Chapter 87

As June was about to end, Gu Yi’an’s classmates in the same major witnessed an unbelievable scene in the examination hall.
The class flower of their year, also the school belle, Gu Yi’an, had actually been won over by Lu Zize, the student who had taken a year off and was now in their class after repeating a year.
Each year’s students had different exam schedules. Lu Zize, who had taken a year off, only had one subject left to complete. After his last exam, he no longer needed to take any more tests.
Thus, his appearance alongside Gu Yi’an in the exam hall could only mean one thing: he was there to accompany his girlfriend to her exam.
Everyone already in the exam hall watched as Lu Zize handed Gu Yi’an her purse, and the usually aloof Gu Yi’an responded with a faint smile. Then, the two exchanged a few casual words before Lu Zize left the exam hall.
Anyone watching the two of them interact could tell they had been together for quite some time.
This fact alone made everyone itch with curiosity, they were dying to know how Gu Yi'an and Lu Zize had ended up together, and even more so, where Lu Zize had found the courage to be with such an eerie, cold beauty.
To be honest, though, the pair was quite a sight to behold, the man handsome and gentle, the woman beautiful yet aloof, a perfect blend of warmth and chill.
Once Lu Zize's figure disappeared into the exam hall, some in the classroom began placing bets among themselves.
"How long do you think this brave soul will last? I give him ten days."
"Ten days is too generous. Three days, tops."
After placing their bets, they all sighed inwardly, thinking that some people were truly willing to die for beauty, risking their lives just for a pretty face.
After all, Gu Yi'an's eerie reputation was well-known, anyone who got too close to her ended up dead.
So no matter how stunning her looks or how pleasant her temperament, she was simply untouchable.
Then, three days passed.
During a new exam, their classmates witnessed a familiar scene.
Lu Zize carried Gu Yi'an's backpack into the exam hall, while Gu Yi'an herself held only a bottle of water.
Seeing this, the group who had placed bets whispered among themselves.
"He's lucky, still alive."
"Too bad he won't get to enjoy it for much longer."
"Ten days at most. He'll definitely be dead within ten days."
They unanimously agreed that Lu Zize was perfect in every way except for his poor judgment, and it was even more unfortunate that no one had warned him to stay away from a woman like Gu Yi'an.
Despite their pessimistic predictions, ten days came and went.
All the exams ended, and even the results for two subjects were released, yet the group heard no news of any murders.
Instead, they saw photos on the school's official forum of Gu Yi'an and Lu Zize spotted together on the campus food street.
The couple's striking looks made them the center of attention wherever they went.
After seeing the photos online, the bettors speculated, "Could it be that Lu has some powerful backing? Maybe he bought some protective talisman or something?"
"Let's wait a bit longer. A murder is bound to happen soon. He won't last much longer."
They waited and waited, but instead of news of a murder, they were met with the start of the new semester two months later.
New semester, new schedule, new courses.
During the first class of the term, they were shocked to find that the front row of the classroom was no longer occupied by Gu Yi'an alone.
Now, a man and a woman sat side by side.
That Lu guy was still alive!
How could he be so lucky?
Suddenly, it dawned on them.
Could it be that their class beauty wasn't cursed at all?
Once this thought crossed their minds, they shared it with friends and family. Someone well-informed then revealed a piece of news.
"Haven't you heard? Back when those murders happened earlier this year, a senior monk went to check on your class beauty. He found nothing wrong with her, on the contrary, she's a person of great virtue. The reason she managed to avoid all those eerie incidents might be because of her abundant merits."
Upon hearing this, the group was utterly stunned.
Look at what they missed out on, a golden opportunity to pursue the goddess. They could have offered warmth in times of need and won the goddess's heart, but instead, that chance was snatched away by a dropout pretty boy who knew nothing about Gu Yi'an's past!
They were filled with regret.
In their frustration, this group of people spread the word that there was nothing wrong with Gu Yi'an.
As a result, Gu Yi'an had to abandon her original plan of sticking to her usual routine and spending her free time studying in the library.
First, now that people were no longer afraid of her, her reserved seat in the library was gone, and she had to find a spot every time she went.
Second, whenever Lu Zize wasn't around, boys would constantly try to ask for her contact information, and Gu Yi'an found it utterly annoying.
She had only gone to the library in the first place to maintain the semblance of an ordinary human life. As a deity, she already knew far more than any book could teach her.
So, Gu Yi'an gave up on the library and instead spent her spare time catching ghosts with Uncle Fatty and the others.
Lu Zize wanted to join them, but unfortunately, he had work to do.
Previously, the Hanged Ghost had urged Lu Zize to learn how to be human, saying that men needed money and power. That guy immediately went and acquired a bunch of businesses for himself.
With so many businesses, it's generally fine to leave them unattended for a short while, but in the long run, that's not sustainable.
Lu Zize said he wanted to learn how to be human, so this time, instead of using underhanded methods to manage things, he took charge personally.
Because he had so many businesses and hadn't yet found the right people to manage them for him, he was temporarily tied up and had to work every day.
Every time Gu Yi'an thought about how Lu Zize had dug his own grave with this, she couldn't help but laugh.
It was always Lu Zize tricking others; it was rare to see him get played, and the one who played him was none other than himself.
This incident alone was enough for Gu Yi'an to tease him about for a year.
However, given Lu Zize's usual pettiness, he pinned all the blame on the Hanged Ghost.
When Gu Yi'an assigned new residences to the two ghosts and the little dragon, Lu Zize directly took the small coffin carved from ghostwood, which Gu Yi'an had prepared for the Hanged Ghost, for himself.
The Hanged Ghost saw that the little fire dragon had been placed by Gu Yi'an in a small lake at an abandoned amusement park, with a large lake as its residence where it could freely transform into its true form and play.
The little girl was placed in a luxurious princess-themed toy room in the room opposite Gu Yi'an and Lu Zize's residence, an extra-large, extravagant princess room!
Only the Hanged Ghost was left with nothing, its only possession, the small coffin personally carved by the Ghost Queen, had been snatched away by the Ghost King.
It had nothing at all!
The Hanged Ghost was so angry it cried, and right in front of Gu Yi'an and Lu Zize, it ran away from home.
At that moment, watching the Hanged Ghost's retreating figure, Gu Yi'an couldn't help but feel a little sorry for it. They had indeed been a bit too harsh on the ghost.
Gu Yi'an glanced at Lu Zize, intending to hint that he shouldn't always target the Hanged Ghost. Instead, Lu Zize looked even more aggrieved than the ghost.
His physical form was exceptionally well-crafted, a slight frown only accentuated his melancholic charm, making him more captivating than his usual gentle, smiling self.
Lu Zize lowered his eyes, sounding somewhat dejected. "I'm just jealous that it has a gift made by your own hands."
That little coffin carved from Soul-Infused Wood was indeed crafted by Gu Yi'an herself.
Gu Yi'an fell silent.
Even her boyfriend didn't have such a gift, yet the Hanged Ghost did. That wasn't quite right.
A flicker of guilt washed over Gu Yi'an. After hesitating for a moment, she chose to act as if nothing had happened.
Given the Hanged Ghost's cleverness and quick wit, it should be able to forgive her, right?
In the end, the matter concluded with the Hanged Ghost flying back on its own.
The Hanged Ghost's new residence was the small coffin previously occupied by the little girl.
Lu Zize had tossed it into the room with the little girl's luxurious princess house.
Of the two ghosts and one dragon that usually accompanied Gu Yi'an, not a single one remained. Only Lu Zize stayed by her side at night.
Gu Yi'an's ghost-hunting mission today took longer than usual, so she returned later than normal.
This time, she had dealt with matters related to her former counselor Huang Ya's hometown.
Now that she was a deity, she also investigated past events.
Following the clues related to Huang Ya, Gu Yi'an discovered two things.
One was Huang Ya's whereabouts, and the other was the fate of the man she had encountered at the airport before.
Both were connected to Lu Zize when he was in his notebook form.
Huang Ya had been thrown by the notebook into a game world called "Malice," endlessly reliving her sister's death, which eventually turned into a game named "Despair."
As for that man, the notebook had transformed him into a mirror. He wandered through the mirror world, watching the woman he loved marry others again and again.
All of these were things Lu Zize had done for her in the past.
He had handled the aftermath for her, but he had never told her about it.
If she hadn't taken on this mission to investigate Huang Ya's hometown, she might never have looked into these two past events.
Gu Yi'an arrived at the door of her residence.
The little girl on her phone and the sunny doll on her backpack floated away on their own, entering the room across the hall.
Gu Yi'an took out her keys and opened the door.
Inside, the lights were on.
"I'm back," Gu Yi'an said softly.
She glanced into the room and immediately spotted the person she wanted to see.
Lu Zize had changed into simple pajamas and was sitting at the desk, holding a book, his expression focused as he read the text.
Gu Yi'an saw his profile, a perfectly sculpted side face, perhaps even more handsome than his full face.
Lu Zize's habits were increasingly aligning with those of a human.
He was genuinely learning to become one.
For her, he was striving hard to learn how to be human.
Without even realizing it, Gu Yi'an's gaze softened a few degrees.
Just then, Lu Zize heard Gu Yi'an's voice. He turned his head slightly and looked toward her.
His expression had been neutral while reading, but the moment he saw Gu Yi'an, starlight sparkled in his eyes.
Lu Zize smiled, his demeanor gentle and familiar to Gu Yi'an.
He asked, "Was today's mission a bit tricky?"
Gu Yi'an set down the things she was carrying and said, "It wasn't too troublesome, just average."
She hadn't exerted herself today, instead letting the Hanged Ghost and the little girl handle the situation.
Under normal circumstances, Gu Yi'an didn't intend to use her abilities as a deity.
Gu Yi'an glanced at the clock hanging in the room, which showed half past twelve.
"Have you been waiting long? It's time to sleep now. You don't have to wait for me."
Every time she returned after completing a ghost-hunting mission, she would find Lu Zize waiting for her.
Sometimes he had only returned a moment before her, other times he had been waiting for a long while.
This made Gu Yi'an feel a bit guilty.
Even though she knew Lu Zize would be perfectly fine and didn't need human sleep, it still left her with a sense of remorse.
Lu Zize heard Gu Yi'an's words.
He put down his book, his voice gentle and carrying a hint of inquiry, "But don't all humans wait for their loved ones to return?"
His gaze was fixed intently on her, clearly reflecting her figure as he said, "I want to wait for you."
His tender voice fell into the quiet room, spreading through the air and bringing a warm, almost feverish temperature to the space.
For a moment, Gu Yi'an didn't know what to say.
Not all couples wait for their other half to come home.
Those who consistently wait for their partner to return must deeply love each other.
Why did he always say things that she found so pleasing to hear?
It seemed like he understood her all too well.
The life Gu Yi'an was living now was the peaceful existence she had always longed for.
With a soulmate as her partner, mischievous subordinates, and acquaintances from school, every day was ordinary yet stable, simple and uneventful, which was everything Gu Yi'an loved.
No need for intense conflicts, just the gentle, flowing companionship of everyday life.
Maintaining her facade of composure, Gu Yi'an walked over to the desk and changed the subject, "What are you reading?"
She had noticed earlier that Lu Zize seemed quite engrossed in his book.
Lu Zize didn't mind Gu Yi'an's attempt to shift the topic. His smile at that moment became somewhat enigmatic.
Gu Yi'an had a gut feeling that something was off.
The next second, she saw Lu Zize casually close the book.
In an instant, the cover came into Gu Yi'an's view.
Printed on the cover were four words: Wife Protection Manual.
Gu Yi'an: "..."
Alright, he had deliberately let her see it again.
Lu Zize, that guy!
Gu Yi'an pretended not to see him and changed the subject, saying, "The Deicide Organization has changed its name."
The Deicide Organization was a player-formed group in the previous The Game of the Gods.
After Gu Yi'an revamped The Game of the Gods and turned it into the Godhood Game, some members of the Deicide Organization chose death.
The remaining members gathered together, and after lengthy discussions, a portion of the more radical members decided to leave.
The remaining members renamed the organization to the Godhood Organization.
When Gu Yi'an brought this up, she didn't need to explain further, Lu Zize had already learned the news through his own means.
"That's a bit boring," Lu Zize expressed disappointment at the Deicide Organization's name change.
It seemed he still preferred the old Deicide Organization.
Gu Yi'an shot him a glare and deliberately misinterpreted his words, asking, "Do you want them to kill me?"
Gu Yi'an was the new god. If the Deicide Organization wanted to slay a god, their target would be Gu Yi'an.
Hearing this, Lu Zize didn't respond immediately.
It was as if he had realized something from her words, and his gaze settled on Gu Yi'an's face.
His eyes held a smile and an indescribable tenderness.
At that moment, Gu Yi'an realized that her words and actions just now had been slightly more intimate than usual.
Maintaining her outward composure, she met his gaze.
After all, she was just chatting with her boyfriend, of course, she could be a little closer.
Their eyes met.
In the end, Gu Yi'an was the one who looked away.
His gaze was too direct.
Gu Yi'an's eyes darted around the room.
No one spoke, and the room grew exceptionally quiet, filling the space between them with a faint, restless heat.
Gu Yi'an randomly brought up a topic to break the silence.
"I didn't really like the Deicide Organization before," she said.
Wait, what was she saying?
Gu Yi'an wanted to take back her words, but it was too late.
Hearing her, Lu Zize responded gently and considerately, "Why?"
He was just trying to give her an easy way out and break the silence between them, but for Gu Yi'an, this was exactly the question she didn't want to answer.
Gu Yi'an shifted her gaze to Lu Zize.
When he looked at her, it always seemed as though his eyes were filled with a smile, his expression gentle and tolerant.
Even though this guy loved to deceive people and set traps, when it came to her, he had always told the truth, though sometimes he would withhold certain things.
Gu Yi'an rarely revealed her preferences.
She preferred to keep some things buried deep in her heart because she didn't want others to see her weaknesses.
Just like how, when her former roommates isolated her, she acted as if she didn't care.
She told herself not to grieve over people who weren't worth it, they just wanted to see her hurt. The more they hoped for it, the less she would show it.
She managed to maintain an appearance of indifference, but in the eyes of others, she became cold and unfeeling.
Yet, are humans not made of flesh and blood? Who among us is truly without emotion?
Her reason for disliking the Deicide Organization was actually very simple.
Gu Yi'an lowered her eyes and said, "Because they didn't like you."
In the end, Gu Yi'an spoke those words.
Because they didn't like the god.
She wouldn't care about people who weren't worth it, but she also didn't want to miss out on those who were.
Though Gu Yi'an knew she ought to side with the Deicide Organization, to resist the gods who toyed with them, her heart still leaned toward Lu Zize, toward the god.
The god said the game was a gift for the dying, and she believed it.
And indeed, it was just as he said.
But not everyone yearns for life; some long for death.
They do not like the gods.
They want to slay them.
That’s why Gu Yi’an disliked the Deicide Organization.
Her voice was soft, fading almost instantly in the room.
After saying this, Gu Yi’an glanced up uneasily, wanting to see Lu Zize’s reaction.
Only then did she realize that Lu Zize had, at some point, left his seat and come to stand before her.
The distance between them suddenly became extremely close.
Though Lu Zize’s current appearance seemed to be that of an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old, tall and slender, up close, one could tell he only looked thin. In reality, his presence was overwhelmingly intimidating, making others afraid to provoke him, especially when he remained silent.
At that moment, Gu Yi’an also sensed something amiss. She wanted to step back, to escape the small space dominated by Lu Zize.
But before she could move, his voice suddenly sounded beside her ear.
His voice was gentle, dispelling the sense of threat he had just exuded.
He asked softly, “May I hold you?”
Hearing this, Gu Yi’an’s tense body relaxed slightly. She had almost been frightened by him, but it turned out to be just a hug.
Feigning nonchalance, she replied, “Go ahead.”
Then, Lu Zize gently embraced her.
It was a hug unlike any before, this time, it was cautious, as if handling a precious treasure.
He knew she cared for him.
Through this embrace, he told her that he cared for her even more than she had imagined.
Early the next morning, Gu Yi’an left to carry out a ghost-hunting mission.
After she departed, Lu Zize, who should have gone to work, remained in the room.
After a while, a white ghost floated in from the opposite room, entering cheerfully.
“Great Ghost King, your humble servant has arrived.”
As soon as the hanging ghost entered the room, it noticed something different.
There was only one double bed left in the room.
This meant that the Ghost King and his consort had finally taken their relationship a step further.
Based on the Hanged Ghost's understanding of Gu Yi'an, the two of them were definitely still in a purely platonic relationship, just sleeping under the same blanket.
The Hanged Ghost instantly grasped the reason Lu Zize had summoned it.
"Lord Ghost King, I understand. The next step is for you two to engage in more intimate activities."
"Please wait a moment, I'll be right back."
Though the Hanged Ghost claimed it would return quickly, it didn't reappear until the afternoon.
Lu Zize had been remotely handling affairs through video calls with his subordinates and wasn't particularly concerned about the Hanged Ghost's sluggish pace.
When the Hanged Ghost finally showed up, it had transformed into an adult-sized form. In one hand, it held a stack of magazines, and in the other, a pile of DVDs. With a peculiar smile, it began introducing the items it had brought along.
It started with the magazines, placing them on the coffee table. "Lord Ghost King, these are magazines. They contain educational content and all sorts of... stimulating photos. I guarantee you'll master the techniques in no time. Once you've learned, you and the Ghost Queen can enjoy a blissful life together. Hehe."
Next, the Hanged Ghost moved on to the DVDs.
"Lord Ghost King, once you've grasped the basics, you can watch these films. These DVDs are my personal collection from back in the day, took me a lot of effort to dig them up again. Look, the actress in this one is super sexy. As for this one... hmm, I can't quite remember. Oh, right! The female lead in this film has an incredibly arousing voice, just hearing it will get you going..."
While the Hanged Ghost was enthusiastically presenting each DVD to Lu Zize, a cold, clear female voice sounded from behind it. "What are you two doing?"
The Hanged Ghost froze, its stiff body creaking as it slowly turned around.
It saw someone who, at this hour, should have been out exorcising ghosts.
Gu Yi'an had intentionally returned early today, not wanting to keep Lu Zize waiting for too long every day.
But as she stood outside the door, she happened to overhear an extremely unpleasant voice coming from inside.
She immediately recognized it as the Hanged Ghost's voice.
In Gu Yi'an's experience, whenever the Hanged Ghost and Lu Zize got together, nothing good ever came of it.
So, instead of opening the door, she teleported directly into the room.
Sure enough, she witnessed the scene unfolding before her.
The Hanged Ghost, in its adult form, was holding a stack of DVDs with explicit covers, showcasing them to Lu Zize.
It was corrupting him again!
Gu Yi'an turned her gaze to Lu Zize.
Lu Zize looked back at her innocently and defended himself, "It came to me on its own."
Gu Yi'an then shifted her attention to the Hanged Ghost.
The Hanged Ghost had long known that when faced with the Ghost Queen, the Ghost King would sell it out in a heartbeat.
It hastily hid the DVDs behind its back, but it had no hands free to conceal the magazines on the coffee table.
"Ghost Queen, I have matters to attend to. I'll take my leave now," the Hanged Ghost said.
Slipping away like grease, it vanished, leaving Gu Yi'an and Lu Zize alone in the room.
With the Hanged Ghost gone, Gu Yi'an naturally turned her focus to Lu Zize.
Lu Zize remained seated, maintaining his innocent expression.
Had he been up to no good?
Gu Yi'an studied him, her eyes eventually landing on the stack of magazines on the coffee table in front of him.
She walked over.
Instantly, her eyes were assaulted by the explicit covers of the magazines.
These covers were even more graphic than the DVD covers the Hanged Ghost had been holding.
There was no need to overthink it.
These magazines had undoubtedly been brought by the Hanged Ghost as well.
Gu Yi'an didn't know whether she was blushing from anger or from seeing those magazine covers, but her face felt warm nonetheless.
Though she could guess that the hanged ghost had brought those magazines, she still shot Lu Zize a glare.
This guy had learned to be mischievous.
Noticing her gaze, Lu Zize immediately defended himself, "I didn't look at them. They're not even good-looking anyway."
Lu Zize would never lie to her.
Gu Yi'an decided to take him at his word for now. She directly used her ability to transport the stack of magazines to the hanged ghost's room.
After the magazines disappeared, the coffee table stood empty.
Hesitating for a moment under Lu Zize's gaze, Gu Yi'an sat down beside him and said, "Don't look at those inappropriate magazines in the future."
Hearing this, Lu Zize appropriately showed a trace of confusion in his eyes. "Inappropriate? The hanged ghost said it's exercise all humans need to learn."
He genuinely seemed not to understand.
Well, he hadn't been human before, so he wouldn't have paid attention to such things.
Gu Yi'an mentally noted this against the hanged ghost.
Damn hanged ghost, corrupting Lu Zize again.
Gu Yi'an didn't know what to say.
She replied, "Don't listen to it. It's already a ghost."
"Can you do it?" Lu Zize asked like an curious child.
Gu Yi'an: "..."
How would she know?
Her entire body felt warm.
Gu Yi'an wanted to avoid this question.
But Lu Zize asked again.
He added, "Do we need to learn this to become fully human?"
Gu Yi'an realized he had found her weak spot.
Hearing him say this, she had no choice but to answer.
Gu Yi'an said, "...No. I don't know how either."
How could she possibly know.
"Then we can learn together," Lu Zize suggested.
Gu Yi'an froze, feeling even warmer than before. She looked at Lu Zize.
Lu Zize was watching her with a meaningful smile.
Gu Yi'an felt she might have fallen into Lu Zize's trap.
Had this person been planning to say that all along?
Gu Yi'an wanted to refuse.
But refusing would mean breaking up with him.
She couldn't reject him.
Gu Yi'an tried her best to stay calm, even though she knew her face was quite red.
She said, "...Maybe later."
"Why wait until later?"
Gu Yi'an felt a sturdy arm wrap around her waist from the person beside her. The heat spreading from her waist was almost enough to set her entire body ablaze.
Just then, Lu Zize deliberately leaned closer, whispering softly by her ear, "We're both a little curious anyway. Why not give it a try?"
His voice was as gentle and refined as ever, but when lowered, it carried a subtle hint of suggestion that was almost impossible to refuse.
The feverish heat had already made it difficult for Gu Yi'an to maintain her usual train of thought.
Reason was gradually slipping away from her.
As if bewitched, Gu Yi'an nodded.
The white ghost had been wandering the hallway for a full day.
Ever since it escaped with the video disc, it had been waiting outside the door, eager to see how the Ghost King would fare.
Surely the Ghost Queen wouldn't only punish her subordinates while letting the Ghost King off scot-free?
Suddenly, the door opened.
The hanging ghost looked over and saw a familiar notebook being tossed out through the crack in the door.
Then, the door slammed shut with force.
The hanging ghost was shocked. Why had the Ghost King reverted to this form? And why was the Ghost Queen so angry?
Before it could figure things out, it witnessed something even more astonishing.
The notebook that had been thrown out was lying open, displaying a massive "Ying" character.
The hanging ghost was stunned.
Even after resorting to the "Ying" character, the Ghost King had still been thrown out by the Ghost Queen.
That shouldn't have happened.
What in the world had the Ghost King done to make the Ghost Queen so furious?
The hanging ghost had originally intended to watch Lu Zize's misfortune, but upon seeing this scene, it grew concerned instead.
"Ghost King, what happened to you? Weren't you saying you'd strive to be more human? Why have you reverted to this form again?"
Amid the hanging ghost's incessant questions, the notebook closed on its own and floated upward.
Above it, dark characters slowly materialized one by one.
"I'm done being human."
The hanging ghost was puzzled. "Huh?"
The dark characters above the notebook dispersed and rearranged into new words.
"Tried it for a day. Not bad."
The hanging ghost still didn't understand.
It watched as the dark characters vanished, and then the notebook flew toward the door, passing straight through it and into the room.
This time, the notebook didn't come back out, it seemed the Ghost King had successfully gained the Ghost Queen's forgiveness.
In the end, only the hanging ghost remained alone in the hallway.
It muttered to itself, "What in the world happened? The Ghost King's way of keeping secrets is seriously inhuman."