Thinking this, Chen Youzai swam a few strokes around the edge of the lake. Feeling that both the water temperature and depth seemed normal, he began swimming toward the center of the lake. Halfway there, Chen Youzai discovered that the person who had fallen into the water was a middle-aged man. It seemed he would have to swim over from behind him; otherwise, if the man started struggling, both of them might lose their lives.
After Chen Youzai made up his mind, he swam in that direction. Once he reached the middle-aged man’s side, Chen Youzai swiftly grabbed the man’s hair and dragged him toward the shore. Throughout the process, Chen Youzai kept feeling that this man was light and floating, as though he had no weight at all.
Only after reaching the shore did Chen Youzai discover that the man was actually so sturdy. He laughed awkwardly twice and asked him, “Um, did you also run into trouble here? Anyway, I can’t get back either. If you want to thank me, why don’t the two of us head back together?”
As Chen Youzai spoke, he ignored everything and went forward to hook his arm around the man’s, looking as if he feared the man would run away. There was not the slightest expression on the man’s face. Perhaps because the sky was gradually darkening, Chen Youzai felt that the man’s entire body looked pitch-black. He tried feeling up and down the man’s arm, only to discover that the man’s whole body had no warmth at all. Then, thinking of how light and floating the man’s body had been just now, Chen Youzai felt a chill suddenly rise up his spine.
Could it be… could it be… could it be a dead man?? A wronged ghost??
Chen Youzai let out a loud scream and shot into the forest like an arrow loosed from the bow. The moment he thought of the man’s wooden expression and his body that felt like withered chaff, Chen Youzai could not help quickening his steps. In the end, he was almost running wildly everywhere without any reason left.
Finally, Chen Youzai’s legs went weak, and he collapsed. When he raised his head slightly, two feet appeared before his eyes again. He abruptly lifted his head, and after seeing that familiar face, he scrambled up unsteadily and ran in the opposite direction.
Panting heavily, Chen Youzai felt as if he were about to breathe out his own lungs. He leaned against a tree and looked all around. The middle-aged man’s figure was already nowhere to be seen. Chen Youzai slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he happened to meet another pair of unfocused eyes.
Chen Youzai went limp and collapsed to the ground. He clearly realized that he was dreaming. Every time he dreamed, as long as he stomped hard on the ground, he would struggle awake. Thinking this, Chen Youzai used the little strength he had left to stomp on the ground a few times. Sure enough, Chen Youzai fell asleep.
When Chen Youzai woke up, the first thing that entered his vision was the middle-aged man’s ghostly, lingering face. Chen Youzai hurriedly closed his eyes. It seemed this dream was still continuing, so he might as well keep sleeping.
“I only wanted to repay you…”
Chen Youzai heard a heavy voice. He tentatively opened one eye, and only then did he discover that there was expression on the man’s face now. He even seemed to be sighing.
Forget it. It’s a dream anyway, and I won’t die. It doesn’t matter if I mess around a little. Thinking this, Chen Youzai nimbly stood up from the bed. Only after rising did he discover that the “bed” he had been sleeping on was actually a piece of stone.
“I should be able to fly, right?” Chen Youzai jumped hard, but in the end, he landed firmly on the ground. There was none of the floating grace one had in dreams, and he could not help feeling deeply disappointed.
“I had lain at the bottom of the lake for three years. You were the only one willing to save me, so I decided to repay you.”
Only then did Chen Youzai realize that the man was speaking to him. He waved his hand generously and said, “No need to thank me. There’s no need to take such a small matter to heart.”
Futile Devices Scans 
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