Feng Rui stepped out of his room, his figure shrouded in an aura that seemed to absorb the very light around him. His presence was oppressive, second only to General Han—a man who had earned honor on the battlefield and survived to tell the tale.
The air in the courtyard felt different. Heavier. Denser. As if the very shadows acknowledged his existence and bowed before him.
And that was what unsettled Feng Rui the most.
[The World Tree Seed is deeply concerned about your condition.]
[Current Status: Sealed (2% Unlocked)]
[It urges the host to balance his energies. It also warns that your living body cannot withstand so much death energy unless you perform a Celestial Blood Ritual.]
Feng Rui inhaled deeply.
If he did it, there would be no turning back. His scalp tingled at the memory of his path as the Celestial Demon.
If he had a choice, he didn't want to walk such a thorny road again.
His sanity relied on his experience in the game—on the fact that he was just a "character" with a "goal" and none of this was "real." But now…
He couldn't afford a hero complex. Nor a villain complex. And he certainly wouldn't resign himself to being just another NPC in a world where the strong dictated life and death with a single word.
He had to be careful with his next step.
And to take it with certainty, he needed more information.
'Oh, dear, great, and benevolent World Tree, could you help me manage the energy balance in my body like when we formed the contract?' This time, Feng Rui was exceedingly respectful.
"…"
No response.
'Forget it. I'll leave the seed as a passive quest.'
The servants lowered their heads as the general walked toward the courtyard gates. Feng Rui was finally going to see what lay beyond.
[Warning: Malignant energy in the environment is decreasing, temporarily affecting health for every minute spent outside.]
[Warning: The Phantom Gu mission is still in progress. Those involved cannot leave the matrix.]
[Configuring scenario…]
[Access granted to the NPC assigned to issue the mission.]
[Scenario: The Han Clan Massacre Has Begun.]
Feng Rui stopped in his tracks.
'The what?! MASSACRE?!'
He took a deep breath and looked around.
It was a typical traditional Chinese noble residence, with imposing pavilions with curved roofs framing the wide stone courtyard, adorned with jade lanterns and crystal-clear lotus ponds. Expensive objects and ugly, antique decorations everywhere and a light, ghost-free atmosphere.
Everything seemed… normal.
Too normal.
Suspiciously normal.
The general stopped and looked at Feng Rui impatiently.
"What's wrong?"
The gears in Feng Rui's mind spun at full speed.
How much time did he have before the clan's destruction?
Who was responsible? The king? A traitor within the family?
The fall of the clan would drag him down with it.
Even if hidden motives were at play, it was a fact that the general had saved him multiple times using the crystals. And according to the system, he wasn't listed as the culprit.
But… could he really trust his "father"?
Since when did a general, with so much power and responsibility, have time to visit an "unfavored" son?
Was it just a deception to prevent others from suspecting their relationship?
Did it even matter? Or rather…
For the first time, Feng Rui truly observed the general.
He faced him not as the 'character' he had unconsciously been playing along with to maintain the logic of the 'original Feng Rui,' but as 'Feng Rui, the player.'
The strong.
The strategist.
The intelligent.
The just. Well, he changed that to "ruthless."
The general's aura shifted instantly.
A sharp killing intent, like an unsheathed blade, bore down on Feng Rui.
It was the bare minimum one could expect from a man who had built his reputation through war.
Even the slightest change in posture could mean survival or death on the battlefield.
"Is this the vessel they prepared for me?"
Automatically, Feng Rui let the thick, blood-soaked aura of the Celestial Demon wrap around him.
It wasn't as powerful as the original.
Not even close.
But it was enough.
Enough to prove he was no mere pawn. He mimicked the mannerisms and gestures he had observed—and hated—in the game. The Celestial Demon was the most annoying NPC he had ever encountered. After having played the role in the trial, it felt as familiar as the protagonist role that had won him Best Rookie Actor of the Year.
The general unsheathed his sword and pressed it against Feng Rui's neck.
He didn't dodge.
He didn't block.
He simply held the general's gaze with a dignified yet lazy expression, as if the mortals of this mansion weren't even worth acknowledging.
As elegant and malevolent as the Celestial Demon himself.
In the end, the general's sword was intercepted by a group of masked men.
Feng Rui had finally won a gamble since arriving here.
He had decided to push things forward and act to gather information.
He didn't have time.
More than a dozen figures surrounded the general, cutting him off from Feng Rui.
Each of them wore a blank white mask. Their presence was oppressive. Their killing intent suffocating.
One of them spoke in an insolent tone, not even placing the general in his eyes:
"General, please calm your anger."
The general narrowed his eyes in fury.
"You—"
"Please remember our master's identity."
The general clicked his tongue, tightening his grip on his sword before turning his gaze back to Feng Rui.
"Who are you?"
Feng Rui smirked.
"Oh… Is that really how you should be addressing me?"
And so began the next role that Feng Rui would play in the future.
And he would do it so well that even the real Celestial Demon would doubt his existence...