Had she actually survived?
The exertion of the run had left Lin Shuang breathless. Now, with the male lead finally within reach, her tension snapped, and the agonizing throb in her knees took over. Once she was safely away from the fray, her legs simply gave out, and she collapsed.
The pain and the crushing weight of fear shattered the defenses she had so carefully constructed.
Lin Shuang sat against the wall, lips pressed into a thin, white line. Tears welled in her eyes, spilling over with every blink. The mere thought that she would have to go through this hell again every month sent a violent tremor through her body.
When Jiang Mo approached, carrying that deactivated chainsaw, Lin Shuang flinched visibly. She looked up, her bloodshot eyes peering through a veil of tangled hair.
"Mr. Jiang... exactly where are we?"
Jiang Mo sighed. He gave her outfit a sharp, frowning once-over before bending down. With his free hand, he hooked an arm under her thighs and hoisted her up in one fluid motion.
"Let's get out of here. We'll find somewhere we can actually talk."
Inside the women's restroom stall, Lin Shuang peeled off her cumbersome black silk stockings. Her knees were bruised, swollen, and sickeningly purple—a grim sight.
Jiang Mo waited outside. The Butcher for the first hour was dead; they were in a rare safe window.
Seeing the damage to her knees, Jiang Mo's brow furrowed tightly. He turned to the sink, ripped off his white undershirt—he was, by all accounts, a construction worker, clad in that vest and camo pants—and soaked it in cold water. He pressed the damp fabric against her battered knees. The icy contact against her raw, burning skin made her shiver violently.
Jiang Mo sighed again, lifting the chainsaw he'd set aside. "Here, take it. Use it to play around."
"I don't want it..." Lin Shuang felt the tears coming back. The chainsaw was a source of pure trauma now; the mere sound of it set her skin crawling.
"Alright, alright. I'll give you five minutes to cry. After that, I'm going to explain everything that's happening here." Jiang Mo reached out, pressing her head into his chest. "Go ahead. Let it out."
Lin Shuang rested her cheek against Jiang Mo's chest. She could hear his steady, powerful heartbeat. That sound broke the last of her resolve.
She began to sob, her tears cold as they soaked through his skin and pressed against his heart.
Why her? Why had she been chosen? Jiang Mo sighed. If she hadn't coincidentally ended up in the same game instance as him, the consequences would have been...
Even though Jiang Mo had promised her five minutes, he didn't actually keep time. He only released her when he felt her pull herself together.
The next second, her soft, fair hands were rubbing against his chest like a kitten.
Did she have any idea how dangerous it was to provoke a man like this?
Jiang Mo caught her hand, his voice thick with frustration. "That's enough. You don't need to wipe your tears and snot on me. I don't mind."
"I don't have snot!" Honor demanded a defense, even if it was weak. Lin Shuang sniffled, refusing to yield. "I don't! Fairies don't have snot when they cry."
"Fine, fine. No snot." Jiang Mo nodded, turning the undershirt over to the cooler side. "Let me explain the rules of this place to you."
* * *
"Can't we just give up?" Lin Shuang asked, though she knew the answer. "I don't want to play this. I'm not short on money. If you need money, I can really take care of you... just don't play this anymore."
"I haven't found a way to disconnect yet." Jiang Mo patted her head. "But after this, we can form a team before each game starts. That way, we'll be matched into the same instance. Don't be afraid. What's your ID?"
"Shuang Lin. Just my name backward."
"Heh. I'm Mo Jiang." Jiang Mo gave her head a firm, messy rub this time.
Lin Shuang let out a protest of annoyance. "My hair was already a mess! You seem to love patting my head... thank goodness I've stopped growing."
"Heh, heh, heh. You're still at that age where you could hit another growth spurt."
"You know that and you still pat it!"
Jiang Mo laughed. His gaze drifted back to her clothing, and his brows knit together again. "This outfit... it's just in the way."
"But I can't exactly just take it off."
* * *
"Don't move." Jiang Mo held the blade in one hand, while the index and middle fingers of his other hand slid into the seam of her tight skirt.
Lin Shuang bit her lip, watching as he used the tip of the blade to slice a gap, then sheathed it. He grabbed the edges with both hands and gave a sharp tug, tearing the fabric right down to the waistband.
In a heartbeat, the bodycon skirt had become a high-slit black dress. Her legs could move freely, but now, the risk of a wardrobe malfunction was dangerously high.
In truth, by the time the skirt was torn that far, she was already exposed.
Jiang Mo let go. Lin Shuang quickly tied her blazer diagonally across her waist, covering the area.
"Try it. Can you lift the chainsaw?"
To break the strange atmosphere—and because the next Butcher spawn was drawing near—Jiang Mo held up the saw. "I know I'm here, but it's best if you have something for self-defense."
Lin Shuang was resistant to the chainsaw, but she wasn't delusional.
She mimicked Jiang Mo's grip, placing her hands on the handles. Their hands inevitably brushed against each other. Jiang Mo pulled his away almost immediately.
As the full weight of the chainsaw shifted onto her arms, it dragged her downward, and she stumbled.
"It's so heavy..." Lin Shuang gritted her teeth, trying to hold on, but eventually she had to set it on the floor. "It's too heavy. I can barely lift it, and my knees can't handle the strain."
"Yeah, I figured as much." Jiang Mo crouched down, his thumb and forefinger encircling her wrist. His thumb could touch his middle finger right through her skin.
"I'm sorry. I'm just holding you back."
You never truly understand your own insignificance until you are forced to face it.
Before, Lin Shuang had thought that just latching onto the male lead and "eating soft rice"1 would be enough. But after that chase, and now failing to even hold a chainsaw, she finally realized how vital it was to be strong herself.
Just then, a Tang Dao with a black scabbard was held out toward her.
Jiang Mo unbuckled his own holster. His voice was deep and steady. "Here. Try this."
"But this is yours..."
This Tang Dao was the legendary weapon the male lead obtained at the 300,000-word mark, an "old guard" artifact he used until the latest chapter. It was the kind of weapon readers joked the author should give a spirit to so the male lead could just marry it already.
"Try it. If you can't carry this either, I'm just going to have to strap you to my back."
That wasn't an impossible feat. With Jiang Mo's stamina, he was confident he could keep Lin Shuang alive through this instance.
But he couldn't protect her forever.
<raw.source>
第8章 唐刀
活下来了吗?
刚才跑动的太过剧烈, Lin Shuang (she/her)呼吸急促, 因为终于遇到了男主精神一松懈, 再加上膝盖磕的实在太疼, 几乎是远离了打斗的地方后, 她就双腿无力的坐了下来.
但她不能一直护着她啊.
</raw.source>
Summary:
Lin Shuang survives a harrowing chase, only to realize the crushing weight of her own physical helplessness in the lethal game instance. Jiang Mo, the stoic and pragmatic male lead, provides her with shelter, first aid, and pragmatic advice, including tearing her restrictive dress to allow for mobility. The chapter culminates with Jiang Mo handing over his signature Tang Dao, a pivotal moment marking the beginning of her forced growth from a dependent character into a survivor.
Trivia:
Lin Shuang's struggle with her skirt is a deliberate subversion of the "damsel in distress" trope, grounding it in practical survival.
The "Tang Dao" mentioned is established as a canonical weapon in the source material's long-running serialization.
The "soft rice" idiom refers to Lin Shuang's initial, flawed plan to rely entirely on the male protagonist's success for her own survival.
The mention of "300,000 words" highlights the meta-fictional nature of the "Infinite Stream" genre.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ A Chinese idiom (吃软饭) referring to a man who relies on a woman for financial support; here, it is gender-swapped to reflect Lin Shuang's plan to rely on the male lead as a "cannon fodder" character.
Notes:
• Lin Shuang - Lin Shuang is a college student who transmigrated into an infinite stream game as a cannon fodder supporting role. Struggling with anxiety and a desperate need to survive, she adopts the persona of a character clinging to the male protagonist to secure a life of comfort. Known simply as Shuang, this name represents her role as an outsider navigating the original owner's complex social ties.
• Shuang - Lin Shuang is a college student who transmigrated into an infinite stream game as a cannon fodder supporting role. Struggling with anxiety and a desperate need to survive, she adopts the persona of a character clinging to the male protagonist to secure a life of comfort. Known simply as Shuang, this name represents her role as an outsider navigating the original owner's complex social ties.
• Lin - A third-year university student trapped in a lethal survival game, she masks her panic and physical vulnerability with a facade of bravado and wealth. Lean and striking in a black blazer, pencil skirt, and silk stockings, she wields a Tang dao to survive. Often judged by others for her appearance, she navigates the infinite stream as Jiang Mo’s partner, struggling with trauma while forging vital alliances.
• Jiang Mo - A cold, calculated player in the Infinite Stream, he masks a predatory nature with a polite, gentle persona. Though methodical and aloof, he acts as a devoted protector to Lin Shuang. With a background in boxing, he maintains a guarded, thoughtful temperament shaped by past isolation. He currently lives alone, balancing his lethal survival skills with a surprisingly tidy and controlled lifestyle.
• Jiang - A cynical, survival-hardened veteran player, he appears as a weary construction worker in a white vest and camouflage pants. Armed with a Tang sword and chainsaw, he acts as a reluctant, practical protector within the game. Though detached and suspicious of social ties, he finds himself strangely addicted to his interactions with his rookie partner, balancing lethality with an unwanted protective role.
• Mo - A given name, used alongside Jiang. Given name of Jiang, known for his cold-but-caring demeanor and martial proficiency. The first name carried by Jiang. The given name of Jiang.
• Butcher - A hostile, respawning creature in the game instance armed with a chainsaw.