GRMFBS CH238

“What’s wrong?” Gu Jiancheng asked.

He felt the way Zhan Suiru was looking at him was rather peculiar.

Zhan Suiru stared fixatedly at him.

When she had asked Approaching Science to help investigate, she had laid out three conditions: A player from Infinite—and Deep Shadow was the universally acknowledged Top 1 among the players. Suffering from aftereffects—Deep Shadow had been wanted for over twenty years precisely because of this. Began recovering around the summer of last year—although the exact time of Deep Shadow’s recovery couldn’t be confirmed, it was indeed within the past two years.

Most importantly, once that layer of window paper was pierced, Zhan Suiru was certain: that day at the cinema when she accidentally bumped into Yan Yan and Gu Jiancheng, that single locked gaze had brought the exact same sense of danger and involuntary tension as the Deep Shadow she had hunted for three months!

“You…” Zhan Suiru narrowed her eyes, her tone turning delicately dangerous.

Both of their communicators chimed simultaneously.

Librarian: [[Location]]

Librarian: [Quick, this is the most probable one so far.]

Zhan Suiru paused, barely reigning in the churning emotions in her chest. Exchanging a glance with Gu Jiancheng, they tacitly bolted toward the new location together.

Tsk… why did this tacit understanding feel so infuriating?

The Chronicle of the World was as slippery as an eel, stubbornly escaping by relying on his hodgepodge of chaotic abilities. Nevertheless, the two managed to pinpoint new leads during this pursuit.

Tu Yue mapped out the route traced from the tracking.

Librarian: [He’s fleeing east.]

Before they began pursuing the Chronicle of the World, the scattered traces he left behind had no clear destination. During the initial phase of the pursuit, the Chronicle of the World similarly had no definite objective, acting more like he would hide in whichever direction allowed him to hide.

Recently, however, as their pursuit intensified and the pressure mounted, his operational strategy began to shift.

Tu Yue had charted a subtle, persistent heading from his movement patterns.

Why was he so determined to run toward an eastward heading? Was there something there the Chronicle of the World believed could save him? Was it related to Infinite?

Librarian: [The operational strategy needs to change.]

Librarian: [We plan to dispatch personnel to search and set up blockades to the east in advance.]

Librarian: [It’s best if one of you splits off to head over there as well.]

Deep Shadow: [Let us discuss it.]

Gu Jiancheng gripped half of a torn booklet in his hand, upon which rested a single cicada slough.

This special cicada slough was the residual byproduct of the Chronicle of the World using the “Molting Cicada” technique.

According to information the Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau obtained from the Bug King, while the Molting Cicada skill offered near-perfect concealment, it possessed a corresponding flaw. Just as a cicada nymph must eventually molt into an adult cicada, a single use of the Molting Cicada skill could only last for up to one month at most. Once that month passed, the Molting Cicada skill would expire.

Just moments ago, after Gu Jiancheng and Zhan Suiru caught up, the Chronicle of the World had activated the Molting Cicada skill once again.

Logically speaking, there was no need for him to do so; it had only been a week since he last used it. Yet while being cornered and hounded by Deep Shadow and Rong Sui, he had seized the moment to trigger Molting Cicada anyway, forcing him to pay an even steeper price during his subsequent escape.

“There is some reason making him believe he had to use Molting Cicada once.” Gu Jiancheng flipped through the booklet and clicked his tongue softly. This was half of the Chronicle of the World’s core ability; all the abilities he had usurped from others were bound to this booklet. The portion he tore away appeared to be the latter half; the front recorded several abilities, while the back was completely blank.

Gu Jiancheng looked up intending to confer with Zhan Suiru, only to find her silence rather odd.

“Do you have any thoughts on this?” Gu Jiancheng asked.

Zhan Suiru’s brain was running two parallel tracks at once.

One track was handling the mission, while the other was frantically sorting through everything that finally made sense—along with all the lingering questions—once Deep Shadow and Gu Jiancheng were equated as one and the same.

She glanced at the communicator once more. They still had some time before the Librarian plotted out the intercept coordinates.

Zhan Suiru: “I think… yes, we can have a proper talk now.”

Gu Jiancheng: ?

Why did that phrasing sound so off?

However, Boss Deep Shadow’s mission-oriented brain held sway.

“I don’t know much about the Chronicle of the World. I feel like he is actively avoiding you,” Gu Jiancheng said.

Zhan Suiru: “Yes, he has consistently tried to avoid contact with me.”

She didn’t believe her combat power surpassed Deep Shadow’s to the point where the Chronicle of the World would repeatedly pick Deep Shadow as his breakthrough point.

Zhan Suiru glanced at the torn remnant of the booklet in Deep Shadow’s hand—this was the price the Chronicle of the World had paid to slip past Deep Shadow. This time, the Chronicle of the World had likely lost a considerable hoard of accumulated skills.

Zhan Suiru felt that had the Chronicle of the World chosen to break through on her side, he might not have lost nearly as much—her ability’s nature differed from Deep Shadow’s. The Chronicle of the World might have suffered injuries under her hands, but upon escaping, he could have healed himself with his hoarded skills, provided he possessed corresponding healing techniques.

Deep Shadow’s ability, however, carried a terrifying predatory nature. It was like… the gaping maw of a monstrosity, tearing away whatever it could from the enemy and swallowing it whole. Thus, he was able to target the Chronicle of the World’s skills directly, compelling him to shed half the booklet—the very foundation of his survival and the bedrock for channeling his abilities.

The Chronicle of the World likewise hailed from the Infinite world; it was impossible for him not to understand Deep Shadow’s abilities, yet he would rather pay such a devastating price than face Rong Sui.

“Perhaps our initial line of inquiry was correct.” Gu Jiancheng tapped the cicada slough between his fingertips. “He fears you because you placed a spiritual imprint on Infinite.

“He is deeply entwined with the will of Infinite, and your spiritual imprint may have transferred onto him as a result, though it still lacks an ‘activation’.

“While I don’t know the Chronicle of the World well, if he hasn’t even realized by now that ‘Molting Cicada’ is what’s giving away his position, he never would have climbed onto the leaderboards.”

“This ability may be shielding the spiritual imprint to a certain degree.” Zhan Suiru understood Deep Shadow’s meaning.

For the Chronicle of the World, so long as the spiritual imprint on him wasn’t activated, he could continue lurking. The tracking brought by “Molting Cicada” was merely area-based, leaving him room to evade, whereas the spiritual imprint offered pinpoint precision, leaving him zero chance of escape.

This hypothesis made the most sense at present.

“Will you intercept, or shall I?” Gu Jiancheng asked.

Zhan Suiru gave him a profound look. Deep Shadow had handed the choice over to her once again. This wasn’t the first time it had happened since they began moving together.

Previously, she had assumed it was Deep Shadow’s innate confidence, but now she discerned a different flavor beneath it…

Recalling Deep Shadow’s attitude toward her over the past month, it had indeed been friendly to a fault.

Which meant Deep Shadow had very likely deduced her identity first.

It was understandable; after all, Deep Shadow had known about her relationship with Yang Ran for a while, yet nobody could have imagined Deep Shadow actually dating anyone…

Still, numerous questions lingered—such as how Deep Shadow’s aftereffects had actually healed in the first place.

Zhan Suiru knew full well how effective her crafted essential oils and blended incense beads were.

Those formulas were originally developed by Yang Ran. After arriving in this world, Zhan Suiru had made slight adjustments to account for the differing environments and materials between the two worlds.

In the past, Rong Sui had experienced the effects of every single one; they could soothe her mental anguish, functioning similarly against the contamination inflicted by Infinite to ease the aftereffects players suffered from using their abilities. However, their potency definitely did not reach the level of curing aftereffects as severe as Deep Shadow’s.

Deep Shadow’s aftereffects had progressed to the late stages. In the Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau’s archives, his condition had already pushed against the critical boundary two years ago.

Her oils and incense beads might alleviate aftereffects of that magnitude, but merely alleviate them.

Yet Deep Shadow’s aftereffects were now completely cured.

Tu Yue had deduced from this that he had a healing-type boss beside him, while the intel about Deep Shadow having a lover had originated from Approaching Science.

She could now verify the second piece of intel was true. But Yan Yan was just an ordinary person, the kind who couldn’t even open the Yin-Yang Eye.

So… how on earth were Deep Shadow’s aftereffects cured? Was there truly a mysterious “healing-type”? And what was his relationship with that healing-type?

Her face impassive, Zhan Suiru replied, “Depends on whether we need to find out what the Chronicle of the World wants to do in the east.”

If needed, she would pursue while Deep Shadow intercepted, letting the Chronicle of the World flee toward his intended destination so they could tail him to his objective.

If not, she would intercept while Deep Shadow pursued, apprehending him first regardless of where he wanted to go.

Gu Jiancheng voiced his agreement.

Next was waiting for word from the Librarian.

Zhan Suiru estimated the time: “There is no urgent business right now.”

Gu Jiancheng raised an eyebrow, finding her rather odd today.

Zhan Suiru’s spiritual energy cordoned off a quiet, secretive perimeter, her eyes sharp beneath the dark shadows: “Let’s talk… Gu Jiancheng?”

Gu Jiancheng’s pupils constricted sharply.

Although he knew his secret identity would drop sooner or later, this was far too abrupt.

It hadn’t dropped yesterday! What happened today?

Fine, fine, hadn’t he prepared for this day long ago?

Gu Jiancheng took a deep breath and dispelled the disguise over his face. His true appearance looked younger than his masked persona, and nowhere near as cold and sharp.

The moment he dropped the face, Gu Jiancheng switched his demeanor in a split second: the arrogance and menace belonging to Boss Deep Shadow quietly receded, like dense, somber shadows welcoming clear moonlight. The razor-sharp edge smoothed into composed refinement, turning chilling aloofness into quiet serenity.

Just like that day outside the cinema when he unexpectedly ran into Zhan Suiru and Yang Ran, Gu Jiancheng curled the corners of his lips into an exceptionally innocent smile, though his gaze remained deep and steady—like a star calm on the surface while its core blazed fiercely.

“While I don’t think right now is the best time to discuss this, since you brought it up… mm, let me reintroduce myself: Gu Jiancheng, Zhan Yan’s boyfriend.”

Zhan Suiru: …

Her temper flared.

“Deep. Shadow.” She enunciated each syllable. “You deceived my brother?”

“Aside from concealing my identity, I haven’t deceived him about anything,” Gu Jiancheng said. “Isn’t what I did the exact same as what you did?”

Zhan Suiru, who had likewise concealed her supernatural identity from her brother: …

Before her fury could boil over, Gu Jiancheng swiftly added, his tone overflowing with utmost sincerity: “I only recently found out you were his sister. There is nothing in this world worth forcing myself to fake my feelings for. Every single interaction between Yan Yan and me has come straight from the heart.”

Zhan Suiru had originally remained fairly calm. She could understand Deep Shadow’s words. After emerging from a place like Infinite, she had no desire to compromise her feelings, let alone pretend to love someone else.

There was nothing in their family worth Deep Shadow targeting either; claiming Deep Shadow had targeted her brother to exploit her abilities would be far too wild a stretch.

However, the moment she heard the two words “Yan Yan,” Zhan Suiru’s temper flared right back up like roaring flames.

Who are you calling Yan Yan?!

She wanted to beat him up.

Hold back. Can’t throw hands right now.

Zhan Suiru: “You…”

Tu Yue’s message cut in at just the right moment:

Librarian: [The location has been identified.]

Gu Jiancheng glanced at the message and continued pitching himself in all earnestness: “I possess sufficient strength, substantial assets, zero bad habits, a wonderful personality…”

Zhan Suiru couldn’t resist interrupting: “A wonderful personality?”

Gu Jiancheng smoothly picked up: “A wonderful personality toward Yan Yan, exceptional looks—and if Yan Yan doesn’t like it, I can change my appearance too. I also…”

Zhan Suiru watched Gu Jiancheng pitch himself with cold eyes, not interrupting as he endlessly dropped “Yan Yan” left and right. Right as he got halfway through rattling off his virtues, she asked out of nowhere, “How did your aftereffects get cured?”

“Because of Yan Yan,” Gu Jiancheng stated firmly.

Zhan Suiru raised an eyebrow: “Are you trying to tell me my brother is a healing-type supernatural user?”

Gu Jiancheng: “I know he’s an ordinary person, but I truly recovered because of him.”

He handed the torn half of the Chronicle of the World’s booklet to Zhan Suiru: “I checked it just now; there is an ability in here used for lie detection. Take a look.”

The contamination on the booklet had already been swallowed by him; it was now an item anyone could pick up and use.

Zhan Suiru looked down.

[I don’t like Pinocchio, so… liars don’t grow long noses!]

Once she saw it clearly, Gu Jiancheng slapped the skill straight onto himself with a shhhk.

“I love Zhan Yan, and my aftereffects were cured because of him.”

Gu Jiancheng’s nose remained completely intact.

Zhan Suiru fell into silence. Curing aftereffects purely through the power of love…

Is Deep Shadow this deeply in love?

Having waited for ages without a reply, Tu Yue chimed in:

Librarian: [Hello, hello, hello? Are you two still there? Is everything alright?]

Why had both combat-types gone completely radio silent? This was unnerving! Did something happen?

“Nothing’s wrong,” Gu Jiancheng replied to him first.

Suddenly, the tip of his nose began shrinking downward. Gu Jiancheng cursed inwardly, sweeping his shadows over himself to erase the skill’s effect, restoring his nose to normal.

“Your own love life is blissful right now, so why are you standing in my way?” Having helped save Yang Ran, Gu Jiancheng felt completely righteous and justified.

Zhan Suiru took a deep breath, remaining silent for a brief moment before speaking: “Although you are great, as Yan Yan’s sister, I do not want him being with a dangerous individual.”

Gu Jiancheng stared at her with a somber, lingering gaze, pointing out: “How do you have the cheek to call me a dangerous individual?”