Chapter 197 The Fantasy Version of Substitute Literature

Chapter 197: Fantasy Continent's Stand-in Trope

The meeting room instantly transformed into a bustling marketplace, packed with people and buzzing with noise.

A green-haired teen pushed through the crowd, excitedly waving at Hua Diao. "Fairy Sister, hehe, long time no see! Which instance are you heading to?"

Xie Tingsheng frowned, his sharp phoenix eyes sweeping over the young, handsome face beaming with joy. A faint glint of darkness flickered in his deep gaze as his grip tightened on Hua Diao’s hand, their fingers interlaced.

Ignoring his subtle possessiveness, Hua Diao smiled at the green-haired boy. "Oh, it's you. We're going to the mixed-species instance. How about you?"

The boy’s eyes lit up. "We’re going there too! And my brother’s squad is joining us. Director Zhang said our team is strong enough to stand on our own now. We’re really powerful—I can protect you—"

Before he could finish, his underlings’ frantic shouts erupted from the crowd. "Eighth Brother! Eighth Brother! Why are you darting around like a firework?"

"Yeah, yeah! We’re getting packed like sardines, and you don’t even pull us along. Have some conscience!"

Eighth Brother’s bright smile froze awkwardly before collapsing into exasperation. He turned and scolded his followers with a mix of frustration and disappointment. "Can’t you guys have some dignity? I was just bragging about you to the fairy, and now you’re embarrassing me! Squished like sandwich fillings? Show me how you’d even do that—you could bowl over a Minotaur with how you shove around. Stop pretending to be weak now!"

Watching the flustered, sputtering teen who looked like an enraged bird, Xie Tingsheng twitched his lips in silent amusement, realizing how foolish he had been to feel jealous earlier. This kid posed zero threat.

In the end, the "puffed-up sparrow" and his three cowed lackeys were subdued by Zhao Xu, who had just arrived.

"Enough already. Move aside—the instance is about to activate. Don’t get accidentally sucked in early."

"Got it!" The four nodded obediently and quickly shuffled to the side.

After two vortexes lit up, sending off the first two groups to the Goblin and Minotaur instances, the meeting room became less crowded. They could finally see who else was heading to the same instance as them.

Hua Diao’s gaze shifted from Eighth Brother and landed squarely on Lin Mohan, who stood behind Zhao Xu.

Speak of the devil.

Lin Mohan shuddered, keeping her head lowered, not daring to meet Hua Diao’s eyes. She knew her past actions had marked her for death—if not from Hua Diao, then certainly from Xie Tingsheng, the ruthless leader of the Peanut Squad. This man gave no quarter, especially not for women who crossed his beloved.

Biting her lip hard, Lin Mohan’s eyes burned with resentment and unwillingness. Why did Hua Diao, this idiot, thrive even in the apocalypse, with a powerful man who put her on a pedestal?

Every time she saw in the group chats how the Peanut Squad’s leader was a devoted, loyal husband, the green-eyed monster gnawed at her heart, as if countless ants were gnawing at it.

But then, as if remembering something, a sly smirk twisted her lips.

If these two wanted her dead, she wasn’t about to roll over. She’d strike first.

Just then, Zhao Xu finished assembling the portal sigil. A searing light erupted across the meeting room floor, and a black vortex rose.

"Let’s go," Zhao Xu said, towing Ji Miao by the arm as he leaped in first. The others followed solemnly.

Xie Tingsheng gripped Hua Diao’s hand tightly, fingers intertwined, and plunged in tandem with her. Even though they had been separated during the last teleportation, he refused to let go this time.

Hua Diao smiled, squeezing his hand back. The warmth between their palms flowed straight to their hearts.

...

---

"Owen, don’t let your woman appear before me again, or I won’t hesitate to turn her into stone. Then you can cry over a pile of rubble."

A sharp, warning female voice pierced the air.

Hua Diao woke up with a frown, the words ringing in her ears like an alarm.

What was going on?

She blinked, her vision filled with endless yellow sand. Twin suns blazed overhead, baking her alive.

Had her golden touch rusted? Had the instance dumped her in the barren wastelands of the Western Continent?

Carefully sitting up, she glanced around. Aside from a towering sandstone monolith behind her, there was nothing but desert in all directions. No sign of Xie Tingsheng or any other instance entrants.

Separated again!

Hua Diao raked fingers through her hair in frustration but quickly shook it off to scout the area. However, the voices behind the boulder caught her attention first.

A soft, sniffling voice spoke next. "I—I didn’t mean to... I just wanted to return Owen to you, sister. Owen loves you. Now that you’re back, a stand-in placeholder like me should disappear. You and Owen are meant to be together."

A soothing baritone followed. "Don’t say that, Sophia. You’re not worthless. Over these years, I’ve given you my heart. I know my heart now—I’ll forget Melody. Just give me more time."

"Melody, I’m sorry, but don’t blame Sophia. She’s innocent. Apologize to her."

"Ha! What did I do wrong? Why should I apologize to this backstabbing serpent? Owen, check your receipts—she provoked me first. And our betrothal bonds still hold. Talk about true love after you break it off."

"Before you returned, the clan leader already approved my engagement with Sophia..."

Hua Diao, eavesdropping behind the boulder:

...Well butter my biscuit. Fantasy continent version of the stand-in trope!

The fiancée returns, only to find everyone around her has been charmed by a body double. Now ain't that rich.

Why does every instance throw her into some soap opera nonsense?

Mentally grumbling, Hua Diao nonetheless pricked up her ears, thoroughly entertained. As the argument escalated—fueled by the weeping understudy subtly egging them on—it seemed like the lover's spat was about to turn into a knock-down drag-out.