School had been back in session for a while, and Ke Bu had spent quite a bit of time readjusting his schedule. After ending his lazy holiday lifestyle, suddenly returning to school felt somewhat uncomfortable. Hugging a stack of books in his arms, he ran quickly across campus. This was one of the school’s restricted areas. Without realizing it, Ke Bu had wandered in. The maze-like pathways left him completely disoriented. Panic set in. Focused only on running, he failed to notice the ground beneath his feet. One step landed on empty air. Before he could even cry out, Ke Bu plunged into a well. The patch of light above him grew farther and farther away. He reached out, but there was nothing to grab.
At some unknown point, Ke Bu opened his eyes. Touching the back of his head, which still ached slightly, he stood up… and found himself staring at a completely unfamiliar scene. For a moment, he thought he was dreaming. There wasn’t the slightest trace of a modern city here. The town looked ancient, with buildings and people dressed exactly like those in historical television dramas. Had he somehow wandered onto a film set?
“Let me go! Help! Somebody save me!” A familiar voice sounded in the distance. Turning toward it, Ke Bu saw a beautiful woman dressed in a purple gown, her hair gathered into a bun adorned with a decorative hairpin. She was being held in the arms of a man wearing a green robe with a cross-collar design. His robe hung open at the chest, exuding a carefree and flirtatious charm. How could Ke Bu possibly not recognize these two people? Weren’t they Chu Hao Yu and Gong Zhu?
“Little beauty, don’t be shy. Just come with me obediently. I’ll guarantee you a life of wealth and luxury beyond your wildest dreams.”
“No, please don’t do this.”
Chu Hao Yu placed a hand on Gong Zhu’s chest. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he hurriedly backed away. “Nothing? Why is there nothing there?”
“Of course there’s nothing! I am a dignified five-foot-tall man!”
“What kind of man dresses like that?! How dare you toy with me!” Chu Hao Yu drew the sword at his waist.
Ke Bu, who had been standing there in a daze, finally spoke. “What exactly are you two doing?”
Chu Hao Yu turned around. “I was wondering who it was. Isn’t this Ke Bu? Dressed like that, you look absolutely ridiculous.”
“The way you’re talking is even more ridiculous. What kind of game are you playing?”
“A game?” The sword in Chu Hao Yu’s hand flashed forward. Ke Bu only felt a burning pain across his cheek before blood began to flow. Covering his face, he stared at Chu Hao Yu in disbelief and shouted angrily, “What the hell was that for?” Gong Zhu ran to Ke Bu’s side and asked worriedly, “Are you alright?”
“You don’t recognize me, Gong Zhu?”
“You know my name? You are…?”
“I’m Ke Bu! You don’t recognize me? More importantly, where is this place?” Realizing something was terribly wrong, Ke Bu hurriedly asked.
“Huh? Have we met before? This is a town not far from the capital.”
“The capital?” Ke Bu looked around again, his mouth hanging open. The pain in his cheek told him this wasn’t a dream. Which meant… had he actually traveled through time? Why was such an outdated plot happening to him? He rushed forward and grabbed Chu Hao Yu by the collar. “You know me, right? Then tell me how to get back. I don’t want to stay in this damned place. I want to go home.”
Chu Hao Yu shoved him away. Losing his balance, Ke Bu fell to the ground. Chu Hao Yu straightened his clothes and said, “I have no idea what nonsense you’re talking about. Of course I know you. Ke Bu, the cursed one.”
“The cursed one?”
“Stop playing dumb. You dared to interfere with me, so now you’ll learn what happens when you overestimate yourself.” Chu Hao Yu pointed his sword at Ke Bu.
“Hao Yu, let’s talk this out. There’s no need to start waving swords around.” Ke Bu knew Chu Hao Yu wasn’t joking and tried to ease the tension.
Chu Hao Yu raised his sword and slashed down.
Ke Bu didn’t even have time to close his eyes.
Another sword intercepted the strike, knocking it aside and sending it clattering to the ground. Grabbing the hand that had gone numb from the impact, Chu Hao Yu glared ahead. Standing before them was a handsome man. His pale blue robes fluttered gently in the wind. Ke Bu could only see his profile, yet it radiated an innate nobility. Several flower petals drifted down and landed upon the blade as the man calmly sheathed his sword.
“Lord Zhi Li, have you come to save me?” Gong Zhu said happily.
Chu Hao Yu stared at Zhi Li and gritted his teeth. “Damn it, Zhi Li. This has nothing to do with you, does it? Why are you stopping me?”
“And what business is it of yours?”
A strange pain suddenly gripped Ke Bu’s chest. A voice seemed to be struggling to burst forth from somewhere deep within him, only to become trapped in his throat. A wave of nostalgia washed over him, warm yet strangely indescribable.
“Zhi Li?” Ke Bu softly called his name.
Zhi Li didn’t even turn his head. He left Ke Bu standing there as though he didn’t exist.
Picking up his sword, Chu Hao Yu smiled unexpectedly. “Looks like you’re lucky today. I’ll let you off for now. Honestly, I just don’t understand you, Zhi Li. In a way, I’m actually helping you.” His smile widened. “After all, isn’t the person who wants Ke Bu dead more than anyone else… you?”
The words struck Ke Bu like a heavy blow, piercing straight through his thoughts.
Why?
What exactly was going on?
That was Zhi Li, wasn’t it?
And if what Chu Hao Yu said was true… did Zhi Li really want him dead?
Ke Bu reached out to grab Zhi Li’s hand as he struggled to his feet.
“Zhi Li?”
Zhi Li shook him off. “Don’t touch me.” With that, he turned and left. Ke Bu stood there in a daze until Gong Zhu nudged him. “Are you alright, Ke Bu?”
“Thanks, I’m fine. I’ll be going then.” Ke Bu chased after Zhi Li, desperate to ask for an explanation. The desire to find out what had happened to him in this era had somehow become even stronger than his desire to return home. The surroundings darkened, as though he were walking through a tunnel, and then brightened again. A town appeared before his eyes. He saw Zhi Li stop in front of a three-story building. Hanging above it was a wooden sign that read “Yingchun House.” Was Zhi Li really going into a place like this? No way. A woman emerged from inside. She wore a vivid red kimono-style robe decorated with flowers. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders. A pale thigh was visible through the slit in the hem of her clothing, and beneath her slanted collar, one shoulder peeked out through her hair. She looked worldly and alluring. Holding a long smoking pipe, she lifted her eyelids and said, “I’ve been waiting for you.”
Zhi Li walked inside, and Ke Bu hurried after him. Su You Yan looked at him and said, “Well, if it isn’t Ke Bu. Long time no see. Come to patronize our business again?” What?! It hit him like a bolt from the blue.
“I—I’ve been to a place like this before?”
“How rude. What do you mean, ‘a place like this’? You’re one of our regular customers.” Another thunderbolt struck. Swallowing nervously, Ke Bu entered the establishment and was rendered speechless by the chaotic scene before him. Zhou Xin He was rolling up her sleeves and serving customers, holding a basket of soup dumplings and a cup of soy milk. “Customer, would you like anything else?”
“One more fried dough stick,” said a passerby.
Ke Bu finally snapped. “If it’s a breakfast shop, then just call it a breakfast shop! Don’t give it a misleading name and dress everyone in misleading clothes!”
“You really don’t know when to give up. You followed Zhi Li here, didn’t you?” Su You Yan ignored his complaint entirely.
“I follow Zhi Li around often?”
Su You Yan rested a finger on Ke Bu’s shoulder. “Give up. For your own sake, if nothing else. Otherwise, you’ll die, Ke Bu.” There it was again. Why would he die? He didn’t understand. Not at all. Ying Xiu Jie suddenly descended from above. Ke Bu could practically see the wires hanging behind him. “You’ve finally shown yourself, Ke Bu. Come on, Zhi Li. Kill him. You know there isn’t much time left.”
Zhi Li merely stared at Ying Xiu Jie coldly without saying a word.
“What are you people even talking about?”
“Ahahaha! As long as Zhi Li kills you, a demon will invade his heart, and then I’ll use that power to conquer the entire world.” The plot was becoming increasingly bizarre.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Stop dreaming. Zhi Li would never kill me. Right, Zhi Li? Right?” Ke Bu looked at Zhi Li pleadingly. Zhi Li neither answered nor looked at him, and a chill ran through Ke Bu.
“Don’t be naïve. He has every reason to kill you. I sealed the woman he loves, Shang Guan Wan Er, inside your body. The only way to save her is to kill you within six years.” Ying Xiu Jie’s words made Ke Bu understand many things. His thoughts grew muddled as fragments of memory slowly resurfaced, like scenes from a previous life. Six years? That was exactly how long he had known Zhi Li. Through the haze, he saw himself accompanying Zhi Li. He saw the loneliness and sorrow on Zhi Li’s face. How cruel. He had known all along that the person Zhi Li loved was not him. He had known all along that staying by Zhi Li’s side only made things more painful for him. Yet he had still surrendered to the desire to remain with him. Was this longing born from Shang Guan Wan Er’s feelings within him, or from his own heart? Ke Bu could no longer tell.
Ying Xiu Jie charged toward Ke Bu, but Zhi Li stepped in front of him. “You should shut up now.”
“Why won’t you kill him?”
“I have no obligation to explain myself to you.”
“You bastard. Do you intend to defy me? Don’t think I’ll tolerate this forever. I can destroy you as well.” Ying Xiu Jie drew his sword and slashed at Zhi Li. Gong Zhu rushed forward. The sword pierced his chest, and blood spilled out. “I—I won’t let you hurt Lord Zhi Li.” Then he collapsed. Ke Bu’s face turned pale as he screamed, “Gong Zhu!!”
“You’re in the way.” Ying Xiu Jie thrust his sword toward Zhi Li again. Zhou Xin He threw herself in front of him. The blade pierced her chest, and blood flowed out. “I won’t let you succeed.” Then she too fell to the ground. Ying Xiu Jie attacked again, and Chu Hao Yu rushed out. The sword stabbed into him, blood spraying everywhere. “You’ve still got me.” Then Chu Hao Yu collapsed as well. What was this blood-soaked scene? “You Yan, don’t!” Ke Bu stretched out a hand, but Su You Yan merely stood there calmly, taking a drag from his long smoking pipe. “What?”
“So you weren’t planning to sacrifice yourself at all?!”
Zhi Li glanced at the three people lying on the ground and drew the sword from his waist. Ke Bu grabbed hold of him. “Enough, Zhi Li. Really, enough. Thank you for giving me six years. I’ve been satisfied. It’s time to return Wan Er to you. The person you truly wanted to stay beside was her, wasn’t it? I knew that all along. Even so, I can’t help feeling a little unwilling. Goodbye, Zhi Li.” Goodbye, Zhi Li. Goodbye, Zhi Li. Goodbye, Zhi Li. Ke Bu seized the sword from Zhi Li’s hand and plunged it into his own heart. It wasn’t really that painful. Truly. His body went limp as he fell, and Zhi Li caught him in his arms. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. Zhi Li’s fingers became stained with it. Looking at his blood-covered hand, Zhi Li said, “You fool, Ke Bu. Don’t you understand why I gave you those six years?” Ke Bu smiled and grabbed the front of Zhi Li’s robe. “How strange. As long as you’re there, I feel like it doesn’t matter where I go.” His hand dropped, and finally, he breathed his last.
“What a touching friendship. It moves me so much I want to kill someone. Come, Zhi Li. Join me.” Wasn’t switching to friendship at this point a bit forced? At last, Su You Yan found a mysterious object inside a box. She pulled it out. Its black-and-red exterior radiated a strange yet sacred glow. Ying Xiu Jie’s expression changed drastically. “Damn it! The notebook!” He turned to flee, but Su You Yan opened the notebook. In a flash of light, Ying Xiu Jie vanished. The curtain fell. Zhi Li looked at the red liquid covering his fingers and wiped them on Ke Bu’s clothes. The dead Ke Bu sat upright. “What are you doing?” Ke Bu glared at Zhi Li. Zhi Li stood up and shrugged, seeming ready to go take a shower. Wiping his face with a towel, Ke Bu looked at Zhang Luo and said, “Aside from your mind-numbingly boring script and narration, the stage effects were pretty good. I just can’t understand why I had to cooperate in performing such a boring play.”
Chu Hao Yu climbed to his feet as well. “What choice did we have? The school anniversary regulations say every club has to put on a performance.”
“But we’re not even really a club.”
“If we don’t register as one, we’ll lose that clubroom.”
“What a hassle. I’ve used up an entire year’s worth of life energy.” With that, Ke Bu left alongside Su You Yan, not even staying for the curtain call. Both of them had left their spare clothes in the clubroom. Right now, the most important thing was washing off all the fake blood sprayed over them.
When Ke Bu opened the door to their base, it was completely quiet inside. Then footsteps gradually approached. “Huh? Is Brother Zhi Li not here?” Ke Bu turned around and saw a smiling young girl. Instinctively, he grabbed at his leg, which suddenly seemed to ache faintly. “Do—Dora?”
Futile Devices Scans 
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