Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

---

Chapter 109: Identity

The two small teams crossed the threshold into the old mansion, consciously separating to the left and right, distinctly divided.

This was the front courtyard of the old house. It was vast and seemingly endless. Many trees were scattered around the yard—some dead, some fallen, and others struggling to hold on to their last bit of green. Amidst the tree shadows, clumps of green ghost fire occasionally appeared, and shadows darted from corners, sending shivers down one’s spine.

The night was chillingly cold and eerily silent, making the whole mansion seem like an abandoned coffin in the wilderness, waiting for lost souls to enter.

Xu Wang looked at Wu Sheng, who slightly turned his head to the left. Understanding the cue, Xu Wang nodded and then glanced at the Camo Team captain, subtly hinting with his eyes to go left—a clear message, “We’ll take this side.”

The Camo Team captain readily agreed, tilting his chin to the right as if to say, “Then we’ll take this side.”

This level was similar to the Castle Hotel challenge, where each team’s tasks might not intersect. The Castle Hotel had various task lines like love, horror, and puzzle to choose from. In this level, it depended on which ghost NPC the team encountered first. Different ghosts led to entirely different tasks.

Also, being “exposed” was a fatal weakness in this level. Being too close to a competing team could mean disaster. If one team was exposed, the exposed team would likely drag the nearby team down with them.

Considering all these factors, parting ways as soon as possible and not interfering with each other became a common goal for both teams.

One team went left, the other right. After a short walk and looking back, they could no longer see each other’s silhouettes in the darkness.

The cold night wind blew through the old mansion’s courtyard, evoking a sense of transience and change…

Xu Wang’s reflections were interrupted as the [Man-Catching Vine] knocked on his head. Looking up, he saw Wu Sheng’s resigned face.

“Everyone’s gone. Stop being so sentimental.”

“……” Xu Wang wanted to say he was just being cautious!

Just after glaring at Wu Sheng, he turned his head and saw… Qian Ai’s head.

Xu Wang’s heart skipped a beat.

After a few seconds, he finally gasped for air and recovered.

“No, Lao Qian.” Xu Wang pushed away his teammate’s floating head. “Your look is too impactful. Stay away from me…”

Qian Ai felt aggrieved and was about to defend himself when someone nearby suddenly spat.

“Ptui!”

The sound wasn’t loud, but it was clear. After spitting, there was a barely audible murmur that couldn’t be understood. In the old house, it was particularly creepy.

The four companions tensed up, not daring to make any sudden moves. Slowly turning their heads towards the sound, they saw a middle-aged man in tattered clothes sitting on the threshold of a side door leading to the inner house, counting money. He was small and hunched, but his eyes gleamed brightly as he stared at the banknotes.

Stumbling upon an NPC was better than choosing one. The four friends exchanged looks and decided: this was their guy.

“Are you ready?” Xu Wang confirmed softly for the last time. “Once we start, there’s no turning back.”

Wu Sheng gently raised his vine-wrapped arm, saying calmly, “No problem.”

Qian Ai’s head bobbed confidently. “I’m fully confident.”

Kuang Jinxin patted the disobedient hand on his head. “Let’s go, Captain.”

Xu Wang nodded and took the lead. “Let’s move.”

[Ghost Mansion Infernal Affairs, First Challenge — Verifying Identity upon First Entry!]

The four cautiously approached the Money Counting Ghost, soon standing right in front of him, their combined shadow looming like a wall.

However, the middle-aged man was so engrossed in counting his money that he didn’t notice them at first.

“……” The companions waited patiently.

Finally, after counting the last note, the ghost contentedly stuffed it into his pocket and cheerfully stood up, apparently ready to head back inside. But as he stood up, he finally noticed the four figures… Well, three figures and a head.

“Who are you?” The previously ordinary-looking middle-aged man suddenly turned semi-transparent. His expression was wary, and his mouth split an inch wider at the corners to reveal yellow, sharp teeth.

The four felt a chilling wind behind them, penetrating their bones.

But on their faces, none showed a trace of fear.

“We are homeless ghosts with nowhere to go,” Xu Wang said, his voice steady yet filled with earnest sincerity, tinged with a pitiful tone. “We want to find shelter here.”

“Get lost, get lost, get lost.” The Money Counting Ghost waved his hand impatiently. “This place is already overrun with ghosts. There’s no room for you.”

Wu Sheng frowned. The [Man-Catching Vine] on his body started to creep along the ground, quietly wrapping around the ghost’s feet, trying to intimidate him to show that they weren’t ordinary spirits. However, before he could exert any force, the vine passed right through the ghost’s ankles!

The [Man-Catching Vine] couldn’t touch this Money Counting Ghost at all!

Wu Sheng pursed his lips, realizing that ordinary stationery might be ineffective against the ghosts in this challenge.

“Smack—”

The severed hand that had been floating above Kuang Jinxin’s head suddenly flew over and slapped the ghost’s dismissive hand hard.

“Be polite to our big brother!” Kuang Jinxin shouted aggressively.

The Money Counting Ghost covered his sore hand. “…”

Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai: “……”

They didn’t know how to react to such fierceness, but Kuang Jinxin’s show of force helped Wu Sheng resolve his doubts. It wasn’t that stationery couldn’t be used, but ordinary stationery was ineffective against ghosts. Only stationery with similar supernatural attributes could affect them.

While Wu Sheng was pondering, the Money Counting Ghost seemed less guarded after being smacked, taking a more serious look at them.

“Recently, there have been too many people pretending to be ghosts, causing trouble here,” the ghost said. “The boss asked me to guard this door, so I have to do it well.”

“Don’t pretend.” Qian Ai’s head sneered. “If it weren’t for seeing us, you would’ve run away by now. Is that how you guard?”

“Do you want to go in or not?” the ghost shouted irritably, feeling embarrassed.

“Of course we do. Why else would we be wasting our breath here?” Perhaps the costume gave him confidence, as Qian Ai now felt he was a noble among ghosts.

“Then be honest about your backgrounds.” The ghost scanned them one by one, speaking solemnly. “How did you die? What can you do? If you’re useless, don’t think about staying here eating and drinking for free.”

Qian Ai was speechless. “What can a ghost eat anyway?”

“Yuanbao candles,” the Money Counting Ghost said. “People always come to burn them in the back mountain…” He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly eyeing Qian Ai suspiciously. “You don’t even know this?”

Qian Ai was at a loss for words. After swallowing hard several times, he retorted defensively, “Right, I don’t know. My parents never cared for me. No one ever burned candles or yuanbao for me. Are you happy now?”

The Money Counting Ghost was yelled at to the point of feeling inexplicably ashamed, and within that shame, a sense of sympathy and reluctance emerged. “Err, I didn’t mean to hit a sore spot…”

“How did you die?” Having reached this point in the conversation, the Money Counting Ghost genuinely became interested in the story behind this floating head.

“Well—” Qian Ai sighed heavily while glancing at his teammates, signaling that it was his turn to take the stage as the fourth drama king.

“Everyone else becomes a ghost after they die, but not me,” Qian Ai said, sitting on the threshold with an expression of deep sorrow. “I was a ghost when I was alive—a poor ghost¹.”

Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Kuang Jinxin: “……”

Even though they had rehearsed their characters and script beforehand, they were still deeply impressed by their teammate’s performance.

“Who asked what type of ghost you are?” the Money Counting Ghost said, not quite satisfied. “I’m asking how you died.”

“How do you think I died when I was a poor ghost¹!” Qian Ai glared at him. “I died of poverty!”

¹Clarity: The joke here is he using poor wretch (穷鬼) to describe himself while he was still alive. The word has (鬼) which means ghost, so the Money Counting Ghost is thinking he’s saying he’s a poor ghost, when the meaning is more like “I was a poor wretch when I was alive.”

Money-counting ghost: “……”

“I was poor and addicted to gambling, losing everything in my house.” The floating head looked at the Money Counting Ghost with red eyes. His voice was hoarse and choked. “Later, when I had no money left but still wanted to gamble, what could I do? I gambled my hands, my legs, my body—”

“Are the people you gambled with sick?” The Money Counting Ghost scratched his face in confusion. “What use would they have for your body?”

“Don’t worry about that. Anyway, I lost, and as a man of my word, I gave away my arms, legs, and this body!” Qian Ai dramatically continued; his solitary head still fit the crown for best actor.

Money-counting ghost: “So you died?”

Qian Ai: “With just a head left, wouldn’t you die?”

The Money Counting Ghost felt something was off but couldn’t pinpoint any major flaw. Hesitating, he saw Kuang Jinxin and the hand on his shoulder, asking instinctively, “What about you? He’s only left with a head; why do you have an extra hand?”

Kuang Jinxin said, “This hand is his.”

The Money Counting Ghost’s eyes widened in shock. “What?”

“I gambled with him. He had no money, so he bet his hand. He lost and gave it to me,” Kuang Jinxin explained earnestly.

The Money Counting Ghost was still puzzled. “But you won. Why did you turn into a ghost?”

“Ever since he gave me his hand, I’ve been getting weaker. The doctors couldn’t find any cause, and then I died.” Kuang Jinxin looked at the hand on his shoulder and then at the ghost, his expression turning solemn and his voice growing husky. “After I died, I realized this hand had never left me. I didn’t die of illness.” He leaned closer to the ghost, speaking in a dark, ominous tone. “The severed hand claimed my life.”

Money-counting ghost: “……”

He was a ghost, yet he was still scared by ghosts!

At this moment, Kuang Jinxin was no longer fierce but a ghostly actor of the highest caliber.

Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai: “……”

They were completely immersed in their roles.

“No, wait,” the Money Counting Ghost frowned, looking at Qian Ai and then at Kuang Jinxin, finally noticing the problem. “If that’s the case, you two should be enemies. Why are you together after death?”

Qian Ai: “……”

Kuang Jinxin: “……”

That was a sharp question.

“Haa.” Xu Wang patted the Money Counting Ghost’s shoulder. “There’s a kind of relationship in this world called ‘love and hate’. You wouldn’t understand.”

The Money Counting Ghost turned to look at him. “If you tell me you died because of gambling and happened to know them before death, I really will be angry.”

“No way. That would turn into a soap opera.” Xu Wang gave him a “reassuring” look, then looked back at the shadowy figure behind him and then at the Money Counting Ghost. His eyes darkened. “I was killed by it.”

The Money Counting Ghost didn’t understand. “Who?”

Xu Wang pointed to his own face. “It.”

The Money Counting Ghost stared at him blankly for a long time. “Brother, you’re pointing at yourself.”

“No, this isn’t me.” Xu Wang shook his head, pointing to the shadowy figure. “This is me, the one talking to you right now.” He pointed at himself again. “This is just an empty shell.”

Money-counting ghost: “But it’s moving its mouth…”

“Shh, don’t interrupt.” Xu Wang placed his finger on his lips, blinked, and then pointed back at the shadow. “I was born a ghost. You can call me ‘Spirit Behind’. The only bad thing I ever did was want a body, so I killed this person…” He pointed at himself again. “But after killing him, I realized that I could control this body, but it would never truly be mine.” He pointed back at the shadow. “So I could only forever follow behind this body, watching the sin I once committed, eternally tormented…”

The Money Counting Ghost’s head followed Xu Wang’s finger back and forth, back and forth, successfully getting confused.

Xu Wang sighed wearily. “You might not be able to understand the relationship between me and it…”

“Enough!” The Money Counting Ghost had no desire to understand!

“In short, it died, and you died too. You two are inseparable. End of story!” The ghost succinctly concluded, holding onto his last shred of sanity, then looked at Wu Sheng. “And you…”

“I died in the mountains. I’m a mountain ghost.” Wu Sheng stood still as the [Man-Catching Vine] slowly winded around him.

The Money Counting Ghost narrowed his eyes. “Mountain ghost?”

Wu Sheng nodded. “Mountain ghost.”

The Money Counting Ghost frowned. “That’s it? No life story?”

Wu Sheng replied, “That’s it.”

The Money Counting Ghost grabbed Wu Sheng’s hand. “Brother, I admire you!”

“Ding—”

A unifying notification sound rang out.

The Money Counting Ghost showed no reaction, as if he hadn’t heard it.

[Cheat Sheet]: [Identity Verification] successful.

---

The author has something to say:

Sheng Ge’s acting style is called minimalist.

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 108: Repeat

The banquet hall of the Castle Hotel in 6/23 was probably the most pressing location in the first six levels. From 1/23 to 5/23, the challenge was to simply enter and proceed, facing NPCs and watching out for sneaky opponents, but only here in 6/23 did each team have to make their own “decision”.

Teams of five that came down from the levels after 6/23 had to downsize and recruit new members, while teams of four that came up before 6/23 had to increase their numbers and pair up.

All this was part of the challenge, and the later a team completed its lineup, the later they would enter the real challenge, putting them at a disadvantage.

Despite the banquet hall’s luxurious and dazzling decoration, with endless champagne and exquisite food, no one was in the mood to linger over these luxuries.

Chi Yingxue was an exception.

He loved the cakes here the most: cream, chocolate, mango, orange… all but raspberry flavor, which he tried once and never touched again because the tartness overpowered the sweetness.

At the moment, he was sitting in a quiet corner, having just enjoyed his midnight tea. Seven or eight small plates were placed on the table in front of him, mostly empty except for two that still had small cakes on them, one pink and one white, exuding an enticing sweetness.

He couldn’t eat any more, so he looked at the remaining two cakes with particular regret.

Looking around the room, excluding the NPCs, the rest of his “colleagues” were all anxious. It was already 00:30, and since they were here, they all wanted to move forward. Whether it was teams that hadn’t formed completely or individuals who were alone, none could afford to watch time pass calmly.

Chi Yingxue single-handedly raised the “leisure average” of his peers.

While others were here to form teams and face the level, he seemed to be here just for the cake buffet.

Sighing contentedly with nothing else to do, Chi Yingxue took out his phone and played a single-player game for a while. Eventually finding it boring, he opened WeChat on a whim.

He originally only had one friend on WeChat, Chi Zhuolin, but recently added four more, as well as a group named “Unlucky Kids”.

Seeing this name, he instinctively frowned—every time he opened WeChat, he had to genuinely despise it—and reluctantly clicked into it.

Naturally, there was no internet connection in the Owl, but he could still look at the chat history.

[January 9^th]

Wangwang: Welcome to the new group member! Quack quack!

Tea Sage Lu Yu’s Little Fan: Quack quack!

Sheng Ge: Welcome.

Ai Qian: [Let’s cherish this connection made through the internet.gif]

Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue: …

Ai Qian: Captain, aren’t you a bit too blunt with his group nickname? Put some thought into it!

Wangwang: That’s his actual WeChat name!!!

Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue: Is there a problem with my name?

Ai Qian: …No, it’s factual and accurate. Giving you a thumbs up. [Thumbs up.gif]

Tea Sage Lu Yu’s Little Fan: Qian Ge, you have so many gifs.

Ai Qian: As a streamer, I always stay on top of online chat trends.

Shengsheng: [Thumbs up.gif]

Ai Qian: Class Monitor, why did you suddenly change your name? [Ominous feeling.gif]

Shengsheng: Just a whim.

Ai Qian: Don’t tell me you felt jealous that Xiao Kuang and Xiao Xue’s WeChat names sound more like a couple than yours and the captain’s! Hahaha.

Ai Qian: ??

Ai Qian: Class Monitor?

Ai Qian: I’m just joking. 💦 If you don’t reply, I’ll knock on your door. 😭

Wangwang: He’s working on a new tactical plan.

Ai Qian: Phew, good, good. I knew the advisor wouldn’t take me seriously.

Wangwang: New plan main force: Qian Ai. Support: Qian Ai. Coordinator: Qian Ai. Rear guard: Qian Ai.

Ai Qian: ……

[January 15^th]

……

[January 21^st]

……

[January 29^th]

Wangwang: @Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue We’re just short of 5/23. Where are you?

Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue: 6/23

Tea Sage Lu Yu’s Little Fan: That’s fast!

Ai Qian: Xiao Kuang, can you not be so obvious with your flattery? He only needed to collect 2. We have to find 4. [Knock on the blackboard.gif]

Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue: I’ve been here for three days.

Ai Qian: [I’m young and naïve. Please don’t take me seriously.gif]

Tea Sage Lu Yu’s Little Fan: 🤭

Wangwang: Xiao Xue, wait for us there, okay?

Shengsheng: Don’t flirt.

Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue: ……

Ai Qian: Seems like we scared Xiao Xue away.

Tea Sage Lu Yu’s Little Fan: No, he just types really slowly.

Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue: I’m very popular. You better hurry.

Ai Qian: Ah, it really is slow.

Tea Sage Lu Yu’s Little Fan: 😳

Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue: …

Shengsheng: @Especially Good-looking Chi Yingxue Tomorrow.

Wangwang: We’ll definitely be there.

“Ding—”

The sudden notification sound interrupted Chi Yingxue’s recollections. He looked at his phone and saw an invitation to increase the team’s numbers.

Just as Chi Yingxue was about to decline, he noticed the light dimming. Looking up, he saw a former teammate standing in front of him.

“I saw you on the overall leaderboard recently,” the teammate said without any preamble, offering a compliment. “Pretty impressive.”

Chi Yingxue remained silent, just quietly observing him, waiting for the substantial part.

The man, not getting a response, touched his nose in embarrassment but quickly put on a warm smile again. “I sent the invitation to increase the team size. I’ve been observing you for two days. You haven’t formed a team yet, right?”

Seeing that Chi Yingxue’s expression still showed no change, the man got straight to the point. “It’s better to work with someone familiar. We’ve teamed up before and know each other a bit. I know you’re unstable, but I also know you’re capable. Let’s join hands to get through this level. As long as you don’t fight passively and don’t drag the team down, we can tolerate everything else. If you perform exceptionally well, we might even consider keeping you on the team long-term…”

“It’s too late.” Chi Yingxue interrupted him indifferently.

The man, mid-speech, stopped abruptly. “Huh?”

Chi Yingxue put his phone back in his pocket, glancing at him. “I already have a team.”

The man looked around, clearly skeptical. “Where are they?”

“That’s none of your concern.” Chi Yingxue shrugged. “You just need to know one thing.” He raised his brows slightly, his eyes shining with unprecedented pride. “I’m in high demand.”

……

Half an hour earlier, 23:59 Beijing time, Xuchang City, Henan Province, near a construction site.

The construction site was pitch black, surrounded by blue metal boards, eerily quiet. The metal boards were next to the sidewalk, where four “sneaky” figures loomed.

The wind at the end of January was like a knife, painfully cutting across their cheeks. The four classmates, either raising their collars or shrinking their necks, bravely stood their ground.

If you got close enough, you could hear their conversation—

Xu Wang: “You guys, your Sheng Ge proudly boasted to Xiao Xue that we’d get the badge and pass the level tonight. Let’s all try hard and don’t let your Sheng Ge lose face.”

Wu Sheng: “……”

Qian Ai: “Advisor, look at how he treats you. What on earth do you see in him? I really don’t understand it.”

Wu Sheng: “You don’t see how he treats me well.”

Kuang Jinxin: “For example?”

Wu Sheng: “Like just now in the hotel when he—”

Qian Ai: “Hey, it was just getting to the good part. Don’t cover his mouth—”

“Hoot hoot—”

The Owl’s call came through the cold night wind, right on time.

The manhole cover at their feet turned into a purple vortex, and the four friends, putting aside their jokes, looked at each other and solemnly jumped in.

Twenty days ago, they failed in level 8/23 and had to retreat to 5/23, forcing their five-person team to become a four-person team. After discussing, they decided to use this opportunity to collect badges from levels 1–5. Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Qian Ai, and Kuang Jinxin, who were missing badges 1, 2, 3, and 5, made a pact with Chi Yingxue, who only needed 2 and 5, and set off on their separate journeys.

Now, before the end of January, Xu Wang and his team had already collected badges 1-4, but Chi Yingxue was faster and was already waiting at 6/23.

This was their second time at 5/23, the “Ghost House Infernal Affairs”, where, as ghosts, they entered the old mansion. Without being detected by various monsters, ghosts, and evil spirits, they had to complete the mission. The mission could change each time.

Even though they had decided not to submit their papers when they retreated from 8/23, they still tried their best to understand the content of this level.

So this time, they came prepared.

After the dizzying spin, their vision cleared, and the four friends found themselves in a desolate wilderness, facing a dilapidated old mansion. The mansion was large but in ruins. The door was hanging off its hinges, the plaque lay broken in two on the ground, and the surrounding walls had mostly collapsed. The weeds inside and outside the walls grew together indistinguishably.

The cold wind sent shivers down their spines.

In the distance, there seemed to be ghost fires, and close by, ghostly whispers…

“Brother, don’t those few over there look familiar?”

Huh, that sounded too down-to-earth to be a ghost.

The four friends turned towards the voice and saw several dark figures a few meters away. After recognizing them in the moonlight, they were surprised.

Xu Wang, Wu Sheng, Kuang Jinxin, Qian Ai: “Little Camo?!”

Camo Burly Man + Teammates 1, 2, 3: “……”

Shouldn’t people give a heads-up before nicknaming others?!

In the real world, where it was freezing cold, the Camo Team also wore down jackets, naturally in camouflage patterns. In the ghostly wilderness, their protective coloring was at its peak.

“It’s been almost a month since we last met, right?” the Camo Team captain said, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. “You only passed one level? That’s slow.”

When they last encountered each other at 4/23 and the Camo Team lost. They should have been sent back to 1/23. Xu Wang calculated, “You’ve only passed four levels.”

Camo Team Captain: “…Only four? Eight levels, and you’re on the leaderboard!”

Xu Wang was about to respond when someone patted his shoulder.

“Low key,” Wu Sheng advised him, whispering.

Xu Wang’s ears warmed from the wind, swallowing the boast he was about to make. Ever since he made the leaderboard once, he’d been a bit inflated, but luckily, he always had his advisor to remind him.

He had once asked Wu Sheng, “How do you stay so calm?”

The reply was, “I’m used to getting good grades.”

He held back from kicking him. Yes, that was true love.

Ignoring the Camo Team, Xu Wang turned back to his own team. “Get ready. It’s time to test our acting skills.”

Pretending to be a ghost required both acting skills (software) and a convincing appearance (hardware). Once the hardware passed, their ghost identity would be half-confirmed.

Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin nodded in agreement, immediately raising their arms, ready to use their stationery to enhance their “fierce ghost” personas.

But Wu Sheng didn’t move; instead, he looked past Xu Wang’s shoulder at the Camo Team, whispering, “They’re not here for the first time either.”

Xu Wang looked back to see the Camo Team already in “costume”. One was floating on clouds, one seemingly invisible, and another with red eyes from colored contact lenses. At first glance, they were indeed scary.

Noticing the attention, the Camo Team captain pondered for two seconds before chuckling maliciously. “You guys aren’t prepared, are you? Then you’re done for. You’ll be torn apart once you go in.”

His gloating didn’t reveal any specifics about the level, clearly not wanting to give away information to potential competitors without knowing if they had been here before.

Xu Wang sighed. “We know this level is a large-scale supernatural acting scene.”

The Camo Team captain frowned. “Then why aren’t you dressing up and focusing on us?”

Xu Wang replied, “I’ve never seen such rudimentary ghosts, so I couldn’t help but take a second look.”

Camo Team Captain: “Haha, then let’s see how exquisite you can be?”

“Click-clack-click-clack—”

A plant sprouted from the ground at Wu Sheng’s feet, breaking through the soil and pushing aside the stones, growing wildly. In an instant, it reached the same height as Wu Sheng. It was completely wooden in color, with a thick stem that bore a large, gaping mouth, emitting a creepy, subtle whistling in the night wind.

Wu Sheng extended his hand, and the plant suddenly uprooted itself, wrapping around his arm and upper body, creating a rather sharp look.

“[(Offense) Man-Catching Vine].” Wu Sheng first introduced his “costume”, then his identity. “Mountain Ghost.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a severed hand appeared above Kuang Jinxin’s head, eerily touching his hair.

“[(Offense) Whose Hand is Brushing Your Black Hair].” Kuang Jinxin proudly declared his lineage, “Severed Hand Ghost!”

Xu Wang activated his stationery, and soon, a cold breeze rose. A shadowy human figure faintly appeared behind him. It was faceless and featureless, looking just like a dark silhouette. Only when it smiled could you see a flash of white, like a gaping mouth.

“[(Offense) Ghost Behind].” Xu Wang was quite satisfied with his identity. “I’m the Ghost Behind You.”

Camo Team Members 1, 2, 3: “…”

Camo Team Captain: “Could you be a bit more responsible with your naming…?”

The word “responsible” disappeared into the sinister night wind.

Next to the Mountain Ghost, Severed Hand Ghost, and Ghost Behind You, where the tall and burly man originally stood, was now just a floating head.

“Headless Ghost!” Qian Ai declared forcefully. But after saying it, he felt something was off. It seemed like he was missing everything except for his head. In that case, shouldn’t it be called a “Headed Ghost”…

In the desolate wilderness, near the terrifying old mansion, the floating head was quite impactful, especially since it was still smiling at them.

Camo Team Members 1, 2, 3 instinctively swallowed hard, their hair standing on end.

The Camo Team captain’s voice trembled slightly. “What kind of stationery is that?”

That’s too much like a real ghost!

“Oh,” Qian Ai was not secretive. “[(Defense) Cloak of Invisibility].”

While both were using invisibility, Camo Team Member 2, who was entirely invisible, couldn’t understand. “Then why is the head still visible?!”

“It’s an invisibility cloak, not an invisibility hat,” Qian Ai said confidently.

---

The author has something to say:

A new journey begins!

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 107: Extra — Moonlight Forest (Part 2)

Deep within the Moonlight Maze, along a path, the walls were lined with secret doors. Opening any one of them allowed one to traverse through the maze’s wall and enter an adjacent path.

At the end of the neighboring path, a small whirlwind supported a sleeping girl in a black cloak. She lay peacefully on her side, sleeping soundly in her clothes, with a serene expression.

Suddenly, a slight change appeared on her calm brow. First, it furrowed lightly, then relaxed, but soon furrowed again, growing deeper.

Eventually, she opened her eyes, sat up, and looked toward the end of the straight path in confusion.

At the end of that path was a corner leading to the next path, where a strange vibration was distinctly coming from.

The girl in the black cloak blinked gently, and the wind carried her to the end of the path. She turned to see a new straight path.

The girl didn’t move further. First, she shouldn’t enter this path; second, there was nothing unusual about this path. The vibration, coming from a far distance, had likely passed through countless left and right turns before reaching her.

The vibration was faint but clear.

So clear that she could almost be sure she had never encountered such a vibration before.

“Almost”, because she was still 1% unsure of her memory.

She remembered many things. As a Pathkeeper, she was here to test those who were lost. Those who passed were allowed to proceed; those who fail must leave. These memories were orderly and stable.

But she always felt that she had forgotten many things. Her mind was filled with fragments, but these fragments had no images, only sounds. These included phrases like “I have the moonlight. That’s enough,” “This woman is too difficult to handle,” “This must be the fucking final boss,” “Outside, there is a forest”…

These voices were so vague that she couldn’t even distinguish which were her own and which were from others.

But these were just fleeting thoughts.

These small spots in her memory didn’t cause much disturbance in her calm heart.

The vibration weakened, becoming intermittent, and may soon disappear.

The girl silently closes her eyes.

Suddenly, long vines sprout from the walls of the labyrinth, and the next second, [(Illusory) All Roads Lead to Rome] was released.

The vines turned at a corner, then the path was slowly straightened, and the vines continued along the straightened maze wall, following the direction of the vibration. They turned at the next corner, and as the new path was straightened, the vines moved on…

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the maze.

Xiao Bai closed her eyes in some panic and retracted the dollhouse. Xiao Huang, trapped inside, returned to the maze path, crouching and gasping in pain.

“You’re so strange. Others are fine.”

“You’re the strange one…”

……

“Then who are you?”

“A Pathkeeper.”

“Me too.”

After a long stare, Xiao Bai spoke first with disbelief and a bit of excitement. “Where do you guard? I’ve never seen you before?”

Xiao Huang was at a loss for words. How could he describe the location where he guards?

“Far away,” was all he could ambiguously answer.

Xiao Bai wasn’t satisfied. “How far?”

Xiao Huang helplessly looked at her. “As far as your vines have wildly grown. That’s where I guard.”

Xiao Bai frowned in frustration. “I was only chasing the card and didn’t keep track of the path.”

“You didn’t keep track?” Xiao Huang was thunderstruck. “Then how do I get back?”

Xiao Bai smiled sweetly revealing her dimples. “Then don’t go back. Stay here and play with me.”

“……” Xiao Huang felt a little bit moved by this suggestion.

Rustle.

Rustle.

The familiar sound returned. Xiao Huang reflexively looked up and sure enough, dark green vines crawled over the maze wall. Remembering the fear of being bound and controlled by them, Xiao Huang, exhausted, sincerely said, “I’m already here, and I’ve given you the card. Can you withdraw the deadly vines?”

“Don’t name it randomly. It’s called ‘Coral Vine’… No wait.” Xiao Bai approached the maze wall, looking closely at the vine plant. “This isn’t my Coral Vine.”

As if sensing someone nearby, the vine suddenly stopped, lying quietly on the wall.

Xiao Huang also looked closely but couldn’t see any difference from the plant that previously “bullied” him. “Isn’t it the same?”

“Where is it the same? Look at the edges of the leaves; Coral Vine is smooth, this is serrated, and then there’s this vein of the leaf…”

Xiao Huang, still unable to see the difference, was nonetheless impressed.

So the question arose.

“If it’s not yours, then who created these vines?”

Before Xiao Huang finished speaking, the ground beneath them started to shake.

Startled, he looked at Xiao Bai, who was also baffled and surprised.

The next moment, the entire maze path begins to move slowly amidst the shaking!

Xiao Bai instinctively moved closer to Xiao Huang, and Xiao Huang, trying to be steady, did the same. The two newly acquainted companions stood shoulder to shoulder, anxious amidst the sudden change.

Finally, the maze path stopped.

But the corner ahead was gone, and the section of the path they were on had become very long, stretching beyond sight.

“What’s going on?” Xiao Bai was confused.

“The path seems… to have straightened?” Xiao Huang was also perplexed.

“Should we go?” Xiao Bai asked.

“Let’s wait and see,” Xiao Huang replied.

A breeze came from the end of the path, light and cool.

Xiao Huang’s eyes showed alertness, and he pulled Xiao Bai behind him.

Soon, a petite figure in black appears in the distance.

She rode the wind, approaching slowly, and as she got closer, the coolness in the wind became more apparent.

Finally, she stopped about three or four meters away from them, quietly observing them with an indifferent expression.

“This wanderer must be very strong,” Xiao Huang said to his friend. “You might not be able to handle her alone. I’ll help you.”

The response from behind was a sigh.

“Your brain is no better than the dolls in my room.” Xiao Bai smacked his back irritably. “After one misunderstanding, can’t you ask first?”

Then, without waiting for Xiao Huang, she stepped forward and looked at the girl in the black cloak. “Are you a wanderer?”

The girl in the cloak shook her head. “No.”

Xiao Bai then asked, “Are you a Pathkeeper?”

The girl in the cloak nodded. “Yes.”

Xiao Bai smacked Xiao Huang again, this time with pride. “See?”

Before Xiao Huang could react, he heard the girl in the cloak ask, “Who are you?”

Her voice was as light and cool as her wind.

But now, Xiao Bai and Xiao Huang found this coolness quite comforting.

They both smiled radiantly, one with a bright grin and the other standing tall and proud, and in unison they declared, “We are Pathkeepers too!”

“You are also Pathkeepers?” The girl in the black cloak showed obvious surprise in her serene eyes for the first time.

“Yes.” Xiao Huang pointed at Xiao Bai. “This is the path she guards, and my path…” He paused mid-sentence, glancing up at the distant end of the path, and corrected himself. “Well, this might not be entirely her path anymore…” He looked worriedly at the girl in the black cloak. “You didn’t straighten my path as well, did you?”

The girl in the black cloak looked back, shaking her head honestly. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Xiao Huang was unprepared for this answer. “Weren’t you the one who straightened the path?”

“Yes,” the girl in the black cloak said. “But I don’t know if your path is included.”

“Then why did you come here?” Xiao Huang was puzzled. He was drawn here by a card, but the card had not flown out again, so what drew her here?

“I felt a vibration,” the girl in the black cloak said. “A very strange vibration.”

Xiao Huang’s curiosity was piqued. “What kind of strange vibration?”

The girl in the black cloak quietly looked at him and Xiao Bai, then, as if identifying the “source of the vibration”, she didn’t answer but counter-asked, “What were you doing just now?”

Doing?

Xiao Huang looked at himself, then at Xiao Bai, and gave a particularly sincere answer. “Talking.”

Xiao Bai rolled her eyes, wanting to tie a Coral Vine around his head to see if it would knock some sense into him.

“I wanted to play a game with him.” She looked at the girl in black. “But he started acting weird as soon as he entered, so I let him out again.”

“Not right?” The girl in the black cloak tilted her head slightly.

“Yes.” Xiao Bai clearly remembered the recent event. “He seemed to be in pain, then started shouting, and the dollhouse began to shake. Is that what you felt?”

The girl in the black cloak thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know.”

Xiao Bai and Xiao Huang looked at each other, equally helpless.

With so many extraordinary events happening, they hadn’t even figured out their own cards, let alone helped others with their questions.

The three of them looked at each other, and the atmosphere suddenly fell silent.

The wind blew along the straightened maze path, reaching far into the distance.

“I’m Xiao Bai.” The lively girl in the white dress extended a friendly gesture, her curious eyes constantly glancing behind the girl in the black cloak. “How did you straighten these paths?”

“Stationery,” the girl in the black cloak answered simply.

To her, it seemed like nothing worth boasting about.

“I’m Hei Momo,” she said, before her thoughts could catch up. After speaking, even Hei Momo herself seemed startled.

“I’m Xiao Huang.” The yellow-haired young man, who loved lively scenes, welcomed the new companion with a gesture of holding his skateboard.

Right, the skateboard!

A flash of insight crossed his mind, and Xiao Huang immediately closed his eyes to sense his skateboard, causing it to move through the air.

He could even hear the sound of the skateboard sliding… whoosh—thump!

Alright, it hit a corner.

The path straightened by Hei Momo didn’t include the one he guarded.

Xiao Bai, curious as ever, hopped around Hei Momo, trying to see if she could jump onto her wind.

She failed.

As Hei Momo watched her, the indifference in her eyes softened, touched by a faint, almost imperceptible smile.

She gently lifted her hand, and a small gust of wind lifted Xiao Bai into the air.

Xiao Bai joyfully spun in the wind, nearly tumbling to the ground several times, and after enjoying herself, she suddenly remembered something and asked Hei Momo, “Have you ever thought about what the outside world is like?”

Hei Momo paused, looking at Xiao Bai with puzzled eyes. “Why do you ask this?”

Just as Xiao Bai was about to show her card, Xiao Huang on the ground already handed his over. “Xiao Bai and I both have a card like this. The question Xiao Bai asked is the question on the card.”

Hei Momo took the card, examining it carefully.

Xiao Bai found it strange. “Don’t you have a card like this?”

She had one, Xiao Huang had one, and she had thought all Pathkeepers would have one.

“No, I’ve never seen it before.” Hei Momo handed the card back to Xiao Huang, then looked at Xiao Bai. “But I know, outside, there is a forest.”

Xiao Bai: “A forest?”

Xiao Huang: “Have you been there?”

“No.” Hei Momo looked up slightly at the moonlight. “It’s just that… someone might have told me about it.”

“So, let’s play a game in the dollhouse first, and then go to the forest together, okay?” Xiao Bai eagerly extended an invitation, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Hei Momo hadn’t spoken yet when Xiao Huang interrupted, “Please, your dollhouse is deadly!”

Xiao Bai blew on hair and glared. “Then you’re dumb!”

“What does being dumb have to do with this…” Xiao Huang was wronged.

In the midst of their bickering, a door suddenly opened on the maze wall. Before they could react, the door creaked open.

Outside the door was lush vegetation, and the night was serene and clear.

Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai looked incredulously at Hei Momo, their eyes wide in the same astonished manner.

Hei Momo smiled. “Shall we go out together?”

If a wanderer passed her test and surprised her more, she would open such a door, directly sending them out of the maze. However, she had never thought to use it for herself.

Even now, she didn’t have much longing for the outside world, but she wanted to spend more time with these two.

The towering trees, the low and dense shrubs, the dew-covered grass, and the little insects hopping on the grass tips painted a beautiful and tranquil picture of a moonlit forest.

The three friends walked in it, unaware of the direction or what lay ahead, simply following their instincts. Along the way, there was constant chattering, mainly from Xiao Bai and Xiao Huang, and continuous amazement, again mostly from Xiao Bai and Xiao Huang. The shared feeling among the three friends was one of freedom and joy.

It turns out the world isn’t just maze paths but also forests, animals, soft soil, and a vast canopy of sky.

Xiao Huang was used to only smelling the scent of grass, but now, he was walking on it.

“You might as well lie down on the ground to smell it,” Xiao Bai joked, watching him walk, stop, and squat.

Xiao Huang was in good spirits, even happy to be teased. Yet, a lingering doubt that had been circling in his mind surfaced as he muttered to himself, “Strange, why isn’t it any of them?”

Hei Momo stopped and seemed to catch on, asking, “What are you looking for?”

“The scent,” Xiao Huang said as he bent down to sniff a small yellow flower in a clump of grass, only to be disappointed again. He stood up and looked at his companions. “Haven’t you smelled it? There’s been a sweet fragrance all along the way, but none of the flowers or grass I’ve smelled are the source.”

Hei Momo looked at him, almost laughing but held it back.

Xiao Bai, speechless, plucked a small, inconspicuous flower from her ear. “The scent you’ve been smelling is from this!”

Xiao Huang stared blankly at the light pink flower in her hand, finally understanding why there had been a continuous fragrance along the way.

Hei Momo couldn’t hold back any longer and chuckled.

Xiao Huang scratched his head, a bit embarrassed.

Xiao Bai sighed, opened her palm, and after a few seconds of concentration, two identical flowers appeared in her hand. She pinned one behind Hei Momo’s ear and the other behind Xiao Huang’s ear, admiring her work with satisfaction.

“This is the Nightrose Flower. Its fragrance is sweet and clear but doesn’t last long. Soon after walking a bit more, the scent will be gone,” Xiao Bai explained, mostly for Xiao Huang’s benefit since Hei Momo, who could also manipulate plants, would already know.

Touching the flower on his ear, Xiao Huang felt a bit reluctant at the thought of the scent disappearing soon.

“If you really like it, I can give you some Nightrose Flower extract,” Xiao Bai added. “You can apply the extract on anything, and the fragrance will last a very long time…”

She elongated her tone and stretched out her arms to emphasize how long.

Xiao Huang’s lips curled upwards, not only feeling the “long time” but also tasting the even sweeter scent of Nightrose Flower extract, which sweetened his heart.

As the three were about to continue walking, a sudden gust of wind blew through the forest.

The unexpected strong wind pained their cheeks, and simultaneously, a voice echoed in their minds—it’s time to go back.

This voice emerged abruptly but firmly, as if it had been slumbering there, waiting for the right time to sound the alarm.

“It’s time to go back.” Hei Momo was the first to speak, her tone light again, but no longer aloof.

Xiao Bai knew it was time to return too. There was no reason; it just felt like the right thing to do. Yet—

“I don’t want to leave.” She didn’t want to leave this forest or part ways with her companions. After guarding the maze path for so long, this was the first time she felt this way.

“Xiao Bai, can you make Nightrose Flower extract now?” Xiao Huang suddenly asked.

“Yes, but what do you need it for?” Xiao Bai asked, puzzled.

Xiao Huang looked at her and then at Hei Momo, his smile brightening, revealing his white teeth. “Let’s make a promise.”

……

Beijing Time, Owl Time, unspecified.

In the Moonlight Maze, there was no concept of time.

Hei Momo sat mid-air, looking up at the moonlight, feeling peaceful.

She had just been through a battle that was intense and exhausting, but in the end, the wanderers had failed to pass her test.

She thought she could have won more easily if not for the long journey she had taken earlier, which had drained her energy.

Huh?

Hei Momo’s beautiful brow furrowed slightly, wondering why she had such a thought.

A long journey before?

Where did this come from?

Why would she take a long journey? Where had she been? Who was with her? She had no recollection of any of it.

Under the watery moonlight, she smelled a sweet fragrance. The scent was intermittent, elusive, as if hiding somewhere, unwilling to come out.

Hei Momo looked down at the ground, at the mess of green plants and broken stones, and spotted a hint of pale pink.

With a sweep of her hand, the path was clean again, leaving only the crushed pink flower.

Hei Momo descended to the ground, picked up the flower, and placed it in her palm, gently blowing away the dirt.

A Nightrose Flower, a small flower with a sweet scent. Hei Momo recognized it.

But…

Hei Momo brought the flower closer and sniffed it carefully. Indeed, the flower had lost its scent. However, the fragrance that lingered around her hadn’t disappeared. It was still faint, shy, as if hiding somewhere and didn’t want to come out.

“It’s not you, so who could it be?” Hei Momo whispered to the flower as if it could understand.

The flower lay quietly in her palm, offering no response.

Hei Momo thought to discard the flower, but the moment she moved to do so, her heart was struck by a pang of reluctance.

She paused, stayed silent for a moment, and then placed the flower in a secret pocket of her cloak.

But the next second, something pricked her fingertip in the pocket.

Hei Momo was startled, pulling out the object that pricked her—a half-torn card. The slightly stiff corner of the card had jabbed her.

The sweet fragrance suddenly became more intense, almost overwhelming.

Hei Momo widened her eyes, brought the card close to her nose, and sniffed. Yes, it was the scent on the card!

Curiously, she lifted the card in the moonlight, reading the words on it—

1. Why are you
2. Is this your
3. Have you ever thought about

The tear was so clean that only the first half of each sentence remained.

Hei Momo felt inexplicably downcast, but suddenly, she lifted the card higher, and the moonlight illuminated the words on the back.

She quickly flipped the card over. Compared to the neat writing on the front, the back was almost illegibly messy. It was written with Nightrose Flower extract, crowded and varying in size, almost tumbling over each other. She had to look closely to distinguish them—

Hei Momo, Xiao Huang, Xiao Bai, promise, when the wanderers disappear, to go to the forest again together. Hei Momo and Xiao Huang don’t move; Xiao Bai’s Coral Vine will follow the scent of Nightrose Flower extract and find you.

Rustle.

Rustle.

Hei Momo looked up, seeing the Coral Vine already crawling around the corner at the end of the path, heading towards her, full of life and vigor.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

This marks the end of volume two. I always enjoy these extras at the end of each volume revolving around the cast in the instances.

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 106: Extra — Moonlight Forest (Part 1)

The Moonlight Forest never saw daylight.

The plants thrived on moonlight, dew, and gentle breezes, growing lush branches and broad leaves that crowded together to provide cover, making the place even more secluded and tranquil.

Deep in the forest lay a massive stone maze.

Within the intricate maze, on a seemingly unremarkable straight path, a young man in yellow rode a skateboard back and forth. He was fast, but the path was short, so he never fully picked up speed before reaching the end and turning the corner. Thus, he had to volley, turn in mid-air, and land gracefully before skating back the way he came.

Why insist on this particular path, unable to take a turn and continue forward? Such a question never crossed Xiao Huang’s mind.

Tired from skating, Xiao Huang sat down to rest by the maze wall, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell with each breath, but his heart was calm.

He could hear the dewdrops and smell the grass, which comforted him.

“O wanderer, why haven’t you appeared yet…” He sighed, gazing at the moon. If there was one imperfection in this perfect moment, it was this.

His task was to test those who lost their way. He would guide those who passed and send away those who didn’t.

This was his favorite thing to do, even more than skateboarding.

But when would the wanderers come? He didn’t know.

He only knew that they would eventually arrive.

At this moment, it was Beijing time, but Xiao Huang was unaware.

There was no concept of time in the Moonlight Maze.

Unintentionally, he noticed something on the ground in the distance.

Xiao Huang naturally got up, walked over, and bent down to pick it up.

A small card, covered in densely packed words.

Frowning, Xiao Huang murmured, “One, why are you here… Two, is being here your job… or your mission? Three, have you ever thought about what the outside world is like…”

Xiao Huang had no desire to explore these questions. Instead, he was more curious about the card’s origin.

The area he guarded shouldn’t contain such an object.

But ultimately, he couldn’t figure out why it was there.

“What the hell?” Xiao Huang quickly gave up and casually put the card in his pocket.

The next second, he froze. His hand, still in his pocket, frantically felt around before pulling the card out again.

There were two cards.

He actually had a card in his pocket too!

Xiao Huang held the two cards side by side, comparing them in the moonlight—front, back, and sides. After much scrutiny, he confirmed they were identical.

“Damn, really…”

Chills ran down his spine as he vaguely recalled scenes from horror movies. He couldn’t remember where he had seen them, but he knew one thing for sure—he was afraid of ghosts!

A card appeared out of nowhere, and there was an identical one in his pocket with strange questions on both. This was like the beginning of a horror movie!

Rustle.

Rustle.

Weird noises reached his ears, like insects scurrying or… ghosts floating.

Great, now the sound effects were in place.

Xiao Huang felt like crying. Summoning all his courage, he finally turned his head slightly to the side.

Several thick vines were crawling along the maze wall.

They seemed to have grown wildly from around the corner, invading the path, and now they had reached his location.

Xiao Huang wasn’t scared of plants, even ones that looked monstrous, so his fear lessened, replaced by a hint of excitement.

Cards, vines—was this a wanderer using stationery to scout ahead for a “pre-battle probe”?

As he thought this, the vines, as if sensing something, suddenly lifted their ends from the maze wall and struck at Xiao Huang with ferocity!

Xiao Huang was startled and instinctively backed away!

The vine missed its target but didn’t retract. Instead, it swayed from side to side as if searching for something. The next moment, it locked onto Xiao Huang again and lunged at him at high speed!

“Think I’m scared of you?!” Xiao Huang, now annoyed, stuffed the card back into his pocket and grabbed the vine, pulling it forcefully. Once he had the vine tightly wrapped around his arm, he yanked it back!

If the vine was rooted in the ground, he would uproot it; if it was connected to a wanderer, he wanted to drag them into view!

This thought made him pull even harder.

The vine fought back just as fiercely.

In the midst of the struggle, Xiao Huang didn’t notice another vine creeping quietly along the bottom of the opposite wall.

It was only when the vine at his feet suddenly leaped up and wrapped tightly around his waist that Xiao Huang realized what was happening.

He felt a lightness in his body as the vine lifted him off the ground!

As the world spun around him, the vine began retracting rapidly, snapping back like a released elastic band and whisking Xiao Huang around the corner, down the next path, then another corner, and another path!

“Let go—cough, cough, cough—of me—” Xiao Huang roared in anger, but the speed of the vine’s retraction was so fast that he inhaled a mouthful of wind as soon as he opened his mouth. Soon, his throat was filled with wind, rendering him voiceless.

But he couldn’t leave his path!

Everything happened so quickly and strangely that it wasn’t until this moment that he thought of using stationery. Just as he chose a weapon that could turn the wind into a blade, but before he could use it, the vines suddenly stopped. They loosened, and he fell to the ground with a thud, landing solidly.

In the midst of confusion, he heard a lively and crisp voice. “Why are you on my vines?”

Lively as it was, crisp as it was, it was full of disdain.

Xiao Huang looked up in the direction of the voice and saw a girl in a white princess dress sitting on the leaf of a tall plant. Her face was delicately beautiful, with rosy cheeks and bright teeth, especially her pair of black eyes, which were bright and spirited.

Xiao Huang’s heart skipped a beat. He forgot to stand up and, still sitting on the ground, asked blankly, “Miss, what is your name?”

“I asked you first.” The girl frowned unhappily.

“Xiao Huang,” the young man sitting on the ground, reported his name almost at the speed of light.

“Who asked for your name?” The girl was baffled. “I asked why you were on my vines!”

“Oh.” Xiao Huang finally came to his senses and stuttered, “It was the vines that pulled me here.”

The anger he had been brewing along the way had vanished. Now Xiao Huang was completely defenseless, his heart filled only with love and peace.

“How could that be!” The girl flatly denied it. “I sent the vines to chase something blown away by the wind. How could they have pulled you here?”

Xiao Huang was stunned. After a while, he took out two cards from his pocket. “Are you chasing these?”

The leaf holding the girl suddenly drooped down, and the girl slid lightly, landing in front of Xiao Huang. She snatched the two cards, looked at them left and right, and said in confusion, “Why are there two now?”

“One of them is mine,” Xiao Huang explained.

The girl looked at him suspiciously. “Why do you have one?”

Xiao Huang sighed. “I want to know too.”

The girl was surprised. “You don’t know either?”

“……” Xiao Huang always felt that their conversation was strange. Who knows? Who doesn’t know? Or does nobody know? Why is it so confusing…

“Let’s not worry about this for now.” The girl kept one card and handed the other back to Xiao Huang. She jumped back, sat on the leaf, and rose into the air. “Let’s start.”

Xiao Huang hesitated, not moving. For the first time, he had the thought of not wanting to confront a wanderer.

He hadn’t even asked her name yet!

In a whirl of thoughts, he subconsciously looked around and suddenly realized that this wasn’t the place he was supposed to guard!

Finally, he had a legitimate reason not to fight, which made Xiao Huang overjoyed. He immediately looked up, wanting to make peace, but suddenly noticed that the girl had an umbrella in her hand.

The umbrella was cute and retro, making the girl look even more like a doll.

Xiao Huang couldn’t help but say, “You are so cute.”

The girl blinked her eyes, her cheeks becoming even more rosy. She wasn’t shy, but looked at him openly and asked, “Really?”

Xiao Huang nodded vigorously and very sincerely. “Really.”

The girl smiled happily, her eyes curving like crescents. “My name is Xiao Bai.”

Xiao Huang was lost in her smile. “Well, actually, I have a skateboard,” he said awkwardly, organizing his words. “It’s in my path, and it’s really fun to ride. You can use your vines to send me back, and I’ll bring it to teach you…”

“No need to fight.” The girl on the leaf apparently didn’t listen to him at all. After being happy, she issued an invitation. “Xiao Bai is in a good mood. Let’s play a game!”

Xiao Huang was stunned. “Huh?”

Just as he voiced his question, a bright light flashed in his vision. Xiao Huang instinctively closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was in a strange bedroom filled with dolls.

A doll, just like Xiao Bai, was pleasing to the eye.

Surrounded by dolls, Xiao Huang felt like he was suffocating.

No, that’s not right. Xiao Huang touched his throat, feeling it getting tighter… He was really suffocating!

His vision gradually blurred, and Xiao Huang crouched down in pain, his head starting to throb, and sweat beads formed on his forehead.

He had a strong feeling that this was not where he was supposed to be! Just like a fish can’t live on land, and a bird can’t sink in water!

“Welcome… to… Xiao Bai’s… room…”

Vaguely, he heard Xiao Bai’s voice, but it was distant and unclear, almost shattered to his ears.

Xiao Huang gasped for breath, but it was not enough to ease the suffocation in his chest…

“Xiao… Huang…?”

Xiao Bai seemed to notice something was wrong; her distant voice became puzzled.

“Let me… out…” Xiao Huang used all his strength to squeeze out these words, but his voice was pitifully weak.

His chest felt like it was going to explode, and his head ached unbearably. Xiao Huang hugged his head and screamed, “Ahhh—”

The dollhouse shook violently, and the dolls started falling down!

Xiao Bai was startled. Not only did she see Xiao Huang’s abnormality and the shaking of the dollhouse, but she also felt a strong, unprecedented power assaulting her body, her heart, her brain!

When she communicated with her plants, she felt similar vibrations.

But those were very weak, like a low conversation between two people, while now, she clearly felt Xiao Huang’s chaos and pain. She even heard him shouting in her brain—let me out!

Xiao Bai closed her eyes briefly, and the dollhouse disappeared in an instant!

Xiao Huang crouched on the ground, gasping for breath. The pain had gone, but the damage done needed time to heal.

Xiao Bai felt a little guilty. She chose to play a game with him because she didn’t want to hurt him, but how did it turn out like this?

“You are so strange.” Xiao Bai felt a bit guilty and puzzled. She slid down the green leaf, silently came beside him, and crouched down, murmuring softly, “Others were fine.”

Xiao Huang turned to look at her with difficulty, saying aggrievedly, “You are the strange one. Other wanderers use stationery, but you use dolls…”

Xiao Bai tilted her head in confusion, correcting, “I’m not a wanderer.”

Xiao Huang was taken aback. “Huh?”

Xiao Bai pouted unhappily. The game wasn’t played, and she couldn’t use her dollhouse. It was a bad day.

She stood up, retreated two steps angrily, and without getting on the leaf, she declared war on Xiao Huang face to face. “You’ve lost the right to play games. If you want me to show you the way, come at me!”

Xiao Huang was confused. “Why do I need you to show me the way?”

Xiao Bai glared at him. This was the first time she met someone so hard to talk to. “You are a wanderer. Aren’t you supposed to find your way?”

Xiao Huang shook his head. “I’m not a wanderer either.”

Xiao Bai’s mind went blank. After a long while, she asked, “Then who are you?”

Xiao Huang stood up. “A Pathkeeper.”

Xiao Bai said blankly, “I am too.”

They looked at each other in silence, with surprise, shock, and a little bit of happiness.

They had always thought they were the only guardians of this place, never knowing there was another.

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 105: Leaderboard

It was late, and Chi Zhuolin had already arranged everything clearly for his younger brother and his teammates. He didn’t really plan to stay for a family chat and, after giving Chi Yingxue a few more instructions, said goodbye to everyone.

Xu Wang escorted him out.

The hallway was quiet, and their footsteps were almost inaudible on the soft carpet.

Polite expressions of gratitude and the unnecessary had already been exchanged in the room. Now, between a team captain and a brother, the conversation naturally revolved around only one topic.

Chi Zhuolin spoke first. He knew Xu Wang was the team captain from the dinner conversation and directly addressed him as such. “Captain Xu, my brother has always been a handful. Please take good care of him during your travels.”

Xu Wang understood what he meant without Chi Zhuolin having to say it. The dinner and accommodations weren’t for his brother but for their mysterious travel group. As the team captain, he felt obliged to reassure Chi Zhuolin. “We enjoy spending time and playing together. If anything, it’s him who has elevated our group’s attractiveness and economic level.”

A compliment for both brothers and an acknowledgment of the hospitality they had received.

Chi Zhuolin understood and, with a smile in his voice, seemed reassured. “I was a bit worried during dinner, but now, seeing how reliable Captain Xu is, I’m completely at ease.”

“……” Xu Wang decided to ask Qian Ai later what had happened during dinner that made Chi Zhuolin feel so insecure.

By the time they reached the elevator, their conversation had ended.

The elevator was descending, and they had to wait for it to return to the top floor.

But Xu Wang couldn’t wait.

He wasn’t waiting for the elevator, but for a signal from Chi Zhuolin. All the way, he had been waiting for a word, a phrase, or even a glance that would let him know, “We can talk about Chi Yingxue’s real problem now.”

But there were none.

Chi Zhuolin, like a master hiding his skills, remained unmoved until his opponent made a move.

Considering it, Xu Wang could understand, as Chi Zhuolin didn’t know how much they knew about Chi Yingxue’s split personality.

The elevator was coming back up.

Xu Wang took the initiative, slightly pondering before speaking. “I don’t know if Xiao Xue has told you, but we haven’t been traveling together for long. Before, he was playing with other travel groups.”

Chi Zhuolin’s expression didn’t change much. “I heard about it during dinner.”

Xu Wang nodded, continuing, “We get along well with Xiao Xue, but…”

He stopped, as if hesitant, and looked at Chi Zhuolin.

Chi Zhuolin slightly turned his head, finally meeting his gaze, signaling, “Continue, I’m listening.”

“It’s just… sometimes his personality seems quite contradictory.” Xu Wang laughed, like a teacher discussing a student’s behavior with a parent, careful with his words. “We’re not sure which one is the real him.”

Chi Zhuolin, unaware of their level of information, and similarly, Xu Wang couldn’t be sure if Chi Zhuolin knew about Chi Yingxue’s split personality. Thus, the release of information was tactfully handled.

The elevator returned to the top floor, and the doors opened.

Chi Zhuolin didn’t move.

He continued looking at Xu Wang, changing from “silent observation” to a clear and concise response. “This one is my brother.”

Xu Wang asked, “And the other one?”

A barely noticeable coldness appeared in Chi Zhuolin’s eyes. “Yan Wang.”

The elevator doors closed and descended again.

As Xu Wang had expected, once an unspoken understanding was reached, communication was swift and efficient.

One thing he hadn’t anticipated was Chi Zhuolin’s almost emotionless tone when mentioning Yan Wang.

As if seeing through Xu Wang’s thoughts, Chi Zhuolin candidly said, “For you, it might not matter who you’re interacting with, but for me, that person is just a stranger occupying my brother’s body.”

Xu Wang didn’t know what to say and remained silent.

Strictly speaking, this was an internal issue of the Chi family, a classic example of a domestic dispute difficult for an outsider to resolve.

“Since we’ve come to this, there’s something I might need your help with.” Chi Zhuolin’s coldness dissipated, returning to politeness.

Xu Wang silently waited for him to continue.

Chi Zhuolin spoke seriously. “If Yan Wang continues to appear for more than a month, contact me,” he paused, then added, “Qian Laodi* has my number.”

*It’s a term that combines lao + di (younger brother) used to address a man that’s younger to oneself in a friendly manner, often used to show familiarity or closeness.

Xu Wang no longer had the energy to wonder why his teammate was now Chi Zhuolin’s “Qian Laodi”. His mind was occupied with what Chi Zhuolin would do if that situation arose.

“If you don’t go back now, my brother might not be able to resist coming out to see what’s going on,” Chi Zhuolin joked, pressing the elevator button again.

The earlier heaviness was gone.

The topic ended there.

As the elevator doors opened a second time, Chi Zhuolin stepped in, turned around, and nodded slightly at Xu Wang.

Xu Wang smiled back, but until the elevator closed and began descending, he wasn’t sure if he had actually managed to smile.

He just wanted to confirm the identities of the two Chi Yingxues, but now he felt like he had stepped into a deep pit…

Returning to the presidential suite, Xu Wang shook his head, putting on a cheerful team captain’s smile before knocking on the door.

The door opened instantly, almost at the speed of light.

Wu Sheng, who was about to come out and check, greeted him. “Why did it take so long?”

Xu Wang sighed as he entered. “Just discussing life.”

Wu Sheng’s brows furrowed. “Isn’t that something you should discuss with me?”

Xu Wang, already weighed down by his thoughts, found the atmosphere lightened by his advisor’s comment, laughing and responding, “Okay, I’ll just play along with them next time.”

“That can be avoided too. Leave the socializing to Qian Ai.” Wu Sheng pointed to Qian Ai nearby. “He was very successful at dinner tonight and has already established a long-term communication channel with Chi Zhuolin.”

Xu Wang followed his gaze and saw Qian Ai busy with a business card and phone.

“What’s he doing?” Xu Wang asked, puzzled.

Wu Sheng replied, “Searching for Chi Zhuolin’s company to see its scale.”

Xu Wang wondered. “Why not just ask Xiao Xue directly?”

Wu Sheng shook his head. “He said that would be too direct and make him seem materialistic.”

Xu Wang remarked, “You could leave out the word ‘seem’.”

Qian Ai looked up, annoyed. “How many times have I said, talk about people behind their backs; it’s basic social etiquette.”

Xu Wang laughed, looking around and asking, “Where’s Xiao Kuang?”

Qian Ai gestured towards the kitchen. “Making tea.”

Feeling tired from the evening’s events, Xu Wang soon felt his eyelids getting heavy as he sat on the couch.

Fortunately, Kuang Jinxin brought out fragrant tea just in time.

Each of the four friends held a cup. Xu Wang called Chi Yingxue over to join them. At first, Chi Yingxue ignored the invitation, but unable to resist the persistent calling, he finally left the balcony to rejoin the group.

Thankfully, the tea was fragrant enough to slightly dissipate his annoyance.

Just after taking a few sips of tea, Xu Wang said, “It seems we haven’t officially welcomed you to the team yet.”

“……” Chi Yingxue remained silent, suddenly realizing that this was a critical moment.

Xu Wang was straightforward. “The one who was with us before was Yan Wang.”

This statement was both an explanation to Chi Yingxue and a clarification to the other three teammates.

As expected, Qian Ai, Wu Sheng, and even Kuang Jinxin were momentarily stunned.

No matter how much they had speculated, it was just speculation. They had never, like Xu Wang, distinctly identified the two different personalities.

Chi Yingxue raised his eyebrows slightly, waiting for what would come next.

Xu Wang looked at him firmly. “Regardless of what happened before, from now on, we are a team.” He brought his teacup over, lightly touching it against Chi Yingxue’s. “Let’s pretend this tea is wine and drink as a toast to our new team member.”

Chi Yingxue was taken aback. He thought that after drinking the tea, there would be a critical evaluation, especially after the unpleasant events at the amusement park. But it was just a simple welcome?

Wu Sheng wasn’t letting it go so easily. “You shot him in the arm with an arrow at the amusement park. I reserve the right to prosecute for that.”

“You used [Don’t Lie To Me] on me,” Chi Yingxue reminded him.

Wu Sheng shook his head. “The harm isn’t equivalent. You still owe me half an arrow.”

Chi Yingxue: “……”

Xu Wang held his forehead, not wanting to join the discussion.

Qian Ai was amazed. Is there a formula for calculating this?

Kuang Jinxin, watching Chi Yingxue’s confused face, couldn’t help but want to laugh and quickly took a sip of tea to hide it.

The “welcome” was simple and ended just as simply. After a few words, Xu Wang could tell that Chi Yingxue was mostly aware of their interactions with Yan Wang. In other words, Chi Yingxue was “online” during most of their time with Yan Wang, which saved a lot of explanations.

Even the team’s tactical system didn’t need redeployment because, despite the many differences between Chi Yingxue and Yan Wang, their attitudes towards team tactics were surprisingly in sync—they both preferred to work solo, with as little collaboration as possible.

Yan Wang’s approach was: “I get carried away in battle and can’t pay attention to much else.”

Chi Yingxue’s was: “Tsk, collaboration is such a hassle.”

Though Xu Wang thought there was still room for negotiation about teamwork with Chi Yingxue, he felt that letting him be might yield better results. And if there was a sudden personality switch, it wouldn’t disrupt their tactics.

Thinking about this inevitably led him to consider Yan Wang.

Unlike Chi Yingxue, Yan Wang wouldn’t remember what happened during his absence. When he returned next time, catching up on the backstory was one thing, but Xu Wang worried about his mindset.

The desire for “recognition” was almost invisible in Chi Yingxue, but it was a rooted trait in Yan Wang’s personality. They had accepted both Chi Yingxue and Yan Wang and knew their so-called “primary and secondary personalities” were a lie. This surely wasn’t the situation Yan Wang hoped for.

How would he face them?

As the team captain, how would Xu Wang stabilize the team’s morale?

Xu Wang leaned back onto the sofa, gazing out at the night sky, and sighed deeply.

Other teams had five members; they had the advantage of six, but with every advantage came a price… It was tiring!

There was only half an hour left until midnight.

The tea had gone cold, and the casual tea party ended naturally amidst yawns.

The latter half of the gathering mainly discussed the upcoming levels and badges to collect. Chi Yingxue also provided a lot of information about 8/23.

The teammates decided to take a quick nap in the last half hour. Qian Ai, too lazy to go to the bedroom, occupied the long sofa. Wu Sheng and Xu Wang went to the master bedroom, and Chi Yingxue, initially heading to the guest room, saw Kuang Jinxin tidying up the tea table and decided to follow him into the kitchen.

Kuang Jinxin had just put down the tea tray and turned around to see Chi Yingxue standing at the kitchen doorway.

“What’s up?” Kuang Jinxin asked, assuming there was something important.

Chi Yingxue, however, was there to clear his name. “It was him who lied to you.”

Kuang Jinxin couldn’t help but laugh. It had been an hour, and Chi Yingxue was still insisting on clarifying. “The captain already said you’re Chi Yingxue. I know.”

Chi Yingxue tilted his head. There were strong emotions in his eyes—just pure curiosity. “Aren’t you angry?”

“And you?” Kuang Jinxin didn’t answer, instead asking, “Are you angry that he said he’s the real Chi Yingxue?”

Chi Yingxue paused, seemingly considering this for the first time. He blinked and quietly assessed his feelings…

“It’s okay,” he said lightly. “I guess I’m used to it.”

“I’m okay too,” Kuang Jinxin sincerely replied. “Lying is wrong, but I think I understand why he lied.”

Chi Yingxue smiled, his eyes and brows relaxing in a moment of clarity like moonlight. “He wants to replace me.”

Kuang Jinxin didn’t deny it but put it another way. “He’s afraid of disappearing.”

A visible action.

An invisible reason.

Chi Yingxue fell silent, looking at Kuang Jinxin for a long time before gently touching his lips. “Can I kiss you again?”

The request was gentle, but before he finished speaking, his body was already moving closer.

However, halfway there, his finger was bitten.

Kuang Jinxin’s bite wasn’t light, strong enough to leave teeth marks.

Chi Yingxue immediately frowned, and his advancing body stopped.

Kuang Jinxin loosened his bite.

Chi Yingxue decisively retracted his hand.

“You really are afraid of pain.” Kuang Jinxin observed. “Not everything Yan Wang said was a lie.”

Chi Yingxue paused, seemingly realizing something, and laughed lightly. “Missing him?”

His tone was slightly teasing, seemingly amusing, but with a hint of detachment and coldness.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed to admit it.” He stepped back half a step, leaning casually against the door frame. “In every team I’ve been in, they’ve always liked him more.”

“Do you like sweets?” Kuang Jinxin suddenly asked.

Chi Yingxue’s mind flashed with unpleasant memories. “Your [Candy House]? No thanks.”

Kuang Jinxin was referring to something else, but upon hearing that, he couldn’t help but smile, admitting, “That stationery was mine.”

Chi Yingxue finally found the source of the lie, giving a harsh review. “It was disgusting—not even a fraction as good as it looked.”

The emphasis on “disgusting” told Kuang Jinxin that he was indeed upset.

But anyone who had tried the candy house and claimed not to like sweets, he wouldn’t believe.

Liking it was all that mattered.

“Do you remember the [(Offense) Romantic Afternoon Tea] stationery used by Yan Wang?” Kuang Jinxin asked.

“Yes,” Chi Yingxue responded indifferently, but in reality, he remembered it all too well. When he saw the stationery’s effect, with cakes falling from the sky and splattering on the ground, his heart bled.

“This is one of the reward stationeries I got for my submission of 7/23.” Kuang Jinxin smiled brightly. “Tonight, I’m treating you to something so sweet it’ll cure your sadness.”

Chi Yingxue was initially startled, then a small flame kindled in his eyes, carefully shaped like doughnuts.

Kuang Jinxin’s slight pang of pity finally dissipated.

This person was meant to sit on the mast as a sharpshooter, to leisurely observe battles from a merry-go-round, to sneakily eat from the candy house during intense battles—he just wasn’t suited for showing weakness. Even a subconscious hint of “I know I’m not as likable as Yan Wang” made one want to pat his head and give him another piece of cake.

……

In the “Owl”, Beijing time, every checkpoint and each Endless Sea simultaneously sounded a notification.

[Report Card]: [Leaderboard] This week’s rewards have been distributed.

[Report Card]: [Leaderboard] is now open. Please check it as soon as possible.

[Leaderboard]

Top 1 – Fan Peiyang, Teng Ziyan, Wan Fengmang, Zhang Qian, Zheng Luozhu, Fang Jin, Fei Fan, Li Deng, Shao Jingyi, Yin Hengjia, Fu Wenqing, He Lanchan, Qin Rui, Wu Yanchao, Zhao Muchen, Guo Feng, He Fang, Luo Yibei, Ren Siming, Wei Yuan, Chi Yingxue, Kuang Jinxin, Qian Ai, Wu Sheng, Xu Wang, Xue Yuan.

“Captain, we made it to the leaderboard!” Kuang Jinxin, who checked the notification the fastest, exclaimed in surprise.

Xu Wang, initially expecting to see the same familiar faces on the leaderboard and thus acting leisurely, perked up upon hearing this. His spirits lifted, and he rapidly accessed the leaderboard and then checked the rewards, his fatigue instantly vanishing!

Indeed, the leaderboard was mostly occupied by familiar faces. However, with their less-than-stellar performance in 7/23, they managed to secure the last spot!

There was an extra red “3” that appeared in their [Stationery Box], indicating that the reward stationery had arrived.

Just as Xu Wang was about to see which three items of stationery they had received, suddenly five treasure chests fell down in front of everyone!

In addition to stationery rewards, they also received treasure chests?

Qian Ai’s eyes lit up. These chests seemed to reek of monetary corruption; let him be the first to be corrupted!

Seconds later, Qian Ai opened his chest.

Then, the rest of the teammates peacefully divided the remaining chests.

Their loot was as follows—

Xu Wang: 20,000 yuan.

Kuang Jinxin: 28,888 yuan.

Chi Yingxue: 20,000 yuan.

Wu Sheng: 18,888 yuan.

Qian Ai: 8,888 yuan + [(Illusory) Quit While You’re Ahead*].

*It’s an idiom referring to one should stop doing something that has already been accomplished before something bad happens.

……

4/23 Moonlight Maze.

Su Mingzhan extended his arm towards Yue Shuai, pointing at the fifth name on the leaderboard, and asked, “Captain, do these names seem both familiar and unfamiliar to you?”

“Of course they’re familiar.” Yue Shuai looked at his teammate inexplicably. “What do you mean by unfamiliar?”

Su Mingzhan sighed deeply. “We once brushed past each other, but now, the distance is growing further. I thought we should have forgotten each other by now.”

Yue Shuai: “……”

Wei Tianhang: “You’re far behind, captain. Shouldn’t you reflect on this?”

Yue Shuai: “Those who flirt with NPCs have no right to speak!”

Wei Tianhang: “I just complimented her for being beautiful. Who knew she would go berserk!”

Tao Anan: “Whether it’s a compliment or flirting depends on the face.”

Wei Tianhang: “……”

……

“Boss, there’s a new team on the leaderboard.” Zheng Luozhu showed the leaderboard to Fan Peiyang with an interest in sharing gossip. The boss, of course, didn’t need to get his hands dirty with such matters.

However, even when presented right in front of him, Fan Peiyang didn’t glance at it, asking Zheng Luozhu instead, “How are the preparations going?”

Zheng Luozhu put down his arm, seriously replying, “Don’t worry. Everything is ready. This time we will definitely turn in our 13/23 papers.”

Fan Peiyang responded indifferently, “If we fail again, I will replace everyone. All of you.”

His tone was calm, but his gaze was heavy.

Zheng Luozhu became serious. “Understood.”

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 104: Concentration

When Xu Wang finally calmed down from his roller-coaster emotions, he couldn’t quite remember all the unfair demands he had made on Wu Sheng. He only remembered that Wu Sheng was unusually agreeable, responding with “Okay,” “Fine,” and “I’ll listen to you.”

“Don’t you have some principles…” Xu Wang was feeling bubbles of happiness inside, even as he criticized himself, feeling like a bad person.

Wu Sheng looked at him with tender eyes and responded with a gentle voice, “Principles? Sure. The 2nd, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 9th clauses you mentioned all have the potential of being overbearing.”

Xu Wang: “…You better not have any principles then.”

Wu Sheng, suppressing laughter in his voice, repeated his most familiar line of the night. “Okay, I’ll listen to you.”

Xu Wang decided to quit while he was ahead, fearing that if he overstepped, it might invite a counterattack and lose the “initiative in love”—especially if Wu Sheng really started flirting with him, he might not be able to resist.

Checking the time, it was already almost nine o’clock.

“I wonder if Qian Ai and the others have finished dinner,” Xu Wang muttered to himself.

Wu Sheng asked, “Are you hungry?”

“No,” Xu Wang said. “It’s just that since it’s Chi Yingxue’s brother, if we can still make it, we should at least show our faces.”

“Then let’s call and ask.” When it came to social matters, Wu Sheng always followed the captain.

Xu Wang called, and after a while, Qian Ai answered.

Before Xu Wang could speak, Qian Ai asked first, “Have you guys finished your business?”

“……” What a way to phrase it! Xu Wang awkwardly cleared his throat and skipped the question. “Have you guys finished eating?”

“We just finished. It was a grand feast. Too bad you two missed it.” Qian Ai’s prolonged reminiscence was palpable even through the phone.

Xu Wang couldn’t laugh or cry. “Where are you now?”

“In the car,” Qian Ai said. “You missed dinner, but you can still join to book a room.”

“Book a room?!” Xu Wang’s voice suddenly rose. What kind of activities were Qian Ai, Chi Yingxue, Kuang Jinxin, and Chi Zhuolin that required such a thing?!

“You’re all romantic now, so I won’t blame you for having your head full of mosaics,” Qian Ai joked, rubbing his itchy ears generously. “President Chi gave us a luxurious presidential suite and said that as long as we’re in Beijing, we should stay there.”

“President Chi?” Xu Wang was unfamiliar with the title.

There seemed to be a pause on the other end before a more polite tone came through. “Chi Yingxue’s brother.”

Xu Wang understood. They were in the same car as Chi Zhuolin. Otherwise, Qian Ai would have casually referred to him as Chi Yingxue’s brother.

“You’re about to move out, right? Just pack up and come over. There are still three hours until midnight. I’ll send you the address.”

“……” A presidential suite falling from the sky left Xu Wang a bit dazed, feeling like his happiness quota was seriously exceeded for the night. But then he remembered Chi Yingxue preparing to pay a “transfer sponsorship fee” of 100,000 yuan in the castle basement and thought his brother securing a permanent presidential suite was quite in line with the sibling theme.

Thinking Xu Wang’s silence was hesitation, Qian Ai further persuaded. “Come over. An old classmate is waiting for you two to explain your youth.”

Xu Wang: “……”

After hanging up, Xu Wang looked at Wu Sheng.

Wu Sheng had heard the entire conversation on speaker.

“What should we do?” The heat of romance cooled, leading to shivering contemplation of life.

“Just tell the truth.” Wu Sheng shrugged, his lips curling up confidently. “They’ll figure it out even if we don’t say anything.”

Xu Wang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, finding Wu Sheng’s words painfully reasonable.

Besides their own situation, there was another person they couldn’t ignore…

“Chi Yingxue’s brother.” Xu Wang looked into his advisor’s eyes, emphasizing, “We need to catch him.”

“……” Wu Sheng wanted to travel to the other end of the phone and format Chi Zhuolin, who was showing off his wealth. “The more you want to catch something, the easier it is to lose it,” he advised Xu Wang. “You should choose something you don’t want to catch as much.”

Xu Wang smiled and tilted his head, asking teasingly, “Like a certain classmate surnamed Wu?”

Wu Sheng didn’t answer but instead reached into his pocket and took out a bank card, placing it in Xu Wang’s palm.

Xu Wang was stunned. “What’s this?”

“Four million,” Wu Sheng said. “Let’s put it in the public wallet.”

Xu Wang was shocked. “Did you rob a bank?”

Wu Sheng laughed. “I withdrew my shares from the company.”

“Wait a minute…” Xu Wang was struggling to keep up.

Wu Sheng shrugged. “I was planning to tell you when I got back, but then you brought up the letters.”

Xu Wang stared at him with wide eyes. It was his fault for bringing up the letters wrongly?!

“Of course, it was a good thing.” Wu Sheng, sensing trouble, quickly shifted gears without concern for smoothness. “So I put off telling you about the share withdrawal.”

“You were supposed to solve a client’s issue, right? Or did you solve the client?” Otherwise, Xu Wang couldn’t fathom why he’d withdraw shares when the company was thriving.

Wu Sheng held Xu Wang’s hand, pulling him closer and patiently explaining, “The small problem with the client became a big one because I held the project core, and everyone was waiting for me to return…”

“But what if the company called while I was in the Owl? What if I missed it? Maybe in one night, this unresolved situation could cause irreparable damage to the company.” Wu Sheng shook his head. “I can’t be running around everywhere, and the partners and employees shouldn’t have to accommodate me.”

Xu Wang then noticed the fatigue and dark circles under Wu Sheng’s eyes.

Two days in Hebei, plus the previous challenges and flying back to Beijing—had he not slept for three days?

“Did the partners ask you to withdraw?”

“No, I chose to.”

“But your dream is in IT. You worked hard to start this business…”

“My dream is you.”

Xu Wang was speechless and just stared at Wu Sheng. For the first time, he experienced what they call a “heart-stopping moment”.

After a long, silent stare, Xu Wang couldn’t find any flaws in Wu Sheng’s expression, but a mix of sweetness, sourness, and grievance surfaced in his initial feelings.

“Don’t just say what sounds nice,” he muttered, finally admitting a reality he didn’t want to acknowledge. “Without the ‘Owl’, we would never have met again.”

“We would have,” Wu Sheng said calmly, yet with certainty.

Xu Wang looked at him, puzzled.

Wu Sheng lowered his voice. “I came back to China to find you.”

Xu Wang was stunned, instinctively accusing, “You didn’t even try to find me!”

If Wu Sheng had tried, would they have had to reunite in the ‘Owl’?

Wu Sheng swallowed, slightly lacking confidence. “Because I didn’t have enough money to support you. I thought of earning some first, then looking for you. Besides, several classmates said you were in Beijing, so you wouldn’t be far…”

“……” Four hundred million in shares, but no money to support him? Was he trying for a multi-billion-dollar courtyard house on Chang’an Street?!

“Just keep the card,” Wu Sheng said, deciding not to beat around the bush. “A badge handbook alone costs two hundred thousand, and who knows how much more we’ll need later.”

Xu Wang knew he should be happy, being cared for and given everything by the person he liked—something he never dared dream of.

But he just couldn’t feel happy. Instead, he was angry, thinking Wu Sheng was foolishly naive!

“Didn’t you ever think I might take the money and run? Or go with someone else?”

Wu Sheng blinked blankly, obviously having never considered it.

But now that he was asked, he began to think seriously.

After a long pause.

“If you ran, then we wouldn’t be on the same team anymore.”

Xu Wang couldn’t keep up with this bizarre line of thinking. “So?”

Wu Sheng smiled. “Are you sure you want to become my competitor in the ‘Owl’?”

Xu Wang: “……”

A competing team with Wu Sheng as the advisor?

A tactic manual as thick as an English-Chinese dictionary, likely used against himself?

No, he didn’t want to think of such terrifying things…

“You won’t be able to escape,” Wu Sheng confidently declared. “Even if you are willing to leave me, you won’t be able to part with my wisdom.”

Xu Wang: “……”

Why can’t a lightning bolt strike this man’s confidence, leaving behind only his handsome body and brilliant mind?!

The conversation ended with Xu Wang slapping Wu Sheng on the forehead.

The four million never made it into the public wallet. Xu Wang asked Wu Sheng to keep it, to be asked for in a time of need.

Wu Sheng’s objection died under Xu Wang’s sharp gaze.

Forty minutes later, Xu Wang was ready to leave, heading straight for the address Qian Ai had sent.

He had lived in the rental for many years, but when packing up, he only needed one suitcase. He had arranged to move out with the landlord the next day, leaving the bedding, furniture, pots, and pans for the landlord to deal with.

……

CBD, presidential suite of a luxurious five-star hotel.

Xu Wang, accompanied by Wu Sheng, who was dragging the luggage, hadn’t yet had the chance to admire the luxury of the presidential suite before being surrounded by three pairs of gossip-hungry eyes.

Xu Wang swallowed, asking Chi Yingxue casually, “Where’s your brother? As the team captain, for such a generous invitation, I must thank him in person.”

“Just thank me,” Chi Yingxue said indifferently, then his gaze began to drift between Xu Wang and Wu Sheng, as if he could solve the case by just looking.

“Don’t wait for us to ask.” Qian Ai was already impatient. “Come on, we’ll be lenient if you confess.”

Xu Wang sighed, bracing himself, but Wu Sheng had already tightly grasped his hand and raised it.

“Starting today, I’m pursuing him,” Wu Sheng announced openly.

Chi Yingxue: “……”

Kuang Jinxin: “……”

Qian Ai: “……”

Is it really pursuing? This posture is almost like a marriage vow!

And—

Qian Ai’s gaze moved from Wu Sheng’s satisfied face to Xu Wang’s joyous face… With their team captain’s starry-eyed look, did Wu Sheng really need to chase?

“Ahem.” From behind the five people, at the far end of the suite, near the bedroom door, Chi Zhuolin spoke apologetically. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but there just wasn’t a chance to interrupt.”

Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin looked in the direction of the voice, astonished.

Chi Yingxue turned to look at his own brother, equally puzzled. “You haven’t left yet?”

“…I was just looking for a room to make a phone call.” All the disdain Chi Zhuolin received in his life came from his younger brother.

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 103: Confession

When Wu Sheng turned in his papers for 7/23, he was mentally prepared for all possible reactions from Xu Wang. However, Xu Wang didn’t mention a word about “the romantic storyline of Optimistic Classmate B and Detective C”.

Back in Beijing, he had convinced himself to stop thinking about it. A two-day business trip to Hebei, where he barely slept due to urgent client work, helped him calm his last bit of restlessness, leaving him tranquil. But then Xu Wang brought up the topic again, skipping the preliminaries and going straight back to an incident ten years ago.

The letter from ten years ago, a past Wu Sheng had dared not use even in his stories, was now being uncovered, its frosted filter removed to reveal its clear, original form.

It was already dark outside. The streetlights were bright, and the streets were bustling with traffic.

But the living room was quiet.

So quiet that Wu Sheng could hear his own heartbeat, Xu Wang’s breathing, and even the slight blink of Xu Wang’s eyes as he waited for a response.

In the rainy night classroom ten years ago, Xu Wang had looked at him in the same way, the only difference being that back then, his lashes were wet with tears.

Wu Sheng thought to himself that he always seemed to upset Xu Wang.

The air was so still it almost solidified. Xu Wang’s impulsiveness gradually subsided in Wu Sheng’s silence.

He lowered his head, staring at his knees, mustering the last bit of courage to ask again. “Can’t you write it simpler…”

His voice was so faint that it was almost inaudible.

Finally, Wu Sheng’s response was low and slightly hoarse. “I’m afraid.”

Xu Wang’s heart trembled.

He had never known that Wu Sheng could also be afraid.

They were sitting close on the sofa, so close that Xu Wang had to turn slightly to see Wu Sheng’s face.

But Xu Wang dared not move.

“I was afraid, but at the same time, I also hope that you would notice.” Wu Sheng looked up at the wall in front of him. It was so blindingly white that it dazzled his eyes. He smiled mockingly, as if, through the white wall, he could see his foolish and hesitant past self.

Xu Wang’s heart pounded painfully in his chest.

He had never heard Wu Sheng’s “heart”, giving him a surreal feeling. He clenched his fists, trying to calm his breathing, afraid that breathing too heavily would burst the beautiful soap bubble.

In a daze, Wu Sheng’s sigh reached his ears. “I don’t know what to say anymore. If you don’t speak up, this conversation might end prematurely.”

Xu Wang turned his head instinctively, only realizing he had been tricked when he saw the smile in Wu Sheng’s eyes.

Wu Sheng liked seeing him annoyed. Normally being too “sly”, he found it especially cute when Wu Sheng got a bit puffed up.

Without thinking, Xu Wang reached out to touch Wu Sheng’s head gently and tenderly. “I wrote the letters, and I was the one rejected. Can’t you at least show a bit of arrogance in dumping someone?”

Xu Wang hesitated to brush off the hand on his head, but upon hearing this, he was completely stunned. “When have I ever rejected you? It was you who stopped writing to me!”

Upon saying this, Xu Wang realized how much he cared about this matter.

Wu Sheng was momentarily confused, as if realizing something was amiss, but it didn’t affect his recall. “In the fifth letter, you asked me not to ask anymore.”

“The fifth letter?” Xu Wang couldn’t even remember what he had replied. How could it be interpreted as a rejection?!

Wait.

Xu Wang steadied his heart, recalling the five letters lying in the bedroom next door.

He didn’t remember his replies, but he knew Wu Sheng’s letters by heart.

He asked Wu Sheng “not to ask anymore”?

That must mean Wu Sheng had asked something in the letter…

Xu Wang suddenly looked up, finally finding the same sentence in the fourth and fifth letters.

[Have you finished reading ‘Walden’?]

He stared at Wu Sheng, his voice uncontrollably rising. “Have you finished reading ‘Walden’?!”

Wu Sheng sighed, his eyes carrying a “resigned and relieved look of someone rejected”. “You remember now.”

“……” Xu Wang covered his chest, feeling a stabbing pain worse than when he knew there was a code in the letter.

Thinking too much when he shouldn’t and overthinking when he shouldn’t—how did Wu Sheng manage to miss every correct answer in the love story?

And himself, for falling in love with such a Wu Sheng, what great sin did he commit in his past life…

“Until today, I had no idea there was a code in the letter!” Xu Wang turned his entire body towards Wu Sheng, wanting to throw every word in Wu Sheng’s face to reshape his thought process!

Wu Sheng really hadn’t thought much. “I thought you were just bringing up the past, using criticism as a key to start today’s topic.”

Xu Wang felt choked. “Can’t you think like a normal person!”

“But I mentioned ‘Walden’ in two consecutive letters. Wasn’t that an obvious hint?”

“……”

Under Xu Wang’s furious gaze, Wu Sheng’s survival instinct kicked in, and he lowered his ashamed head. “It was indeed a bit obscure.”

Xu Wang’s trust was completely shattered. No matter how good Wu Sheng’s attitude or how innocent his eyes were, it was useless. “Format all your ‘what you thought’ now!”

Wu Sheng cooperated very well, silent for a moment before quickly reporting. “Formatted.”

“When I said don’t ask, it was just simply not to ask if I had read that book.” Xu Wang wanted to soften his tone, but the more he thought, the more aggrieved he felt, and failed. He threw every word at Wu Sheng’s face. “Moreover, listen well. I did finish ‘Walden’, checked the dictionary, didn’t miss a page, read it all!”

After saying this in one breath, his chest heaved violently, but his gaze never left Wu Sheng.

Wu Sheng looked at him in astonishment, his face showing several emotions, unclear whether he was more happy or bitter.

Xu Wang stared at him, his eyes red.

The living room suddenly quieted down, leaving only their heartbeats, each like a drum.

Wu Sheng’s throat tightened, and after a long time, he found his voice. “Did you like the book…”

Xu Wang stiffly replied, “Boring as hell!”

Wu Sheng said, “But you still read it all.”

“……”

Because you gave it to me.

These words rolled in Xu Wang’s heart, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them.

He blinked hard, trying to hold back the warmth in his eyes, but it was unsuccessful. Instead, it caused the moisture to cling to his eyelashes, blurring his vision.

Suddenly, Xu Wang felt a hand gently caressing his face, the palm warm.

This unexpected warmth spread from his cheek to every limb in an electrifying moment.

Wu Sheng gently wiped the moisture from Xu Wang’s eyelashes with his thumb, his heart aching with regret. “I’m sorry.”

“You have more to apologize for,” Xu Wang murmured with a hoarse voice as he listed grievances one by one. “You called me stupid, said I only know how to fight without thinking of the consequences, you pushed me, and you wrote me those incomprehensible love letters…”

Wu Sheng’s lips curved upward involuntarily, realizing for the first time that being scolded could also make one’s heart blossom with joy and brightness.

After enumerating all his faults, Xu Wang still felt a heavy blockage in his heart. He couldn’t stop thinking about the “what ifs”.

What if Wu Sheng hadn’t used such an unfathomable method? Would their present be different?

What if he had used his brains a little and deciphered the mystery in the letters? Would the outcome have changed?

What if he had taken the initiative when Wu Sheng suddenly cut off communication?

What if Wu Sheng had tried again after “assuming” he was rejected?

He stared at Wu Sheng, trying to sound indifferent, but couldn’t help the redness rimming his eyes. “The only love letter I’ve ever received in my life, and you used a code…”

Wu Sheng cupped his face, gently blowing into his eyes, as if trying to disperse the redness.

“I’m here now, aren’t I? I’ll make up for all the love letters you want.”

Xu Wang looked at him huffily, like a child seizing an advantage to demand more candy. “And what about the ten years of youth?”

“I’ll make up for those too,” Wu Sheng replied confidently.

Xu Wang paused, not understanding his meaning.

Wu Sheng leaned in and planted a kiss on his forehead.

It was a kiss of solemn reverence.

“I love you.” For the first time, he laid bare his heart without any defenses.

Xu Wang froze, his mind going blank, heat rising rapidly in his eyes. Before he could suppress it, a tear rolled down his cheek.

Before these three words, he had always reminded himself subconsciously that Wu Sheng’s “affection” and “love letters” were things of the past. Although it seemed that Wu Sheng still harbored such “affection” now, these “seemings” and “perhapses” could never truly bring peace of mind.

He feared being presumptuous again.

He feared that after the joy, there would be nothing but emptiness.

“I’m going to pursue you now,” Wu Sheng declared very formally, so much so that he felt a bit embarrassed after saying it, but he kept his gaze firm and unwavering on Xu Wang. “Starting now, I’ll chase you. If ten years aren’t enough, I’ll chase you for twenty years. If twenty years aren’t enough, I’ll chase you for thirty, compensating you for your youth with interest.”

Xu Wang sniffed, feeling like a cunning businessman for a moment.

He had never told Wu Sheng he liked him—never said he loved him.

With an unfulfilled kiss, he had won someone’s heart.

Fool.

After whispering this in his heart, Xu Wang lunged forward, firmly kissing Wu Sheng’s lips.

Wu Sheng froze, just like the first time they met in the “Owl”.

But this time, Xu Wang’s kiss was longer, deeper, and more passionate.

When they finally parted, Wu Sheng’s lips were red from the kiss.

Xu Wang was pleased with his handiwork. “I agree to let you chase me.”

He wanted to sound serious and earnest, but as soon as he spoke, his voice was soft, sweet, and happy.

“You have to chase me properly, with all your heart… No, not too earnestly. No, no, earnestly is fine; just don’t overthink…”

---

Kinky Thoughts:

My heart is melting. When Wu Sheng confesses, he does say [wo ai ni] (我爱你), so it’s a love, not a like.

It must be exasperating to love someone like Wu Sheng whose thought process is so out of this world… but that makes him all the more endearing.

---

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

---

Chapter 102: Decryption

“Mother… source?” Xu Wang looked at Chi Yingxue in confusion, not only failing to understand but also uncertain about which words were just spoken.

“If there’s a code, there must be a mother source,” Chi Yingxue said nonsensically. “Otherwise, how can you decrypt it?”

“A… secret code?!” The rising tone of Xu Wang’s voice betrayed his inner shock. It was like a person adrift at sea finally encountering a passing ship!

Chi Yingxue subtly stepped back half a step, sensing that Xu Wang looked ready to pounce at any moment, which made him uneasy.

“What mother source? What code? What are you all talking about?” Qian Ai struggled to resist the aroma of instant noodles from next door. His already limited capacity for thought further diminished.

Chi Yingxue sighed. He just wanted to play a puzzle game, wondering why he had to explain so many unrelated things.

Reluctantly, he held the letter up to Qian Ai and Xu Wang. “Do you see the circle of numbers around the edge of the paper?”

With this prompt and a closer look, Qian Ai finally saw that what he thought were “embossed patterns” were actually floral-style Arabic numerals, made directly on the paper to create a raised effect, similar to embossing, easily mistaken for uneven patterns.

But even after seeing them clearly, he was still confused. “000143056002260130023041000…” He read a long string of numbers until he almost ran out of breath and saw stars, looking at Chi Yingxue. “Does this mean anything?”

“You need to remove all the continuous zeros.” Chi Yingxue flicked the letter lightly, signaling him to look again.

Qian Ai was just about to refocus when Xu Wang spoke up. “143056, 226013, 23041, 10204, 4101, 17017.”

Six groups of numbers, not a single one missing.

He had seen these numbers resembling a border ten years ago but always thought they were part of the paper’s design, especially since the letters were from Wu Sheng, and choosing a “mathematical-style” paper seemed reasonable. Who would think these numbers had another meaning?

“The number before the zero is the page. The number after the zero is the sequence. 143056, page 143, 56th word, or it could be the other way around.” He took back the letter, gently touching the numeric patterns on the edge, seemingly lost in a distant, happy reminiscence. But soon, he looked up and shrugged casually. “I used to play like this with my brother when I was a kid. This letter is just a beginner’s version.”

Qian Ai seemed to understand a bit. “So the mother source is the book that has these coded words?”

“The correct order is to first choose a book or a code table as the mother source, then create the coded message based on it,” Chi Yingxue said indifferently.

“Do you think this book… looks like it?” Xu Wang pulled out a book from a box beside the bed and slowly raised it.

He no longer had the heart to decipher it himself. If Chi Yingxue could do it, he was willing to provide all the conveniences, just asking for the quickest answer!

Chi Yingxue frowned and tilted his head. “What is this?”

“Walden.” Xu Wang sighed and nodded, as if bracing for something. “In English.”

Chi Yingxue: “……”

Qian Ai: “……”

Kuang Jinxin: “……”

Two minutes later, the first letter that Chi Yingxue had picked up was decoded.

Six groups of numbers corresponded to six English words, forming a sentence—

I always remember that rainy night.

The “Cipher Officer” Chi Yingxue’s tools were just a water-based pen and a sticky note, and although the handwriting was messy, as soon as he wrote out this sentence, Xu Wang froze.

His mind went blank as if the whole world was paused.

But the worlds of the other three friends didn’t pause. Soon, the other four letters were decoded, piecing together the code writer’s feelings—

I always remember that rainy night.

I pushed you.

And I found that I love you.

I am waiting for your answer.

I am waiting for your answer.

The message wasn’t complicated. As a love letter, it was concise. The first line of the letter glaringly read “To Xu Wang:”, and the signature at the end was left by “Wu Sheng”.

So, when they decoded “I love you”, Qian Ai, just like his captain, was stunned. Various high school memories flashed back in his mind, and then his soul seemed to ascend amidst an explosion…

Kuang Jinxin was left stunned, but he was still able to digest the information.

And an even more astonished Chi Yingxue. He had no interest in the who-loves-who storyline, only to suddenly notice the date at the end—ten years ago?

He looked incredulously at Xu Wang. “You couldn’t solve it for ten years?”

Xu Wang: “……”

No one ever told him it was a puzzle to be solved!

Xu Wang took a few deep breaths, covering his almost-bursting heart, not caring about the embarrassment of having his secrets seen by his teammates. He had only one request. “I just want to be alone for a while…”

……

The teammate walking out last considerately closed the door behind him.

Xu Wang threw himself onto the bed, burying his face in the pillow, feeling a mix of happiness, elation, frustration, and anger. These contrasting emotions clashed like torrents in his heart, each unyielding, pulling him in different directions, making him want to scream, roar, laugh, and cry all at once.

Wu Sheng liked him?

Wu Sheng liked him!

Even if it was just ten years ago, the mere thought sweetened his heart.

But the sweetness soon turned sour, then bitter, making him want to throw the book “Walden” at Wu Sheng!

In the end, frustration and anger took over.

Confessing through a code?

Is that something a normal person would do?!

Thinking just because he could understand it, the person being confessed to would too? Was this a case of love is blind? He’s a science dunce, not some kind of scientific beauty!

“Phew—”

Xu Wang finally freed his face from the pillow, turning over to lie on his back, his chest heaving as he stared at the ceiling.

The stark white ceiling was blinding, helping to cool his heated emotions.

Wu Sheng had gone to a major client in Hebei and wouldn’t appear in 1/23 tonight.

Xu Wang stared fixedly at the light until its glare blurred, slowly morphing into that handsome face.

“The major client saved you,” he muttered, each word laden with genuine emotion.

……

In the living room, Qian Ai’s noodles had turned into a soggy mess.

But he had lost his appetite. Sitting on the sofa, he was lost in memories of his youth and plunged into self-doubt about whether he and those two had actually been classmates.

If not, how could he vividly remember the good times between “Class Monitor Wu and Sports Rep Xu”?

If they were, when did those two “change”? Or was what he thought was friendship actually love?!

He had never been in a relationship, and this was way over his head!

Chi Yingxue had taken over the sofa, comfortably leaning against the soft backrest. His gaze drifted from the nearly hair-pulling Qian Ai to Kuang Jinxin, lost in thought on the other end of the sofa.

Chi Yingxue became curious. “Xiao Sijin, what are you thinking about?”

Kuang Jinxin looked over, his eyes filled with empathy. “Sheng Ge said twice, I am waiting for your answer.”

Chi Yingxue shifted to sit diagonally, resting his head on his hand propped on the sofa back, casually saying, “When you encounter a fool, you just have to accept your bad luck.”

Kuang Jinxin was upset but didn’t know how to refute it. On this matter, someone had to be responsible. Either blame Wu Sheng for making the confession too complex or blame Xu Wang for not thinking in terms of codes. Arguing with Chi Yingxue would mean criticizing Wu Sheng.

“It’s all Sheng Ge’s fault for making it too complicated.” Kuang Jinxin decided to side with his team captain.

……

Two days later.

The evening sky was ablaze with fiery clouds, but in the winter of Beijing, those walking in the cold wind couldn’t feel a hint of warmth.

Wu Sheng finally settled his business with the major client and, after discussing the company’s future direction with his partner, was free to head straight to Xu Wang’s home.

On the way, he called Xu Wang, reporting his imminent return.

In the call, his team captain only said four words. “I’m waiting for you.”

His voice was very gentle.

But it was too gentle, leaving Wu Sheng feeling uneasy.

Arriving at Xu Wang’s building, Wu Sheng encountered a man.

They chose the same unit door, pausing to size each other up upon reaching the entrance.

The man was in his early thirties, wearing a black autumn-winter overcoat over a suit. The knee-length coat, easily overwhelming one’s height, looked elegant and dashing on him.

He was tall and well-built, with a handsome face. His facial features were spirited and distinct, with clear contours. However, his gaze was indifferent, carrying an inherent sense of aloofness.

In a brief moment, both had sized each other up. He nodded slightly, gesturing for Wu Sheng to go ahead.

Wu Sheng nodded politely and went in.

The man followed.

Then, they both stopped in front of the same apartment door.

This time, their mutual gaze was more charged.

The man spoke first.

He extended his hand to Wu Sheng, his eyes looking warmer than before, no longer regarding Wu Sheng as a stranger. “Chi Zhuolin, Chi Yingxue’s brother.”

Wu Sheng was stunned. He wasn’t surprised that a brother would visit his sibling, but Chi Zhuolin and Chi Yingxue didn’t resemble each other much. Although both were attractive, their beauty lay in completely different directions.

“Wu Sheng, Chi Yingxue’s…” he paused cautiously, “teammate.”

As he spoke, he shook Chi Zhuolin’s hand. No warning headache appeared, suggesting that, in some sense, the truth was still permissible.

“I know.” Chi Zhuolin’s voice was friendly and polite. “You’re travel buddies. Yingxue told me.”

Wu Sheng smiled, tacitly agreeing.

Every person who decided to tackle the challenges in the “Owl” had to provide their family or close ones with a reasonable explanation, and “traveling” seemed to be the unanimous choice.

Lifting his hand, Wu Sheng knocked on the door.

The door was opened by Xu Wang… and Kuang Jinxin, Qian Ai, and Chi Yingxue.

Four faces greeting him at once was quite impactful, especially since their expressions were… interesting.

One had narrowed eyes as if accumulating anger.

One sighed, seemingly a bit disappointed.

One was sizing them up, as if looking for some crucial clue on the other.

One looked content, as if waiting to watch a play.

However, the content one soon froze. “Brother?”

Narrowed-Eyes Xu Wang, Sighing Kuang Jinxin, and Sizing-up Qian Ai all turned their gazes to Wu Sheng’s side upon hearing this and discovered there was a second person. “Brother?”

“……” As if suddenly gaining three younger brothers, Chi Zhuolin felt an increased pressure.

Xu Wang had waited two days for this moment, not expecting another “guest” when the door opened.

He suspected Wu Sheng had gotten wind of this and deliberately brought Chi Zhuolin for protection.

But after inviting him in and chatting, it became clear. Chi Yingxue had called his own brother, reporting the precise location, so this elder brother pushed aside all his company affairs to improve his younger brother’s life and to thank the many friends for taking care of his troublesome brother.

Xu Wang thought the latter was more important.

Beyond gratitude, there might also be scrutiny. In the course of the conversation, Chi Zhuolin must have already “inspected” them one by one. Probably assessing everything from safety coefficient to character index.

A mother worries for her child over a thousand miles, and though Chi Zhuolin was a brother, he seemed to bear a mother’s heart.

So, Xu Wang took the “inspection” in stride, even feeling happy for Chi Yingxue to have someone so concerned about him.

The chat didn’t last long before Chi Zhuolin suggested eating out.

It was still early, and he was the brother of one of their teammates, so there was no reason to refuse, but…

Xu Wang firmly grasped Wu Sheng’s wrist, firmly seating him, then looked up with a bright smile towards the three friends. “You guys go ahead. Wu Sheng and I have something to do.” Then to Chi Zhuolin with an apologetic smile. “We appreciate your kindness, but we really can’t leave due to some urgent matters. Sorry.”

Chi Zhuolin’s main intention was to invite his brother and help him build good friendships. Since they were busy, he didn’t insist.

Qian Ai secretly wanted to stay but knew it was risky. Tempted by the prospect of a meal with Chi Zhuolin, he left with the others while gritting his teeth.

Chi Yingxue, more eager to witness the drama than Qian Ai, didn’t expect his brother to intervene, so his look at Chi Zhuolin carried much dissatisfaction.

Chi Zhuolin, confused and unable to ask in front of others, left with the group.

With a “clang”, the security door closed tightly.

In the living room, Wu Sheng looked bewildered.

Xu Wang thought that after accumulating anger for two days, he would unleash a powerful outburst. But when it was just the two of them, he realized he couldn’t get angry. Just thinking about this person liking him, looking up words one by one in “Walden” and creating codes, even if it was just “once”, made his heart warm.

“You always said I was dumb in high school, remember?” Xu Wang suddenly said.

Wu Sheng, puzzled, carefully recalled. Had he really said such a damning thing?

Well, yes, he had.

But whether to admit it now was a problem.

Xu Wang looked at him, his gaze flickering with a faint smile, a hint of reproach, and a touch of sourness. “Knowing I’m dumb, couldn’t you have written the letters a bit simpler?”

---

The author has something to say:

Keep it simple. The way you confess should be simple. You’re not a secret agent, so don’t set up encrypted messages~~ (This is a voice message from the author _(:з」∠)_)

---

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

---

Chapter 101: Nightfall

When the taxi arrived, it was already completely dark.

Xu Wang lived in an old residential area with low-rise buildings, so there were only stairs and no elevator.

Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin were familiar with the place, but it was Chi Yingxue’s first time there. While the three companions entered the building, Chi Yingxue stood under the dim streetlight, looking up at the entire building, pondering if he should suggest staying in a hotel the next day if they remained in Beijing.

He didn’t mind a shabby place, but the thought of such a small, crowded living space instinctively repelled him.

It was too late to mention it today without seeming unsociable, so he sighed helplessly and entered the building.

The sensor light in the staircase seemed newly installed, glaringly bright, and out of place with the rest of the building. As soon as Chi Yingxue entered, he was dazzled and had to lower his eyes, focusing only on the stairs and his feet.

But staring too long at the steps made his eyes blur.

Halfway up to the second floor, Chi Yingxue’s dizziness peaked. He grabbed the stair railing, not caring about the thick dust, and held on tightly to stabilize his swaying body.

Kuang Jinxin, walking ahead, sensed something was wrong and turned back to see Chi Yingxue standing a few steps below, his face pained and his knuckles white from gripping the railing.

“Chi Yingxue?” Kuang Jinxin called out tentatively.

But there was no response.

He walked down a few steps, directly to Chi Yingxue, and lightly touched his arm. “Are you okay…”

“Don’t touch me!” Chi Yingxue yelled before he could finish, pushing him away forcefully.

He didn’t control his strength, and Kuang Jinxin fell backward!

Fortunately, Qian Ai reacted quickly and caught him before he hit the steps, but he was already angry and pushed Chi Yingxue back. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Qian Ai cursed in anger, but as a teammate, his push wasn’t forceful, more of a warning.

But Chi Yingxue still fell down.

Although the steps weren’t high, he fell hard onto the flat ground between the first and second floors with a loud thud.

Qian Ai, shocked, looked at his own hand that had pushed Chi Yingxue and was scared.

It’s not like he was fucking using qigong!

The first to react was Xu Wang, who ran over and helped Chi Yingxue up to check for injuries under the light of the stairway. Thankfully, there were no external injuries, but Chi Yingxue was incoherent.

Kuang Jinxin and Qian Ai also rushed over, and together they carried Chi Yingxue into Xu Wang’s apartment.

No sooner had they laid him on the bed in Xu Wang’s bedroom than Chi Yingxue suddenly opened his eyes, got up, and began searching the room.

Qian Ai swallowed nervously, holding onto his team captain with one hand and Kuang Jinxin with the other, in case Chi Yingxue lashed out.

But Chi Yingxue ignored him and quickly targeted Xu Wang’s wardrobe, strode over, opened it, and started throwing things out one by one, indifferent to whether they were his own clothes or not.

Xu Wang was stunned, witnessing a robbery in his own home for the first time.

Kuang Jinxin and Qian Ai understood the situation.

After all, they had seen it once before when they were waiting in Cornina’s cabin, watching the mushroom soup, although at that time Cornina’s wardrobe was already empty.

“Don’t worry, captain. He’ll stabilize after staying in a closed, dark space for a while.” Kuang Jinxin reassured Xu Wang, based on his own experience.

Xu Wang guessed it might be related to Chi Yingxue’s unstable split personality but was more surprised by his teammates’ calmness. “You’ve seen this before?”

Kuang Jinxin nodded. “In 6/23, when you and Sheng Ge went to the village for clues, we were waiting in Cornina’s cabin. He had this condition once.”

Bang!

Chi Yingxue climbed into the nearly empty wardrobe and forcefully shut the door from inside.

Xu Wang felt a chill, realizing that knowing about a teammate’s split personality and witnessing it were vastly different experiences.

“Is… Yan Wang trying to come out?”

“To be precise,” Qian Ai said seriously, “one wants to transform, the other doesn’t; one is eager to emerge, the other fiercely resists.”

After a few minutes, there was no more movement in the wardrobe.

The bedroom quieted down, but beneath that silence lay three worried, anxious hearts.

None dared to leave, so they all sat by the bed, watching the wardrobe, wondering what to do if a completely different person emerged.

As time ticked by, the wardrobe remained silent, making them wonder if Chi Yingxue had fallen asleep inside.

But no news was better than erratic behavior, which was unnerving.

Their tense heartstrings gradually relaxed with the prolonged calm.

Qian Ai looked down at the hand he had pushed Chi Yingxue with, regretting it in his mind. Why did you have to be so impulsive and reckless, not thinking of the consequences? That’s your teammate. Even if he’s difficult, has a foul temper, and had pushed Xiao Kuang, couldn’t you have found a safer, gentler way to handle it?

Sure, the push felt good at the moment, but it almost ended in disaster!

Xu Wang, looking at the mess of clothes on the floor, remembered the secret box still in the wardrobe. He had planned to check the box first thing upon returning, but now he just hoped Chi Yingxue would stabilize safely.

Half an hour later, Qian Ai started dozing off, his head nodding.

An hour later, Xu Wang’s eyelids also began to fight sleep. They hadn’t slept since last night, and while they could keep going on adrenaline, once relaxed, fatigue was overwhelming.

An hour and a half later, both men, one at the head and the other at the foot of the bed, fell asleep.

In the wardrobe.

In the abyss-like darkness, Chi Yingxue was engulfed, or rather, he and the darkness had become one.

If there were a light to see through, one could see him scratching his arm with a key, repeating the action mechanically and determinedly until the serrated key tore through skin and flesh.

The knife he usually carried was confiscated by airport security.

Otherwise, his “pain therapy” would have been more efficient.

He stared at his arm as if his eyes had adapted to the darkness, seeing the blurred blood and flesh. And it pleased him; the gleam in his eyes was more intense than during battle.

Outside the wardrobe, there were no sounds except for the even breathing of the sleeping. But he didn’t know that.

He had completely entered his own world, slightly trembling under prolonged extreme repression, unable to contain himself.

His beautiful lips parted slightly, uttering chilling words.

“You want to come out, don’t you? Then come out. I’m not stopping you,” he whispered softly, unprecedentedly gentle and cruel. “It’s dark outside, stuffy, and painful. You’ll like it…”

His voice also trembled.

But it wasn’t from nervousness, fear, hatred, or anger, but from pleasure, a kind of supreme delight in controlling the situation.

A wardrobe apart.

Kuang Jinxin, sitting between the two sleeping men, quietly watched the wardrobe, hearing every word and sentence from inside, his eyes clear.

“Heh, it seems it’s still not painful enough…”

“…Fuck off…”

“I’m leaving, but who will protect you…”

“…Get out…”

“Can’t you say something else? Your brother knows another way to kill me without dying, so he can just switch to the second one…”

“……”

Thud!

Suddenly, a thumping sound came from the wardrobe. It wasn’t loud, but it was like the lighting of a fuse.

Following that, a rapid succession of “thud, thud, thud” sounds erupted, fast and dense, each louder and more forceful than the last, as if someone were desperately banging their head against the wardrobe walls!

The quiet bedroom felt like it had a string of firecrackers thrown into it. Xu Wang and Qian Ai woke up instantly, still confused about what was happening, when the wardrobe door was slammed open by Chi Yingxue.

He rushed out with such speed that it was hard to see clearly. He stood under the bright light of the bedroom, bending over with his hands on his knees, gasping for air like someone who had just been rescued from drowning.

His hair tips, soaked in sweat, stuck to his delicate cheeks, making his skin appear even whiter.

His slightly damp eyelashes cast faint shadows under his eyes in the bright room, hiding all his emotions deep within.

The three friends, motionless and silent, waited with a tinge of apprehension and uncertainty for him to recover.

After a while, his breathing finally slowed down. Still supporting himself on his knees, he slightly turned his head towards the bed and smiled brightly. His voice was weak from exhaustion, but his eyes shone like stars. “Sorry to worry you. I’m fine now.”

Qian Ai and Xu Wang let out a sigh of relief, but only half.

Their teammate was still the same polite and courteous Chi Yingxue they had known for days. This was a not-so-bad outcome, as getting familiar with an old acquaintance is easier than getting used to a new stranger. However, the cost of the physical struggle was evident in the red bruises on his forehead, the crisscrossing bloodstains on the inside of his left arm, and some deeper wounds oozing blood, hanging at the fingertips and shimmering under the light.

“Don’t you feel pain?” Qian Ai complained verbally but felt pain for Chi Yingxue in his heart. He used to think he was the most injury-prone in the team, until these past few days with this new teammate made him realize his life was full of love and sunshine.

When they parted at the airport, Wu Sheng insisted on leaving the first aid kit behind because he had to visit a major client in Hebei at night and then enter the “Owl” at midnight, which would not be 1/23 but the Endless Sea. Although Xu Wang repeatedly assured that the danger level of 1/23 was zero, Wu Sheng still insisted on leaving the medical kit to take care of the whole team.

Little did they know that they would need the first aid kit even before entering the “Owl”.

Xu Wang had to admire his advisor’s foresight.

In the living room, Chi Yingxue skillfully bandaged himself, supervised by his three companions.

Xu Wang accidentally noticed the gauze edge showing at his ankle and belatedly remembered that this teammate had also been injured in the fight. Suddenly feeling the responsibility of the team captain, he advised earnestly, “Don’t you have another way… to stabilize?” Struggling to find the right words and not wanting to say, “stop the other you,” he chose a vague phrase. “You get hurt during the levels and hurt yourself in reality. You can bear the pain, but your body can’t.”

“There is another way…” Chi Yingxue tied the bandage while pondering. Once done, he looked up at Xu Wang and winked with a half-smile. “You don’t want to know.”

Xu Wang fell silent.

In his eyes, he saw endless pain and darkness.

The night was deep, and there were two and a half hours left until the Owl reopened.

Xu Wang let his three friends rest in the living room while he retreated to the bedroom.

Fortunately, his friends didn’t ask to share the bedroom; otherwise, he wouldn’t know how to refuse them.

He couldn’t say he needed private space to decode a secret from ten years ago.

Closing the bedroom door, he took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled before approaching the wardrobe.

The inside of the open cabinet door had a bloodstain, probably from Chi Yingxue pushing it open.

Xu Wang bent over and reached into the cabinet, searching for a while until he finally found the box.

It was still there.

Carefully tucked in the deepest part of the cabinet, just like this relationship, if it could even be called that.

With a pounding heart, Xu Wang tried several times before successfully retrieving the box.

Holding it in his hands, he walked back to the bed, each step careful, as if holding a treasure that could shatter at any moment.

Finally, he placed the box on the soft bed.

Opening the lid, he took out the letters and unfolded the five sheets of paper. He laid them out neatly side by side, as orderly as a formation.

He first stacked the first and second sheets of letter paper, holding them up to the light, just like Wu Sheng did in the 6/23 castle, deciphering the love letter code.

He held his breath involuntarily.

In the entire world, there seemed to be nothing, but those two sheets of paper stacked together.

Wu Sheng’s letters weren’t long—half a page at most, a third of a page at least—with brief greetings and small talk.

Xu Wang scrutinized every word for a long time, almost burning holes in the paper with his gaze.

The only overlap between the two sheets of paper was a period and a comma.

Unconvinced, Xu Wang tried with another two letters, this time not even finding overlapping punctuation.

Out of ten possible combinations with five letters, Xu Wang tried them all. A period, a comma, two “of” characters—that was all he got.

As his hope diminished with each disappointment, Xu Wang finally gave up.

Exhausted, he lay down, covering his sore eyes with his arm, feeling not just pain but also a burning sensation.

When filled with hope, one can imagine a thousand possibilities, only to realize when hope is shattered that these imaginations were supported by nothing but an insubstantial “clue” that couldn’t even be considered evidence.

Did Wu Sheng really use the love letter stacking method to crack the code, or was it just an assumption?

A cooler head would realize how presumptuous this “deduction” was.

……

Outside the bedroom, the three friends weren’t asleep.

Qian Ai, feeling hungry, found a pack of instant noodles and went to the kitchen to cook them.

In the living room, Kuang Jinxin sat in a corner of the sofa, facing Chi Yingxue, who was sitting in a chair.

Chi Yingxue sat in a relaxed posture, leaning against the chair back, casually watching Kuang Jinxin with a languid gaze, tinged with a bit of playfulness.

Kuang Jinxin wasn’t bothered by his gaze. In fact, he was also observing Chi Yingxue—his person, his demeanor, his eyes.

“Aren’t you tired?” Chi Yingxue asked indifferently, his expression calm and relaxed, but without a smile.

Kuang Jinxin replied, “Not tired.”

Chi Yingxue tilted his head. “Afraid I’ll do something bad?”

His tone suggested he wasn’t particularly concerned about the answer, just making casual conversation.

But Kuang Jinxin answered seriously. “I’m afraid you’ll keep deceiving people.”

Chi Yingxue paused, a flicker of something passing quickly in his eyes. Before Kuang Jinxin could discern it, Chi Yingxue suddenly stood up, stepped over the coffee table, and trapped Kuang Jinxin between his arms, one hand on the sofa armrest, the other on the backrest.

“Xiao Sijin.” Chi Yingxue leaned down, his breath on the other’s face, sighing sentimentally. “You really aren’t very likable.”

Kuang Jinxin tried to speak, but in the next second, he was kissed.

Chi Yingxue’s lips were soft and cool, like mint candy.

Stunned, Kuang Jinxin’s eyes widened, unsure how to react.

To Chi Yingxue, this was compliance, inviting enough to tempt one to take advantage.

Chi Yingxue deepened the kiss, indulging longer than he had planned, before finally pulling away.

When it ended, he realized Kuang Jinxin had been watching him the whole time, unblinkingly. The initial confusion and shock had turned into a calm acceptance, with the only constant being the clear and bright eyes.

Chi Yingxue felt a twinge of incomprehension, but he suppressed it and cheerfully announced, “Seal of approval. From now on, you’re mine.”

Kuang Jinxin finally got a chance to speak, his voice slightly hoarse. “Are you trying to upset him?”

Chi Yingxue was taken aback.

“Because he said he’s the one who joined the team, and the teammate is him,” Kuang Jinxin said. “You heard it too, right?”

The last semblance of joy on Chi Yingxue’s face faded.

He stared silently at Kuang Jinxin, suddenly seeming aloof, but spoke like a child. “He scratched me with a key.”

Kuang Jinxin focused on his bruised forehead. “You already made him hit the cabinet.”

“He also locked me in the wardrobe,” Chi Yingxue said slowly, his voice sinking. “I hate dark, enclosed places the most.”

Kuang Jinxin raised his hand to touch his head, like a kindergarten teacher comforting a child. “Next time, buy a portable flashlight.”

Chi Yingxue frowned, brushing off the hand on his head. He stood up straight, looking down at the figure on the sofa, and after a long time, confirmed his initial feeling. “You’re still the same as you were on 3/23.”

Kuang Jinxin rarely encountered such obvious dislike but didn’t feel angry, only intrigued.

He wasn’t afraid of Chi Yingxue disliking him; after all, this new teammate, regardless of which personality, didn’t really seem to favor anyone.

“You’re different from how you were on 3/23.” Kuang Jinxin looked up, his face illuminated by the light, vibrant and lively. “Back then, you were our opponent; now you’re our teammate.”

A strange feeling passed through Chi Yingxue. He was unsure of what it was.

“So you don’t have to pretend to be him. When we recruited him, we recruited you too.” Kuang Jinxin stood up encouragingly. “Don’t worry, I’ll take you to the captain and tell him you’re not Chi Yingxue anymore. You’re Yan Wang.”

Chi Yingxue stood still.

“I am Chi Yingxue. He’s Yan Wang.”

Kuang Jinxin was stunned, looked at him for a while, then nodded vaguely. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Chi Yingxue raised an eyebrow, a storm brewing in his eyes.

Kuang Jinxin found it awkward, so he tried to appease. “The name doesn’t matter, as long as we can tell you two apart.”

Chi Yingxue stared at him. “The name is very important.”

Kuang Jinxin sighed, saying frankly, “He says he’s Chi Yingxue, the main personality, and you say you are. Neither of you has proof. Who should I believe?”

Chi Yingxue asserted, “Me.”

Kuang Jinxin pondered seriously. “Okay, when you’re here, I’ll believe you.”

Chi Yingxue: “……”

Kuang Jinxin couldn’t be sure who the main personality was, but the previous Chi Yingxue said, “This Chi Yingxue can hear and sense what’s happening outside,” which was undeniable.

Perhaps even this Chi Yingxue hadn’t realized that when he was talking to himself, he was no longer the stranger of last time, but rather, there was a familiarity and ease that came with spending time together.

Kuang Jinxin still had many questions, especially curious about why he jumped off the Ferris wheel with him.

But there was time for that.

“When did you realize I was me?” Chi Yingxue suddenly asked before heading to the bedroom.

Kuang Jinxin replied, “I knew it the moment you came out of the wardrobe.”

Chi Yingxue looked at him skeptically.

Kuang Jinxin explained, “His face is warm, but his eyes are cold. Your face is cold, but your eyes are warm.”

When Qian Ai came out of the kitchen with the noodles, he saw Kuang Jinxin and Chi Yingxue knocking on the bedroom door.

“What are you doing?” he asked, puzzled.

Chi Yingxue was silent.

Kuang Jinxin answered for him. “Turning ourselves in.”

Qian Ai: “……”

The bowl was too hot, and Qian Ai couldn’t hold it for long. Full of curiosity, he hurried back to the living room.

After setting down the noodles, he couldn’t settle down. Determined, he left the noodles and rushed to the bedroom.

Upon entering, he saw Kuang Jinxin looking at Xu Wang, Xu Wang looking at Chi Yingxue, and Chi Yingxue looking at the letters on the bed.

Letters?

Qian Ai quietly approached the bed, glancing sideways at the letters. The five sheets of letter paper didn’t have much content, the handwriting was beautiful, and the paper itself was elegant and simple. On closer inspection, there seemed to be embossed lace patterns around the edges, barely visible under the light.

“So you mean he’s now Yan Wang?” Xu Wang appraised the new teammate, unable to discern as clearly as Kuang Jinxin.

“Not exactly. Well, still Chi Yingxue.” Kuang Jinxin remembered his classmate’s request. “But not the previous Chi Yingxue.”

Xu Wang rubbed his forehead, overwhelmed by the night’s events.

Chi Yingxue, captivated by the letters, didn’t pay attention to their conversation. He picked up a letter, tilted his head, and, looking intrigued, asked Xu Wang, “Where’s the mother source?”

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The author has a message to say:

Owl: Your assist has gone online.

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Kinky Thoughts:

I didn’t realize there’s a side CP… I was rooting for the Chi Yingxue x Kuang Jinxin pairing, though. And they move even faster than the main CP… Common Wu Sheng, take a note out of Chi Yingxue’s book.

Note: Chi Yingxue calls his other half “Yan Wang” which refers to King Yan of hell, who is considered to be the ruler of hell. He passes judgment on all the dead.

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

Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu

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

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Chapter 100: Guessing Each Other

After giving the first-aid kit to Kuang Jinxin and closing the door, only Xu Wang and Wu Sheng were left in the room.

The window wasn’t open, and the lack of circulating air in the somewhat cramped standard room made the already quiet atmosphere even more silent.

Silence was bearable, but the stillness was unbearable.

Facing the door, Xu Wang turned around before the awkwardness reached its peak and slapped Wu Sheng’s backpack, which had just been put down, trying to be natural and joking. “Still carrying it. Aren’t you tired?”

After saying this, he walked past the other person, went to the table, put down his own backpack, and started searching through it.

Wu Sheng, holding his backpack at the entrance, stood for a while longer, watching Xu Wang busily rummaging with a flickering, unsettled emotion in his eyes.

“Chi Yingxue should be fine, right?” Unable to wait for a response, Xu Wang had to bite the bullet and carry on the monologue alone.

If Wu Sheng didn’t speak again, he really wouldn’t know what to do.

Fortunately, there was finally a sound from the other side.

“He’s still able to walk, so it shouldn’t have damaged the muscles or bones,” Wu Sheng said, walking over to Xu Wang, placing his backpack next to the other’s. “If you’re worried, you can go check it out.”

The backpacks were placed close together, and so were the two of them. Their arms occasionally touched each other while rummaging, but neither moved away.

“No need. If it were really serious, Xiao Kuang would have come over already.” Xu Wang finally charged his phone. Logically, he should have left the table by now, taken off his jacket, or gone to the washroom to wash his face. But he didn’t move, still pretending to search his backpack, feeling the closeness of their shoulders and bodies.

He also felt silly doing this, but who made Wu Sheng tell such a ghostly story. The feelings from ten years ago had long been dormant. Even upon reuniting, he had kept it well, but this person had to come and stir things up.

Stirred up, but with no follow-up.

C regretted and wanted to hug B tightly. Did Wu Sheng also regret it? Then why didn’t he say it to his face?

As he was thinking about it, Wu Sheng, who had finished taking his daily necessities, turned and went to the bathroom first.

The surroundings suddenly felt empty and a bit cold.

“Shall I take a shower first?” In the bathroom, Wu Sheng asked about the use of the shower.

Go ahead and shower and wash away all your thoughts!

Xu Wang mentally scolded the person a hundred times but said out loud, “Mm.”

The bathroom door closed with a not-so-loud sound, but it was clearly heard.

Xu Wang threw himself into bed, feeling a surge of old blood stuck in his throat, wanting to spit it out but couldn’t, wanting to swallow it but unwilling.

The words “inexplicable” burned like a fire in his heart.

You told the story. Shouldn’t you give some indication whether it’s alive or dead?

In the bathroom, Wu Sheng leaned against the door, looking at the dim light above, adjusting his breathing bit by bit.

But his heart was still in chaos, like another self inside him, crazily typing code making constant tap tap tap, tap tap tap sounds. But what he was typing, what kind of program he wanted to compile, and what problem he wanted to solve were all unclear.

Some words could be conveyed in a letter or a story, but face-to-face, they seem to grow legs and run away.

It was true ten years ago, and still true ten years later.

But then again, he had told the story, so shouldn’t Xu Wang have some reaction?

Even if it was to blame him for bringing up things that had been turned over, getting angry would be better than pretending now as if nothing had happened.

Pretending nothing happened seemed to be Xu Wang’s default defense stationery.

After that rainy night ten years ago, he never mentioned being pushed away, and at their reunion ten years later, he never mentioned the confession. It was he who started it, and it was he who cut it off. Now that he wanted to bring up the past again, Xu Wang acted as if he didn’t see it.

Wu Sheng sat down, leaning against the door. He touched his lips with his hand, his eyes gradually clouding over.

If time could turn back, when they first met in the Owl, he wouldn’t let Xu Wang, who tried to kiss him, leave unscathed.

At that time, he was truly overjoyed, but his other thoughts said it was just a prank.

His retaliation was just a snowball—too light. He should have pinned the person down in the snow, pressed hard, and made him understand that some things are not to be joked about.

When the bathroom was filled with steam, Wu Sheng stood under the shower, thinking that after he got out, he would go along with Xu Wang as if nothing had happened. After all, from beginning to end, Xu Wang only did one thing, which was at the moment of his utmost emotional breakdown, a moment of daze and confusion, on that rainy night. The rest was all his own imagination and the self-righteous feelings based on these imaginations.

But when he finished the shower and returned to the room, seeing Xu Wang sleeping soundly on the bed, the thought of “it’s all my fault” immediately flew to the Endless Sea, leaving only the indignation of “can you be more heartless?”

Wu Sheng roughly and perfunctorily wiped his hair twice, then threw the towel aside, and then quietly walked to the bedside of Xu Wang, squatting down, and very childishly blew air on Xu Wang’s face.

“Hoo—”

Xu Wang’s eyelashes trembled slightly due to the sudden breath, but he didn’t wake up.

Wu Sheng mischievously got closer—so close that the water dripping from his hair wetted the other’s pillow.

“Hoo.”

This time it was lighter, not like a prank, but with a touch of tenderness.

Xu Wang still didn’t move.

Wu Sheng unconsciously raised his hand, but just as his fingertips were about to touch the other’s cheek, he stopped.

A centimeter away, his hand traced the other’s hair, eyes, nose, cheek, and mouth, gently caressing down, immersed in it, joyously as if he really touched it, happy like an IT mogul who advanced human life with technology.

“Buzz buzz buzz—”

The phone vibrated on the table with a noise not unlike a ringtone.

Wu Sheng quickly retracted his hand, stood up, and went to the table to pick up the phone, subconsciously not wanting the vibration to last too long and wake up the sleeping person. But with the lingering guilt of a thief, he moved too quickly, and just as he was about to reach the table, he kicked the leg of a chair, which let out a wailing sound. Wu Sheng inhaled sharply from the pain, then limped to the door while picking up the phone, saying “Hello” in a low voice, sounding pitiful.

“Sleeping” Xu Wang opened his eyes, feeling lost and disheartened.

He only pulled the blanket over his head and shrank into the darkness after confirming that there was no one in sight near the entrance.

He couldn’t bear it anymore.

He had only one heart, which couldn’t withstand such ups and downs; it would fall apart.

“Alright, I’ll head back now.” Outside the ajar door, Wu Sheng’s voice came through.

Xu Wang hadn’t really heard what Wu Sheng was discussing on the phone, as it seemed he had gone out to the corridor. But this particular sentence, due to Wu Sheng’s sudden seriousness, came clearly to Xu Wang under the blanket.

Xu Wang frowned. This tone didn’t sound like it was about a “small matter”.

After hanging up, Wu Sheng returned to the room to see Xu Wang, who had already sat up and thrown off the blanket.

“What happened?” Putting aside those tangled and messy feelings, Xu Wang was now full of concern.

“There’s a bit of a situation at the company. It’s nothing serious,” Wu Sheng said nonchalantly. “But I need to go back personally to handle it, so the round trip might take a few days.”

Xu Wang knew Wu Sheng too well. If it really wasn’t serious, he wouldn’t have emphasized it like that.

But he didn’t intend to probe further, merely saying, “I’ll go back to Beijing with you.”

Wu Sheng was startled for a moment, then shook his head. “No need. It’s too much trouble. Wait for the new coordinates tonight, and we’ll meet at the next level.”

Xu Wang pondered for a moment, then found a legitimate reason. “I want to go back and cancel the lease on my rented apartment.”

“Cancel the lease?” Wu Sheng was surprised.

Xu Wang nodded. This was something he had actually been considering for a while and wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision. “We don’t know how long we’ll need to tackle levels in the ‘Owl’, and with the apartment empty, it’s a waste of rent.”

Wu Sheng smiled. “Even without the rent, you’d only save a few thousand a month, which isn’t even enough to buy a page of the badge manual.”

“A few thousand a month adds up to tens of thousands in ten months. Every little bit counts, don’t you understand?” Xu Wang looked at him unamused, suddenly wishing the whole team could have the thrifty spirit of their Classmate Ai Qian. “A manual costs two hundred thousand, and if you count secret manuals, Easter eggs, strategy notes, and so on, we could go bankrupt in minutes.”

Xu Wang spoke lightly, but Wu Sheng caught a hint of reluctance in his eyes.

It wasn’t about giving up the apartment, but once the lease was canceled, it meant completely cutting off his past life. Those busy yet solid, hard yet stable days, even a place to look back on, would cease to exist.

“Think it over.” Wu Sheng didn’t object, only hoping Xu Wang understood. “Once you cancel the lease, you’ll be completely adrift.”

Both person and heart could only stubbornly move forward in the “Owl,” with no way back.

Xu Wang looked at him, and after a long while, his lips curled up with a hint of pride. “I have you guys. I’m not afraid.”

……

Wu Sheng originally planned to go back to Beijing alone, but after telling Xu Wang, it turned into a trip for two; Xu Wang initially wanted to accompany Wu Sheng back to Beijing, but after telling their three teammates, it became a journey of five.

Moreover, their friends had very convincing reasons—since they were originally going to take a green train and rest for a few days before entering the next level, they might as well go back to Beijing to recuperate and enjoy some lamb spine hotpot, Peking duck, soybean juice, and fried dough rings.

Well, this particular reason mainly came from Classmate Qian.

Kuang Jinxin agreed, and Chi Yingxue was indifferent.

The four friends accompanied their advisors and bought the nearest flight. That evening, they arrived in Beijing.

As soon as they left the airport, Wu Sheng was picked up by his partner in such a rush that everyone could see the urgency of the situation.

But since even the team captain was unclear about the details, Qian Ai and Kuang Jinxin didn’t speculate wildly, only hoping everything went smoothly for their advisor.

The four took a taxi, planning to go to Xu Wang’s home, but on the way, Xu Wang suddenly remembered the address on Chi Yingxue’s ID was in Beijing. After pondering for a moment, he cautiously asked, “Xiao Xue, your home is in Beijing, right?”

“……” Chi Yingxue didn’t know how his nickname had become fixed but was too lazy to protest, simply responding briefly to Xu Wang’s question, “Mm.”

This was a very minimal yet subtly telling reaction.

Xu Wang could sense that Chi Yingxue wasn’t very enthusiastic about this topic.

He didn’t know the family situation of his teammate, but as the team captain, worrying seemed to have become an instinct. So after thinking it over, he swallowed the question of “do you want to go home?” and instead said gently, “Your brother sounded quite worried when he called last time.”

Chi Yingxue tugged at the corner of his mouth in a way that seemed like a smile but also like mockery. “He’s just doing his routine duty to check if I’m still alive and kicking.”

Xu Wang: “……”

This was a “minefield”, so Xu Wang decided to end the topic there.

This wasn’t about a lack of brotherly love, but rather Chi Yingxue’s words clearly carried “hostility”. If Chi Yingxue wasn’t hiding it, perhaps one could even hear… hatred.

Was it a struggle over family inheritance?

Or was it the brother couldn’t accept having a sibling with split personalities?

Or was there some unknown family secret?

While his head ached with these thoughts, Xu Wang realized how nosy he was. He hadn’t sorted out his own issues yet, worrying about others’ brotherly drama. It was no wonder no one loved or cherished him.

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The author has a message to say:

It’s already 100 chapters, and still no sugar has been delivered. How about, for now, we just enjoy a sweet teaser? (Run away!)

Also, the secret box lying in the closet, hugging its knees in the corner, whimpering in loneliness and coldness _(:з」∠)

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