Walls Talking Chapter 18

CONGRATULATIONS USER! 500 POINTS PENDING

A sudden flash lit up Yi Ming's face, making him squint in surprise as his vision was nearly seared by the brightness. It was like picking up a phone at 3 a.m. without lowering the brightness — harsh and jarring. Shielding his eyes, he blinked a few times, squinting at the new message notification.

THE BLAZING HEART IN HUO MOUNTAIN — EMBERS OF DEVOTION MISSION PARTIALLY COMPLETE

"500 points pending? What the…" Yi Ming muttered, furrowing his brow. Partially complete?But "pending" — that had to mean Shudu and A-Tuzi had their long-awaited "moment." Closing his eyes, Yi Ming pursed his lips and made an exaggerated kissing face, imagining the dark, cavernous setting where Shudu and Xue Tuzi had finally shared a heated kiss, surrounded by shadows and anticipation. Jiao Jiao peeked up at him from inside his robe, his large eyes carrying a mix of confusion and annoyance. With a pout, he tucked himself back in, grumbling under his breath about still missing his Mama. Caught up in his quiet muttering, Xue Laohu had almost forgotten he was still trapped in the underground tunnel with Li Zhameng. 

Li Zhameng, however, caught the faint murmur of Xue Laohu's conversation with himself. Kiss? The word echoed in Li Zhameng's mind, a jolt of surprise running through him as he glanced over, watching his Shizun appear lost in thought, carrying on his private dialogue. His face flushed as he cupped his hands over his cheeks, Does Shizun want to kiss me?His thoughts spun, his heart racing at the idea. But I can't kiss Shizun… it's inappropriate! If he truly wishes to, he'll have to make the first move himself…

Meanwhile, back in the system's interface, Yi Ming's eyes caught on a single, strikingly bright pink heart on Shudu's character data. "Oh, what's this?" he muttered, grinning mischievously behind his fan. Looks like someone's caught feelings. Snickering to himself, he shifted his attention to Xue Tuzi's data — only to find all five hearts solid black. His grin faded, a deep sigh escaping as he realized he still had a long way to go to meet the main objective, even with 500 points pending.

Lost in his spiraling thoughts, Li Zhameng missed his footing, stumbling forward as he imagined all the improper scenarios. He slipped, tumbling awkwardly, and hit his head with a loud thud against a sharp rock.

"Ugh…" Li Zhameng grimaced, wincing as he rubbed the side of his head where blood was beginning to pool. 

"Eh, Meng Meng, you need to watch where you're going!" Xue Laohu scolded, concern coloring his voice. 

"Shizun, it's just a bump," Li Zhameng replied shyly, trying to brush it off. 

"Let me see." Xue Laohu crouched down to inspect the wound, his hand gently coming to rest on one of Li Zhameng's flushed cheeks. Though the dim tunnel barely illuminated their faces, the warmth radiating from Li Zhameng's blush was unmistakable.

"Do you have a fever?" Xue Laohu asked, a hint of worry creeping in as he pressed his palm to Li Zhameng's forehead. "Hmm, no fever… but your cheeks are so warm…" His hand lingered as he scrutinized him, but before he could finish, Li Zhameng's eyes fluttered closed, his long lashes brushing his blushing cheeks as he puckered his lips, leaning forward expectantly.

"Ehh…" Xue Laohu stammered, his face growing redder as he nervously backed away, trying to understand the sudden change in Li Zhameng's behavior. As he shuffled backward, his hand accidentally landed on a protruding rock, which turned out to be a hidden latch. With a loud click, the latch gave way, and he lost his balance, tumbling through the opening with a surprised shout. 

"Aah!" Jiao Jiao yelped as he, too, was pulled into the chaos, clinging to Xue Laohu as they fell through the darkness.

Li Zhameng's eyes snapped open at the sound of echoing screams. "Shizun?" His brows furrowed, heart racing as he peered into the abyss where Xue Laohu and Jiao Jiao had vanished. The next moment, he leapt in without hesitation, determined to follow them down.

He landed with a solid thud, right on top of Xue Laohu, their foreheads colliding painfully. Both groaned, clutching their heads, as Jiao Jiao whimpered nearby, trying to untangle himself.

Li Zhameng blinked through the pain, his mind whirring. If I pretend to be unconscious… maybe Shizun will make a move on me. His heartbeat quickened at the thought, and he let his eyelids drift closed, relaxing his features in his best attempt at a convincing faint, waiting for his knight in shining armor to bestow an "awakening" kiss.

"Meng Meng?" Xue Laohu called softly, tapping the sides of Li Zhameng's flushed, peachy cheeks, hoping for a reaction. But Li Zhameng lay still, lips slightly parted as if in a peaceful slumber. Beside them, Jiao Jiao rubbed the side of his own head, where a large, swollen lump had already formed.

Panic flickered across Xue Laohu's face. He carefully laid Li Zhameng down and shifted his attention to Jiao Jiao, who winced under his touch. "Agh, Shudu's going to kill me if he sees this," he muttered anxiously, his fingers working gently but quickly to soothe the swelling on Jiao Jiao's head.

"Fucking hell…" Xue Laohu muttered to himself, half convinced Li Zhameng was truly unconscious. Frustrated, he spoke aloud, calling to the system as if it might suddenly answer him directly. "Hey, yo, you old hag! Where are you?"

An unsettling cough crackled through his head, the sound so close it seemed to crawl directly into his ears. The voice wheezed, gagging as if it could barely breathe, and then came closer. Suddenly, a neon screen flared in front of his face, nearly blinding him.

WELCOME USER. YOU HAVE ENTERED HUO MOUNTAIN.

"Huh…" Yi Ming narrowed his eyes at the screen, "So this is Huo Mountain. System, about that mission—why are my points still pending?" His eyebrow arched in annoyance.

SHOU MC HAS YET TO RECIPROCATE ANY AMOROUS FEELINGS TOWARDS GONG MC. MISSION REMAINS INCOMPLETE.

Yi Ming groaned, running a hand over his face in frustration. "So I've got to wait for this 'blossoming romance' to fully ripen. Fine," he grumbled, dismissing the screen with a swipe.

Turning back, he nearly jumped when he saw Li Zhameng sitting up, wide awake and gazing at him with a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"Shizun?" Li Zhameng's brow furrowed, his voice carrying a note of suspicion.

"Huh??" Xue Laohu blurted out, pulling out his fan to shield his face as beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. His fan trembled slightly as he fanned himself, trying to mask the nervous energy radiating from him. Li Zhameng had overheard parts of his conversation—though thankfully, he'd only heard Xue Laohu's side of it, unaware of the system's responses that had flashed only in Xue Laohu's mind.

"Shizun?" Li Zhameng pressed, stepping closer, his eyes narrowing. "Who exactly is this… 'system'?"

Xue Laohu stammered, his words catching in his throat as he stumbled back, while Li Zhameng advanced steadily. "I… uh…" He could feel the walls pressing against his back, but his mind scrambled for an answer. 

"When Shizun meditates," Li Zhameng continued, his voice low but insistent, "I've noticed he often mutters to himself, calling forth this 'system.' Shizun is always… bargaining, arguing, as if with some unseen force. But I can't see it. So who are they?" His gaze bore into Xue Laohu's, fiery and unyielding as he leaned forward, bracing his arm on the wall above Xue Laohu's shoulder, leaving his Shizun trapped between him and the rough cavern stone. 

Xue Laohu gulped, his eyes widening at Li Zhameng's intense expression. He could feel his pulse quicken under the weight of that determined gaze. Clearing his throat, he forced himself to meet Li Zhameng's eyes, though his voice came out strained. "Ahem. What I'm about to tell you… might be difficult to comprehend."

"Shizun, please continue," Li Zhameng replied, his tone softened but unwavering, his lashes fluttering slightly as he looked down, his fierce focus fixed on his Shizun, awaiting his answer with an intensity that made Xue Laohu's heart race.

Xue Laohu exhaled deeply, his chest quivering with tension. "The system… it's an oracle, and—believe it or not—I… I was sent here to bring Shudu and Xue Tuzi together," he blurted out in a rapid whisper, almost as if the truth would escape him otherwise.

Li Zhameng's face twisted in disbelief before he burst into laughter. "Surely, Shizun jests!"

Xue Laohu's expression remained grim as he glanced downward in resignation, hiding the internal struggle raging beneath. "No… unfortunately, I'm dead serious." His shoulders slumped, silently cursing the seemingly absurd fate trusted upon him.

Li Zhameng paused, his brow knitting in thought. "But Shudu and A-Tuzi… they're like water and oil. They practically repel each other." His tone was blunt, but as he spoke, a realization washed over him. If his Shizun's mission was to bring Shudu and A-Tuzi together—however impossible that sounded—it meant he himself had no competition for Shizun's affections. A mischievous glint sparkled in his eye as he thought, Then maybe I can have Shizun all to myself after all.

Suddenly, Xue Laohu's gaze sharpened, and he closed the distance between them in quick, determined strides. His eyes blazed with authority as he pressed Li Zhameng against the rough cavern wall, his hand slapping down above him with a resounding crack that echoed through the tunnel. The assertive stance left Li Zhameng pinned, his breath catching as Xue Laohu leaned close, their faces mere inches apart.

Xue Laohu's voice dropped to a harsh whisper, his lips brushing near Li Zhameng's ear as he growled, "Not a single soul must hear of this."

A shiver ran down Li Zhameng's spine, his pulse racing at the intensity of his Shizun's command. "Y-yes, Shizun," he managed, his voice trembling as his gaze dipped to his Shizun's lips. "This disciple… promises…"

And in a moment of boldness, Li Zhameng leaned forward, his lips brushing Xue Laohu's in a swift, soft peck. He lingered for the briefest of seconds, savoring the warmth, before Xue Laohu stumbled back, cheeks blazing red.