Strategy to Capture That Scum Gong

Chapter 112 - The Way to Solve Your Worries is to Get Rich

Translated by Eve

Edited by Kitty, Serefina

13. The Way to Solve Your Worries is to Get Rich

Mo Cang didn’t appear for several days, letting Yun Huaiyu keep Xie He company.

Although Xie He had rushed out that day, he didn’t seem to recognize Yun Huaiyu. After Mo Cang left, he just sat there all day, staring blankly and not uttering a single sound.

Yun Huaiyu’s heart felt like it was being twisted when he saw Xie He with a head full of white hair and a dumb expression on his face.

Every second and every minute, he thought, what if he had believed in Ji Xing back then? What if he hadn’t betrayed him? What would they be like now? Every time Yun Huaiyu thought about this, his heart would hurt even more.

He already found out everything that had happened from Mo Cang. Rather than hating Mo Cang, he hated himself more.

His selfishness and suspicion had started this tragedy.

It was his blade that had destroyed Ji Xing’s cultivation path and forced him onto the demonic path.

Yun Huaiyu had quite a lot of Heavenly treasures on him. There were even ones that were as precious as the Holy Fruit from back then. However, this time, he didn’t hesitate to take them out to use As long as Ji Xing could live one more day, he would not be stingy with these mere worldly possessions.

Yun Huaiyu had nearly exhausted all his connections and paid an extremely high price to attain so many Heavenly spiritual items. Because he had pretended all these years, his connections were much vaster than Mo Cang’s. Countless spiritual materials were sent over. In just over a month, he had spent more than 1,000,000 spiritual crystals.

Mo Cang continued to rush around outside. With Yun Huaiyu’s information and intelligence, he was also able to plunder quite a lot of spiritual material to bring back.

It was just that Xie He’s body was like a bottomless pit. No matter how many Heavenly treasures they piled up, they were only a facade that was actually making things worse.

Like this, some time passed. With each day, the amount of spiritual material continued to dwindle. With each day, the worry in Yun Huaiyu’s eyes grew heavier.

He held Xie He and gently stroked his hair. In a soft voice, he said, “Ah Xing, I was wrong.

“If you give me another chance, I won’t choose the Holy Fruit. I will choose you.

“Without you, there’s no meaning to walking down this road of cultivation.”

Suffering and remorse covered Yun Huaiyu’s black eyes. He lowered his head and gently planted a kiss on Xie He’s lips. This kiss was akin to a dragonfly touching the surface of water—it was very gentle and full of affection.

The seed he had sown back then was now reaped.

He could not escape or overcome it. This was his true internal demon.

However, he was willing to drown himself in it.

..........................................

Countless spiritual materials entered Xie He’s mouth. The parts he could not digest were changed into experience points.

Xie He felt that life was really beautiful. Every day, he didn’t have to do anything. He only had to sit there and space out. Not only did it not affect his drama watching, but a huge amount of experience points was also entering his account. This felt like he was loafing on the job every day but the boss still gave him rewards as if the boss’ life depended on it.

He was still able to make money while lying down.

【Xie He：The way to solve your worries is to get rich. Smile.JPG】

【444：Recently, you’ve acquired 30,000 experience points. Σ( °△°|||)︴】This was the price received after the energy had been split up. If they had sold the whole thing, the sell-back price would be more than ten times greater!

【Xie He：It’s clear that Huaiyu, that little cutie, is really rich ah. I like him more and more.】

【444：O(∩_∩)O~】

Although it was a happy thing to rake in so many experience points every day, when he saw how Yun Huaiyu and Mo Cang bankrupted themselves and risked life and limb to get spiritual material for Host dada while also having to suffer mental torment, 444 didn’t know why, but he felt a bit sad. _(:зゝ∠)_

Several more days passed in this fashion. Tonight, Yun Huaiyu wasn’t able to get the spiritual matter over in time.

As usual, he held Xie He to sleep. Although Xie He did not react, he was always very peaceful when he was next to him. He would not fuss. Because Yun Huaiyu was always by Xie He’s side recently, Mo Cang did not appear. Only when Xie He was asleep did he come to take a peek.

The next morning, Yun Huaiyu discovered that Xie He hadn’t woken up. His eyes were still shut.

His hands trembled as they touched Xie He’s face. When the other’s eyes were closed, his face still looked stern. If you ignored his white hair and eyelashes, he looked as he had in the past. Yun Huaiyu gently shook Xie He’s shoulder, voice soft, “Wake up, Ah Xing. It’s morning.”

A moment passed and Xie He slowly opened his eyes. His pale face was a dismal colour. He looked at Yun Huaiyu, stupefied.

Yun Huaiyu’s gaze was fixed on Xie He. He suddenly hugged him tightly and said, “Ah Xing, I don’t want to let you go at all, really.”

Xie He didn’t make a sound. He shut his eyes again, exhausted.

Yun Huaiyu couldn’t bear to wake him again. He quietly got up and left.

He arrived at another courtyard and saw Mo Cang tending to the medicinal herb garden. Even though the owner of this garden no longer came, Mo Cang still meticulously tended to it every day. He did not dare to slack off in the least. Even if he was tired or busy, he would still work on it, as if waiting for Xie He to come inspect it at any time.

Mo Cang saw that Yun Huaiyu had come. He cast him a look and then continued minding his own business, as if Yun Huaiyu didn’t exist.

Hesitation flashed through Yun Huaiyu’s eyes. He seemed to finally make a difficult decision and said, “I need your help.”

Mo Cang’s actionss paused, but he still didn’t look over.

Yun Huaiyu said, “I can’t find any more spiritual matter. Today, Ah Xing didn’t wake up on time. I need your help.”

Mo Cang finally looked over. His eyes were like a deep pond, full of complicated emotions. He said, “Are you certain? Are you aware of what will happen?”

Yun Huaiyu slowly nodded.

He already knew that Mo Cang also loved Ji Xing. Since he could let go for Ah Xing’s sake, then Yun Huaiyu felt that he could also choose to concede as long as Ah Xing could continue living. At this moment, they were no longer enemies. They only had one goal—they hoped that this person could live on.

“All right,” Mo Cang said indifferently. He continued tending to the garden. “I’ll come see you at night.”

Yun Huaiyu went out but still came back empty-handed. When he came back, it was already in the afternoon.

Xie He had woken up on his own and was spacing out in the courtyard, basking in the sun. When he saw Yun Huaiyu come back, he turned to glance at him. Yun Huaiyu walked over and hugged the other’s waist, resting his chin on the other’s shoulder. He said, “Ah Xing, what are you thinking of?”

“Did you think of me?” Yun Huaiyu chuckled quietly. He gazed at the other’s profile tenderly, “&#k2026;The sunlight isn’t bad today.”

“I’ll accompany you while basking in the sun.” Yun Huaiyu sat near Xie He, speaking to himself.

“Actually, this is also quite nice. It’s rare to be so idle. Before, I was always thinking too much and doing too much. If it wasn’t cultivating, it was scheming. My thoughts have never been as pure as yours. Actually, it was rather exhausting to be like that.

“You don’t know how much I’ve always envied you. Not only did I envy your talent, but I also envied your temperament. I envied how you could be so confident and at ease. You could face your emotions so willfully and naturally.

“It was probably from that point on that I fell in love with you, ba.

“But I only realized that now.”

Yun Huaiyu spoke anything that came to his mind, as if he didn’t care whether the man next to him replied. When night fell, he carried Xie He back into the building.

He carefully placed Xie He on the bed. He bent down to gaze at his face. His black hair fell down and intertwined with Xie He’s white hair. He lifted his sleeve, interlocking their fingers.

Yun Huaiyu kissed Xie He. “Ah Xing, I want you. Don’t be afraid... it’s me... not anyone else....”

Xie He didn’t react, as usual. His dull gaze looked up at the ceiling, vacant. However, he didn’t resist, as if he didn’t matter to him.

Gentleness appeared in Yun Huaiyu’s eyes. He gently undid Xie He’s belt. His slightly cool lips pressed against the other’s neck....

“Ah Xing, I’m going to cover your eyes, OK. I’m embarrassed to be seen by you.”

Yun Huaiyu looked at Xie He. His eyes sparkled and were full of love, “I’m going to take your silence as agreement.”

As he said that, he took out a ribbon and covered Xie He’s eyes. He kissed him again and then abruptly stood up and left.

Mo Cang stood outside the door. He saw Yun Huaiyu come out and then entered, passing the other, not uttering a word.

Mo Cang looked at the blindfolded man who laid there quietly, unmoving. He gently held him.

Xie He couldn’t see him. He did not scream in fear like when he usually saw Mo Cang. He didn’t even react to being held by him. At this moment, Mo Cang was holding the person he loved to the bone. He could feel the other’s compliance, but there was no joy in his heart nor any feeling of being touched. There was only pain because the person he loved thought he was someone else....

He was nothing but Yun Huaiyu’s substitute. He couldn’t even show his face or make a sound. He didn’t dare to be seen.... But it was only at a time like this that he could hold Xie He without the other screaming in fear.

Mo Cang held Xie He tightly.

As long as it won’t make you suffer or feel sad, I am willing to be a substitute for someone else.

Embrace you on behalf of someone else.

Even if you will never know that the person who holds you at this moment is me, it doesn’t matter....

【Ding, the target Mo Cang’s Favourability Value +1. The current Favourability Value is 99.】

Mo Cang gently kissed the corner of Xie He’s mouth. When he entered the other, he could feel him twist about restlessly, but the other didn’t struggle with all his might to escape. After a while, he seemed to get used to it. Very soon, the other followed his body’s instincts, exposing his neck and accepting him.

Mo Cang closed his eyes. He was afraid that if he opened his eyes, tears would fall.

He never knew that he was someone who could cry.

..........................................

Yun Huaiyu stood outside, separated by the door. It was like he had been turned into a statue.

Quiet, loving moans fell into his ears.

He stood there and listened as the person he loved was being embraced by another man. But he could not stop it, he could not appear. He even had to... bow and give way of his own accord. The night air carried a slight chill. That ice-cold air entered his lungs and brought with it bone-scraping pain.

Ah Xing, I’m sorry....

I broke my promise. I was determined to never trick you again, but I still tricked you.

Even if you don’t know anything, even if you don’t remember anything, I don’t want you to feel sad.... I used to trick you for my own selfish interests over and over again. But now, I am deceiving you for your own sake.

【Ding, Yun Huaiyu’s Favourability Value +3. The current Favourability Value is 98.】

Mo Cang slowly transferred spiritual force over. He then put his clothes back on and left. He was afraid that if he stayed there any longer, he would collapse. Right now, the only reason for living was to provide Xie He with spiritual force, that’s all. He shouldn’t have any wishful thoughts.

He pushed the door open and left. He didn’t look at Yun Huaiyu. His figure disappeared into the night.

Yun Huaiyu entered. His gaze fell onto the marks on Xie He’s body. His eyes stung, but he couldn’t show it. Many years of practice made him good at acting. He had never thought that acting was difficult. But at this moment, he, who had always been an expert at pretending, couldn’t keep going.

He really wanted to show his anger and pain... but he couldn’t.

Yun Huaiyu held Xie He and undid the ribbon around his eyes. His voice was gentle, “Ah Xing....”

Xie He’s gaze shifted to look at him. He gazed at him, eyes lifeless.

“Ah Xing, I told you, you didn’t have to be afraid... wasn’t I right...?” Yun Huaiyu’s eyes curved, and he flashed a gentle smile.

..........................................

Xie He was really happy that he was a ‘mentally unwell’ person right now. Otherwise, with how thick and long Mo Cang, this good disciple of his, was and how good he worked and how pure his spiritual force was, it would be too hard to pretend he couldn’t tell who was who.

【Xie He：Mentally unwell is good, mentally unwell is great, life as a blessed mentally unwell person is beautiful like this.】

【444：......】

【Xie He：Baby, what’s wrong?】

【444：...N-nothing....】

【Xie He：When you have nothing to say, just smile. 🙂 】

【444：O(∩_∩)O~】

From that day on, Yun Huaiyu and Mo Cang continued to work incredibly hard to find spiritual matter for Xie He to preserve his life. When they couldn’t find any, they would cover his eyes and Mo Cang would come over. When they were done, they would switch back.

One time, when Mo Cang was leaving after giving Xie He spiritual energy, he spat out blood before he left the courtyard. He had been hurt when he went out three days prior.

Yun Huaiyu paused. He walked over, looked at him with a complicated expression, and said, “I have a bottle of wound medicine. Go use it.”

This was spiritual medicine that only Elders of the Immortal Sect could use. It was extremely hard to get outside.

Mo Cang didn’t accept it though. He gave Yun Huaiyu a cold look and then headed outside silently.

Yun Huaiyu said in an indifferent tone, “It’s not for your sake. If you accidentally die off outside, who will help Ah Xing live?”

The suffering in Mo Cang’s eyes was like a maelstrom. He paused his steps and said with a chilly voice, “I don’t need your pity. Keep your kindness.”

At this time, he did not say much. He was afraid that if he spoke, he would not be able to suppress his pain and jealousy. He was afraid that he would not be able to stop himself from destroying it all.

Shifu was already living on borrowed time, yet he was still being controlled by jealousy.

“You’re wrong,” Yun Huaiyu shook his head slightly, “I have no pity for you. I only want to kill you.”

Mo Cang grit his teeth and looked at Yun Huaiyu icily. He also wanted to kill him.

“I had let down Ah Xing back then. But the reason he’s become like this was you.” Yun Huaiyu looked deeply into Mo Cang’s eyes, “He trusted and cherished you as his disciple, yet you betrayed him, harmed him. You and I are the same. The pain we suffer today is well-deserved. Therefore, you must live and properly atone for your sins.”

Mo Cang’s gaze was fixed on Yun Huaiyu. Finally, he accepted the bottle of medicine. It was like there was ice in his voice. “Do you have anything else to say?”

Yun Huaiyu paused and said, “Yes.”

Mo Cang looked at him.

“I really envy you,” Yun Huaiyu said.

Mo Cang’s expression changed. The vein in his forehead bulged. “Don’t joke around!”

“I envy that you were able to be by his side during these last few years. I envy the place you have in his heart. I envy everything you had and experienced.” Yun Huaiyu looked at him calmly, “It couldn’t be that you still don’t know how much he cared for you? I really think that you’re not worth his feelings.”

“The one he’s always loved was you,” Mo Cang sounded like he was forcing this out between gritted teeth.

Yun Huaiyu shook his head softly, “If he were to regain his memory right now, he would only want to kill me. However much he once loved me is how much he now hates me. He would never forgive me.”

Although he spent every day here, he was just living in a laughable illusion.

Mo Cang laughed, “Is that so...? So when he saved you last time, he also didn’t have his memories?”

He couldn’t forget the determined gaze Xie He had in his eyes when he shielded Yun Huaiyu.

Yes, he could comfort himself by saying that Xie He only acted like that now because he had lost his memories. That was why he instinctively loved and relied on Yun Huaiyu. However, what about last time?

He had been clear-headed... he had protected this person while clear-headed.

He loved another person while clear-headed.

It was because of this that he had gone crazy from anger and jealousy. Why he had taken an irrevocable step.

Yun Huaiyu’s gaze became absent-minded as he said, “That time, ah.... At that time, the eruption of the poisonous flames had just ended, and I used a hypnotizing technique on him.”

A bitter smile appeared on his lips, “If he was clear-headed, he would only want to kill me.”

Mo Cang was shocked. “What did you say?”

The corner of Yun Huaiyu’s lips rose, his tone self-ridiculing, “Didn’t you use the soul searching technique on him? Did you not see that?”

Mo Cang was severely shocked. He suddenly turned around and stumbled outside. He thought that everything was spinning. He didn’t see it. He didn’t see it... because at that time, he didn’t continue watching until the end.

It turns out that Shifu hadn’t acted like that out of his own will. He had only been hypnotized. That was why he had done that.

He had never forgiven Yun Huaiyu. Not even once.

But Mo Cang had misunderstood and thought that his master loved Yun Huaiyu. He had lost all reason because of his own jealousy and fury.

He had personally pushed Shifu into another person’s arms... this was all his fault. If he had not acted like such a beast that day, if he hadn’t misunderstood Shifu and turned him into a puppet, if he had stayed an obedient disciple.... If he had trusted the person he loved, if he had respected the person he loved more....

They would not have gotten here. They could have had a harmonious master-disciple relationship. Even if he could only play the role of a disciple and only quietly watch over his master, he would be satisfied.

But now... they couldn’t even do that.

Everything was his fault.

..........................................

Days continued on like this. The emotions in the hearts of the two of them became increasingly stifling.

One day, Yun Huaiyu received news. As an Elder of the Immortal Sect, he found out that there was an extremely rare Heavenly spiritual material that had appeared. It was called the Soul Refining Fruit. This Soul Refining Fruit could condense the soul and rid it of evil. It had many uses. The most formidable effect was that it could help a cultivator develop a second soul and have it become an embodiment of the cultivator outside of the main body. It was the equivalent to gaining a second life. Every time it appeared, it would cause a bloody battlefield.

However, Yun Huaiyu was interested in it for another one of its uses. He believed that the Soul Refining Fruit could help restore Ji Xing’s tattered soul and help him regain his mind!

For Ji Xing, he must get this Soul Refining Fruit!

Yun Huaiyu came to Xie He’s room and said to him, “Ah Xing, I have to leave for a few days. Stay here and wait for me obediently, OK?”

Xie He turned to look at him in a daze.

Yun Huaiyu smiled, expression soft, “Don’t worry. I will return.”

As he said this, he gave Xie He a deeply yearning look before leaving.

Yun Huaiyu returned to the Immortal Sect and pretended to agree to battle for the sect. He led the Immortal Sect disciples to go battle for the treasure.

This battle was extremely miserable. There were even more people than when the divine weapon had come into the world. For the sake of gaining a second life, the cultivators were in killing frenzies.

Yun Huaiyu commanded the Immortal Sect disciples. Nearly everyone died. The battlefield was bitter. In the end, Yun Huaiyu was finally able to obtain the Soul Refining Fruit. However, he was chased after by others trying to kill him the whole way back.

The Immortal Sect’s Sect Master was extremely happy upon hearing that Yun Huaiyu had obtained the Soul Refining Fruit. Full of anticipation, he waited for Yun Huaiyu to come back. But who would have expected that Yun Huaiyu didn’t return to the sect and directly escaped with the Soul Refining Fruit! He didn’t even respond to the sect’s messages. It was like he had disappeared from the world.

The Immortal Sect’s Sect Master was enraged. He realized that Yun Huaiyu had actually sacrificed their sect members for the sake of the Soul Refining Fruit. He had violated the sect’s order and had run away with the treasure. At once, he commanded that Yun Huaiyu would be expelled from the sect and dispatched people to kill this traitor!

At once, everywhere under the Heavens was in an uproar. Who would have thought that the illustrious Yun Huaiyu, one of the Peak Masters of the Immortal Sect, would actually selfishly take the Soul Refining Fruit for himself and betray the sect!

You really could not judge a person by their appearance!

Information spread very quickly throughout the cultivation world. The once-revered and majestic Yun Huaiyu had instantly become the cultivation world’s number one hypocrite, a vile and despicable person. It was a complete fall from grace.... Many years of work were destroyed overnight.

The righteous path was extremely shocked. The demonic path took joy from this disaster.

But Yun Huaiyu didn’t care about any of this.

He was severely wounded, but he was finally able to return to Xie He. Actually, Mo Cang had helped him quite a lot along the way. Otherwise, how could he have escaped this heavy pursuit by himself?

Yun Huaiyu and Mo Cang returned to the Immortal’s Cave together.

Mo Cang stopped at the door. He was silent for a while and then said to Yun Huaiyu, “You go ba.”

Yun Huaiyu didn’t decline. He carefully brought the Soul Refining Fruit to Xie He and knelt down. He looked up, “Ah Xing, I’ve returned.”

Xie He looked down at him.

Yun Huaiyu brought the little fruit to Xie He’s lips and said with a smile, “Eat it. You’ll be better after eating this.”

Xie He was already used to being fed spiritual material by Yun Huaiyu. He instinctively ate it.

Yun Huaiyu looked at Xie He nervously, both hands clenched tightly. Although everyone said that the Soul Refining Fruit was mystical, he didn’t know if it would be effective or how much Xie He would be able to recover.

Because he cared about this person too much, he was worried about losses.

Xie He ate the fruit. After a while, he felt dizzy. He shut his eyes and fell down.

Yun Huaiyu caught him in time and gently carried him to the bed.

He didn’t dare leave. He sat on the bed, not blinking as he stared at Xie He, afraid that any changes would slip past him. Mo Cang was also worried. He stood at the window, eyes fixed inside.

Xie He slept for a whole day and night. Just as Yun Huaiyu and Mo Cang were becoming extremely worried, his finger finally moved. He slowly opened his eyes.

Yun Huaiyu hurriedly bent over, eyes full of nervousness. He gently called out, “Ah Xing?”

Xie He calmly looked at Yun Huaiyu, black eyes extremely still.

The author has something to say:

Cough cough, don’t ask this author why the amount of experience points earned from selling is a nice, whole number. Mn, everyone has a responsibility to help take care of the mentally unwell.

Eve: Fml, I’m translating this during the COVID-19 quarantine so I’ve been watching barbie movies while translating to pass the time. Now I’m gonna be sad when I listen to barbie movie soundtracks in the future (they’re such bops tho omg). fmlllllll

sere: im... Eve what?? I was sad until barbie songs (which are actually good tho lmao i was into those during elementary school)