Su Ze dared to enter this mysterious realm not out of blind confidence, but because he was fairly certain he could come out alive.
With hundreds, if not thousands, of his clones and illusions, catching him would be like trying to shoot a mosquito with an anti-aircraft gun.
Coupled with his terrifying combat prowess, if he avoided direct confrontation and resorted to ambushes, he had a very high chance of killing his target.
China needed a windfall, and so did he.
Su Ze was a reckless gambler.
The most skilled gamblers weren’t at the gambling tables; the biggest bet was stepping into the mysterious realm.
Su Ze had ventured into the mysterious realm many times. His wealth was beyond measure, and in the realm, he wagered his life to break through barriers, all for the sake of power—greater power!
He was a normal person, but in a way, he was a true madman.
What concerned him most now was Uesugi Akizuki. Perhaps he was being selfish, but Su Ze couldn’t let go of this chance to rise to the top in one leap.
Even with his mastery of laws and top-tier talent, it still wasn’t enough. He could stand out among his peers, but not by much.
He couldn’t bear to watch his peers emerge from the mysterious realm, ascending to greatness in one stride, while he only progressed slowly.
Only with sufficient strength could he secure his footing in the future.
Otherwise, with his current abilities, it would be difficult to establish himself in the future. He didn’t want to become prey on the chopping block of stronger individuals. He wouldn’t give up any opportunity to gain power!
As Su Ze frowned in deep thought, Uesugi Akizuki suddenly grabbed his hand, her eyes shimmering with emotion. “Anata to issho ni, watashi wa totemo shiawase desu.”
(“Being with you makes me very happy.”)
These were Uesugi Akizuki’s sincere words. She had noticed that Su Ze seemed somewhat off these past few days, as if he was constantly troubled.
Coupled with what Su Ze had said last time—about wanting her to be happy when she thought of him—Uesugi Akizuki felt something was amiss. What she really wanted to express was, “I’m even happier when I’m with you.”
But given her language skills, even when expressing it in Japanese, she could only convey the general idea.
Su Ze patted her head, his gaze complex. “I’m happy too.”
Not many days had passed, but the mark on Su Ze’s arm was growing brighter. He noticed that the mark was gradient, becoming increasingly luminous from left to right. He guessed that when the glow fully covered the mark, it would be time to leave.
The National Day holiday had ended, and Su Ze and his little dumpling returned to campus life. Based on the speed of the glow’s spread, he estimated it would be tomorrow or the day after.
The sun had already set, and the evening glow outside the window resembled a vast plain ablaze, yet without the heat or terror—only the beauty and romance of twilight.
It burned slowly, calmly, spreading across every corner of the sky, and then… the fire extinguished, leaving behind deep, dark ashes.
A few embers seemed to linger, flickering occasionally in the blackened sky before settling into stillness.
“I… have to go out tomorrow. I don’t know how long I’ll be gone,” Su Ze said as he used a hairdryer to dry Uesugi Akizuki’s hair, the smooth, wine-red strands rippling like waves. “Be good at school. Your sister will take care of you.”
“Or… you could learn to take care of yourself.”
“Cooking, eating, sleeping, doing laundry…”
Su Ze knew that even though he and Uesugi Akizuki were a couple, he couldn’t always be by her side. A single disaster could separate them forever, so she needed to learn to take care of herself.
The little shrine maiden sitting on the chair looked into the mirror of the vanity, her gaze meeting Su Ze’s calm eyes as he stood behind her, drying her hair. She tilted her head upward, a hint of confusion in her expression.
She sensed something was off but couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Su Ze said she needed to learn to take care of herself—cooking, sleeping, doing laundry…
Doing all these things alone seemed so lonely…
“Be good…” Su Ze whispered, his fingers running through her semi-dry, wine-red hair. Even with some moisture, her strands were silky smooth, clinging together but parting easily with a gentle touch.
Uesugi Akizuki snapped out of her thoughts, pouting slightly. She didn’t want to be apart from Su Ze, but he had to go. She couldn’t keep insisting he take her with him. Su Ze must have his reasons for not bringing her along.
Uesugi Akizuki wouldn’t restrict Su Ze for her own sake. Though she wanted to cling to him every moment, she was considerate and thoughtful of his needs.
“I’ll be good,” the little shrine maiden affirmed, nodding earnestly. She reached her hands upward, her wide sleeves slipping down to reveal slender arms, her expression adorably serious.
Su Ze clasped her hands, interlocking their fingers. “If I’m not around, listen to your sister. Don’t cry or make a fuss over me.”
“Okay,” the little shrine maiden replied solemnly. She thought Su Ze was worried she might act out and upset her sister, so she decided not to be mischievous while he was away.
She began to think about how she would take care of herself after Su Ze left…
Morning.
The glow on Su Ze’s arm had nearly covered the entire mark.
Su Ze made breakfast for his little dumpling and watched quietly as the wine-red-haired shrine maiden ate it bite by bite with great focus.
Su Ze took her hand, and as Uesugi Akizuki stared blankly, he leaned in. Soon, their lips met softly.
The little shrine maiden’s legs went weak, and she collapsed onto the sofa, breathing heavily.
This was only the second time Su Ze had initiated such a gesture.
The first time was on that starry night when they became a couple.
Then, the little dumpling watched as Su Ze, carrying a long case, turned the doorknob to leave.
An indescribable loneliness washed over her, and her heart panicked at that moment. She suddenly regretted it—she didn’t want to be apart from Su Ze!
She jumped up, wanting to run after him, but the door began to close just as she reached it. By the time she rushed over, all she could see through the crack was Su Ze’s calm, resolute black eyes.
She didn’t even touch the door before it shut.
“Be good…” Su Ze’s voice came from outside, followed by a brief silence before the sound of his footsteps fading away.
The little shrine maiden crouched behind the door, her head buried in her knees. She resisted the urge to open it, afraid of becoming a burden to Su Ze, of making him give up what he wanted to do for her sake.
After some time, the little shrine maiden made her way to the balcony. The warm sunlight slanted across her face, and her simple yet elegant shrine maiden robes swayed gently. She clasped her hands together and began to pray—for Su Ze…
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
. As long as he maintains the villain image and follows the plot to the grand finale, he can obtain generous rewards and return to the real world. So Gu Chen'an entered the role and began to act as a scumbag villain, but who would have expected that the female leads could hear his inner thoughts. Miss Su from the Su family was shocked: "I originally thought Gu Chen'an was a scumbag, but I didn't expect he turned out to be a gentleman! What? You said I have to call off the engagement? I definitely won't, I'll piss you off!" Bai Yuan Tian was dumbfounded: "Young Master Gu is usually unreasonable and a complete brat, but he actually calls me little sweetie in his heart? What, Young Master Gu even said he likes me?" As the female leads' images collapsed more and more, the plot also collapsed with it. Gu Chen'an looked at all this chaos. "Ladies, don't aggro me, if you keep this up the male lead really will stab me, I still need to survive to the grand finale!"
