Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Yes, the 'Dream of Heril' is only open from three to five in the afternoon, a mere two hours.

It's not that the guests can only stay in the Cradle of Dreams hall for such a short party. The hall's doors only open during this period for game participants. If guests want services or if participants want to earn money by providing services, it can only be done in these two hours.

Hence, both the participants and the guests knew the importance of the afternoon, not a second to be wasted.

Everyone wanted to sit in the massage chair since it was genuinely comfortable. But no one wanted to, given the outrageous price set by Xie Yinxue.

As early as yesterday, some guests felt the price Xie Yinxue set was absurd—10 gold coins for 10 seconds, more ludicrous than Enuo's nightly room rate.

Yet today, Xie Yinxue managed to come up with an even more bizarre price.

"Isn't your pricing a bit excessive?" The blonde woman frowned, fanning herself rapidly with her golden feathered fan as if trying to cool down her temper, "Just yesterday, I offered Eno 300 gold coins for this massage chair."

"Did he sell it to you?" Xie Yinxue looked up with a playful smirk, each word felt like salt on her wounds.

The blonde woman: "..."

"It's just 300 gold coins. I'll take it!" A man with grey eyes pushed past her, placed a bag of gold coins before Xie Yinxue, and sat on the massage chair.

Xie Yinxue had Zhu Yikun collect the payment and then set up a ten-minute massage for the man. While he seemed relaxed on the chair, the comfort it offered couldn't warm his icy stare towards Xie Yinxue.

He fixed his gaze on Xie Yinxue as if looking at a dead man.

In contrast, Xie Yinxue, intrigued, remarked, "Sir, your eyes are quite unique and beautiful. I know someone whose eyes are very much like yours."

"Is it Captain Heril? I recall his eyes being similar." Zhu Yikun chimed in, sizing up the man on the chair, "Could he be related to the captain? Their hair colors are alike too."

But the more Zhu Yikun thought about it, the less likely it seemed.

With nearly two hundred esteemed guests in the Cradle of Dreams hall and a dozen or so with grey hair and eyes, not to mention over a hundred with blonde hair, could they all be related to Deputy Eno?

"No, it was an uninvited guest in my room yesterday," Xie Yinxue replied, his gaze scanning the faces of the guests, "Their hair seemed a bit too long, so I gave it a trim. Unfortunately, it grows too quickly, almost never-ending."

"Crack—"

The sound of shattering glass echoed. Xie Yinxue turned to find a brunette lady having crushed her wine glass. Unfortunately, the glass hadn't pierced her palm, so he couldn't tell if her blood would be red... or green.

Regardless, Xie Yinxue deduced from their covetous glances and their evident love for the chair that these guests weren't human.

They were the monster, formed from rotting flesh, that he encountered in the hallway the previous night.

Even with Xie Yinxue's provocations, the massage chair was a hit. In two hours, he had earned a staggering 3,000 gold coins.

At dinner time, Xie Yinxue and Zhu Yikun, with their bag of gold, walked into the dining hall. The expressions of everyone, both game participants and dining guests, were indescribable upon seeing their earnings.

"Why are these guests so enamored with his massage chair?" He Yao, having experienced real and chair massages, found the obsession puzzling.

Curiously, he asked, "Is the chair really that special?"

"How would we know? We haven't tried it," Han Si replied, "Why don't you give it a go?"

"Where would I get 300 gold coins for a massage?" He Yao sighed, "The three of us have only earned 60 coins in two days. That's not even close to his earnings from yesterday."

"Serving the guests does pay a lot," Wen Renyan remarked, casting a glance at Yang Manqing and Shu Guangxuan, "They probably planned a dance and singing performance this afternoon. They each earned 300 coins, but there seems to be something off about it."

"Didn't we learn that last night?" Han Si asked, "The more you earn, the more you attract the monsters."

Wen Renyan's face turned solemn, "It's more than that. Don't you find the income disparity between temporary crew jobs and guest services a bit too high?"

The three of them were all temporary crew members, doing tasks like refueling on the lower deck, checking for rust and damage, or adding coal to the furnace.

For three of them, from yesterday to early today, they began working shortly after dawn and only stopped around seven in the evening. All that work only earned them six gold coins. Yet, Yang Manqing and Shu Guangxuan merely sang a song and danced, and each pocketed three hundred gold coins. Honestly, their performance lacked any real skill or novelty; anyone could have taken their place. Yet, they effortlessly earned a substantial sum.

Even with the downside of attracting monsters by earning more, they could easily offset that by spending on better, sturdier rooms.

Of course, Xie Yinxue is an exception.

He could effortlessly defy all the rules.

On the other hand, the temporary crew was paid based on their labor and time. Despite working incessantly, their earnings weren't guaranteed to be substantial. In comparison, serving the guests onboard seemed a better deal—earn more for less work with a chance to strike it rich. With more money, one could stay in safer rooms, an ideal strategy to advance in the game.

Hence, Wen Renyan was genuinely puzzled, "Considering this, what's even the point of having temporary crew members?"

He Yao pondered, "Maybe we're missing something."

On the side, Wan Yu, a part-time waitress, was taking Xie Yinxue's order, "Mr. Xie, would you like the 'Ultimate Luxury' meal set today?"

"No, no need."

Xie Yinxue gently waved her off. He sat in the same spot as yesterday. Perhaps due to the overcast weather over the sea, the sunset cast a deep blue reflection, devoid of warmth, shimmering through the porthole into the dining room.

The light bathed his face, accentuating his pale, weak complexion. He softly said, "A bowl of plain porridge will suffice."

"Alright." Wan Yu nodded and left with the order.

The porridge on the Heril Dream was thin, with scarce rice grains. Not only was it not filling, but its cost was also higher than a large bun, demanding twenty silver coins. However, it was incomparably cheaper than the ten-gold 'Ultimate Luxury' meal Xie Yinxue ordered the day before.

The reason Xie Yinxue ordered just porridge wasn't to save money. He simply wasn't feeling well and preferred something easy to digest.

If not for the game rules that required them to order food onboard, Xie Yinxue wouldn't even have bothered with the porridge.

So, when the porridge arrived, after a few sips, he considered it done. He leaned back, gazing out of the porthole, taking in the view.

Zhu Yikun, attempting to appeal to Xie Yinxue's better nature, approached, "Mr. Xie, if you're not going to finish your porridge, may I have it?"

Xie Yinxue simply gazed at him without a word.

"I'm really hungry after just one bun..." Zhu Yikun implored, his face almost looking pitiful.

His display was so comical that Xie Yinxue couldn't help but laugh softly, "You act as if I'm heartless. I'd have ordered more if you'd told me you were hungry."

After saying this, Xie Yinxue called Wan Yu over and generously ordered two large buns for Zhu Yikun.

Zhu Yikun: "..."

Yet, with a teasing smile, Xie Yinxue added, "Is that enough for you now?"

"…Yes, yes, it is," Zhu Yikun mumbled, gnawing on a bun and refraining from further comment.

Xie Yinxue didn't shoo him away, instead, he kept staring out of the porthole, fully engrossed. Zhu Yikun rarely saw such focus in Xie Yinxue's eyes and peeked outside, only to see the blank deck and the inky deep sea. The sky was dreary, with no scenic value, leaving him puzzled about Xie Yinxue's fixation.

Upon closer inspection, Zhu Yikun noticed a figure standing on the deck outside.

The man was dressed in a white naval uniform, holding a folded yet unopened black lace parasol, facing the vast sea. His gray hair and tall stature immediately revealed his identity to Zhu Yikun—it was the captain of the Heril Dream, Heril.

Realizing this, Zhu Yikun asked, "Mr. Xie, are you watching Captain Heril?"

"Is he perhaps the main boss of this level?" Zhu Yikun whispered, feeling as if he had stumbled upon a significant secret. Why else would Xie Yinxue be observing him so intently?

However, Xie Yinxue frowned at his words, glancing sideways at Zhu Yikun and counter-questioned, "Do you see anyone else out there?"

Taken aback, Zhu Yikun pointed at the figure on the deck, "Isn't that him?"

Xie Yinxue followed Zhu Yikun's pointing finger and, after recognizing the silhouette, responded, "Oh, I've been gazing at the sky and didn't notice anyone on the deck."

So, Xie Yinxue was just looking at the sky?

Perplexed, Zhu Yikun inquired, "The sky is pitch black; what's there to see?"

Xie Yinxue, with eyes shimmering and head tilted upward, murmured, "It's about to snow."

"Snow?"

This mention reminded Zhu Yikun of a conversation with Yun Qian, who had mentioned that Captain Heril had bought her parasol. He'd heard that temperatures would drop and snow was expected, and the captain needed the parasol to shield himself from the snow.

Right on cue, as Xie Yinxue's words faded, delicate snowflakes began their descent. Falling gently, more like a soft chill than rain, they melted into the deep sea or briefly passed by their window.

The man on the deck opened his parasol to shield himself from the snow, yet remained by the railing, seemingly lost in contemplation. Only when the last rays of light vanished did he leave, his parasol covered in snow.

As Zhu Yikun's gaze returned from the captain to Xie Yinxue, he noticed that Xie Yinxue was still lost in watching the snow. While there was no smile on his face, Zhu Yikun could see laughter in his eyes.

The genuine smile of Xie Yinxue.

Both men seemed entranced. After finishing his meal, Wen Renyan, with hands pocketed and clutching a round object, mustered the courage to approach Xie Yinxue, striving to appear nonchalant, "Mr. Xie, why did you only have some porridge today? Are you feeling unwell? I have some medicine; would you like some?"

"I just wasn't very hungry," Xie Yinxue replied with a smile, "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."

"Then please accept this plum candy," Wen Renyan offered, revealing the object from his pocket. "I gave some to Xiao Li, and she loved it. I hope it might improve your appetite."

This gesture surprised Xie Yinxue. He hesitated briefly before accepting it with a distant politeness, "Thank you."

Noting Xie Yinxue's response, Wen Renyan's eyes dimmed, "I apologize for not opening my door... to help you last night."

With that confession, Wen Renyan slightly bowed and departed.

"That guy..." Zhu Yikun observed Wen Renyan's retreating figure, then turned back to Xie Yinxue, "Mr. Xie, and pardon my audacity, but is he trying to court you?"

Staring at the candy on the table, Xie Yinxue replied softly, "Isn't it obvious?"

"He's really unfortunate then, falling for someone who will never reciprocate," Zhu Yikun commented. Noticing Xie Yinxue's chilling gaze, he hastily clarified, "Mr. Xie, I wasn't insulting you. Just noting that, having chosen a 'lonely' fate, you might never...”

Zhu Yikun paused in mid-sentence, as if searching for the right words, feeling that none seemed quite right.

But Xie Yinxue tilted up the corner of her lips, revealing her fate with a voice as still as water: "No ties with kin, calamities upon friends, and till death—utterly alone."

Such was his fate.

It was also the fate of his master, Chen Yuqing.

Xie Yinxue's original surname was Shen. Like Chen Yuqing, both were originally surnamed Shen, yet neither could retain that name; they had to adopt another.

All because they joined the mystical sect, practicing the arts of Qimen Dunjia.

This arcane practice is infinitely profound; with a brushstroke, flowers can blossom, inanimate becomes animate, seizing the essence of the universe, harnessing the very rhythm of the sun and moon. Yet, mastering it demands a steep price.

Therefore, anyone studying Qimen Dunjia must pledge to alter their fate, accepting one of the three: a life of poverty—living in destitution, unable to gain wealth; a life cut short—dying before the age of twenty; or a life of solitude—devoid of family ties, bringing misfortune upon kin and friends, and dying utterly alone.

Both Xie Yinxue and his master, Chen Yuqing, bore the fate of solitude. Hence, they had to change their surnames, or risk bringing calamity to other members of the Shen family.

It was due to Xie Yinxue's exceptional talent that, even though he didn’t choose the fate of premature death, he might not have lived past fifteen. That he survived till twenty was entirely because, when Xie Yinxue was thirteen, Master Chen Yuqing willingly sacrificed decades of his own life to grant Xie seven more years.

Otherwise, the one who would have perished seven years ago would've been Xie Yinxue, not Chen Yuqing.

Still, seven years later, Xie Yinxue's death is inevitable.

Yet on his twentieth birthday, he did not pass away. Every day he continues to live is filled with pain unbearable to most, for his body should've already ceased.

Aside from members of the Shen family, few are privy to these matters.

Zhu Yikun only came to know of it because Chen Yuqing once saved him and offered him shelter for a time.

Though Zhu Yikun is often careless and thoughtless, he couldn’t help but sigh at the sight of Master and apprentice, Chen Yuqing and Xie Yinxue, bound by their secluded practices and tragic fates, living alone atop Mingyue Cliff until their last breath.

Unsure if his words had hurt Xie Yinxue, despite the young man showing no sign of anger, Zhu Yikun hastily offered words meant to placate and lighten the mood: "Mr. Xie, rest assured, from what I see, Wen Renyan isn't the obsessive type. Once he realizes you're not interested, he won’t bother you further. You also needn't worry about him being close to you shortening your lifespan."

His words sounded less like comfort and more like mockery.

Plus, there was a term Xie Yinxue didn’t recognize. He furrowed his brow, asking, "What is 'tian gou' (sycophant)?"

Zhu Yikun quickly explained, "It refers to someone who, despite knowing they are not favored, continues to humiliate themselves, trying to please the one who doesn’t care about them without any dignity or boundary."

Xie Yinxue then asked, "Is it akin to sexual harassment?"

The term "tian gou" was too modern for Xie Yinxue, whose world was filled with tea, books, and crafts. Only the term "sexual harassment" seemed to align with its implications.

Zhu Yikun thought for a moment, scratching his head, "It's not exactly that severe, but some do cross that line, yes."

"Wen Renyan is very respectful and knows his boundaries. Such a term doesn't suit him," Xie Yinxue said, shaking his head as he accepted the candy but didn't unwrap it, "Plus, given last night's circumstances, it was good he, a mere mortal, didn't complicate things further."

With that, Xie Yinxue rose from his seat to leave the dining room. It was approaching 7:30, and they needed to retire to their rooms.

Tonight, Xie Yinxue booked a first-class cabin for Zhu Yikun—this was convenient, as Xie Yinxue typically preferred to avoid unnecessary complications.

Furthermore, due to the disapproving glances from the patrons in the Dream Cradle Hall that afternoon, Xie Yinxue decided to nip the problem in the bud. He had Zhu Yikun move the massage chair to the first-class cabin, keeping only the gold coins with him.

After all, monsters can't enter the first-class cabins.

This way, there's no chance for monsters to barge into his room in the dead of night to snatch the massage chair.

When Xie Yinxue returned to the first floor with the gold coins, just as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Yi Zhongjie conversing with First Mate Yino: "First Mate Yino, I've repainted all the corridor walls, and the wallpapers inside the rooms have been repaired too."

Yino looked surprised upon hearing this, "You work fast. None of the crew I've hired before could complete these tasks in such a short span of time."

Yi Zhongjie chuckled, "I had my daughter to help me."

"No wonder you were so efficient," Yino said with a grin, handing over a small, weighty bag to Yi Zhongjie, "Alright, here's your day's pay, twenty-five gold coins. Make sure to keep it safe."

Expressing his gratitude, Yi Zhongjie took the bag and then carefully inquired, "First Mate Yino, didn’t you mention another task after I finished painting and wallpapering?"

Yino, with a slight frown, glanced at the wall clock and said, "But it's almost half-past seven. Do you still want to continue working?"

"Yes, I've already had some buns in the dining room," Yi Zhongjie responded, "The more I can do, the better. I want to earn more."

"You're truly diligent," Yino said, covering his mouth as he was moved momentarily. Then his expression became somber, "Sigh, but there aren’t any more tasks available. After painting and wallpapering, I intended to assign you the job of replacing the doors for all rooms on the first floor. However, I just checked the storeroom, and we don't have any spare doors left on the ship."

Wan Wu, rubbing her aching arm as she stepped out of the elevator, paused in shock at this revelation and hurriedly confronted Yino, "No more new doors?"

"Exactly," Yino replied with a mix of innocence and sorrow in his eyes, "No more, and it's so upsetting."

Wan Wu remained silent, exchanging glances with Yi Zhongjie, before both of them simultaneously looked down the long corridor leading to the first-floor guest rooms.

Having worked here all day, Yi Zhongjie knew there were over two hundred rooms on this floor. Yet, all the doors to these rooms had been smashed by monsters the previous night—without exception.

Not a single door remained intact. Even those that seemed to be in a decent state could easily shatter with a bit of force.

How could such fragile doors withstand a nocturnal assault by monsters?

Author's note:

NPC: Aren't you looking at me?

Xie Yinxue: I'm looking at what I love the most.

NPC: So, isn't that me?

Xie Yinxue: ...?