Shen Mingsu racked his brains but still couldn't remember Yan Chi's father. "Who exactly is his father?"
"The ruler within the instance [I]."
Long ago, [I] was hailed as the top S-rank instance. Only one life existed within [I], the sole ruler of that world. Any being that entered would instantly become a puppet in his hands.
All changes within [I] were at his whim.
Shen Mingsu only had a vague impression of that companion. "You mean the idealist master?"
"Idealist master" was a nickname given by other bosses to the boss within [I], because within his sphere of influence, everything operated according to his will.
Xingluo's father smiled, revealing his little tiger teeth. "That's right, Yan Qingyuan. It seems you still remember him."
Yan Qingyuan…
Shen Mingsu pondered for a moment. "He's the one who told us to forget him, right?"
"Yes."
"Then why do you still remember?"
"I'm like a heavy anchor point; he can't affect me." Xingluo's father smiled mysteriously, his old shrewdness radiating from within. "Nothing can be hidden from me, so I know everything."
He watched Yan Chi walk onto the podium, tracing his features with his gaze, as if sighing, "He's a spitting image of his father."
Shen Mingsu looked at Yan Chi: "Is Yan Qingyuan still alive?"
"Dead, I suppose."
"How did he die?"
"How should I know? I'm not a clingy leech, always glued to him." Xingluo's father leaned back. "Probably suicide. This life is so boring and dull, it's normal to want to die."
Shen Mingsu: "...Don't tell him."
"I know."
Yan Chi surveyed the nine parents on the platform, feeling a strange sense of temporal displacement, as if his grown-up first-grade students were sitting there.
"Dear parents, welcome to this parent-teacher meeting. I am your children's homeroom teacher, Yan Chi." Yan Chi introduced himself, then got to the point, "These are your children's midterm exam report cards. I won't comment on them; you can judge for yourselves..."
Yan Chi focused on the children's growth and mental health. He spoke for half an hour, and at the end of the meeting, Yan Chi said, "Please stay for a while, Mr. Feng Wang."
Upon hearing the title "Mr. Feng Wang," Feng Yun felt a chill run down his spine, a strange sense of avoidance washing over him, making him unable to meet Yan Chi's gaze.
What was going on?
That "Mr. Feng Wang" was more chilling than a devil's curse. Feng Wang's father stayed behind, enduring the gloating glances of the other parents. Those who had left the classroom didn't go far, each occupying a seat by the window, all openly watching the scene unfold.
Shen Mingsu went even further, taking the very center seat, ensuring Yan Chi could see him with a single turn.
Yan Chi sighed helplessly, unable to shoo them away, and sat down in Li Huai's seat. Seeing the bulging muscles in Feng Yun's arms, he quickly said, "Feng Wang's father, don't be nervous. I just want to talk to you about Feng Wang and Li Huai."
Feng Yun frowned. "Feng Wang dares to bully his younger brother?!"
"Ah? No, no!" Yan Chi, flustered, didn't understand why he thought that and quickly clarified, "The two brothers have a very good relationship. Feng Wang takes good care of his brother. There's absolutely no bullying involved."
Feng Yun's expression softened. "I doubt he would dare."
Yan Chi observed Feng Yun's attitude towards the two children and had an idea in mind. "Actually, what I'm trying to say is that Feng Wang might be a little too protective of Li Huai."
Yan Chi had noticed this for a long time. In the class, although everyone had their own cliques, the relationships between them were generally harmonious. However, Feng Wang and Li Huai could be considered to have isolated the entire class.
If anyone came to talk to Li Huai, Feng Wang would instantly become alert, treating the person speaking to Li Huai as if they were a potential danger.
Feng Yun pondered for a moment, "Isn't this a good thing?"
Yan Chi: "...?"
"But overprotecting a child can limit their development and hinder their social skills. From my observation, Li Huai is currently too dependent on his brother and doesn't interact with other classmates."
Feng Yun: "Li Huai doesn't need to interact with others; it's too dangerous. With his brother protecting him, I'm not worried."
Yan Chi: "..."
He finally understood where Feng Wang's excessive protectiveness towards Li Huai came from. Seeing that he couldn't reason with Feng Yun, Yan Chi had no choice but to try approaching their mother.
Yan Chi: "What about the child's mother? Does she also support protecting Li Huai like this?"
Feng Yun: "No mother."
Yan Chi's heart sank. He shouldn't have pressed the issue, but Feng Wang and Li Huai's matter had to be resolved. He tentatively asked, "Excuse me, are you divorced?"
"No, he doesn't have a mother at all." Feng Yun glanced at Yan Chi dismissively, unable to understand how he couldn't grasp such a simple statement. "Li Huai's father is my partner. I live with him. Where would he get a mother?"
Yan Chi's heart sank completely. He stared blankly at Feng Yun, recalling his earlier remarks. If he were in a free country, Feng Yun could easily report him for discriminating against sexual minorities, and he could pack his bags and leave.
Yan Chi's survival instinct kicked in. "Don't misunderstand, I'm not discriminating at all. I'm gay too. Look, my boyfriend is standing right there."
He pointed to Shen Mingsu outside the window. Shen Mingsu smiled and waved at him. Feng Yun: “…Oh.”
Yan Chi felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. All the carefully prepared words were overturned in an instant. “…So, what’s Li Huai’s father like?”
“He’s pretty good.” Feng Yun’s voice was emotionless. “Anyway, better than me.”
Now there was hope. There was still someone in this family who would listen to him. Yan Chi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and put on a professional smile again. “If you have time, could you have him come see me? I’d like to talk to him.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
“Why not? Is he too busy with work? I can make a home visit.”
“No, he’s dead.”
Yan Chi: “!!!”
The third blunder of his teaching career had occurred in these few short minutes today! Yan Chi's smile vanished completely. "I'm...I'm sorry."
Feng Yun's expression was indifferent. "It's alright. Is there anything else you want to talk to me about?"
Yan Chi lowered his head. Anyone unaware of the situation would think he was the parent being scolded by the teacher. "No...nothing."
Yan Chi worried his heart wouldn't be able to take it if he asked any further.
Feng Yun: "Can I go now?"
Yan Chi nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes."
Having unintentionally reopened someone's wounds, Yan Chi felt incredibly guilty. He got up and escorted Feng Yun to the classroom door. The parents watching, seeing Yan Chi's mournful face, offered their comfort.
Xingluo's father: "Oh dear, oh dear, Teacher Chi, don't take it too seriously. Feng Yun is widowed at such a young age; it's normal for him to have a strange temper. Please forgive him."
Feng Yun looked at him coldly. Xingluo's father chuckled and hid behind Yan Chi.
Shen Mingsu walked to Yan Chi's side and took his hand.
Yan Chi solemnly apologized to Feng Yun, "Feng Wang's father, I didn't think things through today. Please forgive me for some of my words."
Feng Yun didn't mind: "It's alright."
The first parent-teacher conference ended with Yan Chi's heart pounding. The parents took their children home, and a three-day holiday followed, meant for the children to relax.
Except for Ahui and Lian Deng, who stayed at school and didn't want to go home, everyone else went home with their parents.
Each student leaving with their parents waved to Yan Chi, "Goodbye, Teacher Yan Chi!"
Yan Chi smiled, "Goodbye, have fun during the holidays, and don't forget your homework!"
"Okay!"
After seeing all the parents and children off, Yan Chi let out a long sigh. Being a teacher is really tough, he sighed, turning to Shen Mingsu who had been waiting for him, and extending his hand, "Let's go home."
"Home?" The word greatly pleased Shen Mingsu. He grasped Yan Chi's hand, his eyes filled with a happy smile, "Yes, home."
At noon, the aroma of food wafted from the kitchen. Shen Chang Le stood at the kitchen doorway, looking inside. Shen Mingsu was cooking, and Yan Chi was handing him seasonings.
Shen Chang Le stared blankly at them, lost in thought.
Soon the food was served. As Yan Chi ate, watching Shen Chang Le eat attentively, he thought that Xingluo had gone back, and Shen Chang Le might be bored without playmates.
Yan Chi asked Shen Chang Le, "Any plans for this afternoon? Want your uncle to take you out to play?"
Shen Chang Le shook his head. "No need, I'll just stay home. I don't like going out."
Yan Chi glanced at him, but respected his choice. "Alright, but you can stay here tonight. I'm worried about you staying over there alone."
Shen Chang Le was still a child, and Yan Chi was still concerned about him staying alone.
Shen Chang Le opened his mouth, "It's okay, I..."
"Chang Le, will you listen to me on this?" Yan Chi was unwilling to compromise on his safety. "You can go back to live there after Xingluo returns."
"Listen to your teacher, Yan Chi." Shen Mingsu made the final decision. "I'll go and prepare a room for you later."
Shen Chang Le looked at the two of them, lowered his head slightly, and a fleeting hint of joy flashed in his eyes. He nodded reservedly and ate much faster.
After dinner, Shen Mingsu intended to tidy up the guest rooms on the first floor, but Yan Chi refused. "Chang Le isn't a guest. You move to my room, give him the side bedroom."
This unexpected surprise stunned Shen Mingsu. He scooped Yan Chi up in his arms, his strong arm encircling Yan Chi's thigh, lifting him high, repeatedly asking, "Can we really sleep together tonight?"
Afraid of falling, Yan Chi hugged his neck. Seeing how happy he was, he couldn't help but wonder if he had been too harsh on him. He hummed in agreement, hesitated for a moment, then closed his eyes and kissed Shen Mingsu's lips.
Even after their lips parted, Shen Mingsu remained frozen in place. Yan Chi couldn't help but smile, patting his arm. "Okay, put me down."
"No." Shen Mingsu not only didn't let go, but instead tossed him up a little, startling Yan Chi into holding him even tighter.
Yan Chi: "Shen Mingsu!"
"Teacher Chi, can you kiss me again?" Shen Mingsu's high, straight nose brushed against his soft cheek, his breath washing over Yan Chi's face, making him blush.
Even though they were so close, Shen Mingsu could easily touch Yan Chi's lips with a slight tilt of his head, yet he insisted that Yan Chi kiss him again.
Yan Chi's eyes glistened with tears, his heart pounding. He kissed Shen Mingsu's lips again, just a light touch. As they parted, Shen Mingsu's large hand pressed against the back of his head, his tongue slipping into his mouth, deepening the kiss.
The kiss ended, and Yan Chi, panting, leaned on Shen Mingsu's shoulder, his face flushed crimson. He pursed his lips and bit Shen Mingsu's shoulder in a fit of pique. "Didn't you feel me pushing you?"
Shen Mingsu then obediently apologized, hugging him and coaxing, "It's my fault. Let me see if your lips are chapped."
Yan Chi pursed his lips and slapped his hand away. "Put me down."
Shen Mingsu gently placed him on the ground, still carefully observing Yan Chi's expression, as if the one who had just kissed Yan Chi hadn't been him at all.
Yan Chi wouldn't be fooled by his appearance again. He pursed his lips and covered Shen Mingsu's face with his hand, so that he wouldn't be deceived by that face anymore.
Shen Mingsu chuckled softly. Yan Chi suddenly realized how foolish his behavior was and quickly withdrew his hand, pretending to be nonchalant. "Go make Chang Le's bed quickly."
Shen Mingsu noticed his embarrassment but didn't point it out. "Okay, I'll go right now."
After preparing the side bedroom, Shen Mingsu happily carried his pillow to Yan Chi's room. He flopped onto the bed, took a deep breath, and turned to see the adorable plush bear on the bedside table.
Shen Mingsu sat up, looking at the bear with obvious displeasure. As Yan Chi passed by, he suddenly grabbed his waist.
Yan Chi looked down. "What?"
"Don't you think this bear takes up a lot of space?" Shen Mingsu acted like a newlywed wife eager to send her concubine away. "Put it in the closet."
Yan Chi hesitated, looking reluctantly at the plush bear. He was used to sleeping with his bear; if he didn't have it tonight, he might not be able to sleep.
"You hesitated! You actually hesitated!" Shen Mingsu clutched his chest, hurt. "Do you think I, your official boyfriend, am less attractive than this bald bear?!"
He grabbed the bear. "Open your eyes and look! Aren't I a hundred times better looking than it?!"
Yan Chi took the teddy bear and stuffed it into the closet. "Alright, alright, stop acting."
As soon as the eyesore of the teddy bear disappeared, Shen Mingsu immediately cheered, busily tidying up the room, a far cry from his earlier resentful demeanor.
Yan Chi had a large bag of dolls. He took some to Shen Chang Le's room and neatly arranged them on his bedside table.
Seeing the pink and delicate room, with a diamond-studded cartoon cat painting on the wall, Shen Chang Le's mouth dropped open. "This is...my room?"
Is it really not someone else's room?
Yan Chi smiled. "We prepared this especially for you. Do you like it?"
Shen Chang Le: "...I like it."
He liked anything they prepared.
"That's good." Yan Chi was relieved and left the room to Shen Chang Le. "We're planning to go to the botanical garden this afternoon. Do you want to come?"
Shen Chang Le didn't want to go out.
The autumn weather was crisp and pleasant. At 1:30 PM, Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu went out together. Passing Mirror Lake, Yan Chi instinctively looked towards the lakeside. Sure enough, Lin Heng was fishing at his usual spot.
From summer to autumn, Lin Heng hadn't missed a single day, making Yan Chi marvel at his love for fishing.
To avoid disturbing him, Yan Chi didn't make a sound, intending to walk past quietly. Suddenly, he saw the float move in the lake, and Lin Heng immediately stood up and pulled up the fishing rod.
Yan Chi slowed his pace, becoming tense as well.
With practiced skill, Lin Heng pulled the fishing line and slowly dragged the fish from the lake to the shore. Then, a fair hand emerged from the lake, followed by a beautiful blue fishtail.
“…?!”
Yan Chi rubbed his eyes, then looked again. The large blue fish was gone, leaving only Lin Heng standing soaking wet on the shore.
He must have been mistaken, Yan Chi chuckled to himself. He was past the age of believing in mermaids, and besides, this wasn't the sea.
After Yan Chi and Lin Heng left, a beautiful blue-tailed mermaid poked her head out of the lake and said to Lin Heng, “I don’t want fish feed, I want fried chicken!”
Lin Heng sighed, “That’s all junk food. You can’t eat too much of that.”
Xi Chang, puffed out in anger, splashed him with water again, then plunged into the water, ignoring him completely.
...
The Yunzhou Botanical Garden boasts a wide variety of plants and flowers, many of which Yan Chi had never seen before. He took pictures and searched online, but found nothing.
Yan Chi gently touched a delicate petal and couldn't help but ask, "Where did you buy these flowers?"
Shen Mingsu pinched a petal, placing it over the split opening, and stuck it's half-protruding tongue back in. "These are flowers brought by students from their hometowns. Some are already extinct elsewhere."
No wonder he couldn't find them online, Yan Chi thought to himself. Looking at the vibrant flowers, their delicate fragrance filling the air, his mood improved.
Yan Chi and Shen Mingsu began their tour from the outermost edge. Graceful butterflies fluttered around them. A brightly colored rose swallowtail butterfly landed on Yan Chi's shoulder, its compound eyes curiously observing him.
Yan Chi was awestruck by the butterfly's beauty, instinctively holding his breath, afraid of startling the little creature.
This butterfly was quite bold; not only was it not afraid, it moved even closer to Yan Chi's cheek.
Yan Chi tentatively reached out and touched its wings. The little creature didn't flinch, allowing him to touch those beautiful wings. As if sensing Yan Chi's interest in its wings, the butterfly fluttered around him once before landing on his finger.
Yan Chi excitedly shared this moment, "Shen Mingsu! Come look! It's so beautiful, and it's not afraid of people at all!"
Shen Mingsu hummed in agreement, then reached out and caught another blue-gray butterfly with a long, drooping tail, placing it in Yan Chi's hand. The two butterflies stood side by side, jostling and rubbing against each other, not giving an inch.
Yan Chi smiled and separated the two butterflies, "Alright, alright, don't fight."
As if understanding human speech, the two butterflies stopped fighting and flew to Yan Chi's shoulders, each standing on one side, keeping to themselves. Shen Mingsu couldn't help but capture the scene, admiring its breathtaking beauty.
Two swallowtail butterflies followed Yan Chi, sometimes circling him before returning; Yan Chi let them be.
In the center of the botanical garden stood a towering ancient tree that Yan Chi could see anytime he looked up from the campus. Its branches and leaves were lush and dense, blocking out the sunlight.
Yan Chi looked up at it in amazement, placing his hand on the thick trunk. "How old is this tree?"
"I don't remember exactly," Shen Mingsu replied, looking at the ancient tree. "It was planted when the school was built; it should be several hundred years old now."
A hundred years?! Yan Chi was shocked. A tree a hundred years old was understandable, but Yunzhou also had a hundred-year history? He had always thought Yunzhou was just a newly built school.
This was truly enlightening.
Yan Chi felt the trip to the botanical garden was well worth it.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves.
Yan Chi took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air. He suggested, "Let's sit here for a while before going back."
Shen Mingsu's gaze remained fixed on the ancient tree; he seemed somewhat wary. "Okay, let's go over there."
He pointed to a bench not far away. "There might be bugs falling from the tree; let's stay away."
Yan Chi wasn't afraid of bugs, but he'd still feel disgusted if a plump little insect fell on him. He nodded and followed Shen Mingsu to the bench.
Meanwhile, in the player lobby.
The system announcement appeared again on the large screen: the [Yunzhou] dungeon was about to reopen. Several groups of players were eagerly waiting in front of the screen, ready to pounce. A single clear would yield tens of thousands of points—what an enticing reward!
So far, [Yunzhou] has been opened dozens of times, but only Ding Yang and Xue Shun have successfully cleared it; all other players have perished inside.
Many veteran players have tried to get information about [Yunzhou] from Ding Yang and Xue Shun, but Ding Yang spends almost all her free time in dungeons, her level rising rapidly. In less than two months, she went from a novice to a B-rank player, just one step away from an A-rank player.
No matter how high the reward in points offered, Ding Yang's mouth is as hard as iron; she won't reveal a single piece of information.
Many people have tried to get information from Xue Shun, but they can't find him anywhere. A check revealed that his name had long been erased from the player list; he was completely inactive.
"So many people died, and yet someone still foolishly signed up for [Yunzhou]? Are they all crazy?"
"After all, it's worth hundreds of thousands of points. If I had those points, I could live a life of luxury for years without ever having to run a dungeon."
"Maybe there are special items hidden inside. Otherwise, how could Ding Yang have advanced so quickly? She must have gotten some high-level items inside."
"Heaven is unfair! Why is her luck so good!"
"..."
The players discussed animatedly. When the system began its announcement, everyone fell silent instantly until the list of participants was confirmed, at which point the hall erupted in noise again.
...
"So, Chang Le's father was initially very afraid of Chang Le's mother?"
"Yes, my sister has a good temper, but she's quite good at fighting." Shen Mingsu slowly told Yan Chi the story of Shen Chang Le's parents.
"Back then, I thought she was too soft-hearted and would easily get taken advantage of, so I thought I'd take her out to toughen her up. We stopped a bunch of...a bunch of hot-blooded young men, and I told her to beat them up. But then they pushed Chang Le's dad out, and the others ran away in the chaos. And then those two hit it off."
Yan Chi leaned on his shoulder, listening intently to his story. "Sounds like you're not a good person either, taking your sister to cause trouble."
Shen Mingsu smiled. "I'm not a good person anyway."
He looked at Yan Chi with his dark green eyes and rubbed his earlobe. "Do you think I'm some kind of saint?"
"Hmm..." Yan Chi pretended to think seriously, then broke into a smile. "Yeah, I think you're a good person."
Looking at his bright, smiling face, Shen Mingsu felt a ticklish sensation in his heart, as if touched by cotton. He pulled Yan Chi into his arms and ruffled his hair. "Teacher Xiao Chi, I really like you so much."
Yan Chi blushed slightly. "Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?"
Shen Mingsu was about to say something when he suddenly stopped, glancing towards the ancient tree. "Teacher Xiao Chi, those two silly moths are fighting again."
Yan Chi instinctively looked towards the two swallowtail butterflies.
The instant Yan Chi looked away, six figures appeared beneath the ancient tree. Before they could utter a word, the surrounding space distorted violently, and the six figures vanished instantly.
“They’re perfectly well-behaved,” Yan Chi said, looking at the two swallowtail butterflies perched on the flower. “When did they fight?”
Shen Mingsu chuckled. “Maybe I was mistaken. It wasn’t those two fighting.”
The two swallowtail butterflies seemed to realize Shen Mingsu was making things up, and flew back to Yan Chi’s shoulder. This time, they were exceptionally harmonious, as if saying to Yan Chi, “See, we didn’t fight. We’re very well-behaved.”
Yan Chi was absolutely delighted by their adorable appearance.
In stark contrast to the warm atmosphere here, the player lobby was deathly silent. Most players were still in shock; the dungeon had only just begun, so why had they heard the system announcement that the dungeon had ended?
"This...this is it?"
"They only stayed in there for a second, and they were wiped out?!"
"How fortunate to witness the birth of a new record."
"I heard that members of a major guild also went in this time, and they didn't even last a second. It's laughable! How dare they look down on that little girl, Ding Yang?"
On one side of the hall, a young man lay on the ground. He suddenly woke up, panting heavily, still shaken. His companions rushed over, "What happened? How did you die so soon after entering the dungeon?!"
The man was also bewildered, "I...I don't know, I just suddenly died..."
Companion: "Did you see the killer? What was it like in the dungeon?"
"I remember it was next to a very, very big tree, and then...and then two people were sitting on chairs..."
The companion's face was excited, "What kind of people?"
Man: "A...a gay couple?"
Companion: "...?"
"I only glanced at it! I only vaguely saw two men, looking very intimate, and then I died..." The man felt a wave of relief. "Luckily, I bought a substitute item beforehand, otherwise I really would have been killed in there."
He even brought back some information, so it wasn't a loss.
...
Having sent this group of players away in one fell swoop, Shen Mingsu visibly relaxed a lot. Seeing Yan Chi playing happily with the two swallowtail butterflies, he suddenly asked, "Teacher Chi, do you still remember your father?"
Yan Chi didn't quite understand why he was suddenly so curious about his father. He shook his head. "The orphanage lady said she found me when I was only a few months old. There was a 'Yan' character on my swaddling clothes. I wasn't old enough to remember anything then, so I have no memory of him."
"And you, why are you suddenly asking about my father?"
Shen Mingsu: "Nothing, just asking to see if you want to know anything about him."
"No need, I don't want to know." Yan Chi knew that Shen Mingsu had a wide network of connections, but he had never thought of looking for his relatives. He believed he didn't need them.
Seeing his resolute attitude, Shen Mingsu abandoned his plan to help him find Yan Qingyuan. To be honest, he also resented Yan Qingyuan.
Since he had decided to have a child, he should take responsibility. If he really didn't want him, couldn't he just send Yan Chi to him? Could he refuse?
Thinking of how Yan Chi had grown up alone and unloved all these years, Shen Mingsu's heart ached. He had to hold him tightly in his arms to suppress the discomfort.
Yan Chi could tell he was worried about him. He patted his head reassuringly, like comforting a dejected wolfhound. "It's okay, I have you with me now. And before I met you, the orphanage lady was very good to me, Xie Tao always helped me growing up, and the younger children in the orphanage were all very kind. I was very happy."
Yan Chi was easily satisfied. He wouldn't make things difficult for himself. If he couldn't have something, he wouldn't want it.
Shen Mingsu kissed him on the forehead. "Mmm, our Teacher Chi is definitely not a child no one loves. I love him terribly."
Yan Chi smiled gently.
When the topic of fathers came up, Yan Chi thought of Feng Wang's family. He looked up at the azure sky. "I wonder how Feng Wang and Li Huai are doing now. Maybe I should visit their home sometime and see if I can talk to their father again."
The ancient tree leaves rustled, and in an instant, Shen Mingsu's arms were empty; Yan Chi had vanished.
Shen Mingsu: "...?!?!"
Wait, where did his husband go?! Shen Mingsu's heart stopped. Almost instantly, he found the culprit. He kicked the ancient tree trunk, his voice laced with suppressed anger, "Spit him out!"
The massive trunk of the ancient tree trembled twice, and a clear, ethereal voice rang out, "W-didn't he say he was going to visit the Feng Wang family? I took him there, why are you kicking me?"
The ancient tree looked aggrieved. How annoying! Not only did it not thank it, but it also kicked and punched it. Did it think it couldn't run away?
"Don't you have a brain?! He clearly said sometime! The premise is that he had time! Why did you take him there now?!" Shen Mingsu was furious with this stupid tree and kicked it several more times.
The ancient tree was still trying to defend itself, "You guys have time now, don't you? I haven't seen you do anything serious all afternoon."
Shen Mingsu: "Doesn't our flirting count as serious business?!"
The ancient tree: "..."
"I'll deal with you when I get back."
Shen Mingsu vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a trembling tree.
...
[Ding, players please note, the Super S-rank dungeon Snow Flame has opened. Please prepare yourselves. Player selection is in progress.]
[Number of Players: 4]
[Instance Description: When the Snow Melts]
A biting wind howled, snowflakes danced in the air, and the piercing cold made everyone shiver. Yan Chi stared blankly at the snowy scene before him, frozen in place. He was only wearing a thin sweatshirt, and in this freezing weather, he quickly became shivering.
A sound of footsteps approached, and before Yan Chi could react, someone pulled him into a small wooden hut.
A fireplace burned in the hut, the flames barely dispelling the chill from Yan Chi's body. He looked at the person who had pulled him; it was a young boy. He removed the cloth wrapped around his head, revealing a cute, baby face, and dice-shaped earrings on his ears.
The boy, huddled by the fireplace for warmth, breathed on his palms. Sensing Yan Chi's gaze, he turned to look at him. "You're a newbie?"
Yan Chi, bewildered: "A newbie?"
"Heh, a newbie in a super S-rank dungeon? That's something else!" the boy muttered to himself, seemingly talking to someone.
Unseen by Yan Chi, the comments on the boy's livestream scrolled rapidly.
[The world's unluckiest player has been crowned today! Let's give him a round of applause!]
[Ahhhhh! This newbie's looks are just too good to pass up! Xiao Qian, please, please, bring a beauty with you, don't let him die too tragically.]
[What nonsense is the person upstairs talking about? This is the Snow Flame dungeon! Forget about this unlucky newbie, Xiao Qian is lucky to even get out alive.]
[Xiao Qian, why is your life so miserable? You finally reached A+ level, and then you get stuck in this damned dungeon, sob sob. Go ahead and die, don't worry about me, I have a new crush.]
Song Qian: "..."
Enough already. He immediately turned off the comments, so he didn't see the comment that followed: [Isn't this dungeon only for four players?]
Yan Chi felt a little awkward seeing that Song Qian wasn't responding. He glanced at the heavy snow outside the window, his mind a complete mess.
He clearly remembered talking to Shen Mingsu just a second ago, how did he end up in this unfamiliar place in the blink of an eye? If it weren't for the incredibly real cold, Yan Chi would have wondered if he was dreaming.
Yan Chi observed the other three people: a limping middle-aged man, a tired-looking long-haired woman, and a young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
The three of them frowned when they saw Yan Chi and Song Qian.
The young man pushed up his glasses: "Didn't the system say there were only four players? How come there's one more?"
The other two players looked at Yan Chi and Song Qian warily.
They were both seasoned players, having experienced dungeons with an extra player before. That extra player could only be one thing—an NPC disguised as a mole.
Song Qian scoffed, "Guess all you want, I'm not the mole."
The three then turned their attention to Yan Chi.
In the deathly silence, Yan Chi spoke up, asking, "Can you tell me what happened?"
The young man replied, "I've never heard of a newcomer in a Super S-rank dungeon."
Yan Chi sensed the hostility in his words, and considering their previous conversation, he defended himself, "I'm not the mole you're talking about."
Song Qian rolled the dice, landing a 6 in his palm. He glanced at Yan Chi: "Hmm, I believe he isn't."
Seeing Song Qian's intention to defend Yan Chi, the other three players, unwilling to clash with him on their first day, returned to their seats, spaced far apart, clearly wary of each other.
—What if this newcomer really isn't the mole?
Finally, Song Qian answered Yan Chi's questions, explaining the Infinite World, the players, the dungeon, and the dungeon boss to him, "...But you're unlucky; you entered the game into a Super S-rank dungeon. Prepare to die."
Yan Chi's mind went blank, and it took him a long time to process what he heard. His heart sank into an icy abyss.
How could this be… He had just gotten a good job, found a boyfriend, and started a new life. How could he lose everything in an instant?
Yan Chi's eyes welled up with tears. He silently squatted by the fireplace, his gaze hardening. He had to go back, even if there was only the slightest chance, he had to go back!
Yan Chi asked, "What are the conditions for clearing this instance?"
"Why don't you even listen to the system's announcements?" Song Qian scolded him irritably. "Super S-rank instances are all survival time-limited modes. We need to stay here for seven days and not get killed."
Yan Chi: "Sounds alright?"
Song Qian found the newcomer's naiveté amusing. "It's snowing outside, brother. We can't go out. Without food and water, we can only last three days at most. NPCs patrol this area from time to time, and they're all A-rank NPCs. They can kill us with one hit."
Yan Chi was puzzled. They could simply wait until the snow stopped before going out. Why was he so certain they couldn't leave?
Yan Chi only thought about it in his mind. He looked at the holes in Song Qian's clothes that looked like they'd been burned, pursed his lips, and, to verify his guess, secretly tossed the rag on the table outside.
Snowflakes covered the rag. Despite being cold snow, it seemed to ignite like fire. Yan Chi felt a fright and took a step back, staring at the eerie blue flames before glancing at his intact clothes.
Just now, his exposed skin had touched the snow, yet he was unharmed.
Yan Chi boldly stretched his hand out of the house. Snowflakes landed on his palm, icy cold, but didn't ignite the strange flames. He was secretly pleased. Although he didn't know why Song Qian was unaffected by the snow, Yan Chi felt his chances of survival had greatly increased.
"By the way, I remember you weren't wearing protective gear earlier," Song Qian suddenly spoke, his gaze sweeping across Yan Chi's delicate face, his tone certain. "You're not afraid of the snow."
Yan Chi was startled; he hadn't expected Song Qian to be so perceptive.
The other three players looked over in surprise, their expressions subtly shifting as they gazed at Yan Chi's smooth skin, free of any burn marks.
The player who had accused Yan Chi of being the traitor stood up again.
'It's over, this is completely inexplicable.'
Yan Chi retreated step by step from their sight. If these people behaved even slightly unusually, he would immediately turn and run into the snow.
Outside, heavy, disordered footsteps approached. Judging from the sound, there was more than one person. Yan Chi immediately turned and ran, but the three men, except for the limping man, grabbed him and dragged him back.
"Young Master, Young Master! The Master said you're not allowed to go out, please go back!"
"Yes, Young Master, the Second Young Master is still waiting for you at home, please go back."
A haughty, youthful voice rang out, "I'll go back after I catch the white cat, all of you get out of my way!"
Yan Chi froze. That voice… it was Feng Wang!
"Ugh…!"
Feng Wang, come save him!
Yan Chi's mouth was covered, and he could only struggle desperately.
Song Qian clung to him tightly, "My goodness! The NPCs outside are killing people, can't you just shut up?! Are you really the mole?!"
He finally showed a bit of kindness, and ended up saving a mole?!
Song Qian was practically crying with anger.
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