Midnight Owl Ch2

January 2, 2024January 7, 2024 Kinky2 Comments

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

Chapter 2: Meeting Again

The closed hallway nearly crumbled from his shout, leaving the locksmith with ringing ears. Just then, an old lady hurried down from upstairs towards the “scene” while wearing a red armband*.

*People who wear these are seen kind of like enforcers at the grassroots level. Think neighborhood watch (but like more extreme).

Any remaining doubts were suppressed by the undeniable aura of righteousness. After Auntie Li repeatedly confirmed that Xu Wang indeed lived there and was a promising young man, the locksmith used a thin strip of metal to open the lock with a quick “click” that was so fast, Xu Wang wondered if he had even locked the door.

He rushed into the apartment, closed the door swiftly behind him, quickly put on a T-shirt, then opened the door again more calmly to pay the locksmith.

Finally sitting back down on the living room sofa, the day had already well begun.

Xu Wang first called in sick at work, then went to the hospital with his phone, wallet, and insurance card to have his injuries checked. Even when the doctor asked how he was injured, he was still bewildered.

He didn’t remember what he told the doctor, but it certainly wasn’t anything as provocative as “a promising young man in the capital’s third ring* was greeted by a bear’s paw.”

*In Beijing, there are multiple ring roads with the most prominent being 1^st-7^th.

Returning from the hospital around noon, Xu Wang sat back down on his sofa in his rented apartment, finally able to somewhat process everything that had happened.

He had come home from work, gone to bed at the usual time, then had a dream about a snowfield, his high school crush—unrequited love—and a belated confession ten years late. He achieved a moment of closeness, only to be tackled by a black bear, waking up at a street intersection.

If it weren’t for the injury on his shoulder, he might have explained his waking location as sleepwalking. But if everything that happened was real, where did Wu Sheng and the bear go? And although it was his first time being hit by a bear, common sense told him a bear swipe should be more than just a flesh wound; shouldn’t there be fractures or breaks?

Xu Wang spent the entire afternoon on the living room sofa, continuously pondering the bizarre events of the previous night, but as darkness fell and the living room sank into unlit quiet, he was no closer to making sense of it all.

Forget it. Let’s not think about it anymore.

Xu Wang shook his head and suddenly stood up. Because the movement was too quick, it agitated his shoulder wound. He paused, then carefully made his way to the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth, hoping the cold water would clear his mind and refresh him.

This was a harmonious society working towards prosperity under a clear, bright sky. If it was sleepwalking, he would seek treatment; if there were wrongdoers involved, he would report it to the police. He was a strong, democratic, patriotic, and dedicated person. What did he have to fear!

20:00

21:00

22:00

23:00

23:30…

But he couldn’t sleep.

The shoulder still hurt, and the mysteries were unresolved. How could he sleep with so much on his mind!

He turned on the flashlight on his phone and looked around the bedroom—nothing unusual; checked his clothing—down jacket, thermal pants, sneakers, all good; felt his pockets for keys and wallet—everything in place.

Whether it was sleepwalking or not, he didn’t want to go through another ordeal of freezing and then borrowing Mrs. Li’s phone to call the locksmith.

[Hoot hoot—]

Again, the sound seemed to come from inside his ear!

Xu Wang tensed up, and vague memories started flooding back. Just before he had fallen into the snowfield and met Wu Sheng the night before, he had heard this sound!

At that time, he thought it was a figment of his dream, but now, awake and more alert than ever, he was sure it was some kind of bird call, fitting perfectly with the night, carried by the wind into the ears of those afraid, with amplified menace.

The resurfacing memories included more than just the call.

Xu Wang hurriedly got out of bed, disregarding any pain from his wound, determined to find out what was happening.

He ran to the living room and heard the sound again.

[Hoot hoot—]

Then, rustling noises came from the bedroom.

Standing two meters away from the bedroom door, Xu Wang peered in to see that the bed, which was against the wall, had turned into a rectangular pit of quicksand, glowing with a halo. There was no longer any sign of the mattress or sheets—just the endless sinking sand.

Fortunately, the bird call had prompted him to remember fragments of the previous night, or he would have been drawn into that eerie place again. While meeting Wu Sheng might have been pleasant, it was all a fantasy. Wu Sheng had moved abroad with his parents hundreds of years ago. The pain from the bear swipe, however, was very real.

Huh?

Huh??

Xu Wang was feeling lucky to have escaped a disaster when suddenly he felt a force pulling him towards the bedroom! In the blink of an eye, he was dragged to the bedroom door!

Using all his might, Xu Wang clung to the door frame, refusing to let go, but the force kept growing stronger until he was lifted off the ground, flapping like a flag in a fierce wind!

Realizing that continuing to resist would tear him in half, Xu Wang gave up and let go in despair.

As he was sucked into the quicksand pit, two thoughts crossed Xu Wang’s mind: First, this situation was too damn surreal, and he must call the police, even if they think he’s crazy; and second, if Wu Sheng was still there, they should find a place without bears to embrace again.

Last time, he fell into that bizarre place in a deep sleep, completely bewildered, until he saw Wu Sheng, which slowly brought clarity to his mind. He couldn’t remember how he got there or how long he wandered around the snowfield.

But this time he was awake and experienced the sensation of falling from a great height, like being on a drop tower ride, endlessly descending at a rapid speed, which made him feel as if his entire body was shattering.

After an unknown amount of time, his cheek suddenly felt extremely cold—first icy, then slowly damp.

It took Xu Wang a while to realize he had landed face down in the snow.

He sighed in relief, his suspended organs finally settling back into place. At this point, whether he looked graceful or not, it didn’t matter anymore. At least he was alive and once again felt the comforting pull of Earth’s gravity.

With the snow as thick as his skin, he got up, dusting himself off, once again looking like a respectable young man. Surveying his surroundings, the snowfield, the sea of forest, the vast sky, and the distant mountains were all unmistakably the same place as yesterday.

Is this a “dream”?

Even if Xu Wang stubbornly wanted to believe so, his ten red fingers disagreed—clinging to the door frame had strained them too much, and they were still throbbing painfully.

It was extremely cold standing still in the icy wilderness. Soon, Xu Wang’s feet began to numb. He quickly started walking, directionless and unsure of where to go, just moving forward to keep his body warm.

After an unknown period, a short, crisp “ding—” sound unexpectedly rang out.

Xu Wang’s heart tightened at the sound.

At first, it sounded like the bell used in restaurant kitchens to signal that dishes were ready, but soon he realized something was off. Unlike the eerie sounds that seemed to originate from deep within his eardrum, that “ding” seemed to come from his… left arm?

Xu Wang immediately stopped and rolled up his sleeve, but after much effort, he couldn’t lift the tight-down jacket. He patted his arm through the clothing and felt nothing unusual. Still uneasy, he decided to remove half of his jacket, leaving only his thermal sweater, and finally pulled it up to his elbow, exposing his entire forearm.

In the next moment, Xu Wang’s eyes widened, stunned in the chilly wind.

There appeared a diamond-shaped pattern on his forearm, looking like a light-colored tattoo. At the center was the face of an owl, with a character “鸮*” below it, resembling the logo of a mobile app.

*It means owl.

As a real estate consultant who had long battled in the sales office of off-plan properties*, a refined young man who only needed to show owners the model and mark maps for the boss, almost completely shielded from the wind and sun, Xu Wang swore that before being dragged into the quicksand, his arm was as pale as a lotus root. Even more peculiarly, there was now a tiny “1” hanging above the right side of the owl’s face.

*These are properties from which developers are still in the process of developing them. Buyers can sign pre-sale contracts and purchase real estate during this time. Basically, they buy the properties before they are fully constructed.

No young person in the era of smartphones could resist tapping on it.

Absolutely none.

His fingers, both fearful and irresistibly curious, finally touched the owl’s face. The diamond-shaped pattern instantly disappeared, replaced by four options: [Roster], [Stationery Box], [Cheat Sheet], [Report Card (1)].

His forearm was now a horizontal phone screen. The icons were apps, and the options were system menus. The interface was so familiar that Xu Wang seamlessly accessed it, naturally clicking on the source of the new message, [Report Card].

The interface switched, displaying a top message scrolling from left to right: [Su Mingzhan, Tao Anan, Wei Tianhang, Yue Shuai, 3/23 Paper Submission.]

Clearly, that “ding” sound was the notification for this message.

But what is 3/23? And what does “turn in papers” mean?

Below the continually scrolling message were two lists: [Total Score] and [Paper Submission Speed].

Xu Wang wanted to explore more but suddenly felt a breeze at the back of his head!

He wasn’t the type to fall into the same trap twice, so he immediately plunged forward into the snow, motionless as if dead!

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds…

“You only need to play dead with a bear attack, not with me.” A voice holding back laughter came from above him. “Last night was the first time all of us came here, and everyone had varying degrees of panic. Your reaction was certainly the most bizarre among those panics, but there’s no need to feel too embarrassed to face me.”

It was Wu Sheng.

Without looking, just by hearing, Xu Wang could identify that guy’s voice down to the last detail.

Everything was real. The eerie realm, Wu Sheng ten years later, and his confession as if his brain was squashed by a door. Now, Xu Wang’s only wish was for the sky to fall and the ground to crack open so he could crawl into the ground.

Of course, such dejected thoughts lasted only a moment.

In Xu Wang’s dictionary, there was no dead end, only a desperate counterattack. No matter how disadvantaged, he would dance to his own beat and bring everyone into his rhythm to sway together—

“Wu Sheng?!” Accompanied by this genuine shout, Xu Wang sprang up, excitedly grabbing his old friend’s hands, his face full of the surprise of a long-awaited reunion. “Is it really you?!”

The smile froze in Wu Sheng’s eyes, then slowly turned into a look of indescribable complexity. “Are you sure this is what you should be saying today instead of yesterday?”

Xu Wang pretended to ignore it, maintaining his emotional momentum, continuing his “Best Actor journey”. “Aren’t you abroad?”

“Returned to China to start a business.”

“In Beijing?”

“In Beijing.”

Xu Wang paused for a few seconds. The joy that had just bubbled up in his eyes at the news of “Wu Sheng returning to China” was gradually replaced by massive confusion. His voice was devoid of jokes, and only a bewildered concern remained. “Then where… is this?”

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

Midnight Owl Ch1

January 1, 2024January 18, 2024 Kinky4 Comments

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

Chapter 1: Snowfield

Xu Wang never thought he would meet Wu Sheng again in his life, not even in his dreams.

But he did.

In the vast snowfield and the white forest sea, he wore only a pair of shorts, shivering with his arms crossed, devoid of his usual eloquence and handsomeness. In the worst state imaginable, he met the white moonlight* of his heart from high school.

*Refers to someone or something that’s beyond reach. It’s always in your heart, but not around you. It comes from Red Rose and White Rose by Eileen Chang.

Most likely to go along with his dream, Wu Sheng also wore a set of pajamas that clashed terribly with the surrounding environment. The linen-striped long sleeves were slightly better than his bare chest for warding off the cold, but only slightly. His nose was also red from the cold, yet he stood there with determination, not moving an inch or even frowning. Apart from the youthful features of the past, his face now bore a bit more maturity and steadiness. Everything else about him reminded Xu Wang of the time when he, representing his grade, got tangled up while raising the flag during a ceremony. Amidst the mocking laughter of the other students, he agilely climbed up the pole to untangle the flag, then slid down like Mario to continue hoisting it, eventually triumphing over the entire scene.

What was most unforgettable about this guy was his unshakable position as the top of their grade from the first to the third year of high school and the increasingly outrageous way he… showed off.

Yet, Xu Wang liked his bravado, so much so that he secretly imitated him climbing the flagpole several times… But let’s not reminisce about those unhappy memories during this rare reunion.

“Wu Sheng.” Xu Wang thought there might be some estrangement calling out a name he hadn’t said in ten years, but there wasn’t. The name came out as smoothly as if it had been turned over in his heart countless times, instantly taking him back to those days. A gentle warmth bubbled up from within his heart.

The surprise in Wu Sheng’s eyes deepened—he was already surprised when they unexpectedly met in this snowy landscape, but now that his full name was called, the surprise spread from his eyes to his entire face. Even the person who didn’t frown while walking in pajamas through a forest of snow was momentarily at a loss for words. “You…”

Throughout high school, Xu Wang had never seen Wu Sheng, who spoke articulately, be at a loss for words. If it were the past, he could’ve teased him for an entire term. But now, he was too filled with anticipation, unable to take his eyes off the other, almost demanding an answer. “Yes, me…”

“High school…”

“Yes!”

“My bunkmate…”

“Yes, yes!”

Wu Sheng must have remembered. The astonishment slowly faded, his brows relaxed, and a familiar, confident smile that used to dominate the whole grade emerged in his eyes, frustrating and yet endearingly irresistible.

Xu Wang gazed at him unabashedly, and the corners of his mouth lifted while his heart bloomed with joy.

Finally, the other party extended a hand of friendship first. “Long time no see, Zhang Wang.”

Xu Wang: “…”

Is it illegal to hit someone in one’s own dream?

Xu Wang was so angry that he felt physical pain, clutching at his chest, unable to alleviate the sharp ache. On the other hand, Wu Sheng seemed even happier. Although he concealed it well, who was Xu Wang? The same person who had spent countless nights in the bunk bed below, fantasizing about the other through his sophomore and junior years—a young fool hopelessly infatuated. He was all too familiar with every microexpression on Wu Sheng’s face.

This guy was definitely doing it on purpose. Back in high school, he enjoyed making fun of Xu Wang. Of course, Xu Wang wasn’t a pushover; an eye for an eye* was always his policy. Even if he couldn’t outperform him academically, he never fell short in verbal sparring.

*You stab me with a knife, I’ll return with a sword. It’s expression referring to if someone harms someone, that person will retaliate, often with greater force or intensity.

But unexpectedly, even in his own dream, his brain’s construction of Wu Sheng didn’t soften his character in the slightest. There was not even a bit more tenderness.

Alright, Xu Wang slapped his face twice, chastising himself for being greedy, as greediness can lead to overreaching, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. It was rare for him to have such a beautiful dream; rarer still was that this Wu Sheng, ten years later, remained the same familiar recipe with the same familiar smell and taste. Despite the cold weather and their thin clothes, it was only natural to come together in a warm embrace.

“Long time no see!”

Ignoring the extended hand, Xu Wang lunged for a bear hug, as if trying to dissolve all the regrets of the past in this embrace.

Wu Sheng, caught off guard, took a half-step back before steadying himself, stiffened.

Xu Wang didn’t care if the other was comfortable or not. His 1.81-meter-tall frame snuggled against the other’s chest like a bird as he marveled, “This dream… is worth dying for…”

Snow began to fall from the sky.

The snow was fine, with each flake landing on Xu Wang’s nose and on his cheek, which was rubbing against Wu Sheng’s striped pajama collar. It melted as soon as it touched, too fleeting to savor this beautiful scene.

In all honesty, Xu Wang initially felt satisfied just with the hug. But that’s how people are; once they taste sweetness, they always want more, sliding step by step into the abyss of sin. No one has ever dived headfirst into the river of sin.

“I like you. I’ve liked you since the second year of high school, and I still do. No matter how many properties I develop in my heart, it’s only you—only you, Wu Sheng. You hold the only piece of homestead land in my heart!”

Countless times in the dead of night, he reminisced about his youth, fantasizing about what might have happened if he had confessed his feelings back then. Time and again, he consoled himself with the thought, “It’s a good thing I didn’t say anything; otherwise, it would have hurt both of us.” But only Xu Wang knew deep down that this was the greatest regret buried deep in his heart.

Now, finally getting his wish, even if it was just a dream, he hoped to indulge before waking.

After confessing it all in one breath, regardless of how much the other party absorbed and digested, Xu Wang hugged him again, tighter and harder than before.

Wu Sheng didn’t dodge, possibly stunned by the candid confession, and was still in a daze of “Who are you? What are you saying? What do you want?”

Xu Wang took advantage of the moment, hugging thoroughly and contentedly, truly dying without regrets.

“Roar—”

Suddenly, a bitter cold wind struck Xu Wang from behind, accompanied by the roar of a wild beast. He shivered with fear, forgetting all about taking advantage of the situation, and swiftly turned around!

A black bear’s paw was even quicker than his turn, solidly hitting his shoulder with a “whoosh”.

“Dying without regrets” is just a metaphor. There’s no need to take it so seriously!

Xu Wang had lived for twenty-nine years, enduring many bumps and bruises, but only in this bear’s swipe did he truly understand what real pain was.

His brain froze, his body went numb, and he fell forward due to the bear’s swipe. Wu Sheng tried to catch him but failed, and they both toppled over together. As they fell into the thick snow, Xu Wang heard the bear’s roar again, this time closer and more ferocious.

He was going to die, and it seemed he might even drag Wu Sheng down with him.

It was like the start of a fairy tale, but the end of a horror movie. This dream was a complete failure.

His complaining was but a fleeting thought. The “voice in his ear” was articulate and clear, as if a little person was speaking right inside his ear canal, even with a mischievously eerie tone—

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

Suddenly, everything in front of Xu Wang turned white, like countless spotlights shining brightly at him. Instinctively, he closed his eyes, and in a moment, Wu Sheng beneath him disappeared, and he fell solidly to the ground with a crisp and pleasing “plop” sound.

The snow had stopped, the sky had darkened, Wu Sheng was gone, and so was the murderous bear.

Xu Wang got up in confusion, looking around, but the vast white snow and expansive forest were gone. He was downstairs of the apartment he rented, in the pitch-black early 4 a.m., standing on the hard asphalt ground, with shops all around him all closed. Even the breakfast spots were just beginning to bustle with early preparations.

“Beep beep—”

The urgent honking of a car horn brought Xu Wang back to reality. He realized he was standing in the middle of a crossroads and quickly walked to the sidewalk. The familiar breakfast shop owner, bent over, came out from the half-opened shutter door to take out the trash. Seeing him, the owner expressed surprise and greeted him with a strong local accent. “How come you’re so…”

The owner meant to say “early”, but as he spoke, he noticed Xu Wang’s attire—a bare chest and a pair of black loose shorts. To be fair, Xu Wang usually looked quite slender in a suit and tie, but now, with his shirt off, his well-defined muscles were indeed pleasing to the eye. However, you can’t just flaunt yourself in the late autumn cold like this.

But he already started speaking, so the owner could only awkwardly add, “…so cool.”

Xu Wang looked down at himself and then up at the owner, unable to distinguish between dream and reality. If this were a dream, would it be this serial-like? If this were reality, how did he go from sleeping soundly in his bed to standing on the street, suddenly sleepwalking after twenty-nine years of life?

“Hiss—”

A sudden pain made Xu Wang gasp, instinctively reaching to touch his back, only to find it wet and sticky.

He froze, both hurt and panicked, so much so that he hesitated to bring his hand back to look. He really wished he was just sleepwalking now.

The awkward position of reaching to his back was too much for the breakfast shop owner, who asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” Xu Wang forced a smile, quickly excusing himself before running into the building.

Thankfully it was still not fully bright outside. Otherwise, he might have frightened someone.

The breakfast shop owner was spared a shock, leaving only Xu Wang himself in fright—under the bright motion sensor light, he opened his palm to find it blood-red.

Wearing only his underwear, he couldn’t enter his home and had to wait miserably in the hallway. Finally, as the sky brightened, he saw Mrs. Li coming down for her morning walk.

Mrs. Li’s eyesight wasn’t great, but she had a warm heart. Upon hearing that he had forgotten his keys at home, she didn’t ponder too much why the young man, who usually wore suits and leather shoes, was dressed so “casually” today. Without a second thought, she lent him her phone.

In the hallway filled with dense, cluttered advertisements, Xu Wang found a locksmith service that seemed honest and simple, without flashy typography, known as “Police-Registered Locksmith King.” He then thanked Mrs. Li and politely declined her invitation to “come up and sit for a while,” maintaining his position with his back against the security door as he watched her go downstairs.

The wound on his back had already been clotted by blood, barely noticeable against the black security door.

The locksmith, a very young man, arrived slowly, so much so that Mrs. Li had already returned from her walk. Despite his apparent tiredness and continuous yawning, suggesting he was called to work early, the locksmith became instantly wary upon seeing Xu Wang’s scantily clad figure.

Feeling guilty, Xu Wang had already clenched his blood-stained hand into a fist but was still not reassured, instinctively hiding it behind his back.

A glint appeared in the young locksmith’s eyes, and just as he was about to speak, Xu Wang was quicker, bellowing out a cry that could shatter stones. “Mrs. Li—”.

Kinky Thoughts:

Yet another recommendation from a friend. I quite like this author since I read Suddenly Trending and I have been interested in picking this novel up for quite some time.

It’s an unlimited flow novel that centers around puzzle solving and is less serious than other UF, but quite hilarious.

Here’s the official art from the book publishers. You can buy them here.

Alt covers from a different publisher.

|| Table of Contents || >>>

Suddenly Trending Ch1

January 1, 2024January 4, 2024 Kinky5 Comments

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

Chapter 1

“Yesterday, the police from the Chaoyang Public Security Bureau received a tip from the public and arrested a drug suspect named Yuan in a certain community. Tests confirmed that Yuan tested positive for marijuana. Yuan, a male actor, admitted to drug use and is currently under administrative detention according to law.”

A simple situation report, in the form of a screenshot with blue background and white text, stirred a ripple in the entertainment circle on this early evening.

Of course, the entertainment circle was abstract, and there was no way to form a physical entity to stop people from watching and criticizing with great interest.

So all these waves were rolled into Weibo.

The report from Ping’an Beijing didn’t name names, but within a few minutes, the person involved was identified—Yuan He, who had just gained some popularity as the third male lead in a major IP-adapted TV drama.

However, he was still a newcomer. After the entertainment gossip accounts shared the news, his newly gained fans cried, eventually leaving messages like “changing from a fan to passersby” or “we will always wait for you here” and then there was no more noise.

Ran Lin lay on a small and exquisite European-style double sofa. His long legs awkwardly rested on the armrest due to the cramped space. But Ran Lin didn’t mind, even finding it quite comfortable, as he continuously scrolled through his phone, his calf and foot unconsciously swaying to some rhythm from another space.

Beneath the situation report, some passersby asked the perennial question—why is it always the Chaoyang Masses who achieve meritorious deeds? Can’t celebrities think and change their location? For example, to my great Miyun with its majestic mountains, dense forests, and reservoirs!

Underneath this old question, there was an old joke—the world has five major intelligence organizations: the CIA of the United States, the KGB of the former Soviet Union, Mossad of Israel, MI6 of the United Kingdom, and the Beijing Chaoyang Masses (BJCYQZ*).

*Clarity: The Beijing Chaoyang Masses is [Běijīng zhāoyáng qúnzhòng] (北京朝阳群众). The acronym is taken from BeiJing ChaoYang GunZhong. Note that while it is a z in pinyin, it’s actually a C (in pronunciation wise), which is why it’s a C not Z.

In fact, why celebrities were always caught in the Chaoyang District was something Ran Lin knew best, as he had lived here for two years.

Two years ago, when he was about to graduate from college, he suddenly became popular on Weibo because of a few photos. However, it was more like a round of popularity than true fame. Initially, he was called the most handsome student on campus, a bright young man, but then some marketing account created a hot topic—”If there is a first love, it must look like you.”

The origin of the photos was unknown, seemingly taken by a schoolmate.

In the evening on the sports field, with the sunset in the west, a young man in a white shirt sat on the parallel bars, looking into the distance. The young man had a clear and handsome face and a tall and well-proportioned body, especially complementing his bright eyes. Despite the dim light, his eyes made him look bright, like the first breeze of a clear morning.

For Ran Lin at that time, it was just an ordinary college senior returning dispirited from an unsuccessful job search. Otherwise, who would sit on the parallel bars in a white shirt, contemplating life?

For Ran Lin now, that was a turning point in life.

When an agency contacted him, asking if he was interested in entering the entertainment industry, he thought it was a scam. Only after the company reimbursed his travel and accommodation to discuss in Beijing did he go, with extreme caution and even an emergency contact method and code with his dormitory brothers.

Fortunately, the sky in the capital was clear… well, in terms of spiritual civilization. The company, called “Dream Without Limits” Entertainment and Culture Co., Ltd., was indeed in the entertainment industry, signing some familiar-faced minor celebrities, but probably hadn’t achieved much success due to its recent establishment.

Ran Lin was cautious and meticulous, usually not making impulsive decisions. Once he made up his mind, he didn’t hesitate.

He studied language in college, had limited job prospects, and attended an average university, so he hadn’t found a job by his senior year. He had to admit, the “Dream Without Limits” employee made the entertainment industry sound very attractive, tempting him, who had never thought about connecting with the entertainment industry, with visions of a dazzling future.

So, he made the first slightly risky decision of his life.

If he succeeded, he would be in the limelight, without any worries; if he failed, he could just pick up his college major and start over in society.

He liked to think of the worst-case scenario. If he could accept the worst outcome, then he could proceed with the decision.

Thus, he signed a six-year contract at the age of twenty-one.

Now, two years later, becoming the center of everyone’s attention was out of the question, but at least he was making a decent living. He would sporadically take on roles as the sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth male lead in drama series and managed his Weibo account diligently. As long as he wasn’t extravagant, he was doing okay. And living in a neat single apartment provided by the company in the most bustling part of the capital, he couldn’t really ask for more from them.

This brings us back to the initial question.

Why do all the celebrities live in the Chaoyang District?

Because it is the largest district in Beijing, with the highest resident population and the highest concentration of film and culture companies.

Everyone likes to live close to their workplace, and this applies to both the struggling actors and the successful stars.

But the entertainment industry is much larger than Chaoyang District, and the number of people in it is also much larger. Those who become celebrities are just the tip of the iceberg that’s visible above the water. Most people are forever submerged in the briny depths, either dissolving into the sea or evaporating completely.

Ran Lin felt like he was about to evaporate.

There were still three years and nine months left in his contract, but it had been almost half a year since he had received any notification of work.

The company’s strategy was to cultivate a group collectively, select the best, and focus on training them. It was a race to see which of the new talents they had signed would break through first.

In the end, it was Han Ze who emerged. He became famous last summer for his role in a rather cliché idol drama. After that, the company’s resources were clearly skewed towards him, and the rest of them, including Ran Lin, were more or less left to fend for themselves.

In this circle, some people, like Yuan He, lose themselves in the glitz and glamour. Others, like Ran Lin, struggle for years without ever really entering the true spotlight of the industry.

As he was daydreaming, his phone slipped from his hand and hit his tooth, instantly waking him up.

The tall tip of his nose touched the screen and very considerately refreshed his phone, updating the hot topics for him.

Sitting up and holding his phone, his intention was to check his injured tooth for any looseness, but the moment he saw the latest hot topic, he forgot everything else.

[Veteran actor shows what ‘reincarnation acting’ is all about!]

The Weibo title was short and impactful, and the content was just a clip from a recently popular TV drama.

Ran Lin had been feeling quite down recently, not really focusing on honing his acting skills, and had been spending most of his time brushing up on Spanish, preparing to fall back on his original major if needed.

But the moment he watched that clip of the veteran actor’s powerful lines, his blood boiled with excitement.

He had never truly loved anything in his life. Even choosing his college major was based on the notion that lesser-known languages would lead to better job prospects.

But after two years in the industry, he found himself falling in love with acting.

No matter if it was a minor role with only a few scenes and lines, he would pore over the script, rehearsing in front of the mirror like a madman. For characters not given much background by the scriptwriter, he would even create their personal histories, losing himself in the joy of it.

Acting wasn’t a superior profession. It was just one of many, like finance, IT, architecture, advertising, cooking, and so on.

But he loved it.

So much so that the mere thought of not being able to continue made him, who was usually so laid-back, utterly despondent.

“Young man under the sun~~ Has your dream been realized~~ In the cold world~~ Has it changed you~~”

The ringtone of the phone suddenly rang, and the flashing caller ID displaced the original Weibo video.

“Kang Ge*.” Ran Lin didn’t dare to delay and picked up the phone as quickly as possible.

*Brother (哥). Term used to show respect and affection towards someone who is male that is either older or holds a higher position or authority. Usually, it signifies closeness or friendly relationship.

He wasn’t sure how other agents interacted with their artists, but whenever Kang Hui contacted him, it was definitely about work. Maybe because they didn’t have a contractual relationship and both worked for the company, since the company assigned Kang Hui to be his agent, they had always been polite and strictly professional, without any personal interaction.

“Come to the company now.”

As always, brief and to the point.

Usually, Ran Lin wouldn’t make a fuss. Even if the instructions were vague, he would comply first and ask questions later. But it was already eleven o’clock at night…

“Now?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No, I mean, do I need to prepare anything?”

“No need. Just go straight to the makeup room when you arrive at the company.”

“Okay.”

Ran Lin quickly took a taxi to the company and found that not only him but also He Jiayi and Chen Ling had been called in.

These two were in a similar position to him in the company, being neglected after Han Ze’s rise to fame, maintaining their popularity on Weibo with some variety show appearances and selfies.

In contrast to the hurried arrival of these three artists alone, the summoned styling and photography team was well-prepared. Once settled in front of the makeup mirror, the stylist started first, finishing the makeup and hairstyle, then choosing clothes.

The photographer had nothing to do for the moment and sat there, dozing off with his camera.

Clothes make the man, especially for those with naturally outstanding foundations like them. After careful styling, they looked like trendy and handsome guys. Moreover, each of them was styled according to the company’s usual direction. Ran Lin wore a trendy brand baseball jacket with a somewhat flowery pattern but looked particularly young, embodying the bold youth despite being twenty-three, almost unchanged from the boy on the parallel bars in his old photos; He Jiayi was tall and handsome, dressed in simple casual wear, representing the fresh boyfriend style; Chen Ling was in punk attire, embodying the rock youth.

Even the slowest would realize that this was for a street shoot.

However, Ran Lin didn’t guess entirely correctly—it was a street shoot, but not of night scenes, but at the airport.

Airport candid shots have become a trend in the entertainment industry in recent years. Regardless of whether the artists were actually taking a flight or how tiring it was to walk in high heels, they had to dress up beautifully for a few airport shots every now and then.

Of course, the artists wouldn’t admit to staging these shots. They were supposedly taken en route to catching a flight, “casually” shot, and some even claimed they were candid shots taken by paparazzi.

It was unclear who first discovered this “divine path”, but several in the industry had become fashion icons through “airport street photography”, and a few with strong influence and a solid fan base had terrifying selling power. Almost as soon as the airport photos were released in the morning, the same items would sell out online by the afternoon.

As a male artist, Ran Lin wasn’t particularly keen on taking photos, especially when he saw some female stars posing at the airport with full lighting and photography setup, only to claim the photos were “candid”. He found it embarrassing.

But there was no choice; if one wanted to survive in this circle, they had to use every trick in the book.

After being embarrassed for others, it was his turn to shine.

But actually, from the hasty phone call, it was clear that this “street shoot” wasn’t prepared for them. Upon asking Kang Hui, it turned out that Han Ze’s schedule had changed, and he had returned early from Fashion Week.

Han Ze was now the company’s key focus, and it was necessary to have a team take first-hand, beautiful photos of him at the airport. Otherwise, if all the internet had were fan screams or awkwardly angled ugly photos, the publicity director might as well not continue working.

The company probably thought that shooting one was the same as shooting four, so they decided to share the team and give them a chance for publicity. Otherwise, they would always be stuck posting selfies on Weibo, which even the most devoted fans would tire of.

At two-thirty in the morning, the airport was much quieter than during the day, with a few travelers dozing or browsing on their phones and tablets. Everything was silent.

But this tranquility lasted only until the international flight exit.

A sea of people was accompanied by flashing lights. If not for airport control, these young men and women would probably have drums, gongs, and firecrackers.

Surprisingly, not all of the light signs were for Han Ze; in fact, only a few were. Most were for another name—Lu Yiyao.

Kinky Thoughts:

It’s been a while since I did an entertainment novel. My first project was Your Rival in Love Gets Prettier Every Day. This novel was highly recommended by a friend, so I decided to pick it up, and I have no regrets as it’s probably one of the best showbiz danmei I’ve read. It is also by an author that I’m quite interested in their other works, so I also picked up Midnight Owl.

Hope you enjoy it.

Here’s some artwork from the physical volumes which can be ordered here:

It also has a Manhua, which you can read in English or Chinese. Some artwork below. The English Manhua is translated as Rise to Stardom (though I prefer suddenly trending, which will be explained in a later chapter why).

|| Table of Contents || >>>

Qizi Extra

December 31, 2023December 31, 2023 Kinky2 Comments

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

Extra

Since hearing about a “secret” reconciliation agreement between Yu Ji and Shuang Feng, Ling Xiao had always been trying to extract information from them. However, one of them always evaded the topic, while the other never deigned to answer. Ying Feng, who seemed to know the truth, refused to give any hints and instead told Ling Xiao not to meddle in others’ affairs, which frustrated the curiosity-driven Ling Xiao immensely.

One day, while Ling Xiao was shopping in the Tianyuan Network Supermarket, he overheard someone on the phone nearby. Rounding a shelf, he saw Yu Ji, also with a shopping cart.

“…I’m just buying some things online… I’ll be back soon… Do you need anything? Coffee maybe? …Sleep? That doesn’t count. Choose something else…” Yu Ji was startled when a hand patted his shoulder as he ended the call.

“Ling Xiao? What a coincidence.”

“Is Shuang Feng urging you to return?”

“I’ve only been out for ten minutes.”

“But this is a virtual network. Aren’t you still in the dorm?”

“Yes, but Shuang Feng says he can’t sleep otherwise.”

“It feels like you’re taking care of a human-shaped accessory.”

“Maybe it would be easier to take care of a monkey?” Yu Ji said, eyeing the large bunch of bananas in Ling Xiao’s cart.

“Right!” Yu Ji reminded Ling Xiao, “I need to get banana milk!”

At the drinks section, Ling Xiao enthusiastically recommended his favorite brand but was politely declined, so he sadly filled his own cart. Looking up, he saw Yu Ji staring absent-mindedly at the alcoholic beverages, and Ling Xiao, whose IQ suddenly rose, guessed something.

“Is this what you drank at your coming-of-age ceremony?”

Ling Xiao accurately identifies Yu Ji’s focal point.

“Uh, yes.”

“How did it taste?”

Yu Ji shook his head with a bitter smile. “I don’t remember.”

“Did you drink this kind of liquor again later?”

“More than that, both of us haven’t touched a drop of alcohol since our coming-of-age ceremony.”

Ling Xiao turned the bottle to read the label: —This product contains hallucinogenic mushroom extract and may cause hallucinations after consumption. Please ensure it is used in moderation and in a safe setting.

Yu Ji’s communicator rang again.

“I’m almost done shopping… I ran into Ling Xiao… Yes, yes, I’ll be right there.”

“I kind of want to try this,” Ling Xiao said after Yu Ji finished the call, holding the bottle eagerly.

“Sure. You don’t have to worry about triggering anything.”

“I’m curious about the hallucinations it might produce. With my imagination, it’s probably about fighting fierce beasts or something.”

“The next morning, you’ll find out you beat up Ying Feng.”

“…Or maybe get beaten up.”

Ling Xiao actually went to check out with the liquor, with Yu Ji ahead of him on the phone.

“I’m checking out now… Yes, I’ll be right back… Remember to check the transporter…”

Yu Ji, with a headache, swiped his card and didn’t wait for Ling Xiao, hastily saying goodbye before logging off.

Ling Xiao stuffed his purchases into the transporter, disconnected from the Tianyuan Network, and after a brief dimensional shift, his mind returned to reality.

The goods were gradually teleported in. Eager, Ling Xiao grabbed the wine bottle, opened it, and took a sniff. The smell was indeed unique, very different from the fruit juice mixed with a small amount of alcohol he drank in his fledgling days.

“Why did you buy liquor?” Ying Feng asked, puzzled.

“Don’t you want to try? It’s the same wine that Zhen He sold to Yu Ji and the others, and he even tripled the price. Truly a profiteer.”

“Selling alcohol secretly in the fledgling area is risky. Who would dare to take the risk without high profits?”

“It’s harmful, but it should be fine to drink now.”

“Aren’t you afraid of strange hallucinations after drinking?”

“What, can it trigger another coming-of-age ceremony? Not scared!” Ling Xiao found glasses and poured a drink for each.

“Cheers!”

They both drank in one gulp. Ling Xiao blinked and smacked his lips.

“It doesn’t seem to have any effect. Maybe not enough?”

Ling Xiao decided to finish the rest of the bottle. He still felt sober, albeit a bit exhilarated. Just when he thought he had been duped, his vision blurred. He shook his head and looked again, only to find the surroundings darkened and confined—a strangely familiar scene.

“Where am I?” Ling Xiao asked.

As soon as the voice fell, a dark shadow pounced over, causing him to tumble several times on the ground, and then attacked him without any courtesy. Ling Xiao reacted instinctively without thinking.

“Ying Feng?”

With a low roar, Ying Feng opened his mouth. The special vision of the Tianxiu people allowed Ling Xiao to see Ying Feng’s sharp teeth clearly in the dark.

“Hey! What are you doing!”

Ying Feng bit towards his chest forcefully, and Ling Xiao felt an overwhelming fear, using all his strength to push him away.

“You couldn’t have awakened, could you?”

Ling Xiao blurted out this sentence without thinking, completely unaware of how wrong it sounded.

Ying Feng responded with another low growl and pounced again, grappling and rolling with Ling Xiao on the rough and uneven ground. Ling Xiao felt that Ying Feng’s strength and speed were higher than usual, driven by the thought that he absolutely couldn’t lose, barely preventing Ying Feng from achieving his goal.

“If you keep this up, I won’t be polite!” Ling Xiao warned him, but Ying Feng, undeterred, continued to attack fiercely. Ling Xiao felt a string in his brain tightening more and more, finally snapping when his back hit the wall hard. He too let out a low roar, showing his snow-white teeth in the pitch-dark cave.

Ling Xiao suddenly became very powerful. Ying Feng, who had seemed capable just a moment ago, was nothing in front of him. He beat Ying Feng back, and the narrow mine shaft shook as if about to collapse under their fierce movements. Fortunately, this situation didn’t last long. Ling Xiao, in his awakened state, forcefully pinned Ying Feng’s hands above his head, biting through the skin on his chest mercilessly as blood and a continuous flow of power entered his mouth.

Ying Feng gradually stopped struggling, and Ling Xiao, lost in his actions, licked the wound he had inflicted, as if addicted to the taste. After a while, he opened his eyes, revealing a pair of black pupils, but he could see clearer than before, and his sensory nerves were sharper. The undeveloped Adam’s apple and slender chin of the fledgling Ying Feng looked so tempting, making one want to bite.

Ling Xiao held Ying Feng’s throat, feeling it move in his mouth. Ying Feng regained consciousness under his harassment, slightly opening his eyes, revealing his pale, glass-like eyes under dense eyelashes.

“What happened to me?” Ying Feng asked blankly.

“We held a coming-of-age ceremony; you are now my Qizi,” Ling Xiao said with unprecedented care and indulgence in his voice.

Ying Feng frowned, seemingly uncomfortable with the rough ground. Ling Xiao thought that forming a bond with Ying Feng was a good thing, but the environment was far from pleasant. If only there were a soft, comfortable big bed.

Just as he finished thinking this, the surroundings suddenly brightened. Opulent decorations and a huge bed big enough for six people appeared. This was their sleeping chamber on Wolf Star, where they would pass down the beautiful wishes of Jing Yu to Ling Xing.

Everything happened so naturally that Ling Xiao didn’t feel anything abrupt; instead, he felt that it should be this way. He happily opened his arms to embrace Ying Feng but was unexpectedly straddled by him.

“What… are you doing?”

“Doing what should be done after the coming-of-age ceremony.” Ying Feng, with light-colored eyes, answered as if it were obvious.

“But I am the Qizhu!” Ling Xiao pointed to his nose and protested.

“Right, you are my Qizhu, and I am your Qizi,” Ying Feng obediently replied.

“Then why are you on top?”

“Nobody said the Qizhu couldn’t be on the bottom, right?”

“Is-Is that so?!” Ling Xiao panickily recalled. Indeed, it seemed no one had made such a rule. “But, but…”

“Just like Yu Ji. Although he is the Qizhu, he’s the bottom.”

Ling Xiao suddenly had an epiphany. “Really? So it’s like that! I can’t believe it!”

Ying Feng had already taken advantage of his distraction to pull down his pants. “Serving the Qizhu is the Qizi’s duty. I will make sure you are comfortable.”

Ling Xiao felt his argument made no sense, then thought it made a lot of sense. While he was conflicted, Ying Feng entered effortlessly.

“Um… ah…”

‘It feels really comfortable,’ Ling Xiao, with his legs wide open, resting on Ying Feng’s shoulders, thought while swaying.

“Do you like it? My Qizhu.”

“Ha… like it…” Ling Xiao replied without thinking clearly.

“I will make you feel even more comfortable. You don’t have to do anything. Just lie down and enjoy it.” Ying Feng moved his waist more vigorously. As waves of pleasure hit, Ling Xiao’s minor conflicts seemed less important.

“Do you want it to be more exciting?” Ying Feng leaned down; their faces close to each other. Though they had just formed a bond, Ying Feng already looked like a fully developed, mature man.

Under Ying Feng’s seductive words, Ling Xiao subconsciously brought his fingers to his mouth. Accompanied by a brief pain, he saw his blood dye Ying Feng’s lips a bright red, a flash of red light briefly visible in the other’s almost transparent eyes.

Ying Feng’s actions suddenly became more aggressive. He lifted Ling Xiao’s legs and launched an onslaught like a storm, scattering Ling Xiao’s consciousness. His body undulated with the rhythm of Ying Feng’s movements, leaving no room to consider whether this was reasonable or not.

The scene around the two continuously changed, from the ancient Tianxiu palace of four thousand years ago to the narrow bunk beds of the church. Ling Xiao felt as if he had experienced all the love from birth to extinction, yet his Qizi was still full of vigor, showing no signs of fatigue.

“Does it feel good? Is being a Qizhu extremely comfortable?” Ying Feng continued to tease him in a tone and manner entirely different from usual.

“Yes… harder…” Ling Xiao moaned with an order.

“As you wish.”

Before the next wave hit, Ling Xiao contentedly closed his eyes, thinking that it wasn’t in vain that he wanted to become a Qizhu in his fledgling state. Indeed, the taste of being a Qizhu was great.

The next morning, Ling Xiao opened his eyes in a daze, grabbed the communicator by the pillow, and saw it was already late morning.

There was also a message, a concerned inquiry from Yu Ji.

“How does it feel to drink?”

Ling Xiao tried hard to remember, desperately recalling, but could only come up with scattered pieces of a puzzle that didn’t form a complete picture. He vaguely remembered becoming Ying Feng’s Qizhu and seeing a rare, obedient Ying Feng.

It seemed like he also learned some incredible secret? What was it? He couldn’t remember at all.

But the alcohol was indeed strong. Enduring the discomfort, Ling Xiao replied, “Not great. I feel a severe ache in my back and waist after drinking. I’d better not drink again in the future.”

<<< || Table of Contents ||

Qizi Ch137

December 31, 2023January 10, 2024 Kinky12 Comments

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

Chapter 137

At the base, a staff member reported a troublesome incident to Yu Quan.

“A soul just returned but refuses to go to the energy chamber we’ve assigned it.”

“I’ll take a look.”

Yu Quan followed the staff member to Area G and as expected, saw a lonely soul stubbornly lingering in front of a specific energy chamber, unresponsive to the researchers’ guidance.

He approached and checked the name on the energy chamber, then looked at the stubborn soul, understanding the situation.

“Is the adjacent energy chamber occupied?” Yu Quan asked.

“It was, but the person awoke an hour ago.”

“Then leave it be.”

He opened the adjacent chamber door, and the disobedient soul finally entered willingly, allowing Yu Quan to close the lid.

Yu Quan removed the nameplate, altering one of the characters.

“But,” the staff member hesitated, “this energy chamber wasn’t scheduled for this name.”

“It’s fine,” Yu Quan reattached the nameplate, “I think he would like this name.”

Twenty-eight years later

“Ming Zun! Ming Zun!”

Annoyed by the relentless pestering, the fledgling had gone to the rooftop for some peace but was still found by this persistent person.

“You’re here!” The oblivious youth excitedly hopped over. “I have great news to tell you!”

Ming Zun held little hope for any ‘good news’ brought by this person. Ever since they woke up in adjacent energy chambers and ended up in the same elementary academy, the other had considered him his most fated friend, even hinting at breaking beyond that boundary.

“What’s the news?” Ming Zun asked indifferently, startled by the face that suddenly leaned in close.

“Why are you so near?” He instinctively leaned back, but the proximity still allowed him to see every detail on Ling Feng’s face, including the sparkling expectation in his eyes.

“Have you awakened?” Ling Feng asked with shining eyes.

Ming Zun had fully awakened only yesterday, and he wondered how Ling Feng knew.

“So what if I have?”

Ling Feng clapped happily. “That’s great! I’ve awakened too. We can form a pact now!”

“What?!” Ming Zun almost doubted his ears.

“I like you. Let’s form a pact!”

Ming Zun was irked by his ease in saying such things. “Forming a pact is a once-in-a-lifetime ceremony. Are you treating it as a joke?”

“No, I’m serious. I’ve liked you for a long time.”

Ming Zun scoffed. “You’ve only been awake for a few years, and you dare say you’ve liked me for a long time?”

“It really has been a long time.” Ling Feng’s voice softened. “As long as lifetimes.”

Ming Zun felt a moment of astonishment, as if something deep within his soul had been struck, evoking many forgotten yet emerging memories.

“Hey? Hey!”

Ling Feng waved his hand in front of him, bringing Ming Zun back to reality.

“What were you daydreaming about?”

Realizing his lapse, Ming Zun faced Ling Feng again, feeling somewhat uneasy.

“Were you moved by what I said?”

“Nonsense.” Ming Zun awkwardly turned his face away.

“I voluntarily offer my heart’s blood, and you still don’t accept it?”

“Don’t be absurd,” Ming Zun couldn’t help but retort. “The health teacher already explained that during the coming-of-age ceremony, everyone instinctively fights. Voluntarily offering your heart’s blood is impossible.”

“What if I can do it? Would you agree then?”

Ming Zun was skeptical. “How can you achieve that?”

“You try to take my heart’s blood. If I resist, I’ll never bother you again.”

Ming Zun was puzzled. They were just awakened fledglings, half-knowledgeable about the coming-of-age ceremony. If he resisted midway, could the ceremony be stopped?

“What do you think? Good proposal, right?”

Ling Feng’s persistence made Ming Zun realize the offer was serious.

Though absurd, the proposition was tempting.

“Really? Just one resistance and you’ll never bother me again?”

Ling Feng pressed his palm to his chest. “I swear on my soul!”

Ming Zun recalled the health class details, certain Ling Feng couldn’t succeed.

“Resistance during heart’s blood extraction is instinctive. I don’t believe you can overcome it. How can anyone defy instinct?”

Ling Feng was confident. “Want to try?”

“This is your own saying.”

“Of course.”

With the idea of scaring him, Ming Zun feigned an approach, but before he could touch him, Ling Feng jumped back.

“Wait!”

Ming Zun retracted faster. “Regretting it now?”

“No,” Ling Feng immediately denied. “Though I trust myself to overcome instinct, just in case…”

Suddenly, Ling Feng grasped his left shoulder with his right hand and, with a snap, dislocated his entire arm.

Ming Zun stared in shock at his pained expression. “Have you gone mad?”

“I just don’t want to leave even the slightest possibility,” Ling Feng said, his arm hanging limply. “The other side is up to you.”

Seeing Ming Zun’s disbelief and inaction, Ling Feng urged again. “Help me out. Otherwise, I’ll have to hit a wall.”

“Do you really need to go this far?” Ming Zun was conflicted.

“Yes.” Ling Feng smiled and lifted his head. “Because I’m destined to be your Qizi.”

Ming Zun frowned, but his hand reached out to Ling Feng’s shoulder, immobilizing both arms with a firm grip.

Ling Feng’s eyes flickered briefly, then steadied. “Now it’s fail-proof. Go ahead.”

Forgetting his initial intention to rid himself of Ling Feng, Ming Zun leaned in, and this time Ling Feng didn’t dodge but rather strained his chest forward, willingly aligning with every move.

When Ming Zun’s teeth finally pierced the skin, he felt the body in his arms shudder, followed by faint trembling. The familiar sweet, metallic taste, the known sensation, along with the unique essence of that person’s soul, flowed ceaselessly. The same ceremony seemed to have been performed not just once or twice but across lifetimes, in different times, spaces, and versions of themselves—the same two souls, persistently seeking each other for this most sincere exchange.

As memories solidified in his eyes, Ming Zun’s teeth withdrew from Ling Feng’s body. The person in his arms was pale, breathing faint, barely discernible as alive.

After a long while, Ling Feng slowly revived, opening his eyes to reveal moist, clear gray irises under Ming Zun’s unwavering gaze.

“Ah, is it over?” The person, barely back from the brink of reincarnation, sounded weak yet feigned strength. “It’s nothing much after all. Had I known it was just this, I wouldn’t have bothered dislocating my arm.”

His gaze refocused, lingering in Ming Zun’s unfathomable eyes. In his memory, this was the first time Ming Zun had paid such prolonged attention to him.

“Did we really succeed in forming the pact?” Ling Feng found it incredible. “It feels like a dream.”

His eyes wandered restlessly, glancing around. “I suddenly have some regrets.”

Ming Zun’s hand on his shoulder tightened abruptly.

“My most important ceremony in life, and it’s done on this shabby rooftop? This bridal chamber is too plain. Do I get a chance to do it again?”

Hearing that his regret wasn’t about forming a pact with him, Ming Zun’s heart, which had been hanging, finally relaxed.

Their eyes locked for a long time, and this time, neither looked away.

“Can you help reattach my arm? I want to hug you.”

Instead of doing as asked, Ming Zun pulled Ling Feng into a tight embrace.

“Ah, my arm! Don’t hug so tightly! My arm hurts!”

Ming Zun’s embrace tightened further, and once again, the rooftop echoed with pained yet sweet cries.

“It hurts! It hurts, hurts, hurts…”

……

At the Tianxiu base, named “Zero”, another group of fledglings about to awaken arrived for their life origin education.

With faces full of curiosity, they attentively listened to the chief researcher’s explanation.

Yu Quan, who greeted them, maintained a monotonous poker face, but his content was surprisingly tender.

“…Tianxiu people have the universe’s most brutal coming-of-age ceremony. Lovers must overcome more difficulties than other races to be together. But once we cross these barriers, we become the most loyal partners in the universe, inseparable until reincarnation.”

“Scientists used to believe that through the purification pool, past memories of the soul would vanish, and the newly born life would be unrelated to the previous one.”

“However, in recent years, we’ve discovered that souls bound by blood pacts are mysteriously drawn to each other. Even if reincarnated as entirely different individuals, they are more likely to develop affection for their past life partners and reunite, accompanying each other through lifetimes, generation after generation…”

[END]

The author has something to say:

Thank you to all the friends who have accompanied and supported me along the way.

Thank you to every reader who has collected, commented, subscribed, and supported this work.

Kinky Thoughts:

This marks the end of this novel. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can use Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.

I also like to thank everyone for your comments, encouragement, help with my translations, and ko-fi donations. It in part fuels my motivation to release frequently and to finish the novel.

With that, there is a extra bonus that’s only available in the official publishing. You can buy it here: Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3. They ship internationally. Enjoy.

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

Full Server First Kill Ch112

December 31, 2023June 14, 2024 Kinky3 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 112: True Love’s Kiss?

Nol lay despondently in the fog of the early morning.

He had ventured deep into the Black Forest to better adapt to the original form of the Dracolich. Adapting to an alien body was much harder than he had anticipated, and with the immense destructive power of the Dracolich, he dared not flail about recklessly.

With surging power flowing through his veins, Nol simply lay in the leaves with one claw supporting Teest, who was enjoying the dragon scales, and the other holding his achievements from the past few months in Tahe—

[Dracolich [?]—Lv.1]

[HP: 100/100 [Permanently Locked] | MP: 100/100 [Permanently Locked]]

[Strength: 5,700 [-99.35%] | Agility: 1,588 [-99.35%] | Intelligence: 19,322 [+260%] | Physical Defense: 3,375 [-99.35%] | Magical Defense: 5,691 [-99.35%]]

[Status: Curse “Physical Destruction [Undispellable]” Permanently Active; “Staff of Sacrifice” Effect Active; “Guardian Oath” Skill Active]

Of course, the original power of the Dracolich wasn’t that exaggerated.

The attribute increase from [Fallen Death] was added directly to the weakened values, which looked quite intimidating. Nol suspected this was because [Fallen Death] itself didn’t exist within the system, so the enhancement method was so crude.

Nol’s current stats were even stronger than a normal level 20 Fallen Knight.

Having only 100 HP wasn’t an issue. His defense could greatly weaken attacks, so he wouldn’t die from a single hit, and he had a Death Knight by his side.

His mana could be managed with “The Complete Recipe Book”, and now he could use his own body as material to repair the damage in the Dragon Corpse Notebook—strictly speaking, the Dracolich was a form of a dragon corpse.

So even with the annoying curse hindering his performance, Nol’s abilities were still monstrously strong.

Especially his intelligence. This stat was stronger than many adult dragons, and as long as he didn’t encounter an unreasonable opponent like Zhuang Shuhang, who he couldn’t attack decisively, Nol was an unrivaled magic artillery.

After reviewing his full stats, Nol was more concerned with the “?” after Dracolich. He poked at it repeatedly with his claw tip but never got an explanation from the system.

After Teest carefully read Nol’s attributes, he stretched in the fog and summoned his own.

[Player ID: Teest]

[Death Knight—Lv.1]

[HP: 220,534/220,534 | MP: 30,040/30,040]

[Strength: 21,527 [+30%] | Agility: 9,707 [+30%] | Intelligence: 2,804 [+30%] | Physical Defense: 12,868 [+30%] | Magical Defense: 9,950 [+30%]]

[Status: Curse “God’s Forsaken [Undispellable]” Permanently Active; ” Betrayal Overture” Skill Active]

Nol: “…” You’re not weakened by a curse, impressive!

If it weren’t for magical artifacts and armies, in a one-on-one fight, his knight would likely be the strongest in all of Tahe.

Coupled with his own dragon-level intelligence, their awkward, cough, compromised cooperation, they could roam most of Tahe unchallenged.

Nol lowered his gaze, preparing to estimate the approximate stats of other “pre-arranged teammates”, but saw Teest’s panel continuously hovering in front of him.

[What are you doing?] Nol couldn’t help but ask.

[To this world, I’m now more dangerous.] Teest lazily flipped over on the dragon scales. [At this moment, I am willing to be your sword and shield, but you must watch me closely—if I choose to leave in the end, you let me go. Is that really okay?]

Nol was unsure what Teest meant.

He pulled his mouth out of the leaves and poked it towards Teest.

[I left the gold wheel with you. This way, when I think of leaving, I will hesitate… and I hope you will too.] Teest stroked the tip of Nol’s mouth.

So what then?

Was Teest hoping for a gift similar to the gold wheel, or did he feel too free and want additional restraints?

Perhaps sensing the confusion in the dragon’s eyes, Teest leaned forward, kissing the scales on the tip of Nol’s mouth.

[This is just a normal conversation,] Teest said. [I want to talk to you, but don’t want to use the methods taught by the church to persuade, so I can only speak from the heart.]

Nol blinked his large eyes.

Aside from lies, probing, and seduction, Teest rarely ever just talked. After all, since being taken away by the Eternal Church at the age of seven or eight, he had never had someone he could comfortably talk to.

[Then let’s have a normal conversation,] Nol said. [So, did you clean my mouth first before kissing it?]

[Ah, you caught me.] Teest draped himself like a sloth on the dragon claw. [I thought it was very effective.]

[You cleaned too vigorously.]

[You also burrowed quite vigorously. The Black Forest isn’t exactly a clean place.]

[…Your faith is really flexible.]

[Do you really prefer those mindless fanatics?] Teest stretched his arm, ambiguously caressing the fine scales on the dragon claw. [They would shout, dying for their God, but I would only give my life for my own thoughts. I guess you prefer me.]

This conversation was veering off track.

True to his Mad Monk persona, Teest flirted unabashedly, even with a Dracolich. Nol’s claw felt ticklish. Uncomfortably, he drooped his head and reinserted his mouth into the leaves.

[Yes.] He finally responded.

Teest laughed triumphantly, a joy so genuine and nearly sincere.

After a night of turmoil, morning arrived, and the surrounding fog gradually brightened. They slowly moved away, revealing the two figures left behind—

A black dragon and a snow-white man. The latter nestled against the former, admiring the fading stars.

The sunrise in the Black Forest wasn’t particularly spectacular. The burning sky was fragmented by numerous tall trees, with only the morning light streaking through the fog, its path visible.

The surroundings were utterly silent, as if the monsters sensed the dragon’s presence, and even the insects dared not come close. Time seemed slow and thick, as if only the two of them existed in the world.

Teest adjusted his position on the dragon claw, relaxing as if he would melt away. Nol had never seen Teest so relaxed in all the time he had known him.

Nol’s mood softened in turn. Plans and worries, for the moment, vanished.

He had never been in love on Earth, unsure of what “normal” love felt like. He could only be certain that, at this moment, he truly found peace.

Nol lay there, the boiling power inside him gradually calming, his breath and heartbeat as gentle as sleep.

[You still can’t change back?] Teest flipped over on the scales. [You’re too large now. I can’t kiss you all over—although I’d like to.]

[I want to get more familiar with the transformation process,] Nol bravely said.

This was his first time actively controlling the transformation, and if he got stuck halfway, it would be an awkward scene. Even with the Mad Monk’s bizarre tastes, Nol didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of someone he liked.

[So you can’t change back then.] Teest’s tone held a hint of sympathy.

The Dracolich discontentedly blew the leaves around. [I just need a little more time!]

[Open your mouth.]

[…Huh?]

[I have some herbs that can help you focus,] Teest said mysteriously.

Nol looked at him skeptically for a while, but eventually acquiesced and opened his mouth, mimicking a crocodile on dry land. His fangs alone were as tall as a person, allowing Teest to easily climb into Nol’s mouth—after removing his boots and robe and casting several cleansing spells on himself, Teest cautiously stepped onto the tongue.

Nol hoped the herbs wouldn’t be too bitter.

He tensely felt Teest’s palms, trying to open his mouth wider, and became afraid of accidentally biting his knight. But instead of the expected herbs flying into his throat, he felt a tingling sensation all over.

Teest stopped at a bite wound on Nol’s tongue, leaning against a tooth, and began to kiss the slightly open wound.

In that moment, the scales on Nol’s back nearly exploded off. The sensitive wound triggered waves of tingling and numbness. Teest even included some healing ointment, making the kiss both sweet and stimulating, like a wound being nibbled at.

If Teest’s actions were initially somewhat related to healing, by the end, it was unmistakably a genuine kiss—he held Nol’s tongue gently but firmly, kissing with intense focus.

The Dracolich felt like his entire being was thrown into a hot pot. Nol’s mind was overwhelmed with shock and stimulation. He wanted to close his mouth, but Teest stubbornly remained inside.

Nol struggled in place, not daring to move too much—just enough to create a shallow pit.

He couldn’t take it anymore. He had to close his mouth. But he couldn’t hurt Teest—absolutely couldn’t hurt…

A dazzling blue-white light flashed, and the giant Dracolich disappeared, leaving only a panting, crouching Nol.

Teest took out a robe from his bag and tossed it to Nol with a smile. “It seems those stories about ‘true love’s kiss’ aren’t completely just tales.”

“You…” Nol wiped his mouth, still in shock. “Your faith is really flexible…”

“At least I was successful.” Teest winked at him.

He extended a hand to Nol in the pile of leaves, his tone light yet gentle.

“It’s time to go home, Nol,” he said.

……

“I want to go home,” “Flawless” Anakin moaned in despair.

The good news was that she could finally meet with the Master of Paradise, Xu Yue, again. Just recently, Lynn contacted her through a doll, saying that Paradise had important matters to discuss and asked her to bring Solo along. The bad news was that the Temple of Life also requested that she negotiate with Paradise about the situation and convey information related to “The Manor”.

The good news was that the Homeward Saints Guild and Amazon would surely protect her in front of the Temple of Life. The bad news was that these two major guilds also wanted to know what exactly happened in The Manor.

Haha, one incident requiring three different reports. Haha, even her tutor had never been this harsh. Anakin seriously doubted whether she had transitioned into a “Flawless” or rather, a “Flawless Reporter”.

But what could she say?

The Temple of Life was unaware of the inside story, but she knew it as clear as day. The fall of “The Manor”, a gathering place for transmigrators, certainly involved Paradise in some role.

Recently, besides her, many other Players had come into contact with Paradise—this “contact” was merely being guided by the monsters of Paradise to discover some outer dungeons of the Black Forest. Apart from her, no other Players had successfully entered the Lost Tower.

For this, Anakin had brushed it off with her +20% luck value.

Thanks to Nol, she was now rightfully a top-tier Player, and having a few tricks up her sleeve was only logical, attracting no suspicion for the time being.

“This is the first time Xu Yue has actively sought us out.”

Anakin fiddled with her new magic wand inlaid with the ‘Festival of New Green’, muttering to herself. “First mission, absolutely can’t mess up… Absolutely can’t mess up…”

Anyway, if bad luck struck, Solo would be unlucky with her, so she might as well go for it!

However, the moment she arrived at the meeting room, Anakin immediately regretted her shallow determination—what in the world was this?!

Around the round table, Nol and Teest sat together, both emanating a much stronger aura than when she last saw them. Besides the glued-together duo, there were two more people in the room.

Coincidentally, she recognized both—from the wanted posters at the top of the Temple.

The notoriously renegade Pope, Godfrey Painter, was eating dried fruit earnestly. His posture was very elegant, yet he ate at a rapid pace, the honeyed fruit disappearing steadily in front of him. When he noticed the new arrivals, Painter lifted his head and smiled warmly at Anakin.

He was dressed in simple linen clothes, devoid of any ornamentation.

The mental state of the Eternal Church’s High Priest, Fischer Reginald, seemed very poor. He dipped his fingers in tea, drawing the holy emblem of the Eternal Church on the table repeatedly—each time he reached a critical point, his finger would slip, preventing the emblem’s completion. He stared at his wrinkled fingers, his expression filled with sorrow, his face marked with tear stains.

How strange—too strange. What the hell was going on?

Anakin’s brain nearly froze. She couldn’t comprehend this combination. What was Xu Yue thinking, bringing these two together?!

Overwhelmed by the chaotic scene, Anakin tried to back out the door, only to bump into Solo following her. Solo covered his nose and yelled “ouch” loudly.

“Please take a seat, Miss Anakin,” Nol said with a smile as Anakin performed a pendulum act at the door.

“Ah, this… Do you know, these two…” Anakin dared not run away. She dragged her equally bewildered cousin to a chair, step by cautious step.

“We know. We’ve already coordinated. Mr. Painter won’t kill Fischer,” Nol said soothingly.

He tried to sound casual, with the confidence of a strong person.

…But who knew the hardships behind it?

If this group of powerhouses really started fighting, it would be more stubborn and hard to manage than kindergarteners.

When Painter first saw Fischer, he calmly pulled out a brush and nearly took Fischer’s life on the spot. The former Pope was skilled. If not for Nol’s forethought, Fischer would have had a few more holes in his head.

Later, with Teest’s passionate encouragement, Fischer tearfully cursed the Eternal Son for half an hour, and Painter finally accepted the fact that “Fischer’s mind is troubled and relatively harmless”.

Fischer, on the other hand, was like a kicked stray dog by the roadside, his spirit broken. He alternated between scornful glances at Painter, confused and persistent stares at Teest, and banging his head on the table.

Of course, Mr. Mad Monk wasn’t very willing to cooperate at first. If not for Nol’s crazy eye-signals, he seemed more inclined to bring out popcorn and watch these two religious figures fight to the death.

‘What a harmonious team, so easy to manage.’ Nol’s heart yearned for death.

So don’t ask too much, Miss Anakin. I just managed to calm them down. Nol struggled to smile, hiding his despairing preschool teacher’s expression.

“It’s not that…” Anakin said weakly, her voice fading.

“We also gave Mr. Painter enough compensation. He’s willing to assist my actions,” Nol added thoughtfully. “Mr. Painter’s reputation is good enough. You two don’t need to worry too much.”

Teest snorted disdainfully, receiving a light kick from Nol on his leg.

“I… I understand.” Anakin relaxed slightly, finding a distant seat on the edge of the chair.

She couldn’t shake off the terrible feeling of a tourist mistakenly entering a wild beast’s cage.

“Miss Anakin is a collaborator we trust,” Nol said, addressing Painter, “so you can speak freely as well.”

Painter gave a slight bow and smiled without saying a word.

Honestly, Painter was more difficult to deal with than Nol had anticipated.

Painter seemed unreliable, but he was actually the leader of the Drifting Mercenary Group. When he heard about the cooperation to tackle a super-difficult dungeon, his requests were very practical—

Painter demanded that Paradise hire the entire group of Drifting Mercenaries, along with the residents of Paradise, to deal with the minor monsters. He claimed it was to help protect the members of Paradise, but in reality, it was a risk-free training and experience-gathering opportunity.

Hiring the leader meant getting the whole group; no separate deals.

“Even for us, ‘cooperating with Paradise’ is a bit sensitive,” Mr. Painter said. “If only the small fries are involved long-term, it will have a negative impact on the group. Better to let everyone see for themselves.”

He needed witnesses, huh? Typical of someone from the Temple of Life.

As for the information about dragons, Painter didn’t agree. Even after Nol increased the compensation tenfold, the former Pope still refused with tearful eyes.

“My Lord, dragons hold grudges,” he said. “Until I’m sure of your character, I can’t just reveal their information—if you do something and get noticed by Subelbot; once he traces the source of the information, everyone in our group will suffer.”

In other words, this former Pope still didn’t trust Paradise.

No problem. “Fighting together” was one of the easiest ways to build trust.

“Now that everyone is here, let me explain the commission details.”

Nol snapped his fingers, and a large magic screen appeared—

[The Ancient Knight’s Last Wish]

The Ancient Knight’s Last Wish was a dual-location linked quest. It was one of Tahe’s high-difficulty group battle dungeons and needed to be triggered in the “Ancient Battlefield Tombs” beneath the Black Forest.

After completing this large dungeon, a six-person team was required to escort “The Ancient Knight’s Skeleton” to the Endless Sea, fulfilling the knight’s wish to be buried at the world’s end.

If the first half of the quest tested the number of Players in a group, the second half assessed the quality of the strong within the group—the destination wasn’t the beaches of the Endless Sea, but a solitary island floating on the sea. If the skeleton was completely destroyed during this period, the quest would end in failure.

Nol presented this quest as a “legend passed among the monsters of the Black Forest”, pretending to be just an innocent and curious leader of the monsters.

“Legend says only a divine envoy can open the tombs,” Nol said. “So I specially invited Miss Anakin and Mr. Solo.”

“What about the final treasure?” Painter raised his hand solemnly. “If I understand you correctly, the six of us will escort the skeleton. The Endless Sea area is now completely dominated by the Demon King, particularly dangerous. Forgive my bluntness, but if the treasure isn’t valuable, this treasure hunt will be more loss than gain.”

Solo nodded vigorously, with Annakin also showing agreement.

The former Pope was quite astute.

Nol glanced at Teest unintentionally.

“When the Ancient Knight returns to the end, his bones will sink into the deep sea, and his armor will rust away. His will shall transform into a shield, a sword, and an armor, eternally unbreakable.”

Nol said softly.

“I need the armor. Mr. Painter, Miss Anakin, you two can divide the shield and sword equally.”

Painter’s gaze wandered between Nol and Teest, then clapped his hands together. “If even the Master of Paradise wants the armor, the matching sword and shield can’t be bad! Okay, okay, please be sure to let me join.”

High Priest Fischer whimpered, and Anakin nodded stiffly—well, at least she still had a salary, so it wasn’t comparatively so bad.

“That’s the general situation. Please rest here for two days. We’ll discuss the details of the operation later.”

……

“You didn’t say you’d give me the armor.”

Teest, hands behind his back, walked backwards in front of Nol, almost floating. “I thought you wanted to upgrade the members of Paradise and take a look at the Demon King’s situation.”

“You never used a shield in the battle against The Manor.”

Nol spoke in a low voice.

Ever since Teest acquired “Curiosity”, he had never seriously used it—the attack from Zhuang Shuhang last time was overwhelming, leaving no room for the shield’s appearance.

“I guess it’s because the defense isn’t complete. Using only a shield would be cumbersome… The ‘Knight’s Will’ armor is light and sturdy, which makes it very suitable for your fighting style.”

This way, Teest could fight fully armed.

“What about the sword and shield?” Teest leaned in closer. “Why give those to others?”

“Oh, because those two pieces of equipment are called ‘Knight’s Loyalty’ and ‘Knight’s Benevolence’… Are you sure you can get along with them?”

“……” Teest visibly deflated.

“See?”

The author has something to say:

Teest: Performing a real deep kiss.

Who would have thought, even a dragon could be French kissed by a human! (?

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

Escape From the Asylum Ch93

December 31, 2023January 2, 2024 Kinky2 Comments

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

Chapter 93

Lying on the ground, Bai Zhou’s eyes remained wide open in death. A silent tear slid down his face before disappearing.

Upon witnessing this, Zhou Qian’s heart sank.

He didn’t have time to utter a word before the person in front of him turned into ash and dispersed into the void.

For a rare moment, Zhou Qian felt a pang of anxiety.

However, he quickly suppressed it, clutched the Rib of God, and hurriedly headed towards the elevator.

Sure enough, “He Xiaowei” was desperately pressing the elevator button. He had witnessed the previous scene and knew he was exposed, so he decided to flee.

“Although I don’t exactly know what you ‘ghosts’ are, it seems you too need to use the elevator and can’t just vanish at will.”

Zhou Qian stepped forward. Just as he spoke those words, he felt a gust of wind beside him; a bloodshot-eyed Bai Zhou was lunging at him with a knife.

In the nick of time, Zhou Qian leaped forward, grabbed him by the waist, trying to stop him. “Zhou Ge, wait! Let me ask a few questions.”

Bai Zhou indeed stopped in his tracks. But that didn’t mean he spared “He Xiaowei”.

With a swift motion, he surprisingly didn’t kill with one strike but instead pierced “He Xiaowei’s” shoulder with his blade, nailing him to the wall.

Then, Bai Zhou turned his gaze to Zhou Qian.

Filled with a fierce aura, he said nothing, but his eyes seemed to urge: “Ask your questions.”

Zhou Qian deeply looked into his eyes, then turned his attention to “He Xiaowei”. “Do you know where you went wrong?”

“He Xiaowei’s” reactions were rather perplexing.

At first, he displayed anger, fear, and regret—typical responses when one’s plans are foiled and faced with death.

Yet, in the next moment, he looked at Zhou Qian with sadness, as if he truly was He Xiaowei.

He seemed reluctant to turn against his old friend, hence the reaction.

The previous “Bai Zhou”, when he “betrayed” and died, showed a similar response.

Recalling the tear that slid from his eye, Zhou Qian momentarily drifted into thought.

But his eyes sharpened quickly after. “Can you tell me, what exactly are you?”

“He Xiaowei” didn’t reply but painfully shook his head.

Zhou Qian continued, “Tell me, and I’ll let you know where you went wrong, deal?”

Still, “He Xiaowei” didn’t respond. Zhou Qian raised an eyebrow, then said, “From the moment I met you, I’ve been trying to figure out who you really are by talking to you. You revealed many inconsistencies, but they weren’t enough for me to act.”

“After all, people can change and behave differently under different circumstances. I needed more evidence, so I decided to trap you. It’s no fun trapping just one; the bigger fish had to be lured out.”

“After deciding to set you up, many of the things I said to you were deliberate. I intentionally told you first that I suspect there are two of you, two of me, and even two Zhou Ge here. Based on that, I then deliberately put on a show, pretending to believe that he was fake.”

“Sure enough, you really believed it. You believed it, and then another Zhou Ge emerged.

“So now, do you know where your flaw is?”

Zhou Qian walked up to He Xiaowei and said, “If you tell me what’s going on, I’ll let you die cleanly. How about it? At least tell me… why the fake Bai Zhou would shed tears, and why you occasionally show sadness? Why does the fake Bai Zhou also have a Tang sword and use exactly the same moves?”

He Xiaowei actually responded. But he only said one thing. “I have He Xiaowei’s memories of you. In some sense, I am also the real He Xiaowei. That’s why I feel pain.”

Hearing this, Zhou Qian wondered—

Did the “Bai Zhou” shed tears earlier because, at that moment, he truly felt sad as Bai Zhou? Was he a clone of the real Bai Zhou? Did his tears signify that the real Bai Zhou would also feel such pain and sorrow if betrayed by him?

Zhou Qian’s expression changed slightly. Before he could ask further, the figure of “He Xiaowei” turned into ash and disappeared completely.

Zhou Qian suddenly felt a sense of loss, as if he had just personally persecuted Bai Zhou and He Xiaowei. But after all, they were just fakes.

Their feigned concern and real intent to kill him were clear. After all, pretending to protect him while actually wanting to distract the real Bai Zhou in a duel was what the fake Bai Zhou did.

The reason why this “He Xiaowei” was fooled was easy to analyze. He had been lurking by Zhou Qian’s side, looking for a chance to kill him. The reason He Xiaowei hadn’t acted yet was because Bai Zhou was with Zhou Qian. Alone, he couldn’t deal with both of them.

Realizing this, Zhou Qian hatched a plan to trap the “ghosts”.

Upon seeing Bai Zhou acting strange and Zhou Qian considering him fake, without knowing it was all Zhou Qian’s design, “He Xiaowei” believed it was real. The mission of “He Xiaowei” and their group of “ghosts” was probably to kill all the players. They wanted to kill Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou.

At that moment, seeing Zhou Qian mistakenly think the real Bai Zhou was fake, “He Xiaowei” thought it was a golden opportunity and wondered why he hadn’t brought the fake Bai Zhou. Zhou Qian would definitely think the fake was real, and they could team up to eliminate the real Bai Zhou. Once the real Bai Zhou was gone, killing Zhou Qian would be easy to deal with.

So, the fake He Xiaowei brought the fake Bai Zhou, hoping to seize this golden opportunity. In their eagerness to kill, they exposed a major flaw.

No matter how smart a person was, they couldn’t solve a math problem with missing conditions. From the information they had, players still didn’t understand the rules of this instance. They had no idea which number to press in the elevator to reach which time and space.

So far, Zhou Qian only knew one fact: once players enter the elevator and leave, they can’t return the same way as the numbers’ corresponding time-space is always changing.

Given this, it was impossible for the “He Xiaowei” or “Bai Zhou” to find them so quickly.

The overlapping time and space on the 11^th floor turned it into a maze. Their swift arrival could only mean they knew the coordinates and how to get there. Therefore, they knew all the secrets of this space and were “ghosts”, not humans.

Of course, this flaw wasn’t the basis for Zhou Qian’s judgment. He had this plan to further confirm He Xiaowei’s identity, bait the fake Bai Zhou, and eventually eliminate the two “ghosts”. He always knew that the Bai Zhou by his side was real.

After He Xiaowei disappeared, Zhou Qian immediately ran to the blood-covered Bai Zhou, helping him up.

“Zhou Ge, are you okay?”

During the recent battle between the real and fake Bai Zhou, Zhou Qian didn’t intentionally delay, causing Bai Zhou to get injured.

The two “ghosts” came too fast. They might also realize that their approach had flaws and could reveal their “ghost” identities.

However, in their eyes, Zhou Qian might not quickly realize this flaw, so they wanted to test Zhou Qian’s reaction.

Therefore, Zhou Qian had to continue acting as if he was unaware.

In this way, he could ensure that he would succeed in one strike and be able to kill the ghost that was as powerful as Bai Zhou.

Right now, Zhou Qian didn’t get a response from Bai Zhou.

Bai Zhou simply grabbed his wrist and dragged him back into room 1107, which was almost completely destroyed except for a bed.

From the broken furniture on the floor, Bai Zhou quickly pulled out a cloth strip, tied Zhou Qian’s wrist to the bed, and then leaned over to hug him tightly, just as he did before.

“Zhou Ge?” Zhou Qian lifted his other hand and gently touched Bai Zhou’s eyelid.

He watched as deep blue scales appeared on Bai Zhou’s face, one by one, gradually covering his entire face.

At the same time, sharp horns grew on his forehead, and his ears became pointed, completely different from a human’s.

Then, Bai Zhou whispered something in a low voice.

But it was clearly not a human voice anymore; it sounded like a beast suppressing its roar.

However, Zhou Qian actually understood him.

He was asking, “Are you afraid of me?”

“Not afraid.”

Zhou Qian raised his hand and gently touched his horn, which felt very smooth. He whispered, “Even in this state, you haven’t harmed me. I just don’t know which of my words triggered you to transform—”

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

Escape From the Asylum Ch92

December 30, 2023December 31, 2023 Kinky1 Comment

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

Chapter 92

“You’re not Bai Zhou. Who are you?”

Zhou Qian shouted out loud, immediately struggling fiercely. He tried to bend a leg, fiercely kicking the person pressing on top of him. However, his strength couldn’t move the person at all.

At the same time, the Bai Zhou from outside had broken into the room, his Tang sword slashing at the man on the bed, the flash of the blade reflecting his cold, murderous eyes.

Suddenly, another Tang sword was drawn. It was pulled out by the Bai Zhou on the bed.

He didn’t dodge or evade but directly drew his sword to meet the attacker’s strike.

As the two blades clashed, a brilliant white light erupted, illuminating two identical faces. One face looked as usual, albeit angry. The other’s face was increasingly off, with its pupils almost completely turning red, contrasting with a pale, bluish complexion, as if some monster disguised as a person was about to lose control and reveal its true form.

Accompanied by the screeching sound of metal scraping, one blade slid past the other, briefly separating before both swung with powerful killing intent. They continuously clashed, creating massive sounds with each impact.

Thus, two identical figures with identical swords began a fierce duel. Within moments, they had exchanged dozens of slashes, seemingly evenly matched. Sofas, coffee tables, and even the door were shattered, showcasing the sharpness of their blades.

Due to the special rules of the instance, neither could use special skills. Both were relying purely on their strength and combat abilities. The two fought their way from inside the room to the corridor. Carpets and walls broke apart, with shards and dust exploding amidst the flashing blades. Lights overhead shattered, dimming the already dark corridor.

While the two fiercely battled, Zhou Qian, with only one wrist bound, discreetly freed himself.

Though the room was in chaos, he wasn’t injured at all. It seemed both Bai Zhous were cautious around him, adjusting their strikes just before hitting him. Zhou Qian also noticed their techniques were almost identical.

All of this suggested as if Bai Zhou had been magically duplicated. Only one detail differed—the Bai Zhou from outside didn’t have a bite mark on his hand.

Zhou Qian took out the Rib of God from his bag and entered the corridor, where the fight between the two Bai Zhous was intensifying. Near the elevator, he saw He Xiaowei had returned, hiding in a public resting area, seemingly scared of being caught in the crossfire.

Raising his eyes, he unexpectedly met Zhou Qian’s, and he showed a terrified expression.

“Thank you for not abandoning me and calling for help,” Zhou Qian said to him.

He Xiaowei swallowed. “Ah… yes. You should come hide too. It’s too terrifying!”

Hearing this, Zhou Qian’s expression remained unchanged, but he felt a sinking feeling inside. His last doubts had vanished, and he now had a definite answer.

“I can’t. I have to help. If they keep fighting like this, they might both end up dead. Thank you for bringing the real Zhou Ge here. I’ll go help him defeat the fake one now!”

“You shouldn’t go. Zhou Ge and I can handle him!”

Having said that, Zhou Qian continued forward, his face full of rage. “I’ve been deceived for so long! I’ll kill him!”

Seeing that he couldn’t persuade Zhou Qian, He Xiaowei simply said, “Be careful then!”

“Mm. I can do it.”

Without paying further attention to He Xiaowei for the moment, Zhou Qian, holding the Rib of God, dashed towards the area where the two were fiercely battling.

At this moment, both Bai Zhou’s bodies were injured, their arms and legs covered with wounds of various sizes and severity.

However, both seemed equally unfazed.

They continued to fight as if they were numb to pain. As they moved, wounds would constantly burst open with fresh blood, staining their clothes completely red.

By the time Zhou Qian arrived, one of the Bai Zhou’s, whose eyes were almost blood-red, was slashing at him with his sword.

The other Bai Zhou, without hesitation, held his sword with both hands and slashed upwards, clashing fiercely with the oncoming blade.

The moment the two blades collided, the screeching sound of metal friction resonated once again. After that, Zhou Qian confronted the red-eyed Bai Zhou with a question: “Bastard, who the hell are you?”

Hearing this, Bai Zhou’s blood-red eyes squinted slightly, revealing a strong hint of restlessness, as if heralding the imminent arrival of an extreme danger, like a volcanic eruption or a raging tsunami.

“You’re not Bai Zhou. You’ve deceived me all along. I’m going to kill you!”

Zhou Qian yelled at him, raising the Rib of God and swinging it hard.

Bai Zhou shifted his body to the side, avoiding the attack from the Rib of God, and retreated half a step.

Seizing this opportunity, Zhou Qian swung his weapon again at him, launching a second attack in quick succession.

Yet, the sword continued to pull back, and the red-eyed Bai Zhou took another half step backward. Like this, he kept retreating, not retaliating. After a moment, he just looked up, gazing deeply at Zhou Qian through sweat-soaked hair with eyes that seemed like they were brewing a storm.

Zhou Qian bravely met his gaze, showing an unmistakable murderous intent.

After a while, he raised the Rib of God in front of his chest with his right hand while holding onto the arm of the other Bai Zhou beside him with his left. Turning his head, Zhou Qian looked at him with concern. “Thank goodness you came. Otherwise, I might have been killed by him. Zhou Ge, thank you—”

“There’s no need for that between us. Zhou Qian, step back. I’ll kill him.”

Bai Zhou looked at Zhou Qian with equal concern, grasping his hand.

While trying to pull Zhou Qian to his side and about to say something, a rapid strike from the opposing sword came swinging at them.

The normal-looking Bai Zhou quickly sidestepped to Zhou Qian’s right, wrapping an arm around him and raising his own sword, striking with lightning speed.

As the blades clashed again over the next 30 seconds, they exchanged numerous blows. Both were ruthless, aiming for vital areas; each strike was fiercer than the last.

In a fleeting moment, the opposing red-eyed Bai Zhou’s gaze slid down to the hand on Zhou Qian’s waist. The blood in his eyes seemed to boil with rage, as if blood would spurt out at any moment.

With hands clasped, he stepped back several paces, then lunged forward, delivering the fiercest blow, aiming straight for the head of the Bai Zhou beside Zhou Qian.

The blade gleamed with unprecedented sharpness, painted with red marks, prominently reflecting the murderous intent in Bai Zhou’s eyes.

Seeing this, the Bai Zhou holding Zhou Qian quickly retreated a few steps. His palm exerted a slight force, perhaps intending to push Zhou Qian away and confront the blade charged with murderous intent.

However, Zhou Qian advanced instead of retreating, swinging the Rib of God horizontally.

As the Rib of God was about to meet the incoming blade, the blade unexpectedly stopped in its tracks.

The blade’s glow dimmed, and the red-eyed Bai Zhou stepped back, spitting out a mouthful of bright red blood.

The normal-looking Bai Zhou, seeing this, immediately pulled Zhou Qian close again, gripping his sword tightly and launching another fierce strike at the opposing red-eyed Bai Zhou.

A new round of combat began, but this time, the red-eyed Bai Zhou seemed to be on the defensive, as if he was holding back something. He retreated all the way to the end of the corridor.

At this end of the corridor, one door was sealed with cement, and the other led to the chaotic room numbered 1107.

Most of the lights here were broken. From the other half of the corridor, a dim yellow light shone, suggesting that this duel was nearing its climax.

Zhou Qian felt the hand around his waist release him. Then he heard Bai Zhou beside him say, “Get behind me. I’ll handle this.”

Zhou Qian shook his head. “You can’t defeat him on your own. Let’s do it together. You distract him, and I’ll seize the opportunity to strike!”

While saying this, Zhou Qian stared intently at the red-eyed Bai Zhou across from him.

His tone was cold, filled with the intent to kill, as if he had made up his mind to put the opponent to death.

After speaking, when he looked at the Bai Zhou beside him, his gaze had softened.

His voice also softened. “Zhou Ge, be careful.”

Zhou Qian’s gentle reminder gave Bai Zhou by his side endless courage. In contrast, it seemed to evoke infinite anger in the Bai Zhou on the opposite side.

Two identical Tang swords were held by two people who looked the same, and they began their deadly duel once again.

Multiple streaks of blade light flashed and then faded. The floor curled up one after another, the wallpaper shattered inch by inch, and dust and smoke spread everywhere. By the time it all settled, both Bai Zhous were drenched in blood.

With a “clang”, the two swords met again.

The two Bai Zhous stood facing each other at the end of the corridor.

At this moment, their physical strength was obviously exhausted, with their sword-holding hands slightly trembling.

At this point, whoever lost stamina first would be the one defeated.

The deadly fight had reached its critical moment!

Zhou Qian whispered to the normal-faced Bai Zhou close to him. “Now is the time.”

Having said this, Zhou Qian gripped his Rib of God and walked step by step towards the Bai Zhou with red eyes. The red-eyed gaze shifted from his opponent to Zhou Qian, a suppressed emotion in them so intense it was suffocating.

Through these blood-red eyes, Zhou Qian felt as if he was witnessing the end of the world. Gripping the Rib of God, Zhou Qian took a deep breath and lifted it.

At this moment, the red-eyed Bai Zhou had to grip his sword with both hands just to barely withstand his opponent, trying to remain undefeated.

Looking back at the entire battle, even at the most dangerous moments, he never harmed Zhou Qian. The reason he was at a disadvantage earlier was because Zhou Qian was held by the other Bai Zhou, making him hesitant in his moves.

Given this, Zhou Qian could easily kill him if he chose to attack. And it seemed Zhou Qian intended to do just that.

He seemingly couldn’t understand all the emotions hidden deep within those red eyes, only approaching with the intent to kill.

Holding the Rib of God with both hands, Zhou Qian raised it high and swung it forcefully towards the red-eyed Bai Zhou. However, in a split second, with a twist of his ankle and a tilt of his body, the Rib of God suddenly changed direction, striking hard at the Bai Zhou originally standing behind him!

Caught off guard, the Bai Zhou took a heavy blow to the forehead and started to tilt backward, losing the standoff. The next moment, the Tang sword from the other side ruthlessly lunged forward, piercing his heart with astonishing speed and precision.

Due to Zhou Qian’s proximity, the gushing blood immediately drenched him.

Regardless of Zhou Qian’s aversion to blood, he couldn’t care less at the moment—he looked into the eyes of the fallen “Bai Zhou” who was lying in a pool of blood.

His expression was strange; initially, it was filled with deep hatred from a broken conspiracy, but a moment later, it was filled with endless pain and sorrow.

Suddenly, his eyes became extremely red, and in an instant, tears slid down from the corners, glistening like dew or stars. However, they quickly merged into the blood, leaving no trace behind.

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

Qizi Ch136

December 30, 2023December 31, 2023 Kinky1 Comment

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

Chapter 136

The spaceship landed on the spacious landing pad. As the cabin door slowly opened, Ling Xiao, holding the bottle, stepped out steadily, with Xiao Hui following closely, two steps behind.

Back on Tianxiu soil, only Xiao Hui heard Ling Xiao whisper to the soul in the bottle:

“Ying Feng, we are home.”

People lined up on both sides, first soldiers, then various civil servants, and finally, the general public. Walking through the corridor formed by the crowd, Ling Xiao carried his hero back to their land.

Fu Yao was waiting at the end of the corridor.

“You completed your mission exceptionally well.”

“Duty fulfilled.”

Ling Xiao opened the bottle lid, and Ying Feng’s soul leaped out but didn’t fly away. It lingered beside Ling Xiao, reluctant to leave.

“Alright, I’ll come find you after handling some things.” Ling Xiao gently touched its head. “Be good.”

Ying Feng’s soul then headed towards the purification pool. At that moment, Huo Luo brought over the people brought back from Huoxiu.

“We were a step too late. Zhu Yue modified Tai Er, but it seems unsuccessful. He’s turned into this,” Huo Luo said.

Tai Er’s red eyes remained, but human emotions had completely vanished from them, making him a different kind of Lone Star.

Tai Ruo clutched his brother’s sleeve tightly. “We’ve destroyed all the codes. No one can create Lone Stars anymore. The people of Huoxiu fear that the history of Tianxiu will repeat in Huoxiu. They don’t allow such ‘monsters’ to stay there, so I had to bring him here.”

He tentatively asked, “May we stay?”

Fu Yao looked at the emotionless brother, then at the anxious brother, and the diverse descendants of ancient Tianxiu and Huoxiu people behind them and nodded in agreement.

“This is your home,” he said. “Welcome back.”

The museum curator also arrived, and Ling Xiao solemnly handed over Bing Can and Red Head’s daggers and the remembrance stone to him.

“I heard mine and Ying Feng’s daggers are also in the museum?”

“Yes.”

“Can you place ours together with them?”

“Of course.”

Ling Xiao, his task completed, sighed in relief. “It’s a pity Yu Ji and Shuang Feng didn’t leave anything behind.”

“We’ve already sculpted their statues. Heroes will always be remembered by people.”

Ling Xiao followed Fu Yao towards the Soul Tree.

“How are the souls retrieved from Huoxiu doing?”

“They’ve been remodeled and are being nurtured. In a decade or so, they will awaken as people like us.”

Ling Xiao remarked, “So many fledglings all at once, Bikong will need to expand its recruitment.”

“Let’s leave that headache to Ta Yun.”

“The principal returned to Bikong?”

“With Fei Jing, but they demanded at least two months of travel leave every year.”

Ling Xiao laughed. “That does sound like Fei Jing.”

They arrived at the tree. The Soul Tree had been replanted. It was unclear if the soil in the churchyard was unsuitable before, but the newly planted sapling had grown quickly, becoming a large tree that required one person to embrace it overnight.

“It’s completely different from when I left,” Ling Xiao said, somewhat doubtful. “Is this really the same tree?”

“It’s the tree that grew from your peach pit.”

Ling Xiao, a bit embarrassed, looked up, making a delightful discovery.

“Look! There!”

Fu Yao also looked in the direction Ling Xiao pointed, and among the dense branches, a small, inconspicuous blue light sparkled in the sunlight.

“Is that a soul?” Ling Xiao asked excitedly, “Is it? Is it?”

“It does look like one.” Fu Yao also couldn’t help but smile.

“New souls are growing. That’s great…”

Everyone looked up at the tree, where hope for the planet was growing. As long as hope continued to grow, their beliefs would be passed down through generations.

“Fu Yao, this person wants to speak with you.”

They turned around to see Nie Yun escorting Zhu Yue, accompanied by the fake Zhen He.

Zhu Yue’s animosity towards Ling Xiao remained, but his eyes held a certain resignation.

“Do you have anything else to say?” Fu Yao asked.

Zhu Yue disdainfully glanced at the glowing bodies in the branches. “I have a request before death.”

“What is it?”

“I no longer wish to be reborn in this land. Grant me permanence.”

“Alright,” Fu Yao promptly agreed. “Go ahead.”

“No need to trouble.” Zhu Yue declined the trip to the Hall of Nightmares. “I want to leave to a place where sunlight can reach.”

Fu Yao agreed and instructed Nie Yun, “Turn off the lights.”

Nie Yun spoke into his terminal, and the distant lighthouse gradually went dark. Someone approached and injected the liquid, symbolizing death, into Zhu Yue’s neck.

Zhu Yue surveyed the land he had lived in, his gaze finally resting on the Zhen He he had created.

The emotionless Zhen He watched indifferently as his former Qizhu faced execution.

Zhu Yue lifted his hand with his last strength, touching that familiar face, but no familiar expression appeared.

“I’m about to dissipate, and you don’t even have a hint of sadness?”

Zhen He remained impassive, not even frowning.

Disappointed, Zhu Yue lowered his hand, his soul disintegrating, leaving this world without any attachment.

The lighthouse lit up again, illuminating the land and guiding its true people on the path to rebirth.

Ling Xiao had two concerns left. “Red Head and Bing Can were sacrificed because of the Peacekeeping Force.”

“Don’t worry,” Fu Yao assured him. “I will seek justice for them.”

He switched languages. “And about Xiao Hui…”

“Leave it to me.” Huo Luo patted his chest. “I guarantee he’ll pass level four in Wolf Star language in a month.”

Xiao Hui looked tearfully at him, wanting to say something but remained silent.

“That’s good.” Ling Xiao had no more unfulfilled wishes and stretched leisurely.

“It’s time for me to go.”

In the Hall of Nightmares, Yu Quan routinely asked him,

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Ling Xiao sidestepped the question. “I knew I had to take two injections this lifetime.”

He pondered. “I now understand Ling Xing’s feelings when he entrusted his legacy before leaving. Lone Stars fall, three lives cold. This is just the first life; how can I leave Ying Feng unattended in the next ones?”

“Ling Xing said only we could endure him. I think so too. His character is so bad, I feel bad letting him trouble others.”

“I’ll keep this Ying Feng for myself.”

The cold liquid was injected into his body.

“Do you have any regrets in this life?”

A white mist clouded Ling Xiao’s vision, and the voice seemed to come from a distant world.

Regrets…

He closed his eyes, and the events of this lifetime flashed backward before his eyes like a film reel.

The farewell journey in Huoxiu, the time leap of four thousand years, the brief sweetness with Royal Sky, the mutual antagonism in Bikong…

If there was any regret…

The scene shifted to Bikong, on that rooftop, where a fledgling Ling Xiao leapt from the high platform, landing right in front of a similarly fledgling Ying Feng.

“Now someone is willingly offering their heart’s blood, and you still don’t accept. What kind of person are you looking for?”

Ying Feng, who usually ignored Ling Xiao, unusually curled his lips in a slight sneer.

“I don’t know. If you offered your heart’s blood, maybe I’d consider it.”

That person, who awakened his feelings yet remained unaware, had an immature face.

Ling Xiao’s thoughts drifted towards him, gazing deeply for one last time.

I am willing.

Ying Feng was startled. “Why are you crying?”

The fledgling Ling Xiao mechanically touched his face, feeling moisture. He stared blankly at the liquid on his fingertips, tears uncontrollably streaming down.

He ran away in a panic, not noticing Ying Feng’s unconsciously raised hand behind him. Only Ling Xiao’s consciousness captured this moment. If he hadn’t fled in haste, could they have realized their feelings for each other sooner?

He leaned in, lovingly brushing his lips against the other’s fingers.

Ying Feng, stunned, looked at his hand as if feeling the illusion of a kiss.

With no more regrets, Ling Xiao, for the first time, left towards his destined direction without any attachments.

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

Full Server First Kill Ch111

December 30, 2023June 14, 2024 Kinky6 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 111: A Shocking Glimpse

The moment Teest noticed the fire igniting on Nol, he planned to jump away. Nol’s push added fuel to the fire, enabling Teest to successfully leap back several steps.

It wasn’t that the Mad Monk was heartless; he recognized the fluctuation of power emanating from Nol—

Nol’s current “human form” wasn’t his true body. He had been maintaining it with magic.

It was like compressing a large blanket into a tiny bundle using cloth. If the external stimulus was too strong, the thin cloth wrapping would break open, revealing the true contents.

The fluctuation on Nol’s body was a sign of the “transformation magic” breaking.

A huge shadow rose in the mist. Teest looked up, completely focused. He had rarely seen a real dragon, let alone a Dracolich that only existed in legends.

The fog surged, and the silhouette resembled a dragon, but it wasn’t as massive as a real dragon.

From the posture, Nol seemed to be crouching on the ground, shifting occasionally, probably searching for the most suitable position. His body expanded and contracted, likewise searching for the most appropriate form. Teest didn’t feel the unique oppressive aura of a dragon, which meant Nol must be restraining it.

Curious, Teest approached to get a clearer view.

The Mad Monk had his own caution. He seldom approached a massive monster voluntarily. If he did, the purpose was undoubtedly hunting… but now, who’s to say this wasn’t a form of hunting? He had to completely capture the other with the net of his gaze.

As the fog receded layer by layer in front of him, Teest could see the other’s skin. Yes, skin, not the bones or mummy he had imagined. That body looked even plump, just lacking the warmth of a living creature.

The black scales on the Dracolich’s body were extraordinarily beautiful, different from any dragon scales he had seen—whether the natural dragon scales enshrined in the church or the finely polished display pieces in top material shops, none had such shimmering luster.

Surprisingly, Nol had three pairs of overly large wings on his back. The wing membranes were a special bluish-red color, filled with strange patterns, and had a soft, visceral sheen. They also had peculiar folds, with pure black, eye-like moistness exposed in the spindle-shaped gaps.

Those wings wrapped around the body in a disordered manner, twisting into angles that dragon wings shouldn’t have.

It was more like a bizarre embryo—part dragon, part beast—than a dragonling. It had the incomplete feel of a young monster, but that didn’t detract from its surreal beauty.

Who would have thought, Teest only had time to take a brief glance.

He just stared at those strange wings for half a second longer, and his head buzzed as if a hundred fingers were digging into his brain.

Teest felt a warm and then cold sensation in his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He stumbled back two steps, feeling as if someone had violently squeezed his insides, causing unceasing sourness and numbness. His vision flickered and twisted, like having ingested poison, and his head felt as if it had been roasted, completely unable to think.

He wanted to collapse and retch, but he managed to stay standing.

The fog kept moving. As he retreated, it gently concealed more details, leaving only vague shadows. When Teest finally regained his thoughts, Nol’s claws emerged from the fog.

The black scales were still beautiful. The recent events seemed like an illusion. Nol now appeared as an unmistakable dragon—a not-so-large dragon with eyes burning with blue fire.

It had the shape of a white dragon skilled in magic, looking agile and elegant. It also had the pitch-black scales of a black dragon, mixed with the surreal blue of undead creatures. Teest had never seen such a beautiful dragon, but that near-fatal glimpse still left him disoriented.

Was it a hallucination he saw? Or was it a transitional form during transformation?

Why couldn’t he see the full form? What exactly was it…?

Why did it hurt him?

Teest blinked with effort.

That extraordinary beauty still lingered in his mind, but the impression uncontrollably faded away, like a vivid dream. Only the dried bloodstains on his skin reminded him that the “anomaly” had existed.

[Are you okay?] The burning sensation was gone. Nol worriedly nudged Teest with the tip of his claw.

[What a coincidence. I was about to ask you the same question.] Teest quickly wiped the blood from his face. His head was still a bit dizzy, but fortunately, he still had his strength and sense of direction.

Nol tried to clear his throat to speak, but accidentally spat out a burst of blue flame instead. They immediately burned through the fallen leaves in front of him, creating a small circle of scorched earth. He quickly closed his mouth, his too-sharp fangs accidentally biting into his tongue, causing Mr. Dracolich to whimper.

[I feel okay.] In the end, Nol had to continue the conversation using telepathy. [The skill upgrade was successful.]

It was just that he really wasn’t accustomed to this body. It was too big and too complex. For the moment, Nol could only wriggle around on the ground.

The hearing, smell, and vision of the dragon form were overly sensitive, bombarding his brain with a multitude of information—the rich scent of the forest was almost suffocating, his own breathing sounded like a typhoon landing, and Teest’s heartbeat was deafening.

During his struggle, he plainly demonstrated [Breath of a False God] to Teest.

[So that’s how it is,] Teest quickly read it and responded meaningfully.

[You don’t seem very surprised,] Nol said while wriggling.

[First, I’m your Pope, remember? This isn’t just a role-playing game. I had some mental preparation.] There was a hint of inexplicable pity in Teest’s tone. [Second, you’re now frantically digging in the mud… I’m quite concerned about the atmosphere, sorry.]

He wasn’t the neurotic Eugene, unable to muster religious sentiments at this time. Teest frowned and carefully took two steps back to avoid his “God” flinging mud on him.

Faith should be practical, indeed.

Sensing Teest’s retreat, Nol lay down on the ground in defeat, motionless.

[I don’t want you to worship me,] he said dejectedly. [I just want to ask if you have any discoveries or insights…]

There were indeed some, but Teest wasn’t sure if his brief glimpse could be accurately described—after all, he had only a faint impression left in his mind, unable to be expressed in words.

It was better to keep it to himself for now. The anomalies he had secretly noted weren’t just this one.

[There are indeed insights.] Teest looked at the Dracolich lying on the ground as if dead. [Since the system can grant you almost “god-like” powers—it’s certainly not just a simple world law. It has the ability to give out “god-level powers.”]

[If I were a so-called “God”, I wouldn’t just want to break free from the system’s constraints, I would want to dominate it, to have a share of it.]

[I think so too,] Nol responded listlessly, his mouth buried in the leaves.

But “dominating the system” was no easy task. It seemed the system had its own set of operating logic. Even as its creator, he couldn’t just make the system give him a bonus. He could only exploit some logical loopholes.

For a second, Nol suddenly felt like he was competing with the Goddess of Life and the Eternal Son, scrambling for the “system” as if it was a delicious piece of cake.

Forget it, no more dreaming. Even with [Breath of a False God], his pitiful attributes made him at best a half-god. Not to mention the two ancient gods, he couldn’t even beat a dragon leader.

The joy of skill enhancement gradually faded, and Nol buried his mouth deeper into the leaves.

As someone without ambition, he just wanted to find a way home and create a beautiful ending for Teest. He hoped those two gods wouldn’t come looking for trouble…

[I have another insight,] Teest continued solemnly.

[Oh?]

[Since you feel okay, it seems “help” wasn’t called by you.]

Nol was startled. He moved his head and listened attentively.

Faint cries for help came from under his front paw. He quickly and laboriously moved his paw away.

Nol had only managed to push Teest aside, and Kando was pressed into the leaves and mud. When Teest pulled it out, the candle was close to crying. Seeing the immensely large Nol, it swallowed its cry.

Teest tossed the candle in front of Nol’s nose and found a spot between the dragon’s claws to sit down comfortably.

Nol activated [Ash Remnants] again; his scales were warm and comfortable, smooth and fine to the touch. Skin against the scales felt like being embraced from all directions.

Teest collapsed on the scales, suddenly understanding why Nol always wanted to hug.

“Do you… ahem… have anything to say?” Nol finally managed to speak with his vocal cords, his rumbling voice causing the ground to tremble.

Teest leaned on his front paw, a warm bundle, not daring to move too much for fear of pressing the other.

“Nothing!”

Kando covered its eye with wax tears. Nol couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination, but he felt like it was deliberately showing its bitten-off part.

“I don’t want to interrogate you. If it weren’t for you, the battle at The Manor wouldn’t have gone so smoothly. I just want to talk to you.”

Nol tried to soften his tone, but the dragon’s vocal cords still rumbled. Although it was unlikely that there were people in the depths of the Black Forest, he still cast a soundproofing spell nearby.

The candle peeked out from between the wax tears. “You always use such a terrifying form to chat?”

“.…..”

Nol fell silent, not really wanting to admit that he hadn’t found a way to change back yet… and he was quite enjoying Teest clinging to his claws.

“Fine, ask away. I can’t run anyway,” after a few seconds, the candle said resignedly.

“Do you have dragon blood?” Nol went straight to the point.

“Oh, yes,” the candle said. “There’s a string in my head that tells me to stay away from dragons and the Dragon’s Lair, because they don’t like me as a member—other than that, I know nothing.”

Nol wanted to frown, but instead, he crinkled his nose, revealing all his sharp teeth.

Teest turned around curiously and reached out to touch the row of snow-white teeth.

They felt pretty good.

Seeing those sharp teeth, the candle shuddered and cautiously waved its wax tears. “It seems you don’t understand what ‘forgetting one’s name’ means… Right, the Mad Monk is an exception. Most people aren’t as lucky as him.”

“‘Forgetting your name’ isn’t just forgetting your name. You forget everything related to that name—people you cherish, people you hate, everything you care about as ‘you’. At most, you’re left with some insignificant knowledge, like those amnesiacs who only remember common sense.”

“If it weren’t for ‘dragon-related’ knowledge being a matter of life and death, I wouldn’t have any impression either.”

“But you’re not a Supplement Demon.” The two huge blue dragon eyes stared intently at the candle.

The candle was silent, a tear of wax slowly flowing down its “head”.

“A ‘name’ is one of a person’s most precious possessions.”

In the tranquil darkness, Teest picked up the conversation. “The Eternal Church takes it away to brainwash more easily. I’ve heard that some people use it as a bargaining chip—mortgaging ‘self’ is far more severe than mortgaging property or the body.”

“Mr. Kando, you traded your name with someone, right? Let me guess, your insistence on following my husband is also part of the deal, isn’t it?”

Nol immediately understood.

The candle’s personality had nothing to do with strictness or discipline. In critical moments, there was no need for it to be so tight-lipped—if its name was in someone else’s hands, that would explain it.

Who was the candle’s trading partner?

It openly insulted the Goddess of Life and the Eternal Son, so it probably wasn’t a follower of either. During the time it followed them, it never conveyed any information to the outside world—it was more like a pure tool sent to them, and it had accepted this role.

Moreover, whether it was originally a dragon or a hybrid of a dragon and another species, it shouldn’t be in its current sad state. It’s hard to imagine what it went through to decide to “sell its name”.

Although the candle had a venomous mouth and was unruly, without it, their territory wouldn’t have developed so fast, and they wouldn’t have come so far.

“Kando, if you can’t speak because of this, I won’t ask anymore,” Nol suddenly said.

The candle put down its wax tears that covered its eye in surprise.

“Thank you for helping me,” Nol earnestly expressed. “Let’s continue to work together in the future. I hope you can regain your name soon.”

The candle visibly relaxed, its gaze complex, as it looked at Nol for a while. “So it really was just a chat.”

“Were you expecting me to exact revenge?”

“Heavens, no!” Kando exclaimed. “It’s just that you and your knight are too crude. I was just a little worried…”

Nol: “…”

Nol exhaled a breath, blowing the self-satisfied candle away.

[You’re really giving up just like that?] Teest patted his claw.

[Of course not. I don’t want to force it—even if it has its own agenda, it has indeed helped us a lot.] Nol gently moved his claw. [Just confirming ‘it has dragon blood’ and ‘its relationship with dragons is bad’ is enough. I can investigate through other means, which wouldn’t count as Kando breaching the contract.]

Teest sat cross-legged on his claw, eager to hear more.

[Dragons are very rare, and hybrids with other species are even rarer. Human records in this area are indispensable. We just need to verify those missing dragons or hybrids.]

Teest slumped his shoulders. [You make it sound easy, but those are top-secret materials. Even I don’t know about them.]

[But someone should know,] Nol said. [As long as the reward is sufficient, I think he’ll speak.]

[Wait, wait! You’re not going to…] Teest’s body stiffened slightly.

[Before meeting the Demon King, we need to be prepared.] Nol’s thoughts brimmed with a hint of amusement. [There’s a major dungeon in the depths of the Black Forest, and I want to level up with everyone—though it’s particularly dangerous. To clear it without injury, we need external help.]

[Like Miss Anakin, Mr. Solo, and that fake siren… including our knowledgeable Mr. Painter. Together with you, that makes a six-person team.]

[…] Teest was stunned for a few seconds by the overly free composition. [Are you sure you want to put these people together?]

[Why not?]

Death Knight Teest, Dracolich Nol, and Saint Painter could provide different types of magical output.

Night Ranger Solo could be a great support. Flawless Annakin focused on healing… As for the High Priest of the Eternal Church, he could be used as bait in dangerous situations.

A perfect team, all with tight lips, so there were no worries about the secrets of Paradise being exposed. The other neighbors just needed to follow behind them, clearing small monsters and gaining experience.

From the perspective of a raid team, this setup was absolutely reasonable!

[Regarding the secrets of the dragons, Mr. Painter definitely knows something.] Nol nodded in satisfaction.

[Dear Lord Nol, you always make me feel very sane.]

[Uh, that means our emotional relationship is positively progressing.]

…Maybe?

……

Bissus, the holy land of the Temple of Life.

“Lord Eugene, there has been no unusual activity near the Black Forest, and Paradise has made no moves so far.” An Investigation Knight bowed deeply.

Eugene sat upright in his armchair, listening intently.

His wounds had been thoroughly healed by healing magic. Unfortunately, the injuries had been severe and long-standing, sapping his vitality and preventing him from returning immediately to his peak condition.

“We have reviewed the oracles of the last hundred years, ensuring there are no oversights. However, there has been news from the Eternal Church about a Chosen One—they have dispatched a High Priest, reportedly searching for a missing Chosen One of the Eternal Church.”

Another knight stepped forward.

“Which high priest? Are you sure of this information?” Eugene tapped his fingers on the table.

“‘Eye of the Storm’, my lord. The information is almost certain. That High Priest was spotted by our people. He was in the territory of New Gemino, heading towards Gratice.”

The knight bowed. “We couldn’t intercept him, so the content of that oracle…”

“Don’t worry. That’s ‘Eye of the Storm’. Even I might not be able to stop him.” Eugene sighed softly. “I see. They sent ‘Eye of the Storm’. It seems the Eternal Church doesn’t dare to offend this Chosen One.”

“Could that hero Drake be the Chosen One of the Eternal Church?” The reporting knight choked up.

“I thought he was entangled with Paradise.”

The first knight spoke in a low voice. “Paradise promised to handle The Manor issue but never showed up. Something isn’t right. Moreover, for Drake to single-handedly destroy the entire Manor is too exaggerated. None of us know what really happened there.”

Eugene narrowed his eyes, falling silent for half a minute.

“I remember the Homeward Saints were to liaise with Paradise to confirm The Manor’s situation,” Eugene said. “As for the Chosen One…”

He glanced at the two knights. “I will handle the matter of the Eternal Church’s Chosen One. You two can go rest.”

“Yes!” “Yes, my lord!”

The room’s door opened and then closed, leaving it in complete silence. Eugene sipped his cold tea with a trace of fatigue on his face.

He exhaled deeply, pulling out a light green communication crystal from his inner pocket. Soft light filtered through the finely carved gem, casting a patch of emerald green on Eugene’s face.

“That is the person you specifically showed me…”

“I can feel the conflict of light and shadow in that person. They mix with each other, barely in balance… Perhaps he is standing on the edge of darkness, only a step away from the Eternal Evil God.”

Eugene closed his eyes, clutching the crystal tightly.

The muscles on his cheeks moved, as if trying to chew and swallow that piece of darkness.

After a while, he lowered his arms. Knight Eugene clasped his hands together, pressing the communication crystal between his palms, his fingers crossed in a wheat-sheaf-like prayer gesture.

“If there exist Chosen Ones who were selected by God, stood at the pinnacle, but still chose betrayal…”

He murmured.

“Then there must also exist heroes who were initially chosen by evil gods but can still be pulled back into the light… Supreme Lady Tilia, is this also a test you have given me?”

“If you desire him, I will snatch him from the Eternal Son and present him before you.”

……

Gratice, Ice Rock City, the holy land of the Eternal Church.

High Priest Fischer, dragging his weary body, returned to his room. For some reason, on his way back to the city, he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to “hop back on one foot” to express his loyalty to his God.

It felt almost like some kind of mind-control magic. Mr. Fischer tried a dozen dispelling spells, none of which worked.

What was he supposed to do upon reaching his destination?

Right, he needed to report the anomalies in The Manor battle, inform the Pope about the Chosen One’s situation, and somehow bring the Mad Monk to the Eternal Son…

No! He had to take out the list of Paradise monsters, hand it over to the General of Grape Collar, and then go into seclusion in the Black Forest…

It was as if two versions of himself were arguing. High Priest Fischer stood in the middle of his room, frozen like a statue. For the first time as a fanatic, he had an absurd thought—could he be going mad?

Fischer took several deep breaths and walked to the statue of the Eternal Son. He habitually knelt to pray, only to find that his knees had suddenly lost the ability to bend.

He couldn’t kneel down.

Fischer tried hard but still couldn’t kneel. The statue in front of him became more and more irritating to look at—an infant holding a sphere. What’s so sacred about that?

The person he should follow should have long white hair, brilliant golden eyes, and an extremely wicked smile. That was his master… his god…

As Fischer recalled the appearance of the Chosen One, his knees weakened, and he fell to the ground with a thud.

…Damn it!

“My task is not yet complete. I won’t go to see the Pope,” he heard himself say to someone outside the door. “I need to make a trip to Grape Collar.”

The author has something to say:

Teest: Bad news, I believe in a god with a soft heart.

Teest: Good news, sometimes he’s crazier than me.

Nol: Hey, I’m throwing a super cool mix-up of surface forces. Guess who isn’t invited?

Eugene: …

Billy: …

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

Kinky Translations

Author: Kinky

Midnight Owl Ch2

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Chapter 2: Meeting Again

Midnight Owl Ch1

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

Chapter 1: Snowfield

Qizi Extra

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Extra

Qizi Ch137

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Chapter 137

Full Server First Kill Ch112

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Chapter 112: True Love’s Kiss?

Escape From the Asylum Ch93

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

Chapter 93

Escape From the Asylum Ch92

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

Chapter 92

Qizi Ch136

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Chapter 136

Full Server First Kill Ch111

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Chapter 111: A Shocking Glimpse