Thunder struck, smashing the ground with a loud rumble. With just one strike, the earth quaked, causing people to stand unsteadily as a burst of blinding light engulfed everything.
All the spirits and vengeful demons dispersed like smoke and clouds under this sky-destroying, earth-shattering heavenly thunder.
Both the Red and White Demons faded into afterimages in the purple light, and the foreign skeletons burned to ashes in the fierce thunder. Yinshan Village's memorial arch swayed and fell to the ground, struck by lightning and bursting into flames.
Holding the imperial edict, the Daoist's hair crown fell in the light of the thunder. He spread both of his hands, as if relieved and liberated from the heavenly punishment that burned and melted away one's soul. He looked toward Bai Liu behind him, his eyes seemingly filled with a watery light as he gently smiled at Bai Liu.
"…Having a descendant like you a hundred years later is also my fortune." The Daoist smiled lightly and said, "Hear my words: the road ahead is long and boundless. Don't be stubborn and unruly, blindly chasing after things like flowers in a mirror or the moon reflected in the lake. It is better to cherish the people in front of you.""The moon beneath the water is the very moon before your eyes."
Having finished speaking, the Daoist paused slightly, then lightly stroked Bai Liu's head; his smile carried a sigh. "You, young man, don't look too old, yet your memory isn't very good. You keep forgetting things again and again. This time, you must not forget the advice I, this Venerable Elder, am giving you."
"However, some matters are already in the past. Forgetting them is fine, forgetting them is fine…"
As he spoke, the Daoist gradually turned into wisps of smoke and specks of starlight, fading away until he vanished.
When the thunder ceased and the rain stopped, the ground of Yinshan Village was pitch-black, leaving only the stunned Yang Zhi and Kong Xuyang, the unconscious Mu Sicheng, and the calm, unreadable face of Bai Liu, who was lost in thought.
Kong Xuyang's dazed gaze first swept over his own empty palm, then slowly toward the barren Yinshan Village, finally landing on Mu Sicheng's unconscious body on the ground. Bit by bit, joy surfaced on his face until it reached a stage of madness:
"The final boss has been defeated, all the monsters in the village have been wiped out, Bai Liu's teammate is also unconscious…"
Kong Xuyang spread his hands. Amidst the flying ashes in the air, he faced the sky and laughed madly. "In these circumstances, the heavens are helping me!"
Going through this kind of misfortune, with all the ups and downs, Yang Zhi's legs couldn't help but give way, and he fell to the ground. He laughed blankly twice, muttering as if trying to convince himself: "…we can win, it's a guaranteed win!"
"Really?" Bai Liu lifted his gaze, half-smiling as he looked toward Kong Xuyang. "Then shouldn't I congratulate you in advance?"
When Bai Liu started talking, Kong Xuyang thought Bai Liu was going to attack him with the whip, and he subconsciously retreated two steps. But Bai Liu remained standing where he was, not moving at all.
Kong Xuyang retreated a step and paused. He suddenly realized something and lowered his head to look at Bai Liu's exposed limbs. As expected, a heavy, ominous greenish-black energy lingered on Bai Liu's limbs, including his neck and body, slowly turning pale and becoming solid.
Bai Liu was turning into a zombie little by little, so he couldn't move at all.
Kong Xuyang stared blankly for a moment, then he couldn't contain the crazed, deranged smile on his face. Clapping his hands, he shouted, "Bai Liu, ah, Bai Liu—I thought you were much smarter. Unexpectedly, you actually got screwed over by an NPC Daoist zombie!"
"Under the guise of borrowing yin wealth, that zombie sent all of its yin energy into your body. You were already lacking yang energy and were in the process of becoming a yin monster, yet now you've absorbed even more yin energy."
Kong Xuyang's eyes lit up. With his hands behind his back, he swaggered over to Bai Liu, who was in the middle of zombifying and unable to move, clicking his tongue twice in feigned sympathy. "Bai Liu, you and your monkey teammate are going to turn into monsters and be stuck in this instance forever."
"That does sound like it makes sense." Bai Liu looked straight at Kong Xuyang, smiling in response.
Seeing Bai Liu's expression remain serene and unmoved, Kong Xuyang felt anger rise in his chest. After confirming that Bai Liu was incapable of moving, Kong Xuyang drew a bayonet from his waist and moved toward Bai Liu with a sinister air.
Kong Xuyang imitated that hypocritical, calm smile on Bai Liu's face, yet his expression couldn't hide his bitter resentment. He pointed the bayonet at Bai Liu's heart and fiercely cursed at him:
"Let me teach you—the loser and the winner cannot speak to each other at the same eye level!"
The bayonet was thrust halfway forward, but Kong Xuyang's movement suddenly stopped. The blade halted less than five centimeters from Bai Liu's heart; his hand trembled uncontrollably, yet he couldn't push forward. His body seemed to freeze mid-motion, stuck in a hunched posture.
Bai Liu looked down at the hunched Kong Xuyang. Bending slightly, his smile deepened. "So it turns out you, my fellow countryman, prefer speaking to me from such a lowly, inferior angle—one where I can look down on you?"
"Why is it like this…" Kong Xuyang was shocked and furious. He looked in disbelief at the black strands of yin energy twisting around the tip of the bayonet.
This black yin energy crept into his palm bit by bit, causing it to become zombified, unable to move—just like Bai Liu's.
Beside him, Yang Zhi slowly spread his hands, black yin energy winding around them.
His hands and feet began growing abnormally sharp, black nails. Yang Zhi touched his face in fear, feeling his hair becoming coarser and shorter, growing wildly—
Just like that of a dead person.
Yang Zhi let out an alarmed shriek. He wanted to run, but his body was becoming clumsy and stiff as it gradually zombified. He struggled a few times, only for his face to fall into the muddy ground soaked by the recent rain. He kept wriggling but couldn't get up.
"Only through mutual consent can yin energy be passed from one party to another!" Kong Xuyang collapsed in place. "How can you pass yin energy onto me? I didn't consent at all! This goes against the rules of Maoshan Daoist techniques!"
"Really?" Bai Liu lifted his hand and touched the back of his neck, tilting his head and stretching slightly, his smile growing calmer. "I only just found out that Maoshan Daoist techniques have this many rules."
The stiff Kong Xuyang watched as Bai Liu moved freely, the corners of his eyes nearly splitting. "How can you move?!"
"Maybe it's because…" Bai Liu stepped forward, lightly taking the bayonet from Kong Xuyang's hand. He moved leisurely right in front of him, meeting his gaze. He smiled faintly and murmured, "All of the yin energy in my body seems to have been absorbed by you and your good teammate, Yang Zhi."
Kong Xuyang froze upon hearing this and looked down. The strands of black yin energy on Bai Liu were indeed transferring into both his and Yang Zhi's bodies. The two of them had become like black holes, endlessly absorbing the yin energy from Bai Liu.
As the yin energy drained away, Bai Liu's originally pale complexion grew more flushed. Meanwhile, Kong Xuyang and Yang Zhi developed fangs, and the skin around their eyes darkened.
"Many thanks to you, my fellow countrymen, for helping draw the yin energy out of me." Bai Liu smiled broadly, sincerely expressing his gratitude. "The Venerable Elder's yin energy was too strong and was given to me all at once. If you two hadn't kindly offered your help, I really wouldn't have lasted long before turning into a zombie."
Kong Xuyang couldn't comprehend it. He stared at Bai Liu in shock and fear. "Why would we actively absorb the yin energy from your body?"
Bai Liu looked surprised and asked in return, "My fellow countrymen, could it be that you truly don't know?"
Kong Xuyang was so infuriated by Bai Liu's pretentious act that the blood vessels in his eyes seemed ready to burst, turning them crimson. He breathed heavily through his nose, gasping with rage.
Only then did Bai Liu slowly ask, "My fellow countrymen, do you still remember the place where all the yin energy from the corpses of Yinshan Village is gathered?"
"The tomb," Kong Xuyang ground his teeth as he responded.
Bai Liu's face held a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "Then whose body did the tomb's yin energy gather on?"
"On the body of that Daoist zombie who was just struck to ashes…" As he said this, Kong Xuyang froze, his expression suddenly changing. "It's borrowing yin wealth?!"
The smile on Bai Liu's face deepened. "Right."
"The entire Yinshan Village is just a large tomb, and all the yin energy in this tomb converges on that Daoist's body. No matter where you borrow yin wealth from, in the end, it all comes from that Daoist."
"And that Daoist gave all that yin energy to you…" Kong Xuyang's complexion turned ashen. "As long as the equipment we set up to draw yin energy remains, and as long as you're willing to give it, the yin energy will be drawn from your body into ours…"
Bai Liu smiled slightly. "And I've always been very generous. Since my fellow countrymen like Yin energy, I'll lend you all of it."
Kong Xuyang's eyes turned red. The skin on his body grew more and more purple, his nails lengthening rapidly. "You deliberately led me to take your task of borrowing yin wealth! You already knew there was something wrong with your character's main storyline?!"
"There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, and no such thing as a perfect character setup. Since my character has both geographical advantage and support from the people, then, for the sake of game balance, there must be some kind of flaw in the main storyline." Bai Liu smiled, spreading his hands regretfully. "So I never dared try it. But you, my fellow countrymen, dared to do it first. With someone else taking the risk, only then did I follow."
Kong Xuyang's bloodshot eyes widened as he let out a hoarse roar: "Bai Liu, you bastard!!"
[System Warning: Player Kong Xuyang's mental value is rapidly decreasing… 31… 17… 9… Warning, warning—Player Kong Xuyang's mental value is about to reach 0, and he is about to turn into a monster…]
[System Warning: Player Silent Lamb's mental value is rapidly decreasing… 27… 19… 6… Warning, warning—Player Yang Zhi's mental value is about to reach 0 and is about to turn into a monster…]
[Yang Zhi entering rage state panel; personal skills are being strengthened…]
Yang Zhi shuddered from head to toe. He finished absorbing Bai Liu's memories in his stomach within a few milliseconds. However, with his mental value dropping, Yang Zhi was instantly immersed in the illusion constructed by Bai Liu's memory.
He felt that both of his feet were ice cold, yet there was also some kind of burning pain. It was as if both of his feet were stepping into some ice-water mixture while someone mocked him loudly beside him:
"Bad child, Bai Liu…"
The scene changed. He sat at the edge of the flowerbed of the high school sports field. In front of him was a Spades-like specter kneeling on one knee. In the distance came the sound of a volleyball being hit and the noisy chatter of a crowd, but everything felt very far away.
That Spades-like specter held his knee and looked up, silently watching Bai Liu as if Bai Liu were the only person remaining in his world.
Spades opened his mouth, speaking seriously and quietly: "The ice cream in your hand… can you give me one?"
Yang Zhi heard Bai Liu's clear, indifferent refusal. "Not giving."
Spades paused. "Then can you exchange with me?"
Bai Liu seemed to gain a bit of interest. He leaned forward, lowering his gaze. "Exchange for what?"
Spades said, "In exchange for my newly born soul."
The scene changed again.
Yang Zhi sat dizzily inside a hospital ward.
On the hospital bed was Fang Dian, gobbling food from an insulated container. Sitting on the wooden bench beside the bed were two adult men who seemed to be watching in silence. Yang Zhi recognized one of them as Bai Liu; the other seemed somewhat unfamiliar. His appearance leaned toward upright and handsome. His head was lowered, not saying anything, with thick dark circles under his eyes and a strong smell of smoke wafting from his body.
After Fang Dian finished eating, she pulled a piece of toilet paper to wipe her mouth. Without the slightest embarrassment, she reached out and put her hand on that man's shoulder. "Old Lu, come help. I need to use the bathroom."
Only then did Yang Zhi realize that this person was Bai Liu's childhood friend from his memories, Lu Yizhan.
Lu Yizhan supported Fang Dian, holding the IV as they headed to the toilet. Fang Dian limped along, sighing: "Fuck, Old Lu, I haven't become a straightforward person, have I? Eating and immediately pooping…"
"No, you're very healthy. I asked the doctor," Lu Yizhan quietly replied.
"Ah, I also asked the doctor. Our sex life won't be affected." Fang Dian gave Lu Yizhan a big thumbs-up, her smile showing her white teeth. "I asked the doctor this right after waking up from anesthesia!"
Lu Yizhan's entire face flushed red. Forcing himself to stay calm, he helped Fang Dian, who was hugging him, into the bathroom. "…Next time, you can ask other questions you're worried about."
Fang Dian's confident, righteous voice came from the bathroom: "I was just worried about that. I haven't even slept that many times with you yet… mh."
Judging from the sound, it seemed that Lu Yizhan covered Fang Dian's mouth.
Sitting in the room, Bai Liu's mouth seemed to curve up for a moment before quickly turning down.
The sound of the toilet flushing came from the bathroom. Fang Dian leaned against Lu Yizhan's back, hugging him as she came out, her face pale.
Her stomach was injured. Each time she used the bathroom, the strain on her wound caused her pain.
But every time Bai Liu came to see her, she didn't even let it show.
"There's no more bloody stool." Fang Dian leaned on the backrest of the hospital bed, letting out a light breath. She patted her stomach, wrapped in full bandages. "I can be discharged after a few days."
Lu Yizhan was so startled by the actions that he trembled with fear, quickly getting up to stop her. "Don't pat your wound so much!"
Fang Dian waved her hand, unbothered. "Again, it's not a big injury. It's not that bad."
Bai Liu suddenly spoke, "It'll definitely affect your fertility, right?"
Both Fang Dian and Lu Yizhan froze.
Bai Liu lowered his gaze, averting their eyes. "It's my—"
Fang Dian propped herself up on the pillow, leaned from the edge of the bed, and with all her strength, hugged Bai Liu, who was avoiding her gaze. "It's not your fault!"
"It's the people who ran into me who are at fault. It was I who acted rashly. It was the weather's fault, the wind's fault—it's all the coincidences in the world that led me here. But it isn't your fault." Fang Dian's face paled, but her voice remained completely steady.
"It was I who wanted to save you. You didn't do anything wrong. You don't need to apologize to me."
Bai Liu softly spoke, "…Then I owe you a favor."
"That's enough now. Since high school, when have we cared about favors?" Fang Dian rolled her eyes. She burst out laughing, then held her waist and leaned back down.
She seemed to suddenly think of something, tilting her head and sizing up Bai Liu for a moment. Then she reached out and touched Bai Liu's head, her expression carrying a bit of ill intent. "Hey, if we really have to say it, you really owe me. But you don't owe me a favor—you owe me something else."
Bai Liu swept a glance at her. "Owe you what?"
"Owe me a child." Fang Dian reached out and patted Bai Liu's face. She pulled his cheeks and beamed, "Bai Liu, become my child. I like children like you."