Where was I?
According to Chen Xiaolian's understanding: it seemed that none of the existing positions belonged to Chen Xiaolian.
But the question was, where did he have a position here?
"Could we stop with this?" Chen Xiaolian sighed, unable to help but complain, "Don't you think this is too cliché? Just at a critical moment, resorting to these cloudy words and rules. What did 'my position' mean? Where was my position? Which one was my position? Couldn't we just explain things clearly? Was it fun to keep playing dumb riddles? Was it?"
As Chen Xiaolian spoke, his tone became impatient, even revealing a hint of anger.
However, Zero City fell silent, completely silent, refusing to respond anymore.
Chen Xiaolian waited for a full minute, confirming that he would not get a clear answer, before cursing quietly in frustration.
"Damn it!"
...
Fatty sat in the back seat of the car, looking at the burly man beside him—accurately speaking, his father, who had been transformed into an ordinary person.
Skyblade, currently unconscious and showing no signs of waking up. Fatty felt uneasy, glancing at the woman driving in front of him.
Aunt Flame gripped the steering wheel with one hand, while the other rested on the car window, fingers holding a cigarette, occasionally taking a drag. The wind blowing in through the window dispersed the smoke, and Fatty carefully scrutinized the woman's expression in the rearview mirror.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Aunt Flame's tone remained cold, rigid.
Fatty swallowed nervously. "Um, Aunt Flame, how did you find..."
"Hmph."
Aunt Flame snorted, casually flicking the cigarette butt. "Your father disappeared for so many years. Do you think I hadn't considered whether he was dead or not? I've been secretly keeping an eye on his hometown. Once he died, he would definitely be refreshed by the system as an ordinary person. Since we couldn't find Skyblade alive, then... after he died, I had to find him."
Aunt Flame paused briefly, her tone suddenly becoming solemn as she muttered under her breath.
"But... I didn't expect he really died, damn it!"
Fatty felt uneasy, looking at Aunt Flame, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Um..."
"Shut up, you're also a bastard." Aunt Flame's gaze hardened, lifting her head to glare fiercely at Fatty through the mirror. "You're a bastard, and that guy Bluesea is even more of a bastard! Since you both knew about Skyblade's whereabouts, yet still kept it from me!"
Fatty immediately protested, "That's so unfair, Aunt Flame! I really didn't know about my father's whereabouts! Besides, I was, um, also kept by Uncle Bluesea all this time. He only recently let me out and had someone send me out of Zero City. That's why I sneaked back here. If I had known earlier that my father was here, I... um, you've watched me grow up, how could I not tell you?"
But Aunt Flame wasn't fooled by Fatty's sweet talk, snorting, "Little devil, you're quite the smooth talker, just like your father! Always lying without batting an eye!"
Fatty grinned awkwardly, seeing Aunt Flame's attitude seem to soften a bit, he pressed on, "Um... where are you planning to take us now?"
"It's because of your stupidity that you found him, yet still let your father suffer injustice in this village! Although he has been refreshed as an ordinary person, he is still Skyblade! The Skyblade who has faced countless trials! How can he endure the bullying of those wild dogs anywhere he goes? Since I found him, I can't just sit back and watch him rot in that miserable place."
As she spoke, Aunt Flame took a few deep breaths, as if trying to calm the anger in her heart. "Your father will eventually be brought back to Zero City."
"Ah?"
Fatty was stunned.
"What's wrong?" Aunt Flame frowned.
Fatty whispered, "But... Uncle Bluesea said... my father's situation must be kept confidential, no one should know he has been refreshed. He also said... before my father passed away, he left a dying wish, asking... not to come looking for him, just let him live peacefully as an ordinary person."
"Nonsense!!"
Aunt Flame suddenly erupted in anger, slamming her palm onto the steering wheel.
The sturdy steering wheel of this German SUV was originally robust, but it shattered instantly under Aunt Flame's blow. She slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a sudden stop by the roadside.
Fatty exclaimed in shock, clutching onto the back of the front seat. Then he heard Aunt Flame angrily saying, "Not come looking for him? Let him live peacefully as an ordinary person for the rest of his life? Nonsense! All nonsense!! Since when did Skyblade become so cowardly! Did Bluesea tell you all this? Hmph, I don't believe it!!"
"...Um, it's true." Fatty swallowed nervously, cautiously saying, "Uncle Bluesea wouldn't lie about this matter. I... um, I know you and Uncle Bluesea have some disagreements, but on this matter, he wouldn't deceive people."
Aunt Flame seemed to be filled with rage. After taking a few deep breaths and staring into the distance outside the car for a while, she suddenly spoke in a cold tone, "Even so, it's not acceptable."
"Um?"
"I said, it's not acceptable!" Aunt Flame seemed to have calmed down, but her calm tone as she spoke these words carried an indescribable sense of determination: "Who is he? He is Skyblade, the leader of Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild. He led us to establish a foundation, to brave dangers and obstacles. And now? Halfway through, he wants to bail out? It's not that easy! Even if he's the leader, he can't shirk his responsibilities like this. So many brothers and sisters, how many sacrifices have been made, how much effort has been put in to get to where we are today, how many people are still hoping for him.
What about him? He just wants to leave with a slap on the backside?
If he's willing, if you're willing, if Bluesea is willing?
I'm not willing!!"
Fatty looked mournful. "But... but he's already become an ordinary person, what else can we do?"
"What else?" Aunt Flame said coldly, "Take him back to Zero City, restore his memories, do to him what Old Qiao did back then!"
"But... even if his memories are restored, he's still just an ordinary person, no longer the Skyblade he used to be. An ordinary person can't possibly continue leading the Blade Mountain Flame Sea Guild team, right?"
"...I don't care!" Aunt Flame suddenly shouted, "I'm going to awaken his memories! Then I'll confront him to his face!! Ask him what's going on! Disappearing without a word all those years ago! How many people suffered because of him! How much I suffered!! Even if I don't do anything else, even if he can't help in the future, I still want to awaken him!
Even if it's just to scold him and give him a beating!!"
Fatty was taken aback. "But, but... Auntie, isn't this... unreasonable... he's already..."
Aunt Flame glanced at Fatty, saying coldly, "I'm a woman, and women aren't reasonable, did you just figure that out?"
With that, Aunt Flame lightly touched her wrist, retrieving a small metallic rod-like object from the storage compartment.
"Should we head back to Zero City now? Open a portal here?" Fatty seemed hesitant. "Um... the safety regulations don't allow..."
"Shut up!" Aunt Flame snapped.
But the next moment, this woman froze.
Staring at the metallic rod in her hand, which showed no response when pressed.
"Huh?"
Fatty shrank back his head. "What's wrong?"
"The backup channel won't open? No response to the signal." Aunt Flame frowned. "This has never happened before."
With that, this woman suddenly handed the metallic rod to Fatty. "Aren't you good with mechanics? See if this thing is broken."
Fatty took it and fiddled with it for a moment, frowning. "It shouldn't be broken, but... it's unresponsive, like it's not getting a signal back."
A serious expression crossed Aunt Flame's face. She jumped out of the car and quickly retrieved a hefty item from the storage compartment.
It was a door frame.
She placed the metal door frame on the ground.
"Auntie... you still have this thing? The old model safety backup door, this thing has long been phased out, hasn't it?"
"Old or not, as long as it's reliable and useful." Aunt Flame shook her head.
This was a special equipment in Zero City, used specifically for entering and exiting. It could activate special channels.
This equipment had been phased out later in Zero City's updates, as newer and more portable equipment became available.
Only a few old folks were still using such outdated equipment.
However, a few seconds later, Aunt Flame's expression turned even more grim.
"Something's wrong!"
Aunt Flame turned to look at Fatty. "I stored the passwords for four backup channels in this door... and none of them are responding!"
"All four channels, won't open?" Fatty jumped out of the car as well, his expression becoming extremely grim.
"The special channels in Zero City, completely unresponsive!"
"What about the emergency channels?" Fatty frowned.
"Tried them, no use."
The two looked at each other, both realizing how grim their situation had become.
...
"My position, my position... damn it!" Chen Xiaolian grabbed his head in frustration.
He had been circling around this stone table for several rounds now.
Look at these "seats" in front of him: stone stools, tree stumps, turtle shells, straw piles, cushions, saddle...
Quite personalized!
What is this, custom-made?
Chen Xiaolian couldn't help but complain inwardly.
But suddenly, he froze.
Custom-made?
He looked at the six seats again.
Six seats, which meant there should be a total of six people, including the Founder, Mr. San, and Bai Qi.
And each person's seat was different.
So...
Chen Xiaolian thought for a moment, then began to rummage through his storage equipment.
He quickly found some items.
First, he tried to place the Stone Sword on the edge of the table.
But something strange happened.
When Chen Xiaolian lifted the Stone Sword and tried to insert it into the grass beside the stone slab, a force gently pushed him away!
Chen Xiaolian tried three times, and even in the last attempt, he almost used the power of Skyblade, but he was still easily pushed back five or six steps!
"The Stone Sword doesn't work?"
He pondered for a moment, then rummaged through his storage equipment and pulled out a cardboard box filled with mineral water, placing it next to the stone table.
This time the box didn't fly away, much to Chen Xiaolian's delight. He went over and sat down on it.
A second later...
With a cry of surprise, Chen Xiaolian was propelled by the force, flying upwards for about ten meters before crashing onto the grass, with the cardboard box flying out and landing beside his head.
"I... I'm going to curse someone!!" Chen Xiaolian got up in anger, shouting, "Zero City! What the hell is going on?!"
There was no answer.
Chen Xiaolian simply sat down on the ground next to the stone table, cross-legged, and began to rummage through his storage equipment, pulling out various items.
One by one, he tried.
A gunstock?
A wooden crate?
A helmet?
A motorcycle?
A car seat cushion removed from a car?
One by one, he tried everything, but nothing worked.
Chen Xiaolian glanced silently at the six "seats" again.
These six were completely different items, what special characteristics did they have?
What did these six items have in common?