Ding!
Ding!
Suddenly, he hard a dramatic sound in his head and the System screen blinked in front of his face.
[MAIN QUEST: Cosplay Demon – Register at Human Guild]
[Status: Completed]
[Reward: EXP]
[Bonus Reward: New Skill – [Bride of Shadows] (Active)]
[Level Up! 7 → 10]
[Skill Unlocked: Charm Morph (Male)]
Liu Yang froze, staring at the glowing System screen like it just spat on his face. His finger shot up, shaking.
"Now?! You give me this now?!"
"I ran through town like a fool, boobs bouncing, panties flashing to every pervert with working eyes—and NOW you level me up?!"
He slapped his forehead with one hand.
"If you gave me this just two minutes earlier, I could've turned into a man, walked out cool, head high, no shame! But nooo, System waits till my dignity is already six feet under!"
The screen flickered back calm.
[Better late than never, Host.]
His jaw dropped, his eyes wide. He grabbed his own head like he was about to rip his hair out.
"Better late—?! Do you think dignity is a side quest I can grind back with EXP points?! System, you bastard!"
Another flicker of System.
[Stop crying, Host. Check your rewards.]
The words on the System screen shifted.
[Demonic Bind: Bride of Shadows]
[Type: Active]
[Cost: 500 MP]
[Slots: 1 (More unlocked as Host levels up)]
[Condition: Target must be killed by Host's hand. Target level must not exceed Host level.]
[Effect: Revive target as "Shadow Bride." She retains appearance, memories, and skills but gains absolute loyalty to Host.]
[EXP Share: Host gains shared EXP from Shadow Bride's kills, increasing Host's own level.]
Liu Yang's mouth fell open. His finger shot at the System screen.
"One slot?! Just one?! What the hell am I supposed to do with ONE zombie bride slot?!"
The System screen blinked again.
[Be grateful, Host. At least it's free. In other worlds this comes with a subscription.]
Liu Yang clutched his chest, like the words stabbed him right there.
"Subscription?! What is this, some OF scam?!"
He pushed aside System as he was in hurry to ran as soon as possible.
He pushed himself up from the dirt, brushing off his skirt with both hands and tugging it straight like that would fix his pride too.
He finally lifted his head—only to see her already standing there in front of him, her wrist stretched out right at his face.
She was holding it there like a little kid begging for candy, eyes sparkling like she was saying, Come on, grab me and run again!
He blinked. "...What are you doing now?"
For a second he just froze, blank, wondering if this girl thought he was some kind of wrist-pulling machine.
Her eyes sparkled, cheeks flushed, and suddenly she puffed her chest out.
"Master! I thought you'd grab me again!"
"Grab me again! When you held me, my heart was like doki doki boom boom—thump thump thump! I felt us running as one! Two souls! Two bodies! Fated partners across the stars!"
Her free hand shot high in the air, finger stabbing at the sky. "If you grab me now, I'll run faster than a wolf! Faster than a dragon! Faster than lightning! Whoosh—zoom!" She even made racing noises with her mouth, stomping her feet like she was already sprinting.
Liu Yang's mouth twitched hard. His head tilted back, his soul screaming inside.
"Oh god… somebody, please… give me a mute button. Just one. Anything. My ears are bleeding. My brain's melting."
But she wasn't done. She spun in a circle, both hands clutching her chest now, eyes sparkling like a heroine on stage. "Master, if you don't grab me,"
"I'll feel abandoned! Like a lonely puppy in the rain, like a bird with no wings, like a flower in the storm, like—"
His eye twitched. He clutched his ear with one hand, the other dragging down his face.
"My ears are bleeding… my soul's already gone. I'm dead. Just bury me here."
She leaned in close, whispering sweet but loud enough to stab his ear. "Don't worry, Master, if you die, I'll bury you! Then I'll lie on top of your grave forever! We'll be together for eternity—"
He let out a broken laugh. "Oh great. Even my grave won't be quiet…"
Liu Yang rolled his eyes, his head heavy like it might drop any second, his soul already floating away after hearing her yap on and on.
He didn't even let himself think this time. Enough was enough.
He just shot out his hand and grabbed her wrist, hard, like the only way to survive was to drag her and run before she could spit out another word.
He didn't grab it because he wanted to. He grabbed it because he couldn't stand one more damn word from her mouth.
If she started again, he swore his ears would fall off for real.
"Shut up. We're leaving." His voice came out flat, tired, like a dead man talking.
Her eyes lit up bright, cheeks red, lips parting. "Ahh, Master… I knew it. You do want to hold my hand again… you don't have to pretend!"
Liu Yang's steps got faster. His face blank. His heart crying inside.
Inside his head he groaned.
"Oh god… give me a mute button. Please. Just a mute button."
He pictured her mouth with a big fat ON/OFF switch slapped on it. His finger pressing the OFF side. Sweet, blessed silence. Her lips moving but nothing coming out. Peace.
He almost smiled at the thought. Almost. But then she hummed softly behind him, and his soul fell out of his body again.
He stomped down the road, dragging her along like he was done with everything.
His skirt bounced all over the place with every heavy step, and his boobs were bouncing too, shaking under his skirt.
It was annoying, so damn annoying, and his whole body was screaming inside, begging to change back already. Skirt flying in air, boobs bouncing, "why the hell do I have to suffer like this?!"