Chapter 1013: True and False

Chapter 1013: Truth and Falsehood

Scalding tears traced paths through the twisted furrows of Li Huowang’s face, eventually dripping from his chin onto the floor. He stared at the motionless Yang Na before him, feeling utterly helpless.

Wu Qi, standing to the side, sighed and explained, "You’ve lived in a mental hospital too; you know how these cases go. A large portion of severe depression manifests exactly like this. I can hardly imagine how she even managed to find her way here."

"Nana?" Li Huowang gently shook her, but her unfocused pupils offered no response. Yes, he had looped back again, but something felt different this time.

In previous loops, the first thing Yang Na would do upon seeing him was ask about his missing eye, not sit there like an empty, soulless vessel.

After calling her name a few more times, a thought struck him. He leaned in and whispered, "Is it because I stole your Dao of Death? Is that why you’ve become like this?"

As he repeated the question, his conviction grew. He nodded vigorously and said, "I’ll give it back to you, alright? I’ll give it back!"

Li Huowang leaned in and kissed her. He bit his tongue hard, letting the metallic tang of blood flow into his mouth, then pressed his lips to hers, feeding it to her.

Feeling it wasn't enough, he even tore at the soft tissue inside his mouth, offering the flesh and blood to her.

Once finished, he held her tightly, whispering into her ear, "Nana, come back. The death is yours again. You are the Wusheng Laomu once more, the Dao of Death itself!"

"Come back and help me. I cannot face Qing Wanglai without you."

Watching the couple embrace and kiss, Wu Qi pursed her lips, grabbed her medicine, and turned to leave the room.

Li Huowang held Yang Na, murmuring incessantly. After half an hour of this, a change finally occurred.

"Huowang? What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Is it something I did?" Yang Na’s thin hand gently stroked his back.

As Li Huowang pulled away and looked at her, he saw the light returning to her eyes.

"Huowang... what happened to your eye? Why is there only one left? Is it because of me?"

Hearing that familiar response, Li Huowang finally let out a breath of relief. Yang Na was normal again.

"It’s fine, it’s fine," he sighed, pulling her into his arms once more.

"I’m alright, Huowang. I was just lost in thought. I’ve figured it out now, don’t worry." Now, it was Yang Na who comforted him.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but she seemed more confident than before.

"Knock, knock, knock." The sound of the door interrupted the tender atmosphere.

Li Huowang turned to see Yi Donglai standing at the door, his expression frantic, as if something was wrong.

"Come in. Nana is one of us."

Hearing this, Yi Donglai entered and locked the door behind him.

He was about to speak, but Li Huowang suddenly realized something. His face changed, and he stopped him. "Wait."

Li Huowang stood up and began rummaging through the room.

There wasn't much to search, and soon he found what he was looking for: a black listening device.

"I should have known! With Qing Wanglai’s personality, he wouldn't leave without planting ears!" He ripped it off, pulled out the memory card, threw it into his mouth, and ground it to pieces between his teeth before swallowing.

Yi Donglai and Yang Na were shocked, feeling as if invisible eyes were watching them. They immediately began to help him search.

Through their efforts, they found a second bug in a chair leg and a third inside the wardrobe. Clearly, Qing Wanglai had left multiple backups.

"That bastard is cunning," Li Huowang spat, crushing the devices in his hand.

Qing Wanglai had been plotting from the start, monitoring everyone in secret. His so-called plan had been in motion for a long time.

That was why he had always held the initiative, but things were different now. He had looped back, and he knew the man's goal. The initiative was back in his hands.

"Huowang? What is going on? Why are these things here? Who put them there?"

Li Huowang glanced at Yi Donglai and then at the pale-faced Yang Na. He sat down, pulling Yang Na onto a stool beside him. "Nana, there are things I need to explain. A lot has happened, but you’ve forgotten it all."

It was necessary to tell her about Qing Wanglai’s conspiracy. If they were to strike, he needed people he could fully trust.

"Nana, do you understand? Qing Wanglai is the Three Pure Ones; he has gone completely mad. We must find a way to contain him and devour the Dao he carries."

Yang Na nodded firmly, accepting the statement calmly. "I understand. What do we do first?"

Li Huowang pondered for a moment. "We must find Zhao Shuangdian first. We have to make contact with them. If we attack Qing Wanglai now, he might manipulate them into fighting us."

Since he held the advantage, everything was manageable. As long as the other deities of Baiyujing weren't swayed, Qing Wanglai and the Dice-man were no match for them.

"Wait a minute," Yi Donglai interrupted. "Xiao Li, tell me what is going on! What is all this!"

Clearly, faced with this chaos, Yi Donglai could not comprehend the situation.

"At this point, don't you understand? I am not mentally ill! Everything I’ve said is true, and everything you wrote in your thesis is true!" Li Huowang repeated, his patience wearing thin.

Yi Donglai looked lost. "Even if what you say is true, what does that have to do with me?"

"How can it not? You said it yourself—you are the Great Nuo! You are the Great Siming!"

Veins bulged on Yi Donglai’s forehead, his face turning beet red.

"That was because you were threatening my sister! I was just making things up to fool you! It was all fake!"

"Fake?" Li Huowang smiled.

"Do you think it’s fake just because you say so? I once thought the recipe I gave Danyangzi was fake, too! Yet he became an immortal!"

"There is no truth or falsehood! You are the Great Siming! Your words manifest reality! The moment you said you were the Great Nuo, you became the Great Nuo!"