Transmigrated as the Villain and Driven Crazy by the Vengeful Male Lead - Chapter 25

Chapter 25: The Reward Order — I will be your bluebird.

The aroma of pumpkin rice porridge gradually diffused throughout the room. Lyu Shuyao casually used a damp cloth to wipe the bloodstains from his palm, sat by the bed, and brushed the hair away from Su Cheyue’s face.

“Mm, I know.”

He carefully tucked the dark hair behind Su Cheyue’s ear. “But Su Cheyue, believe me. You will get better. Everything—the places, the unpleasantness, all the things you don’t want—will get better.”

Su Cheyue let him fuss with his hair, letting out a light, cynical laugh. “Why should I believe you?”

Lyu Shuyao truly thought his next line would be: Isn’t it your fault I became like this? But Su Cheyue didn’t continue.

He simply repeated: “Why should I believe you?”

Lyu Shuyao was actually a person who failed quite often. But he never worried about failure; or rather, failure never managed to crush him. For example, when he was a teenager, he used to tell his mother: “Mom, don’t cry, don’t be angry. Dad will definitely come back.”

His mother would wear that same indifferent expression, asking with a cold sneer: “Why should I believe you?”

Because of that “why should I believe you,” Lyu Shuyao had done many foolish and stupid things. Besides accompanying his dad to play mahjong, he had intentionally burned himself or taken cold baths in the dead of winter to give himself a high fever—among many, many other things.

In the end, he always failed.

Facing those words, he always felt powerless. It was true then, and even now, when he had a “God’s eye view” of the plot, he still didn’t know how to answer Su Cheyue.

He simply left without saying a word, turning instead to ask the system: “When exactly will Su Cheyue fully recover?”

[Doesn’t the visitor already know? You need to wait for him to meet the female lead, Tao Xuanxuan, who comes from a family of medical cultivators.]

“Time,” Lyu Shuyao said urgently. “I need a specific time.”

[Apologies, the system cannot reveal specific dates.]

“Is there any way to speed up the ninety-nine side-story plots you mentioned yesterday?”

[I know you’re in a hurry, but don’t be in a hurry just yet.] The system sounded puzzled. [Visitor, why are you suddenly so anxious to leave and return to your original world?]

“I…” He wasn’t in a hurry to leave.

[Regrettably, that violates system regulations. I cannot help you.]

Lyu Shuyao said disappointedly, “Alright then.”

He went out and didn’t return until nightfall. He brought back a small bundle; as he climbed the stairs, the bundle made a crisp clattering sound of bamboo. Even the waiter, who was busy off his feet, couldn’t help but steal a glance.

Su Cheyue’s room was unlit. Lyu Shuyao walked in quietly, found his way to Su Cheyue’s side, and lit the red candle by the bed. Su Cheyue had already recognized his movements and scent, so he didn’t speak.

“Have you had dinner?”

The bamboo tablets clattered. No.

“I haven’t eaten either. I’ve been busy all afternoon and I’m starving.” Lyu Shuyao made a fawning request. “Second Young Master, eat a little with me, okay?”

“…”

“Once we’ve eaten, I have a gift to give you.”

He brought over a bowl of soup and fed him in small sips. Su Cheyue hesitated for a long time before reluctantly opening his mouth to swallow the soup.

After finally coaxing him to finish, Lyu Shuyao wiped his mouth, excitedly took the small bundle, opened it, and grabbed several small bamboo tablets, placing them in Su Cheyue’s palm.

“Feel them.”

The bamboo tablets were small squares, warm to the touch. Though newly made, the surfaces were smooth and delicate, with no burrs or sharp edges. They felt comfortable in the hand; one could imagine the maker sanding and polishing them repeatedly.

“This is Mahjong—or as you call it here, Leaf Cards. You’ve never seen these, have you, Second Young Master?”

Though it was a common folk entertainment, Su Cheyue had grown up in a prestigious immortal family, immersed in literature, swordsmanship, and the six arts. He certainly wouldn’t have encountered something like Leaf Cards.

Su Cheyue indeed shook his head.

Lyu Shuyao’s heart sank slightly; he had likely lost his voice again as well.

“It’s okay,” Lyu Shuyao said. “Can you feel the patterns on them?”

Led step by step, Su Cheyue’s emotional thoughts gradually receded, and he began to feel genuine curiosity about what this item was.

His fingertips brushed over the recessed pits on the bamboo tablets. Su Cheyue nodded.

“This is called…” Lyu Shuyao thought for a moment. The word “blind” wasn’t good; Su Cheyue would be sensitive to it. “This is called Martian Script.”

Martian Script?

“Mars is a star very far away from our world, but it’s very powerful. There are likely people just like you and me living there. This is their exclusive writing system.”

Su Cheyue was taken in by his bluff. He sat motionless; though his eyes couldn’t see, they shone with a light of intellectual seeking.

“In our world, no one knows how to read Martian Script except for you and me. You’re probably going to say, ‘Lyu Shuyao, don’t talk nonsense, you don’t know it either.'”

“I’ll teach you now. You’re so brilliant, you’ll learn it in no time. Once you learn it, you can use it to talk to me, to read, and to write. You’ll probably say, ‘What’s the use? No one else can read or hear it.’ But Su Cheyue, there’s still me.”

Lyu Shuyao squeezed the back of his cold, thin hand. “The way to Mount Peng is not far; O Bluebird, be diligent and look for me. From now on, I will be your bluebird.”

Su Cheyue pulled his hand away and turned his head, his lips curling up ever so slightly.

“Then let’s begin!”

Lyu Shuyao had taken a Braille elective in university, and he never expected it would actually come in handy one day. He first used a whetstone to carve pits into the bamboo tablets, then infused the pits with spiritual power so they could shift position and shape when touched—like playing a touch-screen game.

Modern Braille is complex, so Lyu Shuyao simplified a version for him. He only taught common words used in this world and some words Su Cheyue might want to know. Su Cheyue learned faster than he imagined.

“Now, why don’t you try, Second Young Master?”

Su Cheyue thought for a moment, his fingers moving nimbly over the surface of the tablets, arranging several characters in order.

“Su… Che… Yue.” Lyu Shuyao read them out for him.

He rearranged them again. “Su… Qing… Yang.”

And once more. “Su… Chen.” That was the name of Su Cheyue’s father.

After a few more rounds, Lyu Shuyao joked: “The Second Young Master has spelled out everyone’s name, but left out mine alone.”

Su Cheyue pursed his lips and kept a stiff face, then quickly formed three more characters.

“I—DON’T—WANT—TO.”

Lyu Shuyao struck a pose of great heartbreak. “I gave my heart to the bright moon, but the moon shines upon the ditch instead. The Second Young Master is truly heartless.”

By the time they finished their diligent study, it was late at night. Lyu Shuyao extinguished the candles for Su Cheyue, told him to rest early, and left while yawning.

Su Cheyue lay in bed, quietly turning over in the dead of night. His mind was empty, yet he involuntarily reached out for the tablets again. His fingers brushed back and forth, the positions of the pits shifting silently.

For the missing name, he only spelled out the first character. Then, as if suddenly waking up, he swept his hand across the tablets to scatter them and threw them to the foot of the bed.

[Congratulations, visitor! Male lead Su Cheyue’s Hatred Value has decreased by 300. Current Hatred Value: 900. Keep up the good work!]

Lyu Shuyao, also lying in bed, frowned.

“System, you awake?”

[I am. What is it?]

“You said this morning there was a way to speed up the plot. Tell me.”

Lyu Shuyao had long grown used to the system’s moods fluctuating like a girl in love. He rested his arms behind his head. “Speak.”

[Do you remember the Reward Order?]

The Reward Order?

The Reward Order was a treasure from the original book. It was set to belong to the Zhuohua Palace, a major sect located in Huailing.

In the later stages of the original plot, after Su Cheyue made his comeback and the author ran out of filler, he had Su Cheyue take his sword and challenge every sect that had ever offended or insulted him. To give him a righteous cause, the author assigned these sects ridiculous, nonsensical crimes—like seeing an old lady cross the street and not helping her, buying things without paying, or harrassing virtuous women.

As for Zhuohua Palace, rumor had it the Palace Master was a complete libertine, yet he set a rule that only female disciples were allowed. This led the outside world to harbor endless suspicions and vivid imaginations about the palace’s lifestyle.

In short, its reputation was terrible, so it naturally became the primary target for the protagonist Su Cheyue’s crusade.

After Su Cheyue defeated the entire Zhuohua Palace single-handedly, the Reward Order fell into his hands. From then on, he used this treasure to send war challenges to heroes across the land, fighting his way through the nine provinces of the Central Plains.

The function of the Reward Order was somewhat like a “cloud-piercing arrow”—it sent out a signal that could summon numerous experts, either to assist or to take up a challenge. Of course, since Su Cheyue’s power was at its peak, anyone with sense wouldn’t have accepted a challenge. However, the name “Reward Order” implied a “reward,” so it naturally had an attractive effect.

Anyone who accepted the order—regardless of whether they were gods, ghosts, or demons—would receive a boost to their cultivation upon completing the task. This could range from an increase in spiritual power to breaking through realms or realizing rare martial techniques.

Aside from the Pearl of Desires, it was a treasure everyone dreamed of. Unfortunately, the Master of Zhuohua Palace was a force to be reckoned with and had kept it hidden away for years.

“You mean, by issuing a Reward Order, Su Cheyue and I don’t have to deal with those ninety-nine evil intents personally? Other cultivators can intervene early?”

[Exactly. Su Cheyue’s Pearl of Desires can hear multiple layers of evil desire simultaneously. The faster an existing desire is resolved, the sooner he can sense the desires that follow.]

“It sounds like a way to speed things up… but how do we get the Reward Order?”

[Isn’t the location of the Reward Order a well-known secret?]

“I know it’s in Zhuohua Palace, but why would the Palace Master be willing to hand over their sect’s treasure to us?”

[That requires the visitor’s own ingenuity and wit.]

Lyu Shuyao exhaled. “Got it.”

The next day, while bringing Su Cheyue breakfast, Lyu Shuyao asked him, “Where would the Second Young Master like to go next?”

Su Cheyue shook his head.

“How about we go to Zhuohua Palace?”

Su Cheyue narrowed his eyes and frowned, still shaking his head.

“Why don’t you want to go?”

The men there are all lechers.

Lyu Shuyao said patiently, “There is a method there that can help you recover.”

Su Cheyue lifted his eyes and spelled out with the bamboo tablets: Truly?

“Truly.”

If you dare to lie to me.

Lyu Shuyao pointed to the heavens and swore an oath: “I absolutely haven’t lied to you. If I am lying, I’ll be a bachelor for the rest of my life.”

Su Cheyue lowered his eyes and compromised.

Fine.

Lyu Shuyao flew the sword, and within half a day, the two arrived at the Huailing territory, where Zhuohua Palace was located.

It was a land of fish and rice in the south, with flowing flowers, winding rivers, and black-awned boats. The city was filled with young women in their prime, each with brows like distant mountains and eyes like stars reflected in clear springs, exuding the grace and agility of the Jiangnan region.

Su Cheyue sat in his newly bought wheelchair. As Lyu Shuyao pushed him along, the passing women all turned their heads.

“Is that… is that the Second Young Master Su?”

“Is it? It is! I heard he married into the Lyu family a few months ago?”

“Right! If he hadn’t married, I would have gone to ‘Zhao Yin’ (recruit the shade)!”

“Did he really get married? What is he doing in Huailing? Who is that handsome gentleman beside him? Did his wife not come along?”

Both of them listened with frozen expressions.

“Shh! I heard the one he married is this young master, from the Lyu family!”

“What??!! He didn’t marry Sect Leader Lyu’s sister??!!”

“He was supposed to, but then something happened…”

“Then that’s not a real marriage!! The Second Young Master is single!! I’m going in.”

“But look at him, he’s in a wheelchair. Who knows if he can still…”

“What’s wrong with a wheelchair? Isn’t the Second Young Master’s face still there? Isn’t his body still there? As women, we can find our own ways to get what we want; we can’t demand perfection!”

…What kind of scandalous talk was this!

“I’m going to Zhuohua Palace to ask for a ‘Recruiting Shade’ makeover—”

Su Cheyue suddenly grabbed Lyu Shuyao’s wrist.

“Hmm?” Lyu Shuyao looked down. “What is it?”

A few bamboo tablets were shoved into his hand. Lyu Shuyao arranged them and looked.

…Had he taught something wrong?

The bamboo tablets were laid out neatly in a line, and they read:

CALL. ME. HUSBAND.