Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 67: Xiao Bai

Xu Wang led his teammates at a sprinter’s pace, running through a sequence of “left-right-left-left” turns. But at the fifth left turn, he suddenly slammed on the brakes!

Wu Sheng, following closely behind, reacted swiftly and immediately stopped. However, Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin weren’t so in sync, crashing into him. Wu Sheng managed to brace himself against the maze’s wall, absorbing the impact of his two teammates without affecting their team captain, who was sneakily scouting the corner for enemies.

Gasping for breath, Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin soon heard cursing coming from around the corner, and everything clicked.

This was the final stretch of the route given by Xiao Huang. According to Yue Shuai, the next NPC usually waits at the end of the previous NPC’s directions. They were prepared to turn the corner and face the second NPC but didn’t expect another team to have gotten there first.

Soon, four heads peeked around the corner. With Captain Xu’s head at the bottom, six new eyes joined in, and upon seeing the “battlefield” at the end of the fork, they widened in shock, just like their captain.

At the end of the fork was a sea of plants.

Huge green plants almost climbed over the maze walls, each with a unique form. Some had shell-like edges with tooth-like fringes; some were shaped like stretched, green horse-hoof aloes, wide at the top and narrow at the bottom; and others were cylindrical, resembling small lanterns.

These plants, growing from the maze’s floor, intertwined into a “green hell”.

“Venus flytraps, trumpet pitchers, nepenthes…” Wu Sheng quickly accessed his mental encyclopedia, identifying the carnivorous plants.

“With your knowledge reserve…” Qian Ai’s head was above Wu Sheng’s, so he looked down when he spoke. “Apart from the Owl, is there anything in this world that can stump you?”

Wu Sheng’s head was above Xu Wang. Although he was answering Qian Ai, his gaze still remained downward. After a long pause, he sighed softly. “Yes.”

Xu Wang, just listening to the conversation overhead, felt Wu Sheng’s response was uncharacteristically modest and meaningful. However, he quickly dismissed his curiosity due to the intense battle ahead.

At the end of the fork, three members of the unfortunate team were already caught mid-air by the terrifying plants. Some were trapped between the shell-like leaves of a giant Venus flytrap, while others were stuck inside the tubes of the trumpet pitchers, struggling in vain.

Another person stood on the ground, looking disheveled, with some withered stems and leaves at his feet. He must have used stationery to block the plants’ attack, making him the only survivor.

Standing before him was a girl in a pure white princess dress, holding a white lace parasol, spotlessly clean as if she was unrelated to the battle, merely passing by and curiously watching.

“You’re just standing there! Attack—”

“If you can’t attack, help us down. We’ll do it!”

“Damn it, at least say something!”

The three trapped by the “plant mouths” couldn’t escape and vented their frustration on their teammate.

The girl in the princess dress tilted her head. She blinked her big, innocent eyes as if she didn’t understand their cursing.

Xu Wang finally understood why there were only “curses” and no “sounds of fighting”.

This wasn’t a fight; it was the girl in the princess dress playing around—summoning plants to tease the challengers through the maze.

Suddenly, a bullet appeared behind the girl. Under the moonlight, the metal bullet reflected a silver light as it headed straight for the back of the girl’s head!

The bullet was so fast that its trail appeared as a silver line to Xu Wang and his teammates.

It seemed unavoidable.

As mere spectators, they could only think of this before the bullet pierced the parasol, stirring the air and moving the girl’s hair.

But at that fatal moment, a bunch of huge vines suddenly grew from under the girl, lifting her up!

The bullet hit one of the vines, which quickly wrapped around it, rendering it immobile.

The girl, still sitting on an “air chair” made of other vines, casually threw away her burned parasol, which gently fell to the ground.

“You ruined my umbrella,” the girl said sullenly, with a frown and downturned mouth, looking aggrieved. But with her innocent, child-like face, it seemed more like a child’s tantrum.

However, what she did next was far from child-like.

She extended her hand towards the fourth person on the ground, palm facing him, and began to mutter the names of stationeries.

The person on the ground didn’t move or dodge, closing his eyes in concentration. Instantly, his body ignited in flames, turning into a human fireball!

“[Invincible Hot Wheels]!” Qian Ai recognized his “old friend” at a glance.

Xu Wang finally understood where the scorched plants at the feet of that person came from.

Considering using offense stationary as defense, this team shouldn’t have been so weak. But their current situation showed they were easily defeated, indicating only one reason—the NPC was too strong.

“Your stationery is all plant-based, right?” The fourth person, gaining experience and confidence from the previous fight, challenged. “Then bring out one that can spray water, or it’s all in vain.”

The girl didn’t bother with him. After muttering the stationery name, she flipped her hand, and a new umbrella appeared. The lace was simpler than before, still pure white, with the handle in her palm. She held it lightly, reopening the umbrella, and watched calmly below.

A giant, bright red man-eating flower suddenly bloomed from the ground beneath the fourth person.

It didn’t need to first extinguish the flames and simply fought with the fourth person. The plant’s large mouth opened and swallowed both the person and the flames together.

The girl yawned, looking bored. She gave a lackluster glance at the three men suspended in mid-air. With a blink, the plants snapped shut, engulfing all three men and silencing their curses and the instigator of it all.

The vines gently lowered the girl back to the ground, and all the greenery disappeared in an instant.

Standing under the moonlight at the end of the fork, holding her parasol, the girl looked serene and beautiful.

The four friends, who had witnessed everything, felt a complex mix of emotions.

Qian Ai’s thoughts represented the team’s sentiment. “Is the girl in the black dress Yue Shuai mentioned wearing a white dress today…?”

Yue Shuai hadn’t mentioned a girl in a pure white princess dress in his advice. It could be that their paths never crossed with this girl, or perhaps she just happened to be wearing black when she encountered Team Yue.

Regardless, Captain Yue had a piece of advice that was particularly relevant now—

[If something seems off, it’s better to take a different path than to force your way through. Once you step onto an NPC’s path, there’s no turning back.]

Xu Wang was indecisive, but they couldn’t afford to waste more time. They had to either advance or retreat, and he needed to make a quick decision.

“Captain.” Kuang Jinxin was the first to speak up. “I think we can do it.”

“Forget it, I’m all in.” Qian Ai suppressed his survival instinct. “I abstain.”

Xu Wang: “Shouldn’t ‘going all in’ mean agreeing to fight?”

Qian Ai: “Casting an abstention vote has already exhausted all my courage.”

With one vote to advance and one abstention, Xu Wang finally turned to Wu Sheng.

Wu Sheng didn’t vote but instead asked, “Do you want to go in?”

Xu Wang looked at him for two seconds and nodded.

Wu Sheng raised his hand and deployed a [(Defense) Iron Wall], quickly erecting transparent defensive walls on all four sides of the team.

“Then go ahead and charge forward.” That was his answer.

Encased in armor, Xu Wang’s hesitation vanished. His gaze firmed up as he looked ahead. “Forward.”

At the captain’s command, the team stepped into the fork with determination, ready to face anyone or anything that stood in their way.

“Plan B.” Xu Wang locked his eyes on the girl in the princess dress, setting the tone for the battle.

They didn’t try to hide their footsteps. Soon, the girl turned her face from under the parasol and stared at them with innocence and uncomprehending in her eyes.

Having seen the “green hell”, the four friends wouldn’t be fooled by her innocent face.

Suddenly, the sound of running footsteps approached from ahead.

This was a left-turn only path, and Xu Wang’s team aimed to defeat the girl and proceed left. But now, from the left-turn path, running footsteps were nearing.

Was another team running towards them?

Retreating?

The girl also heard the sound. She turned around, looking at Xu Wang’s team, and then in the direction of the footsteps. From her angle, she could clearly see the newcomers.

The sound of growing plants arose from behind.

The four friends were startled and instinctively looked back, only to see a giant wall of ivy rising from the ground, sealing their retreat.

At the same time, a similar sound came from the left-turn path ahead.

The team exchanged glances. Had the girl in the princess dress sealed the other team’s retreat too?

Was she planning to trap both teams here for a one versus eight fight?

“Listen well,” the girl said, her voice as cool as the forest spring water under the moonlight. “Xiao Bai will only guide one team. Whichever team wins, can come and challenge me.”

After speaking, a young twin-leafed sprout grew under her feet. The stem elongated, and leaves enlarged. She jumped onto a leaf, which lifted her back into the air, as she sat and watched the impending showdown.

Xu Wang realized the situation had changed. He quickly ran to the end of the path and glanced left, seeing the other team also in unexpected surprise.

“Damn it!” It was one of the ten teams that gathered at the entrance of the maze. Xu Wang recognized them from a glance. “Why are you guys wandering around aimlessly, ending up here—”

[If two or more teams simultaneously appear on an NPC’s path, the NPC will seal all teams’ retreats and require the teams to battle each other first before fighting with the NPC.]

This was a key rule emphasized by Yue Shuai, always reminding them to avoid competing with other teams for the same NPC unless they were confident in a quick victory. Otherwise, engaging in such a competition meant at least two battles, which would be time-consuming and draining, increasing the risk of being sent back home.

When Xu Wang and his team were observing the corner earlier, besides assessing the NPC’s strength, they were also reluctant to step into the fray too early. Entering prematurely would mean relieving the other team, forcing the girl in the princess dress to stop, and demanding both teams fight each other before challenging her.

Just like what was happening now.

“I was about to ask you the same thing.” Captain Xu, never one to show weakness, confronted the top-ranked team. “This is a detour. Why aren’t you looking for the endpoint instead of backtracking?”

The four members of the other team were bewildered. “It’s you who’s backtracking, isn’t it?”

Xu Wang suddenly realized that there was no such thing as a “backtracking” path in the maze. Every team was circling around, and it was possible for any team to end up at the same point from any path, leading to an unexpected encounter.

“Why are you wasting your breath with them?” One of the four team members, standing to the side, grew impatient and spoke to his teammate, arguing with Xu Wang. “They’re just some clueless newbies. Let’s finish them quickly and not waste time.”

Xu Wang raised an eyebrow, not wanting to waste any more words with them.

Who was the newbie and who was the weaker party would be decided in the stationery battle.

“What did you say?” Suddenly, the girl’s voice from high up in the green leaves rose sharply.

Xu Wang, about to choose his stationery for an attack, almost dropped it in fright and hurriedly turned around.

Qian Ai also turned at the sound, while the other team simply looked behind their opponents.

Only Wu Sheng kept his focus on the opposing team, ready for any surprise attack, but his ears were perked up, not missing a single intonation.

The direction of the voice was from the green leaves behind, but the girl on the leaves was staring down at Kuang Jinxin.

Kuang Jinxin was also confused. He was just thinking about picking up the broken umbrella on the ground, fearing it might affect the upcoming battle. He had explained his actions as the girl’s gaze seemed fierce.

Suddenly, the air fell silent.

Everyone was waiting.

Kuang Jinxin swallowed and repeated himself. “I said, your new umbrella looks better, so I’m putting the old one aside.”

Xiao Bai pouted. “No, that’s not it!”

“…Your new umbrella is cuter!” Kuang Jinxin finally found the right word.

Xiao Bai’s eyebrows raised, and she suddenly seemed shy. “Really cuter?”

Kuang Jinxin, unable to discern the subtle changes in her expression, spoke honestly. “Really, the previous one had too many decorations and was a bit cumbersome. This new one is just right—cute and refreshing, just like you.”

Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai: “……”

The opposing four: “……”

Can’t you be serious? We’re all single guys fighting here, and why are you the only one who can charm an NPC girl?!

“Stop fighting,” the girl suddenly said to the seven others, smiling sweetly. “Xiao Bai is in a good mood. Let’s play a game.”

As her voice fell, the eight of them felt a flash before their eyes, and when they could see clearly again, the maze had vanished. They were in a girl’s bedroom, filled with dolls.

Dolls were piled on the floor, on shelves, on the walls, on tables, and the bed—everything was occupied by dolls.

Big dolls, small dolls, male dolls, female dolls, dolls of exotic styles, dolls dressed for masquerades… Hundreds of them, each exquisitely cute and charming. But when put together like this, it felt slightly eerie and unsettling.

Anyone with a fear of dense patterns would instantly crumble.

“Welcome to Xiao Bai’s room.” The girl’s cheerful voice came from somewhere. “Do you like Xiao Bai’s dolls?”

Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai: “……”

The opposing four: “……”

Kuang Jinxin: “Are all these dolls yours?”

Confirmed by their gaze, you two are kindred spirits!

“Yes!” Xiao Bai proudly affirmed. “So you need to look carefully, okay—”

Her voice trailed off, and the doll bedroom fell silent.

The eight were confused.

But since the NPC said to look carefully, they would.

One minute later.

Xu Wang: “Wu Sheng, this doll’s striped clothes are similar to what you wore on your Owl entry day!”

Wu Sheng: “There’s one wearing only shorts, probably based on you.”

Xu Wang: “……”

Two minutes later.

Kuang Jinxin: “Ah, Captain, Sheng Ge, come over here. Does this one look like Chi Yingxue?”

Qian Ai: “He’s not that handsome…”

Three minutes later.

Qian Ai: “Hey, come over here. I found Yue Shuai. Haha—”

The opposing four: “……Are you guys really this happy?!”

“Snap—”

The lights in the doll bedroom suddenly went out, interrupting Xu Wang’s team’s enthusiastic “find the familiar face” game, and also salvaging the opposing team’s crumbling morale.

The darkness lasted for about ten seconds.

Then the lights came back on.

It was still the doll bedroom, unchanged in every way, even the doll that Qian Ai had forcibly matched to Captain Yue was still in his hand.

“Did you look carefully?” Xiao Bai’s cheerful voice floated back. “If you did, listen to me—”

“After the lights went out, I secretly added a new doll to the room. Whoever finds it first, their team will win this game!”

The opposing team exchanged glances, then stared at the dense, dizzying array of dolls in the room. This seemed like an impossible task. “This is like finding a needle in a haystack!”

No.

Xu Wang, Qian Ai, and Kuang Jinxin looked towards Wu Sheng. Finding a needle in a haystack was a task for mere mortals. Their own Wu “The Strongest Brain and Advisor” Sheng could compare the before and after scenes of the bedroom down to the smallest detail in minutes…

Wu Sheng: “Second row, fourth doll on the red shelf.”

His brain was in action!

Led by Xu Wang, the teammates rushed to the red shelf, clumsily retrieving the white princess dress doll hidden behind two masquerade dolls with only a bit of its skirt showing. They looked expectantly at their advisor. “This one?”

Wu Sheng nodded. “Yes.”

Xiao Bai: “Bingo! Correct!”

The opposing team, with faces full of confusion and eyes filled with “Who are you? Wait a minute. What are you doing…”

“It’s not. Are you guys in cahoots? This is too fake. Ahhhhh——”

The four of them, carrying their doubts about the world, slowly disappeared along with their screams, flying back to the distant maze entrance. Losing to the NPC meant either dying in battle and returning home or admitting defeat and starting over from the beginning of the maze.

The doll bedroom vanished in an instant.

Xu Wang and his team were back at the corner of the maze, or perhaps they had been there the entire time, experiencing only an illusion crafted by the NPC.

Xiao Bai was still the girl in the princess dress with the new umbrella, but no longer obstructed them. Instead, she efficiently removed the ivy wall, clearing a path for them, waving cheerfully. “Left—right—right—left—right—remember to come back and play with Xiao Bai.”

Xu Wang was stunned. “You’re not going to fight us?”

The girl tilted her head, her eyes full of innocent charm. “You played a game with Xiao Bai, so you’re Xiao Bai’s friends now. Why would we still fight?”

Wu Sheng: “Since we’re friends, please accept this small gift.”

Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin: “……”

Xu Wang: “How many of these did you print?!”

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The author has something to say:

Advisor Wu’s Little Classroom is now beginning to distribute review outlinesヽ(≧?≦)?

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Kinky Thoughts:

Xiao Bai’s name translated is Little White. I’m assuming that all the NPCs in this maze are named after a color.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 66: Xiao Huang

The blond young man, wearing a graffiti T-shirt and shorts, stood next to a skateboard, leaning against the wall. Upon seeing them look over, he immediately perked up and waved more enthusiastically. “Hey, I’m calling you guys. Come over and play.”

“Plan A.” Xu Wang was the first to enter the fork, moving steadily with focused attention. “A quick and decisive battle.”

Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin: “Copy that.”

Wu Sheng didn’t speak, but he had already started the first step of Plan A with his actions—

[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) True Love Protection Circle] on you~~]

As the four entered the fork, a ring of pink, heart-shaped bubbles descended from the sky, encircling them like a protective barrier. It didn’t stay stationary but moved along with the team, resembling the rings of Saturn.

The fork was only a few meters long. Halfway down, they stopped, facing the blond young man at the end, about five meters away.

It was a suitable distance for a standoff and battle, but the blond young man wasn’t pleased, scratching his head. “You call this coming over? So distant.”

He looked cool, but as soon as he spoke, it was with a “whiny” tone.

“Never mind. As long as you’re in,” the blond young man placed his skateboard down, leapt on it gracefully, and eyed the four, eager to finally get moving. “I’m Xiao Huang. What are your names?”

What should you do when facing a polite NPC?

Naturally, return the courtesy…

“Kuang Jinxin.”

“Qian Ai.”

“Wu Sheng.”

“Xu Wang. Can you swim? Are you afraid of heights? Afraid of fire? Do you like watching horror movies…?”

“Enough!” Xiao Huang’s expression changed slightly, and he interrupted irritably. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to, trying to figure out my weaknesses to use stationeries against me. As if I’d be foolish enough to reveal my own weaknesses!”

Xu Wang understood, turned to his teammates, and mouthed, “Afraid… of… ghosts…”

The teammates nodded in understanding.

Xiao Huang heard every word and became even more frustrated. “You already said it. Why are you still mouthing it?!”

[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Angry Rocket] on you~~]

Classmate Skateboarder Xiao Huang was angry.

As the notification sounded, a smoking rocket facing the four charged straight at them!

Xiao Huang took the opportunity to speed up his skateboard, not towards the four but diagonally upwards against the maze wall like a U-shaped pool, performing an elegant leap and landing steadily on the maze wall!

Wu Sheng, unable to focus on Xiao Huang, concentrated on controlling the [True Love Protection Circle]!

The other three, trusting Wu Sheng completely, didn’t even glance at the rocket, keeping their eyes fixed on Xiao Huang, ready for his every move.

The rocket hit a heart-shaped bubble, and after several seconds of stalemate, it rebounded, being repelled back down the fork and eventually hitting the maze wall, swallowed up without even a spark.

“The defense is good, but I don’t like the shape of your barrier,” Xiao Huang commented from above. “And if I’m not mistaken, it only protects against horizontal attacks, right?”

[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Look Up to See Joy] on you~~]

The four had no idea when Xiao Huang used the stationery. Or perhaps NPCs didn’t have the same cumbersome process of activating stationery like they do.

[Look Up to See Joy].

What they saw was a rain of blood-red knives!

As Xiao Huang leisurely waited to send the four back home, the moment the knife rain descended, the four suddenly opened a wide oil-paper umbrella. Its span was as wide as the maze corridor, blocking all the knives and completely obstructing Xiao Huang’s view!

[Owl: Someone used [(Defense) West Lake Umbrella Delivery] on you~~]

This was the notification sound in the ears of the four teammates. Xiao Huang couldn’t hear it, but he understood when he saw the new defensive stationery in use.

Frustrated, Xiao Huang stamped his skateboard and started searching his [Stationery Box] for a weapon to break through the defense. Just as he found something promising, he heard a notification—

[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) Horror Cinema] on you~~]

Xiao Huang was startled, his face turning ashen as he gritted his teeth. “Fine, you win. So ruthless…”

Behind the umbrella, the four teammates couldn’t see Xiao Huang’s reaction but could hear screams and roars like “Ahhh,” “Don’t come here,” and “There’s a ghost!”

“Damn, are you an idiot? Knowing there are ghosts and still going in there—”

And, uh, even getting involved in the plot with yelling.

Xu Wang was accurate in his observation. At the mention of horror movies, Xiao Huang’s eyes visibly trembled.

But even Xu Wang, with his keen perception, didn’t realize that Xiao Huang’s feelings towards horror movies were a mix of fear and love.

The first defensive stationery [True Love Protection Circle] was Wu Sheng’s, the second [West Lake Umbrella Delivery] was Kuang Jinxin’s, and the third illusory stationery [Horror Cinema] was Xu Wang’s. Now, Plan A was down to its last step.

One and a half minutes later.

Xiao Huang finally used [(Illusory) Awakening from a Dream] to free himself from the horror movie. Expecting the four to have fled, he was annoyed enough to kick the wall, but when he glanced down, all four pairs of eyes were still staring at him.

“Why aren’t you running?” Xiao Huang didn’t understand. Not only had they not fled, but they had also removed the [West Lake Umbrella Delivery], leaving only the ring of little hearts as protection, which seemed to taunt his single-dog soul.

Xu Wang asserted confidently, “You haven’t told us the way yet.”

There are countless ways to get past an NPC; simply running out of their range will stop them from chasing. However, to get the correct path from an NPC, the only way is to make them willingly admit defeat.

Xiao Huang didn’t know whether to be angry or amused, almost losing his balance on the skateboard. “Only those who defeat me are qualified to get directions. You don’t think a mere horror movie theater has really scared me, do you?”

“Whether it scared you or not, let’s try again,” Qian Ai threatened, raising his arm. “After all, I happen to have two of these illusory stationery.”

Xiao Huang’s gaze darkened. “The movie theater, that was yours?”

He asked word by word, his voice tinged with a hint of coldness.

Qian Ai ignored him, his fingertips almost touching the [Stationery Box].

Xiao Huang’s eyes narrowed quickly, and with a swift movement, his skateboard suddenly soared, taking him high into the air, and then he dove down towards Qian Ai!

Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, and Kuang Jinxin scattered instantly, wishing they could be eight hundred meters away from their teammate!

Xiao Huang, ready for a four-on-one, found himself suddenly in a one-on-one situation. Sensing something amiss with his “using his body as a cannonball” attack, he couldn’t stop in time!

“Bang—”

He hit Qian Ai solidly, but at the moment of impact, Qian Ai firmly hugged him!

The huge inertia sent them both flying, with Qian Ai’s back slamming hard against the maze wall, cushioning Xiao Huang from severe injury.

Sliding down the wall, Qian Ai’s arms, still encircling Xiao Huang, didn’t loosen at all.

A trace of doubt passed through Xiao Huang’s thoughts. He hadn’t yet fully grasped the situation when Qian Ai suddenly opened his eyes, inhaled deeply despite the pain, and shouted forcefully at the NPC he was hugging. “[Hit Me If You Dare]—”

The arms restraining Xiao Huang suddenly released, and the NPC, still bewildered by the shout, was flung out, hitting the opposite maze wall with a loud “thud”, experiencing the pain Qian Ai felt.

But Qian Ai, with his robust muscles and natural defensive ability, was relatively less hurt.

So the two slumped at the base of the maze wall, looking at each other. Eventually, Qian Ai struggled to get up and rejoined his team.

His three teammates rushed to support their biggest contributor, each conveying their admiration through their eyes.

Qian Ai didn’t need their admiration; he just wanted to understand something. “Xiao Kuang…”

Kuang Jinxin: “Hm?”

Qian Ai: “You used the same weapon on the Endless Sea, right? [Hit Me If You Dare]?”

Kuang Jinxin: “Yeah, that’s the one.”

Qian Ai: “Then why could you reflect damage before getting hit, but I had to wait until after I was struck to activate it?”

Kuang Jinxin: “……”

Qian Ai: “……”

Wu Sheng: “Lao Qian, if I were you, I wouldn’t ask that question.”

Xu Wang: “A piece of clothing looks different on you than on a supermodel. Don’t mind these details.”

Qian Ai: “Captain, are you really comforting me…?”

Xiao Huang, overhearing this, finally realized. “So the horror movie theater wasn’t yours, and there was no second one… Your act was to lure me into hitting you, just to use the counter-attack weapon!”

His anger rose. Xiao Huang’s gaze could almost burn someone to ashes.

Qian Ai quickly clarified, “All the tactics were thought out by the captain and advisor. I’m just an innocent person who happened to have the counter-attack weapon!”

“Alright.” Xu Wang approached Xiao Huang, crouching down, and negotiated softly. “The game is over. Tell us the way.”

Xiao Huang snorted and turned away.

But as he turned, he saw Kuang Jinxin holding his skateboard in one arm and a metal spike in the other, with an innocent, sincere look in his eyes. “The captain said if you don’t tell us the way, he’ll scratch your skateboard.”

Xiao Huang: “……”

Beasts!!!

“Left—Right—Left—Left—Left—mmph—”

Xiao Huang resigned himself to giving directions, but before he could finish, someone covered his mouth.

Xu Wang whispered, “No need to shout so loud. We’re not announcing it to the world. Just tell us quietly.”

Xiao Huang: “Mmph mmph mmph mmph…”

Xu Wang: “Left, right, left, left, left?”

Xiao Huang: “Mmph!”

Xu Wang: “Love you~~”

This team is a bunch of demons! Demos!!!

[Owl: Someone used [(Illusory) Full Vitality] on you~~]

Pain and fatigue suddenly vanished, replaced by a warm power continuously flowing into his body. Xiao Huang, listening to the notification in his ear, stared blankly at the demonic team captain.

The demonic team captain smiled, looking quite handsome when he did.

“If any more teams come, you have to help us stop them, got it?”

“……”

Please, just go!!!

Perhaps hearing his silent plea, the demonic team captain began to organize his team, commanding them to take a break, then stand at attention and run forward…

“Give me ten more seconds.” The most intelligent-looking man on the team suddenly stepped out and approached Xiao Huang.

Xiao Huang, holding his recovered skateboard, stood up quickly, feeling bold again after regaining his vitality. “What’s up? Can’t bear to leave me~~”

The man took out a small card from his pocket and handed it to him, saying earnestly, “Since you’re free, look at these questions and think about life when you’re waiting for someone.”

With that, he turned away gracefully.

The demonic team captain led the team to look straight ahead and sprint towards the correct path, moving at full speed!

Their frantic rush made the team disappear into the depths of the maze in an instant, leaving only their casual chatter in the wind—

“Sheng Ge, what if he can’t read?”

“I marked it with pinyin.”

“That answer… is beyond reproach…”

“Captain, forget the teasing for now. Can you use a healing stationery on me too…”

“Someone used [(Illusory) Captain’s Loving Healing Technique] on you~~”

“…Don’t fake the notifications!”

The last traces of their voices scattered with the dust into the night sky.

Xiao Huang looked up at the moonlight, praying to the Moon Goddess never to encounter this team again.

After calming down a bit, the NPC finally looked at the small card.

It was filled with densely packed words, but clearly listed.

As if I’m illiterate!

Muttering to himself, Xiao Huang silently read the card—

1. Why are you here?
2. Is being here your job or your mission?
3. Have you ever thought about what the outside world is like…

What kind of weird questions are these?

Xiao Huang rolled his eyes, losing interest, and carelessly stuffed the card into the pocket of his shorts.

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Kinky Thoughts:

Xiao Huang means Little Yellow.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 65: The Maze

The skewer-eating team didn’t seem inclined to share their names, but Xu Wang memorized them at a glance anyway—four people, each with a distinct style, none of whom looked like they matched the other.

The man who initiated the conversation seemed to disapprove of them holding a cup of tea. He looked like the leader of his team. He was in his mid-thirties, bald, and wearing a black t-shirt that showed his bulging muscles. He was the kind of person one would mistake for a tough guy collecting protection fees, looking even more imposing than Qian Ai.

The other three were around their late twenties.

One had phoenix-shaped eyes, radiating a mischievous kind of handsomeness, and was wearing a jacket and Martin boots. He exuded a punk vibe mixed with a hint of a playboy air. Holding a disposable transparent plastic cup, he managed to make it look like he was sipping an ’82 Lafite.

The second was slender with delicate features. Given his elegant body lines, he was probably a dancer. He looked elegant wearing a very casual knit sweater, which was quite pleasing to the eye. Even the skewer in his hand looked artistic.

The last one was an ordinary young man who was well-proportioned and dressed casually. He was neither tall nor short, fat nor thin, and had faint dark circles under his eyes, like many young people striving for a living in the city. Such a young man would blend into the crowd on the street, but standing next to his imposing, phoenix-eyed, and slender teammates, he stood out with his unique “approachability”.

Xu Wang hesitated over whether to explain the “red tea and cologne”, as doing so would inevitably reveal information about the Flying Island. However, before he could respond, the tough guy spoke again. “First time on the Flying Island, right?”

Xu Wang was startled, then realized he had fallen into a misunderstanding—since it was their first time ascending the lighthouse to the Flying Island, they assumed others were newcomers like them.

Wu Sheng, Kuang Jinxin, and Qian Ai, initially just listening to their captain’s socializing, became alert after hearing this.

The tough guy noticed their reaction but didn’t mind, casually saying, “These teams around us have mostly retreated from earlier challenges. Anyone seeing your style would know you’re newbies.”

Xu Wang caught the implication. “You mean we’re now targets?”

The tough guy sighed. “At least you’re sending a signal that ‘we’re easy to bully’…”

“Teacher Wei,” the phoenix-eyed man couldn’t help but say after having finished his beer. “When will you change your habit of trying to guide every newbie you see?”

The tough guy turned around and said with full of righteousness, “It’s the duty of the gardener to give guidance.”

The phoenix-eyed man rolled his eyes, almost turning his single eyelids into double.

The slender man leaned against a tree, admiring the moonlight throughout.

The young man with dark circles was uninterested in his teammates’ banter. He looked sleepy. He yawned and sat down on the ground, only to jump up as if he were a spring. “Damn, the grass is wet—”

Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai, Kuang Jinxin: “……”

Just as they were at a loss for words, the ground suddenly vibrated.

They looked up to see where there had been a forest, the ground bulged, trees fell, and a giant stone maze slowly rose.

A minute later, the dust settled.

Under the moonlight, the gray-white stones took on a serene glow.

At the same time, all forty people present received a “Ding—”

[Cheat Sheet]: 59 seconds until the [Moonlight Maze] opens.

The number kept changing. It was more of a countdown than a notification.

At this moment, Xu Wang realized that only their team looked at the message. The other teams, obviously familiar with what this meant, were already moving towards the maze’s entrance.

The four companions exchanged a glance and quickly followed the main group.

Seconds later, all the teams gathered in front of the stone slab at the maze’s entrance, each vying for a good starting position but none wanting to spark a conflict before the challenge began. Despite some jostling, there was no talking, only a silent struggle.

Xu Wang led his three teammates, not too far forward but also not letting others push them to the edge.

In the distance, faint footsteps suggested more teams were on their way.

Xu Wang found some comfort in these footsteps. It at least indicated that it wasn’t just them who were newcomers.

Experienced teams, knowing the nature of the challenge, wouldn’t choose a location so far from the coordinates to enter the “Owl”. It must be new teams who, based on their experiences in the 2/23 Red-Eye Flight and 3/23 Doomsday City levels, thought this challenge would have a similarly open map. Assuming the entry location wouldn’t make much difference and seeking to avoid the crowd, they deliberately chose a spot away from the main coordinates.

The one-minute countdown ended.

All forty people heard the last reminder before the challenge began—

[Owl: Enjoy the moonlight, but no climbing the walls~~]

The stone slab blocking the entrance to the maze slowly lowered.

The “new teams” rushing towards them hadn’t arrived yet, and the ten teams gathered at the entrance and charged in, seizing the initiative!

As soon as they entered the maze, there was a straight path four people wide, about fifty meters long. They could see straight to the end, where there was no path, just a wall—a dead end.

But on both sides of this path, there was a door every meter, each marked with a number. From the entrance to the end, there were fifty doors on each side, making a total of one hundred.

These doors were the real entrances to the maze.

There was only one maze and one endpoint, but the path had to be chosen!

The teams of forty people sprinting rapidly diminished as people entered the doors. The sounds of doors opening and closing were incessant!

“Crash—”

“Damn—”

Noise and curses came from behind, signaling that some team had gotten into action as soon as they entered.

Finally, Xu Wang’s team reached the door they had eyed, not delaying any further, and turned right into door number 44, the lucky door Kuang Jinxin had chosen during the day!

Inside, the path narrowed to three people wide, with straight and branching paths, truly maze-like.

Xu Wang slowed down a bit, reminding while running, “Adjust your breathing. From now on, maintain a steady pace. Don’t rush too fast to avoid running out of steam.”

Before his teammates could respond, another voice came from behind them. “Good point. Hear that? Everyone, adjust your breathing!”

The four teammates stopped and turned around to see that another team had entered through door 44.

The man, apparently the team captain, who was using Xu Wang’s words on his team, was in sportswear with a color similar to a school uniform. The other three were also in athletic gear and running shoes, clearly well-prepared.

“Sorry.” The sportswear team captain explained apologetically as he caught up with Xu Wang. “Everyone chose a lucky number, so we have to compete fairly.”

Xu Wang looked at him speechlessly. “How lucky can 44 be…”

The sportswear team leader just smiled.

“Let’s not beat around the bush.” Xu Wang didn’t want to engage in pleasantries while running out of breath. “Just say you thought we’d be easy to pick on, and let’s have a showdown…”

Before he could finish, Xu Wang was stunned to see a wooden basin slowly appear above the sportswear team leader’s head.

Before he could make sense of this stationery, a gust of wind suddenly rose from behind!

Instinctively turning back, he saw countless leaves flying towards them, forming a giant, deadly green net that was impossible to avoid!

[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Picking Leaves and Flying Petals*] on you~~]

*I think this is a reference to a move in martial arts novels where, when someone reaches a certain qi level, they can basically fling leaves and petals, making them into sharp flying weapons.

The same message rang in the ears of all four teammates.

Simultaneously, the leaves curiously avoided the sportswear team leader, who stopped, stood still, and smiled as they passed by.

But to his disappointment.

The “rain of leaves,” just about to hit the four faces, seemed to crash into an invisible wall.

“Clang—clang clang clang clang clang clang clang—”

In the sound of crisp collisions, the “rain of leaves” all fell at the feet of the four, piling up, almost resembling their intended autumnal purpose.

The sportswear team captain and his teammates were momentarily stunned!

In that moment of surprise, the sportswear team captain’s teammates also noticed the wooden basin above their captain’s head. Just as they were about to warn him, they sensed something amiss with the light and shadows around them and looked up…

Sure enough, the basin was impartial. There were four in total, and no one was left out. Just as they looked up, the basin tilted slowly, pouring its liquid contents down.

[Owl: Someone used [(Offense) Pouring Dog Blood*] on you~~】

*(狗血淋头) Idiom that comes from old superstition. Originally, it refers to a saying that if dog’s blood is poured onto the head of a demon, its magic will be disabled. Later, it’s used to describe scolding fiercely, to the point that the scolded person looks like a demon soaked in blood, completely speechless to do anything.

Four basins of dog blood, one for each person, were poured from head to toe without waste.

The sportswear team captain, along with his teammates, was subjected to irreversible mental trauma amidst the suffocating smell of blood.

Finally, the sportswear team captain regained his senses, furiously wiping the blood off his face to clear his eyes, only to find that the initiators were long gone, vanished into one of the branching paths.

“Chase—” Not caring about his wet hair and sticky, blood-stained clothes, the sportswear team captain roared!

In fact, there was no need for the sportswear captain to shout. The other three teammates were already riled up! It was wrong of them to ambush the other team but using dog blood… where was their humanity!

Just ahead, there were two turns—one left and one right. The sportswear team captain hesitated for two seconds, then took a gamble and went left!

After running madly for a minute, they didn’t catch up with the culprits but ran into another team.

The team, happily running, was terrified by the sight of the four blood-covered people, mistaking them for some new horror NPC, and immediately launched a double attack with offense and illusory stationeries!

The sportswear team captain, not to be outdone, quickly led his team in a counterattack.

However, the heavy dog blood greatly hindered their performance, and after a struggle, the sportswear team was sent home.

On the other hand, Xu Wang’s team, which had chosen the path on the right, turned several corners, making sure no one was following, and then slowed down, breathing a sigh of relief.

Qian Ai finally got to say, “Thank god we used the [Fire, Theft, and Ambush Protection] beforehand.”

[(Defense) Fire, Theft, and Ambush Protection], when used, can protect against one fire attack, one theft, and one ambush (of any kind).

As soon as the entrance opened, Xu Wang had Qian Ai use this defensive stationery, anticipating encounters with teams that targeted weaker newcomers.

But Wu Sheng’s [Pouring Dog Blood Pour] wasn’t part of the plan, and it clearly appeared before [Picking Leaves and Flying Petals].

Xu Wang was about to discuss this when Kuang Jinxin beat him to it. “Sheng Ge, did you use the [Pouring Dog Blood] before [Picking Leaves and Flying Petals]?”

Wu Sheng admitted openly, “Yeah.”

Kuang Jinxin: “How did you know they would ambush us?”

Because that guy was smiling slyly at Xu Wang with eyes that were unappealingly greasy.

Replaying the scene in his mind, Wu Sheng affirmed, “I saw their ill intentions through their fake smiles.”

Xu Wang: “Is that your line…”

Kuang Jinxin: “Sheng Ge, if the captain ever says you can’t read people and only know tactics and theory in the future, I’ll be the first to disagree!”

Wu Sheng: “Good.”

Xu Wang: “……”

Another fork appeared ahead, and the group stopped.

To the left, a path continued deeper into the maze. To the right, at the end of the path and around a corner, stood a blond young man leaning against the wall. Initially whistling leisurely, he smiled and waved his hand when he saw them looking over. “Come here~~”

The voice of Captain Yue echoed in the ears of all four teammates—

[In the maze, NPCs are both obstacles and lucky stars. Encountering them means you’re on the right path. Defeat them to receive hints for the next part of the route. If you can defeat the NPCs all along the way, the endpoint is yours. But remember, they are both combat-capable and can use stationeries, so be very careful once you encounter them.]

The NPC was the real key to the maze.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 64: Flying

The sky was as blue and vast as the sea, yet without the tumultuous waves of the ocean. A gentle breeze brushed against the face, occasionally bringing along a white, soft cloud so close it seemed like one could reach out and touch it.

Xu Wang lay on the railing of the airship, comfortably admiring the beauty of the clouds. Occasionally, when he found it monotonous, he would look down at the sea below. The ship flew high, and from above, the sea surface looked like a piece of light blue crystal glass, shimmering with fine light under the sun.

Half an hour ago, they had boarded the lighthouse on the Flying Island. Learning from previous experiences, they didn’t bring large luggage this time—just a backpack each, traveling light.

What greeted them was a retro and luxurious airship. After entering the coordinates, a fantastical flight journey began.

“Qian Ge, come over here and look. It’s so beautiful that any random shot could be a wallpaper—”

Kuang Jinxin’s admiration came from the other side of the railing.

This classmate had been the happiest for the longest time. Since the airship took off, he had been excited and showed no signs of calming down.

Qian Ai had been watching him take photos for a long time. Hearing Kuang Jinxin’s call, he immediately approached, curiously leaned in, and took the other person’s phone to admire each picture one by one.

“These dozens of photos you took…” Qian Ai hesitated, not wanting to go against his conscience. “Aren’t they all just blue?”

“Look closely. Some are deep blue, some are water blue, some are light blue, some are azure blue…”

“……”

Xu Wang initially wanted to ask Kuang Jinxin to stay away from the railing, fearing his jumping around might accidentally flip him over. But seeing him now gathered with Qian Ai, his attention shifted from outside the airship to the phone, so he didn’t disturb his teammates’ “unity and camaraderie”.

Phones could be brought into the “Owl”, but photos taken inside would disappear without a trace once back in reality and wouldn’t reappear upon re-entering the “Owl”. After trying a few times, they didn’t want to take photos in the “Owl” anymore, as it all seemed futile.

Only Kuang Jinxin remained enthusiastic.

Xu Wang wanted to continue looking at the sky, but when he turned his head back, he inadvertently caught sight of Wu Sheng.

Wu Sheng leaned against a corner of the airship, not looking at the sky or the sea, but just staring into the air, his gaze seemingly flickering with countless formulas.

“What are you doing?” Xu Wang asked out of curiosity as he walked over.

“Combining.” Wu Sheng replied succinctly.

Xu Wang was at a loss. “Explanation, please.”

“We currently have a total of 49 stationeries. Some are of the same quality, while others are incompatible with each other. If we combine some of them, the lethality will increase geometrically compared to using them individually,” Wu Sheng explained. “I was just simulating battles, testing the effects of different combinations.”

Xu Wang: “……”

No drafts, no calculations, no listed combinations—just ‘simulating’ in his mind.

The most powerful brain wasn’t only amazing but also eco-friendly!

[The fourth challenge is a maze. The team that first reaches the end and opens the treasure chest will successfully turn in their papers. The available routes are doors numbered 1-100, but no one can be sure which door leads to a shortcut, a long route, a live route, or a dead end. So, while it’s partly luck, remember three things: one, you must be quick. If you find the wrong path, you can go back and choose another door or just break through it, but don’t waste time; two, don’t hesitate to use your stationeries. If a battle can be solved with five stationeries in one minute, don’t drag it out with just one for five minutes; three, you can confront all teams and NPCs, but the only exception is a little girl in a black cloak—if you encounter her, run immediately.]

This was the advice shared by Captain Yue, whom they escorted to the Flying Island yesterday, covering all the insights for 4/23 and 5/23. The above was the part about 4/23.

What about 6/23? Sorry, Captain Yue, who totaled less than 20 minutes in two entries, didn’t want to talk about it and had nothing to say.

As for the shared insights of 4/23 that could help in preparation, it was mainly about the “stationery battle”. Xu Wang thought it was just about familiarizing everyone with their own stationery, considering when to use which one. But Advisor Wu had already started planning the “overall combination strategy”.

Wu Sheng began to explain his tactical research approach with a glint in his eyes full of confidence and determination. “The effects of all stationeries can only be inferred based on the categories of offense, defense, illusory, and the names of the stationeries. The final lethality might deviate from expectations, but the overall direction should be correct. Once all tests are complete, I will list the optimal combinations. Whether we can fully utilize these combination techniques depends on our timing and coordination.”

Xu Wang nodded. “Alright, once you’ve compiled the combination list, we’ll memorize it completely.”

Wu Sheng frowned slightly. “Why does it sound like cramming for an exam…”

Xu Wang gave him a ‘haven’t you realized it yet?’ look. “Ever since you became our advisor, our team has embarked on a path of scientific research of no return.”

“Fortunately, we met Captain Yue.” Xu Wang sat down next to his advisor. “If it weren’t for his intel, we would have blindly stumbled into the fourth level, and it would have ended disastrously.”

Wu Sheng narrowed his eyes at his team captain, seriously considering this for the first time. “You didn’t decide to escort him to the Flying Island yesterday just to extract information, did you?”

“Of course not,” Captain Xu said righteously. “I did it entirely out of humanitarian concern!”

Wu Sheng: “……”

“Think about it. Did I ask him anything from start to finish?” Captain Xu always persuaded with facts.

Wu Sheng: “…” No. Not only had he not asked, but when Captain Yue turned back at the lighthouse door to offer them intel, their captain politely declined several times, making Captain Yue feel so guilty that he changed from “I can tell you” to “I must tell you no matter what”.

“I didn’t even want to listen,” Captain Xu added, somewhat aggrieved. “He insisted on telling me!”

Wu Sheng: “……”

In high school, Xu Wang always rushed into things, and Wu Sheng always advised him to be more strategic.

Now, Wu Sheng apologized for his past ignorance—when it came to being “strategic”, Xu Wang’s talent was like a lush tree adorned with colorful lights.

The coordinates for 4/23 were in Huainan, Anhui Province. From Hebei to Anhui, it would normally take nearly two hours by plane.

But the airship leisurely floated and descended after just an hour.

Simultaneously, the four companions received a notification “Ding—”

[Cheat Sheet]: Welcome to the [Flying VIP Lounge].

The four of them disembarked from the airship to see an English-style manor in front of them.

The towering manor gates opened slowly, revealing a vast front lawn with playfully trimmed patterns and a central fountain with dancing water, accompanied by the melodious sound of a harp coming from somewhere.

Behind the fountain stood a retro English-style building, about three stories high, with an additional two-story tower in the middle, like a watchtower.

Despite its retro style, the building had no sense of age or decay. Its exterior was clean stone white, the windows were bright, and the fountain and lawn added a touch of freshness and vitality.

“Is this… the lounge?” Qian Ai stood at the entrance, hesitant to enter.

Kuang Jinxin felt the same. “Too luxurious for a lounge…”

Then, he dashed into the lawn like the wind, taking a selfie with the fountain.

With one classmate taking the lead, the other three followed suit.

Once all four entered the manor, the [Cheat Sheet] updated again: Welcome dear guest. I am the butler, Xiao Feidao! I will guide you around and ensure you are fully recharged before midnight comes again~~

Qian Ai: “A lounge on the Flying Island, so it’s called Xiao Feidao… Could they be any more perfunctory*?”

*Clarity: His name translates to Little Flying Island.

Xu Wang: “That drag at the end gave him away.”

Kuang Jinxin: “Is Xiao Feidao also part of the ‘Owl’?”

Wu Sheng: “Before the next midnight?”

Xu, Qian, Kuang: “……”

Why was their advisor always so outstanding in his focus?

At 04:12 Beijing time, the airship landed, and the four entered the [Flying VIP Lounge], each getting a low-key luxurious king-sized bedroom, allowing them to sleep soundly.

At 14:00 Beijing time, Xiao Feidao automatically announced the time, waking the guests to head to the dining room for a luxurious afternoon tea.

From 16:00 to 21:00, they had free time and were reminded that they could discuss their examination strategies. Of course, they didn’t waste it, memorizing the tactical list Wu Sheng wrote during afternoon tea, quizzing, and reciting it to each other, creating a fervent learning atmosphere.

At 21:00, Xiao Feidao announced the time again, inviting the guests to the dining room for an even more luxurious and romantic candlelit dinner.

At 22:30, they bathed in a jacuzzi tub and then sprayed some lucky cologne.

At 23:50, all four gathered in the hall, each with a cup of English red tea, waiting for midnight.

At first, the four companions felt awkward, but now, three of them didn’t want to leave—

Qian Ai: “Can we always take the Flying Island to the coordinates in the future…”

Xu Wang: “Maybe this is a one-time benefit for new users, and we won’t get such good treatment next time.”

Kuang Jinxin: “But how do we know if we don’t try again?”

Xu Wang: “Good point.”

The three companions reached a soulful understanding amidst their smiles and then simultaneously turned to Wu Sheng.

Advisor Wu was holding his black tea as he stared into his cup, lost in thought. After a while, he finally looked up and gave his teammates a “V” sign.

Xu Wang was the first to react, immediately responding with the same gesture. “Victory!”

Kuang Jinxin and Qian Ai, a bit slower on the uptake, followed suit. “Yeah!”

Wu Sheng: “…I meant, don’t forget those two points!”

Xu Wang’s team, whose tacit understanding had been eroded by the extravagant preparations for war, finally reached unity of thought at the last moment before midnight.

Two key points—speed and the little girl in a black cloak.

The grandfather clock completed the last minute before midnight—its hour and minute hands aligned, and the pendulum sounded a loud chime.

There was no owl hoot.

The four companions felt a flash of bright light before their eyes, and when they opened them again, they were in a moonlit forest.

In the quiet of the night, unidentified insects chirped as if it had just rained, with dewdrops still clinging to the grass tips.

But the four companions had no time to appreciate these details, as appearing with them were nine other teams.

One team was almost shoulder-to-shoulder with them.

The other eight were scattered under trees not far away, each team maintaining some distance from the others, occasionally exchanging glances but without any team initiating conversation.

However, these teams carried an enticing… late-night snack aroma.

Especially the team right next to them, consisting of four people: two holding disposable plastic beer cups and two holding unfinished skewers.

Team Xu Wang observed them, and they were also sizing up their “neighbors”. Unable to resist the fragrance of red tea and cologne, they finally spoke first—

“Isn’t it a bit too pretentious for all of you to be holding a cup of tea…”

The real-world coordinates for 4/23 were a night market food street.

There were nine teams waiting for midnight. Eight were enduring the temptation of various street foods like meat skewers, Huainan beef soup, tornado potato, and grilled squid, carrying the scent of late-night snacks they had resisted.

Only the team next to Xu Wang’s indulged in the food from one end of the street to the other, as joyfully as four worker bees gathering honey.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 63: Midnight Movies

6/23, Castle Hotel, Beijing time.

[Owl: Congratulations on finding the 6/23 Castle Medal!]

Zheng Luozhu breathed a sigh of relief amidst the congratulations and opened the hidden compartment of his [Stationery Box]. The last empty slot now held a [Castle Medal].

At this point, all 13 slots in the hidden compartment of the [Stationery Box] had been filled.

He was delighted, having worked hard for so many days, feeling both relieved and accomplished.

But he couldn’t show it, as Fan Peiyang’s face showed no trace of joy.

“Boss,” Zheng Luozhu had decided to remind him. “We’ve collected all the badges from 1 to 13.”

“Yeah.” Fan Peiyang responded nonchalantly, clearly aware.

But his eyes remained cold, like a desolate early winter wilderness, where all that’s lively and vibrant had been suppressed under ice and snow, leaving only endless bleakness and indifference.

Zheng Luozhu fell silent, no longer saying anything else.

“How many days till the rankings are released?” Fan Peiyang suddenly asked, his voice becoming a bit heavier.

When it came to business matters, Zheng Luozhu didn’t dare stall and promptly replied with respect, “Three days.”

Fan Peiyang slightly tilted his head, looking at a wall painting as if admiring it or pondering something.

“In three days, our score will be 9/23.” Zheng Luozhu guessed what his boss was concerned about. “We’ll easily make it into the top five on the leaderboard. Although the reward will be less than first place…”

“Get ready,” Fan Peiyang interrupted indifferently. “Refresh the records the day after tomorrow and the day after that.” His gaze was still fixed on the painting, yet his voice remained calm, as if he were discussing something ordinary.

Zheng Luozhu hesitated, unsure if he had understood correctly. “You mean…”

Fan Peiyang had turned his gaze back, looking directly at Zheng Luozhu and the three people behind him. “Before the rankings are released, I want to return to the top of the leaderboard.”

His words were clear and undeniable.

Zheng Luozhu wouldn’t have disagreed. After all, they were paid for this job. “Understood.”

But while money can buy his fighting ability, it can’t corrode his soul…

Fan Peiyang: “The person collecting the papers…”

Zheng Luozhu: “Already locked on. If you find it troublesome, we can clear the area first to ensure you can submit your paper in peace.”

Yes, not a bit of his soul had been corroded!

Beijing Time.

[Owl: Congratulations on passing the 6/23 test and handing in your papers! See you tomorrow~~]

For the first time in many days, Zheng Luozhu felt genuine joy at this congratulations. They no longer needed to repeatedly advance and retreat, manipulate levels, and could now focus on moving forward.

What lies beyond 13/23? Nobody knew.

That’s exactly why it was so exciting.

Fan Peiyang made a phone call, and within five minutes, a car arrived to pick them up at the location they popped out of.

Two black Bentleys smoothly stopped in front of them, looking low-key, yet elegant.

From the second Bentley, a well-groomed, gentle-looking man wearing glasses stepped out. His hair was meticulously combed, and his suit was immaculately wrinkle-free. Without saying anything, he first handed the car keys to Zheng Luozhu, then opened the rear door of the first car for Fan Peiyang.

Fan Peiyang had gotten in. The bespectacled man didn’t return to the second car but instead took the passenger seat in the first.

As the car window rose, Zheng Luozhu heard him report to Fan Peiyang. “President Tang’s health is stable.”

Fan Peiyang nodded as the window closed completely.

But Zheng Luozhu caught a fleeting warmth in Fan Peiyang’s eyes at the mention of “President Tang”.

Zheng Luozhu and the other three got into the second Bentley, knowing well that their luggage was properly placed in the trunk.

As the lead car drove off, Zheng Luozhu started the engine and followed steadily.

The three subordinates, having restrained themselves all night, finally relaxed. One in the passenger seat, two in the back—they were slumped like three limp noodles.

“Earning money these days is too hard…”

“Who exactly is this President Tang? Always the first to be reported…”

“Zheng Ge, do you know the inside story?”

“With the night shift’s pay, don’t worry about the day shift’s business.” Zheng Luozhu glanced at the time in the car. “It’s a six-hour drive to Beijing. We’ll arrive around eleven. What do you want for lunch? My treat.”

His subordinates were usually food-focused, yet this time they didn’t bother placing their order. They were surprised when they heard what he had said.

“So we’re going back to Beijing? No wonder he said we’d start refreshing records the day after tomorrow…”

“Looks like we’re spending another night at the first level…”

“Why does every level close to Beijing require a day’s return? Does he not have any parents, wife, or kids?”

Zheng Luozhu was tired and instinctively corrected, “His parents passed away early, and he’s still single.”

“It’s all the same anyway.”

“But think about it. If I had such a big company in Beijing, I also wouldn’t trust it to others. I’d have to check on it now and then.”

“Right, otherwise where would the money come from to pay our salaries?”

“……” Zheng Luozhu still couldn’t figure out how he ended up with these three subordinates, whose talents seemed to be entirely in physical strength, with brains like overgrown weed gardens.

However, he let them interpret things their way; after all, it was an unclear matter.

Besides, whether Fan Peiyang returned to Beijing for someone or for his company didn’t concern them. As he had just said, they were paid for the night shift, handling the “Owl” related tasks. He might be Fan Peiyang’s night secretary, but Fan Peiyang’s real life was the responsibility of the daytime secretary, who had just come to pick them up.

What was that elegant, bespectacled secretary’s name again?

Oh right, Shan Yunsong.

……

“Go straight to the hospital.”

As soon as the car entered Beijing, Fan Peiyang issued a straightforward instruction. Shan Yunsong didn’t say any unnecessary words and just responded with, “Okay, President Fan.”

Fan Peiyang continued to rest with his eyes closed.

Shan Yunsong gave the driver a look, and the driver, now reassured, changed the route from returning to the company to going to the hospital.

It was approaching noon in Beijing, so the traffic wasn’t too bad. The car could move along, though not very fast.

Shan Yunsong, looking out the window, was calm inside. Even when his mind was busy, he rarely felt restless or impatient.

This was a habit formed over many years as a secretary.

Shan Yunsong had two bosses, one named Tang Lin, the other Fan Peiyang. He had been with them since they started their business. Initially, he found it odd that the one with a cold-sounding name was warm like the sun, while the one with a gentle-sounding name could freeze someone with a glance*.

*Clarity: The [Lin] (凛) in Tang Lin means cold, while the [Yang] (阳) in Peiyang refers to the sun.

This question remained unresolved to this day.

Over a decade, the company had grown from a handful of people to being listed on the A-share market. Yet, Shan Yunsong found himself missing the old days.

Back then, Tang Lin was healthy—not like now, sneaking out of the hospital to catch a midnight movie.

Back then, Fan Peiyang was diligently working, unlike now, often missing for days on end.

Shan Yunsong didn’t know who those four people were or what Fan Peiyang was doing with them out of town. He thought about it but never asked; his salary included silence.

When the car arrived at the hospital, Fan Peiyang got out and noticeably quickened his pace. Shan Yunsong followed, and they soon reached the hospital room.

In the single room, Tang Lin was reading a book. The sunshine was good, casting a soft glow on him.

Every time Shan Yunsong saw Tang Lin, even in a wheelchair, it was hard to believe he only had three years left to live.

This was the most optimistic conclusion after Fan Peiyang sought the best doctors worldwide.

Tang Lin had a brain tumor in a tricky location that couldn’t be operated on. It was pressing on his nerves daily.

Initially, Tang Lin just had regular numbness in his legs, but now he couldn’t walk.

The tumor could rupture at any time. Even with conservative treatment, considering its current growth rate, he had at most three years left—this was the verdict fate had handed to Tang Lin.

Through the glass, Fan Peiyang watched silently for a minute before entering. Shan Yunsong stayed outside.

He didn’t eavesdrop intentionally, but the hospital doors weren’t soundproof, and bits of conversation drifted out occasionally.

“The company is so busy. Why do you keep coming to the hospital? I’m still lively.”

That was Tang Lin, full of life.

“Jump and show me.”

A light retort from Fan Peiyang was enough to silence someone.

Sometimes Shan Yunsong thought Fan Peiyang wasn’t visiting the hospital to care for Tang Lin, but almost as if it were a form of revenge.

Sure enough, Tang Lin’s voice lowered, muttering something indistinct.

Shan Yunsong actually wanted to tell Tang Lin that the company was indeed busy, but it had nothing to do with President Fan. As for what President Fan was busy with, nobody knew.

The room fell silent for a while, likely because President Fan was peeling an apple.

Tang Lin loved apples and always meticulously peeled them, taking pride in his skill at keeping the peel unbroken.

Shan Yunsong remembered clearly how Fan Peiyang used to scoff at this, seeing it as a waste of time on trivial matters. After all, no matter how skillfully one peeled an apple, it wouldn’t profit the company.

Tang Lin, rendered speechless by this logic, grew even more fond of eating apples, especially deliberately peeling them in front of Fan Peiyang.

Fan Peiyang had no choice but to pretend he didn’t see.

Back then, if someone had told Shan Yunsong that one day President Fan would personally peel apples and even practice diligently in his office to keep the peel unbroken, he would have thought they were crazy.

Yet, nothing is impossible in this world.

“You just went last week, and you’re going again tonight?” Fan Peiyang’s slightly rising tone indicated his displeasure.

This might intimidate the company staff, but it was like a gentle breeze to Tang Lin.

“This month has many big releases. What can I do? If you eat a red apple today, does that mean you give up on the yellow apple tomorrow?”

“……”

Fan Peiyang was helpless inside the room.

Shan Yunsong outside didn’t know what to say either.

He, like President Fan, couldn’t understand Tang Lin’s obsession with midnight movies and apples. Apples were harmless enough, but midnight movies weren’t a good habit for a patient needing regular rest.

Yet Tang Lin loved them. If he wanted to see a film, he had to catch the first midnight showing, even if it meant sacrificing sleep. It had always been like this, even when the company was extremely busy, and it remained the same now.

Tang Lin: “I know my condition. Yes, going to the cinema in a wheelchair may look sad, but this is my only hobby. I’ve cut down on it, filtering out the ones I can miss. But you have to let me keep this hobby. I don’t have many days left…”

Fan Peiyang: “Go.”

Tang Lin: “You could’ve agreed earlier instead of making me plead.”

Fan Peiyang: “I’ll go with you.”

Tang Lin: “Huh?”

Fan Peiyang: “I’ll accompany you to watch.”

Tang Lin: “Is it raining red outside…”

Fan Peiyang: “I take it back.”

Tang Lin: “Don’t. We’ve known each other for so long, and this is the first time you’ve agreed to join me for a midnight showing. If you back out, we’re no longer friends!”

……

Beijing Time, Cinema.

Fan Peiyang had booked the entire theater, so in the vast screening room, it was just him and Tang Lin.

The lights were out, and the film’s opening credits had already started on the big screen.

“Hoot, hoot—”

Fan Peiyang gently withdrew his hand while resting on the wheelchair, quietly waiting for the two minutes to pass and the feeling of weightlessness to come.

Tang Lin continued to stare intently ahead; his eyes fixed on the screen. The light from the screen cast a soft, beautiful glow on his face.

……

Beijing Time, Hospital.

Shan Yunsong was dozing on a bench in the hallway when he heard footsteps and reflexively opened his eyes.

As expected, it was the boss.

“Good morning, President Fan.” Shan Yunsong immediately got up.

Fan Peiyang walked to the door of the hospital room, observing Tang Lin inside, who was intently peeling a large apple for himself. He frowned slightly. “Didn’t he sleep?”

“He slept for over two hours after coming back,” Shan Yunsong reported truthfully. “President Tang always sleeps less after watching a midnight movie.”

Fan Peiyang nodded. “Go wait for me in the car.”

Shan Yunsong immediately recognized his boss didn’t want him to eavesdrop and smartly left to find his boss’ car downstairs.

After accompanying Tang Lin to a midnight movie and then bringing him back, staying up till now was essentially like working a night shift—Shan Yunsong also urgently needed to catch up on sleep.

As Shan Yunsong went downstairs, Fan Peiyang entered the hospital room.

“Why are you here again?” Tang Lin was more surprised than yesterday. “Aren’t you supposed to go out of town today?”

Fan Peiyang sat down, took the apple from his hand, and continued peeling it as if it were his mission in this hospital room. “I have a flight this afternoon.”

“You shouldn’t push yourself too hard,” Tang Lin said sincerely. Now it was only Fan Peiyang who was holding things together in the company, and he looked even thinner than Tang Lin, who was terminally ill.

“By the way,” Fan Peiyang, still lowering his head as if mentioning it casually, said, “Next time I come back, I’ll accompany you to a midnight showing.”

“Really?” Tang Lin was both surprised and regretful. “Why didn’t you say so earlier? If I had known, I wouldn’t have asked Xiao Shan to go with me yesterday. He had a face of utter boredom throughout the movie.”

Fan Peiyang replied indifferently, “I just thought of it.”

“This will be your first time agreeing to join me for a midnight showing.” Tang Lin planned the prospect seriously. “I have to pick a really good movie worth the ticket price. I can’t choose a bad one; it might leave you with a psychological scar…”

Fan Peiyang nodded in agreement. “Yes, make sure to choose carefully.”

……

At nine in the morning, Fan Peiyang returned to the company. After holding a brief meeting with the senior executives and listening to their reports, he closed the door of his office and sat down quietly in his chair.

Why had he never thought of accompanying Tang Lin to a midnight showing before entering the “Owl”?

Fan Peiyang thought that perhaps back then he always felt there would be plenty of opportunities in the future.

Many things, just like that, in the ‘future’, turned into regrets.

Fan Peiyang took out the movie ticket stub from last night from his pocket, opened the only drawer with a fingerprint lock, and gently placed the ticket stub inside.

The drawer wasn’t large, but the bottom was already covered with ticket stubs, all from midnight showings.

---

The author has something to say:

Actually, I don’t like watching midnight showings, as I always feel they disrupt my sleep schedule. So, every time I get dragged to one, I complain a lot. But writing this chapter, I suddenly feel grateful. Even though I complained, I didn’t miss out. We should cherish the friends who invite us to midnight showings~~

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 62: The Strong

On the Endless Sea, the scenery varied in different places. There was sunshine illuminating the waves and gentle breezes caressing the deck, but also terrifying waves engulfing warships and continuous cannon fire shaking the heavens.

The same vast ocean carried all kinds of people, but their sailing dreams generally fell into three categories: one, to pass the night safely; two, to make money; and three, to climb the tower.

There was a little overlap between the second and third goals. Those focused solely on making money found that climbing the tower was one of the many ways to get rich; those who were intent on climbing the tower would occasionally find some money in treasure chests.

At this moment, on the Endless Sea within the Hebei region, on the route to the “South Flying Island”, two such ships met.

“A cute overview of the Endless Sea… Planning the most cost-effective route for you… How to defeat the tower guardians…” Xu Wang read down the list handed over from the neighboring ship, barely getting through three items before feeling exhausted. He sighed, handed the list back, and apologized. “Sorry, it really doesn’t have what we want.”

In the past month, they had been approached by “businesspeople” more than a dozen times. Some were lone wolves on floating spheres, and others, like the group they just encountered, were four people on a large ship.

Each time, Xu Wang and his team would receive the list with great expectations, only to be doused with the cold reality.

All the lists combined from these teams weren’t as comprehensive as the ones they had previously received from Mao Qiping.

Today’s list was even worse. It was printed fancily, with few serious items, looking more like a brochure from a small travel agency—the kind that forces you to shop once you’re there.

“Not a single useful item?” The one in charge of the liaison was disappointed. He stood behind his ship’s railing, blowing a green strand of dyed hair out of his face. “Really not going to take another look?”

“No, thanks.” Xu Wang sighed and gave the other party an apologetic look.

His three teammates, who stood behind the captain to assist, were already familiar with the routine and immediately returned to their posts—Wu Sheng at the ship’s wheel, Kuang Jinxin with the spyglass on lookout, and Qian Ai on deck watch.

Within two minutes, the sailboat was underway again.

Xu Wang left the railing and returned to the center of the deck, facing Qian Ai’s worried expression.

“Hm?” Captain Xu asked with concern.

Qian Ai looked to the sky and sighed heavily. “It’s so hard to buy anything about the fourth level!”

“It’s normal.” Xu Wang was more accepting of the situation. “We’re close to Beijing here. Most are just those who have only passed the first level and come to try their luck.”

Forget about finding the fourth level on the list; it was rare to even see content for the third level. Most were basic rules about the Owl and various aspects of the Endless Sea, and not all were accurate.

“If I had known, I would have bitten the bullet and gone to Shaanxi,” Qian Ai regretted. “Even if it means spending more on transportation, at least Mao Qiping there has some substantial information.”

“Shaanxi’s vast Endless Sea isn’t a place where you can just find Mao Qiping by going there.” Xu Wang had already thought this through. “Besides, is it just a ‘little’ transportation fee? Four people, including train fares and a month’s accommodation—calculate how much that is.”

They were currently entering the Endless Sea of Hebei Province but still lived in Beijing, only needing to carpool to the border of the two regions each night. It was essentially a daily commute, arguably the most cost-effective option.

Qian Ai hadn’t thought that far, but with Xu Wang’s analysis, he quickly dismissed the idea. “Saving money is more important. Anyway, we’ve collected so much stationery. Whatever demons or monsters come at the fourth level, bring it on!”

His words “bring it on” were swallowed by a huge wave.

Dozens of cannonballs rained down from the sky, all landing around the sailboat. The sea nearby churned violently, causing the sailboat to bob and weave dramatically!

Qian Ai was speechless. He meant for the fourth level, not this!

Despite the complaints, their days of continuous battles had honed their quick reactions. Wu Sheng immediately stabilized the boat, and at the same time, Kuang Jinxin reported the situation. “Captain, it’s the same team that was selling information just now—”

Xu Wang and Qian Ai exchanged glances. So, they switched from selling information to robbery? This was a fresh tactic.

The two ran to the stern of the boat. Without using the spyglass, they could see the familiar ship amidst the waves that they had parted ways with not long ago.

Wu Sheng stabilized the steering wheel and came out of the cabin, glancing at the attackers nearby and asked their captain directly, “Shall we fight back?”

“Wait a moment.” Xu Wang frowned. “We need to know the reason for this attack first.”

Wu Sheng shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Thirty days in the Endless Sea had convinced Wu Sheng of one belief: any problem that could be solved with intelligence and stationery wasn’t a problem.

But their captain always liked to make external connections, chatting with this one and that one, only resorting to fighting when all talks failed.

“Little Green… Handsome guy—” As the waves calmed down and the bombardment ceased, Xu Wang initiated a “social call”. “You do your business, and we go to the Flying Island. Why are you attacking us—”

Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin exchanged glances. What the captain almost blurted out just now was definitely “Little Green Hair.”

“We are also going to climb the tower,” came the reply from the other side. “Fair and high competition—”

Qian Ai was exasperated. “This is the route to the Flying Island. What use do you, a trader, have for going to the Flying Island—”

“That’s none of your concern—” The other side was indifferent, evidently determined to persist.

Xu Wang probably understood what was happening and asked straightforwardly, “If we give you money, will you stop causing trouble—”

There was silence for about ten seconds on the other side, maintaining a semblance of dignity, before a reply came. “Well, in that case, we might be open to negotiation—”

Sure enough.

Xu Wang had no further issues and immediately turned to Wu Sheng and said, “Let’s fight.”

In the past thirty days, Wu Sheng had accumulated the most weapons, so he always took the lead in battles.

But the situation changed so quickly that Wu Sheng was caught off guard. “Are we done talking?”

Qian Ai, who was about to persuade their captain not to easily spend money, was also stunned. “Are we still fighting?”

Captain Xu replied to both. “Yes, we’re done talking. Let’s fight.”

Qian Ai was confused. “Then what was the point of asking if paying them would work?”

Wu Sheng said, “He was just curious.”

Xu Wang agreed. “I was just curious.”

Both spoke simultaneously, then stopped and looked at each other.

Qian Ai covered his aching chest, feeling like a redundant person!

“Splash—”

Suddenly, a gigantic whale tail emerged from the water, striking directly at Green Hair’s group’s boat!

The decent-sized sailboat was no match for the massive whale tail and capsized, overturning on the sea surface.

All four members of Green Hair’s team were on deck, and with the boat capsized, they couldn’t even swim out.

The whale seemed satisfied and dove deep into the sea, disappearing without a trace. Soon, the overturned sailboat turned into a misty sea fog and gradually dispersed in the sea breeze—if the entire team returned home, their mode of transport would vanish as well.

The sea returned to calm. The four friends looked at each other, with Wu Sheng being the most confused. “I haven’t even used a single stationery.”

“I used it!” From below the boat, a familiar voice came.

The four friends looked over the railing down at the sea, where an inconspicuous floating sphere gently bumped against the side of the ship with the waves. Sitting inside the half-open sphere was none other than Captain Yue Shuai.

“There’s no need to thank me too much,” Yue Shuai said, straining to look up from his low position. “But if you insist on thanking me, I wouldn’t refuse too strongly…”

“Since you put it that way, how can we not thank you?” Xu Wang leaned halfway out, bowing respectfully. “Thank you.”

Yue Shuai was taken aback. “…Just a verbal thanks?!!!”

Xu Wang chuckled, about to tease some more, when suddenly he sensed something amiss. “Why are you on a floating sphere?”

“When a five-person team becomes a four-person team, someone has to leave,” Yue Shuai said with a gesture of nobility. “So the captain had to wander.”

From the sixth level onwards, teams needed five members. If they regressed to a four-person team, some would vote someone off, while others with better relationships would have one member voluntarily leave. They would reunite once both sides reached the five-person level again—this was the only useful information Xu Wang and his team had gained in the Endless Sea.

A month had passed since their last encounter at the third level. If Yue Shuai’s team had charged through the levels with full force, they might have even progressed past the sixth level. But now they were back to being a four-person team…

“Did your team fail to submit your papers again?” Xu Wang felt sympathetic for their fellow voyager.

Yue Shuai narrowed his eyes at him. “What do you mean ‘again’…”

Xu Wang hesitated, not wanting to rub salt in the wound.

His teammates, unaware of the subtleties, honestly revealed—

Kuang Jinxin: “Actually, when we first entered the Owl, we received your submission information. Back then, you submitted 3/23. The last time we met at 3/23, we didn’t say it, but we knew you had regressed…”

Qian Ai: “This time you said your team went from five to four members. It’s obvious you failed at the five-person level again…”

Wu Sheng bluntly remarked, “This is the Hebei Endless Sea… You didn’t regress all the way to the first level, did you?”

One cut draws blood, two can kill, and three will lead to hell*.

*Clarity: It’s illustrating the fact that as each of the teammates spoke, what they said became more and more severe, with what Wu Sheng was saying being the most impactful and harsh.

Yue Shuai: “Captain Xu, it was nice seeing you. Goodbye!”

“Hey, how fast can a sphere float?” Xu Wang quickly interjected. “Come up. Let’s go together.”

This sudden invitation caught Yue Shuai off guard, and he instinctively reminded them, “Just so you know, I’m also heading to the Flying Island. I’ve passed the first level and am planning to head to Shaanxi from here!”

“This is the route to the Flying Island.” Xu Wang rolled his eyes. “If you were thinking of going to Treasure Beach, we wouldn’t even consider taking you.”

Yue Shuai was even more confused. “But that makes us competitors. There are already two teams climbing the tower, leaving only one spot. How can you take me?”

Xu Wang sighed, emphasizing the lack of understanding between them. “We’re not taking you. We’re sending you. We’re not going to the Flying Island today!”

Yue Shuai stood there in the sea breeze, completely dumbfounded, feeling an unexpected warmth in his heart, as if someone had placed a warm patch on it.

Seizing the moment of Yue Shuai’s distraction, Xu Wang turned to consult his teammates. “We’ll delay our departure by a day. Is that okay?”

“It doesn’t matter. We’ve been drifting for a month; one more day won’t make a difference. Besides…” Qian Ai glanced below the ship and sighed. “It’s kind of sad to see him like this. If we can help, we should.”

Kuang Jinxin readily agreed. “They kicked him out of their team; we shouldn’t kick a man when he’s down. We should offer help in his time of need!”

Wu Sheng shrugged. “I have no objections. Their team isn’t a threat to us anyway.”

Xu Wang felt a deep sense of pride in his teammates. He knew they were all good-hearted!

He looked down at Yue Shuai again. “Hurry up and come aboard—”

Yue Shuai: “……”

Suddenly, he didn’t want to board anymore. He feared that if he got on the ship, he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself from beating these guys up!

Ten minutes later.

“I can tolerate failing levels 1 to 5, because every time we face different teams, the situations and luck vary. But this 6/23 level, we’ve attacked it twice and failed twice, both times brutally beaten by the same team. It’s so humiliating—”

Captain Yue Shuai not only boarded the ship but also finally found an opportunity to pour out his grievances.

Thus, the rest of the journey was spent with the four teammates, reluctantly listening to the tragic cycle of the Yue Team…

……

Seven days ago, 6/23, Castle Hotel, Beijing time, 00:03.

In an endlessly long corridor laid with dark patterned carpet, candlesticks were lit at intervals along both walls, illuminating one wooden door after another. The doors all looked the same, distinguishable only by their number plates. At a glance, they seemed like countless identical doors stretching endlessly into the distance.

In the silence, the door of room 1009 silently opened a crack, and behind it, five pairs of eyes peered out into the hallway.

Yue Shuai: “First priority?”

Ji Yiming: “Find a secret passage.”

Tao Anan: “Or a save point.”

Wei Tianhang: “Safety first at critical moments.”

Su Mingzhan: “Then I’m reassured.”

Yue Shuai: “…Don’t steal the captain’s lines.”

Ensuring safety, the five slipped out of the door, leaving their starting point to begin their challenge.

The first stop was next door, room 1008, because last time they found a secret passage there. If they hadn’t met that team later… Well, forget it. They couldn’t bear to look back at what happened afterward.

In any case, even though the content of the levels might change, being so close, it was worth trying again for any potential surprises.

Room 1008 was unlocked, but opening it revealed only darkness.

Using the light from their phones, they thoroughly searched the room but found nothing, so they reluctantly moved on to 1007—without any clues, they had no choice but to search systematically.

Room 1007 was also unlocked.

But as Yue Shuai cautiously pushed the door open, a flood of golden light poured out!

Inside, the room was decorated like a church. The painting of the Virgin Mary floated in the air, her every frown and smile seemingly alive, lovingly watching over the empty rows of pews as if waiting for people to sit and bask in the holy light.

Only a save point would emit such warm light!

Yue Shuai couldn’t believe his luck. He immediately led his teammates inside, carefully locked the door, and eagerly sat in the pews, reverently.

The Virgin Mary in the painting slowly looked up, seeming to meet their gaze…

“Knock, knock.”

There were two knocks at the door. It was sudden, but unhurried, and was gentle, carrying the politeness of a visit.

The Virgin Mary lowered her head again, and the golden light in the room gradually faded—saving required absolute silence. Any disturbance would immediately interrupt it unless it became quiet again.

The five held their breath, pretending to be air, hoping to deceive their competitors outside.

However, the person knocking seemed certain there were people inside and knocked again.

“Knock, knock.”

In the midst of holding his breath, Wei Tianhang suddenly had a realization and whispered very softly, “Could it be an NPC?”

Yue Shuai was reminded by this sentence. He sought his companions’ opinions with his eyes, and after receiving affirmative responses, he stood up, cautiously opened the door a crack.

Outside the door were five people, all dressed in black. The one who knocked on the door seemed the most amiable among them, with gentle eyes and brows. Seeing Yue Shuai, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly smiled amiably. “This save point can only accommodate one team. Can you give us the opportunity?”

Yue Shuai also responded with a smile. “I’ll consider it.”

Then he slammed the door shut with a “bang”, turned back quickly, and shouted three words. “Five Black Party!”

His four companions’ expressions changed instantly.

Wei Tianhang: “…Fuck!”

Tao Anan: “Why is it them again?”

Ji Yiming: “I finally got back to this level with the wild team. I don’t want to back out now…”

Su Mingzhan: “Tsk, more bad than good.”

Although their moods varied, their actions were incredibly unified—they all sprung up at top speed and ran towards the door to support their captain!

In just a few seconds, all five gathered at the door. Yue Shuai forcefully pulled it open, and each of his four companions hurled a weapon into the corridor!

The five in black didn’t dodge or avoid. They just stood there calmly, and all the weapons turned into droplets of rain the moment they approached them.

The Yue Family Army was shocked. However, before they could figure out what defense the other party used, a voice of an owl rang in their ears—

[Owl: Someone has used [(Illusory) Death Choir] on you~~]

The world suddenly became quiet.

The five were immobilized. It was as if their ears were covered by a soundproof membrane, unable to hear anything. Then, a very fine ringing passed through their nerves, followed by the sound of a heavenly choir of children’s voices…

The scenery in their eyes, whether the corridor, the Five Black Party, or the candlelight, slowly faded, turning completely white.

[Owl: Dear~ I’m giving you an early holiday. Sending you home.]

The five inside the room disappeared, and the gentle man who knocked on the door was the first to enter, followed by the other four.

The last one to enter was a man with profound features. His expression was indifferent, exuding a cold aura and an inherent “keep out” oppressiveness.

He was the last to enter, but the four in front of him naturally parted to the left and right, clearing a path to the painting of the Virgin Mary.

The man in front of the painting seemed uninterested in admiring it and sat down in the center of a bench.

The gentle man and the other three followed, taking seats behind him.

Suddenly recalling something, the man turned to the gentle man who knocked and asked, “The Five Black Party… What is that?”

After thinking for a moment, the gentle man grinned. “Maybe it’s a compliment to our uniforms.”

The man frowned slightly, seemingly unsatisfied with the answer.

The gentle man became serious, no longer joking. “We encountered them at this level last time. It must have been after that encounter that they gave us this nickname.”

The man had no recollection of this but still gave instructions. “Next time we meet them, tell them your name first, then proceed with the rest.”

“Understood.” The gentle man realized that the boss didn’t like the nickname given by the other party and insisted on replacing it with his own name.

But, the Five Black Party sounded so imposing. What exactly was the boss dissatisfied with?!

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 61: Extra — Ding Xiaoche (Part 2)

Xiao Ding lost his memories.

No, Meng Zhang thought this description wasn’t accurate. It was more like Xiao Ding had always been living in a “single-day loop”. He would go to work, leave work, lend his car to anyone who asked on his way home, or just go straight home if no one asked. Then everything would reset the next day, and it would start over again.

Sleep was the dividing line of the loop. Once he woke up, he would forget everything about the previous day—the things he did, the people he met, the words he said.

Meng Zhang had tried using magical methods and even tried to prevent the other person from falling asleep, but it was all in vain.

This had been going on for a year now.

A year ago, Meng Zhang would become angry and irritable, even losing his temper at the oblivious Xiao Ding. But later, he accepted the reality.

So what if Xiao Ding forgot him?

It wasn’t a big deal to meet him anew every day.

Inside the Temple of Three Religions, no one noticed that the newly discovered “Hidden God” was lost in thought. While three were devoutly worshiping, another was carefully examining the statue with the focus of an archaeologist.

“Meng… Zhang?” Persistence paid off. The archaeologist finally noticed two barely noticeable characters on the sleeve of the statue and had an epiphany. “This is the Azure Dragon* God.”

*Known as Qinglong, is one of the Dragon Gods who represent the mount or chthonic forces of the Five Regions’ Highest Deities.

Meng Zhang was jolted back to reality. At first glance, he looked at his own sleeve. Amidst the plain fabric, there indeed were the faint patterns of the characters “Meng Zhang”. He had been out of his body for two years and had never noticed this.

“The Azure Dragon God?” one of the worshippers asked curiously.

The archaeologist, reinvigorated, elaborated, “The Azure Dragon God is one of the Four Directional Lords. The Eastern Azure Dragon Meng Zhang, the Southern Vermilion Bird Ling Guang, the Western White Tiger Jian Bing, and the Northern Black Tortoise Zhi Ming. These are the legendary Four Directional Lords…”

“Hey, did you come here to take challenges or to study traditional culture?” Another worshiper, who had just finished offering incense, stood up and spoke impatiently.

As the two became involved in a heated discussion, the archaeologist hurriedly offered his incense.

Meng Zhang casually handed out two weapons to them. As they left, he remained immersed in the newly acquired information.

He knew he was Lord Meng Zhang, an immortal. That was all he knew. He never thought about his own background or origins.

The moon set, and the sun rose.

All the outsiders left, and the zombies went into hiding, returning the city to order.

Lord Meng Zhang’s spirit floated out of the Temple of Three Religion and headed to the north of the city.

At 9 a.m., in an office in the northern part of the city, where the sunlight was bright, the white-collar youth Xiao Ding was slacking off at his desk, surfing the internet, when a call suddenly drifted into his ears.

“Xiao Ding…”

He thought a colleague was calling him and immediately looked around.

But everyone was busy with their work, paying him no attention.

“Xiao Ding…”

Xiao Ding swallowed nervously, feeling a chill down his spine. He returned his gaze to the computer screen, pretending he hadn’t heard anything.

Meng Zhang enjoyed watching him like this, pretending to be brave despite being clearly scared. It was incredibly adorable.

“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore,” Meng Zhang said softly. His spirit settled on the partition of Xiao Ding’s cubicle and began to materialize in a form only Xiao Ding could see.

Xiao Ding watched in shock as a person appeared on the flimsy partition of his workstation. A full-grown person sitting there without the partition collapsing or even making a sound, as if the person had no weight at all…

Meng Zhang covered his ears, watching the gradually narrowing eyes of the other, and mentally counted, ‘One, two, three.’

“Ghost ah ah ah ah ah—”

Meng Zhang’s eyes softened. It was the familiar Xiao Ding, which was good.

As for the scream, after hearing it over three hundred times, it had been automatically translated in his mind to “God, hope all is well with you”.

“Xiao Ding! What are you yelling about?”

“Ah, this page is ruined now. Xiao Ding, I hate you—”

His colleagues were confused as they complained and grumbled.

Xiao Ding froze, his mouth agape. He glanced at his colleagues and then at Meng Zhang, his voice faltering. “They can’t see you?”

“That’s right.” Meng Zhang looked at him. “Only you are special.”

Xiao Ding blinked in confusion. “Why?”

Meng Zhang didn’t answer directly but instead took out a handwritten letter from his chest.

Xiao Ding took the letter and unfolded it. His eyes widened in shock after just a few seconds.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a letter, but a handwritten note.

But the important part was that it was all in his own handwriting!

[Note: My name is Xiao Ding. I have an immortal friend named Meng Zhang. He is a long-haired handsome man with boundless magical powers. He’s very kind to me, but I always forget him, so I especially made this note to remind myself!!!]

Apart from the handwritten note and three exclamation marks, there was also his own signature and thumbprint.

From beginning to end, the entire note radiated an intense pressure of “you must believe me”.

Overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information, Xiao Ding was completely stunned.

Meng Zhang stayed and chatted with him all day. By the time it was almost evening and time to leave work, Xiao Ding had finally fully accepted this “immortal friend”.

Meanwhile, doubts and a sense of crisis followed.

He was puzzled. “You said you only remember the past two years too. What about before that?”

Meng Zhang had also thought about this. “I don’t remember. Maybe like you, I was also looping.”

Xiao Ding found this answer sincere, even though the other party couldn’t clarify why he suddenly stopped forgetting two years ago.

But as the doubts cleared, a sense of crisis emerged. “I forget everything every day, but you remember it all. Doesn’t that put you at a huge advantage? Plus, you can say anything the next day. Even if you lie to me, I wouldn’t know.”

“I will never lie to you.” This was Meng Zhang’s answer.

When he said this, his gaze was clear and firm, as if there was a starry sky within, which made Xiao Ding’s heart beat wildly.

On the way home, Xiao Ding was driving with Meng Zhang sitting in the passenger seat, as naturally as if it were his designated spot.

“Have you heard of the Four Directional Lords?” Meng Zhang suddenly asked while waiting for the traffic light. “Or the Azure Dragon God?”

“No,” Xiao Ding replied. “What about it?”

“Some say I am the Azure Dragon God,” Meng Zhang said. “I want to know the background and origins of the Azure Dragon God.”

Xiao Ding thought for a moment and said, “You can go to the library to check.”

“The library?” Meng Zhang, who often passed by there as a spirit, had never been inside and wasn’t sure what it was for.

“The central city library.” Xiao Ding thought he didn’t know the place. “It’s just across the river in the north of the city, near the Sunshine Theatre.”

Instead of asking around, it’s better to see for himself. “Let’s go now.”

Xiao Ding: “Ah? This isn’t in my plan.”

Meng Zhang: “Do it for me.”

Xiao Ding: “It’s your business anyway…”

Meng Zhang: “Thank you.”

Xiao Ding: “I haven’t agreed yet!”

Meng Zhang: “Have you ever thought about giving yourself a name?”

Xiao Ding: “Don’t change the subject… Besides, I have a name, Xiao Ding.”

Meng Zhang: “That’s too perfunctory.”

Xiao Ding: “Do you have a better suggestion?”

Meng Zhang: “How about Ding Xiaoche?”

Xiao Ding: “…That’s even more perfunctory!!!”

Meng Zhang: “Hmm, let’s settle on that. Ding Xiaoche. I like it.”

Xiao Ding: “……”

The white car silently changed direction, heading towards the city library.

Holding the steering wheel, Driver Ding muttered complaints while silently repeating to himself, “Xiaoche, Ding Xiaoche.”

A name is a strange thing. Without it, there’s a void, but once it exists, the heart suddenly feels fulfilled.

It’s as if something that had been drifting for a long time finally landed and found peace.

Suddenly, a roadblock appeared in front of the car, and Xiao Ding braked sharply!

Meng Zhang was still thinking about the library and didn’t react immediately. By the time he saw the four people running towards them, he instinctively turned invisible, reverting to his spirit form.

The car door was opened, and without a word, the four men threw Xiao Ding into the back seat, hijacked the car, and changed course towards the Central Hospital!

The sun had just set, and the streetlights hadn’t yet come on. These outsiders acted quickly.

But Meng Zhang was displeased that his plans were disturbed.

Especially since they were very rough with Xiao Ding, pushing and shoving him around.

In the small car, crammed with five people plus a spirit, although the spirit didn’t take up space, it was midsummer, and the weather was hot and stuffy. Opening the windows brought in only hot wind and closing them made it unbearable.

“Wang Ge, turn on the air conditioning.” A man in the back seat reminded the driver for the second time.

“It’s already on, but it’s not working. What kind of piece of junk is this car—” the driver grumbled and slapped the steering wheel.

Xiao Ding frowned, about to say his air conditioning was fine, when he saw Meng Zhang slightly raise an eyebrow, looking amused.

Indeed, the god was displeased and decided to punish the reckless outsiders.

He, a small fish, could only follow along, turning into a dried fish from the heat.

A cool breeze.

Without warning, it blew across his face and neck, bringing relief.

Xiao Ding looked up to see Meng Zhang floating between the driver and passenger seat, fanning him gently.

While everyone else in the car was sweating profusely, only Xiao Ding enjoyed the cool breeze.

There was also a hint of sandalwood in the wind, which was refreshing and invigorating.

Xiao Ding gave Meng Zhang a grateful look.

The god smiled back at him with a particularly charming smile.

Xiao Ding bowed his head, no longer wanting to go home. Going home meant going to sleep, and waking up would mean forgetting everything about today.

He didn’t want to forget Meng Zhang.

When the car reached the dock, the boat had already been taken by faster people, so the group had to change their route and take the bridge. Xiao Ding then asked to get off and walk home.

Although the group was rough, they weren’t completely heartless. They asked him one more time, “Are you sure? Don’t think you’re close to home and can just walk a few steps to safety. Zombies are faster than you.”

“It’s fine.” Xiao Ding quickly glanced at Meng Zhang and proudly said, “I have a talisman for safety.”

Meng Zhang couldn’t help but reach out to pat his head, but forgot he was still in his spirit form and missed.

After safely escorting Xiao Ding home and materializing, Meng Zhang patted him again, this time messing up his hair in satisfaction.

Xiao Ding stood there, letting him do it. “Are all gods like you?”

Meng Zhang: “Like what?”

Xiao Ding: “Gentle.”

Meng Zhang paused, then firmly shook his head after a while. “No, only I am this good.”

Xiao Ding nodded. “I thought so.”

Meng Zhang withdrew his hand without a trace of guilt.

Although he hadn’t met other gods and didn’t even know where they were, he was sure that there couldn’t be any god better than himself, Meng Zhang, in this world.

“Sorry,” Xiao Ding suddenly apologized. “I didn’t accompany you to the library.”

“It’s okay.” Meng Zhang genuinely didn’t mind. “We can go tomorrow.”

“But tomorrow…” Xiao Ding looked down, disheartened, and muttered softly. “Tomorrow, I will forget you…”

Meng Zhang smiled, lifted his face, and kissed his forehead lightly, a kiss that was very light but incredibly solemn. “You just need to be happy. I’ll take care of remembering.”

The next evening, in Xiao Ding’s car.

“Ghost ah ah ah ah ah—”

Meng Zhang covered his ears, then showed the handwritten note.

Two minutes later.

“Indeed, it is my handwriting, but… you’re still very suspicious!”

Occasionally, Xiao Ding would have such multiple doubts, but Meng Zhang wasn’t a god in vain.

The mobile phone recorder was turned on, and Xiao Ding’s original voice played back—

“My name is Xiao Ding. Meng Zhang is my best friend. I lose my memory every day, so I need to record this message. Xiao Ding, listen carefully. Don’t deny Meng Zhang, don’t disrespect the god, or else you’ll be single for life!”

Listening to oneself lecturing oneself is a very bizarre experience. It was only because the person holding this evidence had an acceptable… Well, despite how much this hurts his conscience to admit… He had a very pleasing appearance, so he could somewhat believe it.

But—

This curse is too malicious! How can one curse oneself like this for a stranger!

“Fine, I believe we’re friends.” Xiao Ding reluctantly looked at the elegantly floating god before him and asked grumpily, “So what do you want to do?”

Meng Zhang leaned over from the passenger seat and fastened Xiao Ding’s seatbelt. “Go to the city library.”

The journey was very calm. Xiao Ding always felt that something should happen, like someone asking for a ride, but nothing did, and they arrived at the library without incident.

The library was already closed, and it was pitch dark inside. Meng Zhang waved his sleeve, and the door opened, the lights turned on, and the security guards all fell asleep, as if by magic.

Before them lay a sea of books.

Just as Xiao Ding was about to ask what he was looking for and eagerly join the search, he saw Meng Zhang close his eyes and mutter under his breath.

Soon, from deep within the shelves, came the sound of books being pulled out, and then a thin, yellowed booklet floated towards Meng Zhang.

Soon after, another book flew over.

Eventually, a dozen or so books, neatly lined up in mid-air, appeared before them. Most of them had titles related to “mythology”, “Taoism”, or “ancient times”.

The god nodded, ending his magical sensing. “All books about the Azure Dragon God are here.”

Xiao Ding’s slight eagerness to help a friend shattered: “…Then why did you bring me here?!”

“I wanted to read them with you.” Meng Zhang raised his hand, and the first booklet opened, quickly reaching the page with “Azure Dragon God” written on it.

“This is your background and origins, not mine!” Xiao Ding complained, but still curiously leaned in.

In the book, a mighty Azure Dragon was depicted soaring in the sky. The dense text below explained that it was one of the four celestial spirits, the Azure Dragon God, which was later anthropomorphized and given the title of Lord Meng Zhang.

“I want to know who I am.” Meng Zhang intently read every word. “And I want you to understand me better.”

Xiao Ding calmed down.

He probably understood Meng Zhang’s intention, but precisely because of this understanding, he felt a strange sympathy for this god he had only met that evening.

What’s the use of understanding if, as the handwritten note and recording said, he would forget everything tomorrow? Would Meng Zhang have to take him to the library every day?

Meng Zhang meticulously read through the dozen books from start to finish.

Most of them discussed the origins of the Azure Dragon God, and a few were about Taoist magic, explaining how to summon the Azure Dragon God for personal use to exorcize demons and dispel evil.

Almost every book contained illustrations, some of which were majestic, depicting the Azure Dragon emerging from clouds, breathing thunder and controlling the weather; but some were perfunctory, with the dragon looking more like a small snake, which made Meng Zhang secretly criticize them.

Although the books were about him, Meng Zhang felt no connection while reading. But as he absorbed the words and images into his mind and reflected on them, he felt a strong resonance and gradually felt as if he could soar into the clouds and travel through the four corners of the world.

On the way back to Xiao Ding’s home from the library, their car was hijacked again.

They had avoided it on the way there, but not on the way back. Meng Zhang was resigned to his fate.

As usual, he transformed into his spirit form and accompanied them.

Xiao Ding, as always, was thrown into the back seat, looking pitiful.

But this time, the carjackers encountered opponents halfway.

Another group of outsiders, also in a car, should have had nothing to do with each other. But both wanted the boat at the dock, so one car, acting first, threw stationery.

Stationery was the weapon used by outsiders for fighting, somewhat similar to immortal magic but more diverse, as Meng Zhang summarized.

The battle continued to the dock, where one group was literally sent flying.

But the winning group didn’t fare much better, as their car went out of control.

Seeing the car about to plunge into the river, the four outsiders immediately jumped out.

Xiao Ding couldn’t react in time, but Meng Zhang wouldn’t let him drown. A gust of wind swept him out of the car, safely onto the ground.

As the car plunged into the water, the four men hit the ground, but only Xiao Ding stood unharmed.

“Shit, did you see that? He can fly!” one of the four shouted.

“I saw.” Another got up, brushing off dirt nonchalantly. “With zombies around, is flying strange?”

“This is our third time on this level, right? Have you seen any other NPCs fly?”

“……”

A hint of curiosity quickly turned into eagerness to try something new.

Maybe it’s an Easter egg. Anyway, there’s no harm in trying.

The four men steadied themselves, their gazes all falling on Xiao Ding. “Hey, if you have anything good, better hand it over.”

Xiao Ding was confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just had a car, and you guys dumped it in the river.”

The four exchanged looks, still somewhat reluctant.

“Do we need to trigger something…?”

As someone muttered, Xiao Ding was bewildered when suddenly someone lunged at him and pushed him hard!

Xiao Ding instantly lost his balance and fell backward, right towards the raging river!

They wanted to kill him!

This realization and fear surged together, nearly suffocating Xiao Ding!

Xiao Ding’s body, which had completely fallen backward, suddenly landed on something soft. Instead of hitting the water as expected, his body slowly levitated and began to float.

Xiao Ding was confused.

The four who pushed him saw it clearly: a cloud magically appeared out of nowhere and lifted him up!

“What the hell is this magic trick…”

Among the four, three were stunned, while the fourth, sensing something, looked around warily.

Meng Zhang sighed in relief, suppressing the urge to feed those four to the fishes. First, he sent the cloud carrying Xiao Ding to a safe height, then slowly drifted towards the opposite bank, away from the four men.

However, just as the cloud reached the middle of the river, Meng Zhang heard a voice in his ear—

[Owl: Someone has used [(Illusory) Nowhere to Hide] on you~~]

Meng Zhang was startled to find his spirit form was slowly turning solid!

Outsiders could use stationery on people in this city, but he had never considered that he would be affected by stationery!

Concentrating hard, he tried to stop the transformation, but it was in vain. Eventually, he appeared in front of the four men, just like the name of the stationery—nowhere to hide.

The four men watched him slowly materialize, first shocked, then overjoyed.

“I told you there was a side quest!”

“This is the hidden boss!”

“Will we get a reward if we defeat him?”

“Definitely—”

Without hesitation, they charged at him!

Meng Zhang waved his sleeve, and the four were swept up by the wind, flying horizontally into the river!

However, they somehow used a piece of stationery and were caught by a cooling mat mid-fall, landing back on shore.

This time, the four didn’t underestimate their opponent and started a stationery war!

[Owl: Someone has used [(Illusory) Peace is Precious] on you~~]

[Owl: Someone has used [(Offense) Meteor Shower] on you~~]

[Owl: Someone has used [(Offense) A Palm that Can Conquer the Universe] on you~~]

When the first piece of stationery was used, Meng Zhang felt his immortal powers being locked away, as if iron chains were entangling all his magical abilities, preventing even a trace of magic from being released!

Then came the fiery stones and heavy palm strikes, which he couldn’t avoid and had to endure!

“Meng Zhang—” Xiao Ding, floating on the cloud in the middle of the river, became anxious. “Let me go back to help you!”

“Don’t move!” Meng Zhang shouted, clutching his chest.

He was in severe pain, his clothes burnt and torn by the fiery stones. Meng Zhang had never been so disheveled.

“Okay, I won’t move. Don’t be angry.” Xiao Ding immediately complied.

But Meng Zhang suddenly realized something was wrong. He looked up sharply at Xiao Ding, and sure enough, the cloud’s height was getting lower, almost reaching the water surface!

His magical powers were completely sealed, and the cloud, which depended on his magic, naturally couldn’t stay aloft.

Meng Zhang panicked, a feeling he had never experienced before. He almost pleaded with the four men. “Cancel the stationery. Let me save him. I swear, I won’t fight back after saving him, and you can do whatever you want with me!”

The four men were taken aback, clearly not expecting such a line.

“You’re already at our mercy, you know. We just haven’t decided whether to beat you up or kill you!”

“Don’t you think there’s something weird about him and that kid…”

“Do you have to say it? I’m really fed up with these NPC side quests. Can’t there be a normal one for once!”

“His look is kind of scary…”

“Scary my ass! We used [Peace is Precious]. If he can still fight, then that’s a bug…”

Meng Zhang calmed down and stopped talking.

From the moment he left his body, he had truly believed he was a god, thinking he could do whatever he wanted, that he was omnipotent. He looked down on the worshippers and felt pity for those living in the city.

The only one he felt special about was Xiao Ding, but now, it seemed he couldn’t even protect this one person.

Azure Dragon God?

Ha, just because someone mentioned it, he went to check it out. What did it matter if he had a background and origins? In the end, he still had to abide by the rules of this world.

Xiao Ding’s rule was to live in a loop.

And his rule?

He couldn’t break through the sky.

[Don’t eat me…]

Suddenly, Xiao Ding’s voice echoed in his heart.

Meng Zhang looked up quickly. Xiao Ding was sitting on the cloud, hugging his knees tightly, his head buried deep, trembling uncontrollably.

The cloud was half-submerged in the river, with only a three-inch gap between Xiao Ding and the water. Zombie fish were circling the cloud, biting at it, a few nearly leaping onto it!

[Don’t eat me… I don’t taste good…]

This wasn’t Xiao Ding speaking to him.

This was Xiao Ding’s heart. He was hearing Xiao Ding’s heart!

Meng Zhang’s heart clenched tightly, almost unable to breathe.

He had seen people die in the city; some simply vanished, others reappeared the next day. But whether they disappeared or reappeared, the agony of death at that moment was real.

He would never let Xiao Ding experience such pain.

No, not even a moment of pain.

A storm arose, lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder exploded in an instant!

Meng Zhang stood firm, chanting to himself. “The essence of the horned Eastern Dragon, exhaling clouds and brooding mists, shouting thunder, soaring through the eight extremes, roaming the four dark realms…”

This was the incantation from the book to summon the Azure Dragon God to descend and subdue demons.

Now, he was summoning himself.

As the storm raged and the river overflowed, Meng Zhang disappeared, and the Azure Dragon emerged!

With a sudden surge of immense immortal power, he easily broke free from his shackles. In fact, he didn’t even need to break free. The moment his immortal power exploded, the trivial stationery turned to dust.

The dragon’s eyes were majestic, its horns proud, its scales shimmering, and its claws sharp. The enormous Azure Dragon coiled, almost covering the entire riverbank in a blue shadow.

A dragon roar that shook heaven and earth!

The four people who witnessed this were dumbstruck, paralyzed with fear.

Xiao Ding, who had just sunk into the water with clouds, was also startled by the dragon’s roar. His mind was in disarray, his body numb, and everything before him seemed hazy and flashing. For a moment, he even forgot his fear of the zombie fish.

The Azure Dragon God glanced at Xiao Ding, who then rose into the air and landed safely on the opposite bank.

Withdrawing his gaze, the Azure Dragon God casually flicked its tail, sweeping all four into the river without exception.

That night, Xiao Ding rode the dragon home. If not for the heavy rain, he would have had the Azure Dragon God fly him around the city.

That night, as soon as Lord Meng Zhang entered the temple, he exhaustedly transformed back into his spirit form and returned to the statue behind the wall.

The next day, Meng Zhang’s first task upon waking was to buy a car—a mesmerizing red, luxurious, top-of-the-line model with an extremely high safety rating. It was like a blazing fire when it sped on the overpass—a red flame under the night sky.

Two significant events had occurred the previous night. First, he unlocked his true Azure Dragon form, greatly increasing his immortal power. Second, Xiao Ding’s car had fallen into the river.

For Meng Zhang, the latter was more important.

He no longer had to search for Driver Ding in the vast sea of cars, always struggling to find a black car in the dark, almost wanting to flip every vehicle on the road.

In front of an office building in the north of the city.

“My name is Xiao Ding. Meng Zhang is my best friend. I lose my memory every day, so I need to record this message. Xiao Ding, listen carefully. Don’t deny Meng Zhang, don’t disrespect the god, or else you’ll be single for life!”

After turning off the recorder, Meng Zhang leaned against his fiery red car and casually asked, “Any questions?”

“It’s working hours…” Xiao Ding looked at him, perplexed. “You called me down here just to listen to this?”

“No.” Meng Zhang stepped away from the car, standing upright. “The recording is a prerequisite. You need to acknowledge our relationship before we can proceed to the next step.”

“Fine, I acknowledge it. What do you want to do?”

“Give you a car.”

“……”

Xiao Ding circled the mesmerizing red luxury car with mixed feelings and finally asked, “Where did you get so much money?”

Meng Zhang stuffed the car keys into his hand. “Temple offerings.”

Xiao Ding looked at the car keys, then at the car, and finally at him, hesitating before blurting out, “Are you trying to pursue me?”

Meng Zhang: “……”

The question caught him off guard—even a god would struggle to respond.

Xiao Ding looked at him earnestly. “If I accept this, does it mean I agree?”

In all honesty, Meng Zhang had only intended to give a car today, without any other complicated thoughts.

“Yes.” But an opportunity presented itself, and who would be foolish enough to reject it?

Xiao Ding lowered his eyes, took a moment to gather courage, and then looked up abruptly. “I have one condition. If you agree, I’ll accept the car keys!”

Meng Zhang smiled. “Just one?”

Xiao Ding nodded vigorously. “Just one.”

Meng Zhang was genuinely curious. “What’s the condition?”

Xiao Ding cautiously asked, “Can you transform into a dragon again and take me flying?”

……

Before Xiao Ding could get an answer, he was suddenly kissed passionately.

Meng Zhang kissed him domineeringly, leaving no room for breath or escape.

When Xiao Ding almost couldn’t stand anymore, Meng Zhang finally ended the kiss, still close, forehead to forehead. “Do you… remember yesterday?”

His voice trembled slightly, as if he was overjoyed but also fearful.

Fearful of being happy for the wrong reasons, fearful of a hollow heart.

“Of course, I remember,” Xiao Ding murmured, not daring to meet his eyes, focusing on the ground. “A transformation of a god—that’s hard to forget…”

Meng Zhang’s eyes warmed. He hugged Xiao Ding tightly, as if wanting to merge him into his own body.

After a moment, Xiao Ding slowly raised his arms and embraced him.

He had a boyfriend now, and his boyfriend was the Azure Dragon God, Meng Zhang. His boyfriend was handsome, but even handsomer in dragon form.

With that aesthetic…

“Can the car be returned? Or maybe change the color?”

“It can’t be returned, but we can buy another.”

“Then never mind…”

“Don’t worry about money. From today, my temple offerings are yours, and you, are mine.”

“……”

“Oh, and you have a name now.”

“Huh?”

“You’re called Ding Xiaoche.”

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The author has something to say:

Congratulations Ding Xiaoche for his awakening. The two of you can walk together in the future~~

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Kinky Thoughts:

This reminds me of 50 First Dates. 

Okay, but like, I’m now super attached to these two! How can they only have just a small part!

This marks the end of volume 1.

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