Chapter 1092: Leaving, and Moving Forward

Sand rose and fell. Dust, formed from the shattered realm, danced lightly across the desolate land, where two opera robes stood silently.

After an unknown period of time, Chen Ling slowly closed his eyes, as if all his strength had left him.

"One last question..." Chen Ling parted his lips, finally voicing the deepest, most bewildered, and most terrifying question in his heart: "To you... am I a disciple, or a pawn?"

Ever since Chen Ling learned his true identity, this question had gnawed at him. From the Red King's deliberate setup in Aurora Realm District Three, orchestrating Yao and Chen Yan's fusion with him, to later instructing Chu Muyun to recruit him into the Twilight Society, and finally appearing in the Mortal Realm to bring him back to the Ancient Opera Archive as a disciple—in places Chen Ling couldn't see, the Red King's hand had always been secretly manipulating his fate.

Even the persona of "Chen Ling" had been bestowed upon him by the Red King. He was like a tool crafted by the Red King's own hands, designed to counteract the Mockery Disaster.

Chen Ling knew full well that Ning Ruyu and the others had genuine affection for him. But when it came to this mysterious master, with whom he'd barely had a few face-to-face conversations, he truly couldn't distinguish if he was a disciple or merely a pawn.

Upon hearing the question, the Red King fell silent.

Chen Ling kept his eyes closed, not looking at the Red King. After a long moment, a calm voice slowly spoke:

"Whether it's you or Ruyu and the others, putting aside your master-disciple identities within the Ancient Opera Archive, you are all members of the Twilight Society. And the Twilight Society's goal... have you forgotten it?

To reverse the era and restart the world. Both you and your four senior siblings should first strive towards this objective...

Only after that will we discuss the master-disciple relationship."

Chen Ling gave a bitter smile. Yes... he had almost forgotten.

The Red King was, first and foremost, the Red King of the Twilight Society, and only then his master. Whether it was him, Chen Ling (Red Heart 6), or his four K-rank senior siblings, they were all merely pawns the Red King used to achieve this objective. As for the master-disciple relationship, it was simply because they all followed the Way of the Opera God, and bringing him into the sect made him easier for the Red King to control.

With the answer delivered, Chen Ling's face was ashen. He didn't ask another word but stumbled, turned, and walked away into the distance alone.

There was no anger, no outburst, no turning of allies into enemies, no immediate severing of ties... Only a chest as silent as dead ashes remained.

Chen Ling was utterly exhausted. His vision was blurred, his body teetering... Yet, he didn't look back or seek help from the Red King. Instead, he gritted his teeth and pressed onward, as if he would never turn back again.

"Zhao Yi!!!!" Chen Ling took a deep breath and shouted with all his might.

"Ah... hey!!"

Zhao Yi paused, then snapped back to attention and immediately ran forward.

"Chen Ling, are you alright?"

"Lead the way!"

"...What?"

"Lead the way! To your Fusion Faction!" Chen Ling panted heavily. "Didn't you always want me to join the Fusion Faction? I'll go with you... Whether it's experiments or dissection... as long as it allows me to assimilate the Mockery Disaster within me, I'm willing to undergo anything."

Zhao Yi scratched his head. He glanced back at the Red King, who was not far away, then at the resolute Chen Ling by his side, feeling momentarily lost.

Jiang Xiaohua was also startled; he instinctively wanted to run forward and stop Chen Ling, but Sun Bumian, standing nearby, stopped him first.

"Diamond, what are you doing?"

"I know you want to keep Red Heart... but don't go now." Sun Bumian lowered his voice, casting a glance at Chen Ling and the Red King. "Can't you see they're having a family spat?"

"But..."

"Don't worry, when a certain someone wakes up, they'll be more anxious than you."

Sun Bumian nudged Jian Changsheng, who lay unconscious on the ground like a dead pig, with his toe. The latter reached out, scratched his backside, and let out a series of grunts, seemingly dreaming.

Zhao Yi waited for a full ten seconds. Seeing that the Red King in the distance showed no intention of stopping them, he tentatively spoke: "Chen Ling... are you really going?"

"Yes!!"

"No problem!! No problem!!!"

Zhao Yi instantly perked up. He threw an arm around Chen Ling's shoulder, exclaiming excitedly, "Chen Ling, your pal here has real pull in the Fusion Faction! I guarantee I'll get you all set up perfectly... And those girls with the animal ears, they'll be ecstatic when they find out..."

A moment ago, Zhao Yi had been worried he might get a beating for snatching Chen Ling, the Red King's favored one, right in front of the Twilight Society's leader. But now, it seemed not only did Chen Ling want to leave, but the Red King himself had no intention of stopping him. With things like this, wouldn't the mission assigned to him by the organization be perfectly accomplished?! It was truly a case of finding something precious without effort, after searching everywhere. The Usurper was done for, the Silver King was gone, the Boundless Realm was destroyed, and even the Twilight Society was struggling... In the end, his own Fusion Faction actually got a windfall!

Zhao Yi and Chen Ling's figures gradually vanished into the distance. The Skeleton Direwolf had already gone to rouse the other accompanying Fusionists, preparing to escort them away.

Chen Ling walked with his head bowed, listening to Zhao Yi ramble on the entire way, and no one knew what he was thinking.

"...As for accommodation, if you don't like the room they arrange for you, you can stay in my super 270° Grey Realm panoramic balcony presidential suite. My room has an amazing view, it's incredibly spacious, and also..."

"—Pfft!!"

The moment he stepped out of the Boundless Realm, Chen Ling, who had been holding on, finally gave in. He suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground. Supporting himself with his hands, he retched violently.

His body was in excruciating pain, and his mind was utterly exhausted. His head felt as if it were being torn apart by two conflicting consciousnesses—the emptiness and depletion after performing the God-Worship Dance, compounded by a deep-seated sense of grievance and bitterness.

"Ugh... ugh...!!!"

Chen Ling felt his heart was shattered. The double torment of body and soul left him gasping for breath, forcing him to lie on the ground like a dog, panting in agony.

Zhao Yi, startled, frantically said and asked a multitude of things, but Chen Ling was beyond listening.

Dazed, Chen Ling raised his head and saw a faint glimmer of dawn rising from the east at the edge of the dark world...

"Little junior brother, dawn is breaking..."

"Your senior brothers are bringing you home."

Mo Jue's voice lingered in his ears. In Chen Ling's hollow eyes, a profound sadness and bitterness surfaced. The last time dawn broke, he had possessed the entire world, but this time, he was accompanied only by loneliness and pain.

In this vast world, where was home now?

"Chen Ling, are you alright, Chen Ling?!"

"Oh, your condition... Once we reach the Fusion Faction, I'll make sure someone gives you a thorough examination!"

Chen Ling retched on the ground for over ten minutes before finally stopping. He clenched his jaw, staggered to his feet, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and spoke weakly yet firmly:

"Let's go... it's time to move forward."

"Hey, you..." Zhao Yi wanted to suggest resting a bit longer, but Chen Ling had already started walking on his own.

The large red opera robe stumbled forward under the blood-red morning sun, leaving a long, lonely trail of footprints in the unnoticed wilderness.