Team Two Captain Dong Man: 【Team Three, calling Team Three.】
Team Two Captain Dong Man: 【Is anyone on Team Three receiving this?】
Team One Captain Du Feili: 【What’s wrong?】
Team Two Captain Dong Man: 【The Living Dead is chasing a celebrity. The star he’s after is named Bai Chen, who’s shooting a movie where the protagonist is modeled after Heavenly Master Qiao Qingshuang. The director and crew plan to invite Qiao Qingshuang to the set for some guidance. What if the Living Dead runs into the Celestial Master? Will that cause problems?】
Team One Captain Du Feili: 【I’ve transmigrated into this book so many times before, and those two never crossed paths. This run feels way too different from the others.】
Du Feili, who was in the alley at that moment, looked up at the high-rise building across from him. There on the billboard—the one Niu Lingyu had pointed out when they first arrived in this world—was the very celebrity in question, his name written in large white letters: “Bai Chen.”
This time around, they had spotted the Boy in the alley cradling a cat as he passed under that billboard. Now the Boy had acquired a cat, and the Living Dead had a celebrity obsession—someone they had actually laid eyes on themselves. Why so many changes? Were they for the better, or worse?
Team One Captain Du Feili: 【Don’t panic. The Living Dead and the Celestial Masters aren’t sworn enemies.】
【In this world, people are mainly divided into humans and strangeness. Of course, the so-called ‘humans’ here just think of themselves that way. They’ve lived alongside strangeness for so long that they no longer count as normal people like us—they’ve got weird body parts or abilities.】
【Celestial Masters stand firmly on the side of pure humanity, dedicating their lives to slaying strangeness. But the Living Dead occupies this weird in-between space. He doesn’t count as strangeness, so Celestial Masters have no urge to kill him or treat him as an enemy.】
Their latest transmigration had come so suddenly that many of the book transmigrators—especially those pulled from prison—knew next to nothing about this world.
It was lunchtime at the Black Workshop right now, so Du Feili took the chance to drop some extra knowledge in the System Group. If anyone from the other teams came online later, they could catch up too.
Team One Captain Du Feili: 【The Living Dead harbors no killing intent toward anyone else. Humans, strangeness—he couldn’t care less. To him, Celestial Masters and the Strangeness King are no different. There’s only one person he wants dead: our Team One observation target, the Cursed Youth.】
Team One Captain Du Feili: 【As long as the Living Dead doesn’t spot the Boy, we’re good.】
【Truth be told, there are tons of beings like the Living Dead out there. Some evolve from humans midway through turning into strangeness. Others rise from the strangeness-infused dead. And a chunk are corpses brought back by other Living Dead. They all live low-key lives, building massive networks of wealth and power over centuries.】
【This group’s incredibly clannish. Even the Living Dead, who doesn’t sweat the small stuff, wants the Boy dead now that he’s devoured a few of their own. So keep your eyes peeled and don’t piss off even one of them.】
Having wrapped up his advice for Team Two, Du Feili turned his attention to Team Three.
Team One Captain Du Feili: 【No word from Team Three doesn’t mean they’re in trouble.】
【Frost Mountain is the absolute heart of this world—the place where the Strangeness King was once suppressed. The novel’s protagonist, Ning Yuanshui, lives up there on Frost Mountain Street. Protagonists are tightly bound to their world’s destiny, and with power levels this insane, even the transmigration main system’s energy might not penetrate Frost Mountain. That’s probably why they can’t connect.】
Team Two Captain Dong Man: 【I really hope the Celestial Master shows up this time. Then we could meet up with Team Three and get the scoop on their side.】
Team Two Captain Dong Man: 【Everything’s smooth sailing here so far. No casualties. Don’t worry about us.】
Team One Captain Du Feili: 【Same here—progressing well. A few injuries but no deaths. Best of luck to the other two teams.】
Dong Man pocketed her communicator and watched as Bai Chen approached the two Celestial Masters and the Vascular Strangeness. She wanted to learn more about Frost Mountain anyway. Posing as an assistant, she naturally grabbed a few bottles of water and some post-meal fruit and followed along.
As she drew near, she overheard Bai Chen asking, “The movie’s male lead is based on Celestial Master Qiao. Does this Vascular Strangeness have a real-life counterpart too?”
“Yep.” The two Celestial Masters—one cool and aloof, the other warm and lively—responded. The younger one, full of enthusiasm, explained to Bai Chen: “The movie’s based on true events. This Vascular Strangeness used to be the Strangeness King’s right-hand man. It drained the blood of over ten thousand people and grew insanely powerful. Taking it down was the first step in Little Ancestor Master suppressing the Strangeness King.”
The Little Celestial Master clearly idolized Qiao Qingshuang—his eyes lit up just talking about him.
Bai Chen glanced at the Vascular Strangeness. “Just this thing?”
“Nah, not this one. This Vascular Strangeness is a offshoot from the original—a descendant, you could say.” The Little Celestial Master continued, “Back then, Little Ancestor Master didn’t wipe out the original completely. He kept one vessel and brought it back to Frost Mountain to raise. That’s this guy now. It’s actually pretty docile. No idea why it went berserk today.”
Bai Chen fell thoughtful.
He reached behind him and flicked away a sneaky tendril that had crept up, trying to latch onto him.
The Little Celestial Master—naive from growing up on Frost Mountain—added, “They offered such a huge copyright fee that Little Ancestor Master loaned them the Vascular Strangeness for the movie.”
“…”
Dong Man handed out the water and fruit. “I heard the director wants to invite Celestial Master Qiao for some guidance. Think he’ll come?”
The lively Little Celestial Master thanked her and said, “We’ve already reported the Vascular Strangeness’s condition back to Frost Mountain. Feels like Little Ancestor Master might show up after all—not for guidance, but because the original’s too dangerous. We’re worried this anomaly might be connected to the progenitor… or even the underground evil strangeness.”
Hearing how hazardous the original Vascular Strangeness was, Dong Man took a small step back. “I really hope Celestial Master Qiao does come.”
The words had barely left her mouth when Bai Chen shot her a look, a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
She tensed up immediately. Had she somehow upset her quarter-savior?
“He…” Bai Chen turned toward the male lead, Ning Yuanshui, who was chatting with the director by the monitor, surrounded by an adoring crowd. “He’s pretty impressive, huh?”
Dong Man was still new to this world and knew little about the man, but she couldn’t risk disappointing Bai Chen—or blowing her cover. After a moment’s thought, she replied, “He’s the Celestial Master Qiao of the movie world.”
That ought to work. Why else would everyone say only he could play Qiao Qingshuang, no matter how much money they threw at it? Sometimes vague worked best.
Bai Chen pondered this. “That impressive?”
“Of course, he can’t hold a candle to the real Celestial Master Qiao. It’s just an analogy—the gold standard.” With the two Celestial Masters right there, Dong Man smiled as she spoke. “Qiao Qingshuang’s on another level entirely—the ultimate benchmark.”
She tacked on something else she knew. “He’s got 1.4 billion fans on White Net, too. Tons of people adore him.”
Even if she had no clue what White Net was.
Bai Chen nodded, indicating he’d heard.
Lunchtime had arrived, and with filming on hold, the crew lounged in small groups, chatting idly in the relaxed atmosphere.
After eating with the director, Ning Yuanshui headed to his RV for a short rest, eyes closed, to recharge for his big afternoon scene.
For a multitude of reasons, this was the film he cared about most.
To nail the role, he’d once tried visiting Heavenly Master Qiao Qingshuang, only to be turned away. Undeterred, he’d moved to the foot of Frost Mountain for a spell.
Every day, he observed the Celestial Masters coming and going, gleaned tales of Qiao Qingshuang from every shopkeeper on Frost Mountain Street—even down to his favorite foods. All so he could portray the character authentically, so that when Qiao Qingshuang and the other Celestial Masters watched the film, they’d know he’d put his heart into it.
Having just seen Bai Chen’s footage—and hearing Qiao Qingshuang might visit the set—he felt even more driven to prepare.
As his thoughts drifted to Bai Chen’s performance, he rounded the manor to the back wall—and there was Bai Chen.
Ning Yuanshui jolted in surprise. How had he appeared so silently?
“You don’t like me,” Bai Chen said, drawing closer.
Facing him alone like this, Ning Yuanshui felt an inexplicable twinge of fear. His back pressed against the wall, seeking some semblance of security.
A star like Bai Chen—pampered and propped up by massive capital from day one—could easily grow reckless, heedless of consequences.
The manor sprawled vast, with the crew up front and his driver waiting outside the gates. The area was deserted now, save for a lone crow perched silently on a barren branch overhead, its blood-red eyes gazing down with eerie stillness.
He could probably call for help if needed.
“Why?” Bai Chen took another step forward, closing the gap.
Why?
Ning Yuanshui had risen to fame young, starring in eight films—five of which ranked among the all-time top hundred. In every production, he was the crowd favorite, afforded the best of everything.
Yet here? When he offered Bai Chen a bento box, Bai Chen ignored it. And right in front of him, a special one was handed straight to Bai Chen instead—marking Ning as just another extra in this star’s shadow.
And—
“You watched my scenes over and over.” Bai Chen fixed him with a stare. “They’re good, aren’t they?”
Ning Yuanshui pressed his lips together, shadows pooling in his eyes against the challenge.
“Take a good look at me now. I deserve to be liked, don’t I?” Bai Chen was very close—almost the same height. He planted his hands on either side of Ning’s legs and tilted his face up. “Senior, don’t hate me. Like me instead, okay?”
Ning Yuanshui’s eyes widened. His pupils quivered, reflecting Bai Chen’s face mere inches away.
Bai Chen’s makeup was still on, though he’d wiped his face with a hot towel. The cleared spots gleamed even whiter and smoother than the powdered areas. The high-end foundation, the pink eyeshadow at his corners, the fake blood—they didn’t enhance him. They defiled him.
This proximity, this intimate distance, made every cell and sun-glinting fine hair on Bai Chen seem pure and exquisite.
The entire crew fawned over him—a mere newbie—granting him better perks than even Ning.
He’d played an evil strangeness, yet turned in a performance that would spark more buzz than Ning’s own Qiao Qingshuang.
But…
Those translucent eyes locked onto him intently, a faint green hue within—like the sole new sprout pushing through parched earth after a long drought, brimming with irrepressible life. “Don’t give me hate. Give me love instead, okay?”
Ning Yuanshui must have been hallucinating. He caught the scent of love: sunshine, honey, spring breezes laced with flowers—an intoxicating aroma wafting from the man before him.
He carried that fragrance.
He… was emitting this love scent toward him?!
In an instant, the warm glow soured to chill and shadow. Sunshine and breezes alike were devoured by endless void.
Ning Yuanshui shuddered uncontrollably and whipped his head around—to see the Xuzhou Big Shot, the one so many celebrities schemed desperately to approach.
