Chapter 132: Infinite Cannon Fodder (22)

“What’re you still sitting there for?” Tong Ling, fresh out of the shower, saw Yuan Ju motionless in the room, her face showing a hint of impatience. “I’ve called you several times already. Get dressed! What kind of state is this?”

After a night of tugging, the neckline of Yuan Ju’s T-shirt had become loose, nearly exposing his shoulders and collarbone with just a careless movement. Combined with his bewildered expression, he looked more like a “wayward youth” than anything proper.

Hearing this, Yuan Ju quickly covered his shirtfront. But when he turned to see Lingling wrapped in a towel, water droplets still clinging to her body, he immediately jumped up, exclaiming, “Wh-why did you take a shower so early?! There’s only cold water here—aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?!”

“I’ve been taking cold showers for days now; what’s there to get used to?” Tong Ling picked up a dry towel to wipe her long, damp hair. “Besides, not bathing makes me feel sticky and uncomfortable.”

Tong Ling’s words made Yuan Ju blush again, feeling rather uneasy inside. “You could’ve told me,” he said softly. “I would’ve heated some water…”

As an important NPC who could help him complete his quest, Yuan Ju felt it was… perfectly normal to show a bit more concern for Lingling.

“No need,” Tong Ling casually instructed. “Oh right, could you change the bedsheets and quilt for me? I want a fresh one; these here are dirty.”

Yuan Ju hastily stood up, walking to the cabinet to fetch new sheets and a quilt. After he finished making the bed, unsure of his own motives, he softly asked, “What would you like to eat? I’ll go prepare something…”

Tong Ling waved her hand dismissively. “You can leave now.”

Leave? Yuan Ju snapped out of his muddled thoughts, realizing suddenly that he didn’t want to depart at all!

It wasn’t because he couldn’t bear to part with… this woman. Rather, he had grown convinced that staying with Lingling was safe. Last night, he had even let down all his defenses, somehow surviving through what should have been the most perilous night…

Seeing Yuan Ju’s lack of movement, Tong Ling placed her hand on the towel covering herself. “I’m going to get dressed soon. Are you sure you want to stay in here?”

“I…” Yuan Ju believed staying by Lingling’s side was the safest choice, but as he saw her about to untie her bath towel, his mind suddenly filled with all sorts of wild thoughts. His body felt like it had caught on fire; he quickly responded, “I’ll leave right away!”

“Wait.” Seeing Yuan Ju about to walk out of the room, Tong Ling called out.

Yuan Ju’s hand gripped the doorknob, yet his feet couldn’t move an inch.

He hoped Lingling would ask him to stay, yet feared what might happen if he did—something that shouldn’t have occurred. He must still be drunk from last night; otherwise, why would one glance at her movements make his entire face flush with heat?

Tong Ling pointed to the wrinkled bedding she had just removed. “Take these out and throw them away!”

Yuan Ju hesitated, speechless.

Why hasn’t she even said a word to keep me here? We were so… intimate last night. Isn’t she being too cold today?

“Yuan Ju? Didn’t you hear what I said?” Seeing the young man lost in thought, Tong Ling raised her voice slightly. “Throw these away!”

”…Alright,” Yuan Ju replied dully, picking up an entire bedsheet with bedding. As he caught the scent coming from it, his heart skipped another two beats.

Yuan Ju practically shuffled out of the room; not a single person behind him spoke again until he closed the door.

Hugging the bedding, Yuan Ju stood blankly in front of Lingling’s door. Lingling hadn’t expressed any opinion on their relationship, which should have been reassuring for Yuan Ju. Yet somehow, his heart felt empty and uneasy.

It’s too calm… Everything is just too calm…

Even Lingling’s attitude was like this—acting as if nothing had ever happened between them. What exactly am I to her now?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening next door. Yuan Ju composed himself, shedding the dazed state he’d been in around Lingling. His entire body braced itself defensively.

Next door to Lingling was Bai Bei’s room. Naturally, the one who emerged wasn’t anyone else but Bai Bei, whom Yuan Ju had been wary of from the start.

The man held a new dress in his hand, his pale face devoid of color. At that moment, he fixed Yuan Ju with a pair of dark eyes, those orbs filled with a gloomy expression.

Perhaps because Lingling wasn’t present, Bai Bei showed no restraint in his hostility towards Yuan Ju. Compared to the mild-mannered man who had entered the castle earlier, the current Bai Bei was impossible to overlook.

Yuan Ju felt this man growing increasingly dangerous; he was transforming. That delicate face had taken on an additional layer of eeriness overnight.

If it weren’t for the fact that he stood at Lingling’s door, Yuan Ju sensed that Bai Bei would have attacked him outright.

Bai Bei’s magnanimity and gentleness were all a facade. He couldn’t accept another man near Lingling, let alone someone like Yuan Ju who had just emerged from her room, holding bed sheets they’d used the previous night.

Who could endure such provocation? By standing here openly, Yuan Ju invited resentment as expected.

He even hoped Bai Bei would act against him without hesitation. That way, he could expose Bai Bei’s true nature, find a way to make Lingling see through this man, and dispose of this monster once and for all.

Unfortunately, Bai Bei proved far more tolerant than he anticipated.

Bai Bei retracted his gaze and walked to Tong Ling’s door, where he knocked gently.

“Who is it? Disturbing people at this ungodly hour!” After a moment, the door opened, and a woman’s shrill voice wafted out.

Yuan Ju knew he should leave. He had escaped danger for the night thanks to Lingling, but his feet seemed rooted to the ground, unwilling to depart. He wanted to know what Lingling and Bai Bei would say in private; he wanted… for him to stay away from her!

Tong Ling didn’t spare Yuan Ju even a fleeting glance. To her, men who tried to charm her with ulterior motives lost their appeal once she’d played with them enough.

She’d always been shallow, only giving Yuan Ju a chance because of his pretty, innocent-looking face.

In this horrifying scenario, Tong Ling’s greatest interest still lay in studying various non-human creatures. Now that Bai Bei had undergone such a drastic transformation, how could she possibly spare any extra attention for others?

“A-Bai,” Tong Ling said, smiling brightly as she gazed at the man before her. With a flick of her finger, she retrieved her dress from where he held it. “How thoughtful of you! I was just thinking about changing my outfit.”

Tong Ling’s damp long hair draped over her shoulder, and she hadn’t bothered to change out of her towel. This left a large expanse of snow-white skin visible, adorned with suggestive red marks.

Yuan Ju, lacking experience and overly excited, had kissed Tong Ling incessantly, preventing her from speaking, and couldn’t resist planting kisses on that delicate, fair skin. In the room, he dared not look at her too much, but when Lingling walked to the door and faced Bai Bei in this state, Yuan Ju suddenly realized how far he had gone.

Her eyes were bright and moist, her smile carrying an indescribable charm. Her full lips were slightly swollen, as if a gentle bite would cause sweet nectar to burst forth.

Yuan Ju had tasted that flavor before; he knew how good it was. His Adam’s apple bobbed, feeling an urge to return to Lingling’s side once more. But…

The man standing in front of Lingling raised his hand. Bai Bei’s slender fingers gently touched Lingling’s lips, caressing her red-tinged mouth.

His movements were very careful, his gaze upon Lingling soft, yet these actions… no matter how one looked at them, they exuded an intimate closeness and unmistakable familiarity.

Yuan Ju’s expression instantly turned cold. He fixed his stare on Bai Bei’s actions, feeling more intensely annoyed by this man than ever before.

“Are you happy?” Bai Bei asked, his question sounding like he was asking if his girlfriend was delighted to receive a new dress, yet also implying whether she had enjoyed spending the night with someone else.

Tong Ling maintained her composure with a smile. “Yes, I’m very happy.”

She gently moved into Bai Bei’s embrace, wrapping her arms around his slender waist. “I just knew A-Bai would always treat me best,” she whispered.

Feeling as though she had embraced a block of ice, Tong Ling sensed its chilling presence emanating cold air. Bai Bei’s icy breath brushed against her neck, sending shivers down her spine that instinctively made her want to pull away.

Yet at this moment, Tong Ling tightened her hold on him instead. “Have you lost weight again? Your waist is too thin!”

Bai Bei’s anger gradually dissipated within this embrace. He rested his head against her shoulder, tightening his arms around her as he sighed. “How do you manage to focus on such trivial matters?”

“It’s your fault for being so frail and skinny; it makes you look way too easy to push around,” Tong Ling lightly huffed. “Go make breakfast while I try on my new dress.”

“Alright,” Bai Bei replied warmly. “What would you like to eat?”

“Let’s have congee for breakfast today—something light and simple.”

The couple engaged in affectionate banter near the doorway, completely oblivious to Yuan Ju standing nearby, clutching his bedding.

Yuan Ju’s head buzzed as veins bulged on the back of his hand. If not for his rational mind telling him violence was unacceptable, he would have tried to kill them both during their embrace.

Yuan Ju had thought his presence might provoke Bai Bei, but instead, it was himself who became increasingly furious. His chest ached and swelled with pent-up anger.

Unable to bear watching their intimate interaction any longer, Yuan Ju turned and swiftly left.

Bai Bei glanced at the youth’s retreating figure, a mocking smile flickering in his eyes. Some people always entertain thoughts they shouldn’t. Being chosen by Lingling was indeed fortunate for this boy, but such luck would soon come to an end.

“Do you like him?” Bai Bei whispered softly into his girlfriend’s ear. “He spent the entire night in your room…”

Bai Bei couldn’t forget what his girlfriend had once said: “People should never force themselves beyond their capabilities.” As for this Yuan Ju… did he measure up?

Tong Ling smiled nonchalantly. “What kind of liking is this? He can’t compare to you; I want to dominate you for life. As for him… one night is enough.”

The corners of Bai Bei’s lips curled upwards. “I understand now.”

Those discarded by Lingling hold no value, he thought. There was nothing else to consider or fear.

When Yuan Ju returned to the room carrying his bedding, Mu Bai and Zhuang Wu were startled.

In their eyes, Yuan Ju might have been young, but he always acted mature and kept his emotions hidden. He was someone they could rely on. This was the first time they’d ever seen him look so angry.

“What happened?” Zhuang Wu’s gaze swept over Yuan Ju. Her instincts told her that something must have occurred for such a… change to come over him. It wasn’t anything good.

“Did the monsters go after you too?” Mu Bai slumped dejectedly on the ground next to a “corpse” with its head twisted off.

Yuan Ju shook his head coldly without speaking. He didn’t want to tell them about what had happened between him and Lingling. “The monsters didn’t attack me last night.”

“What did you encounter?” Yuan Ju noticed the body lying on the ground. It looked exactly like Mu Bai, yet even though its head was missing, not a single drop of blood had spilled out. The sight of Mu Bai crouching beside it was quite eerie.

Mu Bai sighed heavily. “My last line of defense is gone now.”

“Last night, some monsters snuck into my room,” Mu Bai explained, pointing at the corpse. “This was my wooden puppet stand-in. Without it, I would’ve died last night.”

Zhuang Wu spread his hands apart. “I fell unconscious again; I’m not sure if that counts as a good thing.”

Yuan Ju pondered aloud, “It seems he didn’t attack me because he had no intention of sparing anyone else…”

“Why are you holding onto your blanket?” Zhuang Wu asked, puzzled.

Realizing his oversight, Yuan Ju quickly tossed aside the bedding he’d been clutching. How could I have brought these things into my room?!

“Nothing, just thought about changing my bed,” Yuan Ju muttered, unsure what possessed him to utter such words.

The players usually shared one room at night, and by this stage, none would dare sleep soundly.

Even if Yuan Ju slept, it wouldn’t be deep—any slight disturbance would instantly alert him. Last night… was the first time he felt truly relaxed.

At the recollection, Yuan Ju’s expression grew even colder. He approached the bed, lifted the mattress cover, and replaced it with the soft blanket from his arms.

Oh well, since I’ve already brought them back, might as well use them… for now.

Yuan Ju flopped onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling above. His heart still throbbed with a dull ache.

What exactly did she mean to him?