Futile Devices Scans

“We’re back.” Ke Bu opened the door carrying the bags. The others were enthusiastically playing mahjong. Without taking his eyes off the table, Chu Hao Yu said, “You two took forever. Don’t tell me you snuck off to the park for some outdoor action.”

Ke Bu smacked the back of Chu Hao Yu’s head. “How much filthier can your mind possibly get?”

“Want to play, Zhi Li?” Ying Xiu Jie kindly offered up his seat. Normally, whenever a member of this group showed kindness—aside from Gong Zhu and Zhou Xin He—it was never out of noble concern for others. Sure enough, Ying Xiu Jie dug around in his pocket. “I’ve lost everything! My New Year’s money! My dignity as a man! All gone to Xin He!”

“She’s the only one winning! What kind of world is this?!” Chu Hao Yu cried indignantly.

“That’s what they call good people being rewarded.”

Not long afterward, Chu Hao Yu’s parents returned home. Mother Chu warmly greeted everyone. “Sorry for keeping you waiting. Xiao Yu only told me today that you were coming, so I had to rush out and buy ingredients. You must be hungry. I’ll start cooking right away.”

Father Chu removed his coat. “Looks like the snow outside has piled up even higher. Be careful not to catch a chill.”

Ke Bu simply could not understand it. He truly could not. How had such a wonderful couple managed to raise a pervert like Chu Hao Yu? Looking out the window, Chu Hao Yu rolled up his sleeves and stood up. “Let’s have a snowball fight.”

“You just want an excuse not to pay your gambling debts,” Ke Bu exposed him. Chu Hao Yu pretended not to hear. For the first time ever, his suggestion received overwhelming support. Gong Zhu and Zhou Xin He immediately ran to the entryway to put on gloves and hats. Ying Xiu Jie started warming up. Even Su You Yan closed her book.

“You’re all way too old to be this childish,” Ke Bu said disdainfully.

Ying Xiu Jie looked at Ke Bu, who was already putting on his shoes in the entryway. “Then why are you the fastest one getting ready?!”

“I’m only accompanying you guys.” Ke Bu shrugged. These people, who had rarely made friends as children, seemed never to have experienced a snowball fight before, which explained their excitement. Zhi Li slowly walked over and, right when everyone was having fun, casually dropped a bombshell. “Are you all trying to make up for your childhoods?”

“Don’t say things like that!”

“Am I wrong?” Zhi Li thought for a moment before seriously muttering to himself, “I just assumed nobody wanted to play with you when you were kids.” Having the sad truth pointed out so directly crushed everyone’s spirits. Zhi Li opened the door and looked back at the group, who had collectively turned into a dark cloud of depression. “What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean, what’s wrong?!” Ke Bu shouted.

They drew lots to split into teams. Su You Yan, Ke Bu, and Ying Xiu Jie ended up on one side, while Zhi Li, Chu Hao Yu, and Gong Zhu were on the other. Ke Bu secretly rejoiced. His team’s overall strength was clearly superior. Zhi Li and Su You Yan both glanced at the unclaimed Zhou Xin He, then faced each other for a final round of rock-paper-scissors.

“The loser gets her,” Zhi Li said.

“Exactly what I was hoping for.”

Zhou Xin He put a hand to her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes. “Lord Zhi Li, you two are awful. Am I just dead weight to you?”

“Xin He!” several people called out as she ran off dramatically, tears sparkling at the corners of her eyes. She only managed a few steps before tripping over the snow and falling flat on her face. Zhi Li and Su You Yan remained completely unmoved and continued their game. Su You Yan won. Ying Xiu Jie and Ke Bu high-fived.

“Great! Heaven is on our side.”

“Damn it,” Chu Hao Yu cursed.

Standing nearby, Gong Zhu hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “Even if Xin He is weak, you guys are being way too obvious about it.”

Each side occupied its own position. Ke Bu scooped up snow and packed it into a ball. It was just a snowball fight, right? Even if he had never played before, he had seen plenty on television. People tossed snowballs at one another, laughed heartily, and chased each other through the snow.

Ying Xiu Jie grabbed a snowball and poked his head out. “Ha! Centipede Hand!” Countless snowballs shot out at astonishing speed like machine-gun fire. Taking advantage of a gap in Ying Xiu Jie’s barrage, Chu Hao Yu emerged from behind cover holding an enormous snowball over his head. “Great Boob Attack!”

Seeing the giant snowball flying toward him, Ying Xiu Jie rolled across the ground to another position and panted. “That was close.”

The snowball in Ke Bu’s hand fell to the ground. This wasn’t a snowball fight at all. It was practically a fight for survival.

Zhou Xin He gathered all her strength and threw a snowball. It dropped halfway and never even reached them. She couldn’t throw that far? Taking advantage of Ke Bu’s distraction, Gong Zhu hurled a snowball at him. Su You Yan shoved Ke Bu aside, and the snowball struck the tree behind them instead.

“Thanks, You Yan.” Ke Bu looked at her gratefully.

Su You Yan pointed at Gong Zhu. “Don’t bully animals.”

“Who are you calling an animal?!” They were still making fun of his clothes. But now wasn’t the time for that. Ke Bu quickly analyzed the enemy team’s strengths and weaknesses. Eliminate the weakest members first, then deal with the boss. The boss still hadn’t appeared. Was he hiding?

“Xin He, sorry.”

“What?” Before she could finish speaking, Ke Bu’s snowball smacked directly into her face.

Zhou Xin He was eliminated.

Next was Gong Zhu.

“Xiu Jie, distract Hao Yu.”

“Leave it to me.” Ying Xiu Jie stuck his head out again. “Huh? Who dropped their underwear here?”

“Where? Where?” Chu Hao Yu immediately started searching the ground.

Ke Bu quietly circled behind Gong Zhu. Just as he raised a snowball, Gong Zhu turned around. His pitifully adorable face seemed to radiate golden light. “It’s so cold. I think I’m catching a cold. If I get hit by a snowball…” Gong Zhu dropped to the ground and coughed violently, looking as though he were about to cough up blood.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I…” Gong Zhu suddenly grabbed a handful of snow.

Su You Yan shoved Ke Bu aside and dumped an entire mound of snow onto Gong Zhu’s head. “I couldn’t bear watching you suffer. Better to end your life quickly.”

“So you saw through me?” Gong Zhu smiled as he brushed the snow from his head.

Gong Zhu was eliminated.

When Chu Hao Yu spotted the two of them, he launched another snowball. Ke Bu dodged left and right, occasionally returning fire. Once again he looked gratefully at Su You Yan.

“I’ll repay this kindness tenfold someday.”

“Where’s Zhi Li?”

“Haven’t seen him. Let’s take out Chu Hao Yu first.”

Ke Bu’s sharp eyes spotted something crawling through the snow. Could that idiot Ying Xiu Jie be disguised as snow? Ke Bu poked his head out to attract Chu Hao Yu’s attention.

“Hey, Hao Yu! Over here!”

He hurled a snowball with all his strength. Chu Hao Yu dodged and moved forward, only for something to grab his leg. Looking down in horror, he shouted, “What the—?”

“Die like a man.” Ying Xiu Jie emerged from the snow and yanked hard. Chu Hao Yu crashed to the ground. Ying Xiu Jie pounced on him and shoved snow into the back of his head.

Chu Hao Yu was eliminated.

“Chameleon Fist.” Ying Xiu Jie immediately disappeared back into the snow.

Aren’t you cold? Ke Bu desperately wanted to ask.

“Zhi Li? Where are you? Stop hiding. You’ve already lost.” Ke Bu scanned the snowy landscape.

The front door of Chu Hao Yu’s house opened. Zhi Li walked out holding a cup of coffee.

“Looking for me?”

“When did you go back inside?!”

“It got a little cold, so I went in.”

“Are you even taking this seriously?”

Zhi Li set the coffee on the railing outside the door and bent down to pick up a handful of snow. “Then let’s finish this quickly.”

As he stepped forward, he accidentally stepped on something. Looking down, he stomped on it twice more.

“What is this?”

Ke Bu could only see a trembling hand sticking out of the snow.

Finally Ying Xiu Jie raised his head. “I never imagined you’d see through such a flawless disguise. How impr—”

Before he could finish, Zhi Li casually dropped the snowball in his hand onto Ying Xiu Jie’s head.

Ying Xiu Jie was eliminated.

At some point Su You Yan had appeared beside Ke Bu. Zhi Li bent down again, scooped up the snow from Ying Xiu Jie’s head, and raised his arm.

“It’s time to repay your debt,” Su You Yan said.

Before Ke Bu could react, she dragged him in front of her and looked at Zhi Li. “Can you really bring yourself to throw it at Ke Bu? He’ll get cold. Then he’ll catch a cold. Then he’ll develop a fever. Then he’ll die painfully after prolonged suffering.”

“I die way too easily! Was that your reason for picking me in the first place?!”

“Shut up and cooperate,” Su You Yan said coldly.

Sure enough, Zhi Li’s hand stopped. He looked at Ke Bu. Putting on an exaggeratedly bashful expression, Ke Bu concealed a snowball behind his back, ready to attack at any moment.

“Why? Why have we ended up on opposite sides? I never wanted this. It hurts me so much. Look carefully. I’m Ke Bu. Are you really going to hit me with such a cold, heartless snowball?”

Now! Ke Bu prepared to launch his ambush.

“What?”

Zhi Li’s straight fastball smashed directly into Ke Bu’s face.

Ke Bu collapsed onto the snow.

Su You Yan looked disgusted. “Damn. I overestimated your charm.”

“Don’t talk to me. Let me wallow in despair for a while.”

Ke Bu was eliminated.

Su You Yan tossed a snowball in her hand and looked at Zhi Li. “You won’t hit me so easily.”

She threw her snowball. Zhi Li tilted his head and avoided it, then walked toward her. Su You Yan refused to retreat. The two finally stood face-to-face. Another fierce battle seemed inevitable. Surely Zhi Li would go easy on her.

Su You Yan raised her hand.

“By the way, You Yan, where’s the notebook?” Zhi Li suddenly asked.

“Right here.”

Acting on pure reflex, Su You Yan reached behind her.

By the time she realized what had happened, it was already too late.

The snowball in Zhi Li’s hand lightly tapped her shoulder.

Su You Yan was eliminated.

Zhi Li turned around, walked back to the doorway, picked up his coffee, took a sip, and closed the door behind him, leaving devastation in his wake.

The next morning, when Ke Bu tried to sit up in bed, he let out a bloodcurdling scream.

“Pain! It hurts so much!”

Because he rarely exercised, his muscles were agonizingly sore after yesterday’s battle. He lay flat on the bed like a corpse. Not only did he have to endure physical pain, but also the mental anguish of defeat.

Zhi Li!

That damned Zhi Li!

Was he a devil?

He absolutely was.

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