Qie Xieling was busy dreaming about Luo Muchen. He missed him so much, especially the way he would cuddle him at night in the previous game world. He missed the warmth and safety of his arms. It was as if nothing could hurt him.

While he was having sweet dreams the man hovered around him intrigued by the box in his possession. He searched every inch of the escape pod but there was nothing of value. Who would have thought that Qie Xieling had been hiding something in his clothes instead? 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

With a cautious hand, the man reached inside Qie Xieling’s clothes, feeling the warmth of his body against his fingers.

Just as he was about to retrieve the mysterious box, Qie Xieling’s slumbering form instinctively reacted. His arm shot out, gripping the man’s wrist firmly, refusing to let go. In his sleep-induced haze, he pulled him closer thinking it was Luo Muchen. His murmurs faded, his lips uttering a name in a barely audible yet longing whisper.

Startled by the unexpected strength of Qie Xieling’s sleep-fueled grip, the man’s eyes widened. He tried to resist the force pulling him down, but Qie Xieling’s determination was unyielding. The man found himself ensnared in an embrace, held captive by the embrace of a sleeping soul.

With a sudden burst of energy, the man roughly shoved him, his actions forceful. Qie Xieling, still lost in his dream world, remained oblivious to what had just transpired. He continued to sleep peacefully, unaware of the scene that had unfolded around him.

As the man stepped back, catching his breath, he glared at Qie Xieling’s slumbering figure. He clenched his fist resisting the urge to beat him to a pulp for touching him. He even wore gloves just to dig into his clothes yet he still made contact with him. When he saw the drool on his chest he almost threw up. He stood there seething in anger.

He clenched his jaw tightly to the point of snapping before storming out of the house. With a loud bang, he shut the door causing Qie Xieling to jolt awake.

"Fuck! Mu Mu, what are you banging the door for?!" he yelled in a daze before covering his head with a pillow.

***

Qie Xieling groaned as he was abruptly jolted awake by a sharp thud on his head. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, he found himself staring at the ceiling, disoriented. As his vision cleared, he realised that he had been struck with a thick manual, and the culprit stood before him. With a deep sigh, he rubbed his temple wishing he was back in the previous world. All he had to do was play with cars and at night play with Luo Muchen.

The man, hunched over his cluttered workbench, appeared to be in an even worse mood than before. His tense expression and furrowed brow indicated a troubled mind. "Get up and go find a job. You can’t keep being a burden to me," he grumbled, his voice laced with annoyance.

Qie Xieling rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness, and gazed out of the nearby window. The sight that met his eyes was unexpected. It was a sky painted in hues of crimson which was a stark contrast from the familiar blue skies he had known his whole life. The strange colours seemed to mirror the uncertainty of his current situation.

"But my arm..." he began, his voice trailing off. However, when he raised his arm to show the man, he was astounded to find it completely healed. The excruciating pain he felt before had vanished, leaving no trace of injury. It was as if his body had undergone an overnight transformation.

Taking this newfound recovery as a sign, he stood up, his curiosity piqued. "Any recommendations on where I can look for one?" he inquired but anyone could tell from his expression that he was still half asleep.

The man, however, seemed even more irritable. It was as though his presence was extremely burdensome to him. He tapped on a communication device strapped to his wrist, his impatience evident. "Go to this place. They take people like you," he muttered gruffly.

Qie Xieling felt a twinge of offence at the man’s words. "What do you mean by, ’people like me’?" he asked, his voice tinged with indignation.

The man sighed, clearly exasperated. "Criminals," he responded curtly, his words hanging heavily in the air. Qie Xieling fell silent while scratching his head.

"Oh," he finally said his mood an all-time low.

Without further explanation, the man tossed him a set of old, worn-out clothes, instructing him to blend in with the impoverished populace of this unfamiliar planet. Qie Xieling caught the clothing, holding it limply in his hands before he tossed it on the bed and grabbed the hem of his jacket to take off his clothes.

"What are you doing?" asked the voice coming from behind. Qie Xieling’s brow furrowed as he turned back to look at him. "What do you mean by ’what am I doing?’ I am changing," replied Qie Xieling only for the man to click his tongue in annoyance as he walked out. Since it was only one room he decided to step outside and let him change his clothes.

Qie Xieling, "???"

As he dressed himself in the shabby garments, he couldn’t help but wonder what sort of job awaited him at this place for "people like him." With a newfound resolve, he took a deep breath, ready to solve the problem with money first.

Ten minutes later they stepped out of the rundown house, the dilapidated walls casting a shadow over him. He followed closely behind the man before catching up and walking beside him. But as he attempted to draw closer, the man instinctively stepped away, creating a large gap between them like he was avoiding the plague.

Confusion filled his eyes as he wondered why the man distanced himself. Puzzled, he sniffed himself, trying to detect any unpleasant odour. Frustrated, he exclaimed, "I don’t smell at all!" His voice echoed through the desolate streets, drawing a few passing glances from the weary souls around them.

Without uttering a word, the man tapped their communicators together, and an address materialised on Qie Xieling’s device. It was the location he was meant to go to. The man, with a stern expression, signalled for him to find his way back to the house by himself. It was a silent dismissal, leaving Qie Xieling feeling abandoned. He was like an abandoned little pup.