Little Pink Starfish

Ziche Shubai, also known as the foolish author, felt his composed expression crack.

My Xiaoshan is so well-behaved—how could he be a lunatic?

That couldn’t be possible.

He must have made a mistake.

Gu Bai looked at Qiguan Rui with a conflicted expression, watching as he flicked his fingers. The snake gu moved like arrows, burrowing into the demons’ heads.

The original novel had stated clearly: Only those with the Tun Tian Xuan Mang bloodline could control snake gu.

It was meant to be a unique power, something that couldn’t be replicated.

And yet—

There was no denying it now.

Looking back, Gu Bai felt a wave of realization.

If Gu Xiaoshan wasn’t the twisted protagonist and was just an ordinary servant, how could he have that kind of presence?

Thinking about his actions and comparing them to the information he had gathered, everything that previously didn’t make sense now lined up. The details were too telling.

For example, when he first investigated Gu Xiaoshan’s background, he had assumed that if someone had forged it, they must have had a reason to deceive him. But if the twisted protagonist was completely unpredictable, then doing something like that wouldn’t even need a reason. Gu Xiaoshan’s martial strength seemed low, but the Tun Tian Xuan Mang bloodline could conceal cultivation, allowing the protagonist in the original novel to play weak before revealing overwhelming power. A classic trope.

And why did he always seem to run into so many of the protagonist’s female companions? Because the protagonist had been right there beside him the whole time.

The same applied to encounters with rare opportunities, tragic backstories of key characters, and important side figures. It all made sense.

Even the times he slept so soundly when sharing a bed with Gu Xiaoshan—had he been drugged?

Thinking about it too much was unsettling.

Gu Bai felt a sense of unease.

This was a serious problem.

He had tried to avoid the twisted protagonist, yet he had been keeping him close all along.

Gu Bai tried to keep his usual composed demeanor, but his mind was blank.

He watched Qiguan Rui control the snake gu, saw him casually strike down demons with force equal to his own, and then saw him reach out—

To pull Gu Bai along.

Qiguan Rui didn’t understand why Gu Bai had suddenly frozen in place, looking a little helpless.

Ziche Shubai had a habit of zoning out, but this really wasn’t the time for that. Was it because he was startled by the power of the snake gu? That shouldn’t be enough to shake him.

Or… did he find these methods repulsive?

Qiguan Rui’s voice was gentle. “Gege, why did you stop moving?”

Gu Bai hadn’t snapped out of it yet, but he instinctively replied, “…Nothing.”

Then, his body reacted on its own, and he started fighting again.

With Qiguan Rui revealing his full strength, his control over the snake gu was effortless. He quickly seized control of several demons, turning them into puppets that attacked the others.

Meanwhile, even if Gu Bai was only fighting on instinct, the reduced pressure meant he could handle multiple mid-level Wu Jun at once. It wasn’t long before most of the demons had been wiped out.

The remaining ones exchanged glances and suddenly scattered in different directions.

Their opponents were too strong. Demons were created by losing control of their cultivation, but they weren’t mindless.

Gu Bai suddenly said, “We need to split up. None of them can be allowed to escape.”

Qiguan Rui saw that Gu Bai’s expression had returned to normal and felt reassured. It seemed he had just been momentarily surprised.

He was always obedient, so he smiled warmly and said, “Alright. We’ll meet back here later, gege?”

Gu Bai agreed, glanced at Qiguan Rui with a complicated look, and then—

Ran off.

Yes, he ran.

Gu Bai chased the demons in his direction and quickly eliminated them.

But once they were dealt with, he didn’t return.

Instead, he ran faster, heading straight out of the city.

He didn’t stop until he had traveled hundreds of miles and reached a barren mountain range.

There was no road ahead unless he climbed over the mountains.

Only then did Gu Bai truly come back to his senses.

He had to accept it now. The person he had treated like family, valued above all else, was the same person who would one day sacrifice the entire world to achieve his own goals.

The protagonist.

The one he had written.

Gu Bai had never expected that the child he had saved in Qingyang Town would turn out to be the future protagonist.

It wasn’t that he had been foolish—it was just that his book was a power fantasy. There had been no detailed account of the protagonist’s childhood struggles.

The novel had started with, “On a dark and windy night, a young man stumbled forward, pursued by countless enemies. Ahead of him lay an endless abyss.” The protagonist had already been eighteen and forced into hardship again.

His past had been glossed over, merely stating that he had suffered humiliation. There had been no mention of severe abuse. Even the so-called cruel aunt had only been referenced when the protagonist later took revenge on her. Her identity had never been explained in detail.

So how could Gu Bai have ever connected the pitiful child to the future protagonist?

Now that he thought about it, it was probably this world’s own logic that had filled in the gaps, leading to this outcome.

And now, he was in serious trouble.

Gu Xiaoshan was the twisted protagonist. What was he supposed to do now?

Gu Bai cared about Gu Xiaoshan, but he also understood the character he had written.

The protagonist moved between countless women, using his polite and gentle manner to make them fall hopelessly in love, making each one believe she was his true love. He treated his subordinates with loyalty and care, tolerated all their flaws, and even their worst sides.

No matter the situation, he was always charming. Even in dire straits, he would always find a way to turn things around.

To outsiders, he was an outstanding leader—righteous, kind, and worth following.

If he wanted, he could make anyone feel close to him, make anyone think he truly cared.

That was why he had so many loyal followers who admired him endlessly. Yet in private, even they never saw his Tun Tian Xuan Mang form.

And in the demonic domain, he was a ruthless emperor, ruling with absolute strength. His reputation as a terrifying force was legendary.

He could play any role convincingly. His lies always sounded genuine. His kindness could melt the coldest hearts.

But deep down, he never truly cared about anyone.

To him, the world was just a playground. He used people for entertainment and personal gain. When he reached the pinnacle of power, he lost interest and abandoned everything.

It was obvious how things would end.

Gu Bai trusted Gu Xiaoshan. But he couldn’t trust Qiguan Rui—the protagonist.

His immediate instinct had been to escape.

From the moment he had arrived in this world, his goal had been to stay far away from the protagonist, live a long and peaceful life, and die naturally before the world was sacrificed.

Now, everything was ruined.

All his efforts had turned into a joke.

It was frustrating.

Gu Bai felt exhausted.

Gu Xiaoshan had always been good to him—so good that he, a lifelong shut-in, had never experienced such care and consideration before.

And now, he wasn’t sure if it had all been an act.

If the protagonist had used similar tactics before—getting close to influential figures, winning over their family members, and taking over entire cities—then had Qiguan Rui been doing the same thing to him?

Had all his kindness just been a way to take control of Tiandu City?

Gu Bai’s eyes stung.

He wasn’t sure why, but he felt like crying.

Dragging his feet, Gu Bai walked slowly into the mountains.

He had completely forgotten about maintaining his usual dignified presence. His back looked lonely as it stretched into the distance.

Night fell.

Back in the city, Qiguan Rui had finished controlling the demons with his snake gu and quickly returned to their meeting point.

He wanted to find Ziche Shubai and leave with him, taking these new puppets elsewhere.

But Gu Bai wasn’t there.

Qiguan Rui waited.

And waited.

He stood under the trees, expecting him to return at any moment.

But as time passed, his expression slowly darkened.

Gu Bai had abandoned him.

Qiguan Rui covered his face with one hand, his body trembling slightly.

The surrounding puppets stood silently as the city guards arrived, surrounding them.

Qiguan Rui didn’t respond.

A moment later, he transformed into a massive black python and swallowed them all whole.

No one could stop him.

And no one could catch up.