Futile Devices Scans

Dinner time arrived. Looking at the rich spread of dishes laid out on the tablecloth, Ke Bu gained a newfound respect for Zhou Xin He. When she cooked, it was as if she became a completely different person—her timid self transformed into someone confident, turning messy ingredients into delicious dishes. It seems the only contribution this group has made is recruiting Zhou Xin He.

Gong Zhu sat down next to Zhi Li and carefully handed him his bowl and chopsticks. “It feels like I’ve never interacted with Lord Zhi Li like this before.” Gong Zhu smiled, revealing his white teeth.

“Is that so?”

Amid the noise, Ke Bu could only hear their conversation. He ate calmly, pretending not to care.

“Come to think of it, Lord Zhi Li probably doesn’t even know who I am. We’ve barely spoken before.” Gong Zhu looked at Zhi Li uneasily.

“I know you.”

The moment those words fell, Ke Bu suddenly felt a strange agitation in his chest. Gong Zhu’s face flushed red at Zhi Li’s reply. Amid the chatter, Zhi Li continued, “You like men.”

The statement was shocking. The noise instantly fell silent. Ying Xiu Jie’s chopsticks dropped to the ground, and Chu Hao Yu stared over with his mouth open. Gong Zhu’s face grew even redder. “Why would Lord Zhi Li say that?”

The orange glow of the campfire illuminated Zhi Li’s handsome face, making it even more mesmerizing. “The way you look at me is strange.”

The atmosphere reached an indescribably strange point. Ke Bu racked his brain, trying to think of something to say to break the tension. Zhi Li looked at the group and asked innocently, “What’s wrong with all of you?”

“Is that really what you should be asking right now?! Do you even know what you just said?!” Ke Bu snapped.

“Oh, I was joking.”

“Does that face of yours look like you’re joking?!” Here it comes again—this impossible-to-read guy. Don’t think you can brush it off with just one sentence.

Gong Zhu laughed along. “Lord Zhi Li really gave me a fright.”

“So it was just a joke. Your sense of humor is really strange.” The others gradually returned to normal.

Ke Bu wasn’t so easily fooled. Does he really know nothing at all, or does he know everything deep down?

In the middle of the night, Ke Bu was woken from his sleep by Ying Xiu Jie. He turned over. “What?”

“Get up. It’s time to do something manly.”

“What do you mean, something manly?”

“I heard that in this forest, a girl once hanged herself. Chu Hao Yu wants us to go find that tree. A real man faces ghosts head-on.”

“Do you think a woman in a white dress will suddenly appear while walking through the woods? Or that a long-tongued woman will ride on your shoulders? Or that your blanket will suddenly bulge, and when you lift it, there’s a child lying on you? Stop dreaming. There’s nothing that unscientific in this world. I’m not wasting my energy on something this pointless—you guys go.” If I can avoid moving, I will.

Ying Xiu Jie grabbed Ke Bu by the collar and dragged him outside. Outside stood Zhou Xin He, Gong Zhu, and Chu Hao Yu. Ke Bu squinted and looked around. “Where are Zhi Li and Su You Yan?”

“Zhi Li’s tent is like a demon’s lair. It feels like something bad will happen if you go inside. I only lifted the flap and took a look—pitch black, and all I could hear was breathing. So… I backed off,” Chu Hao Yu said.

Zhou Xin He stammered, “Um… in front of You Yan’s tent, there are thumbtacks everywhere. There’s no way to get close. Can I not go?”

“It’s fine. I’m here,” Chu Hao Yu said. So this is his real goal.

Not long after entering the forest, everyone got separated. Only Ying Xiu Jie remained walking behind Ke Bu. Ke Bu idly waved his flashlight around, while Ying Xiu Jie stayed on alert. Soon after, when Ke Bu turned around, Ying Xiu Jie was gone as well.

Looking at the pitch-black forest, its shadows swaying into terrifying shapes with the wind, Ke Bu yawned. So boring. I might as well head back.

Suddenly, a white figure flashed past his eyes. Ke Bu’s heart skipped a beat. He shone the flashlight in that direction. “Who’s there? Stop pretending and come out.”

From a distance came Zhou Xin He’s scream, startling Ke Bu. The flashlight slipped from his hand and rolled into the forest. Seriously… what are you screaming for? Now my flashlight’s gone.

In the silent forest, Ke Bu felt another presence breathing besides himself—closer and closer, right behind him. He turned around and, under the moonlight, saw Zhi Li’s face.

“So it’s you. Why are you here? Have you seen Ying Xiu Jie?”

“Taken care of.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ke Bu, do you believe in ghosts?”

“No. Hanging ghosts, water ghosts, vampires—they’re all made up. I only believe in what I can see with my own eyes.”

“Oh?”

“Don’t answer me with that weird attitude!! And if you’re going to lie, at least come up with a better excuse.”

“Lying?” Zhi Li lightly touched Ke Bu’s temple with his finger. “Use your clever brain and think about a simple question again—why would I dislike strong sunlight?”

Ke Bu stared at Zhi Li’s face—there wasn’t a single flaw, and his gaze was so clear it seemed incapable of holding even a trace of malice. Cold sweat formed on Ke Bu’s forehead. What does he mean… c-could Zhi Li be a vampire?!! Vampires were said to have unmatched aristocratic beauty—that part did fit. And he did hate the scorching sun, often disappeared without a trace, and no one could understand his drawings… perhaps they depicted the world as seen through a vampire’s eyes. That can’t be… something so beyond reality… then when he said Ying Xiu Jie had been “taken care of”… could that mean…

“T-this kind of thing can’t be real. Don’t think I’ll believe you just because you say a few things casually. I only believe in science—right, there are no vampires, none.” Ke Bu spoke without conviction, retreating step by step until his back hit a tree, leaving him nowhere to go. His face turned pale. Zhi Li leaned closer, slightly parting his lips. As Ke Bu saw the two alluring fangs revealed, he shut his eyes tightly. Is this where my life ends…? Zhi Li leaned close to his ear. “I’ll bury your body in a place you like.”

“I’d rather stay alive and go to places I like!!” Ke Bu’s voice trembled.

Zhi Li’s teeth moved to Ke Bu’s slender neck and lightly bit down. The place he touched sent a warm shiver through him, and Ke Bu’s consciousness grew hazy. Being this close to Zhi Li… being bitten like this… why does it feel like… He mentally slapped himself. I’m about to die—this is not the time to feel anything.

Finally abandoning his pride, Ke Bu grabbed Zhi Li’s sleeve, almost pleading. “I was wrong before—give me another chance to start over, please. I won’t tell anyone. Don’t—don’t turn me into a vampire. I don’t want to sleep in a coffin.”

Zhi Li finally lifted his head, that same harmless expression returning. He removed the fangs from his mouth and tossed them onto the ground. “You actually believed it.”

That one short sentence left Ke Bu speechless. There couldn’t possibly be anything more humiliating than this. Veins nearly bulged on his forehead as he forced out words through clenched teeth. “Zhi~~~ Li~~~~”

The beam of a flashlight shone over. Ke Bu squinted uncomfortably. Gong Zhu’s voice came from nearby. “So you’re here.”

Chu Hao Yu, Ying Xiu Jie, and Zhou Xin He were also there. Chu Hao Yu asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Ke Bu begged me not to turn him into a vampire.”

Chu Hao Yu and Ying Xiu Jie burst into laughter at Ke Bu’s pale expression. “Hahaha, I’m dying of laughter. What era is this—Ke Bu, you actually believed something like that? Hahaha, you’re even more naïve than I thought.”

Go ahead, laugh all you want… Ke Bu had completely lost face. He didn’t even have the energy to retort—Zhi Li had already drained all his strength. All he wanted was to escape, to hide somewhere no one could see him and spend the rest of his life there.

Su You Yan also appeared, wearing a white dress, startling everyone.

“Why are you here too?”

“Taking a walk.”

“Who goes for a walk in a place like this in the middle of the night wearing a white dress?!”

After all the commotion, Ke Bu weakly crawled back under his blanket. His hand pressed against his neck—the warmth Zhi Li had left there still lingered. Faint, subtle, almost imperceptible, tugging at his reason.

Previous

Main

Next