This Is Very Strange on Danmei AI Translations

Chapter 6

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 6#

Coughing Up Blood#

Grandma performed with great dedication on stage, while Chao Musheng was busy snapping photos and recording videos on his phone, thoroughly absorbed in the task. The person sitting beside him cheerfully shifted to give him a better angle for shooting.

A television camera operator spotted an unusually handsome young man in the crowd and couldn’t help letting the lens linger on him for several extra seconds.

Chapter 7

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 7#

Not Watching for Free#

“Grandma!”

Grandma snatched up a wooden stick from the ground and marched into the guesthouse with great purpose, Chao Musheng sprinting after her.

The building had been constructed by Xiufang, an elder of the village, for her three children. After they all bought homes in the city, the countryside house had sat empty ever since.

Chao Musheng heard a chaotic tumble of footsteps and shouting from upstairs.

Chapter 8

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 8#

Notorious#

“Musheng.” The village chief produced his prized tea leaves, brewed a cup, and pressed it into Chao Musheng’s hands. “Have some tea, have some tea.”

Chao Musheng had the distinct feeling this tea was going to cost him something.

“Come on, have a sip.”

“Chief, it’s a bit hot.” Steam from the tea wafted into his face. Chao Musheng pushed the damp strands of hair off his forehead — still wet from the rain. “If there’s something you need, just say it.”

Chapter 9

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 9#

The Dark of Night#

“Nothing!”

Toxic Male’s death had left Chubby badly shaken. He didn’t dare let Chao Musheng notice a single thing off about him. “I just thought you looked tired, mate — didn’t you get any rest?”

Chao Musheng touched his own face. Pulling an all-nighter was like being broke — there was simply no hiding it.

“It’s not that I didn’t sleep well. I didn’t sleep at all.” He was so exhausted he just wanted to lie down on the spot. “You two enjoy yourselves — I’m going home to sleep.”

Chapter 10

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 10#

Normal#

“For the love of—!”

Little Jia scratched furiously at himself. He’d been bitten into a constellation of enormous welts by tiger mosquitoes.

Two hours crouched under a tree — two hours of being used as a blood buffet. And the whole time, a light in one of the rooms of Chao Musheng’s house had stayed stubbornly on, keeping him from daring to go inside.

It was all this village’s fault for being too normal. Normal to the point of being almost sinister.

Chapter 11

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 11#

The Joy of Helping Others#

Officer Xiao Lin finished watching the security footage from the village entrance, then sat with his notes and puzzled over it for a solid half hour without arriving at any explanation for why anyone would beat each other half to death over two ugly resin figurines.

“Nothing strange about it, really.” The village Party secretary came over to soothe his rattled nerves. “A while back, five thieves spent five whole days hiding in the village — all for the sake of stealing ancestral tablets out of someone’s family shrine.”

Chapter 12

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 12#

Back to School (Debugging)#

Oh, so this was the second time this guy had left a comment on his posts.

Chao Musheng sent back an emoji and closed his social feed, only to find his roommates tagging him in the group chat.

Nominally asking when he was coming back to school. Actually angling for the local specialty foods he’d be bringing.

He thought of the suitcase his grandparents had packed to bursting before he left, and felt a wave of speechlessness wash over him.

Chapter 13

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 13#

Speechless#

Wan You lay on the ground for a good thirty seconds. No NPC came to help him up.

“Do you need us to call the campus doctor?”

He looked up at the student who’d spoken. The young man was wearing a clean, neatly pressed white shirt, a host’s lanyard on his chest, and had the kind of face that stirred an instinctive discomfort in Wan You — too symmetrical, too effortlessly attractive.

Chapter 14

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 14#

Temporary Cards#

At this precise moment, the players finally felt the full, crushing hostility of the instance bearing down on them.

The microscope gleamed under the laboratory lights with a terror all its own.

“This is too important — I don’t dare touch it.” Zhang San, watching the NPCs’ affinity ratings toward the players drop three points in the span of thirty seconds, scrambled to speak. “The facilities back home are nothing like this. I’ve never seen equipment this advanced — I’m scared I’d break it. I just want a photo with it to make everyone back at school jealous.”

Chapter 15

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 15#

Something Different#

“You—!”

The student’s fists came up as he lunged forward.

“Hey, hey — let’s talk this out, no need to get physical!” Zhang San was quietly cursing his luck. The affinity reading above this person’s head was a deep, angry red: -1. He was treating them as outright enemies.

But Chao Musheng was their assigned host. He’d just gone out of his way to get them campus cards. Zhang San couldn’t very well stand there and watch him take a beating — and looking at that fair, unblemished face, he probably couldn’t absorb many hits.

Chapter 16

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 16#

Little Tangerine#

Zhao Shang was up at six in the morning. The other three in the dormitory were still asleep.

He washed up and headed downstairs. Students passed him at intervals on the path outside, their young faces bright with energy.

He stopped walking. Stood still, watching each person go by. A long time passed before he moved again.

“What are you standing around staring at?”

He turned. Chao Musheng and a young man in an orange shirt were walking toward him.

Chapter 17

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 17#

Help!#

He couldn’t understand a word of cat, but somehow Chao Musheng had no trouble following Little Tangerine’s meaning perfectly.

He tucked her back into his arms and let her settle. “At zero thirty-four this morning, someone in this dormitory threw an object from the window and hit a cat. It was caught on camera.”

The vegetable player, finding NPCs blocking the doorway, was already pale with alarm. He shook his head rapidly. “Not me. I didn’t do anything.”

Chapter 18

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 18#

Helping Out#

“Please, don’t mention it — it was nothing.” Chao Musheng smiled politely at the middle-aged man, then noticed Zhang San standing frozen and staring at the car. “We haven’t eaten lunch yet, so we’ll be heading off. Goodbye.”

“Wait—” The man didn’t get another word out before Chao Musheng had already turned and walked away.

The advantages of long legs — covering ground faster than everyone else.

Chapter 19

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 19#

Connections#

Zhang San shot a puzzled look at Zhao Shang. Did you tip Chao Musheng off, Shang-bro?

Zhao Shang shook his head slowly. He’d only just taken out his phone — hadn’t had time to send anything.

“I was just passing by and I heard—” Chao Musheng stepped into the bathroom and stopped. Zhou Yi was there, soaked through. The smile at the corner of Chao Musheng’s mouth disappeared. “Lao Zhou?”

Chapter 20

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 20#

At Ease#

The players split into groups and combed through every male dormitory building on campus. They found no trace of a room matching the fire from the dream.

With the objective no closer to cracked, one of the shorter-tempered players turned on the prophetic-dream girl and took out his frustrations on her.

She felt this was deeply unfair. She’d offered the lead in good faith — if things had changed, that wasn’t her fault. “Nothing stays fixed. A prophecy isn’t something that’s already happened. Maybe a person or an event shifted the original course of things—”

Chapter 21

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 21#

Outstanding (Debugging)#

Although Mr. Xu had said he only needed one student to accompany him, Director Wang — in the interest of showing appropriate respect — walked alongside Mr. Xu and his secretary for a stretch before taking her leave.

Watching Director Wang depart so unbothered, the secretary was quietly surprised. A person as socially adept as Director Wang — wasn’t she worried the student might offer inadequate hospitality and damage Kunlun’s confidence in the school?

Chapter 22

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 22#

Certificate of Honor#

“Xiao Chao, come sit down.” Director Wang stood to take the tray from Chao Musheng’s hands, arranged the cups in front of Mr. Xu and Secretary Liu, and waved Chao Musheng to a seat — not wanting to tire out her most valuable asset.

“Please, Mr. Xu — your tea.” Director Wang settled Chao Musheng into the chair beside her. “Since Xiao Chao enrolled, his academic performance has been consistently outstanding, and his practical abilities are equally exceptional. He’s still young, of course — he would benefit enormously from a platform that could stretch and develop him further.”

Chapter 24

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 24#

Something Wrong#

He couldn’t tell Chao Musheng that either — that if he and Zhang San failed to clear the instance, the NPCs in this world would slowly forget they had ever existed. As though they had never been here at all.

Players and NPCs alike: pieces moved by the Main God. None of them free.

“You two have been off these last couple of days.” Chao Musheng had noticed the change in Zhang San and Zhao Shang. “Did you fight last week and still haven’t made up?”

Chapter 25

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 25#

Money Tree#

Qing Cai did not return all night, and there was no movement from next door in 402.

Zhao Shang opened the advanced study exchange group. Only the group owner had sent a message five minutes ago regarding the exam location and exam discipline. The other guides who usually reminded the advanced students to study seriously in the group did not speak.

About ten minutes later, a player replied in the group: [Received].

Chapter 26

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 26#

Why#

“A company this size and they’re using fake plastic trees.” Ah Ze muttered with a sour expression. “No class at all.”

Superstitious enough to put up a fortune tree. Not superstitious enough to use a real one.

“I have a knife — do you want it?” A short-haired girl had been watching this situation for as long as she could stand. She stepped over quickly and lowered her voice. “Hurry up. The company’s people are about to come down.”

Chapter 27

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 27#

Alumni#

A deep sense of crisis had taken root in Curly Hair’s chest. This person was her greatest competition in this instance.

“Curly, the food on his plate looks incredible — and he’s had seven or eight bites already and nothing’s happened.” Ah Ze hadn’t taken his eyes off the meat in Chao Musheng’s bowl. “I want meat so badly.”

“You’ve been watching him long enough to count exactly how many bites he’s taken?” Curly Hair hadn’t been genuinely exasperated into almost laughing for a long time. She drew a long breath. “Stop talking. I want some quiet.”

Chapter 28

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 28#

Progress#

“Oh — it’s you.” Chao Musheng recognized the four girls. “The placement ended — why didn’t you go home?”

They smiled with practiced awkwardness and gestured for the group to sit. “Conditions back home are difficult. We thought we’d stay here and earn some money first.”

They were terrified he’d press further and expose something. But for reasons they couldn’t identify, Chao Musheng didn’t pursue it — he simply nodded, as though it made complete sense. “That’s sensible.”

Chapter 29

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 29#

Jokes#

You’re supposed to not refuse someone who’s smiling at you — but this particular smile was almost aggressively radiant.

Chao Musheng stood there for a moment, genuinely unsure whether to accept the steaming breakfast being held out to him. He reached into his bag and produced a bread roll. “Thank you — I brought something, though.”

Better to eat his own. Safer for the soul.

“Oh.” Curly Hair seemed entirely untroubled. She held out a carton of milk instead. “You seem like a very disciplined person, Xiao Chao. Eating breakfast on time is a good habit.”

Chapter 30

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 30#

Uh Oh#

Under the combined weight of his colleagues’ stares, Chao Musheng’s scalp crawled. He cleared his throat and met Mr. Xu’s eyes with perfect composure.

The senior spoke first. “Sir — we have some work to run by Team Two next door.”

“You’ve all been working hard.” Mr. Xu nodded. “Go ahead.”

Chao Musheng watched his colleagues leave with barely-concealed urgency, and felt a mild exasperation he couldn’t express. Team Two’s people were still in the canteen. Who exactly were they going to consult?

Chapter 31

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 31#

Two Faces#

The heat was fierce. Wan You plated the finished skewers, reached for the water bottle, and tipped his head back for a long swallow — then turned and saw Chao Musheng, and nearly choked.

One day had passed. Why was he back?

“Boss Wan — I’ve brought people to support your business.” Chao Musheng didn’t wait to be invited. He picked up the order sheet from the side of the stall and started looking for an empty table.

Chapter 32

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 32#

Invitation#

Boss?

Chao Musheng turned his head and saw Mr. Xu standing at the corner of the corridor, wearing a light silver-gray shirt, the diamond on his tie clip shining brightly.

The boss has so many tie clips, and they are so shiny.

“Hello, Mr. Xu.”

“Hello, Student Xiao Zhao.” Xu Chenzhu walked up to Chao Musheng. He glanced at the transfer letter of intent in Chao Musheng’s hand: “The software development team leader stayed in my office for a long time today, insisting on transferring you to his team no matter what.”

Chapter 33

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 33#

Euphemism#

When he woke up in the morning, washed up, and picked up his phone, Chao Musheng saw the lollipop he had casually placed on the bedside table.

He twirled the lollipop in his palm, unwrapped it, and put it in his mouth.

It was still the same old taste, with a strong orange flavor.

With the lollipop in his mouth, he opened the door and saw Ah Ze sitting on the sofa. Chao Musheng looked at the back of the other person’s fluffy head in confusion. Why was he in his house?

Chapter 34

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 34#

Going Crazy#

“Ah Ze.”

Ah Ze turned around, and a young man approached him: “The manager didn’t scold you much today. Did you find some trick to please him?”

“What trick?” Ah Ze shook his head: “Brother Ding, do you also think the manager is particularly nice to me? I told you so, it’s definitely not my illusion. Sister Juan said I was overthinking.”

In the past, when he made a mistake, the manager would scold him for at least half an hour. Today, he only scolded him for ten minutes, and he didn’t call him a stupid pig or a dumb cow. Isn’t that good?

Chapter 35

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 35#

Key Point#

“Sister Zhao, this artist is very cooperative with our work this time, and the studio has no comments on the interview draft.” The staff enlarged the cover and inner page design drafts on the projector: “If you think there’s no problem, we’ll send it to the printing factory tonight.”

“Swap the second and fourth inner page images. The second image is too similar to the outer cover’s pose and expression.” Zhao Yin signed the document after reviewing all the designs: “Don’t pay attention to those comments on social media platforms. Kunlun Film and Television’s public relations department will handle it themselves.”

Chapter 36

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 36#

Conflict#

“There are many problems within the Film and Television Department. Those people rarely speak the truth. The company’s upper management is planning to clean up the parasites inside recently.” Secretary Liu entered the elevator and complained unceremoniously: “Just by nodding to him, he can turn around and brag about having a friendship with you. If you eat at the same table with him, in his mouth, you become good brothers.”

Chapter 37

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 37#

Fragrance#

What kind of look was that?

A chill rushed from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Number 2 couldn’t help but take a step back.

Even though he had cleared countless dungeons, under the gaze of so many eerie eyes, he couldn’t suppress the fear rising within him.

His heart beat like a drum. Number 2 could clearly feel cold sweat seeping from his palms. His dry throat moved, forcing himself to reveal a stiff smile.

Chapter 38

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 38#

Once#

It was raining again.

Wan You sat back in his chair, lazily flipping through a book. There were few customers in this weather. He hadn’t stocked much, and he wasn’t in a hurry even though business was slow.

The rain washed away the dust on the ground, and pedestrians hurried through the downpour.

The sky gradually darkened, but the rain didn’t stop. Wan You was preparing to pack up his stall and go back to his rented room to read. Halfway through packing, a woman holding an umbrella appeared in front of his stall.

Chapter 39

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 39#

Emergency#

“I don’t remember what you’re talking about.”

Number 2 put down his chopsticks, his tone cold: “You don’t have to help, but don’t interfere with what I’m going to do.”

After speaking, he picked up his untouched tray and got up to leave.

“There’s still so much meat on the plate, he’s not eating it?” Ah Ze looked at the food taken away by Number 2, his face full of distress: “If my grandma saw someone wasting food like this, she could nag for a day and a night.”

Chapter 40

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 40#

The King of Involution#

Footsteps were hurried and chaotic. Chao Musheng looked towards the sound and saw Xu Chenzhu rushing out from the stairwell, with Secretary Liu and several people from the President’s Office following far behind, panting heavily.

“What’s going on?” Xu Chenzhu slowed down when he saw Chao Musheng standing in the corner. He turned to ask the security guard, “The technical R&D personnel are still outside, how could you activate the emergency shutdown button?!”

Chapter 41

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 41#

Cruise Ship#

“Sister Juan, are you and Brother Number 2 hiding something from me?”

Ah Ze noticed that Sister Juan had messaged Number 2 several times, chatting secretly on their phones without including him. Just a few days ago, Sister Juan was beating up Number 2, so why had things changed now?

Xiao Juan put away her phone, stared at Ah Ze for several seconds, and sighed faintly: “It has nothing to do with you, don’t worry about it blindly.”

Chapter 42

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 42#

Financial Power#

Xiao Juan touched the waitress uniform she was wearing. The joy of reuniting with Chao Musheng was instantly overwhelmed by embarrassment. How should she explain to Brother Chao that she gave up her job at Kunlun just to become a waitress?

If she had known there would be a day of reunion, she wouldn’t have said anything about doing something important before parting, even if it killed her.

Chapter 43

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 43#

Fight#

“How can we strike up a conversation with the big shot?”

The agent sat at the dining table, his eyes scanning the restaurant, not daring to approach rashly. These people didn’t look like big shots one could just casually approach.

“Brother Xu, you often go to the Song family, you must have seen one or two big shots here, right?” The agent wouldn’t give up. It wasn’t easy to sneak onto the 15th floor. If they went back empty-handed, what would other agents think of him?

Chapter 44

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 44#

Chief Officer Chao#

“Holy crap!”

Lian Hai, who was cheering for Chao Musheng, looked up at the door following his companion’s hint: “Why is the old master of the Song family here? Song Cheng, this kid, has no martial ethics. If he can’t win, he can’t win. Why did he call his parents?”

Turning his head to see Chao Musheng still pinning Song Cheng to the ground and beating him, Lian Hai braced himself and winked at him. Buddy, stop hitting for now, at least look back!

Chapter 45

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 45#

Taking Photos#

“The person who went up just now is obviously not simple. He didn’t say much from beginning to end, but no one dared to challenge him.”

“The one who was beaten black and blue had to bow his head and apologize to the person who beat him. What a coward.”

A few players who were hiding further away quietly came out from the corner after everyone had left. Although they didn’t see clearly the reason for the incident, they saw clearly that someone was unilaterally beaten and finally bowed to apologize.

Chapter 46

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 46#

Tea Break#

Chao Musheng sent the photos of breakfast and the moonlit scenery taken last night to his grandparents. Turning his head, he saw that only one plate was left in front of Secretary Liu, and he put the plates back in their original positions: “Brother Liu, sorry about that.”

“It’s okay.” Secretary Liu glanced at the boss. Besides, the boss moved the plates there, it had nothing to do with Xiao Chao.

Chapter 47

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 47#

Bizarre#

The harsh sound of shattering only drew a sideways glance from the big shots. Their smiles remained unchanged, without even a hint of condemnation.

Decent and composed.

If Xiao Juan hadn’t experienced the private difficulties caused by some of these people, she might have truly believed they were magnanimous and unconcerned.

Soon, the waiter who caused trouble in the beverage area was taken away by bodyguards. The older waitress said without changing her expression, “Don’t learn from him, causing such big trouble.”

Chapter 48

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 48#

Thunder from a Clear Sky#

The door swung open, and five men walked in. The leader was very young, and the fake waiter recognized him at a glance. If Xu Chenzhu hadn’t suddenly gotten cake and milk for this kid today, the others wouldn’t have followed suit to get food from the tea break area.

The fake waiter’s anger surged but quickly subsided, his shoulders slumping as he turned his head to look at the painting on the wall.

Chapter 49

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 49#

Help#

“You really know Zhao Shang?” Brother Wu’s breathing quickened, all his attention glued to Chao Musheng.

Xiao Liu and Xiao Qi also stared at Chao Musheng with burning eyes, afraid he would give a negative answer.

“He’s over 1.8 meters tall, has double eyelids.” Brother Wu incoherently described every small detail about Zhao Shang: “Thick hair, doesn’t like to smile much…”

“Is this the person you’re talking about?” Chao Musheng still had the photo Zhao Shang sent after returning to his hometown. He pulled out the photo and handed it to Brother Wu.

Chapter 50 - 1

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 50 - 1#

Strange#

“Who did you say he wants to harm?!”

Xiao Juan looked at Brother Tiger, her fists already clenched: “Aren’t you in cahoots with him?”

Brother Tiger grinned: “I am a player, and I am in cahoots with all players who share the same stance.”

Xiao Juan looked at his honest face: “Wait here, I’ll go ask the foreman for leave.”

“What leave? The foreman on the ship is very hard to talk to. It’s better to sneak away.” Brother Tiger watched Xiao Juan’s retreating figure and muttered softly: “Could it be that she doesn’t want to help and is deliberately making excuses?”

Chapter 50 - 2

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 50 - 2#

“What’s under my foot?” Chao Musheng looked down, preparing to lift his foot to take a look.

“Don’t move!” Brother Tiger said excitedly: “There’s a very fierce mosquito under your foot!”

The two employees responsible for the disinfection work: “…”

Saying there’s a mosquito here right in front of them, and specifically emphasizing it’s fierce, what does that mean?

“You’re guarding here wearing glasses specifically to catch mosquitoes?” Chao Musheng knew that the service staff on the ship didn’t have it easy, but this was too motivated, too difficult.

Chapter 51 - 1

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 51 - 1#

Haunted#

“Sister Juan, your expression looks strange. What happened?”

During the staff meal time, Xiao Liu noticed that Xiao Juan had zoned out several times. Even when the natives came over to talk, Xiao Juan didn’t react.

“It’s nothing.” Xiao Juan shook her head and put down her chopsticks: “I’m full. I’m going out for a walk.”

“Sister Juan.” Brother Hu was outside. Seeing Xiao Juan come out, he quickly waved at her: “Sister Juan, the player who released the puppet mosquito to assassinate Mr. Zhao was eliminated last night.”

Chapter 51 - 2

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 51 - 2#

Chao Musheng looked at Song Cheng. In just a few hours, he had even more religious and cultural merchandise on him.

Song Cheng looked at Chao Musheng, warily hiding the evil-warding beads behind him. He turned to go downstairs, only to find the bodyguards he thought he had shaken off standing at the entrance of the stairwell, looking at him expressionlessly.

The stairs were carpeted, so there was no sound when walking.

Chapter 52 - 1

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 52 - 1#

Getting Better#

There was no ghost outside, only Song Cheng crawling all over the floor.

Literally crawling all over the floor.

Chao Musheng had never seen a person crawl so abstractly.

It was unclear what had triggered Song Cheng, but he was crying his eyes out, completely disregarding his dignity as the heir to the Song Corporation. He was moving on all fours on the deck under the bright sun, looking somewhat like a fly larva from a distance.

Chapter 52 - 2

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 52 - 2#

Seeing Shen Ran take the initiative to mention Song Cheng, Chao Musheng was slightly stunned, then smiled: “At most, he’s just a crooked melon gnawed by insects, rotting and stinking in a dark corner.”

“Brother Zhao, you’re right. This kind of person only deserves to rot and stink in a dark corner.” Shen Ran’s eyes were extremely bright. His wonderful life shouldn’t be ruined by Song Cheng.

Chapter 53

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 53#

A Childlike Heart#

“You’re quite friendly with the staff.” Leaving the meeting room, Secretary Liu had noticed Chao Musheng bringing water to the service attendants.

On the Wangyue, the staff barely registered as people to most of the guests — they were furniture, there to serve. You didn’t wonder whether furniture was tired.

It was a relief Xiao Chao wasn’t like that. No wonder he’d liked the young man immediately.

Chapter 54

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 54#

Waves#

“Zhaozhao — you’re back?”

Xu Chenzhu came through the door and found Chao Musheng holding the little spoon.

“I’m sorry — the set was too charming, I couldn’t help picking it up.” Chao Musheng became aware, with some mortification, that he had just casually handled someone else’s belongings. How had he committed such a basic error of social conduct?

Not like him at all.

“It doesn’t matter. The set was meant for you.” Xu Chenzhu took off his jacket and came over. “I saw how much you liked it at lunch, so I had someone track down the full collection.”

Chapter 55

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 55#

The Chen Estate#

As the saying goes: the rougher the seas, the more fish there are.

With the ship thrown into crisis and no one paying attention, players slipped into areas that had been off-limits, hunting for anything that might help them clear the instance. They didn’t know why the storm had come early, but the math was simple: if they hadn’t found the person behind the revenge plot before the ship went down, they went down with it.

Chapter 56

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 56#

What a Coincidence#

“Mr. Xu, welcome to my humble estate.”

Master Chen came out at something close to a trot, his smile carrying a visible edge of flattery that nobody could have missed. The players who had spent a full day being ground down by the estate’s rules stared at the sight of him.

The old feudalist had a second face after all.

From morning until now, every arriving guest had been received by the head steward alone. Master Chen hadn’t shown himself once.

Chapter 57

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 57#

Won#

Tiger registered the tension in the air. One look at Curly Hair’s smile — guilty, transparently so — and he spread his own face into the widest, most guileless grin he could manage.

He didn’t know anything. He was just simple-minded little Tiger.

Officer Cheng stepped in at the right moment. “Good afternoon, sir. I’m the head of the criminal investigations unit at the East District Bureau. There are some details about the Wangyue we’d like to go over with you, if you’re willing to cooperate.”

Chapter 58

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 58#

The Gift#

“What are you smiling about?” You Jiu watched Curly Hair’s expression with a faint sense of unease.

“Nothing.” She smiled wider. “Maybe I was just born cheerful. Wait here — I’ll be down once I’ve changed.”

After she left, You Jiu assessed the surroundings.

From the moment he’d entered the instance yesterday, he’d been placed in the main courtyard where Master Chen himself resided. The kitchen quarters were considerably rougher. So how had a kitchen servant managed to earn the head steward’s special regard within a single day?

Chapter 59

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 59#

A Joke#

“At gatherings like this, the Chen family should have counted themselves lucky just to get Mr. Xu to show his face.” One of the guests watched the crowd around Xu Chenzhu and couldn’t quite keep the sourness out of his tone. “Whatever good fortune the Chen family stumbled into, to have Mr. Xu attend like this.”

There had been no notable connection between the Chen family and Xu Chenzhu before this.

Chapter 60

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 60#

Summoning#

“Little black dumpling — it’s you.”

Chao Musheng recognized the cat from the path. He stepped off the bridge, handed the vase of lotus flowers to one of the bodyguards, and crouched down in front of it with his hand extended. “Are they still chasing you? Come with me for now.”

From the bridge above, Xu Chenzhu listened to Chao Musheng’s voice soften into its cat-coaxing register and looked at him with an expression he made no effort to move.

Chapter 61

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 61#

Noise#

Chen Er woke to full daylight.

He sat up in a daze and found that he’d fallen asleep in the changing room. In the room where they’d brought him to change clothes, the night before. He’d slept the whole night there — since when did he sleep that soundly?

“Cough, cough.” He stepped down from the bed. His chest ached and itched at the same time, a deep unpleasant feeling, and he coughed hard several times. The back of his throat filled with the taste of blood.

Chapter 62

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 62#

The Brave Soul#

Lian Hai had only taken a few running steps before he registered that Xu Chenzhu was also present, and immediately downshifted — even the bounce went out of his green hair.

“Good morning, Mr. Xu.” He walked up to the two of them with his best behavior, thought for a long moment, and produced: “What lovely weather today. Are you out for a walk as well, Mr. Xu?”

Chapter 63

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 63#

Young People#

Secretary Liu was among the first to know about the boss’s new profile picture. One glance was all it took to work out who had taken it.

He opened the office gossip group. His colleagues, with no idea whatsoever, were still busy guessing.

“Hmph.” He put his phone away and looked toward the corner, where the little black cat was curled in its bed asleep. Some secrets were not for sharing.

Chapter 64

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 64#

Nightmare#

“Let me understand this correctly — we carefully arranged four people to go in, and we’re down to one?”

The unit leader looked at the three colleagues who had been returned from Chen Garden. “Explain. How did you get sent back?”

All three had useful skills — market stalls, cooking, housekeeping — and reasonably solid undercover experience. By any normal logic, they shouldn’t have been turned away.

Chapter 65

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 65#

A Fate Beyond Words#

Xiao He was not a superstitious person. He did not believe in gods or ghosts. But the dream had been too vivid, too brutal.

The oppressive pressure of the creature tearing through space. The bright red blood when it ripped through human bodies. The screaming — pain and terror all at once. He couldn’t shake any of it.

He remembered standing in front of a child, and then the creature’s tendril punching through his chest before he’d had time to react.

Chapter 66

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 66#

The Scheme#

The water pavilion held a zither on its stand, incense burning in a crane-and-cloud burner in the corner.

Zither and sword. He really committed to the aesthetic.

“Please, sit.” Master Xuan gestured Chao Musheng to the Eight Immortals table, on which an unfinished go game was laid out.

“I have no fine tea to offer — this is honeysuckle I gathered on the mountain myself. Appropriate for the season.” He carried a string of sandalwood beads in one hand and poured with the other. “What brings young sir to consult me — matters of the heart, or matters of ambition?”

Chapter 67

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 67#

Lively Times#

“Brother Liu — whoever named you put gold in every character.” Chao Musheng could see Secretary Liu was still unsettled and chose to tease instead. “That much gold — clearly a name for someone born to make money.”

Secretary Liu felt the last of his worry let go. If Xiao Chao wasn’t bothered by a word the fortune-teller had said, then he had nothing to worry about either. “My mother probably had exactly that reasoning when she chose it. We weren’t well off — I even took out a student loan for university. But I was lucky enough to be selected for Kunlun’s management training program before I graduated.”

Chapter 68

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 68#

Steadfast#

The Chen Garden steward and both captured men in black were equally startled by Chao Musheng’s sudden appearance.

“Mr. Chao.” The steward signaled the enforcers with a look — get the captives out of sight. “You haven’t rested yet? It’s so late.”

“I’d already fallen asleep, but a cat woke me, and then I remembered that the steward had specifically asked about a cat earlier — so I thought I’d come and have a look around.” Chao Musheng noticed the enforcers hauling the two men away, and let his gaze settle on the gagged figures. “Who are they?”

Chapter 69

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 69#

Nothing Good Ever Comes of It#

“Mr. Xu — is there anything you’d like to watch?” The screening room had limited options. Chao Musheng opened the streaming app on his phone, looking for something to cast to the screen.

Xu Chenzhu shook his head. “Whatever you like — I don’t know much about films.”

“You don’t watch shows?” Chao Musheng’s hand stilled on the list. “Mr. Xu — what do you usually do when you have free time?”

Chapter 70

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 70#

Not Knowing What’s Good for Them#

“Thank you for your concern, Mr. Chao.” The steward loathed the sight of him but had no choice but to maintain a pleasant expression. “Where are you heading?”

“I heard last night, when Young Master Chen You was walking me back, that the second young master is unwell.” Chao Musheng smiled. “He went out of his way to welcome me when I first arrived, so I wanted to look in on him.”

Chapter 71

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 71#

Help#

The orange candy was very sweet. Chao Musheng couldn’t help laughing at Xu Chenzhu’s words.

“Mr. Xu — I know you’d rather defend your employee, but…”

What kind of reasonable person picked a grievance with a small animal?

“It was a very pitiful little creature. When I pulled it out of the water, it was covered in wounds — both eyes so swollen it couldn’t open them.” It had been winter and cold. When Chao Musheng had seen it drifting on the surface, he’d assumed it was dead. He’d been about to fish it out and find a patch of earth to bury it in — to keep it from contaminating the water.

Chapter 72

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 72#

A Treacherous Villain#

The moon had shifted west. Chen Yue stood outside the window of an empty room, waiting in the shadow of the eaves for a long time before she set her jaw and pulled open the courtyard gate.

The person standing outside stopped her in her tracks.

“Where are you going?” Master Chen leaned on his walking stick, wearing a benign smile. “Young children shouldn’t stay up so late. Girls especially.”

Chapter 73

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 73#

All of You, Out#

Xu Chenzhu’s words landed like a crack of thunder, leaving the Chen family speechless.

They were all people of standing. For Mr. Xu to say this, plainly, in front of everyone — it amounted to an announcement: however unreasonable Chao Musheng might be, he would back him regardless.

Chen You couldn’t make sense of it. Even granting that Chao Musheng was a once-in-a-generation talent, Xu Chenzhu had no reason to go this far. Something was off in a way he couldn’t quite locate.

Chapter 74

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 74#

The Hospital#

The arrival of the police threw the Chen household into chaos.

As one of the capital’s major taxpayers, the Chen family had enjoyed considerable standing for years. Being suddenly placed under arrest was something Master Chen simply could not accept.

Was it the ritual’s failure and its blowback? Or had Chao Musheng forcing his way into the building disrupted Chen Garden’s feng shui?

He was old, and the charges were serious. The officers put handcuffs on him but left off the leg irons.

Chapter 75

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 75#

Not Hungry#

Some people are still standing on the outside while their soul has already shattered and flown away.

Curly Hair saw Chao Musheng sitting in a wheelchair — first came the worry, then the recollection that she was still holding a garbage bag she’d cleaned out of a patient room. She froze in place and didn’t go over.

In the moment of hesitation, Chao Musheng was already being wheeled inside. She stood there wringing the bag, cursing the Main God comprehensively in her head.

Chapter 76

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 76#

Visiting the Sick#

The doctor returned quickly, report in hand.

“Mr. Chao — it appears you recently came into contact with a circulating virus, and the viral infection has since triggered a secondary bacterial infection. You’ll need approximately five days of IV treatment.” He passed the report over. “None of it is serious, though — please don’t worry.”

“Thank you, Doctor.” Chao Musheng looked at Xu Chenzhu, who was not wearing a mask. “Is there a risk of transmission to people who’ve been in close contact with me today?”

Chapter 77

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 77#

Openly?#

“School starts in less than two weeks and my summer research paper still isn’t done.” Second was sweating from the spicy chicken feet, and Third handed him an ice-cold cola. “Four — is yours finished?”

The room had acquired the atmosphere of a tea party: someone eating chips and drinking bubble tea, someone else taking photos of Chao Musheng, a general cheerful noise. All of them crowded around the hospital bed.

Chapter 78

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 78#

Manager Zhu#

You Jiu trusted his own eyes. The NPC standing outside room four was unmistakably the secretary from the Chen Garden instance.

But NPCs from different instances couldn’t cross over. That wasn’t how it worked.

Unless — both Chen Garden and a hospital were locations prone to supernatural events, making the instance field unstable enough that he’d been able to slip through?

He turned and found Curly Hair, went over, and said quietly: “Does the person outside room four look familiar to you?”

Chapter 79

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 79#

Anger and Exhaustion#

You Jiu stood at the outpatient building’s entrance, squinting, trying to read lip movements from the conversation between Curly Hair and the heavyset man. Both were turned at an angle that defeated him. He clicked his tongue and drifted over to Qi Shi instead. “What do you reckon they’re saying?”

Qi Shi had noticed the anger on the man’s face and was watching in case Curly Hair needed help. He pulled out a pair of glasses and put them on.

Chapter 80

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 80#

Screaming#

Curly Hair left with her freshly obtained letter of thanks. Xu Chenzhu turned to Secretary Liu. “Secretary Liu — it’s getting late. Go home and rest.”

“Of course, Boss.” Secretary Liu answered without hesitation. “Xiao Chao — rest well. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

“Mr. Xu — aren’t you going home?” Chao Musheng said. “My temperature is normal now, and there’s a nurse here. You don’t need to stay.”

Chapter 81

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 81#

Asking for Help#

Xu Chenzhu opened the door for Chao Musheng. Chao Musheng immediately pulled it most of the way shut again. “Mr. Xu — opening it all the way is gawking. You have to leave a crack if you want to actually watch.”

He pressed himself to the doorframe and peered through the gap, the two pieces of hair sticking up from his head swaying back and forth. Xu Chenzhu felt an almost irresistible urge to smooth them down.

Chapter 82

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 82#

A Bit Like#

“Curly Hair — I’ve arranged a rest room with the hospital staff for our young guest. Sorry to ask, but could you stay with her tonight?” Chao Musheng saw that the girl was still sitting there holding the meeting gift Xu Chenzhu had pressed into her arms. He smiled. “Tuck that money away properly — you’ve handed over your bank card, so what will you do when you need to spend something?”

Chapter 83

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 83#

Perfunctory#

Wan You thought he’d heard a familiar name.

He stopped and turned. In the corner, a woman in a cleaning uniform stood up, turned, and walked quickly in the opposite direction — coat hem lifting with her pace.

That person looks very familiar.

“Mr. Wan — this way, please.” Secretary Liu was ahead of him, leading the way. He knocked twice on the door of room four and went in.

Chapter 84

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 84#

Tiger#

The heavily built “mutant edition” Wan You noticed Qi Shi whispering to Curly Hair and You Jiu. “Are you talking about me?”

Why hadn’t You Jiu asked about Jinghua University yet?

If he didn’t ask, how was he supposed to let them know how exceptional Jinghua was?

You Jiu: “…”

Who had done this to Wan You.

The old Wan You had been soft-spoken and pale, and when something upset him he simply stood there, eyes shining, waiting for someone else to intervene on his behalf.

Chapter 85

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 85#

Crash#

The Evil Tiger — a tool whose name had made countless players go pale for years — lay silent in the male player’s hands like an ordinary stuffed toy.

Not like one. It had become one. Whatever attack capability it had possessed was simply gone.

You Jiu pressed his back against the door of room seven, cold all over, not daring to say a word.

He watched Chao Musheng smiling with mild, unhurried warmth, and felt a wave of relief more profound than anything he’d experienced in his time in the Main God’s space.

Chapter 86

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 86#

Acts of Courage#

You Jiu came back to himself after a few seconds and remembered — this was the real world, not an instance.

Too long in instances, and the reflex of operating by instance rules had become automatic.

He pulled out his phone. A new option had appeared in the bottom left corner of the screen: Emergency Call. He was certain it hadn’t been there when he first entered the instance.

Chapter 87

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 87#

Well-Matched#

For a child who had just turned fourteen, to set aside every scrap of adolescent pride — in front of cameras and watching eyes — and make that request: it was no small thing.

Her love for her mother had outweighed the particular sensitivity and self-regard that belonged to that age.

She stood with her head down, face flushed, the red string clenched tight in her hand, barely able to meet any of the eyes around her.

Chapter 88

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 88#

Faking an Injury#

Boyfriend?

Xu Chenzhu was Chao Musheng’s boyfriend?!

The two of them were a couple?!

Ms. Zeng closed her eyes and opened them again. Chao Musheng’s assistant and the Xu president were still standing in the doorway. So it wasn’t a hallucination.

Hearing Zeng Ning raise the misunderstanding again, Chao Musheng smiled awkwardly. How did the girl remember that so precisely? Being misunderstood didn’t bother him personally — but Xu Chenzhu’s position was different. Having a same-sex romance rumor circulating wasn’t entirely appropriate.

Chapter 89

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 89#

Eighty Rounds#

“My back—”

Old Man Song found he couldn’t sit up. His lower back was in serious pain.

“He’s framing me!” With people watching from every direction, the player couldn’t find a clean opening to act. He remembered that the previous player had been eliminated for causing widespread anger among the nurses — he had no intention of ending up the same way. He turned desperately to explain himself to those around him.

Chapter 90

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 90#

Who Would Believe It#

After breakfast, the blood test results came back quickly. While the bodyguard went to handle the discharge paperwork, Chao Musheng knocked on the door of room two.

“Uncle Chao.” Zeng Ning opened the door, broke into a smile the moment she saw him, and immediately stepped aside. “Come in, sit down.”

“Thank you, Ningning.” He walked in. Ms. Zeng was propped up in bed reading, and her color looked a little better than the day before.

Chapter 91

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 91#

No Way Out#

“Why is everyone walking toward the entrance?” Curly Hair noticed several elegantly dressed young men and women heading for the front gate, their smiles so radiant they hurt to look at.

“Someone important must have arrived.” The talkative staff member had adopted Curly Hair as a preferred work partner ever since she’d looked at him with that expression of admiration the day before.

He didn’t need anything from her except the emotional validation.

Chapter 92

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 92#

Misunderstanding#

The security team leader took his team through the upper floor, confirmed nothing suspicious, and looked back at the member trailing at the rear. “New recruit — just now, you were the one who told me you’d seen someone slip into the building where Mr. Chao is staying?”

“Team leader — I really did see someone.” He quickly produced his phone. “If you don’t believe me, I got a photo.”

Chapter 93

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 93#

Head Over Heels#

“What do you mean?”

Xu Chenzhu had already half-guessed the shape of it. In earlier years, people had tried sending attractive individuals his way; after a few cold refusals, no one had dared again.

“Some people may have misread the situation and decided to use Mr. Chao as an avenue to impress you.” The secretary was anxious not to let the boss misunderstand Chao Musheng, and pressed on with his defense: “Mr. Xu — Mr. Chao’s character and capabilities speak for themselves. Employees within our own company have tried to curry his favor, and he’s never moved an inch. Why would he be swayed by outside parties?”

Chapter 94

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 94#

Too Many Words#

Luo Yixuan stopped, staring at the man who had appeared.

Was this a friend of Mr. Chao’s? A relative?

Curly Hair saw him standing there blankly and made a discreet beckoning gesture. Come on, stop standing there — get over here.

Noticing her signal, Luo Yixuan hesitated, then quietly moved to her side. He watched Chao Musheng smile at the man, watched the man smooth down his hair, watched Chao Musheng not move away.

Chapter 95

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 95#

AAAAAAA#

“Even cleaners have shift breaks.” Chao Yin looked at the young woman standing there staring at her shoes, too mortified to look up, and squeezed her hand gently. “When there’s a conflict between colleagues, talk it through properly — don’t let it get ugly. You’re a professional security team brought in by Nangua Video. I trust your ability to handle this.”

“You’re absolutely right, Editor-in-chief Chao.” The team leader laughed along, offered a few compliments, then turned on the player. “Get over here and apologize to Xiao Wang.”

Chapter 96

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 96#

What Nerve#

[Song-dog — pan the camera back a bit, the good-looking guy who just waved at us is coming over.]

[I’m certain that’s a man with very long legs — I saw them in the frame just now.]

The comment section was on fire. Song Xu felt as though he had stepped into an ice storm.

The person Chao Musheng had just pushed back into the car was Xu Chenzhu?

Chapter 97

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 97#

Backstabbed#

Chao Musheng stared at the ridiculous headline for two or three seconds, then followed his curiosity and clicked in.

He was also rather curious: when had Xu Chenzhu started a new romance? How had he not known?

The article opened to an extremely blurry screenshot — a person bent sideways pushing someone into a car, the person in the car showing only a leg, the person pushing them showing only half a face.

Chapter 98

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 98#

Preparation#

The atmosphere curdled into awkward silence. Only the AI voiceover playing in the stairwell carried on, cheerful and oblivious.

“Mr. Xu — some of our cleaning staff are local residents from low-income households, with limited formal education. They’re hardworking and quick with their hands. It’s after noon — their rest period.” The general manager steeled himself and offered an explanation on behalf of the cleaner watching videos in the corridor. “I apologize. This is a failure of my management.”

Chapter 99

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 99#

No Sense of Occasion#

“Mr. Chao?” The assistant saw him moving toward the back rows without explanation and followed.

She watched him reach the second row and bend to retrieve something from the floor, and immediately said: “Mr. Chao — the floor is dirty. Let me get that.”

“It’s fine — your dress isn’t convenient for bending down.” He stopped her and reached under the seat himself.

“What is it?” As a member of the organizing team, the assistant felt an instinctive unease — her first thought was an extreme fan planting a hidden camera.

Chapter 100

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 100#

Gale#

Curly Hair had always known that player tools could fail in Xiao Chao’s world. But she had never watched it happen this plainly before.

Thousand Mountain Descent — a tool heavy enough to crush any major boss into the ground — had become a sandbag a child might play with. Heartpiercing Pestle — capable of puncturing the soul and heart of an anomaly — had become a drifting paper airplane.

Chapter 101

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 101#

Despair#

Noticing Song Xu sneaking glances at himself and Xu Chenzhu, Chao Musheng assumed he had reservations about the plan. “Do you have a different idea?”

“No!” Afraid of being misunderstood, Song Xu explained hastily. “I just couldn’t stop looking because Mr. Xu and you look so good standing together.”

Xu Chenzhu’s eyelids flickered. He looked at Chao Musheng.

At that, Chao Musheng’s brow went up and he turned his head toward Xu Chenzhu. Their eyes met. Chao Musheng’s were full of amusement. “If no one has a different idea — let’s move quickly.”

Chapter 102

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 102#

Very Good#

Song Xu, only now registering what he had said, was in despair. He looked to his manager for help, and found the manager’s expression was even more despairing than his.

Two miserable bitter melons.

The manager desperately wanted to say something to ease the atmosphere, but his courage would not permit it. He didn’t even dare look at Xu Chenzhu’s face — he could only steal glances at Chao Musheng from the corner of his eye.

Chapter 103

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 103#

Error (Bug Fix)#

Curly Hair stood behind Chao Musheng and watched until Old He disappeared through the ticketing gates.

[Ding! One player has failed their instance. Erased by the system.]

At that notification, she nearly laughed aloud. Erased by the system? Even now, the system was still trying to intimidate her — the only player left “alive”?

Zhao Shang, Zhang San, Ah Ze — had any of them actually been “erased”?

Chapter 104

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 104#

Outrageous#

The tall man’s move was the opening signal. The remaining players registered what was happening all at once, rushing toward the vendors and seizing whatever would keep — pumpkins, sweet potatoes — and sprinting off.

Every market vendor on the street stood in stunned silence, not reacting even as their goods were taken. There was even a hint of bewilderment.

That much effort — for a few pumpkins and sweet potatoes?

Chapter 105

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 105#

Early#

“A few years ago this was still known locally as the stinking river. But after years of environmental restoration work by the relevant authorities, and the residents taking it on themselves to maintain it, the natural environment has improved considerably. Especially in this stretch — fireflies appear here regularly.”

The voice was getting closer. Curly Hair listened to what was being said, and her expression grew more and more serious.

Chapter 106

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 106#

More#

The township reception staff had not quite believed Consultant Chao was Xu Chenzhu’s most trusted assistant — he looked too young for it. Now, watching the two of them stand shoulder to shoulder talking, they finally accepted what their county colleagues had told them.

Seeing that the staff were all tense and awkward around Xu Chenzhu, and hearing them propose to open separate rooms for the entire travelling party, Chao Musheng said: “County funds are tight, and the project start isn’t far off — Mr. Xu can rest in my room for now. Accommodation after that can be sorted by Kunlun directly.”

Chapter 107

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 107#

Go#

The moment those words left Chao Musheng’s mouth, Xu Chenzhu found he could not move his gaze away. A rush of wanting welled up in him — he longed to ask, and feared it was wishful thinking, and even as he tried to press it down, the thought refused to go.

He was like a timid and greedy moth: afraid the flame ahead of him was only a dream, and afraid that if he didn’t draw close in time, he’d miss the only light he’d ever been offered.

Chapter 108

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 108#

Zhaozhao#

When Chao Musheng bent to drink from the milk tea, Xu Chenzhu lost his capacity for ordinary response.

It was only when the Jinghua students climbed out of the car and stared at them in open shock that he came back to himself.

The dark of night. A sleeve pulled in someone’s grip. Even Professor Zhang, nearing sixty, would find this strange to witness.

“Xiao Chao.” The professor looked at the hand holding Xu Chenzhu’s sleeve, paused briefly, then adjusted his glasses. “It’s this late — where are you two going?”

Chapter 109

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 109#

Useless#

“It’s actually raining!”

The downpour came all at once. Ah Peng didn’t care about getting soaked — he wanted every bottle and container out in the open to catch water. “Xiao Juan — the NPC you know is the real thing! Said it would rain, and it rained!”

“Wait!” Da Chang stopped him, carefully touching the raindrops falling from the eaves. No corrosion. No toxin.

He withdrew his hand. “This is a problem,” he said, almost to himself.

Chapter 110

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 110#

Robbery#

At six in the morning, Assistant Yang woke from a night of tangled dreams. He pushed the window open, breathed in the morning air, and began preparing for the day.

He got ready, gave himself time for a leisurely breakfast, and then remembered there was no work today.

Accustomed to being busy, he found he couldn’t quite settle into idleness in this unfamiliar small town. He picked up his phone to scroll aimlessly — and shot upright.

Chapter 111

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 111#

Justice Rating#

“I — I—” The junior threw the steel pipe and bolted for the car.

Curly Hair was faster. She scooped a rock off the ground and threw it at his legs. Already stumbling in panic, he pitched straight into the grass.

“You rob people on the road and then try to run?” Chao Musheng dragged the cleaver along behind him as he approached. The junior, thrashing in the undergrowth, saw the glinting blade and covered his head in terror — it was no longer entirely clear who was the highway robber here.

Chapter 112

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 112#

Public#

The light of justice fell upon this derelict room.

Even the criminals, who had done a great deal of wrong in their time, had never imagined that they would one day long for the police to arrive from the heavens.

When they saw the officers burst through the door, tears of genuine relief streamed down their faces.

At last. An escape from this den of terror.

Ah Rou still had half a bread roll in her mouth. She looked warily at the strangers who’d appeared out of nowhere, then turned her questioning look on Curly Hair.

Chapter 113

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 113#

Suspicion#

In the morning, Chao Musheng opened his phone to find his messages completely overwhelmed — congratulations on the relationship, questions about who the person was, more incoming than he could possibly answer.

Last night’s post had broken all previous records for likes and comments.

He brushed his teeth and replied to his roommates’ frantic notifications in the dormitory group chat.

[Zhaozhao Mumuou: I’ll treat everyone when I’m back!]

Chapter 114

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 114#

Handed Over#

Da Chang’s expression gave Curly Hair a cold premonition. She turned to him. “What exactly did you two do just now?”

Da Chang looked at Ah Peng. His look said: you tell her.

Ah Peng gave his account of events, and in describing how frightening the vineyard had been, was particularly thorough.

“You’re saying you stood in a vineyard shouting — and what you were shouting was—” The more she heard, the colder her spine got. She felt the sky falling on her.

Chapter 115

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 115#

Long Cry#

The anniversary celebration at the factory was not just for staff — employees’ families were welcome too.

Hanyue was a small place. For occasions worth celebrating, the factory had always brought in the families. It made the event livelier, and it built goodwill among the people who quietly kept the workers going. A harmonious home life was good for the factory too.

“That’s the tradition, but today isn’t the right occasion.” The deputy director was sweating through his collar, making his case to Director Chen in her office. “Today the big boss is coming — and city leadership too. Having them see our factory like this — won’t that look bad?”

Chapter 116

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 116#

The Hunting Game#

Every survival instance — all of them — forcibly closed?

Players across the infinite space flooded into the main hall, eyes fixed on the giant screen.

They were really gone.

Every last survival instance. Not one remained.

Players in the middle of clearing instances had been expelled too, landing in the hall in a daze, items still in hand.

“What the—” Tiger, ejected mid-instance, wiped blood off his face. He’d been seconds away from being torn in half by something horrible, and then in the blink of an eye he was back here. He looked up. Was it his eyes, or was the infinite space actually dimmer than before?

Chapter 117

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

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?”

Chapter 118

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 118#

Failed Again#

“Who’s that careless — not watching where they’re going.” He went down to the pharmacy on the ground floor, bought a bottle of antiseptic spray, and applied it to the graze on the back of Xu Chenzhu’s hand.

“It’s nothing.” He bent slightly, eyes on Chao Musheng’s face. “It’ll heal quickly.”

Capping the spray, Chao Musheng wiped away the antiseptic with a tissue. “I know it’ll heal quickly. But I wouldn’t feel right not putting something on it.”

Chapter 119

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 119#

Cats and Dogs Render Meritorious Service#

With Jinghua students’ safety at stake, the police arrived quickly. When they discovered that the armed intruders had no domestic identity documents whatsoever, the situation became considerably more serious.

“The four who forced their way into Kunlun Tower this afternoon also had no registered identity.” The lead officer’s expression was grave. “I believe this is an organized criminal matter — the Kunlun and Jinghua intruders are probably from the same group.”

Chapter 120

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 120#

Showing Off#

When someone has a guilty conscience, they tend to look unusually flustered.

Chao Musheng stood outside Xu Chenzhu’s office. Inside, he was bent over his keyboard typing, the silver chain of his glasses catching the light.

“Xiao Chao?” Secretary Liu came down the hall with a thick stack of folders. “You’re here to see the boss — why aren’t you going in?”

“Oh.” He turned back to the office with a smile and reached over to straighten a folder that had gone crooked in Liu’s arms. “He’s busy right now. There’s a small issue with the entertainment division’s office system — the person who usually maintains it is on honeymoon leave, so I said I’d go take a look. I’ll come back after.”

Chapter 121

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 121#

Romantic#

“The day at the school — did you deliberately have the driver ask me for directions?”

He turned Xu Chenzhu’s hand in his, studying it. Long, carefully kept fingers — the hands of an artwork.

His ear tips went red. “Yes.”

“Do you know what I was thinking at the time?” He threaded his fingers through the gaps between Xu Chenzhu’s. Their hands clasped. “He has a connection to the principal, and he’s asking me where the principal’s office is — and the driver is being way too enthusiastic. Something’s off.”

Chapter 122

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 122#

Afraid?#

“Events like this — Xu Chenzhu never used to attend them.” A businessman swirled his glass, watching the two of them arrive together from across the room. His expression held a mix of wonder and something he couldn’t quite name. For a man — was it really worth going this far?

“Sir — we don’t discuss business at gatherings like these.” He accepted a drink from a passing server and turned to the man who had been angling toward him. “Besides, I’m only a technical consultant at the company. Any investment decisions rest entirely with Xu Chenzhu.”

Chapter 123

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 123#

Poor Little Thing#

Director Chen’s son? Chen Estate’s eldest?

She frowned. “He was implicated in the estate case — he got out this quickly?”

“Apparently not deeply involved. Held for a few days and released.” He passed her a glass of fruit juice. “A slippery fox.”

Something felt off to her. She’d seen Director Chen at the estate — and this version of him was different from the one she remembered.

Chapter 124

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 124#

Useless#

“Xiao Chao — this little dog seems very fond of you.” He moved to close the distance, and Wan You stepped across between them without warning.

He stopped. He looked at Wan You once, then changed direction to approach from the other side — and Wan You simply pivoted and was there again, as if it were a game.

“Woof woof woof.”

The dog in the carrier called out. He gave up on moving closer and stopped. “It’s all over injuries, and extremely distressed.”

Chapter 125

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 125#

Going Home#

“I sense the energy—”

The delight hadn’t finished crossing its face before terror replaced it. This was not the energy it wanted.

This was the breath of the man who had brought it nightmares. The one who had destroyed its countless realms.

He had just reached the school gate when Secretary Liu called to say Xu Chenzhu had left work early and was coming to collect him. He waited at the gate for a while, heard nothing, and called himself.

Chapter 126

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:44:59 +0000

Chapter 126#

Homecoming#

1. Homecoming#

“Look — the space is collapsing!”

Someone cried out from within the crowd in the player hall. Everyone looked up in terror. The infinite space was disappearing, piece by piece.

“That rotten Main God — did it die or did it run?!”

“Aah!” Screams broke out across the crowd. From beneath the feet of those screaming, thin threads of black smoke rose and curled, as if dragging them toward something below.