It was already past 8:00 p.m., and I was deeply asleep on the bed. I tossed and turned, feeling a tickling sensation on my feet and the blanket being pulled away. I winced in my sleep and suddenly opened my eyes, grumbling, "What the—"
My irritation faded as my eyes widened in surprise. "What a cute little cat," I said softly, noticing a black cat nestled at the edge of the bed. The small creature looked up at me with bright, curious eyes and nuzzled into my arms as I reached out to pat its head.
The cat mewed softly, staring at me with wide eyes. Then, a loud, grinding noise erupted from the third floor, like the roar of a monstrous machine. The cat's meows grew more frantic, its gaze locked onto me as if trying to warn me of something I could not see.
" momo? What is that? Should I go and check it out?"
[ sleep you fool! Do not ignore the warning of the inn keeper. The words of NPC are very important because there are hidden rules needed to be followed in every scenerios]
I suddenly heard a knock on my door. The cat's meows grew louder, more urgent. A chill ran down my spine; something was definitely wrong. I approached the door cautiously, my footsteps silent on the wooden floor.
The door had a paper-like surface, translucent yet sturdy, allowing a faint glow of light to filter through. I carefully peeped through a small hole in the door.
Through the hole, I tried to glimpse who—or what—might be on the other side.
I pressed my eye against the hole and gasped in horror, stumbling away from the door and landing on the ground. "What is that?" I breathed, trembling. Outside, suspended just beyond the door, was a gruesome sight—a bloodied, disembodied eye, its pupil staring directly at me. The sight was so grotesque it felt like a cruel, nightmarish prank, and I was paralyzed with fear, ignoring the cat who was meowing at the door.
"Momo!" I yelled in panic.
[ Don't shout, you fool! I'm as clueless as you are about who or what that is,]
Momo replied, sounding annoyed.
"You're supposed to guide me! If you don't even know what that thing is, how am I supposed to survive?" I shouted, my frustration palpable.
[ I only know that you'll meet someone beautiful here. Anyway, stay low for now. I'll go to the outer space and find out more about this scenario] Momo replied.
"But you haven't explained anything about my skills—the Demon Eyes or whatever it is!"
[ LIKE I SAID, I DON'T KNOW! I CAN ONLY LEARN ABOUT IT AFTER YOU USE IT. I'LL FIND OUT MORE AS I GO TO THE OUTER REALM. BYE!] Momo snapped before vanishing.
" What a useless egg," I sighed in frustration.
At that moment, I could only think of one person: Han Yihong. If I was to survive, it seemed I needed his help. I cautiously peeped through the hole again and saw that the eyeball was gone. Quietly, I opened the door and cradled the cat in my arms for comfort.
To my surprise, Han Yihong's door was ajar. It seemed he had anticipated that a scaredy-cat like me might seek his assistance. I slipped into his room, my movements hushed as I approached his bed.
Han Yihong lay asleep, his features softened in repose. The moonlight streaming through the window cast a gentle glow on his face, highlighting his high cheekbones and the faint, relaxed curve of his lips. His dark hair was tousled, falling across his forehead in a disheveled yet somehow regal manner.
I stood there for a moment, taking in the sight, before carefully sitting on the edge of the bed, hoping not to wake him.
As I quietly entered the room, Han Yihong's eyes fluttered open. He gazed at me with a smirk playing on his lips. "You're here," he said, his voice laced with amusement. He patted the space beside him on the bed, a gesture that seemed both inviting and mocking. "Or you can sleep on the floor if you prefer," he added with a suggestive wink.
My cheeks burned with embarrassment at his boldness. Flustered, I quickly moved to the far side of the bed and sat down, keeping my back to him. The bed was surprisingly soft, and the warmth from the covers was comforting, though I couldn't shake the awkwardness of sharing the bed.
Han Yihong's hand tapped my shoulder, jolting me from my thoughts. I looked up to find him watching me with an impassive expression. "Are you a deep sleeper?" he asked, his voice devoid of warmth.
I turned to face him, shaking my head. "No."
"Good," he said, his cold demeanor unchanged. "It's currently 9:30 PM. I'll wake you up at midnight. If you don't wake up, I'll let the ghosts take you," he added with a smirk that didn't reach his eyes.
I scrambled to grab the blanket, but he easily pulled it away, wrapping it snugly around himself. I grumbled and cursed under my breath, fighting for the covers, but it was futile. As Han Yihong settled comfortably with the blanket, I could only glare at his smug face, feeling the chill of the room against my exposed skin.
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I floated aimlessly in the vastness of space, surrounded by an endless sea of stars that twinkled faintly in the dark expanse. Time seemed to stretch on forever, creating a disorienting loop of endless moments.
Suddenly, a figure materialized in front of me. It looked remarkably like me but with distinct differences. While I had brown hair and eyes, this other version of myself had long, flowing white hair and piercing blue eyes. He wore a white cloak that glowed softly, and a star-shaped pendant hung from his neck. A small scar was visible on his cheek, adding a touch of mystery to his otherwise serene appearance.
"Who are you?" I asked, my gaze fixed on his striking features.
"I'm Zeyu," he replied with a calm, ethereal tone. "I'm spiritually bonded to you. In other words, you can summon me whenever you need help or are in danger. You can call me by mindlink or by saying my name three times using blood"
"Wake up! You naive fool, wake up now before I throw you out!" A harsh voice jolted me awake, accompanied by a firm shaking and the heat of someone's breath on my face. I opened my eyes to find Han Yihong glaring down at me, his lips dangerously close to mine.
"What the hell are you doing?" I exclaimed, shoving him away and scrambling out of the bed as he broke my sweet dream.
"We have to go. Come on," Han Yihong said firmly, striding toward the door. I followed closely behind, my clothes clutched tightly around me to ward off the sudden chill.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked, shivering slightly.
He didn't respond, his focus fixed ahead as we ascended the stairs to the third floor.
" When is the full moon?" he asked, holding a lantern.
" Tomorrow," I replied, taking a torch from my inventory with a hint of disinterest.
He muttered to himself, "I guess she will appear tomorrow then."
" Who?" I asked, but he ignored me.
We walked through the inn's corridors. Every door was tightly shut, except for one. This door had a heavy lock and was marked with red runes that glowed faintly.
We stood in front of the door, its presence imposing and giving out a mysterious aura. I instinctively reached out to touch the lock on the door surface, but Yihong's grip stopped me.
" Don't," he warned, his voice low and firm. " There are powerful runes on this door for a reason, naive boy."
He closed his eyes, and a moment later, they reopened, glowing with an intense blue light. The aura around him shimmered with a celestial glow. His eyes, now radiant with divine blue, seemed almost otherworldly.
" Blue divine eyes," he muttered under his breath. He then brought his middle and index fingers together, forming a gesture as if to activate a hidden power. His hand hovered near his mouth, and I could feel the charged energy in the air.
I stood mesmerized, my mouth slightly open in awe at the display of his extraordinary abilities.
[ He seems quite powerful. By the way, lad, I discovered that you have a unique skill.]
" Ah you are back?What skill are you talking about?* I asked through our mindlink.
[ That skill is called Discreet Insight. It allows you to view other people's skills and hidden abilities without their knowledge.]
[ Activate it! Use it on this handsome guy,] Momo insisted.
I closed my eyes and slowly activated the skill. A detailed profile appeared before me:
Name: Han Yihong
Date of Birth: August 24, 1998
Age: 25 years old
Rank: Special Grade
Titles: Conqueror of Hell, Supreme Sea God, Eastern Sword Deity, God of Spirit Realm, Arbiter of Light, Rebellion Bastard
Number of Dungeons Cleared: 200+
Level: 100
Skills:
Blue Divine Eyes
Fiery Demonic Wings
Ring of Constellations
Frostbite Sword
Exceptional Hand-to-Hand Combat Skills
Ability to Gather Water Using Surrounding energy Energy
Black Venom
Water Dragon
Abilities:
Elemental Manipulation: Water and Ice
Enhanced Agility and Strength
Spatial Awareness
Advanced Combat Techniques7
[Is this guy a god? He reached level 100 in just two weeks and cleared over 200 scenarios? How did he achieve all this so quickly? And those titles and abilities are impressive—he must have faced numerous challenging scenarios unlike someone here.]
"Wow," I mumbled aloud, marveling at his skills.
" is there something wrong?"Han Yihong glanced at me furrowing his eyebrow as he deactivated his skill. "Anyways, Let's go. We have no time to waste on useless things.I've set up a formation outside this room. No one will know we entered," he said, grabbing me by the collar and pulling me along.