Video Editor

In the dead of night, the soundproofing of the hotel in the remote town was almost non-existent, with the occasional barking of stray dogs and the sound of the wind coming from outside the window.

In the small room, Si Teng was already sound asleep on another bed, breathing steadily and deeply, as if she had become one with her surroundings.

Su Ning felt as if all her strength had been drained, and collapsed onto another hard wooden bed.

The events of this day were so unbelievable, the amount of information was overwhelming: he was transported to a new alternate world, from being pushed off a cliff by Anman'en in revenge, to being impaled by a dead tree and on the verge of death, to Si Teng's bizarre resurrection and rescue, and finally being forcibly taken in as a servant and carefully served along the way...

Each one is enough to challenge the psychological limits of ordinary people.

The dual exhaustion of his mind and body made his eyelids feel like they weighed a ton, every bone in his body was screaming in pain, and his brain felt as heavy as if it were filled with lead.

His only thought now was to fall asleep immediately and get away from all this chaos for the time being.

However, just before his consciousness was about to completely sink into darkness, a thought suddenly popped into his mind: he hadn't checked the "partial memory recovery" reward from the system yet!

A strong drowsiness tried to dispel the thought like a tidal wave, but a lingering curiosity and vigilance forced Su Ning to stay alert.

He struggled to maintain a sliver of clarity, painstakingly connecting his mind to the system interface in his head.

"Check...the recovered memories..." he murmured to himself.

There was no flood of the full movie plot like in "Dying to Survive" last time, nor were there any strange images or sounds.

Instead, a cold and complex flow of information was directly imprinted into the depths of his consciousness, forming a strange scripture called "The Secret of Harmony between Heaven and Earth".

"Cultivation technique?" Su Ning's drowsy mind paused for a moment, then he tried to concentrate on "reading" this suddenly appearing scripture.

The text is obscure and difficult to understand, filled with terms such as "the union of heaven and earth," "the harmony of yin and yang," "gathering essence and energy," and "refining the elixir of immortality." The writing style is ancient and simple, suggesting that it is from a very distant era.

This is actually a cultivation method that claims to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, harmonize yin and yang, and ultimately lead to immortality!

"Cultivation techniques for immortality?" A sense of utter absurdity welled up in Su Ning's mind.

The rewards from this system are getting more and more outrageous!

First, my memories returned and I was shown movies, and now they've given me a cultivation manual?
The art style changed so suddenly!

Isn't the world I live in leaning towards suspense and science fiction?
How did fantasy elements suddenly get mixed in?
Or perhaps you were a cultivator in the past?
He tried to understand the opening introductory phrases, but exhaustion, like a surging tide, completely overwhelmed his last shred of conscious awareness.

The obscure scriptures swirled in his mind like a celestial book for a moment before gradually blurring and fading away as his consciousness sank.

Ultimately, he couldn't withstand his physical limits, his head tilted to the side, and he fell into a deep sleep.

His breathing became heavy and even, and all the confusion, surprise, and the unexpected book "The Secret of Harmony and Unity" were temporarily left on the other side of the dream.

Only the "11.3%" repair progress on the system interface and the strange cultivation technique quietly imprinted deep in his consciousness silently foreshadowed that the former "Suning" might be even more bizarre and unpredictable than he imagined.

What was the purpose and origin of the woman from the same tribe who shared the room with you?

All of this awaits him to discover after he wakes up.

……

In the early morning, Su Ning woke up from a deep sleep and subconsciously tried to get up, but found herself trapped in the small space of the bed as if by an invisible wall.

He tried to move toward the door, but was bounced back by a gentle yet irresistible force.

It's Sito!
She had somehow set up a restriction, trapping him in this room.

Realizing this, Su Ning's heart sank.

It seems this "old monster" is determined to control him as his private property.

With no hope of escape and a fight to the death, the instinct for survival ultimately overwhelmed all humiliation and resentment.

When Si Teng reappeared in the room, he still had that aloof and cold demeanor, as if controlling everything was a matter of course.

Su Ning took a deep breath, forced herself to lower her head, and used polite language: "Miss Si Teng, what can I do for you?"

Sito seemed fairly satisfied with his "pragmatism" and casually made her request.

It was nothing more than serving his daily needs, gathering information, and giving orders of absolute obedience.

In order to survive, Suning chose to compromise.

He even began to try to observe Si Teng's mood, awkwardly finding topics to talk about or telling jokes that weren't funny, in an attempt to cheer up his unpredictable "master".

This cautious attempt to please him made him feel somewhat sad, but circumstances were beyond his control, and he was not allowed to have any wild thoughts.

……

Night fell, and Sito was alone in his room.

She tried to circulate her demonic power to familiarize herself with her revived body and environment, but was horrified to find that her power was sometimes effective and sometimes not, and its circulation was sluggish, far inferior to before.

Several attempts to cast the spell failed, and because he couldn't control it, a vine formed from a wisp of demonic power accidentally swept across the brazier in the room.

Plants are naturally afraid of fire!

The moment the vine touched the embers, Si Teng screamed instinctively as if he had been burned, and jerked the vine back, but accidentally knocked over the entire brazier!

The burning charcoal rolled out and instantly ignited the carpet and wooden furniture on the ground!
Si Teng panicked immediately!
She tried to extinguish the fire with water magic, but her demonic power once again went out of control.

She tried to extinguish the flames with vines, but instead, she fanned the fire!

This once fearsome warrior of the Yi tribe now appeared so helpless and flustered when faced with the flames he feared most, standing there somewhat at a loss.

Just then, Suning returned carrying a newly purchased potted plant.

As soon as the door was opened, there were towering flames and Si Teng standing in the fire, pale-faced, looking somewhat clumsy and panicked!
"Holy crap!" Su Ning was startled and forgot all about the taboo of men and women touching each other.

He immediately rushed into the fire, grabbed the stunned Si Teng around the waist, and carried her out of the room, also retrieving the potted plant along the way.

After placing Si Teng in a safe spot in the yard, I looked at her face, which was blackened by smoke, and her eyes, still shaken.

Suning was both angry and anxious, and couldn't help but scold, "What's wrong with you?! Don't you know you can't play with fire on plants?! Stay put!"

He took off his coat and draped it over the shivering Siteng, then turned and rushed back into the burning room to fight the fire, shouting for help to attract the hotel owner and neighbors.

After a flurry of activity, the fire was finally extinguished. Fortunately, it was discovered in time and did not cause too much damage, but the room was no longer habitable.

Suning lost money, apologized, and was exhausted from the ordeal.

When he returned after handling everything, he saw Si Teng sitting alone on the stone steps in the courtyard, with his coat draped over her shoulders. The moonlight shone on her, softening her usually cold demeanor and even revealing a rare vulnerability and confusion.

After a moment of silence, Si Teng suddenly spoke, his voice very soft: "Su Ning, what is your dream?"

Su Ning was taken aback; she hadn't expected her to ask that.

He sat down against a nearby pillar, sighed wearily, and the answer almost blurted out: "Find myself again."

The lost memories are his greatest obsession and emptiness.

Si Teng turned her head to look at him, her eyes appearing exceptionally deep in the moonlight: "Legend has it that some of my kin possess the ability to revive humans and even replenish the essence of life. Although it may require paying a great price."

She paused, a hint of self-mockery in her voice: "But I'm just a half-demon. Reviving you and letting you live is already a stretch. To imagine bringing someone back from the dead to be no different from an ordinary person, or even repairing their missing soul memories, as in the legends, is something I can't do."

She raised her head, gazing at the dark night sky in the distance, her voice filled with deep weariness and longing: "Besides, I don't like it here. I want to go back to where I truly belong. I want to be the complete and powerful Sito again."

……

In the courtyard of the guesthouse in Dana Town, Su Ning fell silent after listening to Si Teng's words.

He sensed the helplessness, loneliness, and deep-seated obsession in her words.

In some ways, they were both searching for a complete self. He sought memories, she sought power and liberation.

After a long silence, Su Ning spoke again, her tone much calmer: "Alright. Miss Si Teng, I'm willing to listen to your request. What do you need me to do?"

Si Teng looked at him, his gaze sharpening: "First, I need to understand this unfamiliar era as quickly as possible. You teach me. Second, my identity and condition must never be known to anyone, especially not to the people of the Suspended Gate! You must keep your mouth shut. Finally, help me find a way to fully recover, or find the person who split me in two back then."

This time, Suning did not resist.

Because he heard the system's voice again.

【ding dong】

Main Quest (Part 2): Accept Sito's Quest

[Task Rewards: System Repair Progress +5; Task Bonus: 100 Million RMB; Interpersonal Skills +10]

Knowing what was going on, Su Ning nodded: "Okay. But you also need to promise me that you'll do your best to help me find a way to recover my memories. We'll help each other out."

A temporary alliance, based on their respective needs and fraught with uncertainty, was quietly formed on this night that had just passed through a chaotic fire.

The master-servant relationship remained unchanged, but there seemed to be an indescribable, subtle connection between them.

……

In order to help Si Teng integrate into modern society as soon as possible, Su Ning took her to the largest shopping mall in Dana Town.

The dazzling array of goods and the bustling crowd made Si Teng frown slightly, clearly not quite used to such a noisy environment.

Suning's primary goal was to provide her with an outfit that was in line with the times.

Stepping into a branded women's clothing store, the enthusiastic sales assistant, noticing Si Teng's exceptional style, immediately recommended a new white rabbit fur coat, handing it to her with a beaming smile: "Miss, this coat perfectly complements your气质 (qi zhi - inherent quality/temperament), it's the most fashionable style this year..."

Before he could finish speaking, Si Teng's face instantly darkened.

She gently twirled the soft rabbit fur between her fingers, a flash of cold anger in her eyes. She looked up at the shop assistant, her tone icy: "Using the fur of slaughtered creatures as adornment, is this your current fashion? How ignorant and cruel!"

The shop assistant was so frightened by her sudden rebuke and powerful aura that she turned pale and didn't know what to do.

Su Ning inwardly thought, "Oh no!" and quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, shielding Si Teng slightly behind her. She gave the shop assistant an awkward smile: "I'm so sorry, so sorry! My friend is an extreme environmentalist and can't stand animal fur products. He got a little emotional, but that's all..."

It took a lot of persuasion to defuse the awkward situation.

In the end, Si Teng still chose several different styles of modern cheongsams and Chinese long skirts with exquisite workmanship. She seems to have a stubborn preference for clothing that continues traditional aesthetics.

Although Si Teng, dressed in an elegant light blue embroidered cheongsam, still looked somewhat out of place with her surroundings, at least she was less conspicuous.

After strolling around for a while, Su Ning suddenly needed to use the restroom. She told Si Teng to wait where she was and then hurriedly went to find a restroom.

Si Teng stood still, his gaze quickly drawn to a shiny claw machine in the arcade next door.

A seven or eight-year-old boy was inserting a coin and manipulating a lever, trying to grab the toy inside, but he failed repeatedly, his face turning red with frustration.

Sito observed curiously and quickly understood the rules.

Her innate strong learning ability and self-control made it seem effortless to her.

As the little boy stomped his feet in frustration after yet another failure, she inexplicably reached out and picked up a game coin directly from the little boy's basket on the table.

The little boy was stunned and hadn't reacted yet when Si Teng had already inserted the coin into the machine and skillfully operated the joystick.

With precise control of force and timing, the claw managed to grab a cute rabbit doll, but it failed to deliver it to the exit successfully!
The little boy stared dumbfounded at the beautiful aunt who had "robbed" his coins, and then burst into tears!
Just then, Suning returned and was horrified by what he saw!
He rushed over, apologized repeatedly, and bought a whole basket of game tokens to give to the little boy as compensation. It took him a long time to calm the child down.

Turning around, I saw Si Teng still standing in front of the claw machine, staring blankly at the other plush toys inside, showing no remorse whatsoever for "committing a crime."

Su Ning sighed, resignedly inserted a coin, operated the joystick, and also picked up a rabbit plush toy for her, handing it to her in an attempt to ease the tension.

Sito took the fluffy rabbit, looked at it, and then looked at the little boy next to him who had just stopped crying but whose eyes were still red.

She suddenly chuckled softly, walked over, and placed the rabbit doll into the little boy's arms.

The little boy, holding the rabbit, stared blankly at the strange woman.

Suning was also stunned, completely unable to understand her actions.

Leaving the gaming area, Su Ning looked at Si Teng's curious yet resistant expression towards everything around him and couldn't help but tease him: "You're really not like those aliens in the movies, technologically advanced and all-knowing. It seems like you've never even seen a movie?"

Si Teng glanced at him: "Movies? What are those?"

Helpless, Su Ning decided to broaden her horizons.

He booked a small private theater and chose a classic 90s romance film, hoping it might help her understand some modern expressions of emotion.

However, the cliché plot of the movie, in which the male and female protagonists separate due to a misunderstanding and then reunite, unexpectedly touched upon Si Teng's deeply buried feelings.

Watching the man's hesitation and betrayal on the screen, she couldn't help but think of her own long-buried past, the boyfriend who had once made her give her heart but had let her down...

She suddenly retorted coldly, "Hmph, men are all the same, from ancient times to the present, heartless, ungrateful, and utterly selfish!"

Suning, who was drinking cola, almost choked. He felt that this sweeping generalization was inexplicable, but he didn't want to argue with this old monster who was immersed in his own emotions.

I had to make up an excuse: "It's a bit stuffy inside, I'm going out for some fresh air."

Si Teng was left alone in the theater, sulking in front of the screen.

……

Suning wandered around outside for a while, feeling a bit stifled, so he bought a can of beer at a convenience store and leaned against the roadside to drink it.

This fantasy dungeon world is incredibly exciting, and the level of danger is beyond what an ordinary person like me can comprehend.

Si Teng found him and, seeing his state, immediately frowned and scolded, "Drinking and slacking off in broad daylight! Our purpose here is clear, are you here to waste your time? You are utterly useless!"

The attention of passersby was drawn to her, making Su Ning feel embarrassed and irritated.

But thinking of the opponent's terrifying strength, he forcibly suppressed it, though his expression was not very good.

In an attempt to regain some ground, and fueled by a bit of alcohol and a playful tone, he suddenly said to Si Teng, "Si Teng, do you know who the man I admire most is?"

Si Teng stared at him coldly, without saying a word.

“It’s Xu Xian from the Legend of the White Snake,” Su Ning said to himself.

Si Teng was indeed aroused: "Xu Xian? What is there to admire about a cowardly mortal?"

Su Ning chuckled, with a hint of teasing: "Because I admire him for daring to even seduce snakes! That kind of courage isn't something an ordinary man would have."

Si Teng didn't quite understand the modern slang meaning of the word "泡" (pào), but combined with the context and Su Ning's expression, she instantly realized that she was being teased by the man in front of her.

A faint blush quickly spread across her fair cheeks, and her eyes instantly filled with frost, radiating murderous intent!
"You! Are! Looking for! Death!" She practically spat out those three words through gritted teeth. "Men are all the same! If you dare to spout nonsense again, I won't hesitate to let you taste the feeling of vines piercing your heart!"

Seeing that Si Teng was truly angry, Su Ning instantly sobered up considerably and quickly waved her hands and backed away, saying, "Just kidding! Just kidding! Miss Si Teng, please calm down! I'll go find out the information right away! Right now!"

After saying that, he practically fled in panic.

This joke from the ancestor of the Yi ethnic group is not something to be made lightly.

However, a whimsical idea suddenly popped into Suning's head: wouldn't it be exciting to soak this plant-like half-demon?

Looking at Su Ning's back, Si Teng seemed to see through Su Ning's lustful heart and suddenly revealed a playful expression.

...(End of chapter)