[QT] The Villains Are All My Reserve Food - Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Ghost King 14

Gunshots rang out, bullets piercing Xie Yu’s body without hitting him. Huang Rui’s face turned ashen, like a corpse, and he broke down, screaming, “Why?! Why is this happening?! You’re not a player at all! You were just pretending!”

Huang Rui was nearly driven mad by the sight, terrified of Xie Yu and the potential for his own miserable end.

Seeing this, Su Tang’s anger exploded instantly. Fucking hell, someone dared to shoot at his man!

Su Tang was consumed by rage and fear, his emotions reaching a fever pitch. He was terrified that Xie Yu might actually be hit and something terrible would happen. In that moment, he was immensely grateful that Xie Yu wasn’t human, that bullets couldn’t harm him. Even so, Su Tang didn’t hesitate. He kicked Huang Rui hard, his foot connecting with the man’s arm bone. A crisp crack echoed as the bone snapped, Huang Rui’s arm bending at a grotesque angle. The gun flew from his hand, skittering across the ground.

Like an enraged beast, Su Tang shielded Xie Yu, his eyes bloodshot as he glared furiously at Huang Rui. His stance made it clear: Anyone who dares harm Xie Yu will be annihilated.

Huang Rui clutched his hand, his face pale with pain as he let out a piercing scream and writhed on the ground.

The newcomers, witnessing this, grew even more terrified. One of them, thinking Su Tang was on their team, whispered urgently, “Su Tang, his body is transparent—he’s a ghost…”

The implication was clear: Xie Yu was dangerous, and Su Tang should distance himself immediately.

But Su Tang completely defied their expectations. He remained steadfastly by Xie Yu’s side, declaring earnestly, “I know. I don’t care.”

The newcomers stared in stunned disbelief, convinced Su Tang had lost his mind. A ghost? And he doesn’t care? He’ll end up dead before he even knows what hit him!

Xie Yu’s heart warmed at Su Tang’s words, his usually cold expression softening slightly. When Su Tang approached and took his hand, Xie Yu’s body regained its solid form, becoming indistinguishable from a human’s. There was no trace of his ghostly nature.

Beside Su Tang, Xie Yu allowed him to hold his hand, appearing unexpectedly docile and harmless.

The newcomers watched with a mix of astonishment and apprehension, their eyes fixed on the pair, their hearts pounding. They had to guard against the female ghost while remaining vigilant for any sudden attack from Xie Yu.

After Su Tang kicked Huang Rui’s arm and broke it, Huang Rui tried to flee. But Xie Yu merely glanced at him coldly, a dark glint flashing in his eyes. As if struck by a paralysis spell, Huang Rui froze, unable to move.

Xie Yu pulled Su Tang forward and walked up to Huang Rui, coldly looking down at him as if he were an ant. In a frigid voice, he demanded, “Who gave you the gun?”

Huang Rui looked like he was about to suffocate, his face flushed purple-red, eyes bulging, and throat rasping out desperate pleas for mercy. Without hesitation, he betrayed his accomplice.

“It was Zhou Peng! He ordered me to kill you! He promised to protect me if I succeeded. The gun was his too—I had nothing to do with it! I was forced into this! Please, spare me!”

Huang Rui blurted out the words in a frantic rush, as if any delay would mean his death. He was on the verge of madness. If he hadn’t been paralyzed, he would have been prostrating himself on the ground, desperately kowtowing to Xie Yu.

Xie Yu remained unmoved by Huang Rui’s terror and sweat-soaked appearance. His expression remained cold and indifferent.

“He told you to kill, and you just obeyed?”

“If he told you to die, would you follow that order too?”

“You think my life is worthless, something you can casually take away?”

With each word, Huang Rui’s body emitted cracking sounds as bone after bone snapped. His face turned ashen with pain, and he let out a spine-chilling scream, his body contorting into grotesque angles.

The agony was worse than torture; death would have been a mercy.

The newcomers watched, their backs prickling with cold dread. One couldn’t help but whisper, “This is too cruel. Xie Yu is completely unharmed…”

If Xie Yu were human, they might have sided with him, viewing Huang Rui’s betrayal as vile and deserving of punishment before being cast out. But now that they knew Xie Yu was a ghost, the instinct of “other races, other minds” kicked in. Moreover, in this terrifying world, ghosts were generally dangerous, preying on players.

Thus, some newcomers now leaned toward Huang Rui. While his attempt to kill Xie Yu was wrong, it had exposed Xie Yu’s true nature, allowing them to be wary rather than manipulated.

Hearing this, Su Tang shot the speaker a glacial glare, his eyes like daggers that could kill. “Just because he’s unharmed doesn’t make it okay,” he snapped. “If he shot at you and missed, would you forgive him? How very generous of you.”

These sharp, sarcastic words left the newcomer red-faced and indignant. Of course I wouldn’t do that, he thought, but Xie Yu is a ghost! We should be wary of him!

Su Tang seemed to read his mind, sneering, “If you think Xie Yu is a ghost and should be killed, then tell me: aside from Huang Rui, has he ever harmed any of you? On the contrary, he’s saved your lives countless times. If you distrust him so much, have the guts to refuse his help!”

The newcomer immediately recalled how Xie Yu had shielded them from the ghost the previous night and fell silent. While he was grateful for Xie Yu’s life-saving actions, that was when Xie Yu was human. Now that he was a ghost, the newcomer couldn’t help but suspect Xie Yu might have ulterior motives to harm them.

When things were calm, Su Tang was a gentle, approachable person, like a sweet, soft gummy. But once his bottom line was crossed, he became terrifyingly protective. Anyone who dared threaten Xie Yu would face his wrath.

Like a rookie stumbling into the line of fire, Huang Rui had made the fatal mistake of shooting Xie Yu.

To be honest, Su Tang felt like twisting Huang Rui’s head off. But since Xie Yu was handling it himself, Su Tang let him have his revenge—the most satisfying kind. Still, he stood by, watching supportively, and couldn’t resist kicking Huang Rui a couple more times.

After teaching Huang Rui a lesson, Xie Yu casually tossed him aside for the ghosts to deal with. He was going to hunt down Zhou Peng.

Su Tang, of course, went with him.

They arrived at the Mass Grave.

As the Ghost King, finding Zhou Peng was no challenge for Xie Yu. He quickly pinpointed his location.

A chilling wind swept through the area, and Xie Yu was enveloped in a surging black aura. His Yin energy was on the verge of eruption. Only Su Tang’s grip on his hand managed to barely suppress his descent into a blackened state.

Zhou Peng and Lin Yu were working together, fighting off ghosts.

As Xie Yu approached, his silent, oppressive command caused the ghosts to suddenly retreat and scatter.

Though surprised, Zhou Peng was relieved for the breathing room. He casually remarked to Lin Yu, “Even ghosts can be cowards. They run after just a few hits. No fun.”

Lin Yu wasn’t so optimistic. He could sense that the ghosts had fled out of fear. If they were terrified, didn’t that mean something even more terrifying was approaching?

Lin Yu’s heart pounded with alarm as he prepared to flee. But just then, familiar figures appeared nearby: Xie Yu and Su Tang.

Seeing Su Tang, Lin Yu’s heart leaped with joy, and he froze in his tracks, wanting to approach and prove he could protect Su Tang better than Xie Yu. He was stronger, after all.

But before he could speak, Zhou Peng’s expression twisted into a sinister, murderous glare.

He hissed at Xie Yu like a venomous snake, “You’re still alive? Huang Rui was utterly useless, wasn’t he?”

Su Tang nearly exploded with rage. He had long suspected Zhou Peng might have known Xie Yu in life—and might even be the one who killed him. Now, he was trying to kill Xie Yu again?

Su Tang couldn’t take it anymore. He released Xie Yu’s hand and unleashed two furious punches, sending Zhou Peng crashing to the ground, burying him deep in the pit. As Su Tang continued to pummel him relentlessly, wanting to beat him to death, Zhou Peng retreated with inhuman speed, dodging beyond Su Tang’s reach.

Zhou Peng was a seasoned player who had survived multiple horror worlds. Though not among the top-tier players, he always carried some life-saving items. Initially, Su Tang’s attack had caught him completely off guard. He had underestimated the seemingly frail and docile girl, allowing her to smash him into the pit, breaking several bones. After retreating, he clutched his stomach and spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Good… you dare hit me?” Zhou Peng’s eyes turned malevolent and terrifying, as if he had transformed into a vengeful ghost. Donning some kind of item, he lunged at Su Tang.

But tragically, before he could even touch the hem of Su Tang’s robe, a black wisp of Yin energy coiled around his neck, lifting him into the air. His feet dangled helplessly, his hands clawing desperately at the energy rope around his throat. He frantically activated his items, but nothing could budge the energy even slightly. His breathing grew weaker, his face flushed purple, and his eyes bulged as if about to burst, his expression twisted into a grotesque horror.

Lin Yu had sensed something was wrong the moment Zhou Peng spoke disrespectfully to Xie Yu. He had noticed an overwhelming concentration of Yin energy radiating from Xie Yu—a level he had never witnessed before, far beyond what ordinary ghosts could possess. Only a Ghost King could wield such power!

Lin Yu had wanted to warn Zhou Peng against courting death, but Zhou Peng, upon meeting Xie Yu, acted as if he had encountered his mortal enemy, vowing to fight to the death. His suicidal tendencies were unparalleled, charging forward with reckless abandon. Lin Yu couldn’t stop him, so he turned and fled without hesitation, abandoning Zhou Peng without a second thought.

Lin Yu saw nothing wrong with this. Hadn’t Zhou Peng abandoned him to face a horde of ghosts before? They were even. It wasn’t like he was going to throw his life away for a mere business partner, was it?

As for Su Tang? Lin Yu liked him, but risking his life for a man? Lin Yu considered himself too smart for that. He was just a man, after all. If he survived, there would be plenty more.

Lin Yu fled decisively and swiftly, but whether Xie Yu would let him escape was another matter entirely.

Xie Yu’s hearing was exceptional, unconstrained by human limitations. The conversations Lin Yu and Zhou Peng thought were shielded by their formation had been crystal clear to him, the Ghost King. He knew Lin Yu coveted his position and that both men plotted to kill him.

Given this history, was Xie Yu the kind of magnanimous being who would let Lin Yu off so easily?

Before long, Lin Yu found himself trapped in a ghostly maze. He stumbled around in circles, only to end up back where he started, where he saw Zhou Peng, whom he had abandoned on the ground when Zhou Peng was on the verge of death.

Lin Yu’s face was pale with terror, his soul nearly fleeing his body. He immediately tried to distance himself from Zhou Peng, blurting out, “I only met Zhou Peng by chance during a previous challenge. We temporarily teamed up, but I barely know him! I have no idea what’s going on between you two!”

His words were a desperate plea for mercy, hoping Xie Yu would spare his life. But when he and Zhou Peng had casually discussed killing Xie Yu, why hadn’t they considered this day might come?

They had always prioritized their own survival, treating other players’ lives as expendable. As long as they lived, nothing else mattered. Now, they were facing the very fate they had so readily inflicted on others.

Their lives were now in Xie Yu’s hands, who could crush them with a mere thought.

Xie Yu hadn’t even needed to lift a finger. One glance from him had nearly suffocated Lin Yu to death. Zhou Peng finally realized something was terribly wrong. Even with powerful items, such a feat was impossible. He finally grasped the truth.

Xie Yu was indeed dead, but after his death, he had become a ghost in the terrifying world—and not just any ghost, but a Ghost King!

Zhou Peng’s heart was consumed by endless fear, resentment, and bitterness. His eyes burned with malice as he clawed at the muddy ground, his fingernails bending under the force. The strain was so intense that blood seeped from his fingertips.

“Why?! Why are you always superior to me, no matter where we are?! Am I destined to be inferior to you for all eternity? Even in death, you become a Ghost King!”

The deep purple marks left by Yin energy around his neck had damaged his throat, making Zhou Peng’s voice hoarse and grating, like rough gravel scraping against a broken bronze gong—utterly unbearable to hear.

Perhaps realizing his fate after guessing Xie Yu’s true identity, Zhou Peng erupted into maniacal laughter. “Yes, Xie Yu! You can kill me, but what does it matter? You died long ago. I lived so many more years than you! And you? You’re trapped in this world, forced to deal with players like some daily chore. When players clear a level, they get rewards and return to the real world to reunite with their families. You’re just an NPC! Who’s the real loser here—you or me?!”

Knowing he was about to die, Zhou Peng wanted to make Xie Yu suffer as well. He hurled vicious insults, painting Xie Yu’s life and afterlife as utterly pathetic. By belittling Xie Yu, Zhou Peng seemed to find solace for his dying heart, desperately comparing himself to Xie Yu and clinging to the belief that living a better life meant he had won. Xie Yu was truly pitiful!

But then Su Tang strode forward, delivering a swift kick that sent Zhou Peng sprawling from his kneeling position. The force of the blow forced a massive mouthful of blood from his lips, his internal organs feeling as if they had been violently displaced. The agony coursing through his body left him unable to utter a single word.

Su Tang returned to Xie Yu’s side, took his hand, and intertwined their fingers. His voice rang with unwavering resolve, clear and sharp as jade striking stone, as he coldly declared, “Even if he can’t leave this world, I’ll be here with him. Your concern is unnecessary.”

Xie Yu felt the warmth of Su Tang’s palm spreading from their clasped fingers to his heart, enveloping him like a warm bath, soothing and comforting. His features softened.

Lin Yu, who had been frantically trying to escape but repeatedly failing, witnessed this scene and stared in shock, blurting out, “He’s the Ghost King! You’re staying in this world for him? Are you insane?!”

Lin Yu couldn’t believe it, thinking Su Tang had completely lost his mind.

Then Su Tang cast him a cold, sidelong glance.

A chill shot up Lin Yu’s spine, from the soles of his feet to his scalp, and cold sweat broke out all over him.

It was terrifying. Su Tang was clearly human, but why… that gaze was practically identical to the Ghost King’s.

Any lingering affection Lin Yu might have harbored vanished instantly. He now saw Su Tang as no different from the Ghost King—a terrifying being capable of killing him. He shuddered violently and stumbled backward in fear, but after only one step, he hit an invisible barrier that prevented him from retreating further.

Lin Yu stared at Su Tang in panic, slowly noticing something strange.

Su Tang’s Yin energy was remarkably strong.

Though not as potent as Xie Yu’s, it was far from weak. Moreover, it didn’t seem like mere contamination from standing near Xie Yu; the energy was emanating from Su Tang himself!

Lin Yu’s eyes widened in shock. For a moment, he wondered if Su Tang, like Xie Yu, was a ghost masquerading as a human. He blurted out, “Su Tang, so you’re also…”

Su Tang had no idea what Lin Yu was about to say, but Xie Yu seemed to sense it immediately. He instantly stripped Lin Yu of his ability to speak, silencing him completely.

Xie Yu’s gaze was icy and ruthless. With a swift glance at a nearby tombstone, a skeleton crawled out of its coffin, shambled over to Lin Yu, and dragged him away.

Unable to make a sound, Lin Yu couldn’t beg for mercy or call for help. He struggled fiercely, desperately trying to use his Heavenly Master abilities to save himself. But whatever Xie Yu had done to him, he couldn’t summon even a shred of spiritual power. He could only watch helplessly as the ghost dragged him away, his fate sealed.

Left alone, Zhou Peng wouldn’t be allowed to die easily. Xie Yu tormented him thoroughly before tossing him to the malevolent ghosts in the Mass Grave. Their methods were far more refined, ensuring Zhou Peng would fully experience what it meant for death to be preferable to life.

Throughout this ordeal, Su Tang remained by Xie Yu’s side, offering unwavering support and assistance. True to his word, if anyone dared to harm Xie Yu, Su Tang would kill them. Though the final blow was delivered by the ghosts, Su Tang’s earlier strikes had already left Zhou Peng reeling.

As the vengeful ghost dragged Zhou Peng away, Xie Yu sneered, “Who told you that becoming a ghost here means I can’t leave? I’ll be sure to send your father a message, telling him how well you’re doing. Rest assured.”

Zhou Peng was already half-dead from the excruciating pain tormenting his body. Hearing Xie Yu’s words, his eyes widened in terror. “What did you say?!”

Xie Yu smiled. “You probably didn’t know this, but ghosts who come here also receive rewards for dealing with players. We can all return to take our revenge. Your arrival here proves that my time for vengeance has come.”

Zhou Peng, his mind and body utterly broken, roared like a madman, “Impossible! Impossible! This can’t be real!”

His breakdown could have stemmed from grief and fear for his family, who were about to be killed by Xie Yu’s revenge, or from the realization that Xie Yu wasn’t the miserable, pitiful prisoner he had imagined. Even trapped in this cage, Xie Yu still had a chance to return to the real world.

When Su Tang heard this, his first reaction was joy for Xie Yu. No one wants to die unjustly, and having the opportunity for revenge was naturally a good thing.

Xie Yu took Su Tang’s hand and patted his head. “Let’s resolve the Gate Key issue first, then I’ll take you to the real world with me.”

Su Tang nodded.

Together, they went to where Yang Dong and the others were.

They still hadn’t obtained the Gate Key.

It wasn’t due to their lack of strength—several of them could easily overpower a single female ghost. Rather, the female ghost excelled at hit-and-run tactics and possessed remarkable hiding skills. She would emerge to engage Yang Dong and his group in brief skirmishes, and when the tide turned against her, she would decisively retreat, summoning other ghosts to cover her escape.

Ever since Xie Yu had given the female ghost the Gate Key, she had become like a warlord wielding the Tiger Seal, gaining the authority to command most of the ghosts.

This made Yang Dong and his team’s task of retrieving the key even more challenging.

However, as protagonists, Yang Dong and Shen Wenbin possessed not only formidable strength but, more importantly, the ability to think quickly and devise clever strategies to survive against all odds.

They set a trap, employing a “ghost-in-a-jar” scheme. Using special props, they immobilized the female ghost, forcing her to surrender the key.

Just as Yang Dong secured the key, Xie Yu and Su Tang appeared.

The female ghost’s eyes lit up instantly. “My lord!” she cried. “Come help me!”

Yang Dong and his group immediately tensed, clutching the Gate Key tightly as if afraid it would be snatched away before they could even warm it in their hands.

Xie Yu, his face expressionless, said, “If you’ve obtained it, you’ve obtained it. There’s nothing more to help with.”

Then, turning to Yang Dong and his group, he said coldly, “Since that’s settled, you should leave immediately.”

Yang Dong instinctively glanced at Su Tang, wanting to ask if he truly intended to stay. But his lips moved, his gaze falling on their clasped hands, and he ultimately remained silent.

Yang Dong was about to lead the newcomers away when Su Tang suddenly called out to stop him.

Xie Yu instantly tightened his grip on Su Tang’s hand, fearing he had changed his mind and wanted to leave with Yang Dong. The force was so great that the bones in their hands audibly ground together.

Su Tang quickly patted Xie Yu’s hand reassuringly, smiled at him, then turned to Yang Dong and said, “Actually, I’m a man.”

Finally, he clarified the matter of his gender.

Yang Dong, Shen Wenbin, and the newcomers stared in stunned disbelief. The male player who had secretly harbored feelings for Su Tang looked utterly devastated. “Impossible! How could someone so cute be a man?!”

Su Tang smiled and repeated, “It’s true.”

Yang Dong and the others drifted away like wandering souls, as if their worldviews had just been shattered.

Su Tang chuckled mischievously, turning to Xie Yu. “See? I just said a few words to them. I wasn’t planning on leaving. Don’t overthink it.”

Xie Yu’s tense body finally relaxed, and he smiled at the sight of Yang Dong and the others’ stunned expressions.

“Alright, they’re gone,” Su Tang said brightly. “Let’s get ready to leave. By the way, how do we get to the real world? Do we use the Gate Key again?”

Curious, Su Tang walked alongside Xie Yu, swinging their joined hands back and forth. Suddenly, his hand went empty.

Confused, he looked down and discovered… his body was turning transparent!

Su Tang: “…!!!”