Chapter Nine: Two Drops of Liquid

Clang!

A crisp sound rang out as the cylindrical metal that had released a drop of black liquid finally lost its ability to hover in midair, plummeting to the ground.

Shen Lie’s hearing had not vanished; he heard the metallic cylinder hit the floor. Yet his eyes remained fixed, unmoving, staring intently at the space a foot before him, where two drops of liquid were locked in a fierce struggle.

Yes, a struggle. Shen Lie felt that this word was not misplaced; the state of these two liquids truly warranted it. One drop was black, the other yellow, tangled together like enemies of nine lifetimes, each alternately devouring and tearing at the other. Both radiated a powerful aura, giving Shen Lie the sense that, regardless of which side prevailed, his own fate would be far from pleasant.

This stalemate did not last long. Within mere seconds, the outcome was decided: the large, imposing mass of yellow liquid, despite its threatening presence, gradually fell behind. The black liquid, though smaller, began to envelop it, steadily consuming its territory.

Shen Lie had no idea what would happen once the black liquid claimed victory, but compared to the malicious aura of the golden liquid, he found himself hoping for the black liquid’s triumph. The current situation seemed the best he could hope for, though he was no more than a lamb awaiting slaughter, powerless over the outcome.

Bit by bit, the black liquid ate away at the golden one. The golden presence dwindled, shrinking from half to a third, then less, until only a faint glimmer remained within the darkness.

Just as Shen Lie anticipated the final reckoning, the golden liquid wrapped in black suddenly swelled violently. The two entangled drops ballooned as if inflated, growing rapidly. The black liquid tried to compress them, but to no avail. The golden liquid expanded ever larger, until it reached the size of a fist—then, with a thunderous burst, it shattered the black liquid’s confinement, scattering into a cascade of golden brilliance.

Shen Lie was stunned, so mesmerized he forgot his own peril. He watched as the golden radiance spread, then coalesced into a slender stream, darting forward like a swimming fish toward his brow. He felt that witnessing such a miraculous spectacle was worth a lifetime.

The golden liquid, now transformed into brilliance, believed it had escaped the black liquid’s grasp. Yet it did not expect the black liquid to explode in turn—not into starlight, but into a swath of black radiance, like a veil that swept over all the golden glow, then condensed into a single, smaller drop. This drop, together with all the golden brilliance, pierced into Shen Lie’s brow.

The battle between the liquids was finally over, but Shen Lie saw no conclusion, for at the very moment when the scattered golden light and shrunken black night entered his brow, he fell into unconsciousness once more.

Shen Lie dreamed—a dream so bizarre and strange. At one moment, he found himself transformed into a golden giant, his body overflowing with strength, seeming capable of plucking the sun, moon, and stars at will. Then he was a cloaked figure in black, frail and withered, yet his spirit was vigorous, holding a cold indifference toward all things, as though every creature but his own kind were insignificant as ants.

The two perspectives alternated and intertwined, nearly splitting his mind. In the end, he discovered he had become both: the golden giant and the black-cloaked man. Arrogance, indifference, frenzy—emotions tangled together, threatening to shatter his soul even within the dream.

And then—

He saw a streak of black light and heard a cry of unwillingness.

…

He had no idea how much time had passed before he awoke from his coma.

His body had returned to a normal human form; the monstrous shape was gone. Of course, he was unaware of this, and had no mirror to confirm it. His first act upon waking was to lie dazed upon the ground.

He had always forgotten his dreams upon waking, but this time the visions were so vivid and unforgettable that his mind replayed them over and over, even in wakefulness.

It was a long while before Shen Lie emerged from the chaotic memories of his dream and surveyed his surroundings, suddenly recalling his predicament.

“Is it… over?”

He remembered the moment when the two strange liquids entered his brow. At the time, he’d thought he was doomed—either possessed by an evil soul or poisoned and rotting. Yet all that had happened was a dream.

He moved his limbs, finding sensation restored. Shen Lie quickly stood and examined his body.

“No injuries at all? And I feel full of strength?”

He checked himself and found not only had he suffered no harm, but the hunger and weakness that had plagued him had vanished. He felt his body surging with power, a mysterious energy lurking in his blood, urging him to release it.

He exhaled.

Instinctively, Shen Lie threw a punch. The wind whistled around his fist, proof of its force. But what truly shocked him was that as he punched, his entire fist turned a faint gold.

The sudden transformation startled Shen Lie. He had thought his body unchanged, only to discover this strange phenomenon. Clearly, his optimism had been premature.

He could not tell whether this was caused by the golden liquid he’d drunk or the black substance that entered his brow, but now was not the time to investigate. Whatever the cause, survival was the best outcome; this place was steeped in strangeness, and lingering longer would be unwise. He needed to leave as soon as possible.

He checked his phone and found it had shut down, the battery dead. Before his coma, there had been two bars left; his phone was renowned for its long standby time. That meant he had been unconscious for a very long time.

This realization made him even more determined not to linger. The place was a dead end, the patterns were not teleportation arrays, and he could not guarantee survival if he touched anything else. Now, with his strength greatly increased, he could maneuver for longer. Perhaps the giant insect had departed, making the fissure his best hope for escape.

With this in mind, Shen Lie cautiously surveyed the shattered golden bones and the massive dark red chair atop the golden platform, resisting the urge to act rashly, and began to retreat step by step toward the doorway.

“Maybe I need a weapon.”

His gaze fell upon the black, sharp-tipped cylindrical metal object amid the golden bones. Desire stirred within him. It was the only weapon he had seen in this entire space, and its previous display proved it was no ordinary item. If he didn’t take it now, he might never have another chance.

He hesitated briefly, but greed won out. Gritting his teeth, Shen Lie hurried to the golden platform, grabbed the object, and without looking back, dashed out of the grand hall.