In the Darkness and Silence
On the deserted streets...
A faint white light swept from afar, accompanied by the sound of chains and rolling tires.
A boy carried an overly large dark green backpack on his back. On the handlebars of his bicycle, a flashlight was tied with a rope, serving as the bike's headlight.
Due to his poor riding skills.
In fact, there was some instability in his movement.
It seemed that if someone nudged him even slightly, he and the bicycle would fall to the ground.
The glass display cases of the shops along the street.
Reflected the image of the boy riding...
After pedaling with both feet and crossing the intersection, he braked abruptly and stopped at the bridgehead.
Hoàng Tuân looked down at the pocket next to his backpack.
He could feel the disc placed there, and it was starting to heat up...
"What’s the matter, Hoàng Tuân? Is there a problem?"
In his mind.
Dương Khánh Vĩ’s voice, communicated through the crystal ball, also rang out after he stopped.
"Yes."
"There must be something wrong with this bridge. The temperature of the disc you gave me has started to rise."
Hoàng Tuân said.
He glanced at the bridge in front of him.
The entire bridge was about 500 meters long, not too long and wouldn't take much time to cross.
On both sides of the bridge were lakes.
The lake surface was calm, in the dark, it felt like its depth couldn't be gauged.
On both sides of the bridge were white railings, the height of the railings was not too high, and their thickness was normal.
In general.
Hoàng Tuân riding the bicycle wasn't likely to crash into the railings...
"Then choose another route, take a detour, if you go up there you can only move back and forth on the bridge, if anything happens it will be hard to escape."
Dương Khánh Vĩ sent instructions.
He signaled for Hoàng Tuân to take a detour.
"But according to the route I remember, taking a detour will take at least an hour."
Hoàng Tuân replied.
"What are you thinking? Safety is more important, if something happens to you, I’ll have to find someone else to go, listen to me, take the detour!"
Dương Khánh Vĩ had a bad feeling.
After hearing Hoàng Tuân’s reply, he realized the other might break his previous promise and act on his own will.
"It's okay, it just started heating up, so it’ll be fine."
Indeed.
What Dương Khánh Vĩ didn't want to see happened.
This weirdo didn't listen to him, knowing there was danger ahead, he still insisted on moving forward.
"Are you doing something stupid? Leave now!"
Dương Khánh Vĩ urged.
But at this moment, Hoàng Tuân ignored him, just holding the bike, ready to cross the bridge directly.
Pedal, start!
The two actions were connected smoothly.
Everyone who saw this scene at Nam Hoa Tower felt chills in their hearts.
"What kind of idiot is this, make him take the detour! Doesn’t he understand?"
Everyone could hear the conversation between Dương Khánh Vĩ and Hoàng Tuân.
At this moment, someone couldn't help but speak up.
"Brother, don’t go!"
"Go! Why not go? Maybe he’s prepared, otherwise, who would be stupid enough to go and die? The longer the delay, the more dangerous it gets!"
"But I'm afraid he’ll die on the way, and then we’ll waste time sending someone else."
"Right, why send only him?"
"Betting everyone’s safety on him alone?"
"What kind of person is this?"
"…"
More and more people began to speak up.
Of course, they wouldn’t understand why Hoàng Tuân had to cross.
Besides being clear-headed due to not being assimilated.
In fact, Hoàng Tuân’s current safety was much higher than theirs...
You must know.
The rules of assimilation affected them.
Their memories would be influenced.
But the rules didn't disappear...
In other words, if the assimilated people went to the school, they might forget who they were due to the rules affecting them halfway.
Dương Khánh Vĩ remembered that clearly.
There was a rule that the organization had researched: People who had been affected by eerie rules were less sensitive to those rules than those who had never been affected.
That’s why Dương Khánh Vĩ let Hoàng Tuân go.
He didn’t want more people to die on the way...
Without hesitation, he lent Hoàng Tuân the cursed sources.
That was also a gamble he made.
But.
With Hoàng Tuân acting on his own.
Dương Khánh Vĩ's face suddenly darkened considerably...
Realizing that Hoàng Tuân had no intention of listening to him.
He was about to immediately cut off the connection with Hoàng Tuân and go there himself.
Even with the injuries.
But compared to the person who knew it was a dead end and still went, it was better!
Of course,
It took time to implement his idea.
While Dương Khánh Vĩ was still thinking.
Hoàng Tuân had reached the bridgehead.
In just a few seconds, he had ridden onto the bridge...
When people couldn’t hear.
When everyone watched the image.
Hoàng Tuân mumbled, counting to himself: "Nine, eight, seven, six..."
While riding, he raised his right hand to his waist.
He certainly wasn't an idiot.
He wouldn’t rush forward knowing there was danger ahead...
When he stopped at the bridgehead just now.
Hoàng Tuân didn’t intend to ask Dương Khánh Vĩ.
Time was urgent now.
Although he could take a detour, follow another path.
But just as those people said, the more he delayed, the more dangerous they would become!
He didn’t want to be a hero who always thought of others.
But at this moment.
In a situation where he had the ability to handle it.
He didn’t mind doing it!
"Five, four, three..."
Just as Hoàng Tuân counted to one.
A pale, shriveled hand suddenly appeared in front of him, full of withered arms, as if it would gouge out his eyes in the next second.
Crash!
With the inertia brought by the bicycle.
Hoàng Tuân drew the axe from his waist.
Giving that thing a powerful chop!
Although the arm was harder than he imagined.
But under this axe.
The arm was also sent flying a bit, allowing Hoàng Tuân’s silhouette to pass right by...
In the cool night breeze.
Hoàng Tuân’s figure on the bicycle became increasingly distant.
Leaving behind the eerie arm in a daze...
...
"Damn! Awesome!"
"That’s so cool, that axe!"
"Is that axe a cursed source? It can really interact with that eerie thing."
"I thought he was dead for sure!"
"Go for it, brother!"
"…"
Everyone knew Hoàng Tuân’s situation through the crystal ball.
At this moment, they cheered in unison.
Even Dương Khánh Vĩ, who was about to get up and act, stopped his movement at this moment.
He looked at Hoàng Tuân’s composed and relaxed manner through the crystal ball.
He mumbled to himself with a stiff face.
"Indeed, not being assimilated still has some ability, didn’t expect him to be so decisive..."
The crowd cheered for no reason.
In the previous situation.
Even seeing Hoàng Tuân through the crystal ball, they were stunned by the sudden appearance of the hand.
Because of this unexpected incident.
Any normal person would subconsciously be stunned for a few seconds...
Even waiting until their eyes were gouged out to realize.
What none of them expected was.
The boy who seemed "abnormal" actually reacted immediately upon its appearance and responded decisively.
"Letting this person go wasn’t without reason. If it were me, I might have been unexpectedly attacked."
Someone couldn’t help but sigh.
And while everyone was still immersed in the shock of Hoàng Tuân’s unexpected reaction...
Another clear scream rang out from the crowd.
The fifth victim.
Had appeared...
"Damn it, brother, you have to hurry!"
After someone discovered this situation, their eyes turned from admiration to worry for Hoàng Tuân.
No one knew.
Who would be the next to die.
All they could hope for at this moment.
Was the boy carrying a strange backpack and riding a bicycle with unorthodox background music...
In Hoàng Tuân’s words.
At this moment.
He was the progress bar...
...
In fact, Hoàng Tuân had anticipated everyone's reaction.
He knew after he made such a decision, there would definitely be people who transitioned from doubt to admiration.
He wasn’t like those people.
When Hoàng Tuân felt the heat of the disc, he opened his novel panel to see the next plot.
That’s why he stopped at the bridgehead for a moment.
Fortunately, the novel panel had returned to normal mode, not like the real-time update affected by unknown factors as before...
Through the novel panel’s content.
Hoàng Tuân could clearly see what would happen to him in the next period.
Also knowing where while he was riding.
There would be eerie appearances...
So the reaction he made was entirely the result of the vision from his novel panel.
Not like how others saw him...
"It’s true what I guessed, identity settings will change with actions that can affect the character’s plot."
While riding.
Hoàng Tuân glanced at his personal panel.
Right now.
He noticed that his supporting character status flashed for a moment, with a tendency to change.
"I wonder what my ‘identity’ will become after this is all over..."
Hoàng Tuân thought to himself.
Yes.
His recent decision, besides wanting to complete things quickly, was also to improve his identity.
This chain of events appeared.
It clearly highlighted a common plot in novels...
The “main character” wants to do something but isn’t liked by others, no one has much hope, then when the task is completed, everyone gets slapped in the face.
Such a plot design was too common.
Hoàng Tuân knew it too well...
He didn’t forget his ultimate goal, through various horror worlds.
He wouldn’t save people.
Nor did he want to become a great hero.
What he wanted.
Was only to find the girl who waited for him in his memory...
The one who once lived with him.
And disappeared in the world of novels.
The girl waiting for him to become the "main character"...
So when there was a chance to change his identity like this, of course, Hoàng Tuân wouldn’t miss it.
His goal wasn’t to survive.
But.
To become the main character!
...
…
Somewhere unknown.
On the still deserted road.
A girl walked silently alone ahead.
Her steps were light.
Soft enough that one could hardly hear any sound...
Except for the bracelet on her wrist that jingled crisply as she walked.
It was as if she had melted into this world.
Became part of this world.
Around her.
Occasionally, a man looking extremely frightening would stare at her from a corner, but only looked at her.
No reaction.
Letting her walk past him freely...
Even when the girl had reached the point of breaking the rules.
All the way without speaking.
She just walked like that.
Until she reached a deserted park, where the cold weather had frozen the lake.
She looked up at the park gate.
Glanced back at the empty scene beside her...
Seeming to hesitate.
As if reconsidering.
After a moment of hesitation...
Finally, she stepped into the park.
This park, where she had once received a birthday gift...
On the lake of the park.
Next to her stood a girl in a white dress quietly.
The girl looked strange.
Her face seemed to be covered by a layer of mist, making it impossible to see clearly...
When Hoàng Lan arrived here.
The girl also turned her body.
Looking at Hoàng Lan with gentle eyes.
"How did you know I was here?"
She softly asked Hoàng Lan.
If Hoàng Tuân were here.
At this moment, he would certainly hear that the girl’s voice was exactly the same as the voice in his memory.
"How could I not know you were here?"
Hoàng Lan calmly said.
She didn’t answer directly.
Instead, she asked the girl.
The bracelet on her wrist jingled in the wind, almost not easing the silent atmosphere.
"I thought we should just let it be, let them handle the rest."
The girl seemed to be persuading.
She just stared at Hoàng Lan without looking away.
This made the other very uncomfortable, she hated such eyes.
"Was it you who intervened?"
Hoàng Lan asked.
"This world wasn’t supposed to be like this, the one who changed this place was you, I was just helping to restore it."
The girl said.
Explaining what she did.
The cold wind blew across Hoàng Lan’s cheeks, she turned her head to look into the distance, as if looking through the darkness to another place...
"But wasn’t it very nice?"
She gently asked.
"That’s just for you."
The girl said.
Like Hoàng Lan, her eyes left the other and looked into the deep darkness where she couldn’t see...
"Home is like that." Hoàng Lan muttered, but no one knew what she was talking about.
"But this isn’t home."
The girl slowly walked, approaching the nearby Hoàng Lan, then said: "You may like this place, but you can’t force others to stay."
"Anyone can see this as their world, but at the same time, no one is a supporting character in this world..."
"You’re not that kind of good person." Hoàng Lan interrupted the girl, turning her head to look at the girl only two steps away, eyes glittering, saying: "I know you’ve been here for a long time, for a long time."
The girl’s steps halted.
She looked at Hoàng Lan.
Not denying the other’s speculation.
"You’re right, I only care about Hoàng Tuân..."