CH 6

Just as I was hesitating, I saw the drowsy-eyed doctors’ apprentices getting up to work. I wrung my hands and lamented: Jun Xuanheng-ah, Jun Xuanheng, the common people are ordinary, yet are diligent and hardworking. You call yourself the God of Creation, but you only think of sleeping. How can this be endured?

I’m already not even as good as an ordinary person, and there is a poor, fragile little guard who needs to be fed. I absolutely can’t just do nothing like this anymore. It is important to find the method of turning on plug-ins as early as possible.

I exchanged a few words with the hostess and asked her to take care of Ye Tan on my behalf. This youngster is really worrisome. I’ll go back to the inn to get the codebook*, and I should be back in time to eat lunch.

*codebook = book of plug-in codes from the first chapter, MC left it at the inn they were staying at

As I was on the way there, I thought of something. The boss at Nightrunner had mentioned that once a Shadow Guard takes a master, he is employed for life. But Ye Tan had said last night that he’d had other masters before. I wondered what went wrong in the middle. Or was one of the two lying?

It was a pity that I had too little information, and I couldn’t figure it out no matter how much I thought about it. I saw the signboard of the inn from a distance, but also saw the entrance was surrounded by numerous servants dressed in uniform, like the servants of some famous family.

Everyone was gathered around the entrance, obstructing my way, and I could only push them aside one by one to get in. There were no other diners in the hall since earlier aside from a sturdily dressed swordsman sitting in the middle, slamming his sword hilt impatiently with an unfriendly expression. The shopkeeper next to him kept trying to soothe him with tea, and was profusely apologizing.

I finally parted the crowd, stepped into the store, and went straight towards the stairs. After not even taking two steps, I felt that I had attracted all the eyes around me, as if they were piercing me from behind. I heard the swordsman snort out, “You’ve got some guts.”

The shopkeeper came back to his senses, pointing at me. “He came back, it was this young master.”

“He is not Yue Changsheng,” the swordsman said intimidatingly, and stood up. “Ridiculous. Someone even dares to fool the Zhongli Court.”

“How could this be?! When he stayed here the day before, the attendant personally wrote the pledge… How would anyone dare to pretend to be the guest of the master of Zhongli Court…” The shopkeeper was losing his head out of fear, hurriedly trying to explain himself.

I considered a few of these words. Perhaps they were talking about me?

So I glanced back.

With just this glance, it was as if my facial features charmed the crowd. Not only was the swordsman lost for a moment, but there was even more commotion at the entrance.

I know, they are intimidated by the special effects surrounding me.

They definitely think that I am so beautiful, as if glowing.

Actually, I’m literally fucking glowing.

“…Interesting. Although it’s not Yue Changsheng, this will probably not disappoint the Noble Young Master.”

He turned around and stopped looking at me, and briefly ordered, “Take him away.”

The surrounding guards with knives obeyed in unison, and they carried me away in a well-trained manner. I was held above the heads of the crowd, and took the time to ask: “Where are you going? I have an appointment to go back for lunch, will I be back in time by noon?… Oh that’s not right, I came to get something… My book…”

“Don’t worry, you are indispensable.” Without looking back, the swordsman got on his horse.

The crowd of servants who were watching at the entrance of the store conscientiously cleared a path. They might have seen that I was sincere and not struggling, and allowed me to finally be put back on the ground. I couldn’t really understand the situation and could only follow them, but after just taking a few steps, I saw Ye Tan break in.

He had already changed into light-colored clothes, and his wounds seemed to have opened up again, spots of blood seeping out. When I saw him, I was simply so angry that I saw stars. How many times had I told him to nicely lie down and recuperate? Was it that hard?? Was it hard?!! Was it?!!!

Ye Tan’s forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he was trembling slightly. I wanted to go support him, but I was blocked. Only then did I start feeling a bit angry.

The swordsman looked at him condescendingly, but also seemed a bit pleased. “Oh… it turns out to be you.”

“…Ze Que.” Ye Tan closed his eyes, his expression painful.

These two knew each other? Then shouldn’t it be much easier to communicate now? And this swordsman also seemed to look very happy…

“I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.” Ze Que jumped off his horse and steadily gripped the hilt of his sword. “Come on, let me see it, the Second Young Master of Zhongli Court’s strongest trump card, the ten year Yaksha’s military prestige—” He paused and suddenly asked, “Where is your sword?”

Ye Tan said, “It’s broken.”

“It’s broken? You actually said it’s broken?” Ze Que’s trace of joy turned into a murderous aura, flooded with rage, in an instant, and he spoke bitterly. “Even your sword is broken, so why don’t you go and die——?”

…Such nonsense!!! Mentioning the pot that doesn’t boil!!!!*

*Mention the pot that doesn’t boil = idiom, to touch a sore spot

I! With great difficulty! Painstakingly! Swindled and deceived! And only then could I comfort him!! You guys! Are seriously! Just making trouble!! I’m so pissed!

“I still… can’t die.” Ye Tan’s voice was very soft. “I still have to protect my master.”

I looked back at him, and just happened to catch his steady gaze. My heart was in high spirits: I have been persuading and talking sense into him for days; has it finally become effective?

Ze Que approached him step by step and sneered. “Master? What a joke. The Second Young Master has already banished you. You’re just a stray dog; who would want to keep a piece of rubbish like you…?”

“Pah, you’re the one who’s rubbish. My Shadow Guard is quite fine.” This God of Creation couldn’t even bear to scold him, but how dare the little noob be so arrogant.

There was a sudden sound of wind, my vision went dark for a second, and I was already pushed away. Ze Que’s movement was too fast. I fell on the ground and rolled two laps before I felt the pain. Compared with the small cut from before, it was more severe by an innumerable amount of times, and I could only desperately hold back my tears. The physical body… is surely… full of suffering… wuwawuwa.

Ye Tan anxiously guarded me, but the truth was that he had no sword and lost all his martial arts skills, so he really couldn’t put up much of a struggle.

“So it’s like this… Your new master is this rubbish?” Ze Que was amused by him. “Although he suits the current you very well.”

Ye Tan ignored him, carefully supporting me up, and wiped the sticky blood from around my mouth.

Ze Que finished laughing, his voice becoming sinister again. “Yaksha, you’re so ridiculous, yet you are also truly hateful… The noble Young Master treated you with the courtesy of being the best warrior in the country, but you were conceited and forceful, and never looked up to him directly. And now, you can’t even return one move from me. What kind of person is the Second Young Master, that the one succeeding him as your master is this kind of flower vase* rubbish?”

*flower vase = idiom, just a pretty face with no brains

“Sigh sigh, I’m not your match, so I concede defeat. I’ll die an honorable death.” After I mocked him, I conveniently laid down my neck. It was actually quite clear to me that I was about to be chopped, and this save file would be doomed. It’s all my fault for forgetting to write the method for turning on plug-ins in the manual. Hmph, wait until I load the file next time. I’ll change the value of my Shadow Guard to a hundred times higher than yours, and beat you while hanging you on an electric fan. I’ll turn it up to the max, the kind that revolves at lightning speed.

I rolled my eyes and slandered him a while, but when I recovered my spirit and saw Ye Tan’s eyes, my heart suddenly tightened.

“…I have let you down, Master. I…If I were still at my prime, I would never have let Master suffer this humiliation.” He sighed quietly. “If only it was you that I met in the beginning… then it would be good…”

…Ah, that’s right. For him, this is goodbye forever.

Next time, even if I load the file and start over again, will he still be this crumpled Shadow Guard…?

I was suddenly a bit unwilling.

I didn’t know what kind of warm liquid dripped on my face, unable to tell if it was blood or tears. The last thing I saw was the Shadow Guard approaching me. He slowly closed his eyes, and my vision went dark.

——My breathing and heartbeat stopped.