Liu Da Shan’s “relationship advice” did make sense, but clearly, he had completely misunderstood the relationship between Yin Chen and Song Zang.
Nor did he understand that there would always be certain special people in this world… who genuinely needed someone to keep them under control.
Of course, this was absolutely not Liu Da Shan’s fault. Yin Chen himself simply had not thought things through: before asking someone else for advice, he needed to provide enough useful information.
Yin Chen’s lips curved happily as he dragged the long blade around the horrifying pile of corpses before him. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, chilling excitement and killing intent surging within them as he leisurely ascended the spiral staircase.
Anyone who did not know better might have assumed he was the most arrogant villain in the horror movie.
The tip of the blade slid over the soft carpet, producing a faint, dangerous rasp.
Creak—
A slight noise came from the wardrobe inside a guest room on the second floor.
Yin Chen paused, then kicked open the locked door without hesitation.
What waited behind it was completely unexpected. No monster, no demon, and none of the phantom reflections in glass that Song Zang had mentioned…
The wardrobe stood open, blankets and clothes spilling out like a flood. Yin Chen stepped around the mess covering the floor and directed his searching gaze deep inside.
Among the chaotic heap of clothes sat a man.
He wore a black shirt with the collar slightly open, exposing smooth, cold-pale skin. Subtle dark-gold embroidery decorated the fabric beneath the collar. Blood had faintly seeped through the thin material, dampening a small patch of pale skin at the back of his neck.
His long legs, wrapped in suit trousers, hung loosely before him. There was nowhere near enough room to straighten them inside the narrow wardrobe, leaving him looking somewhat cramped.
Feeling Yin Chen’s cold, scrutinizing gaze, the man’s beautifully shaped lips slowly curved into a lazy, languid smile.
The man looked exactly like Yin Chen. From his clothes and styling to his eyes, brows, and bone structure, there was not the slightest difference.
Yin Chen said nothing and immediately swung his blade.
Clang—!
Two identical snow-white long blades crashed together. Beneath the fading light of sunset, both simultaneously gleamed with a piercing, bone-chilling brilliance.
The rosewood wardrobe could not withstand Yin Chen’s terrifying strength. Cracks rapidly spread through it from top to bottom before the entire structure suddenly disintegrated into powder within seconds.
A breeze passed through the guest room, filling the air with suffocating wood dust.
Yet the counterfeit standing at the very center of the impact merely rose leisurely to his feet, the smile at the corner of his lips faintly mocking. He was completely unharmed.
A troublesome enemy.
Yin Chen became thoughtful and was about to slash again when “Yin Chen” suddenly gave a quiet laugh and spoke to him first.
“I’m more suitable for him than you are.”
“Who?”
“Song Zang.”
Yin Chen’s eyes instantly turned cold. Their tightly pressed blades scraped against each other with a piercing hum, and in the next instant, overwhelming force pushed the opposing blade aside until Yin Chen’s tip pointed directly at the counterfeit’s bloodstained throat.
The counterfeit continued smiling, faint mockery filling his phoenix eyes. “You’re not right for him, understand? You’re too childish.”
Yin Chen said nothing. Just as the long blade drove toward the other man’s throat, his previously empty left hand suddenly swept upward from below.
Shnk—
The fruit knife had been sharpened beforehand. It plunged deep into the man’s abdomen, nearly burying even the handle, and when Yin Chen ripped it free, glaring blood and torn tissue came out with it.
Yin Chen released the long blade from his right hand and seized the opportunity to viciously grab the man by the throat and force him downward.
A crisp crack rang out as the counterfeit’s neck bones and windpipe were forcibly broken.
“You’re stronger than me. Mm. That makes sense.”
Pinned against the wall by Yin Chen, “Yin Chen” began laughing softly, his voice carrying a bizarre, severely breathless rasp.
“But what good is strength? You can’t compare to how much I love him. You’ll never understand how much I hate him… You’re just a willful monster, an irresponsible overgrown baby who does whatever he wants. You don’t understand him. You don’t deserve him. What makes you think you can compete with me?”
Yin Chen fell silent for a moment, and the inexplicable anger that had surged inside him gradually faded.
Because he had not understood a single thing the impostor was talking about. He had actually been insulted so thoroughly that he was more confused than angry.
To prevent accidents, Yin Chen had originally intended not to exchange a single word with this person. But now his curiosity genuinely got the better of him, and he loosened his grip on the man’s throat slightly.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Yin Chen stared down at him and asked seriously, “Did you enter the wrong instance?”
The impostor arrogantly curved his lips. His physical condition looked miserable, yet he showed no embarrassment or panic whatsoever. That leisurely, languid manner irritated Yin Chen immensely.
Is this really how arrogant I look to other people?!
“Kill me, you overgrown baby. Keep wasting your effort.” Instead of answering directly, the man lifted his face with an almost-smile, his tone contemptuous. “He’ll choose me. He belongs to me…”
Before he could finish, another clean crack— rang out. Yin Chen gripped the long blade with both hands and forcibly drove its tip through the ribs, piercing the heart and running the man straight through.
The impostor’s head tilted aside as several mouthfuls of blood spilled from his lips. His slightly pale mouth, drained by blood loss, was stained a brilliant crimson, making him resemble some handsome young aristocrat who had been horribly abused before dying a tragic death.
【Clear Requirement: Identify every impostor on the show. (3/?)】
Even his death is irritating. For no particular reason, Yin Chen became even more annoyed.
His expression icy, he did not stop. He pulled the fruit knife still embedded in the impostor’s abdomen free and completely slashed apart the man’s face until his original appearance could no longer be recognized.
The guest room returned to silence. Only Liu Da Shan’s quiet, tearful sobbing remained outside the door.
Yin Chen irritably put away his blade and was about to pick up the impostor’s “permanent item” to compare it with his own.
But the instant his fingertips touched the hilt, the apparently sharp and formidable snow-white long blade suddenly snapped in two, and its earlier aura of overwhelming power rapidly disappeared…
Yin Chen squeezed slightly, and the hilt crumbled into pieces.
“…A plastic toy?”
The fragments scattered across the floor looked incredibly cheap, as though the dead man were deliberately mocking Yin Chen for having treated him like such a serious threat.
With a dark expression, Yin Chen left the guest room, snatched the camera from Liu Da Shan, and personally aimed it at the corpse, filming a close-up of the impostor’s neck bones that he had snapped with his own hands.
“Sob, sob… President Yin, are you the real one or the fake one…? Sob, sob, I want to go home…”
Liu Da Shan had witnessed everything that had just happened with his own eyes, especially the sight of two Yin Chens who were both so powerful they barely seemed human, along with a wardrobe that had been reduced to powder with a single slash.
Blood from the impostor spread outward through the grooves between the floor tiles. Liu Da Shan was on the verge of completely breaking down. He did not dare run, but he did not dare stay either, so all he could do was lift his head and cry.
Yin Chen irritably pressed his brow. Since Liu Da Shan had at least offered him advice earlier, he refrained from knocking him unconscious and merely said coldly, “We’re going back now.”
“All right, just let me carry the camera, sob, sob…” Under the pressure of extreme terror, Liu Da Shan’s survival instincts exploded. He cried while desperately trying to flatter Yin Chen. “President Yin, you don’t look very well. You should rest first. Let me… sob, let me help you…”
Yin Chen stopped and turned around. “I don’t look well?”
“Sob—hic! No! That’s not what I meant!”
Yin Chen considered this for a moment, his expression becoming solemn as he looked down at the blood-covered fruit knife in his hand.
Remembering what the impostor had looked like just before dying, Yin Chen suddenly found inspiration.
Frowning, he dipped his index finger into a little blood and carefully spread it evenly over his slightly pale lips. Then he looked toward the sniffling Liu Da Shan. “What about now? Will Song Zang notice?”
“He won’t notice, sob, sob. You look extremely handsome now, President Yin. Your complexion is rosy and glowing. You could charm thousands of young men and women at any moment, sob, sob…”
“Good.”
Yin Chen nodded in satisfaction and led Liu Da Shan back toward the entrance of the villa.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xiao was teaching Song Zang and Xia Zhi Zhi how to play poker.
The three sat around a table beneath a parasol in the front yard, using dry leaves as betting chips and having a wonderful time.
Liu Da Shan’s scalp prickled, but professional habit took over. Still sniffling, he raised the camera and pointed it toward them.
Song Zang had already learned from his system panel that the mission had progressed, so he was not particularly surprised.
He covered the cards in his hand and turned to confirm that Yin Chen was unharmed. Only then did he feign curiosity and ask, “What happened? Why is he crying?”
Seeing that Song Zang genuinely seemed not to notice anything strange about his complexion, Yin Chen secretly relaxed.
His vigilance easing, he answered gently, “I killed an Aberrant. The danger has temporarily been dealt with.”
Xiao Xiao relaxed too. “Temporarily safe means… we can go back and rest now?”
Yin Chen nodded, his gaze still fixed on Song Zang. “What do you want for dinner?”
“Wait a second.” Song Zang looked down at his cards. “Sister Xiao, we’ve finished four rounds of dealing. Are we comparing hands now?”
Xiao Xiao paused slightly and spread out her cards. “Right. The three of us compare. I have a straight.”
“Full house. I beat you,” Xia Zhi Zhi said next.
Song Zang curved his lips and revealed his two face cards of the same suit. “Royal flush.”
Xiao Xiao’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, that’s amazing!”
“Just lucky. Let’s go back.” Song Zang smiled shyly, stood, and voluntarily gathered all the playing cards from the table.
Perhaps because he felt guilty, Yin Chen’s gaze followed Song Zang’s every movement closely, and because of that, he noticed… something seemed wrong.
Song Zang looked perfectly calm. He was not angry, he was not crying, and there was a smile on his beautiful face.
But he was simply too calm, and that made a faint tension rise inside Yin Chen.
Yin Chen said nothing and silently observed him throughout the walk back. He noticed that Song Zang was initiating conversation with him slightly less often.
Only slightly. No one else could tell; Yin Chen alone knew it.
Carrying that faint unease with him, Yin Chen remained outwardly composed as he walked at the front and safely led everyone back to the villa.
Night had completely fallen. Only the dying sunset left thin streaks of blood-red color along the horizon.
Lu Xing You was nowhere to be seen, while Chi Yan and Li Jun had prepared dinner together. With nothing else to do, the two had even cleaned up the rose garden.
The thick, cloying stench that had hung in the air that afternoon was finally barely noticeable.
Li Jun’s mental state had obviously improved. He carried a broom and cleaning cloth and kept his head down while working instead of continuing to mutter neurotically and chew his fingernails.
According to Chi Yan, anxious people needed large amounts of physical labor and exercise, so she had simply put Li Jun to work like an ox. Once his body became tired enough, naturally he would no longer have the energy to overthink everything.
“That makes so much sense.” Xiao Xiao nodded repeatedly, thoroughly convinced. “Sister Chi, can I join too? I want you to work me like an ox.”
Chi Yan laughed. “Of course. Get up early tomorrow. We’ll go for a morning run and practice tai chi together. Xiao Xia, you’re coming too. Seven-thirty at the latest. No sleeping in.”
Song Zang sat nearby quietly peeling shrimp. Listening to Chi Yan’s strict schedule, he could not help smiling faintly, because when he had first arrived at Helin Estate, she had made exactly the same demands of him.
The lighting in the dining room was warm, surrounded by the scent of steaming food and lemon fragrance. The atmosphere felt much safer and more relaxed than it had during the day. Two beautiful sky-blue cocktails sat beside Song Zang. He took a small sip, and sure enough, it was another special creation by Master Chi Yan, with an incomparably familiar taste.
Somehow, it gave him the warm feeling that he was still at home.
Unfortunately, Yin Chen had not come down for dinner yet because he was still upstairs on the third floor… very seriously taking a shower.
Song Zang stared at the untouched cocktail beside him and continued peeling shrimp slowly while discussing everything that had happened that afternoon with the others.
“Xu Ji Dong really was suspicious. Good riddance,” Chi Yan said, giving Song Zang a meaningful look. “I didn’t dare message you directly because I was afraid he’d see it.”
After all, the players’ usual “encrypted communication method” no longer seemed capable of guaranteeing absolute privacy in this instance.
“It’s fine. President Yin probably noticed something long ago. He protected us well, and no one was hurt.” Song Zang smiled.
“Who did he kill afterward?”
“No idea. Apparently it was some powerful monster,” Xiao Xiao answered. “Anyway, it scared the cameraman half to death. He said he hid outside the room and didn’t film anything. He cried the entire way back.”
The more Chi Yan heard, the more curious she became. She put down her chopsticks and asked Song Zang, “What happened? Even you don’t know?”
Song Zang honestly shook his head, looking innocent. “He didn’t mention a single word about it. Really strange.”
“That’s easy enough. We can just ask Director Chang and the cameraman.”
Chi Yan picked up her phone and typed rapidly. She quickly received a reply, only for the faint smile on her face to abruptly freeze.
“…Liu Da Shan says he saw someone who looked exactly like President Yin. Holy shit.”
So that’s what happened.
Song Zang became thoughtful. His expression did not change, but without realizing it, he applied several times more force while peeling the shrimp, crushing the plump meat into pieces.
Just then, Chi Yan spoke quietly again. “Song Song, is he still himself? Think carefully. This is extremely important.”
Under everyone’s worried gaze, Song Zang paused for a moment before nodding without hesitation. “Of course he is.”
Seriously. Yin Chen isn’t that easy for some monster to replace.
“That’s good. I trust your judgment.” Chi Yan immediately relaxed and smiled again.
If Yin Chen had somehow been replaced without anyone realizing it, that would be the true hell mode.
＊
Before long, Yin Chen finally arrived, still carrying the dampness of his shower.
His slightly wet black hair hung over his forehead, softening some of the sharpness he had carried during the day. Without saying a word, he pulled out the chair beside Song Zang and quietly sat down.
The distance between them immediately shrank, and once again, Song Zang caught the faint scent of mint.
“Hungry?” Song Zang tilted his head.
Yin Chen paused. “A little.”
Song Zang smiled, lifted his plate, and poured more than half of the peeled shrimp into Yin Chen’s bowl.
“You worked the hardest today, so you need to eat something good.” Song Zang spoke softly, smiling. “I peeled all of these myself. You have to finish every single one.”
Nothing like this had ever happened before.
Yin Chen’s heart gave a jolt. His gaze fell on Song Zang’s pale fingers stained with shrimp juices, and his first reaction was not happiness but an indescribable sense of strangeness and tension.
“Thank you.”
Suppressing the vague unease in his chest, Yin Chen thanked him calmly, yet for some reason, he still did not quite dare meet Song Zang’s eyes.
He pulled out two soft tissues, tentatively took Song Zang’s hand, and carefully wiped his fingers clean.
Song Zang obediently let him do whatever he wanted, a smile resting on his lips. To everyone else, the air surrounding the two of them practically seemed filled with visible pink bubbles.
Only Yin Chen knew how uneasy he felt throughout the entire dinner.
This is all Liu Da Shan’s fault. That damned NPC encouraged me… I can never grab some random passerby for advice again. Next time, I need someone reliable. Yin Chen silently made up his mind.
After dinner came entertainment time.
No one dared go outside, and even less did anyone dare be alone at night. So everyone gathered in the living room to watch a romance movie and play several rounds of poker, until the intense fatigue that followed the easing of their tension swept over them like a tide.
Naturally, before everyone returned to their rooms for the night, they still needed a bedtime summary.
“Thank you to President Yin for personally taking the risk for us and eliminating two enormous safety hazards in one go. Based on my past game experience, there probably won’t be too many deaths over the next few days,” Chi Yan boldly judged. “When we have time, we should still do some proper recreational activities. If you keep your nerves wound too tightly, you’ll break down like Li Jun and eventually turn into a lunatic.”
Indeed, in an effort to relieve his anxiety, Li Jun absolutely refused to let anyone use the dishwasher. He put on gloves and an apron and personally washed the dishes for six people…
Chi Yan was not the only one encouraging everyone to enjoy themselves. Chang Mei Jiang even halted filming and personally came inside to remind all the guests who had completely forgotten about romance, “Everyone, remember to plan some dates. Candlelit dinners with red wine, hot springs, saunas—hurry up and arrange them.”
“Understood! I guarantee I’ll complete the mission!” Xia Zhi Zhi immediately answered, even deliberately giving Xiao Xiao a slightly bashful look.
Xiao Xiao helplessly nodded and reluctantly agreed.
Finally, after confirming that none of the high-resolution photographs on the TV cabinet had been tampered with and deciding tomorrow’s password, the long second day of the dating show finally drew to a close.
The moment they returned to the bedroom and shut the door, the room became so quiet that a falling needle would have been audible.
Yin Chen did not speak first. He was watching Song Zang’s expression.
Song Zang, meanwhile, only wanted a shower. Although Yin Chen had shielded him from most of the mess when Xu Ji Dong was decapitated, several bloodstains had still inevitably reached the hem of his shirt, leaving behind the faintest smell of blood.
Absolutely no getting into bed without changing clothes! Especially when Yin Chen has already showered clean and smells nice. I can’t tolerate the smell on myself anymore.
The more Song Zang thought about it, the more uncomfortable he became. He quickly found clean clothes in the wardrobe, wrapped everything inside a large towel, carried it all into the bathroom at once, and shut the door behind himself.
With a click, the door locked, and the soft patter of running water began sounding through the wall.
Completely ignored, Yin Chen’s expression went blank for an instant.
Is Song Zang really angry?
Definitely. And he must be very angry.
He silently stood outside the bathroom door and fell into bewildered contemplation.
Even when Song Zang eventually opened the door fully dressed, Yin Chen still had not recovered.
Song Zang walked out while rubbing his hair with a bath towel. The swaying towel partially blocked his vision, causing the two of them to nearly crash directly into each other.
“Ah! You scared me…”
Realizing some absentminded obstacle was standing in front of him, Song Zang barely managed to stop at the last moment, but inertia still sent him straight against Yin Chen.
He did not push Yin Chen away. Instead, he looked up and complained softly, “What are you doing? Peeking at me while I shower?”
Yin Chen stared blankly at the drops of water falling from the ends of Song Zang’s hair. After hesitating for a long moment, he quietly asked, “You aren’t angry?”
“Why would I be angry?” Song Zang lifted his chin and deliberately adopted a bossy attitude. “Dry my hair first. Being all wet is uncomfortable.”
The cameras in the bedroom were still running. This was the perfect time to establish his character. Song Zang had already decided exactly what he wanted: one face in front of the cameras and another behind them! Once the show aired, the audience would definitely pity Yin Chen for somehow ending up with such a troublesome ex-boyfriend.
Yin Chen pressed his lips together without speaking. Obediently, he took the towel and led Song Zang over to sit in front of the vanity mirror.
Near the window of the master bedroom stood a full custom walnut vanity set, clearly designed for the future “lady of the house.”
But Song Zang had already noticed the previous night that the proportions of the vanity and chair… actually suited his height much better. At any rate, he found it extremely comfortable. The role Yin Chen had been assigned in this instance might genuinely still be hung up on him.
As the hair dryer hummed, Song Zang’s thoughts wandered. His gaze slowly moved from his own reflection upward. Yin Chen gently steadied his head and quietly, attentively dried his hair.
First, Yin Chen lifted a damp lock of hair and hesitantly brought the dryer closer. Then, worried it might be too near, he carefully moved it several centimeters farther away and stiffly held his arm at a fixed angle.
The entire sequence looked completely out of place on Yin Chen, even revealing a rare touch of awkwardness.
So this is what bullying Ex-Hubby feels like? Song Zang curved his lips and narrowed his eyes, thoroughly enjoying Yin Chen’s painstaking service born from a guilty conscience. He was in an excellent mood.
“That should be about right.”
Without warning, the humming beside his ear stopped. Yin Chen spoke uncertainly in a low voice, his warm fingers still tangled in Song Zang’s soft, fluffy hair, unconsciously stroking it.
“That feels so nice.” Song Zang drew out the final syllable, sounding reluctant for it to end. He voluntarily leaned his head into Yin Chen’s palm and allowed him to touch him however he liked.
Yin Chen did not relax his vigilance. His gaze remained obscure as he stared at the languid, delicate young man reflected in the mirror. “Are you trying to reward me, or are you deliberately punishing me?”
Song Zang fell silent for a moment before leisurely meeting his eyes in the mirror, looking exceptionally innocent.
“Can’t I do both at the same time?”
Yin Chen froze, unsure how to answer for a moment. Somewhat at a loss, he said, “This afternoon, I killed a very strange Aberrant.”
“I know.” Song Zang tilted his head. “Liu Da Shan said it looked exactly like you.”
Yin Chen lowered his eyes and struggled to organize his words. “It… was somewhat strong. It could take one slash from me without dying.”
“I guessed that.”
“Then you…”
“I wasn’t angry at all. You just decided on your own that you must’ve done something that would make me angry again, didn’t you?”
Song Zang’s eyes curved faintly as he asked in a soft voice, “Yin Chen, why would you think that?”
Next
Leave a Reply