Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 32
By the wharf, on the strip.
The moonlight was like water, and hundreds of ghosts surged out like waves from various alleys.
Zhou Qian stood with his back to the crowd of ghosts, leaning slightly against a streetlamp. The light illuminated his long and beautiful eyes, making him appear calm and composed but also cold and ruthless.
Silently, he pulled out a snow-white and eerie object—it was the Rib of God.
He then raised his eyes and calmly gazed down the long street, the corner of his mouth curling up with a determined smile.
Ahead of him, Yun Xiangrong and He Xiaowei saw the message he sent. Pretending to walk towards Situ Qing, they slowed down after a few steps and quickly moved away from her.
Situ Qing was oblivious to what was happening behind her.
She just shivered all over and took a long breath. The sensation of the ghosts crawling on her just now was terribly uncomfortable, reminding her of eels. That cold and chilling sensation seemed to penetrate her soul, making every cell of hers tremble, completely different from her own icy aura.
By comparison, Da Shou standing next to her felt much warmer. Now, she just wished for a living person to come closer.
With that thought, Situ Qing took a few more glances at Da Shou. She found his appearance and demeanor reminded her of Mu Sheng when he was young.
When they were both young, there was no rift or conflict between them. They were of the same status—neighbors, childhood friends, closer than real siblings. She was two years older than Mu Sheng. They went to school together, and she helped him with his homework. However, Mu Sheng was so smart that he soon didn’t need her help, sometimes even solving problems faster than her.
Back then, he often cheerfully called her “sister” without any mockery. His innocent and kind expression was exactly like Da Shou’s just now.
Outside the game, separated by a screen, Mu Sheng saw Situ Qing actually walking with Da Shou. He shook his head slightly and quickly sent her a message: [Stay away from this kid. He will hurt you.]
But Situ Qing didn’t see it in time because Da Shou had grabbed her wrist.
In the game, Situ Qing felt a vibration at her wrist, but Da Shou’s position blocked her view of her watch panel. She didn’t push him away immediately, partly because she longed for the warmth on her wrist, especially after being surrounded by the coldness of the ghosts. She was desperate for the warmth of a living being.
However, after just thirty seconds, she tried to pull her hand back but found that Da Shou had a firm grip on her, making it hard for her to break free. Realizing something was amiss, she pushed Da Shou away, quickly accessed her system panel, and saw Mu Sheng’s message.
But it was already too late. Before she could turn and run, she saw Da Shou take action—he removed his jacket, revealing explosives strapped to his waist. He intended to take both of them down!
Situ Qing heard him say, “Sister, I’m sorry. But if I don’t do this, I won’t be able to see my mother. I just want to see her… I miss her so much!” Then with a click, Da Shou triggered the explosives.
Situ Qing’s heart sank.
She knew she couldn’t escape. In theory, her special ability might be able to freeze everything, including the explosives that hadn’t detonated. If Mu Sheng had sent the message earlier, she would have had time. But all her skills had a long casting time, and she would be blown to pieces before her icy powers took effect.
She knew she couldn’t make it. Mu Sheng’s message came too late, and she saw it half a minute too late.
She knew she was going to die in this instance.
Despite knowing she couldn’t survive, her survival instinct made her turn and try to run back. At that moment, she saw Zhou Qian standing under a nearby streetlight—under its illumination, he was holding up a bone and seemed to be murmuring something.
Then, the entire street, including the reflected moonlight and streetlights, started to warp. The explosion behind her didn’t happen immediately, and her running became extremely slow.
Zhou Qian has slowed down time!
Did he use such a massive amount of mana just to save me?
Why would he waste mana to save me?!
Wait, he only slowed down time. He didn’t stop it entirely.
Just as Situ Qing realized this, she heard a massive “boom” behind her.
The bomb had exploded!
A heat wave suddenly rose, and the entire back of Situ Qing was engulfed in flames, causing her so much pain that she couldn’t help but scream.
At that moment, she realized that there was not an inch of good skin left on her back.
[Player Situ Qing’s HP has dropped to 50%]
By the time she saw this prompt, Situ Qing was drenched in cold sweat.
But she knew she wasn’t dead yet. She was only slightly hurt by the outermost layer of the explosion.
Immediately after, time slowed down even more, so much so that the truly life-threatening shockwave was still delayed.
Biting her teeth hard, Situ Qing trembled from the pain. She then looked up and saw Zhou Qian slowly approaching her. He looked like a demon about to slay her, but at the same time, like a god who could save her.
Zhou Qian was smiling.
In Situ Qing’s eyes, that smile was endlessly mocking.
Situ Qing knew Zhou Qian was toying with her.
If he wanted to kill her, he wouldn’t need to slow down time.
But if he wanted to save her, why did he wait until after she was hurt by the outermost shockwave to further slow down time?
Does he want to save me or send me to my death?
The intense pain from her back made Situ Qing’s mind a bit foggy. She could even smell her burnt skin. Cold sweat had completely soaked her forehead, neck, palms, and back.
“What do you want?” Situ Qing managed to ask him, her voice hoarse.
She wasn’t even sure if she had actually said the words.
Because her time was also slowed down, perhaps she never got the words out.
But Zhou Qian seemed to have understood her.
Holding the Rib of God, he walked step by step towards her, looking down on her, and said, “Of course, I want you to beg me. Beg me, and I might consider saving you.”
“Don’t you see? Who pushes you into hell, and who saves you?”
“You… you…” Situ Qing wanted to argue, but she had to admit that Zhou Qian was right.
Considering Mu Sheng’s intelligence, he should have known that the child was problematic, so why didn’t he tell her sooner? Why wait until the very last moment?
Suddenly, Situ Qing looked at her watch again, as if trying to question Mu Sheng through the system panel, who was watching her in danger.
From this action, Zhou Qian saw right through her.
Walking up to Situ Qing, he placed the Rib of God on her shoulder.
And with that, Zhou Qian took Situ Qing out of time.
Unable to bear the pain on her back, Situ Qing almost collapsed.
Zhou Qian chuckled softly and said in a deep voice, “He pushes you into grave danger, and just before that danger strikes, he sends you a warning to save you. This way, you’ll become more and more reliant on him.
“He’s the one who sets the trap for you, but he’s also the one who rescues you. It’s like him slapping you and then offering you candy… Gradually, you can’t break free from him. Not only can you not leave him, but you might even begin to feel sympathy for him, empathizing with him to some extent…”
“Situ Qing, this isn’t love. You’re sick. This condition is similar to Stockholm syndrome*. He’s the kidnapper that trapped you. How can you fall for him?”
*Condition in which hostages develop a psychological bond with their captors.
“I guess he’s used this method many times. But if you walk in the night too often, you’ll eventually encounter ghosts*. Maybe the previous times he saved you at the last second. But just now… seems like he made a mistake. If he had warned you a bit earlier, would you be in this situation?”
*Idiom referring to if one constantly engages in risky or dubious activities, they will eventually face negative consequences or run into trouble.
While gasping in pain, Situ Qing asked Zhou Qian, “Putting me in extreme danger and then saving me at the last moment… Zhou Qian, isn’t what you’re doing now the same?”
Zhou Qian laughed again, looking into her pain-filled eyes. “Of course not. I’m not asking you to love me.”
“There’s no emotional entanglement between us. If there is any, it’s just hatred. After all, you killed a good man named Gao Shan.”
His tone turned cold as he looked into her eyes. “Situ Qing, I’m just trying to wake you up. You’re in an extreme emotional state because of him. How can I wake you up if I don’t use extreme methods?”
“Come on, Situ Qing, grab this bone and come see the light with me.”
No, I cannot be swayed by him.
How can there be any light on him?
I’m just stepping from one abyss into another.
The constant pain in her back reminded her that if she didn’t hold onto that bone, she would die. She would definitely die.
“Come, Situ Qing. Look behind you.”
Zhou Qian pressed the bone against the side of her head, forcing her to turn and look behind her.
Immediately, Situ Qing saw a sight that filled her with unspeakable terror.
A mushroom cloud from an explosion was just a stone’s throw away from her.
The mushroom cloud almost illuminated the sky, blindingly bright yet seemingly having the power to obliterate everything.
If… If Zhou Qian were to release that bone, she would be instantly blown to smithereens.
Situ Qing shivered uncontrollably, her survival instincts overtaking her rational mind and any mental defenses, making her swiftly grab the bone pressed against her head.
Seeing this, Zhou Qian gave a faint smile, turned, and ran with her out of the explosion’s range.
Then he deactivated his skill, and time returned to normal.
“Boom—!” The mushroom cloud bloomed, like the most magnificent flower.
But apart from the explosion’s epicenter, no one died.
Watching this from a distance, sweat poured off Situ Qing as if she had been drenched in water countless times.
The boundless terror and never-ending pain had completely sapped her strength, and she collapsed onto the ground.
After catching her breath for a moment, she looked up at Zhou Qian beside her. “What did you—”
Unexpectedly, Zhou Qian had used an ordinary skill on her.
[Bone Nightmare]: Induces the target into an illusion, with a 30% backlash chance.
This ordinary skill of Zhou Qian had a unique feature.
If the target’s mental and physical conditions were good, the induced illusion would be extremely basic, similar to seeing an elf in water when drinking. It would be neither harmful nor particularly offensive.
However, if the target’s mental state was compromised, Zhou Qian could exploit it.
He remembered the detailed skill description mentioning that his current level was too low to maximize this skill’s potential. If he tried, he might suffer a backlash that could even threaten his life.
But when he reached a higher level with stronger base attributes, he could create and control the illusion.
Currently, Zhou Qian couldn’t craft or control an illusion to make Situ Qing completely lost in it.
But given her current fragile state—pain from the explosion, fear of death, threats from Zhou Qian, combined with her feelings of disappointment, fear, love, and hate towards Mu Sheng—all these negative emotions were overwhelming her.
In such a state, Zhou Qian could show her the illusion she feared the most.
……
The intense pain on her back made Situ Qing drift in and out of consciousness.
The moment the bone passed before her eyes, she felt a weight on her head and fell unconscious.
She felt like she was back in her childhood, with scenes from her past fast-forwarding before her eyes. At first, she was an observer, but eventually, she merged completely with her past self, reliving her life.
Situ Qing’s mother was named Situ Xue, who, to many, seemed as pure and beautiful as snow*.
*[Xue] (雪) means snow.
Situ Xue raised Situ Qing by herself. When Situ Qing was nine, they moved into an apartment where she met Mu Sheng. They were neighbors, living door-to-door.
Situ Qing and Mu Sheng weren’t siblings, but their bond was even stronger. She was very kind to Mu Sheng, largely because Mu Sheng’s mother was kind to her and her mother.
Mu Sheng’s mother, feeling sorry for the mother-daughter duo, always invited them over whenever she made something tasty.
Thus, the two families got along very well.
But no one expected Mu Sheng’s father to end up with Situ Xue.
They claimed they were in true love. Mu Sheng’s mother went through immense emotional pain, eventually falling into depression.
One day, while she was driving to pick up Mu Sheng, her mental state was compromised. It was unknown if it was due to a momentary lapse or if she wanted to end both their lives. Regardless, a tragic accident occurred.
After the accident, Mu Sheng’s mother passed away, and Mu Sheng was left with a lifelong disability.
At his bedside, Situ Qing was consumed with guilt. She kept apologizing to Mu Sheng, saying she would dedicate her life to make up for it.
Finally, Mu Sheng said to her, “Then let’s run away. I can’t stand being in this house, even for a moment. How can I face my father and your mother? They are murderers. Maybe I’ll lose control and kill them.”
And so, Situ Qing really took him with her.
No one had ever told her that the mistakes of adults should not be something a child should bear.
Yet, she felt so guilty towards Mu Sheng. Because of her mother, his entire life was ruined.
In reality, Situ Qing’s life trajectory had also been completely altered.
Back then, Situ Qing was only in her second year of high school.
To pay for Mu Sheng’s school fees and their living expenses, she dropped out of school early and worked various jobs, doing loads of work every day.
She was tired and resentful but bore it silently. Even when Mu Sheng’s temper was extremely bad, even when he dragged her into a bottomless abyss with him.
There was one incident that Situ Qing remembered particularly well.
One day, she was working at a milk tea shop. As it was close to the end of the year, many office workers from nearby buildings were working overtime and having lots of meetings. Hence, the demand for milk tea was particularly high.
That afternoon, Situ Qing made almost 300 cups of milk tea. She was almost exhausted to death and didn’t finish work until midnight.
She was so worn out that she could barely walk. She texted Mu Sheng that she wouldn’t come home that night and would spend the night at the milk tea shop and return the next morning.
After sending the message, Situ Qing laid down on the shop’s sofa to rest.
But she barely rested before deciding to return home.
She was worried about Mu Sheng being alone at home. If she didn’t cook dinner, Mu Sheng might not eat at all, especially given his mobility challenges.
Dragging her exhausted body, when Situ Qing arrived home, she encountered something she’d never expected.
Below their rented apartment, she saw Mu Sheng’s father’s car.
The next day, Situ Qing asked Mu Sheng, “Did your father find us?”
Mu Sheng replied, “Sister, how can you be so naive? We’re two minors. Is it hard to find us? They reported it to the police and found us long ago. It’s just that you were working that day, so only I met them.”
Situ Qing asked, “Didn’t they ask us to go back?”
“Of course they did. But I told them if they dared to force us, I’d not only kill myself but also take you with me. They got scared and let us stay out for the time being.” Mu Sheng chuckled. “My father foolishly believes… in at most half a year, I’d cool down and be willing to return. Who does he think he’s driven to death?”
Situ Qing, puzzled, inquired further. “Then… What was your father doing here last night?”
Mu Sheng’s gaze became inscrutable. “He came to see me and brought some money. I told him to just transfer it to my bank account in the future.”
Situ Qing frowned. “If he knew where we were all along, has he been sending money before?”
Mu Sheng nodded, “Of course. They’re afraid we won’t have enough to eat or wear.”
“Why then… Why…” Situ Qing clenched her fists. “I could have continued studying and not worked. Why did you…”
Interrupting her, holding Situ Qing’s hand, and looking into her eyes, Mu Sheng said, “Because I love you, sister.”
Situ Qing found herself unable to understand Mu Sheng’s actions. “What… What did you just say?”
“I said I love you.” Whispering into Situ Qing’s ear, Mu Sheng continued, “Without seeing you willingly sacrifice for me, how would I know you love me? I just wanted… you to prove your love for me.”
“Sister, I’m disabled. How can I be sure you’ll stick with me for life?”
“I just wanted to make sure… you were truly willing to sacrifice everything for me.”
“No, Mu Sheng… my mother wronged you, but I have my own life. I could’ve—”
“Sister, I just love you too much. Maybe I’m young and don’t know how to handle our relationship. After all, I hate your mother, and you resemble her… but I truly love you. Can you forgive me? I was just too afraid you’d leave me.”
“Mu Sheng…”
“If you knew my father would give us money, you might just abandon me.”
Situ Qing didn’t know what to say. Her grievances turned into tears.
But she couldn’t push Mu Sheng away.
She’d rushed to the scene of the accident and saw Mu Sheng’s mother in a pool of blood, her eyes staring at her as if Situ Qing had committed an unforgivable sin, owing her too much.
“Sister, don’t cry.” As Mu Sheng wiped her tears, he said, “I don’t want to use my father’s money. It feels dirty. Only what you give is good. I just want to love you.”
When this incident first happened, Situ Qing was deeply shocked. However, as similar incidents occurred more frequently, she seemingly became accustomed to it, even becoming numb.
What could she do even if she felt terrible? How could she leave such a Mu Sheng? She already owed him, so how could she really abandon him with his disability?
For a long time, Situ Qing had been having a recurring nightmare. After preparing breakfast for Mu Sheng, she forgot to turn off the stove and hurried to work. A fire indeed broke out at home, but since she was out working to earn money, she knew nothing about it. Poor Mu Sheng, due to his physical disabilities, couldn’t escape and perished in the flames.
In her dreamlike state, Situ Qing never imagined that this dream would come true.
Dragging her tired body, Situ Qing returned to the entrance of her building only to see her rented apartment engulfed in flames. Thinking of the helpless Mu Sheng, she felt she had once again failed him—because she was busy working and couldn’t attend to him at all times, leading to this disaster.
Fear and guilt surrounded Situ Qing, and she recklessly tried to rush into the fire.
“It’s dangerous, young lady!”
“Don’t go! The firefighters are here!”
Such voices continuously echoed in her ears, and she was held back by the crowd.
After an unknown period of worry and anxiety, when guilt and concern nearly suffocated her, two firefighters carried out Mu Sheng. However, by that time, Mu Sheng had turned into a charred corpse.
Mu Sheng was dead, completely and utterly.
“No—!”
Situ Qing knelt on the ground, completely devastated. The person she loved the most, who also tormented her for a lifetime, was now dead. Her world suddenly felt empty. It seemed like she couldn’t feel anything.
It seemed like Situ Qing and Mu Sheng had been intertwined for a long time. Both were young, but they seemed to have been entwined for countless days and nights. Love or hate between them was indistinguishable. Who owed whom was also blurred.
All Situ Qing knew now was that all her guilt, concern, secrets, heaviness, and twisted love and attachment had abruptly left her before she could thoroughly understand it, before she was prepared.
Her world used to be colorful and sweet. Back then, the boy next door was adorable, her mother was beautiful, and the neighboring aunt and uncle were friendly… Later, after a sudden change, she lived alone with Mu Sheng, working tirelessly. Her world turned black and white.
Now… Staring at the charred corpse, where even the facial features were indiscernible, Situ Qing felt her world was empty. It seemed like she lived in a world where nothing existed. No Mu Sheng, no parents, no one. That world was void of even black and white.
This emptiness lasted for a long time until Situ Qing gradually regained her senses. She realized she was kneeling on the street with many kind-hearted people around, seemingly comforting her. They must have been doing it for a while, but she felt deaf to it all.
It was only then that her senses gradually returned, and Situ Qing started feeling the pain in her heart. It felt as if someone was tightly squeezing and crushing it, the pain even surpassing the severe injuries on her back.
Wait…
Where did the injuries on her back come from?
At that moment, Situ Qing abruptly woke up from the most terrifying dream and found herself in tears. She hadn’t cried when she was close to death or when her back was severely burned by the explosion wave. But she was utterly shattered because of a dream.
Instinctively touching her face, feeling as if it had been repeatedly drenched in rain, Situ Qing took several breaths and opened her eyes, seeing Zhou Qian looking down at her. His eyes were cold and cruel. He was mocking her—the most ruthless and terrifying devil in the world!
With all her strength, Situ Qing reached out and tightly grabbed Zhou Qian’s shirt.
“Zhou Qian, I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill you!”
Zhou Qian’s face remained calm. He looked at Situ Qing with deceptive eyes while speaking in a soft voice. “Situ Qing, tell me, what was your most genuine feeling just now? Face me honestly and face yourself honestly. When you saw his corpse, what was your first reaction?”
“I…”
Seemingly recalling a feeling of emptiness, as if everything was drained from her, Situ Qing was left speechless.
The deep voice of Zhou Qian continued, “Situ Qing, be honest. You’ve felt it, haven’t you? Let me see if there’s any hope left for you.”
“I… I…”
Tears streamed down Situ Qing’s face once again. She couldn’t help but break down. Unconsciously, she let go of Zhou Qian’s shirt, which she had been gripping. She covered her face and began to sob uncontrollably.
Ever since the day after Mu Sheng’s mother died, she started suppressing herself, holding back all the pain, even the longing for her mother. And now, for the first time in so many years and countless nights, she cried her heart out.
Amidst this emotional breakdown, she answered Zhou Qian with sobs. “I felt… relieved, as if a weight had been lifted. I feel liberated. I feel free now. I feel like I should be happy… I feel like I can have a normal life. I… Zhou Qian…”
“When I saw him die, my first reaction was… relief. So, Zhou Qian…”
“Are you satisfied?!”
“Are you satisfied now, Zhou Qian?!”
Zhou Qian waited quietly for her to cry for a full minute. Then, he extended his hand and patted her shoulder. “This proves there’s still hope for you. Remember this feeling, Situ Qing.”
“Remember this feeling of freedom, liberation, and relief.”
“Now you can let him go.”
“Forgive yourself and live for yourself.”
Outside the game, in front of the tablet screen.
Mu stared as Zhou Qian looked up. His cold gaze seemed to pierce through the screen, staring right at him. With a malicious, mocking tone, he said, “Did you hear that? Seeing you dead, her first reaction was relief.”
“The thing she feared most in her life was causing your death due to her negligence.”
“But what she most looked forward to was also—to see you die.”
Later on, this game video of Zhou Qian was watched countless times, garnering the highest attention and eliciting numerous comments.
[Holy shit, that’s next-level strategy! I’ve never seen such a crafty move! He’s so skilled at winning people over!]
[I don’t get it. He expended so much mana, just to anger Situ Qing and turn her against her gambler? So, what’s Zhou Qian planning for Situ Qing next?]
[I don’t know about later, but in this instance, his move was worth it.]
[Right? Among the four of them, who could deal normal damage? If he doesn’t win over Situ Qing now, then when? There’s a tough fight coming up!]
[I kind of feel sorry for Situ Qing.]
[To the person above, there’s something hateful in every pitiable person!]
[That might be true… She was forced into this. Let’s see if she can make amends in the future. Maybe she’ll work hard to earn gold coins and finally trade them to Yun Xiangrong to get Gao Shan back?]
[I think you guys are missing the point. Why would a low-level player like Situ Qing, who seemingly has no past grudge with Zhou Qian, attack him? Whose orders?]
[Peach Blossom Legion, perhaps? I heard they gave her a pass to enter this hall…]
[Why would Peach Blossom want to kill Zhou Qian? Didn’t their senior retire?]
[Didn’t Priest analyze for us last time? Zhou Qian caught the eye of a Rank God player, who wants to train him as his “shepherd”!]
[Is Zhou Qian caught in a struggle between Rank God players? I heard there are factional struggles among high-level players… Could that be true? I’ve heard rumors that Rank God players are selecting who can truly stand beside the gods!]
[Yeah, isn’t it a contest between [Scholar] and [Blood Demon] for the top spot? Whoever’s on top will rule the game and lead all of us!]
[I’ve heard the same. They’re even forcing players to pick sides. There’s a big battle brewing between them! It’s unclear which side the Peach Blossom Legion is on. High-level players are currently vying for powerful [Shepherds]. For someone like Zhou Qian… it’s better to kill him if they can’t have him!]
[Having only completed two dungeons, Zhou Qian is already the most watched newbie, currently ranking first. So being pursued is the treatment for the top newbie? I really don’t envy that!]
[Yeah, high-level players, please don’t give me the same attention as Zhou Qian! Leave me be; I don’t want to be your [Shepherd]. Let me be free, thank you!]
[The two above are so narcissistic. Do you see anyone paying attention to you?]
Inside the private room, Priest silently observed everyone’s comments and, for some reason, sighed softly.
Then he opened a letter he had received, bearing a distinct peach blossom mark at the corner.
……
At this moment, in the game.
Dark clouds approached, obscuring the moonlight.
The long street became even darker.
Situ Qing broke down in tears, while Zhou Qian looked towards the street.
Not long ago, Da Shou, with explosives strapped to him, wanted to drag the players to death with him. However, he failed in the end, and only he died.
On the other side, Xiao Pang ran swiftly down the entire street, scattering dog’s blood everywhere and sticking talisman papers.
As a result, all the ghosts that were in groups vanished one after another.
After receiving a message from Zhou Qian, Yun Xiangrong and He Xiaowei not only quickly distanced themselves from Da Shou but also quickly paid attention to Xiao Pang’s movements.
When Zhou Qian used the “Bone Nightmare” skill on Situ Qing, Xiao Pang had just dealt with a horde of ghosts. Seeing that Da Shou blew himself up without taking any players with him, Xiao Pang rushed towards the players again.
He Xiaowei’s eyes widened instantly. “Fuck, does he also have a bomb on him?”
Yun Xiangrong said in a deep voice, “Quickly, use the guqin to control him!”
As soon as Yun Xiangrong spoke, He Xiaowei took out his guqin and began to play it.
The system didn’t provide any warnings about the danger of Xiao Pang and Da Shou. This meant that they were not the “monsters” that needed to be defeated in the instance. Their attacks were covert, without any special skills, which also meant they were vulnerable.
Sure enough, when He Xiaowei plucked the strings aimed at Xiao Pang’s feet, Xiao Pang immediately tripped.
As he fell, Yun Xiangrong swiftly attacked, with willow catkins falling, precisely targeting Xiao Pang’s arms.
Yun Xiangrong’s damage output was mediocre, but it was enough to handle Xiao Pang, an NPC that wasn’t even considered a monster.
Once Xiao Pang was incapacitated, Yun Xiangrong quickly brought out a rope, first tying his hands behind him to prevent him from triggering the explosive. Once the explosive risk was neutralized, she tied up his feet.
He Xiaowei rushed forward to help, and in the end, together with Yun Xiangrong, they tied Xiao Pang to a lamppost.
After staring at Xiao Pang for a while, He Xiaowei heard footsteps and turned to see Zhou Qian.
“Qian’er, I don’t understand. What’s happening?” He Xiaowei nudged Zhou Qian’s arm and glanced at the still-crying Situ Qing.
Zhou Qian said, “Using some mana now is worth it. Otherwise, it’ll be troublesome later. With Situ Qing around, things are a bit easier.”
He Xiaowei glanced at Xiao Pang again and couldn’t help but ask Zhou Qian, “So… what’s going on? Why did they want to harm us? Are they children? The ghosts… don’t pose a threat to us?”
Zhou Qian counter-asked, “Did you see any ghost hurt you?”
He Xiaowei rubbed his hands. “Well, not really.”
Zhou Qian continued, “It’s all easy to deduce. Think about it, what’s the background of this city?”
He Xiaowei replied, “The S army invaded… The Seventh Army protects the civilians!”
“Right,” Zhou Qian said. “Now, think about it, what did the old lady ask us to do when she saw us?”
“Aha, I get it,” He Xiaowei exclaimed. “She said there are many traitors in the city lately and warned us not to reveal our identities. She asked us to take off our military uniforms. In a way, she was protecting us!”
“Exactly,” Zhou Qian replied. “Additionally, remember when you were about to get married as Dong Shui, the young Jiang Yuqing appeared. In his perspective, he didn’t see those people as ghosts. He looked at them the same way he looked at us.”
“Don’t forget, we deduced early on that young Jiang Yuqing would protect us and is on our side.”
“So, his appearance, besides introducing a subplot, was also a hint from the game—that the ‘ghosts’ in this level are actually on the good side.”
After a brief pause, Zhou Qian added, “Recall not long ago when we were surrounded by those young beggars. They didn’t intend to harm us. They didn’t know they were dead and continued to rob, just like when they were alive. But when they saw me take out the uniform of the Seventh Army, they immediately stopped and were overjoyed. They spread the word that the Seventh Army had arrived. They thought… they could be saved.”
He Xiaowei paused, then said, “The old lady told us to change our clothes. But we were still exposed. We…”
After a brief moment of distraction, he said, “We’ve been exposed for a while! Hearing the suona sound on the way to the wedding, we wore our military uniforms. We were seen by people long ago. But, the people who saw us were… were…”
He Xiaowei’s gaze turned to the tied-up Xiao Pang. He furrowed his brow tightly, as if feeling that the truth he discovered wasn’t only saddening but also so incredible that it was almost hard to accept.
“In times of war, nothing is impossible,” Zhou Qian said. “When the S army invaded Baicheng, they slaughtered the civilians… Miss Zhang couldn’t wait for her Dong Shui to return and had already passed away.”
Thinking of the smiling expression in Miss Zhang’s eyes in the photograph and thinking of the piece of red wedding dress and the embroidered shoe found in the mass grave, tears welled up in He Xiaowei’s eyes.
“This is a world of mixed truth and illusion,” he continued. “What happened in that mass grave probably really happened. This city is empty because nearly everyone in Baicheng was slaughtered back then. As for the wedding of Dong Shui and Miss Zhang, it never really happened. This was Jiang Yuqing’s vision. He knew everyone was dead, but he hoped that even in ghost form, his comrade and Miss Zhang could have their wishes, so he created such an illusion in this conscious world.”
Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes and said, “Real memories and false visions together make up this world. We need to discern which parts are real and which are fake. For example, the malicious intent of those two children may be real.”
Jiang Yuqing’s memory couldn’t have possibly conjured the bones and mass graves from thin air. This was probably from what he had seen with his own eyes. The most logical guess was that after Dong Shui and Miss Zhang broke off their engagement, they left Baicheng, met up with the rest of the Falcon Squadron, and began the mission to escort Jiang Yuqing to Nancheng.
Perhaps during their escape, they passed through Baicheng and saw the desolation and emptiness left behind by the war. They came across numerous bodies, found many mass graves, and even discovered parts of Miss Zhang’s wedding dress and the embroidered shoe.
But entering Baicheng must have been extremely dangerous, as it would have been filled with S Army forces. So, what role did these two children play at that time?
Being locals and children, they would have easily gained the trust of the Falcon Squadron.
Perhaps at a moment of crisis, Xiao Pang and Da Shou appeared and said, “Big brother, big sister, follow us. We can save you.”
Maybe someone in the Falcon Squadron fell for it, and the children detonated the bombs they carried, sacrificing themselves in the process.
He Xiaowei looked at the tied-up Xiao Pang, struggling to find words, and then asked Zhou Qian, “But why? If the entire city was surrounded by the S Army, wouldn’t it be easy for them to exterminate the Falcon Squadron? Why would they force two children from Baicheng to do this? Why would the children agree?”
Zhou Qian’s expression turned cold. “The S Army is like their name implies—they are venomous snakes. Perhaps even more venomous than snakes. They not only wanted to kill the people of Baicheng but also wanted to watch them kill each other. Perhaps ordinary killing methods no longer satisfied them, so they forced two children from Baicheng to turn against those they originally looked up to in the Seventh Army.”
He Xiaowei’s eyes reddened, and he was rendered speechless. Zhou Qian walked towards Xiao Pang and asked, “Did they force or trick you by using your mother? Did they tell you that if you carried the bomb and led us into a trap, they would spare your mother?”
Looking up at Zhou Qian, Xiao Pang trembled and tears flowed. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to find my mom… I just wanted her to come back.”
Just then, there was a “bang”.
Xiao Pang was killed, lying in a pool of blood.
The S army had killed everyone in the city, leaving only Da Shou and Xiao Pang. When the Falcon Squadron entered the city, they were trapped, and the two children were tasked to kill them. If they succeeded, the S Army would have enjoyed a cruel spectacle of brethren killing each other. If they failed, the S Army would simply take care of the Seventh Army members themselves.
Now, the two children had undoubtedly failed, and the S army lurking in the shadows was about to emerge.
Zhou Qian stepped closer to Xiao Pang. Although Xiao Pang could no longer hear, Zhou Qian whispered, “You don’t need to apologize. You’re not our enemy, the S Army is.”
“Qian’er, we… we…” He Xiaowei swallowed hard, torn between fear and rage.
The system soon sent a message.
[Player triggered main plotline: Jiang Yuqing was captured by the S Army in Baicheng, where they tortured him to extract scientific research secrets; Jiang Yuqing would rather die than betray but was later saved by a spy from the Seventh Army hidden within the S Army inside Baicheng.]
[Player Mission: On behalf of the Falcon Squadron, locate Jiang Yuqing and take him to the western pier to escape by boat.]
“Xiaowei Ge—”
Suddenly hearing this voice, He Xiaowei turned to look at Zhou Qian.
At this moment, the clouds had dispersed, and the moonlight made Zhou Qian’s gaze exceptionally clear.
“What’s…what’s up?” He Xiaowei asked.
Unlike his usual comedic demeanor, affected by the plot, He Xiaowei’s tone was dull, lacking energy.
Then he saw Zhou Qian, with his shining eyes, say, “How about we go all out?”
“How do we go all out?” Seemingly influenced by Zhou Qian, He Xiaowei gradually became somewhat excited.
Zhou Qian said, “In reality, we can only be the villains. So, in this instance, let’s be… heroes.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“Of course, to annihilate all the members of the S Army and avenge everyone!”
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