Chapter 682: 【K】s

Chapter 683: The Kings

Chen Ling understood.

From the very beginning, his master had already pointed out his predicament... He had become too engrossed as an 'audience member,' to the point of forgetting that he was not an 'audience member' but a 'person' on stage!

Unbeknownst to him, he had adopted the perspective of an 'audience member,' observing everything with a detached, scrutinizing gaze.

He only cared about the 'ending,' about resetting the world. As long as that outcome could be achieved, any twists, turns, or unexpected events along the way disgusted him... With an almost obsessive mindset, he pursued efficiency and rationality, only caring if things progressed smoothly and unable to empathize with the characters involved.

Why would this person do that? If they hadn't done that foolish thing, wouldn't things have progressed faster?

That person was so annoying; told to go east, they insisted on going west. If they had just obediently listened, wouldn't there have been a peaceful outcome?

Chen Ling clutched his head in pain. He realized where the problem lay... By adopting the 'audience' role, he naturally distanced himself from the world. He was gradually moving from the stage to the audience, becoming a spectator in front of a screen, which was why his face was blurry when 'characters' saw him...

What separated him from the 'stage' was the fourth wall!

"The characteristic of a 'person'... I have it!" Chen Ling's eyes gleamed as if he remembered something. "It's the unique thing my master gave me."

He suddenly stood up, and an apricot-colored flush gradually appeared from the corner of his eye!

"Crimson Canvas!"

Since he was gradually losing his unique traits and becoming just another 'audience member,' he simply needed to find his own face again. Once he recovered his face, he would naturally revert to being a 'character' and could escape the 'audience' state!

The apricot eye makeup was solidifying, but then the grayness covering his eyes spread rapidly, forcefully suppressing Crimson Canvas!

In the void around Chen Ling, the fourth wall began to tremble, as if shaken by the struggle between the two forces!

But in the end, Chen Ling's Crimson Canvas was suppressed, fading away...

He had fallen too deeply into the 'audience' state to extricate himself, and Crimson Canvas couldn't reverse it... Chen Ling failed to cross the 'fourth wall' and return to himself.

"Damn it..."

Chen Ling's eyes were bloodshot.

"Hey, hey, hey, Red Heart! Are you okay?!" Jian Changsheng rushed forward. He had just seen Chen Ling staring at the water, tearing at his face, and acting crazily, which had momentarily terrified him. "Are you... are you possessed? I don't see any Witch God Sect members around... Have they become this sinister?!"

"...I'm fine."

Chen Ling took a deep breath, calming himself down.

He now knew his problem but hadn't found a solution... It seemed Crimson Canvas alone wasn't enough. He needed something stronger to pull himself away from the 'audience' and back onto the 'stage.'

As if struck by an idea, he slowly raised his head, looking towards the main city of Hongchen, enveloped in the distant glow of fire.

"Perhaps... I should go back."

"Go back? Aren't we already at the entrance of our lodging?" Jian Changsheng pointed to the Twilight Society's temporary stronghold nearby.

"Not back there, but back into my own role."

"You? What role?"

"Red Heart 6, Chen Ling." Chen Ling paused. "And... the actor from Startling Swan Pavilion, Lin Yan."

Jian Changsheng froze for a moment, raising an eyebrow in surprise.

"You've had a change of heart? Going back to save them?"

"Not yet... But I want to try and find my 'heart' again."

To escape the 'audience' state, besides Crimson Canvas, the most effective method was, of course, to return to his 'role.' As long as Chen Ling could re-immerse himself in his character and rediscover the emotions belonging to that role, he would naturally be able to contend with the fourth wall.

"If you want to go back and take risks, I certainly don't object. It's not like I'm the one going to die."

Jian Changsheng shrugged, glancing back at the Twilight Society members' house.

Then he whispered conspiratorially,

"But the other seniors might not agree... A Club 8 and a Red Heart 9 have already disregarded the Twilight Society's neutral principles to interfere in the realm war. If you leave again, our funeral procession will be more than half empty. It'll be hard to explain to the higher-ups then..."

"This situation is serious; I must go," Chen Ling replied firmly.

For Chen Ling, this might be his only chance to find himself again. If he missed this opportunity, he might unconsciously drift further and further down the 'audience' path, eventually completely detaching from this world and becoming just another 'audience member.'

"You... sigh."

Jian Changsheng agonized for a long time, then steeled himself. "Fine, who told you to help me so many times in Hongchen! Go on, if they ask, I'll say you went to take a dump... Don't worry, I'll definitely cover for you."

Chen Ling: ...

"Thank you."

Chen Ling cast a deep gaze towards the Twilight Society's building, then turned and headed directly towards the main city of Hongchen.

His crimson opera robe swayed gently under the dim sky. The last actor of Startling Swan Pavilion was rushing towards the war-torn stage... He didn't know if it was too late to go on stage now, but at least, he wanted to step onto it one more time as a 'person.'

The rain continued to fall, like the curtain of a grand farewell performance, slowly rising amidst the flames of war...

Perhaps, the performance of Startling Swan Pavilion was not yet over.

***

Twilight Society, the lodging.

Chu Muyun, Bai Ye, Club Jack, and Diamond 10 sat scattered in the courtyard. No one spoke; the air was deathly silent.

"...Another one gone," Diamond 10 frowned slightly. "Isn't this happening one after another a bit problematic?"

"I don't see any problem with it."

His white baseball cap pulled low, obscuring most of his face, Bai Ye's lazy voice piped up, "Anyway, the few of us can still complete the realm funeral just fine."

"How will we explain it to the higher-ups then?"

"If you don't say anything and I don't say anything, how will they know? They aren't truly omniscient."

"Heh, for all we know, the Gray King might be watching you right now."

"So what do you suggest?"

Diamond 10 pondered for a moment, then slowly stood up. "Since none of you want to be the bad guy, I'll go... I'll go talk to Red Heart 6."

Without waiting for the others' replies, he headed straight for the main gate.

At the same time, Jian Changsheng, muttering something, opened the door and walked back in.

"Where's Red Heart 6?"

"He, he went to take a dump!"

"...Go wait over there."

Diamond 10 walked around him and continued forward.

Seeing this, Jian Changsheng grew anxious. Just as he was about to grab Diamond 10, four afterimages suddenly streaked through the void, striking the ground with sharp explosions right in front of Diamond 10!

Boom—!!

A faint cloud of dust spread around.

Diamond 10 was stunned. Not only him, but Bai Ye and Club Jack also looked bewildered. They hurried to the doorway, their eyes fixed on the churning dust...

Embedded in the thick bluestone road, at some unknown point, were four playing cards;

These four cards stood like sharp barriers, blocking Diamond 10. The moment they saw the faces of these four cards, everyone's pupils involuntarily constricted!

—King of Spades, King of Hearts, King of Diamonds, King of Clubs.

These four cards represented the high-ranking members of the Twilight Society, signifying peak combat power second only to the Red King and Gray King... Even Jacks and Queens rarely had the chance to encounter any one of them.

And now, these four cards had appeared simultaneously;

The four 'Kings' supported Chen Ling!

***

A quick recommendation for You Ziyin's *The Ghostly Young Confucian Immortal*, a wuxia novel (crossed out) a highly acclaimed wuxia masterpiece! Feel free to check it out if you're interested.