Mingchao: The Survival Journey of a Comedian

Chapter 100 Running Through the Wasteland

After calming down his student, Mo Wunian devoted himself to being a follower of the wanderer, though he felt increasingly uneasy about being his little brother.

Not only does she insist on sharing a bed with me every night, but sometimes she'll suddenly lean on my shoulder and won't say what's wrong when I ask.

Well, His Majesty must have his reasons for doing this.

However, to be honest, he had absolutely no idea what happened next; from that moment on, he was practically a native.

But he felt no fear towards the unknown; instead, he felt a sense of calm.

After all, there are so many things he doesn't know: what has happened between him and this world, what has he experienced, and where will the future lead him...

Everything has been buried, but one day it will reappear in the light of day.

And he will eventually find out.

--------

"So...we're going to Mount Chengxiao next?"

"Yes, I learned from Sanhua that Jinxi isn't doing well."

"Furthermore, the Lord of the Year should be there as well; it's only right and proper that we go."

Standing with the wanderers at the ferry crossing, the sky was already getting dark, and a light drizzle began to fall, the raindrops dripping onto the lake and creating ripples.

Gazing at the distant island shrouded in mountain mist, he closed his eyes, sensing the vibrations emanating from the key in the space: indeed, he could feel the Lord of the Year was on that island.

Moreover, the flow of time is very wrong, extremely chaotic.

As for why he knew?

If you go around to different times of day like him, you'll understand that feeling.

Opening his eyes, he turned to look at Chao, whose expression was unfocused and who seemed lost in thought. Lowering his gaze, he recalled the scene of meeting another emperor:

Unconditional trust, an inexplicable familiarity with oneself... and that sorrowful gaze.

What was his relationship with this person like before? Why did he show that expression? What is the other person hiding...?

Wasn't he just an ordinary person before? Even if he went back to the past due to some accident, it couldn't have caused so many changes, right?!

And did he really go back in time?

Or rather... he's always lived in the past, never stepping into the future.

Headache(/_\)

"The rain is getting heavier, should we find somewhere to take shelter?"

When he came to his senses, he was surrounded by a misty fog, and raindrops silently slid down the hem of his clothes, gradually soaking through them.

Turning his head, his gaze swept over Chao beside him. Chao looked almost identical to himself; the rain had soaked through his clothes, outlining the lines of his strong physique. Water droplets slid down the outline of Chao's short hair, and his own reflection was clearly reflected in Chao's golden pupils.

"Need not"

"I have a solution"

He moved closer and gently patted the other person's shoulder. As a faint light flickered from his fingertips, the person's clothes instantly dried, and his own clothes were also dried in the process.

Immediately afterward, with a thought, the surrounding space subtly shifted, and an invisible barrier completely isolated the two from the outside world.

"This is a really useful feature; I won't need to carry an umbrella anymore when I go out."

Chao lowered his gaze to look at his clothes, which had already been dried by the other party, and then looked at Mo Wunian beside him, who was completely unaware of what he was doing with such a heaven-defying ability. He could only smile indulgently and pat the other party's head.

"Thank you"

"Why are you thanking me? We're good friends."

"..."

He gazed at the person before him with a complex expression, then his gaze shifted to the ripples created by raindrops lightly touching the lake's surface. He slowly closed his eyes, suppressing the desire surging within him, and exhaled deeply.

His state of mind is now just like the surface of this lake, its waves rising and falling with the influence of external things.

He had no memory of anything; the beginning of his memory was that person.

From the moment they met, his soul was clamoring for him to keep the other person, to protect them, to...

Don't watch that person walk towards the end of their fate.

From the moment he grabbed the other person, he shouldn't have let go.

Is it love at first sight? Maybe.

They were both old acquaintances of each other, yet they had both forgotten each other.

But fate will eventually bring you back to my side.

"So, who will be the guide?"

"I always felt that such an important person should be a very old lady or gentleman, right?"

Without the guidance of the plot, the man could only guess wildly. But as soon as he uttered those words, he heard a familiar voice drifting from afar, instantly startling him. He quickly turned around and saw a pink-haired woman holding an oil-paper umbrella slowly walking towards them.

"I am indeed not young anymore."

"However, it's not to the point of being an old lady."

"Thank you for waiting."

"The guide has departed; I have met both of you."

"ah?!!"

Mo Wunian was stunned, feeling as if his brain had crashed for a moment and then reconnected. Staring at the pink-haired woman in front of him, he struggled to speak, his speech function restarting several times before he could finally stammer out a sentence.

"...Changli?"

"Hmm, hello Mo Wunian."

"It's our first meeting, and I apologize for any lack of courtesy on my part."

"And for the wanderers, I am their guide on this journey."

He blinked, never expecting that this time his guide would be Chang Li.

I vaguely remember the last time I met him was when I was surrounded by that group of nobles.

"Our objective is now very clear. So, what do you two know about Chengxiao Mountain?"

"...Uh, I don't know."

"Does Brother Chao know?"

Seeing that the other person also shook their head, he could only turn his gaze back to Chang Li. The other person didn't waste any words and continued speaking.

"Due to time constraints, I will only briefly explain the situation."

"There is a price to pay for entering and leaving Chengxiao Mountain. If I spend one day in the mountain, it will correspond to ten days in the outside world when I come out."

"Not to mention the situation is even more complicated now."

"The flow of time at Chengxiao Mountain originates from the power of the Year Lord's temporal order. Time may stop or rewind; stars may shift and constellations may turn. Ten thousand years may pass in an instant. All of these are flowers that bloom and wither in the Year Lord's claws, withering and blooming again."

"If the Remnant Star Society truly imprisons the Lord of the Year, causing his abilities to spiral out of control and triggering temporal turbulence... then this will be a dead end."

After briefly learning about the situation, upon hearing the name of the organization "Remnant Star Society," Mo Wunian felt a sudden unease, and then frowned slightly.

If he previously said he had no goodwill towards this organization, and was even wary of it...

But ever since he learned that the other person was also involved, he has found it increasingly difficult to make a definitive judgment.

If the other person really joined that dangerous organization because of him, and even turned against him because of it...

What should he do?

So we're heading into this game.

After understanding the situation, Chao's mood wasn't much better. He looked at Changli, signaling her to continue talking about leaving.

Yes, we cannot avoid it.

"Time is merely a matter of lifespan; the distinguished guest has already decided to enter the game... the guide must go there himself."

"Moreover, Jinxi's condition... is indeed not very good."

"Before she went to Mount Chengxiao, strange dragon scale-like phenomena appeared on her body, and her resonance ability gradually weakened."

"To be honest, my arrangements also included your visit this time."

"?"

Upon hearing this, someone who had been standing there in a daze for a long time finally snapped out of it and looked at Changli with some confusion.

"It's normal for people to be wanderers, how does that have to do with me?"

"...Mo Wunian, you should also have realized the impact you have on this world."

Your importance to us... to everyone... far exceeds your imagination.

Therefore, do not leave alone.

"...that Changli..."

"You probably know quite a lot of things... Can you please stop being a riddle reader?"

There are just too many riddle-makers in the world! How come he always encounters a bunch of people who don't want him to know the truth wherever he goes?!

Just how incredible must the truth be for everyone to unanimously choose to hide it from you?

"Hey bro...could you ask him for me?"

"Since Changli has said so, it means it's not the time for you to know yet."

Why are you like this too!

Looking left and right, the two people beside him both seemed to be hiding something but wouldn't tell him, so in the end he could only roll his eyes and start talking:

Okay, okay, fine, I won't say anything then.

He wants to see just how shocking the truth is that you've all kept it from him like this.

"But time flows differently... Do you think I might go in and come out with white hair?"

After putting this matter aside, he once again turned his gaze to Chengxiao Mountain in the distance, where he could still faintly see the dragon head.

Ultimately, he still harbored resentment towards the version of himself he had seen in the Realm of Sound.

That's a white-haired version of myself!

Although only half of his hair had turned white, he was still quite curious about why his hair had gone from black to white.

"If the flow of the water in those mountains could make your time flow again..."

"Then the price we'll have to pay is probably nothing more than a trivial matter."

"Ok?"

He hurriedly turned to look at Changli, whose expression remained unchanged, as if he were discussing something very ordinary.

But this kind of thing is anything but normal, okay?!

"My time?"

Isn't time always flowing? How so? His time seems to have stood still.

Like he was dead.

"...Time keeps flowing...it keeps flowing..."

"The flow of the Möbius strip..."

"...Let's go, the ship is here, we should set off."

A small boat glided across the rippling lake and slowly came to a stop before them. Faced with Chang Li's feigned mystery and hesitant manner, the other person could only shake their head helplessly.

However, in the next moment, the light before him suddenly dimmed. A warm hand gently grasped his and led him onto the waiting ship.

"I'm here."

Don't overthink it.

He'd been patted on the head countless times, gave Chao a slightly resentful look, fixed his hair, and then plopped down next to him without saying anything more.

"Seriously... if you keep touching it, you really won't grow any taller..."

Although he no longer has a physical body and no longer needs to consider this issue, the obsession still remains.

The boat carried them toward the island. At first, he was a little excited, but as time went by, his enthusiasm gradually faded, replaced by an undeniable weariness and boredom.

Finally, he leaned weakly on the wanderer's shoulder, his eyes gazing blankly into the distance, a strange mix of emotions welling up inside him.

“?~?~”

A soft song began. Opening her eyes slightly, she saw Changli sitting at the bow of the boat, holding an umbrella and humming an unknown tune. The rhythm was soothing and gentle, mingling with the gentle swaying of the boat and the sound of raindrops pattering on the tranquil lake surface.

I was sleeping so soundly, and despite trying my best to stay awake, I was still drowsy. In my half-awake state, someone pulled me closer and nestled me in their arms.

"Go to sleep, we'll wake you when we get there."

"……Um"

Chao gazed silently at Mo Wunian, who was gradually drifting off to sleep in his arms, without saying a word, only tightening his embrace. Only when Mo Wunian's breathing was completely mingled with his own did he gently lower his head, drawing closer.

"Wanderers"

"Take good care of him"

Don't let him decide to leave.

"I will"

Silence fell, only the small boat continued to move forward, propelled by the waves.

--------

"I just said..."

"How could I not be allowed to dream at such a crucial juncture?"

He opened his eyes, and this time all he saw was a vast expanse of white. He was stunned for a moment. Looking up, he realized he was on the summit of a mountain, where he could see the entire world at a glance.

But that's not the most important thing. The most crucial thing is that he really only saw a vast expanse of white.

The whole world was covered in frost and snow, dyed white, the only color where all life had vanished, nowhere to be found.

"What...what is going on?!"

He panicked a little, and struggled to walk through the snow, but he really couldn't see anything; it was as if he were the only person left in the whole world.

But it wasn't until he saw the white-haired boy at the summit:

The white hood billowed gently in the cold wind, revealing a thin white shirt underneath, contrasting beautifully with her snow-covered silver hair. She had sat there silently for an unknown amount of time, as if time itself had frozen around her, leaving only a serene and chilling atmosphere.

And in the half of the other person's face that was slightly visible, he saw eyes that reflected the time—

That was himself.

"Have I really turned white-haired?"

"No...this isn't me, is it?!"

He was actually joking when he said that. Although white hair looks good, he really didn't expect to have white hair so early.

Just as he was about to go forward to see what was going on, the scene before him made him stop in his tracks once again.

"Hey! Mo Wunian—"

"I knew you'd be here... and you failed again, didn't you..."

"It's not like we haven't been through this before... Isn't it cold sitting in the snow...?"

Amidst the swirling snowflakes, a young man slowly came into view. He wore a crimson satin robe, the collar trimmed with fine gold thread, adding to his air of luxury. A soft fur collar draped over his shoulders, and his long, jet-black hair cascaded down naturally, swaying gently in the wind, adding a touch of ethereal beauty to the scene.

Comparing the two people, it's clear that the other person is being taken very well.

He watched as the person stood beside the other, brushed the snow off their head, and then, without waiting for the other person's consent, reached out and pulled them up from the ground.

Then, tilting his head to look at the person, he seemed quite dissatisfied with their current state. Just as he was about to take off his coat and drape it over the other person, the other person seemed to snap out of a daze and quickly pushed the coat back.

"...Fine, I'll accept that you're not cold at all."

"But what do you mean by covering me up so tightly... You know our relationship all too well..."

"...Never mind...whatever makes you happy..."

A conversation between two people could be faintly heard, but the white-haired man's voice was very soft and easily buried in the wind and snow.

But he could clearly hear the voice of another black-haired boy, a voice exactly like the one he knew, only slightly more childish.

He watched the two of them chatting idly amidst the pristine white snow. Most of the time, the white-haired man listened, nodding slightly to the person beside him, without much further reaction.

But they responded to every single thing the other person said.

"...Why can't you just try giving up on this world...?"

"I was scammed so badly... I don't understand..."

"If it were me, I would have destroyed the world long ago..."

"..."

You often say you don't want to face the future alone... but I've always been there for you.

"Although I've missed a long time with you..."

"Whether the world explodes tomorrow or is destroyed now..."

"From now on, I will walk with you forever and ever."

Amidst the pristine white snow, the young man in his brocade robes stood out vividly, pulling along someone who seemed to have become one with the world as they ran across the desolate snowfield.

He couldn't see the person clearly, but he seemed to feel himself running as well.

Unable to move forward, he was content to remain in the past, because that person was willing to take another step forward.

This world has become a wasteland, but they still have each other in their world.