Chapter 929: Dark Endless Rain

The Grey Realm.

The Silver King strolled leisurely across the desolate land.

To his left was Chen Ling, draped in a large red opera robe; to his right was Ying Fu in sackcloth, with the petite A Qian holding his hand. The four walked together, their attire, demeanor, and expressions utterly incongruous, as if they originated from four different worlds.

There was no conversation or interaction; each person was lost in their own thoughts, and the atmosphere was oppressive and subdued.

"It is a great honor to cooperate with you two this time..." After an unknown period, the Silver King was the first to break the silence, smiling as always. "...It was worth leaving matters in the Boundless Realm behind and making this special trip."

Chen Ling remained expressionless and silent.

Ying Fu seemed disinclined to respond, choosing instead to feign deafness.

Silence fell upon them once more.

"Have either of you been to the Boundless Realm?" The Silver King, unperturbed, naturally introduced another topic.

"...I... we came from there." After a prolonged silence, A Qian cautiously spoke, responding to the Silver King.

The Silver King was noticeably pleased that someone had responded. He turned and pressed further, "Oh? You came from the Boundless Realm? Which district?"

"District One."

At these three words, the Silver King's eyebrows subtly arched.

"Oh..." The Silver King's enigmatic smile lingered. "That's truly a pity..." He then turned and asked Chen Ling: "What about you, Mr. Chen, have you been there?"

"No," Chen Ling replied coldly. "And if there's nothing important to discuss, we don't need to force a conversation..."

The Silver King raised an eyebrow in resignation.

"Since everyone finds this uninteresting, why don't we simply shorten our journey?" The Silver King waved his hand lightly.

Chen Ling took a step forward and suddenly felt his surroundings blur. He had arrived in an unfamiliar area. The sensation was peculiar, as if "distance" had been clipped, connecting his next step to a space dozens of kilometers away, instantly traversing vast distances.

Ying Fu showed no reaction to this, but A Qian looked around in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened.

Is this the power of a demigod of the Way of Thieves...?

Chen Ling watched the Silver King's figure from the corner of his eye, falling into deep thought.

Chen Ling's joining the Torchbearers was a reluctant move; after all, he couldn't stand by and watch Bai Ye and the other three die before him. At the same time, it was also the fastest way to increase his Anticipation value.

He had been with the Twilight Society members for too long, and his sense of crisis had grown faint. He was going to the Boundless Realm anyway, so why not choose the most thrilling and extraordinary method?

Following the Silver King into the Boundless Realm was indeed fraught with danger, but Chen Ling had never feared such things. The current situation reminded Chen Ling of when he had just arrived in the Aurora Realm, infiltrated the Torchbearers, and taken a train to the Ancient Repository of Military Arts. That time was also fraught with danger and intense; as his rank had risen, Chen Ling hadn't experienced that kind of excitement in a long time.

While the Silver King's presence brought danger, it also offered a new approach and possibility for his life's performance.

Next... it was up to him to find an opportunity to break free.

As Chen Ling's mind raced, the group took a few more steps, having already crossed an unknown distance. The faint outline of a realm appeared in the distance.

Previously, Chen Ling and the others were still very far from the Boundless Realm; even a realm train would take nearly a day to travel. Yet, before the Silver King, it took only a few steps to cover the distance.

As Chen Ling and the others took another step, they directly crossed the realm's edge, entering the city.

Chen Ling felt the surrounding scenery shift; aged stone walls and uneven brick roads appeared before him. Under the gloomy and oppressive sky, buildings of various styles were scattered in the dimness, where Eastern and Western elements coexisted.

According to Chen Ling's understanding, after the Great Cataclysm, the base where the Boundless Realm was located sheltered a large number of survivors and top scientific research talent from overseas. As it was said back then, it was an international sanctuary. As the base gradually expanded into a realm, diversity and inclusivity remained hallmarks of the Boundless Realm.

But the scene before him differed somewhat from the Boundless Realm he had imagined.

The damp air carried the scent of rust and blood, along with a faint smell of charring. No pedestrians were visible on the city streets as far as the eye could see. Under the gloomy sky, everything appeared eerie and subdued.

"Is this District One??" A Qian's eyes lit up as she saw the distinctive clock tower in the distance. "Brother Li!! We're home!"

Ying Fu did not reply. Like Chen Ling, he slowly scanned their surroundings, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

Back in the familiar district, A Qian, who had initially been somewhat timid, clearly became more lively. She walked down familiar streets and even saw the place where her parents and the witches had secretly seen them off when they left the Boundless Realm. Although only a few days had passed, it felt like an eternity ago.

"The pastry shop, Ryan Hotel, Auntie Lan's tailor shop, Maple Leaf Primary School..."

A Qian walked along the brick road, naming the surrounding buildings fondly. The further she walked, the brighter her eyes became.

"Brother Li, we'll be home soon! Do you think Mom and Dad will be surprised to see us back?"

The Silver King watched the excited A Qian. He noticed Ying Fu's subsequent gaze, met his eyes, and then offered an elegant smile.

Ying Fu's gaze was chillingly cold.

"Brother Li... why is the street so empty?" After walking for a long time, A Qian finally realized something was amiss and asked in confusion.

"A Qian..." Ying Fu hesitated for a long time, still wanting to say something.

But before he could speak, A Qian's gaze fell on a nearby townhouse facing the street. She immediately let go of Ying Fu's hand and rushed forward!

"Dad! Mom!! Brother Li and I are back..."

Creak—

The townhouse door was unlocked. A Qian pushed it gently, and it slowly creaked open.

A bleak, damp wind rattled the windows. There was no one in the dim living room, only two charred fragments of corpses, twisted, lying on the floor. Their clothes had carbonized, and the floor beneath them was scorched into two human shapes. It looked as if raging flames had abruptly ignited from within their bodies, reducing them to ashes. Around them, several long, charred streaks remained, like marks left by their agonizing struggles as they were incinerated alive.

A Qian stood frozen in place.

"It's truly unfortunate," the Silver King said, spreading his hands helplessly. "District One... no longer exists."