Chapter 284: Deceiver

Chapter 284 The Deceiver

There was no response.

Xie Shu watched helplessly as the white mist vanished before his eyes, disappearing without a trace.

He snapped awake right after.

The time read 3 a.m., but Xie Shu was wide awake. He grabbed his laptop from the bedside and logged directly into the internal network.

The company files contained dozens of unpublished proposals, some already implemented, just waiting for the right time to be integrated into the game.

Xie Shu typed in the search bar: "Far North."

Xie Chunshan's persistent headaches were one of the game's established settings. To explain away plot holes the writers hadn't considered, the system would automatically expand and supplement the lore. For instance, despite Xie Chunshan not suffering a heart puncture and Wu Buke's timely intervention, he remained unconscious—his existing headache condition served as one of the most convenient excuses.

Considering the earlier plot, Wu Buke might suggest Xiao Wu travel to the Far North in search of a rare, hundred-year medicinal herb.

He pressed Enter.

Among the documents, a pre-proposal titled "Far North" jumped out at him.

"The Far North is a land of harsh cold, where ice stretches for thousands of miles and snow blankets the earth for tens of thousands. The scenery is dominated by frost-laden trees and ice formations, complemented by explorable ice caves. The vast snowfields conceal countless dangers, home to all manner of rare and dangerous creatures. The unlucky may even encounter earthquakes or avalanches."

"This map is one of the pre-anniversary backup maps, compatible with newly introduced debuffs such as hypothermia and snow blindness."

The preceding text was the writing team's setting. Xie Shu skipped over the lengthy map descriptions and scrolled to the end of the document, where a line was prominently displayed—

"Currently designed as a combat-oriented dungeon accessible only to max-level players. Danger rating: Extremely High."

The game had just launched, and most players were still low-level novices around levels 20 to 30. Max level was practically a myth. A dungeon dangerous even for max-level players would be equally hazardous to Xiao Wu.

"..."

Xie Shu hadn't turned on the lights. The laptop's cold blue glow lit sharp angles across the bridge of his nose and brow, reflecting bright spots in his pupils. He pinched the bridge of his nose, silently staring at those words, his expression visibly darkening.

66 had been curled up nearby, asleep, but stirred groggily at the noise. It crawled onto Xie Shu's laptop and tilted its head. "Su Zhu? You look awful."

Xie Shu scooped it up. "66, if I wanted to return to the cultivation world, what would it take?"

66 blinked. "Go back?"

It pondered for a moment. "Hmm, it's quite troublesome. Very few hosts do this, but it's not impossible. First, I'd need to report it to the Mainframe and obtain its approval. Second, Xie Chunshan's body isn't usable—we'd have to prepare a suitable vessel for you in that world and rationalize your existence there. There are several approval procedures in between, so it might take some time."

Xie Shu asked, "How long?"

66 replied, "The time flow in our Management Bureau differs from other minor worlds. Converted to your timeline, it'd probably take about a year."

A year—neither too long nor too short.

Xie Shu said, "I understand."

He pressed a hand to his throbbing temple. "Put in the request to your Mainframe. I can try persuading Xiao Wu to abandon his attempts to 'save Xie Chunshan' and stop him from tearing through dimensional barriers. In exchange, I need to return to the cultivation world."

It wouldn't violate the Management Bureau's bottom line, and it would resolve the issue—a win-win scenario requiring only a few approvals. Xie Shu expected the "Mainframe" would gladly agree.

But 66 stared at him intently, its screen displaying something akin to a skeptical look.

Xie Shu: "...?"

He asked, "Having trouble?"

"Nah." 66 sighed. "I'm just complaining about why the same old story keeps repeating itself. Every single host ends up hooking up with the protagonist. Is this my destined fate?"

It looked up at the ceiling with a vacant expression, like it wanted to shake its fist at the sky.

Xie Shu blinked. "?"

He wanted to argue, but his silver tongue, honed in the business world, failed him. In the end, he only said coldly, "...Just ask your system whether this proposal is feasible."

66: "Alright, alright, I got it."

It floated listlessly past the windowsill and vanished into the night.

Xie Shu watched it leave, then sent an email to his assistant calling in sick for the whole day tomorrow. After that, he lay flat on the bed, trying to crash.

Yet his mind remained restless for a long time. Afraid of missing the moment Xiao Wu entered his dream, Xie Shu took out the sleeping pills he had used years ago to treat neurasthenia and swallowed one.

In the foggy, disjointed dreamscape, he returned to the carriage in the heavy snow.

The closer they got to the heart of the Far North, the fiercer the blizzard became. The ornamental bells at the four corners of the carriage clanged nonstop, their crimson silk tassels fluttering wildly. Outside the window, everything was a vast expanse of white. On days when the sun was strong, staring too long could easily induce snow blindness.

The cold outside was brutal, but the interior of the carriage remained relatively warm. Xie Shu was wrapped in a thick fox fur cloak, with a hot water bottle tucked under the covers. He didn’t feel cold, but he was stuck in bed, unable to move freely after lowering the carriage curtain.

Anxious, Xie Shu couldn’t sleep deeply, only managing to doze fitfully under the influence of the medication. This stop-start sleep dragged out until dawn.

Xiao Wu never showed in his dream.

Lord Pingwu’s sleep had been light and shallow lately—barely drifting off before waking again.

Xie Chunshan’s unconscious body lay beside him. Every time he woke, Xiao Wu would extend two fingers to check Xie Chunshan’s pulse.

The pulse was weak and feeble, nothing like that of a high-level cultivator. Xiao Wu knew all too well—this body was running on fumes, sustained only by elixirs, and could kick the bucket any second.

Only after confirming that faint breath still lingered could Xiao Wu catch some quick shut-eye.

The two of them were always like ships passing in the night.

After another cycle of deep and shallow sleep, Xie Shu suddenly realized the carriage had stopped. He lifted the curtain and looked outside—the ornate carriage had halted inside an ice cave. The ice walls gleamed a deep blue, and through the thin layer of ice above, a crack of daylight was faintly visible.

It seemed Xiao Wu had found the location of the medicinal herb.

Xie Shu glanced around but had no way to initiate contact. He could only watch as the shadow of the sun moved from east to west overhead.

Never before had a day felt so long.

Just as the sunlight was about to disappear, Xiao Wu finally entered his dream.

Upon seeing Xie Shu on the bed, he did as he had the previous two times—barreling into his arms, wrapping his arms tightly around Xie Shu, then instinctively finding a comfortable position, as if too exhausted to resist slipping into a dream within a dream.

Xie Shu mussed up the hair at the back of his head. "Xiao Wu, don’t sleep."

He forcibly pulled Lord Pingwu up to face him, locking eyes. "Don’t go any further, Immortal Lord. What you’re searching for isn’t here. Return to Wuwang Palace."

Xiao Wu lifted his gaze but ignored him, trying to nuzzle closer instead.

Clearly, he wasn’t buying it.

Xie Shu had no choice but to put some muscle into it. "Did you hear me? Go back to Wuwang Palace. What you’re after isn’t here."

It was rare for him to show such a stern face in front of Xiao Wu, his expression turning cold.

Xiao Wu met his gaze: "Do you know what I want?"

Xie Shu: "The Snow Silkworm Seed. Don't bother looking for it—I don’t need it."

Xiao Wu: "At Wuwang Palace, you said you did."

Xie Shu paused briefly before replying softly, "...That was a lie."

Xie Shu never considered himself an upright or honest person. By the age of seven, he had learned to flatter his father, even praising his father’s new wife and newborn child. He was smooth-tongued and worldly-wise, adept at sugarcoating the truth.

But now, something like shame suddenly arose within him, accompanied by silent palpitations in his chest, clear even in the blizzard's howl.

Yet Xiao Wu had remembered and still sought medicine for him.

Xie Shu reached out and pulled the frozen Xiao Wu back into his embrace. The Immortal Lord had clearly just returned from the snowfields, his body icy cold, frost coating his lashes. Xie Shu touched his cheek, and tenderness washed over him, flooding every vein. He held his Immortal Lord close, pressing their foreheads together until their eyes reflected nothing but each other.

Xie Shu: "Immortal Lord, listen to me. I don’t need the Snow Silkworm Seed, and I’m not dead."

The whole "system" thing was too strange, so Xie Shu omitted those details, simply holding Xiao Wu tightly and stroking his back again and again. "That medicine is useless to me. The far north is too cold. Just turn the carriage around now and return to Wuwang Palace."

Xiao Wu: "Return to Wuwang Palace?"

"Yes, return to Wuwang Palace." Xie Shu soothed him. "Don't fret, Immortal Lord. Once you’re back, stop Xie Chunshan’s medicine. Give me a year, and I’ll come find you. Alright?"

Xiao Wu didn’t resist, letting Xie Shu hold him. He waited patiently for Xie Shu to finish before murmuring, "Stop Xie Chunshan’s medicine, then give you a year. Is that it?"

Xie Shu: "Yes."

In his arms, Xiao Wu shut his eyes tightly, an involuntary, mocking smile tugging at his lips.

If the medicine were stopped, Xie Chunshan would die completely—body gone, soul destroyed. How could he come back then?

Xie Chunshan was lying to him again.

Xie Shu froze as he realized, startled, that Xiao Wu had begun trembling faintly in his embrace. He clutched Xie Shu’s shoulders, his fingertips pressing down with uncontrolled force, shaking uncontrollably.

He said, "Liar. I don’t believe you."

"Xie Chunshan, I don’t believe you. You’ve lied to me so many times."

So, so many times.

Pretending to be Song Xiaoyu to deceive him, pretending to be the Pharmacist to deceive him. Finally becoming Xie Chunshan, only to lie again.

Even in death, he still lied.

By the end, his voice carried a faintest sob.

Xie Shu pursed his lips slightly, tasting something bitter on his tongue.

This was Lord Pingwu, whom the game’s official lore had canonized as clear and bright as moonlight. How had he reduced Lord Pingwu to such a state?

He wrapped his arms around Xiao Wu’s trembling form, soothing him along his spine with utmost care, coaxing softly, "It’s true. This time it's true. Turn back, and I’ll come find you. Alright?"

Xiao Wu pushed him away, meeting his gaze. "What identity will you use when you come for me then? How?"

Xie Shu hesitated, couldn't look him in the eye.

Xiao Wu stared at him fixedly, then lowered his gaze and let out another bitter smile.

"See," he said, "you don’t even know yourself."

Xie Shu said, "I do."

[Character 66] had yet to reply. He had no absolute certainty, only speculation, but this time, to convince Xiao Wu to return, Xie Shu still chose to make a promise he might break.

Only this time, he would do everything in his power to fulfill it.

Xie Shu said, "I’ll be an ordinary person—no power, no wealth, perhaps not even an identity. I won’t be able to enter Wuwang Palace. Wuwang Palace is too lofty, and I won’t be able to find you. You’re the Mystic Leader of Two Paths, not someone an ordinary person can meet at will."

"But," Xie Shu said calmly, "next spring, at the Yunzhou temple fair, I’ll stand in front of the mask vendor’s stall, waiting for you to come and find me."

Xiao Wu looked at him, and Xie Shu met his gaze steadily, unwavering, unyielding.

Xiao Wu closed his eyes, his fingers twisting the edge of his sleeve, nearly shredding the cloth.

After a long silence, Xiao Wu said hoarsely, "Just this once?"

Xie Shu: "Just this once."

Xiao Wu fell silent.

By then, dusk had arrived. Xie Shu tilted his head slightly—the sun overhead slanted westward, lingering on the edge of descent.

Days in the far north are always exceptionally short. Soon after, the snow plains would plunge into a long, frigid night. The wind and snow suddenly intensified, carrying thick shards of ice as they howled across the wilderness, like vengeful spirits wailing.

And in reality, Xie Shu had already slept for a full day and night. Now, the sedative was nearly ineffective—his figure faded gradually, and he was about to wake.

With that, Xie Shu gave Xiao Wu a gentle push. "Immortal Lord, I must go now. You should return quickly as well. The night winds are fierce, and this is no safe place. Lingering too long carries risks."

"Xie Chunshan." Xiao Wu didn’t move. He gripped Xie Shu’s collar, pressing close to him again, his chin pressed hard into Xie Shu’s shoulder blade. He stayed like that for a long while before finally leaning in beside Xie Shu’s ear and gritting out, "If you dare deceive me again this time—if you dare deceive me once more..."

His voice softened. "...I'll never forgive you."