Chapter 181: Lasting Fear
Jun Huang slowly opened her eyes. Whether she was alive or dead, she had to see for herself. What came into her view was the silky drape of the canopy bed. She propped her tired body up. The room looked similar to one of the inn. She blinked in confusion.
After what she had been through, her entire body was aching. Her chest hurt even when she breathed a little heavier. She bent down to press against her stomach. Her face went pale in pain. Her already slim form seemed even more fragile. It was heartbreaking to see her in this state.
When the pain had faded, she slowly got off the bed. She lost her balance as soon as her foot touched the ground.
Ji Bo happened to be bringing her her medicine. He quickly placed the bowl on the table and rushed toward her. He almost didn’t catch her before she fell.
Jun Huang gasped and choked on the tainted air she had inhaled. She broke into a coughing fit. Her body curled together as she coughed until her eyes were brimming with tears. She looked up at Ji Bo and clutched the tail of his robe. She couldn’t stop herself from trembling.
Ji Bo patted her on the back to help her control her breathing. Once she started breathing normally again, he helped Jun Huang back to the bed with a sigh. He then picked up the ceramic bowl he had placed on the wooden table and returned to the bedside. The medicine was still steaming hot.
“Drink this,” Ji Bo said before Jun Huang could say anything. “You can’t collapse now. I know you have a lot of questions. Finish this bowl of medicine, and I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
Jun Huang nodded reluctantly and took the bowl from Ji Bo. She quickly finished the bitter medicine. Her eyebrows remained closely knitted even after she put the bowl down.
Ji Bo grabbed a chair and sat by the bed. “I know what you want to ask,” he said slowly. “You want to know what’s the meaning of the last test, and if you and Nan Xun have passed. You also want to know where Nan Xun is now. Don’t fret. I will tell you everything.”
“The last stage of the trial is a test on the mind. Sacrificing yourself isn’t the right way to go. Neither is killing your companion. We want to know if the two participants are of the same mind. You’ve seen yourself that many before you have killed their companions in order to survive. In the end they also died in the room.”
“Then how should one pass the test?” Jun Huang asked with a frown. “Is there no correct answer?”
Ji Bo let out a bright laugh. “Of course there is. If there were no answer, you wouldn’t be here.”
Jun Huang looked at Ji Bo without a word. Ji Bo put on a serious expression and said, “This is a test on the human heart. Naturally there is an answer. The key is for the two participants to be united fearless against dangers. You either live together, or you die together. Failing the test means death.”
Jun Huang’s pupils contracted. Her heart was seized by her fear as she thought back to what had happened. If she had given up on Nan Xun, the consequence would be unbearable. Cold sweat streamed down her face. She was truly shaken this time. Persistence alone would not have been enough for them to pass the trial.