[If of If]
"[Thunder-Choking Finger]."
Jian Changsheng took a deep breath. Using all the strength in his body, his five fingers suddenly clenched and smashed against the curtains!
Thump——!!
A piercing pain came from his knuckles.
Here, Jian Changsheng seemingly couldn't use his skills. His full-strength strike only resulted in a hand full of dripping fresh blood.
Jian Changsheng grimaced frantically from the pain.
At the same time.
In the scene, Chen Ling had already passed through the snow-covered Courtyard. Stepping amidst joyful singing and loud laughter, he pushed open a tightly closed gate.
"Chen Ling, just tell me what you've lost... I'll go find it for you."
"I lost a heart." Chen Ling's tone was grim as if from the netherworld, "And, my younger brother's life."
A palm instantly pierced through that person's chest, and fresh blood splattered on the Folding Screen behind!
Everyone present stood up in shock, and a chaotic slaughter broke out... At the same time, Jian Changsheng seemed to sense something, and a segment of memory wildly surged into his mind... He saw Chen Ling slaughtering in the Courtyard, being nailed to death in mid-air by a Ritual Artifact, and then having his head blown off by a gunshot.
"Damn it..." Jian Changsheng foresaw the subsequent developments, and his heart grew increasingly anxious.
He knew that he had to change something, otherwise Chen Ling's memories couldn't be recovered... Chen Ling saved Sun Bumian, and Sun Bumian saved himself. If Jian Changsheng couldn't save Chen Ling, everything would be meaningless.
But right now, a curtain completely isolated his and Chen Ling's worlds.
Jian Changsheng took two steps back and took a deep breath. His palm subconsciously gripped the silver pendant on his chest... His life had already failed too many times, but this time, to save Chen Ling, he didn't want to fail no matter what.
That silver pendant was the only thing he could pray to... He hoped the God of Luck could favor him once, even if just once.
Jian Changsheng took a deep breath, clenched his blood-covered fist, and smashed it against the curtains!
Thump——!
Thump——!!
While Jian Changsheng desperately tried to intervene in the performance, in the latest play on the bookshelf to the side, lines of text were continuously being written.
[...]
[Severe pain filled Jian Changsheng's mind, but he didn't give up because of it. Instead, each punch was heavier than the last.]
[He didn't know why he had to try so hard. He only knew that if he couldn't save Chen Ling this time, he would never be able to forgive himself...]
[However, the plot of the story will not change due to the intervention of a supporting character, even if he once gained Resurrection due to the favor of the 'Audience'.]
[But what cannot be denied is...]
[The Audience is indeed moved by Jian Changsheng's actions, and is looking forward to a new possibility]
[Audience Expectation Value +4]
[Current Expectation Value: 61%]
[Warning! Warning!]
[The Audience is starting to intervene in the performance!]
Thump——!!!
As Jian Changsheng's shattered palm smashed against the curtains for the umpteenth time, on the bookshelf at the side, a thin piece of paper independent from all the plays surprisingly took shape out of thin air!
[Play No. ?]
[Extra Story —— If of If]
[Lead Actor: Chen Ling]
[Other Cast: Jian Changsheng, ?]
...
Thump——!!!
Fresh blood stained the surface of the curtains, as if breaking some sort of barrier, continuously seeping backward...
Jian Changsheng's fresh blood was like paint dripping onto a canvas, transforming into a mysterious, black star in the sky within the performance.
...
"It actually drew the gaze of the [Way of the Soldier God]?"
Chu Muyun stood under a snow-covered tree, his gaze fixed on the residence in the distance, "I didn't expect him to really be a genius... in this aspect of killing people."
The Great Crimson Theatrical Robe slaughtered crazily in the wind and snow-filled Courtyard. As if faintly sensing something, he raised his head to look up at the sky...
A star exuding the Aura of the Way of the Soldier God was silently gazing at him in the sky.
Divine Path Star.
...
"Seems like it went in a bit?" Jian Changsheng felt the sensation coming from his knuckles, and a faint light gradually lit up in his eyes!
In the next moment, the nothingness behind him swayed slightly, and a white-haired figure wrapped in bandages slowly walked over, looking around somewhat blankly...
Seeing this, Jian Changsheng was overjoyed in his heart!
"Jiang Xiaohua, why are you only here now?"
From the very beginning, Jian Changsheng was alone in Chen Ling's memories. Jiang Xiaohua, who existed simultaneously in Sun Bumian and Jian Changsheng's memories, hadn't appeared here...
"I don't know." Jiang Xiaohua spoke muffledly,
"I couldn't enter his memories no matter what at first... But just now, it seemed to open up to me here."
The two didn't notice that the moment Jiang Xiaohua stepped in here, in the "Other Cast" column of the extra story, Jiang Xiaohua's name immediately appeared right after Jian Changsheng's.
"Hurry and help me! I feel like I can tear it open soon!" Jian Changsheng immediately said.
"... Oh."
Without another word, Jiang Xiaohua walked straight to Jian Changsheng's side, his hands grabbing that tiny gap opened by Jian Changsheng, and slowly exerted force...
...
"It's not just the [Way of the Soldier God]." In the shadows outside the Courtyard, a figure spoke in a deep voice, "Didn't you notice? The star of the [Path of the Witch God] has also reacted..."
"Path of the Witch God? What relationship does he have with the [Path of the Witch God]? Why would he trigger the [Path of the Witch God]?"
"I don't know..."
As the two were talking, a Ritual Artifact inside the Courtyard was fully activated!
Chen Ling only felt his vision blur. The accumulated snow under his feet instantly exploded, and a pale white object resembling a giant's rib pierced through his body, directly nailing him to death in mid-air!
Following closely was a second one, a third one...
When the last bone pierced through Chen Ling's body, he could no longer move even a fraction of an inch, like a prisoner in a cage.
"Is getting [Divine Favor] so amazing?"
"Even if you are a quasi-Enforcer, didn't you still end up in my hands in the end?"
"Kid, I don't care what grudge you have with Ice Spring Street, you are dead for sure... Do you know how many people's interests you've harmed?"
Qian Fan raised his muzzle, aiming at the center of Chen Ling's brow. Killing intent spread in his heart, and with force, he was about to pull the trigger!
...
"Oh no!"
"Hurry! Push harder!! Otherwise this guy is going to take a bullet!"
"I'm trying."
Jian Changsheng and Jiang Xiaohua exerted force simultaneously. Both of their palms were cut by the sharp edges of the curtains, fresh blood continuously seeping downwards, and the Auras of both of them exploded at the same time!
...
Boom——!!
The two stars in the heavens were instantly resplendent. Magnificent divine pillars smashed through the snow curtain. Two Divine Path Auras, one Soldier and one Witch, enveloped Chen Ling among the bones, and the surging aftermath almost flipped everyone around to the ground!
...
"It's torn open!" Jian Changsheng looked at the gap in front of him that was just a bit short of accommodating a person to pass through, and forcefully wiped the sweat from his temples.
"Just a little more... just one bit left..."
"Let me do it!"
A voice came from behind.
The two turned their heads simultaneously, only to see Sun Bumian had already followed the memory thread to arrive here. His hands continuously cracked his knuckles, and the Aura of the Path of the Actor crazily spread around him...
He snorted coldly, and smashed a punch towards that gap in the curtain that was about to shatter!