When the golden rays of morning sunlight caressed Yetao's eyelashes, he was already awake but kept his eyes firmly shut. He could feel Bambam's intense gaze boring into him from the other side of the silk sheets. After their passionate night together, embarrassment flooded through him, yet satisfaction lingered in his heart—he had successfully acquired Bambam's heart scale during their intimate encounter.
Mission accomplished.
Yetao waited for an opportunity to slip away, but Bambam remained motionless beside him, his gaze never wavering. Though Yetao's eyes remained closed in his pretend slumber, the weight of that stare felt like physical pressure against his skin.
Please go away... Yetao mentally pleaded, his inner voice growing desperate as Bambam continued admiring him in silence.
Just as Yetao's patience began to crack, a sudden, searing pain exploded in his chest. A guttural groan escaped his lips before he could stop it.
"Taotao?" Bambam bolted upright, panic evident in his voice as he leaned over to examine him.
Unable to contain the agony any longer, Yetao's eyes fluttered open. Through his blurred vision, he saw Bambam's panicked expression hovering above him. Sweat beaded on Yetao's forehead as each breath became a labored gasp. The pain intensified, sharp and unrelenting, as a translucent screen materialized before his eyes—visible only to him.
[Side quest completed successfully.]
[Warning: Three days until player's death.]
[Complete the main quest to escape your fate.]
[Countdown starts: 02:23:58:51]
The timer ticked downward, each second slipping away as confusion crashed over Yetao.
Side quest? But I've already acquired all the heart scales! Why am I receiving a death warning? his mind screamed as he struggled for breath.
Bambam frantically shook him, oblivious to the system notification floating between them. When Bambam attempted to infuse his life force into Yetao, the pain only intensified, causing Yetao to arch his back and cry out in agony.
Bambam's hands trembled with helplessness as Yetao, through the haze of pain, reached up to cup his cheek with quivering fingers.
"Xiong..." The name escaped Yetao's lips in a barely audible whisper.
"What?" Bambam leaned closer, straining to hear.
Mustering what little strength remained, Yetao repeated with desperate urgency, "Call Xiong!" Tears streamed down his face as the words tore from his throat.
Confusion flashed across Bambam's features—how does Taotao know Xiong when they've never properly met?—but he swallowed his questions. This wasn't the time for doubts.
As Bambam pulled away to summon Xiong, Yetao's hand fell limply to the sheets, and something tumbled from his grasp—the cracked pearl pendant. Bambam didn't notice the item as he swept his hand through the air, magical energy swirling around him to instantly clothe his half-naked form before rushing from the chamber.
Left alone, Yetao clutched the cracked pearl tightly in his palm, each gasp for air sending fresh waves of torment through his body. With immense effort, he forced himself to move, dragging his pain-wracked body into his robes. The elegant attire hung awkwardly on his frame, but he managed to appear somewhat presentable by the time the door swung open.
Meanwhile, Bambam had burst into Xiong's chambers to find the man still deep in slumber.
"Hey, wake up! Taotao is hurt!" The urgency in Bambam's voice jolted Xiong instantly awake.
Without wasting a single breath, they rushed back to Bambam's quarters—only to find Yetao standing calmly as if nothing had happened.
"Taotao... are you alright now?" Bambam gripped Yetao's shoulders, his eyes darting over him in bewilderment as he checked for any signs of the agony he'd witnessed moments before.
But Yetao's attention had fixed elsewhere—on Xiong, who stood frozen at the threshold, shock etched across his features.
A knowing smirk curved Yetao's lips. "Bambam... I have unfinished business with him. I'll meet you after I speak with him," he said, pointing toward the stunned Xiong.
"But—" Bambam began to protest.
"If I don't finish it now, the pain will return," Yetao interrupted, his expression shifting to one of sorrowful pleading. "After all, an untreated illness only grows worse."
Hesitation flickered across Bambam's face before he reluctantly nodded. With a gentle smile of farewell, Yetao led the still-shocked Xiong to a secluded corner of the garden where they couldn't be overheard.
The moment they were alone, Xiong's demeanor transformed. He lunged forward, seizing Yetao by the throat, fury blazing in his eyes. "Where is Yetao?" he snarled.
The false Yetao merely smirked, unperturbed by the hand constricting his airway. With a casual flick of his wrist, dark energy pulsed from his body, hurling Xiong backward and binding him against the thick trunk of an ancient tree.
"I suspected an immortal's presence yesterday," the doppelganger sighed, studying Xiong with predatory interest. "I assumed you'd simply absorbed the immortals' energy after serving them for so long. But it seems you've somehow smuggled the other me out of my subspace prison, haven't you?"
Xiong's lips curled into a defiant smile as he effortlessly broke the dark energy restraints with a surge of his own spiritual power. "You think this can threaten me?" he challenged, advancing toward the impostor. "Where is Yetao?" The question came through gritted teeth, each word laced with barely contained rage.
The false Yetao remained unruffled as Xiong unleashed a barrage of spiritual attacks. The impostor dodged each strike with fluid grace, his own counterattacks proving equally ineffective against Xiong's defenses.
"It seems you've recovered your spiritual energy since arriving here," the doppelganger observed during their deadly dance. "Isn't your world already doomed?"
Xiong offered no response, focusing entirely on his assault. Their powers seemed perfectly matched, neither gaining the upper hand until the doppelganger's patience finally snapped.
"Look, I don't consider you an enemy," the false Yetao declared, his tone sharp with irritation. "But if you stand in my way..." He materialized a handful of black ash in his palm and, with a single breath, blew it directly into Xiong's face.
Xiong involuntarily inhaled the particles and immediately doubled over, blood erupting from his mouth as he collapsed to his knees.
"I really didn't want to resort to this." The false Yetao's smile was pure malice as he towered over his fallen opponent. "But you left me no choice."
Xiong glared up at him, unable to move as more blood spilled from his lips.
"What you just inhaled is a special creation of mine—a parasite that feeds on spiritual power and destroys the core from within." The doppelganger's voice was almost cheerful as he explained. "Don't worry, it won't kill you. You'll just become...mortal." His eyes glittered with cruel amusement. "I crafted it specially for my beloved Bambam, but I suppose I should thank you for volunteering as my test subject. Tell me, how does it feel?"
As Xiong continued to cough up blood, the false Yetao approached with measured steps. Suddenly, a blinding light flashed between them, and Dorn materialized, positioning himself protectively before Xiong. Though his hand trembled from spiritual exhaustion, Dorn maintained a defiant stance against the evil entity.
Xiong immediately recognized the danger. With their spiritual powers depleted, remaining would be suicide. Summoning his last reserves of energy, he transformed into his majestic wyvern form, scooped Dorn onto his back, and soared away into the morning sky.
The false Yetao made no attempt to pursue them. "Hmm... there goes one obstacle," he murmured to himself, his gaze drifting toward the guest palace in the distance. A dangerous gleam entered his eyes. "Now I need to handle the three others who know about my little secret, don't I?"
The doppelganger's lips curved into a sinister smile as he started walking, dark energy swirling at his fingertips.
[System Notice: Countdown - 02:23:45:12]
With a graceful sweep of his hands, dark energy rippled around the doppelganger as his appearance shimmered and transformed. Where Yetao had stood moments before, Xiong now appeared—a perfect mirror image down to the smallest detail.
"Nothing beats my fox powers," he murmured with satisfaction, examining his transformed limbs. "Worth every drop of life force I took from the other me. After a bit of cultivation, I'm feeling quite refreshed."
The false Xiong made his way purposefully through the palace corridors, his footsteps silent as shadows. When he reached Jackson's chambers, he composed his features into a mask of serious urgency.
"Gege," he announced with a respectful bow, "I've received an urgent message from Dorn. I must depart immediately."
Jackson looked up from his scrolls, confusion spreading across his features. "What's so urgent?" Concern flickered in his eyes—concern not for the messenger, but for Yetao who would be left behind.
The imposter read Jackson's expression perfectly. "I know what troubles you," he said with convincing sincerity. "Yetao has all of you to protect him. I'll return as swiftly as circumstances allow."
His performance was flawless, and Jackson nodded his reluctant approval. As the false Xiong turned to leave, Jackson's voice halted him.
"Meet with Jeff before you go. Bid your farewell properly."
The doppelganger froze mid-step, his back to Jackson.
"I know he still doesn't approve of your decision to remain with the immortals," Jackson continued, "but he cares deeply for you. Can't you both set aside your differences and mend your relationship as cousins should?"
With practiced control, the impostor turned and smiled. "As you wish."
But once outside Jackson's chambers and safely beyond earshot, he hissed through gritted teeth, "This man has too many annoying connections."
.
.
.
Barcode approached the main palace hall when Jeff's furious voice echoed through the ornate corridors.
"Maintaining silence is not always the answer, Xiong!" The rage in Jeff's words was tinged with hurt. "Fine... if you refuse to answer, then leave. This will be the last time you set foot in my palace!"
Moments later, the false Xiong emerged, head bowed in apparent submission. From his vantage point, Barcode witnessed Jeff's heartbroken expression through the open door. Something about the exchange felt wrong—Xiong and Jeff had their differences, but this level of hostility seemed extreme.
Barcode moved to intercept Xiong, to perhaps persuade him toward reconciliation, when the impostor's muttered words reached his sensitive wolf-clan ears.
"What do you want me to answer when I'm not your actual brother?"
Barcode froze, his blood turning cold. What does he mean by that? Has he been deceiving everyone all this time?
Suspicion crystallized into focused determination. Activating his clan's legendary stealth abilities, Barcode followed the false Xiong undetected. The impostor climbed a secluded hill behind the palace grounds, unaware of his shadow.
At the summit, the fake Xiong swept his hands through the air with mystical precision. A shimmering barrier dissipated, revealing a horrifying sight—the real Yetao bound with dark energy ropes, his eyes wide with desperation and fear.
Barcode swallowed his gasp, crouching lower behind the sparse vegetation. He needed to understand what was happening before acting rashly.
"So? How are you faring, my other half?" the false Xiong asked with cruel amusement.
Confusion flashed across Yetao's exhausted face as he stared at what appeared to be Xiong speaking such strange words.
"Oh! I forgot to lift the spell." The impostor chuckled. "Take a good look at this face one last time. He won't be alive much longer." With another fluid motion of his hands, the fake Xiong's form rippled and transformed back into Yetao's appearance.
Barcode's heart pounded wildly as horror dawned on him. This is...!
The real Yetao, bound and helpless, trembled at the words 'one last time.' "What did you do to Xiong?" His voice quavered with dread.
"He shouldn't have brought you here," the doppelganger replied with casual indifference. "He crossed the line, so I simply cleared the path."
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" Yetao's anguished scream tore through the hillside.
"I killed him." The impostor's smile was chilling. "Happy?"
Shock rendered Yetao motionless, his breath caught in his lungs as if the very act of breathing had been forgotten.
"Well, he might not be dead yet," the doppelganger amended with cruel precision, "but soon he will be. I erupted his spiritual core, you see? Demons without a spiritual core die within days. That's why cultivation is so important for demons."
Yetao's scream of anguish was primal—raw grief and rage intertwined. Hidden in the shadows, Barcode covered his mouth to stifle his own cry as tears streamed down his face.
"I'll use the same trick on your beloved Bambam," the false Yetao continued, his voice dripping with malice. "I don't want him to die easily. He deserves a slow, painful death—one that leaves him begging for the end, his mind shattered by unrelenting agony."
Yetao could only weep with impotent fury, his body shaking with sobs.
"Judging by the power radiating from you, I'll need to enhance my parasite before attempting to infect him." The doppelganger's eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure. "Thanks to your night of passion, I have a much better understanding of the extent of his power. Not to worry—I'll complete the enhancements within a day. And I'll arrange a special viewing for you when I subject your beloved to his torment."
Through his tears, Yetao glared at his mirror image with burning hatred. "You're not me," he growled, his voice low and dangerous despite his bonds. "I wouldn't think of doing such things even to my worst enemy."
The doppelganger approached Yetao and crouched before him, their identical faces mere inches apart. "That's right. I'm not you—but I was you. To be precise, I'm the version of you, born from the resentment of losing my son."
His expression hardened, a glimpse of genuine pain breaking through his malevolent facade. "I can never experience positive emotions, not since my only son was denied even the chance to reincarnate. How do you imagine that feels? Even the other part of my soul, reincarnated in some distant world, living happily, while my Zihao sacrificed his very existence so you and your beloved could find happiness."
Anger twisted the doppelganger's features. "What about me? What about a parent who can feel nothing but the burning resentment of losing their precious child? Did you totally forget about that precious kid?"
The original Yetao fell silent, memories of Zihao's innocent smile flooding his mind. He couldn't deny the truth in those painful words.
"That's why..." The false Yetao's voice softened with terrible purpose. "You can continue being the compassionate Yetao who forgives even the man who killed his son. I'll be the villain who brings justice for mine."
"I just came to say... Look forward to that Demon's demise"
With those final words, the doppelganger stepped outside the magical barrier and resealed it, trapping Yetao within.
Barcode held his breath, praying the impostor wouldn't detect his presence as he prepared to wait for an opportunity to rescue the real Yetao.
"Surprise!!!"
The false Yetao's face suddenly appeared inches from Barcode's, tilted at a playful angle. Barcode startled backward, his careful concealment shattered.
"What's a lovely kid like you doing in these woods?" the doppelganger asked with predatory sweetness. "Don't you know what happens when hungry foxes find little wolves wandering alone?"
With a gesture too swift to evade, the impostor expanded his barrier, capturing Barcode to be confided alongside the original Yetao.
"Good thing you followed me," he remarked with false cheer. "Just keep him company until I finish my business. I don't kill cute kids, you know?" With a mocking wink, he reinforced the barrier and strode back toward the palace, whistling a cheerful tune that echoed eerily through the trees.
Inside the barrier, Barcode faced the weeping Yetao. Questions buzzed in his mind like bees, but seeing Yetao's shattered state, he set them aside. Instead, he crossed the space between them and wrapped his arms around the trembling man, patting his back gently as Yetao unleashed his grief and rage.
.
.
.
In the guest palace, the false Yetao glided into Bambam's chambers, finding him waiting after their busy morning apart.
Bambam rose immediately, grasping the impostor's shoulders with genuine concern. "Did you finish your business with Xiong?" he asked, searching those familiar eyes for answers.
The false Yetao nodded with a gentle smile calculated to reassure.
Bambam hesitated, clearly wanting to ask more questions, but instead he simply said, "I have so many questions, Taotao. But I'll wait until you're ready to tell me yourself."
He pulled the doppelganger into a tender embrace, not noticing how his lover's body momentarily stiffened at the contact. The impostor quickly recovered, returning the embrace as he whispered, "When the time comes, you'll learn everything."
A cunning smile played across his lips over Bambam's shoulder—a smile Bambam couldn't see as he basked in the false comfort of his lover's arms, blinded by devotion.
Unaware that he held his future murderer in a loving embrace, Bambam sighed contentedly, savoring the moment.
[System Notice: Countdown - 02:19:37:08]