Chapter 863: A Strange Reunion
I had once imagined that I wouldn't be too important in Aries's heart.
But I never expected my weight to be so light—he couldn't even recall my face or say my name.
With his intelligence, he shouldn't have made such a low-level mistake.
This could only mean he had never really cared about me at all, nor had he ever cared about the challenges he had set for me.
I had treated those three challenges as the goals I strived for over these five years and as my new life creed. Looking back now, it all seems utterly ridiculous.
Should I be angry right now...?
No, I have no reason to be angry.
Aries is a "Zodiac," and I am a "Participant." We are adversaries. He had no obligation to place all his hopes on me.
Besides, I have truly gained a lot. I met Jiang Ruoxue, stepped out of my closed-off self, and accomplished things I could never have done before.
Now that I've seen Aries, I can finally let go. I'll report my completed work to him one last time, and from then on, we'll owe each other nothing.
But it seems my future life goals will have to change again...
"Aries, that 'one' challenge you assigned to me—I've solved it." I said, my tone filled with disappointment.
Hearing this, his pupils contracted slightly, then slowly widened.
"Right... the challenge!" He immediately looked at me. "Yan... Zhichun... right?"
I paused for a moment at his words. I didn't know what form his memories were stored in, but he could remember the "challenge" yet not remember me?
"You actually completed it?"
The way he looked at me sent a chill down my spine. He seemed to be suffering from some kind of psychological disorder, now appearing somewhat paranoid and unhinged.
"Yes... yes," I said, suddenly unsure of how to address him, and could only reply, "I... put in some effort and met some benefactors, but overall, a rough solution to the challenge has taken shape. If you need it... I'll continue working on it."
"No," Aries interrupted, "Yan Zhichun, it's not 'I need'—it's 'you need.'"
"What...?"
He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, then continued in an icy voice: "Yan Zhichun, I have to admit, I didn't hold much hope for you at the start. I misjudged you."
"You..."
I was slightly stunned. The Aries in front of me felt fractured, and I couldn't pinpoint where the problem lay.
"You know I didn't have a choice back then," Aries continued. "It's good that you completed it. For me, it was indeed a high-stakes gamble."
I didn't know what to say, so I just stared at him blankly.
"Right, you completed the task in five years, which means you never lost your memory, correct?" He asked again.
"Yes... I've always been careful. There was no reason to lose my memory."
"No, that's not just a matter of being 'careful,'" Aries replied. "It's fortunate you showed up here. You didn't just help me—you helped yourself."
I think I finally understood where Aries's fractured feeling came from...
After a few seconds of contemplation, Aries said again, "Yan Zhichun, you probably don't realize just how many uncertain factors there were in these 'five years.' If even one link had gone wrong, I would have had you removed from the game permanently."
Yes... I get it now... Aries's way of speaking has changed.
This subtle shift—I wonder if anyone besides me has noticed it.
The things Aries says now no longer need to be "translated."
Before, he would wrap his aggressive words in a soft exterior and then politely insert them into others' ears. But now, it's different.
Every word he speaks directly, without disguise, reveals his "subtext," making his aggression multiply and making him seem far harder to approach.
"Aries... what exactly happened to you these past five years...?" I didn't know where to start. I wanted to know where he had been and what had happened to him.
If he hadn't undergone some major upheaval, why would a person change so drastically?
But given Aries's experience and intelligence, what could possibly qualify as a "major upheaval" for him?
"I'm fine," Aries said. "Better now than before."
"Is that so...?"
"Tell me about it," Aries continued. "How did you solve that challenge?"
After hearing this, I organized my thoughts and told him the story of "Jidao."
After all, that organization was built based on his promise, so there was no need to hide it.
"I see... a strange organization of individuals operating alone, scattered everywhere, without even you knowing the exact number of members." Aries nodded after listening. "Logical. You really did solve all my challenges with one approach."
"So, can we fulfill the promise now?" I asked again.
"Promise... what do you mean?"
"You said that if I completed this challenge, you would share information with me and guarantee my 'eternal safety'..."
"I already have," Aries said. "You might not know it yourself, but I have indeed guaranteed the safety of you and those around you."
Upon hearing this, I frowned slightly. Aries's words were hard to fathom. He couldn't even remember who I was, yet he claimed to have guaranteed my safety?
"Besides, I don't have any new information," Aries continued, staring at me. "I've only just become a 'Zodiac.' It's not the right time yet."
"Just... just now?" I was stunned again.
Aries had already been a "Zodiac" five years ago. Now how could he be saying he had "only just become a Zodiac"?
Could the same person become a "Zodiac" multiple times?
In my memory, Aries was a clever and resourceful person. I had originally thought that when I saw him again, I would appear on a similar level to him, earning his newfound respect.
But the Aries before me now felt even more unfathomable, as if he had transcended me by an entire dimension.
"Yan Zhichun, remember my position." Aries pointed to the building behind him. "This is my 'game venue.' From now on, come see me once every day. When I get new information, I'll share it with you immediately."
I looked around at the scenery and memorized the building's location.
He had once warned Sheep to choose a game venue as concealed as possible. Yet his own venue stood right by the roadside, strikingly conspicuous.
"Ar—" I hesitated, then said, "Brother Aries, what is your game?"
"What?" He shot me a cold glance. "What business is that of yours?"
"I'm just curious..." I said quietly. "Someone like you... what kind of 'Human-level Game' would you design?"
"My game is called the 'Trust Game,'" Aries said. "I advise you not to be curious. If you step inside, I can no longer guarantee your 'eternal safety.'"
I nodded very wisely, knowing he wasn't lying.
There was no need for me to challenge Aries's game out of mere curiosity. That would be no different from suicide.