The young girl in black blew away the petals in front of her with a gust of wind. When she looked down again, the four had vanished.
But they couldn’t have truly disappeared.
Otherwise, they could have escaped like this when they were trapped between the stone walls.
Invisibility stationery—the young girl in black tilted her head slightly, figuring it out.
Closing her eyes, the enclosed maze segment appeared in her mind, along with the wind filling the entire path.
The wind was blowing in one direction, but at a certain point, it met resistance, bending around something invisible, just as the rain had avoided her body earlier. In her mind’s maze, the wind deviated, forming a strange shape around some unseen objects.
That was the spot.
The young girl in black opened her eyes, looked down, and fixed her gaze on the place where the wind direction was altered.
Wind Blades swiftly descended!
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) A Hundred Misses] on you~~]
The young girl in black’s eyebrows furrowed imperceptibly. The Wind Blades, originally locked onto a lethal point, veered off course, slashing into the maze walls.
“[A Hundred Misses]?” The young girl in black murmured to herself. “Then let it be a hundred and one.”
Countless Wind Blades attacked one after another, each deviating from its target!
In just over ten seconds, dozens had been launched!
The young girl in black counted in her mind.
Fifty.
Sixty.
Seventy.
Eighty…
Before reaching a hundred, the four in the maze suddenly deactivated [(Defense) Cloak of Invisibility] and appeared, standing still and watching her, showing no intention to attack.
She paused, slightly confused, then felt a breeze behind her ear.
Instinctively turning around, she faced a giant sword, its tip glinting with a cold light!
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Ten Years to Forge a Sword] on you~~]
[Ten Years to Forge a Sword].
No wonder they used invisibility—they needed time to prepare and feared she would discover them prematurely.
No wonder they reappeared—they needed to divert her attention.
But it was a pity.
The young girl in black leaned back with unimaginable speed, narrowly avoiding the sword as it grazed past her nose.
Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin couldn’t hide their disappointment.
Wu Sheng’s face twitched slightly, sharing the regret.
Xu Wang, of course, felt it most keenly. The sword was his. It was so close. Even if it couldn’t be fatal, a minor wound would have been a small victory.
The young girl in black let the wind under her feet weaken and descended slightly, narrowing the distance between them. She calmly looked at them. “I thought a team that reached me so quickly would at least have some skills. It seems I overestimated you…”
“Plan F.” She shook her head slightly in regret. “The name is more imposing than the content.”
“Our plans go up to Z.” Xu Wang looked up at her. “And we won’t always rely on the cloak.”
The young girl in black was momentarily stunned.
Belatedly, she realized the brim of her pointed hat had been cut. The corner of the fabric drooped slightly.
For the first time, a ripple appeared in the young girl in black’s eyes.
But she became colder.
The ground beneath the four teammates suddenly trembled.
It was subtle, but eerily familiar.
Qian Ai: “Captain, I have a bad feeling…”
The other teammates: “……”
They believed him; after all, when it came to misfortune, Classmate Qian had the most authority.
Xu Wang: “Spread out—”
Before he finished speaking, his teammates had already scattered!
But the speed of the vine-like plants emerging from the ground was faster, instantly growing several meters tall and as thick as bowls. Like green octopus, each vine entangled one of them, lifting all four into the air!
“She even knows Xiao Bai’s skills?!” Kuang Jinxin was too shocked to worry about being trapped.
Qian Ai despaired. “Maybe she’s even dyed with Xiao Huang’s yellow hair…”
This wasn’t an NPC, but an all-in-one NPC!
Xu Wang didn’t join his teammates’ discussion, nor did he struggle. Instead, he held his breath, focusing all his attention on one point!
The giant sword, which had attacked the young girl in black and then disappeared, suddenly flew back, cutting through the vine trapping Xu Wang!
Xu Wang crashed to the ground with a thud!
Ignoring the pain, he controlled the giant sword to fly towards the other vines!
“Clang—”
A huge stone fell from the sky, colliding firmly with the sword, sending both flying!
Xu Wang tried to recall the sword again, but the young girl in black was quicker. Using a gust of wind, she whisked the sword away and forcefully embedded it into the maze wall, with almost the entire blade sinking in!
In an instant, countless vines and leaves sprouted around the embedded part of the sword, entwining what was left of the blade until no glint of its edge could be seen.
Xu Wang looked up. His gaze was sharp and unyielding, with not a hint of discouragement.
“Your strength is lacking.” The young girl in black suddenly spoke, with a rare hint of acknowledgment. “But your fighting spirit is commendable.”
Xu Wang: “Someone told us to run at the sight of you, without a second thought.”
The young girl in black: “You should have listened to them.”
Xu Wang wiped the blood seeping from his neck and smiled. “Luckily, we didn’t.”
As the young girl in black was puzzled over his reaction, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her back. A massive force propelled her towards the ground of the maze path!
The speed was too fast, and the force was too great. Her wind couldn’t gather in time to carry her away.
Simultaneously, water surged into the maze path, quickly covering the ground and drenching the roots of the vine plants!
Just before she hit the water, the stone summoned by the young girl in black finally crashed down on the “attacker” behind her!
A cry from an unknown beast tore through the night sky!
The young girl in black landed on the ground, using a last-minute gust to cushion her fall and landing lightly in the water.
She stood up; her cloak was mostly soaked. She was ankle-deep in water.
Lifting her head, she finally saw the assailant.
A small dragon.
The kind that would just be starting at a dragon kindergarten.
The thing that had been pushing against her back was its tiny horn.
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) A Dragon Swimming in Shallow Waters is Teased by Crawfish*] on you~~]
*(龙游浅水遭虾戏) A folk saying that refers to a person who is bullied by a weaker person after losing power.
Finally, the notification sounded, and the dragon in the air, recovering from the pain of the stone collision, dove towards the young girl in black!
The young girl in black summoned Wind Blades, not to attack but to surround herself defensively, ready to intercept if it dared to approach.
Unexpectedly, the dragon turned towards the vine plants the moment it entered the maze path!
Caught off guard, the young girl in black could only watch as it bit the main stem of the vine, pulling it up with all its might!
The vine plants, losing their roots, withered instantly, releasing Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin, and Wu Sheng, who were entangled by the “green claws”.
However, with the upward momentum of the dragon’s pull, the three were flung several meters into the air before crashing down heavily!
Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin couldn’t help but cry out in pain, scrambling to their feet amidst groans.
Wu Shen slammed against the copper door and slid down into the corner formed by the door and the wall, remaining motionless, seemingly unconscious.
The shallow water soaked his pants and shirt but couldn’t rouse him.
Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin’s expressions changed drastically.
“Wu Sheng!”
“Sheng Ge—”
The two instinctively thought to run towards Wu Sheng but were suddenly stopped by Xu Wang from the other side. “Focus on the fight—”
Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin paused, glancing at the fainted Wu Sheng and then at their captain, who had just pulled the young girl in black down and was confronting her. They hesitated. “But…”
“No buts!” Xu Wang interrupted them and got straight to the point. “Switch to Plan W—”
Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin froze, exchanging a glance. Suddenly, the water sprouted vine-like plants again, recreating the earlier scene exactly, wrapping them up once more from head to toe, immobilizing even their arms, let alone using any stationery.
Satisfied, the young girl in black withdrew her gaze from the vine plants and looked back at Xu Wang. “Your stationery is as numerous as ants, which is annoying.”
Xu Wang: “Just stationery?”
The young girl in black: “And the plans, too many to the point of irritation.”
“I thought so,” Captain Xu said with a trace of pride, then suddenly asked, “Do you know why the stationery just now is called [A Dragon Swimming in Shallow Waters is Teased by Crawfish]?”
The young girl in black paused, her expression blank.
She suddenly felt a sharp pain at her ankle.
Reacting instinctively, the young girl in black kicked, shaking off the thing clamped onto her ankle—a crayfish.
The crayfish traced a beautiful arc in the air before falling back into the water, still visible beneath the surface, snapping its little claws.
The young girl in black: “…”
A crayfish couldn’t hurt her.
But it succeeded in making her, for the first time, really want to hit someone.
Summoning the wind.
The young girl in black disliked the ground, preferring to fight in the air.
The wind rose.
But she didn’t.
A chill crept up from her feet, spreading throughout her body.
The young girl in black looked down. The ankle-deep water had frozen without her noticing.
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) Three Feet of Ice*] on you~~]
*This is part of the idiom “Three feet of ice cannot be frozen in one day’s cold”. Which is a metaphor for the seriousness of a situation that isn’t caused in just one day but accumulated over time. However, the stationery only referred to the first part.
“Sorry, I prefer ground combat,” Xu Wang, a few meters away, dropped the playful tone and solemnly activated the second stationery.
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) A Hail of Bullets*] on you~~]
*(枪林弹雨) Idiom referring to a fierce fight.
The young girl in black tried several times but couldn’t break the ice, trapped in place!
A barrage of bullets rained down.
Xu Wang held his breath, concentrating intensely!
The fastest bullet reached right above the young girl in black’s head, then vanished into thin air, as if swallowed by another dimension!
Then, like a torrential downpour, all the bullets approaching the young girl in black disappeared without a trace!
At the same time, the ice began to melt!
Xu Wang, astonished, raised his arm to activate another stationery, but a cluster of plants suddenly entwined his wrist. By the time he realized something was wrong, he was suspended in the air like Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin, and his arms were immobilized.
The young girl in black exhaled lightly, obviously finding this battle not as effortless as it seemed.
“I don’t like using stationery.” She looked up at Xu Wang. “So I have plenty left—bulletproof, ice-melting, everything.”
Her black cloak, dirtied from the fight, made her pale face stand out even more.
“I take back what I said,” she said. “You indeed deserve to reach me so quickly.”
Xu Wang shook his head. “Not just to reach you, but to break through you.”
Suddenly, a strong current surged through the newly melted shallow water, turning the entire surface into an electrified net in an instant!
Standing in the water, the young girl in black felt a shock, tingling and painful, uncontrollably falling into the water!
As she tried to stand up, the current struck again, stronger than before!
The young girl in black’s body was stiff, unable to move or focus her mind!
A dark shadow swam past her feet.
The notification sound came belatedly—
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Lethal Electric Eel] on you~~]
The calm in the young girl in black’s eyes finally shattered.
She looked at Xu Wang in disbelief. It wasn’t that she couldn’t accept her defeat, but she just didn’t understand. “You’re tied up by vines. It’s impossible to use any stationery…”
Xu Wang, bound like a rice dumpling, could only tilt his head towards her, his eyes and mouth smiling. “I can’t use it, but my teammates can.”
“Impossible.” The young girl in black turned to look. “They are tied up just like you…”
They were indeed tied up, but only two of them.
There was one more, leaning against the copper door, waving elegantly at her.
The young girl in black: “When did you regain consciousness…”
Wu Sheng blinked innocently. “When did I ever faint?”
Plan W: Attack at will, defend heartily, and leave the rest to Advisor Wu.
Core combination technique of Plan W: [Advisor Wu’s Ingenious Strategy]
The author has a message to say:
There’s a team with a whole little notebook full of plans, not to be messed with~~ (^o^)/~
Watching the four members of the camouflage team gradually disappear, Kuang Jinxin deactivated [(Defense) We Are All Wooden Figures]. This was a disposable stationery that had fulfilled its purpose.
The rain continued, symbolizing the unstoppable tears of Classmate Qian.
“Stop crying.” Kuang Jinxin approached, reaching out to wipe the tears off his teammate’s face. “Think of something happy.”
Qian Ai suddenly grasped his teammate’s hand, urgently asking, “Can you give me a blessing?”
Kuang Jinxin was startled, but seeing Qian Ai’s rabbit eyes and feeling pity, he nodded vigorously. “Of course.”
Three seconds later.
With a solemn and serious demeanor, Kuang Jinxin earnestly repeated the words he heard. “I, Kuang Jinxin, wish that Qian Ai will never find any stationery I’ve used in his [Stationary Box] again!”
In this powerful blessing, Qian Ai heard phrases like [Hit Me if You Dare], [Tears Like Rain], and all the potentially deadly stationery flying away with a wonderful sound.
“Good brother!” At this moment, Kuang Jinxin, in Qian Ai’s eyes, shone with a holy light.
The torrential rain gradually subsided, but the foggy mist still veiled the imposing copper door blocking their way, standing unyielding.
“[All Is Quiet in the World] couldn’t break it…” Xu Wang originally planned to use the heavy rain as cover to lead the team away, but now that hope was gone.
“If we enter the NPC’s territory, we must fight. It’s an iron rule of this level.” Wu Sheng analyzed. “So this door isn’t a piece of stationery, but a physical manifestation of the rules.”
“But we clearly broke through a wooden door before…” Xu Wang started, then, as if realizing something, turned to Wu Sheng. “She did it on purpose…”
Wu Sheng nodded, having already considered this.
A look of disbelief crossed Xu Wang’s face.
After the young girl in black intercepted them, they discovered the camouflage team behind the door. She used them to destroy the wooden door, then replaced it with a copper one to trap the team. And using [All Roads Lead to Rome], she turned the detours into straight paths.
Thus, they were the ones who destroyed the door, and [All Roads Lead to Rome] was also applied to them. The young girl in black didn’t break any rules.
But—
Xu Wang: “An NPC consciously exploiting loopholes in the rules… Is that possible?”
“If the Owl can seek your help,” Wu Sheng turned around, looking towards the distance, “then nothing is impossible.”
In the rain curtain not far away, the young girl in black was slowly approaching them.
The corrosive raindrops, upon reaching her, changed direction, falling elsewhere as if there was an invisible raincoat outside her cloak.
“No way…” Qian Ai, looking at the dry black cloak, felt his eyes sting again.
The [Tears like Rain] that could send the camouflage team away couldn’t even get close to her. What level was this? A king among NPCs?
The young girl in black approached them, stopping three meters away.
A cool breeze fluttered the edges of her cloak and brushed the faces of the four.
“It’s the wind.” At this distance, Wu Sheng could see clearly and judge accurately. “Just like Yue Shuai said, she can control the wind.”
So the raindrops were gently blown away by the fine wind surrounding her, deviating a few centimeters before falling.
Ignoring their whispers, the young girl in black stood still and said, “You are the victorious team. Now, you can challenge me.”
Her voice was cold, flat, without any fluctuations, straightforward and clear.
“Wait a minute!” Xu Wang suddenly interrupted, easing the tense confrontation. “Lao Qian, stop the rain. I want to talk to Xiao Hei.”
Qian Ai wiped his face. “Captain, Lao Qian’s heart is willing, but the tears are too strong…”
Xu Wang: “……”
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) Pain, Pain, Fly Away] on you~~]
After a warm sensation, Qian Ai’s eyes finally felt cool and comfortable. The pain from head to toe, like the soreness from using the [Qilin Arm] and the dull ache left by the shoulder throw, and the impact endured while fighting Xiao Huang… No, he didn’t want to count them anymore; all the pain flew away, disappearing into the vast night sky.
Qian Ai: “Thanks, Captain.”
Xu Wang: “You’re welcome. You worked hard.”
Qian Ai: “Why didn’t you use this when we fought Xiao Huang?”
Xu Wang: “It’s more cost-effective to accumulate injuries and treat them all at once.”
Qian Ai: “……”
The rain slowly stopped.
Classmate Qian, with clear eyes once more, silently hid his tears in his heart.
The young girl in black quietly watched Xu Wang. Even while he was chatting with Qian Eye, her gaze remained unwavering.
She was waiting because he asked her to.
Not only her, but also the clueless Wu Sheng, Kuang Jinxin, and even Qian Ai were waiting.
Xu Wang looked at the young girl in black, took a deep breath, then gently exhaled, softly saying, “You’re very cute.”
“I hate dishonest people,” the young girl in black replied without a second’s pause.
Xu Wang: “…I’m sincere.”
Young girl in black: “I hate liars.”
Xu Wang: “Can’t we change the challenge? Like playing a game together?”
Young girl in black: “I hate cheaters.”
Xu Wang: “You’ll have no friends this way…”
Young girl in black: “I hate people who tell the truth.”
Wu Sheng, Kuang Jinxin: “…”
Qian Ai: “Captain, stop trying to flirt. You’re a hundred romantics short of Xiao Kuang.”
Xu Wang no longer hoped for a shortcut. He just wanted to know one thing. “Is there someone in this world that you like?!”
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Once Bitten by a Snake*] on you~~]
*This is part of an idiom. The full idiom is: Once bitten by a snake, you’ll be afraid of snakes/ropes for ten years (一朝被蛇咬 , 十年怕井绳). It refers to becoming timid and fearful after a setback (AKA Once bitten, twice shy).
The young girl in black felt a sudden, sharp pain on the back of her hand, and in the next moment, she soared into the sky, carried by the wind. The poisonous snake that had bitten her hand still clung on, its long body swaying in mid-air.
“You’re even resorting to sneak attacks on a girl.” Xu Wang sighed, shaking his head. “Lao Qian, it’s going to be hard for you to find a wife in this lifetime…”
Plop—
The snake suddenly fell to the ground, twitched twice, and died.
Looking at the young girl in black, there was no sign of poisoning. Even the two “blood spots” on her hand were fading.
“In this world, is there someone I like?” The young girl in black suddenly repeated Xu Wang’s question softly, lowering her eyelids. Her gaze and voice were as cool and indifferent as ever. She looked at Qian Ai and said, “I like people who act directly.”
Qian Ai: “……”
For the first time in his life, he was confessed to by a girl, but it was far from being a pleasant experience!
A sudden gust of wind roared fiercely!
In an instant, a tornado whirled through the narrow maze!
Xu Wang: “Xiao Kuang—”
Kuang Jinxin: “Got it!”
The only time Yue Shuai and his team clashed with the young girl in black, they were swept back home by such a wind!
They only knew this one skill of the young girl and black and had prepared accordingly—
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) Calm Winds and Smooth Waters] on you~~]
The moment the defense stationery took effect, the tornado weakened significantly, leaving only a stubborn tail of wind that struggled for a few seconds before dispersing completely.
The young girl in black remained high in the sky. The distance made it seem as if her cloak was merging with her face in the moonlit shadows.
Before the four teammates could counterattack, two stone walls suddenly appeared in front and behind them, rapidly closing in!
Yue Shuai never mentioned that this girl could make a sandwich out of them!
Qian Ai spread his arms wide, pushing against the walls, but flesh and blood couldn’t truly resist the movement of the stone walls!
“Captain—” He was drenched in sweat, feeling as if his arms were about to break.
Kuang Jinxin also tried to help, but it was like dropping a bucket into a well.
To deal with the current situation, they either had to jump over or destroy the walls. But the walls were five to six meters high and extremely thick, offering no obvious weakness. Xu Wang rifled through his [Stationery Box] but found nothing that could counter this situation like [Approaching Science] did with [Returning Home].
The walls had closed to a width of only one and a half people. As the burliest classmate, Qian Ai could already feel the pressure on his shoulders!
In that instant, the walls suddenly began to shake.
Starting with a half-second of tremors, they intensified rapidly. Cracks appeared on the surface of the huge stones and sounds akin to structural collapse echoed within. In less than three seconds, the giant stones collapsed with a thunderous noise!
The three teammates instinctively looked at their advisor!
Wu Sheng calmly dusted off his clothes, then noticed his soaked and muddy attire.
With a light cough, Advisor Wu gave up on cleaning and shrugged indifferently. “[(Offense) Super Resonance].” He sighed, seemingly disappointed. “It wasn’t that super.”
Xu Wang was about to tease him when he suddenly felt a slight pain on the side of his neck.
He touched it, and his fingertips came away with a faint red.
Xu Wang was puzzled and was about to touch it again when Wu Sheng suddenly grasped his wrist firmly.
“Don’t touch.” His voice was ominously low. “There are blades in the wind.”
Before he finished speaking, Wu Sheng’s sleeve was cut open as if a sharp blade had passed by his arm.
Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin were unharmed for the moment, but they too felt the wind blowing overhead!
“Run—” Wu Sheng shouted.
The four teammates immediately dashed off, still trapped in this maze segment, but at least they could run out of the wind’s path!
However, as they ran, the murderous wind pursued them relentlessly!
A stable team must maintain communication and look for opportunities even while fleeing—
Qian Ai: “Why is there no warning sound for her attacks?!”
Kuang Jinxin: “There was no warning for the stone walls either—”
Wu Sheng: “Don’t fall into a pattern of thinking. Stationery is only one of the NPCs’ methods of combat!”
Qian Ai: “You mean… the wind and stones are her own combat abilities?!”
Xu Wang: “I just want to know, since she used Wind Blades, why didn’t she deliver a fatal blow right away?”
Qian Ai: “Can we not give the enemy’s moves fancy names right now?!”
“It’s because she needs to aim.” Wu Sheng provided the answer Xu Wang was looking for.
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) Dazzled Eyes] on you~~]
When the young girl in black’s vision was obscured by a flurry of chaotic petals, Xu Wang’s team, which had been passively enduring attacks, finally began their counterattack.
“Plan F!” Captain Xu shouted, sounding like the gospel of victory, as he rallied his team.
The author has something to say:
Captain Xu vows never to flirt again, which hurts TAT. Advisor Wu thinks it’s good to let reality hit their captain hard (～￣▽￣)～
The air by the sea always seemed to be filled with a faint salty taste.
In the vast darkness of the room, the light that seeped in was initially dense white, gradually fading in concentric circles. It finally dispersed into elusive halos, swirling in front of the two people, one lying and one standing, by the bed.
The expressions of the two were hard to capture in the night. The only clarity was in the slender, upright silhouette, its lines tautening.
A gentle breeze stirred the soft curtains, floating up and down. From the bed, there was a slight rustling sound. It was Zhou Qian sitting up.
Moments later, he heard Bai Zhou say, “This issue, I never really thought about it before.”
Perhaps because they met when they were too young and spent almost every day together, high school-aged Bai Zhou always naturally assumed they would be together for life, under any name, regardless of how their relationship was defined.
It wasn’t until a separation of seven years, not anticipated by him, that certain questions rose to the surface, visible with just a bow of his head.
Zhou Qian, who disliked solitude and feared loneliness, always had a group of friends around him. So, was there someone whose relationship with him surpassed what they had in the past?
Or even, could it be possible he had previous romantic partners? If he suffered heartbreak, would he call friends to drink and cry with, then look forward with a smile the next day?
However, no matter how close he seemed with others, Zhou Qian probably didn’t invest much emotion. He liked liveliness and had enough charm to always have people around him that his surroundings were forever filled with noise and laughter.
At first glance, he seemed the worldliest, but upon closer inspection, he stood coldly detached from the world, never truly blending in. Too clear-headed, seeing people and things too clearly, he was always left without attachment. Who could hold on to such a person, and how?
Bai Zhou said slowly, “I never defined our relationship. I’ve long regarded you as the closest and most important person in my life—our relationship encompassing friends, brothers, classmates, and—”
Zhou Qian suddenly interrupted, “Zhou Ge, can you turn around?”
At that moment, Zhou Qian, having removed his trousers at some point, wore only a long white shirt. The collar was skewed, with the top three buttons undone. His right shoulder was mostly bare, leading to a straight collarbone that was partly bathed in deep light and shadow, with the rest hidden in the white shirt.
As Bai Zhou turned, Zhou Qian leaned back on the bed, his right foot resting on Bai Zhou’s left shoulder. In that instant, Bai Zhou’s gaze seemed briefly perplexed but soon returned to normal, the usual expression that tolerated any of Zhou Qian’s whims.
Yet, the lines of his shoulders, neck, and arms tensed visibly, his pupils deep and unfathomable.
Zhou Qian smiled, watching him, his toes twinkling with a light movement downwards, touching each button, and finally stopping.
The wind outside grew stronger, pushing the partially opened window wide. The curtains danced, casting ghostly silhouettes in the dim light. Zhou Qian looked up, seeing the wind lift Bai Zhou’s bangs, the dense shadows in his eyes almost tangible.
With a very satisfied smile, Zhou Qian said, “Alright. I’m clear now, about… 15%.”
Bai Zhou asked, “What 15%?”
Zhou Qian didn’t answer but asked, “Continuing our earlier topic. Does that relationship include—lovers?”
“Zhou Ge, you like me, don’t you?”
Zhou Qian first stared into Bai Zhou’s eyes, then glanced down significantly near his foot, wrapped in fabric.
“See, you don’t need to answer. I already know.”
Suddenly, Zhou Qian’s ankle was firmly grasped by a strong, broad hand. Twisting Zhou Qian’s leg to the left, Bai Zhou naturally wedged himself between his legs. With his right hand on Zhou Qian’s face, Bai Zhou leaned in touching their foreheads. He asked in a deep, hoarse voice, “Would you do this with someone else?”
“I told you; you never understood me. I don’t know what bad impressions I left you with as a child,” Zhou Qian said with a smile under Bai Zhou’s gaze. “But… well, maybe it’s down to 9% now.”
Bai Zhou didn’t speak or move. His hand on Zhou Qian’s leg seemed frozen. Turning his head, Zhou Qian whispered, “You can move your hand up. I’ll allow it.”
“Zhou Qian…” Bai Zhou’s voice was hoarse beyond recognition, but he made no move.
“Shh—”
After observing Bai Zhou for a while, Zhou Qian pushed him away and sat up on the bed. “How about you close your eyes?”
Bai Zhou did as told and asked, “What do you want to do?”
Zhou Qian replied, “Of course, turn the tables.”
Hearing this, Bai Zhou kept his eyes closed, waiting quietly, but Zhou Qian didn’t act.
Suddenly, Bai Zhou heard Zhou Qian say, “Zhou Ge, I think… I’m a bit excited.”
Zhou Qian’s excitement was truly of a spirited nature. Bai Zhou, sensing something, opened his eyes, but before he could ask, he saw Zhou Qian leap off the bed and head downstairs. His movements were fast and heavy, making the wooden stairs echo loudly.
Sensing something amiss, Bai Zhou didn’t follow immediately but ran to the window and saw Zhou Qian running out of the house towards the beach. Bai Zhou braced against the windowsill and jumped down.
Zhou Qian left the villa and ran towards the beach, then jumped into the sea, submerging half of his body. Hearing Bai Zhou calling his name from behind, he turned around, laughed, and threw handfuls of sand and mud at him.
“Zhou Ge, let’s swim. Who’s faster?”
Zhou Qian continued throwing sand while laughing. He seemed overly excited, as if he had become a lunatic.
Bai Zhou reached out to Zhou Qian. “Alright. I’ll play with you. But come a little closer. Don’t go too deep into the sea.”
Zhou Qian didn’t listen and dove into the salty sea water, swimming towards the distance.
Zhou Qian hadn’t expected to have an episode in the virtual world, possibly because of the special nature of Blue Harbor City and the long duration of his stay.
But now, he couldn’t care less. Without tranquilizers, every cell in his body was filled with joy and excitement, needing some way to vent.
In this sunless world, the seawater was too cold and the sea breeze too strong. Although Bai Zhou wanted to join Zhou Qian’s wildness, he quickly stepped forward, worried about him catching a cold, and picked him up. “Let’s go home to play.”
Now both of their white shirts were soaked through and stained with mud. Zhou Qian, very dissatisfied, easily broke free from Bai Zhou and fell straight into the sea.
Bai Zhou had to bend down and pick him up again, forcibly taking him back to the villa and directly to the bathroom.
Placing Zhou Qian in the bathtub, Bai Zhou turned on the shower, lifted the showerhead, and let the hot water flow out, washing the mud and sand off Zhou Qian’s clothes.
He stretched out his hand and touched Zhou Qian’s face, finding it warm. Bai Zhou turned to get a towel but was suddenly grabbed by Zhou Qian, who tried to stand and walk out. But the bathtub was too slippery, and he fell but was quickly caught by Bai Zhou again.
Zhou Qian knew he looked very disheveled—without pants, his shirt soaked and muddy, and his hair wet and messy.
In a critical situation, he would suppress his abnormal excitement with all his rationality and self-control. But now, he didn’t want to control himself. After all, only in front of Bai Zhou could he be so unrestrained.
Grasping Bai Zhou’s wet collar, Zhou Qian looked at him intently through his wet lashes, across the steam rising from the hot water.
“Zhou Ge, you asked me earlier if I was afraid of you. Are you afraid of me?” Zhou Qian said. “See, my madness isn’t cured yet.”
Bai Zhou picked up Zhou Qian and sat him back in the bathtub, then stepped in himself. Zhou Qian blinked at him, then raised his hand, curiously looking at it before biting down.
Bai Zhou quickly pulled away his hand to prevent him from hurting himself. Holding him again, Bai Zhou pulled him into his arms and comforted him, patting his back and pressing his head against his shoulder.
“Bite me.”
Zhou Qian opened his mouth, touched Bai Zhou’s shoulder with his teeth, and then let go, pressing his forehead against him, sounding a bit aggrieved. “I wanted to swim.”
Bai Zhou stroked Zhou Qian’s neck, pulling up his head to look at his face. Zhou Qian seemed restless, uneasy, and extremely uncomfortable.
Bai Zhou’s thumb slid down his forehead to his nose and lips. Seeing this, Zhou Qian tried to bite his finger, but Bai Zhou withdrew in time.
Zhou Qian, increasingly irritated, pushed Bai Zhou away, wanting to leave, probably still wanting to swim to vent. But as soon as he stood up, Bai Zhou pushed him back down, causing water to splash everywhere, covering the tiles with a layer of hot water.
Bai Zhou extended an arm, tightly restraining Zhou Qian. Zhou Qian struggled more and more fiercely.
Bai Zhou had to lift his face to see his eyes.
“Didn’t you ask me a question earlier?” Zhou Qian, feeling agitated, said, “Let’s talk about it later. If you won’t swim with me, let’s go running. You’d better let me go outside and run to vent the mess in my head. Otherwise, the consequences might be severe. Last time I burned the doctor’s uniform—”
Before Zhou Qian could finish speaking, Bai Zhou interrupted him. “Doctor? Another one of your gamblers?”
“Yeah.” Zhou Qian nodded, his consciousness already blurring as he clutched at Bai Zhou’s arm and rambled, “If he were here, he’d give me medicine or an injection, and I’d be fine. I’ve been in the virtual world too long this time—”
Staring into Bai Zhou’s beautiful eyes, Zhou Qian, not knowing why, suddenly reached up and hooked his neck, leaning forward for a kiss. But Bai Zhou didn’t move; he just gently stroked his face with his thumb again.
Zhou Qian, with widened eyes, tried to bite his finger, but Bai Zhou evaded again.
Zhou Qian was extremely frustrated when he suddenly heard Bai Zhou ask, “Zhou Qian.”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve always been in my heart.”
“Okay. I know.”
“And you?”
“What?”
Zhou Qian felt his temples throbbing and his ears buzzing, barely hearing what Bai Zhou was saying.
“The me you see now, and the entire Blue Harbor City, might all be an illusion. My real appearance might be completely different from what you imagine.”
Bai Zhou asked him, “Are you afraid?”
Hot water poured down over them, filling the entire bathroom with steam. In Bai Zhou’s mind, he recalled the words spoken by the fake Zhou Qian in the corridor of the Saiya Hotel—
“You’re not a good person at all.”
“You drew me into this game. I genuinely hate you.”
“You are a complete monster.”
“I curse you and Zhou Qian to hell together!”
So, what answer would the real Zhou Qian give him now?
“I’m not afraid of anything, Zhou Ge. No matter what you become, I won’t be afraid.”
Zhou Qian’s voice, clear and strong, echoed in Bai Zhou’s ears through the mist. “I received news of your death. After that, what do you think I could still be afraid of? I’m not afraid of anything anymore.”
“Zhou Qian, you can’t regret it.”
“I’ve never done anything I regretted in my life.”
For a moment, no one spoke, and only the sound of water remained in the bathroom. The bathtub was full, overflowing from their waists.
Bai Zhou’s hand, placed behind Zhou Qian’s head, slowly moved forward. He pressed his lips three times.
Zhou Qian, lingering on the warmth of the thumb, opened his mouth to bite it again, but Bai Zhou evaded once more.
“Zhou—”
Zhou Qian swallowed the words he was about to say.
Under the moonlight, the maze paths twisted and turned. Some people were lost here; others faced off there.
The strong guys in camouflage waited for Xu Wang and his team to distance themselves and form a battle formation before beating the war drum. “It’s not easy to have made it this far, but this is where it ends.”
His patience didn’t stem from courtesy, but from contempt.
Along with his words, a massive shadow descended over the heads of the four teammates.
It was a light gray haze, like a net, rapidly descending, attempting to envelop the four!
Xu Wang didn’t know what it was, but he knew it was dangerous.
“Quick, dodge—”
He yelled loudly, leading his team in a retreat!
Qian Ai immediately focused, manipulating the still-active [(Defense) Joyful Charge].
Boosted by the defense, the four moved swiftly on their feet, managing to escape the reach of the gray haze at the last moment!
The gray haze hit the ground but didn’t disperse. Instead, it “stood up”!
Indeed, it stood up, forming arms and legs, becoming a distinct gray humanoid figure. It was like a visible but unclear, tangible but intangible gray ghost.
It was then that they heard the delayed notification—
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Returning Home] on you~~]
Xu Wang shuddered at the mention of [Returning Home]—wait, returning home… home…
He quickly warned his teammates. “Don’t let it touch you, or you might be sent ‘home’!”
“You’re quick to react,” The camouflage captain said leisurely, confident that a single piece of stationery could end the battle. “Then try your best to dodge.”
The gray ghost suddenly floated up, its legs merging into a shadow and its arms widening, like a frenzied spirit, lunging at them again!
Just two meters in front of them, a transparent wall appeared—Wu Sheng’s still-active [(Defense) Iron Wall]!
Wu Sheng stood in front of his teammates, pouring all his concentration into strengthening the defense!
The gray ghost couldn’t slow down in time and hit the transparent wall!
However, the expected impact noise didn’t occur.
The ghost merely paused for a moment before easily passing through the wall as if it was nothing!
Wu Sheng was caught off guard.
He knew that no stationery was absolutely dominant, but he hadn’t expected his [Iron Wall] to be as weak as paper in front of the opponent’s stationery!
This was the first time Qian Ai saw an attack that could completely ignore defense stationery. “This weapon is too buggy!”
Perhaps because the situation was so one-sided, the camouflage team couldn’t stand to watch any longer and stepped in to clarify—
Camouflage Team Member 1: “It’s not that the weapon is buggy; it’s that you guys are just too inexperienced.”
Camouflage Team Member 2: “When you understand the interactions and counterplays between different stationeries, come back and show off in front of us.”
Camouflage Team Member 3: “Captain, don’t be too nice. Let’s just send them back home.”
After his teammates spoke, the strongman in camouflage turned back to Xu Wang’s team and nodded slightly.
Having passed through the [Iron Wall] and stopped, the ghostly figure started moving again, with no hesitation, and charged straight for Wu Sheng at the forefront of the formation!
In a split second, the ghost was right in front of Wu Sheng, its edge almost touching him!
In that critical moment, a large, three-dimensional letter “F” appeared in front of Wu Sheng, about a foot tall and a couple of inches thick, reminiscent of the [Words Like Pearls and Jade] stationery Qian Ai had used on the airplane on 2/23.
But while [Words Like Pearls and Jade] was an offense stationery, this “F” didn’t attack. It simply stood between Wu Sheng and the ghost, blocking the final gap!
The edge of the ghost, which was about to touch Wu Sheng, recoiled upon touching the “F”, as if it had been scorched!
In the moment when the ghostly shadow retracted, several three-dimensional letters and symbols like “G”, “M”, “m”, and “=” appeared in front of Wu Sheng, eventually forming a uniquely shaped three-dimensional defense wall. Wu Sheng was initially puzzled upon seeing the letter “F”, but as the letters and symbols assembled, he laughed and turned back to look at his team captain.
Xu Wang tossed a flirtatious wink. “How does it feel to be protected by a formula?”
Wu Sheng looked at the familiar “defense formation” and felt a sense of security. “Solid.”
Xu Wang then turned to the astonished camouflage team, sincerely thanking them. “I had always been puzzled about how to use this defensive stationery. Thanks for the reminder.”
Qian Ai didn’t hear what his captain said, as his entire attention was on the “three-dimensional equation” in front of their advisor. “I’m done for. I’ve returned all my knowledge to the teacher… I’ve definitely used this formula before… It’s super familiar…”
Kuang Jinxin felt really sorry, whispering the answer, “It’s the gravitational constant*. F equals the gravitational constant multiplied by the product of the masses of two objects, divided by the square of the distance between them.”
*F = G m1m2/r2
Qian Ai: “……”
He decided to continue fighting.
As Qian Ai was defeated by physics, the four teammates heard a belated reminder—
*Referencing a show in China that originally started with the goal of education in subjects like biology, archaeology, psychology, ect., but due to low ratings was rebranded to a more “mystery-seeking” format. It supposedly guides viewers (who are normally of lower education) from so-called “supernatural events” to a more scientific interpretation (note that this is important).
As the voice faded, Wu Sheng suddenly noticed the gray ghost flash. By the time he realized something was amiss, it was too late. The ghost surged forward, bypassing him, who was defended by the gravitational constant formula, and charged directly at Xu Wang, Qian Ai, and Kuang Jinxin!
This time it was faster, like lightning, almost formless as it dived rapidly towards Xu Wang and the others!
Xu Wang had anticipated this move. If he were in the ghost’s place, he wouldn’t have been stopped by a single person either and would give up attacking the other three.
But the prompt was heard by all four companions.
Naturally, Wu Sheng wasn’t the only one to approach science.
sin(90°-α) = cosα!
CuSO4 + 2NaOH === Cu(OH)2↓ + Na2SO4!
V = COSθ * (R+h) * 2π / T!
Three formulas rose simultaneously, forming a defense wall impossible to breach!
The gray ghost, unable to retract in time, hit the three-dimensional formula wall hard, instantly turning into ash and dissipating!
This stationery was thoroughly broken.
The expressions of the four members of the camouflage team were no longer relaxed.
But in their solemnity, it was hard to distinguish how much was respect for Xu Wang’s team and how much was speechlessness towards the formulas.
Captain Xu, one-sidedly, interpreted their “serious faces” as a thirst for knowledge—
“Don’t worry. I’m about to explain,” he said, draping one arm over the formula in front of him and stretching out the other arm to pat the outer shell of the three-dimensional letters, as if knocking on a blackboard. “Let’s start with this trigonometric formula. You just need to remember one rule: odd changes, even remains, the sign depends on the quadrant!”
“This one in front of Xiao Kuang—isn’t this the preparation of copper hydroxide? Middle school chemistry, easy marks!”
“This one for Lao Qian is a bit complex. Wait a moment, I need to communicate with the stationery… Oh right, the formula for calculating the linear velocity of Earth’s rotation, perfect.”
Camouflage Team Member 1: “Captain…”
Camouflage Team Member 2: “I can’t take it anymore…”
Camouflage Team Member 3: “Can we stop the lesson…”
“To that Camouflage Junior 2.” Teacher Xu, having finished the class content, turned to a member of the camouflage team with a sincere smile. “I seem to have learned the mutual restraints between stationery. Am I qualified to fight with you guys?”
[(Defense) Iron Wall], raises a transparent protective wall around the protected, capable of blocking physical attacks.
[(Offense) Returning Home], attacks in the form of a light gray ghost, easily penetrating most physical defenses, like a ghost entering a house, immediately sending those touched by it home.
[(Defense) Approaching Science], uses concrete “mathematical, physical, and chemical formulas” as a protective barrier, which are highly effective against magical attacks as it promotes science and dispel feudal superstition.
“Plan C.” Not waiting for a response from Camouflage Team Member 2, Captain Xu ignited his fighting spirit. “Lao Qian, go—”
Why was it always Classmate Qian who charged into battle?
Who made him carry so much stationery?
Qian Ai activated the [Qilin Arm], with double defense—the advisor’s [Iron Wall] + the captain’s [Approaching Science], and his own [Joyful Charge]—like a tiger descending the mountain, he charged straight at the enemy’s camp!
“I smashed the door and brought you in, so I will send you home—”
With a loud shout, Qian Ai completed the “Cool Pre-Battle Declaration” that Advisor Wu had in mind and swung his arm towards the muscular man in camouflage like a cannonball!
The three teammates of the camouflage team scattered, leaving only their captain standing in place.
But they weren’t idle. As they dispersed, two of them activated their stationery!
The stationeries were aimed at Xu Wang and the others to prevent them from coming over and reinforcing the [Qilin Arm].
In a stationery battle, long-distance combat was common, and only fools would charge alone into the enemy lines. Since the opponent was sending a gift from a thousand miles away, they had no reason not to accept it.
The fierce attack brought by the stationeries, though not completely penetrating the [Iron Wall] and the formulas of [Approaching Science], still suppressed the three on that side, preventing them from effectively supporting or attacking their side.
Meanwhile, on their side, the muscular man in camouflage, in the last moment before Qian Ai’s punch, extended his hand, astonishingly using his palm to block Qian Ai’s heavy punch powered by the [Qilin Arm]!
And caught it!
Qian Ai felt like he had punched into a ball of putty, unable to harm the opponent, but also without the hard reactive force to stop the inertia, allowing him to quickly retract his punch.
In this uncontrollable moment, the muscular man’s palm suddenly moved up, letting go of the continuing punch. He grabbed his wrist with one hand while the other hand grabbed his shoulder and flung him up!
Qian Ai was tossed into the air instantly, and before he could react, he was beautifully thrown over the shoulder and heavily hit the ground!
In the severe blunt pain, Qian Ai was thrown into disarray.
“[(Offense) Borrowing Force to Strike*].” The muscular man kindly explained, letting Qian Ai understand the pain.
*Important principle in Tai Chi where the practitioner uses the opponent’s force or momentum against them.
Qian Ai lay on the ground, his arm still tightly clamped by his opponent, but this didn’t hinder their “heart-to-heart” exchange.
“This is too troublesome.” He took a deep breath, suddenly letting out a lion’s roar towards the muscular man in camouflage. “Hoo-ha—”
The muscular man realized that in addition to the [Qilin Arm], Qian Ai was also equipped with another time-limited stationery, but it was already too late as his body was uncontrollably flung into the air.
Then, following a beautiful arc, he landed heavily on the other side of Qian Ai.
Just as how Qian Ai was thrown, the muscular man was thrown in the same way.
“Captain!” The three members of the camouflage team’s expression changed into shock. They were baffled, as they clearly didn’t see how their captain was attacked.
Qian Ai, looking at the muscular man who finally lay on the ground just like him, felt psychologically balanced and gave him a toothy grin. “[(Offense) Hit Me if You Dare].”
The muscular man’s face could no longer be described as merely darkened.
A shapeless fierce fire suddenly descended from the sky, attacking Qian Ai!
Xu Wang and Wu Sheng were busy dealing with the stationeries, and the transparent wall and formulas originally covering Qian Ai had already dissipated in the earlier over-the-shoulder throw!
The one using the stationery was the one who hadn’t made a move until then—a free agent in the camouflage team’s tactics, seizing every opportunity.
Seeing Qian Ai glance at the distant battlefield, he sighed and shook his head. “Don’t look anymore. Your teammates are busy dealing with our attack. They can’t afford to be distracted to reinforce your defenses now.”
Knowing that stationery required mental focus to maintain, he had been brewing this attack for a long time!
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Flamingo*] on you~~]
*Clarity: The word is (火烈鸟) so while combined means flamingo, if broken apart, it means fiery bird.
The voice and heatwave arrived together, leaving no time to activate new stationery.
Qian Ai closed his eyes, concentrating, and braced for impact!
“Puff.”
The moment the flames touched Qian Ai’s body, they suddenly extinguished completely, making a very faint sound, like a candle wick being effortlessly snuffed out by a fan.
The free agent of the camouflage team couldn’t believe his eyes. “How is that possible…”
Beads of sweat rolled down Qian Ai’s forehead, proving that this defense wasn’t easy. But the captain had said to make sure the opponent thoroughly understood the knowledge points, so no matter how tired he was, he had to pick up the teaching stick. “[(Defense) Fire, Theft, and Ambush Protection]. Although it can only defend three times, its duration is very long. So lucky, so lucky.”
The free agent of the camouflage team: “……”
The captain of the camouflage team: “…How many fucking stationeries are you using?!”
Their captain’s roar startled camouflage team members 1 and 2, interrupting their attacks.
Captain Xu inside the formula circle took the opportunity to hurriedly call back his teammate. “Lao Qian, retreat—”
Classmate Qian was a bit reluctant, getting up and looking eagerly at the four members of the camouflage team. “How about you hit me a few more times?”
It was a pity that [Flamingo] was blocked and he couldn’t use [Hit Me if You Dare] to bounce it back.
The camouflage team members 1 and 2, unaware of the situation here, were provoked by Qian Ai’s taunt, and anger surged within them!
“He has a reflective counter!” the muscular team captain of the camouflage team shouted, like a beacon in the fog.
His two companions paused, instantly realizing it was a trap.
The camouflage team captain looked at Qian Ai, gritting out a few words through clenched teeth. “Disarm their stationeries.”
Not just him, but them.
Hearing this, the free agent raised his arm. Looking at the precious stationery, he hesitated, reluctant to part with it. He asked again, “Captain?”
This was something they had reserved for the strongest enemy, to be used in the most critical moment. Were they really going to use it on these guys now?!
The camouflage team captain knew what his teammate was implying, but he couldn’t afford to be ambiguous. This was a new team, but damn, they were full of tricks. “Disarm!”
“Go—” Captain Xu, perhaps unable to call back his teammate, suddenly ordered, leading the whole team in a charge!
When Qian Ai saw his teammates approaching, he suddenly lost his reluctance, forcefully breaking away from camouflage members 1 and 2 and running towards his teammates!
Just like Xu Xian and Bai Niangzi* running towards each other on the broken bridge, so did Qian Ai and Captain Xu’s team creating a scene that was both beautiful and mesmerizing.
*These are the main characters in the Chinese legend “Legend of the White Snake”. The broken bridge is a famous scene where these two first meet and fall in love, and once again reunited after separation.
The patience of the small camouflage team had been challenged to the extreme. The free agent, carrying the team’s hatred, decisively activated their cherished stationery!
A mushroom cloud exploded on the open ground. Thick dust enveloped the entire maze path!
[Fire, Theft, and Ambush Protection], [Iron Wall], [Qilin Arm], [Joyful Charge], [Hit Me if You Dare], [Approaching Science]—all six stationeries in use, were instantly forcibly deactivated!
Xu Wang and his team suddenly felt light, as if they had been stripped clean after being fully armored.
As the mushroom cloud dispersed, the four companions clearly heard the name of the instigator—
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) All is Quiet in the World] on you~~]
Indeed, the world had quieted down. Even the maze path fell into silence, as if the previous fierce battle was just an illusion.
“The game ends here,” declared the captain of the camouflage team, lifting his arm. “Time to hit the road…”
“Ahh ahh ahh—” Qian Ai, already back with his team, suddenly covered his eyes, screaming in pain.
The camouflage team captain was taken aback by this unprecedented level of play-acting. “I haven’t even attacked yet!”
Xu Wang lifted a small spray bottle, apologizing with a smile to the opponents a few meters away. “Sorry, it was my handiwork.”
The four members of the camouflage team swallowed nervously.
They didn’t know what the spray was, but judging by Qian Ai’s level of pain… Could the management style of this team be a bit harsh? That guy was already performing well against the four of them!
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Tears Like Rain] on you~~]
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) We Are All Wooden Figures] on you~~]
The sudden prompts in their ears made the camouflage team members shudder, realizing they had been careless again!
How come this new team seems to have an endless supply of stationery? Has the rule of the “Owl” changed, and now everyone who joins gets a “Newcomer’s Stationery Gift Pack”?!
While grumbling, the four in camouflage tried to summon some stationery to fight back, only to realize they couldn’t move their bodies!
We’ve all turned into wooden figures.
Wooden figures.
Fuck!
“Only your mouths and eyes can move.” Kuang Jinxin was the user of the stationery. He stood upright and explained with patience. “So you can’t summon any stationery now.”
[All is Quiet in the World] was an indiscriminate attack. Now, the four in the camouflage team and Xu Wang’s team were all “fighting naked”.
Not being able to summon stationery meant they could only be beaten.
But—
Doubt appeared in the eyes of the muscular man in camouflage. “Why aren’t you four moving either?”
His team stood still like four wooden stakes, and the opposing team stood like a row of birch trees.
Kuang Jinxin said matter-of-factly. “We’ve been hit too, just like the illusory stationery you guys used just now. My [Wooden Figure] is impartial!”
Muscular man in camouflage: “…”
Camouflage team members 1 and 2: “…”
Camouflage team member 3: “What’s there to be happy about!”
“Why not be happy?” Qian Ai blinked his red eyes. “You can’t use your stationery anymore, but I just managed to summon mine.”
The muscular man closed his eyes to concentrate, then quickly reopened them. “No use. Your defense stationery has dulled both mental and physical abilities. Even if you can control a weapon, you can’t possibly have enough attack power to send us home.”
“I don’t need to control it, nor do I need to use mental power to attack.” Tears welled up in Qian Ai’s eyes. “I just need to cry tears of joy.”
Two streams of hot tears flowed uncontrollably from Qian Ai’s eyes like a torrential Yellow River.
Light rain, drip-drop.
“Ouch! This isn’t rain. It’s corrosive liquid—”
Moderate rain, drip-drip-drip.
“Hey, hey, hey. It’s burning through? My new clothes—”
Heavy rain, patter-patter-patter.
“Damn it, if you have the guts, at least tell us your names!”
Torrential rain, whoosh—
“At least tell us what you sprayed on him before!”
Just before the return trip express train departed, the four finally received Captain Xu’s answer.
“[(Offense) Onion Flower Fragrance], yeah?”
[Owl: Dear~ I’m giving you an early holiday. Sending you home.]
……
Plan C: Qian Ai pretends to attack, disperses the opponent’s formation, probes the opponent’s stationery, and confirms the tactical environment is suitable, then regroups to execute a combined technique.
Core combination technique of Plan C: [Onion Flower + Wooden Figures + Tears Like Rain].
In one hour, they had shaken off a sneak attack from a team, overcame two NPCs, watched one team being sent home by an NPC, and then, through playing a game, personally sent another team back to the maze’s entrance.
Before the level, they had prepared for “countless difficulties” based on Captain Yue’s advice, but they hadn’t used a single one. The unexpectedly smooth progress only made the team more apprehensive.
Moreover, they had been running down this path for ten minutes now. Ten minutes earlier, they had followed all the directions given by Xiao Bai, but after the last turn, they hadn’t encountered any more forks.
Tiredness was secondary; the most terrifying thing was a straight path with no end in sight. How large must the maze be to accommodate such a nearly two-kilometer-long straight road?
They would have preferred a maze with many twists and turns, even dead ends, just to feel the “reality” of “being in a maze”.
“Captain!” Kuang Jinxin, running at the end, suddenly stopped, bending over with his hands on his chest, gasping for breath, but his eyes were fixed on a door on the left wall of the maze. “There seems to be a door here…”
The three in front immediately stopped upon hearing this, not doubting him in the least and even feeling a subconscious sense of “thank god”.
After all, they had come to trust the four “bound skills” of their own team from the depths of their souls: Advisor Wu’s “Most Powerful Brain”, Captain Xu’s “Gift of Gab,” Kuang Jinxin’s “Encounter Trigger”, and Qian Ai’s “Enduring the Greatest Hardship, Enjoying the Least Fortune”.
A door, the same color as the maze wall.
There was a slight gap between the door’s edge and the wall. It wasn’t hard to find, but easy to overlook when running tiredly, with the remaining bit of attention focused ahead.
As the teammates gathered to inspect the mysterious door, Kuang Jinxin suddenly turned his head to look back.
Xu Wang noticed and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Kuang Jinxin lifted his arm, pointing to a spot they had just passed. “Captain, look over there. Does it also look like a door…?”
Two minutes later.
Two people walked forward, two went back. Dividing into two groups to investigate, the teammates finally confirmed that they hadn’t missed just one door but almost missed a series of doors.
There was a total of twenty-one doors, spaced five meters apart, stretching for a hundred meters.
The seventeenth door was the one Kuang Jinxin found. If they had run a bit further, they probably would have missed them all.
“This road is endless.” Wu Sheng had figured it out when the four teammates regrouped. “The doors are the exits of this path.”
Qian Ai: “But Yue Shuai never mentioned such a path.”
Wu Sheng: “Yue Shuai also never encountered Xiao Bai.”
“We might have triggered some weird maze mode…” Qian Ai, no longer gasping for air, looked at the series of doors and suddenly felt that running was better—tiring but straightforward.
“Click.”
Qian Ai: “……”
Kuang Jinxin: “……”
Wu Sheng: “……”
Xu Wang, who was holding the doorknob and had already half-opened the door, blinked innocently at his three teammates. “It’s unlocked!”
Qian Ai: “Don’t use cuteness to cover up your embarrassment!”
Xu Wang: “Okay, I really didn’t do it on purpose. How was I supposed to know it would open so easily…”
Now, they didn’t need to hesitate over which door to choose; the captain had left the choice to fate.
With the door half-open, the four teammates poked their heads out, looking left and right.
They soon realized that it didn’t matter which door they opened, as outside each was the same path.
The doors weren’t a choice by fate but rather a generous offering from the maze, giving them twenty opportunities. Fortunately, they seized it on the seventeenth try.
But the teammates couldn’t be happy now.
The new path was only a hundred meters long, with clear ends visible to the left and right.
To the left, two paths diverged, empty and open for choice.
To the right, there was only one path turning right, guarded by an NPC—a petite figure wearing a black hood that hid her face, appearing as a shadow from a distance.
Qian Ai: “We still have time to close the door… Ah!”
Before he could finish, Qian Ai felt someone push him from behind. He stumbled forward, falling onto the new path, along with his three teammates.
The door closed behind them with a loud “bang”.
Click.
The sound of the lock locking.
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) No Escape] on you~~]
They had time to close the door.
But for them, the odds were slim.
Dozens of meters away, at the end of the road, the young girl in black slowly lifted her face, finally revealing it clearly.
She was as beautiful as the moonlight.
Pure, flawless, yet with a touch of cold indifference.
Her face showed no emotion, and there were no ripples in her eyes, even though she had just launched an attack on them.
If the lively and mischievous Xiao Bai was a vibrant green plant, then she was a lake under the night sky—mirror-like and tranquil.
Xu Wang: “Lao Qian, Plan X…”
Qian Ai: “Understood.”
Plan X—specially devised for encountering the young girl in black, a strategy for escape.
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) Joyful Charge1] on you~~]
The moment Qian Ai activated the stationery, all four teammates felt a surge of energy, like drinking an energy drink, eagerly awaiting the starting gun!
“Run!”
Captain Xu shouted loudly!
The four sprang up and dashed away from the young girl in black at superhuman speed—charging, charging, charging1!
1Clarity: The stationery is called (快乐冲冲冲) This part is highlighting the (冲冲冲) in it, which basically means rush, rush, rush/charge, charge, charge (or can mean like go, go, go).
In this crucial running phase, they had been holding back from using the only stationery that could aid their sprint, saving it for this very moment!
In the blink of an eye, they reached the end of the path. Just as they were about to turn the corner and leave the young girl in black’s “sphere of influence”, a large door suddenly appeared out of nowhere, sealing their escape like a wall!
“The illusion is still active!” Wu Sheng immediately realized it was still the young girl in black’s [(Illusory) No Escape].
But Plan X had already accounted for breaking through defenses.
As Wu Sheng spoke, Qian Ai had already activated [(Offense) Qilin* Arm]. His biceps bulged powerfully. Fueled by the boost from [Joyful Charge], he dashed forward and delivered a thunderous punch to the solid wooden door!
*A legendary hooved chimerical creature that appears in Chinese mythology and is said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler.
The door shattered completely, collapsing into pieces!
Behind the door, amid the flying wood chips, four astonished faces appeared.
Qian Ai, still holding his punch pose, froze on the spot. His three teammates, ready to continue running, also stopped in their tracks.
Silence fell.
The two teams faced each other at this mysterious corner.
This was a robust team, with an average height of over 1.95 meters. Each member was muscular and powerful, capable of lifting Qian Ai and spinning him around. It was unclear if fate had brought them together or if they had intentionally sought out their own kind for a strong alliance, but their presence was imposing.
The captain, clad in camouflage, broke the silence. “PK?”
They couldn’t see around the corner.
Xu Wang nodded.
Camouflage Captain: “With an NPC?”
Xu Wang nodded again.
Camouflage Captain: “What does it look like?”
Xu Wang: “Young girl dressed in black.”
Camouflage Captain: “Take care. Goodbye.”
The camouflage captain and his three teammates turned to leave without a second thought.
But after just one step, they realized their fate had taken a turn.
In front of them, a new door had risen, blocking their way back. This time, it wasn’t made of wood but was a dark yellow, copper-like color.
Xu Wang: “Strong guys, my condolences.”
Camouflage Captain: “……”
Xu Wang didn’t want to fight the young girl in black, nor did he want to face another team before having to confront her. But upon seeing the second new door, he understood that indeed, there was no escape.
As for the four teammates forcibly dragged into the battlefield by Qian Ai’s [Qilin Arm], Xu Wang could only offer his sincerest sympathies. “Even without us, you would have encountered her just around the corner. It’s fate.”
The Camouflage Captain gritted his teeth at him, seemingly with a thousand words to say, but in the end, he just gave two. “Shut up.”
Then, he no longer paid attention to Xu Wang’s team. He turned to his own teammates and spoke in a serious tone. “We have to fight this battle. Everyone, bring out your best stationery. Don’t hold back. Against this NPC, if we don’t give it our all, we’ll be annihilated instantly.”
“Why don’t we first PK between teams, and the winner gets to challenge the NPC?” Kuang Jinxin frowned. “Why does it sound like they’re only preparing for one battle?”
“Because they simply don’t consider us a threat.” Xu Wang understood all too well.
Wu Sheng smiled lightly. “Then let’s etch ourselves into their souls.”
Qian Ai: “Do you think my [Qilin Arm] can try on that copper door?”
Xu Wang: “At most, it’ll make a dent.”
Kuang Jinxin: “Qian Ge, save your energy. We have two fights ahead!”
Wu Sheng: “……”
Aiming for a cool “pre-battle declaration”—that was all Advisor Wu hoped for.
But with teammates like Wang, Jin, and Qian.
End.
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) All Roads Lead to Rome*] on you~~]
*It’s proverb that refers to all paths or activities lead to the center of things, which was literally true in the days of the Roman Empire, where all the empire’s roads radiated out of the capital city.
Xu Wang could tell from the gaze of the camouflage team that the stationery wasn’t used by them; they were also “victims”.
The inevitable had arrived; the young girl in black had made her move.
Just as Xu Wang was contemplating the function of the stationery, he suddenly felt dizzy, and his vision blurred rapidly!
In the spinning world, it felt like the ground under his feet was shaking, and even the walls of the maze seemed to be moving!
Just as he was about to lose his balance, someone firmly grabbed his shoulder. Xu Wang was startled and instinctively tried to pull away, but then he heard Wu Sheng’s voice. “Close your eyes. Don’t worry. This illusion isn’t lethal.”
Xu Wang complied, and as his vision darkened, the dizziness lessened, providing much relief.
The grip on his shoulder offered both support and reassurance.
After about ten seconds, the discomfort passed.
All eight people opened their eyes simultaneously and were stunned.
The corner was gone. Now, the camouflage team, Xu Wang’s team, and the young girl in black were all on a straight maze path, clearly visible to each other.
No, that’s not right.
Xu Wang looked at the copper door still behind the other four and finally realized—it wasn’t that the corner had disappeared; the corner had become straight.
The young girl in black approached them.
Calm and silent, she walked with an ethereal grace.
With no way to go left or right and a blocked path behind them, the eight could only stand and watch the young girl in black approach them step by step.
Stopping five steps away, the young girl in black said quietly, “There are many ways to get lost in the Moonlight Maze. I will only guide one team. The team that wins among you will have the right to challenge me.”
Her voice was pleasant, but it lacked Xiao Bai’s personalized emotions, giving a sense of coldness and indifference.
As if everything was unrelated to her, she only spoke what needed to be said and did what needed to be done, with no kindness or joy, no hostility or sorrow.
Without waiting for any response from the eight, the young girl in black, having announced the rules, quietly turned and walked back to the end of the path.
Qian Ai was still in a daze. “She used an illusory stationery just to talk to us?”
“NPCs can’t directly attack anyone outside their direct line of sight, but she had already blocked the other four at the corner.” Wu Sheng watched her retreating figure, and his voice grew deeper. “So, she needed to turn their standing position into her path.”
Qian Ai swallowed hard. “Can NPCs do that? Isn’t that breaking the rules?”
Wu Sheng didn’t answer, lost in thought.
Until Captain Xu reminded them, “Classmates, our neighbors are getting impatient. Shouldn’t we win first and then study Xiao Hei*?”
*Little black.
“Oh, so it wasn’t a stalling tactic.” The four men in camouflage, under their captain’s lead, collectively rolled their eyes in unison, even their disdain was executed with military precision.
The author has something to say:
The captain of the camouflage team, who almost escaped unscathed, lamented, “Why did you have to break such a cute wooden door!”
Gu Jie carefully read the full text of the Weibo post.
Although from start to finish it only discussed the possibility of Zhang Beichen playing the leading role in <Mint Green>, the implication throughout was that Zhang Beichen was the most suitable choice. It even juxtaposed a few actors who evidently didn’t fit the “Li Yi” character, clearly to make Zhang Beichen’s claim seem more deserved.
Gu Jie suspected that these so-called “competitors” were probably just pulled in for comparison to attract attention, as he couldn’t imagine any producer or director would consider such a wide range of actors for the same role. Apart from Zhang Beichen, who had a youthful and sunny disposition, the rest mentioned in the post, ranging from tough guys to bearded artistic men, seemed off for the “quiet and perplexed” role, being more fit for a rebel than the <Mint Green> character.
Checking the comments below the Weibo post, as expected, it was full of mockery.
Not that Zhang Beichen was unsuitable, but the other listed potential actors were being ridiculed for being far-fetched, like they were from different worlds.
The post was either a marketing ploy for attention or perhaps instigated by Zhang Beichen’s management team to set the trend, but either way, Gu Jie wasn’t concerned, as such tactics are all too common in the entertainment industry. Just as he was about to move on from this post to look at others, a particular comment caught his eye—
[Considering the hot comment with over two thousand likes was deleted, I’ll have to post it again. This is a Weibo post Ran Lin made two days ago, now deleted. I’m not taking sides, just a screenshot mover. 🤷 [see image]]
What drew his attention to this comment was the mention of another buddy’s name. Gu Jie scanned it and froze.
The screenshot was of a Weibo post Ran Lin made the day before, accompanied by a photo of Ran Lin sitting in a simple armchair, reading a book, with the sunlight from a floor-to-ceiling window casting beautiful light and shadow contours on him, serene and scholarly.
The text of the Weibo post was—[Those years we once disregarded and squandered, when looked back upon, are as beautiful as the stars.]
Posting a few photos with deep, artistic, or motivational texts is a daily routine for many celebrities, and often these posts aren’t even made by the stars themselves but by their teams who prepare the images and copy before posting. So, Gu Jie couldn’t see what was unusual about this post or why Ran Lin deleted it?
Perhaps, as the comment suggested, the originally trending comment had been deleted. When Gu Jie saw this comment, it was just one of many, barely noticeable, only perhaps more recent, which was why he spotted it. At that moment, the comment had only four likes and no replies or discussions beneath it.
It reminded Gu Jie of middle school language classes, where the teacher always picked out a sentence from the text for everyone to interpret.
Who knows what those authors were thinking!
Finding no more useful information in the comments, Gu Jie scrolled through a few more hot Weibo posts with numerous reposts and comments, mostly discussing Zhang Beichen and <Mint Green>, some following the trend while others showed clear signs of orchestrated promotion. All were posted today, with the earliest one he found being at 7:02 AM.
Whether <Mint Green> had finalized Zhang Beichen or not was uncertain to Gu Jie, but it was clear that Zhang Beichen’s team was working to create a buzz for “Zhang Beichen as Li Yi”.
Gu Jie himself didn’t favor such speculative promotion tactics. He preferred straightforwardness; if something’s confirmed, it’s confirmed; if not, then it’s not. He disliked guessing games and expected his team to avoid making fans and the public speculate unnecessarily.
But Zhang Beichen’s team’s approach, while not commendable, was a well-established strategy in the entertainment industry. Without further leads, Gu Jie decided to check Ran Lin’s Weibo and, as expected, couldn’t find the post mentioned in the screenshot.
Settling down for a rare moment of contemplation, Gu Jie considered that the marketing post never mentioned Ran Lin, focusing instead on Zhang Beichen, Li Yi, and <Mint Green>. Then there was the comment about the deleted and re-posted screenshot, which was a seemingly ordinary Weibo post by Ran Lin, now removed.
Linking these points together…
Without further hesitation, Gu Jie typed “Ran Lin + Mint Green” into the search bar. The top result from the keywords was also a marketing Weibo post—[<Mint Green> deal falls through. Ran Lin angrily deletes post! …[Read the full text]]
At first glance, Gu Jie frowned instinctively.
Such sensational headlines that could easily invite negative attention to an artist were definitely just clickbait tactics by marketing accounts, as any producer or bystander would diminish their perception of the artist upon seeing such headlines. Producers might think the artist is immature, and bystanders might perceive the artist as sore losers without grace. No professional PR team would issue such a narrative.
Upon reading the full text, it was all pure gossip, even slightly mocking Ran Lin. However, the deleted post in question was mentioned here—the text accompanying the post wasn’t crafted by Ran Lin’s team but excerpted from <Mint Green>.
Although subtle, such indicative posts at least show that, at the time, Ran Lin or his team had hopes for <Mint Green>, perhaps even confidence. Otherwise, no one would set such an easily disprovable flag.
What the entertainment industry dreads most in friendships is the “fight over resources”. Even the best of friends can become wary of each other after competing for a role, and some might even break ties. Although Gu Jie always felt there was no need for such fragility, as the resources are limited and it’s inevitable to cross paths in the same circle, the rapid sequence of events—Ran Lin deleting his post and the widespread trend-setting for Zhang Beichen—all seemed quite intriguing.
Gu Jie’s mood sank. He hoped it wasn’t as he suspected; otherwise, the friendship might really be beyond salvage…
“Gu Ge,” The assistant hesitated to disturb his boss deep in thought, but they had arrived. “We’re home.”
Gu Jie looked up, and indeed, they were already in his apartment’s underground parking lot. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn’t even noticed entering.
“You don’t need to come up with me. Go home and rest.” Gu Jie declined the assistant’s offer to accompany him upstairs and took the elevator home alone.
Gu Jie’s apartment was spacious, with four bedrooms and two living areas. He had converted one room into a gym, where he usually did thirty push-ups as the first order of business upon returning home. But today, he skipped his routine and went straight to the dining table, poured a glass of water, drank it in one go, then sat down, staring at the empty glass as he called his agent.
“What’s up? Why are you calling me so late?” His agent, Geng Yiqiang, answered with a robust voice.
Geng Yiqiang, Gu Jie’s agent, was a 43-year-old ex-military officer who later ventured into business and then, somehow, entered the entertainment industry. With a flexible mind and a generous nature, he had built up considerable connections and established his own management company. Although small, the company had several well-managed artists under its banner. Gu Jie had been referred to him upon entering the industry and had just renewed their contract earlier this year after six years of increasingly smooth collaboration. Both having similar temperaments—they would occasionally spar together, making them not only partners but also good friends.
“It’s nothing urgent. Just wanted to inquire about something.” Gu Jie realized the inappropriateness of the late hour and added, “You haven’t gone to bed, have you, Qiang Ge?”
“No, go ahead.” Geng Yiqiang knew Gu Jie well enough to know he wouldn’t call late without reason.
“Do you know about the movie remake of <Mint Green>?” Gu Jie tested the waters, unsure of his agent’s knowledge level.
Geng Yiqiang was straightforward. “I know, but it’s not a good fit for you. It’s not a juvenile delinquent school film, and it conflicts with your schedule. You’d have to juggle roles.”
“…….”
Gu Jie chuckled internally at the “juvenile delinquent school film” description. It was a bit too on-the-nose.
“I’m not looking to act in it. Just wondering if the male lead is settled and who it ended up being.” Gu Jie explained, “Two of my friends seem to be vying for the role.”
“Zhang Beichen and Ran Lin?” Geng Yiqiang guessed swiftly.
Gu Jie was impressed. “Qiang Ge, you’re spot on.”
“It’s just that your circle of friends is quite obvious.” Geng Yiqiang laughed, then searched his mind. “I heard it was going to be Ran Lin a while back, but I haven’t paid much attention recently. Not sure if it’s confirmed.”
Gu Jie frowned and asked directly, “Qiang Ge, you have a wide network. Can you help me find out who it ended up being? And how was it decided—whether it was through auditions or some other situation?”
Gu Jie was a man who seldom asked others for help. In his years in the entertainment industry, he’d been low-key and hardworking, never complaining or causing trouble. His direct and straightforward nature meant that Geng Yiqiang sometimes felt his talents were underutilized.
Now, with Gu Jie asking a favor, even if it was just to gather some gossip, Geng Yiqiang would go all out… unless it was for the youthful role like in <Mint Green>, he mused, that just wouldn’t suit.
“I’ll give you a call within half an hour,” Geng Yiqiang promised and ended the call.
Gu Jie appreciated his agent’s efficiency and knew that if he said half an hour, it would usually take only twenty minutes. Feeling a bit hungry, he glanced at the clock. It was already 11:40 p.m.; eating now was… perfectly timed.
Geng Yiqiang was even quicker than Gu Jie anticipated, calling back in fifteen minutes. Gu Jie was mid-bite into a whole wheat sandwich when the phone rang.
“It’s Zhang Beichen. If nothing unexpected happens, it’ll be announced in a couple of days.” Geng Yiqiang got straight to the point.
Gu Jie, with the sandwich half in his mouth, knitted his brows in thought, accidentally dropping the sandwich onto his lap in his distraction.
Picking up the sandwich, grateful for not adding peanut butter due to the late hour, he asked what he had been meaning to. “What about Ran Lin?”
“He seems to have been outmaneuvered.” Geng Yiqiang was about to elaborate. Being outmaneuvered meant that the role was almost secured and then snatched away at the last moment, a totally different impact from losing a competition outright.
“So it was initially Ran Lin?”
“Right, both he and Zhang Beichen auditioned, and it was finally decided on him. They were even supposed to sign the contract today, but the financier canceled at the last minute.”
“They were about to sign the contract?” Gu Jie asked for clarification.
“Yes. Not sure what Zhang Beichen’s team did, but at the last minute, they snatched the role.”
“Ran Lin must be frustrated.” Gu Jie could almost picture the disappointment of having the deal slip through one’s fingers.
“Competition is like that. Nothing’s final until it’s in ink,” Geng Yiqiang remarked. “Like in soccer, you can’t say you’ve won until the final whistle blows.”
“That’s true.” Gu Jie sighed. “But as a friend, it’s an underhanded move.”
“It is,” Geng Yiqiang agreed, the voice of both an agent and a man of principle. “But then again, maybe they’re not friends anymore.”
Gu Jie was puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“Last year, when Ran Lin was filming <Sword of Fallen Flowers>, there were rumors he and Lu Yiyao were in a scandal.” Geng Yiqiang recalled the old news. “Back then, there were rumors it was Zhang Beichen’s team behind it, especially since Zhang Beichen had just been exposed in a same-sex photo scandal the day before. As soon as the rumors about Ran Lin and Lu Yiyao came out, his issue was overshadowed.”
The news was overwhelming, and Gu Jie wondered if he had been living under a rock.
“Last year?”
“Yes, when you were filming in Dalian.”
“……”
“You’re better off focusing on your own path. The industry is full of drama, rarely anything substantial. Don’t worry about it too much.”
Gu Jie’s voice lowered, seriously asking again, “Can we be sure it was Zhang Beichen behind this?”
“The timing is too coincidental, the orchestration too apparent, and that Wu Xuefeng… Tsk.” Geng Yiqiang’s disdain nearly sprayed through the phone. “Anyway, I think it’s very likely.”
Gu Jie fell silent, not saying another word. If snatching a role could still be chalked up to fierce competition and showing one’s mettle, then slinging mud was crossing the line. And both times, it was Ran Lin… At least switch up the target a bit.
“I won’t comment on Zhang Beichen, but I suggest you might want to reach out to Ran Lin if you really consider him a friend.” Geng Yiqiang spoke like a brother to Gu Jie. “<Sword of Fallen Flowers> has finished airing, and his popularity will only decline from here. Opportunities like <Mint Green> are hard to come by again. This must have hit him hard.”
Gu Jie felt complex emotions swirling within him. He realized he was indeed not suited for gossip, especially when it involved friends. Every time he tried to delve into it, it just left a sour taste. The last time two of his friends fell out, he tried to inquire about the situation from others, only to uncover a mess, with both friends expecting him and others to take sides.
In the end, he sided with neither, resulting in a cooling of friendships on both sides. Remembering it brought a sense of melancholy, feeling like he was the biggest victim in that situation.
While Geng Yiqiang could help Gu Jie gather information, he couldn’t sort out his circle of friends. Ultimately, how and with whom Gu Jie chose to associate was his own decision. As long as it wasn’t too outrageous and remained within normal bounds, Geng Yiqiang had no right to interfere. So, after concluding the business talk and sensing Gu Jie’s disinterest in further conversation, he briefly concluded the night talk.
Gu Jie, after hanging up, ran on the treadmill in his gym for an hour without thinking about anything until he was utterly exhausted. Then, he took a shower, went to bed, and fell into a dreamless sleep almost immediately.
A week later, the official Weibo of <Mint Green> announced that Zhang Beichen would be playing Li Yi, along with confirming the female lead, second male lead, and other important roles. There was no movement from Ran Lin’s side, and since his team had always been relatively low-key, aside from some of his fans, no one else paid attention to whether he had lost the role. The majority of the discussions were focused on fan wars between book fans and actor fans.
Over the past few days, Gu Jie indeed turned into a bit of a phone addict, constantly checking for updates until today, when the final outcome was posted.
After a recent rain, the weather was damp and muggy. Gu Jie sat motionless on the sofa, reading a script, sweating profusely. After a shower, closing the windows, and turning on the air conditioning, he finally felt comfortable. Then, casually scrolling through Weibo, he came across the announcement.
Geng Yiqiang had said that until the final moment, anything could change, and that’s what Gu Jie had been waiting for—the final whistle. Now that it had sounded, he messaged Xia Xinran—[What’s up?]
Xia Xinran didn’t reply immediately, and Gu Jie wasn’t in a hurry, continuing with his script. Two hours later, in the midst of an emotionally intense scene, his phone vibrated.
Xia Xinran—[Just got to the airport. Didn’t hear it in the car.]
Gu Jie—[About to board?]
Xia Xinran—[I can still talk to you for forty minutes.]
Gu Jie:—[That’s enough.]
Xia Xinran—[Took you a week to realize?]
Gu Jie—[Zhang Beichen snatched <Mint Green>.]
Xia Xinran—[🌹]
Gu Jie—[How did he snatch it?]
Xia Xinran—[Keep realizing.]
Gu Jie—[… I can’t realize that!]
Xia Xinran—[It doesn’t matter now. Anyway, he snatched it. I support Ran Lin. But it’s none of your business. You don’t need to take sides. Just don’t mindlessly invite us to hang out together in the future. You can be sworn brothers with whoever you want separately.]
Gu Jie—[……]
Gu Jie—[How’s Ran Lin?]
Xia Xinran stopped typing and sent a voice message instead.
“He says he’s fine, but how could he be? Obviously, he’s down. And who knows if it’s bad luck or something else? <Sword of Fallen Flowers> was a hit, but all the scripts coming his way are period dramas, either martial arts imitating <Sword of Fallen Flowers> or fantasy period dramas with cringy titles. It couldn’t be more tragic.”
Gu Jie—[Have you been in touch with Zhang Beichen?]
There was a pause on the other end before typing resumed—[No need.]
Gu Jie—[He didn’t message you or Ran Lin after the group disbanded?]
Xia Xinran—[No.]
Xia Xinran—[Alright, your brain isn’t meant for analyzing these things. Focus on preparing for your new movie.]
Gu Jie:—[……]
Xia Xinran—[Director He only makes realistic films aimed at awards. I’m envious! When do you start filming?]
Gu Jie—[Not sure yet.]
Xia Xinran—[Ah?]
Gu Jie—[Waiting for a cue. The script needs more changes.]
Xia Xinran—[Typical of a famous director 😰]
Gu Jie—[But it’s worth the wait. Just wish me an extraordinary performance and the Best Actor award 😀]
Xia Xinran—[👋]
……
Wang Xi had a hectic week trying to connect with every possible contact to find resources for Ran Lin, to no avail. The scripts that came to him were of low quality, and she even began considering letting Ran Lin take on a similar martial arts drama just to maintain his popularity.
Today, finally finding time to visit the set of <Chronicles of Winter>, which had just started filming a couple of days ago, she wanted to ensure everything was going smoothly for Han Ze. However, when discussing the week’s hardships on the way back to the hotel, Han Ze’s first words were:
“He’s not meant for stardom. You’re wasting your efforts. Even picking up <Sword of Fallen Flowers> was bullshit dumb luck.”
Wang Xi had heard many harsh words elsewhere, but none struck as hard as Han Ze’s. The blow wasn’t just to her but to the “Han Ze” she had always held in her heart.
That Han Ze was usually cheerful, loving, gentle, and handsome, presented himself as a sunny youth in public, and would suddenly become especially childish around her.
But now, the Han Ze speaking these harsh words, had a cold smile and a look of schadenfreude in his eyes. His face was still handsome, but suddenly, Wang Xi felt he was a stranger.
She realized she had idealistically frozen Han Ze in time as the boy he was when he first entered the industry, but in reality, he was no longer the boy who would blush in front of the camera. The change had already occurred, but she had pretended not to see it until now, at her most tired, vulnerable, and needing comfort when even a simple “it’s okay” would suffice. He had coldly shattered the last false image she held dear in her heart.
Moreover, his indifferent attitude made Wang Xi feel foolishly sentimental, almost to the point of wanting to hit a wall.
A week earlier, the boss had talked to them, directly asking about their relationship. Before she could speak, Han Ze asserted that they had no relationship beyond that of an agent and artist. The boss had said, “Even if it’s true, it doesn’t matter, but it must not affect your work,” implying that she shouldn’t favor Han Ze with resources and should manage Ran Lin well. She knew then that the boss had figured out her relationship with Han Ze, and the talk was a reminder, not a confirmation.
Fortunately, Han Ze had insisted they were just agent and artist, even with the boss’s explicit words. Wang Xi wasn’t sure whether to call him heartless or foolish.
“Why aren’t you speaking?” Han Ze, not the dullest, sensed something off in Wang Xi’s mood and quickly asked.
Wang Xi came back to her senses, shook her head, and simply said, “I’m a bit tired.”
Han Ze sighed ostentatiously. “If you only managed me, you wouldn’t be so tired. I’m so much less trouble.”
Wang Xi, tired of hearing this, closed her eyes and disengaged from the conversation.
The car continued to the hotel arranged for the actors by the production team. Wang Xi followed Han Ze back to his room. They had an unspoken understanding, so as soon as they entered, Han Ze went to shower.
Wang Xi sat on the chair, deep in thought. After a few minutes, her gaze inadvertently fell on Han Ze’s phone lying on the bed. The sound of water echoed from the bathroom.
Wang Xi pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, then stood up and picked up the phone, lighting up the screen and entering a four-digit password. The password was incorrect.
Wang Xi narrowed her eyes, her heart slowly settling back down. When Han Ze changed passwords, it usually meant he was involved with another female artist.
Every time it was the same, even the tactics didn’t change, and Wang Xi felt robbed of even the chance for a battle of wits.
She put down the phone, walked to the window, and called Han Ze’s assistant. This assistant was hired a year ago after Han Ze complained about the previous one. Wang Xi had personally interviewed and hired this one. The new assistant was smart and clearly understood who to prioritize.
“Xi Jie,” the assistant, whose room was just one floor below, knew Wang Xi was visiting today, so he had returned to the hotel independently after the day’s wrap.
“What’s the situation with Han Ze and Cui Yanyan?” Wang Xi asked bluntly.
The assistant understood immediately and reported, “Their relationship on set is quite good, nothing inappropriate, but Han Ge doesn’t let me follow them off set, so I can’t be sure.”
“Got it,” Wang Xi nodded. “What’s the phone password?”
Assistant: “7481.”
Wang Xi: “Okay, you rest.”
After hanging up, the sound of water still filled the bathroom. Wang Xi felt a bit like she was bullying Han Ze; with her experience, she could easily make him look foolish, but she hadn’t made a move, and he had already started playing his own games.
Entering the password, the phone easily accessed the home screen. Wang Xi tapped into WeChat, greeted by a new message—[When is that old hag leaving? 😠😠😠]
The slight sting in her heart was brief, as the harsh reality was indeed true, and she found it amusing more than painful.
Knowing she was there and still sending such messages, this girl must either be truly in love with Han Ze or intentionally setting him up. If the former, she was even more foolish than Han Ze; if the latter, then she was much craftier and more malicious.
But it didn’t matter to her anymore. Wang Xi didn’t go into the chat; she had seen the message from the chat list, so the red notification still hung on the WeChat icon, untouched.
Wang Xi turned off the phone, put it back in place, then turned on the TV and sat far away to watch the evening news.
When Han Ze emerged from the shower in a robe, he casually walked to the bed, drying his hair while picking up his phone, appearing as natural as possible.
Wang Xi was sure he must have remembered the phone while showering but dared not ask her to bring it in, as that would be too revealing.
“Something urgent came up at the company,” Wang Xi suddenly said, feigning regret. “I have to go back right away.”
Han Ze looked up in surprise, a fleeting glimmer of relief quickly replaced by reluctance. “Do you really have to go back…”
Unfortunately for him, Wang Xi had seen through too many people. Han Ze still had a lot to learn.
“Yeah, can’t help it,” she said, standing up, seemingly reluctant to leave.
Han Ze sighed softly, his eyes filled with longing. “When will you come visit the set again?”
Wang Xi was pleased. At least her artist was a good actor. “We’ll see. You know how it is with Ran Lin recently…”
“Just send him back to that Kang guy,” Han Ze interrupted with a frown.
Wang Xi laughed, not sure how to feel. Perhaps she had indulged Han Ze too much, leading him to believe he could freely express his opinions and she would always accept them. Before, she just felt troubled and down by Han Ze’s requests; now, stepping back, it seemed almost naïvely adorable.
“Rest well,” Wang Xi said indifferently, picking up her bag and leaving.
After Wang Xi left, Han Ze pondered for a moment, not sensing anything amiss. He turned back to WeChat and breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for having set it to silent and that Wang Xi had been far away watching TV, or else he’d have to come up with more lies to cover up.
Shaking his head, Han Ze started replying to messages, his mood lifting—[I told you not to message me. Can’t you behave? But anyway, the old hag is gone 😃.]
……
Not until the taxi was on the airport expressway did Wang Xi’s heart finally calm down. There were no sudden bursts of laughter or heart-wrenching cries—just a sense of emptiness, yet peaceful.
She had known from the beginning that there would be no future with Han Ze, but sometimes, when you’re alone for too long, you yearn for companionship, even if it’s doomed.
Fortunately, after all the twists and turns, she came out unscathed. In fact, as an “old hag”, she felt she had even gotten the better end of the deal. So she had no intention of taking revenge against Han Ze, lacking both the impulse and the justification.
Work is always more reliable than men. This was what the twenty-year-old Wang Xi had always believed. Now at her current age, she thought her younger self was indeed wise.
Saying she had to return to Beijing wasn’t exactly lying to Han Ze, as she had indeed just received a message. It was the only news that had made her happy recently.
The driver stopped the car in front of the terminal. Wang Xi paid, got out, and pulled her suitcase inside. The airport at 8:30 p.m. was still bustling. Wang Xi, wearing a sleeveless T-shirt that showed her toned arms and slim-fitting cropped pants that highlighted her slender legs, clicked along in her high heels.
Except for the fine lines around her eyes, visible up close, nothing else betrayed her age.
After purchasing the last flight back to Beijing, Wang Xi entered the VIP lounge with her luggage. Finding a quiet corner, she finally sat down to call Ran Lin.
The phone rang three times before he picked up. “Xi Jie?”
The background noise made Wang Xi frown. “Are you outside?”
Ran Lin: “Yeah, I’m playing with the hoverboard.”
Wang Xi was surprised. “But <Mint Green> has already…”
Ran Lin interrupted nonchalantly, “Announced the lead actor. I saw the Weibo post.”
Wang Xi couldn’t detect anything but calm in his voice and asked with a hint of confusion, “So you’re playing with the hoverboard because…”
Ran Lin laughed. “Exercising. I paid two thousand yuan for it; I have to make the most of it and recoup my losses.”
Wang Xi chuckled. “Is this your way of subtly telling me you’re broke?”
Ran Lin: “Will crying broke change the contract’s commission?”
Wang Xi firmly. “No.”
Ran Lin seemed amused, though Wang Xi couldn’t quite tell. The voice over the phone soon turned serious. “Xi Jie, weren’t you supposed to visit the set today?”
Wang Xi’s smile faded, and she said softly, “I did. Now I’m at the airport, about to head back.”
Ran Lin was surprised. “That’s so sudden. You must be exhausted.”
It was a rather ordinary comment, perhaps just politeness from Ran Lin, but Wang Xi felt a comforting warmth. It was the most pleasant thing she had heard all night.
“I have to rush,” Wang Xi said, her voice unintentionally cheerful. “What if it gets snatched away again?”
Ran Lin: “…”
Bang!
A loud noise from the other end startled Wang Xi. “What happened?”
Ran Lin’s voice, taking a sharp intake of breath, sounded like he was wincing in pain. “Hit a trash can.”
Wang Xi didn’t know whether to be angry or amused. “Aren’t you the ‘Chaoyang District’s King of Hoverboards’?”
Ran Lin sheepishly replied, “Even kings have fender benders.”
Wang Xi: “Did you hurt yourself?”
Ran Lin: “Don’t worry. I’m wearing protective gear. I value my life.”
Wang Xi couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling the negativity of the entire night dissipate, like encountering a small sun.
“Xi Jie.” Ran Lin’s voice carried a tentative hope. “When you said about someone snatching it away… does that mean there’s a new opportunity?”
Ran Lin knew Wang Xi had been desperately looking for his next opportunity since the <Mint Green> debacle. As the heat from the TV series dwindled, her stress was even greater than his. Even though she tried to hide it, the anxiety was palpable in her words. At the start of the call, Ran Lin had detected a subtle change in Wang Xi’s demeanor: anxiety replaced by composure, and then her hint, leading him to suspect good news.
But recently, Ran Lin had had too many false hopes.
“The script will be given in three days; audition in half a month.” Wang Xi knew he could guess it was an opportunity, but not which one. “The film version of <Chronicles of Winter>.”
Ding Kai didn’t really persist in bothering him. After discussing ideals, there was no more response from the other end.
Ran Lin wasn’t sure if he was either too embarrassed to continue the pointless conversation or truly took the pep talk to heart and decided to reflect on it, or perhaps he didn’t think much of the whole thing and forgot about it once he got distracted with more important matters.
Whichever it was, Ran Lin was relieved.
Different people are nourished by the same world; some, like Ding Kai, would hide deep meanings in every word, expecting others to decipher, while others, like Lu Yiyao, are straightforward, making sure you understand them, even providing translations and notes.
People like Ding Kai are common because they make things comfortable for themselves and troublesome for others.
People like Lu Yiyao are rare because they do the opposite.
Finally, feeling at ease typing in the chat box of “Teacher from Sanya”, Ran Lin tapped away, feeling the small sapling of pride growing in his heart. By the time he finished his sentences, the sapling had turned into a towering tree, with each leaf bearing a little Ran Lin standing proudly with hands on hips—not everyone could see how good Lu Yiyao was, but he not only discovered it but also pocketed it for himself. He was immensely proud.
[<Mint Green> didn’t go through. They changed actors at the last minute, but it’s okay. Xi Jie recently received a lot of scripts. I can pick another one 😎.]
……
While Ran Lin was matching wits with Ding Kai, Lu Yiyao was having afternoon tea with Huo Yuntao.
Today was the only free day before he joined the film crew, but he still had a fashion party to attend in the evening, so he could only meet with Huo Yuntao until four in the afternoon.
Huo Yuntao, an old friend, was used to his hectic schedule and just squeezing in time to meet, so after a phone call, they met at a tearoom, and naturally, his hotel checkout was handled after he left.
Huo Yuntao, when serious, was both capable and considerate, and Lu Yiyao always wished that side of him would last forever.
Huo Yuntao had chosen a private British tearoom called “L.T.” The owner was a Norwegian friend he had met in the UK—an international friend who was fascinated by Chinese culture and loved British tea culture. He had a lofty ideal—to bring authentic British afternoon tea to the feet of the Eastern dragon.
Huo Yuntao had always been supportive and approving of such unique ideals, and with his help, his friend really did come to Beijing and opened this tearoom. The place wasn’t big, but it was exquisitely decorated with a full British flair. After overcoming initial challenges, it now operates well. While not making a fortune, the owner didn’t aim for that and found joy in his pursuit.
It was quiet, private, and familiar, which was why Huo Yuntao chose it.
Moreover, although located in Beijing, the tea room’s clientele was mostly foreigners, with few knowing who Lu Yiyao was. The tea room’s semi-enclosed and semi-open layout felt more like a living room with a homey atmosphere than a restaurant. Each table was semi-privately arranged with bookcases, green plants, and other decorations. There were even two completely private rooms, ensuring minimal disturbance among customers as long as they didn’t make too much noise.
Like now, they were in one of the private rooms. Two single sofas on a vintage-patterned carpet, a low table in between, and a delicate three-tiered afternoon tea tray filled with an assortment of savory to sweet snacks in the traditional order. The typical eating sequence is savory before sweet, but when Huo Yuntao and Lu Yiyao were together, it became sweet for Huo and savory for Lu.
No one remembered how this habit started or discussed it; it was as natural as having the sun in the day and the moon at night.
So when the snacks were served, Huo Yuntao directly went for the sweet scones on the second tier, while Lu Yiyao naturally took a ham sandwich from the bottom layer.
Huo Yuntao, noticing his friend’s quick consumption of the sandwich, realized after the fact. “Didn’t you have lunch?”
Lu Yiyao took a sip of hot tea, finally feeling comfortable. “I came over right after your call. No time for lunch.”
“What were you doing all morning? Don’t tell me you were on the phone with your agent the whole time.” Huo Yuntao had called Lu Yiyao twice; the first was in the morning around nine to check up on last night’s developments, but they were interrupted when Lu Yiyao had to take a call from his agent. Huo Yuntao was busy with other things until Lu Yiyao called back, saying he was ready to leave, which was almost noon. He had thought Lu Yiyao would have eaten by then, so they directly arranged for afternoon tea.
His friend’s question was casual, not sharp.
But Lu Yiyao, feeling guilty, got defensive—how could he admit he’d been wallowing in sorrow about “the meat flying away from his mouth” all morning?
“Uh… yeah, Hong Jie was discussing work with me. I couldn’t just not listen.” Lu Yiyao looked forthright and grabbed another small piece of cheese sandwich to nibble on.
Huo Yuntao scrutinized his old friend with a skeptical gaze, sensing something off but couldn’t pinpoint what exactly, attributing it to the usual shyness of first-time experiences.
To be considerate, Huo Yuntao didn’t pry further and changed the topic to something more straightforward. “Wasn’t the <Mint Candy> contract supposed to be signed this morning? How did it go?”
“…” Lu Yiyao noticed that those who like sweets tend to see everything as sweet. “It’s <Mint Green>, and I don’t know how it went. He hasn’t told me yet.”
“If he hasn’t told you, just ask,” Huo Yuntao said matter-of-factly. “It’s the afternoon already. The signing must be done.”
“No need.” Lu Yiyao lifted his teacup and took a sip with a face full of proud confidence. “He’ll tell me when there’s a result.”
Huo Yuntao was mid-chew on his pastry when he got a face full of unexpected show of affection. Continuing to eat, the pastry started to taste off, almost like dog food*.
*Clarity: It’s a metaphor for when couples show affection in front of someone who is witnessing it all, so the witness feels like they are being fed “dog food”.
Lu Yiyao’s phone vibrated on the low table, the sound transmitting from the phone to the wooden surface, creating a dense, muted rumbling. The screen lit up; from Huo Yuntao’s angle, it seemed like a message, but before he could see clearly, Lu Yiyao had already picked up the phone to check.
Quickly, the old friend’s face darkened, his thumb typing rapidly.
Huo Yuntao knew something was up just by looking and patiently waited until Lu Yiyao finished sending the message before asking, “What’s wrong?”
Lu Yiyao looked up from his phone, his brows furrowed. “<Mint Green> didn’t get signed. They went with someone else.”
Huo Yuntao’s brows also furrowed. “Who did they change to?”
Lu Yiyao shook his head. “He didn’t say. I’ve asked.”
Huo Yuntao was speechless. “Then why text? Just send a voice message.”
Lu Yiyao sighed, saying softly, “Voice messages also need to confirm if it’s convenient on their end first.”
Huo Yuntao had an epiphany but also felt a bit sorry for his friend—when being cautious becomes the first rule in all actions, any fun and happiness are diminished. Why choose such a path?
While lost in thought, Ran Lin’s voice invitation came through. Clearly Lu Yiyao had just confirmed it was convenient on his side.
Without avoiding Huo Yuntao, Lu Yiyao answered directly. Even in a private public setting, it was still a public place, so he used the earpiece, not speaker.
“Did they give a reason?” As soon as the call connected, Ran Lin mentioned the final decision of Zhang Beichen, so Lu Yiyao got straight to the point.
Huo Yuntao stuffed the last half of his pastry into his mouth, ears perked up to listen.
On the other end, Ran Lin laid it all out. “The financiers didn’t contact Wang Xi directly. They probably went through a middleman, saying after repeated viewing of the audition tapes, they still felt Zhang Beichen was more suitable.”
“That’s impossible. If that was the case, they would have told you it wasn’t final to begin with, not after they had already decided on you.” Lu Yiyao, without a second thought, refuted. “There must be some method they used, and it’s something they can’t disclose to you.”
After speaking, Lu Yiyao also felt frustrated, thinking of asking Yao Hong later if she could find out some inside information. While trying to make Ran Lin feel better, he changed the topic. “Don’t think too much about it. Whatever the real situation is, it doesn’t matter. Their loss for not using you. You’ll definitely get better scripts.”
Towards the end, Lu Yiyao suddenly felt a bitter taste in his heart.
<Sword of Fallen Flowers> was concluding tonight. No one knew how long the popularity would last. The longer Ran Lin’s next work was delayed, the higher the cost would be to make an impact, like if a new work was launched by the end of this year, maybe a score of 6 would be enough to continue the momentum, but if it was next year, the work would have to be an 8 or even 9 to reignite the passion viewers had during <Sword of Fallen Flowers>.
And such encouragement as “you’ll definitely do this or that” was nothing but hollow.
He wanted to give the best to Ran Lin, but when faced with difficulties, all he could offer were these insipid words.
“Let me finish.” The person on the phone, seemingly seizing the opportunity to speak, said irritably, “Wang Xi didn’t get the real reason, but I did. Ding Kai added me on WeChat and told me himself.”
Lu Yiyao, internally beating up a figment of himself, was stunned, involuntarily raising his voice. “He added you on WeChat?!”
Huo Yuntao was about to drink tea when he heard the sudden octave jump, startling him into scalding his mouth.
After a momentary lapse, Lu Yiyao calmed down, though his voice still held a biting edge. “What does he want?”
Ran Lin, fearing misunderstanding, simply sent the entire chat screenshot.
Lu Yiyao narrowed his eyes, reading from start to finish. His inner “God Lu Figurine” now transformed into a “Ding Kai Strawman”, with the little figurine kicking, punching, and gnawing at the strawman, enjoying every moment of vengeance, even plucking a few strands of hair when needed, until the strawman was beaten back into a pile of straw, finally calming his restless heart.
After sending the screenshot, Ran Lin waited anxiously. Although he was upright and unafraid, Ding Kai had a history, and if by any chance Lu Yiyao misunderstood that he had given Ding Kai some hint, causing the latter to approach him again…
“You shouldn’t have responded to him like that.”
After a long silence, Lu Yiyao’s voice came through the phone.
Ran Lin was stunned, his heart unwittingly lifting.
“You responded so well—what if he really falls for you.”
His heart fluttered with joy.
Ran Lin held back the corners of his lips that wanted to curl up. “Have you ever seen any sentimental man that starts off with ‘I want to sponsor you’ that can be swayed by one or two sentences?”
Lu Yiyao thought about it, and it seemed to make sense.
Clearing the scattered straw from his heart, finally feeling light and clear-headed, his thoughts also became orderly. “Has the contract been signed on their side?”
“Zhang Beichen?”
“Yeah.”
“Probably not yet. You see in the WeChat it was a last-minute change yesterday evening. They have to redo the contract and send it over to Zhang Beichen’s side. All of this takes time.”
“……”
“Wait.” Ran Lin heard something in Lu Yiyao’s tone. “Do you have a plan?”
Lu Yiyao indeed had a plan, but only in its initial stages, uncertain whether it would work, so he didn’t want to say too much to Ran Lin.
Yet Ran Lin seemed to glimpse his thoughts. “Whatever you plan, you need to tell me.” After a half-second pause, the voice on the phone softened, slightly coquettish, slightly affectionate. “Don’t let me be the last to know.”
Lu Yiyao was inevitably defeated.
“I want to explore what exactly they did on their end and who that so-called important friend is. The circle is only so big. If they can find someone, so can we. It’s just a matter of who has better connections…” Lu Yiyao spoke all in one breath, took a deep breath, and then softly said, “I want to help you snatch the role back.”
It wasn’t just “want”, it was “must”, but without full certainty, Lu Yiyao couldn’t say it like that.
But Ran Lin heard it. He had practically etched all of Lu Yiyao’s emotions and tones into his mind. Hearing the voice, he could feel the determination in the words, even if it was cloaked in gentleness and nonchalance.
“Mwah.”
A sudden, indistinct sound came through the earpiece.
Lu Yiyao, who had been frowning, expressed confusion. “Hmm?”
On the other end, Ran Lin muttered softly, “Kissing you.”
Suddenly, Lu Yiyao felt as if he could feel the warmth and softness of lips on his cheek, a pity that the peck was fleeting and left irresponsibly.
“No more,” declared Ran Lin who had just kissed, suddenly speaking up with a hint of cheerful resignation.
Lu Yiyao snapped out of the sweetness of the virtual kiss, his heart sinking slightly. “Afraid I can’t help you snatch the role back?”
“Of course not.” Ran Lin almost immediately denied, even sounding a bit indignant at the misunderstanding. “My Teacher Lu can pluck stars from the sky and catch dragons from the sea!”
Lu Yiyao chuckled. “I’m not that powerful…”
Huo Yuntao, who was half-understanding the conversation, didn’t understand why his old friend’s mood suddenly changed from gloomy to bright, from determined to sweet, and now this shy modesty was beyond him!
“I believe you can snatch it back for me, but I don’t want this role anymore, and I don’t want you to use methods you dislike for my sake.” Ran Lin had called Lu Yiyao just to inform him of the situation as soon as possible, but Lu Yiyao’s reaction had given him more courage. Courage wasn’t only about daring to strive but also about being able to give up gracefully. “I like that you have principles, righteousness, perseverance, and know what to do and what not to…”
“If you keep praising me, I really won’t be able to resist coming over and pouncing on you.”
Ran Lin instantly shut up, but his eyes and corners of his mouth curled up. After a quiet two seconds, he asked, “Are you going to ignore your schedule?”
Lu Yiyao replied righteously, “What’s that?”
The last bit of gloom in his heart dispersed. Ran Lin especially regretted not calling Lu Yiyao immediately after leaving the company; then he could have been cheerful an hour earlier. “Do you think, if I really got the role, Ding Kai would come to ‘chat’ with me every other day?”
“……” Lu Yiyao froze, having never considered this aspect, and now the thought was unbearable!
“So, I don’t want this role. When <Chronicles of Winter> was snatched away, you said <Sword of Fallen Flowers> would be a hit, and it was. Now you say I’ll encounter better scripts, so I definitely will. Who gave me this confidence? You.”
Lu Yiyao found himself utterly disarmed by Ran Lin. “Stealing my lines, have you paid the copyright fee?”
Ran Lin: “Mwah.”
Lu Yiyao: “Got any fresh ones?”
Ran Lin: “Mwah mwah.”
Well, that’s satisfactory.
Finally content, Lu Yiyao leaned back into the sofa, initially with a lingering smile on his face, which gradually faded to a thoughtful expression.
Seeing his old friend so serious, Huo Yuntao dared not disturb him, pressing down his curiosity, waiting for him to finish thinking, to take the initiative to speak.
But the wait turned into half an hour.
By the time Huo Yuntao had finished all the snacks on the tray, Lu Yiyao finally snapped back to reality, looking up at his friend seriously. “Lao Huo, this can’t go on.”
Huo Yuntao was startled, cautiously asking, “You’re not thinking about breaking up with him after just getting together, are you?”
Although he believed Lu Yiyao had invested more in the relationship, breaking up right after getting together seemed too cruel!
“I’m talking about career!” Lu Yiyao really wanted to open up Huo Yuntao’s head to see what dark image he had of him in his friend’s mind.
“Career?” Huo Yuntao leaned forward to hand Lu Yiyao his teacup. “Have a sip of tea. Take your time.”
Lu Yiyao held the cup but didn’t drink, his mind still on the life decisions he’d been pondering. “Being a celebrity is too restrictive. Countless eyes are watching you. Anything you want to do feels constrained.”
Huo Yuntao retorted, “Then what were you thinking when you entered the industry?”
Lu Yiyao shook his head lightly. “When I entered, I was alone, so it didn’t matter, but now I’m not alone anymore, and this profession has become troublesome.”
Huo Yuntao understood but didn’t agree. “Changing the direction of a career you’ve been fighting for because of love, isn’t that too rash?”
Lu Yiyao asked, “Do you remember why I chose this path in the first place?”
Huo Yuntao searched his memory and found it. “To go against your dad.”
Lu Yiyao smiled. “So…”
Huo Yuntao rolled his eyes and nodded. “You’ve always been rash.”
“But then again,” Huo Yuntao continued, “it’s also good if you leave the industry. Your dad’s and your mom’s big businesses can’t all be shouldered by your sister alone.”
“She likes doing business; she should be able to handle it.”
“…” Huo Yuntao was exasperated. “What are you implying?”
Finally, Lu Yiyao took a sip of tea, which had already gone lukewarm; its fragrance had slightly faded. After setting down the cup, he shared everything from the phone call with Huo Yuntao.
Having heard it all, Huo Yuntao understood his old friend’s thoughts. “You want to enter the entertainment industry?”
Lu Yiyao nodded slightly.
Huo Yuntao: “Just for Ran Lin?”
“Half and half,” Lu Yiyao confessed. “I’m also quite interested in figuring out this circle.”
Huo Yuntao, recalling the WeChat screenshots of Ran Lin and Ding Kai that his old friend showed him, felt complicated. “Ran Lin’s dream is to act, to act well. Your dream is because you like Ran Lin, and coincidentally, you’re somewhat interested in this circle, so you want to transition from being a celebrity to a businessman. If you wanted to go into business, why didn’t you do it earlier, like going directly to business school? By now, you might have already become ‘President Lu’.”
Lu Yiyao asked, “What’s your point?”
Huo Yuntao looked steadily at him. “I’m saying, Ran Lin’s dream has nothing to do with you. No matter who he’s with, it doesn’t affect his pursuit. How come when it comes to you, dreams and love are suddenly linked? Your career is your own; it shouldn’t be swayed or disturbed by anyone but yourself. If a man can easily give up or waver in his career for love, then I would despise him.”
“That makes sense.” Lu Yiyao nodded, conceding gracefully. “Lao Huo, I despise you.”
Huo Yuntao doubted he heard correctly. “Huh?”
“Didn’t you swear never to return to China, claiming your dream wasn’t to inherit the family business? Yet, once Lin Panxi said, ‘I won’t go abroad,’ you obediently came back.” Lu Yiyao felt his logic was sound. “So, listening to you, I despise you.”
Huo Yuntao: “……”
Suddenly losing his moral high ground, Young Master Huo felt extremely conflicted.
Lu Yiyao laughed, shrugging without pressing further. “Actually, so-called dreams are just things you want to do. It doesn’t matter if the ‘want’ originates from yourself or someone else, from struggle or love, from a sense of honor or happiness. As long as the final direction is ‘I want to do it,’ then you should go for it.”
“Lao Huo,” Lu Yiyao looked earnestly into his friend’s eyes, saying word by word with emphasis, “for the first time, I’ve found something I truly want to do.”
Huo Yuntao had nothing more to say.
Because from Lu Yiyao’s tone, he unexpectedly heard a hint of joy.
He thought this path would bring Lu Yiyao endless pressure, but unexpectedly, his old friend was joyfully cutting through the brambles, almost regretting not having ventured down this path earlier.
……
That evening, as the elegant Lu Yiyao was mingling at a reception, Ran Lin was sitting in front of the TV in his apartment, watching the grand finale of <Sword of Fallen Flowers>.
Unsurprisingly, the viewership soared to its highest point.
Halfway through the last episode, “Xu Chongfei Dies Blocking the Sword” started trending.
Although the wording wasn’t elegant enough. Many viewers suggested “Noble Sacrifice” as a better choice! But in reality, most tearful fans chose the most direct way to spoil the plot, reasoning that they shouldn’t be the only ones crying.
As Xu Chongfei died blocking a sword for Tang Jingyu, killed by Fang Xian, the original “Support Fang” and “Anti-Tang” factions gradually shifted stance, ultimately siding with “Support Tang”.
The reason was simple: Tang Jingyu’s final choice was “provoking Fang Xian to kill him”, meaning he was ready to die as atonement, but Fang Xian stubbornly went ahead and caused Xu Chongfei’s death. Compared side by side, the audience naturally redirected their affection toward Tang Jingyu.
However, when the show was two-thirds done and Fang Xian was alone in front of Xu Chongfei’s grave, drinking and reminiscing, the audience’s hearts softened again. The most shared post came from a big vlogger with a million followers. She was a usual joker, but today, she was just a quiet viewer—
[My heart of stone was softened by Fang Xian’s tears; Ran Lin’s crying scene is top-notch 😔.]
When they met again in the plum garden, looking at each other across the falling petals, silent and speechless, the discussion on Weibo completely exploded.
“Should Fang Xian forgive Tang Jingyu?” and the almost trademark “Fang Xian crying” trended throughout the night.
Ran Lin’s Weibo saw wave after wave of visitors, all expressing their views on Fang Xian with praises, criticisms, and tears. Those who praised generally became his Weibo followers, watching as his follower count neared 9 million. Critics were mostly fans of Tang Jingyu or Lu Yiyao, who, due to different perspectives, critiqued Fang Xian or him, dissecting everything from his dark past to the present.
Ran Lin was accustomed to being criticized; compared to before, he was practically blissful now. But seeing so many actual fans of Lu Yiyao, who clearly adored Lu Yiyao so much yet despised him to the point of wishing he’d disappear from the entertainment industry, was still quite upsetting.
Even though Ran Lin kept telling himself that they didn’t know about his relationship with Lu Yiyao, he couldn’t help feeling a subtle sense of “not being accepted by the other’s friends and family”.
A subtle sourness, a subtle sense of loss.
Ding-dong.
While browsing Weibo, a new message from Lu Yiyao popped up on WeChat—[Repost my Weibo.]
Ran Lin was puzzled; instead of refreshing the homepage, he clicked directly into Lu Yiyao’s Weibo via the comments section, where fans had tagged him. The latest post was from just a minute ago, with a picture of the three meeting in Liuma Town’s rundown temple from early in the series. The scene was cold at night, and the three only had one tattered blanket for warmth. The photo was full of comical warmth but also brotherly affection.
The text of the Weibo post read—[Good brothers, one blanket. @Ran Lin @Tang Xiaoyu]
In the photo, “Fang Xian” looked disgusted, but Ran Lin clearly remembered the secret joy he felt during the shooting, that sneaky delight of being close to his crush.
Ran Lin obediently reposted—[Fallen Flowers Iron Triangle 😆//@Lu Yiyao: Good brothers, one blanket. @Ran Lin @Tang Xiaoyu]
Half an hour later, the belated Tang Xiaoyu reposted—[Tang Xiaoyu: When three people walk together, there’s always a third wheel 🐕//@Ran Lin: Fallen Flowers Iron Triangle 😆 //@LuYiyao: Good brothers, one blanket. @Ran Lin @Tang Xiaoyu】
When Tang Xiaoyu’s repost appeared, the comments below were filled with “Stop looking at others. You’re the one!” chants.
Ran Lin found it all too amusing.
Before he could close his mouth, another new message came on WeChat, not from Lu Yiyao but Xia Xinran—[I watched the finale, the scriptwriter is a bastard! 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭]
Ran Lin checked the time; it was almost 10 PM. Xia Xinran should have finished work by now, but—[Aren’t you on set? Still have time to follow the series?]
Xia Xinran—[I just watched the last two episodes from yesterday and today’s finale, but I had my assistant narrate the content of the first thirty-seven episodes to me [😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭]
Xia Xinran—[I’m a die-hard fan of Xu Chongfei. You’re too cruel!!]
Ran Lin wanted to offer comfort, but his fingers typed rebelliously—[It ended at 8:30, and you’re coming to me now. It’s expired!]
Xia Xinran—[I only got back at 9 and watched the replay on TV!]
Ran Lin—[…Okay. 🤗]
Xia Xinran—[Are you two being lovey-dovey together again?]
Ran Lin—[?]
Xia Xinran—[Didn’t he just post a Weibo to take the bullets for you?]
Ran Lin—[We’re not together. He has an event tonight.]
Xia Xinran—[Then he must have been scrolling through your Weibo comments, or else he wouldn’t have just posted that one tweet.]
Ran Lin:—[ 👉👈 ]
Xia Xinran:—[You guessed it already, right!]
Ran Lin—[Wait, how do you know there are God Lu’s fans coming to scold in my Weibo comments?]
Xia Xinran—[By the way, Gu Jie hasn’t popped up in the group for a long time.]
Ran Lin—[……]
Xia Xinran—[Okay, I actually just wanted to see if there was anyone else defending Xu Chongfei like me…]
Ran Lin—[How free are you!]
Xia Xinran—[It shows how much I truly love your show!]
Xia Xinran—[By the way, next time we meet, teach me how to cry. Every time I try, the director cuts before the tears come out, saying my expression is too distorted nine times out of ten!]
Ran Lin—[At least you passed once, pat pat.]
Xia Xinran—[No, the remaining one was ‘ferocious’.]
Ran Lin—[……]
Thinking about it, Ran Lin realized he’d never actually seen Xia Xinran shed tears on screen; at most his eyes would get red, already distressing enough.
But when it comes to crying beautifully, Ran Lin thought Lu Yiyao would be the authority.
While daydreaming, suddenly, WeChat notified Ran Lin that he was removed from the “Chen Sheng Wu Guang” group.
Ran Lin was baffled and sent a voice message directly to Xia Xinran. “What happened?”
After a while, the reply came, also in voice message. “I dissolved the group.”
Ran Lin was stunned, and before he could speak, Xia Xinran sent another message. “Anyway, no one has spoken in there for a long time, so I dissolved it. You, me, and Teacher Lu understand. Zhang Beichen must have an idea too, so he won’t be so foolish to come asking.”
Ran Lin: “Did you forget someone?”
Xia Xinran: “……”
……
Gu Jie had just attended the premiere of a movie. He hadn’t starred in it, but the lead actor was his friend, so he came to show support. For some reason, whether it was the organizer’s fault or something else, the entire event was a mess. Except for the peaceful hundred minutes of watching the film, everything else was chaotic. The start was rushed, the end was abrupt, his friend was surrounded by reporters, and Gu Jie had no chance to talk before leaving.
As soon as he met his waiting assistant outside, the assistant handed him his phone. “Gu Ge, you were kicked out of ‘Chen Sheng Wu Guang’.”
Gu Jie, a man without secrets, never set a password for his phone. Whenever he was busy with schedules, he’d leave his phone with his assistant, who would report first thing after the event about who had been in touch or what messages he received, filtering out the junk and saving Gu Jie a lot of time while noting down important things to plan and remind.
Moreover, his assistant, who had been with him since his debut, was tight-lipped and attentive, never giving his unlocked phone to anyone else or divulging any of Gu Jie’s privacy—though Gu Jie felt there was nothing to hide, standing upright and walking straight.
With his assistant, Gu Jie was as close as brothers.
“Kicked me out?” Gu Jie perplexedly took the phone. “Did they say anything before kicking?”
The assistant said, “Nothing before, but after you were kicked, Xia Xinran sent a message saying he dissolved the group. It’s not about you specifically, and he didn’t want to elaborate, saying you should realize it on your own.”
Gu Jie: “……”
After a whole night at the premiere without breaking a sweat, hearing his assistant relay Xia Xinran’s message made him sweat.
As he sat in the van, he kept studying the message over and over, eventually turning to ask his assistant, “What do you think the reason could be?”
The assistant cut straight to the point. “Gu Ge, do you think he really dissolved the group, or did he just kick you out and use dissolution as an excuse?”
“Definitely dissolved. Otherwise, he could have just made a new group of four, unnoticed, without having to kick me out and then explain.”
Assistant: “But you haven’t been active in the group lately either…”
Gu Jie: “Yeah, lately I’ve been attending events, working out, reading scripts, and you know I don’t like being glued to my phone all day.”
Assistant: “Did the group have a rule about being kicked out if you don’t speak for a few days?”
Gu Jie: “Shouldn’t… I don’t think so…”
Assistant: “Then there’s only one reason. The others in the group had a conflict, and relations can’t go back to how they were, so the group was dissolved.”
Gu Jie: “What kind of conflict can five straight guys have?”
Assistant: “…I can’t say. Why not realize it yourself, Gu Ge.”
Gu Jie hated guessing games his whole life. Why not just speak directly, or at worst, settle it with a fight, instead of these exhausting palace intrigues.
But Xia Xinran always did what he said, telling him to realize it himself meant unless Gu Jie figured it out, he’d be left in the dark. Such steadfast will, used in the most unreasonable places.
However, Gu Jie also knew Xia Xinran was sensible, not doing things without reason. Whatever he did, no matter how outlandish it seemed, there was always a cause. This group, formed during a show by Xia Xinran, now dissolved by him, formed because everyone got along, now dissolved, surely meant relationships went sour.
Sighing at the top spot in his WeChat list, where four groups used to be, and now one was missing, Gu Jie felt the absence keenly.
As the car sped through the night, the cool air from the AC made it slightly chilly inside. Gu Jie frowned in deep thought, finally giving up on guessing and opening Weibo to search for recent updates of his buddies.
The assistant watched Gu Jie determinedly searching, unsurprised.
Facing challenges head-on was their boss’ way. The more difficult the mountain, the more he wanted to climb; the tougher the bone, the more he wanted to chew. In front of the words “you go realize”, he could keep realizing until the end of time.
The first person Gu Jie searched for was Xia Xinran, but after a long search, he found nothing unusual. Xia Xinran had been quiet, busily shooting on set.
Considering that Lu Yiyao wasn’t very talkative in the group and didn’t seem close, Gu Jie felt it unlikely he was the problem. Xia Xinran had always been indifferent to him, while his attitude towards Zhang Beichen and Ran Lin was more apparent—dislike for the former, fondness for the latter.
Gu Jie always felt relationships should be natural, like who you like, no need to force it if you don’t. So he thought Xia Xinran’s attitude towards Zhang Beichen was just a simple mismatch of personalities. He wouldn’t alienate Zhang Beichen just because Xia Xinran did, nor would he take sides because of it. Everyone’s an adult, be true to yourself and clear of conscience.
But now, with the group gone and feeling it was “somewhat regrettable”, he wanted to find out the reason. He could be easygoing, but not clueless. Clearly, there was a problem, and he needed to understand it.
It was unlikely Ran Lin would conflict with anyone, so the most probable cause seemed to be a feud between Xia Xinran and Zhang Beichen.
With this in mind, Gu Jie switched the search bar from Xia Xinran to Zhang Beichen.
The first result was from a marketing account, clearly stirring things up—[Zhang Beichen rumored to star in <Mint Green>? Who is your ideal Li Yi? …[Read the full text]]
Xu Wang led his teammates at a sprinter’s pace, running through a sequence of “left-right-left-left” turns. But at the fifth left turn, he suddenly slammed on the brakes!
Wu Sheng, following closely behind, reacted swiftly and immediately stopped. However, Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin weren’t so in sync, crashing into him. Wu Sheng managed to brace himself against the maze’s wall, absorbing the impact of his two teammates without affecting their team captain, who was sneakily scouting the corner for enemies.
Gasping for breath, Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin soon heard cursing coming from around the corner, and everything clicked.
This was the final stretch of the route given by Xiao Huang. According to Yue Shuai, the next NPC usually waits at the end of the previous NPC’s directions. They were prepared to turn the corner and face the second NPC but didn’t expect another team to have gotten there first.
Soon, four heads peeked around the corner. With Captain Xu’s head at the bottom, six new eyes joined in, and upon seeing the “battlefield” at the end of the fork, they widened in shock, just like their captain.
At the end of the fork was a sea of plants.
Huge green plants almost climbed over the maze walls, each with a unique form. Some had shell-like edges with tooth-like fringes; some were shaped like stretched, green horse-hoof aloes, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom; and others were cylindrical, resembling small lanterns.
These plants, growing from the maze’s floor, intertwined into a “green hell”.
“Venus flytraps, trumpet pitchers, nepenthes…” Wu Sheng quickly accessed his mental encyclopedia, identifying the carnivorous plants.
“With your knowledge reserve…” Qian Ai’s head was above Wu Sheng’s, so he looked down when he spoke. “Apart from the Owl, is there anything in this world that can stump you?”
Wu Sheng’s head was above Xu Wang. Although he was answering Qian Ai, his gaze still remained downward. After a long pause, he sighed softly. “Yes.”
Xu Wang, just listening to the conversation overhead, felt Wu Sheng’s response was uncharacteristically modest and meaningful. However, he quickly dismissed his curiosity due to the intense battle ahead.
At the end of the fork, three members of the unfortunate team were already caught mid-air by the terrifying plants. Some were trapped between the shell-like leaves of a giant Venus flytrap, while others were stuck inside the tubes of the trumpet pitchers, struggling in vain.
Another person stood on the ground, looking disheveled, with some withered stems and leaves at his feet. He must have used stationery to block the plants’ attack, making him the only survivor.
Standing before him was a girl in a pure white princess dress, holding a white lace parasol, spotlessly clean as if she was unrelated to the battle, merely passing by and curiously watching.
“You’re just standing there! Attack—”
“If you can’t attack, help us down. We’ll do it!”
“Damn it, at least say something!”
The three trapped by the “plant mouths” couldn’t escape and vented their frustration on their teammate.
The girl in the princess dress tilted her head. She blinked her big, innocent eyes as if she didn’t understand their cursing.
Xu Wang finally understood why there were only “curses” and no “sounds of fighting”.
This wasn’t a fight; it was the girl in the princess dress playing around—summoning plants to tease the challengers through the maze.
Suddenly, a bullet appeared behind the girl. Under the moonlight, the metal bullet reflected a silver light as it headed straight for the back of the girl’s head!
The bullet was so fast that its trail appeared as a silver line to Xu Wang and his teammates.
It seemed unavoidable.
As mere spectators, they could only think of this before the bullet pierced the parasol, stirring the air and moving the girl’s hair.
But at that fatal moment, a bunch of huge vines suddenly grew from under the girl, lifting her up!
The bullet hit one of the vines, which quickly wrapped around it, rendering it immobile.
The girl, still sitting on an “air chair” made of other vines, casually threw away her burned parasol, which gently fell to the ground.
“You ruined my umbrella,” the girl said sullenly, with a frown and downturned mouth, looking aggrieved. But with her innocent, child-like face, it seemed more like a child’s tantrum.
However, what she did next was far from child-like.
She extended her hand towards the fourth person on the ground, palm facing him, and began to mutter the names of stationeries.
The person on the ground didn’t move or dodge, closing his eyes in concentration. Instantly, his body ignited in flames, turning into a human fireball!
“[Invincible Hot Wheels]!” Qian Ai recognized his “old friend” at a glance.
Xu Wang finally understood where the scorched plants at the feet of that person came from.
Considering using offense stationary as defense, this team shouldn’t have been so weak. But their current situation showed they were easily defeated, indicating only one reason—the NPC was too strong.
“Your stationery is all plant-based, right?” The fourth person, gaining experience and confidence from the previous fight, challenged. “Then bring out one that can spray water, or it’s all in vain.”
The girl didn’t bother with him. After muttering the stationery name, she flipped her hand, and a new umbrella appeared. The lace was simpler than before, still pure white, with the handle in her palm. She held it lightly, reopening the umbrella, and watched calmly below.
A giant, bright red man-eating flower suddenly bloomed from the ground beneath the fourth person.
It didn’t need to first extinguish the flames and simply fought with the fourth person. The plant’s large mouth opened and swallowed both the person and the flames together.
The girl yawned, looking bored. She gave a lackluster glance at the three men suspended in mid-air. With a blink, the plants snapped shut, engulfing all three men and silencing their curses and the instigator of it all.
The vines gently lowered the girl back to the ground, and all the greenery disappeared in an instant.
Standing under the moonlight at the end of the fork, holding her parasol, the girl looked serene and beautiful.
The four friends, who had witnessed everything, felt a complex mix of emotions.
Qian Ai’s thoughts represented the team’s sentiment. “Is the girl in the black dress Yue Shuai mentioned wearing a white dress today…?”
Yue Shuai hadn’t mentioned a girl in a pure white princess dress in his advice. It could be that their paths never crossed with this girl, or perhaps she just happened to be wearing black when she encountered Team Yue.
Regardless, Captain Yue had a piece of advice that was particularly relevant now—
[If something seems off, it’s better to take a different path than to force your way through. Once you step onto an NPC’s path, there’s no turning back.]
Xu Wang was indecisive, but they couldn’t afford to waste more time. They had to either advance or retreat, and he needed to make a quick decision.
“Captain.” Kuang Jinxin was the first to speak up. “I think we can do it.”
“Forget it, I’m all in.” Qian Ai suppressed his survival instinct. “I abstain.”
Xu Wang: “Shouldn’t ‘going all in’ mean agreeing to fight?”
Qian Ai: “Casting an abstention vote has already exhausted all my courage.”
With one vote to advance and one abstention, Xu Wang finally turned to Wu Sheng.
Wu Sheng didn’t vote but instead asked, “Do you want to go in?”
Xu Wang looked at him for two seconds and nodded.
Wu Sheng raised his hand and deployed a [(Defense) Iron Wall], quickly erecting transparent defensive walls on all four sides of the team.
“Then go ahead and charge forward.” That was his answer.
Encased in armor, Xu Wang’s hesitation vanished. His gaze firmed up as he looked ahead. “Forward.”
At the captain’s command, the team stepped into the fork with determination, ready to face anyone or anything that stood in their way.
“Plan B.” Xu Wang locked his eyes on the girl in the princess dress, setting the tone for the battle.
They didn’t try to hide their footsteps. Soon, the girl turned her face from under the parasol and stared at them with innocence and uncomprehending in her eyes.
Having seen the “green hell”, the four friends wouldn’t be fooled by her innocent face.
Suddenly, the sound of running footsteps approached from ahead.
This was a left-turn only path, and Xu Wang’s team aimed to defeat the girl and proceed left. But now, from the left-turn path, running footsteps were nearing.
Was another team running towards them?
Retreating?
The girl also heard the sound. She turned around, looking at Xu Wang’s team, and then in the direction of the footsteps. From her angle, she could clearly see the newcomers.
The sound of growing plants arose from behind.
The four friends were startled and instinctively looked back, only to see a giant wall of ivy rising from the ground, sealing their retreat.
At the same time, a similar sound came from the left-turn path ahead.
The team exchanged glances. Had the girl in the princess dress sealed the other team’s retreat too?
Was she planning to trap both teams here for a one versus eight fight?
“Listen well,” the girl said, her voice as cool as the forest spring water under the moonlight. “Xiao Bai will only guide one team. Whichever team wins, can come and challenge me.”
After speaking, a young twin-leafed sprout grew under her feet. The stem elongated, and leaves enlarged. She jumped onto a leaf, which lifted her back into the air, as she sat and watched the impending showdown.
Xu Wang realized the situation had changed. He quickly ran to the end of the path and glanced left, seeing the other team also in unexpected surprise.
“Damn it!” It was one of the ten teams that gathered at the entrance of the maze. Xu Wang recognized them from a glance. “Why are you guys wandering around aimlessly, ending up here—”
[If two or more teams simultaneously appear on an NPC’s path, the NPC will seal all teams’ retreats and require the teams to battle each other first before fighting with the NPC.]
This was a key rule emphasized by Yue Shuai, always reminding them to avoid competing with other teams for the same NPC unless they were confident in a quick victory. Otherwise, engaging in such a competition meant at least two battles, which would be time-consuming and draining, increasing the risk of being sent back home.
When Xu Wang and his team were observing the corner earlier, besides assessing the NPC’s strength, they were also reluctant to step into the fray too early. Entering prematurely would mean relieving the other team, forcing the girl in the princess dress to stop, and demanding both teams fight each other before challenging her.
Just like what was happening now.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.” Captain Xu, never one to show weakness, confronted the top-ranked team. “This is a detour. Why aren’t you looking for the endpoint instead of backtracking?”
The four members of the other team were bewildered. “It’s you who’s backtracking, isn’t it?”
Xu Wang suddenly realized that there was no such thing as a “backtracking” path in the maze. Every team was circling around, and it was possible for any team to end up at the same point from any path, leading to an unexpected encounter.
“Why are you wasting your breath with them?” One of the four team members, standing to the side, grew impatient and spoke to his teammate, arguing with Xu Wang. “They’re just some clueless newbies. Let’s finish them quickly and not waste time.”
Xu Wang raised an eyebrow, not wanting to waste any more words with them.
Who was the newbie and who was the weaker party would be decided in the stationery battle.
“What did you say?” Suddenly, the girl’s voice from high up in the green leaves rose sharply.
Xu Wang, about to choose his stationery for an attack, almost dropped it in fright and hurriedly turned around.
Qian Ai also turned at the sound, while the other team simply looked behind their opponents.
Only Wu Sheng kept his focus on the opposing team, ready for any surprise attack, but his ears were perked up, not missing a single intonation.
The direction of the voice was from the green leaves behind, but the girl on the leaves was staring down at Kuang Jinxin.
Kuang Jinxin was also confused. He was just thinking about picking up the broken umbrella on the ground, fearing it might affect the upcoming battle. He had explained his actions as the girl’s gaze seemed fierce.
Suddenly, the air fell silent.
Everyone was waiting.
Kuang Jinxin swallowed and repeated himself. “I said, your new umbrella looks better, so I’m putting the old one aside.”
Xiao Bai pouted. “No, that’s not it!”
“…Your new umbrella is cuter!” Kuang Jinxin finally found the right word.
Xiao Bai’s eyebrows raised, and she suddenly seemed shy. “Really cuter?”
Kuang Jinxin, unable to discern the subtle changes in her expression, spoke honestly. “Really, the previous one had too many decorations and was a bit cumbersome. This new one is just right—cute and refreshing, just like you.”
Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai: “……”
The opposing four: “……”
Can’t you be serious? We’re all single guys fighting here, and why are you the only one who can charm an NPC girl?!
“Stop fighting,” the girl suddenly said to the seven others, smiling sweetly. “Xiao Bai is in a good mood. Let’s play a game.”
As her voice fell, the eight of them felt a flash before their eyes, and when they could see clearly again, the maze had vanished. They were in a girl’s bedroom, filled with dolls.
Dolls were piled on the floor, on shelves, on the walls, on tables, and the bed—everything was occupied by dolls.
Big dolls, small dolls, male dolls, female dolls, dolls of exotic styles, dolls dressed for masquerades… Hundreds of them, each exquisitely cute and charming. But when put together like this, it felt slightly eerie and unsettling.
Anyone with a fear of dense patterns would instantly crumble.
“Welcome to Xiao Bai’s room.” The girl’s cheerful voice came from somewhere. “Do you like Xiao Bai’s dolls?”
Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai: “……”
The opposing four: “……”
Kuang Jinxin: “Are all these dolls yours?”
Confirmed by their gaze, you two are kindred spirits!
“Yes!” Xiao Bai proudly affirmed. “So you need to look carefully, okay—”
Her voice trailed off, and the doll bedroom fell silent.
The eight were confused.
But since the NPC said to look carefully, they would.
One minute later.
Xu Wang: “Wu Sheng, this doll’s striped clothes are similar to what you wore on your Owl entry day!”
Wu Sheng: “There’s one wearing only shorts, probably based on you.”
Xu Wang: “……”
Two minutes later.
Kuang Jinxin: “Ah, Captain, Sheng Ge, come over here. Does this one look like Chi Yingxue?”
Qian Ai: “He’s not that handsome…”
Three minutes later.
Qian Ai: “Hey, come over here. I found Yue Shuai. Haha—”
The opposing four: “……Are you guys really this happy?!”
“Snap—”
The lights in the doll bedroom suddenly went out, interrupting Xu Wang’s team’s enthusiastic “find the familiar face” game, and also salvaging the opposing team’s crumbling morale.
The darkness lasted for about ten seconds.
Then the lights came back on.
It was still the doll bedroom, unchanged in every way, even the doll that Qian Ai had forcibly matched to Captain Yue was still in his hand.
“Did you look carefully?” Xiao Bai’s cheerful voice floated back. “If you did, listen to me—”
“After the lights went out, I secretly added a new doll to the room. Whoever finds it first, their team will win this game!”
The opposing team exchanged glances, then stared at the dense, dizzying array of dolls in the room. This seemed like an impossible task. “This is like finding a needle in a haystack!”
No.
Xu Wang, Qian Ai, and Kuang Jinxin looked towards Wu Sheng. Finding a needle in a haystack was a task for mere mortals. Their own Wu “The Strongest Brain and Advisor” Sheng could compare the before and after scenes of the bedroom down to the smallest detail in minutes…
Wu Sheng: “Second row, fourth doll on the red shelf.”
His brain was in action!
Led by Xu Wang, the teammates rushed to the red shelf, clumsily retrieving the white princess dress doll hidden behind two masquerade dolls with only a bit of its skirt showing. They looked expectantly at their advisor. “This one?”
Wu Sheng nodded. “Yes.”
Xiao Bai: “Bingo! Correct!”
The opposing team, with faces full of confusion and eyes filled with “Who are you? Wait a minute. What are you doing…”
“It’s not. Are you guys in cahoots? This is too fake. Ahhhhh——”
The four of them, carrying their doubts about the world, slowly disappeared along with their screams, flying back to the distant maze entrance. Losing to the NPC meant either dying in battle and returning home or admitting defeat and starting over from the beginning of the maze.
The doll bedroom vanished in an instant.
Xu Wang and his team were back at the corner of the maze, or perhaps they had been there the entire time, experiencing only an illusion crafted by the NPC.
Xiao Bai was still the girl in the princess dress with the new umbrella, but no longer obstructed them. Instead, she efficiently removed the ivy wall, clearing a path for them, waving cheerfully. “Left—right—right—left—right—remember to come back and play with Xiao Bai.”
Xu Wang was stunned. “You’re not going to fight us?”
The girl tilted her head, her eyes full of innocent charm. “You played a game with Xiao Bai, so you’re Xiao Bai’s friends now. Why would we still fight?”
Wu Sheng: “Since we’re friends, please accept this small gift.”
Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin: “……”
Xu Wang: “How many of these did you print?!”
The author has something to say:
Advisor Wu’s Little Classroom is now beginning to distribute review outlinesヽ(≧?≦)?
Kinky Thoughts:
Xiao Bai’s name translated is Little White. I’m assuming that all the NPCs in this maze are named after a color.
The blond young man, wearing a graffiti T-shirt and shorts, stood next to a skateboard, leaning against the wall. Upon seeing them look over, he immediately perked up and waved more enthusiastically. “Hey, I’m calling you guys. Come over and play.”
“Plan A.” Xu Wang was the first to enter the fork, moving steadily with focused attention. “A quick and decisive battle.”
Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin: “Copy that.”
Wu Sheng didn’t speak, but he had already started the first step of Plan A with his actions—
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) True Love Protection Circle] on you~~]
As the four entered the fork, a ring of pink, heart-shaped bubbles descended from the sky, encircling them like a protective barrier. It didn’t stay stationary but moved along with the team, resembling the rings of Saturn.
The fork was only a few meters long. Halfway down, they stopped, facing the blond young man at the end, about five meters away.
It was a suitable distance for a standoff and battle, but the blond young man wasn’t pleased, scratching his head. “You call this coming over? So distant.”
He looked cool, but as soon as he spoke, it was with a “whiny” tone.
“Never mind. As long as you’re in,” the blond young man placed his skateboard down, leapt on it gracefully, and eyed the four, eager to finally get moving. “I’m Xiao Huang. What are your names?”
What should you do when facing a polite NPC?
Naturally, return the courtesy…
“Kuang Jinxin.”
“Qian Ai.”
“Wu Sheng.”
“Xu Wang. Can you swim? Are you afraid of heights? Afraid of fire? Do you like watching horror movies…?”
“Enough!” Xiao Huang’s expression changed slightly, and he interrupted irritably. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to, trying to figure out my weaknesses to use stationeries against me. As if I’d be foolish enough to reveal my own weaknesses!”
Xu Wang understood, turned to his teammates, and mouthed, “Afraid… of… ghosts…”
The teammates nodded in understanding.
Xiao Huang heard every word and became even more frustrated. “You already said it. Why are you still mouthing it?!”
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Angry Rocket] on you~~]
Classmate Skateboarder Xiao Huang was angry.
As the notification sounded, a smoking rocket facing the four charged straight at them!
Xiao Huang took the opportunity to speed up his skateboard, not towards the four but diagonally upwards against the maze wall like a U-shaped pool, performing an elegant leap and landing steadily on the maze wall!
Wu Sheng, unable to focus on Xiao Huang, concentrated on controlling the [True Love Protection Circle]!
The other three, trusting Wu Sheng completely, didn’t even glance at the rocket, keeping their eyes fixed on Xiao Huang, ready for his every move.
The rocket hit a heart-shaped bubble, and after several seconds of stalemate, it rebounded, being repelled back down the fork and eventually hitting the maze wall, swallowed up without even a spark.
“The defense is good, but I don’t like the shape of your barrier,” Xiao Huang commented from above. “And if I’m not mistaken, it only protects against horizontal attacks, right?”
[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Look Up to See Joy] on you~~]
The four had no idea when Xiao Huang used the stationery. Or perhaps NPCs didn’t have the same cumbersome process of activating stationery like they do.
[Look Up to See Joy].
What they saw was a rain of blood-red knives!
As Xiao Huang leisurely waited to send the four back home, the moment the knife rain descended, the four suddenly opened a wide oil-paper umbrella. Its span was as wide as the maze corridor, blocking all the knives and completely obstructing Xiao Huang’s view!
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) West Lake Umbrella Delivery] on you~~]
This was the notification sound in the ears of the four teammates. Xiao Huang couldn’t hear it, but he understood when he saw the new defensive stationery in use.
Frustrated, Xiao Huang stamped his skateboard and started searching his [Stationery Box] for a weapon to break through the defense. Just as he found something promising, he heard a notification—
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) Horror Cinema] on you~~]
Xiao Huang was startled, his face turning ashen as he gritted his teeth. “Fine, you win. So ruthless…”
Behind the umbrella, the four teammates couldn’t see Xiao Huang’s reaction but could hear screams and roars like “Ahhh,” “Don’t come here,” and “There’s a ghost!”
“Damn, are you an idiot? Knowing there are ghosts and still going in there—”
And, uh, even getting involved in the plot with yelling.
Xu Wang was accurate in his observation. At the mention of horror movies, Xiao Huang’s eyes visibly trembled.
But even Xu Wang, with his keen perception, didn’t realize that Xiao Huang’s feelings towards horror movies were a mix of fear and love.
The first defensive stationery [True Love Protection Circle] was Wu Sheng’s, the second [West Lake Umbrella Delivery] was Kuang Jinxin’s, and the third illusory stationery [Horror Cinema] was Xu Wang’s. Now, Plan A was down to its last step.
One and a half minutes later.
Xiao Huang finally used [(Illusory) Awakening from a Dream] to free himself from the horror movie. Expecting the four to have fled, he was annoyed enough to kick the wall, but when he glanced down, all four pairs of eyes were still staring at him.
“Why aren’t you running?” Xiao Huang didn’t understand. Not only had they not fled, but they had also removed the [West Lake Umbrella Delivery], leaving only the ring of little hearts as protection, which seemed to taunt his single-dog soul.
Xu Wang asserted confidently, “You haven’t told us the way yet.”
There are countless ways to get past an NPC; simply running out of their range will stop them from chasing. However, to get the correct path from an NPC, the only way is to make them willingly admit defeat.
Xiao Huang didn’t know whether to be angry or amused, almost losing his balance on the skateboard. “Only those who defeat me are qualified to get directions. You don’t think a mere horror movie theater has really scared me, do you?”
“Whether it scared you or not, let’s try again,” Qian Ai threatened, raising his arm. “After all, I happen to have two of these illusory stationery.”
Xiao Huang’s gaze darkened. “The movie theater, that was yours?”
He asked word by word, his voice tinged with a hint of coldness.
Qian Ai ignored him, his fingertips almost touching the [Stationery Box].
Xiao Huang’s eyes narrowed quickly, and with a swift movement, his skateboard suddenly soared, taking him high into the air, and then he dove down towards Qian Ai!
Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, and Kuang Jinxin scattered instantly, wishing they could be eight hundred meters away from their teammate!
Xiao Huang, ready for a four-on-one, found himself suddenly in a one-on-one situation. Sensing something amiss with his “using his body as a cannonball” attack, he couldn’t stop in time!
“Bang—”
He hit Qian Ai solidly, but at the moment of impact, Qian Ai firmly hugged him!
The huge inertia sent them both flying, with Qian Ai’s back slamming hard against the maze wall, cushioning Xiao Huang from severe injury.
Sliding down the wall, Qian Ai’s arms, still encircling Xiao Huang, didn’t loosen at all.
A trace of doubt passed through Xiao Huang’s thoughts. He hadn’t yet fully grasped the situation when Qian Ai suddenly opened his eyes, inhaled deeply despite the pain, and shouted forcefully at the NPC he was hugging. “[Hit Me If You Dare]—”
The arms restraining Xiao Huang suddenly released, and the NPC, still bewildered by the shout, was flung out, hitting the opposite maze wall with a loud “thud”, experiencing the pain Qian Ai felt.
But Qian Ai, with his robust muscles and natural defensive ability, was relatively less hurt.
So the two slumped at the base of the maze wall, looking at each other. Eventually, Qian Ai struggled to get up and rejoined his team.
His three teammates rushed to support their biggest contributor, each conveying their admiration through their eyes.
Qian Ai didn’t need their admiration; he just wanted to understand something. “Xiao Kuang…”
Kuang Jinxin: “Hm?”
Qian Ai: “You used the same weapon on the Endless Sea, right? [Hit Me If You Dare]?”
Kuang Jinxin: “Yeah, that’s the one.”
Qian Ai: “Then why could you reflect damage before getting hit, but I had to wait until after I was struck to activate it?”
Kuang Jinxin: “……”
Qian Ai: “……”
Wu Sheng: “Lao Qian, if I were you, I wouldn’t ask that question.”
Xu Wang: “A piece of clothing looks different on you than on a supermodel. Don’t mind these details.”
Qian Ai: “Captain, are you really comforting me…?”
Xiao Huang, overhearing this, finally realized. “So the horror movie theater wasn’t yours, and there was no second one… Your act was to lure me into hitting you, just to use the counter-attack weapon!”
His anger rose. Xiao Huang’s gaze could almost burn someone to ashes.
Qian Ai quickly clarified, “All the tactics were thought out by the captain and advisor. I’m just an innocent person who happened to have the counter-attack weapon!”
“Alright.” Xu Wang approached Xiao Huang, crouching down, and negotiated softly. “The game is over. Tell us the way.”
Xiao Huang snorted and turned away.
But as he turned, he saw Kuang Jinxin holding his skateboard in one arm and a metal spike in the other, with an innocent, sincere look in his eyes. “The captain said if you don’t tell us the way, he’ll scratch your skateboard.”
Xiao Huang: “……”
Beasts!!!
“Left—Right—Left—Left—Left—mmph—”
Xiao Huang resigned himself to giving directions, but before he could finish, someone covered his mouth.
Xu Wang whispered, “No need to shout so loud. We’re not announcing it to the world. Just tell us quietly.”
Xiao Huang: “Mmph mmph mmph mmph…”
Xu Wang: “Left, right, left, left, left?”
Xiao Huang: “Mmph!”
Xu Wang: “Love you~~”
This team is a bunch of demons! Demos!!!
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) Full Vitality] on you~~]
Pain and fatigue suddenly vanished, replaced by a warm power continuously flowing into his body. Xiao Huang, listening to the notification in his ear, stared blankly at the demonic team captain.
The demonic team captain smiled, looking quite handsome when he did.
“If any more teams come, you have to help us stop them, got it?”
“……”
Please, just go!!!
Perhaps hearing his silent plea, the demonic team captain began to organize his team, commanding them to take a break, then stand at attention and run forward…
“Give me ten more seconds.” The most intelligent-looking man on the team suddenly stepped out and approached Xiao Huang.
Xiao Huang, holding his recovered skateboard, stood up quickly, feeling bold again after regaining his vitality. “What’s up? Can’t bear to leave me~~”
The man took out a small card from his pocket and handed it to him, saying earnestly, “Since you’re free, look at these questions and think about life when you’re waiting for someone.”
With that, he turned away gracefully.
The demonic team captain led the team to look straight ahead and sprint towards the correct path, moving at full speed!
Their frantic rush made the team disappear into the depths of the maze in an instant, leaving only their casual chatter in the wind—
“Sheng Ge, what if he can’t read?”
“I marked it with pinyin.”
“That answer… is beyond reproach…”
“Captain, forget the teasing for now. Can you use a healing stationery on me too…”
“Someone used [(Illusory) Captain’s Loving Healing Technique] on you~~”
“…Don’t fake the notifications!”
The last traces of their voices scattered with the dust into the night sky.
Xiao Huang looked up at the moonlight, praying to the Moon Goddess never to encounter this team again.
After calming down a bit, the NPC finally looked at the small card.
It was filled with densely packed words, but clearly listed.
As if I’m illiterate!
Muttering to himself, Xiao Huang silently read the card—
Why are you here?
Is being here your job or your mission?
Have you ever thought about what the outside world is like…
What kind of weird questions are these?
Xiao Huang rolled his eyes, losing interest, and carelessly stuffed the card into the pocket of his shorts.
The night grew deeper, and it was unclear whether it was due to the Demon King’s influence or if nights near the Endless Sea were always this oppressive. There were no stars here, only varying shades of black—black seas, black soil, and the dark silhouettes of all things.
Only the pale sand and the dark red sky reflected a bit of light, a color combination that reminded Teest of corpses. Pale bones, dark red decaying flesh, and black blood—blood everywhere.
It was like the end of the world.
The pitch-black city ruins revolved silently and weightlessly around the Demon King, carrying a rich scent of destruction without stirring a single breeze. The shadows seemed surreal, yet their impact on Nol’s “firewall” felt unmistakably real.
The Demon King, curled up like a spider on the ground, emitted a silent wail. The strange shadows spewed out faster and faster, causing the ground to tremble incessantly. A giant teddy bear’s head rose from the sea, and sharp metallic debris sprouted from the sand like seeds. Countless rotten, bizarre wooden swords pierced through the soil, caught up in the frenzied shadows.
All this happened in utter silence. It was still a quiet night. The absurdity and chaos were like illusions, and the oppression was like a mountain collapsing.
Teest’s hair stood on end, his pores stinging as if pricked by needles, uncertain if it was fear or excitement.
His blood continued to flow from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. The initial bloodstains had dried, clinging to his skin like leeches. But the dizziness—when looking directly at the Demon King—miraculously lessened a lot.
Now he could glance at the Demon King with his peripheral vision or quickly look away.
Such swift peeks didn’t bring the near-death pain as before. Teest vaguely felt something had changed inside him, but he wasn’t sure what it was.
Was it related to the corruption that had seeped into his body? Or the influence of learning the Demon King’s spell?
Either way, it wasn’t a power that could help him break through the predicament.
Teest habitually scanned his surroundings, trying to find a viable breakthrough.
He finally noticed the result of [King of Eternal Sleep]—a fragile, small shadow. Behind it, countless shadows whirled madly like a tornado, yet it stood still, waving its little hand at them.
Even if [King of Eternal Sleep] couldn’t kill the enemy, its effect shouldn’t be this mild. Or perhaps, theoretically, shadows weren’t living beings, so affixing a death tag was useless?
…He had seen one example of something “living” even after being “dead”. Teest couldn’t help but glance at Fischer, who was ashen-faced, hundreds of meters away.
Nol had said he couldn’t kill and enslave real undead beings. The Supplement Demons didn’t belong to the Tahe system, so his magic would have problems. This weird shadow in front of him surely couldn’t belong to Nol’s world.
Teest immediately brought up the [Necrotic Dominion] interface, and indeed, the number “1” had changed to “2.”
There was hope!
“Attack the Demon King!” Teest quickly issued the first command.
However, the small figure didn’t respond like the weeping Fischer. It scratched its face awkwardly and slowly shook its head.
“Can’t…” it said in a voice so faint it was almost inaudible, undoubtedly belonging to a child.
As soon as the shadow finished speaking, it began to disintegrate slowly, its outline becoming more distorted and its voice fluctuating between high and low. “But I can talk, walk…”
Teest was stunned. He didn’t know whether to marvel that this thing could actually communicate or lament the pitiful effect of his skill.
[What’s going on?!]
Nol struggled to hold up the firewall, as clumsy as using an umbrella against a typhoon.
The Demon King’s onslaught intensified, forcing him to concentrate his layers of “firewall” to one side of his body. If he dared retreat or attempt to escape, not just Teest but the other three behind them would be bombarded by the shadow army.
[I don’t know,] The Mad Monk responded dejectedly. [I seem to have commanded this thing, but not really. It only deigns to chat with me.]
Nol didn’t care about the bug Teest had unearthed. He directly addressed the shadow, “What are you?”
“A fragment of a dream.” The shadow pointed to the Demon King. “Its fragment…” After saying this, it dispersed like a soap bubble.
Teest: “……”
The good news, his [King of Eternal Sleep] could eliminate these abnormal shadows. The bad news, the shadows spewed from the Demon King’s head like arterial bleeding, and it took him several minutes to erase just one small shadow.
Nol seemed to be at his limit too—his continuous power consumption meant his lost claws and tail hadn’t regrown properly. He seemed to be back in The Manor, burning himself to withstand the impact.
But this time, even Teest couldn’t see a way out.
[I have an idea,] Nol said. [Teest, take those three and run in the opposite direction. I’ll lead the Demon King towards the Endless Sea. By creating distance, the Demon King’s influence on the terrain might be lifted.]
[You’ll die,] Teest replied bluntly.
[No, I will do my best to survive. I want to see you again.] Nol’s thoughts were serious and straightforward. [If you don’t leave, I can’t fight freely.]
[……] Alright, Nol sounded serious.
Unlike the time at The Manor, there was no calm acceptance of death in Nol’s tone. He truly wanted to minimize casualties and fight with all his might.
Even if he forcefully stayed, he couldn’t make Nol fight any harder.
It was undoubtedly a reasonable command, but… Teest reached out and touched the incomplete but warm dragon scales.
[Actually, I don’t like that undead knight,] Teest suddenly said.
[…What?]
[The War King ended his life meaninglessly, and he didn’t resist at all.] Facing the overwhelming scene of despair, Teest continued calmly, [He still missed his brother. What a foolish man.]
[Now I think I understand a bit. In the face of an invincible force, to follow one’s heart, one must do something foolish.]
It had nothing to do with promising life, logical advantages and disadvantages, or even the other’s wishes. He just didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to let that person sink—it was just that simple.
Nol, focusing ninety percent of his attention on defense, couldn’t quite grasp what Teest was trying to say, but he was sure his knight had no intention of obediently following orders.
Nol was frustrated. [I don’t need—]
Teest’s thoughts were louder. [I can’t hear you—]
He provocatively gathered the golden thread, leaping onto the dragon’s nose, allowing those blue dragon eyes to glare fiercely at him. Teest, covered in his own blood, initiated a high-level curse from the Eternal Church.
He slit his wrist, aimed towards the sky, and decisively summoned that giant hand from the shadows.
The magic fluctuations spread suddenly, the dark red sky rolling with clouds. The Demon King seemed to sense something, lifting its head slightly.
The next second, the cloud of darkness disappeared as if someone hastily packed it away in a panic. Teest couldn’t help but snicker.
“Whatever was summoned, it’s a coward,” Teest commented cheerfully.
His goal was achieved—in that brief moment, the Demon King was distracted by the anomaly in the sky, its attention diverted for a few seconds. And in those seconds, Teest cast [King of Eternal Sleep] on an especially tall building shadow.
It quieted down, no longer flailing and, naturally, no longer speaking. Teest barely controlled it, positioning it in front of the Dracolich.
While the building hadn’t vanished, Teest desperately drained his magic, controlling one shadow after another—they stacked haphazardly in front of Nol, forming a makeshift and alternative “shield”.
The shadows were insubstantial, unable to merge with their kind. The incoming twisted shadows hit this bizarre shadow shield and lightly bounced off.
Using the Demon King’s shadows to defend against shadows, he actually managed to hold off the attack.
Teest pulled out the mana potions he had accumulated over the years, gulping them down one after another. He recklessly used [King of Eternal Sleep] to keep the shield up as long as possible.
[Now you can think about your strategy, Lord Nol.]
Teest spat out a bottle, emphasizing the last few words. He sat on the dragon’s nose, directing the shield up and down, as if he planned to take root here.
[But my mana potions and stomach both have their limits. You should act quickly.]
Nol silently retracted the “firewall”, not engaging in futile arguments. That bit of warmth stubbornly clung to his nose tip, like a white spark that wasn’t too hot.
Time was limited. He had to make a decision quickly.
Taking Teest away meant no one to rescue the other three; running towards the Endless Sea was no longer the best option. If he didn’t lead the Demon King away, then he would have to… follow the Demon King’s wishes and destroy it.
Liking the Mad Monk for too long, Nol himself had gone a bit crazy, he thought somewhat helplessly.
After Teest’s defensive move, the originally quiet night gradually became lively.
Those shadows, freed from the Demon King’s control, would murmur a few words on their own. Some exclaimed in surprise, “Oh my,” many shouted, “It’s so high up here,” and a few vigorously waved at them, shouting, “Go for it.”
Then they would gradually dissipate amidst murmuring, and new ones moved in, continuing to repair the shadow shield.
“It’s so dark here…”
“The sky is red!”
“I really want to talk to someone.”
Whispers of the Demon King’s dream fragments.
The remnants of the old world attempted to penetrate the shadow attack, only to be pulled and collided by golden threads, collapsing to the ground.
Nol closed his eyes, pondering all his skills. Now he knew the enemy’s skills and characteristics. This was a game puzzle. He was best at this.
“Mom and Dad must be so worried.”
“How do I get home?”
“Help me. Help me.”
……
Having gained the relief of “death”, the remnants of the Demon King’s will were still whispering softly.
Surprisingly, although the Demon King was in a state of madness, it didn’t pounce again, nor did it use spells from the old worlds against them.
It merely threw remnants futilely, raising dreams… like a child wanting to cry and throw a tantrum but afraid to cause trouble and get scolded, only daring to throw nearby toys.
But those toys were deadly enough.
A giant toy bear stepped out of the sea. One of its eyes was loose, wobbling on the rotting fabric. Eaves and pavilions rose and collapsed. The pallid, mottled barrels of guns protruding out like barnacles from the fabric aimed at them.
Nol looked up, facing the oppressive force, and saw the six twitching light orbs above the Demon King’s head.
He couldn’t cheat with the letter opener this time, he thought. This was entirely not his world. Even if he severed the connection with it, the Demon King was still the Demon King—Tahe had only existed for two hundred years, while the Demon King had wandered this land for a thousand years.
A thousand years of solitude and decay, it had almost lost all reason, and only a trace of its former humanity remained… But even if it was just a trace, it was still there.
“I’m sorry. Being alone is too terrifying.”
“I don’t want to hurt my compatriot.”
“But being alone is too terrifying…”
Tall, short, fat, thin shadows each uttered a phrase, softly narrating the same will.
Even if it was wishful thinking, Nol still wanted to believe this was the Demon King suppressing itself, creating an opportunity for them… An opportunity to let it rest eternally.
The toy bear staggered closer, about to press down on them. Under the swaying, bloodthirsty wooden talismans, countless barrels aimed at the scar-ridden black dragon, their muzzles spinning wildly.
Nol closed his eyes.
He had an idea—cruel, direct, but effective.
With his magic, he could only use [Lullaby] to instantaneously move the target object a few meters away. But what if… What if he used two completely different forces on the same thing?
Nol reverted from his dragon form back to human. He kept some dragon scales and wings, deliberately using his elongated hair to cover his body. Teest rolled off and landed nimbly, winking at Nol, lowering the shield a bit.
Nol moved his remaining hand, pulling out Kando from the fallen pack.
“I know you’re still alive,” Nol said calmly. “Whether you’re just watching or your power is really suppressed, I need your spatial transfer—just a short distance. Can you do it?”
The candle’s single eye trembled weakly, barely opening a slit. “.…..”
Nol sighed. He extended his blood-drenched severed hand, pouring blood over the black candle. Dracolich’s blood, rich in magic, might help somewhat.
Nol, dragging his injured arm and leg, stumbled towards Teest. He placed his hand on the back of his knight’s neck and gave him a kiss, filled with the scent of blood.
“…Ten meters.” The candle flickered a bit of blue flame, mumbling softly. “At most ten meters, I can’t contend with the Demon King.”
“That’s enough.” Nol smiled bitterly.
“Ready?” Teest turned his head, his handsome face covered in blood and scars. “To be honest, I can’t hold on much longer.”
Nol dragged his injured arm and leg, stumbling towards Teest. He held the back of his knight’s neck, giving him a kiss full of the taste of blood.
“Honey, you taste like you’re about to commit murder,” After the kiss, Teest said breathlessly.
“Take care of yourself.” Nol forced a smile. He gripped the equally faint candle, trying to spread his wounded wings.
“I still prefer being within five meters.”
Teest reached out his equally scarred hand. “Don’t leave your knight behind, remember?”
“Of course.” Nol extended his broken arm. “I was just thinking of picking you up.”
“Ah, let me do it this time.”
Teest let go of most of the shadow shield, controlling only a few shadows close to him. He carried Nol on his back, rushing towards the Demon King. Nol hooked his injured arm around his neck as the magic staff ignited blue fire.
The blue fire formed a ring, not too big or small, just enough to encircle the Demon King’s neck.
He sadly glanced at the silently wailing Demon King and activated [Lullaby].
[Lullaby], forced the Demon King to move 10 meters north.
Kando teleportation, the fire ring around the neck, moved the Demon King 10 meters south.
…Both activated simultaneously.
The author has something to say:
Today’s vision:
Every day, when corporate worker Nol wakes up, his white big cat at home brings him a lot of freshly caught bugs*.
*Double meaning, as in bugs in a game/software/program ect..
Kinky Translations 