“Orion has decided to use the skill: Charm. Now, please engage in a Willpower contest with Luther. I must remind you, Luther, who has seen all kinds of people, has a very high Willpower. This is an extremely difficult contest.”

Shen Lin remained silent, waiting for KP’s explanation.

“First, you need to make a Charm check to determine if your Charm is successful.”

Shen Lin rolled the dice and got a 1.

KP: “…” Damn it!

Shen Lin raised an eyebrow: “What’s next?”

KP: “Critical success. No one can resist your charm.”

Shen Lin: “Oh,” he comforted, “I’ll definitely give you a chance to explain the mechanics next time.”

KP smiled and said, “Now, as long as you use Charm on him, it will succeed.”

“Wait,” Shen Lin interrupted KP, “What do you mean by ‘as long as I use it’?”

“Literally, you need to strike a pose, um, I mean, be a bit more… flirtatious.”

Shen Lin: “…”

KP: “The result of the Charm check will remain valid for five minutes.”

Shen Lin: “I remember players can file complaints against the KP after the game, right?”

KP: “…………”

Shen Lin: “I think ‘failing to adequately explain skill usage as a beginner guide, resulting in a poor player experience’ is a valid reason to complain. I wonder what the punishment would be? Hmm, I’m starting to get curious.”

You’re the first one to dare threaten the KP like this.

KP No. 98 coughed stiffly: “Well, I didn’t explain clearly enough.”

“So?”

“But the rules still apply. You just need to strike a pose, just a little one.”

“Oh,” Shen Lin remained unmoved, “What’s the complaint process? Will there be a user experience survey? I’m good at writing essays. A thousand words should suffice.”

KP: “…………”

“I’m truly sorry,” KP conceded, “I’ll give you an additional reward die as compensation.”

“What’s a reward die?”

“It’s a usable item. When activated, it reduces the check result by 1-6 (roll a six-sided die, with values from 1 to 6). It’s very practical.”

Shen Lin thought for a moment and said, “Deal.”

KP let out a sigh of relief, straightened his top hat, and regained his composure: “Time is running out. You have two minutes left on the Charm check result.”

Shen Lin fell silent. His face was mostly hidden under the brim of his hat, only the shadowed outline of his jawline visible. His slender fingers, with neatly trimmed nails, gently traced the rim of the transparent glass. His voice was calm, with a frosty quality: “But I don’t want to go back.”

Luther’s gaze was first drawn to Shen Lin’s beautiful fingers, then to his slender jawline and neck illuminated by the light. The golden hair hidden under the hat still shimmered faintly in the dim light, making one wonder what his face looked like beneath the shadow of the brim.

The clean voice of the young man echoed in his ears, like a finely crafted string instrument. Just a gentle pluck was enough to captivate. Luther felt as if he were under a spell, his mind blank for a moment. Only when an oil lamp above flickered out did he snap back to reality, nearly knocking over the glass he was cleaning.

“Ah, sorry,” Luther hurriedly steadied the glass and said to Lina, who was looking over, “I’ll refill the oil right away. Don’t worry.”

The others didn’t notice Luther’s fluster and continued muttering, “Lately, we’ve been running low on oil. I wonder if the outsiders brought enough this time. We can do without other things, but oil is a big problem.”

After refilling the lamp, Luther glanced at Shen Lin, his cheeks slightly red, and said, “I scared you. I apologize again.”

“It’s fine,” Shen Lin said, “Is the tavern running low on oil too?”

Luther sighed wistfully: “Yes, we’ve reduced the number of oil lamps, but we still can’t keep them all lit until closing time.”

“Relying on these outsiders is terrible.”

“Yeah,” Luther sighed, “But there’s no other way. You know, all of us have a curse in our blood. We can’t leave this place.”

Can’t leave this place?

Shen Lin suppressed his confusion and skillfully probed: “Is there really no way?”

“No,” Luther shook his head, “We’re different from those outsiders. Although they can come and go freely, we were born with the blessing of divine blood. They can only gain favor by performing that ritual to make the gods hear their voices.”

“What kind of ritual is that?” Shen Lin asked, “My family never told me about it.”

“Most townsfolk don’t know the details of the ritual. They only know that every ten years, a few outsiders come to town and perform the ritual at Moonfall Hollow,” Luther, now completely at ease with Shen Lin, chatted freely. “I only heard about it from Benson when he was drunk. The ritual allows the outsiders to gain extraordinary abilities by offering sacrifices to the gods.”

“Extraordinary abilities?” Shen Lin probed, “Like what?”

“They pray to the gods for abilities,” Luther said, “People in this world with extraordinary powers are either descendants of the gods or have been enlightened. For example, we have stronger bodies and slower aging than ordinary people. Some have bodies as hard as steel, eyes that can see through the soul, or the ability to divine and foresee the future.”

“That’s amazing.”

“It’s all the blessing of the gods,” Luther crossed his hands over his chest and leaned forward slightly, devoutly saying, “Praise the gods.”

Shen Lin wanted to ask which god the town worshipped, but that would definitely give him away. Instead, he asked, “Do you know the specifics of the ritual? I’m curious about what abilities the outsiders seek.”

“To be honest,” Luther lowered his voice, “I’d like to know too, but only the church members are privy to that.”

Shen Lin remembered the tall building they had seen earlier. That must be the town’s church. The Benson they mentioned earlier was likely the church’s leader.

Looks like I’ll have to find a way to investigate the church.

After a few more casual exchanges that yielded little useful information, Shen Lin said, “Luther, I’ve thought it over. You’re right. I shouldn’t have run away from home in a fit of anger.”

“I’m so glad you think that way! The town is safe, but lately…” He paused, “George Street and Harsank Street aren’t safe. It seems to be some kind of riot. Be careful.”

“A riot? Why?” Shen Lin asked.

“They’re protesting Benson’s dictatorship. They also want more supplies.”

The supplies were all brought by the outsiders. Shen Lin thought for a moment and asked, “Do the outsiders have any distinguishing features? Would it be dangerous if I ran into one?”

“No,” Luther shook his head, “You can’t tell by looking. They look just like us, but outsiders are usually very cunning. If you meet someone who’s smooth-talking, chances are they’re an outsider. Don’t be fooled by them.”

The cunning and smooth-talking Shen Lin: “…”

He sighed and said, “Benson learned his bad habits from those outsiders! I heard he used to be a very kind and devout person.”

Shen Lin: “So, if I run into one, I wouldn’t even know?”

“Yes,” Luther said, “Our town isn’t big, but we don’t all know each other. For example, you’re the first time I’ve seen you.” He leaned slightly, trying to peek under Shen Lin’s cap, only catching a glimpse of his clear, jade-green eyes, like the shimmering surface of Moonfall Hollow under the moonlight. He sincerely praised, “You’re really beautiful!”

Shen Lin smiled gracefully, like a well-mannered noble: “Thank you.”

Luther scratched his cheek sheepishly: “But we rarely run into outsiders. After they come to Moonfall Hollow, they stay in the church and hardly ever come out.”

“What happened with the failure ten years ago?”

Luther hesitated, initially reluctant to discuss such risky topics, but for some reason, he felt he should share everything he knew with the young man before him, even entrusting his life to him.

Luther exhaled deeply and whispered, only for Shen Lin to hear: “One of the sacrificial offerings went missing, so the ritual failed. The outsiders paid a heavy price, and Moonfall Hollow, having failed to safeguard the offering, angered the outsiders. They took back a third of the supplies meant for the town, which was devastating for us.”

Shen Lin needed time to digest this information. He nodded and stood up from the bar: “It’s getting late. I should head back.”

“Alright,” Luther’s eyes showed a hint of regret, “Be careful on your way.”

“The drink was delicious. Thank you for chatting with me.” Shen Lin bowed slightly, his manners impeccable.

“I’m glad I could help. Take care.” Luther waved goodbye from behind the counter.

Shen Lin adjusted his hat and made his way through the noisy crowd. Just then, Luther called out from behind: “Wait, please.”

Shen Lin paused, his brow furrowing nervously. He could feel some eyes turning toward him.

Luther caught up, shyly asking, “C-Can I know your name?”

Shen Lin: “…”

KP: “Looks like the Charm effect worked wonders.”

Shen Lin made up a name: “Mike.”

Luther’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Shen Lin: “Mike! What a lovely name! Goodnight! I sincerely look forward to seeing you again!”

Shen Lin: “……………………”

Even after leaving the tavern, Shen Lin could still feel Luther’s intense gaze on him.

Outside, the night was deep, and the busiest hours had passed. Layla, the flower seller, was still calling out, the scent of lilies drifting in the night breeze.

Shen Lin stopped and pressed a hand to his forehead.

Playing with the feelings of an innocent bartender… He felt like a complete scoundrel.

Next, Shen Lin went to meet up with Yan Xiuyi.

Yan Xiuyi was hiding in a dark alley behind the tavern.

He was tall, standing sideways in the mist, his cold, handsome features illuminated by the light, exuding an air of aloofness.

But when Shen Lin came into view, the icy demeanor melted away. He smiled and waved at Shen Lin.

Shen Lin pursed his lips, feeling as if he had seen Yan Xiuyi somewhere before. Yan Xiuyi’s affectionate and indulgent attitude toward him felt as if they had known each other for a long time, even longer than their meeting on the train.

In those long, forgotten years, he had always protected him like this, from dawn till the end of time.

But… how could that be?

His seventeen years had been spent either outsmarting his parents or studying at school. Every moment of his life had been on the path his parents laid out for him. He had wholeheartedly played the role of a diligent, obedient, good child and student—until the illusion of a harmonious family was shattered.

He wasn’t a good student either.

It’s just an illusion.

Shen Lin thought expressionlessly. This must be the aftermath of messing with Luther’s feelings.

There’s no way I knew Yan Xiuyi.