TRTN Chapter 16

Chapter 16  …. White Tower of Words 

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Camellias were often meant to present modesty, virtue and ideal love. Even in the frosty season, it will still bloom proudly, without arrogance or impetuosity, only noble and beautiful.

Using “camellia” as the name of the department, the chief clearly expressed his expectations.

Shen Yu put his signature on the document, then asked: “Chief, now… what is the department’s total number of people?”

The chief took the file, still looking cool:. “You, me, Cuihua, a total of three people.”

Shen Yu Jing: “But there’s so many people outside…”

Chief: “They were all brought from other departments.”

Shen Yu: “…”

Is it too late to refuse now?

He sighed, feeling like he had been deceived into a pirate ship: “I have one last question.”

Chief: “Ask it.”

Shen Yu: “How are you so tall, Anonymous?” The man was startled and went silent for a while, then faintly said: “I used a little skill to cover up my identity in the novel.”

He stretched out his hand to Shen Yu: “In real life, my name is Yue Ze.”

Shen Yu grabbed his hand and shook it: “Hello, Chief. I still like how you looked when you were young.”

Yue Ze: “…get out.”

Shen Yu, No. 002, who had just joined the Camellia Department gloriously, was kicked out of the office by his own chief.

In the corridor, Cuihua was leaning against the wall, in her boredom counting the green leaves outside the door.

The cigarette was still stuck in her mouth, but it was still not lit.

Seeing Shen Yu coming out, Cuihua took the cigarette out from the corner of her mouth, and lazily greeted him: “You’ve come out. Are you joining the group?”

Shen Yu said in a low voice, “Why is our department called ‘Camellia’?”

Cuihua: “Chief gave the name. There’s no special meaning behind it; because the printed floral pattern on the hundred dollar bill is camellia, he took that name to remind the people above us to not forget to give the funds.”

Shen Yu: “…”

He didn’t  know whether he should complain or be shocked: “What..? The flower printed on the banknote is a camellia? I always thought it was a peony!”

Cuihua: “I thought it was a chrysanthemum! However, the chrysanthemum is only printed on the fifty-yuan bill, and he thinks that fifty-yuan is too little.”

Shen Yu: “…”

The image of Chief Yue, who was originally tall and majestic, was slowly collapsing in his heart.

He was stunned for a long time, and finally he had nothing to say.  He then squeezed out: “Weren’t you always holding a lollipop in the novel? Why are you holding a cigarette now but not smoking it?” When he mentioned this, Cuihua suddenly gritted her teeth: “I want to smoke too, but I made a bet before. The bet was to quit smoking. I lost!”

“In order to quit smoking, I only had a broken lollipop in my mouth. Now when I go home, I can only lick it, but not really smoke.”

After that, she angrily took out a bottle of wine from her pocket and raised her head, “Fortunately, the head only told me to quit smoking, but didn’t say to quit drinking. Now, in order to resist the addiction to smoking, I pick up wine with my left and vodka with my right hand.”

Shen Yu: “…”

Within a few minutes of entering the department, he couldn’t tell how many times he had been shocked.

“What should I call you, should I call you Comrade Cuihua?” He asked, “What is your name in reality?”

Cuihua had just finished drinking and directly patted his arm because she was in a good mood. She smiled and said: “Dear comrade, I can’t tell you my name in reality.” “My surname is Zhang. You can call me Lao Zhang or Zhang Cuihua directly.”

“You just joined the group. As long as we haven’t become comrades-in-arms who can trust each other, my name in reality should not be revealed at will; it may cause trouble to my family.”

“You’d better not give your real name, too, just say the one you use as a novelist.”

“Only people who trust you very much will tell you their real name.”

After exhorting these, Zhang Cuihua took her beloved wine bottle and left, leaving Shen Yu alone in silent contemplation.

Only people who trust you very much will tell you their name.

Just now, Anonymous had stretched out his hand to him: “My name is Yue Ze.”

…

“Now stretch out your hand and gently put it on the bloody palm print.”

Yue Ze taught from the side.

After nearly a month of training, Shen Yu was now reaching out his hand and lining up his palm with the image on the cover of the black book.

The blood-colored palm print fits with the contours of his palm, and the touch under the palm was warm and soft, as if the book itself was alive.

His mind turned, and then his whole figure was in a trance. He opened his eyes dimly, and saw that a towering white tower had appeared in front of him.

The tower was completely white and flawless. It was hard to see what material it was made of, and even a trace of carving can’t be found. It was simply not a creation that humans can imagine.

The tower was standing high. Shen Yu stood at the bottom of the tower and could only look up.

Then white stone steps were spread from his feet to the bottom of the white tower.

“Here is the White Tower of words.”

Yue Ze’s voice sounded behind him, “But you can’t stay for a long time. Take a new novel mission here and then leave.”

Shen Yu turned his head to look at him: “Cuihua won’t be here this time to come with us?”

Yue Ze shook his head slightly: “She went to pick up other tasks. This time, I came mainly to accompany you to practice.”

“You have only completed one novel, and I can accompany you to practice twice.”

So Shen Yu smiled lightly, as if a beam of warm sunlight had come down: “So you are here for me.”

Yue Ze faintly looked away: “Let’s go!”

As they walked along the white stone steps into the tower, the number of people had gradually increased, and all kinds of people were there.

Someone stood bored at the door of the White Tower. Seeing someone coming in and realizing that they were a new face, they leaned forward with a happy smile: “Newcomer? How many horror novels have you completed? What skills and props did you get?”

“My brother is already a veteran. There are several useful skills in the book. Do you have useful props? Let’s exchange them.”

Most of the newcomers who have just entered the White Tower are still in a dazed state. At this time, some people greeted them with a smile and said a few good words. Some newcomers, who are confused, will easily hand over their books.

And what awaits them is either becoming the deceived losers, or that those rogue veterans will directly overwhelm and murder them.

A few people saw the face of the newcomer, but were stunned by the cold Yue Ze at the side. They hesitated for a long time before finally leaving, looking for another target.

Yue Ze urged Shen Yu again: “Remember, you must not show your skills and props to others easily, let alone let others figure out your trump card.”

Shen Yu raised his eyebrows: “But in the novel, you gave me your props?”

Yue Ze was silent again, just leading the way.

Shen Yu gave a “tsk” behind him.

Angry again! Why is his temper the same as when he was a primary school student? It’s very difficult to coax!

After the two entered the White Tower, what they saw at a glance was a stone pillar standing in the center of the bottom of the White Tower.

The stone pillar was densely engraved with the names of people.

“These names are the pen names of novelists. It ranks them in order according to the number and quality of the novels they have written. The higher the ranking, the stronger the strength.” Yue Ze said.

Shen Yu looked up at the stone pillar, wanting to see the top name clearly.

It’s a pity that the stone pillar was too high, and before he could see it clearly, Yue Ze had pulled him away.

He was pulled into a room, a room full of blank books.

“This is the birthplace of all novels. Novelists must choose a novel, then enter and complete their own story in the novel, at least once a month.” Yue Ze explained.

“So many… I will get choosing phobia, can you choose for me?” Shen Yu said as if jokingly.

But Yue Ze said indifferently: “This is a choice you have to make yourself, you don’t need to say any offer.”

“No need to worry, the department will not control your life, let alone make choices for you.”

Shen Yu watched him, and after a long time, he walked slowly to the front of a shelf.

The novels here were piled high on the shelves, messy and crumbling; he couldn’t tell how long they haven’t been sorted out.

Shen Yu tilted his head and looked at it all for a moment, then pulled out a book from the pile of books.

“The Lost Portrait.”

He turned the blank page, and immediately, the familiar darkness swept across again.

 

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Editor: Black.Cat

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T/N: Thank you for reading (~˘▾˘)~

Let me know if you find any mistakes and I’ll correct it. You can also ‘buy me a coffee’ if you like it…..

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