Cheng Yao escaped to the stream, the sound of rushing water hiding the heat on her face.
Under the pale moonlight, she knelt by the edge, dipped her hands into the cold water, and began removing her makeup with trembling fingers.
"Cheng Yao, Cheng Yao... why are you so unreserved?" she muttered, scrubbing at the glittering eyeshadow with a guilty pout."You just met Uncle today. Just one day! And now you're agreeing to that?""Sure, he's kind of handsome… and strong... but you skipped like five steps ahead!""And really—lasting a whole night? Those sisters with boyfriends said it only goes a few minutes! Tens of minutes at most!""Is he really that… durable?"
She paused, her hand frozen halfway to her face.
"What am I even saying!?"
After a few deep breaths, she finished cleaning up and glanced down at her reflection in the stream. Without all the flashy makeup, a soft, youthful beauty peeked back—natural and unadorned.
Her lips curled into a proud smile.
"Tch. And he said I need plastic surgery? This girl is a natural-born beauty!"
She tilted her chin smugly… only to freeze when a sudden noise rustled behind her. Her cheeks turned red as realization dawned.
Straightening her clothes, she steeled herself.
"Alright… I'm ready."
She turned and walked back.
Back by the campfire, Wang Xian had just sent out a new forum post when he heard her soft, uncertain voice.
"Uncle... I-I… I'm ready now."
Wang Xian looked up—and blinked.
Gone was the overdone makeup and cartoonish colors. The girl standing before him now was fresh-faced and quietly radiant. Her features were delicate, brightened by moonlight, and for the first time, Wang Xian saw it clearly—
This really was Cheng Yao, the future Flower God. Just younger. Not plastic surgery, not illusion—she was simply still growing.
"Uncle…" she said again, nervously twisting her fingers.
"…What's wrong?" Wang Xian asked, confused.
"I'm… ready," she said, blushing.
"Ready for what?"
"Uncle!"
Cheng Yao stomped her foot, cheeks now glowing. She was sure this was part of his evil teasing!
Wang Xian, still clueless, tilted his head.
"Yaoyao… you feeling okay?"
She stared at him, humiliated. He was really going to play dumb?!
She clenched her fists.
"Uncle! You said we'd go until dawn… I'm ready for that now!"
Wang Xian blinked. Then blinked again.
"…What's there to prepare? Just sit by the fire. If you're sleepy, lie down and rest. It's not cold tonight."
Cheng Yao's expression cracked.
Wait… what?
He meant... literally?
Just sitting?
Her mind replayed every assumption she'd made in the last half hour. All the imaginary scandal. The innuendos. The internal panic. The retching! The biting!
Oh my god.
Wang Xian, still innocent, frowned. "What did you mean by 'ready' then?"
STAB. That's the knife. Into her heart. And again. And again.
"I said I'm ready… to rest! Hmph!"
She spun around and marched to the campfire, face red enough to roast meat.
"Weird girl," Wang Xian muttered, baffled again.
He shrugged it off and sat by a nearby tree, finally letting himself relax.
But elsewhere, peace was the last thing happening.
Because the forum had just exploded.
Wang Xian's two latest posts, titled:
"Taboo: Talent", and
"Taboo: Nickname",
had set off a shockwave across the entire Dragon Kingdom server.
"Taboo: Talent"
The post was written simply, but each sentence struck like thunder.
First, it explained why talent was everything. The right talent could elevate a nobody into a world-class powerhouse. A person with [Fire Affinity], for instance, would become a monster if they became a fire mage.
Sure, they could pick other classes—warrior, assassin, priest—but their talent wouldn't shine. In Blue Star's digitized world, your choices shape your fate.
"Will you soar like a dragon… or crawl like a worm? The choice is yours."
Second, it warned:
"Hide your talents. Especially if they're mythical."
Myth-tier talents were terrifying. Game-breaking. The kind of abilities that turned people into legends—or targets.
And that was the real danger.
People don't like threats. Nations fear unpredictability. Jealousy is deadly.
"If you have a mythical talent, hide it—even from your own family. If you must say something, lie. Say it's rare, or even common. Just don't expose the truth."
Wang Xian explained that in his last life, mythical talent holders were hunted. Not just by rival players—but by entire organizations. Most didn't live to level 50.
"Only one force can protect you," he wrote. "You all know who I mean." "Trust them without hesitation. They are your only safe harbor."
It was the kind of post that ignited panic... and hope.
Even now, hundreds of replies flooded in by the second:
[XiaoNine]: "Holy hell… I told my whole guild I have a myth-tier talent. How do I un-tell them???"
[HuaQing]: "Who's the 'one force' he's referring to? Government? Military?"
[SpicyTofu]: "Did he just imply he has a mythical talent himself???"
Sitting beneath the stars, Wang Xian put away the forum tab and shut his eyes.
Let them panic.
Let them chase after the wind.
I've already chosen my path.
And tomorrow?
He would choose the people to walk it with.