The appearance of the crimson head on the track startled the other competitors. Some players were so terrified they collapsed to the ground, clutching their heads and trembling. After a while, they realized nothing had happened.
The crimson head rolled past them, chasing after the student in the lead.
The players clutched their chests, still shaken. Had that student committed some divine sin? Why was that monster relentlessly pursuing him?
Wait! They were still in the race!
The players immediately jumped to their feet and hurriedly started running.
Xingluo ran while wiping away tears, each time he reached Yan Chi and Feng Wang, he would cry out, "Feng Wang, I curse you to be unloved for the rest of your life! Waaaaah, Teacher Chi, save me!"
Then he ran away like the wind, not daring to stop.
The crimson head also rolled past Yan Chi, its speed slightly slowing, and quickly winked at Yan Chi.
Yan Chi: ...Was that a wink?
Lian Deng, expressing his affection on behalf of his pet, said, "Water Baby really likes Teacher Xiao Chi."
As he spoke, Lian Deng looked with satisfaction at the blood-red head running ahead, extremely proud, like a parent watching their child achieve first place.
Yan Chi opened his mouth, incredulous, "It... is called Water Baby?"
This thing is half his height, and looks strangely terrifying, yet its name is "Baby"?
"Yes, yes!" Lian Deng looked at Yan Chi, "Baby really likes the name you gave it. It used to be called Xiao San, but it didn't like that name and insisted on changing it to Water Baby."
Xiao San… Yan Chi thought that Lian Deng, in some ways, was a rare naming genius.
Wait, what does it mean that he named it Water Baby? Yan Chi wondered if he had lost some memory of when he named this head that?
“Lian Deng…” For some unknown reason, Yan Chi’s face stiffened. Looking at the large head hurtling across the track, his throat tightened. “Lian Deng, this head wouldn’t happen to be that water doll in your little cardboard box, would it?”
Lian Deng nodded. “Yes, yes, that’s it.”
“So the red liquid on it isn’t just color bleeding? It’s…blood?” Yan Chi’s voice trembled uncontrollably. He desperately hoped Lian Deng would shake his head in denial. But when he saw Lian Deng nod, everything went black.
No wonder he had always felt that the red water doll was moving; it really was red, and it was a head?!
Goosebumps instantly rose on Yan Chi’s arms. Even his fingers, which had touched the “water doll,” felt a faint stickiness.
He had washed his hands many times. It’s okay, it’s okay… Yan Chi could only desperately reassure himself to suppress the urge to wash his hands immediately.
The 8,000-meter race drew to a close without anyone noticing, and no one expected that Xingluo's strongest opponent would be the old man.
For the first few laps, the old man ran at a leisurely pace, but when everyone else was exhausted, his old arms and legs suddenly burst with energy, cutting through the obstacles and surging ahead to Xingluo's feet.
Xingluo glanced back every now and then at the distance between himself and the water baby, and suddenly saw the old man sprinting like it was a 100-meter dash behind him, causing him to gasp in shock.
The last time he saw this old man, he was using a cane! Now he's running like the wind, taking down young men with ease?!
Seeing Xingluo slow down, water baby, driven by its competitive spirit, caught up, startling Xingluo again and causing him to scream loudly. Water baby successfully defeated the old man and crossed the finish line first.
Yan Chi was already waiting for him at the finish line. Xingluo immediately threw himself into his arms, hugging his waist tightly, burying his head in his chest, and crying out, "Waaaaah, Teacher Chi, save me! Get this thing away! I'm scared, waaaaah..."
"It's alright, it's alright. Lian Deng has already put it away." Yan Chi patted his head, gently comforting him, "Turn around and look, is it gone?"
Xingluo cautiously turned his head and glanced back. The water baby that had been clinging to him like a demon was long gone. His tense body instantly relaxed, and all his grievances burst forth. He hugged Yan Chi, sobbing and accusing Feng Wang of his terrible behavior.
"Don't wrong me," Feng Wang walked over, casually taking a gold medal from the referee and tossing it into Xingluo's arms. "If I hadn't come up with this idea, you think you could have gotten first place with those two short legs, slowly wading around?"
Xingluo wiped away his tears, indignant. "You could have told me beforehand!"
"I did tell you. I told you to prepare yourself." Feng Wang spread his hands innocently, ignoring the uncontrollable upward curve of his lips, making it seem like he was truly thinking of Xingluo's best interests.
"Besides, if I had told you beforehand that the kid of Lian Deng would be performing, you wouldn't have unleashed such strong potential."
Xingluo gritted his teeth. This was revenge! A complete and utter act of revenge!
“Have some water first.” Yan Chi watched the squabble between the two children, his eyes full of amusement. He opened a bottle of water for Xingluo; he must be exhausted from running around for so long.
After recovering, Xingluo felt weak all over. He took a few sips of water from the water bottle and finally felt alive again.
“Teacher…” Xingluo looked up at Yan Chi with a pitiful expression, “My legs are weak.”
His legs felt like they had given up after a long day of work; they were sore and aching.
Yan Chi said worriedly, "Then I'll take you to the infirmary."
The old man who came in second place was wiping sweat with a towel. Hearing this, he glanced at Xingluo nestled in Yan Chi's arms and shook his head. "Oh dear, it's just a muscle strain. Why go to the infirmary? He probably hasn't been exercising much, and didn't even warm up before the race. It'll be fine in a few days."
The old man had an experienced and reliable expression, while his gaze lightly swept over Yan Chi's arm. "You haven't been exercising much either, have you?"
Yan Chi felt a strange pang of guilt under his seemingly all-knowing gaze. "Um..."
"You young people," the old man shook his head, said nothing, took his second-place silver medal, picked up his cane that he had carelessly tossed on the ground, and slowly walked away, leaning on the cane.
Looking at the old man, Yan Chi thought of his orphanage director mother. She was also getting old, and every time she saw him and Xie Tao, she would remind them not to stay in the air conditioning all the time, but to go out for walks and exercise from time to time.
The love of elders is always hidden in these small, everyday nagging remarks, so Yan Chi wasn't impatient at all; instead, he felt a sense of nostalgia.
After hearing the old man's words, Xingluo decided not to go to the infirmary and had Feng Wang and Shen Chang Le help him back to his apartment.
Shen Chang Le said to Yan Chi, "Then I'll go next door to keep him company today."
Since Shen Mingsu and Yan Chi got together, he had also moved into Yan Chi's family home, and Shen Mingsu's original teacher's apartment was given to Xingluo.
Yan Chi nodded, "Call us next door if you need anything."
Shen Chang Le: "Okay."
The afternoon's competition ended there, and the players who had fallen behind looked pale-faced at the referee. Based on their previous experience, these losers would be killed by the referee. Was it time for their execution? The referee didn't even glance at them, packed his things, and walked away without looking back.
The players: "..."
They then turned their attention to the students around them.
Some of these students, who had participated in the competition, had already planned how to write their assessment reports, muttering to themselves, eager to go back and write down their insights.
The vast majority, however, were completely clueless, seeing each player as a vague, ambiguous answer key, their intense gazes sending chills down the players' spines.
But apart from that, they didn't do anything else to harm them.
The viewers in the live stream couldn't understand the development of this instance.
[Other instances have clear quest instructions, but what's going on with this one? Just run laps with the NPCs? No punishment for winning or losing?]
[It can't be that simple, otherwise how did all the players who got stuck in there die?]
[It must be a conspiracy. These NPCs are definitely trying to lower their guard so they can wipe them all out.]
[The sports meet lasts three days... Do you think the cleanup will take place on the last day?]
[…]
Not only the spectators were suspicious, but the vast majority of players were uneasy and paranoid.
They had been in Yunzhou for two days. The first night, they lay awake in fear until dawn, only to find nothing had happened. The ridiculously high-level NPC students hadn't attacked them, letting them roam freely in the school.
Everything was too peaceful, which made the players uneasy.
Could they be the frog in the slowly boiling water?
Yan Chi was completely unaware of the players' unusual behavior. After returning home, he found his sunglasses, placed them on the table, and prepared to give them to the little zombie the next day.
The sky outside the window gradually darkened. Shen Mingsu returned home in the night, heard noises coming from the kitchen, and went to investigate.
Under the incandescent light, Yan Chi, wearing an apron, was cooking. He scooped up some broth and tasted it; his arms, white and delicate, were visible beneath his sleeves, and the rising steam dampened his curled eyelashes.
Yan Chi was wondering when Shen Mingsu would come home when, almost unconsciously, he turned his head to look.
The man stood silently behind him, his tall, well-proportioned body leaning against the wall. His dark green eyes were like those of a dangerous serpent lurking in a deep forest, as if he were about to devour Yan Chi alive.
The ladle fell into the soup. Yan Chi clutched his pounding heart and said irritably, "Why do you walk silently? You scared me to death."
Shen Mingsu's handsome face softened into a gentle smile, reverting to his previous docile and harmless demeanor. "I wanted to give you a surprise."
"You scared me," Yan Chi said, ordering him, "The food is ready. Take it out to eat."
At the dinner table, Yan Chi ate while asking him, "Did you catch them?"
It was said that Shen Mingsu had gone to check on someone who had discovered termites in a nearby small world. Yan Chi had assumed he would be back quickly, but it seemed he had dragged it out until evening.
"Caught them, killed them," Shen Mingsu said casually.
But Yan Chi knew him all too well, raising an eyebrow. "That's all?"
Shen Mingsu nodded. "Of course."
So, for the rest of the meal, Yan Chi didn't say a word to Shen Mingsu. He knew this man was hiding something from him.
Lying in bed late at night, Yan Chi, as usual, would give Shen Mingsu a goodnight kiss, but tonight he turned his back to Shen Mingsu, cold and indifferent, and said, "Turn off the light and go to sleep."
Shen Mingsu stared blankly at the back of his fluffy head, and whispered, "Teacher Xiao Chi, have you forgotten something?"
"No."
Shen Mingsu struggled, trying to remind him, "Isn't there a kiss you haven't given me yet?"
Yan Chi turned over, his amber eyes fixed on Shen Mingsu, "Really? But I don't remember."
This was clearly him being angry.
Shen Mingsu squeezed next to him, somewhat forcefully pulling him into his arms. Inhaling the scent of his shower gel, he abandoned his stubbornness and obediently admitted his mistake, "I'm sorry, Teacher Xiaochi, I was wrong."
Yan Chi urged, "Then hurry up and tell me!"
Shen Mingsu hesitated, finally sighing, "Wasn't Li Xian killed by the termites?"
"Yes."
"After devouring Li Xian's flesh and blood, they infiltrated our ranks." Shen Mingsu's tone was heavy. "The A-level companion we killed today was a member of the termites; Mingcai's mother has confirmed it."
This player had lived in the A-level world for ten years, had a wife and daughter. If his wife hadn't noticed something amiss and informed Mingcai's mother, probably no one would have guessed he was a player.
Before being killed, he angrily berated his wife, "Why should one sin negate my entire life?! I have never hurt you!"
Finally, Shen Mingsu, unable to bear it any longer, slit his throat.
Yan Chi fell silent, then looked up at him. "Can I help? I can make all the termite members die."
Shen Mingsu: "...Not yet."
"Why?" Yan Chi was impatient; he deeply loathed the termites. "Didn't you say I could do anything with this ability?"
Shen Mingsu soothingly stroked his head. "Maybe you can when you reach your father's level, but not now."
Yan Chi understood that this meant he was too weak. Indeed, he wasn't even as good as the students in his class. Thinking of this, Yan Chi lowered his eyes dejectedly; he felt so useless.
"Our little teacher Chi is still too young." Shen Mingsu saw through his thoughts at a glance and kissed his forehead. "You've only been an adult for a short time, and you don't have a father by your side. Being at level A is already quite remarkable."
They are different from humans; their offspring need their creators to provide them with nutrition, and they are generally raised for one or two hundred years before being released.
So Yan Chi looks a bit malnourished, which is why he appears weak.
Yan Chi's eyes lit up with anticipation: "Then how can I level up faster?"
"Either find your dad," Shen Mingsu suggested unrealistically, tucking Yan Chi into bed and kissing his eyelids. "Or just go to sleep obediently, so can you give me a goodnight kiss now?"
Yan Chi: "..."
He reluctantly leaned in and kissed Shen Mingsu's lips, a fleeting, delicate touch. Just as he was about to lean back, Shen Mingsu pressed his head down, deepening the kiss.
Yan Chi, panting, grabbed his restless hand, his eyes shimmering with tears, the corners reddening. "Didn't you say you wanted a goodnight kiss?"
Shen Mingsu stroked his lean waist, his voice still tinged with grievance. "But I missed you, Teacher Chi. We haven't seen each other all day."
"...You just left this afternoon... um...don't touch there!" Yan Chi's mind jolted, his waist arching slightly as he gripped his arm tightly.
Shen Mingsu pressed his hand against his lower abdomen without a word, his hot breath brushing against Yan Chi's ear, sending shivers down his spine. "Teacher Chi, Chang Le isn't home tonight."
"Xie Tao is still here."
"He's downstairs, it's alright."
Yan Chi pursed his lips, slowly releasing his hand.
The night was cool and still. The flowers in the botanical garden welcomed the tiny insects that pollinated them. The insects busily flapped their wings, burrowing into the petals, covered in pollen, and left satisfied.
In the student dormitory, Xin Xia stared blankly at the star-studded night sky outside the window. His three teammates stood at his door, watching his retreating figure with worried expressions.
Since they arrived in Yunzhou, Xin Xia had moved from his original apartment to live with his teammates.
The burly man known as "the jinx" was named Peng Kaiyan. He was puzzled by Xin Xia's distraught appearance. "Wasn't he going to find that girl? Didn't he find her?"
Rong Wenshi's observation was more keen than Peng Kaiyan's. He had vaguely seen Sethia's adam's apple, but the distance was too great for him to be certain whether the girl was actually a boy.
Just then, Lin Heng, worried about their safety, came in to check. He saw them all gathered in front of Xin Xia's door. "What's wrong?"
"Boss," Rong Wenshi called out to Lin Heng first, then turned to Xin Xia, "Boss's here. If you haven't found that girl, you can ask him."
Lin Heng was puzzled. "What girl?"
Rong Wenshi chuckled, "Xin Xia saw a really cute little girl at noon and fell in love at first sight."
Lin Heng looked at Xin Xia in surprise.
"...I found her." Xin Xia didn't want to hear them discussing his love life; it made him uncomfortable. "She's in Class 1. I even talked to her this afternoon and learned her name."
But this little sister is a giant jelly, and she wants to eat him up…
Xin Xia thought of this, and Sethia's words, “You smell so good,” echoed in his mind. Had she said that to others? Or only to him? Was he more to her liking?
Xin Xia's face flushed involuntarily.
“Class 1? Teacher Xiao Chi's class?” Lin Heng knew the students in Class 1 very well. Even though there were only two girls, he couldn't tell which one was the cute little sister they were talking about.
Mingcai and Ahui are cute? Lin Heng didn't really understand them.
After all, it was his old friend's child, so Lin Heng couldn't resist asking, "What's her name?"
Xin Xia replied shyly, "Sethia."
Lin Heng: "...Sethia is a boy."
Xin Xia: "..."
The three teammates: "..."
Rong Wenshi muttered, "Then I wasn't mistaken, it really is an adam's apple."
Xin Xia: "..."
His cruch was a monster, fine, but she was a boy?!
Xin Xia, who had been holding back his tears all afternoon, finally broke down. He sat on the floor and sobbed uncontrollably. Lin Heng handed him a tissue with mixed feelings, turned and left to continue patrolling with the students.
...
The alarm clock rang promptly at 7:30 in the morning. Yan Chi scrambled out of bed, his body weak. The moment his feet touched the ground, his legs almost gave way, and he managed to brace himself against the bed.
Yan Chi sighed. It seemed he couldn't stay up too late at night anymore, or it would affect his work in the morning.
"Teacher Xiao Chi." Shen Mingsu came in from outside, picked up Yan Chi, gently placed him on the bed, and massaged his back. "How about we skip it today? I'll keep an eye on those brats for you."
"No way." Yan Chi refused without hesitation. "How can a teacher waste a student's time on personal matters?"
Saying this, he pushed away Shen Mingsu's hand and went to the bathroom to wash up and change. During this time, Shen Mingsu stayed by his side. "Is anything bothering you? Let me see. You don't have a fever, and I cleaned you up last night, so there shouldn't be any problems..."
"Shut up!" Yan Chi's face turned red, and he looked like he was about to get angry. "Don't say another word!"
He shouldn't have agreed to try it with Shen Mingsu.
Shen Mingsu knew Yan Chi was easily embarrassed, so he quickly coaxed, "Okay, okay, let's not talk about it anymore. I made you some porridge, go eat some later."
Yan Chi hummed in agreement. The autumn weather was gradually getting cooler, and he had specially worn a turtleneck sweater today to cover the mottled marks on his neck.
At the breakfast table that morning, Xie Tao watched Shen Mingsu coaxing Yan Chi to eat with a strange expression. These two were always very affectionate, but he didn't expect them to be even more affectionate today.
Xie Tao couldn't help but stare at Yan Chi. There was definitely something fishy going on between them.
Under his gaze, Yan Chi gradually became guilty. "You...how did you sleep last night?"
Xie Tao: "What did you two do last night?"
The word "do" struck a nerve with Yan Chi. He immediately fell silent, pretending to bury his head in his porridge. Anyone with eyes could see his guilty conscience.
Xie Tao, being an adult, immediately guessed what had happened. He angrily turned to look at Shen Mingsu, who put a finger to his lips and shushed him.
Xie Tao: "..."
Damn it.
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