Long Legs played the [Interrupt Card] with satisfaction but continuing the story chain after the interruption wasn’t as joyful.
The story progressed to: Happy B runs away, and Detective C decides to embark on a “Diary Destruction Journey” with his twin guardian souls, Melancholic A and Passionate D.
Long Legs’s remaining 11 story cards were:
[Blizzard]
[No Survivors]
[I Testify]
[The Last Supper]
[Call for Help]
[No Mercy]
[Key]
[Innocent]
[Naïve Cruelty]
[Close but No Cigar]
[Bowl]
The ending card was: [There’s Only One Truth]
With these 12 cards, he could create a hundred detective stories. Why does he have to stick to the superstitious storyline of the “Ghost Diary”!
Feeling complicated emotions, Long Legs finally said slowly, “C knows very well that destroying the Ghost Diary is a life-and-death matter, so C decides…” He paused, then suddenly lightened his tone. “To eat the bread he carries first, as his last supper!”
Long Legs: Story Card 5 — [The Last Supper]
Wu Sheng: “…..”
Zhao Yukan: “……”
Elegant Gray: “Narrator 4, you’re really ruining the mood…”
Long Legs knew this card didn’t advance the main plot, so he pretended not to hear anything.
“Just about to eat, he suddenly hears the call for help from B, who had run away…”
Long Legs: Story Card 6 — [Call for Help]
Wu Sheng, Zhao Yukan, and Elegant Gray finally maintained a united silence, watching how Long Legs struggled to continue the story.
Sweating, Long Legs felt his remaining nine cards were like a gluttonous snake, devouring his brain cells. The third card must be related to the main plot. Forcing a new subplot, like a sudden blizzard or finding a strange key, would surely lead to the second warning and his elimination from the game.
Therefore, the story must continue with B’s call for help. Why, where, and how to save B are viable developments, but none align with his story cards! He can’t possibly have B call for help from a [Bowl], can he?!
If he takes too long between two cards, he would be forced to stop.
Long Legs, not wanting to torture himself anymore, directly played his only [Exchange Card].
“I want to exchange a card with you.” He looked at Wu Sheng, his target clear.
Long Legs had thought it through, choosing to exchange with Narrator 2.
First, the emotional line between B and C had already been developed by Narrator 2. Ignoring the “subtlety”, continuing the story along this line wouldn’t be a problem, and his remaining cards, likely “romantic style”, would be easier to play.
Second, Narrator 2 had already played seven cards, leading everyone. Giving him an unrelated card would also create obstacles for him.
Wu Sheng slightly raised an eyebrow, showing no annoyance at being chosen, rather seeming to anticipate the new twist in the story cards.
“The card I’m giving you is…” Long Legs reviewed his remaining cards and chose one he didn’t know how to use. “This.”
With Long Legs’s choice, one of Wu Sheng’s eight cards, [Time Travel], was taken away and immediately replaced with [Naïve Cruelty].
[Time Travel] was taken by the Exchange Card, which was a random win.
[Naïve Cruelty] was given in exchange, the user’s choice.
“I really can’t understand this term, so I have to trouble you with it.” Long Legs seemed apologetic.
Wu Sheng smiled slightly, genuinely pleased, unable to conceal his joy. “Not a bother.” Looking at the card, he sighed. “What’s puzzling for you is wonderful for me.”
Only the exchanging parties could see what was exchanged, so Elegant Gray and Zhao Yukan, unaware of the details, could only guess from Long Legs and Wu Sheng’s expressions.
Ideally, Long Legs, who exchanged an unwanted card, should be satisfied.
But now, Narrator 2, who randomly lost a card and got one someone else didn’t want, also seemed satisfied, even happier than Long Legs.
Long Legs’s expression was one of relief from immediate worry, while Narrator 2 appeared fulfilled, as if extending a beautiful follow-up story.
Even the smart Zhao Yukan and curious Elegant Gray couldn’t understand this situation.
How could such an exchange benefit both? What exactly was written on the card that Long Legs disliked but Narrator 2 welcomed so much?
Long Legs couldn’t be sure whether Wu Sheng’s reaction was genuine or a cunning strategy, but at least he was very satisfied with the exchanged card, and inspiration began to flow—
“The call for help from B came from inside the diary. C, helpless, suddenly saw the diary emit a faint light, sucking C and A, D into it, meaning, one person and two ghosts, all time-traveled…”
Long Legs: Story Card 7 — [Time Travel]
“In the diary’s world, it’s still the same school, but it looks abandoned, with weeds overgrowing the playground and the ivy on the teaching building withered. Following the call for help, they entered the building. Of course, there were no teachers or students. Eventually, they found B trapped in a basement…”
“The basement door was locked and couldn’t be broken. Then, Detective C had an idea to dig under the second tree in the playground and found an iron box—not with a diary this time, but the key to the basement…”
Long Legs: Story Card 8 — [Key]
Zhao Yukan: “You still haven’t explained why B was trapped in the diary.”
Elegant Gray: “And suddenly it turned from suspenseful romance to an escape room genre…”
“…Mm.” Wu Sheng could only agree briefly, having been preempted by his opponent.
“What’s the rush? Take it slow.” Long Legs took a breath, organizing his heavily taxed brain cells. “Where were we? Oh right, found the key, so one person and two ghosts immediately returned to the basement, opened the door, and A, B, C, and D finally reunited in the world of the diary…” He looked seriously at Elegant Gray. “Your turn to continue.”
Elegant Gray was caught off guard. He was still thinking about how Long Legs might continue the story. When he was suddenly called on, he was utterly confused. “Me?”
“Yes, you. Can’t we directly choose the next person to continue if someone can’t? I choose you.” Long Legs no longer cared about revealing his “creative bottleneck”. At this point, he thought anyone could take over the story, as his brain was about to explode anyway.
Elegant Gray: “…”
He finally understood. Long Legs’s “What’s the rush? Take it slow” was an abridged version. The full version was “What’s the rush? If I can’t explain, the next narrator can, so take it slow.”
As for why Long Legs chose him, he understood that too. It was clear to everyone that the story was veering towards Narrator 1 and 2: one steeped in feudal superstition, firmly gripping the main storyline, the other about invincible true love, overflowing with inspiration whenever B and C appeared. If the storytelling opportunity was given back to them, there was no point in playing. But it was different for him. He had a hand of hot-blooded youth cards. If played well, he could turn the situation around; if not, he’d be out. Either outcome would be welcomed by Long Legs.
No matter how accurately he analyzed the situation, it was futile. Elegant Gray, looking at his remaining 10 story cards, felt his brain cells dying, just like Long Legs—
[Never Give Up]
[Foul]
[Friends for Life]
[Sports Day]
[Wrist Guard]
[Next Class Over]
[Physical Test]
[Dream]
[Fight Despite Injury]
[Insignificant]
……
The game setting, a deserted school in the diary, the basement.
Xu Wang, Wine Red, Fair Face, and Le Xing, the four “classmates”, finally, A, B, C, D were all together.
Regardless of the blood and thunder in the game room, as characters in the story, the four friends looked at each other with a sense of kinship as they were “all in the same boat”.
So far, Xu Wang had the least role, mostly in scenes with Detective C, so he hadn’t formally introduced himself to the others.
Taking advantage of Elegant Gray’s pondering, he smiled at the AD duo. “I am the Optimistic Classmate B.”
“The Passionate Athlete D,” said the young man in the wine-red jacket, sighing listlessly. After the intense battle with the ghost, this Classmate D was emanating an exhausted negative energy, a stark contrast to his character, which was a sight both sad and pitiful.
Similarly contrasting was Le Xing, Melancholic Young A, who from head to toe didn’t look a bit melancholic, appearing even brighter than Xu Wang, the Optimistic Classmate B*.
*Clarity: His name (Le Xing) means joyful awakening, which isn’t quite related to “melancholy”.
“I guess I don’t need to introduce myself.” Le Xing first looked at Wine Red, “I killed you,” then at Detective C, “I helped you fight the ghost oppression,” and finally at Xu Wang, “We chatted in the dark room, hehehe.”
Wine Red D: “……”
Fair Face C: “……”
Xu Wang: “We just had a brief chat in the dark room…”
As Detective C, Fair Face remained mostly silent throughout.
He didn’t need to introduce himself either. If there were to be a lead male in this story relay, it would be him. With a character setup of “C” naturally in the spotlight, he would be interacting with every character, participating in every scene, not just drama, but action, and even almost a “pseudo-kissing scene” under the moonlight! God knows he only wanted to be an extra!
Just as the atmosphere was warming up, Elegant Gray’s narration came from above the basement ceiling—
“Optimistic Classmate B asked Detective C, ‘Why did you come here? Do you know it’s dangerous?’ Detective C replied, ‘I know, but I still had to come because we are friends. Friends for life!'”
Elegant Gray: Story Card 6 — [Friends for Life]
Xu Wang: “This is just a story relay…”
Le Xing: “You don’t have to voice-act with so much emotion every time…”
Fair Face: “And why are we back to the emotional storyline?”
Wine Red: “……”
Captain, control yourself. Don’t get caught up in the drama!
While Xu Wang and Fair Face were spouting the impassioned lines of “Friends for Life”, Elegant Gray, perhaps heeding his teammates’ call, toned down the drama in his next narration—
“The four were about to leave the basement when they suddenly found a blood-stained wrist guard on the ground. The wrist guard bore the name of the diary’s owner, a young boy who died in school violence ten years ago… Xiao Wang!”
Elegant Gray: Story Card 7 — [Wrist Guard]
All friends in the game room and plot line: “……”
Couldn’t you just name him Xiao F to keep the style consistent?!
“Narrator 4, you continue.” Elegant Gray couldn’t continue and pointed back to Long Legs.
Just as he finished speaking, a calm voice announced.
[Attention, the right to narrate cannot be repeatedly transferred between the same two narrators.]
Elegant Gray’s heart skipped a beat, fearing he might be sent home, until he realized it was an “attention” and not a “second warning”, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Unable to choose Long Legs, that left Narrator 1 and Narrator 2, who had already played 7 story cards. This was a man who played cards like the wind whenever he got the chance. Narrator 1 had only played 5 cards, but those 5 had locked up the storyline into a supernatural horror theme. Neither was an easy choice…
“Narrator 1.” Elegant Gray finally made his choice.
Narrator 1, who had only played 5 cards, might be strategically cautious or overly conservative, hesitating to make a move, while Narrator 2, who not only played his cards swiftly but also had a certain “captivating” narrative power. Comparing the two, Narrator 1 seemed less dangerous.
In the basement, the four who had just picked up the wrist guard awaited the “relay of destiny” to continue.
Soon, Zhao Yukan’s calm voice came from above—
“Melancholic Boy A tells B, C, and D that he seems to have seen this wrist guard somewhere before but can’t remember where. Meanwhile, the two humans and two ghosts hear some noise outside. Worried about being trapped in the basement by evil forces, they decide to leave first. B, C, and D walked out of the basement first, and A, still pondering over the wrist guard, lagged behind. Before he could leave, the door to the basement was suddenly shut from the outside…”
Zhao Yukan: Story Card 6 — [Evil Force]
“It turns out this isn’t just a world inside the diary. The diary is merely an entrance. The young boy who died with hatred ten years ago… uh, Xiao Wang, used his resentment to truly drag the two humans and two ghosts into the underworld. The underworld is like a reverse world of the living world. For example, if there’s a school here in the living world, there’s also one in the underworld, but of course, there are no teachers or students, only wandering spirits…”
“B, C, and D, who went up first, saw a large number of spirits gathering because they realized that living humans with unfinished life spans had entered their realm. They wanted to absorb their life force to extend their own lives and return to the world of the living…”
Zhao Yukan: Story Card 7 — [Unfinished Lifespan]
“B, C, and D closed the door to the basement, telling A to hide inside and not come out, while the three of them prepared to fight. After a tough battle, they defeated countless spirits…”
Xu Wang B, Fair Face C, Wine Red D: “……”
Defeat, countless, spirits?!
Could this get any more difficult?!
“……” Xu Wang looked up. In his heart, ten thousand grass-mud horses had already run through, each with Wu Sheng riding on them!
Don’t you already know the story is really happening? Your team captain is almost being doomed by this. Don’t you have any sense of it?!
“Two problems…” As if responding, Wu Sheng’s questioning voice came from above. “First, A is already C’s guardian spirit, so how can he leave C? Second, three people fighting against numerous fierce spirits and winning is illogical.”
Xu Wang wanted to applaud his advisor!
But Zhao Yukan’s response was quicker, still confident, and composed. “According to the rules, since the Owl didn’t question me, my continuation is valid. But since we’re all playing at the same table and you’ve asked, I’ll convince you completely…”
“First, A becoming C’s guardian spirit is a contract made in the living world, and this is the underworld, where earthly contracts don’t apply. Even if they did, it was C who asked A to stay in the basement, so A obeying his employer is reasonable…”
“Second, you’re misrepresenting the concept. It wasn’t numerous fierce spirits, but rather spirits. Fierce spirits are difficult to fight, but spirits, well, they’re weak. Besides, humans are afraid of ghosts to some extent, but ghosts are more afraid of humans*. Plus, there’s Passionate Athlete D. With his righteousness, sweeping to victory shouldn’t be a problem.”
*This comes from an old Chinese proverb: People are 30% afraid of ghosts, while ghosts are 70% afraid of humans. It’s used to express the idea that often our fears are exaggerated, and the thing we fear might be more afraid of us than we are of them.
Hearing this, Xu Wang and Fair Face slowly turned their heads to look at Passionate Athlete D, Wine Red.
Wine Red looked up, silently accusing the instigator, “Who the hell gave you such confidence?!”
“Ding—”
As the 5-minute countdown for the game room’s rest time began, the battle in the storyline kicked off.
In the corridor on the first floor of the teaching building where Xu Wang, Fair Face, and Wine Red stood, a tidal wave of spirits surged in!
In the basement, Melancholic Boy A, Le Xing, listened to the commotion above and felt genuinely melancholic. “Kankan, you’re really drawing a lot of hate with this game. If this round doesn’t get rid of Classmate B, I reckon your team captain, me, won’t have good days ahead either…”
On the plot broadcast wall in the small black room, Boy A (Le Xing), Passionate Athlete D (Wine Red), and Detective C (Fair Face) finally defeated the bed-pressing malevolent ghost. The battle lasted four and a half minutes.
Optimistic Classmate B (Xu Wang) put his hands behind his head and looked at the three dispirited faces on the plot broadcast wall. Although he couldn’t join the fray, he was spiritually with his “drama group partners”. “I’m not intentionally being lazy. It’s just that the plot doesn’t need me…”
Before the countdown started, the narrator Zhao Yukan’s original words were—
[The ghosts of Boy A and Passionate Athlete D, along with High School Detective C, joined forces to repel the malevolent ghost, but…]
But what?
Optimistic Classmate Xu Wang was full of anticipation for this next twist in the story.
“Ding—”
The end of the countdown sounded in the broadcast wall of the game room.
Wu Sheng, Long Legs, and Elegant Gray all looked at Zhao Yukan simultaneously, waiting for him to continue his “but”.
Zhao Yukan’s gaze twinkled behind his glasses, and he spoke more gently and fluently than before. “The ghosts of Boy A and Passionate Athlete D, along with High School Detective C, joined forces to repel the malevolent ghost, but… at a price, Boy A’s soul was scattered to the winds…”
Zhao Yukan: Story Card 4 — [Soul Scattered to the Winds]
“Damn, you don’t have to be so harsh on your own character card…” Elegant Gray felt sorry for Boy A. “Bullied, committed suicide, became a ghost, and then destroyed a second time?”
“It’s not about being harsh or not; it’s about the story’s logic,” Long Legs challenged. “They’re all ghosts. Why does Boy A’s ghost scatter to the winds after the battle, while Passionate Athlete D’s ghost remains unharmed?”
Zhao Yukan replied calmly, “Passionate Athlete D was physically fit and loved sports in life; hence, his soul was of higher quality.”
Long Legs: “……”
What the hell? Somehow that made sense, and he felt an urge to start exercising as soon as he got home!
Xu Wang held his forehead as he watched the broadcast wall, feeling a bit sorry for Long Legs, who was speechless. The rules had been clear: if the story became extremely illogical, the Owl would have interrupted. Since the Owl hadn’t spoken, it meant Zhao Yukan’s storyline was accepted. Instead of questioning, it was better to think about how to use his own story cards to continue.
Just as he was worrying about the narrators, a second person suddenly appeared in the small black room.
Le Xing, the soul-scattered Melancholic Boy A, had returned.
“You have the luck of the gods,” Xu Wang shifted to make space for his “drama group colleague” who had finished his role, genuinely envious.
Just a few cards in and he’s already soul-scattered, meaning no matter how the story goes, it has nothing to do with him. He doesn’t have to follow the plot or risk failing.
If this round required a win-win for both “narrators” and “plot characters”, Le Xing had already secured 50%.
“It can’t be helped. My Kankan is all brains.” Le Xing lay down, adopting a similar position to Xu Wang, hands behind his head, fully relaxed. “Pray that your narrator catches on soon too.”
Xu Wang froze.
He hadn’t thought much about it earlier, just felt that Le Xing was lucky to get Melancholic Boy A, a character seemingly doomed early on.
But now, considering Le Xing’s words…
Xu Wang suddenly widened his eyes, looking at Zhao Yukan on the game room broadcast wall, finally realizing that this guy did it on purpose!
Zhao Yukan had guessed the hidden “second battlefield” behind that abrupt “5-minute break”. Even if he wasn’t 100% accurate, his direction was definitely right, so he used the plot to completely write off Boy A, freeing his own “character story card” while also gaining a head start to victory!
Looking at Zhao Yukan, then at Wu Sheng, Captain Xu couldn’t stay calm anymore.
Forget about competing for anything else. Just compete through intelligence!
Xu Wang focused all his attention on Wu Sheng, wishing he could telepathically urge him—Wake up! Someone’s showing off in front of you!
…..
In the game room.
Wu Sheng’s ear itched inexplicably. He pressed it to relieve the itch.
Zhao Yukan continued his story. “After A’s soul scattered, the ghost of Passionate Athlete D told Detective C that he died from a cursed letter, but after his death, that letter disappeared…”
“Hold on,” Long Legs interrupted again. “With such a huge commotion from the ghost battle, especially in Detective C’s bedroom, didn’t his parents react at all?”
“Why do you have so many questions?” Elegant Gray was displeased. “Twice now, just when the atmosphere builds, you question, turning a good story into a mess.”
Long Legs was speechless. “Brother, are you really enjoying this board game? You’re here to compete!”
“……” Elegant Gray suddenly realized his stance might have been a bit off.
Compared to him, Zhao Yukan, the actual subject of the questioning, seemed rather pleased.
Whether it’s a game or a competition, it’s no fun if everything goes smoothly without any challenge.
“Detective C doesn’t live with his parents. His parents,” Zhao Yukan thought for a moment and then had an explanation, “are usually abroad.”
“……” Wu Sheng silently looked up at the ceiling.
Adding one’s own setting and getting hit by someone else’s setting creates subtly different feelings.
“Oh—” Long Legs, hearing the explanation, drew out his words with a mysterious smile.
Zhao Yukan’s gaze behind his glasses paused, sensing a certain premonition.
“Sorry, but you’ve hit my keyword.” Long Legs flipped out his third story card.
Long Legs: Story Card 3 — [Parents]
“It’s a bit of a stretch calling it ‘hit’.” Elegant Gray was somewhat critical. “You mentioned parents first, and naturally, the person explaining would use that term.”
Long Legs shrugged. “The rule says if you touch on another person’s story card keyword, the right to narrate shifts to the person with that card. It doesn’t seem to say anything about ‘fishing for bait’, right?”
Elegant Gray: “……”
“Using the rules cleverly. How interesting.” Zhao Yukan’s lips curved into his first satisfied smile since entering the game room. “Please continue. Don’t disappoint me.”
“Listen well, then.” Long Legs was obviously prepared with the next part of the story. “Although the cursed letter disappeared, Passionate Athlete D still remembered its contents, so he recited it to Detective C. The letter’s sign-off wasn’t the sender, but an address, under the second tree on the west side of the XX High School playground…”
Long Legs: Story Card 4 — [The Second Tree]
“XX High School is the high school where A, B, C, and D attend. The next day, the first thing Detective C did after going to school was to dig under the second tree on the west side of the playground…”
“If I remember correctly, Optimistic Classmate B had promised to accompany C in searching for the truth?” Zhao Yukan gently reminded, in a spirit of unity and friendship.
“……” After pondering for a while, Long Legs reluctantly agreed. “Then Optimistic Classmate B accompanies Detective C in digging.”
He didn’t want to compromise, but following the main storyline, it was unlikely that B would ignore C digging by the tree, especially since there was something unclear and sticky between the two of them. Saying C dug alone was a bit unreasonable.
But…
Optimistic Classmate B is from Team 2, isn’t it? Why would Team 1 help Team 2 maintain their character setting? What’s the motive? Just a love of watching dramas with dual male leads?!
While Long Legs was lost in thought, Wu Sheng’s gaze had already swept over Zhao Yukan.
The latter returned a smile.
As expected.
Wu Sheng lowered his eyes, looking at his story cards, adjusting the plot—the opponent had made a move, and naturally, he had to respond.
Safe because your soul scattered?
Tsk, naive.
……
Inside the waiting small black room, Le Xing waved goodbye to Xu Wang, who was about to dig up the tree. “Good luck.”
Xu Wang twitched the corners of his mouth and quickly pulled a fake smile.
Before disappearing, he took one last look at the live broadcast wall in the game room. At the round table, Wu Sheng had been quiet again for a long time. His advisor wasn’t talkative, but neither was he cold. Xu Wang always felt that since entering this round, Wu Sheng had been unusually quiet.
But at that moment, those handsome eyes finally showed a shrewd, calculating light.
……
In the game room.
“Interruption.” Elegant Gray used his second interrupt card.
There were only three interrupt cards in total, and he knew he had to be careful. But with the current direction of the plot, if he didn’t pull it back, his story cards would really have no chance to come out!
“Fine, the shovel is yours. Continue digging.” Long Legs gave up the right to narrate, curious to see how the opponent would proceed.
“Classmates B and C start digging the tree, right? At that moment, they were discovered by the head teacher who shouted—” Elegant Gray slammed the table. “What are you two boys doing?!”
Elegant Gray: Story Card 3 — [Head Teacher]
Wu Sheng: “……”
Zhao Yukan: “……”
Long Legs: “Can’t you change the line!”
First it was Passionate Athlete D who shouted, and now it’s the head teacher! Where is the creativity?!
Elegant Gray didn’t care and continued in his head teacher role. “Damaging the school’s trees—fifty push-ups as a penalty. Don’t stop until you finish them!”
Elegant Gray: Story Card 4 — [Fifty Push-Ups]
“After they finished…”
“Ding—”
[Cheat Sheet]: Please pause the narration. There will be a 5-minute break, after which the game will continue.
Elegant Gray’s narration was abruptly interrupted.
He looked at his arm, puzzled. “Another break?”
Zhao Yukan and Wu Sheng remained silent, their expressions natural.
Long Legs frowned, trying to decode this weird sensation but still clueless.
Five minutes later, the break was over.
Elegant Gray continued, “After they finished the push-ups, they were asked to return to class, which was a physical education class…”
His narration echoed over the plotline’s playground.
The panting Optimistic Classmate B (Xu Wang) and the sweaty Detective C (Fair Face) exchanged a glance in despair.
They just did fifty push-ups and are now off to PE class? Does this plot have any humanity?!
In the game room, Elegant Gray played his cards without any psychological burden.
Elegant Gray: Story Card 5 — [Physical Education Class]
Wu Sheng and Zhao Yukan frowned together. Even the tall guy was displeased.
Elegant Gray had played three cards in a row, [Head Teacher], [Fifty Push-Ups], and [Physical Education Class], but the plot was obviously still spinning in place.
Is this even a story relay?
Just as Long Legs was about to protest, a harsh “beep—” sounded above their heads.
[Warning…]
It was the same calm voice, but with an added sternness.
[Warning to Narrator 3: Three consecutive story cards without advancing the main plotline result in a warning. The right to narrate now shifts to the person with the most remaining story cards. Be advised, from this point on, any narrator who triggers another warning will be deemed to have failed and must return home early.]
Hidden rules?!
The four were startled, but upon reflection, they realized this rule made sense. If every narrator just played cards for the sake of playing without advancing the story, there would be no progress.
Long Legs initially wanted to criticize Elegant Gray for forcefully playing his cards, but now that the latter had been officially sanctioned, his bewildered expression elicited some sympathy. “Look on the bright side, you did play three cards, right?”
Elegant Gray sighed heavily.
He knew his approach to the story relay was careless. He wanted to respect the suspenseful and thrilling storyline everyone was building, but who would understand the bitterness of having a hand full of “hot-blooded youth” cards?
[Narrator 2, please continue the story.]
Up to this point, Wu Sheng had played the fewest cards and automatically became the next narrator.
On the plotline’s playground, Captain Xu, who was “in PE class”, heard that it was finally his advisor’s turn to narrate and nearly cried with relief.
Narrator 1 Kankan had already secured Boy A in a completely safe zone, and now Xu Wang desperately hoped Wu Sheng would awaken. Even if not, at least let him follow a plotline that didn’t require physical exertion!
“Classmate B and Detective C decide to come back to dig under the tree at night when no one is around…”
In both the game room and on the plotline, Wu Sheng’s simple and clear narration resonated.
On the plotline, Xu Wang and Fair Face relaxed as the sky suddenly darkened.
The three in the game room listened intently. Narrator 2’s every word was crucial, easy to miss if not paid attention to.
“That night,” Wu Sheng’s slightly furrowed brows suddenly softened, “the moonlight was beautiful…”
Wu Sheng: Story Card 4 — [Beautiful Moonlight]
Zhao Yukan, Long Legs, Elegant Gray: “……”
Why does the atmosphere drastically change whenever it’s his turn…
“The two dug up a metal box under the tree, containing a diary from ten years ago. The diary detailed the suffering of a student from school bullying. At the end of his blood and tears, he cursed everyone to death. B and C believed his resentment turned into the cursed letter…”
Wu Sheng: Story Card 5 — [Metal Box]
Zhao Yukan, Long Legs, and Elegant Gray all turned serious.
The story had come full circle.
Though Narrator 2 always included some odd elements, one couldn’t deny that the story really gained momentum with him.
“Optimistic Student B, always kind-hearted, felt sad after reading the diary. C comforted him, and he was moved…”
Wu Sheng paused, then added uncertainly, “Or perhaps it wasn’t just being moved. Maybe it was the beautiful moonlight that made him want to kiss C. C, unprepared and scared, pushed him away…”
He paused, exhaled lightly, and then continued in a lower, murmur-like voice—
“Fear in the moment, leading to lifelong regret.”
Elegant Gray found himself following the story’s rhythm and desperately wanted to know what happened next. “And then?”
“And then…” Wu Sheng tilted his head, as if looking at his story cards or perhaps something else. “Optimistic Classmate B got angry and said, ‘I want to break off our friendship,’ and ran away, leaving C behind.” His eyes and brows carried a smile, as if the character in the story, Optimistic Classmate B, had charmed him.
Wu Sheng: Story Card 6 — [Broken Friendship]
Elegant Gray: “Isn’t B too fragile? Didn’t he willingly agree to help C with the investigation? Just because he was pushed away, he wants to break off the friendship?”
Long Legs: “Man, you’re taking this too seriously…”
“The playground, left with only Detective C, tries to burn the diary but can’t. Upon re-examining it, he discovers a curse at the very end, where the diary’s owner made a deal with the devil…”
“C recites the curse, using his own blood to trade with the devil. He reassembles the scattered soul of Melancholic Boy A, summons the ghost of Passionate Athlete D, and binds both ghosts to himself as guardian spirits, unable to say goodbye until the diary is completely destroyed…”
Wu Sheng: Story Card 7 — [Unable to Say Goodbye]
Elegant Gray: “What about the runaway B? Does C not care about B? What if B is in danger? He’s already involved!”
Long Legs: “Please wake up! He’s played four cards in less than two minutes—”
If he could reach, he would shake Elegant Man by the shoulders.
“Interrupt—”
Long Legs played his second interrupt card.
He feared hesitating longer would let the opponent bring the story to a grand finale.
Narrator 1, Zhao Yukan, looked calmly at Wu Sheng, his usual composure replaced by unprecedented seriousness.
He had the opportunity to interrupt and prevent the opponent from returning Boy A (Le Xing), but the opponent still had half of their cards left. Even if he could revert it once, the opponent always had a way to pull it back the second time, addressing the symptoms but not the root cause.
This story relay was getting interesting.
……
7/23 Plotline Space, Waiting Room.
Runaway Optimistic Classmate B (Xu Wang) temporarily returned offline.
He was greeted by Le Xing, who had already gotten up and was warming up.
“Even a soul scattered to the winds can be summoned back. Your team’s narrator is really something.” Le Xing, though unwilling, had to admit the continuation was well done.
Four cards played, a significant advancement in the main plot, logically coherent new developments, and even taking out his own teammate while pulling back the opponent’s plot character. This was about the best a segment of the story could achieve.
Le Xing took a serious look at Wu Sheng on the live broadcast wall, confirming that he too had grasped the real gameplay of this board game battle.
As Le Xing’s gaze returned from the live broadcast wall, he belatedly realized that the returned Optimistic Classmate B hadn’t acknowledged him. To be precise, since returning to the waiting room, Classmate B had been in a “dazed state”, appearing to have received some great shock.
Le Xing was curious, but before he could ask, he transformed into “Detective C’s guardian spirit” and vanished in a flash, heading back to the plotline.
Xu Wang sat down on the floor, dazed, sitting quietly for a long time, still confused.
Using a real experience with slight modifications in a story relay was efficient, and there was nothing wrong with it.
Optimistic Classmate B, throwing out the line “I want to break off our friendship”, was incredibly satisfying, and he wholeheartedly supported this plot point!
But what did “fear in the moment, leading to lifelong regret” mean?
Did it have anything to do with the main plot?
If not, who was Wu Sheng speaking to?
“So annoying. Ahhhhh—”
Optimistic Classmate B’s mentality collapsed.
The author has something to say:
Holding the story cards of four friends, writing a bit, my imagination just took off, making various emergency modifications. This story line is now what remains after numerous brainstorming ideas were ‘executed’. I can’t help but laugh and cry about it.
Up to now, the story cards played by the four people are as follows. If friends were to play this game, whose story card would you most like to get and what kind of story would you tell~ (～￣▽￣)～
Wu Sheng: [Optimistic Classmate B], [Good Friend], [Willing to Take the Risk], [Beautiful Moonlight], [Iron Box], [Broken Friendship], [Unable to Say Goodbye]
Eternal Day City, the liaison office of the Temple of Life.
“I suspect that ‘Drake’ is not only part of Paradise but also holds a high status within it,” Eugene reported calmly. His face was marked with the sweat of a hurried return.
The archbishop’s aged voice came through the communication crystal. “What’s your basis, child?”
“The Manor incident. Paradise has never publicly showcased their victory, and the mysterious origins of the major contributor, Drake, remain unexplained,” Eugene said. “This time, Drake once again acted alongside two individuals from Paradise, defeating the remnant soul of the ancient Demon King. If it’s a coincidence, it’s too much of one—Paradise has never explicitly claimed Drake as their own, but they haven’t denied it either, which likely means it’s intentional.”
“Drake previously claimed to be a pantheist of the Goddess, yet willingly associates with a traitor like Painter, which makes his stance somewhat questionable. Moreover, he possesses dragon blood, fitting Paradise’s standard for ‘special monsters’.”
Drake’s silence on his affiliation was a subtle form of charity and a different kind of caution.
As long as Drake wasn’t officially part of Paradise, he wasn’t “Paradise’s Hero” but “Tahe’s Hero”. This way, the Temple wouldn’t have a direct conflict of interest with Paradise.
If they wish, they could even use Drake’s achievements to praise God. Paradise’s reluctance to take the lead probably aligns with this, tacitly agreeing.
…Regrettably, Knight Eugene despised charity.
He continued relentlessly.
“The oracles from the Eternal Church have been thoroughly investigated by my people. The only possible unclaimed oracle belongs to a survivor of the ‘Grape Collar Immortal Church Arson Incident’ years ago—if that survivor truly exists.”
“The survivor cannot possibly be Drake. Even the mad Eternal Church understands the consequences of provoking a dragonborn.”
For dragonkind, half-bloods were already a humiliation; if humans dared to experiment on a half-blood, Subelbot would personally burn Ice Rock City to the ground with dragon fire.
“In conclusion, Drake has a deep relationship with Paradise, and he doesn’t bear the oracles of the two gods. The Temple already has a standard judgment for such individuals.”
“…Only we, the Chosen Ones, can be trusted.”
The archbishop responded warmly, “Please invite Mr. Drake to the Temple as a guest. Within the Holy Land, malice cannot be hidden.”
“Yes.” After speaking, Eugene’s eyebrows twitched. “I request to use ‘Life Reading’ and ‘Teleportation Tracking’.”
“Life Reading… I’ve heard about Paradise possessing ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. It’s a good choice for finding hidden intelligent life.”
In the communication crystal, the archbishop’s thick eyebrows moved. “However, do you think Paradise might still possess teleportation items?”
“I believe it’s necessary to be fully prepared. After all…”
After a few seconds’ pause, Eugene closed his eyes. “My Lord, no one knows what the new Demon King looks like. We can’t rule out the possibility of the ‘new Demon King replacing someone’.”
“The Saints are protected by divine grace and cannot be dominated by evil, so we can skip them. Painter must be captured, and the remaining three are all from Paradise. All four individuals must be investigated.”
Meanwhile, on the circular island in the Endless Sea.
Painter stood on the gray-white rocks as the sea water repeatedly lapped at his bare feet. Over the past few days, his chin had grown a bit of stubble.
He clapped his hands, isolating everyone but Teest and Nol with a soundproofing spell. Fischer’s expression turned slightly unsightly, but he didn’t say anything, instead blocking Abandon’s curious gaze.
“Believe me, besides measures against ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, Eugene will also detect for teleportation magic. By my calculation, in at most half an hour, the related detection will begin.”
Painter smiled. “The ‘Black Candle’s Teleportation’ is a threat to anyone, and in my opinion, it’s not wise to reveal it now—I’ve heard the conditions for using this candle are very strict. You really have a way.”
Nol felt like he had somewhat of a headache.
With Eugene’s level, he must have already suspected “Drake” was related to Paradise. On this point, he left Paradise some room to maneuver—”A Midsummer Night’s Dream” aside. If they used teleportation magic now, it would be like posting “Hey, hey, I’m a high-ranking official of Paradise” on their faces.
Painter continued, observing Nol’s expression with a smiling gaze.
“The old foxes at the Temple will likely focus on finding Drake and bring him to Bissus, the Holy Land. Believe me, that’s not a pleasant place. The Goddess will see through you completely.”
Nol: “…Uh.”
No, thank you. Just the thought was torturous. This was tantamount to him delivering the newborn Demon King on a platter to them.
“You’re quite talkative today.” Teest snorted.
“I have no choice.” Painter sighed. “That’s Eugene… In my view, the two of you, plus Fischer, might even be considered ‘candidates for the new Demon King’.”
Nol felt guilty for a second.
Then, he caught on—indeed, theoretically, such a “replacement” could be possible. The system didn’t specify where the new Demon King must stay. The problem was, Painter must have also thought of this. Why would he…
Teest spoke first. “Maybe I am the newborn Demon King, and you’re helping me?”
Painter smiled.
That smile was complex. For a moment, the frivolous air incongruent with his age vanished, his eyes suddenly filled with age.
“The so-called ‘gods’ only respond to high-ranking Chosen Ones. No matter what the Chosen Ones seek, no matter how much suffering remains on this land, the gods do not care—I’ve said before, in my opinion, ‘choosing’ should mean people choosing gods. Compared to gods who ignore everything, I prefer those with a softer heart.”
“Last night, I was close enough. After the Demon King vanished, there were not one but two new ‘god-like auras’. One stronger, the other weaker… It doesn’t matter who it is. If I’m not mistaken, you two won’t separate.”
Nol’s hair stood on end. Painter was just short of saying, “I know the Demon King is among you two.”
Nol looked into those eyes, resembling green fluorite. He found no fear, no caution, no subservience—there was only calmness in Painter’s gaze.
“Don’t worry, Miss Anakin probably hasn’t noticed. The perceptions of people not of this world are quite dull. Fischer’s level isn’t high enough to distinguish that clearly,” Painter calmly added.
Teest’s fingers lingered on the “Betrayer”, gripping then loosening. Nol gently patted his back, and he lowered his hand again.
“I guess this is a sign of trust,” Nol said. “Does this mean you’re willing to share the secrets of the dragon race with me?”
Painter scratched his face, his smile turning from sorrowful to awkward. “Well, that’s possible. We can talk in detail later. But, look, about my reward for helping defeat the Demon King…”
It still came back to this. Nol didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Just name your price.”
Indeed, still a cunning old fox. Bringing up the price again at this time, he couldn’t help but reconsider the cost of “hush money”.
“You’re too generous. I really need to think this through!” Painter’s face glowed with excitement.
“It’s not over yet.”
Teest bared his teeth, as if Painter had directly reached into his wallet. “I’ve always wondered, how are you so sure that a ‘Demon King’ counts as a kind of ‘god’?”
Painter waved his hand. “My oracle is quite special. It allows me to make certain deductions.”
“What oracle?”
“Ah, that’s another price, Mr. Mad Monk. Rather than worrying about my pitiful privacy, you should think about how to disguise and escape—the Investigation Knights aren’t so easily fooled.”
With that, Painter directly canceled the soundproofing magic, letting everyone hear the last part of his sentence.
The three Players cast odd looks at Teest, who was grinding his teeth, while only Fischer remained serious.
“The Investigation Knights will not target Players.”
Fischer stepped forward respectfully, bowing to Teest. “If it’s just about relocating the two Lords, I have a way.”
“As do I,” Painter said.
“I can give you both the identities of Eternal Church followers. We’re close to the borders of Shiva, and to the north is Gratice. Ice Rock City is the stronghold of the Eternal Church, and the nearby Temple’s power is weak.” Fischer straightforwardly ignored Painter.
“Heading north is a good idea, but don’t underestimate those guys from the Temple,” Painter persistently interjected. “The monks aren’t safe enough—they’ll probably turn everyone inside out. Except…”
Fischer slowly turned his head, casting a subtle glance at Painter.
“I think the Evergreen Nuns are a better choice.” Painter patted his chest. “I can play the perfect ‘old nun teacher’, guaranteeing no leaks. As for you… hmm, a little transformation will do.”
“…What?” Nol was bewildered.
Their previous conversation was so shocking, but he wasn’t as baffled as he was now.
Even he knew that Evergreen Nuns, like Evergreen Monks, were around sixteen or seventeen years old, not yet qualified to become official clergy.
The youthful Fischer might pass, but both he and Teest were over 1.8 meters tall—clearly adults. Pretend to be nuns? What kind of joke was that?
Now Nol truly believed that Painter didn’t care at all about the “Demon King” title. He dared to propose such absurd ideas to the newborn Demon King!
“First go to Gratice, then teleport near the Dragon’s Lair in the Temple’s detection blind spot? Mm.” Fischer nodded.
‘Fischer didn’t care… Well, as a former cultist of the Eternal Church, he probably didn’t have something like a “bottom line”,’ Nol thought to himself, speechlessly.
“Then why are you coming along?” Teest clicked his tongue at Painter.
Nol incredulously looked at those around him—wait, are you sure that’s the point?
“Being by your side is the safest. That’s one reason,” Painter said cheerfully. “And secondly, the secrets of the dragon race—such things aren’t suitable to be discussed in secret. It’s safest told by a dragon itself! I can introduce you to my friends in the Dragon’s Lair for free, offering guidance services.”
“…Damn.” Teest looked displeased.
“That’s settled then,” Fischer said.
Nol painfully looked towards the three Players—Abandon and Solo’s gazes wandered, while Anakin’s gaze carried a bit more pity. Different reactions, but the same schadenfreude.
“Are you sure…” Nol desperately gestured at his and Teest’s height.
“The Investigation Knights won’t notice…” He mercilessly went on, revealing the muscular physique under the Mad Monk’s fabric.
“…We’re men?” Finally, Nol tugged at his and Teest’s distinctly masculine faces.
“I can solve that problem,” Fischer said, warily scanning the three Players. “It’s not suitable to discuss here. We’ll talk later.”
……
After nearly a day’s effort, Hot Ash finally sent the elite group up the Brick Mountains.
As Eugene guessed, Amazon had made perfect preparations for reception. From assisting down the mountain to arranging the camp for the injured, everything was fully prepared. Descending the mountain hardly cost him any effort, and Hot Ash finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He shared everything that happened in Brick Shadow without reservation with Amazon’s leader, Dorothy.
Next, it was just praying for the safe return of the rest, and if they could bring back news of the Demon King, that would be even better…
The news he received far exceeded his wildest imagination—Anakin had found some formidable people from who knows where, who directly dealt with the ancient Demon King. The system immediately released a main quest, with rewards that were very tempting.
Not having a conflict with Paradise was really great. This was a surefire main storyline force!
“The quest says, ‘ God will fulfill your wish’.” Hot Ash spoke with anticipation. “Meaning, as long as we defeat the newborn Demon King, everyone can go home!”
Dorothy didn’t seem as excited. She slowly scrolled through the quest description, chewing on every word.
“The ancient Demon King’s death is a bit mysterious,” she said in a deep voice. “The tough nut that the so-called two gods couldn’t crack back in the day, was taken down by a small team of mortals?”
“It’s definitely that kind of trope. The two gods struggle with the Demon King, both sides suffer, and then a hero of the era delivers the final blow—next, we get on good terms with those heroes, and also with Paradise…”
As a professional gamer, Hot Ash was actually quite young. The moment he saw hope of returning home, his leadership aura vanished, and he became like a child dancing with joy.
“I have my reservations.” Dorothy shook her head. “Hermitage, an organization without faith, has received this too. Things are a bit delicate… If religion isn’t a mandatory choice in this world, why is the reward a ‘promise from God’? The system could have directly made the reward ‘any wish of the Player’.'”
“Dong Jie, nitpicking like this is no fun.” Hot Ash felt as if he was doused with cold water. His tone slightly shifted unhappily. “I didn’t even fuss about you not coming to the rescue… Aren’t you being overly cautious?”
“As long as people can truly die here, no amount of caution is too much.” Dorothy pursed her lips. “I suggest we—”
Before she could finish, two of her subordinates almost simultaneously entered the tent.
One was bubbling with excitement. “Anakin and the others are back!”
The other looked puzzled. “A messenger from the Alva Merchant Group requests an audience.”
Outside the tent.
Surrounded by many beautiful girls, Abandon consciously sucked in his stomach, trying to stand straight.
Even if it was a win by lying down, he participated in the subjugation of the Demon King. Not only did he level up several times, but he also brought back the white steel longsword “Knight’s Loyalty”. Following Paradise turned out to be the right gamble!
Just before entering the camp, Anakin made him sign a weird system contract—about the Master of Paradise and his succubus knight, Abandon couldn’t reveal a single word to the outside, and had to pretend to know nothing if asked.
Filled with gratitude for being led by Paradise, Abandon signed very decisively. Only afterwards did he start to feel something was amiss. “Why though?”
“Paradise wants to keep a low profile. They were just helping me with a quest. Who knew we’d run into Eugene and the others.”
Anakin put on a stern face, exuding the aura of a formidable senior. “I’ll report to Hot Ash. If you accidentally spill the beans to someone with bad intentions, our relationship with Paradise could be ruined.”
“Then I’ll definitely not say a word! The team leader is like my own brother!” Abandon patted his chest loudly.
Having gained a great advantage, he still had this much loyalty. “But there can’t be a mole inside the Saints Guild, right? We’re all comrades-in-arms…”
“That’s not necessarily true. Some people have bad brains, some people can’t keep their mouths shut, and some idiots have both problems.”
Sensing a presence not far away, Anakin lifted her head, her mouth twitching. “…The perfect example just showed up.”
A few steps away stood a representative from the Alva Merchant Group.
This time it wasn’t the arrogant Barto, but “Golden Sword” Enbillick Alva himself.
The Alva Merchant Group seldom ventured into such dangerous territories, let alone sent such a high-profile envoy. Golden Sword couldn’t have teleported here. He must have set off days ago—Barto, that idiot, must have leaked the information sent to Amazon.
“Good afternoon, beautiful miss.” Enbillick smiled and gave a hat-tip greeting.
……
“You two need to drink this.” Fischer carefully took out two small bottles.
Nol recognized the familiar scent. It was somewhat like the “Time Reversion” blood potion, but with slight differences. The deadly smell couldn’t even be contained by the bottle, bringing back unpleasant memories and making Nol’s stomach churn.
“What is this?” Teest asked, pinching his nose.
“The Investigation Knights excel at uncovering magic. We can only use this.” Fischer explained, “This is an ‘Age Reversal’ blood potion, capable of reversing a person’s physical age. The potion is distributed once every thirty years, only available to archbishops and above—each bottle can reverse ten years, so the more you work, the more you get.”
No wonder Fischer appeared so youthful.
“I specifically diluted and adjusted it, reducing age by ten years, with effects lasting a week. There’s no need to worry about changing your constitution.”
Nol: “……”
The Eternal Church really does have everything.
He looked despairingly at the Endless Sea, accepting the bottle.
The author has something to say:
The new Demon King and Doom Knight, stepping onto the stage of history!
But in nun’s clothing (.
Kinky Thoughts:
Oh, do I sense some throwbacks to Stray? Adrian drinking that age reversal potion… Them sneaking into a school… Nian Zhong was like… I really like that university arc. Let’s amp it up a bit and have the MCs cross dress this time.
Damn… Now I need fanart of Nemo and Ollie in nuns clothing.
In situations that were clearly traps, who else should step up if not the team captain?
Kuang Jinxin was a bit worried. “Captain…”
“Maybe you should choose someone with higher combat ability,” Chi Yingxue suggested sensibly.
Xu Wang patted Kuang Jinxin on the shoulder with his left hand. “Don’t worry.” Then he patted Chi Yingxue with his right hand. “The NPC for the submission might just be in the storyline. If you go too wild upfront…”
Chi Yingxue thought for a moment and admitted, “Then I really can’t guarantee his safety.”
Qian Ai: “……”
Are you crazy enough to even attack the submission NPC…
“Ding—”
The narrative participant was chosen, and a new prompt appeared on Xu Wang’s arm.
His three teammates gathered around to read it together.
[Cheat Sheet]: You have been selected as the narrative participant. Please note, the following actions will be judged as task failure: 1) Incomplete execution of the story plot; 2) Cross-team attacks not required by the storyline.
Chi Yingxue: “……”
Kuang Jinxin: “We really have to follow the story continuation line…”
“You just pray he doesn’t make me write code.” Captain Xu looked gloomily at the broadcast wall, leaving everything to fate.
The other three teams also gradually selected their narrative participants, namely Le Xing, Fair Face, and Wine Red.
Despite their different personalities, after reading the rules, they all instinctively looked at the broadcast wall, their eyes filled with deep worry about the road ahead.
In the game room, the four participants were still focused on constructing the logical relationships of their story cards, unaware that their teammates’ fates were now bound to their creativity.
Finally, the solemn voice sounded again in both rooms—
[Preparation time is over. Storyteller number 1, please begin your story.]
Wu Sheng looked at his “number 2” tag, maintaining his composure, though there was a hint of unease in his heart.
“The person who has spent the least time here tells the story first.” This rule was clearly meant to let newcomers lead, to make up for the lack of combat experience. He had thought he would be this “strongest newcomer”.
Entering the Owl for 49 days with a record of 7/23, despite spending over a month in the Endless Sea and not retreating at all, skipping 5/23 directly, his progress was still not the fastest in the newcomer teams?
“Well, I’ll start then.” Zhao Yukan, with the “number 1” tag, smiled politely at his three companions. His gaze behind his glasses was calm and collected. “There was a high school student—let’s call him the Melancholic Boy A—introverted by nature, suffering from school bullying…”
Zhao Yukan: Story Card 1 — [Melancholic Boy A]
“One day after school, Boy A was bullied again. As his tormentor left, Boy A found a cursed letter on the playground. The letter stated that he must pass this letter to someone else, or he would die.”
Zhao Yukan: Story Card 2 — [Cursed Letter]
“Boy A, having picked up the letter, decided to give it to the classmate who bullied him the most…”
“Interruption!” Elegant Gray looked at his own story card full of positive energy and couldn’t bear to listen to the increasingly sinister tale.
Zhao Yukan shrugged, giving up the right to continue the story.
Wu Sheng and Long Legs continued to observe, listening intently.
“Boy A was preparing to give a cursed letter to the classmate who bullies him, right?” Elegant Gray took a deep breath and continued firmly. “Just as Boy A was about to give the cursed letter, Passionate Athlete D from the same class appeared at the classroom door and shouted loudly, ‘What are you doing!'”
Elegant Gray: Story Card 1 — [Passionate Athlete D]
“Boy A told Passionate Athlete D the truth. D strongly disapproved of his revenge plan, telling A that to truly stand up to evil, he needed to strengthen himself. As a classmate, he offered to help A get in shape by exercising…”
Elegant Gray: Story Card 2 — [Exercise]
“Interruption!” Long Legs couldn’t bear it any longer, seeing a cruel youth story turn into a passionate campus tale. If he waited longer, who knows where this style of plot would go!
“Ah, exercise, right.” Long Legs breathed deeply, continuing resolutely, “Passionate Athlete D started running with Boy A on the playground. Since they were always running, A never found the chance to pass on the letter. Worried about the curse, he secretly put the letter in D’s backpack when D wasn’t looking. The next day, D died…”
Wu Sheng: “……”
Zhao Yukan: “……”
Elegant Gray: “You just killed my sports student! Where’s your story card?!”
“Hold on, it’s coming… The police investigated Passionate Athlete D’s death but found nothing suspicious. It was eventually ruled as a heart attack, but one person believed there was more to D’s death. He was D’s classmate, High School Detective C…”
Long Legs: Story Card 1 — [High School Detective C]
Wu Sheng, Zhao Yukan, Elegant Gray: “……”
Great, Conan is here. Now, even if a string of deaths occurred, they had no choice but to accept it.
“High School Detective C found D’s death suspicious and was determined to investigate. Boy A, guilty and afraid of being exposed, took matters into his own hands. Deciding to eliminate all threats, he poisoned C…”
Long Legs: Story Card 2 — [Poison]
“Interruption.” Finally, Advisor Wu Sheng spoke for the first time in the game room.
Long Legs, in the midst of excitement, was frustrated by the interruption.
Zhao Yukan and Elegant Gray eagerly waited to see what kind of story this composed opponent would tell.
“The whole process of the poisoning was witnessed by Optimistic Classmate B…”
Wu Sheng: Story Card 1 — [Optimistic Classmate B]
“Optimistic Classmate B and High School Detective C were good friends. B saw A poisoning C’s water glass and immediately called the police. The police quickly arrived and took Melancholic Boy A away…”
Wu Sheng: Story Card 2 — [Good Friend]
“Detective C insisted on investigating D’s death, suspecting A, but couldn’t figure out the method. Optimistic B said, ‘I’ll accompany you.’ C said it could be dangerous. B replied, ‘I’m willing to take the risk.'”
Wu Sheng: Story Card 3 — [Willing to Take the Risk]
“Hold on.” Long Legs couldn’t take it anymore. “Why is the story suddenly on fast-forward?”
Elegant Gray also felt overwhelmed. “Can you flesh out the story a bit more?”
Wu Sheng spread his hands innocently. “The logic is very clear.”
Long Legs, Elegant Gray: “But the narrative is too barebones!”
Wu Sheng sighed, considering that if both protested and the Owl imposed a penalty, it would be counterproductive. He tried to recall how his team captain usually expressed himself and tentatively embellished his outline—
“Optimistic Classmate B and High School Detective C weren’t only classmates but also very good friends. B often secretly watched C during and after class, and when C was absent, he would stare at his seat. Watching all day, he noticed A poisoning C’s water glass and immediately called the police. The police arrived quickly and took away Melancholic Boy A…”
“Detective C found out that he had been poisoned by Boy A and suspected him to be the murderer of Passionate Athlete D. However, since D died of a heart attack, Detective C couldn’t figure out how Boy A could have done this and felt that there was more to the story. He wanted to investigate further. The Optimistic Classmate B, sensing danger, didn’t want to let his most important Detective C venture alone, so he said, ‘I’ll go with you to investigate…’”
“Detective C also valued Optimistic Classmate B and didn’t want him to be in danger, so he tried to dissuade him. But the B said, ‘For you, I’m willing to take the risk…’”
Wu Sheng, with a dry mouth from talking, took a breath, frowned, and looked at the other three companions. “Is that detailed enough?”
Long Legs: “Enough…”
Elegant Gray: “Yes, we fully understand the subtle direction and orientation of the story…”
Wu Sheng looked at Zhao Yukan, who hadn’t spoken.
Zhao took off his glasses, gently wiped them, and said, “The 1.5x speed bone-thin logic text is actually quite good.”
After giving his sincere opinion, Zhao Yukan put his glasses back on and calmly said, “Interruption.”
Wu Sheng expected this and waited silently for what was next.
Zhao Yukan: “On the night High School Detective C decided to continue the investigation, Boy A hanged himself at the police station. His ghost, along with the ghost of Passionate Athlete D, appeared in Detective C’s dream, warning him, ‘Don’t investigate further, or you’ll be in danger too…'”
Zhao Yukan: Story Card 3 — [Dream Visit]
“Before the two ghosts could finish speaking, Detective C felt as if a thousand pounds were pressing on him. A ghost was slowly materializing on his blanket. Detective C realized he was experiencing ghost oppression1…”
Zhao Yukan: Story Card 4 — [Ghost Oppression1]
1(鬼压床) This is actually a term for sleep paralysis, where you suddenly become conscious but are unable to move your body while sleeping, giving it the name “ghost is pressing on the bed”.
“The ghosts of Boy A and Passionate Athlete D, along with High School Detective C, joined forces to repel the malevolent ghost, but…”
“Ding—”
A “four-in-one” notification abruptly sounded.
Zhao Yukan, who was narrating, and others like Wu Sheng, Elegant Gray, and Long Legs, who were either listening or planning their own storylines, were all stunned.
[Cheat Sheet]: Please pause the narration. There will be a 5-minute break, after which the game will continue.
Long Legs and Elegant Gray furrowed their brows. They felt something odd about this sudden break but couldn’t pinpoint what it was.
Zhao Yukan slightly tilted his head, and after two minutes, a flash of understanding appeared in his eyes.
Wu Sheng looked down at his story cards, and after a while, his gaze settled on “Optimistic Classmate B”. At the same time, the character cards of the other three participants, representing Boy A, High School Detective C, and Passionate Athlete D, also flashed through his mind—
One card per person…No, Wu Sheng quickly narrowed his eyes. They were a team. One character card each.
And now the storyline progressed to A, C, and D fighting ghosts together and a 5-minute break.
Wu Sheng let out a light sigh of relief. ‘Optimistic Classmate B, as long as everything is fine, that’s enough.’
……
7/23 Plot Line Space, Waiting Room.
After being pulled into the plot line by Wu Sheng’s [Optimistic Classmate B] card, Xu Wang left the observation room and entered a mysterious plot space, following his advisor’s narrative, walking along an unknown storyline.
He didn’t expect that in the space of the plot line, there would be such a waiting room for characters who had entered the plot line but were temporarily not needed on stage.
After Zhao Yukan used the “Interrupt Card” to interrupt Wu Sheng’s storyline, he was instantly transported from the classroom where he was talking to Detective C to this place.
There were two video walls here—one broadcasting the plot space and the other the game space.
On the plot broadcast wall, the scene had shifted from the classroom to C’s bedroom, where Boy A (Le Xing), Passionate Athlete D (Wine Red), and Detective C (Fair Face), were fighting fiercely with the bed-pressing ghost. The props were flying chaotically, with Wine Red and Fair Face occasionally accusing Le Xing during the fight—
“Is your team’s narrator crazy?!”
No wonder they were angry.
When following the plot, they could hear the narrator’s story in real-time. Even though it was another team narrating, they were pulled in to complete the storyline, which would frustrate anyone.
“Optimistic Classmate B.” Xu Wang looked at his advisor on the game room broadcast wall, not sparing any praise. “The character card you chose is very good…”
Not so gloomy, not so passionate, not so eager to seek the truth—truly a relief.
If there was a flaw to pick out, it was just one—
[B often secretly watched C during and after class, and when C was absent, he would stare at his seat.]
At midnight, the hands of the manor’s grandfather clock aligned, emitting a loud and profound sound.
The experienced team members had already put down their tea, packed their bags, and tidied their clothes, calmly readying themselves for the new battlefield.
With a flash of bright light, the five of them found themselves in a sealed room.
The room, about half the size of a classroom, had gray-white walls on all four sides. The ceiling and floor were also in the same color scheme, with no windows, no doors, and no furnishings—the entire space resembled a gray-white box.
Such an environment instinctively induced anxiety, but fortunately, after a few seconds, “colleagues” started to appear.
The first to arrive was a team called “Rainbow Assault Team”, falling from a purple vortex that suddenly appeared in the ceiling. Each of the five challengers wore the same style of jacket but in different colors: elegant gray, sky blue, wine red, deep purple, and bright orange. There wasn’t the brightest, only brighter.
Xu Wang’s team exchanged glances with them, capturing a sense of wariness in each other’s eyes, and then tacitly skipped the pleasantries. Each team chose a corner of the room to settle in, quietly waiting for what was to come.
Still, Captain Xu couldn’t help but whisper to his teammates. “That one in elegant gray must be their team captain.”
His four teammates agreed—given the same jacket, while others could only choose flashy colors, he managed to pick a cool and sophisticated shade. There was no other explanation except for the privilege of being the team captain.
Just as the two teams had settled, the center of the room’s floor opened up into a purple vortex, and five more people were delivered.
They were stunned for a few seconds, obviously new to this challenge and unprepared for the overwhelming gray and white, then they noticed the two teams in the corners.
Their reaction was normal when they saw the Rainbow Assault Team: quiet, silent, on guard.
But their expressions became much more animated when they saw Xu Wang’s team.
Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai, and Kuang Jinxin also widened their eyes in surprise.
In the enclosed space, eight friends simultaneously let out a “joyful shout”—
Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, Fair Face: “Fuck!”
Chi Yingxue and the fifth person from the other team looked baffled.
The Rainbow Assault Team frowned, unable to determine the relationship between the two teams. On one hand, Xu Wang’s team looked as joyful as if they had a “reunion with old friends”, but on the other, Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, Fair Face’s expressions looked like “enemies meeting on a narrow path”.
“Uh,” the first to speak was the fifth member of Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, Fair Face, addressing their Long Legs Captain. “Captain, I think I need a backstory here.”
Log Leg’s expression became very subtle.
This wasn’t a good story to brief a new teammate on.
Just then, a third team appeared.
A purple vortex opened in the wall opposite Xu Wang’s team, and five people entered leisurely as if through a door.
The captain was a handsome young man in his late twenties. He had his hands in his hoodie pockets and lively eyes. Upon entering, he surveyed Xu Wang’s team in Corner 1, the Rainbow Assault Team in Corner 2, and Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, Fair Face in the center. Finally, he waved to everyone. “Hi~”
Following him was a man in glasses, also in his late twenties, but with a more composed demeanor. His harmless-looking eyes occasionally flashed with intelligent insight.
The remaining three teammates entered simultaneously. One was tall and slender with fair skin and delicate features but a cold demeanor, like an ice beauty. Another was vibrant and sunny, with a smile even brighter than the captain’s. The last one was tall and robust, naturally exuding an aura of authority without needing to frown or glare.
The Rainbow Assault Team observed silently.
Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, Fair Face tightened their formation, wary and frowning.
Only Xu Wang’s team curiously observed, with the captain responding with a smile. “Hi~”
“……” Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, Fair Face alternated their gazes between the two teams, finally understanding the strange dissonance. These two teams had clashed with each other, and it was quite evident!
“Ding—”
“Ding—”
The sound of “twenty-in-one” echoed in the enclosed space with a reverberating effect, especially noticeable when it rang twice in a row.
All four teams checked their arms simultaneously.
[Roster]: You have 5 minutes of exemption time to choose [Retreat] or [Kick]. Countdown starts now.
[Cheat Sheet]: 15 minutes until the official start of 7/23. Don’t be late. Countdown starts now.
The first message was familiar to all teams since they had received a similar prompt in 6/23 when forming five-person teams. Any team in a five-person challenge would receive such a notification upon completion, facilitating those who wanted to adjust their [Roster].
The second message, however, was completely different from 6/23. In the previous challenge, teams in the banquet hall could enter the castle and start the challenge anytime after completing their lineup.
According to Chi Yingxue’s “spoiler”, this message was related to the nature of this challenge’s competition—it was a board game, requiring all teams to start simultaneously. If some teams arrived early and others joined later, the game couldn’t proceed. Thus, whether teams wanted to recruit new members or swap existing ones, they had to complete their roster adjustments within these 15 minutes. If they missed the deadline, even if they had a full team, they couldn’t enter the challenge and would have to wait until the next day.
“All three teams are here for the first time,” Wu Sheng said, lowering his voice after sneaking a glance around.
Xu Wang nodded. “Yes, but any team that has made it this far is not to be underestimated. We can’t let our guard down.”
Qian Ai’s brows furrowed in confusion. “How do you know they’re all first-timers?”
Chi Yingxue explained indifferently, “They’re still reading the prompts. The duration of their reading corresponds to processing and understanding unfamiliar rules.”
Qian Ai: “……”
Kuang Jinxin comforted. “Qian Ge, I didn’t notice it either.”
Qian Ai patted his head. “But you’re lucky…”
Whether cunning, intelligent, physically strong, or a bringer of luck to the team, Qian Ai, who couldn’t identify any strengths in himself, sank into anxiety about being kicked out of the team at any moment.
Fifteen minutes later, the room still housed the same four teams—surprisingly, no new teams had entered.
As the challenges progressed, the number of teams dwindled, something Xu Wang had anticipated but was now feeling acutely for the first time.
[Owl: 7/23 officially begins. Don’t be nervous. It’s just a board game battle~~]
“Ding—”
[Cheat Sheet]: Please select your participant. Chi Yingxue/Kuang Jinxin/Qian Ai/Wu Sheng/Xu Wang?
All four teammates looked up, unanimously focusing on the pre-decided candidate—Advisor Wu.
Wu Sheng nodded slowly and confidently, his eyes full of determination.
His teammates were reminded of his campaign speech during the day in the manor, discussing who would participate in the challenge—
With a sense of sure victory, the five members together pressed the selection.
Wu Sheng’s figure flickered and then completely vanished.
On one wall of the sealed room, a live broadcast image suddenly appeared. Wu Sheng was now in another room, sitting at a lavish round table with four golden chairs.
Soon, the other three teams completed their selections, and the game room’s round table was finally fully occupied.
Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, and Fair Face’s team chose their Long Legs Captain, the Rainbow Assault Team chose the man in elegant gray, presumably also their captain. The last team to enter chose the steady man with glasses. The moment he sat down, he gently pushed up his glasses, and just with that gesture, Wu Sheng, sitting across from him, seemed to sense a kindred spirit and looked over.
The young man with glasses nodded politely and said something.
Wu Sheng smiled back and replied.
The teammates in the observation room then realized, damn it, the live broadcast had no sound!
“Kankan? Hello—” The captain of the team with the glasses guy seemed undeterred, calling out to the broadcast wall again.
“Captain.” The sunny, handsome guy sighed. “Zhao Ge has said many times, he refuses this nickname.”
Before the one addressed as Captain could speak, the tall and robust one was already showing annoyance. “Xiao Dong, Zhao Ge also said not to reveal names casually.”
Xiao Dong looked at him pitifully. “Qi Ge, you just revealed my surname too.”
Burly Fu Qi: “……”
Innocent Dong Xi: “……”
“From now on, both of you are on mute!” Le Xing, the team captain who was close to revealing half of his team’s names, was on the verge of a breakdown.
Jing Jinglin, who had been quiet all along, gave a cool glance over Xu Wang’s team and Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, and Fair Face’s team and sighed. “It’s the same game, but we can’t share names with each other.”
Long Legs, Handsome, Stick Figure, Fair Face’s team: “……”
Xu Wang looked at his teammates with an indescribable feeling. “Do you guys have a sense of déjà vu…?”
Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin: “Feels like looking at our past selves…”
Chi Yingxue: “A low-budget version.”
“It’s starting,” Fair Face said quietly, looking at the broadcast wall.
In the game room, an owl hologram appeared in the center of the round table, and then the hologram dispersed, turning the entire table surface transparent. The transparent surfaces in front of Wu Sheng, Zhao Yukan, the man in elegant gray, and Long Legs displayed the same image—twenty face-down cards.
The four participants in the battle didn’t rashly touch anything.
As first-timers in this 7/23 level but seasoned players, they knew better than to act hastily.
Sure enough, in both the game and observation rooms, a voice similar to the “Owl’s” but more solemn sounded. This time, it wasn’t inside their heads but from the ceiling, as if both rooms had synchronized loudspeakers—
[Now announcing the game content…]
Everyone, including Xu Wang’s team, perked up their ears.
[This is a game of story continuation. Each participant has 20 cards in front of them, including 15 story cards, 3 interruption cards, 1 exchange card, and 1 conclusion card. Participants must use the keywords on their story cards to tell and continue a story, ultimately leading the story towards their own conclusion card.
The specific rules are as follows: Among the four participants, the one who has spent the least time in the “Owl” will start telling the story. Each time a keyword on a story card is used, the corresponding story card can be played. If the following three situations occur during the storytelling, the right to tell the story is transferred — 1) The story cannot continue, and the next storyteller can be designated; 2) If a keyword from another person’s story card is touched upon, the owner of that story card immediately plays it and continues the story; 3) If interrupted by someone else using an interruption card, the person who used the interruption card continues the story.
The exchange card can only be used when you have the right to tell the story. The user can exchange any card in their hand for a random card of the same type from another person.
The first to play all 15 story cards and 1 conclusion card wins.
Friendly reminder: 1) If the storyteller’s story is extremely unreasonable, it will be forcibly interrupted. 2) If the narrative between two story cards is too long, it will be forcibly interrupted.]
In the game room, the 20 cards in front of each player slowly flipped over. They could see their own cards clearly, but the others’ tables remained transparent.
In the observation room, the sixteen onlookers could no longer see any images on the round table and could only see the four players looking down at their tables, focused and serious.
At this moment, Xu Wang’s team’s emotions were quite complex—
Qian Ai: “Story continuation… Is it strategy, combat, or logical deduction?”
Xu Wang: “Language expression.”
Kuang Jinxin: “Sheng Ge… Can he do it?”
Xu Wang looked at the broadcast wall, his heart sinking.
Can he? Even Kuang Jinxin is doubting him, so he definitely can’t!
“I’m sorry.” Chi Yingxue sighed deeply. “I should have listened to the content and rules before giving up control of my body.”
“Ding—”
In the observation room, another notification sounded.
This prompt caught the sixteen teammates off guard, as the battle was about to begin. What could it be? And from the live broadcast, it was clear that the four participants in the game room didn’t receive this notification.
[Cheat Sheet]: Please select the narrative participant. Chi Yingxue/Kuang Jinxin/Qian Ai/Xu Wang?
Narrative participant?
Xu Wang’s team raised their heads, only to find the other three teams equally puzzled.
The sixteen teammates looked at each other in the gray-white sealed room, slowly enveloped by a shadow called “ominous premonition”…
After the secret spilled out, Gu Jie visibly relaxed, exhaling a huge sigh of relief as if unburdened. He ran a hand through his hair, his face still showing a hint of embarrassment. “Now you know why I was embarrassed to tell you, right?”
“……” Ran Lin truly didn’t know. At the moment, all his brain cells were occupied with trying to understand the complex familial ties that have been passed down through the centuries in Chinese culture.
Seeing Ran Lin silent, Gu Jie grew more anxious. “Actually…”
“Hold on,” Ran Lin interrupted him. “Give me two more minutes, just two.”
Gu Jie closed his mouth and waited earnestly.
Two minutes later…
“Alright.” Ran Lin looked at his friend, surrendering. “Director He is your relative.”
Gu Jie didn’t understand why it took his friend a full two minutes to grasp such an obvious fact. Nonetheless, adhering to the principle of full disclosure, he added details, “Yes, he’s the husband of the third daughter from the family of my maternal grandmother’s second sister, which makes him my mom’s third cousin’s husband, my third cousin’s husband. But my grandma only had my mom as a child, and she grew up playing with the three kids from her second sister’s family, so our four families are still very close. I call him ‘third uncle’.”
“……” Ran Lin felt like his head was about to explode. He was nearly compelled to grab a pen and paper to meticulously arrange the vast Gu family tree according to seniority.
Gu Jie misinterpreted the conflicted expression on his friend’s face, thinking he was upset about the secrecy. He rushed to explain. “I didn’t mean to hide it from you. It’s just… talking about nepotism is quite embarrassing.”
Ran Lin was momentarily stunned, pulling himself back from the intricacies of the Gu family tree, then couldn’t help but find Gu Jie’s comment amusing. “You waited nearly a year for this movie, letting your capricious uncle tweak the script repeatedly, delaying the start date over and over. May I ask, is there any relative more genuine than you?”
Gu Jie thought about it, finding truth in his friend’s words. “That’s true. My aunt has mentioned it several times at dinner, saying if it’s possible to shoot, shoot; if not, let Gu Jie go do something else. Don’t delay my nephew from making money with uncertainty every day.”
Ran Lin could almost imagine the tone and presence of Gu Jie’s aunt from his recounting. “Your aunt really cares about you.”
Gu Jie smiled, feeling a deep sense of relief, as if he had just run five thousand meters. Then, he moved his chair forward, facing Ran Lin, and said, “No one in the circle knows about this. Keep it a secret for me as a friend.”
“Not as a friend.” Ran Lin looked at him squarely. “But as a brother.”
Gu Jie was visibly moved. After all the turmoil from the day before to now, it was only at this moment that he felt clear skies and a beautiful life again.
Ran Lin finally pieced together all the clues, like how Gu Jie and Director He seemed too familiar at their first meeting, or how Director He agreed to have a meal with him upon Gu Jie’s recommendation, and how Director He tried every way to make Qi Luoluo admit that Gu Jie didn’t harass her in the conversation… All these could be explained with “third uncle”.
So, Ran Lin decided that in the future, during important discussions, don’t gasp for breath. Gu Jie’s phrase “I’m saying he and I aren’t what you think, we’re not buddies,” had nearly sent him down a wildly speculative path.
“Speaking of which.” Ran Lin looked at his friend gratefully. “I’m actually the real beneficiary of nepotism here. If not for our connection, how would I have had the chance to join the crew?”
“It’s not that.” Gu Jie shook his head almost reflexively. “I strongly recommended you, sure, but what ultimately convinced him was you. Before going to dinner, he told me, it’s clear cut. If you’re suitable, you’re in; if not, you’re out. It’s about the work—no room for personal favors.”
Seeing Ran Lin still half-doubtful, Gu Jie decided to reveal all. “I had to audition for my role too.”
Ran Lin was surprised. “You had to audition?”
“Yes,” Gu Jie said matter-of-factly, but then he lowered his head again, murmuring, “But I had a fast track.”
Ran Lin: “Ah?”
Gu Jie: “I could audition first. If I fit the role, they wouldn’t need to look for anyone else.”
Ran Lin understood. That wasn’t a fast track; that was like early decision admission for college.
……
Beijing, Wang Xi’s house.
Wu Xia pushed her laptop away and grabbed the quick curry and rice meal her boss had just made for her, devouring it hungrily. Wang Xi, past the age where she could eat anything without gaining weight, could only watch enviously as the young publicist enjoyed her meal.
After a whole night of busy work, Wu Xia finally felt her stomach growl at the smell of curry. Now, with hot food in her belly, she felt comfortably content.
“Xi Jie, I understand what you meant now.” Almost done with her meal, Wu Xia slowed down her pace, took a couple of sips of hot water, and then suddenly said.
Wang Xi, who was half-heartedly browsing Weibo, looked up in confusion. “Hmm?”
Wu Xia said, “About Ran Lin being a rare animal that we need to protect.”
Wang Xi smiled. “You get it now?”
“Completely.” Wu Xia nodded vigorously. “If my friends stood up for me like that, I’d feel fearless even if the sky fell down.”
“Everyone wants friends like that.” Wang Xi sighed lightly. “But it’s not easy to actually be that person. No one expected Director He to have the foresight, so Ran Lin’s stepping up looked like it would end with both him and Gu Jie being criticized and slandered.”
“But Director He happened to record the video, so not only did Ran Lin not get criticized, but he also garnered a large fanbase. It feels like fate.” Wu Xia looked up at Wang Xi. “Xi Jie, have you heard that old saying?”
Wang Xi raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Wu Xia spoke with emotion. “The good are bullied, but heaven doesn’t deceive*.”
*Proverb referring to how good-hearted individuals might get taken advantage of but will ultimately be protected or rewarded by moral order of the universe of a higher power. Basically, justice and truth will prevail, and those who are righteous and good will be vindicated.
…..
Tianjin, a certain hotel.
Lu Yiyao hung up the phone with her agent and finally felt relieved.
Qi Luoluo was beyond redemption now. She must be desperately trying to contact Gu Jie’s team, hoping they wouldn’t sue her.
Gu Jie and Ran Lin were both trending; their keywords, aside from clarifications and righteousness, were “owing an apology to the wronged”.
Lu Yiyao leaned back into the sofa, switching back to Weibo on her phone and continuing to check Ran Lin’s homepage with his alternate account—
[Three Visits with Compassion: With friends like these, what more could one ask for?]
[Gu Jie’s Biceps: This is what real brothers are like!]
[The Phoenix Flees, the River Flows: Idol, your presence is towering today!]
[Have You Eaten Your Burning Noodles Today: Are people with fairer skin more fiery when impassioned? 🤣]
[God of Postgraduate Entrance Exam, Bless Me: I became a fan because of Linghu Xiaodao, now oddly proud.]
[To be a Great Man in Life: I don’t agree with going under those ‘circle friends’ who didn’t speak up and mock them; maybe they’ve contacted Gu Jie privately, or maybe their relationship with Gu Jie isn’t as close as you think. In any case, speaking up or not is everyone’s freedom. So I’ll just continue to fiercely like Ran Lin’s posts—a real man!]
[Frozen Mandarin Ducks in Longjing Tea: Sorry, I’ve always been biased against you. You were clearly good in “Fallen Flowers”, and I said it was bad. Here, I sincerely apologize to you. Your fans are adorable too, Little Ran fans. Who came up with this name? 233333*]
*Slang for basically lol.
Lu Yiyao scrolled through each comment, sinking deeper into the sofa as he went, feeling at ease, relaxed, and a little self-satisfied with happiness.
His gaze lingered on the apology comment, and after a long moment, Lu Yimeng replied—
[My Ran Lin Is the Best in the World—Reply to @Frozen Mandarin Ducks in Longjing Tea: It’s from the quick Q&A session in the first episode of <National First Love Drifting Stories> at Guilin station. He chose it himself. As a fan, I also think this nickname is very cute ❤️ ❤️ ❤️.]
……
Beijing, Fan Li’s house.
Seeing the auntie head to the foyer to answer the door, Lu Yimeng sprung up from the sofa like a rabbit and scampered back to her room, covering herself with a blanket pretending to sleep.
But inevitably, two minutes later, the door was knocked.
Her mother, just back from a busy evening out, knocked on the door while mercilessly exposing her. “No point in hiding. The sound of you running upstairs was like an earthquake.”
Lu Yimeng sighed and, conceding, turned on the bedroom light and reluctantly opened the door for her mother.
“I’m your mother, not a debt collector. Why are you hiding from me?” Fan Li walked into Lu Yimeng’s room, still dressed in her evening gown from the social gathering, her face showing a hint of fatigue but her eyes as sharp as ever. “Don’t wait for me to ask. Speak up. What’s your brother urgently needing hotel surveillance for, especially from a place that has nothing to do with him?”
Lu Yimeng knew she couldn’t hide it from her mother, and even if she didn’t say it, her mother could easily find out by inquiring with the person who actually handled the matter. Her asking was just for convenience.
Although she was only involved in connecting her brother with the right people to get the video, and he hadn’t told her a word about the reasons, she wasn’t foolish. After observing Weibo all night, she understood everything. But facing her own mother, she could only provide a safe answer. “He has a friend in the entertainment industry who was falsely accused. They needed the hotel surveillance to prove their innocence.”
“A friend in the industry?” Fan Li frowned skeptically. “It’s not for his own sake but for a friend’s matter?”
“Yes.” Lu Yimeng hurriedly nodded. “It’s the one who he filmed a reality show with and recently visited in Wuhan.”
Having a true fan as a sister and a mother who always thought her son wasn’t grown-up enough, Lu Yimeng’s activities were never a secret at the Fan household.
Fan Li had some recollection of her son going to Wuhan as a “friendly visit” was a novelty for him, but who exactly he visited didn’t stick in her mind.
But now, for the same person, her son was coordinating an effort to retrieve surveillance footage from afar, which seemed intriguing.
If she remembered correctly, her usually reluctant son to use family connections last did so when someone slandered him for checking into a hotel room with a fellow actor from the same crew.
She could understand that, as it concerned his reputation, but this time it had nothing to do with him, and the urgency seemed unusual.
Fan Li understood her son well; he had only one friend he considered close, Huo Yuntao, in all these years in the entertainment industry. She had never seen him close to any colleagues. Fan Li always felt her son treated the entertainment industry as a workplace. Whether acquaintances or familiar faces, it was all about work. Coupled with her son’s inherently reserved nature, the sudden emergence of a “friend” who warranted a special visit and full-fledged assistance was worth noting.
“What’s that person’s name?” Fan Li was genuinely curious.
Lu Yimeng inwardly sighed, apologizing silently to her brother while honestly telling her mother, “Gu Jie.”
“Which Gu, which Jie?” Fan Li intended to clarify the name for future reference but changed her mind upon spotting the casually tossed phone by her daughter’s bed. “He’s an actor, right? Look him up on Baidu Baike for me.”
Lu Yimeng: “…”
Having a mother attuned to the information age could be quite vexing.
Obediently, Lu Yimeng searched Gu Jie’s information and handed it over for her mother’s inspection.
Fan Li wasn’t planning anything; like all overly concerned mothers worldwide, she just wanted to know as much as possible about her child’s activities and the friends they make.
Lu Yimeng leaned in as her mother scrolled down the screen, reviewing Gu Jie’s Baidu Baike once again with her.
Although not the first time, when she saw the line “He has loved sports since he was young and continues to keep fit, falling in love with free combat after shooting <Unyielding>,” her mood plummeted once more.
“What’s that expression?” Fan Li, who found nothing amiss in the information, caught the look of despair on her daughter’s face. “Is there something wrong with this person?”
“Nothing at all.” Lu Yimeng’s voice involuntarily rose. “Especially clean, very few scandals since debut, and all the colleagues he’s worked with praise him as a great person.”
If Fan Li had mind-reading skills, she would see Lu Yimeng was deliberately defensive.
But she didn’t.
And she certainly didn’t leap to the conclusion that her daughter was already fretting over future labels for Gu Jie—brother-in-law or sister-in-law; that’s the real question.
“It’s good to make more friends.” Fan Li handed back the phone. “Your brother might seem friendly to everyone, but he’s a bit cold at heart. Being an actor is one thing, but if he goes into business in the future, it’s better to have a warmer personality.”
“Mm-hmm.” Lu Yimeng nodded, as if profoundly influenced by her mother’s wisdom.
Fan Li smiled indulgently. “Get some rest early.”
Lu Yimeng watched her mother leave, and once the bedroom door closed again, she collapsed into the soft bed, finally breathing out a sigh of relief.
But one can only dodge the inevitable for so long.
Lu Yimeng lifted her phone, staring at the drenched fighting photo of Gu Jie in Baidu Baike, thinking, ‘I can only help you up to here. How you’ll get past Mom in the future is up to your fate.’
……
The next day in Wuhan was a bright, sunny day with radiant sunshine and not a cloud in sight. The intense summer sun was too strong, and Ran Lin was literally woken up by it, regretting not having drawn the thick curtains the night before.
However, the room wasn’t hot, as the air conditioning was diligently keeping the temperature at a comfortable 26°C. Ran Lin reached for his phone to find that it was only 7:30 in the morning.
No wonder his alarm hadn’t gone off, since they weren’t starting until 9:00 a.m.; he had set his first alarm for 7:40 and his last for 8:10… Wait, starting at 9:00? How are they starting without a female lead? No, wait, they do have a female lead…
Ran Lin suddenly realized that the “Qi Luoluo incident” last night had completely made him forget another matter entirely—Jiang Yi was coming today!
Since they agreed, Ran Lin hadn’t contacted Jiang Yi again. Trusting each other, he didn’t think she would change her mind, so all he had to do was wait for her arrival.
But her not changing her mind presupposed that their crew hadn’t encountered any last-minute hitches. Now, with the turmoil caused by Qi Luoluo, especially since the reversal of events last night was after 10:30 p.m., it’s conceivable that their crew was still in the center of public attention. And for a long time to come, <Dyeing Fire> would be tagged as a movie with lots of drama, likely to be dredged up again when the movie releases.
This has nothing to do with who’s right or wrong; in the public eye, all these events revolve around the movie <Dyeing Fire>. As an artist, joining the crew at this time, especially to replace the role originally meant for Qi Luoluo, would undoubtedly be a topic of discussion and attention, no matter who it is.
And it’s just a third female lead role, hardly worth so much sacrifice from Jiang Yi.
Ran Lin pondered for a moment, then called Liu Wanwan. As soon as the call connected, he asked directly, “Wanwan, can you give me the life production manager’s phone number?”
Liu Wanwan, who had been communicating with the life production manager, naturally complied. “What’s up, Ran Ge? Just tell me, and I’ll talk to the production manager.”
Ran Lin thought about it and decided it was just a simple question. “Ask if the car arranged to pick up Jiang Yi from the airport has left yet?”
“At this time, it should have left.” Liu Wanwan didn’t think too much, but after reflexively muttering, she promptly said, “Ran Ge, wait for me for half a minute. I’ll call right now!”
After hanging up, the phone rang almost immediately. Ran Lin picked it up to hear Liu Wanwan report, “Ran Ge, they’ve already left. They said after picking her up, they’ll head straight to the set. There should be no problem starting at 9.”
Evidently, the life production manager misunderstood his intention. But no matter, he just wanted to confirm whether Jiang Yi had changed her mind. After all, she wasn’t alone; she had a team, and it’s possible that her agent and the crew could communicate any changes.
Now it seemed Jiang Yi was coming as promised.
Ran Lin put down the phone, got up, stretched a big yawn, walked over, and drew open the curtains, letting the sunlight unabashedly bask over him.
Ding dong.
Suddenly, his phone chimed with a WeChat notification.
Ran Lin turned back, picked up his phone, and saw it was from the WeChat group of the <Dyeing Fire> crew. The scene recorder sent a message, no text, just an emoticon—a bouncing enthusiastic little head saying, [Ready for a hard-working day!.jpg]
……
Today’s scene wasn’t indoors, but a four-person scene by a small river outside the town—Jiang Xiaoxiao tracking the small shop owner Ying Feng got discovered. In the ensuing chase and fight, she falls into the water. Xiao Gu arrives shortly after and rescues Jiang Xiaoxiao as Ying Feng flees. Di Jiangtao, who had been hiding in the shadows the entire time, wanted to help Jiang Xiaoxiao but was too scared due to previous threats from Ying Feng. Internally, he struggles tremendously and ends up not stepping forward. As a result, after Xiao Gu rescues Jiang Xiaoxiao, he gives the cowardly Di Jiangtao a sound thrashing.
It’s one of several pivotal turning points in the movie where Ying Feng’s true nature is revealed, Jiang Xiaoxiao starts to develop feelings for Xiao Gu, and Di Jiangtao feels regret and shame for his cowardice for the first time, setting the stage for his later acts of bravery.
Taking on a water scene on the first day was quite a “tough” arrangement. But Ran Lin understood the director’s thoughts. Because this is a scene that heavily focuses on Jiang Xiaoxiao in the first half, both the emotional and physical demands are quite high. If she could perform well in such a challenging and nuanced scene right off the bat, then the rest of her scenes would be relatively easier.
In the current situation, as the director, He Guan didn’t have time to gradually test the waters; he had to start with a challenging scene right away.
Ran Lin arrived at the location at 8:30 a.m., and by then, the shooting site was already bustling. The riverside breeze did little against the scorching sun’s heat. Perhaps it was psychological, but Ran Lin felt everyone was bustling with an energy that rivaled today’s sunshine. Compared to the low spirits of the past few days, or even to the times when shooting went smoothly before Qi Luoluo joined, the current vibe was significantly more vigorous.
Temporary makeup stations with tables and chairs were set up, and as Ran Lin walked over, he coincidentally met Gu Jie coming out from makeup, looking surprised. “So early?”
Gu Jie stretched his shoulders and rotated his arms, finally cracking his knuckles. “I’m fully charged now, just waiting for the new partner.”
Ran Lin was amused, knowing what Gu Jie meant, but to the uninformed, it sounded like he was gearing up to give the new partner a good beating.
While Gu Jie arrived early, most actors arrived around the same time as Ran Lin. So just as he sat down to start makeup, Qiu Ming, who played the small shop owner, also arrived.
As soon as he sat down, Qiu Ming said, “Finally, we can work in peace.”
Ran Lin empathized with him; he represented the sentiments of the entire crew.
“We’re behind by over ten days,” Ran Lin sighed. “Looks like we’ll have to rush ahead now.”
“I’m not afraid of rushing work,” Qiu Ming said. “How many shoots are nine to five? It’s all about working overnight.”
Another makeup artist had come over. Qiu Ming straightened up, allowing the makeup artist to work on him, but still found time to say, “I was quite surprised Jiang Yi could come to act. How did you convince her? You didn’t deceive the young girl, did you?”
Qiu Ming, in his thirties, was still considered young in the entertainment industry. However, he saw those in their twenties, like Ran Lin and others, as younger brothers and sisters, hence his brotherly and affectionate tone.
Ran Lin couldn’t help but laugh at the question. “Am I that type of person? I told her from the start it was a supporting role. She’s been wanting to act in modern films and is particularly keen to work with Director He, so I just helped to connect them.”
“Hopefully the issue with Qi Luoluo doesn’t affect her impression of our crew.” Qiu Ming sighed. “If today’s shooting goes well and she joins the team, I think we ought to give her a banner for ‘rescuing us in a time of crisis’.”
Ran Lin agreed. “Yeah, and it must be embroidered with gold threads.”
Important characters always make a dramatic entrance. As the set was ready and all actors and crew were in place, Ran Lin had been fanning his face with a small fan, just like Gu Jie, for over ten minutes. The car sent to pick up Jiang Yi finally arrived.
Jiang Yi wasn’t late—it was just 8:50. The nanny van stopped right next to the shooting location, and Jiang Yi, the “firefighter”, stepped out under the expectant gaze of the entire crew.
For a moment, there was silence on the set, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the chirping of cicadas.
Jiang Yi, dressed in denim shorts and a watermelon-red batwing shirt, wasn’t very tall but was proportionate. Her hair wasn’t long, gathered into a ponytail at the back of her head, resembling a rabbit’s tail in length. Her good features and smooth forehead made her look full of vitality. She wasn’t immediately stunning but rather enduringly charming, like the girl next door.
She had seriously studied the role. Ran Lin could tell, because this wasn’t the Jiang Yi he knew. The one bouncing towards them now was the character Jiang Xiaoxiao.
The rabbit tail on the back of her head playfully swayed with her steps, bringing a breeze of cool air.
“Director He.” Jiang Yi greeted the director first before turning to everyone else with a loud, “Hello, everyone.”
Most of the crew members returned her greeting with a smile, and some even responded loudly, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Everyone was waiting for the clapperboard to snap—the success of this new Jiang Xiaoxiao would be decided as soon as the shooting officially started.
After greeting everyone, Jiang Yi turned her attention back to Director He. She was here to save the day and knew what she needed to do. “Director, I’ve already done my makeup in the car. If you think it’s okay, I can start now.”
The makeup artist had gone with the van to pick up Jiang Yi, and the outfit she wore was also changed in the car, so there was no doubt about her appearance.
Therefore, Director He only asked her, “Don’t you need to look at the script again?”
“No need,” Jiang Yi replied. “I’ve memorized it.”
Director He nodded in satisfaction and settled back behind the monitor.
Five minutes later, as everyone was in place, all eyes were on the clapper loader—
“Dyeing Fire, Scene XX, Take 1…”
Click!
“Why are you following me!” Qiu Ming went to grab Jiang Yi’s arm without saying a word.
Jiang Yi struggled free and dashed off!
Qiu Ming, after a brief moment of surprise, chased after her.
The camera on the track moved along with them.
After a few steps, Jiang Yi’s foot suddenly slipped on the edge of the embankment, causing her to stumble!
“Cut, pass!”
With the director’s cue, Jiang Yi steadied herself—slipping was scripted, but she skillfully shifted her weight to avoid falling.
The crew’s tension eased—though the embankment was safeguarded for falls, nobody wanted the actress to get hurt before the necessary shots.
This scene was just the beginning.
Soon after, with the embankment set up and the clapperboard snapping again, Jiang Yi, as Jiang Xiaoxiao, rolled down the embankment into the water!
There was a splash—Jiang Xiaoxiao fell into the water.
The river wasn’t very clear, tainted with a green tinge from algae, deterring even the most enthusiastic wild swimmers.
But Jiang Yi didn’t hesitate as she plunged in.
After the director called cut, the crew quickly pulled Jiang Yi ashore. Thankfully, the weather was hot enough to mitigate the cold river water. Still, the sight of her, once so vibrant and now dripping and disheveled, was somewhat pitiable.
Everyone knew this was a “trial shoot”. If it went well, both the footage and the actress would be kept; if not, both would be discarded. It felt like a collective assessment of the actress, which seemed quite harsh.
Yet, Jiang Yi was unfazed, waving off the towel offered by her assistant and calling out from the riverbank. “Director, let’s continue while I’m still wet!”
From her perspective, she couldn’t see the crew on the bank, but Ran Lin could see clearly. Her words had completely relaxed the atmosphere.
Satisfied with the “new employee’s” request, the director continued.
Jiang Yi re-entered the water. As the clapperboard snapped shut, she struggled convincingly in the water.
“Jiang Xiaoxiao—”
From afar came Gu Jie’s call—her hero had arrived.
Hearing the sound, Jiang Yi, while gulping down water, shouted her lines for help. “Xiao Gu… save me…”
Her voice, drifting to Ran Lin outside the camera’s view, sounded increasingly ethereal and pitiable, almost making him want to jump in and save her himself.
Splash—
It wasn’t Ran Lin’s turn to act; Gu Jie dived in instead.
“Cut, pass!”
Ran Lin thought he heard excitement and elation in Director He’s voice.
Acting was like that; once the rhythm and synergy kicked in, both actors and directors could get caught up in the moment.
By 11:30 a.m., the scenes of Gu Jie heroically diving into the river to save Jiang Xiaoxiao and their subsequent dialogue on the bank were all shot.
The director looked up at Ran Lin. “Is the emotion okay?”
Understanding what the director was asking, Ran Lin took a deep breath and nodded earnestly.
Director He immediately directed the crew to prepare for the next scene. For the current <Dyeing Fire> crew, time was of the essence, and every moment counted.
As filming progressed, no one considered it a mere “trial shoot” anymore; it was a normal, busy, and tense workday. But thanks to the cooperation of all departments, the shoot was going smoothly, providing everyone with the motivation to keep going despite the fatigue.
“Dyeing Fire, Scene XX, Take 1…”
Click!
As the tail end of the clapperboard sound drifted away, Gu Jie’s fist came swinging in the wind.
Ran Lin didn’t dodge or fuss; he just stood there, taking it…
By 4 p.m., the shooting in the small woods wrapped up smoothly. The crew immediately packed up the equipment and headed to “Di Jiangtao’s home” to shoot indoor scenes.
Ran Lin and Liu Wanwan were invited by Jiang Yi to ride together in the same car, giving the two “old friends” who had cooperated all day a chance to talk.
“How did I do?” Without any outsiders around, Jiang Yi skipped the small talk and went straight to ask Ran Lin.
Jiang Yi was naturally lively, and perhaps she hadn’t completely left the role of Jiang Xiaoxiao yet, as her eyes sparkled with a “seeking praise” glimmer.
Ran Lin gave a thumbs up, generously praising. “Perfect.”
Relieved by her friend’s affirmation, Jiang Yi exhaled deeply. “To be honest, I wasn’t this nervous even when I auditioned for <Chronicles of Winter>.”
Ran Lin understood completely. “Because during <Chronicles of Winter> audition, you only faced the director and producer. For our drama, you had to go through the entire crew’s assessment.”
Jiang Yi was surprised by Ran Lin’s perceptiveness. “Could you tell I was nervous?”
“I couldn’t tell at all. Your performance was flawless.” Ran Lin chuckled. “But I can put myself in your shoes.”
“I think the atmosphere of your crew is really great. Everyone works hard for this drama, and there’s no mess,” Jiang Yi said, clearly still excited, and when she got excited, she became talkative. “Director He is also very nice, even better than I imagined.”
Ran Lin corrected her with a smile. “Not ‘your crew’, ‘our crew’.”
Jiang Yi paused, then nodded hurriedly. “Right, I passed the assessment.”
Ran Lin was surprised. “Someone informed you?”
“No need for notification,” Jiang Yi said proudly, spreading her hands. “I can see the love in everyone’s eyes.”
“Oh?” Ran Lin drew out the word. “Who was just telling me how nervous she was?”
Jiang Yi rolled her eyes at him, unamused.
Ran Lin couldn’t help but laugh.
“What a great opportunity,” Jiang Yi suddenly murmured. “Qi Luoluo didn’t know how to cherish it.”
The sudden mention of the name stirred Ran Lin’s thoughts, and after a long ponder, he asked, “Did you see the fuss on Weibo last night?”
“How could I miss such drama,” Jiang Yi said. “Especially since it’s about the crew I’m about to join. No matter how laid-back I am, I have to follow the outcome.”
“Even though the outcome was good, taking over Qi Luoluo’s role will definitely stir up some talk,” Ran Lin said, wanting to give a friendly reminder.
Jiang Yi frowned in slight displeasure. “What do you mean I took over Qi Luoluo’s role? In my opinion, the role wasn’t hers to begin with; she was an interloper.”
Their habit of bantering from their last movie made Ran Lin instinctively want to argue. “Qi Luoluo, Jiang Xiaoxiao, how is it an interlope? Sounds like a good match*.”
*Clarity: Referring back to the meanings of their names and how their last & first names are basically opposites (opposed), which makes Qi Luoluo “fitting” to play Jiang Xiaoxiao.
“Please!” Jiang Yi retorted mercilessly. “The name doesn’t matter. What’s important is the surname. Jiang Xiaoxiao, right? The role should have the surname Jiang, so here I am, Jiang Yi, it’s destiny*.”
*Clarity: They are different Chinese characters but are homophones. Jiang (江) Yi, Jiang (姜) Xiaoxiao.
Ran Lin: “…”
Jiang Yi: “Any more questions?”
Ran Lin had none.
With an admiring nod, he faced his not-so-new partner, just like when they first met on the <Chronicles of Winter> set, extending his hand with a smile. “From today onwards, please advise.”
Jiang Yi shook the extended hand, smiling just like before. “Sure, sure.”
……
As the car drove along the bumpy country road, it didn’t prevent the actors inside from conversing—
Jiang Yi: “So what exactly is the ending of this play?”
Ran Lin: “Didn’t you get the script?”
Jiang Yi: “I did, but there was no ending. They said they’d give the ending after signing the contract.”
Ran Lin: “……”
Jiang Yi: “So why does Ying Feng want to harm Lao Zhang? And why, after discovering you were surveilling him, did he first try hard to eliminate his own suspicion, then later go all out to blacklist you too? Who do you really like, me or Xiao Gu?”
Ran Lin: “Lao Zhang is the one who set the fire that killed Ying Feng’s parents six years ago. Di Jiangtao was a witness back then, but he didn’t take it seriously. When the police asked, he carelessly gave a testimony that he didn’t know anything, and Lao Zhang got away with it. Then, not long after, he went to prison for robbery.”
Jiang Yi: “So Ying Feng targeted Lao Zhang for revenge?”
Ran Lin: “Right. And initially, he didn’t know Di Jiangtao was the witness who let Lao Zhang off. So when Di Jiangtao noticed he was watching Lao Zhang, he first tried to clear himself of suspicion…”
Jiang Yi: “But after realizing Di Jiangtao was the irresponsible witness, he wanted to take revenge on him too?”
Ran Lin: “Yeah.”
Jiang Yi: “That explains everything. So, who do you really like, Jiang Xiaoxiao or Xiao Gu?”
Ran Lin: “…I don’t have a romantic storyline in this drama!”
“The young man under the sun~~ Has your dream come true~~ In this cold world~~ Have you changed~”
Ran Lin had just clicked to share Gu Jie’s post and hadn’t yet managed to send it when his phone rang.
These days, since he wasn’t working, his phone was always in his hand, giving his lover a rare opportunity to call him directly without needing to send a probing text first.
“Hello?” Ran Lin’s voice echoed in the room, closed off and air-conditioned, as if it had a built-in reverb effect.
“Back at the hotel from your outing?” Lu Yiyao could tell from his voice.
Ran Lin had spoken to Lu Yiyao that morning, telling him he was planning to embrace the city with Gu Jie. His lover, well-versed in the art of disguise, had instructed him on various tricks to avoid being recognized without looking like a wrapped-up dumpling. Ran Lin didn’t find many of the tips practical but was sympathetic to his lover’s years of coping with fame.
“I had planned to go to the food street,” Ran Lin said, lying back in bed, sounding resigned. “But a call from the director brought us back.”
“Video call me.” As soon as Lu Yiyao said this, he hung up without waiting for a response.
Ran Lin, a bit flustered, had just exited to the home screen when a video call invitation popped up, filling the screen with a face. By now, he was used to his lover’s haphazard selfie angles.
“Did the director call you back?” Lu Yiyao picked up where they left off.
“More accurately, he called Gu Jie back.” Ran Lin sighed softly.
“Because of Qi Luoluo’s long post?”
“You saw it?”
“Yeah.”
Ran Lin looked at his lover on the screen with a mixture of feelings. “It seems like your crew really isn’t that busy…”
Lu Yiyao pulled back the phone, apparently placing it on a table, and said casually, “The actors are efficient, and the whole crew works well together, so we have plenty of time. We might even wrap up early.”
Ran Lin narrowed his eyes at him. “If you keep rubbing it in, we can’t keep dating.”
Lu Yiyao laughed, then asked with concern, “How is Gu Jie?”
Ran Lin shook his head. “He’s been with the director since he came back. I don’t know what’s happening.”
Lu Yiyao fell silent, his brow slightly furrowed in thought.
“I just got off the phone with Xi Jie,” Ran Lin continued, the frustration rising in his voice. “She says it’s hard to clear up this kind of murky situation. I don’t understand why it’s always the honest people who get screwed. Gu Jie is the most patient lead actor I’ve ever seen. You didn’t see Qi Luoluo at the set. When she NG’d, even the lighting and photography crew were exasperated, the director was about to lose it, but Gu Jie was still patient with her, doing it over and over…”
“Right.” Ran Lin’s eyes suddenly lit up. “We can release the NG footage. It’ll be clear whether Gu Jie bullied her!”
Lu Yiyao looked up and slowly shook his head. “What you can think of, her team has already considered. She never intended to go after Gu Jie for bullying her in the first place. The set is a public environment; if she was truly bullied, everyone would see it. Just one behind-the-scenes blooper reel from the director would debunk her claim. But if she insists Gu Jie harassed her, then even if the crew releases NG footage, she can claim it’s the crew whitewashing Gu Jie and the film. Plus, she can argue that the NG footage shows how Gu Jie was before he harassed her, being nice to her precisely so he could harass her later.”
“And she doesn’t even have to say that. 99% of the NG footage is from before she and Gu Jie acted together, because right after they started, it was Gu Jie who kept NG’ing, and then we went on location shooting. That night, Director He talked to her and terminated her contract.” Ran Lin felt disheartened again. “I thought we had found evidence to refute her.”
Lu Yiyao pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Has Gu Jie told you in detail about what happened the night of the alleged harassment?”
“Actually, he did,” Ran Lin replied without hesitation. “He came out of Qi Luoluo’s room just as I was leaving mine. We met in the hallway and then went to dinner together. He poured out all his troubles to me.”
Lu Yiyao touched his fingers thoughtfully, then said, “Then tell me everything in detail.”
Ran Lin had complained to his lover about Qi Luoluo harassing Gu Jie as soon as it happened, but at that time, they didn’t anticipate the situation escalating to this level, so it was a brief mention.
Now that Lu Yiyao requested the full version, Ran Lin, although puzzled, knew his lover must have his reasons. Without hesitation, he recounted in detail what Gu Jie had told him that night, almost not missing any detail.
The night outside the window was inky black, and the room was lit only by a bedside lamp casting a limited glow.
Ran Lin got up, turned on all the lights in the room, and then sat cross-legged on the bed to tell the whole story to his lover.
Lu Yiyao listened intently, and by the end, he sat up straight in a serious and attentive posture.
“…That’s what happened.” Ran Lin’s throat was dry from talking, so he got up, placed his phone against the lamp, like Lu Yiyao, and opened a bottle of mineral water to drink.
“You said earlier,” Lu Yiyao watched his lover intently, “that Gu Jie didn’t close the door after entering?”
Ran Lin paused drinking, swallowed quickly, and nodded vigorously. “Right, Gu Jie felt it wasn’t appropriate to close the door when alone with her, so he left it open. It was only later, during the scene, that Qi Luoluo closed it herself.”
Lu Yiyao frowned. “But the hotel surveillance footage they released doesn’t show the door.”
Ran Lin rolled his eyes. “That’s because of the angle of the camera. It didn’t even show me, but actually, I came out before Gu Jie. I closed my door, then Gu Jie came out.”
Lu Yiyao: “How many cameras are there in the hallway?”
Ran Lin was stumped. “I didn’t notice…”
Before Lu Yiyao could respond, Ran Lin was already up. “I’ll go check right now!”
Sounds of hurried door opening and closing followed, and in a blink, Ran Lin was back in the video, his face alight with excitement. “Three, one at each end of the hallway and one in the middle.”
Lu Yiyao nodded, understanding what he had suspected.
The video released by Qi Luoluo showed the surveillance camera positioned near the elevator, capturing only sections of the corridor to the left and right. Thus, in its range, it could capture Qi Luoluo’s room on the left side but not Ran Lin’s room on the right side, which was further away and closer to the end of the corridor.
This indicated that the camera was closer to the middle of the corridor. If there were no blind spots intended, there should be cameras at both ends of the corridor as well.
The camera near Ran Lin’s room was irrelevant to the situation—even if it captured him leaving at the same time and eventually joining Gu Jie for a meal, it would be meaningless for the case.
However, the camera at the end of the corridor near Qi Luoluo’s room was different.
In the video released by Qi Luoluo, her room was already at the edge of the camera’s view. Due to distance and angle, plus the intentionally sped-up video, it was hard to notice if the door was closed or not. But if it was another camera at the end of the corridor, it would have a closer view of Qi Luoluo’s room and could capture clearer details.
Ran Lin realized Lu Yiyao’s intent upon seeing the three cameras. “Although NG videos can’t fundamentally solve the problem, if the hotel surveillance clearly shows that Gu Jie didn’t close the door, coupled with the NG footage, it could at least prevent public opinion from being completely one-sided.”
“Yes,” Lu Yiyao said. “And if Gu Jie’s agent can gather more evidence or manage the PR well, this crisis might not be insurmountable.”
It hadn’t been long since the incident occurred and Ran Lin hadn’t had time to think through these aspects. It was likely that the director and Gu Jie were also still in shock. Now reminded by Lu Yiyao, Ran Lin immediately stood up. “I’ll go to the hotel for the surveillance footage right now.”
Before Lu Yiyao could respond, Ran Lin suddenly sat back down. “Almost forgot, I should repost first. Otherwise, I’ll forget once I get busy.”
“Repost Gu Jie’s Weibo?” Lu Yiyao asked, his voice lifting subtly with emotion.
Ran Lin initially planned to inform Lu Yiyao and then end the video to repost on Weibo. His question made Ran Lin reflexively wary. “Do you think it’s rash for me to repost his Weibo and take a stand in this storm?”
“What do you want in your heart? Do you want to publicly support him?” Lu Yiyao counter-asked, his voice still calm and collected.
Ran Lin took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, firmly saying, “I don’t want to just publicly support him. I want to jump in and fight for him!”
Lu Yiyao’s eyebrows rose in surprise at the first part of the statement, but he smiled when he heard the rest.
“Then go for it. Public support or fighting, follow your heart.”
“Xi Jie will kill me.” Ran Lin could almost imagine the future scolding. “And if Gu Jie can’t be fully vindicated, I guess I’ll get dragged down with him.”
Lu Yiyao’s eyes shone with a soft smile. “Even if you flop, I’ll be there to catch you.”
Ran Lin was half amused, half exasperated. “Then we’ll both flop.”
Lu Yiyao looked at him steadily. “Then I’ll just have to lift you back up again.”
It was an uncertain matter, but coming from his lover, it was filled with certainty.
Ran Lin held back his laughter. “Does that mean I can strut around the entertainment industry?”
Without hesitation, Lu Yiyao nodded. “You can even dance in the square if you want.”
Ending the video call, Ran Lin felt no more hesitation, only a sense of solidity.
With a press of his thumb, he sent the repost. Gu Jie’s pinned post. “I don’t look for trouble, but I am not afraid of it,” was now on Ran Lin’s Weibo homepage, echoing his own sentiments.
After reposting, Ran Lin searched through Weibo. His colleagues were all silent.
Gu Jie had been in the industry longer and had a smooth career. Although he was low-key, he surely had friends, but now, not one was speaking out.
That was understandable.
After all, the truth wasn’t clear yet, and the issue involved the sensitive topic of harassing a female actress. Even if people contacted him privately to offer comfort, it was best to stay cautious in public.
But Ran Lin couldn’t do that.
He knew the truth, and he couldn’t pretend ignorance.
After a round of searching, he returned to his own Weibo to find it a storm of comments—
[The World is so Big I Want To Go Slap-Slap: Not looking for trouble won’t get you in trouble 🐶]
[Crystal Palace: In society, I’m like Ran Ge, fierce and concise. One repost and it’s a storm, bound to crash eventually. 🤷]
[Calculus Flyby: Standing by someone at this time, how low can your IQ be…]
[Rich Fur Village: Of course, he’ll help his “good brother” from the same crew 😏]
[Die Straight-Male Cancer: Not looking for trouble but not afraid of it, so are you two preparing to team up and bash Qi Luoluo?]
[Lily Nijiang Sauce: I think it’s good. Saves the hesitation. Let’s just pack up and go to the dark side together 👋]
Whether it was because he had just been torn apart by Han Ze’s fans and had developed antibodies, or because Lu Yiyao’s words were energizing, Ran Lin looked at these negative comments with an oddly calm heart.
Even if no one else stood up for Gu Jie, he would, because that was his friend.
Even if everyone criticized him for taking sides at this time, he wasn’t afraid because there was always one person who would forever support him; he just had to look back to see that “blindly confident” handsome face.
And…
Ran Lin, seeing the many supportive comments from his fans and the scattered Gu Jie fans among the negative ones, felt he didn’t need to make himself out to be a tragic hero. In his fanbase, there were still more supporters, moved followers, and those who teased overtly but cared covertly—
[Peppy Shrimp Let’s Go: Idol, do you want the company to buy you a trending spot instead of rocketing yourself up there? [I might have become a fan of an idiot.jpg]]
[White Dragon’s Reverse Scale: Thought you and Gu Jie were just close friends; turns out it’s deeper than that 🫠.]
[Professional Nunchucks Level 2: I’m a fan of Gu Jie. Thank you for being willing to stand by him at this time, he’s really wronged 😭.]
[Lin’s Family Burning Noodles: Firmly helping to repost.]
[Idle Sword of Fallen Flowers: Don’t know why, but I just feel so fired up. This is what brotherhood is about!]
[Burning Noodles Fan Club: Why should Qi Luoluo get to say anything with just a crappy surveillance shot, while an actor who knows the situation best can’t speak up? Anyway, I’m with Ran Lin this round. Okay, I’ve been a fan since ‘Drifting Stories’ so I’m an old Burning Noodles, rolling on the floor begging for a mention! 🤪 🤪]
[Yao Love For Life: Not kicking someone when they’re down is kindness; daring to provide coal in snow* is a warrior’s deed.]
*Idiom referring to the act of offering help or support to someone in their time of need.
As Ran Lin read, he pondered how he should release the video once he got it from the hotel. He wondered if he should also prepare a lengthy Weibo post detailing all the specifics, making the video and evidence fit together more cohesively and convincingly. And he couldn’t just post it himself; having Xi Jie find some marketing accounts to lead the charge might seem more credible…
As he was lost in thought, he refreshed the page, and a slew of new comments had already flooded in, with the top one being—
[Passion Burns Summer: Xia Xinran and Lu Yiyao liked both Gu Jie and Ran Lin’s Weibo posts. The Drifting Team’s bond is indeed not plastic. [Shows a smile of a proud mother.jpg] [screenshot.jpg]]
Ran Lin froze, clicked on the screenshot, and sure enough, his lover and friend had liked the posts just minutes after he had made them.
These days, liking a post is akin to making a statement. While it’s not as overt as reposting, it certainly indicates taking a side.
Those two…
Knock, knock.
The sudden knock on the door interrupted Ran Lin’s train of thought.
Puzzled, he put down his phone and walked towards the door, asking cautiously, “Who is it?”
“Gu Jie—” The reply came straightforwardly.
Ran Lin quickly moved to open the door, seeing Gu Jie still dressed as he was when he returned, seemingly just finished talking with the director. His expression wasn’t overly somber, though his brow was furrowed, and his aura was as strong as usual.
“Finished talking with the director?” Ran Lin let his friend in.
“Yes, now it’s up to Qiang Ge to communicate with him. I’m just waiting.” Gu Jie walked into the room, continuing, “Do we have a plan now?”
Gu Jie was surprised. “You can tell?”
Ran Lin: “…It’s really not hard at all.”
Gu Jie’s thoughts were all too easy to guess. No, there wasn’t even a need to guess; it was all written on his face.
“The director is too cunning.” Gu Jie couldn’t hold back his mixed feelings. “When he was talking to Qi Luoluo, not only did he have an assistant present, but he also recorded everything with a hidden camera.”
Ran Lin was astonished; he hadn’t expected the seemingly straightforward director to pull such a trick.
He thought having an assistant present during the conversation was already being cautious, but it turned out the director not only took precautions but also secured a trump card.
“Did Qi Luoluo confess to harassing you during that conversation?” Ran Lin asked, sensing something amiss.
“Of course, she wasn’t that foolish. At first, she kept saying I was deliberately making things difficult for her, insisting it was me who attempted to harass her. But later, it seems the director used some method to make her fall into her own trap.” Gu Jie scratched his head. “I’m not exactly sure myself. We’ll know when the video comes out.”
“……” Ran Lin knew he wouldn’t get any substantial details from Gu Jie.
“I came here to tell you this,” Gu Jie continued. “You don’t need to worry about me. Qiang Ge said that with the video the director took, I can not only clear my name but also help boost the attention for <Dyeing Fire>. The director has always been worried about his film being critically acclaimed but not a box office hit…”
Ran Lin understood. “So now the two of them are in cahoots.”
Gu Jie recalled the scene of his agent and the director’s video call and shook his head. “Not just in cahoots, they’re almost sworn brothers now.”
Ran Lin didn’t know how to comment on this twist of events, but he was extremely curious about the video content.
“You reposted my Weibo?!” Gu Jie, casually scrolling through Weibo, exclaimed in surprise.
Ran Lin blinked, feeling oddly like he’d been caught doing something naughty and managed a “Mm.”
Gu Jie flopped down in a chair, looking resigned. “What were you thinking? Did you guess the director had a hidden recording?”
Ran Lin protested, “If I had that kind of imagination, I’d be writing sci-fi novels!”
“So why did you repost it?” Gu Jie’s tone was genuinely disapproving. “If I can’t clear my name, wouldn’t that drag you down too? It’s unnecessary.”
“I stand by my friends. Why do I need a reason?” His agent didn’t criticize, his lover didn’t criticize, but being criticized by the involved party left Ran Lin unsure whether to laugh or cry. “And this is just step one. I plan to write a long Weibo post recreating the scene.”
Gu Jie stared dumbfounded for a long time, then let out a sigh of relief. “Lucky I came to you first.”
Ran Lin gave him a look. “If not for you, I wouldn’t even have this movie. One Weibo post for a leading role in a famous director’s film—I’m making a fortune.”
Gu Jie looked at Ran Lin, emotions churning in his chest, but in the end, he just stood up, patted Ran Lin’s shoulder firmly, and squeezed it, all without a word.
Ran Lin stared back fiercely amid the excruciating pain on his shoulders, deciding if Gu Jie didn’t let go within three seconds, he’d yell for release.
Fortunately, Gu Jie didn’t keep on squeezing and let go before Ran Lin had to scream.
Ran Lin’s shoulder slumped, he breathed deeply several times, moved his arm around to make sure it was still functional, and confirmed, yep, it’s not wasted, still usable.
“Oh right.” Just as he was moving his arms, Ran Lin remembered the conversation with Lu Yiyao and quickly said, “There are three cameras in the corridor. Qi Luoluo released footage from the middle one, which didn’t capture the door clearly. Another camera should have a clear view of you not closing the door after entering. We can ask the hotel for it.”
Although Director He had a killer piece of evidence, more evidence was always better.
But Gu Jie said, “Director He already asked for it this afternoon when Qi Luoluo released her post. The hotel has been reluctant to give it, saying it’s only available for police investigations or similar incidents.”
Ran Lin was speechless. “Then how did Qi Luoluo get the footage?”
Gu Jie shrugged, unclear as well.
The footage from Qi Luoluo must have also come from the hotel, but not necessarily through official channels. The hotel would naturally prefer to avoid trouble, especially as it’s frequented by celebrities. If they started releasing surveillance footage left and right, it would make many feel their privacy wasn’t respected. However, if the production team insisted and it wasn’t the hotel itself in trouble, they might still provide it.
But if Director He has the conversation on video, then whether they have the surveillance footage or not doesn’t really matter. With time being of the essence, the director probably can’t be bothered to negotiate further.
“Lu Yiyao also liked it?” Gu Jie found something new upon refreshing Weibo.
Ran Lin laughed at his expression of discovery. “Xia Xinran did too.”
Gu Jie froze, his phone scrolling slowing, then stopping completely, falling into silence.
Ran Lin watched his friend’s expression turn pensive, his eyes burning with intensity, uncertain of his mood.
Suddenly, Gu Jie looked up.
Ran Lin was startled by his intense gaze, scooting back on the bed reflexively, only to hear his friend’s resounding voice—
“Let’s find time for the four of us to become sworn brothers!”
Ran Lin considered the suggestion seriously and finally said cautiously, “How about… we first ask Teacher Lu and Xia Xinran what they think?”
……
While the crew in Wuhan remained unsettled, two agents in Beijing were closely monitoring the situation.
At 9:30 p.m., in the office on the second floor of Lu Yiyao’s studio, Yao Hong was multitasking between her laptop and phone’s speaker, issuing tasks to the publicity staff who were pulled into overtime work, and communicating with her artist. “Where did the video come from?”
Lu Yiyao replied, “From the hotel, of course.”
Yao Hong was exasperated. “You’re in Tianjin with your crew, and you’re sending me surveillance footage from a Wuhan hotel. Don’t tell me you teleported there to get it.”
“It doesn’t matter how it was obtained, as long as the surveillance is real,” Lu Yiyao said. “Hong Jie, get someone to edit the video. Highlight the parts where Gu Jie didn’t close the door and where Qi Luoluo closed it herself. Oh, and the timeline, make sure it matches with Qi Luoluo’s video, preferably do a side-by-side comparison…”
Yao Hong interjected, “Why don’t you come and do it?”
Lu Yiyao: “…”
“You could’ve been an idol, but instead, you worry like a manager,” Yao Hong said with a laugh. “Alright, I know what to do. Video editing, marketing account reposts, hired guns to lead the charge, and stirring up the crowd—one-stop service. I’ll ensure your boyfriend’s show of support turns into an act of valor, bravery, and selflessness.”
Lu Yiyao: “Well, it’s not entirely for Ran Lin. Gu Jie is also my friend.”
Yao Hong: “Oh.”
Lu Yiyao: “…Hong Jie, sorry for the trouble.”
After hanging up, Lu Yiyao chewed on the Tianjin twist pastry sent by fans while contemplating how fortunate Gu Jie was to have such a cunning director.
Two hours earlier, his lover informed him not to worry anymore; the director had evidence to turn the tables and was working on it. As for the surveillance video, since the hotel was reluctant and it wasn’t decisive evidence, they decided not to pursue it.
He had initially sent someone to get the video from the hotel, intending to let Hong Jie help with leading the charge. The plan was to muddy the waters if a turnaround was challenging, but unexpectedly, good news came from heaven. So, once the video was actually obtained, the strategy shifted from “muddying the waters” to “corroborating evidence”.
Now, they were just waiting for updates from Geng Yiqiang and the director, likely a joint statement from Gu Jie’s team and the production crew.
Once Yao Hong’s video added fuel to the fire, the “truth” would blaze even brighter.
Meanwhile, at Wang Xi’s home, which had turned into an office.
Wu Xia sent the last message on QQ and turned to report to Wang Xi. “Everything’s ready. Just waiting for the crew to make a statement. As soon as they do, we’ll make it go viral.”
Wang Xi nodded. “It’s best if it comes out before 10:30—that’s when there’s high traffic.”
“Why didn’t you stop Ran Ge? If he hadn’t reposted Gu Jie’s Weibo, it would’ve been fine.” Wu Xia, who had been summoned by Wang Xi after dinner to help manage and control the situation for Ran Lin, was puzzled. She had been brought in mainly to put out fires for Ran Lin, who had publicly sided on the still unclear “Gu Jie harassing female actress” issue.
But as they were managing the situation, Ran Lin called to first acknowledge his impulsiveness and then confidently said there was no need to worry and that everything would turn around by evening. So, Wu Xia put down the fire extinguisher and picked up the accelerant, waiting for the turnaround to help boost the heat.
However, when Ran Lin reposted, there was no sign of a turnaround yet, so Wu Xia didn’t understand why he insisted on reposting under such circumstances.
Wang Xi didn’t explain but merely asked, “How many in the entertainment industry, among all the stars big and small, dare to do this?”
Wu Xia frowned, pondering for a moment. “Very few, I guess.”
Wang Xi smiled. “So, for such rare animals, we need to protect them.”
……
Gu Jie stayed in Ran Lin’s room until 10:45 when Geng Yiqiang called to say everything was sorted. The two of them, who were playing online games, hurriedly exited and logged onto Weibo. By then, keywords like “Dyeing Fire crew releases clarifying video,” “Gu Jie responds,” “Ran Lin’s righteous stand,” “Qi Luoluo harassment incident turns around,” “Qi Luoluo hotel surveillance,” and others were trending on the hot search list. The Dyeing Fire crew’s clarification was at the top, followed by several related keywords in the top ten, with even “Lu Yiyao likes” and “Xia Xinran likes” making it into the top twenty.
Ran Lin didn’t click on the hot searches but went directly to the <Dyeing Fire> official Weibo. The top post was the clarifying Weibo, posted at 10:25. Probably Geng Yiqiang observed the situation after posting and felt it was stable before informing Gu Jie.
The clarifying video was posted by the Dyeing Fire official Weibo, but it was clearly the work of a professional publicity team. Dyeing Fire hadn’t reached the actual publicity stage yet, and the publicity team was almost unorganized, so it must have been Geng Yiqiang’s doing.
The entire Weibo was written succinctly, clearly expressing the sequence of events using the most lucid words. It didn’t sensationalize, play the victim, or lead the narrative but merely restored the facts themselves. It laid out the sequence of events as “Qi Luoluo’s inability to immerse in her role—frequent NG causing significant delays for the crew—Gu Jie as the male lead being extremely professional and patient in reshooting—Qi Luoluo’s unsuccessful harassment turned accusation—crew learning the truth and terminating the contract with her.” The post methodically and clearly untangled the whole affair.
More importantly, the crew provided evidence for each point.
For Qi Luoluo’s inability to immerse—there was a large compilation of NG clips. Though outsiders saw it as entertainment, Ran Lin, as someone who had experienced it, could tell these NGs were carefully selected. Each clip started with Qi Luoluo’s performance and ended with the director calling NG, not showing any aftertalk or other scenes. Each one clearly indicated that it was Qi Luoluo’s fault for the NG, especially the first few clips, which were almost the most awkward NG scenes of Qi Luoluo.
For frequent NG causing significant delays—there were behind-the-scenes clips. Who knows who chose them, but they picked a scene with the most NGs, and it was a complex scene to coordinate. So one could clearly hear the crew’s sighs becoming more and more pronounced with each NG, eventually leaving little face for Qi Luoluo.
For Gu Jie being extremely professional and patient—there was a large compilation of NG clips. But this compilation wasn’t about how Qi Luoluo NG’d but how Gu Jie patiently reshot with her time and again, occasionally encouraging her, truly the epitome of a warm man.
The video that depicted Qi Luoluo’s attempted harassment and subsequent accusation against Gu Jie, followed by the crew’s termination of her contract, utilized the director’s trump card—the conversation video.
The camera was placed perfectly, avoiding the sleazy feel of a spy cam while not appearing too staged like an interview. It was clear it was hidden, yet the perspective and feel were surprisingly comfortable. Ran Lin suspected the director had enlisted the crew’s cinematographer to position the camera.
The video was edited down to nine minutes, yet it encapsulated all the essentials.
It began with Qi Luoluo crying, more convincingly than in any of her scenes, then immediately playing the victim, telling the director that Gu Jie was deliberately making things difficult for her that day because he had attempted to harass her the night before. The director straightforwardly countered that Gu Jie had already explained it was she who harassed him. Qi Luoluo’s shocked expression was award-worthy. Quickly realizing that her tears weren’t working, she directly threatened the director, saying if the crew terminated her contract, she would expose Gu Jie’s alleged harassment.
Up to this point, Qi Luoluo firmly maintained that Gu Jie harassed her.
Then something incredible happened. Ran Lin could hardly see the editing, but he knew it was there because the next second, the director earnestly said, “Tell me the truth. There’s still room for discussion if you do.”
Before Qi Luoluo could respond, the director’s assistant excused himself, leaving only the director and Qi Luoluo in the room—a quiet atmosphere for a “private heart-to-heart”.
Perhaps the assistant’s departure emboldened Qi Luoluo, or maybe she thought her threat had worked and the goddess of fortune was beckoning. Suddenly, with her eyes lifted, she grabbed the director’s hand and said, “Director He, I really want to act in this film!”
Director He subtly withdrew his hand, responding sincerely and kindly, “I really want to give you another chance too, because our schedule is already severely delayed. Although you still have many unresolved issues in your acting, we’ve already shot for over ten days. Replacing you and reshooting would be too costly. But you’re not focusing on acting, resorting to underhanded tactics instead. Now Gu Jie is too disturbed by your interference to adjust properly. Even if I let you continue, you two can’t work together.”
“I’ll apologize to him!” Qi Luoluo quickly interjected, her tone genuine. “I was just impulsive, and besides, I didn’t really do anything. I hadn’t even touched him before he ran off, and I’m a woman. What harm could I do him!”
That was enough for the video.
The rest was probably to make the video seem complete and not end abruptly.
But certainly, the video wasn’t the whole story. At least, none of Director He’s masterful maneuvers were included. What exactly he said to make Qi Luoluo soften and gradually fall into her own trap is known only to him and maybe God.
Suddenly, Ran Lin remembered the director he’d shared a lamb leg with—that all an act! He’s a cunning old fox!
The comments section exploded—
[Damn damn damn, nowadays you can’t live without a camera in the room. The director is so wise!!!]
[I just want to know how many actresses like Qi Luoluo have tricked Director He before for him to have such masterful evasion skills 🤣.]
[Ahhh I’m so mad! Support Gu Jie suing her. Click the upper right corner to boost me up! 😡 😡 😡]
[How can there be such a wicked person. Gu Jie’s cooperation with her was a curse for eight lifetimes!!!]
[Damn, seeing her repeatedly NG and Gu Jie still encouraging her, I’m crying. 😭 😭 😭 ]
[Gu Jie really got the short end of the stick this time. If not for the director having a backup plan, he would have been blackened beyond redemption! Damn, the male lead and the whole crew treated you like a princess, and you turn around and mow them down with a machine gun, well done.]
[Gu Jie’s plight reminds me of a saying, arsonists get medals, but good deeds go unrecorded 👋.]
[I don’t want to talk, just waiting for the movie release. I’ll book the whole theater! PS. She’s definitely not acting in it now, right?]
[Hotel video sequel out , you can clearly see Gu Jie didn’t close the door, which matches what he said on his Weibo! I had bashed Gu Jie before. I’ll go die now 😭.]
Sequel?
Ran Lin curiously clicked on the video; indeed, it was the surveillance footage Gu Jie mentioned the director had attempted to get from the hotel. The video not only showed Gu Jie not closing the door but also vaguely captured Qi Luoluo coming to close it!
Although the footage was blurry, the video maker was considerate enough to add subtitles and circled out some easily overlooked details, making annotations. Most importantly, in the last ten seconds, they added a split-screen comparison from two angles, almost eliminating any doubt of “video fabrication”.
Ran Lin searched for the video’s origin, finding it came from a cluster of marketing accounts, released right after the crew and Gu Jie’s responses, as if meant to further bolster the crew’s clarification.
The hotel was reluctant to give the footage to the crew but quickly and efficiently leaked it to marketing accounts. Ran Lin couldn’t comprehend this logic.
But he didn’t have time to ponder further. With this explosion of information, he had plenty of places to visit. Exiting the marketing account’s Weibo that released the surveillance video, Ran Lin immediately went to Gu Jie’s homepage.
Gu Jie’s pinned Weibo post was no longer just a sentence but a long post, clearly a response to Qi Luoluo—[No actor is too small, act with conscience.]
Ran Lin opened the long post. It wasn’t as lengthy as Qi Luoluo’s, just a few hundred words, but it succinctly clarified the situation, mirroring the style of the Dyeing Fire crew’s official Weibo. It didn’t sensationalize, play the victim, or accuse; it was just dignified and calm, at peace with himself.
The comments were, as expected, filled with apologies, support, and calls to action.
And many, evident from their avatars and IDs, were male fans. Ran Lin’s fans were mostly female, and he now realized that male fans can be even more fervent.
Leaving Gu Jie’s Weibo, Ran Lin went to the trending list and found “Ran Lin’s Righteous Stand” had surged to the third spot on the hot search list. Clicking in, it was all marketing accounts praising him, and the comments were similar to those under Gu Jie’s post: apologies from those who had previously criticized, likes from those who had been watching, many converting to fans or solidifying their fanhood. The only difference was that there weren’t as many males wanting to work out with their idol as there were under Gu Jie’s comments.
His own fan base also saw a significant surge.
Although Ran Lin suspected that his agent had capitalized on the situation, the main force was undoubtedly Geng Yiqiang. After coordinating with Director He and releasing the clarifying statement, as well as the subsequent momentum building, they nearly monopolized the evening’s trending topics. Not only did they clear Gu Jie’s name and turned public opinion against Qi Luoluo entirely, but they also gold-plated his peripheral involvement in the matter—a classic counterstrike.
“Your Qiang Ge is impressive.” Ran Lin lifted his head, expressing admiration to Gu Jie.
He and his friend had been together the whole time, even playing mobile games. Naturally, the long Weibo post came from Gu Jie’s agent’s effort.
Moreover, letting the crew’s official Weibo handle the slap-back while he just rode the breeze, stating the facts—the posture couldn’t be cooler.
Gu Jie, who had first checked his long Weibo, had just finished watching the crew’s clarification post with its compilations and videos, looked up in disbelief. “How many people would it take to pick those NGs and do the editing? If <Dyeing Fire> post-production had this speed, our movie could be released by the end of the year!”
Ran Lin was exasperated. “Can you focus on what’s important…”
Gu Jie put down his phone. “I was already excited when Director He told me there was no problem. Now I don’t feel much.”
Ran Lin didn’t know what to say. After a while, he remarked, “Qi Luoluo would die of anger hearing you say that.”
Instead of reveling in the aftermath of revenge, Gu Jie sighed deeply, seriously saying, “In the future, I absolutely will not go to a female actress’s room alone, not even if I die.”
Ran Lin rolled his eyes. “You should have thought that way earlier.”
Gu Jie tugged at the corner of his mouth helplessly. “Why can’t people just be straightforward and simple in their interactions? If you like someone, spend more time with them; if not, avoid them. Why make it all so complicated and scheming. I always thought palace dramas were all made up and everyone in them is paranoid.”
Ran Lin raised an eyebrow. “And now?”
Gu Jie spread his hands. “I admit I wouldn’t last one episode in them.”
Ran Lin laughed heartily, then sighed lightly. “This was actually quite risky. If Director He had just had a normal conversation without cunningly leading Qi Luoluo into admitting, even if he released the video, it wouldn’t have been useful.”
Gu Jie clearly agreed with his friend’s opinion, determined never to have such a second encounter.
Ran Lin suddenly found himself puzzled by his own earlier reflection and asked Gu Jie, “Did Director He anticipate Qi Luoluo would frame you from the beginning? Otherwise, why go to such lengths to make her admit you didn’t harass her?”
Gu Jie explained, “He got tricked by an actress in a similar way early in his career, saying he had unwritten rules with her. It was a tough fight to clear that up. Since then, he’s been particularly sensitive to these matters, guarding against them rigorously, now almost unassailable in defense.”
Ran Lin was thoroughly impressed; it wasn’t just guarding but offense and defense combined.
But through this incident, he also realized…
“Director He really considers you a friend,” Ran Lin mused. “Otherwise, he could have just protected himself. He didn’t need to prevent future problems for you. That video wasn’t fully edited; who knows how much effort it took to make Qi Luoluo admit the truth.”
“It’s not what you think…” Gu Jie muttered, unusually silent.
Ran Lin had expected Gu Jie to agree or share more about their brotherhood history with Director He but didn’t expect such a response.
After a long moment of contemplation, Ran Lin spoke again. “You don’t think Director He did all this just for the film, do you? Sure, the film must be considered, but I truly believe he sees you as a friend; otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone to such lengths…”
“I’m not saying he did it for the film,” Gu Jie interrupted his friend helplessly. “I’m saying he and I aren’t what you think, we’re not buddies.”
Ran Lin was taken aback.
The awkwardness and hesitance on Gu Jie’s face suddenly made the room’s atmosphere tense.
Ran Lin, stunned by the sudden revelation, swallowed hard and finally asked in a trembling voice, “So… what is your relationship?”
Gu Jie looked at his friend for a long time, then slammed his phone down on the table in resignation. “He’s my second maternal aunt’s husband’s third sister’s husband.”
The second alert sound interrupted the discussion on the other end, as did the eye contact here.
The five companions looked at their arms together. This time, the coordinates received were for 7/23.
“Chongqing.” After a few seconds of thought, Wu Sheng matched the location with the number.
“Hot pot, skewers, hot and sour noodles…” Qian Ai, already smelling the rich aroma, was lost in endless fantasies.
“And the sky train!” Kuang Jinxin had seen videos of the light rail train passing through the high altitudes of the mountain city. It was magical and cool!
“Chongqing…” Captain Xu, who was eager to return to Beijing, felt a bit complicated.
Chi Yingxue looked at Wu Sheng, who instantly determined the location, and the other three, who trusted his judgment without doubt, feeling even more complicated… Had he missed some step of verifying the location with stationery?
As time passed, most of those who wanted to pass the challenge gathered their teams and left the banquet hall. The ones remaining were either those like them, who didn’t need to pass the challenge, or those who couldn’t gather a team or find one.
Kuang Jinxin took some delicious-looking cakes from the dining table and shared them with his friends. When he offered one to Chi Yingxue, he was rejected.
“I hate sweets.” Chi Yingxue’s refusal was simple and direct.
“Oh.” People have their own preferences. Kuang Jinxin respected that and then gave the piece meant for Chi Yingxue to the eager Qian Ai.
Qian Ai devoured the cakes quickly, wiping his mouth afterwards, and educated Kuang Jinxin, “Remember next time, even the best things should be given to those who appreciate them.”
Kuang Jinxin earnestly remembered. “Next time there’s something tasty, I’ll give you double.”
Qian Ai patted his head with satisfaction.
Chi Yingxue, uninterested in watching the deep bond between his teammates, lowered his eyes and started to unwrap the bandage on his arm. His rough movements turned the bandage into a tight knot, increasing his frustration. In a forceful pull, he tore the bandage off, irritating the newly healed skin on his arm, leaving red marks.
In the low atmosphere, a pale-colored small square cake was handed to him.
Chi Yingxue frowned and looked up.
Kuang Jinxin seriously said, “I tried it. It’s not sweet.”
Chi Yingxue: “……”
From next door, another mischievous hand reached out.
Annoying.
“Snap—”
Qian Ai’s attempt to steal cake was thwarted, leaving him with a swollen hand from the slap. Holding his struck hand, he looked pained. “Do you need to be so harsh? Are we just playing around as comrades or settling deep-seated hatreds?!”
As if he hadn’t heard, Chi Yingxue took the small square and tossed it into his mouth.
Indeed, it wasn’t sweet. There was just a faint butter taste and a hint of some unknown fruity fragrance.
Licking the cake crumbs off his thumb, Chi Yingxue felt somewhat unsatisfied and wanted to talk more with Kuang Jinxin. But when he looked up, he saw Captain Xu and Advisor Wu’s faces in front of him—one with a bright smile showing a row of white teeth, and the other with a clear, wise gaze, subtly expressing a joy and anticipation of “I think we can sit down and do some research.”
Kuang Jinxin was already taken by Qian Ai to the long dining table, happily lost in a world of cupcakes, donuts, fruit salads, and sandwiches.
Chi Yingxue discreetly shifted his gaze away from the long dining table and raised an inquiring eyebrow to the two. “?”
Captain Xu gently started. “Xiao Xue…”
Chi Yingxue smiled. “Speak. What’s, the, matter?”
Realizing that acting cute wasn’t quite suitable for the new teammate, Captain Xu immediately switched to a more serious demeanor. “I want to talk to you again about the badges.”
Upon hearing this, Chi Yingxue understood and promptly replied, “I currently have five badges. Besides the castle badge, I also have badges from levels 1, 3, 4, and 8. Except for 8/23, if guys want to collect the others, I can lead the way.”
Xu Wang was surprised by his frankness.
Wu Sheng was more concerned about the implied information in the answer. “Does the hidden location of each level’s badge never change?”
Chi Yingxue hadn’t really thought about this question. When asked, his gaze gradually drifted to an unknown place, falling into memories.
After a while.
“Hard to say.” Chi Yingxue shook his head, giving the most truthful information he could. “I only found the badges from levels 3, 4, 6, and 8 once. Only the badge from level 1, I’ve found three times, with different teams. The location was the same for the first and third times, but it changed the second time.”
Captain Xu remarked, “You mentioned earlier that the badges are related to challenges after 13/23…”
“Something I overheard from a badge-seeking team I once followed.” Chi Yingxue half-joked, half-seriously sighed with a bit of regret. “If I knew it would be useful today, I should have listened more carefully.”
Captain Xu teased, “Was it really an accidental slip of the tongue, or did you intentionally eavesdrop?”
Chi Yingxue laughed, as if recalling something interesting. “I think it’s the former, but the other party firmly believes it’s the latter.”
“……” A team strictly guarding against newcomers and a newcomer who didn’t want to blend in at all, Xu Wang really didn’t know how to comment on this kind of inevitable tragedy.
At this point, the information was clear; the new teammate could only provide “related to after 13/23” and “location information of four badges”, with the latter not necessarily still valid.
Wu Sheng fell into deep thought.
Xu Wang, after pondering for a moment, flexibly switched to Plan B, scanning the entire banquet hall and, sure enough, caught sight of a familiar face in the crowd.
Chi Yingxue had been waiting for Xu Wang to ask a certain question since the beginning of the conversation. Seeing that Xu Wang was about to stand up, he couldn’t restrain himself and took the initiative. “Aren’t you going to ask?”
Xu Wang looked back at him.
[Except for 8/23, if guys want to collect the others, I can lead the way.]
These were the new teammate’s exact words.
The meaning was already clear. Xu Wang thought they had an unspoken understanding, but now it seemed that more communication was needed.
“It wasn’t you who was looking for that badge.” Xu Wang simply stated the facts without much emotional inclination.
This wasn’t the first time Chi Yingxue revealed his split personality to a new team, but this was indeed the first time he met such a calm captain.
Suddenly, he became curious. “If one day I disappear and he comes out, would you kick me out?”
Xu Wang had actually thought about this question. “If you had asked me yesterday, I might have hesitated, as the memories of the amusement park aren’t very pleasant.”
Chi Yingxue’s smile faded, asking lightly, “Changed your mind now?”
“Last night’s badge was obtained by both of you working together,” Xu Wang said softly and sincerely, looking directly into his eyes as if to see through to another soul. “From the moment he took action, he was already a member of this team.”
Chi Yingxue narrowed his eyes, observing for a long while, then understood. “He hasn’t woken up yet. He can’t hear you talking.”
“Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Xu Wang complained, glancing at him as if the affectionate captain just now was an illusion.
Chi Yingxue: “……”
This wasn’t the first time he had been honest about his split personality with a new team, but this was the first time he encountered a captain who was so proactive and already trying to connect with the other him…
“You guys continue talking. I’ll be right back.” Seeing the person Xu Wang had locked onto chatting happily with another incomplete team, looking ready to join, Xu Wang couldn’t wait any longer. He left this message and immediately stood up, to prevent the person from disappearing into a new team before he could ask his questions.
Chi Yingxue watched him stride quickly towards the mercenary named Wang Chuming, guessing his intention.
Turning back to Wu Sheng, who was still in front of him, he couldn’t figure out what there was to talk about with him.
Wu Sheng had already sorted out the clues about the badge and could finally close this matter for the time being, opening a second line of questioning. “Are you better at close combat or long-range attacks?”
Chi Yingxue: “Huh?”
Advisor Wu continued on his own. “I notice you don’t like using stationery often. Can you specify your preference for stationery?”
Chi Yingxue: “Preference?”
Wu Sheng: “Do you prefer defense, offense, or illusory stationery? Do you prefer attack or manipulative types?”
Chi Yingxue: “……”
Wu Sheng: “Don’t worry. I won’t devise any complex tactics for you. Understanding your preferences gives you more room to perform.”
Chi Yingxue: “……”
“What concerns do you have?” Wu Sheng couldn’t understand the other’s silence. “You did an excellent job with the badge-finding mission last night.” He patted his shoulder, trying to convey a reassuring strength with his determined gaze. “Keep it up. I will fulfill all your fantasies about battle.”
Chi Yingxue: “……”
……
Beijing time, Xu Wang finished his secret talk with Wang Chuming and gathered all his teammates in a safe corner to share the intelligence immediately.
“A badge manual?” Everyone, including Chi Yingxue, was hearing about this for the first time.
Xu Wang nodded, looked around to ensure no one was eavesdropping, and then spoke in a low voice. “Yes, this manual has hints for the badge locations of levels 1–13.”
“I knew it.” Qian Ai finally resolved his doubts. “Finding a small badge in such a large challenge, even if it can glow, you need to search for the right place. It’s not that easy to find each one.”
Wu Sheng asked, “How can we get this manual?”
Xu Wang replied, “Buy it.”
Kuang Jinxin, Qian Ai: “Buy?”
Xu Wang: “In any shop in any level in the Owl.”
Qian Ai: “With RMB?”
Xu Wang: “Yes.”
Qian Ai: “How much?”
Xu Wang: “One hundred thousand.”
Qian Ai: “…Actually, searching the ocean is also good, really.”
“Captain.” Kuang Jinxin remembered another question. “You just asked about such a secretive matter, and Wang Chuming answered?”
“I have to discuss this with you; due to the special circumstances, I used public funds,” Xu Wang said. “Intelligence fee, twenty thousand.”
Qian Ai: “Twenty thousand?!”
Xu Wang: “He hasn’t had business for a while. He’s relying on these two pieces of information for his New Year’s.”
Chi Yingxue: “Two pieces?”
Xu Wang paused, again ensuring there were no eavesdroppers, before slowly revealing the second piece of intelligence. “Thirteen badges are the key to unlocking the challenges after 13/23.”
Kuang Jinxin: “But no team has reached beyond 13/23, right?”
Xu Wang shook his head. “It’s not that no one has, but our current leaderboard only shows levels 1-13.”
Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin were both confused.
Chi Yingxue vaguely understood a bit, but it wasn’t entirely clear.
The always-quiet Wu Sheng spoke up. “High school and university.”
“Right.” Xu Wang knew his advisor would understand immediately. “The first 13 levels and the next 10 are like two completely different schools, and their report cards are independent of each other. Moreover, teams that have passed 13/23 never returned.”
“That explains why there are so many unfamiliar names on the speed rankings.” Wu Sheng finally resolved a long-standing puzzle. “Those teams that broke records might have given up later, but more likely, they’ve advanced to higher challenges.”
“If they never returned,” Qian Ai wondered, “where did Wang Chuming get his information?”
“From the endless sea.” Xu Wang sighed. “I heard it cost a pretty penny to buy.”
Qian Ai: “Definitely not cheap. He already scammed us out of twenty thousand.”
Xu Wang: “He was asking for fifty thousand.”
Qian Ai: “Captain, I knew I was right to trust you.”
Chi Yingxue: “……”
Now that the whole story was clear, Wu Sheng looked at Xu Wang, seeking the key point. “A shop? Payment?”
“Of course, I asked,” Xu Wang assured him with a look that said, “you can trust me with this matter”. “There’s a shop in this challenge, right below the banquet hall, and it accepts cash payments, but there’s an ATM.”
Kuang Jinxin: “We can withdraw money here?”
Xu Wang: “If Wang Chuming wasn’t lying.”
Qian Ai: “If he dares to take so much money and still give false information, I’ll chase him to the ends of the earth…”
Soon, the five of them arrived at the staircase leading to the basement level mentioned by Wang Chuming. It was an inconspicuous little door, which led to a dimly lit staircase extending downwards.
Xu Wang and Wu Sheng led the way, with Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin in the middle and Chi Yingxue at the back.
While descending, Chi Yingxue was still pondering how Xu Wang instantly grasped the whole picture from Wu Sheng’s simple words “A shop? Payment?” It wasn’t the first time such an incident had occurred. Apart from carrying a passive-activated [(Illusory) Soul Understanding], Chi Yingxue couldn’t think of any other explanation…
Three minutes later, they reached the bottom of the stairs, where a very simple grocery store awaited them. It resembled a stall commonly seen in a vegetable market, with various items laid out haphazardly. A smiling old lady sat inside, welcoming them with her kind eyes as they appeared at the top of the stairs.
This so-called “basement level” was just a small area, enough for the grocery store and an ATM, leaving barely any room for the five of them.
“What would you like?” the old lady asked kindly. “Sugar? Fruits? Bread?”
Xu Wang stepped forward, saying clearly, “I would like to buy a badge manual.”
The old lady still smiled warmly. “Two hundred thousand. Please pay in cash.”
Xu Wang, Qian Ai: “……Wasn’t it one hundred thousand?!”
The old lady looked confused. “Hmm?”
The teammates unanimously turned to their team captain.
Captain Xu felt immense pressure. “Wang Chuming definitely said it was one hundred thousand, and it was bought in this challenge, but that was half a year ago. It’s possible that prices have soared since then…”
Qian Ai despaired. “Isn’t this price increase a bit too extreme…”
Wu Sheng sighed, asking the most practical question. “How much is left in the public funds?”
Xu Wang sighed even deeper. “I just spent twenty thousand, so there’s only one hundred and forty thousand left.”
They had been busy in the Endless Sea for a month, and this was all they had saved in the public wallet. They thought they were being economical, but now they were in debt overnight.
“Let’s pool our resources,” Qian Ai, heartbroken, suggested. “We need to buy it anyway, better sooner than later.” If they waited and the price increased further, he feared every time he saw the manual, his heart would ache.
Xu Wang: “That’s the only option.”
Fortunately, not all the cash from the Endless Sea’s treasure chest had been confiscated; some went to those who opened the chest.
Given the circumstances, they had to contribute as much as they could.
Xu Wang prepared to withdraw the public account funds from the ATM, inserting the card.
Just as he was about to insert the card, a hand suddenly appeared, blocking the slot.
Xu Wang followed the arm to its owner, Chi Yingxue. “What’s wrong?”
Chi Yingxue’s eyes held a faint question. “Public wallet?”
Xu Wang had only discussed emotions with the new teammate, planning to talk about money once their relationship was stable. Otherwise, if they disbanded tomorrow after paying today, it would be awkward to discuss refunds.
But since the new teammate brought it up, he took the opportunity to explain. “Yes, we set up a team public account for all team expenses on an AA* basis.”
*It’s a term basically meaning going Dutch (where everyone pays for their own expenses).
Chi Yingxue thought for a moment, then confirmed again. “There’s only one hundred and forty thousand left in the account?”
“Yes.” Now that they were on the topic, Xu Wang had nothing to hide.
Chi Yingxue pulled out a wallet from his pocket, inserted a card into the ATM. “I benefited from the intelligence. I’ll pay my share for the manual. It’s only fair that I contribute.”
Xu Wang was surprised by how swiftly he took action. Before he could say anything, Chi Yingxue was already entering his PIN.
The other four teammates instinctively turned away to avoid seeing the PIN.
For the next few minutes, they just heard the machine counting and dispensing money.
Finally, when everything quieted down, they turned back to see Chi Yingxue holding a stack of cash, which was quite a spectacle.
“Is that… forty thousand?” Qian Ai blinked hard, feeling his perception of money’s volume a bit blurred.
“One hundred thousand,” Chi Yingxue replied.
Xu Wang held his forehead, worried about his new teammate’s math skills. “Even adding the previous twenty thousand, the public wallet only has one hundred and sixty thousand. Each person should contribute forty thousand. Why are you taking out one hundred thousand?”
Chi Yingxue explained, “Forty thousand for tuition, sixty thousand as a transfer sponsorship fee.”
Kuang Jinxin: “Transfer?”
Qian Ai: “Sponsorship?”
Xu Wang looked at his new teammate with mixed feelings. “I just want to ask one question. How did such a shiny classmate like you end up with no school willing to take you in?”
Chi Yingxue slightly curled his lips. “Perhaps they still think that money is less important than life.”
Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin: “……”
Is this some kind of midnight horror story?!
“Alright, now that you’ve joined our team, even if you’re rich, you have to follow our rules,” Xu Wang said. “The cost of the badge manual will be split equally among us.”
The captain’s word was final—no objections allowed.
Under the supervision of his teammates, Chi Yingxue redeposited the extra money. While listening to the machine count the cash, he wondered if he was the first customer to use the machine’s “deposit” feature.
They handed over two hundred thousand in cash to the old lady, who counted it carefully. After she counted the last bill, all the money suddenly vanished.
At the same time, all five of them heard a “ding——”
Inside their [Stationery Box], in the hidden item compartment for storing badges, a new icon appeared in the bottom right corner. [Small Booklet].
Upon opening it, the hints for the hidden badges from levels 1–13 were revealed—
Bear’s Paw.
Land of Rampant Desire.
Waxing Crescent Moon.
Ghost in the Wall.
Water Lily.
Wu Sheng: “The hints for 4/23 and 6/23 don’t match the methods and locations where we found the badges.”
Xu Wang: “Wang Chuming said these hints change periodically as the corresponding badges are found.”
Qian Ai: “Can I apply to permanently skip the fifth level…”
Kuang Jinxin: “Qian Ge, don’t you love horror movies? Whether they’re Chinese, American, Japanese, Korean, Indian, or Thai.”
Qian Ai: “Just because I like watching them doesn’t mean I like digging into walls to find ghosts…”
“Did everyone receive the manual?” From behind the miscellaneous goods, the old lady’s caring voice came.
Xu Wang returned a painful but polite smile to the old lady. “Yes, we received it.”
Forty thousand per person!
“Good to hear.” The old lady was relieved, then reached out to an old-fashioned European-style cast iron bell next to her. “Now for the free gift.”
The teammates: “……Free gift?”
“Ding ding ding~~~”
As the bell rang out with an antique sound, the five friends felt a darkness before their eyes and their bodies lightened.
When they opened their eyes again, they were standing in front of a familiar European-style manor.
“Ding—”
[Cheat Sheet]: Welcome to the [Flying Island VIP Lounge].
“Ding—”
[Cheat Sheet]: Dear guests, I am the butler of this place, Xiao Feidao! I will guide you from now on, ensuring you are fully recharged before the next midnight arrives.
“Captain!” Kuang Jinxin looked at Xu Wang excitedly. “This is the Flying Island’s VIP Lounge!”
Qian Ai couldn’t help but pat their captain on the back. “We just saved on airfare! Haha!”
Wu Sheng was also satisfied. “Now we can focus on planning our tactics.”
Chi Yingxue was indifferent to food and accommodation, but resting comfortably was certainly better than being on the road.
Among all the teammates, only Captain Xu looked up at the sky in silence.
He wanted to return to Beijing!
This “accidental” transport to a faraway place like Chongqing—what kind of devil’s gift was this?!
……
Twenty-two hours later, the rare extended rest in Beijing time left the teammates more spirited than ever. Even the sulky Captain Xu, after a long sleep, had come to terms with it. After all, having waited ten years, another day and a half didn’t make much difference.
Regarding the challenge of 7/23, Chi Yingxue provided clear and simple information: it was a board game.
There was no map, no new world, no quest line—just each team selecting a representative to play a board game in a room with only one round table.
As for the content of the board game and whether there would be any other storylines or tasks interrupting the game, Chi Yingxue knew nothing. The only time he entered 7/23, just as he saw his team’s representative enter the game room, his body switched to his other self.
This was a spacious suite, large enough to host a small party. Seven hours earlier, Wang Duanran’s team of five was leisurely chatting here, discussing whether to help another team submit their task after obtaining the Castle Badge, to end the challenge early and come back for a rest.
At that time, none of the five could have imagined that they would welcome the sunrise in a state of physical and mental exhaustion.
The first to be hit by the sunlight was Jiang Dachuan, lying on the sofa near the window. He irritably covered his eyes, and after a while, feeling the heat, he slapped the sofa and sat up abruptly, finally erupting, “If we had given our all from the start, we could have definitely won!”
Kong Lizhe, lying on a nearby recliner and playing with a spare phone, didn’t take his eyes off it. “Being able to make others underestimate you is also a kind of strength.”
Jiang Dachuan was frustrated. If making the opponent underestimate them was a tactic, then the bizarre appearance of [Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea] was definitely crucial…
No, he felt uncomfortable just thinking about it. He wanted to report it!
Gu Nian closed the detective novel he had been unable to get into and looked up. He rarely had things he couldn’t understand, but this morning, the confusion lingering on his face was evident. “How exactly did they break the [Meng Po Soup]…”
At the same time, Anyang City, a standard double room in an ordinary hotel.
Chi Yingxue finally fell asleep after Kuang Jinxin experimentally gave him a second pillow.
Even though he was about the same height as Wu Sheng, around 187 or 188 cm, curled up, he didn’t take up much space. Lying there with a pillow under his head and hugging another, his expression was relaxed and even a bit lazy from exhaustion, but his body was tense, as if trying to curl into an invisible point.
The contrast between his defenseless sleeping face and his extremely guarded sleeping posture was stark and strange.
The four teammates squatting by the bed looked at each other, communicating silently through their eyes—
Xu Wang nodded slightly—He should be really asleep this time.
Kuang Jinxin let out a slight sigh of relief—Mm.
Wu Sheng curiously raised an eyebrow—How did you think to give him another pillow?
Kuang Jinxin tilted his head, hands cupped beneath his chin—Holding something while sleeping feels secure.
Qian Ai widened his eyes—What are you all even talking about?!
Ever since coming out from the Owl, Chi Yingxue had been in a state of confused consciousness. He was mumbling incoherently, not fully asleep, yet not fully awake. The four teammates, not knowing where he stayed the previous night, had to carry him back to their hotel.
Advisor Wu analyzed for the teammates the cause of this situation—memory loss from [Meng Po Soup] affecting a single personality, leading to the switch to a second personality, and the restoration of the first personality after breaking the [Meng Po Soup] spell, leading to a competition between the two personalities.
The teammates listened carefully and silently digested this for half a minute.
From the time they returned to the hotel, the four had been by the bed, not moving an inch, worrying about Chi Yingxue’s restlessness. Now, they could finally relax a bit and take a breather.
They were unaware of when the day had broken. Looking outside now, it was already bright and sunny.
“Buzz—”
The vibrating sound of a phone rang out in the quiet room.
The four teammates were startled, looking at each other with innocent faces, searching for the source of the sound, only to find it under the blanket on the bed, from the new teammate’s phone.
The recently asleep Chi Yingxue became restless again, seemingly annoyed by the sound, frowning and hugging the pillow tighter.
The vibration finally stopped.
But before the teammates could relax, the “buzzing” started again, relentless.
“Nn—” Chi Yingxue groaned uncomfortably, eyes still closed, but one hand, as if with its own consciousness, released the pillow, fumbled for the phone, digging it out of his trouser pocket, and threw it away.
The four teammates by the bed were completely unprepared for this action, instinctively dodging to avoid being hit in the face by the flying phone.
The poor phone landed onto the carpet with a thud, still vibrating.
The teammates: “……”
Wastefulness is the deadliest thing!
Chi Yingxue, now comfortable, turned over and continued sleeping.
On the other side, Xu Wang quickly picked up the innocent phone, noticing that although it landed on the carpet, the corner of the screen was still cracked.
Two missed calls on the phone—from Chi Zhuolin.
“Buzz—”
Great, the third call was coming in.
Xu Wang hesitated between answering and muting it, but on the bed, Chi Yingxue suddenly opened his eyes, clear and alert, devoid of any confusion or fatigue—a stark contrast to the pillow-loving person a second ago.
The three teammates by the bed were caught off guard, unsure how to greet him.
Chi Yingxue sat up, glanced at the bed, then at Xu Wang and the familiar phone in his hand, understanding the situation.
“You guys must have had a hard time because of me,” he said apologetically and calmly, with warmth. “I’m back.”
Those simple words carried a declaration of sovereignty.
When he was previously restless, the teammates even discussed that if the awakened personality was a different one, whether they would have to “welcome” him again or bring up the “grudges of the amusement park” and the “achievement of obtaining the badge”. Now, it seemed that none of those were necessary.
The awakened Chi Yingxue was the same as when they first met, distinct from the Chi Yingxue who was dressed in beach holiday style in the cold at the amusement park, making it hard to mistake him for anyone else.
Xu Wang quickly handed him the phone, wanting to explain that the screen was cracked by his own doing, but the fourth vibration came.
Chi Yingxue took the phone, not even looking at the cracked screen corner, pressed to answer, and got out of bed.
“Did you break your phone again—”
As soon as the call connected, this sentence sprang from the earpiece, carrying the impatience of the previous unanswered calls and an almost divinatory guess at the situation.
“Chi Zhuolin, it’s me.” Chi Yingxue pressed the phone to his ear, making the voice from the earpiece indistinct.
“Yes…”
“Henan…”
“Pretty good…”
“Who knows…”
As Chi Yingxue entered the bathroom and closed the door, the call was completely cut off.
From start to finish, the teammates only heard one sentence from the other end of the phone, but Chi Yingxue’s five sentences left them completely baffled.
“Chi Zhuolin?” Wu Sheng repeated the name just heard.
“Yes, Zhuo as in ‘outstanding’, Lin as in ‘to arrive’*.” Xu Wang was the only one who had seen how those few characters were written.
*Clarity: [Zhuo] (卓) from [zhuoyue] (卓越). [Lin] (临) from [Jianglin] (降临).
Kuang Jinxin asked, “Both are surnamed Chi. Is it a family member?”
Qian Ai frowned. “The way he’s calling non-stop, it sounds more like a debt collector.”
The gossip was brief, as Chi Yingxue ended the call and came out of the bathroom.
Before his teammates could ask, he explained directly. “Chi Zhuolin,” pausing for a moment before adding, “is my brother.”
The four teammates: “…Oh.”
Guessing he was a relative, and with the teammate being upfront about it, there seemed little else to respond with other than nodding.
“It’s nothing. I’m always running around outside every day, so it’s just a routine check-in.” Chi Yingxue put his phone back in his pocket.
This further explanation dispelled any doubts the four might have had. It was a private matter, after all, and basic communication sufficed.
“Where are you staying?” Xu Wang asked. “Are you going back to rest, or are you checking out and moving over to join us?”
Chi Yingxue pondered for a moment, sensing the implication of victory in the question, and raised an eyebrow in surprise. “You submitted the papers?”
“Yes.” Xu Wang was about to ask if he still had amnesia, but then realized that at the moment of obtaining the badge, it wasn’t the Chi Yingxue in front of him and hurriedly corrected himself. “Both the badge and the submission were successfully completed.”
Having a teammate with dual personalities was useful, but it could be exhausting…
Chi Yingxue tilted his head slightly, looking over his four teammates with a bit of surprise. “Those few with good strength, not bad.”
He knew he was capable of obtaining the badge, even if it required the other him to step in, but he didn’t expect the remaining four to also complete the submission.
The new teammate’s recognition left the team in an awkward silence.
After a while.
Wu Sheng patted their team captain on the shoulder. “Let it be.”
Xu Wang nodded. “Building a sense of team belonging takes time.”
Qian Ai brainwashed himself. “Just focus on combat ability, yes, combat ability.”
Kuang Jinxin shook his head in resignation, then turned to look at Chi Yingxue’s arm, which was slightly stained red through the bandage. “You should change that dressing.”
“……” Chi Yingxue felt like their words all translated to the same thing—there will be time in the future. I don’t have the same opinion as you now.
In the end, Chi Yingxue didn’t change the dressing and went back to his own hotel. Fortunately, he had a bit of team spirit left and said he would pack up his stuff and check out to join them in the evening for the “Owl”.
Watching Chi Yingxue get into a taxi, Qian Ai couldn’t help but mutter, “Does he not know what pain is?”
No one spoke.
That question could only be answered by Chi Yingxue himself.
Back in their room, the four teammates each took a nap. Wu Sheng fell asleep almost as soon as he lay down. The battles of the night had been as exhausting as three nights combined, and now he didn’t want to move even a finger, letting both his body and mind recharge.
Xu Wang was also tired and lay on the bed, but he couldn’t fall asleep.
He had been worried about Chi Yingxue before and hadn’t had time to think about anything else. Now that he was alone with his thoughts, the letters that had been lurking at the bottom of his heart started to stir, making him restless.
His biggest regret now was not bringing those letters with him.
How heavy could a few pieces of paper be? Could they earn interest hidden at home?!
If he could use a stationery item, he would immediately use an [(Illusory) Out-of-Body Experience] to rush back to Beijing. But reality was that his teammates were looking forward to the next day’s rewards and the day after’s new challenges. He couldn’t just suddenly say he wanted to go back to Beijing, could he?
Of course, if there was a valid reason, he believed his teammates wouldn’t mind accompanying him back once. But could he tell them? Could he say, “I think there might be an unsolved code from ten years ago, and now I want to go back and take another look, to study it”?
…Why did he have to like Wu Sheng so much! If he liked a simple and sweet person, he might already be in the seven-year itch phase by now!
Wu Sheng woke up in the afternoon. Opening his eyes, he saw his team captain sleeping on the other bed, turned towards him, with furrowed brows and a tight grip on the blanket, looking angry as if fighting someone in his dreams.
He thought the other must be dreaming about the challenge. After watching quietly for a while, he couldn’t resist reaching over to gently smooth the furrow on his team captain’s brow.
Only when Xu Wang’s brow relaxed did Wu Sheng get up satisfied, refreshed, and went to the bathroom to start a new day!
In the evening, the fully reunited team of five had their first meal together in full force at a hotel nearby.
During the meal, Xu Wang, on behalf of the whole team, extended a warm and friendly welcome to the new teammate, Classmate Chi. The latter seemed not quite used to such a team-building atmosphere and was initially a bit uncomfortable. However, when Qian Ai started live streaming, the other members naturally dispersed, leaving the camera to the host for a solo shot. Amidst phrases like “Thanks to Brother XX for the yacht” and “What? It’s a sister, haha,” he continued to eat and drink with ease. After this, Chi Yingxue didn’t have any more issues adapting…
Like the “[Mirage] plan” from the night before, it was better not to overthink it and just go with the flow.
Another midnight arrived, and the small team, no longer needing to complete challenges, refreshed in the banquet hall.
As soon as they stood still, they received the reward notification—
Xu Wang’s [Stationery Box]: Received [(Defense) Slipping Hands], [(Offense) Voodoo Doll], [(Illusory) Don’t Want to Grow Up].
Qian Ai’s [Stationery Box]: Received [(Defense) Cloak of Invisibility, [(Offense) Gemini Jumping Machine], [(Illusory) Ah, Dropped Money]
Kuang Jinxin’s [Stationery Box]: Received [(Defense) Lost in a Five-Mile Fog], [(Offense) Whose Hand is Brushing Your Black Hair, Whose Hand], [(Illusory) Reincarnate of Hua Tuo*].
*Hua Tao was a Chinese physician famous for his medical skills, so this stationery is basically saying someone as skilled (in medicine) as Hua Tao (thus his reincarnation).
Chi Yingxue’s [Stationery Box]: Received [(Defense) Mr. Thirteen of the Middle Ring], [(Offense) Romantic Afternoon Tea], [(Illusory) I Advise You to Be Kind].
The five teammates found a secluded corner to check the rewards and naturally shared with each other.
Xu Wang: “Lao Qian, your illusory stationery [Ah, Dropped Money] won’t backfire on the teammates, right?”
Qian Ai: “As the team captain, shouldn’t you be more concerned about the user, me?!”
Kuang Jinxin: “Sheng Ge, what does your illusory stationery [I’m Really Scared] mean?”
Wu Sheng: “I’ll tell you once I’ve figured it out.”
Qian Ai: “Hey, Xiao Xue, I’m familiar with [Mr. Thirteen of the Middle Ring]!”
Chi Yingxue: “Xiao… Xue?”
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) Reincarnate of Huo Tuo] on you~~]
Chi Yingxue’s dangerous gaze, brewing due to the new nickname, dissipated cleanly amidst the sudden prompt sound.
The nail injury under the arm bandage and various bruises from the physical fight with Jiang Dachuan were all healed in an instant, as good as new.
Those pains he didn’t care about, but were real, disappeared without a trace.
Only he could hear this prompt; Wu Sheng, Xu Wang, and Qian Ai were still discussing the uses of the new stationery, leaving Kuang Jinxin, who was staring at him, as if waiting for the effect.
Their eyes met, and the user asked uncertainly. “Is it okay now?”
Chi Yingxue nodded lightly. “Yes, full status.”
Kuang Jinxin sighed in relief; his expression seemed to say, That’s good.
Chi Yingxue smiled faintly. “Actually, it wasn’t necessary.”
Kuang Jinxin asked, “Does he also not fear pain?”
Chi Yingxue paused, and after a while, he realized who was being asked about and laughed. “Being overly sentimental” was a very novel experience for him—uncomfortable, but interesting.
“He does. He fears pain terribly.” His tone rose, carrying pleasure and schadenfreude.
Kuang Jinxin slightly frowned, feeling that the answer had a bit of intentional provocation.
“Hey.” Chi Yingxue suddenly leaned in close with a smile on his lips, but his eyes were cold. “Is this illusory stationery for me, or for him?”
Kuang Jinxin didn’t dodge, looking straight into his eyes. “For my teammate.”
In mid-air, the cloud, finally neutralized by stationery from the effect of [Rising From the Ground], descended back to its original height.
A few meters away, the egrets were lined up in a row.
Xu Wang and his team didn’t dare to move rashly. Attacking from above wasn’t a winning strategy and going down to support Chi Yingxue risked being ambushed from behind by the cloud freed from [Rising From the Ground].
So, they firmly stuck to the original plan, one “dragging” and one “blocking”—dragging out time for Chi Yingxue to fight and blocking the cloud from the periphery.
However, they still couldn’t prevent what happened next. Kuang Jinxin, responsible for monitoring Chi Yingxue, was the first to report: “Captain, something’s wrong with him!”
All four looked down and saw Jiang Dachuan climbing up, with Chi Yingxue below, holding his foot but clearly enduring immense pain!
It was at this moment that the cloud descended to the same height as the egrets.
Chen Guan shrugged his shoulders indifferently. “It’s clear you’re determined to keep us away from the tree, so we won’t insist. But don’t be naive enough to think that we can’t attack just because we’re not close.
“Chi Yingxue—” Xu Wang didn’t bother with this provocation and directly asked his teammate below. “What’s the name of the stationery—”
There was no response.
Their newly frenzied teammate had blocked out everything around him. In his world, there was only Jiang Dachuan—he wouldn’t stop until Jiang Dachuan died!
Xu Wang felt conflicted; dealing with a teammate who went berserk at a moment’s notice was tough!
Without knowing the name of the stationery, the four of them couldn’t even begin to help from a distance!
“It looks like his heart is being stabbed,” Qian Ai offered his assistance. “I’ve experienced it. Everyone looks like this after being pierced!”
Xu Wang: “……”
[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) Heart of Steel*] on you~~]
*A man’s heart is as firm as steel/iron.
The stabbing pain in Chi Yingxue’s heart slowly faded away with the notification sound.
He took a light breath and smiled faintly at Jiang Dachuan above.
Jiang Dachuan, with one foot in his opponent’s hand, had been watching closely the whole time, and this smile sent chills down his spine.
He was going to lose.
Jiang Dachuan had a clear premonition.
He had faced many opponents and fought countless close-combat battles, but this was the first time he felt “fear” from an opponent.
This fear wasn’t about the opponent’s incredible combat strength, but something in his bones—something not human.
His ankle, now held by a recovered Chi Yingxue, was suddenly yanked!
Jiang Dachuan was pulled down from the tree trunk!
He managed to punch Chi Yingxue squarely in the chin, but Chi Yingxue returned a fierce kick to Jiang Dachuan’s calf with enough force that it could fracture his fragile body!
Jiang Dachuan went down and, in the last moment of his slide, wrapped his arms around a branch, barely hanging on without falling into the sea!
Chi Yingxue frowned slightly, seemingly dissatisfied that it wasn’t a fatal blow.
Jiang Dachuan prepared for his fingers to be broken or stepped on, but that move was actually very low. It wasn’t about looking good or bad, but because it had too many flaws. As long as Chi Yingxue dared to come close, he was confident he could pull him down first!
“You’re overthinking,” Chi Yingxue suddenly said, his voice carrying a certain pleasure and joy, matching his shining eyes. “I’m not interested in your fingers.”
He lightly jumped onto a nearby branch and then looked at the base of the branch holding Jiang Dachuan, eyes slightly narrowing, and raised his leg to kick!
Jiang Dachuan gasped.
Chi Yingxue wasn’t going to kick him; he was aiming to break the entire branch!
Jiang Dachuan had no doubt that Chi Yingxue had the strength to do it!
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) Meng Po Soup*] on you~~]
*This comes from Chinese folklore, where you’re fed this soup once you die and transverse the underworld. The soup makes you forget everything, so you can reincarnate when you reach the Naihe Bridge.
Just as Chi Yingxue’s foot was about to touch the branch’s base, he heard the notification in his ear.
Then, Chi Yingxue froze.
Maintaining the kicking pose, he stood there, looking at the tree, then at his own foot, and then at Jiang Dachuan, utterly bewildered.
……
In Room 1639.
Zou Jun: “What’s happening?”
Zhu Mo: “Some kind of stationery forcing love and peace, or amnesia, perhaps.”
Feng Rang: “Why be the vanguard when you can be played to death like this…”
Wei Menghan: “……”
Zhu Mo: “Teacher Wei?”
Wei Menghan: “The outcome is decided. But they’ve already done well to last this long.”
Zhu Mo understood his team leader’s point. Psychic control-type illusory stationeries were almost unsolvable unless you happened to have the one or two stationeries that could counter them.
He looked up at the few people on the egret. From the team captain to the team members, their eyes all showed more or less a hint of panic. Clearly, they had no solution to this illusory stationery.
But—
Zhu Mo’s gaze fell on the only calm face among them.
He didn’t know his name, but if he remembered correctly, this should be the advisor. And now, in his eyes, he saw an astonishing composure and confidence.
“They might not lose.” Zhu Mo paused, then shook his head. “No, they will win.”.
……
Mid-air.
Xu Wang made a decision and looked at Wu Sheng.
However, the latter gently shook his head.
Unable to hold back, Xu Wang blurted out in urgency, “Are we still waiting?”
Wu Sheng remained silent, but his attitude was clear.
Xu Wang anxiously looked down. Jiang Dachuan was about to climb onto a branch. Now, Chi Yingxue seemed like an innocent and naive girl who could be easily pushed off without using force.
They held the trump card but delayed until now. If they failed, they would vomit three pounds of blood!
“We can’t break the illusion,” Xu Wang said, not fearing being overheard by the opponents. The priority was to remind his own advisor.
“I know.” Wu Sheng also watched below. Every second now could affect the battle. “But don’t forget, he’s not fighting alone.”
Xu Wang instantly understood his intention and said in disbelief, “Are you betting on this at such a time?”
“It’s not a bet, but maximizing the potential of variables,” Wu Sheng replied, looking at Xu Wang. “That is, if you really want to integrate him into our combat system.”
Xu Wang looked at his advisor and finally made up his mind. “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”
Kuang Jinxin: “……”
Qian Ai: “……”
What did the leaders discuss? They couldn’t understand at all!
On the opposite cloud.
Kong Lize: “They…”
Gu Nian: “Are using us…”
Chen Guan: “To adapt?”
“Dachuan!” Wang Duan suddenly exclaimed with worry and disbelief.
Everyone immediately looked down!
But it was too late.
Jiang Dachuan, who had just managed to climb back onto the branch due to the opponent’s memory loss, fell into the sea along with his branch.
His face showed disbelief as he fell.
While Chi Yingxue, seemingly indifferent, reached a higher position, not even glancing at the broken branch, as if he knew Jiang Dachuan had no way back.
He easily picked a shiny badge.
[Owl: Congratulations on finding the Castle Badge of 6/23!]
Everything happened in a flash—too fast for Jiang Dachuan to react and too unexpected for the four on the cloud!
Even Kuang Jinxin and Qian Ai were baffled, while Wu Sheng just shrugged at Xu Wang. “I told you, I would improve.”
Xu Wang wanted to rush at him with the egret. “How can you be so cool!”
……
An hour ago, after returning safely from the oil painting, on the way to tell the truth to the girl with braids in 1829.
A secret conversation among the team leaders happened.
Xu Wang: “Chi Yingxue won’t cooperate with our tactics. He likes freedom.”
Wu Sheng: “Not even a little hope?”
Xu Wang: “No.”
Wu Sheng: “Understood, I will improve.”
Xu Wang: “You will improve?”
Wu Sheng: “A mature combat system must accommodate all variables. If it can maximize the utility of variables, it will approach perfection.”
Xu Wang: “Well, don’t overdo it. If it’s perfect, what else is there to pursue in life?”
Wu Sheng: “God level.”
Xu Wang: “…Go ahead, strive for it, as long as you’re happy.”
……
Wang Duan didn’t want to hear the opponents complimenting each other, nor could he accept the outcome.
He looked at Chi Yingxue incredulously below. “When did you break the illusion?”
Chi Yingxue, pushing away annoying branches blocking his view, looked innocently at him. “Why break something I never fell for?”
Not only Wang Duan, but all four on the cloud were stunned.
Chi Yingxue sighed, saying earnestly, “Next time you try to control me, please use a double portion.” As he said this, his gaze shifted from their faces to their clothes, frowning. “Your taste and combat ability don’t match. These are the ugliest coats I’ve ever seen.”
Wang Duan, Chen Guan, Gu Nian, Kong Lize: “…”
Chi Yingxue gasped in pain, as if realizing it for the first time, and checked his bandaged arm, the bruises on his chest, and the soreness on his chin. Each injury he found deepened his frown, not in pain but simple unhappiness.
[Your only task is the badge.]
Wu Sheng’s mission echoed in his mind.
It must be Wu Sheng.
Throughout the battle, this mission, like a brand, was repeatedly emphasized in his mind by that person, almost brainwashing.
He couldn’t ignore it, even if he wanted to.
Chi Yingxue looked down at his chest, as if, through it, he could see someone else.
He hadn’t cooperated with his other self for many years, especially in the last two, almost becoming enemies. He never expected that they would cooperate again, especially for a team they joined only hours ago.
At least for the near future, he shouldn’t be kicked out. Chi Yingxue thought, not too sure.
On the clouds, all four pairs of eyes darkened, and even the usually calm Gu Nian showed a faint killing intent.
Xu Wang could feel it, and so could the onlookers like Han Buting and Wei Menghan.
In Room 1024.
“They’re serious now,” Han Buting said quietly.
Li Zijin didn’t understand. “Weren’t they serious before?”
Han Buting shook his head, no longer speaking.
It wasn’t just about being unserious; from the beginning, those on the clouds didn’t take their opponents seriously. Just like their team during the ambush in the amusement park, they thought it was easy, but the result was the same as today’s cloud team.
This fundamental mindset acted like a ceiling, unconsciously limiting their combat ability.
Even though they were irritated and hindered just now, they still thought it was within their control. This “contempt” was the main reason they lost the badge.
Now, with all goals gone, those on the clouds finally showed their true combat spirit.
On the clouds.
Chen Guan stared at Xu Wang and his team, asking without turning his head, “How much longer for the pause button?”
Kong Lize answered, “Six minutes.”
Chen Guan nodded. “Enough.”
Xu Wang frowned. “You still want to fight even without the badge?”
Wang Duan said, “From the moment you provoked us, you should have been prepared to go home early.”
Xu Wang was speechless. “It was you who provoked us first!”
Wang Duan replied, “But you ended up getting the badge.”
Xu Wang: “…That’s true.”
Wang Duan’s curly hair was almost dry from anger. “So since you got the badge, don’t just leave. It can’t be that you get all the benefits so easily.”
Xu Wang sighed and moved slightly out of the way on the white egret.
Advisor Wu calmly stepped forward. “You might not know, but our team’s principle is to have fun in challenges.”
[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) Time Flies] on you~~]
The four on the cloud were stunned. The shock of this moment surpassed all they had faced that night!
How is that possible?
How could it be?
Holding such an illusory stationery, fighting with them for so long, and using up so many stationeries, what for?!
Before the question could be asked, everyone—whether in battle or spectating—heard a notification sound that belonged to them.
[Owl: Dear~ I’m giving you an early holiday. Sending you home.]
[Owl: Congratulations on passing the 6/23 test and handing in your papers! See you tomorrow~~]
The latter sentence was the belated happiness for Xu Wang’s small team.
……
In a very remote part of Anyang city, under a sky covered with dark clouds blocking the moonlight, the darkness was eerily silent.
In the overgrown grass, where a person drenched and sullen was already standing, nine more appeared out of thin air after a while.
One of them appeared close to him, while the remaining eight were a few meters apart, facing each other in two groups of four.
Jiang Dachuan, full of pent-up anger and nowhere to vent, found his target of blame appearing right before him.
He didn’t even stop to think why the battle ended so quickly, but immediately bent down, grabbed Chi Yingxue by the collar, and yanked him up.
As he was about to deliver a retaliatory punch, Jiang Dachuan suddenly stopped.
The guy who had tormented him not long ago now had his eyes tightly closed, his eyebrows furrowed, sweat on his forehead, and was mumbling something like “get away”, “give it back”, “it’s not yours—”
Jiang Dachuan swallowed and felt a chill run down his spine.
This was even scarier than a ghost grabbing his foot!
“Hey, you… Don’t think you can get away with pretending to be possessed…”
“Let go of that young man!” Suddenly, a voice of justice roared nearby.
Before Jiang Dachuan could react, the person he was holding was snatched away by Qian Ai.
Qian Ai turned around, handed Chi Yingxue to Kuang Jinxin, who came with him, then took out his phone, weighing it in his hand while threatening, “We’re back in a lawful society. Do you still want to fight? Don’t think I won’t start a live broadcast right here!”
Jiang Dachuan: “……”
On the other side, Wang Duanran’s team didn’t make a move, but after being beaten, they needed an explanation.
“Why didn’t you use it from the start?”
Since they had the [Time Flies] stationery, they could have used it to submit immediately during the “Pause” effect, avoiding the subsequent entanglement and tough battle.
“We did plan to use it initially, but unfortunately, your attitude was poor.” Xu Wang looked towards Wu Sheng with a sigh. “So our advisor had to adjust the battle plan.”
Wu Sheng slightly tilted his head upwards, looking towards the dark clouds with a gaze as if admiring the moon, lost in thought. “I never thought of such double happiness. It’s all destiny pushing us forward.”
Wang Duanran, Chen Guan, Kong Lizhe: “……”
Such anti-human dialogue, such a provoking demeanor…
Gu Nian: “Let’s exchange names.”
Xu Wang, Wu Sheng: “Goodbye.”
……
Not far away, in the grass.
Wei Menghan’s team, lying hidden, watched Xu Wang and Wu Sheng turn around to join their other two teammates, picking up their fifth unconscious teammate, shoulder to shoulder, striding away with style.
Then… they walked faster and faster, disappearing into the vast night with a strong desire to survive.
The other team also didn’t stay long, eventually leaving silently in the opposite direction.
Heading back to the city center should be in the same direction, but the fact that the other team chose the other end, avoiding the usual path, was intriguing.
“They’re probably afraid of not being able to control themselves from fighting.” Zou Jun saw through it, hitting the nail on the head.
“However, anyone who loses so thoroughly would feel devastated.” Feng Rang felt a bit sympathetic towards the other team. “From the start, they were bound to win, ready to submit anytime if things went south.”
Zhu Mo sighed lightly, both in reflection and admiration. “But in the end, they still managed to earn the badge.”
Wei Menghan flipped over, lying on his back, looking up at the sky. The dark night matched his mood. “When we met in the Moonlight Maze, we were still acting experienced and teaching others.”
Zhu Mo patted his shoulder to comfort him. “Anyway, they are indeed a team of newcomers.”
Wei Menghan shook his head and remained silent.
Newcomers indeed, but they weren’t rookies. Clearly, they were a bunch of young phoenixes!
Once they gain experience and fully spread their wings, becoming immortal phoenixes, anyone who encounters them will be burnt to ashes…
……
Much later.
Behind a mound.
“Captain?” Li Xia looked worriedly at Han Buting, who had been silent since they emerged, and now that almost all challengers had dispersed, only their team remained in this desolate wilderness.
“It’s okay.” Han Buting rubbed his temples, turned his head, and asked Li Xia and Li Zijin, “What do you think?”
Li Zijin pouted reluctantly and grumbled, “What else can we think? If it were us today, we’d be obliterated in three minutes.”
Han Buting asked, “Replace us with which team?”
Li Zijin fell silent for a moment before saying, “It doesn’t matter which team.”
“They have changed since 3/23.” Li Xia looked at his captain. “We’re still in the same place, no, even worse.”
“Yes.” Han Buting pushed back his hair from his forehead, exhaling. “If we want to keep moving forward, we can’t keep wandering like this.”
Li Xia and Li Zijin knew that once their captain got this way, he had a plan.
“First step, solidify the team.” In the quiet night, Han Buting led his team to stand on the starting line once again.
The author has something to say:
A tough battle. Congratulations to Xu Wang’s small team for advancing from Bronze to Silver~~ (～￣▽￣)～
Kinky Translations 