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Bonus chapter! Thank you to --- for the donation! ^^
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The village chief's house faced north. From the main courtyard gate, it was impossible to see the corner where the players stood—nor could one spot the two figures approaching hand in hand from the side.
But now that the man had moved closer to the corner, he had a clear view of them.
The players stared at the stunningly beautiful youth being led by the man, then at the man himself, whose expression had darkened. In an instant, something clicked in their minds, and a bold suspicion rose in their hearts.
...Could this groom be the very "Miao Li" that man had mentioned?
From the house’s main entrance, the players were positioned off to the side. But from the approaching couple’s perspective, the players were standing directly in their path. As the two drew nearer, they finally noticed the group of people gathered by the large tree at the corner.
The atmosphere instantly froze. The world fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
Ruan Qing’s face paled. His eyes locked onto the man in blue robes staring at him, and without thinking, he yanked his hand free from Miao Ciyu’s grip.
Miao Ciyu had also seen the man. His expression darkened identically—how was this man still alive?
The air around Miao Ciyu dropped to a terrifyingly oppressive level, reaching its peak when Ruan Qing not only pulled away but didn’t even glance back at him, instead hurrying toward the other man in a panic.
"M-Miao Li, let me explain—"
Though the players had guessed the man’s identity, hearing the name confirmed still made them instinctively look toward Mu Ye’an and Fang Qingyuan—especially Mu Ye’an.
This man was Miao Li. That meant the youth must be the village chief’s son—the very same person those two top players had been set up with in a blind date.
If this were just some ordinary NPC, landing the role of a potential suitor would’ve been a stroke of luck—more clues meant a better chance at clearing the dungeon.
But when that NPC was him?
That changed everything.
The youth had a way of stirring up every hidden desire, even in those who lived on the edge of survival. If given the chance to marry him, some players might throw caution to the wind and agree—maybe even abandon the dungeon altogether.
That was probably this dungeon’s most insidious trap.
Then again, they remembered… hadn’t Mu Ye’an already rejected him?
The players’ gazes turned complicated. They weren’t sure whether to feel sympathy for the man or relief on his behalf.
After all, the youth seemed to attract dangerous figures like moths to a flame. Getting involved with him meant inviting trouble, while cutting ties was the safer choice.
Logically, that made sense.
But as the players stared at that breathtakingly beautiful face, they knew one thing for certain—if they had been the ones offered that blind date, refusing him would’ve been near impossible.
Ruan Qing could no longer care about the others' gazes. He looked at Miao Li with panic and helplessness, desperately wanting to explain, "I waited for you for so long, but you never came back, so I went to your house to look for you. But then it caught fire... I was afraid you were still inside—I couldn't just leave."
His voice grew more and more strained with distress as he spoke, even trembling slightly at the end, as if on the verge of tears. It was impossible not to feel a pang of pity for him.
"I searched for you in the fire for so, so long... but I couldn't find you."
Though Ruan Qing's explanation was brief—even a little incoherent—anyone could tell just how dangerous the situation had been. Staying inside a burning building could have cost him his life.
"He was the one who saved me."
When Miao Li heard that Ruan Qing had stayed in the fire just to search for him, his heart clenched. His grip tightened almost imperceptibly. Even though he hadn't witnessed the scene himself, even though the boy was now standing safely in front of him, he couldn't suppress the cold dread creeping up from the depths of his heart.
The fear that this person could have died in the flames.
The fear that he might never have seen him again.
The fear that the happiness he had only just grasped would vanish in an instant.
From the moment he saw this person in the kitchen, his heart had pounded violently, as if he'd been brought back to life.
If all the suffering he'd endured was just so he could meet this person again, then he could let go of his resentment—even feel grateful.
But there were still some reckless fools who needed to be dealt with.
Suppressing his emotions, Miao Li stared at Ruan Qing with an icy expression, his voice laced with a dangerous chill.
"So because he saved you... you let him hold your hand?"
Ruan Qing's face paled. A trace of panic flickered across his delicate features. He opened his mouth but couldn't muster a single word of explanation.
After all... it wasn't just holding hands.
Miao Li had initially been willing to let it go, but the boy's reaction made him suspicious. His gaze darkened as he studied the person before him, his eyes narrowing slightly—ominous and unreadable.
"Speak."
Miao Li had always carried himself with the gentle grace of a refined nobleman, but now, his tall frame loomed over Ruan Qing, radiating an oppressive aura so heavy it was suffocating.
When people lie, they can't help but show guilt.
Ruan Qing bit his lip nervously, lowering his head to avoid Miao Li's piercing stare. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"I... I searched for you in the fire for so long... I was exhausted... That's why he had to lead me out..."
The excuse was flimsy, yet just plausible enough. Some of the coldness in Miao Li's demeanor faded.
It wasn't that he trusted the boy—it was that he trusted the gu inside him.
There was no way Ruan Qing would develop feelings for someone just because they saved him.
"It was my fault—I shouldn’t have doubted you." Miao Li's tone softened considerably as he gently took Ruan Qing's hand, carefully checking him over. His voice carried both tension and concern.
"Are you hurt? Or feeling unwell anywhere?"
Seeing this, Ruan Qing quietly let out a sigh of relief and shook his head slightly. "No."
Miao Li's eyes filled with tenderness as he brushed away the damp strands of hair clinging to Ruan Qing's face, his touch so gentle it could make one's heart race.
"I’m sorry. This was my fault—I shouldn’t have come back so late."
No one could resist being close to someone they loved. A faint blush spread across Ruan Qing’s delicate face, and he shook his head, slightly flustered, before finally flashing Miao Li a radiant smile.
That smile was pure and unclouded, breathtakingly beautiful like a field of blooming flowers, his eyes brimming with untainted joy. Anyone could see how much Ruan Qing adored this man.
Sincere. Uncomplicated. So pure it was almost infuriating—enough to stir a dark, gnawing desire to destroy it.
