---

Reality

---

Sitting in the back seat of the taxi, Chen Li looked out the window, his face filled with worry: “Will injuries from the game carry over into the real world?”

With Gu Fu’s strength, he should have been able to rely on points to heal and come back out.

System 001: [No, they won’t. It’s just that the person who did that to him is terrifying.]

Chen Li paused and pulled his gaze back: [Fu Moyang really is… special, isn’t he?]

System 001 fell silent. After a moment of hesitation, it decided not to offend that ghost.

Just because its host was allowed to seek the truth didn’t mean it could speak out of turn.

Chen Li didn’t press further. He simply fidgeted quietly with the hem of his shirt.

The taxi driver kept glancing up at the rearview mirror, repeatedly checking Chen Li’s profile, as if trying to confirm something.

Finally, as they reached the hospital, he couldn’t help but speak: “Hey kid, I’ve seen your livestream clips. My daughter studies art too. Keep it up—you’re definitely going to win an award.”

Chen Li was stunned for a moment before realizing the driver was referring to the previous competition. He gave a shy smile: “Thank you.”

Only then did System 001 remember the messages still waiting to be dealt with: [That stream ended up way more popular than we expected. A bunch of streaming companies have been messaging you with contract offers, but I blocked them all.]

It sounded proud, feeling like it had been helpful: [If you’re interested, I can help you get the best deal.]

Chen Li shook his head: [No need.]

System 001 sounded a little disappointed: [Alright… Oh, by the way, the finalists for the Golden Butterfly competition will be announced tomorrow.]

Even though only three days had passed in the real world, to Chen Li, it already felt like a long time ago. He nodded absentmindedly: [Okay.]

The constant flow of people at the hospital made him uncomfortable, and he instinctively tried to find a quieter place.

Thanks to System 001’s navigation, he made it smoothly to the third floor. Just as he was heading up with a fruit basket, he ran into Gu Fu’s parents.

They recognized Chen Li. The couple’s faces were still streaked with tears, but they forced themselves to smile as they looked at him: “Xiao Li, you came to see Xiao Fu too?”

Chen Li nodded and handed them the fruit basket, at a loss for words.

He asked the system before coming and confirmed that, with Gu Fu’s current physical condition, he would be able to make it through this time.

But the poor couple in front of him didn’t know that. Gu Fu was their only child.

Chen Li: “Gu Fu will be alright.”

He spoke with such sincerity that it was hard not to believe him.

Gu Fu’s mother, a graceful woman, wiped her tears: “Mm. Gu Fu always liked playing with you since he was little. He’ll be happy to know you came.”

Gu Fu’s father, usually stern, now looked weary: “I just don’t understand… how could such a serious car accident happen all of a sudden?”

A car accident?

Chen Li didn’t show his confusion and quickly tried to comfort them as best as he could.

System 001 explained: [It’s an automatic correction mechanism of Horror Game. If someone dies in the game, a corresponding ‘accident’ is created in the real world.]

Because Gu Fu was still in critical condition, Chen Li couldn’t visit him in the ICU. After leaving his words and gifts with the parents, he walked out of the hospital, dazed.

System 001 thought he was feeling guilty and tried to comfort him: [This really isn’t your fault. Gu Fu had already developed an obsession with surpassing Fu Moyang. Even if he hadn’t tried to kill you, a confrontation between them was inevitable.]

In fact, if it weren’t for Chen Li’s involvement, Fu Moyang probably would have killed him outright.

Ghosts don’t think like humans. The only thing that restrains him is the little lamb he loves.

Back at his apartment, Chen Li collapsed onto the soft bed, his voice muffled with frustration: “I’m just wondering… what’s the point of this Horror Game?”

System 001: [Are you starting to suspect something?]

“Yeah.” Chen Li’s eyelids were growing heavy. “The game is deliberately gathering beings consumed by resentment, turning them into guide NPCs to help it collect fear points.”

That was the real issue: whether it was human players or NPCs, they were all just tools. Horror Game only cared about one thing—fear points.

But why is it collecting human fear?

System 001 was just about to say it didn’t know, when it noticed that its host’s voice had faded—he’d already fallen asleep.

His young face was flushed with a slight rosy hue. Seeing it, System 001 couldn’t help but feel a wave of parental affection as it sighed within its own space: Sigh… when did this timid, slightly withdrawn boy grow so much?

Humans really were strange creatures.

Unaware of System 001’s musings, Chen Li’s consciousness fully faded, and once again he slipped into a familiar dream.

This time, there were no loud noises in the dream. He was wearing red, held in someone’s arms, their wide fingers interlaced with his.

A cold breath flowed endlessly from behind him.

The man leaned in and whispered by his ear: “Sleep.”

The voice was indistinct, but Chen Li couldn’t resist. His eyes closed again, his breathing slowed, and he sank into unconsciousness once more.

Chen Li was awakened by a knock at the door. He got out of bed, still dazed, recalling the strange dream from last night.

Had he… fallen asleep in the dream?

The knocking continued. Still groggy, Chen Li walked to the door: “Who is it?”

Aside from Gu Fu, who else would visit?

“It’s me,” said a voice—his teacher’s—on the other side.

“Teacher?” Chen Li opened the door without hesitation, only to see a shadow dart past him into the room.

The figure quickly made itself at home on his sofa, lounging there with no regard for manners. He waved Chen Li over with a serious tone: “Xiao Lizi, come, come.”

His calm and casual demeanor almost made Chen Li feel like they were old acquaintances, even though this was their first meeting.

His teacher stood at the door with an apologetic smile, clearly not expecting the man to be so forward. He made the introductions: “Chen Li, this is Mr. Omicho.”

He turned back to Omicho: “And this is…”

Omicho cut him off impatiently: “I know, I know!”

Then he looked eagerly at Chen Li.

In the art world, the name Omicho stood for authority—and not just because of his exceptional artistic talent, but also his notoriously eccentric temper.

Chen Li thought back carefully. After he finished streaming the competition, the judges had all crowded around to view his painting. He vaguely remembered seeing Omicho among them.

But Omicho hadn’t been a judge for this year’s Golden Butterfly competition.

Though puzzled, Chen Li remained polite and invited the mentor inside. After greeting them, he went to get some drinks and said a little apologetically: “All I have is orange juice and water.”

The more Omicho looked at him, the more satisfied he felt.

What a modest and composed dark horse.

The elderly man waved his hand: “Orange juice is fine.”

Once Chen Li placed the juice on the table, the three of them sat in awkward silence, just staring at each other.

In the end, it was the calm and dependable teacher who finally broke the silence: “Xiao Li, Mr. Omicho is here today because he wants to take you on as his last disciple.”

At that point, even the teacher couldn’t help sounding a little excited. Omicho’s difficult personality was well-known in the field—he never accepted students and didn’t care to offer anyone guidance. Everyone knew that.

But Chen Li shook his head: “I’m afraid I can’t accept.”

The mentor inhaled sharply, clearly anxious: “Xiao Li, this is a very rare opportunity.”

“But I already have you,” Chen Li said with confusion.

Omicho’s eager gaze shifted from Chen Li to the teacher.

The teacher, suddenly feeling enormous pressure, wiped the sweat from his brow: “It’s not the same. You know I have many students, and what I can teach is mostly systematic knowledge. But you—your future holds much more.”

At that point, tears began to well in the teacher’s eyes—genuine emotion, not for show.

He had always felt a quiet pain for this overly obedient, unambitious student.

System 001 chimed in inside his head: [Didn’t expect this human to be so sincere.]

Omicho, usually razor-tongued, now seemed at a loss for words. He fumbled, repeating the same few phrases.

Unaccustomed to receiving kindness, Chen Li lowered his head and stayed silent, nervously picking at his fingers.

Suddenly, Omicho sprang up: “Oh right, right! The results were just released—your painting received the highest score! You’ve earned a direct spot in the finals!”

The joy in his eyes was undeniably genuine.

Chen Li’s eyes curved into a smile: “Thank you.”

Omicho scratched his head: “I know this must all feel like it’s happening too fast. But the finals are just a few days away. Focus on preparing for that. Once it’s over, you can give me your answer then.”

Surprisingly, the notoriously temperamental master was quite easy to talk to. Chen Li nodded seriously: “Alright. I’ll think it over carefully.”

After they left, System 001 asked quietly: [Host, are you planning to enter the next instance after the Golden Butterfly competition ends?]

Chen Li responded quickly: [Yes.]

Over the next few days, he would devote himself entirely to preparing for the competition—and give himself a complete, honest answer.

A rush of inspiration flooded his mind. It wasn’t just the scenes from the instances—he now had so many more things he wanted to paint.

And most importantly, there was that dream that had been with him since he was sixteen.

At this moment, even the face of the person in the dream no longer mattered. He just wanted to paint it. That was enough.

It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his heart, and Chen Li smiled: [Let’s go out and buy some supplies!]

Until the day the finals began, he never had that dream again. The once dark and terrifying dream seemed to have faded because of that strange sleep—perhaps even becoming… comforting?

Startled by the bizarre thought, Chen Li shook his head vigorously, trying to shake it out.

The teacher, who was driving, glanced at him and thought he was still nervous. He tried to reassure him: “D-Don’t be nervous.”

He almost bit his own tongue.

Chen Li: “I’m fine.”

Honestly, you seem more nervous than I am.

The finals of the Golden Butterfly competition were conducted under full lockdown. Aside from invited guests, only participants, judges, and staff were allowed inside. But oddly, a large crowd had gathered outside the entrance this time.

Curious, Chen Li opened the car door and stepped out. He was just starting to wonder why there were so many people when a wave of screams engulfed him.

“He’s here!!!”

A girl shouted, and a crowd rushed over—some even holding banners and flowers.

Amid the excited chatter, Chen Li, dazed and confused, realized… these people had come to cheer for him?

Security quickly rushed in and surrounded him, escorting him inside. Although the crowd was large, it was more orderly than expected. It seemed many already knew he didn’t like being disturbed. Most people just watched from a distance and didn’t come too close.

Just before stepping through the main entrance, Chen Li suddenly turned around to face the crowd. Blushing, he spoke very softly—but clearly: “Thank you.”

---

Author’s Note:

Li Bao is getting more and more outgoing www

Next chapter: cannon fodder incoming, with face-slapping action—smack!

---

---

Seizing the King (14)

---

Chen Li tugged at the wolf ears, careful not to pull too hard, his eyes reddening with anger at the corners: “You finally decided to come out?!”

That single sentence silenced everyone around.

Both System 001 and Wendy, who had been hesitant to speak, fell silent.

Fu Moyang was so startled by Chen Li’s fierce tone that his wolf tail drooped in defeat: “Sorry.”

He was a completely different person from the spoiled brat who’d been clinging to Chen Li’s hand just last night.

Chen Li wasn’t buying it and decided it was time to settle some accounts.

Starting with the most important question first: “Why did you leave without telling me this morning?”

Fu Moyang lowered his gaze, said nothing, but his ears flushed red and the tip of his tail began to sway again.

Chen Li, who had been stern, suddenly recalled everything and couldn’t stay mad anymore. His face turned even redder than Fu Moyang’s as he stammered: “Ne-never mind. I’ll ask the second question.”

Fu Moyang quietly watched him.

Chen Li continued: “Why did you lie to me? You’re already the wolf king, aren’t you?”

Wendy stood nearby with her arms crossed, watching the scene like it was entertainment.

Fu Moyang’s expression was sincere: “I just worried you might get into danger.”

Definitely not because he wanted to play the victim and sleep in the same bed with Chen Li.

Chen Li’s resolve softened, and he was slightly stunned: “But you shouldn’t lie to me.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” Fu Moyang apologized seriously and promptly. “I won’t lie to you again.”

He gently stroked the little curl on Chen Li’s head that had popped out from excitement.

Chen Li immediately relaxed, clinging to Fu Moyang’s shirt, looking up at him in a daze.

Seeing this, Fu Moyang’s heart itched with affection, his fierce nature melting away into tenderness: “Don’t be mad anymore, okay?”

He gazed deeply into Chen Li’s eyes, as if wanting to drown him in that silver-grey eyes.

Wendy, originally watching for fun but now witnessing him seduce a human, called out nervously: “…Hey!”

Fu Moyang shot her a sharp glance full of killing intent, then turned back to Chen Li with gentleness.

Wendy was stunned by the obvious double standard and was momentarily speechless.

Fu Moyang continued soothing Chen Li’s little curl: “Are you scared?”

Chen Li whispered: “No.”

Though his eyes didn’t dare to look around.

Despite being frightened by the hellish scene around them, he still naively approached the one responsible for it all — bleating softly like a lamb.

Fragile and pure, yet capable of doing what no one else dared—scolding him.

Fu Moyang’s eyes darkened: “I’m sorry.”

He had lost control and made everything so bloody, and he shouldn’t have let such filthy things enter Chen Li’s sight.

Chen Li didn’t understand why Fu Moyang apologized again. As he looked up to say something, the system’s alert suddenly rang in his mind.

System 001’s voice, tinged with unnatural nervousness: [This mission has ended.]

Chen Li widened his eyes slightly: [What about the other players?]

[Gu Fu of the featherfolk successfully rose to power. The human player escaped but was caught and killed by the angry princess just moments ago. And the undead player also succeeded in ascending.]

With that, the game was over.

As soon as the system’s message ended, a black hole appeared in front of them, impossible to see inside.

The thought “Once you go in, you can leave” popped into everyone’s mind.

Wendy, long fed up with romantic moments, shouted urgently: “Let’s go!”

Chen Li looked at Fu Moyang, who rubbed his head: “Let’s go.”

They stepped into the black hole together. At their parting, Chen Li finally asked his last question: “Who are you, really?”

Could a human really defeat two well-trained armies in just twenty minutes?

Fu Moyang chuckled lightly: “Clever little lamb, you’ll know next time we meet.”

He had promised not to lie anymore.

The last word drifted away into the disappearing black hole until it vanished completely.

. . . . .

Cold little hands were placed in Chen Li’s, the chill spreading through his left hand to his whole body. Chen Li opened his eyes—but it wasn’t the familiar system space.

Instead, he was in an utterly black void, so dark nothing was visible, yet surprisingly, he could see here.

Wendy giggled: “Welcome. Get to know me again—I’m ‘Playful Wendy.’”

System 001: [Playful Wendy ranks tenth on the NPC leaderboard.]

Chen Li looked down and asked: “Why did you bring me here?”

Wendy: “Everyone wants to meet you.”

Everyone?

Chen Li looked up and saw dozens of eerie glowing eyes suddenly appearing in the once pitch-black surroundings.

“…”

He jumped in fright and shrank back.

The owners of the eyes began whispering and complaining to each other.

“It’s your fault for being so ugly and scaring him!”

“Pfft, no, it’s your fault. Look, you still haven’t wiped off the blood from the last instance on your body.”

“He smells so good… and he’s so small and cute.”

The conversation took a strange turn as the hidden monsters began to compete in praising the scent clinging to Chen Li.

Chen Li, who had just started to feel a little afraid: ?

He couldn’t help but speak up: “I can’t see you.”

The voices suddenly fell silent, as if they were afraid of disturbing something. But once they realized what he meant, the whispers resumed—soft rustling sounds creeping through the dark.

Finally, the first NPC stepped forward.

She wore a beautiful ballet outfit. Her exposed skin was unnaturally pale, and her eyes were tightly shut for some unknown reason: “Hello, human.”

“Hello,” Chen Li replied silently in his mind.

They’re colleagues. They’re just colleagues. They’re all colleagues.

He repeated this mantra to ease the discomfort in his chest.

“You can call me Chen Li.”

The whispers flared up again, varying in volume, but two phrases stood out above the rest: So obedient and So cute.

Chen Li couldn’t help but lift his hand and take a look at himself. He really was a grown adult—not a tiny, mewling kitten.

Yet their reactions were so exaggerated it was like a bunch of burly men had just spotted the cutest kitten alive.

“I’m called Killer Swan,” the ballerina NPC introduced herself. “That’s the name you humans gave me.”

Her true form was actually a music box, stained with the resentment of witnessing an entire family brutally murdered.

Though her eyes remained shut, Killer Swan seemed to see through his unease and spoke gently to comfort him: “There’s no need to be afraid. We’re all guide NPCs. No one here will hurt you.”

Her kind tone soothed Chen Li’s nerves. Killer Swan continued: “Would you like to meet the others? They’ve all been dying to get to know you.”

The murmuring around them instantly quieted. Dozens of expectant gazes fell on Chen Li, as if the slightest rejection would cause them to wither away in heartbreak.

Chen Li nodded: “Okay.”

At that, the hidden NPCs burst forth all at once, jostling and elbowing each other, some even throwing sneaky punches and kicks to get ahead.

Even though he’d mentally prepared himself, Chen Li was still a little startled by the sheer number of strange and grotesque forms swarming out at once.

He scanned the crowd but didn’t see any familiar faces.

Killer Swan, ever perceptive, offered an explanation: “Joker and Nightmare are off fighting.”

The other NPCs immediately piled on: “Serves them right!”

“Nightmare’s gonna get wrecked. No clue what happened in that instance, but he came out with a face full of bruises!”

“Hehehe, idiot.”

Suddenly, something tugged at Chen Li’s ankle. He looked down and saw a shy, squirming tentacle.

When it noticed him looking, the tentacle turned a bright pink out of embarrassment. At its tip, it awkwardly bloomed a tiny, lopsided white flower.

“This… is for me?” Chen Li asked, surprised.

The tentacle monster gave a low hum and offered the flower again, clearly intent on not giving up until he accepted it.

Chen Li hesitated for two seconds, then bent down and took the little white flower.
“Thank you,” he said politely.

He leaned down and sniffed it gently. A faint smile flickered across his face.

The human smiled!!!

That single expression sent the surrounding monsters into a frenzy. One after another, they scrambled to offer gifts, afraid of being left out. Then, one by one, they began fighting—openly and in secret—throwing punches and kicks.

Some of the gifts were rare, high-level items that would make any player envious. Others, like the flower, were meaningless by practical standards.

But to these NPCs, each item was precious—the best thing they could think of to give to the little human.

Chen Li couldn’t hold them all and had to start gently declining. But even a simple refusal had several NPCs looking utterly crushed.

Killer Swan sighed: “Don’t make things difficult for him.”

Despite her stiff and eerie appearance, she clearly played the “big sister” role among the group.

The moment she spoke, the others calmed down—at least a bit. Though a few smaller NPCs still sneaked over to stuff candy into Chen Li’s pockets.

They’d heard human children loved sweets.

Watching them, an indescribable feeling rose in Chen Li’s heart.

These NPCs… really didn’t seem like they meant him any harm.

He completely relaxed and tilted his head slightly, asking curiously: “Are you all working for the Horror Game?”

The word “working” was unfamiliar to some of the NPCs. Seeing their confused expressions, Chen Li rephrased his question: “Have you all been in the Horror Game for a long time?”

“Yes, yes!”

“I’ve been here since over a decade ago!”

“I’ve been here even longer! It’s been decades for me!”

They eagerly answered Chen Li’s questions, and the place grew a bit noisy. Although some of their responses were off-topic, they listened intently to anything Chen Li said.

Who knew how much time had passed—Chen Li had already become one of them. With a smile in his eyes, he said: “I should be heading back.”

A single eyeball bounced over and asked: “Back? Back where?”

It was promptly knocked aside by a chipped cow-headed creature, who scoffed: “Idiot, obviously back to the human world.”

Voices rang out from all directions: “Hey, don’t go—”

Wendy grabbed Chen Li’s hand, her big eyes sparkling: “I don’t want you to leave.”

Even though they were terrifying NPCs in the eyes of outsiders, Chen Li felt like he was comforting a bunch of children. Blinking, he said seriously: “I’ll come back to see you all.”

Wendy held out her pinky finger: “Pinky promise?”

“Pinky promise.” Chen Li extended his hand and gave it a firm shake.

. . . . .

When he opened his eyes again, he was finally back in his own home. After a brief rest, Chen Li began changing clothes.

System 001 asked, confused: [Where are you going?]

Chen Li: [To find Gu Fu.]

System 001: [Oh, he’s not home right now.]

Chen Li, surprised: [Then where did he go?]

System 001: […ICU.]

[…]

---

Author’s note:

Just a little sneak peek—
The next instance is a Truth or Dare one!
And in the next instance… they get together!

---

---

Seizing the King (13)

---

Startled, Chen Li’s pupils instantly turned blood-red.

The mask hid his expression. He instinctively took a small step back and looked at Gu Fu, asking: “What are you trying to do?”

He looked just like a wary kitten trying to bluff with a show of aggression.

Gu Fu: “The moment you started spreading lies about us betraying our own clans, you should’ve known this day would come. I’ll wipe out the vampires—for Li Zi.”

That way, Li Zi wouldn’t need to lift a finger to meet the mission requirements, and Gu Fu’s ambition could stay hidden beneath it all.

He lowered his voice for that last part, but Chen Li, now a vampire with heightened hearing, still caught it. He fell silent, suddenly finding Gu Fu’s face unfamiliar.

He didn’t believe Gu Fu was truly doing this all for him. After all, Gu Fu had never once mentioned it. It felt more like he was moved by his own narrative than acting out of genuine concern.

In truth, after entering the instance, Chen Li realized his mindset had started shifting when he spent time with Fu Moyang.

What started as a desire to protect turned into a desire to take him away from Fu Moyang—to prove he was stronger, more reliable.

His eyes were clouded by his own delusions.

System 001: [He joined forces with the human player and framed the princess for consorting with vampires. With the elderly king’s approval, they launched a campaign to exterminate all vampires.]

Once the vampires were gone, the human player would be crowned directly. For Gu Fu, it wasn’t just about earning the title of “Guide-Killer” like Fu Moyang—it was also a way to prove to Chen Li that he was the better teammate.

But acting so decisively without even discussing it with Chen Li—was that really the right thing to do?

System 001 flashed in the space with disdain. Compared to this arrogant, foolish human, even a certain ghost seemed more tolerable.

Chen Li suddenly asked: [He’s here, isn’t he?]

System 001 was startled. So the host had known all along?

It hesitated: [Yes.]

Chen Li let out a cold snort for no apparent reason.

He might’ve only suspected something back in the forest, but when the carriage nearly spooked, he had been almost certain.

He wouldn’t actually think that by doing that, he’s not angry anymore, would he?

System 001: The host is getting so fierce…

Gu Fu stepped forward again, interrupting his exchange with the system: “You’re fated to die here today!”

Just then, a flash of light sliced cleanly through the tip of his custom-forged silver sword.

Only a smooth stump remained—almost comically neat.

“Who?!” Gu Fu shouted, both startled and furious.

Fu Moyang’s eyes darkened: “Who said you could threaten him?”

Each word landed like thunder, his aura crushing the room.

The oppressive pressure was so intense it made people forget to think about what he’d actually said.

Gu Fu dropped the broken sword and took another from someone nearby, forcing himself to stay calm: “Fu Moyang?”

Fu Moyang: “You have ten seconds. Get out.”

His wolf ears twitched under the gaze from behind him. He stiffened, resisting the urge to let his tail sway nervously from guilt.

The soldiers, who had seemed so aggressive moments ago, all began to hesitate.

Gu Fu gritted his teeth: “So you really are colluding with the guide NPC. That night—you were plotting something.”

“Ten… nine… eight…” Fu Moyang began counting slowly, not even acknowledging him.

The human player began to waver. She took several steps back into the crowd, watching with doubt and confusion.

Gu Fu: “Where’s Li Zi? Where are you hiding him?”

Fu Moyang: “Four… three… two…”

Before the final number dropped, Gu Fu clenched his jaw and threw a spherical item.

Fu Moyang caught it with one hand. The ball instantly transformed into a giant eyeball with eight black legs, which latched tightly onto his arm.

That thin leg was almost like a needle, piercing straight into the man’s palm.

Chen Li was hidden behind and couldn’t see clearly. His heart trembled anxiously. Just as he was about to ask if he was okay, he watched in disbelief as he calmly reached out his left hand and grabbed the object directly.

The skin tore along with it, and his left hand instantly became bloodied—but then, at a visible speed, the wound began to heal right before their eyes.

Sensing the tension in the little lamb’s emotions, Fu Moyang suddenly growled: “Aren’t you coming to take him away?”

A small dark figure appeared suddenly, her voice tinged with displeasure: “No need for your reminder.”

She was dressed in a beautiful new outfit. Without hesitation, she grabbed Chen Li and turned to run.

“Wait!” Chen Li looked back, but the person holding him was surprisingly strong. Despite his weak struggles, he was pulled away without resistance.

Fu Moyang relaxed his fists and pulled up a smile toward them: “Alright, now comes the part that’s not suitable for children.”

Only after the confrontation below was out of sight did that person release him.

Chen Li finally got a clear look at her face and couldn’t believe it: “Wendy?”

Wendy blushed: “Your Highness still remembers my name.”

“How do you—?” Chen Li felt a headache coming on. He rubbed his temples, his gaze clearing up again. “Who exactly are you?”

Wendy tilted her head: “Wendy is just Wendy, hehe.”

When she smiled, her mouth stretched almost unnaturally wide—too wide for a human to manage—revealing sharp, white fangs.

More frightening than even him, a vampire.

[001, it seems the guide NPCs mixed into this world aren’t just Nightmares, right?]

System 001 grew serious: [Looks like it.]

Chen Li took a deep breath: “Let me go down.”

Wendy: “No.”

She twirled the ends of her twin tails and stopped trying to hide: “That guy can handle it.”

She didn’t know how Fu Moyang had figured out her identity—he seemed to know everything from the start.

No wonder even Joker was defeated by him.

Wendy pouted unhappily and grabbed Chen Li’s right hand: “Come play with me, please. Come play with me.”

Chen Li was absent-minded: “I want to go find him.”

Wendy blinked. She liked this human with a special aura and didn’t want to see him upset. So, she rolled her eyes playfully: “Let’s play a game. If you win, I’ll take you to find him.”

“What kind of game?” Chen Li asked anxiously. He had forgotten he was still angry with the man and worried whether he might be hurt.

Wendy smiled: “Find my little bear.”

She raised her hand and spun it around: “My little bear is very naughty. It’s hidden somewhere on this second floor, waiting for me to find it. If you can find the bear, I’ll let you go find him. But if you can’t find it within twenty minutes…”

Usually, when she played this game with other humans, if they failed, she would peel off their skin and dig out their eyes to make toys. But she couldn’t bear to let this human suffer.

So she changed her words: “You’ll just have to play with me all day.”

The second floor was very spacious. It was easy to hide a little bear but much harder to find it. Without at least half an hour of searching, it was almost impossible.

Chen Li agreed quickly and decisively: “Alright.”

Wendy clapped her hands happily.

But soon, her smile faded. She stared blankly as Chen Li confidently opened a door, stepped onto a stool, and quickly reached the top of a wardrobe to pull down the furry little bear.

“I won.” Chen Li handed it to her.

Wendy never expected Chen Li to have a super useful cheat—his system.

System 001 was very proud: [This is nothing for me.]

Holding the bear, Wendy suddenly pouted: “This round doesn’t count! Let’s play again!”

She was clearly cheating.

At this moment, she looked more like a little girl—if only the bear in her arms wouldn’t suddenly open its bloody mouth wide.

Chen Li: “Alright, last round. No more cheating.”

“Okay!” Wendy agreed at once.

The bear in her arms clumsily slipped away, running off on its own.

Ten seconds later, Wendy smiled sweetly: “Alright, you definitely can’t find it this time.”

But once again, she watched as Chen Li walked straight to the last room, used a table to reach and remove a hidden compartment in the ceiling, and the little bear dropped straight onto the floor.

Wendy cried out: “This round doesn’t count!”

Then she got lightly tapped on the head.

Wendy looked confused, holding her head.

Chen Li frowned: “Children should not go back on their words.”

System 001 inside the space was too scared to breathe.

This NPC was known for being ruthless—especially fond of torturing players with abusive or bullying tendencies.

But instead of anger, Wendy reined in her creepy smile and unexpectedly became obedient: “Sorry.”

She scratched her head, puzzled by the human’s words.

In her memory, being scolded meant something much harsher—dragging her hair and banging her head against walls or table corners until the room was covered in her blood.

But this light tap? What was that?

Wendy lowered her head, blushing and shy: “Alright, I’ll take you.”

“Mm.” Chen Li breathed a sigh of relief.

Wendy sneaked a few glances, feeling excited.

He was really cute—she wanted to take him home to play with every day. But she couldn’t beat that Fu guy downstairs.

Then Wendy thought, this human didn’t like naughty kids. So why not take him to see the ghost’s ruthless side?

By the time it ended, even he wouldn’t have time to clean up.

Then this human would hate him—and come play with her instead!

Feeling very happy, Wendy quickened her pace and led him downstairs.

The first floor, once packed with people, was now littered with severed limbs and blood that had nearly washed the floor. Those once-pure white feathers were stained and filthy—like a scene straight out of hell.

Fu Moyang stood in the center, his eyes still holding that icy, vertical-slit coldness. His hands remained as wolf claws, not yet transformed back. He lifted his head fiercely, but the murderous glare in his eyes instantly faltered the moment it met Chen Li’s shocked face.

It was like a wolfdog caught sneaking around at home, ears flattening against its head when the owner shows up.

There was even a splatter of blood accidentally on Fu Moyang’s face. His throat was hoarse as he spoke: “I didn’t kill that Gu Fu. I know he’s your friend.”

He just beat him half to death and threw him out.

Before he could finish, the boy suddenly leapt into his arms, cutting him off.

Chen Li’s eyes were red, his voice both angry and full of concern as he grabbed Fu Moyang’s wolf ears: “Shut up!”

---

Author’s note:

Li Bao: Super fierce.jpg

---

---

Seizing the King (12)

---

Sensing a shift in the young man’s emotions beside him, Fu Moyang tilted his head slightly in confusion and looked at him: “Hmm?”

Chen Li ignored him and turned to ask the elder: “He’s feeling really unwell because of the full moon. How do you usually deal with it?”

Although puzzled as to why a captured prey would ask such a question, the elder glanced at Fu Moyang and, seeing he had no intention of stopping it, answered earnestly: “Only adult werewolves are affected by the full moon. So when it comes, the young and strong ones with high destructive power usually stay in their own dens. Of course, the old, weak, and sick like me are barely affected.”

Realization dawned on Chen Li. No wonder along the way he’d only seen adolescent werewolves—even those in wolf form were noticeably smaller.

“Then what can we do to make him feel better?”

The elder’s expression turned a little complicated, and he sighed: “It takes the company of a mate to safely get through the full moon. Werewolves without mates often end up injuring themselves during the frenzy. The Wolf King recently defeated the old king and freed us from his rule. But he’s rejected every confession from the others in the clan. So this full moon, he’s going to face it alone.”

For some reason, when he heard the word mate, a strange feeling briefly flickered in Chen Li’s chest. He shook his head to snap out of it: “So what should we do now?”

“Let’s move the Wolf King to his den first,” the elder said as he turned to lead the way.

Only then did Chen Li realize that the imposing stone house before them was the dwelling place of the Wolf Kings throughout the generations.

The most striking feature inside was the massive throne, flanked by fierce wolf heads carved into either side. Clearly built to accommodate the size of the Wolf King’s beast form, the throne was large enough to seat three Chen Lis with room to spare.

The elder had originally worried that the Wolf King wouldn’t cooperate, but to his surprise, Fu Moyang obediently followed Chen Li and sat on his throne without resistance, eyes deep and silent.

Instinctively intimidated by the presence of a powerful being, the elder didn’t dare linger: “I’ll take my leave now. I’ll lock the door to prevent any accidents.”

Not just the Wolf King—during the full moon, all adult werewolves prone to frenzy were forbidden from going out. The more volatile ones were even chained in restraints.

He looked at Chen Li and hesitated, unsure whether he should remove this seemingly helpless human.

The hesitation lasted only a few seconds. When he saw how tightly the Wolf King was still holding Chen Li’s hand, he gave up on the idea.

This was the Wolf King’s prey, and he clearly showed extreme possessiveness toward him. If the elder dared to make any move that could be interpreted as “coveting,” he’d be treated as an intruder and attacked on the spot. One must never underestimate a werewolf’s territorial instincts on the night of the full moon.

It’s just a human, anyway. He could always come back tomorrow and collect the body.

Or maybe… there wouldn’t even be a body left.

The elder felt little pity as he left with his head down and tail tucked.

As the heavy lock outside clanked into place, Chen Li was suddenly yanked forward by the wrist and fell into Fu Moyang’s lap.

Seated on the throne, Fu Moyang held his beloved little lamb in his arms, and his mood visibly improved.

System 001: [Twilight is almost over.]

The full moon was about to appear.

Chen Li struggled a little, but Fu Moyang simply wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him completely into his embrace.

Chen Li gave up resisting and asked unhappily: “Are you lying to me again?”

Fu Moyang stared blankly at the cute swirl of hair on Chen Li’s head: “Mm.”

Truth was, he hadn’t even heard what the little lamb was asking—he was just answering on autopilot, the way Chen Li always wanted him to.

Chen Li reached up again to tug on Fu Moyang’s wolf ears, and Fu Moyang obediently lowered his head, letting him pull.

Suddenly, a wolf’s howl echoed from outside, followed by more and more howls, each one louder than the last. The sound startled Chen Li, who let go of the wolf ears and asked: “What’s going on?”

Realizing something, he turned to look out the window—and sure enough, a bright full moon was half-hidden in the sky.

A gust of wind blew the clouds away, revealing the complete round moon.

The howling grew louder. Chen Li couldn’t afford to be distracted anymore. He felt the man holding him start to heat up rapidly. He quickly patted Fu Moyang’s face and whispered: “Fu Moyang, are you feeling okay?”

His body temperature was rising at an alarming rate. For a vampire, who naturally had a lower body temperature, it was almost scalding.

Fu Moyang half-closed his eyes and muttered: “Reward.”

“What?” Chen Li leaned in to hear more clearly.

And then—his pale, soft earlobe was suddenly licked.

Fu Moyang repeated: “Reward.”

Chen Li’s eyes widened in shock. He quickly covered his ears, embarrassed and flustered: “What are you—”

Fu Moyang tilted his head and gave him an innocent look: “I want a reward.”

If he didn’t get what he wanted, it seemed like he wouldn’t let it go. Chen Li had no choice but to ruffle his hair in a clumsy, half-hearted way: “Here. You can have this.”

But this kind of “reward”—just a few pats—was far from enough for Fu Moyang.

His whole body was burning, and his eyes were hazy with desire: “No, that’s not it.”

What he wanted was something sweeter, softer…

“Mmph!”

A handsome face suddenly leaned in and pressed close. Before Chen Li could react, Fu Moyang bit down on his lips. The pain made him gasp, and his open mouth gave Fu Moyang the perfect opportunity to invade again. His defenses fell in an instant.

Unlike their first kiss—where Fu Moyang had charged forward with brute force—this time he had somehow leveled up, without anyone teaching him. After a dominating sweep, he shifted to teasing Chen Li’s shy, evasive tongue.

Each time Chen Li was just about to run out of breath, Fu Moyang would pull back—only to dive in again once Chen Li caught the slightest breath of air. Over and over, until Chen Li finally gave up resisting and whimpered as he went along with him.

Fu Moyang was overwhelmed with excitement, like a clueless boy caught up in his instincts. The full moon’s influence was taking over, and he was completely losing his rationality—left only with raw, primal desire.

Panting sexily, he leaned close to Chen Li’s now bright red ear and whispered, “Help me…”

. . . . .

When Chen Li woke up, he was no longer on the throne. He lay on a hard stone bed, though someone had kindly padded several layers underneath him. A blanket made of tiger fur was draped over him, but the wolf who had ravaged him was nowhere to be found.

The absurd memories of the previous night flashed through his mind. Chen Li stared blankly down at his hands.

That searing heat—so intense it was almost unreal—still seemed to linger on his skin.

His face instantly turned scarlet, his heart pounding as if a wolf and a lamb were chasing each other inside it.

He covered his face and let out the faintest sound: “Woo…”

It took a while before he peeked through his fingers and scanned the room—empty.

[System, where is he?]

Even without saying the name, System 001 knew exactly who he was asking about. After a moment of hesitation, it answered: [He was just here watching you sleep.]

Chen Li was skeptical: [Then where is he now?]

…He was hiding.

But System 001 didn’t know how to say that, so it simply avoided the question: [I don’t know.]

Chen Li took a deep breath and got out of bed, angrily declaring: “I’m going back.”

He wasn’t even sure why he was suddenly this angry.

But the more he thought about it, the more convinced he was—it was definitely Fu Moyang’s fault.

Last night, he bit his lips until they bled, treated him like an oversized stress ball—kneading and squeezing him however he liked—and worst of all, actually made him use his hands to do that kind of thing…

Too much!

Without looking back, Chen Li stormed out. At some point, the large door that had previously been locked was now wide open.

He had expected there to be guards outside, but surprisingly, he didn’t run into a single wolf the entire way.

He had assumed the others would be out and about after the full moon, but their absence just made it easier for him to leave.

Without overthinking it, Chen Li followed the path he’d taken before.

Out of his sight, every wolf who had planned to come out and stop him had already been cowed into submission by a terrifying aura—forced back into their original forms, lying low on the ground.

Even the mosquitoes in the forest didn’t dare approach, scared off by the oppressive presence of the Wolf King trailing behind.

Chen Li made it all the way to the carriage without encountering a single threat. Still fuming, he climbed aboard and, before leaving, turned back to glance behind him a few times.

System 001 couldn’t help but try to remind him that Fu Moyang had followed him all the way here. But the moment it opened its mouth, Chen Li exploded: [I’m not waiting for him!!!]

System 001: [Oh.] I didn’t say you were.

Seeing this strong reaction, System 001 smartly decided not to mention what it had noticed.

Chen Li’s face turned red as he looked away: [I don’t want to see him at all right now.]

The horses began trotting toward home. Without having to carry a terrifying werewolf this time, their legs didn’t shake and their speed doubled. Inside the luxurious carriage, the ride was almost completely smooth.

Once again, Chen Li stared blankly at his hands, his cheeks growing more and more flushed.

Behind the carriage, a silent figure continued to follow.

They reached the outskirts of the town in even less time than it had taken to leave. But before they entered, Chen Li noticed something felt… off. There was a tension in the air, sharp and heavy.

He put on his mask and looked toward the city gates—only to be greeted by the sight of a charred, unrecognizable head mounted on display.

The sight made him jump back in shock.

The severed head was hung by a rope, the neck brutally hacked open with a blunt weapon, leaving the cut jagged and uneven.

Such a gruesome object was displayed right above the city gate for all passersby to see.

Sensing its master’s fright, the horse reared up nervously, nearly tipping the carriage over. Chen Li was jolted and quickly grabbed onto the interior decorations to steady himself.

At the critical moment, it felt as though a strange force had steadied the carriage. The horses immediately stopped moving erratically, their legs beginning to tremble instead.

Someone had helped him.

Without thinking, Chen Li jumped off the carriage, but the surroundings were completely empty—there wasn’t a soul in sight.

As if it had all been his imagination.

Sensing its host’s emotional turmoil, System 001 spoke up to shift his attention:
[That head belonged to the dwarf player. He failed his mission, and when they discovered he was plotting a rebellion, he was executed—torn apart by five horses. What you saw was just one piece of him.]

So that’s what the tense atmosphere in the city was about?

Chen Li let out a quiet “Oh” and got back into the carriage, heading toward vampire territory again. But a vague sense of unease tugged at him.

That unease lingered all the way until he returned to the mansion—only to find it completely empty.

Logically, his loyal subordinates should’ve already come to welcome him back.

NPCs like them weren’t supposed to act out of character. If they weren’t here, it could only mean one thing: something had happened to them.

The moment that thought formed, he heard the sound of synchronized footsteps and weapons clashing behind him.

Startled, Chen Li turned around.

Human and featherfolk soldiers were closing in from both sides. At the front stood Gu Fu, along with the human player.

Gu Fu spread the massive white wings on his back and pointed a gleaming silver sword straight at Chen Li’s heart, lips curled into a smile: “You’re finally back.”

Today, he was going to kill this NPC—to prove that he was no less capable than Fu Moyang!

Behind him, the soldiers all drew their swords in perfect unison.

---

Author’s note:

It was just helping with hands, okay?

Why Li Bao is mad:

• Got bullied under the full moon ✅
• Woke up and someone wasn’t there ✅

Why Fu Moyang is hiding:

• Not because he’s afraid of having his ears pulled ❌
• Because after recalling everything while sober, he got super embarrassed ✅

---

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Seizing the King (11)

---

Chen Li wanted to pet him—but both his hands were pinned down, completely immobilized. He tried to move his legs, only for the man to forcefully press them apart with his knee.

More and more werewolf traits were appearing on Fu Moyang. His vertical pupils, already intense, grew fiercer from frustration and lack of relief: “Pet me.”

Chen Li: “Let me go first!”

To Fu Moyang, Chen Li’s struggling strength was barely stronger than a kitten’s.

Denied the affection he craved, the werewolf decided to help himself instead—lowering his head and pressing his face into the soft, pale skin of his little prey to inhale his scent deeply.

“Wait—!”

Chen Li’s round pupils suddenly dilated in shock, a look of disbelief flashing across his face.

Did he… just get licked?

This wasn’t like the playful, fluffy licking from when Chen Li had taken on his lamb form. This was much more direct. The man’s cool lips pressed right against his bare skin, occasionally grazing it with sharp fangs in gentle nibbles.

Chen Li’s delicate skin quickly bloomed with tiny red marks.

The inside of the carriage was well insulated, completely sealing in the sultry sounds—intimate kisses, and the soft, whimpering noises of a helpless little creature.

Chen Li felt like he had turned into a piece of syrupy candy—unwrapped and now being licked and nibbled without mercy.

“Bad wolf!”

Maybe it was the pitiful sob in those two words that broke through—Fu Moyang’s eyes flickered with a rare moment of clarity: “Don’t cry.”

Chen Li’s almond-shaped eyes were misty, as if soaked in water.

“I’m not crying.”

His voice trembled, but he still insisted.

Even though his nose had gone red from how aggrieved he felt.

Fu Moyang’s movements softened. He kissed the corner of Chen Li’s eye—then followed that tender trail downward to the edge of his lips. Instinct completely overtook reason.

And finally, he kissed the lips he had been longing for all this time.

Whatever fragile restraint had remained in him collapsed in an instant. A wave of indescribable desire and fulfillment crashed over him. In that moment, it felt like all the things he’d lost had suddenly come back—familiar, yet unfamiliar. The emotion was overwhelming.

It nearly drowned him.

He had once lost a part of his core.

For a ghost, that was no different from a human losing their soul. Though he eventually recovered it, all memories tied to it were gone. He tried to pretend it didn’t matter, but the emptiness gnawed at him constantly. That was why he had voluntarily entered Horror Game—not to search for what was lost, but to distract himself from that hollow feeling.

But now… he wasn’t so sure anymore.

It felt as if he had caught hold of something again.

Chen Li had no idea what kind of turmoil the man beside him was going through.
He’d never even been kissed before—let alone kissed like this, so deeply, so fiercely, as if the man wanted to carve his mark into his bones.

He could only retreat, bit by bit, until he was completely conquered.

By the time the kiss ended, Chen Li could barely breathe.

And the culprit simply scooped him up into his arms with a look of pure satisfaction.

The tip of his tail swayed lazily back and forth—clearly in a very good mood.

“You’re too much!” Chen Li finally regained his senses and wiped his mouth angrily.

He had once imagined what his first kiss would be like.

He thought he’d find a sweet girl—someone he could spend his life with—and maybe on some romantic day, they’d fall into each other’s arms, feelings mutual, hearts aligned…

Not getting it stolen like this on a moving carriage by a completely irrational werewolf!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.

He smacked Fu Moyang on the head, voice flustered and jumbled: “You can’t do this! We’re not even dating! Even—Even if the kiss made my heart race and my face burn, still—”

His voice trailed off, then suddenly picked back up: “It doesn’t matter! It was wrong! You didn’t even ask me first!”

System 001, whose view had just been cut off but could absolutely guess what happened: …Is this really the part we’re focusing on right now?!

Would asking for permission have made that kiss okay?!

Fu Moyang stared down at Chen Li’s lips as they moved, remembering the sweet taste of that kiss—and couldn’t help but want another.

But just as he leaned in again, his wolf ears were yanked back forcefully.

Chen Li pulled them back and scolded: “Stop messing around! We’re heading to the werewolf clan now!”

He didn’t hold back, and the werewolf immediately lowered his gaze in pitiful dejection.

Even his tail stopped wagging, drooping down like it had been wronged.

This dejected look really softened Chen Li’s heart, and he began to wonder if he had been too harsh.

Fu Moyang had only lost control because of the approaching full moon.
Maybe, in his eyes, Chen Li was nothing more than a giant, jiggling pudding.
Whatever reckoning there was to be had, it could wait until he was in his right mind again.

So Chen Li loosened his grip and switched to gently rubbing his wolf ears, awkwardly coaxing him: “Just behave for a bit. It’ll all be fine soon.”

This time, there was no need for a driver. The two horses hitched to the carriage seemed to understand the urgency, trotting steadily toward the forest where the werewolf clan resided.

It took most of the day, but just before sunset, they arrived at the outskirts of the werewolf territory.

Unlike the dwarves’ simple aesthetic, the werewolf tribe was much larger—more primal.

They controlled the entire eastern forest, fiercely territorial, and absolutely refused to let other races near—especially the vampires, whom they particularly loathed.

To avoid drawing attention, Chen Li used some of his points to buy a perfume that masked all scent, then donned a mask to disguise himself as a bold human merchant.

Still, he asked again, voice full of unease: “They’re not going to just attack us on sight… right?”

But Fu Moyang wasn’t listening at all

He was too busy holding Chen Li’s hand, turning it over and toying with it with full attention—like it was the only thing in the world that mattered.

After everything they’d been through, Chen Li finally understood a bit of the truth: he couldn’t be too gentle with him, or else things would only get worse and he’d be bullied even more.

Chen Li put on a stern face: “Forget it. Don’t say a word from now on. Whatever I say, just respond with ‘Mm’ and nothing else.”

Fu Moyang kept playing with his hands, as if they were some rare treasure.

This wouldn’t do—if he lost control again later, it would be a disaster.

So Chen Li tried a different approach, softening his tone: “If you behave tonight, I’ll give you a reward, okay?”

Fu Moyang reacted noticeably to the word “reward.” He looked up and stared intently at Chen Li’s face—more specifically, at his inviting-looking mouth.

Chen Li, unaware of this, felt pleased. Thinking his method was working, he repeated his request once more.

This time Fu Moyang responded, nodding: “Mm.”

Feeling encouraged, Chen Li happily draped a dull gray cloak over him to hide his striking appearance.

System 001, who had been watching nearby, couldn’t help but ask: [How do you know this method will make him obey?]

Chen Li smiled sheepishly: [There’s a neighbor in my apartment building who trains her corgi like this. I’ve seen it work.]

For stubborn dogs, clear rewards and punishments are the best way, so the same probably applies to wolves.

System 001 was baffled and deeply impressed.

So terrifying—comparing Fu Moyang to a trained dog? It really had underestimated the host before.

Once Fu Moyang started cooperating, everything became much easier. Chen Li took his hand and helped him into the carriage, the cloak hiding his face.

The two horses were nearly exhausted, so Chen Li decided not to push them further and walked ahead on foot.

He thought they’d have to go deeper to encounter wolves, but to his surprise, as soon as they entered this part of the forest, rustling sounds came from all around. Chaotic footsteps quickly surrounded him and Fu Moyang.

“Who’s trespassing in our forest?!”

More than a dozen wolves armed with weapons and several wolf forms leapt out from the thick trees.

Though their faces looked young, their eyes were sharp and seasoned with killing intent. They all aimed their weapons at Chen Li and Fu Moyang.

Sensing the threat, Fu Moyang let out a low growl from deep in his throat. His muscles tensed instantly. If he hadn’t been thinking about the promised reward earlier, he would have torn everything around them to pieces.

The moment he growled, the fierce wolves around them froze, lowering their weapons instinctively.

The young man standing at the front let out an excited howl before saying: “Wolf King! You’re back!?”

Fu Moyang replied casually: “Mm.”

Like a stone dropped into the calm waters of a lake, the group of half-grown wolves immediately burst into excited howls.

“The Wolf King is back!”

“The Wolf King!”

“Our king has returned!!”

They lowered their weapons and happily swarmed around Chen Li and Fu Moyang.

Amid the joyful chaos, Chen Li was completely confused as he followed them deeper into the pack.

The wolves chattered all at once: “We have to find the elder!”

“Quick, tell everyone!”

“My father will be so sad he missed this!”

Chen Li’s head was spinning with one question:

Wolf King? What Wolf King?

They were led to a solemn stone house where an elderly man with white hair was being roughly pulled by a few overly excited wolf pups tugging at his pants and sleeves. The old man was so out of breath that Chen Li worried he might faint any second.

Once the elder caught his breath, he didn’t even scold the disrespectful pups but instead widened his eyes in disbelief: “It really is you!”

He lowered his head and said: “Wolf King.”

The surrounding wolves, who had been noisy just moments before, quieted down and bowed their heads in unison.

It was a sign of submission—a gesture of loyalty to the greatest power.

Chen Li stood in the middle, completely baffled, forced to accept their worship.

Fu Moyang: “Mm.”

That single sound was like a command; all the wolves raised their heads. The elder respectfully looked at him: “Wolf King, we have been waiting for you here.”

The other wolves eagerly chirped, expressing their admiration and longing for him.

As beasts, wolves showed their feelings in the most direct and passionate way.

Some wolves looked at Chen Li with suspicion and curiosity, whispering: “What is that?”

“Idiot, that’s a human.”

“Why would the Wolf King bring a human back?”

“That human must be the Wolf King’s prey!”

Fu Moyang’s expression turned serious: “Mm.”

Chen Li: …What the heck are you ‘mm’-ing about!

After listening to all this, he finally understood the situation.

The whole story about fighting the old Wolf King, both sides getting badly injured, and him running away unable to return to the clan—none of it was true!

He’d been tricked again by this bad guy. And here he was, kindly sharing his room and even his bed.

Turns out this person had already finished the mission from the start, and Chen Li had been the only one worrying. If he hadn’t come to the wolf clan this time, who knows how long he’d have been fooled!

---

Author’s note: Someone’s messing up again.

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Seizing the King (10)

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Standing in the plaza, Chen Li couldn’t help but ask again: “Do you really think this will scare them?”

He stared at the brightly colored gift box in front of him—it was about the same height as he was.

Fu Moyang had promised to teach him how to scare people, and this was what he gave him: a heavy, rectangular gift box.

Fu Moyang winked at him: “It’ll work. Just remember—once you put down the gift box, walk away. Don’t look back.”

“Got it.” Chen Li put on the mask, transforming once again from a “player” into the mysterious NPC.

He temporarily stored the gift in the system space and headed to the basement alone to avoid suspicion.

Aside from Fu Moyang, the other players were already waiting. As Chen Li approached, the other three showed varying degrees of nervousness.

Only Gu Fu carried a different emotion—alert suspicion—as he watched Chen Li closely.

He didn’t know why Chen Li hadn’t shown up yet, but he was worried this NPC might use it as an excuse to threaten him.

Fortunately, this unpredictable NPC didn’t seem to care about the missing player. With a casual wave of his hand, he conjured a massive gift box out of thin air.

The player from the undead clan couldn’t help but ask: “What is that?”

Trying not to give anything away, Chen Li lifted his chin arrogantly and avoided looking at them. He answered curtly: “Open it and find out.”

Leaving behind the line Fu Moyang had taught him, Chen Li turned and walked away—even though he was just as curious about what was inside.

After he left, the group of players cautiously circled the box. Only Gu Fu seemed distracted, lost in thought.

He didn’t understand why Chen Li hadn’t appeared tonight, but something told him it had everything to do with Fu Moyang.

After several careful touches revealed no immediate danger, Ar was the first to step forward: “Let me open it.”

He shouldn’t have acted so recklessly, but the urge to prove himself in front of Gu Fu got the better of him.

The gift box was cleverly designed—just a pull of the ribbon, and it would open automatically.

With a loud pop, a grotesque humanoid figure was revealed. Blood and muscle were exposed, and the movement of opening the box dislodged its barely-attached head, sending it tumbling to the ground. It shattered like a watermelon, and from the dozens of stitched seams on the body, foul-smelling yellowish pus began to ooze out.

One of the eyeballs that fell from the severed head rolled across the floor—stopping right at Gu Fu’s feet.

A human player cried out: “What is that thing?!”

Even after going through many games, the sheer horror of this sight made several players gag.

The realization hit Gu Fu hard. His expression darkened: “It’s the elf player.”

He never imagined that the seemingly harmless NPC who had promised to bring the elf player here would do so by delivering his corpse in such a gruesome way.

There was no doubt Fu Moyang had a hand in this. This was a warning. A calculated threat.

Sure enough, when it came to guide NPCs, one could never let their guard down.

Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows of the plaza, Chen Li listened to the screams coming from inside as the system cheerfully announced an increase in the fear level. His curiosity about what was inside the box only grew.

[What the heck was in there?]

System 001: […Trust me, it’s better if you don’t know.]

. . . . .

“Lately, there’ve been strange rumors around the city. Some people say the princess has been seen with a vampire.”

“Nonsense!” The vampire subordinate couldn’t hold back his anger. He slammed a hand on the table—only to freeze when Fu Moyang glanced his way, instantly shrinking like a frightened quail.

Ever since the last time he got beaten up, most of the vampires had avoided showing their faces around Fu Moyang. Even this subordinate was only here by forcing himself to stay.

Yes, werewolves were natural enemies of vampires, and sure, they had higher health and damage output—but this strong? That just wasn’t normal!

Fu Moyang casually looked away and continued playing with Chen Li’s hand, as if admiring a fine piece of porcelain.

After a few failed attempts to pull his hand back, Chen Li gave up and let him be.

Sticking to the original character’s love-for-drama tone, Chen Li said loftily: “Ignore them. Stirring up scandal is a classic move in a power grab. That human traitor’s not completely stupid.”

Just last night, they’d gained a huge surge in fear level, and now today the players were already taking more aggressive action.

The vampire subordinate nodded: “And the featherfolk is also splitting into two factions—they’re having an internal conflict.”

Exactly what the original character would have wanted. Chen Li pretended to be interested and asked a few more questions before finally waving him off.

Once the NPC left, Chen Li’s previously rigid posture finally relaxed.

“They’re all starting to take the missions seriously. Aren’t you going to—” He turned to look at Fu Moyang, only to find him staring blankly at his hand.

The word “dazed” never really suited him—but right now, he truly seemed to have stopped thinking altogether.

That look made Chen Li feel like Fu Moyang wasn’t staring at a hand… but at a piece of juicy, freshly roasted meat.

Chen Li: “What’s wrong with you?”

Fu Moyang still didn’t look away: “Nothing.”

“But you’ve been acting weird all day.” As soon as Chen Li said that, he suddenly felt something wet on his fingers.

He looked down in disbelief and saw Fu Moyang had taken his fingertips into his mouth.

A tingling, electric sensation instantly shot up from his fingers.

“What are you doing?” Chen Li panicked and tried to push him away, but all he managed to do was mess up Fu Moyang’s hair.

Yep—definitely weird!

Fu Moyang still wouldn’t let go. He looked up at Chen Li, and this time began to lightly nibble with his teeth.

His round pupils slowly narrowed into slits as he stared at him.

Chen Li’s mouth opened in shock, his panic growing: “Are you sick or something?”

He thought the slit pupils were some kind of werewolf gene showing.

Fu Moyang didn’t respond—he just gave his fingers another gentle bite.

This time, it hurt. Chen Li kicked at him instinctively: “Bad wolf!”

Sensing that his prey was trying to escape, Fu Moyang let out a few low, growling sounds of warning from deep in his throat. But in the end, he released Chen Li’s hand—and pulled him into his arms instead.

Chen Li, completely stunned by the sudden rescue of his hand, now found himself wrapped tightly in Fu Moyang’s embrace. The man kept sniffing at his neck, as if trying to confirm something.

“Do you have a fever?” Chen Li asked, starting to feel the hug was way too warm.

The werewolf’s burning body heat clashed with the vampire’s naturally cold skin. The intense heat radiating from Fu Moyang felt like it could melt the little vampire in his arms.

“No.” Fu Moyang flicked his wolf tail behind him, but having failed to catch the scent he was looking for on his prey, he began to grow restless.

This was his prey. He should be marked as his own—so no one else would even dare to covet him.

Just from his voice, Fu Moyang sounded perfectly sane. But his actions made it clear—something was definitely wrong.

Chen Li: [System, what’s going on with him?]

Could it be food poisoning? But they’d been together the whole time. There was no chance he picked up something to eat on the sly.

System 001: [Do you remember the moon you saw when you woke up last night?]

Although he wasn’t sure what that had to do with anything, Chen Li still made an effort to recall: [I remember it was really big and round.]

System 001: [Because yesterday was the night before the full moon. And tonight is the full moon!]

Thanks to the reminder, Chen Li suddenly remembered—weren’t werewolves supposed to transform or go berserk during the full moon?

This was his first time dealing with something like this. Clumsily, he reached out to smooth down Fu Moyang’s hair.

As he ran his fingers through the short black strands, his mind raced: [What can I do to make him feel better?]

Fu Moyang had just been about to bite down and leave his mark. But when Chen Li started petting him, he paused, obediently lowering his head to make it easier for him. His eyes narrowed in contentment.

The wolf tail that had been twitching anxiously behind him gradually calmed.

As Chen Li kept petting, he couldn’t help switching to gently pinching Fu Moyang’s wolf ears. He had no idea what kind of reaction that would cause.

Werewolf ears were especially sensitive during this kind of “special” time. Fu Moyang’s muscles tensed as he held Chen Li in his arms, struggling to stay in control and not hurt him.

System 001: [I think you might need to take him back to the werewolf clan. They’ll know what to do.]

Chen Li: [But didn’t he say he had nowhere to go because he fought with the Wolf King?]

Nervous, he accidentally squeezed the wolf ears a little too hard: [Wouldn’t going back be dangerous?]

System 001: [There’s no other way. Even if you asked Gu Fu for help, he wouldn’t know anything about werewolves.]

Chen Li gritted his teeth: [Fine. Got it.]

He stopped petting and gave Fu Moyang a pat: “Get up. I’m taking you back to the werewolf clan.”

Fu Moyang didn’t respond. Instead, he stubbornly grabbed Chen Li’s hand again and placed it back on his wolf ears. His lips parted and he uttered a single word:

“Pet.”

He hadn’t heard a single thing Chen Li had just said.

Chen Li felt like he was trying to soothe a spoiled, tantrum-throwing dog. His voice instinctively softened: “Just give me ten minutes, okay? I’ll come back and keep petting you, promise?”

At the sound of pet, something clicked in Fu Moyang’s brain. His eyes sharpened, the lethargy fading.

“Five minutes.”

That was his limit for compromise.

Chen Li: “…Fine.”

He moved faster than he ever had in his life, summoning a trusted vampire subordinate and ordering him to prepare a carriage immediately.

Though Fu Moyang did let go as promised, his eyes never left Chen Li, shadowing his every step—so close it felt like he’d fused into his back. Like a giant, overprotective tail.

That big tail did not take kindly to the presence of the vampire subordinate who had “invaded” his territory. Unconsciously, Fu Moyang emitted a crushing aura.

Even without meeting his gaze, the vampire felt like a massive hand was wrapped around his heart, ready to squeeze it to pulp if he made one wrong move.

He didn’t even dare lift his head to look. Deep inside, he couldn’t help but admire Chen Li—as expected of the Vampire Prince. Only he could tame this beast.

Of course, the poor subordinate didn’t realize that right now, the so-called beast was looking at His Highness with pure, unrestrained greed and possessiveness.

The carriage arrived quickly. Lavishly decorated with golden embellishments, it was even larger than the broken one from before—big enough to fit a whole family comfortably.

No time to be picky. Chen Li hurriedly pushed Fu Moyang inside, then climbed in after him using the step stool.

The moment they got in, a powerful force slammed him to the floor. The half-transformed werewolf panted heavily above him, making no attempt to hide his desire.

“Pet me.”

Five minutes were up.

---

Author’s note:

Someone (fiercely): Pet me! (Tail wagging like crazy.)

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Seizing the King (9)

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Chen Li tried again, pushing with all four little hooves, fluff on his rear end starting to get messy from the effort.

System 001 felt deeply conflicted: “I didn’t expect you weren’t just bloated.”

If it weren’t for the wool hiding him, Chen Li would probably be blushing pink all over right now. He gave up and let his head droop, his fluffy little tail swaying listlessly from side to side.

Suddenly, he felt a tug at the back of his neck, and the whole little lamb body was lifted into the air. Startled, he let out a panicked bleat: “Baa-wooo?!”

Fu Moyang carefully held him in his mouth and set him down gently, then lowered his head and affectionately rubbed his nose against Chen Li’s tiny horns: “It’s me.”

“Baa!” Chen Li looked up in delight—only then realizing that the explosion sounds that had been going off earlier had completely stopped at some point.

Overjoyed, he bounced around the giant beast that was several times his size.

“Baa baa baa!” I’m so glad you’re okay!

But then, mid-hop, he suddenly froze.

Why could he still talk after turning into a wolf, while I can only bleat as a lamb?!

Who’s the real NPC here?!

The gray wolf lowered his head and watched the little lamb whose emotions swung wildly from joy to frustration. He could read the mood in those round, black, grape-like eyes. Chuckling inwardly, he lay down and gently picked Chen Li up, placing him against his chest.

Chen Li blinked, utterly confused as to why he’d suddenly been picked up again.

A shadow loomed overhead, and he felt something rough graze across the top of his head.

He froze.

“Baa?” he bleated, dumbfounded.

D-did he just lick me?!

Fu Moyang dipped his head again, carefully licking the messy, curled wool that had been ruffled earlier, straightening it as he went. With each stroke, he left his own domineering scent behind.

The lamb was so small that Fu Moyang could practically swallow him whole in one bite.

After a few licks, Chen Li finally snapped out of his daze and, flustered, used his tiny horns to nudge at Fu Moyang.

“Baa!” Stop licking me!

They weren’t really a wolf and a lamb!

You can’t just go around grooming each other!

No—wait—even actual wolves and lambs wouldn’t groom each other!

To Fu Moyang, the lamb’s angry nudging was as gentle as a tickle. Still, he stopped, nudged Chen Li lightly with his nose, and let out a few low, rumbling sounds from his throat.

His silver-grey eyes gazed deeply into Chen Li’s.

Chen Li looked up—and immediately found himself lost in that silver-grey eyes. His resolve wavered.

He probably wasn’t doing it for any weird reason… it must’ve just been some instinct left over from his wolf form, trying to check if his companion was okay.

Still, he shouldn’t have headbutted him like that.

“Baa baa.” Now feeling a little guilty, Chen Li wiggled his ears and rubbed his head shyly against Fu Moyang’s neck, as a gesture of apology.

“Baa.” Sorry… I shouldn’t have been so mean.

Lost in self-reflection, the little lamb completely missed the hint of a smile that flashed through the big bad wolf’s eyes.

Fu Moyang shifted slightly and curled his body around Chen Li, tucking the lamb against his belly. While Chen Li was still blinking in confusion, Fu Moyang flicked his tail.

Just as expected, the little lamb who had been about to scoot away was instantly distracted by the big, fluffy tail.

Unlike the silvery-gray fur of his body, Fu Moyang’s wolf ears and tail were a darker shade of gray—soft, plush, and irresistibly fluffy.

Chen Li hesitated for only half a second before pouncing, wrapping his tiny hooves around the giant tail. His whole body was smaller than the tail itself.

Like an indulgent adult entertaining a mischievous cub, Fu Moyang patiently played the “chase the tail” game with him.

The lamb was soon bleating joyfully, running in circles until he was completely out of breath—then collapsed in a heap on the wolf’s warm belly.

Wolf and lamb rested quietly together for a while.

Chen Li had completely forgotten that the big wolf in front of him was actually a person. He snuggled up happily, like he’d finally fulfilled his dream of owning a big fluffy dog.

After confirming that the little guy was unharmed and emotionally calm, Fu Moyang gently wrapped him with his tail and lifted him onto his back.

He was planning to carry him back in his beast form.

Chen Li had originally intended to protest—but then remembered that both their clothes were gone. If he turned back into a human now, he’d be completely naked.

So instead, he let himself melt contentedly into a little puddle of lamb on Fu Moyang’s broad back.

By the time Fu Moyang had carried him back to the vampire’s villa in just a few minutes, the little bundle of wool on his back was already fast asleep.

He shifted back into human form and gently placed Chen Li on a soft pillow, then leaned down and kissed his little horn.

“Good night, my little lamb.”

. . . . .

When Chen Li woke up, not only had he returned to his human form—someone had dressed him, too.

He lay in the massive European-style bed for a few seconds, deep in thought. Then decided not to think about who had dressed him.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, moonlight poured in like silver. Chen Li turned his head and suddenly felt the moon looked… huge.

Wait a second—moonlight?!

He shot up from the bed: [001, how long was I asleep?!]

System 001 responded dryly: [Oh, just from dusk all the way to the middle of the night. No big deal.]

[…] Chen Li rubbed his temples. [Why didn’t you wake me?!]

He’d promised the other players that he would bring the elf traitor to them tonight.

At this point, they’ve probably been waiting for a while already.

System 001 fell silent—not because it didn’t want to speak, but because someone had been watching over him like a hawk while he slept.

Its non-living instincts told it that waking the host was a bad idea. Something terrible might happen if it did.

Logically, that person shouldn’t be able to sense its presence at all.

And yet, it could still feel an overwhelming sense of intimidation radiating from him.

Chen Li didn’t pay attention to System 001’s silence. He got out of bed, put on his shoes, and walked to the door. When he realized Fu Moyang wasn’t in the room, an uneasy feeling crept in.

The moment he opened the door, his premonition came true. Fu Moyang and Wendy were standing outside his room in a tense standoff.

Neither of them was willing to back down, yet they’d strangely come to the same unspoken agreement—not to wake the vampire inside.

So the two of them just stood there, radiating silent hostility.

When they heard the door open, they both turned their heads simultaneously. The murderous looks in their eyes vanished in an instant.

Fu Moyang stepped aside slightly: “You’re not going to sleep a bit more?”

Wendy, annoyed at being blocked, raised the tray in her hands and deliberately said loudly: “Your Highness, I brought you dinner!”

With her exaggerated movement, Chen Li finally saw what was on the tray.

A glass of bright red blood, elegantly served in a wine goblet, garnished with a small green fruit.

No matter how it was presented, it couldn’t hide the fact—it was a cup of fresh blood.

The sweet scent filled the air, but Chen Li felt nothing but repulsion. He looked down at Wendy’s right hand and saw it was wrapped in white bandages.

There was no need to ask where the blood came from.

Wendy quickly spoke up: “Your Highness, they said I’m pure—your favorite kind. What’s so good about that stinky werewolf?”

Clearly, she had been taught those lines by the vampires. A normal human child wouldn’t know such things.

Ever since Chen Li had spared her, something had switched on in her mind.

She was convinced that if she gained his favor, she could be turned—embraced—and become one of the vampires. Even though humans feared and hated vampires, some still longed to join their ranks.

The purer a vampire’s bloodline, the stronger their power—and their lives were so long, they were nearly immortal.

Her overly enthusiastic attitude was starting to scare Chen Li. Luckily, he’d fed a lot the day before, so he wasn’t particularly hungry today. The blood didn’t tempt him much.

Being “embraced” came with risks—it required draining the person’s blood completely, then feeding them vampire blood. Many didn’t survive the draining process.

Not to mention, Chen Li never intended to feed on anyone besides Fu Moyang—not even an NPC.

Seeing that he didn’t move, Wendy looked dejected: “Your Highness… do you really prefer a werewolf over drinking my blood?”

The way she said it was oddly phrased. Chen Li was at a loss for words—until Fu Moyang suddenly wrapped an arm around his waist.

With his other hand, he gently pressed Chen Li’s head against his shoulder and declared possessively: “He only drinks my blood. Now and always.”

Wendy—and the other vampires secretly eavesdropping—looked as if they’d been struck by lightning.

You could even hear them gasp from the shadows.

Chen Li’s face turned bright red. Furious, he bit down on Fu Moyang in retaliation, his voice muffled: “What nonsense are you spouting?!”

Fu Moyang looked innocent: “Did I say something wrong?”

Chen Li couldn’t even refute him. Fuming, he bit down again, this time without using fangs—it was more like a small animal throwing a tantrum.

Fu Moyang rubbed his head fondly: “Hungry again? Wait until we’re somewhere private to feed.”

He deliberately made the second half of the sentence sound soft and suggestive.

Now there was no way to explain himself. Chen Li fumed silently for a long moment, then gave up and kicked him lightly: “Come on, let’s go find those traitors and tell them what happened to the elves.”

Some players had already sacrificed themselves. He hoped that once they learned the truth, they’d be more cautious.

The bats hiding in the shadows scattered in panic when they saw Chen Li move. Still stunned by the shocking revelation, a few even flew into the walls.

Heavens! The Prince actually likes that werewolf—his sworn enemy! And he’s even being forcefully claimed!

Several of the prince’s closest vampire subordinates were furious, convinced the cunning werewolf must have used some dirty trick to seduce him.

They opened their mouths to silently exchange thoughts via telepathy, cursing Fu Moyang with disgust.

Unaware of the wild theories his subordinates were dreaming up, Chen Li quickened his pace, his face burning even hotter.

He started to miss Fu Moyang in his wolf form. At least the wolf was cute!

As a human… he was nothing but a menace. Still so mean, always bullying the little lamb—no, bullying people!

When Chen Li reached the villa’s front door, something felt off. He turned around and realized Fu Moyang hadn’t followed him.

About five minutes passed before Fu Moyang finally came downstairs.

By that time, Chen Li had already forgotten he was angry. Curious, he asked: “Where did you go?”

Fu Moyang raised a finger to his lips and whispered: “Secret.”

All he’d done was give those idiotic bats who kept making reckless decisions a good beating…

Then tossed them out the window. 🙂

---

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Seizing the King (8)

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Two tall horses were suddenly hoisted high into the air by tentacles that appeared from the side. The tentacles pierced through over a dozen parts of their bodies—their eye sockets, chests, abdomens—causing torrents of blood to pour onto the grass below, only to be instantly absorbed.

One could easily imagine the fate of the rabbit inside the carriage.

Before Chen Li had time to feel sorrow, he was scooped up in the arms of the werewolf, who dodged several tentacles as they came at them.

Fu Moyang’s expression shifted slightly. Muscles on his arms and lower limbs suddenly bulged, bones cracked audibly, and his entire body grew in size.

Before Chen Li could even react, he found himself landing on a broad, furry back. He let out a small gasp and instinctively wrapped his arms around the neck of the wolf beneath him.

His hands sank into thick fur as he clutched at the coarse neck hair.

A few rumbling sounds came from the throat of the silver-gray wolf, who then opened its mouth and spoke in human language: “Don’t be afraid.”

Chen Li was already stunned by the sudden transformation. All he could do was hold on tightly as the wolf leapt and dodged again and again.

The countless tentacles lunging toward them were all either evaded or shredded to pieces by the wolf’s sharp claws.

The severed tentacle fragments on the ground continued to squirm for a while before gradually withering into small clumps of dried, black, unidentifiable matter.

When Fu Moyang finally came to a stop, all the purplish-red tentacles in the area had been reduced to charred remains scattered across the ground.

Chen Li also finally snapped out of his shock from witnessing his teammate transform into a giant wolf. He shifted, intending to climb down, but Fu Moyang stopped him with a warning: “Don’t get down. It’s dangerous here.”

If it had been a real wolf, Chen Li might not have felt so uneasy.

But this was Fu Moyang. Fu Moyang had become this creature!

Fu Moyang didn’t give him any time to get flustered. He lifted a paw and started walking inward, explaining as he went: “Those tentacles just now were part of the Elven Mother Tree.”

Those disgusting, grotesque, red-bumped, fleshy purple-red tentacles were part of the source tree from which elves were born. Chen Li couldn’t help but shudder, a sudden, ominous feeling rising in his chest.

And sure enough, the moment he stepped into the elven territory, he knew his premonition had been right.

The peaceful, harmonious forest scene he had imagined was nowhere to be found. What should have been a vibrant elven sanctuary was now nothing but charred ruins, reeking of death and decay.

A drop of thick, foul-smelling liquid suddenly splashed beside them. Chen Li stiffened and slowly looked up—only to see a grotesque creature hanging above them, grinning at him with jagged, yellow teeth: “Graaah—”

Before it could make another move, Fu Moyang turned and swiped its eyeball out with one claw, tearing out the attached nerves in a single, brutal motion. The creature writhed in agony on the ground, and every place touched by its blood hissed and melted as if doused in strong acid.

Looking down at it from above, Fu Moyang said coldly: “This is what elves have become.”

Chen Li’s heart clenched. He stared in disbelief at the creature on the ground—roughly the size of a black bear, completely hairless. The only thing remotely elven about it were its pointed ears.

Fu Moyang made no attempt to hide his intentions: “Where is the traitor?”

Surprisingly, the seemingly mindless elf reacted strongly to those words. It raised its head in fury and, with its remaining eye, glared intensely behind them.

Chen Li turned—and saw the last remaining “player,” now standing ghost-like behind them. He didn’t know when the man had appeared, but it was clear he was no longer human.

The figure was a patchwork elf, crudely stitched together, barely maintaining a humanoid shape. Dozens of bloody seams crisscrossed his body, and each patch of skin was a different color—clearly from other beings. Organs and flesh that didn’t belong to him had been sewn together.

There was no longer any sign of life in him. He was now just a puppet under someone’s control.

In just a few seconds, Fu Moyang grasped the situation: “He failed.”

“What?” Chen Li, terrified, buried himself deeper into the wolf’s fur.

Fu Moyang explained calmly: “He tried to usurp the throne—and failed. That’s why he ended up like this.”

Chen Li asked: “Failed as in… the Elven King discovered he was the traitor?”

What a miserable end—not only did he die, but he was also turned into that thing.

“No,” Fu Moyang said. “It’s worse than that. He probably brought this on himself—by triggering the hidden boss of this instance: the Fallen Elf King.”

“You’ve finally arrived.”

Two voices spoke almost simultaneously.

Chen Li turned toward the second speaker, his heart pounding. A tall figure stood like a flawless statue carved from stone. His skin was a natural shade of ash-gray, and his appearance resembled something out of Greek mythology—like a Medusa, with a head full of writhing snakes. His gaze was fixed intensely on Chen Li, eyes burning with a strange fervor as he sighed: “I’ve waited for you a long time.”

“For me?” Chen Li was utterly confused. He had no idea who this person was.

There was nothing in the storyline that connected the Vampire Prince with the Fallen Elf King.

The Fallen Elf King extended a hand toward him: “Forgive me for not introducing myse—”

He didn’t get to finish.

The wolf struck first—Fu Moyang lunged directly for the elf’s throat, aiming to rip his head clean off.

The Fallen Elf King dodged swiftly, but Fu Moyang didn’t pause; with a second, relentless swipe of his claw, he managed to land a blow—three deep, bone-exposing gashes across the elf’s chest.

The Fallen Elf King frowned, clearly startled. For the first time, he took a serious look at Fu Moyang, visible shock in his eyes.

Chen Li, who had been set aside for safety, watched as the two began fighting with lethal precision. He couldn’t help but hold his breath: “Be careful!”

Even knowing Fu Moyang’s strength was beyond any ordinary NPC, he couldn’t stop himself from feeling anxious.

To avoid harming Chen Li, the two quickly moved their battle farther away. The intensity of their fight was incredible, but they managed to keep the center clear.

Already powerful on his own, Fu Moyang had become even more fearsome in his werewolf form—practically in berserk mode. At first, the Fallen Elf King had fought with a casual air, but after getting hit several times and failing to land a single blow in return, his expression turned grave.

Even Chen Li could tell who had the upper hand—and who was falling behind.

But just as he let out a breath of relief, the long-silent system voice suddenly rang out: [Behind you!]

A pair of stitched-together hands suddenly reached from behind and clamped down over his mouth, reeking of blood. The grip was brutal—he was yanked straight into a pit that had appeared in the ground behind him.

Like a small stone, he tumbled helplessly downward. Dizzy and dazed, he surprisingly felt no pain—his body was unharmed.

[Where is this place?] Chen Li asked nervously, shoving away the player who had fallen down with him.

Or rather—what was left of the player. It was a corpse now. Not even Fu Moyang had expected that someone who had already died and failed would be puppeted back into motion.

The Fallen Elf King NPC had known from the beginning that Chen Li would come—and had planned to separate him from Fu Moyang from the start.

System 001: [This is an underground world. There’s no real danger here.]

Chen Li was silent for a moment, then suddenly called out, “001.”

It was the first time System 001 had heard its host call it by name in such a serious tone. Nervous, it flickered slightly: [What is it?]

Chen Li: [You knew about the hidden boss all along, didn’t you?]

System 001’s mind froze for two seconds. Faced with the choice between lying or telling the truth, it ultimately chose the latter.

It spoke hesitantly: [I’m sorry… Joker told me. When you entered this instance, he wanted to come with you—but his colleagues beat him to it.]

It was only then that the system had detected the presence of this NPC.

The system didn’t try to lie anymore and instead came clean. The heavy weight on Chen Li’s heart eased a little. He clenched his fists and stood up, doing his best to ignore the corpse that was sharing the room with him.

[Joker’s colleagues? So they’re also guide NPCs with self-awareness?]

System 001: [Yes.]

[Then why did you hide it from me?] Chen Li asked.

System 001: [Because I wanted you two to meet.]

“Meet?” Chen Li was so surprised he said it out loud.

Seeing that its host didn’t seem angry, System 001 perked up again, its tone regaining a bit of its usual cocky flair: [After this lord’s careful calculation, this lord has decided that interacting with other guide NPCs would be beneficial to you.]

Chen Li replied bluntly: [That’s not what you said before.]

He had asked System 001 about this before, and back then, System 001 had sworn up and down that it wasn’t necessary—because guide NPCs were all extremely dangerous, lacked any sense of camaraderie, and should be avoided at all costs.

Feeling slightly slapped in the face, System 001 toned it down a little: [Ahem… That’s because I underestimated how ghost-attracting your constitution is. Plus, they… don’t seem hostile.]

“Hostile” was putting it mildly.

According to Joker’s description, it was like bees seeing a blooming flower—desperate to crowd around and get a taste. Of course, Joker was very much on board with that plan.

If it weren’t for Fu Moyang, the powerful ghost watching them like a hawk, they probably would’ve swarmed him already.

Like cats getting high off catnip.

But no matter how many precautions were taken, one still slipped through the cracks.

[If they’re not hostile, then why did he drag me away?] Chen Li asked, confused.

“Hello.”

A voice echoed from above, interrupting the internal dialogue between Chen Li and System 001. The sudden noise startled him so much he nearly lost his footing.

The Fallen Elf King, hanging upside down by his tail, was startled too—though in a very different way.

He hadn’t expected this human NPC to be so fragile.

He dropped to the ground, his tall frame casting a shadow over Chen Li: “Hey. Why were you with that other player just now?”

Chen Li eyed him warily: “Where is he?”

The Fallen Elf King had an unnaturally pale gray-blue complexion and a beautiful, divine, European-style face. Lowering his eyes, he answered with a smug smile:
“He got tricked by a little item I tossed out.”

Honestly, that player had been tough. If he hadn’t used a bit of underhanded strategy, it might have ended very differently.

“I’m the NPC ‘Nightmare.’ I came here for you.”

It was clear that this was his true name—not his identity within the current instance.

Chen Li took a cautious step back, looking like a bristling little cub: “Why are you looking for me? I don’t even know you.”

Nightmare tilted his head, as if puzzled: “Because I like you. You smell nice—and you carry a calming aura.”

The blatant flirtation nearly made Chen Li explode, but he quickly reined himself in.

Because Nightmare’s eyes were completely sincere. He wasn’t joking or playing around.

This Nightmare was ranked high on the NPC leaderboard. It had always acted alone and never paid any attention to humans or other NPCs—unbelievably arrogant and straightforward.

No wonder he came straight into this instance without saying a word to the other NPCs.

Joker and the other NPCs were practically dying of frustration because of him.

Chen Li: “Are you saying I have some kind of aura that attracts NPCs?”

He could only think of ways to stall for time.

The Nightmare grinned widely: “Yes, but not all non-human creatures can sense it—only the powerful ones with self-awareness.”

He took another step forward: “Can I take a sniff?”

It smelled so good. Just unbelievably good.

Chen Li quickly refused: “No way!”

He was now certain this NPC didn’t harbor any ill will toward him—but he still couldn’t accept it.

The whole situation made him feel like he’d turned into some kind of irresistible treat.

The Nightmare stopped and, surprisingly, looked a little hurt: “Why not?”

With no good answer, Chen Li and the Nightmare reached a stalemate—until, just as the Nightmare tried to approach again, a massive rumbling sound came from outside.

The shockwave made Chen Li stumble, and when he looked up, he saw blood spill from the Nightmare’s mouth.

The Fallen Elf King wiped the blood away expressionlessly and growled: “How dare he!”

Then he turned to Chen Li, his tone softening unexpectedly: “Don’t run off. I’ll be back soon.”

Then, as Chen Li watched the NPC vanish instantly via a teleportation array, he felt a little lost: [What just happened out there?]

Why did he suddenly get injured like that?

System 001 wanted so badly to shake him by the shoulders and shout: Because you disappeared, and someone went crazy, that’s why!!

But it held back and simply said: [Fu Moyang attacked the Elven Mother Tree. The Nightmare’s current identity is a Fallen Elf King—no elf can stray too far from the Mother Tree.]

Chen Li was shocked: [Then isn’t he in serious danger now?]

System 001 was confused: [Who?]

Who’s in danger? The Nightmare?

Surely he doesn’t mean that terrifying ghost… haha…

Chen Li found the system’s response strange: [Of course I mean Fu Moyang! I have to help him.]

And with that, he turned and ran toward the only source of light in the underground darkness.

System 001 gasped.

Light meant there was an exit. Without any hesitation, Chen Li sprinted forward. Five minutes later, he finally spotted a small opening.

Excited, he asked: [System, can I get out through here?]

System 001: [Yes, but it’s so small—how are you going to fit through?]

It was even smaller than a dwarf’s doghole, a human body definitely couldn’t squeeze through.

Chen Li gritted his teeth: [Then I’ll turn into a lamb!]

His true form—a little fluffy lamb—should have no problem crawling through.

Who would’ve thought he’d react so quickly this time… and even be willing to go that far?

System 001 knew there was no way to talk him out of it, so it gave up and just encouraged him instead: [Good luck.]

Turning back into a human from a lamb was difficult, but going from human to that soft, harmless little form only took a single thought.

With a soft pop, Chen Li turned back into a lamb. He stood up a little unsteadily, not quite used to the form, and clumsily shuffled toward the small hole.

Clearly, he had overestimated how coordinated his limbs were—each of his four little hooves seemed to move in different directions. Naturally, he got himself stuck halfway through the hole.

Chen Li kicked forward a bit, and the fluffy little tail behind him gave an incredulous shake.

“Baa?”

Stuck. He was actually stuck. QAQ

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Author’s note:
Anyone who wants to see the little lamb snuggling with the big bad wolf, raise your hand!!

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Seizing the King (7)

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Fu Moyang turned around in an instant. When he faced him, all the sharp edges and hostility from before disappeared, and his expression softened.

Gu Fu looked over as well, but his eyes were filled with indifference: “So, is there something you came here to say?”

Chen Li forced himself to keep a serious expression, hiding his nerves behind a mask: “I’m here to tell you that tomorrow night, at the same time, you’ll need to come back here.”

Gu Fu: “Why?”

There was still suspicion in his eyes. If he didn’t get a good explanation here, he’d think Fu Moyang was secretly conspiring with the NPCs.

After all, everyone had been labeled a traitor in this instance.

“Because…” Chen Li quickly made up a reason on the spot, “because tomorrow I’ll be bringing the traitor from the elf clan!”

This answer eased some of Gu Fu’s doubts. He thought for a moment: “So Li Zi really did leave first?”

Chen Li felt like he was giving the best performance of his life: “If you mean the vampire from our clan, then yes, he did just leave.”

He was so nervous he almost bit his tongue. Fu Moyang stepped sideways to block most of Gu Fu’s line of sight.

Fu Moyang impatiently said: “Anything else?”

Gu Fu coldly withdrew his gaze and left without looking back.

He wanted to spread the news before the other players got too far away.

Only after Gu Fu disappeared from sight did Chen Li finally let out a sigh of relief: “That scared me.”

Fu Moyang poked his little ram horn: “Going home?”

The word ‘home’ hit Chen Li’s heart heavily, making him forget to protect his sensitive little horns. By the time he realized, they’d been poked several times.

He quickly covered his horns with his hands and blankly said: “Okay.”

No sooner had he spoken than Fu Moyang bent down and slipped his arms under Chen Li’s knees, lifting him up in one swift move.

“Wait! I can walk myself!” Chen Li started to protest but was startled by the sudden action.

Fu Moyang wagged his tail, then leapt powerfully with his hind legs, landing on a nearby rooftop and then jumping to another.

Holding Chen Li easily, he closed the distance to their destination in just a few breaths. Fu Moyang looked down and asked: “Hmm, what did you say?”

The night breeze tousled his normally neat clothes, giving him a slightly wicked edge.

“N-nothing,” Chen Li stammered, then feeling a bit tricked, raised his hand to pinch the wolf ears.

Fu Moyang cooperated, lowering his head to let him ‘bully’ him.

Chen Li pinched the wolf ears and suddenly his gaze became distant: “Don’t take what Gu Fu said seriously. He’s probably just too nervous around me.”

Fu Moyang twitched his ears, feigning indifference: “That person? What did he say just now?”

Clearly, he hadn’t taken it to heart.

Seeing this, Chen Li secretly relaxed: “Nothing much.”

He happily resumed rubbing the wolf ears.

What Gu Fu said about ‘possession’ was embarrassing—after all, they were all guys, just purely friends.

Thinking this, Chen Li couldn’t help but smile. He felt like he and Fu Moyang had become good friends. Fu Moyang had really helped him out tonight.

Feeling the little lamb in his arms suddenly happy for no reason, Fu Moyang tilted his head and pressed his other, neglected ear into Chen Li’s hand. His cool silver-gray eyes were softer than moonlight: “Rub this one too.”

Like a big dog being spoiled.

Chen Li happily obliged, rubbing it with a gentle petting motion.

Fu Moyang closed his eyes half in pleasure. Seeing Chen Li so absorbed, he didn’t interrupt him and just carried him back to the room.

Every passing vampire was so shocked they turned into bats, wishing they had never opened their eyes.

Damn it, the Vampire Prince and the Werewolf really got together!!

. . . . .

Even after turning into a vampire, Chen Li’s good daily routine habits still kept him from reversing his sleep schedule. So after being busy most of the night yesterday, he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the bed. When he woke up, he realized he was being held in Fu Moyang’s arms, with something fluffy wrapped around his waist.

Chen Li looked down in confusion and saw a dark gray tail. The tip of the tail was wagging, as if greeting him.

He couldn’t resist and reached out to touch it—it was even smoother than he had imagined.

His hand glided effortlessly from the tip of the tail all the way to its base.

Fu Moyang couldn’t stay calm any longer. With a muffled grunt, he opened his eyes and bit the mischievous hand grabbing his tail.

Chen Li’s eyes widened. Looking at the faint bite marks on his fingertip, he frowned slightly: “Are you a puppy?”

Fu Moyang squinted: “Woof?”

His just-woken-up voice had a deep, masculine huskiness, and even a single word sounded incredibly sexy.

Chen Li couldn’t help but laugh, his eyes curling into a smile: “Naughty puppy.”

Fu Moyang smiled back, his wolf tail wrapping possessively around Chen Li’s waist as he softly asked: “Want to sleep a little longer?”

The sunlight today was very bright, and it wasn’t suitable for vampires to go out during the day. Chen Li almost gave in and lay back down.

Luckily, he snapped out of it just in time and slapped Fu Moyang’s face: “I still have to find that player from the elf clan.”

Fu Moyang looked up, flicked his tail in displeasure, and let go of him: “I’m coming with you.”

Without waiting for Chen Li’s reply, he got up on his own.

Chen Li: “You’re a player. You don’t have to go that far.”

Other players were probably busy dealing with the mess in their own clans right now.

Fu Moyang: “Do you want to increase your fear level?”

The sudden topic change confused Chen Li, but he nodded absentmindedly.

Fu Moyang: “Good. I can teach you how to act fierce and scare them.”

“Really?” Chen Li was intrigued.

He recalled how those players, whether they knew his true identity or not, were all afraid of him—not just because of the name Fu Moyang, but of his entire presence.

If he could be like Fu Moyang, maybe collecting fear points would be much easier.

Fu Moyang coaxed him: “Of course it’s real. They’ll be very scared of you.”

If they are not scared, then just beat them until they are 🙂

As he spoke, Fu Moyang gently smoothed out Chen Li’s messy bed hair. Chen Li obediently stayed still, letting him run his hands through his hair, feeling a little softening inside.

Fu Moyang continued coaxing him, promising he’d be fierce and terrifying, turning him from a little kitten into a fierce little tiger.

Chen Li tilted his head happily: “Am I really that fierce?”

“Hm, very fierce,” Fu Moyang replied without even raising an eyebrow.

System 001: …Forget it. If you’re happy, that’s what matters.

. . . . .

The elf clan’s habitat was at the center of the Crimson Forest. The forest’s outer ring was full of wild beasts, set up to keep other races from disturbing them.

But ordinary beasts couldn’t stop vampires from entering. The real reason Chen Li himself had to get involved was because those vampire subordinates simply couldn’t find the way to the center of the Crimson Forest.

They could only roam around the outskirts, getting lost and eventually kicked out of the forest again and again.

To protect Chen Li from sunlight, Fu Moyang had arranged for a carriage. Under his gaze, the two horses trembled in fear, barely able to move.

Chen Li petted one of the horses’ heads: “Your carnivorous werewolf aura is scaring them.”

Fu Moyang: “It’s fine. If they don’t behave, I’ll just eat them. There are plenty of horses anyway.”

Whether they understood his words or sensed the threat behind them, the two horses snorted and finally stopped trembling. Though still scared, they were at least able to walk properly.

Fu Moyang drove them deeper into the forest. Curious, Chen Li asked from inside the carriage: “What do you think elves are like?”

He was quite curious and excited about this mythical race.

The elves in legends were always beautiful, with pointed ears and a calming presence, naturally close to plants and trees.

Fu Moyang, uninterested, answered: “Maybe two eyes and one mouth.”

Chen Li ignored the dismissal, chirping happily like a little bird on a spring outing: “Will they be as beautiful as the stories say?”

He liked everything pleasing to the eye.

Fu Moyang glanced back once, thinking, Who else could be cuter than you?

He didn’t like Chen Li paying too much attention to others. His sharp silver-grey eyes flicked, and with a blur of motion, he suddenly jumped out of the carriage.

Chen Li only felt the carriage jolt suddenly, and the man returned holding something. He lifted the carriage curtain and said: “Here you go.”

He tossed the object, which let out a frightened chirp.

Chen Li scrambled to catch it. Looking down, he saw a plump, fluffy rabbit.

The rabbit’s round eyes looked at him in terror.

Chen Li was a little scared too and held it carefully, not daring to move.

The man and the rabbit stared at each other in an unexpectedly peaceful moment.

Fu Moyang was very pleased with the scene. He raised a hand to rub Chen Li and said: “Something to play with on the road. Be good.”

And after playing enough, it could be turned into a snack.

Chen Li was a bit reluctant to let go, but tried to sound mature: “I’m not a kid.”

Still, his hands kept gently squeezing the rabbit’s ears.

This fat, fluffy bunny brought Chen Li a lot of joy. He stopped thinking about the elves and instead spent time petting the rabbit and feeding it some grass.

Originally, the rabbit had been terrified by the werewolf, but in Chen Li’s arms, it sniffed around and, sensing no danger, relaxed and started munching the grass.

The “maze” of the forest was no problem for a werewolf with heightened senses. Being a child of the forest, he was immune to the tricks of the trees, no matter how they shifted or tried to confuse him. Soon, they reached the forest’s deep interior.

This place was almost a different world from the forest’s edge.

Fu Moyang lifted the carriage curtain to tell Chen Li to get ready, only to see him cuddling the rabbit, who was affectionately nudging his face and trying to lick him.

Before it could, Chen Li suddenly felt a sharp grip on the back of his neck.

Fu Moyang, very protective, quickly picked up the fat rabbit and tossed it into a corner, then approached Chen Li: “This is the way to the elf clan.”

Chen Li was about to check on the poor, tossed-about rabbit, but stopped at Fu Moyang’s words: “We’re here?”

“Yeah.” Fu Moyang’s eyes darkened suddenly, and before Chen Li could react, he scooped him up and rolled him out of the carriage.

They tumbled on the ground twice, but because Fu Moyang had held him tight, Chen Li only ended up with a few pieces of grass stuck in his hair—no real injuries. He looked up, still shaken.

At the exact moment they rolled out, dozens of purplish-red tentacles pierced through the carriage, tearing it to pieces and sending wood splinters flying everywhere.

If Fu Moyang hadn’t been quick and alert, Chen Li’s fate would have been the same as the carriage—shattered to bits.

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Author’s note:

The different interpretations of touching the ears and tail from the perspectives of the two people:

Fu Moyang: That’s flirting. (Definitely.)

Chen Li: Petting and cuddling a big, spoiled dog. (Innocent.)

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Seizing the King (6)

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Gu Fu: “Can you guarantee nothing will happen to him?”

Fu Moyang turned his head slightly and shot him a look that clearly said, “What do you think?” Without saying a single word, his expression was dripping with sarcasm.

And frankly, he had the arrogance to back it up—he was the only one in the entire game who could make such a guarantee.

There was another crack—the lightstone in Gu Fu’s hand split open a little more. He smiled faintly as if he didn’t even notice: “Then I really must thank you for looking after him.”

“You?” Fu Moyang made no effort to hide the possessiveness in his voice. “He’s my teammate. If I don’t protect him, who will?”

Just as things were about to escalate, Chen Li finally tore his gaze away from the wolf ears and looked at them, puzzled:“Aren’t we going to talk business?”

It was his first time infiltrating an instance as a player, and he found it all rather novel.

The moment he spoke, the suffocating tension vanished like a receding tide. The other three players, looking relieved and slightly awkward, seized the opportunity and quickly chimed in: “Yes, yes, let’s introduce ourselves first.”

The undead player lowered his hood, revealing a full skull as he spoke with a creaky voice: “I’m from the undead clan. Just call me Xi.”

The dwarf followed immediately: “I’m Al, from the dwarf clan.”

“You can call me Xiao He,” the girl said with a shrug. “As you can see, I drew the most basic human identity.”

Gu Fu was brief: “Featherfolk. Call me K.”

Fu Moyang made no move to introduce himself, and no one dared to prompt him either. As a result, all eyes turned to Chen Li.

He shrank behind Fu Moyang and mumbled: “Just call me Chen Shu. I got assigned to the vampire clan.”

That was the alias he had decided on beforehand.

Chen Shu?

The players exchanged glances, trying to recall if there was a player by that name in the game, but came up empty.

Xiao He raised her eyebrows: “You got the same identity as the guide NPC in this world? Doesn’t that mean you’ll have to complete your tasks right under his nose?”

Al jumped in: “If you need help, just say the word. If I remember right, vampires are weak to crosses and silver—I can make you some.”

The real identity of “Chen Shu,” who was actually the vampire prince and the very same guide NPC: “…Thanks.”

I’m helping them kill myself. Great.

Still unaware of his misplaced flattery, Al pressed on: “This mission seems tough, but there are actually a lot of ways to complete it.”

If he performed well in front of Gu Fu, maybe he’d get the chance to join the Fox Hunt Guild.

That elite first-rate guild—just having access to a sliver of their intel would boost his survival rate by 40%.

Unfortunately, Gu Fu didn’t even spare him a glance. It was Chen Li who showed interest and asked enthusiastically: “What kind of ways?”

He tilted his head toward Al.

Hearing that, even Fu Moyang and Gu Fu turned their gazes toward him.

Under the weight of everyone’s attention, Al cleared his throat and began: “Based on the clues provided by the guide NPC, it seems this time we’ll all have to betray our own clans and seize the throne. I believe instead of brute force, gaining prestige is a more effective—”

Before he could finish, Fu Moyang cut him off impatiently: “Boring.”

Al fell silent instantly. Xiao He gave him a side glance and added: “I actually think each race has a different route. I’m the second daughter of the Human King, and I have an older sister. Even if I kill the king, I still wouldn’t inherit the throne.”

Although she seemed to have drawn the “easiest” human identity, it was anything but. She needed not only a plan to kill the king, but also a justifiable reason to surpass her elder sister and claim the throne.

As for the other races, each had their own dilemmas.

Gu Fu commented: “I’m more curious about the elf player we haven’t met yet.”

Xi nodded and held onto his skull to keep it from falling off: “That guide NPC hasn’t reached out to him yet.”

Hiding in the corner and slacking off, Chen Li blinked innocently, feeling slightly guilty.

Gu Fu continued: “So I suspect that guide NPC will continue trying to contact us and arrange a group meeting.”

That NPC clearly enjoyed watching drama unfold. No way he’d rest until all the traitors were gathered together.

The discussion was growing more serious by the minute. At first, Chen Li was listening intently, but he gradually started spacing out. He discreetly touched his stomach—he was starting to feel a bit hungry.

Ugh, I haven’t eaten all day. Being a vampire is such a pain.

Fu Moyang noticed something was off and leaned in to whisper in his ear: “Hungry?”

That low, magnetic voice sent a tingle right through his ear. Just as Chen Li was about to shake his head, Gu Fu—who’d been keeping an eye on them—snapped his gaze over.

“What are you doing?”

He shouted harshly at Fu Moyang, finding the scene before him utterly unbearable.

Fu Moyang curled his lips into a smirk: “I’m talking to my teammate—what’s it got to do with you?”

Just as the two were about to start arguing again, Chen Li finally noticed and quickly reached out to grab Fu Moyang’s arm. In a voice so quiet only Fu Moyang could hear: “Um… I want to drink blood.”

Then he glanced apologetically at Gu Fu and gave a quick wink: “We need to step out for a bit.”

Feeding a little lamb was obviously more important than arguing with a romantic rival. The bristling tail Fu Moyang had just raised instantly smoothed down. He narrowed his eyes: “Let’s go.”

Gu Fu didn’t say a word this time, silently watching the man he despised take Chen Li away.

Crack.

This time, the lightstone in his hand shattered completely, plunging the basement into darkness.

The three players left behind to deal with the emotional fallout: “……”

. . . . .

Fu Moyang eagerly pulled Chen Li out of the dark room. Beneath the statue of the Moon Goddess, he held him in his arms and pulled open his collar: “Drink.”

It should’ve been a normal situation, but with Fu Moyang staring at him so intently and fervently, Chen Li hesitated, flustered: “Maybe we should wait until we’re back? I can hold it in… What if someone sees?”

“Hm?” Fu Moyang used his old trick again—he raised his hand and cut a deeper wound on his neck. Blood quickly welled up.

That instantly shook the little vampire’s resolve. Chen Li’s fangs slipped out uncontrollably, and his eyes turned blood-red.

Fu Moyang coaxed softly: “Go ahead. No one’s going to come.”

“Just a little bit, then,” Chen Li said hesitantly, holding up his fingers to show a tiny amount.

Having experienced it once before, he wasn’t as eager this time. Instead of biting immediately, he cautiously leaned in and began to lap up the flowing blood, like a little bear gently licking honey—starting from the collarbone and slowly working his way to the wound on Fu Moyang’s neck.

When that soft touch grazed his skin, Fu Moyang’s pupils shrank again, and the veins on his hands bulged from holding back the urge to embrace the little lamb in his arms. He didn’t want to disturb his feeding.

Fortunately, the sweet torment didn’t last long. Once Chen Li felt there was no danger, he became greedier and sank his fangs into the wound, drinking deeply.

Fu Moyang let out a muffled groan and gently stroked the smooth curve of Chen Li’s back, silently encouraging him.

Yes. That’s it. Ask for more. Let yourself be thoroughly marked by me—inside and out.

The blood was only the first step.

Chen Li’s small horns emerged again. He slowed his drinking and gave a soft, uncomfortable whimper.

Fu Moyang’s well-defined fingers gently rubbed the sensitive little horns.

While feeding him blood, Fu Moyang stroked his horns at the same time, nearly turning Chen Li into a puddle of blissed-out lamb.

And in fact, he pretty much did. Chen Li completely let down his guard, showing his softest, most vulnerable side.

But then came the sound of approaching footsteps.

Chen Li jolted awake in Fu Moyang’s arms, his eyes wide with panic: “S–someone’s coming!”

His fangs, red eyes, and horns were all still visible. He instinctively didn’t want anyone to see him like this—feeding like a vampire.

Like a kid caught doing something bad in secret, he clutched Fu Moyang’s sleeve so tightly his fingers turned pale.

Fu Moyang wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth with his thumb: “Don’t be scared.”

Somehow, he found a black cloak and quickly wrapped it around Chen Li. Maybe from his experience as a butler in the previous instance, he deftly tied the black ribbon into a perfect bow with a simple flick of his fingers.

“Put your mask on.”

Chen Li fumbled to pull out his mask and slapped it onto his face.

Hearing the noise, Gu Fu quickened his pace: “Li Zi, is that you?”

Chen Li flinched: “No.”

His voice, altered through the mask, became that of the mysterious and provocative NPC who stirred up trouble.

Gu Fu spotted them and approached suspiciously: “What are you doing here?”

He looked around, his expression turning sour: “Where’s Li Zi? This is how you treat your teammate?” he snapped at Fu Moyang.

Chen Li quietly shuffled a couple of steps away.

He couldn’t tell Gu Fu that he was Chen Li—so he had no choice but to keep playing the role of the enigmatic NPC.

Fu Moyang, in an unusually good mood, even offered a rare reply: “He went back already.”

But Gu Fu clearly wasn’t ready to let it go. He stepped closer, completely ignoring Chen Li, and threatened Fu Moyang: “I’ve known Li Zi for over ten years. I don’t care what your intentions are—whatever you’re planning, I won’t let you get away with it.”

Fu Moyang’s gaze, cold as a frozen lake, landed on him. Yet his lips curled into a smile: “Oh? Then why don’t you tell me—what exactly are my intentions?”

A heavy, oppressive killing intent filled the air, pressing down like a weight. Gu Fu couldn’t help but take half a step back, but his voice was still firm and unwavering: “You want to possess him!”

Chen Li, who had been standing on the side pretending to be a bystander NPC, was stunned: “…”

He stared blankly at Gu Fu, not quite understanding what he meant.

What does he mean… possess?

Why would Gu Fu have such a deep misunderstanding about their relationship? He had clearly said they were just teammates.

Chen Li instinctively shook his head, wanting to refute, but then remembered that he wasn’t “Chen Li” right now. The words he was about to say were swallowed back in a panic. The back-and-forth, combined with just having finished feeding on blood and now getting startled, made his body let out a soft—

“Hiccup!”

The unexpected sound immediately cut through the murderous tension between the two.

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Author’s note:
A little lamb hiccuping after drinking too much blood, www~

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