Chapter 32

At the Shengyi Golden Tower, night tickets began selling at 4:00 PM, with entry for the 6:00 PM show.

No one expected that the live broadcast for ticket holders would be continuous, running day and night. There were two shows a day, each lasting twelve hours, seamlessly connecting.

Night tickets were half the price of the daytime tickets.

However, the online platform’s live broadcast stopped at 6:00 PM and resumed at 6:00 AM the next day, meaning there was one live stream a day, lasting twelve hours.

Because the daytime broadcasts were so popular, the online streams would end at 6:00 PM, making the night tickets even more in demand than the day tickets.

During the day, except for Yan Wan’s main viewing area, there were empty spots in the main viewing areas of other people. By the evening, when that group of teenagers went home, the main viewing areas were nearly filled.

The tickets for Yan Ning and Lu Fengfeng’s main viewing areas were the first to sell out, while Yan Wan’s main viewing area was the last to be fully booked.

Many people arrived too late to get tickets for their desired main viewing area, so they ended up buying tickets for Yan Wan’s area.

An ID named “The Big Hammer of Angel Island” was a reliable 27-year-old young man. Upon hearing that Shengyi was selling night tickets, he immediately booked four tickets online, all for Yan Ning’s main viewing area.

At 5:30 PM, he was already waiting outside the Shengyi Golden Tower, waiting for the current group to exit before heading in.

As soon as he sat in his seat, others began to arrive.

“Hey, Brother Hammer, you’re here really early,” said a fashionable girl named “Nightingale and Rose,” with long, curly hair and bold red lips, exuding a lot of charm.

Rose, carrying a black leather backpack, walked up and sat next to Brother Hammer, her hands in her pockets.

Soon after, a 16- or 17-year-old boy named Pocket Meow arrived, wearing a baseball jacket, a cap, and carrying a sports bag. “Hey, Brother Hammer, hey, Rose Sis.”

“Wow, Meow Meow is really enthusiastic this time,” Rose said, reaching out to pinch the boy’s face. But he leaned back to dodge her.

Brother Hammer bought the best four spots in the main viewing area, right in the middle but not too far forward or back. Pocket Meow chose to sit in the row in front.

Rose leaned over the backrest of Pocket Meow’s seat and asked, “Did you come because you’re curious about Ningning?”

Pocket Meow lowered his head, his ears slightly flushed. “Who’s curious? I just came to watch the game.”

“Oh~~~” Rose stretched out her response, clearly amused.

You could watch the game on a livestream at home, so why bother coming in person?

They all met in the game on Angel Island Number four, and because they shared similar interests, they had met up in person several times and often made offline plans and attended events together.

However, Pocket Meow was still in high school and often bailed on them because of his studies. This time, he was unusually enthusiastic.

She had reasons to suspect that his motivations weren’t entirely pure.

Brother Hammer said he came to watch the game scenes in person, and she believed him.

But Pocket Meow, she wasn’t so sure about. However, she was also quite curious about what the “Godly Face CP” that those two mischievous penguins had been bragging about actually looked like.

When she watched the livestream during the day, she couldn’t help but feel itching with curiosity. Number One and Number Two were so fun, she couldn’t resist wanting to see the real people.

Although there was a risk of being disappointed, she couldn’t sleep tonight without seeing them in person.

“Hey! You guys are so early. Meow Meow’s here, too. Unusually enthusiastic, huh?” The last to arrive was a handsome, rebellious older man with the ID “Long Night’s Bright Lamp,” dressed in a casual suit. He lazily walked over to the empty seat next to Pocket Meow and glanced at the screen showing an advertisement. “Hasn’t it started yet?”

Rose shook her head, her interest piqued. She leaned toward Long Night and said, “This kid only came because he wants to see ^[1]“Ningning-chan,” the suffix “chan” (ちゃん) is a Japanese honorific often used to express affection, endearment, or familiarityNingning-chan, that’s why he’s so eager.”

Long Night rubbed his chin, his narrow eyes filled with approval. “The kid’s growing up.”

“Hey, I told you, that’s not it,” Meow Meow said, slightly annoyed, but his protest lacked conviction.

“Oh, what’s the big deal? I bet Long Night’s here to see Ningning, too,” Rose teased, finding Meow Meow’s usual pride amusing. At this moment, he was just being adorably frank—though still stubborn.

“Nonsense. I came to watch the game. It’s all because Brother Hammer wanted to see Number One, so he bought the tickets for this area. I had no choice,” Long Night said, shaking his head.

The group was laughing and chatting when suddenly the screen, which had been showing an advertisement, changed, and the mischievous and adorable voices of Sese and Tutu, almost ingrained in the audience’s DNA, could be heard.

【Sese: Good evening, everyone! Have you had a good dinner?】

【Tutu: No matter what, make sure to eat well!】

【Sese: Oh my, what happened to Number Three? Did the compressed biscuits taste too good? Did they make you cry with how delicious they are?】

【Tutu: Oh~~~ Looks like it’s Number One, Ningning, who made him cry.】

【Sese: Oh~~~ This familiar recipe, this familiar taste… Number One and Number Two are about to go on a dog-killing spree… No, wait, it’s time for dinner, where’s my spicy chips?】

【Tutu: We see that Number One, Ningning, casually pulled out a mass destruction weapon—】

On the island.

Qin Li, holding his compressed biscuit and some cold water, was on the verge of tears, crying out: “Please, you two, be human!”

Yan Ning unfolded the double sleeping bag she had pulled out, the firelight shining on her face, illuminating one side of her smooth, flawless cheek.

She took off her shoes and climbed into the sleeping bag, patting the spot next to her. “Fengfeng, are you done? This is super warm, come quickly.”

The group sitting around the campfire had dark looks on their faces.

When they chose their equipment in the morning, they hadn’t considered basic survival needs and had picked mostly pretty weapons.

Since breakfast, Yan Ning and Lu Fengfeng had been teaching them lessons.

The most scarce resources for outdoor survival are water, food, and shelter.

Weapons are important, but they’re not everything.

Because they hadn’t prepared in advance, there was now a huge disparity in the quality of life between them and the other two.

Normally, it wouldn’t matter, but in this special environment, it was really frustrating.

After Lu Fengfeng finished his tasks, he walked over and saw that Yan Ning had left a side of the sleeping bag open. He paused for a moment, then asked, “You want me to sleep here?”

Yan Ning was inflating the small air pump. The sleeping bag was designed with a soft cushion at the back that could be inflated to serve as a backrest. The small air pump was a tool provided inside the sleeping bag.

“I checked carefully when I chose it. It’s a double sleeping bag. Come over, there’s plenty of space, and it’s really warm,” Yan Ning cheerfully called out to him.

Lu Fengfeng stood there, unmoving, his head lowered and brows furrowed, his ears turning bright red. However, because it was night and he was standing by the fire, no one noticed.

“You go ahead and sleep. I’ll just rest by the fire for a bit,” he said, still a little embarrassed. This girl really had no reservations about him at all.

Although he had no intention of crossing any boundaries, and in this situation it was impossible to do so, Yan Ning’s carefree personality suddenly made him a bit troubled. Would she be this unguarded with everyone?

“Why don’t you want to sleep here? It’s spacious and warm,” Yan Ning asked, confused.

Lu Fengfeng sat on a log by the fire. Seeing her puzzled expression, he gave a helpless smile and spoke in a gentle tone: “I don’t sleep well, I’m afraid I’ll crowd you. Don’t worry about me, just rest well.”

“Why?” Yan Ning immediately sensed he was giving an excuse. She was very confused—there was a perfectly good place for him to rest, so why was he refusing?

On the other side, Shu Yue couldn’t stand it anymore. Although Yan Ning slapping Yan Ning Wan earlier had left her with lingering unease, at that moment, jealousy took the upper hand, and she spoke impatiently: “Why? Why don’t you think for yourself? Even if you’re a couple, is it appropriate to sleep together in this situation? Fengfeng knows to avoid suspicion, but you, as a girl, how can you be so shameless? Do you really want to sleep with a man so badly?”

“I see. Fengfeng, I forgot to tell you, even though it’s a double sleeping bag, it’s actually separate.” Just then, the soft cushion at the back was fully inflated, and the separator between the two sleeping bags was also blown up, clearly creating two separate sleeping bags, but in the style of a double.

“When I was picking equipment in the morning, I originally wanted to bring two sleeping bags. But there wasn’t enough space in the inventory, and it only allowed one. Then I happened to see this double sleeping bag, so I chose it. I thought with this, we could both rest well. Don’t you like it?” Yan Ning’s round cat-like eyes were focused on Lu Fengfeng, her brow furrowed slightly, looking almost guilty, as if she hadn’t done a good job with this.

At the right moment, Sese and Tutu’s commentary came in:

【Sese: Just to add, this equipment was secretly placed in the inventory after I picked it, and I had a feeling she would choose it!】

【Tutu: Yes, yes, Ningning, as the number one meal companion, has never disappointed anyone!】

Lu Fengfeng felt his heart soften. He turned his gaze toward the inflated sleeping bag, noticing there was indeed a divider in the middle. After the cushion was inflated, a barrier stood between them, so even when they slept, they wouldn’t be able to see each other’s face.

He walked over and couldn’t help but reach out and touch her soft, smooth short hair. With a gentle tone, he apologized, “No, I really like it. It’s my fault for not noticing your intentions.”

He then took off his shoes and slid into the empty half of the sleeping bag.

As she said, it was spacious and warm. His body quickly warmed up, and the soft cushion was very comfortable against his back.

“But she wasn’t wrong,” Yan Ning suddenly said.

“What?” Lu Fengfeng didn’t catch that.

“I really do want to sleep with you, want to be with you all the time, the one I like. Don’t you like me like this?” Yan Ning turned her head and looked at him seriously.

Her light gray pupils turned into a deep amber color under the firelight. Her expression was calm and confident, as if she were casually saying something like, “The soup tonight is delicious,” without any hesitation.

Lu Fengfeng felt a rush of heat from the soles of his feet all the way up to the top of his head. His mind went blank, and his skin felt like it was on fire. He could only stare at Yan Ning in a daze.

“Aiya, this boy is going to die,” Rose propped her chin up, her eyes twinkling with stars. The curve of her smile was as wide as an old aunt’s, her heart melting, “Fengfeng looks playful and frivolous, completely no match for Ningning! Meow Meow, what do you think?”

Meow Meow stared at the screen, eyes glued, not answering Rose’s question.

Rose saw his expression from the side and poked Brother Hammer and Chang Ye, “Meow Meow is about to die too!”

Both Brother Hammer and Chang Ye, being experienced, glanced at Meow Meow and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Meow Meow snapped back to reality, his face and ears flushed red, “Rose, old aunt, stop making random comments.”

“Alright, alright, I won’t say anything. But this couple really is spot on, they’re like a perfect match, and I didn’t expect Ningning-chan to actually be the more dominant one,” Rose said, feeling like she’d just tasted some sweet candy.

Adult life is too tiring. Seeing Yan Ning and Lu Fengfeng made her think of her youth. If she had half of Yan Ning’s courage, maybe she wouldn’t be so aimlessly drifting around like she is now.

“Hey, have you frozen?” Lu Fengfeng didn’t respond for a long time, so Yan Ning raised her hand and waved it in front of him.

Lu Fengfeng snapped out of it, grabbing her wandering hand, lowering his eyes to hide the gentle light in them, but his lips betrayed him with a smile, “Ningning, you have to be responsible for what you say.”

“Mm, I’ll take responsibility,” she replied confidently, even though she didn’t know which words needed responsibility, but she was sure that whatever happened, she would take full responsibility for her actions and words.

Lu Fengfeng looked up at her, his eyes dark and mysterious like a starry night, staring intently at her. Slowly, he bent down and kissed the tip of her finger, “Mm, I’ve noted it. Rest well. Good night.”

“Good night.” Yan Ning obediently lay back in her sleeping bag, closing her eyes, and soon her even breathing filled the air.

“My god, this is too much fun! Fengfeng’s really good at this, huh?” Rose sat in her seat, excitedly pinching Brother Hammer’s arm, her excitement causing her to contort, “Is this kind of love even real? That little wolf dog’s gaze is too wicked!”

The other audience members couldn’t help but gossip quietly around them. Some wondered if this was a script from Shengyi. How could such a romance exist in real life?

On the island.

Shu Yue, hearing the two of them chat without a care, clenched her fists and muttered angrily, “White lotus!”

Qin Li rolled on the ground, crying loudly, “Please, stop showing off! Let the kid take it slow!”

Yan Wan secretly swapped for a warming item in the system, no longer feeling cold. But seeing Yan Ning and Lu Fengfeng, she couldn’t help but feel envious.

Zhao Mingcheng found a clear spot a little farther away, took out his sleeping bag, spread it out, and prepared to crawl in.

Qin Li grabbed him by the arm, tears welling up in his eyes, “Maybe yours is also a double sleeping bag?”

Zhao Mingcheng tilted his head, looking at Qin Li with a strange expression.

Of course, his was a single sleeping bag—he didn’t have a woman.

Zhao Mingcheng yanked his jacket out of Qin Li’s hand, crawled into his own sleeping bag, and prepared to rest.

Qin Li sat pitifully by the fire, feeling like the whole world was showing off, and he was the only one left out.

—

Late at night, the team members on the island curled up in their sleeping bags, some lying down, some sitting, others leaning against logs that had been turned into stools, gathered around the fire, drifting into sleep.

Yan Ning suddenly woke up, opened her eyes, and gently sat up. Her gaze first landed on Lu Fengfeng.

He was sleeping soundly, his long, beautiful eyes gently closed, dark, soft strands of hair falling across his forehead. His peaceful and serene sleeping face, with a faint pink hue to his lips, seemed to be caught in some pleasant dream.

Yan Ning quietly extended her right hand, gently touching his forehead. Lu Fengfeng’s eyelids fluttered slightly, his body curled deeper into his sleeping bag, sinking into a deeper slumber.

Yan Ning got up, counted the people gathered around the fire—six, including her—Meng Qing was missing.

She reached out quietly, using her psychic power to put the others by the fire into a deep sleep, then stood up, gripping a small, delicate spring knife in her hand. Her gaze followed a particular direction as she began to walk deeper into the forest.

Yan Ning didn’t notice Zhao Mingcheng, who had been curled up in his sleeping bag at a distance, and had been overlooked by her. After she walked away, he slowly opened his eyes.

【Sese: Moses, Moses, is anyone still awake?】

【Tutu: Moses, Moses, the midnight dungeon has opened~~~】

Sese and Tutu’s voices were very soft, almost like whispers.

After midnight, the Shengyi staff kindly distributed eye masks, soft little pillows, and air-conditioned blankets to every audience member, allowing them to rest.

Many people had already fallen asleep under their eye masks, tucked in their blankets. When Chui Ge heard a noise, he immediately woke up and turned to look at Rose, who was also awake, still in a daze.

Rose reached out to poke Meow Meow, who was sound asleep under his eye mask, but Chang Ye stopped her with a hand, mouthing, “Let him sleep.”

So, the three awake adults snuggled up in their blankets and began watching the live stream. A few others around them also woke up, but not many.

Yan Ning walked alone deeper into the forest. The rustling sounds around her made her scalp tingle.

Only the cold moonlight barely illuminated the path ahead. The tree canopy blocked most of the light, so it was hard to see clearly, but Yan Ning took steady steps.

She vaguely saw a figure ahead and quietly approached, calling in a low voice, “Meng Qing?”

Meng Qing abruptly turned around, shining a flashlight toward the source of the sound. When he saw it was her, his eyes were filled with surprise. “Yan Ning, what are you doing here?”

“I came to find you. What are you doing here?” Yan Ning’s voice was light in the quiet night, but it was clear enough for Meng Qing to hear.

Meng Qing gave a bitter smile, then waved his hand behind him. “Sorry, Yan Ning. Since you’ve found me, I guess I have to deal with you first.”

A creaking sound, like grinding teeth, came from the tree trunks. Yan Ning looked up, and her surroundings were full of star-patterned spiders hanging upside down on the branches.

“Are you their leader?” Yan Ning asked, unfazed by the sight of so many star-patterned spiders. Instead, she looked at Meng Qing. “Or are you being forced?”

Meng Qing shrugged, thinking that Yan Ning couldn’t see him. He spoke aloud, “Does it matter? Either way, you won’t be able to get out of this forest.”

Yan Ning’s spring knife gleamed with a sharp silver light in the moonlight. She swiftly turned the blade and silently dealt with the star-patterned spider that had attacked from behind her. Then she moved a few steps to the side, and with a series of thuds—heavy objects falling onto the dry leaves—she stood beside Meng Qing.

The silver blade gently pressed against the two-centimeter gap at Meng Qing’s neck, and Yan Ning’s voice was soft but chilling, “If you’re their leader, I’ll deal with you as well. If you’re being forced, I can save you.”

The girl’s slender figure, illuminated by the moonlight, blended with the various shadows in the forest, forming a terrifying picture. It was as if she had torn away a beautiful disguise, revealing the most terrifying claws hidden deep within.

Meng Qing had originally taken on a part-time job, playing the role of a guide and the first boss of the dungeon in the game.

He was supposed to act as a guide, seemingly saved by adventurers, but in reality, he was the leader of the star-patterned spiders.

After gaining the adventurers’ trust, he was to command the star-patterned spiders to attack them late at night. If the adventurers defeated the spiders, they would clear the level and move on to the next one.

If the adventurers failed to recognize his true identity and were wiped out, their adventure would end right there in the forest.

Everything went smoothly during the day. No one suspected his identity, and he thought the job would be easy. After all, if he managed to stop them at this stage, Shengyi would evaluate the outcome and increase his hourly wage.

Meng Qing vaguely thought that the extra money from this job was quite easy to earn.

But at this moment, he was gripped by real fear. Yan Ning’s tone was too certain, and perhaps the scene was too real—he felt that her words were completely without exaggeration.

“How did you figure it out?” Although he was shaken inside, he still remembered his role. Even if caught, he had to find an opportunity to say his lines.

“The star-patterned spiders sometimes bite their prey in advance, injecting neurotoxins to control their actions. In the evening, I saw an unnatural wound on your wrist. When everyone else was resting, since we were sleeping outdoors and felt unsafe, even Yan Wan and Shu Yue stayed still and didn’t dare to run around. But you disappeared for a long time. So, it’s pretty obvious.”

Yan Ning’s voice was right beside Meng Qing, and he could even feel the warmth of her breath. He lowered his head, trying to suppress the inexplicable fear rising from deep within him. “You’re right. I was indeed controlled. So, what are you going to do? Kill me?”

Meng Qing felt his body tremble uncontrollably. He couldn’t tell if it was his intuition or something else, but he felt that Yan Ning might really take action against him.

“Ugh—” Suddenly, his abdomen was struck hard. Meng Qing let out a muffled groan, feeling like his organs had shifted. The pain made his forehead break out in cold sweat.

“You should lie down for a while. Let me deal with these pests.”

Yan Ning left him behind, gripping the small knife, and stepped into the circle of star-patterned spiders. Immediately, the air was filled with sounds of limbs, bodies, tearing, liquids, and splattering as the spiders surrounded her.

After an unknown amount of time, Meng Qing felt the pain in his abdomen gradually ease. His body, stiff and cold from lying on the ground for so long, felt numb, but the rustling sounds around him still hadn’t stopped.

“Pfft—thud—”

After two dull thuds, the air around him was no longer filled with the bone-chilling sounds of tearing, ripping, and flesh being shredded.

The sound of footsteps crunching on the leaves gradually drew nearer, and Meng Qing slowly opened his eyes.

The sky was tinged with a faint gray-blue, and the golden light, about to burst forth, gently outlined the thin clouds with a golden edge.

Yan Ning stood with golden clouds layered behind her, a few streaks of blue liquid staining her cheek, and some on her clothes, though it didn’t diminish her beauty in the slightest.

She gripped her only weapon tightly, looking down at him with lowered eyes. A few rebellious strands of hair flew to her cheek in the wind, and she raised a hand to tuck them behind her ear. “Can you get up by yourself?”

At this moment, Meng Qing should have been scared, but instead, his heartbeat suddenly quickened, and blood surged up to his head.

He silently nodded and struggled to lift himself off the ground.

Yan Ning extended her hand. “Give me a set of clean clothes.”

Meng Qing silently retrieved a clean set of sportswear from his inventory and handed it to her. As he retracted his hand, he accidentally brushed against her fingertips, and he felt a shiver run through his chest.

Yan Ning didn’t pay attention to these small details. Her gaze scanned the forest before settling on a spot. She quickly moved toward the hidden area. “Go back to the camp and rest. I’ll be back soon.”

After taking two steps, she suddenly turned back. “By the way, can you keep today’s events a secret for me?”

Looking into her pure and innocent eyes, Meng Qing felt his heart race, his palms sweating. He nodded gently.

“Thanks.” Yan Ning relaxed, then turned and walked toward the hidden place to change clothes.

Meng Qing stood in place for a long time, waiting until the strange emotions inside him calmed down before clutching his stomach and slowly walking back to the camp.

—

Lu Fengfeng had slept soundly last night, an exceptionally rare peaceful sleep for him in many years. No nightmares disturbed his dreams, and he slept soundly until dawn.

Sensing a careful movement beside him, he slowly opened his eyes and was greeted by her sweet, innocent smile. “Sorry, did I wake you?”