Having Played the Villain for Ten Years, I Came Back - Chapter 18

Wen Linyu stood at the base of the mountain, watching the tourists equipped with professional gear making grand proclamations of conquering the peak. He still couldn’t quite process the situation.

This. was the task Gu Chi wanted him to accompany him for?

The mountain was famous, and since it was Saturday, the crowds were thick. Wen Linyu was swept into the throng: there were families with elderly and children, groups of friends, outdoor streamers filming their climb, and of course, couples walking hand-in-hand.

This level of bustle was something Wen Linyu hadn’t experienced during his half-month of “seclusion.” In fact, he hadn’t had many opportunities to experience it in his life at all.

Gu Chi’s gaze, however, was fixed entirely on two specific couples. His eyes were glued to their hands; one girl was clinging to her boyfriend’s arm, while the other couple was walking with interlocked fingers.

Climbing this mountain wasn’t a task that could be finished in an hour or two. Most modern youth possessed the physical stamina of a wet paper bag. However, the goal for these two couples was the “Three-Lives Stone” at the summit and the cliffside locks that Gu Chi was so obsessed with.

Wen Linyu didn’t yet know the specifics of what Gu Chi was plotting, but from this moment on, a certain Demon Lord had already begun a silent, intense competition with those two couples.

He and his little disciple were going to be the fastest!

“Why did you buy all this?” Wen Linyu snapped out of his daze only to find Gu Chi returning with trekking poles, water, and sun hats.

Gu Chi let out a huff. “They have them, so of course we must have them too!”

Wen Linyu: “…” What is this competitive streak? Comparing even these small things… is he a primary schooler?

Wen Linyu was speechless, but then another question occurred to him: “Where did you get the money?”

Gu Chi looked at him with an expression that said ‘What are you even talking about?’ “Don’t you know how much money I have?”

The balance in his accounts was practically infinite, not to mention the spatial storage bags filled to the brim with treasures.

Wen Linyu knew that, but the issue was that they were in different worlds. Could money from Gu Chi’s world really be used here?

Gu Chi didn’t care for such details. “No idea. I didn’t give them cash anyway.”

Linyu couldn’t help but ask, “Then what did you give them?”

Gu Chi’s attention was already elsewhere, and he waved it off. “A silver coin, probably. Enough talk, let’s move faster.”

Wen Linyu looked at the hat Gu Chi shoved into his hand and went silent. As far as he knew, a single silver coin from Gu Chi’s treasury was worth at least ten or twenty thousand yuan. Twenty thousand yuan for some gear that cost less than two hundred in total.

Wen Linyu wanted to say it was a waste, but on second thought, it wasn’t his money. Besides, he wasn’t short on cash himself now; there was no need to be frugal. In fact, he should be spending more.

They began the climb. For someone who had spent ten years walking the stone steps of a magic university, these two thousand steps were nothing. Linyu’s body wasn’t as powerful as Gu Chi’s, but he had his own cultivation; at most, the sustained exercise only made his face look a bit more flushed and healthy.

Ordinary people found it much more difficult. In the first hundred steps, people were laughing and shouting about how they would “tame” the mountain. By five hundred steps, they were panting heavily. By nine hundred, the trekking poles were doing most of the work.

By a thousand steps, they were taking two steps and resting for three.

“Tsk!” Gu Chi looked at the group of people gasping for air with contorted expressions and let out a disdainful sneer. Comparing yourselves to me? You’re just humiliating yourselves!

Wen Linyu rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily. He couldn’t help but say, “Please, stop making that face.”

Gu Chi grew displeased. “Why? Am I not allowed to smile?”

Wen Linyu: “I’m afraid you’re going to get punched.”

Gu Chi’s disdain intensified. “Me, get punched? Which one of them could beat me?”

“That’s not what I meant.” Wen Linyu really didn’t want to manage him or talk to him, but unfortunately, Gu Chi was acting manic today—he had been holding Linyu’s hand the entire way up.

Now, Gu Chi was looking down on all the other climbers with a smug, arrogant expression that was truly infuriating. Wen Linyu didn’t want to be associated with it; while he wasn’t as self-conscious as he used to be, he still valued his dignity.

In this digital age, one photo posted online and the whole world would know.

He couldn’t afford the embarrassment.

Furthermore, the relationship between him and Gu Chi was nothing like what people were seeing.

Seeing Linyu fall silent again, Gu Chi stopped acting smug. Fine, he would do whatever the boy wanted. He cast one final look of contempt at the two couples who were now exhausted and slumped over, then tilted his chin and pulled Linyu further up the path.

“Seriously, what is he showing off for?” The male half of Couple #1, resting on the steps, felt his sanity slipping. “Honey, did you see that? That idiot had his nose in the air the whole time. Was he mocking us for being weak?”

The girl was too tired to even speak, offering a half-hearted, “You probably saw wrong. Doesn’t everyone look like that when they’re standing higher up looking down? Can we please just go back down?”

“I definitely didn’t see wrong! What’s he so proud of?! Dammit, holding hands while climbing a mountain—who does he think he’s showing off to? Like nobody else has a partner!” The more the boy thought about it, the angrier he got. How could they run into such a person while hiking?

The second couple, slightly further down, piped up too. “Right?! I’m literally going to puke. That guy kept looking at me like I was some kind of ‘trash.’ I don’t even know him! Right, babe?”

To his surprise, his “babe” looked at him with equal disdain. “I told you to exercise more. Look at his build—he’s been climbing that long and isn’t even out of breath. Isn’t it normal for him to look down on you?!”

The second boy’s heart shattered. He cursed maliciously: “Fine! Then I hope that guy’s ‘public display of affection’ leads to a quick breakup!”

The cursed Gu Chi had already led Wen Linyu to the ticket office. The scene here was even more dramatic; there were several stretchers with people lying on them. Gu Chi scanned the area. See? Just as I thought, no one can beat us!

A bunch of useless trash!

Wen Linyu miraculously read his expression this time and became even more speechless. These are ordinary people. You’re at a completely different power level—is it really appropriate to compare yourself to them?

He truly couldn’t understand the man. He had never noticed Gu Chi being such a competitive person during their ten years together.

How strange. Did moving to this world make him more childish?

The ticket office was halfway up the mountain. There was a wide plaza with beautiful views. People who had reached this point were resting and taking photos with their phones and cameras.

Gu Chi was mainly focused on his competitive urge today rather than his other desires, so Wen Linyu had the chance to wander around. It was still early, and the mountain mist hadn’t fully dissipated. Looking into the distance, one could see white clouds swirling around the mountainside.

Linyu felt a spark of inspiration and took a photo of the scenery. This was to be added to his private collection—something only he could open and view, to be shared with his teacher.

Besides the view, the plaza offered snacks and souvenirs. After Linyu finished taking photos, Gu Chi returned with several types of snacks.

Linyu hadn’t intended to eat, but looking at them, he realized Gu Chi had bought all of his favorites. Every single item was mildly spicy and contained no green onions, exactly as he liked.

Wen Linyu looked at the food, then at Gu Chi’s face, which showed no special expression. It was as if buying him food—specifically food that matched his taste perfectly—was the most natural thing in the world.

Linyu narrowed his eyes. It really is strange.

How did Gu Chi know what he liked and hated? Wasn’t the man supposed to be in a deep slumber for those ten years? Why did he know him so clearly?

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