Chapter 2825: The Stand‑In Was Forcibly Taken by the Bandit

In the Warm Pavilion Courtyard, the sunlight was just right; Jin Chen lay lazily in the rocking chair, a thin blanket over him, browsing through a leisurely strange-tales book in the warm sunshine. A Yan peeled an orange on the side.

Ling Gun Gun nestled on Jin Chen's shoulder, also watching with relish, occasionally commenting.

【Huh? Host, someone's coming.】

The courtyard gate was pushed open; the little bandit rushed in, panting, disregarding etiquette, and shouted at Jin Chen, 'Young Master Jin, that Ruan Shutong ran to the training field to find the Big Chief!'

Jin Chen's motion of turning the page paused; he lifted his gaze.

The little bandit gasped, 'He said he had a dream last night, and the Big Chief let him come inside to speak; the Fourth Chief urged me to hurry and tell you!'

'A dream?' Jin Chen set down the book, his eyes calm, 'Ruan Shutong, what dream are you talking about?'

The little bandit shook his head, 'I was far away, didn't hear clearly, only vaguely caught him saying something…… past lives, something reincarnation, something…… mistaken person……'

【What!】 Ling Gun Gun exclaimed in shock, 【This protagonist shou is spouting nonsense!】

Jin Chen abruptly stood up, heart filled with suspicion, 'Lead the way, to the training field.'

A Yan swiftly fetched the outer robe, but Jin Chen waved him off, casually pulling his cloak together and strode out of the courtyard.

A Yan and the little bandit hurriedly followed.

——

Outside the small hut at the training field, Liu Mianfeng and several others gathered, each with different expressions, gazing at the tightly closed wooden door.

Faint voices could be heard from inside, but they were indistinct.

Upon hearing the footsteps, everyone turned and saw Jin Chen striding over in his cloak, his expression cold.

'Brother Jin!' Yan Qi hurried forward, lowering his voice, 'The Chief is inside, speaking alone with that Ruan Shutong about dreams and past lives, spooky nonsense—you must absolutely not let the Chief be bewitched by him!'

Jin Chen nodded at Yan Qi, his steps unbroken, heading straight for that hut.

As they drew nearer, Ruan Shutong's voice drifted out in fragments, 'In my dream, we shared so many past lives—how could you mistake me…'

The rest of the words, Jin Chen didn't quite catch, but he no longer needed to hear them clearly.

He was furious.

That damned Ruan Shutong.

He deserves to die.

Having received the signal, Yan Qi kicked the door open.

The wooden door burst open, and the scene inside unfolded before everyone's eyes.

Gu Fanghe stood with his back to the door, inside the room.

Ruan Shutong stood a few steps opposite him, his face showing a faint anticipation.

Hearing the door burst, both turned their heads at once.

Jin Chen stood in the doorway, backlit, his expression unreadable; his gaze swept past Gu Fanghe's shoulder and landed straight on Ruan Shutong's face, then withdrew.

'Gu Fanghe, do you believe him?'

Gu Fanghe glanced back, looked at Jin Chen in the doorway, then turned his gaze to Ruan Shutong before him.

Ruan Shutong was annoyed by Jin Chen's sudden appearance interrupting him, but seeing Gu Fanghe look at him, he thought he had finally been moved, his heart leapt with joy, and he hurried to press on.

'Big Brother Gu, you want to hear me speak the dream's words myself? I've already said them.'

'We've been together for so many lifetimes—how could you forget? I…'

Before he could finish, Ruan Shutong shuddered, slowly lowering his gaze to his chest.

A blade tip pierced through, transfixing his heart.

'You…'

Ruan Shutong lifted his head, staring fixedly at Gu Fanghe, bewildered and horrified, 'Why…'

'Why!'

Gu Fanghe…… no, this trace of the main god's soul—shouldn't he be shocked, should he waver, should he believe him!

Gu Fanghe gripped the hilt, his face devoid of expression, 'It's just a dream.'

'You can say it, so what?'

He slightly turned his wrist, the horizontal blade stirring inside Ruan Shutong's body.

Gu Fanghe fixed his gaze on his scattering pupils, 'On what grounds should I believe you just because of a preposterous dream?'

Gu Fanghe's face remained impassive; he twisted his wrist, withdrawing the horizontal blade and then thrusting it back into the same spot.

Ruan Shutong staggered back a few steps, then collapsed face-up on the ground, his body twitching involuntarily, gulping blood from his mouth, his eyes utterly unfocused.

Jin Chen blinked, his gaze shifting as Ruan Shutong fell, his expression softening.

Also… fine, after all he's dead.

He looked at Ruan Shutong's corpse, then noticed that Ruan Shutong had made a gesture of touching his earlobe.

Gu Fanghe casually tossed the blood‑stained horizontal blade to the ground, turned around, and faced Jin Chen at the doorway, as well as Liu Mianfeng and the others who had gathered upon hearing the commotion.

His robe was splattered with warm blood; he deeply exhaled a turbid breath from his chest and ordered in a low voice, 'Drag him out, dump him in the back mountain old forest, feed the beasts.'

'Yes!' Yan Qi was the first to respond, promptly agreeing and calling the two little bandits to drag Ruan Shutong's corpse away.

'Wait a moment.' Jin Chen suddenly spoke.

Everyone looked at him.

Jin Chen glanced again at the hand that had just touched Ruan Shutong's earlobe, his eyes flickering, 'First…… find an empty room alone, place the corpse inside; I'll go examine some things later.'

Yan Qi blinked, puzzled but still nodded, 'Oh, that works! I'll follow Brother Jin's lead!'

He directed the little bandits, carefully lifting Ruan Shutong's corpse out and placing it as Jin Chen had instructed.

Inside the room remained only a bloody mess and the two people standing opposite each other.

Gu Fanghe stood where he was, merely watching Jin Chen; his fingers curled slightly, as if he wanted to say something but choked it back.

Jin Chen walked up to him, touched Gu Fanghe's face, and gently wiped away the glaring red.

"Our boss really keeps his word." Jin Chen suddenly smiled, his eyes curving.

Gu Fanghe suddenly raised his hand and grasped the hand Jin Chen had placed on his own face, then pressed it to his waist, an embrace posture.

He lowered his gaze, pressing his forehead against Jin Chen's shoulder, "Sorry."

Jin Chen blinked slightly, "What?"

Gu Fanghe fell silent for a moment, as if making up his mind, finally lifted his eyes to look at Jin Chen.

"I told you before, the person in my dream is you."

"But now, I seem unable to tell who the person in my dream really is."

"The things Ruan Sutong said, I don't believe him, but..."

Gu Fanghe shook his head, looking at Jin Chen, afraid that if he accidentally said the wrong thing, he would lose him.

"I told you before, the person in my dream is you; this... does it count as deceiving you?"

This man, usually decisive in battle, cold and hardy, now furrowed his brows slightly, revealing a somewhat fragile and uneasy appearance.

Jin Chen realized, then made a gesture as if thinking, then curled the corner of his mouth, "That doesn't count."

He raised his other hand, cupping Gu Fanghe's face, his fingertips brushing over the dark red scar beneath his eye, "You told me, so it doesn't count as deceiving me."

After saying that, Jin Chen leaned in and kissed the blood-scented yet exceptionally sexy thin lips of Gu Fanghe.

"This is a reward."

Jin Chen pulled back slightly, watching Gu Fanghe's eyes light up from the kiss, the smile in his eyes deepening.

Gu Fanghe's tightly wound thoughts relaxed, leaving only a heart full of love, the most sincere and precious.

He thought, that portrait should also be torn up together.

【Detected Villain Heartthrob Value +5, total 87!】

【Detected Villain Blackening Value -10, total 56!】