Chapter 18: Sweet Wind in My Arms

Since he couldn’t outrun them, Lin Kuo simply stopped.

The bullet chat, which had eagerly awaited his death, exploded across the screen with confusion:

[Why isn’t the dog streamer running at a time like this?]
[He’s not scared stiff, is he?!]
[Don’t be like that. I was just starting to change my opinion of the dog streamer. Is he going to GG now?]
[So, the dog streamer really isn’t worth looking forward to.]

Sheng Wen felt like he was experiencing a fully immersive livestream.

He usually watched the Walled City streams, but only those from the Upper District. The Lower District was beneath his interest.

Yet, not even the most exciting Upper District instance had ever made him feel this nervous.

Oh well.

Sheng Wen recalled the time spent in that little dark room with Lin Kuo.

Damn… did I actually develop a bit of a soft spot for him?

It wasn’t hard to accept. On the contrary, Sheng Wen found it surprisingly easy.

He wasn’t a stingy person—he’d dropped 50,000 points on a smurf account, after all.

But…

His eyes curved with interest.

He had to find a way to get that investment back from the little streamer.

He scrolled through his item list, searching for something suitable to save Lin Kuo with.

__________________________________________________________________

{System Window}

[Item Name: Invisibility Card]
[Item Description: Become invisible for 30 seconds.]
[Item Value: 1500 (points)]
[Confirm Exchange? Yes / No]

__________________________________________________________________

Sheng Wen clicked Yes.

After the Main God System deducted the points and completed the exchange, another prompt popped up:

__________________________________________________________________

{System Window}

[Deploy to instance immediately? Yes / No]

__________________________________________________________________

Sheng Wen’s finger hovered over Yes—when suddenly, Lin Kuo’s voice rang out.

“I only have one name. It’s not enough for the three of you to share.”

Zhu Hai, Wang Miao, and the scar-faced man exchanged looks.

Lin Kuo took a slow step back—so subtle that only he could feel the motion; no one else could see it.

The scar-faced man sneered. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do. As long as I kill you, I become Lin Kuo.”

Lin Kuo replied, “Are you sure I’ll definitely die at your hands? Look at the other two—they want to kill me too. We’re at a stalemate. Why not talk it over first?”

“You think I’ll fall for that trick?” the scar-faced man snapped.

Lin Kuo gave a helpless shrug. But those two short exchanges had told him what he needed to know: the man was hesitating.

“I can’t beat you,” Lin Kuo said. “I’ll definitely die tonight. The dead deserve respect. So at least let me choose who kills me.” He pointed at Zhu Hai. “Let it be this young man.”

Zhu Hai’s eyes widened in stunned joy.

The scar-faced man growled, “No! I want out of here! I need your name!”

Wang Miao, too, had a wild, frenzied look. It was especially terrifying under the flickering lights of the dark third floor.

Lin Kuo asked, “Then what now? Should I go bring the others up?”

Wang Miao laughed. “If I let you go, will you even come back?”

“I will,” Lin Kuo said firmly. “I’m going to die anyway. Better at your hands than theirs. At least it won’t hurt as much.”

That word—painful—seemed to hit a nerve.

It stirred broken memories of their own deaths: dying in agony, pierced by the peach wood sword, surrounded by endless whispers—

“I have a name now. I finally have a name…”

Seeing their hesitation, Lin Kuo didn’t give them time to reflect.

“Decide fast, or else—”

Zhu Hai spoke up. “Lin Kuo… you’ll really come back?”

Lin Kuo nodded.

He wanted to say I never lie, but decided against it.

“You must come back! You must!” Zhu Hai pleaded.

Wang Miao and the scar-faced man said nothing.

Only the wind howled against the windows, and their silence was tacit permission.

Lin Kuo turned and descended.

The three ghosts—his former teammates—stood vigil on the third floor.

Their bloodied, hollow eyes shimmered with… hope?

He left them behind, but his face grew heavier with every step.

He would not return.

For the first time, Lin Kuo fulfilled a promise with a lie.

His chest felt heavy—like a man who always walked firm ground stepping into a swamp.

It was uncomfortable.

He had always been the one deceived.

But today…

He had deceived them—ghosts or not.

He hurried down the stairs.

Suddenly— Bang bang bang.

Lin Kuo turned sharply.

The three ghosts, unable to descend the staircase, had exploded like fireworks.

But what burst forth wasn’t blood.

It was… petals.

Under the rain of color, glowing text floated before him:

[Big brother, walk forward. Sweet Wind will always be with you.]

Lin Kuo stood frozen.

Then the words scattered, becoming a soft breeze that rushed into his arms.

Sweet wind in his embrace.

His eyes softened, his heart complex.

For some reason, Lin Kuo felt that Sweet as the Wind had understood his inner conflict.

She had helped him—saving those three from their lingering torment in the instance.

“…Th… thanks.”

Knowing she was watching, Lin Kuo awkwardly expressed his gratitude—then plunged into the second floor.

[Wait, fireworks? Three at once?]
[Who the hell is Sweet as the Wind? HOW RICH IS SHE?!]
[Mommy adopt me too, I’m hungry.]

Sheng Wen, the culprit, curled his lips.

Fireworks were the most expensive item in the donation shop—capable of reducing ghosts to dust.

He hadn’t intended to use it.

But after Lin Kuo resolved the standoff with mere words, the invisibility card felt unnecessary.

So he made up the difference in points, bought fireworks, and ended it cleanly.

It worked beautifully.

Sheng Wen was very satisfied.

Lin Kuo, unaware of the bullet chat chaos, reached the second floor.

A blood trail curled along the ground.

The scent of blood mixed with incense ash—it was worse than the third floor.

Corpses lay in chaotic heaps.

He scanned the bodies, relieved that neither Li Yinan nor Xiaoyu were among them.

The remaining three ghosts from the other side were prowling the corridor, furiously scattering incense ash.

Lin Kuo had experienced the ash firsthand and didn’t dare rush in.

He crouched down and, waiting for them to turn, slipped into the corner of the stairwell.

There—Li Yinan and Xiaoyu.

“Boss!”

Li Yinan’s relief overflowed.

“Wuwuwu, you’re alive! That’s so great!”

Xiaoyu clutched her head.

“Lin Kuo, there are three left… I’m sorry, we—”

“It’s very good.”

Lin Kuo comforted them awkwardly, but sincerely.

For two girls to kill three enemies in this state… that was impressive.

“‘The other side’ will find us eventually. Let’s head to the first floor.”

He asked, “Did you get hit with incense ash?”

“I did. Xiaoyu didn’t,” Li Yinan explained.

They’d split tasks—Li Yinan lured enemies while Xiaoyu ambushed from behind.

But Li Yinan’s legs were trembling now.

And Xiaoyu—terrified, hands bloody—was clearly reaching her mental limit.

“The corridor’s long. When their backs are turned, run.”

Both nodded.

Lin Kuo’s return gave them strength.

He peeked out.

When the moment came, he signaled.

The girls darted around the corner and into the stairs.

Lin Kuo waited a bit longer, then moved.

As he turned into the stairwell, something caught his eye.

A corpse on the floor.

Its hand moved.

He blinked. Was it an illusion?

Then—it looked straight at him.

Its throat still pierced by a fork, the corpse grinned.

Hiss hiss hiss—

And then all the corpses moved.

Eyes rolled in their sockets. Countless dead gazes fixed on Lin Kuo.

“!!!”

He flew down the stairs.

“Is the door open?!”

Li Yinan and Xiaoyu stood at the living room door.

From their pale expressions, he had his answer.

The door was still locked.

“Did you try the secret knock?” Lin Kuo asked.

They had agreed on a signal—three light, quick taps.

“I tried…” Li Yinan said, voice cracking.

They couldn’t knock too loudly or call out. It would expose Liang Sihong.

“What happened?” Lin Kuo asked again, lips tight.

But their terror made the answer clear.

Xiaoyu gripped her hair harder, yanking out strands.

“I want to leave… I want to leave this place… I can’t take it anymore… someone save me!”

Li Yinan opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came.

So instead, she closed her eyes and knocked:

Tap tap tap.

Three soft knocks.

And then— Lin Kuo’s expression changed.