Chapter Seven: System! I *** (expletive)

On the street, the two sides stared at each other wide-eyed, exchanging glances filled with challenge and suspicion. For a moment, silence prevailed.

“Brother Jiang! This is a good deal! You’re a shrewd man—surely you have other plans?” Fang Chaoqun, being a cultivator of the middle fifth realm, spoke directly to Jiang Lin through the Heart Lake Transmission, looking puzzled.

How had this fellow, who once joined him in stealing and selling undergarments, suddenly decided to play the good guy?

Jiang Lin replied, “Brother Fang! You don’t know. I’m here on a mission to sabotage the Sect Competition—I have a larger scheme at play. This man is my stepping stone; I must help him first.”

“A larger scheme?” Fang Chaoqun scrutinized Jiang Lin’s feminine disguise, which he had overlooked in his earlier shock.

Looking more closely now, he had to admit, it had a certain charm. Suddenly, insight dawned on him.

Brother Jiang must have come to Xuanwu City to disrupt the Sect Competition. And his plan was to infiltrate Longmen Sect in disguise, sow discord among the brothers with his beauty, perhaps even provoke them to draw swords for the sake of a “fair maiden,” thereby corroding their Dao hearts!

Fang Chaoqun sighed inwardly and replied through Heart Lake Transmission, “As expected of Brother Jiang! Such meticulous scheming! I can only think of petty scams—how embarrassing.”

“No, no, previously I only mentioned the ‘scam’ in passing, but Brother Fang, you’ve raised it to an art. I truly admire you. Still, I must ask you to cooperate with me this time.”

“If it’s your request, I won’t refuse. But about the split on the undergarments deal in the future…”

“Forty for me, sixty for you!”

“Hahaha! Since Brother Jiang has spoken, I’ll gladly help you this time!”

As sparks nearly flew between their exchanged looks, Fang Chaoqun waved his sleeve grandly.

“Sister, let’s go!”

“But, brother—”

“No buts. For the sake of this young lady here, we’re leaving.”

Fang Chaoqun said no more and strode off. Though his sister was utterly bewildered, she followed.

The bystanders had no idea what had transpired. Qin Xiao could only guess that this young lady had communicated with him through her thoughts, but as for what, he had no clue. Still, she had helped him—that was a debt of gratitude.

“My lady, I am Qin Xiao of Longmen Sect. I am deeply grateful for your assistance.” As the crowd dispersed, Qin Xiao cupped his fists in salute. “If you don’t mind, may I invite you for some tea to express my thanks?”

Jiang Lin feigned surprise, her beautiful eyes wide: “Qin Xiao? Longmen Sect? Could it be—you are the ‘Brother Qin’ my elder brother often spoke of?”

“Your brother is…?”

“…Alas, my brother… Jiang Lin…”

In a teahouse by the window, Jiang Lin—still in female attire—sat opposite Qin Xiao. At Jiang Lin’s indication, Chen Jia led Nan Xiaoman back to the inn.

“Who could have foreseen,” Qin Xiao sighed, “that your brother would…” His eyes grew moist on learning that this girl, named Jiang Xin, was Jiang Lin’s sister.

Though he’d known Jiang Lin for less than a year, the memories of catching wild rabbits together, discussing swordsmanship, playing flying chess, and moon-gazing upon the roof of the female disciples’ dormitory remained vivid.

It was Jiang Lin, in that short year, who had enlivened Longmen Sect’s atmosphere.

But who would have thought Jiang Lin was a demonic cultist who stole the sect’s dragon vein and finally died by Sister Lin’s sword.

Hearing Qin Xiao’s lament, “Jiang Xin” dabbed at her eyes, her voice sorrowful:

“My brother may have been a demonic cultist, but he truly loved Longmen Sect. He was drawn too deep and could not turn back; stealing the dragon vein was an order from his sect. I believe his heart was in turmoil. To die by Fairy Lin’s sword—that must have been his wish…”

As she spoke, Jiang Lin’s tears fell, and Qin Xiao also bowed his head to wipe his eyes.

Just as Qin Xiao was about to comfort this “girl,” an ethereal young woman appeared silently behind Jiang Xin.

She wore a long cyan dress, her black hair coiled in a bun, the rest flowing like silk down her back to her waist. Her face was flawless, untouched by make-up—her delicate curves as alluring as a winding brook.

Now, her eyes were rimmed with red.

“Sister Lin…” Qin Xiao quickly rose to salute.

At the same moment, Jiang Lin, caught applying onion juice to his eyes for tears, was startled.

Damn! He’d been so lost in the act, he hadn’t noticed Sister Lin’s arrival!

“Fairy Lin, I am Jiang Xin.”

Jiang Lin stood, red-eyed, and curtseyed to Lin Qingwan.

“You are Jiang Lin’s sister?”

Lin Qingwan gazed at Jiang Lin, her eyes brimming.

“Yes.”

“I killed your brother. A life for a life. Kill me.” Lin Qingwan offered her sword, her tone calm but her gaze filled with sorrow, regret, and a profound despair at the world.

Receiving the sword, Jiang Lin glanced at Lin Qingwan’s pale neck, then shook his head and let the sword fall. From his sleeve, he drew a letter prepared long ago.

“Fairy Lin, as I just said, to die by your sword was my brother’s wish. But if, because of him, your Dao heart is broken and you are cut off from the Great Way, that is the last thing he would want. Please read this letter—it is from my brother to you.”

Lin Qingwan’s usually cold gaze flickered, as if she might cry at any moment. She took the letter, slowly tore it open, and familiar handwriting appeared before her eyes:

“Sister Lin, if you are reading this, I must already be gone. Please, do not grieve, do not hate the demonic sect, do not hate the world. Sister Lin, you are the most beautiful and gentle girl I have ever met. If there is a next life, I would still wish to be your junior.

Sister, do you know? My favorite thing was watching you teach me swordplay. It’s a pity that in this life, I cannot ascend with you. But please, live well for the both of us.

—Jiang Lin.”

“Jiang Lin… Jiang Lin… Jiang Lin…”

Clutching the letter to her chest, the young woman sank to the floor like a blooming lotus, her exquisite features contorted in heartbreaking sobs.

“Please, Fairy Lin, carry on with my brother’s share of hope and live well!”

Moved by her grief, Jiang Lin’s heart wavered. Still, better a swift pain than a lingering one—better to part as strangers than to have her break down the gates of the demonic sect and scatter his ashes.

But just as Jiang Lin was about to leave, a voice from the system suddenly resounded.

[Detected: Host has toyed with main character Lin Qingwan’s feelings. Infamy +1000. Hidden mission “Take It Further” triggered.]

[Hidden Mission—Take It Further: 1. Remove your disguise, laugh at Lin Qingwan, and shout ‘I was playing you for a fool, you silly girl!’ 2. Admit you are Jiang Lin, heap insults upon Lin Qingwan, humiliate her utterly, and take advantage of her!]

[Please choose. If no choice is made within three seconds, one option will be forced.]

[3…2…1…]

“System! You son of a—”