Maybe it was because of the generational gap, but Fallen Dead Spirit kept retreating in front of Sheng Sheng.
He still hadn't said the word "Dad," yet the sight of his face turning livid while being unable to refute a single sentence made every onlooker understand: Fallen Dead Spirit had officially taken up the job of "son."
Sheng Sheng really wanted to press the advantage and force him to acknowledge it out loud.
But, inevitably, some blind fool always had to jump out at the critical moment, trying to interrupt their "deep father-and-son bond."
"Why are you here?" A handsome young man pushed through the crowd. He frowned, looking at Sheng Sheng with open disgust. "Heh, so what you said before really was just playing hard to get. And…"
He glanced at Fallen Dead Spirit and sneered. "You're even more aggressive than before. As expected of a vicious man."
Sheng Sheng raised an eyebrow.
The face was familiar. The name above his head was familiar too.
[Gu Han], real name Murong Han, class: Warrior.
—The original novel's male lead had finally appeared.
Sheng Sheng's mind raced, but before she could speak—
Sheng Qing cut in. "How can you talk like that? What do you mean 'vicious'? My sister is trying to let this orphan brother experience some long-lost fatherly love. What a great deed that is! Maybe you're the one who's vicious—so you think everyone is vicious!"
Getting called out again, Fallen Dead Spirit's already-livid face turned even darker.
Sheng Sheng snapped back to herself, her peach-blossom eyes widening in surprise. "Nice mouth you've got there, little sis!"
Sheng Qing lifted her chin proudly. "Of course! I'm talent forged on the grand stage of Zu'an!"
_____
TL: Zu'an (祖安, Zǔ'ān) = The Chinese internet's legendary training ground for trash talk
The Zu'an server in League of Legends China became INFAMOUS for having the most creative, elaborate, and poetic trash-talkers in the game. Players there didn't just say "you suck" - they crafted elaborate, flowery insults that were almost an art form.
This evolved into "Zu'an Culture" (祖安文化) - referring to the skill of masterful, creative verbal combat and roasting.
Key characteristics:
Not basic insults, but elaborate, multi-layered verbal attacks
Often poetic, rhetorical, creative
Quick-witted comebacks and sharp tongue
Cultural references and wordplay
It's about STYLE, not just being mean
_____
The two of them chatted warmly.
Murong Han, ignored to the side, couldn't hold it in anymore. He pointed at Sheng Qing, then snapped at Sheng Sheng, "Make her shut up."
Sheng Sheng narrowed her eyes.
—In the original novel, "Sheng Sheng" truly liked this male lead.
She was sharp-tongued and mean to everyone else, but in front of Murong Han she was always timid and weak. If her idol told her to go east, she wouldn't dare go west.
If Murong Han called her vicious, the old "Sheng Sheng" wouldn't deny it—she'd just swallow it with a wronged expression, too scared to argue.
Murong Han had clearly grown used to that pattern. His face now carried arrogant confidence, and the occasional glance toward her was full of contempt, as if she wasn't worth his time.
Sheng Sheng signaled Sheng Qing to calm down, then asked with a smile, "Do you know why I didn't speak to you just now?"
Murong Han frowned.
Without waiting for an answer, Sheng Sheng continued, "Because I sent you a text earlier."
A text?
A bad feeling rose in Murong Han's chest.
Sheng Sheng let out a meaningful chuckle and repeated it: "I still remember exactly what it said: 'Then it's settled—if you contact me again, you'll be my third grandson.'"
Behind them, Ling Yu's expression turned subtly complicated for a moment.
"But you were the one who spoke to me first," Sheng Sheng said, pausing. Then she called out brightly, "Grandpa's right here! Third Grandson!"
This time, Murong Han's face turned a terrifying shade of green.
In contrast, Fallen Dead Spirit's complexion suddenly looked much better.
Sheng Sheng: Maybe he realized he has a dutiful junior now, so he's happy?
----------------------
Sheng Sheng had studied this for a long time—how to keep "Sheng Sheng," the cannon-fodder female side character, alive for longer.
And she found two possible routes.
The first was to cling tightly to the protagonists and become their number-one lackey—aside from tragedy novels, the protagonist crew was always the safest.
But the moment the thought appeared, she rejected it.
Sheng Sheng: Mom told me not to play with idiots!
So only one option remained.
Roast the protagonists.
Roast them to death!
Best case, roast her way into becoming the final villain boss.
—In fluffy romance novels, the final villain boss at worst just fails to win the beauty, then disappears into seclusion in sorrow.
No matter how you looked at it, that beat dying quietly as an expendable side character.
As for the "not winning the beauty" problem…
Sheng Sheng: Male lead or female lead—whoever wants them, please take them away in a bundle!
----------------------
This was the first time implementing the plan, and Sheng Sheng was very satisfied with the results.
She looked at Murong Han with a face full of loving affection. "Grandson, no matter how bad your attitude is, Grandpa will forgive you."
Sheng Qing, loving chaos, chimed in, "Sis, you've got a whole family tree today—congrats, congrats!"
Sheng Sheng happily accepted.
Murong Han was burning with rage, but for a moment he couldn't find words to refute them. His upbringing also made it impossible for him to strike a woman, so he could only stew in silent humiliation.
What shocked Murong Han the most was this: Sheng Sheng, who used to obey him without question, was actually roasting him now!?
That loss of control was what he couldn't tolerate the most!
Fortunately, at the critical moment, his future goddess finally arrived to save him—late but in time.
"What happened? Are you arguing?"
Everyone turned toward the voice and saw a woman in a Priest's robe. Her features were delicate, like a lily blooming in the wind—fragile and pity-inducing.
But what mattered most wasn't her face.
It was her name.
—[Sugar Pellet].
The players who'd been watching silently immediately erupted.
"Holy crap—if I remember right, she's the one who discovered the dungeon, right?"
"Yeah! You're not wrong!"
"Didn't expect her to be pretty."
"Bro, is this the time to look at faces?! She's the dungeon discoverer! She might know secret info!"
"A walking dungeon guide?"
"Either way, go ask her!"
"Our team's pretty boy volunteered!"
"Good brother! Whether we can clear it depends on you!"
…
Tang Wanwan had barely asked one question before she got drowned in a sea of people.
Sheng Sheng: Another day of the female lead being universally adored~
Fallen Dead Spirit tried to go rescue her, but couldn't even squeeze into the outer ring. A full-strength Warrior casually shoved him aside, sending him stumbling several steps before he flopped onto the ground, half a day to crawl up—like a little turtle.
Watching from the sidelines, Sheng Sheng couldn't help laughing out loud.
Fallen Dead Spirit had just struggled back to his feet when he heard the laughter. Instantly humiliated, he snapped, "What are you laughing at!"
Sheng Sheng blinked. "I'm laughing because you're funny."
Fallen Dead Spirit was so angry he nearly rolled his eyes.
Sheng Sheng cheerfully advised, "If you really can't stand me, we can PK again. That new bow of yours looks pretty nice."
Sheng Sheng: Last time I made sixty bucks. This time maybe I can double it?
Fallen Dead Spirit: "..."
He reflexively hid his weapon behind his back, remembering the last loss with clenched teeth.
—He lost one fight and ended up with an extra dad and no weapon. Huge loss.
"So what if you won a duel once!" Fallen Dead Spirit shouted. "If you've got the guts, clear the dungeon!"
Sheng Sheng: "..."
At last, Fallen Dead Spirit found the high ground. He sneered. "A bunch of level 15–16 noobs. You probably can't even clear the trash mobs at the entrance. All you've got is a sharp tongue."
Sheng Sheng's expression turned strange. "Aren't you only level 17?"
Sheng Sheng: It's just one level. Where does that confidence come from?
"I'm not the same as you!" Fallen Dead Spirit sneered. "This dungeon was found by [Sugar Pellet]. We know way more about it than you do! When we get the first clear, it'll be your turn to kneel and call me dad!"
Sheng Sheng looked troubled. "Isn't that… kind of bad?"
Before he could respond, she continued, "You really want to be [Gu Han]'s great-great-grandfather that badly?"
Sheng Sheng: If I'm Murong Han's grandpa, and you want to be my dad, then you'd be Murong Han's great-great-grandfather.
Sheng Qing: "…Sis, you're still on that joke?"
Sheng Sheng coughed. "I don't think this joke is ever going away."
Say it once, make the male lead mad once. Isn't that wonderful?
Murong Han: "..."
If she could, Sheng Qing believed Murong Han would've already stabbed Sheng Sheng to death.
Fallen Dead Spirit couldn't win the argument. His face flushed red with fury.
But just as Sheng Sheng thought he might explode into a fight, he suddenly turned and said to Murong Han, "Do you want to join our team? We're missing one person!"
----------------------
The next developments didn't stray from Sheng Sheng's plan.
Murong Han joined Tang Wanwan's team—as soon as he heroically pulled her out of the crowd, the little white-flower heroine was so moved she invited him on the spot.
Sheng Sheng: Male lead and female lead successfully form a party—next comes the start of the original romance plot!
Meanwhile, Fallen Dead Spirit still refused to give up on changing his "generation."
He insisted on a bet: whoever cleared the dungeon first would be Dad.
"I recorded video evidence," he declared. "When someone loses, the video goes straight to the forum!"
Sheng Sheng smiled. "Since you don't want us to just be father and son for one night, Dad will of course satisfy your wish."
Then the two teams entered the dungeon one after the other.
----------------------
[System]: Discovered [Dissolution Secret Realm].
[System]: The [Dissolution Secret Realm] is infested with large numbers of dark creatures. It is extremely dangerous. All entering players, proceed with utmost caution.
When Sheng Sheng opened her eyes, she found her party inside a narrow cave.
How narrow?
Five people were packed in so tightly that even turning around was difficult.
Worse, the cave was pitch-dark. Only the players' own faint glow provided any light.
"So this is the dungeon?" The first to speak was the cheerful Ling Xingxing. He looked around curiously. "There's nothing here—just a door?"
The others all turned to their captain.
Sheng Sheng: "..."
She scratched her head. "You trust me that much?"
The bet too—no one had even tried to stop it.
—If they really lost, the video would be posted to the forum. They were all in the same boat. None of them would escape the mockery.
Sheng Sheng understood why Tang Wanwan's team wouldn't stop it—because they were confident, and they looked… not very bright.
"But what's up with our team?" Sheng Sheng stroked her chin in confusion. "You all look pretty smart."
Sheng Qing spoke first. "If Sis doesn't look down us, of course I'll support you! Share blessings, share hardships!"
Qi Chuzhou sighed with a helpless smile. "I listen to her."
Ling Xingxing immediately raised his hand. "I listen to my little uncle!"
Sheng Sheng looked at Ling Yu.
Ling Yu paused briefly, then said, "I just trust you."
TL: If you want to read ahead by at least ten chapters, patreon.com/EdibleMapleSyrup