GRMFBS CH56

The Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau caught a nameless anomaly in Beiling City. During the capture, they discovered that the anomaly had been cooperating with a Corpse Flower Konjac demon, and that demon came from within the Wan Yao Alliance.

The Wan Yao Alliance did not participate in this capture operation. The Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau had discovered the problem in Beiling City first; neither side had the interest or mutual understanding to cooperate, and the Wan Yao Alliance was unwilling to fight the Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau over such a trivial matter. But while they hadn’t participated, a traitor had!

The Abnormal Affairs Management Bureau sent the corpse of the Corpse Flower Konjac’s clone to the Wan Yao Alliance. What a massive loss of face!

Gong Yun, the black-necked crane demon responsible for reporting to Zhan Yunkai, cautiously lowered his head.

His Majesty, the Demon King, was angry, his aura as heavy and oppressive as an impending storm.

“That Corpse Flower Konjac demon isn’t a local,” the proboscis monkey demon in charge of reporting the matter said carefully. “He’s a foreign demon, relocated from the south, over in the tropics.”

Zhan Yunkai sneered, “What? Is he a ‘temporary demon’ of our Wan Yao Alliance? He commits a crime and we just expel him and be done with it?”

The proboscis monkey demon broke out in a cold sweat, constantly rubbing his large nose, stammering and entirely at a loss for what to do.

“I won’t make things difficult for you.” Zhan Yunkai’s double pupils dilated as his fierce, overwhelming aura contracted and flared. “Go pass on a message. Who recruited this Corpse Flower Konjac demon, who was responsible for guiding him, who he has contacted within the Alliance, and what information he stole from the Alliance—investigate it all clearly and report back to me. Have the demons who failed in their duties crawl over here and beg for my forgiveness. If they try to cower and hide, I will personally go and rip their heads off!”

The divine bird’s claws, like golden iron, carved deep gouges into the rock. Unfurling its powerful, magnificent wings, it swept across the high sky like a cloud of golden flames.

The proboscis monkey demon let out a massive sigh of relief, slumping to the ground and vigorously rubbing his chest.

Gong Yun soothingly hauled him up from the ground: “Don’t be afraid. His Majesty won’t take his anger out on the innocent.”

This proboscis monkey demon was just an unlucky scapegoat pushed to the front. Aside from knowing that Corpse Flower Konjac demon, he had absolutely nothing to do with the whole affair. However, Gong Yun felt he still had some alternative uses.

The proboscis monkey demon’s legs were still jelly. Hanging onto Gong Yun’s arm, his eyes brimmed with tears: “His—His Majesty is truly so kind!”

It was just that his gaze was genuinely far too terrifying for a demon to bear.

Gong Yun smiled at him, brushed the dust off him, and said mildly, “You don’t need to rush to deliver the message either. First, write me a list. Who sought you out to report to His Majesty, who taught you that ‘foreign demon’ excuse, who was close to that Corpse Flower Konjac demon and guided him… write all of these things down, clearly and in detail.”

“Don’t be afraid. His Majesty has the divine double pupils; he can distinguish truth from falsehood and won’t wrong you.” He gently and tenderly arranged a room for the proboscis monkey demon, fully stocked with fresh fruits and clear spring water.

The proboscis monkey demon, thoroughly dizzy and disoriented, allowed himself to be settled in. He simply felt that running into the Chongming Demon King was an immense stroke of luck. If His Majesty Chongming didn’t have the ability to clearly distinguish right from wrong, he might have been flayed alive after being coaxed into this by those other demons!

It was only when he was left entirely alone in the room that the proboscis monkey demon suddenly realized what was happening.

Oh no! That list he had agreed to write—just how many demons was he going to offend!

No, no, he couldn’t write it! He couldn’t write them all down; at the very least, he had to pick and choose… otherwise, if he offended all the other demons to death, how was he supposed to survive in the future!

But immediately after, the proboscis monkey demon remembered what Gong Yun had just said: His Majesty Chongming had the divine double pupils and could discern truth from lies. If he submitted an incomplete list, he would definitely be found out!

The proboscis monkey demon anxiously scratched his ears and cheeks in a panic, entirely forgetting to eat the spirit melons and fruits on the table. He clutched his pen, agonizing for a long while before gritting his teeth. He had been tricked into coming here through threats and bribes by those other demons; those demons didn’t care whether he lived or died. It was His Majesty Chongming who had seen the truth of the matter and hadn’t blamed him.

If he has to write it, he will write it!

Worst comes to worst, he’ll just work for His Majesty Chongming from now on!

The proboscis monkey demon grabbed the pen in one hand and a fruit in the other, chewing vigorously at the desk as he began to write the list.

In the side hall, Gong Yun smiled in satisfaction.

His Majesty had been recuperating at Qixia Mountain these past few years and hadn’t cared much for managing the Alliance’s affairs. Some demons had forgotten how they ought to respect His Majesty.

Gong Yun wasn’t actually too angry about the Corpse Flower Konjac demon betraying the Wan Yao Alliance. The Wan Yao Alliance had a free and unrestrained atmosphere; if others were deliberately plotting against them, it was perfectly normal for one or two traitors to appear. What infuriated him was that after the incident came to light, those demons had actually dared to try and fool His Majesty!

His Majesty wouldn’t stoop to bickering too much with small fry; he’d likely just punish the traitor and leave it at that. But Gong Yun had no intention of letting these audacious demons who dared to deceive His Majesty off the hook so easily.

That was why he wanted the proboscis monkey demon’s list.

That proboscis monkey demon was cowardly and muddle-headed, easily coaxed over by others. If left to his own devices, he probably wouldn’t dare to write everything down. So, a little guidance had been necessary.

In the side hall, the little bird demon who had come to report saw Gong Yun smiling. It boldly landed on his desk and chirped, “Lord Gong Yun, did you think of something happy?”

Gong Yun rubbed the head of the little bird demon, who had not yet learned to take human form, and said mildly, “It’s nothing. I was just wondering when His Majesty would be able to catch that traitor and bring him back.”

The little bird demon lowered its head, comfortably puffing up the feathers on its head and neck. “Definitely very, very soon! His Majesty Chongming is the best!”

“Alright, go on.” Gong Yun raised his hand and let the little bird demon fly away.

The Wan Yao Alliance’s ten great Demon Kings all had different temperaments. The Nine-Tailed Fox was moody and unpredictable; the Xun Tree was indifferent and avoided the world; the Dragon and Phoenix only shielded their own kin… His Majesty Chongming investigated good, evil, right, and wrong, and protected all spirits in the world. Yet some demons were even worse than a bird demon that hadn’t yet taken human form. If they weren’t taught a lesson, they would think everyone serving under His Majesty was completely useless!

Gong Yun let out a smile practically radiating dark energy.

Let him see exactly who was on that list!

…

These past few days, aside from attending classes, Zhan Yan had been engrossed in searching for information on “Infinite”.

At night, he finished organizing the updates from his Gossip System as usual and went to sleep.

In his slumber, Zhan Yan had a dream.

He felt incredibly hot, as if his body were being roasted by a fire.

And then, he actually saw the fire.

He saw a crystal-clear, profound world, like a black crystal condensing countless points of starlight within. A one-eyed giant dragon coiled around the black crystal; it had tied itself into a knot, its head biting its tail.

Inside the loop where it had tied itself into a knot, a single point of candlelight shone. The flame burned the crimson candle shorter and shorter. The bright red candle tears flowed down, as rich as blood and as warm and smooth as jade, gradually covering the inside of the ring formed by the knotted one-eyed dragon.

And he was right beside that candlelight, being roasted until his whole body was scorching hot.

Beneath the candle tears, the black crystal-like world appeared exceptionally cool. He wanted to touch it.

Just as he was about to touch it, streaks of thunderbolts and lightning suddenly flared up inside the crystal, startling him. He also saw many shadows inside, but they were flickering too fast for him to see clearly.

He could only clearly make out the starlight. The stars vibrated and swayed within the black crystal, and then began to fall.

One after another, they fell and then extinguished, forming a massive meteor shower.

Zhan Yan suddenly felt cold.

A desolate, freezing chill drilled into his bones, making his whole body ache and shiver.

Don’t fall anymore… he opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but his lips were terribly dry, and it felt like a tiny flame was burning in his throat.

“…Yan Yan…”

“…Yan Yan…”

He saw the teetering stars, pitch-black and dried up, as if they had long been extinguished and dead.

This star fell too, and yet it seemed to be rushing toward him.

He saw burning flames through its parched cracks.

A warm liquid touched his lips, trickling through the gaps and slightly into his throat, leaving a faint sweetness in his mouth.

“…Yan Yan… wake up…”

Who was calling him?

Zhan Yan groggily opened his eyes.

Gu Jiancheng was leaning over him, his handsome brows slightly furrowed.

“You…” Zhan Yan found his voice terribly hoarse; speaking a single word felt like sandpaper grinding in his throat.

“You have a fever,” Gu Jiancheng said. “Here, drink some water.”

Holding a cup in his right hand, he supported Zhan Yan’s back with his left, helping him sit up a little.

Zhan Yan drank a little water from his hand. It was warm, sweet honey water.

Seeing him clear up a bit, Gu Jiancheng went down to get medicine.

Watching him suddenly drop down out of view, Zhan Yan realized that Gu Jiancheng had been standing on a stool next to his bed.

University dorms all had beds on top and desks below, and there was no ladder on the side where his head rested. Gu Jiancheng had no choice but to step on the chair.

Zhan Yan felt a slight urge to laugh.

By this time, Gu Jiancheng had already stepped back onto the chair, holding the medicine to feed him.

Zhan Yan took the medicine from his hand. Looking at the dim interior of the room, he asked, “What time is it?”

“Just turned six,” Gu Jiancheng said.

Dawn broke reasonably early in early autumn; it was dim right now half because the curtains were still drawn.

A sudden flash lit up the gap in the curtains, followed shortly by a loud rumble of thunder. Only then did Zhan Yan notice the sound of rain that had been constantly filling the air.

What a heavy rain.

Both he and Gu Jiancheng kept their voices low, but all this tossing around still woke up their other two roommates.

“What’s wrong?” Bao Qingshan asked drowsily.

“Zhan Yan has a fever. Could you guys help ask for a leave of absence for his morning classes?” Gu Jiancheng said.

Duan Hong also sat up, his eyes dull as he took a few seconds to process. “Huh?”

“Zhan Yan has a fever. I just grabbed some medicine from your first-aid kit,” Gu Jiancheng said.

The other three in their dorm didn’t have the habit of keeping medicine around; only Duan Hong stocked various common medicines year-round.

Duan Hong gradually woke up. “Oh, right. There’s a thermometer and alcohol prep pads in the side compartment of the kit.”

He and Bao Qingshan vigorously rubbed their faces to wake themselves up, then came to the bedside and felt Zhan Yan’s forehead. “You’re burning up—it’s a little scary. Do you need to go to the hospital?”

Zhan Yan mumbled, “Mm… let’s wait and see. If the medicine brings it down, I won’t go.”

“Take your temperature first. If it hits 39°C, you have to go to the hospital.” Duan Hong dug out the thermometer.

“I’ll go to the cafeteria and bring you back some porridge. Is there anything else you want to eat?” Bao Qingshan asked.

“Porridge is fine.” Zhan Yan had no appetite.

Gu Jiancheng was looking for a hot water bottle. He felt Zhan Yan’s gaze constantly tracking him.

Since getting the fever, his emotions seemed to have become much more exposed; lying on his side on the bed, his eyes were practically glued to him.

Duan Hong and Bao Qingshan simply washed their faces, threw on their clothes, and left for the cafeteria. Only Zhan Yan and Gu Jiancheng remained in the dorm room.

Zhan Yan was still holding the thermometer under his arm.

38.6°C—no need to measure, Gu Jiancheng had already felt it.

He had suddenly jolted awake halfway through his sleep earlier. That abrupt, shuddering shock made him dazed for a moment, thinking he had returned to Infinite, where even in his dreams, the sharp sting of danger would severely aggravate his nerves.

But after waking up, there was no sense of life-and-death danger. Instead, a different kind of unease tightly gripped his chest—he felt that the aura coming from the direction above his head was off.

Zhan Yan’s aura had changed.

He was running a fever, his face flushed bright red, his features scrunched up uncomfortably, and his lips were peeling from the heat.

It was Gu Jiancheng’s first time seeing Zhan Yan sick. Looking at him so weak and uncomfortable made him feel awful as well.

“Do you want more water?” he asked softly.

Zhan Yan hummed in agreement. “Let me sit up.”

He propped himself up with his sore, weak arms, shivering at the icy touch when he accidentally brushed against the bed rail.

Gu Jiancheng brought his own quilt over to the bed, padding it behind Zhan Yan’s back and on both sides of him.

After drinking a cup of water, Zhan Yan cleared his throat, no longer feeling that scorching, fiery agony.

He was still very confused. “How did I end up with a fever?”

Gu Jiancheng was full of worry. “Did you catch a cold from getting caught in the rain before?”

Zhan Yan tried hard to recall when exactly this “getting caught in the rain before” happened.

The sudden rain by the lotus pond… the time he whistled at Gu Jiancheng when returning to shower.

“…That was so many days ago.” Zhan Yan couldn’t suppress another urge to laugh.

He was definitely burning up, but it wasn’t overly unbearable. Aside from muscle weakness, he just felt cold.

Gu Jiancheng found two empty plastic bottles, filled them with hot water, and tucked them into his quilt.

After eating half a bowl of porridge, the people in the dorm building trickled out to class one by one. The splashing sound of the pouring rain cast a quiet curtain of white noise.

Zhan Yan’s temperature neither rose nor dropped, but he was fiercely cold, as if the bone-deep chill from his dream had followed him into reality.

The hot water bottles only warmed the small patches right next to them; the rest of his body was still freezing. Wrapped up in the quilt, he curled himself into a tiny ball, shivering uncontrollably.

Gu Jiancheng watched him with worry, then suddenly vaulted up onto the bed. He jumped so lightly and steadily that Zhan Yan didn’t even feel the bed sway; in the blink of an eye, there was another person right beside him.

Gu Jiancheng slipped a hand inside the covers and gently grasped his arm.

Zhan Yan felt how delightfully hot his hand was and couldn’t stop himself from wanting to press against it.

Gu Jiancheng had already lifted the quilt and slid in, reaching out to wrap his arms around Zhan Yan.

His arms and chest were wonderfully warm, yet unlike the hot water bottles, they weren’t scalding—it was a perfect, soothing heat. He covered a much larger area than the water bottles and was infinitely softer.

The piercing chill was entirely melted away by this hot-spring-like warmth. Zhan Yan snuggled deeper into his embrace, closed his eyes, and mumbled, “You’re so warm. Let me sleep for a bit.”

“Go to sleep,” Gu Jiancheng said in a gentle, low voice, tucking the corners of the quilt tighter around his neck.

Zhan Yan drifted into a deep slumber. Wrapped closely in someone’s arms, it felt instead like he was the one holding onto that star—that star which had seemingly burned out, only to reignite its fire from within.