Chu Ling: [Sys, come out and chat for a bit.]
System: [What’s up, Host?]
Chu Ling rubbed his chin thoughtfully: [I have a feeling that the body double is… starting to break?]
The System was shocked: [Wait, Host, how did you come to that conclusion?!]
[It’s simple. He actually tried to help me hide that incident with the scroll.]
This was the most obvious sign, and also incredibly surreal.
The body double was supposed to be the actual Hall Master of the Azure Dragon Hall, a core subordinate of the villain Ji Wuyuan. He was likely the most trusted of the four Hall Masters and the least likely person to betray the Cult Leader.
Yet, here he was, covering for a spy. If that isn’t “broken,” what is?
Chu Ling continued his analysis: [There are other things that don’t add up. First, why was I allowed to stay in his room alone? Second, that intelligence was way too comprehensive—it even involved long-term plans for the Martial Arts Alliance. And third, it was just sitting there on the desk, as if he were afraid I wouldn’t see it…]
Could it be that the double did it on purpose? He wanted me to see it?
But… Why?
Chu Ling fell into an eerie silence for two seconds, not quite wanting to admit that… this might be because of him.
Had he succeeded too well? He originally just wanted to see the man’s true face behind the mask, but instead of a face reveal, he got a full-blown mutiny. Even though he had been playing the “unintentional seducer,” he was mostly just following his persona. He hadn’t even exerted full effort yet, and the prey had already leaped into the trap.
[Host, why do you think he’s doing this?]
The System also went silent for two seconds before asking in a hollow voice that made Chu Ling feel slightly guilty.
He coughed and waved a hand to clear his name: [Regardless of his motives—whether he’s betraying Ji Wuyuan to start his own thing or has some other hidden agenda—will it affect the plot or our mission?]
The System analyzed: [Yes and no. Your final response was excellent; you didn’t expose the fact that the original Chu Ling intended to infiltrate the cult. It seems the double is still obeying Ji Wuyuan on the surface.]
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made up an excuse to “rationalize” the Xiaoyao Sect intelligence at the end.
Chu Ling nodded: [That’s fine then. It saves me the trouble of faking more spy work. With this complete set of intelligence, I just need to find a way to get it out.]
And he already had a method in mind. He looked at the exquisite whistle in his hand, the corners of his mouth curling into a faint smile.
…
The Meeting
“Ling-er? Ling-er?”
A call nearby snapped the youth back to reality. He looked over blankly to find Ghost Big Brother’s handsome face suddenly close to his own, his narrow eyes curved with a playful smile.
“What are you daydreaming about?”
As he spoke, he gave the youth’s forehead an affectionate flick.
Looking at the smiling man, the youth instinctively tightened his grip on his palm—then remembered the whistle was safely hidden against his skin, tucked into his robes alongside a secret letter.
Relaxing his tense nerves, the youth smiled brightly, not hiding his excitement: “I’m about to meet the Cult Leader; it’s hard not to be nervous.”
His eyes sparkled like someone about to meet a legendary figure.
Seeing this, Ji Wuyuan’s smile widened. He gently stroked the youth’s silky black hair, his expression genuinely relaxed and happy.
“There’s no need to be nervous. I’m sure the Cult Leader will be delighted to see you. I mentioned it to him yesterday, and he agreed immediately.”
The youth nodded and let out a slow breath, seemingly trying to calm his heart, though his face still betrayed a sense of anticipation.
Deep down, Chu Ling was conflicted. He had already obtained the core intelligence, but he couldn’t find a good reason to back out of the meeting he had pushed for so hard. Abruptly canceling might raise suspicion.
So, he had to bite the bullet and go through with it.
His heart was a mess of emotions: the joy of completing his objective, and the anxiety of how to send the message out without being caught. And now, the added stress of meeting the “bloodthirsty and cruel” Cult Leader.
Amidst his frantic thoughts, a broad, warm hand suddenly covered the back of his own.
The hand enveloped his, then turned, lacing their fingers together until they were tightly interlocked. It was an act of extreme intimacy.
A beat too late, the youth stared down at their joined hands. The man’s heat seeped into his skin, making his own hand feel like it was on fire.
Ji Wuyuan watched as the youth’s translucent ears turned a tempting shade of crimson.
“Ghost Big Brother, stop playing around…”
The shy youth kept his head down and scanned the surroundings. Seeing no one watching, he hurriedly struggled to pull his fingers free. His ears remained a vivid, juicy red, looking so tender one might want to take a bite.
Afraid the man might do something else embarrassing in public, the youth took two steps to the side.
However, Ji Wuyuan followed him step-for-step, saying righteously: “I saw you were distracted and still nervous, so I held your hand to help you focus. How can you call that playing around?”
Is that what you call “holding hands”?
The youth’s ears grew even redder, made guilty by the man’s twisted logic. He dodged the man’s gaze and stopped resisting the approaching figure, merely murmuring: “Then… can Ghost Big Brother not do these things… where there are people?”
Ji Wuyuan’s eyes lit up: “Oh? So Ling-er means that as long as no one is around, it’s fine?”
“…” Great, the conversation is dead.
Seeing the youth turn away and ignore him, Ji Wuyuan laughed heartily. The laughter earned him another glare from those shimmering, watery eyes—which, unfortunately, held no killing power and only served to tempt him further.
Ji Wuyuan knew when to stop. For the rest of the walk, he didn’t tease the boy further, even though the sight of the blushing youth was incredibly delicious and made his impulses hard to control.
Since I can’t control them, I won’t…
Ji Wuyuan narrowed his eyes, thinking of the “fun” about to happen, and let out a low chuckle.
“Ghost Big Brother” equaled the Cult Leader. That was a certainty. While he could have had both appear at once using a double, there was no need. He was looking forward to what would happen when he sat alone with the youth in his true identity for the first time.
…
The Silver Mask
After bringing the youth to an opulently decorated room, the “Ghost Big Brother” version of Ji Wuyuan left first. Before departing, he patted the youth’s head and instructed: “The Cult Leader will be here shortly. Wait here for a moment.”
He exited the room, and the door clicked shut with a sharp clack. The youth was left standing alone in the center of the vast, quiet room.
The well-bred Young Master Chu stood obediently, his eyes scanning the environment. Every piece of furniture and decoration appeared far more exquisite and rare than those in Ghost Big Brother’s quarters—likely of immense value.
He didn’t move or touch anything, waiting silently.
After a while, he heard the door open behind him. He turned quickly and came face-to-face with a pair of playful eyes that felt strangely familiar.
The man entering wore a silver-white mask traced with mysterious gold patterns. Only his narrow eyes were visible, carrying a look that was half-smiling, half-mocking.
In his hand, he twirled a translucent jade flute—the legendary weapon of the Demonic Cult Leader, made of ten-thousand-year-old black ice. The legends said its music could kill without a trace, and the flute itself was indestructible, capable of piercing through anything.
Chu Ling froze. As the man walked toward him, an immense pressure radiated from him, forcing the youth back a few steps. His face turned pale.
In the next moment, the suffocating pressure vanished as if it had never been there, and the quiet atmosphere returned.
A low, soft laugh flowed from behind the silver mask—a voice that was magnetic yet unfamiliar.
“I heard a young friend was very eager to meet me. I was curious… what kind of friend would it be?”
Those playful eyes locked onto the youth, filled with an indescribable intensity.
“So it’s such a beauty…”
“A beauty so eager to see me… could it be… that you harbor feelings of love for me?”
As the words fell, the wary and confused Chu Ling forgot his fear. He waved his hands frantically; if this misunderstanding took root, he’d never be able to clear his name.
“The Cult Leader must be joking. I have simply long admired your reputation. To see you today is a wish fulfilled.”
He lowered his head slightly, a moving blush creeping up his snow-white cheeks. He whispered bashfully, “I… I already have someone I like…”
“Oh?”
The man seemed genuinely curious, his tone full of intrigue. “To be liked by such a beauty, that person must be an extraordinary figure, surely?”
“Ah, right. I also heard you are quite close with my Azure Dragon Hall Master—it’s said you two are a perfect match. Could it be… the person you like is my Hall Master?”
The blushing Young Master Chu did not see the man behind the mask. He didn’t see the joyful smile that couldn’t be hidden, nor the sparkle of laughter in his eyes.
Until the youth panicked and hurriedly denied it:
“No, no! The Cult Leader has misunderstood. The person I like is not Ghost Big Brother.”
In an instant, the smile beneath the mask shattered like a dry shell.
“Then the person you love… who is it?”
The voice, suddenly dropping in pitch, was terrifyingly calm.