"Are you sure you want to come with me?"
Yu Qingyu and Liu Wei were standing in front of the rift in the boundary between the human and demon realms. The demonic qi coming from the inside was so menacing and intense that it was enough to give Yu Qingyu chills, even though he had yet to cross the border. It wasn't difficult to imagine how much worse it would get once he entered the demon realm.
But he didn't have much of a choice. He needed to find the cure for Zhao Weixin, and several solid clues he had discovered led him here.
Liu Wei cast a scrutinizing glance at Yu Qingyu. He himself seemed impervious to the oppressive atmosphere, and raised his eyebrows upon seeing Yu Qingyu's expression. Not only was Yu Qingyu's face pale as a sheet of paper, but his eyes were widened, his breathing uneven, and he was constantly fidgeting, making it obvious just how scared he was, which led Liu Wei to ask,
"Are you sure you want to come yourself?" before he could bite his tongue. He didn't intend to show even a sliver of concern for Yu Qingyu, but the words just came out on their own.
Yu Qingyu was too anxious to even be surprised by the unexpected question. He just bit his lip until he felt the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. Of course he didn't want to come. But if he were to give up now, he might as well forfeit the whole mission…
So he took a deep breath, trying to calm down. 'It's not a big deal. No matter what happens, I will be fine. Even if I were to die there, that doesn't matter,' he reassured himself.
"Let's go," he said curtly, and entered the demon realm, with Liu Wei following a few steps behind him.
As soon as he crossed the boundary, the intensity of the sinister atmosphere intensified tenfold. A hellish landscape came into view, stretching in all directions like a never-ending wasteland, dark and menacing. There was nothing but a madder sky, with no clouds or sun, and black, rocky terrain, with the risk of danger hiding in every nook and cranny. The putrid smell hanging in the still air made Yu Qingyu scrunch his nose in disgust.
He only took a few steps in before he stopped again, scouting his surroundings with narrowed eyes. But all he could see was the labyrinth of black rocks, with no distinguishing characteristics.
'520, any idea in which direction should I go?' he asked the system helplessly.
Obviously, he had heard about several places in the demon realm, which were his current destination, but he still didn't know how to actually get there. There were no maps or guides for the demon realm available, and it was his first time here. It'd be all too easy to get lost in here for months, if not years.
Unfortunately, 520 couldn't be of any help. [I am sorry, but there is no information about the demon realm in the database, aside from a few mentions about the locations of the rifts in the boundary.]
Yu Qingyu let out a long sigh and shook his head. 'Nevermind then…'
Left with no other option, he took out a small dagger from within his black robes, and made two perpendicular slashes on a rock nearby. Although shallow and barely visible, they would have to suffice. Yu Qingyu couldn't afford to use his sword to make clearer marks, as the sword glare could potentially reveal their location, and lure some demons out. Engaging in a fight would cause an even bigger commotion, which would then result in more demons appearing… Until eventually, the situation would spiral out of control.
Since he had no idea where to go anyway, it didn't matter which direction he chose. So, he just walked straight forward, making marks every now and then, just so that he could trace his way back to the rift when he'd be ready to return.
They walked for who knows how long among the black rocks, until Yu Qingyu's feet started feeling sore. It might have been five hours, or perhaps fifteen, he had no idea. With no sun, no day and night, Yu Qingyu's sense of time became completely distorted. Focused on the tense atmosphere, he didn't even notice that his throat was dry, and stomach empty.
For once, Yu Qingyu was actually glad that Liu Wei followed behind him. Although they were supposed to be enemies, and Liu Wei was without a doubt still hostile toward him, at least he was a human. They walked in silence, but Yu Qingyu could still feel the man's presence right next to him, and it had a soothing effect, helping Yu Qingyu remain calm and carry on.
Yu Qingyu walked until his legs were about to give up. He stopped, and glanced back at Liu Wei. Although Liu Wei did not voice a single complaint, or make any sound at all, from the haggard expression on his face, Yu Qingyu could tell that he also was completely exhausted. And no matter how much in a rush Yu Qingyu was to finish what he had to do and get out of the demon realm, going on like that would only put them both in more danger.
So, he found a small, empty cave instead, and secured the entrance with a protective array, so that they could safely get some rest.
Stretched on the ground, he looked at the low black ceiling, and listened to the sound of calm, even breathing coming from a few feet to his right. He could also feel the cold, dark stare on himself, tingling his skin. He was used to it by now. That's how he fell asleep every night, to Liu Wei observing him quietly. Liu Wei still didn't trust Yu Qingyu, not even the tiniest bit, and thus was not letting the man out of his sight.
Normally, Yu Qingyu would just let him be, falling asleep in the silence. He knew that Liu Wei had absolutely no desire to get to know him, and all of Yu Qingyu's previous attempts to start a conversation fell on deaf ears. But, perhaps because of the unfamiliar and menacing environment, Yu Qingyu craved company even more than usual, and Liu Wei's presence just wasn't enough. Without giving it much thought, he asked out loud, "How do you like this world?"
It was the most neutral question he could think of. Asking about Liu Wei's world didn't seem like a good idea, as it was likely to just lead to the source of their conflict, and talking about Yu Qingyu's own world probably wouldn't interest him much…
But even with a simple question like that, all he got in response was silence.
Yu Qingyu couldn't help but let out a quiet, disappointed sigh.
However, just as he thought he wouldn't get an answer, Liu Wei suddenly said, "It's alright."
Yu Qingyu's eyes widened, and his head snapped to the side, looking at Liu Wei with disbelief. Liu Wei was no longer glaring at him, but instead, he was lying on his back, with his arms crossed behind his head, staring at the ceiling and appearing completely detached. But he did just speak up, there was no mistaking it. It was such a curt answer, but it was still more than usual. Normally, Liu Wei only talked when necessary. Sometimes, he would go a whole day without saying a word. But now, it was already a second sentence of the day!
So, he attempted to continue the conversation, even if he had to carry it all on his own. "Which one do you like better, this one or the previous one?"
"This one."
"Why is that?" Yu Qingyu was not giving up.
Liu Wei clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Why do you care? What's up with all those pointless questions today?"
"I just want to get to know you…"
Hearing Yu Qingyu's answer, Liu Wei rolled his eyes. He didn't say a word, but it was evident what he was thinking. 'Yeah, right.'
Yu Qingyu bit his lip. "Isn't it better when you have someone to talk to?" he asked carefully. That was certainly how he felt about it, but…
Liu Wei just scoffed in response. "Not really. I'm used to being alone. I spent most of my life on my own, before Rumin appeared…" His voice suddenly trailed off a bit.
The silence fell in the cave again. Yu Qingyu's chest tightened, a lump in his throat making his breathing slightly shaky. He didn't dare utter a single word for the next few days.