Cheng Chaoling lowered his head, feeling the warmth of Yu Deng's fingertips brushing over his brow. The evil spirit almost dared not blink, fearing that such tenderness might be just a figment of fantasy.
After a moment of silence, Cheng Chaoling softly repeated Yu Deng's words, "You said you'll stay with me for the time being?"
Yu Deng nodded.
Cheng Chaoling confirmed again, "Just stay with me, right?"
Yu Deng was puzzled by the need for repeated confirmation from his late husband. "Of course."
After all, Cheng Xiao's special task had already been completed, so he would surely focus on his tasks with Cheng Chaoling from now on.
Cheng Chaoling felt in an instant that he was willing to do anything Yu Deng asked.
The evil spirit's resentment and ferocity had completely dissipated, replaced by a deeper yearning.
"This is what you said," Cheng Chaoling reminded.
[Oh no, the screen went black again. Deng Deng has so many secrets, it's all so mysterious!]
[Reasonable guess: Deng Deng might have some special tasks, but is afraid we'll interfere, so he blocked it out.]
[The above guess is very likely. But it's surprising that five players are still alive in this transformation game.]
[Thanks to Baby, many plot lines were triggered by Baby, and several NPCs in the instance became less aggressive towards players, especially the butler.]
[Since Baby hasn't left us yet, maybe we'll see extra content? Damn, The evil spirit really seems like a tamed big dog. The live stream has been cut off!!]
The hundreds of thousands of viewers in the live stream all saw the screen go black, showing that the live stream had ended. Yu Deng's main storyline was over, and what remained were special tasks, so the system cut off the live stream completely.
Of course, Yu Deng didn't notice that his viewers were forced to black out again. He had already been embraced by the evil spirit.
"What does my wife want to do with me?" Cheng Chaoling asked.
Yu Deng pressed his lips together. "It's what I mentioned to you before."
The seal, Cheng Chaoling realized, and his previous joy faded considerably.
Yu Deng looked up at his late husband, who had only recently seen the light of day again, feeling a bit uncomfortable and unsure of how to say it.
The evil spirit, being very intelligent, had already guessed the truth from Yu Deng's attitude and the missing guests—that Yu Deng did not want him to destroy this space.
Cheng Chaoling handed the decision to Yu Deng. "This is something my wife must do, right?"
Yu Deng gently agreed with a sound.
Cheng Chaoling sighed. "Then I will cooperate with my wife."
His late husband was so obedient and cooperative.
Yu Deng fell silent for a moment and then asked randomly, "Cheng Chaoling, do you think this counts as revenge now?"
Cheng Chaoling thought seriously for a moment and shook his head. "Perhaps it's still lacking a bit. My wife, I want to destroy this place."
Yu Deng thought to himself that there was indeed a conflict.
This additional task couldn't be completed simultaneously with the special task; once sealed, destruction was impossible. Alternatively, it seemed that the instance itself did not want Cheng Chaoling to successfully take revenge. It was strange.
Cheng Chaoling also understood the conflict, with a hint of mockery in his eyes.
"I have an idea." Cheng Chaoling smiled at Yu Deng's puzzled gaze. "Before that, if my dear wants to do anything to me, please do it first."
Yu Deng responded with a subdued "oh," and under the guidance of System 01, he silently wished to sign a contract with the evil spirit and seal him again.
A pale golden line connected them.
Compared to a mere adopted son, as an evil spirit, Cheng Chaoling had a clearer perception of this power and could more distinctly feel his connection with Yu Deng.
Cheng Chaoling narrowed his eyes and, at the final stage of sealing, forcibly paused.
"Eh?" Yu Deng curiously reached out, "What's happening?"
"Don't rush."
Cheng Chaoling dispersed the swirling black mist. The mansion's appearance reappeared before Yu Deng, while the Cheng family members were driven into a corner by the mist, watching the two of them in fear.
They were villains about to face judgment, once executioners.
Yu Deng looked for a few seconds and quietly asked, "Are there any uninformed people inside?"
Cheng Chaoling glanced sideways, understanding Yu Deng's meaning. He opened the mansion door, and the black mist pushed out the few unrelated people.
The butler glanced back at the intimate one-man, one-ghost duo and stepped into the darkness. Cheng Chaoling nodded to the butler and explained to Yu Deng, "Butler Dong used to be my subordinate. He hasn't had a good time since then, so I lent him some of my power."
Yu Deng responded with an "oh." No wonder Butler Dong seemed so intimidating on the first day of the instance.
On the other side, Lin Zhiyue also understood Cheng Chaoling's intention. She gave a final salute to Cheng Chaoling and Yu Deng and voluntarily stepped into the darkness, her figure gradually becoming blurred.
Yu Deng watched Miss Lin's retreating figure. "Wait, Miss Lin, she—"
"Don't worry, she wanted to leave a long time ago."
Cheng Chaoling gently kissed Yu Deng's cheek. The black mist swelled to its limit, resembling burning black flames.
"My wife, all you need to do is stop me."
Yu Deng, stunned, said, "Ah?"
The black mist spread in all directions, instantly burning and corroding all obstacles, the black flames spreading rapidly.
Yu Deng was dazed for a few seconds, then finally caught up with Cheng Chaoling's pace.
Oh, I see.
Yu Deng awkwardly played along, grabbing the evil spirit's sleeve with an anxious voice but sparkling eyes. "You, you need to stop quickly!"
The evil spirit complied with words, but the next moment, the mansion collapsed with a loud crash, turning into a pile of ruins.
As the time to break the seal increased, Cheng Chaoling's control over the instance grew stronger. If not for the constraints from the system and the instance, he would have been like a deity.
The black mist destroyed everything in sight. The Cheng family members fled in all directions.
"I was wrong, I was wrong. Brother, I shouldn't have been deceived by ghosts and harmed you, nor should I have let Wen Hao bully Zhiyue," Cheng Chaoxia screamed in despair, but her mutated body quickly burned up, turning to ashes.
Cheng Chaoling disdainfully ignored the Cheng family's hypocritical confessions and pleas. The sound of collapse around him was continuous.
Yu Deng's eyes sparkled as he watched the buildings in the mansion turn into ruins.
It actually felt pretty good.
The only one unhappy now might be the main system.
The main system detected abnormal fluctuations and rushed over in a panic. The electronic voice was several degrees higher. [Player Yu Deng, why haven't you completed the task? Why did you let the evil spirit destroy the instance?!]
Yu Deng, displeased, retorted, "I was working on the task. Didn't you see? I even risked my life to try to stop him."
[But...] the main system, seeing this completely unrecognizable space, almost malfunctioned.
"But Cheng Chaoling agreed to be sealed," Yu Deng pointed at the ruins in front of him, "and there's still a foundation here. Isn't the instance so powerful that it can easily pull us in? It should also be able to easily rebuild, right?"
Yu Deng angrily rebutted and then gave himself a mental applause.
Wow, he's rarely this articulate.
Main system: [...]
The main system, frustrated and unable to speak out, left in a swirl of chaotic code.
The Cheng family mansion was completely turned into ruins. At least for now, the cycle of repeated sins had come to an end.
Yu Deng exhaled, thinking his task should be complete and wondering if he could leave.
As this thought crossed his mind, Yu Deng heard another intermittent electronic voice.
[Ding ding, unidentified anomaly detected. Player Yu Deng is being detained.]
Yu Deng quickly called out to System 01 but received no response.
What's going on?
"My wife clearly said he would stay with me. It hasn't been long; you can't leave," the evil spirit murmured in Yu Deng's ear. "Don't go."
Yu Deng, with reddened eyes, urgently said, "I can't."
"My wife, there's nothing left here, only you and me." Cheng Chaoling dispersed the flames and stood alone in the ruins, pleading, "Stay with me a little longer."
Yu Deng clutched his clothing, nervous and unsure. "So, how do you want me to stay with you?"
Cheng Chaoling replied without hesitation, "My wife, please accompany me through the ceremony and let me marry you again."
Yu Deng hesitated a bit.
"Just indulge me a little, okay?"
Their initial union had been merely a cover for those schemes, without a wedding, blessings, or even a meeting between them.
Later, after being killed by his closest family, Yu Deng was left a widower, and their relationship lost its original significance.
Cheng Chaoling had always been troubled by this.
The evil spirit patiently coaxed, "It will be quick, just a simple bowing. You can think of it as just acting with me."
Really? But the roles in the instance were already part of a performance.
Yu Deng struggled for a moment but was eventually persuaded by Cheng Chaoling's sincere plea. "Alright, then just a bow."
Yu Deng found it hard to refuse the pleas of such a pitiful and distressed figure.
Cheng Chaoling, testing the waters, continued to reveal the evil spirit's greedy desires. "My wife must have looked beautiful in that qipao in front of that scoundrel. Unfortunately, I never saw it."
Yu Deng responded with a "Hmm."
"Let me see it too, my wife."
Eventually, under Cheng Chaoling's repeated requests, Yu Deng donned a bright red wedding dress. He stood quietly among the ruins, looking exquisitely beautiful, with a breathtaking charm.
The black mist formed a platform for the wedding ceremony.
The air still held traces of smoke, and the black mist filled the space, making the world seem so desolate yet restless.
Yu Deng did not wear a veil and awkwardly bowed to Cheng Chaoling under his guidance, completing an incomplete wedding ceremony.
The evil spirit was satisfied. "Alright, my wife is mine again."
The dense mist dispersed, and the wedding platform disappeared, replaced by a spacious bedroom, similar to the one that appeared when Cheng Chaoling broke the seal.
But this time, the bed was no longer in dark tones; it was decorated in festive red.
Yu Deng was placed in the center. The bright red wedding quilt and dress made him appear even more pale.
He lay on the bed, with black hair and fair skin, his lips red and lush, creating a striking visual impact.
Cheng Chaolin embraced Yu Deng's waist, gazing at him with entranced eyes, skillfully kissing him.
Their lips met and their tongues intertwined, the soft touch of Yu Deng's tongue being caressed. Soon, their lips became moist.
Yu Deng, dazed from the kiss, slowly asked, "What are you doing? Didn't I already allow you to remarry?"
The ghost finally revealed his intention, "So, we should have our bridal night, my wife."
Yu Deng's eyes widened in shock. Was this stage still necessary?!
The dark mist swirled excitedly, stealthily wrapping around Yu Deng's skirt and creeping up from his ankle.
The cold mist swiftly reached Yu Deng's thighs, seemingly both pleading and desiring, curling and coiling at the ends.
Yu Deng tried to push it away, blushing and cursing, "You Pervert!"
The more Yu Deng cursed, the more excited the ghost became. After suppressing his desires for several days, they surged once again.
Cheng Chaolin readily accepted Yu Deng's evaluation, "My wife, you forgot, I'm a ghost, so I have no morals."
The dark mist continued to cling along in agreement.
Yu Deng, feeling fearful, cautiously rejected Cheng Chaolin's earlier suggestion, "We can't do that kind of thing."
He definitely didn't want anything to do with a bridal night, which he was sure would be tiring and painful!
Cheng Chaolin fell silent for a few seconds, then took a step back.
Yu Deng's skirt had unknowingly gathered up, now bunched on his slender, flexible waist.
The cold tips of the ghost's fingers lifted the thin white fabric, brushing over the flesh on the inside of Yu Deng's thigh.
Just being touched by the rough fingertips covered in a thin callus made the delicate and sensitive skin feel uncomfortable.
"How about here instead, is it okay?"
Yu Deng didn't understand what Cheng Chaolin meant. He furrowed his delicate eyebrows, wanting to bring his slender, white legs together to prevent the ghost from moving around.
"You're making me uncomfortable..."
Cheng Chaolin looked at his annoyed and delicate young wife, reflecting on his actions. "I was wrong. I should have made sure my wife was comfortable first."
Yu Deng blankly watched as Cheng Chaolin leaned over and bowed his head.
Then Yu Deng couldn't find the words to speak.
The ghost, awkward yet careful, served his delicate and beautiful young wife.
For a moment, Yu Deng's legs tensed up, then weakened and hung down without much strength.
His misty eyes unfocused, gazing at the bed canopy, his breathing uneven, the corners of his eyes showing a hint of spring, a charming blush spreading.
Cheng Chaolin made a swallowing motion. "My wife, are you satisfied?"
Yu Deng had never experienced such a dreamy feeling before, feeling dizzy and awkward as he clumsily commented, "It's okay."
The smile in Cheng Chaolin's eyes deepened.
"My dear, we must uphold the principle of reciprocity."
Yu Deng took a while to gather his thoughts and understand the meaning behind the words.
But it seemed like he didn't need to think about it.
That cold and sinister thing was touching his snowy white legs.
It was ugly and frightening.
Yu Deng's face turned even redder in an instant. "What, what are you doing, you scoundrel, pervert!"
Cheng Chaolin's breathing was heavy as he tightly embraced Yu Deng, burying his head in the nape of Yu Deng's neck, murmuring, "It'll be quick, I'll be gentle."
Yu Deng's head was spinning, momentarily swayed by the sweet words of the ghost, but quickly realizing they were all deceitful lies.
No matter how gentle, for someone who fears pain and itching like him, it was a strange sensation. That frightening thing rubbing against him made him very uncomfortable.
And, there was no quickness at all.
Tears welled up in his quickly darkening eyes.
Yu Deng cursed in a jumble, "Damn bastard.."
Cheng Chaolin continued to peck and kiss in an appeasing manner while comforting his young wife, his actions relentless.
The ghost's kissing technique had improved significantly in these past few days, at least diverting most of Yu Deng's attention to the kisses.
In the final moment, Cheng Chaolin planted a kiss on the slightly flushed corner of Yu Deng's eye.
The gentle fragrance on Yu Deng mixed with an unpleasant odor.
At that moment, System 01 finally broke through the ghost's barrier and contacted Yu Deng: [Host? ]
Simultaneously, Cheng Chaolin also keenly sensed certain signals that Yu Deng might want to leave.
The ghost's eyes darkened. After the indulgence they shared today, would Yu Deng remember the ghost(him) later?
"My wife, don't forget about me..."
Yu Deng couldn't make out what Cheng Chaolin and the system were saying.
His eyelashes were wet from crying. The hem of his skirt was already torn and tattered, hanging loosely on him.
His slightly plump thighs occasionally trembled lightly.
The delicate skin tinged with red, with a small area even slightly grazed. Due to excessive friction, it burned painfully and he couldn't bring them together.
"It hurts so much..."
Cheng Chaolin's gaze was filled with pity as he gently massaged Yu Deng, apologizing sincerely, "I'm sorry, it's my fault, I'm a bastard."
Yu Deng's skin was whiter than the snow under the new moon, especially in the parts untouched by sunlight.
However, at this moment, his fair skin was dotted with patches of grime.
Sticky and dirty.
Yu Deng glared fiercely at Cheng Chaolin, his eyes full of accusation.
"It's all your fault." Yu Deng looked at his pitiful legs, his voice tinged with a hint of tears.
"You've made everything dirty."