Chapter 1#
Rebirth#
Gu Cheng pushed open the door of the Chinese fast-food restaurant, and everyone inside turned to look at him. Quite a few girls secretly blushed.
A man this handsome and elegant was far too rare.
Especially his eyes—when he glanced at someone, they couldn’t help but want to drown in the tenderness like a spring breeze.
Even his casual posture carried an indescribable allure.
He wore an elegant, intricate ancient costume with black as the main color, and the translucent purple patterns on his draped cape were exquisitely detailed.
In the game, this outer outfit had been somewhat looked down upon after its model was released, but since he was a Wanhua player, he didn’t mind spending the money and bought it anyway.
He never expected that wearing it in real life would make every part of it seem flawlessly magnificent.
After all, it was a product of data—naturally different.
There was a comic convention at the stadium across the street today, so all the nearby restaurants were packed. Now the place was full of young men and women in all sorts of strange costumes, so this man with long black hair and ancient robes didn’t seem odd, except that he was far too good-looking.
Some people were whispering, wondering which game or anime character he was cosplaying.
Yes, in this world, there was no such game as the one he played.
Gu Cheng sat down at a table by the window. The others had been stealing glances at that spot all along, and now that they saw he was with them, they weren’t surprised at all.
Because those two were also good-looking and were wearing matching ancient costumes.
One was a man of outstanding elegance, in white robes and black hair, his soft satin cape a grayish blue with embroidered cranes so lifelike they seemed ready to fly. No matter how icy his expression, in the short ten minutes before, the number of people who had tried to strike up a conversation with him had already exceeded the fingers on one hand. The allure of an untouchable flower is also a temptation hard to resist.
The other was a woman, with dazzlingly beautiful features that outshone any star on stage. She crossed her long legs, and her ancient costume of white and purple, paired with soft snow-white fur, made her look both regal and sharp with a hint of coldness.
When Gu Cheng sat down, the woman raised an eyebrow. “Got the money?”
“Easy,” Gu Cheng said with a gentle smile. “I ran into a girl outside and told her my phone and wallet were stolen. I asked to borrow a hundred yuan.” As for the little note with the phone number and WeChat ID she had shoved along with the hundred-yuan bill, he had already tossed it into the trash can by the door.
“…She just lent it to you after you asked?”
“Mm.” He said casually, “Good looks always have an advantage.”
If it had been someone ordinary-looking, they’d probably be taken for a scammer on the spot.
But right now, even Gu Cheng himself had to pause for a moment when he first saw his own face in the mirror, let alone anyone else.
The lethal charm of peerless beauty.
“Time is tight. We need to make plans early,” the ice-cold flower spoke up.
Gu Cheng lowered his eyelids to hide the complex look in his eyes. To be honest, after finding himself reborn, the person he least knew how to face was the one right in front of him.
Zhao Yanzhi.
In the game, he was Gu Cheng’s disciple, calling him “Master, Master” for years. Because Zhao Yanzhi’s voice was deep and sexy—the quintessential male god voice—and his gameplay was outstanding, all the girls in the guild worshipped him as a god. In reality, Zhao Yanzhi also lived up to that title: a third-year student at the best medical university in the country, a tall and handsome campus heartthrob. Aside from being a bit cold, he had almost no flaws.
This disciple was someone Gu Cheng had picked up halfway. He had worked hard to level him up, taught him how to raid, and taken him to battlegrounds. Logically, they should have been very familiar, but this guy… had always been indifferent.
Before crossing into this world, Gu Cheng had no idea that Zhao Yanzhi’s home was in the same residential complex as his own.
As for the domineering queen beside him, she was Zhao Yanzhi’s cousin, Zhao Wanzhi. During the National Day holiday, Zhao Yanzhi was home, and Zhao Wanzhi came to stay at his place for a few days after finishing the bar exam. Who would have thought that this stay would lead to something unexpected?
On the day the incident happened, all three of them were playing games. Coincidentally, they were in the same complex, just in different buildings. When they woke up, they stared at each other for a while before recognizing each other’s in-game appearances.
Gu Cheng’s thoughts wandered. After all, this was the second time. This time he was not panicked at all, and he had already told his two companions that he had come back once.
Since he had already accepted crossing worlds, a rebirth wasn’t a big deal. It wasn’t like he hadn’t read those time-travel and rebirth novels.
Moreover, they came from the same world, shared the same system, and had the same secret. They were natural allies.
No matter how dangerous or difficult the situation had been in his past life, Zhao Yanzhi and Zhao Wanzhi had always stood firmly by his side. The three of them supported each other like a tripod and never betrayed one another. They were the most reliable partners and comrades. Of course, Gu Cheng could trust them.
They had once entrusted each other with their lives. Gu Cheng knew their character—there was no doubt about that.
The only thing that made his feelings complicated was… Zhao Yanzhi.
Gu Cheng had never known that this guy had such feelings for him. If it hadn’t been for crossing into this world, he probably would never have said it.
No wonder this guy had always been distant with him. Even Gu Cheng’s friends had complained on his behalf, thinking the disciple was a bit ungrateful—Zhao Yanzhi was just keeping his distance. He didn’t want to fall deeper, nor did he want to drag Gu Cheng down with him.
Back then, Gu Cheng was still a straight-as-an-arrow straight man.
As for now… heh.
“How much time do we have?” Zhao Wanzhi asked.
The names of these cousins both had an antique flavor. The Zhao family was a scholarly clan; every member was a teacher, professor, or intellectual. Naturally, their names had some thought put into them.
Gu Cheng pulled himself together. They were all old acquaintances in the game, so even though they had hardly met in real life, there was a natural sense of familiarity.
“Eight hours,” he said, glancing at the clock in the café.
Zhao Yanzhi looked thoughtful. “Eight hours from now… that should be around eleven at night.”
“Mm.” Gu Cheng didn’t look at him.
Zhao Yanzhi gave him a subtle once-over but said nothing.
Zhao Wanzhi finished the last of her soup and gazed out the window, a hint of bewilderment in her eyes.
No matter how strong and independent she was, she had never experienced anything like this. The streets outside looked no different from the familiar world she knew, no matter how she looked; it resembled the city she had lived in. But she had already confirmed for herself that in this world, there was no school, no home, and no person named Zhao Wanzhi.
Unlike Zhao Yanzhi, whose parents had divorced and remarried, Zhao Wanzhi came from a happy family. Her parents favored her younger brother a bit, but not excessively so. She herself excelled academically and was independent. She was sure to pass the bar exam if nothing went wrong. Her future had been bright, yet now she had ended up in this situation.
Still, Zhao Wanzhi wasn’t one to dither. She quickly steadied herself. “Is there a large supermarket around here?”
“Yes,” Gu Cheng had already scouted the area. “About a ten-minute walk from here. A comprehensive supermarket—they sell everything.”
All three of them had in-game backpacks that could hold quite a lot, and they also needed to find some suitable clothes.
When the disaster struck, all supplies would become incredibly precious.
Different from the usual post-apocalyptic scenarios, the apocalypse in this world was terrifying—so terrifying that if not for that magical tree, all the survivors would probably starve to death slowly.
With the borrowed hundred yuan, they paid the bill and filled their stomachs. They had no desire to wander around nearby; too many people wanted to take pictures with them, which was visibly annoying Zhao Yanzhi. But their outfits weren’t suitable for going anywhere else. Coming here had been Gu Cheng’s suggestion—they had hitched a ride in a private car.
After barely managing to kill a few hours, they headed toward the large supermarket.
It was almost closing time, and the supermarket was nearly empty.
“We need to find the surveillance room,” Gu Cheng said.
Zhao Wanzhi nodded. “Let’s split up to look.”
“Mm.”
Gu Cheng spotted a restroom sign not far away. “I’ll go to the restroom first.”
“Me too,” Zhao Yanzhi stepped forward.
Zhao Wanzhi waved a hand and headed off in one direction.
Gu Cheng felt a bit awkward inside but told himself he was probably overthinking.
At this point, Zhao Yanzhi wouldn’t do anything. Gu Cheng didn’t know when Zhao Yanzhi had started liking him. Could it have been the first time they met in the guild? But from the way he talked back then, it didn’t seem right. It seemed that from the very beginning, this guy had gradually fallen for him just from hearing his voice.
…Because of his voice and personality?
It always felt a bit weird.
But Gu Cheng remembered clearly that at first they were just teammates. Later, little by little, Zhao Yanzhi seemed to make up his mind. And once this guy made a decision, his execution was terrifying.
“Master.” The man behind him suddenly called out, his voice carrying a faint, lazy hint of amusement.
Gu Cheng’s scalp tingled. His whole body froze.
He recognized that tone, that address! For a moment, he almost thought Zhao Yanzhi had also been reborn!
The man’s warmth drew close. He chuckled softly by Gu Cheng’s ear. “Is Master still keeping something from me?”
Gu Cheng: “…”
He turned around, standing in front of Gu Cheng. His refined, handsome face seemed to glow faintly in the dim light.
Gu Cheng bit his lip and looked up, about to say something, when Zhao Yanzhi suddenly leaned in and lightly brushed his lips against Gu Cheng’s—a touch that came and went, hardly even a kiss.
Yet with that simple contact, Zhao Yanzhi’s eyes seemed to explode with starlight.
“Master, why didn’t you refuse me?” I’m kissing you, and Master said you were straight, didn’t you?
Gu Cheng’s expression was calm, showing no surprise. “Would refusing work? You’d just use Plucking Geese on me anyway.”
Plucking Geese, The long chant of wild geese in autumn, recounting rivers and lakes. A skill from the Changge school: it controls the target’s character and allows the user to use their skills, lasting for a full twelve seconds.
This was Gu Cheng’s most hated skill, bar none.
Once hit by Plucking Geese, his body ceased to be his own, completely under the other’s control, rendered wholly his puppet.
Zhao Yanzhi’s eyes and heart were full of laughter. He said softly, “Just as I thought.”
“Thought what?”
“I just felt that I definitely wouldn’t let you go.”
Gu Cheng: “…”
“Master,” his warm breath brushed past Gu Cheng’s ear, “I’m so happy.”
Seeing the untouchable flower melt into a spring of water, Gu Cheng frowned and gave a humph.
He knew his true nature well; he could no longer be fooled by his outward appearance.
Untouchable flower, my foot!