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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 189: The Truth of the World
"How about we climb to the top first?" I suggested, pointing at the towering "ice mountain" in front of us.
"Don't tell me you want to climb up and then jump down?" Xianxian asked with a half-smile, looking at me.
"How did you know?" I couldn't help but laugh when my thoughts were guessed. Although I found this idea quite amusing and illogical, at times like this, we shouldn't be concerned with logic or science; we should just go with whatever feels right.
If, by any chance, we were to fall and die... Well, I personally think that wouldn't happen, right? As long as we keep thinking about diving while jumping, who knows, we might actually land back in the sea!? But there's another problem! What if we return to the sea and get caught by some gravitational force or attacked by some unknown entity, especially that skeletal thing? It would be a real mess! Whether we could safely return to the surface is still uncertain!
As for diving equipment, we had already "found" some on other ships, so there was no need to worry.
"We can't just keep going in one direction; we'll eventually reach a dead end, right? At that point, we can break through the ice," Black Bear said, looking at the "ice mountain." There was a hint of fear in his eyes. "Why do we have to jump? Isn't that just asking for trouble?"
Wuma You nodded in agreement, while Pei Zi clearly disagreed with Black Bear's statement. He said, "Though it sounds good in theory, we have no idea how vast this place is. If we keep going like this, we might walk until we drop dead without ever getting out."
"What should we do then?!" Wuma You complained with a frown, reluctantly muttering, "Are we really going to jump? What's the difference between that and seeking death?"
"Actually, I was thinking the same thing!" Yuguo suddenly spoke up, his expression clearly disapproving.
"Brother Qing, what do you think?" Wang Yi turned to Lime and asked.
Lime, who had been silent and nearly forgotten by everyone, was leaning against an ice-locked Ice Ship. He seemed completely unfazed by the cold, resting against the ice without even furrowing his brow. Hearing Wang Yi's voice now made him slightly lift his head and look at us as he said, "Let's give it a try."
"Try what?" Someone asked in confusion.
Lime didn't explain but instead glanced at me; his meaning was clear.
"No one compete with me; This Lord will try first!" Xianxian stepped forward with an imposing presence.
I chuckled and replied, "Since this unreliable method was my idea, I should go first!"
"Fine then; This Lord reluctantly agrees to let you follow." Xianxian said helplessly, though the smile on his face contradicted his words. Just as the two of us were about to move forward, Lime stood up straight without saying a word and walked directly ahead.
I exchanged a glance with Xianxian, and we began to climb the "ice mountain"!
"Wait, I'm coming too!" Wang Yi's voice came from behind, followed by the voices of the Black Bear and Wuma You urging Pei Zi. However, although Pei Zi did not express it directly, his actions already spoke for his thoughts.
The true form of the massive ice mountain was, unsurprisingly, the Blood Dragon. Therefore, it wasn't a straight up-and-down climb, and it wasn't too difficult to scale. Although it was a bit slippery on top, we had knives in our hands, so with some grit and determination, we could make it up.
However, while this process posed little problem for us, it was a torment for those like Yuguo who were "injured"!
Looking at my own hands that had turned red and swollen from the cold, resembling two large steamed buns of differing colors, it was a sight to behold. It was the first time I had seen my hands in such a state; however, others' hands were similar—red and swollen, likely numb from the cold.
The "ice mountain" was high, and the Blood Dragon was large; the climbing process was both painful and arduous.
Ahead of us lay a path that seemed devoid of hope, yet we desperately used our hands and sweat to create that hope. God knows how much I wanted to leave this bizarre place; I wore many layers of clothing that restricted my movements, and my hands were red and swollen—any exertion caused pain.
...
After two days of climbing, I could clearly sense the air of despair surrounding us. In this frozen world, aside from us few people, there seemed to be no signs of life. There was no wind, no clouds, and no distinction between day and night. We couldn't see the blue sky or find any hope...
I couldn't imagine how my dad and the others managed to get out; did they also feel like we do now? Once sweating profusely while holding onto a sliver of hope as they climbed upward, only to endure immense pressure and faith... before jumping down?
Now all I could do was hope my guess was correct—that this truly is an Ice World shaped by our hearts. Only then could we have even a tiny bit of hope to return to our original world.
I didn't know how long we had been climbing; morale had dropped more than twofold since we started. I could clearly feel everyone's irritation, confusion, worries, and helplessness.
The cold here heightened my senses; my mind was clear but my body felt extremely fatigued—I just wanted to rest for a bit. So I stopped to suggest taking a break before continuing our ascent. Turning around to check on their situation, I suddenly realized that I had unknowingly been left alone!?
What the heck! Did I climb so earnestly that I didn't even notice I'd drifted away from the group? Clearly, I was exhausted; it would be better to rest here for a while and wait for them to catch up.
As for why I said I lagged behind, it's because we had been climbing at the front of the group all along—especially Lime; his skills surpassed mine so he had long lost sight of us.
Now regarding why Lime's skills were so exceptional, I no longer puzzled over it or questioned it. Lime claimed he had an Immortal Body; after each death came rebirth, and with every rebirth he retained memories from his past lives. So one could say he has been able to practice various martial arts since the moment he was born? Although as an infant he wouldn't have been able to practice much.
I just want to ask: would Lime's parents be scared if they encountered such a child?
Anyway, I don't believe someone like Lime would cry loudly when he was born or during his first few months; so ha ha ha, that's just Bagua thinking right now. After finishing my food, I lay down where I was, curling up as much as possible to retain body heat, slowly closing my eyes in preparation for sleep.
At this moment, I felt very comfortable, a long-lost sense of relaxation, and my mind became a bit clearer. With my eyes closed, I began to think and organize what had happened so far, as if almost everything was playing like a movie in my head. I tried my best to remember some details, and suddenly thought of the female ghost we had captured.
As for the people from the Spirit Department, during this time, those who could be summoned had already been called back and were now part of The Dead. So, as soon as I "entered," everyone started asking me where I was now and whether I had returned to the original world.
Naturally, I told them that we were climbing that enormous iceberg and informed them of our next plans. Everyone gasped in disbelief, looking at me as if ordinary people could hardly imagine such a leap. In fact, even I had only thought of it in that moment.
Because I am the kind of person who acts on whatever comes to mind, that's why I found myself halfway up the mountain now.
"What about that woman?" I directly asked Jiang Feng.
In this world, everything could change according to my thoughts, so it was no longer empty here; there were small houses and places for leisure and entertainment. When bored, they could even gather around for a game of Mahjong or play cards. In short, I would do my best to meet their needs regardless of the conditions.
Jiang Feng was lying on a lounge chair resting. Hearing my question, he opened his eyes and sat up while replying, "She's just a little minion; she doesn't know much." After a pause, Jiang Feng added, "In my opinion, she doesn't know any more than you all do."
"Okay." I nodded. From the beginning, I hadn't really expected to extract any useful information from her. Now that I didn't know anything, it was fine; I hoped she wouldn't cling to the mortal world and would reincarnate as a human soon.
Looking at everyone here, most of them had already gotten to know each other somewhat; however, there was still a sense of separation.
"Since everyone is here today, it’s clear that you sincerely want to cooperate with each other." As soon as I spoke, the chatter quieted down. I continued, "You all know that every member of The League of Shadows is equal, but equality does not mean absolute freedom. I hope that since you have come here, you will not hold any prejudices. You may come from different times and spaces, and each person's beliefs and interests are different."
"Perhaps some of you are truly here due to unfortunate accidents, but I believe most are here out of curiosity and a spirit of adventure. Although I feel unfortunate about your misfortunes, the future is in your hands. Danger and death are no longer significant matters for you; future adventures await you. In the coming time, I will share with you the main purpose of The League of Shadows. I hope you will carefully consider whether to join us in adventure, in battle, and in seeking the truth of the world!"
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