"Two-zero, Jiang Yunlu from Guangba wins."
The referee's voice rang out clearly, carrying a hint of routine indifference.
Jiang Yunlu let out a light exhale, raising her right fist in a triumphant punch to the air, her face breaking into an unrestrained, radiant smile.
Another flawless victory—this time, 21 to 12. Her opponent had barely managed to fight back and now stood with their head lowered in dejection.
Beautiful and ridiculously skilled—how unfair could fate be?
Clutching her racket, Jiang Yunlu immediately spotted Lin Mo and strode straight over, stopping right in front of him. She tilted her chin up proudly, her eyebrows arching high.
It was as if she were saying, "See how amazing I am?"
Lin Mo couldn’t help but laugh. When this girl won, her smugness was impossible to hide.
He clapped enthusiastically, nodding repeatedly with an earnest smile.
"Incredible! The pride of Guangba, the aura of a champion!"
Then he took the racket from her hand and fished out a water bottle from his bag, twisting the cap open before handing it to her.
Jiang Yunlu accepted it with a smug grin, taking a few quick sips.
Then, as if struck by a thought, she ducked her head slightly and asked cautiously, "So… do I get a reward?"
Lin Mo flicked her forehead lightly.
"Reward for just passing the qualifiers? If you actually win the championship, you’ll be asking to fly to the moon next."
"But if I win, will there be a reward?"
Jiang Yunlu wasn’t giving up.
"Fine. Win the championship, and you’ll get your reward."
Hearing this, Jiang Yunlu’s smile widened even more than when she’d won the match—as if she’d already clinched the title.
Lin Mo watched her delight with amusement, then cleared his throat and added in a mock-serious tone:
"Keep it up. I believe in you—bring glory to the school, contribute to the youth sports cause, and strive to become a pillar of the nation!"
Jiang Yunlu’s match was over, but others were still playing.
The two made their way back to where Wang Yiping was.
Quite a few others had already secured their spots in the city-level competition.
With so many schools participating in the qualifiers, nearly every institution had sent representatives.
The team matches would be held in brackets—but that was a matter for next week.
Unconsciously, the pair ended up sitting in a corner.
It was only then that Lin Mo asked, "What are you planning to do when you get home?"
Jiang Yunlu froze for a second before realizing what he meant.
She twisted her fingers, her thoughts churning.
Lin Mo spoke first.
"Actually, this is my fault. I thought I was prepared, but I still lost my temper."
He was annoyed. Even though he cultivated immortality, he hadn’t erased his human emotions.
The moment he saw Xia Yusheng and Jiang Chengshan teaming up, Lin Mo had snapped.
He hated people like Xia Yusheng—the two-faced, scheming type.
Jiang Yunlu was, at heart, a girl raised with warmth. It wasn’t that she couldn’t recognize lies, but her guard dropped around those she knew well.
And Xia Yusheng? He was her childhood friend. Of course she’d believe him.
The outcome might not have been clear-cut, but Lin Mo didn’t want someone like that hovering around.
Jiang Yunlu shook her head with a soft laugh.
"That’s not true. You stood up for me, didn’t you?"
She was sharp—she understood the situation perfectly, recognizing why Lin Mo had exposed Xia Yusheng’s lies.
In this mess, her father was at fault. Xia Yusheng was at fault. But Lin Mo? He’d done nothing wrong.
(Though, admittedly, Lin Mo could have handled it better.)
As they talked, Xia Yusheng—fresh from his own match—approached.
"Yunlu..."
Hearing his voice, Jiang Yunlu looked up, her expression instantly cooling.
She took a deep breath. "If you don’t want to ruin every last memory I have of you, then don’t show yourself in front of me again."
Xia Yusheng stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes flickering with something broken.
Then he glared at Lin Mo with undisguised venom.
"It’s you! You’re the one who corrupted Yunlu! She was never like this before—she used to—"
Before he could finish, Jiang Yunlu snapped her head up.
"And the Xia Yusheng I knew would never have lied to me."
With that, she stood, grabbed her things, and walked straight to the locker room.
Only after Jiang Yunlu disappeared behind the door did Xia Yusheng turn back to Lin Mo.
"Some gold-digger trying to marry into wealth, huh? Ever heard of matching social status? You think pulling this stunt will get you closer to Yunlu? Dream on!"
He spun on his heel and marched off, not giving Lin Mo a chance to retaliate.
But he hadn’t taken two steps before a sudden, overwhelming urge hit him.
His muscles betrayed him.
A second later, Xia Yusheng was bolting for the restroom—but not before his white pants were stained brown.
Lin Mo rarely resorted to such… vulgar methods. They were beneath him.
But for someone he despised? It was just petty enough.
When Jiang Yunlu emerged from the locker room, she exhaled in relief at Xia Yusheng’s absence.
She didn’t want to face him. The Xia Yusheng in her memories had been kind—but time had twisted him into someone unrecognizable.
Changed and seated beside Lin Mo, they sat shoulder-to-shoulder, wordless in their shared silence.
—System: Why cultivate immortality? To be the one in charge, of course! Vote for me, Exploding Fist, and I’ll stomp all the way to the moon!—
The car pulled to a stop.
Lin Mo and Jiang Yunlu stepped out.
The Jiang family’s Bentley was parked right outside the school gates.
Lin Mo turned to her. "Don’t overthink it. Just let things unfold naturally. And don’t be too hard on your dad—he’s just afraid of some wild boar trampling his precious cabbage."
With a wave, he strode off toward his apartment, not giving Jiang Yunlu a chance to smack him.
She watched his retreating figure, then thought of her father’s silent complicity in Xia Yusheng’s lies earlier.
Her chest still felt tight.
But she got into the car anyway.
"Uncle Zhao, let’s go home."
"Of course, Miss."
Back at the Jiang residence, Jiang Chengshan was cooking while Jiang Chengyue snacked and critiqued.
"Brother, you’re such an idiot. Ever heard of strategy?"
"And what’s your grand strategy? You knew about that kid way before I did—what exactly have you done?"
Jiang Chengshan shot his sister a glare.
Jiang Chengyue scoffed, utterly unimpressed.
"That’s where you’re clueless. Resistance is futile. Bet you anything Yunlu ignores you the second she walks in—and then you’ll still need me to smooth things over."
Jiang Chengshan’s expression darkened. He knew she was right.
Back when he’d missed Jiang Yunlu’s parent-teacher meeting because of work, she’d locked herself in her room, refusing to come out until Jiang Chengyue coaxed her to dinner.
Right on cue, the front door opened.
Jiang Chengshan instantly brightened. "Sweetheart, you’re back? Wash up—dinner’s ready."
Jiang Yunlu walked straight past him, heading directly to her room.
The door shut firmly behind her.
Jiang Chengyue glanced at Jiang Chengshan and raised an eyebrow.
"Take a look."
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
