Author: The One Who Tells Stories Under the Bridge (夊楼ĺşä¸čŻ´äšŚç).
Translated by: Yujuan
With Su Geâs personality, there was naturally no fun to be found in diplomatic activities. Ji Mo did not intend on changing his profession to model worker either, so he conscientiously selected the entourage that would be accompanying them to the Demonic Continent, making sure that all the preparations were complete. Finally, the day to set sail arrived.
The Shrine would only have to be managed by Brilliant Moon when they were gone. Ji Mo wasnât worried about the capabilities of this Elven King, but in view of the level of dim-wittedness this guy had considering he had been sold off the moment he arrived in this world, Ji Mo paused in his footsteps to offer him a few words of advice. But before he could open his mouth, Brilliant Moon shot him a glance filled with suspicion, âI heard that you went on a stroll through the Illumination Sky Lake with a white-robed man yesterday, are you actually using a honey trap? Arenât you sacrificing a little too much?â
This bunch of people at the Shrine were pretty scrupulous with their jobs, but they were surprisingly skilled at circulating gossip. Ji Mo reckoned, since the possibility of secretly completing the missions and keeping a low profile didnât exist in Ye Mingjunâs mind, why not just maintain this fake relationship with an open heart rather than getting face-slapped by the protagonist after thinking up every possible way to hide it? After all, he was a person who liked solitude and had no plans on finding a girlfriend in this world.
Just like how that saying âa beggar can never be bankruptâ went, Ji Mo was thinking positively after a good nightâs rest. He had no family, no ties in this world, and did not care the slightest about his own reputationâ as long as he had a good control on his own feelings, he wouldnât suffer any losses accompanying Ye Mingjun with this game. So, he chose to believe in his sexuality, which was still unbendable after experiencing the seduction of photoshopped husbandos and Brilliant Moonâs cheatlike beauty.
âThere are always a few detours youâll have to take in your life. Besides, as far as our looks are concerned, Ye Mingjun is clearly getting the worst of it.â
Hearing his flat tone, as if he was just going out to buy some tangerines, Brilliant Moonâs eyes instantly widened. An actual⌠an actual cutsleeve! So these fabled existences had actually been by his side all this while? The world was just too crazy!
The pure Elven King was so awed by his unperturbed attitude he was rendered speechless. Su Ge, who happened to hear these words while making his way past them glanced at Ji Mo in slight puzzlement, âMorning Star Priest, havenât you looked in a mirror over the years?â
âThe High Priest must be joking, is there a need for me to use a mirror?â
That a blind man would need a mirror sounded hilarious, but after observing Su Geâs look, Ji Mo felt a little uneasy. He had never taken off Wuyan in front of others, and only Su Ge had seen his full features in the past three years during his periodic maintenance of Wuyan. Sensing something not quite right about his tone, he asked hesitantly, âWhat do I look like right now?â
Yet, the High Priest only responded with an enigmatic smile, âQuite well, like how a god should look.â
The moment he uttered those words, Ji Mo sunk into apprehension of what a god should look like. From what he could recall, in both ancient and modern times, the pictures of gods were all pretty abstractâŚ
However, he quickly came around by virtue of his tenacious willpower. At any rate, he couldnât marry himself no matter how good-looking he was, and he couldnât see no matter how uglyâ no matter what, it wouldnât be his eyes getting stung. Thinking this, Ji Mo immediately relaxed, and finally recalled his proper business, drawing out a scroll and handing it over to Brilliant Moon, âThe High Priest made Shui Wuhen sign a time-limited contract, he will be protecting you from the shadows while we are away.â
Ji Mo had never been soft on the Celestials, and naturally he would make thorough use of Great Assassin Shui when he had practically delivered himself to them. It just happened to make up for Brilliant Moonâs flaw of believing others too easily. Concerning this matter, Brilliant Moon, who was utterly oblivious of how gullible he was, felt pretty discontented, âWhy would I need to be protected by an assassin?â
âThen think of it as him peeping at you.â
Ji Mo had always been a person who was good at adapting to circumstances. When he thought of what these words implied, of a man hunkering behind various corners to peep at him, Brilliant Moon immediately trembled, âIt sounds so perverted when you say it like that! Is he going to peep at me when I take a bath?!â
Why would someone like you, the male protagonist from a shallow harem novel, be worried of another male protagonist peeping at you? In the past, the readers of Rebirth of the Elven King made comments of how the only function of female leads in this novel was to prove that the male lead isnât gay, are we just going to ignore their role?
This question caused him to purse his lips. So as to set his mind at rest while on the road, Ji Mo ultimately chose to comfort him calmly, âDonât worry, the High Priest said that while there isnât a single weakness to be found in Shui Wuhen physically, his spiritual power isnât that great and canât resist the allure of beauty. And youâre the best at using your face to make others submit.â
He sounded completely serious, but Brilliant Moon still expressed his doubts, âAre you sure the High Priest said that?â
âAlright then, just so that you could understand, I made a few embellishments.â
Silently contemplating the embellishments in his words, Brilliant Moon instantly threw away his grief of separation and worry for the future, responding with these sincere words, âYouâd better leave soon, donât come back!â
Su Ge naturally wouldnât travel with a carriage, as it would be a waste of time. Seemingly taking the size of their entourage into consideration, he had taken out his favorite godly artifact, the Ark of Salvation.
After boarding the mythical ship the size of a city, and as they set sail, Ji Mo turned his head to look back at the dwindling sight of the Shrine from the ground. Probably because he had lived there for a long time, there was actually a trace of reluctance to depart in him.
Compared to him, Su Ge, the Shrineâs founder, was pretty composed, lifting the little teacup that never left his side as he sat on deck playing chess with Ye Mingjun, the happiness of regaining his freedom practically radiating off his body.
These two big shots seemed to have realized they were kindred spirits during their meeting at the White Tower, and Ye Mingjun would search for Su Ge to play chess and drink tea whenever Ji Mo didnât want to be disturbed. However, he didnât seem to be interested in keeping a pigeon, and hadnât shown the intention to switch capture targets to this day, causing Ji Mo to sigh regrettably.
This chapter is scrapped from readlightnovel.org
And yet, just as Ji Mo was considering the possibility of making the immortal change his target, Su Geâs hand suddenly paused from moving a chess piece, tilting his head to glance at him before asking Ye Mingjun a little curiously, âHow does it feel being hugged by a god?â
The moment these words were uttered, Ji Moâs features instantly stiffened. He was just dipping his feet on the brink of cutsleevery, how did everyone in the Shrine know?!
Yesterday, Ye Mingjun had noticed Su Ge observing the two of them from the rooftops in pigeon form. It was exactly because he had seen this pigeon that Ye Mingjun recalled the fact that Ji Mo was more trusting of this High Priest than him, so he had requested for Ji Mo to hug him. He was in high spirits now that he remembered this particular event, and said, âPretty good, I wouldnât mind getting a hug every day.â
I mind! There better be no next time!
While Ji Mo did not care about what others thought of him, one look from Su Ge gave rise to a strange feeling in him, as if his own father had discovered that he was gay. Not knowing how long this discussion would last, he simply found an excuse to bail out, âHigh Priest, Iâll go examine the divine attendantsâ preparation.â
âIâm coming with you!â
Seeing him turn to leave, Ye Mingjun decisively placed down his chess piece to chase after him. As he got up, Su Ge lifted his head, âYe Mingjun, if you leave midway, youâll lose this match.â
As he said that, Ye Mingjun finally recalled the bet between the two of them before their match. However, when he looked at the lone white figure walking down the deck, he just gave a casual smile, âThen consider it my loss.â
The immortal caught up to Ji Mo in a few strides, and the moment their eyes met, the cold and detached atmosphere around the Morning Star Priest instantly dissipated. Like a god who had been serenely watching the joys and sorrows of this world high above the clouds had been abruptly pulled into the mortal realm, the gold lacquer on the godly statue weathered away little by little, and he gained the humanlike emotion of resignation and a trace of delight that even he was oblivious to, giving Ye Mingjun beside him a faint, reserved smile.
In his silent observation of it all, Su Ge used a finger to push the shiny white chessman on the chessboard, slightly envious. As the chess piece quietly fell to the ground, he let out a faint sigh, âSo gods can smile like that too.â
He had observed Ji Mo for three years; he had always believed that gods were inherently unconcerned with the matters of the world, which was why they could create the humans with apathy, as well as make them fight and strive under their control, mercilessly appreciating the vicissitudes of life in this world.
Although he had learned that the light he had pursued in the past was merely an imaginary idolum, he still stepped onto the road to salvation as God had intended for him, as he believed that while power, influence and desire could all be false, the humansâ wish for a promising future had always been true.
However, there were times he occasionally hoped that his god did not view him indifferently as a simple plaything during his creationâ at best, he hoped he had been carrying this smile, filled with anticipation when he granted him the name Su Ge.
Su Ge: I believe the author should give me a wife.
Ji Mo: I believe the author should have a writing speed of 10k characters per day.
Ye Mingjun: I believe the author should take a driving test and stop making me watch exhaust gas all day.
Author *indifferent*: Youâll get a wife, the driving test is impossible, there will be a 10k chapter drop on Monday.
Ji Mo *doubtful*: Will you finish writing it, with that writing speed of yours?
Author *instantly bursting into tears*: Son, I need your writing speed!