Editor and proofreader: Oceanblue

---

Ye Qingyun looked around, feeling as if the sudden darkness had been just an illusion; everything was bright again, and there were no dark clouds outside. Everything seemed calm.

Even though there was no one around, Ye Qingyun felt an inexplicable sense of being discovered. He released his mental power to scan the room but found no surveillance devices, allowing him to relax slightly.

As for the book, Ye Qingyun shoved it back into the corner, intending to pretend he hadn’t seen anything. He needed to speed up his search for a way to leave; otherwise, if the youth discovered that he knew this secret, he might face death.

“Sigh.”

Ye Qingyun sighed, inevitably thinking of Gu Shenyuan.

“What was Gu Shenyuan doing? Would he be worried about his safety? Would he be searching everywhere for him, trying to bring him back?”

Forget it; to Gu Shenyuan, he wasn’t even a friend—just a walking encyclopedia. It wasn’t worth the effort to try and save him while he was still injured.

Ye Qingyun clarified his position in Gu Shenyuan’s heart and once again buried himself in searching for the necessary tools and materials.

Worrying wouldn’t help; it was better to focus on producing the antidote for the venom, as it might be useful one day.

In a corner that Ye Qingyun didn’t notice, a black shadow that shouldn’t exist twisted a few times on the ground before slowly dissipating, disappearing without a trace.

——————

Far away from Ye Qingyun’s location,

Gu Shenyuan opened his pitch-black eyes, and as he moved, the dark mist that had enveloped him dissipated, revealing a clear sky.

He had finally found Ye Qingyun.

Without delay, Gu Shenyuan swiftly headed toward Ye Qingyun’s location.

Gu Shenyuan’s movements were unusually urgent as he recalled what he had “seen.”

The moment Ye Qingyun pulled out that piece of paper, he had already noticed him. The dark mist had also thoroughly scanned the contents of the paper and conveyed them to him.

What Gu Shenyuan hadn’t expected was that the one who had captured Ye Qingyun was that so-called “god.” Even more surprising was how alluring the god’s bloodline defect was to ordinary people.

As long as the “god” fell in love with someone again, no matter how weak that body was before, it could possess immense power. This reward was simply irresistible and worth trying.

Ye Qingyun was an ordinary person without any abilities, so it was very likely that he would choose to stay, trying to make the “god” love him again to gain power.

As Gu Shenyuan considered this possibility, he pressed on his heart, feeling uncomfortable as his gaze turned cold.

When Gu Shenyuan saw that page of paper, he had realized that the “god’s” bloodline defect had similarities with his own.

If that “god” fell in love with the same person twice, he would lose his powers and willingly transfer them to that person.

In contrast, Gu Shenyuan had to love someone with unwavering loyalty, unable to escape or betray; otherwise, he could end up as a weapon for killing, a stepping stone for his lover to climb to greater heights, ultimately becoming a complete tool.

Both he and that person could be exploited. If Ye Qingyun chose to take advantage of that “god” this time, it was clear that if Ye Qingyun discovered his condition one day, he might also choose to exploit Gu Shenyuan.

Gu Shenyuan’s eyes darkened, but he continued forward, his form moving like smoke and wind toward his destination.

“What did it have to do with him?” If Ye Qingyun made such a choice this time, he could force Ye Qingyun to help him create the antidote and then leave without a trace.
“As for those past fantasies that should never have existed, they should all disappear.”

——————

Ye Qingyun struggled to dig out the required equipment, researching the venom suddenly, the door flew open, and the youth casually walked in.

“It’s dark now; let’s go eat something. Don’t starve yourself,” the youth said kindly.

Despite holding a major secret about the youth and wanting nothing more than to be eight hundred meters away from him, Ye Qingyun had absolutely no resistance to the idea of a good meal.

The main reason was that the food in the youth’s home was incredibly delicious, a stark contrast to the nutrient paste he had lived on before.

Ye Qingyun followed the youth to the dining room, mentally justifying his actions. This was a reasonable way to interact; it would prevent the youth from suspecting his sudden change in attitude, and it wasn’t because he was tempted by the food.

As Ye Qingyun ate, he suddenly heard the youth speak.

“I’m sure you’ve heard in the village that I only favor someone for ten years. When they grow old, I’ll find someone new.” The youth propped his chin on his hand, his bright eyes fixed on Ye Qingyun, a smile playing on his red lips. “Darling, are you the kind of person who gets jealous? Will you stop me from finding new companions? Of course, even if someone new arrives, I won’t let you miss out on your treasures, so don’t worry.”

If Ye Qingyun said he wouldn’t stop him, it would mean he was scared by that piece of paper, had suppressed any inappropriate thoughts, and wouldn’t attempt to make him fall in love with him twice to stay.

The youth smiled as he waited for Ye Qingyun’s response, appearing harmless on the surface. However, he knew that if the answer wasn’t what he wanted, Ye Qingyun would likely meet a gruesome fate in the next second.

Listening to this scumbag’s declaration, Ye Qingyun felt utterly speechless.

“This guy only looks for a partner every ten years, so his existence can’t be that important. It’s not love at first sight, so why can’t he just let him go?”

Thus, Ye Qingyun tried to respond diplomatically: “I do get jealous, and I hope to have a long-lasting relationship with my partner without any outsiders interfering.”

The smile on the youth’s face faded, and a thin layer of power gathered at his fingertips.

“What a pity; he liked that face, but how could the owner of that face be so greedy?”

“So you should just let me go; we’re not suitable for each other,” Ye Qingyun said earnestly.

The youth was taken aback.

“What did you say?” he asked in disbelief. “You want to leave right now?”

Ye Qingyun felt even more confused. “Didn’t I tell you from the beginning that I wanted to leave?”

The youth knew Ye Qingyun had always wanted to leave, “but…”

“Didn’t you see all that gold and silver jewelry in that room? Just taking one piece would be enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life!” the youth questioned.

Previously, Ye Qingyun hadn’t known about his wealth, so wanting to leave was completely understandable.

But seeing all that gold and silver jewelry, combined with the comfortable life here, plus the youth’s looks, didn’t even give Ye Qingyun a thought about staying.

The youth couldn’t remember how long he had lived or how many partners he had changed, but he had never been rejected at this stage before.

He glared at Ye Qingyun, waiting for his next response.

He hoped he wouldn’t discover that it was a tactic to lure him in, or else…

Ye Qingyun was unsure what the youth was thinking but had doubts about the gold and silver jewelry he mentioned.

“What gold and silver jewelry?” The junk piled up in that room is gold and silver jewelry.

Ye Qingyun thought about the pile of dusty objects, and he nearly choked.

At that time, all his attention had been on finding research equipment, and he hadn’t taken the time to observe what the colorful things were. If it wasn’t equipment, he just tossed it aside.

“Speak!” the youth demanded angrily. “Why don’t you want to stay? Don’t use that failed relationship of yours as an excuse!”

Ye Qingyun paused for a moment. This time, he didn’t bring up Gu Shenyuan again but said cautiously, “Your technology here… is too outdated.”

The youth asked, “What?”

“There’s no internet. How can a person live like that?” Ye Qingyun complained. “Can gold and silver jewelry compare to the joy of being online?”

Ye Qingyun’s response took the youth by surprise, leaving him momentarily speechless, unsure of how to respond.

Ye Qingyun continued, “I can’t appreciate gold and silver jewelry; I’m just a teenager addicted to the internet. Wouldn’t it be better to find someone who understands and appreciates those things?”

The youth fell silent.

Ye Qingyun pressed on, “And your extraordinary beauty? It’s such a waste to let someone like me, who doesn’t know how to appreciate it, look at you for ten years. Wouldn’t it be better to find someone who can shower you with compliments?”

The youth moved.

He straightened up and gave Ye Qingyun a sinister smile. “I won’t let you go; just give up on that idea.”

“If you dared to refuse him, you had to be prepared to stay by his side for the rest of your life!”

————

That night, before going to sleep, Ye Qingyun chatted with the system, which mentioned that many cliché stories began like this.

An unmotivated, pure-hearted flower, unwaveringly rejecting the old man’s sponsorship, claiming he wouldn’t sell himself for a bit of money. What he wanted was a simple life with the person he liked, one that lasted a lifetime.

Old Man: “Ha, good. You’ve successfully caught my attention!”

The old man forcibly kept the flower by his side but didn’t expect that he, who vowed never to develop real feelings, would end up falling for that pure and innocent person during their time together…

Ye Qingyun: “…”

Ye Qingyun’s expression was flat: “Your brain must be malfunctioning; it’s time to reset.”

System: “QAQ”

Ye Qingyun: “Have you been too idle lately? Have you concluded your meeting?”

System: “N-No, the main system said you could do as you please, just don’t act out of character in front of the main character.”

“Ye Qingyun snorted coldly and tucked himself under the covers.”

He couldn’t just sit and wait for his fate; he had found enough parts in that room. Given some time, he might be able to create something that would help him escape.

Once he got out, he would find Gu Shenyuan and then leave this planet.

——————

Late at night, the world was silent.

A wisp of black mist slipped through the crack of the door and slowly coalesced into a human shape.

If Ye Qingyun had been awake at that moment, he would have realized that the black mist had transformed into Gu Shenyuan.

Gu Shenyuan silently approached Ye Qingyun’s bed and leaned down to look at his sleeping face.

Ye Qingyun appeared to be restless in his sleep, with his brow slightly furrowed, making one want to smooth away the worries etched on his face.

Gu Shenyuan didn’t call out to wake Ye Qingyun or directly take him away; he simply watched silently.

Ye Qingyun’s not sharing a room with that person gave him some comfort, but it didn’t entirely quell the anxiety in his heart.

If he just took Ye Qingyun away, would Ye Qingyun blame him for ruining his plans and harbor resentment?

Would Ye Qingyun want to stay here to seduce that man, seize power, and not leave with him, the “one with nothing?”

“…That seemed quite reasonable.”

“Why would Ye Qingyun want to go with him?”

Gu Shenyuan continued to watch in silence until Ye Qingyun turned over, accidentally hitting his leg while he stood at the bedside, and slowly opened his eyes.

At first, Ye Qingyun didn’t realize something was wrong. He shifted his sleeping position to lie flat on the bed and then saw a blurry black figure standing at the bedside.

Ye Qingyun felt as if all his souls had been frightened out of him. He shot up in bed, about to shout, but the black figure covered his mouth.

The hand covering his mouth was slightly cool and carried the familiar scent of Gu Shenyuan.

It was Gu Shenyuan.

This person naturally gave a sense of security, and Ye Qingyun’s tense body relaxed. He grabbed Gu Shenyuan’s wrist, signaling for him to let go.

Gu Shenyuan didn’t immediately release him; he stared at Ye Qingyun for a moment before slowly lowering his hand.

“How did you get here? Did you find a way in?” Ye Qingyun whispered. “Quick, let’s go!”

Ye Qingyun quietly got out of bed, put on his shoes, and swiftly headed for the door.

After a few steps, he sensed something was off and turned around, only to find Gu Shenyuan still standing in place.

The thick night made it hard to see the expression on Gu Shenyuan’s face.

“Do you want to come with me?” Gu Shenyuan’s voice was soft, as if afraid of breaking some beautiful dream.

“What nonsense are you talking about? Where would I stay if I’m not leaving?” Ye Qingyun was bewildered.

Gu Shenyuan didn’t answer. In the darkness where no one could see, the corners of his mouth curled up, revealing a smile that could be described as gentle.