***
Bonus chapter! Thank you to JustSomeOne for the donation! ^^
***
At five, one might not comprehend death, but abandonment? That lesson sears deep.
The cruelest kind of love—sacrificial, irreversible.
This world wasn't entirely kind, nor wholly wicked. Some still chose to glow—illuminating darkness for even the faintest hope.
"Want to come with me?" Ruan Qing softened his voice.
Before the boy could protest, he continued, "I'm leaving now. You can wait... or join me."
He offered the choice deliberately. Love that martyrs itself may move observers—but never its recipients. The loved deserve agency too.
What's more, the chances of anyone on this cruise ship surviving to disembark were practically zero.
The little boy's eyes instantly lit up upon hearing this. "I choose to go with you!" he blurted out immediately.
But the next second, he pressed his lips together and looked up at Ruan Qing with cautious hesitation. "...Is that okay?"
The child was almost unnaturally well-behaved, clearly aware he might become a burden. Ruan Qing gave a slight nod. "Yes."
"But you must do exactly as I say."
"I'll be really obedient!" the boy promised earnestly.
His name was Li Yi'an. His father had died protecting him and his mother, and his mother had gone out to search for food... never to return.
Of their family of three, only he remained.
Staying put would have meant certain death.
Ruan Qing wasn't acting purely out of compassion by taking Li Yi'an along. In his current weakened state—barely able to walk unaided—having someone to lean on made all the difference.
And the boy posed no threat whatsoever.
Though supporting a full-grown man's weight proved strenuous for such a small child, Li Yi'an gritted his teeth and bore it without complaint.
Ruan Qing had memorized the ship's entire layout, including every deck containing restaurants.
But heading directly to the dining areas would risk exposure. Instead, he guided Li Yi'an toward one such location from memory.
With the monsters cleared out, the restaurants had reopened—though few guests dared visit.
Stopping at a corner, Ruan Qing tilted his chin slightly toward the dining area ahead.
Li Yi'an swallowed hard, his young eyes filled with desperate hunger. Yet instead of rushing forward, he turned to Ruan Qing. "Aren't... aren't you hungry too?"
Ruan Qing shook his head faintly. "No."
The boy glanced between the restaurant and Ruan Qing, conflict written across his face. Finally, he whispered, "Wait here for me."
With that, he dashed toward the restaurant, hastily stuffing bread rolls into his pockets before sprinting back—
The staff observed indifferently, apparently deeming a child unworthy of pursuit.
Li Yi'an raced back to the corner at full speed—
Only to find it completely empty.
The stolen bread fell from his hands. His vision blurred with sudden tears.
Just as he was about to break down, a soft tapping sound came from nearby.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Li Yi'an instinctively turned toward the noise, his gaze landing on a familiar figure standing in the dim corner.
Seeing Li Yi'an look his way, Ruan Qing motioned for him to come over with a slight wave of his hand.
Li Yi'an immediately scooped up the bread from the floor and rushed toward the corner, stumbling slightly in his haste.
Ruan Qing frowned. "What's the hurry?"
Pressing his lips together, Li Yi'an replied in a small voice, "I thought you'd left."
Ruan Qing: "I didn't."
Though just two simple words, they seemed to bring Li Yi'an immense relief. Finally reassured, he held out the bread toward Ruan Qing. "Here."
Ruan Qing shook his head. "I'm not hungry."
Li Yi'an withdrew the bread, but whether from prolonged hunger or his earlier frantic dash, his trembling fingers struggled to tear open the packaging.
Noticing this, Ruan Qing took the bread from him, effortlessly opened it, and handed it back.
"Thank you." Li Yi'an accepted it and began devouring the bread ravenously.
***
10:00 PM. A heavy knock-knock-knock sounded at the door.
Ran Jia cautiously opened it, her wary expression transforming into stunned disbelief the moment she saw who stood outside.
"Y-you're alive?!"
There in the doorway was Ruan Qing. Suppressing the Evil God required more than just Xu Jinyan's efforts—he needed another powerful ally.
Which was exactly why Ruan Qing had come.
Meeting Ran Jia's shocked gaze with a calm smile, he asked, "Is Qi Yi here?"
"Y-yes! He's here!" She stepped aside, revealing the room's interior.
Qi Yi, who had been sitting on the sofa, was already on his feet, his piercing stare fixed intently on Ruan Qing.
Unfazed, Ruan Qing strode over and took a seat on the couch. He looked up at Qi Yi and cut straight to the chase:
"I'd like to propose a deal."
Qi Yi sat down nearby, maintaining a careful distance—not too close, not too far. His voice came out slightly hoarse. "What kind of deal?"
Ruan Qing didn’t beat around the bush.
"I want to steal the Evil God’s power."
That single, calmly delivered sentence struck the room like thunder. Ran Jia’s eyes widened in shock, as if she couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. Even Qi Yi, usually expressionless, couldn’t hide the flicker of surprise in his gaze.
Ignoring their reactions, Ruan Qing continued smoothly, "I’m sure you’ve already realized—I’m impersonating the Evil God. The real one hasn’t awakened yet."
"The true summoning ritual begins in two days. I need allies to help suppress its awakening."
His lips curved into a faint smile as he met Qi Yi’s eyes.
"Interested in collaborating?"
Qi Yi’s brow furrowed sharply. "If we cooperate—"
"We split the power fifty-fifty."
Before Qi Yi could finish, Ruan Qing cut him off. He slid a card across the table.
"As a token of sincerity."
It was a Team Binding Card—once activated, they’d be permanently linked in future dungeons.
The livestream chat exploded.
[??? Why does that card look so familiar?! Isn’t that the one Boss Xu Zhuo just gave him?! No way, NO WAY—]
[Oh, it’s 100% that card. Our wife is really out here playing both sides. Zero investment, pure profit, scamming two idiots at once??]
[This isn’t just ‘playing both sides’—it’s next-level deception. Other double agents at least deliver what they promise. He’s straight-up removed himself from the equation!]
[Qi Yi, SAY NO! That card doesn’t even bind you to HIM! And he’s not after the Evil God’s power at all! NOTHING HE SAYS IS TRUE!!]
Yet no one could refuse Ruan Qing’s offer.
The live audience watched, helpless, as Qi Yi swallowed his words—then picked up the card.
Despite his usual stoicism, his movements were almost eager, fingers tightening around the card as if ready to activate it immediately.
Ruan Qing stopped him with a light press of his fingertips against Qi Yi’s hand, smiling faintly.
"After we achieve our goal."
There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world—forming a team naturally had to be based on mutual cooperation.
Qi Yi understood perfectly well how the team-binding card worked. It could link two players together, but the bond would break the moment either party tore up the card.
His hand holding the card paused mid-air. Lowering his gaze to the slender fingers resting on his sleeve, he remained silent for several seconds before finally putting the card away.
The deal was struck.
A faint smile curled at Ruan Qing's lips. "Pleasure doing business with you."
"Likewise," came the equally measured reply.
I love our cunning mc hahahaha playing with everyone~
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