Huang Yi shook his head slightly; he was not deliberately aiming to break records set by Heavenly Dao. It was all coincidence. The record-breaking reward from Tower of Pantheons was important to him; he couldn’t possibly give it up.
Now, his Experience Points were at level 35, 97%, just enough for one more attempt.
Next, he once again attempted the 20th floor, but this time he didn’t hold back deliberately. He went all out and broke the world record once more, advancing to level 36.
...
Night fell, and on the distant Japanese Mainland, the largest city, Tian’en City, began its vibrant nightlife, filled with the laughter of players everywhere.
At this moment, on the rooftop of a tall building in Tian’en City, a man in white with an Eastern Sword hanging from his waist was gazing into the distance towards the east. His gaze was profound, like the starry sky above, and the night breeze lightly fluttered his cloak behind him, giving off an air of casual elegance.
"Your record has been broken by him three times now," a voice came out of the air behind the man in white. Suddenly, a ripple shimmered through the air, and a man in black stepped out from the void as if he had traversed from an Otherworld.
The man in black was clad entirely in black; even his face was covered with a black mask, obscuring his features. An Eastern Sword was also hanging from his waist, unsheathed, the blade dripping fresh blood at the tip as if he had just finished killing someone.
"Records exist to be broken," the man in white spoke quietly, still looking far off to the east.
The man in black stepped forward, looking down upon the city, his tone solemn, "Now, the number of top players among the Chinese players is growing. People like Dao Feng, Dragon Spike, and Thunder God don’t need to be mentioned, but just Miao Sha, who has recently emerged, has already put a lot of pressure on us. It hasn’t been a month since his appearance, yet he has broken the world record three times in a row. Such a person has only appeared once in the world, and that was you."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment to me?" the man in white turned his head to look at the man in black and smiled slightly.
The man in black shook his head: "In a sense, he’s more frightening than you. Ever since he appeared, the organization has been highly alert, sending Scouts to investigate within the Chinese Mainland, but there have been no results so far. Moreover, in the real world, we’ve used all our strength to investigate this person, but strangely enough, we can’t find any trace of him with any means at our disposal. It’s like he’s a wisp of air, non-existent in the real world. I suspect that Miao Sha might very well be a spy sent by the United States to the China Region."
"If Miao Sha is their spy, then this scout is rather foolish, even helping China gain some National Honor Points," the man in white said calmly, but the sarcasm in his words was undisguised.
"Do not mock any suspicions of the organization. There’s an old saying in China, ’When the fake is treated as real, the real becomes fake too; it’s sometimes hard to tell the fake from the real,’" the man in black said, glancing at the man in white, then his body gradually faded until he disappeared into the void, as if he had never been there.
The man in white continued to gaze at the starry sky to the east, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly, hidden in the night.
...
When night fell, Huang Yi finally finished his last attempt at Tower of Pantheons and teleported back to the Teleport Plaza in Thornbush City.
The Teleportation Field was still bustling with activity. It seemed as if the people here were always living this kind of life: battling in the Tower of Pantheons by day, drinking in taverns by night, never considering a journey to distant lands or distant dreams, just living simply right here.
Huang Yi left the Teleport Plaza and walked through the busy streets. The night in Thornbush City was as peaceful as ever, with players walking in groups, couples holding hands, laughter filling the air. In fact, these players were the ones truly playing in The Second World, savoring this tranquil life.
In contrast, Huang Yi more resembled a wanderer who kept moving through this vast continent, no matter how strong the wind, how cold the night, how desolate the forest, how torrential the rain season. He would keep walking towards that intangible somewhere far away, in pursuit of the faith in freedom.
In a certain sense, he was an emperor, with fame, honor, and strength. But just as much, he was a beggar, devoid of love, freedom, and a home.
As he walked, Huang Yi arrived once again at that garden, where perhaps only there could he calm his heart like an ordinary player and not dwell on those complicated matters.
The dim street lights shone quietly, with a few moths circling the light in a dance, while the carved iron fence enclosed the tranquil garden. Stepping on his own shadow, Huang Yi entered the depths filled with the fragrance of flowers.
Further inside, there were no street lights, and the moonlight quietly spilled down, covering the ground with flower petals. In the distance, a group of players sat around a flower pond, with a Bard in the center holding a harp, playing and singing some classic old songs. The melodious voice traveled through the night air, radiating peacefulness and tranquility.
Huang Yi stood in the depths of the fragrant flowers, bathed in the pure moonlight, silently gazing at the window of that girl, which still glowed with an orange light. The girl’s silhouette was still bowed, radiating warmth. In this city of thousands of households and countless windows, he only saw that one.
He was about to leave, and he would never see this girl again. He didn’t even know her name, what she liked, or what she looked like. The only thing he could remember was her blurry silhouette.
The night grew deeper, a gentle breeze brought a hint of coolness, and from a distance, the Bard began to sing an old song from many years past—
Goodbye, my beloved dream girl,
I’m off to seek the future afar,
If one day I return in glory to my home,
I’ll tell my feelings beneath your window.
Goodbye, my beloved dream girl,
I bid farewell to your shadow with care,
If I never return,
Let the moon keep watch outside your window.
...
As the song ended, Huang Yi gave the window one final look, finally moved his feet, and left the garden. His journey was about to begin.
Exiting the gates of Thornbush City, Huang Yi looked out at the desolate wilderness and darkness, taking a deep breath.
Then, he turned his head for one last look at the peaceful Thornbush City; it was so beautiful. The lights of a thousand households illuminated thousands upon thousands of buildings, thousands of people, and also lit up his solitude.
Among the myriad of lights, which one was for me?