Chapter 34

Those on Earth who have never been to the stars may have all sorts of fantastical imaginations about alien life, imagining that among them there must be many existences and ways of life that surpass human understanding.

While this is indeed true, compared to Earth, the stars are a more dreamlike and absurd boundless world.

However, the vast majority of aliens actually live ordinary and mundane lives, just like humans.

In addition, the stars also have some ancient but traditional facilities that are almost identical on every planet: the dungeon and cell.

These are completely different from the laser barriers, high-tech, fully equipped alien solitary confinement cells that humans imagine.

The standard features of a dungeon are just a few large chains. These are not necessarily iron chains, they could be a rare metal from some planet, like the material of the suppressor on her wrist.

Once fastened to a person, the chains not only restrict movement but also suppress their mental power.

Other than that, the cell is completely empty.

The more vicious the criminal, the more likely they are to be locked up in such traditional cells.

There is no escape, and the prisoners will never experience any pleasure, either physically or emotionally, keeping them in an endless, eternal darkness, gradually forgotten by the world.

Yan Ning had also spent several months in such a place. Seeing the room’s furnishings and structure, there was a moment when she thought she was in her own dream, and she thought the shadow opposite her was that person.

It wasn’t until the shadow in the distance slowly raised its head, revealing the beauty marks under the corners of the eyes that were both clear and captivating, that she realized this was Lu Fengfeng’s dream.

At this point, Lu Fengfeng appeared slightly younger than when she first met him, only about fourteen or fifteen years old. His eyes weren’t as warm and calm as they were now.

In the dream, he seemed like a trapped beast, yet his eyes were sharp, deep, and proud.

Like a young wolf that had lost its parents, licking its wounds in loneliness. His eyes showed ferocity, as though he had already prepared to go down in a blaze of glory with his enemies.

But to meet him in such a place meant that, for some reason, he had once been in an interstellar high-security prison…

That meant he… was an alien…

Yan Ning’s thoughts suddenly fell into a hole, and the situation seemed to have become a bit serious.

She had never considered that Lu Fengfeng might be an alien, and this sudden realization left her at a loss.

However, she didn’t notice that, compared to the possibility of Lu Fengfeng being in an interstellar high-security prison, the fact that he might be an alien had an even greater impact on her.

But when she thought about it carefully, the idea of her boyfriend being an alien didn’t really bother her that much.

The main issue was whether or not he was a humanoid being. That was what she couldn’t quite figure out.

To be honest, that was her last line of defense.

Lu Fengfeng’s appearance was so perfect—was it truly a beauty that humans could possess?

Or was it some sort of false illusion created by a creature skilled in mimicry?

There were many species in the stars that excelled at mimicry. Although not all of them were, the majority of such creatures looked…

Yan Ning wasn’t rejecting creatures skilled in mimicry just because of their appearance. It was simply that, when it came to a partner, her aesthetic preferences were limited to humanoid beings…

This was a boundary she had to maintain, otherwise, she would always feel strange in her heart.

“Who?” The boy’s voice was still as pleasant as ever. Compared to his current self, it was much more youthful, but Yan Ning didn’t dislike it.

She took a small step forward, her cat-like eyes curiously watching him. “Can you see me?”

Lu Fengfeng showed no reaction to her words or actions.

At this moment, the door to the dungeon was pushed open from the outside. Servants stood on either side, bowing their heads, showing the utmost respect.

Then, a young woman, her face full of arrogance and dressed in exquisite clothing, walked in. Upon seeing Lu Fengfeng, all the arrogance in her eyes disappeared, leaving only the shyness and purity of a young girl.

She instructed the servants beside her, “Open the chains. I’m taking him out.”

It seemed that no one here could see Yan Ning. She watched helplessly as the young girl linked arms with Lu Fengfeng, surrounded by servants, and walked out of the dungeon. Yan Ning then took a step forward to follow them.

Was this girl the source of the obsession that had trapped Lu Fengfeng?

Were they lovers?

Or was he just her plaything?

With all these messy questions in her mind, Yan Ning watched as the young girl took Lu Fengfeng out to row on the lake, then had a meal with him.

Finally, as the sun set, the girl embraced him from behind, her voice filled with frustration and pleading, “What do I have to do for you to accept me?”

Lu Fengfeng looked down at the hands that were wrapped around his waist, showing a momentary impatience, but soon returning to calm. “Let me see her.”

“If I let you see her, will you be willing to be with me?” The girl looked up at him, her eyes full of eager longing.

“Mm.” Lu Fengfeng responded nonchalantly.

“Okay, I’ll let you see her.” The girl lowered her head, hiding the deep resentment and bitterness in her eyes, as though she was willing to compromise on any condition for the one she loved.

She loved him so much, to the point of losing herself.

Yan Ning didn’t know what the girl had instructed the servants, but soon the servants led the way, guiding Lu Fengfeng to another place.

Yan Ning followed behind, a sense of unease rising in her heart.

Could this be the obsession buried deep inside him?

The servants stopped in front of a dilapidated palace and let Lu Fengfeng enter on his own.

Lu Fengfeng pushed open the palace doors, passed through the intricately carved stone screen, and walked into the courtyard.

Yan Ning followed closely behind, and when she saw the creature placed in the center of the courtyard, her heart jolted.

She never expected to encounter the legendary third greatest treasure of the universe in this way.

She had seen the Starshine Stone from Emerald Star, the Blood Mist Lotus from Narcissus Star, but she had never seen the merfolk of Undersea Star.

According to legend, the merfolk of Undersea Star, known for their beauty, loyalty, and purity, had been hunted and slaughtered to near extinction by cruel and malicious races corrupted by evil desires. Now, there was no longer any merfolk race in the universe.

But at this moment, in the massive transparent fish tank, a beautiful female mermaid was chained and restrained.

Her features were exquisitely delicate, like fine porcelain, with flawless skin. Her long hair was smooth and silky, like seaweed, and even the fish tail, which Yan Ning had imagined might appear strange, was incredibly elegant.

The pale purple scales reflected a faint phosphorescent glow in the water. Her large fins floated gracefully, like fine silk, and her tail was adorned with many pearls and jade ornaments.

The mermaid’s arms and tail were bound by chains, but when she saw Lu Fengfeng, she swam up from the depths of the water.

She surfaced and pressed her body against the transparent glass wall, gazing at him with tearful eyes.

Lu Fengfeng stood before the fish tank, looking up at her, his eyes filled with suppressed pain.

The boy and the mermaid silently stared at each other for a long time.

He spoke softly, “Are you okay?”

“Mm, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, just escape on your own, the farther the better.”

It was said that mermaids excelled in music, and Yan Ning thought this rumor was probably true, because the mermaid’s voice was incredibly beautiful.

It was soft and melodious, yet calm and firm, evoking no jealousy in her heart.

Lu Fengfeng stared at the mermaid for a long time, and only when the servant came in to urge him did he reluctantly leave.

This continued for some time. The girl, who appeared to be of royal descent, came to find Lu Fengfeng every day. After spending a day together, their connection seemed shallow and distant. Then, Lu Fengfeng would be given about five minutes to meet with the mermaid.

Just when Yan Ning thought this was the dream in which Lu Fengfeng wanted to remain forever asleep, things suddenly changed, veering toward an irreparable direction.

That afternoon, the girl suggested going with Lu Fengfeng to see the mermaid.

When they arrived at the palace, the mermaid, who should have been in the fish tank, was placed in a large pot. The water in the pot was slowly boiling.

The girl could no longer bear the torment of jealousy. She wanted Lu Fengfeng to watch his beloved die before his eyes, even being boiled into a soup.

Lu Fengfeng went mad. He overturned the massive iron pot, spilling both the mermaid and the pot’s contents.

He rushed over and held the mermaid in his arms, his eyes full of tears, desperately pleading, “Don’t leave me, please, don’t leave me all alone.”

But the mermaid was already on the brink of death. She had lived too painfully.

She raised her hand, perhaps to comfort him, or perhaps to say goodbye. But halfway through, her hand fell, and she breathed her last.

The expression on Lu Fengfeng’s face was one Yan Ning had never seen before—ferocious and full of despair. He clung tightly to the mermaid’s body, unwilling to let go.

The girl standing nearby ordered the servants to pull them apart. The normally calm and gentle boy suddenly drew a long sword from the servant’s waist and fought off anyone who tried to stop him.

In the end, the scene around them was one of blood, sea, corpses, and mountains. Even the girl’s body was among the fallen.

His face and clothes were stained with blood. One hand still gripped the sword, while the other held the mermaid, frozen in time, like an eternal night.

Yan Ning suddenly remembered that day on the cruise ship when Lu Fengfeng had said, “If I told you that you would end up like this, too… that you would love me so crazily that you lose yourself, would you be scared?”

She had thought he was just referring to someone like Chen Nuan. She thought that kind of crazy love was already enough.

But it turned out that his past was far more insane and heavy than someone like Chen Nuan. No wonder after that incident, he immediately wanted to break up.

Was he afraid that she would become like the girl in the dream, or was he afraid she would become a mermaid?

Yan Ning closed her eyes and couldn’t help but want to tell him that she was stronger than both the girl and the mermaid. She would never become any kind of unfortunate figure he didn’t want to see.

Upon further reflection, she realized it was completely unnecessary. Their relationship would only last until this competition was over.

Counting today, there were still three and a half days left.

All she had to do in the remaining time was fulfill all the duties of a competent girlfriend and help him get what he wanted.

Yan Ning didn’t want to think too much about it, but deep inside, she knew that his deepest obsession was to remain in the eternal night with the dead mermaid, which meant that everything between them had been a transaction from the start.

In fact, she had always treated it as a task to complete, but in the end, she couldn’t help but be drawn in.

After all, she had never experienced anything like it. Lu Fengfeng was both handsome and gentle. She was just an ordinary person, and falling for him or becoming attached didn’t seem like such a terrible mistake, right?

But she couldn’t continue like this.

Yan Ning told herself that from this moment on, she had to remain clear-headed.

When she opened her eyes again, she found herself back in that prison room, back in the scene when she first entered Lu Fengfeng’s consciousness.

It was exactly as she had guessed: Lu Fengfeng’s obsession was the mermaid, so the dream he kept revisiting was the time spent with the mermaid.

For that, he would repeatedly relive this dream, struggling over and over just to reach her side.

Last time, because of her emotions and unfamiliarity, Yan Ning had failed to catch the core of the flower sea hidden within the dream.

She couldn’t control Lu Fengfeng’s dream, but the core of the flower sea had to be hidden somewhere inside it.

Since the flower sea fed on Lu Fengfeng’s emotions, it would have to reveal its true form eventually.

This time, she had to stay focused, not letting any clue slip by, and find the core of the flower.

Yan Ning followed Lu Fengfeng through the scene twice more. By the end, she was almost numb, but on the third time, she finally grasped what seemed to be the flower core.

She guessed that physical attacks wouldn’t work. Wrapping her spiritual power around her fingertips, she transformed it into a blade and thrust it directly into the person’s chest. Blue-purple blood immediately burst out.

The man, who had originally been dressed as a servant, gradually grew in size, tearing his clothes apart. His body turned deep purple, sprouting branches and leaves, and eventually transformed into a massive man-eating flower.

“How did you discover me?” The buzzing, electronic-like voice had no beauty to it at all.

Yan Ning didn’t waste any time talking. She climbed up the branches of the man-eating flower, reaching the top, and directly jumped into its gaping mouth filled with sharp teeth.

The flower immediately snapped its jaws shut, attempting to swallow her whole.

The next second, a scream rang out, and the enormous body crashed to the ground.

Yan Ning crawled out of the flower’s belly, covered in disgusting slime, her right hand drenched in the penetrating blue-purple fluid.

That was the blood of the man-eating flower. Inside, she had crushed and exploded its heart, what was known as the flower core.

After the flower core was crushed, a translucent blue-purple crystal was left behind, which Yan Ning casually tossed into a storage compartment.

In fact, the true form of the man-eating flower wasn’t hard to guess—it was the servant who had always been following Lu Fengfeng, the one who would accompany him to the palace to visit the mermaid.

To feed on the emotions of those who were obsessed, it had to stay close to them.

When Lu Fengfeng was in the prison room with the girl, his emotions didn’t fluctuate much.

Even if there was any, it was just acting.

Only when he was with the mermaid did his emotions flow freely—happiness, anger, sadness, and joy all unrestrained. In those moments, the flower core was always nearby.

After walking through the scene a couple more times, it became clear.

Because the flower core was destroyed, the illusion of the flower sea began to fade.

Lu Fengfeng remained the same, still holding the mermaid tightly, lost in his own world.

Yan Ning took a step and walked out of the palace, without looking back, without any attachment. The people here were not her Lu Fengfeng.

She didn’t see that, just as she stepped out of the palace doors, the originally still figure suddenly raised its head and looked in her direction, panic clearly in its eyes.

—

On the first floor of the Shengyi Golden Tower, all the spectators were drowsy.

Since Yan Ning also fell into a deep sleep, the main viewpoint was stuck on a single image.

The six people were lying motionless in the center of the flower sea, with the only conscious guide helplessly sitting by their side, guarding them.

Hours passed without any progress.

Suddenly, starting from the very edge, the blue-purple flower sea began to gradually disappear, turning into tiny points of light, slowly fading away…

【Sese: Oh, the flower sea is starting to disappear. It seems that contestant Ningning truly lived up to expectations and found and defeated the only real part of this flower sea.】

【Tutu: Holy cow! This is amazing! Back when Sese and I accidentally entered the flower sea, we were almost drained dry by that flower spirit. We were stuck for a whole day and night! Ningning… Hey, why are you hitting me?】

【Sese: What do you mean almost drained dry? That was you! I was full of energy the whole time! Stop making things up!】

【Tutu scratched his head, feeling a bit dissatisfied but unable to argue with Sese. He awkwardly redirected the topic back to Yan Ning: The audience may not know what happened, but the Illusory Flower Sea is a very interesting dungeon. People with deep obsessions will repeatedly relive their past in the dream world.】

【Sese: During this time, the master of the flower sea watches you closely. It binds you with your obsession, and in the end, it devours all your emotions with a single bite.】

【Tutu: Contestant One’s approach was to infiltrate the obsessionist’s dream, directly capturing the master of the flower sea and… well, taking care of it. Because everyone’s obsessions are different, their dreams are too. Unfortunately, there is currently no technology to show the obsessionist’s dream to the public.】

【Sese: So, if you’re interested in this dungeon, you can make a reservation soon~~ It’s a completely immersive and romantic experience, helping you gain a deeper understanding of yourself.】

What was supposed to be a dull and sleep-inducing dungeon strategy had already sparked a wave of criticism online.

After Sese and Tutu’s explanation, which they thought was extremely objective but seemed more like a gimmick to the viewers, the number of reservations for the Hallucinatory Flower Sea dungeon indeed surged dramatically.

Yan Ning was the first to open her eyes. She looked around, and the blue-purple flower sea had almost completely disappeared.

Without the magical flower sea, they realized they were on an ordinary hillside, with lush trees and wildflowers swaying in the breeze.

“Ningning?” Lu Fengfeng opened his eyes, his voice hoarse.

He blinked and then realized he was resting his head on Yan Ning’s lap.

Yan Ning lowered her head, gently pressing him back down as he tried to sit up. “Rest a little longer. It’s okay, it’s already over.”

Lu Fengfeng immediately felt physically and mentally exhausted. He knew he had been lost in the dream world and had forgotten how to break free from his obsession, but now, he was awake.

His brow furrowed lightly, feeling like he had forgotten something important.

Yan Ning smiled gently, patting his shoulder lightly, and spoke in a soft voice: “If you’re tired, you can close your eyes and rest for a while.”

Lu Fengfeng had a negative association with closing his eyes, and even though he was exhausted, he didn’t want to close them.

He looked up at the sky. When they first entered the flower sea, the sky had been a clear blue, but now, the sun was setting, and dusk was approaching.

The others also woke up one by one. Yan Wan and Shu Yue seemed to be in good condition, clearly having had pleasant dream experiences.

In contrast, Qin Li and Zhao Mingcheng were in much worse states. When Qin Li woke up, his face was streaked with tears. The usually loud and boisterous man was sitting dumbfounded, not reacting for a long time.

Zhao Mingcheng also seemed off. He must have seen something strange in his dream, as his furrowed brow could have crushed a mosquito. He didn’t even notice that his headgear had fallen off.

When Yan Wan stood up, she happened to notice him and was surprised. “Zhao Mingcheng?”

Zhao Mingcheng froze, then raised a hand to touch his head, but when he couldn’t feel his familiar headgear, his face suddenly darkened.

Yan Wan, immersed in an indescribable sense of joy, walked over to Zhao Mingcheng. “How did you end up here? Could it be…?”

Zhao Mingcheng was a student from a neighboring school. Over the past half semester, he had been frequently driving his sports car to Minghua High School, always showing up at the school gate with a bouquet of flowers, waiting for her.

She had often found his behavior annoying, but since Zhao Mingcheng came from a good family and was somewhat attractive, she hadn’t explicitly rejected him. Occasionally, she would even agree to have a meal with him.

However, she never expected that Zhao Mingcheng, in his pursuit of her, would follow her into a game.

A week ago, she might have looked down on his persistent behavior, but recently, after being subtly suppressed by Yan Ning, Zhao Mingcheng’s appearance was a pleasant surprise. What’s more, to avoid being recognized by her, he had even worn a headgear to participate.

This effort was something Yan Wan quietly appreciated in her heart. Suddenly, she realized that maybe he wasn’t that hard to accept after all.

She had almost thought she had lost her charm in the eyes of others, but Zhao Mingcheng’s actions proved that she was still the proud and beautiful young lady of Minghua.

When Yan Wan called out to him, Zhao Mingcheng nearly lost his soul in fright. Seeing her standing there, looking bashful, he felt utterly frustrated.

He shouldn’t have returned from the star system with such an inflated sense of self-importance, thinking he was different from everyone else, and gone after the campus beauty from the neighboring school.

He failed to win the campus beauty’s heart, and now he was in danger of losing his life.

Yan Ning heard the sound, raised her head, narrowed her eyes, and gave a half-smile. “Deputy, what a coincidence. To run into you here, I’ve missed you so~~~”

Zhao Mingcheng quickly walked over to Yan Ning, mimicking her posture, kneeling respectfully by her side, his voice trembling. “I… I wouldn’t dare, subordinate… I just got back, didn’t expect to meet you here.”

“Oh, is that so?” Yan Ning said ambiguously, her expression playful. “I thought you had died. Turns out, you’re alive and well. I didn’t even wear a headgear. Could it be that your eyes are not working well, Deputy?”

Zhao Mingcheng closed his eyes, knowing he had woven a web for himself.

Yan Ning sarcastically commented that he had intentionally avoided her, and the moment he took off his headgear, he was already beyond redemption.

“Am I that scary? Why do you seem to be trembling?” Yan Ning leaned forward as if to pat Zhao Mingcheng.

Zhao Mingcheng shrank his shoulders, trembling even more intensely.

Seeing this, Yan Ning lost interest and smirked, “Never mind, as long as you’re alive.”

Alive, that’s enough.

—

A year ago, she met Zhao Mingcheng in a refugee area on a certain planet and immediately recognized him as a fellow Earthling.

It was her first time meeting someone from the same planet, especially a fellow Chinese, and she was very happy about it. She brought him to her side and made him her deputy.

Six months ago, he disappeared on the battlefield.

She searched for him for three days and nights, scouring the entire battlefield, but in the end, she couldn’t even find his body.

She thought he was dead.

However, just when she thought all was lost, they met again on Earth.

What bothered Yan Ning was not the fact that he was alive, but that, knowing she was on Earth, he still refused to meet her.

The most absurd thing was that they met at the same event, and to avoid her, he kept wearing his headgear the entire time.

Was she really that unpleasant?

It was at that moment that she realized Zhao Mingcheng feared her, was scared of her, and even hated her.

Although only for a brief period, he had indeed been her emotional support at one point, but even then, he often avoided her.

She thought it was due to his personality—shyness, introversion—but it wasn’t.

He just didn’t want too much involvement with her.

This was fine. Since he had safely returned to Earth, she could finally relax a little.

Contrary to her expectations of a storm of anger, Zhao Mingcheng slowly opened his eyes.

Yan Ning’s expression remained calm, and there was no emotion in her gaze as she faced him, as if they were complete strangers who had just met.

Zhao Mingcheng didn’t know why, but he had originally feared her and wanted to avoid her.

Yet when she truly no longer cared about him, he should have felt relieved, but an inexplicable sense of loss slowly rose from the deepest part of his heart.

Meng Qing, who had been silently watching, suddenly spoke, “Did you two know each other before?”

Zhao Mingcheng hesitated, not sure of how to answer.

Yan Ning lowered her eyes, speaking indifferently, “Hmm, we met by chance before, so I guess you could say we know each other.”

Meng Qing didn’t speak further, likely understanding the frustration in Yan Ning’s heart. Looking at the two of them, it seemed like their relationship was more than just acquaintances.

Yan Wan stood to the side, her face alternating between red and pale. Why was it always Yan Ning, Yan Ning, Yan Ning with both of them?

Zhao Mingcheng was clearly pursuing her, so why did he know Yan Ning?

Where did Zhao Mingcheng and Yan Ning meet?

Qin Li finally snapped out of his emotions and raised his head, realizing the atmosphere was off.

But he felt uncomfortable too, lying on the ground and reaching his hand toward Yan Ning, “Ningning, do you have anything to eat? I’m so hungry.”

Lu Fengfeng, having rested enough, sat up and prepared to take some food from his equipment pouch.

“Let’s rest here tonight. I’ll go gather some branches. You’re tired too, so don’t move around. Tonight, I’ll show off my skills and make something delicious.” Yan Ning patted Lu Fengfeng to stop him from moving and then turned to head toward the forest they came from.

—

Shengyi Golden Tower, first floor live broadcast area.

Qiao Yingxue looked at Yan Ning’s slumped shoulders on the screen and murmured, “What did Ningning see in the dream?”

“The problem isn’t just with the dream. That number six is also an issue,” Gu Tian said.

“What happened last night? I noticed that the guide was also acting strange,” Zhao Xiaolu said, puzzled.

They hadn’t watched the late show. They went home at six in the afternoon yesterday and met up again this morning.

They’d heard that the late show was a trap, with everyone just sleeping through the night, but when they watched in the morning, they realized the situation was different from last night.

Rose, sitting in the back row, overheard a group of middle schoolers talking seriously and couldn’t help but join in, “Do you want to know what happened with number one last night?”

“Big sister, do you know?” Qiao Yingxue asked.

The way she called “sister” was so perfect that Rose couldn’t resist rubbing Qiao Yingxue’s little head, “So cute. Yeah, we watched it here last night…”

Rose vividly described what Yan Ning had done the night before. Meow Meow, who had been listening in, pricked up his ears. When he woke up in the morning, he realized he was the only one who missed the important content from last night.

But the adults just laughed and refused to tell him. Rose kept teasing him with the conversation, and he barely managed to resist asking outright.

Now, he was quietly listening in from the corner.

—

On the island.

The bonfire and wooden stools looked much the same as last night, but this time, everyone had simple bamboo bowls made from bamboo segments, waiting for the hot soup that was being simmered over the fire.

While gathering firewood, Yan Ning came across a bamboo grove. She borrowed Qin Li’s flashy but ineffective weapon, chopped down two bamboo stalks, and made them into bowls by splitting them.

Once the soup was ready, Yan Ning ladled a bowl and handed it to Lu Fengfeng, then filled one for herself and passed him the spoon. “Serve yourself.”

Qin Li scooped a spoonful and widened his eyes. “Wow, there’s meat in here? Did number two bring the ingredients too?”

“No, I caught it. It should’ve been placed on the island by Shengyi’s staff for the players to catch and play with. They have tags tied to their legs with numbers, so they’re probably farmed.” Yan Ning drank the soup and said casually.

Sese and Tutu’s voices came in just in time:

【Sese: That’s right, right! Our Shengyi’s boss, Brother Chengtian, is so considerate, worried that everyone’s dry rations wouldn’t be enough, so he specially raised some poultry on the island.】

【Tutu: Yes, yes, completely scientifically free-range. Every poultry is numbered and documented. The meat is fresh and delicious, healthy and green. As long as you can catch it, you can eat it with peace of mind.】

“Ningning, you’re amazing! How can there be such a kind and beautiful big sister like you~”

Qin Li sipped the soup and ate the meat, feeling that life suddenly had some hope.

Last night, he was just a poor soul gnawing on compressed biscuits with cold water. Tonight, he was drinking soup and eating meat—his quality of life had skyrocketed.

An idea suddenly popped into his head. Since Yan Ning made the fire, created the bowls, got the meat, and cooked the soup, Qin Li had soup to drink and meat to eat.

So, as long as Qin Li followed Yan Ning, he would have soup and meat.

In conclusion, following Yan Ning was definitely the right choice.

Yan Wan took a sip from her bowl. Hearing Qin Li praise Yan Ning, she felt uncomfortable and said coolly, “It’s bland, no taste at all. Is just throwing ingredients into the water really impressive? Your standards are too low.”

Yan Ning put her bowl down after taking a sip of soup, her brows slightly furrowed, looking rather embarrassed. “Sorry, I know you meant well, but I can’t really get used to it. It’s not that your cooking isn’t good, it’s probably just me. I’m not used to eating this kind of food.”

Yan Ning lowered her head to drink her soup, looking tired and silent, and everyone thought she wouldn’t speak.

She put down her bowl and said calmly, “If you can’t get used to it, don’t force yourself. Whether it’s good or not, take advantage of the chance to choose while you still can. I’m just afraid there won’t be anything left to choose from later.”

Yan Wan’s face suddenly turned ugly. She felt like Yan Ning was mocking her.

Qin Li scooped another bowl. “You can’t get used to it? Well, that’s perfect for me. I like it, I’ll drink two more bowls.”

Zhao Mingcheng also drank two bowls. For some reason, Yan Ning’s cooking made him feel nostalgic all of a sudden.

The first meal he had after being taken to M20 was cooked by Yan Ning, and it had the same taste.

Not too salty, not too bland, everything was just right.

It seemed like whatever Yan Ning cooked had this taste, just like she herself. No matter when, she was always the same—strong and confident.

Before this, he had never seen her lose control.

But today, she seemed a little different from usual.

This quiet, melancholic side of her made him feel a little worried.

After dinner, except for Shu Yue and Yan Wan, everyone else took the initiative to clean up the bowls and other trash.

Yan Ning found a patch of grass far from the group, lay down, placed her hands behind her head, and quietly stared at the sky.

The night sky was like a magnificent evening gown, decorated with sparkling stars.

“How come you’re alone here?”

Lu Fengfeng’s voice came from above her. Yan Ning leaned back slightly and saw him standing on the hillside. He lowered his hand and patted the grass beside him. “Come sit.”

Lu Fengfeng sat beside her. The night breeze brushed past, blowing his stray hairs and making his ears itch.

He raised his hand to scratch it, then softly asked, “Did I make you unhappy?”

“Why would you think that?” Yan Ning tilted her head and looked at him curiously.

Lu Fengfeng gazed into the distance, even though all he could see was darkness, with nothing visible.

His hands rested on his knees, fingers intertwined, a rare feeling of restlessness brewing inside him.

He knew he had made her unhappy, and perhaps it also had something to do with that No. 6.

From the very beginning, he understood that they were only making a transaction.

But he cunningly hadn’t told her that he had asked her to truly fall in love with him. In reality, he had no such intention.

Because he was confident enough in his acting skills, he believed that even without genuine feelings, he could fool the system’s judgment.

It was clearly a knowing, playful act.

Yet, the feeling of being with her was so different, unlike anyone else he had ever met.

He didn’t even know when it had started, but his heart slowly began to lean toward her.

At that moment, he desperately wanted to tell her that he seemed to no longer be satisfied with just being her lover for seven days.

But he couldn’t say it.

He was already so broken, so contemptible.

Just like she said, if he was willing…

But it seemed like he wasn’t willing.

Yan Ning sensed Lu Fengfeng’s anxious and restless mood, and guessed that perhaps her own emotions had affected him.

She couldn’t let him bear too much pressure because of her, and he didn’t need to know all the reasons for her unhappiness.

So, she casually said, “Actually, I’m not just acquainted with No. 6, Zhao Mingcheng. We used to be very good… friends.”

Lu Fengfeng’s fingers gradually tightened, and his heart felt like it was being squeezed.

Since she had already started speaking, Yan Ning realized that confiding didn’t seem that difficult after all: “One day, he suddenly disappeared. I searched for him for a long time, went to all the places he might have gone, but he was nowhere to be found.”

“So, I thought he was dead.”

Yan Ning didn’t say anything more. Originally, it should have been a happy thing when a friend, whom she had thought was dead, suddenly appeared alive.

But No. 6 had been wearing a headpiece all along, and even though he recognized her during the competition, he didn’t acknowledge her.

It could even be guessed that he wore the headpiece precisely because he was afraid of being recognized by her.

When she thought about it this way, anyone would be unhappy.

Qin Li watched from a distance as Yan Ning and Lu Fengfeng had an intimate conversation. He then sat next to Zhao Mingcheng and whispered to him, “What’s going on between you and Ningning?”

Zhao Mingcheng didn’t want to respond, “Nothing.”

“Hey, that’s not very loyal. Why aren’t you wearing that little mask anymore? Wasn’t it because you were shy? Still suffering from social anxiety? Or are you just avoiding Ningning?” Qin Li asked.

Zhao Mingcheng didn’t want to talk more. To be honest, he was feeling just as confused inside.

He was really forced by Qin Li and had no choice but to pull out his sleeping bag, wrap himself in it, and block out everything around him.

Seeing him avoiding the conversation, Qin Li moved closer to Meng Qing and sat beside him. “You’re so quiet today.”

Meng Qing scratched his head, looking embarrassed. “Maybe it’s the gap between NPCs and players. I’m a bit out of sync with you guys.”

They were classmates. Meng Qing had once thought the student council president, Qin Li, was highly intelligent and talented.

But now that his filter had broken, he realized Qin Li was just a regular classmate—funny and entertaining, but also awkward and pitiful. Yet he still loved to gather with others and play.

“By the way, how did we end up waking up from that flower sea today? You should know, right?”

After Qin Li woke up, he felt strangely confused, as if he hadn’t done anything but somehow ended up here.

He had asked Shu Yue and the others, but one by one, they were all clueless about what had happened.

He didn’t dare to ask Yan Ning directly, so he quietly asked Meng Qing, who was an NPC.

Meng Qing glanced at the two people lying and sitting in the distance, feeling bitter in his heart, and said lightly, “It should be that Yan Ning found the core of the flower sea in the dream and destroyed it. Only then did everything return to normal.”

Shu Yue immediately contradicted Meng Qing’s words, “Why are you always siding with Yan Ning? Why is it always assumed that she did it? You weren’t unconscious, so how do you know it was definitely her? Maybe it was Fengfeng who destroyed the flower core in the dream?”

Yan Wan, who had been quiet on the side, hadn’t planned to intervene, but after Yan Ning had snapped at her during mealtime, she was feeling very uncomfortable.

So, she squeezed her voice and spoke up, “From yesterday to today, everyone made it here on their own ability. It’s just a game, why is it always that Yan Ning did the most? I think everyone has worked hard. Meng Qing, don’t get mad, but you’ve been defending Yan Ning so much. Do you like her?”

Meng Qing didn’t expect Yan Wan to suddenly say this. His ears and face turned red, and he lowered his head, stammering, “I… I don’t.”

“Yan Wan, enough already. If you’re upset, take it out on me. Do you think making low-level jokes like some greasy uncle makes you funny? Are you good at talking?” Yan Ning had finished her conversation with Lu Fengfeng and came back just in time to hear Yan Wan’s comment, feeling suddenly angry.

“You—” Yan Wan didn’t expect Yan Ning to speak to her like that, her eyes widening in shock.

The words “greasy uncle” really stung, but she couldn’t find the right words to retort and lost the best chance to respond.

“Stop with the back-and-forth. I’m really tired, I’m going to sleep first.”

Yan Ning pulled out her sleeping bag, took off her jacket, and quickly crawled in, almost falling asleep immediately.

She had been busy since last night, walked all morning, then got trapped in Lu Fengfeng’s dream in the afternoon and even fought a man-eating plant.

Along with the events with Lu Fengfeng and Zhao Mingcheng, both physically and mentally, it had been an exhausting day.

Lu Fengfeng sat beside her, gazing at her tired sleeping face. He wanted to reach out and smooth the furrow in her brow.

He thought about it quietly for a long time, but ultimately didn’t dare to move his hand.

He had set a boundary for himself in his heart. Once he truly acted on his feelings, it would be hard to take them back.

He could endure the wild jealousy, longing, and hope inside him, but he couldn’t pull her into the same chaotic whirlpool.

On the third day after arriving on the island, Yan Ning woke up early, thanks to a peaceful night’s sleep.

She got up quietly, making sure not to disturb Lu Fengfeng this time.

She sat at the foot of the hill where they had watched the stars the night before, seeing the red sun slowly climb over the horizon, casting its color and warmth on everything around her.

When the others woke up, they were greeted by the pleasant scent of food. Yan Ning stirred the soft, mushy porridge, saying, “Anyone who doesn’t mind, come and have a bowl. Once breakfast is over, we’ll head out.”

Qin Li approached Yan Ning’s side. “Your mood’s better?”

“When have I ever been in a bad mood? If you have time to yap, go wash up. The porridge will be gone soon.”

Because of the words “Anyone who doesn’t mind,” Shu Yue and Yan Wan took note of them.

The two of them stubbornly didn’t drink any porridge and instead had a couple of slices of toast with cold water.

Not only did they not drink, but they occasionally shot Yan Ning looks, as though she had deliberately picked on them.

Yan Ning ignored them completely.

After breakfast, the group continued their journey.

With a full stomach, Qin Li noticed that Yan Ning seemed to be full of energy again, which made his mood improve as well.

He ran ahead, full of energy, while Yan Ning and Lu Fengfeng walked leisurely hand in hand.

No matter what the others were thinking, they subconsciously fell into the rhythm of Yan Ning and Lu Fengfeng.

Suddenly, Qin Li appeared from the distant hillside, his face flushed, expression excited, and wildly waving at them. “Hey, hurry up! Ningning, Ningning, come quickly!!!”