Faint car horns and vendor cries could be heard outside the office window, though not clearly.
Everything in the past felt fleeting and unreal, but the touch in Yu Deng's palm was cold and real.
Cheng Chaolin lowered his head, leaving his vulnerable neck completely exposed to Yu Deng.
It was a thoroughly submissive posture.
Yu Deng looked at his deceased husband crouching before him and slowly blinked.
He felt as if he were looking at a fierce, large dog. The vicious dog had been hurt, covered in wounds, and finally ran back to its master, whimpering for gentle comfort.
With this thought, Yu Deng unconsciously clenched his hand and tugged at the cheek of his ghostly husband.
Cheng Chaolin wasn't angry or impatient at all. Instead, he moved closer to Yu Deng and even gently cupped the back of Yu Deng's hand.
"Wife."
Yu Deng and Cheng Chaolin stared at each other for a moment.
Yu Deng temporarily ignored the ghost's great strength and malevolent nature, as well as Cheng Chaolin's previous sinful acts of kissing and biting him.
The soft-hearted, beautiful darling relented.
"You feel hurt, so what should I do?"
The ghost looked up at Yu Deng, a pleased smile appearing in his eyes.
[...] System 01 remained silent for a long time before finally deciding to remind Yu Deng, [Host, the other party is a ghost, so don't let your guard down too much.]
Feeling soft-hearted toward a ghost can easily lead to being completely devoured.
Yu Deng thought for a moment and felt that his system made sense.
If the request was too excessive, he wouldn't agree.
While pondering this, Cheng Chaolin had already spoken and made his request: "Let me hug you first, okay?"
Huh, such a simple request?
Yu Deng had been ready to rebuke his deceased husband for making an outrageous demand, but he hadn't expected such a low request. He was stunned for a few seconds, then released Cheng Chaolin's cheek and slowly opened his arms.
"Alright, then a hug."
The ghost smiled and stood up, then bent down and embraced his little wife, who had willingly opened his arms.
Yu Deng quietly nestled in his deceased husband's cold, broad embrace, his round black eyes observing him with a hint of concern.
Cheng Chaolin's nose was filled with Yu Deng's sweet scent, and the dark mist swirled joyfully.
His wife was truly obedient and adorable. She agreed to the hug, which meant she had him in her heart.
"Darling," the ghost called out.
It seemed to be the first time Yu Deng heard Cheng Chaolin address him like that. He paused for a few seconds, then looked up in confusion.
The ghost enjoyed calling Yu Deng "wife" because it made him feel that they had an inseparable bond. However, trying out a different term brought a different kind of pleasure.
"Is there anything else you want to know, darling?" Cheng Chaolin asked.
Yu Deng, with his mind filled with various plotlines, felt he had a basic understanding of what he wanted to know. Oh, there was still one point he didn't quite understand.
"Why did you adopt Cheng Xiao? You should have been young back then too."
At first, Yu Deng initially thought that his late husband was a promiscuous person.
Cheng Chaolin clicked his tongue lightly, reluctant to mention his adopted son but still gave a brief explanation: "He was the grandson of a family that was a close ally of the Cheng family. When that family fell into trouble, he was taken in by the Cheng family. My father insisted on placing him under my name."
The reason was probably to give Cheng Chaolin an additional concern, which could be used to control him if necessary.
Unfortunately, they didn't anticipate that Cheng Xiao would be a troublemaker, daring even to covet his father's widow.
Cheng Xiao was a high-risk, high-reward character. He could actively delve into the Cheng family, but because his role was naturally opposed to the boss's position and had certain grievances, the danger was even greater.
With his doubts resolved and recalling the plot he saw earlier in the deep illusion, Yu Deng struggled to piece everything together.
Miss Lin's situation was the surface storyline, while Cheng Chaolin's past was the hidden plotline. Both had the same enemy, which eventually led to the current situation.
Alright, everything is connected now.
So, has he completed the task? Oh wait, he still has the special mission.
Yu Deng frowned.
His two task targets hadn't caused any trouble yet. Was it really necessary to deal with the contract and sealing?
"System, I don't think it's necessary," Yu Deng told the system his thoughts.
[I'll report to the main system and ask,]System 01 quickly responded.
"Alright."
While Yu Deng was communicating with the system, Cheng Chaolin held him close, kissed his earlobe, and then slowly moved to kiss his lips.
"Mm."
Cheng Chaolin was very restrained in his kissing this time. Yu Deng didn't feel much discomfort, so he didn't reprimand or struggle and closed his eyes, accepting the kiss.
After a while, Yu Deng groggily opened his eyes and looked at Cheng Chaolin's eyes. He saw that the ghost wasn't the slightest bit sad or desolate; those phoenix eyes were filled with excitement and satisfaction.
Yu Deng thought something seemed off.
"Wife," Cheng Chaolin asked softly after he had finished kissing, "Do you still want to seal me again?"
Yu Deng opened his mouth but didn't immediately answer the question.
He wasn't sure how the main system would judge this.
Wait a minute.
As the days of the instance were coming to an end, Yu Deng finally realized another crucial issue, or rather, a conflict.
The additional task was to take revenge for Cheng Chaolin, but the system also required him to seal Cheng Chaolin again.
What if these two tasks conflicted? How was he supposed to complete the mission? The additional task didn't seem to be mandatory, so maybe he could ignore it.
Yu Deng's head was spinning.
[Host,] System 01 noticed Yu Deng's confusion. [In terms of task priority, special tasks are higher than all ordinary tasks within the instance.]
"Oh."
Cheng Chaolin stared at Yu Deng. Unsatisfied with the lack of a clear answer, the ghost lightly bit Yu Deng's collarbone.
In the illusion, other players were diligently working on their tasks.
Zhang Ziyun and Ke Qi teamed up and found many overlooked details. For instance, the scandal at the Fourth Concubine's family's school was related to Miss Lin's sister, and Miss Lin's pre-marital residence at the Cheng family's home was because the Lin family had abandoned her, while the Cheng family's elders feared she might run away.
The whole situation was now mostly clear.
Zhang Ziyun was almost exhausted, with several new wounds. Breathing heavily with vacant eyes, she suddenly realized, "Wait, our mandatory task is to find the culprit and uncover the truth."
Ke Qi nodded, "Yes, what's wrong?"
"But the things we've sorted out and guessed are pretty much the same as the plot we saw in the first phase. So why did we have to go through all this?"
The instance's tasks and various changes were guiding players deeper into danger, essentially pushing them towards self-destruction. It was very manipulative.
The two players exchanged glances, their thoughts becoming more intense.
"Big guy, what do you think?" They asked Cheng Xiao, who had just joined them.
The young man remained silent, his gaze searching inch by inch for where Yu Deng might be.
At this moment, the main system's electronic voice sounded again.
[Ding. There is one hour remaining until the instance ends. Players can exit the instance early after confirming task completion in half an hour.]
The two novice players immediately showed weak smiles of relief.
Great, this damned instance was finally about to end.
They grinned for a while but turned to see Cheng Xiao heading in a certain direction.
"Let's leave as soon as the time is up. I'm afraid the instance might pull some last-minute tricks. Hey, wait, big guy, where are you going?"
At this point, Yu Deng had just received a reply from the main system.
The main system carefully considered Yu Deng's request, with a momentary hesitation in the electronic sound.
The fierce ghost was absorbed in his soft, sweet wife, showing no signs of aggression, and the other player seemed to be inactive. It seemed, perhaps, that there was no problem.
During the silence, Cheng Chaolin seemed to think of something, and the dark mist stirred momentarily.
The main system immediately became alert.
Not long after, the space began to warp, tearing open a gap, and Cheng Xiao's figure appeared before Yu Deng.
Cheng Xiao's gaze was fixed on Yu Deng. As expected, whenever he wasn't around, Yu Deng would completely forget him and become affectionate with other men.
The young man looked like a wet puppy, dejected but still craving Yu Deng's attention and favor.
"Darling," Cheng Xiao called, "I'm here."
Yu Deng tilted his head and blinked at Cheng Xiao. "Wow." It was impressive that even a deeper illusion could be found by a top player.
Cheng Chaolin tightened his hold on Yu Deng, subtly blocking his view, and said to his adopted son, "It's not good to always be concerned about someone else's wife."
Cheng Xiao responded with a cold "Heh."
Cheng Chaolin's pressure was intense, much stronger than when he first broke the seal. However, considering Yu Deng was still present, Cheng Chaolin barely restrained himself from becoming too frightening.
Cheng Xiao didn't back down and countered firmly.
[Did the baby just get kissed again? It was blacked out the whole time, but seeing the battlefield is good enough, hehe.]
[The boss is so scary. I felt this fear even through the screen last time, and it was only an A-level instance.]
[The stepson actually managed to break through the deeper illusion. That's impressive.]
The space shook violently, with air currents swirling debris from the ground, and a wall collapsed with a thunderous crash. The main system issued a sharp alarm: [Yu Deng, please immediately execute the special task to restrain both sides and prevent them from destroying the instance! Failure to complete the task will result in punishment!]
Yu Deng frowned and told the main system to be quiet.
"Just do it. Why so loud? It's so noisy."
Fortunately, he had previously instructed the two men not to fight casually, so the precarious peace was still maintained.
"You guys—" Yu Deng was about to say something when the scene suddenly changed.
The illusion shattered, and they returned to the Cheng family mansion, which had borne countless sins.
The sky outside was dark, and the pale lanterns swayed in the wind, with the sound of suona horns faintly heard.
The people in the mansion seemed unaware that the players had entered the past illusion. They remained anxious, not daring to look at Cheng Chaolin.
However, under Cheng Chaolin's imposing presence, they couldn't make any moves, remaining frozen in place with terrified expressions, appearing quite absurd.
"You're back, heh heh," Cheng Chaoxiao said with a shiver. Her movements were particularly stiff and strange, one of her arms was torn off by herself, clearly paper-thin, with her life or death unknown.
Cheng Chaolin held his small wife close, not sparing a glance for anyone else.
Meanwhile, only five players remained. The two university students looked as if they had rolled in mud, while the low-profile designer was still in an altered state with signs of a struggle. The office worker had disappeared, likely due to an accident.
Lin Zhiyue glanced at the players and, considering the goodwill felt in the illusion, ultimately chose not to take further action. Even the designer player, who had been altered for looking through her diary, was ignored.
A delicate balance was maintained between the NPCs and the players.
Yu Deng was still in Cheng Chaolin's arms and checked the task countdown. It was almost the last half-hour, and they could leave soon.
[Ding, thirty minutes remaining in the instance. Players may exit early.]
The surviving novice players eagerly left, leaving only Cheng Xiao and Yu Deng in the hall.
Cheng Xiao walked towards Yu Deng, his eyes dark and grim.
If Cheng Chaolin was a mature, ruthless leader, then Cheng Xiao was the younger, more inexperienced but equally fierce wolf cub, unwilling to give up easily.
Yu Deng looked at the approaching stepson, then at his ghostly husband, struggling with the decision. Perhaps it was better to complete the simpler task first.
Yu Deng turned in Cheng Chaolin's embrace and whispered, "Let me go, I need to talk to Cheng Xiao for a bit."
Cheng Chaolin's arms tightened suddenly and he remained silent. The dark mist wrapped around Yu Deng, preventing him from leaving, and exuded a murderous intent towards Cheng Xiao.
Yu Deng quickly reassured him, "Don't get worked up."
Having learned about his husband's circumstances, Yu Deng was currently more tolerant of him.
He tugged at Cheng Chaolin's sleeve, "It'll be over soon. You behave for a while, no fighting or mischief, or I'll be upset."
"I won't make you angry."
Cheng Chaolin looked at Yu Deng, then lowered his head, touched Yu Deng with his cheek, and slowly released his grip. The dark mist, carrying power and emotion, drooped in a resigned manner, curling into small coils, trying to hold on to Yu Deng.
Not far away, Cheng Xiao observed Yu Deng and Cheng Chaolin's affectionate interaction, his steps faltering with a mix of frustration and disappointment.
The rebellious youth, always brash and reckless, now questioned himself in anxiety.
Was it because he was immature and inconsiderate that Yu Deng chose that old man instead?
The thought darkened Cheng Xiao's face.
He couldn't compete with a dead old man..
As the youth pondered, he looked up and found Yu Deng had proactively appeared before him.
The youth nearly stuttered, "Baby."
Yu Deng said nothing, taking Cheng Xiao's sleeve and leading him to a secluded corner. Cheng Xiao followed obediently, like a dog on a leash.
Cheng Chaolin watched this scene and coldly used the dark mist to drive the Cheng family members away, leisurely following from a distance.
Yu Deng glanced at the young stepson and said, "I mentioned before that you need to sign the contract. You didn't respond last time."
System 01 emphasized: [Host, you should remember that it's up to you to handle the signing, so just make sure the task target listens to you.]
Yu Deng felt the system's words had a subtle implication, but couldn't quite grasp it, so he decided to ignore it.
Yu Deng looked up and met Cheng Xiao's eyes.
"After the contract is signed, you will have to submit to me and obey my orders."
Cheng Xiao's gaze was intense as he looked at Yu Deng, thinking that he was already a well-trained obedient dog, so the contract's content didn't make much of a difference.
If this was Yu Deng's wish or task, and if complying would improve Yu Deng's impression of him and give him an advantage in the competition, then there was no harm in it.
Cheng Xiao nodded decisively, "Alright, let's sign it."
Yu Deng had expected the young stepson to be more resistant, but was surprised by his quick agreement. He hesitated for a moment, then asked the system, "What should I do next?"
[Just think about it in your mind.]
Yu Deng, puzzled, did as instructed, mumbling to himself. After a few seconds, an invisible force appeared, enveloping the two of them, with a flash of pale golden light connecting them briefly before disappearing.
[Done]System 01 reported.
Another electronic voice chimed in,[Ding, congratulations to player Yu Deng for completing the special task of restraining the player.]
Yu Deng tested the so-called contract but didn't feel any special effects for now.
Cheng Xiao, however, felt an increased desire to be close to Yu Deng. He looked at Yu Deng intently and tentatively asked, "So, can I still see you in the future?"
Since entering the first phase with Yu Deng, the youth had harbored some doubts.
Other NPCs were from past timelines, but Yu Deng, the young widower, and the ghost Cheng Chaolin had been different from the start.
"Baby, even if I can't re-enter this instance, there's a chance we might meet again, right?"
Yu Deng, puzzled for a moment, then realized Cheng Xiao had guessed his identity. It was no longer a secret. Yu Deng replied, "If you don't tell anyone…"
This reaction almost explicitly indicated it.
Cheng Xiao was overwhelmed by joy, smiling brightly, "I see now. Of course, I'll keep the secret for you. Baby, my name is Cheng Xiao."
Yu Deng blinked.
"Will Baby come find me?" Before Yu Deng could respond, Cheng Xiao quickly dismissed the idea, "No, no need to find me. As long as Baby is among the players, I will definitely find you."
Yu Deng, Yu Deng—if Yu Deng was also a player, then he would definitely find him. As for Cheng Chaolin, the real NPC, he wasn't a threat anymore.
Cheng Xiao's anxiety vanished completely.
Yu Deng hesitated, "Well, then, do your best."
Those brief words seemed to give the youth an incredibly sweet treat.
Cheng Xiao's demeanor brightened. He gave Yu Deng a kiss on the lips, looking refreshed, "I will. Baby, let's exit the instance together."
Yu Deng mumbled, "Hmm."
Behind Yu Deng, Cheng Chaolin stood quietly. The ghost had excellent hearing and could hear his stepson coaxing Yu Deng to leave together.
The previously inexplicable and subtle anomalies all pointed to one reason.
Yu Deng and those so-called guests, including his troublesome stepson, came from an unknown place.
They would disappear after a short stay, unable to be retained or pursued.
Though Yu Deng said he needed to talk for a while, the outcome was still that he would leave with someone.
At that moment, Cheng Xiao had clicked the option to exit the instance. But his figure became ethereal, while Yu Deng remained solidly in the instance.
Tsk.
Yu Deng innocently said, "I'll leave later."
Cheng Xiao, in the void, gazed at Yu Deng, "Alright. Then, see you later, Deng Deng."
"..."
Cheng Chaolin watched Yu Deng being kissed by Cheng Xiao and saw Yu Deng nearly leaving with him, as if abandoning him here.
The black mist behind Cheng Chaolin had expanded to its limit, its power silently howling. With a single thought, it could destroy everything, including the ethereal stepson.
The violent emotions filled the ghost's mind, reaching a peak of anger and disappointment, and the cold body felt an unusual discomfort.
Destroy the competition(competitor)..
But the next moment, Yu Deng didn't leave. Instead, he turned and walked towards the ghost.
All of Cheng Chaolin's vicious movements halted, and his eyes showed rare bewilderment.
"Cheng Chaolin."
Yu Deng lifted his face and called out to his late husband.
Yu Deng felt that staying behind alone to finish the task was incredibly brave.
Cheng Chaolin was still somewhat confused, "Aren't you leaving, my wife? What's this about..?"
"I still have something to do with you."
Cheng Chaolin's voice was hoarse, "Alright.."
Yu Deng looked at Cheng Chaolin, thought for a few seconds, and suddenly beckoned for Cheng Chaolin to lower his head.
The ghost, somewhat puzzled, still obediently bowed down.
Yu Deng raised his hand, his clean and fair fingertips, warm with body heat, touched Cheng Chaolin's furrowed brow.
Yu Deng's voice was soft. This unintentional comfort felt like a blessing to the ghost.
"There's no need to fight. The time I have left is all yours."