109

After the spiritual convention ended, the black crystal identity card representing his relationship to the Spiritual Association was carelessly stuffed into Gu Yan's wallet.

Originally, he had wanted to stuff it in a safe since he only wanted to be a member in name, and had no intentions of carrying out any tasks for the country. Grandmaster Zhao and Grandmaster Luo, who had sought him out for help, were clearly aware of this point.

But thinking there might be a chance for him to use it in the future, Gu Yan brought it with him. There might be certain times where work incentives could help him.

"The ghost hunter from before… ahem, what did you ask of him?" Once he spoke, Gu Yan suddenly recalled the scene from yesterday where the ghost had intruded upon them when his lover had pushed him down. Gu Yan unconsciously lowered his voice and coughed to hide his embarrassment.

Even if he had already done those immoral acts in the Ghost City, he was still unable to stay calm.

"He'd just bring misfortune to some people, nothing overboard." Xie Lan blinked and leaned closer to the dark-haired youth. He didn't elaborate any further.

He wasn't satisfied despite closing the distance between them, so the ghost king simply lifted the youth onto his lap. With their bodies pressed together, he lowered his forehead onto the other person's shoulders before narrowing his eyes in satisfaction.

In a place with few 'familiar' people, Xie Lan used his original form for this world.

His dark garments contrasted against his pale complexion. From his eyes to his nose bridge, and finally his thin lips, they all gave an impression of cold indifference. However, he was extremely beautiful, to the point that he still looked good despite his stoic expression.

He wasn't a kind spirit. In reality, those who became spirits weren't good or honest people. This was something everyone in the spiritual world knew, so even if they formed a pact with one, the human realm never dropped its wariness for the ghost city.

Whenever someone looked at his darling with blatant malice, he could only think of strangling them to death – slowly so they could feel despair as their life slipped away from them.

And those who experienced such a painful death usually became evil spirits, so he could throw them into hell once more. They would personally experience the first to the eighteenth level of hell until their remnants were scattered. Only then, would they be free.

"Qiuqiu, be good." This wasn't the first time he was held in such a position. Gu Yan was already used to it. When he heard his lover say 'Nothing overboard', he indulgently reached out a hand to touch the latter's head.

Just a touch was clearly not enough to satisfy the ghost king. Xie Lan lowered his head to capture the youth's lips before making a small sound of agreement.

The youth wanted him to be good, so he'd be good and not kill those people. He'd just let them be unlucky in everything they did, but not to the extent of disasters.

[00, can I return to my world after I complete this last world?] Gu Yan didn't make a sound after being hugged and kissed. He simply relaxed his body and allowed the other person to do whatever he wished as he conversed with his family's system.

[Yes. This was the agreement we had. The host need not worry.] From this question, 037 had thought its host was doubtful if he'd be able to return to the world. So it gave further explanation.

However, this wasn't Gu Yan's concern. After petting and kissing his lover's head, he asked, [What about Qiuqiu…?]

There was silence for a long time before Gu Yan heard a sound. [It is unknown.]

[The system is not able to compute this outcome.] From 037's point of view, the existence holding and kissing its host was too strange. Although his powers were still within the limits set by the 'rules', there would be a day where he'd continue to grow—

It wasn't a surprise. But after hearing the answer that he had expected, Gu Yan's hand still hesitated for a moment before he made a small sound of acknowledgement.

But in the next second, something unexpected occurred.

The youth's palm was meticulously kissed by the ghost holding his hand. Xie Lan grabbed the hand touching his head and tightened his hold on the youth's waist.

"Ah Yan…" He murmured his name while staring darkly at the youth. His gaze was intense but after a moment, he narrowed his eyes like a hunter watching his prey's every move. He was quiet for a while. "Who are you talking to?"

The deep and cold voice wasn't loud, but rang clear through the room.

Gu Yan: "…"

Not only Gu Yan, even the system, who was from a higher dimension, froze.

[This does not…] The system wanted to say this does not adhere to the rules. It was impossible for citizens of a lower dimension to detect its existence but 037 recalled this person was special; it could not predict anything regarding him. Therefore, the system's words were forcefully cut short.

If that pair of eyes earlier could be described as dark and serene, now that it had cooled by several more degrees, it was simply an icy and silent abyss.

Holding the person in his arms closer was a sign of protection. Xie Lan lowered his head to gently kiss the youth's face in a fawning manner.

Xie Lan didn't know what it was but he could feel the youth in his arms turn gloomy. Therefore, Xie Lan determined that it was an enemy he needed to get rid of.

"Don't be scared… Qiuqiu will protect Ah Yan." In a soft voice, these words seemed to have flipped a switch that shouldn't have been touched. The eyes of the pale and beautiful man who had spoken gradually changed.

In the first place, those eyes carried no trace of warmth but now, they had practically frozen over. A single glance was akin to an icy sharp blade.

Theoretically, this shouldn't possess a threat to the system, for he was an existence in the lower realm. However, 037 could keenly detect danger that even its recon subsystem had issued a warning.

It was impossible to hurt it. But 037 calmly analysed: it was unthinkable that the system's recon substem would even appear.

Luckily, Gu Yan came back to his senses in time. He hurriedly stroked his family cat's ruffled fur and solved the crux of the problem. "It's not an enemy."

"… Wu." With a single low syllable, Xie Lan lowered his head to allow the youth to touch him as he narrowed his eyes in contemplation. The blood-red glint that had surfaced in his dark pupils did not continue to diffuse. Instead, it stopped completely.

Gu Yan also noticed this abnormality when he met the other person's eyes. "Qiuqiu, be good. 00 is not an enem…"

Before he could finish his sentence, the owner of that pair of eyes interrupted him.

"00?" His attention immediately changed. When he spoke, his voice was a few degrees colder.

Although the bloody glint in his eyes had receded, Xie Lan's expression when saying the name was extremely unfriendly. He leaned in to bite the youth's neck, leaving behind an extremely ambiguous mark on his pale skin that was already covered with various other marks.

"Ah Yan is mine." It was a deliberate attempt to gloat to that formless existence. And Xie Lan meant every word he said.

037: […]

The nickname 00 was something its host had playfully given it. After some time, 037 had become indifferent and accepted it. As for the current situation… ever since its host had given the order to self-censor, it had begun to conduct its own investigation.

Systems didn't have things like morals. So it didn't feel strange upon seeing people of the lower realm seeking to satiate their lust.

But its host seemed to always do it to the point of crying yet it wasn't due to pain, but overstimulation. As a system made entirely of data and being purer than a three-year-old, 037 really couldn't understand these things.

His integrity and morals as an author has long disappeared in the eyes of his system. Gu Yan was pained to realise this. But with his neck – the most sensitive part of him – being licked, he couldn't help but grow somewhat breathless.

"I'm yours. Qiuqiu, be good." He had a clear understanding of what went through his lover's mind. Gu Yan didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Even if Gu Yan were to try to explain, he couldn't go into details due to the rules that prevented him from speaking about the system to those from a lower realm. He could only vaguely describe his situation. He could not reveal that this was a novel he had written or the reason he came to this world.

"Mmn." Xie Lan made a sound of agreement and no longer pursued this matter. He knew that the youth would definitely tell him if he could. Since he didn't, it meant that he could not and so, he wouldn't continue to ask.

Just a little bit more.

As for what was just a little bit more, Xie Lan himself wasn't sure. He only knew that he was nearly there. Once he achieved it, he would have the power to completely possess his beloved… and precious treasure.