Chapter 381: Wu Yue’s Huge Cheat

Chapter 381: Wu Yue's Game-Breaking Advantage

Shen Que scooped rice for Wu Yue while asking in surprise, "You were reborn? In the same dungeon where Sui Yu saved you?"

Wu Yue nodded, "That's right."

Shen Que placed the bowl in front of Wu Yue, handed her a spoon and chopsticks, then turned to ladle chicken soup, putting both drumsticks into a separate bowl to cool for her.

Watching Shen Que’s meticulous actions, Wu Yue couldn’t help but marvel: His attention to detail is truly impeccable.

Shen Que sat down with his own bowl, recalling, "Now that you mention it, Sui Yu did tell me that the way you joined the team and some of your later actions were unusual.

Like suddenly revealing the strategy for a first-clear raid he hadn’t even attempted yet, acting way too mature for your age, and insisting on seeking out Richard."

Wu Yue nibbled on the sweet and sour pork Shen Que had served her, "So, didn’t you ever consider kicking me out?"

Shen Que shook his head, "Sui Yu thought we should keep observing, and I... found you quite interesting."

Wu Yue blinked. Shen Que added, "That time you noticed the chickens had been moved and threw a fit in the hallway—I was inside the room."

Wu Yue instantly went dead silent. With Shen Que’s hearing, even through a wall, he could have heard every word she said!

Wait...

She asked him, "Why didn’t you just tell me directly to move the chickens? Why drag Jian Suiyu into it?"

Shen Que hesitated, "...You’re a girl, after all. And at the time, I might’ve... wanted Jian Suiyu to tell you so you’d come talk to me about it in person."

Though even he hadn’t realized it then, and Jian Suiyu never mentioned it either.

Wu Yue’s expression turned peculiar, "Oh, using Jian Suiyu as a sly wingman, huh? Damn, you’re smooth."

Too bad the strategist hadn’t caught on back then.

Wu Yue grumbled, "So, anyone raising chickens outside your door could’ve snagged you, huh?"

Shen Que immediately laughed, gazing at her, "If someone else had chickens, I’d just move them. But you chattering in the hallway was genuinely amusing.

I came back exhausted and frustrated that day, and you kept muttering about feeding those two chickens more. I sat on the sofa, listening until I passed out.

Honestly, it’s always been you who lured me in. I couldn’t take my eyes off you."

Wu Yue fought back a grin, "I don’t believe you never suggested making me move out."

Shen Que suddenly went quiet, lowering his head to eat obediently. Wu Yue understood, "Oh, you did, didn’t you? Why didn’t Sui Yu agree?"

Shen Que panicked, "He said... it was a test for you."

Wu Yue frowned, "Being neighbors was a test? Seriously? Why not just have you show up shirtless with a six-pack at my door for seduction?"

Shen Que’s eyes brightened, blinking eagerly, "Now? I wouldn’t say no, but there are hallway cameras."

Wu Yue shot back, "Stop playing dumb!"

Shen Que sighed, "You’re a girl. Sui Yu thought it’d be safer for you to live on the same floor as me. You know the team’s all men—you never know."

Wu Yue was puzzled, "Why couldn’t you just say that?"

Shen Que looked away awkwardly, "I didn’t know you well then. I didn’t think it through. I was afraid you’d freak out if you knew."

"And when you first joined the team, you were so close with Jian Suiyu. During raids, you always avoided me, but your eyes would light up whenever you saw him."

Wu Yue, "...It wasn't that my eyes lit up when I saw Jian Suiyu. It was just that being alone with you felt awkward, and seeing him was like seeing a savior—finally a way to escape that weird atmosphere."

Shen Que grumbled, "I'd never been alone with a girl before either. And he was the one who rescued you from that mission. Back then, you didn’t even want to take me to the rainforest."

Wu Yue vaguely realized that Shen Que was about to bring up old issues.

She glanced at the time—it was past three, and she’d be leaving soon. Shen Que was clearly starting his act.

Not giving him a chance to spiral, Wu Yue cut straight to the topic of rebirth.

She nodded, "Exactly. Because at the time, I thought you were too young. Being around you made me feel uncomfortable.

Do you have any idea how long I struggled with myself just because you were so much younger? It took a lot to convince myself."

Shen Que widened his eyes, "You were the one who said you liked younger, good-looking guys. And Wu Chong is also really young, but you two clicked instantly."

Wu Yue suddenly had her eyes sparkle mischievously, "Since you know I’ve been reborn, and there’s such a big age gap between us now, how about calling me 'jie'?"

Who wouldn’t love hearing a younger guy call them "sis"?

Shen Que was instantly tickled. He reached out to poke Wu Yue’s cheek, "You’re the one who said your rebirth might not even be real. No matter how old you claim to be, even if you were eight hundred before rebirth, you’re still younger than me now.

Little sister, why don’t you try calling me 'bro' first?"

Wu Yue, seeing Shen Que’s cocky grin, suddenly lowered her head, her face turning pink.

Shen Que noticed—Wu Yue liked him like this. The more careful and polite he was, the more distant she became in return.

Watching Wu Yue blush and focus on her food, Shen Que pushed his bowl aside and asked, "Finished?"

Wu Yue nodded, "Mhm."

Shen Que stood up and immediately started shucking his shirt. Wu Yue was stunned, "What are you doing?"

Shen Que played dumb, "Didn’t you say it yourself? To get naked to tempt you."

Honestly, all he could think about now was getting Wu Yue to call him "bro."

Wu Yue snapped, "Cut it out!! I’m talking about something serious right now!!"

After a good whack from an irritated Wu Yue, Shen Que finally shut up.

Once the dishes were done, the two sat across from each other at the table. Wu Yue looked serious.

"Actually, people can’t really grasp the passage of time clearly unless someone explicitly tells them how much has passed.

Especially when time is presented as fragmented memories, the concept of time itself becomes even more blurred.

It’s like how weekends zoom by, or how the hardest part of summer break is always the last night—one pen, one all-nighter.

What time truly brings is wisdom and worldliness. That’s why Sui Yu thought I seemed so world-weary.

But..."

Shen Que gave a deadpan remark, "Given your track record, you don’t exactly come off as mature."

Wu Yue, "...Gee, thanks!"

As one grows older and memories continue to accumulate, what ultimately remains in recollection are only the most unforgettable moments of life.

The monotonous, repetitive, and dull days, like still frames in surveillance footage, eventually don’t even leave an imprint in the mind.

However, I just did a quick review of my memories from before my rebirth and found that from ages 18 to 28—a full decade—there are very few memorable moments I can recall, far too few to account for ten years of life experience.

So I think I might have been genuinely influenced by these memories at first, but later, as I gradually broke free from their constraints, I completely..."

Shen Que interjected, "Cut loose."

Wu Yue glared at him. "Could you just listen quietly and not blurt out comments like a stream chat?!"

Shen Que nodded and pretended to zip his mouth shut.

Wu Yue continued, "You probably already know most of what happened after I joined Blaze. At first, everything I did was based on my pre-rebirth memories, trying to alter the predetermined deaths of the team members.

But now I’m wondering—if my memories were tampered with, then the so-called 'inevitable deaths' were all part of someone’s scheme."

Shen Que raised his hand. Wu Yue’s vein pulsed in her temple. "Just say it!"

Shen Que, "Vlad knows every weakness of Blaze’s leadership. That’s how he used the dragon bones to blackmail me."

Wu Yue, "And Jian Suiyu and Richard’s dungeon mishaps both involved Shen Qingci."

Shen Que’s expression darkened. "Sui Yu and Richard are the only two who know my real identity. One’s a lie detector, the other a mentalist—Blaze’s most crucial strategists.

Are you suggesting someone deliberately wanted you to save them so you’d integrate into Blaze?"

Wu Yue nodded. "That possibility can’t be discounted."

Shen Que frowned. "Then what’s the mastermind’s endgame?"

Wu Yue, "If someone, after suffering prolonged isolation, suddenly gains true companions—standing together in battle, trusting each other, only to lose them in heartbreaking circumstances—how would she react?

Or, if a chance to save them was placed before her, what would she do?"

Shen Que immediately understood. "You’re saying someone is using Blaze as your whetstone. What about the Door and the Secretariat?

Was their recognition of you also deliberately guided?"

Wu Yue slowly shook her head, meeting Shen Que’s gaze.

"No. Based on my deductions just now, perhaps ever since the puppet dungeon where I regained my memories,

everything has already been careening uncontrollably in the exact opposite direction of what the mastermind intended—going off-script completely."

Shen Que was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Wu Yue suddenly smiled. "Because they don’t know yet—I have an enormous cheat.

And that cheat is in fact

my mother, far away in the Order Realm."

It was her mother, always protecting her.

She has been loved all along.

Her mother, from the very beginning, has been sending her god-tier items to help her power up quickly.

And these artifacts are variables—ones the mastermind could never have predicted.

And Shen Que,

just so happens to be among these variables—

the greatest one she personally created!