Mystic Overlord: Reading Gives Strength-Chapter 1217 - 1211: Passing Together

The solitary beam of light was right in front of them.

It would track the nearest maze challengers around and first lock onto the closest person.

These two conditions were the rules that Ronald and Patricia had just tested out in the maze.

Upon hearing Patricia, Ronald's expression froze for a moment, and he quickly realized what she intended to do.

Patricia intended to draw the watchtower's light away to create an opportunity for him to pass through the maze!

"Patricia, no…"

Ronald immediately wanted to stop Patricia's actions.

However, the light from the watchtower responded far faster than a human could, and as Ronald's words left his mouth, the light guarding the passageway flickered violently and immediately moved toward Patricia!

"..."

Patricia didn't say anything unnecessary.

She only left a trusting glance at Ronald before turning around and running to the other side of the maze, showing not a hint of hesitation or fear.

"..."

In the blink of an eye, Patricia and the light pursuing her disappeared from Ronald's sight.

According to the most logical judgment, he ought to take advantage of the opportunity Patricia created for him and head toward the now unobstructed exit of the maze.

Clap—Clap—

Ronald took two steps forward but suddenly froze in place.

Although he was not restrained at the moment, he couldn't move his feet even an inch.

"..."

"Sometimes people are emotional creatures, and there's nothing you can do about it."

After two breaths, Ronald softly lamented his own immaturity and irrationality, then resolutely turned around and charged directly into the depths of the maze.

And behind Ronald.

The empty path awaited the footsteps of the maze challengers, unable to speak, but seemingly waiting for someone truly qualified to pass through.

...

In the maze, Patricia was still being chased by the beam of light behind her.

Time-wise, she had bought Ronald enough time; now, even if she was sent back to the entrance of the fortress maze, there would be no problem.

But she was Patricia.

The unwillingness in her heart and her straightforwardness never allowed her to even consider the possibility of surrender.

Even if she was ultimately thrown out of the maze,

It would only be after she had exhausted her strength or was caught.

"..."

As she ran, Patricia couldn't help but think—

I hope my efforts this time will allow Ronald to successfully navigate this maze, after all, that dangerous Gwendolin thing looks like no good...

"Patricia, come this way!"

"Huh?"

Just as Patricia was running, a familiar voice came from ahead.

She looked up.

The maze figurine version of Ronald was standing ahead at the left side of a fork, laboriously waving his arms at her.

Patricia instinctively headed toward Ronald's position, only to suddenly react:

"Ronald, how are you here!"

"Of course, I came to get you! A maze conquered together must be passed through together!"

"..."

Patricia immediately fell silent.

She ran to Ronald without a word, allowing him to clasp her hand and lead her through the maze at a run. Her expression was one of confusion and bitterness, but only at the corner of her mouth, she revealed a completely different faint smile.

"Ronald, it's okay even if I can't get in…"

Ronald interrupted Patricia directly:

"Even if you're caught by the watchtower's light, at most you'd just be sent back to the maze's start—I'm aware of that."

"But Patricia, I want to go through this maze with you!"

"That's what I want!"

"Abandoning you to go through the maze myself might be the right choice, but I'm unwilling to do it!"

"..."

Patricia lowered her head.

Rarely did she not take note of the maze paths herself, entrusting everything to the Ronald holding her hand:

"Ronald, if you act like this, you'll easily fail at a lot."

Ronald said bluntly:

"It's fine, I don't care."

The two ran one after the other in the maze, the distance between them just the length of an arm. Yet, as they navigated several turns, their hearts grew closer.

The beam continued to chase them from behind.

During their escape, Ronald led Patricia out of the watchtower's threat range, but this time the beam did not stop where it was.

It displayed intelligence far above that of any other watchtower.

After its targets escaped its range, the beam followed the maze path autonomously back to the only road, waiting for its prey like a poised hunter.

Facing this turn of events, Patricia couldn't help but speak:

"Ronald, we…"

"I have a plan." Ronald immediately cut off Patricia's words, explaining to her along the maze's edge, "Just based on this beam's movement rules, we too can safely reach the exit together..."

Ronald clearly laid out his plan.

Then the two immediately set into action.

They quickly returned to the main path of the maze, boldly approaching the beam to provoke it, starting a new round of the maze chase.

However, this pursuit wasn't merely fleeing.

Ronald once again led the beam to its movement's edge, and just as it prepared to turn back, he brought Patricia back into its targeting range.

This time, before the beam could stray far, it naturally reversed and continued the pursuit.

But during the entry and exit move, Ronald had already led Patricia into a more navigable passage.

After running down this new path, they repeated the same maneuver.

Ronald and Patricia again switched paths, with the beam continuing to oscillate back and forth.

Ordinarily, located in the inner part of the maze, the beam surely could block Ronald and Patricia's way.

But given his observations, Ronald confirmed a key insight.

The watchtower's light moved along the maze paths like humans; it couldn't cross walls directly!

By leveraging this, they could entirely bypass the beam's obstruction!

The plan advanced point by point in their run.

Ultimately, after Ronald and Patricia changed paths for the sixth time in the maze, when the light pursued them again, the situation had transformed completely.

If the maze's entrance is considered the endpoint,

Now the light chased from behind while Ronald and Patricia were ahead, sprinting directly toward the maze exit's structure.

In other words—

As long as they aren't caught in their final sprint, victory is theirs!