A world polluted by evil gods (11): Oh yell, Shura field1!
“Ahem, ahem…”
His internal organs were severely damaged. Blood gushed out from various parts of Si Qi’s body like a spring, flooding his throat and causing him to cough up mouthfuls of blood uncontrollably. His eyes became vacant, gradually losing focus.
As the sunlight overhead faded from its peak intensity at two in the afternoon, the borrowed power began to demand repayment without mercy. All the previously healed wounds erupted at once, exploding back open with tenfold or hundredfold the original cost. This was the price of making a deal with a forbidden object.
Si Qi slowly lost the ability to think. His chaotic will began taking control of his body step by step. He could feel himself dying, his rational mind about to be swallowed by the source of contamination, turning him into a puppet of the sealed object.
But he didn’t dare lose control. He clung to the pain with all his strength, trying to retain a shred of clarity.
He knew that if he lost all reason, his instincts would push him to do whatever it took to survive.
He would take out the sealed object and drain every bit of life from this land to restore himself. He would slaughter every human in sight, devouring their blood to fill the void inside him. Stripped of all limits, he would be far more powerful than his rational self. But by then, he would no longer be himself.
With trembling hands, Si Qi tried to draw a weapon to slit his own throat. But with all his bones shattered and his flesh mangled beyond recognition, he couldn’t move at all.
All he could do was vaguely see the strange forbidden object running back and forth inside his head, pulling odd things out of something shaped like a leaf and messing around wildly with his body.
In the haze, he seemed to see Chu Feng’s figure. He summoned all his strength to grasp Chu Feng’s sleeve with his fingers and, with a stubborn and fierce gaze, said, “Kill… me…”
Chu Feng said nothing. He scooped Si Qi into his arms. There was a broken sob stuck in his throat, and he held Si Qi tightly as he flew out of the sinkhole with him.
Igor was the first to rush over.
“Commander!!!”
Chu Feng didn’t waste a word: “Where is the healing sealed object?!”
Igor cried tears of joy. “I have it! I brought it with me!!”
Seeing that Si Qi was still breathing and hadn’t completely lost his mind, Igor had never felt more grateful to the gods above. He pulled out the sealed object, but suddenly remembered its side effects and hesitated for a split second.
The next second, countless figures suddenly descended in front of the three of them, and Igor’s ecstatic expression instantly turned grim.
But before he could fight these people to the death, the deputy commander led several dozen dark figures to their side and shouted loudly, “Take the commander and leave!”
Igor didn’t hesitate. Together with Chu Feng and under the protection of the others, they broke through the encirclement. In the blink of an eye, they left most of the enemies behind. Only a few continued chasing and launched attacks from the rear.
These people would never pass up the chance to personally kill the commander of the Temple Knights, let alone allow a sealed object that was clearly at SS-level to fall into the hands of the Temple Knights.
But their determination was useless. Chu Feng swallowed a crystalline divine power, and an invisible aura spread around him. In an instant, he “crushed” the forbidden objects in the enemies’ hands into powder.
Igor was initially alarmed to see him attempt to ingest divine power, afraid he would lose control like the Great Emperor and cause another world-scale disaster.
Unexpectedly, Chu Feng was highly compatible with the forbidden object. In a split second, he gained control over the divine power that even the Great Emperor had struggled to command, wielding it as easily as an extension of his own body.
The collective “death” of the forbidden objects stunned the fanatical cultists. These mad worshipers of the evil god, whose brains had long gone deranged, never imagined they would one day fall from being the “evangelists of a great deity” back to powerless mortals.
Igor mercilessly knocked them all out and left them to be dealt with by other enforcers. He carried Si Qi back to their base and gently laid him on the bed.
The blood flowing from Si Qi quickly soaked the mattress. Igor took a deep breath, his hand trembling as he pulled out the sealed object, and said to Chu Feng, “The price of using this sealed object is ‘pain.’ To heal wounds with it will cause pain a hundred or a thousand times greater. The extreme pain can drive a person mad… but I don’t dare let him fall unconscious.”
He didn’t know if Si Qi, once unconscious, would be completely overtaken by the contamination. If that happened, even if his body was healed, his core self might be replaced—and then the treatment would be meaningless, only bringing about an even greater catastrophe.
Chu Feng said, “Give it to me. I’ll use it.”
Igor replied, “No! I want to stay by his side!”
Chu Feng said, “If he loses his mind, you’ll be the first one he kills when the pain begins.”
“Then I’ll accept that willingly!”
Igor didn’t look at Chu Feng again. After informing him of the potential consequences, he looked at Si Qi on the bed with deep concern and aimed the forbidden object at his body.
A pale, soft glow swept over Si Qi. It looked gentle.
But in truth, this sealed object was mostly used to torture prisoners for confessions. The moment the light enveloped Si Qi, his body convulsed uncontrollably from the pain. He jerked violently and let out a cry of agony. His screams were loud and anguished. As his wounds healed, his skeletal fingers clutched the sheets tightly. The moment he regained a bit of strength, he lashed out at Igor’s throat—trying to get rid of that damned sealed object!
Chu Feng immediately stepped in front of Igor and carefully held Si Qi’s hand.
His palm, impervious to blades and axes, was easily scratched by Si Qi’s seemingly fragile nails. But the wounds healed instantly under the powerful restorative force of the divine essence.
By now, Chu Feng had understood the reason for Si Qi’s sudden drop in strength. He felt a pang of regret: if the commander hadn’t handed the divine essence over to him, he wouldn’t have been this gravely injured and wouldn’t have struggled so much to defeat the Great Emperor.
In fact, if the commander had consumed the divine essence himself, he could have even taken full control of the divine power. With the divine essence as a buffer, the commander would have had a much easier time mastering the power than the Great Emperor. Even the pollution of his chaotic soul might have been effectively suppressed.
In a way, if Chu Feng hadn’t appeared, Si Qi could have carried everything on his own. He could have forcibly extended his life using all kinds of rare resources and held on until the end. But once he met Chu Feng, for the sake of Chu Feng’s superior physique and higher chance of success, he chose to give everything to his successor—and step off the stage himself.
For a brief moment, Chu Feng even felt like his appearance was a death sentence—he had taken all the good things from Si Qi, and then pushed him to exchange his own life for one final, most precious treasure to give him.
Chu Feng held tightly onto Si Qi’s hand, his heart full of guilt.
Then, in the next second, something happened that made him lose control of his emotions even more.
Si Qi’s whole body was trembling uncontrollably from the pain, but his gaze remained fixed on Chu Feng, who had suddenly entered his field of vision. It was as if, even in such a frenzied and delirious state, Si Qi could still recognize who he was. Quietly, obediently, he looked at him, stayed still in place as requested, enduring the excruciating treatment that felt like a thousand cuts, unwilling to look away from him even for a second.
A faint sob escaped from Chu Feng’s throat as he sat weakly by the bedside. He gazed at Si Qi with gentle eyes, his hand softly brushing through Si Qi’s blood-soaked hair before placing a kiss on his head.
Igor, standing off to the side, saw the two of them locked in that gaze. His eyes were filled with complicated emotions. But in the end, he did nothing—he just bowed his head in frustration, his eyes rimmed red.
Xiu Xiu wasn’t paying much attention to the situation outside. It was completely focused on finding a way to save its master. The small body flipped back and forth inside the vast space of the World Tree’s leaves, racking its little brain to recall whether anything there could heal Si Qi’s body. Once it found something, it quietly activated the invisible mech to apply it to Si Qi, watching the broken body slowly regenerate bit by bit. After observing cautiously for a very long time, it finally let out a small sigh of relief a few hours later.
Idiot, idiot, idiot! Xiu Xiu smacked its own head with its noodle-like claws and scolded itself.
Couldn’t you have thought of a solution earlier? You had to let the master suffer so much, you big fool!
Looking at Si Qi, who had barely recovered and now lay weakly in deep sleep, Xiu Xiu gently reached out in his direction through the consciousness space and whispered:
[You must get better soon, Master.]
[Xiu Xiu will always stay by your side.]
…
While Si Qi was being treated, the deputy commander and others guarded the base, fending off the never-ending waves of attacks. Only after confirming that Si Qi was out of danger did Chu Feng step out of the house. A formless aura burst from him, and the frustration that had been pent up for too long made him momentarily lose control of his strength—he flattened everyone present in one blow. Even the enforcers who were clearly on the same side as him looked at him with terrified eyes.
Only then did Chu Feng slowly realize just how much more intimidating he had become to these people after mastering his new power. If people once respected him when he merely possessed the divine essence, now they feared him outright.
As for why Igor didn’t react that way…
Perhaps human willpower really could rival that of the gods sometimes.
Even when Chu Feng’s charm was at its peak and all the enforcers were drawn to him, Igor had always been immune—his heart and mind focused only on Si Qi.
Now that Si Qi was gravely injured, Igor’s entire being was tied to him. How could he notice any changes in Chu Feng?
That was why it wasn’t until now, after swallowing the divine power, that Chu Feng began to clearly perceive the changes in himself and realize just how powerful he had become.
After all, this was the same forbidden object that had allowed a completely non-combatant emperor to fight the commander to a draw. Now that it had fallen into Chu Feng’s hands—someone it was incredibly compatible with—this kind of outcome wasn’t surprising at all.
With the divine power’s ownership transferred, the previously scattered rule force was reined in. Natural disasters occurring around the world vanished, and people who had endured two full days of catastrophe finally escaped from the brink of doom.
Although the tragedies that had already occurred could not be undone, at least the living still had a future to look forward to. That was already the best possible outcome.
Once Si Qi fully woke up, the now significantly diminished team could finally return home in peace.
Upon regaining consciousness, Si Qi calmly resumed his duties. He began methodically handling affairs such as taking over the neighboring territory, coordinating global post-disaster reconstruction, and using Chu Feng’s power to strike effectively at the living forces of hostile organizations—all matters that concerned him deeply.
He knew he didn’t have much time left. Even though his body had recovered, he could feel that his mental state was far worse than before the battle. The sense of losing control kept creeping in. This was the side effect of using too many forbidden objects at high intensity. Si Qi had no solution for it. All he could do was try to get as much done as possible before he completely broke down—to make the most of his remaining strength.
Meanwhile, the Mirror of Truth, which had been so certain Si Qi would die in battle, was completely baffled. It couldn’t comprehend what power had saved Si Qi during the emperor’s self-destruction. This was already the third time its prophecy had proven wrong. At this rate, it was starting to seriously consider changing its name to the Mirror of Lies—because there was nothing truthful about it anymore.
So when Si Qi saw it again, the mirror was fake-crying.
“I didn’t die. Are you very upset?” Si Qi, for once, teased a sealed object.
The Mirror of Truth didn’t see it as a joke at all. To it, this was a blatant threat. In a defeated tone, it said, “You made my rule flawed. I’m no longer the most perfect forbidden object in the world.”
Si Qi raised an eyebrow slightly, sensing the mirror had something more to say. He asked directly, “Then who is the most perfect forbidden object now?”
The Mirror of Truth sighed. “Give me a day of sincerity.”
Si Qi: “…”
Mirror of Truth: “I’m still a forbidden object, you know. You ask me questions and I don’t charge you? Do I not have any pride?”
Si Qi: “You can choose not to answer.”
Mirror of Truth: “No! I insist on answering! Why should someone as excellent as me be sealed away, waiting around every day like a lonely concubine hoping to be favored, while that guy gets to roam free outside and is even worshipped by a bunch of idiots as a holy relic? I want it to suffer as miserably as I do!”
Standing behind Si Qi, Chu Feng—seeing the legendary SS-level sealed object “Mirror of Truth” for the first time—smiled and said, “What a uniquely spirited forbidden object.”
The Mirror of Truth gave Chu Feng a “look” but, in a rare moment, didn’t tease him the way it usually teased Si Qi or Igor. It pretended not to notice him—completely chickened out.
Si Qi noticed this detail but didn’t point it out. He casually let a drop of blood fall onto the mirror’s surface. The mirror then promptly betrayed the “Omniscient Scroll”—the most sacred artifact of The Omniscient Church and the origin of its name—exposing every detail about it. It even helpfully provided the exact location and method for its destruction.
“This thing’s rule overlaps with mine. I’ve disliked it for a long time,” the Mirror of Truth said snidely. “Go destroy it.”
But none of what it said afterward was believed by Si Qi and the others.
When it didn’t charge a price, not a single word from it could be trusted.
The three of them left the dangerous underground chamber while the Mirror of Truth waved a tiny handkerchief with exaggerated reluctance. Igor said, “It said the two forbidden objects have overlapping rules. That’s probably fake. Even if they’re similar, their actual effects are definitely different.”
Si Qi: “It voluntarily leaked this information, which already shows it’s trying to harm us.”
Chu Feng: “But the location and method to destroy the Omniscient Scroll are real.”
Si Qi nodded. “So it’s an open trap.”
For a forbidden object on the same level as the Mirror of Truth, no matter the reason, the Temple must secure and contain it.
Xiu Xiu cautiously poked its head out and said to Si Qi: [Master, actually, as long as the Evil God is defeated, all these forbidden objects will be weakened. You don’t have to worry too much about them.]
It was deeply worried that Si Qi might encounter unexpected danger from these troublesome objects before he could kill the Evil God—completely missing the main objective.
Si Qi paused slightly but didn’t respond.
Just as Xiu Xiu instinctively assumed Si Qi would ignore him again, Si Qi suddenly said: [You really are the most unusual forbidden object I’ve ever seen.]
Xiu Xiu, pitiful and teary-eyed: [Xiu Xiu really isn’t one of those things… Xiu Xiu was created by the Lord God, and has nothing at all to do with the Evil God…]
Si Qi: [The ‘Lord God’ you’re talking about—do you mean Chu Feng? And you said Chu Feng is this world’s god. So just like how Evil Gods give rise to forbidden objects, you were also born under the influence of a god?]
Otherwise, how could a forbidden object keep going on and on about killing the Evil God, and even use mysterious powers to save him in the last battle—without demanding any price in return?
Xiu Xiu thought about it and could only reply: [If you want to think of it that way… that’s fine.]
Si Qi: [So, my instant fondness for Chu Feng when we met, and my compassion for you when I first saw you—it’s the same principle? Because I’m a creature of this world, I naturally feel a kind of instinctive affinity toward your kind of existence.]
Xiu Xiu was stunned. It froze in place, and then tears fell like strings of pearls, dripping to the ground. [Sob… sob… So Xiu Xiu… Xiu Xiu really wasn’t hated by Master? Sob sob sob…]
Seeing Xiu Xiu crying so miserably, Si Qi felt helpless. He conjured a hand to gently stroke its ugly little head, then was startled to realize he had somehow learned to do this.
How had he managed to manifest a form in such an intangible space?
Xiu Xiu, being the little fool it was, didn’t notice the “growth” of its master at all. It instinctively rubbed around in Si Qi’s palm, curling into a shape that gave it a deep sense of comfort, making sure every inch of itself was bathed in its master’s aura.
Si Qi finally asked the question he had long been wondering about: [The power you used to save me last time—what kind of price would be required to use it again?]
Xiu Xiu quickly replied: [No price, no price! It’s just that some things Master hasn’t converted using the world’s power before. To take them out, they need to be re-converted into this world’s matter using that power…]
Xiu Xiu’s explanation was a bit disorganized, but fortunately Si Qi understood it: [So the cost is ‘world power’? How do I obtain it?]
Xiu Xiu: [By making the world a better place.]
Si Qi felt a slight sense of relief. If such a thing could be used as “payment,” then no matter how he looked at it, this little creature named Xiu Xiu seemed to support the improvement of the world—unlike other forbidden objects, which grew stronger the more chaotic the world became.
Xiu Xiu: [Master used to have tons and tons of world power, and Xiu Xiu had a lot too!]
[But somehow, Master lost his memory and became so weak that even an evil god from a small world could hurt you… And all of the world power on Xiu Xiu was used up trying to find Master… Xiu Xiu doesn’t know what to do anymore… sob sob…]
[But it’s okay! The Lord God found Master, so we’ll definitely be fine! As long as the Lord God regains his memory, everything will be okay!]
What Xiu Xiu said was messy and overly complicated, sounding almost exactly like the kind of convoluted speech forbidden objects often used when trying to deceive people.
However, considering that Xiu Xiu had previously saved him and showed clear hostility toward the evil god, Si Qi thought maybe creations born under the influence of gods all talked in this strange, confusing way. He didn’t dwell on it too much and instead extracted the useful bits of information from the chaos, asking Xiu Xiu: [How much world power do I have left?]
He had been working to save the world for over a decade. No matter what, there should at least be a little left.
Xiu Xiu answered in a guilty tone: [Only seven percent… There used to be a lot, but more than half was absorbed by Xiu Xiu… I’m sorry, Master…]
[It’s fine.] If Xiu Xiu hadn’t said anything, Si Qi wouldn’t have been able to use even one percent, let alone seven. And considering that Xiu Xiu, after absorbing it, had woken up, told him so much, and even saved his life, Si Qi naturally didn’t mind.
Who would have thought that those three simple words would somehow hit another one of the little crybaby’s sore spots? Xiu Xiu burst into tears again: [Master, Master used to treat Xiu Xiu this well too! You never blamed me for being useless… sob sob sob…]
Si Qi: […]
After Xiu Xiu had finished crying and rubbed its head into Si Qi’s palm to dry its tears with his hand, Si Qi continued: [What can I do with the world power I have left?]
Xiu Xiu thought for a moment and tried to access the standard system shop used by world-travelers, but found it couldn’t be opened at all. It scratched its head, then pulled out a leaf from the World Tree, which it had been using as a blanket, and said to Si Qi: [Master, try opening this.]
[Open it?] It was just a little leaf. How was he supposed to open it? Tear it apart?
The wording felt confusing at first, but as soon as Si Qi focused his attention on the leaf, he suddenly felt as though his “vision” cleared. A kind of “display center” for countless items appeared before him.
It was vast, spacious, and well-organized.
Many items were completely unrecognizable to Si Qi, but just from appearance alone, it was easy to distinguish the subtle differences between them.
This thoroughly organized style was very much to Si Qi’s taste. He thought if it were up to him to organize everything, this is probably how he would do it too.
The only strange thing was that some items looked especially exquisite, while others—like stones or old yellowed notes—were mixed in among the clearly valuable things. What was going on with that?
Then Si Qi noticed one peculiar object: a humanoid figure entirely made of metal, as tall as the tallest skyscrapers in the country. The area around it was a complete mess, as if someone had ransacked it, making it particularly noticeable.
He asked about it, and Xiu Xiu responded awkwardly: [That was Xiu Xiu’s doing…]
At the time, Si Qi had been injured outside. Xiu Xiu, terrified that he might die, suddenly remembered it could locate that mech to help fight. In the rush, it didn’t pay attention to much else.
Si Qi didn’t say anything and looked toward a shelf filled with various liquids in beautiful glass bottles. That section, too, looked like it had been hit by a tornado—bottles tilted in all directions.
Xiu Xiu looked even more embarrassed: [Xiu Xiu lost part of its memory and has trouble recalling things clearly. I didn’t know which one was the healing potion…]
So it had rummaged through the entire collection for a long time before finally figuring it out.
Si Qi: [The healing potion? The one you used on me when I was unconscious?]
[Yes.] Xiu Xiu nodded and pointed its soft paw at a light yellow glass bottle: [All of these are healing potions.]
Then it looked at the other colored liquids and fell into deep thought: [But what are these pink and pale blue ones for…?]
It held its head and tried to remember but couldn’t recall anything.
Si Qi: [Can I use these things?]
Xiu Xiu immediately said: [Yes, yes! Of course you can! They all belong to Master!]
[Some items were previously exchanged by Master using World Power, so they can be taken out at any time. Some items aren’t available yet—for example, the snack shelf over there, the puddings and so on—if you want to use them, you’ll need to pay a bit of World Power. But Master clearly used to love eating pudding the most.]
Si Qi looked at the mountain of snacks piled in the corner like a sea of treats. He was momentarily speechless.
He said, [I don’t like pudding.]
And he certainly wouldn’t use something as precious as World Power to exchange for snacks.
Xiu Xiu: [???]
Xiu Xiu blinked and said dumbly, [But Master really used to love pudding the most, Xiu Xiu can’t be mistaken…]
After speaking, Xiu Xiu even pulled up recordings from previous worlds showing Si Qi happily enjoying puddings, with empty pudding containers scattered all around his feet.
Si Qi: “…………”
This little thing forgets everything else, but remembers this so clearly? Why?!
Xiu Xiu: “Hehe, anything related to Master, Xiu Xiu will never forget!”
Considering the healing potion from before had even better effects than the sealed objects Igor possessed—and didn’t even require a hefty price—Si Qi thought it over and took out a few vials of differently colored potions. He planned to have his subordinates study them closely, maybe they could even mass-produce them outside.
With how advanced technology was now—even inventions like trains and telegraphs had come into existence—maybe they could create things comparable to some of the miraculous sealed objects too?
And even if they couldn’t, it would still be useful to analyze their specific effects.
Chu Feng, Igor, and Si Qi were discussing matters as they walked, when Si Qi suddenly pulled out a few glass vials of liquid from his “pocket” and handed them to Igor, catching both men off guard.
Si Qi: “Send these to the science institute for testing. I want to know what they do exactly.”
Igor instinctively took the vials, nodded seriously, and agreed. Chu Feng glanced at the obviously-too-small pouch Si Qi had drawn them from, looking slightly puzzled. “Did you acquire another sealed object?”
Chu Feng was familiar with all the sealed objects in the Legion, and there was definitely nothing like what Si Qi had just shown. Where did he get this one?
Si Qi: “…Yeah.”
If Xiu Xiu counted as a sealed object, then sure.
Chu Feng’s tone turned a bit displeased: “You said you’d rest properly and stop going on dangerous missions.”
Even though the words were subordinate to superior, it carried the tone of a wife telling her husband not to smoke because of his health. Si Qi felt awkward: “I know what I’m doing.”
Igor chuckled beside them. He’d known Si Qi for many years, and this was the first time he’d ever seen the commander look so flustered—it was rather amusing.
Si Qi rubbed his nose, not knowing how to respond, and simply lowered his head while Chu Feng continued to scold him.
Chu Feng wasn’t wrong. After that major battle a few days ago, Si Qi clearly felt that his emotional control had been deteriorating. He’d experienced hallucinations and auditory illusions several times more frequently. Out of caution, he’d reduced the number of sealed objects he carried from over twenty to just thirteen. His combat power was far from what it used to be at its peak.
But rather than feel anxious, he felt more at ease than ever—because Chu Feng had long since surpassed his former strength, now several times stronger than he had been.
With Chu Feng guarding the Temple, it would certainly be safer than ever before.
Si Qi worked at the Legion for just a morning before Igor and Chu Feng gently suggested he return home to rest.
Si Qi understood this was their way of showing care. After handling the Legion’s affairs, the only thing still on his mind was his family. Spending more time with his parents and older brother in the time he had left might help stabilize his mental state.
After all, just reading the files on sealed objects—those descriptions that felt like mental contamination—was enough to leave anyone exhausted.
When Si Qi returned home, his parents were hosting a charity banquet to raise funds for families separated by recent natural disasters.
Because of Si Qi’s publicly weak constitution, his double typically only appeared in the latter half of banquets, or not at all. This time, since Si Qi came home in person, there was no need to switch—the double simply handed him a formal outfit to change into.
Just as he finished dressing and was about to leave, the double walked over and handed him two identical-looking items: “Your mother asked me to give these to you. She said they’ll help keep you healthy.”
Si Qi immediately recognized one of them as a sealed object and sighed: “What does it do this time?”
“It’ll make your complexion look better… I tested it, and it does. But it also worsens your condition and makes it harder to heal. Though paired with specific tools, it’s very effective in combat.” The double said gently, “Madam and Master don’t know these things—they really care about you.”
Thanks to the Temple Knights’ efforts, sealed objects rarely circulated domestically. For the marquis couple to obtain something like this, they must have gone to great lengths.
And because the Temple had done such a good job keeping the existence of “the other world” a secret, most people only heard rumors of miraculous items, unaware that they originated from evil gods and always required a terrible price.
“I know,” a soft look appeared in Si Qi’s eyes as the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. “They’re the best parents in the world.”
He wore the double’s replica and tucked the real sealed object into his room’s drawer. He’d seal it in the underground vault later—so long as he didn’t fall ill and trigger its rules, it would remain harmless.
Si Qi asked, “Did you arrest the person who sold them this?”
The double bowed: “Yes, already in custody.”
Si Qi nodded and stood up to leave. Seeing that he intended to go out just like that, the double carefully reminded him: “Would you like to put on a bit of makeup? When the Marchioness gave me the item just now, she seemed very happy to see my complexion looking better.”
Si Qi shook his head: “No need. They should start preparing for the truth—let them think they bought another fake again.”
Prepare…
Realizing what kind of “preparation” Si Qi was referring to, the double’s smile froze. A moment later, a trace of sadness appeared in his eyes, and he said, “Sir and Madam really love you, you…”
He took a deep breath and carefully offered a suggestion: “Actually, you could have someone pretend to be the young master for life, just to make them happy… I… I can’t bear to see them so sad.”
Si Qi looked at the double seriously and asked, “Do you still remember what your real face looked like?”
The double lowered his head and said nothing.
Si Qi reached out and lifted his face, looking at the now featureless, dough-like smooth face, and said, “I still remember, Andel. You once had a very beautiful face.”
“I volunteered for this, my lord…”
Si Qi replied, “That’s not a valid reason, Andel. If this continues, you’ll completely lose your facial features. You won’t even be able to eat or breathe. I’ve already asked too much of you—I can’t let anyone else become like this too.”
“I think they’d be willing…”
Si Qi raised an eyebrow slightly. “Then do you think my parents would be willing to be deceived for life? Especially at the cost of their ‘sons’ never being able to show their true faces. If they ever find out the truth, imagine how guilty they’d feel.”
Andel suddenly fell silent.
Si Qi softened his voice. “Don’t give them hope, understand?”
Andel nodded obediently. “I’m sorry, my lord. I’ll be careful.”
Watching Si Qi leave the bedroom and quietly close the door behind him, Andel stood in the warmly decorated room and furtively wiped the corner of his eye.
After Si Qi went downstairs, he immediately drew attention.
That was because as soon as he appeared, the marquis and marchioness, along with his talented older brother, all turned their attention to him. The movements of the three key figures at the banquet naturally drew the guests’ eyes, and before long, the topic of conversation shifted from the recent unsettling natural disasters to him.
None of these people dared to speak too loudly. They whispered among themselves, thinking their voices were low, but every word still reached Si Qi’s ears clearly—his body and senses were all still extremely sharp.
“The marquise just said the younger son’s complexion has improved and that he’ll recover soon, but he looks no different to me—actually, even paler than before…”
“Yeah, to be born into such a privileged family but not even have a healthy body… that’s tragic.”
“Tragic? Try being born into a family drowning in debt, where your parents expect you to restore the family’s former glory. Now that’s tragic. Look at the gems on that young master’s belt—that’s more than my entire family’s annual expenses.”
“Shh, keep your voice down.”
“I’m just saying. Honestly, if I could, I’d switch places with that young master. Even if I could only live another ten years, at least they’d be ten worry-free years. Not like me, struggling my whole life.”
“Look at the marquise’s expression. I think she’s about to cry. That smile of hers looks so forced.”
“At least she still has an outstanding older son.”
“Oh, now he is a remarkable gentleman. I heard that during the recent disasters all across the country, this congressman swiftly resolved many problems. His Majesty even praised him—he’s been all over the news lately.”
“Hey, do you guys know what those disasters really were about?”
At the mention of this topic, the ladies instinctively lowered their voices again, their eyes filled with both fear and a strange longing for supernatural forces. “One of my close friends was near the disaster zone. She said she saw someone in a black coat and silver mask appear and use mysterious powers to stop the catastrophe. It was that person from the legend…”
Another lady picked up the thread: “The Temple Knights?”
“Yes, the Temple Knights. I used to only vaguely hear of them—never imagined they were real.”
Their faces glowed with admiration and longing. “Just listen to that beautiful name. They’re our heroes, standing up during times of crisis, saving countless lives, preventing disaster.”
“I heard that if the Knights hadn’t eliminated the source of the disaster in time, it might still be going on.”
“In just two days, think of how many people died all over the world. It’s terrifying.”
“They say the commander of the Knights personally took down the demon that caused it all.”
“Right, and I heard the commander has golden hair and radiates golden light—like a sun god descending to earth.”
“One swing of his sword could cleave a mountain…”
The more they spoke, the more excited they got, eyes full of adoration. “He’s so powerful. I’d love to meet such a hero. Even a single night with him would be an unforgettable memory.”
“He must be incredibly handsome and tall.”
“With strong muscles that could lift us up effortlessly…”
The conversation began drifting in the wrong direction. Si Qi glanced at his own slender limbs, then compared his height, which barely reached his brother’s chin. His expression went blank.
“What’s wrong?” Seeing his little brother look up at him, the elder brother—clearly a devoted sibling—asked with concern, “Tired?”
“No,” Si Qi shook his head and pointed to the red wine in the man’s hand. “Brother, I’d like to try that.”
The congressman thought for a moment. “A little wine is good for your health, but too much will make you drunk. You can only have a little, understand?”
Si Qi nodded. “I understand, brother.”
“Good boy.” His brother called a waiter and poured Si Qi a small glass of champagne himself. “That’s all you can have.”
Si Qi looked at the drink—barely enough for a single sip—and obediently nodded. “Okay, brother.”
The marquis family’s wine was undoubtedly top-tier. The sweet, clear wine slid down his throat, leaving a mellow aftertaste lingering in his mouth. Si Qi licked his lips and said to his brother, “I want more.”
“You drank it that fast?” His brother was surprised. He examined Si Qi’s face carefully. “You’re not feeling unwell, are you?”
Si Qi shook his head. “No, it’s delicious. Can I have a bit more?”
Unable to resist his brother’s pleading gaze, the congressman hesitated, then gave in. “If you get drunk, I’ll send you straight back to your room. You wouldn’t want the ladies here to see you drunk, right?”
Si Qi smiled sweetly and cooed, “I won’t~”
The congressman looked at his brother helplessly, doting. “If Mother finds out, she’s going to scold me.”
Si Qi replied, “Then I’ll step forward and tell Mom it was all my fault.”
“You’re so sweet, always thinking of your brother.” The congressman stood by Si Qi’s side and, without realizing it, let him con his way into four more glasses. But by the fifth, even though Si Qi still looked fine, he refused.
Si Qi didn’t push further. After just getting a little tipsy, he “ran out of strength” and went back to his room to rest.
Later that evening, when Chu Feng returned to the marquis estate, the first thing he heard was how guests were just moments ago praising how powerful the commander of the Knights was—only to then whisper about how weak the marquis’ youngest son seemed.
Even though they were the same person, the stark contrast in impression was… oddly fascinating.
After greeting the three hosts of the marquis household and donating a generous amount of gold at the banquet for charity, some nobles who recognized Chu Feng’s identity began to discuss him with their companions. As expected, the topics revolved around his commoner background and the fact that he was currently staying as a guest at the marquis’ estate.
They made sour remarks like, “Merchants are just nouveau riche with money but no class.” Chu Feng pretended not to hear them. Once the banquet ended, he quietly returned to his room.
Unexpectedly, not long after lying down, someone suddenly knocked on his door. Judging by the sound of the footsteps, Chu Feng recognized that the person outside was Si Qi and quickly got up to open the door.
After gaining divine power, Chu Feng’s senses had become so sharp that he could easily hear the buzz of mosquitoes hundreds of meters away. He noticed Si Qi’s breathing was more hurried than usual and thought something might have happened, which made him feel a bit anxious.
Sure enough, when he opened the door, he saw Si Qi standing there with an unnaturally flushed face. His body was swaying, and his eyes were hazy, like someone with a fever. The sight startled Chu Feng.
“You… what’s wrong?” Chu Feng quickly stepped forward to support Si Qi, who nearly collapsed onto him. The moment his hand touched Si Qi’s skin, he noticed an abnormally high body temperature and instinctively wanted to call a doctor.
“Mmm, no.” Si Qi slurred his speech and forcefully grabbed Chu Feng’s hand, trying to stop him from walking away. He mumbled, “You, get in.”
Chu Feng caught a faint whiff of alcohol and asked instinctively, “You’ve been drinking?”
“Just, hehe, a little bit.” Si Qi stumbled into Chu Feng’s bedroom, his legs practically tripping over each other. He wriggled his way in like a snake and fell onto Chu Feng’s bed, declaring, “I’m not drunk!”
Chu Feng: “……”
He was clearly drunk.
But there was only a faint scent of alcohol on Si Qi. Given his usual tolerance as a legion commander, there was no way such a small amount would get him this drunk.
Si Qi lay on Chu Feng’s bed, covering his stomach and laughing nonstop as if something had hit his funny bone.
Chu Feng walked over, helpless at the sight of this scoundrel who had taken over his bed. He tried to lift him up, but Si Qi slapped his hand away. Chu Feng said, “It’s late, you should get some rest.”
Si Qi pouted unhappily. “It’s still early, still early!”
“It’s already past nine.”
“You’re kicking me out!!” Si Qi suddenly shouted, his eyes reddening at once. “You don’t want me, you won’t even let me stay in your room!!”
Chu Feng: “……”
So this is what the mighty legion commander looks like when he’s drunk? Thank goodness he wasn’t in his usual uniform—otherwise, facing him tomorrow would be way too awkward.
“Then who do you want to stay here? That guy—the one who left kiss marks on you?” Si Qi wailed.
Just a moment ago he had been laughing hysterically, but now Si Qi was suddenly overcome with grief, crying loudly into the bed. “You said you liked me, but then you slept with someone else… sob sob sob…”
Chu Feng: “……”
He forced a smile and tried to coax him like a child. “That was all just a misunderstanding…”
“It wasn’t a misunderstanding! Hic…” Si Qi hiccupped, though his breath had no trace of alcohol. He sniffled. “You shameless bastard, can’t control your lower half. Do you know how—hic—how sad I was?! You don’t know!! Waaah…”
Chu Feng couldn’t help laughing. “I didn’t do that. I only like you.”
“Liar!!” Si Qi was so angry he jumped up from the bed and started hitting Chu Feng. Despite being drunk, he didn’t hold back, and his punches actually made Chu Feng’s chest hurt—no small feat, considering Chu Feng’s steel-like physique. Still, he didn’t dodge and could only carefully hold Si Qi’s hands. “I’m not lying. I really only like you, only love you.”
“You’re lying! You silver-tongued playboy…”
Chu Feng said, “I swear.”
Si Qi stubbornly shook his head, his words slurred, “Swearing doesn’t count. You swear, but it’s useless. Mmm…”
Chu Feng really wanted to know what exactly was wrong with Si Qi. Was he truly drunk? Just as his attention started to wander, Si Qi, who had been staring at him, exploded with rage. “You’re distracted! You’re not taking me seriously! You’re not sincere at all!”
Unable to calm him, Chu Feng gave in. “Okay, okay, I’m serious. I’ll only look at you.”
He looked into Si Qi’s eyes with full attention and didn’t look away again. Si Qi gazed back at him with pure, deep eyes, staring for a long, long time.
At first, Chu Feng was still feeling a bit amused, but being stared at like that gradually calmed him down. His entire world seemed to narrow to only Si Qi—his pouting, his trembling lashes, his eyes brimming with emotion.
The air around them suddenly felt still. Even if there were sounds outside, Chu Feng couldn’t hear them anymore. All he could hear was Si Qi’s and his own breathing, drawing closer and closer together. Without knowing who leaned in first, their lips touched.
They shared a soft, gentle kiss and embraced each other.
Then the embrace grew more and more uncontrollable. Si Qi pushed Chu Feng onto the bed, roughly tearing open his clothes—buttons flying everywhere.
For a brief moment, Chu Feng remembered that Si Qi was using his younger form. He wanted to stop him, but seeing how fierce Si Qi looked, it was clearly not something he could interrupt. So he obediently pretended he hadn’t noticed anything—especially the fact that both “people’s” body shapes were exactly the same.
Drunk Si Qi was even more enthusiastic than last time.
…
…
The consequences of a hangover were extremely troublesome.
Si Qi opened his eyes with a splitting headache. After more than ten hours, his rational mind finally returned. He groaned, curling up under the blanket, cursing himself, “Damn it… does being drunk count as being affected by a forbidden object?!”
Last night, after a few sips of wine, he went back to his room thinking he’d be fine. His body was healthy—surely he’d be immune to the influence of forbidden items, right? But somehow, more and more alcohol seemed to flood his system, as if he were drinking nonstop. His mind grew increasingly hazy.
Si Qi had a habit of regularly checking his mental state to make sure he hadn’t lost control. When he did his routine check before sleeping, he suddenly realized—he was drunk!
If he stayed in that room any longer, he’d die of alcohol poisoning. He rushed out in a panic and went to Chu Feng’s room—just in case he lost control and needed someone to stop him. And then… he completely blacked out. He vaguely remembered going crazy, maybe. He wasn’t sure.
But judging by the blurry fragments of memory—and how his body felt now—Si Qi was certain: he had absolutely gone wild.
Otherwise, how could that “little master” who blushed just from holding hands, have possibly taken the initiative to do that?
Si Qi lifted the blanket and sat up. The cold air stung his bare skin. He looked at the messy bed, didn’t see Chu Feng, then glanced out the window. It was already past noon. He scratched his head in frustration and got out of bed.
His head still throbbed, like a drill boring into his skull, which only worsened his mood. He threw on a robe and walked toward the door, planning to return to his own room to clean up.
But the moment he opened the door—he saw his older brother standing there, clearly having waited a long time. Right beside him stood Chu Feng, also in pajamas, looking incredibly awkward.
Si Qi: “………………”
His brother caught sight of the marks on Si Qi’s neck and collarbone. His already livid face instantly turned terrifying.
Notes