When happy and joyful, she feared it was just a beautiful dream; upon waking, she would have nothing. When sad and distressed, she hoped it was just a nightmare; upon waking, all would be well.
Had I actually fallen asleep, or have I woken up?
The frenzied, dark, and righteous Knowledge almost turned Qiao Muyi's brain into jam. She stared at the white feather in her palm as visual information gradually transford into the language known as 'fact.'
The temperature in the Missile Mountain Range seed to drop suddenly, and flawless white snowflakes danced through the air, one by one.
So cold.
Qiao Muyi crouched, huddling into a ball. She covered her mouth with her hands, feeling the feather's warmth and softness with her lips, allowing the Knowledge to drown her will and her thoughts to scatter aimlessly.
So cold. Really, so cold.
She tried hard to focus on this sensation, not allowing herself to think about anything else.
So cold. The winters in the Missile Mountain Range really are cold, and it even snows.
In a few days, heavy snow will cover everything, draping forests and villages in white. The wooden houses will look beautiful with white caps, won't they? By then, the courtyard will be piled high with snow. If I go back to that hot spring hotel, I could build a snowman in the courtyard with… and… We could soak in the hot springs while watching the snowscape with… and… Then, at night, we could snuggle up in the warm bedroom, listening to the mountain night sounds outside, and then…
"WHIMPER… SOB…"
She buried her head even lower, deeper. Her throat involuntarily made a whimpering sound, and her body trembled as if it weighed nothing at all.
Qiao Muyi stared at the disturbed earth, her vision suddenly seeming to acquire a blurry filter. Her eyes, the windows to her soul, could no longer contain her emotions, which stread like rivers of sorrow down her cheeks.
"Don't cry."
Hearing the voice in front of her, Qiao Muyi lifted her head. She rubbed her eyes and stared blankly at the man squatting before her, wearing only a long-sleeved shirt.
She reached out and tugged his face upward, making him cry out, "Don't pull, don't pull! It hurts, it hurts! I'm not dead, I'm very much alive!"
Qiao Muyi's mind, already extrely chaotic, now felt her thoughts tangled into an utter ss. Her mouth fell slightly agape, but she couldn't make a sound.
SLAP—
A loud slapping sound resonated through the night sky. Ren Suo, his face already swelling from Qiao Muyi's blow, stared at her in shock.
Then he saw Qiao Muyi's lips moving as if she wanted to say sothing, but no words ca out. Her fox-like, almond-shaped eyes, usually curved in a smile, were now brimming with tears, as red as a rabbit's.
"SOB… SOB… WAAAH—"
Qiao Muyi threw herself at Ren Suo, completely pinning him to the ground. She buried her head against his chest, crying her heart out, snot bubbles nearly forming with her sobs. Her arms wrapped around him like a koala clutching a tree, her grip so tight that Ren Suo felt his ribs were being sorely tested.
"I'm sorry."
Ren Suo held Qiao Muyi, gently caressing her dark hair. "I didn't an to hide it and make you think I was going to die," he soothed. "It was all part of the plan; everything was under my control. If I had co out earlier, that blond-haired foreigner would have rushed over and killed , and that would have been troubleso."
"You… you just wanted to see your girlfriend cry like this?" Qiao Muyi sobbed, still lying on his chest. She twisted the flesh of his waist, making Ren Suo gasp and suck in a sharp breath.
"No, how could I think such a thing… Still, seeing you cry so pitifully, I can't deny a tiny part of felt a little bit pleased…"
The flesh on his waist was twisted a full 360 degrees.
"But you look so cute and beautiful no matter how you cry!" Ren Suo managed, his lips twitching into a pained smile, his voice trembling.
Only then did Qiao Muyi loosen her grip. She was hiccupping so hard from crying that Ren Suo couldn't help but chuckle.
However, when Qiao Muyi lifted her head, revealing a tear-streaked, aggrieved face like a pear blossom after rain, Ren Suo reached out to cradle her small face. He wiped away her tears with his thumb and gently kissed her forehead.
"It's alright," he said softly. "We won't be separated, not by life, nor by death."
Having cald down sowhat, Qiao Muyi sniffed and asked, "Then, the one who died just now was…"
"My clone." Ren Suo reached for the feather Qiao Muyi had been clutching and said with a smile, "I'll introduce you properly in a few days. The clone is very capable. Once you marry into the Old Ren's House, you won't have to worry about household chores; the clone will take care of everything!"
Qiao Muyi pursed her lips, wiped her tears, and retorted, "Who said I'm going to marry you?"
"Then what do you want?" Ren Suo raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to eat up and then deny all responsibility?"
"I'll take responsibility, but *I'll* be the one marrying *you*!" Qiao Muyi sniffled, then declared fiercely, "Once you marry , you'll have to strictly observe the 'three obediences and four virtues'—for husbands! You can't like other girls, and you'll have to observe husbandly virtue for your whole life! When people talk about you, their First Impression must be 'Ren Suo is Qiao Muyi's man'! And on the household register, my na must be listed first!"
"Alright, alright. Ren Qiao, Qiao Ren, whatever you like." Ren Suo teased Qiao Muyi's nose with the white feather, making her nose itch. Annoyed, she gave a little sneeze and then thumped his chest a few tis with her small fists.
The Mini-World Ga Console really is reliable, Ren Suo thought, looking at the white feather in his hand. Even when the person is gone, the item remains.
The "Mage's Death-Defying Feather," which belonged to the Mini-World Ga Console, was perfectly fine. However, the "Blurry Mask," which had been detached from the Ga Console's control, was completely obliterated.
Actually, that's quite normal. Back then, the clone endured the full force of Bright's final blow. Its entire body, flesh, blood, and clothes, turned into light, so the mask naturally couldn't escape. But for the feather to remain so resilient… that was completely unexpected.
It's just like an earthquake where all the buildings collapse, but the one unit belonging to the Mini-World Ga Console remains hovering steadily in mid-air—'So what if your building collapsed, Ren Suo? What's that got to do with my Minor World's property?'
The loss of the Blurry Mask, a coat, and a pair of pants was completely within Ren Suo's acceptable limits.
You could even say everything went according to plan.
As early as that predawn morning eight days ago, Ren Suo had already figured out all the ga content of "Inverted World." Even if there were slight discrepancies, they were inconsequential. This included the detail that the "Senior from the Sect" summoned by Maid Xiao Suo was, in fact, a ga character.
Analyzing the ga's progression, Ren Suo had realized during the final boss fight that Maid Xiao Suo equipped "Struggle Warrior (Damaged)" and "Rippling Spring Sounds" but didn't use them. There had to be a reason she couldn't. For "Rippling Spring Sounds," it was easy to guess: either the summoning ti ran out, or there wasn't a suitable character to summon. So, why couldn't she use "Struggle Warrior (Damaged)"?
In such a do-or-die situation, I wouldn't possibly be stingy with that bit of auxiliary combat power. So the reason Maid Xiao Suo didn't use "Struggle Warrior (Damaged)" beca clear: from the very beginning, the Maid Xiao Suo fiercely battling the boss was herself a clone!
However, there was another problem: clones couldn't inherit equipnt. This was especially obvious with my own clones. Other ga characters' clones at least had clothes, but mine were stark naked. If I hadn't anticipated this and worn two pairs of pants, my clone would definitely have been streaking.
Being unable to inherit equipnt ant the clone couldn't use the "Mage's Death-Defying Feather" to save anyone. Even if I sent the clone to fight, the one equipped with the feather would still have to be the one to save Qiao Muyi—which ant the one dying would still be .
Ren Suo, possessing an extrely strong will to live, had constantly pondered this. Although he hadn't yet developed such a physically intimate relationship with Qiao Muyi back then, he couldn't just stand by and watch Qiao Muyi, with whom he shared a deep Bond, be unjustly condemned to her doom—especially when he had the Ability to save her.
There are seven billion people on this planet, countless individuals troubled by disease, turmoil, poverty, and other issues. I can't help them all, nor would I go out of my way to seek them out to help; I'm clear about my own character and Abilities. But if I can help without much effort, I won't just stand idly by. It's like when I took the Holy Hand route in "Mage Under the World Tree" and saved the United Army, or controlled Zhao Zili to conduct those wide-reaching free clinics, or destroyed the Source of Disaster in "Hand of Fate"...
That's just who I am—not wicked, but no Saint either. Just an ordinary person acting within my comfort zone and my Abilities.
That night, after using "Demon King Descent - Imperial Edict" to strengthen "A Thousand Miles in a Day" and equipping the "Seeker's Ornant," Ren Suo soon figured out the key to breaking the deadlock. The Mini-World Ga Console really is a pain! he'd even cursed inwardly.
If Ren Suo had recoiled in fear back then, that would have been the end of everything.
However, Ren Suo chose a different path. When he accompanied Qiao Muyi to the end of her road, he confird his initial speculation: the "Mage's Death-Defying Feather" would manifest on him in physical form.
Two months earlier, in "My Life is Not Your Ga," when Ren Suo had played as a Rebel, he discovered this curious hidden chanic:
When Players equip props, these items only manifest as a kind of projected Mark, having no physical substance.
However, if Ren Suo himself was treated as a 'ga character' and equipped with items within the ga, those items would appear in tangible, physical form.
Back then, Ren Suo had been equipped with the "Pure White Mini Holy Grail" in-ga. That was why, during the comic convention, the Mini Holy Grail had materialized as a physical object in his pocket, allowing the Little Nine-Tailed Fox to recognize it accurately.
This chanic had seed trivial, only playing a role in the storyline involving the Little Nine-Tailed Fox.
However, that night, after Ren Suo recalled this chanic, a wild idea struck him—
If props can appear as physical objects… then… can I give them to soone else to use?
If that 'soone else' were a stranger, it probably wouldn't work… But what if this 'soone else' was a clone, certified by the Mini-World Ga Console and originating from the sa source as !? If my guess was correct, then I wouldn't have to die! I'd only need to expend one clone—which has a 24-hour cooldown—to achieve a Perfect clear of the level!
And if my guess was wrong…? Eight days ago, Ren Suo hadn't known what he would do. But now, eight days later, his answer was the one he had already given back at Sensoji Temple: 'I was prepared for this long ago.'
That night, even if Ren Suo hadn't recalled this hidden chanic, he might still have chosen the path to save Qiao Muyi.
But Ren Suo had to admit that this sliver of hope had been the last straw. It was what had given him the courage to leave his house, climb the wall into the Dong Chengling Family property, and start the ga's storyline.
In the end, although the Mini-World Ga Console had certainly sprinkled so extra cumin and chili powder on him—the sacrificial lamb on the barbecue grill—it hadn't actually roasted him. Ren Suo had been scared out of his wits for eight whole days, right up until the boss fight. Only then did he discover that there really *was* a physical "Mage's Death-Defying Feather," and moreover, the clone could use it!
So, while hiding in the bushes, Ren Suo had summoned his clone, given it his coat and trousers to wear, and then stayed hidden to the side. Through their Mind Link, he had relayed to the clone the strategy to defeat Bright, allowing the clone to fight as if it could foresee Bright's every move.
Watching the snowflakes flutter in the night sky, Ren Suo looked at Qiao Muyi in his arms. She was currently using his sleeve to wipe her nose. "Young Master," he asked, "...have you noticed… you're glowing?"
"Hm?"
Qiao Muyi paused, slightly startled. She looked down at her hands and saw that their edges were indeed emitting a faint purple light.
Ren Suo had noticed it from the beginning—Qiao Muyi was glowing with a purplish light that extended nearly ten feet around her, as if she had a special effect applied. He had been too caught up in the emotional turmoil earlier and only now had a chance to ask.
THUMP!
The Frenzy of Knowledge once again surged through Qiao Muyi's mind. The torrent of information, enough to boil her brain, made her involuntarily clutch her temples. Her body began to tremble as chaotic Spiritual Energy fluctuations erupted from her, and she nearly lost control.
Previously, her preoccupation with Ren Suo's life or death, and the overwhelming emotions of sorrow and joy, had dominated her thoughts. This had effectively slamd shut her ntal gates, shielding her from the frenzied Knowledge and allowing her to barely maintain her composure.
Now that Qiao Muyi's spirit had cald, the ntal gates had cracked open a sliver. She now had to begin processing and understanding this sudden influx of frenzied Knowledge!
Ren Suo quickly sat up and hugged Qiao Muyi. He said nothing to disturb her, quietly waiting for her to complete her Super-Evolution.
In the ga, after Young Master Mu defeated the boss, a prompt had appeared: "Young Master Mu's Martial Arts have reached full consummation, seizing the mories of the Archdemon Enemy."
Qiao Muyi had beaten Bright until he self-destructed on the spot. Now, it was her ti to reap the rewards.
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