Chapter 70

Chapter 70

An Geluo’s expression stiffened as he caught Ying Yuanxing’s gaze, suddenly recalling the complaints he had vented in his diary.

What else could he do? Since joining Hongxing Company, his life had become significantly harder. He faced the constant danger of the Weird and the company’s exploitation, with no outlet for his frustrations. His work logs were the only place he could vent.

Back then, he never imagined anyone would actually read his records.

Wei Ze and Donna both noticed the silent exchange between the two, their curiosity piqued. What exactly had An Geluo written? But judging by his current expression, they knew they likely wouldn’t get a chance to find out.

Even the audience grew curious, instinctively typing in the website address, only to be met with a "page not found" message. They then remembered this was a website from the Weird world, not the real one.

Ying Yuanxing sifted through the numerous complaints, extracting some useful information. Hongxing Company was indeed deliberately collecting certain items, a practice that had been ongoing for a long time. Some items weren’t even Weird Artifacts, yet they were still being collected.

However, An Geluo’s complaints weren’t entirely useless. Ying Yuanxing discerned a pattern.

Initially, the Weird within Hongxing Company had diligently collected items, meticulously completing every assigned task. But over three years ago, they gradually grew lax, a state that was now quite evident.

This mission was a prime example. Normally, a task like coming to Taoxi Village shouldn’t have been assigned to three newcomers like An Geluo and his team. Even if An Geluo was exceptional, a manager should have led the team. Yet, the manager had pushed the responsibility onto An Geluo.

Even if the manager had personal motives, in the past, he wouldn't have dared to arrange things so carelessly.

Ying Yuanxing believed that in the harsh environment of the Weird world, employees wouldn't be the first to slack off—after all, their carelessness could cost them their lives. This sustained negligence must have originated from the top.

The major event over three years ago—or perhaps even earlier, as laxity takes time to spread from the upper echelons—must have been the trigger.

Ying Yuanxing considered the convergence of the Weird world and Blue Star, and the Weird invasion.

Was there a connection between Hongxing Company’s item collection and the Weird invasion?

Ying Yuanxing frowned, pondering for a moment but finding no answer. With the information he possessed, this was as far as he could deduce. Yet, instinctively, he felt this matter was profoundly important.

"Are you done reading?" An Geluo couldn’t help but ask. The continuous fishing had drained his energy, and if Ying Yuanxing kept reading, he wouldn't be able to endure it much longer.

Ying Yuanxing saved the diary entries and pictures to his phone, then stepped forward and fed each of them a bite of French snails. After rebaiting the hooks, it wasn’t long before they reeled in their catches.

Realizing they were free, they quickly retreated from the riverbank. Only after confirming their safety did they finally let out a collective sigh of relief, then turned to look at Ying Yuanxing.

Ying Yuanxing returned their phones, and An Geluo and Wei Ze promptly transferred the Weird coins to him.

Payment secured, Ying Yuanxing should have left. But one thought lingered: if he wanted to understand Hongxing Company’s collection activities, an inside source would be invaluable.

While he could likely find a suitable Weird through the farm’s produce, the individuals before him were more immediate and convenient options.

However, seeking help always meant being beholden to others. It would be better if they needed something from him. Ying Yuanxing blinked, contemplating his next move.

If possible, Donna would be the easiest to approach, but among the three, An Geluo clearly possessed the most information.

As Ying Yuanxing pondered, An Geluo was also deep in thought—not about anything else, but how to acquire more of the food Ying Yuanxing had just provided.

Currently, he had no shortage of offensive capabilities, but his healing options were severely lacking.

An Geluo had already discovered the remarkable healing effects of the food Ying Yuanxing had just given them—and that was just from a single bite. If he could consume more, the results would undoubtedly be even more profound.

An Geluo’s heart pounded as he blurted out, "Ying Yuanxing, is the food you just gave us for sale?"

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be subtle, but time was pressing, leaving no room for niceties.

Wei Ze and Donna also looked at Ying Yuanxing expectantly. If he was willing to sell, they wanted to buy too—even if they didn’t have enough Weird coins now, they could save up later.

"You want it?" Ying Yuanxing asked. "For the fishing technique, or something else?"

After a brief hesitation, An Geluo answered honestly, "For the healing effect."

"I can sell it, but I need you to do something for me." Since An Geluo was being straightforward, Ying Yuanxing didn’t beat around the bush either. He directly explained that he wanted them to keep an eye on Hongxing Company’s movements.

"Why?" An Geluo instinctively asked, but before Ying Yuanxing could answer, he remembered the company’s usual behavior and understood. "Your food would definitely attract their attention."

An Geluo nodded and made the agreement with Ying Yuanxing. Wei Ze and Donna also spoke up, offering to monitor Hongxing Company’s activities as well—more people meant more information.

Ying Yuanxing naturally welcomed the extra help and agreed. With the matter settled, he prepared to leave when An Geluo hesitantly asked, "Do you know where we can stay around here?"

Ying Yuanxing turned to look at the three of them, then at the sky. Night had fallen a while ago. If not for Li An’s deterrence by the river—and his own presence—some Weird would have already emerged.

What kind of Weird came out at night? Certainly not the friendly ones.

It was far more dangerous than during the day. If he left them here, by the time he returned tomorrow, they'd be lucky to survive.

"Follow me," Ying Yuanxing said.

The three quickly followed, exchanging glances. They wondered if Ying Yuanxing was taking them to the farm. If so, then…

"You’ll stay here," Ying Yuanxing said as they arrived at a house. Elder Brother Yu, who had already received the message, was waiting at the door. Seeing Ying Yuanxing, he quickly stepped forward.

"Let them stay with you for the night," Ying Yuanxing said, then turned to the three. "This is Elder Brother Yu, a farm worker. You’ll be safe here."

Though there were empty houses in Taoxi Village, these three had tipped him off. He couldn't protect them outside, but he could at least ensure their safety within the village.

As for why he didn’t arrange for them to stay with other Weird, it was because ever since the Xue Family Weird started building their illusion, the mine had been vacated. Ying Yuanxing then rented the passage from the Xue Family to the mine, allowing the Weird who followed Elder Brother Yu to work there and earn coins.

Humans needed rest, but Weird didn’t. Most Weird spent around the clock mining, only stopping to exchange for some Weird Food to replenish their energy before continuing.

Since they had to pay mining fees, working a full day was the best deal. As a result, their homes were mostly empty, with them only returning occasionally.

Elder Brother Yu was only home because he had to take calls.

Elder Brother Yu nodded, eyeing the three curiously.

The moment An Geluo saw Elder Brother Yu, he froze. Though the man looked ordinary, the threat he radiated was stronger than even their manager’s.

He couldn’t compare to Li An or Xuan Ying, but among the Weird he had encountered, Elder Brother Yu was among the strongest he'd met.

After giving his instructions, Ying Yuanxing left, leaving the three humans and one Weird standing there awkwardly.

An Geluo hesitated. Should he introduce himself? But names could be tracked…

"Please, come in," Elder Brother Yu said, smiling stiffly. Though he wasn’t usually one to smile, they were the boss’s guests, so he had to be polite.

Elder Brother Yu’s face looked fierce, and his smile didn’t look friendly—it looked more like a trap, luring them inside for slaughter.

But since Ying Yuanxing had arranged this, and they were supposed to gather information for him, surely they should be safe… right?

Clutching at that hope, the three entered Elder Brother Yu’s home. They were given two rooms—An Geluo and Wei Ze in one, Donna in the other.

Donna didn’t stay in her room for long before joining the other two to discuss their mission.

"With the forest gone, we probably can’t find the anomalous items now. How will we explain this?" Donna asked.

“I've thought about it. The manager doesn't really care much about abnormal items either. At worst, we can just grab some random stuff to turn in and call it a day,” An Geluo said, having completed this task and well-versed in the art of cutting corners and faking it. “If push comes to shove, we can send some gifts to the Inspection Department. There's always a way to skate by.”

“But first, we need to figure out how to kill the manager. Otherwise, he'll keep causing trouble for us,” An Geluo’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. He had tolerated the manager for far too long. Previously, he hadn't acted on this thought because he hadn't earned enough credit—even if he went through the trouble of killing the manager, it would only help another Weird game entity take his place.

Now, however, his merits were enough, and it was time for the manager to make room for him.

The three of them quietly discussed how to kill the manager. They couldn't do it within Red Star Company due to the suppression of the Weird game domain, but if they could lure him outside, they’d have a way.

As they spoke, they remained wary of their surroundings—a habit humans developed in the Weird game world. As outliers, they struggled to feel secure. Even while sleeping, their rest was shallow, easily disturbed by the slightest noise. The only upside was their ability to fall asleep quickly, ensuring they got enough sleep despite frequent awakenings.

By the time they finished their discussion, there wasn’t a single sound inside or outside the house—yet it wasn’t the eerie silence of death, but an unexplainable tranquility.

“Ying Yuanxing's control over this Weird game entity is incredible,” Donna remarked. Weird game entities were inherently dangerous; the only way to make them safe was absolute control.

Donna couldn’t help but wonder how Ying Yuanxing had achieved this.

“Let’s get some proper rest,” An Geluo said, glancing out the window. The night was dark and heavy, but unlike before, when it had felt suffocating, tonight it seemed serene—even beautiful—perhaps because he truly believed in Ying Yuanxing’s assurance of safety.

Sadly, this peace would likely last only one night. By dawn, he’d have to leave and return to the company.

While An Geluo and the others rested, Ying Yuanxing was still awake, examining the map where the forest had once stood.

The forest had served as Taoxi Village’s barrier. Now that he’d taken it, the village’s concealment had weakened. What if he returned part of the forest?

“Xuan Ying, if I put a section of the forest back at the village entrance, would it still function?” Ying Yuanxing asked.

Xuan Ying nodded.

Ying Yuanxing hesitated for a moment before carving out a portion of the forest. Though technically no longer part of the farm’s territory, he inexplicably felt it remained under his control.

Experimentally, he pushed this fragment outward and immediately sensed a strange force—like one bubble bumping into another.

Suspecting he’d collided with Taoxi Village’s Weird game domain, he guided the "bubble" to the edge, had Xuan Ying verify the positioning, and then placed the forest back.

After finishing, Ying Yuanxing had Xuan Ying take him around the farm to ensure all crops had been harvested and nothing was missed before finally calling it a night.

Truthfully, as the farm expanded, Ying Yuanxing realized he no longer needed sleep—but he preferred to maintain the habit.

Besides, not feeling tired didn’t mean he wasn’t weary. Tomorrow, he’d set out to find the ranch owner.

…

A night without dreams passed. When sunlight touched his face, An Geluo woke up, momentarily confused—thinking he was back on Earth, wondering why the sunset felt so gentle. Then it hit him: he wasn’t home, but in the Weird game world.

He sat up and noticed Wei Ze still dead asleep, undisturbed by his movements. He almost laughed at his teammate’s lack of vigilance—until he remembered he’d been the same just moments ago.

An Geluo pondered and realized the cause: Ying Yuanxing.

Perhaps Ying Yuanxing’s easygoing attitude had worn off on them. He treated Weird game entities like ordinary people, and somehow, that attitude had seeped into them.

Because they trusted Ying Yuanxing’s strength, they’d let their guard down.

Of course, the main reason was the absence of the usual eerie atmosphere in the house. Honestly, if not for knowing Elder Brother Yu was a Weird game entity, An Geluo might’ve thought this was Ying Yuanxing’s own home, given how human-like it felt.

Much later, Wei Ze groggily woke up, startled to see An Geluo already awake. Before he could speak, a knock came at the door.

“Guests, it’s eight o’clock. I’m heading to work. The boss sent breakfast—please help yourselves,” Elder Brother Yu’s voice came from outside.

An Geluo called back and waited by the door, checking the surroundings before opening it. Elder Brother Yu was already gone.

After tidying up, they went downstairs to find Donna at the table, eating a piece of bread.

Food from Ying Yuanxing!

Both men recalled yesterday’s experience and hurried down, each grabbing a piece of bread.

So hard!

But it seemed to have restorative effects.

The three ate in silence, finally finishing the meal.

“Elder Brother Yu isn’t here. Should we...?” Wei Ze glanced around hesitantly.

“Don’t go looking for trouble,” An Geluo shot him a look. Before, they’d treated the Weird game world like a game, exploring recklessly. But now that they knew it was real, holding onto that mentality would only lead to disaster.

Besides, An Geluo doubted the house was truly unguarded just because the Weird game entity had left. If they caused trouble, he suspected even Ying Yuanxing wouldn’t help.

Donna also gave Wei Ze a disapproving look. Thanks to Ying Yuanxing’s arrangement, Elder Brother Yu had let them rest safely and even brought them breakfast. Instead of gratitude, Wei Ze wanted to search through the place? That was the height of ingratitude.

“Just a thought,” Wei Ze muttered, looking away.

After breakfast, they got ready to go. But at the village entrance, they stopped dead at the sight of the forest.

It hadn’t been there when they arrived yesterday! How...?

“Maybe the forest disappears at night?” Donna guessed.

An Geluo and Wei Ze weren’t sure, debating whether to investigate or leave immediately.

Before they could decide, Ying Yuanxing and Xuan Ying appeared. An Geluo immediately asked—given Ying Yuanxing’s routine, he’d surely know.

Hearing the question, Ying Yuanxing realized he’d forgotten to explain.

As Ying Yuanxing clarified, the three fell into rare bewilderment. What did he mean by “absorbing the forest’s Weird game domain,” then moving it back because the village needed a barrier?

Wait, humans could absorb Weird game domains?

They were all players in this “game”—how was Ying Yuanxing this exceptional?

“Does the forest have anything special?” An Geluo asked.

Ying Yuanxing shook his head. He’d thoroughly inspected the forest after learning of their mission yesterday—aside from the fruit trees he’d planted and the cabin he’d built, there was nothing unusual.

One thing Ying Yuanxing overlooked: the most unique thing in the forest was Xuan Ying.

But no one would think of that—not Ying Yuanxing, nor any other Weird game entity.

With Ying Yuanxing leading the way, the three exited the forest smoothly, picking up a few stones along the way to turn in as “evidence.”

“Let’s go. Time we found the ranch owner,” Ying Yuanxing said, checking the address the village chief had given him and patting Xuan Ying.

…

“This land is barren. Useless.”

The battered Weird game entity who’d been beaten nearly coughed up blood at his opponent’s assessment. If you think my Weird game domain is worthless, why bother fighting me for it?

Not only did they take it by force, but also had to belittle it—that's just too vicious.

Mu Ye gazed at the grassland before him, chewing on a blade of grass before shaking his head. It looked decent, but still not good enough—utterly incapable of sustaining his little animals.

But since the fight was already over, he had no choice but to take it.

As for the Great Weird in front of him, Mu Ye simply commanded it to stay and cultivate pasture for him. He’d return in a few months to inspect the progress—if the pasture wasn’t up to par, it’d face the consequences.

The Great Weird watched Mu Ye leave, seething inside and praying a Great Weird would descend from the heavens to fight Mu Ye, if only to avenge him.

Upon returning to his residence, Mu Ye suddenly halted his steps. He sensed a familiar presence—and another...

The other possessed a lively domain, so much so it clung to him.

Most other Great Weirds might not have noticed, but Mu Ye had been searching for a domain with such vitality for far too long—he spotted it right away.

This was perfect.

Mu Ye got excited. He had raised too many little animals, and though he owned many domains, the grasslands were gradually turning barren, leaving them starving. It had forced him to go out and swallow up other domains.

But once he stepped out, he realized the Weird world had changed so much it felt almost unfamiliar. At first, he thought he had neglected his own domains, but after comparing them with others, his were still in better shape—at least none of his animals had starved to death.

Other domains, however, were in worse condition. Only their rulers fared slightly better, while the other Great Weirds were in bad shape. Even after grabbing a few domains, the situation remained largely the same.

Originally, he had set out to claim domains to provide extra food for his animals. But after absorbing them, he ended up with even more creatures to feed, while the available resources didn’t increase. Everyone was starving.

He had been wrestling with what to do—whether to abandon some of the animals or find another solution.

Now, he didn’t have to hesitate anymore. He had found the food source.

Mu Ye locked eyes with Ying Yuanxing, completely ignoring Xuan Ying standing beside him.

That stare was impossible to overlook. Ying Yuanxing withdrew his hand from petting the chicks and turned his head, meeting a pair of crystal-clear eyes.

Blue and green, like an emerald grassland beneath an azure sky—open, innocent—ripe for tricking.

"Not gonna lie, it feels like love at first sight somehow."

"I’m shipping it already."

"Seriously, you guys ship anything! Why is this Great Weird staring at Ying Yuanxing like that? Is he planning to attack?"

"Relax, with Xuan Ying here, there’s no danger."

"Speaking of Xuan Ying, it reminds me—those who know think the streamer is out hunting Great Weirds, but those who don’t would think he’s just stocking up. The farm was running low on labor, but after this trip, he’s bringing back a bunch of shadowy Great Weirds."

"Going out to find people? X. Going out to restock? ✓."

"Even though this Great Weird keeps staring at the streamer, he doesn’t seem dangerous at all."

"You can’t just assume he’s harmless because he has innocent eyes. The world of the weird is like nature—the prettier, the deadlier. His looks are on par with Yuan Xiu and Li An, right?"

Ying Yuanxing, however, wasn’t overthinking it. Glancing at the chicks chirping and begging for food at his feet, then back at Mu Ye, he wondered if he had been playing with someone else’s pets.

But seeing the little hearts floating above the chicks’ heads, Ying Yuanxing decided he absolutely had to take this chicken back.

After setting out, he had headed straight for the address the village chief provided. But Mu Ye, true to his nature as a ranch owner, never stayed in one place for long. Ying Yuanxing had been chasing him for days.

If not for the occasional teleportation back to the farm via the Mirror Ghost to tend to his fields, Ying Yuanxing would have fallen behind on his farming. After days of pursuit, he was almost ready to give up.

It was just too troublesome—the ranch owner moved too fast and rarely answered calls. The village chief would relay an address, but by the time Ying Yuanxing arrived, Mu Ye was already gone.

"Are you selling this chick?" Ying Yuanxing asked.

"Are you selling your domain?" Mu Ye replied.