Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 258 Lost on the Way Home - The Gate of Bloodstains

Victory is not the end.
Behind the door on the way home,

It may also be lurking,

A new betrayal.

The smoke of battle had not yet completely dissipated, and the flames still flickered in the night, as if burning with resentment and lamentation from the remains of von Blanc.

Si Ming and his group of five stood in the center of the shattered square, their feet resting on broken stone slabs and scattered metal fragments.
Behind them were the last embers of the burning steel behemoth, the scorching afterglow struggling and twisting in the night wind, reflecting the weariness and vigilance on everyone's faces.

After the frenzied battle, an eerie silence descended. There were no cries, no gasps for breath, no mournful wails of the survivors.

Only a few intermittent explosions echoed from afar, like the breath of a wild beast that hadn't quite died in the abyss, lingering among the embers.

"We must retreat immediately," Xin Nai said in a low voice, her eyes sharp as she scanned the surrounding ruins.

Her knife remained unsheathed, her arm slightly tense, her killing intent undiminished.

Natasha flicked her wrist, and the empty magazine landed crisply on the ground. She looked down to check the ammunition levels in her dual pistols, then looked up and chuckled, but her tone carried a hint of barely suppressed irritation:
"The air here is so hot it's almost like it's cooking you, it's like it's scalding your nerves."

Hermann stood beside her, his gaze sweeping steadily over the scorched battlefield behind them, and added in a low voice:
"System notification... The guard was successfully defeated, but no clear return route was indicated."

This is true.

Si Ming had already noticed that the system only briefly displayed one line of text the moment von Blanc was destroyed:
Please find your way home on your own.

There was no reward confirmation, no experience settlement, and no guidance or prompts for evacuation routes.

It was as if what they had accomplished was not a battle, but rather being thrown into another, deeper selection trap.

Not far away, three doors stood silently at the edge of the ruins, as silent and cold as three tombstones.

The doors are all made of heavy metal, with mottled surfaces covered with rust and scorch marks.

Each door is engraved with blurry numerical symbols and strange gear emblems, the lines twisted and bizarre, seemingly subtly influencing some unknown structural system.

Left door, middle door, right door.

Only one of them leads to the true way home.

The cost of making the wrong choice —

At best, they fall into a dead end; at worst, they are wiped out in an instant.

Everyone fell into silence.

Si Ming narrowed his eyes and slowly examined the three doors, his gaze as sharp as a knife, dissecting every texture and scratch.

Nobuna's hand remained firmly gripping the hilt of her sword, her cold gaze sweeping over any potential threat that might destabilize the situation, as if she were ready for another battle at any moment.

Herman was the most cautious; he instinctively reached out and gently pulled Lin Wanqing's arm, shielding her behind him.

In that instant, his movements were not violent, but exceptionally resolute, carrying the natural instinct of a veteran soldier facing risk.

Natasha remained relaxed, the rhythm of her twin pistols pounding against her thighs exuding a cheerful yet arrogant air.

The corners of his mouth curved into a playful arc, as if all this crisis was just some kind of boring psychological game.

The air is burning slowly.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment, and breathing felt like being strangled by a tightly twisted rope. Every second reminded them that hesitation meant death.

Just as the tension was about to break, a soft voice rang out.

"...I remember...when we came here..."

Lin Wanqing spoke up.

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear, like a drop of water falling into a stagnant pool at night, creating ripples. Everyone turned to look at her.

Lin Wanqing swallowed hard, her fingertips trembling slightly, but she still forced herself to raise her hand. Her voice trembled slightly, but every word was clear:
"There's a very thin crack on the upper right corner of that door, like a crescent moon."

She pointed to the middle door, took a deep breath, and continued:
"And in the bottom left corner... there's a gear-shaped protrusion, but it's smaller than the other two doors... about half a circle."

She spoke extremely slowly, almost every syllable trembling as it was forced out of her throat.

But every detail was like a lifeline she clung to tightly in a deadly predicament.

Si Ming's lips curled into an approving smile, and he nodded decisively, his tone low but firm:
"Listen to her."

Nobuna raised an eyebrow but did not object; she simply nodded slightly in acquiescence.

Herman nodded silently and slowly lowered the arm that was protecting Lin Wanqing.

Natasha whistled softly, her eyebrows curving as if delighted by a kitten suddenly baring its fangs:

"Little kitty...you have a good eye for observation."

Si Ming took the first step and walked towards the middle door.

The tiny crescent-shaped crack on the metal door cast a seemingly flowing shadow in the firelight.
And the slightly smaller gear protrusion in the lower left corner, as she said, also seems a bit asymmetrical.

Lin Wanqing bit her lip and followed closely, her eyes filled with barely suppressed tension and anticipation.

Si Ming's fingers touched the cold doorknob.

A burst of light—like a sharp blade slicing through a crack—suddenly bloomed through the crack in the door!
The dazzling light surged forth instantly, engulfing all of them like a raging tidal wave.

The next second, their feet touched the ground again.

The ground was still familiar, with broken stone slabs, dilapidated building outlines, and camp fences blackened by firelight.

It was the ruins and empty space before they set off.

but--

The open space was deserted.

There were no survivors, no guards, and no voice of a commander.

Only the wind, carrying an inexplicable chill, whispered softly in my ear.

The intense sense of eeriness was like a cold saw slowly pulling down from the very bottom of everyone's spine, making people shiver involuntarily.

Si Ming silently squatted down, his fingertips gently brushing across the patch of scorched earth that still held warmth.

His expression was solemn, his eyes sharp as blades, scanning every corner around him.

The temperature was still there, indicating that they had not mistakenly entered a false realm.

There were indeed people here half an hour ago.

The collapsed wall was still dripping stone chips, and the embers of the campfire were still warm.

What about Keren?
Everyone——

are gone.

It was as if the entire camp had been erased from the timeline by some invisible hand before they returned.

The five of them stood in the center of the ruined square, looking at each other with the same emotion in their eyes:
Confusion, unease, and the ever-present fighting spirit.

The wind is still blowing, and the dust is still settling.

But at this moment, they knew—the real nightmare might have only just begun.

"—I'm back!"

A hurried shout came from afar, breaking the oppressive, stagnant air, carrying a hint of surprise and a touch of trembling.

It's Lynn!
Her figure strode out from another entrance, her face full of exhaustion yet determination, followed closely by Duan Xingzhou and Mu Sisi's team.

Their movements were somewhat clumsy, but they did not appear to be seriously injured, indicating that they had gone through a difficult but not devastating battle.

Immediately afterwards, another group of people walked out of the return gate.

It's Vera and Zhuang Yege.

Both of them were covered in abrasions and dried bloodstains, especially Zhuang Yege's right arm, which was almost completely soaked. However, their aura remained as sharp as blades, like undamaged weapons that had not been destroyed by war, their edge still sharp.

When they saw Siming, Xinnai, Herman, and the others standing in the center of the square, a brief moment of relief and comfort appeared on their faces.

But this joy quickly froze.

Because they also sensed that something was wrong.

The air was still thick with the scorching heat and bloodshed of war, but the indescribable sense of oppression...
It seemed to rise slowly from underground, enveloping everyone's heartbeats.

Lynn rushed to Si Ming, her eyes slightly red, but she still tried her best to control her emotions and not let the tears fall.

Her voice trembled slightly, yet it was urgent:

"Are you... okay?"

Si Ming looked at her, gently stroking the top of her head, a tired yet reassuring smile appearing on his lips:
"We're fine. It's really good that you're all back safe and sound."

Vera slowly scanned her surroundings, her expression growing increasingly serious, a sense of unease lurking between her brows.

"Where are the others?" she asked in a low voice.

“Rudolph, Eileen, Lilith, Xu Jinxiao… and—” she paused, her voice trembling slightly, “…Where are Xiao Lianyin and the others?”

No one could answer immediately.

That uneasy atmosphere, like asphalt, seeped from the cracks in the broken stone slabs, thick and heavy, gradually wrapping around everyone's hearts.

Si Ming's expression turned completely cold, his gaze as icy as ice.

“Vera, prepare the barrier,” he said. “Shinnai, Herman, take turns patrolling.”

Without any hesitation, he quickly gave the order, and everyone immediately took action.

The group began to retreat to the edge of the ruins, using the broken walls as cover to build temporary defensive fortifications.

Vera swiftly cast a spell, summoning a low-level life-type healing knight to unleash a healing barrier. The silvery-white aura slowly spread, pulsating like breathing in the night.

Herman and Shinna patrolled the surrounding route one after the other, taking each step from a concealed high point to ensure they could counterattack immediately should the battle resume.

They cannot let their guard down.

It is precisely this eerie silence that foreshadows the impending disaster.

During the brief respite, sweat, blood, and silence wove together a somber melody. No one spoke; everyone's expression teetered on the edge of anxiety.

Half an hour later.

The gate fluctuated again, and with a flash of light, four staggering figures emerged from it.

Rudolph, Eileen, Lilith, and Xu Jinxiao.

But at that moment, everyone's heart sank simultaneously.

That is not the return of the victor.

It was not the survivors who fled.

Rudolf's left trouser leg was torn into strips of cloth, soaked in blood, and his entire leg was almost hanging loosely.

His left shoulder wound, barely bandaged with rags and dense, mysterious runes, was still bleeding profusely.

Eileen and Lilith supported him on either side, their faces as pale as paper, their bodies covered in mud and blood.

Xu Jinxiao was like a walking corpse, his eyes were dull and his steps were chaotic, as if he could no longer distinguish between reality and nightmare.

Lynn instinctively covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.

Mu Sisi's eyes reddened, and she lowered her head to hide her emotions.

Duan Xingzhou clenched his fists quietly, his joints cracking, a kind of suppressed anger bordering on despair.

Vera immediately stepped forward, forming hand seals to summon the [Hymn Angel]'s power to deflect fate.

Holy light, like wings unfolding, fell upon Rudolf's blood-stained body, temporarily stabilizing his precarious life force.

But that faint light also indicated that his condition was still critical.

Si Ming's gaze was deep and his face was ashen.

He took a step closer and grabbed Eileen and Lilith, his voice low and rumbling like thunder:

"what happened?"

Eileen gritted her teeth, her expression a mixture of fear and anger, while Lilith sobbed softly, tears mingling with dust as they slid down her cheeks.

In the silence, it was Xu Jinxiao who spoke.

His voice was hoarse, like a broken string, trembling yet clear:
“...It’s Wang Yichen…” “It’s him…”

Deathly silence reigned.

Xu Jinxiao's every word was like a nail, driving deep into everyone's nerves.

"It's... Wang Yichen." He gritted his teeth, his voice filled with fear, resentment, and confusion.

It was as if she herself could not believe that this name would become the source of that nightmare.

Si Ming's eyes flickered slightly, his voice low and cold as a blade:
"Please elaborate."

Eileen and Lilith exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with unspeakable anger and shame.

Rudolph, panting heavily, managed to straighten his body and nodded with all his might.

There was no fear in his eyes, only a cold resolve, as if he had already made up his mind.

The brief narration felt like dragging everyone into a cold hell.

After Si Ming and his group entered the "War Digital Gate," Rudolf's group originally planned to wait where they were.

But then the madman "Thirteen" suddenly broadcast again, announcing the start of a new round of screening and forcibly refreshing the numerical tasks.

New numerical markings appeared on the back of their hands.

In order to buy time, the group planned to delay their entry as much as possible.

However, Wang Yichen volunteered to take charge of the number grouping.

He smiled and said that he was "good at calculations" and "familiar with this mechanism." At that moment, his tone was extremely confident, and his eyes carried the calmness of a controller.

After much hesitation, everyone ultimately chose to believe.

then--

Rudolf, Eileen, Lilith, and Xu Jinxiao were assigned to the same group.

Wang Yichen, on the other hand, formed a separate group with Xiao Lianyin and He Chengxun, and the two groups went their separate ways.

But behind that door...

This is no ordinary challenge.

But -

[Mechanical Ant Nest]

Countless deformed ants, a fusion of metal and flesh, silently await their prey in the dark corridor.

Once you step inside, it's like a tidal wave—mad, ruthless, and countless.

Rudolf and his men were completely unprepared, lacked sufficient firepower and tactical support, and were thrown into a nightmare with only four men.

If Rudolf hadn't burned the mystery, forcibly repaired and activated a discarded soldier ant, and manipulated it to self-destruct and destroy the hatching core—they would all be dead.

At this point, Rudolf coughed up a mouthful of blood and staggered, nearly falling over.

Vera caught him just in time, forcefully expanding the healing barrier, her jaw clenched as she chanted the spell, cold sweat beading on her forehead.

Lynn's eyes were red and burning, and she bit her lip tightly, remaining silent.

Mu Sisi's hands gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Duan Xingzhou's fists were already red from exerting too much force.

Natasha narrowed her eyes, her fingertips lightly tapping the protective rings of her dual pistols, the rhythm seeming to be a countdown to the start of a slaughter.
The hint of a smile in his eyes had vanished, replaced by the cold glint of a hunter about to lock his throat.

Hermann's face was cold and hard, his lips were tightly pressed together, and his eyes were sharp as blades, as if he could dissect a hypocritical lie.

Nobunai didn't speak, but slowly drew her long sword, the tip of which sliced ​​the ground, leaving an almost invisible white mark.

It was a thread of fate, slowly being pulled tight, on the verge of being severed.

Lin Wanqing spoke in a trembling voice, almost a whisper, yet carrying a mixture of timidity and instinctive unease stemming from an inability to ask:
"...Then...where is Wang Yichen? Where...did they go?"

No one answered.

Because, in that very instant—

The gate shook again.

In the silent, desolate ruins, the gate suddenly emitted a deep rumble, like the beating of a sleeping giant heart being forcibly awakened.

Crimson light slowly seeped out from the crack in the door, like a torn vein burning in the darkness as a wound that never stops flowing.

The next second, a figure fell heavily out of the portal.

Yes—Xiao Lianyin.

She was all alone, stained with blood, her clothes torn, her hair disheveled, her whole body looking like a ghost that had just crawled out of purgatory.

The once radiant, elegant, and proud Fox King of Mirror Village is now almost unrecognizable, with only bloodstains covering his body and a deathly pale expression remaining.

Her steps were unsteady, each step a struggle against gravity, blood streaming from her shoulder, the wound winding down her collarbone, a horrifying sight.

What's most unsettling is the astrological chart on her wrist.

All ten stars shone with a blood-red light.

That is the symbol of the [Star of Reason].

She burned everything she had.

Ten, none spared.

This means that she had lost all her rationality in the previous battle and fought desperately in a near-self-destructive manner, which is how she managed to survive.

Behind her—there was no one.

Those loyal dogs who once followed her like a shadow and swore to die for her, those guards who regarded her as a queen and fought to the death for her, none of them have returned now.

Beneath the empty gate lies the silence of death.

She slowly raised her head.

Those once dazzlingly beautiful eyes are now bloodshot, with disbelief, extreme anger, and hatred surging deep within them, like an out-of-control storm about to burst forth.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but she only clenched her teeth and swallowed all the words back.

The whole place fell into dead silence.

Time seemed to stand still, with only her breath echoing monotonously in the space. That breath carried the force of sobs and gritted teeth.

It felt as if everyone's heart was being gripped by a cold, invisible hand at the same time.

Si Ming frowned, his eyes sharp as blades.

He took two steps forward, but did not rashly reach out; instead, his voice was low and deep:

"what happened?"

Xiao Lianyin trembled slightly, as if she was standing by her last bit of willpower.

She slowly raised her right hand and pointed to the gate behind her.

Her fingertips were stained with blood, her knuckles were swollen, and her nails were almost completely broken off. That finger, like a vengeful spirit crawling back from the abyss of hell, was telling of death and betrayal.

Her voice was low and hoarse, like a broken string on a musical instrument; each word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of her throat with all her might.
“…Wang Yichen…”

"He... betrayed us."

boom!
These seven simple words struck like a thunderbolt, hitting everyone's heart hard.

Rudolf, Eileen, and Lilith's expressions changed drastically in an instant, and even Xu Jinxiao's eyes widened and his lips trembled slightly.

Vera and Zhuang Yege's expressions suddenly turned cold, and a murderous intent quietly surged in their eyes.

Lynn covered her mouth with her hand, her pupils contracted sharply, and she almost lost her balance.

Mu Sisi and Duan Xingzhou both wore expressions of disbelief, as if they had heard a verdict that their worldviews had collapsed.

Siming's eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing in his pupils, his voice as frosty as ice:
"confirm?"

Selene grinned, but the smile was chillingly cold, like a long-planned executioner finally awaiting the moment of sentencing:
"Knew it."

Lin Wanqing's voice trembled, her eyes reddened, and she could hardly believe what she was seeing:
"...Sister Lianyin...how could you......"

Xiao Lianyin slowly lowered her head, her long hair covering half of her face. She raised her hand and wiped the blood and tears from her face haphazardly with her sleeve.

She took a deep breath, and when she looked up again, her eyes were chillingly cold, a mixture of reason and madness, like a demon rising from the ashes:

He lied to me.

"They deceived my trust, deceived my guards, and stole all the power around me."

"Then, behind the last door—"

“They abandoned us in…the slaughterhouse.”

"Slaughterhouse".

She gritted her teeth and repeated those three words, as if they were not words, but an unhealable wound that continued to bleed.

bloody.

betray.

despair.

Every word was like a sharp knife piercing into everyone's marrow, forcing out the deepest chill from their hearts.

She added in a low voice, her tone as if it came from an ice cellar:
"...That's not a challenge."

"That is—a death trap from which there is no return."

The words have not yet fallen.

Behind the gate, a very slight tremor came.

But no new figures emerged.

Only a faint wisp of blood mist silently escaped from the crack in the door, like the lingering scent of a nightmare, slowly dissipating into the air.

At that moment, the same thought came to everyone's mind.

That side—

It was already a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood.

No one will come back.

Si Ming slowly closed his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing, his breathing extremely heavy.

He finally understood.

This war, this city, and the so-called game set up by this madman "Thirteen" were never a fair contest from the very beginning.

It was never just about slaughter.

It's not about selection, but about filtering.

Its selection criteria have never been based on who is the strongest, the most ruthless, or the luckiest.

But -

human nature.

Who can maintain their principles in despair? Who can refrain from betraying the light in darkness?

Those who lose faith, those who seek shortcuts, those who use others as pawns on the brink of life and death—they are the first victims to be swallowed up by this "game".

And Wang Yichen—

His answer has already been given.

"Behind the door on the way home,"

More than just home,

Also buried,

A heart betrayed.

(End of this chapter)