The sedan chair entered the city of Youdu, heading towards a grand palace perched at the city’s highest point.
Gu Jiu peeked out to observe the majestic hall standing amidst endless darkness. Its intricate architecture, with sharp eaves and towering ridges, exuded the grandeur of an ancient imperial palace.
The sedan chair moved unimpeded, arriving before the palace.
Finally, it came to a halt.
Two ghosts, one on each side, lifted the sedan curtains silently, gesturing for her to step out.
The air of Youdu was thick with ghostly energy. The silence was almost oppressive. Whether it was due to the Emperor of Ghosts’ aura or some other cause, there wasn’t the faintest hint of noise. All the ghosts here went about their tasks in eerie quiet.
Numerous ghostly guards stood watch at the palace entrance.
From what Gu Jiu could sense, there were countless ghost generals stationed here. Without something to rely on, she wouldn’t have dared set foot in such a place; it was far too dangerous.
Having traversed so many game worlds, this one ranked as the most perilous. The sheer number of powerful ghosts was overwhelming.
The two guiding ghosts gestured for her to proceed into the palace.
Ahead was a towering palace gate. Though it stood wide open, the interior was pitch-black, revealing no visible end.
Gu Jiu steadied her expression and stepped inside.
The moment she entered, the dark hall lit up with a trail of soul lamps, their glow extending all the way to the end. There, on a high platform, sat the Emperor of Ghosts on his throne.
Behind her, the doors closed silently.
Gu Jiu turned back briefly to see that the ghosts had not followed her inside. Apart from herself, the only presence in the hall was the Emperor of Ghosts seated on his throne.
Without much hesitation, Gu Jiu began walking forward. She stopped at the base of the steps leading to the throne and gazed up at the Emperor.
Tonight, the Ghost Emperor’s attire differed from that of the ghostly groom. He wore a dark red imperial robe embroidered with golden spider lilies. His hair was tied high, crowned with a ceremonial headdress, its crimson beaded tassels partially veiling his eyes. His exposed features were stunningly handsome—sharp cheekbones, a straight nose, and crimson lips starkly contrasting his pale complexion.
This was truly an emperor of the underworld, emanating an aura of ghostly menace while still exuding imperial majesty.
Gu Jiu stopped at the steps, locking eyes with the Emperor.
The Emperor spoke, his voice calm, “Madam, please come up.”
Gu Jiu smiled faintly, complying as she ascended the steps, stopping just three meters from the throne.
The Emperor’s gaze pierced through the tassels, fixing on her. He asked softly, “Madam, are you willing to marry me again and become my wife?”
Gu Jiu studied him carefully, her face breaking into a gentle smile. She suddenly replied, “Of course I’m willing. Shall we perform the ceremony now?”
At her affirmation, a flicker of change seemed to pass across the Emperor’s composed demeanor. Yet before anyone could discern it clearly, it was gone, replaced by his usual cold detachment.
Moments later, Gu Jiu was escorted out of the hall by a group of ghostly maidens to another palace.
Here, an even more extravagant wedding ensemble awaited her. Compared to the hurried ceremony last time, this one featured a gown of unparalleled splendor. From the phoenix crown to the bridal dress to the auspicious pearl orb she was to carry, every piece radiated dazzling brilliance.
Gu Jiu ran her fingers over the gown, its silky texture cool as ice threads, yet smooth and harmless to touch. It felt far more real this time—it didn’t seem to be another paper garment.
The ghostly maidens stepped forward, dressing her and adorning her hair meticulously.
Compared to the last time she pretended to be unconscious during the ceremony, this wedding was far grander and more formal. Even the ghostly maidens were dressed festively, their pale faces painted with bright rouge, creating an effect that was both comical and eerie.
Thankfully, Gu Jiu had a strong psychological constitution. Otherwise, she might have struggled to endure the overwhelming grotesqueness of this wedding.
After donning the bridal gown and phoenix crown, the ghostly maidens took out a box of rouge to apply makeup for her, but Gu Jiu refused.
She had no intention of sporting two bright red circles of rouge resembling monkey bottoms—it would drop her beauty by three points and make her a laughingstock.
The maidens didn’t insist. Instead, they handed her the auspicious pearl orb, draped the red veil over her, and helped her out of the room.
The Ghost Emperor stood waiting outside in the long corridor. When he saw his ghostly maidens escorting his bride out, he stepped forward, took her hand, and personally helped her into the flower sedan chair.
Gu Jiu could feel that his hand was ice-cold but firm, gripping hers tightly and leaving no room for her to pull away.
At this moment, he showed an unusual assertiveness.
As she sat in the swaying sedan chair, feeling its gentle movements, she slightly lifted her veil. Through the moving curtains, she caught glimpses of the Ghost Emperor ahead, astride a tall ghostly steed. His posture was upright, exuding a regal and commanding presence.
Amidst the lively sound of gongs and drums, the wedding procession circled Youdu City.
The streets were filled with ghosts, no longer silent. Instead, they erupted in lively laughter and joyous chatter, filling the city with an eerie yet festive atmosphere.
Gu Jiu observed this strange scene for a while and found it unexpectedly amusing.
This ghostly wedding adhered strictly to ancient customs, flawless in every detail. Such grandeur was unseen in modern times. She hadn’t expected to experience something like this in her lifetime—it was far more extravagant than the previous simple ceremony.
Finally, the flower sedan returned to the Ghost Emperor’s grand hall.
After bowing to heaven and earth, Gu Jiu held one end of a red silk ribbon while the Ghost Emperor held the other. She was escorted into the bridal chamber by two ghostly maidens dressed as attendants.
The two newlyweds sat on a large bed covered in red silk bedding.
The attendants tied a knot with the edges of their robes, said some auspicious words, and then all the ghosts retreated from the room.
Silence quickly descended.
A pale, slender hand reached out to lift her red veil. Under the bright candlelight, Gu Jiu turned to look at her groom sitting beside her.
The groom was extraordinarily handsome, his striking features tinged with an aura of darkness and gloom. His eyes, unwavering, stared at her with joy and delight. Though his expression remained tense, he radiated a noble and majestic demeanor.
Gu Jiu smiled sweetly at him and said, “Satisfied now?”
The groom remained silent, unable to reply.
She reached out, tugged at his collar, and gave him a light kiss on the lips, her eyes brimming with amusement.
“When did you figure it out?” Lu Ji couldn’t help but ask. He prided himself on his portrayal of the Ghost Emperor—it had been flawless because he was the Ghost Emperor.
Gu Jiu chuckled. “I knew it was you the moment I saw you.”
Lu Ji’s heart swelled with joy. He placed his hand gently over hers, gazing at her with a shy smile. “So, you knew it was me, and that’s why you agreed to the wedding?”
“What do you think?”
Seeing the smile on her face, his heart overflowed with happiness. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and keep her there forever. She had known he was the Ghost Emperor, and that was why she agreed to the wedding. What could make him happier than this?
Gu Jiu’s gaze swept over him. She didn’t ask about the Ghost Emperor’s absence; instead, she simply said, “So, can we clear the level now?”
Lu Ji: “…”
Seeing the reluctance on his face, Gu Jiu raised an eyebrow and asked slowly, “You’re not thinking that after the wedding, we still need to consummate the marriage, are you?”
“Why… can’t we?” Lu Ji asked, a little aggrieved. After all, what followed a wedding naturally was the bridal chamber.
Gu Jiu laughed. “Haven’t we already consummated the marriage before?”
“That doesn’t count!” he blurted out.
Gu Jiu squinted at him and slapped his hand away. “So, you’re eating your words now?”
“No! No!” Lu Ji shook his head vehemently. The dignified Ghost Emperor now looked nothing like the sovereign of the underworld, acting instead like a submissive husband desperate to pacify his wife.
Gu Jiu, however, didn’t need pacifying. She wasn’t the sentimental type. Instead, she found her boyfriend’s pitiful demeanor so endearing that she often couldn’t help but comfort him.
This time was no different.
“Be good. You’ve already had your wedding, so why linger here? Chai Beauty and the others are waiting for us to clear the level. Once we leave this place, we can handle the bridal chamber… later.”
Lu Ji finally relented, albeit reluctantly, and even hastily pulled her up. “Fine, let’s clear the level first.”
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand. A terrifying power materialized in his palm, which he crushed without hesitation.
The moment it shattered, the grand and majestic city of Youdu dissolved into specks of starlight, vanishing entirely. All the ghosts in the city were sucked into a dark vortex, sent to the true realm of the underworld.
—
At the small inn by the bridge, the other players were sitting in the corridor, waiting for Gu Jiu and her group to return.
Suddenly, they felt a familiar pulling sensation, causing their hearts to skip a beat. They instantly realized they had cleared the level and were about to leave the game world.
Their faces lit up with joy, though the joy was tinged with confusion.
Wait—did they just clear the level?
It seemed like all they had done was try to survive the death announcements. They weren’t even sure if the world’s boss was the ghostly groom. Clues to clear the level had been practically nonexistent.
This level had been completed in a bizarrely unclear manner.
Still, despite their lingering doubts, everyone was relieved to leave this terrifying place. If only they knew what Gu Jiu had done to make it happen…
—
[“Congratulations, Miss! You’ve cleared the level!”]
System Manager No. 387 cheerfully zoomed toward Gu Jiu, scattering confetti in celebration, its demeanor jubilant as if celebrating a grand occasion.
Gu Jiu waved it off. “Alright, cut the theatrics. Let me ask you something. How much did you see of my experience in the game world?”
The little metallic orb stopped in front of her, its red light blinking as it replied in a childlike voice, [“What do you want to ask, Miss?”] It sounded puzzled.
“For instance, what’s the truth behind the game world?”
[“Miss, I’m sorry, but I don’t know either.”]
Gu Jiu paused, surprised, and stared at No. 387. “You don’t know? Weren’t you monitoring the game world the whole time? Or did you slack off halfway through and sneak off to some system manager gathering?”
[“No, no!”] No. 387 quickly defended itself. It prided itself on being a responsible system manager and would never slack off while its players were in the game world. [“Miss, here’s the thing—the Ghost Emperor in this game world was too powerful. He obscured part of the truth and blocked our system managers from probing the game world. We couldn’t see what was happening to you in there.”]
Gu Jiu let out an “Oh,” a flicker of understanding crossing her mind.
The Ghost Emperor, as a part of Lu Ji’s power—even just a fraction—was incomparable to the usual bosses in a generic game world.
She pondered for a moment before asking, “Number 387, are there many worlds like this?”
【Oh, there are many!】387 replied confidently. 【Miss, I’m not lying to you. There are plenty of worlds with bosses like this. If they don’t want to be seen, even the system steward cannot glimpse the truth of the world.】
Hearing this, a peculiar suspicion surfaced in her heart.
Could the bosses in those worlds all be fragments of power that Lu Ji had discarded in the past?
“What level are worlds like this usually rated?”
【Mostly A-level and S-level.】 At this, 387 sounded puzzled. 【I didn’t expect to encounter such a powerful boss in a B-level world. It’s really strange… But fortunately, you all cleared the stage successfully. Miss, how did you clear it?】
Due to the boss’s interference, even the system steward couldn’t discern how the players had managed to clear the level. 387 was dying of curiosity.
Gu Jiu: … Should she say that they cleared the stage by hosting a wedding with the Ghost Emperor?
She wasn’t willing to disclose to anyone—even the system steward—that the Ghost Emperor was a fragment of Lu Ji’s power. It might cause unforeseen complications.
After learning that Lu Ji was the God of All Realms, Gu Jiu had instantly deduced a lot, especially based on the clues Lu Ji had revealed later. It was clear his position in the myriad worlds was far from secure. A single misstep would invite retaliation from the demigods.
She finally understood why Lu Ji said that the demigods of the myriad worlds were his “one-sided enemies.” Perhaps he didn’t see them as true threats, but it was undeniable that the demigods were freer and more unrestrained than him, the supreme deity. The burdens and constraints on him were immense. One misstep could trigger a cascade of consequences, making him hesitant to act recklessly.
It was precisely because of this that he disguised himself as a girl and entered the game world, trying to avoid unnecessary trouble.
If he didn’t have so much to consider, he could do as he pleased. But as fate would have it, there were things and people he couldn’t ignore.
Author’s Note:
The “Death Notice” instance mainly served to reveal the male lead’s identity. In the escape worlds, he’s always the antagonist boss.