No wonder Jiang Luo’s right eyelid had been twitching nonstop—this was the forewarning.
That d*mn ghost, appearing out of nowhere, was embedded in the wall this time?
And working with Chi You to trap him front and back?!
When Jiang Luo didn’t reply, Chi You’s tone turned colder: “Can’t answer me?”
Something was definitely off with Chi You tonight—it was as if something had deeply disturbed him. Jiang Luo was just about to speak when a sudden sharp sensation made him tense and lean forward with a jerk. “D*mn—”
That ghost behind him… its lips and teeth seemed to penetrate fabric, licking and biting at his shoulder blade. The feeling of being violated by something invisible sent shudders across Jiang Luo’s entire body, goosebumps rising. A strange mix of pleasure and discomfort flushed his eyes red.
Chi You, however, assumed it was rejection.
The last glimmer in the youth’s eyes disappeared, and after a moment of silence, he began to smile slowly. Black mist poured from his body, replacing his hands to restrain Jiang Luo’s arms. With his own hands freed, Chi You continued downward.
He said nothing, but his hands moved quickly and confidently, undoing Jiang Luo’s clothing.
A tiger in front, a wolf behind.
And they didn’t even seem to mind each other.
The situation was so absurd Jiang Luo almost thought he was dreaming.
“You…” Jiang Luo’s eye twitched, and suddenly he smiled at Chi You, features radiant and relaxed. “Young Master Chi, if you’ve got something to say, say it properly. If you say something I like, maybe I’ll agree?”
He was stalling—trying to lower Chi You’s guard and find a way out. Compared to the ghost, Chi You was clearly easier to deal with.
He didn’t know what was wrong with Chi You tonight, but as long as he could survive the next five hours, he’d be able to leave this place.
Chi You’s hands paused.
But by then, two frog-buttons at Jiang Luo’s collar had already been undone, revealing his elegant neck and delicate collarbone. Jiang Luo glanced down, unconcerned by this bit of exposure. Instead, he used it. Within the limited range he could move, he adjusted into a more relaxed pose. His black hair brushed against his bare collarbone, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
“You said we’re technically married,” Jiang Luo said. “But we’ve always acted like brothers. If we’re going to switch from brothers to spouses… don’t we need a transition?”
His legs parted slightly, exposing all his vulnerabilities to Chi You’s view. To the young man’s eyes, these weaknesses only made him more alluring.
Jiang Luo lowered his voice, gentle and coaxing. As he spoke, his lips moved slowly—growing more and more flushed.
Chi You stared, momentarily entranced.
He knew exactly what Jiang Luo was playing at.
Like a beautiful assassin, smiling on the outside, blade hidden in hand. Jiang Luo was dangerous. But when Chi You imagined the moment five hours later, when Jiang Luo would realize he could no longer leave this world, trapped in it forever—his delight was boundless.
For that scene, he didn’t mind entertaining Jiang Luo for a bit longer. His expression truly eased. “So what kind of transition does Young Master Jiang want?”
Jiang Luo kept up his smile, trying to buy time. “Chat a bit, drink some wine, get to know each other?”
“We could—”
Suddenly Jiang Luo let out a muffled grunt and bent over, body wracked with tension.
The calm on his face vanished like receding tide, cheeks instantly flushed deep red. Sweat formed at his temples, sticking his hair to his skin, making him look completely disheveled.
A flash of panic, shame, and confusion passed through his eyes—then a glint like a cold blade.
Between gritted teeth, he hissed two words: “Chi. You.”
Teeth clenched.
A mixture of warning and embarrassment.
That short, stifled cry—far more provocative than his earlier composure—made Chi You’s heart race faster, his chest pounding. He leaned in uncontrollably, whispering against Jiang Luo’s cheek: “I’m here.”
But Jiang Luo had shut his eyes, the corners flushed red, lips burning. His mouth was tight, expression twisted… in pain, and something more complex.
He hadn’t called for the young Chi You at all.
He had cried out for the ghost behind him—the one who, emboldened by invisibility, had just kissed down Jiang Luo’s spine and now…
Now was at the base of it.
D*mn it…
Jiang Luo could feel the heat rushing to his face. He didn’t want to imagine what that ghost intended to do next. He strained forward, spine taut to the limit.
He wanted to kill that ghost. But now, it wasn’t just the ghost he wanted to destroy—his killing intent extended toward Chi You in front of him as well.
Even if he couldn’t kill the young Chi You, Jiang Luo would gouge out his eyes!
Even though he knew that this young Chi You couldn’t see the malicious ghost—didn’t know what it was doing behind him—even though he knew this Chi You was just a false figure in the mirror world, Jiang Luo couldn’t bear the humiliation of being toyed with like this, so miserably, and having someone else witness it.
Jiang Luo lowered his head, breathing silently. Sweat dripped from his forehead onto the red brocade quilt, soaking into the fabric.
A flash of ruthless intent passed through his eyes.
Suddenly, he heard low laughter by his ear.
“Oh, oh?” came an exaggerated voice of surprise. “Thinking of killing another ‘me’? What a cruel heart. This mouth, just a moment ago, said it wanted to be friends—be his wife.”
It was the malicious ghost, deliberately mocking him.
The gloom in Jiang Luo’s eyes deepened, but afraid that Chi You would hear him speaking, he endured the tingling on his back and merely let out a cold, sharp laugh as his response—anything but friendly.
His cruelty and iciness were laid bare, yet he couldn’t see how, in the eyes of the invisible malicious ghost, this only made him more mesmerizing.
In front of him, Chi You lifted Jiang Luo’s chin.
Looking at the black-haired youth’s face—somehow even more vivid and seductive without reason—the sense of losing control deepened in Chi You’s eyes.
He held Jiang Luo in place, his tone increasingly cold and hard. “You suddenly stopped talking. Is this your idea of a ‘transition’?”
His grip was too strong, and Jiang Luo, who hadn’t drunk any water all day, had his dry lips torn open, leaving a small cut. A bead of blood welled up, but before it could fall, it had already half-dried on his lip.
Chi You’s attention drifted—he stared at Jiang Luo’s lips with an unreadable expression, then suddenly reached out and forcefully wiped them with his thumb.
The poor, already-drying lips were instantly worsened, split with several tiny cuts. Blood beaded again, only to be smeared by that thumb, staining Jiang Luo’s lower lip red and trailing across his cheek, painting a grotesque smile on his face.
Jiang Luo pressed his lips tightly together. Once again, he thought—Chi You was acting far too strange today.
Just as this thought formed, a chill swept past his ear.
“Because he knows you’re leaving,” whispered the malicious ghost.
What?
Jiang Luo froze.
The malicious ghost drawled, nearly murmuring like a malicious ghost: “Not only that. He’s found a way to keep you in this world. He’s turned this city into a ghost town, used ghosts to kill everyone here, and sacrificed their lives as offerings—just to trap you here.”
“In less than an hour, he’ll have succeeded in killing everyone. You’ll be stuck in this mirror world forever—unable to leave, ever again.”
For a moment, Jiang Luo’s face went blank, but he quickly composed himself.
The malicious ghost continued lazily, “On the walls of this room, he wrote a sealing spell. People inside can’t get out. They can’t hear the outside. People and ghosts outside can’t get in—Even I had to go through a lot just to sneak in like this.”
Jiang Luo had half-doubted the malicious ghost’s words before, but now he focused, listening carefully for any sound beyond the door.
Outside, it was dead silent.
No voices, no frogs, no cicadas—not even wind.
Too quiet. Unnaturally so.
Jiang Luo’s expression hardened slightly. He knew now—the malicious ghost was probably telling the truth.
He refocused on Chi You and, rather than getting angry, gave a light chuckle. “Young Master Chi, we could still take a walk, admire the moon, you know? Isn’t emotional connection something you build over time?”
Chi You replied, “Makes sense.” Then added flatly, “But not tonight.”
“Why not?” Jiang Luo asked.
Fine then. He’d even felt some sympathy for him earlier, thinking their two families were equally messed up. But a ghost was still a ghost—always finding new ways to shock him.
Chi You could do whatever he wanted—kill the entire mirror world, whether humans or ghosts—Jiang Luo didn’t care. But the one thing he should never have done was forcibly keep Jiang Luo here.
Chi You didn’t even bother hiding it now. The corners of his mouth curled into a smile. “After tonight, we’ll have plenty of time for that.”
Jiang Luo’s heart sank.
For Chi You to say it so directly—he must be absolutely certain. He wouldn’t speak like that unless he was sure.
Things were going south.
The malicious ghost whispered again in Jiang Luo’s ear, like a malicious ghost in his heart: “What now? There’s less than a few hundred people still alive in the city. He’s almost done.”
Feigning concern, but his tone couldn’t hide the glee. Jiang Luo’s back—still covered by his clothes—was littered with his kiss marks, chilled to the tailbone. Jiang Luo lifted his head, the cold on his neck licking over like a serpent’s tongue.
“I know you have a way,” Jiang Luo’s lips barely moved, his voice lower than a mosquito’s, “I can’t believe… he touched me like that, and you didn’t kill him.”
The malicious ghost laughed. “Oh, I wanted to. But I’m a kind person. Even if he’s just a mirror version of me, he’s still me—how could I kill myself?”
“Besides, keeping him alive gives you a reason to beg me.”
That was probably the real reason.
Jiang Luo didn’t even bother arguing anymore. He said bluntly, “Get me out of here.”
The malicious ghost deliberately feigned difficulty. “There’s still a sealing spell in this room… this won’t be easy…”
Jiang Luo took a deep breath. “Name your price.”
Young Chi You suddenly asked sharply, “Who are you talking to?”
Jiang Luo glanced sideways at him, not sure what he’d heard. He turned his head with difficulty, enduring his shame, and opened his mouth.
It looked like he was being kissed, or maybe toyed with by fingers. Something had been shoved into his mouth—Jiang Luo gave a muffled groan as clear saliva trailed from the corner of his lips in a thin string.
Chi You’s face darkened.
He clearly realized—there was a third person in this room.
And that person had toyed with Jiang Luo right under his nose.
The malicious ghost withdrew from Jiang Luo’s mouth, cupped his face, and forced him to look at Chi You. Maliciousness surged like a tide. “Be good—say something to him that’ll make me happy, a little farewell.”
A cold smirk flitted across Jiang Luo’s lips. He lifted his eyelids and looked at Chi You. “Before I go, let me gouge out his eyes.”
Chi You’s pupils contracted violently.
The malicious ghost burst into laughter. In the next instant, he suddenly leapt into the air with Jiang Luo in his arms. As they were about to hit the ceiling, Jiang Luo instinctively raised his hand to block. A loud bang followed, and a gust of cold wind swept past him.
The wind carried the scent of scorched flesh and blood—and cries of despair blown in on the wind.
Jiang Luo opened his eyes. He was being held high in the air by the malicious ghost, standing on the sky itself. When he looked down, he saw Bojiucheng in ruins, engulfed in fire.
