Xie Ling nodded, feeling the contagious sense of urgency wash over him. He didn't know who this person was, but he trusted them. They seemed to know what they were doing so he let them lead him away.
As they started to move, Xie Ling realized that they were in some sort of temple. The walls were high. So high that it would take fifty of him stacked one on top of the other for him to probably reach the ceiling. There were statues everywhere. Many of them were made of marble and a few others, bigger and shinier than the others were made of gold. These ones seemed to Xie Ling as he passed by them like they had life within them. The intricate carvings and paintings on the walls were unlike anything he had ever seen before. He felt a sense of awe and wonder, even as he heard the daolaogui getting closer and closer to bringing down the door.
"Where are we going?" Xie Ling asked, his heart racing faster than his feet.
"To the exit. We need to get out of here before the daolaogui catches up with us," the person replied, their grip on his arm tightening.
Xie Ling stumbled forward, barely able to keep his balance let alone the pace this person was leading him with. It did not help that they had entered into a hallway that was labyrinthine, the stone walls seeming to twist and turn at random intervals. The further they went, the less he could hear the daolaogui and the ruckus it was creating so Xie Ling felt his fear reduce by a tiny bit and he took that little confidence as an avenue to ask questions.
"Wait," he said, stopping suddenly so that the person leading him would stop too.
Finally, the person turned and Xie Ling could see him without being surrounded by lights of blinding intensity. It was a man, taller than Xie Ling, with sharp cheekbones and piercing dark eyes that seemed like they hid no thoughts yet had some bit of mischief to them. He wore a blue-black paofu that hugged his frame and made him appear lithe even when he was barely moving. His hair was jet black and scattered in every direction possible. Obviously, he was one of those people who would constantly run their hands through their hair and never let it rest. What struck Xie Ling the most in his appearance was the small scar shaped like a pickaxe just underneath his right eye.
"Zhang Wei?"
Yes, the book had its faults, many of which Xie Ling could not even bring himself to point out again but the one thing he would admit the author got right was the generous description of Zhang Wei's appearance. The writer had gone into such detail that Xie Ling had in his mind a perfect picture of what Zhang Wei looked like. This is why recognizing him now as he stood in front of him, full of life and close enough to touch, was so easy.
"So your head still works," Zhang Wei said, a playful smirk tugging at his lips as he stared right at Xie Ling.
"How?" Xie Ling said, more confused than he was a minute ago. "How is this possible? How can I be here?"
As he looked around and took in this temple and all its labyrinthine hallways, Xie Ling recognized the poorly fleshed-out setting of the book he was reading. Something was beginning to make sense yet many things still did not.
"Well, you can be here because you have two legs and you walked into this temple with them," Zhang Wei deadpanned, looking away from Xie Ling before he could react and toward the direction of the daolaogui which was now suspiciously still and quiet.
Xie Ling could not believe his eyes and ears. This was Zhang Wei as he had imagined him to be. Well, maybe a little more attractive than he thought and a tiny bit more sarcastic than he would have preferred but still, it was him!
Just then a thought crossed Xie Ling's mind. Did Zhang Wei know he was a character in somebody's universe?
[Do not even dare.]
It was that damned robotic voice again. Who the hell is this? Why can I hear you?
[This is the system controlling this universe. It is my duty to ensure that your process of creating a better story while heroic must follow the already set rules of this universe. In light of this, it is not your job to tell Zhang Wei what he need not know about his creation. It is not something Xie Ling would do.]
And if I tell him? What will you do?
[Every infraction comes with a loss of points. Your total points at this start is 50. The fewer points you have, the fewer heart crystals you possess, and the more your life force dwindle until you cease to exist in this world. But beware, dying here without seeing this plot through is akin to dying in your real world. Once again, I wish you the best of luck]
What? What? No!
"Xie Ling!" Zhang Wei's loud voice snapped Xie Ling out of his reverie and only then did he realize that the daolaogui had broken down the door and was now barreling toward them.
"We need to run!" Xie Ling screamed out, feeling all the blood in his body rush straight to his head.
"Too late for that now," Zhang Wei said with fierce determination. "Get behind me."
Without protest, Xie Ling took three steps backward until Zhang Wei was in front of him, his powerful presence creating a formidable barrier between him and the approaching ghost-demon. Xie Ling was not even sure if this character he was inhabiting was a good fighter. He could not quite remember that now in the heat of the moment. But he was not willing to risk it. He had just arrived here; it would be way too soon to die like that.
Zhang Wei unsheathed a sword that Xie Ling had not noticed before and held it tightly in his right hand. He stood with a fierce determination, his eyes locked onto the daolaogui as it charged toward them with incredible speed. Xie Ling watched in awe as Zhang Wei moved with a grace and fluidity that was almost mesmerizing.
As the daolaogui got within striking distance, Zhang Wei made his move. He darted forward, his sword slicing through the air with a sharp whistle. The blade connected with the ghost-demon, causing it to let out an ear-piercing screech. But the daolaogui was not done yet. It swiped at Zhang Wei with a giant claw, but he dodged it effortlessly and delivered another powerful blow with his sword.
Xie Ling's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the ghost-demon's wicked grin fade into nothingness. He had never seen anything like it before - the way it floated through the air with a terrifying grace, the way its eyes glowed with a malevolent light that chilled him to the bone.
But then, as if out of nowhere, Zhang Wei appeared before him, his sword flashing like a bolt of lightning. Xie Ling watched in awe as Zhang Wei battled the ghost-demon, his movements swift and fluid like a river rushing to the sea. With each stroke of his sword, the ghost-demon recoiled in fear, its form dissipating like smoke in the wind, before reappearing only to be knocked down again.
Xie Ling was transfixed, his mouth hanging open in shock and amazement. He felt like he was watching a dream, something too incredible to be real. But there was Zhang Wei, his face set in a determined scowl, his eyes blazing with a fierce determination.
It was like watching a warrior of legend, come to life before his very eyes. And Xie Ling knew, in that moment, that he would follow Zhang Wei to the ends of the earth, if need be. For he had seen the truth - that there were still heroes in this world, still warriors who would stand against the darkness and fight to the bitter end.
Xie Ling watched in amazement as Zhang Wei fought with skill and finesse that was truly incredible. He moved as though his body was one with the air and fought like he could tell the daolaogui's movement before even the creature had made such decisions. In one movement, Zhang Wei leaped in the air and kicked the demon in the face, sending it flying backward.
It was then that daolaogui seemed to accept its defeat, screeching one more time before turning around and running back in the direction it came from.
Xie Ling stood there in one spot, partly terrified by the scene he had just witnessed and partly disbelieving of the skill he had just seen Zhang Wei display. This was nothing short of magical. It frightened him.
"We need to keep moving," Zhang Wei said casually as though he had not just fought a demon and won. "Supper is not going to eat itself."