Chapter 1111: Storm Within the Storm

By Sanjiu YinyuWord Count: 1228

"You..."

Jian Changsheng struggled for a long time, unable to formulate a single counter-argument. Jack of Diamonds was already showing them considerable respect by offering to personally guide them to the Fusion Sect. His request for someone to accompany him for drinks along the way didn't seem excessive at all. However, Jian Changsheng had never consumed alcohol in his life, and faced with such an unbelievable and nonsensical demand, he was momentarily at a loss.

Jian Changsheng remained silent for a long time, then lowered his gaze to the table before him. Three glasses of whiskey sat there, their potent aroma filling his nostrils and making him instinctively frown. He detested the smell of alcohol; it brought back memories of the Yan family father and son at the Constellation Merchant Guild, who would get drunk and abuse him and his father, and the suffocating past. The mere scent was enough to make him feel nauseous and agitated.

However, Jack of Diamonds was the key to locating Chen Ling. So, gritting his teeth, he finally picked up the glass of strong liquor in front of him. "Alright! I'll drink with you..."

Just as Jian Changsheng was about to pinch his nose and gulp it down, a hand reached out and took the glass from his grasp. Jian Changsheng turned in surprise, seeing Jiang Xiaohua, whose body was wrapped in white bandages. Jiang Xiaohua gently swirled the spherical ice cube in the glass, then looked up with an expressionless face and drained the entire glass of whiskey in a single gulp.

Jian Changsheng was dumbfounded, and Sun Bumin was equally astonished. No one had anticipated that the typically quiet Jiang Xiaohua would step forward at that moment, downing a whole glass of whiskey in one go. After finishing, he even licked the ice ball gently, like a kitten, before pursing his lips.

"Hmm... that tastes good..." With his snow-white hair cascading over his shoulders, Jiang Xiaohua tilted his head, savoring the taste for a moment. Then he picked up the two remaining glasses, one in front of Sun Bumin and the other in front of himself, and drank them both in two quick gulps.

This time, even Jack of Diamonds was stunned. He had been drinking for years, but he had never witnessed anyone consume whiskey quite like this. Considering its high proof, the fact that this person was downing glass after glass without so much as a change in expression—and even appearing to crave more—was truly astonishing.

"Shall I drink with you?" Jiang Xiaohua's eyes were slightly narrowed, and a faint blush colored his cheeks, giving him a somewhat hazy appearance. "But we don't have any money... you'll have to pay for the alcohol."

Jack of Diamonds remained stunned for over ten seconds before snapping out of it. He looked at Jiang Xiaohua with delighted surprise and suddenly burst out laughing. "No problem, of course not! I never imagined there'd be such an interesting character among the '6' generation... Ador, I'll cover the cost of these three glasses as well! Just put it on my tab!"

The bartender, who had been hiding in the warehouse, slowly staggered out. He cast a quick glance over, then silently lowered his head and began to record the charges.

"Plum, are you really alright?" Sun Bumin whispered.

"I'm fine..." A rare, faint smile appeared on Jiang Xiaohua's lips as he touched his stomach. "It feels warm after drinking... very comfortable..."

Sun Bumin silently gave him a thumbs-up.

"When do we leave?" Jian Changsheng immediately asked.

Jack of Diamonds slowly rose, finished the whiskey in front of him, and then let out a loud burp. "...Anytime."

A wailing storm howled beneath the chaotic sky. The hem of a large red opera robe fluttered in the gale, and a crimson earring shimmered faintly in the dim light. A lone figure walked slowly along a path within the storm, the black trees on either side swaying in the wind like millions of slender, rustling hands.

"Is this... a dream?" A hint of clarity appeared in Chen Ling's hazy eyes. He looked around in surprise, his black hair fluttering in the wind. The terrifying storm resembled an eggshell, encircling the distant void. The dull, deep blue sky, as if seen through a filter, exuded an overwhelming sense of loneliness. As Chen Ling walked along the winding mountain path, he felt as though the world had utterly forgotten him.

While pushing against the storm and continuing his ascent, Chen Ling tried to recall everything. He vaguely remembered burning the midnight oil in a Fusion Sect room, studying books and notes on fusion theory. He had read less than a tenth of them before falling into a deep sleep, and when he regained consciousness, he was already in this place. He hadn't dreamed in a long time, so suddenly finding himself in such a storm, and even regaining lucidity within the dream, made him keenly aware of something unusual.

Chen Ling cautiously walked forward step by step along the path. Around him, there seemed to be only the rustling of trees and the howling of the storm, as if he were the sole crimson figure in this dark, desolate world.

As Chen Ling rounded a bend, the path stretched upwards, winding towards the top of a hill. At its end, black fallen leaves swirled in the sky, resembling an invisible hand gently beckoning him forward.

Chen Ling's brow furrowed deeper. After a moment of hesitation, he strode directly up the steps.

As he stepped onto the final stair, the scene before him dramatically opened up. Only then did Chen Ling realize he was standing on a floating isolated island. His current position was the highest hill on this island, with dark forests spreading in all directions, eventually disappearing into the gloomy night like the black forest that consumed Little Red Riding Hood in a fairy tale. On the other side of the isolated island, there seemed to be some structures, but they were obscured by the swirling leaves, preventing Chen Ling from seeing them clearly.

"Storm Island..." Chen Ling immediately recognized his location, his face darkening considerably. Storm Island, drawn by 'thoughts.' He had only glanced at it, yet he was dragged into it in his dream? But after Teacher Ye's reminder, he hadn't thought about it at all these past two days. How had it still managed to find him?

Faint whispers accompanied the storm, seeping into Chen Ling's ears. On the hilltop, he spun around sharply. "Who? Who's speaking?"

The black forest swayed in the wind, dense leaves sweeping into the sky. In a trance, a ghostly black shadow seemed to materialize—so vast it appeared to cover the entire isolated island. The fallen leaves whirled through the air, creating a scene like the end of the world.

"'The long-slumbering nightmare of Storm Island, the eerie specter at the end of thoughts.'" Chen Ling recalled Teacher Ye's words, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Thought Disaster, what do you want to tell me?"

The rustling of leaves echoed from above, and the whispers in Chen Ling's mind grew clearer. But just as he was about to discern the words, everything around him shattered. Chen Ling's consciousness plummeted, first dropping back onto the stage of the theater, then pausing briefly before continuing its descent...

A moment later, Chen Ling suddenly awoke at his desk! The pen he had been holding clattered to the floor. The kerosene lamp on the desk had extinguished at some point, and distant faint light gradually dispelled the night, painting the sky outside the corridor with a hint of pearly white dawn. Chen Ling sat alone at his dim desk, lost in thought.