The Company

Chapter 75: Stone Boqiong (Part 2)

[Seven]

The night sky glittered with stars as Wang Li stood atop the watchtower of Lanchi Palace, gazing deeply toward the continuous mountain ranges in the north. Behind him lay his hometown, the city of Xianyang already immersed in dreams. And in the distance was the place where his fate had taken a turn.

Back then, had he been more vigilant, the eldest prince Fusu might not have met an untimely death. Would the entire fate of the Qin dynasty have been different then...

Wang Li’s hand gripping the railing tightened, then slowly relaxed. Life held no room for "what ifs."

What had already happened had become history, unchangeable.

The sound of hoofbeats emerged from the darkness, drawing nearer until they halted below the watchtower. Soon, the crisp, melodious clinking of jade pendants rang out behind him—Ying had arrived, his presence announced before he appeared.

"Haha! That treacherous villain Zhao Gao has been executed! Huhai has admitted that the late emperor’s edict was tampered with and has been imprisoned, awaiting trial after the new emperor ascends the throne." The joy in Ying’s voice was unmistakable; he was radiant, no longer displaying the detached indifference of before.

Wang Li approvingly patted the railing and praised, "Excellent!"

"Not at all, it was all thanks to General Wang’s unwavering support." Ying’s words were sincere. After all, as an idle prince, he could never have stirred such upheaval in Xianyang on his own. Wang Li had leveraged the Wang family’s connections and influence, uniting numerous nobles and even the Tiger Guard. Moreover, he had foreseen events with divine accuracy, preemptively neutralizing many of Zhao Gao’s schemes, then driving a wedge between Li Si and Zhao Gao, persuading Li Si to break with the latter and join their camp. Most remarkably, Wang Li had executed all this methodically and swiftly—within just three days, before the First Emperor’s burial rites were completed, he had turned Xianyang upside down with lightning speed.

Wang Li smiled faintly. Ying didn’t know that these arrangements, though they appeared improvised, were actually the result of countless mental rehearsals over a long period. He had also prepared numerous contingency plans.

But the fundamental requirement for these plans to succeed was that the eldest prince Fusu remained alive. Back then, A Luo had entrusted him with only one task, and he had failed to accomplish it.

"Ah... dawn is about to break." Ying stood on tiptoe, straining to widen his eyes as he peered into the darkness far to the north. The Lanchi Palace where they stood was the northernmost palace in Xianyang, also the closest to Shangjun.

Yes, the eldest prince Fusu was about to return triumphantly. According to scout reports, he should arrive at Lanchi Palace at daybreak this morning.

Unnoticed, a bustling crowd had gathered below the watchtower. Even the Meng family, who had been imprisoned and later rescued, had donned military attire and come to Lanchi Palace to welcome the future new emperor.

"Ah! Look at those torches on the horizon—could it be A Luo and the others returning?" Ying suddenly exclaimed.

Wang Li followed his gaze and saw scattered torches flickering in the distant darkness, interweaving with the starlight in the night sky like a celestial river descending to the mortal world—mysterious and awe-inspiring.

He had to admit, that treacherous minister Zhao Gao was a master at manipulating hearts. This illusion was so lifelike it was almost indistinguishable from reality. Even Ying, who was part of the game, was completely deceived.

No matter. He would ensure Ying won this round.In the past few days, through subtle questioning, Wang Li had inferred Ying's current situation—he should still be alive, and if he successfully escaped the chess game, he would return to the correct historical timeline. According to fatalism, the probability of Ying ultimately surviving and leaving the chess game was high. Even if Ying would forget all of this, the experience of having once killed Zhao Gao would be deeply etched in his memory, perhaps triggered at some moment. Even if it only had a slight effect, it would be enough.

Whether the chicken or the egg came first is a philosophical question.

Wang Li did not know whether his actions were useful, but even if it was an illusion, being able to overturn a hopeless situation meant he could die without regrets.

However, staring at the torches drawing closer in the distance, Wang Li sighed regretfully.

Whether in the illusion of the chess game or in reality, he had not been able to see A Luo again. What a pity...

As the first ray of sunlight leaped from the horizon, Ying seemed to sense something and turned around, only to find that Wang Li, who had been standing beside him, had vanished without a trace.

[This round, White Side Ying wins]

[Eight]

On the rosewood counter, the Gilded Flying Dragon Boshan Censer leisurely released a wisp of curling smoke that slowly dispersed into the air. Through the incense haze, the entire room was enveloped in a misty, illusory fog, creating an unreal and indistinct atmosphere.

The Boss watched as the Doctor suddenly pushed open the carved door and appeared before him. His fingers tightened around the golden mask, and in his heart, it felt like the sound of the final shoe dropping.

He had finally arrived.

Although the Boss did not want the Doctor to be dragged into this bizarre chess game, Zhao Gao had already deceived or captured everyone around him, so the Doctor was inevitably caught as well.

Yet, when this person stood before him as his opponent in the chess game, the Boss couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. "Why the sigh? You're so young, where do all these worries come from?" The Doctor, as usual, familiarly took a seat in front of the counter, casually picked up a Doucai Bell Cup, lifted the purple clay teapot to pour himself a cup of hot tea, and began drinking leisurely.

The Boss touched the cold jade Xuanji on his chest. This time, when the Doctor approached, the jade Xuanji did not grow warm. Perhaps it was due to the illusion—everyone's consciousness had entered the chess game, not their physical bodies.

"How did you get here?" Although the Boss knew it must be Zhao Gao's arrangement, he couldn't resist asking. "Huh? I just got off work and came straight here!" The Doctor put down the Doucai Bell Cup in his hand, blinking innocently. "What should we eat tonight? There's a new lamb spine restaurant nearby, I heard it's quite good. Want to try it? Or if you don't feel like going out, we could order an eel rice bowl. Actually, Korean bibimbap sounds good too..."

"You... have you remembered everything?" The Boss studied the Doctor's expression and tentatively asked.

The Doctor paused in reaching for his phone, then smiled and said, "What if I have? What if I haven't? Isn't the important thing that you've finally returned?"

The Boss slightly furrowed his brows. "This is not a place you should be..."

The Doctor was taken aback by these words, awkwardly curling the corners of his lips. "Oh? Am I not even allowed to come to the Dumb Shop anymore?""No, although you see the Dumb Shop, this isn't the real world but a chess game." The Boss reached out to touch the Bluish-White Glazed Porcelain Plate on the curio cabinet. The illusion was well-imitated, but only in form, not in spirit. These antiques had no souls, merely empty shells. Withdrawing his hand, the Boss looked seriously at the Doctor and said slowly, "The two of us are opponents in this game. If I'm not mistaken, only one of us can walk out through that door in the end."

"Ah? A chess game?" The Doctor looked utterly bewildered. "Then how do we determine winning or losing in this game?" "Since we're currently in the Dumb Shop scene, I should be the defender while you're the attacker." The Boss touched the jade Xuanji pendant on his chest. To deal with this chess game, he had brought many antiques with him, though he wasn't sure which one was actually taking effect. "The key to breaking the game should lie in the wish of the antique defending the game. Fulfilling its wish will break the game. The winning condition should be different for each game."

"Oh? As a participant in the chess game, shouldn't I have some hints?" The Doctor closed his eyes, trying to sense something.

The Boss didn't think he could figure anything out.

After all, even the Boss himself didn't know which of the antiques he brought was participating in the game.

Of course, the most likely candidate was the jade Xuanji on his chest, but what wish could the jade Xuanji possibly have?

"Ah, I know!" The Doctor snapped his fingers, smiling happily. "Boss, is your wish to have someone accompany you? How about I stay here and keep you company forever?"

The Boss's hand holding the cloth trembled, and he instinctively touched the jade Xuanji on his chest. Was the jade Xuanji's wish really to have someone accompany him?

Over more than two thousand years, he had bid farewell to one reincarnation of Fusu after another, wandering from city to city, drifting without a permanent home. Only various objects kept him company, eventually becoming what people called antiques after being steeped in time.

Later, he opened an antique shop, and the Dumb Shop became his home.

But aside from these silent antiques, he was the only one in this home.

Initially, Fusu's reincarnations were his obsession, but after repeatedly failing to keep them and suffering heartbreak after heartbreak, he could only choose to stay away - avoiding interaction while protecting them from a safe distance.

The Doctor was an exception.

The Boss rubbed the jade Xuanji, his fingertips tracing its intricate carvings, forcing his wandering thoughts to return. Did the wish of the game-defending antique directly reflect its owner's wish?

So, his innermost wish was to have someone accompany him? But why did this person before him know so clearly?

The Boss remained silent for a long while before finally looking up at the Doctor and asking slowly, "Will you really stay with me forever?" The Doctor smiled naturally and said, "Of course, I'll stay with you forever."

The Boss nodded, but then turned and drew a Tang dynasty sword from the nearby curio cabinet. Under the Doctor's astonished gaze, he thrust it straight forward.

"This illusion is well-imitated, but only in form, not in spirit," the Boss said calmly.

The Tang sword pierced through the "Doctor's" chest without any blood spraying out. Instead, there came the sound of porcelain shattering. The "Doctor" shattered accordingly, pieces of porcelain falling to the ground and turning into powder.Although the process from statue to porcelain shards to powder was swift, the Boss still clearly discerned the essence of this porcelain figure: white clay body with yellow, green, and white glazes—it should be Tang Tri-color Pottery.

The tip of the Tang blade pierced a peach pit, which had been placed precisely in the heart position of the Tang Tri-color figure. Had Fusu been present, he would have recognized this peach pit as the very one he accidentally released back in the Peach Blossom Spring.

Outside the carved doors of Dumb Shop, a few coughs echoed, followed by a hoarse voice growling unwillingly, "How could you be certain this person was an imposter? Moreover, how could you be so ruthless toward someone you value most, striking to kill without hesitation?"

The Boss plucked the peach pit from the tip of the Tang blade, holding it between his fingers for scrutiny, and coldly replied, "Precisely because he is the one I value most, I cannot tolerate anyone impersonating him."

The "Zhao Jia" outside suddenly recalled something—after escaping from the Peach Blossom Spring and being captured by Zhao Gao, the latter’s gaze had been equally terrifyingly icy.

"Zhao Jia" let out a strange, cackling laugh. So that was it. This was a scheme of borrowing a blade to kill. The peach pit between the Boss’s fingers seemed to have reached its limit, crumbling into several fragments in his hand.

At that moment, the bizarre laughter outside abruptly ceased. The carved doors of Dumb Shop swung open without a breeze.

The Boss gathered the crushed remnants of the peach pit into a handkerchief, wrapping it carefully, and let out a deep exhale.

[This round: Boss of the White side wins.]

[Nine]

Xianyang Palace. "Ah, to lose so easily! I thought I could drag it out a bit longer!" Zhao Gao’s words feigned regret, but his tone betrayed not a hint of actual disappointment. He cheerfully removed a black game piece, its markings already faded, from the board, showing no sign of considering it a loss for his side.

By now, three defeated black pieces lay beside his hand. "It seems my junior brothers truly live up to their reputation—both have won!" Though Zhao Gao’s words sounded admiring, his gaze toward the blue-robed Taoist was sharp as a blade’s edge.

Beside the blue-robed Taoist, two white pieces had been collected.

Thus, on the board, including the pieces representing Zhao Gao and the blue-robed Taoist, only three black and four white pieces remained.

"Tsk, not bad. We’ve reached the endgame rather quickly." Zhao Gao stroked his chin, his thin lips curling into a dangerous, satisfied arc. "My dear master, it’s your turn."

The blue-robed Taoist’s complexion had grown noticeably paler. He reached out, picked up the stone die, rubbed it briefly with his fingertips, and slowly tossed it onto the board.

"Oh, an eight." Zhao Gao offered a smile devoid of warmth.

The blue-robed Taoist touched the stone die and raised an eyebrow in surprise—for once, Zhao Gao hadn’t lied. He moved two white pieces on the board: one advanced five spaces, the other three, each landing precisely beside a black piece.

"Tsk, aiming for annihilation, are we?" Zhao Gao snorted lightly, yet his expression showed no tension of being cornered; instead, he radiated a wild excitement.

The blue-robed Taoist’s eyelashes trembled briefly before settling back into stillness.

[Ten]

The carved doors of Dumb Shop stood wide open, revealing nothing but pitch-black darkness outside. Yet the Boss did not leave immediately.He had come prepared this time, not only with the golden mask but also with many other carefully selected antiques, among which were certainly items that could allow him to exit the chess game.

However, there was a fifty percent chance he was assigned to his master's faction. If he were to exit now, wouldn't he be needlessly causing his master to lose a piece? It would be better to wait until he confirmed whether he was on Zhao Gao's side before making a move.

No sooner had the Boss placed the Tang sword he held in his right hand back onto the Curio Cabinet than an irresistible force enveloped him, propelling him in large strides toward the door of the Dumb Shop.

Knowing this was likely the effect of a chess piece being moved, the Boss suppressed his instinct to break free from the control, silently withdrew his hand from his pocket, and relaxed his body.

The scene outside the Dumb Shop in the illusion resembled the corridors of the Xianyang Palace, with shadowy passageways and elevated walkways visible in the distance. Along the way, he passed several buildings that looked familiar, but there was no time to examine them closely before he had moved on.

Finally, he stopped before a building that felt strangely familiar.

The heavy doors swung open of their own accord, revealing a spacious hall inside. The windows were tightly shut, and in front of rolled-up mats stood embroidery frames. Was this... the Weaving Room?

The Boss had visited the Weaving Room several times before. Back then, when Cai Wei had expressed her desire to become a weaver there, the Boss had verbally agreed but secretly felt uneasy. He had gone to observe the Weaving Room discreetly and, upon finding that Cai Wei was not being mistreated and was receiving proper instruction, had finally set his mind at ease.

Cai Wei...

Could it be that his opponent in this round was Cai Wei?

A delicate and beautiful face surfaced in the Boss's mind, and his gaze softened slightly. But hadn't Cai Wei... already passed away many, many years ago?

Although the Weaving Room before him was vast, aside from a few supporting beams, the view was largely unobstructed. The Boss could see at a glance that there was no one inside.

For a moment, he didn't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved.

The force behind him pushed him into the Weaving Room, and the doors closed silently behind him. As his body regained its freedom, the Boss glanced back to confirm the situation before turning his attention to the radiant brocade dress at the very center of the room.

The Boss took a few steps forward and stopped before the brocade dress, studying it carefully. He never expected that the lost brocade dress from the Dumb Shop would appear here.

Before the Boss could ponder the significance of the brocade dress's presence, he heard the sound of footsteps ascending from below and a faint, almost inaudible gasp.

The Boss froze in place.

The rustle of clothing sounded behind him as someone prostrated themselves solemnly on the ground, their voice trembling. "Lord High Minister..."

Cai Wei felt she must be dreaming. She had heard footsteps above and had intended to sneak a glance, but that single glance nearly brought her to tears.

Though the Lord High Minister had cut his hair short and changed his robes, as a weaver, his figure was etched firmly in her heart.

Ah, the gods must have heard her desperate plea, allowing her wish to truly come true!

By the time the Boss collected his thoughts and turned around, he saw Cai Wei, as if remembering something, lift the hem of her robe and rush toward the basement. She hurried down and back up, now holding a black garment in her hands."Lord High Minister, this is the figured gauze I made for you. The garment you're wearing..." Cai Wei carefully examined the crimson dragon robe adorning her lord, first marveling at how this full-length attire accentuated his stature, then scoffing at the embroidery craftsmanship of the crimson dragon. After a few more glances, she realized this crimson dragon robe had been modified from a ceremonial long robe, and promptly offered the figured gauze in her hands. "Lord High Minister, your current robe lacks stability. This figured gauze will reinforce it."

The Boss accepted the figured gauze, discovering it to be a vest with exquisite stitching that shared the same origin as his crimson dragon robe based on its texture. His survival until now relied entirely on the ceremonial long robes Cai Wei had tailored for him. Thus, despite belonging to opposing factions, the Boss harbored no suspicion toward her and donned the figured gauze without hesitation.

Gauze fabric, woven with mesh-like openings, was inherently lightweight. When the Boss wore this figured gauze vest, he found it exceptionally soft against his skin.

The patterns on the figured gauze were blood-red, and as soon as the Boss put it on, they began growing like living plants. The crimson motifs twisted downward like vines, enveloping the crimson dragon robe before gradually shrouding the dragon's torso and limbs like chains of bloody thorns. Only when completely immobilized did the crimson dragon finally react, letting out a silent roar before struggling futilely against its firm restraints.

Cai Wei nodded in satisfaction, smiling gently. "Perfect. Now this dragon won't be able to cause any more trouble!" With the crimson dragon restrained, the shackles that had plagued the Boss for years seemed to vanish instantly. He felt remarkably lighter, even regaining some sensory perception—he could actually smell the camphorwood chests in the Weaving Room.

Clapping her hands joyfully, Cai Wei laughed wholeheartedly. "Oh, Lord High Minister, aren't we playing a game of chess? I seem to vaguely recall this."

She carefully lifted the woven brocade skirt from its hanger, spinning gracefully as she slipped into the magnificent garment. Under the glow of the Night-Shining Pearl, the multicolored gradient gauze silk, luxurious gold threads, and layered phoenix feathers swayed with her movements, appearing vivid and resplendent.

"This woven brocade skirt's deepest wish was to be worn for the most important person," she explained. "Its original owner wanted to wear it for her elder brother. But now I'm its owner! I only want to wear it for you, Lord High Minister. Do I look beautiful?"

Cai Wei's natural beauty was already elegant and refined, but enhanced by such luxurious attire—a stark contrast to the simple garments the Boss usually saw her in—and radiant with fulfilled happiness, she resembled a dazzling firework blooming across the sky, breathtaking beyond words.

"Beautiful," the Boss replied with a gentle smile. "Cai Wei, you look exceptionally beautiful."

Her eyes sparkled before she broke into a brilliant grin. "How wonderful. I'm truly happy."

The Boss had already deduced that Cai Wei must have voluntarily fulfilled the woven brocade skirt's wish to help him win this round. But how could he possibly let her fade away like this?Taking the aquamarine jade pendant from his bosom, the Boss swiftly fastened it around Cai Wei’s neck, successfully preserving her soul before her form faded completely.

The door to the Weaving Room stood wide open, and the woven skirt lay fallen on the ground. After securing the aquamarine jade, the Boss bent down and rummaged through the exquisite woven skirt, retrieving a shabby and crude straw effigy.

A painted Straw Effigy...

That person actually used such a worn-out object to house Cai Wei’s soul... It didn’t matter—he would find her a better body in the future.

The Boss intended to place this painted Straw Effigy into his Qiankun bag but paused just before putting it away.

He stared intently at this inconspicuous painted Straw Effigy, recalling the unusual texture he had felt when touching it earlier. Using his fingertip, he extracted a slender black needle from among the straw stalks.

The needle measured two inches in length, crafted from an unknown material as fine as a hair. At its tail end was a tiny circular hole. Upon closer inspection, he realized the hole wasn't truly circular but rather a minuscule octagon.

Boss seemed to have discovered something. He pulled out the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass from his pocket.

Legend had it that the Nirvana Compass could reverse time and space, allowing one's soul to travel backwards through time and achieve true rebirth. However, due to its heaven-defying nature, the compass needle and the compass itself had been separated for safekeeping. The separated compass became known as the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass, which could only briefly transport someone back to a specific historical period without permitting any changes to events.

As for the compass needle...

Boss noticed that the protruding mechanism where the compass needle rotated on the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass was precisely a tiny octagon. Why was this Nirvana Compass needle with Cai Wei? At first glance, its shape resembled a sewing needle... Cai Wei was indeed a weaver. Could she have mistaken the Nirvana Compass needle for an ordinary sewing needle?

With no immediate way to verify this, Boss removed the previous compass needle from the Luoshu Nine Stars Compass and replaced it with the weaver's needle retrieved from the Straw Effigy.

Click—it fit perfectly.

As if waiting for centuries, the compass needle spun joyfully, continuing its rotation for a long time without stopping.

Boss touched the Crimson Dragon constrained by thorns on his body, cradled the Nirvana Compass, and strode resolutely into the darkness beyond the Weaving Room door without looking back.

This game would now proceed according to his rules.

[This round: Boss of the White faction wins]

[Eleven]

Ying felt he was still dreaming, not yet awake.

He had just dreamed that Zhao Gao and Huhai conspired to usurp the throne, while the eldest prince Fusu reclaimed the imperial throne with his and Wang Li's assistance. How did he suddenly find himself back in the Xianyang Palace?

This place... wasn't the main hall of Xianyang Palace, but the imperial garden...

Ying habitually glanced toward a particular corner of the imperial garden. Sure enough, beneath the dappled tree shadows, he spotted a slender figure clad in heavy robes, standing by the wall with head bowed, staring at his own feet.

This was... the young prince Huhai...

Ying still remembered how Huhai loved visiting the eldest prince Fusu's study during childhood. Initially, the eldest prince welcomed his daily visits—after all, Huhai was an adorable child back then. Even when he couldn't understand the discussions, he never made noise, simply watching intently with his clear black-and-white eyes that nobody could resist.

Later, however, the First Emperor declared that Huhai would disrupt the eldest prince's studies and forbade him from entering Fusu's study. So Huhai would stand outside the study listening secretly. When Fusu eventually began participating in court politics at Xianyang Palace, Huhai's listening post shifted to outside the palace's warm chambers.

Wait, hadn't Huhai grown up enough to undergo the capping ceremony? Why did he still appear like a teenager? Ah, this must indeed be a dream. Dreams don't need to follow logic—that's perfectly normal.

Taking advantage of being in a dream, Ying swaggered over with confident steps. In reality, he would have long avoided such situations, but this was just a dreamTaking a few steps closer, Ying realized something was amiss. Why were the young lord's shoulders trembling? Was he... crying?

Seeing the situation turning unfavorable, Ying immediately wanted to retreat, but Huhai noticed him first. Lifting his head, he glared at Ying with tear-reddened eyes.

"Wait, wait! I didn't make you cry, did I?" Seeing his expression, Ying thought he was about to call for help. Even in a dream, he couldn't afford to suffer losses! Though in the previous dream, he had just beaten this kid up.

"It's you." The young Huhai wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve and muttered quietly, "Consider yourself lucky." "Lucky for what?" Ying was utterly confused.

Huhai glanced back at the warm chamber's window and sighed softly. "I never thought the scene I'd remember most in this lifetime would be here. But then again, at this moment, he still cared for me."

Ying blinked, completely failing to understand.

"Ming Hong's wish is my wish, and my wish is to find my imperial brother. I'll let you win this round—I'm going to find him." Huhai wiped away his tears and curved his lips into a satisfied smile.

However, when Huhai looked at Ying again, his smile vanished, replaced by a solemn expression. "The next time you see me, you must kill me." Ying was taken aback by his words. What did he mean? "Hah, never mind. You'll forget this anyway, so it's pointless to say it." Huhai curled his lip dismissively.

Ying heard a piercing bird cry cutting through the sky. As he looked up, a flash of crimson swept over his head and vanished in an instant. When he lowered his gaze back to where Huhai had been, the corner was now empty.

[This round: White side, Ying wins]

[Twelve]

The Boss stepped out of the Weaving Room door, put on the golden mask for a glance, and saw that Zhao Gao's side on the chessboard had only one black piece left—himself—while his master's side still had four white pieces.

This meant he and his master were on the same side. Excluding his master and himself, two others from their faction remained alive. This was both good and bad news.

Taking Cai Wei as an example, not all those Zhao Gao had drawn to his side were true enemies.

Especially since, through the golden mask, the Boss noticed that even facing such a severely disadvantageous endgame, Zhao Gao wore a faint smile on his thin lips, looking utterly relaxed.

This man surely had a backup plan.

But now was not the time to dwell on that.

The Boss committed the chessboard layout seen through the golden mask to memory. Combining it with his initial position and the path he had taken to reach the Weaving Room, he calculated roughly where the other two white pieces were located.

First, rescue their allies, then gather everyone and head to the main hall of Xianyang Palace.

Stowing the golden mask away, the Boss stood silently for a moment to get his bearings, then quickly strode toward the nearest white piece.

Turning down a corridor, through the dim light, the Boss saw someone walking ahead. The person heard his footsteps, stopped, and turned around.

"Ah! Boss! Boss!" The Doctor exclaimed joyfully as he rushed over. "I knew you'd be here! This place is terrifying! I've been wandering around forever and couldn't find the exit! Where is this? Is this the legendary ghost wall?"

"Eh? Boss, did you finally change clothes? Wait, no, this is still the same Red Dragon Robe, right? Why did you add patterns to the dragon?""Ah! Right, Boss, I remember everything now! What kind of trick did that Lu Zigang pull, actually making me forget all about you! And you're so cruel, Boss—you came back but didn't even acknowledge me!"

The Doctor was acting awkwardly, wanting to confront the Boss, but after being trapped here for so long and finally seeing the Boss again, he felt too relieved at being saved to truly stay cold toward him.

The Boss noticed the Longevity Lock swinging from the Doctor's neck as he ran, the gold-inlaid jade repair clearly visible. Ah, it's good—the Doctor is safe.

The Boss only spaced out for a moment before immediately grasping the key point in the Doctor's chaotic speech and asked, "Have you been walking around in this corridor the whole time?"

"Yeah! I came out from the Cloud Elephant Graveyard and ended up here, lost in the corridors the entire time. Oh, and Boss, I found your friend Ying! He should have come here with me, but we got separated again. At the time, we picked up a strange piece of jade..." The Doctor chattered on, recounting his bizarre experiences as best as he understood them.

Since Zhao Gao had arranged for a fake version of the Doctor, it was possible he had placed the real Doctor on the opposing side. But now, with all of Black's pieces except Zhao Gao wiped out, the Doctor couldn't possibly be from the enemy faction.

However, it seemed more like the Doctor had stumbled in here by following Ying. It was unclear why Zhao Gao hadn't included the Doctor in the game setup.

Whatever the truth, the outcome was good.

The Boss let out a sigh of relief and promised, "Once everything is over, I'll explain it all to you properly."

The Doctor's torrent of words stopped abruptly. He pressed his lips together, looking as if he wanted to be angry but had nowhere to direct it, and finally exhaled, nodding. "I know you must have done it for my own good, to keep me out of danger."

"But keeping me in the dark like that—it's not right," the Doctor said seriously.

"Mm, I was wrong," the Boss replied, apologizing with a gravity he hadn't shown in many years.

This made the Doctor feel a bit embarrassed instead, and he scratched his head. "So, what do we do now? Since I'm already here, you can't just send me away, right?"

"Rescue people. Follow me." The Boss took the lead and continued forward. "We'll talk as we walk." "Alright!" the Doctor agreed cheerfully.

"By the way, will you stay with me the whole time?" the Boss asked casually as he walked ahead. "What kind of silly question is that? Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? Who was it that left me behind?" the Doctor

grumbled indignantly.

The Boss smiled silently and began to change the subject, explaining Zhao Gao's series of schemes to the Doctor. After he summarized it briefly, they happened to stop outside the gate of a courtyard.

The courtyard gate was half-open, and inside, the sunlight was brilliant, painting a scene of beautiful spring scenery.

The Doctor glanced at the wintry night around him, then at the blooming flowers inside the gate. Just as he was marveling at the sight, he saw the Boss step inside and hurriedly squinted his eyes to follow.

The sunlight in the courtyard was dazzling. To protect his eyes, the Doctor squinted for a long time to adjust before opening them fully. "Huh? Isn't that Ying?" Standing beside the Boss was none other than his new friend from the Cloud Elephant Graveyard, Ying.Hmm? The Doctor initially wanted to walk over and greet them, but after a moment's thought, he withdrew his steps and stood at a distance without approaching. In a corner of the imperial garden, Ying was puzzling over why the teenage Huhai had suddenly vanished when he noticed A Luo coming to find him.

Ah, it really was a dream. A Luo looked quite handsome with short hair, and those strange clothes suited him well... Ying grabbed A Luo's hand and began chattering away, complaining about the bizarre behavior of Huhai earlier.

His A Luo listened attentively and asked what else he had dreamed about before.

Before? Oh, the earlier dreams were even stranger! He dreamed that Zhao Gao and Huhai conspired to usurp the throne, and with the help of him and Wang Li, the eldest prince Fusu reclaimed the emperor's seat.

Oh? Wang Li? Yes! Wang Li contributed significantly! But later, Wang Li seemed to have suddenly disappeared too... Dreams before that? Before that... Before that, he went to a place called Sky Light Market to buy a glass bead for A Luo...

A glass bead... Huh? A Luo actually gave him a glass bead. Why did this glass bead look so familiar? "Ying, take this glass bead and go back."

How strange. A Luo's expression looked as if he were about to cry. It wasn't a life-or-death separation—just a dream! "Be good, listen to me, take it and go back..."

Ying subconsciously accepted the glass bead handed to him. "Go back."

Ah... A Luo's voice was so gentle...

The Doctor watched as Ying's figure vanished beside the Boss, who maintained the posture of having handed something over, appearing utterly desolate.

The Doctor couldn't help but walk over and ask, "So... you've sent him back just like that?"

"It's for the best, letting him believe it was all a dream. That's the ideal outcome." The Boss lowered his head, put away the Nirvana Compass, and spoke calmly.

When he lifted his head again, he had regained his composure. "Let's continue to the next stop."

...

Ying was shaken awake by a kind old man at the corner of Qifu Lane. Gazing at the dim morning light, the already cleared-away stalls, and the glass bead tightly clutched in his palm, he fell into deep thought.

It seemed he had dreamed an exceptionally long dream.

(End of Chapter)