Drama
【Audience Expectation Value +3】
【Current Expectation Value 52%】
Ning Ruyu after plummeting down. 【Luan Mei】 and Wenren You also successively stepped forward. Figures transforming into black dots vanishing under cliff.
Chen Ling blanked. He looking at this scene in front of eyes. In eyes full of blankness.
"【Little Junior Brother】, remember to follow over."
【Mo Jue】 considerately reminded a sentence. Subsequently also kept up with three people. From mountain top cliff one leap jumping down.
【Gray World】's cold wind brushing past mountain top. Taking Chen Ling's red clothes blowing messily fluttering. He walked to cliff edge looking downwards. Besides desolate black great earth. Other anything all didn't have...
When at 【Aurora Domain】. Chen Ling once rode boat crossing frozen sea. As early as several nautical miles outside then could see that black giant sword supporting heaven and standing on earth. And that also only was 【Ancient Vault of the Military Path】's 【Tip of the Iceberg】.
But obviously they already walked to 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】's front. Chen Ling still didn't see its shadow. If not he knowing Ning Ruyu and others' identities. I'm afraid really have to doubt himself whether or not being deceived.
"Could it be, 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】 is under here?"
Chen Ling's gaze looking towards cliff bottom. Empty and vast. Even the several people jumping down just now all don't know whereabouts.
Chen Ling both eyes slightly narrowed. In heart measured and calculated a bit height. Muttering to himself,
"Having 【Blood Raiment】. Even if such high falling down. Ought to also won't die..."
He retreated half step backwards. Subsequently foot sole forcefully kicking at cliff edge. Entire person plummeting downwards!
Violent wind howling. 【Great Crimson Theatrical Robe】 tumbling in midair. Like a plummeting red kite. Streaking across 【Gray World】's midair.
Under intense weightlessness feeling. Chen Ling looking at extremely fast enlarging ground in front of eyes. Both eyes slowly closed...
Just at the instant his figure was about to plummet into great earth,
Black great earth surface. A curtain automatically pulled open!
Whoosh——!
Chen Ling's figure vanishing inside.
...
"All the encounters in the world, are all reuniting after a long separation." (Note 1)
Chen Ling slowly opened eyes.
He sat in front of a snow white square table. Delicate tablecloth carrying complicated carvings. Naturally hanging down. On table displaying a set of expensive tableware. A piece of steaming hot steak currently emitting alluring aroma.
Tick tock, tick tock——
Fine and dense rain beads hitting on 【Glass】 beside body. Outside the western-style retro style storefront. Is a flourishing bustling 【Crossroads】. In distance still has a majestic 【Church】. Buzzing car sounds from far to near. Howling passing by.
"Here is..." Chen Ling looking at surrounding environment. Entire person blanked in place.
Not right ah...
He fundamentally then didn't utilize 【Timeline Save File】. How in a blink of an eye then again returned to the era before 【Great Cataclysm】... Moreover looking still is foreign country?
Chen Ling clearly remembered. Himself just now was jumping down from cliff. Ending only has two kinds. Either falling to death. Either entering 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】...
But the situation in front of eyes is how the matter?
Chen Ling probingly pinched his own hand a bit. Pain sensation extremely clear. He wasn't dreaming.
"Besoin d'ajouter des plats Monsieur?" (【Mister】, still need to add dishes?)
A man wearing like waiter walked to his side. Bending body asking.
"?"
Chen Ling turned head looking at him. Under golden slightly curly hair. Is a still considered handsome face.
Just when Chen Ling dumbfounded time. Restaurant's main door was opened. A white clothes figure passing through busy aisle. Slowly sitting down on the seat in front of Chen Ling.
He towards Chen Ling slightly smiled.
"【First Senior Brother】??"
Chen Ling again pinched himself a bit. He really felt himself was dreaming... After all everything in front of eyes. Truly is too torn, too sci-fi.
"I then knew. You definitely dare to jump down." Ning Ruyu's smile exactly like warm sun,
He took over the menu on waiter's hand. Handing it to Chen Ling's front, "【Second Brother】 【Third Brother】 【Fourth Brother】 are helping you prepare living place. I first come bringing you eating some things... look look still need to add dishes?"
"No... 【First Senior Brother】, this is how the matter? Aren't we in 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】?"
"Right ah, here exactly is 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】."
Chen Ling pointed at this French restaurant. Still have 【Crossroads】 outside door. And distant 【Church】. For a time actually didn't know should from where begin complaining...
"【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】. Opened in France?" Ultimately he only held back squeezing out these eight words.
"No no no, only bringing you eating a meal. Waiting until you finished eating. I then slowly giving you explanation."
Ning Ruyu pointed at the menu.
Chen Ling lowered head looking a glance. Densely packed French text dazzling eyes.
"Oh sorry, forgot opening subtitles." Ning Ruyu waved hands. Behind those French texts. Immediately surfaced lines of Chinese translation.
At menu's highest top. Huge restaurant name incomparably conspicuous:
——【Balthazar】
"【Little Junior Brother】, I comparatively recommend their house's Rossini steak. Already point good for you. If not enough's words. Still can add a portion of monkfish." Ning Ruyu seriously said.
Chen Ling: ...
"No need."
Chen Ling took menu handed passing over. Then silently began eating steak in plate... Although don't know this exactly is how the matter. But Chen Ling tossed about for such a few days. Truly is hungry.
"Then you slowly eat. I also slowly explaining to you." Ning Ruyu drank a mouthful of lemonade. Pausing a moment after. Again asked,
"【Little Junior Brother】, you feel what is 'Drama'?"
Chen Ling gnawed a mouthful of steak. Thinking a bit, "Drama is 【Performance】."
"Not bad. Earliest time. Drama evolved coming out from army 【Sacrifice】 ceremonies inside. Along with era and civilization's development. Extending out all kinds and various categories. Musical instrument playing, dancing, storytelling, traditional opera... It although is appearing due to entertainment. But 'Drama' itself carrying. Is human civilization epitome under different eras."
"In other words, inside '【Theater Dao】' hiding the whole human civilization's evolution history."
Chen Ling could understand Ning Ruyu's explanation. But not understanding why he wanted to speak these with himself. Three two strokes rapidly taking steak finished eating after. Drank mouthful of water. Doubtful asking:
"So ne?"
"The so-called '【Ancient Vault】'. Exactly is 【Divine Pathways】's realistic carrier. It storing since human civilization born onwards. All foundations related to this Path... If saying 【Ancient Vault of the Military Path】 is human civilization inside slaughter and desire's carrier. Then 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】. Exactly is spiritual civilization's carrier."
"From ancient times until now. Every one era's civilization epitome. Every one era's humanistic spirit. All are preserved inside 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】."
Along with Ning Ruyu fingertip lightly lifting. Surrounding scene little by little folded up. Distant 【Church】. 【Crossroads】 outside window. And even that one after another cars speeding past... Just like continuously turning paper pages. Closing in towards Ning Ruyu's palm.
However. This incomparably fantasy-like unforeseen event. Didn't let pedestrians or other waiters feel strange. As if they fundamentally then didn't perceive this world's change generally. As before cheerfully chatting and laughing.
Chen Ling only blinked an eye. Everything surrounding all was folded into Ning Ruyu's palm room... Turned into a circular, flat, slightly reflecting light thing.
Seeing that thing. Chen Ling blanked in place;
That is a 【Optical Disc】.
Ning Ruyu took this 【Optical Disc】 collected entering inside transparent plastic shell. Its surface clearly written several big characters:
——"The Chef" (France), Daniel Cohen, 2012;
This is a movie 【Optical Disc】.
Deng deng deng deng——
Along with lights on top of head lighting up. One after another wooden shelves towering into the clouds exposed amidst Chen Ling's field of vision. As if endless generally extending to the distance... Every one wooden shelf. All stuffed with tens of thousands of 【Optical Disc】 boxes.
Ning Ruyu standing in the center of endless wooden shelves. Towards Chen Ling slightly smiled:
"【Little Junior Brother】, welcome coming to... 【Ancient Vault of the Drama Path】."
...
...
Note 1: Lines selected from the movie "The Grandmaster"