Book 4: Chapter 52: There Really Is a Maze!
Although Shining might chase Chen Heng across half of Rhodes Island to kill him, this had been worth it. One should have dreams in life.
Furthermore, the manual mentioned one might have memories of what happened in the heart maze, but some would not. Chen Heng gambled on Nightingale not keeping the memories. However, he would feel this gamble was worth it even if he lost.
“Alright, Wife, quickly hand me the key. I’ll rescue you.”
Chen Heng again extended his hand towards Nightingale. This time, she hesitated for only a moment before handing the key to Chen Heng.
The metal cage’s invisible barrier did not obstruct her.
Chen Heng accepted the key. This key was completely golden and felt heavy, but that did not matter. The most important thing was he could rescue Nightingale from the cage.
Click! Chen Heng placed the key in the lock and smoothly opened it.
After removing the lock, he opened the cage’s door and entered, extending both hands towards Nightingale.
“Come, Wife, let’s go.”
“Alright.”
Nightingale cooperatively extended her arms, letting Chen Heng take her into his embrace.
Perhaps because Chen Heng had been calling her Wife, she no longer felt so shy about this address.
Chen Heng carried Nightingale out of the metal cage, then walked out the way the Sarkaz captain came.
Now, he did not worry about suddenly appearing on the battlefield. Rather, he really wanted to go to the battlefield, but he knew he could not get there so easily, as he was currently lost.
According to that captain, he would reach the surface after turning the corner and going straight. However, that proved false after he started walking. The underground fortress had turned into a maze.
When Chen Heng discovered that the underground fortress had turned into a maze, he wanted to use brute force to get out. However, he found the walls and ceiling unbreakable.
“Husband, you have been at it for over half an hour. Can you do it or not?”
Over the past half-hour, Chen Heng had been calling Nightingale Wife, which had led Nightingale astray. Now, she felt no qualms about addressing Chen Heng as Husband.
Chen Heng held Nightingale in a princess carry, and she would occasionally rub her head against his chest, a feeling similar to a kitten.
“A man cannot give up. Just wait.”
A drawing board and a pen appeared around Chen Heng, which he handed to Nightingale.
“Wife, I’ll scout the place, and you make a map. That will prevent us from walking backwards. We will get out after trying several times.”
“Alright, got it, Husband.” Nightingale nodded obediently, then picked up the drawing board and started recording.
“…” Chen Heng suddenly felt some regret. Why did he claim to be her lover? While he felt happy at Nightingale addressing him as Husband, what if she retained her memories after they left and she called him Husband?
He was now very thankful Shining had not fixed her sword yet.
That was not the most terrifying thing. It would be fine if the problem got solved after Shining chased after him and beat him up, but wouldn’t it be over if she made him take responsibility for this?
However, the odds of that were slim. If Chen Heng were Shining, he would not plant a flower (Nightingale) in cow dung (Chen Heng).
[TL Note: Flower in cow dung is a metaphor for a mismatch in partners, like something pretty with something unsightly but used to describe romantic relationships, kind of like Beauty and the Beast.]
“Liz, you’d better address me as Ah Heng. My true name is Chen Heng. Honestly, I feel a little shy about you suddenly addressing me as Husband all the time.”
“Got it, Ah Heng.”
Just like this, Chen Heng wandered this endless underground maze, repeatedly running into dead ends while Nightingale recorded their routes. Using the map she made, he found new paths.
Their patience was rewarded. Going by Chen Heng’s reckoning, they finally saw the exit after another two hours.
That was a wooden staircase going up. It should lead out of the underground fortress.
When Chen Heng turned his head back, he found that the extremely complicated maze had turned into a straight line. The corner that the Sarkaz captain turned around was just one hundred meters away.
“…” Chen Heng looked at that passageway and then at the maze map in his hand. Finally, he tossed the map to the ground.
“What’s wrong, Ah Heng?” Upon seeing Chen Heng’s frustrated grimace, Nightingale touched his face with both hands and smoothed down his expression, which had changed slightly from his anger.
“Nothing. It’s about time to leave.” The maze he had worked for nearly three hours to get out of had turned into a straight hundred-meter-long passageway. Who would not get angry? However, this was not the time for anger.
“When can we meet again? I can’t bear to leave you. Erm…how about you just stay in the past with me?”
“…We will meet again after three or four years. It’s impossible for me to remain here, as there are limitations.”
Now, Chen Heng thought, Did I raise her Trust value too high?
Of course, that made sense. After all, he had rescued her and called her Wife for so long.
However, he did not feel happy at all. Instead, he hoped Nightingale would only see him as a friend after she woke up.
This segment would just be a memory in her heart. It should not affect Nightingale much.
“Alright.” Even a blockhead like Chen Heng could make out Nightingale’s disappointed look.
However, he did not console her. Instead, he slowly climbed the stairs and manifested an invisible hand with his Will Energy to pull the metal ring on a trapdoor, as he carried Nightingale with both hands.
With a hard pull on the metal ring, light appeared in the two’s vision. Then loud shouts and miserable cries rang out.
When Chen Heng carried Nightingale out of the underground fortress, he did not find himself on the battlefield but in what should be a treatment center of one of the factions.
While it was called a treatment center, it was just a large tent.
Injured Sarkaz soldiers lay on simple beds in the surroundings. The beds were simply some straw covered with white bedsheets. There were also several Medic-type soldiers bandaging or treating these soldiers.
“Who are you? Where’s the captain?” Chen Heng and Nightingale’s appearance caught the attention of two Sarkaz soldiers guarding the underground fortress’s entrance.
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