My Unhinged Childhood Friend Is Fighting to Stay Alive

Xian Yao is a lunatic with eyes only for his childhood friend, Zhou Yao.

After being reborn, Xian Yao had planned to let go of his obsession and stop pursuing Zhou Yao, who had never loved him in the slightest. But he never expected Zhou Yao to be reborn, too.

Before they died, they had been arguing. After death, Zhou Yao grabbed him by the collar, crying and yelling, "Do you really like that girl so damn much?!"

"What if I went to Thailand?!"

"If I got plastic surgery to look like her, could you love me?!"

Only then did Xian Yao realize that his unrequited love had never been one-sided.

Their scorching kisses mingled with cool lips, falling like a storm as frenzied sucking sounds mixed with ragged breaths.

That night, they loved each other fiercely, as if they meant to pour twenty years of loneliness and longing into one another.

*

Later, Xian Yao couldn't bear to let go of Zhou Yao. They clung to each other so tightly it was as if they wanted to merge their bodies.

But a System that appeared out of nowhere tore them apart. "You only have one day left to live. If you want to survive, you have to help me fix the storylines in virtual spaces. In return, I'll set you free when you're done."

Xian Yao's eyes reddened. He exchanged a look with Zhou Yao, and they both agreed without hesitation.

They had assumed fixing the storylines in the so-called virtual spaces would involve life-and-death situations. They never expected the System to be so considerate.

Day One: "This is a fictional dynasty. You're an assassin and your target. The target absolutely can't die, but the assassin absolutely can't have an easy time..."

"Cosplay?"

Day Two: "This is a fictional beast world. You're adoptive brothers, and you don't get along. One day, the elder brother is to be exiled as a sacrifice..."

"Fake-incest play."

Day Three: "This is a glorious interstellar age. You're a sentient robot and its master..."

"Human/nonhuman play."

Every day, they entered a virtual space with a different storyline.

Xian Yao raised the corners of his lips. "All kinds of themed play with Zhou Yao."

Zhou Yao scoffed. "Brother, tomorrow's story has me playing a golden retriever. Want to play out in the wilderness?"

Xian Yao grabbed him by the nape and leaned close, laughing hoarsely. "Zhou Yao, you lunatic..."

What normal person plays with a golden retriever?

So they were both lunatics, and they needed no one's salvation. Two deranged souls and bodies collided and fell into depravity, sinking deep into the mire, and from then on, they lived toward the light.

2023.8.7

Theme: If you dare to love and own it, you won't miss your chance.