NFM Chapter 19

Lin Huai: …

Chu Tian: …

Everyone: …

The pink specter’s howling wind slammed the door shut. Inside the room, Ye Xian’s screams echoed once more. Ni Xiao, who had just regained consciousness, grabbed Lin Huai’s sleeve and asked, “Are you sure it’s okay not to save him?”

“It’s fine.”

“But…”

Another scream came from inside the room. Lin Huai pointed towards the door and said, “Listen, he’s laughing so happily.”

“That sounds more like a scream than laughter…”

Giving up on seeking help from the heartless Lin Huai, Ni Xiao turned to Chu Tian, “You…”

Chu Tian, however, was bent over, furiously writing on a piece of red paper.

“What… are you writing?”

He finished the last stroke with a flourish, shaking his head dramatically, his unruly hair whipping across Lin Huai’s face, whose smile grew even more benevolent.

“Wedding invitations,” Chu Tian said.

The cries from inside the room gradually weakened. Zhang Lu pursed her lips, ultimately deciding not to enter the room.

She wasn’t skilled in combat, especially in direct confrontations. Moreover, she had no reason to risk her life to save someone else.

Thus, ten matches were handed to Lin Huai, the only one who volunteered. Chu Tian patted his shoulder and said, “Who would have thought it would be the two of us fighting side by side in the end, huh—newbie.”

He said the word “newbie” with a meaningful tone. Lin Huai pondered whether he meant a new participant in the Game or a new person, but eventually gave up trying to figure it out.

He asked Chu Tian, “What do I need to do?”

Chu Tian countered, “Have you ever played Plants vs. Zombies? Just like the Peashooter, you’ll throw the lit matches one by one.”

Chu Tian and Lin Huai lined up in front of the door, ready to push it open.

Seeing their determined stance, the Scene Kid, who had been reluctant to fight, felt a surge of courage. He swallowed hard and asked, “Is there… anything I can do to help?”

Lin Huai glanced back at him, “Yes.”

The Scene Kid was ecstatic, “What?”

Lin Huai pointed to the wall, “Stand over there and keep breathing.”

Scene Kid: …

Many years later, standing before the Land of Loss, the Scene Kid would recall that distant night when Lin Huai told him to stand by the wall. It was only then that he remembered, when Lin Huai had turned to look at him, his neck hadn’t moved at all.

When the door was flung open again, the room experienced a massive inflation. In simpler terms, the humanoid banknote had grown even larger. It seemed to have absorbed moisture from the air, its pink veins pulsating beneath the paper. Ye Xian, like Ellen, was deeply wedged into the bathtub, holding a showerhead and singing the national anthem in terror.

Apart from being severely frightened, he was unharmed. Through the pink humanoid, Chu Tian flung a red piece of paper at him, shouting, “Catch it!”

The paper fluttered through the air, its sharp arc creating a gust of wind.

Then, due to the principles of fluid dynamics, it curved like a banana shot.

Lin Huai: …

He silently extended a finger, altering the wind’s direction. The pink humanoid turned its head, its wise eyes locking onto Lin Huai.

Its gaze seemed to say, “Why should brothers harm each other?” Lin Huai felt no remorse, looking up at the sky with the ruthless determination of burning beans for fuel.

Ye Xian lunged to the left, grabbing the paper before the pink humanoid could, and shouted, “Got it!”

Chu Tian said, “Repeat after me!”

Ye Xian, “Okay!”

Chu Tian began, “Key that hides the dark power, show me your true form…”

Ye Xian repeated, “Key that hides the dark power, show me your true form… Why aren’t you saying ‘Balala Energy’!”

“You seemed so tense, I thought I’d lighten the mood.”

“Lighten my ass!”

“Listen carefully!” Chu Tian’s eyes sharpened, “The next line is! Seven-day no-reason return!”

“Stick the return slip with your name on it to his head!”

Without hesitation, Ye Xian grabbed the return slip and aimed for the pink humanoid’s head. Chu Tian slid into the bathroom, turning to shout at Lin Huai, “Fire!”

Ten matches scattered from Lin Huai’s hands like celestial flowers, then, small green flames ignited in the night sky, shooting towards the specter in the bathroom. The pink specter, half-kneeling from Chu Tian’s slide tackle, was now burning from the green flames, yet it refused to lower its proud head, adhering to the principle of “Don’t let the crown fall.”

Chu Tian yelled, “Yellow card warning!”

With that, he wielded a wrench, preparing to ram the specter. The specter, struck by him, continued to roar.

The roar caused everyone outside to collapse to the ground. Perhaps sensing its impending doom, the specter unleashed an extraordinary will to survive, scanning its surroundings before identifying the seemingly unremarkable young man as the strongest person in the room.

After looking at Lin Huai behind Chu Tian, it gave a flattering smile, changing its form.

Black mist spread from the specter’s feet. Before the mist cleared enough to see the specter’s true form, Lin Huai, recognizing the familiar silhouette, narrowed his eyes.

Red clothes, black hair, pale yet striking features, a deep-seated weariness with lingering resentment…

This person…

Oh my. Lin Huai silently thought, this person, isn’t it… me?

He didn’t notice.

The moment the specter changed forms, Chu Tian’s pupils violently contracted.

And he was frozen in place.

“Damn it,” he cursed fiercely.

 

Author’s note:

Been too busy these days, will edit after the weekend.

*Play on words used:

“Show me your true power”: A classic line from Cardcaptor Sakura.