Sorcerer's Handbook-Chapter 572: Can I Trust You?

Click, click, click…

At that moment, the sound of mechanisms turning echoed through the Underground Hall.

They turned their heads and saw that eight new passages had suddenly appeared in the sealed hall.

Without any prompt, Ashe and Vesser both knew that once they stepped into one of these passages, it would seal behind them, becoming their exclusive trial path.

In truth, Ashe and the bystander hadn’t intentionally planned to ambush the Silver Lantern Twin here-they simply couldn’t leave either.

Because after they arrived in this hall, their wristbands had displayed a message: “The passage to Cicada Hall will only open once all Trial Takers have reached Cicada Lurk Hall.”

Clearly, even if Vesser and her group had arrived at the hall first, they still had to wait for Ashe and his team to arrive before they could proceed. Ashe had initially wondered why such a setting existed, but upon seeing these eight passages, he understood.

Originally, there had been sixteen passages in the hall, meaning this trial was supposed to be conducted simultaneously by sixteen groups.

Eight passages meant only half of them could advance to the next trial. Unlike using speed to distinguish the Trial Takers’ strengths, the organizers of this trial seemed to prefer assessing overall competence-waiting for everyone to arrive in the hall, then letting half perish so the others could move on to the next stage.

Ashe could almost imagine how intense the trials of the past must have been: sixteen groups of Twins gathered in the hall, with the strong scheming and intimidating others, the weak forming alliances and feigning cooperation, until only eight groups survived to step into the next hell.

Wasn’t the Gray Fox Divine Era supposed to be a splendid and magnificent time? How could there be such a bloody ritual? Or was Ashe mistaken, and the Trial Takers would decide the outcome with a game of rock-paper-scissors?

But regardless, their fight could no longer continue.

“Silver Lantern, you’re lucky,” Ashe couldn’t help but taunt.

“Well then, see you in the next hall,” Vesser said, stepping backward into a passage.

“Wait!”

“If you’re going to ask what the trial is about, don’t bother,” Vesser said in a low voice. “You and I aren’t close enough to share intelligence.”

“He’s called the bystander.”

Ashe placed a hand on the bystander’s shoulder as he introduced him, then turned to Yolan. “And what’s your name?”

“I’m also Silver Lantern,” Yolan replied with a smile.

“Silver Lantern is her codename. You must have a name of your own.”

“Since he’s called the bystander,” Yolan said, pointing at the bystander, “then I’ll be called the Mirror Master.”

Ashe looked slightly confused. “What’s the connection?”

“You’re the bystander,” Yolan said, retreating into the passage alongside Vesser.

“And I’m the one in the mirror.”

Watching the Silver Lantern Twin disappear into the passage, Ashe heard footsteps behind him. He turned to find the Observer silently walking into another corridor. Hurrying to catch up, Ashe called out, “Wait for me! What if I get left behind in the hall?”

The Silver Lantern Twin moved through the brightly lit passage. Vesser glanced at her wristwatch and noticed the countdown remained frozen, unmoving.

She suddenly spoke up, “That codename…”

“Well, you’re not interested in taking that path anyway,” Yolan said casually. “Why not let me use it?”

“You even have that memory?”

“Of course. You’ve been hallucinating that name lately, haven’t you? Silver Lantern Master… That’s what the Four Pillars expect of you,” Yolan explained. “If you were to fully awaken your tactile ability, that’s what it would be called. Since you’ve already taken ‘Silver Lantern,’ I’ll just have to use ‘Master’ as my codename.”

“I didn’t think this trial was advanced enough to monitor the traces of the Four Pillars.”

“Or maybe the Four Pillars simply don’t care if others notice their presence,” Yolan said with a laugh. “They’re like a bunch of advertisers blasting spam messages through megaphones, desperate for everyone to hear their call.”

Soon, they spotted a door in the corridor. As they approached, it automatically opened, revealing a dining table, chairs, food, and two soft beds inside.

“Welcome, Trial Taker 1 Twin. You may remain in the rest area for 360 minutes. Once the time expires, the trial will resume. Leaving the rest area will be considered an early end to your rest period, and the trial will continue immediately.”

Even though defeating trial Copies could restore physical stamina and heal injuries, the high-frequency battles were mentally exhausting. While they could choose to continue the trial and race to the next hall, they would still have to wait for Ashe and his group to arrive before the third trial’s passage could open.

No matter how you looked at it, resting here was the best option. Moreover, if Ashe chose to rest, Vesser had no choice but to do the same.

Once the door closed, Yolan didn’t even bother heading to the restroom. She stripped off all her clothes as she walked and immediately threw herself onto the bed, rolling around gleefully.

Vesser felt deeply uncomfortable watching this scene-seeing someone who looked exactly like her act so wild and unrestrained made her feel a little embarrassed.

Even if she pretended to embody that persona on the outside, it didn’t mean that’s who she truly was inside.

Still, she didn’t say anything. She removed her mask and coat, pulled out some hemostatic bandages from a drawer, and began wrapping the wound on her neck in front of the mirror-the bite mark Ashe had left was clearly visible, just a hair’s breadth away from her windpipe.

“Do you need help?” Yolan asked, reclining lazily on the bed with a teasing smile.

“No.”

“Ashe’s Twin doesn’t seem to be the truth you were hoping for. What’s your next move?”

“His Twin is precisely the truth he’s been hiding… I never expected things to be that straightforward,” Vesser replied calmly. “In the end, my plan never accounted for him following me in. The Divine Fire Trial was supposed to be mine alone. His presence only complicates things. I didn’t expect the Transcendent Cult to give him an atonement voucher for remote divine hosting…”

“But it doesn’t matter,” she continued. “Piling all the troublesome things together makes it easier to handle. In fact, the current situation has become even more intriguing.”

“Oh?”

“Compared to stumbling upon a ready-made ally, I prefer slowly molding a companion to my liking,” Vesser said. “Here, he’s lost his companions, his spellforce, and is utterly lost and out of his depth. Surrounded by enemies, with no familiar faces in sight… We’re just one step away from peeling back his true self.”

“This bite mark is the beginning of his awakening. Next, all we need to do is push the dominoes in the Virtual Realm, and we’ll witness his collapse.”

“Compared to picking up something ready-made, nurturing it is far more interesting…” Yolan walked behind Vesser, bent slightly, and placed her hands on Vesser’s shoulders. She gazed at their reflections in the mirror, her lips softly savoring the words until they fermented into a bittersweet flavor.

“You make a good point.”

“Ouch, be gentle, lighter.”

The Observer tossed aside the bandage. “This time it’s your left shoulder that’s injured. Next time, you’ll have to wrap it yourself.”

“Come on, there are two of us. Shouldn’t we help each other? If you get hurt next time, I’ll treat you too,” Ashe said, examining himself in the mirror. His throat and left shoulder were wrapped in bandages. “Looks like I won’t be able to take a shower tonight…”

“I can wrap my own injuries, and so can you.”

“We’re the same, aren’t we? You wrapping it is the same as me wrapping it myself,” Ashe tried to justify with an absurd logic. “But thankfully, we still have six hours of rest, and even food and a bathroom. I was starting to wonder if Trial Takers were just supposed to relieve themselves anywhere…”

“By the way, I’m heading to the Virtual Realm later. Can you come too?”

The Observer sat on the bed with his eyes closed, meditating. “No. Aurora’s Sorcerer Handbook is exclusive to you. I’m just a Copy with your memories and skills.”

“You’re not just a Copy. You’re the Observer who nearly beat Silver Lantern,” Ashe said cheerfully. “What about the Virtual Realm? After we leave here, can you enter it?”

The Observer opened his eyes and looked at him, taking a moment before speaking. “Do you have a single spirit that you summoned yourself?”

Ashe was taken aback. “Don’t I? Substitute, Heart Sword… huh?”

Because he had always entered the Virtual Realm through the operators’ Gate of Truth, Ashe suddenly realized how absurd his situation was-he was already a sanctuary sorcerer, yet he didn’t have a single spirit he had summoned on his own!

He hadn’t even seen the Gate of Truth once!

Without Aurora’s Sorcerer Handbook, he couldn’t even enter the Virtual Realm!

It was more outrageous than going through university without ever meeting a professor. It was akin to living for over a decade without knowing your own name.

“I’ll work on it,” Ashe said earnestly. “But even if you can’t enter the Virtual Realm, it’s fine. You protect me now, and when I become a legendary sorcerer, I’ll have your back!”

The Observer remained unmoved. “I won’t take care of you. You’re on your own.”

“Strange,” Ashe muttered, sitting on the Observer’s bed and staring at him thoughtfully. “You’re not a tsundere, are you? Is my complementary type really this weird?”

The Observer showed no reaction. After a moment, he noticed Ashe was still sitting there, fidgeting with an expression that seemed to oscillate between speaking and holding back. Finally, Ashe made up his mind and asked, “Hey, there’s something I want to ask you…”

“I haven’t inherited any of your emotions,” the Observer said. “And I’m not interested in trivial things like friendship, love, or family.”

“What about our parents!?”

The Observer lowered his eyelids. “Same.”

Though slightly dissatisfied, Ashe also felt relieved.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, swaying slightly as he spoke. “Later, when I enter the Virtual Realm, I hope to draw the ‘Myriad Glories Hand’ from the Dream Treasure House. Last time, when the Sword Princess equipped that collection, it was invincible. Unlimited use of Blood Moon, Shattered Lake, and Meteor Trial-unless it’s an invulnerable affix, it could tear through dream phantoms effortlessly…”

The Observer cut in, “Why are you talking to me?”

Ashe blinked in surprise. “If not you, should I talk to a pillow?”

The Observer shook his head. “If I’m not mistaken, you were initially wary of me, but now you’ve completely trusted me.”

Ashe blinked again, then nodded candidly. “Yeah, because even when Silver Lantern tried to persuade you, you didn’t betray me. I feel at ease now. Honestly, I was really worried at first that you might try to replace me or something…”

“What if I have another plan, or simply find Silver Lantern more threatening?” the Observer said. “If a more suitable situation arises-“

“Assumptions are pointless. Human nature shouldn’t be tested. Everyone has a price for betrayal. If someone offers enough, even I could betray everything.” Ashe’s tone was light. “What truly makes me happy isn’t that you didn’t betray me, but that I can trust you.”

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“Even though I have people I can confide in, who accept me, who share my joys and sorrows, and even a home waiting for me, companions I can rely on…” Ashe looked down at his hands. “But you’re the only one who truly understands me.”

After a moment of silence, Ashe scratched his head in embarrassment and quickly rolled back to his own bed. “That sounded like something a middle-schooler would say. Kind of embarrassing… Anyway, it’s about time. I’m heading to the Virtual Realm. Goodnight!”

As Ashe’s consciousness connected to the Virtual Realm, entering the dream phantom, the restroom fell into silence.

Only after a long while did a cold remark break the quiet:

“Too soft.”