Ren Yuanhao's voice trembled, the chilling aura invading his body making his tongue almost impossible to articulate. It was a miracle he could even make a sound.
He hugged his knees, a posture he'd heard was a prime defensive stance, suitable for anyone.
At that moment, a calm question descended from above.
"Who are you?"
Ren Yuanhao was baffled. If he were to die, wouldn't that be a release? What was with this soul-searching interrogation?
"I am Ren Yuanhao, a graduate of XX University in Ai Shen City, an accountant by profession. Known as 'a pear blossom crushing a peony,' my looks surpass those of Pan An. You can call me Handsome, and I'll be happy."
Ren Yuanhao believed his answer was accurate enough. To his surprise, that detestable, mechanical voice spoke again.
"Who are you?"
"Seriously, don't mess with me. Even a census isn't this persistent. You've asked me three times now. Can I ask my questions now?"
The voice instantly vanished, as if waiting for his questions.
"Where is this? Am I dead? And who are you?"
"Illusions without origin or end, all returns are but illusion, flickering in and out of existence, neither life nor death."
Ren Yuanhao thought he had to endure soul-searching *and* riddles. Wouldn't it be better to just let him die peacefully? He hadn't done anything bad in his life. Well, unless watching adult films and pleasuring himself counted as bad deeds, in which case it was the only one. But he had helped old ladies cross the road and provided answers to lost women. While not exactly immeasurable good deeds, they were at least good things.
"Hey, I don't understand. Just tell me directly if I'm dead or not, okay?"
"If you wish to live, then you live. If you wish to die, no one can save you."
The voice of 'philosophical trio' finally carried a hint of warmth.
Ren Yuanhao pouted. "As if I can just die if I want to, or live if I want to."
"Isn't it true? You died because you tried to be a hero."
Ren Yuanhao was rendered speechless by this question.
"If you had chosen to stay in Sand City, you wouldn't have ended up like this."
"Yes, yes, yes. It was my own choice. Now, I just want to discuss this matter of 'life.'"
Ren Yuanhao changed the subject, instinctively glancing into the pitch-blackness. He thought he might go crazy if he stayed here any longer.
"Your dantian is shattered. All your fire-attribute true qi has nowhere to go, and it's burning you wildly from within. Even if you wake up now, you wouldn't want to see your current condition."
Ren Yuanhao finally realized why he felt so cold. It was most likely due to the Mermaid's Tear. Previously, the two forces could restrain and balance each other. The Mermaid's Tear had behaved itself within his body, but now, without a dantian, it was starting to cause trouble.
"So, who exactly are you?"
"I am you," the voice suddenly became a bit sly, a hint of excitement mixed with the slyness. "So, if you want to live, I can help you. After all, we are one."
Ren Yuanhao pouted, rubbing himself with his hands. "Don't you feel like you're trying to trick me into doing something bad?"
"Whether it's good or bad depends entirely on you. But what I'm saying is, if you've lost your life, you are nothing."
Ren Yuanhao had guessed the other party's identity. It wasn't the system's lady, but his second ability—split personality. This guy was his dark side.
The system's lady had once warned him not to interact with him too much, nor to overuse his abilities. After all, light and darkness were twins. Once consumed by darkness, he himself would no longer be himself.
"You are very hesitant."
"When facing a cunning and treacherous self, one must maintain composure."
"Alright, take your time composing yourself. I'm leaving now."
The voice didn't wait for Ren Yuanhao's reply and actually disappeared.
...
In this space devoid of time and cleanliness, Ren Yuanhao didn't know how long he had been there. Every time he tried to sit cross-legged and meditate, a needle-like pain shot through his dantian, with no response and no trace of true qi.
During this period, even the system seemed to have vanished without a trace, offering no feedback, just as it had been said before – the system's lady would abandon him in times of crisis.
"Ren Yuanhao, aren't you just a man overflowing with negativity? Before you met the system, you were always complaining about this and that. Didn't you borrow money online just to hold your head up a little higher in front of your old classmates?"
Ren Yuanhao indeed recalled that extremely boring class reunion. Every classmate present was full of spirit, while he, Ren Yuanhao, sat in a corner drinking sullenly. When he left early, he foolishly paid for everything.
Yes, to regain a little dignity, that was all he could do. Even if he had to eat instant noodles for months when he got home, he was willing.
At least, his classmates would talk about him afterward, perhaps saying he was generous.
In reality, who would call him generous? A single guy with no girlfriend, who could his little tricks fool?
They would probably just say, "Ren Yuanhao, that big idiot, put on a brave face and go home to eat instant noodles."
Thinking of this, Ren Yuanhao couldn't help but mock himself. In this world, face was an art. Everyone was eloquent for this art. Some would resort to fists if their face was slighted. The more information advanced, the more irritable people became. Love letters exchanged through letters have been replaced by a bunch of apps. Knowing someone for just a day could lead to a day of intimacy.
His thoughts drifted a bit. He didn't know that when a person could face their own shadow, they were getting closer to the sun.
At that moment, the ground beneath him suddenly inverted, and he began to plummet straight down. Yet, as he fell, he seemed to see light!
That kind of light was like that seen at dawn or dusk, walking through a misty forest. What his hands could touch was the mist that dampened his clothes; what his eyes could see was that extremely faint, hazy light.
However, moving from a place of complete darkness to this was already a great fortune. What made Ren Yuanhao even happier was that the system's voice also returned.
"Beep beep, detected that the host finally has signs of life. The system's reserved items are now available for you. Please claim them quickly."
Ren Yuanhao reached out into the mist, and in his hand, he suddenly held the two items he'd obtained from the auction, plus the things from the old man in Sand City: the Talisman Wood, the earth-yellow egg, and the Ancient Five Elements Scripture.
As soon as he received these items, the world inverted again, and he was thrust back into the chilling, netherworld darkness.