Chapter 86: Am I Free?
Cheng Ge thought for a while, then scrolled through his phone, opening the Campus Wall and then the Fox Friends app. Without much searching, he could see those posts.
As expected, the matter had been posted, and the heat was quite high.
Cheng Geās brows furrowed tightly. He read them one by one, took screenshots, and then proceeded to clarify and report them one by one.
Eventually, Cheng Ge started engaging in shouting matches with a bunch of idiots. He had never done this beforeāit was irrationalābut he truly couldn’t hold back.
When he got too angry, his chest would heave more noticeably and his breathing would grow heavy. Fearing he would wake Wen Ling, he kept it suppressed.
But gradually, he noticed Wen Lingās breathing was also becoming heavyāshort and hurried.
This was Wen Lingās typical behavior when having a nightmare.
Cheng Ge turned off his phone and pulled Wen Ling entirely into his arms, holding him so tightly there was no gap between them. He kissed and coaxed him for a long time, but it wasn’t working.
Wen Ling began to mutter in his sleep with a sobbing tone, letting out several muffled, suppressed sounds.
“Xiao Wen,” Cheng Ge gently shook Wen Ling. Immediately, Wen Ling buried his entire head into Cheng Geās chest. His tears were absorbed by Cheng Geās shirt, feeling cold against his skin.
Cheng Ge brushed back the hair that was sweaty from Wen Lingās distress and kissed the corner of his eye. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.”
It had been a while since Cheng Ge had seen Wen Ling in this state. These hard-to-soothe nightmares usually lasted a long time for Wen Ling, involving many tears. That suppressed sobbing would break anyone’s heart.
Cheng Ge: [001, get me a Dream Entry item.]
[001: Congratulations, Host. The Dream Entry item can be upgraded this time for only an additional 0.2 points.]
Cheng Ge: [How does it upgrade?]
[001: Emotional Experience Transfer. The Host can transfer Wen Lingās nightmare emotions and five senses to himself. To put it simply, the Host will experience the nightmare in Wen Ling’s place.]
Wouldn’t that mean Wen Ling wouldn’t have to suffer through the nightmare?
[Exchange it.] Cheng Ge didn’t hesitate. Although entering someone’s dream like this felt a bit intrusive, that suppressed sobbing was too painful to hear. If possible, Cheng Ge didn’t want Wen Ling to have nightmares at all.
Cheng Ge thought the dream would be about the beatings or bullying Wen Ling suffered as a child, but he didn’t expect the content to be about todayās incident on the basketball court.
A dozen hands passed through Cheng Geās transparent body and pushed against Wen Ling, and the sensations Wen Ling felt were transmitted to Cheng Ge.
Cheng Ge immediately broke out in goosebumps. The touch felt like foul-smelling slime sticking to his body, seeping into and corroding his skin, causing an intense psychological nausea.
No wonder Wen Ling didn’t like contact with people. It turned out that the physical contact Wen Ling experienced was sometimes very different from what normal people felt; it was a resistance from the physiological to the psychological levelāan aversion so strong it made him want to kill.
Wen Lingās mood shifted from numbness to disgust, until his hand was held by “Cheng Ge.” Only then did the nausea recede. Everything around him went still, his heart began to warm, and his tense body quickly relaxed.
Cheng Ge couldn’t help but feel his own heartbeatāmore accurately, it was Wen Lingās heartbeat. Watching the “Cheng Ge” in the dream hold Wen Lingās hand and care for him, every cell in his body felt comfortable and warm.
But when the dream version of “Cheng Ge” went to help the girl and was asked whether he had pushed her and why, his heart suddenly turned coldāso cold it ached. It felt as if his heart were about to shatter; his entire brain was unable to think.
Sadness, grievance, angerāall sorts of negative emotions surged forth. They came so violently that a normal person could hardly bear it even for a short while.
That feeling made even Cheng Ge want to go crazy.
“Let go of me.”
“Go away.”
“Get lost!”
Wen Ling was speaking cold, harsh words, but clearly, every cell in his body was pleading and screaming, Catch me, Don’t leave, Hold me.
Every expression and every word from the dream “Cheng Ge” turned into betrayal. That realization caused Wen Ling such agony that he collapsed, and that collapse was tangibly transmitted to Cheng Ge.
It was too painful.
The people around them gradually began to move, turning into black ghostly silhouettes. “Cheng Ge” was one of them, stretching out long, black, twisted arms like a vengeful ghost, lunging toward Wen Ling!
Cheng Ge snapped his eyes open, his chest heaving violently.
It wasn’t pitch black before his eyes; there was a sliver of light from the nightlight. Cheng Ge stared at the top of Wen Lingās head through the dim light. After a long time, he blinked, and two tears slid down from the corners of his eyes.
Those were Wen Lingās emotions fermenting in Cheng Geās chest, finally turning into tears falling from Cheng Geās eyes.
Wen Lingās breathing was even, his sleeping face serene and incredibly well-behaved.
Cheng Ge choked back a breath and carefully moved down, circling both arms tightly around Wen Lingās waist, feeling that soft, warm touch.
It wasn’t enough. Cheng Ge buried his entire face in the crook of Wen Lingās neck, sniffing that familiar, comforting scent.
There is no such thing as true empathy in this world. The experience transmitted to Cheng Ge might not have been everything, but even this fraction was enough to make someone break down.
If he hadn’t experienced it firsthand, Cheng Ge would never have understood how a person could generate such painful emotions.
A simple everyday frown, a slightly fierce expression, or a questioning sentence could be infinitely magnified and distorted.
Before this, Cheng Ge didn’t believe one person could have such a massive impact on another.
When things were good, the whole body felt warm and fuzzy, so comfortable that the whole world felt right, as if it were spring all year round. When things were bad, the sadness was so intense one wanted to die, the mind was a chaotic mess, and the entire world turned black.
When “Cheng Ge” became just another member of the crowd, the entire world turned into a void of darkness, filled with intersecting ghost shadows, and the dream collapsed.
So that was it. Wen Lingās world was like this.
Cheng Ge breathed with his mouth open, yet it was still hard to alleviate that suffocating ache in his heart.
After a long time, Cheng Ge leaned up and kissed Wen Lingās lips, chin, and cheeksāeverywhere. Only then did that oppressive, breathless pain ease slightly.
After kissing him, Cheng Ge buried his head in his chest again, holding Wen Ling even tighter.
The night was long. After a while, Cheng Ge let out a long sigh.
Cheng Ge: [001.]
[001: Yes.]
Cheng Ge: [What is Wen Lingās favorability score now?]
[001: 92%]
92%. Cheng Ge repeated it silently in his heart. A while ago, he had found the favorability system too bothersome, even annoying, so he told 001 not to remind him anymore. He wanted everything to happen naturally.
Cheng Ge was quiet for a bit, then suddenly asked: [Did the original owner go to my world?]
[001: System secret. No comment.]
Cheng Ge: [Is the original owner living happily now?]
[001: System secret. No comment.]
Cheng Ge: [If he’s happy, then speak.]
[001: No comment.]
Cheng Geās head rested on Wen Lingās shoulder. His eyelids fluttered open as he asked: [Am I free?]
[001: Not entirely.]
[Do I have the right to choose?]
[001: There is a price and a risk. The Host has asked this before.]
[Understood. Thank you.]
[001: I haven’t done anything worth your thanks.]
Cheng Ge: [Mm.]
Cheng Ge closed his eyes, his lips resting against Wen Lingās collarbone. He wanted to bite, but in the end, he didn’t. He only gave the collarbone a very restrained kiss, gradually syncing his breathing with Wen Lingās.
The long night stretched on…
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