Author: Kinky

Sendoff Ch88

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 88: Lanterns

Shi Jingzhi fell silent for a moment. He looked at Yin Ci with a confused expression, as if he hadn’t realized who the term “Your Highness” was referring to.

Then, he slightly widened his eyes.

Although it was still within fifteen days of the new year, several days had passed since New Year’s Eve, and there were no traces of fireworks in the sky. Yet, Yin Ci saw the man’s eyes gradually light up, as if he had captured a light that others couldn’t see.

Yin Ci patiently waited.

Twenty-four years had passed, and when they first met, they both had their own motives, almost competing to see who could take advantage of the other more—every move and thought were like a chess game, and their minds clashed like flashes of blades and shadows. Seeing their moves being countered and their tricks dismantled, it gave them an exhilarating feeling.

Now, they needed to consider each other, and even a simple probe required careful consideration.

“This matter is my private affair and has nothing to do with you.”

Shi Jingzhi finally opened his mouth, with a hint of warning in his tone.

“Royal secrets involve many people, and the Imperial Preceptor is focused on the way of the Immortal Path. The struggle for the Shirou alone is enough to create chaos in half the martial world. You have already taken risks for me. If your immortal body is exposed, it will only bring endless troubles.”

Yin Ci smiled. “When I posed as Su Zhi and competed secretly with Yan Budu, it was just one of many ‘troubles’. Your matter is nothing, and I won’t hesitate to do what’s needed.”

“And what about it?” Facing the man who was once his “immortal” idol, Shi Jingzhi showed no signs of excitement in his tone.

“What about what?”

“You may be immortal, but you’re not without emotions. Immortal beings can lose control and fall before their inner demons,” Shi Jingzhi said calmly. “If you think you owe me a favor or want to protect your Little Mute from back then, there’s no need to go to such lengths. Twenty-four years ago, you saved my life, and I protected your clarity of mind. We owe each other nothing.”

Yin Ci frowned; this was not the development he had expected.

Instead of taking the opportunity to move closer, Shi Jingzhi seemed to be unraveling and clarifying their past one by one with his words.

“To you, I may be just a brief encounter, fortunate to receive your mercy. You treated me carefully, forbidding me from hurting myself. But two days ago, you injured yourself deeply to save me. I am grateful… but even if you don’t see yourself as a human, I can no longer see you as an immortal either.”

Just like many years ago, Shi Jingzhi reached out and tidied up Yin Ci’s hair.

As a helping hand, was there a difference between a human and an immortal?

Since he desired to live so desperately, why not just accept help openly? Yin Ci didn’t understand Shi Jingzhi’s persistence.

But it seemed like Shi Jingzhi saw through his confusion. He stood up on the roof, smiling warmly. “I do want to live, and now that the enemy has appeared, I will give it my all. As for you, you will see what happens in the end.”

“When you think of me a hundred years from now, I don’t want words like ‘regret’ or ‘pain’ to be associated with it. You promised me a long life with no worries. Now that I am already without worries, you don’t need to dwell on the first part—if I were to fail, it would be because of my own actions.”

It has nothing to do with you, so you don’t need to blame yourself.

The night breeze was light, and Shi Jingzhi’s sleeves were gently blown. He looked at Yin Ci from top to bottom with a gentle gaze while the moonlight behind him glowed like a shimmering river.

“…Besides, if you insist on being an all-powerful immortal, with my heavy desire for life, I will inevitably resent you when I am dying. I detest such a way of dying.”

So, that’s it.

The maple forest in front of Yin Ci faded away, and the image of the smiling child slowly blurred. Shi Jingzhi dispelled the lingering illusions of the past and opened up honestly to him.

“Then, I won’t be your ‘immortal’,” Yin Ci said with a smile.

“Not as a disciple, not as an elder, not as an immortal, and not just for you alone—I will continue to investigate the matter of the flesh idol. I will follow your lead, and I can always find more clues.”

With a long sigh, Yin Ci also stood up and extended a hand. “Your Highness, are you willing to join forces with me?”

In an instant, Shi Jingzhi’s gaze softened.

He exhaled lightly, closed his eyes for a moment, and then smiled as he took the proffered hand. “I have a slight heart ailment, but I can manage. As we travel the rivers and lakes together, I hope you’ll bear with me a bit more.”

…It was a radiant smile that Yin Ci had never seen before.

For some reason, before that smile, Yin Ci felt a little inexplicably guilty—he had already activated the disaster warding talisman to protect Shi Jingzhi, and they had just become fair partners in their cooperation, so it probably didn’t violate any oaths.

Fortunately, Yin Ci wasn’t one to fret over trivial matters. He quickly suppressed his thoughts and considered this as the last memory of his “immortal” life, regardless of whether Shi Jingzhi could break through his facade.

“But this decision is not a small one. You can think it over for a while,” Shi Jingzhi said, unaware of his disciple’s thoughts. He pondered for a moment and then pointed to a street nearby, still brightly lit.

“How about this? Before we go back, let’s walk together down that street. If your thoughts haven’t changed by the end of it, I will accept without any regrets.”

Shi Jingzhi’s tone became much lighter, filled with anticipation and joy.

The Lantern Festival had not arrived yet, so Twin Rivers hadn’t held their festival. However, many shops were prepared in advance with lanterns at their doorways. The street was sparsely populated, but the warm lights were still on, and some business owners were resting at their doors, enjoying the festive atmosphere.

The master and disciple wore wooden Nuo masks and strolled leisurely side by side. Although the surroundings were simple, with shabby houses and dim firelight, they seemed to have stepped out of the bustling gathering into a carefree world.

Shi Jingzhi walked steadily, each step firm and full of strength. Yin Ci suddenly speculated that instead of leaving him time to regret, Shi Jingzhi seemed to be giving himself a chance to stabilize his emotions.

It was quite amusing.

Before this thought could fully form, Yin Ci stopped by himself. They had just agreed to cooperate, so why play tricks? It could be troublesome if Shi Jingzhi misunderstood his intentions.

However, old habits die hard, especially when it comes to teasing people. Yin Ci had to find another way and began recalling the innocent face of the Little Mute. But as he spaced out, he froze in place.

Shi Jingzhi suddenly turned his head, his face full of suspicion.

Yin Ci: “It has nothing to do with what happened earlier. I was just thinking… our relationship is quite deep, and I won’t play tricks on you anymore.”

“I thought A’Ci wouldn’t mind those trivial matters, but I didn’t expect you to be so concerned.”

Yin Ci clicked his tongue and dismissed the topic with a bit of resentment. “I can’t say I’m overly concerned; I just think about it occasionally.”

Shi Jingzhi didn’t know how to respond. Yin Ci acted nonchalant, but his face carried an undertone of “I used to hold you in my arms when you were young” and “elders should act like elders”.

This person was still bothered by those joking matters, indicating that his elder’s heart was still alive. Yin Ci had to erase the shadows of the past completely. Wasn’t that simple? At this moment, they knew each other well enough, so it was better to be open and frank, and this page could be turned.

With the Nuo mask hiding his expression, Shi Jingzhi mustered the courage to take the initiative and plan a counterplay.

At the end of the street, half was filled with flower lanterns and the other half with withered trees.

The wooden Nuo mask was rough and peeling off the oil paint, making half of the face beneath it look even more elegant and ethereal.

Yin Ci’s steps were steady. With his hair unbound, under the dim yellow light, his long hair gently swayed, exuding a soft radiance like still water. His complexion was pale, and his lips were slightly pale, with no visible flaws on his face, as if he were far removed from the bloody dust of the world.

However, he knew more about the taste of blood and gore than anyone else.

Shi Jingzhi had never scrutinized Yin Ci so carefully. He seemed even more attractive than Shi Jingzhi remembered. He had thought teasing him would be easy, but now that he took a closer look, he wasn’t sure how to proceed.

The boldness he had mustered seemed to melt away like sticky syrup. He hesitated for a moment and decided to escape the situation by giving Yin Ci a light kiss on the cheek… After all, when he fed Yin Ci the medicine in the Ghost Tomb, it wasn’t that difficult.

His gaze was fixed on Yin Ci’s pale lips; he felt as if he had swallowed a live rabbit, as his heart was beating wildly.

…Forget it, this matter had to be settled, and there was no reason to diminish his own imposing aura while bolstering the other’s pride. Shi Jingzhi adjusted his Nuo mask slightly, ignoring his inner turmoil, and launched a sudden attack.

He slightly turned his body and kissed the corner of Yin Ci’s lips before quickly pulling back.

He had originally intended to imitate his past self and kiss Yin Ci’s lips, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It was just a light kiss, but he could feel sweat forming on his neck, and an inexplicable sweetness overwhelmed him.

It was as if it was the first time they had been this close.

Shi Jingzhi hurriedly suppressed his racing heart. He continued to walk as if he had a clear mind and casually said, “In this way, we’re even, and you don’t need to…”

Wait a minute, something’s not right. Shi Jingzhi suddenly had a feeling, and he turned his head to find that Yin Ci was no longer beside him.

Yin Ci stood there, somewhat dazed, without taking another step forward.

Behind him, a rough flower lantern was wrapped around a withered tree; its flame flickering, casting a hazy warm red light. Yin Ci was indeed wearing an ugly Nuo mask covering half his face, but the surprised expression on his face couldn’t be concealed.

It was as if Yin Ci had never expected such a scene. There was no sign of anger on his face; only shock as he looked at Shi Jingzhi, as if he had discovered a demon that was more extravagant than any Arcane Arts.

Shi Jingzhi had no choice but to stop in his tracks.

His mind was filled with all sorts of weird thoughts, and he almost couldn’t focus on the road. He suddenly thought that this person was the epitome of being overly sensitive, just like an official who forbids the common people from lighting lamps to prevent fires. At the same time, he realized that they seemed to have completely missed the opportunity to “dispel the awkwardness” and brought the awkwardness to a whole new level.

Amidst this jumble of thoughts, there was one fixed idea. In front of Yin Ci, he seemed to have completely forgotten how to act and play along.

On second thought, although Shi Jingzhi couldn’t control his own heartbeat, he wasn’t unfamiliar with romantic matters. After all, facing an immortal body, he should be more than capable of handling the situation with ease.

Shi Jingzhi looked at Yin Ci, and contrary to his usual self, he was openly showing his weakness—Great master, what’s wrong with you? Quickly resolve this issue.

However, Yin Ci didn’t respond.

If we were to measure the extent of heartache, Yin Ci was no less affected than Shi Jingzhi.

In their previous conversation, Shi Jingzhi wanted nothing more than to send him tens of thousands of miles away, feeling the urge to dig out his heart and lungs, and tally up the accounts of emotions. Just as Yin Ci had reluctantly placed this man in the category of “another powerful individual”, he was caught off guard by a sudden reversal, as if being struck by a boomerang.

Upon realizing this, his feet stopped on their own. Indeed, this trick was effective, Yin Ci thought. He no longer had time to think about the Little Mute.

However, he didn’t know if he had become too worldly or what, but for a moment, he felt ashamed of his own heart palpitations—the young boy’s innocent face appeared in his mind, along with recent memories of various moments. His emotions were left unattended and were shattered by this kiss, turning into a subtle tenderness.

The words “disrespect towards the elderly” shone even more brightly in his mind, filled with a strong sense of reproach.

Fortunately, it was just a momentary lapse, and he still had a chance to redeem himself.

Yin Ci looked up and met the bewildered eyes of Shi Jingzhi. Both of them were at a loss for what to do, as if they were about to accuse each other of not being able to successfully pretend to be clueless.

The two wooden chickens stood there at the street corner, letting the night breeze blow around them.

Regardless, they eventually finished walking down that street. Yin Ci thought, even if the process and the expected outcome were different, the result was the same—

At the very end, he could no longer play the role of this person’s “immortal”.

The author has something to say:

It’s getting twisted, it’s getting twisted.jpg

Cooperation is impossible, you are destined to be entangled indefinitely√

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Bu Tian Gang Ch161

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Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

Chapter 161

Originally, when Kan Chaosheng said that those few people were human traffickers, Deng Po didn’t believe it. In his mind, human traffickers were usually very cunning; they could easily disappear into the crowd in the blink of an eye, their skills almost rivaling those of secret agents. But Kan Chaosheng, seemingly impatient with explaining further, just snapped his fingers in front of him.

And then, Deng Po witnessed the most terrifying sight of his life.

A giant snake, indistinguishable whether it was a python, a snake, or even a dragon, appeared out of nowhere. It opened its huge mouth and lunged at him! However, as the snake reached him, it didn’t swallow him whole but suddenly transformed into tiny stars, disappearing into the air.

Deng Po stared ahead; his legs went weak, and he couldn’t even run. He fell to the ground, realizing that when people are scared to a certain extent, they can’t even scream.

Kan Chaosheng, initially feeling quite smug, changed his expression when he saw Deng Po’s reaction. He suddenly remembered that Long Shen had warned him not to use magic to frighten ordinary people outside. He felt a bit guilty.

“Are you okay? It’s an illusion; it’s not real.”

Deng Po took a while to get up. Kan Chaosheng had no choice but to help him up, looking a bit disgusted yet unable to resist explaining himself.

“You didn’t believe me, so I showed you. I didn’t expect you to be more timid than Dong Zhi!”

“Who the hell are you!”

Deng Po finally caught his breath and composed himself. He didn’t know who this Dong Zhi the other person mentioned was. He only knew that he was scared out of his wits. Who could remain calm after seeing a giant snake lunge at them? Especially since he had been afraid of snakes since he was a child.

“I’ll tell you after you report them to the police first,” Kan Chaosheng said. “They really are traffickers, just trapped in an illusion like you.”

Deng Po hesitated for a moment, then called the police over and explained the situation. He only said he found these four people suspicious and noticed the child was constantly asleep, and the four adults didn’t care.

Given that it involved human trafficking, the police took it seriously. After questioning, they found out the child was indeed kidnapped. The child had been drugged, which was why he was asleep. These four people posed as migrant workers returning home and had committed numerous kidnappings.

However, Deng Po later learned more details from the police officer he contacted. He was commended for his vigilance and even received a commendation and reward.

After handing the matter over to the police, Deng Po didn’t need to get involved any further. He and Kan Chaosheng returned to their compartment. The couple that had left with the child to find a doctor hadn’t returned yet. They probably got off at some station. It was just the two of them left in the compartment. Deng Po swallowed nervously.

Kan Chaosheng tilted his head and looked at him. “You’re quite smart.”

He never exposed his identity from start to finish.

Considering Kan Chaosheng currently appears as a child, if he were to report the incident, he would inevitably have to explain how he came to know about it. The issue of him traveling alone with an octopus would be exposed. He would either be asked to get off the train to contact his guardians or he would have to clarify his identity. For the outside world and many grassroots departments, it was as if the Special Administration Bureau never existed. The police would only think he was lying, or they would need to go through multiple layers to verify his identity, which would be very troublesome. But after pushing everything onto Deng Po, things became much simpler.

Deng Po wryly smiled. “You still haven’t answered my question.”

Kan Chaosheng blinked. “What question?”

Deng Po: “The illusion! How did you create that snake?”

Kan Chaosheng feigned innocence. “What illusion? Uncle, have you read too many novels? There’s no such thing as illusions. Those are stories to fool children.”

Deng Po: ……

Just then, a large part of the blanket from the upper bunk slid down. As Deng Po turned to look, he saw a long tentacle sliding out from under the blanket, followed by a round head.

Deng Po felt he was being driven mad by Kan Chaosheng because he actually heard an octopus speak.

“Sorry, can you help tuck the blanket back in?”

Deng Po: ……

Numbly, he reached out to tuck the blanket back into the upper bunk, covering the octopus. Then he turned to Kan Chaosheng.

“This isn’t an illusion either, is it?”

Kan Chaosheng: “Huh? I told you, there are no illusions! What did you see? I didn’t see anything.”

Deng Po, gathering his courage, turned back and pulled the blanket off.

Sure enough, there was an octopus on the upper bunk, and two of its tentacles were even playing a game on an iPad.

The octopus innocently said, “Could you cover me up with the blanket? Someone might get scared if they come in.”

Am I not human? I was scared too, okay!

Deng Po was on the verge of a breakdown. He said to Kan Chaosheng, “Don’t tell me this is another illusion!”

The frequency of Kan Chaosheng’s blinking had increased significantly from before, clearly struggling to come up with an excuse.

“Do you want to use the iPad? I’ll let it give it back to you.”

Deng Po was probably so terrified after seeing the giant snake that he was slowly calming down.

“Since the octopus can talk, who are you? Are you also an octopus?”

Kan Chaosheng looked Deng Po up and down with a look of disdain. “Your foundation isn’t bad. If you become my apprentice, I’ll tell you. Otherwise…”

He chuckled sinisterly. Deng Po’s heart, which had just settled, almost jumped out of his chest again.

“Do… do what? Are you going to kill and silence me?”

Kan Chaosheng replied, “Otherwise, I just won’t tell you!”

Deng Pu hesitated. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell others?”

Kan Chaosheng shrugged. “Go ahead and tell them. See who believes you!”

That’s true. Deng Pu thought if he told someone he met a talking octopus and a child who could perform illusions, they would surely think he was mad.

Deng Pu was torn; his curiosity itching him like a cat’s paw, but he was afraid to probe too deep. What if the child wasn’t really a child but an adult with dwarfism?

The more he thought, the more terrified he became, his goosebumps all over.

Kan Chaosheng, seeing Deng Pu’s pathetic state, sneered and climbed onto the upper bunk.

“It’s my turn to play now!”

“But big brother, I haven’t finished this round!” A sulky voice from the octopus came from under the blanket.

An octopus addressing a kid as ‘big brother’.

Deng Po felt dazed, as if he wasn’t in the real world. He pinched himself hard, and feeling the pain, he knew this wasn’t a dream.

Kan Chaosheng popped his head out. “Can I borrow the iPad again?”

Although he was asking, Deng Po felt as if he’d get a beating if he said no. He nodded quickly. “You can use it!”

In fact, Deng Po wasn’t the most patient person. Coming from a wealthy family and being an only child, he always got what he wanted. The friends around him were either of the same status or always flattering. The reason he took this trip was that he had a fallout with a friend over a girl. He chose to travel by train, hoping the journey would calm him. Instead, it opened a door to a new world for him.

The couple finally returned. Their child had awakened, but he seemed spiritless. Seeing Kan Chaosheng, the child screamed in fear, pointing and shouting “snake!” Only now did Deng Po realize that the child must have been frightened by an illusion as well.

He glanced at Kan Chaosheng, who indignantly said to the couple, “Why is he calling me a snake? I’m clearly a cute child!”

Deng Po twitched at the corner of his mouth while the couple gave him an embarrassed look. It seemed they couldn’t handle their child’s constant crying and despite unsuccessful attempts to change their seats, they got off the train at the Tianjin station. Although Deng Po was supposed to get off at the same station as well, he mysteriously stayed on.

“Little Friend, I still don’t know your name,” he tried to make conversation.

Holding the iPad, Kan Chaosheng glanced at him. “Who are you calling little friend? I’m much older than you!”

‘He must be an adult turned into a dwarf,’ Deng Pu thought. He scratched his head and asked, “You mentioned taking me as your apprentice. What can you teach me?”

“You’re not scared anymore?” Kan Chaosheng asked with a sidelong glance.

Of course, he was still scared. But since the other party had caught the traffickers and urged him to call the police, he didn’t seem like a bad person. Deng Po awkwardly replied, “Not so much now.”

Kan Chaosheng disdainfully said, “Don’t think I just accept anyone. If I didn’t find you agreeable, I wouldn’t have mentioned it. And even if I did, my boss has to approve.”

Deng Pu was taken aback. “You have a boss?”

So it’s an organization? It sounds shady. He was having second thoughts again.

When Kan Chaosheng heard it, he simply replied, “Right,” and then picked up his phone to make a call.

Long Shen’s phone was unreachable, probably turned off. So, he called Dong Zhi, bragging about his encounter with human traffickers on the train, and incidentally asked Dong Zhi to convey his intention to take on an apprentice. Little did he know that Long Shen was right beside Dong Zhi, who promptly vetoed the idea. This led to the previous scene, where Kan Chaosheng went to bed in a huff.

After hanging up, Deng Po had an incredulous look on his face.

“Wait, when you take an apprentice, do you… sleep together? Dual cultivation? Absorb Yin to replenish Yang? Wait, I’m Yang, so are you cross-dressing as a man?”

“Have you been watching too many movies or reading too many novels?” Kan Chaosheng replied disdainfully. “Since the boss doesn’t agree, let’s just pretend I never mentioned it.”

Deng Po, trying to suppress his laughter, asked, “Can I ask you a few questions?”

Kan Chaosheng: “Go ahead.”

“Is illusion magic like the magic in stories? Can you conjure real objects, like a cup? Can you teleport, like the apparition in Harry Potter? Where can I learn such skills?” Deng Po let out all his pent-up curiosity in one breath.

Kan Chaosheng looked at him as if he were an idiot. “If I could teleport, would I need to take the train?”

Deng Pu chuckled. “That’s a good point!”

Kan Chaosheng: “What you mentioned isn’t entirely nonexistent. With enough cultivation, one could ascend in broad daylight and travel vast distances instantly. However, such feats were more common in the Han Dynasty. The spiritual energy of this world has been diminishing day by day. Forget about immortals; there are hardly any spirits left.”

Feeling somewhat disappointed, Deng Po asked, “Apart from illusion techniques, what else can you do?”

Kan Chaosheng proudly said, “Just minor stuff, like creating clouds and fog and turning rivers upside down!”

‘Blowing your own trumpet,’ Deng Po thought. He didn’t verbalize it, but it was evident on his face.

“If you don’t believe it, so be it!” Kan Chaosheng, realizing he couldn’t recruit an apprentice, didn’t want to elaborate further. “By the way, the places you mentioned for cultivation? Maoshan and Mount Longhu have them.”

Deng Pu exclaimed in surprise. “I’ve been to Mount Longhu as a tourist. How come I didn’t see it?”

Kan Chaosheng replied with contempt, “If everyone could easily spot them, wouldn’t it disturb their peace? Those Taoist priests may be stubborn and stick to seniority, but they genuinely possess great skills!”

The conversation ended there, and Kan Chaosheng got engrossed in his game, ignoring Deng Po’s various questions. However, Deng Po eventually got his WeChat contact at the cost of a big bag of snacks.

Upon disembarking in Huai’an, Kan Chaosheng, along with Meika, headed straight for Guishan.

To find Wuzhiqi, going down the Zhiqi well on Guishan was the fastest route. Though after Long Shen and the others had emerged from it, the well was covered with a wire mesh, but that wasn’t a challenge for Kan Chaosheng. With few tourists around and a storm brewing, he pulled out the wire mesh and jumped down with the octopus.

Below was a deep pool, but for a jiao like Kan Chaosheng, entering the water felt like home. He cheered and expanded into a massive dragon, creating waves in the pool. The octopus, however, seemed a bit dejected, staying by the poolside without any intention to play or grow.

“Who dares to be so presumptuous here!”

The sound of chains rattled, followed by an overwhelming force.

Feeling the challenge, the jiao hissed and lunged towards the incoming gust.

“Ah—”

With just three moves, the jiao was flipped, reverted to its human form in midair, hit the mountain wall, and plunged into the water.

The Wuzhiqi sneered. “A mere water dragon dares to make a fuss here! If not for my agreement with Long Shen, you’d be dead by now!”

Kan Chaosheng emerged, head above water. Facing this ancient figure with a legendary past, he humbly said, “It’s Long Shen who sent me. He thought you might be lonely and asked me to bring you an apprentice.”

Kan Chaosheng’s aggressive behavior upon seeing Wuzhiqi was due to his beastly instincts, which compelled him to challenge any dominant force.

Apprentice?

The Wuzhiqi looked at the small octopus by the pond.

“Him? Has his intelligence awakened?”

Kan Chaosheng: “It has. He can speak two languages and play games. He’s quite smart.”

Wuzhiqi: “Where is he in his cultivation progress? Why hasn’t he transformed?”

Kan Chaosheng: “Oh, he’s starting from scratch.”

The Wuzhiqi was silent for a moment and then became furious. “You throw him here knowing nothing. Do you think I’m a junk collector?”

Kan Chaosheng: ……

The octopus also felt wronged. “Big Brother, the teacher you found for me is too fierce. I don’t want to stay. There’s no internet or games here. I can’t even watch web dramas!”

The Wuzhiqi angrily retorted, “What nonsense! With such a playful and gluttonous attitude, you dream of transforming! Take him back and tell Long Shen, don’t just throw anything my way!”

He released his overwhelming aura, which was immensely powerful. Even a true dragon couldn’t withstand it, let alone Kan Chaosheng and Meika. The former turned pale and almost vomited blood, while the octopus cried, “Big Brother, I want to eat fish. I want to go back!”

Kan Chaosheng: …This is so tiring. But I must fulfill the boss’s orders. Who knows how to persuade a monkey and an octopus to coexist peacefully? Help, urgently waiting online!

He then explained Meika’s background and mentioned recent events, including the broken seal at Kunlun Mountain, the sacrifices of people like Zong Ling and Che Bai, and the incident where Long Shen and Dong Zhi almost didn’t make it back. This calmed Wuzhiqi’s anger slightly.

“So, your ‘Special Administration Bureau’ is short on manpower and can’t spare anyone to teach him?”

Kan Chaosheng nodded vigorously. “So I had to bother you.”

The Wuzhiqi sighed. “Fine. Since I have nothing to do here, you both can stay.” He looked sternly at Kan Chaosheng. “Your foundation is too weak. To transform from a Jiao to a dragon, you need to break through a bottleneck. I suppose you haven’t reached that bottleneck yet?”

Kan Chaosheng: ??? Why is he suddenly talking about me?

“Senior, I just remembered, the boss told me to report back after sending Meika here. I must leave. Making the boss wait is not good. I’ll leave Meika in your care.”

He started retreating while speaking and vanished in a blink.

“Brother, leave me a cell phone so I can contact you!” The octopus shouted.

“I’ll bring—you one—next time…” Kan Chaosheng’s voice faded in the distance.

The Wuzhiqi calmly said, “Until you transform, don’t think about leaving.”

The octopus felt so hopeless that it wanted to cry again.

After escaping, Kan Chaosheng sighed in relief, looking back at Zhiqi Well. He laughed gleefully, thinking about his bright future.

Long Shen instructed him to deliver the octopus within ten days but didn’t specify when to return. Realizing this loophole, Kan Chaosheng decided to take a few more days off since he had already completed his task. However, he quickly faced a problem: he was out of money.

Having spent 300 yuan on “some” snacks, he was broke. Without mobile games to play, he felt life was bleak. Then, an idea struck him. He texted Deng Po: [Future apprentice, lend me a thousand yuan. I’ll pay you back next month.]

Deng Po was speechless upon receiving the message. But he was dealing with a tricky situation, and maybe Kan Chaosheng could help or perhaps introduce some genuine experts from Mount Longhu or Maoshan.

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Full Server First Kill Ch37

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 37: Bad News

For a moment, even the shadow wolf stopped moving.

Jack’s features were quite handsome. Standing roughly two meters tall, he somewhat resembled a famous muscular Hollywood actor. At that moment, his body bubbled up with thick blisters, much like boiling porridge.

His facial features were deformed, muscles melting, streaming down his body, and disappearing the moment they touched the snow.

The muscular facade gradually vanished, and the remaining flesh quickly reformed—

Where the burly Jack had fallen, there was now only a skinny man.

He was undeniably of Eastern descent, with a sleazy appearance with a face full of acne scars, standing less than 1.7 meters tall, slightly hunchbacked. His face twisted in pain while his eyes were rolling frantically.

The cold quickly turned his ears and nose red, while the rest of his skin turned pale. He was still wearing an orange vest typically worn by criminal suspects, glaringly conspicuous against the snow.

With a soft sound, a player’s earring fell to the snow, turning into a pile of powder and then being blown away by the wind.

“It can’t be… Impossible…”

Jack murmured in a daze, looking at his hands and cuffs. There was grime accumulated under his nails, and his cuffs were stained with soup. A scar lay vividly on the back of his hand, with marks of stitches.

He grasped at the air in vain, trying to retrieve an item from his tool bar, but only caught the biting cold wind.

“Status bar! Status bar!”

He croaked hoarsely while his expression became increasingly terrified. The language that came out of Jack’s mouth was no longer a common tongue but a mother tongue very familiar to Nol. There was also a stab wound from a letter opener on his shoulder, a small injury that continued to bleed without any signs of healing.

“…Liang Guanghui?!” From the nearby bone cage, Rosen took a sharp intake of breath.

Jack abruptly turned his head, looking blankly at Rosen. His lips turned blue, and he was too shaken to speak.

Dr. Zhu didn’t lower her voice. “You know him?”

“A buddy of mine caught him. Before we came here, this guy was in the detention center. His case was still in progress.” Rosen stared intently at “Jack”, speaking rapidly.

“Liang Guanghui committed crimes in the north, specializing in killing girls around fifteen and sixteen. He deceived girls who weren’t valued in the countryside to ‘pursue a better life’, and then violated them. Afterwards, he would dismember them and dispose of their bodies. Most of the families of these girls didn’t report the crime or cooperate so it was very difficult. We have found at least five victims so far…”

Nol listened numbly.

His body was icy cold, as if he had become part of the chilling wind. In his drooping right hand, the letter opener “Bad News” was still dripping blood.

…Reality…

…This is reality.

This world is undoubtedly real.

Finally, he thought, his terrifying suspicion had become a reality. The previous abnormalities could be forcibly explained as “changes in the game”. However, now the evidence in front of him was irrefutable.

Not to mention that “Tahe World” was adapted for VR headsets. Even if it were a VR gaming pod, it wouldn’t reproduce one’s appearance and clothing to this extent.

Moreover, such a serious criminal would never be allowed to log into a game. Neither a gaming headset nor a gaming pod would be allowed into a detention center.

The players weren’t trapped inside game characters. They physically arrived in this world and assumed the forms of their characters through some system.

…Are they still on Earth? Why does this world resemble his game so much?

…If even a murderer could be brought here, what exactly is this “game” that players have logged into? Why does it keep them here? And who or what are these bizarre “gods”?

…Who is behind all of this?

To Nol’s surprise, he didn’t even have the energy to collapse anymore. Despair and fear had turned into kindling, atop which anger was slowly igniting.

This was his game, a paradise he had crafted with his own hands. He had poured years of effort and hope into “Tahe”, and now someone had turned it into a pure hell.

These were his compatriots. He had eagerly anticipated the players’ reactions, hoping they’d love this world, explore, relax, and even fall in love. Now they were trapped, reaping only fear.

He would never forgive whoever orchestrated this. He would…

Nol clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. The pain dispelled the rising hatred. Hatred was the enemy of reason, and being the most informed among his kind, he couldn’t let emotions cloud his judgment—

He had the best chance of uncovering the “truth of the world”.

Thanks to this Jack, Nol had realized two things.

First, this wasn’t a game. Until he understood the truth, nobody could easily return home.

Second, if there was nothing wrong with the letter opener, then he, the creator, was special in the eyes of the “system”… Special enough to directly strip players of their privileges.

“Omniscience” and “highest authority” would be his greatest weapons.

From this moment on, his plan might need a slight modification—uncovering the world’s truth would be his primary objective.

Speaking of which, as expected from the “Bad News” letter opener, Nol tightly gripped the tool. This Jack was undoubtedly a malicious letter from reality.

Nol took a deep breath of the cold air. Not a single tear fell this time.

Perhaps this was the first time he had been this calm since arriving in this world.

“Do you need me to hug you again?”

Warm hands gently touched Nol’s shoulders from behind, and the voice of Teest sounded in his ears. In the cold winter, Teest’s breath felt warm and carried the thick scent of pine and blood.

“I’m fine,” Nol said, placing a hand over Teest’s. To his surprise, his own hand was trembling slightly.

“You don’t look fine,” Test replied. “You look like you want to kill someone—I guess you’ve finally confirmed that this world is real.”

Nol remained silent.

Teest chuckled, his fingers grazing the letter opener. The blood on its blade had turned to thin ice.

Teest never asked anything. Nol looked down, appreciating that.

“We should move Liang Guanghui before he freezes to death,” Julie warned. “He surely knows something.”

From a distance, Rosen looked at Nol and Teest, who stood close together.

Teest, taller than Nol, stood behind him, leaning forward, his silver hair cascading over Nol’s shoulders.

He looked like a ghost, firmly attached to Nol.

From this angle, Rosen could see Teest’s face. Although Rosen had seen many kinds of people, he had never seen such emotion on any human face. It was pure joy and curiosity, like a beast sensing another.

“You’re right. Mr. Liang can’t die just yet,” Nol said after a long silence. “Let’s head back to the save point.”

“What are you talking about?” Jack… or rather, Liang Guanghui, with purple lips and a trembling voice, murmured. “I don’t understand… I don’t understand… status bar…”

From start to end, the shadow wolf stared at Nol, never moving an inch.

And in a corner unseen by Nol, the black candle atop the staff opened its eyes. Its eyes shifted subtly, the pupils nearly touching one end of the slit. In the shadow, it silently watched the “Necromancer” standing a few steps away.

……

The flames in the fireplace never ceased, casting shadows of everything inside the room that danced silently.

Liang Guanghui was tightly bound by ropes, with some fur piled on him, barely ensuring he wouldn’t freeze to death. His gaze was scattered, and he looked utterly devastated, clearly not yet recovered from the shock.

Wrapped in fur, he appeared even smaller and frail, a far cry from the intimidating presence of “Player Jack”.

The hunter, accompanied by the white wolf, squatted in a corner, feeling a bit bewildered after the player’s transformation. But having witnessed the methods of Teest and Nol, he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Rosen and Julie sat on the bed’s edge, with Rosen’s brows constantly furrowed. To them, this world felt real, and this wasn’t shocking for them. They had been surviving in the snow-covered wilderness for over a month, completely unaware of any game. They always believed this was reality.

But Nol, who “came from a gaming company”, was different. Rosen thought Nol would break down, but after enduring multiple shocks, Nol seemed even more composed. Fortunately, his emotions remained intact—

A few steps away, Nol stood silently, gripping the handle of a letter opener so tightly that, even in the warm glow of the fire, his knuckles remained white.

Teest, having washed his hands with snow water, cheerfully approached Liang Guanghui. “Now it’s time for the ‘interrogation’ phase.”

“Only players can understand the language, and he can’t understand you now. Won’t there be communication problems?” Nol asked.

“I can understand him. That’s enough. I have my ways,” Teest said casually, lifting Liang Guanghui by the collar. The latter seemed to realize something and began to struggle desperately.

“Help!” He cried out in Nol’s native tongue. “This is reality! It’s real! God, I’m one of you. We should unite—!”

“I won’t do anything. I was wrong before. I thought this was a game! I’m willing to go to jail or face execution, just don’t let him take me away… Please…”

Ignoring the pleas, Teest began humming a tune. He dragged Liang Guanghui with one hand while spinning the “Betrayer” between his fingers in the other, its blade glinting in the firelight.

“Damn you! Don’t you have any humanity? Is this how you treat your own kind? I won’t say a damn thing, even if it kills me!”

As begging seemed to have no effect, Liang Guanghui’s voice turned shrill. “Grandpa’s log-off here will be noticed by the Eternal Church. You’ll all die—”

Rosen instinctively moved. Nol shifted slightly, blocking Rosen’s view.

“I’m sorry, Officer Rosen,” Nol whispered, standing directly above a conspicuous bloodstain. “I need information—to interrogate a scum, which might give us a clue to survive. I believe it’s worth it.”

“I’ll take full responsibility. If we get back, you can arrest me.”

Looking into Nol’s blue eyes, Rosen hesitated for a moment.

Nol was well aware of what he was doing, his eyes full of sorrow but determination. Seeing that Rosen had no intention to intervene, he stepped forward, intending to follow Teest.

But Teest stopped.

Holding up his hunting knife and smiling almost sweetly, he said, “Sorry, honey, I don’t like being watched when I’m ‘creating’. Besides—”

He sized up Nol, his smile fading slightly.

“I want to leave a good impression on you, lest you stab me with that letter opener.”

Teest cheerfully added, “You might want to enjoy the beautiful snowy scenery or look at some cute animals. It’ll be good for you.”

“To borrow your own words—leave the rest to me. I got this.”

Without giving Nol a chance to respond, he jumped out of the doorway, taking Liang Guanghui with him to the upper level of the “house cube”.

Nol didn’t follow. He returned to the fireplace, adding a few logs to the fire, and began to calculate something on paper.

The only sounds in the room were the scratching of his pen and the soft crackling of the fire. Perhaps Teest had cast a soundproof spell because it was also silent outside.

The letter opener was set aside, shimmering by the fireplace as if nothing had changed.

……

In the early hours of the morning, Teest returned to find the room empty.

“Teest,” Nol called out from the nearby snowy ground, his voice fragmented by the cold wind. “…Where’s Liang Guanghui?”

He stood quietly in the darkness, having finally put away the letter opener.

“The ‘inquiry’ went smoothly, and the gentleman answered with exceptional sincerity.”

Teest said with a smirk. “But he’s more fragile than I thought. He died so quickly that he didn’t even provide experience points. To be honest, I was quite surprised.”

“It’s good that you got the information.” After a long pause, Nol nodded.

Teest leaned in closely and asked, “Did you have a pleasant evening? It seems like there’s no one in the house. Did everyone go out for a walk?”

“They went back to the real hunter’s cabin first. I was waiting for you here, wrapping things up.” Nol moved behind Teest and carefully closed the wooden door.

Teest looked around and wasn’t too surprised to find that the corpses of the players in the snow had disappeared. Those who died on the snowfield were all transferred around the house. Nol fixed their bodies, and they leaned against the external walls of the cabin, snuggled on each other, as if taking a short rest.

“You tried the ‘letter opener’ again,” Teest stated.

“Yes, the hunter, the couple, and I—we all tried it. Old Hunter even caught a pheasant for me to stab. It was a fulfilling evening,” Nol said with a stern face. “There’s nothing wrong with the knife itself. It only becomes particularly terrifying when I hold it.”

“Those players have returned to their original forms. We’ve… taken proper care of them.”

“What about that poor pheasant?” Teest asked, showing no real concern for those unfortunate beings from another world.

“I injured it, and nothing happened. Then it became everyone’s dinner.” Nol replied absent-mindedly. “I know what you’re about to ask. I won’t stab you with it until I’m sure of the situation… and we’ve agreed on that, haven’t we?”

“You really put me at ease.”

In fact, what Teest wanted to ask was, “Why not try it on that couple? Maybe they’d turn back into humans.” Of course, they weren’t regular players and might perish entirely.

But given Nol’s current mental state… it seemed peculiar. Teest didn’t want to argue with Nol just yet, so it was best not to bring it up.

Stretching, Teest said, “What follows is simple. You continue your experiments here joyfully and just wait for the mission’s time limit to pass.”

“No.”

Nol closed the wooden door and turned around, standing in front of a pile of “physical save points”. Slowly, a smile crept across his face—

“Next, I’m going to destroy the entire instance.”

Teest’s stretching motion froze mid-air.

Behind Nol, a fierce blue flame suddenly rose, engulfing the entire cabin. The silhouette of Nol was starkly outlined by the flames, almost violently striking one’s vision. The blue glow tore through the night, reflecting bright colors on the dark clouds.

Unlike the previous necromantic blue fire, this flame was blazing hot. The wooden houses and bodies melted away like snow, disappearing without even leaving ashes behind.

With the boundless fire behind him and still smiling, Nol’s hair gently fluttered in the night breeze. His blue eyes burned with the same intensity as the flames.

Teest held his breath, an uncommon pause in his thoughts. After a long while, he barely murmured, “Why destroy them? Such a grand gesture might alert the creator of the save points…”

“Because the dead deserve a sincere funeral. Even if that being notices, at most, they’ll target you and me,” Nol answered matter-of-factly.

“Mr. Mad Monk, you once said that you don’t need to be responsible for me. And also…”

“And also?” Teest repeated, gazing intently at Nol.

Nol’s smile widened. “If one is always cautious and only seeks a 100% safe path, is that truly an ‘adventure’?”

That same smile.

Teest couldn’t help but reach out, longing to touch those blazing eyes. They shone so brightly that one would want to encase them in a jewel box.

Halfway through his motion, Teest snapped back to reality, trying to mask his intention. But this time, he was too late.

Nol caught that hand, pulling it close to his own neck. Teest could feel the fake pulse of the lich and… the warmth of soft skin.

Nol tilted his head slightly, pressing his cheek against the back of Teest’s hand.

“See, I have body temperature now,” he chuckled.

Behind Nol, the blue flame grew fiercer. The heat dispersed, melting the snow. In this moonless and starless night, it seemed like the only light source.

Teest remained silent for a long time.

“…Are you trying to tempt me, Nol?” he finally asked.

“Yes,” Nol replied calmly. “Next, I will destroy even more… I need you. Come with me, my knight.”

Teest rarely took a deep breath. He took a step forward, his palm hooking around Nol’s nape. The latter didn’t dodge or hide; he just looked intensely with his burning eyes.

Teest tilted his shoulders slightly, and their foreheads touched.

Their breaths brushed each other’s faces, equally hot.

“I like this temperature.”

The usual smile on Teest’s face disappeared completely. His face was strangely stiff, as if, other than smiling, he was unfamiliar with other expressions.

He didn’t close his eyes, just looking straight at Nol. Those blue eyes were close, still burning intensely.

‘How dazzling,’ he thought.

“I’m yours,” he said.

The author has something to say:

Hehe, someone’s heart is moved; I won’t tell who it is. (?

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

Qizi Ch5

Kinky3 Comments

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

Chapter 5

The chilling term “execution” successfully intimidated the young students.

“If someone commits a grave crime, severe enough to irreversibly harm the entire race, the military tribunal has the right to sentence them to death. This is the highest punishment under our country’s law. But because the conditions for the sentence are stringent, no one has been sentenced to death for many years. The intention of the military is to completely abolish the death penalty in the foreseeable future.”

“Then won’t this building become obsolete?”

“Not necessarily…” Yao Tai hesitated, which was rare. “There is another purpose for it—euthanasia. Perhaps because the Tianxiu people do not truly die, they do not cherish their lives as other species do. Every year, some choose to come here voluntarily to end their lives early.”

The students looked at each other. “Why?”

“Because of the death of their other half, many bereaved Tianxiu people don’t want to live alone.” Yao Tai looked at the execution room with complex emotions. “They superstitiously believe that if they die around the same time, they will enter the cycle of reincarnation together, wake up together, meet, and fall in love again…”

Ling Xiao was engrossed. “Is that true?”

“The truth is, after souls pass through the purification pool, all memories from their past lives vanish. The appearance and character of their next incarnation are generated randomly. They become an entirely new life, having nothing to do with their past life. Not to mention that each soul slumbers for different durations. Even if they die at the same time, they might not awaken simultaneously. Finding a forgotten person to fall in love again in the vast sea of people, while seemingly a beautiful wish, is as unrealistic as a dream.”

“That’s why scientists are the least romantic beings in the world.” Lan Sheng sighed. “They don’t even leave people with the slightest beautiful hope.”

“I’m curious about who Dr. Yao’s other half is. If they’re also a rigid scientist like her, it must be so boring for them to be together all the time,” Ling Xiao whispered mischievously.

“You guys,” Ping Zong said, half-amused and half-exasperated, “Do you really believe that if you die together in this life, you’ll meet again in the next?”

“I don’t,” Lan Sheng replied earnestly. “A lifetime is just that—one lifetime. I know what you look like in this life, your character, how you are. All of this is what I like in this life. But in the next life, what you’ll look like, who you’ll be, who you’ll be with—all that is unimaginable to me. So, I won’t pin my hopes on an uncertain next life. If you unfortunately leave me in this life, I’ll live on cherishing the memories of you.”

The two gazed deeply into each other’s eyes, rendering everything else as mere background.

“You two, can’t you go a day without being so lovey-dovey?” Ling Xiao exaggeratedly rubbed his arms. “If you don’t both go die for love soon, I might just die from the cringe.”

“Fuck off,” Lan Sheng cursed with a smile, pulling himself and Ping Zong out of their romantic daze. They passed the execution room and continued through a series of buildings, including a medical examination center, security check center, finally arriving at the core of their tour—the Hall of Reincarnation.

Ling Xiao had thought a place named as such would be a religious temple, but he was surprised to find a modern, state-of-the-art facility filled with high-tech equipment. The white-themed interior resembled both a hospital and a research institute so vast that one couldn’t see its boundaries at a glance.

The institute’s manager was already waiting for them at the entrance. He was refined and elegant, wearing gold-rimmed glasses. Underneath the lenses were light-colored eyes that seemed to smile all the time.

Yao Tai took the lead and walked over. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she exchanged a light kiss with the other party. The students were so shocked that they widened their eyes in disbelief. ‘What kind of strange etiquette is this?’

“Let me introduce everyone. This is my spouse, and also the chief researcher here. You can call him Dr. Zhi Shang.”

The students were left with their mouths hanging open, especially Ling Xiao and Lan Sheng. They had just been gossiping about said person, and suddenly, the very person appeared in front of them, looking nothing like the stereotypical “rigid scientist” they had imagined.

Zhi Shang was almost the same height as Yao Tai in high heels, and he had contrasting eye colors that were easily identified.

“Hello, students,” Zhi Shang greeted politely with a nod. “Welcome to the base. I’m honored to be your guide today, and I will be explaining everything in the main hall to you.”

At this moment, the students seemed more curious about the gossip than anything else, and the friendly-looking Dr. Zhi Shang was soon surrounded by them.

“Doctor, so you’re Dr. Yao’s Qizi. It’s the first time I’ve heard that Dr. Yao’s Qizi is such an impressive researcher!”

“You both look so perfect together. I’ve always been curious about who a beauty like Dr. Yao would choose, and seeing you in person, I’m not disappointed.”

Zhi Shang always had a smile on his face, patiently answering any questions the students had. If he couldn’t answer, he just smiled, showing no signs of impatience.

In contrast, Yao Tai wasn’t as patient. “Hey, this is a visit for the physiological class. Can’t you ask questions related to the course?”

“We are asking relevant questions. Understanding the work and life of a Qizi is related to physiological health, isn’t it?”

“That’s right,” someone immediately chimed in. “I always thought a Qizi would have a lower status in their jobs. I was shocked to hear that the doctor is the chief researcher here!”

Everyone agreed with her.

Zhi Shang chuckled. “Did A’Yao* scare you with talks of hierarchy in spousal relationships? While there might be imbalances between a Qizhu and a Qizi, everyone is equal in society. There are many Qizhu researchers under me, and they all listen to me just the same.”

*(阿) When used as an address, it signifies a close or intimate relationship.

“Oh, I see,” a student exclaimed, patting his chest. “I was so scared. I thought becoming a Qizi would affect my future career.”

“Your concerns aren’t entirely baseless. A Qizhu usually has stronger combat abilities than a Qizi, so they dominate in some combat fields. But in other aspects, everyone competes equally. Isn’t your principal a good example?”

Upon his mention, everyone realized that their principal was a Qizi. They recalled how the principal once demolished half a building with a single punch to catch some rule-breaking senior students. With such power, they never linked him with the term Qizi. It was as deceptive as his youthful face.

“My God, I can’t imagine who defeated the principal during the coming-of-age ceremony.”

Hearing this, everyone nodded vigorously.

“That’s not something you kids should worry about,” Yao Tai dismissively said.

“Dr. Yao is so fierce. Does she always bully you, Doctor?” a student whispered.

“That’s right. At home, Dr. Yao makes all the decisions, right? After all, the Qizhu’s word is the law.”

“You’re a boy, and she’s a girl. How could you not defeat her?”

Zhi Shang smiled before answering. “I didn’t lose to her. I willingly gave her my heart’s blood and happily became her Qizi.”

Many students looked confused. “Why?”

“Because I love her. As long as I can be with her, I don’t care in what capacity,” he answered simply.

“But, it’s said that there’s a great difference in status between the Qizhu and the Qizi. Even if one loves someone dearly, how could they willingly let themselves be manipulated for a lifetime?”

Zhi Shang lowered his eyes in thought. “I didn’t feel a great difference in our statuses after we became spouses. A’Yao and I were childhood friends. We fell in love when we were in our fledgling phase for three years and got together when we were eleven. The relationship was the same before and after. I’ve always respected her, and of course she has always respected me. The kind of hierarchy difference you imagine… might exist, but at least not between us.”

“How romantic.” A girl in the crowd looked dreamy hearing this. “So it can be like this.”

“The relationship between a Qizhu and a Qizi is actually like this. There might be brutal influences, but it could also be nominal. As long as the hearts of the two people are equal, their status is equal, regardless of their relationship.”

“Wow,” the crowd exclaimed in unison. “No wonder. Dr. Yao has said exactly the same thing.”

Zhi Shang and Yao Tai exchanged a smile, as if they had expected this outcome.

“Doctor,” Zhi Yue, who had been standing outside the crowd with Ying Feng, suddenly spoke up. “Do you regret offering your heart’s blood willingly?”

Zhi Shang shook his head firmly. “Not for a moment.”

“Even if it meant sacrificing your own development?” he pressed.

Zhi Shang looked at himself, puzzled. “I am quite satisfied with my own development. Besides,” he glanced at Yao Tai with a sly smile, “someone now has more alluring curves, which is a feast for my eyes, isn’t it?”

Upon hearing his words, Zhi Yue clenched his fist as if making a certain decision. The crowd of kids began to holler and whistle, while Yao Tai glared at Zhi Shang. Despite the seemingly disdainful look in her eyes, the slight upturn of her lips revealed a hidden smile.

“Alright.” Zhi Shang cleared his throat exaggeratedly. “Let’s get back to the point. If we keep going off-topic, your Dr. Yao will be unhappy, and occasionally I should pretend to fear my Qizhu, shouldn’t I?”

The students were quickly won over by Zhi Shang’s charm and listened attentively to everything he said next.

“I presume A’Yao already explained to you all outside. After a Tianxiu dies, their souls return here, guided by the lighthouse, undergo the baptism of the purification pool, and reach here.”

Zhi Shang led the group towards the operating station, pressed a control button, and a sealed chamber of one of the devices opened, revealing a glass cover. Inside, a young boy was sleeping. Unlike the others, his body was semi-transparent.

“What you see now is what we call an energy chamber. We place the returned souls in the energy chamber, and after some time of cultivation, the souls form a humanoid shape. Initially, the transparency is very high, but it will gradually settle down. When it becomes a solid entity like us, it’s the day the soul awakens. This period varies from person to person, usually requiring ten to twenty years.”

“So long?”

“Compared to the lifespan of the Tianxiu people, it’s already very short. The average fledgling phase of a Tianxiu person is ten years. The lifespan of an adult varies greatly. Some people can only live for one to two hundred years; some can live up to three to four hundred years. According to current research, the better the relationship between spouses, the longer their lifespan.”

“Spousal relationships are very important for every Tianxiu person. Only with a close partner can one develop fully. If you separate from your spouse before you are fully developed, whether you are a Qizhu or a Qizi, although technically an adult, you will still retain the appearance and physique of a fledgling.”

“Adult development is not infinite; everyone has a peak. Once this peak is reached, the body will stop developing and maintain this state—also known as the optimal state—until nominal death. There will be no regression, no aging.”

“But no matter how long a Tianxiu’s life is, as long as it’s a normal death, they will have a premonition before the end. Because we are a ‘non-dying’ race, we don’t fear death, even consider it a ceremony worth celebrating. Everyone will gather friends for a last reunion before their end, sometimes even escort the dying person here, waiting for the end.”

“Does everyone return here after death?”

Zhi Shang shook his head regretfully. “That’s not the case. There’s a type of people whose death is considered unfit for society and should be eliminated by the survival of the fittest mechanism. Once such people die, their souls scatter, never to exist in this world again.”

The crowd asked anxiously, “Who are these people?”

Zhi Shang looked at the students with eyes full of concern. “It’s you—all fledglings who haven’t undergone the coming-of-age ceremony.”

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

Escape From the Asylum Ch5

Kinky2 Comments

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

Chapter 5

From the information acquired through the side mission, Zhou Qian had just gained the power of life and death, as if standing at the top of the food chain.

However, in the next moment, the rules further announced by the goddess immediately put him in an infinitely passive situation.

As long as Qi Liuxing and Dong Xiang stuck together till the end and had three tied votes, Zhou Qian would be directly eliminated and executed as a false believer.

Despite knowing his situation was dire, Zhou Qian didn’t respond to Dong Xiang’s words.

He just quietly looked up at the five treehouses, waiting for the goddess to continue reading the rules.

“Li Dafu, please enter Treehouse No. 1. Everyone else can freely enter from No. 2 through No. 5.”

“In each treehouse, there are papers, pens, and a sealed black box.”

“The paper in Treehouse No. 1 is specially designed for scoring. The first vertical column is for names, and the second is for scores, which need to be filled in neatly.”

“The paper in Treehouses No. 2 through No. 5 is for voting. You can write ‘no’ or ‘yes’ to indicate whether you agree with Li Dafu’s scoring results.”

“Considering you might change your minds, we’ve prepared plenty of scoring and voting papers. But once you throw the paper into the black box, it will be considered a valid score or vote. The box will then automatically lock, and no more papers can be thrown in.”

“Li Dafu needs to ask questions to determine who is real and who is fake.”

“He needs to show his scoring results to the other players, so of course, he needs to use video calls!”

“The rest of the believers can also discuss among themselves whether or not to trust that Li Dafu is the true believer.”

“For this reason, we’ve placed video phones in each treehouse. The video supports group chat discussions! However, each person can only make three calls, while receiving calls is unlimited.”

“Please enter the treehouses now! Complete the first round of scoring and voting within 30 minutes!”

“We sincerely hope that the first round will also be the only round. We hope you can quickly identify the fake believer!”

After the goddess finished reading the rules, Dong Xiang immediately picked up where he left off with a treacherous tone.

“I know what these treehouses mean! It means letting us bribe Zhou Qian separately! Whoever gives him coins or props, he will give high scores! Everyone, don’t be fooled!”

At this point, Dong Xiang especially looked at Qi Liuxing, seemingly confirming his stance. “How hard have we worked for these coins and props? Why should Zhou Qian benefit from them?”

“So, as I said earlier, we must vote ‘no’! After three tied votes, he’s dead. Actually—”

Dong Xiang then looked at the young couple. “Why don’t we save some time? Why play three rounds? Just reject Zhou Qian in the first round!”

“When you go into the treehouse, don’t believe anything Zhou Qian says, and don’t look at his scores! Just vote ‘no’ and that’s it!”

A breeze rustled the leaves, casting fluctuating shadows on the ground, making everyone’s face look unpredictable.

After threatening Zhou Qian, Dong Xiang’s eyes were malevolent, and his smile was cold.

However, when faced with Zhou Qian’s indifferent gaze, his hand trembled involuntarily.

Why was Zhou Qian so calm?

He shouldn’t have any more tricks up his sleeve!

Then he saw Zhou Qian smile.

With his hands leisurely tucked into his pockets, Zhou Qian casually said, “We’ll see.”

Dong Xiang swallowed hard. “You’re just being stubborn till death!”

Zhou Qian ignored him and glanced at the couple, Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong, then looked at Qi Liuxing, who was supporting Dong Xiang.

Qi Liuxing looked young and naive.

Perhaps for this reason, to avoid being underestimated and to appear more mature and intimidating, he always stood tall like a sharp sword.

Turning his attention back to Dong Xiang, Zhou Qian said, “Do you really think you can easily get me out like this? You’re being too naive.”

“What the hell are you trying to say?” Dong Xiang responded sharply, but his heart skipped a beat.

Casually glancing at the other players, Zhou Qian asked, “Have any of you heard of the Prisoner’s Dilemma?”

Waiting patiently for the four players to exchange glances, Zhou Qian held up his invitation and said, “You all heard the six questions earlier, right? Why could I answer the last two? Because I completed the side mission.”

“Among the five of us, I’m the only one who came with a side mission. I’ve completed this side mission. And what I gained from it isn’t just the answers to these two questions. I’ve also obtained special intelligence about how to crack [Apple Paradise].”

“Although this instance is only level one, its difficulty is considerable due to its hidden achievements. You all managed to find this place for the rare rewards. So, there’s no need to emphasize the importance of the intel I have, right?”

Much of the information about this instance was personally told to him by Dong Xiang.

Back then, Dong Xiang tried to get close to the newcomer to gain his trust, but now he deeply regretted it.

Zhou Qian continued, “Thus, I can surely leverage this special intelligence to strike a deal with you, in exchange for your affirmative votes.”

“Dong Xiang is right about one thing: I know all of you are false believers. So, the video call isn’t for me to ask you questions to discern the truth. It’s for you to bribe me with gold and items.”

“Essentially, the private video chat feature in this game is the prisoner’s dilemma. You formed pairs? That just makes it easier for me.”

By this point, Zhou Qian’s smile was almost provocative.

Facing everyone’s gaze, he calmly asked the goddesses, “What if I give everyone 20 points and the five of us split the score equally? That way, no one is last. Who would be eliminated then?”

The two goddesses exchanged a smile, replying to Zhou Qian, “In that case, it depends on the type of votes you get. If it’s still a 2:2 tie after three rounds, you’re out. But if three agree with you and one disagrees, then the one who disagrees seems to be the problem. They will be eliminated as a false believer.”

Sure enough.

Zhou Qian looked pleased as he glanced over the other four. “Now, you four are like prisoners being interrogated. And I am the interrogator. I’ve always had control in this game.”

“You’ve formed couple and brothers teams? However, you can’t be sure you won’t be betrayed by your so-called ‘teammate’. If I give everyone 20 points, and later, when you vote against me, perhaps in order to gain intelligence for the instance, your ‘teammate’ will vote for me. Then, the only one eliminated would be the single person who didn’t vote for me.”

Zhou Qian laughed.

The faces of the other four players turned pale.

The first to react was Yun Xiangrong, clutching her boyfriend Gao Shan’s arm tightly. “We’ll never betray each other. We’ve been in love for four years and won’t be influenced by you!”

“Right!” Gao Shan nodded firmly and said solemnly to Zhou Qian, “Don’t think a few words can sow discord between us. I would never betray Rongrong in my life!”

“Oh, I hope so.”

Zhou Qian’s gaze shifted from the young couple to Dong Xiang.

Dong Xiang, shaking slightly, grabbed Qi Liuxing’s shoulders. “You… you won’t betray, right? Xiao Qi, I saved your life once. We owe each other our lives!”

“Of course I won’t. I just don’t know—”

Qi Liuxing was interrupted by Dong Xiang, “Xiao Qi, you know, Zhou Qian nearly got me killed! I can’t share the sky with him! How could I vote for him? Let’s all vote against him! This way, we won’t lose any gold or items!”

“It’s Zhou Qian’s plot; we can’t fall for it. We should all vote no! Zhou Qian will definitely be the eliminated one!”

While the players were arguing, the two goddesses stood by with innocent smiles on their faces, as if oblivious to the players’ conversations.

As time slowly ticked away, they had to remind, “Alright, the timer has started. Please enter the treehouse quickly!”

Zhou Qian put his hands in his pockets and smiled. With downcast eyes and not saying a word, he walked to the treehouse. As he moved, under the urging of the goddesses, the others followed. Yet, they walked slowly, continually reminding each other to stand firm and not be brainwashed by Zhou Qian.

Although Zhou Qian was the first to move, he too walked slowly, observing the other four. He noticed Gao Shan, a typical straight man*, letting his girlfriend climb the tree and rope ladder on her own without helping.

*Buzzword use to refer to heterosexuality but is now often used derogatorily to refer to a “macho” man in certain online communities.

Raising an eyebrow, Zhou Qian suddenly let go of the rope ladder in front of him and unexpectedly walked swiftly to Gao Shan.

Gao Shan looked at him warily. “What do you want?”

His question caught the attention of the other three people.

Zhou Qian seemed oblivious to their stares, wearing a provocative smile. He leaned into Gao Shan’s ear and whispered something.

Immediately, Gao Shan looked deeply insulted. Pushing Zhou Qian away, he clenched his fists, ready to strike.

Zhou Qian quickly raised his hands in a surrendering gesture and ran off, swiftly climbing a rope ladder to his treehouse.

This scene left the other three rather puzzled.

Watching on a screen, Zhu Qiang and Yu Xian were both slightly taken aback.

“Did you catch what Zhou Qian said?”

“No, but he’s really good under pressure. If it were me, I’d probably just give up.”

“Yeah, the fact that he could think so quickly, strategizing a tie in votes to find an escape route for himself, is really impressive.”

“But it’s still tough. How could he be so sure that someone from those two groups would betray the other? Dong Xiang just said that he had once saved Qi Liuxing’s life!”

“In games like these, aren’t personal interests always the top priority?”

Upon hearing Yu Xian’s comment, Zhu Qiang couldn’t help but frown.

If they were in a similar situation, would Yu Xian betray him easily?

“Qiang Ge, why so quiet?”

“Nothing, let’s keep watching.”

……

Inside the treehouse.

Vines tightly sealed the windows, ensuring players couldn’t communicate with others through them.

Entering, Zhou Qian shut the door and found it completely soundproof.

It became clear that shouting across to other players wasn’t an option.

His attention shifted inside the treehouse. There was an LCD screen displaying a green call button, a red end-call button, and five player avatars.

Zhou Qian selected the avatars of Yun Xiangrong and Gao Shan but hesitated before pressing the green button. He first sat down, focusing on a piece of paper and a pen in front of him.

The paper was light, and there were multiple sheets, allowing for changes of mind. Only when placed in the sealed black box would the vote count.

Zhou Qian swiftly jotted down names and their corresponding scores:

[Gao Shan: 30 points], [Yun Xiangrong: 30 points];

[Dong Xiang: 0 points], [Qi Liuxing: 10 points];

Finally, [Zhou Qian: 30 points].

He then quickly pressed the green call button.

Moments later, a three-person group chat started.

Both faces appeared, each occupying half of the screen. Gao Shan looked wary, while Yun Xiangrong seemed calm.

Zhou Qian began. “Relax, brother. I didn’t contact you separately. I’m reaching out to both of you simultaneously, so I’m not trying to play any ‘prisoner’s dilemma’ with you. Testing couples’ trust or causing breakups isn’t my style.”

Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong: “……”

Zhou Qian continued. “Can you both see me?”

They nodded.

Zhou Qian showed the score paper in front of the camera, then approached the sealed black box.

“You see me placing my score paper in front of the black box?”

On the LCD screen, both Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong’s expressions undoubtedly looked surprised as they both nodded.

“That’s good. Watch closely as I put it in. You know the game’s rules. Once inside, I can’t take it back.”

With bewildered expressions, Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong watched intently as Zhou Qian truly placed the piece of paper into the uniquely airtight black box.

Then, they saw Zhou Qian return to his chair, looking up into the camera with a smile. “With this, you both should be reassured, right?”

Gao Shan couldn’t resist asking, “What’s your game here? Aren’t you afraid we might turn against you?”

Zhou Qian replied, “I’ve made both of you joint top scorers. Why would you turn against me?”

Gao Shan was momentarily taken aback. With a pleasant demeanor, Zhou Qian looked at him and said, “I understand Dong Xiang’s worries, and yours as well. Your main concern might be that I’m scoring you based on the benefits I can receive from you, such as high amounts of in-game gold or rare items. But I understand the game rules. I’m not foolish. This is the genius of the game designers—”

“If I incessantly demand gold or items from you and irritate you to the point where you all vote against me, wouldn’t I be doomed?”

Zhou Qian answered confidently, “It’s a trap set by the game designers, and I won’t fall for it! You both saw my scores for you. As long as you both vote in my favor, and I convince Qi Liuxing… then I’m secure.”

At that moment, Yun Xiangrong voiced her concerns. “How can you be so sure that Qi Liuxing will betray Dong Xiang? Earlier, they mentioned their close bond. Also, it seems you were the one who injured Dong Xiang. Deciding between keeping you or Dong Xiang is important for us. What if you turn out to be someone dangerous who will harm us later on?”

Among the couple, Gao Shan seemed somewhat naive and often led around, but Zhou Qian noticed that Yun Xiangrong had a sharp mind and wasn’t as easily fooled as her boyfriend.

However, there seemed to be a key point they had missed. So, Zhou Qian continued the conversation earnestly.

“I know Dong Xiang. If there’s anyone truly vicious, it’s him, not me.”

Zhou Qian went on to describe Dong Xiang’s deeds in reality, then looked at Yun Xiangrong. “He even dismembered his own wife out of sheer paranoia. As a woman, you should be even more empathetic to such an act. In short—in the real world, if Dong Xiang can act this way, he’ll only be worse in the game. Qi Liuxing, having teamed up with him several times, must have seen his misdeeds. So, although Dong Xiang once saved him, Qi Liuxing might not trust him entirely. I’m confident I can persuade him to part ways with Dong Xiang. If you don’t believe me, you can have a private chat with Qi Liuxing and ask about Dong Xiang’s true character.”

“Besides giving you both the highest scores, I promise to share with you special information about the instance dungeon. Same goes for Qi Liuxing. I haven’t harmed him.”

All of Yun Xiangrong’s doubts were dispelled by Zhou Qian. She couldn’t find any flaws in his words.

After a while, seeing their expressions, Zhou Qian chuckled.

“I’m relieved then. Thank you.” He smiled at Gao Shan. “My scores are already in the black box. As you know, once scores enter the box, there’s no turning back. My sincerity has been shown. Now… I’d appreciate a favorable vote from each of you. Please agree with my scoring. After this game ends, I’ll definitely share the special information from the side mission with you. This deal is quite beneficial for you.”

No matter if Zhou Qian could persuade Qi Liuxing to betray Dong Xiang, the young couple was guaranteed the highest scores, and they would not cast a “negative” vote. They were definitely safe. Furthermore, not only were they not extorted by Zhou Qian, they would also receive extra information about the side quest. Indeed, the deal seemed too good to pass up.

For Zhou Qian’s part, he just wanted everyone to agree with his scoring.

Yun Xiangrong and Gao Shan thought for a long time and couldn’t find any issues. Neither could Yu Xian and Zhu Qiang watching on the screen.

The only thing the Yu and Zhu duo knew, which the couple didn’t, was that Zhou Qian hadn’t actually obtained any special information about how to crack the instance. It was just a bargaining chip he had fabricated for himself.

Apart from this, they couldn’t find any flaws in Zhou Qian’s logic.

In front of everyone, Zhou Qian brought up the prisoner’s dilemma, and by tempting them with the “special information”, he planted a seed of doubt in everyone’s heart, laying the groundwork for sowing dissension.

Indeed, he couldn’t persuade the couple to betray each other, so he didn’t attempt to sow discord between them.

His main adversary was Dong Xiang, so his next move could only be to persuade Qi Liuxing to betray Dong Xiang.

Yu Xian: “I think Qian Ge is playing this perfectly. What he’s doing is absolutely right! After all, he won’t be eliminated! As long as he doesn’t fleece players for gold coins and doesn’t anger them, he can persuade them not to cast a negative vote against him!”

“It’s wonderful! The side mission really did come in handy! The points from those few questions really helped him out a lot!”

Zhu Qiang: “He certainly seems flawless. But I have this nagging feeling that something’s not right.”

Yu Xian: “What do you mean? I think everything is fine! Wouldn’t a normal person play this way given Zhou Qian’s character?”

Zhu Qiang: “I can’t quite put my finger on it… but there’s a detail that doesn’t sit right with me… something truly feels off!

“Is it possible… that Qian Ge is pulling some sort of deception…”

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

Escape From the Asylum Ch4

Kinky3 Comments

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

Chapter 4

Epoh, when reversed, spelled Hope.

Will this god before me bring hope or despair?

The deep, azure lake before him, like a chasm between the Chu and Han territories, kept the deity isolated and beyond the reach of his devotees.

Zhou Qian wondered if there was any danger lurking beneath those waters. He didn’t take any rash actions, choosing instead to continue listening to the followers, hoping to gather some clues about the plot.

Yet, other than a barrage of swear words, he didn’t gather much.

The gates of Apple Paradise closed at 8 PM. Players had to find a way into the park before then, marking their first mission in this instance.

It seemed the rest of the story would likely unfold after 8.

Thinking this, Zhou Qian felt no urgency to explore further. He found a corner to settle in and then took out the treasure chest from his bag.

The bag had the ability to shrink items, had an infinite capacity, and was incredibly light, akin to a virtual space.

This was automatically provided by the game system. As soon as players logged in, they would have this bag.

The treasure chest Zhou Qian now took out was the one he obtained after defeating Li Dafu and clearing the side mission.

Upon opening the chest, he found a small iron box within.

[Player obtains item: Mysterious Medicine Maker with Built-in Ingredients]

[Function: As per item name]

[Grade: F]

Zhou Qian: “……”

Why was it another grade F reward? What happened to the promise of better rewards for greater challenges?

Wait a minute. Maybe it’s not that simple.

If he combined the two Grade F items… What would that result in?

Only a few seconds passed before Zhou Qian had an epiphany.

He quickly took out the previously acquired [Grass] and placed it into the newly acquired iron box.

After a few seconds, Zhou Qian thought of three key reasons.

First, the function of the [Grass] was marked with a question mark, indicating its purpose needed further exploration, possibly with the help of another item.

Second, the reward from defeating Li Dafu and the tutorial level seemed intertwined. Perhaps their respective rewards were as well.

Lastly, herbs could serve as raw materials.

Zhou Qian was correct in his assumption.

After placing the grass into the iron box, there was a brief grinding noise. Moments later, the sound ceased. When he opened the box, the grass was gone, replaced by three tiny black pills.

[Player obtains item: Dalang1, it’s medicine time.]

[Function: Aim at a target and say, “Dalang, it’s medicine time”. The target will compulsorily approach to take and ingest the pill, becoming immobilized for 3 minutes.]

[Grade: C]

[Note: Effective against both NPCs and players; using it three times on the same target will summon a Rank A NPC, Wu Song, who will perceive the player as Pan Jinlian and launch an attack1. Players are advised to use with caution.]

1Clarity: This is referencing characters in Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. In the story, Pan Jinlian (portrayed as a femme fatale) is married to Wu Dalang, who is the elder brother of Wu Song. Due to his ugly appearance, Pan Jinlian cheats on him with Ximen Qing, a handsome womanizer in town. Wu Dalang eventually finds out but Pan Jinlian and Ximen Qing murder him by adding poison to his food (thus the reference to it’s medicine time). Eventually, Wu Song finds out about their deeds and kills Pan Jinlian. || It’s quite apt and humorous once you know the background.

Zhou Qian: “……”

Before he could remark about the strange name of this item or contemplate the game designer’s peculiar sense of humor, he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Zhou Qian! I’ll get my revenge!”

It seemed Dong Xiang had found a way in after all.

Turning around, Zhou Qian saw Dong Xiang with a menacing and fierce expression on his face.

With someone by his side supporting him, Dong Xiang appeared incredibly confident.

That individual was very young—probably 18 at most. Standing tall at about 185 cm, he had a lean build. He stood straight, almost like a sword, next to Dong Xiang.

He gave a brief glance at Zhou Qian, and then his attention shifted to the surroundings. When his eyes fell on the Great God Epoh, he frowned, seemingly curious about the god’s origin.

Using his watch to scan the young man, Zhou Qian gleaned some information.

[Player Name: Qi Liuxing]

[Player Rank: D]

[Specialty: Swordsmanship, close combat, high attack power]

[Gambler System’s Evaluation: Sword god, kill in ten steps, leaves no trace]

What’s the Gambler System? Zhou Qian wasn’t sure yet.

But one thing was clear: the odds were stacked against him.

Qi Liuxing was Rank D. Disregarding all other abilities, just his HP alone were almost seven times his own. And it seemed he was on good terms with Dong Xiang? Had they collaborated in other instances before?

Many thoughts crossed his mind, but Zhou Qian showed no expression on his face.

He calmly shifted his gaze and looked again at the God Epoh on the other side of the lake.

While Zhou Qian was very calm, in front of the screen, Yu Xian and Zhu Qiang were both sweating profusely.

“In my opinion, Zhou Qian should have just gone all out and killed Dong Xiang just now. Now that guy has reinforcements! Qi Liuxing is a sword god! He sounds very powerful!”

“You can’t really say that. Li Dafu is an NPC in the game. Killing him is like killing a monster. But Dong Xiang is a player. If Zhou Qian did something to him, he would be a real murderer.”

“Yeah, I know that’s the reason. I’m just worried, okay?”

“Look, two more players have arrived! That’s five now! All the players are here!”

The two new players arrived holding hands, both appearing to be around 20 years old.

They were both very pleasing to the eye; clearly a young couple with both looks and talent.

[Player Name: Gao Shan]

[Player Rank: E]

[Specialty: Tank-type skills, high HP, strong defense]

[Player Name: Yun Xiangrong]

[Player Rank: E]

[Specialty: Healing magic, helps teammates recover HP]

“Gao Shan sounds like a plain name, but the girl’s is nice! Yun Xiangrong? Like ‘the clouds want to be her, and the flowers want to decorate her face*’.”

*This is a poem written by poet Li Bai and refers to the first line. Regarding how it relates to Yun Xiangrong’s name, Yun Xiang (云想) means the clouds think/want (which is part of the first line in the poem). Rong (容) refers to the latter half of the line (adorn/decorate). 

“You’re focusing on the wrong thing. Their skills are interesting. One is a tank, and the other is a healer! These two are super important in a team!”

“Yeah, this couple seems pretty powerful.”

“No, that’s actually the problem! If they team up, they need another damage dealer, like Qi Liuxing. But this sword god is obviously with Dong Xiang!”

“Ah… So our Qian Ge is useless now? He doesn’t have any skills yet, so he provides no contribution in team battles! And he has a grudge against Dong Xiang!”

“Danger! Qian Ge is really in danger! I’m afraid the other four will team up and he’ll be left out!”

……

8 PM.

With a loud bang, the palace doors closed.

Immediately, two graceful girls in white gowns walked over.

According to the system prompt, these two goddess-like girls were as high as Rank B, with an HP of 8,000, and incredibly high attack power. They were on a completely different level than the players here, capable of easily crushing them like ants.

There was basically no possibility for players to confront them head-on.

Whatever they said, players would have to obey.

The two goddesses each had their duties. One raised her hand, counting like she was selecting soldiers, while the other walked past each devotee, her palm passing over the top of their heads.

The counting goddess spoke first. “We sent out 24 invitations, but 25 people came!”

The other goddess said, “There are five people here whose thoughts I can’t read. I can’t see if they have a connection with the Great God Epoh.”

These five people the goddess referred to were obviously the five players who replaced the devotees.

Zhou Qian heard this but showed no emotion.

“Why are there as many as five with issues?”

“How would I know? The ceremony is about to begin. We can’t delay. We need to quickly get one person out! I’ll go prepare the ceremony. You handle this!”

After the two goddesses discussed briefly, one left while the other looked at the five players.

“Among you, only four can participate in the ceremony! Who is pretending to be a devotee? Discuss and find them!”

The healer named Yun Xiangrong bravely asked first, “What will happen to the imposter?”

The goddess answered, “No one can deceive a god. The imposter will be executed, of course. Discuss it quickly and find them. I’ll be back after helping my sister.”

As the goddess was about to leave, Dong Xiang glared viciously at Zhou Qian and quickly said, “Goddess! I want to report, that person is not Li Da—”

“Shut up!”

Zhou Qian’s voice became terrifyingly cold as he looked at Dong Xiang with icy eyes.

Dong Xiang felt he was already wicked enough, but under Zhou Qian’s gaze, he froze in place, trembling.

Who on earth is this guy?

For fuck’s sake, he doesn’t look old. Why does he have such terrifying eyes?

The goddess, who was about to leave, stopped and curiously looked at Dong Xiang. “What were you going to say?”

Zhou Qian stepped forward to the goddess; the coldness in his eyes was replaced by a gentle smile. “It’s okay, Goddess. We’ll discuss it.”

Looks were indeed a powerful weapon.

Under Zhou Qian’s smiling gaze, the goddess shyly smiled and walked away, lifting the hem of her dress.

As soon as the goddess left, Zhou Qian’s expression immediately turned cold.

Facing everyone, he said, “24 invitations were sent out, but 25 people came. Among us, who has the ability or tool to duplicate an invitation? No matter what, five of us are false believers.”

“You all heard what those two goddesses said. They actually know that all of us are problematic, but a major ceremony is about to begin, and they need 24 believers to participate. To avoid causing trouble, they are turning a blind eye, allowing four of us to participate.”

“Think about it. If we report each other as false believers and expose this, what will happen?”

Yun Xiangrong, whose face had already turned pale, was the first to respond, “Actually, those two are neglecting their duties. If we make a big fuss about this, they can’t handle the aftermath. We would all be punished for deceiving the gods—we’d all die.”

“Exactly. So—” Zhou Qian said coldly, looking at Dong Xiang, “Don’t think about reporting me unless you want to die with me.”

“You son of a—” Dong Xiang started to curse but seemed afraid of attracting the goddesses’ attention, so he shut his mouth.

Yun Xiangrong asked, “So, how do we choose?”

Zhou Qian replied, “Let’s not choose yet. Let’s leave this problem to the two goddesses. Ensuring that 24 believers attend the ceremony is their task. They’ll figure something out.”

Soon, the two goddesses returned.

“Have you identified the imposter?” one of them asked.

Zhou Qian stepped forward to answer, still smiling warmly. “No, we can’t. You goddesses can’t identify them either, so what can we do?”

Zhou Qian’s words were pleasing.

The two goddesses exchanged glances, both giggling shyly.

After a moment, they spoke in quick succession.

“If you can’t decide amongst yourselves for fear of offending others, let’s change the method of selection.”

“Come! Please follow us!”

The goddesses led the players down a path into a dense forest. The deeper they went, the denser the forest became, to the point where it was pitch dark.

After walking for a few hundred meters, the players arrived in a clearing.

Zhou Qian looked up to see several treehouses.

The treehouses weren’t very high, perched at different heights on sturdy tree trunks, accessible by hanging ladders.

Zhou Qian counted five treehouses, corresponding to the five players. Presumably, the goddesses would ask each player to enter a different treehouse for some task.

Could this be the prisoner’s dilemma*?

*Game theory thought experiment that involves two rational agents, each of whom can cooperate for mutual benefit or betray their partner (“defect”) for individual reward.

As Zhou Qian pondered, he heard the goddesses speak.

“Let’s pose some test questions.”

“Players can hear the questions together but must whisper the answers in our ears one by one.”

“No whispering to each other! Those who break the rules will be considered [false believers] and will be eliminated!”

“The one with the best answers will have the most decision-making power.”

These questions… might be quite difficult, right?

That was the common thought among several players present.

They either used props to copy the invitation letters from the believers they met outside, or used props to steal them… In short, they were all false believers.

So, if they were asked about the beliefs and Epoh, how would they possibly know the answer?

Soon, the goddesses posed their questions.

“Please listen to the questions carefully.”

“1. What is this palace called?”

“2. Who is the master of the palace?”

“3. What is your status here?”

“4. Why did you come here?”

Upon hearing these questions, almost everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The answers were simple: [Apple Paradise], [Epoh], [believer], [received an invitation].

But the following questions weren’t so easy.

The goddesses continued, “5. What has the master of the palace ever done for you?”

“6. Why do you hold a grudge against the master of the palace?”

Zhou Qian smirked—he knew the answers to these two questions, as he had encountered a side quest in the tutorial level and had specifically asked a boy about it after receiving the invitation. But the other four players probably didn’t know.

Zhou Qian still didn’t know what the “decision-making power” that the player who knew all the answers would get.

After these questions, the goddess smiled and spoke to the players.

“Let’s discuss the rules in order. You come up one by one to answer the questions. After one question is finished, we move on to the next one. That way, it won’t be chaotic!”

“Yes, we definitely don’t want chaos!”

And so, the five players walked up to the goddess one by one and answered their respective questions.

After the first four questions were completed, it was time for the fifth.

At that moment, Zhou Qian glanced at the other players. They exchanged glances, shook their heads, and then froze, clearly not knowing the answer.

In the end, only Zhou Qian approached the goddess.

Before answering the goddess’s question, Zhou Qian glanced unintentionally at Dong Xiang and met his gaze. Dong Xiang’s eyes looked extremely sinister, as if he was brewing a particularly vicious plan.

Zhou Qian pretended not to see it and calmly answered the goddess’s last two questions.

“My name is Li Dafu. God Epoh gave me money and a boy.”

“The boy died, and I prayed to the Great God to bring him back to life, but he couldn’t. So, I harbor resentment against the Great God.”

By this point, all the players had answered, and the goddess announced the results.

As expected, Yun Xiangrong, Gao Shan, Qi Liuxing, and Dong Xiang all answered only four questions.

Only Zhou Qian answered all six.

The two goddesses smiled at Zhou Qian and spoke in turn.

“Your name is Li Dafu, right? Congratulations, you are the winner of the question game. We believe you have the highest possibility of being a true believer, and we will give you the decision-making power!”

“Among the other believers, you get to decide who’s real and who’s fake!”

“Now, we’ll give you 100 points. Please use these points to grade everyone, including yourself. Whoever has the lowest score will be considered a fake believer and will be eliminated!”

Watching this, Yu Xian, in front of his phone screen, exclaimed, “Fuck, so awesome. Qian Ge is sure to win!”

Zhu Qiang said, “It seems like it. Not only can he win… It’s like our exams. The other four are students taking the exam, and Qian Ge is the examiner. And students can bribe the examiner!”

Yu Xian: “Right, isn’t Qian Ge just short of everything? As a Rank F player, he doesn’t have any items, and only a few gold coins! He can take this opportunity to extort! He’ll give the highest score to whoever gives him the most gold coins and items! This is classic cool text*!”

*Genre in web novels, which generally have a protagonist that often has a strong, dominant role with their conflicts resolved smoothly and satisfyingly, allowing readers to experience a sense of triumph and accomplishment. These elements include such things as the main character gaining unexpected power ups, exacting satisfying revenge, or achieving significant success, which gives the reader a cool (refreshing) [shuang] (爽) feeling.

However, while the pair thought it was a cool text, they never expected what came next—

The goddess further announced the rules.

“However… we just selected the most probable true believer through a small test. But he might not really be the true believer, nor might everyone trust him!”

“So, after Li Dafu has scored everyone, the other four can vote on his grading.”

“If more than half of them are dissatisfied with his grading, then Li Dafu’s scores are invalid.”

“Li Dafu, it seems you haven’t earned the trust of the other believers. In this case, you will be considered a fake believer and will be eliminated!”

After hearing the rules, the Yu and Zhu duo exclaimed simultaneously, “Crap!”

The goddess continued, “Well, there might be a tie in the votes among the four. What happens in case of a tie? Sister, what do you think?”

The other replied, “A tie is a waste of our time. After one tie, Li Dafu’s grading is nullified, and he needs to re-grade. The other four will then vote again.”

“But if there’s a tie three times in a row, then, unfortunately, it seems Li Dafu is still a fake believer. You will be eliminated.”

The two goddesses paused, seemingly waiting for the players to digest the rules.

At this moment, Dong Xiang’s sinister voice rang out among the players.

With a ferocious look at Zhou Qian, he sneered, “Zhou Qian, no matter how you grade, Qi Liuxing and I will definitely disagree. Among the four of us, we will cast two negative votes. So, whether or not the couple Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong agree with your grading, you’re doomed!”

“Because! Even if the young couple both agree with you, Qi Liuxing and I will definitely disagree, leading to a tie!”

“So after three rounds of ties, your grading will be nullified, and you will definitely be eliminated!”

“You’re finished, Zhou Qian. There’s no way you can turn things around!”

“I’ll send you off as the first blood in this instance!”

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

Qizi Ch4

Kinky4 Comments

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

Chapter 4

Ling Xiao wasn’t truly fixated on his partner from a previous life. However, Zhen He’s words undoubtedly caught Ying Feng’s attention. Seeing the other party hesitate and then decide to return, Ling Xiao pretended to be interested and stayed as well.

“The base hold the secret to finding a partner in a previous life? Are you sure about this?” Ying Feng asked.

“No, I’m not,” Zhen He replied confidently. “I only heard about this rumor. I can’t guarantee it’s true.”

“If even the intel is uncertain, aren’t you just a scammer?” Ling Xiao interjected.

“Whether I’m a scammer or not depends on the needs of the buyer. Some might think this information isn’t worth a dime, while others might be willing to pay a hefty price, even if it’s just for the slightest chance.”

“I don’t believe it. Who would buy intel that might not even be true? That person must be crazy.”

“Name your price,” Ying Feng straightforwardly declared.

Ling Xiao couldn’t believe his ears. “You want to buy it?”

Zhen He, even more straightforwardly, simply raised five fingers to signify the price.

“That expensive?” Ling Xiao felt that calling Zhen He merely a scammer was an understatement. The price was equivalent to their two months’ living expenses.

“That’s a friendly price considering you’re fledglings and alumni. If it were someone from outside, the price would be much higher.”

Ling Xiao wanted to argue further, but before he could, he saw Ying Feng already taking out his card.

“I like doing business with decisive people like you,” Zhen He remarked, reaching out for the card, only to be stopped by Ling Xiao.

“Hold on!” Ling Xiao interjected, halting the two in the midst of their transaction. Both turned their attention to him.

“You really want to buy this?” Ling Xiao asked Ying Feng.

“What’s it to you?” Ying Feng shot back.

After a quick thought about the balance on his card, Ling Xiao said, “I want to pitch in and buy it with you.”

However, Ying Feng was unmoved by the suggestion. “If you want to know, buy it yourself.” He once again tried to hand over his card.

This time, Ling Xiao grabbed Ying Feng’s wrist. “Isn’t my proposal beneficial for you too? You could save half the money.”

Ying Feng glanced at Ling Xiao, then at Zhen He, who simply shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me. Whether one or two people hear the information, it’s the same.”

Given Zhen He’s indifference, Ying Feng eventually agreed. “Fine.”

When the card was swiped, Ling Xiao sneaked a peek at Ying Feng’s account. He was shocked by the amount Ying Feng had saved, which explained why Ying Feng didn’t hesitate earlier. In comparison, Ling Xiao, who had nearly no savings, wondered how he would manage the upcoming days without money due to this impulsive decision.

“You can tell us now,” Ling Xiao said, grimacing at his nearly depleted account balance. He vowed that if the information turned out to be false, he’d come back and wreck the shop.

“Of course,” Zhen He said, twirling a ring on his finger. “It all began with the former chief researcher of the base, Tai Yin. As a top executive of the base, it would’ve been easy to discover a reincarnated soul’s identity, but doing so was strictly forbidden by law.”

“Why?” Ling Xiao curiously interrupted.

“It’s to maintain the stability of the Tianxiu partner system. As you listen, you’ll understand.”

Zhen He sorted out the topics before he was interrupted and continued, “Tai Yin was a genius in the scientific world. His most renowned invention was a chemical drug that greatly enhances combat capabilities in a short period. The military named it ‘Embers’.”

“That restricted drug only for the military?” Ling Xiao had heard of Embers.

“Exactly. Tai Yin had numerous significant inventions throughout his life. ‘Embers’ was just one of his well-known works. His extraordinary accomplishments were due not only to his exceptional abilities but also his longevity. The last time he appeared in public, he was 436 years old—a truly venerable age even among the people of Tianxiu.”

“More than four hundred years…” Ling Xiao mused, wondering what it felt like to live for so long.

“But longevity has its drawbacks. The longer one lives, the more farewells one must face. In the latter half of Tai Yin’s life, he witnessed the departure of many close friends. Although the people of Tianxiu generally accept death, after his beloved Qizi passed away, he inevitably went astray.”

“Going astray?”

“He used his position to track his Qizi’s soul. When the other party was reincarnated and awakened, he kidnapped the unaware young reincarnation and secretly imprisoned them.”

Ling Xiao was shocked. “But Dr. Yao said that each soul only has one chance for the coming-of-age ceremony in each lifetime. Even if one’s partner passes away, they can’t form a bond with someone else.”

“What you said is absolutely right. That’s why Tai Yin and his reincarnated Qizi found themselves in a stalemate—he couldn’t have them, and he wouldn’t allow anyone else to either. The young reincarnation was forced to remain youthful, unable to mature or grow. Now you see why the law strictly prohibits tracking the whereabouts of reincarnated souls.”

Ling Xiao frowned deeply.

“Of course, Tai Yin cared about this issue more than you do. So, before his actions were exposed, he had been secretly researching ways to dissolve the original partner bond. Unfortunately, his research was halted when he was betrayed by his own student. The young reincarnation managed to escape with the student’s help and reported Tai Yin’s deeds to the military, revealing the truth.”

“And then?” Ling Xiao, engrossed in the story, eagerly asked.

“When the military publicly arrested him, he injected himself with an enhanced version of ‘Ember’, twenty times more potent than the original, single-handedly broke through the military’s siege, and once again abducted the innocent young reincarnation. The two have been missing ever since, still on the run.”

With just a few sentences, Zhen He vividly painted a dramatic picture in Ling Xiao’s mind. He only wished he had been awake earlier to witness these events.

While Ling Xiao was lost in thought, he heard Ying Feng ask, “So Tai Yin found his past life’s Qizi using his position. This information is useless to me.”

With an expression showing “I knew you would say that”, Zhen He said, “It’s true that Tai Yin used his position to find his past life’s Qizi, but during his research, he accidentally discovered a method to identify if two people were connected in their past lives. This method is said to be recorded on his personal computer.”

“How can I find that computer?”

“That computer is still in his lab, which is located somewhere within the base.”

“Somewhere?” Ling Xiao thought the description was too vague.

Zhen He conjured a small chip and threw it in the air. It expanded into a map with a pinch of his fingers.

“This is the complete floor plan of the base. I’m sure you’ll find it useful. The value of this map alone exceeds the cost of the information you’ve paid for. Additionally, I’m lending you this as a favor.”

“What is this?” Ling Xiao looked at the USB-like device handed to Ying Feng.

“Even if you find Tai Yin’s computer, you won’t be able to access his personal system. This is a universal unlocking device that can automatically crack his password. Remember, this is just a loan. Once you return from the base, please make sure to return it.”

……

The long-awaited second physiology class finally arrived. The tenth-grade students of Bikong Academy arrived at the base’s main entrance via aircraft and were immediately awed by the majestic sculpture of the word “Zero” at the entrance. This simple word “Zero” was the true name of the base, while the term “base” was just its colloquial name.

“Zero,” Ling Xiao pronounced the word as if reciting, and just when Lan Sheng and others thought he was about to express some profound sentiment, he continued, “Xiao was here*.”

*Clarity: Zero is [ling] (零) which is a homonym for his surname [Ling] (凌), so he’s basically cracking a joke since his surname is pronounced the same as the base’s name.

“Idiot!” Lan Sheng promptly kicked his ass.

“What was that for?” Ling Xiao exclaimed, rubbing the sore spot. “Don’t you think this word and I have a connection?”

“All I think is that you’re being stupid,” Lan Sheng remarked, feigning disgust. “Don’t disgrace that surname.”

The group continued to marvel at the sculpture, with many students taking photos. Once they had their fill, the guide, Yao Tai, began her inquiry.

“Does anyone know why this place is named ‘Zero’?”

The students looked at each other, shaking their heads in unison, clueless.

Yao Tai solemnly explained, “Zero is the starting point of positive numbers and the endpoint of negative numbers. On the infinite number line, it always occupies the central position. For the Tianxiu people, this place is the beginning of our awakening, the end of our silence, and the midpoint of our souls.”

“After living our lives, no matter where we are, our souls return here for a brief rest and purification until they find a new body and enter a new life in slumber. Look over there.” Yao Tai pointed to the tallest building in the north. “That is the Soul Lighthouse, a beacon for departed Tianxiu souls. If it falls, our souls would be lost. Hence, every generation of Tianxiu people must shoulder the responsibility of guarding this lighthouse, and you will too in the future.”

Gazing at the towering lighthouse, the students felt a profound sense of belonging.

“I feel like there’s a voice calling out to me,” Ling Xiao murmured.

“Me too,” Lan Sheng added, looking distant. “As if something is pulling me towards it.”

Ling Xiao glanced over and noticed Ying Feng, who was away from the crowd, gazing in the same direction. His expression was as aloof as always, but there was a rare hint of gentleness in his eyes.

Ying Feng, sensing someone’s gaze, looked directly into Ling Xiao’s eyes. The brief tenderness vanished, replaced by his usual sharpness.

Caught off guard, like a child caught doing something wrong, Ling Xiao quickly turned away, feeling flustered. His heart was pounding.

After calming himself, he wondered why he had felt so guilty.

He defiantly looked back, only to find Ying Feng’s attention had shifted elsewhere, leaving him feeling a bit deflated.

“What are you daydreaming about? Let’s go,” Lan Sheng nudged Ling Xiao, who realized the group had moved on. They quickly caught up.

As they walked, Yao Tai pointed out various facilities. “This is the purification pool. Every returning soul rests here for a while. Religious people say it’s to wash away past life sins. But for scientists, it’s more of a memory cleansing place.”

The purification pool was covered with a transparent layer. Through it, they could see the clear blue water inside.

“I personally believe that, apart from memories, it also cleanses impurities in the soul. After existing for so many years, souls inevitably accumulate negative emotions. In the purification pool, these impurities are completely removed, reverting it to a pure soul form.”

“So, if we don’t go into the purification pool, will our past memories be retained?” A girl asked.

“That’s not a possibility. This place is essential for souls returning to the cycle. Without purification, souls cannot enter the Reincarnation Hall.”

The students nodded in understanding.

“And here, is the Tree of Souls, from which every soul is born.” Yao Tai pointed to a towering tree in the distance. “Each soul fruit requires the essence of heaven and earth, absorbing the spiritual energy of all things. After a full hundred years of nurturing, it matures. This shows how precious souls are to us.”

Everyone gazed intently. On the expansive canopy of the tree, there was just one fruit-sized sphere of light the size of a fist. If you didn’t look closely, you wouldn’t even notice it.

“Why is there only one soul growing?”

“It wasn’t like this a long time ago. Perhaps the Tree of Souls felt that the planet was already saturated with souls,” Yao Tai explained ambiguously. “For nearly a thousand years, new souls have grown at such a slow rate. Regardless of how hard researchers tried, they couldn’t stimulate its growth. Fortunately, existing souls don’t easily perish, so we haven’t faced a population crisis.”

As they walked, they passed by a building. The structure wasn’t eye-catching. Its pitch-black exterior lacked decoration, giving no one the desire to enter. The oppressive architectural style only made people want to flee.

However, Ling Xiao felt strangely drawn to the building, glancing at it several times unconsciously.

“Dr. Yao, what is that place?” Noting that Yao Tai didn’t introduce it, he took the initiative to ask.

Yao Tai sighed, realizing she couldn’t dodge the question, and decided to tell the truth.

“That place is the Nightmare Hall. Originally, it was where executions took place.”

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

Bu Tian Gang Ch160

KinkyLeave a comment

Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

Chapter 160

As early as during the incident at Kunlun Mountain, on the way when Long Shen rushed there with He Yu, He Yu had spilled all the beans about his relationship with Dong Zhi. Even though at that time, He Yu’s gossiping was limited to Team 2 and Yu Buhui, it was impossible that with his big mouth, he didn’t continue to spill the details as days passed.

Long Shen didn’t mind at all. He simply didn’t want to make a fuss about it and felt there was nothing much to tell. He wasn’t afraid of people knowing. Even if He Yu spread their story for all to hear, it wouldn’t affect Long Shen in the slightest.

But he didn’t know if Dong Zhi minded.

Seeing Dong Zhi’s face turn red after hearing the driver’s attempt to cover up, his eyes darting left and right, avoiding eye contact, a hint of displeasure rose in Long Shen’s heart. He couldn’t help but wonder if for Dong Zhi, their relationship was something hard to disclose to others.

He had thought that after all they had been through, the two of them would have been on the same wavelength. However, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

After his coughing, the driver felt as if the phrase “there’s no silver here*” was brightly stamped on his forehead. He wanted to say more to ease the atmosphere, but it didn’t work as he’d hoped. Glancing at the two through the rearview mirror, he didn’t dare make another sound. Seeing the green light ahead, he floored the gas pedal and zoomed to their destination.

*It’s an idiom derived from a folk story that refers to trying to cover up a fact but instead exposing the truth. You can read the folk story in my Kinky Thoughts.

After letting the two leaders off the car, he heaved a sigh of relief, feeling like he’d escaped a near-death experience.

However, Dong Zhi didn’t overthink it. He and Long Shen returned to their dormitory, and he began packing.

“Master, shall we find a place nearby to eat first or eat at the airport later?”

Long Shen responded with a grunt, ending the conversation.

Dong Zhi took the white cat that had jumped into his backpack out and put his laptop in. Looking up, he noticed Long Shen sitting by the bed, seemingly lost in thought while watching him pack.

“Master?”

Snapped out of his reverie, Long Shen replied, “What?”

Kneeling in front of him, Dong Zhi pressed a hand against Long Shen’s knee. Without hesitation, Long Shen reached out, placing his hand on Dong Zhi’s shoulder.

“Are you okay? Since we came back, you seem lost in thought. Are you still thinking about our sacrificed colleagues?”

Long Shen shook his head. “The departed are gone, but it’s not the end for them. Life is always in a cycle; every season just marks a new beginning. Ming Xian managed to preserve a sliver of Ding Lan’s soul. Upon our return, Boss Wu already had someone from the Yuanming Palace help him pass on.”

By saying so much, he meant that he wasn’t continuously immersed in the sadness of mourning the deceased.

Dong Zhi found it amusing that his master had started beating around the bush when speaking, but his face betrayed no emotion.

“What’s the reason for this?”

After a moment of contemplation, Long Shen said, “The last time Yu Buhui asked about our relationship, I told him.”

Dong Zhi nodded.

Long Shen continued, “Yu Buhui told He Yu, and He Yu told everyone else in Team 2.”

Dong Zhi: ……

“That’s why Kan Chaosheng knew!” Dong Zhi said with a mix of laughter and disbelief.

“It was my oversight. I shouldn’t have told Yu Buhui without your consent,” Long Shen admitted.

But at that time, when he returned from Japan burdened by the demonic qi and seeing the turmoil in Kunlun, uncertain about how much time he had left, he became selfish for once. He hoped Dong Zhi would be as far from danger as possible and also wanted to leave some memory of himself to those around Dong Zhi. In the times without him, he hoped others would occasionally remind Dong Zhi of his presence. This indescribable feeling grew stronger, and while he knew it might be an after-effect of the demonic qi, he let it fester without the intent to stop it.

“It’s okay, I just felt a bit embarrassed,” Dong Zhi said shyly.

“Embarrassed?” Long Shen frowned in confusion.

Dong Zhi nodded. “Yes, it was our personal matter after all. But now that it’s public, it doesn’t bother me. I’m just worried they might misunderstand you.”

Long Shen inquired, “Misunderstand what about me?”

Dong Zhi chuckled. “In my eyes, you’re the most responsible and dependable master in the world. But people can be judgmental. I don’t care for myself, but I fear your reputation might suffer. Those unaware of the full story might misjudge you.”

Hearing this, Long Shen’s mood instantly lifted.

“I never cared about such things,” he said, lifting Dong Zhi’s chin. “I just thought you did.”

Observing him closely, Dong Zhi realized that Long Shen’s eyes were stunningly beautiful. Even though he had always known that this man was so handsome that every movement drew attention, this was the first time Dong Zhi had meticulously studied Long Shen’s eyes.

Before, Long Shen had always been calm and composed, but now he was more emotional. The two of them also had more temper flare-ups when together, and sometimes Long Shen even retreated as a way to test him.

Taking advantage of the situation, Dong Zhi reached up to Long Shen’s neck, pulling him slightly down, and the two exchanged a lingering kiss.

“Master, even though I prefer your initiative now, we still need to find a way to get rid of the residual demonic qi quickly.”

Compared to Dong Zhi’s slightly out-of-breath tone, Long Shen’s voice was much steadier. It was as if the passionate, nearly ten-minute-long kiss, where they were entwined almost as if they were one, hadn’t affected him. Dong Zhi could clearly sense that Long Shen now enjoyed this feeling greatly. But he was unsure if this was Long Shen’s true desire or influenced by the demonic qi.

Long Shen raised his hand to wipe away the silver thread at the corner of his mouth, calmly saying, “There’s no need to seek special solutions. I can slowly dispel the demonic qi through daily meditation.”

Dong Zhi: “Once the demonic qi is completely dispelled, will your temperament revert to how it was before?”

After pondering for a moment, Long Shen responded, “Actually, I think the way I am now is quite good. Some emotions I previously couldn’t experience, and some things I may not have wanted to do, are now just magnified desires.”

Intrigued, Dong Zhi asked, “Like what?”

Touching Dong Zhi’s waist, Long Shen teasingly said, “Making love?”

Dong Zhi hadn’t expected the conversation to take this turn, with his fair face turning bright red in a matter of seconds.

Seeing this, Long Shen chuckled. “Didn’t you already think I had a good physique and wanted to sleep with me?”

Flustered, Dong Zhi stammered, “I-I never told the Yulu about that!”

Long Shen explained, “Before you and He Yu went to Yangcheng, I took a strand of hair from you to use as a medium so I could communicate with you telepathically. You remember, right?”

Of course, Dong Zhi remembered. At that time, he hadn’t become an apprentice yet. Rather than saying he liked Long Shen, it would be more accurate to say he admired and worshiped the strong.

Long Shen elaborated, “Back then, I used telepathy to guide you in finding a way out. All the noisy thoughts in your head reached my ears.”

Dong Zhi muttered, “…I’ve forgotten what I was thinking at that time.”

Long Shen’s memory wasn’t just good; it was astoundingly sharp. He recounted, “You worried about escaping one moment, then compared the physique of the pursuing demon to mine the next, thinking that girls your age would like someone like me and even desire to sleep with me. Somehow, this led you to think of yourself—”

“Alright, alright, stop!” Dong Zhi was beet-red, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Knowing the playful nature of his thoughts, especially during times of danger, Dong Zhi tried to explain, “When I’m nervous, I have wild thoughts to lighten the mood and make myself laugh to reduce the tension.”

Realizing he couldn’t get away from Long Shen’s teasing gaze, Dong Zhi finally gave in, scratching his head in exasperation. “Okay, I admit I sometimes think outside the box, daydream a lot, and imagine various scenarios. When you suddenly pinned me against the wall back then, I thought you had ulterior motives. But I also knew it wasn’t possible. It was just a way to amuse myself. Please don’t misunderstand; my intention to become your apprentice is sincere and has nothing to do with those messy thoughts.”

He remembered how Long Shen had been upset about his confession and didn’t want any more misunderstandings.

“I really thought of you as a male god back then, without any disrespectful intentions.”

“Now I’m not a male god?”

Long Shen couldn’t help but laugh. He had long realized that while Dong Zhi might have a wild imagination, he was incredibly genuine, which made him even more endearing.

“Now you’re the most beloved male god, one I can be irreverent with!”

Seeing him laugh, Dong Zhi realized that Long Shen was intentionally teasing him. He couldn’t help but laugh too, lunging forward to give Long Shen a fervent kiss.

“To be honest, Master, knowing you heard all my messy thoughts back then, didn’t you feel like I had ulterior motives?”

Long Shen shook his head. “People tend to have chaotic thoughts when they are anxious. Like you said, imagining the most improbable scenarios to ease tension. At that time, you were just an ordinary person. Given the circumstances, you stayed rather calm. I didn’t take those thoughts seriously.”

Dong Zhi: “What about later—”

Long Shen seemed to know what he wanted to ask. “I can distinguish between jest and sincerity. The words you told the Yulu later on, I knew you were serious. That’s why I got angry.”

Thinking about those days of initial anxiety followed by despair and finally acceptance, Dong Zhi almost felt a familiar sense of desolation.

“But I gradually understood my own feelings and realized that having someone genuinely, unreservedly loving you is such a joyous and precious thing. If it weren’t for you getting cursed and being in imminent danger, I might never have realized this.” Long Shen’s tone was somewhat self-mocking. “People often cherish things only after they lose them. For the first time, I realized I wasn’t exempt from this rule through you.”

“Master.”

“Mm?”

“Even though you’re analyzing your emotions, why do I feel like I’m ecstatically floating towards the sky?”

“Well, with me pulling you back, you can’t really soar,” Long Shen responded seriously with a joke, stretching out his hand to pull Dong Shi into a stoop.

“Hiss!” Dong Zhi sharply inhaled. “We’re running out of time; we should head to the airport first and then eat!”

Long Shen’s gaze settled on Dong Zhi’s collarbone, which was exposed due to his bent posture, and he absent-mindedly said, “How about some white jade tofu*?”

*Clarity: Tofu is sometimes used to describe someone’s skin, so in this context, he’s actually saying, “How about I eat you” flirtatiously.

“What?”

Sighing, Long Shen pulled him closer. “I meant, we can reschedule our flight.”

……

On the other side, when Kan Chaosheng was unexpectedly hung up on by Dong Zhi, he grumbled, “What’s his problem? I wasn’t even done speaking!”

Just as he was about to redial, he saw Deng Po give him a flabbergasted expression.

Kinky Thoughts:

Once upon a time, there was a man named Zhang San who worked hard every day and managed to save three hundred taels of silver. He was very happy but, at the same time, worried, always afraid that someone would steal his money. After thinking about it, Zhang San found a big box, put the three hundred taels in the box, then dug a hole in an open space behind the house and buried the box deeply in the ground.

After doing this, Zhang San felt relieved and was about to go back to rest, but before leaving, he took a look at the place where the box was buried and became worried again, fearing that someone would accidentally dig it out. So he slapped his head and came up with a “good solution”. He quickly took out a piece of paper and wrote on it: “There’s no three hundred taels of silver here.” After writing it, he pasted the note on the corner of the wall and then left with peace of mind.

Zhang San’s abnormal behavior was seen by his neighbor, Wang Er. Wang Er felt curious, so he sneaked behind Zhang San’s house while he was asleep and saw the note by moonlight. Wang Er instantly understood at once, so he dug up the box and stole the silver. Seeing the money, Wang Er was very excited, but he was also afraid of being discovered by Zhang San, so he hurriedly filled the hole again. After thinking about it, he also took a piece of paper and wrote on it: “Your neighbor Wang Er never stole it.”, and pasted it on the corner of the wall where the previous note was.

The next morning, after Zhang San got up, he went to the back of the house to look at his silver and suddenly found that it was gone. After seeing the note pasted by Wang Er, he immediately understood: Wang Er had stolen his money!

<<< || Table of Contents || Lore Glossary || >>>

Sendoff Ch87

Kinky1 Comment

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 87: Calmness

Miss Shen’s attempt to ease the atmosphere had the opposite effect, and the cold wind of the North almost burst into a hot wave.

If time could turn back, Yin Ci would have wanted to expose Shen Zhu’s identity immediately.

Having lived for so long, he indeed wanted an unprecedented experience, but it didn’t include this century-old embarrassment. However, this couldn’t be blamed on Shen Zhu—just judging by appearances, he looked younger than Shi Jingzhi.

Demonic Lord Yin’s clumsy, fatherly heart trembled and collapsed halfway.

Before, not knowing each other’s true identities, he and Shi Jingzhi had been testing each other for quite some time. Being tied together as “master and disciple”, it was inevitable to have some intimate actions. Now that they recognized each other, the emotions could be slightly turned around… provided he hadn’t teased his own master so casually.

How could he forget about this matter?

From the crossing of qi at the Ghost Tomb to the pretend affectionate kiss at the city gate, and occasionally blowing air to tease each other—Shi Jingzhi, who usually acted like a proper master, would turn red with embarrassment, making it quite enjoyable.

If it were the other way around, he could have magnanimously said that the younger generation was ignorant, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Unfortunately, the old hooligan turned out to be himself, and this matter wasn’t so easy to handle.

Yin Ci rarely regretted anything in his life, but at this moment, he regretted not being honest from the beginning—was teasing a serious junior really that much fun? Why couldn’t he just honestly play the role of an ordinary mountain dweller?

For a moment, he couldn’t see Shi Jingzhi as the cute Little Mute anymore. The fun he had gained from this had turned into an inexplicable embarrassment.

Luckily, he had a face that had been honed over hundreds of years, allowing him to pretend to be carefree at any time.

In these situations, he must never reveal any awkwardness first. Yin Ci clasped his hands together and smiled naturally.

“Yes, I am indeed Yin Ci.”

Shi Jingzhi looked at Yin Ci strangely for a while, not knowing whether he was amazed by the thickness of this person’s face or admired his ability to act dumb.

Shen Zhu didn’t notice the hidden undercurrents between the two and continued, “There are too many injured people. It’s best for all of you to rest at Twin Rivers as soon as possible. After this period of time, it won’t be easy to leave the Central Plains.”

She stepped onto the wooden boat artifact and tied the sled to the back of the boat. The rabbit demons pulling the sled disappeared in an instant.

Shi Jingzhi shook his head and came back to his senses. “Not easy to leave the Central Plains?”

Shen Zhu’s smile faded slightly. She glanced at Yin Ci, then turned her gaze back to Shi Jingzhi. “Regarding the incident at the Jianchen Temple, it was exposed too quickly. The Yueshui Pavilion has already received the news—you forcefully went up the mountain, plotted to kill two eminent monks, and took away Master Kongshi’s Sword of Compassion.”

The Yueshui Pavilion, which managed information, would soon spread the news throughout the martial world.

Shi Jingzhi thought for a moment. “Such a ridiculous statement must come with an audacious title… Let me think, the Sword of Compassion holds a clue, and in order to keep the secret to myself, I killed two eminent monks to silence them?”

Shen Zhu: “Exactly. There must be someone behind this, pushing things along.”

Shi Jingzhi: “I’m well aware of that.”

Having said that, he glanced at the unconscious Shi Zhongyu. “The tragic incident at the Jianchen Temple came first, followed by the unsealing of the Arcane Arts of Mishan. It seems that the more we travel, the more obstacles we encounter… It seems that we need to separate from Miss Shi as soon as possible. If she travels with us for too long, it’s hard to guarantee that she won’t be harmed and become a victim of a plot.”

With this matter exposed, finding the path to the Shirou would become even more difficult. However, Shi Jingzhi remained calm and clearly knew a few things.

Shen Zhu didn’t ask further and continued, “Regarding the clue on the Sword of Compassion, the Ling Sect is already aware. They have taken advantage of the terrain and sealed off Zongwu Mountain.”

Shi Jingzhi’s expression remained calm. “I know.”

Yin Ci didn’t have time to savor the awkwardness; he just looked at his surprisingly calm cheap master, slightly furrowing his brows. Unfortunately, with the freezing cold in the North, and they were carrying a boatload of wounded people, it wasn’t convenient to inquire in detail.

Both of them had their own thoughts as they proceeded towards Twin Rivers.

When Shi Zhongyu woke up, there was a shelter above her head.

It was currently the setting sun, and she calculated that she had actually slept for nearly a whole day.

Subconsciously, she touched her chest and finally let out a long sigh of relief when she felt the talisman. Shi Zhongyu put on her shabby Green Maiden Sword and struggled to get out of bed.

The inn room wasn’t large; just a regular courtyard that looked like a typical household doing some extra business. There were only two or three rooms for guests, and the furniture inside was dusty and shabby, to the point of being crude.

However, despite the hardship faced by the Kushan Sect, they weren’t so uncouth as to toss a young girl into a room with men. Shi Zhongyu had a room all to herself, and even half of the Kushan Sect’s belongings couldn’t be seen inside.

Shi Zhongyu quickly tidied up her appearance, pushed the door open, and wanted to rush back to Taiheng to wake up the sect leader.

However, considering that she had been taken care of by the Kushan Sect during this trip, leaving without saying anything was not the conduct of a gentleman. Now that she had recovered some strength, she began to look for people from the Kushan Sect.

She knocked on the door of the adjacent room for a long time, but no one responded. The door was half-open, and through the narrow crack, she could see the unconscious Su Si and Yan Qing. The two of them were covered in dirt and lying huddled under the quilt, but their wounds were properly bandaged, and they seemed to be fine. Lord Bai was pressing on Su Si’s chest, looking exhausted as it dozed off.

There was no one else in the room. She turned around in circles but couldn’t find Shi Jingzhi and Yin Ci.

The yard wasn’t large. As the only moving person wandering around, she caught sight of the innkeeper. “Miss, you’re awake. Your friends are waiting for you in the front hall.”

Friends?

It suddenly dawned on Shi Zhongyu. Taiheng had a post in Twin Rivers, where many disciples with average talents were stationed. They were usually not focused on martial arts training and were busy with the trivial matters of the sect.

They rarely saw important figures from Taiheng, so suddenly, a big senior sister appeared from the sky—it was definitely something worth seeing.

Now that she had successfully reunited with the sect members, she only needed to enter the protection shuttle and could quickly return to the Central Plains.

However, Shi Zhongyu couldn’t understand why the master and disciple chose to inform Taiheng in advance and then specifically avoid them, leaving only two wounded people who couldn’t receive any visitors—Yan Qing was previously just a servant of Taiheng, and Su Si had only recently joined the Kushan Sect. Even if the disciples of Taiheng were waiting for her here, as long as she didn’t speak, they wouldn’t show the slightest interest in those “nobodies”.

Facing two people whose consciousness was unclear, she seemed to have nothing to say.

Though Shi Zhongyu was stubborn, she grew up in a wealthy family and knew which superficial courtesy was best to be done. Back in the Ghost Tomb, Sect Master Shi hadn’t hesitated to repay her kindness.

Now with such arrangements, it seemed like they didn’t want to have any contact with her and were subtly urging her to leave.

Clearly, they had fought side by side before, experiencing life and death together.

Shi Zhongyu rubbed her temples, and she realized that no matter how tangled she was, there was only one path to choose—that she couldn’t risk the life of her own sect master to pursue some minor details of etiquette.

So she forced a smile and dealt with the enthusiastic disciples of Taiheng in front of her. They surrounded her as they left the small courtyard. When parting, Shi Zhongyu turned her head and looked at the shabby yard with confusion.

…Fortunately, even if she couldn’t bid them farewell in person, there were other ways to repay them.

Yin Ci, no, Senior Yin had entrusted her with something.

The life and death situation with Sect Master Qi had to be handled urgently. However, extracting the record of a deceased disciple was something she still had time to do.

A few hours later, an Arrow Horse left Twin Rivers, and a gray pigeon flapped its wings, crossing the night sky.

When Yin Ci received the Taiheng gray pigeon, the moon had risen. It was almost the fifteenth day, and the moon was quite full.

Unfortunately, Twin Rivers was remote and cold. As soon as night fell, the lights on the streets dimmed a bit. The master and disciple stood on the rooftop, casting two faint shadows, like decorative stone animal carvings, continuing to tacitly maintain the facade of tranquility.

When the pigeon arrived, Yin Ci didn’t avoid showing it to Shi Jingzhi. He read the message in front of him.

The note only had one short sentence.

[Shi Chongyu was fortunate to be favored by the emperor, but she passed away before even four years had passed since she entered the palace.]

Yin Ci crumpled the paper, and the final speculation settled—the person who could specially fabricate a body to deceive him was rare in the world. Shi Jingzhi must have come from an extraordinary background.

Shi Jingzhi had mentioned that his elder brother inherited the family business early and that no one cared about him. He said he had drunk Immortal Wine, but it had no effect on him… He also said his elder brother had peculiar hobbies and taught him the strategies of warfare from a young age.

At the time, Yin Ci thought this person was just talking nonsense, but when he looked back now, most of it turned out to be true. Yin Ci had heard some royal information but had never heard of such a son in the Xu family.

After all these years, Yin Ci had finally caught the fox’s tail, but he couldn’t be happy about it.

Shi Jingzhi had once said that he wanted to find him early and be by his side. But now Shi Jingzhi knew the profound connection between them, knew Yin Ci’s concern for him, and yet he didn’t come forward explicitly or implicitly, trying to use the “immortality” which was even more powerful than anything else.

Clearly, no matter who the enemy was, he wouldn’t lose his life for it.

The crying child from back then had grown up. Yin Ci thought that perhaps he had grown up a little too much. Shi Jingzhi’s “addiction” was present, and facing immortality in front of him, who knew how he could resist asking about it.

Even at this moment, with no one else around, Shi Jingzhi still just watched the pigeon fly away and asked, “A message from Taiheng?”

“Mm.”

“A’Ci, the grilled fish with fruit juice at noon were delicious. Can we have grilled fish tomorrow?” Shi Jingzhi naturally changed the topic.

Yin Ci suspected that if he didn’t speak, they could maintain this false calm forever.

“Over the years, I have been investigating the cause of this ‘immortal body’. If I knew the answer, I would never hide it from you.” Yin Ci sighed and took the first step. “Unfortunately, my past can’t help you with anything.”

His memories when he first obtained “immortality” were already fuzzy and indistinguishable between truth and falsehood. In that vague recollection, he only remembered boundless darkness and despair. After investigating for hundreds of years, Yin Ci hadn’t found anything close to an answer. Time was running out for Shi Jingzhi, and this path was obviously not one they should take.

Putting aside his own age, there was no need to burden Shi Jingzhi with the bitterness of the past. Yin Ci didn’t want to give Shi Jingzhi any unrealistic hope; that would be too cruel.

But the person involved in the matter of not aging and being immortal had no clue. Once he said this, it would definitely raise suspicions.

However, upon hearing this, Shi Jingzhi just smiled brightly. “I know. After all, A’Ci promised me a long life of a hundred years. You wouldn’t intentionally hide something from me. The Kushan Sect is about to become public enemy number one, and yet you are willing to stay. I am content as your master.”

Yin Ci could tell that this wasn’t a lie—once the ban was broken, if there was one change in Shi Jingzhi, it was probably this complete and unrestricted trust.

After finishing his words, Shi Jingzhi then enthusiastically admired the lights under the eaves of the houses.

Why doesn’t he come closer? Yin Ci wondered. Shi Jingzhi had sufficient reasons to act coquettish, hint, or ask for help—anything would do.

‘Forget it,’ Yin Ci thought. Since this person had already pulled him into the world, he could also walk over.

Such a simple truth.

“Your Highness, this can’t go on like this.”

Yin Ci placed a hand on Shi Jingzhi’s head, exerting a little force to make him look at him.

“It’s time for an open and honest conversation.”

The author has something to say:

Compared to immortality, it seems like royal identity is the most irrelevant onion peel _(:з」∠)

Fox Shi has grown up! Demonic Lord Yin… Demonic Lord Yin’s old father mindset failed to renew.

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Full Server First Kill Ch36

Kinky5 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 36: Letter Opener

Teest stood on a thick branch, seemingly weightless. The accumulated snow on the branch didn’t move at all.

His eyes were fixed intently on Jack’s bloodied mouth.

There was no deflection of the damage, indicating that Jack had no items that would reflect damage. Jack didn’t immediately put on a protective shield, which meant his previous shield must have been from an item and was limited in use.

Jack’s face twisted in pain, his mouth half-open, the root of his tongue writhing, unable to regrow a new one for a long while.

Nol’s judgment was right; this guy had at least the talent for “rapid healing”.

“Teest, you’ve applied both [Malicious Corrosion] and [Unstoppable Bleeding] on your blade. Both these skills are possessed by the Fallen Knight.”

Before they set off, Nol had told him this alone. “If there’s abnormal growth at the wound, it means the enemy has the ‘rapid healing’ ability. Remember to adjust your tactics accordingly.”

His mage husband was truly omniscient, Teest thought happily.

He suppressed his breath and jumped down from the branch without stirring a single snowflake.

Greeting Teest were countless bone-like hands.

Teest tiptoed across these skeletal hands, charging at Jack, who was riding the shadow wolf.

Jack commanded the shadow wolf to pounce forward, suddenly surrounded by thousands of gray-black needles. These needles, hidden among the snowflakes and cold wind, had tips that shimmered with a mold-green glow.

They were like piranhas that sensed blood, madly rushing towards Teest.

Teest jumped to the nearest tree, with the poison needles chasing relentlessly. Jack charged at Teest, attempting to pincer him mid-air.

Needles from the back, a wolf’s mouth in the front.

Just as the needles were about to touch Teest’s clothing, he quickly ducked. The needles instantly pierced the shadow wolf’s fur, making it cry out in pain and fall from the sky. As a storyline boss of the instance, the shadow wolf was immune to all special statuses but couldn’t resist the pain caused by the rain of needles.

Jack’s vision was disrupted; the Teest that was just before him had suddenly vanished.

“Surprise!” A voice with a hint of amusement sounded close by.

Suddenly, an upside-down head appeared in front of Jack—Teest had somehow sneaked behind him. This unexpected guest stood on the shadow wolf, bending forward, looking at him upside-down, with silver hair flowing down with his movements.

Jack’s vision was almost completely obscured by the hair, reminding him of the white cloth used to cover the faces of the deceased back in his hometown.

In the next instant, accompanied by a clear “snap” sound, Jack’s vision spun around wildly.

Teest twisted his arms and neatly turned Jack’s head 180 degrees.

“It doesn’t feel like you’re dead, worthy of a player,” Teest muttered regretfully, as if biting into undercooked meat.

He didn’t get greedy and instead nimbly jumped away—

First bound by someone, then face pierced by poison needles, and now stepped on by the target player, the shadow wolf roared in rage. It rolled wildly in the snow, trying to shake off the burden on its back. The [Advanced Rider’s Saddle] relied on the system’s power to adhere to its back. Enraged, the shadow wolf raised its head and howled.

‘The boss’s big move is coming!’ Jack thought with joy.

He hastily applied several protective shields to himself and shoved three or four potent recovery pills into his mouth—having his spine snapped was really brutal. Even with “Rapid Healing” and “Damage Reduction”, he was almost killed by Teest.

With the shadow wolf’s howl, surrounding shadows transformed into sharp blades, which then morphed into several black tornadoes. They swirled around the shadow wolf, instantly shredding nearby trees.

The shadow blades scattered, and Teest’s arms, which he used to shield his face, were immediately scarred. Yet, he barely bled as numerous bone pillars rose from the ground, directly dispersing the tornado of shadow blades.

Nol stood at the original spot, blocking the others, with no expression on his face.

With his left hand pressing the dragon-skin notebook to his chest and the staff in his right hand occasionally raised, it seemed as if he was directing an invisible orchestra—

Massive troll rib bones pierced out from the ground like bamboo shoots, and toxic python bones moved swiftly among them. The shadow wolf was trapped by the thick ribs and entangled by the snake-like bones. In a snap of its jaws, those bones turned into fragments, instantly replaced by new ones.

While Jack was busy recovering health, he clung to the shadow wolf’s back, getting caught directly in the onslaught.

His head hadn’t even been straightened yet, weirdly tilted at ninety degrees.

“As expected.”

Nol spoke in a flat tone. “By fixing yourself to the shadow wolf, it can’t use shadows to move freely. To control it so effortlessly, we should thank you for your assistance.”

As he spoke, his actions didn’t stop. Countless skeletal rats took every chance they got, climbing up Jack’s body. By the time they reached the throat, the one on top bared its teeth and bit directly into Jack’s neck. The ones that followed were fiercely tearing at the flesh around the throat, drilling into the wound.

A few steps away, Teest whistled with a hint of admiration in his expression.

The skeletal rats pried the flesh apart, making the wound hard to heal. The HP that Jack had just managed to restore was rapidly declining. With his throat shattered and his tongue destroyed, he couldn’t even scream.

[You have died. Your experience is being deducted… Your level has decreased: 1]

A few seconds later, an indifferent female voice echoed in Jack’s head.

[You have died. Your experience is being deducted… Your level has decreased: 1]

[You have died. Your experience is being deducted… Your level has decreased: 1]

[You have died. Your experience is being deducted… Your level has decreased: 1]

……

“The [Advanced Rider’s Saddle] requires the user to be ‘at least level 50 after a class change’. Your level is quite high,” Nol remarked without glancing at the gruesome wound. “Let’s see when you lose your qualification to use it.”

“Guh guh”

After a moment of silence, Jack opened his mouth, which no longer had a tongue, and laughed as if he was exhaling. He reached into his pocket and crushed something.

A rich black mist emerged from his pocket, quickly enveloping Jack’s body and forming into black armor. The skeletal rats were instantly kept at bay by the armor and fell to the ground with pitter-patter sounds.

In an instant, both Jack and the shadow wolf vanished from the spot.

The rare item [Shadow Armor] allowed the user to operate in a shadow state for 60 minutes, hiding in the shadows of all things. This was a one-time-use item and was more expensive than any item seen so far.

Nol stood still, pointing with his staff. “Teest, Rosen.”

He sounded almost calm.

Behind Nol, giant troll-like ribs protruded once again, forming a cage that protected the couple, the hunter, and the white wolf at the center.

Rosen sat on Julie’s shoulders, waving both hands. Countless light orbs filled the bone cage, locking out all shadows.

At the same time, Teest moved through the bushes, appearing outside the rib cage. His “Betrayer” transformed into a sword—

Ding!

The fangs of the shadow wolf clashed with the blade. Its tongue was cut by the sharp edge, and the “Betrayer” had a faint bloodline.

Inside the skeletal cage, Julie let out a deep roar. Protecting Rosen behind her, she reached out with scalpel-like claws and her fur took on a rock-like texture.

Rosen maintained the light orbs, chanting hurriedly. With a crackling sound, the outside of the bone cage was covered with a thick layer of ice, soon to become an ice fortress.

Jack clicked his tongue harshly, directing a swarm of needle-like mosquitoes towards the not yet sealed ice fortress. The shadow wolf bent its body; its fur stood on ends due to magic.

Teest did a backflip and stood firmly on the edge of the ice.

Ding ding ding. Dazzling light from the sword emerged, and all the needles were knocked onto the ice by him. They trembled helplessly, like birds trapped in a vice.

The blood on the “Betrayer” was completely shaken off, leaving tiny red dots on the white snow.

Cursing in his mind, Jack was about to use an explosion spell on the ice shell when an almost simultaneous interruption occurred.

The mage seemed to be able to predict the future, as his interruption was precise—Jack’s explosion felt like it had exploded inside him, and the shadow wolf’s charging skill was disrupted by an ice cone, both shaking in pain almost simultaneously.

Enduring the pain, Jack changed his strategy, trying to physically break the ice shell. Unfortunately, his fist had not been out for a second when it was deflected by Teest’s sword, missing its target.

“How did you know…”

Jack finally managed to speak; his voice was hoarse and malicious. At this moment, his face was hidden behind the helmet of the shadow armor, looking no different from a monster.

“Let me answer that—Nol is a protector. You dare not face him head-on, so of course you want to kill those he protects first.” Teest’s golden eyes appeared above the sword’s blade, still annoyingly bent. “As for your attack methods, if I were you, I would do the same. Consider this a compliment.”

Jack let out a bitter laugh, directing the shadow wolf away from Teest, intending it to bite the frozen bone cage.

Unexpectedly, the shadow wolf showed resistance for the first time.

Before Jack could think further, a pair of cold arms suddenly wrapped around his waist. These arms carried a hint of magic, sticking firmly to him, preventing him from sinking back into the shadows—just as he had done to the shadow wolf moments ago.

Jack slowly looked down to see a pair of scarred, pale arms.

It was a pair of hands belonging to a corpse.

Then came more and more hands. These corpses slowly crawled out from beneath the snow, their bodies mutilated and diverse in race, with expressions frozen in despair.

Like drowning people longing for a piece of driftwood, they tried their best to grasp at Jack. Jack’s wrists and ankles were tightly bound by countless cold, heavy hands, as if they were shackles made of flesh.

Jack wanted to shock the shadow wolf to urge it to flee, but the corpses broke his fingers one by one, rendering him immobile. Underneath him, more corpses clung to the shadow wolf, which was frantically biting at them.

But these corpses weren’t fragile bones. Many still emanated residual magic. Even when physically torn apart, they wouldn’t disintegrate like skeletons and continued to cling to Jack and the shadow wolf—even if only a hand remained.

Then, poisonous needles pierced down, lightning flashed, and the shadow blade became a storm, but the corpses remained unfazed.

These people had died long ago on this desolate snowy plain. They couldn’t die again.

Jack was sweating profusely. He couldn’t help but look in Nol’s direction and exclaimed, “Fuck, where did all these dead people come from?! All summoning takes time, when did you start summoning…”

“The moment I laid eyes on you,” Nol interrupted distractedly.

He stared at the stiff and cold corpses. More and more corpses emerged. The earlier ones were torn apart by the shadow wolf and thrown into the snow, looking like broken plaster statues. The newcomers stepped over these fragments, silently reaching out.

There was a woman with swollen arms, a skinny child, a man with bite wounds on his legs, a young man with rotten feet, a beastman with a hole in its chest…

How many people had died in this instance? Nol lost count.

“Fuck you. How much mana do you have?!” Jack roared, desperately using items to fend off the persistent corpses. “This is cheating! This is cheating! There’s no such spell, and there’s no necromancer in this game—”

“There is now,” Nol whispered.

Jack felt like he was sinking into a marsh of corpses. Their stiff bodies choked his throat while cold fingers clawed at his mouth, as if they wanted to tear him apart alive. He felt heavier and colder, almost as if he were becoming one with the corpses.

Skeleton rats appeared again, this time focusing on the electric whip around the shadow wolf, trying to pull Jack off.

‘It’s time to end this,’ Nol thought.

‘It can’t end like this,’ Jack thought, almost as a curse.

He stopped struggling, reached for his neck, and violently tore off the amulet on his chest. It had been hidden under his armor, unseen by the mage.

Let’s see how you predict this now. Under the mask, Jack revealed a twisted grin.

[The Eternal Amulet has been damaged. You will sacrifice 10 levels to deal true damage at your current level’s limit. This attack will ignore all interruptions and defenses—]

With the appearance of the powerful special profession “Necromancer” in the game, the information was valuable enough. Since he couldn’t win, he might as well complete the mission and run.

Having lost fourteen levels, he was way behind the main force. But no worries, there were still many people outside to kill…

[“Eternal Sacrifice” activated. Please select a target—]

‘[White Wolf],’ Jack thought.

His phantom armor disintegrated on the spot, and Jack turned into an afterimage, rushing towards the white wolf in the bone cage. The Necromancer stood directly in his path of attack. Surely, he would prioritize self-defense.

If not, Jack would happily kill two birds with one stone—this was the absolute item given by the Eternal Church. Nothing could interrupt his attack!

Noticing Jack’s full charge towards the cage, Nol was taken aback for a moment. Everything happened too fast, and he only managed three thoughts.

…He didn’t recognize this skill.

…He didn’t have time to chant a spell.

…He had to stop this charge.

So, Nol let go of his staff and grabbed the only offensive item he had. As they passed by each other, Nol sidestepped and swung his arm with all his strength, plunging the letter opener deep into Jack’s shoulder.

Jack abruptly stopped, as if his skill was paused. He let out a non-human shriek and collapsed on the ground, staring in disbelief at Nol.

Player “Jack’s” face began to melt.

The author has something to say:

Defeating Jack can hardly be considered the climax of this arc. He’s not worth it—

The letter opener finally makes its appearance.

Teest: …This knife is different from what was described. (Scared)

Nol: Bug(?). So it’s finally my turn, right?

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