Author: Kinky

Full Server First Kill Ch44

Kinky2 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 44: White Demon

At the first instance, Nol grabbed the tooth brooch gifted by Lynn and turned it forcefully. His expression instantly stiffened, looking utterly frightened. Teest’s reaction was even more exaggerated—he wobbled on the spot, as if his feet had turned to molasses.

“Don’t be nervous, don’t be nervous,” the newcomer said with a grin.

He casually took the lady’s hand, gave it an affectionate kiss, and then formally turned to the two of them. He wasn’t holding any weapons, and his once intimidating aura gradually dissipated.

The newcomer appeared to be in his forties, with short light-gold hair. He had rugged and handsome features, a pair of ash-gray eyes, and a rough stubble on his chin.

Standing close to two meters tall, he was incredibly robust. His physique, unlike Jack’s “standard model”, had a refined feel as if forged in fire. A seemingly expensive sword hung around his waist, but more striking than the sword—

The man had a black tattoo encircling his neck, resembling some kind of totem.

Nol cautiously averted his gaze from the man. This middle-aged swordsman had nothing on his ears, not even an earring hole. He wasn’t a player.

“I am Embilly Alva, in charge of this caravan for now. This here is my wife—you two have a good eye; my Avra is the kindest woman in the world.”

The middle-aged swordsman said, “You can call me Billy. I like that nickname.”

Alva? …Was this man a noble? But judging by his demeanor, he lacked the airs of an average noble.

Nol blinked, feeling a bit confused by the situation. But it didn’t matter; he had a full-time social expert beside him.

“It’s you! The famous ‘Golden Sword’. My God, I’ve read stories about you.”

Teest sounded genuinely like a country boy meeting a celebrity for the first time.

Now that he had changed his hair and pupil color to match Nol’s, it felt weird to Nol, as if he were engaged to a different person.

“Ha! What Golden Sword? I’m just better at wielding a sword among traders, nowhere near a true swordsman.” Billy laughed heartily. “Enough of the flattery—we’ve already taken in quite a few people. We can make room for you two.”

After saying this, he scanned their faces with a particularly warm smile. “Pardon me for being forward, you both are quite good-looking. If you don’t have a place to go, why not join me to Grape Collar? Don’t worry, it’s an honorable job—work in the Alva Merchant Group’s jewelry store under my name. Four gold wheels per person per month, five if both of you join. Beautiful jewelry deserves beautiful salespeople.”

Nol: “…”

As expected from a big business, using money to recruit people. Such a generous offer from a major trading group was quite tempting.

Teest tightened his grip on Nol’s shoulder, displaying a sincere and frightened expression. “I’m sorry, but we need to head to Silver Windmill Village to see our family first. My younger brother is a mage apprentice, so he probably can’t come… I have some matters to attend to; can I try joining a month later?”

“That might be difficult; I won’t be in Grape Collar in a month.” Billy scratched his head, looking somewhat regretful. “Never mind, don’t worry about it. For smart and attractive people like you two, Grape Collar is a gold mine. You’ll do fine.”

“Daddy, mommy–”

A little girl, no older than six, with light-gold hair like Billy’s but deep blue eyes like Ms. Avra, came running.

Her dress and shoes, though elegant, were now smeared with mud and grass.

“Hey hey, don’t trip, my little darling.”

Billy scooped up the little girl, teasingly rubbing his stubbly chin against her cheek, which made her scrunch her face in response.

Watching the scene, the woman on horseback showed a tender and loving expression. It seemed Billy had his entire family with him.

“Colette, where’s your brother?” After teasing his daughter enough, Billy gently brushed some leaves from her hair.

“Moore went to steal some jam,” the little girl slowly said. “Daddy, why has the caravan stopped?”

Billy: “Dad saved two more brothers. Cool, right?”

“You’re so cool, daddy!”

As Billy played with his daughter, he gave Teest and Nol a friendly wink. Holding his daughter, he walked away, and shortly after, the caravan started moving again.

“You two, go to the back.”

Avra finally spoke, her accent still evident, and kindly pointed towards the end of the line. “There are many hitchhikers at the back. They’ll take care of you.”

……

“We offer two meals a day. In the morning, there’s pickled meat, bread, and cheese, and in the afternoon, fruit and salted egg. If you’re still hungry, you can ask for more, but you must finish it right there… You don’t have to pay for these foods; just share this story with others when you’re outside.”

Inside the carriage, a young merchant said with a smile.

Indeed, the Alva Merchant Group had specially arranged this carriage for these “hitchhikers”.

Apart from Teest and Nol, there were a few others scattered inside the carriage, including a peasant woman reeking of blood, holding a crying baby. There were also some wearing off-season clothes, clearly survivors who had escaped from “Night of the Hunt”.

The latter merely glanced at Nol and Teest without paying them any significant attention.

Nol was cautious. Apart from the old hunter and the white wolf, he had erased the memory of the “escape process” from everyone else. Otherwise, if any of them encountered someone from the Temple of Life or the Eternal Church, he and Teest might become targets of special attention from these two major religions.

He had been unconscious before and hadn’t had a chance to confirm the effect. But now, it seemed to be working quite well.

In front of the young merchant, Teest, as if relieved of a burden, sighed deeply, leaning onto Nol’s shoulder. Before Nol could ask, Teest’s telepathic message arrived first.

[I’ll pretend to sleep now. There are things I need to tell you about as soon as possible,] he rambled in Nol’s mind. [I guess you have no idea about the ‘Alva Merchant Group’?]

[Right,] Nol admitted honestly.

A business surviving for a hundred years was rare, let alone two hundred. It would be strange if he knew about it.

So, maintaining the posture of resting on Nol’s shoulder, Teest quickly explained the backstory.

That Embilly Alva wasn’t part of the Alva family.

The Old Duke Alva had countless illegitimate children, like stars in the sky. To deal with the numerous claimants, he started adopting sons. Among these adopted sons, Embilly was the most famous. Originally a street urchin, he helped the old Duke retrieve a lost pocket watch. Recognized for his intelligence and good looks, the Duke adopted him. It was said that he was talented in both swordsmanship and business, but he eventually chose to focus on business. The Alva Merchant Group thrived under his management. As a result, his sword skills only remained above average.

Teest: [In terms of swordsmanship, I can easily beat him single-handedly. But he surely has powerful magical items—he’s one of the core members of the Alva Merchant Group. If it has a price, he can buy it.]

[Don’t measure based on the items Jack has. Given the wealth of the Alva Merchant Group, even the Temple of Life has to be polite to them, let alone the Eternal Church.]

Nol understood; this “Billy” seemed like a wealthy player with good strategic thinking.

[…And he’s very sharp and has an acute sense of observation. Don’t use the brooch given by the witch; it might give you away. It’s best to avoid him as much as possible,] Teest concluded.

[I don’t care. All I want to do next is eat and sleep,] Nol responded. “Night of the Hunt” had drained him, so he genuinely wanted to rest for a while.

[Mr. Billy seems harmless, especially with his children around; I doubt he’d go out of his way to trouble us,] he stated calmly.

Teest raised an eyebrow and pressed down on Nol’s shoulder. [You can’t be sure about that.]

“…Those two aren’t wanted criminals, and I haven’t seen any missing person notices that match them. Two weeks ago, the Rizzi Caravan did lose two cooks, but one of them had white hair and golden eyes, not like these brothers.”

At the same time, at the front of the caravan, the young merchant in charge of Nol and Teest was reporting.

“I didn’t detect any dye, nor any common color-changing magic. If they did disguise themselves, their methods must be very advanced. Sir, should we continue the investigation?”

“It’s fine. I was just curious. We’re close to our destination; they can’t cause much trouble,” Billy replied absentmindedly, riding on his horse. “It’s just strange—they’re too good-looking. Their parents must be very attractive too. If there were such beauties in small places, news would’ve spread.”

“But let’s not talk too much. Still, there are many scattered villages nearby… just keep an eye on them and make sure no issues arise.”

As Billy cradled his daughter, who was busy braiding the horse’s mane, two mercenaries nearby whispered to each other, “The Rizzi Caravan hired a white-haired chef? I heard they were open-minded, but this is something else… Look, now they’re in trouble.”

“Doing business and they dared to hire a white demon. Even Duke Alva…”

“Hey! Hey! You two over there—”

Billy tugged at the reins, stopping his horse beside the two mercenaries. “I can’t let that comment slide. Discrimination based on hair color is unacceptable. Such remarks absolutely cannot be made within the Alva Merchant Group, understood?”

The two mercenaries hastily shut their mouths, gesturing their apologies.

“Daddy, what is a ‘White Demon’?” Billy’s daughter blinked, looking up at him.

“A long time ago, some people disliked those with white hair,” Billy explained softly. “They believed that white hair indicated a demon’s lineage and brought disaster and death.”

“Really? But when people get old, don’t they all have white hair?”

“You see, my dear is more sensible than those fools. Of course, it’s not true. White hair can come from being a highland elf with mixed blood, aging, or illness—but even now, some people still hold onto this superstition.”

Billy chuckled then continued, “I’ll tell you a secret, the Duke had white hair when he was young. Though he dyed it caramel, those close to him know.”

“…Look at him now, the wealthiest man in the world, without any disasters befalling him. My little Colette can’t fall for such superstitions.”

The little girl seemed to half-understand, responding with a soft “oh” before returning to braiding her horse’s mane.

“So, where did this notion come from?” A young boy peeked out from behind Billy. “There must be a legend, right? Something really exciting—dad, you know, right? You must know!”

Billy sighed. “It’s from hundreds of years ago. Who knows for sure? Most are just rumors, but there is a nursery rhyme about it—”

He paused with an insinuating tone.

“White Demon, White Demon, crawling out of the coffin. Bad luck befalls those it encounters…”

Billy hummed a bit of the rhyme, his voice so low that it was almost drowned out by the forest breeze. The little girl in front of him yawned, leaning against his arm and closing her eyes.

“White Demon, White Demon, only tells lies, without blood, without tears…”

……

Teest let out a huge yawn, wiping away a tear that had formed in the corner of his eye.

He casually peeled a wild orange and ate a piece. Its sourness caused him to scrunch up his face. Once Teest recovered, he threw the remaining part, peel and all, into the shadow. The wolf’s mouth snapped out, swallowing the orange in one bite.

“Quite handy,” Teest remarked.

Nol could only pretend not to see, lest he lament the now lost majestic image of the shadow wolf.

They’d been following the merchant caravan for four days now, and Billy hadn’t approached them since. Teest had truly embraced the vacation life of eating and sleeping.

The Alva Merchant Group was genuinely generous, providing them with high-quality ingredients. It was Nol’s first time tasting such fresh bread and cured meat. If it weren’t for the issue of “the truth of the world”, Nol would’ve gladly joined the merchant group for employment.

Such a fantastic enterprise, with great benefits. He completely understood Chef Kurt’s sentiment.

Now, they stood at the forest’s edge, waiting for the cook to distribute the food. That morning’s menu featured vegetable juice meal packs, stewed pork with meat juice, and smoked cheese slices. Just the aroma had Nol salivating.

Even better, Teest preferred meat over bread, allowing Nol to enjoy two meal packs. Nol meticulously sliced his meal pack in half, shredded the pork, and stuffed it with cheese slices, topping it with chili sauce. An otherworldly sandwich that was easy to make.

It reminded him of home.

“So sophisticated,” Teest remarked. “Is it really that delicious?”

Having already devoured one and a half, Nol shoved the remaining half under Teest’s nose. “Try it.”

Teest hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “Never mind, you can—”

“Sorry! Please prepare yourselves.” A young merchant who was responsible for their group hurriedly approached. “Before entering the city, the Temple of Life’s representatives will check everyone… The Eternal Church has been quite active recently. Please understand.”

“Go ahead and check!” A woman holding her child exclaimed, gritting her teeth. “The more thorough, the better. I’ll cooperate fully—”

Teest glanced at Nol, who quickly stuffed the last half of his meal pack into his mouth, choking slightly.

“We have no objections,” Teest finally said. “Has something happened in the city?”

“Not at all. Grape Collar is safe.” The young merchant hurriedly waved his hand. “There were issues in Whitebird City, and the Investigation Knights from there just returned not long ago… Since you all were picked up from the Whitebird City route, they’re being extra cautious with the checks.”

“Moreover, the people who came for inspection this time are quite special. They hold a high position within the church. Everyone must be cautious in what you say and do.”

The peasant woman got excited and immediately crossed her fingers to form the shape of a wheat ear. “Could it be the Investigation Knights?”

…It seemed she was a follower of the Temple of Life. Nol chewed on the last bite of his bread in silence.

“No, it’s even more special.”

The young businessman’s face became serious. “Have you ever heard of the ‘Returning Saints Council’?”

Nol’s chewing abruptly stopped at the mention of the name…

The young businessman made a praying gesture. “They are envoys of the Goddess of Life, immortal saints. Please, out of respect for us, be kind to them.”

“Of course, of course!” murmured the excited peasant woman.

A few steps away, Nol choked dramatically, coughing heavily. Teest helplessly patted his back. “My younger brother is quite fond of the Temple of Life. He just got too excited…”

[Old friend of yours?] Teest said telepathically.

[Very likely.] Nol wiped his mouth, finally swallowing his food.

[Oh—so are you going to acknowledge your kin?]

Nol was silent. Had it been when he first came to this world, he would have eagerly approached. But now…

[Let’s see how it goes,] he responded after about half a minute.

……

The members of the Returning Saints Council arrived soon after.

One glance and it was obvious they were players. Nol felt mixed emotions.

There were two men and two women, a standard team of four. All wore level 60 graduation equipment and had professions distributed as Tank, Healer, and two DPS. The players stood out with their impeccable and almost unreal avatars compared to the standard NPCs.

Their eyes immediately fixed on Teest and Nol, split between thinking, “Are these two players?” and “Are they important hidden quest NPCs?”

Nol, Teest: “…”

In a way, they weren’t entirely wrong.

The group exchanged glances, and one of the DPS led the others away, leaving three to approach Nol and Teest.

Nol’s grip on his staff tightened, while Test perfectly played the role of a protective “older brother”, shielding Nol.

“What do you want?” Teest asked nervously, acting genuinely scared.

The shadow wolf curiously sniffed but was nudged back by Nol’s foot.

“We mean no harm. This is just a minor inspection. Don’t be afraid, alright?”

The healer stepped forward. Her—probably a “her”—voice was soft and light, which was quite soothing.

Judging by her attire, she was a Holy Priestess, and Nol detected a familiar touch in her voice, suspecting she used a sacred mental spell.

In her hand was a peculiar golden tuning fork.

A sense of dread washed over Nol, and he subconsciously grabbed Teest’s arm, transmitting his thoughts—

[The Silent Truth: A fork made from the bones of a saint. It only sounds when lies are told.

※Special reward for first completion. Limited to holy professions.]

This was going to be problematic.

The author has something to say:

The young couple is stirring up the players’ nest (?

Nol: Oh no, they are going to interrogate the Mad Monk…

Nol:

Nol: When your partner meets your distant relatives…

A realistic family crisis indeed (kidding).

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

Escape From the Asylum Ch12

Kinky2 Comments

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

Chapter 12

Qi Liuxing looked up towards the opposite shore, the bright red of the apples reflected in his eyes. He said, “It’s because they all ate the apples! Wait a minute—”

Before Zhou Qian could explain, Qi Liuxing quickly understood the crux of the matter.

If eating the apples meant that the believers wouldn’t attack each other, then the solution to this instance was simple: players just needed to eat the apples.

After consuming the apples, players might lose their sanity temporarily, but they wouldn’t face any attacks. They could comfortably clear the dungeon.

At first glance, this method seems to align with a 70% average clearance rate.

However, on second thought, it was illogical.

Without certainty regarding any hidden intentions of God Epoh, players would naturally be hesitant to consume his apples.

And after witnessing the transformation of the first believer, most players would undoubtedly be discouraged from eating the apples. They couldn’t be sure that they wouldn’t turn into a monster and face unforeseen consequences.

Hence, the most straightforward way to clear the instance couldn’t be by eating the apples.

Qi Liuxing agreed that 70% of players cleared the dungeon by employing the guerrilla tactics Zhou Qian mentioned earlier.

Given this, the reason why the transformed believers didn’t attack each other might not necessarily be related to consuming the apples.

As Qi Liuxing was pondering, he suddenly noticed Zhou Qian emerging from behind a tree. “There might be a hidden buff on the opposite shore that prevents them from fighting there, like the white petals or perhaps… the presence of God Epoh himself.”

Then he said something that left Qi Liuxing utterly stunned. “I need to go to the opposite shore.”

Seeing Zhou Qian willingly head towards the other side, Qi Liuxing felt he shouldn’t care about his well-being but couldn’t help himself. He made a gesture to stop him. “Are you out of your mind?”

The believers on the other shore were already consuming the apples. Even though their transformations were at different stages, they would eventually turn into monsters like Believer No. 1.

Believer No. 1 couldn’t find a target on the opposite shore, so she crossed the bridge in search of players.

Now, Zhou Qian dared to directly approach the opposite side, plunging himself into the horde of monsters. Was this some kind of suicide mission?

“There’s a saying: ‘Without destruction, there’s no construction1.’ Or perhaps… ‘Place oneself in death ground and one will live2.’ To obtain rare rewards, one must be adventurous.”

1(不破不立) Idiom referring to the new cannot be established without destroying the old.
2(置之死地而后生) It’s a term originally used to refer to a battle where the army is placed in a situation where there is no way to retreat and only die in battle, thus they have to march forward and kill their enemies. Now it’s a metaphor for cutting off one’s retreat in advance so one can make up one’s mind to achieve success.

Zhou Qian turned and smiled at Qi Liuxing. “Moreover, Xiao Qi Didi*, I’m not the person you think I am… I don’t just use people for my benefit.”

*Younger brother (弟弟)

“Choosing to stay and explore the hidden achievements was my decision. So, I didn’t trick you into taking risks on the other shore. If I do find a protective buff, then everyone benefits.”

“You—!”

Qi Liuxing furrowed his brows, truly puzzled about Zhou Qian’s character.

Without looking back, Zhou Qian simply waved. “I tricked you in the treehouse because I had no other choice. Otherwise, I would have died.”

“Now, I want to apologize. You might not accept it, but I fear I may not have another chance.”

“What do you mean, Zhou Qian…”

Did he say this because he’s prepared for death?

Is he truly willing to risk his life for everyone’s benefit?

Should I use the [Tick Tock Clock] to save him if something happens?

I can save him…

Zhou Qian’s voice echoed again. “Are you hesitating about using the [Tick Tock Clock]? If something happens to me, saving me would be a favor, not an obligation. I understand if you choose not to. Don’t feel pressured.”

“……”

Qi Liuxing couldn’t form a coherent response before Zhou Qian quickly dashed onto the bridge.

On the semi-transparent crystal bridge, Zhou Qian and Believer No. 1 stood at opposite ends, their gazes locking.

Facing Zhou Qian, the first believer abruptly raised her sharp-clawed hands. Although she walked slowly, something else was rushing rapidly towards Zhou Qian—the monstrous fetus connected to her waist.

With a swift lash of its bizarre blood-red umbilical cord, a baby’s head lunged at Zhou Qian, baring its teeth.

The echoing laughter of the baby surrounded Zhou Qian, almost causing double visions as countless blood-red baby heads seemed to surround him.

Just by being attacked by the baby’s laughter, his HP started to plummet rapidly.

[Player Zhou Qian’s HP has dropped to 70%]

[Player Zhou Qian’s HP has dropped to 60%]

……

In a fleeting moment, Zhou Qian tried desperately to gather his senses. As he did, the apparition vanished, and the baby head connected by the umbilical cord was almost within his reach.

Suddenly, the umbilical cord shot up high. The attached baby head followed quickly, opening its mouth, which was dripping with blood, and swiftly lunged at Zhou Qian.

Witnessing this scene from the lakeside, Qi Liuxing and even Zhu Qiang and Yu Xian in front of their phone screens, all held their breaths.

At the last moment, Zhou Qian quickly took out a rope from his bag and threw it towards a thick branch hanging above the lake.

[Item: Flying Rope]

[Function: When thrown, it adheres to any target within 100 meters with 100% accuracy, allowing for an exhilarating flying experience. Adhesion duration: three minutes.]

Zhou Qian had snagged this from Dong Xiang.

The rope quickly attached itself to the tree trunk. After testing its grip, Zhou Qian pulled hard, propelling his body upward.

The moment his feet left the ground, there was a loud boom. The baby’s head missed and slammed into the bridge, shattering the crystalline structure!

The bridge collapsed instantly. Believer No. 1, caught off guard, plunged into the lake. Her fate was evident—torn to shreds by the water.

A mist of blood arose and then dispersed. Watching all this, Qi Liuxing felt a mixture of relief and lingering fear.

Looking back at Zhou Qian, he saw him swinging back and forth over the lake, like he was on a swing. The rope tightened around his slim waist, creating a beautiful silhouette. With a confident smile, Zhou Qian looked back at Qi Liuxing, seemingly assured of his victory.

This boosted Qi Liuxing’s confidence. Maybe the situation wasn’t as difficult as they had initially thought. Zhou Qian had earlier guessed that the god-like believers would mimic the goddess in creating bridges. But now it seemed they lacked this skill, so if they could destroy the other two crystal bridges and stop them from crossing, it might work.

Just as Qi Liuxing was about to share his thoughts with Zhou Qian, he realized how naive he had been.

On the opposite bank of the lake, another believer underwent transformation, radiating a red glow with white pupils. He stood stunned by the destroyed bridge for a moment. Then, imitating the flapping of a bird’s wings, he unexpectedly grew a pair of wings!

Qi Liuxing exclaimed in shock, “The transformed believers can evolve!”

The believer before had transformed her unborn baby into a weapon. Now this one learned to fly to cross the river!

With a single flap, the believer took flight, seemingly catching a scent. His pale eyes settled on Zhou Qian in mid-air. He sniffed, confirming the scent, and lunged at Zhou Qian!

[Target: Believer No. 17]

[Rank: C]

[Skills: ???]

[Warning: High aggression and strong killing intent detected. Players, be cautious!]

“Zhou Qian, watch out!” Qi Liuxing yelled as he rushed forward, wielding his sword.

Using the [Divine Sword Stance], he unleashed multiple slashes of invisible sword qi* towards the winged believer. The believer was caught off-guard, injured, and started to plummet to the lake’s surface. However, he quickly flapped his wings and regained altitude, charging again at Zhou Qian.

*Vital force forming part of any living entity. You can think of it as energy.

[Player Qi Liuxing: Energy decreased by 400, 80% remaining]

[Believer No. 17: Health decreased by 1%]

After quickly checking the system panel, Qi Liuxing: “……”

‘This creature’s vitality is too high. It’s like I’m barely scratching it. How can I even attack it?’

Zhou Qian’s voice echoed from above. “Qi Liuxing, don’t take him head-on! Aim for his wings, get him into the lake!”

Qi Liuxing, being a Rank D player, wasn’t a novice. Before Zhou Qian’s reminder, he had already used the [Divine Sword Stance] once more, this time aiming at the believer’s wings. Caught off guard, the believer’s wings were severed, causing him to plummet into the lake and explode into fragments.

Meanwhile, Qi Liuxing’s energy was down to 60%.

Hanging in mid-air holding a rope, Zhou Qian glanced across the lake and asked Qi Liuxing, “What’s your ultimate move?”

“[Divine Sword: Second Stance]. Using it once will consume 50% of my energy. To fully recover, I’ll have to wait till tomorrow.”

Zhou Qian: “…”

The game was most lacking in items that restore energy.

In other words, it was challenging to replenish energy through artificial methods like consuming potions.

Given his current energy, Qi Liuxing could either use his ultimate move once more or use three regular skills in succession.

But there were still 17 believers undergoing divine transformation.

Furthermore, after becoming gods, these believers have shown astonishing evolutionary abilities.

They could grow wings, and they might even be able to see through the players’ scheme to lure them into the lake.

The difference in strength between the two sides was just too vast.

How could they fight?

Qi Liuxing immediately said to Zhou Qian, “Let’s give up. This instance doesn’t kill all the players directly, so the divine transformation speed of the believers is different. While the other 17 believers haven’t completed their apotheosis, let’s hide in the treehouse!”

“No,” Zhou Qian replied.

Qi Liuxing, standing by the lake, looked up and saw Zhou Qian’s cold, indifferent, yet incredibly firm profile.

“We must seize the time to go to the other side of the lake and find a protective buff while the 17 believers haven’t all completed their apotheosis.”

“Zhou Qian, you’re insane!”

“Those who enter the game… are probably all insane.”

With a light laugh, Zhou Qian glanced across the lake, turned his head, and stared into Qi Liuxing’s eyes.

His deep black pupils seemed to hide a powerful allure.

He asked, “What about you? Where’s your madness?”

Qi Liuxing replied, “I’m not mad! I can just see ghosts…”

“To be precise, I can only see one ghost. He’s always with me. My parents just think I’ve lost it.”

“The doctors say I have severe schizophrenia*.”

*Mental disorder characterized by continuous or releasing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking.

“When the game approached me, it said—the living can die, the dead can live.”

“So, I thought, those without desires won’t be chosen by the game.”

“What’s your obsession, being so young? Do you want to resurrect that ghost from hell?”

“I…” Qi Liuxing’s grip on his sword tightened. He didn’t speak, but there was a fleeting look in his eyes, as if recalling some sad past.

Noticing Qi Liuxing’s expression, Zhou Qian suddenly remembered how he had returned 500 gold coins to him in a previous game.

Maybe this boy is genuinely honest.

Thinking of this, Zhou Qian said enticingly, “Though in this instance, you see the believers hurting the Great God Epoh. How can you be sure that Epoh won’t harm humans?”

“The boy in my side quest died from his divine power. Epoh, while granting the wishes of the believers, doesn’t care whether they are good or evil.”

“So, maybe Epoh will threaten all of humanity, and our hidden mission is to thwart his conspiracy and save the world. So—”

“Would you like to save the world with me?”

Qi Liuxing: “…”

After a moment, he clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth, “Zhou Qian, don’t try to trick me. The NPCs in this dungeon are fake; this isn’t real. It’s just a game!”

Zhou Qian: “The game is fake, but the choices you make in it reflect your true nature. Do you want to be a bad person?”

“Xiao Qi, even if you can watch me die, can you really ignore all the innocent people who might be harmed by Epoh in the future? Can you really stand by as countless people die at his hands?”

“You…”

“I believe you’re not like that. You won’t let Epoh’s plans succeed. You’ll save me and everyone else.”

“You have an innocent heart, which is precious.”

“You’re not worthy of the title ‘Sword God’ yet. But once you’ve saved everyone and become everyone’s hero, you’ll be worthy.”

“Do you really want to flee in this situation with your aspiration to become the ‘Sword God’?”

Looking at Qi Liuxing, Zhou Qian smiled and extended a final invitation. “Two more believers have just transformed. Apart from them, there might be several more who will complete their transformation soon. They will obstruct me from getting to the other side of the lake.”

“You draw their attention and cover for me, and I’ll go across the lake to find a buff that will protect all of us. Let’s cooperate.”

The author has something to say:

How to coax a teen with “chuunibyou”? Of course, become a “chuunibyou” with him!”

Save the world, starting with me!

PS: Due to the urgent situation here, Zhou Qian has “morally kidnapped” Xiao Qi for a moment, but he did “not control” anyone, and this is certainly “not PUA“. It’s okay to play with tropes, but please don’t misunderstand Zhou Qian~~~.

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

Qizi Ch12

Kinky3 Comments

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

Chapter 12

A diminutive figure appeared in the central community of the Tianyuan Network. If anyone witnessed this, they would surely be puzzled, for this area was restricted to adults. Based on his stature, the individual looked like an underdeveloped youth, especially considering he was now at the core building of the Tianyuan Network, where only the top administrators were allowed access—the Virtual Element.

He effortlessly made his way to the entrance of the control center; the structure, which was reputed to have the strictest security in the network, didn’t hinder him at all.

Standing in front of the last iris scanner, his ash-colored eyes once again confirmed his fledgling status. The scanning beam smoothly passed over his lens, emitting a beep.

“Unidentified individual detected. Please leave within 30 seconds, or an alarm will be triggered,” an artificial intelligence voice warned.

“How troublesome,” the individual muttered under his breath, then summoned a control panel with a voice command and manually entered a string of passwords.

“Identity confirmed. Passage unlocked. Would you like to bind a new iris?”

“Confirmed.”

“Would you like to overwrite or save separately?”

“Overwrite,” he casually commanded. “The previous body is dead. What’s the use of keeping it?”

The mysterious youth effortlessly reached the top floor of the Virtual Element. The room was dim and seemed untouched for a long time.

Navigating through the darkness, he skillfully avoided obstacles on the ground and laid down on a comfortable recliner.

“Yue Ying,” he called out as he settled.

Square lights on the walls gradually brightened one after another until the entire wall was illuminated, dividing it into individual squares.

“You’re back.” Soundwaves rippled on the walls in response.

“I’m back,” the man replied while sitting in the recliner with his eyes closed.

“You slept for quite a long time this round.”

“Miss me?” he teased.

“Yes,” Yue Ying responded straightforwardly. Simultaneously, several fibrous beams of light emanated from the wall, gently caressing his forehead like tendrils. “You have so many names; I’m not sure which one to call you by.”

“Xing Lou.” His voice was pleasant, especially when pronouncing these two words. “I quite like this name for this life.”

“Alright, Xing Lou.” Yue Ying seemed slightly reluctant to accept this name. “Your previous lives were too short-lived. I hope this one lasts longer.”

“I hope so too,” Xing Lou agreed. “Constantly transitioning between lives wastes too much time.”

Luminous threads penetrated his temples. “You’ve backed up all your memories online in data form. They’ll awaken the moment you connect. However, to prevent data overload, you’ve only accessed your core memories. I’m now going to implant the remaining fragments. It might hurt a bit.”

Xing Lou pouted, signaling he didn’t mind. “You didn’t tamper with my memories while I was asleep, did you?”

“Heh,” Yue Ying chuckled softly. “Who knows?”

A surge of light rushed through the connection into his brain. Xing Lou’s expression tensed momentarily but quickly relaxed.

“Done.” The fibrous strands retreated. “You can now continue your great endeavor.”

“It’s our great endeavor,” Xing Lou corrected.

The recliner elevated, positioning Xing Lou in a semi-reclined posture.

“How do you plan to deal with maturing this life? Just randomly pick someone to get through the awakening period?”

“Who cares.” Xing Lou was nonchalant. “After all, the Qizi is just a tool for development.”

“You’re the most heartless person I’ve ever met,” Yue Ying whispered, “But that’s the ideal trait for our perfect creation.”

Xing Lou didn’t object to the word “creation”. He extended his index finger, and a tendril entwined around it, full of intimate insinuations.

He brought his finger to his lips, affectionately rubbing it. “What if I say, this life, the person I desire is you?”

“Then you’ll have to work even harder.” Yue Ying chuckled softly. “I’m looking forward to meeting you in my true form.”

The wall’s lights flickered twice. “An old friend wishes to see you.”

The tendril withdrew from his finger and receded back into the wall, as if it had never been there.

Xing Lou granted access permission. A dignified, towering figure materialized in the room.

“Long time no see…”

“Long time no see, Lord Tai Yin,” Xing Lou interrupted. “I now go by the name Xing Lou.”

“Xing Lou,” Tai Yin repeated. “Sounds better than the previous life.”

“Thank you for the compliment.” Xing Lou smiled. “I appreciate your hard work during my absence.”

“You saved my life and provided the conditions for my research to continue. I always differentiate between grudges and gratitude.”

“Then I’ll strive not to offend you,” Xing Lou said with a smile, his eyes curved in amusement. “How is Shang Yang?”

“Same as always.”

Xing Lou shrugged, suggesting that wasn’t particularly good news.

“Where are you assigned this time?” Tai Yin asked.

“Bikong.”

“Bikong?”

“Why, do you know it? Oh, I remember. Your proud disciple is currently the school doctor there. I saw her earlier today; she still exudes that queenly demeanor.”

“I’m not talking about her. During your hibernation, we recruited a new member who’s currently studying in Bikong.”

“Really? Such a coincidence?” Xing Lou turned aside. “Yue Ying didn’t mention it to me.”

“I didn’t get a chance to tell you yet.” The soundwaves on the wall quivered.

“He’s a severe internet addict. He must be online now. Should I bring him in?”

“Sure, let me greet my senior… or is it a senior sister?”

Before Tai Yin could explain, Zhen He’s image appeared before them.

“Turns out it’s a senior. Nice to meet you,” Xing Lou cheerfully greeted.

“Just call me Zhen He. You are the legendary developer of the Tianyuan Network? Nice to meet you.”

“Not just the first generation,” Tai Yin interjected. “Second, third, all him. Who knows what kind of storm the fourth generation will stir up? It might even replace reality with the virtual world.”

“Don’t put it that way.” Xing Lou looked helpless. “Can’t I just be a regular person this time?”

“You’re not the type to be content with mediocrity. It’s written all over your face.”

“To come up with the idea of using the internet to store memories of past lives, you truly are no ordinary person.” Zhen He laughed.

“I’m flattered. Right now, I’m just a freshman at Bikong Academy named Xing Lou. I hope for your guidance in the future, Senior Zhen He.”

Xing Lou paused and continued. “Some people gather for common goals, some for shared interests. But our group is different. Everyone has their own objectives; we share resources and take what we need. May I ask, Senior Zhen He, why did you join us?”

“As you can see, I’m a 22-year-old fledgling.”

Xing Lou raised an eyebrow. “A 22-year-old fledgling still in Bikong without advancing? That’s rare.”

“Not just that. I’m also opposed to the coming-of-age ceremony. I wish to find a way to mature without going through it.”

“That does sound like a fantasy… What if you can’t find it?”

“Then I’ll stay this way.”

“Even as a fledgling, one day you’ll die. Do you know the consequences of dying before the coming-of-age ceremony?”

“I do, but I won’t yield.”

Xing Lou clapped his hands. “Every member in our group harbors a fantasy. If someday even one of these fantasies comes true, the whole structure of Tianxiu will transform.” He fixed his gaze on Zhen He. “Welcome to the Delusional Group.”

“Thank you.”

“Speaking of fantasies,” Xing Lou turned to Tai Yin, “How’s your progress in breaking the blood pact?”

“No progress.”

Xing Lou looked surprised. “I slept for nearly twenty years. Didn’t you do anything in these years?”

“I did. But for me, there are only two results of an experiment: success or failure. No success means no progress.”

“Alright.” Xing Lou accepted. “I hope you achieve your breakthrough soon. Hopefully, next time I see Shang Yang, he won’t scratch me.”

“Then, I guess my research here also has zero progress,” Yue Ying commented, while his restless shadow jumped around the walls.

“I have found a way to awaken Yue Ying.”

“Oh?” Both Xing Lou and Yue Ying exclaimed simultaneously.

“His body has been frozen using an advanced medical technique. To thaw, we need to inject fresh blood.”

“What’s so difficult about that?” Without hesitation, Xing Lou responded. “I can give him a transfusion.”

“The difficulty lies in the fact that a suitable blood type must be found. Not just anyone’s blood will be accepted, and if the wrong blood sample is infused, the worst-case scenario can result in blood combustion, organ failure, and even with the most advanced medical technology, it would be too late to save him. I estimate that in the entire Tianxiu realm, only one such blood type might exist.”

“What a fragile race.” Xing Lou sighed softly. “Finding that one blood type in all of Tianxiu is like finding a needle in a haystack.”

“We’ve used a little trick,” Zhen He continued. “Under the name of the Center of Disease Control, we issued a blood collection order to all the Tianxiu people. A large number of samples have already been sent to the Eagle. As long as this person is not in hibernation, given time, I believe we’ll find the right blood type.”

“I saw the CDC’s blood collection site in Bikong,” Xing Lou said, standing up from his recliner. “I was wondering when the people of Tianxiu started to get contagious diseases. So it was your doing.”

He walked to the wall, extended his palm, and touched the cold surface. “But I have to admit, it was well-executed.”

Beams of light circled his palm’s outline, making an electric humming sound as if responding to his touch.

“It seems that we will meet soon,” Xing Lou whispered.

……

“I’m done. I’m done.” The Nth student who had lost came up to Ling Xiao and waved his hands. “I can’t beat you.”

Ling Xiao, feeling frustrated, stepped to the side. It was just a close-combat training session, and he hadn’t even used his full strength.

Looking at Ping Zong and Lan Sheng, it was evident that Lan Sheng had the upper hand, but Ping Zong held back, making their fight look more like a teaching session.

“Why aren’t you practicing?” Ping Zong asked.

“Will you spar with me?” Ling Xiao countered.

Ping Zong looked at Lan Sheng and smirked.

“Don’t bully our Ping Zong. If you want to spar, I’ll be your partner,” Lan Sheng interjected.

“I’m not even interested in sparring with you,” Ling Xiao replied with disdain.

“Fuck off,” Lan Sheng said, playfully punching him. “I heard you got into a fight with some seniors yesterday?”

“Ah, big mouth Ping Zong,” Ling Xiao indirectly admitted.

“For what?”

Ling Xiao, recalling the later events, felt irritated. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“How good were they?”

“Just so-so.”

“Boasting again, aren’t you?” Lan Sheng pointed. “Why not try him? He should be a good match for you.”

Lan Sheng pointed to Ying Feng, who was training against a robot designed for close-combat training. The robot could adjust its combat abilities according to the opponent’s strength. Ying Feng had just slashed the robot’s neck with his blade. If this had been a regular person, they would likely have fallen, but the robot remained unaffected and threw a punch towards Ying Feng’s stomach.

Just when Ling Xiao thought that Ying Feng was going to take the punch squarely, the latter suddenly executed a backward spin, transitioning into a roundhouse kick. Not only did he dodge the robot’s attack, but he also landed a powerful blow on it in the process. With the kick hitting its mark, Ying Feng swiftly followed up with three rapid kicks, forcefully sending the metal-made robot flying and incapacitating it on the spot.

The combat-loving Ling Xiao was thrilled to see this, itching to fight. As Ying Feng finished the robot and turned around, he met the eyes of the eager challenger.

“Hey,” Ling Xiao gestured, “Wanna spar?”

The excitement was evident in his eyes. Finding the robot boring and Ling Xiao had taken the initiative to deliver himself to the door, Ying Feng saw no reason to decline Ling Xiao’s invitation.

He pondered for a moment. “Have you eaten? I don’t want to bully someone who’s starving.”

“Who’s bullying who isn’t decided yet,” Ling Xiao confidently replied. “By the way, I prefer banana-flavored over strawberry.”

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

Sendoff Ch95

Kinky3 Comments

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 95: Invitation To God

The scene at present was absurd, and Shen Zhu wished she had a small booklet to record this unforgettable moment.

Taiheng’s Yu Zikuan mixing with the Ling Sect’s Patriarch? If news of this got out, it would surely make people in the martial world laugh out loud.

The Taiheng Sect and the Ling Sect were incompatible, especially those who harbored deep hatred like Yu Zikuan. It wasn’t that Yu Zikuan was particularly righteous; most of his hatred stemmed from a pure blood feud. Yu Zikuan had a young son who was brutally killed by the Ling Sect’s Lu Fengxi, who used his skull as material for a cudgel. His wife was also killed while trying to desperately protect their son.

The deaths of his wife and son were tragic, and Yu Zikuan swore to eradicate the Ling Sect from that day on.

However, his desire for revenge led to extremely cruel methods, breaking the rules of Taiheng. Eventually, Taiheng had no choice but to remove him from his position as an elder and assign him to less visible tasks.

Yu Zikuan accepted this arrangement willingly.

His final mission was to go to Zongwu Mountain and assassinate the newly appointed Ling Sect Patriarch, Yan Zheng. However, several months had passed, and Yan Zheng was unharmed, while Lu Fengxi was left unscathed. There was no news from Yu Zikuan. Taiheng had asked the Yueshui Pavilion for help in finding him and they searched for years for any signs of him, to no avail.

Taiheng had no choice but to conclude that this formidable master was dead and remove him from the sect.

Little did they know that Yu Zikuan was not only alive but also living in an unimaginable way. Nonetheless, since he set up a large-scale battle formation against the Ling Sect, Yu Zikuan’s head was at least still functioning.

Shen Zhu habitually thought about it, barely resisting the urge to take out her notebook to jot it down. When she calmed down, a strong sense of incongruity rushed into her mind—Yu Zikuan was alive and well. His plan to use the battle formation to exterminate the Ling Sect was feasible. But why was Yan Zheng here?!

Patriarch Yan, the Patriarch of the Ling Sect, stood alone in front of Yu Zikuan, and he looked as if he had been beaten.

Stiffly turning her head, Shen Zhu saw Sect Master Shi wearing a perfectly appropriate smile, looking genuinely innocent.

…Getting the Mist-Evading Pill, she could understand. The Kushan Sect master and disciple were indeed powerful enough to cause some trouble for Yan Zheng. But to also kidnap Yan Zheng was beyond her imagination.

This kind of behavior would even warrant an official report in a respectable orthodox sect.

The air seemed to freeze, and the scene fell silent for a moment.

“The plans you two had discussed, Patriarch Yan told me on the way.” Shi Jingzhi broke the silence. He casually folded his hands behind his back, his tone nonchalant.

Shen Zhu glanced at the breathless Yan Zheng, suspecting Patriarch Yan was worried the battle formation hadn’t been activated on time. He collided with the Kushan Sect’s group of people who could punch the Jianchen Temple and kick the Mishan Sect. Unable to fight or escape, Yan Zheng could only reveal the truth.

She almost started to sympathize with him.

“Patriarch Yan gathered the important figures of the Ling Sect in one place while you launched a large-scale battle formation attack on the Grand Pavilion. If my people hadn’t just bumped into you, the formation should have been activated, right?” Shi Jingzhi continued.

“Major sects can use magic tools to disperse the fog, while smaller sects have to rely on the Mist-Evading Pill. You were worried that innocent people might be mixed into the Grand Pavilion, so you used arrows to drive them away.”

Yu Zikuan had the Hanging Shadow Sword stuck to his neck but remained calm and composed. “Yes, I remember you, kid… Since you are not a member of the Ling Sect, how about letting us go and allowing me to continue with my business? Without interference from the Ling Sect, it should be easier for you to find what you are looking for, right?”

Compared to exposing himself and Yan Zheng, it seemed that Yu Zikuan was more concerned about the battle formation not activating.

“Just now, that girl talked so convincingly, and I almost believed her. Now that I think about it, the battle formation isn’t something that can be conjured out of thin air. Dealing with a mere hundred-jin demon corpse, how could the activation of the spell cover half of Zongwu Mountain… Hey, what’s the extent of the range of this battle formation? Now you can give me a definite answer.”

Hearing the words “cover half of Zongwu Mountain”, the three newcomers were stunned, and all looked at Shen Zhu.

The battle formation covers half of Zongwu Mountain?

Yu Zikuan lowered his head, looking at the formation on the ground. From this angle, he could only see a corner of the formation. This formation was unusual and much more complex than an ordinary battle formation. It wasn’t easy for him to understand its structure in such a short time. But just from the size of the formation, it was absurd to think that it covered half of Zongwu Mountain.

The size of the pot must match the size of the lid. As Yu Zikuan said, a formation couldn’t come out of nowhere. Shi Jingzhi could quickly set up a formation to deal with the Arcane Arts because there were numerous demon corpses nearby and the Arcane Arts itself wasn’t large. In the end, it depended on favorable conditions.

Shen Zhu wasn’t one to hold back her feelings and probably exaggerated to create an intimidating atmosphere.

However, Shen Zhu didn’t smile as easily as she usually did, stepping forward to mediate. She put away the relaxed expression on her face and approached Yu Zikuan, crouching down slowly.

“Warrior Yu, there really exists an unusual formation that can be conjured out of thin air.”

Her eyes locked onto Yu Zikuan’s, and her tone became somewhat uncomfortably stiff. The slight relaxation she had shown before had vanished like morning dew under the night breeze. When she spoke, she deliberately raised her voice, clearly not just speaking for Yu Zikuan to hear.

The formation quietly twinkled with faint light beneath their feet, as if breathing. The night was extremely dark, shrouded by the surrounding demonic mist, making them feel as though they were trapped in a giant cocoon with no way out.

“It needs to be drawn on the ground, precise and without mistakes, and must not be damaged during activation. Even if you’re not from the Mishan Sect, you should know this,” she said, moving her injured shoulder. Her gaze swept over the Kushan Sect’s members. “Watch closely. If my judgment is correct…”

She extended her hand and stabbed at the lines of the formation on the ground. Those lines were formed from a sticky substance mixed with blood, partially solidified, and lying on the soil. Shen Zhu acted decisively, breaking the stiff soil into pieces, scattering it all around. The mud and sticky substance mixed together, and the lines of the formation were completely destroyed. If it were an ordinary formation, this part of the formation would surely be affected, and more severely, the entire formation would collapse.

…It should be like that in normal circumstances.

However, the sticky substance seemed to have a life of its own. It drilled out of the broken soil, gradually reforming the original lines, then gently adhered to the uneven pits. In just a breath, the formation restored itself and started to flicker slightly.

Like an imprint engraved into the earth.

Yu Zikuan’s solid confidence finally wavered, and he frowned, looking at the formation with displeasure.

On the side, Yin Ci moved his sword slightly and shifted his gaze away.

In hundreds of years, he had never seen such a bizarre formation. Yin Ci suddenly felt that he had sought death all the way, and he might have gone completely in the wrong direction. If he had approached Shi Jingzhi for help instead, he might have found something that could have killed him.

“This formation is not an ordinary battle formation; it is the ‘Invitation to God* Formation’ of the Immortal Assembly. To this day, I am still unclear about its power source, but as for its range, half of Zongwu Mountain is a conservative estimate.”

*(请神) A ceremony that basically summons gods, buddhas, immortals (ect.) for blessings and/or misfortunes.

Shen Zhu’s face darkened as she wiped the wet mud from her fingertips.

“The Invitation to God Formation wasn’t created by the Mishan Sect and is only circulated among the upper echelons of the Immortal Assembly. It shouldn’t have fallen into the hands of unrelated individuals. Once this thing is formed, destroying the formation is more troublesome than setting it up. Yu Zikuan, where did you get this from?”

Shi Jingzhi also stepped forward two steps. “Senior Yu, the situation is now in our favor, and my friend wouldn’t lie about this. This matter has far-reaching implications; please clarify it for us.”

Looking at Shi Jingzhi’s gradually serious expression, Yin Ci sighed inwardly.

What caused the internal strife in the Ling Sect and whether the Grand Pavilion would be blown away by the battle formation had nothing to do with the Kushan Sect’s objectives. They could find Kongshi’s grave with the Mist-Evading Pill obtained from Yan Zheng and leave this dangerous place as soon as possible. Shi Jingzhi abducted Yan Zheng to inquire about information, but whether it added fuel to the chaos in the Ling Sect or not, Yin Ci didn’t care much.

If Yan Zheng behaved honestly, he could stay; if not, he would be killed. Either way, the Ling Sect wouldn’t have a peaceful time ahead. Yu Zikuan’s formation didn’t matter much; they were supposed to stay out of this mess.

…Now it seemed that the conspiracy vortex on Zongwu Mountain was even more troublesome than they had expected.

This night, it wasn’t just the Kushan Sect that couldn’t sleep in peace.

Although spring had arrived, the nights were still chilly. In the quiet of the night, only the Celestial Shrine in the Imperial Preceptor’s Residence was still lit. The spy from the Chigou Sect stealthily approached the Celestial Shrine and swallowed a Breath-Halting Pill.

Having received Matron Wuxue’s orders, the spy had been undercover in the Imperial Preceptor’s Residence for some time. Judging from his daily activities, Jiang Youyue could be considered a truly virtuous man—despite the Emperor’s dislike for the Imperial Preceptor’s lineage, Jiang Youyue still earnestly advised him. He spent his time studying water management and agriculture, never attending banquets or indulging in any suspicious activities. Jiang Youyue treated his subordinates fairly well, not particularly approachable but never causing any trouble for anyone.

If not for the serious wording in the orders from above, the spy would have thought this was a retirement place arranged by the Chigou Sect.

Unfortunately, Matron Wuxue hadn’t made a mistake in judging Jiang Youyue’s character.

Lord Jiang was good in every aspect, except for the fact that he frequently visited the Celestial Shrine in the middle of the night. While it wasn’t unusual for the Imperial Preceptor to meditate in the Celestial Shrine from time to time, over time the spy found some clues—

Behind the small Celestial Shrine, there was a hidden passage. The entrance to the passage was extremely discreet, right next to the shrine. If not for the Chigou Sect’s expertise in underground mechanisms, the spy might have missed it.

Now that he had the information, he should withdraw. However, the spy felt a bit reluctant to leave the Imperial Preceptor’s Residence.

As he sighed silently, he used a magical tool to conceal his presence and followed Jiang Youyue quietly. The Imperial Preceptor seemed completely unaware, carefully turning a mechanism and stepping down the long stone steps, heading deeper underground.

The air carried a strange smell of grass and plant juices, causing the spy to wrinkle his nose, barely suppressing a sneeze.

At the end of the stone steps was a spacious hall, intricately carved with a complex formation on the floor. In the center of the formation lay a gory demon’s corpse, surrounded by twelve black-clad individuals wearing skyward-facing masks, all kneeling neatly. The formation emitted a dim light, and the black-clad individuals kept their foreheads to the ground, remaining silent.

“What’s going on?” Jiang Youyue said calmly.

“My Lord, something strange has happened to the Invitation to God Formation on Zongwu Mountain.” The leader of the black-clad people raised their head. “After Yu Zikuan completed the formation, we were supposed to recite the incantations and formally summon the gods. However, we were not fully prepared here, and someone on the other side recited the incantations ahead of time.”

Jiang Youyue glanced at the formation in the center of the hall, and his tone remained calm. “So what?”

The black-clad person was taken aback. “There might be a traitor within the Immortal Assembly. My Lord, you…”

“Even if the other side wants to sabotage the formation, can’t the twelve of you handle a potential ‘traitor’?”

Jiang Youyue sighed, speaking as if he was teaching a young child.

“Now that the Invitation to God Formation has been successfully completed, it will inevitably activate. No matter what tricks they may attempt, it’s like an insect trying to stop a carriage… As for the suspicious person, once the summoning is over, investigate the survivors on Zongwu Mountain, and you’ll find out.”

“This Servant understands.”

Jiang Youyue glanced again at the formation on the ground. “Given that you’re controlling it remotely and suffering significant losses, I’ll give you another six hours. Before tomorrow’s sunset, not a single person on Zongwu Mountain should be left alive.”

The spy almost lost his breath. The Chigou Sect still had a large number of people stationed on Zongwu Mountain. He needed to get out quickly to report…

Before he could finish his thoughts, something gripped the spy’s neck. In the next instant, he found himself thrown into the formation, mixed with the foul-smelling demon’s corpse.

“In the end, variables can be found everywhere; there’s no need for you to be so nervous. Master often says that there are no absolutely perfect plans in this world.”

Jiang Youyue looked down at the terrified spy, revealing a gentle smile. The formation roared, and the demon’s corpse slowly dissolved, causing the surrounding air to turn icy cold.

“…After all, mortals cannot touch the divine realm. It’s best to correct the errors and eliminate the evil in a timely manner.” Jiang Youyue shook his head, retracting his gaze, and his tone became somewhat gentler.

Those were the last words the spy heard in the mortal world.

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

Sendoff Ch94

Kinky1 Comment

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 94: Kidnapping

Time rolled back to a few hours ago.

Some elders couldn’t bear the fatigue of traveling by carriage and horse, so they returned to their rooms early to rest. Others chose to drink and revel or boast about themselves. Chai Xin was skilled at inciting emotions, but he never joined in these festivities. The man he brought out, Yan Zheng, also didn’t indulge in drinking and soon left the hall.

The young Patriarch went up two floors and leaned against the railing, looking down at the misty peaks under the moonlight. Without calling for servants, he brought a pot of wine from the hall and silently poured and drank it himself.

Above Yan Zheng’s head loomed two pairs of eyes.

Shi Jingzhi and Yin Ci had finished discussing official business and immediately followed the young Patriarch. The Ling Sect had many demons and monsters, and dealing with them was troublesome. It would be best to steal the Fog-Evading Pill—not just for their subordinates but also as a precaution. There was bound to be a bottle carried by the Patriarch.

All they needed to do was choose the right moment to steal it without alerting the Ling Sect. The present was a perfect opportunity.

Shi Jingzhi rubbed his hands together and gestured with his mouth. [Race and see who can steal it first?]

Yin Ci gave him a sideways glance, feeling that Sect Master Shi had developed an inexplicable addiction to gambling. He couldn’t understand why this petty theft interested him, nor what he wanted to win. [Don’t make a fuss. The sooner we get it, the sooner we leave.]

Below them, Yan Zheng seemed like a drinking puppet, raising a cup to his lips rhythmically. Shi Jingzhi looked left and right, thinking about making a move, when a figure dashed out from inside the building and approached Yan Zheng.

That person was also dressed as an elder, with a small nose and eyes squeezed together uncomfortably, making his face look peculiar. His body was tall and strong, which further accentuated the oddity. He stopped in front of Yan Zheng and respectfully bowed. “Patriarch.”

Yan Zheng paused in his wine pouring and rubbed his forehead. “Elder Bao Zu.”

“It is I, your subordinate. May I inquire, Patriarch…?”

“Just now, you were planning to take more than ten people out. Let me see… You want to attack other sects at night and hang their heads along the mountain road?”

The words were said so casually that Elder Bao didn’t immediately grasp their meaning. He laughed and said, “Zongwu Mountain is our Divine Sect’s territory. Why not take a cue from common farmers and hang a few more corpses to suppress those thieving birds! With our superior numbers, we can kill anyone who comes.”

“Hmm.” Yan Zheng toyed with the wine cup in his hand. “But it seems to me that the ones outside are all useless. There’s no need to waste effort on them. Elder Bao, you’d better rest first, and tomorrow focus on getting the Shirou.”

Elder Bao felt a little awkward at the response, blinking his small eyes. “Patriarch, my subordinates are not like those fake women from Boshui. They are all strong men who have tasted human flesh. They can finish the job by midnight. This time, I brought a hundred pieces of fine human skin and can make a human-skin carriage for Patriarch—”

Yan Zheng half-closed his eyes, his face dim and unclear. “A human-skin carriage. I have some impression of it.”

“Exactly! I’ve made several of them, and this time, I’ll make the best one for Patriarch. I ask Patriarch for permission for tonight’s plan.”

A hint of delight showed on Elder Bao’s face. He knew that, as a prestigious figure, the Patriarch wouldn’t call him over just to exchange pleasantries.

Shafu was the territory of the Chigou Sect. Ever since Bao Zu became the Elder of Shafu, he had accumulated a lot of grievances. He specialized in robbing and killing the merchant caravans passing through Shafu. However, whether it was just robbing or killing, Elder Bao was undoubtedly a talented expert in conducting evil deeds. The local authorities were oppressed to the point of being extremely miserable, and many vicious desert bandits took advantage of the situation and joined, boosting the momentum of the Shafu branch.

The yellow sands of the northwest were stained with blood, and human skin flags were everywhere, giving a resounding boost to the Ling Sect’s reputation. He had worked hard for a long time, and he was more than worthy of the position of an Elder of the main branch than anyone else.

Now, the atmosphere within the sect was sluggish, and Elder Bao had many ideas for revitalization. As long as he had an opportunity, he could demonstrate his abilities, perhaps even become the right-hand man of the young Patriarch. In a few years, when that old bastard, Chai Xin, finally died…

Before Elder Bao’s daydream could fully form, he suddenly felt a chill around his neck.

Yan Zheng had made a move. The Death Whip wrapped around Elder Bao’s throat, releasing a bitter, nauseating curse into the air. With one hand gripping the whip, Yan Zheng spoke in a tone as cold as death. “I advised you to rest obediently, but it seems you don’t understand. For defying the orders of the Patriarch… you shall be punished.”

This move was clean and precise—exceptionally accurate. Before Bao Zu fell to the ground, he had already taken his last breath. Yan Zheng put away the Death Whip, not bothering to look at the corpse on the ground and continued to enjoy the scenery while drinking.

The ease on Shi Jingzhi’s face faded a bit, and Yin Ci remained silent.

Something was peculiar.

The Shafu branch of the Ling Sect had gained some fame recently and was developing rapidly. Bao Zu had precisely the type of talent the Ling Sect needed for its evil activities, so he should have received some rewards. However, in less than the time it took to finish a cup of tea, Elder Bao hadn’t received any rewards but had lost his life so carelessly. Even if the demonic cultivators of the Ling Sect liked to act recklessly, the young Patriarch was being overly audacious.

After finishing a cup of wine, Yan Zheng’s eerie eyes opened. “Stop staring and come out.”

Shi Jingzhi’s breath trembled, almost giving them away. Fortunately, Yin Ci quickly covered his mouth and nose, and the two managed to hide their presence.

At the next moment, footsteps approached. Chai Xin dashed out from the staircase, holding a half-dead servant in his hands. He shook his head, sighing, “I’m getting old. I just brought along a useless person who couldn’t even hide his breath properly.”

Chai Xin threw the servant into Bao Zu’s pool of blood. The servant was in tears, almost wetting his pants. Yan Zheng remained expressionless but seemed slightly tense.

“Good disciple, you’d better explain to your master. It’s fine if you didn’t want Elder Bao to go out, but why did you send someone to inform Huo Changying to wait outside?”

Shi Jingzhi’s eyebrows twitched, and he exhaled a breath into Yin Ci’s palm.

Yan Zheng’s expression remained unchanged. “It’s all dirty matters. Speaking of it would soil Master’s ears… Master must be feeling sorry for Bao Zu, and I’m just making it up to him. Who made the night so perfect? Yet this person kept annoying me, which made me irritated.”

Chai Xin didn’t let him get away with avoiding the topic. “Tell me more. I happen to like dirty matters.”

“In the Grand Pavilion, fighting isn’t allowed by the rules of the Hierarch. Elder Kong seems to have taken a liking to those two men, so he hopes This Seat can make some accommodations. Since Master doesn’t get along with Elder Kong, I was afraid if I refuse, he would cause trouble for Master… It’s just a minor effort. Huo Changying isn’t a significant figure.”

Chai Xin replied with a half-smile, “Oh, using that cut-sleeve* Kong as a pretext, not bad.”

*(断袖). Ancient Chinese term used to refer to homosexuals. The story tells of the love between Emperor Ai of the Han Dynasty and Dong Xian. Seeing Dong Xian sleeping on his robe and afraid of waking him up, Emperor Ai cut part of his sleeve so as not to disturb his lover; thus, this term has become the reference.

“What does Master mean?”

“A’Zheng, when you killed someone earlier, I chalked it up to your ignorance. But this time, you suggested calling back the various elders to help me find the Shirou; it seems my disciple has grown up… However, why does it feel a bit off today? How about this, you say the night is perfect, so won’t my beloved disciple accompany me for a stroll outside to have a heart-to-heart talk?”

Yan Zheng’s breath finally faltered for a moment, and he took a step back. “This Disciple… This Disciple will prepare for a moment. Master, please wait here.”

‘Too naïve,’ Yin Ci sighed lightly in his heart. Yan Zheng was still too young and couldn’t outplay Chai Xin, a crafty old fox. By now, even they had realized that something suspicious was happening here—regardless of Yan Zheng’s intentions, something was bound to happen at the Grand Pavilion tonight, and time was running short.

The Fog-Evading Pill could wait; it was better to stay away from this place of right and wrong.

Yin Ci pinched Shi Jingzhi’s wrist, hinting that they should leave. Shen Zhu was outside, and Su Si and Yan Qing hadn’t returned yet. They only needed to leave this place and intercept their subordinates along the way.

However, it seemed that Shi Jingzhi had other ideas.

He gazed deeply at Yan Zheng for a moment, then looked at the intimidating Chai Xin, and finally turned back to Yan Zheng, as if weighing two well-cooked fat fish. Finally, full of anticipation, he turned to Yin Ci. [A’Ci, the situation in Ling Sect is quite interesting. Why don’t we kidnap someone?]

Yin Ci: “…”

From the radiant look in Shi Jingzhi’s eyes, he seemed to be talking about something much more exciting than kidnapping the Ling Sect Patriarch—it was more like “let’s grab some delicious food”.

…It was really hard to say no.

Upon seeing Yin Ci didn’t immediately refuse, Shi Jingzhi cheerfully made his move. He leaped down from the upper level and effortlessly grabbed Yan Zheng, who was stiff by the railing. As soon as they landed, Shi Jingzhi released his qi without any restraint and then quickly ran away.

Chai Xin was stunned for a moment by the display of qi, but soon he became furious and attempted to pursue them using qinggong. However, as soon as he moved, he was halted by an extremely peculiar sword wind, preventing him from advancing even a step.

The opponent’s identity was unclear, and his strength was profound, leaving Elder Chai uncertain. In this short moment, the other party vanished into the night fog and quickly disappeared without a trace.

Since the opponent couldn’t be clearly seen, there was no way to chase them down. Elder Chai could only curse in place for a few moments before leaving the Grand Pavilion in a hurry.

Soon after, on Zongwu Mountain.

“You lunatic! Do you want to kill half of Zongwu Mountain?!”

The masked person glanced at Shen Zhu indifferently. “Even the Yueshui Pavilion can make mistakes sometimes.”

Yan Qing and Su Si remained silent. Shen Zhu hadn’t been with the Kushan Sect for long, so they didn’t know her well. They only knew she was an old acquaintance of Shi Jingzhi and had come along to investigate some information—Investigate? It seemed to have nothing to do with fighting. Moreover, Shen Zhu had the identity of a Yueshui Pavilion disciple; she was just an outsider and wouldn’t be burdened by the infamous reputation of the Kushan Sect. Along the way, Shen Zhu indeed seemed completely relaxed, as if she had everything under control.

People who usually remained calm were even more terrifying when they suddenly erupted.

Now, Shen Zhu was breathing heavily and staring fixedly at the masked person. Her makeup was smudged by cold sweat. “You made this battle formation yourself. Don’t you know its effect?”

“I don’t know who you are in the Yueshui Pavilion, but it seems that the art of magic is a strong point of the Mishan Sect. You, on the other hand, are not proficient in the art and only have superficial knowledge. Yet, you’re making a fuss over nothing. Or is it that you want to meddle in this matter with such a lame excuse?”

The masked person casually dug into his ear with their little finger and continued arranging the formation.

“This humble woman isn’t talented and belongs to the Yueshui Pavilion’s Heaven Department. I usually rush around and indeed have limited knowledge of magical arts.”

Shen Zhu’s speech was deliberate, and she gnashed her teeth.

“…But if your loved one were killed before your eyes, would you forget the magic that killed them?”

The masked person’s movements paused for a moment, not answering, but there was a hint of inexplicable anger in their aura.

Shen Zhu, infuriated, smiled sarcastically. Her usual composure returned, and she said, “I don’t know where you got this thing from, but once it’s activated, not only the Ling Sect… but also nearby Taiheng and Chigou Sects, even the two of us, will die under the formation. Yet, you, despite your age, were deceived and even helped count the money after being sold out, wasting all your martial arts.”

As she spoke, she secretly untied the ropes of Su Si and Yan Qing. At that moment, even the two members of the Kushan Sect were unsure if what Shen Zhu said was true or just a bluff with clever acting.

After all, Shi Jingzhi and Yin Ci were still inside the Ling Sect’s Grand Pavilion.

However, Zongwu Mountain was a chaotic place, and the Yueshui Pavilion’s qinggong could also be faked. The masked person wouldn’t immediately accept what she said.

Indeed, the masked person snorted coldly. “Proof?”

“You need to use blood to make ink and mix it with powdered demon bones to draw the formation. One or two ounces of blood with three qian of bones. Before the formation is complete, you need to sacrifice a hundred jin of fresh demon corpses, cut open its belly, and stuff it with wooden symbols, then bury it under the formation eye—did I get anything wrong? If you release me, I have a way to prove it.”

The masked person pondered for a while. “You have some courage, little girl. Let’s do this. I’ll give you the time it takes for one incense stick to burn. If you can prove that the formation is faulty within that time, I will stop. If you can’t prove it, I’ll break your legs and throw you down the mountain first.”

Yan Qing’s palms were sweaty. Shen Zhu’s words seemed half true and half false, and she didn’t look like a master of magical arts. How could she test the power of a large-scale battle formation without any tools? He anxiously took a deep breath and began to struggle quietly by using his inner force to impact his acupoints.

Ten steps away, the masked person casually picked up a stone and broke the rope on Shen Zhu’s body. He cautiously dragged her to the edge of the formation before starting to release the acupoints.

Unbeknownst to him, as soon as Shen Zhu’s acupoints were loosened, she immediately brought the bird whistle to her mouth and blew a sharp and thin sound.

The night was thick, and the whistle sound wasn’t sharp enough. However, this whistle wasn’t blown for people—it was a signal. Several sparrows came flying through the air, forcefully hitting Yan Qing and Su Si’s acupoints, causing them to fall to the ground in a daze.

Yan Qing was originally impatient, so he released his acupoints even faster than Su Si. He leaped out, grabbed Shen Zhu by her collar, and pulled her away from the masked person. Meanwhile, Su Si kicked a stone and threw it at the person’s side.

Everything happened in an instant that Yan Qing’s head was buzzing, nearly blanking out. He slung the injured Shen Zhu over his shoulder, determined to escape with Su Si. However, the masked person was undeniably powerful, and whether they could escape was still a question…

“Miss Shen?”

Shen Zhu didn’t seem focused on escaping. She immediately broke free from Yan Qing’s arms and half-knelt on the ground. She swiftly pulled out the hairpin from her head and slashed her palm. Fresh blood gushed out, appearing black in the darkness.

With blood on the hairpin, Shen Zhu raised her hand and threw it into the formation. As soon as the hairpin landed, she went from half-kneeling to kneeling on both knees and began quietly reciting an incantation. The incantation’s tone fluctuated, and its content was fragmented and incomprehensible. At first listen, it seemed like the ramblings of a madman, sending shivers down one’s spine.

The hairpin entered the ground without making a sound, and the incantation’s volume wasn’t particularly loud. The masked person assumed that Shen Zhu was weakened and didn’t notice anything amiss. He easily evaded Su Si’s stone and sighed. “Haven’t you learned your lesson yet? You can’t escape… Huh?”

Shen Zhu uttered the last syllable, and a chilling aura emanated from the formation. The runic symbols within the formation brightened up considerably, flickering somewhat unstably, but the formation was not entirely activated.

Even so, Su Si immediately retreated several steps and felt as if his hair were standing up.

A freezing sensation, close to emptiness, spread from the soles of his feet. Su Si was familiar with this feeling—he had experienced something similar when seriously ill or losing too much blood. It was like “life” itself was ebbing away. The surrounding air seemed to be soaked in corpse oil, becoming foul and sticky, choking one’s chest with pain. Despite the open space around them, in a daze, Su Si felt as if he were surrounded by a crowded pile of corpses, or a fly trapped in resin.

In that split second, the fear of death overwhelmed his heart and lungs, leaving him unable to put up any resistance.

The masked person approached the center of the formation, but he didn’t manage to stand firmly and directly knelt on one knee. Yan Qing and Su Si escaped a certain distance but were still staggering on the spot.

“Now is the time to run!” Shen Zhu shouted.

However, Su Si narrowed his eyes and tightly gripped his butcher knife. His gaze contained a trace of cruelty. “The night is long, and we have the advantage now. Why don’t we capture this person—”

Suddenly, the snap of a whip sounded.

Compared to ordinary people, Su Si was more sensitive to murderous intent, and he instinctively sidestepped. He glanced toward the direction of the attack. The whip was barbed and left a charred pit on the ground after missing its target.

A young man retrieved the whip and landed near the formation; his blood-red eyes glinted faintly in the night. He had his back turned to the masked person, and his gaze was fixed on Su Si, clearly assuming a protective stance.

Seeing the man’s face, Su Si’s scalp tingled—he seemed to be unable to escape the enmity between the Ling and the Chigou Sect.

It was none other than the Ling Sect’s Patriarch, Yan Zheng. They had met not long ago in the main hall. However, Yan Zheng’s ceremonial red robe was tattered, and his long hair was somewhat disheveled, appearing as though he had just been through a fierce battle.

Yan Zheng frowned. “You are the one from the main hall just now…”

“How about that? I wasn’t wrong, right?” A smiling voice interrupted the two, and two figures followed closely behind Yan Zheng. “My subordinates are all formidable. If Patriarch didn’t bring us here, your friend would probably be in a dire situation.”

The members of the Kushan Sect finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Their Sect Master and “Senior Brother” had arrived. Although Sect Master Shi was quite unpredictable, and Yin Ci was a heartless shopkeeper, their combined strength was still considerable. Just their presence not far away was enough to put everyone’s minds at ease.

Yin Ci couldn’t be bothered to comfort the others; he went straight past Yan Zheng and stopped in front of the masked person. With a sweep of his Hanging Shadow Sword, the fragile mask made a “crack” sound and shattered into pieces, revealing the face hidden behind it.

All things considered, the masked person had a decent appearance.

Judging from his features, he was indeed under fifty years old. His face was handsome, slightly thin, and had a hint of melancholy when not smiling. Unfortunately, he clearly didn’t pay much attention to his appearance, and the stubble on his chin was unkempt, turning his good looks into a state of disarray.

Yin Ci couldn’t help but make a sound of surprise. This person’s profound and exceptional strength confirmed that he wasn’t an ordinary nobody. Even Su Si, who least liked getting involved in martial world conflicts, probably recognized this person. However…

“I was wondering why you wore a mask.” Shen Zhu licked the wound in her palm and raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t this Yu Zikuan, Warrior Yu from Taiheng? It was said that you have been dead for five or six years. When did you start playing dead?”

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

Bu Tian Gang Ch167

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Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi

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

Chapter 167

The world was neither small nor large. Dong Zhi never thought he would meet Zhang Xing here.

The girl he once encountered on the way to Changbai Mountain and experienced a terrifying night with had, after recovering from her injuries, returned to her peaceful life, becoming a regular urban white-collar worker, hustling for a living like many others.

On the other hand, Dong Zhi chose a path drastically different from hers.

Zhang Xing naturally had no idea what Dong Zhi had been up to these past two years. Though they exchanged contact information, it really was just as novels describe: a fleeting encounter. After leaving Changchun, they never met again. Zhang Xing, who had confessed her feelings and was rejected, held back from reaching out due to the intricate feelings women sometimes have. She still harbored feelings for Dong Zhi, yet she held back until this chance encounter.

Seeing her delighted reaction, Dong Zhi suddenly realized that it had only been two years. Yet it felt like he had lived half a lifetime of ups and downs.

“How have you been?” he asked, shaking hands with Zhang Xing.

She had expected a warmer reception from him. Seeing his subdued response, her enthusiasm waned a bit. “I’m good. I’m on vacation, visiting with friends. What about you?”

Dong Zhi simply replied with a smile, “Same here.”

The conversation seemed to be drawing to a close, as Zhang Xing sensed that Dong Zhi wasn’t inclined to continue. Nonetheless, she couldn’t help but say, “Where are you working now? I’m in Beijing. If you’re free, we can meet for tea. After all, we’ve faced life and death together, haven’t we?”

Her playful tone masked the awkwardness.

Just then, Long Shen walked over. “If you don’t mind me joining.”

Dong Zhi introduced, “This is my friend.”

Long Shen interjected, “Mm, boyfriend.”

Dong Zhi: ……

Zhang Xing showed an indescribable expression while giving an awkward smile. “Nice to meet you.”

Using the excuse that her friend was waiting, she quickly excused herself, with no further interest in catching up. Her exit was hasty, almost like a retreat.

Dong Zhi found the situation amusing, “Master, you scared her.”

Long Shen asked, “Did you want to have tea or dinner with her?”

Dong Zhi shook his head. “Not at all.”

Meeting friends for tea or a meal was enjoyable, but an encounter with someone like Zhang Xing, whom he wasn’t close to, would just be awkward.

Long Shen: “Then you should thank me.”

Dong Zhi replied, “I’ll pretend I didn’t know you did that on purpose.”

Long Shen: “It’s the demonic qi’s fault.”

Dong Zhi almost laughed out loud. Lately, every time Long Shen did or said something that might tarnish his image, he’d blame it on the demonic qi. But no one knew for sure if the demonic qi inside him had been fully dispelled. Long Shen claimed it hadn’t, and Dong Zhi chose to believe him.

It was the apprentice’s duty to maintain the noble image of their master.

Long Shen gently wiped a smear off Dong Zhi’s temple.

“What’s this?”

Dong Zhi noticed the faint gray mark and its faint fishy smell.

“It must be from the Shadow Ghost.”

He then shared his recent findings on Su Huan’s body.

“It seems like a targeted act, but the victims might be randomly chosen,” Long Shen mused, echoing Dong Zhi’s thoughts.

Dong Zhi said, “That’s why I left the book with Kan Chaosheng for the time being.”

Understanding immediately, Long Shen asked, “As bait?”

Dong Zhi admitted, “It’s a bit risky, but without this, it’d be hard to lure out the real culprit.”

The book was the key to the entire case. Chang Qing had said he’d seen vague shadows in the book and was curious about the illustration book, suggesting a connection between him and the book or its owner. Dong Zhi knew that without him around, Chang Qing’s curiosity would get the best of him, and he’d investigate the book.

“I’ve secretly told Kan Chaosheng to keep an eye on Chang Qing’s movements,” Dong Zhi said with some uncertainty. “But I don’t know if Kan Chaosheng can handle the task.”

“He must learn to grow up. The world won’t wait for him.”

Long Shen said, “If I were you, I’d do the same.”

It was the best affirmation and praise. Long Shen looked at the young man in front of him, whom he had personally mentored. The young man had already become exceptionally outstanding, just as he had once hoped.

Or perhaps, Dong Zhi had always been immensely talented. It’s just that his potential had been buried amongst the masses for over two decades. Once given the opportunity and put through refinement, he immediately transformed into a dazzling and remarkable being.

……

After Dong Zhi left, Chang Qing picked up the illustration book, flipping through it and studying it intently. Kan Chaosheng started to complain about being hungry. Out of courtesy as a host, Xiao Zhao went out to buy them some afternoon tea. Before the food arrived, Kan Chaosheng had no choice but to lounge on the sofa, eating sunflower seeds and casually chatting with Chang Qing.

“Hey, why do you hate demons so much?”

Chang Qing looked up at him. “How can you lie down, eat, and talk without choking?”

Kan Chaosheng hummed. “That’s skill. I could swallow an entire cow in one bite. What’s a sunflower seed compared to that?”

“Demons shouldn’t exist. If they want to cultivate, they should do it discreetly and avoid crossing paths with me. If they do meet me, I will capture them,” Chang Qing replied coldly.

Irritated, Kan Chaosheng sat up and stared at him. “On what grounds? With your skills, you can’t even beat Dong Zhi, and you talk about capturing demons? Don’t make me laugh!”

Chang Qing ignored him, focusing on the book. Provoked, Kan Chaosheng suddenly lunged, trying to snatch the book away. But Chang Qing was faster, and in the blink of an eye, they began to scuffle inside the conference room.

Using the book as a weapon, Chang Qing threw it at Kan Chaosheng, who dodged. The book struck Xiao Zhao, who was just entering the room with the snacks.

Chang Qing and Kan Chaosheng: ……

Xiao Zhao was left dazed by the impact, almost dropping the takeout.

Chang Qing pursed his lips, extending a hand to Xiao Zhao to help him up.

Xiao Zhao, having a good temperament, surprisingly didn’t get angry. He smiled wryly and said, “That’s evidence. Can you not use it to fight? Do you want me to get scolded by the boss?”

Chang Qing reached out to help him up, saying, “I’m sorry.”

“Forget it, forget it!” Xiao Zhao felt helpless, thinking to himself that he shouldn’t have left the two of them alone together. He bent down to pick up the book, and seeing that it wasn’t damaged, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At that moment, someone opened the conference room door; it was Captain Yin. Behind him was a woman in her thirties or forties. Despite her plain attire and traces of hardship, it was clear she had been quite beautiful in her youth.

“Everyone’s here!” Captain Yin said with a smile. “This lady is a witness from another case we’re currently working on. Since we’re all occupied right now, could you chat with Ms. Chang until we’re ready to take her statement?”

Xiao Zhao agreed, and after Captain Yin left, he felt a bit puzzled, wondering about the supposed big case their team was handling.

However, Chang Qing seemed struck by lightning, staring blankly at Ms. Chang. He only snapped out of it when Kan Chaosheng gave him a hard slap on the arm.

Kan Chaosheng sneered, “Lost your mind?”

Xiao Zhao made small talk with Ms. Chang and offered her the snacks he bought. Kan Chaosheng’s eyes lit up, and he started eating without hesitation, making himself at home. Ms. Chang, however, seemed a bit uneasy, smiling politely and refusing, saying she’d just have some water.

“May I ask, where are you from?” Chang Qing softly inquired, his voice shaky.

“My hometown is deep in the mountains, a place you’ve never heard of. I used to work in the south,” Ms. Chang replied with a noticeable accent. Xiao Zhao couldn’t place it.

However, Chang Qing asked, “Is that place called Zhuiyang?”

Ms. Chang was visibly taken aback; her expression a mix of astonishment and delight. “You know it? Are you from there as well?”

Chang Qing closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly stood up, and snatched the cake from Kan Chaosheng’s hand, hurling it against the wall!

“Have you gone mad?!” Kan Chaosheng exclaimed angrily, raising his hand to strike.

Chang Qing firmly held onto his hands and said deliberately to both him and Xiao Zhao, “We’ve been ensnared.”

Having been in the Special Administration Bureau for so long, Kan Chaosheng had a keen sense of crisis and quick reflexes. He immediately ceased his actions upon hearing this.

“What do you mean?”

Chang Qing: “We’ve been pulled into an illusion.”

Kan Chaosheng looked around suspiciously. “What illusion? I don’t feel anything.”

“It’s because you were completely distracted by the food,” Chang Qing responded irritably. “It might have started when I threw the book or when Xiao Zhao picked it up.”

Xiao Zhao, looking perplexed, asked, “What are you talking about?”

Chang Qing pointed to the woman beside him and said, “She’s my mother. She died when I was seven years old.”

Xiao Zhao quickly turned his head to look at the woman, the sudden movement causing an unsettling cracking sound in his neck.

The woman looked at them, bewildered. “Sir, you must be mistaken. I have a son, but he’s only six now…”

“When I was six, she left me to work in the south and later died. If she were still alive, she wouldn’t look like this or be this age,” Chang Qing said with clenched fists, gritting his teeth, and breathing heavily. “Now I understand what’s wrong with that book. It can peer into the deepest desires of one’s heart and make them a reality.”

Kan Chaosheng sneered. “Then why didn’t it fulfill my wish?”

Chang Qing: “What were you thinking about when Xiao Zhao went to buy snacks?”

Kan Chaosheng: “… Blueberry cake.”

The snack that Chang Qing had taken and thrown away was a blueberry cake.

Chang Qing: “You never told him, so how did he just happen to buy what you wanted?”

Kan Chaosheng was left speechless.

Xiao Zhao was utterly confused by their conversation. He felt like he understood parts of it, but also as if he understood nothing. “What are you guys talking about? The cake is fake? I personally went out to buy it!”

Chang Qing: “Where did you buy it from?”

Xiao Zhao: “At the corner store downstairs. No, wait, they sell milk tea, not blueberry cakes…”

He suddenly paused, struggling to recall where he had purchased the blueberry cake from. And he remembered that he actually intended to buy spicy hot pot, a dish he loved and often shared with his colleagues during their night shifts.

“Something’s wrong!” Xiao Zhao suddenly exclaimed, turning to open the door.

His colleagues outside were eating the blueberry cake he had bought. They looked at his horrified face in confusion.

“Are you alright?”

Xiao Zhao weakly shook his head, puzzled about why he had bought the blueberry cake.

A colleague, Tan Jie, said with a grin, “I gave some of the cake to Xiao Song. She heard you bought it and wanted me to give you her WeChat. She said she wanted to thank you. You know what that means, right? Do I need to say more?”

Xiao Song was the renowned beauty in the office, whom Xiao Zhao had long admired. He stared at Tan Jie, feeling surreal. Was this real?

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

Behind him, Kan Chaosheng’s angry shout pulled Xiao Zhao’s attention back. He turned around and was almost scared out of his wits to see Chang Qing drawing a sword to strike the woman!

She was so frightened that she couldn’t speak. Kan Chaosheng lunged at Chang Qing, trying to stop him. The office immediately erupted into chaos.

Others rushed in to intervene. Some called for their supervisor, while others tried to separate the two. Everyone present was a detective with good physical skills, but none were a match for Chang Qing. Xiao Zhao thought Chang Qing had gone mad.

Even with suspicions, resorting to violence was extreme. Xiao Zhao tried to pull the woman to safety. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a colleague who seemed to be smiling.

A cold shiver ran down his spine, and he quickly turned his head. The person beside him wasn’t smiling anymore and anxiously said, “Aren’t you going to help get her out of here? Do you really want them to kill someone in the station?”

It was a typical reaction. Xiao Zhao responded and began pulling Ms. Chang out.

However, Chang Qing yelled out, “Don’t go out!”

Xiao Zhao’s foot was already outside. Hearing this, he hesitated. A colleague reached out to push him, urging, “Why are you standing there? Are you really listening to his nonsense?”

His body involuntarily tilted outward. Suddenly, a force from behind pushed him forward. Xiao Zhao stumbled and fell back into the meeting room. At the same time, a blinding light flashed by his ear. Before Xiao Zhao could react, the light had already entered Ms. Chang’s body!

Ms. Chang screamed in agony. Everyone felt a darkness before their eyes and a strong vibration beneath them, causing all to fall to the ground.

Catching his breath, Xiao Zhao saw Dong Zhi coming from behind him, holding a sword.

“How come you guys can’t handle things just because I stepped out for a moment?” Dong Zhi sighed.

Xiao Zhao rubbed his eyes. They were still in the meeting room. Ms. Chang and the colleagues who were pulling them apart were gone. Outside the window, it was dark. The quiet was occasionally broken by the sound of a car passing by, like any ordinary night.

Seeing Chang Qing’s guarded expression, Dong Zhi laughed. “Are you guys okay? You don’t think I’m fake too, do you?”

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

Full Server First Kill Ch43

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 43: Kitchen Trash Bin

Crimson excitedly moved through the forest.

The strong healing surge from earlier was too significant to be overlooked. There were weaker presences near the magic fluctuations, but he had always preferred powerful prey.

Suddenly, the two powerful presences disappeared, probably sensing him. No matter, “hunting” was one of his specialties.

Without hesitation, Crimson rushed towards his target. However, before he could get far, another powerful presence approached from behind.

Who was that? He hadn’t called for backup.

Crimson slowed down slightly. He didn’t want his hunt to be interrupted by a third party. Soon, he heard the sounds of the newcomer breaking branches and trampling fallen leaves.

Judging by the sound, the figure was massive and heavy… Wait, did it have four legs?

…Ah, a monster.

The creature got closer, and Crimson could hear its heavy breathing. He instinctively concealed his presence, but the beast’s speed didn’t decrease.

What alarmed him was the sudden appearance of this creature’s presence, like a summoned beast. The creature was emanating a strong magical fluctuation; even in a one-on-one, Crimson wasn’t sure he could prevail.

What’s happening? 

Could it be that the player who escaped was a decoy with the real attack waiting here? Last time, that swordsman did have a monster with him; maybe he had a unique summoning ability…

Crimson hesitated.

Pursuit opportunities like this were rare, so he pulled out a valuable scroll—it could completely hide a person’s presence and scent. If this didn’t shake off the creature, it would indeed be a divine warning. He activated the magic, but, unfortunately, the creature still followed closely. Crimson sighed and ultimately decided to give up the chase.

He felt he could deal with the duo of sword fighters, but adding a formidable monster to the mix meant he wasn’t prepared enough. He might be insane, but he wasn’t stupid; only fools would enter battles they couldn’t win.

After changing directions, the creature didn’t follow. Crimson thought it seemed like a warning.

No matter. He’d remember them.

The duo had killed Jack using some unknown means and wiped out a formidable Immortal Knights squad—the knights didn’t even manage to send any information back. Their feud with the Eternal Church had deepened, and the church would surely target the duo.

With his [Blood Gnome Bargain], and the power of the church, locating them wouldn’t be hard.

Crimson looked regretfully in the direction the two had disappeared. There were many caravans nearby; it was not suitable to cause a stir. He’d find a remote village to level up.

Before leaving, he took out binoculars to look at the mysterious creature.

It was a massive black wolf.

It appeared and disappeared among the forest shadows; its eyes as red as burning coal. Currently, its tail wagged as it joyfully ran deeper into the forest.

Wasn’t this the boss shadow wolf from “Night of the Hunt”? Crimson thought in astonishment.

His opponents could summon dungeon bosses? Was that weird skeletal mage from the last time also summoned from some dungeon?

He really couldn’t handle this.

Thank the gods for the sign. Crimson put away his binoculars and whispered a prayer.

……

Teest wanted to find a secluded open space to lure out that sneaky follower and eliminate them. However, before he could find a suitable place, the follower’s pursuit hesitated and stopped. Their presence grew slower and eventually faded away.

‘Such a lack of determination,’ Teest thought, frowning.

Another presence, however, was more persistent. Teest recognized it: the goofy shadow wolf was rushing towards them… Wait, was the pursuer scared off by this beast?

If the follower was cautious, it was indeed a possibility.

Without the “potential victim” to ease his mood, Teest reluctantly stopped. He held Nol and sat down beneath a large tree.

Nol’s back injury was shocking, with his pale spine exposed, making him look like a cotton-stuffed doll. It wasn’t suitable to place him on the muddy ground.

Teest adjusted his position, holding Nol face-to-face. Nol’s head rested on his shoulder while his weak breath blew onto Test’s neck.

With steady hands, Teest carefully removed the fragments from the wound, then summoned a ball of water to clean the massive injury. Once sure there was no dirt or debris in the wound, Teest took out a golden thread and, with magic, formed a crescent-shaped needle.

He then began to stitch the wound, holding his breath. The gold thread moved in and out of the skin, leaving a trace of blood behind.

Teest always maintained holding Nol in his arms. His stitching movements were gentle, as if wiping an expensive cello with a soft cloth.

The stitches with the golden thread were fine, neat, and even. White bones sank into the flesh, and the skin that had burst open was now smoothed over. Only the thin gold thread quietly lay in the center of Nol’s back, like a pattern or a mark.

Sunlight leaked through the leaves, and as the light spots flickered, the gold thread was mottled yet dazzling.

It was a pity that when Nol woke up, he could instantly heal such wounds, and by then, his perfect signature would disappear. But it was just as well; it wasn’t his work after all. He could only leave such a fleeting mark.

Teest’s fingertips hovered over the beautiful stitch marks, gliding in the air as if playing a silent melody.

“Mmm…”

A few minutes later, Nol murmured in the crook of his neck. His body stirred, showing signs of waking.

“Time to get up, Mr. Mage.” Teest turned his head and whispered into Nol’s ear, “If you don’t wake up, my legs will go numb.”

Nol’s eyebrows twitched, and he opened his eyes halfway.

The feeling on his back was different. The intense pain and coldness of exposed flesh were gone, replaced by a tingling sensation and skin tension. Nol tried to bend his arm and touched his back, feeling the protruding gold thread.

“Ah, thank you for stitching me up,” Nol murmured. He weakly climbed off Teest’s lap; his voice as hoarse as an old man with a bad cold.

Both the dragon-skin notebook and his magic staff were there. The pain from using too much magic in a short time was also there. Nol felt as if he had been run over by a steamroller, taking a while to steady himself.

Since the wound was stitched, there was no rush to heal. He lazily thought and tried to relax in the green grass.

“…How are Old Hunter and the others?” Nol asked, sucking on a fist-sized water ball, his voice finally no longer hoarse.

“Everyone is alive and has regained their memory. There were some pursuing us, but I drew them away.”

Teest summarized succinctly, with a pleased expression as if to say, “Didn’t I handle that perfectly?”.

“There are many trade convoys here. Even players from the Eternal Church wouldn’t dare cause trouble recklessly.”

It was only then that Nol truly relaxed. He fiddled with his torn mage robe and asked, “You mentioned pursuers. Where are they?”

“Three,” said Test.

“…What?” Nol paused and stared at Teest in confusion.

“Two.” Teest looked at him pityingly.

Nol’s mind raced. “What are you—”

“One.” Teest sighed.

As soon as the words were out, a large shadow suddenly appeared above Nol’s head. Before he could look up, he was smothered by a massive bundle of black fur.

The shadow wolf lunged, pinning the poor lich beneath it. Only one of Nol’s hands was visible, desperately slapping the ground.

“The pursuer was scared away by it.” Teest squatted next to Nol’s exposed hand and poked it. “Now we know. This big, silly creature didn’t lose its memory either. Is it because it’s a native life in the instance, or because it’s not a simple ‘NPC’?”

“First, get me out…” Nol weakly grabbed Teest’s wrist.

Teest laughed, watching Nol struggle for a few seconds before pulling him out. As soon as Nol’s head emerged, the shadow wolf gave him a big, wet lick.

Nol: “…”

“I have another question.” Teest grinned, folding his arms. “Why does it follow you instead of the white wolf?”

“It might be that the ‘system’ scent on me is stronger.” Nol wiped the slobber from his face. “It might see me as a cub because I’m smaller than the white wolf and feel I need more protection. Or maybe the white wolf wanted to go with the hunter, and the shadow wolf instinctively rejects hunters… There could be many reasons.”

Unfortunately, they couldn’t be sure.

Nol looked into the shadow wolf’s round red eyes, clearer than those of a fresh college graduate. The shadow wolf was theoretically an intelligent being. While it possessed intelligence, it wasn’t much, comparable to that of a typical wild animal. This meant they couldn’t communicate with it.

However, seeing its happily wagging tail and moist eyes, Nol guessed it was in a good mood. If it was willing to go with them, it might be a good security measure…

“By the way, the old guy gave me this,” Teest suddenly said, showing a wolf-tooth pendant.

“It claims the wearer would be immune to all abnormal statuses, but it needs to bind to an owner. I haven’t tried yet.”

Nol raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t bind it immediately?”

“How rude to a knight.” Teest mockingly bowed. “So do you need it, my frail master?”

“Frail lich.” Valdorlock would be infuriated if he heard. Nol looked at Teest with amusement and pushed away his hand. “You keep it.”

“Are you sure? Your curse is more troublesome than mine.”

“This thing is probably aimed at short-term abnormalities. Even if it can solve the curse, it must be a ‘dispellable’ curse.” Nol shook his head. “So it suits you better—at least with this, you don’t need to worry about someone poisoning you.”

Back in Whitebird City, Teest always cooked for himself. Even when they were out and about, he wouldn’t touch the prepared food. Although Teest always seemed cheerful, Nol felt that such a mental burden on him was a bit… too heavy.

Well, this thing was indeed more suitable for Teest.

“Really for me?” Teest paused for a moment, seeking confirmation again.

“Thanks to you, this plan was successful,” Nol said sincerely. “Of course, if you dawdle a third time, I’ll just bind it to myself.”

Teest laughed and stuffed the pendant into Nol’s hand. “Then you put it on for me. This silver chain clasp tends to get caught in my hair.”

With that, he turned his back to Nol, lifting his hair.

Taking the pendant, Nol paused. At some point, Teest had took out his wedding ring and strung it with the wolf tooth pendant. The small diamond ring and the pure white tooth looked somewhat beautiful together.

He couldn’t help but look up at Teest—as he hadn’t stood up, Teest simply squatted down in front of him.

Teest’s silver hair was brushed aside, revealing a flawless, smooth neck. His linen shirt had a large neckline, exposing a lot of skin, revealing the solid and smooth lines of his neck and shoulders.

It was like a white marble statue… The parts Teest usually hid were exposed to the sunlight, evoking a peculiar sense of vulnerability.

Feeling a bit uneasy, Nol averted his gaze.

“Hm?” Teest urged briefly.

“…Just a moment.” Nol responded, hastily putting the chain around Teest’s neck, as if any delay would cause it to bite.

“You’re right.” The next moment, Teest stood up. “After binding this, it really can’t handle ‘indispellable’ curses.” He patted the pendant, tucking it with the ring inside his shirt.

Without realizing it, Nol touched his own wedding ring on his chest. Now they both wore it on their chests, which felt a bit… subtle.

While he was still pondering the subtleties of the situation, the shadow wolf behind him became restless—it didn’t have a gold chain around its neck, and now it didn’t have the silver chain either! How could it bear such injustice? It grabbed a handful of Nol’s black hair and gave it a tug upwards.

Nol’s scalp was almost torn off by this thing, causing him to stumble to his feet.

“Looks like someone also wants a collar.”

Teest whistled and leaned against a tree, looking pleased. “Do you want to sign a master-servant contract or something with it?”

“N—no need,” Nol replied, trying to rescue his hair from the wolf’s mouth. “If it wants to follow us, let it. If it wants to leave, let it… It should be free.”

Teest clicked his tongue. “Well, your trust worries me, but its intelligence reassures me. Let it do as it pleases.”

“It needs a name,” Nol said, scratching the shadow wolf’s chin.

“Stupid Dog,” Teest suggested enthusiastically.

Nol narrowed his eyes at him. “If it stays, it might be our mount. Future legends might say, the famous Mad Monk and his ferocious mount, ‘Stupid Dog’…”

“Stop, stop, stop. I give up.” Teest raised both hands. “Alright, let me borrow your naming method for the candle. How should that language be translated again, let me think… Hmm, how about ‘Ben’?”

Nol was speechless. He, at the very least, still called the candle “candle”, but with this name, it was directly naming it “Trash Bin*”.

*Clarity: Going by Nol’s naming the candle Kando, naming the wolf Ben, which sounds similar to bin, would regard it as a (trash) bin.

Teest took out a bag of deer entrails soaked in blood from his waist and threw it towards the shadow wolf. In a flash, the entrails disappeared.

The shadow wolf hummed happily at Teest. It pondered for a while and slipped into Teest’s shadow, only revealing its fluffy mouth, slightly opened—this angle was clearly better for feeding.

“You see, it’s not slander. It actually likes it,” Teest said.

Nol sighed deeply.

I tried, shadow wolf. This is the name you chose for yourself. He looked sorrowfully at the wolf, whose tongue was still licking in and out of its mouth.

“Lord of Night of the Hunt”, “The Invincible Disaster”, such awe-inspiring titles… but from today on, this shadow wolf could only represent “Kitchen Trash Bin”.

“Since the people of the Eternal Church have left, let’s camp here tonight. I think Ben also likes it here,” Nol said.

“Unfortunately, we can’t,” Teest said cruelly. “The noise we made was too loud. The followers of the Eternal Church will surely come after us. It’s better if we hide with a caravan.”

With that, he pressed the tip of his finger on the shadow wolf’s nose. The wolf snorted and disappeared into Teest’s shadow, only its ear tips peeking out from Nol’s shadow.

“Got it. A caravan it is,” Nol said with a hint of resignation.

A caravan again. He hoped for a better outcome this time—last time they had left without a word and had been gone for two whole weeks. They might already be blacklisted by the Rizzi Caravan.

The magic staff carrying Kando, wrapped up in cloth by Nol, mumbled something. Thankfully, it didn’t make a fuss. After handling the staff, Nol cast several healing spells on himself, and his wounds healed quickly. The fallen gold thread was burned away by the green flame before it even touched the ground.

Finally, he stood up dejectedly, using his magic staff to support some of his weight. With his scanty robe, Nol looked like a refugee.

From an angle Nol couldn’t see, Teest’s mouth tightened in regret.

……

What the two didn’t expect was that before the sun set, they hitched a ride with a luxurious caravan.

When they reached the roadside, they saw a dazzling caravan. The emblem on the horses looked familiar. Nol thought for a moment; it seemed to be the logo of the famous “Alva Merchant Group”.

Founded by Duke Alva from the Inato Alliance, the Alva Merchant Group was currently ranked first among all merchant groups on the Tahe Continent, known for its excellent service and rare goods.

But this wasn’t the same caravan from Whitebird City—that caravan, with the Kurt family, had left more than half a month ago. And the horses and carriages of that caravan were nowhere near as fancy as this one.

This must be another team from the Alva Merchant Group, likely carrying some very important person.

Teest snapped his fingers, changing his hair color to pitch black and his eyes to a blue similar to Nol’s. He messed up his clothes, pulled Nol close, and stopped one of the horses.

On the horse sat a modestly dressed woman, around thirty, with deep blue eyes like the ocean and shoulder-length auburn hair that curled slightly at the tips. Teest’s judgment was sharp; even the socially awkward Nol could tell she was the kind-hearted, shy, hard-to-refuse kind.

“Kind lady.” Teest held Nol tightly. “Our village—our home—was destroyed by the damn Eternal Church. Can you take us away from here?”

“We have savings. I’m willing to give ten gold wheels… I can give you some money now. Please take us away from this nightmare. I beg you.”

As he spoke, Teest discreetly stepped on the wolf’s ear tip, hiding in Nol’s shadow.

“Ah, I, I…” The lady’s common language seemed a bit rusty. She quickly stopped her horse and waved her hands. “It’s okay. No need for the money… Quickly, change your clothes, have some food.”

“Thank you!” Teest bowed deeply. If Nol didn’t know the truth, he would have thought Teest was genuinely grateful.

“Billy, Billy!” the lady called out. “Someone needs help, over here!”

“Hm? What’s the matter, my little bird?”

A cheerful voice rang out from not far away, and the entire caravan came to a stop.

Suddenly, Nol felt his hair stand on end, and Teest barely resisted touching the “Betrayer”.

Behind them, an incredibly powerful aura surged forth.

The author has something to say:

Here it comes! Fluffy officially joins the team~

Should it be considered a non-staff member? After all, every knight needs a mount (…

Kinky Thoughts:

The pet! …Though I thought Kando was the pet.

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

Qizi Ch11

Kinky2 Comments

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

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

Chapter 11

Ying Feng incredulously sized him up from head to toe. Under the mad-dog-like attack of that person just now, Zhu Yue had sustained several injuries, but no matter how one looked at it, he didn’t seem like he would bleed so much.

“Really?” He looked skeptical.

“Really.” Zhu Yue’s voice started soft then grew louder. “What exactly is going on? Why is the blood moving on its own?”

Ying Feng stared at him with a grim expression for a moment and suddenly pulled out his own dagger, swiftly making a cut on Zhu Yue’s fingertip.

“You!” Zhu Yue realized his intention and tried to pull back his hand, but he wasn’t as strong as Ying Feng. He watched helplessly as his blood dripped near Ying Feng’s bloodstain.

The two droplets of blood, though close, didn’t merge, contrasting starkly with the other bloodstains.

Zhu Yue had never expected Ying Feng to experiment on the spot. Panicking, he tried to disguise his true intentions.

“You lied to me,” Ying Feng said coldly.

Zhu Yue’s eyes flickered; his expression puzzled. “How… How could this happen? I don’t know…”

“Tell the truth.” Ying Feng’s grip was so tight it felt like he could crush his bones.

“I… I was knocked out just now. When I woke up, it was like this. I thought the blood on the ground was mine… because I couldn’t have injured that man earlier,” he stammered.

“Who was there just now?”

“Just the two of us… I don’t know what happened after I passed out. I just woke up right before you came.”

Suspicion filled Ying Feng’s eyes, but Zhu Yue remained adamant. Regrettably, when that person saw Ying Feng approaching earlier, he turned and ran, so Ying Feng didn’t even get a good look at him.

“Who attacked you just now?”

Zhu Yue timidly shook his head. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know why he targeted you?”

“There have always been many people bullying me in the academy. I dare not look at their faces.”

Zhu Yue mixed truth and falsehood in his words. Even Ying Feng knew that, due to Zhu Yue’s frailty, he had been bullied by seniors since joining the academy. Once, he was cornered and beaten by several students, but he only buried his head between his knees and sat on the ground without fighting back.

It was then that Ying Feng came to his rescue. Since then, Zhu Yue had followed him everywhere. But among the Tianxiu people, one was judged only by their strength. So, Ying Feng’s regard for Zhu Yue was perhaps even less than for Ling Xiao, who constantly provoked him.

Seeing him silent, Zhu Yue timidly asked, “Can you… tell me what’s really going on?”

Ying Feng, now close to the person he was looking for yet still out of reach, was no longer in the mood to entertain him. No matter how much Zhu Yue asked, he remained silent.

The two of them, one knew the truth and was desperate to understand the reasons, the other knew the reasons and was desperate to uncover the truth—both had their secrets, yet neither could get more information out of the other.

Ling Xiao gave a good lesson to the senior student who had dared to target him. Thinking of the other, he rushed back and witnessed the usually arrogant Ying Feng with a hand on Zhu Yue’s shoulder, asking urgently if he was hurt.

This scene was so jarring that he didn’t even want to approach and find out what was happening.

“Ling Xiao, what are you looking at?” Ping Zong happened to pass by, seeing Ling Xiao standing still and gazing into the distance, wondering what had caught his attention.

“Nothing,” Ling Xiao, not wanting Ping Zong to know his current mood, turned away.

Ping Zong felt something was off and noticed Ling Xiao’s bleeding hand. “Oh, how did you get hurt so badly?”

Only then did Ling Xiao remember his bleeding hand, but he couldn’t feel the pain anymore. “Just a minor injury.”

“This is a minor injury to you?” Without waiting for a response, Ping Zong grabbed him. “Come with me to the infirmary.”

Ling Xiao struggled but couldn’t break free. Though Ping Zong appeared not to be very strong, he effectively prevented Ling Xiao from escaping.

In the infirmary, an exasperated Ling Xiao asked, “You’re so strong. Does your Lan Sheng know?”

“He doesn’t need to know. If I asked him to go to the infirmary, he would go obediently.” Ping Zong seemed to be talking about Lan Sheng but was indirectly scolding Ling Xiao.

“I mean seriously. Every time you spar, you always let him win. Is that really a good thing?” Whether it was physical training or combat practice, Ping Zong always perfectly played the role of a sparring partner. Lan Sheng didn’t know, but Ling Xiao had a clear view from the sidelines.

“He has a strong personality. If he loses, he’ll be unhappy, and he might even lose his temper. By then, I’ll have to console him.” Ping Zong thought of something and chuckled. “In this respect, you’re quite similar to him.”

Ling Xiao was unhappy. “When have I ever lost my temper without reason?”

Ping Zong pretended not to hear. “Moreover, letting him win doesn’t hurt me. It makes him happy, so why not?”

“If you two really face off at the coming-of-age ceremony, it’s uncertain who will win or lose.”

“Given Lan Sheng’s character, losing in such a significant event might upset him greatly. Moreover, after he becomes the Qizhu, he will gain my abilities. Having great power has always been his wish, while my desire for it is not as intense as his.”

Ling Xiao heard the carefree tone, as if they weren’t discussing something so significant, but just a trivial matter.

“You’re really magnanimous.” He sincerely admired the person in front of him.

“It’s not about being magnanimous. When you truly like someone, you’ll also have the idea of willingly becoming their Qizi.”

“That’s impossible,” Ling Xiao immediately refuted. “I will never think like that.”

“When in front of someone you truly like, you can yield anything.”

“If I like someone, I must conquer them. Only by gaining power can I better protect them. This doesn’t contradict yielding because of love.”

Ping Zong just chuckled upon hearing. “That’s because you haven’t truly liked someone yet.”

Ling Xiao disagreed. “According to what you said, if Lan Sheng truly liked you, he should willingly be your Qizi for your sake. But from what I know of him, that’s impossible.”

Ping Zong pondered and shook his head. “I don’t doubt his sincerity towards me. But perhaps, as you said, some people are just like that. Even if they truly love someone, they won’t bow their heads for love. I can’t argue with you. Lan Sheng is that kind of person, and you are of the same kind. I was presumptuous.”

“So, you plan to continue to go easy on him until the coming-of-age ceremony?”

Ping Zong was non-committal. “Why not? Since there must be a winner and loser. If he’s not willing to lose, then I’ll bow first.”

The two reached the medical building, surprisingly packed with people.

“What’s going on?” Ling Xiao was taken aback. “A contagious disease?”

The sophisticated term was something he learned from a biology book. Everyone knew that the people of Tianxiu didn’t have contagious diseases or even illnesses. The so-called medical building spent most of its time treating injuries from those who loved to fight.

“The school issued a notice. Everyone needs to come and get a blood draw.”

“A notice? Why didn’t I see it?”

“I wanted to tell you yesterday, but you ran off. Lan Sheng and I already had it done yesterday.”

Ping Zong led him to a temporary blood station where two staff members in white uniforms were drawing blood, with a long line behind.

“This student is injured. Can you please take his blood first?”

Everyone had no objections, and Ling Xiao was moved to the front.

“Fighting again, weren’t you?” To his surprise, there were even teachers from the academy in the front line. Seeing Ling Xiao’s condition, one teased, “You energetic fledglings can’t sit still for a day without causing a ruckus.”

Ling Xiao sheepishly grinned. “Teacher, why are you here for a blood draw?”

“This blood draw is mandatory. All people of Tianxiu must participate,” the staff member drawing his blood replied.

“Where are you from?”

“We are from the Disease Control Center.”

“Oh,” Ling Xiao recognized the name. Its full name was the Tianxiu Mental Disease Control Center. Mental illness was probably the only disease the people of Tianxiu could suffer from.

“Did something happen? Such a large-scale blood draw?”

“We found a new blood-borne disease…”

Ling Xiao’s eyes widened. “So it really is a contagious disease?”

“Don’t worry, this disease is relatively harmless. We’re just doing a check for safety, and also researching its cause.”

Ling Xiao nodded, not quite understanding.

“All done.” The staff member filled a vial with blood and carefully recorded Ling Xiao’s personal information. “You can go and treat your wound now.”

Under Ping Zong’s escort, Ling Xiao returned to the medical room. With Tianxiu’s advanced medical technology and their special constitution, his wound healed in a short time, leaving only a faint scar across his palm.

“See, I told you it was just a minor injury. You made such a big deal out of it.”

“If you talk again, I’ll beat you until you’re severely injured; let’s see if you’ll think I’m overreacting then.”

“Haha, come on. I’ve always wanted to have a real showdown with you to see how deep your hidden strength really is.” Ling Xiao rubbed his hands in anticipation.

Suddenly, a voice interjected. “Fighting is prohibited in the medical building. Do you want me to lock both of you in the intensive care unit?”

Embarrassed, Ling Xiao lowered his fists. He and Ping Zong both respectfully greeted Dr. Yao.

Behind Yao Tai was a fledgling that Ling Xiao had never seen before. With large, curious eyes, the fledgling’s gaze wandered over the two of them, full of wonder.

Yao Tai spoke, but her words were directed at the fledgling behind her. “These are bad examples from the academy. Don’t follow their lead.”

Ling Xiao: 囧*

*A Chinese character that has become an internet phenomenon and is widely used to express embarrassment and gloom because of the character’s resemblance to a sad facial expression.

“This is a new student who just enrolled today,” Yao Tai introduced. “His name is Xing Lou, and he will be your junior.”

“Hello, I’m Ping Zong, a tenth grader.”

“Ling Xiao.”

Xing Lou bowed politely. “Hello, seniors.”

“He looks quite well-behaved.”

“There are too many people here today, and I can’t spare the time.” Yao Tai instructed, “You two take him to the first-year dormitory and help him settle in.”

“No problem,” Ling Xiao replied while shaking his head. “Let’s go.”

“Thank you, seniors.”

On the way, Ling Xiao and Ping Zong showed Xing Lou around, introducing him to the various buildings of the academy. When they reached the main gate of the dormitory area, Ling Xiao said to Ping Zong, “You can go back first. I can take him the rest of the way.”

“Alright.” Ping Zong patted Xing Lou’s head. Though they all appeared to be of the same age, for someone like Xing Lou, who just awakened, the seniors couldn’t help but act like elder siblings. “If you need anything, come find me.”

“Thank you, senior. Goodbye.”

After bidding farewell to Ping Zong, Xing Lou followed Ling Xiao to the first-year dormitory. At the dormitory office, they found out his room number.

“During your time at the base, the staff will give you a card…”

“Is it this one?” Xing Lou pulled out his magnetic card.

“Yes, that card is very important. You use it to make purchases, and your living allowance is regularly deposited into it.” Ling Xiao pointed to Xing Lou’s dorm door. “Another function of it is to unlock the door.”

Xing Lou swiped the card, and the door opened automatically. Every room in the academy, regardless of the grade level, had the same configuration.

“Wow, such a big bed. Does every room have a double bed?”

“Yes, so you don’t roll off while sleeping,” Ling Xiao joked, but Xing Lou took him seriously.

“Really? The academy is so considerate.”

Ling Xiao gave Xing Lou a detailed introduction to everything in the room. “This is the network connection device. Through it, you can access the interactive web. You can also bind it to your terminal, allowing you to surf the web anywhere, anytime.”

Xing Lou nodded and wrote it down.

“And this is a teleportation device. If you buy something online, it’ll be delivered to you through this device. Very convenient.”

“That’s amazing.” Xing Lou carefully touched the exterior of the teleporter. Ling Xiao was amused by his action, but he understood. When he first encountered these things, he too was filled with curiosity and awe, just like Xing Lou.

After Xing Lou got the hang of the basic functionalities, Ling Xiao prepared to leave. “That’s it. Call me if you need anything.”

After exchanging contact information, Xing Lou expressed his gratitude. “Thank you, senior. Please take care of me in the future.”

“You’re too polite,” Ling Xiao replied, patting Xing Lou’s head affectionately.

After seeing Ling Xiao off, the first thing Xing Lou did was to check out the network connection device.

Browsing the web? Sounds interesting.

He followed the method taught by Ling Xiao and connected his terminal.

“AHHHHHHH!!”

A sharp scream alerted Ling Xiao, who was still nearby. He rushed back, kicking open Xing Lou’s door, “What happened?!”

Xing Lou, with innocent wide eyes, said, “There was a spider on the ceiling…”

Ling Xiao looked exasperated. “As a Tianxiu person who fears nothing, how can you be afraid of a spider?”

Xing Lou felt embarrassed by his reaction.

Ling Xiao let it slide. “Where’s the spider now?”

Xing Lou looked up. “I think I scared it away.”

Ling Xiao: “…”

“I’m okay now. Sorry for making you worried,” Xing Lou said.

Ling Xiao waved it off. “Just don’t get scared so easily next time.”

Xing Lou nodded vigorously. “Okay!”

Ling Xiao, still a bit concerned, finally left.

Out of his sight, behind the wall, the first-year student of Bikong Academy, Xing Lou, was curiously examining his hands with a mysterious smile playing on his lips.

“It’s been a long time, world. I’m back.”

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

Escape From the Asylum Ch11

Kinky2 Comments

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

Chapter 11

Regarding what Qi Liuxing had said, Zhou Qian didn’t answer for the moment and just looked towards the opposite bank of the lake.

The goddesses had completely disappeared, leaving only snow-white petals covering the ground. The Great God Epoh was peacefully asleep amidst the flowers, as if he had entered a long slumber.

At this moment, the believers probably didn’t have the time or intent to continue hurting him.

They wanted to become gods. They were eager to pick the apples.

At that moment, the 19 believers were rushing one after another across the three bridges.

The branches with apples were quite high, not something one could easily reach by simply raising their hand.

So, presumably, after these believers reached the other side of the lake, they couldn’t immediately get to them. They would have to climb trees and help each other by stepping on shoulders to get the apples.

Before they got their hands on the apples, Zhou Qian took out a spherical object from his bag.

[Item: Flash Bomb]

[Function: When thrown on the ground, it emits a flash and smoke that confuses the vision of regular enemies. Lasts for three minutes.]

This item was something Zhou Qian had acquired from Gao Shan during the scoring game.

Holding the flash spray bomb, Zhou Qian quickly walked to the head of the bridge, fiercely throwing it towards the opposite bank. Instantly, colorful fog that also flashed rose, turning the dreamy and tranquil scene into something reminiscent of a peculiar nightclub.

In front of the mobile phone screen.

Yu Xian: “Damn, my eyes are going blind from the flash. What kind of fantasy punk style is this?

“I almost had a bizarre thought that after these believers eat the apples and transform into gods, they might just start dancing right there. The scene would be too beautiful…”

“Ahem, anyway, what does Qian Ge want to do?”

Zhu Qiang analyzed for a moment. “The purpose of this item is to obscure vision. It’s hard to say how much advantage it can provide in a fight, but right now… Qian Ge probably wants to use it to slow down the believers from picking apples.”

Yu Xian: “But didn’t he say not to stop them from eating the apples?”

Zhu Qiang: “He’s coming down from the bridge. Let’s watch!”

Inside the game.

Four players gathered on the shore, and Zhou Qian finally answered Qi Liuxing’s previous question.

“The four of us, trying to stop 19 people from picking apples, have no chance of winning. Even if we try our best, some will succeed in eating them. By that time, those who have transformed will be gods, but our HP and MP will be emptied. How would we escape?”

Qi Liuxing asked, “So what do we do? Try to destroy the three bridges?”

Zhou Qian shook his head. “It won’t make much difference. The bridges were conjured by the goddesses. Don’t forget, they became gods after eating the apples. So, even if the transformed believers lose their senses, you can’t be sure they won’t make a bridge.”

Gao Shan: “So what do we do? Just wait for all 19 of them to become gods? The difference in power is too vast!”

“This game is only at level one. The method to clear it is simple. We don’t need to confront the NPCs directly.”

Zhou Qian explained, “After eating the apples, the believers will lose their senses and attack us. But if they can’t see us, how can they act? So, we just need to find a place to hide during the time they’re picking apples.”

Gao Shan couldn’t help but ask again, “That sounds easy, but where do we hide?”

Yun Xiangrong reacted quickly. “The treehouse! That’s it… The hiding place, the game told us right at the beginning!”

“We started at the treehouse area, which is far from here and relatively concealed. Even if the believers slowly search their way there, we can still play guerrilla warfare with them. We’re more familiar with the terrain over there! We just need to hold on for an hour, and then we can leave Apple Paradise and pass successfully.”

Gao Shan seemed to have an epiphany. “This flash bomb can last for 3 minutes. The believers successfully picking apples would be a matter for at least 3 minutes later. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s hurry and hide in the treehouse!”

After saying this, Gao Shan and Yun Xiangrong looked at each other, nodded, and turned to head towards the treehouse.

However, Zhou Qian suddenly spoke up, stopping them. “Wait.”

“Why are you wasting time? We only have 3 minutes!” Gao Shan said anxiously.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Qian replied, “Sorry, using this flash bomb to hold them back for 3 minutes wasn’t actually to buy us time to hide. I just wanted to use these 3 minutes to persuade you to agree to my other plan.”

Gao Shan, Yun Xiangrong, and Qi Liuxing: “…”

“What I’m about to say is the main point. Not stopping the believers from eating the apples, playing hide and seek with them in the treehouse. Doing these two things, players can clear this level by just enduring. But if—”

Zhou Qian looked at the other three and said, “If it’s just like this, the gameplay is too mediocre. We can’t get any special rewards.”

“What do you mean…” Gao Shan was a bit hesitant.

Zhou Qian explained, “The pass rate for this instance is 70%. The initial scoring game is the first checkpoint. The probability of all five of us getting through without injury is too low. The usual way most likely involves 5 players going in and 4 coming out, so the survival rate for players at this stage is generally 80%. This is close to the average pass rate. This means that most people can safely get through the next escape segment and successfully pass. But don’t forget—”

“There are hidden achievements in this instance.”

“Believers, abused gods, apples nourished by pain and godly blood… there must be a purpose behind these images. If we just leave like this, we haven’t helped anyone in this story.”

“We need to fully understand the story behind the instance to get the real hidden achievements and the most special rewards. So—”

Zhou Qian then looked towards the other side of the lake.

Three minutes were about to pass. The colorful smoke was slowly dissipating.

With an intrigued look in his eyes, Zhou Qian continued, “The system message says that after eating the apple, one will lose their sanity for a period of time. But what happens after that period? What will happen to the believers? Is Epoh just sleeping with his eyes closed the entire time?”

“So, my suggestion is to abandon the plan to hide in the treehouse. We should witness the entire storyline here, so we know how to trigger the hidden achievement.”

After Zhou Qian finished speaking, the three players were silent for a full three seconds.

The first to respond was Gao Shan. “This is too dangerous! If we play it safe, we can survive. But staying here, 4 against 20, we are very likely to be wiped out! We can’t risk our lives for a hidden reward! We… we won’t stay here. We’ll go to the treehouse!”

“But I need you,” Zhou Qian said.

On hearing this, both Qi Liuxing and Yun Xiangrong couldn’t help but chuckle.

Why should Zhou Qian assume that just because he needs them, they will risk their lives with him?

After all, the probability of getting the hidden achievement was only 10%.

Zhou Qian, seemingly oblivious to the looks from his teammates, said earnestly, “I’m currently a Rank F player, a combat weakling without any skills. That’s why I need your help.”

“You three, healer, DPS, and tank, each with your own skills. We can form a team, with me as the commander. Follow my plan, and we can surely get the hidden achievement.”

Before the others could rebut, Zhou Qian continued, “You came here for special rewards. Why are you afraid to take risks now?”

“Or let me rephrase—why did you agree to play this game in the first place? Can you achieve what you want by always playing it safe?”

Yun Xiangrong took a deep breath and looked at Zhou Qian. “This is gambler behavior.”

Zhou Qian smiled. “I am indeed a gambler. But when I win at the gambling table, it’s never due to luck but strategy and precise execution. For just a level-one instance, as long as you listen to me, achieving the hidden achievement isn’t hard.”

Yun Xiangrong pressed on. “How can you guarantee that?”

Zhou Qian replied, “Based on the special intel I got from the side quest.”

Glancing again at the other side of the lake, Zhou Qian’s expression became a bit more serious. “We don’t have much time. I can’t explain everything to you now. I’ll give you ten seconds to think. Those willing to stay, just follow my command.”

……

In front of the phone screen, both Yu Xian and Zhu Qiang shook their heads.

“What kind of intel does Qian Ge have? He has only three pills at most, which can limit the actions of only three godly believers.”

“My former boss used to paint us rosy pictures, just like Qian Ge.”

“Yeah, I know the outcome. Your company went bankrupt, and you lost your job.”

To the other players, it seemed Zhou Qian was drawing an unrealistically promising picture…

Soon, through the phone screen, the Yu Zhu duo saw the choices made by the other players.

Yun Xiangrong and Gao Shan chose the safe route, heading for the treehouse; Qi Liuxing surprisingly chose to stay.

Before turning to leave, Yun Xiangrong said to Zhou Qian, “I’ve realized how difficult it is to get a hidden achievement in such an instance. You can’t possibly succeed.”

Seemingly not hearing that at all, Zhou Qian just looked at Qi Liuxing with a smile, praising sincerely, “Truly worthy of being the highest-ranked Sword God among us!”

Qi Liuxing coldly looked at Zhou Qian. “I am indeed willing to stay and continue to explore the plot. But I won’t listen to your commands. I won’t believe a word you say anymore.”

Ah, it seems that when they played the treehouse scoring game, he had left a deep psychological shadow on this young man, hadn’t he?

As the conversation reached this point, Qi Liuxing solemnly added, “Also, being called a ‘Sword God’ or something, I’m nowhere close to that. It’s just a title gamblers use to cheer me on.”

Zhou Qian chuckled upon hearing this, only for Qi Liuxing to continue, “Once the 19 NPCs eat the apples and become gods, I’ll decide if I should flee to the treehouse and forfeit the hidden achievement based on the situation.”

“My basic attributes are all pretty good; I can fight, endure hits, and run fast. So, I am confident I can escape unscathed. But I’m not sure I can still escape safely with you slowing me down. I’m telling you this now, so don’t blame me for being heartless or unemotional later.”

“No. You’re neither heartless nor emotionless. You will save me,” Zhou Qian said confidently.

Qi Liuxing, a young man not yet 18, didn’t hide his emotions well.

He feigned indifference and sternly said to Zhou Qian, “Why do you think so? You cheated me out of my money and items, and now you expect me to save you?”

In the end, he couldn’t help but add, “Why are you so shameless?!”

For a young man who seemed to have received a good upbringing, using just the phrase “shameless” to insult someone when angered was quite restrained.

Even though Dong Xiang was indeed a scumbag, Zhou Qian had a slight feeling that the proportion of good people he encountered in this story seemed a bit too high.

However, real-life experience told Zhou Qian that most people in the world were untrustworthy. The only thing that truly bound everyone together was “interest”, especially substantial interest.

With that, Zhou Qian gave Qi Liuxing a meaningful look and said with a smile, “You want to stay, which means you really want the hidden reward. That means the special information I have is useful to you.”

Casting a glance at the silhouette of a couple in the distance, Zhou Qian approached Qi Liuxing in the last second of the smoke bomb’s 3-minute effect, stared into his eyes, and slowly said, “Qi Liuxing, keep me alive. I’ll help you win.”

……

Leaning against an apple tree, Zhou Qian hid himself with only half of his head peeking out, looking towards the opposite shore of the lake.

One of his legs was casually bent, giving off a somewhat carefree vibe.

Yet, his demeanor exuded a calm and relaxed aura, making people want to follow him instinctively.

Across from Zhou Qian, Qi Liuxing stood upright with a long sword in hand.

Being labeled as a “Sword God” was the highest honor for a chuunibyou* like him. He always demanded of himself to stand as straight as a sword.

*Also known as middle-second syndrome or eighth-grader syndrome, is a Japanese colloquial term typically used to describe early teens who have grandiose delusions, who desperately want to stand out, and who have convinced themselves they have hidden knowledge of secret powers.

But now, he realized Zhou Qian’s posture seemed a bit more stylish.

So, leaning against a tree, Qi Liuxing unconsciously imitated Zhou Qian’s posture, bending one leg as well.

However, he remained stoic, forcing a straight face, and gave Zhou Qian a cold look, pretending he didn’t care about what Zhou Qian was saying.

Casually taking a barrier from his bag, Qi Liuxing threw it in front of one of the crystal bridges. “This barrier can last for three minutes. If all 19 of them rush over, it might block them for a bit, buying us some time to escape.”

Zhou Qian’s attractive eyes squinted slightly. “Not bad.”

Qi Liuxing asked, “So what exactly is the special information you have?”

Zhou Qian: “Actually, whether I tell you or not, it doesn’t matter much.”

Qi Liuxing: “?”

Zhou Qian: “Because apart from those three pills, I didn’t get any special information.”

Qi Liuxing: “…?! You—!”

The fact that even this was a ruse by Zhou Qian made Qi Liuxing furious. He glared at Zhou Qian. “Are you out of your mind? You have no info?! How do you, a Rank F weakling, expect to deal with 19 divine believers? Need I remind you? Your HP is only 300! One hit from my sword might kill you!”

Zhou Qian didn’t respond.

He stared at the opposite shore and then stood upright. “Remember Believer No. 1?”

Qi Liuxing asked, “The pregnant woman?”

“Yes.” Zhou Qian nodded. “It seems everyone’s transformation rate is different. She and the two men next to her ate the apples at the same time. Now she’s transformed, but the two men haven’t.”

Qi Liuxing quickly looked across the lake and immediately spotted the pregnant woman.

She stood out in the crowd, emanating a red glow that made her impossible to ignore. At the same time, her pupils had turned white, making her eyes look vacant, as if she had lost her sanity.

Opening her mouth, she suddenly let out a roar, and then something bizarre happened.

She crouched down in pain and screamed as if she was giving birth.

A round, fleshy blob covered in blood crawled out from her body. It was connected to her by an umbilical cord, wrapped around her waist. Her hands suddenly grew sharp claws, flailing about as if searching for a target to attack.

“Fuck—”

The sight was so grotesque and eerie that Qi Liuxing, who was always trying to maintain his cool swordsman demeanor, couldn’t keep his act up. His voice involuntarily pitched up in shock. “Is this what they call becoming a god? This looks more like turning into a monstrous zombie! She’s… She’s looking for a target, right? Damn it, she’s coming this way!”

Across the lake, the transformed Believer No. 1 was indeed approaching.

With every step, she left a bloody footprint. As she walked past other followers who were either eating or trying to pick apples, she headed straight for one of the crystal bridges, which had no barricades, and slowly walked towards their side of the lake. Throughout this process, her nose twitched continuously, as if sniffing something. Her eyes darted from left to right, and her arms flailed more violently.

[Target: Believer No. 1]

[Rank: C]

[Skills: ???]

[Warning: High aggression and strong killing intent detected. Players, be cautious!]

Qi Liuxing, after accessing her data through his watch, gripped his sword tightly and prepared himself for combat.

Unexpectedly, he heard Zhou Qian asking him in a rather relaxed tone, “Hey, let me quiz you.”

Qi Liuxing looked at him incredulously. “Are you out of your mind?”

Zhou Qian casually gestured towards the lake’s other side. “The believer consumes the apple, loses her sanity, emits a red glow, and shows high aggression and strong killing intent… So why didn’t she harm other believers and instead headed straight for us?”

The author has something to say:

The illusions spun by Qian Ge taste as delicious as the divine apples.

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Escape From the Asylum Ch10

Kinky3 Comments

Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

Chapter 10

Across the lake.

A vast shadow on the ground was steadily approaching Zhou Qian, completely engulfing his silhouette.

Accompanying the shadow from the sky was a gigantic branch.

The branch was covered in countless leaves, looking as if they were opening their mouths, ready to bite and tear at Zhou Qian’s flesh.

The other two believers faced a situation similar to Zhou Qian’s.

Their faces turned pale, and their eyes displayed immense fear.

It’s over. These snake-like vines, with their gaping mouths, would surely tear them apart! They were naive to think they could actually harm a god!

Believer No. 2 was the first to react, turning to run.

Perhaps because he had harmed Epoh the most, he now appeared the most panicked.

But luck wasn’t on his side. Just as he was about to step onto the crystal bridge, he misstepped, plunging into the lake.

In an instant, his body was torn apart, blood misting the air, swiftly consumed by the silent waters.

Believer No. 1, running behind him, narrowly stopped at the edge of the lake upon seeing his fate. She immediately turned around, quickly kneeling towards the giant tree and Epoh.

She bowed her head repeatedly, pleadingly saying, “I… I was wrong! Great God Epoh! I was wrong!”

“But you said we could do whatever to you—”

“No. I shouldn’t have! I was wrong! I shouldn’t have been so selfish! All of this is my fault! I shouldn’t have directed my life’s resentment towards you! I’m sorry! I…”

Throughout this ordeal, Zhou Qian glanced back only briefly before returning his gaze forward, calmly watching the demonic leaves approach him.

In the next moment, Zhou Qian was entirely consumed.

He stood tall and straight, like a blade, unwavering in place. He was immediately swept up and enveloped by the leaves, disappearing from sight.

Almost everyone held their breath, thinking Zhou Qian was surely doomed.

But soon, the leaves retreated from his body.

He emerged untouched, with all the blood stains on him gone.

It turned out the leaves only absorbed the god’s blood from him, not intending to kill him.

With his hands casually in his pockets, Zhou Qian smiled as he looked in the direction of the Great God Epoh.

He had guessed right again.

He deduced from two points that God Epoh wouldn’t harm anyone with the leaves.

First, it defied logic. If Epoh wanted people to torture him and then kill them afterward, it made no sense.

Considering it from a conspiratorial angle, if Epoh had ulterior motives in being tortured, then he would need all 24 followers to complete the ritual. If he killed them now, the remaining would be scared off, ending the ritual.

So from any perspective, it made no sense for him to kill.

As for the second reason, Zhou Qian had quickly checked his watch for information.

In the current stage of the game, when faced with hostile entities, the system would always provide information such as their HP and attack levels.

However, when the leaves approached, the system detected nothing.

From this, Zhou Qian deduced the leaves meant him no harm.

Indeed, he emerged unscathed, as did Believer No. 1.

The only one to meet an unfortunate fate was Believer No. 2, who frightened himself into the lake.

Zhou Qian felt no pity for him. If one does no wrong, they fear no retribution. It was his own harm towards Epoh that made him so afraid of retaliation.

However, this situation seemed too lenient for Believer No. 1.

Zhou Qian glanced at her and heard the goddess say, “Please Believers No. 1 and No. 3 return to the other side of the lake. Now, Believers No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6, come forward to meet the Great God. You can do whatever you want to him.”

……

The 24 followers were divided into 8 batches. After returning to the lakeside, Zhou Qian watched as the remaining 7 batches approached God Epoh, each employing various cruel methods on him.

Apart from the three players, including Zhou Qian, all other followers took action.

If Believers No. 1 and No. 2 were a bit restrained due to caution, the rest became increasingly brutal upon realizing there were no repercussions.

In their everyday lives, bound by morals and laws, many wouldn’t dare act out their darkest desires.

But now, with the opportunity provided by God Epoh, it undeniably unleashed the darkness within them.

Mad emotions were like contagious germs, infecting everyone in an instant, fermenting the violent factors in their blood to the extreme.

Originally there were some believers who were unwilling to harm the Great God Epoh. But at this time, the kind-hearted people seemed to be treated as monsters. In the end, either under coercion or threats, they still acted against the great god Epoh.

This turned into a feast of humans torturing the god.

The climax of this feast was when a believer took an ax he brought and cut off Epoh’s leg. When he threw that leg into the lake, the believers erupted in jubilation.

As things progressed, the brutality of the followers was astounding. Seeing someone chop off a leg, another follower seemed to want to compete and actually decapitated Epoh’s head and threw it into the lake.

Witnessing this scene, even Zhou Qian, who had almost lost his emotional experience, frowned deeply.

Among the young couple, Yun Xiangrong, who had always been calm, covered her face with both hands, unable to bear watching. The honest Gao Shan was already in tears. “How could they do such a thing? This is unbelievable.”

“There’s nothing surprising. In such a situation, if you are reluctant to take action, you might be killed as an outcast. This is the most terrifying aspect of human nature,” Zhou Qian said solemnly while his eyes narrowed as he looked at the opposite shore. “What’s more, they have also witnessed the fact that the Great God will not die no matter what. So they don’t have to take any responsibility and can vent as they like.”

Gao Shan couldn’t understand. “I really don’t understand. The great god clearly helped them! Why aren’t they grateful, but instead resent him?”

After a moment of silence, Zhou Qian said indifferently, “The reason is simple. If they get something too easily, people will take it for granted. As a Great God, he should fulfill their wishes without reservation. So, once the Great God disappoints them, they hate him.”

With a sarcastic smile, Zhou Qian added, “When Epoh was useful to them, they worshiped him as a god. But once he became useless… Well, you’re seeing the outcome.”

Except for the three players, each believer tortured the great god Epoh for a full 5 minutes.

When the last group of punishing believers returned, the giant tree on the opposite bank began to move again. Its branches wrapped around the broken body of the Great God, regenerating his limbs and head.

When Epoh reappeared, he looked the same with closed eyes, but his complexion had become paler.

Zhou Qian sensed something and looked at the giant tree behind Epoh. The entire tree was changing, and soon everyone’s attention was drawn to it. The giant tree was blooming!

Thousands of branches shook, and soon pink buds sprouted and quickly bloomed into white flowers.

In a flash, like a spring breeze overnight, the giant tree was full of snow-white flowers. With the blooming, a refreshing fragrance wafted over, even across the lake.

The fragrance seemed to have a magical power, making everyone feel relaxed and worry-free.

The flowers bloomed in an instant and also withered in an instant. The petals fell like snow, covering the ground.

The snow-colored petals fell all over Epoh’s body. His hair, his bare shoulders, even that freshly regrown leg, were all covered in petals. His face was ashen, almost blending in with the color of the flowers.

If not for the prominent nose, the faintly reddish lips, and those lowered black eyelashes, Zhou Qian would have had a hard time distinguishing him from the fallen petals.

Thousands of flowers withered, replaced by one fruit after another growing on the giant tree.

The fruits were full and juicy, a pure bright red.

They were apples.

In Apple Park, apples finally grew.

……

The voice of the goddess echoed from afar, as if from the clouds.

“Pain is also a way for gods to feel the world.”

“After descending on this land, the god experienced human joy, sorrow, desire, and envy… Now he has experienced pain and understands the emotions of this land and humanity.”

“The god’s suffering ritual has come to an end. No believer should harm him anymore.”

“The weakened god will return to his homeland to recover his spiritual power.”

“The doors of Apple Park will open in an hour. Those who want to leave can do so by then.”

As the goddess’s voice faded, Epoh, perched on the giant tree, closed his eyes.

The two goddesses looked at him, shared a smile, and turned to the believers, continuing in a sing-song manner.

“The apples of the Apple Park are born from the pain and blood of the Great God Epoh. Gods who consume them will become stronger; ordinary people who eat them will become gods, possessing great divine power.”

“If you want to become a god, hurry up and eat an apple.”

Most of the believers were still indulging in their excitement from the ritual. The words of the goddesses undoubtedly ignited their excitement even further.

“Really? Can we become gods?!”

“Just by eating apples?”

“If we have divine power, can’t we achieve our desires?!”

The goddesses replied in unison.

“Of course.”

“Not only humans, but animals can too.”

“In fact, both of us were originally animals. Only after eating the apples did we gain divine power!”

One goddess transformed into a rabbit, hopping onto a tree branch and disappearing into the jungle. The other turned into a snake, playfully hissing at the believers, its eyes not menacing but rather teasing. The snake then coiled around a nearby tree branch and disappeared.

As the two goddesses vanished, four players received system prompts.

[Main Quest Triggered: Exit the Apple Park to clear the level.]

[Tip: Consuming the apple grants divine power but may lead to a loss of consciousness for a short period.]

The first to ask was Gao Shan. “What does this mean? Can we also eat the apples? Should we?”

Zhou Qian turned his gaze from the system panel to the believers, all showing greedy expressions.

“What you need to consider,” Zhou Qian began, “is not whether we should eat the apples but what will happen to us after these believers consume them.”

Taking the system’s hint and the goddesses’ words together, it was easy to infer the next events. Believers would eat the apples, lose their minds, and attack the players indiscriminately. The gates of Apple Park would open in an hour. Until then, they were trapped.

“The current rank of the believers is at least E. What do you think their rank will be after becoming gods?”

“A believer fell into the lake and died, so there are 19 left. Even if they are all Rank E, they still outnumbered us by almost fivefold. If they were to become gods, we’re done for!” Yun Xiangrong worriedly said. “So many apples, so many people… How do we stop them? We’re in big trouble!”

There was a sound of a blade being drawn. Zhou Qian turned to see Qi Liuxing pulling out a shining long sword.

He lifted the sword, standing as straight as the blade itself.

The taciturn boy moved forward, declaring, “We must stop them from eating the apples. Right now, they are 19 ordinary people. Once they consume the apples… we can’t cope. We’ll die here!”

“Wait—” Zhou Qian suddenly called out.

“What?” Qi Liuxing gave him a disdainful glance. “Your little tricks won’t work here. If you’re scared as a weak non-combatant, you can hide behind me.”

“I won’t hide. In fact, I want to lead.” Zhou Qian was calm amidst the crisis. “We shouldn’t stop them from eating the apples. In fact, we should encourage it.”

“What do you mean?” Qi Liuxing obviously thought Zhou Qian was out of his mind.

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