Spring Banquet (23)

The Days I Clear Escape Games Pretending to be an NPCCh57 - Spring Banquet (23)

"Am I going to die?" Ren Yifei thought to himself.

As the night progressed, fatigue and distress became more apparent to him. zioMfH

He felt that both his body and spirit were numb and heavy.

A person's road to freedom was long and lonely. He felt that he was blindly walking through the darkness while being accompanied only by the sound of flowing water.

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Ren Yifei was also at a loss for a moment. He wondered whether or not he was doing a meaningless task, and whether or not the exit was only a figment of his own imagination.

He didn't know how long he had been walking as time seemed to have become a pointless existence. Tk0frs

He was tired and worn out. Both of his legs had nearly fallen asleep and his heart became numb after walking blankly for so long. His mouth also felt dry and bitter as he was in desperate need of clean water and rest.

Ren Yifei doesn't like the death that was going to befell him. It made him seem so pitiful and powerless. Even though he had died many times before, he still could not get used to it.

At that moment, he discovered something that he does not know whether to consider fortunate or unfortunate— the water was rising much faster than before and the direction of the source was made more obvious. In addition, the water that just rushed in washed away some of the previous coldness.

Of course, this could just be a hallucination since he had gradually lost all perception of temperature.

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Ren Yifei bit his lip until blood flowed out. He licked the wound and felt a stinging pain, this pain brought his senses back to reality and made him feel alive.

The water rose slowly and steadily. All of his strength had been exhausted and he let go, allowing his arms and legs to numbly glide through the water.

As Ren Yifei floats on the water, he felt like he was floating in a deserted ocean. There was no sun or moon above his head, no insects or fish underneath— there was nothing else around him to prove his existence.

He floated forward mechanically. buyvzU

Suddenly, a ring of light appeared in front of his eyes.

It was as if 'hope' had made its way through the thick curtains of water and into Ren Yifei's eyes. He was stunned for a while. When he finally came back to his senses, he was overjoyed and the strength that had been lost due to the cold returned to his body.

He forgot about everything else and swam towards the light, seeming to have shed off a heavy burden.

At the end of the road was a thin membrane. The moment he crossed it, the light, warmth, and gentle air all returned to him. 8fd1i4

He seemed to have travelled back in time and lost consciousness.

"A Fei, come here quickly."

Holding a black rabbit doll in his arms, he was in a daze as a woman in red dragged him forward.

"Mum," Ren Yifei said, "It's so beautiful here." HeGnBY

This place was brightly lit and had many beautiful people who smelled like flowers. He cautiously looked at those people who were dressed very unusually, spoke in a distinct manner and walked in a very particular fashion.

After walking past many obstacles, he was pulled to a corner. The beautiful woman in red squatted down and pressed both hands gently on his shoulders, "A Fei, you're my child, you were born to be an actor. You absolutely cannot be worse than that woman's child, you know that, right?"

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

"As long as you can act and can act well, I'll do anything."

Although the woman had a beautiful smile and spoke in a gentle voice, he suddenly felt scared and hugged the black rabbit a little tighter.

"Director, look," the woman in red smiled softly as her snow-white fingers combed through her wavy hair. She looked at the other person seductively, "Is this child okay?"

"Of course he's okay, why wouldn't he?"

"Come over here, come. Call him uncle," the woman waved at him.

He walked over and looked up at the stranger in front of him. The other's rough hand patted and pinched his face gently. It was odd and unsettling.

"This child is so beautiful..." the middle-aged man's pupils dilated slightly as his breath became more laboured.

"Mum," he was frightened and avoided the man's hand. He reached out to grab the woman's clothes.

"Smack," the woman slapped his hands away and pushed him towards the strange man, "Listen to uncle's words, be good and do whatever your uncle asks you to do." P2Tnab

He clung to the black rabbit doll as if he was holding on to the bit of courage he had left.

But it didn't work, he couldn't say anything. The contemptuous and sneering eyes were gathered on him. Ren Yifei hugged his black rabbit doll even tighter and tugged at its black ears.

"Mum," he wanted to find the woman in red. He wanted to hold her hand and tell her that he was scared.

"Act well. If you don't, then I don't want you anymore." v0SDAf

The figure of the woman was getting farther and farther away. He was afraid of being abandoned and wanted to catch up to her. He ran as he called out for his mother.

But the faster she walked, the more fearful he became as he chased after her while trembling all over. She was his whole world, and yet she was leaving him behind at that moment.

"Mum?" He gave a big smile as he tried to make her happy.

"Don't smile," the woman turned back, "It's ugly when you show your teeth." 0t9ASl

"Nonsense, how can my smile be ugly?" He retorted instinctively.

En?... that's not right, she shouldn't be...

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Ren Yifei looked down at his hands— they were the hands of a four or five-year-old child, both small and tender. He looked around and saw all kinds of people walking about. Something felt wrong, but he couldn't put a finger on it.

"A Fei." YzRGQ8

Ren Yifei abruptly raised his head.

"I'm doing this for your own good."

The woman's face changed several times. Her clothes have also changed, but each time, she still likes to dress from head to toe in red. It was said that her red dress had once stunned the whole world and enchanted all men.

Ren Yifei opened his mouth and asked a question that had been locked up inside his heart for a long time, "Mum, did you love me?" kTUX6c

"No one in this world loves you except me, do you understand? So be obedient. I'll only love you if you're obedient."

He was stunned for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face: Ha, it's like that... he was indeed too naive when he thought that there was no mother in this world who does not love their child.

Ren Yifei smiled and slowly stepped back. With each step backwards, he grew one year older. His line of sight rose as the woman's figure became shorter and shorter, no longer having the domineering appearance from his memories.

Was this what the woman who had controlled his entire life looked like? bAkwey

She had treated him as her 'work'. She arranged all of his studies, meals, clothing, speech and jobs.

He didn't go to school nor have any pets until he was six because 'friends' would hinder his progress. He was also not allowed to eat candy until he was nine because sweets would make him fat.

He had a chain around his neck while she had a whip in her hand.

"Sorry, I've grown up." dsK40n

Ren Yifei snapped the chain around his neck and turned to leave. No matter what the person behind him said, he didn't look back.

He emerged from the shadows and stepped into the bright, long corridor lined with flower-shaped wall lamps.

Ren Yifei stared at the lamp that was glowing quietly on the wall for a while. Then, he suddenly walked over and stood on his tiptoes to remove one of the lamps.

The glass lamp turned into a small blue bud in his hand. 8dmk4o

"So that's it."

He realised that it was all fake.

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Ren Yifei laughed and crushed the lamp that was in his hand.

Suddenly, the world around him changed in an instant. The sound of moving water roused the sleeping spirit, and the light that had broken free was being obstructed by a thick piece of cloth. rPGpE5

Ren Yifei's body had sunk to the bottom. Water rushed into his body through his mouth and nose, causing his lungs to burn with pain as an invisible force pulled him into the darkness.

Breathe... he struggled to get up.

It was not until he was finally able to breathe again that the shadow of death looming over him slightly faded and his soul became fully awake.

Sealing magic and water, these were just superfluous tricks used to distract him from the smell of the incenses, the thing that Hua Li had really used to entertain him. rz7 6V

"Thank you for reminding me of this, Hua Li."

He laughed as he bobbed up and down on the water's surface; both of his irises were red.

After an unknown amount of time, the light leaking in from the edge of the blindfold and the sound of flowing water became clearer and more audible. Ren Yifei knew that he was approaching his destination.

He slowly swam towards his destination, and then, as soon as he ripped off his own blindfold, he saw a strange-looking exit that resembled broken gemstones that were pieced together. TMN98g

Although it was not bright, it was very eye-catching to a person who has been in the dark for a long time.

The oil lamps on either side had long since been extinguished by the water, and all around him was pitch black; only the front was bright.

Ren Yifei swam over, his body pushed against the rushing water and he hurried towards the exit with all his might. Ren Yifei closed his eyes and felt his body become lighter. The force that was pushing him back was now gone.

When he opened his eyes, he felt as though he had swam from night to day. odQ0Ch

The physique belonging to a demon was returning, and the tiny wounds on his body quickly healed. Power gradually filled every cell in his body, causing his body and soul to warm up.

There was no 'exit' behind him, only a whirlpool that constantly absorbed water. Ren Yifei paused for two seconds. He was like a whitebait, charging into countless tiny bubbles and into the 'living' world.

This might be the bottom of the pond. He could see some swaying aquatic plants which fish swimming through them. The water was not very clear with many small algae floating in it.

The light fell through the murky water and scattered into many rays of light by pieces of fallen leaves and swimming fish, illuminating the world at the bottom of the pond like a dream. 3iIMKB

The fish was frightened and moved away from him. The piercing beam of light fell on him and the pearl-like bubbles that were floating upwards.

He held his breath and swam up to the place where there was light. His body that he had believed to have long lost its strength once again squeezed out a little will to survive and his legs propelled him up to the surface.

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"Haa," the surface of the water broke and the top of a head full of jet-black hair emerged first. He raised his head up to breathe in the fresh air and feel the light of the moon on his skin. In front of him were red flowers, green grass and the Pavilion.

It was as if he had come back to Earth. ES5ywk

"It turned out to be here," the moment he emerged from the water, the physique belonging to a big demon was able to dispel all his fatigue and weakness. Ren Yifei looked around for a long time and figured out his location.

It was the lotus pond where he had previously seen the reflection.

But whether on the surface or underwater, he was unable to see the pagoda. He was only able to see a bunch of lotus leaves and their stem sticking out of the water.

He glanced at the card and found that the information was updated: 18 new deaths were added on the second night. This number was much less than yesterday's, but Ren Yifei still didn't feel at ease. p2rQnN

Most of those who died yesterday were inexperienced players, but those who died today were mostly prepared.

The wet ghost had returned to Earth. His lips were an unhealthy blueish purple and his eyes were darker than ink. White mist spread out from his body and covered the entire lotus pond.

A strong wind blew past, and out of the white mist emerged He Jun who wore a jade crown and a cloak with a red sun and cloud patterns.

A paper crane flew from his fingertips, followed by a low voice, "Where is Hua Yu?" zOraHg

The sky will be bright soon.

Ting Yun Pavilion was quiet. Even the kitchen, which would be the first to operate in the day, had no movements.

A shimmer of light penetrated through the clouds and scatted over Ting Yun Pavilion. It was refracted into multiple coloured lights by the transparent barrier surrounding the whole structure. The rays fell as specks on the still cold and wet ground.

The specks of light also fell in the corridors of Ting Yun Pavilion. UPj48A

If you look at it from a distance, Ting Yun Pavilion probably looked like a miniature building wrapped in colourful bubbles. The coloured lights inside resembled coloured clouds, passing over the buildings and their sleeping inhabitants.

Like a shadow, Ren Yifei quietly walked through the corridor in the early morning, through the ruined courtyard and pass the intoxicated demons.

He covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve, preventing himself from inhaling the sweet fragrance that makes people drowsy; Qing Hong's intentions were all revealed in the end.

There were no guards and maids in the corridors, which made it convenient for Ren Yifei. He walked all the way to Qing Sui Hall and climbed up the steps. The door opened by itself as it produced a creaking noise. gHdL8Z

T/N: I wanted to only do a fanart every 15-ish chapters as thanks for your patience, but I couldn't help but sketch A Fei as a child...

Here's A Fei and his mother (aka the woman in red):

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