Chapter 67
At the headquarters of the Multiverse Live Streaming Company, Gong Siyuan and her subordinates, who were closely monitoring Jian Yunlan’s live stream, fell into silence.
Especially Gong Siyuan.
Seeing that particular comment on the barrage, she adjusted her red-framed glasses and couldn’t help but type: “……”
A string of ellipses.
To be honest, she had been thinking the same thing.
Even though Jian Yunlan had somehow managed to stumble through and conquer Paranoid Possession last time, Dark River, Bright Light was an even higher-difficulty melodramatic novel. There was no way he could just blindly luck his way through again, right?
If he couldn’t get past the “forced marking” plot point, he would probably be eliminated on the spot.
Elimination wouldn’t be bad.
It would be a good way to curb his arrogance.
After all, Multiverse Live Streaming was still a business. They needed to make money.
If Jian Yunlan could actually clear two high-difficulty melodramatic novels in a row just by setting up a stall, it would make him way too dazzling. For a rookie streamer, an abrupt rise in value and status… would make it inconvenient for the company to exploit him.
It was better to keep him in check.
The conference room remained silent.
“To be honest,” a subordinate hesitated, “I also thought that since Streamer Jian had been recklessly speeding through the plot and running his little stall, he’d definitely trip up on the forced marking arc…”
“Yeah.”
“But the moment that ‘Vulture’ viewer sent that comment, I suddenly felt… Hey, we might be in for another miracle!”
Reverse flags were truly a mysterious force.
The subordinates looked at Gong Siyuan with eyes gleaming in anticipation.
“Manager Gong, do you have anything to say?” One of them even held the mic up to her mouth.
Based on their understanding of Manager Gong…
She had been professionally setting reverse flags for thirty years. At this moment, she would definitely come out with something like: ‘If Streamer Jian actually clears this arc, I’ll stand on my head and eat $#%@!&!’*
They had even prepared the $#%@!&*! on the side.
This time, they wouldn’t let her go back on her word!
However, Gong Siyuan remained silent.
“Uh,” she massaged her temples, “I’m naturally not very eloquent. Sorry, sorry.”
The subordinates’ expressions twisted in frustration in an instant: “Say it! Just say it already!!!”
At that moment, loud knocking erupted at the door.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Like a vengeful ghost demanding payment for its soul!
Outside, Ning Sheng’s voice was calm and polite, but for some reason, it carried an eerie chill: “Excuse me, when will you be returning Streamer Jian to the Paranoid Possession dimension?”
…The scene turned chaotic.
Gong Siyuan gazed into the distance, sipped her tea peacefully, and thought—
Ah, what a beautiful day.
*
Meanwhile, in Jian Yunlan’s live stream.
Xiao Hu was a well-known ‘Vulture’ viewer in Multiverse Live.
His greatest joy in life was scouring the rankings for streamers who were plummeting in popularity, then entering their live streams to watch them crash and burn.
And he wasn’t just a passive observer.
Seeing these streamers desperately struggle to avoid elimination—begging, groveling, doing everything they could to survive—was entertainment in itself. Sometimes, the ‘Vultures’ would even send them gifts.
Of course, just cheap ones, like lollipops or chocolates.
The ‘Vulture’ audience had carved out a special niche for themselves in Multiverse Live.
To track down struggling streamers on the brink of elimination, they had even developed their own software for automated data searches, ensuring precise targeting. Once they locked onto a target, they would swarm in, flood the chat, and flaunt their presence.
Was it cruel? Maybe a little.
But deep down, human nature had its darker sides.
Xiao Hu had a secret.
He had once been a small-time streamer in the transmigration novel category. After saving up for a long time, he finally managed to register for the challenge, full of anticipation. But when his live stream started, barely anyone tuned in.
On the very first day of his transmigration, he was already on the verge of elimination…
That day, over a hundred ‘Vultures’ flooded into his stream.
They mocked him, tore open his wounds, and sneered:
He would never amount to anything.
He was a failure.
That day, someone posted a new target in the Vulture Forum:
[This so-called ‘dark horse rookie streamer’ once skyrocketed to the top of the rankings, but now he’s dropped to sixteenth place. He’s probably about to be eliminated—everyone, come watch the show!]
Xiao Hu was instantly intrigued.
“Dark horse” “rookie streamer”—these were the Vultures’ favorite tags!
Most of these streamers had just started their transmigration challenges. With a stroke of luck or a good cheat ability, they managed to gain some achievements and assumed they were chosen ones, destined to breeze through transmigration storylines effortlessly.
But the more arrogant they were, the more humiliating their downfall. When they teetered on the brink of elimination, they would become desperate, pitiful, and utterly disgraceful in their struggle…
Before clicking into the live stream, Xiao Hu had already sketched out a mental image of this streamer:
A cocky young rookie who, emboldened by luck and fan adoration, had been rampaging through a melodramatic novel—only to be ruthlessly slapped by reality. Now, stuck in an unbreakable plot, he must be throwing a tantrum in helpless rage.
Then, Xiao Hu entered the stream.
Xiao Hu: “?”
It was nothing like he imagined.
On-screen, the streamer… was running a street stall.
Happily. Enthusiastically.
With full concentration, he was presenting fried chicken and spicy hotpot to eager customers, smiling in satisfaction as they enjoyed their meals.
From the streamer to the characters to the audience—
Not a single person seemed to care about the original melodramatic plot.
Xiao Hu: “???”
He couldn’t help but exit and check again.
Yep, this was definitely the melodrama section.
Had he somehow wandered into a food business channel instead?
Many other ‘Vulture’ viewers, drawn in by the same enticing labels, were just as bewildered.
After double-checking multiple times, they finally pieced together the truth.
It turned out that this streamer, Jian Yunlan, was a stall-obsessed maniac.
He had been so immersed in setting up his stall that he neglected the main storyline, which led to his sharp drop in the rankings…
Only then did Xiao Hu feel reassured.
“Tch.”
At first glance, it seemed fresh and unconventional, but in the end, he was just like any other streamer.
“Don’t be fooled by his obsessed-with-stalling act,” Xiao Hu muttered. “He’s probably just playing up a persona to attract fans. Deep down, he’s probably panicking, trying to figure out how to advance the plot but completely stuck…”
As he thought this, his fingers swiftly typed:
[LMAO, you guys don’t actually think he can derail the main couple’s love story just by selling street food, do you?]
The once lively chat suddenly fell silent.
Xiao Hu’s comment floated across the screen, unchallenged.
Slowly…
Drifting…
Xiao Hu thought he had struck a nerve.
Proudly, he lit a cigarette.
Other Vulture viewers quickly chimed in:
[Exactly! He’s probably freaking out about being eliminated while pretending to focus on stalling.]
[That’s Dark River, Bright Light’ most crucial forced marking arc! And the main couple’s bond is super strong. Fu Changfeng is obsessively possessive over Yu Ming. Fried chicken and spicy hotpot aren’t going to distract him.]
[+1. The main couple is destined to be together. How could some random food stall possibly derail their fated romance? (LOL)]
The veteran viewers said nothing.
The Blue Sky & White Clouds Fan Club also said nothing.
Not because they were at a loss for words, as Xiao Hu had assumed, but because…
They were holding back laughter.
“Just by running a food stall, he can’t possibly derail the main couple’s love story?”
Gu Xingzhou and Ning Sheng fell into silence.
The Paranoid Possession dimension whispered: “Are you thinking about me?”
The last cold and aloof academic genius had already stormed into Multiverse Live in search of Streamer Jian.
The last domineering CEO had also taken up permanent residence in his live stream, showering him with gifts while watching food customers enjoy what he himself couldn’t eat, growing more and more furious…
The veteran viewers trembled with suppressed laughter and slowly began typing.
Everyone, without prior coordination, played along.
[Yeah, I don’t believe it either, hahaha. The main couple’s bond is unshakable—there’s no way some mere food stall could disrupt a melodramatic novel, hahaha.]
[@MashuLovesMeat, Mashu sis, what do you think?]
[(Serious tone) Indeed, I agree. Our Jian God is just a poor street vendor—what does he know about melodrama?!]
Xiao Hu and the other Vultures: “……”
They were technically agreeing with him.
But somehow…
Something felt off.
Like an inexplicable lump stuck in their throats—neither going up nor down, making it frustratingly uncomfortable.
Xiao Hu couldn’t resist typing:
[Hah. You guys must be going insane from the stress of near-elimination. At this point, you’re just laughing through the pain.]
Other viewers immediately responded:
[Exactly.]
[We’re totally laughing through the pain. Boohoo, we’re so scared and sad that Jian Boss is about to be eliminated…]
Meanwhile, in the emergency room, Handstand Hotpot Bro, now fully embracing his role as the fallen dragon-slayer-turned-dragon, excitedly typed:
[I mean, I totally agree. Jian Yunlan is probably about to get eliminated. But just for fun—what if, just what if, he really manages to clear Dark River, Bright Light just by running his food stall? What then?]
The Other Viewers Couldn’t Help but Marvel
Hotpot Bro truly lived up to his name—his experience as a veteran was unmatched, and his rhetorical skills were top-notch.
The Vultures: “…..”
Well… there was no way they’d actually be proven wrong… right?
Xiao Hu, along with many others, was so riled up that their blood was boiling. Immediately, they took the bait:
[If he really manages to clear this, I’ll call him daddy!]
[Then I’ll tattoo ‘Jian Clan’ on my forehead. Hah, what a joke.]
[Selling street food? In a melodramatic novel?! If he can actually clear this arc, I’ll throw 10,000 Carnival gifts, hold up a ‘Jian God is Unmatched’ sign in front of the Multiverse Live headquarters for three days and nights, and even eat Hotpot Bro’s old hotpot while doing a handstand!]
The veteran viewers of Jian Yunlan’s stream stroked their chins like sly old foxes.
Things were getting interesting.
*
Emergency Room, Proctology Department
A nurse came to change Hotpot Bro’s IV drip and noticed him grinning dumbly at the light screen, muttering:
“Boss Jian, I believe in you. You’re the man who once made the main couple fight over a bowl of fried rice. I have no doubt you can clear Dark River, Bright Light.”
The nurse raised an eyebrow and remarked casually, “A bowl of fried rice made the main couple fight? Aren’t you worried he’ll do the same thing in Dark River, Bright Light?”
Hotpot Bro froze.
Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming were childhood friends who had grown up together, weathering countless hardships side by side.
Even in the world of melodramatic novels, their tragic ending was more of an unfortunate twist of fate. They were widely considered a solid, heart-wrenching CP that many fans adored.
So, the idea of “Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming fighting over food” sounded utterly ridiculous to him.
No way…
That’s impossible… right??!
*
Dark River, Bright Light Dimension – Outside Longteng Summer Camp
The spicy hotpot and fried chicken stall was thriving.
As more and more people got a taste, the stall bustled with excitement, business booming.
Among the crowd, a silver blur darted back and forth—Taotie, distributing number tickets at lightning speed, earning envious glances.
“Maomao looks so majestic today!”
“Maomao is so cool, hehe.”
“He’s truly Boss Jian’s best assistant.”
…And Taotie was really feeling himself now. His tiny chest puffed out proudly as he dashed through the crowd with boundless energy.
On the other side, Hu Danggui, appearing for the first time in her little girl form, blinked her big, glossy black eyes and chirped sweetly:
“Fried chicken’s ready~”
“Big brothers, big sisters, uncles, aunties~ Fresh fried chicken just came out!”
“Fried chicken, fried chicken~”
The adorable little girl with her round bun hairstyle smiled at the customers, melting their hearts.
…That said, whenever she attempted to sneak a bite, the customers were merciless in calling her out:
“Boss Jian! Your little employee is trying to steal food!”
After all, cute was cute.
But no amount of cuteness justified stealing their fried chicken.
That was Boss Jian’s fried chicken!
Without hesitation, Taotie shoved Hu Danggui aside with a firm paw, lifting the takeout box to hand it to a customer.
Hu Danggui sulked, her head drooping in frustration. “Darn it…”
The customers, reassured, walked away satisfied.
At the food stall, Jian Yunlan was a one-man show, taking his street vendor skills to the extreme!
At one moment, he was precisely timing ingredients as they cooked in the spicy hotpot, ensuring the perfect doneness.
The next, he was at the fryer, double-frying crispy chicken cutlets.
It looked exhausting, yet somehow, he managed to maintain perfect control over both the soup and the fryer, his every movement precise.
His sharp black-blue eyes were focused, exuding an effortless charm.
This was Boss Jian.
Plates of spicy hotpot and fried chicken were continuously served to eager customers, who naturally divided into two factions—Team Spicy Hotpot and Team Fried Chicken.
The spicy hotpot fans gathered on one side, noisily slurping their food, sweat dripping down their faces as they deliberately made exaggerated remarks:
“Hsss—so hot! But delicious! This broth is insanely rich—fragrant, thick, and satisfying…”
“Boss Jian’s control over cooking time is god-tier! This duck blood is cooked perfectly—not too hard, just tender and bursting with flavor, soaking up all the rich broth. Amazing!”
“I hereby declare that this youtiao (fried dough stick) is today’s crowning jewel of the spicy hotpot. Those who missed out? Hah. So tragic.”
On the other side, the fried chicken lovers weren’t willing to concede either.
As they ate, they deliberately lifted their cheese-stuffed chicken cutlets, stretching out the gooey, melted cheese for all to see.
“Cheese is power! This molten cheese, all hot and gooey inside the crispy fried chicken, smells amazing and tastes even better…”
“Our fried chicken is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. That crunch when you bite down? So satisfying.”
“Delicious!”
“And this chicken… it’s unbelievably tender. I have no idea how Boss Jian managed to fry it like this—juicy and flavorful, every bite packed with a different taste.”
The spicy hotpot fans and the fried chicken fans locked eyes, glaring at each other.
Even though many of them felt a mix of emotions—no matter how delicious their hotpot or fried chicken was, they couldn’t help but wonder what the other dish tasted like.
But… they couldn’t betray their side.
“Hmph!”
They all stubbornly turned their heads away from each other.
Meanwhile, more people lined up, eagerly waiting for their turn to get a taste of the famous hotpot and fried chicken.
Amid the bustling crowd, only two people remained unaffected by the lively atmosphere.
Through the lantern-lit night and the crisp autumn breeze, Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming gazed at each other, their expressions complicated.
A thousand emotions clashed in the silence between them.
The next second, as if by unspoken agreement, they left the crowd and walked toward a small grove nearby.
One after the other, they treaded over fallen leaves, the crisp rustling beneath their feet the only sound in the quiet night.
They didn’t stop until they were far enough from the noise and the lights.
“Bro, you noticed it too?” Yu Ming asked softly.
“…Yeah.” Fu Changfeng’s usual smile was gone.
His phoenix eyes held a dark, unreadable emotion.
*
The Livestream Chat Erupts
[AAAAAHHHH!!!]
[They actually ignored the hotpot and fried chicken… just to sneak away and have a private conversation?! QAQ]
[Wait, hold on—!! I remember this! This is the original novel’s forced marking scene!! “The two of them walked into the secluded forest. Fu Changfeng had an inhibitor in his pocket, but the moment he saw Yu Ming, he decided not to use it”…]
[Crap. I take back everything I said. I never thought I’d see a CP so devoted that they could resist Boss Jian’s food QAQ]
[So that means… Boss Jian is actually going to fail??]
The audience held their breath, straining to hear their conversation.
“I noticed it too… Someone in the crowd is an Omega going into heat,” Yu Ming said with difficulty, looking up at Fu Changfeng. “You have an inhibitor, don’t you?”
An Omega experiencing an uncontrolled heat meant that every Alpha and Omega within a hundred miles would be affected.
Fu Changfeng stood quietly in the moonlight, glancing at the distant crowd.
“Yeah,” he murmured. “I have a high-grade inhibitor.”
Then, silence.
Yu Ming’s gaze flickered with a trace of hope. “Brother, you once told me… you’d give me the stars and the moon if I asked.”
Fu Changfeng, as if he didn’t understand the hint, simply pulled out the inhibitor and stared down at the sharp needle tip, his expression unreadable.
*
The Chat Explodes Again
[AAAAHHHH THIS IS THE ORIGINAL SCENE!!! In the novel, an Omega in the crowd also went into heat!]
[It’s happening, it’s really happening! In the original, Fu Changfeng stares at the inhibitor and says, ‘I won’t give this to you. And of course, I won’t use it myself.’]
[“Xiao Ming, just let yourself belong to me forever…”]
[You guys really have Dark River, Bright Light memorized word for word, huh? =?=]
[Oh no, everything is unfolding exactly like the original! This forced marking event is unavoidable! Boss Jian is doomed!!]
[Hah, I told you guys—there’s no way street food could derail the main CP’s romance! You just wouldn’t believe me! Now look—so much for your “dark horse rookie streamer”! He’s done for!]
Even the ‘Vultures’ had nothing to say.
All eyes were fixed on the screen, anxiously watching Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming’s confrontation.
Fu Changfeng remained silent.
Yu Ming swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He struggled to speak. “This inhibitor… Brother, can you… let me have—”
“This inhibitor,” Fu Changfeng interrupted slowly, smiling faintly, “Xiao Ming, I won’t give it to you.”
His tone carried a hint of coldness.
The livestream chat fell into stunned silence.
[Oh no… that’s the exact line from the novel.]
[We all know what’s next. He’s about to say, ‘Of course, I won’t use it myself either.’ Then… then it’s just a full-blown forced marking scene…]
[Boss Jian really is done for…]
Meanwhile, back in the Dark River, Bright Light dimension—
Fu Changfeng’s fingers tightened around the inhibitor.
He looked at Yu Ming, and slowly, the warmth in his phoenix eyes faded, replaced by… mockery.
“This inhibitor,” he said, “I’ll be keeping it for myself.”
[It’s over. It’s all over.]
[Wait.]
[Hold on a second…?]
[Did he just say… ‘I’ll be keeping it for myself’?!]
“The Inhibitor Is Mine.”
Fu Changfeng’s smile was icy. The inhibitor between his fingers gleamed coldly under the light. He looked at Yu Ming.
“Let Boss Jian’s spicy hotpot and fried chicken… belong to me alone.” Fu Changfeng curled his lips into a smirk. “Xiao Ming, you don’t stand a chance.”
Hearing this, a shadow crossed Yu Ming’s gaze.
That cold, calculating look was strikingly out of place on his otherwise refined and delicate face, making him seem as chilling as a venomous snake flicking its tongue.
It was abrupt.
But Fu Changfeng wasn’t surprised at all.
Because he had long known—he and Yu Ming were the same kind of people.
From beginning to end, they had always been alike.
—Yes, the reason Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming had stepped away from the crowd wasn’t because they didn’t care about the hotpot and fried chicken anymore.
It was because they were both smart enough to foresee what was about to happen.
They were engaged in a battle of wits—a strategic showdown to maximize their gains and secure the largest possible share of hotpot and fried chicken!
*
Someone in the crowd was an Omega going into heat.
And everyone knew—the Longteng Summer Camp was an all-Alpha camp.
This meant that, very soon, chaos would erupt in front of the food stalls.
So far, less than one-tenth of the people had gotten their share of hotpot and fried chicken. The remaining nine-tenths were still naively waiting in line, thinking that if they just waited patiently, their turn would eventually come.
How foolish.
Once the Omega’s pheromones fully spread, all those naive people would be eliminated by the brutal competition for survival.
The only ones left standing would be the few strong enough to carry their own inhibitors. They alone would emerge victorious, claiming the remaining hotpot and fried chicken for themselves!
Smart as they were, Fu Changfeng and Yu Ming had understood everything the moment they caught the scent of pheromones.
Their locked gazes clashed like blades in a silent battlefield.
“Whoever controls the inhibitor… controls the fried chicken.” Yu Ming murmured.
Fu Changfeng tilted his chin slightly, gripping the inhibitor. His phoenix eyes now held the unwavering arrogance of a victor.
“Xiao Ming, admit defeat.”
“I won’t give up a single bite of Boss Jian’s spicy hotpot and fried chicken.”
Yu Ming’s fists clenched at his sides, his fingers tightening slowly as if preparing for something. A dark glint of killing intent flickered in his black eyes.
“…”
