The moment he left The Red Spider Lily bar, the skies turned gloomy, and the dark clouds seemed to obscure the sun's rays, shrouding all the light. It was a sign that it would rain soon. While walking back, he recalled what the boss had previously said; his feelings were complex and he felt somewhat anxious.

He couldn't arbitrarily team up with anyone; he could only team up with other players. Not to mention, he could only rely on himself to take care of any problems or dangers he might encounter in the chamber. The boss advised Luo Jian to build upon and improve his strength as quickly as possible. He warned that Stalkers weren't the only monsters that existed in the chambers; any and every creature that humans could possibly imagine may appear in the chambers.

"The key to h.e.l.l resides in the imagination of humans." This one abstruse line the boss threw to Luo Jian back then gave him a vague idea of the chamber. But even if he felt deeply troubled by it, at this stage, no one could help Luo Jian overcome his predicament.

The boss was the guide for all newcomers who arrived to the city, and he was apparently given this task by the chamber. His main responsibility was to give all rookies an explanation and some additional information regarding the chambers, and in return, he would receive a few rewards for all the tasks he completed. But before the boss became a player in the chambers, he was just an owner of a small bar, The Red Spider Lily. However, the bar was not yet called 'The Red Spider Lily' at the time.

In the afternoon, Luo Jian went back to the company and finished up all his work. Then by the evening, the rain started to fall. He remembered that he had left Feng Yu Lan hanging, so he conveniently made a phone call. The beeping noise sounded for a long while; no one answered. Luo Jian hung up the phone with a sigh, but he didn't expect that just as he hung up, the other side started calling.

"Hey? Alan!"

There wasn't any response on the other end of the phone, but Luo Jian clearly heard the sound of heavy labored breathing. It sounded quite strange. Listening to this, Luo Jian frowned and asked, "Alan? You there?"

There still wasn't any response. This abnormal breathing lasted for more than a minute, and eventually the phone cut off, returning everything back to its original state of tranquility. Luo Jian perplexedly looked down at his mobile phone—a Chinese knock-off of an Apple product. He shook his head in bewilderment and mumbled, "What the h.e.l.l's this kid doing?"

Feng Yu Lan was Luo Jian's childhood sweetheart1.

Well, to be more precise, 'childhood sweetheart' is rather ambiguous and could be interpreted many ways.  In short, they were extremely close childhood friends who grew up together; they always played together ever since they were small. When they were children, their homes were nearby, so they would sometimes go to the neighbor's house to eat. Over time, the two children got to know each other better, and eventually, they stuck together like glue, never letting the other out of their sight. During their primary school years, they would have to get up every morning to attend cla.s.s, and if it wasn't Feng Yu Lan who knocked on Luo Jian's door, it was Luo Jian who rushed to Feng Yu Lan's bedside, shouting for him to wake up.

Occasionally, the adults would not be at home, but the children were always rest a.s.sured since they knew where they could find each other; they would always happily play for a whole day without ever being bored. This intimate relations.h.i.+p lasted from middle school, high school, college, and even up until now.

For a full twenty years.

Feng Yu Lan was the first to discover Luo Jian's s.e.xual orientation. It was around the time when Luo Jian couldn't understand himself, specifically why he was so different from other schoolboys. He didn't like talking about girls like the others did, he had zero interest in girls' privacy, and he didn't look at any AVs or p.o.r.n books; on the contrary, he enjoyed watching boys on the playground, energetically running about and sweating as they play around.

At that time, Feng Yu Lan, who was sitting directly beside Luo Jian, spouted one sentence to him, "Luo Jian, you're gay, aren't you?"

Luo Jian wasn’t able to refute him. In fact, he did want to refute; after all, anyone who heard the question, "You're gay, right?" would argue back with words like, "What gay?! You're the one who's gay; your whole family is gay! You must be joking with me!? Are your eyes on the back of your head?! Which one of your eyes saw me as gay?!"

But back then, Luo Jian couldn't utter a single word. Fang Yu Lan's question was like a wake-up call for him. It easily broke down the thick wall he had built up for many, many years, and it told him the cruel truth.

All of Luo Jian's fears were evidently displayed for Feng Yu Lan to see, but he deserved to be called Luo Jian's good brother. He never ridiculed or alienated Luo Jian, nor did he treat Luo Jian coldly and indifferently. Even in the end, when Luo Jian desperately came out to his parents in order to avoid being forced to undergo a blind date, Feng Yu Lan made an unexpected move that frightened Luo Jian out of his wits; he actually confessed to his parents and Luo Jian's parents, admitting that he was Luo Jian's lover.

Luo Jian was incensed at that moment; he wanted to curse bulls.h.i.+t. He knew that Feng Yu Lan was undoubtedly straight. Furthermore, his girlfriend was pet.i.te and cute, but because of this matter, she broke up with him. Luo Jian's parents couldn't accept this sort of thing; it was too disturbing, their entire world had turned upside down. At last, the two people were driven out of their houses at the same time.

"Was what you did worth it?" Luo Jian helplessly looked at his close friend.

Feng Yu Lan resembled a rogue delinquent, squatting on the ground and smoking on a cigarette; he proudly laughed like an idiot.

Feng Yu Lan's temperament and appearance were the same as the typical vibrant and optimistic teenager in a television series. He was twenty years old, but his looks did not match with his actual age. He was very small, had a baby-face, and had big and beautiful eyes. In a nutsh.e.l.l, he was a typical shou2.

And yet, Luo Jian could never forget this person's smile. That day, they were kicked out of their homes, the cold weather made them tremble, and Fang Yu Lan crouched down near the edge of the pole, smiling faintly at Luo Jian. His smile wasn't at all pretty, it could be said that it was a miserable smile. But for Luo Jian it was unforgettable; that kind of sorrowful emotion was deeply engraved in Luo Jian's heart, the pain forever etched into his memories.

Even until now, Feng Yu Lan is still Luo Jian's close friend, his good brother. Therefore, regardless of whatever happens, Luo Jian will never abandon him.

Luo Jian then made several consecutive phone calls to Feng Yu Lan, but none of them were able to go through. It made him feel uneasy, and so he decided to pay Feng Yu Lan's family a direct visit. However, halfway on the road, his mobile phone rang once again. This time it was Feng Yu Lan who called. Luo Jian immediately answered his cell, and an unfamiliar voice came from the other end.

"May I ask whether you’re a family member of this patient? The owner of this phone has just been sent to the hospital…"

Luo Jian was shaken; he asked which hospital, then took a taxi there right away. He had no choice but to pay at once and handle various formalities, and soon after, Luo Jian was finally able to see Feng Yu Lan. He was lying on a white bed, his complexion was dreadfully pale, resembling the dead. Several doctors and nurses surrounded him, and there was a nurse holding a medical drip bottle filled with red liquid; they then delivered him to the operating room.

"What the h.e.l.l's going on?" Luo Jian mind was in chaos. Too many things happened today, so he couldn't organize his thoughts. How did this happen? At noon, this money-grubber called him, hooting about how he'd treat him to dinner. His voice, as always, was filled with vitality, but how did he become like this in just a blink of an eye?

"He was stabbed with a knife on the street." Luo Jian wasn't the only one standing outside the operating room; two police officers dressed in uniform accompanied him and briefly explained to Luo Jian, "These days, the streets haven't been safe. There's a serial killer who's been outside committing crimes."

Luo Jian couldn't care any less about these things; he seldom read newspapers and the like. All along, he felt that certain issues weren't any concern of his, that they had nothing to do with him. But G.o.d had always loved pulling jokes on Luo Jian, suddenly making him to realize that he's h.o.m.os.e.xual one day and then abruptly sending him into the chamber another day.

Seeing the police officers before him, Luo Jian was rather diffident. The tactical knife still hung at his waist, and though his clothes concealed it from others' view, Luo Jian, nevertheless, instinctively s.h.i.+ed away from the police uncles.

"Did you find the killer?"  Luo Jian was more so concerned about this. He glanced at the bright red lights outside the operating room's doors. He’d walways believed that Feng Yu Lan was one lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.d3; therefore, he would never die, but Luo Jian was still restless. He couldn't help but want to distract himself, and so he asked this question to divert his attention.

The police officer shook his head in remorse, "Did not."

The police asked Luo Jian a few questions, and later, they left. Before leaving, they gave Luo Jian a phone number, telling him to notify them as soon as Feng Yu Lan woke up. Luo Jian waited outside of the surgery room for several hours. At long last, the operation ended. Now that his being at risk subsided, Luo Jian was finally allowed to go inside and take a look at Feng Yu Lan. His dear Alan's face looked frail and sick. He reclined on the hospital bed, dozing off; needles were inserted in his body, and he also wore an oxygen mask. Luo Jian's heart ached, he reached out with his hand and touched the other's face, caressing it with his hand; it was icy-cold.

Should I tell his parents? Luo Jian thought. Then, he shook his head and sighed. He didn't know what would happen when Feng Yu Lan woke up. Both Alan and Luo Jian haven't contacted their families in years; Luo Jian had to take responsibility with matters like these.

After that, Feng Yu Lan was unconscious for three days and three night before he woke up. Luo Jian asked for a sick leave from the company, and he kept watch near the hospital bed. Upon seeing Feng Yu Lan wake up, Luo Jian excitedly hopped up, his face was filled with worry. "You woke up? Are you feeling unwell? You want some water?"

Feng Yu Lan was at a slight loss for a while. Catching sight of Luo Jian, he managed a half-dead grin, "Ah! Luo Jian!"

"You smelly little brat, you almost scared me, your elder brother, to death!" Luo Jian's face was haggard. He stayed here for many days and had difficulty falling asleep. He couldn't figure out why Alan was attacked. As a result of the many recent and bizarre occurrences, Luo Jian subconsciously linked these two events, the chamber and Feng Yu Lan's attack, together.

He then went to the bar to find the boss, and the boss mentioned that the chamber would never interfere in the ordinary, daily life of a player. But some matters, such as whether a player of the game may be brainwashed by the chamber and become obsessed with wantonly killing people, cannot be guaranteed.

"Alan, what happened to you? You walked on the street and someone stabbed you with a knife?" Luo Jian offered some water for Alan to drink. Seeing that his condition was better, he began to inquire about the situation.

"I don't know. They stabbed me from behind." Feng Yu Lan appeared to be consumed by trepidation4, his complexion was deadly pale, and he wretchedly continued, "When that happened, I was terrified. It hurt so much, it was so painful, but I reacted very fast. I immediately fell on my legs and dropped to the ground, pretending I was dead. But I actually didn't pa.s.s out at all at the time! Because the street was full of people, the guy just ran away without checking…"

Feng Yu Lan professed that he was quite proud of himself back there, and he smiled even more, like an imbecile. Luo Jian saw him this way, and he was particularly stunned speechless. He helplessly shook his head, but still chuckled, "Well, that's good."

Feng Yu Lan was in a very good mood. He was nearly stabbed to death with a knife, but this incident didn't seem to leave behind any psychological shadows. After seeing Luo Jian, he threw himself at him and went on acting like a spoiled child. It didn't help that Feng Yu Lan had a baby face5 and that he was conspicuously small. Most people couldn't imagine he was twenty years of age, they only thought he was a young boy. Feng Yu Lan, who was clearly aware of his own advantages, would often shamelessly act cheeky and spoiled before Luo Jian's face, and Luo Jian, who naturally had a good temper, would indulge him, letting him do whatever he pleased.

"Your injury isn't healed; you're forbidden to cause trouble!" Luo Jian pinched Alan's face. This brat was becoming more and more presumptuous by the second, how could he not teach him a lesson? "I'm telling you, if you hadn't provoked anyone outside, how could you manage to catch their attention?"

"How could I!" Feng Yu Lan smacked his lips together, "I usually just eat, work, play games, sleep, sometimes flirt with one or two younger sister students, but how can such things make anyone hate me?"

"Just taking liberties with younger female students would make anyone hate you! Come on, even you can't deny that!" Luo Jian was exasperated by the fact that his good brother couldn't live up to his expectations, and he unrelentingly pinched Feng Yu Lan's cheeks.

Feng Yu Lan pitifully covered his red cheeks with his hands, and then sneezed, snot running down his nose. Upon seeing this, Luo Jian dug through his own pockets and fished out some tissues and a blank piece of paper with a purple pattern on it. Luo Jian took a quick glimpse and discovered it was the piece of paper the boss gave to him, then he casually placed it on top of the bedside cabinet along with packet of tissues.

A while after, Feng Yu Lan became hungry. He noisily clamored that he wanted to eat KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, and even French-style cuisine. Luo Jian's face turned grave. He ruthlessly knocked the top of his head, and finally, Feng Yu Lan lowered his head, showing that he knew his place; and yet, he pathetically continued, "I want to eat Master w.a.n.g's Century Egg and Lean Meat Congee6."

Luo Jian nevertheless pampered the patient, and, like the obedient darling he was, he ran off to buy it. He left, and Feng Yu Lan was the only one who remained in the ward. Feeling bored, Feng Yu Lan's eyes roamed around the place, he looked here and there, he lifted his quilt wanting to stand up, but he eventually had no other choice but to lie back down because of the intense pain from the wound on his waist. He turned his head around and glanced at the table where Luo Jian conveniently placed a packet of tissues; there was also a sheet of paper there—a flower printed note.

A surge of curiosity took ahold of Feng Yu Lan's heart, so he unconsciously extended his hand to seize the piece of paper. However, he didn't know that the moment his hand touched the slip of paper, a couple of lines appeared out of thin air on the originally blank note. But of course, Feng Yu Lan wouldn't know of this; he was lying on the bed, meaning he was incapable of noticing these details from his point of view. So, when he took the note in his hand, what greeted him were these lines:

【Dear Feng Yu Lan】

【I desperately hope you can join me, and I hope you will become my everlasting strength7.】

【P.S. If you are willing, please sign your name on the back】

【Yours truly, Luo Jian】

"Whaa? What's this mean?" Feng Yu Lan was utterly baffled, he scratched his head, thinking for a moment. He turned away and searched the cabinet for some time. He eventually found a pen, flipped the paper over, then confidently and freely signed his formal name on the back of the note.

1青梅竹馬— Qīng méi zhú mǎ. Literal: "Green plums and hobby-horse" (Idiom). Figurative: "Innocent children's games; childhood sweethearts, couple who grew up as childhood friends".

2小受—Xiao shou. Slang that means "Bottom (in a h.o.m.os.e.xual relations.h.i.+p)". Otherwise known as "uke".

3福大命大—Literal: "Great luck, great life". Alternative: "Led a blessed life" or "Too lucky to die". Preferred: "Lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

4心有餘悸— Xīn yǒu yú jì. "To have lingering fears [from a trauma]" (Idiom).

5娃娃臉—Wa wa lian. Baby face/doll face.

6Master w.a.n.g is a Chinese restaurant, if you hadn't realized already. And here's Century Egg & Lean Meat Congee:

7助力—Helping hand. "Become my everlasting strength" sounded cooler though…