Morning sunlight streamed in. Song Zang opened his eyes groggily and lay in bed staring blankly into space for a long time.
It felt like another lifetime.
He wasn’t the MVP this time.
Song Zang touched the tip of his ear, remembering the soft sensation of Yin Chen’s lips against his skin, then slowly climbed out of bed.
After washing up, checking on Xiao Bai, and ordering an extravagant ice coffin online, Song Zang sat in the living room wrapped in a cashmere blanket. He picked up the aged tangerine peel pu’er tea Chi Yan had just brewed and finally felt as though his feet were firmly planted in reality again.
Ning Ran sat at the other end of the room with a game console in his hands, making the controller go click-click under the pressure of his fingers as he played. “So, Song Song? Was Ning Yan reliable?”
Ning Yan wailed, “No, I wasn’t reliable at all! I almost turned into a deep-sea fish and never came back!”
“So lame—!”
“Tch. I fought side by side with Big Shot Yin. Have you ever been that lucky? So what if I was a little lame?” Ning Yan raised an eyebrow and proudly hooked an arm around his younger brother’s neck.
As for the items Song Zang had obtained in the instance, and the subtle relationship between him and Yin Chen… Ning Yan acted as though he had completely lost his memory and refused to mention either subject.
“Ning Yan, you bastard! You’re crushing my earring!”
“Sorry, scene kid.”
“Look who’s talking! You’re still a fatheaded deep-sea fish!”
Song Zang said nothing. He merely curved his lips slightly as he watched the brothers start bickering for no reason, only to end up pressed together again while playing the same game.
What a warm scene. It almost doesn’t feel real…
And sure enough, Chi Yan glanced at her phone just then and interrupted Song Zang’s thoughts. “Old Xie is back. Want to talk with him?”
“Sure.” Song Zang put down his cup and said happily, “I haven’t seen Brother Xie in ages either.”
Xie Chun Ye really had only just returned.
He arrived covered in snow and travel-worn from head to toe. Several strangely shaped holes had been torn through his down jacket.
The moment he saw Song Zang, Xie Chun Ye had no interest in exchanging pleasantries. His opening question was, “Song Zang, is someone trying to kill you?”
…Now that he mentioned it, there really was someone trying to kill him.
Song Zang blinked in feigned confusion and asked with concern, “Are you okay? What happened?”
“On the way home, I ran into a group of foreigners carrying illegal firearms. They were acting suspiciously.” Xie Chun Ye removed his coat, and two bullets rolled out from inside the down jacket. “After I killed them, I checked their phones. The only thing on them was a photograph of you. High-resolution headshot.”
Chi Yan picked up one of the bullets and checked the caliber. She gave a soft laugh. “.500 Magnum. They really wanted you dead.”
Xie Chun Ye removed his glasses and wiped away the remaining blood. “Couldn’t kill me. I was wearing body armor.”
“Brother Xie, I’m sorry. I really don’t know who wants me dead,” Song Zang said quietly. “If I’m dragging all of you into this, I can leave.”
His documents had already been taken care of, and he had more than enough points to support himself. He rarely spent money to begin with; his largest regular expense was the electricity bill for Xiao Bai’s ice coffin. So… if necessary, he could hide deep in the mountains and forests and simply not come out for several years.
“You’re not dragging us into anything.”
Xie Chun Ye looked at him, fell silent for a moment, then turned toward Chi Yan.
Noticing Xie Chun Ye’s quiet request for assistance, Chi Yan lightly crushed the two bullets between her fingers and smiled gently. “That’s not how this works. Now that you’re here, don’t think you can run away. Xiao Song, as long as you keep surviving, you’re going to become an excellent player.”
“Right.” Xie Chun Ye nodded, indicating that was exactly what he meant.
Song Zang lowered his head, embarrassed. “Thank you.”
“No need. We’re supposed to help one another. Besides…” Chi Yan’s smile widened. “I’m actually rather curious what pack of redneck nobodies dared come onto my turf looking for trouble.”
After reassuring Song Zang, the curve of Chi Yan’s lips grew wider, her smile gradually becoming dazzling and dangerous.
Then she grabbed Xie Chun Ye and headed straight for the door. “We’re doing trace analysis right now. I’m finding those people if it kills me.”
Xie Chun Ye said nothing and obediently allowed her to drag him by the tie while hurriedly putting his glasses back on.
Song Zang, who had been left behind in the living room: …
Why do I feel like Chi Yan suddenly got weirdly excited?
Song Zang sighed and collapsed miserably back onto the sofa. No matter how he looked at it, this was his personal problem, yet Brother Xie had been dragged into it.
Fortunately, Helin Estate’s security system was powerful enough. Unless absolutely necessary, Song Zang should avoid going outside in the future so that his whereabouts would not be exposed.
Seeing that Song Zang seemed somewhat down, Ning Yan immediately became restless and dragged him up for a post-instance review.
Right in front of the butler and Ning Ran, Ning Yan put all his effort into praising Song Zang. He said Song Zang had become much braver in this instance, could give speeches independently, had Resistance that left everyone else in the dust without holding the team back, and even knew how to share delicious food with everyone…
Once Ning Yan finished his passionate praise, both the butler and Ning Ran stood up and enthusiastically applauded along with him.
Song Zang was both amused and exasperated. He hurriedly forced out a smile and assured them that he was not upset.
Ning Yan was not doing this solely because of the people who had tried to kill Xie Chun Ye. Song Zang was also getting dogpiled online again.
On the game forum, the Anomaly Containment Agency instance became wildly popular within only a few hours.
—After all, Yin Chen was simply far too famous.
The only person who uploaded a video this time was Song Zhao Yang. Lan Yu Heng and the others apparently had no interest in using that feature.
Unfortunately, Song Zhao Yang’s assigned identity had been somewhat unusual. He had failed to join the main group during the early part of the instance, so he had not seen most of what Song Zang actually did.
Whenever Song Zang appeared in the video, he was almost always hiding behind Yin Chen, looking as though he had made no progress whatsoever. Later, there was even that completely “inexplicable” bridal carry.
All the players could see was how much Yin Chen apparently had to put up with. The comment section exploded.
【What role-playing mission did Big Shot Yin get this time? He had to stay beside that useless guy the entire time. That’s miserable. I feel bad for him.】
【I know! They’re superior and subordinate, so their role-playing interests probably line up the same way. Big Shot really got screwed this time.】
【That Song guy is unbelievable. Weak as hell and still shameless… He actually dares take advantage of that man. I’m lighting a candle for him in advance.】
【Am I the only jealous one? Riding a big shot’s coattails looks amazing, and you even get bridal-carried by him. I kind of want to try it…】
【Ahem. Person above, careful your ass doesn’t “bloom” overnight.】
He was getting cursed out again.
Song Zang watched his XP climb at a ridiculous speed and closed the forum in complete satisfaction.
I’ll level up soon. Definitely by the next instance.
And since Yin Chen insists on teaming up with me anyway, there’ll definitely be no shortage of opportunities to get insulted in the future!
Song Zang was very much looking forward to it.
＊
Before long, Lan Yu Heng arrived with Zhang Ming Shen as promised.
Zhang Ming Shen still looked as honest and good-natured as ever, while Lan Yu Heng wore a long dress with her hair pinned up, appearing particularly gentle and harmless. There was no trace whatsoever of the decisive, energetic woman from inside the instance.
Ning Yan was thrilled. He came speeding over in a golf cart and drove the two of them around the estate, enthusiastically introducing every entertainment and training facility at Helin Estate.
That afternoon, everyone even gathered in the garden for a lively barbecue. Lan Yu Heng said she had a wonderful time. Because her sense of smell was so sensitive, she was especially demanding about tea, which happened to align perfectly with Chi Yan’s tastes.
The two women sat with their heads close together, chatting happily and completely forgetting about their respective male companions.
Only Song Zang seemed distracted. After hesitating for a long time, he finally asked carefully, “What about Yin Chen? Is he coming?”
“Sorry, I don’t know either. Why don’t you message him and ask?” Lan Yu Heng sounded helpless about it too. “Every time we leave an instance, Boss disappears immediately. None of us knows where he goes.”
Song Zang felt even more helpless because… he had already sent Yin Chen messages.
From the first day after clearing the instance until now, Yin Chen had not replied even once. It was as though he had abruptly vanished from the face of the earth.
He really was mysterious.
Fortunately, they could team up again in the next instance. When that happened, Song Zang absolutely had to ask what Yin Chen normally did with himself.
Just thinking that he would see Yin Chen again gave Song Zang an inexplicable sense of security.
There was probably no one in the world more suitable than Yin Chen to serve as his… “umbrella” while he farmed XP.
After the barbecue, Lan Yu Heng and Zhang Ming Shen simply stayed over for several days.
As for the specifics of any future cooperation, Chi Yan would still need to handle the formal discussions.
The next day, Lan Yu Heng fulfilled her promise and began teaching Song Zang how to locate things by sound in total darkness, shoot with his eyes closed, evade obstacles, and more.
Song Zang studied diligently and improved astonishingly fast, almost as though he were recovering muscle memory he had once lost. Everything became easier and more natural with each attempt.
“Xiao Song, you really are talented!” Lan Yu Heng exclaimed.
Song Zang smiled shyly. Then he noticed Ning Yan desperately signaling him from nearby, immediately understood, and tentatively asked in a soft voice, “Then, Sister Lan… would you like to join the Future Research Institute? We’re actually all pretty talented.”
“That depends on what Boss thinks.” Lan Yu Heng had noticed Ning Yan’s signaling long ago, and a faint smile appeared on her lips. “If you say a few words to persuade him, he’ll definitely agree to let us work two jobs.”
Her meaning was obvious. She had basically agreed already. Song Zang immediately brightened. “Then I’ll definitely work hard in the next instance!”
“Don’t worry. Boss definitely listens to you,” Lan Yu Heng said with absolute certainty.
…
That was right.
No one at Helin Estate objected to Yin Chen’s threatening, compulsory invitation to team up.
Everyone seemed to silently agree that there was something slightly unusual about the relationship between Yin Chen and Song Zang.
Song Zang tried to explain, then thought about it and realized there was absolutely no way to defend himself.
Xie Chun Ye, however, noticed his complicated expression and reassured him. “Following him isn’t a bad thing. You don’t need to force yourself to be strong. Staying alive and keeping your sanity are what matter most.”
“…All right. I understand.” Song Zang guiltily looked away.
Soon, it was time for the next instance to begin.
For his pre-sleep drink this time, Chi Yan specially prepared an Angel’s Kiss.
Baileys Irish Cream and fresh cream, topped with a plump sweet-and-tart cherry.
She propped her chin meaningfully on one hand, her beautiful red nails sliding along the side of the glass as she murmured to Song Zang, “Xiao Song, I wish you good luck in love.”
Song Zang: …
Great. This is getting harder and harder to explain.
Despite his complicated feelings, the cocktail itself was wonderfully sweet. Song Zang liked it very much. He lazily wrapped himself tightly in his blankets, closed his eyes, and sank into darkness.
Yin Chen’s party invitation appeared at exactly the right moment.
Accept.
Accept immediately!
＊
【Game Name: “Cupid’s Kiss”
Assigned Role: A Z-list actor hated across the internet.
Clear Requirement: Identify every impostor on the show. (0/?)
Optional Mission: What are you talking about? There is no Optional Mission, and there are no impostors.】
What the hell? Is the Optional Mission bugged?
Song Zang’s heart tightened as he continued reading.
【Role-Playing Requirement: Do not be replaced. Do not be replaced. Do not be replaced!
*If you are replaced, the role-playing mission will be considered a failure.
Failure Penalty: What penalty? There is no penalty. Accept this peaceful, sweet reality.】
【You are a minor celebrity whose fame comes almost entirely from controversy and hate. You have worked seriously as an actor for years, yet roles have remained scarce.
Destitute and desperate, you finally gave up on maintaining your dignity. You deliberately reinvented yourself as a melodramatic “green-tea” flirt and began throwing yourself at powerful people everywhere. Your embarrassingly clumsy green-tea lines unexpectedly went viral, and the entire internet viciously tore you apart… but you finally achieved the fame you had always dreamed of.
Your manager therefore secured you a place on a dating reality show airing every Saturday during Strawberry TV’s prime-time slot. Filming is completely closed to the outside world, major figures fill the cast, and the show dominates the trending rankings year-round. You want fame. You want to marry into wealth. You want to become an actor people can actually see.
This is your final chance to turn your life around.
This is your final chance to turn your life around.
This is your final…
No. This is nothing at all. Just enjoy a happy, sweet romance. Don’t think too much. Relax.】
Elio’s Notes: In Chinese internet slang, a “green-tea” type presents themselves as sweet, innocent, and harmless while behaving in a calculated or manipulative way, often involving flirtation. Here, Song Zang’s assigned persona deliberately performs that stereotype so badly that it becomes his claim to fame.
…
Something’s wrong.
Very wrong.
There was something unsettling about the mission from beginning to end.
Song Zang opened his eyes with his nerves taut, only to find none of the horrifying crisis he had expected.
Blinding stage lights. Cameras everywhere. A hidden microphone clipped to his collar. Rows of excited audience members below the stage…
He spotted Lu Xing You with a dazzling 【Player】 marker floating above him. Lu Xing You appeared to be an invited audience member, and even after entering an instance, he behaved exactly as usual: head down, sprawled across the last row of seats, still sleeping.
Seeing someone familiar allowed Song Zang to relax slightly. Then he realized that he seemed to be standing on the set of some kind of variety show.
So that was it.
“Cupid’s Kiss” was a dating reality show!
Then where’s Yin Chen?
With that thought, Song Zang secretly swept his peripheral vision around the set.
Oh. Across from me. So Yin Chen is also a guest on the dating show, and he looks ridiculously handsome.
Yin Chen was dressed in a suit, exuding the handsome air of an elegant scoundrel. Tailored black trousers wrapped around his firm, long legs, while his jacket hung neatly despite being fastened with only a single loose button.
Without the oversized white coat covering him this time, the bespoke designer suit perfectly outlined his trim, beautiful waist.
Song Zang secretly studied him without changing his expression, then quietly checked his own clothes.
One glance was enough to see the difference.
His cheap shirt looked even poorer by comparison. Even his jacket had only been borrowed with great difficulty by his manager, and the production script had already been stuffed into the pocket of his sleeve.
The clothes did not fit properly, but the brand had forbidden him from altering them. Song Zang could only use safety pins and flat hair clips to temporarily tighten the loose fabric at the back of his waist.
Any vigorous movement could easily make the clips come loose, so even turning his body was inconvenient.
Damn it. This time Yin Chen gets to be the big shot.
“Mr. Song? Mr. Song?”
Before Song Zang had any chance to react, the host was already calling his name amid cheers from the audience.
The actual dating portion had not yet begun. They were currently filming the introductory special.
All the dating-show guests had gathered together so the audience could get to know them, while the cast themselves played icebreaker games to become familiar with one another beforehand.
And the subject of the icebreaker game was…
Talking about their exes.
Song Zang fell silent for a moment, glanced at the script tucked into his sleeve, then quietly said, “I don’t have an ex.”
“Hahahaha, Mr. Song, you’re not being honest! We have very detailed information on you!”
The host laughed while looking at Song Zang, faint contempt flickering in his eyes as he exposed him without hesitation. “According to a secret tip from your manager, there’s a contact in your phone saved as ‘Ex-Hubby’! Mr. Song, who exactly is he?”
Song Zang: ???
I don’t know either!
“Is Mr. Song feeling shy?” The host turned toward the audience. “Does everyone want to know?”
“Yes—!!!”
“Then right now, let’s call this mysterious ‘Ex-Hubby’ and find out who he really is!”
“Yes—!!!”
The entire sequence was obviously scripted. Song Zang never got a chance to interrupt and could only stare blankly as his contact list appeared on the giant screen.
Being hated across the internet means I have no rights, apparently. They even have to drag out my romantic black history in advance so the other guests can look better by comparison?
Song Zang thought helplessly.
He did not particularly care if people hated him even more.
He was only worried about one thing…
Is Yin Chen going to suddenly lose his mind?
The call connected quickly.
The entire studio held its breath.
And Song Zang slowly swallowed his concern back down.
Because Yin Chen’s phone rang.
Meeting Song Zang’s stunned gaze, Yin Chen curved his lips, leisurely answered the call, and said, “Hello.”
His deliberately lowered voice echoed through the studio speakers a second time.
The entire venue erupted.
Even the host’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“P-President Yin, you… you…”
The sheer absurdity of this opening completely short-circuited Song Zang’s brain.
What kind of instance is this?! There doesn’t seem to be any horror element whatsoever. Forget ghosts and monsters—even the only apparent villain is Song Zang himself, a universally hated Z-list nobody shamelessly clinging to famous people for attention.
Song Zang could not understand it at all. The entire setup feels like the beginning of some romance novel—the kind Ning Ran secretly stays up late reading. If the story keeps developing according to the usual formula, the next step will be a second-chance romance where Yin Chen and I get back together.
Does that make any sense?
“Hello, Ex-Hubby.”
Song Zang forced himself to say it.
The studio immediately erupted in cheers.
“Mm. Long time no see.” Yin Chen stared directly at Song Zang, amusement in his eyes and gentleness in his voice, as though he still had unresolved feelings for him even now.
The host finally recovered from the shock. He cleared his throat and asked shakily, “President Yin, were you and Mr. Song really together before?”
Yin Chen did not even spare him a glance. His phoenix eyes lifted slightly, remaining fixed unwaveringly on Song Zang.
Then, in an almost casual tone, he dropped another bombshell.
“Mm. He cheated on me.”
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