Doomsday Asylum Chapter 55

Ning Xin searched the entire building but didn’t see a single soul. A thin layer of dust had accumulated on the furniture, indicating that no one had lived there for a long time.

Where had they gone? Perhaps, because she had lost herself, they had all gone their separate ways.

Or… had they already reincarnated?

She stood by the window on the second floor and glanced outside, noticing a faint white light in the distance, flickering. Thinking of Lang Xiao, she immediately ran towards it.

As she got closer, the light grew brighter.

She dashed into the white light, and the scenery around her changed once again.

In front of her was a bustling street, lined with shops on both sides. The air was filled with the cries of vendors and the chatter of people, lively and full of vitality.

The architectural style looked familiar, it was the Furong Street where Wan Yue spent his childhood. The pedestrians passing by were dressed in clothes from the Republican era.

But now, Furong Street wasn’t just for skin and meat businesses. There were restaurants, baozi shops, fabric stores, and everything else.

She walked forward in a daze, and suddenly heard a familiar voice.

Turning her head, she saw Wan Yue… no, it should be Yue Yue, looking like she did when she was five or six years old, sitting on a bamboo chair, lost in thought.

Behind her was a dim sum shop, while in front of her, a stall was set up with freshly baked pastries and various snacks.

Someone stopped at the stall to buy some snacks.

She jumped off the chair and skilfully quoted the prices, then, after the customer made their selection, she weighed and packaged the items swiftly and smoothly.

After the transaction was complete, she happily ran into the shop with the money, calling out to the woman making the snacks, “Mom, look! We earned ten wen again.”

The woman turned around, her beauty and gentleness not concealed even by the coarse hemp clothes she wore. She wiped her hands with a cloth, took the money and put it in her pocket, then gently touched Yue Yue’s head.

“You’re so good. When we save up enough money, we’ll buy new clothes for Yue Yue.”

“Mom should buy new clothes too.”

“Okay, we’ll both buy.”

Laughter, like tinkling silver bells, echoed in the shop. Ning Xin couldn’t help but walk in and say, “Wan Yue.”

However, the two of them acted as if they hadn’t heard her, just going about their own business, seemingly unable to hear her at all.

She was very anxious and walked over to Wan Yue, pulling his arm.

To her surprise, there was no reaction at all from him, and he even passed right through her body.

Ning Xin looked at her own body in astonishment, roughly understanding what was happening, and immediately felt immense guilt.

When she lost herself and immersed herself in beautiful fantasies, had someone else ever been so anxious to wake her up?

Certainly.

After looking for a while longer and realizing she couldn’t wake up Wan Yue, she had no choice but to continue walking forward.

Exiting one illusion and entering another, but this time, the protagonist had changed.

The sun was shining brightly, the breeze was gentle, and the valley was filled with colourful wildflowers, the grass lush and green, like a vast blanket of velvet.

Lang Xiao and the wild wolves lay on it basking in the sun.

But he was no longer in human form; he was a small grey-white wolf, furry and chubby, exuding comfort from head to toe.

One of the young wolves spotted a rabbit and brought it back.

Lang Xiao and the other young wolves immediately crowded around, sniffing curiously.

The alpha suddenly stood up, alertly looking ahead.

A sheep ran past the valley, and the alpha wolf howled, leading the pack to chase after it.

The remaining wild wolves were well-trained and organized into formation, following closely behind.

Lang Xiao and the other young wolves were also busy keeping up with the pace of the alpha wolves, joining in the hunt.

Soon, the sheep was dragged back, and the wolf pack held a feast in the valley.

Lang Xiao also got a piece of meat, dragging it back to the mother wolf and happily starting to eat.

Ning Xin stood beside them, patting the white wolf’s head and then Lang Xiao’s head.

Neither of them noticed her presence. After eating and drinking their fill, the mother wolf lay down on the grass, and Lang Xiao leaned against her body, falling asleep lazily in the warm sunlight.

Ning Xin stood up, took a deep breath, enjoying the fragrance of the wildflowers for a moment, and then walked out of the valley.

She walked and walked, and the environment changed again.

The rugged mountains and wilderness transformed into exquisite ancient buildings. She saw a palace and walked inside. There was a man dressed in a black python robe sitting with his back to her. In front of him was a heavy long table, with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, as if he were handling official business.

The man had a tall and sturdy figure, with a narrow waist and broad shoulders.

His profile revealed a quarter of his face, with sharp and defined features.

On the wooden rack beside him lay a huge blade, five feet long and two feet wide. Despite its weight, it was not rough. Every pattern was meticulously carved, quietly shining with a dark golden light.

Ning Xin gazed at his back, feeling a surge of emotions without saying a word, her nose tingling with the threat of tears.

Had he finally achieved the life he desired?

Building his empire and governing it according to his wishes, ensuring that his name would be remembered by the people.

Everyone lived in the illusion of their dreams. Though it might be false, as long as they didn’t wake up, it would always be true.

Perhaps she shouldn’t have come.

Ning Xin suppressed her tears and prepared to leave, but the man sighed softly.

She immediately stopped, afraid to move, and then she heard him say, “The more I paint, the less it looks like her.”

What is he saying? Is he talking to her?

Ning Xin observed for a while and found that he didn’t turn his head. The words just now seemed more like muttering to himself.

She became curious and tiptoed behind him.

Her gaze passed over his broad shoulders and landed on the table.

There was a painting placed there, probably completed not long ago, with the ink still slightly wet.

It depicted a woman with long black hair, wearing a white dress, of medium height, and slender figure.

Based on years of experience looking in the mirror, without needing to ask, she knew it must be herself.

Nie Ran’s painting was indeed unlike her.

Where did she have such big eyes, such red lips, and such smooth hair?

But more importantly, he still remembered her???

Ning Xin was extremely surprised, while Nie Ran was completely unaware of her arrival, carefully picked up the painting and walked towards the nearby cabinet.

Opening the cabinet, it was filled with scrolls of paintings.

Randomly picking one out, they were all of her.

Her sleeping self, her eating self, her walking self, her smiling self.

With so many different poses, so many different expressions, even Ning Xin herself had never noticed before, she actually had so many moments.

Nie Ran put a newly painted one inside, looking at it with reluctance, murmuring to himself.

“You should be married with children by now, right? What’s the child’s name? Do you still remember me? It’s okay, I’ll wait for you to wake up.”

The last sentence made her hold back tears for a long time, Ning Xin ran to him without hesitation, and hugged him tightly.

“I’m awake, Nie Ran, I’m back!”

Crying and crying, she felt something was wrong.

Not only did she firmly hold onto something, but the body in her arms also emitted a clear and familiar warmth.

Nie Ran remained still. She couldn’t help but loosen her grip, stepping back two steps and looking up.

He turned around, looking deeply at her, his eyes and the tip of his nose were a little red, but he didn’t cry, only smiled and said:

“You’re back.”

Ning Xin trembled and said, “Can you see me? Do you remember me?”

He couldn’t help but chuckle, pulling her into his arms, kissing her forehead as before.

“Who forgets losing a hundred pounds of meat from their home?”

“Sob…”

Ning Xin cried and laughed again, punching him a few times.

Nie Ran held her harmless fists and said gently, “I’ve always said, you’re forever mine.”

The cabinet was gone, the desk was gone, the building was gone.

Everything vanished into thin air, in the vast wilderness, they embraced each other.

Not far away, Lang Xiao and Wan Yue also slowly got up from the ground, their expressions as confused as waking from a deep sleep.

“Director.”

“Sister.”

Ning Xin heard the call and ran to them, holding Nie Ran’s hand.

“You’re awake too? That’s great.”

Lang Xiao still seemed bewildered, “What just happened? It feels like I’ve slept for a very long time.”

Wan Yue didn’t speak, staring at the empty space, her expression very reluctant to leave.

Ning Xin noticed his state, feeling a bit guilty.

If it weren’t for her, his beautiful dream could have gone on forever.

At this moment, a puff of smoke emerged out of thin air, and after the smoke dissipated, a long-lost familiar figure appeared before them.

The Ghost Emperor.

He smiled and said, “Congratulations on passing the test.”

“Test?” Ning Xin released Nie Ran’s hand and stepped forward. “So, these were set up by you? Why didn’t you remind us beforehand?”

He shook his head with a smile. “If I had told you in advance, what would be the meaning of this test?”

She thought about it, indeed, without being prepared, people are easily immersed in illusions and tend to forget everything.

“So, what were you testing? And what are the results of passing?”

“I was testing whether you have the qualification to continue staying here, testing whether they can let go of their hatred and move on to the next life.”

The environment is generated based on everyone’s inner thoughts. If there is still hatred in the heart, it will surely seek revenge in the illusion.

But from the results, everyone has let go, only pursuing the beautiful life in their dreams.

“Now…” The Ghost Emperor glanced at them and said slowly, “You can enter the cycle of reincarnation.”

He waved his sleeve, and a gate of light appeared beside him.

Nothing could be seen inside, but everyone present understood that by stepping in, they could truly start anew.

They would become someone else, with completely different backgrounds.

Lifetime after lifetime, the cycle continues.

The Ghost Emperor watched them quietly, without rushing.

Wan Yue stepped forward first and said to Ning Xin:

“Thank you.”

Ning Xin anticipated his words and smiled.

“I wish you to have the life you want in your next life, to become the person you want to be.”

He nodded, glanced at the others, and walked into the gate of light without hesitation, disappearing.

Compared to his decisiveness, Lang Xiao seemed much more conflicted. He held Ning Xin’s hand reluctantly, tears welling up in his eyes.

“Director, will we meet again?”

Analysing the current situation realistically, the probability was close to zero.

With billions of people in the world, there was no way to know which country, city, or family he would be born into.

She could only visit once a month, staying for seven days each time. How could they have a chance to meet?

Even if fate allowed them to cross paths, she might not recognize him, and he might not remember her at all.

But Ning Xin still smiled and patted his head.

“Don’t worry, I’ll come find you.”

With her promise, Lang Xiao finally made up his mind, letting go of her hand and walking towards the gate of light.

Just before entering, he couldn’t help but look back.

“Make sure to come, I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Okay.”

Lang Xiao’s body was engulfed by light.

Only Nie Ran remained. Ning Xin didn’t dare to turn her head, instead, she looked down at her toes.

An arm wrapped around her shoulder, and Nie Ran’s voice sounded in her ear, but the words were not directed at her.

“Put it away, I don’t need it.”

The Ghost Emperor smiled and asked, “Are you unwilling to reincarnate, or afraid of not reincarnating well? Perhaps I can make an exception for our friendship and give you a shortcut to enjoy the pleasure of ruling in a few thousand years.”

He waved his finger dismissively.

“You’re all wrong. I simply don’t need to reincarnate.”

“Oh?”

“The thing I want the most is right here by my side. Why would I need to go far away?”

Ning Xin felt warmth in her heart, blushing as she bit her lip.

But the Ghost Emperor continued, “But what if she wants to leave? Ning Xin, I’ll give you another chance to choose. Do you want to return to your original world? Or do you want to stay here and go through one purgatory after another? If you choose to go back, you can take all the money you’ve earned and the things you’ve bought with you.”

Take everything with her?

That would mean she could simply nod and become a woman living in the 21st century, owning a factory worth millions and having millions in savings?

She would definitely be a wealthy woman.

She wouldn’t need to work anymore, just collecting rent and interest would be enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life.

And she wouldn’t have to face any risks, no time constraints either.

She was only 23 years old now, she could enjoy life for at least another fifty or sixty years.

It was indeed a great temptation.

However…

She smiled and raised her head. “I’ll stay.”

The Ghost Emperor teased, “Because the thing you want is also here with you?”

“Not really. It’s just…”

She leaned closer to Nie Ran in his embrace. “I have to keep my promise.”

Nie Ran was too tall for her to see his expression at this moment.

But judging from the accelerated heartbeat, he must be overjoyed.

“Alright.”

The Ghost Emperor sighed with mock regret. “Then you two can stay here and continue to treat other patients.”

His body began to turn into a phantom, as if he was about to leave.

Ning Xin hurriedly asked, “Will there be any more tests in the future? Another surprise attack, and I’ll be angry.”

He smiled faintly, “As long as there’s enough sincerity, what’s the harm in a mere test?”

The Ghost Emperor’s figure disappeared before the two of them, and the gate of light vanished as well.

Ning Xin stomped her foot. “So annoying, couldn’t he have given us a heads up?”

But Nie Ran said, “It’s windy outside, let’s go in.”

Windy? Was there wind?

Ning Xin didn’t feel anything, but since everyone else had left, and there was nothing for them to do here, she followed Nie Ran into the asylum.

He held her hand, didn’t stop when they passed the living room, and went straight upstairs, closing the door after entering the bedroom.

“What are you going to do?”

Ning Xin was completely puzzled.

Suddenly, he lifted her and threw her onto the bed, his sturdy body pressing down on her.

“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you? How will you compensate me?”

Ning Xin’s cheeks flushed red as she struggled a bit.

“T-that was your choice.”

“I didn’t willingly watch you marry someone else and have children.”

“…That’s not true, you stingy.”

“Stingy?” He raised an eyebrow, his hand slipping into her clothes. “Say it again, who’s stingy?”

“Ah, stop it! It tickles! Haha…”

Laughter quickly turned into soft moans, the bedroom filled with beauty, endless spring.

In the early hours of the morning, Ning Xin got up to use the bathroom. When she returned, instead of lying down, she quietly admired Nie Ran’s face in the faint light coming in through the window.

He slept deeply, perhaps dreaming of something pleasant. There was a faint smile on his lips, showing a rare innocence, quite different from the conqueror he was moments ago.

When Ning Xin was in the illusion, she always felt a sense of emptiness.

Despite having everything she wanted around her, despite her life being as good as it could get, she often felt restless.

But after seeing Nie Ran, that feeling disappeared.

He was like a warm current, gently and powerfully flowing into her chest, giving her a grounded and confident demeanour in the face of any danger.

She couldn’t imagine being separated from him.

Ning Xin leaned over quietly, kissed his face, then happily slipped back under the covers, holding onto his waist tightly.

She would never let go.

The End

Nomad: I hope everyone enjoyed reading this as much as I did. Hopefully, the author will turn this into a series… T-T

The next translation will be “Carrying a Lantern in Daylight” (CALID). I still haven’t figured out a way to fix the previous/next links, so I can’t really upload multiple series at once. For now, I will try to upload CALID at least twice a day, and I will also be uploading “Transmigrated as the Villain’s Wife” (TATVW) once a week until I can figure out how to fix the links. So if you see the next/previous buttons not making sense, just ignore them and use the contents button for better navigation.**