Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 60: A Declaration of Love

Uncle Hou was all smiles, his expression surprisingly sincere.

Without the Huanxi E’s illusion to obscure things, his condition should’ve been poor. But he stowed away his hooked scythe, pulled out a pipe, and puffed at it leisurely.

Blue smoke curled around him. Uncle Hou looked as calm as could be.

“My… my magic weapon… give it back…” someone groaned in pain, crawling in Uncle Hou’s direction.

Uncle Hou ignored them entirely and turned back to Fang Xiu. “Don’t be nervous. I just wanted to chat. Get acquainted.”

Fang Xiu studied him for a while and didn’t see any signs of lying.

[How long can you hold the possession?] he asked Bai Shuangying in his mind.

Fang Xiu had begun to feel the aftereffects. His lower abdomen made suspicious sloshing sounds, and some of his organs seemed to have turned into gelatinous meat. And yet there was no pain. It was just a deeply unnatural sensation.

This “burn-it-all” fusion technique was clearly a last-resort move.

Bai Shuangying roiled in his mind: [Right now you’re protected by the Underworld’s ‘Protection From All Evil’. You’re safe… for now.]

Fang Xiu relaxed a little. He turned to Uncle Hou. “You have something to say?”

Uncle Hou wasn’t offended that Fang Xiu hadn’t approached. With two guards at his side, he puffed calmly as he strolled forward.

His eyes swept across the rotting meat disguised as food, over the bones littering the floor, but his brow didn’t so much as twitch. It was as if this place wasn’t a ruined hellhole but the same glittering Huanxi World it used to be.

Two to three hundred people had died in the hall. Most of the rest had their Achilles tendons cut and lay groveling on the floor.

Some reached for him, others cursed him. Some cursed Fang Xiu. But both “protagonists” treated the noise like background ambiance.

When he was about four or five steps away, Uncle Hou stopped. “I just want to clear up some misunderstandings,” he said. “Before, I wanted to kill you, just to keep this place from falling in chaos. The number here stays fixed at 888. Newbies always come and mess things up… Before the illusion broke, I couldn’t tell if you were wrecking things or breaking the E. So I had to act.”

“I helped fend off those trash mobs just now. Think of it as my apology. You pulled it off, broke the E. I ought to be thanking you.”

His calm was so absurd that Fang Xiu couldn’t help but ask, “Why exactly are you thanking me?”

Uncle Hou chuckled, his mummified face crinkling. “We’re in the loan business, not gambling. I didn’t exchange much karma. Kid, my life in the human world is way better than here.”

“Those fools only wanted to stay. Handed me their best magic weapons without even knowing how to hedge their bets.”

At that, a chorus of pleading rose up in the hall, begging him to return their magic weapons. But Uncle Hou kept puffing, completely deaf to them.

Fang Xiu eyed him from head to toe.

No wonder Uncle Hou’s guards weren’t panicking. They still followed his orders.

While the Huanxi E was intact, he used chips to control hearts. Now that it had collapsed, he held a pile of Underworld magic weapons. The actual hard currency.

Unlike Jia Xu, Uncle Hou was a true businessman.

He’d come to negotiate for one reason only…

“You’re good, kid. Played the ‘win by not gambling’ card right out of the gate. Come, pick a few magic weapons. Let’s be friends.”

He grinned, revealing tea-stained teeth, his face the picture of kindly sincerity.

Fang Xiu smiled politely. “No need.”

Uncle Hou didn’t seem surprised. He chuckled. “Cautious type, eh? Good, good.”

“Anyway, long as you understand where I’m coming from, we won’t end up enemies next time we meet.”

He waved and walked off with his guards.

As they left, Uncle Hou really did hand out several magic weapons to his men. They thanked him profusely, stepping over groveling sacrifices like they were kings surveying the battlefield.

Fang Xiu watched his retreating figure. Slowly, his polite smile faded.

After a moment, he sighed and told the paper men to send Cheng Songyun, Guan He, and Blondie back to the tower.

Cheng Songyun was weakened from maintaining the ghost shield. Guan He was still unconscious. Blondie had fainted, looking like a burst blood gourd. Not one of the three had a clear mind so there was no reason to keep them here.

Mei Lan, however, was still lucid. She’d hidden in a corner with the mushroom trio early on.

She’d managed to stay entirely peripheral during the ritual. Come to think of it, she hadn’t even exchanged any karma. She just used chips won with Jia Xu’s “sure-win” dice.

She nodded to Fang Xiu and requested to return to the tower. Her figure disappeared instantly.

She was joined by those who had arrived recently and still retained karma and tools.

Within minutes, only corpses and wailing “scraps” remained in the hall.

The mushroom trio stood out among them.

Uncle Hou had generously handed A’Qing one or two magic weapons. The guy trudged alone toward his former teammates. No one knew where that “negotiation enhancer” he’d taken had gone.

Fang Xiu had meant to go over, but stopped in his tracks.

He watched as Xiao Tian slapped A’Qing across the face, crying and cursing.

Xiao Li turned away to pack up the boat, pretending A’Qing didn’t exist.

Song Zheng’s eyes were red. He talked to A’Qing briefly, hesitated for a few seconds, then shook his head.

A’Qing removed his glasses with trembling hands and wiped his eyes hard. Then he wandered toward the paper men, dazed, and returned to the Tower alone.

Once the trio had calmed down, Fang Xiu approached.

Song Zheng quickly wiped his face and forced a smile. “Heh, the big boss is back! Thanks, Fang Xiu.”

Xiao Li and Xiao Tian echoed their thanks. They still looked sad, but their gratitude was genuine.

Especially Xiao Tian. Now that Fang Xiu had fully revealed his face, she stared openly at him and declared that she must heal her broken heart.

“I vow to go vegetarian for a year if you cut those bangs,” Xiao Tian said solemnly, hands clasped.

Xiao Li choked. “You just said you were too grossed out to eat meat for a year anyway.”

The two started bickering.

Fang Xiu: “…”

Honestly, these three were capable and mentally resilient. Too bad the Disaster Relief Tower didn’t allow group merges, he thought.

“Forget them,” Song Zheng tugged at his lips. “The E’s broken and we have to disperse too. Here. Free info drop, wanna hear?”

Fang Xiu nodded.

Song Zheng gave a bitter laugh and gave his “free info drop”. It was about how A’Qing managed to deceive them under the taboo of the “no scamming chip”.

“He came to us all contrite, said he wanted to rejoin the team. Asked to borrow chips to ‘buy his freedom’ from Uncle Hou. We pooled everything to help…”

A’Qing hadn’t triggered the taboo because, in that moment, his remorse was genuine.

He truly wanted to come back. He hadn’t intentionally deceived them. He just wanted to gamble a few rounds “for the team” before paying off Uncle Hou.

But the second he lost all those borrowed chips, that sincerity vanished too.

“…Fang Xiu, in a place like this, don’t trust anyone. Even if we meet again, keep your guard up.”

Song Zheng looked at the spot where A’Qing had disappeared, his expression even more bitter. “Sounds cynical, but people change.”

“Thank you.”

Fang Xiu had known this already, but still appreciated it.

Song Zheng scratched his head. “Enough gloom. Got anything you wanna ask us? Anything at all. We don’t have much to offer.”

A reward?

Fang Xiu wasn’t interested in demanding magic weapons. With “intuition boost” and “luck boost”, their experiences breaking the E weren’t that useful to him either.

He couldn’t think of anything to gain from them… no, wait.

After some thought. “I want to talk to Xiao Tian. What I want to ask is a bit personal. If you don’t mind, could you two give us some space?”

Xiao Tian agreed immediately.

They picked a corpse-strewn corner. Xiao Tian stood at attention. “Alright, what do you wanna ask?”

Fang Xiu glanced around. The paper men Dian’er and Dian Wu wore expressions like “Take your time. We’re here when you need us.” He exhaled deeply.

“Have you ever been in love?” Fang Xiu asked.

Xiao Tian: “…”

She rubbed her ears. “…???”

Xiao Tian had a sweet face and a love for pretty people, but a clear head. She never veered into “Does this hottie have a crush on me?” territory.

Which made Fang Xiu’s question even more baffling.

Still, she answered, “Yeah, twice.”

Fang Xiu: “If you met someone really, really compatible… how would you tell if it was ‘friendship’ or ‘that kind of’ love?”

Xiao Tian was stunned. “Wait, you’ve never dated? You look like that and you’ve never dated? Fang Ge, who’s your barber? I’m suing…”

“Long story. Please, just answer the question.” Fang Xiu coughed.

Xiao Tian inhaled deeply and replied with conviction: “Think about whether you wanna kiss ’em and sleep with ’em. That’s it.”

Fang Xiu was speechless.

He’d come to Xiao Tian hoping for some deep, nuanced theory of love. Instead, he got something crude… but weirdly effective.

Still silent, Fang Xiu’s brooding drew out Xiao Tian’s curiosity. “So who is it, huh? Someone from the ritual? Tell me, I swear I won’t tell!”

If she never saw Fang Xiu again, she’d die without knowing the tea!

But the cruel Mr. Fang said nothing. He drifted away with a farewell, vanishing with the paper men back to the Disaster Relief Tower.

Xiao Tian stared after him, doubting her luck. While she stood dazed, Song Zheng tapped her arm.

“I’ve got a feeling… We’ll see him again.” Song Zheng’s tone was certain.

Xiao Tian took a few deep breaths and nodded. “Yeah!”

Jokes aside, she needed something to hold onto.

After all, the three of them had agreed. They wouldn’t take A’Qing back.

As for their “negotiation enhancer”, he’d cashed out all his karma, lost all his chips, and committed suicide in despair.

…The only companions she could trust now was Song Zheng and Xiao Li.

If they saw Fang Xiu again, it meant they’d survived until then.

If they saw Fang Xiu again, with someone that strong present, the next ritual would go smoothly.

Whether it was Song Zheng’s intuition or just something he said to comfort her, Xiao Tian decided to believe it.

“To be honest, I think Fang Xiu’s kinda weird.” Xiao Tian mumbled once she calmed down.

Song Zheng and Xiao Li: “What do you mean?”

“Not a bad kind of weird. But I won’t say more. It’s private.” Xiao Tian brushed her hair.

Fang Xiu liked someone. That was a good thing.

Fang Xiu fell for someone during the ritual. She called it love developed from the suspension bridge effect; the intense kind born from shared danger.

But Fang Xiu didn’t act like someone in love. His black eye brimmed with wonder and joy, but no anticipation.

He never said who he liked. He just exhaled with relief and muttered…

“I can’t believe I’m still capable of liking someone.”

Whether it was passionate love or a secret crush, that shouldn’t have been the takeaway, right?

Xiao Tian didn’t get it.

Now, facing her confused teammates, she explained vaguely.

“I think Fang Xiu… How do I put it… There’s a strange contradiction about him. He’s really good at some things, but clueless about others.”

Xiao Li: “Don’t get it.”

Song Zheng shook his head too.

Xiao Tian dropped it. “Forget it. Let’s go…”

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

From far below, at the building’s entrance, came knocking.

Uncle Hou was long gone. The only sacrifices still standing were the mushroom trio. Xiao Tian jumped and grabbed the nearest paperman, Dian Wu. “What’s that sound?!”

Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock. Knock knock knock.

Dian’er and Dian Wu exchanged glances. Dian’er hopped down from above, landed at the entrance, and returned ten seconds later.

“Didn’t find anything. Not even any yin energy,” it squeaked. “…Probably just the evening wind.”

With that, the paper men began teleporting all surviving sacrifices.

In a storm of light and hopeless crying, the empty building sank into the night, silent.

……

Disaster Relief Tower.

The moment they left the Underworld, Bai Shuangying promptly ended the possession. If he held on, he’d damage Fang Xiu’s soul.

Fang Xiu had taken a huge toll. Bai Shuangying expected him to collapse and sleep. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the bed, staring thoughtfully at him.

So Bai Shuangying sat on the edge too, staring thoughtfully back.

Understanding this human could loosen the seal.

Bai Shuangying’s curiosity had never been higher. It wasn’t just for the seal, but for this man himself. If he figured it out, he could reverse-engineer the Underworld’s spell and destroy the cursed seal.

Until then, nothing could be allowed to happen to Fang Xiu.

The problem was, Bai Shuangying had no idea what Fang Xiu was thinking.

Other humans sought shelter. Fang Xiu told him to stay out of it.

Other humans asked for guidance. Fang Xiu clung to control.

Other humans prayed for love. But Fang Xiu…

What even was this?

Suddenly, Fang Xiu moved.

He clumsily stretched his new limbs, crawled across the mattress, and sat in front of Bai Shuangying.

“Bai Shuangying.”

“Mm.”

“What do you think of ‘love’?” Fang Xiu stared into his eyes, speaking slowly. “It’s fine if you don’t get it. Even a bystander’s view works.”

A tough question, Bai Shuangying thought.

He knew the emotion existed and not just in humans. But he’d never thought deeply about it. No one had ever asked him either.

After a while, he mimicked Fang Xiu’s old gesture. He crossed his index fingers, making an “X” at his chest.

“That’s two lives,” he said seriously. “They could be anything—any relation, any species.”

“They know they’ll part eventually. And still, they choose to lean on each other. That’s what worldly bonds are like.”

Fang Xiu stared at him in silence.

Unable to read those eyes, Bai Shuangying added, “This is just a bystander’s view.”

“I like that perspective very much.” Fang Xiu leaned closer. “Aren’t you curious why I asked Xiao Tian about love?”

“You like someone very, very compatible.” Bai Shuangying recalled. He thought this was simple. “…Cheng Songyun or Guan He?”

Fang Xiu burst out laughing.

He buried his face in the blanket, pounded the bed a few times, then looked up, eyes bright and curved.

“Wow, you’re easy to fool. I said it was a person and you assumed it was a human?”

Bai Shuangying’s gaze gradually turned puzzled.

Fang Xiu reached out his warm hand and pressed it to Bai Shuangying’s chest.

He could feel Fang Xiu’s pulse, his human heart pounding wildly. He was far from calm.

Fang Xiu licked his chapped lips. “Don’t move.”

“Alright.”

The next second, Fang Xiu leaned in.

He paused in front of Bai Shuangying’s face, turned slightly, and kissed the blood mole on his left cheek.

It was soft and careful. His body was hotter than usual. His lips like gentle branding irons that scarred Bai Shuangying’s face.

But Bai Shuangying didn’t move at all. Fang Xiu had once chewed on him all night. Not to mention, he’d just recently slithered down Fang Xiu’s throat. It was just lips on the cheek. That was hardly a big deal.

After the kiss, Fang Xiu rubbed his lips, sighed through his fingers, and caressed Bai Shuangying’s face, then his cold neck and soft hair.

Bai Shuangying stayed still. His white eyes reflected Fang Xiu’s face.

“Xiao Tian was right.” Fang Xiu gently covered Bai Shuangying’s eyes with his palm. “Just in case, I need to give you a heads-up.”

“I’m starting to like you, Bai Shuangying.”

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The author has something to say:

Xiao Fang realized his feelings—clap clap!

Xiao Bai might be my most fundamentally non-human character to date. Give him time to learn!

Though let’s be honest, Xiao Fang isn’t that normal either, hmm (…Next chapter: reward settlement… finally _(:з」∠)

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 59: In the Ashes

One chain breaking was a gasp for breath.

Eight chains breaking was a moment of relief.

Sixty-four chains broke. Something genuinely changed. Like the flicker of lashes just before a sleeping person wakes.

So that’s how it is, Bai Shuangying thought. His seal had nothing to do with Fang Xiu’s will. It was only related to Bai Shuangying’s understanding of him. The more he saw through this human, the looser the seal became.

Fang Xiu was just an ordinary human. What right did he have to shake a seal built on countless karmic threads?

…Let him get a little closer, then.

In the next instant, Bai Shuangying transformed into his true form and surged toward the blood-soaked Fang Xiu.

The sacrificial players threw themselves at the fire, trying to extinguish it, while Fang Xiu continued to ignite more without pause. The ghostfire blazed, and fewer and fewer red lights remained on the server.

In the flickering light, Fang Xiu’s ears were filled with a sharp ringing.

Cheng Songyun was yelling something anxiously, and Uncle Hou was shouting orders from afar, but Fang Xiu couldn’t hear any of it. It was like he was frozen beneath a lake, all sound muffled by thick ice.

Fang Xiu had only one arm and one leg left, and it was difficult to shift his position. He could only brace himself to withstand attacks. The stench of the sacrificial players, mixed with the smell of scorched corpses and the black smoke from the burning server, made it nearly impossible to breathe.

Blood dyed his vision red. As Fang Xiu turned his bloodied eyes, he caught a glimpse of the fire.

Everything was going well.

The noisy sacrificial players didn’t matter. The pain and dizziness didn’t matter. In this moment, Fang Xiu knew exactly who his true enemy was.

…He only cared about that fire.

Suddenly, something cold enveloped him. Before he could react, it forced its way into his mouth, nose, and ears.

In an instant, Fang Xiu felt like he was drowning.

The foreign substance made his throat convulse with the urge to vomit. But it surged in with overwhelming force, pouring into his body, seeping into his organs and flesh, radiating a strange icy chill.

His whole body went numb. He felt like a leather glove stuffed to bursting by a giant hand, bloated to the point of explosion. The pain across his body dissolved, and after a brief chill, his organs felt as if they were on fire…

So cold it felt like he was being burned.

It was Bai Shuangying. But this time, he didn’t merely flood Fang Xiu. He completely invaded… or soaked him?

But this time, Bai Shuangying’s goal wasn’t just to relieve pain.

Fang Xiu’s left arm and left leg tingled and itched and suddenly, new limbs sprouted. The new skin was snow-white, the hand elegant and beautiful. That was Bai Shuangying’s hand. The leg was the same, a little longer than Fang Xiu’s original.

The blood-soaked body now joined with pristine new limbs, an uncanny blend of coordination and dissonance.

But then, the bloodstains on Fang Xiu’s skin began to vanish, as if being absorbed into the flesh. His sweat dried, and grime turned to dust and drifted away.

The rod struck again, but his new left arm moved on its own, grabbing the rod-like weapon. With a painful crunching sound, the rod was crushed into powder.

His new left leg also acted on its own, practically forcing him upright. Fang Xiu stood, towering over the “human-shaped moths” still rushing toward the flames.

That left hand swung out into the air, and summoned the blossom-drifting Peach Bone Evil. Amid corpses and black smoke, its pale form was especially blinding.

Enduring the bloated sensation, Fang Xiu coughed twice. “Bai Shuangying…”

[Don’t waste time. You can’t withstand my possession. At most, one stick of incense. Then your body will collapse.] Bai Shuangying’s voice sounded directly in his mind, like the tip of a feather brushing against his brain.

[Why?] Fang Xiu responded in thought.

[I told you, as my friend, you don’t bow your head to trash.]

[If you’re determined to risk death, then bear my risk and die standing.]

Fang Xiu remained silent for a full five or six seconds.

Finally, under the firelight, he lifted his gaze, eyes brimming with pure mirth.

“Okay,” he said.

His unnatural left hand gripped the Peach Bone Evil, while his right hand gently covered it. In that instant, the previously ordinary ghostfire surged three feet high, spitting gold and crimson sparks.

Like fireworks blooming on the ground.

Beautiful, Fang Xiu thought. Maybe even more beautiful than the fireworks of the world of the living.

Given his plan, Fang Xiu hadn’t wanted Bai Shuangying to interfere in breaking the E. He’d said in advance “don’t attack”, and thought his ghost would obediently stay out of it.

Fang Xiu had rarely been so wrong.

He thought he’d end this all in humiliation, but here he stood, spine straight.

Whether it was from possession, exhaustion, or something else, Fang Xiu’s heart was racing. Meanwhile, Bai Shuangying’s body surged through his blood and nerves like a second, larger heart.

…A second heart that kept him going.

As sparks danced, Fang Xiu pressed his palm to his chest.

What a surprise. He’d gained more than he expected.

But it wasn’t enough. He wanted more.

What now?

……

The mushroom trio had long pulled Guan He into a corner. Xiao Li enlarged the nuclear boat, and the four of them squeezed into the cabin. The carved wooden boatman stared at the firestorm outside, mouth agape with classical flair.

“No water is one thing, but you set a damn fire? I’m made of wood, you brat! Set a fire, will you?!”

It flailed its oar at Xiao Li, who shrank into the corner in guilty silence.

The wooden monk inside sighed and spun its prayer beads. A thin water membrane rose around the peachwood boat, shielding them from heat and smoke.

Standing in the doorway, Song Zheng looked at Guan He. “Your team’s always been this badass?”

Guan He couldn’t answer. He had never seen Fang Xiu like this…

Fang Xiu had alien limbs growing from one side of his body. His right eye was pitch black, his left pure white, with a blood-red mole beneath.

All the blood and grime on his body had vanished. His slightly long hair fluttered in the heat. At his feet, red ghostfire raged on the wrecked service counter like a living beast.

The flames formed a spectacular wall, erupting and engulfing the approaching crowd, incinerating the corpse-pile into smoke.

All kinds of attacks were launched, weapons of every sort raining down. But whether magic weapons or spell, everything was swallowed by the fire.

It all happened so fast.

That left hand merely lifted the Peach Bone Evil slightly, and the flames rose like a dragon, burning in all directions.

Jia Xu, burned by the fire, burst into tears. He still screamed hoarsely, urging others to attack Fang Xiu.

“He’s not destroying things at random. He’s found a way to break the E…”

“Stop watching and protect Huanxi World…”

“If this continues, it’s going to be a disaster…”

His desperate screams echoed as the luxurious casino flickered, glitches spreading like corrupted game graphics.

The warning messages began stuttering, turning into garbled screeches. The beautiful service staff melted into bright-colored liquid and vanished into the carpet.

Even the smug high-roller chipholders finally screamed, instinctively cramming toward Uncle Hou.

In the crowd, Guan He spotted Blondie.

Blondie hadn’t helped Jia Xu fight the fire. He’d cowardly stayed back to watch. But the stampede knocked him off balance, and he slammed his head on a table, falling unconscious.

As he collapsed, others tripped over him like dominoes. If Uncle Hou’s guards hadn’t been so solid, he would’ve fallen flat on his face too.

Misfortune blanketed the scene like a storm cloud.

Uncle Hou tried to maintain order, but his voice was always drowned out by “coincidentally timed” crashes. His subordinates grew disoriented in the flickering chaos. When they realized the fire-fighters had burned to ash, the front line fell into chaos.

No one dared charge forward. Instead, they scrambled backward, triggering a deadly stampede.

In the confusion and panic, only the fire continued to burn, faster and fiercer.

The circular service counter lost all its luster, burned into a twisted wreck.

Not a single staffer remained. Chips of all kinds scattered across the floor, their numbers spinning madly, screaming silently.

In Guan He’s stunned gaze, Fang Xiu clasped his right hand over his left, gently pressing his lips to the thumb joint.

It was hard to say whether the gesture was a spell, a prayer, or a declaration of victory.

…The next moment, everything fell into darkness.

No, not darkness. Just the light vanishing too abruptly.

There was still moonlight. It wasn’t bright, but enough to see clearly.

Guan He couldn’t help scanning the surroundings again, seeing the ragged sacrificial players, the corpse-strewn floor, and the maggot-ridden blood “congee” to the rotting organs in fruit baskets.

The mushroom trio also scanned quickly, their faces turning pale green.

Seconds later, all four passengers retched loudly on the boat, as the terrified boatman swore nonstop.

……

A dozen meters away, Jia Xu had no time to vomit.

His hands were ice-cold, his heart barely beating.

He saw Fang Xiu standing atop the melted server.

Ghostfire burned calmly. In the charred brain matter and mechanical ruins, only a few flickering red lights remained.

…Jia Xu could guess what that meant.

…The Huanxi E was beyond saving.

The surroundings looked strange. Fang Xiu’s appearance was bizarre. But the information flowed past Jia Xu like water, leaving no impression.

Because half his mind was screaming “It’s all over,” while the other half cried “I don’t want to die.”

Right, Fang Xiu was breaking the E. Once the system stopped completely, he could return safely to the tower.

They were bound teammates. He still had value. Fang Xiu wouldn’t kill him.

Fang Xiu was a rational person. He still had a chance…

He was lucky. He excelled at survival in desperate situations…

Jia Xu scrambled forward, half-walking, half-crawling. “G-Great job!”

Fang Xiu looked at him calmly, only his black right eye blinking normally.

Under the moonlight, the white left eye was especially chilling.

“You have something to say to me.” Fang Xiu stated.

The Peach Bone Evil swayed gently. Several firewalls rose again, sealing off the others.

Cheng Songyun stood alert, still holding up the Resentful Ghost Shield.

Jia Xu’s voice trembled, but he tried to sound confident:

“I only followed Uncle Hou to investigate on your behalf. Classic infiltration… I even invited you earlier, remember?”

“I saw everything tonight.” Fang Xiu smiled. “Including your blood debt exchange.”

Jia Xu choked. He licked his dry lips; his tone became nervous. “Fang Xiu, no need to put it like that.”

“I admit I lost it tonight, did some stupid things, but I didn’t harm you directly, right? You’re fine now!”

“A-And, I lost all thirty-some-thousand chips I won from karma… You destroyed them. We’re even, aren’t we?”

The Huanxi E’s red lights dimmed further, down to just a few.

Jia Xu stretched out a hand, smiling as if to say “let’s let bygones be bygones”, but his hand was shaking.

“If you’re still upset, I sincerely apologize. I’m sorry. Truly.”

“I just got confused. It’s human nature… You still need me. I swear I’ll obey you, alright?”

Fang Xiu tilted his head. “Hmm, I do have something I want to ask.”

“Anything!” Jia Xu brightened.

“In your blood debt, you held gambling parties in your own house. I saw a young man with a green jade pendant. Ring a bell?”

Fang Xiu pointed to his chest. “He usually tucked it under his shirt, but it slipped out a few times.”

No way I’d remember, Jia Xu thought. Gamblers came and went. Many were one-time faces.

But to survive, he nodded despite his uncertainty: “Yes, I remember. His name was…”

“You’re lying,” Fang Xiu said, smiling. Jia Xu’s deception was clumsy. “But don’t be too disappointed. Even if you told me, I wouldn’t let you go.”

What?

Jia Xu swallowed, staring blankly at Fang Xiu.

“I-I didn’t kill anyone! She couldn’t handle losing the cat. That was Du Zhichao, not me!”

Fang Xiu stepped down from the wreckage, walking toward Jia Xu.

The last of the red lights flickered out, save for a pitiful few.

Seeing the flaming Peach Bone Evil, Jia Xu panicked and scrambled backward. “Even the human world wouldn’t give me the death penalty. You-You can’t—”

Fang Xiu stopped and laughed. “When did I ever say I wanted to ‘serve justice’?”

“You’re just not useful enough and too troublesome. Even Blondie’s better.”

His tone was so matter-of-fact that Jia Xu’s blood ran cold.

…He suddenly remembered the scarred man Fang Xiu killed.

…He suddenly realized Fang Xiu was really good at killing, and didn’t mind it.

…He suddenly saw just how abnormal Fang Xiu truly was.

They were standing on a high floor of a skeletal building with just four open steel beams. Jia Xu had nowhere left to retreat.

Desperately, he summoned his painted-skin ghost, but under those mismatched eyes, it never appeared.

He tried to pull out the Luck Borrowing Dice, but his hands trembled too badly, and the die rolled off the edge.

Realizing he had nothing left, Jia Xu collapsed to his knees, snot and tears streaming.

“I helped you with the ghost house, I steadied Lao Jin for you—I, I had a bad attitude, but I’ll change… Please, please…”

Fang Xiu said nothing.

He reached out with his right hand and pressed two fingers to Jia Xu’s forehead, increasing pressure. Jia Xu stared blankly, body tilting backward.

Instinctively, he tried to grab something, but there was nothing.

His body tipped into open air. He flailed, barely catching the ledge with bloody fingers. Jia Xu tried to climb, but he had no strength. He’d eaten poorly for days, his mouth reeking of rotten flesh.

“If you kill me, others will fear you. They’ll definitely fear you…”

His voice was no longer human, hoarse and raw.

“Help… help me, Fang Xiu… I can’t die here… I was going to break the E… I want to go back… I don’t want to die…”

“I have my reasons too.” Fang Xiu sighed, routine and indifferent. “…If you can’t accept it, go ahead and sue me.”

Just before the Huanxi E was completely destroyed, Fang Xiu sparked a fire and lit all ten of Jia Xu’s fingers.

Wind howled behind him. The Huanxi E crumbled entirely.

Too bad Jia Xu didn’t get to see it.

With a dull thud, his body hit the ground far below.

It was exactly 00:00:01.

The E was broken. A tsunami of karma swept through Fang Xiu’s mind. It was vast and chaotic, like scattered sand. There was no coherent thread; just a strong, boring dizziness.

Whether it was the E or humanity, both were shallow and hollow.

……

After karma brushed past, Fang Xiu shook his head hard.

“Dispersing calamity, dispelling the E—protection from all evil. The ritual is complete. Let us return to the Tower—”

Two shrill voices pierced his ears. Everyone was suddenly bathed in golden light.

Paper Figure Dian’er and the “apartment receptionist” Dian Wu descended left and right from the sky.

Dian’er didn’t have time to speak before Dian Wu burst into sobs.

Its five eyes streamed tears as it leapt onto the Huanxi E’s ruins, stomping and cursing wildly, slipping in a few complaints about its vacation.

Dian’er: “…”

Dian’er rubbed its hands ingratiatingly at Fang Xiu. “Oh my, it’s you again.”

It stared at Fang Xiu’s mismatched eyes, showing no surprise, like it hadn’t noticed anything unusual.

Fang Xiu ignored it and scanned the surroundings. With the Underworld’s “protection from all evil” shield, the sacrifices could now pass through his firewall. He had to stay alert, especially for Uncle Hou.

But after more than ten seconds, the outside was unnaturally quiet.

Fang Xiu lowered the firewalls to look.

The moment he appeared, many people began cursing loudly. Their eyes bulged like rabid dogs, clearly unwell. But they were all lying on the ground, blood pooling at their feet.

Song Zheng was still standing, giving Fang Xiu a thumbs-up. But barely three seconds later, he remembered something, and started vomiting against the wall.

The other two mushrooms were stuck to a corner, retching nonstop. Beside the mushroom team, Guan He was lying peacefully. It wasn’t clear if he fainted from puking or simply passed out in relief.

Fang Xiu: “…”

He turned toward Uncle Hou.

To his surprise, Uncle Hou didn’t attack.

Instead, he waved amiably. In his other hand was a hooked scythe, fresh blood still on the blade.

“Don’t worry about that trash. Before the Huanxi E collapsed, I cut all their Achilles tendons.”

He seemed rather impressed, eyeballs swaying in his sockets.

“Not bad, kid. Want to chat with Uncle?”

---

The author has something to say:

Finally took one offline… don’t worry, I’ve got plans for everyone who deserves to die (…

Next chapter: goodbye to the mushrooms and reward distribution!

This arc isn’t completely standalone. Anyone who survives could show up again~

Also, just to clarify: there’s no rebirth element in this story. The warrior in the last chapter isn’t Xiao Fang.

It’s not a spoiler. I’m just personally not into that trope. To me, people before and after rebirth are different.

This story is iron-willed 1v1. It’s just my personal preference _(:з」∠)

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 58: Like a Moth to Flame

Jia Xu liked Qin Wangshu’s “well-bred lady” temperament the most.

She spoke softly, never made a fuss. As long as he acted a little more forcefully, Qin Wangshu would obediently apologize.

This time was no different.

Jia Xu knew…. Half of it was her lingering affection, and the other half was fear. Fear that he really would expose their private matters online. Fear that he really wouldn’t pay her back.

To be honest, Jia Xu quite liked this kind of “fear”. After this argument, Qin Wangshu became much more obedient, cautious in both words and actions, afraid he’d refuse to repay her if upset.

So Jia Xu kept playing the game of “pushing Qin Wangshu to the brink before paying her back.”

…You’re supporting my business. You’ve been to my company. Would I lie to you?

…I’m even paying you interest. It’s just that the timing’s a bit off. Why are you freaking out?

So others wouldn’t notice, Jia Xu never gambled, whether at work or at the apartment they shared.

He’d pretend to work overtime, then drive to his private house to gamble, often inviting a gang of shady friends for gambling parties.

But one day, Qin Wangshu secretly went to Jia Xu’s company to ask the other co-founders about the business. She found there was no crisis at all. In fact, the other partners had plenty of complaints about Jia Xu’s work ethic.

Realizing he couldn’t hide it, Jia Xu simply admitted to gambling.

…So what? We went to that resort together. When I won big, you didn’t say a thing.

…We’re supposed to be future spouses, and you can’t even stick with me through thick and thin?

Qin Wangshu had no words.

More than a year passed in this cycle of borrowing and repaying, and Jia Xu still owed Qin Wangshu around 4 million yuan.

She became increasingly withdrawn, no longer traveled or socialized with friends. In her spare time, she’d just sit in silence, holding her cat while staring blankly at nothing.

Jia Xu was very satisfied with her state.

Whenever Qin Wangshu upset him, he’d bring up breaking up. “Go ahead, sue me.” Those words worked every time.

He knew she wouldn’t break up, wouldn’t sue, wouldn’t tell her parents…

In their eyes, he was warm, considerate, and professionally successful. They were about to get married, and her parents were very proud.

On the other hand, all of Jia Xu’s assets were already mortgaged. Even if she took him to court, she wouldn’t recover the money immediately. Worse, it would become a public scandal plundering her into utter humiliation.

Day by day, he watched as Qin Wangshu’s hair fell out in clumps, as she relied on psychiatric meds, her whole being like an empty shell.

…And then, his lucky day came again.

That day, their shared apartment was burglarized.

The thief stole everything valuable and killed the cat Qin Wangshu had raised for eight years.

She sat there holding the corpse for a long time, then frantically called Jia Xu again and again.

Listening to her sobs and manic rambling on the phone, Jia Xu only felt annoyed.

“God let you meet me, God let your cat die. That means God doesn’t like you. If you can’t handle it, go die with your cat. Stop taking it out on me.”

He said indifferently, then hung up the phone.

A little over ten minutes later, Qin Wangshu jumped off the rooftop and died on the spot.

Jia Xu rushed home immediately, wiped all chat history from her phone, and destroyed the IOUs. In front of her parents, he wept bitterly, putting on a show of utter grief.

He said he hadn’t taken proper care of her, didn’t know she had taken out so many loans.

His transaction records? “Qin Wangshu claimed she was broke, so I transferred money to help cover her loans.”

Her transfers to him? “Qin Wangshu was prideful, insisted on paying me back.”

As for the initial massive transfer she made to him. He claimed she had borrowed money from him in Country A to buy luxury goods. That was her repayment.

Qin Wangshu’s parents weren’t fully convinced.

But unfortunately, Jia Xu had a glamorous job and behaved impeccably. And yes, technically, it was Qin Wangshu who took the loans and jumped herself.

Maybe it was grief, or maybe they didn’t want to face the full truth, but in the end, the old couple didn’t pursue it further.

Just like that, the 4 million yuan debt vanished into thin air.

Perfect. I really am lucky, Jia Xu thought.

……

After watching that blood debt broadcast, Guan He’s vision darkened with nausea.

Even Song Zheng and Xiao Li couldn’t stand it, especially Xiao Li. Having once been owed money himself, he nearly reverted out of his mushroom state from sheer outrage.

But Jia Xu didn’t react at all. He collected his 2,024 exchanged chips, added them to make 4,000+, and headed straight to the slot machines.

He quickly found his target…

A slot machine with an 80,000-to-1 jackpot, nearly identical to the one he’d played in the resort.

He stood before it and pulled out the Luck Borrowing Dice, scanning the crowd challengingly.

So you want to tail my bets? Let’s see you follow me on a slot machine.

Over 4,000 chips, 80,000x payout. One win, and he’d have over 300,000 chips.

He could become a loan shark, earning endless interest. Even on a bad luck day, he could buy human flesh to handle the taboo consequences.

With something like the Luck Borrowing Dice, it was better to use it sooner than later.

He’d have to control himself strictly after this, saving it for emergencies only.

This was his third consecutive day using the die, meaning the three days before his death would all be severely unlucky. But just a few days of bad luck before death—Jia Xu could accept that.

Huanxi World had no betting limits.

Amid jealous and eager eyes, Jia Xu placed all 4,000+ chips on the machine at once.

The die shifted in his palm, becoming as cold as ice.

Something seemed to drain from his body, and Jia Xu shivered.

But it didn’t matter.

He stared eagerly at the slot machine. The reels spun smoothly and stopped, one by one, on “7-7-7.”

Cheerful music blasted through the floor. Golden confetti exploded. The flashing lights nearly blinded him.

…Over 300,000 chips!

The crowd screamed in awe, whistles pierced the air. Jia Xu exhaled deeply. For a moment, he felt like he was back in the resort town.

So today’s bad luck really was just normal misfortune. He could still use the Luck Borrowing Dice. He still had luck left!

That meant, at the very least, he would survive until tomorrow!

Jia Xu turned and raised a triumphant fist at the crowd.

Blondie ran up howling, slapping his back hard.

“Three hundred grand! Jia Ge, I’m with you for life!” Blondie shouted, his voice nearly cracking.

When Jia Xu didn’t pay much attention, Blondie spoke louder: “Jia Ge, we’re fated, you and I!”

“Heh, you don’t know this, but I’m the one who killed that cat! I helped solve a huge problem for you…”

Jia Xu whipped around to stare at Blondie’s grinning face.

The joy drained away in an instant. For a brief moment, he felt a chill in his bones.

…No. Something’s not right, he thought.

“Help! Help me…!”

The next instant, a scream rang out from the service counter.

A ball of crimson fire descended from the ceiling, setting ablaze the staff member who had just processed Jia Xu’s exchange.

She went up in flames, shrieking in agony. The crowd fell silent, staring at the counter. Huanxi World had always meant absolute safety. Nothing like this had ever happened.

“What are you all standing around for? Put it out!” Uncle Hou bellowed.

His men grabbed nearby flower vases and drinks to douse the flames. But the fire wouldn’t die. It only spread. The staffer collapsed, convulsing on the burning carpet.

Water couldn’t put out red ghostfire.

It’s Fang Xiu, Jia Xu thought numbly. Fang Xiu is here.

But he wasn’t supposed to be. Fang Xiu hadn’t entered Huanxi World tonight. He didn’t have clearance!

…Could Fang Xiu have found a way to break the E?

…Now? Just after he’d exchanged all his chips?

No. Absolutely not.

He had to protect Huanxi World. It was his future. His 300,000+ chips weren’t even cashed in yet. The service desk couldn’t fall…

“Don’t use water!” Jia Xu shouted hoarsely. “Cut off the air. Figure out how to cut off the air…”

As he spoke, he looked up toward the domed ceiling, but the dazzling lights of the casino blinded him. He couldn’t see a thing.

Damn it. Jia Xu gritted his teeth and rushed toward the service desk.

He had barely moved when he was tripped by a masked woman.

His face smashed into the floor and blood gushed from his nose.

It hurt. It felt broken.

But that didn’t matter now. Jia Xu staggered to his feet and continued his charge, pushing past the crowd trying to put out the fire.

The flames had reached the counter. Jia Xu tore off his jacket and beat at the ghostfire desperately. But for some reason, every swing missed the mark. The fire only grew fiercer.

Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed the back of his collar and threw him aside.

“Jia Xu’s luck is too bad. Get him away from here,” Uncle Hou said coldly. “Especially away from us.”

Jia Xu crashed into a heap of tables and chairs, rolling across the carpet, picking up more bruises.

“This-This is just coincidence!” Jia Xu wiped the blood from his face and rasped. “The odds aren’t zero! A’Qing, say something!”

But A’Qing stood Uncle Hou and only looked at him with something like pity.

Uncle Hou turned to the crowd. “Get up there and smother it with your bodies! Those who work hard will be paid with chips. I’ll handle all the treatment!”

The Bankrupt Alliance perked up. They charged the burning counter, using their bodies to extinguish the flames.

One person stacked atop another, forming a human mountain. Amid sizzling flesh, the fire began to recede. The handsome staff huddled together in tears.

Above the hall, beyond the skylight…

Fang Xiu looked down, eyeing the smoke-belching server.

Moments ago, after watching the blood debt projection, he’d calmly lit a peachwood piece and tossed a fireball down.

The fire ignited the machine, but didn’t last long. People scrambled up the server and smothered it with their bodies, screaming like corpses as they rolled in the burning brain matter. It was a grotesque scene.

Fang Xiu squinted, estimating the burn time.

Seeing the flames snuffed out, Cheng Songyun grew anxious. “Xiao Fang, did we fail?”

She said nothing about Jia Xu’s injury, clearly enraged by the blood debt.

Fang Xiu didn’t answer. He pulled out all the jade Buddhas, smeared them with blood, and carefully put one around his neck. “Cheng Jie, you wear one too.”

Cheng Songyun obeyed, still confused.

Once he confirmed her Buddha was activated, Fang Xiu pulled out Shang Debao’s corpse. Grabbing it by the hair, he slammed the head into the skylight…

With a dull thud, chunks of cement fell, hitting the service desk.

No way a human skull could break the skylight. Bai Shuangying reached for his Peach Bone Evil, but Fang Xiu shook his head.

That human wore a strange smile as he kept bashing the narrow skylight with the dead man’s head.

Reality struck illusion.

Down below, Jia Xu heard the distant, strange thumping. He saw dust falling from above.

He grabbed Blondie. “It’s Fang Xiu! It has to be Fang Xiu! That’s his ghostfire. He’s up there doing something…”

Blondie: “What’s there to worry about? In his condition, what could he possibly do?”

Jia Xu was terrified. “He might’ve found a way to break the E! Something’s wrong… What if he smashes the ceiling…”

Bang!!!

Before he could finish, a huge slab of cement fell from above, instantly crushing a staffer at the service counter.

Blondie gaped and gave Jia Xu a side-eye. “Your jinx mouth is ridiculously accurate.”

Jia Xu struggled to his feet. “We can’t let him destroy this place. I need to see Uncle Hou!”

Uncle Hou didn’t know how insane Fang Xiu was, or that he had a jade Buddha. Jia Xu should’ve warned them earlier.

They didn’t have enough defenses. They had to act now!

Overhead.

Cheng Songyun stared dumbly at the shattered skylight.

Whether due to disrepair or clever force, Fang Xiu had really cracked the cement with a human skull. The bloodied hole wasn’t huge, but just wide enough for the two of them to slip through.

The casino ceiling wasn’t six stories high, just about six meters. A careful jump wouldn’t be fatal.

Cheng Songyun: “How did you—”

“Thank Jia Xu. Overdrafting extreme luck means you pay back misfortune with interest,” Fang Xiu shrugged.

Catastrophic bad luck meant every awful prediction could come true. Everything you try to protect would be lost.

Just like “ally luck”, the enemy’s misfortune was also a potent weapon.

“Cheng Jie, when we jump, activate the Resentful Ghost Shield right away,” Fang Xiu said.

Cheng Songyun fretted. “That shield only blocks magic. It won’t stop this many people!”

“It’s fine. Trust me.”

Bai Shuangying, having watched enough, twirled his Peach Bone Evil. “I can help destroy that thing.”

Fang Xiu simply said, “No need. I’ll handle it.”

Then, dragging his broken body, he dove through the hole.

Cheng Songyun followed, and after a moment’s hesitation, Bai Shuangying joined.

……

A sudden fire had thrown the casino into chaos.

Xiao Tian tied up her hair, wiped off her lipstick, tossed her mask, and rejoined the mushroom squad. The four watched in shock as Uncle Hou charged to fight the fire.

Jia Xu ignored the guards and squeezed toward Uncle Hou, trying to say something.

Xiao Tian turned to Guan He. “Hey, was this your team’s doing? Shame it didn’t burn through. We could’ve used another fire.”

She had just finished speaking when a red-clad figure dropped from the dazzling lights above.

Fang Xiu cushioned his fall with a corpse, managing a semi-soft landing on the ring-shaped service platform’s light rack, two meters above the ground.

Then came Cheng Songyun. Fang Xiu caught her with his arm. She wasn’t badly hurt.

As soon as she hit the ground, she activated the Resentful Ghost Shield.

At the same time, the lights of Huanxi World turned blood-red. The music stopped and in its place came a looping alert…

“Attention! Two unauthorized intruders detected. Eliminate the threats. Reward: 10,000 chips per person.”

“Attention! Two unauthorized intruders detected. Eliminate the threats. Reward: 10,000 chips per person.”

“Attention! Two unauthorized intruders detected. Eliminate the threats. Reward: 10,000 chips per person.”

Uncle Hou’s voice cut through. “I’ll double that reward! Get them!”

Guan He was about to charge in, but Song Zheng held him back. “Don’t go. They’ll be fine.”

“Your job is to stay safe and protect yourself.”

Amid the chaos, Fang Xiu smiled.

So entering through the Emergency Exit still revealed reality. He saw countless sacrificial players stampeding toward them, climbing over each other like ants, scaling the brain-smeared server.

Fang Xiu pressed one hand to the machine and reignited the ghostfire.

Cheng Songyun’s shield protected them from the flames and heat.

Bai Shuangying floated silently above, observing.

In an instant, the fire spread. Evil spirits on the server and nearby sacrificial players all ignited.

Flesh sizzled and popped. The stench of char filled the air. Yet these people, as if immune to pain, kept piling forward.

Farther away, countless spells rained down like arrows, battering the shield.

The server looked like a square black candle, and Fang Xiu, its inextinguishable flame.

Mad human moths flew at him, burned, and fell.

Thick black smoke billowed. The massive server warped. Half its red lights died. Even the glowing infinity symbol atop began to dim.

Even the brain matter worked with the humans, trying to put out the fire. But against Fang Xiu’s relentless ignition, they could only scream and vanish.

In the blazing chaos, Jia Xu finally reached Uncle Hou. His broken nose had swelled grotesquely, and he spoke in a muffled voice.

“That’s the Resentful Ghost Shield. It blocks magic! We need physical attacks—”

Seeing the service counter half-destroyed, he flailed in desperation.

Uncle Hou shot him a sideways glance and barked, “Stop the spells. Use arrows and guns!”

People grabbed weapons: arrows flew, guns fired, someone even tossed throwing knives.

Jia Xu craned his neck to watch. But for some reason, every attack hit an ally scrambling up the counter and never the eerie shield.

Uncle Hou’s look toward Jia Xu turned increasingly cold. He eyed Jia Xu’s Luck Borrowing Dice and signaled one of his men.

The henchman crept closer and reached for Jia Xu’s neck.

Jia Xu bolted.

“It’s not my fault! I borrowed luck today. I can’t die today!”

He shoved through the crowd toward the counter, blood in his voice.

“I’ll stop him. Just you wait!”

The smoke thickened. The stench of burning flesh was unbearable.

Several people had already burned to death, their charred corpses forming steps that made it easier to climb.

Jia Xu stumbled to the top, just in time to see someone smashing the Resentful Ghost Shield with a metal rod.

Cheng Songyun’s arm was broken. Her consciousness wavered. The shield flickered translucent. Fang Xiu dragged his body over her protectively.

The attacker felt no pain. Half his body was charred, yet he stood firm. His bloodshot eyes locked on, his rod striking Fang Xiu’s head and spine with precision.

Fang Xiu’s head was soaked in blood. His back was a pulpy mess.

In the chaos, Jia Xu heard the crack of a jade Buddha shattering.

Though Fang Xiu tried to maintain the fire, the maniacs kept coming, wielding magic tools, pummeling the red-shirted figure.

“Yes, yes, keep hitting! Don’t stop!”

Jia Xu coughed from the smoke, hoarse as he half-staggered, half-crawled forward. Blisters bubbled on his skin from the heat, but he didn’t seem to feel the pain.

His eyes locked onto Fang Xiu’s wounds.

As long as Fang Xiu’s jade Buddhas were used up, everything would be fine. This place wasn’t big. Fang Xiu was broken and couldn’t hide.

He was still lucky. Fang Xiu was about to lose another life, while he—he’d made it here unscathed!

Damn it. Just when he needed Blondie’s combat power the most, the guy didn’t come. When this is over, he’ll never forgive that kid.

“Keep hitting!”

Jia Xu roared, charging forward.

He stepped over fire, corpses, and over Bai Shuangying’s hidden form.

Bai Shuangying ignored the shrieking insect. Still floating, silently observing.

Fang Xiu truly didn’t need help to destroy the Huanxi E. At this rate, the E would be burned away before the Buddha gave out.

But it was still a gamble.

Once the E was broken, reality would be exposed. And based on what Bai Shuangying knew of humans, they wouldn’t be grateful. They’d try to kill Fang Xiu out of spite. Even if he could return to the Tower, he risked severe injury…

Bai Shuangying stared at Fang Xiu.

Under blood-soaked bangs, he saw those eyes arched slightly amid fire and pain.

Fang Xiu was smiling. Bright and sharp, like blades.

Looking at the blood and smoke, Bai Shuangying remembered.

He had seen eyes like that before… but not on Fang Xiu.

That person had also been thin, bloodied, clothes soaked red. Carrying a strange firearm, he had burst into Bai Shuangying’s sealed domain.

Bai Shuangying knew the man was dying, but he was smiling, eyes bright.

“■■■, my grandma told me about you…” He staggered forward, rasping, “You grant wishes depending on your mood, and ask for lives in return… Pretty ruthless…”

Ah, another human who remembered him. Another karmic link to sever.

Bai Shuangying gave no response. He simply listened.

The man trudged deeper, each step leaving bloody prints. He was talking to himself, less of a prayer than a muttered self-consolation.

“■■■, if you’re really here, trap the people I lured in. Don’t let them escape…” he muttered in a daze. “They’re all evil, with blood on their hands… Grandma said you like those kinds…”

At last, he collapsed beneath a tree, blood loss making his breaths shallow.

Not far behind him came a group of foreign soldiers, by their look and language.

Bai Shuangying found it a worthwhile trade. Though sealed and immobile, these people had come to him. The underworld wouldn’t notice a little nibble.

So he answered the man’s request.

As the soldiers charged, the ground softened and a swamp swallowed them whole.

The man hadn’t lied. Their souls were soaked in blood—absolutely delicious.

By then, the man was barely alive. Even witnessing such a miracle, he just flicked his eyes up, coughing out a laugh.

Bai Shuangying watched from the seal, then sent a thought: [Why not let me save you?]

“What’s the point? I can’t kill so many by myself…” the man mumbled, his consciousness fading fast. “One life for that many beasts… Worth it… heh…”

He touched his rough rifle, unfocused eyes still shining.

“So this… is what it means to win…”

That man’s final gaze was exactly the same as Fang Xiu’s now.

But unlike with Fang Xiu, that man’s soul was too luminous with merit. So Bai Shuangying didn’t touch it and only watched him go.

Back then, Bai Shuangying hadn’t understood what that look meant.

Even now, he didn’t. But one thing he did understand:

Fang Xiu might not be just a profit-seeking underworld killer, he thought.

…Because that wasn’t a gaze of a killer. It was a warrior’s.

Amid the roaring flames, came the sound of something bursting…

Sixty-four chains snapped in unison.

---

The author has something to say:

Next chapter: power couple team-up! Someone gets a glorious funeral, hehe.

Saw some readers say the anti-drugs and anti-gambling themes felt too preachy… hahaha.

Drugs are totally separate! The gambling arc is tied to the main plot. It can’t be skipped _(:з」∠)

After this, it’s just regular story stuff again~

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Kinky Thoughts:

Oh, so I wasn’t the only one thinking it’s been a bit too preachy too. I understand the cultural differences, especially in China—after all, I grew up in a very anti-drug household myself—but it feels rather cringey reading a novel for entertainment only to have it constantly hammer that message to you.

It also makes for very one-dimensional characters. Nian Zhong’s novels often have morally grey characters, including the “villains”. In some ways, their actions could be justifiable (take the Mainbrain for instance in Happy Doomsday), and that develops a deeper characterization and makes them multi-facet. Though in this case, it seems the MCs are more the morally gray characters than anyone else.

However, when you have clear black and white characters, it becomes quite dry. Clearly these characters are purely set up to be cannon fodder with no nuances and the only goal of why they are included in the novel at all is to raise up the MC(s). It’s boring and bland, and not what I expected from Nian Zhong, given her previous works. In a way I feel like I’m just reading a well-written face-slapping novel, which, honestly, I have grown out of.

Anyways, I’m not advocating for porn, drugs, or gambling. Gambling certainly can ruin lives and can definitely change people. It’s why casinos have a 1-800 number posted in their establishment to help gambling addicts. But I know many who just gamble for fun from time to time and don’t get addicted. Personally I’ve tried it and don’t get the appeal but you do you.

That aside, I find it quite ironic about the anti-sex, drugs, gambling message, considering Fang Xiu isn’t exactly your shining beacon of an upstanding citizen… I mean committing murders in his vigilantism, no matter if the victims truly deserve it or not, isn’t something I can rally behind. 

But I digress.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 57: The Banality of the E

Bai Shuangying paid no attention to the terrifying illusions below.

He watched the Huanxi E with great interest, or more precisely, the layer of “brain matter” on top of the Huanxi E. In Bai Shuangying’s long life, he had never seen anything like it.

…It was a conglomeration of countless soul fragments.

These fragments weren’t powerful enough to become ghosts on their own. Drawn together by a shared obsession, they fused through the Huanxi E into a brand new evil spirit.

However, these fragments came from all corners of the world, with unrelated lives and karmic ties. This kind of “fusion” was extremely fragile. Let alone reaching ghost-immortal status, it couldn’t even hold its own against an average evil spirit. It was nothing more than a jumbled heap of scraps.

No wonder the Underworld despised the Huanxi E so much.

The Huanxi E devoured karma with wild abandon, growing rapidly and posing a significant threat to the human world.

At the same time, it entangled and consumed a large number of sacrificial players, yet could never produce a true ghost immortal. Its self-generated spirits were pitifully weak, and foreign spirits that came here couldn’t even get a bite to eat, rendering them unable to cultivate misfortune properly.

For both the Underworld and the living world, this thing was nothing but harmful.

“…So that’s it. The Huanxi E is basically a malignant tumor. It just madly siphons nutrients until it drags down the entire sacrificial system,” Fang Xiu concluded after hearing Bai Shuangying’s explanation.

For some reason, a flush rose to his cheeks, as if he were… excited.

“So, that evil spirit isn’t worth worrying about. We just need to deal with the humans.”

Bai Shuangying: “…”

That sounded lovely, but somehow he felt it shouldn’t be coming from Fang Xiu’s mouth.

Cheng Songyun finally came to her senses. “S-So the meaning of the ‘Emergency Exit’ is to show us reality?”

“If that really is reality, why would the Huanxi E preserve the Emergency Exit…?”

They had successfully found the E, but she didn’t feel happy at all.

The scene below was too insane for Cheng Songyun to accept. She’d rather believe it was just another illusion.

Otherwise, their situation was far too dire.

The Huanxi E’s true body was enormous, surrounded by so many protectors that Cheng Songyun couldn’t imagine how they’d destroy it.

And outside help was impossible. Even if they told people what the real world was like, no one would believe them, especially someone like Uncle Hou, who had “built a career” here.

Worst case scenario, even if Fang Xiu had a way to destroy it, there was less than an hour left until 11:30 p.m., when the place would shut down.

They couldn’t even enter Huanxi World until tomorrow. Was Fang Xiu really going to violate another taboo? Could his body even take it?

The more Cheng Songyun thought about it, the more anxious she became. Let alone those reveling in indulgence, even she was hesitant to face the truth.

“Maybe the scene below is also an illusion. The Huanxi E could be deliberately misleading us into self-destruction.” She chose her words carefully.

“No, this is reality.”

Fang Xiu touched the dusty cement slab and looked at the server downstairs, flashing under red lights. This time, Jia Xu hadn’t guessed wrong: the obsession that birthed the Huanxi E was “I want to win.”

But it wasn’t one person’s intense desire. It was the collective obsession of millions of gambling app users, a quantitative change that led to a qualitative transformation.

“No matter how smart the Huanxi E is, it’s still a ‘thing’. Ultimately, this place was created based on human obsession.” He said softly, “Even it can’t forcibly distort its own origin.”

Cheng Songyun: “I don’t get it. What does this place have to do with the obsession to ‘win’?”

“Cheng Jie, besides ‘wanting to win’, gamblers share one more thing in common.”

Fang Xiu smiled at her. “They always remember the existence of an Emergency Exit.”

“They know they should stay away from gambling, that they should live and work honestly, even if the money comes slowly and in small amounts.”

“They know they should quit while they’re ahead, repay their gambling debts the right way, even if it means years or decades of hardship. These are such simple truths that even children understand.”

Here, Fang Xiu paused.

“But once someone wins a bet, it becomes very difficult to face reality again,” he continued a few seconds later.

It’s obvious which is easier: earning ten thousand by working long hours every day or lying in bed and playing on your phone.

It’s also obvious which is more stressful: repaying a million-dollar debt through a decade of frugality or taking a shot at a big win to turn things around.

…It’s precisely because they don’t want to face the “Emergency Exit” that the gambler’s obsession with “winning” becomes endless.

So the Huanxi E cannot erase the Emergency Exit. It can only try every possible way to make it harder to reach.

Cheng Songyun remained silent for a long time.

She rubbed the cracked cement board, her swollen eyes growing moist again. She said nothing for a while, and then, just sighed.

Fang Xiu kept looking beneath the skylight.

It’s almost time, he thought.

……

Huanxi World.

Over the past three hours, Jia Xu had started to sweat.

During that time, he had basically lost every bet. Jia Xu forced a calm smile, maintaining a look of confidence. But for some subtle reason—fear, perhaps—he didn’t dare bet too many rounds.

A’Qing comforted him, saying he’d once lost ten rounds of high-low guessing in a row. The odds of that were less than one in a thousand. Jia Xu’s case was totally normal. It was just bad luck.

“I know, good things take time.” Jia Xu said breezily, “I still have over 6,000 chips. Worst case, I’ll just bet on high-low.”

Blondie: “Could it be that Luck Borrowing Dice…?”

Jia Xu’s expression darkened immediately. “That thing counts backward from your death date! What, you think I’m gonna die in the next two days?”

“Uh, I was just saying. No need to get mad.” Blondie quickly backpedaled. “How about we just go play high-low now? Use the doubling strategy and try to win today back.”

Jia Xu thought that made some sense.

A’Qing’s bad streak was just ten in a row. He’d already lost this many times. He might as well take something to stabilize himself.

He had over 6,000 chips. That was enough to use the doubling method and win once. Maybe one solid win would turn his luck around.

“Alright, let me feel out this doubling strategy.” Jia Xu walked toward the high-low tables.

As he moved, many who had been trying to curry favor followed. The previously run-down “Bankrupt Alliance” section of the high-low area instantly lit up.

Jia Xu chose a refined-looking female dealer and stood at the table. Within seconds, a crowd had gathered.

Amid jokes and blessings, Jia Xu pressed down a chip.

Round 1: Loss.

Round 2: Loss.

…

Round 5: Loss.

Though he had only lost 31 chips, Jia Xu’s expression was already grim. The crowd quieted, and whispers took on a different tone.

By Round 6, more people began betting against him, including Blondie, who wagered half his chips.

After placing his bet, Blondie winked at a masked woman.

He’d kept running into her tonight.

She was dressed simply, long hair in soft waves wearing crimson lipstick giving off a sultry vibe. Even with a mask covering her eyes, Blondie could tell she was hot.

More importantly, she was lucky.

In every game Jia Xu lost, she either won or broke even. Sadly, she only ever bet one chip, which made Blondie itch.

This time, seeing her bet against Jia Xu, Blondie followed suit.

The dealer rolled the dice. Jia Xu lost again. Blondie’s chips doubled instantly.

What a rush! Blondie shot a flirtatious look at the woman, but she showed no reaction, like she hadn’t seen him.

The whispers around them grew louder. Buzzing. Chaotic. Jia Xu’s face went pale.

He heard people murmuring, questioning his lifespan, blaming Uncle Hou for not fully disclosing the side effects of the Luck Borrowing Dice. More people began pulling out chips to bet against him.

It’s just a few dozen chips. It means nothing, Jia Xu tried to comfort himself. A’Qing went through this too… It’s totally normal…

Round 7. Round 8. Round 9. Round 10. Loss. Loss. Loss. Loss.

In no time, Jia Xu had tied A’Qing’s bad luck record. Nearly a quarter of the floor was now crammed around him, too lazy to hide their enthusiasm.

Many people placed huge bets directly opposite Jia Xu’s. They grinned, praising his “luck manipulation” that benefited everyone.

Jia Xu’s face flushed red. Veins bulged on his forehead as he pushed forward 1,024 chips for Round 11.

He really wanted to use the Luck Borrowing Dice. Just win one round and wipe them all out. But with so many eyes on him, the moment he brought out the dice, everyone would copy his bet.

No. Not yet.

Please, Lady Luck. I know I’ve been blessed just to get this far, but don’t do me like this.

Jia Xu’s ears rang. He could barely hear the dealer’s pleasant voice.

Round 11… Round 12…

Only two short rounds, but they felt like two years.

He lost again. Why?

“What are the odds of losing twelve in a row?” Jia Xu croaked to A’Qing.

He pretended those earlier losses in other games didn’t count. Different game, doesn’t matter, right?

“One in ten thousand or so,” A’Qing said dryly, pushing up his glasses.

One in ten thousand. One in ten thousand… That’s not so bad, Jia Xu thought.

He’d always been top-tier. He built his own company. If he occasionally hit one-in-ten-thousand bad luck, so what?

But as he prepared to bet Round 13, Jia Xu realized something terrifying… He didn’t have enough chips left.

The doubling method required 4,096 chips for Round 13. But after losing 4,095 in the last 12 rounds, he only had just over 2,000 left.

Jia Xu froze.

He’d entered today with 8,320 chips. How had they disappeared so fast? And this was the simplest game!

He slowly turned his head, and locked eyes with a grinning Blondie.

Blondie slapped his back and laughed. “Want me to lend you 2,000? I just made over 4,000!”

“Like they say, fortune favors the bold and starves the timid…”

A’Qing’s mouth twitched as he offered another suggestion. “Why not borrow from Uncle Hou? He won’t charge you that much interest. Maybe just 8%.”

Their voices were nearly drowned by the crowd’s raucous cheering…

“Boss Jia, you’re amazing!”

“Boss Jia’s bets shake the heavens!”

“Boss Jia, let’s see a big one!”

Blondie was raking it in. Everyone else betting against Jia Xu was thrilled. The atmosphere at the high-low tables was electric.

Those who had been flattering Jia Xu earlier now gave him strange looks, whispering to each other. Even Uncle Hou guards were eyeing Jia Xu with suspicion.

“Boss Jia, one more!”

“Boss Jia, one more!”

“Boss Jia, one more!”

In the noisy chants, Jia Xu’s hands turned cold. A few seconds later, he abruptly stood and walked to the service counter.

“Exchange everything that can be exchanged,” he said.

Blondie, who had just caught up and heard what he said was stunned. “Wait, Jia Ge, you serious?”

“Not like I’m leaving. It’s just a matter of time.” Jia Xu said lightly. “Later, I’m really gonna go big.”

Blondie glanced around and whispered, “But the blood debts get aired in public. We still gotta live here.”

Jia Xu snorted. “I didn’t kill anyone. What am I scared of?”

Then he turned to the counter again. “Exchange everything on the redemption chart!”

“Redemption complete. Total: 2,024 chips. We wish you great luck and favorable stars!” the staffer said sweetly.

“Next, your blood debt case will be uploaded to the human-world internet…”

Jia Xu didn’t listen. His eyes were locked on the two golden chips.

At the same time, the big screen lit up.

Guan He, still pretending to be a mushroom, couldn’t help looking up to watch his teammate’s blood debt.

Unlike his own straightforward “accident night”, Jia Xu’s was made up of countless clips.

Jia Xu had incredibly good luck in the first half of his life.

After graduation, he started a company with friends, just in time for a boom. Within a few years, he owned a mansion, luxury cars, and had a beautiful, well-educated girlfriend named Qin Wangshu.

While traveling in Country A, Jia Xu gambled in a resort city.

Initially disinterested, he tried a slot machine while shopping with his girlfriend, and hit a jackpot, winning over 2 million of the local currency.

Even for a rich man like Jia Xu, that was no small sum.

His girlfriend was stunned. Jia Xu modestly claimed he’d always been lucky…

He was born to an average family and was slightly above average in school. But he overperformed in the college entrance exam, got into a top school thanks to lowered admission scores.

And his startup succeeded. Sometimes he wondered if life had been set to easy mode. And now, fate had gifted him another million-plus.

Jia Xu spent tens of thousands on luxury gifts for Qin Wangshu and the two returned home happy.

Back in China, Jia Xu began “small, mood-lifting” gambling.

Legal casinos were too far, so he used apps. People said, “the code rigs the odds”, but Jia Xu scoffed. He ran a game company himself. Of course he understood code.

The algorithm couldn’t possibly target just him. For every loser, there had to be a winner. He just needed to be the winner and cash out in time.

First month, he won back the gift money.

Second month, he lost the entire resort jackpot.

Even without that windfall, Jia Xu still lived well. But he couldn’t swallow the loss.

The app seemed fair. No signs of cheating. Which made losing feel even stupider.

He had to win it back. He’d already won a million before. He just needed another comeback.

After all, he was always lucky.

Third month: he lost all his savings. Too ashamed to ask his aging parents, he borrowed from Qin Wangshu.

Claiming company problems, he said he urgently needed funds. Concerned, Qin Wangshu sold all her gifts and gave him the money.

“These were from you. No need to pay me back,” she said.

Jia Xu teared up, poured out affection, then lost the money within two days.

A few days later, he borrowed again under the same excuse, saying the previous amount wasn’t enough, and even his parents had been tapped.

Qin Wangshu hesitated. Raised strictly, she had always been cautious with money.

“I just gave you over two million…” she whispered.

Jia Xu’s face darkened. “‘You gave me’? I bought those for you. You’re just returning them.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“I know what you’re worried about. I’ll write you an IOU.” Jia Xu’s tone went cold. “You were all smiles taking the gifts, but now you’re all business with the money. Nice.”

Qin Wangshu looked heartbroken but handed over her savings. It was nearly two million from her own and her parents’ allowances.

Jia Xu doubled it to over four million and was overjoyed.

That night, he set up a candlelit dinner. He repaid her on the spot and bought her an expensive handbag.

He gently apologized, saying his mind had been a mess last time.

Qin Wangshu forgave him, accepted the money, but declined the bag.

“Don’t give me such expensive things anymore,” she said hesitantly.

……

Thus began the endless cycle of borrowing and repaying.

Eventually, Qin Wangshu ran out of money, and Jia Xu was short on capital.

Seeing that her credit was good and she had assets, Jia Xu had her take out a personal loan in her own name, calling it an “investment”.

“I paid you back before, didn’t I? Don’t you trust me?”

Qin Wangshu: “But you borrowed it all again…”

“I can’t help it. It’s company stuff. Are you that desperate? Should I embezzle to repay you?” Jia Xu frowned, raising his voice.

“Qin Wangshu, we’ve been together five years. If that’s all the faith you have, maybe we should end it. Better than dragging you down if I go bankrupt.”

Tears welled in Qin Wangshu’s eyes. “Don’t say that.”

She borrowed money from her parents and loan platforms, scraping together nearly two million.

“The interest is high. You must pay me back on time,” she pleaded.

Jia Xu promised readily.

In the voice-over screen, his inner voice rang out, “Anyway, her family had money. Worst case, her parents would bail her out.”

As expected, after repaying steadily for a few months, Jia Xu began to delay.

Qin Wangshu couldn’t keep up. Terrified of her family finding out, she didn’t dare tell them.

When she pleaded with Jia Xu, he brushed her off with routine lines. “These things take time. Depends on the project. If you want, go sue me.”

“You’ll still have to repay the loan during litigation. If it’s worth it to you, go ahead,” Jia Xu sneered.

“I want to break up and get all my money back…” she sobbed.

“Break up? Fine. Sue me. I’ll pay whatever the court orders. If I’m still paying now, it’s because of our relationship.”

“Oh, and you accepted millions in gifts. Let’s see what the internet or your family would say if that got out.”

Qin Wangshu: “I converted them into cash and gave it to you!”

Jia Xu: “Proof? I’ll just say I gave you cash abroad and you wired it back online.”

Qin Wangshu stared at him in disbelief.

That day, Jia Xu had a lucky streak and won a little. Seeing her close to a breakdown, he casually transferred her some money.

“There, see? You act like I’m really broke.”

Qin Wangshu seemed dazed, lips trembling uncontrollably.

Jia Xu sighed. “My project’s finally doing well and you’re freaking out. Can’t handle any risk. You just don’t trust me enough.”

“Alright, baby. If we’re gonna be together, you can’t be so timid.”

Qin Wangshu was silent for a long time.

“…I’m sorry,” she said.

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