Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 50: A Gentle Breeze Comes Slowly
Fang Xiu took Shang Debao’s corpse out of the qiankun pouch and laid it flat on the floor.
Nearly half the walls of the mountain-view suite were floor-to-ceiling windows. Bright moonlight flooded the room. Under the cold glow, Fang Xiu decisively raised the bone-cutting knife and brought it down.
Thud!
The first cut severed the corpse’s hand. Seeing the cross-section, Fang Xiu let out a curious hum.
The blade was extraordinarily sharp so the severed surface was cut clean. Fresh muscle and bone were exposed, yet not a single drop of blood flowed. It was as if what he’d just chopped wasn’t flesh and bone, but finely crafted wax.
Too bad he’d killed Shang Debao. Fang Xiu couldn’t ask how it felt.
Still, he had suspected the bone-cutting knife would have special effects.
From the ritual’s standpoint, it surely hoped the sacrifices would live longer, to contribute more karma and flesh. If a sacrifice died from blood loss the first time they broke a taboo, it’d be a guaranteed lose-lose.
Fang Xiu worked like a skilled butcher. He quickly hacked off 26 lbs. of meat, split it into two portions, and prepared to give them to Guan He and Cheng Songyun. He only used a bit more than one and a half arms; the rest of the corpse he returned to the pouch.
After tidying up, Fang Xiu compared the knife against his own left arm.
He was 1.8 meters tall but weighed less than 160 lbs., so even thinner than the corpse. He wasn’t even sure if one of his arms weighed 13 lbs.
Besides…
“Bai Shuangying, if I chop off my left arm, will the anomaly skill still work?”
Fang Xiu was worried. That paper figure had printed the Bagua symbols on his left arm.
Bai Shuangying silently approached, his fingertips pressing against Fang Xiu’s left arm. The “Kan” and “Li” symbols immediately surfaced, circling around his finger.
The cold fingertip glided along the skin, from forearm to shoulder, then from shoulder to collarbone. When Bai Shuangying’s finger pressed against Fang Xiu’s neck, he didn’t move a muscle.
He wanted to say, “that’s enough,” but for some reason didn’t open his mouth.
So the fingertip kept traveling—over his throat, chin, and finally rested on his left temple. Fang Xiu felt warmth where it touched, the symbols presumably reabsorbing into the skin.
But every place the finger had passed still burned, even more than the temple. It was bizarre, considering how cold the ghost’s fingertips were.
Fang Xiu slightly tilted his head, meeting Bai Shuangying’s eyes up close.
Bai Shuangying met his gaze for a moment. His pale lips parted slightly. “You said you wanted to leave your head for last, so I moved it to your head.”
“Mmhm, very fitting.”
The taboo loomed and tension ran high, yet Fang Xiu felt like laughing.
He rolled up his sleeve and handed the bone-cutting knife over with both hands. “Do me a favor. I can’t control the angle or strength properly. If I don’t cut through in one go, it’ll really hurt.”
Bai Shuangying looked down at the knife, its blade faintly reflecting the moonlight outside.
“You can ask another human,” he said quietly.
Fang Xiu shook his head. “Xiao Guan’s still underage, and Cheng Jie is too soft-hearted. She wouldn’t be quick or clean… Come on, we don’t have much time.”
His tone was calm, like asking someone to pass him a cup of water.
Bai Shuangying took the knife. It had just cut through a corpse yet bore no blood or flesh. He lightly ran a finger across the blade, then paused. “This blade isn’t only enchanted to stop bleeding, it also carries a curse that intensifies pain.”
He hesitated for two seconds. “If you just want the arm removed, I can use Peach Bone Evil.”
It was rare for his ghost to make suggestions. Fang Xiu paused, then smiled. “No. It’s only the first day. I can’t let anyone notice something’s off.”
“Whether it’s the wound or my reaction to breaking a taboo, it has to look natural. Actually, the more pathetic, the better.”
Then he repeated, “Time’s short. Do it…”
Swish.
Before he finished, his left arm flew off. Bai Shuangying struck quickly and steadily, the pain didn’t even register for several seconds.
The pale arm rolled twice on the floor, the fingers still trembling slightly.
Expressionless, Bai Shuangying picked it up and, mimicking Fang Xiu, placed it on the scale.
13 lbs. Not a gram more or less.
Fang Xiu hadn’t moved a step, but his knees buckled. Cold sweat soaked his T-shirt.
The wound had been cursed, and the searing pain far exceeded expectation. It felt less like losing an arm and more like having a palm-sized nail torn out alive.
Fang Xiu, practiced in suppressing screams and groans, couldn’t stop the sweat or his rapid breathing. He instinctively bent forward, barely able to stay upright.
Bai Shuangying slowly set down the knife, saying nothing.
Fifteen minutes to midnight, a knock came, right on time.
Fang Xiu instantly straightened like nothing had happened and cheerfully went to open the door.
His sleeve covered the gory wound; the shadows masked his pale face. Other than missing an arm and sweating a bit, he looked just the same as usual.
Guan He and Cheng Songyun entered. Their gazes locked immediately on his empty left sleeve, each showing their own brand of worry.
Fang Xiu: “What, expecting a public performance? I charge admission for those.”
Before they could speak, he went on quickly, “Come grab your meat and head back to your rooms to rest. We’ll find Song Zheng in the morning.”
Guan He: “Fang Ge… does it hurt?”
He stared at the deflated sleeve, not even noticing the severed flesh on the ground.
Fang Xiu smiled. “It stung during the chop. It’s better now. Off you go, don’t risk breaking a taboo.”
Guan He gathered the heap of arm meat, forcing himself to look at it like making a decision.
“…Fang Ge, I’ve decided. I won’t gamble.”
Cheng Songyun bit her lip. “Xiao Fang… thank you.”
Fang Xiu kept smiling. “It’s nothing.”
Once the door shut, he instantly slumped against it, sliding to the floor.
Good thing he hadn’t asked them to break the taboo too. This pain was insane. Like fire constantly searing his wound.
Now he understood why Song Zheng had warned against it so many times.
The seemingly mild “fail and suffer harm” clause was, in truth, excruciating, even for someone used to pain.
The ritual really went all-out to lure them into the casino.
At the stroke of midnight, another knock came.
This time, the visitor was a handsome waiter. Broad shoulders, long legs, perfect smile with eight teeth, he looked like a stock image of happiness. Definitely from Huanxi World.
He pushed a gleaming golden cart that was empty on top.
“Good evening, Mr. Fang. I’m here to collect your 13 lbs. of human meat.”
He beamed. “Please note the weight. No refunds for extra, no credit for less!”
Fang Xiu didn’t bother talking to the illusion. He pointed at the arm on the scale. “Take it.”
The waiter wasn’t annoyed. He politely retrieved the arm and sniffed it in front of Fang Xiu.
“No scent of transaction. It’s verified.”
He smiled and placed the arm into the cart.
Fang Xiu expected him to leave, but the waiter stayed, grinning ear to ear:
“Here’s the deal, Mr. Fang. We’ll store your 13 lbs. of meat for 24 hours.”
“If you order 13 lbs. of human meat within that time, we’ll restore your body for free, and the pain will vanish instantly!”
He said it as if it were an amazing promotional deal.
Irritated by pain, Fang Xiu snapped, “Not interested.”
Still not giving up, the waiter said, “Don’t be hasty, Mr. Fang. We’ve noticed a large amount of karmic debt on your record. As this is your first taboo violation, we’re offering a premium customer bonus, you can exchange your karmic debt right now!”
He pulled out a gleaming 1,000-value chip, stacked with a 10-value chip, and placed it before Fang Xiu.
“Your arm will regenerate instantly, and you’ll enjoy our ‘Get 10 Bonus for Every 1000 Redeemed’ promo! Surprise!”
Fang Xiu: “……”
The waiter leaned closer and playfully winked. “Oh, and we don’t encourage violence. Newly acquired blood debt in Huanxi World is nonredeemable, you’ll have to pick from your past debts.”
Fang Xiu had enough. “Scram!”
“Certainly, Mr. Fang. Good night, Mr. Fang. May tomorrow bring you great fortune!”
The waiter’s handsome smile never wavered, teeth still gleaming.
As the door closed, the round table, scale, and bone-cutting knife vanished simultaneously. Fang Xiu let out a breathy laugh and collapsed onto the bed.
“…Bai Shuangying,” he called softly a few minutes later.
Bai Shuangying was standing by the window. “Mm.”
“My wound hurts like hell.” Fang Xiu stared at the ceiling. “This time, the E is seriously strong.”
“I know,” Bai Shuangying replied.
“It really hurts.”
“I know.”
“I’m not complaining. I just wanted to say it out loud…” Fang Xiu lay on the right side of the bed and slowly shrank his body. “I asked you to chop it off so I’m not blaming you… It just feels better to say it out loud.”
“…I understand.”
Fang Xiu was quiet for a while. Then he asked softly, “Was Shang Debao’s soul really that disgusting…?”
“His karma was nearly empty.” Bai Shuangying walked to the left side of the bed and sat down. “It tasted faintly off, dry and crumbly, like dregs.”
Fang Xiu didn’t answer. Bai Shuangying turned and saw that he’d fallen asleep.
Fair enough. After spending the day trekking through the apartment and five hours in the casino, not to mention killing someone and losing an arm, it was no surprise.
Fang Xiu had never been physically strong. Now, exhausted and weakened, his reaction was understandable.
…But his sleep wasn’t peaceful. Every one or two minutes, he twitched.
Sometimes, pressure on the stump made him convulse violently.
Bai Shuangying leaned over and brushed Fang Xiu’s bangs aside. His hair was soaked in sweat, and his temperature alarmingly high.
Seeing Fang Xiu, usually bouncing off walls, now so still made Bai Shuangying uncomfortable.
He could have persuaded Fang Xiu to give in to Huanxi World. Compared to the Mid-Autumn E, this place was far better for creating a lasting “two-person world”.
But if it meant Fang Xiu would become bland, hollow “human scum”, Bai Shuangying rejected the thought outright.
…Besides, Fang Xiu really hated this place.
Bai Shuangying left the bed and walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.
Placing one hand on the wall, he began quietly deciphering the spell matrix of the ritual site.
But soon, he felt heat on his back.
Fang Xiu had gotten up and, barefoot, walked behind him. Now he pressed his forehead gently against Bai Shuangying’s back.
“Can’t sleep,” Fang Xiu murmured. “Hurts too damn much…”
There was no electricity, and so little to do. The two sat side by side before the window, watching the moonlit forest outside.
Fang Xiu leaned his good arm against Bai Shuangying and silently tugged his sleeve with his right hand. He didn’t speak. Whether from pain or just lack of words, it was unclear.
He just stared at the view, eyes reluctant to blink.
Bai Shuangying glanced at him.
Fang Xiu’s sleeve-tugging was surprisingly nice. It was warm and gentle, like a massage. But now, his palm was so hot, Bai Shuangying found it unfamiliar.
“You like the mountains?” Bai asked.
Fang Xiu: “Yeah. Don’t you think it’s beautiful?”
Bai Shuangying thought for a moment. “Nothing special.”
Fang Xiu laughed, which tugged his wound, making him flinch.
“It’s different through a window, like watching a screen,” he said. “The best part of mountain views is the wind, smells, and sounds.”
He reached out with his remaining right hand and touched the glass. “…Say, are these illusions too?”
“Illusions anchored in reality.”
Learning the scenery was fake, Fang Xiu’s eyes dimmed. “No wonder nothing in this room can be exchanged.”
Bai Shuangying had just given him useful intel. He should start thinking… thinking…
“Want to see it?” Bai Shuangying said, holding Fang Xiu’s hand that was pinching his sleeve.
Fang Xiu blinked. “See what?”
“The real mountains.” Bai Shuangying picked up the Peach Bone Evil with his other hand. “Even if it’s an illusion, I can do better.”
Before Fang Xiu could respond, he tapped the ground with the Peach Bone Evil.
In an instant, the glass before them vanished.
Moonlight poured in. Stars glittered above.
Damp night wind swept the room, billowing the curtains. The air carried the scent of earth and plants, filled with insect chirps and bird calls.
They felt as if they were sitting in a mountain courtyard, not a cruel ritual site.
In the mountain breeze, Fang Xiu turned to look at Bai Shuangying.
Those pale eyes met his, still emotionless. The wind stirred Bai Shuangying’s long hair, strands brushing his lips, then falling away.
Fang Xiu forgot the pain, forgot how to speak.
Bai Shuangying stared at him. “You’re in such bad shape, you should see better scenery.”
Fang Xiu gently reached out. Just before touching the red mole, he veered and tucked Bai Shuangying’s hair behind his ear.
The strands brushed Bai Shuangying’s face. His eyes didn’t blink, didn’t move, like a dead thing.
“Even the best illusion… is still just an illusion,” After a while, Fang Xiu whispered.
Bai Shuangying was indifferent. “If life and death are both within illusions, then what difference does it make?”
Fang Xiu was silent for a long time, then smiled. “True.”
He stretched his lone arm, trying to embrace Bai Shuangying. But without his left arm, he couldn’t keep balance and gave up.
In the end, he awkwardly leaned against Bai Shuangying, like a frozen animal against a car, seeking residual warmth.
“To be honest, Miss Zhang Haizhen, the girl Shang Debao killed, wasn’t really my loved one. In fact, she was a client.”
Bathed in mountain wind, Fang Xiu rambled again. “She really did want to marry after graduation, but not me. She found me after her death. We had no relationship beyond the commission…”
Bai Shuangying: “?”
The topic jumped so fast he was a bit lost.
“I mean, you’re still my first and only lawful spouse. I didn’t secretly remarry.”
Fang Xiu showed the hair-ring. With no left hand, he’d moved it to his right ring finger.
Bai Shuangying nodded, then frowned. “Why didn’t I marry you?”
“…That works too.”
Fang Xiu laughed, which again pulled his wound, drawing sweat from his brow.
Bai Shuangying looked at him and brushed the sweat away. The cool white fabric instantly made Fang Xiu feel better.
“Thanks, hubby, wifey, darling, sweetheart,” Fang Xiu joked. “Pick your favorite.”
Bai Shuangying suddenly felt that the phrase “Thank you, God” from the God of Weishan had been so elegantly succinct.
This human was ridiculous.
Still, seeing Fang Xiu’s spirits rise, he let it go.
“…Just kidding.” Fang Xiu leaned on his shoulder. “Back to business. If these rooms are ‘illusions anchored to reality’, why are they so different?”
Bai Shuangying: “See for yourself.”
He activated the Peach Bone Evil. A faint white thread appeared, drifting around the room.
Fang Xiu immediately focused on it. He reached out to grab it. “What is it?”
Bai Shuangying: “Karmic thread. This room is tied to someone’s karma. It’s built from their memories.”
Fang Xiu stretched and managed to catch it, only for it to dissolve in his hand.
Before he could ask, it reformed a few meters away, floating like a ghost.
“Don’t bother. You have no karma with this room. You’re not linked to it,” Bai Shuangying said.
Fang Xiu deflated. “Oh…”
Then he seemed to remember something and fell unusually quiet. Bai Shuangying didn’t force the conversation, idly fiddling with Peach Bone Evil.
After a while, he noticed Fang Xiu’s breathing had become steady and shallow.
He’d fallen asleep leaning on him.
In the breeze, Fang Xiu was doing better. He was no longer sweating and tossing and turning, but his frow still furrowed in pain, trembling every now and then.
His right hand still tightly clutched Bai Shuangying’s sleeve.
Bai Shuangying glanced at his severed left shoulder, then the soaked bedsheet. In the end, he picked Fang Xiu up and carried him to the bathtub.
Then he reverted to his true form.
Bai Shuangying submerged most of Fang Xiu’s body, letting the wounded stump soak in him. He dulled the pain into near-death numbness, knowing Fang Xiu needed it.
Lack of rest would ruin a human’s condition.
This time, Fang Xiu didn’t gnaw on him in his sleep. He just relaxed and stretched his right arm, awkwardly wrapping around Bai Shuangying.
“…Thanks,” Fang Xiu murmured. “Thank you, Bai Shuangying.”
……
The next day, Fang Xiu woke up inside Bai Shuangying’s real body, and he nearly sprang out of the bathtub on the spot.
His entire body first turned as red as his T-shirt, then gradually returned to white, before he fell into deep thought.
Finally, he said solemnly, “So… we’re just gonna sleep like this from now on?”
Considering this man was going to chop of a piece of him again tonight, Bai Shuangying had no objections.
He deliberately observed for a while and noticed that although Fang Xiu was still breaking into cold sweat, his mental state was much better than the night before.
…The pain curse was clearly still in effect, yet this guy’s tolerance to pain was downright abnormal.
Meanwhile, Fang Xiu carefully smoothed out the wrinkles on his shirt and happily admired the mountain forest under the morning sun.
“Let’s go find Song Zheng and the others,” Fang Xiu said, chest out and head held high.
Then he opened the door…only to find three mushrooms squatting right outside. Mushroom-Song Zheng had brought Xiao Tian and Xiao Li, all of them staring eagerly, waiting for him to wake up.
Apparently, after a night of hesitation, the three of them still decided that “not getting to eat” was scarier than “Fang Xiu is a killer”.
Cheng Songyun and Guan He were also waiting outside. Both of them had all their limbs intact, just dark circles under their eyes. Seeing the relaxed look on Fang Xiu’s face, they clearly let out a breath of relief.
Fang Xiu’s lips lifted in a smile. He opened the door wide. “Come in, I was just about to look for you.”
He’d already prepared food inside. When they saw the floor covered in meat, snacks, and drinks, Song Zheng’s eyes turned green. “How much intel do you want for this?”
Fang Xiu: “This meal’s on me. Consider it a thank-you for last night.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the three of them darted forward and started scarfing down food with zero dignity. After swallowing a big mouthful of meat, Song Zheng’s eyes welled up with tears. Xiao Tian and Xiao Li simply ate while crying.
“No rush. There’s more after this,” Fang Xiu said, a little pained to see this. Just how long had these people been surviving on rice soup and plain veggie rice?
Song Zheng chewed as he tried to speak. “As long as—mmff—we get food—mmff—we’ll do anything to help…”
Fang Xiu raised his eyebrows. “Not afraid I’ll go on a killing spree?”
Song Zheng hurriedly swallowed. “Hey, last night was just too sudden. I didn’t have time to react. That guy had blood debt points. When they’re redeemed, his crimes get broadcast publicly, exactly like you said.”
“Trash like that deserves to die. I fully support your revenge!” Xiao Tian choked out through bites of pastry.
“…Just eat first. Talk later,” Fang Xiu said, a little worried they might choke to death right then and there.
He turned to his own companions and pulled them aside. “How’d things go for you two last night?”
Guan He: “A female server came to my room and took away the pile of human meat. She even sniffed it and said it didn’t have the smell of a transaction.”
Fang Xiu: “She didn’t say anything else?”
“She threw in some sarcastic jab, said, ‘You have to rely on yourself. Acting like this, no wonder you can’t get a girl.’”
At this, Guan He frowned. “That was totally out of nowhere. Who talks about falling in love in a situation like this?”
Fang Xiu: “…Well, not necessarily. ‘Falling in love’ and ‘pure lust’ are two different things.”
Guan He: “?”
Fang Xiu looked away. “Go on.”
“That’s it. She left after saying that,” said Guan He.
Cheng Songyun took over naturally. “A man came to my room. It went about the same as Xiao He’s. But after he took the meat, he just left. Didn’t say a word.”
She lowered her eyes. “Maybe they already know. There’s no point telling me anything. I won’t gamble anyway.”
Fang Xiu’s brow twitched.
Both their rooms got opposite-sex servers, so why was his a same-sex one?
He sure didn’t think Mr. Eight Teeth had a shred of charm. Just remembering those sales pitches gave him a headache; he almost wanted to carve “unsubscribe” into the guy’s forehead.
…Whatever. Not an important detail.
Fang Xiu opened his mouth, just about to organize his findings, when Cheng Songyun continued on her own.
“Just in case, I spent the night in my own house,” she said.
She took a deep breath. “…And then something terrifying happened.”
The author has something to say:
Huanxi E: I see now—you’re into non-human male types. Then a handsome male apparition is sure to be a flawless choice!
Fang Xiu: [Unsubscribe*]
*Clarity: He’s typing TD which people usually do in China when they think they are getting spam. It’s basically equivalent to STOP, Unsubscribe, Cancel, ect.
Actually, Xiao Fang’s weight is pretty unhealthy, so everyone, don’t follow his example (???).
In the future, Xiao Bai will fatten him up!
Kinky Thoughts:
Uh… I think it’s a pretty important detail lol.
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