oceanic heart- Wangxian (English Version)

18- Lie

Jin Ling wanted to step aside, but Jin Guangyao held him firmly.

-What do you think you're doing? You think you can rescue him on your own? Do you? You can't even defend yourself against humans.

Jin Guangyao laughed and paid no attention to Jin Ling's glare.

-You monster! All this for power...!

-Yes, for power. After being treated like shit all this time, I refuse to stop at the mere status of cult leader. And if thousands must die for me to achieve my goal, then so be it.

-You...

Jin Guangyao suddenly put his hand over Jin Ling's mouth, preventing her from speaking.

-Well, never mind. I didn't bring you here to tell you all these details.

He dragged him along again, this time to the back of the cave, where a huge stone painting stood, emanating a violet light.

-This is the painting that will allow the energy of the Void to pour into the stone monsters and make me their master. Except there's a safety catch. Only the rightful heir can use it. That means you, because Jin Guangshan appointed Jin Zixuan as his successor, and Jin Zixuan appointed you. I want you to open the painting and acknowledge me as your new master.

-What if I don't?

-Then the sect leaders will die, including your dear uncle.

-...

-However, if you agree, I'll let them live and let you go out as you please.

-You just want me to go into the Void to help and die there.

-Of course I do.

Jin Ling grumbled. On the one hand, he couldn't make Jin Guangyao the master of those statues, but on the other, he couldn't bring about the death of the cult leaders. The only way to prevent disaster was to ensure that Lan Sizhui survived in the Void, but Jin Ling wasn't strong enough to help. As for freeing the sect leaders on his own, it was mission impossible. All he had to do was pray that everything would work itself out.

Eventually, Jin Ling approached the painting and made Jin Guangyao his leader. When he had finished, Jin Guangyao burst out laughing.

-Jin Ling, Jin Ling... How naive you are.

Jin Ling froze. He turned slowly to Jin Guangyao.

-What?

-Did you really think you'd all survive just for that? So easy to manipulate.

Jin Ling soon realized that he had no intention of leaving the others alive. Furious, he threw himself at him, but two guards who had just entered held him back.

-You dirty...! You promised!

-Yes, I promised. But a promise isn't going to stop me, is it?

Jin Ling struggled. He really wanted to kill Jin Guangyao. In just a few hours, he'd taken everything from him. Jin Guangyao contemplated the picture before turning to the guards.

-Take him to the dungeon and lock him up. As for the cult leaders, kill them. I'll announce to the people myself that they've succumbed to their wounds.

-Yes, sect leader.

The two guards walked away with Jin Ling, who continued to shout insults. Jin Guangyao didn't listen and went back to staring at the painting.

-Soon, all this will be mine.

_

Wei Wuxian woke up with a start as the sound of shouting echoed in the distance. He glanced outside, but saw nothing but darkness. He sighed and sat down against the skull wall. Further away, Lan Sizhui was trying to make a point with a bone. After a few minutes' silence, the two looked at each other, and Lan Sizhui blew the bone away.

-It's no use," he said. There's nothing to eat here, and it's not going to kill any big monsters. If we don't die swallowed by a bug, we'll starve to death.

-Hm. The only way would be to find a way out, but I suppose that's impossible?

-Yes, it's impossible.

-Pfff.

Silence returned. Wei Wuxian thought for a while.

-Wait a moment.

-What is it?

-You agree with me that, from the start, we haven't seen a single evil creature, don't you?

-Yes.

-I'm beginning to think there might not be one.

Lan Sizhui's eyes widened.

-Why's that?

-Firstly, this skull is strange. This bone looks fake. It's as if it's been placed there purely for shelter. And secondly...

He turns to the back of the skull, where a huge pile of bones lay.

-These bones here are similar to those of humans, they must be those of newts. Why would they all be here?

-I don't know.

-Because they wanted to do what we did. They starved themselves here so as not to face the bugs that might be out there. And that's the whole point.

-And that is?

-The creators of the Void wanted to create the illusion that something dangerous lurks deeper down to encourage people to stay here. Maybe there's a way to escape further down, like a crevasse or something.

-What if you're wrong and there really is something down there?

-Well, we'll die other than by starvation. But at least we'll have tried to get out.

Lan Sizhui nodded. The two climbed out of the skull and headed for a pit. Nodding, they ventured in. Bestial cries came from all sides, but no creature emerged. For hours on end, the two felt the walls for some light. The place was big, and it took hours.

But finally, they caught a glimpse of almost imperceptible light coming from behind a rock. They pushed the huge stone aside, and discovered a small gallery leading upwards. At the end was the source of the light.

So, happy to have solved the riddle of the Void, Wei Wuxian and Lan Sizhui ventured into the gallery and climbed back up.