Gu Yan Bearing the Rod and Pleading for Punishment

The first time Gu Yan made contact with Ling Fa, he had prepared thoroughly.

Naturally, he knew nothing about magic arrays.

But he had the system and had read the script in advance.

So, by catering to Ling Fa's interests, he could easily attract his attention.

In the original story, Ling Fa had been ostracized by his department and later discovered practicing ancient forbidden arrays in secret.

As a result, his cultivation was abolished, and he was expelled.

Afterward, Leng Qingqiu recruited him into the Night Organization, where his talents were fully unleashed.

His greatest achievement in the original story was creating a sacrificial array that covered half a city—just to delay Xiao Lin and the main protagonists.

Gu Yan's plan was simple.

In the original story, Leng Qingqiu's subordinates were all geniuses among geniuses, elites among elites.

So, if he followed Leng Qingqiu's approach and recruited these individuals, he could quickly form the foundation of a powerful organization.

With the array genius secured, the next step was...

Gu Yan's figure flickered through the shadows.

With the dagger's help, he no longer needed conventional transportation to reach certain places.

Inside a luxury car parked on the street—

Whoosh!

Gu Yan materialized in the back seat amid a swirl of black smoke.

Old Gao, sitting in the driver's seat, glanced at the rearview mirror and smiled. "Young Master, you're back?"

"Mn."

Gu Yan gave a slight nod before asking, "Have you made arrangements with the Luo Family?"

Old Gao handed him a file. "Yes, everything's settled."

"Though, Young Master, the Luo Family head is curious why you'd take an interest in a mere branch family member."

Gu Yan took the file and skimmed its contents, chuckling softly. "That's because they have no idea what kind of monstrous talent is hidden in their family..."

The file contained the profile of a woman with an icy, sculpted beauty. She appeared to be in her early thirties, with a slender figure and pale, flawless skin.

Her hair was a deep, night-like black, tied into a simple yet elegant low ponytail that draped over her shoulder.

A textbook example of a refined lady.

[Luo Ya]

Gender: Female

Age: 33

A branch member of the Luo Family, orphaned, married with one child. Her husband passed away five years prior.

"Is she with the organization yet?"

"Not yet. According to Miss Luo, she needs to pick up her child from school first."

"Fine, let her do as she pleases."

Gu Yan closed the file.

This matter was temporarily settled.

Next...

He cleared his throat. "Old Gao."

"Where to next, Young Master?" Old Gao was fully prepared.

"Is the flower shop still open?"

"......"

After a brief silence, Old Gao replied slowly, "It is."

Gu Yan nodded with feigned composure, his form already fading. "Good. Then handle Luo Ya's arrangements first. I have something more important to attend to."

Old Gao's lips twitched.

He shook his head helplessly.

Ah, Young Master... looks like you're going to beg for forgiveness from the Young Madam.

......

Leng Family residence.

Knock, knock!

"Who is it? It's late, no one's home!"

"Uh... Brother-in-law?!"

Leng Ling'er, hearing the knocking, first peeked through the peephole.

Upon recognizing Gu Yan, she immediately unlocked the door with a bright smile.

Ever since he had taken the dagger,

Gu Yan hadn't visited the Leng Family for days.

Partly out of guilt,

partly out of shame,

and partly... well, he had brought this upon himself.

Holding a large bouquet of roses, he whispered to his wingwoman, Leng Ling'er, "Where's your sister?"

Seeing his secretive demeanor, Ling'er assumed he was planning a surprise for her sister.

So she whispered back, "Upstairs, reading in the study."

"Oh? How has she been lately?"

"How...? About the same as usual..."

Ling'er trailed off, puzzled, before suddenly glaring at him. "Wait, Brother-in-law, why haven’t you visited in so long?"

"Busy, busy. Anyway, I’ll go see her first."

Gu Yan brushed off her questions and hurried upstairs.

"What’s up with Brother-in-law?"

Ling'er watched him suspiciously.

Something felt off.

Almost like... he was nervous?

Her eyes widened. Could it be—!!!

An affair?!

She immediately grabbed her phone and texted her best friend, Bai Qionglan.

She needed to discuss the topic of cheating men. Speaking of which... why hadn’t Qionglan contacted her all day?

She hadn’t even come to school... Could something have happened?

......

Upstairs, in the study.

Ever since Gu Yan had taken the dagger from her,

she had been in a daze.

Though she acted normal in front of Ling'er,

only she knew the truth.

Moreover...

Leng Qingqiu was carefully reading a romance book designed for the visually impaired.

Turns out, the stories in the book were even more dramatic.

There was even one about a mother falling in love with her daughter’s lover—utterly outrageous!!

[Other me, is now really the time to be reading this?]

A cold voice echoed in her mind—Xiao Leng’s.

She couldn’t understand it.

Your dagger was taken, and you already know how to regain your power.

As the former Night King, shouldn’t you just turn dark and assassinate Gu Yan?

Don’t you want the heart’s blood? Don’t you want to restore your sight and power??

Hearing this, Leng Qingqiu felt a pang of melancholy.

“Xiao Leng, can you stop reminding me about this?”

The Dark Codex said it requires the heart's blood of the person I love most. But so far, that person hasn't even appeared.

“Where am I supposed to regain my strength?”

[......]

[Are you really clueless, or just pretending...?]

“Xiao Leng, I don’t understand what you mean.”

Leng Qingqiu asked, confused.

[...It means Gu Yan is the one you love most.]

[Kill him now, and you’ll regain your power.]

“Impossible! Gu Yan stole my dagger—I hate him too much to ever love him!”

Leng Qingqiu’s expression was resolute. “For example, right now, I’ve already made peace with it.”

“These days without Gu Yan, my emotions have gradually settled.”

“If he wants to be the Night King, then let him. From now on, he’ll be the one handling all the dangers.”

“I’ll just live out my days as an ordinary person, alone till the end.”

[What gave you the illusion that you’d end up alone?]

“Hah, Xiao Leng, don’t you get it yet?”

“My life has been like walking on thin ice. If I can’t reach the other side, then I’ll just...”

[You’ll just...?]

“Then I won’t walk anymore!”

[......]

“Just like the book says, men are unreliable. Gu Yan only approached me to use me.”

“Just like how I initially wanted to use his Leng Family—except his methods were more underhanded and despicable.”

“So...”

[So?]

“So Gu Yan won’t come back. These days, he hasn’t even checked on me.”

“I’ve lost all value to him...”

“He’ll probably find someone new to exploit.”

Leng Qingqiu’s expression was bitter.

[......]

Should I tell her that I was the one who told Gu Yan not to come these days, hoping she’d calm down?

Xiao Leng sighed inwardly. She had underestimated Leng Qingqiu’s ability to self-soothe.

Hmm? Suddenly, Xiao Leng sensed something.

[Do you really believe that?]

“Absolutely!”

Leng Qingqiu shivered, as if nothing else mattered anymore.

[But...]

“No buts.”

[Oh, but the furnace has arrived.]

“........”

“!”

The moment those words were spoken, Leng Qingqiu froze.

The next second—

Click~

The study door slowly creaked open.

Gu Yan stepped in cautiously, holding a bouquet of flowers. Along with it, he carried Leng Qingqiu’s favorite sweets, looking every bit like a man seeking forgiveness.

“Qingqiu, I’m here...”

He had barely stepped halfway inside when—

“You jerk!”

Leng Qingqiu lunged at him, wrapping her arms tightly around Gu Yan. She buried her face in his chest, her voice a mix of joy and anger.

“Why did you take so long to come see me?!”

The woman who had resigned herself to a lonely life instantly abandoned that thought.

[......]

Thump! Thump!

Gu Yan’s heart raced wildly. His eyes were filled with guilt and remorse.

Even though... even though Leng Qingqiu knew he was a fake Night King.

(Though she didn’t know that he knew she knew.)

But!! None of that mattered now!!

Qingqiu still loved him.

That only made him feel like even more of a scumbag.

Damn it!! If this world were a game, I’d make sure to get the Happily Ever After ending!!

Gu Yan hugged her back tightly, shouting with remorse, “Qingqiu, I was wrong! Hit me, scold me—do whatever you want!”

“Even if you trample my dignity underfoot, I won’t complain!!”

“Gu Yan...”

“Qingqiu...!!”

[........]

Enough. Seriously, enough.

Xiao Leng sighed in Leng Qingqiu’s mind.

These two hopeless romantics were beyond saving.

Then, suddenly, Xiao Leng noticed something.

Hmm?

Traces of Night Energy.

Gu Yan... had already used the dagger?

Xiao Leng’s heart sank.

The corruption of Night Energy in Gu Yan seemed worse than she’d imagined.

Could it be... that the dagger was trying to consume him faster?

Because of his rare furnace constitution?