pleasure... This is human nature, Medusa, this is human nature."

  "Humans... " A hoarse voice sighed: "Human nature, it seems very complicated."

  "At least it's more complicated than a snake's thinking." Du Wei curled his lips: "Alright, thank you. At least I've re-tasted the flavor of cigarettes... Next, let's see what else you can help me recall?"

  Du Wei said, casually throwing the cigarette he had just taken two puffs of on the ground and stepping on it to extinguish it.

  "Aren't you enjoying yourself? Why don't you enjoy it a bit more? You should know that once you leave this illusion, you'll never experience it again."

  Du Wei smiled, his eyes deep and clear: "Because I understand that these are just illusions. It took me a long time to make myself forget about these things, so I won't let myself get caught up in them again."

  "Is this also human nature?" Medusa asked.

  "No, just a form of self-protection." Du Wei waved his hand and soon a flame condensed in the palm of his hand.

  Du Wei stood on the street corner, releasing his magic without any restraint... A burst of flames shot out from his hands. Amidst the deafening roar, a huge crater was blasted into the road. The raging flames instantly ignited the roadside trees and the glass windows of the shops across the street, which shattered in the explosion...

  "Can't help but say, your illusion is really similar to the real thing." Du Wei sneered: "Alright, now I've played enough, it's time to go back."

  "Why aren't you enjoying these? If you'd like, you can stay here a little while longer."

  His face began to reveal a cold and ruthless aura, as he swiftly threw out a wave of fireballs. In an instant, half the street was engulfed in flames! He recklessly destroyed the surrounding buildings. Then, he calmly said: "Because I know these are all fake. And what's past is past, reality remains reality. If you're just indulging in it and can't escape, that's foolishness. Are you still reading second-hand books? Mobile access to book exclusive first-hand text updates the fastest... This principle, not only effective for humans, also applies to you... Queen Medusa."

  Flames shot up to the sky, a fire hydrant on the side of the road was triggered by the explosion, with a loud bang, a column of water shot up, the impact of water and fire brought out thick smoke, vehicles on the street collided, screeching tires, pedestrians screamed in shock...

  "Alright, playtime's over. If this is your test, I'll tell you that human nature is more complex than you think, Medusa." Du Wei's eyes turned cold and a spark of flame appeared on his fingertips before he shot it straight at the fountain in the middle of the square where many people had gathered to watch...

  "I understand, then leave." Medusa finally spoke up: "However, your friends are not as strong as you... they are now in a more dangerous situation than you."

  Hussein was panting heavily in the arena, his entire body's fighting spirit seemed like a golden flame, under which his hair also seemed to have turned into gold!

  His chest armor had been cut off, the wound was blurred with blood and flesh, and his face was covered with stars of bloodstains, making his face look ferocious!

  Cai Li Knight stood in front of him for a long time, but looked much better than him.

  "Hussein! Is that all the strength you have?" Kaili's face was filled with anger as he looked down at Hussein, his long sword still dripping with blood.

  Why...

  Hussein asked himself in his heart! Why am I not his opponent?

  Ridiculous! This is truly ridiculous! Clearly, my actual strength far surpasses his! Even if I were to face the combined attack of two Knight Commanders at once, I, Hussein, would still emerge victorious!

  Why do I feel...

  Or am I still deeply blaming myself for killing them?

  Looking at the Cavalier in front of him, Hussein felt his courage and will to fight dwindling away bit by bit...

  It's as if there is another self inside me questioning my own heart!

  Kill him?

  No!

  How can I raise the sword in my hand against my respected teacher? How can I raise the sword in my hand against my brothers and comrades who have been with me through thick and thin?

  The intense pain of being torn apart at the chest had already left the knight unable to withstand it. More than a dozen knights, plus one Knight Commander, joined forces in a combined attack. Even the powerful Hussein was somewhat unable to support himself!

  But why can't I muster up the courage to kill him in my heart?

  No... no! I cannot kill my own brother! How can I raise my butcher knife to my own master and elder brother?

  But... I have to survive? I want to live. Expose everything to the public! Expose all the hypocrisy of the temples, including that so-called divine hypocrisy! Tell this world everything!! I bear a mission that won't let me die here!

  So I have no choice but to kill these people in front of me...

  Oh no, they're already dead! I'm in a delusional state...

  But how can I raise my butcher's knife again in front of them? In front of these familiar faces...

  Dadanier had already fallen to the ground, his breathing weak. Suddenly he shouted loudly: "Hussein! What are you waiting for? They're all illusions! All fake! Fake!! Why aren't you fighting back!!"

  "Shut up!" Hussein shouted angrily, as the sword energy swirled around him. The Cavalier's long sword had struck again. Hussein grunted and raised his sword to block it, but in a burst of sparks, he stumbled backward seven or eight steps, his feet already leaving cracks on the ground...

  Maybe I'll just die here then.

  I shouldn't have lived until now! In order to survive myself, I killed so many former brothers and companions... Am I noble?

  Haha!

  Hahaha!!!

  Du Wei opened his eyes and found himself lying on top of something.

  This is a very large room, to be exact, it's like a grand hall. The air carries a faint scent of fragrance. This fragrance makes people feel comfortable when they smell it, as if their internal organs are filled with warmth.

  Du Wei sat up with a flip. He stretched his waist and looked at the empty grand hall, smiling: "Thank you, I had a wonderful dream."

  In the empty room, Du Wei's voice even brought out a faint echo, Du Wei sighed and looked around, in such a large room, there was only one stone bed in the middle... it was simply a huge stone table.

  Cold and lifeless.

  "You should at least light a few more lamps." Du Wei smiled, speaking to the air as if talking to himself: "A place with some brightness will at least feel warmer and... won't be so lonely."

  "What is loneliness?"

  The air finally carried Medusa's questioning voice, still that unpleasant, hoarse and low-pitched sound.

  What is loneliness?

  Du Wei lowered his head and thought for a moment, then smiled.

  "Loneliness is when you're left with an empty heart and no one to share it with. When your inner world has nothing in it, and everything in this world - joy, anger, sorrow, happiness... all seem unrelated to you. In this world, no one cares about you, no one concerns themselves with you... You don't know why you exist in this world, what you should do, or what you should think... It's as if everything of yours is disconnected from the world... When you have these feelings, that's loneliness!"

  Medusa sighed, her voice laced with a hint of fatigue and weakness.

  "If you say that these are the words of 'loneliness'......" This terrifying existence, known to the world and changing color, sighed in a soft voice:

  I am very lonely.