WTNL Chapter 284

(6/20)

Anchor Hall
Chapter 284: You are my prisoner now

Wen Jianyan looked down at the Ouroboros ring coiled around his finger.

The blood that had just been smeared on the snake’s eye had been completely absorbed. The pitch-black metal shimmered with a cold light under the illumination, appearing seemingly unchanged from before.

The air was dead silent.

Not a single anticipated event had occurred.

Did it mean he had to wait a while?

Or was the fragment sealed within the Ouroboros too weak to be awakened for now?

Wen Jianyan was a bit unsure.

After all, this was his first time dealing with such a thing.

The “operating instructions” provided by the brown paper were also vague, with most phrases being cryptic, leaving the specifics to be guessed.

Wen Jianyan took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, revealing a hint of fatigue between his brows.

The Nightmare’s contact with him at this moment was self-evident.

Clearly, in the next instance he was about to enter, there also existed residual bugs, specifically the fragments of Wu Zhu. After he “killed” the main body of Wu Zhu, the Nightmare still required his assistance to eliminate more hidden dangers.

And the fragments of Wu Zhu were always found deep in the core of the instance.

Even worse, the next instance was a confrontation scenario.

Due to multiple overlapping reasons, Wen Jianyan had no choice but to schedule a meeting with Wu Zhu.

Otherwise, he would have at least put this matter off for two or three months.

After all, following the last betrayal, Wu Zhu’s reaction had truly exceeded his expectations, leaving him uncertain about how to respond.

But now that things had progressed to this point, delaying any further seemed pointless.

Although he had made up his mind, Wen Jianyan still felt genuinely troubled.

Chaotic thoughts raced through his mind, and he couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.

“Sigh.”

The sound of his sigh echoed hollowly.

Like a haunting breeze spiraling in the depths of a dark cave, eerie, cold, and full of ominous meaning.

“!”

Wen Jianyan was startled by the echo of his own voice and instinctively looked up.

The furniture arranged in the room and the familiar decor were just as he remembered, yet at that moment, they seemed strange, as if invisible shadows were seeping from the corners and the gaps in the furniture, unconsciously spreading across the floor, walls, and ceiling, enveloping the entire room in a layer of grim tones, as if he had entered another alternate space.

Wen Jianyan’s heart sank.

He succeeded.

This place looked…

Like a dream.

Or rather, the gap between dream and reality.

Wen Jianyan took a deep breath and silently slipped out of bed.

He stood in the center of the room, turning his head to look around.

He didn’t see Wu Zhu’s figure, but strangely, Wen Jianyan could clearly sense the other’s presence. This indescribable intuition guided him, pulling him forward.

Wen Jianyan walked to the door, slowly raising his hand to press on the doorknob.

Just a slight downward push, and the doorknob slowly turned, opening the door silently outward.

What appeared outside was no longer the luxurious corridor and hall but an endless expanse of darkness—deep and silent. Unlike before, this darkness seemed less terrifying and more solid, appearing void and calm, like a current lost to control, drifting directionlessly around Wen Jianyan.

In the depths of the darkness, a tall figure was vaguely visible.

It was Wu Zhu.

Or rather… a fragment of Wu Zhu.

The man floated silently in the dark, his eyes tightly shut, as if he were in a deep sleep.

It was almost identical to the scene when Wen Jianyan first saw Wu Zhu in the mirror at De cai High School.

Of course, it was only almost.

The man’s pale body was covered in menacing black runes, with a dark golden fissure running across his chest.

He resembled a glass doll that had been shattered and pieced back together, exuding a sense of flawed and fragile beauty.

His arms were suspended high, with two Ouroboros rings wrapped around his wrists, moving slowly like living creatures, from which extended black lines that disappeared into the darkness.

Wen Jianyan stepped closer, one step at a time.

Suddenly, the man’s tightly shut eyelids flickered slightly.

Wen Jianyan’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively halted his steps.

Not far away, that pair of golden eyes looked over, like two flickering flames silently burning in the darkness.

“Ah, you’re here.”

A deep voice broke the silence.

Wu Zhu seemed unfazed by Wen Jianyan’s visit, a faintly pleasant smile playing on his thin lips.

“I was still wondering how long you would drag this out.”

Wen Jianyan’s brow twitched, feeling a bit annoyed.

Clearly, he was the one in control at that moment, yet for some reason, in this absolute advantageous position, it felt like he had lost the initiative—damn it.

He had to quickly regain the upper hand.

He smiled casually and said, “I couldn’t help it; I’ve been very busy lately. I just remembered your existence.”

The young man tore away his gentle and respectful facade, revealing sharp, aggressive fangs that clashed with the once-mighty deity, unwilling to yield. In the cold dream space, the scent of gunpowder gradually rose.

To his surprise, the smile on Wu Zhu’s lips deepened as he leisurely watched the human youth not far away.

“Oh, then what is it that brings you to see me this time?”

He emphasized the phrase “bring you to see me.”

Wen Jianyan: “…”

He was getting a bit angry.

Did this foolish god have no awareness of being a prisoner? But that was fine.

He was in need of a chance to take advantage of the situation.

Wen Jianyan smiled as he took a step forward, the dark glimmer swirling in his amber eyes: “However, before we get down to business, I think there’s something you seem to have forgotten.”

Wen Jianyan stopped in front of Wu Zhu.

Under the restraint of the Ouroboros, his lower body sank into the dark mire, making him much shorter than the standing Wen Jianyan.

The young man leaned down, looking down at the imprisoned deity, frivolously lifting the other’s chin with his fingertip, forcing him to gaze up at himself. “My God the Father, you can’t still be unaware of your current situation, right?”

He smiled, stabbing a cold knife into the other’s wound with his words: “You are no longer the omnipotent, high-and-mighty deity you once were…”

Wen Jianyan held the other’s chin, affectionately shaking it.

“You are now my prisoner.”

Wu Zhu’s expression darkened, his emotions unreadable as he scrutinized the young man before him.

“If you understand, then please show some attitude.”

Wen Jianyan locked eyes with him, his gaze inscrutable, yet a smile danced on his lips: 

“Ah, why don’t we start with a thank you?”

“If it weren’t for my kindness in leaving you a fragment, you would have already been suppressed by the Nightmare, completely asleep, wouldn’t you?”

He maintained a composed demeanor while distorting the facts.

It was as if he hadn’t personally plunged the copper blade into the other’s chest, utterly overturning his advantageous position, using the Ouroboros created by the otherworldly god to forcibly bind him—otherwise, he wouldn’t have ended up in his current predicament.

“Come on, say something nice like I did back then.”

Wen Jianyan leaned closer, grinning, “Lower your stance, express your sincerity, maybe… if I’m in a good mood, I might continue collecting fragments for you.”

He lightly traced his nails against the other’s cheek, a delicate touch, as if a feather had brushed past.

Wu Zhu’s eyes darkened instantly.

In the next moment, a “clink” sounded as the other suddenly raised his hand bound by the Ouroboros, seizing Wen Jianyan’s wrist.

Whatever Wen Jianyan wore before entering the dream was still what he wore now.

Caught off guard, he was yanked forward, his upper body leaning down, the loose t-shirt collar gaping open to reveal a small portion of his pale, clean collarbone and chest, still glistening with moisture.

“You want to cooperate with me… just once.”

Although he had lost most of his power, Wu Zhu appeared sharper than usual.

Without needing to think, he immediately grasped Wen Jianyan’s intentions.

Stabbing the blade into his chest, yet not killing him, instead imprisoning his consciousness while maintaining his authority as the controller, he slightly relented, offering a tempting condition—

Wen Jianyan was a bit surprised.

He had thought he would need to hammer the point home a few more times to help the other see reality…

He hadn’t expected that after being stabbed once, this guy’s mind seemed to have cleared up considerably.

However…

“You are mistaken about one thing.”

Wen Jianyan maintained his pulled-down posture, gazing into the other’s face so close, his smile easygoing: 

“This time, it’s not cooperation.”

“…It’s an order.”

“If you agree, after everything is over, we can naturally part ways without interference. But if you don’t agree—” he exerted force, breaking free from the other’s grasp.

Wen Jianyan stepped back, leisurely spreading his arms, showcasing the dark space behind him, and spoke without a hint of psychological pressure: “This is your eternal resting place.”

“Do I have a choice?” Wu Zhu squinted, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.

Wen Jianyan regretfully shook his head:

“Unfortunately, no.”

“Oh.” Wu Zhu nodded lightly, acquiescing, “Then alright.”

Even though he had anticipated the outcome of the negotiation, Wen Jianyan still hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly, momentarily taken aback.

In reality, according to his initial plan, regardless of whether Wu Zhu agreed or not, the difference wouldn’t be significant.

At most, it would require him to exert a bit more effort, using all unconventional methods to force the other to work for him.

Wen Jianyan had also considered the possibility that the other might eventually agree.

After all, despite the blood feud between them, this was still the best choice: temporarily agreeing while waiting for the right opportunity was a path any wise entity would choose.

But it shouldn’t have been so simple.

“However, I suggest you leave now.”

Wu Zhu said.

Wen Jianyan frowned: “Hmm?”

“I am currently just a fragment, and the longest I can maintain my sanity is three minutes.”

Within the man’s golden eyes flickered a suppressed, primal, and wild blaze, “For the remainder of the time, I will exist in a low-rational, instinct-driven state… just like when you first met me.”

He suddenly smiled, and that smile concealed a hint of terrifying meaning.

“You wouldn’t want to know what the real me wants to do to you.”

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