After Joining the Game, She Came Out as Gay [Infinite] - Chapter 14

Xia Lin opened her eyes. By the bright moonlight streaming through the window, she saw Qi Cheng sitting against the wall directly facing her, sleeping quietly. This surprised her.

Inside the Divine Realm, there were still days and starry nights. In Qi Cheng’s words, it seemed the Gods provided this as a special consideration so they wouldn’t forget the senses and habits they had as living humans.

The silver glow spilled over Qi Cheng, making her already petite frame look even more desolate. Moreover, there was a terrifying stillness about her.

Although she didn’t snore, in such a quiet environment, one should have been able to hear at least the faint sound of breathing.

To portray a blind person effectively in the past, Xia Lin had consulted specialists and undergone intensive hearing reinforcement training. The blind rely entirely on acoustic localization. An expert can even use the “clacking” sound of echoes from tongue-clicking to calculate distances from others or track a person’s position to avoid obstacles. In fact, frequency information can be represented much like a color scale—similar to how bats operate using ultrasonic waves.

Xia Lin had trained for two years, so she was capable of this. Yet, at this moment, she could barely hear Qi Cheng’s breath. It was as if she were dead.

But this was the Divine Realm; they were lifeforms endowed with “temporary lives.” How could she be dead? Clearly, Qi Cheng had also undergone some form of intensive training to achieve this.

Xia Lin truly wanted to understand Qi Cheng deeply; she wanted to know more about her. She wanted to possess her entirety.

During their introductions, Qi Cheng claimed to be just an ordinary university student. But Xia Lin could tell she was lying. Xia Lin was a natural-born actress; the talent bestowed upon her by heaven not only allowed her to play any role but also granted her a keen eye. Combined with her specialized hearing, she could judge whether someone was acting based on their movements, expressions, tone, sense of immersion, and subsequent actions.

Unless one was a heartless robot, even a well-trained master of deception would show subtle changes when lying. It was just that these changes were harder to capture compared to the average person. Qi Cheng might lie frequently, but she was clearly not at a master level. In terms of acting, Qi Cheng wasn’t nearly as professional as Xia Lin.

Considering that Qi Cheng might have something difficult to speak of, Xia Lin had been pretending not to notice. Disguising herself as a student, that extraordinary sharpness, the occasional chilling aura like a grim reaper… Qi Cheng had so many secrets.

For any participant in a survival game, this was undoubtedly a huge taboo. Everyone wants a partner they know inside and out. Otherwise, mutual suspicion and wariness would only lead to dragging each other down.

“This person is still hiding things from me.” “We are clearly partners, yet she won’t open her heart to me.”

If such thoughts were allowed to escalate, let alone cooperation, it could lead to mutual slaughter. After all, the person staying with you day and night is the one who knows you best—making them the greatest source of insecurity.

Xia Lin sighed.

Qi Cheng was right; this was indeed a cruel game. The Gods had ingeniously exploited human psychology and toyed with their hearts.

But Xia Lin wouldn’t be affected by this. Although she possessed a voracious “thirst for knowledge” regarding Qi Cheng, she didn’t feel a lack of trust. As the saying goes: “If you suspect someone, don’t use them; if you use them, don’t suspect them.” It was only natural that the other party wasn’t ready to open up immediately.

However, in this deceptive [Realm], lured by “life” and hounded by “death,” few people could maintain such an open-minded psyche.

Xia Lin was no ordinary person. Since she had chosen this path, she could afford to wait. If it were a contest of willpower, she wouldn’t lose.

Furthermore, thinking about it this way, she seemed to understand the “benefit” the Gods suggested for clearing stages early. She really wanted to tell Qi Cheng her hypothesis. She wondered if Qi Cheng would have the same thoughts and if she would praise her. The thought of Qi Cheng complimenting her filled Xia Lin with immense joy.

But for now, she had to let Qi Cheng rest. She had to endure.

Speaking of rest—Xia Lin knitted her brows. There was a bed, and she had left plenty of space, yet Qi Cheng was sleeping on the cold floor. Wouldn’t that be uncomfortable? Or was it that she would rather sleep on the floor than share a bed with her?

Xia Lin felt a bit angry and even more hurt. In a fit of pique, she got out of bed, intending to carry Qi Cheng to the mattress.

The moment her toe touched the ground, Qi Cheng opened her eyes. Without warning. Even though Xia Lin’s movements were incredibly light!

For a split second, a desolate chill brewed in Qi Cheng’s eyes. Only when she saw it was Xia Lin did the chill disperse, replaced by clarity.

Xia Lin: “…”

That murderous intent had rendered Xia Lin unable to move. It seemed to be a defense mechanism for Qi Cheng, an instinct.

Qi Cheng asked faintly, “Going to the bathroom?”

“I… did I wake you?”

“No.” Qi Cheng lowered her head again, burying her face in her knees. “Your movements were very light. I’m just sensitive.”

Xia Lin hadn’t undergone “silence” training; her efforts to be quiet were out of fear of waking Qi Cheng. It was just that the training Qi Cheng had received since childhood was etched into her muscles, nerves, and cells like memory alloy. Even in the Divine Realm, it was hard to change. No matter how minute the sound, she would wake instantly and enter a state of combat.

Unless controlled by drugs, Qi Cheng would never fall into a deep sleep. Her sleeping posture was a high-alert stance; she could act immediately in an emergency. If the person in front of her hadn’t been Xia Lin just now, she would have gripped their throat in the next second. She was as swift as a startled rabbit; unless the opponent had undergone similar training and possessed superior physical fitness, they would have no defense.

“Go ahead,” Qi Cheng said, closing her eyes again.

Xia Lin: “…”

Go where?! I don’t need to use the bathroom! Qi Cheng really knew how to ruin an atmosphere.

“Why don’t you come sleep on the bed?”

“…I’m used to this. Don’t mind me.”

“…”

Words were useless, so Xia Lin took action. She walked barefoot and sat down beside Qi Cheng, hugging her knees.

“The floor is that comfortable? Then I’ll try it too. I’ve never slept like this.”

Qi Cheng: “…”

She sighed helplessly and moved aside slightly. But as soon as she moved, Xia Lin spoke: “Qi Cheng, do you think if the Gods discover that lovers are avoiding each other, there might be a punishment?”

Qi Cheng stiffened. She turned her head slowly. “…Why would you think that?”

Xia Lin rested her head on her knees and looked at her sideways, her eyes shimmering.

“Think about it. In the first round, the Gods were abnormally obsessed with the kiss after the 【Vow】, weren’t they? Perhaps the ‘nature of the game’ we assume isn’t what the Gods recognize.”

“At the end of the day, the one who started this game is God, and the power of decision lies in God’s hands. God told us from the start to achieve a ‘romantic relationship,’ not a ‘teammate relationship.’ If it were just a simple team-up for adventure, I don’t think God would have emphasized the concept of ‘love.'”

Qi Cheng: “…”

Xia Lin continued, “In the first round, God clearly wasn’t present, yet he could satisfy our needs. And Mr. Kuang—he was isolated in his room with the door locked, yet God knew his situation. Of course, everything happening in the Divine Realm can’t be judged by human common sense. But this also proves that God is constantly watching (monitoring) us. As for how he does it, it’s likely through means beyond our understanding.”

—She was right.

Not just Qi Cheng, but even several deities in the Hall of Gods showed expressions of “Oh, impressive.”

“So, I propose,” Xia Lin said. “Let’s not defy God for now. It’s better to act according to ‘lover standards.’ Later, if we can confirm that not performing ‘typical lover behaviors’ doesn’t result in punishment, we can go back to being ordinary teammates.”

Xia Lin’s eyes were very sincere. She completely masked the “dirty” thought in her heart: that she simply wanted to woo Qi Cheng. This was the skill of a veteran actress. Heh. ☆

“Of course, to be safe, we shouldn’t be the first ones to test the waters. We should find a way to let other groups experiment and have them confirm if my theory is correct.”

Despite Qi Cheng’s internal resistance to what Xia Lin was saying, she couldn’t deny the logic. After all, she had just been harassed by that Panda. Xia Lin’s idea might not be baseless.

After a long internal struggle, Qi Cheng asked awkwardly, “So… we have to… do it… for it to count?”

Xia Lin was stunned. The deities in the Hall of Gods were even more shocked.

…Young lady, isn’t that a bit of a leap?

Xia Lin laughed heartily. Qi Cheng was incredibly embarrassed, her ears flushing red.

“No, there’s no need to go that far yet,” Xia Lin said.

—Even though she really wanted to pin Qi Cheng down and do it, she knew if she did that now, she wouldn’t be able to get closer to her in the long run. Qi Cheng wasn’t the type to be okay with a one-night stand. And what Xia Lin wanted wasn’t a one-night stand. She wanted Qi Cheng’s everything, and that required a step-by-step approach.

“Qi Cheng, I think for now, we just need some physical contact and a bit of ‘intimacy between lovers.'”

After all, even for real lovers, there is a stage of getting to know each other, adapting, and letting feelings grow. Plus, this was something Qi Cheng could accept more easily.

Xia Lin continued: “And I have a feeling that the ‘benefit’ God mentioned for clearing stages early is to provide us with more private time. This way, lovers can understand each other and increase their affection without being disturbed. Plus, we don’t have to worry about our information being stolen by third parties.”

If they were still in the first game arena, they certainly wouldn’t have such a relaxed opportunity.

—She was half-right again.

The deities in the Hall of Gods all showed appreciative expressions. The God of Love, in particular, wore a strange smile.

This was the possibility Xia Lin had thought of in a flash of inspiration. She had planned to tell Qi Cheng in the morning, but since Qi Cheng was awake and this supported her previous argument, she said it now. However, in that private time, what they “understood and increased” didn’t necessarily have to be romantic feelings.

—Of course, Xia Lin saw no need to explain that part to Qi Cheng.

Qi Cheng’s eyes flickered. Finally, she spoke with difficulty: “Then… what should we do?”

Perfect. Xia Lin mentally pumped her fist.

“Let’s start by holding hands. Here—” She reached out.

Qi Cheng hesitated, then slowly reached out and placed her hand over Xia Lin’s. Xia Lin gripped it back, interlocking their fingers.

Sensing Qi Cheng’s nervous urge to pull away, Xia Lin quickly said: “You have to endure it. From now on, you have to get used to holding hands like this. This is the pure way lovers hold hands.”

Qi Cheng: “…”

Xia Lin’s warmth radiated through her palm. It was very warm. A sense of responsibility involuntarily sprouted in her heart.

—Just as I hold your hand tightly now, I deliver my life unto you.

The words of the 【Vow】 unexpectedly echoed in her mind.

The two of them sat like that, backs against the wall, quietly holding hands for ten minutes. Qi Cheng’s palm broke out in a heavy sweat, but gradually, she forced herself to get used to it. She knew God was capable of anything. It was highly possible they would be punished if they didn’t exhibit the proper atmosphere of lovers. She didn’t care what happened to herself, but she didn’t want to involve this girl. She didn’t want to involve her anymore.

Xia Lin yawned. “Qi Cheng, I’m getting a bit sleepy.”

“Oh… okay!” Qi Cheng snapped back to reality.

“Let’s go to sleep.”

“Oh… okay.”

“We have to sleep together—in the bed.”

“…!”

“You have to get used to it,” Xia Lin pressed, seeing Qi Cheng’s urge to retreat.

Qi Cheng had no choice but to toughen up. Although she lay on the bed obediently, she stayed far away from Xia Lin. There was enough space between them for another person to lie down.

“Qi Cheng,” Xia Lin suddenly said, “Lovers are supposed to sleep while holding each other.”

“…!”

“You have to get used to it.”

Without waiting for Qi Cheng to respond, Xia Lin wrapped her arms around Qi Cheng from behind. Her hand covered the back of Qi Cheng’s, interlocking their fingers again.

Xia Lin’s warm breath brushed against her ear: “We have to keep holding hands too—you have to get used to it.”

—How could I possibly get used to this!!!

But Qi Cheng suppressed that internal roar. She was tense to the point of being stiff.

“Relax,” Xia Lin chuckled. “Goodnight, dear.”

“De—! Ouch…” In her agitation, Qi Cheng bit her own tongue.

“That’s how lovers address each other when they’re alone.”

“…”

“You have to get used to it.” The tail of Xia Lin’s inner demon wagged and wagged.

—You have to get used to it. This phrase had become the perfect excuse for her to touch Qi Cheng.