qizi / 66
NPC: “Next question: When it comes to excavator technologies, which is stronger? A, Yutian; B, Bikong. Please provide your answer.”
Someone threw a basin of ice water on time, freezing it.
Ling Xiao swallowed uneasily. Even now, Ying Feng had yet to respond. What in the world was going through his head right now?
Too bad the ice water didn’t manage to freeze that chatty NPC. She was still tirelessly babbling away.
“You may have already noticed that a portion of these topics relate to you directly. In fact, your memories were read from the moment the magnetic poles appeared on your bodies. In every question you’ve received so far, there’s been something you’ve personally experienced, something you’ve asked yourself of in the depths of your heart, or something you’ve harbored of the other but never asked aloud.”
“This game is precisely meant to make you face questions you’d rather not face. If you don’t face them, these questions will always be questions. Now, please respond: will you choose A, the love from the previous life, or B, the mate in this life?”
Silence.
“Time’s running out, please…”
“I choose A!”
Ying Feng abruptly turned, “What are you doing?”
Ling Xiao’s words were resolute: “The one I was with in my last life must’ve been my true love, while the one in this life is just a mishap. There’s nothing to be confused about. My choice is A, and I won’t change it.”
“Player N chose A because he thought Player S would choose A. And instead of him saying option A first, it was better that he say it first, so that even if Player S makes the same choice as him, he can comfort himself with the excuse that it was to clear the game.”
“That’s nonsense!”
“Now it’s Player S’s turn to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. If he chooses B, not only will he waste another chance, but they will also incur a penalty. But if he chooses A, Player N will be sad. Truly a tough decision.”
Ling Xiao snapped, “Don’t you think you talk too much for an NPC? Stick to the script, won’t you? No need for unauthorized opinions! If you had a real body, the Seventh Bill would’ve destroyed you ages ago!”
“5 seconds left on countdown, 4, 3, 2…”
“Object.”
Ling Xiao: “What?!”
“Are you sure you want to use ‘object’?”
“Sure.”
“Usage successful. Question voided.”
“You threw away the only chance to ‘object’ just like that? Why didn’t you choose A?”
“Next question.”
“Answer me!”
“NPC?”
“Very well, I had assumed you both required further discussion. As that’s not the case, let’s proceed to the next question…uh, this question is one of the ones drawn from this game’s question bank, not at all connected to your memories. The question is: Your best friend is held captive by the enemy, rendered completely immobilized. You attempt to rescue him, but realize it’s impossible. At this point, the enemy discovers you. Your only options are to: A, retreat, B, kill your friend. Please note: after you retreat, you can no longer return, and your friend will fall into enemy’s hands. Please respond.”
Ling Xiao: “A!”
Ying Feng: “B.”
“Looks like there’s a disagreement among your answers again. No worries, as long as it’s within the allotted time, you can still revise them.”
“I refuse to change it. I will not kill my best friend.”
“I refuse to change mine as well. This is rooted in my principles.”
“Of course you won’t change it. How can someone who doesn’t even have friends possibly understand what a best friend is!”
“Given you remember there was such oath to protect the Nestlings with your life, how can you forget that you must never let your own body fall into enemy’s hands? If they capture you, they will gain access to our genetic data and discover ways to counter us. When the time comes, there will be even more lives lost because of it.”
Ling Xiao’s expression was torn for a while.
“What sort of lousy game is this? I don’t want to play anymore! I might as well have stayed in the dorm to sleep had I known!”
“Time’s up. Reversing magnetic poles.”
The letter on Ling Xiao’s chest changed, and he was repelled outwards once more, soon surrounded by water on all sides. The water rose to the top of his head, reaching the ceiling. It didn’t matter which direction he turned; he couldn’t swim out.
“Ling Xiao!”
Ying Feng rushed over and discovered that a massive glass water tank had materialized around Ling Xiao, trapping him inside. Ying Feng struck it vigorously, but not a single crack appeared on the glass.
“It’s useless. These are all illusions, so naturally, they aren’t affected by attacks. Don’t assume you can take his place every time. This is his penalty, and he must bear it alone. Even though he won’t actually drown, the sensation of drowning is hyper-realistic. Just be patient for five minutes, and the water will disappear.”
Ling Xiao struggled desperately in the water, his expression agonizingly miserable. Ying Feng pressed furiously, “Didn’t you say that both sides would face penalties when there’s a disagreement? Why is it always him alone each time?”
“What could be harsher for a Qizhu than watching their own Qizi’s suffer while completely powerless to do anything about it?”
“Aren’t you a game from Earth?!”
“I have been localized,” blinked the NPC innocently.
Ying Feng slammed his fist heavily onto the glass. If the NPC had a physical form, this fist would have probably struck her long ago.
“Certainly, if you change your decision now, although the outcome will still be evaluated with three failed rounds, you can avoid the penalty. It appears he’s unable to speak at the moment, so what about you? Are you willing to change your principles for him?”
Ying Feng’s clenched fist tightened further with each passing moment. Inside the glass tank, Ling Xiao slowly relinquished his struggle, his body drifting helplessly in the water.
“I choose A, retreat.” said Ying Feng in a deep voice.
The glass tank vanished the instant he uttered those words, and water gushed forth, pouring out everywhere, yet not a single thing got wet. Ling Xiao flew onto Ying Feng again and proceeded to slump to the ground, coughing uncontrollably.
“You are not choking on water, you just think that you are, don’t fret.”
It took forever for Ling Xiao to recuperate, “Are the five minutes up?”
“Nope, it was Player N who chose to change his answer, thus exempting your penalty.”
“N?” Only at this moment did Ling Xiao realize that the letter on his own body had changed from N to S when the magnetic poles reversed just now, while Ying Feng, who had originally held S on his chest, had now switched to N.
“Why did you change your answer?”
“It’s only a game, not real life. There’s no need to be serious.”
Ling Xiao hesitated, “Actually, when I was near death just now, I thought about it some more, and your point is more reasonable, and besides, if the one held captive was truly my friend, I believe he’d want me to choose A as well, so…”
“The time for answering the question has concluded and nothing can be altered anymore. Let us conduct the final question!”
The two people who were side by side were once again separated. Before Ling Xiao could work out what was happening, Ying Feng went missing.
“What’s going on? I have yet to make a choice, so why did the magnetic poles reverse?”
“It’s not a reversal, just simply a temporary disappearance. You’re now in separate rooms, and the upcoming topics will differ for each of you. Your answers will determine the magnetic poles on your bodies in the next phase. Are you ready?”
“Ready,” replied Ying Feng.
“Your topic is: If, at this moment, you were offered one chance to dissolve the blood contract, you would: A, accept; B, forfeit.”
After waiting a considerable time, Ying Feng asked, “Is that all?”
“That is all.”
“And the price?”
“There is no price for it. It doesn’t breach your morals or laws, nor jeopardize the country or other interests—just a pure and simple dissolution.”
Ying Feng was thinking.
“You don’t have to answer me immediately, but you must go to another room now. In that room, although you are you, your body will not be under your control, and you can only see, hear, and feel, but you won’t be able to speak or move. Alrighty then, let’s head out.”
“I’m ready,” said Ling Xiao.
“Okay, here’s your question: If, at this moment, you were offered one chance to reverse the outcome of your blood contract where you would become Player N’s Qizhu, you would: A, accept; B, forfeit.”
Ling Xiao’s eyes lit up, “Is this for real?”
“For real. And there’s no price for it. It doesn’t breach your morals or laws, nor jeopardize the country or other interests—just a pure and simple reversal.”
“How’s that even a question? Of course I choose A!”
“Player has triggered story mode, playing CG.”
Ling Xiao sat up from bed. What’s going on? Did I have a dream just now? Or am I now in a dream?
He surveyed his surroundings. It was his Bikong dorm.
It didn’t matter which of them was the dream, they were both too realistic.
Anyways, what did that voice say at the end? I am Ying Feng’s Qizhu?
The sound of shattering glass resounded from the bathroom. Ling Xiao instantly stood guard. Not good!
He swiftly leapt off the bed and opened the door, all to see Ying Feng with a pointed mirror shard in his grip, poised to pierce his own heart.
“Stop!”
The shard stopped two millimeters away from his body. With great effort, Ying Feng turned his head, and their four eyes locked onto each other, revealing to Ling Xiao the light gray eyes of the other, eyes brimming with hostility and loathing. It felt as though he’d seen these somewhere before.
No! It’s not that he had seen them before, it’s that these were once his eyes. He once used those very eyes to glare at Ying Feng before, back when Ying Feng first asserted control over his actions.
But it’s not the same, reminded Ling Xiao to himself. The first time Ying Feng controlled him, it was due to a conflict he had with others. When he took control of Ying Feng, it was to prevent him from committing suicide.
Having come up with such adequate reasoning for controlling Ying Feng, Ling Xiao’s confidence skyrocketed.
“You should give up, I won’t let you die. Each day you want to end your life is another day I won’t give you back your freedom. Now go back to the room.”
Ying Feng inhabited his body, able to see and hear Ling Xiao clearly, but he had no control over his own actions.
But he had to admit, when he saw his own eyes in the mirror, what he desired to do aligned precisely with the vessel’s.
Under Ling Xiao’s command, Ying Feng’s vessel struggled its way back to the bedroom. Searching high and low, Ling Xiao rummaged through the room and eventually found a bunch of snacks, all of which he piled on the bed——this room was pretty magical, as long as Ling Xiao wished for it, it would appear.
“This is all for you to eat! You must eat more nutritious food during the development phase! And here, I got your favorite strawberry bread, and that brand of water you like to drink, look how good I am to you! I didn’t eat for three days and you didn’t even care, but I’m giving you everything right now, so why don’t you appreciate it?”
Ying Feng averted his gaze with disdain, not sparing a single glance at any of the food.
Ling Xiao was irked, “Listen here Ying Feng, you can do what you want, but you are not allowed to die. You are my Qizi now, which means your life is now mine. If you don’t eat, I’ll force you to eat, and if you don’t sleep, I’ll do you seven times a night until you pass out.”
He forcibly wrestled Ying Feng down and rode his body, “Don’t think that I won’t know how to do those tricks you’ve used on me. If you provoke me again, I can do them all the same!”
Ying Feng still used those same eyes to glare back at him coldly, their intensity sending Ling Xiao shivers.
“You’re not allowed to keep glaring at me like that!”
Why, why does this person always show this indifferent attitude towards me? It’s been like this for ten years, and it’s never changed.
Right, it’s all because of that goddamn peach pit!
Ling Xiao didn’t even think about it as he bowed his head to tear his clothing, pulling the peach put out from his left chest pocket and clutching it in his hand.
“Give…it…back…” Ying Feng heard his own voice struggle to say this, each word burdened with weight.
A paralyzed person, mustering up all the energy he can to utter those three words. Ling Xiao burned with jealousy.
“You can say goodbye to it.”
He threw it hard. The peach pit flew out of the dorm through the open window, the same one that had been closed just moments ago.
Ying Feng’s eyes were like knives, slicing Ling Xiao to pieces one slice at a time.
Ling Xiao panicked. He didn’t want to see that kind of expression again, if there could be other expressions on this face…
As soon as such thoughts crossed his mind, the Ying Feng beneath him emitted a muffled groan, but he promptly bit his lips and didn’t make any more noise.
On his pale white face emerged a touch of blush, and under his eternally unwavering expression subtly rose lust. The two were entangled, struggling and competing for control over his facial muscles while moisture gradually gathered in his eyes.
Ling Xiao stared in rapture. It turns out that the cold and abstinent Ying Feng could also reveal such an expression. Moreover, it was quite moving to look at, and made one hungry for more.
I just need to increase it a little bit more again, just a little bit more power will do. I just want to to hear his uncontrolled moans, even if it’s only a peep.
Although Ying Feng couldn’t move, he felt in sync with his vessel. Currently, his whole body was also burning up, his four limbs also limp and numb, and a certain part of his body also about to burst.
You can’t cry, he wanted to tell his own puppet. If you dare cry, I’ll fight you to death.
The puppet couldn’t hear his voice, yet their minds seemed as though they were in sync. No matter how much power Ling Xiao applied, he didn’t make a single noise.
Ling Xiao felt anxious. Make a sound, as long as you just make a sound, I’ll stop.
But, from beginning to end, Ying Feng kept his teeth clenched and his mouth silent, and would rather bite his lips till they bled.
“It’s all right.”
Ling Xiao looked up, “Who’s there?!”
“This is only your imagination. The person under you is just a puppet. You can wield your authority as much as you want, he will never know.”
Ying Feng: Liar!
Ling Xiao finally remembered. This was simply a game, and that he was in the game’s fantasy world, where even Ying Feng was a fake.
The NPC’s voice was irresistibly bewitching, “As long as your choice is to accept it, he will become your Qizi, and you can do whatever you want with him.”
Ying Feng’s eyes darkened. Wait until I get out, I’ll definitely smash this shop up.
Ling Xiao sat straddling him with his head drooped and his hair covering his expression. Ying Feng couldn’t see him distinctly.
Just when Ying Feng thought Ling Xiao would take it a step further, the lust in his body suddenly receded like a retreating tide.
And on top of him, Ling Xiao shook his head slowly.
“Back then, he had obtained the authority to control me, and he had made me wish I were dead. I hated him to his core.”
“And today, the instant I obtained that same authority, I, too, have chosen to treat him the same way.”
“If the blood contract could truly be overturned, I wouldn’t be able to restrain myself from wielding a Qizhu’s powers either. I would’ve made him wish he were dead, and he would’ve hated me to my core. I would be doing the things that I myself despised, and apart exchanging our identities, not a single thing would’ve changed.”
He was silent for a long time. Ying Feng, too, was quiet, listening.
“Thank you. I can finally let go of what I couldn’t put down all this time.”
Ling Xiao leaned in, and dropped a lingering kiss on Ying Feng’s blood-stained lips.
Ying Feng froze. The touch on his lips were undeniably real. This was not his puppet; this was he himself. They shared the same thoughts, the same actions, and even the same sensations. The one Ling Xiao was kissing wasn’t someone else.
After a long while, Ling Xiao reluctantly parted with his lips.
“I forfeit.”