Getting off the Gondola and facing the massive crowd of fans around the Whirlpool Grand Theater, Alois couldn’t help but feel a bit hesitant. The small artificial land at the theater’s entrance was packed with fans waving little flags saying “I love you, Camilla”, and the police had to mobilize patrol boats around the edges to prevent anyone from accidentally falling into the water. Soon, even the patrol boats were crowded with people. A small number of lucky (or wealthy) individuals with tickets walked into the theater under the envious gazes of the crowd. Those without tickets had to wait outside or hover around in flying vehicles, hoping to catch a few notes of the performance or see a glimpse of light from inside once the show started.
Joshua parked the gondola next to a patrol boat, ignoring the police’s shouts of “Hey, no parking here,” and pushed through the excited crowd, creating a narrow path for himself and Alois. Alois gratefully followed behind him, occasionally guarding against being knocked over by someone’s arm.
The two of them weaved through the maze of people, struggling towards the theater entrance. Halfway there, Joshua noticed that Alois had fallen several steps behind, so he stopped to wait. When Alois caught up, Joshua grabbed the young man’s hand and continued their effort towards the door.
After finally making it through the crowd, they joined the line to enter, drawing suspicious looks from the security guards. Most of the people ahead of them had electronic tickets, which they scanned at the machines to confirm their identities before entering. When it was Alois’s turn, he silently handed over two pieces of paper to the stiff-faced guard. The papers were crumpled and stained, and the guard frowned as Alois coughed awkwardly.
“Front row special seats, hmm?” This remark caused a small stir among the surrounding fans. Alois, bathing in looks of envy, jealousy, and resentment, took the torn stubs from the guard. “Go on in.”
“Uh, excuse me, how do we get to the backstage?”
The guard’s eyes widened. “Unauthorized personnel are not allowed backstage!”
“I’m looking for Srosie,” Alois said. “He asked me to find him.”
The guard turned and had a whispered conversation with a higher-ranking official behind him. This man had a square face, a severe expression, and even a bit of a fierce look with a scar running from above his left eye down to his nose. Alois noticed that his left eye was a prosthetic. The square-faced guard nodded repeatedly, then glanced at Alois with both his prosthetic and natural eyes.
“Follow me,” he gestured.
Alois shivered, wanting to say, “Maybe I’ll come find Srosie another day,” but the guard’s stern look made him follow obediently. Joshua silently joined them.
Their departure caused another stir in the crowd. “Hey! Why can they go in?” “It’s not fair! Why can people with special seats go backstage?” “I want to see Camilla! Let me in!”
“Quiet! Quiet!” The guards had to shout to calm the crowd, doing their best to keep the excited fans outside the security line.
The square-faced guard led Alois and Joshua through the theater doors and into a small corridor marked “Staff Only”. The Grand Theater was almost entirely enclosed, and the inside was so dark they couldn’t see their hands in front of their faces. Only the “Emergency Exit→” signs in the corners provided some faint light. The guard remained silent, his tall figure like a looming mountain, and in the dark hallway, he looked like a grim shadow.
Alois suddenly felt they weren’t heading backstage but to some underworld boss’s lair. He remembered the anxious expression of the woman named Rita when she came to fetch Srosie, suggesting that Srosie might really be some high-ranking figure. Hey, could they really be heading into a criminal hideout?
He slowed down to walk alongside Joshua, seeking some comfort. If they did run into a gang fight, an assassin would be more useful than him. But damn, it was as dark as space here! Joshua looked even more scared than he was!
The corridor ended ahead, revealing a half-open door. Golden light and the sound of chatter spilled through the crack.
“Go in.” The guard stood by the door, gesturing for them to enter. “I’ll wait for you here.”
“Does it have to be this formal…” Alois muttered as he pushed the door open.
Instantly, the noise amplified several times, rushing at him like a tidal wave.
“Mary! Where’s the comb?” “These shoelaces are wrong! Get the silver ones!” “Makeup artist, don’t make the makeup too thick!” “Let’s tie the hair up.” “The director’s urging us. Let’s hurry up!” “Why the rush? We still have nearly an hour!” “Fiza, your tie is too loose!”
The entrance led to a spacious room, with walls lined with mirrors topped with diamond-like lights, making the room so bright it was blinding. Several people sat before the mirrors, applying makeup, while many more ran around, busy passing things. A group of makeup artists gathered in front of a large mirror on the left, surrounding someone. From the gaps between their bodies, Alois glimpsed a strand of blue hair. He had no doubt it was Camilla.
Camilla! The Galactic Diva was now standing less than ten steps away! So close! So close!
Alois’s heart started pounding wildly, and he felt parched, not knowing what to do. Everyone was bustling about, and hardly anyone noticed them. Alois spotted the woman named Rita standing not far away, leaning against a dressing table with her arms crossed, calmly watching the makeup artists.
“Uh, are you Ms. Rita?” Alois decided to talk to someone he recognized.
Rita turned at the sound. “Who are you?” She looked confused. “How did you get backstage?”
“I’m here to see Srosie.” The young man scratched his head and repeated what he had told the guard. “He asked me to find him.”
Rita suddenly understood. She clapped her hands and called out to the makeup artists. “Srosie, someone’s here to see you!”
Could Srosie be one of the makeup artists? Alois wondered as he walked over. His heart was racing because he was now one step closer to Camilla.
“Move aside! You’re blocking me! Get out of the way, I need to talk to someone! Stop the makeup, continue later! Out, out!” Srosie’s irritated voice came from the center of the crowd. The makeup artists shook their heads and dispersed, revealing the person they had been surrounding.
Alois’s heart almost leaped out of his throat.
The Galaxy Diva Camilla was wearing a short dress made of silver foil, a material that could gather holographic lights to create dazzling effects. Her deep blue hair was tied up in a complex braid, also covered in silver foil. She had a slender figure, with a somewhat flat chest compared to other girls her age, and her half-done makeup made her pointed face look rather plain.
She waved off the makeup artists like swatting away flies, then extended her hand towards Alois. “You finally came!”
In the maintenance hangar, Leo was busy directing a group of robots to extract parameters from the “Bard”.
“Hey, Leo, where did Joshua go?” Alois asked as soon as he stepped out of the elevator.
“He went back to his room,” Leo replied without taking his eyes off the fighter.
“I’m going to find him.” Alois tilted his head before stepping back into the elevator. As the door closed, he heard Leo’s dissatisfied voice from the elevator ceiling. “All you ever think about is Joshua, Joshua… Don’t you care about how my research is going?”
“Uh, okay. How is your research going?” Alois pressed the button for the floor where the cabins were located.
“Hmph! You don’t sound sincere at all. I won’t tell you!”
“Didn’t you just ask me to ask?!” AI can be so unpredictable!
No matter how much he knocked on the walls, Leo didn’t respond again. Clearly, the AI was sulking. Alois really began to suspect that there was some crucial code missing from Leo’s program.
When he arrived outside Joshua’s room, Alois pressed the doorbell. After waiting a few seconds, the door silently slid open.
Joshua was lying on the bed, playing with the cat. Surprisingly, there wasn’t just the cat, but the dog as well. Schrödinger was lazily sprawled on the assassin’s chest, enjoying a belly rub while using its sharp claws to threaten the dog on the floor. Pavlov whimpered and nudged Joshua’s leg sadly.
Alois squinted his eyes. “Your room is turning into a zoo.”
“Isn’t it great?” Joshua had already removed his contact lenses. His eyes returned to their black-and-gold “Abyssal Flame” state. Those mesmerizing eyes made Alois’s heart tremble.
“They get along well,” the assassin continued. Pavlov’s mournful whine shattered his life mercilessly. Clearly, Schrödinger was bullying the big dog with its inherent advantage.
“Oh, forget about the cat and dog. I’ve got something good to show you!” Alois bypassed the golden retriever and proudly displayed the two tickets in his hand. “Tickets to Camilla’s concert!”
Joshua glanced at them, seemingly uninterested. “Srosie gave them to you?”
“Yeah.” Alois smiled. “Let’s go see it together tomorrow!”
“Find someone else,” Joshua said, flipping Schrödinger over to scratch its belly.
“What? You don’t like concerts?” Alois snatched the cat and tossed it to the floor. “Go play with your new friend!”
Schrödinger glared and hissed at the dog before trotting out of the room. Pavlov reluctantly followed, tail between its legs. Once the door closed and Alois confirmed they were alone, he placed the tickets on the table and straddled Joshua.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Can you get off me?”
“Why can a cat lie on you, but I can’t?”
Joshua sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Here you go again.” He tucked his hair behind his ear. “Don’t tell anyone about the cyborg we encountered on the island.”
“Why?”
“Can’t you tell? This involves military secrets. If it blows up, you might not survive.” Joshua pinched Alois’s cheek. “Stay on the ship for a few days. I’ll have the hotel send over our luggage. Don’t wander around, understand?”
“But the concert…”
“Which is more important, the concert or your life?” Joshua seemed a bit annoyed.
Alois whispered, “I think both are important…” He mumbled, “It’s such a rare opportunity…”
“Then go die out there and don’t come back,” Joshua said harshly. He thought Alois would give in, but to his surprise, the young man smiled and leaned in mysteriously. “Would you let me die? Would you really?” He kissed Joshua on the cheek. “Would you, hmm?”
Joshua couldn’t help but laugh. “You can try and see if I’ll feel sad.” He kissed Alois back, engaging in a deep, passionate kiss. The young man was delighted, savoring the intimate play of their tongues.
The assassin propped himself up with one hand and slid the other down Alois’s waist, pausing suggestively at his crotch.
“Feeling frisky?” He began to rub Alois through his pants, eliciting a satisfied sigh. Alois was already hard, the shape evident even through the fabric. Joshua continued to kiss him while unzipping his pants, reaching in to grasp his throbbing erection, applying varying pressure.
“Mm…” Alois moaned in pleasure. Joshua’s touch was perfect, giving him waves of ecstasy without pushing him over the edge too quickly. It was a slow, tantalizing climb, and Alois grumbled in frustration. “Harder…”
“Always thinking about your own pleasure…” Joshua teased, licking his lips. “How about helping me too?”
Lost in the bliss of Joshua’s touch, Alois struggled to think. Following the assassin’s subtle guidance, he unbuttoned Joshua’s pants and pulled out his hard cock, stroking it from base to tip. He could feel the heat, like molten lava.
“Does it feel good, Joshua?”
The assassin didn’t reply, answering with a deeper kiss.
Alois was kissed into a daze, unable to even sense what he was doing, his mind filled only with thoughts of doing more pleasurable things with Joshua. He arched his back upwards, pressing his penis against Joshua’s, from the scrotum to the glans, tightly rubbing together. The fluid seeping from the slit flowed down the shaft under the constant stroking of fingers, seeping into their pubic hair.
The stimulation was almost too much for Joshua. Alois’s intoxicated expression, focused on stroking both of their erections, was even more enchanting, like a potent aphrodisiac injected into his heart. The assassin kissed him fiercely, leaving him no time to moan. The stroking grew faster and faster until they both took a deep breath together and reached their climax.
The white, murky liquid shot onto Joshua’s abdomen. Alois, panting, shifted to kneel beside Joshua, extending his tongue to lick off the semen splattered on his abdomen. The scene was so erotic that Joshua’s mind was in turmoil, wanting to push Alois away immediately yet also wanting to hold him close and kiss him passionately.
‘I’m really losing it,’ the assassin thought. He grabbed Alois’s hair, pulling him into a kiss, their tongues mingling. He could taste himself on Alois’s lips… and didn’t mind it at all. After a long, heated kiss, they broke apart, both breathless. Alois collapsed on top of Joshua, wrapping his arms around his neck. “Why not go all the way?”
‘No,’ the assassin thought, regaining his composure. He gently patted Alois’s back, like soothing a child. “Don’t do this. It puts me in a tough spot.”
“We’ve done almost everything.” Alois rested his chin on the assassin’s shoulder. “Why not this too?” A thought suddenly struck him. “Joshua, um, this is just a guess, don’t get mad if I’m wrong.”
“Mm.”
“Do you have some kind of psychological trauma about this?”
Joshua didn’t answer. Alois knew he had guessed right. ‘Damn,’ he thought, ‘This is serious.Psychological trauma isn’t something that can be fixed quickly. Why did I have to bring this up?’
“Sorry,” he mumbled, trying to comfort the assassin. “Don’t think too much about it. I shouldn’t have…”
Joshua pressed a finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet. “I should be the one apologizing.” He lowered his black-and-gold eyes. “Sorry, I’ve been selfish. Because of my issues, I haven’t been able to…” He paused. “Fully reciprocate your feelings. I’m sorry.” He hugged Alois, taking a deep breath. It was his first time opening up to someone about his feelings, making him feel both unfamiliar and uneasy. The legendary galactic assassin Mourner now felt like a nervous young boy, unsure how to express his affection to his first love.
“Can you… give me some time? Will you wait for me to overcome this?”
“Mm.” Alois kissed him. “I’ll wait.”
Joshua’s eyelashes fluttered. Thank you, Alois, was what he wanted to say, but what came out was, “Go back to your room.” …Damn it!
Alois reluctantly put his pants back on, biting his lower lip. “I’m always left to go back alone…”
“Shall I escort you?”
“No need.” The young man got up dejectedly. His expression was so forlorn that Joshua felt he had really hurt him.
“…I’ll walk you back.” Without waiting for Alois’s consent, Joshua picked him up and carried him to the next room. It was only a few steps, but Joshua felt the path was very long. He had always hurried Alois away in the past, which was really unfair to him.
Entering the room, Alois struggled to get down, his face as red as a ripe apple. “You…”
Joshua bit his earlobe, licking it, before whispering in his ear. “Next time you need me, just call me over.”
If he pinched Alois’s face now, it would surely bleed.
After Joshua left, Alois dreamily climbed into bed. Joshua’s words kept echoing in his mind, unable to be shaken off.
“I haven’t been able to fully reciprocate your feelings. I’m sorry.”
“Can you give me some time? Will you wait for me to overcome this?”
“Next time you need me, just call me over.”
The words played over and over. Even if Alois covered his ears with a blanket, they couldn’t be silenced. It was as if ten thousand Schrödingers were scratching his heart.
The communication terminal rang, indicating a new message. Alois pulled it out from his clothes and found a message from Joshua.
“You left your tickets here. Let’s go to the concert together tomorrow.”
…The Schrödingers in his heart scratched even more fiercely.
When Joshua climbed out of the cockpit, he was greeted by a bizarre scene: a large group of robots of various sizes, armed with all sorts of tools ranging from electronic magnifiers to laser cutters, were swarming the maintenance hangar. Leading them was Leo, whose face bore a twisted, sinister smile. “Wonderful, a ‘Bard’!” He rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Can I study it? Maybe extract some parameters or something…”
Joshua slammed the door shut, amidst Alois’s complaints of being bumped and Srosie’s near-suffocated groans. He paused for a few seconds to regain his composure and then opened the door again.
The scene outside remained unchanged.
Joshua felt like he had just walked out of one nightmare only to enter another—this one a robot battle version.
“Don’t be rash, Leo. This isn’t ours!” He stepped on a lively little robot that was waving a screwdriver. “If you want to take it apart, you need the owner’s permission, right?”
Leo grinned, showing off his gleaming teeth (presumably enhanced by some special effects in the hologram). “Where’s the owner?”
Alois climbed out of the cockpit and pointed behind him. “In there.”
Ten minutes later, Srosie was carried out by two robots. To make room, they had to dismantle the pilot seat. Although Leo promised to reassemble it later, Alois had a nagging feeling it would end up in some dark, disassembled state in the ship’s repair bay.
The robots roughly dumped Srosie on the ground (undoubtedly under Leo’s orders). The boy groaned in pain and tried to get up but failed. “Help me up!” he yelled from the ground. The two humans and the AI looked at each other, none of them moving.
“Think of a way to get rid of him, Leo.” Alois’s face twitched.
“That’s easy!” Leo pulled out a handgun from behind him and aimed it at Srosie’s head. “Kid, you’ve been kidnapped! We’re evil pirates roaming the galaxy, so tell your family to send ransom money, or else!”
There was a moment of silence.
“What?” Leo looked at the humans in confusion. “Isn’t this what Joanna says when she robs people? Isn’t it right?”
Alois seriously doubted that the person who designed Leo’s program hadn’t overlooked some important codes.
Srosie rolled his eyes and felt around in his jacket pocket, pulling out a small pink communication device. He quickly dialed a number.
“Hello? Rita? It’s me… I’m sorry. I’ll explain later. Right now I’m at…” He looked at Leo for confirmation. The AI smiled and replied, “The third ship repair dock, Lady of the Night.”
“You heard that, right? Good. Come pick me up. I’ll explain later. Bye!” He hung up with a scowl.
Leo’s smile froze. “What about the ransom?”
Srosie remained on the ground, pointing to the silver fighter. “Will that do?”
“Oh… of course. The captain will be very pleased.” Leo magically put away the gun.
Srosie snorted in disgust. He got up and dusted himself off (“What are you dusting off? I clean every day. There’s no dust!” Leo protested). “My family is coming to get me. Where’s the exit?”
Leo was already engrossed in studying the Bard’s structure, pretending not to hear the boy’s question. Joshua started humming and stared at the ceiling. Alois sighed. “It seems I’m the only good person in this world!” He turned to Srosie. “I’ll take you out.”
Srosie’s mouth twitched. “You still have the key, right?”
“Uh, right.” Alois pulled out the Bard’s activation key, intending to return it to the boy. But since the fighter had been pledged as ransom to the pirates, he hesitated, unsure who to give it to. Srosie angrily snatched it and threw it at Leo. “Hey! It’s yours!”
Leo didn’t move. The key passed right through his body, fell to the ground, and bounced twice with a metallic clink.
Srosie stared, dumbfounded. “A hologram?!”
The AI sneered. “It’s the first time someone figured it out within five minutes. You’ve set a galactic record. You can brag about it to others.”
“What’s there to brag about?” Srosie grabbed Alois’s shirt and walked off quickly.
Alois was even more exasperated. Luckily, the boy didn’t go in the wrong direction, or Leo would have mocked him more mercilessly.
After confirming that they had taken the elevator to the lower level, Joshua called out to Leo, who was about to inspect the Bard’s interior. “Search for information on ‘Green Star Diamond Island’.”
“Why? Are you interested in that place?” Leo directed a robot to pick up the key.
“We encountered a cyborg on the island.”
Leo’s shoulders stiffened but quickly returned to normal. “Oh, maybe the Neo Venice military repurposed the island as a research lab?”
“It wasn’t an ordinary cyborg,” Joshua continued. “It looked very much like ‘Yasha’.”
The little robot held the key and slipped into the cockpit.
“I’ll check it out,” Leo said, not turning around, his eyes fixed on the robot’s movements. He had abandoned his usual facial expression simulations. If he had, his current expression would undoubtedly be one of utter terror.
Alois led Srosie down to the docks of the third ship repair dock. Neo Venice’s advanced shipbuilding technology was fully displayed here. The repair dock, half-floating on the water, resembled a giant shell, swallowing dozens of ships of varying sizes. Small shuttles transported repair robots between the ships, while massive mechanical arms hoisted alloy plates, casting large moving shadows on the ground.
In the distance, Puccini Spaceport looked like a steel jungle floating on the sea, its lead-gray hue shimmering in the mist rising from the water. Various Gondolas and flying cars flying out of the city resembled startled birds in a forest. Srosie squinted his eyes and soon raised his hand to wave at a distant Gondola. Alois searched the vast sky for a long time, unable to find who he was waving at.
“Someone’s here to pick me up,” the boy said.
“Safe travels.” Alois patted his slender shoulder. “Don’t fly planes without a license, okay?”
“…Hmph!” Srosie crossed his arms.
Damn kid, still showing attitude! Alois debated whether to punch him again when Srosie suddenly turned and asked, “Hey, I never got your name.”
“Alois Lagrange.”
“Alois, even though you hit me a lot, you’re the nicest person I’ve met today.” Blushing, he added, “Here’s a little something for you.”
What’s this kid up to? Alois wondered nervously. Could he be giving me a check? What’s he pulling out of his pocket? Two pieces of paper? Are those really checks?
“Take these.” Srosie handed him two slightly crumpled, possibly water-stained papers. Alois carefully took them and nearly fainted at the sight.
“Tickets to Camilla’s concert?!” he exclaimed. “Front-row VIP seats!”
It was like a miracle! He had thought he would never get to see the galactic diva live, yet here were two tickets, for free! He was almost moved to tears.
The brat (now suddenly handsome and adorable in Alois’s eyes) bit his lip. “What? Don’t you like Camilla?”
“Like? I love her!” Alois restrained himself from trembling with excitement. “But, but isn’t this too valuable? Are you sure it’s okay to just give it to me?”
Srosie clasped his hands behind his back, kicking the ground with his left foot. “You saved my life. It’s only right to give you something as a thank you.” He turned his flushed face away, staring at the uneven walls of the repair dock. “If you don’t want to go, you can sell the tickets.”
“No, no, I’ll definitely go! Oh God, you have no idea how much I love Camilla!” Alois was nearly in tears.
“If… If you do go, remember to find me backstage before the show,” Srosie mumbled.
Suddenly, the repair dock was filled with cries of alarm. A Gondola sped in, swerving past several obstacles like a stunt vehicle, causing a minor collision, and headed straight for Alois and Srosie!
Alois quickly shielded the boy. A gust of wind hit them as the Gondola made a sharp turn and stopped right in front of them.
“Srosie! You scared me to death! Are you okay?” A young woman stepped off the gondola. She had slightly tanned skin, a tall figure, the latest hairstyle from Second Milan, and a light blue professional outfit that made her look stylish and capable. She grabbed Srosie’s hand, choking up. “I’ve told you countless times, always bring a bodyguard and text me every half hour to check in. Why don’t you ever listen?”
Srosie shook his head irritably. “I’ll explain when we get back!” He hurriedly pushed the woman into the Gondola and climbed in himself, not forgetting to shout to Alois. “Remember to find me! Just say you’re looking for Srosie, and they’ll let you in!”
“Alright, let’s go back quickly. Everyone’s waiting for you! How can you still be so willful at a time like this…” The woman started the Gondola while lecturing him. The gondola turned around and flew out of the repair dock. Srosie stuck half his body out the window, waving goodbye to Alois. Alois watched the boy’s dark blue hair fluttering in the sea breeze until the gondola became a tiny black dot in the distance.
“Loud and clear. Your voice is as loud as the main engine starting up.”
“Leo, where are you now?”
“At the third ship repair dock in Neo Venice. You’ll see the lovely silhouette of the Little Lady as soon as you enter the port.”
“Alright. Please open the maintenance hangar. We need to make an emergency landing.”
“Oh, what happened? Weren’t you on vacation? What happened? Hey, I see it! Asimov, what is that? A ‘Bard’? Lagrange, what did you do to get a ‘Bard’? The captain will cry if she sees this! No, no, we have to hide it! Titia could turn it into scrap metal in a minute!”
The silver “Bard”, moving at a speed that defied all other models in the universe, quickly left the mobile island and soon returned to the Puccini spaceport. Since fighters couldn’t enter the city, Alois flew it around the city’s perimeter, then painstakingly pulled up the satellite map to find the location of the third ship repair dock.
The cockpit was as packed as a sardine can, making it difficult to move even a hand. Srosie was spread out in a U-shape behind the pilot seat, his resentful eyes shooting curses at Alois from the lower right. Joshua was pressed against him, trying his best not to interfere with Alois’s operations, but the young man’s hands occasionally brushed against his waist as he worked the controls. Alois swore he wasn’t doing it on purpose and mentally apologized to Joshua a million times while continuing to brush against his waist.
The cockpit was dimly lit, which Alois found comfortable. Space was nearly devoid of light, with only the screen and cockpit lights illuminating the darkness. However, Joshua seemed less comfortable. Knowing that he suffered from claustrophobia made Alois worry.
“Joshua, are you okay?” he asked.
“Mm,” the assassin grunted.
“Hang in there. We’re almost there.”
“Mm.”
Joshua shifted up slightly, wrapping his left arm around Alois’s shoulders and burying his head in his neck. “I’m fine,” he said, his voice muffled. Warm breath tickled the young man’s neck, making it a bit itchy.
Alois felt his bones melt.
Deep beneath Green Star Diamond Island
In the dark laboratory, only the holographic projector was lit, casting a ghostly pallor on the man in a white coat standing before it. An ambiguous smile hung on his face, the lenses of his non-prescription glasses reflecting white light, obscuring his eyes. The projector was displaying footage of the “Bard” taking off, filmed from the camera embedded in the cyborg’s eye. To the man, this was precious data, but unfortunately, it had to be destroyed after one viewing. He felt a pang of regret.
A cold female voice came from behind. “Doctor, our lab’s location has been exposed.”
The man remained silent.
“Why didn’t we shoot down that fighter? We could have done it,” the female voice pressed.
“Researcher Ebelin, take a good look at this person.” The man, addressed as Doctor, waved his hand, and the image switched to a close-up of a silver-haired man in the jungle, aiming a gun at the camera. The image zoomed in, freezing on the man’s face.
Ebelin stared at the silver-haired man. “Who is he?”
Another hologram popped up, displaying a wanted notice issued by the Empire police. The notice featured three individuals, one of whom bore a striking resemblance to the silver-haired man, aside from the eye color.
“An assassin… Mourner?”
The Doctor turned off the projector, plunging the lab into pitch darkness. Ebelin clapped her hands twice, and the ceiling lights flickered on, illuminating the underground space.
The Doctor sighed, his shoulders slumping. “The lab was discovered just half a year after it was established. I’ve been too careless. The old coots in the science committee will scold me again.”
Ebelin frowned. “You shouldn’t have chosen this place in the first place.”
“Why not here?” The Doctor picked up a book from a nearby lab table. In an age where e-readers were ubiquitous, owning a paper book was a luxurious indulgence. He lovingly caressed the book’s worn cover, as if stroking a lover. Ebelin saw that the cover was inscribed with “Selected Poems of Storen Wright” in cursive.
“Oh maiden who haunts my dreams…” the Doctor murmured. “I’ve always dreamed of seeing Green Star Diamond Island. Building a lab here has been my lifelong dream. The work here is such a pleasure: sunshine, beaches, waves, beautiful scenery, and enchanting legends. We put in so much effort to convince the committee and spent a fortune to buy this island from Neo Venice.” He hugged the poetry book to his chest like a child with a treasured toy. “I really don’t want to leave.”
Ebelin felt her stomach churn. This man is such a performer, she thought. Pretending to be a melancholic prince. When creating cyborgs, he laughed like a madman. If she hadn’t seen his crazed side, she might have been deceived by his current elegant demeanor. Disgusting! Revolting! “But Doctor, we’ve been exposed. We can only hope the news doesn’t spread. All personnel are ready to evacuate. We’re just waiting for your command to destroy all data.”
“What a shame.” The Doctor, clutching his poetry book, walked toward the door. “Our research on ‘Humanoid Killing Machines’ had made such progress, and now this…”
“Indeed a pity.” Ebelin stepped aside to let him pass. “But we’ve backed up the data and can start again.”
The Doctor entered the corridor leading to the main lab, his silhouette looking somewhat frail.
“It seems I have no fate with Green Star Diamond Island. We’ll find another place and apply for a new research budget. Ah, how is my little Tom? I heard he was injured. It pains me.”
Tom was the Doctor’s first cyborg, whom he treated like a pet. Despite repeated requests from researchers to restrict Tom’s activities to the underground lab, the Doctor insisted on letting him live in the island’s jungle.
“Kids are like that. If you don’t let them play outside, they’ll throw a tantrum.” The Doctor had said this while affectionately stroking Tom’s grotesque face, his tone as gentle as it had been when he spoke to his poetry book. “Isn’t that right, my dear Tom?”
The cyborg’s camera eyes whirled wildly. It didn’t speak, as its vocal cords had been destroyed by the Doctor’s scalpel. But the Doctor seemed to hear its response and laughed joyfully.
“He said ‘yes’. Did you hear that?” The Doctor turned ecstatically to the researchers.
Since that day, no one dared to challenge the Doctor’s decisions.
Madman. Genius. Pervert. All these words perfectly described Dr. Frank Shelley.
Fang Xiu held the ghost arm in both hands. “I saw they were selling some outside. You can eat this, right?”
He made it fresh on the spot. It was definitely fresher than the body parts on the stalls. He wasn’t sure if it suited Bai Shuangying’s taste though. Maybe he preferred cooked meat.
Bai Shuangying visibly spaced out for a few seconds before replying that he would eat it.
Noticing the puzzled look on his face, Fang Xiu explained, “I noticed they didn’t dare enter the shrine. I felt this place weakens malevolent spirits, so I hooked one to try. Mostly because the sword worked well. I didn’t use much effort.”
The ghost arm, when thrust into the shrine, was as soft as butter to cut.
Hearing this, Bai Shuangying looked at him with an indescribable expression, as if accusing him of something.
Fang Xiu, understanding, immediately plastered a pair of imaginary couplets on his face. On the left: [I totally understand, it’s okay to be weak if you’re not strong.] On the right: [Even though it’s unbearable, you’re amazing for coming along.]
And the banner across: [Grateful for you.]
Bai Shuangying ignored him and bent down, gnawing on the ghost arm with crunching noises.
“Actually, evil spirits love eating human souls. It’s a huge supplement,” Bai Shuangying commented halfway through gnawing, a hint of meaning in his words.
Fang Xiu suddenly realized, “No wonder they wanted us as sacrifices. So, if we die here, whose soul does it go to? Is it first come, first served?”
“Something like that.” Bai Shuangying kept gnawing on the arm. He was starting to get used to Fang Xiu’s terrible focus.
“That’s such a waste. If I die, I want you to eat me.” Fang Xiu shook his head.
Bai Shuangying paused his chewing. “Why?”
“Well, if I’m dead, I wouldn’t want to let outsiders benefit from it.” Fang Xiu stated it as if it were obvious. “Speaking of which, is there a way I can assign my soul to you?”
Bai Shuangying: “?”
Some people wish for their soul to not scatter after death; others wish for great success in their next life. But he had never seen a request like this. He thought Fang Xiu was just making small talk, but to his surprise, this guy was serious.
“Not just my soul. When certain people die, I could also help manipulate things a bit.” Fang Xiu got more and more excited as he spoke. “A soul is a great supplement. You should take more.”
Bai Shuangying: “…Alright.”
It made sense. Though something about it felt off, it made sense.
Bai Shuangying moved his fingers slightly, and a strand of long hair snapped off. It floated in his palm, coiling into a pitch-black ring. The strands were woven tightly together, with no visible break or seam.
“Within half an hour of someone’s death, draw a circle around the body. Leave a gap in the circle and place the ring in the gap. That way, their soul will be assigned to me, and other malevolent spirits can’t take it.”
Bai Shuangying tossed the ring to Fang Xiu.
“What about me?” Fang Xiu blinked. “I can’t draw a circle around my own body.”
“As long as you’re wearing this ring, you’re already mine.”
Fang Xiu examined the ring for a long time. Its color was lustrous, cold to the touch, like an unusually textured piece of black jade that was absolutely beautiful.
He smiled and slid it onto the middle finger of his left hand.
……
Half an hour later, at Weishan Shrine.
“You just went in like that?”
Jia Xu was munching on some pig’s head meat, speaking with his mouth full. “Not to be that guy, but brother, that was dangerous.”
Fang Xiu: “It wasn’t too bad.”
Fang Xiu hadn’t taken the offerings away but had called his companions to the shrine to eat instead. The wandering spirits outside weren’t too strong, and since everyone had a fierce ghost on their side, there was strength in numbers.
Fang Xiu leaned against the wall, watching the others wolf down their food.
Unlike Bai Shuangying, the other people’s ghosts didn’t dare enter the shrine. Not loyal at all.
Jia Xu continued to nag, “Be more careful in the future. You could offend the spirits just by going out at night, and you went to a place like this.”
“This time you were lucky, but next time, think about the other possibilities and don’t be so reckless.”
“It’s not a taboo to go out at night.” Fang Xiu responded casually. “Lao Mian and Mai Zi left before dawn. If it were taboo, they would’ve broken the same rule, and their deaths should’ve been the same.”
“As for the shrine, either it repels spirits, or there’s something even more terrifying here. My ghost didn’t give me any warnings, so it’s probably the former.”
“If the shrine repels spirits, and the offerings include things like Wang Zai Milk, it doesn’t seem like a trap.”
As he finished speaking, Fang Xiu mentioned his guess about the taboo of “only sacrifices can be eaten”.
Jia Xu was silent for a long time. “Maybe the local stuff can’t be eaten, but things from outside can…”
He trailed off, remembering that Blondie had chewed on a belt earlier in the day and had vomited it back up. The belt was his own, clearly an external item.
Alright, Fang Xiu’s reasoning was fairly thorough, but…
“But you can’t be 100% sure,” Jia Xu said earnestly. “The statue here looks suspicious. There might be other taboos.”
“How can I be 100% sure?” Fang Xiu, genuinely confused, asked, “Should I have tricked my companions into going first? …Or captured the enemy, wherever they are, and forced them to make mistakes?”
His tone was so sincere that it made it sound a thousand times creepier.
Watching this guy casually wreak havoc was oddly entertaining. Bai Shuangying couldn’t help but smile, his mood lifting.
“You could just stroke his ego. Say something like, ‘Jia Ge*, you’re so wise.’” The gloomy teenager nearby mumbled.
*(Older) Brother (哥). Form of address for someone who is male that’s usually older or higher rank as a form of respect, closeness, or endearment.
Jia Xu fell silent, his face and ears turning red. However, once everyone was full, his leader’s spirit returned in full force.
“I’ve scouted ahead. The malevolent spirits in the village are still behaving, and they’re not too strong. We can explore the village further.” Jia Xu said solemnly, “Some clues might only appear at night. Since we’re here to find the ‘E’, we need to fully understand this place.”
A white-collar woman hesitantly raised her hand. “I think I’ve heard of this place…”
Jia Xu’s eyes lit up. “Go on.”
“I have some impression of ‘Weishan’. I used to deal with goods from here…”
The woman’s name was Mei Lan. Though she dressed like an elegant white-collar worker, she was actually the owner of a calligraphy and painting shop.
Her shop had once sold Weishan inkstones. They weren’t very popular, only produced in one village, the Weishan Village.
According to Mei Lan, production of Weishan inkstones had ceased several years ago. However, she was just a seller and didn’t know the exact reason.
“If I remember correctly, Weishan Village is in Geng Province. Weishan is near the border of Xu Mountain, in the northwest.” Mei Lan gestured.
Fang Xiu was thrown back to middle school geography. Xu Mountain was the largest mountain range in the world and a must-know topic for exams.
However, his fond memories weren’t due to his love of learning but because the people loved giving absurd names to the smaller peaks. Names like “Underwear Hill” and “Dog Bark Ridge” were favorites among students, making the classroom atmosphere lively.
In comparison, “Weishan” was a remarkably proper name.
If this village really was “Weishan Village”…
“So, we’re actually in Geng Province, and this place exists in reality.” Jia Xu swallowed hard.
Blondie grinned. “Ha, I knew it! Ten miles from here, there might even be a police station.”
The thought that they were still in the living world steadied everyone’s nerves a bit. They followed Jia Xu out of the shrine.
Before leaving, Jia Xu glanced at Fang Xiu and his new ring for a moment.
……
With food, drink, and renewed confidence, the group wasn’t in such a rush anymore. They checked out each brightly lit house, listening to the sounds coming from the windows—
Inside, people were chatting, children laughing noisily. At first, it sounded normal. But upon closer inspection, the voices were like an AI reading gibberish, completely meaningless.
Between conversations, the static of an old-fashioned TV could be heard. Even though they all knew the house had been cleared out long ago, with no TV inside.
Blondie swore nonstop, and Cheng Songyun clasped her hands together, stuttering through a Buddhist prayer.
“I’ll go take a look.”
When they reached a house occupied by only one “person”, Jia Xu spoke up.
With that, he summoned his ghost, Painted Skin. Painted Skin let out a creepy giggle, running its hands over Jia Xu’s face. Instantly, his skin began to rot, and Yin energy seeped from his body, making him look like a zombie.
This is probably Painted Skin’s ability, Fang Xiu thought. Then he saw Jia Xu walking toward him.
“Can I borrow your ghost?” Jia Xu asked directly.
“Painted Skin’s spell can’t be interrupted, so I can’t defend myself. I need a fierce ghost as backup. You and the others still have four ghosts covering you.”
Fang Xiu was a little stunned. “You’ll have to ask Bai Shuangying if he’s willing.”
He had actually wanted to refuse outright, but Jia Xu was too open about it, and Fang Xiu was the only one comfortable enough to let his ghost roam free.
Bai Shuangying was at the back of the group, looking around curiously. Jia Xu approached him on his own.
Fang Xiu turned his head to watch, but the two were obscured by a tree’s shadow. Was it too much to eavesdrop? He wasn’t Bai Shuangying’s guardian. Even ghosts needed social space…
On the other side.
Facing Bai Shuangying, Jia Xu was nervous. He lowered his voice and repeated his request. This time, he added a few more words.
“Fang Xiu said you’re a seductive ghost, but I know your power exceeds that.” Jia Xu said, “My Painted Skin is very afraid of you, and your performance at the shrine was remarkable.”
“I mean no offense. I just wanted to give my greetings. I promise I won’t harm Fang Xiu. Let’s work well together…”
Jia Xu trailed off.
Across from him, Bai Shuangying was smiling.
Most of the time, this ghost was expressionless. His beautiful face was less like a face and more like a prop, waiting to be used.
At this moment, Jia Xu felt this more intensely than ever.
Bai Shuangying’s smile was beautiful, yet deeply unsettling. It was like something that had never seen a human, casually playing with a human face.
A distorted sense of wrongness washed over Jia Xu. His hair stood on end, and Painted Skin trembled violently in the shadows.
“What do you wish to ask of me?” Bai Shuangying smiled as he spoke in the same tone as before.
Jia Xu didn’t dare to move.
He had thought about it. Fang Xiu was slow-witted and didn’t show much respect to Bai Shuangying. He himself was more skilled in social situations, so he was sure he could succeed easily…
“What are you going to beg from me?” Bai Shuangying’s smile grew brighter. His pale lips parted, revealing a pitch-black mouth.
“N-Nothing. I’ll leave now.” Jia Xu squeezed out the words with all his might.
…He was terribly wrong. Fierce ghosts had no understanding of human emotions. He had to escape quickly.
Bai Shuangying leisurely walked over to Fang Xiu.
Fang Xiu couldn’t help but ask, “Done talking?”
Bai Shuangying responded with a hum. “I’m not going.”
After a pause, he added, “He’s curious about your ring. He wants one too.”
Fang Xiu was shocked. Jia Xu had willingly fed himself to his ghost. What kind of mentality was that?
“Well, that’s pretty nice of him. Did you give it to him?”
Bai Shuangying: “No. He looks pretty inedible.”
More like, that was exactly the kind of human he was familiar with. Always acting clever, but never quite smart enough.
Bai Shuangying lifted his eyes, his white pupils pointing towards the east side of the village.
On the east side of the village, in front of the Weishan Shrine.
The man wearing a jade Buddha tugged on a chain. The other end of the chain was tied to a raggedly dressed person—the madman from the start of the ritual.
The person’s face was filthy, and he muttered something under his breath. His left hand scratched his body forcefully, while his right hand clung tightly to a torch.
“Hurry up.” The man with the jade Buddha ignored the wandering souls watching and kicked the madman toward the shrine.
“Burn it quickly, burn it clean,” he said impatiently.
The author has something to say:
Jia Xu: Bai Shuangying’s expression is so damn scary.
Fang Xiu: Bai Shuangying’s expression has always been natural.
Bai Shuangying be like: Smiling is just part of the job but being silent, that’s genuine.
The long-term instances had sharpened Qi Liuxing’s senses to a fine edge. At this moment, he could feel a killing intent from behind him that was far more intense than that of the woman before, by more than a thousandfold.
Ke Yuxiao was truly determined to kill him!
When he turned around to look at him, Qi Liuxing’s movements were somewhat stiff, and at the same time, his eyes were red, as if he couldn’t believe that all of this was really happening.
The next instant, he saw Ke Yuxiao picking up the flute that both of them were extremely familiar with.
Now, the bamboo flute’s outer shell was rapidly shedding, revealing a thin, long sword.
At the same time, Qi Liuxing saw that Ke Yuxiao’s health points suddenly increased more than tenfold.
Qi Liuxing was utterly astonished. “You, you’re a Rank God player too? But how could you enter before reaching S rank…”
Because split personality is my special ability. Each of my personalities can exist independently and start the game as a new player.
All personalities will obey my commands. I decide whether they live or die.
I am the master of this body and soul. The other personalities are my pawns and chess pieces.
But Ke Yuxiao didn’t reveal the truth to Qi Liuxing. He simply said, “It’s because of a special item.”
“Are you also a member of the Peach Blossom Legion?” Qi Liuxing asked him.
Ke Yuxiao replied, “Let me tell you a secret. Actually, Blue Harbor City was built by Shao Chuan, and many of the NPC citizens there were once players like you. This is one of Shao Chuan’s foolish plans. He said—they failed in their quest for immortality, but there’s still a way to exist in another form.”
“Blue Harbor City will collapse along with Shao Chuan’s wishes. As for you… rather than letting you witness such a cruel scene, it’s better for you to die by my hand now. Consider it my benevolence. You’ve seen, with my ability, I could kill you at any moment.”
“Why wait until now to act?” Qi Liuxing gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, staring coldly at Ke Yuxiao, still appearing calm. But only he knew that his arms were trembling slightly, and his palms were soaked with cold sweat.
“It’s not because you’re afraid Zhou Qian would find out, right? If it’s just the two of us in the instance, killing me would make you too suspicious.”
“But now he can’t confirm whether we are in the same space-time. So you—”
Ke Yuxiao sighed again. “Xiao Qi, you’re still too naive. You’re indeed a decent swordsman now. But when I first met you, you were quite mediocre. Why did I approach you so early?”
“So, of course, it’s not just about killing you. My and the Peach Blossom Legion’s goals have always been focused on Zhou Qian.”
“If you hadn’t met him, maybe you could have lived much longer. Unfortunately, look… being mediocre from the start has its advantages. You wouldn’t attract my killing intent too early like Zhou Qian did.”
Qi Liuxing’s gaze suddenly became sharp. “You’re killing me to get to Zhou Qian? What is your real plan?”
Hearing this, Ke Yuxiao narrowed his eyes, and his look towards Qi Liuxing suddenly filled with incredulity.
After a while, probably finding the situation in front of him too ludicrous, he almost couldn’t help but chuckle. “Your hands are shaking, but I can see it’s not out of fear. You just can’t believe I would deceive you. You’re reacting with disappointment and anger, right?”
“Look at you. You’re about to die, yet you don’t feel tense or afraid. But why, when I mention Zhou Qian, do you become tense and murderous?”
“Qi Liuxing, I can deceive you. Zhou Qian can also deceive you. Even your death now is because of him. Don’t you—”
At this point, Ke Yuxiao suddenly became somewhat frustrated, his voice dropping several octaves as he asked with emphasis, “Shouldn’t you hate him?!”
“It’s different.” Qi Liuxing suddenly said, “Zhou Qian and people like you are completely different.”
“Hasn’t he ever lied to you?” Ke Yuxiao asked.
Qi Liuxing replied, “He has tricked me, and he’s good at scheming. He’s not a perfectly good person. He may have many faults. But he’s not malicious! He wouldn’t deceive me in such a way. He wouldn’t want my life!”
“Oh. Then, when you see him in hell, you can pledge your loyalty to him all you want. The time has come. The arrangements, link by link, have reached their final critical stage. Zhou Qian can’t escape anymore.”
With those words, Ke Yuxiao launched an attack without any mercy, his short sword swiftly striking towards Qi Liuxing’s face!
At the critical moment, Qi Liuxing lifted his cloak, and the S-grade defensive cloak immediately absorbed 70% of the damage, causing the short sword to bounce off.
Despite the cloak’s protection, Qi Liuxing couldn’t help but spit out a mouthful of blood.
After a series of chaotic battles, his health had plummeted to 19%!
Qi Liuxing threw a flashbang, and the brilliant lights momentarily illuminated the graveyard.
Using the smoke to obscure Ke Yuxiao’s vision for that moment, Qi Liuxing scooped up the unconscious baby and ran off.
On the run, Qi Liuxing didn’t care for anything else. He pinched the baby’s arm hard as he headed towards the square.
The baby woke up crying in pain immediately.
Qi Liuxing was filled with sorrow and rage. He intended to shout to attract attention, but when he opened his mouth, he realized he could no longer make a sound.
Fortunately, the baby’s crying was loud enough to draw people from the direction of the square.
Seeing this, Qi Liuxing quickened his pace. But suddenly, a very strange wind surrounded him. It was probably Ke Yuxiao using some kind of item or skill that drastically reduced his movement speed.
Thus, before he could reach the crowd with the baby, three short swords struck Qi Liuxing’s back, stabbing into his neck, spine, and heart with irreversible momentum.
Qi Liuxing had no chance of survival.
His health dropped to 1%, and as his body issued a red warning, he received that system-generated ad for an upscale tombstone, which made him want to cry without tears.
In his dying moments, Qi Liuxing thought of the scene in reality where he accompanied Zhou Qian to buy a tombstone.
“I want the most expensive and best one you have!” Zhou Qian had said.
Qi Liuxing had asked him later, “Really, when a person is dead, what’s the point of all these ceremonies? If your high school classmate really died, could he see these tombstones? Would he actually rest in peace?”
Zhou Qian looked at Qi Liuxing and said, “Xiao Qi, let me tell you something. There are many things in this world that we can’t grasp, like time or feelings. So, if there’s something we can buy with money, we shouldn’t hesitate to spend.”
Qi Liuxing was skeptical. “Your words sound quite like ‘why not eat meat paste.’ You don’t understand frugality because you’ve never been poor. You’re just talking without understanding the pain.”
Zhou Qian seriously replied, “I’ve been poor. My family went bankrupt!”
Qi Liuxing shook his head. “A starving camel is still bigger than a horse*.”
*Idiom referring to when something is in decline, it’s still better than something that is just starting out. || In this case, Zhou Qian going through bankruptcy is still better than someone who was poor from the start.
“You’re too young to understand what I mean,” Zhou Qian said. “I’m not telling you to waste money recklessly, nor am I advocating for spending beyond one’s means. I’m just saying that when you can afford it, there’s no need to be stingy. Money is a good thing. Spending money is the easiest thing to do in this world, so why not enjoy it?
“But money is also the most useless thing. Can I use money to buy back Bai Zhou’s life? No.”
“So, what’s the use of money?”
Qi Liuxing remembered giving Zhou Qian a huge eye roll at the time and saying, “If you posted this online, you’d definitely get tens of thousands of hate comments.”
Even at the end of his life, Qi Liuxing still couldn’t understand Zhou Qian’s values.
Even in the last phase of his life, he didn’t splurge, opting for the simplest tombstone given by the system.
Afterwards, he used the system’s legacy gift function to leave all his money and items to Zhou Qian with a note: [Ke is with the Peach Blossom Legion. Be careful. Their target is you. Visit my parents when you can. Thanks. And my brother… I still believe he exists. Spend the gold coins I gave you wisely.]
That was all Qi Liuxing managed to type out. Before his consciousness completely faded, he vaguely sensed Ke Yuxiao approaching.
“In this space-time, the villagers don’t know our identity and might think we’re spies sent by the Land of Silence. By drawing them here, did you hope to die together with me?”
“Pity, Xiao Qi. I can’t die now, and I won’t take them seriously. As for you—”
What followed was the sound of a dagger being drawn. Ke Yuxiao’s merciless words echoed in the wilderness, but Qi Liuxing could no longer hear them.
Ke Yuxiao said, “I guess Zhou Qian will use the [Tick Tock Clock] to save you. But to use it to save someone, the person’s body needs to be intact. Actually, I’m not a sadist, I’m not heartless, nor do I have a taste for cruelty. Unfortunately…”
Not far away, the villagers had already arrived. Lifting Qi Liuxing’s body, Ke Yuxiao, with his extremely fast movement technique, played hit-and-run among the tombstones with the villagers. His speed was something neither Zhou Qian nor Qi Liuxing had ever seen before. At this moment, Qi Liuxing was carried by Ke Yuxiao but could no longer sense anything.
Unexpectedly, behind a row of tombstones, Ke Yuxiao encountered two villagers.
He swept past them like a gust of wind, and by the time he left, both men lay on the ground with long, thin cuts on their necks. Silently taking down these two, Ke Yuxiao looked around and quickly fled towards the square.
In this space-time, the game of throwing the handkerchief before the eve of Samhain had just begun not long ago.
The incident in the graveyard interrupted everything, and the villagers temporarily left to chase after someone. Therefore, when Ke Yuxiao arrived at the square, there was no one there but just large pots of meat stewing, intended to feed dogs.
Ke Yuxiao quickly took out a sharp machete, dismembered Qi Liuxing’s limbs, and threw them into the large pot, leaving behind a bloodied head with eyes closed.
Glancing at the head indifferently, Ke Yuxiao was about to throw it into the pot when his hand uncontrollably shook and then moved away from the direction of the pot. Finally, his fingers uncontrollably loosened, and the head fell to the ground.
“You can actually come back to life?”
Ke Yuxiao muttered to himself, his features suddenly contorting as if he was fighting for control with someone.
Then, his grim expression faded, his features softened, and his tone changed significantly. His eyes showed another kind of hatred and murderous intent. Speaking with a hoarse voice trembling with extreme fear, he said, “Don’t you dare touch him again. Get lost!”
“It’s you who should fucking get lost! You should have disappeared a long time ago!” Suddenly, Ke Yuxiao’s originally gentle features became twisted again as the dominant personality regained control.
He quickly took out something resembling a silver needle from his bag and stabbed it into his own head, then coldly said, “Hiss, I didn’t manage to kill you last time… Why don’t you just hide like my other personalities?”
“You’re just a pawn. How dare you even dream of killing your master? How dare you think you could be a hero? Ha—”
Ke Yuxiao laughed. “He doesn’t even know you exist. How does it feel, ridiculous? Alright, now I’ll completely kill you. No need to thank me.”
After that, Ke Yuxiao’s expression never changed again, as if the gentle personality that Qi Liuxing knew had never existed.
Twisting his neck as if shaking off a persistent soul, Ke Yuxiao then crouched down, preparing to pick up Qi Liuxing’s head to throw it into the pot. But by then, he was already sensing the immense killing intent coming from behind him.
“Hey, who are you?!”
“My God, what’s with the head on the ground?!”
“I just found two bodies on the ground. It was him!”
“Let me cast a spell to check… He’s indeed not right. He has the aura of someone from the Land of Silence!”
“Catch him. Catch him! He must be a spy. We can’t let him escape!”
Amidst such chaos, Ke Yuxiao swiftly fled.
He didn’t engage in a prolonged fight for a simple reason: he might have to face the big boss later, as well as Hidden Blade and the formidable Bai Zhou. He needed to conserve his mana.
The mission was already complete; there was no need to confront those people head-on. He had to save his skill points and escape.
……
Elsewhere.
Zhou Qian, carried on Bai Zhou’s back, was able to follow Alayne and Amei to the Red God’s inn unnoticed, thanks to Bai Zhou’s Divine Breath Technique.
Midway, Zhou Qian received a notification alert and looked at his system panel, only to see a large sum of gold coins and items transferred to him. He immediately realized something had happened, and then he saw Qi Liuxing’s note.
Zhou Qian’s expression seemed unchanged at first glance. But Bai Zhou, carrying him, immediately felt his body stiffen. “What’s wrong, Zhou Qian?”
After a moment of silence, Zhou Qian said, “Zhou Ge, we need to change our strategy.”
“What do you want to do?” Bai Zhou didn’t even ask why.
“We might need to confront Goddess Difu head-on,” Zhou Qian said. “I want to force her to show herself and take a golden feather from her.”
Outside the game, in the virtual lobby, the gamblers hearing Zhou Qian’s plan were baffled and expressed their confusion and concerns.
[What does that mean? Damn, Difu is a goddess in this instance, with unimaginable power. Why would Qian Ge…?]
[I’m wondering the same thing. According to the storyline and game design, players aren’t supposed to fight NPCs of such level! Alayne and Amei will team up to kill Difu, so Zhou Qian and his team just need to assist at key moments to clear the instance!]
[Wait, look at Qian Ge’s system. He received so much money… Who died?]
[The Sword God, the Sword God Brother died! I have a friend who bets on him. I just got the news, he… Damn Ke Yuxiao, that son of a bitch! (The system has automatically blocked discordant terms)]
[I get it now. The “golden feather” has the power to heal anything. Zhou Qian must want it to heal the Sword God Brother.]
[But if the person is already dead, what’s there to heal?]
[Did you forget? The brother gave Zhou Qian the [Tick Tock Clock].]
[But the [Tick Tock Clock] has a condition for use—the body must be intact! Ke Yuxiao knows he has the [Tick Tock Clock], so to prevent revival, he would definitely destroy the body completely!]
[You’re not getting it. That’s exactly why Zhou Qian wants the “golden feather”. It can heal anything. I guess… even if the brother is missing limbs, it could heal him.]
[But if I were Ke Yuxiao, I’d completely destroy the body. There are fires everywhere for Samhain, and the fire from the bone pyre could be used to burn bones. By the time Zhou Qian gets the golden feather and finds the brother’s body in the vastness of space-time… there might not even be ashes left! In such a case, without any trace of the person left, the golden feather might be powerless, right?!]
[Indeed, Qian Ge wouldn’t have overlooked this. His actions are basically futile!]
[Ah, this really isn’t a rational choice!]
[This is too hard. My heart’s racing…]
[Ever since I started betting on Qian Ge, I’ve aged a lot… he’s going to scare me to death.]
Inside the game, on a desolate mountain.
Because Bai Zhou was moving so fast, Zhou Qian, lying on his back, could feel the autumn wind cutting through his skin like a knife. In the darkness of the night, Zhou Qian’s pupils were bottomless.
Facing the wind, he asked Bai Zhou, “What I’m about to do is a huge gamble, with maybe only a one in a thousand chance of success. Are you in?”
He then heard Bai Zhou’s voice, “You just need to tell me the plan.”
The author has something to say:
Taking a moment to lighten things up.
When Qianqian meets Epoh: I’m going to pluck his hair.
When Qianqian meets Difu: I want to pluck her feathers.
Several days later, at noon, at the tavern next to the inn.
Bly, as usual, was spending his time in the tavern. Suddenly, the door to the tavern opened and then closed, casting a shadow at his feet.
A man in a worn long cloak stepped in. His face was tightly concealed by a hood, revealing only a few strands of light golden hair. The man, who wore a long sword, had a large, snow-white cat perched on his shoulder.
He ordered a lavish meal and sat alone in a corner, eating slowly and attentively. It was hard to tell whether he was carefully savoring the food or trying to taste the recipes with his tongue.
The big white cat quietly stayed on his shoulder, leisurely licking its paws.
Bly took a sip of sweet wine, and a question slowly formed in his mind—since becoming a Player, he could easily distinguish those native folks weaker than himself. Even though he wasn’t outstanding among Players now, to those fragile native NPCs, he was absolutely a formidable monster.
However, he couldn’t gauge the depth of the man in the cloak, who didn’t quite seem like a Player either, radiating a subtle aura.
So far, all important NPCs had squads for special protection. To prevent Demon Players from causing trouble, Players within the city were also under the jurisdiction of the Homeward Saints Guild.
Who was this man?
Whether it was his physique or his aura, Bly felt an eerie familiarity with this person. Unfortunately, Abaddon wasn’t here. Otherwise, he could ask his drinking buddy… At a crucial moment like this, the guy was nowhere to be found.
Hm? Wait, missing at a crucial moment? Bly gradually gripped his drink tighter.
Lately, Players were all working hard to fortify Bissus, busy making it an impregnable stronghold—
Not to mention the repeated tactical training and the exaggeratedly strengthened city defenses. Everyone wished to set deadly magical devices on every street to ensure any daring monster would die within three steps. Even if the Lost Tower were to descend from the sky the next second, the Players in Bissus would still have a fighting chance.
But facing wave after wave of monster attacks, everyone’s spirits were always on edge, with even Abaddon being called away to help from time to time. Only Players “not worth mentioning” like Bly had more free time.
Having observed until now, Bly always felt something was missing in this main quest. And the moment this man appeared, he finally understood where this sense of incongruity came from—
Hero Drake.
This person had assisted Knight Eugene in Eternal Day City, participated in the ancient Demon King’s subjugation, and was personally chosen by the Goddess of Life as her envoy during the Dragon’s Lair Battle.
Now, as the main quest progressed to protecting the Holy Land of the Temple of Life, Drake’s absence was strangely conspicuous, not even listed among the important NPCs.
Initially, people mentioned “Hero Drake”, but since Drake was always linked with “Paradise” and with too many variables, there was no consensus, and the matter gradually faded.
“If the main quest really needs him to appear, he will show up on his own.” That was what everyone said.
Now, this…
Bly swallowed, picked up the most expensive bottle of wine from the table, and cautiously sat opposite the man. Drake was rumored to be a handsome young man with golden hair and eyes. Confirming it wouldn’t hurt.
The Goddess of Life had certified this man. He couldn’t be an undercover agent of the Demon King, could he…? Even if he had entanglements with Paradise, it was understandable for a main NPC’s fate to be dramatic.
“Care for a drink together? My treat.” Bly tried to sound as casual as possible.
Across from him, the man in the cloak stopped chewing and looked up for the first time.
He was a very handsome young man. Unlike the rumored golden-haired and golden-eyed Drake, his eyes were a deep-sea blue. The big cat at his side, as if startled by Bly, moved to the other shoulder.
“…Thank you.” The young man observed Bly for a while, then resumed his meal attentively.
Bly’s hand trembled as he poured the wine.
He had made the right bet!
With such a face, he was definitely an important NPC. But the eye color didn’t match the rumors? Such details weren’t important. As a magic swordsman, changing eye color was a matter of minutes for Drake.
“Excuse me.” While passing the wine, Bly lowered his voice to the lowest. “Are you Mr. Drake, the ‘Envoy of God’?”
Hearing the title “Envoy of God”, the young man paused his fork, and his lips twitched slightly. After a few seconds, he nodded silently.
“I am indeed called Drake.”
Bly swallowed. “Then you—”
“I’m here to eradicate the enemies of God.” The young man’s tone was calm yet cold, and on his shoulder, the white cat with round golden eyes meowed innocently.
……
Lost Tower.
“Are you sure it’s okay? A Player have found him, so he’ll be discovered by Star Stealer Sol soon!” Perradat anxiously nibbled on Lilith’s fingernails, causing Lynn to frown. “Maybe we should reconsider the tactics…”
“The tactics are set.” Lynn pulled her hand away from her mouth. “Haven’t you applied ‘concealment’ specifically against Star Stealer Sol? Using it to disguise [God’s Forsaken], Nol said it’s no problem.”
“But the news will reach Star Stealer Sol’s ears.”
Unable to nibble her nails, Perradat started crunching on the hard candy on her plate. “He will soon target Drake. That guy is alone, at most with Ben, that useless dog—”
Lynn: “You’re too anxious. Hasn’t Nol explained it to you?”
Coming up with such a cunning plan, the God of Creation was really led astray by someone. Lynn still remembered Nol’s expression when planning, that mischievous demeanor didn’t seem like a righteous character at all.
“Star Stealer Sol chose to use Bissus for a tower defense game. He wants to make this city his home ground, forcing me and Teest to act alone.”
In memory, Nol pointed at Bissus City on the map.
As the center of the continent, it had the richest storage and the strongest military force. Due to its religious uniqueness, if it faced any issue, neighboring great nations would definitely offer generous assistance.
As long as Enbillick stays inside without coming out, Paradise would have to attack.
So, Star Stealer Sol, under the name of tower defense, gathered Players, madly transforming the town. If Paradise’s people dared to enter the city, they would face a fully armed city and top-tier Players.
“This way, if I lead Paradise in a surprise attack, there would definitely be a large number of casualties among the neighbors. If I forcefully stay away, as the quest difficulty increases, Players will also suffer heavy losses—it’s a blatant scheme. He’s inviting me to walk into a trap alone.”
Nol expressed his confidence very clearly.
“Because he knows that, given my personality, I definitely won’t stand by and watch everyone sacrifice themselves. And if I wanted to infiltrate, there would only be one choice.”
That would be Hero Drake, who was publicly recognized by the “Goddess of Life”.
Even without Nol saying it, the people present could guess the answer.
“I understand the rationale, but how can you be one hundred percent certain?”
After hearing the plan, Perradat was the first to raise questions. “The Goddess back then was impersonated by Painter. What if that guy exposes this fact? Who will ensure Drake’s safety?”
“He won’t expose this at this juncture, just as we won’t go persuading Eugene.” Teest rolled his eyes. “Once we start talking, there will be endless explanations and self-justifications required. In the end, it may not successfully persuade them and would only bring greater chaos.”
“In Star Stealer Sol’s view, Teest and I can only play the assassination game according to his rules, on his chessboard. Without a doubt, he must have prepared countless tricks on his side.”
Nol’s voice remained gentle. “The tower defense quest torments the Players, and we are on his home turf. Just one slip in ‘Drake’s’ actions, and he would use his powers to strike lethally.”
“The appearance of Hero Drake signifies the arrival of major events in the main storyline. From the beginning, this world has followed such a rule.”
Nol’s fingertip nudged the black chess piece symbolizing Star Stealer Sol. With a tap, the piece fell onto the map. The white piece symbolizing Drake stood quietly, holding a cute short sword model.
“Moreover, since Star Stealer Sol specially set up the stage, of course, we have to respond appropriately.”
…Indeed, it signified the arrival of major events in the main storyline, rather than personally achieving major events in the main storyline.
Lynn ended her recollection, looking at Drake on the magic screen. Seeing his handsome face, she found it hard to connect him with that cursing, deficient candle.
Drake Kando.
After all, “Tahe” was a game made for Players. This hero, silent for two hundred years, had always been a harbinger of storms, a helper to Players, but not a terminator. Now, he had finally taken back his true mission—
“I’m here to eradicate the enemies of God.” Drake’s tone was firm, sounding exceptionally sincere. “This city needs more help.”
“Help?” Bly’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Yes.” Drake revealed an unskilled smile. “The defenses of Bissus City aren’t strong enough. I have a great idea.”
“Please let me assist you.”
At the same time, in the middle of the Endless Sea.
“I’m going to start now.” Nol took several deep breaths.
Teest: “Pfft.”
“…Don’t laugh!”
“I’m laughing from the bottom of my heart, honey. It shows my trust in you.” Below Nol, Teest blinked. “This scene is really interesting, don’t you think?”
At this moment, Teest was laying naked on the ice.
Above his body hovered the vast and beautiful true form of the God of Creation. Countless golden threads wrapped around the captivating dragon-like creature. Sunlight spilled down, making the surrounding sea shimmer. Only Teest lay in the shadow, looking much like a fragile sacrifice.
“Come.”
Teest opened his arms towards the giant beast above, making a pleading gesture for an embrace.
“The Great Hero is fighting for time. Let us bring down the moon together—”
[Peace was fleeting, as the Demon King in the darkness stretches out his claws. Warriors from another world have disturbed the hidden army of the Demon King but failed to reach his lair. Now, the Demon King’s schemes are within reach. Fear will shroud the heartland of this continent. Please protect Bissus, the symbol of human spirit.]
[Warriors from another world, please protect these innocent lives.]
[Normal Achievement Conditions: Repel the Demon King’s army, successfully protect Bissus; protect important NPCs within Bissus territory.]
[Perfect Achievement Conditions: Repel the Demon Lord’s army, successfully protect Bissus; protect important NPCs within Bissus territory; eliminate the new Demon King.]
[Quest Rewards: Divine Skill x 1 (Top 3 monthly contributors) [Standard], Sacred Equipment Set Piece x 1 (Top 10 monthly contributors) [Standard]; God will grant your wish [Perfect]]
[Quest automatically accepted]
Mentor opened the system description for “important NPCs”, and a list of moderate length unfolded before him. He held his teacup, glanced briefly over it, and quickly locked onto a line of text.
[※The “Golden Sword” family (4 people): Enbillick Alva, Avra Alva, Moore Alva, Colette Alva; Golden Sword Enbillick Alva is an important figure in the Alva Merchant Group. His survival is beneficial for the region’s reconstruction]
The rest of the NPC descriptions were similar, and unsurprisingly, Mentor found the names of the Pope of the Temple of Life and the two archbishops, as well as Eugene Malloy. Basically, all notable figures were listed, except for Godfrey Painter.
“This time I don’t see any level restrictions.” Teest poked the system pop-up curiously. “Last time during the Tower assault, Star Stealer Sol made sure to exclude us with great care.”
“He must have strengthened his control over the system, not placing the conditions openly.” Lynn frowned. “Otherwise, it would be too outrageous, and surely some Players would feel something is off.”
Nol nodded in agreement.
Last time, Star Stealer Sol’s restriction was “humanoid players below a total level of 300”. Such a condition appearing in a regular quest might be normal, but appearing in a main quest, no matter how you think about it, would be very strange.
Star Stealer Sol made the first move.
This quest was very subtle. It appeared to be a main storyline tower defense quest, but the rewards included a count for “monthly contributors”. This meant the quest might continue for a long time.
Every month, the Players who contributed the most could receive “Divine” skills and equipment, a not insignificant temptation. As long as Enbillick remained in Bissus, he would be protected by the Players.
But they all knew, Nol and Teest wouldn’t let this avatar go.
The Enbillick left there was both bait and a restraint—Star Stealer Sol wouldn’t just play defense. He was surely planning to counterattack them.
However…
“Let’s go have a look in Bissus, Teest.” Beyond the circle of fire, Nol donned his cloak.
“Good idea. It’s been a while since I last visited Bissus.” Teest gathered his long hair.
“Is it really no problem for us to just go back like this?” Solo shivered. “That God definitely knows we’re associated with Paradise… Ow, ow, ow!”
He hadn’t finished speaking when Anakin grabbed his ear.
“That’s exactly why we want him to see us.” Anakin bared her teeth. “Don’t worry. He won’t consider you a threat. They’d come for me first.”
“Sister…” Even though he was ranked among the top hundred players, Solo looked like he wanted to cry at that moment.
“He won’t easily attack Players in Bissus,” Lynn comforted, then turned to Nol. “I’ve prepared everything. Have a safe journey.”
Nol weighed the heavy suitcase in his hand and smiled. “Of course.”
It was Anakin and Solo who crossed the fire circle first. They didn’t head directly to Bissus but chose to join a team of Homeward Saints Guild in the neighboring Shidina Federation, then pretended to rush back from abroad.
Teest took Nol’s hand, and the two teleported directly outside the capital of Bissus using their hidden power.
With a flicker of blue fire, the light extinguished, and Nol appeared beneath the towering city walls. From this angle, he could only see the spires of buildings behind the city.
As an island nation situated in the middle of a river, the Holy Land of the Temple of Life, Bissus, didn’t cover a large area.
Over eighty percent of its land was given to forests, mountains, and grasslands, boasting natural scenery no less magnificent than the forests of Shiva. The remaining twenty percent of the land housed the most prosperous and largest holy city-state on the continent of Tahe.
At this moment, they were at the capital of Bissus, the only city in Bissus—Saint Bissus. Usually, people still habitually call it Bissus City.
At this moment, it had become the Players stronghold for a tower defense game.
At the foot of the city, Nol watched as monsters attacked from all directions. The current monsters weren’t very strong, only including some poisonous giant rats and killer flies. There was also ample breathing room between two waves of monsters. Backed by the high city walls, Players valiantly exterminated these attackers.
The blood and flesh of monsters soaked the grasslands beside the city. Green bushes hung with intestines, and even the moat had taken on a tinge of blood.
As the weather warmed, to prevent the spread of plague, the Temple hired many local refugees as a “cleanup crew”. Three times a day, people carted monster corpses to a designated location for a unified burning.
Nol blended into the group of local refugees, heading into the city. At this moment, he wore a worn and dirty cloak, with a long sword hanging from his waist. He carried a huge suitcase in one hand and a fluffy white cat in the other.
His hood concealed his face, with only a few strands of light golden hair peeking out from the gap in the cloak.
The guards checked each person entering the city, but when it came to Nol, it was as if they couldn’t see him, letting him directly into the city.
Nol deliberately dialed down his concealment power a bit. He could feel a faint gaze coming from somewhere. Pretending not to notice, he headed straight for the city’s worst inn.
Considering Bissus City’s wealth and uniqueness, a lousy inn here was harder to find than a good one.
Bissus City was the most magnificent city-state Nol had seen; not even the famously prosperous Grape Collar could compare to a tenth of it, let alone places like Whitebird City—though Nol didn’t quite like it here, missing the “liveliness” of Grape Collar. Everything on the streets was orderly; everyone dressed in neat, light-colored clothing. The air was filled with the elegant fragrance of incense offered to God.
Nol’s destination was in a corner of the city, a district specifically for foreign laborers.
Compared to other areas of Bissus, this was like a different world. In this large city, only here could one find noisy inns and taverns filled with curses and laughter. Even so, it was much better than the lower districts of Grape Collar. At least there were no street children, drug dealers, and prostitutes to be seen.
The inn was easy to find. It was located right in the center of the district. The building was brick-red, resembling a scar on the landscape. The innkeeper glanced at Nol’s attire, without even confirming his face, and threw a key to him.
“End of the hallway on the second floor. One gold wheel a day,” he said, chewing on tobacco. His lips emitted a foul odor. “If you can afford it, stay. If not, get lost.”
The big white cat’s tail swayed, and its eyes narrowed slightly. Nol soothed the cat with a couple of strokes, silently taking the key.
The room here wasn’t big, but it was better than the rooms in Perradat’s church. Its bed was a sturdy old wooden bed, and the bright sunlight… was completely blocked by Nol with the curtains.
With a click, the door was locked.
“If someone ever sings praises of your legend in the future, this part definitely needs to be embellished.” The big white cat jumped onto the bed with its tail held high. “You really have no taste in locations for performing ‘miracles’.”
As soon as Teest finished speaking, a scream of “I want to break up with you!” came from next door, followed by the sound of glass shattering. The curses of guests downstairs were nonstop, among which the clearest voice complained that the nearby fried meat tasted like shit.
Nol: “……”
He seemed to have no rebuttal, so he let it go.
The white cat sighed, curled up its limbs, and coiled up beside Nol like a loaf of bread, its golden transparent eyes reflecting the entire room. Nol opened the heavy suitcase, starting to organize the materials inside—
A small tube of blood given by the young black dragon girl with a toothy grin.
A skeleton Nol had made himself, then Lynn adjusted several times, perfectly mixed with dragon bones.
Lastly was an eyeball from Perradat. It came from Perradat’s core, shimmering with a beautiful blue, possessing a portion of the core’s power of the Floating Cocoon—of course, it was merely symbolic. Perradat quickly grew another eye for herself.
After verifying the materials, Nol spread out a sheet on the floor. The white cat yawned, and golden threads whizzed across the room, arranging the bones from the suitcase into a human structure, without the slightest error.
Ben curiously stuck out its nose, trying to steal a bone, but was unceremoniously slapped back by the cat’s paw.
Nol kissed the cat’s ears and placed Perradat’s eyeball into the heart position of the skeleton. Then, with a feather pen dipped in dragon blood, he wrote line after line of runes on the white bones.
As he moved, a chilly magical fluctuation spread out, securely contained by the magical barrier enveloping the room.
In the chest cavity of the skeleton, the eyeball trembled non-stop, gradually turning into a deep red mass of flesh. Countless tendrils shot out, climbing rapidly along the bloodstains on the bones. Blood vessels and organs gradually appeared within the empty skeleton, and nerves grew like a spider web.
Nol’s pen moved continuously, downwards then upwards, finally stopping at the forehead of the skull. Sweat beaded on his forehead—this time, he couldn’t add anything uniquely his. He had to act according to the system. With heavy restrictions, this task was more troublesome than repairing a magical circuit.
Beside Nol, Teest maintained his cat form to ensure ample space.
At this moment, Teest had no mood to even purr. Actually, this task didn’t need to be so troublesome. As long as a certain person accepted becoming Nol’s retainer, Nol only needed to give a drop of blood to easily and quickly handle everything.
But to use Perradat’s flesh and blood as the core, Nol couldn’t freely use his own powers, only meticulously carved as an unrelated party—the reason was simple. Once the magical circuits of two gods intermingled, the product could easily malfunction.
At this moment, Nol was completing the last step.
He removed Kando from his staff and placed it into the skull’s eye sockets. The candle’s blue flame illuminated the hollow cranial cavity, and those eye sockets were no longer purely black.
“…Are you sure?” Nol whispered. “This is your last chance to back out.”
“If you continue, you’ll wake up as a ‘Dracolich’. You’ve been dead too long. I can’t turn you into a living person.”
“If you give up, we’ll consider other methods. Once I take back the permissions stolen by Star Stealer Sol, I can definitely do better, maybe even grant you real life.”
“I’ve been dead for two hundred years already. I’m used to it.” Inside the skeleton, Kando snorted disdainfully. “Stick to the plan.”
Nol hummed in agreement, then stood up. He held his hands above the skeleton, beginning to chant silently. The cold power gradually became gentle, centered on the “eyeball”, the flesh inside the skeleton grew faster.
Organs, muscles, skin, hair.
The heart began to beat. Nol’s modified [Ash Remnants] gradually took effect—the dried-up blood vessels were gradually filled with blood, sending warmth to every corner of the body. The pale skeleton gradually disappeared. The exposed teeth were covered by pale red lips.
A young man lay on the white sheet.
With a swipe of the white cat’s paw, the blanket was pulled to the man’s lower body, so he wasn’t entirely exposed. Nol made sure the man’s face gained color before stepping back two steps and letting out a long exhale.
The man on the floor moved his fingers, opening his eyes—those were the familiar blue they all knew, the blue originally seen in Kando’s one eye.
The blue that belonged to the hero Drake.
The real hero Drake, or rather Drake Kando, sat up, his light golden hair falling with his movements. He stared at his hands for a long time, speechless.
Nol moved his fingers, and the curtains silently opened. For the first time in over two hundred years, sunlight poured onto the Hero’s skin.
“The plan has finally begun.” The white cat arched its back, elongating into a big stretch. “First, put on some pants, Great Hero.”
The seasons near Bissus weren’t so distinct. The night wind changed from “the cool mist of mountain streams” to “a breath caressing the skin”, and the grass blades showed off their pretty new green.
Spring, the season that symbolized life, was also the Goddess’s favorite season, according to the holy scriptures.
As a devout believer, Eugene Malloy didn’t wholly love spring. Naturally, he adored the vibrant spirit of spring but disliked the encroaching new green that spread across the land. It always reminded Eugene of someone—a shameless charlatan who claimed to be “the messenger of the Goddess of Life” used just such an excuse.
“The Goddess has bestowed upon me the eyes of spring,” that person once said.
Lies.
Inside the tent, Knight Eugene removed his armor and personally cleaned it with coarse cloth and grape oil paste. The ointment, provided by the Temple of Life, emitted a pleasant fruit fragrance. He smoothed out the scratches on his armor and applied alchemical sword oil to the “Dominator” longsword, sharpening it enough that it could cut through moonlight.
At this point, Eugene no longer believed that Enbillick Alva was sheltering Painter. Golden Sword was heading towards Bissus. Perhaps the reality was the opposite—that the shrewd businessman had sniffed out something amiss and wanted to distance himself from anything related to the Demon King.
But Eugene would continue to track Golden Sword.
First, he must verify the intelligence in the hands of Golden Sword. Secondly, the Pope of the Temple of Life personally ordered him to return to Bissus with the Fifth Brigade and wait for further instructions. As to why, the Pope didn’t elaborate.
Since the disappearance of the Lost Tower, the situation in Tahe had become odd.
Recently, members of the Homeward Saints Guild had been gathering towards Bissus, claiming that numerous regional quests have spawned nearby. The Realm of Shiva had seen a surge of monsters, leaving the non-human races overwhelmed.
The Eternal Church had been eerily calm. The new Eternal Pope had been in secluded cultivation, not showing himself for a long time. With their support collapsed and after the battle of the Lost Tower, the Demon Players had also become much more subdued, rarely causing trouble lately.
Without the troublesome forces from Shiva, without the evil Eternal Church and Demon Players, all events were currently moving in a direction favorable to the Temple of Life.
Zealots didn’t believe in luck. All this must be guided by God. Now, the Temple’s only enemies were the Lost Tower representing Paradise, and the newly supported Demon King behind it.
Eugene sensed the smell of a storm in this eerie calm. The day the Lost Tower reappeared would be the beginning of war.
As for whether what the Players saw in the Lost Tower that day was the Demon King, there was ongoing debate. Half were convinced that the blue fire creature was absurdly powerful and must be the Demon King lying in wait. The other half believed it was just a monster under the Demon King—the legendary ancient Demon King was immense. How could the new Demon King be merely a simple humanoid?
The word “Demon King” was being mentioned more and more frequently among the populace and the Players.
This must be preparation to confront the Demon King. The real war was coming. As the sword of God, he was bound to chop off the head of the False God known as the “Demon King”.
Eugene’s fingers touched the soft cloth. As his fingertips moved, the smooth blade trembled slowly under the fabric.
The Pope ordered him to stay in Bissus, likely due to God’s arrangements. His mission was clear, with only one ambiguity.
At this point, what is Godfrey Painter’s stance?
He had once collaborated with the harmless-seeming Lost Tower but didn’t disappear with it. Painter claimed to cooperate with the Master of Paradise, but few words out of that guy’s mouth were truthful. No matter how Eugene thought about it, he didn’t believe Painter would stoop to consorting with the Demon King.
Painter’s oracle clearly stated, “to fulfill divinity”, not a False God. God had let this man roam, surely with deep intention—
If Painter were still the Pope, he wouldn’t stand at the forefront of this war. Given the current situation, God needed Painter to participate in this war, so the man had temporarily turned traitor.
It was likely Painter would come to his senses in this war and fulfill God through his sacrifice.
Eugene’s movements in wiping the longsword became slower.
No, at his level, he shouldn’t presume to guess God’s prophecies. It might be him who decapitates the False God first, and Godfrey Painter returns to the right path.
The man could also earn enough merit in the war to atone for his sins with the remainder of his life. His extraordinary deeds would be recorded by the Temple, further glorifying God.
Thinking this, Eugene’s tense back finally relaxed a bit.
“Actually, I know he understands God’s mercy and painstaking efforts better than anyone. Since leaving the Temple, he hasn’t committed any evil deeds against God’s will.” Eugene murmured to the longsword, “Lady Tilia, he must pay the price for his betrayal, but…”
Suddenly, Eugene’s movements froze.
Reflected on the smooth blade were a pair of light green eyes.
“But?” The pair of eyes in the reflection curved slightly. Painter began to speak as if chatting, with one hand resting on Eugene’s shoulder.
All expressions vanished from Eugene’s face.
He spun around instantly and, with a swish, pointed the longsword directly at Painter. The latter sighed somewhat helplessly. “Alright, we both know you’re not going to kill me. There’s no need to be like this every time. It’s hard even for me to watch.”
“What did you do to the guards?” Eugene ignored him, the tip of his sword drawing a fine line of blood on Painter’s left cheek.
“I just put them to sleep. No need to be tense,” Painter said nonchalantly. “Don’t blame those kids. You know well they couldn’t stop me if they tried.”
He emphasized the word “me” particularly.
“Fine, then I’ll ask a different question.” Eugene clenched his teeth, and the muscles under his skin twitched. “Before, you used precious teleportation magic to escape, and now you’re willingly walking into the trap. Can I take it to mean that you’re willing to return to Bissus with me?”
“You’re greatly mistaken.”
Painter moved the sword as if to comfort him. The sharp tip pierced his hand, and bright red blood quickly seeped out. “I just came to see you. I have no intention of returning to the Temple.”
He had already dined with the “Goddess of Life”, so playing the Temple’s games seemed pointless now.
Hearing this absurd reason, Eugene stiffened for a moment.
“To take a look at me,” he said sarcastically after a while.
Damn, did Painter return for this “Dominator” longsword? Or, did he intend to shake the resolve of the one prophesied to slay a god before the war officially began?
Should he wound him now? Or try to persuade him again? They were very close to Bissus. Perhaps he could try to capture him again?
Countless thoughts buzzed rapidly in Eugene’s head.
“Now that I’ve had a look, I can go back,” Painter interrupted his thoughts with a smile.
Eugene took a deep breath, anger burning up from his heart. “Are you mocking me?!”
The sword tip pierced towards Painter’s shoulder, but Painter just stood there. The sharp longsword instantly pierced through flesh, the tip emerging from his back.
…What’s happening?
Unexpectedly, Painter didn’t defend himself, making Eugene’s scalp tingle. He swallowed, his grip on the sword loosening for half a second. Blood slid down the blade, dripping onto the ground. Blood spread from the wound on Painter’s tunic, blooming like a flower.
“Calmed down?” Painter looked at the wound on his shoulder. “Alright, I admit, I was indeed mocking you.”
“You—”
“But I didn’t mock you back then, Eugene Malloy.” Painter’s smile faded, showing a rare serious expression. “Remember. Whatever happens in the future, trust your own judgment, trust your own God.”
“You have no right to say that,” Eugene said hoarsely.
Should he stab deeper? Or withdraw the sword? Painter was one of Tahe’s top mages with frightening healing abilities, so he wouldn’t be easily killed. The situation was favorable. Perhaps he should seriously wound this man…
The war was coming. Controlling Painter under the Temple might be more advantageous…
Attack? Not attack? Attack? Not attack?
The rush of thoughts made Eugene dizzy as the familiar smell of blood surrounded his nose. His heart raced, and his breath turned to white steam in the warm air, like a panting beast.
Painter still stood quietly in place, looking at Eugene’s eyes, which gradually filled with blood.
“I’m sorry.” Painter’s tone became even more serious. “Goodbye, my child.”
Eugene truly froze this time as the Former Pope repeated his old trick. The teleportation magic activated at an opportune moment, and Painter’s figure disappeared once again.
Painter didn’t lay hands on the “Dominator”, nor did he attempt to assassinate him, leaving behind only a pool of blood. In the end, the man indeed just came to take one look and speak a few words.
Eugene suddenly realized that, more than Painter’s infuriatingly confident tone, he detested the rare seriousness in the other. It sent chills down his spine, giving rise to many ominous premonitions.
He weakly lowered his longsword.
Drip, drip. The blood from the sword tip fell to the ground, quickly swallowed by the earth.
……
Bissus.
“Let’s just stay here honestly. This is the safest place in all of Tahe!” In a certain inn, Mr. Abaddon declared. “Even if the world were to end, this place would surely be the last to go.”
Beside him sat the gloomy Bly, who just silently drank his sorrows away.
Those Players remaining in the city were unwilling to join the war’s first wave. Most were cautious, a few were timid, and the rest were simply incapable.
Bly counted himself among these “incapable ones”.
Initially, to take care of his friend Barto, he left the novice village late, lagging far behind everyone else in leveling and equipment. His former companions scattered, and he spent much effort maintaining their relationships.
However, as the situation in Tahe became more severe, his efforts ultimately ended in failure.
Latus became part of the forefront of the Saints Guild, suffered mental trauma in the battle in the Brick Mountains, and then cut off contact. Barto went to work for the Alva Merchant Group and disappeared not long ago. Following the death of Duke Alva, the Alva Merchant Group entered a state of emergency, leaving Bly with no way to investigate.
He failed to protect his friends and his strength was neither here nor there. Ultimately, he squeezed into the tavern as a reserve force.
The people around him were somewhat intriguing—Ranger Abaddon had previously participated in a quest related to Paradise, closely encountering the ancient Demon King. He had interacted with heavyweight NPCs like Eugene Malloy and even mingled with top Players like Anakin.
This helped him level up significantly, qualifying him as an expert. Who would have thought this rising star would only see decline from there—
After the news that Paradise belonged to the Demon King emerged, Abaddon showed no anger. Instead, he began slacking off like crazy. He stopped exploring altogether, almost as if wearing “I don’t want to fight” on his face.
The Saints Guild tried to mobilize him a few times but were straightforwardly rebuffed with “I’m just that shameless,” leaving them speechless. Since a bull refused to drink water and couldn’t be forced to, Abaddon ended up in the tavern, humorously dubbed “Lian Ge” by the patrons.
“Brother, to be honest, do you have some deal with Paradise?” Bly asked listlessly.
“Hm? I just think they’re too strong, and I’m scared.” Abaddon swirled his drink. “Isn’t it obvious with my ID born lacking courage?”
“You don’t seem like it,” Bly said. “I don’t know how to put it… It’s like, you seem to actually like Paradise.”
“Of course, I like Paradise. They have succubi. Need any other reason? …Ahem, I mean female succubi.” Abaddon glanced at him and cracked a smile. “If possible, I hope to be killed by a succubus. I mean a female succubus.”
Bly: “……” Have you been harassed by a male succubus or something?
“Forget it.” After a while, Bly chuckled bitterly. “Since it’s come to this, let’s just take it one step at a time.”
“Don’t be so down. Who knows what the future holds.” Abaddon put down his glass and lowered his voice. “I know you. Everyone says you’re very loyal—if it really comes down to it, just stick with me. As long as you continue to be a good person, I guarantee you’ll be fine.”
What kind of reasoning is that? Bly was speechless. Abaddon just winked at him and raised his glass.
“Everyone will have to join the fight sooner or later. It’s better to understand the situation clearly before making a move. Trust me. It’s not about the strength of the enemy. You’ll understand when the time comes.”
Just as Abaddon set down his glass, the system notification sound rang—
Before leaving, Fang Xiu tugged on Bai Shuangying’s sleeve. “This time, you hold on to me.”
“Why?” Bai Shuangying had intended to pretend not to hear, but curiosity got the better of him.
“The evil spirits outside are just circling around. They haven’t barged in to tear us apart. They’re being quite polite,” Fang Xiu whispered. “Polite evil spirits wouldn’t steal someone else’s neatly packed meal.”
Bai Shuangying mulled over the statement before realizing that he was the “someone else”, and Fang Xiu was the “neatly packed meal”.
It seemed logical, yet also somehow not quite right.
“If they do decide to attack, what would you do?” Bai Shuangying asked on purpose.
Fang Xiu tilted his head. “Then you could use your ability to make the spirits ignore us.”
…Did this human know his ability?
It was as if Bai Shuangying had suddenly sobered from a pleasant daze. His pale eyes fixed intently on Fang Xiu’s chest, unblinking.
Fang Xiu didn’t notice and continued muttering, “Yesterday, you made Lao Mian and Mai Zi ignore you, so it should work on evil spirits too, right?”
“How did you figure that out?” Bai Shuangying’s tone was flat.
“They saw such a good-looking face and just assumed you were human, which doesn’t make sense… Even if they were lying, with how good-looking you are, a normal person would at least glance at you a few times.”
Fang Xiu said seriously, “So I guessed you did something. Nicely done.”
He emphasized “good-looking” both times. After finishing, he stared at Bai Shuangying’s face for a moment, his eyes filled with straightforward admiration.
Bai Shuangying: “……”
He pulled his gaze away from Fang Xiu’s chest and turned toward the ceiling.
Fang Xiu placed his hand on the door, concerned about his ghost. “Don’t worry. If it doesn’t work, I’ll think of something else…”
“I can handle it.” Bai Shuangying grabbed Fang Xiu’s arm. “Let’s go.”
Since ancient times, humans always said he was unpredictable, but now Bai Shuangying felt stuck between amusement and annoyance—unable to laugh, unable to get angry, feeling strangely calm.
With a creak, the door opened and closed.
In the gloomy rainy night, the world outside was somehow brighter than inside, as though the threshold divided two entirely different realms.
Fang Xiu carefully shut the door and, turning around, was once again met with the sight of Lao Mian and Mai Zi’s corpses. A day had passed, and they still lay where they had fallen. Their flesh had turned pale from the rain, their bodies swollen from the water.
Fang Xiu’s gaze lingered on the copper coin sword in Mai Zi’s chest.
The sword wasn’t large, its blade about the length of an adult’s forearm, but the coins along its body were tattered and worn. Someone had taken all of Mai Zi’s other charms, leaving only this sword behind.
Bai Shuangying: “That sword’s nearly useless. No point in picking up…”
Before he could finish saying “trash”, Fang Xiu had already pulled the sword out, rinsing off the blood with rainwater.
“Even if it’s almost broken, it can still hurt evil spirits, right?”
“…Barely.”
“That’s good enough.” Fang Xiu tucked the sword away and crouched down, looking at Mai Zi’s deformed corpse.
“I’m taking your sword. Just letting you know.”
In the rain, his voice was calm and sincere. “Thank you for telling us so much. Rest in peace.”
With that, Fang Xiu reached out and gently closed Mai Zi’s eyes.
……
The village wasn’t exactly quiet at night.
Thunder rumbled, and lightning occasionally flashed across the sky, illuminating the village as if it were broad daylight.
Along the way, Fang Xiu saw many strange shadows and heard whispers, soft laughter, and sobs. Fortunately, the village’s “security” was decent, and no evil spirits attacked them.
Looking around, he noticed lights in the houses and shadowy figures moving near the windows, giving the place a sense of life. Regrettably, after observing for a while, he didn’t see smoke rising from any chimneys.
“Too bad no one’s cooking,” he sighed, adjusting his straw hat. His disappointment was genuine.
Bai Shuangying didn’t want to talk.
The two continued along the path, one they had walked earlier in the day. Ever since leaving the house, Fang Xiu had been heading straight for the shrine with the ease of someone going home.
The area near the shrine, however, was far from ordinary.
It looked like a small marketplace outside the shrine. The road was adorned with lanterns and streamers, though the lanterns were blue and the streamers were white. The market stalls were neatly arranged, filled with mysterious bones and strange body parts.
Evil spirits shuffled along, silently trading goods. Most were wandering souls, barely retaining a vague human shape, like ownerless shadows.
The surrounding chill was intense, and though it was a summer night, Fang Xiu’s breath came out in visible white puffs.
“What a lively scene. Is this what a rural market is like?” Fang Xiu pushed aside his bangs, his eyes gleaming. “Too bad they don’t sell human food.”
Seeing food speaking, the wandering souls’ eyes also brightened, and they began to gather around Fang Xiu.
Fang Xiu drew the copper coin sword and gently nudged the spirits away. “Make way, make way.”
The blade sizzled like grilling meat as it touched the souls, and they silently parted, forming layers of onlookers around him.
Fang Xiu grabbed hold of Bai Shuangying’s arm without looking back, walking directly into the shrine.
During the day, the shrine had been locked and looked gray and dingy. Now, its doors were slightly ajar, with red candlelight spilling out, making it appear warm and inviting.
The plaque above the door read “Weishan Shrine” from right to left. Inside, not a single evil spirit was present, and the wandering souls that had followed Fang Xiu all stopped outside. Bai Shuangying didn’t mind, crossing the threshold with Fang Xiu.
At the center of the shrine stood a statue of a god.
The statue had five arms and three legs, with two additional heads on either side of its neck. These extra heads and limbs varied in size, haphazardly placed, without any sense of aesthetics.
The statue’s entire face was painted a ghostly white, with only a smiling mouth on its features. Now, the paint was peeling, and the dark marks made it look like distorted eyes and brows, giving off an unsettling feeling.
A golden couplet hung on either side of the statue.
[Do no evil, and heaven will bestow blessings and fortune for generations.]
[Practice all virtues, and the rain will nourish all things with deep love and justice.]
Fang Xiu took a couple more steps forward to get a closer look.
The statue was carved from ordinary wood, its colors garish and crude, much like the rest of the village. It didn’t feel particularly old, likely less than a hundred years old.
But that wasn’t the point. The point was the offering table in front of the statue.
There was no incense burner or memorial tablets, only a table full of offerings—
Fresh fruit, roasted chicken, and a pig’s head, along with canned peaches and bottles of branded milk. The table also had flaky pastries and fruit candies, with several crates of almond milk stacked underneath.
Fang Xiu picked up a drink to examine it. The production date was from a year ago, but the packaging was fresh, with no signs of spoilage.
There was enough food for everyone to last two days, maybe three or four if they rationed.
Bai Shuangying watched as Fang Xiu snapped off a chicken leg. “…You’re just going to eat it?”
“Oh right, I almost forgot because I was so hungry.”
Fang Xiu put the chicken leg down, cleared his throat, and respectfully bowed to the statue. “Sorry to disturb you. We’re really starving, so we’ll take some of your offerings. When we escape, we’ll repay you double.”
The statue made no response.
Fang Xiu promptly took a bite of the chicken leg. The meat was tender and flavorful, the bones soft and crisp, with no strange aftertaste.
Delicious. After being hungry for so long, it felt amazing to eat. Fang Xiu opened a drink, grabbed a pastry, and devoured them quickly.
Bai Shuangying almost felt sorry for the statue. “Did you come straight to the shrine just for this?”
“Yup. ‘Sacrifice’ is another word for ‘offering’. If sacrifices can be eaten, then offerings probably can too.”
Fang Xiu, now full and energized, added, “I think one of the taboos is that ‘food and water within the village cannot be consumed, except for offerings.’”
Bai Shuangying fell silent.
It was true that “sacrifices” could be eaten… The woman who ran away earlier had indeed been eaten by the other group.
But was this really the first thought of a normal person upon witnessing cannibalism?
On the other side, Fang Xiu, now satiated, exhaled contentedly.
“Thank you,” he said, wiping his mouth and expressing his gratitude to the statue.
Weishan Shrine wasn’t large, and inside it resembled an ordinary house. Aside from the statue in the center, the only other notable features were two rows of wooden tables, with red candles melted into pools of wax, covering the tables like a layer of flesh.
Fang Xiu circled around to the back of the statue, where a large brick platform resembling a communal bed had been constructed. The straw mats on it had long rotted away.
The firelight in the hall flickered, casting the statue’s grotesque shadow across the platform, like a strange, malformed tree canopy.
Fang Xiu knocked here and there. Both the floor and platform were solid, with no signs of a hidden passage. Even the statue was solid, made entirely of wood.
The candlelight flickered, casting shadows on the statue’s lips, making its smile seem more and more alive.
“Did I tickle you? Sorry, I just wanted to check,” Fang Xiu apologized sincerely. “By the way, you don’t have any moths. You’re in excellent condition.”
The statue’s smile faded slightly: “……”
Bai Shuangying: “……”
“Aren’t you afraid?” Bai Shuangying asked after a long pause.
Fang Xiu sighed. “Of course I’m afraid, which is why I came to the shrine first. After all, cemeteries also have offerings according to tradition.”
This person’s thoughts were still bizarrely refreshing. Bai Shuangying gave up questioning him and shifted his attention toward the door.
Fang Xiu was backing toward the door, trying to keep the entire statue in his view. Behind him, a low-level evil spirit was pressed against the doorframe, its blood-red eyes locked onto Fang Xiu.
Just a mere pest, Bai Shuangying thought. With a single thought, he could make it disappear. But by now, a new idea had formed—
He wanted to see Fang Xiu’s unshakable calm break, to show some other expression.
And in the critical moment, he could easily save Fang Xiu and dispel the man’s absurd misconceptions about him. It would be like killing two birds with one stone.
Bai Shuangying watched as Fang Xiu backed right up to the threshold, now within reach of the spirit. His hands were behind his back, and his fingers were about to slip through the door.
The evil spirit couldn’t resist such a temptation. It crossed the threshold, lunging to grab Fang Xiu’s wrist and drag him into the darkness.
In the next instant, a scream pierced the air.
But it wasn’t Fang Xiu who screamed—the moment the spirit’s clawed hand crossed the doorway, a flash of golden light sliced through. Fang Xiu’s right hand moved in a swift, practiced motion, the copper coin sword severing the spirit’s entire forearm.
It all happened in the blink of an eye, and Fang Xiu didn’t even turn his head.
The severed limb rolled inside, stopping in the center of the shrine. Fang Xiu closed the door, picked up the green-black ghostly arm.
“I felt bad making you just watch me eat earlier… Here, why don’t you have something to eat too?”
He smiled sincerely at Bai Shuangying.
……
At the top of the Disaster Relief Tower
“The Yin evil star rises, heralding a great calamity.”
In the shadows, a cold female voice spoke. “The omen is unclear, as if there are two shadows… two shadows…”
She paused abruptly.
“…There are two of those bastards?” the voice muttered to herself. “Forget it, it’s none of my business.”
The sacrifices continued day and night, with countless offerings. Even if a world-shattering evil star appeared, that was a problem for the mortal realm. As long as “That One” didn’t make any moves, it wasn’t her concern.
The evil spirit she was guarding was far more important. That evil spirit was unpredictable, running rampant without a care for the human world.
There had been a prophecy a thousand years ago: When ■■■ appears in the world, the gates of hell will shake…
■■■…■■■… What was it she was guarding again?
Whatever, as long as “That One” didn’t make any moves, there wouldn’t be a problem…
The author has something to say:
Two bastards, no ×
A matching pair of bastards, yes √
Don’t worry, Bai Shuangying hasn’t made any moves, he’s just quietly speechless.
By the way, Fang Xiu is purely a brains-over-brawn type—he’s still quite fragile. His methods will be explained later on, and this story isn’t about him being invincible… After all, if he were invincible, there wouldn’t be any sense of tension. Although, with his personality, it doesn’t seem like he’d feel much tension anyway (…
Kinky Translations 