“Why didn’t you keep the Evil Dog Spirit of Yin Village? You saved it in the first place, so why not keep it by your side?”
A few days after the Evil Spirit black dog was sent away, Zhong Chengshuo asked Yin Ren this question.
While Zhong Chengshuo asked, he was making egg pancakes in the kitchen. With the weather turning cold, Yin Ren himself remained nestled in the bed; not even the freshly cooked youtiao could make him leave.
But Zhong Chengshuo could coax him out of bed.
At this moment, the Great Celestial Master was hugging Zhong Chengshuo from behind, occasionally smelling the aroma of the egg pancakes and sometimes the scent of his beloved.
“It’s a dog. It likes to protect its family members and needs a lot of time for companionship.” Yin Ren buried his face in Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder. “We don’t need its protection, and we don’t have that much time to spend with it… It’s happiest living in a human family.”
Yin Ren had actually considered Zhong Chengshuo’s parents, but the elderly couple was already in their old age, and it wouldn’t be suitable.
From the current situation, the former divine dog seemed to be doing well. In the photo sent by Lu Xiaohe, there was a soft dog bed beside her parents’ bed. The black dog was happily lying inside, wagging its tail and leaving blurry shadows.
Yin Ren took out Dog Thing and couldn’t help but open the photo album to look at the dog. He had just admired it for a few seconds when a phone call came in.
“Hello?”
“It’s me, Fu Xingchuan.” Fu Xingchuan’s voice carried a hint of resentment. “The identities of all the missing people have been determined and settled. Among them, the one you were looking for, ‘A’Shen’, isn’t among them. I also looked at the police records of Hu Tao’s family murder case. He has been missing all along—this kid either died on the Other Side or is living in hiding.”
Yin Ren’s smile faded slightly. “Well, thank you for your hard work.”
After saying that, he hung up the call directly.
“Should we go and find him?” Zhong Chengshuo said as he picked up a small piece of egg pancake with his chopsticks and held it near Yin Ren’s mouth.
“Let’s go find him.” Yin Ren took a bite of the egg pancake.
Afterwards, he took a bite of Zhong Chengshuo’s ear. “I want to find him together with you; just the two of us. If he’s still alive, we should definitely hand him over to the police.”
Yin Ren looked at the empty living room, and his tone became heavy.
“But before that, I want to know the truth of what happened back then. If that guy wasn’t simply driven mad by corruption…” He needed to make him suffer a bit more.
Yin Ren stopped speaking meaningfully.
Zhong Chengshuo turned his head slightly, and his pitch-black eyes widened. He smiled gently. “I understand.”
Comrade Xiao Zhong cautiously scooped the egg pancake onto a plate and took out a spare mobile phone from his pocket, opening the Nightwalkers forum.
[yamaglad: Hello, everyone.]
[No Head: ?]
[My Name is Little Red Riding Hood: Wow.]
[BOOS Supreme Evil Emperor: It’s King Yama! Hahaha, I told you King Yama is fine!!!]
[BOOS Supreme Evil Emperor: I confirmed the ID. It really is King Yama, not that idiotic fake.]
[Sister Xu Spicy Hot Pot—Grand Opening, 20% off: Oh, it’s true. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.]
[Favorite Sky: But King Yama never greets.]
[yamaglad: @yamagald is my beloved, and from now on, we will undertake missions together.]
[yamaglad: Accepting tricky tasks, limited to evil spirits. Two-way choice, please don’t bother with trivial matters. Mission locations that have beautiful scenery, and those with a deep culinary culture will be given priority.]
[yamaglad: Interested parties, please private message. The deadline is one minute from now.]
[BOOS Supreme Evil Emperor: ??????????]
[Xinxin Dog Kennel: ……]
[Old Zhang Jianbing Guozi 028: Ah? King Yama has a wife.]
[Xingwang Repair Station (come here for all household and spiritual appliance repair): He might be getting married.]
……
Instantly, the Nightwalkers chat group went crazy with messages. Zhong Chengshuo put away his phone, satisfied. “With this, we’re officially recognized as partners.”
“You don’t need to explicitly mention our personal relationship.” Yin Ren rested his chin on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder while his eyes were fixed on the screen.
“It’s different. A beloved is the best partner, but the best partner isn’t necessarily your beloved.” Zhong Chengshuo corrected seriously.
“That makes sense.” Yin Ren sighed deeply.
His gaze went beyond the screen filled with frenzied messages and landed on the hamster phone pendant that Zhong Chengshuo had. It was battered, with much of the gold paint faded, looking rather forlorn.
The one that belonged to Yin Ren was destroyed, but Zhong Chengshuo insisted on keeping this one. Perhaps because it was the first gift he had ever given him, Yin Ren always felt that this item was lonely and carried a bad omen.
Since King Yama was about to make a comeback, as King Yama’s beloved and partner, it would be better to give him a better gift—something convenient to carry as a new token of their love.
He had the timing all figured out.
Less than a month remained until New Year’s Eve. The day before New Year’s Eve was the birthday Zhong Chengshuo had given him, so he would definitely prepare a birthday gift for him. When the time came, he would take out his gift and exchange it. It seemed like an interesting idea.
“I’m going to Shian.” Yin Ren finally let go of Zhong Chengshuo’s back, and he swallowed the youtiao in one bite.
“Okay,” Zhong Chengshuo said without suspicion, continuing to make pancakes.
……
Peaceful days always seemed to pass by quickly.
Day after day went by, and information about the Other Side and the Primordial Elementals was gradually made public. At Yin Ren’s strong request, Shian didn’t publicly disclose his identity as a “God” or the “Great Celestial Master”.
After all, Yin Ren hoped that Unit 9 would function normally and not be disbanded. Although some people had voiced their doubts about Unit 9’s rapid rise from C-level to A-level within six months, they fell silent in the face of the terrifying achievements of Unit 9.
Half a month passed, and it was soon the day before New Year’s Eve.
Preparing for his birthday!
Yin Ren wrapped a wooden box in bright red paper and tied it with a black ribbon, hiding it in the staff locker. Today, it would finally be put to use, and he carefully placed it in his backpack.
However, Zhong Chengshuo seemed abnormally normal today, as if he had forgotten the birthday he had personally announced.
Yin Ren felt a pang of sadness. If Zhong Chengshuo had truly forgotten, he would give him this knife next year.
Yin Ren despondently found an ice cream shop and ordered a deluxe set. He decided to subtly hint to Zhong Chengshuo by taking an hour-long stroll. If that guy still couldn’t remember, he would… he would invite Zhong Chengshuo out for a birthday feast and confiscate the wing pillow for the night.
The bored Great Celestial Master absentmindedly opened his Moments.
[Ten Thousand Taels: Sometimes I feel that being alive is really great.] The photo was a toast with Ding Lizi at a bar.
[Ear Person: Still training hard today! 💪]
[Milky Way: Half of the beef dumplings I made at home were eaten by the dog. Who is really the biological child?] The photo showed a black dog lying on the couch, watching TV.
[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: Can’t stand it anymore. Some people really prioritize romance over friendship. They don’t even invite me for hot pot!] Below, Li Nian and Meng Huai both liked the post.
[Let Me See Your Heart: The net of justice is wide, but it won’t let any leak through. Such terrifying people… [news link]]
The link contained news about the capture of the culprit in the Hu family massacre case.
The article briefly introduced the Hu family massacre in the Ping’an Community and the fact that the culprit had come forward thousands of miles from Haigu to confess more than 20 years later. The article stated that, in front of a crowd, the culprit cried and begged the police to arrest and sentence him. The specifics of what happened were still unknown.
Yin Ren absentmindedly liked the post.
Scrolling further down, Unit 7 wished for promotion to the A-level Investigation Team in the new year, while Unit 8 prayed for more year-end bonuses. Liang Shan shared safety tips for the end of the year, and Gao Mengyu showcased the cats she raised at home… For some reason, there was a pitch-black image mixed among the pictures.
Everyone seemed happy, but he felt anxious.
Yin Ren finished his ice cream with one last spoonful. Just as the sky transitioned from dark blue to blackish blue, a message arrived from Zhong Chengshuo.
[Final Fruit: Let’s eat at home tonight. It’s inconvenient to eat outside.]
[Fruit Knife: Huh? Why?]
[Final Fruit: Taking the cake out will make it easy to spoil.]
[Fruit Knife: Oh]
[Fruit Knife: You actually remembered! ☀️]
[Final Fruit: I marked it on the calendar as soon as we agreed.]
[Final Fruit: Remember to buy some spring onions when you come back.]
[Fruit Knife: …👌]
Yin Ren wrapped his scarf tightly and carried a handful of spring onions back home. This was his first time celebrating his birthday in the human world. Yin Ren didn’t even take the elevator to deliberately create a sense of ceremony with every step he took.
This feeling of anticipation was truly wonderful.
Finally, with a creak, the door opened. Warm air rushed in.
The room was still bathed in comfortable, warm light. The floor had just been cleaned and was slightly damp. Among the lush green plants, there were freshly trimmed roses. The sofa had recently been replaced with a deeper and more comfortable model, and a cozy blanket was placed on top.
Yellow Millet was buried in the blanket, almost flattened like a pancake.
Before seeing the dining table, Yin Ren smelled the dishes he usually loved and the aroma of his favorite chocolate.
“I’m back!” Yin Ren greeted happily.
Zhong Chengshuo, wearing an apron, came forward to receive the spring onions in Yin Ren’s hand.
“Wait!” Yin Ren hid the spring onion behind his back. “I also prepared a little gift for you.”
Zhong Chengshuo blinked, stopped in his tracks, and a hint of anticipation appeared on his face.
“Here, open it.” Yin Ren took out a gift box from his bag. “You always take that hamster out with you every day, aren’t you afraid it will get damaged? From now on, take this instead.”
Zhong Chengshuo sat down on the shoe-changing stool and carefully unwrapped the packaging.
The red paper blossomed, and the wooden box slid open. Inside the exquisite wooden box was a deep red velvet lining, and lying quietly on it was a dagger.
The dagger was entirely black, warm to the touch, and the same color as Yin Ren’s wings. However, its blade was adorned with intricate and exquisite crimson patterns that seemed to come alive, constantly changing. The red was incredibly beautiful, even more captivating than the original “Evil Fruit”.
Zhong Chengshuo held the dagger in his hands and felt that it looked somewhat familiar.
“This is the one I brought to the human world initially, and I got it back from Shian,” Yin Ren said with a cheerful smile. “Inside, there’s a living wing, and the blade is infused with my blood. It’s stronger than the Evil Fruit. The Karma Lantern is too ostentatious. If you want to continue your actions as King Yama, you need a handy weapon.”
“It can destroy everything, but not indiscriminately harm. You just need to hold it and greet it. When it’s not activated, it’s no different from an ordinary knife.”
Zhong Chengshuo stared at the dagger in a daze and then turned it a few times in his hand.
A very warm weapon.
“I’ll make a scabbard for it tonight,” Zhong Chengshuo said, holding the dagger tightly and refusing to let go.
“I knew it. Let’s eat,” Yin Ren proudly put down his backpack.
Zhong Chengshuo obediently stepped aside, revealing the full view of the dining table. The warm light illuminated the table, and the sumptuous dishes emitted steaming hot air. The most eye-catching thing on the table was a six-layer chocolate cake.
It stood tall like a tower, adorned with vibrant red berries and snowy white sugar frosting. At the very top of the cake sat a dark chocolate rabbit with disheveled features, just like the one in Yin Ren’s memory.
“This is also considered letting you have a taste of me,” Zhong Chengshuo explained seriously. “Back then, I didn’t really deny it.”
Yin Ren burst into laughter. “Alright, alright, I forgot. I’ll forget everything from our fight with Love from today onwards!”
He laughed for about two or three minutes before coming back to his senses. “Wait, this cake is too big, where did you buy it?”
It didn’t seem like a birthday cake style. It looked more like…
“Because it’s your first birthday, I wanted to make it special. But I didn’t know how to make it special, so I added some other meanings to it,” Zhong Chengshuo admitted candidly.
“Other meanings?”
“For you.” Zhong Chengshuo reached into his pocket and took out a small box.
The box was also rectangular but much smaller than the box used to store a dagger. Yin Ren sensed it but didn’t feel any special power. He shook it, but there was no sound inside.
He couldn’t guess.
Yin Ren decisively opened the box, and then all his jokes got stuck in his throat.
Inside were two rings.
The color combination was gold and red, just like the cheerful little hamster from before. On the pure gold ring bands, there was half an apple made of white diamonds and red enamel.
The right half apple ring was engraved with “Carefree”, and the left half apple ring was engraved with “From Beginning to End”*.
*Clarity: Carefree implies free from worries and troubles, while From Beginning to End implies commitment and perseverance. Combined, the meaning is like a life-long relationship without any worries.
Zhong Chengshuo eagerly pointed to the rings. “Look.”
Yin Ren: “Ah?”
He understood giving one ring. But two rings? He couldn’t quite grasp this person’s thought process.
“While we may not fit within human laws, I want to publicly form a family relationship with you,” Zhong Chengshuo explained affectionately. “If you’re willing, choose the one you like. If you’re not, take both rings, and you can wear them interchangeably.”
Yin Ren: “…”
Yin Ren: “You… Forget it!”
He took the ring with “Carefree” engraved on it and directly wore it on his ring finger. Zhong Chengshuo took back the box, and a hint of radiance appeared in his dark, glossy eyes.
He took two steps forward and kissed the corner of Yin Ren’s mouth.
……
“Yin Ren, can I use this dagger to cut the cake?”
“Well, I guess you can… but keep the rabbit for me. Give it all to me—”
“Okay.”
“By the way, have you ever thought about it? If I agree to your proposal, my gift would be half as meaningful.”
“Ah.”
“And we’ll have one less day to celebrate.”
“Ah…”
“Alright, stop freezing up. I won’t take back your dagger. So, let’s do this: I’ll finish this cake today!”
“I’ll think of another commemorative day.”
The author has something to say:
Starting from today, they are officially a real family——
Kinky Thoughts:
My heart is melting, ah… In the end Yin Ren got a true wedding cake after all.
Huang Jin arrived at the hospital holding a large bouquet of flowers. Unfortunately, the first people he encountered wasn’t Ding Lizi, but the two members of Unit 7.
Wang Zhou and Bao Linlin were walking around the Shian ward area with bandages on. During the previous street riot, Bao Linlin was trampled by the crowd while being filmed, resulting in a fractured right ankle. Wang Zhou’s eyes needed a considerable period of recuperation due to timely rescue and had the possibility of recovering his vision.
The details of the Other Side still needed to be gradually announced. As a B level investigation team, Unit 7’s impression of the riot was still “Xiang Jiang joining forces with Sunken Society to create a big disturbance”… Although, in a sense, that judgment wasn’t far off.
With one using crutches and the other having one eye bandaged, the two members of Unit 7 seemed more like war casualties.
“Hey, Xiao Huang. Sorry, we went down first. Heard you won a big victory, impressive!” Wang Zhou greeted first, his one eye constantly glancing at the bouquet of flowers.g
Huang Jin: “…”
Not to mention it would have been better. As soon as he thought about the “aftermath” of summoning Qi Xin, his face quickly turned pale.
Bao Linlin hurriedly eased the atmosphere. “Alright, enough of that. All you do is dig out your eyeballs to use as cameras. Both Unit 9 and 7 have suffered from psychological trauma.”
“You’re the one who got injured too—a distinguished Ghost Master with a fractured bone from being stepped on.”
“Hehe, let’s see who gets discharged first. Huang Jin, go do whatever you need to do. Don’t mind Wang Zhou—let’s have a meal together later!”
Seeing the teammates of Unit 7 start arguing, Huang Jin quickly slipped away against the wall.
When he reached Ding Lizi’s ward, he specifically stopped to straighten his collar and fix his slightly long bangs. Making sure that every leaf of the bouquet was in its proper place, he knocked on the door.
“Li…” The door opened, and Huang Jin almost bit his tongue when he saw what was blocking the entrance.
It was a pile of mosaics.
Why was Yin Ren here?!
Huang Jin immediately wanted to hide the bouquet, but their gazes had already shifted toward him.
[Wow, such a beautiful bouquet!] [The colors are so lovely. I’ve decided, this is my favorite color.] [Mr. Nice Guy has come to see me again—]
Huang Jin took two steps forward with his tail between his legs, put on a strained expression, and started arranging the flowers in the vase.
He really wanted to ask Yin Ren why he was here, but he didn’t want to question a deity in his mortal form.
Seeing Huang Jin turning into an emotionless flower arranging machine, Ding Lizi spoke up first. “I registered an account on a networking platform, preparing to make guitar tutorials and release songs. Xiao Yin just went next door to see Dr. Sun. I asked him to teach me how to use a website.”
She had only recently regained her vision, and everything seemed fresh and unfamiliar to her.
Huang Jin: “…” Indeed, she found the right person. The Great Celestial Master had so much experience in the field of “modern technological exploration”.
“Miss Ding’s vision is recovering well. At this rate, she will be able to be discharged in another two weeks.” Yin Ren smoothly changed the topic.
But Ding Lizi continued to stare intently at Huang Jin.
“I asked the nurse, and because my case is somewhat special, Shian waived the medical expenses. But I still must pay for the eye treatment. I’ll earn it back and repay you,” she said with a serious tone.
Huang Jin: “Uh, no need, Lizi. I don’t need the money now.” In fact, he was quite tormented by his wealth.
“Your money is your money, so we can’t count it like that.” Ding Lizi smiled. “Since our Xiao Huang has become a local tyrant, just calculate the interest for me a bit lower—”
“I…” Huang Jin was about to speak, but suddenly Yin Ren let out a loud cough.
[Come out with me.] A thought pierced into his mind.
“…I understand.” Huang Jin could only respond vaguely.
The door of the hospital room gently closed.
“Don’t speak in my mind without permission!” Huang Jin protested.
“You saw her determination. Don’t confess your feelings for now. Do you understand what I mean?” Yin Ren played with the Yellow Millet keychain, which nuzzled against his fingers with a puffing sound.
Huang Jin froze.
Ding Lizi had made up her mind to pay for the medical expenses. If he were to confess at this time, it would have implied some sort of condition.
That was close.
“Thank you.” Huang Jin wiped away his cold sweat.
“You’re welcome. It’s the concern of colleagues,” Yin Ren said. “But compared to that, you should spend more time with Qi Xin. Your abnormal vision is caused by corruption of Evil Force. She can teach you how to control it.”
“Really?”
“Really. I talked to her and asked her to give you and Ge Tingting some lessons.”
In that case, he wouldn’t resign just yet. Huang Jin seriously considered his options. It would be more responsible to confess after he could control his abnormal vision. He silently prayed for the gods’ blessings, hoping that Ding Lizi’s career would go smoothly.
Unfortunately, Huang Jin still didn’t know that his perfect plan would encounter problems a few days later…
Ding Lizi carefully modified <Mr. Nice Guy> song and received rave reviews online. She changed the title from the original <Mr. Nice Guy> to <Mr. Right>. In the song’s introduction, she left an open-ended question without specifying anyone’s name—
[To my most important friend in life. After I’ve repaid the medical expenses, would you like to be with me?]
The cautious Mr. Huang Jin ultimately missed his chance.
……
Afternoon, Shian underground.
“I saw Dr. Sun in the morning, and everything is sealed tight. You can rest assured. It could be a few months or even several decades, but this generation’s ‘Love’ will disappear.”
Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were sitting across from Qi Xin, who had a subtle expression as if she were asking, “No specific time?”
“It depends on Dr. Sun’s own arrangements.” Zhong Chengshuo shook his head. “Her brain tumor won’t worsen anymore, but it’s located in a troublesome spot. We have to rely on the judgment of neurology experts.”
Qi Xin let out a long sigh. Several decades were relatively short for a Primordial Elemental, so she wasn’t particularly concerned.
“‘Satisfaction’ has recovered quite well. New ‘Disgust’ and ‘Joy’ have emerged. However, their previous generation’s remains are gone, and the two cubs have nothing to eat, resulting in malnutrition.” Qi Xin sat obediently at the table with her fingers interlocked.
“I will find a way to take care of the cubs myself. But for the future handling of the Other Side, I need both of you to provide me with a concrete plan. I know that although ‘Fear’ has fused with a human, its power remains, just like before.”
“Having a daily indiscriminate slaughter like before isn’t a good solution.” Zhong Chengshuo vigorously shook his head. “Currently, I am studying the life characteristics of the Primordial Elementals and can make some calculations.”
“…What do you mean?”
Zhong Chengshuo: “We will prioritize killing weak and aging individuals, heavily injured individuals, and highly destructive abnormal individuals. Humans’ excessive reproductive numbers have already begun to affect the intelligence of the Greater Primordial Elementals. The previous simple mode of death is no longer suitable. Otherwise, given time, another ‘Love’ might appear.”
“In plain language, Zhong Ge plans to reference the death patterns of human populations and create a more reasonable version for the Elementals,” Yin Ren summarized succinctly.
Although it was a casual remark, as a Primordial Elemental, Qi Xin still felt a sense of oppression.
The two individuals in front of her were formulating “laws”.
“I know this is not an easy task. I’m counting on both of you.” Qi Xin lowered her head slightly.
“Huh?” Zhong Chengshuo looked confused and pushed up his glasses.
Qi Xin forced a smile. “Mr. Yin is a human, and to him, the Elementals are just monsters. But since Fear has already acquired human emotions, he is inevitably under pressure.”
Zhong Chengshuo: “I don’t feel any pressure.”
Qi Xin: “I heard that humans can feel guilt…”
Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo in silence. After a moment of contemplation, Zhong Chengshuo spoke frankly. “No, I don’t. When I was conducting experiments in the laboratory, I killed billions of bacteria.”
Qi Xin: “…” Alright, she underestimated the horror of Old Fear.
“This is our plan.” Yin Ren cleared his throat and presented a document.
[Cooperation Agreement]
[1. Task division: Zhong Chengshuo is responsible for calculating targets and instilling fear; Yin Ren is responsible for hunting targets and crushing corpses.]
[2. Attendance agreement: Zhong Chengshuo is responsible for observing changes in the Primordial Elementals population and determining attendance dates; the duration and routes of attendance are under Yin Ren’s control.]
[3. Important notes: We promise that the cleanup of deaths on the Other Side will not be less than once per month. Shian or the Other Side will pay compensation per cleanup, which will be evenly split between Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo. If there are dangerous and powerful Primordial Elementals or Gods, individual annihilation services can be provided depending on the situation. In principle, please do not contact us after 23:00. Please do not enter private residences without permission. Please do not contact us during vacation periods (including but not limited to annual leave, sick leave, statutory holidays, etc.)]
Qi Xin remained speechless.
It seemed like there was nothing wrong, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was amiss.
…Let it be. She signed the agreement with a stern face.
After that, the eternal day on the Other Side disappeared.
After a period of time, the Other Side would be illuminated by a fiery red sunset. After the glow and red clouds, darkness would follow closely—then, when the darkness subsided, some of the Elementals would disappear. Only the decomposed flesh and blood of the Elementals would remain in the tunnels, quietly waiting to be washed away by ‘Satisfaction’.
Soon after, new cubs would be born, crying as they hit the ground.
Nowadays, Death seemed to be different from before. The proportion of Elementals that survived for a long time and were covered in scars decreased. On the other hand, the Elementals with intact bodies and remained active often managed to survive.
With each recurring night, the famine gradually diminished.
The Elementals no longer need to tear each other apart for consumption. Within the once empty tunnels of the Other Side, countless Primordial Elementals swam together in groups, resembling schools of fish.
But that’s a story for another time.
……
After ensuring her mother’s safety, Lu Xiaohe returned to Shian once again.
With her parents in good health and receiving a large sum of prize money, she decided to buy a more spacious house for the whole family. The three of them could then start living a relaxed and enjoyable life.
She had quietly set her sights on a large house in Ping’an Manor. She planned to buy it at the beginning of the year so that the family could celebrate the Lunar New Year in their new home. Although the reputation of Ping’an Manor in Haigu wasn’t good, with Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo settling there, there was probably no safer place in the world than Ping’an Manor.
Without the heavy burden on her chest, Lu Xiaohe’s complexion had improved significantly.
With the sudden appearance of two “Gods”, the specific arrangements for Unit 9 hadn’t yet been finalized. Lu Xiaohe’s role mostly involved summarizing and reporting on daily tasks while also occasionally checking the work group of Unit 9.
[Fruit Knife: Who wants a dog? @everyone]
[Ten Thousand Taels: ?]
[Ear Person: ?]
[The River Flows Eastward: Hey, why are we talking about dogs again?]
[The River Flows Eastward: I heard you guys received an award from the city. When should we gather?]
[Final Fruit: Let’s first handle the dog matter.]
[Ear Person: Can’t Yin Ge and Zhong Ge keep a dog?]
[Final Fruit: We already have two at home, so it’s not convenient.]
[Ten Thousand Taels: … 👋]
Lu Xiaohe pondered for a moment. Zhong Chengshuo was probably referring to Dog Thing and Yellow Millet. Both were different entities—one a Primordial Elemental and the other an evil—and indeed, it wouldn’t be suitable to add another being into the mix.
Speaking of which, her parents were now worry-free in terms of their livelihood and had plenty of free time. Her family had always liked dogs, so it would be a good idea to have an elderly person take care of a dog and take it for walks.
[Milky Way: What kind of dog is it?]
[Fruit Knife: It’s a large breed, very cute. Shian can help with the registration. By the way, it can understand human language and is the perfect choice for guarding the house.]
[Fruit Knife: Limited adoption within this group (except for Liang Shan). If you want to adopt, act quickly, as missing this opportunity means missing it altogether.]
[The River Flows Eastward: ???]
[Fruit Knife: Sorry, Liang Ge, this is an internal activity of Unit 9.]
Lu Xiaohe scratched her head and privately messaged Yin Ren.
[Milky Way: I’m planning to move to Ping’an Manor recently and coincidentally thinking of getting a dog.]
[Fruit Knife: Xiaohe Jie —— [Image]]
The image showed a big black dog with its tongue hanging out, its round eyes wide open, and it was panting happily. It appeared to be a small breed and was indeed very cute.
[Milky Way: It’s so adorable, but it’s a bit big. Where did this dog come from, and why is Shian taking care of it?]
[Fruit Knife: Zhong Ge and I have been conducting related research recently. Biological evils can incorporate a large amount of Evil Force. Although it can’t compare to the “Gods” formed by fusion of Elementals, it can be considered a special ability user.]
[Milky Way: Just tell me directly.]
[Fruit Knife: Well, I was thinking, if I can correct the imbalance in the Evil Force, maybe certain things can become more stable…]
[Milk Way: …………………………………………]
[Milky Way: Is this dog Shian’s Evil Spirit?]
[Fruit Knife: Ahahaha]
[Fruit Knife: I’ve taken care of it, so it’s completely safe. After it regained its sanity, it became very affectionate. Considering its physical and mental well-being as well as its harmlessness, Shian wants someone who knows about it to adopt it.]
[Fruit Knife: Other Evil Spirits will be dealt with on another day. Most likely, they will be kept for further research. It’s the only one of its kind in the world 🥺.]
[Milky Way: Let me think about it.]
[Milky Way: Can it really understand human language?]
[Fruit Knife: It can flush the toilet by itself, never gets sick, and can even call 120 for the elderly. It is highly sensitive to evil qi and killing intent. With it, not even a group of robbers can break into your home.]
Lu Xiaohe fell into deep thought.
Living next to Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo was indeed safe, but evil beings were hard for the living to guard against, so having a formerly Evil Spirit as a pet seemed like a good idea.
[Milky Way: Deal.]
Considering its original form, “Dark Cloud” would be a suitable name.
Immediately, she opened the family group chat and forwarded the photo of the black dog.
[Milky Way: Mom’s recovery gift 🙌]
After spending time with her colleagues for so long, she unconsciously noticed that her judgment criteria seemed to be off…
Oh well, it didn’t matter.
The author has something to say:
Miss Lu’s judgment criteria is equally in jeopardy. Unit 9 gradually becoming more outrageous.jpg
Lu Xiaohe: Whatever, he’s a good boy!
Kinky Thoughts:
Ah, my heart melted for Huang Jin and Ding Lizi. Don’t be so old-fashioned Huang Jin. Even girls can confess too!
I’m so happy for the Evil Dog Spirit. He’s the best boy!
At this rate, only Huang Jin’s judgment remains somewhat stable…
First, to make a judgment about “witnessing the Mad Monk”, he indeed needed to find concrete evidence first.
Second, apart from normal Players and monster neighbors, a third abnormal presence had appeared in this world—Teest, who possessed Player privileges.
Teest had entered the game only in the last two months, while the “Mad Monk” had been active for over a decade. Considering Teest’s cautious attitude in the novice village, he was likely a native, an NPC.
Nol couldn’t quite describe the feeling in his heart.
Previously, he had only considered that when his identity was exposed, Teest might get angry at his concealment.
Nol was prepared to sincerely explain his reasons and express his apologies. After that, they could openly discuss modern matters. Perhaps Teest would be willing to collaborate with him, and together they could uncover the truth of the world.
But now, the situation had changed. Both of them were keeping secrets from each other. “The Demi-Creator from Another World” and the “Notorious Killer of Over a Decade”—it was hard to say which was more outrageous.
Nol lowered his hand. He had no intention of attacking Teest after all. He didn’t know why. He didn’t feel fear, but a sense of regret. He even felt like laughing a bit.
Thinking back now, there had always been something off about Teest.
Compared to other Players, Teest’s mental state was too stable. He was incredibly adapted to this world, seamlessly blending in with his words and actions, rarely using modern slang. In the novice village, instead of being open to listening, he seemed more like someone extracting information from other Players…
The more Nol reminisced, the more doubts he uncovered. He had considered these things before, but the belief that “all Players are compatriots” was deeply ingrained.
Were there any other native Players like Teest? How much did the people here know about “Tahe”?
“Mr. Mage, you don’t seem well. Let’s sit down and talk.”
Seeing Nol’s prolonged silence, Teest said, “You don’t really have a better choice anyway, do you?”
Nol glanced at the City Lord hanging in the air. He forced himself to calm down and nodded.
The two of them left the bedroom. Teest politely closed the bedroom door and lit the lights in the living room.
The living room was clean and tidy. The City Lord and the blood were locked behind the door. A single isolation spell made the previous scene seem like illusions.
As Nol settled at the table, Teest brought a platter of smoked ham and cheese, sliced peaches, and a glass of emerald-green freshly-made drink—it looked quite familiar, like something Mr. Kurt might prepare.
Teest even specially lit a three-headed candelabrum. The candlelight cast an ambiguous hue over the table, creating an atmosphere that was quite appropriate.
“Let me guess your questions—firstly, apart from myself, I haven’t discovered any other local ‘Players’.”
Teest twirled the translucent slices of smoked ham with a silver fork. The raw meat-like colors should have been enticing, but Nol had no appetite at all. He hadn’t touched the food and just stared at Teest.
“Secondly, Players come from another world. This world is like a game. The upper echelons of the Temple of Life and the Eternal Church must be in the know… Any other questions?”
Nol remained silent for a few seconds. “When did you find out about my situation?”
If Teest only considered him a local monster, there was no way he would share this information.
“You’re talking about the fact that ‘you’re also from another world’.” Teest stopped his fork movements. “I began to suspect at first and was completely sure when you saved the knight.”
“Facing Lich Valdorlock, you remained unnervingly calm. But when you saw the human body in tatters, you panicked and rushed to rescue. I’ve only seen this kind of innocence in that group of Players—you haven’t endured much suffering, have you?”
Nol had no response.
Whether facing a severely injured knight or seeing walls full of children’s skeletons, he indeed couldn’t suppress his instinctive reactions. Just like someone who had arachnophobia couldn’t smile and kiss a spider.
Only three types of people were adept at disguising their emotions—social experts, sociopaths, and those accustomed to living in danger. He was obviously none of those.
But so what? They couldn’t harm each other, and the situation was still under control.
Nol straightened his posture, clasped his hands, and put on a smile.
“How did you become a ‘Player’?” He calmly posed his second question.
“Last month, a sudden earring appeared on my left ear, and I couldn’t get rid of it no matter what.”
Teest raised his eyebrows in slight surprise and pointed to his left ear. “After that, I started hearing strange voices occasionally and seeing blue pop-up windows. It’s roughly something like that.”
With Teest’s cunning, he probably infiltrated the novice village on his own, intending to gather information.
Nol fell silent.
In other words, Nol and his neighbors awakening, Players arriving in this world, and Teest being granted the identity of a “Player”… all these three events had occurred during the same time period.
This was definitely not a coincidence.
Nol tilted his head slightly, and a pop-up window appeared out of thin air.
[Status: Curse “Constitution Destruction [Undispellable]” permanently in effect; “Staff of Sacrifice” is in effect; “Guardian Oath” is in effect]
Teest narrowed his eyes.
“I guess you know how to display it,” Nol said with a smile. “Since you’re so curious about ‘Players’, I can help you understand the situation.”
“For example, I know that this so-called ‘Guardian Oath’ is actually the deceptive effect of the ‘Betrayal Overture’. I understand these things better than other Players do.”
After all, Teest could surely tell, so it was better to openly admit it.
“But we still have to part ways in the end,” Teest said leisurely. “I thought you would ask about the ‘Mad Monk’.”
Nol stood up. His hands rested on the edge of the table as the smile vanished from his face.
In the darkness, his eyes emitted a faint gleam, sending shivers down one’s spine instinctively.
“Lord Swain is a core member of the Eternal Church, and the ‘Mad Monk’ likes to display bodies at the entrance of the Temple of Life… Your actions are highly purposeful. You certainly didn’t choose to do things this way just for thrills. Teest, you have a strong aversion to those two factions.”
“Furthermore, I heard that the City Lord was abducted by Eternalists. I was deceived just now. It’s impossible for Swain to go obediently with strangers, and the Investigation Knights wouldn’t be so easily misguided. You must be well acquainted with the Eternal Church to impersonate them so perfectly.”
“So what?” Teest blinked, as if listening to gossip about others.
“So,” Nol speared a piece of cheese and stuffed it into Teest’s slightly open mouth. “My guess is that most of the people you killed were connected to the Eternal Church.”
“You’ve offended both factions to death. The Eternal Church wouldn’t go around publicizing its shameful deeds, and the Temple of Life wouldn’t kindly help you clear your name.”
There was something Nol didn’t say—not long ago at the bell tower, Teest didn’t need to risk saving him. That wasn’t something a heartless psycho would do.
“What if your guess is wrong?” Teest swallowed the cheese and said with a playful smile. “What if I’m just a freak who enjoys killing—”
“In that case, I won’t stand by and watch you kill innocents,” Nol said as the pointed fork gently touched Teest’s lips. “At worst, I won’t tell you how to break the engagement, and I’ll just keep a close eye on you… honey.”
He said the last sentence slowly and deliberately.
“Do you still care about the ‘innocents’ of this world?” Teest bit down on the fork’s tip, the laughter in his voice becoming even stronger. “Honey, you’re a bit too kind-hearted.”
Nol paused for a moment.
He couldn’t just say that this world seemed to be one he created, and he couldn’t bear to see it turn chaotic.
So Nol sat back down in his chair. “There’s nothing I can do. I’m just that kind of overly good person. After all, someone here is a legendary serial killer, and I need to balance the moral standards in this household.”
“Oh my, I’m starting to like you more and more.” Teest burst into laughter, waving his hand casually, and another pop-up window appeared in the air.
[Status: Curse “God’s Forsaken [Undispellable]” permanently in effect; “Betrayal Overture” is in effect.]
Nol: “.…..” What the hell is this interface!
These values couldn’t possibly belong to a normal Fallen Knight. Even without the buffs, the strength was almost on par with that of his Lich before it was cursed… These attributes were more like those of a monster.
Suppressing his shock, Nol clicked on the curse explanation.
[※God’s Forsaken: Through deceitful means, you have deceived the divine. The gods no longer watch over you. You have lost the favor of the gods and will henceforth stand alone.]
Well, it seemed to make sense. Teest hadn’t lied back then.
But compared to a typical curse explanation, this note was a bit hard to decipher—if it were in the wording of “Tahe”, the system would probably just say “certain system function disabled for a period of time”.
“How about it?” Teest asked curiously.
“Did your attributes remain this high when you were still a knight?”
“Yeah, that’s why I’ve never shown them to outsiders.” Teest emphasized the word “outsiders”. “I guess it has to do with the differences in our origins.”
‘It’s indeed possible,’ Nol thought.
For the sake of fairness, the differences in basic values among Players weren’t significant. On the contrary, the attributes of human NPCs had little limitation—after all, the development team needed to leave room for “popular NPCs”, and every era needed a few incredibly talented heroes.
…But this was still a bit extreme.
The most powerful NPC that Nol had designed, the half-human, half-dragon “Dragonblood Hero Drake”, had attributes that were roughly on par with this. It was likely that Teest had experienced more before becoming a Player.
“Last month, did you ever write your name in suspicious places?” Nol forked a piece of peach meat for himself. “Or come into contact with suspicious idols, or meet strange figures?”
“No.” Teest brought the ham and peach together to his mouth, and the atmosphere between the two was oddly calm.
“What about your lineage?”
“My whole family is human, if that’s what you’re trying to ask.”
Nol was taken aback by his response. Indeed, Teest was a native, and he must have a family in this world. But considering that the “Mad Monk” had been committing crimes for over a decade, Nol decided not to delve into it.
“You’ve heard Players say that this world is a game. Do you not have any thoughts on that?” He changed the topic casually.
“Starting from the Dark Age, this world has existed for over two thousand years. You’ve only been here for less than two months.” Teest leisurely sipped his lemon water. “You do have vast knowledge, but you’re not all-knowing, are you?”
Nol closed the status panel and quickly processed this new information.
Great, he managed to stabilize Teest. As long as he forgot about the City Lord hanging next door, tonight could be considered successful. There was a long road ahead, and he had plenty of opportunities to gather information.
“Aren’t you drinking? I made it especially for you.” Teest suddenly pointed at that glass of green drink, and the ice inside had almost melted.
Nol instinctively smelled the mixed drink; a fresh hint of mint, sweet juice, and… a faint hint of blood.
“What did you put in there?” Nol cautiously placed the glass down.
“The blood of Lord Swain. A friendly gift.”
Teest casually toyed with his hair and had a nonchalant expression on his face. “I guess you can absorb power from food… Don’t look at me like that. It’s quite easy to guess. Don’t you know how amusing your eating expressions are?”
Nol couldn’t bring himself to take a sip, whether he imagined Swain in his human or monster form. He looked at Teest, then at the glass, then back at Teest.
Teest’s smile turned slightly shallower. “Don’t worry. Whether in spirit or flesh, Swain can no longer be considered human.”
“People call that thing a ‘Supplement Demon’. Just like some humans become skeleton soldiers after death, some become werewolves while still alive, and some become demons… it’s just another kind of monster. Believe it or not, I have no interest in hunting ordinary people.”
Nol recalled his dismal attribute values for a while, then thought about his neighbors scattered outside. In the end, he gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and picked up the drink, pouring it into his mouth.
The drink was refreshingly cold, the sweetness just right, and there was absolutely no trace of the bloody taste inside. Nol had to admit, Teest really had the skills of a cook.
He had just finished drinking about half of it when a strange skill appeared in the alternative options—
[Corpse Devour: Consume the corpse of a highly intelligent creature, randomly gaining a certain amount of attribute values; the younger the creature, the more attribute values can be obtained; this ability can only be used once per target; cooldown time is 7 days.]
This skill didn’t originally exist in “Tahe”, but it did seem useful. At least it showed Nol a glimmer of hope for recovering his attribute values.
Without hesitation, he replaced [Load-Bearing] with it, and as soon as [Corpse Devour] entered the skill bar, another prompt appeared.
[Similar origin skill discovered. Would you like to merge the skills “Heretical Devour” and “Corpse Devour”?]
[Note: Merging will create a new skill, and the new skill will retain the skills’ original origins, with other changes being unpredictable. Please choose carefully.]
Nol decisively chose “Yes”.
The core of both of these skills was devouring—gaining experience, skills, and attribute values through devouring. This mechanism wouldn’t change too much, and at most, the new skill might add some restrictive conditions.
Skills were something that grew stronger the harder they were to obtain, making them worth a gamble.
[Analyzing individual traits… Merging skills…]
[Skill Merging Completed.]
[Fallen Death [Novice]: Devour the flesh of the fallen, randomly gain 1 skill, randomly gain a certain amount of attribute values; this ability can only be used once per target; cooldown time is 1 day.]
[Note: Up to 3 acquired skills can be retained; the lower the target’s strength, the fewer attribute values obtained.]
[※”Fallen Death” can evolve with the holder.]
A rather strange skill name.
Nol read it again; if this skill were translated into common language, it would be something like “Fallen Leavers”, and it couldn’t really be called semantically incorrect.
The evolved skill was just to his liking—
The restriction of “highly intelligent creatures” had been removed, and the interval for gaining attribute values had been shortened from 7 days to 1 day.
The skill’s limitations were stricter as well. While [Heretical Devour] hadn’t specified whether the target was alive or dead, [Fallen Death] now had the “fallen” limitation, meaning he couldn’t just bite a powerful enemy to cheat.
If it weren’t for Swain’s utterly disgusting appearance earlier and Nol’s inability to fight melee, he would have seriously considered this.
The effect of “gaining experience points” was gone. Nol didn’t mind at all—killing enemies inherently produced experience points, and it was better to kill them first and then consume them.
Simply perfect.
Thank you for being here, dear Mad Monk. Nol looked at Teest with eyes full of softness. If Teest weren’t twisted enough, he would have almost missed out on such an amazing skill.
Teest was caught off guard by his gaze. “Ahem, it seems you’ve gained some nice power.”
“I didn’t receive any experience growth prompts. Has Lord Swain not died yet?” Nol asked. Since his identity was exposed, he didn’t mind using in-game terms directly.
“No, the resilience of the Supplement Demon is quite remarkable.” Teest nodded. “However, he has only a few minutes left. If you have any questions, it’s best to ask them soon.”
“When he’s dead, can you pour me another cup?” Nol handed the cup back to Teest with both hands. “Remember, wait until he’s dead.”
[Heretical Devour] shook for a skill once. What relation did it have to his [Fallen Death]? Let’s try again!
Teest looked at Nol, then at the cup, and back at Nol. His expression was somewhat complex. “You…”
“Yeah?”
“Forget it. I have a feeling that we’ll get along well.”
……
Dawn was approaching, and under the last traces of night, Nol and Teest entered the witch’s forest.
Indeed, miracles only happened once. Nol sighed inwardly.
Lord Swain quickly breathed his last, and they gained a decent amount of experience points, both reaching level 21. But when Nol tried his luck with the skill roll again, all he got was [Stay Up Late].
Well, this was his normal luck. The fact that he managed to get [Fallen Death] was quite lucky on his part.
The important thing was that after drinking the City Lord concoction and using [Fallen Death], Nol’s strength and agility each gained 2 points. Moreover, these were added directly to his weakened values—the curse only required equipment and item bonuses to be proportionally converted, but it didn’t restrict skills.
Thank the heavens, his future was no longer shrouded in darkness.
After communicating with the puppet, Lynn readily agreed to meet with the two of them. She had changed into a simple self-made dress, and she still wore a red square scarf around her neck.
“Come in. The house is a bit messy, don’t mind.” She opened the door for them.
The interior of the wooden house was quite spacious, indicating that Lynn had made some modifications.
She had covered the sunniest side with vines and dried straw, creating a row of beds. At the end of a long table was a tall wooden chair, and six wooden stools were placed on each side. A vase of fresh flowers stood on the table, and wooden plates were stacked in a pile. Among the six sets of knives and forks, a pair of chopsticks could be found. The plates still held leftover bones and fruit pits.
Several stacks of old books were piled on the table, while the rest of the surface was covered with drafts. The drafts were filled with mechanical views and cross-sections, as well as densely packed magical calculations.
Even as the Creator, Nol was slightly taken aback for a moment. “Miss Lynn, pardon my rudeness, but what did you do before?”
“I was a mechanical engineer at the Hongfu Group. Don’t let this appearance fool you. I’m actually 26,” Lynn said.
Nol had heard of this group, and it was quite famous domestically. “Do you… also have military-industrial operations?”
“No, but I only need to know the basic principles of weapons.” Lynn shook her head. “Puppet Witches have mechanical talents, remember? This is the world of magic.”
Nol felt a little relieved—honestly, compared to the combination of young and old in the Dragon’s Lair, the shrewd and composed Lynn seemed more likely to be of help.
On the other hand, Teest had already leaned in to study the blueprints with keen interest. Lynn didn’t mind. She poured them two cups of herbal tea.
“Have a seat,” she said. “This time, we can have a proper conversation.”
The teapot emptied and filled again, emptied and filled again.
Nol shared all the known information with Lynn. Of course, he omitted details about himself and Teest, only mentioning that Teest was an NPC who gained Player status. A bystander might have insights that could be helpful.
“I see… I have a conjecture and a question.”
Lynn pondered for a while. She pulled a blank parchment and picked up a piece of charcoal.
“Let’s start with the conjecture. In my view, ‘Players’ are the most genuine outsiders—they create their own avatars and come with system guidance. They know this is a game and possess immortality. That’s a significant advantage.”
She wrote down [Normal Players: Earthlings individuals who log into the game conventionally.]
“We are similar to Teest in that we were assigned roles post-birth.”
“Residents of the neighborhood are inhabiting monsters, possessing incomplete Player privileges. Teest, on the other hand, acquired Player status as a native… We don’t yet know if his privileges are complete. He probably isn’t willing to test that with death.”
“We weren’t given any guidance, completely ignorant of the situation. If it weren’t for you, Nol, I wouldn’t even know this world is related to a game.”
She added: [Bugged Players: Earthlings who entered the game through unknown means; Tahe natives (only 1).]
“I guess this world only needs normal Players. However, while the system was activated, we somehow got sucked in. We’re just bugs caused by system glitches… That’s my conjecture.”
Lynn wiped her charcoal-covered hands and took a sip of tea.
“My question is simple: Why do the ‘Bugged Players’ only come from our neighborhood?”
She looked up at Nol. “So far, you’ve encountered four bugged Players, and apart from Teest, they were all Joy Garden residents.”
Nol gripped his teacup tightly. He, as a “game creator”, lived in Joy Garden, and only residents of Joy Garden were pulled here. It looked suspicious from all angles.
That was why Nol was hesitant to reveal his identity. He feared that some of his neighbors might grow resentful, cause internal divisions… or even kill him directly.
He did want to help his fellow neighbors as much as possible, but he refused to be a scapegoat for certain individuals.
“And those two inexplicable gods that showed up—there’s more to this than meets the eye. Fortunately, we can both blend in as humans and gradually gather information.”
Lynn stared at Nol for a while, then suddenly changed the topic. “Nol, do you have time? I’ve prepared some potions. See if there’s anything useful for you.”
Before Nol could answer, Teest sat back on the straw bed. “You guys go ahead. I’ll take a short nap.”
Lynn led Nol to the cellar outside the wooden hut. The cellar was strewn with puppet limbs, and it was even more gruesome inside—it was pitch dark, with puppet parts suspended on the walls, and tables cluttered with metal tools resembling instruments of torture. It seemed to be her workshop.
“Take this.” She didn’t waste time and threw a small paper package to Nol. Opening it, he found a life-sized wisdom tooth brooch, with its root painted a dark red and a ceramic-like texture.
[Mirthful Grin: A puppet’s hidden tooth, allowing you to hide emotions like a doll. Usage: With the crown up, the function is enabled; with the root up, the function is disabled.
※Crafted with care by Witch Lynn.]
Nol pinned it on his cloak. His facial expressions suddenly froze, preventing him from making any expression at all. He then rotated the tiny tooth half a turn, and the rigid sensation instantly disappeared.
“What’s this?”
Lynn smiled wryly. “Mr. Xu, if I’m not mistaken, you’re the kind of guy who relies solely on brainpower and doesn’t engage in office politics.”
Every word hit the mark, and Nol could only nod honestly.
“We’re from the old conglomerate here, so it’s quite feudal. I’ve met my fair share of nasty people, probably more than your department colleagues.”
The witch’s expression turned disgusted. “Trust me, those old men play more dirty tricks than a palace intrigue drama—you’re the innocent type, and you’ll get taken advantage of within two months.”
With that, she shook her head. “This world has a lot of schemers. Instead of dividing your attention and concerns among the gods, it’s better to solve issues directly with items. You’re quick to react. Just control your expressions, and things will get much better.”
“Thank you.” Nol tucked the brooch into his cloak’s inner layer.
“By the way, you must have a high rank within the game development team, right? Could you be a game creator?”
Nol’s hand holding the brooch trembled slightly. This neighbor was too terrifying; truly a tough individual to have survived alone for over a month.
Lynn smiled. “When I mentioned ‘Bugged Players only come from the neighborhood’, your expression was a bit unnatural. Why do you think I gave you this?”
She then quickly suppressed her smile. “It’s true that this matter shouldn’t be publicized. It’s best if only you and I know about it. In the future, when discussing this topic, just say that you have friendly relations with colleagues in the ‘Tahe’ project team. Also, be cautious around Teest.”
Nol halted.
“I can’t read him.” Lynn was concise. “Better to be safe.”
‘It’s too late,’ Nol thought wistfully. Teest was the “serial killer” who had been lurking right under the Temple’s nose for over a decade, and they even got married.
“Understood. But first, help me with these. You’re an expert with items.”
Nol took out the Dragon Corpse Notebook and the Staff of Sacrifice.
“This notebook is crucial to me. I need to address its mana consumption issue. This staff… I want to know what the candle on top of it is.”
“As an exchange, I’ll answer whatever information you seek.”
Lynn glanced at the two items. “The notebook is manageable. I’ve researched the issue of recharging items. The staff…”
The moment she touched the candle, her expression suddenly changed.
The author has something to say:
Teest: Ta-da! I’m the Mad Monk!
Nol: Another glass of the City Lord’s Special, no ice, less sugar. The City Lord is about to die, thanks.
Teest:
Teest: I think we (in the unconventional sense) will get along well…
————————————
It’s really not that Nol is too naive. For dealing with schemers, one can reference those adept at networking and speaking eloquently like old pros (like Wei Xiaobao*). It’s not just about high intelligence; it’s another type of skill altogether.
*Referring to the protagonist of Jin Yong’s martial arts novel “The Deer and the Cauldron“. Although he is greedy, lustful, illiterate, and has low martial arts skills, he’s witty and righteous, which gets him out of a lot of trouble. || The author is saying that while Nol isn’t naïve, he’s also not as cunning and tactful, unlike Lynn, who has dealt with work politics and knows how to maneuver around (scheming) people.
[Camouflage: During the skill’s duration, the user can reduce their own attributes by 30%~70%. Note: In actual combat judgment, buffs, item effects, etc., are all based on the “reduced attributes”. Use with caution.]
For half a month, had Teest been suppressing his own attributes? When facing Lich Valdorlock, did he hold back?
Nol was at a loss whether to be shocked, horrified, or…
“Haha.” Nol laughed.
“I thought you would be angry,” Teest remarked with surprise.
“On the contrary, Sir Knight.” Nol, currently half-carried by Teest, tugged at Teest’s cloak. “Thank you for your rescue and trust.”
“Ah, what should I do?” Teest’s voice was tinged with amusement. “I had already thought about how to deceive you.”
“You can try deceiving me later.” Nol’s tone turned serious. “Those two are still after us. We mustn’t let our guard down.”
They did indeed have higher average attributes, but the fact that their pursuers dared to chase them meant they had a backup plan.
“I know what to expect. We’ll probably have to fight soon.”
Teest swiftly leapt across rooftops. “Do you recognize that black candle? Given their attitude, it must be something valuable.”
“I don’t,” Nol admitted with a hint of disappointment.
Even though Teest had managed to snatch the candle, Nol still couldn’t decipher its properties. Since Swain had previously used it to contact the Eternal Church, it probably had some ability to connect spaces… Beyond that, he couldn’t speculate much.
……
Knight Eugene was very decisive, with all of the Investigation Knights key forces focusing on the City Lord. Nol and Teest broke through the encirclement smoothly and reached the edge of the forest.
The two pursuers were like leeches, stubbornly tailing them.
“I thought you’d throw the candle away. How boring,” one of the assailants remarked as they paused at the forest’s edge.
Holding a small hunting knife, Teest retorted, “If we threw it away, would you let us go?”
“Of course not.”
“I figured,” Teest whispered. He was the only one not wearing a mask, but his face was obscured by darkness woven by magic.
[Step to the right and close your eyes,] Nol suddenly said.
Teest reflexively moved to the right. Just as he raised his knife, a fireball the size of a fist shot from behind him—grazing his cloak and striking the assailant.
A basic fireball spell.
The assailant dodged with a sneer, rushing directly at Teest.
Boom—!!!
A blast of wind, mixed with debris and splinters, separated the two pursuers. The sudden explosion caught the assailant off guard, pushing him back.
Nol didn’t intend to give him time to recover, launching multiple fireballs into the night, turning the sky dark red. The scale of one’s magic was directly influenced by their intelligence attribute. Although his magical attack power wasn’t high, it was enough to disrupt the enemy.
While the assailant could mask his presence, he couldn’t hide the strong stench of blood. Every time he tried to attack Teest, flames would burst beside him, and when he turned to Nol, Teest would inevitably be right in front of him.
The area around Teest was constantly lit with flames. Shadows of surrounding objects were cast long, making it seem like countless shadows were bowing to him.
With his mana nearly depleted, Nol summoned skeletal hands from the ground with his other hand gripping the Dragon Corpse Notebook. The hands reached out, trying to grasp the assailant’s ankles.
The assailant was tripped by a skeletal hand, meeting the blade of Teest’s hunting knife. The sharp blade quickly slashed, opening a large gash in his throat and causing blood to splatter.
Without retreating, Teest’s “Betrayer”, glowing with flames, thrust into the assailant’s chest and heart.
The assailant instinctively arched his back. Teest decisively pulled out the hunting knife and, with a turn of the hilt, switched grips, stabbing it forcefully into the assailant’s left eye, stirring it with force.
The sequence was smooth and swift, with no unnecessary moves—a pure killing technique. After the attack, Teest jumped back, lowering his stance and watching the opponent intently like a hunter.
The assailant, drenched in blood with a crushed left eye, stood amidst the burning bushes, clapping. “Well done, both of you.”
As he spoke, the deadly wounds on his body healed quickly with a black glow. Nol looked at the other pursuer and saw a similar black glow.
Caught in the recent chain of explosions, the tall man was covered in dirt and grass. He cautiously knelt halfway to the ground, wrapped in layers of protective shields, with both hands equipped with prop rings.
[What happened?] Teest asked.
Nol quickly responded, [That guy used black magic to transfer injuries. His companion should have abilities like ‘Rapid Healing’ or ‘Damage Reduction’.]
Things were getting complicated.
High attack and agility meant low defense, so the assailant transferred all the damage to his teammate—if that big guy was really loaded with equipment and had astonishing endurance, they would face an indestructible and relentless enemy.
The assailant drew his dagger, laughing as he charged at Teest, his head wobbling dangerously on his neck.
[I have a question,] Teest thought calmly.
[Skip the introduction and just ask!]
[Are you dead?]
[Huh?] Nol’s casting hand slipped, nearly backfiring the magic.
The question was extremely rude, yet it didn’t sound insulting.
[You are dead, aren’t you?] Teest turned and charged towards Nol.
Almost reflexively, Nol wanted to run away, but he just wobbled in place. Teest, with the knife in his right hand, wrapped his arm around Nol and grabbed Nol’s wrist with his left, bringing it to his lips.
Soft lips touched the torn glove.
“I swear,” Teest whispered. “…Now say ‘I permit’.”
Watching the approaching assailant, Nol took a deep breath.
“I permit.”
“Good.” Teest’s voice held a hint of amusement. “Praise you, my generous master.”
Nol recognized this skill.
It was a Knight’s skill [Guardian Oath] — By pledging allegiance to a teammate, once granted permission, the skill took effect and lasted for 8 hours. During this time, the object of loyalty received a 30% attribute bonus, while the casting Knight endured a 15% attribute reduction.
Teest knew his attributes were pitiful, so why would he use this? And why ask if he was dead? Wait, Teest was a Fallen Knight. This wasn’t Guardian Oath!
Suddenly, Nol recalled a malicious skill: a high-level variant of [Guardian Oath] exclusive to the Fallen Knight, [Betrayal Overture].
The first half of [Betrayal Overture] was identical to [Guardian Oath], indistinguishable to outsiders. But it had a second part—
When the object of loyalty died, the Fallen Knight’s attribute reduction would be canceled; if the corpse was within 5m, the Fallen Knight would get a 30% attribute boost.
Fallen Knights would choose masters, deceive them, and eventually kill them. At first glance, this skill seemed despicably cunning, but there was a small loophole.
Some corpses could speak and actively accept allegiance.
Teest precisely exploited this bug. As long as they were no more than five meters apart, Teest could maintain a 30% attribute boost. And the “corpse” Nol, being his object of allegiance, also got a 30% boost.
[How cunning.] Nol clicked his tongue.
[It’s all thanks to you, Mr. Bad-Influence Lich.]
Red sword marks lit up again, as the assailant repeated his tactics to slice Teest into pieces. But before the marks could bloom, they exploded into shards.
Teest blocked all the strikes and countered, drawing blood.
It was time.
Decisively, Nol took his broken staff and thrust it into his chest.
Facing such a resilient opponent, overwhelming firepower was the best approach. If Teest wanted to play with bugs, he was more than happy to comply. The staff, missing its cursed magic core, could be temporarily replaced by cursed magical material instead.
Like a cursed Lich.
[Item: Broken Cursed Staff → Staff of Sacrifice]
[Item effect activated.]
The Staff of Sacrifice doubled the intelligence value. With teammate bonuses, Nol’s intelligence soared to 6,981, almost on par with a level 50 black dragon cub. Holding his Dragon Corpse Notebook, Nol unreservedly activated his summoning skill.
The ceiling of low-level undead—skeleton dire wolves emerged from the ground, their fangs shimmering with a dark glow. Considering the intelligence effect, they were all strong mutant rare individuals.
Under the night sky, amidst the smoke, the pack of wolves stood silently on the scorched earth. Countless ghostly blue eyes lit up in the dark, centered around the alpha wolf and the king by its side—
The blue flames in those eye sockets blazed intensely. Under their illumination, the ruby reflected a bloody brilliance. The horns on the mask were sharp, coiled, and crown-like.
The next moment, Nol, gently touching the alpha wolf’s bones, quietly vanished into the darkness.
[I will stay by your side,] Nol said. He remained invisible, standing next to Teest like a ghost.
[This time, we act together.]
“It’s an honor,” Teest whispered.
The alpha wolf howled, and the undead wolves stirred up the dust. Nol decisively drew power from the notebook and summoned a flock of skeleton raptors.
An exceptionally large bone eagle grabbed Nol and took him into the sky. It was obedient, and Nol felt as if he had an additional set of skeletal wings. Below him, Teest looked like a true knight. The man leapt onto the back of the alpha wolf. His sword sliced through the night, and his dark cloak billowed like a cape.
The undead wolf pack followed Nol’s will, tripping the assailant with their bodies like a swamp. Teest evaded beautifully, with eight or nine out of ten attacks missing him. Even if by chance they did hit, Nol’s healing spell would immediately follow.
Sword light and flames intertwined on the ground, and bone spikes rained from the sky. Despite their advantage, the end of the battle was nowhere in sight.
The assailant continuously lost his eyes and limbs, and his vital organs were destroyed but then regenerated. Even if the sword sliced off his head, and the wolf pack tore his body apart, the fragments would self-assemble and heal rapidly.
It was like attacking a mirage, only causing them pure pain.
The man’s cloak was soaked in blood, his face covered in bits of flesh, looking incredibly miserable. A corner of his mask was missing, revealing a deep red eye. His tone became increasingly delighted.
“God truly loves me.”
With his heart pierced, the assailant casually tore out his damaged heart and tossed it into the mud.
Drip, drip. Blood dripped through his fingers. He stepped on that chunk of flesh and laughed heartily.
“You two are so interesting—too interesting! You deserve a grander death.”
“Hey, this isn’t what we agreed on!” From within the protective barriers, the tall figure warned.
“God has brought them to us. Let’s enjoy the moment, my friend.”
The assailant stepped over numerous undead wolf skulls, widening the gap. “If we continue like this, we’ll just be exhausted. Since Swain has been exposed, let’s make the most out of him.”
He took out a blood-stained small bell from his waist and shook it gently.
The bell trembled and emitted sharp, mournful cries.
……
Inside Whitebird City, in a dark alley.
“We won’t kill you,” Knight Eugene, holding a skull missing its jaw, said in a cheerful tone. “City Lord, you’re an important suspect—for now.”
Behind him stood four Investigation Knights. All of them were expressionless, with long swords in their hands that were stained with blood.
Lord Swain had a wounded right arm, and his mask was missing. Numerous magical circles surrounded him, and his gaze was that of a trapped animal.
“You barbaric hypocrites.” Swain bared his teeth. “You’ll only torture what you want out of me and then burn me alive.”
Eugene’s smile didn’t waver. “Yes, but you can live a few more days. Friend, you’re out of options. Resisting will only make it worse—we just lost a brother, and I’m very angry now.”
He weighed the dead head in his hand and suddenly squeezed it, bursting the skull.
Swain opened his mouth to mock, but he suddenly shuddered. At the same time, the knights showed pain, quickly raising their swords. Eugene’s smile disappeared as he tilted his head, as if hearing something.
“…Looks like it’s going to be a long night.” He sighed.
A few steps away, Lord Swain let out an inhuman scream. A dim light illuminated him, and the air became icy and viscous.
Accompanied by the sound of flesh tearing, the City Lord’s figure rapidly expanded. He swelled larger than the nearby houses. His skin turned gray and bark-like, and his waist bulged with organs. His ribs turned outward, forming thin arms. They shook and gripped the ground, supporting his bloated body.
Steadying himself, Lord Swain slowly opened a massive mouth. It was torn by several eyeballs, which frantically looked outwards.
He lay on the ground, resembling a red spider covered in tumors. A dark red mist surrounded him, and the knights cautiously retreated.
The City Lord paid no attention to them. He emitted a painful shriek and, like a bead, leaped over the night sky, quickly crawling out of the city. The monster’s speed was frightening, and within seconds, it disappeared from the knights’ sight.
“That guy is a ‘Supplement Demon’, conservatively estimated to have consumed over 100 people.” Eugene chased without hesitation. “Leave two to guard the city. The rest follow me!”
When the monster fell from the sky, Nol was stunned.
The art team of “Tahe” had great taste, and every monster had its unique aesthetic. However, what was in front of him was so grotesque that it couldn’t be included in a video without blurring. Nol recognized the skull of the City Lord on the monster, and he felt a churn in his stomach.
Thankfully, he was now quite experienced in “how to suppress the urge to vomit”.
A black and red mist spread out in an instant. The monster, as if maddened, charged directly at Teest.
Nol frowned and ordered the wolves to shield Teest.
The moment the black-red mist touched the skeletons, their bones seemed to dry out instantly, turning to dust. The blue flames in the eyes of the skeleton wolves went out, forcing them to return to death.
This is bad.
Nol immediately summoned more skeletons to block in front of Teest, trying to trip up the monster.
However, the assailant’s onslaught didn’t stop. With the monster wreaking havoc, Nol was stretched thin, and deep wounds suddenly appeared on Teest.
His left shoulder was blasted to the bone by magic, his abdomen was pierced, and half of his right foot was chopped off. If he wasn’t riding on the back of a wolf, he wouldn’t even be able to stand.
Blood gushed, staining the alpha wolf’s skeleton red.
It seemed Teest felt no pain. He looked up, smiled at where Nol was, then reached into his pouch and threw a black candle towards Nol.
[Just in case,] Teest said.
[There is no ‘just in case’,] Nol replied solemnly, catching the black candle. He prepared to summon more flying skeletons to lift Teest to safety.
In a few seconds, Nol had a plan.
The assailant was still lurking nearby. Flying would limit Teest’s movements, but it was worth a try—the main force of the Investigation Knights would soon catch up. They might be able to hold off the assailant. If timed right, they could make a safe retreat.
However, as he was planning, something moved in his hand.
…Moved?
Before Nol could react, the black candle broke free from his grip and floated mid-air. Despite being summer, Teest’s breath became visible in the cold air.
The huge monster stopped moving, and the relaxed expression on the assailant’s face vanished.
“Impossible!” he spat, narrowing his eyes. “How do you have a dragon corpse with you?”
Nol clutched his counterfeit “The Complete Recipe Book” and didn’t reply. He focused intently on the black candle—its black wax tears moved like tentacles of a soft-bodied creature. Among them, a blue vertical eye slowly opened.
“I smell the remains of a dragon, the scent of hundreds of skeletons. Such a strong scent of death…” a deep voice murmured from the candle.
“Are you the one who woke me, mage? I am… Holy shit, this is a fucking battlefield!” After only speaking the second half of the sentence, the voice suddenly became shrill. “What’s that disgusting thing down there?”
Assailant: “.…..”
Teest: “.…..”
Nol: “…?” The sudden shift in tone threw him off.
“You, yes you, the mage with the mask!” The black candle darted towards Nol, repeatedly hitting his mask. “That thing below is hard to deal with. Do you have powerful acquaintances? Bring more!”
Nol sighed and dispelled his invisibility. “How?”
“Don’t worry about it… Oh, there’s a staff here. Great, don’t poke it in yourself. Pull it out quickly!” The candle continued to shriek. “Then imagine the person you want to find and where they are! The more detailed, the better!”
Reluctantly, Nol pulled out the Staff of Sacrifice from his chest. The candle moved its wax tears like limbs, clumsily climbing to the top of the staff and sitting on the magic core.
The Staff of Sacrifice hummed, but its effect remained. It seemed this item also counted as a “cursed magical core”.
Nol pondered the candle’s proposal. He didn’t have acquaintances in this world, but if he were to think of a powerful entity and its location…
He focused on imagining the Dragon Lord Subelbot and its golden cave. Meanwhile, the candle lit itself, and a blue flame shot three meters up.
The flame split open, revealing another space—
The Dragon Lord was sleeping on a shiny pile of gold. As the ring of fire appeared, it woke up and lifted its head, which got stuck in the flame. On top of Nol’s staff appeared a huge silver dragon skull, making it look like he was holding a disproportionately large dragon-headed hammer.
“What the hell is this?!” The stuck Subelbot roared.
Nol: “.…..”
Nol: “Hey!”
While the silver dragon was still enraged, he raised his magic staff, aiming the dragon’s head at the strange creature on the ground. Subelbot was taken aback. With the sudden appearance of a pus-oozing monstrosity in front of it, it opened its mouth and instantly breathed fire.
The dragon leader’s reputation wasn’t unfounded. The black and red mist quickly faded, and the City Lord monster lost half of its body. It let out a sharp scream and retreated.
The next moment, the flame at the top of the candle was extinguished, and the bewildered dragon’s head disappeared without a trace.
“Enough!” The black candle shouted. “Run quickly. I smell the scent of the Investigation Knights!”
Needless to say, Nol also noticed the rapidly approaching Investigation Knights. The remaining skeleton army quickly sank into the mud, with Nol only leaving behind the giant skeleton raptor. He dived down, grabbed Teest, and rushed into the depths of the forest.
The assailant left the monster behind and chased after without hesitation. He had only taken two steps when several ceramic teeth shot into his chest from the woods.
From where the teeth pierced, his skin turned black and purple and quickly rotted away. A few seconds later, the assailant’s head and shoulders separated from his body, falling limply to the ground.
It was the Puppet Witch! Lynn came to help… No, she might have been watching the whole time.
Before leaving, Nol freed up his left hand and gave the assailant the middle finger.
See ya little bastard. The Investigation Knights will beat you up for us.
……
“This distance is about right.”
Deep in the forest, Nol released the giant skeleton raptor. The two collapsed onto the thick fallen leaves, neither wanting to move. After half a minute, Nol calmed himself and struggled to Teest’s side.
“Don’t move. I’ll heal you.” He placed his hand on Teest’s shoulder.
“Don’t overdo it.” Teest patted his hand weakly. “Remember when I was seriously injured in the City Lord’s mansion? It’s best to keep a naturally weak state.”
Nol, who hadn’t recovered much mana, thought for a moment and agreed. He cast several healing spells targeting Teest’s left shoulder and right foot, making them whole again and stopping the bleeding from the wound on his abdomen.
As for the superficial wounds, Nol didn’t address them.
The healing drained Nol’s last strength. He collapsed next to Teest, both of them looking like two pitiful old socks.
…When they returned to the inn, Nol decided he must study pain-relief spells. Teest would need them sooner or later.
‘Fighting indeed helps strengthen bonds,’ Nol thought. This was his first real battle, and the subtle barrier between them seemed to have diminished a lot—
Before, when Nol saw Teest, he first thought “Player”, “teammate”, then “Teest”. Now… he only saw Teest.
“Do you want to meet the witch? Was that her just now? You guys will meet eventually, and it might not be convenient for me to be there.”
After a good rest, Teest finally had the energy for a chat. He removed his hood, revealing sweat-soaked hair. His face showed clear signs of fatigue. “I’ll go back, take a bath, and get some rest.”
‘That’s good,’ Nol thought. Teest was made of flesh and blood and indeed needed rest.
So Nol summoned a skeleton horse. The horse’s steps were steady, and even if Teest accidentally fell off, he wouldn’t get hurt.
His temporary knight stood up and gave a proper salute.
“Goodnight in advance and say hello to the witch for me.”
Teest mounted the horse. He yawned tiredly and looked unsteady. “I’ll avoid the Investigation Knights… When you return, make sure to check on the situation.”
“No problem.” Even if Teest didn’t mention it, Nol planned to do so.
After watching Teest leave, Nol stood up and walked deeper into the forest. Fortunately, before he could find the place from last time, the witch’s puppet came to him.
“Lady Lynn asks you to wait.” This time, the puppets showed no hostility. “She guessed that it’s inconvenient for you both to travel, so she’ll check the situation herself. Once she knows the outcome, she’ll meet you in person.”
‘That’s fine,’ Nol thought, sitting on a prominent tree root to wait. Without Teest, the forest seemed ten times emptier.
He tried talking to the black candle. Its vertical eyes were closed, and it didn’t respond, perhaps because it was exhausted.
Nol could only wait alone. He turned into a human form, took off his goat bone mask, and hung it loosely around his waist.
By the time Lynn found him, the night was still dark.
Her appearance was almost as Nol had imagined—slightly shorter in stature, with a youthful look, dressed in a sleek dark hunting outfit, emanating a modern aura.
Lynn’s hunting outfit was modified with a high collar. A dark red printed scarf was tied around her neck, and she wore thin leather gloves. The joints of the puppet witch were completely concealed, making her look almost indistinguishable from real humans.
Except for the crack on her forehead—a sign of injury for the Puppet Witch. Judging by the depth of the crack, she must have suffered a serious injury recently.
“Building 5, Floor 2, Room 302, Joy Garden, Lin En. Mr. Xu, hello. I believe this is our first meeting.”
Lynn was neither overly enthusiastic nor aloof. Like a skilled business partner, she greeted Nol with a smile, extending her right hand.
Nol hurriedly stood up and shook her hand. He was touched. Having been in this world for so long, he almost forgot this modern courtesy.
“Mr. Xu is too formal. You can call me Xu Yue or Nol… In front of outsiders, better call me Nol.”
Witch Lynn nodded and retracted her hand. “Where’s your knight partner?”
“He was too tired and went back,” Nol replied. “His situation is different from ours. To explain your situation to him, I need your consent first.”
Lynn paused. Her expression was slightly stiff, looking somewhat anxious. “He went back? Did you let him go back to Whitebird City on his own?”
“This is a magical world. The Eternal Church surely has many tracking methods.” Lynn’s voice sounded bitter. “Nol, I know you’re from a game company, but are you sure this world aligns perfectly with the game? …You might not feel it as strongly, but to me, this place is undoubtedly real—a deadly reality.”
“In the real world, one can never be too cautious.”
‘Yes,’ Nol thought, stunned. The taste of victory was so sweet that he almost forgot the dangers of this world—this wasn’t just a game where you clear a boss and the battle ends.
Strange. He had always been cautious… Why didn’t he think of it earlier? Was he too exhausted?
“How’s the City Lord?” Nol asked urgently, dropping his casual demeanor.
“The City Lord was captured by the Investigation Knights and is probably being transported back to the city. But that doesn’t mean much. There are certainly more followers of the Eternal Church in the city. With the City Lord captured, they’ll only become more rampant.” Lynn pursed her lips.
Suddenly, a puppet climbed onto Lynn’s shoulder and whispered into her ear. Listening, Lynn frown deepened.
“You should come with me. We have a lot to discuss. By dawn, I’ll try to get a sense of the city’s situation. If your knight has been targeted by the Eternal Church, it’s probably too late. Going there will only lead you into a trap.”
“What do you mean?” Nol remained unmoved.
“Important message from the street urchins—the City Lord, shortly after being taken into the city, was abducted by the Eternal Church’s people. Those scoundrels are still causing chaos in the city… Wait, what are you doing?”
Without hesitation, Nol summoned a skeleton raptor, allowing the giant bird to grasp his back.
“I need to go back.” His tone was firm.
“The city must be on lockdown. You—”
“Let’s talk another day, Miss Lynn.” Nol soared into the sky. “I need to find my teammate… No, my friend.”
Thud. The bone mask slipped from his waist, landing on the ground covered by fallen leaves.
…..
Teest must be safe.
On the streets of Whitebird City, Nol ran breathlessly under an invisibility spell, his heart pounding. Why didn’t he insist on giving Teest a full treatment? Why did he let Teest return alone? He shouldn’t have let his guard down.
He had decided to become genuine friends with Teest, even willing to share the secret of his “transmigration”. Their collaboration was flawless, and Teest was a trustworthy companion.
Nothing should happen to Teest, or he would never forgive himself, Nol thought fiercely.
The night was quiet at the inn, the air filled with the rich scent of flowers. Breathing heavily and anxious, Nol approached that familiar room.
The door was closed, curtains drawn, and no light shone from within.
Taking a deep breath, Nol pushed the door open with a sudden force. The door creaked loudly, echoing in his ears. The dimly lit living room was serene, with fresh roses blooming on the table and a basket of fruit exuding a tempting sweetness. Yet beneath the pleasant aroma, Nol detected a faint smell of blood.
Teest’s bedroom door remained closed as always. He had indeed returned, but…
“Teest?” Nol called out with a hoarse voice but received no response.
The closer he got to Teest’s bedroom door, the stronger the scent of blood became. Nol smelled fat, fresh entrails, and exposed bone marrow.
“Teest—!”
Nol tightened his grip on his staff and burst through the door.
Drip, drip.
First, he saw the blood. Blood was everywhere, pooling and soaking into the carpet, spreading across the floor to his feet. In the blood floated tiny bits of flesh and eyeballs, scattered in small clumps.
Drip, drip. The blood continued to drop.
Then, Nol looked up and saw Teest.
Teest, with his flowing silver-white hair and wearing his long pajamas, stood barefoot in the pool of blood. Except for his feet, there was no other bloodstain on him. He looked out of place, as if he didn’t belong to this world.
The deep and shallow wounds on his body had already healed, leaving no trace.
In front of him, countless golden threads held by magic hung like a web, suspending a large silhouette. Nol recognized the face.
…It was Lord Swain.
The City Lord’s limbs and head were bound by the golden threads, hanging in the air like a marionette. His mutated parts had been cleanly sliced off and forcibly sewn back into human shape with the golden threads. The stitches, meticulous and even, gleamed like gold vines wrapping around him.
Lord Swain hung lifelessly, his eyes full of fear and despair. Yet, his lips were pulled into a smile by the golden threads.
That smile was soft and calm, completely contrasting with the rest of his tragic appearance.
Drip, drip. Blood oozed from the stitches and dripped from the City Lord’s toes.
A ball of unused golden thread rolled out of Teest’s old pouch. It rolled through the blood, causing ripples, before finally stopping at Nol’s feet.
The ball of golden thread brushed against Nol’s boots like an obedient little creature.
“Good evening, honey,” Teest said with a smile, his voice gentle and calm. “You shouldn’t have come back so early… Ah, you caught me.”
Nol tensed up, his fingers twitching on the grip of his staff. Images of them fighting side by side flashed in his mind, making the staff feel heavy as lead.
Teest raised his hands in a casual surrender gesture. In his right hand, he held the “Betrayer” in its hunting knife form. His golden eyes gleamed in the shadows. The room was pitch black, but this didn’t seem to trouble Teest. He slowly approached Nol.
Without thinking, Nol stepped back. Seeing this, Teest playfully flipped his left palm—and with a loud bang, the bedroom door behind Nol slammed shut and was locked.
Just as Nol wanted to back away, his back hit the solid door.
“He’s a psycho, a murderer, a blasphemer. He, she, or it has been running rampant for over a decade. Even the Temple doesn’t know if that guy is human.”
Mr. Kurt once said.
Finally, Teest stood right in front of Nol. Leaning in so close that their noses almost touched. Teest’s gaze held no malice. It was more like an intriguing observation. The mixture of floral scent, baked biscuits, the smell of blood-soaked wood, and the mild soap fragrance from Teest combined into a peculiar sweet scent.
…A light fragrance tinged with the chill of death.
Nol held his breath, staring intently into those golden eyes. In the silent night, only the system’s prompt kept repeating in his head—
[You have successfully witnessed the “Mad Monk”. Please immediately report to the Temple of Life.]
[You have successfully witnessed the “Mad Monk”. Please immediately report to the Temple of Life.]
[You have successfully witnessed the “Mad Monk”. Please immediately report to the Temple of Life.]
……
Temple of Life, Evergreen Church, Medical Room.
“Failure is also God’s will, everyone. Don’t take it too hard. Although Swain escaped, at least Whitebird City is free from the control of a heretic… Ouch, take it easy, Reverend Father.”
Knight Eugene had already removed his armor. He was lying on the bed as the priest treated his wound.
Other Investigation Knights were also injured to varying degrees, and they were now gathered, lamenting their situation. Knight Manley, who had been recovering, hadn’t participated in the battle. He listened to the complaints with curiosity.
“Captain, I have a question.”
Manley waved his bandaged arm. “Why do you all believe that the City Lord framed the Mad Monk? Couldn’t they be accomplices?”
“You’re new to the team, so it’s understandable that you don’t know.”
Eugene sat up and looked out of the window at the four moons.
“Every victim of the ‘Mad Monk’ has always been a core member of the Eternal Church, without exception. That guy would never lay a finger on a fourteen-year-old girl.”
“Hmm, doesn’t that mean the Mad Monk is kind of on the side of the Temple? Wouldn’t it be better to tell the truth to the public? They firmly believe that he kills indiscriminately and are terrified of him.” Manley sighed.
“On the side of the Temple? That shameless heretic. He desecrates corpses and defiles both the Temple and its scriptures. Even if he opposed the Eternal Church, he harbors just as much malice towards the Temple.”
Eugene’s tone suddenly turned cold. “The fact that the Temple hasn’t issued a death warrant for him already shows we’ve given him some respect. Manley, the truth can’t be made public—people don’t need to know that a mere blasphemer’s investigative skills are superior to that of the Investigation Knights.”
“More importantly, this era doesn’t need an overly mad hero.”
The author has something to say:
Alright, Teest’s vest has finally fallen off! I’ve read various speculations before, lol.
Compared to the crooked Kushan Sect, the impact on Shi Zhongyu was the greatest.
She skipped over the terrifying history of two hundred years ago and went straight to the point. “To create a disaster warding talisman, human corpses are used as materials? Isn’t that desecrating innocent deceased individuals? This kind of thing…”
Her stubbornness as a member of the Taiheng Sect returned.
Chen Qianfan sneered, “Powerful talismans have high material requirements. It’s not surprising to use human bodies as materials. Girl, if you don’t want to offend the dead, then find someone with abundant inner force and kill them on the spot. That can also be used as material—I think that fox-eyed kid is quite suitable.”
Shi Jingzhi: “…”
He had just been marveling at the strangeness of the Arcane Arts, but now his attention had to shift back.
Shi Zhongyu naturally refused to kill indiscriminately. “Senior, you’re joking.”
“Then what? Is it more important to protect your Sect Master or to preserve the intact corpse of someone who died two hundred years ago? You figure it out.”
Shi Zhongyu’s face turned pale and green, but in the end, she compromised. She let out a soft sigh. “After going through this, I no longer have the face to condemn the Chigou Sect as a demonic sect.”
Only then did Chen Qianfan nod in satisfaction. “Stubbornness is one thing, but being stubborn to the point of no cure is another. Not bad.”
This old man had a way of praising people with an insulting tone.
At the same time, the eerie Arcane Arts, in its horrifying appearance, finished devouring the corpse of the deer monster. It stood quietly in place, surrounded by a group of smaller demons who were gnawing on the remains. The white snow reflected the early spring sunlight, making the pile of corpses clearly visible.
The bodies were fused together, and the connecting parts resembled melting wax, like some kind of eerie flesh scales. The writing on the corpse’s skin slowed down, revealing its content. It wasn’t the formal script of the Yun Dynasty but rather tadpole-like talisman symbols.
“Alright, for the next few days, it will only wander around this area. If you can tear off one corpse, it will be considered a great achievement.”
“Miss Shi, as yang fire can restrain yin evil, I’ll go.” Shi Jingzhi volunteered.
But as soon as he took a step forward, Chen Qianfan gave him a resounding slap. Chen Qianfan brought out his inner force this time, making Shi Jingzhi cover his head and feel stars spinning before his eyes.
“Who do you think you are? Among this group, you are the most dangerous.”
Chen Qianfan scolded without holding back.
“Didn’t I just tell you? This Arcane Arts must be handled with care. Just the techniques inscribed on one piece of the corpse would take someone four to five years to study. This is the treasure of the entire Mishan Sect. And as for yang fire, does your family use torches to hold precious calligraphy?”
“But…” Although a normal landscape painting wouldn’t bite people, this thing looked dangerous no matter how you looked at it.
“Only those with the ability can possess the Arcane Arts. You just have to be cautious. If you overestimate your abilities and damage the yet-to-be-understood Arcane Arts, you’ll be expelled from the Mishan Sect at best and, at worst, pursued by the Mishan Sect. Do you want to give it a try?”
Shi Jingzhi was speechless.
On the side, Yin Ci shook his head silently.
Leaving aside the strength of the Arcane Arts, just this rule alone was enough to trap Shi Jingzhi. He excelled in battles by relying on brute force and overpowering his opponents with the power of the yang fire. Now that his inner force and qinggong were up to par, the only thing lacking was meticulousness and attention to detail.
This matter still required him and Shi Zhongyu to take action.
“Alright, I’ve said everything I needed to say. Wait for half an incense stick, then you can go up and try. Remember to be gentle. I will assist you with spells.”
Yin Ci raised an eyebrow. “Senior, aren’t you joining us?”
Elder Chen stood his ground. “This thing is very dangerous, and I value my life. Why, you’ve already asked me to do so much; you wouldn’t want me to take the risk of losing my life as well, would you?”
Yin Ci suspected that this old man had a craving for the ancient spells on the ancient corpse and couldn’t deal with the Arcane Arts alone, so he brought them here to do the hard work.
But it worked out perfectly. Trading spells with the disaster warding talisman was fair and just, without owing any favors.
While thinking about this, Chen Qianfan spread open the old record book and quickly wrote a few lines with a charcoal pencil. He didn’t hide it from everyone; the handwriting was neat and clear, easily visible at a glance.
Elder Chen quickly wrote down the arrival time of the Kushan Sect and Shi Zhongyu, the purpose of this trip, and the need to make two sets of disaster warding talisman. Then, he glanced at Yin Ci and deliberately added a few lines of unfamiliar characters before stopping.
With the recording complete, Chen Qianfan spread the record book on the snowy ground. Without even tidying up the charcoal pencil he created a formation with true qi out of thin air.
Yin Ci’s expression changed slightly.
It was a delicate destruction spell specifically designed to erase memories. Many years ago, Yin Ci had also considered using it to seek liberation. He once asked someone to use this spell on himself, but unfortunately, it relied on physical destruction, and his self-healing ability rendered it ineffective.
Chen Qianfan had definitely improved this spell. If the original spell was likened to a bone-cutting knife, the one in his hands was more like a delicate micro-engraving knife, swift and accurate.
The spell took effect, but the target of the attack was Chen Qianfan himself.
A faint white light flashed, and Chen Qianfan was stunned for a moment. He looked around somewhat dazedly, then lowered his head to read the words in the record book.
After reading those few lines, he straightened his back and collected the thick book.
Except for Yin Ci, no one recognized the true nature of that spell. With the completion of the spell, cast on Chen Qianfan himself, they only thought that the old man wanted to strengthen his own abilities. However, Chen Qianfan reacted strangely. Instead of being enhanced by the spell, he seemed to be confused by it.
The tense atmosphere before the battle transformed into confusion. Chen Qianfan calmly immersed himself in the confusion, his gaze sweeping across everyone.
His gaze was cold and clean. Among them, the longing for Shi Jingzhi as “good material” disappeared, as did the admiration for Shi Zhongyu, and even the curiosity about Yin Ci’s inquiry regarding the spell vanished.
It was as if it had been their first encounter yesterday.
Compared to before, Elder Chen’s attitude hadn’t changed much. After observing everyone, Chen Qianfan hummed and said sharply, “Alright, let’s go.”
Yin Ci cleared his throat and asked on behalf of his two bewildered companions, “Senior, what did you…?”
“Just deleting unnecessary memories.”
Chen Qianfan seemed accustomed to such scenes long ago and couldn’t even be bothered to shift his gaze.
“Becoming an immortal means severing the seven emotions and six desires. Unnecessary connections will only be a hindrance. Alright, you guys, hurry up and go deal with the corpses over there. Little Fox-Eyes, you can take a good look. Erasing memories is that simple.”
Yin Ci understood.
No wonder Chen Qianfan didn’t ask for their names; he had planned to forget them from the beginning.
In this way, to him, they were just three juniors who he met for the first time. Chen Qianfan knew nothing about them. Even if they were covered in wounds, with intestines hanging out and blood flowing, he wouldn’t have the slightest emotional fluctuation.
Reducing worldly encounters to a few lines on paper was indeed a cold and heartless approach.
No wonder Chen Qianfan, a man full of emotions, could isolate himself from the world for thirty years in the northern lands.
Yin Ci wasn’t surprised. This method was cruel but effective. He had bid farewell to generation after generation of people, from his youth, when he was full of vigor and passion, to seeing the elderly being buried and offering incense. Countless vivid loves and hatreds had vanished into thin air, unremembered, leaving only a faint impression in his heart.
No matter how tumultuous the waves of the past were, when looking back now, they were merely a concise phrase, “It did happen,” unable to evoke any sense of nostalgia.
Unfortunately, he was different from Chen Qianfan after all. Time didn’t have an immediate effect like a spell. Before memories faded away, he had to engrave them in his heart.
Yin Ci tightened his grip on the Hanging Shadow Sword. He glanced, intentionally or unintentionally, at Shi Jingzhi. A few steps away, Shi Jingzhi stared at Chen Qianfan in a focused manner. Even the fear of the Arcane Arts had dissipated, leaving behind a thoughtful expression on his face.
After a hundred years, would Shi Jingzhi also become his “It did happen”?
Yin Ci tightened his grip on the sword.
He let out a breath, abandoning the cluttered thoughts in his mind, and rushed towards the terrifying Arcane Arts not far away.
……
To be honest, the Arcane Arts was even more difficult to deal with than Yin Ci had imagined.
With the current desolation of the Milan Kingdom’s land, the Arcane Arts had a massive body but lacked sufficient energy, and its movements weren’t particularly fast. Yin Ci’s Bone Sweeping Sword technique was precise and should have been perfectly effective against it.
Unfortunately, with Shi Zhongyu by his side, he couldn’t unleash the full potential of the Bone Sweeping technique. Moreover, the magic of this thing was truly peculiar. Yin Ci and Shi Zhongyu struggled for half an hour but still couldn’t touch its oily skin.
It seemed that there was an invisible, sticky aura surrounding the Arcane Arts. Every time Yin Ci’s sword swept past, the nearby corpses would convulse, and the magic symbols would immediately gather and emit a bright red light.
Yin Ci felt as if he had struck something soft and resilient, causing his sword to slip and not even touch the corpse. There were annoying little monsters all around the Arcane Arts’ feet, so he couldn’t stay on the ground for too long and couldn’t slowly wear it down.
Therefore, Yin Ci decided to focus his attack on one spot.
He fixed his gaze on a corpse at the side of the Arcane Arts’ waist. The black sword reflected the gleam of snow, swift as lightning, as if it wanted to shatter the cold wind.
However, it seemed as if the Arcane Arts had seen through his intentions. Qi gathered near Yin Ci’s point of attack, and a murky fluid seeped out from the gaps in the corpse, mixing with the gathered qi to form a soft and pus-like blister, making the surface even more slippery.
Facing such a giant monster, not having inner force was always the most fatal weakness. Not to mention cutting through flesh and sweeping bones, Yin Ci felt as if he was cutting through a clump of mud and water, leaving no trace of injury.
Not far away, although Shi Zhongyu had inner force, she was even more miserable than Yin Ci.
Several snake-like spell characters wound around the blade of the Green Maiden Sword, corroding it into a pockmarked state.
If Shi Zhongyu hadn’t promptly discarded the sword, she would have nearly lost her right hand—one of the spells had almost touched her fingers, and her fingertips almost instantly turned an unnatural pale green.
Shi Zhongyu made a quick decision, took out a small knife, and cut off more than half of her fingertip. Blood splattered, and the spell was satisfied and retracted, quickly engulfing that small piece of fingertip into the Arcane Arts..
“Hmm. I’ve figured out your styles.”
Throughout the whole process, Chen Qianfan remained calm, stroking his messy beard. Shi Jingzhi clenched his fists, his face solemn, his thoughts unknown.
“That girl has some sincerity but limited talent. As for dead face boy, at this stage, you’re still holding back?”
Yin Ci sheathed his sword and flipped mid-air, landing steadily on the snowy ground. “It was just a tentative move.”
Shi Zhongyu also stopped upon hearing this. She hadn’t had the chance to bandage her wound, and blood droplets scattered on the snow, resembling blossoming plum flowers. “Please give us some guidance, Senior.”
Chen Qianfan waved his hand. “Rest for a while first. It won’t leave immediately. Sort out your own issues first—if you’re absent-minded and hesitant, you won’t be able to deal with the Arcane Arts.”
“After assessing your abilities, if you want to deal with it, you’ll have to go all out.”
Inside Shian’s dedicated car, people were chatting lively.
With the corruption resolved and the crisis on the Other Side averted, the “#1 Evil Smith” and “#1 Priestess”, Zhou Gong and Qiao Shang, naturally learned the truth. They were initially shocked by the turmoil on the Other Side, and then they were equally shocked by Yin Ren’s identity as the Great Celestial Master. In the end, they expressed polite yet intense greetings towards Fu Xingchuan for including the Great Celestial Master and Old Fear within the competition.
Luo Wanxiang and Sang Jie had recently recovered, but the two girls were kept in the dark. “People from the Haigu branch got promoted just like that? We won’t lose in next year’s competition!”
Qiao Shang turned her head and looked out the window in silence.
Zhou Gong, usually with a cheerful round face, looked a bit downcast.
The Yandu branch suffered the greatest losses this time—Fu Tianyi’s partner, Tao Lan, died in the attack on the Fu residence, and Dr. Meiqiu, the science post, decided to stay on the Other Side. The Yandu branch finally managed to get a “god”, but the god ran away the next day.
Dr. Meiqiu claimed that there wasn’t much difference between the Other Side and the mortal realm for it. The Lonelies on the Other Side respected it, and there were also many research projects to pursue, so it chose to stay there temporarily.
Considering research-related matters, the Yandu branch was willing to retain Dr. Meiqiu’s salary and benefits.
However, there was a significant gap between being stationed and having a nominal position.
Among the members brought by the Yandu branch, only Fu Tianyi remained. Originally a spirited young man, he seemed to have participated in the TV show <Transformation>* after being borrowed by the Haigu branch. Although Fu Tianyi’s abilities multiplied several times, he himself felt like a discarded mineral water bottle trampled by ten thousand feet, his eyes filled with weariness.
*(变形计) Lifestyle role-swapping reality TV show in China that borrows the idea of the reality TV show “Wife Swap“. It has two protagonists with very different lifestyles swap places and experience each other’s life.
No one knew what this guy had experienced. He didn’t even bother to go back to his hometown. If it weren’t for Zhou Gong’s keen ability to recognize spirit weapons, he would have thought that this Fu Tianyi was Fu Xingchuan wearing a mimicry headgear.
Zhou Gong smiled and found a topic. “Xiao Fu, are you sure you won’t go back to the Fu family?”
Fu Tianyi’s heart was like stagnant water.
“I want to go back for training and learning,” he said.
“It’s a good thing for young people to have ambition, but don’t rush for success.” Zhou Gong habitually advised. “You are already very outstanding now, and your contributions this time were significant. Don’t worry about those two from Haigu…”
Fu Tianyi numbly shifted his gaze and grunted.
In this battle, it wasn’t just Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo who fought bravely.
Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng were both in their early twenties when they went missing, just a few years older than him. Huang Jin dared to summon the great Primordial Elemental, Qi Xin, using himself, and Ge Tingting nailed the coffin lid on Love with her wish. As for him… he was just chopping radishes while throwing spells, always being protected behind the front lines.
Even now, Fu Tianyi couldn’t summon any feelings of dissatisfaction.
“I still have a long way to go,” he calmly and sincerely replied. “I just want to go back soon—maintaining order is more important than competing for superiority.”
There were too many things he couldn’t accomplish, so it was good to focus on what he could do.
…..
Zhong Chengfeng stopped in front of a familiar building.
She had maintained her alertness and physical activity, not needing as much rest as the other survivors. On the day of the medical examination, she was taken out by Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren.
The residential area was well maintained, but the passage of time couldn’t hide the aged appearance of the building itself. Twenty-nine years ago, on the day she left, the neighbor on the first floor had just installed new anti-theft windows. She remembered those windows being shiny silver, casting colorful shadows.
Now, they were covered in rust stains and scratches, uneven, and covered in thick rust and dust around the screws.
‘How strange,’ she thought.
Before the final battle with Love, Yin Ren, to stabilize the morale, had revealed some “unimportant matters” to her and Meng Huai. For example, he also had a name called “Zhong Yi”, and Zhong Chengshuo was the ancient embodiment of “Fear” fused with a human body.
Having witnessed countless strange phenomena and with a great battle looming, Meng Huai and Zhong Chengfeng’s emotions remained remarkably stable.
They lived in the space they imagined, wandering in a world formed by the consciousness of all things. They had seen overwhelming monsters and the most absurd dreams.
Having spent twenty-nine years on the Other Side, she had been there longer than she had lived in the human world. Her mental age was realistically fifty or more. Zhong Chengfeng understood her parents’ adoption of her little brother and didn’t mind that her brother was a Primordial Elemental, nor did she intend to interfere with her brother falling in love with another legendary figure.
She thought she wouldn’t be surprised or frightened by anything.
…But now, standing in front of the familiar corridor, she couldn’t take another step forward.
The last time she stood here, her parents were in good health with straight backs. They had more black hair than gray, and smiles on their faces.
“I applied for medical assistance from Shian. If our parents have any health issues, they can receive help immediately,” Zhong Chengshuo explained carefully when he saw that Zhong Chengfeng hesitated to move forward. “And they’re not top-tier science posts. Yin Ren can also help save them.”
Yin Ren nudged Zhong Chengshuo’s waist and shook his head gently.
But what was likely hindering her steps was more than just that.
“They have never forgotten you. They have indeed aged, but their past time together was full of love, and their bodies are still strong. For ordinary people, most of their lives have gone smoothly.”
He reached out and gave her a gentle push from behind.
“Go on, fulfill their final regret.”
Zhong Chengfeng took a deep breath. “…Can you two go in front of me?”
“Oh,” Zhong Chengshuo responded, picking up the pace.
While the three lingered downstairs, Zhong Youde was busy in the kitchen.
Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren, as the “heroes who made the greatest contributions in the pedestrian street incident”, received heavy awards within the city. Shian also specifically mentioned giving them a significant bonus, making the elderly couple extremely happy. Yin Ren had already informed the group in the chat that he would be bringing Zhong Chengshuo, along with a friend, to their home for a celebratory dinner in the evening.
He also specifically mentioned that he wanted to eat stewed spareribs with potatoes made by Zhong Youde.
Zhong Youde worked quickly. “Xiao Yin is quite strange. I remember he only likes meat and doesn’t eat potatoes much. Our son doesn’t eat heavy dishes either, but… “
It was actually Zhong Chengfeng who liked this dish a lot.
Zhong Youde’s initially high spirits dampened a bit. He sighed and covered the stew pot with its lid.
“With Xiao Yin accompanying him, our son has made progress.” Zhong Youde raised his voice. “And now, he actually has two friends, including Xiao Yin!”
Cheng Xuehua was arranging cups on the sofa and chuckled at his words. “Come on, don’t get too excited. It could be Xiao Yin’s friend.”
Zhong Youde mumbled, “Xiao Yin’s friend? Xiao Yin wouldn’t bring anyone home for a meal so casually. That young man knows his manners…”
“What are you mumbling about?”
“Nothing, nothing.”
At the entrance, the anti-theft door made three orderly and rhythmic sounds, not too light or too heavy, unmistakably Zhong Chengshuo.
“Coming!”
Cheng Xuehua picked up her cup and happily hurried to the door. Zhong Youde in the kitchen quickly perked up his ears to listen and find out who this friend really was.
What awaited him was the sound of a glass cup shattering on the ground.
After a few seconds of silence, Cheng Xuehua’s low sobbing could be heard.
Could it be a villain disguised as Zhong Chengshuo?! Zhong Youde was startled. He didn’t have time to gather intelligence and simply grabbed a kitchen knife, rushing out of the kitchen. “Don’t move; the two of us used to be… “
His unfinished words got stuck in his throat.
He saw his daughter standing at the doorstep, trembling in his wife’s embrace.
Just as in the countless photos they had flipped through, their daughter’s appearance hadn’t changed in the slightest, except that she had become slightly thinner since she left. Before the three of them could enter the house, Zhong Chengfeng’s tears flowed down her face, forming white mist in the cold air.
She’s still alive.
“Fengfeng…” Zhong Youde called out as if in a dream.
Their reclusive son had found a beloved partner, and the two of them had made achievements in their work. Their daughter, who had been missing for nearly thirty years, returned home unchanged, and a festive meal was being cooked on the stove. Everything was going so smoothly and beautifully that it felt like a dream.
Such things couldn’t happen in the world.
Yin Ren coughed lightly twice. “Chengshuo and I recently went on a business trip to a certain place… Chengfeng Jie and her friend were trapped there, and we brought her out. The environment there was a bit special, so Chengfeng Jie didn’t change much, but her health is excellent.”
Zhong Chengshuo supported his mother and sister into the home. Once the heavy anti-theft door closed, the cold air was sealed outside again. He quickly took a few steps forward and took the kitchen knife from Zhong Youde’s hand.
He pried open the old man’s trembling hand. Feeling his son’s warmth, only then did Zhong Youde regain his senses.
Whether it was a dream or not, Zhong Youde couldn’t think about it. The old man stumbled forward and embraced his long-lost family, finally breaking into sobs.
The heartwarming reunion ended with the smell of burnt food from the spareribs stew with potatoes.
As the smell of burnt food reached his nose, Yin Ren’s sentiments and gentleness disappeared from his face. With a swift movement, he rushed into the kitchen to salvage the pot of overcooked meat.
This little incident didn’t have a big impact. After all, for the rest of the evening, except for Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo, the other three had no appetite. As night fell, the elderly couple in the Zhong family still held Zhong Chengfeng’s hand, unwilling to let go.
Seeing that the atmosphere was right, Yin Ren urgently intercepted Zhong Chengshuo, who had just put on his sleeping cap. Poor Zhong Chengshuo didn’t even have a chance to express his confusion before being clasped under Yin Ren’s arm and taken back home through a gap in space.
“Let them have some time alone,” Yin Ren said with a serious tone, placing Zhong Chengshuo back in his own bedroom.
Zhong Chengshuo thought for a few seconds and agreed.
“You previously asked me to change your wish, to find out the truth and the culprit, and I fulfilled it. My father made a wish to find my sister, and I fulfilled that too.”
Zhong Chengshuo lay flat in bed, adjusted his sleeping cap contentedly, and a wing expertly snuggled into the blanket, which he hugged tightly.
“Now, the only wish left for you is to ‘protect Haigu’, and you said you want to fulfill it together with me,” he emphasized.
“Of course.” Yin Ren also got into bed, and the two of them pressed close to each other, instantly warming up the covers.
The Karma Lantern was placed openly on the refrigerator beside the bed, gently casting a red light on the night. After witnessing its owner’s power, Dog Thing chose to cling tightly to Yin Ren. It was now obedient, letting the Yellow Millet keychain hang on it, which had already developed immunity to the red light and was peacefully snoring.
Outside the window, the streetlights were on, and snowflakes fluttered down, accompanied by a faint whistling sound from the wind.
“Zhong Ge.”
“Mm?”
“What are your plans for the future, in terms of work?”
“Together with you, guarding Haigu, conducting research on the Primordial Elementals, writing papers…” Zhong Chengshuo’s voice sounded sleepy and muffled.
‘This guy is really simple-minded.’ Yin Ren chuckled. “And what about the Other Side?”
“You are at the top of the new food chain. Your thoughts matter more… Is ‘God’ considered an invasive species… Ah…”
Zhong Chengshuo wrapped his arms around Yin Ren’s waist, buried his nose in the wing, and fell into a deep sleep. His warm breath blew into the wing with a hint of mist, like a gentle and tender kiss.
Yin Ren sniffed the fresh scent on his lover’s body, opened his mouth, and lightly pressed his sharp teeth against Zhong Chengshuo’s neck as if giving him a gentle bite. The slight sense of repulsion between them still existed, jumping on his tongue like a well-seasoned spice.
Zhong Chengshuo slept soundly without any sense of vigilance.
‘There was nothing that can be done about it,’ Yin Ren thought seriously. Since Comrade Xiao Zhong had no sense of crisis, he could only be considered a lifelong reserve food supply—someone he couldn’t bear to eat until the end.
Yin Ren kissed his lover’s forehead again and let out a big yawn.
As for the matters of the Other Side… Let Qi Xin hold a meeting at Shian tomorrow. Then it would be time for a vacation, and after that…
Yin Ren’s gaze swept across the empty living room. The tablet lay quietly on the sofa without any signs of lighting up. In the Coffin Nails group chat, Hu Tao’s profile picture remained gray.
There were still many things he had to do. Yin Ren nuzzled against his lover and closed his eyes.
……
“Fu Xingchuan, what do you mean?”
Early the next morning, Huang Jin’s resignation letter fell to the ground.
He had received his bonus and restored his reputation. Everything was heading in the right direction, and Huang Jin believed he could leave now—who could stop him when there were no flaws to be found? Who?
But cold reality blocked his path once again.
“I’m sorry, Xiao Huang, but I don’t have the authority to approve this.” Fu Xingchuan expressed his apologies. “Looking at the world now, you’re the only one who can trigger the ‘Individual Divine Descent’. You are an important combatant of Shian and a key subject of surveillance. Your treatment will definitely be further improved. As for resigning…”
“I am a spirit smith!” Huang Jin’s voice almost cracked. “To send a spirit smith to the frontlines, does Shian have no humanity?!”
Fu Xingchuan patted his shoulder. “Young people shouldn’t be too modest. Your combat power surpasses mine when you are possessed by ‘Sorrow’.”
“That’s done by Qi Xin! I can’t do it at all!”
“’Sorrow’ and ‘Lonely’ recently entered into a long-term partnership with Shian. ‘Sorrow’ is willing to provide combat support when necessary in exchange for a stable reward.”
That being said, Qi Xin requested the reward be directly transferred to Yin Ren in exchange for Yin Ren’s assistance with the Other Side. These two large monsters forcibly turned Shian into a labor intermediary.
Huang Jin felt like crying without tears. “Then let it go find someone else. Can’t it work with Ge Tingting?! It’s not just me who has brain damage—”
“It says Ge Tingting is too proactive, and it can’t get along with her. But it finds the scent emanating from you quite appealing.”
Fu Xingchuan waved his hand.
“Besides, Ge Tingting has been busy lately. Xiang Jiang ran away, so I need to find another newcomer with the ‘Ghost General’ qualification to mentor. The training is very rigorous, and her time might not be sufficient. Huang Jin, please try to understand.”
It seemed like he intended to take Ge Tingting as his disciple.
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?!”
Huang Jin really wanted to cry, but when he thought of Qi Xin’s possible gaze, he forcefully swallowed his tears. Things were different now. He didn’t lack money at all. Huang Jin had never imagined that being chased by money could be so painful.
Fu Xingchuan rubbed his stubbled chin. “I understand your feelings. It’s still unclear about the policies since the ‘Other Side’ was just discovered. Perhaps when there’s a new minister in charge, they might approve it for you.”
Huang Jin gave him a dead fish stare.
Fu Xingchuan’s tone became more sincere. “Seriously, I can’t do this for many more years. Recently, we found a lot of clues about the Coral Reef Company. Once we handle Sunken Society, I’ll retire early. Besides, you all know. Li Nian plans to get married and retire. He’s even more anxious than you… By the way, how are you and Xiao Ding doing?”
Huang Jin forced a laugh and quickly left the scene.
At least Fu Xingchuan reminded him. Halfway through his tearful escape, Huang Jin took two steps back and went to a flower shop on the street, buying a large bouquet of flowers.
Anyway, it was still early, and Shian wouldn’t fire him for being absent from work.
Might as well go to the hospital while he was at it.
The author has something to say:
Continuing with the conclusion—
Don’t worry, all the details that everyone cares about will have answers XD
Kinky Thoughts:
Huang Jin, you’ll never be able to resign. That old fox Minister Fu already knows he’s living past 90!
Yin Ren had a stern face as he repeatedly used healing magic on Meng Huai’s wounds. Meng Huai was severely injured, and even for him, painless treatment was impossible for humans. As a species, humans couldn’t grow new limbs. Going against nature came with a price.
After beating Love and swiftly dealing with the seal, Yin Ren healed Sun Qi’an and quickly sent her to the hospital with Zhong Chengshuo. Before even leaving the hospital entrance, he turned back to the Other Side and prepared to deal with Shen Mo.
Given the intensity of their work, they would definitely receive a bonus of a hundred months’ worth of salary.
To Yin Ren’s surprise, Shen Mo had already been dealt with by the small team from the Shian’s base. The good news was good, but Meng Huai’s injuries were truly shocking.
“Very well, at least you know it hurts.” Seeing Meng Huai behaving like this, Yin Ren grew somewhat annoyed. “Miss Meng, if you get hurt any worse, I can only resort to the ‘Meiqiu treatment’ on you.”
Meng Huai knew what Yin Ren was referring to.
Assimilation with Elemental flesh included an extended lifespan, but the drawback was sacrificing some of your own flesh. The Great Celestial Master assimilated with “Fear” and could restore his human form through self-sealing, but he was a bona fide monster. If Meng Huai were to assimilate with an Elemental of similar strength, she would end up following in the footsteps of the Meiqiu and bid farewell to her human form completely.
“Ah… Thank you, but it’s not necessary. If I grew fourteen legs, I wouldn’t be able to find pants,” Meng Huai joked.
Yin Ren snorted and helped her stretch her newly grown limbs.
Bones, meridians, and muscles were all normal. Just to be safe, he carefully cast the healing magic several more times.
“That’s enough.”
Yin Ren clapped his hands.
“You’ve been on the Other Side for too long. After you go out, have Shian perform a medical examination on you. They have arrangements for transporting the survivors… Professor Li is in charge of that,” he added deliberately.
Meng Huai’s movement of shrugging her shoulders stiffened for a moment. “Oh.”
She fell silent for a while, then changed the subject. “Where is Mr. Zhong?”
“He’s cleaning up outside,” Yin Ren replied casually.
A while ago, they had decided to split up. Yin Ren went to deal with Shen Mo, while Zhong Chengshuo went to clean up the aftermath on the Other Side. After Love disappeared, the Other Side fell into chaos, and they needed powerful Primordial Elementals to restore order and capture a couple of disobedient ones to deliver takeaway for Qi Xin.
Who would have thought that Zhong Chengshuo’s trip would take so long?
Jiao Lian and her colleagues had been sent to Shian for treatment ahead of time, and Dr. Cat led the Lonely army on an expedition. Meng Huai was resting and sleeping in the base, while Zhong Chengfeng was anxiously pacing around.
And Yin Ren sat back in a corner, savoring the tranquility of this moment.
An hour passed, and the peace was nice.
Two hours passed, and it became a bit boring.
Three hours passed, and Yin Ren couldn’t sit still any longer. The current Zhong Chengshuo could walk sideways on the Other Side, and even if an Elemental creature took a bite, it would break a few teeth. It shouldn’t have taken this long for him to show any signs of activity.
He tore open a gap in space and quickly found the exuberant Zhong Chengshuo—besides “exuberant”, he couldn’t think of any other word to describe him.
The Karma Lantern was being used as a lantern of mischief by this person. As soon as the red light came on, everything around froze, not daring to move. Comrade Xiao Zhong ran around, climbing up and down, meticulously observing every detail of the Elementals.
…Officially, it was cleaning up the aftermath, but in reality, it was scientific exploration.
Yin Ren noticed Zhong Chengshuo as he stuck his head into the mouth of a giant Elemental, attempting to observe its internal structure. The poor creature was frightened and lost its color, with its seven or eight eyes rolling back in panic.
Yin Ren suppressed his aura, quietly sneaked up behind Zhong Chengshuo, and scratched his waist. Zhong Chengshuo’s body jolted, quickly pulling his head out. “Yin Ren.”
“Experiencing occupational disease?” Yin Ren raised an eyebrow.
“Now that all kinds of Elementals have emerged, it’s a rare opportunity.” Zhong Chengshuo lifted up his imaginary notebook, innocently expressing himself. “You gave me the ‘Compendium of Primordial Elementals,’ and I wanted to fill it up as soon as possible.”
Yin Ren pretended to have a sudden realization. “So that’s how it is! I misunderstood you—I thought you were being influenced by Love and lost control. I’m a bit embarrassed now.”
Zhong Chengshuo slowly turned his head and averted his gaze.
“Ah, it’s a pity we can’t bring recording devices to the Other Side. I’ll just have to remember it in my heart. Such a generous treat might only happen once.” Yin Ren wiped away non-existent tears.
Zhong Chengshuo coughed. “That was an irrational judgment when lacking rationality—very unreasonable.”
“Oh?”
“Eating me would indeed greatly increase your strength, but you wouldn’t be happy afterward,” Zhong Chengshuo said, “and I don’t want to be eaten by you—if I were eaten, I wouldn’t be able to stay by your side.”
“I want to stay by your side even more.” Zhong Chengshuo solemnly declared.
Yin Ren had only wanted to tease his lover, but unexpectedly, a confession slipped out. He coughed a couple of times, feeling a warmth in his chest. “Well, let’s forget about it. When we go out, you can treat me to something—I almost forgot, delete the ‘Innocent Thoughts’ recording from your phone!”
Zhong Chengshuo’s nod came to a sudden halt, pretending not to have heard the second half of the sentence.
“Zhong Chengshuo!”
“Qi Xin’s condition isn’t very good. Let me take you to see her.”
“Don’t change the subject—! …Don’t run, stand still! There’s something important to discuss!”
……
Sun Qi’an woke up once again in the hospital ward.
She recognized it; it was Shian’s dedicated ward. What happened before… What happened again?
It seemed like she was attacked in the back mountain of Haigu Secondary School, and after that, she resumed work and recently went shopping on the new pedestrian street. But those memories were hazy, as if obscured by a layer of fog. She tried hard to recall but could only remember the keyword “angel’s arm”.
Oh no!
Dr. Sun’s alarm bells rang loudly in her mind. If her consciousness was affected to this extent, it was possible that the tumor in her head had undergone pathological changes. If things didn’t improve, she would have to take a leave and go see a renowned specialist in Yandu.
Sun Qi’an updated her parents on the situation and then calculated her medical insurance and savings with a grim face. With a sigh, she sat up. She turned on the TV in the hospital room, and the default channel happened to be the local television station.
“It has been four days since the chemical pollution leak on the new pedestrian street, which has been confirmed by the police as a terrorist attack… If you were on the street that day, please seek medical attention promptly due to the large amount of toxic substances released…”
“In recent days, the suspect has caused panic by releasing nerve gas in public places, poisoning specific individuals, committing murder, and abandoning the bodies…”
“One person died in the pedestrian street incident. The deceased was surnamed Xiang, and the body has yet to be found…”
“Technicians from the Shian Group made outstanding contributions in the pedestrian street incident. These heroes responded quickly and effectively protected the lives and property of the public. They will attend the city’s commendation ceremony in the coming days…”
Sun Qi’an rubbed her temples. So that’s what happened. Shian clashed with the monsters on the pedestrian street, and she was probably affected. But she never believed in such things; they supposedly had little impact.
Upon waking up this time, she actually felt refreshed and much better than before.
Sun Qi’an grabbed her phone and made a brief call to her family. After a while, she opened WeChat and found a specific group chat.
WeChat group “Paid Love Consultation”.
The last chat record was about information about the grandchild of the Qiu family. Sun Qi’an scrolled through the messages and felt a bit emotional.
These were her two closest friends in Shian. She remembered that their ranks weren’t high, so they shouldn’t have encountered any trouble. Just in case, it would be good to ask.
[Let Me See Your Heart: I saw the news, and the pedestrian street incident seems serious.]
[Let Me See Your Heart: Are you two okay? Did Shian send you there? @Fruit Knife @Final Fruit]
[Fruit Knife: …]
[Final Fruit: …]
[Let Me See Your Heart: What’s wrong?]
[Fruit Knife: Qi’an Jie, I heard that you were also at the pedestrian street that day. Are you okay?]
[Let Me See Your Heart: I’m fine, just dealing with some old issues~ I’m planning to go to Yandu and will bring back some local specialties for you.]
[Fruit Knife changed the group name to “The Three Gods on Earth”]
[Let Me See Your Heart: 🤨]
[Fruit Knife: Just for fun 🥺]
[Final Fruit: We have to continue working, so let’s not chat for now.]
Sun Qi’an put her phone down, full of question marks in her head. Just then, another round of news broadcasts came.
“In order to eliminate the pollution, our city’s professionals will conduct special artificial rainfall. If residents notice unusual weather, there’s no need to panic…”
Sun Qi’an curiously got out of bed. She leaned on the IV stand and walked to the window.
She gently pulled open the curtains.
A ray of clear red light poured into the room, gently flowing on the floor.
It was mid-afternoon, still some time before dusk. But the entire sky was ablaze with the redness of sunset, with thin clouds surging like a layer of red veil.
Although the clouds were thin as gauze, sparkling raindrops kept falling. No thunder or darkness in sight; they refracted the brilliance of the sky, sprinkling like gemstones through the golden-red sunlight.
For the first time in her life, Sun Qi’an saw rain so beautifully.
She took out her phone, found a suitable angle, and took a good photo.
[Let Me See Your Heart: [Image]]
[Let Me See Your Heart: Pay attention to work-life balance. The view outside is beautiful~]
[Let Me See Your Heart: Suitable for couples to enjoy together~]
The Great Celestial Master above let out a disgruntled sigh.
“She said it’s suitable for couples to enjoy together~” Yin Ren cast the rain spell in disappointment. “I wanted to see it from below! Even Sun Qi’an knows about work-life balance. How does that saying go? All work and no play…”
Zhong Chengshuo was controlling the light of the Karma Lantern. “Increased workload at the end of the year is normal for businesses.”
Transporting the survivors from the Other Side to the mortal realm was undoubtedly a massive project. Considering Shian’s medical capabilities and the need for secrecy, the entire process would take four days. In the meantime, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo returned to the mortal realm first to deal with the spreading corruption from Sunken Society.
In the past, they had no way to deal with such corruption. But now, as “gods”, their abilities were naturally beyond comparison.
Zhong Chengshuo was responsible for spreading a weakened version of the authority of Fear, freezing the Evil Force in place, and preventing them from invading the human body. Then Yin Ren took action, devouring them all.
As for the rainfall, it was just for show—Yin Ren had to create some clouds and mist to stretch out his colossal form.
“Now that this task is done, there shouldn’t be any more work, right?” The flock of wings tensed nervously.
“Xiang Jiang and Xiang Hai are still missing, and Shian’s tracking of Wei Huaqian and Sunken Society must continue. But capturing the fierce ghosts and dealing with Sunken Society are the daily tasks of Shian,” Zhong Chengshuo said, pushing up his glasses. “We don’t necessarily have to participate.”
Yin Ren pondered for a moment. During the battle with Love, the twin ghosts’ vitality was greatly damaged. Even if they managed to escape back to the human realm, it was uncertain whether they could maintain their position as an A-A level evil. It was best to leave it to Shian.
“Accompany me on vacation!” Yin Ren’s voice stirred echoes in the clouds.
……
The winter drizzle soaked the ground, seeping into the soil, but it couldn’t reach Shian’s underground base.
The passage to the Other Side had been opened by Qi Xin for a full four days, and at this moment, the last missing person was also sent out of the tunnel.
Li Nian stood by the tunnel, staring intently at the darkness.
Today, he wasn’t dressed as simply as usual. Both his coat and shirt fit much better, showing signs of having been carefully pressed. At first, he wanted to take off the wedding ring. As he was about to remove it, Professor Li’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and he put it back on, nervously fiddling with it.
Next to him, Fu Xingchuan said, “…Isn’t that enough? Your fingers are almost worn out.”
Li Nian stared coldly at Fu Xingchuan, who instantly stepped back half a step.
Finally, a woman’s leg emerged from the passage.
Fu Xingchuan glanced at Li Nian from the corner of his eye, but Li Nian remained motionless. The medical staff beside them quickly brought out a prepared blanket and covered the person’s naked body.
Fu Xingchuan recognized that face—it was Zhong Chengfeng, who had been missing for nearly thirty years.
Having not felt the touch of the human world for many years, Zhong Chengfeng tightly wrapped the blanket around herself and stumbled in place, almost falling down on the spot. However, she still stood strong, her eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, tears rapidly moistening in them.
Shian’s medical team operated in an orderly manner and quickly guided her away.
Only now did Li Nian step forward and stop right in front of the passage.
The one who emerged this time was Meng Huai.
Her steps were steadier than Zhong Chengfeng’s, and as soon as she was wrapped in the blanket, her gaze focused on the person in front of her.
“… ” She frowned slowly in front of Li Nian.
Meanwhile, Li Nian stood silently, like a statue.
“You didn’t even buy me a bouquet of flowers.” After a long pause, Meng Huai spoke. “It’s been so many years, Xiao Li, yet your romantic cells haven’t grown at all.”
“I don’t know how to choose,” Li Nian said.
“I know.” Meng Huai said, “I’ll take you to choose in a couple of days.”
“Mm.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t bring the ring and bracelet.”
“I’ll buy them again.” Li Nian smiled somewhat awkwardly.
Fu Xingchuan was beside them, audibly gasping for air through his teeth. Meng Huai’s gaze shifted.
“Oh shit, Fu Xingchuan, how did you become so mature!” Meng Huai’s expression of sentiment vanished upon seeing Fu Xingchuan. “Oh, congratulations on becoming a minister. Congratulations, congratulations! Your dream has come true; are you happy?”
Fu Xingchuan forced a smile on his face and quickly left the scene. Meng Huai clicked her tongue, and finally, her gaze drifted back to Li Nian.
“It won’t take long for the check-up. I know my body well enough.” She said, “Wait for me a moment, and then we’ll go home together.”
“Okay.”
Xiao Yin: I’m so tired, I’m so exhausted, and I still have to go to work.
Xiao Zhong: Never again consider trying Innocent Thoughts (crossed it off the notebook).
Entering the final stage!
Kinky Thoughts:
Aww, I got watery eyed a bit for Li Nian’s reunion with Meng Huai. Despite how long this novel was, as usual with Nian Zhong’s work… I don’t want it to end.
Each day was never quite the same as the previous one.
At this point, even a born sociopath like Shen Lian could sense an unusual atmosphere, but her physical defect prevented her from understanding the emotions held by the voters and the meaning behind these emotions.
Therefore, she could only stare at the statistical data being constantly read out on the television with a murderous gaze. The closer it got to the final time limit, the faster the “No” option rose.
The current online voting “ratio” of Yes or No stood at——14,225,264:14,210,754.
Shen Lian stared at the screen for a long time.
This evenly matched result was something she had never thought of before. She was incredibly shocked but still held onto the last hope.
She could still win; she would definitely win. This made her current state much like a drowning person clutching at straws—otherwise, she would really not survive.
Lin Chen looked at the woman across the square table and answered her previous question. “You know, because I bet four lives on it, I believe the result must be that more people choose ‘No’. And you need to expose the inherent selfishness under the guise of kindness in many people, so you need an answer of ‘Yes’.”
“But I won’t lose, Shen Lian. At least in this matter, I won’t lose.”
The chandelier on the ceiling sheds warm yellow light, giving everything an uncertain hue.
The woman across the square table had disheveled hair. The background behind Shen Lian was the vast night. She was no longer the calm and confident figure she was, but she still felt the scales of victory would surely tilt in her favor. “Consultant Lin, I notice you’ve been avoiding a direct answer. Does this mean you actually dare not even admit your inner thoughts?”
Lin Chen glanced at the night outside the window. Time was almost up, so he no longer needed to hide anything.
“Some years ago, psychologists and human behaviorists like Marc Hauser brought the classic trolley problem onto the internet.” He looked at Shen Lian and spoke calmly.
“200,000 respondents from around the world took the survey. That was the famous trolley track problem, which is almost identical to the question that millions of residents in three provinces have been asked today. In the fields of philosophy and psychology, we define such problems as moral dilemmas.”
He seemed as if he were speaking to himself and signaled to Shen Lian with his eyes to stay calm.
“In the survey, the question was asked in two different ways,” he said.
“The first is the original rail dilemma. The question goes like this—
The trolley on the track is out of control and will hit five people ahead. If the trolley continues to move forward, these five people will definitely die. The only solution is for the railman to switch the trolley to another track where there is only one person on the other track. The question is: Should the railman kill this one person to save five?”
He suddenly leaned forward and asked Shen Lian, “What do you think?”
Shen Lian instinctively leaned back into her chair. “You don’t answer me directly, but you expect me to answer you directly?”
“Alright, I’ll tell you the result directly.” Lin Chen said, “The survey result is as follows—regardless of race, age, and group, among 200,000 respondents worldwide, 89% of people believe that the railman should pull the switch.”
On the TV news, the female anchor was reciting the survey results from some place. Her solemn voice sounded just right.
Upon hearing this, Shen Lian had some incredulous emotions on her face, then she slowly started to laugh, very pleased, as if she finally got the expected result.
Lin Chen took in Shen Lian’s triumphant expression. This time, he didn’t give Shen Lian the chance to speak and said, “According to your view, the conclusion of this online survey can actually prove that human nature is selfish; most people would sacrifice a minority for a greater benefit.”
“Consultant Lin, I find your view on human nature is indeed more insightful than mine!” Shen Lian interjected, praising him.
Lin Chen looked at the woman’s face, exuding an air as if she had won, then he looked up at the moon outside the iron window before calmly replying, “Yes, if it weren’t for the existence of a second way of asking and another survey result, your view might be unassailable.”
He suddenly sat up straight, quickly and seriously said, “The second question is as follows—
The situation is the same as the first one. There is still a runaway trolley about to hit five people. You, as the railman, are standing on a footbridge. Next to you is a sturdy stranger. If you push this stranger off the bridge to get him stuck on the track, then the trolley will stop, and although the stranger will die, you can save five people. The question is: Should the railman push the stranger off the bridge to save five people?”
Lin Chen thought his attitude had already been serious enough.
But at this moment, it was still Shen Lian who looked up at him, her face filled with inexplicable emotions, “What’s the difference, Consultant Lin?”
Lin Chen looked at the woman’s ignorant and bewildered gaze illuminated by the moonlight and never felt such a huge gap at this time.
Shen Lian simply can’t perceive it, he told himself.
But the story had to continue. “In fact, this time, 89% of people chose—they shouldn’t.”
Sure enough, after this number appeared, Shen Lian’s eyebrows furrowed, and even her body muscles were obviously tense. Someone as smart as her obviously realized that there was a serious problem here and that the huge voting happening right now was a psychological trap through and through.
She really was going to lose, but she didn’t know where she lost.
“And why is that so?” Lin Chen looked at Shen Lian and explained in a very calm tone, as if speaking to a different kind of person in this world. “Because psychology is science. On the one hand, many of its conclusions come from the results of large-scale experiments and statistical data; on the other hand, behind every psychological phenomenon, you can mostly find corresponding neuropsychological mechanisms.”
Shen Lian looked at him suspiciously.
Lin Chen said, “The two different outcomes of similar problems made neuropsychologists curious. Scientists then scanned the brain activities of the subjects under these two different problems.”
“You work with brain-related drugs, so you should understand this result better.” He gazed at Shen Lian and continued, “In the first situation of whether to pull the track lever, the brain area responsible for reasoning and problem-solving showed increased activity, while in the second situation of whether to kill a stranger to save five people, the brain areas related to emotion and social cognition showed increased activity.”
Shen Lian fell silent for a moment, and then the sound of chains shaking crazily echoed in the interrogation room. The woman was thinking frantically and tried to put her hand in her mouth, a psychological compensation state under extreme anxiety.
“Neuropsychologists have different types of explanations for this phenomenon. One argument is that pulling the track has nothing to do with the individual, so people use the reasoning-related brain area to make judgments; while pushing a stranger is a situation related to a specific individual, where the emotional and social cognitive parts precede; another explanation is…” Lin Chen’s voice overpowered the clanging noises in the room and the voice of the female anchor reporting results behind him. “A common view exists among normal humans—that people think it is acceptable to sacrifice a small part to achieve a greater benefit, but in reality, you cannot force others to sacrifice deliberately.”
Lin Chen’s words were incredibly plain. When he got to this point, Shen Lian suddenly said, “What does this count as, Consultant Lin?”
She burst into laughter. Given that she didn’t have a knife in her hand to stab Lin Chen or force Lin Chen to shut up, she could only rummage through her mind, trying to find all the offensive words to refute Lin Chen. “Hypocrisy! Yes, it’s hypocrisy. Your conclusion makes people look good, but in fact, they can’t hide your cowardly and ugly nature. We are the same!” She shouted.
However, in front of her, the frail Mr. Consultant had no intention of backing down.
“This is morality, Shen Lian.” Lin Chen’s gaze was peaceful and deep, without any boasting. He was just stating facts. “This proves that there is a moral brake commonly present in the human brain, proves that the moral brake will timely start to prevent people from doing certain things, proves that morality is a neural mechanism that definitely exists in the brain and not a mirage, and proves that morality is nothing special but still remarkable, because…” Lin Chen pointed at his head and said, “it’s here.”
After saying that, he pointed to his chest and softly said, “And also here.”
Kinky Thoughts:
Not sure if referencing Mark Hauser adds to your argument, considering he was found guilty of scientific misconduct…
What Lin Chen is referring to in the second question is The Fat Man. In the original question, usually up to 90% of those surveyed would pull the lever to save the majority. However, when rephrased by saying: If you were to push a fat man in front of the trolley, stopping it, the majority of people who approve of pulling the lever actually disapprove of pushing the fat man.
This has led to researchers attempting to find a moral distinction between the two cases. Some speculate that while one action wasn’t intended to harm (pulling the lever) and the person being harmed was just a side effect of one’s action, the second case put your action as an integral part of saving the lives on the track (you have to push the fat man in front of the trolley). This makes your action deliberate, so it’s wrong, and that’s why people struggle to make the decision.
As the city developed rapidly, unfinished buildings gradually increased. This high-rise seemed nothing but an ordinary, unfinished one among many others. Except for its remote location, there was nothing remarkable about it.
The lower part of the building still had some curtain wall glass attached, while the upper part was entirely empty.
When looking up, one could vaguely see the hollow floors erected by rebar and cement, which looked like a dark nest hiding some sinister creatures. However, unless you rose to the same height, you would never know what was hidden in these hollow floors.
Even if you sent up a drone, you wouldn’t be able to see what was inside. After all, a geek’s den wasn’t so easily spied upon.
In fact, to reach the floors of this abandoned building, one must make a special contribution in a certain field and also avoid being recruited by the government. Such special contributions include hacking into the official website of a country’s Ministry of Defense, and after completing this task, you must publish all the code online. Otherwise, it wasn’t cool enough.
These complicated rules, peculiar interests, and a lack of clear regulations had made this building a holy place for many “special talents”.
However, for Wang Chao, all he had to do to get upstairs was to step into the elevator.
Beside him were constant buzzing of electricity and the sound of wind sweeping past his ears. Sometimes, the wind was so strong that he even had the illusion that he must hold onto the table tightly or else he would be blown away.
Every time this happened, he would yell in anger, “Damn it, why can’t you guys install a few pieces of glass?”
His shouting had the violent temper of a Xing Conglian, which proved that his mood was indeed very bad at the moment.
Meanwhile, someone around him would often appease him in the sycophantic tone of Xing Conglian. “Boss, we need to properly cool down these servers. Didn’t we choose this building because of its gloomy atmosphere?”
Wang Chao wanted to curse, but at this moment he couldn’t spare any mental capacity to scold others. Only he knew how crucial a role he was playing in the whole plan.
Simply put, he had to locate the enemy’s server within 24 hours, and then someone else would be responsible for finding it.
This operation was necessary for three reasons:
First, the behind-the-scenes boss was likely to use the darknet to issue tasks, so controlling the server would cut off the enemy’s communication network. Although this was a temporary solution, it was better than nothing during special times.
Second, locating the hosting server meant finding the enemy’s weak point, where every byte of information was extremely important to them.
Third, if the operation was successful, it would mean that they had developed a deterrent against the enemy.
However, while the ideal was beautiful, unless they could infiltrate the system like the Americans over several years, it would be hard to find an exact way to eliminate a darknet site completely. But almost impossible didn’t mean completely impossible.
In reality, there were some algorithms that could estimate the location of the host based on the linear relationship between latency and geographical distance.
With topology information to reduce location errors and probability statistics to summarize the distribution rule of latency and geographical distance, as well as linear mapping of latency and geographical distance, they might be able to narrow down the server’s location to an area of 50 to 100 square kilometers. After that, it was a matter of exhaustive search.
In the beginning, the national government exerted great effort, and he also utilized all of his and his boss’ connections to lay numerous measurement nodes globally. Although there were still blank areas, they couldn’t care less about that.
To ensure the accuracy of latency measurement, it was best to have an accurate time point, which was why 12:00 noon GMT was chosen.
He remembered when he tentatively asked his A’Chen Gege and got the affirmative answer of “should be able to”.
Damn it, A’Chen Gege really made it happen.
So now all the pressure was back on him. Whether it was useful or not, he had to find the location of that damn server as soon as possible.
Time was ticking away.
He was still immersed in the sea of data streams. Sometimes he even felt that writing an AI program might be easier than locating a dark web server here.
But obviously, he didn’t have time to write an AI program now, let alone time to reassess the difficulty.
All he could do was sort everything out before the enemy got desperate.
But just then, someone gently tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Boss Chao, I must interrupt you. You said you must be informed at this time.”
Wang Chao stood up abruptly.
……
It was a long and vast queue, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Under the scorching sun, an untold number of people were lining up.
People rarely conversed, just moving forward one after another, entering the blue tent to cast their votes before emerging.
This scene was like a well-ordered and massive ant migration, and humans were just another such group.
No one knew exactly when this state of affairs had started.
Many people came out because they were influenced by this scene on the news, while others simply wanted to vote in person at the polling station, only to accidentally hit the peak.
Among those in line, some were young, some were old, some were students in school uniforms, and some were mothers holding their children.
None of them had a particularly unified label that could categorize them, and even their expression and the choices they were about to make varied.
And looking at this scene, one might even think: Are there really so many people in this world?’
What are they here for? To participate in an absurd choice that could only appear in TV dramas and movies?
But when you saw so many people standing right in the middle while you were among them, you realized that, in fact, everyone made choices and judgments every day, and these choices and judgments often became the past in an instant.
So, it was rare to have such a unified moment for everyone to leave their homes and to make a “yes” or “no” decision on a very simple question.
There were, of course, journalists stationed on the scene, but at this moment, they too gave up taking pictures and interviewing.
Initially, it was because many people were silent and shook their heads. Although some people answered the reasons, everyone’s thoughts were very different. Later, even the journalists who wanted to dig deeper didn’t want to disturb this state.
Meanwhile, the family members who were distributing flyers were still doing so, and there were citizens voluntarily helping them, but there were no more cries and pleas at the scene.
The atmosphere here was heavy, serious, somewhat sad, yet extraordinarily resolute—it was difficult to describe in words.
But when people were doing the same thing without any agreement, there would always be an awe-inspiring moment.
What Wang Chao saw was exactly this live broadcast from Yongchuan TV Station.
There were people he knew and didn’t know around him, among whom were geniuses who naturally had a hard time perceiving normal human emotions, but when facing this scene, the entire empty floor was silent. It was like everyone seemed to have lost their ability to speak.
It took a long time for Wang Chao to recover with great effort.
He forced himself to look at another monitor data screen—the government voting website that he coded himself. The figures on it had reached the critical point calculated by Lin Chen before, meaning the real peak of voting; the moment when people had thought carefully and decided to make a choice, had arrived.
Wang Chao felt unprecedented pressure.
To put it in a humorous way, he didn’t have much time left. After all, there was no knowing when that lunatic would realize that this vote was a complete trap.
The vote wasn’t to prove the selfishness or selflessness of human nature. Its only purpose was to force most people to think carefully about moral dilemmas. If one must explain forcibly, solving the initial voting dilemma and delaying time were also its purposes.
And now that the purpose had been achieved—the only matter left was to put it into action!
“What are you all stunned for? Get to it! Are we really going to lose to a bunch of idiots I don’t even look up to?” The teenager roared, rushing back to his computer, and finally looked back at the voting screen, seemingly gaining some kind of strength from this silent operation.
……
On campus, Fang Aizi, who just finished her physical education class, splashed water on her flushed cheeks. She took out her phone from her zippered pocket, opened the page, and chose “No”.
Outside the hospital ward, Mr. Zhai had just parted with Mrs. Su. Despite the gentle lady’s advice not to be too obsessed with this matter before parting, he still took out his phone without hesitation and chose “Yes” before passing by the emergency room.
On the street, Jiang Zhao, who had been maintaining order at the voting site, filled out his ballot. He cut in line and asked a construction worker about to open the curtain to put his ballot in the box for him. He chose “No”.
In the laboratory, the analysis hit a wall again. A bunch of old experts were talking in low voices. Xiao Zhan looked at that pile of chemical bonds, finally made up his mind, and made the bravest choice in his life. He chose “Yes”.
In front of the desk, Zhai Yong, who hadn’t made a choice, still refused to make one.
In the beef noodle shop, the old shopkeeper who was boiling soup ladled out a spoonful of chili oil, and almost uncontrollably, extremely angrily splashed it on the television.
On either side of the square table in the detention center, Shen Lian asked Lin Chen, “So, how would you choose, Consultant Lin?”
The usual breakfast time in prison was generally between 7:00 and 7:30, but today was an exception. This was, of course, due to the special circumstances of the four individuals in “solitary confinement”. Therefore, breakfast time was specifically set at 8.
Throughout the night, Huang Ze didn’t experience the same confusion as others. He was very clear, of course, that some wavering emotions were spreading within the prison law enforcers, but fortunately, they had strict rules in the team, so he was still able to control the situation.
Huang Ze took the extra meal brought by the chef and walked to the iron gate carrying the meal box.
Although the surveillance could clearly show what the four people were doing, he still pulled down the small window on the prison door to look inside.
The four people were all sleeping.
The first half of the night was far from peaceful. Yan Guiqiu cried for a long time, Sun Zhen lost his temper and wanted to strangle him, then Qian Bao incited discord, and Zhao Yi kicked the upper bunk bed hard. The four people made a fuss for a long time, with a kind of hysterical madness. But in the second half of the night, probably feeling that the chances of survival were slim, all four quieted down.
The cell finally regained its usual atmosphere.
Huang Ze closed the small window, pushed the door open, and entered. No one opened their eyes to look at him, not even the thief, who used to cry and cling to his legs whenever he saw him.
“Breakfast. Anyone want to eat?” Huang Ze asked.
He said this, but there was no response.
Qian Bao and Zhao Yi slept in the upper and lower bunks, respectively, while Sun Zhen and Yan Guiqiu each occupied a corner. Huang Ze said to the two people on the bed, “This might be your last breakfast of your life; don’t you even want to eat it?” He paused. “If I were you, I wouldn’t protest too much about things that are out of my control…”
As he said this, Yan Guiqiu finally turned over. “Aren’t you annoying, officer!” The prisoner, who always seemed like a rat, rolled over and responded irritably.
Huang Ze felt something different about Yan Guiqiu at this moment. Perhaps a night’s thinking could make people sober, and those who realized the coming of death would always be different. He looked at the other party with pity.
“I deserve to be in prison. You can do whatever you want, just don’t show me your pity,” Yan Guiqiu said to himself, seemingly angry. He suddenly stood up and pointed at the four walls. “This is such a shitty place—I at least made a sacrifice for the people; shouldn’t you arrange some hot girls to see me off? There’s not even a toilet, and you want to dismiss me with a crappy meal. I’m not happy!”
As he said this, Yan Guiqiu got carried away. He abruptly dropped his prison pants, and before Huang Ze could react, he whipped out his dick and aimed it at the camera.
A stream of yellow urine sprayed out.
The prison guards rushed over to knock Yan Guiqiu to the ground. But the urine was flowing everywhere, creating an appalling smell and turning the scene into a chaotic mess.
‘Very well,’ Huang Ze thought. ‘So be it.’
He took a deep breath, feeling that he probably didn’t handle the task entrusted to him by Lin Chen well.
However, at this moment, the prison guard who rushed in violated the rules and began to whisper to Yan Guiqiu. “Guiqiu, don’t be like this. Who knows what the result will be.”
“Lao Zhang, Lao Zhang, don’t lie to me. If you really care about me, promise me—just give me a quick death. Don’t shoot me, I’m afraid of pain!” Yan Guiqiu rolled around on the ground and yelled.
“What are you talking about, Yan Guiqiu? It’s not time yet. Act like a man!”
The prison guard stood in Yan Guiqiu’s urine and talked all the while the live broadcast was still ongoing. Huang Ze turned his head and said coldly, “Officer Zhang, please watch your words.”
Officer Zhang immediately stood up and walked out of the cell, but after a while, he came back in with a mop in his hand, cleaning up the urine on the floor little by little.
Yan Guiqiu crouched down and watched the police mop the floor.
He clutched his hair, his eyes growing redder and redder. In the end, the thief suddenly yelled out, “Lao Zhang, would it be easier if we just killed ourselves?”
At that moment, Huang Ze noticed the gazes of Sun Zhen, Zhao Yi, and Qian Bao all directed at him.
‘How absurd,’ Huang Ze thought.
He didn’t answer. He knew Lao Zhang wouldn’t answer this question either. Lao Zhang walked out the door, and he followed out. The iron door closed heavily.
In a place where the camera couldn’t capture, he unusually patted the shoulder of the prison guard.
“There is no correct answer,” he said to Officer Zhang.
……
The first person to notice that something was amiss was a reporter.
Of course, what he called an issue was based on the expected phenomenon according to theory. After all, theoretically, it was already past eight in the morning, during rush hour, and there should have been many people beginning to vote again.
But what was happening in reality didn’t match theory. The dawn didn’t have much of an impact on voting; the data on the government’s voting website was still slowly climbing, but not fast—at least much slower than expected.
On the dark web, there was overwhelming opposition, as those who wanted to see bloody drama would not be satisfied with this. But nobody cared about the opinions of those dark creatures now.
Shen Ping opened his office computer and began to check the data recorded by the government voting website while munching on a sandwich. He was a very sharp person and noticed an issue with the numbers at a glance—
The total number of voters was 5,561,120.
Yes: 3,559,117
No: 2,002,003
64% of the public still chose to exchange the lives of the four criminals for a treatment plan and a chance for survival.
Although 5.55 million was a very large number, it was far from the total population of the three provinces, 77.2 million, meaning that the actual number of voters only accounted for 7% of the total population, with only a small part of the people making a choice within 12 hours.
Perhaps the middle-aged and elderly people were more willing to go to the polling stations, and many people might not know about this news. Shen Ping thought so, but even considering these factors, with just a little more than 5.5 million votes, it was still too few.
He even suspected that the votes were being manipulated by the government, although this seemed unlikely.
Shen Ping put down his sandwich and thought about the problems. It seemed that many people had changed their choice after sleeping?
He then quickly noted down several key numbers and rushed to the editor-in-chief’s office. He forgot to knock, and when he pushed the door open, he saw the editor-in-chief clearly closing a web page with a click of the mouse, although he couldn’t confirm it as the screen was facing away from him.
“Twelve hours, editor-in-chief!” He stepped back half a step, bowed apologetically, but couldn’t help but say, “The number of voters is far lower than the actual number of the total population of the three provinces. Considering the residents who do not have a household registration in the three provinces but have a residence permit, the ratio is even lower.”
“What are you trying to say?” The editor-in-chief knocked on the table. “Get to the point.”
“A lot of people didn’t vote—um, what are they planning to do?”
“Did you vote?” The editor-in-chief asked him.
Shen Ping was immediately stumped. “I-I’ll go vote right away!”
“What are you planning to choose?”
“That’s personal privacy. Editor-in-chief, will you tell me your answer?” Shen Ping countered.
Of course, the leader had his own art of speaking. He immediately changed the subject and said to him, “Xiao Shen, it’s good that you have doubts. Since you have doubts, as a reporter, you should go and interview ordinary people to find out what their answers are.”
Shen Ping was suddenly enlightened.
But stating positions on the internet with screenshots didn’t count, as one image could be copied and pasted many times.
So Shen Ping immediately rushed downstairs. There was a voting point in the commercial area near the newspaper office.
He didn’t call the cameraman but instead took his phone and went down. When he got there, sure enough, quite a few people were queuing up.
What surprised Shen Ping was that it wasn’t middle-aged and elderly people queuing, but quite a few young white-collar workers.
Although the staff at the polling station were also advising those in line that they could choose to vote online, some were silent and refused to leave.
Shen Ping took out his ID, got a voting slip, and then stood at the end of the line.
He nudged a young man in front of him, who had a bank badge pinned on his chest, and asked, “Can I ask what you plan to vote for?”
The young man glanced back at him, a bit guarded and puzzled. Shen Ping showed his press card and said earnestly, “I’m a reporter. As you can see, I don’t have a camera or recorder. I just genuinely want to interview you. If it’s convenient, can you share your thoughts with me?”
Surprisingly, the young man asked him back, “How about you first? What do you plan to vote for?”
Such a simple question suddenly made Shen Ping feel a lot of pressure. His usually eloquent tongue seemed to have failed him. He could only take out a cigarette from his pocket, intending to give one to the other person, but the young man gestured that he didn’t smoke.
Shen Ping put a cigarette in his mouth and was about to light it when the young man started to respond. “The way you are now is probably how I feel. I thought about it half of last night, and it seemed simple to choose to save more people by sacrificing four. But no matter what, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. That’s when I knew there was a problem.”
The young man calmly explained, “I had to ask myself why. Why, even though it should be a simple choice, did it become so difficult when it came to actually clicking the mouse to vote? Am I being too sympathetic to the criminals? I don’t think so, even accounting for the thief. Honestly, my father’s a police officer. I grew up seeing a lot of these things. I think these people are just wasting social resources, but when it comes to trading their lives, I can’t bring myself to do it… Isn’t that strange?”
“Not strange at all.” Shen Ping shook his head. “I’m a reporter, and even I can’t do it.”
They looked at each other, and the young office worker gave a bitter smile, telling him, “I broke up with my girlfriend over this last night. Of course, she proposed the breakup. I didn’t have the guts.”
Shen Ping’s head shot up. “Damn, man, that’s a big loss!”
“My ex was one of the first to make a choice. As soon as that letter came out, she called me and told me to act like a man. I told her I needed to think, and she said she didn’t expect me to be the kind of person who would sympathize with four criminals.” The young man swallowed, awkwardly.
“But you came here,” Shen Ping said, “Trying to win back your girlfriend?”
“No, I’m here to vote ‘No’,” the young man said solemnly.
“Why?” Shen Ping was surprised.
“I can’t bring myself to do it.”
“But if you can’t bring yourself to do it, why not abstain?”
“Because I suddenly realized last night that if the result comes out and we have to sacrifice four criminals to appease the terrorists, I would regret not having made a choice.”
“But aren’t you afraid of what the terrorists might do? This is much worse than a bomb.”
“Then let it continue. I can only represent myself.” He sighed. “At least, I’m not afraid.”
Kinky Translations 