Chapter Thirty-Eight: Shen Ce, the One Confessed To

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Shen Ce, Who Was Confessed To

At this moment, Xylos was not dressed in his usual attire but had instead donned the shadow-black assassin outfit that Shen Ce had given him. Yet, as always, he wore the silver mask upon his face, as if it had become an inseparable part of him.

When Shen Ce saw Xylos, his mind seemed to drift for a moment; he even suspected that this was a hallucination conjured by his dying brain. Yet the sensation of being embraced was all too real—if this was not an illusion, then how had Xylos entered? He hadn’t registered for the competition, and according to the official rules, only players who had advanced to the second round could enter…

Shen Ce gripped the dark sleeve of Xylos’ coat; the very texture felt tangible, nothing like a figment of his imagination. Eyes half-closed, as if trying to discern the truth, he murmured, “You—”

Hearing that low, questioning “you,” Xylos smiled softly and nodded at Shen Ce. Then, his eyes turned to ice as he faced the two warriors standing before Shen Ce, his gaze sharp and cold.

The two men were clearly startled by Xylos’ sudden appearance, their faces etched with terror. They had no idea where this masked man had come from.

But Xylos’ provocative stare only enraged them further. They shouted angrily, “You’re looking for death!”

Yet before the word “death” could fully leave their lips, the eyes of the two warriors abruptly widened in horror. Their faces, still frozen in anger, now contrasted starkly with the terror in their eyes, rendering the scene almost comical.

A silver-black energy blade pierced straight through both of their chests. The two men bent forward, one after the other, their posture eerily unnatural.

“How tiresome.”

Xylos glanced at them with utter disdain; his voice was haughty and cold, making the two priestesses below freeze in shock—even Shen Ce, still held in Xylos’ arms, had no time to react.

Those two men… were simply dead?

Such speed, such ruthless swordplay, the unimaginable angle of attack, the devastating force…

Who was this man in black, his face veiled by a silver mask—what kind of reaper had crawled out from the depths?

With two heavy thuds, the warriors fell from the treetop, dissolving into white light as they vanished. Two ink-blue pearls dropped soundlessly to the ground.

The two priestesses below, finally snapping back to their senses, stared in disbelief. The one who’d first recognized Shen Ce hurriedly gathered both pearls into her inventory, then, as if possessed, fled at a mad dash into the distance.

“Should I chase her?” Xylos asked, glancing down at Shen Ce. The icy sharpness had faded from his expression, and a gentle, intimate smile curved his lips. It was rare for Shen Ce to remain so docile in his arms, not struggling in the least.

Xylos spoke almost against Shen Ce’s ear, warm breaths brushing his cheek. Shen Ce suddenly became aware of just how inappropriate their position was.

“Ding! Dear players, the match has ended. Three, two, one—the system will now transport you out of the second arena.” At that moment, the gentle system voice rang in every participant’s ears.

Shen Ce hurriedly extricated himself from Xylos’ embrace, smiling wryly. “Chase her? It’s too late now.” He’d heard the system’s final countdown.

Xylos seemed not to understand, but before Shen Ce’s words had faded, the two of them turned to white light and vanished, teleported together to a deserted corner of Lingshui City, where hardly a soul passed by.

“Dear player Zero, unfortunately, you failed to collect two sea pearls. The mission to advance to the third round has failed.” The system’s voice remained gentle and cordial. Though Shen Ce had mentally prepared himself for this, a trace of disappointment flitted across his features. Before the match, he’d thought that even without an impressive ranking, at least advancing to the third round would be no problem. Yet reality had dealt him a blow.

“What’s wrong?” Xylos asked softly, his eyes as deep as the night, threatening to swallow one whole.

Shen Ce shook his head. The disappointment faded from his face, replaced by his usual calm composure. “I just feel a bit wistful that I didn’t make it to the third round.”

Xylos raised an eyebrow, smiling with easy arrogance. “Are you heartbroken over the rewards for the top three? The equipment and the money? If you want them, I could give them to you.”

Such a lavish offer made Shen Ce’s expression twitch. He hastily interrupted, “Xylos, you’re not an ordinary player, are you?”

Xylos regarded him with a half-smile, “Why do you say that?”

Shen Ce replied calmly, his analysis unhurried. “You rarely fight monsters or complete quests, yet your equipment and level are always among the best. When you do act, except for when we killed the Six-Winged Angel in the Ancient Battlefield, every move has been a one-hit kill. What puzzles me most is how you appeared by my side just now. You could claim you used the ‘Together Always’ couple skill, but don’t forget that skill is disabled on certain maps. Since you didn’t participate in the Glory Battle, how did you enter the second arena?”

“So?” Xylos’ lips curved faintly. He lowered his gaze, eyes drifting shut as if dozing, golden sunlight spilling across his brows and lashes, lending him a lazy air.

“So your identity is actually as an insider in ‘Dominion of Heaven’?” Shen Ce pressed his lips together, testing the waters.

After considering, he could find no other reasonable explanation. If Xylos was a member of the game’s staff, everything made sense. After all, abusing a little authority to accomplish those feats wouldn’t be difficult.

Xylos was silent for a moment, gazing at Shen Ce with an indescribable look. If one had to find a comparison, it would be the darkness just before dawn—a depth so profound it unsettled the soul.

“Was I wrong?” Shen Ce’s brows furrowed deeper. Xylos’ stare made him uncomfortable, though he couldn’t say why—just a vague chill along his spine.

Xylos shook his head and suddenly laughed. “No, you’re right. I’m just surprised by your intelligence.”

Yet hearing Xylos’ almost exaggerated laughter, the odd feeling in Shen Ce’s heart only grew stronger. Xylos seemed not to notice Shen Ce’s discomfort, continuing to chat softly with him.

Suddenly, Shen Ce’s ears were filled with a rapid clattering. Startled, he opened his chat panel by force of habit, discovering it was Han Qishao.

“Player [Han Qishao] has initiated a conversation: Zero, have you come out?”

Though the question was unnecessary, Shen Ce replied with a single character. Han Qishao immediately messaged back: “Zero, I need to talk to you. Can you come to the Divinity Guild right now?”

“What’s the matter?”

“You’ll know when you get here.”

Such mysteriousness made Shen Ce a little curious. He looked up at Xylos. “Xylos, I’m going to the Divinity Guild. I’ll be off.”

“Why are you going?” Xylos asked, feigning ignorance as he saw Shen Ce shake his head. A bad premonition rose in his heart; he felt that something significant would happen if Shen Ce went. “Since I’m free anyway, why don’t I go with you?”

Shen Ce agreed softly, “I’ll probably be back soon. After that, why don’t we discuss how to get into the Imperial Library?”

Before they even reached the Divinity Guild’s headquarters, Shen Ce and Xylos spotted Han Qishao from afar, the armored hunter standing at the entrance, clearly waiting.

As they drew near, Han Qishao took notice, his gaze flickering questioningly to the masked assassin at Shen Ce’s side, though his polite smile didn’t waver. “Zero, and this is?”

“Xylos, a friend of mine,” Shen Ce replied gently.

Han Qishao nodded with a hint of surprise. Though he had never heard of Xylos, anyone Shen Ce called a friend must be extraordinary. Clenching his fist, Han Qishao’s demeanor grew uncharacteristically formal. “Zero, thank you for letting me take the pearl and get away in the second arena. You… weren’t harmed by the Wolf Gang, were you?”

Shen Ce arched an eyebrow, puzzled by Han Qishao’s demeanor. He glanced at Xylos. “No, Xylos saved me. It’s just a pity I didn’t make it to the third round.”

Han Qishao paused, surprised by Xylos’ prowess. Only now did he truly take Xylos seriously. He spoke to Xylos with deliberate gravity, “Since you saved Zero, you’re a friend of the Divinity Guild. If you ever need help, just come to me.”

Seeing Han Qishao’s solemnity, Shen Ce was even more astonished. “Qishao, what’s this—” As he noticed Han Qishao produce a set of pristinely folded priest attire, Shen Ce fell silent, not understanding what Han Qishao was up to.

If Han Qishao’s intention was to express gratitude for the opportunity to advance, Shen Ce could accept that. But the look in Han Qishao’s eyes—so earnest, with a hint of excitement—suggested it was more than mere gratitude.

Han Qishao stepped forward, lifting the exquisite priest’s garb. “Zero, I like you. Would you be interested in co-managing the Divinity Guild with me?”

His voice was almost tender, enough to move anyone’s heart.

The hunter before him was so strikingly handsome as to be almost unreal. His hair was a pale gold, his light jade eyes reflecting the sun with a crystalline clarity.

Unfortunately, Shen Ce felt not the slightest stir. He was completely stunned by the confession, eyes wide. He had heard of women falling in love with their saviors, but did men do so as well?

Since childhood, countless girls had confessed to Shen Ce, but a man? Han Qishao was the very first.

Shen Ce immediately took a step back, putting distance between them. His tone was indifferent and devoid of emotion: “Qishao, I’m sorry. I don’t like you.”

Author’s Note: Will the boss be jealous, or jealous, or jealous… (*￣▽￣)y