The resting spot they chose was close to the subway staff’s office.
The office door hung askew, splattered with dark stains of dried blood. Inside, toppled cabinets and desks lay scattered amidst pools of congealed blood on the floor, creating a chaotic scene.
Gu Jiu strode straight toward an overturned desk. She flipped it over and bent down to peer beneath it.
Under the dim light of the desk’s shadow, a small ghost curled up with its limbs drawn tight, lifting a pair of scarlet eyes to meet hers.
“Xiao Hui, I’m back,” Gu Jiu said gently, smiling at the little ghost. She extended her hand. “Come on out, won’t you?”
Xiao Hui crawled out hesitantly. Seeing Gu Jiu’s hand outstretched, he paused briefly before placing his small hand on hers, allowing the human to pull the gloomy specter into the light.
Gu Jiu patted his head and praised him softly, “Good boy.”
“Xiao Hui, I have a task for you.”
…
Lu Ji stood off to the side, silently watching as Gu Jiu gently instructed the little ghost. He didn’t interrupt but instead stepped closer to the door, blocking the outside view as much as possible.
After Xiao Hui left, Gu Jiu stretched and turned to Lu Ji. “Ah Ji, I’d like to take a bath.”
Lu Ji hesitated before replying, “…Sorry, I don’t have any bathing facilities prepared.”
His voice was tinged with regret, frustrated by his own inadequacies. It dawned on him that his preparations had been far from sufficient—there was still so much more he needed to arrange.
Gu Jiu gazed at her for a moment, then suddenly chuckled.
“I was just saying. It’s not like I have to bathe. Just wiping off would do.” She waved dismissively. In situations like this, where the environment didn’t allow for such luxuries, she wasn’t one to fuss over it. She could endure what needed to be endured.
Lu Ji let out an “oh” but was already brainstorming ways to make it possible for her to bathe.
As he pondered, Gu Jiu suddenly removed her outer garment.
“Ah Jiu!” he exclaimed in alarm, instinctively turning to the window. The curtains weren’t even drawn yet!
Gu Jiu shrugged off her blood- and dust-stained coat with a look of distaste and casually tossed it aside.
Underneath, she wore a black, sleeveless knit top paired with casual pants and long boots. The snug fit of her pants highlighted her long, shapely legs, creating a sleek and stylish look.
Confident and striking, her slender waist and long legs made her both beautiful and fierce.
She turned to Lu Ji with a smile. “Ah Ji, keep watch for me while I change.”
“Here? You’re changing here?” Lu Ji stammered. “But the windows… the door…”
“It’s fine. Just block it with the cabinet,” Gu Jiu replied nonchalantly. “With you here, no one else will dare come in.”
But I’m here!
Lu Ji wanted to remind her of his presence, but her trusting expression left him at a loss for words.
He thought bitterly: In Gu Jiu’s eyes, they were both girls, so she didn’t feel the need to be cautious. But he wasn’t a girl, and worse—his feelings for her weren’t innocent. If she ever found out that he was actually a man…
The imagined consequences left Lu Ji in turmoil.
Should he just confess to her now and get it over with?
Before he could make up his mind, Gu Jiu had already moved the toppled cabinet into position, creating a small, enclosed space by the wall. She stepped inside and called out, “Ah Ji, guard the area for me!”
Lu Ji: !!!
Watching Gu Jiu start to change her clothes right in front of him, Lu Ji quickly turned his back, his eyes snapping to the door and windows as he stood guard against any peeping toms or opportunists who might take advantage of her.
Behind him, the rustling of fabric filled the quiet space, an oddly evocative sound.
Lu Ji struggled to keep his thoughts under control, forcing himself not to imagine what those sounds represented. His gaze stayed fixed ahead, unblinking, like a soldier at his post.
“Ah Ji, I’m done.”
Gu Jiu stepped out, fastening her belt as she walked. She noticed Lu Ji standing stiffly in place and called out to her. When she didn’t respond, she reached over and jabbed her lightly in the waist.
What she didn’t expect was her extreme reaction. Lu Ji practically leaped backward several meters in an instant, crashing into the wall with a loud thud.
“Ah Ji?” Gu Jiu looked at him in surprise. Concerned, she hesitantly asked, “What’s wrong?”
Realizing his overreaction, Lu Ji hastily replied, “I’m fine.”
Gu Jiu clearly didn’t believe her. She studied her for a moment before a thought seemed to dawn on her. “Is your waist a sensitive spot? Something that can’t be touched? Sorry, I’ll be more careful next time.”
“No, no, that’s not it!” Lu Ji blurted out, panicked at the misunderstanding. “I was just spacing out and got startled. It wasn’t because of you.” He lowered his gaze, feeling a little embarrassed. The truth was, he enjoyed her touch. Wherever her hand or body brushed against him, a warmth lingered, and he liked it—liked it a lot.
But he couldn’t let her know that.
After all, in her eyes, he was just another girl. No matter how valid his reasons or how deep his affection, there was one undeniable fact:
He was deceiving her.
In the past, he hadn’t cared much about this deception. To outsiders, whether he was a man or a woman didn’t matter. Their opinions meant nothing to him.
But Gu Jiu was different.
He didn’t want to lie to her.
Maybe it was time to confess—to tell her the truth about his gender first, and then, when the time was right, reveal his true identity.
If… she couldn’t accept his deception, then he…
Gu Jiu, seemingly satisfied with her explanation, moved on. “Ah Ji, do you want to change clothes too? I’ll stand guard for you.”
Lu Ji hummed in agreement but didn’t move.
“Ah Ji?” Gu Jiu turned to her, puzzled. Then, as if realizing something, she smiled and turned her back to her. In a teasing tone, she said, “Don’t worry, I won’t look. No need to be shy.”
She knew Lu Ji had a tendency to get embarrassed. Even if she kept a neutral expression, those twitching little ears always betrayed her.
Lu Ji remained silent.
He stared at her back, so close that he could touch her with just one outstretched hand.
If she learned the truth about his gender and identity and couldn’t accept his deception, what then? If she rejected him, if she pushed him away…
In the worst-case scenario, he could always follow her in secret, watching over her from the shadows, never allowing anyone else to get close to her.
And if it came to that… he could take her to the Dark Hall, where she would never leave.
After all, if he wanted, he could ensure she never even noticed his presence.
But giving her up? That was impossible.
At worst, let the game worlds be destroyed.
—
Lu Ji changed into a clean set of clothes and left the subway office with Gu Jiu.
As soon as they stepped outside, they saw Chai Yingying waving them over.
Many of the subway station’s facilities had been destroyed. The players had piled the broken equipment into a corner, clearing out an open space where they’d set up various items, creating what resembled a makeshift camp.
Gu Jiu and Lu Ji walked over and found Old Hei and the others eating.
“Want a meal box?” Chai Yingying offered, holding out a boxed meal.
“No need, we’ve got our own,” Gu Jiu replied, pulling several meal boxes from her backpack. She handed them to Wan Xingzhou and Wu Yang, who distributed them to those without food.
Although Chai Yingying had brought her own boxed meal, her sharp eyes immediately locked onto Gu Jiu’s. Quick as lightning, she grabbed one. Opening it, she was met with the aroma of freshly prepared, steaming-hot food. Without a second thought, she tossed her own meal aside.
It wasn’t even a comparison. The food Gu Jiu provided was the work of a five-star chef, while hers was the equivalent of a roadside $10 takeout.
Anyone with functioning taste buds knew which to choose.
Starving, Chai Yingying wolfed down the food while sneaking glances at Gu Jiu and Lu Ji.
She was a gossip at heart and, on top of that, was eager to recruit Gu Jiu and Lu Ji into her group. Their potential relationship progress was of utmost concern to her. If they had a falling-out and went their separate ways, her loss would be tremendous.
Gu Jiu and Lu Ji sat side by side.
As they ate, Lu Ji casually picked the red wine beef from his own meal and placed it in Gu Jiu’s box. In exchange, he took out the bell peppers from hers—Gu Jiu didn’t like bell peppers.
Whatever she liked to eat, he gave her without hesitation. Whatever she disliked, he quietly took care of.
Chai Yingying couldn’t help but cheer internally. What a heavenly love story! These two seem solid—here’s hoping they stay that way. With them as allies, my future is secure!
“Sister Chai, how did you find out about Boss Lu?” Li Jing asked suddenly.
This question piqued the curiosity of everyone present.
Swallowing a mouthful of food, Chai Yingying began, “You know how I’m always trying to rack up points, right? I often take on missions in C-level fields. One time, I overheard other pathfinding players mention Boss Lu. Just to be safe, I gathered some details about his appearance and characteristics. So, when I saw him, I recognized him immediately.”
She took a sip of water and added, “Don’t let his looks fool you—he’s nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing. No, calling him that would be a compliment. He’s worse than a beast!”
“Everyone knows that pathfinding players use underhanded methods to clear stages. Their unscrupulous actions have made them targets of scorn among regular players. So, they band together to form a group called the ‘Reverse Walkers,’ claiming their actions defy the natural order.”
The disdain in the air was palpable. The players present were thoroughly disgusted.
“‘Reverse Walkers’? How shameless!” Wan Xingzhou snapped angrily.
Chai Yingying continued, “Each level of the game has a leader among the Reverse Walkers. Boss Lu is the leader of the C-level pathfinding players. If we eventually move up to B-level stages, we’ll encounter their B-level counterparts.”
As she spoke, a sudden scream pierced the air.
Everyone froze, their nerves instantly taut. Thinking danger was upon them, they leapt to their feet and turned toward the source of the sound.
The scream came from the left.
The commotion among the pathfinding players drew everyone’s attention. Moments later, they scattered in panic, desperately trying to escape. However, no matter how hard they tried, they remained confined to the same area on the left, unable to break free.
It didn’t take long for the others to see what the trailblazers were facing.
A group of ghastly ghosts had appeared from nowhere, relentlessly hunting the trailblazers. The players’ attempts to flee were futile—they were trapped within the area, with no way out.
“Why does this look so familiar?” Old Hei and the others murmured, stunned. They instinctively turned to look at Gu Jiu.
Gu Jiu, however, glanced at the chaos briefly, entirely unbothered. She continued eating her meal, calmly transferring the food she didn’t like into Lu Ji’s meal box. Not even such a spectacle could interrupt her dinner.
It was clear—the trailblazers were now enduring the same ordeal Old Hei and his team had faced the previous night.
The group vividly remembered the horrifying ghosts now hunting the trailblazers. These were the same ghosts that had chased them yesterday: the ghostly old lady with her body severed in two; the skeletal, hunched old man; the male ghost with legs barely attached by a thin layer of skin; the female ghost with intestines spilling from her stomach… Their grotesque appearances were unforgettable.
The trailblazers’ reactions left no doubt—they had been drawn into a separate space, confined to a specific area where they could only run for their lives.
“Are there ghosts at this station?” Chai Yingying and the others grew alert, scanning their surroundings with heightened caution and preparing for battle.
Yet, ten minutes passed, and the ghosts showed no interest in anyone outside the pathfinding players. The ghosts remained focused solely on their current prey. They didn’t even glance at the others, as if everyone else was invisible to them.
The stark contrast was unsettling.
“Do you think the ghosts have a grudge against the trailblazers? Is that why they’re not coming after us?”
“Impossible! In the Death Train, ghosts and players are always enemies. Ghosts treat all players the same—they would never just let us go.”
“Then how do you explain this?”
…
Old Hei suddenly spoke with certainty. “This is Xiao Hui’s doing! Gu Jiu, am I right?”
All eyes turned to Gu Jiu, their gazes sparkling with curiosity and admiration. They had assumed Xiao Hui had long since fled. To their surprise, not only was Xiao Hui still at Station 18, but he was also following Gu Jiu’s instructions even without the use of distraction smokescreens.
When they’d left yesterday, Gu Jiu had mentioned she had a way to make Xiao Hui obedient. None of them had expected it to actually work.