Anthony waded in the warm river, with a dense fog covering the water.

This is a piece of crimson water, boundless, with slowly rolling waves, and the water gradually reaches the waist.

He couldn't remember when he started his trek, and he didn't know how long he had been trekking. This trek seemed to be endless, with nowhere to rest, and not even a rock as far as his eyes could see.

There was a faint light of fire ahead, like a lighthouse. Along with the fire was the sound of singing. Amidst the sound of the waves, a woman quietly sang a lullaby.

Anthony quickened his pace. If there is a lighthouse, there is an island, and if there is an island, you can rest. He must land on that island before he runs out of energy.

When he arrived at the light source, he discovered that there was no island or lighthouse. It was a burning cross stuck in the water, with a woman tied to the cross by rusty iron chains.

The woman lowered her head, her long hair hanging down, and her beautiful eyes looked at Anthony through the slit.

"Are you finally here?" the woman said softly, "I've been waiting for you."

Although he had never seen such a woman before, Anthony still nodded and replied in the same soft voice: "I'm here."

"But you came too late, I have no time."

The woman's face was as beautiful as a cherry blossom, but her body was so frightening. From the head down, she was burned to the point where only charred bones were left. The thin neck bones were bent, struggling to support the head: "

From now on, you may be the only one walking alone."

Anthony was silent for a long time before continuing: "Sorry, I'm late."

"There was a contract between us, wasn't it?" A faint smile appeared on the woman's face: "What we promised you has been accomplished, even if it is a river of blood."

"Thank you." Anthony, who was wading in the red river water, stood on tiptoes and gently hugged the woman on the cross: "I will keep my oath."

The woman smiled and opened her arms to him. She couldn't help opening her arms because the iron nails passed between her wrist bones and nailed her to the cross.

"I once told you that the essence of solving potion problems is digestion, not mastery. Now it seems that you have realized it."

"Mastery is just using the power of potions as an external tool. Tamed beasts, no matter how well and skillfully they are mastered, they still do not really belong to themselves. The risk of backlash is greater, while digestion is to drink the potions.

Treat it as a part of itself, decompose it, fuse it, absorb it, and unify it into a whole. This is the real way to use potions."

"No."

Anthony looked at the woman's face and said calmly: "In my eyes, it is just a tool after all, a tool used to realize wishes."

The flames burning on the half-decayed cross became more intense, but Anthony had no intention of letting go, and just held the woman's bones quietly.

Until the fire burned out, nothing was left except the empty river water.

But Anthony did not die. At the next moment, he appeared completely in a huge palace, with unknown evil spirits chasing him.

It's night here, and we can't see clearly what the palace looks like. We can only roughly see that the background here is white.

The evil spirits sharpened their serrated metal claws and sniffed, searching for his scent in the air.

Anthony's back was pressed against the wall, and across the wall were countless evil spirits. The two sides were playing a hide-and-seek game in the dark.

But even in such a terrifying atmosphere, there was still no expression on his face, and he just slowly walked in the direction he wanted to go.

Behind him, the walls collapsed layer by layer, and the evil spirits heard his footsteps and chased after him with their claws waving.

In the long white corridor, Anthony opened one white door after another. The evil spirit behind him was getting closer and closer. He could even feel the hot breath coming from behind, but his steps were still so calm and unhurried.

He gently pushed open the last door.

Suddenly the world became quiet, five colors of light shone from all directions, and clocks ticked on the wall.

The door was closed behind to keep out the evil spirits. In front of it was a huge room with a large bed with red curtains. The sun was shining slantingly. The bed curtains were opened at a corner, and Red was sleeping on the bed.

girl in skirt.

The evil spirits roared unwillingly, but they did not dare to invade here. They just wandered anxiously outside the door, as if the inside of this house was their forbidden area.

Anthony turned his head and made a mocking gesture to the evil spirit outside the door, then tiptoed to the bedside, stretched out his hand and gently patted the side of the girl's face, his eyes full of smiles: "You have been asleep for a long time.

Already."

He sat down on the edge of the bed, bathed in the warm sunshine, and felt calm in his heart.

The girl on the bed slowly opened her eyes. They were pure black eyes, with no impurities visible in them, but with graceful eyes.

"Are you finally here?" she said softly.

Anthony smiled, then looked up at the clock hanging in front of the bed.

The strange thing is that there is no scale on this clock, and there is only one pointer, pointing directly to the "0" point.

"Do you want to leave?" the girl asked again.

"My time is short."

Anthony said calmly: "It's so short that I don't even know what to do with it."

"Go find those people you can't let go of."

The girl whispered, "Someone is waiting for you."

"I will go there later."

Anthony looked at his hand, and there were bright red marks on his palm, which was the blood seeping into the seam of his palm. He should have been in pain, but he laughed out loud: "After I complete my vow."

"That's good, you seem to have finally grown up." The girl touched the tip of Anthony's frowned eyebrows, with an innocent smile like a child on her face. She stretched out her hand and pointed upward: "But it seems that someone is already there.

I’m calling you.”

"Yeah, it's time to leave."

Anthony stood up from the chair, and he also heard a low voice. It was Mrs. Grace's voice, which seemed to be asking him to get up and eat.

He looked through the window toward the sun in the distance and couldn't help but take a deep breath: "This time I chose the same path as them."

"Then go on for your great wish, or die for it."

"It's really not a pleasant thing to say." Anthony sighed, his long eyelashes covering his eyes.

He reached out and held the door handle, leaving only a gradually disappearing figure: "Farewell, Your Highness, I hope your soul can rest in peace again."

The girl in red looked at Anthony's leaving figure and said softly: "Don't forget the contract between us."
Chapter completed!