[QT] The Villains Are All My Reserve Food - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Ghost King 6

After absorbing the Ghost King’s yin energy, Su Tang’s spirits lifted considerably, and he felt less sleepy. Lying flushed in the Ghost King’s arms, he asked, “Why didn’t you show yourself before?”

The Ghost King wrapped his arms around Su Tang’s waist, immediately recalling the incident where he had angrily snapped chopsticks, kicked the door, and stormed off. A hint of sullenness crept across his pale, ghostly face, even a faint trace of grievance.

“Because you were afraid of me.”

Su Tang blinked, genuinely surprised by this reason. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt, realizing his earlier anger had been somewhat unreasonable.

However, the matter of fear remained a tricky issue.

Su Tang stole a glance at the Ghost King.

His features were undeniably handsome, flawless in every detail, almost exactly as they had been before. The only differences were his unnaturally pale complexion and the heavy yin energy shrouding his brows and eyes. When he wasn’t smiling, his aura became even more chillingly sinister, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Truth be told, Su Tang was still a little scared.

Even though this was his beloved, he was still a ghost.

Thinking this, Su Tang felt even weaker. He mentally hypnotized himself, leaned forward, and hugged the Ghost King tightly. “I’m just scared of ghosts, not you. I’ll try to get used to it as soon as possible. After all, you can’t just disappear. If I can’t see you, I’ll panic.”

Hearing this, all the Ghost King’s earlier dissatisfaction vanished. He hugged Su Tang back just as tightly and lowered his head to kiss him.

Su Tang shivered from the cold. To avoid any misunderstanding, he quickly explained, “I’m not scared, I’m just cold.”

The Ghost King paused, then reached out to take Su Tang’s hand. “How about this?”

Su Tang was slightly surprised. The hand was still cool, but it was warmer than before, no longer like an ice block. He didn’t tremble from the cold while holding it.

Astonished that the Ghost King could regulate his body temperature, Su Tang chuckled. “That’s better. But you’re a ghost—is it okay for your body temperature to change?”

The Ghost King replied with a hint of arrogance, “I’m not bound by such limitations.”

His tone carried the overbearing confidence of someone who could do whatever he pleased.

Amused, Su Tang clasped the Ghost King’s hand, interlacing their fingers. “You still haven’t told me your name.”

Despite having met several times, the Ghost King remained invisible and silent, leaving Su Tang still unaware of his name.

To Su Tang, the Ghost King’s name didn’t truly matter. Regardless of what he was called, it was still the same person. Changing his name wouldn’t change anything. Su Tang only needed to find him and be with him to be content.

However, after witnessing the Ghost King forcibly place a “green hat” on his head, Su Tang realized he had to ask properly, lest the Ghost King’s jealousy spiral out of control again. I can’t just keep calling him “Ghost King,” Su Tang thought.

The Ghost King stared at him, slowly enunciating each word in a low, husky voice filled with emphasis, as if daring Su Tang to forget or mispronounce his name.

“My name is Xie Yu.”

Seeing his expression, Su Tang knew the Ghost King was still brooding over Bo Shang’s existence, consumed by jealousy. Both exasperated and amused, Su Tang quickly cupped Xie Yu’s face and earnestly explained, “Bo Shang is you. There’s no one else. Stop overthinking it. The only person I’ve ever loved is you.”

Xie Yu’s expression grew even colder as he reiterated, “I am Xie Yu. Don’t lump me together with him. I will never be anyone’s substitute. If you mention his name again, I’ll kill you right here in this bed.”

If anyone else had said this, Xie Yu would have killed them instantly. He wouldn’t have had the patience to repeatedly emphasize his demands.

Su Tang felt even more helpless. He was telling the truth, so why wouldn’t Xie Yu believe him?

“I’m telling you the truth,” Su Tang insisted again.

Xie Yu remained unconvinced. Not only did he refuse to believe him, but the hand around Su Tang’s waist tightened slightly. In a low, husky voice, he warned, “If you keep talking, I’ll take it as Tangtang deliberately trying to provoke me.”

Su Tang shuddered violently. His waist involuntarily arched into a seductive curve, and his face flushed crimson, as if overwhelmed by shame.

With a soft groan, Su Tang clutched Xie Yu’s sleeve tightly, panting heavily. The corners of his eyes reddened, and a single tear slid down his cheek, forced out by the intensity of the moment.

Damn it!

Why can’t he just listen to me properly?! I want to hit him!

Seeing Su Tang’s involuntary reaction, the icy glint in Xie Yu’s eyes finally softened. He murmured, “Tangtang’s words sound sweet, but I’m not stupid. According to you, we’ve known each other for a long time, yet I’ve never met you before and have no memory loss. How does that make sense?”

Su Tang grabbed Xie Yu’s collar, his face flushed crimson, and tilted his head up to bite Xie Yu’s lips. Gritting his teeth, he demanded, “In our past lives! Were we a couple in our past lives?!”

Xie Yu raised an eyebrow and returned the kiss. “That’s a plausible theory, but what’s the evidence? I have no memories of our past lives. To me, you’re no different from a stranger. I don’t care what happened before. Just remember, from now on, it’s always me—Xie Yu, not Bo Shang.”

Su Tang was left speechless, torn between laughter and tears. Was Xie Yu so possessive he couldn’t even tolerate his own past self?

He had no choice but to smooth things over. “Alright, alright. From now on, my heart belongs only to Xie Yu.”

Hearing this, Xie Yu’s lips finally curved into a satisfied smile.

While the “green hat” issue wasn’t completely resolved, Xie Yu had at least grudgingly accepted it.

After lying down for a while longer, Su Tang’s stomach began to rumble. He was hungry.

Xie Yu accompanied Su Tang downstairs for a meal.

As previously mentioned, players couldn’t freely consume food in the horror world. Doing so would establish a connection with ghosts, putting their lives at risk. Only the food and lodging obtained on credit using Points were safe.

Therefore, most newcomers would choose the cheapest options, focusing solely on filling their stomachs rather than savoring the taste, much like the steamed buns Huang Rui had eaten the previous day.

Su Tang, however, had no such constraints, as he didn’t need to use Points at all.

As soon as Su Tang sat down, the innkeeper and his wife personally brought over a lavish table laden with steaming, fragrant dishes, each one a culinary masterpiece. The spread included all of Su Tang’s favorites, with an abundance of succulent meats that looked so tempting they made mouths water just from the sight.

The other newcomers at their tables, smelling the tantalizing aroma, found their dry, tasteless steamed buns even harder to swallow. How could the disparity between people be so vast?

Earlier, when they had used Points to buy food, the innkeeper had worn a deathly pale, icy expression, or else a sinister look that seemed to threaten their lives. Yet the moment Su Tang appeared, the innkeeper transformed into an exceedingly warm and proactive host, serving up the feast without even waiting for Su Tang to pay!

Their jealousy was so intense it felt like their very souls were splitting apart!

The newcomers secretly swallowed hard, unable to resist stealing glances at the lavish spread. If they had been more observant, they would have noticed the innkeeper and his wife treating Xie Yu with profound reverence, as if they were on the verge of kneeling before him at any moment.

Huang Rui, usually the first to deliver sarcastic remarks and snide comments, was uncharacteristically silent. Everyone understood; after all, he had nearly been killed by the man accompanying Su Tang earlier. Now that the man had reappeared, Huang Rui was terrified, shrinking into himself like a quail, desperately trying to minimize his presence and praying the man wouldn’t notice him.

Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin didn’t reveal much about the mysterious man. Though they recognized him as the Ghost King, he seemed determined to stay by Su Tang’s side, acting like an ordinary human with no intention of revealing his true identity. The two veterans kept their knowledge to themselves, instead repeatedly warning the newcomers that the man was extremely dangerous and should not be approached or provoked. They made it clear that if anyone insisted on courting death, they wouldn’t lift a finger to save them.

Su Tang, ravenously hungry, devoured the delicious dishes before him with gusto, savoring every bite. Xie Yu joined him, but since human food wasn’t essential for him, he only sampled a few bites.

For Xie Yu, the allure of fine cuisine paled in comparison to the joy of watching Su Tang eat. He could stare at Su Tang as he ate for hours without ever growing bored.

After Su Tang finished eating, the protagonists Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin approached him, wanting to speak privately.

Noticing their expressions, Su Tang quickly realized they wanted to talk alone.

He turned to Xie Yu and soothed him, promising to return soon after a brief conversation.

Su Tang had braced himself for a difficult negotiation, given Xie Yu’s extreme possessiveness, and had prepared various ways to coax him. To his surprise, Xie Yu nodded after just a few words.

Su Tang’s heart leaped with joy, thinking Xie Yu’s “blackened” state wasn’t as severe as he’d feared. He beamed at Xie Yu, promising to return quickly, and then walked aside with Yang Dong.

Little did Su Tang know, Xie Yu had allowed him to speak privately only because he could hear everything, using the opportunity to eavesdrop on their secret conversation.

Yang Dong’s expression turned serious. “Su Tang, do you remember what I said about the Gate Key?”

Su Tang nodded.

“Now that you’re so close to him,” Yang Dong continued, “what are your plans? Do you still want to get the key and go home?”

Upon hearing these words, Xie Yu’s eyes instantly turned icy, his face contorting into a terrifying mask. He had been secretly transforming Su Tang into one of his own, determined to keep him by force. The mere thought of Su Tang leaving him—even just considering it—was utterly unacceptable.

A terrifying array of thoughts flashed through Xie Yu’s mind as he waited for Su Tang’s answer. If Su Tang dared nod and say he wanted the Gate Key to leave, Xie Yu would lock him up, ensuring he couldn’t go anywhere.

But Su Tang didn’t react as Xie Yu expected. Instead, he shook his head without hesitation.

“I’m not looking for the Gate Key anymore.”

Yang Dong frowned, lowering his voice. “Are you staying for him? What about your family and friends in the real world?”

Su Tang smiled. “I’m an orphan. I have no family. Besides, I transmigrated here specifically for Xie Yu. He’s the boyfriend I mentioned earlier.”

Su Tang meant he had transmigrated to this world, but Yang Dong misinterpreted it as Su Tang having accidentally discovered his boyfriend was trapped in the Infinite World and then desperately trying to join the game, overcoming all obstacles and dangers, just to find him. What a heart-wrenching, earth-shattering love story!

Yang Dong was deeply moved. Even his resentment toward the Ghost King Xie Yu softened slightly. After all, this was the man Su Tang loved, and it wouldn’t do to be too disrespectful.

Yang Dong couldn’t resist asking again, “Are you sure? You really want to stay here with him? This place is full of ghosts.”

Xie Yu, who had been thrilled to hear Su Tang’s decision to stay, now wanted to wring Yang Dong’s neck. Doesn’t he know Tangtang is terrified of ghosts? Why bring it up? What if Tangtang changes his mind?!

As the Ghost King Xie Yu grew tense and furious, the pressure around him plummeted, causing the temperature in the inn to drop several degrees. The innkeeper and his wife huddled together, trembling in fear, terrified that the Ghost King’s rage would wipe them all out.

Fortunately, Su Tang only paused briefly before nodding, his decision unwavering. He was determined to stay with Xie Yu.

Gradually, the inn’s temperature returned to normal, and the atmosphere relaxed.

Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin, having survived several terrifying worlds, were acutely aware of danger. They could feel the icy gaze piercing their backs, thick with murderous intent, and knew they had narrowly escaped death. Cold sweat drenched their backs.

No wonder he’s the Ghost King, they thought. His oppressive aura is truly overwhelming.

Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin both suspected that if they continued talking to Su Tang, the Ghost King might lose his patience and chop them into pieces. Afraid of provoking him, they quickly bid Su Tang farewell and hurried back to their seats.

As Yang Dong returned to his seat, he recalled the Ghost King’s name Su Tang had mentioned earlier:

Xie Yu.

Yu represented sunlight and radiance.

A Ghost King with such a name? Did that even make sense?

After Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin left, Su Tang also returned to his seat.

Xie Yu stared at him without blinking.

The intensity of the gaze made Su Tang’s scalp tingle, and he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xie Yu rested his cheek on his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if in a particularly good mood. He said, “I’m suddenly starting to believe your story about us knowing each other in a past life—and even being lovers.”

Su Tang tilted his head. “But that’s the truth.”

Xie Yu reached out and twirled a strand of Su Tang’s hair around his finger, his voice low and husky. “If you promise never to leave me, then I’ll believe it’s true.”

Su Tang chuckled and reached out to pinch the Ghost King’s cheek without hesitation. “Then you absolutely must believe it, because I never intended to leave you. Yang Dong and the others called me over just to ask about the Gate Key. Now that I’ve found you, I don’t need it at all.”

Xie Yu’s flawless, handsome face was pinched like a lump of dough by Su Tang, instantly dispelling his sinister aura and the Ghost King’s terrifying presence. He looked almost comically adorable. Yet the mighty Ghost King showed no anger, seemingly indulging Su Tang’s every whim to an astonishing degree.

With Su Tang by his side, Xie Yu restrained himself, appearing not at all terrifying but radiating an inexplicable tenderness.

As the newcomers watched, they couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy.

Unaware that Xie Yu was the Ghost King, they assumed he was someone Su Tang knew from the outside world, who had also been transported to this horror realm and was trying to escape like them. They even thought Xie Yu was an experienced high-level player.

Xie Yu’s imposing aura, coupled with the extraordinary speed and combat prowess he displayed when beating Huang Rui, clearly demonstrated his formidable strength. Moreover, his ability to indulge in such lavish meals with Su Tang further suggested he possessed an astronomical number of Points—perhaps even seven or eight figures!

This realization ignited a fervent desire in some.

If only I could have such a powerful man to take care of me, one newcomer thought, her gaze burning with intensity, as if trying to pierce through Xie Yu with her scorching stare. Her eyes remained fixed on him, filled with greedy admiration. With that face and body, even just one night with him would be worth it—let alone his incredible strength.

Xie Yu was well aware of the woman’s gaze, but he paid it no heed. A mere, insignificant human was hardly worth his attention. If she dared to cause trouble, he could crush her as easily as stepping on an ant. Just as humans wouldn’t bother with an ant, Xie Yu saw no reason to concern himself with such a trivial creature.

As a villain, Xie Yu possessed no trace of kindness or righteousness. His heart was twisted by obsession and possessiveness. Once he had set his sights on something, it became the only thing that truly mattered to him, rendering everything else utterly irrelevant. Thus, Xie Yu could only see Su Tang, and only cared about Su Tang. Anything that disturbed their time together was merely an irritating nuisance to be eliminated.

Night fell swiftly over the ancient town. The townsfolk transformed back into skeletons, while Xie Yu remained unchanged.

The newcomers grew even more certain of Xie Yu’s human identity. Lacking game experience, they assumed ghosts would possess obvious, distinctive traits: skeletons, fatal wounds, strangulation marks, holes in their skulls, knives embedded in their chests—all frozen in the moment of death.

Their imagined Ghost King was a colossal skeleton with hollow, blood-red eyes, shrouded in dark, malevolent energy. Each step shook the earth, causing mountains to crumble and the ground to split.

They never expected the Ghost King to appear as an ordinary human, almost indistinguishable from themselves. He radiated no visible malevolent energy; his only distinguishing feature was his extraordinary, peerless beauty.

Over the past few days, Yang Dong and the others had gathered clues about the Gate Key. Tonight, they planned to investigate further.

Originally, Su Tang no longer needed the key and could have stayed behind. But since transmigrating, Yang Dong had treated him with unwavering kindness. Even when Su Tang was chosen as the Ghost King’s sacrifice, Yang Dong and the others had insisted on protecting him.

Although Su Tang knew the Ghost King was his lover and therefore couldn’t be in any real danger, the others were completely unaware of this. Under normal circumstances, if the Ghost King were truly the ruthless boss of this terrifying world, Su Tang would have been reduced to ashes long ago.

In Yang Dong and the others’ eyes, this was the normal situation, yet they were still willing to risk everything to save him. Su Tang deeply appreciated their help and wanted to repay them in any way he could.

Yang Dong and his group needed to find the Gate Key to return to their world. And who better to know about such things than the Ghost King himself—the ultimate authority in this terrifying realm? He undoubtedly possessed the most comprehensive knowledge of the keys and everything else.

Su Tang wondered if Xie Yu might be willing to give them a little leeway.

When Su Tang proposed this idea, Xie Yu raised an eyebrow, looking quite agreeable.

After all, if these people left this world, there would be fewer distractions, allowing Su Tang to focus entirely on him without wasting attention on trivial matters.

Xie Yu was more than willing—he practically wanted to throw the Gate Key into Yang Dong’s hands and urge them to scram.

Unfortunately, the world’s rules prevented him from doing so. If the Ghost King could act so freely, players wouldn’t need to bother finding the Gate Key. They could simply conquer the Ghost King, max out their favor, trick them into handing over the key, and then leave for the next world.

Imagine the chaos that would ensue in those terrifying worlds! The Ghost Kings, their emotions toyed with, would descend into madness, rampaging and destroying their realms. They would forcibly transmigrate to the player’s location, creating a series of hellish scenarios where they would imprison the player and… well, you get the idea. It would be utter pandemonium.

Perhaps such chaos had occurred in the past, leading the world’s rules to patch this loophole. The Ghost King couldn’t simply hand over the Gate Key; players had to endure specific trials and dangers, relying on their own strength to obtain the key and pass the challenge.

Therefore, even though Xie Yu knew exactly where the Gate Key was and how to obtain it, he couldn’t simply tell the players. The rules restricted his ability to speak about such matters, making it impossible for him to reveal the information directly.

However, Xie Yu wasn’t completely powerless. If he truly wanted to give the players a break, he could still find ways to help them. The Ghost Kings of these worlds possessed immense power, and the rules’ restrictions on them were limited. There were plenty of loopholes to exploit.

As Yang Dong and the others headed to the Mass Grave behind the ancient town, Xie Yu and Su Tang followed along.

As the Ghost King, Xie Yu ruled over all the ghosts in this small world. However, not all ghosts obeyed his commands. Some rebellious spirits refused to be controlled and sought to establish their own territories.

Xie Yu’s approach to these rebellious ghosts was always simple and brutal.

Refuse to submit?

Then fight. Fight until you yield.

After being beaten into submission, the rebellious ghosts would behave for a while, only to revert to their old ways later, as if forgetting the pain of their wounds. They would stir up trouble again, inviting another beating.

The Mass Grave was where Xie Yu dumped these rebellious ghosts.

The so-called Gate Key was hidden here, held by a minor leader supported by these rebellious spirits.

If the players wanted the key, they would inevitably face attacks from both sides: the Townsfolk Skeletons and the rebellious ghosts of the Mass Grave. These two factions were constantly at war, but when players entered the area—belonging to neither side—both factions would temporarily cease hostilities and cooperate to eliminate the players before resuming their conflict.

As they approached the Mass Grave, Su Tang couldn’t help but tremble violently, his legs weakening.

A chilling wind swept through the area, carrying the stench of rotting corpses. Twisted tombstones littered the landscape, and eerie green ghost flames flickered between them.

Su Tang: “……”

Waaah, so scary! QAQ

Just then, a stunning woman in red, with a voluptuous figure, appeared not far from Su Tang. Her smile was alluring as she moved closer.

She was the kind of beauty who could leave most men speechless with admiration.

But Su Tang was gay—and a gay man who was terrified of ghosts.

A woman suddenly appearing in a mass grave? What else could she be but a ghost?!

Su Tang froze, not from admiration, but from sheer terror.

His calves trembled, his face paled. If the ghost came any closer, he might panic and punch her head off again.

This time, however, Xie Yu was there and didn’t give him the chance.

Xie Yu suddenly grabbed Su Tang, pulling him into a tight embrace and pressing his face into the crook of his neck.

Su Tang was stunned.

Xie Yu said, “That ghost’s blood tastes bad. You can only drink mine.”

Su Tang: “……???”