[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-ring-of-fate":3,"chapter-the-ring-of-fate-the-ring-of-fate-chapter-988":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Ring of Fate",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2298957,4496,"Chapter 988: Birthday of the Girl (Wishing Everyone a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival)","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-988",988,"\u003Cp>“Yes.” Jian Na also expressed her confusion. “I thought I’d be kicked out of the dream immediately, but nothing happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Franca thought for a moment and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it that revealing the truth of this world to dream figures other than Zhou Mingrui and a few others doesn’t trigger anomalies—or is Rosan particularly special, a character lightly contaminated by the Xieshen  of the ‘Fantasy Society,’ no longer closely linked to the dream’s primary consciousness?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Na shook her head, answering honestly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, her eyes shifting slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If we can calm Rosan down this time, we can try mentioning ‘The Fool’ later and see if she reacts specially—whether it causes me to be kicked out of the dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can also test telling other dream figures related things and observe the results.” Franca hummed in agreement, extended her hands, and helped Jian Na rise from the toilet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing her morning routine, she returned to the living room and saw Lu Mi An watching TV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thought struck her, and she said to Jian Na:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should we invite Rosan to play cards? Four of us can play Upgrade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll ask and see if she’s willing.” Jian Na understood Franca wanted to give Rosan something to do, some entertainment, to ease her emotional state—and they could also use the card game as an opportunity for subtle psychological guidance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Na immediately picked up her phone and sent Rosan a message.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After seven or eight minutes, Rosan replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Okay, I’ll come after I’ve had breakfast and gotten up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s willing to come.” Jian Na told Franca and Lu Mi An.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi An recognized Rosan—knew she was a colleague—and immediately stood up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Should I change back into men’s clothes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, no, just pretend you don’t know her. Say you’re another friend of ours.” Franca quickly shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she changed into men’s clothes, wouldn’t Rosan connect her to Li Ming?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, you two do look somewhat alike!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, as long as Lu Mi An didn’t dress as a man or impersonate one, no one would link her to Security Guard Li Ming—not just because they were different genders, but even in appearance, the differences were obvious at first glance, since Lu Mi had used the “Lies” ear clip to lower his appearance and refine details when posing as Li Ming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Jian Na, taking over for Franca whose mind was still foggy, mentally ran through possible issues if Lu Mi An met Rosan, then opened WeChat to chat with Anthony about Rosan’s knowledge of the world’s truth and consulted him on psychological guidance strategies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, Rosan arrived on the 23rd floor and rang the doorbell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, Jian Na received a reply from “An Ruidé”:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Talk to her about her past.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Use a definite, experienced, deeply real past to reduce her current sense of disillusionment? Jian Na roughly understood Anthony’s intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She immediately followed Franca’s instructions and dug out two decks of playing cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four of them sat around the coffee table and played “Upgrade”—Lu Mi An and Jian Na were partners, Franca and Rosan were partners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They didn’t gamble money—none of Jian Na, Franca, or Lu Mi An had spare cash to gamble. Instead, they wagered which pair reached “A” first could stick five small paper slips or draw silly patterns with washable paint on the loser’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After successfully advancing to “3,” Jian Na glanced at Rosan and began chatting casually:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You said your father was a police officer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.” Rosan’s mood remained low; she pushed her cards toward the center of the table. “He was severely injured while chasing a cult leader with a bloody record and died in the hospital.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was he posthumously honored as a martyr?” Franca asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.” Rosan suddenly gave a self-deprecating smile. “When I graduated university, I had the chance to join the police bureau as an administrative staff member, but I also received an offer from the Administrative Department of Intis Group. I hesitated for a long time—I thought I was just an ordinary person, didn’t like sports, wasn’t suited to be a cop—so I chose Intis Group.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe there was more to it than that? Franca didn’t press.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She simply felt, as an ordinary person with little ambition, one couldn’t refuse a civil service position—especially one that only required paperwork, not chasing criminals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While waiting for the next deal, Rosan hummed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, that was also my mother’s wish. She saw police officers and thought of my father’s death.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Your mother stayed in your hometown, didn’t come to live with you? Jian Na asked, pretending not to know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan stared at her cards, her voice growing distant:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I was in university, she fell ill and was hospitalized… her condition fluctuated, she struggled for two years but couldn’t pull through…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Franca and Jian Na could comfort Rosan, Lu Mi An suddenly spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My mother also had a serious illness. She often went to the hospital. I was very young then—I’d stand at the hospital entrance, watching her being wheeled in, my father bent over beside her… I don’t remember who was watching me then. I only remember I was quiet—didn’t cry, didn’t make a fuss…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What made me luckier was that my mother eventually recovered.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she said this, Lu Mi An’s gaze suddenly grew hazy, her voice sinking:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I miss her so much…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Franca and Jian Na exchanged a startled glance, both expressions surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t Li Ming’s background, nor anything they’d fed her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be…? Franca quickly formed a guess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I miss my mother too,” Rosan responded to Lu Mi An.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seemed to recall her past life, the days of clinging to her mother. Her emotion was still sad, but the deadened, lifeless feeling had noticeably faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the time that followed, Rosan’s condition improved—Jian Na and Franca played cards while chatting with her about university days and her career, and Rosan recounted all the memorable events from her memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Franca and Jian Na could clearly sense that by the end, Rosan had become almost euphoric, as if trying to prove something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s enough—it’s almost noon. I’ll go cook for you.” Jian Na stood up, smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The losers today were Franca and Rosan—both faces were plastered with paper slips bearing silly phrases, and they’d been photographed as mementos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I refuse! You’re taking advantage of my illness!” Franca, still unwell and mentally sluggish, had clumsily dragged Rosan down during the game. She grumbled, “The village boys mocked my weakness!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Na laughed at her:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Try again when you’re better—you used to lose to me all the time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That referred to her days as “The Extravagant Woman,” when she was often dragged to play cards by the market district’s boss, “Red Boots” Franca.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was I really letting you win? If the great “Witch” had just used a bit of occult power, wouldn’t winning be easy? Franca grumbled inwardly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Lu Mi An stood up and said to Jian Na:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll help you chop vegetables.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll help too,” Rosan raised her hand. “The patient gets to rest!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She seized the chance to peel off the paper slips from her face and skipped cheerfully into the kitchen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the three of them bustling in the kitchen, laughter and chatter occasionally floating out, Franca leaned back against the sofa, peeling off the paper slips from her own face, and thought:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If only this weren’t a dream…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After happily finishing lunch, washing the dishes and scrubbing the pots, Rosan took her leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had plans with a college friend in the afternoon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Na and Franca, still walking unsteadily, saw her to the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosan turned her body slightly, opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately withdrew her gaze and waved:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quickened her pace and headed straight for the elevator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Franca and Jian Na watched her enter the elevator before turning back inside, each picking up their phones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing their behavior, Lu Mi An suddenly remembered she’d lost something important:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where’s my phone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to have vanished last night…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I have it.” Franca pulled Lu Mi’s phone from her “Traveler’s Satchel.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before this operation, they’d prepared contingency plans for different outcomes. Besides Franca, everyone had prepared to be kicked out of the dream, so they either didn’t bring phones, handed them to Franca, or left them at home—so if kicked out, they wouldn’t be tracked via phone contacts, nor need to delete and re-add contacts again—too much trouble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Mi An took the phone and unlocked the screen with her fingerprint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“‘Intis Group Green’ sent me a message… Why is the director messaging me?” Lu Mi An looked puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Franca leaned over and saw Green had sent a “thumbs up” emoji:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No wonder it’s you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Green recognized the woman who had stepped out of the screen with Zarathustra as Lu Mi An, and thus believed Zarathustra’s death was the work of the Divine Child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jian Na’s mind raced, searching for an explanation for Green and Lu Mi An’s relationship that didn’t involve the supernatural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She carefully crafted a lie:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Green saw you in women’s clothing and became deeply infatuated. He’s a masochist—he sees you as his master. The more aloof and cold you are, the more satisfied he becomes. Just ignore him. Let him fantasize on his own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eww… pervert.” Lu Mi An looked disgusted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What does he mean by ‘No wonder it’s you’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He probably saw a video or photo of you appearing with Zarathustra and assumed you killed him.” Jian Na felt mentally exhausted. “Don’t worry—he won’t betray you. He’ll guard the secret even tighter and feel moved by his own devotion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“….” Franca fell silent, thinking Jian Na had been slightly corrupted by the internet lately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.” Lu Mi An sighed in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of them settled into separate spots, quietly playing with their phones to digest lunch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Franca scrolled past a local news headline:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The affiliated restaurant of Red Moon Hospital launched several mushroom meal sets yesterday, receiving widespread praise.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Devil meal? No—mushroom meal? Franca’s eyelid twitched. She’d heard from Lu Mi about Li Keji’s case and had watched the latest episode of “The Great Adventurer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remembered Lu Mi had recently gone to incite Li Keji to create a new kind of mushroom that could cure vegetative patient An Xiaotian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since not everyone can return home to reunite, I offer this verse:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bright moon rises over the sea; at this moment, we share it across the ends of the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1778,"2026-06-20T06:22:37.987Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c06b97315d3fcce192516638df7cdde9f4edfdfc9219407c48e74415b805fa3c","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-989","the-ring-of-fate-chapter-987",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-ring-of-fate-cover.jpg"]