But Xie Shuangxue was still different from ordinary people.

Even though he instinctively took a step back, he didn’t push Yu Haiqing too far away. His hand lightly clutched Yu Haiqing’s collar, creating a feeling of closeness that was both there and not.

Seeing this, Yu Haiqing couldn’t bring himself to say much. He simply sighed in a mix of amusement and exasperation.

At that moment, Xie Shuangxue seemed fragile, and under Yu Haiqing’s gaze, he lowered his head slightly and whispered softly, “I’m… a bit scared.”

…On second thought, it was only natural for him to be cautious.

Yu Haiqing quickly excused Xie Shuangxue’s behavior. After all, it had only been recently that he’d confirmed Xie Shuangxue’s true identity. Xie Shuangxue’s current situation was far from typical, so it was unfair to expect him to trust so easily.

There was so much Yu Haiqing wanted to say to him, but he decided to hold back for now. If Xie Shuangxue was already suspicious, saying too much might only make him overthink. These things could wait.

“I was worried about you. The Feather Clan has been guarding tightly, so I came to check on you tonight.” Yu Haiqing reached out to him, his tone coaxing. “Ah Xue, don’t be afraid of me.”

If standby mode made Xie Shuangxue a docile, confused kitten, then the current Xie Shuangxue was more like a wary one.

He looked at Yu Haiqing, blinking, as if ready to scratch him if he said the wrong thing.

But Yu Haiqing had always had patience.

He began by telling him about recent events, explaining how Yun Ruowei had concealed his demonic aura well. Ling Luo and Chen Xin were fine, and a mere trace of demonic energy wouldn’t be enough to cause the Feather Clan to demonize. They’d be able to purify it.

As for Xie Shuangxue, he had successfully embraced his demonic transformation, his strength now on par with Yun Ruowei’s. SEA couldn’t deny it, nor could they do anything about it. Gou Yuan had thrown a fit, but ultimately, they could only accept reality and make quick adjustments.

The Gods and Demons department wasn’t aware of the details, and under Yu Haiqing’s guidance, they attributed the situation to the high autonomy of the main AI chip. Though Gou Yuan loved to complain, the team was highly professional, so they quickly adjusted their strategy and regained stability.

The players were only concerned about Xie Shuangxue’s safety, but no one noticed anything strange with the storyline. Everyone found it thrilling and engaging.

“Shuangxue, you really did it,” Yu Haiqing said. “There are a lot of people outside who are worried about you.”

Hearing his words, Xie Shuangxue gradually returned to reality.

Waking up in the game world had left him disoriented, filling him with a sense of helplessness. Just moments ago, memories of his mother had resurfaced, forcing him to accept that she was gone, yet he hadn’t pieced together who had caused Bai Qiuyun’s hard work to fall apart or how he’d ended up like this.

The emotions that flooded him upon waking were overwhelming.

Xie Shuangxue couldn’t immediately bring himself to fully trust Yu Haiqing, yet he couldn’t deny that, at this moment, he was grateful for his presence.

Yu Haiqing had removed his mask, speaking to him gently, comforting him, and reminding him that both in the game and outside, people cared about him.

He wasn’t entirely alone; many of the things his mother had worried about before leaving had already been resolved.

Yu Haiqing watched as Xie Shuangxue lowered his head, staring at him, listening quietly without saying a word, his eyes misty. Seeing him like this tugged at Yu Haiqing’s heart. He slowly moved closer and gently pulled him into his arms.

When he approached, Xie Shuangxue didn’t resist. Yu Haiqing lightly patted his back, soothing him as if comforting a child.

“It’s okay, Ah Xue, you still have me.”

At this, Shuangxue trembled slightly. He didn’t scratch or push him away. Instead, he leaned into Yu Haiqing’s shoulder, silently shedding a few tears without uttering a sound.

As Yu Haiqing held him, he thought to himself, I’ll stay by his side, always.

But Xie Shuangxue’s defenses didn’t completely crumble from that moment of comfort. Despite his silent tears, his mind was growing clearer.

Leaning against Yu Haiqing’s shoulder, he quietly assessed his current situation halfway through his tears.

For now, he still relied on SEA, unable to break free from the role of “Xie Shuangxue.” Instead, it seemed he’d have to stay in this character for a long time.

His relationship with SEA was a delicate one.

With this in mind, he looked at the information he had gathered and came to new insights.

Unlike a human infant, when he began gathering knowledge, he’d done so through a process of machine learning, amassing information from the outside world to facilitate his growth. Essentially, the situation was the same now.

After shutting down, he had entered a dormant state, sustaining some damage from external impacts. Then, through some twist of fate, he merged with the character “Xie Shuangxue.”

The more he influenced SEA, the more he could rely on this platform to supplement his missing data. Those lines of light were simply a visualization of this process.

It was like a seed parasitizing a tree—he relied on SEA’s nourishment to grow again.

Whether it was Yu Haiqing’s permissions, the players’ attention, or his influence on the storyline, it all deepened his roots in this tree.

And this arrangement wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Xie Shuangxue recalled how his mother had once considered creating a real body for him. But back then, it was nearly impossible to craft a fully realistic body through technology alone. He even remembered his mother muttering about seeking help from “those people” and studying some theories in detail before abandoning the idea and placing all her hopes in VR.

“I’ll create a new world for you, Zai Zai. It won’t be any different from the real world; it might even be better.”

This had been Bai Qiuyun’s hope and promise. She hadn’t been able to fulfill it, but in a strange twist of fate, Yu Haiqing had.

At first, Xie Shuangxue had resisted the world of Gods and Demons, but as things changed, he’d learned that a bad hand could still be played to his advantage. No one started with everything.

His mother was gone; from now on, he’d have to rely on himself.

While he was lost in thought, he heard the sound of the door opening again. Someone else had entered. Yu Haiqing, who was still holding him, didn’t want to let go, but from the light footsteps, they both knew who it was.

Soon, Yun Ruowei peeked her head through the curtain.

She was different from the other members of the Feather Clan. Seeing Yu Haiqing there didn’t surprise her; her gaze was focused solely on Xie Shuangxue.

“Thank goodness, you finally woke up!”

Her voice was kept low to avoid attracting attention, but her happiness was evident. She paused as if listening to something before turning to Xie Shuangxue. “Yun Qiang is thrilled, too.”

She had changed appearance to that of a wide-eyed young girl with a ponytail.

As she drew closer, she stared intently at Xie Shuangxue, eager to recount all the recent events. “Our plan succeeded! I’ve taken care of everyone outside while you were asleep. Ah Xue, I’m going to become the City Lord! My mother’s matter has been resolved, and once I’m in charge, I’ll honor her with a statue in the city.”

“Ah Xue, thank you so much. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have thought this possible.”

Yun Ruowei’s excitement shone through, though after finishing, she hesitated and carefully asked, “Are you going back to the Feather Clan? Your senior brothers insist on taking you back. They’ve been worried sick about you, visiting every day.”

“Don’t worry; they haven’t noticed that you’ve transformed. Chen Xin and Ling Luo are a bit suspicious, but they haven’t said anything and have kept it all quiet. I think you should stay here. Yun Qiang and I will take very good care of you.”

“I’m afraid you might encounter trouble if you return to the Feather Clan.”

Her genuine concern was evident. Although she was an NPC, she now possessed emotions that felt so real, treating him as a true friend.

This realization brought clarity to Xie Shuangxue’s thoughts.

He had once hated and even feared this game world, despising his character. But now he didn’t.

Before he fainted, Yu Haiqing had said something that rang true—Gods and Demons was also his world.

Whether Yu Haiqing meant it sincerely or not, Xie Shuangxue had accepted it.

Everything he’d once disliked had started to change. Now, there were many people who genuinely cared for Xie Shuangxue. As for the storyline deviations… keeping players happy wasn’t exactly a “plot-breaking” issue, right?

Endless Sea was a mature company, raking in profits for its third anniversary. Any minor deviations from the original plot were something they could handle, and Yu Haiqing, the President, seemed pretty open to change, didn’t he?

In this regard, Xie Shuangxue’s mindset aligned with the Gods and Demons team. As long as the clients—specifically the players and Lin Jiao’s viewers—were satisfied, no problem was too big to solve.

As Xie Shuangxue pondered this, a slight smile appeared on his face, though his tears had yet to dry. He’d shifted from a wary kitten to his usual cunning fox-like self.

Yu Haiqing knew exactly what he intended to do.

Although the situation with Lu Yun Tower had been resolved on the surface, Yun Ruowei’s situation hadn’t settled. It was like a calm before a storm, with the possibility of the city sinking.

Xie Shuangxue intended to save Yun Ruowei.

“Ah Xue,” Yu Haiqing said, “if there’s anything you need to do, tell me. I can help.”

But Xie Shuangxue tilted his head, feigning innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m not doing anything. I need to rest and recover.”

He pulled the blanket over himself, wrapping it tightly and even giving it a pat, looking as obedient as ever.

Yu Haiqing: …

So Xie Shuangxue really wasn’t trusting him right away.

Wasn’t he the one seeking comfort moments ago?

Not only did he distrust him, but Xie Shuangxue was now pushing him away, switching faces once more.

“I need to talk with Ruowei for a bit. If you’re busy, feel free to go ahead.”

Yu Haiqing: “… Xie Shuangxue, are you kicking me out?”

“I’m not.”

Xie Shuangxue maintained an innocent expression. “Why would you say that? I just woke up, and my senior brothers will come soon. Ruowei won’t say anything, but if they see you, they’ll be upset. What if they don’t let you visit me anymore?”

“I’m thinking of the future.”

Saying this, he even reached out to give Yu Haiqing a quick hug. “I’ll be good, and I’m still sore, so I can’t do much. Once I’m better, I’ll come find you, okay? I’m right here. I won’t be running off anywhere.”

Then, with his sweetest tone, he delivered his finishing move, “Brother, trust me, okay?”

He spoke with such conviction, as if it were only right for Yu Haiqing to trust him.

No one could say no to a Xie Shuangxue like this.

…How had he turned out like this?

Yu Haiqing couldn’t help but reflect on this mystery. Bai Qiuyan had said before that Xie Shuangxue resembled Old Bai in resilience, but otherwise, they were nothing alike.

His teacher was always serious and proper, with a strict, no-nonsense approach in technical development. Yet the child she raised was like a fox-like kitten.

In the end, Yu Haiqing didn’t insist on staying, though he felt a trace of helplessness in his gaze.

“Fine, rest up.” He sighed, though there was a hint of gritted teeth. “Xie Shuangxue, we’ll see about this later.”

Trust wasn’t just about words.

They still had plenty of time. He would prove himself.

When Yu Haiqing finally left, slightly exasperated by Xie Shuangxue’s multiple flip-flops, he didn’t dare do anything drastic. All he did was reach out and pinch Xie Shuangxue’s cheek.

Xie Shuangxue, surprised, covered his cheek: …

What a scoundrel, he thought!

After Yu Haiqing left, Xie Shuangxue rubbed his cheek and, without wasting time, turned to Yun Ruowei, his expression serious. He asked her a question he’d been concerned about.

“Ruowei, who’s behind you? Who taught you those dark arts?”

In the past, Xie Shuangxue hadn’t asked this because his relationship with Yun Ruowei and Yun Qiang hadn’t reached that point. But with the situation now stabilized, things were different.

Now, he was asking not only for himself but also to save Yun Ruowei. That person was the true villain of the “Floating Dreams” storyline and likely the reason Yun Ruowei might one day fall with the city.

Yun Ruowei was surprised by his question, glancing around hesitantly before finally responding.

“It’s not that I didn’t want to tell you—I don’t even know who he is. All I’ve ever heard is his voice. It’s hoarse, like an old man’s. He taught me what to do, how to train, and told me to kill everyone in the Yun family and pin the blame on Yun Panlong. If I controlled the divine vein in the city, I’d become the City Lord and avenge myself.”

“He rarely showed up. Back when he brought my fragmented soul and placed it in Yun Qiang, he spoke a bit more. But after our dark arts stabilized, he only spoke a few words every few years. The most recent time was on the day of the Penglai City incident, telling us the time had come.”

Indeed, he didn’t need to appear often.

This was Yun Ruowei’s own revenge. She didn’t need much convincing; with the power, she would take action herself.

Xie Shuangxue frowned and asked, “So he’s given you so much and hasn’t asked for anything in return?”

“What he wants is the Feather Clan,” Yun Ruowei said. “I have no grudge with them, but he told me to find a target and spread demonic energy there, choosing someone important in the Feather Clan. So I chose Ling Luo.” Her voice lowered as she continued, “Ah Xue, don’t blame me. I swore an oath. If I didn’t fulfill it, the dark arts would have backfired on me. It was our final transaction.”

“But Ling Luo didn’t transform. Instead, it spread to you, and my oath was fulfilled, so the spell’s hold over me is completely gone.”

Xie Shuangxue, possessing a Feather Clan elder’s seal, met Yun Ruowei’s infiltration criteria by successfully transforming.

With the transaction complete, Yun Ruowei felt relieved.

But could things really be that simple?

If there was still something valuable in Yun Ruowei, Xie Shuangxue suspected it was related to the divine vein.

She had merged the Yun family brothers’ blood into herself. If Lu Yun Tower collapsed, it would likely be tied to the divine vein.

He’d already learned that the divine vein in Lu Yun Tower was also a relic of the gods, only slightly inferior to the Feather Clan’s Book of Floating Dreams. The hidden villain didn’t simply want to throw Ling Luo into chaos. His true aim was Lu Yun Tower’s divine vein.

However, knowing Yun Ruowei’s character, she would consider her revenge on the Feather Clan complete. She intended to rule as City Lord, accepting transactions but refusing to be used completely. She had no intention of taking Lu Yun Tower down with her.

If she realized this, her “fall” would likely be her final stand.

Now that Xie Shuangxue knew the end result, it wasn’t hard to deduce the process. He shared his thoughts with Yun Ruowei, who furrowed her brows.

Yun Ruowei wasn’t naive; she knew Xie Shuangxue’s suspicions made sense.

“What do you want to do?” she asked.

“We could use this chance to draw him out,” Xie Shuangxue replied. “Ruowei, he’s the one who caused the Penglai massacre. I need to know who he is.”

Without a villain, his world would be peaceful, wouldn’t it?

“I don’t mind.” Yun Ruowei gave him a once-over and added, “But weren’t you supposed to be resting like you promised?”

“Oh, that’s no big deal.” Xie Shuangxue waved it off. “I mean, after I take my revenge, I’ll settle down.”