Chapter 400: Miao Village (33)

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 As Ruan Qing's voice faded, the threatening pressure against him vanished, along with that overwhelming sense of danger.

 He was still wearing the same clothes from before he lost consciousness—certainly not wedding attire. The actual wedding robes lay neatly folded by his bedside.

 After stepping back, Mu Ye'an placed the wedding garments before Ruan Qing but showed no intention of leaving the room.

 Ruan Qing stared at the familiar robes, his pale lips pressing together tightly. His delicate face showed traces of bewilderment, even something like stunned disbelief.

 Because Miao Li had always preferred Republic-era style robes, the wedding attire had been tailored in that vintage fashion. The garments remained unchanged—only the groom had been replaced.

 And this, while Miao Li's fate remained unknown.

 Yet Ruan Qing seemed to have no other choice. With trembling fingers, he picked up the robes and lifted his gaze to Mu Ye'an, hesitation and unease written across his features. "...Could you...wait outside?"

 Mu Ye'an didn't respond. He simply turned his back to Ruan Qing, making it clear he wouldn't be leaving.

 Realizing persuasion was futile, Ruan Qing bit his lip again and turned away. Slowly, he began undoing his buttons.

 The soft rustle of clothing behind him was tantalizing—enough to spark imagination, to tempt one to turn and glimpse what shouldn't be seen. Yet Mu Ye'an never looked back, his posture the picture of gentlemanly restraint.

 ...Were it not for his darkened eyes, locked unblinkingly on the small mirror across the room.

 This was Ruan Qing's bedroom. Near the bed stood a dresser, upon which sat a vanity mirror angled perfectly to reflect everything happening at the bedside.

 The young man undid his buttons with painstaking slowness, his entire body tense with wariness. He kept glancing over his shoulder, as if fearing the man behind him might suddenly turn around. Only after several reassured checks did his guard lower slightly, allowing him to finally begin changing—unaware his every movement was being meticulously observed.

 The ash-white mourning robes he wore accentuated his fragile, tragic beauty, like a delicate young widow grieving her husband. As the fabric slipped away, it revealed a body of startling elegance—slender limbs and skin like translucent jade, so pale it seemed carved from ice, ethereal and unreal.

 There was an innate sickliness to his frame, a consumptive delicacy that made even his shoulder blades appear heartbreakingly breakable. 

 Mu Ye'an knew this wasn't exaggeration. The young man was genuinely this fragile—where even the lightest touch would bloom into marks that lingered for hours. 

 So delicate. So easily damaged.

 In the mirror's reflection, slender fingers soon moved to the waistband of his trousers. Mu Ye'an watched, unblinking, his darkening eyes like a starved wolf's in the depths of the forest.

 Unfortunately, the scene he had hoped to see didn't unfold.

 The young man in the mirror hesitated, cautiously glancing back at the figure behind him before picking up the wedding garments. He slipped into the crimson robe first.

 The robe reached his ankles, enveloping his entire frame in its folds.

 This covering seemed to grant Ruan Qing some measure of security. Sheltered beneath the robe, he quickly changed his trousers as well.

 The moment Ruan Qing finished dressing, Mu Ye'an turned back - and froze momentarily.

 The mirror's reflection paled in comparison to the direct view. 

 The earlier grip on his chin had left Ruan Qing's cheeks faintly flushed. Combined with his dewy, shimmering eyes, he exuded an alluring, almost ethereal beauty.

 The brilliant crimson suited him extraordinarily well. The vibrant hue accentuated his jade-like complexion without appearing garish, instead lending him an air of noble refinement - like a young master from an aristocratic family, or perhaps a seductive spirit stepping out from an ink painting.

 Mu Ye'an's gaze traveled from Ruan Qing's exquisitely crafted brows and eyes, over his rosy lips, finally settling at the collar of his robes.

 The neckline wasn't high, just revealing enough to expose a glimpse of delicate collarbones before disappearing into the fabric, tantalizingly hinting at the concealed landscape beneath - inviting fantasies of tearing the garments away to explore what lay hidden.

 Perhaps sensing the undisguised intensity of Mu Ye'an's stare, Ruan Qing nervously bit his lower lip. His slender, pale fingers tightened around the crimson sleeves as he slightly lowered his head, avoiding the other man's penetrating gaze.

 Mu Ye'an stepped forward and unyieldingly grasped Ruan Qing's hand.

 Ruan Qing instinctively tried to pull away, but his strength proved no match. Ultimately, he could only submit as Mu Ye'an led him toward the door.

 Their fingers interlaced, both clad in matching crimson wedding attire, they appeared the very picture of a perfect couple.

 The villagers had long since gathered, and the courtyard had been fully prepared for the ceremony - complete with the traditional joyous accompaniment of gongs, drums, and suona horns.

 The villagers showed neither surprise at the groom's substitution nor any interest in the change. As Mu Ye'an emerged with Ruan Qing, the assembled crowd immediately struck up the celebratory music, the previously silent courtyard exploding into boisterous festivity.

 Were it not for the villagers' expressionless faces and utterly lifeless eyes, this might have passed for any ordinary, merry wedding celebration.

 The ceremony would take place between the courtyard and the ancestral hall.

 According to village tradition, the wedding ritual required bowing to heaven and earth, and to one's parents. Though Ruan Qing's mother had passed, her body still lay in the mourning hall - making the ceremonial bows possible.

 Every element in the hall had been decorated in auspicious red - except for the coffin containing the corpse.

 A pitch-black coffin sat at the very center of the funeral hall, its dark silhouette appearing unnaturally sinister against the backdrop of vibrant red decorations - enough to send chills down one's spine.  

 The stark contrast between white mourning colors and celebratory red should have felt jarring and ominous, yet not a single person present commented. No one exchanged even half a word throughout the entire proceeding.  

 Mu Ye'an led Ruan Qing slowly into the hall. The moment they crossed the threshold, his eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.  

 His gaze swept across the funeral arrangements before finally settling on the black coffin, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.  

 There was something wrong with this setup.  

 In the infinite horror game, paranormal scenarios accounted for nearly one-third of all dungeons. Any player who'd survived multiple rounds would develop some understanding of ghost-related rituals - let alone an advanced player like Mu Ye'an.  

 A single glance told him both the mourning hall and coffin were problematic. Clearly, the dungeon's key clues were indeed connected to the village chief's death.  

 Yet Mu Ye'an withdrew his attention indifferently, showing not the slightest interest in investigating. As long as it didn't affect him and his bride, he couldn't be bothered to care.  

 The moment he'd chosen coexistence with the gu worms to survive, he'd forfeited any chance of clearing the dungeon. Its secrets no longer concerned him.  

 He would remain in this dungeon, spending the rest of his days with his "little wife."  

 Though...  

 Mu Ye'an's brow furrowed deeply as he recalled his bride's demands. Flying and fire-breathing he could work on, but producing two sons... that might present certain logistical challenges.  

 Pursing his lips, he unconsciously glanced sideways at his companion's flat abdomen, dark eyes glinting with contemplative intensity.  

 Ruan Qing had also been studying the coffin when he suddenly felt that gaze - so palpable it made his scalp prickle and his stomach twist with unease.  

 He didn't need to look to know whose eyes were burning into him. He kept pretending not to notice, staring resolutely forward.  

 With both participants in position and the auspicious hour arrived, the ceremony officiant stood at a distance and announced in a toneless shout:  

 "First bow to heaven and earth!"  

 Mu Ye'an turned before the echoes faded, but Ruan Qing remained frozen in place, his entire posture radiating silent resistance to the ritual.  

 "Changed your mind?" Mu Ye'an observed coolly. As he spoke, his thumb began tracing slow, meaningful circles against the back of Ruan Qing's hand beneath their sleeves.  

 Mu Ye'an's voice was soft, his movements gentle, yet the underlying threat was impossible to ignore. Just the slight brush of his fingers was enough to make Ruan Qing's hair stand on end.  

 It felt as though something terrible would happen if he dared to back out now.  

 Ruan Qing trembled faintly, his face pale. Stiffly, he turned around and finally bowed along with the ceremony.  

 "Second bow to the parents."  

 "Bride and groom face each other."  

 As soon as the celebrant's words rang out, the courtyard gate creaked loudly, swinging open. The villagers all turned their heads in unison—even Ruan Qing couldn't help but look.  

 A man walked in, dressed in a black windbreaker with a backpack slung over his shoulder. "Excuse me, could you tell me how to get out of Miao Village... Huh?"  

 The players hidden among the villagers recognized him instantly—it was Huo Chen'an, the man they'd encountered earlier in the woods.  

 Huo Chen'an's expression shifted to surprise. "You're... having a wedding?"  

 Because Ruan Qing had turned to look, only Mu Ye'an remained bowing in the marital salute. His eyes darkened as he slowly straightened up, fixing his gaze on Huo Chen'an.  

 The two grooms stood in the most prominent position, and Huo Chen'an immediately noticed the pair in their bright red robes. Then, the next second, he froze.  

 One of them—a young man in crimson—was breathtakingly beautiful, so radiant that the rest of the world seemed to fade into dullness beside him.  

 Huo Chen'an's heart skipped a beat before pounding violently, the sound drowning out everything else.  

 He had just fallen in love at first sight... with someone else's bride.  

 Mu Ye'an watched the reckless intruder, the darkness in his eyes thickening, his murderous intent almost tangible.  

 Huo Chen'an, of course, noticed the other groom's gaze. He coughed awkwardly and reluctantly tore his eyes away.  

 He despised himself for this—how could he covet another man's bride? It was despicable.  

 Yet, he couldn't control the dark thought rising in his heart.  

 This was just some backward mountain village. What if he killed that man and took the bride for himself?  

 With his abilities and family influence, silencing the entire village would be effortless. And given Miao Village's... unique circumstances, he wouldn’t even need to dirty his hands. A simple incitement of the gu worms would be enough to make the whole place vanish without a trace.  

 Some thoughts, once they take root, become nearly impossible to suppress. Reason struggles to regain control.  

 It seems... he truly was a creature worse than a beast.  

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