Doomsday Wonderland Vol. 12: New Game Launch [Complete]

1490: Illusion and Words

Lin Sanjiu had a dream.

She was no longer Lin Sanjiu but seemed to inhabit the body of a young girl. She could feel herself sitting in a steamy bathroom. With the sound of rushing hot water and the heavy mist obscuring her view, she recognized who stepped into the bathtub, who sat behind her, and who reached out, gently whispering "big sis" in her ear. The girl tilted her head and closed her eyes.

What was this place?

Lin Sanjiu's fleeting thought passed and was forgotten. She heard the voices of men from outside. Hastily standing up, as they nervously pushed open the bathroom door, she saw the girl's husband seated ahead. He looked at her, his face reflecting pity—perhaps for himself—a hint of realization, and a touch of despair. He chuckled and said, "This is why you kids never grow old."

Lin Sanjiu couldn't recall who these people were anymore.

She felt as if she was living within the bodies of everyone simultaneously yet forgetting her identity as Lin Sanjiu. Somewhere deep in the universe, she found herself inexplicably involved in the lives of others.

"Lin Sanjiu," a distant voice suddenly called out.

In an instant, all the mist dissipated.

What was previously a foggy, steamy bathroom now seemed like a devouring darkness. But as she abruptly sat up and opened her eyes, she was still greeted by dimness. Feeling someone move aside to avoid her, she barely stopped herself from colliding with them.

"What?" She was still groggy, unsure of where her husband had gone, and even who he was. His words, however, still echoed in her mind. "Who... who are you?"

In the darkness, the figure didn't respond. There was a slight movement, followed by a 'click', and a light illuminated the space.

The clarity of the light shattered the haze of her recent dream. After a few seconds, her senses returned. She realized she was sitting on a hard, cold floor, which was moving downwards. She looked up to see a rectangular well of darkness stretching upwards until the light was consumed. After some time, it finally dawned on her: she was in an elevator.

Yu Yuan was sitting under a hanging lamp, its light flickering, casting dynamic shadows over his features, giving the illusion of emotion on his face. When he spoke, his tone was as ever, calm and unwavering. "Do you remember?"

Remember what?

Lin Sanjiu felt an intense headache, to the point where she couldn't even remember why she was in an elevator. She held her temples, inhaling a cold breath, as fragments of her memory slowly trickled in. "Did... did I use that ability to traverse worlds... that Advaita power?"

Yu Yuan nodded, his eyes looking deep and fathomless in the darkness. "Before you used Advaita's power, you asked me to decipher you, and I agreed."

"Yes... I did make that request," Lin Sanjiu murmured, attempting to stand but feeling a sudden weakness in her limbs. "Then... what happened to me?"

"After deciphering you, you used the Advaita ability to move through the elevator door and ended up on top of the elevator where Lily was, which is the one you're sitting in now," Yu Yuan explained calmly. "I think you meant to enter the elevator directly, but due to a positional error, you landed on top of the elevator cabin."

Yu Yuan continued, "You anticipated that I would have a reason to follow you and wouldn't let you disappear alone with the elevator in this building. Hence, as you envisioned, I fabricated Advaita's traversal ability for myself and came in after you."

That was indeed her intention at that time. Lin Sanjiu didn't need to elaborate; once Yu Yuan deciphered her, he would naturally understand the situation and follow her in.