Chapter One Hundred and Forty

Chapter One Hundred and Forty

Shen Wang didn't understand why Xiao Hei Ge was always at odds with Gu Dongting.

They were clearly two people who had nothing in common.

Seeing Shen Wang not responding, Xiao Hei Ge narrowed his eyes: "Between him and me, who do you care about more?"

Shen Wang: "… You are both my friends, why should there be a need to compare?"

Xiao Hei Ge scoffed coldly: "Would you sleep with any other 'friend'?"

Shen Wang was at a loss for words, then sighed, offering a weak explanation: "That was just an accident…"

Seeing his reaction, Xiao Hei Ge also sighed heavily in his heart.

If Shen Wang's 'dear friend' were anyone but Gu Dongting, he wouldn't have been so obsessed, letting ugly jealousy corrode his soul and reveal such a loathsome side of himself.

But that person was Gu Dongting, another version of himself in a different sense.

He and the other 'Gu Dongting' shared the same body, name, experiences, and past. They were almost indistinguishable… As long as he wished, he could perfectly play the role of 'Gu Dongting', undetected by anyone.

Similarly, the other 'Gu Dongting' could perfectly impersonate him if he wished.

If one day, one of them disappeared, no one would notice.

If the one who disappeared was himself, then all the pain he endured, the betrayal he suffered, the destruction of his family, even the moon he saw in his despair and hatred, his first flutter of the heart… would all vanish as if they never existed.

A damp melancholy settled in Xiao Hei Ge’s heart, he asked: "Shen Wang, do you really have no special feelings for me at all?"

Shen Wang was momentarily stunned: "No, surely not..."

The rain in his heart seeped through the window, the dampness leaking from Xiao Hei Ge’s eyes.

Shen Wang's fingertips tingled, he was at a loss: "I... I haven't thought about these things... I'm clueless about emotions..."

Xiao Hei Ge fell silent for a few seconds, his momentary vulnerability quickly vanishing without a trace. His gaze, clear and bright, pierced straight into Shen Wang's eyes: "If it were someone else, after a misunderstanding, would you be this hesitant?"

"Of course not!" Shen Wang blurted out. If it were someone else, like Bai Fuchun, the chubby kid, or even Bo Yu, he wouldn't have...

Thinking this, Shen Wang was momentarily speechless.

"Shen Wang." Xiao Hei Ge stepped closer, his eyes holding an irresistible enchantment, "Admit it, in your heart, I am special too."

Shen Wang certainly knew, Xiao Hei Ge was special to him.

Xiao Hei Ge’s temperament matched his perfectly; they were partners in crime, and in front of each other, he didn’t need to hide anything.

He thought they were like-minded friends, the best of allies in secrecy.

Finally, a faint smile broke through in Xiao Hei Ge’s eyes. He didn’t press for an answer but instead said, "I am willing to give you time."

"As long as you give me a chance."

Shen Wang was both shocked and bewildered: "What kind of chance?"

Gu Dongting’s voice was gentle, weaving a dense net: "Give me a chance to pursue you."

Shen Wang: "…"

How was he supposed to respond to that!

How could he possibly respond to that!

Shen Wang was overwhelmed.

At that moment, a slightly cool hand covered his eyes, plunging Shen Wang into sudden darkness. He blinked, and the next second, a gentle kiss grazed his lips and landed on his cheek.

"You don't dislike this, do you?" Xiao Hei Ge's voice was incredibly close, so close it sent tingles through Shen Wang's ears.

It was only then that he realized how unexpectedly charming Xiao Hei Ge's voice was.

Those hands quickly withdrew, and Shen Wang saw Xiao Hei Ge calmly putting on his mask, seemingly unbothered by how it clashed with the mood.

Shen Wang’s inexplicably quickened heartbeat calmed down, and he said, half-irritated, half-amused, "I don’t even know who you are now, not even what you look like. Your pursuit lacks sincerity."

"If I agree to your pursuit, will you cover my eyes even for a kiss in the future?"

Xiao Hei Ge, however, keenly sensed something: "Will there be a future for us?"

Shen Wang: "…"

He rubbed his forehead, his mind a tangled mess.

Not answering was already the best response. Satisfied, Xiao Hei Ge leaned close to Shen Wang and breathed into his ear, "Do you want me to warm your bed tonight?"

Shen Wang flatly refused thrice: "Thanks, but no, you should go."

Xiao Hei Ge chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on Shen Wang's despondent face, then affectionately nuzzled Shen Wang's cheek: "I'll leave you alone tonight."

In the future...

Leaving behind a meaningful look, Xiao Hei Ge disappeared.

Shen Wang touched his face and sighed again.

Waking up, it felt like the whole world had changed.

One of his close friends harbored special feelings for him, and they had inadvertently become involved... Lying on the bed, Shen Wang's thoughts were a chaotic jumble, impossible to untangle.

Burying his head in the cup, attempting to suffocate himself to escape, Shen Wang suddenly smelled a very faint scent.

He paused, lifted his head, and concentrated all his senses to catch that almost imperceptible fragrance.

It was a familiar, intermittent scent, so elusive that Shen Wang almost thought it was an illusion. He paused; this fragrance, he had only ever sensed on Gu Dongting.

He had accidentally caught a whiff of this unusual aroma before, but when he tried to consciously seek it out, it vanished without a trace, leading Shen Wang to believe it was a hallucination.

Shen Wang looked down at the spot where he had detected the scent, the place where Xiao Hei Ge had lain.

A faint thread was forming in his mind, yet a critical piece of information was missing. It felt like Shen Wang was just a door away from the truth, but he couldn't find the key.

His mind alternated between images of Gu Dongting, cold and impartial, embodying noble selflessness.

Then it shifted to Xiao Hei Ge, capricious, ruthless, and cold.

One dark, one light; their personalities were starkly different, with not a single similarity. The original text had never mentioned Xiao Hei Ge's existence... Shen Wang pondered long and hard but couldn't make sense of it.

Feeling more confused, he decided to get up, opened the door, and walked out.

…And then he knocked on the doors of Bai Fuchun and Chou Yin.

Bai Fuchun stared at Shen Wang resentfully, his tone ominous: "So this is why you're knocking on my door in the middle of the night?"

"Yes," Shen Wang replied, ignoring Bai Fuchun's barely contained resentment, as if it was the most natural thing, "I have a friend with some relationship troubles, and you're the only one who can offer advice."

Bai Fuchun glared at Shen Wang: "It’s not just me who’s out of the single club. Among our peers, Pang He, Luo Tian, Bo Yu... they all have partners!"

Shen Wang's eyes widened in surprise: "They actually have partners?!"

Especially Bo Yu, that guy who always acts so high and mighty, he has a partner too?!

Shen Wang's mindset collapsed.

"When they're free, they just stare at their phones and smile like idiots, can't you see that?" Bai Fuchun was also surprised.

They exchanged a glance, both reading speechlessness in each other's eyes.

Shen Wang: How could anyone notice that? Isn’t it normal for young people nowadays to grin stupidly at their phones for no reason?

Bai Fuchun: How can you not notice something so obvious? It's really clear!

After a while, both averted their gazes simultaneously. Bai Fuchun, having calmed down from his initial annoyance, asked, "What’s the relationship problem? Tell me about it."

Shen Wang pondered for a few minutes: "I have a friend..."

Bai Fuchun burst into laughter.

Shen Wang: "…"

Bai Fuchun composed himself: "It’s okay, continue. I just thought of something funny."

Knowing full well what he was laughing at, Shen Wang pressed on: "He suddenly realized that his close friend has special feelings for him."

Bai Fuchun listened intently, then after a long pause, urged, "And then what?"

"That's it." Shen Wang nodded. He thought of what happened with Xiao Hei Ge under the influence of an aphrodisiac, his ears burning. After hesitating, he decided not to mention that part.

"That's it?" Bai Fuchun sounded disappointed, having expected some exciting gossip.

Despite his disappointment, Bai Fuchun diligently analyzed for Shen Wang: "What does your... I mean, what does your friend think?"

"He's very confused," said Shen Wang.

"Confused about what?" Bai Fuchun pressed, "Is it about the other person's gender, their family background, or something else?"

Following Bai Fuchun's line of questioning, Shen Wang quickly responded, "It's not about those things. He just doesn't know how to handle it in a way that doesn't hurt the other person or lose the friendship."

Bai Fuchun understood.

"Then the answer to this is quite clear," Bai Fuchun said with a smile, "If he were a staunch straight guy, being confessed to by a friend of the same sex, he'd want to reject and cut ties immediately. Your... I mean, your friend’s attitude shows that he cares deeply about his friend."

At these words, Shen Wang became thoughtful: "Can friends... turn into lovers...? Wouldn't that be weird...?"

Bai Fuchun, now fully awake, thought of Chou Yin who had just left the room, his expression sweetening, "Who says it's impossible? Ever heard of 'familiarity breeds fondness'? Chou Yin and I were just good friends at first."

Shen Wang looked at Bai Fuchun, curious.

Bai Fuchun's face softened with emotion: "You know, I'm from the Bai family, very strict at home..."

In his youthful ignorance, Bai Fuchun, rebelling against his strict family and realizing his sexual orientation, chose to run away from home.

Under an assumed name, he worked part-time jobs, meeting Chou Yin in his journey of self-discovery.

Back then, Chou Yin had not yet been disfigured and was a handsome expert, causing Bai Fuchun to fall for him at first sight, eagerly clinging to him, insisting on being his follower.

Chou Yin, hounded incessantly, eventually accepted the presence of this persistent tagalong.

Over time, subtle feelings developed between the two, but before they could confess, Bai Fuchun was found and taken back by his family.

They thought their paths would part there, but unexpectedly, a dishonorable foreign royal family, wanting Bai Fuchun’s grandfather to treat their illness, kidnapped Bai Fuchun as leverage.

In the end, Chou Yin heroically rescued an unharmed Bai Fuchun. However, he himself was severely injured, taking a long time to recover, and his appearance was ruined.

Bai Fuchun’s expression turned somber: "His real name isn't Chou Yin. He used to be called Chou Yin… Now, hardly anyone remembers his real name."

Due to his disfigurement, the character 'Chou' (ugly) seemed to have become inseparably linked to him.

After hearing the story, Shen Wang was moved by their relationship but couldn't help asking, "Isn’t the Bai family known for their medicinal pills? Can’t you concoct something to heal his face?"

Bai Fuchun gave a bitter smile: "Alchemizing isn't that easy… Besides, his injury was corroded by ghostly energy, and there’s no pill that can heal such damage."

Shen Wang tilted his head in doubt: "Really? I thought there were quite a few restorative medicinal pills."

Bai Fuchun’s eyes suddenly fixed on Shen Wang: "Shen Ge! My brother! Do you have a way?"

Faced with Bai Fuchun’s hopeful eyes, Shen Wang grandly declared: "After the competition ends, I’ll heal him for you."

"Thank you, Shen Ge! You really can do anything!" Bai Fuchun beamed, not doubting Shen Wang's words in the least.

After all, it was Shen Wang. If he could master formations, talismans, and swordsmanship, why not healing skills too!

For the all-capable Shen Ge, this was just a normal feat!

From this conversation, both got what they sought, making it a thoroughly satisfying exchange.

Returning to his room and lying on the bed, Shen Wang’s mind cleared of all fog, feeling utterly relaxed.

The next day, with the competition continuing, everyone got up early and headed to the venue.

The competition arena was crowded, filled with various scents, including a persistent smell of blood. Shen Wang moved closer to Gu Dongting, "Who are we up against this time?"

Gu Dongting, not sensing anything amiss, replied, "The team from the Elephant Kingdom."

Bai Fuchun gasped in shock, gritting his teeth, "The worst come to pass. We were just talking about them yesterday, and today we're up against them."

Chou Yin's eyes flickered, revealing a hint of coldness.

Shen Wang recalled and laughed, "Is this the country that kidnapped you?"

Bai Fuchun grimaced, nodding unhappily.

No wonder. Shen Wang had an epiphany; the cultivation methods in those Southeast Asian areas were notoriously bizarre and unorthodox, not following the righteous path. It made sense if it was them.

The group searched through the crowd and soon found their opponents.

The Elephant Kingdom's team was not small either, with several powerful elders for protection. However, compared to the clear and upright aura of the Huaxia team, they emanated a sinister energy, their features twisted.

Especially noticeable was their extremely thin physique, possibly due to their cultivation methods or other reasons, giving off an unignorable sleazy vibe.

As their gazes met, the emaciated sorcerers, resembling monkeys, cracked malicious grins.

Shen Wang, unable to bear looking at them, averted his gaze, "Grinning with rotten teeth, how shameless."

Too ugly for his eyes!

The other team's members, with sinister and covetous eyes, focused on their prey, "What did Anbe say?"

One of them immediately responded, "Be careful of those named Shen Wang and Gu Dongting, they are strong. Apart from them, the others are not a concern."

After speaking, someone excitedly added, "Kill as many as possible. For each one killed, we get a hundred virgin boys and girls."

"That's not a small price."

"Yes, it's a pity we can only compete three times, at most earning three hundred virgin boys and girls... Foreign children are so delicate. The children born to the useless people in our country are just as worthless, ugly and dried-up."

They spoke in their own language, their cruel words undecipherable to those around.

However, Shen Wang, amidst the crowd, furrowed his brows deeply. Adjusting the translator on his ear, his expression subtly carried a hint of murderous intent.