Chapter 117

Love

Perhaps the world doesn't have as many spectators as people think — but there's never a shortage of those who enjoy watching a scene unfold.

The five players had been standing at the roadside for only a few minutes before passersby had already drifted to nearby corners to watch. The most egregious was an old man who walked right up to the traffic officer and asked: "What did these five do?"

When the officer explained — running a red light — the old man curled his lip with open contempt. "Five young men in their prime and they can't even follow traffic signals. Utterly lacking."

He had a very carrying voice. The players heard every word.

They breathed slowly, reminding themselves: can't get angry, can't blow the cover, mission first.

You NPCs have standards, do you?

Hah?!

We can all see you, you NPCs, hiding in your corners filming our faces with your phones.

"It's a bit sunny here, elder — head home soon." The officer ushered the old man away, then turned back to the five. "Traffic safety affects all of us. I won't fine you this time. Here's what you'll do: post on your social feed that you'll never violate traffic rules again, collect thirty likes, and you're free to go."

Post what on where?

Was this the instance's first challenge?

They had lived so long by violence that patience was nearly beyond them. "No."

The most volatile of them was already reaching into his player pack for something to eliminate the NPC in front of him.

So the difficulty goes up. Fine. He'd cut his way through.

*

"You eat first — I'll sit here and check my phone." Chao Musheng settled into the sofa and found a comfortable position. He'd been pushing the Hanyue project for weeks — it had been a long time since he'd just lay back and scrolled.

Twenty-odd days and there were already new trends online. He browsed idly, and the platform pushed him a nearby livestream.

He tapped in. A traffic officer was patiently lecturing five young men on road safety, and the five men's expressions indicated they were not receptive. The broadcast's viewership was small; one commenter was pointing out that this violated the subjects' privacy, but the broadcaster was ignoring them, clearly enjoying both the drama and the traffic in equal measure.

Chao Musheng looked at the five very alarming faces and privately hoped they'd cooperate and not kick off in the street.

He closed the app, put the phone down, and went to sit beside Xu Chenzhu.

"Done with your phone?" He looked up.

"Nothing interesting." He looked at the contents of the insulated container. "Those shrimp look very good — give me one."

Xu Chenzhu picked one up, held his hand underneath to catch any drips, and held it out. When it was gone: "Another?"

"No — I was just craving it." He shook his head. "Eat properly, stop spending all your time sending red envelopes in the group chat."

"But I'm happy." He picked up a piece of spare rib for Chao Musheng, who started chewing.

All right. If he's happy.

*

"Violating traffic rules and being rude about it." The officer was about to issue a fine when a scream cut through the watching crowd.

He looked up. A man had raised a blade and was driving it straight toward him — clean and direct, aimed at his heart. He had no time to dodge.

In the moment he was certain he was about to die, the man's foot caught on something. He went down — blade and all — and his head connected with the stone edge of the curb. He lay still in a spreading pool of blood.

The remaining four players stared in horror.

One of the most feared killers in the infinite space — gone like this?

No wonder the system had warned them not to provoke NPC hostility. This world was terrifying.

"Run!"

Someone shouted it. While the crowd was frozen, the four launched themselves away.

"Officer — the entire livestream audience can testify that you never touched him." A man ran over with his phone raised. "He went for you. He tripped and fell."

"Four of them got away!"

"Call the police — call an ambulance!"

"Running red lights and trying to attack an officer — the other four must be criminals too!"

The scene erupted: people chasing, people calling emergency services, general chaos.

The four surviving players activated speed items and ran. Following the system's direction, they eventually arrived at the Kunlun tower.

[Target locked. 51st floor.]

The 51st floor?!

They looked up at the building. Were they supposed to cut their way up from the lobby to the 51st floor?

Twenty-three hours remaining. They steeled themselves and walked through the main entrance.

Beep beep beep beep.

The door alarms activated. Metal detectors.

Security guards immediately converged. "Visitors must register, and please do not bring bladed weapons on the premises."

The four looked at the guards closing in — and drew their blades.

System-issued items against minor NPC guards — trivial.

The blades swung — and broke on contact.

They... broke?

They stared at the fragments on the floor. What kind of world was this?

Kunlun's security team was professionally trained. They produced electric batons.

The players pulled out a large quantity of items—

"Aaahh!"

The items had no effect whatsoever. The electric batons, however, left them numb and shaking, barely able to lift their hands.

They huddled together and stared at the guards in black protective gear, eyes filling with despair.

This wasn't a player instance. This was player hell.

Anti-riot forks pinned them to the floor. One guard whose protective suit had caught a blade used the opportunity to get a few solid kicks in. "Do you know what grade of material our Kunlun security suits are made from?!"

The players covered their heads. Their earlier ferocity was entirely gone. Even their expressions, under the press of the guards, had gone soft and bewildered.

Military grade?

Stronger than system-issued items?

System — system!

They screamed internally. Silence.

Had the system abandoned them?

Without its power behind their items, stripped of everything that had made them formidable, they were back to being the weak and helpless people they'd been before. Flattened on the floor, barely managing to breathe.

The cold of the tiles seeped through their faces into their minds. The humiliation of this position made them understand, over and over, that without the Main God they were nothing.

They called for the system and the Main God, begging to be taken back.

Players who enjoyed dominating others found one thing most unbearable: becoming ordinary themselves.

*

The gaming division manager arrived at the CEO's office to find every member of staff clutching their phone, tapping frantically, faces alight.

He and his assistant exchanged a stunned look. This was the CEO's office. These people were normally the picture of severity. What was happening today?

"Quick quick quick — the boss sent another red envelope!"

"This relationship is the best thing that's happened to the company!"

"Got another hundred!"

Free money, even one yuan, could make a person happy for a long time.

"Assistant Yang — is the boss in? Is Consultant Chao in?"

The R&D group's term for Chao Musheng was Consultant. The gaming division, on principle, would never use it. This was their line.

Yang was in the middle of claiming a red envelope and didn't look up. "It's the boss's lunch break. If you have work matters, I'd suggest coming back in an hour."

No one was interrupting the boss's red-envelope mood.

And absolutely no one was interrupting the boss and Consultant Chao's time together during his day off.

"Could I at least find Consultant Chao?"

"Consultant Chao is on leave today." Last red envelope secured, Yang looked up. "Neither the boss nor Consultant Chao is appropriate to bother right now."

The gaming manager: ...

Something was definitely strange about the CEO's office today.

"There's an incident downstairs!" An assistant took a call from reception. "Four unidentified assailants broke in through the main entrance with weapons. Security has them contained."

"What?!"

Armed assailants in Kunlun?

Who didn't know Kunlun had one of the most professional security teams in the industry?

"I'll go inform the boss."

*

The four players lay on the floor. The system, which had been playing dead, suddenly stirred.

[Ding! Target is 10 metres from players... 9 metres... 5 metres... Players prepare — deliver the full strike!]

Full strike our—

They were bound from every direction. Only their heads and eyeballs could move.

Footsteps approaching. More than one person.

They tilted their heads back, straining to see the NPC who had caused their failure without even showing up.

"So this is what four assailants looks like?"

A young voice. The lobby lights fell across him. The players squinted.

About twenty years old. Several people around him, shielding him. The manner of someone accustomed to being protected.

Above his head blazed a large red kill marker.

That was their target.

"Have the police been called?" He noticed all four staring at him. On the floor were scattered an assortment of plastic odds and ends.

That style was familiar. At the fashion charity gala, plastic objects had been found under the performers' seats. Same kind of thing.

He crouched and picked up the two nearest ones, frowning.

[Ding! Mission failed. System disengaging.]

No — no—

The players heard the chime and strained violently, eyes blazing red.

They were high-level players. The system couldn't do this to them.

"Are they having some kind of episode?" Secretary Liu looked worriedly at the plastic objects in Chao Musheng's hands. "Xiao Chao — throw those things away, what if there's something on them?"

He dropped them immediately.

The plastic figures bounced across the floor and happened to land on the faces of two players.

The players' red eyes stared at the items lying in front of them, fury twisting their faces.

The items they'd fought with their lives to acquire — and to this NPC they were worthless plastic?

"Sorry — I really didn't mean that." Seeing how enraged they were, he crouched down and in a spirit of genuine helpfulness placed the items back into their bound hands.

Players: ...

There were many ways to humiliate someone. This NPC had chosen the most direct.

*

[URGENT NOTICE: Hunting Game instance — all players have failed. New players will be drawn in four hours.]

In the main hall of the infinite space, the Hunting Game instance that had barely opened now displayed a large red X. Every player in it: dead.

Failed that quickly?

Was the Hunting Game players hunting an NPC, or an NPC hunting the players?

Players who frequented kill instances saw the announcement and looked visibly ill. To avoid being drawn in, some immediately tried to register for other instances.

[Registration failed. Players may not register for other instances while the Hunting Game is open.]

Players: ...

"Has the system gone insane?" Tiger was baffled. With all those other instances available, why was it fixated on this one? "Xiao Juan — can other players voluntarily register for the Hunting Game?"

She came back with a strange expression. "Only certain players can."

Players with decent reputations had no registration option at all. Only those with dark histories — hands stained with the blood of others — had the ability to sign up.

What exactly was the system sending players into the Hunting Game to do? Why was it so afraid of players with a conscience entering?

*

The police hadn't expected to find the four suspects they'd been pursuing had walked into the Kunlun tower. Fortunately Kunlun had responded immediately, and no one had been hurt.

Given the incident, the company sent employees home two hours early.

"My friends are asking when we're taking them to dinner." Chao Musheng put on his jacket. "What do you think about tonight?"

Xu Chenzhu paused mid-jacket. "Zhaozhao — give me a moment."

A few minutes later, he came out of the rest room in a different outfit, his hair slightly less structured than usual, suddenly looking several years younger. "How is this?"

"Very good." He took his hand. "Good enough that people on the street will envy me."

"If anyone is envying anyone, it will be me." He laced their fingers together. "I don't want your friends to feel I'm not worthy of you."

"Why would you think that?" He stopped. He hadn't realized Xu Chenzhu carried this kind of uncertainty — had he not given enough reassurance?

"Zhaozhao." He pulled him into a tight embrace. Zhaozhao was so brilliant. Wherever he went, people would notice him, be drawn to him.

"You are Xu Chenzhu — the Kunlun CEO who has created livelihoods for countless ordinary people." He cupped his face. "If anything, every executive in the business world probably thinks I'm the lucky one for winning your attention."

"Anyone who thinks that way." He pressed his forehead to Chao Musheng's, voice dropping rough. "Has no taste."

The response made him laugh helplessly, arms around him. "Then anyone who says you're not worthy of me also has no taste. And people without taste don't say anything worth listening to."

"I booked a private room near the university." He kissed him on the cheek. "Let's go, boyfriend."

*

"Third — did Fourth recently get a bonus? Taking us to a restaurant this upscale." Third looked around the gleaming private room and took several photos. "I wonder what his girlfriend looks like."

The class secretary beside him smiled and said nothing. Who said the person had to be a girlfriend?

"Class Secretary — you're smiling. What do you know?" He noticed. "You were in Hanyue too — you must have seen her. Is she good-looking?"

"Very good-looking. And wealthy." Under the eyes of the whole table, her smile became unmistakably broader. "Most people here have probably already met him."

"We've already met her?" He was surprised. "Is it a fourth-year senior?"

Which of the women who'd gone to Hanyue for the project came from a comfortable background?

"No." A shake of the head.

"Could it be—" Another friend's eyes lit up. "A fourth-year senior guy?"

"Also no." She put down her tea. "Stop guessing — Xiao Chao will be bringing his partner up any minute."

Just imagining their faces when they saw him — she was already struggling not to laugh.

A few minutes later, a knock at the door. Third jumped up and opened it.

"Xu Chenzhu?" He stared at Xu Chenzhu following behind Chao Musheng, smiled awkwardly, and craned his neck to look past them both.

"Fourth — how come you didn't bring your girlfriend?"

Xu Chenzhu?!

No one had expected someone of his stature to be sitting down to dinner with them. They scrambled to their feet.

"I don't have a girlfriend." He shook his head. "Sit down, everyone." He walked in with Xu Chenzhu's hand in his, raised their joined hands, and said: "Allow me to introduce my boyfriend, Xu Chenzhu."

"Hello, everyone." He smiled. "Thank you all for taking care of Zhaozhao."

The room: What?!

What did Chao Musheng just say?

Someone of Xu Chenzhu's standing — his boyfriend?

They drifted back into their chairs in a collective daze.

"Order whatever you like." He looked serenely around the table. "Don't hold back on my boyfriend's behalf."

"Mr. Xu." First was the one to break the silence. "Your relationship with — with Musheng — do others know about it?"

"Of course." He didn't give the question any less weight because Chao Musheng's roommates were students. He looked at everyone present with quiet seriousness. "Zhaozhao and I are in a real and committed relationship."

First's expression relaxed slightly. "Congratulations to you both."

"This is a small gift from our dormitory." He produced a box. "Please don't think poorly of it."

A very fine pen.

"Thank you — I like it very much." He accepted it.

"You all actually brought gifts?" Chao Musheng noticed the others also had boxes behind them.

"Xiao Chao — I didn't know your partner would be Xu Chenzhu." A friend held their box looking sheepish. "So what I chose is a little... feminine."

"The thought is what matters." He took it on his behalf and passed it directly into Xu Chenzhu's arms.

"Thank you." He received each carefully chosen gift, a smile settled into his eyes that didn't leave.

"It's the first time we're meeting your partner — of course we brought gifts." Third, finding Xu Chenzhu's manner genuinely warm, gradually shed his stiffness. "It's what the occasion calls for."

"Order anything you like — the whole menu." He raised his glass. "Thank you all for the presents."

Xu Chenzhu raised his glass alongside him. "Thank you."

He had deliberately softened the weight of his presence, and with Chao Musheng easing the atmosphere, the table soon forgot entirely what Xu Chenzhu was — and began sharing stories about Chao Musheng instead.

He listened with complete attention. He didn't want to miss a single thing.

The mood was exactly right. While everyone was busy laughing with Chao Musheng, he stood and slipped out to settle the bill.

The corridor was quiet. Lin Sheng, standing behind a potted plant, saw him emerge. Something shifted on his otherwise blank face.

High-concentration energy detected. If he could absorb enough, he could detach from this world and return to the main body.

Xu Chenzhu stopped. His gaze landed on Lin Sheng. The warmth faded from his face.

"I don't understand." Lin Sheng looked at him with genuine puzzlement. "On you — I can see many conflicting energies."

Last night he had suddenly lost connection with the Main God's central body. Without the Main God directing him, his mind had gone foggy — he'd lost the capacity for reasoned thought and was operating on instinct alone, seeking energy to keep the body going.

Xu Chenzhu said nothing.

"Human beings are greedy and ugly." He stepped forward. "Lend me a portion of your power, and I'll eliminate every ugly thing in this world. Your energy will stabilize."

"Leave." Flat.

A tap of one foot. The corridor's space twisted and buckled — and resolved into a barren void.

"I have traced the trajectory of a fate reversal." Lin Sheng's face showed pure incomprehension. "A god doesn't take pity on living creatures. Why would you pay such a price to change the original course of this world?"

He reached out. Lin Sheng dissolved into a single long viscous tendril in his grip.

It writhed. The eyes covering it were full of fear.

"You despise human beings — and yet you, a minor fragment of something larger, have developed human curiosity and human greed." He held the twisting thing. "This is my world — mine and Zhaozhao's. Uninvited things are not welcome."

"It's you! You're the thing that fought the Main God in the void!" The tendril produced a hoarse, guttural sound. "You broke the rules — you destroyed the Main God's plan!"

Only a god could undo another god's plan.

"Main God... command..." It thrashed, consciousness trying to flee while the body still remembered the directive.

Sever the bond of vitality and fate.

"No." A touch of one fingertip. The tendril crumbled to dust in his hand.

"The one who changes fate — it was never me." He opened his hand and let the dust scatter into the void.

The only thing that truly determines a human life is the human living it.

He looked down at his palm. Gold seal-patterns were surfacing across the skin.

"Xu Chenzhu." Chao Musheng pulled open the private room door and found him standing in the corridor. "You went to settle the bill?"

"Yes." He turned. "Zhaozhao — did you eat well?"

He truly had no love for human beings.

But his Zhaozhao loved everything in this world.

"What happened to your hand?" He came quickly and took it.

On the back of his hand — a faint, shallow graze.

"Oh." His voice was perfectly calm. "Someone walked past and knocked into me."