A glass bead?
In such a vast forest, she wanted him to find a single glass bead?
Lin Jing was stunned and tried to reason with the witch. “Isn’t that a bit too difficult? Can we…”—change the request.
But the witch was extremely reclusive and eccentric. Every word from her mouth was filled with impatience as she issued an ultimatum: “If you can’t find it, then get lost.”
Lin Jing swallowed back the words he was about to say and chose to endure. Putting on a smile, he said, “Alright, Your Excellency. I’ll start searching for it tomorrow. But since it’s already nighttime, may I stay in your castle for the night?”
The witch’s voice was icy: “Do as you please.”
Lin Jing took a deep breath. “Thank you.”
After parting ways with the gloomy and difficult witch, he and the little rat wandered around the top floor. Eventually, they came across a rundown study at the corner of a corridor.
It had clearly been abandoned for a long time—cobwebs covered the corners, and dust had settled thickly. He lit a candle, and the warm orange glow illuminated the room. There were two tall bookshelves filled with heavy books bound in black covers, but all the writing on them was in strange witchcraft symbols that he couldn’t understand.
The desk and chairs were large. After sitting down, Lin Jing muttered, “Let’s just sleep here tonight.”
The rat asked, “Are you really going to search for the glass bead tomorrow?”
Lin Jing laid down, rolled his eyes, and said, “She didn’t even tell me where she lost it. How could I possibly find it? You think I have cheat codes or something?”
The rat asked, “Then what are we going to do?”
Lin Jing sighed. “We’ll just find any random glass bead to fool her.”
Wait.
He suddenly froze, as something flashed through his mind—a plaza, a pigeon—he remembered that pigeon had brought him a bead that looked quite valuable!
Hurriedly, Lin Jing took it out from his pocket and held it under the candlelight. It was clear and lustrous, looking just like a glass bead.
The rat was thrilled. “D*mn! The heavens are on our side!”
But Lin Jing was only happy for a second before falling silent. Holding the bead in his hand gave him an odd feeling—he wasn’t quite willing to part with it.
In a low voice, he murmured, “…Let’s check if there’s anything else in the castle we can use instead.”
The rat snapped, “What are you doing?”
Lin Jing said nothing.
The night in the forest was particularly cold, especially at the top of the tower, where the bright moon hung in the sky.
The wind rustled through the vines and leaves, and the occasional cawing of crows pierced the silence of the long night.
The next day, Lin Jing carefully searched through the castle.
He gradually realized that this place didn’t feel like a castle at all. It was more like a tall tower, and the witch had voluntarily imprisoned herself at its peak.
To his disappointment, he couldn’t find anything that could replace the glass bead. In the end, he had no choice but to use the one he found in the plaza.
With a deep sigh, he spent half the morning washing the bead and scraping off some dirt.
The bead was crystal clear, with a red hue at its center that shone like a drop of liquid. When held up to the sunlight, it refracted into dazzling crimson rays.
Lin Jing looked even more reluctant.
The rat tried to comfort him. “Relax. Money and possessions are just worldly things.”
Lin Jing replied, “This isn’t just about money. This bead represents a fateful encounter.”
The rat scoffed. “What kind of ‘fateful encounter’ could you possibly have with a dumb pigeon?”
Lin Jing shot back, “And aren’t you just a rat?”
The rat: “…” No comeback for that one.
They chatted idly as they made their way back to the witch’s tightly shut door.
Knock, knock, knock.
Lin Jing rapped on the door three times.
The witch’s familiar, eerie, and icy voice rang out, “What do you want?”
Lin Jing said, “I found the glass bead you wanted.”
A long silence came from behind the door.
Then, the witch murmured in a hoarse voice, filled with doubt, “You found it?”
Lin Jing: “Yes.”
After another strange silence, the witch finally spoke again. “Pass it inside.”
The gap under the deer-antler-decorated door was only big enough to slide paper through.
Lin Jing had no choice but to crouch down and roll the bead under the door.
The witch picked it up.
For a moment, Lin Jing caught sight of her hand—
Pale and thin, with bluish veins visible beneath the skin.
Lin Jing held his breath, his heart clenching. He had just handed her a fake. Would she get angry?
But the witch simply held the bead for a long time before asking in an extremely odd tone, “Where did you find this?”
Lin Jing was taken aback and cautiously replied, “Uh… near the swamp.”
The witch let out a short laugh—harsh, broken, unsettling, almost like a sob.
Lin Jing’s heart pounded. He was seriously worried this crazy woman might suddenly kill him. He asked seriously, “Your Excellency, does this mean I’ve succeeded?”
The witch cut off her laughter and spoke coldly, “You have.”
But then, her voice dropped lower, becoming chillingly detached. “This only proves your sincerity. Now, you must do one more thing for me.”
Why does she have so many d*mn requests?!
Lin Jing forced a stiff smile. “Of course. What would you like me to do?”
The witch said coldly, “Bring me the most beautiful thing in Eberon.”
Lin Jing: “…”
Lin Jing: “???” What the h*ll?!
He tried to reason with her. “The most beautiful thing? What do you consider beautiful?”
The witch sneered. “I think the entire city of Eberon is ugly.”
Lin Jing wanted to curse.
The rat on his shoulder bristled, on the verge of losing his temper.
Lin Jing reacted quickly, covering the rat’s mouth and flashing an ingratiating smile at the door. “Alright, I’ll do my best to satisfy you.”
Back in the study, the rat finally had the chance to speak. “What the h*ll? I think she’s just making things difficult for us.”
Lin Jing knocked it on the head with a book, trying to knock some sense into it. “She’s the big boss. If she wants to make things difficult, what can you do about it? We can’t even see her face right now.”
The rat held back for a long time before squeezing out a frustrated “D*mn.” Unwilling to accept defeat, it added, “So we really have to go back to Eberon to find whatever the most beautiful thing is?”
Lin Jing was at a loss for words. He tossed the book aside and leaned back. “That won’t work. There’s not enough time, and more importantly, we don’t even know what the most beautiful thing is.”
The rat sat on the table, scratching its head with its tiny paws before its eyes lit up in a sudden realization. “The Rose Heart?”
Lin Jing nearly choked on his own spit. “You want me to give her the crown just to make her happy?!”
The rat nodded. “Yep.”
Lin Jing refused without hesitation. “No way.”
The gemstone on the crown was the only known Rose Heart, the key to clearing this whole thing. There was no way he’d give it up so easily. Besides, the witch had already killed the queen and the princess—she loathed the royal family. Why would she ever consider the king’s crown beautiful?
This woman was seriously a pain.
Having already searched the entire castle that morning, Lin Jing decided to head out in a different direction, one completely opposite from the way they had come.
The dense forest remained, but this side lacked the swamps, venomous snakes, and crows. Instead, the area behind the castle felt like a paradise.
Countless beams of light filtered through the trees, illuminating long-tailed, colorful spirit birds gliding overhead, while butterflies danced at his fingertips. A thin green mist was softened by golden light, with floating dust particles catching the sun like something straight out of a painting.
The rat grumbled, “Why the h*ll does this forest keep changing?”
Lin Jing kept walking. “Witches’ dwellings are always like this.” As bizarre as their owners.
The rat remained pessimistic. “Can we even get out of the forest by going this way? There’s a wall of thorns.”
Lin Jing shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll get lucky and find a shortcut. Worth a shot.”
There wasn’t enough time to return to Eberon the long way.
Besides, if they stalled too long, other players might find this place first, which would be bad news for both him and the rat.
Perched on his shoulder, the rat took in the scenery, looking utterly dejected. “Even if we do find a shortcut, what the h*ll are we supposed to bring her?”
Lin Jing muttered, “Good question.”
As they pondered their next move, the sound of running water suddenly reached their ears.
“A stream?” They both froze and exchanged glances. Could this be the way out?
Following the sound, the forest grew denser, the path narrower. The light shifted from dim to bright, and the sound of the stream drowned out the buzzing of insects.
What they saw left them speechless.
The forest opened up into a vast clearing, where sunlight danced across a flowing stream. A towering, ancient laurel tree stood by the water’s edge, its thick branches stretching skyward. The grass-covered ground was lush and green, but hidden among the blades were thick, dark thorns, winding all the way to the tree’s roots. Nearby, clusters of low shrubs were covered in blooming red wild roses.
Coming from the claustrophobic darkness into such an open and breathtaking landscape—it was impossible not to be stunned.
The rat swore under its breath. “Holy sh*t…”
Lin Jing quickly pulled out his parchment, wanting to check their location, but the map had no markings.
They were still inside the forest, and the entire forest was within Eberon’s mirrored realm.
The rat sighed. “If only we had a camera. This would be worth remembering.”
Lin Jing recalled the death camera from his last run of Ancient Codex, his lips twitching. “Forget it. Even if Survivor’s Trial had cameras, they wouldn’t let you keep any photos.”
The rat whined, “Aww.”
The sun dipped lower, casting everything in a warm orange glow.
Across the river, the forest continued with no sign of an exit. No shortcut after all.
“Forget it, we’ll think of something else tomorrow,” Lin Jing sighed, ready to leave. But as he turned, something caught on the hem of his clothes—it was the thorn of a wild rose.
Frowning, he bent down to free himself, but as he got closer to the flower blooming at the top of the bush, he suddenly froze.
The rose was deep red, its intoxicating fragrance spreading through the air. The dappled light slipping through the leaves bathed its petals in a golden glow.
Its stamen trembled, its layered petals overlapping in a perfect bloom.
Standing tall and proud, it was a fragile yet exquisite treasure in the middle of this vast forest.
The rat grumbled, “Ugh, looks like we really do have to go all the way back to Eberon.” But when it noticed Lin Jing’s stillness, it peeked down from his shoulder. “Hey, what’s wrong with you?”
Lin Jing remained bent over, staring at the rose.
Suddenly, a memory from Christine surfaced in his mind.
A snowy street.
A conversation between two people.
A silver-haired poet tilted his head slightly, smiling as he asked, “So, what do you think best represents Eberon, miss?”
Christine’s cheeks flushed red, but she maintained her composure. “The rose, sir. It’s the rose.”
His thoughts snapped back into place. In a decisive motion, his fingers plucked the flower from its stem.
The rat was shocked. “What the h*ll are you doing?!”
Lin Jing straightened up, the rose in his hand, his mind finally clicking into place.
After a long moment, he let out a laugh—one of realization, almost admiration. “Rat, this isn’t complicated at all.”
“The most beautiful thing in Eberon is the rose.”
It bloomed in every corner of the royal gardens. It was embedded in Eberon’s crest. It symbolized nobility, elegance, romance, and… everlasting beauty.
The rat’s eyes widened. Its entire world shattered. “Are you serious?!”
Lin Jing grinned. “We’ll find out soon enough.”
Before the moon rose, they returned to the castle and knocked on the witch’s door once again.
“So soon?”
The witch’s voice sounded doubtful from inside.
Lin Jing said, “Yes, please open the door, I’ll hand it to you.”
The witch hesitated for a moment but eventually cracked the door open cautiously.
Lin Jing passed the rose through the gap.
“A rose?!” The witch’s voice rose in a strange exclamation.
Lin Jing said, “Yes, I thought about it for a long time, and maybe this is what you wanted. Don’t you like it?”
A pale, cold hand took the flower from his grasp, and the door shut immediately.
The witch didn’t speak. She seemed to be staring at the rose in a daze.
Lin Jing softened his voice and said, “What is the Eberon in your memories like? Oppressive, dark, cold?”
That was Lin Jing’s initial impression as well—crowded houses, narrow and winding streets lined with beggars, and even the palace itself was a cursed existence. No stars, only the moon and endless snow.
“Maybe you can reconsider your impression of it.”
Lin Jing continued, “Eberon is beautiful. It has the most magnificent cathedral and the grandest gardens. You should see it for yourself—poets often play music in the square, and if you’re lucky, a white dove might land on your shoulder. And every corner of the city is filled with blooming roses.”
The witch listened, then asked in a hoarse voice, “Do you like Eberon?”
Lin Jing was momentarily stunned. “Yes, I like it.” Even if he didn’t, he had to pretend—otherwise, how would he persuade her?
Through the door, the two of them fell into an unexpected silence.
Lin Jing found himself increasingly unable to understand the witch. Yesterday, she had seemed cold, withdrawn, and harsh, but now, he felt as if she was… a little pitiful?
The witch finally asked, “Where did you find this rose?”
Lin Jing replied, “Uh, just behind the castle.”
The witch said, “Take me there.”
Lin Jing: Huh???
Before he could react, the door—always closed to him—suddenly swung open.
In the glow of the firelight, a frail figure appeared. She was slightly shorter than Lin Jing, wrapped entirely in a black robe, her shadow stretching long across the floor.
Lin Jing was so shocked that he couldn’t speak. It felt like a dream—he had never imagined the witch would appear before him like this.
The witch’s hood concealed her face in darkness as she spoke in a strange voice: “Take me outside, and I’ll tell you the way to break the curse.”
Lin Jing quickly composed himself and smiled. “Alright, follow me.”
Even the usually chatty Rat shrank its tail and fell silent.
As Lin Jing descended the stairs, his heart pounded, half-expecting the witch to suddenly pull out a scythe, reveal a twisted, aged face, and end him on the spot.
He remained silent, and since the witch was naturally withdrawn, she didn’t speak either.
The castle was covered in vines, and the path at the entrance was overgrown with thorns.
Lin Jing noticed that the witch had stopped walking. Puzzled, he turned back. “What’s wrong?”
The witch was trembling, as if she had fallen into a trance, her breathing unsteady.
The Rat muttered, “Has she been shut in so long she’s developed social anxiety?”
Only players could hear the Rat speaking.
Lin Jing thought for a moment, then let his guard down and extended a hand toward her. “If you don’t mind, you can hold my hand. I’ll lead you.”
Moonlight quietly pooled in his palm, pure and untainted. His deep brown eyes, filled with quiet compassion, seemed almost divine.
The witch clutched the edge of her hood tightly and said coldly, “No need.”
Lin Jing withdrew his hand. “Alright. Don’t be afraid, just follow my steps.”
The path was full of tangled thorns, winding and twisted like venomous snakes.
Lin Jing deliberately slowed his pace.
But the witch seemed to be using all her concentration just to suppress her fear. She walked stiffly forward, completely unaware as thorns pierced her legs, leaving trails of blood.
Seeing this, Lin Jing called out to her softly, but she acted as if she hadn’t heard him. She continued to tremble, as if she were walking through a hell of knives.
Lin Jing sighed, then reached out and took the young girl’s hand.
The witch stiffened and snapped coldly, “Let go!”
Lin Jing smiled. “Let me hold your hand. If we hurry, we might still see the fireflies.”
Now he understood—the infamous witch was actually just a lonely, withdrawn kid.
Guiding her carefully out of the thorn-covered path, Lin Jing couldn’t bear to watch her struggle with each agonizing step. In the end, he simply took her hand and started running.
“I’ll get you there faster.”
The witch was completely bewildered. For a moment, even her breath caught, her entire body stiffening.
Lin Jing thought she would curse him in fury.
But in the end, she only twitched her fingers slightly, then obediently followed behind him without a word.
As they ran, the scent of the forest grew overwhelming, and in the darkness, tiny fireflies flickered to life, swirling around them.
Lin Jing ran faster and faster.
The witch, trailing behind, could only see the moonlight outlining the hem of his white robe.
The cries of crows and frogs filled the air, gradually giving way to the sound of running water.
It was the same narrowing path from earlier, a dark road leading ever forward.
Lin Jing sprinted with all his strength, leaving behind the eerie, twisting branches of the trees. At the very end of the darkness, a flood of light awaited.
The moment the dazzling white light poured down, he stepped into the vast clearing.
Countless fireflies took flight in alarm.
D*mn, that was exhausting.
Lin Jing released his grip and took a moment to catch his breath.
The clearing had a stream, roses, a centuries-old laurel tree, and the chorus of crickets singing into the night.
The Rat, shaken from the bumpy ride, stuck out his tongue. “D*mn it, finally.”
Lin Jing finally turned back to look at the witch.
She lifted her head, taking in everything before her.
Her hood was far too large—though he was now facing her, Lin Jing could only see her thin chin and a single curl of pale golden hair.
“That almost killed me—ah!”
Exhausted, the rat lost its grip and tumbled off Lin Jing’s shoulder, landing in the grass. Instantly, a small green creature leaped up and landed directly in the witch’s hands.
“!!”
Lin Jing was nearly scared out of his wits by the rat’s antics. He immediately bent down to grab the cricket, fearing it might upset the lady.
But to his surprise, the witch gently cupped the cricket in her palm.
At that exact moment, a droplet of liquid fell onto Lin Jing’s outstretched hand.
A tear.
It had rolled down from the witch’s sharp chin.
For a moment, the vast field fell into absolute silence.
Lin Jing was stunned.
The witch reached up and removed her hood. Under the radiant moonlight stood a young girl with long golden-white hair and ice-blue eyes.
Her face was streaked with tears. Her voice, hoarse and broken, barely above a whisper: “Thank you, Mirror.”
The dazed rat scrambled back onto Lin Jing’s shoulder, completely confused. “What? What did she just call you?”
The cricket chirped softly. Fireflies flickered in the air like falling stars.
The girl’s beauty, framed by the night, rivaled the roses in bloom. She knelt, still holding the cricket, and trembled as if overwhelmed by a flood of emotions. Then, in the open field, she broke down in tears.
Lin Jing was utterly dumbfounded. A strange thought surfaced in his mind, and he asked, word by word, “What did you just call me?”
The witch lifted her head sluggishly and struggled to pronounce the name that was difficult for her: “Mirror…jing?”
— “What is this?”
— “It’s the writing from my homeland.”
— “Jing?”
— “It means ‘mirror,’ the kind that reflects people. If it’s too difficult for you, you can just call me Lin.”
But in the end, she didn’t call him Lin. She remembered the word jingzi. Mirror.
Lin Jing and the rat: “…”
Mirror.
M.
Glass beads, roses, crickets.
What the h*ll!!!
What kind of formation was that?!
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