Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"Yuan Xiu, how should I care for this horse?" Ying Yuanxing asked, returning to the spot after a brief stroll.

In games, horses require no care or feeding, but in reality, such a large animal could easily fall ill if neglected, suffering various discomforts.

After that short ride, Ying Yuanxing had grown quite fond of the gentle, massive black horse. Moreover, since this horse would be carrying him around in the future, it naturally deserved the best care.

After all, Taoxi Village had no veterinarian. If something went wrong, they'd either have to seek outside help or wait for the horse to recover on its own.

Ying Yuanxing still remembered how outrageously expensive human hospitals were—animal doctors might charge just as much. Rather than spending a fortune on treatment later, it was better to take good care of the horse now and prevent problems in advance.

Hearing this, Yuan Xiu’s expression flickered strangely. He glanced at Xuan Ying and said, "This horse is hardy. Just let it graze on the farm's grass..."

Yuan Xiu suddenly recalled that the hay on Ying Yuanxing’s farm was grown for sale—and, to his knowledge, it wasn’t cheap. It was highly sought after by certain supernatural beings outside. If they didn’t desire it so intensely, given Taoxi Village’s reputation, these entities wouldn’t risk coming here.

"If you’re not riding it, just let it graze outside," Yuan Xiu added. After all, Xuan Ying would eat anything.

"No problem. If it wants to graze, let it. Even if it has a big appetite, I can always grow more hay to keep up," Ying Yuanxing said, shaking his head. He wasn't about to make the horse work without feeding it.

Ying Yuanxing had originally wanted to invite Yuan Xiu to stay for a meal, but Yuan Xiu declined, saying he needed to return. Ying Yuanxing could only watch him leave.

"Xuan Ying, what did the doctor say?" Ying Yuanxing turned to Xuan Ying, his voice laced with concern.

Xuan Ying had been gone for quite a while. If it were anyone else, Ying Yuanxing might have suspected they were slacking off under the pretense of seeing a doctor. But Xuan Ying was someone who never left work unfinished. For him to be away this long—was his facial paralysis getting worse?

Ying Yuanxing studied Xuan Ying’s face for a moment, and his worry deepened. Compared to before he left, Xuan Ying’s face seemed even stiffer. Before, it could be described as a forced smile, but now, his face was completely frozen.

Not just his face—even his body seemed oddly both stiff and limp, as if his flesh were barely hanging onto his bones.

"Xuan Ying?" Ying Yuanxing reached out cautiously and touched Xuan Ying, only to find his body shockingly thin—even thinner than before.

Previously, though lean, he had been wiry. Now, his skin lacked elasticity, slow to rebound when pressed, like old parchment drying out—fragile enough to cause concern.

Ying Yuanxing’s heart sank. Though he didn’t want to jump to the worst conclusions, his gut told him something was very wrong.

"It’s nothing. The doctor said it’s temporary. It’ll get better in a few days," Xuan Ying said, startled, flinching back and covering the spot Ying Yuanxing had touched. Seeing Ying Yuanxing’s stunned expression, he quickly added, "I still have something to discuss with Yuan Xiu."

With that, Xuan Ying dashed out of the farm, disappearing in an instant.

Ying Yuanxing frowned deeply. Xuan Ying was clearly avoiding the question.

Recalling recent events, Ying Yuanxing realized Xuan Ying’s odd behavior began after that hot spring trip. At the time, Xuan Ying had hurriedly left to see a doctor.

At the time, Ying Yuanxing had thought nothing of it. But now, it seemed the problem was far more serious.

Glancing at the sky, Ying Yuanxing noted it was getting late. The doctor likely wasn’t at the clinic anymore. Going now would be pointless—he’d have to wake up early tomorrow and visit the clinic to ask.

Meanwhile, out of Ying Yuanxing’s sight, Xuan Ying lowered his hand, revealing damaged skin with black mist leaking through.

Originally, Xuan Ying had planned to wait a few more days before having this supposed "relative" arrive. But now, he couldn’t hold on for even one more day.

Using the adhesive the doctor had given him, Xuan Ying reattached the skin. Then, he took out another skin suit and infused it with a wisp of black mist, filling it out.

This one looked like a middle-aged man—though his features were rough and scary-looking, enough to make anyone wary.

Among the skins Xuan Ying had collected, there were some that were more to Ying Yuanxing’s liking. But this time, Xuan Ying had decided that when he returned, he would show Ying Yuanxing his real self. So, he didn’t want a handsome skin to distract him.

***

By the time Xuan Ying returned, Ying Yuanxing had led the black horse to the side of the house—a sheltered area for the horse, where it could stay until the stable was built.

Ying Yuanxing was glad it wasn't cold out. Otherwise, he’d have had to bring the horse inside to avoid it freezing outside.

Hearing footsteps behind him, Ying Yuanxing turned, about to ask Xuan Ying to come eat—only to see the middle-aged man standing behind him.

Though Ying Yuanxing didn’t want to judge by appearances, the man’s very presence made him think "fierce and malevolent." It was the first time Ying Yuanxing had seen someone who matched it so well.

Seeing the man behind Xuan Ying, Ying Yuanxing wondered if Xuan Ying was being forced. Casually, he grabbed an axe and held it behind his back—an axe meant for wood could work on people too.

Before, Ying Yuanxing wouldn't have been so sure. But after learning from Xuan Ying how to split logs, he’d chopped down plenty of trees. And knowing the dangers of this world, he’d also practiced using those motions in fights.

"Xuan Ying, who is...?" Ying Yuanxing asked, eyes fixed on Xuan Ying.

Xuan Ying noticed Ying Yuanxing’s subtle movement and realized what he was thinking. For a moment, he nearly shoved the disguise aside and postponed his departure.

But spotting another tear forming on his hand, Xuan Ying covered the wound, not daring to hope. "This is my uncle. He heard I was here and came to find me."

"Uncle?"

The light was dim, and Xuan Ying stood with his back to it, his face in shadow. Ying Yuanxing couldn’t make out his expression, but he wasn’t buying it.

"Is that so? Did he come to check on you?" Ying Yuanxing asked, stepping closer. His plan was to take down the man first, then talk to Xuan Ying.

"He’s here to take me away," Xuan Ying said, stopping Ying Yuanxing cold.

By now, Ying Yuanxing had reached them. He confirmed the man wasn’t holding any weapon to Xuan Ying—meaning these words were voluntary.

"You’re leaving?" Ying Yuanxing stared at Xuan Ying.

Xuan Ying wanted to turn away from that gaze. Under its weight, saying "leave" felt unbearably uncomfortable—his chest so tight he could barely breathe.

There had been moments like this before, but back then, it had been happiness. Now, it hurt so bad he wanted to rip his heart out to ease the suffocating ache.

But he couldn’t look away. If he avoided it, he might not be able to say the words. Worse, his emotional turmoil weakened his control over the skin suit. Little cracks were spreading everywhere.

In the dim light, Ying Yuanxing couldn’t see them. But in brighter conditions, they’d be obvious.

After a few seconds of silence, Xuan Ying forced out the word: "Yes."

Ying Yuanxing almost laughed bitterly. He didn’t believe a single word about relatives coming to take Xuan Ying away. And the way Xuan Ying looked—heartbroken yet determined to go—only reinforced his doubts.

Glancing at the "uncle" again, Ying Yuanxing found his indifferent reaction strange.

Combined with earlier suspicions, a thought struck him: Was Xuan Ying’s health failing? Was he leaving so he wouldn't die in front of him?

The idea was absurd, yet the moment it formed, it felt plausible.

But Ying Yuanxing knew he couldn’t confront Xuan Ying yet. If he did, Xuan Ying would deny everything. He needed proof—ideally by catching him off guard.

As for the illness, Ying Yuanxing didn’t know what it was. But staying on the farm had to be better than Xuan Ying resigning himself to death. At the very least, the food Ying Yuanxing cooked had healing properties—enough to sustain him for a while.

"When are you planning to leave?" Ying Yuanxing pressed.

"Now," Xuan Ying whispered, meeting Ying Yuanxing’s furious gaze.

In the livestream, viewers were stunned.

"Wait, weren’t they just working? What kind of plot twist is this?"

"My mom just saw this scene and asked what drama I was watching. She said the supporting male actor, though only somewhat handsome, has great acting skills—acting out reluctance, longing, and resolve so vividly that she's quite intrigued."

"Xuan Ying acting weird is one thing—he's always been odd—but why is the streamer like this too? Doesn’t he notice something’s off? That 'uncle' of Xuan Ying’s is just standing there like an NPC, like a statue."

"The streamer might be hurt too. After all, Xuan Ying is the entity from the Weird Game the streamer has interacted with the most, and he’s never gone full monster. It’s normal for the streamer to get attached."

"Even though we usually complain about Xuan Ying, if he leaves, the farm will be left with just the streamer. The work will get harder, and getting another entity to help feels unreliable."

The Dawn Bureau agents watching this scene felt deeply torn.

Their worry was whether Ying Yuanxing had actually developed feelings for Xuan Ying. Though his behavior was different from usual, his initial shock and sorrow were genuine. Humans forming attachments to entities from the Weird Game was never a good thing.

But they were also pleased—Xuan Ying clearly didn’t want to leave but was forced. Whatever the reason, as long as he left, those feelings would fade.

Though he’d expected this answer, when Xuan Ying actually said it, Ying Yuanxing wasn't faking his anger—he seemed genuinely furious.

"It’s already dark. Are you really leaving now?" Ying Yuanxing remembered the monsters in the woods outside the village. Though he’d never seen them, the disappearance of that trafficker backed up the stories.

"It’s not fully dark yet. Now’s the best time to leave."

"Uncle, let’s go." Xuan Ying said. The middle-aged man behind him placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him out. Just before leaving the farm, the man glanced back at Ying Yuanxing before turning away.

"Huh, he actually left. I thought he wouldn’t go."

"Well, he’s gone. No use crying over it. Let’s see what the streamer does."

"Wait, what’s the streamer doing?"

"Pretty obvious—he thinks something’s wrong and is following them."

"Feels impulsive. Couldn’t he investigate later?"

"This all went down too fast. Waiting till tomorrow might leave no trail."

***

Xuan Ying had never known that simply leaving could make his emotions spiral out of control. The moment he turned away, he felt his disguise splitting apart. If not for his other self supporting him, his true form would’ve been exposed in front of Ying Yuanxing.

Theoretically, the damaged disguise shouldn’t affect him, yet it felt like his core was splitting—especially with Ying Yuanxing’s furious, disappointed gaze burning in his mind. Every step made his body feel like it was fracturing, his chest aching so badly he could barely breathe.

Entities shouldn't feel suffocation, yet he was drowning in it like a human.

Ying Yuanxing kept his distance, afraid of being noticed. Watching Xuan Ying’s unsteady steps, he balled his fists, running through his savings in his head, hoping it’d be enough for hospital treatment.

The village clinic was manageable—the doctor, living locally, didn’t overcharge. But a big-city hospital? Without enough money, he feared being held for his organs.

Maybe he could sustain himself with food first, save up, then go to a proper hospital—or find a trustworthy doctor. One doctor would be easier to handle than a whole hospital, and less greedy.

Distracted by these thoughts, Ying Yuanxing didn’t notice Xuan Ying’s trembling figure—the growing darkness hid such details.

When he refocused, Xuan Ying had stopped. Thinking he’d been spotted, Ying Yuanxing ducked into the grass, avoiding detection.

But Xuan Ying didn’t turn. The middle-aged man released his grip, and Xuan Ying raised his right hand.

Facing away, his actions were unclear—until the inexplicable happened.

Xuan Ying collapsed—no, not collapsed. His body caved in, as though his skeleton had vanished, flesh collapsing to the ground.

Luckily, the fragile remains crumbled to ash upon impact, sparing Ying Yuanxing further horror.

Still, watching a person turn to dust was terrifying enough.

Ying Yuanxing’s mind blanked, his heart pounding loudly. A random thought surfaced—he’d once considered getting his heart checked, but lack of time and money made him forget.

Now, if his heart survived this shock, he probably didn’t need a doctor.

Blinking dazedly, he realized the spot where Xuan Ying stood wasn’t empty. A human-shaped shadow lingered—obscured earlier by the horrifying collapse.

Now…

Ying Yuanxing froze. The middle-aged man faced him, shedding his own skin like clothing, revealing another shadow—smaller than Xuan Ying’s, which it then merged into.

So, the "uncle" was just another guise. Then Xuan Ying was…

A Skin-Taker!

Anyone who knew Liaozhai would recognize this. Ying Yuanxing *should* be terrified, but perhaps the initial shock numbed him. A shadowy form seemed less frightening than the disintegration, leaving him eerily calm.

He pondered—had Xuan Ying always been a Skin-Taker, or was he replaced?

Memories rewound to their first meeting: Xuan Ying stealing fish, glaring fiercely—yet later following him with awkward determination, knowing too much about him.

The answer was clear. The *real* Xuan Ying had been replaced during their second encounter.

Ying Yuanxing let out a relieved breath. If it had happened later… he didn’t know how he’d face it.

The shadow stood motionless before turning toward the farm.

Regaining some control, Xuan Ying diverted focus to his other selves. Even if he couldn’t see Ying Yuanxing directly, he could use them to check.

But when Little Black Cat and the black horse regained awareness, Ying Yuanxing was gone from the farm.

This news made Xuan Ying frantic. Had something happened in his absence?

His body dissolved into a spreading mist—the fastest way to search. The woods were still guarded; no entity from the Weird Game could’ve taken Ying Yuanxing beyond the village. He just had to sweep the area and—

The expanding fog halted abruptly. The livestream showed nothing—just fog obscuring everything.

"I know entities from the Weird Game are scary, but Xuan Ying’s next-level terrifying."

"Aaaah! Seeing the skin just fall off like that—I’m still shaking!"

"The streamer’s nerves of steel. Seeing his calm face helped me recover."

"I usually handle blood and monsters fine—why’d this freak me out so bad?"

"Probably because this stream’s always been lighthearted. No one expected horror here—no warning makes it worse."

"Aren’t you worried about the streamer? That mist is clearly a way to track. Hiding won’t help."

"New viewer alert."

"Stop worrying about the streamer, more about Xuan Ying."

"Is Xuan Ying gonna bolt?"

"I'm a bit curious about what expression Xuan Ying has right now."

"Even if he had an expression, you wouldn't be able to tell. That inky black mist-face—if you can read anything from it, your imagination must be working overtime."

***

Xuan Ying had imagined many scenarios of reuniting with Ying Yuanxing, but this situation was never among them.

Seeing Ying Yuanxing crouched in the grass, Xuan Ying had only one thought: How much did Ying Yuanxing see?

If he hadn’t witnessed the shedding of the human skin, Xuan Ying could still pretend to be a village monster and flee. But...

Meeting Ying Yuanxing’s calm gaze, Xuan Ying knew this was likely the worst possible outcome. He could still run now, but would he really escape?

Ying Yuanxing had initially wanted to run, but the gray mist came too suddenly and moved too fast—there was no outrunning it.

When the mist abruptly stopped spreading, Ying Yuanxing knew he’d been discovered. A flicker of tension passed through him, but seeing the shadowy figure frozen in place, his anxiety shifted. After all, he wasn’t the one who should be nervous.

Setting aside Xuan Ying’s identity as a Skin-Taker, Ying Yuanxing had done nothing wrong. It was Xuan Ying who had pulled all these stunts.

The more Ying Yuanxing thought about it, the more justified he felt. Leaning on the tree, he stood up—his legs had gone numb from crouching too long.

"Come here!" Ying Yuanxing beckoned.

Xuan Ying instinctively took a few steps forward, a habit ingrained from their time on the farm. No matter what he was doing, he would always respond to Ying Yuanxing’s call. This wasn’t just true for his human form—even his cat form had developed the same reflex.

That first step was the toughest, but once taken, the rest came easier. Xuan Ying kept his eyes on Ying Yuanxing as he slowly approached.

Xuan Ying’s slow pace gave Ying Yuanxing time to think.

Ying Yuanxing hadn’t yet figured out what to do. After all, he was still human. Though this world was grim, encountering a villain and encountering a Skin-Taker were a whole different ballgame.

*This world is so unscientific!*

Ying Yuanxing couldn’t help but grumble internally. But the moment he did, he found it amusing—after all, he had died and crossed over. If anything, his existence was even more unscientific.

Then, Ying Yuanxing remembered something: "Stardew Valley" wasn’t just a modern Farming Game. It had plenty of monsters. A Skin-Taker was just an Eastern version of a Western monster.

But since arriving in Taoxi Village, aside from the monster legends outside the village and the mayor’s cursed fishing pole, he’d never actually encountered a real monster—so much so that he’d forgotten about it entirely.

Staring at Xuan Ying’s inky-black figure, Ying Yuanxing felt like he’d seen this shade of black before.

"When I first came to Taoxi Village, were you watching me from the woods?" Ying Yuanxing recalled how, after entering the forest, the mist had thickened. By the time he reached the village entrance, he’d noticed a patch of unusually dark mist outside before leaving.

Xuan Ying had braced himself for Ying Yuanxing’s questions, but this one still threw him for a loop. Nevertheless, he nodded honestly.

After all, his slow approach had given Ying Yuanxing time to prepare. Xuan Ying had also searched his memories for how to handle this situation, only to conclude that lying wouldn’t work anymore—fessing up was his only option.

"Are you the monster Yuan Xiu mentioned?" Ying Yuanxing pressed.

Xuan Ying hesitated, then nodded again.

"Why did you follow me?" Ying Yuanxing took a deep breath. This question mattered deeply to him.

"We’re the same kind," Xuan Ying said quietly, a hint of barely hidden glee in his voice.

"The same kind?" Ying Yuanxing frowned. What did that mean? He was human; Xuan Ying was a monster. How could they—?

Then Ying Yuanxing remembered his transmigration. Even if he was still human, his soul was surely different now.

And if he thought about his game skills, he couldn’t exactly call himself purely human either. So in Xuan Ying’s eyes, being considered the same kind... kind of tracked.

Truth be told, this reasoning wasn’t entirely convincing, but the day’s events had thrown Ying Yuanxing too badly for deep reflection. As long as it held water, he’d accept it.

Wait—Ying Yuanxing suddenly recalled something. He hadn’t checked other skills, but Yuan Xiu and the others had backpacks too. By that logic, weren’t they also the same kind?

Faced with Ying Yuanxing’s skepticism, Xuan Ying cocked his head, thinking, before answering, "Yuan Xiu is the same kind. Li An too. But... we’re the closest."

"We share something," Xuan Ying added.

"Something?" Ying Yuanxing’s frown deepened.

"Something very, very close. From the same place." Xuan Ying wanted to show it to him, but as he reached inside, his solidified mist suddenly dispersed. He passed out cold.

At first, Ying Yuanxing thought Xuan Ying was faking it. But seeing him motionless on the ground, he nervously reached out—his hands grasped at nothing. Still, using both arms, he managed to lift Xuan Ying.

Held like this, Xuan Ying’s scattered mist slowly retracted. Not daring to delay, Ying Yuanxing booked it back to the farm once Xuan Ying had absorbed some of the mist.

Now that he knew monsters were real, Ying Yuanxing didn’t want to stay outside any longer. Alone, he might’ve risked it, but with Xuan Ying looking hurt and defenseless, hanging around seemed risky.

As the mist dissipated, the livestream viewers could see Ying Yuanxing again.

The sight of him carrying a wisp of black mist in a bridal carry had the audience floored.

"Dang, what did we miss?! Why does this gray mist keep cutting to black?"

"I imagined all sorts of scenarios after the mist cleared—most involved the supernatural getting up in the streamer's face or something. But this? Next-level weird."

"Stop imagining. In this stream, expect the unexpected. If the streamer ever acted predictably, that’d be what would really shock us."

"I know I shouldn’t ship them, but this makes it so hard to tell who’s leading who."

"The streamer might not be the strongest, but he’s surprisingly dependable."

"Is this creature just pretending to be unconscious to avoid the situation?"

"Unlikely. Faking it now doesn’t mean he can sleep forever."

"Probably not. If he were faking, the streamer wouldn’t have taken so long to reappear. Something must’ve went down."

By the time Ying Yuanxing returned to the farm with Xuan Ying, it was already dark. Fortunately, he’d placed plenty of candles and campfires around, keeping the area well-lit.

The light revealed the little black cat and the big black horse lying unconscious on the ground. Even his return hadn't roused them.

The horse was one thing—Ying Yuanxing had only just met it and didn’t know its habits. But the little black cat was always alert, jumping up to greet him the moment he got close. For him to stay out cold now...

Ying Yuanxing looked down at the unconscious Xuan Ying and suddenly recalled the two disguises Xuan Ying had used. If he could disguise himself as a human, could he also pass as an animal?

Most importantly, Ying Yuanxing remembered how Xuan Ying never gained weight no matter how much he ate—just like the little black cat. Before today, Ying Yuanxing would’ve laughed off that theory. But now...

Eyeing Xuan Ying, Ying Yuanxing set his jaw. Once Xuan Ying woke up, he’d have some serious explaining to do.