Chapter 254: Brothers (10)
Chapter 254: Brothers (10)
The two holes were roughly circular, with jagged, uneven edges.
Feng Bu Jue held up his kerosene lamp, peering inside. He discovered a pillow-sized hollow within the wall—empty, save for faint inscriptions on the wooden planks of the inner wall.
Using his pipe wrench, he chipped away the wooden paneling between the two holes, expanding them into a single large opening. He extended the lamp and stuck his head in, but the inscriptions remained illegible.
Only the first two characters were translated: [Incantation]. The lines beneath were microscopic, resembling thin black threads.
Feng Bu Jue immediately realized he needed a magnifying glass.
Retreating from the wall, he raised the magnifying glass without leaning in, scanning the text. As expected, the translated words appeared in his menu, clear even from a distance.
[Hakuna... Matata... From this day forward... no more worries... Hakuna, Matata! Simple and easy to remember... sing it... From now on... you need not fear... no longer live by fate's decree... Hakuna... Matata...]
A line of annotations followed: An ancient, miraculous African proverb—foolproof and effective.
Feng Bu Jue finished reading, then flung the magnifying glass to the ground with a curse: "Are you kidding me?! What kind of nonsense is this?! Suddenly throwing in something so absurd in this creepy, grotesque scenario—what's next, a musical number?!
African proverbs?! What does Africa have to do with anything here?! You seriously expect me to believe a 'sorcery-controlled barrier' gets broken by an African saying?!
And what was that scene earlier?! If I’d slammed the door shut and refused to let that guy in, what would’ve happened?! Would a wild boar and a meerkat burst in singing show tunes to escort me upstairs?!
What kind of scenario is this?! The visuals are a blind dog’s eye, the sound effects are deafening, and the stench is everywhere! The world-building makes zero sense, the settings are disgustingly over-the-top, the puzzles are insane, and the rules keep changing! Even the hints are getting more ridiculous by the minute!
He ranted furiously, his voice hoarse from shouting curses. Clearly, "Hakuna Matata" had left deep psychological scars.
Ten minutes later, he calmed down, recomposed himself, and stood at the foot of the stairs to the second floor, reciting the incantation aloud.
The magic array flickered, then shattered with a glass-like crash. Seconds later, the corpse-stuffed meat wall collapsed like an avalanche.
Feng Bu Jue had expected the obstacles to vanish after breaking the spell, not stage a dramatic collapse. Buried under the debris, he spat out a heartfelt "F*!"—thankful for his face mask and its display function. Without it, the stench alone would’ve warranted a dozen more curses.
At least the path to the second floor was now open. Progress, however questionable.
Adjusting his mood, Feng Bu Jue hummed the incantation as he ascended the stairs.
The second floor’s layout differed slightly from the first. The central room above the foyer was now a closed chamber, while the other rooms remained similar in size and arrangement.
All doors were shut, but Feng Bu Jue didn’t rush to explore. Instead, he followed bloodstains on the floor, tracking the synthetic being’s path—straight to the central chamber.
This door stood apart. Both panels were forged from an expensive, gleaming metal, nothing like the cheap, rusted iron doors of the basement’s second level. Over two and a half meters tall, its frame nearly touched the ceiling, its width spanning the corridor.
"Hmph... This size... definitely designed for monsters to pass through", Feng Bu Jue muttered, gripping the handles. "Well, no surprise—it’s locked."
He’d expected as much. Rooms like this were reserved for late-game challenges. Retreating to the stairs, he began searching the nearest room.
Without the "Death Warning" status, surprises were possible. He cautiously pushed the door open, then used an iron bar from his satchel to probe for traps. Only after thorough checks did he enter, lamp in hand.
The bedroom was surprisingly tidy. The bed was neatly made, the nightstand held a photo frame, and two wardrobes stood against the walls. The window was closed, revealing only darkness outside. A flowerpot on the sill contained only soil—either the plant had decayed, or it had mutated into some creature and fled.
Feng Bu Jue went straight to the nightstand, picking up the frame. Inside was a faded photograph of three people: a woman in her forties, and two teenagers around fifteen or sixteen.
As in the study room, a vision materialized seconds later.
Lightning illuminated a stormy night.
In this room, a brown-haired youth sat on a chair beside the bed. A woman lay there, pale and gaunt, her eyes sunken. Their hands clasped tightly, tears brimming in hers.
"Arthur... there’s something I must tell you..."
"I know", Arthur replied. "I’m from the Xingzu Clan... adopted..."
The mother fell silent for a moment. "No, you’re my child. Even if not by blood..."
"Please, Mother", Arthur interrupted, squeezing her hand. "You don’t need to say this. I’ve always been your son, always will be."
"You’re clever, strong. I trust you to care for yourself", she sighed. "But your brother... he’s too kind, too weak..."
"Rest easy, Mother", Arthur said, lowering his head, his voice thick with sorrow. "I only have one brother. I’ll protect him."
Another flash of lightning. The scene zoomed in on Arthur’s lips.
He was smiling...
(End of Chapter)
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