"Hey." Hua Ganjiang leaned his head back against the wall, sighed, and suddenly laughed. "Actually, I think it's childish too."
"I heard from others that the president has been the Reverse God's main attacker for many, many years. Ever since the Deer Hunter Guild was founded, the president has always been his main attacker."
"In team matches with the president as the main attacker, no matter how fierce the battle, the tactician—the Reverse God—would never get hurt. The president would always do everything in his power to protect him."
Hua Ganjiang recalled, "If the Reverse God is a prophet, then the president is like his hunter."
"—A hunter born to protect the prophet."
"It's said that at first, everyone wanted the Reverse God to be the guild leader, but he didn't want the position. So he handed it to the president and said with a smile that he believed the president could lead everyone toward the future he had seen."
"But that future hasn't arrived yet." Hua Ganjiang let out a breath and laughed bitterly. "The one who promised us a future ran away at the most critical moment."
Spades replied calmly, "It's not desertion."
Hua Ganjiang froze.
Spades stared at him expressionlessly. "The Reverse God is trying to give you the future you want in a different way."
"When you can't see the future, you can choose to believe in someone who can."
Hua Ganjiang was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "That's right. We ignorant villagers still have to follow the prophet's guidance."
After saying that, Hua Ganjiang jumped off the stool and used tongs to pull the Reverse God's heavy sword out of the furnace.
He examined it carefully, then quenched it in water. Steam rose with a hiss.
"It's almost done. Spades, where's your broken whip? Bring it over, and I'll start repairing it."
Spades handed over the whip. It had been shattered into pieces—only the handle remained intact.
Hua Ganjiang stared at it blankly. "I never ask why weapons are broken… but this is outrageous!"
"I fought someone. It broke," Spades explained casually.
Hua Ganjiang was stunned. "Who could possibly fight you like this? The league's about to start—didn't the Reverse God stop you?"
Spades' face remained impassive. "The Reverse God joined the other side to fight me."
Hua Ganjiang: "…Then you must have done something truly excessive."
Spades leaned over the back of the stool, resting his chin on his hand. "Yes. So I want to apologize to him."
Hua Ganjiang examined the whip handle and replied absentmindedly, "Then go apologize."
"But the Reverse God won't allow it." Spades lowered his eyelids. "He said that before I figure out why the other party treated me that way, approaching him rashly would only make things worse."
Hua Ganjiang nodded. "That makes sense. Have you figured it out?"
Spades fell silent.
Hua Ganjiang laughed. "So you haven't?"
After a long pause, Spades said, "I feel like he likes me. But whenever he sees me, he looks sad. He thinks too much."
"I don't understand what he's thinking… or why he's sad."
Hua Ganjiang dipped the whip handle back into the molten metal and grinned wickedly. "Ah… love troubles."
"Generally speaking, in my experience, if you give her what she wants, she'll forgive you a little—even if she doesn't say it. So what does she want?"
Spades paused. "A whip similar to mine. And an inverted cross."
He went quiet again. "But I didn't want him to have them. So I broke them."
Hua Ganjiang stared at him in disbelief. "Isn't it perfectly normal for him to hate you then?!"
Spades suddenly looked up and fixed his gaze on Hua Ganjiang. "Can you make one? A whip that feels like mine."
Hua Ganjiang looked baffled. "Do you even know what level your whip is?"
"If I could mass-produce whips of your quality, I'd have formed a guild myself by now!" Hua Ganjiang waved the handle in his hand. "To be honest, I've never seen anything like the texture of your whip bones."
"I can't find that kind of bone anywhere in the game—or in real life. I don't even know what kind of lizard monster you based such a monstrous skill item on."
Spades glanced at the whip soaking in molten metal. "It's my bones."
Hua Ganjiang blinked. "…Didn't you say they were lizard bones?"
"At first, many people said I was a lizard," Spades replied. "I thought so too. So I said they were lizard bones."
Hua Ganjiang grew increasingly confused. "Why would you think you were a lizard?"
Spades recalled calmly, "When I came out of the shell, my lower body was a fish tail, but I also had legs. I crawled on the ground. I looked like a lizard."
When he was born from Tawil's skin in Siren Town, he hadn't fully shed his mermaid form. A massive fish tail still trailed behind him, though legs slowly grew from it. He looked strange—almost grotesque—and nearly frightened the townspeople out of their minds.
They had beaten him frantically, trying to drive away what they called a "lizard man."
For a long time, Spades truly believed he was a lizard. When he encountered lizard-type monsters in other instances, he even studied and imitated their movements.
This misunderstanding lasted until the Reverse God joined the Killer Sequence and solemnly explained to him that lizards do not play horror games.
Only then did Spades realize—
He was human.
"Can you use my bones?" Spades lifted his head and looked at Hua Ganjiang, "To make a whip for Bai Liu?"
Hua Ganjiang recoiled instinctively. "No!"
Even after being refused, Spades continued staring at him without blinking. Hua Ganjiang began pacing irritably.
"No means no! Even if you stare holes through me!"
"Even if I wanted to help, players are forbidden from harming each other in the central hall. I can't extract your bones here—that's point one."
He raised two fingers.
"Second, even if you remove the bones inside a game instance, you can't bring them out. Only injuries and reward items can be carried out. I've never heard of someone walking out with their own bones."
"Third, even if you somehow get the bones to me, a whip would require at least four to six sections of your spine. You'd need time to regenerate between extractions. I can't stay here in the Killer Sequence waiting for your bones to grow back. The Deer Hunters are preparing for the league, too."
"To sum it up—your ridiculous plan is impossible."
Spades looked at him seriously. "If all those problems were solved, you would help me, right?"
Hua Ganjiang faltered. "How would you solve them?"
Spades glanced at the whip that had regained its shape. He pulled it out, quenched it in water, and steam rose in thin white threads.
Then he raised the whip behind his neck.
Without hesitation, he pressed the whip's edge against his spine—and slashed downward.
Blood splattered instantly.
Hua Ganjiang stared in shock as Spades calmly withdrew his hand from his back and opened his palm.
A blood-soaked vertebra lay in it.
"My whip can tear through time and space," Spades said evenly. "So I can injure myself in the central hall and remove bones."
"My regeneration is strong. They'll grow back quickly. It won't delay you long."
"That solves everything. Now—can you make the whip?"
Hua Ganjiang's lips trembled. After a long silence, he shakily pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and only then dared to look down at the spine resting in Spades' pale, blood-stained palm.
"You… don't you feel pain?"
Spades paused. "I do."
"Then how the hell can you dig out your own bones without even blinking?!"
Spades answered quietly, "Because I know he wants this."
Hua Ganjiang froze, remembering his own words—
Give her what she wants, and she'll forgive you a little.
"If giving someone what they want costs you that much pain…" Hua Ganjiang sighed. "There's no need to give it at all."
"…Give it to me."
He took the bone while keeping the cigarette in his mouth. When Spades reached back again, Hua Ganjiang turned away.
"Don't spray blood everywhere. Be careful."
Spades gave a low hum of acknowledgment.
Hua Ganjiang stared at the bone in his hand and muttered, "What the hell is going on…"
-----------------
As league day approached, tension filled every guild.
All guilds were making their final, frantic push. Not only in the game pool, but even in the small TV area, the atmosphere had grown heavy.
The Wandering Circus trained almost day and night. Under such high-intensity sessions, even Tang Erda occasionally showed signs of fatigue—let alone Mu Sicheng, who wailed in misery.
Mu Sicheng lay limp over the lounge desk, eyes lifeless. "I'm about to experience the most terrifying thing in my life…"
Liu Jiayi rolled her eyes. "It's just the preseason. You weren't this scared before."
"No." Mu Sicheng stared blankly. "It's not just the preseason. School starts soon."
Tang Erda wiped sweat from his face and smiled. "Isn't starting college supposed to be a good thing?"
"It would've been…" Mu Sicheng snapped. "But I spent all of last semester playing games and failed two subjects! I have to retake them this term!"
He grabbed his hair in despair. "And I haven't even started reviewing!"
Mu Ke looked genuinely puzzled. "College exams are easy. How did you fail?"
Liu Jiayi snorted. "You're the only one here who could fail."
Bai Liu, who had been standing nearby, paused. "I've failed before, too."
Everyone turned to stare at him.
"What?" Bai Liu asked calmly. "Is it strange that I failed?"
"My grades were always average."
Mu Ke recalled thoughtfully, "I remember seeing on your resume that your scores weren't high. Your college entrance exam score was—"
"485," Bai Liu replied calmly. "Quite far below the first-tier cutoff."
Mu Sicheng gaped. "That's more than 100 points lower than mine!"
He immediately grew smug. "I didn't expect it, Bai Liu! You look like a top student, but your score was worse than mine!"
"Strange," Liu Jiayi frowned. "With Bai Liu's reasoning and learning ability, how could he score lower than Mu Sicheng?"
"Hey—!!" Mu Sicheng protested.
Bai Liu thought for a moment. "I didn't work hard in high school. I was rebellious and unfocused. I only started studying seriously in the last half-semester."
"When the results came out, Lu Yizhan persuaded me to repeat the year. I considered it… But in the end, I didn't."
Mu Sicheng shuddered. "Hearing you casually talk about repeating a year is terrifying."
"That's a normal consideration after a poor score," Bai Liu replied mildly.
Mu Ke asked curiously, "Why didn't you repeat?"
Bai Liu paused. "Because I had no money. I was over eighteen. The welfare home stopped supporting me."
Silence fell.
"Although the welfare home offers some educational subsidies for adults, there are limited spots. You need good grades or outstanding effort to qualify—like Lu Yizhan. It would've been unfair for someone like me to take it."
"Lu Yizhan offered to work and pay my tuition and living expenses, and said I could repay him after finding a job. But I refused."
"Why?" Liu Jiayi asked softly.
Bai Liu raised his eyes. "Because I hated studying and living in high school. So I let it go."
At that moment, Wang Shun entered, breaking the atmosphere.
"Everyone, the preseason begins in one day. I need to go over some important matters. After that, please rest well tonight. Tomorrow, we officially draw lots."
"First, the league's main stage will be held in the central hall. The spectator-free days are over."
His tone was serious. "None of you has obtained a golden immunity medal. You need popularity."
"So if you encounter weaker opponents in the preseason, try to make your matches more entertaining. Attract attention."
"Second, the public game pool will soon close. As in previous years, it will be privately rented through daily bidding. The highest bidder gets access for that day."
He emphasized, "Except for Captain Tang, you are all rookies. Your training is not enough."
"So, besides the preseason matches, the guild will bid daily for game pool access. If we secure it, endure the hardship, and continue training after matches. We must make the rental cost worthwhile."
"I've confirmed the bidding expenses with Mr. Charles. He'll reimburse them in full."
Wang Shun looked around at everyone and smiled.
"Finally, I wish you all a strong start—and that you achieve what you desire."
-----------------
The night before the league match.
Mu Sicheng leaned half against the desk lamp, its white light casting a pale glow over him. Pouting slightly, he lazily held a pen and occasionally marked his textbook with a highlighter, reviewing the subjects he had to retake.
As he scribbled, his gaze suddenly drifted to the empty bed on the left side of the dormitory entrance.
That was Liu Huai's bed.
After someone died in the dormitory, the other students moved out in fear. Despite being persuaded twice by the dormitory manager, Mu Sicheng refused to leave and continued living there alone.
"It's so annoying…" Mu Sicheng muttered. "If you were here, you could've drawn a picture to help me review the key points."
"You always listened so carefully in class…"
Mid-sentence, he scratched his head in frustration. "Ahhh! I should've only scored 485 on the college entrance exam! I can't focus on studying at all with the league on my mind!"
_________________________________________________
Liu Jiayi curled up on her bed, holding a clumsy, ugly doll in her arms. She closed her eyes and recited softly:
"Stupid brother…"
"Although Bai Liu, the one you entrusted me to, doesn't seem particularly capable, he keeps his promises."
There were two soft knocks on her door. Liu Jiayi quickly hid the doll and burrowed under the quilt, pretending to be asleep.
The door was pushed open slowly. Xiang Chunhua entered carefully, tiptoed to Liu Jiayi's bedside, tucked the quilt around her, gently touched her head, and then left.
Liu Jiayi slowly opened her eyes. Beneath the quilt, she held the doll's hand and whispered:
"I have a very good family now, brother."
"Bai Liu found it for me."
_________________________________________________
Mu Ke sat on a bench in the hospital, setting aside the clothes he had removed for the electrocardiogram.
The doctor across from him studied the results for a while before nodding. "Further examination is needed, but your condition has been relatively stable recently. Avoid strenuous exercise and keep a calm state of mind."
Mu Ke stood and bowed politely. "Thank you for your help, Doctor."
The doctor smiled. "No need to be so formal. You've been my patient since you were a child. But Mu Ke, you seem to be in a good mood lately. Did something good happen?"
Mu Ke looked up and smiled. "Yes."
"I met someone who lets me exercise vigorously, feel restless, and still be happy."
The doctor blinked in surprise.
Without waiting for a response, Mu Ke bowed again, said goodbye, and walked out at an unhurried pace.
_________________________________________________
As soon as Tang Erda stepped out of the room, he saw Su Yang and several members of the third team waiting for him.
He froze slightly. "What are you doing here…?"
"Come on, we're done with work! Let's grab a drink!" the team members said with grins. "It's been a while since we drank with you!"
Tang Erda almost stumbled trying to hold them back. "What are you doing? I've already left the Heretic Management Bureau. I'm not your captain anymore!"
Su Yang smiled, his eyes curving warmly. "Sure, but just because you left, does that mean I can't drink with you?"
"We're not here to find Captain Tang Erda of the third team. We're here to catch up with our old friend Tang Erda. Is that not allowed?"
Tang Erda paused. Then his shoulders slowly relaxed, and he smiled in relief. "Alright."
On the road, Tang Erda and Su Yang walked side by side.
Su Yang glanced at him and laughed. "I feel like you've changed a lot."
"Have I?" Tang Erda asked.
Su Yang nodded. "Before, you always seemed burdened—like you were carrying things we didn't know about. You wouldn't tell us, and you were tense every single day."
"It felt like you were protecting everyone within your territory," Su Yang exhaled a breath of white air into the cold night, "but at the same time, you kept everyone outside your door."
"But now, it feels like you've put that burden down."
He turned and smiled. "I've never seen you this relaxed. Maybe retirement really is good for a forty-year-old man like you."
Tang Erda chuckled. "Retirement life still has its uncertainties."
"But the burden really has been taken over."
Su Yang laughed. "By Bai Liu?"
Tang Erda held a cigarette between his fingers, a faint smile flickering in his dark blue eyes. "Yeah."
-----------------
In the game pool.
[System Reminder: Due to the upcoming league, the game pool will soon be closed. Please evacuate immediately.]
People continued climbing out of the pool. The constantly rotating game interfaces on the water's surface gradually stopped and dimmed. The bottom of the water shifted from an illusory image to a solid reality. Only the churning waves reflected the faint, colorful halo pouring down from above.
Bai Liu rose from the pool, water dripping down his body.
From now on, using this place would cost points. Even though it wasn't technically his money, Bai Liu firmly believed in the principle that "If you don't take advantage of a good opportunity, you're a fool." So he had trained until the very last moment.
Now he was the only person left in the entire game pool.
Just as he was about to leave, he looked up and saw someone standing outside. Spades.
Spades stood motionless, staring at him.
Bai Liu stopped and met his gaze.
Neither of them spoke. They simply looked at each other in silence.
Spades stood outside the pool. Bai Liu stood inside. The colorful halo flowed quietly between them.
Though the once-bustling game pool now held only the two of them, it didn't feel empty. An inexplicable tension filled the air, almost suffocating.
Bai Liu spoke first, his voice calm. "What did you want to talk about?"
Spades paused, then slowly extended his hand. "This is for you."
Bai Liu lowered his eyes.
In Spades' hand was a pure white bone whip—
Exactly the same as the one Bai Liu had once obtained from Tawil.
Water droplets fell from Bai Liu's eyelashes into the now-closed pool, rippling into rings of color.
When Bai Liu didn't take it, Spades curled the fingers at his side slightly. "It's a lizard bone whip. It's as strong as the mermaid bone whip you used before."
"Don't you want it?"
After a long silence, Bai Liu looked up. "Is it only the whip?"
Spades stiffened.
"You broke my inverted cross, too," Bai Liu said calmly. "Shouldn't you return that as well?"
"The inverted cross…" Spades' gaze shifted slightly. "…It's not fixed yet."
The material was too special. Even after driving Hua Ganjiang nearly mad, he hadn't been able to replicate it.
Bai Liu nodded and took the whip. "I see. I'll take this first. What will you use as collateral for the cross?"
Spades stood there expressionlessly for a long time.
He looked exactly like someone who had "I can't think of anything to use as collateral" written across his face.
Bai Liu lowered his gaze, a faint smile flickering in his eyes. "You didn't think this through, did you?"
Spades nodded honestly, then hesitated. "Would this work?"
"How?" Bai Liu asked.
Spades took out a black marker and explained seriously, "If you really need it right now, I can draw one for you first."
Bai Liu: "…"
_________________________________________________
After logging out of the game, Bai Liu changed out of his wet clothes and stepped into the bathroom. He turned on the shower and began rinsing off.
Halfway through, he seemed to realize something and turned toward the mirror.
In the reflection, a bold inverted cross had been drawn in black marker at the center of his collarbone, stark against his pale skin.
Bai Liu leaned against the cold tiles and closed his eyes. Tilting his head back, he let the water run over him.
"…I actually let him draw it," he murmured.
_________________________________________________
Back in the game pool
After hearing Spades' suggestion, Bai Liu paused briefly. Then he calmly unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, tilted his neck back, and exposed the hollow between his collarbones to make it easier.
Spades stepped into the pool. His gaze fixed unerringly on Bai Liu's chest as he lifted the marker and began to draw.
Bai Liu looked away. "Who told you to draw it if you can't give me the real thing?"
Without looking up, Spades answered, "The Reverse God taught me."
"How?" Bai Liu asked softly.
Spades glanced at him. "He said that when you can't give someone something yet, but you really want to, you can draw one for them first."
"One day," Spades said seriously, eyes returning to Bai Liu's heart, "I'll return the cross I broke."
"Anything others can give you, I can give you too."
_________________________________________________
In the bathroom, Bai Liu buried his face in a towel, covering his eyes with one hand as he slowly exhaled.
He rather regretted letting Spades draw on him.