GRMFBS CH214

Zhan Yan discovered a little candle had appeared on his information drive interface. Short and stubby, like a small pencil stub.

Super pleasant surprise! The Candle Dragon is too kind ahhh! Truly too kind!

Zhan Yan looked at that short, tiny piece of candle with extreme happiness. When he got back tonight, he would light the candle and grind out all of Yang Ran’s information, and then he could use the Mini-Encyclopedia Search to find out how to save Yang Ran!

Upon returning to his rented apartment after work, the happy Zhan Yan saw Gu Jiancheng coaxing Xingxing on the sofa.

“What’s wrong?”

Xingxing meowed at him, telling him there was no problem, everything was fine.

Suspicious, Zhan Yan used the Gossip System to search.

[Gu Jiancheng spaced out for too long while brushing Xingxing’s fur. Gu Jiancheng apologized to Xingxing with small meat jerky. Xingxing accepted Gu Jiancheng’s apology.]

[Xingxing believes that after accepting an apology, he shouldn’t tattle to you that Gu Jiancheng made a mistake.]

Quite fiercely loyal, huh.

Zhan Yan rubbed Xingxing’s little head, then looked at the dejected Gu Jiancheng.

His pitch-black eyes had lost their shine, as if splashed with a basin of cold water.

Was Student Xiao Gu feeling so down because they were going to separate after the internship ended tomorrow?

Zhan Yan leaned closer: “Let’s go on a date together tomorrow.”

Gu Jiancheng’s eyes instantly lit up. But he still looked a bit worried.

Zhan Yan couldn’t resist touching the corner of his eye: “What are you thinking about?”

Gu Jiancheng: “Yan Yan, what does your sister like?”

Oh, so he was still worrying about this matter.

Zhan Yan joked: “My sister likes me.”

His sister also liked Yang Ran, liked getting her beauty sleep, liked watching TV dramas with Mom, liked roasting melodramatic TV dramas, liked eating melons (gossiping) with him, liked sitting cross-legged on the sofa… but none of these were things Student Xiao Gu could use—he couldn’t possibly have him watch melodramatic TV dramas with his sister and roast them together, right?

Zhan Yan imagined what it would look like if Gu Jiancheng watched melodramatic TV dramas.

No, he felt the chuunibyou youth was going to act completely out of character!

“Don’t worry. Look at you: you’re handsome,” Zhan Yan pinched his cheek, “have a great figure,” Zhan Yan patted his chest, “are smart,” Zhan Yan rubbed his flushed earlobes, “and have great character. They will definitely like you.”

Zhan Yan flirted with his boyfriend all over, feeling that such a pure and innocent Xiao Gu wouldn’t likely expose his dangerous side in front of his family either. Look at him all flushed like this; who would believe he scared others in class so much they didn’t dare talk to him when school first started?

If worst comes to worst, he would just flirt with Xiao Gu once all over again before meeting the parents.

Zhan Yan looked at the little flames burning brightly in Gu Jiancheng’s eyes and backed away in complete satisfaction: “I’m going to sleep early tonight.”

He had to investigate the condition of Yang Ran’s soul tonight.

Xingxing rubbed against Zhan Yan, meowing. Zhan Yan put on an apron and made a cat meal for him.

Xingxing habitually wove around Zhan Yan’s feet, then discovered an extra pair of feet getting in the way.

Xingxing looked up at Gu Jiancheng, unhappy: “Meow-wu!”

What are you following and weaving around for? That’s not your food!

Zhan Yan shooed the bothersome Gu Jiancheng away to wash vegetables.

Gu Jiancheng washed the vegetables with a sense of rhythm.

He also felt he was pretty great in every aspect.

Where was Rong Sui going to find someone more outstanding than him to match with her little brother!

After finishing the cat food, Zhan Yan washed up and went to bed.

Lying in bed, he opened the Gossip System’s information drive and switched to starry sky mode. The little candle stub floated on the right side of his vision; it stayed there no matter how he adjusted his view, like an interface sprite.

Zhan Yan found Yang Ran’s dull grey little star and poked it.

With a whoosh, a small flame sprang up on the little candle stub and began to burn slowly and steadily.

The candlelight pierced through the dust of time, and Zhan Yan carried the lantern forward.

As if knowing what he wanted, this dream was different from his sister’s. Zhan Yan didn’t see Yang Ran’s cycles of reincarnation and efforts; he only saw a soul. From its initial state of having experienced nothing, to the scars engraved by its first death. Cycle after cycle of reincarnation superimposed scar after scar. Some scars scabbed over and became thick scars, while others remained, their cracks mottled like leaf veins.

He saw the birth of every single scar, saw how they superimposed into a complex and intricate pattern, saw the traces of every pollution, and saw how they seeped in along the scars during reincarnation.

Finally, he saw that curse. When Yang Ran carved out his own supernatural ability alive, his ability core suddenly produced countless snowflake-like cracks.

Pollution seeped in, and Infinite’s curse climbed and grew along the cracks, seeping into every one of his wounds.

Zhan Yan jolted awake from the dream.

With a sizzle, the little candle extinguished itself. Very energy-efficient.

As soon as Zhan Yan woke up, he felt something wasn’t quite right beside him. He turned his head to look. After adjusting to the darkness for a moment, he vaguely saw the silhouette of Gu Jiancheng sitting up by the sliver of moonlight filtering through the gap in the curtains.

Zhan Yan: ? What are you doing?

[Gu Jiancheng felt that Xingxing lying between you two was really too much in the way, and decided to take advantage of Xingxing being asleep to carry him away.]

Zhan Yan: …Pfft.

Gu Jiancheng realized Zhan Yan had woken up. Holding the cat, he stiffened. Hmm, it’s very dark right now, Yan Yan shouldn’t be able to see clearly since he just woke up. It’s fine, it’s fine.

He quickly placed Xingxing on the other side and lay down with extremely light movements.

Gu Jiancheng focused intently on listening to Zhan Yan’s breathing and heartbeat. Yan Yan had only woken up for a moment, he should fall back asleep immediately… ten seconds, half a minute, a minute… why hasn’t Yan Yan fallen asleep yet? Awake for this long without falling asleep, could Yan Yan be getting more and more awake?

Gu Jiancheng felt the bed start to move. The mattress beside him sank down as a warm body leaned in. His arm was hugged, a head rested on his shoulder, and warm breaths sprayed onto his neck, raising waves of goosebumps.

Gu Jiancheng stiffened like a rock, feeling his brain turn into mush. All sorts of messy thoughts exploded in his head.

Ahhh, what should he do? Should he turn around? Should they cuddle? Should they kiss? Should…

Gu Jiancheng finally struggled free from his chaotic mind and slowly turned his head.

Zhan Yan’s breathing was steady and his heartbeat slowed; he had already fallen asleep.

Gu Jiancheng: …

After finishing investigating Yang Ran’s situation, Zhan Yan originally wanted to continue using the Mini-Encyclopedia to search for the method to cure Yang Ran, but accidentally fell asleep.

Waking up in the morning, he felt refreshed.

It seemed having the Candle Dragon’s blessing wasn’t enough; the consumption of reading the little star was still a bit high. He had to sleep or eat Bread Meatballs. He had already finished all the Bread Meatballs he brought back from his brother’s shop. It would be convenient once he went home; he could frequently go to his brother’s shop to get bread.

Zhan Yan decided to sleep in a bit longer, swallowing up his morning exercise time—he had other things to get busy with.

He closed his eyes, opened the Gossip System, entered the Mini-Encyclopedia Search interface, and typed again: “How to resolve the Infinite curse on Yang Ran?”

This time, the little watermelon icon spun while refreshing, very considerately providing him with a detailed explanation.

First, he needed a device that could stop Infinite’s curse from counterattacking. The little watermelon gave him several examples, the best being that secret room developed by the Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau.

Second, he needed a type of power that could resolve Infinite’s curse without simultaneously harming Yang Ran’s soul. The big shot Deep Shadow’s power was perfect; his power shared the same origin as Infinite and could “dissolve” the power of Infinite’s curse.

Then, he needed a “Soul Map” of Yang Ran, so they could meticulously clear away every bit of Infinite’s power according to it, preventing any omissions. Zhan Yan had already obtained this during his dream previously; he just needed to organize it.

Finally, he needed a guide whom Yang Ran trusted enough to voluntarily open up his soul without triggering an instinctive counterattack. His sister could fulfill this!

Excellent, all four conditions were very clear. Yang Ran could be saved!

Zhan Yan cheered and danced inwardly, when his back was suddenly kicked by Xingxing.

Xingxing had just woken up. He climbed up from beside him, stretched his paws forward in a long stretch, then turned his head left and right, extremely puzzled.

“Meow?”

He remembered he didn’t sleep here last night?

Zhan Yan lowered his head, pressing his forehead against Gu Jiancheng’s shoulder, and snickered.

With his eyes closed, Gu Jiancheng felt Zhan Yan’s shaking against his shoulder and opened his eyes helplessly.

In a great mood, Zhan Yan gave him a good morning kiss with a smile, then got up to wash and exercise.

Luggage was piled in the living room. The internship ended today, and they could pack their luggage and go home.

Chu Chengcheng, Cheng Yichu, and Bao Qingshan all had morning trains. Zhan Yan’s home was close, so he was in no hurry to leave.

By the time he washed up, he had recovered from his happiness and began to ponder these four conditions.

He couldn’t just focus on being happy; there were still troubles. The other three conditions were easy to talk about: his sister had already secured the Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau, and he could provide the “Curse Map” on Xiao Ran’s soul.

But how could he get the big shot Deep Shadow to help?

Zhan Yan thought for ages and realized he no longer had anything he could trade to Deep Shadow. He had already promised away his future free information lookups to exchange for the Candle Dragon power last time.

Worried.

Hmm… he didn’t have anything he could trade to Deep Shadow, but his sister did! The Artisan could make anything! But he had to convince his sister to believe his plan first.

But could he convince his sister just using the identity of Approaching Science? The identity of Approaching Science had chatted with his sister’s identity as the Artisan before, but their relationship wasn’t deep enough. Could his sister trust him?

Moreover, even if his sister believed him and was willing to offer compensation, was there anything Deep Shadow wanted?

The more Zhan Yan pondered, the more worried he became.

He should ask first.

First, poke the Artisan’s private messages using the identity of Approaching Science and send over the method to cure Yang Ran; then poke Deep Shadow’s private messages using the identity of Approaching Science…

Zhan Yan felt worried just looking at his chat interface with Deep Shadow.

Deep Shadow sneered at him again last time, and after sneering, thanked him, and to this day hadn’t claimed the Artisan’s point prize pool.

What exactly was Deep Shadow unhappy about?

He needed to ask for a favor, so Zhan Yan decided to first figure out where he had triggered the big shot Deep Shadow’s landmines. Compensate for what he could, and act cute for what he couldn’t…

Zhan Yan flipped through his chat logs with I Just Saved the World! while simultaneously checking the big shot Deep Shadow’s gossip threads, attempting to figure out the big shot’s landmines.

While washing up, he got a bit too focused on reading the gossip threads, staring blankly into the mirror and brushing one tooth for eight minutes.

Gu Jiancheng had already prepared the ingredients for the cat food.

Chu Chengcheng and Cheng Yichu hadn’t woken up yet, and Bao Qingshan was exercising downstairs.

Gu Jiancheng waited for a while but still didn’t see Zhan Yan come out. He went over to the bathroom, hugged Zhan Yan’s waist, and rested his chin on his shoulder.

Zhan Yan had just found out where Deep Shadow’s landmine was: it was simply because he had casually mentioned before that the Artisan was first on the point leaderboard. The big shot Deep Shadow, ranked sixth on the point leaderboard, got annoyed. So from then on, whenever he mentioned points, Deep Shadow would sneer, and whenever he mentioned the Artisan, he would sneer again.

What kind of childish, competitive top-rank cancer is this?

Alright then, it’s easy to coax him now that he knew what was going on. He’d go praise the big shot Deep Shadow right now, telling him that he was the absolute best and that the point leaderboard was nothing! If he wanted to be first, he would help him climb together, climb all the way to the top!

Before Zhan Yan could send a private message, he was suddenly hugged by someone. Snapping back to his senses, he looked in the mirror and saw Student Xiao Gu blinking at him.

Zhan Yan quickly finished brushing his teeth and prepared a portion of breakfast for Xingxing as well.

Taking advantage of the time spent making cat food, he left a private message for Deep Shadow to coax him.

Praise! Praise hard! What is the Artisan? Just someone with relatively high points. Points are all empty; true strength is the absolute truth!

The main focus was that nothing else mattered, coax the big shot into a good mood first.

Gu Jiancheng helped him tidy up the room while Zhan Yan was making cat food. During the tidying process, he received continuous private messages from Approaching Science.

Was there some urgent matter?

Gu Jiancheng opened his private messages, just in time to see the new message Approaching Science sent:

“Although the Artisan’s point leaderboard ranking is high, you are still more impressive.”

Gu Jiancheng: Pupil earthquake!

Hey, the Artisan is my future sister-in-law’s persona!

Zhan Yan had just finished making the cat food and brought it down to feed Xingxing when he saw the big shot Deep Shadow start replying to his private messages.

I Just Saved the World!: [Don’t say that.]

I Just Saved the World!: [The Artisan is a very impressive, very outstanding person.]

Zhan Yan: ?

Weren’t you the one sneering at me before?

But Deep Shadow having a good impression of the Artisan was a good thing after all. Didn’t this make the chances of convincing him to help Yang Ran even greater?

Bao Qingshan returned with breakfast after finishing his morning exercise. Zhan Yan had to close the chaofan forum for now, planning to chat in detail with the big shot Deep Shadow next time he was free.

Hearing Zhan Yan call him to eat breakfast together, Gu Jiancheng exited the chaofan forum, also preparing to chat in detail with Approaching Science when he was free. Definitely couldn’t speak ill of the Artisan; if it was brought up in the future, it would all be incriminating evidence!

The three of them ate breakfast, and Bao Qingshan habitually tuned himself out.

As Zhan Yan ate, he suddenly thought of something:

Ah right, didn’t the big shot Deep Shadow want to climb the leaderboard? The Artisan is first on the point leaderboard! As long as he could make his sister believe him, his sister would absolutely be willing to transfer all her points to Deep Shadow!

He would go ask Deep Shadow right now!