One moment, Yetao was in his dorm room, staring at his tablet—the next, he was somewhere... else.
The sensation of falling came first, then a peculiar lightness as if gravity had loosened its hold. When the world stopped spinning, Yetao found himself perched on a mountainside unlike anything he had ever seen.
Trees with blossoms made of gems swayed in a gentle breeze. The sky—not blue, but a sweeping canvas of pink and crimson hues—stretched endlessly above him. And most strikingly, two crescent moons hung in the heavens, their silvery forms entwined like dancers frozen mid-pirouette.
"What the hell... or heaven is this?" Yetao tried to say, but no words came out.
Everything around him seemed impossibly large, as if he'd shrunk to the size of an insect. Confused, he glanced down at himself and nearly had a heart attack.
Where his body should have been—his lean dancer's physique, his carefully moisturized skin—there was only orange fur.
"Why do I have fur all over me? I'm... a fox?" he tried to scream, but all that emerged was a small, high-pitched yip.
Not just any fox—a tiny fox with nine tails fanning out behind him like a fiery peacock's plumage.
"I have nine tails? And I'm so little. How cute," he thought, his panic momentarily eclipsed by delight at embodying his favorite animal.
Reality—or whatever this was—quickly reasserted itself.
"But wait, isn't this dream feeling too real to be a dream? I don't remember sleeping while playing the game though."
A more alarming thought struck him.
"Or else... was the cake drugged?"
His mind raced through increasingly absurd scenarios.
"Lu, how could you do this to me?" he thought, before immediately dismissing the idea. "No... he couldn't have drugged me. Did he receive the cake from his fans then? Did the fans drug the cake and try to... OMG, those horrible fans. After I wake up tomorrow, I'll file a police report."
The alternative—that he had somehow been transported into the game—was too preposterous to consider.
"I can stay sane even when I'm drugged because I'm quite strong maybe. But Lu could've fallen prey to their schemes. My poor Lu." Yetao felt a surge of misplaced concern for Whylucas, who was, in reality, perfectly safe back in their shared dorm.
As he spiraled deeper into his conspiracy theories, a translucent panel materialized in the air before him, glowing with ethereal blue light:
Welcome Taotao143...
Mission: Acquire the demon's heart...
Reward: ---
Penalty: Death
Time remaining: 89:23:59:05
Yetao watched with morbid fascination as the seconds ticked down.
"The time's reducing? Like hell I'll be in this world for that long," he scoffed internally. "I'll just explore a bit and go to sleep. I'm gonna wake up in my bed tomorrow anyway."
With newfound determination to enjoy his "drug-induced hallucination," Yetao set off to explore the mountain, his tiny paws carrying him with surprising agility over the strange terrain.
After a short trek, he came upon a pond that seemed to defy the natural laws of water. Its surface shimmered with impossible blues and pinks, catching light that seemed to come from within rather than reflecting the twin moons above.
Curious, Yetao dipped his paws into the water, marveling at how real it felt—cool and silky against his fur.
Movement at the pond's edge caught his attention. A group of what appeared to be fish were approaching, but rather than swimming, they were... walking? Yes, walking with their fins crossed one over the other in a manner reminiscent of models on a runway.
"What's with those fishes or whatever? Why not swim?" Yetao wondered, perplexed. "Maybe I watched too many fashion shows? Is that why they're walking like that in my dreams."
The fish-creatures glided past him without so much as a glance, moving from water to land with elegant indifference.
"Hah, how disrespectful," Yetao bristled internally. "Shouldn't they greet me since this is my dream?"
His competitive spirit flared up.
"Do they look down on me since they think I can't walk like them? Try me, I'm a diva too."
With that, Yetao began to strut along the pond's edge, mimicking their cross-legged gait with exaggerated flair. He was so invested in perfecting his catwalk that he didn't notice the approach of another presence until he felt himself being lifted from behind.
"Huh? Who's this human?" Yetao flinched, his small body suspended in mid-air.
"Why are you walking like that?" a deep, melodious voice asked from behind him. "Did someone send you to seduce me?"
Yetao froze at the accusation.
"Seduce who? The audacity of this human to spout such nonsense to a cute little fox. What a pervert!" He struggled to free himself from the stranger's grasp, twisting and squirming.
The man turned Yetao around to face him, and Yetao's mental tirade came to an abrupt halt.
The stranger was breathtaking—there was no other word for it. Eyes like liquid mercury, gleaming with intelligent mischief. Hair as pristine as fresh snow, cascading past broad shoulders. A small mole beneath one eye, like a deliberately placed beauty mark accentuating the perfection of his features.
"He's ethereal," Yetao thought, mesmerized.
To his horror, the man's perfect lips curved into a knowing smile.
"I'm ethereal? You came to seduce me because I'm handsome?" The stranger laughed, the sound like crystal bells.
"Huh? Did he read my mind?" Panic shot through Yetao. "Why does this dream make me feel so embarrassed? This is my dream, I'm ordering you. Change the scene!"
He concentrated hard, trying to will himself into a different setting—anywhere but trapped in the hands of this mind-reading, impossibly beautiful man.
"Your dream?" The stranger's eyebrow quirked upward. "Is this one of your tactics, or are you just dumb?"
"Tch... this handsome bastard," Yetao fumed, renewing his efforts to escape. "Just let me change the scene. I'll beat you senseless if I were in human form."
"You'll beat me senseless?" The man's eyes widened in mock fear. "What a scary little creature you are." His expression softened. "But, strangely, I find it cute."
Before Yetao could process that statement, the man placed a hand on his small head. A warm sensation flooded through him, and suddenly the world shifted—shrinking around him as he grew.
In an instant, Yetao was back in his human form, but still being held. The stranger had adjusted his grip, now cradling him like a princess in his arms.
The man stared at him, genuine surprise crossing his perfect features.
"I must say. You're looking good. Qualified enough to seduce me," he said appreciatively, before adding with a hint of disappointment, "But too bad you're a man."
His lips quirked into a challenging smile. "Now that you've turned into your human form, why don't you beat me senseless?"
Heat rushed to Yetao's face—from embarrassment or anger, he wasn't sure which. He wriggled out of the man's arms, dropping to his feet and putting some much-needed distance between them.
"Why is this dream so long?" Yetao thought desperately. "When will I wake up? At this rate, I might die of embarrassment. Does this mean I'll die while sleeping? What about my years of effort to debut?"
"For your information," the stranger said, interrupting Yetao's internal crisis, "I can't read your mind if you're in your human form. So, can you use your mouth to speak instead of your face?"
Yetao blinked, momentarily thrown by this information.
"Are you a dream fairy?" he blurted out, the first question that came to mind.
The man's laughter rang out, echoing across the strange landscape.
"Why do you think it's a dream?" he asked when he finally recovered.
Yetao crossed his arms defensively. "Of course it's a dream. Do you think I'm dumb? Which world has two moons and colored skies? Even the fishes are mocking people. And you saw I was a fox moments ago—a nine-tailed fox at that. If I believe this is reality, then I might even believe pigs could fly."
"But pigs could fly though," the man said with a perfectly straight face.
"What's with this dumb man? What a waste of his face," Yetao thought, growing increasingly frustrated. "I can't waste any more time. I must find a way to wake up."
Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the man approaching until they were standing a breath apart, those mercury eyes peering directly into his.
"I told you to use your mouth, didn't I?" the stranger whispered, his voice dropping to a husky tone. "What are you thinking about, making me all anxious?"
Yetao froze, captivated by those gleaming eyes despite himself. For several heartbeats, neither moved. Then Yetao blinked, breaking the spell, and hastily stepped back.
"I'm just thinking about how to wake up," he stammered. "Why are you getting close to me suddenly? You pervert fairy!!!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Yetao wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear. But instead of taking offense, the stranger burst into laughter again, the sound so genuine that Yetao found it hard to stay annoyed.
Mortified, Yetao quickly turned to leave, only to feel a gentle but firm grip catch his wrist.
"Wait..." The laughter subsided into a warm smile. "I'm not a pervert or a dream fairy. You can call me Bambam. I'm just traveling across the realm to sort out a few issues." He tilted his head, curiosity evident in his expression. "May I know your name?"
"Why should I tell you when I'm not even going to meet you tomorrow?" Yetao snapped, trying to regain some dignity.
Bambam's eyes sparkled with challenge. "For some reason, you seem to be thinking this is a dream. Why don't we test it then?"
He took a step forward, and Yetao instinctively backed up. "Why... do I need to test it? I know this is a dream."
His retreat was halted by the solid trunk of a gem-blossomed tree. Before he could sidestep, Bambam had placed his hands on either side of Yetao's head, effectively trapping him.
The intensity in Bambam's gaze sent a shiver down Yetao's spine—like a predator assessing its prey. Slowly, with deliberate gentleness, Bambam raised one hand to Yetao's neck, fingertips brushing softly against his skin. The touch sent an electric current through Yetao's body, causing him to flinch involuntarily.
Those exploring fingers continued upward until they reached his cheek, where they suddenly pinched—hard.
"Ow!" Yetao yelped, pushing Bambam's hand away. "What are you doing? Are you nuts?"
Bambam stepped back, looking smugly victorious. "Will you feel pain in your dream? This isn't a dream now, right?" His smile softened slightly. "Now, can you tell me who you are?"
The realization hit Yetao like a physical blow. The detail of this world—the sensation of the water on his paws, the solid tree at his back, the sting on his cheek—it was all too vivid, too consistent. And the pain... you weren't supposed to feel pain in dreams, were you?
"Then... where is this?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Bambam opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a shrill feminine voice.
"Young master? Why are you here?" A young woman dressed in elaborate frills was rushing toward them, her expression a mixture of relief and exasperation. "Do you know how much we searched for you? Come with us before your aunt knows about your escape!"
Yetao stared at her in confusion. "Who's young master? Who are you?"
The girl's eyes widened in disbelief before narrowing dangerously. Without warning, she smacked his arm.
"This isn't time to play, Young master. Come with me right now!" Her tone left no room for argument.
Yetao's mind raced. The girl was addressing him as "young master," which made no sense. But then again, nothing in this place made sense.
"She's suspicious," he thought, weighing his options. "But this man is more suspicious since he said pigs can fly. This world is the most suspicious thing right now. If I should choose someone, this girl is the best option."
Decision made, he prepared to follow the girl, but Bambam's voice stopped him.
"You didn't tell me your name yet, Mr. Possibly Young Master," he said, amusement dancing in his eyes.
In response, Yetao pulled down his lower eyelid in a childish gesture and stuck out his tongue before turning to follow the girl.
As they walked away, he could feel Bambam's eyes on his back.
"Hah, what a funny prey," Bambam murmured, too softly for Yetao to hear. "Fine, it's been long since I had my fun. After all, the more resistance brings more pleasure to hunt."
The celestial landscape darkened as evening descended upon the Immortal Realm, the twin moons rising higher in the star-strewn sky. The air took on a deep purple glow, signaling the end of Yetao's first day in this impossible world.
Whatever mysteries awaited him—whatever the purpose of this "demon's heart" quest—Yetao did not even imagine that this suspicious stranger Bambam, would play significant role in his strange journey.