Chapter 104
Chapter 104
The moment Xiao Huai finished speaking, everyone fell silent.
He tightened his grip on the golden sheet and was about to leave.
“Bang!”
Agony seized his heart. His pupils trembled violently, and under everyone’s gaze, nearly all the strength left Xiao Huai’s body. He sagged against the wall.
His head tilted back slightly, his Adam’s apple trembling sharply with each labored breath.
It hurt… It hurt so much…
Pain.
[Holy Father punishment activated: Experience the pain of the deceased as though it were your own.]
Nothing had happened to him, yet terror struck directly at his mind, tormenting him without pause.
In that instant, he was as fragile as an ant. He struggled and resisted again and again, yet he could do nothing against the force destroying everything in its path.
The abyss called death dragged his soul downward. His vision went black, his chest heaved, and tremors racked his entire body.
His eyes hurt so much…
“Hah…” Every muscle in his body locked tight, but he could not stop shaking.
Was this the agony of death?
Every cell in his body quivered, crushing his blood vessels. Invisible blades seemed hidden in the air, slicing him apart layer by layer with every breath.
Despair battered him over and over.
Suddenly, his eyes felt wet. Yet he knew those were not his tears.
The dead man’s senses were overlapping with his own.
“A-Zhuolang… what’s wrong?”
Voices kept reaching his ears, but they seemed to recede into the distance, as though calling from the depths of a valley.
Darkness washed over his vision in waves. He shook his head, then staggered forward a step beyond his control.
Something suddenly covered his face.
It was Lu Yuanshi’s coat.
Its clean fragrance filled his nose. It covered his eyes and hid his face.
Now no one could see the tears streaming endlessly from his eyes.
“Lu Yuanshi…” Xiao Huai’s voice was terrifyingly hoarse. Even he was startled by it.
It sounded as though fire had scorched his throat, leaving it rough and unpleasant.
Lu Yuanshi said nothing. He merely drew Xiao Huai into his arms, one hand closing around his shoulder.
“Wait, what’s wrong with A-Zhuolang? Let me help him.” Lu Zhi hurried forward anxiously.
Lu Yuanshi glanced at him. In an instant, Lu Zhi felt as though countless icy nails had pierced his body. Those dark eyes held a danger and terror unlike anything he had ever experienced.
He began trembling uncontrollably and did not dare say another word.
Lu Yuanshi wore a beaming smile, yet it looked painted onto his face, making everyone shudder.
He said, “My roommate needs to sleep. Is there anything else you want to say?”
What the hell…
Sun Xingye’s eyes widened. What kind of nonsensical statement was that? One second ago, the NPC had been perfectly fine. How did he suddenly need to sleep?
But like Lu Zhi, one look at Lu Yuanshi filled Sun Xingye’s whole body with unease.
A cautious man like him had keen instincts for danger.
He had a feeling it would be unwise to question or contradict Lu Yuanshi right now.
The consequences could be extremely ugly.
The true danger was probably what lay beneath that false smile.
Xiao Huai held his breath and clenched his fists, cold sweat soaking his skin.
Lu Yuanshi was supporting him by the shoulder and lending him strength.
Otherwise, he might already have collapsed to the floor, curled up and trembling in pain.
He rubbed his face against Lu Yuanshi’s coat, wiping away the tears that did not belong to him. He had bitten his lip hard enough to draw blood.
Xiao Huai shook his head faintly and hooked one finger around the edge of Lu Yuanshi’s coat. “I’m fine.”
He answered in a very low voice, then separated from Lu Yuanshi and put some distance between them.
Only then could everyone see what Xiao Huai looked like.
Blood stained the corner of his mouth. His eyes were lowered, their outer corners red, mist clinging to his lashes. Yet his gaze was as cold as a frost-bound February.
Everyone was still bewildered.
Then fireworks began exploding across every player’s system interface, accompanied by repeated congratulations.
[Congratulations to player Chen Kai for completing the side mission and successfully clearing the instance!]
[Congratulations to player Chen Kai for completing the side mission and successfully clearing the instance!]
[All players, please follow Chen Kai’s example and strive to clear the instance as soon as possible!]
“W-what…” Everyone froze.
Someone had already cleared the game.
The side mission?
Did that mean someone had been killed?
“Hurry back and see what happened!” Cheng Shan turned and ran, with the others close behind.
Lu Zhi did not want to leave, but the perceptive Cheng Shan dragged him away.
As he went, he looked back at Xiao Huai every few steps.
Xiao Huai drew a deep breath and started forward, only to notice that Lu Yuanshi was still watching him.
“Aren’t you going with them?” Xiao Huai asked very quietly.
Did he not want to see what had happened?
Lu Yuanshi looked away and gazed ahead. “Compared with an obvious fact, I’m more interested in an unknown possibility.”
Xiao Huai walked slowly. From his angle, he could see the mole on the bridge of Lu Yuanshi’s nose.
He remained silent and did not question him further.
He lacked both the strength and the interest.
He continued walking. Suddenly, a hand settled around his wrist as gently as a butterfly kissing a leaf, its fingers hooking around him with care.
Lu Yuanshi’s distinctive warmth flowed through Xiao Huai’s wrist.
Xiao Huai raised his head and glanced sideways, only to see a faint furrow between Lu Yuanshi’s brows.
He paused in surprise. An instant later, Lu Yuanshi’s expression returned to its usual calm.
Lu Yuanshi’s knuckles brushed the corner of Xiao Huai’s eye. “I look forward to the day when you can lower every last defense in my arms.”
His voice raced along Xiao Huai’s auditory nerves and into his mind. In an instant, a fine current seemed to spread from the root of Xiao Huai’s ear through his entire body.
His heart gave a leap, and blood rushed to his ears. Xiao Huai curled his fingers and leaned closer to Lu Yuanshi.
A wicked smile played at the corner of his mouth.
He reached up and tilted Lu Yuanshi’s chin, his dark red eyes gleaming.
“Then you’ll have to keep trying.”
Lu Yuanshi’s pupils contracted. Their breaths mingled, as though one more step would unleash something neither of them could control.
But Xiao Huai released him at that moment and walked on without looking back.
The two of them were like competitors, probing each other in turn.
It was exactly as the saying went.
Whoever fell in love first lost.
Watching Xiao Huai’s retreating back, Lu Yuanshi suddenly gave a quiet laugh, his shoulders moving almost imperceptibly. The sound was low and pleasing.
He strode forward and took Xiao Huai’s hand again. “Then I’ll try.”
Xiao Huai pulled his hand free.
Lu Yuanshi caught it again.
This repeated until Xiao Huai grew tired and tacitly allowed Lu Yuanshi to hold his wrist.
Perhaps it was only his imagination, but the place Lu Yuanshi held did not hurt quite as much.
* * *
Aledi Inn.
The players rushed back. The inn had already fallen into chaos, and everyone had received the system notification.
Some people had left their rooms, eager to learn what had happened.
For example, who had died.
Cheng Shan squeezed into the crowd. “Who’s Chen Kai? Does anyone here know him?”