Chapter 385- Infinite Online Game (05)
But what about himself? How could he possibly harbor such feelings for the older brother figure who had always taken care of him? Yet, even though Mu Jin knew it was wrong, he couldn’t control his emotions.
He wanted to hug him, to feel his warmth, to breathe in his scent.
He wanted to kiss him, to taste the thin lips that were always tightly pressed together.
He wanted to dedicate everything to him, like an offering, to be completely possessed by him…
Mu Jin thought he must be crazy. If Brother Qi ever found out about these thoughts, would he be disappointed? Would he be angry?
But he would never find out. Mu Jin wouldn’t let him know. This was his eternal little secret, or so he comforted himself.
Even though their conversations didn’t reveal much personal information, Mu Jin could sense that Brother Qi was an extraordinary man.
Compared to Brother Qi, Mu Jin felt like he was nothing in real life—just a skinny, unremarkable orphan with no parents. He had managed to get into an average university but couldn’t even afford the tuition. Someone like him, how could he ever be worthy of such a perfect man?
The thought left Mu Jin feeling a little disheartened, but he quickly gathered himself, grateful that he had joined this competition. It gave him the chance to meet Brother Qi, to spend so much time with him, and to be cared for by him.
No matter what the future held, Mu Jin thought that the memories of everything they had experienced together—every little moment—would be etched in his mind as beautiful and cherished.
Still, he reminded himself to be careful and not get carried away. He had to maintain control, ensuring that Brother Qi wouldn’t notice anything and, worse, grow tired of him.
But Brother Qi was truly such a gentle person. No matter what Mu Jin said to him, his attitude was always so kind and warm. He even made it a point to politely act as if he genuinely enjoyed talking to him. To know and like someone as wonderful as this—it made Mu Jin feel incredibly lucky.
If the man knew what Mu Jin was thinking, he would surely believe that Mu Jin was overthinking things. After all, Brother Qi never felt the need to pretend to enjoy speaking with anyone. He liked being with Mu Jin—not just talking to him, but everything about him.
Every time he saw Mu Jin, how he longed to hold him close. Just like in countless worlds before, to embrace him tightly, stroke his hair, and kiss his lips. To have him, possess him, and merge their beings into one, so that Mu Jin’s mind and heart would be filled with nothing but his name.
But now was not the time. Brother Qi’s gaze swept over the false surroundings and the artificial people around them.
Not yet. It wasn’t the right moment. Xiao Jin still hadn’t remembered anything. This world was too distorted, too strange. If he deliberately tried to trigger those memories, it might cause chaos in Xiao Jin’s mind. If, by accident, his beloved’s soul was harmed, it would be a disaster.
This was his treasure. How could he bear to let him suffer?
After longing from afar for so long, and finally being able to hold him, it felt as though everything had reset to the beginning again. Bitterness filled Brother Qi’s mouth, but he could only steal a few extra glances at Mu Jin to ease his yearning.
He knew Mu Jin too well. Watching his expressions shift between joy and sadness made Brother Qi feel both amused and exasperated. This little one was always so alluring without even realizing it. With these constant little provocations, Brother Qi felt as if he could barely resist pinning him down.
After finishing another battle with the BOSS and transitioning to a new world, Mu Jin, as usual, waited obediently for Brother Qi in the safe zone. After traversing several worlds together, they no longer needed to make any arrangements. Mu Jin simply knew—he had absolute confidence—that Brother Qi would come looking for him.
This time, the world they found themselves in seemed to be a vampire-themed one. The players were divided into two factions: humans and vampires.
The human roles included vampire hunters and priests, while the vampire faction needed little explanation. However, this time, the vampire faction had an innate advantage in combat. Their fangs could serve as natural weapons, and upon leveling up, they even gained hypnotic abilities.
In this world, Mu Jin’s role was that of a priest affiliated with the Church of Light, capable of using light magic. He believed that his abilities would make him a valuable support when facing vampires, as he could also heal his teammates effectively.
Thinking about it, Mu Jin felt a little happy and grew even more eager to see Brother Qi. He speculated that Brother Qi might take on the role of a hunter this time. He couldn’t help but imagine how cool and striking Brother Qi would look after gearing up for the role.
But when the person he had been longing to see finally arrived, all of Mu Jin’s beautiful imaginings were instantly shattered.
Brother Qi’s eyes were red, and his mouth bore prominent fangs. In this world, Brother Qi had been assigned to the vampire faction—directly opposing Mu Jin’s faction.
Did this mean that, in the context of this world, they would have to be separated?
The thought of standing on opposing sides with Brother Qi made Mu Jin feel an ache in his heart. What upset him even more was the realization that he wouldn’t be able to team up with the person he secretly loved.
When Brother Qi saw Mu Jin, he froze for a moment. Seeing the dejected look on Mu Jin’s face, he quickly asked, “Xiao Jin, what’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”
Mu Jin felt utterly helpless at Brother Qi’s words and said to the man, “Brother Qi, the roles we’ve been assigned in this world…”
Hearing this, the man finally realized why Mu Jin seemed so upset. However, he didn’t appear concerned. He leaned closer to Mu Jin and whispered, “Xiao Jin, you’re a priest this time?”
Mu Jin nodded, and the man gave him a smile before continuing, “But I’m a vampire. Xiao Jin, would this priest mind succumbing to temptation and teaming up with a vampire?”
Hearing these words, which sounded almost like a confession laced with ambiguity, Mu Jin couldn’t stop his face from turning red. He knew Brother Qi probably didn’t mean anything romantic by it and was simply referring to forming a team. Still, his heart couldn’t help but race, and his cheeks burned.
At the same time, he felt deeply touched by Brother Qi’s kindness. Despite belonging to opposing factions, Brother Qi hadn’t abandoned him.
Mu Jin knew he wasn’t strong enough on his own. Without Brother Qi’s support, the road ahead would undoubtedly be dangerous. Even if he were to team up with others, no one else would protect him the way Brother Qi did. Yet here Brother Qi was, in an enemy faction, still willing to stick with him.
Mu Jin was filled with indescribable gratitude. He thought he should refuse, that he shouldn’t continue to burden Brother Qi. After all, having a priest like him around meant Brother Qi couldn’t team up with other vampires. Partnering solely with him would likely increase the danger significantly.
Brother Qi’s abilities were beyond doubt. Mu Jin had always believed that Brother Qi could make it to the very end. Even though Brother Qi had often dragged him along to “fish in troubled waters” during the battles against the BOSS, Mu Jin saw it as a wise and strategic approach.
They all knew just how powerful the BOSS was. If they were to take the initiative and engage, the most likely outcome would be their deaths. Rushing forward at this point would be nothing more than reckless bravado.
Observing the state of the BOSS across these worlds, Mu Jin had already deduced that the BOSS in each world was likely the same entity. Moreover, the BOSS’s injuries didn’t reset with each transition to a new world, which made its ultimate defeat a real possibility.
Thus, with each successive world, the BOSS’s injuries accumulated, becoming progressively worse. The final opportunity to deliver a fatal blow would only come at the very end. Rushing in now would merely result in needless sacrifices, which was why Brother Qi’s cautious approach was the wisest strategy.
Mu Jin regarded Brother Qi’s actions as a well-thought-out, long-term tactic. He didn’t want Brother Qi risking himself for his sake and potentially getting hurt in this world.
Yet, faced with the man’s resolute gaze, Mu Jin ultimately nodded almost involuntarily. The moment he did, he couldn’t help but inwardly scold himself for being selfish. In the end, he couldn’t bear to separate from Brother Qi. Even if it was impossible for them to truly be together, he still wanted to create as many memories as he could with him.
Besides, in this world, Brother Qi’s identity as a vampire made him undeniably charismatic—especially after he donned a perfectly tailored suit. Seeing him like that, Mu Jin’s heart raced uncontrollably. He had to fight the urge to approach him and confess his feelings with a kiss.
What he didn’t know was that the man opposite him was equally captivated by him.
When Brother Qi saw Mu Jin in a pristine white priest’s robe, exuding a pure and abstinent aura, it stirred something deep within him. Indeed, Mu Jin looked as tempting as ever. Once everything was settled, Brother Qi vowed to savor him fully to make up for lost time.
Reflecting on Mu Jin’s earlier worries, Brother Qi agreed that they had a point. For now, with their opposing identities in this world, it was best to keep a low profile. This strange world had suppressed much of his strength, and he assumed Mu Jin’s situation was the same as his.
At that time, Teng Gen realized that something was amiss. His abilities, however, could only protect one person’s soul from being affected by this distorted world. Knowing that his powers were particularly effective against malicious entities like ghostly plagues, he focused all his strength on protecting himself.
Although Qiong Qi was safeguarded, Teng Gen was temporarily forced into slumber due to the rejection and compression he faced in the system’s space within the small world.
In the previous world, when Qiong Qi’s soul left his body, his memories were awakened. Thanks to Teng Gen’s efforts, his memories remained intact upon entering this world. Because of this, he was able to stay by Mu Jin’s side from the very beginning.
Now, both of them were trapped here, surrounded by Qian Sha, with no clear way to escape. Regardless, Qiong Qi knew one thing for certain: he could not afford to die here. Even if his soul wasn’t completely destroyed upon death, it would still suffer significant damage.
Turning to look at the oblivious Mu Jin, Qiong Qi found comfort in his ignorance. His beloved had already protected him across so many worlds. With his memories now fully restored, Qiong Qi finally had the chance to sort through all the moments they had shared in the small worlds.
Although his experiences in those small worlds had initially been more bitter than sweet, as long as his beloved found him and stayed by his side, all that bitterness would inevitably transform into sweetness.
How fortunate he was to have earned this person’s love. Now, with an opportunity before him to become the protector, Qiong Qi was more than willing—beyond a thousandfold. Moreover, he was acutely aware that forcefully awakening Mu Jin’s soul and memories could cause him considerable harm.