Chapter 36
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Having the Same Name as the Demon Lord of the Abyss
“Are you scared?” A clear and quiet voice spoke. The other party still did not look at Ye Zun. Although a little indifferent, their slightly lowered head and a pair of eyes covered by fabric, painted a somewhat beautiful melancholic and flimsy feeling of fragility under the moonlight.
Ye Zun was stunned for a second. He looked at the number plate hanging on the peach tree beside the person.
“Yes, a little. It’s because it’s too dark here, and there are bad rumours around this place. If you’re alone, you shouldn’t stay here for too long. It’s better for you to wait somewhere else ah.”
——However, having said that, what kind of person would dress up like this and wait for someone here in the middle of the night? This couldn’t actually be an actor who was invited to play a ghost by the Ghost Stories Club ba?
The other party looked indifferent. “That’s good. I was also scared by you.”
Ye Zun: “……”
He pursed his lips. “The sign hanging on the peach tree beside you, I have to get this to complete the test of courage.”
“Oh.” The voice was still indifferent.
The other party slightly shifted away, letting Ye Zun to do whatever he wished.
“Thank you.”
Ye Zun approached them slowly and picked the sign from the tree. The knot was rather complicated, making it not so easy for him to take it down using only dim light sources in the middle of the night.
Standing on a slightly higher ground, he slightly raised his eyes to see the other person’s face.
The beautiful and cold face blurred the line between genders, like a slender and thin long-haired beauty straight from the pages of a manhua, or it can be said that they were a tall, androgynous-appearing young woman.
“Can you be a little faster? Apologies, with you here, I will get a little nervous.”
Because of the ground level and the fact that the other party had their head lowered slightly, Ye Zun was a little taller than the other.
Standing next to the other at such a close distance, if the other party was a girl, he would indeed deliver a certain sense of threat and oppression to the other party.
This was the first time he had posed such a threat to someone.
Ye Zun was in a slight daze.
——If they really are an actor invited by the Ghost Stories Club, shouldn’t they be playing a ghost to scare me right now? They really do seem to be more defensive towards me.
At the same time, Ye Zun also remembered that according to the contract, if he encounters a staff member acting as a resentful spirit during his turn, he will need to pretend he has not discovered the identity of the other party and interact appropriately.
——On the other end of the live stream, those players and the people behind the Ghost Stories Club are watching us ba.
“This is very hard to take down, I need a little time,” Ye Zun explained, because he was holding the broadcasting equipment in one hand, and the more nervous he became, the more difficult it was to smoothly pull down the number plate.
The person turned their head slightly and glanced at Ye Zun. “Why did you guys choose to test your courage here?”
Ye Zun’s movements paused for a moment. “They say that there is supernatural activity in the peach forest. It seems to house a resentful spirit. Have you heard of it?”
“En, I have heard of it. They say it is a very alluring beauty. When you suddenly appeared just then, I thought you were the ghost.”
Ye Zun: “…uh.”
He couldn’t laugh at all.
“When I saw you, I thought the same.”
——Ah, in this super embarrassing situation, how do I interact or talk to them? I don’t even know if the other party is male or female.
That person didn’t have any particular reaction. They slightly opened their eyes, filled with a touch of melancholy, and said calmly, “It’s fine if you thought so, since I was originally playing the role of the peach forest’s resentful spirit.”
——Is it okay to just outright admit that? People from the Ghost Stories Club are still watching the live stream!
Ye Zun froze on the spot, not knowing what to say for a while.
“Do you not understand? If I just say this is cosplay, does it clear things up? The staff who made an appointment with me were unable to come as scheduled because the mountain road from the city to here collapsed. Because the filming was based around the peach forest spirit, the shooting time we originally agreed on was during the nighttime. I’m not sure when they will arrive, so I came here first to find the feeling for my role.”
Suddenly, the weird dated clothes and the fabric used as a blindfold… No wonder.
When the other person said this, Ye Zun understood completely.
Ye Zun slightly breathed a sigh of relief. “You played your role quite successfully. Did you find the feeling?”
“When I first saw you, I found a little.” The other person’s voice was light and clear, and although it seemed a little cold, it seemed that it was partly the fault of their poor wording. Ye Zun himself was also, in the words of others, someone who was cold and distant, so he didn’t feel like he was being treated coldly.
“I’m an atheist, I don’t particularly believe in ghosts, so I have no way of understanding what the resentful spirits feel when they face humans. If you’re not busy, can you do me a favour?”
Ye Zun tugged at the sign and found where the string had begun to knot and tangle. “If it does not take long, of course. Because my group members are still waiting for me to go back to continue the game, I can’t be here too long.”
“It won’t be too long. Anyway, your group is doing a test of courage, so just treat me as the peach forest’s resentful spirit for the time being.
——This request is really… It feels very dangerous, maybe it will attract the real resentful spirit over to us.
“I will start now.” But, before Ye Zun could say anything, that person raised their head slightly and revealed their beautiful face towards Ye Zun.
Having a close look at the face that transcended the boundaries of gender and the plane of existence, although the expression is calm and indifferent, and they were blindfolded with a thin chiffon, there was a strange, inhuman, yet ethereal feeling that came with the sight. However, having such an otherworldly beauty suddenly appear in one’s vision, still dealt a critical hit to those who saw them.
Something flashed over Ye Zun’s eyes for a moment, and he imagined the priest wearing such clothes and having hair as long as this when he was a teenager. His heartbeats turned rapid, and every beat felt like he was floating.
This was the first time his heart began beating faster, not because of panic or fear, but because of someone’s beauty.
Like, a sudden impulse to do something.
Ye Zun lowered his eyes slightly and looked down. The person’s face didn’t have the same attacking impact as the priest’s excessively-perfect looks, but rather gave off a weak, fragile feeling. The priest’s facial features, even if he covered his eyes, will not provoke a melancholy, tender and protective feeling.
He looked at that face. His Adam’s apple rolled ever so slightly, despite the restraint.
“Do you like men or women?” The person asked gently.
“…women.”
“Are you sure? You are not actually certain, right?”
——I never thought about this kind of question from the start, but now, when I don’t even know whether this person is a man or a woman, it suddenly feels like my heart has been moved.
“It doesn’t matter. No matter what kind of person you like, I can become the one you want.”
Ye Zun: “……”
His heartbeat was now completely uncontrollable.
He clearly knew that the other party was just trying to find their feelings in playing their role against him, but…it was like he was being bewitched by the real peach forest beauty. He couldn’t help himself.
——Is it because their appearance is completely in line with my own aesthetic? Or am I just so superficial, and just someone’s beauty is enough that I don’t even care what their gender is?
“What kind of person do you like? Can you tell me?” The person approached him, undetected.
“I like…” Ye Zun frowned slightly. “But, the logic of this statement is wrong ba. If you like someone, you will like them no matter who they are. There is no right ‘default’ or ‘ideal type’ at all. If you blindly cater to each other’s preferences, not only will the parts you like be fake, but you will also lose yourself. You are already so lovely, you don’t need to change yourself at all.”
“What about the people you hate?”
“En?” Ye Zun was a little confused. “I don’t especially hate any kind of person. People are inherently complex. They can do something hateful one moment and may do something good the next. It is only when you meet someone will you know if you actually hate them.”
“Then, do you hate me?”
Ye Zun: “Ah? Of course not, you haven’t done anything.”
“Do you like me?”
The person was standing at a spot that made them half a head shorter than Ye Zun, and it seemed that because they were standing up straight, they had unwittingly gotten very close to him.
Because of the blindfold, even if the distance is overly close, they couldn’t sense it at all, and their body did not send any warning.
That cold and beautiful face, those alluring and soft lips of a rosy colour that wasn’t of a saturated tone, slightly separated with a natural gap, clean and innocent. The second he saw it, he subconsciously felt that it was most suitable for a kiss.
As long as Ye Zun lowered his head slightly, he could place his own lips upon that beautiful pair. It was as if he was originally born to do so.
The person quietly waited there, looking up slightly from below.
There was no obvious breathing, so there was no rejection.
There was no oppression from this close space, there was no wariness towards this distance.
There was not even a single temptation related to lust, abstinence, and desire.
The cold and fragile beauty stood there, as if waiting to be protected, as if waiting to be kissed by Ye Zun.
“Do I look good?” A soft voice whispered.
The reflection of the Abyss, when looking down at his sacrifice from above, was just like this.*
[T/N: ‘reflection’/倒影 can also mean inverted image, so (I THINK!!!) this sentence is describing how the position in the ‘real world’ rn is Ye Zun looking down on the Abyss (given the uneven terrain), but the truth is that the Abyss has the upper hand by (emotionally? mentally? idk) kinda seducing Ye Zun]
Do you like it? Would you like to have a taste?
It’s all right, why don’t you have a try?
You really want to, don’t you? It’s okay, so do I.
Ye Zun involuntarily lowered his head slowly, and while his body began to move, he suddenly regained consciousness.
Cold sweat broke out in an instant, almost chillingly.
——What am I doing? Have I gone insane? Why did I suddenly want to kiss them?!!
——I only just met this person, I don’t even know if they are a man or a woman, and I already developed this weird idea?
——Was there always such a dirty and dark side hidden in me that I never knew of?
He immediately took a half step back and pursed his lips restrainedly. For the first time, he distanced himself, not out of fear of another, but in fear of himself.
In the darkness, the corners of those rosy lips rose madly, before they were quickly suppressed by innocence, restoring them to the previous cold and fragile beauty.
“Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?” Sullen, uneasy.
“It’s nothing.” Ye Zun, whose whole body had turned cold from his subconscious actions just before, almost couldn’t look directly at the innocent and vulnerable victim in front of him. “Have you found the feeling now?”
“En, it was almost there, but that pause just now suddenly interrupted my train of thought. If it’s possible…”
Ye Zun finally pulled down the number plate. Pursing his lips and not looking at the other person, he said steadily, “I’ve been here for too long, and there are other people who still have to come in for their turn. It’s not good if I linger for too long.”
“Are there a lot of people?”
“En, there are about thirteen people who’re playing. I’m the sixth.”
“There really is quite a lot. It would be better if there were less, then we can talk for a long time.”
Ye Zun raised his eyes. He frowned slightly, feeling that these words were somewhat uncomfortable and odd.
“I’m heading back. You should too. It really isn’t safe for someone to be alone in this kind of place. For things like work, you don’t have to think about doing it all at one time. Your safety is the most important thing.”
The other party didn’t move and listened to Ye Zun, quiet and docile. They nodded lightly. “En, I will remember. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The long-haired beauty in the peach forest watched Ye Zun walk away. They lazily raised their hand to pull away the white fabric that acted as a blindfold, revealing a pair of lingering eyes.
The gloomy and dismal eyes glinted with a never ending darkness, formed from the corners of those lips that curved crazily.
Proudly and arrogantly.
The voice was no longer controlled to be soft and vague in gender. It was low and cold. “He didn’t say it to you, he said it to me*. Why so reserved? You obviously really wanted to try kissing me.”
[T/N: (probably) comparing Ye Zun’s attitude towards him as the priest and him as a weak beauty]
……
Ye Zun looked back at the slender and weak figure several times, wanting to invite the other to come with him with every glance. However, when he thought about how he was standing at the most dangerous place in the forest, where people were destined to die, he ended up not saying anything and walked towards the lake, following the route from his memories.
On the way back to the camp, he couldn’t help but turn his head a few times. Even a gust of wind gave him a faint sense of being followed.
He spent less time on the trip back.
As soon as Ye Zun approached the camp, he noticed that everyone was looking at him strangely.
He took the initiative to stop and asked, “Did something happen?”
“When you were in the peach grove just now, who were you talking to ah?”
“Right ah, you were even chatting for such a long time.”
“Are you messing with us? That’s too much, are you trying to scare us on purpose?”
“You really can’t judge a book by its cover. Such a cold and handsome guy can act so naturally, I almost believed it.”
“I’m already so scared, don’t you dare pick me to go next.”
“You know it’s fake if you just think about it for a second ba. If he really met the spirit, how could he come back safe and sound?”
Ye Zun was a little puzzled at first, but after listening to them for a while, he understood.
He looked down at his broadcasting device and replayed the previously recorded segment.
“I see. I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with how this works… I was a little nervous, and shifted the camera’s lens slightly. I didn’t capture the person who was talking to me.”
“Person? Are you sure it’s a human?”
“How can there be someone in this kind of place in the middle of the night?”
Ye Zun smiled faintly, without much feeling. “Although it was a bit strange, the other really is human, because…”
“Ahhhh! There’s a white shadow!”
“Something’s coming over!”
While Ye Zun was explaining, some people in the crowd suddenly let out a panicked scream.
Everyone immediately looked in the direction where the screaming girl’s finger pointed.
On the dimly lit path on the opposite side of the lake, there was a looming figure floating towards them.
The lights by the lake were on the ground, weakened and blocked by the lush vegetation. The environment was originally dark and gloomy, not to mention the weird scene they watched on the live broadcast just then.
Immediately, they stepped back one by one, distancing themselves more from Ye Zun, still standing at the lakeside.
The instance’s native NPCs in the crowd were okay. Perhaps they were half-sceptical; although they were scared, they were more excited.
But the real players were in pure panic.
——Did the ghost appear? How can it appear so soon?
Of course they wanted to run, but the game’s instructions forced the option-C players to stay until two o’clock in the morning.
As for those who chose option-B’s protagonist and option-A’s detective roles, although they were afraid, they believed that the story had not yet unfolded and that they would not die this early on, so they could barely restrain themselves.
Ye Zun also followed the others and turned his head back, and quickly saw that the approaching figure was very familiar.
Once that solitary figure started to approach them in this windy night, Ye Zun even took the initiative to walk up to it.
Once they neared the lights set up around the camp, Ye Zun finally saw the person’s stature clearly. Although the shadows hid their eyes and chin*, and the presence of an Adam’s apple was still unknown, he could see that the other person’s height was almost the same as his own. He deduced that this person was in fact, a young man.
The traces of uncertain disappointment in his heart and mind was quickly blown away by the night wind.
Ye Zun stepped forward and smiled politely at the person. “Come and sit here ba.”
When the panicked crowd saw that Ye Zun took the initiative to negotiate with the person, and that the person didn’t seem to be aggressive, they nodded slightly, walking towards them while staying behind Ye Zun, the feeling of apprehension never leaving them.
Ye Zun faced everyone and raised his voice slightly to continue the explanation that he didn’t have time to finish.
“He is from an off-campus animation company. There was meant to be a scheduled shooting at the school with his team, but something came up with the staff so they are running late. He was the one who was chatting with me back then.”
The man stood silently beside Ye Zun. That androgynous and beautiful face, dusted light makeup, was emphasised by an outfit that came straight from a screen and his long hair, which made the uninformed passerbys quickly give up any funny ideas*.
[T/N: about him being a ghost]
When the crowd panicked, not everyone stepped back to hide from him.
The president and the hostess were still sitting in their original positions.
The president smiled and said, “You’re welcome to join us. We have an event here tonight. You can also participate if you are interested.”
The hostess immediately introduced him to the club and the people around her enthusiastically, mainly focusing on the club’s core supporters and the occupations and names of the four invited influencer guests.
The young man silently listened to the entire introduction, with undisguised coldness and introversion.
The little hostess’ smile quickly turned into a surface-level professional courtesy.
That person’s eyebrows were lowered, his chin was slightly withdrawn, and he didn’t seem to be interested in anything around him. Only when he heard her introduce Ye Zun, he suddenly raised his head slowly and glanced sideways at Ye Zun, with his sullen and cool eyes.
“Your name is Shen Yuan?”
Ye Zun pursed his lips. He was probably the only one present who didn’t think there was anything wrong with this person’s cold attitude. “En. Can I ask for your name?”
That person stopped talking, and when the surroundings became so silent that people’s curiosity and goodwill towards him were almost wiped clean, he finally said slowly, “My name is Ye Zi*.”
[T/N: same Ye/叶 as Ye Zun’s name (and Zi sounds pretty much close to Zun) but lmao dude’s name literally translates to ‘leaf’]
The hostess made a few perfunctory comments and swiftly turned the topic back to the test of courage.
Because of the false alarm that was Ye Zi’s appearance, the subsequent candidates for the test of courage went through some twists and turns, and one of the female influencers ended up having to take the initiative and volunteer herself for the turn.
The second half of the event did not get boring even if there were no surprises, and the atmosphere was tense and enthusiastic.
The host and the president even organised everyone to play a small supernatural game.
Only the real players among them felt restless in their hearts, experiencing the feeling of knowing that the knife was about to fall, but not knowing who it would fall on.
However, even when the last participant returned, nothing terrible had happened during the entire game.
In the end, someone in the group started teasing the president and the hostess, goading them to participate in the test of courage.
The two of them declined for a while, but ended up heading into the forest very cooperatively.
Between the two, because the president was not nervous at all, the boring and direct process of walking over, picking up the sign and walking back garnered no interest from anyone towards the ending of the event.
“I hereby announce the successful end of this test of courage. All right, it’s almost two in the morning. The dormitory building’s doors were closed hours ago. There are many tents here that have been provided by the club. Members who are low in energy can go to rest in the tents, and those who want to continue playing games can continue. We have prepared a lot of small activities and snacks for everyone.”
Of course, Ye Zun and three Internet celebrities who were invited to the event were exceptions.
Asker was someone who loved playing around, so he stayed and continued to mingle with everyone.
The two female influencers had planned to go back for their beauty sleep, so the club arranged to take them to a hotel in the city by car.
Ye Zun took the initiative to back out. “I still have to attend a shooting on campus tomorrow; I can just book myself into an off-campus hostel by myself.”
The second half of the night was the most crucial time. People will definitely die, but as for why or how they die, he still had no idea.
In any case, Ye Zun didn’t want to get too close to the people in the club.
In the early hours of the morning, although the road leading to the outside of the school was brightly lit, the streets were very quiet. There was almost no sound except for the occasional passing vehicles.
The person named Ye Zi walked in front of Ye Zun. After walking for a while, he stopped in the middle of the road and pursed his lips coldly. “Why are you following me?”
Ye Zun was stunned for a moment. “I’m not, I’m headed in this direction as well.”
He saw the person lower his head slightly, his beautiful lips pressed in a way that gave off a melancholic and fragile feeling.
——This person has no sense of safety ba.
There was no blaming the other for being sensitive nor wronging oneself.
Ye Zun’s voice softened. “If you are feeling nervous, you can walk behind me ba.”
The other man did not speak.
Ye Zun walked forward tentatively, passing by.
Very soon after, the other person caught up, keeping a distance of three to five metres from Ye Zun.
In the end, the two walked into the same hotel.
Ye Zun was slightly taken aback, but he didn’t dare to look at the other party directly, for fear of causing any misunderstandings.
He waited at the front desk to pick up his room key.
Suddenly, he heard a clear voice say in a mild tone, “Thank you. I was only a little scared of the dark just now, it wasn’t that I didn’t believe you. I know you are a good person.”
Ye Zun looked at him. He saw the other person’s slender back, with his head turning away slightly. His long hair was brushed back behind ears, exposing the ears that were faintly flushed red.
His heart skipped a beat once more.
——What’s wrong with me, don’t I already know he’s a man?
“It’s okay.”
Once Ye Zun received his key, he heard a voice from the front desk say, “We’re very sorry. How about you wait in the lobby?”
“What’s wrong?”
The receptionist showed a helpless expression. “His wallet and documents are with his friends. Although they have booked their rooms prior to today, according to the hotel regulations, I cannot let him go in first. We can only wait for his companions to arrive together.”
Ye Zi didn’t say anything. He just looked indifferent.
Ye Zun hesitated for a while. The weather at this time was still a bit cold at night. This man was only wearing a shirt, and had a skinny and frail appearance.
“If you don’t mind, you can wait in my room ba.”
Ye Zi lifted his head and looked at him. It was the first time Ye Zun saw his eyes, and it was different from what he thought they would be like. There was not the slightest sense of melancholy or fragility at all. They were clear and dim, made of slender and sharp outlines.
If Ye Zun had seen eyes like these when he was in the peach blossom forest, Ye Zun would not have second guessed this person’s gender.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The two of them went silent, maintaining a slight distance as they walked to Ye Zun’s room together.
“Can you lend me some clothes? I want to take a shower,” Ye Zi said, breaking the silence.
Ye Zun had left his suitcase in the hotel during the day. Hearing this request, he took out some brand new shirts and underwear.
After Ye Zi came out, Ye Zun also hurried to take a shower.
When he came out of the bathroom, he froze for a moment.
The man was only wearing a white shirt, with all buttons undone and sitting on the bed, his long black hair cascading down. The beautiful face that tricked gender boundaries suddenly made the scene before him appear extravagant.
Ye Zun even subconsciously wanted to avert his gaze and not look at him.
However, he took off his shirt and revealed his upper body, showing off a natural layer of beautifully-defined muscles, and milky white skin that shone wonderfully* under the warm lighting.
[T/N: literally, ‘his skin gave off a jade colour’, jade meaning beauty]
Not only was he not as delicate and weak as Ye Zun thought, his body may even have more power than Ye Zun’s.
There was absolutely no way of knowing how his body could become so slender and thin when he wears clothes, to the point where people could misunderstand his gender.
Ye Zun was ever so slightly questioning his life.
Ye Zi raised his eyes and looked at him, still maintaining that pose that left him half-undressed. His eyes were clear and innocent. “I’m sorry for taking your bed. I’m a little sleepy.”
The author has something to say:
Ah, the Abyss is taking many small actions in the early stage, he wants to lure the small dessert into being eaten voluntarily, so the progress of the instance’s plot will be slightly slower.
But this change in the mode of getting along is very important to the plot of this instance as a whole, and it is impossible to not write it down or to shorten it.
In order not to arouse Ye Zun’s vigilance, it can only happen before the real danger of death, so balancing the rhythm of the plot is difficult to manage, resulting in some writers block.
As I expected, I really do slow down the progress of the plot as soon as I write a romantic scene, sorry, sorry, I will start murdering in the next chapter~
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Having the Same Name as the Demon Lord of the Abyss
“Are you scared?” A clear and quiet voice spoke. The other party still did not look at Ye Zun. Although a little indifferent, their slightly lowered head and a pair of eyes covered by fabric, painted a somewhat beautiful melancholic and flimsy feeling of fragility under the moonlight.
Ye Zun was stunned for a second. He looked at the number plate hanging on the peach tree beside the person.
“Yes, a little. It’s because it’s too dark here, and there are bad rumours around this place. If you’re alone, you shouldn’t stay here for too long. It’s better for you to wait somewhere else ah.”
——However, having said that, what kind of person would dress up like this and wait for someone here in the middle of the night? This couldn’t actually be an actor who was invited to play a ghost by the Ghost Stories Club ba?
The other party looked indifferent. “That’s good. I was also scared by you.”
Ye Zun: “……”
He pursed his lips. “The sign hanging on the peach tree beside you, I have to get this to complete the test of courage.”
“Oh.” The voice was still indifferent.
The other party slightly shifted away, letting Ye Zun to do whatever he wished.
“Thank you.”
Ye Zun approached them slowly and picked the sign from the tree. The knot was rather complicated, making it not so easy for him to take it down using only dim light sources in the middle of the night.
Standing on a slightly higher ground, he slightly raised his eyes to see the other person’s face.
The beautiful and cold face blurred the line between genders, like a slender and thin long-haired beauty straight from the pages of a manhua, or it can be said that they were a tall, androgynous-appearing young woman.
“Can you be a little faster? Apologies, with you here, I will get a little nervous.”
Because of the ground level and the fact that the other party had their head lowered slightly, Ye Zun was a little taller than the other.
Standing next to the other at such a close distance, if the other party was a girl, he would indeed deliver a certain sense of threat and oppression to the other party.
This was the first time he had posed such a threat to someone.
Ye Zun was in a slight daze.
——If they really are an actor invited by the Ghost Stories Club, shouldn’t they be playing a ghost to scare me right now? They really do seem to be more defensive towards me.
At the same time, Ye Zun also remembered that according to the contract, if he encounters a staff member acting as a resentful spirit during his turn, he will need to pretend he has not discovered the identity of the other party and interact appropriately.
——On the other end of the live stream, those players and the people behind the Ghost Stories Club are watching us ba.
“This is very hard to take down, I need a little time,” Ye Zun explained, because he was holding the broadcasting equipment in one hand, and the more nervous he became, the more difficult it was to smoothly pull down the number plate.
The person turned their head slightly and glanced at Ye Zun. “Why did you guys choose to test your courage here?”
Ye Zun’s movements paused for a moment. “They say that there is supernatural activity in the peach forest. It seems to house a resentful spirit. Have you heard of it?”
“En, I have heard of it. They say it is a very alluring beauty. When you suddenly appeared just then, I thought you were the ghost.”
Ye Zun: “…uh.”
He couldn’t laugh at all.
“When I saw you, I thought the same.”
——Ah, in this super embarrassing situation, how do I interact or talk to them? I don’t even know if the other party is male or female.
That person didn’t have any particular reaction. They slightly opened their eyes, filled with a touch of melancholy, and said calmly, “It’s fine if you thought so, since I was originally playing the role of the peach forest’s resentful spirit.”
——Is it okay to just outright admit that? People from the Ghost Stories Club are still watching the live stream!
Ye Zun froze on the spot, not knowing what to say for a while.
“Do you not understand? If I just say this is cosplay, does it clear things up? The staff who made an appointment with me were unable to come as scheduled because the mountain road from the city to here collapsed. Because the filming was based around the peach forest spirit, the shooting time we originally agreed on was during the nighttime. I’m not sure when they will arrive, so I came here first to find the feeling for my role.”
Suddenly, the weird dated clothes and the fabric used as a blindfold… No wonder.
When the other person said this, Ye Zun understood completely.
Ye Zun slightly breathed a sigh of relief. “You played your role quite successfully. Did you find the feeling?”
“When I first saw you, I found a little.” The other person’s voice was light and clear, and although it seemed a little cold, it seemed that it was partly the fault of their poor wording. Ye Zun himself was also, in the words of others, someone who was cold and distant, so he didn’t feel like he was being treated coldly.
“I’m an atheist, I don’t particularly believe in ghosts, so I have no way of understanding what the resentful spirits feel when they face humans. If you’re not busy, can you do me a favour?”
Ye Zun tugged at the sign and found where the string had begun to knot and tangle. “If it does not take long, of course. Because my group members are still waiting for me to go back to continue the game, I can’t be here too long.”
“It won’t be too long. Anyway, your group is doing a test of courage, so just treat me as the peach forest’s resentful spirit for the time being.
——This request is really… It feels very dangerous, maybe it will attract the real resentful spirit over to us.
“I will start now.” But, before Ye Zun could say anything, that person raised their head slightly and revealed their beautiful face towards Ye Zun.
Having a close look at the face that transcended the boundaries of gender and the plane of existence, although the expression is calm and indifferent, and they were blindfolded with a thin chiffon, there was a strange, inhuman, yet ethereal feeling that came with the sight. However, having such an otherworldly beauty suddenly appear in one’s vision, still dealt a critical hit to those who saw them.
Something flashed over Ye Zun’s eyes for a moment, and he imagined the priest wearing such clothes and having hair as long as this when he was a teenager. His heartbeats turned rapid, and every beat felt like he was floating.
This was the first time his heart began beating faster, not because of panic or fear, but because of someone’s beauty.
Like, a sudden impulse to do something.
Ye Zun lowered his eyes slightly and looked down. The person’s face didn’t have the same attacking impact as the priest’s excessively-perfect looks, but rather gave off a weak, fragile feeling. The priest’s facial features, even if he covered his eyes, will not provoke a melancholy, tender and protective feeling.
He looked at that face. His Adam’s apple rolled ever so slightly, despite the restraint.
“Do you like men or women?” The person asked gently.
“…women.”
“Are you sure? You are not actually certain, right?”
——I never thought about this kind of question from the start, but now, when I don’t even know whether this person is a man or a woman, it suddenly feels like my heart has been moved.
“It doesn’t matter. No matter what kind of person you like, I can become the one you want.”
Ye Zun: “……”
His heartbeat was now completely uncontrollable.
He clearly knew that the other party was just trying to find their feelings in playing their role against him, but…it was like he was being bewitched by the real peach forest beauty. He couldn’t help himself.
——Is it because their appearance is completely in line with my own aesthetic? Or am I just so superficial, and just someone’s beauty is enough that I don’t even care what their gender is?
“What kind of person do you like? Can you tell me?” The person approached him, undetected.
“I like…” Ye Zun frowned slightly. “But, the logic of this statement is wrong ba. If you like someone, you will like them no matter who they are. There is no right ‘default’ or ‘ideal type’ at all. If you blindly cater to each other’s preferences, not only will the parts you like be fake, but you will also lose yourself. You are already so lovely, you don’t need to change yourself at all.”
“What about the people you hate?”
“En?” Ye Zun was a little confused. “I don’t especially hate any kind of person. People are inherently complex. They can do something hateful one moment and may do something good the next. It is only when you meet someone will you know if you actually hate them.”
“Then, do you hate me?”
Ye Zun: “Ah? Of course not, you haven’t done anything.”
“Do you like me?”
The person was standing at a spot that made them half a head shorter than Ye Zun, and it seemed that because they were standing up straight, they had unwittingly gotten very close to him.
Because of the blindfold, even if the distance is overly close, they couldn’t sense it at all, and their body did not send any warning.
That cold and beautiful face, those alluring and soft lips of a rosy colour that wasn’t of a saturated tone, slightly separated with a natural gap, clean and innocent. The second he saw it, he subconsciously felt that it was most suitable for a kiss.
As long as Ye Zun lowered his head slightly, he could place his own lips upon that beautiful pair. It was as if he was originally born to do so.
The person quietly waited there, looking up slightly from below.
There was no obvious breathing, so there was no rejection.
There was no oppression from this close space, there was no wariness towards this distance.
There was not even a single temptation related to lust, abstinence, and desire.
The cold and fragile beauty stood there, as if waiting to be protected, as if waiting to be kissed by Ye Zun.
“Do I look good?” A soft voice whispered.
The reflection of the Abyss, when looking down at his sacrifice from above, was just like this.*
[T/N: ‘reflection’/倒影 can also mean inverted image, so (I THINK!!!) this sentence is describing how the position in the ‘real world’ rn is Ye Zun looking down on the Abyss (given the uneven terrain), but the truth is that the Abyss has the upper hand by (emotionally? mentally? idk) kinda seducing Ye Zun]
Do you like it? Would you like to have a taste?
It’s all right, why don’t you have a try?
You really want to, don’t you? It’s okay, so do I.
Ye Zun involuntarily lowered his head slowly, and while his body began to move, he suddenly regained consciousness.
Cold sweat broke out in an instant, almost chillingly.
——What am I doing? Have I gone insane? Why did I suddenly want to kiss them?!!
——I only just met this person, I don’t even know if they are a man or a woman, and I already developed this weird idea?
——Was there always such a dirty and dark side hidden in me that I never knew of?
He immediately took a half step back and pursed his lips restrainedly. For the first time, he distanced himself, not out of fear of another, but in fear of himself.
In the darkness, the corners of those rosy lips rose madly, before they were quickly suppressed by innocence, restoring them to the previous cold and fragile beauty.
“Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?” Sullen, uneasy.
“It’s nothing.” Ye Zun, whose whole body had turned cold from his subconscious actions just before, almost couldn’t look directly at the innocent and vulnerable victim in front of him. “Have you found the feeling now?”
“En, it was almost there, but that pause just now suddenly interrupted my train of thought. If it’s possible…”
Ye Zun finally pulled down the number plate. Pursing his lips and not looking at the other person, he said steadily, “I’ve been here for too long, and there are other people who still have to come in for their turn. It’s not good if I linger for too long.”
“Are there a lot of people?”
“En, there are about thirteen people who’re playing. I’m the sixth.”
“There really is quite a lot. It would be better if there were less, then we can talk for a long time.”
Ye Zun raised his eyes. He frowned slightly, feeling that these words were somewhat uncomfortable and odd.
“I’m heading back. You should too. It really isn’t safe for someone to be alone in this kind of place. For things like work, you don’t have to think about doing it all at one time. Your safety is the most important thing.”
The other party didn’t move and listened to Ye Zun, quiet and docile. They nodded lightly. “En, I will remember. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The long-haired beauty in the peach forest watched Ye Zun walk away. They lazily raised their hand to pull away the white fabric that acted as a blindfold, revealing a pair of lingering eyes.
The gloomy and dismal eyes glinted with a never ending darkness, formed from the corners of those lips that curved crazily.
Proudly and arrogantly.
The voice was no longer controlled to be soft and vague in gender. It was low and cold. “He didn’t say it to you, he said it to me*. Why so reserved? You obviously really wanted to try kissing me.”
[T/N: (probably) comparing Ye Zun’s attitude towards him as the priest and him as a weak beauty]
……
Ye Zun looked back at the slender and weak figure several times, wanting to invite the other to come with him with every glance. However, when he thought about how he was standing at the most dangerous place in the forest, where people were destined to die, he ended up not saying anything and walked towards the lake, following the route from his memories.
On the way back to the camp, he couldn’t help but turn his head a few times. Even a gust of wind gave him a faint sense of being followed.
He spent less time on the trip back.
As soon as Ye Zun approached the camp, he noticed that everyone was looking at him strangely.
He took the initiative to stop and asked, “Did something happen?”
“When you were in the peach grove just now, who were you talking to ah?”
“Right ah, you were even chatting for such a long time.”
“Are you messing with us? That’s too much, are you trying to scare us on purpose?”
“You really can’t judge a book by its cover. Such a cold and handsome guy can act so naturally, I almost believed it.”
“I’m already so scared, don’t you dare pick me to go next.”
“You know it’s fake if you just think about it for a second ba. If he really met the spirit, how could he come back safe and sound?”
Ye Zun was a little puzzled at first, but after listening to them for a while, he understood.
He looked down at his broadcasting device and replayed the previously recorded segment.
“I see. I’m sorry, I’m not familiar with how this works… I was a little nervous, and shifted the camera’s lens slightly. I didn’t capture the person who was talking to me.”
“Person? Are you sure it’s a human?”
“How can there be someone in this kind of place in the middle of the night?”
Ye Zun smiled faintly, without much feeling. “Although it was a bit strange, the other really is human, because…”
“Ahhhh! There’s a white shadow!”
“Something’s coming over!”
While Ye Zun was explaining, some people in the crowd suddenly let out a panicked scream.
Everyone immediately looked in the direction where the screaming girl’s finger pointed.
On the dimly lit path on the opposite side of the lake, there was a looming figure floating towards them.
The lights by the lake were on the ground, weakened and blocked by the lush vegetation. The environment was originally dark and gloomy, not to mention the weird scene they watched on the live broadcast just then.
Immediately, they stepped back one by one, distancing themselves more from Ye Zun, still standing at the lakeside.
The instance’s native NPCs in the crowd were okay. Perhaps they were half-sceptical; although they were scared, they were more excited.
But the real players were in pure panic.
——Did the ghost appear? How can it appear so soon?
Of course they wanted to run, but the game’s instructions forced the option-C players to stay until two o’clock in the morning.
As for those who chose option-B’s protagonist and option-A’s detective roles, although they were afraid, they believed that the story had not yet unfolded and that they would not die this early on, so they could barely restrain themselves.
Ye Zun also followed the others and turned his head back, and quickly saw that the approaching figure was very familiar.
Once that solitary figure started to approach them in this windy night, Ye Zun even took the initiative to walk up to it.
Once they neared the lights set up around the camp, Ye Zun finally saw the person’s stature clearly. Although the shadows hid their eyes and chin*, and the presence of an Adam’s apple was still unknown, he could see that the other person’s height was almost the same as his own. He deduced that this person was in fact, a young man.
The traces of uncertain disappointment in his heart and mind was quickly blown away by the night wind.
Ye Zun stepped forward and smiled politely at the person. “Come and sit here ba.”
When the panicked crowd saw that Ye Zun took the initiative to negotiate with the person, and that the person didn’t seem to be aggressive, they nodded slightly, walking towards them while staying behind Ye Zun, the feeling of apprehension never leaving them.
Ye Zun faced everyone and raised his voice slightly to continue the explanation that he didn’t have time to finish.
“He is from an off-campus animation company. There was meant to be a scheduled shooting at the school with his team, but something came up with the staff so they are running late. He was the one who was chatting with me back then.”
The man stood silently beside Ye Zun. That androgynous and beautiful face, dusted light makeup, was emphasised by an outfit that came straight from a screen and his long hair, which made the uninformed passerbys quickly give up any funny ideas*.
[T/N: about him being a ghost]
When the crowd panicked, not everyone stepped back to hide from him.
The president and the hostess were still sitting in their original positions.
The president smiled and said, “You’re welcome to join us. We have an event here tonight. You can also participate if you are interested.”
The hostess immediately introduced him to the club and the people around her enthusiastically, mainly focusing on the club’s core supporters and the occupations and names of the four invited influencer guests.
The young man silently listened to the entire introduction, with undisguised coldness and introversion.
The little hostess’ smile quickly turned into a surface-level professional courtesy.
That person’s eyebrows were lowered, his chin was slightly withdrawn, and he didn’t seem to be interested in anything around him. Only when he heard her introduce Ye Zun, he suddenly raised his head slowly and glanced sideways at Ye Zun, with his sullen and cool eyes.
“Your name is Shen Yuan?”
Ye Zun pursed his lips. He was probably the only one present who didn’t think there was anything wrong with this person’s cold attitude. “En. Can I ask for your name?”
That person stopped talking, and when the surroundings became so silent that people’s curiosity and goodwill towards him were almost wiped clean, he finally said slowly, “My name is Ye Zi*.”
[T/N: same Ye/叶 as Ye Zun’s name (and Zi sounds pretty much close to Zun) but lmao dude’s name literally translates to ‘leaf’]
The hostess made a few perfunctory comments and swiftly turned the topic back to the test of courage.
Because of the false alarm that was Ye Zi’s appearance, the subsequent candidates for the test of courage went through some twists and turns, and one of the female influencers ended up having to take the initiative and volunteer herself for the turn.
The second half of the event did not get boring even if there were no surprises, and the atmosphere was tense and enthusiastic.
The host and the president even organised everyone to play a small supernatural game.
Only the real players among them felt restless in their hearts, experiencing the feeling of knowing that the knife was about to fall, but not knowing who it would fall on.
However, even when the last participant returned, nothing terrible had happened during the entire game.
In the end, someone in the group started teasing the president and the hostess, goading them to participate in the test of courage.
The two of them declined for a while, but ended up heading into the forest very cooperatively.
Between the two, because the president was not nervous at all, the boring and direct process of walking over, picking up the sign and walking back garnered no interest from anyone towards the ending of the event.
“I hereby announce the successful end of this test of courage. All right, it’s almost two in the morning. The dormitory building’s doors were closed hours ago. There are many tents here that have been provided by the club. Members who are low in energy can go to rest in the tents, and those who want to continue playing games can continue. We have prepared a lot of small activities and snacks for everyone.”
Of course, Ye Zun and three Internet celebrities who were invited to the event were exceptions.
Asker was someone who loved playing around, so he stayed and continued to mingle with everyone.
The two female influencers had planned to go back for their beauty sleep, so the club arranged to take them to a hotel in the city by car.
Ye Zun took the initiative to back out. “I still have to attend a shooting on campus tomorrow; I can just book myself into an off-campus hostel by myself.”
The second half of the night was the most crucial time. People will definitely die, but as for why or how they die, he still had no idea.
In any case, Ye Zun didn’t want to get too close to the people in the club.
In the early hours of the morning, although the road leading to the outside of the school was brightly lit, the streets were very quiet. There was almost no sound except for the occasional passing vehicles.
The person named Ye Zi walked in front of Ye Zun. After walking for a while, he stopped in the middle of the road and pursed his lips coldly. “Why are you following me?”
Ye Zun was stunned for a moment. “I’m not, I’m headed in this direction as well.”
He saw the person lower his head slightly, his beautiful lips pressed in a way that gave off a melancholic and fragile feeling.
——This person has no sense of safety ba.
There was no blaming the other for being sensitive nor wronging oneself.
Ye Zun’s voice softened. “If you are feeling nervous, you can walk behind me ba.”
The other man did not speak.
Ye Zun walked forward tentatively, passing by.
Very soon after, the other person caught up, keeping a distance of three to five metres from Ye Zun.
In the end, the two walked into the same hotel.
Ye Zun was slightly taken aback, but he didn’t dare to look at the other party directly, for fear of causing any misunderstandings.
He waited at the front desk to pick up his room key.
Suddenly, he heard a clear voice say in a mild tone, “Thank you. I was only a little scared of the dark just now, it wasn’t that I didn’t believe you. I know you are a good person.”
Ye Zun looked at him. He saw the other person’s slender back, with his head turning away slightly. His long hair was brushed back behind ears, exposing the ears that were faintly flushed red.
His heart skipped a beat once more.
——What’s wrong with me, don’t I already know he’s a man?
“It’s okay.”
Once Ye Zun received his key, he heard a voice from the front desk say, “We’re very sorry. How about you wait in the lobby?”
“What’s wrong?”
The receptionist showed a helpless expression. “His wallet and documents are with his friends. Although they have booked their rooms prior to today, according to the hotel regulations, I cannot let him go in first. We can only wait for his companions to arrive together.”
Ye Zi didn’t say anything. He just looked indifferent.
Ye Zun hesitated for a while. The weather at this time was still a bit cold at night. This man was only wearing a shirt, and had a skinny and frail appearance.
“If you don’t mind, you can wait in my room ba.”
Ye Zi lifted his head and looked at him. It was the first time Ye Zun saw his eyes, and it was different from what he thought they would be like. There was not the slightest sense of melancholy or fragility at all. They were clear and dim, made of slender and sharp outlines.
If Ye Zun had seen eyes like these when he was in the peach blossom forest, Ye Zun would not have second guessed this person’s gender.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
The two of them went silent, maintaining a slight distance as they walked to Ye Zun’s room together.
“Can you lend me some clothes? I want to take a shower,” Ye Zi said, breaking the silence.
Ye Zun had left his suitcase in the hotel during the day. Hearing this request, he took out some brand new shirts and underwear.
After Ye Zi came out, Ye Zun also hurried to take a shower.
When he came out of the bathroom, he froze for a moment.
The man was only wearing a white shirt, with all buttons undone and sitting on the bed, his long black hair cascading down. The beautiful face that tricked gender boundaries suddenly made the scene before him appear extravagant.
Ye Zun even subconsciously wanted to avert his gaze and not look at him.
However, he took off his shirt and revealed his upper body, showing off a natural layer of beautifully-defined muscles, and milky white skin that shone wonderfully* under the warm lighting.
[T/N: literally, ‘his skin gave off a jade colour’, jade meaning beauty]
Not only was he not as delicate and weak as Ye Zun thought, his body may even have more power than Ye Zun’s.
There was absolutely no way of knowing how his body could become so slender and thin when he wears clothes, to the point where people could misunderstand his gender.
Ye Zun was ever so slightly questioning his life.
Ye Zi raised his eyes and looked at him, still maintaining that pose that left him half-undressed. His eyes were clear and innocent. “I’m sorry for taking your bed. I’m a little sleepy.”
The author has something to say:
Ah, the Abyss is taking many small actions in the early stage, he wants to lure the small dessert into being eaten voluntarily, so the progress of the instance’s plot will be slightly slower.
But this change in the mode of getting along is very important to the plot of this instance as a whole, and it is impossible to not write it down or to shorten it.
In order not to arouse Ye Zun’s vigilance, it can only happen before the real danger of death, so balancing the rhythm of the plot is difficult to manage, resulting in some writers block.
As I expected, I really do slow down the progress of the plot as soon as I write a romantic scene, sorry, sorry, I will start murdering in the next chapter~
Having the Same Name as the Demon Lord of the AbyssAre you scared? A clear and quiet voice spoke. The other party still did not look at Ye Zun. Although a little indifferent, their slightly lowered head and a pair of eyes covered by fabric, painted a somewhat beautiful melancholic and flimsy feeling of fragility under the moonlight.Ye Zun was stunned for a second. He looked at the number plate hanging on the peach tree beside the person.Yes, a little. It's because it's too dark here, and there are bad rumours around this place. If you're alone, you shouldn't stay here for too long. It's better for you to wait somewhere elseah.However, having said that, what kind of person would dress up like this and wait for someone here in the middle of the night? This couldn't actually be an actor who was invited to play a ghost by the Ghost Stories Clubba?The other party looked indifferent. That's good. I was also scared by you.Ye Zun: He pursed his lips. The sign hanging on the peach tree beside you, I have to get this to complete the test of courage.Oh. The voice was still indifferent.The other party slightly shifted away, letting Ye Zun to do whatever he wished.Thank you.Ye Zun approached them slowly and picked the sign from the tree. The knot was rather complicated, making it not so easy for him to take it down using only dim light sources in the middle of the night.Standing on a slightly higher ground, he slightly raised his eyes to see the other person's face.The beautiful and cold face blurred the line between genders, like a slender and thin long-haired beauty straight from the pages of a manhua, or it can be said that they were a tall, androgynous-appearing young woman.Can you be a little faster? Apologies, with you here, I will get a little nervous.Because of the ground level and the fact that the other party had their head lowered slightly, Ye Zun was a little taller than the other.Standing next to the other at such a close distance, if the other party was a girl, he would indeed deliver a certain sense of threat and oppression to the other party.This was the first time he had posed such a threat to someone.Ye Zun was in a slight daze.If they really are an actor invited by the Ghost Stories Club, shouldn't they be playing a ghost to scare me right now? They really do seem to be more defensive towards me.At the same time, Ye Zun also remembered that according to the contract, if he encounters a staff member acting as a resentful spirit during his turn, he will need to pretend he has not discovered the identity of the other party and interact appropriately.On the other end of the live stream, those players and the people behind the Ghost Stories Club are watching usba.This is very hard to take down, I need a little time, Ye Zun explained, because he was holding the broadcasting equipment in one hand, and the more nervous he became, the more difficult it was to smoothly pull down the number plate.The person turned their head slightly and glanced at Ye Zun. Why did you guys choose to test your courage here?Ye Zun's movements paused for a moment. They say that there is supernatural activity in the peach forest. It seems to house a resentful spirit. Have you heard of it?En, I have heard of it. They say it is a very alluring beauty. When you suddenly appeared just then, I thought you were the ghost.Ye Zun: uh.He couldn't laugh at all.When I saw you, I thought the same.Ah, in this super embarrassing situation, how do I interact or talk to them? I don't even know if the other party is male or female.That person didn't have any particular reaction. They slightly opened their eyes, filled with a touch of melancholy, and said calmly, It's fine if you thought so, since I was originally playing the role of the peach forest's resentful spirit.Is it okay to just outright admit that? People from the Ghost Stories Club are still watching the live stream!Ye Zun froze on the spot, not knowing what to say for a while.Do you not understand? If I just say this is cosplay, does it clear things up? The staff who made an appointment with me were unable to come as scheduled because the mountain road from the city to here collapsed. Because the filming was based around the peach forest spirit, the shooting time we originally agreed on was during the nighttime. I'm not sure when they will arrive, so I came here first to find the feeling for my role.Suddenly, the weird dated clothes and the fabric used as a blindfold No wonder.When the other person said this, Ye Zun understood completely.Ye Zun slightly breathed a sigh of relief. You played your role quite successfully. Did you find the feeling?When I first saw you, I found a little. The other person's voice was light and clear, and although it seemed a little cold, it seemed that it was partly the fault of their poor wording. Ye Zun himself was also, in the words of others, someone who was cold and distant, so he didn't feel like he was being treated coldly.I'm an atheist, I don't particularly believe in ghosts, so I have no way of understanding what the resentful spirits feel when they face humans. If you're not busy, can you do me a favour?Ye Zun tugged at the sign and found where the string had begun to knot and tangle. If it does not take long, of course. Because my group members are still waiting for me to go back to continue the game, I can't be here too long.It won't be too long. Anyway, your group is doing a test of courage, so just treat me as the peach forest's resentful spirit for the time being.This request is really It feels very dangerous, maybe it will attract the real resentful spirit over to us.I will start now. But, before Ye Zun could say anything, that person raised their head slightly and revealed their beautiful face towards Ye Zun.Having a close look at the face that transcended the boundaries of gender and the plane of existence, although the expression is calm and indifferent, and they were blindfolded with a thin chiffon, there was a strange, inhuman, yet ethereal feeling that came with the sight. However, having such an otherworldly beauty suddenly appear in one's vision, still dealt a critical hit to those who saw them.Something flashed over Ye Zun's eyes for a moment, and he imagined the priest wearing such clothes and having hair as long as this when he was a teenager. His heartbeats turned rapid, and every beat felt like he was floating.This was the first time his heart began beating faster, not because of panic or fear, but because of someone's beauty.Like, a sudden impulse to dosomething.Ye Zun lowered his eyes slightly and looked down. The person's face didn't have the same attacking impact as the priest's excessively-perfect looks, but rather gave off a weak, fragile feeling. The priest's facial features, even if he covered his eyes, will not provoke a melancholy, tender and protective feeling.He looked at that face. His Adam's apple rolled ever so slightly, despite the restraint.Do you like men or women? The person asked gently.women.Are you sure? You are not actually certain, right?I never thought about this kind of question from the start, but now, when I don't even know whether this person is a man or a woman, it suddenly feels like my heart has been moved.It doesn't matter. No matter what kind of person you like, I can become the one you want.Ye Zun: His heartbeat was now completely uncontrollable.He clearly knew that the other party was just trying to find their feelings in playing their role against him, butit was like he was being bewitched by the real peach forest beauty. He couldn't help himself.Is it because their appearance is completely in line with my own aesthetic? Or am I just so superficial, and just someone's beauty is enough that I don't even care what their gender is?What kind of person do you like? Can you tell me? The person approached him, undetected.I like Ye Zun frowned slightly. But, the logic of this statement is wrongba. If you like someone, you will like them no matter who they are. There is no right default' or ideal type' at all. If you blindly cater to each other's preferences, not only will the parts you like be fake, but you will also lose yourself. You are already so lovely, you don't need to change yourself at all.What about the people you hate?En? Ye Zun was a little confused. I don't especially hate any kind of person. People are inherently complex. They can do something hateful one moment and may do something good the next. It is only when you meet someone will you know if you actually hate them.Then, do you hate me?Ye Zun: Ah?Of course not, you haven't done anything.Do you like me?The person was standing at a spot that made them half a head shorter than Ye Zun, and it seemed that because they were standing up straight, they had unwittingly gotten very close to him.Because of the blindfold, even if the distance is overly close, they couldn't sense it at all, and their body did not send any warning.That cold and beautiful face, those alluring and soft lips of a rosy colour that wasn't of a saturated tone, slightly separated with a natural gap, clean and innocent. The second he saw it, he subconsciously felt that it was most suitable for a kiss.As long as Ye Zun lowered his head slightly, he could place his own lips upon that beautiful pair. It was as if he was originally born to do so.The person quietly waited there, looking up slightly from below.There was no obvious breathing, so there was no rejection.There was no oppression from this close space, there was no wariness towards this distance.There was not even a single temptation related to lust, abstinence, and desire.The cold and fragile beauty stood there, as if waiting to be protected, as if waiting to be kissed by Ye Zun.Do I look good? A soft voice whispered.The reflection of the Abyss, when looking down at his sacrifice from above, was just like this.*T/N: reflection'/ can also mean inverted image, so I THINK!!! this sentence is describing how the position in the real world' rn is Ye Zun looking down on the Abyss given the uneven terrain, but the truth is that the Abyss has the upper hand by emotionally? mentally? idk kinda seducing Ye ZunDo you like it? Would you like to have a taste?It's all right, why don't you have a try?You really want to, don't you? It's okay, so do I.Ye Zun involuntarily lowered his head slowly, and while his body began to move, he suddenly regained consciousness.Cold sweat broke out in an instant, almost chillingly.What am I doing? Have I gone insane? Why did I suddenly want to kiss them?!!I only just met this person, I don't even know if they are a man or a woman, and I already developed this weird idea?Was there always such a dirty and dark side hidden in me that I never knew of?He immediately took a half step back and pursed his lips restrainedly. For the first time, he distanced himself, not out of fear of another, but in fear of himself.In the darkness, the corners of those rosy lips rose madly, before they were quickly suppressed by innocence, restoring them to the previous cold and fragile beauty.Are you okay? Did I do something wrong? Sullen, uneasy.It's nothing. Ye Zun, whose whole body had turned cold from his subconscious actions just before, almost couldn't look directly at the innocent and vulnerable victim in front of him. Have you found the feeling now?En, it was almost there, but that pause just now suddenly interrupted my train of thought. If it's possibleYe Zun finally pulled down the number plate. Pursing his lips and not looking at the other person, he said steadily, I've been here for too long, and there are other people who still have to come in for their turn. It's not good if I linger for too long.Are there a lot of people?En, there are about thirteen people who're playing. I'm the sixth.There really is quite a lot. It would be better if there were less, then we can talk for a long time.Ye Zun raised his eyes. He frowned slightly, feeling that these words were somewhat uncomfortable and odd.I'm heading back. You should too. It really isn't safe for someone to be alone in this kind of place. For things like work, you don't have to think about doing it all at one time. Your safety is the most important thing.The other party didn't move and listened to Ye Zun, quiet and docile. They nodded lightly. En, I will remember. Thank you.You're welcome.The long-haired beauty in the peach forest watched Ye Zun walk away. They lazily raised their hand to pull away the white fabric that acted as a blindfold, revealing a pair of lingering eyes.The gloomy and dismal eyes glinted with a never ending darkness, formed from the corners of those lips that curved crazily.Proudly and arrogantly.The voice was no longer controlled to be soft and vague in gender. It was low and cold. He didn't say it to you, he said it to me*. Why so reserved? You obviously really wanted to try kissing me.T/N: probably comparing Ye Zun's attitude towards him as the priest and him as a weak beautyYe Zun looked back at the slender and weak figure several times, wanting to invite the other to come with him with every glance. However, when he thought about how he was standing at the most dangerous place in the forest, where people were destined to die, he ended up not saying anything and walked towards the lake, following the route from his memories.On the way back to the camp, he couldn't help but turn his head a few times. Even a gust of wind gave him a faint sense of being followed.He spent less time on the trip back.As soon as Ye Zun approached the camp, he noticed that everyone was looking at him strangely.He took the initiative to stop and asked, Did something happen?When you were in the peach grove just now, who were you talking toah?Rightah, you were even chatting for such a long time.Are you messing with us? That's too much, are you trying to scare us on purpose?You really can't judge a book by its cover. Such a cold and handsome guy can act so naturally, I almost believed it.I'm already so scared, don't you dare pick me to go next.You know it's fake if you just think about it for a secondba.If he really met the spirit, how could he come back safe and sound?Ye Zun was a little puzzled at first, but after listening to them for a while, he understood.He looked down at his broadcasting device and replayed the previously recorded segment.I see. I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with how this works I was a little nervous, and shifted the camera's lens slightly. I didn't capture the person who was talking to me.Person? Are you sure it's a human?How can there be someone in this kind of place in the middle of the night?Ye Zun smiled faintly, without much feeling. Although it was a bit strange, the other really is human, becauseAhhhh!There's a white shadow!Something's coming over!While Ye Zun was explaining, some people in the crowd suddenly let out a panicked scream.Everyone immediately looked in the direction where the screaming girl's finger pointed.On the dimly lit path on the opposite side of the lake, there was a looming figure floating towards them.The lights by the lake were on the ground, weakened and blocked by the lush vegetation. The environment was originally dark and gloomy, not to mention the weird scene they watched on the live broadcast just then.Immediately, they stepped back one by one, distancing themselves more from Ye Zun, still standing at the lakeside.The instance's native NPCs in the crowd were okay. Perhaps they were half-sceptical; although they were scared, they were more excited.But the real players were in pure panic.Did the ghost appear? How can it appear so soon?Of course they wanted to run, but the game's instructions forced the option-C players to stay until two o'clock in the morning.As for those who chose option-B's protagonist and option-A's detective roles, although they were afraid, they believed that the story had not yet unfolded and that they would not die this early on, so they could barely restrain themselves.Ye Zun also followed the others and turned his head back, and quickly saw that the approaching figure was very familiar.Once that solitary figure started to approach them in this windy night, Ye Zun even took the initiative to walk up to it.Once they neared the lights set up around the camp, Ye Zun finally saw the person's stature clearly. Although the shadows hid their eyes and chin*, and the presence of an Adam's apple was still unknown, he could see that the other person's height was almost the same as his own. He deduced that this person was in fact, a young man.The traces of uncertain disappointment in his heart and mind was quickly blown away by the night wind.Ye Zun stepped forward and smiled politely at the person. Come and sit hereba.When the panicked crowd saw that Ye Zun took the initiative to negotiate with the person, and that the person didn't seem to be aggressive, they nodded slightly, walking towards them while staying behind Ye Zun, the feeling of apprehension never leaving them.Ye Zun faced everyone and raised his voice slightly to continue the explanation that he didn't have time to finish.He is from an off-campus animation company. There was meant to be a scheduled shooting at the school with his team, but something came up with the staff so they are running late. He was the one who was chatting with me back then.The man stood silently beside Ye Zun. That androgynous and beautiful face, dusted light makeup, was emphasised by an outfit that came straight from a screen and his long hair, which made the uninformed passerbys quickly give up any funny ideas*.T/N: about him being a ghostWhen the crowd panicked, not everyone stepped back to hide from him.The president and the hostess were still sitting in their original positions.The president smiled and said, You're welcome to join us. We have an event here tonight. You can also participate if you are interested.The hostess immediately introduced him to the club and the people around her enthusiastically, mainly focusing on the club's core supporters and the occupations and names of the four invited influencer guests.The young man silently listened to the entire introduction, with undisguised coldness and introversion.The little hostess' smile quickly turned into a surface-level professional courtesy.That person's eyebrows were lowered, his chin was slightly withdrawn, and he didn't seem to be interested in anything around him. Only when he heard her introduce Ye Zun, he suddenly raised his head slowly and glanced sideways at Ye Zun, with his sullen and cool eyes.Your name is Shen Yuan?Ye Zun pursed his lips. He was probably the only one present who didn't think there was anything wrong with this person's cold attitude. En. Can I ask for your name?That person stopped talking, and when the surroundings became so silent that people's curiosity and goodwill towards him were almost wiped clean, he finally said slowly, My name is Ye Zi*.T/N: same Ye/ as Ye Zun's name and Zi sounds pretty much close to Zun but lmao dude's name literally translates to leaf'The hostess made a few perfunctory comments and swiftly turned the topic back to the test of courage.Because of the false alarm that was Ye Zi's appearance, the subsequent candidates for the test of courage went through some twists and turns, and one of the female influencers ended up having to take the initiative and volunteer herself for the turn.The second half of the event did not get boring even if there were no surprises, and the atmosphere was tense and enthusiastic.The host and the president even organised everyone to play a small supernatural game.Only the real players among them felt restless in their hearts, experiencing the feeling of knowing that the knife was about to fall, but not knowing who it would fall on.However, even when the last participant returned, nothing terrible had happened during the entire game.In the end, someone in the group started teasing the president and the hostess,goading them to participate in the test of courage.The two of them declined for a while, but ended up heading into the forest very cooperatively.Between the two, because the president was not nervous at all, the boring and direct process of walking over, picking up the sign and walking back garnered no interest from anyone towards the ending of the event.I hereby announce the successful end of this test of courage. All right, it's almost two in the morning. The dormitory building's doors were closed hours ago. There are many tents here that have been provided by the club. Members who are low in energy can go to rest in the tents, and those who want to continue playing games can continue. We have prepared a lot of small activities and snacks for everyone.Of course, Ye Zun and three Internet celebrities who were invited to the event were exceptions.Asker was someone who loved playing around, so he stayed and continued to mingle with everyone.The two female influencers had planned to go back for their beauty sleep, so the club arranged to take them to a hotel in the city by car.Ye Zun took the initiative to back out. I still have to attend a shooting on campus tomorrow; I can just book myself into an off-campus hostel by myself.The second half of the night was the most crucial time. People will definitely die, but as for why or how they die, he still had no idea.In any case, Ye Zun didn't want to get too close to the people in the club.In the early hours of the morning, although the road leading to the outside of the school was brightly lit, the streets were very quiet. There was almost no sound except for the occasional passing vehicles.The person named Ye Zi walked in front of Ye Zun. After walking for a while, he stopped in the middle of the road and pursed his lips coldly. Why are you following me?Ye Zun was stunned for a moment. I'm not, I'm headed in this direction as well.He saw the person lower his head slightly, his beautiful lips pressed in a way that gave off a melancholic and fragile feeling.This person has no sense of safetyba.There was no blaming the other for being sensitive nor wronging oneself.Ye Zun's voice softened. If you are feeling nervous, you can walk behind meba.The other man did not speak.Ye Zun walked forward tentatively, passing by.Very soon after, the other person caught up, keeping a distance of three to five metres from Ye Zun.In the end, the two walked into the same hotel.Ye Zun was slightly taken aback, but he didn't dare to look at the other party directly, for fear of causing any misunderstandings.He waited at the front desk to pick up his room key.Suddenly, he heard a clear voice say in a mild tone, Thank you. I was only a little scared of the dark just now, it wasn't that I didn't believe you. I know you are a good person.Ye Zun looked at him. He saw the other person's slender back, with his head turning away slightly. His long hair was brushed back behind ears, exposing the ears that were faintly flushed red.His heart skipped a beat once more.What's wrong with me, don't I already know he's a man?It's okay.Once Ye Zun received his key, he heard a voice from the front desk say, We're very sorry. How about you wait in the lobby?What's wrong?The receptionist showed a helpless expression. His wallet and documents are with his friends. Although they have booked their rooms prior to today, according to the hotel regulations, I cannot let him go in first. We can only wait for his companions to arrive together.Ye Zi didn't say anything. He just looked indifferent.Ye Zun hesitated for a while. The weather at this time was still a bit cold at night. This man was only wearing a shirt, and had a skinny and frail appearance.If you don't mind, you can wait in my roomba.Ye Zi lifted his head and looked at him. It was the first time Ye Zun saw his eyes, and it was different from what he thought they would be like. There was not the slightest sense of melancholy or fragility at all. They were clear and dim, made of slender and sharp outlines.If Ye Zun had seen eyes like these when he was in the peach blossom forest, Ye Zun would not have second guessed this person's gender.Thank you.You're welcome.The two of them went silent, maintaining a slight distance as they walked to Ye Zun's room together.Can you lend me some clothes? I want to take a shower, Ye Zi said, breaking the silence.Ye Zun had left his suitcase in the hotel during the day. Hearing this request, he took out some brand new shirts and underwear.After Ye Zi came out, Ye Zun also hurried to take a shower.When he came out of the bathroom, he froze for a moment.The man was only wearing a white shirt, with all buttons undone and sitting on the bed, his long black hair cascading down. The beautiful face that tricked gender boundaries suddenly made the scene before him appear extravagant.Ye Zun even subconsciously wanted to avert his gaze and not look at him.However, he took off his shirt and revealed his upper body, showing off a natural layer of beautifully-defined muscles, and milky white skin that shone wonderfully* under the warm lighting.T/N: literally, his skin gave off a jade colour', jade meaning beautyNot only was he not as delicate and weak as Ye Zun thought, his body may even have more power than Ye Zun's.There was absolutely no way of knowing how his body could become so slender and thin when he wears clothes, to the point where people could misunderstand his gender.Ye Zun was ever so slightly questioning his life.Ye Zi raised his eyes and looked at him, still maintaining that pose that left him half-undressed. His eyes were clear and innocent. I'm sorry for taking your bed. I'm a little sleepy.The author has something to say:Ah,the Abyss is taking many small actions in the early stage, he wants to lure the small dessert into being eaten voluntarily, so the progress of the instance's plot will be slightly slower.But this change in the mode of getting along is very important to the plot of this instance as a whole, and it is impossible to not write it down or to shorten it.In order not to arouse Ye Zun's vigilance, it can only happen before the real danger of death, so balancing the rhythm of the plot is difficult to manage, resulting in some writers block.As I expected, I really do slow down the progress of the plot as soon as I write a romantic scene, sorry, sorry, I will start murdering in the next chapter~
