Chapter 4 - Actually, I Have a Cheat Too

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

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The Ruthless Master

 

 

The dazzling sun rose in the east, casting warm light over everything and chasing away the darkness and damp. In the distance, he could see tiny silhouettes moving about, people coming and going, filling the air with bustling energy.

 

At last, Ge Yan felt alive. He almost convinced himself that last night's events were nothing but a wild dream, as if he were still standing by the roadside with a bottle of soy sauce, waiting for a ride.

 

But as soon as he spotted the man's silhouette, he was snapped back to reality as if struck on the head. He remembered a hard truth he'd rather ignore: from today onward, his freedom was gone for good. His life now belonged to a ruthless master, and if he could turn back time, he'd make sure to check his horoscope before ever stepping outside.

 

The ruthless master glanced back at his dawdling servant, a brief frown passing over his face. He'd never seen a servant like this before, gasping after only a few steps. Other servants followed their masters' strides effortlessly, but this one required his master to pause and wait at intervals, as if he were being dragged along like a reluctant pet. The man couldn't help but question his decision to let Ge Yan serve him.

 

If Ge Yan knew what he was thinking, he'd have been outraged. Pet? Your whole family's pets. He wanted to move faster, too, but his body was already injured, and he'd nearly coughed up all his blood; the fact he'd made it this far was practically a miracle.

 

After half a day of huffing and puffing—which was actually only a kilometer or so—Ge Yan finally followed his master to the town gate, exhausted. He immediately found a stone to sit on and weakly waved his hand at the man. "I… I need a break."

 

No sooner had he spoken than silence blanketed the area, as if someone had hit pause in a noisy market. The only sound left was his own labored breathing.

 

Startled, Ge Yan looked up to find everyone in line waiting to enter the town staring at him. And not just them—people walking along the road turned to glance his way. Their faces displayed a mix of shock, curiosity, amusement, and something strange that Ge Yan couldn't quite define.

 

What in the world…? Before he could figure out what was going on, most people had already looked away, though a few continued to sneak glances at him. Some whispered to each other, casting glances that made him uncomfortable, like he was a curiosity on display, an object to be judged and assessed.

 

The feeling only grew stronger after the man told him they were heading into the town.

 

As they queued up before the town guards, Ge Yan felt their scrutinizing stares even more intensely than before. Thankfully, they didn't give him any trouble, merely raising their eyebrows in surprise as they collected the entrance fee and waved them through.

 

It didn't take long for Ge Yan to realize he'd been naïve. The town was crowded, bustling with more people than outside. And just like before, every person who laid eyes on him wore a strange expression, some gazes so heated they felt like they were sizing up a prime cut of meat. Ge Yan touched his face in alarm. Could it be I'm too…beautiful? Like, universally appealing? He cringed, struck by his own absurd thoughts.

 

Quickly, he scurried to stand behind the man, who, despite everything, was the only thing that felt remotely safe. Whatever was happening, he'd deal with it later.

 

The town was lively and prosperous, with broad streets crisscrossing in every direction. Just as his body was about to give out, the man finally led him to a grand, imposing building, its architecture both majestic and forbidding.

 

Following the man inside, Ge Yan glanced up at the sign above the entrance: Mercenary Guild. The words were bold and powerful, and seeing them, Ge Yan felt a shock run through him. Judging by what he'd seen along the way, he now understood exactly what kind of world he'd landed in—a chaotic, dangerous one where someone like him, with no combat ability, was at the bottom of the food chain. His face paled at the thought, a look of utter despair crossing it.

 

In a way, he wasn't far off the mark.

 

The guild's interior was even larger than it looked from outside, the enormous hall teeming with people. If he lost sight of the man for even a moment, he'd be swallowed up in the crowd.

 

Determined not to get separated, Ge Yan stuck close behind him. With the man carving a path, he avoided being jostled by the burly people around them.

 

"I'm here to submit a mission," the man said, his low voice directed at a young clerk at the reception desk.

 

The clerk flashed a professional smile and asked for his name.

 

"Rex."

 

Behind him, Ge Yan's eyes widened as he mentally filed away this revelation. So, that's his name—Rex. A knowing smirk crept across his face, his gaze shifting to the man with a mix of surprise and ironic realization.

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