The whole weird world is waiting for me to go to heaven

Chapter 1185 Flickering Candlelight
"Stop talking!"

Liu Changsheng roared and covered his ears with his hands.

Little Horse came closer.

He gently rubbed against her arm.

The cold, plastic texture, however, gave her a strange sense of warmth that settled in her heart and dispelled those unpleasant sounds.

"what happened?"

Ariel is back.

Who are you talking to?

Liu Changsheng certainly didn't want to say what was on his mind.

These words, though she didn't want to admit it, had rolled around in her heart countless times.

So she just shook her head: "It's nothing."

Did they agree?

"Yes, but we can't go too far. We have to take the Heavenly Sword with us."

Ariel pointed to his head.

"Let's go, take me to see that place you mentioned."

Liu Changsheng nodded.

He voluntarily rode onto the pony.

Ariel didn't ride with them; he just stood by, holding the reins that were adorned with little stars and jingling heart-shaped bells.

This is a dark street, with the jagged outlines of half-collapsed buildings in the distance, and the shops on both sides are pitch black, like open beast mouths.

However, after walking for a while, they did not encounter any strange creatures. They only felt that something in the darkness was watching the man and the ghost.

Walk across the street until you reach a place that resembles a small community center garden, where there are some recreational facilities for children—a slide, a seesaw, and a small spinning wheel.

As Liu Changsheng stepped inside, the surrounding light brightened, illuminating everything clearly.

The slide, which had been broken by the erosion of time, was restored to its original state. The seesaw, which had been broken in two, seemed to have been bent back by an invisible hand. The rust on the small turntable disappeared, and with a gentle push from Ariel, it began to turn smoothly.

Ariel smiled.

"So this is the kind of place you're talking about."

"Yes!"

“Once Sister Hongshan regains her powers, she has an even bigger amusement park than this one, and you can go play there with her.”

Liu Changsheng's eyes widened. "Really! There are even bigger ones than this!"

Ariel nodded. "Yes, there are lots of fun games too."

"Can anything be more fun than this?"

"Ah."

"Alright, I'll wait."

"I hope I can live to see that day..."

The last sentence was spoken very softly, and Ariel didn't hear it clearly.

"What did you say?"

"nothing!"

Liu Changsheng shook his head, smiled, jumped onto the top of the slide on his pony, then jumped off and slid down the slide.

Little Horse, however, didn't dare to move at all, neighing and circling around on it.

Ariel quickly brought the pony down.

"Don't bully Zauhar."

"It even has a name now!"

"Yes, I used to... also had a horse."

"Is it like this too?"

"That's not necessarily true; it's much softer."

Ariel stroked the plastic pony, lost in memories—

From being a tiny bundle of a baby that couldn't even stand up properly when it was born, to later learning to run and frolicking on the grassland every day.

If someone bullies him, he buries himself in his mane and cries. Zaukhar will comfort him by nudging his hand with his head, his warm breath making his palm wet.

And then later—

It was you who killed it.

A single sentence resonated deep within Ariel's heart.

Ariel was startled. The cold plastic under his hand suddenly became warm and wet. Looking down, he saw that his hand was covered in bright red blood.

The little horse before them had its head severed, steam still rising from the cut, flesh writhing within, as if something else was about to emerge—

"Aaaaaah—!"

……

The two children quietly returned.

But seeing this, Zhang Lan knew something must have happened.

Liu Changsheng looked sullen.

Ariel then led the pony to the door.

I wiped it with my clothes again and again.

"Don't wipe it anymore, it's already very clean," Zhang Lan said proactively. "What's wrong? You didn't bully Changsheng, did you?"

"Of course not!"

"What happened?"

Ariel shook his head, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I guess... I'm homesick. I suddenly remembered the grasslands of the northern desert and my horse."

Zhang Lan sighed and touched the top of his head.

"We'll be able to go back soon."

"But after we go back... how long will it be before we have to leave? March 14th, that's less than a month away."

"And then, we had no home."

Ariel lowered his eyes.

This is true, but nobody wants to call it out.

"But we will definitely leave."

Zhang Lan looked around. The gray snow covered everything, and all was quiet except for the soft sound of snow falling.

"Yes, that's definitely impossible."

Ariel knew.

He didn't know what would happen after the day of his arrival.

All I know is that the cold night is irreversible, and there is no future if I stay there.

Perhaps in the end, it will all become eerie, just like Liu Changsheng, forever frozen in that moment in the cold night...

At this moment, Ariel suddenly frowned.

Zhang Lan noticed something was wrong: "What's wrong?"

"It suddenly occurred to me... that the surroundings seem too clean."

Zhang Lan was puzzled, but then she thought, "It seems so, you didn't encounter anything just now?"

“That’s right. The cold night is full of strange creatures. Normally, even in a safe zone, we would encounter at least one or two strange creatures in a single area.”

“But we’ve been walking for so long, and there’s not even a trace of anything strange, let alone one or two.”

Zhang Lan's gaze sharpened: "So clean, that means—"

Ariel continued, "Either there's a more powerful monster nearby, or—"

"Someone else has been here and cleaned it!"

"They haven't even left yet."

"Grandmaster, please go and tell Senior Mingyuan right away."

"Of course."

"You should stay up there and keep an eye on things."

Ariel nodded.

He activated the Inverted Temple, hanging himself upside down in the air, overlooking the entire encampment.

Zhang Lan then went to Li Ming to explain the situation.

Li Ming took it seriously and silently expanded the coverage area of ​​the Skynet, but after a long while he still shook his head.

"I didn't sense anything, but it was definitely too clean. It's obvious that someone cleaned up the ghosts in the vicinity."

"Moreover, the other party's methods were very covert, leaving no trace, which should give them a certain advantage in terms of concealment."

"Based on these characteristics, among these ten teams, there are either the Mist Village clan that we have dealt with before, or the Hermick clan that is good at curses and sacrifices."

After thinking for a moment, Li Ming asked again, "Is there anything unusual?"

"abnormal?"

"Anything that is different from the situation of the past few days can be considered as such."

Zhang Lan thought for a moment, then recounted the apparent unpleasantness between Ariel and Liu Changsheng, but added:
"It's possible for children to argue occasionally."

Li Ming shook his head: "Ariel is precocious and treats Liu Changsheng like a younger sister, so she always gives in to her and won't argue with her."

"Liu Changsheng looks like a child, but in terms of age, he is probably much older than you and me."

"That childishness is just a facade. She doesn't want to seem abnormal, and she won't easily argue with Ariel. She appears boisterous, but she's actually carefully observing our expressions, just in case she offends us."

Zhang Lan thought about it and realized that it was indeed true.

She sighed silently, "I really am an incompetent mother; I can't even understand what these children are thinking."

"How did this come about?" Li Ming smiled gently. "It's just some observations about people."

"Although you are not good at these things, I heard that it is precisely because of your strong ability to handle affairs that you are highly valued by the Empress."

"Think about it, in a place like the palace where everyone is shrewd, you were able to surpass others through your abilities, which shows your capabilities."

Zhang Lan nodded.

"Alright, I'll leave the placement of these strange creatures to you, especially their personalities. You should observe them closely to avoid any conflicts that might arise when they're put together. The strange creatures haven't fully transformed yet, and their personalities are prone to extremes."

Zhang Lan knew that this was the late emperor giving him a hint.

After all, she was a female official in the palace, so there was some connection between them, and she could often feel Li Ming taking care of her.

"clear."

"Please get some rest. You must be tired from the journey."

The journey was mainly made possible by Liu Sheng's real-time and precise control of the magic array, as well as Li Ming's energy conversion and output.

Neither of them ever really got a break.

Therefore, Zhang Lan was happy to take over the remaining trivial matters.

Compile the list, then assign accommodations and arrange night watch.

Incidentally, we also need to keep track of the progress of spiritual transformation.

Like Liu Changsheng, probably because of Grimman's nourishment, he was the first to evolve, and his chaotic transformation is almost complete.

There might be other strange creatures in similar situations.

Once Zhang Lan made up her mind, she began to carry out meticulous work.

After the assignments were completed, there were still six hours of rest time left. Zhang Lan chose a train and stayed inside to practice her spiritual cultivation while keeping watch at night.

However, she still couldn't calm down, constantly reviewing the arrangements she had just made—

The strange creature found in the closet is quite alarming; it has to live alone in a small room.

There was also that strange creature from the butcher shop, who was always quite fierce. Originally, Zhang Lan wanted to lock it up separately, but after thinking about it, she arranged for it to be placed with another strange creature with a gentle temperament.

The creature seemed to have been an old woman who loved knitting. She spoke softly and was always knitting something with a gentle smile.

But Zhang Lan had observed it.

If someone crosses the line, its fuzzy thread will turn into sharp silk and sever the other person's hand.

There was also the little girl found under the ruins, who was much younger than Liu Changsheng's age. She was still at an age where she loved to play, but unfortunately, her parents were gone. Zhang Lan then arranged for her to stay next to Ariel.

He must have quite a bit of experience.

Thinking about these things, Zhang Lan's heart gradually calmed down.

She felt she had handled it well.

Yes, you handled it very well.

If only you had received some guidance back then and learned how to handle these situations.

That way you can keep your husband's heart.

"I can also see your daughter's loneliness, so I won't let her live such a miserable life..." A hoarse voice echoed in her heart.

Zhang Lan suddenly opened her eyes—

my daughter……

You say you want to live for yourself, is that true?

Don't you want to atone for your sins?

Otherwise, why would you be here?

You weren't thinking that you could atone for your sins by helping her, protecting her best friend, or standing up for her when she needed you.

But do you really think you can go back?
impossible.

You will not be accepted by her.

There will be no true bond of faith between you.

It wasn't just her.

This applies to you and everyone else.

You know you simply don't have that ability.

You can't truly form a bond of trust with anyone.

No, they all believe me!

I believe in you...

But do you believe in yourself?

You've become such a grotesque figure; you're probably on the verge of falling into the abyss at any moment. You've always known this, but you've never dared to say it.

I won't!
You are nothing but the abyss of fear.

It's alright, I will guide you and show you that the abyss is never scary...

Zhang Lan opened all her eyes again.

A figure was standing at the train door, seemingly out of nowhere.

The man was wearing a black bird feather cloak and a white bone mask on his head. The mask's eye sockets were empty and white, and he glanced at her coldly.

Then he turned and left.

Zhang Lan caught up quickly without hesitation.

As soon as she stepped out of the car, she passed through the moon gate.

Instead of the dry, soft gray snow beneath her feet, she found herself on a bluestone path. She instinctively tried to use the vines to move, but discovered that her hands and feet were very stable and she couldn't extend them at all.

How is this going?

Zhang Lan looked down at her hands.

Those were a pair of fair and slender hands.

It wasn't a crude, tangled mess of vines.

She wore a light blue long dress, the hem of which swayed with the ripples of the water. With a slight movement of her head, the tinkling of jade pendants could be heard from her ears and hair.

This is what she used to be like.

She recognizes this place too.

It was the courtyard where she had lived most of her life.

Zhang Lan walked into the courtyard step by step.

A breeze swept through the corridor, carrying the delicate fragrance of orchids, and a thin layer of moss covered the bluestone by the pond.

In the distance, the servants spoke in hushed tones, their footsteps light and hurried.

Did she really go back?

Returning to the courtyard she thought she would never go back to?

Suddenly, a baby cried.

She paused, then quickened her pace, passed through the many moon gates, and suddenly pushed open the door deep within the orchid garden.

In the center of the room, in a cradle, a baby was waving its arms and legs, crying until its little face was red.

The text is slightly concise.

The text is very, very small.

"Lan'er, what are you doing here all by yourself?"

Zhang Lan's heart tightened, and she almost frantically picked up the child.

Even though I haven't done this movement for many years, my body seems to remember it.

She naturally supported the child's neck, pulled her into her arms, and gently patted her back.

Wen Weilan quickly quieted down.

It's a tiny, incredibly soft ball, and it has a faint milky scent.

Zhang Lan's heart suddenly softened.

This is her child...

Who could have imagined that so many things would happen afterward?

Heartbroken, she no longer wanted to take care of the child, because whenever she saw Wen Weilan, she would be reminded of how much of a failure and how ridiculous she had become.

But now that I think about it, how fair was that to Wen Weilan?

"I'm sorry, my child, I'm so sorry..."

Wen Weilan nestled in her arms, her fingers unconsciously gripping the jade pendant on her chest, jingling and swaying it.

It got dark outside without us even noticing.

A faint light suddenly appeared inside the room.

Zhang Lan looked up and saw a candle burning on the table.

The flames flickered gently, casting a dim yellow light all around.

She frowned slightly. "Why are we using candles today?"

The maid outside the door replied softly:

"Madam, the Skynet seems to be malfunctioning today. It can't connect to the energy source, so we can only use candles in the manor for now."

"Skynet...can't connect?"

"Yes. We've already contacted Qingyun Pavilion, and they said they'll send someone to inspect tomorrow."

Zhang Lan frowned even more deeply.

She subconsciously patted the child in her arms.

"Madam, it's time to sleep," the maid outside the door said again.

"is it?"

"Would you like me to help you blow out the candles?"

Zhang Lan looked at the candlelight on the table.

"Need not."

"Let me look at the book first."

She still remembers that she used to keep Wen Weilan company as she fell asleep here.

Feeling bored before bed, I placed a few books on the tatami mat.

"This candlelight is not bright enough; Madam, please be careful as it may strain your eyes."

"Don't worry, I know."

"Then Madam, please remember to blow out the candles before you go to sleep. I will not disturb you and Miss any longer."

After he finished speaking, it became quiet outside the door.

Zhang Lan, holding her child, sat on the chaise lounge.

The strange feeling in my heart grew stronger and stronger.

It's as if all the loose threads are already floating on the surface of the water; with just a gentle tug, the entire net can be pulled out.

She looked down at her book.

The words on the pages were blurry and illegible.

Every stroke is right in front of me, yet no matter how hard I try, I can't see it clearly.

"It seems this candle really isn't good."

She whispered.

"I've gotten used to the Spirit Pearl Lamp... no, it should be called the Source Power Lamp now."

"The Skynet's source energy output is more stable and more energy-efficient. All thanks to the invention of the Azure Cloud Pavilion..."

At this point, Zhang Lan suddenly stopped.

Her gaze fell on Wen Weilan.

Little Wen Weilan was playing with her vines.

Then, his gaze fell on the broken candle.

The candle was a cold gray.

I don't know what material it is, but what melts and flows down is a yellow, viscous liquid, like some kind of murky grease.

The light was dim and hazy; if you looked at it for too long, it felt like your soul was being sucked in.

That's why Zhang Lan became somewhat mesmerized as she watched.

That fleeting thought of clarity was gradually suppressed by the firelight.

Time to sleep.

That's what she was thinking.

She was as if she were asleep.

At this moment, the drowsiness seeped out from deep within my body, growing heavier and heavier, dragging my consciousness downwards...

Wen Weilan, who was standing next to her, also yawned.

Its little mouth opened, and it even raised its hand to block the light, as if it thought the candle was too bright.

Zhang Lan couldn't help but smile.

She held the child, bent down, and prepared to blow out the candles.

But just as his lips were about to exhale—

She stopped.

That breath hung in my throat.

No spitting it out.

In the darkness, something that had been watching her held its breath.

Blow it.

Why aren't you blowing it yet?
Blow it up!

However, Zhang Lan straightened up and smiled at the candle.

The being was stunned.

You're disappointed, aren't you?

The being was suddenly startled.

Because the voice did not come from Zhang Lan in the distance.

It rang in my ears.

A flower orchid was placed near my ear.

At the same time, a vine silently pierced his back.

The crimson color suddenly burst forth.

The entire space was stained with blood.

The chaise lounge, the books, the candles, the cradle, and Wen Weilan, who was crying innocently in Zhang Lan's arms, all disappeared little by little as the space collapsed.

The baby's cry was drawn out and made extremely thin.

It sounded like it was coming from a very, very far place.

Zhang Lan gasped for breath.

A chill swept through the train.

All eyes opened at the same time.

This time it's for real.

She caught her breath and, almost without hesitation, immediately shouted:

"Enemy attack!"