He Is Playing

Jiangcheng Industries' office building is located in the downtown area of Jiangcheng, right next to the most prosperous old street. The imposing building, with its prominent signage, is particularly eye-catching.

Although called "Industries," the company shifted its focus to real estate starting with the previous generation of directors. By making timely investments during the waves of growth at the end of the last century and the beginning of this one, they amassed substantial profits. The current Jiangcheng Industries can be considered a true real estate company.

It is precisely because of this that Jiangcheng Industries was able to purchase the Jiangcheng Grand Theater and the surrounding areas. Their decision not to develop the property for so many years truly showcased their immense wealth.

Lu Ban had never experienced such a grand setting. He sat in the car, completely still.

He had tried to question the secretary, Li Zijian, who appeared to be around his age, but the latter only knew that he was supposed to find Lu Ban and nothing more.

Lu Ban recalled Song Yunyan's resume. After the fire, she became more reclusive and composed. After taking over the business, she made several successful investments based on her accurate judgments, completely boosting Jiangcheng Industries. Especially in predicting commercial projects and navigating internal power struggles within the company, it was as if she had a cheat code for precognition.

However, Song Yunyan had remained unmarried and was now in her early forties. Lu Ban wondered who would be the future successor to Jiangcheng Industries.

Could I possibly be taken by the female CEO and adopted as her son?

And then a group of aunts around my age would suddenly appear, all eager to teach me how to drive a big truck?

What a joke!

While lost in thought, Lu Ban arrived at the door of the chairman's office.

"Please,"

Li Zijian opened the door and led Lu Ban into the room.

The office was very spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a view of the Jiangcheng River. The continuous panorama stretched south, showing the Ling River winding through Jiangcheng and disappearing beyond the horizon.

The view was expansive, the kind that would be a prime target for snipers in a typical movie.

For some reason, there was a piano in the large office. Lu Ban hesitated slightly when he saw it.

It was the exact same piano he had seen that night at the Jiangcheng Grand Theater!

On the other side of the floor-to-ceiling windows, behind a meticulously crafted solid wood desk, sat a capable-looking woman.

Lu Ban recognized her immediately. It was Song Yunyan.

She looked the same as the woman in red Lu Ban had seen at the theater that night, as reported in the news, only with less youthful inexperience and more of a weathered look.

The years had left their mark around her eyes, but they hadn't diminished her charm. Even though she might be two decades older than Lu Ban, Song Yunyan was indeed a beautiful woman.

"Please, have a seat."

Her voice carried a certain suppressed quality. After Lu Ban sat down, she signaled for the secretary to leave.

Only she and Lu Ban remained in the office.

"This piano is the same model that Danping used. I keep it here as a reminder to myself."

Song Yunyan noticed Lu Ban's gaze and offered an explanation before speaking again.

"I saw your video. The final scene, it wasn't special effects, it was something that really happened, wasn't it?"

"...Yes."

Honesty was Lu Ban's greatest virtue, and he spoke the truth. He then asked, "Ms. Song, may I use the piano?"

"You play the piano?"

Song Yunyan seemed somewhat surprised.

"A little bit."

Lu Ban truly only knew a little bit.

"Please do."

With her permission, Lu Ban approached the old yet seemingly new piano. He lifted the cover protecting the black and white keys and tested the tuning slightly.

Then, a melody flowed.

This was the [Midnight Piano Melody] that Lu Ban had acquired. This was the music composed by Du Danping.

He had two reasons for choosing to play it.

Firstly, if this Song Yunyan was not the real person but some entity impersonating her, then this spiritually imbued music should help Lu Ban distinguish.

Secondly, if this Song Yunyan was the real person, she would surely recognize the piece and reach a consensus with Lu Ban.

"This is... the piece Danping played that day."

Song Yunyan felt as if she were reliving a past life.

It was as if the person sitting before her wasn't Lu Ban, whom she was meeting for the first time, but the talented, gentle, and composed Du Danping.

That year, the stage was magnificent and dazzling. Under the spotlight, he played a brilliant movement as if kissed by the god of music.

That year, young love was budding, and the maiden who admired the talented scholar was shy yet bold.

That year, a fire reduced everything to ashes, and from then on, no more piano melodies echoed.

"Danping told me many times that he wasn't seeking inspiration for his music, but rather that various melodies would burrow into his mind like insects, constantly chasing him. I never believed him until that day."

Amidst the rippling piano notes, like the glittering surface of the river, Song Yunyan spoke as if in a waking dream.

"That day, we were preparing for the evening's performance, and many people were present. But suddenly... everyone became unable to move. I don't know if you've experienced that feeling, it's like your body doesn't belong to you, only your senses are still functioning. I saw the backstage catch fire, saw the flames spread, but I couldn't do anything."

"Until Danping pushed me away, told me to leave quickly, and rushed onto the stage to play the piano. I didn't know anything then. In the sound of the piano, we were finally able to move, and everyone ran towards the burning doors."

"I looked back at Danping. He hadn't stopped playing. I saw his eyes, and he told me to go."

"I escaped, but he died. No one could explain what happened at the time. Everyone just thought he was crazy."

"Maybe everyone was crazy."

Song Yunyan's lips curved into a self-deprecating smile.

"Since then, some things have appeared in my head. Perhaps they can be called voices. I can't understand most of these voices, but understanding even a little allows me to make the right choices in business. However, every night, these voices linger in my ears, refusing to leave."

"Now, I finally understand what Danping meant when he said, 'It's not that I'm pursuing inspiration, but that inspiration is chasing me.'"

"It's quite a coincidence, when I was buying that piece of land, I saw the designer's sketches for the Jiangcheng Grand Theater. On those sketches, similar sentences were written: 'It's not that I designed this theater, but that it was meant to be.'"

"Perhaps, everything is destined."

In Lu Ban's eyes as he played, this was no longer the chairman's office of Jiangcheng Industries, but the Jiangcheng Grand Theater of that year.

At that moment, as the light of the stars shone down, and ancient whispers and fleeting glimpses descended upon this theater, what was Du Danping's state of mind when he made that choice?

Having experienced these events, Lu Ban knew very well that Du Danping, having escaped the gaze of that great existence, could have taken Song Yunyan and fled. He possessed such power.

However, Du Danping chose to return to the stage, to the piano, and to save the others with his melody.

Even after death, he maintained his final performance.

And this theater, perhaps, was itself part of the "ritual." To completely prevent the tragedy of that day, it could only be demolished.

This was probably the answer to [Who is Playing] reaching one hundred percent exploration.

Lu Ban thought.

Can mortals fight against these great existences?

Du Danping's actions had already told Lu Ban that the strength of mortals could never reach those supreme beings.

Even with extraordinary power, even if they reigned supreme among humans, when facing those supernatural forces, they could only be crushed and scattered, turning into dust.

What awaited Du Danping was death, and the restraints after death.

What awaited Lu Ban?

He did not know.

To the side of his vision, the calligraphy hanging on the wall twisted, forming lines of text.

[Branch quest unlocked: Melody of Memories]

[You have learned the tragic end of a martyr. Collect the melody fragments he scattered in the Silent Land to receive rewards.]

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