FLME Ch34: Battle Royale Recording

After reading these short stories, Yu Wen fell into a brief silence.

He had always lacked a complete understanding of the Hero’s character. The initial information focused on the events rather than the character’s persona. It wasn’t until he saw these words that the outline of the Hero gradually formed in his mind.

Hero, Hero.

Even without a sword, he would challenge cursed magic.

No mountain range could stop his unwavering determination.

…This was an exceptionally charismatic character.

Between the lines filled with abundant emotion, that young man full of carefree innocence was laughing brightly.

Yu Wen thought that he was starting to fall in love with these sparse words, this fictional story.

Among everyone around him, Chu Han was the most dedicated to acting. Yu Wen had once asked him, if it was just a job, why put in such fervent passion?

Chu Han had answered:

“Acting is a job, but performing is not. To experience what others have experienced, to live the lives of others—this is something that must be respected, and it’s incredibly fascinating.”

Yu Wen didn’t understand this before.

Now, he was beginning to.

Some characters have souls.

“…Let’s go.” After Jian Heng had almost finished reading all the notes, Yu Wen stood up and pulled the door handle, “I want to go to the hall and take a look…”

He had a premonition that the final conclusion would be in the hall.

“Oh, okay…” Jian Heng quickly finished reading the last few lines, deeply impressed by the Hero’s charisma, while also feeling more reluctant—he was about to make a move against the Hero. What a beast he was.

He hopes the audience doesn’t scold him after watching. If they need to scold someone, scold the bard; it’s got nothing to do with him, Jian Heng.

He carefully placed the notes and small objects back in their original spots. Then, when he turned around, the space in front of him was empty—Yu Wen’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

…Where did Teacher Xiao Yu go?!

Did the duck he had in his grasp just fly away?!

–

Teacher Xiao Yu was standing speechlessly in a secret room just one wall away, facing the wall.

Just a moment ago, when he was about to open the door, two walls suddenly extended from the left and directly in front of him, fitting tightly and trapping him inside. 

Immediately, the floor beneath him silently moved, and in the blink of an eye, he was separated from Jian Heng and brought into another space.

He knew the hardcore information from the program team was coming again.

This time, he remained calm, and did not resist. When the ground stabilized, he tentatively took two steps forward. After confirming it was safe, he felt his way ahead.

It was very dark.

It seemed like another secret passage.

At the end was a narrow door. Yu Wen felt around on the wall and touched a small indentation.

Huh?

He hesitated… It seemed to be in the shape of the Holy Cross Sword…

In the darkness, he placed the Holy Cross Sword into the groove.

The narrow door moved and opened before his eyes.

Yu Wen looked at everything in front of him and was stunned.

–

“The most information we have now is from the elf’s letter of self-description.”

Yi Ming proactively took out her letter and placed it on the cold, low table in the basement. “According to my self-description, the great magician shielded me from the Ghost Bird’s attack in a critical moment. He believed I possessed a rare healing magic and was the hope for everyone’s survival. But later, due to exhausting his magic, he couldn’t control his wounds and died. In other words, the indirect cause of his death was me, so I should be able to hunt down the great magician.”

Daniel Li immediately stepped back a meter and exclaimed, “Why didn’t you say this when we formed the alliance?”

Yi Ming: “I didn’t know at the time.”

Fan Xiangyang was amused by the two of them and stepped in to smooth things over: “Alright, alright, it’s not too late to know now.”

Tong Li frowned at the small copper box in front of him.

“The reason the undead linger… What does that mean?”

They had just snatched this small box from a room that had been heavily attacked by the Ghost Birds. There were no guests in that room, yet the Ghost Birds attacked it vigorously, as if they had encountered an enemy. The group had found a way to divert the birds and took a quick look inside, retrieving this small box.

“The undead linger… Earlier, Xiao Jian also said that there was a revenant among us. Could the undead refer to us?” Yi Ming asked.

“Is it asking why we are haunting this place?” Fan Xiangyang joked.

“The reason the undead linger…” Tong Li pondered, “If we are all undead, could it be asking why we are gathered here?”

Yi Ming: “That’s possible!”

Li Daniel: “The password is letters. Could it be our names?”

Tong Li straightened the box and agreed, “That’s possible. Let’s try each one.”

First attempt, the name with the fewest letters: Dwarf.

Wrong.

Yi Ming: “Could it be not in pinyin?”

Fan Xiangyang: “In English? Who’s good at English? How do you say ‘Elf’? How do you say ‘Hero’?”

Second attempt, Elf, in English.

Wrong.

…

Fifth attempt, Hero.

Correct.

Tong Li sighed in relief, while Daniel Li asked in confusion, “Hero? The Hero is the reason the undead linger? Does that mean we’re here because of him?”

“Not sure, let’s take a look first,” Yi Ming said.

The item inside the box was called “Whispers of the Undead.”

Whisper of the Undead One:

【Who am I… I can’t quite remember…

Why am I staying here… I don’t know…

This is a magnificent castle, exuding an aura I dislike.

I don’t understand why I’m lingering here.

Every time I want to leave, a voice echoes in my mind: Wait, wait a little longer, wait for him to emerge from the mountains.

Who is he?

What are the mountains?

This castle is the strongest cage in the world…

But it doesn’t imprison the undead.

So, why am I trapped here?

Who am I?

It seems that someone once called me… the great magician in human history…

I can’t remember.】

Whisper of the Undead Two:

【I saved my companion with healing magic—this is the proudest moment of my cowardly life.

I hid behind them, but this time, I stood up.

Hmm… but I don’t remember who my companion was, or why I saved them.

I am an undead.

I should leave this place and head to the Underworld, to the sunlit fields of reeds for eternal life.

But I linger here, why?

Ah… I remember, I still have a companion. It seems he is alive.

He is lost in the mountains.

I want to wait for him to wake up.】

Whisper of the Undead Three:

【A dragon? A dragon? Why is there a dragon here? Damn it!

I can’t explain it, but I hate it. As soon as I see it, it feels like I’m trapped in a dark, hunger-ridden place!

When I see it, I even want to bathe it!

How can this be, I am a princess!

Eh… am I a princess?

Am I that noble?!

Hahaha, yay!

Why does such a noble princess stay here…

Why not return to the palace, or transform into a bird with wings?

It seems I have a friend…

He went to fight a very powerful magic…

I don’t know if he’s dead or alive.

But with the dragon lurking here, he must still be alive.

So, I’ll wait for him to wake up…】

Whisper of the Undead Four:

【The dragon has come, the dragon has come…

It has finally arrived.

With the Holy Sword in its mouth, the vile bard died under its blade.

It took over the castle, and the demon king’s curse was lifted…

But it did not leave…

Why? Who is it waiting for?

…And who am I?

I, alongside it, have watched this place for a long time.

Waiting for someone to return…】

Yi Ming immediately caught the key point, pointing at the line “took over the castle, the demon king’s curse was lifted”: “So, the information the program team released earlier was all a smokescreen. This is indeed the demon king’s castle, and it was the demon king who abducted the princess. But when the dragon took over the castle, the curse was lifted… What was the curse?”

Tong Li counted, “Four undead, which seems to correspond to the four of us.”

“The first is the great magician, the second is the elf, the third is the princess, and the fourth…” Fan Xiangyang deduced from the information revealed in the whispers but hesitated at the last one, “the dwarf or the hero…”

“Dwarf,” Tong Li stated with certainty. “Don’t forget the password on the box. The reason the undead linger is because of the hero. If any of us is still alive, it must be the hero.”

Everyone started organizing their own storylines, and after ten minutes, Tong Li divided the timeline into “before arriving at the castle” and “here,” drawing out two separate timelines.

She laid out the “here” timeline to everyone, pointing to the missing part in the middle, “The only thing missing now is the demon king’s part, the demon king’s curse, and the reason for the demon king’s death… Once we fill in the demon king’s scenes, the entire story will be complete.”

–

Yu Wen looked at the enormous dragon form in front of him, its cold gleam… and was stunned.

It was a dragon, exactly the same as the one on the dome of the hall. If the glass on the dome was like the soul sealed in the heart of the castle, then this place held the dragon’s body. Roughly estimating, it was six or seven times the size of the glass dome, exuding a silent sense of oppression.

The program team really went all out.

Yu Wen stepped forward. The dragon’s body seemed to be cast from cold iron, reflecting a chilly sheen under the white lights, with each scale meticulously detailed. Even the dragon’s whiskers were lifelike, and if its eyes weren’t tightly shut, it could almost be mistaken for a living creature.

The coiled dragon’s body was at least two meters tall, and as Yu Wen approached, he had to crane his neck and lift his face to look up.

The dragon’s head hung low, the silent giant dragon sleeping in this place.

Around the dragon, small points of light floated. Upon closer inspection, those light points appeared to be palm-sized holographic projections, frozen in countless images.

The broadcast suddenly came on:

“The hero’s collection room… has already been designated a forbidden zone by the castle’s master. Reckless outsider, you should not have come here… Put down the Holy Sword that does not belong to you, and the dragon may forgive your intrusion.”

Yu Wen stared at the coldly sleeping dragon, and as if under some spell, he reached out and touched the scales on the dragon’s neck.

He recalled the dwarf’s notes, which mentioned that the dragon had once removed a soft scale from its neck and handed it to the dwarf for safekeeping, asking the latter to inlay it into the sword’s scabbard once the sword was completed…

Beep, beep, beep—

The health bar suddenly issued a dangerous warning. Just a single touch made his already depleted health bar dangerously close to the safety line, leaving only 21%.

But in the next moment, he noticed the holographic projections around him started to move, as if a video had been unpaused, flowing forward…

He heard the dragon’s sorrowful cries, saw it spiraling above the castle, its figure blending into the rainy night, like a mournful lament.

These fleeting images quickly came to a halt as soon as he withdrew his hand.

Yu Wen stared at the precarious health bar, silent.

He realized that to see the dragon’s “memories,” he had to make contact. However, if he touched it again, his health bar would inevitably drop below the safety line, making escape impossible.

The program team really knows how to create dilemmas.

Yu Wen let out a deep sigh.

Rationally, he knew he should abandon this clue and collaborate with other guests with higher health bars for the least loss and greatest gain. But emotionally… he felt that the one who should unlock the dragon’s memories ought to be the hero.

Not Yu Wen, but the hero.

The hero would touch his old friend without hesitation, regardless of the health bar, no matter the cost.

“This sword is mine.”

He calmly stated to the broadcast.

“Please tell me what happened to you; please tell me why you are lingering here…” Yu Wen reached out, intending to stroke the dragon’s closed eyes. But hesitating for a moment, he suddenly took another step forward, pressing his forehead against the dragon’s lowered head.

Forehead touching cold iron, an icy chill spread.

“My friend,” he whispered softly, the final note lingering like a sigh.

–

On the screen, the young man and the dragon’s foreheads touched, pale white light spilling over them, outlining an unexpectedly harmonious scene of light and dark.

Yu Wen’s eyes were half-closed, a slight smile playing on his lips, making it hard to tell if he was at peace or tranquil. However, as the camera zoomed in, focusing on the corner of his eyes, that tear mole stood out, captivating, casting a shadow beneath his lashes, as if crying.

Who traveled thousands of miles, just for a reunion that was destined to be fruitless?

Reunions with old friends can be either joyful or sorrowful.

The director and assistant director fell silent, and after a long while, the latter emotionally uttered two words:

“Holy crap.”

–

Most of the dragon’s memories were of itself, which makes sense since the dragon was a high-tech creation of the program team. At the time, the identity cards were not confirmed, so they couldn’t predict the future and create a dragon with Yu Wen’s likeness in advance.

But these scenes featured a lot of voiceovers from the hero, likely done by a voice actor hired by the program team.

【”My friend, the people of your capital are not very friendly.” The dragon appeared before the hero, with rotting cabbage leaves on its head and a filthy body, calmly stating the fact.

The hero looked at it, silent for three seconds.

Dragon: “My friend, are you laughing?”

Hero: “Pfft, hahahaha…”

Seventh Day in the Capital:

On the seventh day in the capital, the dragon was “warmly welcomed” by the city’s people. The hero picked off the cabbage leaves from its head and assured it, “It’s definitely because you’re too untidy. Our capital’s people are all clean freaks.”

The hero borrowed a large bath that could fit the dragon from his friend, the princess.

Soaking in the warm water, the dragon let out a contented hum, its tail slapping the water and splashing everywhere.

The hero scrubbed its scales with a large brush.

“My friend, I do not like the capital.”

The dragon said indifferently, “The scenery here isn’t nice, not as beautiful as my home.”

In truth, it was feeling down because of the people in the capital, but it would never admit that. A proud dragon wouldn’t say such things.

The hero was panting as he scrubbed the scales— the dragon was really dirty, and he was sweating profusely.

“Then I’ll tell the great magician and the others,” the hero said with a bright smile, “Let’s go on a journey together to explore other lands!”

Traveling together, going on an adventure.

That would be great.

The dragon: “Alright, I’ll endure this place for a little longer.”

In its excitement, it accidentally cracked the bath with its tail and was scolded furiously by the princess afterward.

She really had a bad temper, the dragon lazily thought.

“The Holy Sword, the Holy Sword isn’t forged yet.” The dragon lay on the grass, basking in the sun, mumbling to itself, “Traveling together, going on an adventure…”

It had promised the hero they would travel together, going on an adventure.

The demon king kidnapped the princess, and the hero’s party regrouped to set out for battle.

The townspeople lined up to see them off.

The hero stroked the dragon’s forehead, whispering softly, “Hey, my friend, please guard the capital for us.”

The dragon nodded weakly.

A dragon constantly circling above the palace, guarding it—what a strange sight that would be.

The dragon honored its promise, guarding the capital it once disliked.

The wisteria flower symbolizes loyalty and friendship.

It kept this in mind always.

But it also remembered another promise. Perhaps, when the hero returned this time, they could fulfill it.

Traveling together, going on an adventure…

Most of the dragon’s memories were related to the hero, filled with joy. But when thinking of their fate, that joy turned into a muted tragedy.

The demon king’s curse included the phrase, “The demon king’s castle will become the strongest prison in the world.” When the dragon finally took over the castle, “the demon king’s castle” ceased to exist, so this curse could no longer take effect.

However, the curse itself still lingered.

The hero remained lost within the curse, his fate uncertain, neither dead nor alive.

And the deceased companions turned into undead spirits, wandering the castle, waiting for someone to awaken.

Up to this point, the story line was complete.

But what moved Yu Wen the most was another scene.

Loyalty, friendship.

“My friend, the wisteria flower is etched into my soul, and I remember our promise. When you return, we will travel together.

I do not know if you are still alive. If you have died, I must remain here forever, so I have divided my body and soul in two. If you have died, my soul will accompany you and our companions, journeying to the peaceful reeds.

No matter whether you are dead or alive, we will travel together.

Even if only as souls.”】