Tavern of the Spear: Desire for Pleasure

Chapter 120 Identity Exposed

Seeing the relaxed atmosphere, Hei Yao's lips curled into a playful smile. He walked over to Cheng Yu and Bai Yu, suddenly extending his giant claws, lifting them up one in each hand. Caught off guard, Cheng Yu and Bai Yu were immobilized by his immense strength.

"Aren't you getting ahead of yourselves?" Hei Yao's voice was deep and mocking as he glanced at Abu and Xingluo. "Bowen isn't so easy to deal with. He'll reappear soon. Aren't you afraid of being killed by him, or... wiped out?"

Cheng Yu and Bai Yu, suspended in mid-air, looked grim. They struggled desperately, but couldn't budge Hei Yao an inch. Bo Wen's power had sealed most of their strength, and now, before Hei Yao, they were like lambs to the slaughter.

"Hei Yao, what do you mean by this?" Xing Luo asked warily, a dazzling starlight gathering in his hand.

Hei Yao glanced at him dismissively. "It's nothing, just a reminder not to let your guard down." He paused, then continued, "Bo Wen's power far exceeds your imagination. Even I'm not entirely confident I can defeat him. Besides..."

He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, a shadow of gloom flashing in his eyes, "The situation on Kemenridge's side isn't looking good either; he's probably run into trouble too. If Bowen gathers all the fragments of the spirit, then we..."

Hei Yao didn't continue, but the meaning behind his words was self-evident. A chill ran through everyone; the previously relaxed atmosphere instantly became tense.

“Even so, we will not give up,” Xingluo said through gritted teeth. “We will stop Bowen’s conspiracy even if it costs us our lives.”

“Commendable courage,” Hei Yao sneered, “but courage alone is not enough. You need power, immense power.” He then set Cheng Yu and Bai Yu down. “I can help you become stronger, but in exchange…”

He paused, staring intently at the crowd, "You all have to do something for me."

A sense of unease rose in everyone's hearts. They didn't know what Obsidian wanted them to do, but their intuition told them that this matter was definitely not simple.

"What is it?" Cheng Yu asked.

“After it’s done, give me something,” Obsidian said. “Something that is very important to me.”

"what?"

"The heart of God, that is, the heart of a god."

Obsidian's voice was deep and powerful, echoing through the empty treasure vault. Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed. The Heart of God—that was a legendary organ possessed only by gods, holding unparalleled power.

"The Heart of God?" Cheng Yu frowned. "What do you need that for? And how could we possibly have such a thing? Aren't you just deliberately trying to cause trouble?"

“I didn’t. After all, someone will always become a god in this battle,” Obsidian said confidently. “And I know who it will be!”

"Who are you talking about?"

"I don't need to tell you this; you'll find out eventually." A hint of smugness flashed in Obsidian's eyes. "After all, if I tell you beforehand, there won't be any surprise."

"What the hell?"

"Don't get so excited, or I won't be so easy to talk to."

Hei Yao's laughter stopped abruptly, and his gaze fell on Cheng Yu, or more precisely, on an object at Cheng Yu's feet. Just now, when Hei Yao put Cheng Yu down, he staggered because of his unstable center of gravity, and an ancient, drum-shaped object fell out of his arms and rolled to Hei Yao's feet.

Hei Yao bent down and picked up the strange object. It felt cool and smooth to the touch, its material neither metal nor wood, its surface engraved with intricate patterns, and it faintly emanated a strange energy fluctuation. He narrowed his eyes, gently tapped the drum-shaped object with his knuckles, then looked at Cheng Yu, suddenly bursting into a hearty laugh: "Just as I expected!"

He lifted Cheng Yu up again, his other giant claw gripping the drum-shaped object tightly, his eyes fixed sharply on Cheng Yu: "Tell me, where did you get this thing from?"

The atmosphere froze instantly. Xingluo and Abu looked at Chengyu nervously, both sensing that this strange object seemed unusual. Chengyu remained silent, his lips pressed tightly together, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes.

"What? Not going to talk?" Obsidian's voice carried a hint of threat. "I remember this thing should have disappeared a long time ago, how did it end up on you?" He burst into laughter, his laughter filled with mockery and ridicule.

After the laughter subsided, Obsidian's gaze fell once more on the drum-shaped object, then turned to Cheng Yu, a hint of inquiry in his eyes: "You... don't you belong to this world either?"

His tone suddenly turned low, as if tinged with sadness. He looked at Bai Yu, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes: "I remember you, Time Traveler. You have the ability to manipulate time and space. I've known for a long time that you don't belong to this world."

His gaze returned to Cheng Yu: "And you... you, like Bowen, don't belong to this dimension either." He paused, as if pondering something, "It seems this world is far more interesting than I imagined."

He toyed with the drum-shaped object in his hand, his eyes flickering: "This thing is called a 'photograph machine,' a magical device that can record images and sounds. As far as I know, it only exists in higher dimensions. The fact that you possess it proves that you are not from this world."

Obsidian tossed the "photograph machine" back to Cheng Yu, then released him. He turned his back, looking at the lava waterfall, and said in a low voice, "Tell me, what is your purpose in coming to this world?"

All eyes were on Cheng Yu, like spotlights on a stage, leaving him nowhere to hide. Cheng Yu's mind raced, trying to find a reasonable explanation, but his throat felt blocked, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He had long anticipated that his identity would be exposed, but he hadn't expected it to come so soon. Looking back now, perhaps Bowen had already sensed his true identity. In the previous dimension, Bowen's meaningful words before leaving—"What exactly is your identity? An actor? An audience member? Or something else?"—now seemed more like a test, a confirmation.

Or, to put it another way, the last question in the previous episode of "An Actor Prepares".

Bai Yu looked at Cheng Yu, who was on the verge of collapse, and sighed deeply. In truth, he too had always harbored doubts about Cheng Yu's identity. A recording device like that shouldn't exist in this world at all. Although he had heard from many people that Cheng Yu had always lived in this world, it was still incredibly strange. Hei Yao's words completely dispelled his doubts.

No wonder he got along so well with Cheng Yu. In his previous time travels, he had never encountered anyone who could resonate with him so quickly as Cheng Yu. There were so many questions surrounding Cheng Yu, but now, they had all been answered under this question.

Cheng Yu clutched the phonograph camera tightly to his chest, as if it were his last straw. He didn't know how to explain; any explanation seemed futile. His identity had been exposed, but he truly had no ulterior motive. He had simply come into this world by some abstract accident and met so many friends…

“I…” Cheng Yu finally spoke, his voice hoarse, “I come from another world.”

His voice was soft, yet remarkably clear in the silent treasure vault. Xingluo and Abu both wore expressions of shock; they hadn't expected that their comrade-in-arms, whom they had fought alongside all this time, was not from this world.

"Another world?" Obsidian repeated, a hint of amusement in his voice. "So, you're also a transmigrator, a reincarnated being?"

Cheng Yu nodded, tacitly agreeing with Hei Yao's statement. At this point, there was no point in hiding it anymore.

“Interesting.” Obsidian’s lips curled into a smile. “It seems this universe is more lively than I imagined.”

He walked up to Cheng Yu, looking down at him: "Tell me, what is the purpose of your coming into this world?"

Cheng Yu took a deep breath and slowly said, "I don't know either, I just... got lost."

"Lost?" Obsidian raised an eyebrow. "Lost in another world? That's quite a novel reason."

Cheng Yu didn't refute it because he didn't know how to explain it either. He couldn't very well say that he died suddenly from deer and then accidentally ended up here, that would be too outrageous.

"Alright, so be it if you're lost." Hei Yao didn't seem to care about Cheng Yu's explanation. "Now that you've come to this world, enjoy your journey. However..."

His tone suddenly turned serious: "Don't try to challenge my bottom line, or you'll face the consequences."

Cheng Yu nodded, indicating that he understood. He knew that although Hei Yao appeared carefree on the surface, he was actually a very dangerous person.

"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore." Hei Yao waved his hand. "Now that you've obtained the Soul Cleansing Grass, you should leave here quickly. I have other matters to attend to."

After speaking, he turned and walked towards the lava waterfall, his figure gradually disappearing into the firelight. Cheng Yu and the others exchanged glances, then silently left the treasure vault.

"So, what about the power you're going to give us?"

"Haha~ Just you wait, Black Dragon never keeps his word, hahaha~"

Hei Yao left without looking back, and no one knows where he went.

Hei Yao left, and the others could only leave with the same helplessness.

Emerging from the volcano, the world outside remained sunny and vibrant, filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers. However, after the conversation within the treasure vault, the group's emotions remained unsettled. Cheng Yu's identity had been exposed, and Hei Yao's warning had instilled unease within them. The road ahead was fraught with unknown challenges.

Cheng Yu walked alone at the head of the group, his steps heavy and his figure forlorn. Xing Luo and Abu tried to catch up several times, but he always managed to leave them far behind. In the end, it was Bai Yu who stopped them.

"Let him have some peace and quiet." Bai Yu shook his head, his eyes filled with understanding and worry.

Cheng Yu wandered aimlessly, and before he knew it, he had passed through the forest surrounding the volcanoes and arrived at a vast grassland. The emerald green grass stretched to the horizon, reflecting the azure sky and creating a peaceful and serene scene. However, Cheng Yu felt no peace in his heart.

He gazed at the beautiful scenery before him and gave a bitter smile. But as he smiled, tears streamed down his face uncontrollably. Only then did he realize that he had never truly belonged in this world. He was like a wandering traveler, forever lost and without a home.

At this moment, he thought of Bowen. Compared to Chengyu, Bowen was completely different. Perhaps Bowen's approach was much better than Chengyu's in some aspects.

Bowen wanted to integrate into the world he entered. But he only wanted to hide himself, to keep his secret from everyone. But how could that be possible? To ordinary people, he might be able to disguise himself well, but against powerful beings, his disguise was utterly shattered.

He pulled out the phonograph from his pocket and gently stroked its smooth surface. This phonograph was the only witness to his time travel, and his only connection to his past life. Only when he saw this phonograph did he remember that he did not belong here. He thought of his master, the kind and gentle black dragon. Although he always spoke in riddles, Cheng Yu would never forget him. Every time he thought of him, a strong longing would well up in his heart.

"Master..." Cheng Yu choked back tears, his vision blurred. In his past life, he had never been so vulnerable. But after coming to this world, he had too many ties, too many worries. These ties softened him, and made him even more afraid of losing them.

He thought of Evand, that lively and cheerful boy, always full of energy, bringing him endless joy; he thought of Witt, that honest and kind orc, always silently protecting his friends, bringing them true happiness; he thought of Aolian and Hakan, one a mysterious and powerful white dragon, the other a bounty hunter who doted on him, both his beloved dragons, whom he would never part with. Hakan always cared for him in his unique way, giving him the warmest companionship…

These friends, these companions, have become an indispensable part of his life. He is afraid of losing them, afraid of returning to being alone.

"What should I do?" Cheng Yu murmured to himself, his heart filled with confusion and helplessness. He didn't know how to face the challenges ahead, nor how to protect everything he cherished.

As the sun set, its golden rays bathed the earth, turning the grassland a vibrant gold. Cheng Yu sat on the grass, gazing quietly into the distance. His shadow stretched long and thin, seemingly blending seamlessly into the landscape.

A gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness. Cheng Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew that no matter what the future held, he had to bravely move forward. For himself, and for those he cherished.

"Even if I don't belong to this world, so what? Those once ruthless data points have now become real, sentient beings. They are now the most important part of my life, and I should have them. Perhaps pleasure itself is not wrong; the wrong lies in the person who uses it. So what if I become Him?"