Entangled with a Gloomy Creep in an Explicit Novel - Chapter 5

“Brother, who are you?” Jin Yongyi rolled up her sleeves, prepared to give this rude person a piece of her mind.

“Shh!” The young man made a silencing gesture. After glancing suspiciously to his left and right, he explained to her, “I am being pursued. I beg you, Miss, please help me.”

“Pursued?! Then I definitely cannot help. I have elders to support and children to care for. No, no, no.”

Jin Yongyi pushed him with all her might, but he became even more persistent, pinning her against the wall once again in a “kabedon” pose.

“Miss, I beg of you, just for a moment.”

“…”

The young man moved a step closer. Jin Yongyi reflexively retreated, wishing she could sink into the wall.

She finally understood: the author of this novel must lack literary depth. Aside from the ghosts looking like Slime versions of Sadako, she was now stuck in this brain-dead plot trope where a character hides from enemies by dragging a member of the opposite sex into a corner to pretend they are a couple in love.

Just as Jin Yongyi was about to sternly refuse, a rhythmic “tap, tap, tap” of footsteps echoed outside. She heard several burly men say, “That kid definitely ran that way. After him! He cannot escape the Night Realm.”

It actually worked! They were not discovered!

Clearly, logic did not exist in the world of novels.

Now that the crisis had temporarily passed, the young man showed no intention of stepping away. Jin Yongyi glared up at him with rage; if he did not move now, she was going to start charging him!

Before she could speak, the young man was suddenly lifted like a small chick. He was sent flying three meters away, hitting the wall before crashing miserably to the ground.

Zhao Fuzhou took two leisurely steps forward, looking down at the young man who was now coughing up blood. With a slight flick of his fingers, a silver sword manifested, emitting a sharp, chilling light aimed directly at the young man’s brow.

Jin Yongyi had never seen such a scene. She rushed forward to pull Zhao Fuzhou back, trying to play peacemaker. “Do not be impulsive! Impulsiveness is the devil! Let us keep the peace and get rich together!”

The air suddenly fell silent.

One was coughing up blood on the left, while the other on the right was as silent as a corpse.

Jin Yongyi closed her eyes, feeling incredibly awkward. She took a deep breath, thinking that the biggest reason for the conflict was likely that this stranger had rushed over and spilled the preserved fruits Zhao Fuzhou had bought.

Those were bought with money. The person who paid had not even eaten one, so he was bound to be angry.

Convinced of her own deduction and mourning the lost fruit, Jin Yongyi stood with her hands on her hips and walked aggressively toward the young man. She suddenly raised her foot and gave him a gentle kick.

The young man clutched his chest, looked up with difficulty, and gave her a confused glance.

A little vent is enough; there is no need for a major conflict.

Believing she had done something to satisfy her boss, Jin Yongyi returned to Zhao Fuzhou’s side, tugging at his sleeve and shaking it. “Stop being angry. He was being chased and acted out of desperation. You should just”

“It is dirty,” Zhao Fuzhou interrupted her.

His face was expressionless, and his cold eyes were fixed on Jin Yongyi’s face.

Jin Yongyi was baffled. Dirty? What was dirty?

She looked Zhao Fuzhou over; his snow-white clothes did not have a single stain. It was only when her gaze fell on her own embroidered shoes, which were stained with blood, that she understood.

“There is an unpleasant smell,” Zhao Fuzhou added.

“It is only a little bit.” Jin Yongyi thought he was being quite delicate. Holding his arm for support, she tilted her foot and rubbed the blood-stained toe of her shoe against the ground. “I will wash it later when we find some water.”

Zhao Fuzhou’s expression softened significantly. His eyes crinkled into a smile, and he even took the initiative to support her.

The silver sword vanished along with its master’s mood. The young man stopped coughing blood, clutched his chest, and slowly climbed up from the ground. He said with effort, “I am sorry, brother. The situation was urgent, and I was forced to act disrespectfully toward your wife.”

Hearing him speak, Jin Yongyi’s brow twitched violently. What are you talking about? The male lead is going to be unhappy again!

She stole a glance at Zhao Fuzhou. Seeing his smile remain, she figured he was in a decent mood and quickly pulled him forward.

“Miss!” the young man called out again. “I have yet to properly apologize. I will definitely compensate you for your embroidered shoes. I owe you both for this. From now on, if you have any trouble in the Night Realm, I, Mu Qingfeng, will go through fire and water for you!”

With every word he spoke, Jin Yongyi watched Zhao Fuzhou’s expression grow colder. She wished she could disappear into the ground with him right then. However, when she heard the young man’s name, she paused.

A name and a plot.

In the world of novels, anyone who possesses both of those—aside from the protagonist—is an important supporting character who will be closely linked to the lead.

The commotion they caused was not small, and many onlookers had gathered. Jin Yongyi randomly asked a few people, “What is your name?”

“What does my name have to do with you?!”

“Oh, wait, what was my name again?”

The reactions of the NPCs confirmed Jin Yongyi’s suspicions. She turned around and carefully looked Mu Qingfeng over from head to toe. He was young, with a high ponytail that made him look spirited. His looks were of the ruggedly handsome type, and his eyes conveyed the message “I am a good person.” One could feel his sense of justice at a glance. Although his clothes were somewhat tattered, they conveniently revealed his tanned muscles.

Naturally, her mind wandered to Zhao Fuzhou’s physique: lean while clothed but muscular when undressed. He was so white it was dazzling, and so “pink” it made one drool.

Jin Yongyi shook her head to clear the awkward thoughts. Looking at Mu Qingfeng again, he seemed to have recovered. Being able to bounce around after losing so much blood proved his physical fitness was top-tier.

As the saying goes, men often become friends after a fight. Mu Qingfeng would surely become a loyal follower of Zhao Fuzhou in the future.

Jin Yongyi’s eyes lit up. That would be just like her character’s role!

Just as she was about to step forward for a friendly welcome ceremony for Mu Qingfeng, the crowd suddenly grew restless.

“Mu Qingfeng! We have been looking for you until our legs are about to break!”

Several burly men squeezed through the crowd, all with their chests exposed and covered in hair. They held axes, sabers, and other weapons; they clearly looked like people who were not to be trifled with.

Jin Yongyi retracted her step and quickly retreated to Zhao Fuzhou’s side.

Zhao Fuzhou remained indifferent to the outside world. He smiled and opened his arms toward her, saying softly, “Yiyi, let us go.”

“Oh,” Jin Yongyi said, looking ahead. She pushed his hand down and pouted. “Let us save him.”

If the male lead agreed to help today, she was willing to bet her entire fortune that Mu Qingfeng would 100 percent become his number one fan.

Then, in the future, she would not be the only one devoted to the male lead; her job would become much easier!

Jin Yongyi winked frantically at Zhao Fuzhou, but he seemed reluctant and refused to step forward.

However, the situation on Mu Qingfeng’s side would not allow her to wait any longer.

“What do you say?” a burly man with a scar on his face said, rubbing his axe against Mu Qingfeng’s clothes with a greasy smile. “Are you going to pay back the money, or are you going to be a male servant for our Hall Master?”

What kind of Hall Master has that kind of preference?

Jin Yongyi felt a wave of disgust for Mu Qingfeng. “Bah! What do I owe you?! It was your Yangguang Hall that cheated! I saw it clearly!”

“Countless gamblers have said that. Who would believe you?”

The scene was chaotic. Two burly men tried to grab Mu Qingfeng, but he sent them flying with a series of moves too fast to see. However, he had been injured minutes ago, and the opponents had weapons; he was gradually losing ground.

Jin Yongyi pulled Zhao Fuzhou’s sleeve again, extremely anxious. Although gambling was wrong, she believed that by working with a good citizen like her every day, Mu Qingfeng would eventually become an upright person!

Furthermore, Yangguang Hall was clearly up to no good. Based on appearances alone, she was definitely on Mu Qingfeng’s side.

But Zhao Fuzhou seemed to have automatically blocked out the commotion. He stared at Jin Yongyi, and the emotion in his eyes grew faint.

Jin Yongyi looked at him, then at Mu Qingfeng, who now had an axe pointed at him. She cursed under her breath, let go of Zhao Fuzhou’s sleeve, and rushed forward, risking her life.

“Look! An airplane in the sky!”

Jin Yongyi grabbed Mu Qingfeng’s arm and pulled hard. Relying on her superior light-body skills, she narrowly dodged the descending axe. She sighed in relief and winked at Mu Qingfeng. “On the count of three, we run!”

“Okay,” Mu Qingfeng replied with a look of trust and gratitude.

“Three!”

“…?”

Jin Yongyi sprinted toward a gap in the crowd, but Mu Qingfeng did not react at all, holding her back. After only two steps, their path was blocked.

Zhao Fuzhou had somehow appeared on this side. He looked down at the two of them, and even his smile seemed exceptionally cold.

“Where are you going? You have grabbed the wrong person.”

Jin Yongyi smacked her forehead. This was beyond ridiculous! Her work never went smoothly; every time, it was either a colleague tripping her up or her boss making things difficult.

I am trying to help you save a follower! If you will not save him, I have to do it myself!

The more Jin Yongyi thought about it, the angrier she got. She gave him a push, though without much force. Her cheeks puffed out with rage as she shouted, “Those people will not do anything to you! Stop being angry at Mu Qingfeng and move out of the way! I am doing all of this for your own good! You have to believe me!”

At her words, Zhao Fuzhou’s eyes softened considerably.

Before he could move, a greasy laugh echoed from behind them.

“Ooh! Ooh, ooh!” a burly man said as he walked over. “Mu Qingfeng, you have quite the luck with women. No wonder you would rather die than be our Hall Master’s servant; you already have a beautiful lady in your arms.”

The man reached them and used his axe to block their path. He intended to mock Mu Qingfeng further, but when he saw Jin Yongyi’s face, his mouth fell open, and he dropped his axe on the ground.

“Beau… beautiful…” He swallowed and said to Mu Qingfeng, “I have a great way for you to clear your debt. How about letting your beautiful lady take your place?”

Jin Yongyi’s heart jumped. She immediately hid behind Zhao Fuzhou, poking her head out to spit, “Bah! Get lost!”

Is the Master of Yangguang Hall straight or gay? If he likes Mu Qingfeng, he should like the fair and more beautiful Zhao Fuzhou even more! Why is he targeting me?

Seeing her anger, the man’s face broke into a doting smile.

Jin Yongyi grew more terrified. She hugged Zhao Fuzhou’s waist, wishing she could stick to him entirely.

Zhao Fuzhou touched the back of her hand comfortingly.

Mu Qingfeng also took a step forward, completely shielding Jin Yongyi.

“I admit defeat. I will give you the money. Just do not hurt her.”

The burly man regained his senses, picked up his axe, and wiped it disdainfully on his clothes. “Yangguang Hall does not care about your petty coins.”

“Then you”

“How does the gentleman wish to resolve this?” Zhao Fuzhou spoke first.

The man glanced at the head peeking over Zhao Fuzhou’s shoulder, gave a short laugh, and pointed his axe toward the end of the road. “After you,” he said with mock respect.

The group arrived at Yangguang Hall. The inside was a mess, filled with the sounds of countless gamblers laughing or crying.

Jin Yongyi clung to Zhao Fuzhou’s arm, glancing around uneasily.

The burly man guided them to sit in the center, and she was forced to separate from Zhao Fuzhou.

“On Yangguang Hall’s territory, things are done according to our rules.” The man shook a dice cup in his hand and said, “Compete with me. Do not say Yangguang Hall bullied you. If the three of you win two out of three rounds, the debt is cleared. But if you lose”

The eyes of everyone present gathered on Jin Yongyi, who sat in the center.

“The prize for this gambling match will be this beauty. How about it?”

“No!”

Mu Qingfeng slammed the table and stood up, pointing at the man’s nose. “You are just targeting her! Who knows if you will cheat to win!”

“Mu Qingfeng, do not talk nonsense,” the man said, narrowing his eyes and slamming his axe into the table.

Jin Yongyi was uneasy. She wanted to save Mu Qingfeng, as it would surely help her work in this book.

She turned to look at Zhao Fuzhou. He had a slight smile, looking completely at ease.

“What does Miss Jin think?”

His gaze was calm, but Jin Yongyi unexpectedly read a message in it:

“If you want to leave now, I will take you away safely.”

After a few seconds, another message followed:

“I can only take you alone away unharmed.”

Jin Yongyi felt deflated. Having come this far, leaving Mu Qingfeng behind would be inhumane. Fine. The male lead is here; surely they cannot lose? In the future, when Mu Qingfeng shines as a loyal follower, the male lead will have to thank her.

“Fine!” Jin Yongyi slammed the table and stood up. “I agree!”

“Excellent!” the man laughed loudly.

Mu Qingfeng frowned, gritted his teeth, and promised, “Please do not worry, Miss. I will not let you be in danger.”

Without giving anyone time to react, he picked up the dice cup and shook it frantically, as if he would not stop until he rolled a triple.

Jin Yongyi did not understand the rules. As a corporate slave whose mind was only on work and never on entertainment, she only knew how to compare numbers. The game being played now was actually quite complex.

After listening to them exchange a lot of jargon, the cup was opened. Mu Qingfeng’s eyes went dull, and he slumped into his chair.

Jin Yongyi realized he had lost.

Lost? Damn it! The bet was her! Why was he so fast to lose?!

Jin Yongyi was so angry she wanted to kick him. Before she could vent her rage, the man designated her for the next round. Jin Yongyi picked up the dice cup, placed one hand over her heart, and closed her eyes to pray sincerely to the heavens.

She was willing to trade seventy years of Zhao Fuzhou’s lifespan for a victory in this round. Regardless, the male lead has plot armor and will surely win; as long as she does not lose, she can definitely escape.

“Please, please!” Jin Yongyi muttered as she shook the dice cup.

When the cup was opened, the man’s expression turned into one of disbelief upon seeing her dice.

She did not understand it, but Zhao Fuzhou came over to look and smiled. “Miss Jin has excellent technique. This number is the highest and has no counter. Once this number is rolled, there is no need for further verbal competition; the result is clear.”

“Really?!”

She was actually that good! If she had a phone, she would definitely take a photo to post on her social media.

Jin Yongyi felt smug.

The next round began, and the dice cup was placed. She walked happily to Zhao Fuzhou’s side, thinking that since the male lead was playing the final round, the win was guaranteed.

Zhao Fuzhou slowly opened the dice cup.

In the next moment, Jin Yongyi looked at the situation on the table, her eyes widening as she gasped.