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When Jiang Huan turned back, Bai Jingchuan was nowhere to be seen. Like a war god residing in the highest echelons, he took an interest in her but refrained from directly helping, instead igniting a craving for his presence. It was, after all, just a shooting game—no need to take it too seriously. It was only a game; yet Bai Jingchuan seemed determined to make her treat it as such. Jiang Huan thought to herself, No wonder he’s a producer—he’s someone who obsesses over nodes and mission objectives.
Before she could leave the secret cave, the alarm was triggered, sealing them inside. Through the wrought-iron gates, they could see the outside path where colleagues were chasing and even firing at them. Jiang Huan unleashed a barrage of shots, “killing” one of them instantly.
Annoyed, the route to defuse the bomb box had been blocked. If she couldn’t vent her frustration on anyone else, who else would she shoot? Jiang Huan scoured the area for mechanisms but found none, and no one responded to her calls for help. The bomb strapped to Bai Jingchuan’s chest ticked down to two minutes. Without hesitation, Jiang Huan pried open the bomb box. “I’ll disarm it.”
Bai Jingchuan chuckled. “The mechanism doesn’t seem to work that way.”
“Who cares about the rules? You’re the one who makes games—why obey them?”
The glass refracted an eerie bluish-purple light, with mist rising and immersive music playing in the background. The scene felt like an adventure straight out of Romance Continent . Everything resembled her imagination, and she could almost predict the next puzzle. She tugged Bai Jingchuan into another corridor just as a new gate closed behind them. Bai Jingchuan quickly realized something. “Did you know there was a door here?”
She didn’t bother answering—the wires were tangled, and she feared pulling the wrong one might mean instant death. Time ticked away, and in the final minute, the device emitted a shrill beeping sound. Her breathing quickened, and her hands went numb. “What do I do? What do I do? These wires are all twisted together…”
“It’s okay. Take your time.”
“Aren’t you worried about the timer running out? It’s like you’d die because of me!”
“It’s fine. You can do it. Promise me you won’t panic, okay? Take a deep breath.”
The seconds ticked down: ten… nine… eight… seven… six…
Jiang Huan’s palms were drenched in sweat. “I can do this! Trust me—I definitely can!”
She clenched her fists. A knot wasn’t necessarily a dead end—it was just wrapped around the back row of wires. Grabbing the tangled threads from behind and loosening them would do the trick. She absolutely couldn’t let anyone die, whether teammates or enemies, leaders or ordinary people—she just couldn’t!
Five, four, three, two—
With her eyes tightly shut, flashes of “what if” scenarios raced through Jiang Huan’s mind. The lonely sound of wind whistling past her ears made her heart skip several beats. When she opened her eyes again, the bomb had stopped at 00:01. Bai Jingchuan calmly gazed at her, a faint smile gracing his face.
Jiang Huan thought she’d cheer, but instead, she simply looked at the frozen red numbers, then raised her head to meet Bai Jingchuan’s gaze. A sense of triumph and accomplishment washed over her. Though she couldn’t high-five him because he was her superior, her heart pounded wildly. He stared back at her without averting his gaze. Realizing her flushed cheeks, Bai Jingchuan smiled. “Seeing you so tense because of me—thank you.”
“No!”
「Jiang Huan’s Favorability +200.」
After being stared at by Bai Jingchuan for a few seconds, Jiang Huan’s ears turned red. The bell signaling the end of the first half rang. Not only had she failed to obtain the shaman’s reward, but she’d also spent the entire first half tied to her boss. Her emotions were a jumble. Bai Jingchuan said, “If you’re willing, I can continue to team up with you in the second half. At the very least, within my capabilities, I’ll protect you until the end.”
“No thanks.”
“Don’t you feel any sense of achievement being with me?”
It wasn’t just a lack of achievement—it was a complete absence of it! She wanted to rely solely on her own strength to survive until the end. At the very least, obtaining a clip in the second half would allow her to “hang on” longer and ensure she lasted until the final round, impressing Bai Jingchuan and boosting her confidence. But with everyone focusing their fire, her clips were already depleted. She wasn’t particularly skilled at shooting games, making her an easy early casualty.
Bai Jingchuan simply remarked, “Live-action games are still games. You did well. You saved me earlier—I’m grateful. If you think of this as a team-building exercise, consider it a favor owed to me. If you treat it as a game, we’ve experienced this adventure together.”
During the halftime break, Jiang Huan kept her head down, feeling as though someone was watching her. Recalling Bai Jingchuan’s mischievous gaze, she decided to keep her distance from him in the second half. The interns munched on rice balls. “This set feels really expensive—it has the vibe of a 3D game. Do you think the boss will break even?”
「Jiang Huan’s Favorability +100.」
________________________________________
The second half began, and Jiang Huan had no clips left. She watched enviously as others collected bullets, planning to find a hiding spot and bide her time until others had wasted most of their ammunition before attacking. She eyed the wine jars where her colleagues were hiding, only to discover two of them already concealed there. She raised her hands and backed away. “Friendly! I didn’t see you—don’t shoot me either!”
By the time she reached the arena, Jiang Huan was already feeling intimidated. All the men in the department were passionately firing away, while a few female colleagues hid behind doors, whispering among themselves. A young intern pointed upward. “Did you see? Teacher Bai is amazing!”
Following the direction of the voice, she spotted Bai Jingchuan on higher ground. His stance with the gun was strategic, and his aim was unnervingly precise and trained, like a professional sniper. Several eliminated members of the writing team stood in a row, and one of them spoke up. “He’s so handsome. Shouldn’t Bai Jingchuan have killed us and mocked our incompetence? Just now, he protected our entire writing team—no one dared approach us. This level of protection is so reassuring—I don’t need challenges or growth. I just want a man to protect me. For today, Bai Jingchuan is my dream boyfriend.”
After a moment, Jiang Huan finally spoke up. “…How did you get eliminated?”
“He had someone behind him—we were worried about him…”
Jiang Huan picked up her gun and walked off. Sticking close to the walls, she prepared to join the battle when Bai Jingchuan spotted her first, seemingly ready to fulfill his promise of protecting her. Jiang Huan dodged him. “What, teaming up again?”
“There are people targeting you.” Bai Jingchuan’s expression darkened. “I can’t bear to see you hurt.”
“Of course! In a battle royale, everyone’s an opponent. You act like I’ll die here—it’s just a live-action escape game.”
“It’s dangerous. Stay with me, and I’ll protect you. Don’t you trust me?”
She stepped back forcefully, her face bathed in the light streaming through the skylight. “If I get eliminated, so be it. At least let me take out a few people to prove to you that I don’t need your protection.”
Bai Jingchuan paused thoughtfully. “Fine. Don’t go to secluded places alone. Call my name if necessary.”
The scene had changed slightly. After guessing the path ahead, everything unfolded exactly as she imagined. Had Bai Jingchuan made the environment richer? But she hadn’t worn VR… She ran for a long time without seeing a single colleague, only hearing announcements of eliminations. Finally, she encountered a tall colleague who had been eliminated. Grinding her teeth, the colleague muttered, “Teacher Bai is ruthless—one room, twenty-some people, all taken out by him.”
So impressive…
「Jiang Huan’s Favorability +100.」
Jiang Huan switched to the snowy mountain scene. With no cover and extreme cold, she nervously ran around, managing to hit two colleagues before spotting Bai Jingchuan again. He moved with professional precision, eliminating opponents mercilessly. Jiang Huan’s competitive spirit ignited. She resolved to switch scenes and fight her way into the final circle. Bai Jingchuan, see you at the peak.
Returning to the safety of the secret cave, she confirmed that those hiding behind the wine cellar had all been eliminated. She roamed the dark scene with her gun, spotting someone aiming at Bai Jingchuan. Jiang Huan shouted instinctively, “Be careful!”
Gunfire echoed through the labyrinthine secret cave. Bai Jingchuan’s figure flashed—he appeared once more. But this time, Jiang Huan fully understood: it wasn’t Bai Jingchuan following her—it was him systematically wiping out players and moving to new areas to find others. Someone waited behind him, ready to eliminate him, but Jiang Huan peeked out worriedly. Bai Jingchuan appeared behind another wall, swiftly taking out the shooter. His decisive movements with the gun were serious and sharp. Jiang Huan couldn’t help recalling a story she once wrote—a cunning male lead who gave others hope only to crush them later. Bai Jingchuan wasn’t inferior. Earlier, he hadn’t attacked, merely observed quietly. Now, he targeted players who used underhanded tactics. Crouching in a corner, Jiang Huan felt warm despite the -13°C temperature, her passion ignited by Bai Jingchuan’s efficient movements. As Bai Jingchuan stood atop a high point, consecutively taking down over a dozen people, the eliminated colleagues erupted. “Damn, what’s up with this producer? Unpredictable mood swings aside, does he play games like this too—mercilessly wiping everyone out?”
Bai Jingchuan didn’t care. In a few strides, he descended the steps and disappeared from view. Jiang Huan had only eight bullets left, and her arms were tired from holding the gun. She planned to find a darker spot to hide. Just as she returned to the secret cave, she stumbled upon a group engaged in fierce combat. Startled, she froze. Running out would mean getting shot in the back, while rushing in meant being mobbed. Standing there dumbfounded, she heard a voice from behind. This is it—I’m getting eliminated.
In the moment she closed her eyes, she was gently pulled into an embrace. A group of people ran past, guns in hand, the rumbling sounds fading away. Bai Jingchuan still shielded her with his arm, his hand lightly resting on her shoulder, as if transmitting his warmth and… a sense of security. Once everyone had passed, Jiang Huan kept her eyes closed. “…Um, it’s safe now.”
“I’m not dying. It’s just a game.”
“I’ve already caused you trouble once. This time, absolutely not.”
“In fact, I’m quite willing to face trouble with you.”
“Shut up.” Jiang Huan pointed her gun at Bai Jingchuan. “Don’t act like some love-struck fool. Winning is the priority right now. Let’s move forward—I’ll cover you.”
Jiang Huan steeled herself for Bai Jingchuan’s mocking laughter after being eliminated, but she refused to play ostrich. Though her bullets were limited, her aim was precise. With Bai Jingchuan backing her, she wanted to show him just how capable she was.
By the time they returned to the urban map, fewer than ten players remained. The mechanisms activated—while eliminating others, they also had to ensure their own survival against traps. When Bai Jingchuan and Jiang Huan faced each other head-on, Jiang Huan had no choice but to greet him directly. An NPC tasked with hunting her down chased her as she cursed aloud, “Who came up with this insane live-action game?!”
In the desert zone, Bai Jingchuan managed to shoot someone just as they lost balance and disappeared. Jiang Huan rushed over to find Bai Jingchuan hanging onto a metallic mechanism on the wall. A thick rope was rising upward, and at any moment, he could fall into the sand pit below.
“You can’t die.” Jiang Huan stared for a moment, then firmly grabbed the rope, using her weight to pull it back. “I’ll pull you up.”
“Let go. Take this gun—it still has plenty of bullets.”
“Too cold-hearted. I’d rather compete with you than watch you ‘die’ like this.”
“It’s just a game. Are you really that concerned about me?”
“What if it’s tied to fate? Losing a life due to an accident is unfair. Fighting against fate and winning—that’s the most fulfilling kind of competition, isn’t it?” Jiang Huan clung tightly to the rope, her determination unwavering despite being dragged further and further. Below was nothing but mechanical quicksand and a simulated abyss—falling wouldn’t cause real harm, just part of Realm of Gods’ immersive design. Yet Jiang Huan couldn’t shake off the strange thought: in real life, she’d never utter such a cheesy line about defying fate. But here, bound to him by some invisible thread, she couldn’t bring herself to let go.
Bai Jingchuan suddenly grabbed Jiang Huan’s hand and pulled her down with him. Losing her balance, Jiang Huan let out a startled cry. Bai Jingchuan hooked his gun onto an iron hook on the wall, veins bulging in his arm and neck from the strain. “Hold on tight,” he said simply.
Just one and a half meters below them lay the quicksand. Jiang Huan clung to Bai Jingchuan’s neck, watching in astonishment as he managed to climb back up. Still shaken, she stood rooted to the spot while Bai Jingchuan chuckled. “Holding onto me so tightly—are you afraid I’d let go of you?”
“It’s because if I fall, I’m out of the game.”
“It seems being with me brings danger. Maybe we should part ways.”
She tightened her grip again. “Who said that! Bai Jingchuan, whether it’s a game or fate, absolutely not! Absolutely don’t think of yourself as a disaster!”
Bai Jingchuan visibly froze, unable to embrace her fully with the gun in hand, but he used his free arm to draw her closer. “Alright, I understand. So you’re someone who takes fate seriously.”
“I’ve always had it rough—I can’t afford to lose anymore, not even in games!” Jiang Huan wiped away the dust on her face and sneezed, still indignant. “I saved your life twice—I deserve to be the MVP of bravery here. If you think I’m clinging to you, fine, I’ll leave. You go ahead and win. But know this—your opponent will still be me…”
Before she could finish her boast, a shot hit her squarely in the back of the head. Instinctively, she crouched down, clutching her head. Bai Jingchuan’s expression turned icy as he glared at the shooter—not from the Realm of Gods , but a young artist from the art department.
After four hours of intense gameplay, the finale arrived unexpectedly. Jiang Huan winced, holding her throbbing head. She hadn’t even used up all her bullets. Bai Jingchuan smiled faintly. “Let me reclaim the victory.”
“No way! Your win doesn’t count unless it’s mine too!”
“You saved me twice—it absolutely counts.” Bai Jingchuan’s tone was serious and sincere. “Everything I have belongs to you.”
「Jiang Huan’s Favorability +200.」
“Take my bullets…”
“No need.” Bai Jingchuan picked up Jiang Huan’s gun. “Two shots are enough.”
________________________________________
When the game ended and they stepped outside, the entire group gathered to review the match. A young man resembling the store manager approached Bai Jingchuan, shaking his hand enthusiastically. “I watched the footage—your marksmanship is godlike! I’ve never seen you play before, but the Shanghai shooting club needs someone like you!”
Jiang Huan’s jaw dropped. He really won with just two bullets?
Not only did he win, but he even had one bullet left. The manager lavished praise on Bai Jingchuan, rewinding the surveillance footage to highlight his lightning-fast dodges, professional movements, and sniper-like precision. He asked earnestly, “You’re not a retired police officer, are you?”
Colleagues marveled at how handsome and agile Bai Jingchuan looked, suggesting he could easily serve as a motion-capture model. Bai Jingchuan, however, focused on the shadow visible only to him in the footage—a faint blue glow at the temple, identical to the dice. Clearly, players from the Realm of Gods had infiltrated the game.
Something trickled past his eye. Raising his hand to his brow, Bai Jingchuan found blood. He waved off the cartoon band-aids offered by the staff and politely declined when interns tried to disinfect his wound with wet wipes. His chin was already bruised—traces left by her actions. Guilt gnawed at Jiang Huan, prompting her to buy transparent band-aids from a convenience store. Perhaps he rejected the ones with cartoon patterns; maybe Bai Jingchuan preferred simpler colors?
Approaching him, her heartbeat inexplicably quickened. Bai Jingchuan bent slightly. “Are these for me?”
He leaned down further. Jiang Huan reached out, gently wiping away his sweat with a tissue before carefully applying the pink bear-shaped band-aid. Throughout, Bai Jingchuan kept his gaze fixed on her, making her feel increasingly uneasy. Finally, she blurted out, “You… you’re insanely good at gaming. Even in live-action scenarios, you survive until the end with just two bullets.”
“These are minor feats. What truly lingers in my mind are the moments I spent with you. Do you think I fear mere competition?”
His finger hovered near his forehead as Bai Jingchuan gazed at her calmly, as if the wounds meant nothing.
“You’re far more impressive than I imagined. In many critical moments, you saved me—and taught me valuable lessons.”
“What lessons?”
“You made me feel… human emotion. I didn’t care much about winning or losing, but when you were declared eliminated, I truly felt anger.”
Jiang Huan froze, overwhelmed by a sense of overlapping emotions. Bai Jingchuan’s melancholy was palpable, yet words of comfort or gratitude eluded her. Akira slapped the back of Jiang Huan’s head from behind. “Let’s go eat barbecue!”
Jiang Huan collapsed to the ground, wincing from the bump on her head. Akira quickly dragged her away, teasing, “I’m saving you from Bai Jingchuan! Why are you putting on a show?”
“Our junior took out Bai Jingchuan 1v1 during the game. Looks like revenge for you, huh? Besides, I haven’t seen you in four hours—what were you doing?”
At a loss for words, Jiang Huan saw a message from Bai Jingchuan: “Need a ride?”
Before she could reply, Akira whisked her into a taxi, filling the ride with chatter. Jiang Huan stared out the window, watching the shadows of trees cast by streetlights occasionally overlap with roadside foliage. Her heart churned with subtle, unnameable emotions. She couldn’t understand why, even in a simple game, her tension intertwined so deeply with Bai Jingchuan’s presence, as if her breathing followed his every move. His expert handling of the gun, his solemn dedication to helping her win, his indifference toward his own victories—all pointed to one thing. After becoming the MVP, he sought no personal glory, only caring whether she was happy. And now, he came to her with band-aids.
The plastic-roofed Korean barbecue joint was packed with colleagues. Exhausted and tipsy, Jiang Huan laughed giddily as she poured herself grapefruit-mixed beer. Across several tables, she spotted Bai Jingchuan quietly holding a cup of sake, seemingly disinterested in the food. Their eyes met through the crowd, and he gave her a gentle smile—the band-aid blending seamlessly into the curve of his eye. Everyone toasted to celebrate his MVP title, but as they drained their glasses, he lowered his gaze, concealing a bittersweet smile.
Jiang Huan felt a pang of fear. After all, she knew that when a woman began imagining a man’s vulnerability through his wounds, it marked the beginning of surrender.
Absolutely impossible. Spare the woman who only loves 2D characters!
「Jiang Huan’s Favorability +200. Level up to Lv 33. Rewards: 20,000 coins, 3 loot boxes.」
PS: Xiao Zhang is here! Bai Laoshi was absolutely outstanding in this shooting game (not exaggerating). Welcome to add this story to your bookshelf and vote for recommendations. See you in the comments today!
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