Chapter 123: Swordsman Online 3 BL (Extra V)

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Chapter 123: Swordsman Online 3 BL (Extra V)

Rong Hansheng’s Extra (Original Timeline):

From the beginning of the plan to its end, it was only after he had finally achieved his goal that he suddenly realized he had lost the most precious thing somewhere along the way. The one who had devised the entire scheme had unknowingly fallen into his own trap.

The tea carried a faint fragrance, its warmth spreading through the air and blurring the computer screen with a thin layer of mist. The screen displayed the Swordsman Online 3 game. A Tiance and a Myriad Flower character were nestled closely together, one dressed in red and the other in golden yellow. The colors should have been harmonious, but the moment he thought of the person on the other side, all his interest vanished.

That blood-red crimson still could not compare to the person who had long since taken root in his heart. They said that what one could not obtain was always what one desired most. Was that why his eyes could only hold that person’s figure? Life was long enough to leave one’s heart wandering and adrift, yet he could not erase those faint, shallow traces.

They had barely interacted. There had been no overly intimate words between them, and even when they faced each other, he would merely turn and leave. Apart from his habitual smile, there had never been a trace of sincerity on that face. Yet somehow, without realizing when it had happened, he had foolishly and hopelessly placed that person in the depths of his heart. Perhaps their meeting had been too beautiful, allowing him for the first time to touch the kind of purity he had once believed he would never encounter in his lifetime. That pure kindness, that simple willingness to give without asking for anything in return, had planted a seed, however small. Through their later interactions, it slowly fermented, taking root and sprouting without his knowledge until it grew into a towering tree, breaking through all his defenses.

FirstRayofDawn… Dawn… enough to illuminate his world and dispel the dead silence in his heart, yet he had personally pushed it away before he even realized what he was doing. Between the two of them, he had been the one to choose to give up. It had never even begun, yet it had already ended.

Rong Hansheng casually picked up the suit draped over the back of his chair and threw it over his shoulders before walking out of the Rong Corporation building. On the computer screen, he failed to notice the fireworks rising beneath the two characters. The romantic Valley of a Thousand Flowers was the birthplace of countless bonds between lovers, but it was also where countless missed opportunities began. It was where he and Yang Qifeng had started, and likewise where he and that person had missed each other.

He drove away without heading toward his private villa or paying any attention to the person waiting for him to return. He only wanted to catch a distant glimpse of that person’s figure and suppress the longing in his heart. That was all.

Unlike his own villa, which was located in a bustling urban district, the scenery around Yang Qifeng’s villa could only be described as elegant, almost like a garden, perfectly complementing the aura of that person. If he had been the one to obtain him, he could have done the same. Loving what he loved and hating what he hated, letting him live under his indulgence until he could never look at anyone else again.

“Chenchen, what’s wrong?” Yang Qifeng carried a tray with a cup of freshly heated milk and some desserts he had made himself. The Yang Qifeng of the past would never have imagined that he could become so skilled in the kitchen. But as long as it was for Miao Lichen, nothing he did would be surprising. He placed his hand over the other man’s slightly cool hand, wanting to let his own warmth seep into him.

“Nothing, it’s just… It’s so late. There shouldn’t be anyone around. Not everyone has the good mood you do to come out and admire the moon.” There was a trace of gentleness in Miao Lichen’s voice, along with obvious indulgence. Even the curve of his lips carried a sweet warmth.

“I’ll go take a look.” Yang Qifeng’s smiling face suddenly became serious. Miao Lichen could easily forget that there had once been traces of an assassin around him, but he clearly remembered the temperature of that blade. If he had not noticed that something was wrong, if he had not arranged for people to protect Miao Lichen closely, if he had not happened to be standing beside him that day and used his arm to block the wound that should have struck his neck, he might already have lost the most important person in his life.

The moment Rong Hansheng vaguely heard those words, he had already turned away. He sat inside the car parked in the corner, where the dense vegetation concealed it perfectly.

Watching Yang Qifeng approach, he noticed the obvious footprints in the soil. Yang Qifeng seemed to glance in this direction, and the understanding in his eyes left Rong Hansheng feeling a little bitter. Yang Qifeng had probably known long ago about his feelings for Miao Lichen, yet he had chosen to stand by and watch. But wasn’t that only natural? Surely the head of the Yang Family was not going to become a saint and help his rival in love realize his feelings.

He started the sports car and returned to his own territory. Yang Qijing had already prepared supper for him, or more accurately, had obtained it from the kitchen. A cup of rich coffee rested in his hand, its deep fragrance clear to his senses. The accompanying pastries were also exquisitely prepared.

But he had long since grown tired of coffee’s bitter taste and fallen in love with the refreshing clarity of tea. Moreover, he liked things with genuine warmth, not superficial extravagance. The person before him, who constantly claimed to love him, had never understood what he truly wanted.

From the beginning of the plan to its end, Yang Qijing foolishly believed that he was the prey caught in Rong Hansheng’s net. How could he have known that he was merely a piece on the board in Rong Hansheng’s cooperation with the Yang Family? He helped Yang Qifeng obtain all of the Yang Family’s shares, while the Yang Family helped the Rong Corporation become the number one enterprise in the country.

In Yang Qifeng’s eyes, there was nothing worldly apart from Miao Lichen. It was said that Yang Qifeng had obtained the Yang Family solely for Miao Lichen. Indeed, a hero could perish in the arms of beauty. But he would rather be that hero who perished in such a paradise of love.

The pawn that was Yang Qijing had already lost its purpose, yet he had never chosen to discard him. Perhaps he kept him as a reminder of his own foolishness, a reminder of what he had once lost.

Even though they had been together for several years, the two had never truly touched each other’s bodies. A platonic love was not something just anyone could maintain, but there was no shortage of hallucinogens in this world. Although the side effects were equally astonishing, he did not care. Otherwise, he would not even be able to face himself.

He had actually remained chaste for someone who could never possibly be his…

Rong Hansheng drank a cup of strong, bitter coffee that matched his mood before returning to his room and lying on the bed. The scent surrounding his nose belonged to another person. Because it was not the scent he wanted, smelling it when he was already irritated only caused inexplicable disgust. Another person’s fingers touched him, and another person’s hand appeared on his collar. Rong Hansheng stopped Yang Qijing’s movements and discreetly administered a hallucinogen. With only a trace of dust beneath his fingernail, how could the person opposite him possibly notice?

Watching the desire in Yang Qijing’s eyes, watching him slowly undo his own collar and rub himself against the sheets as if possessed, occasionally letting out several moans, Rong Hansheng could not remain in the room any longer.

He walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and watched the distant neon lights flicker. Once again, he recalled the first time he had entered Swordsman Online 3, when that person had shown him seemingly indifferent yet meticulous concern. He remembered their first meeting in reality, when that person had smiled faintly and softly offered his thanks, only for it to be directed toward someone else. He remembered countless banquets, where that person had stood beside another man, ignoring everyone’s disdain and blocking all their attention from Yang Qifeng with his smiling conversation. Everyone said Yang Qifeng had always protected Miao Lichen, but Miao Lichen had also given just as much in return. He had simply been accustomed to doing it without leaving a trace.

Originally, he had also had a chance to obtain that warmth. He only needed not to care about that one-time deception concerning gender, nor about the common cross-gender character situation in the game. Even if they could not become lovers, they could at least have become companions like ElegantFlower and the others. Instead, he had become what he was now: “Yang Qifeng’s business partner.”

If he had not accidentally discovered Yang Qijing’s identity afterward, he would not have needed to use his own love as bait, nor would he have needed to act out an epic love story between a Tiance and a Cangjian in Swordsman Online 3. Then that person would not have believed that he had already let go and naturally said goodbye. If he had not always behaved ambiguously with Yang Qijing whenever they met… perhaps there might still have been a chance. But… there were no ifs.

He had personally severed every possibility between them, to the point that even the word “friend” had become a luxury. Miao Lichen appeared gentle on the surface, but when a decision had to be made, he was more decisive than anyone. Just as he treated his patients, as long as there was no serious danger, he could smile and tolerate all their actions. But once they crossed the line, he would not hesitate to use violence and force them to submit.

What use was there in thinking about these things now? How much longer did he have to endure this life that brought him nothing but sorrow and exhaustion?

In fact, not much longer. When his father asked him to marry into the Miao Family, he understood. Although the Rong Family had already become the number one enterprise in the country, the international stage was much larger.

The Rong Family’s international ranking was not particularly high, but things would be different once they obtained the Miao Family. Aside from Miao Lichen, the Miao Family’s other heirs were all mediocre. But the Miao Family’s resources were still there. With their assistance, everything would become much easier. And Miao Lichen clearly had no intention of involving himself in the Miao Family’s affairs, so naturally, the Miao Family became his father’s next target. Perhaps his father even intended to turn the Miao Family into an extension of the Rong Family.

Now he was the one in control of the Rong Family. He could refuse this proposal, but there was no need, was there? If he could stage a false romance with Yang Qijing for the sake of making the Rong Family the number one enterprise in the country, then he could just as easily enter a false marriage with a woman to make the Rong Family number one in the world. This was the trajectory of his life, or perhaps the trajectory he had chosen for himself.

There were no obstacles to the marriage between the Rong and Miao Families. The only person who wanted to object was locked in the basement by his ‘friendly’ relatives. After several years, the side effects of the hallucinogens had finally taken effect. Every day, he lived inside his own fantasies…

Rong Hansheng discreetly studied the young woman before him who was about to become his wife. There was the pride common to noble young ladies in her eyes, even a hint of arrogance, like an enchanting rose. Her appearance resembled that person’s in several ways, but there was not the slightest similarity in their temperaments. It was hardly surprising, considering they were only half-siblings.

The young woman had yet to be tainted by the filth of the business world and still retained her original innocence. She was as proud as a princess, completely unaware of how fragile her life was. In the end, she was merely a valuable bargaining piece. This was the person he would spend his life with. He could not say whether he felt joy or disappointment. To him, whom he married was unimportant. It was merely a matter of placing a name in the column for legal spouse.

The bells of the church rang, and he stepped onto the path of marriage. He could not give his wife love, and would even deprive her of the right to become a mother, but he could give her a life of luxury. With one final glance toward Miao Lichen’s direction, the distance between them had finally become too far to cross, even though he knew that Miao Lichen had never belonged to him.

‘I am continuing to lay out my plans here, but you are no longer part of them. From now on, the dance of my life will be a solo performance.’

‘Miao Lichen, I love you. I will continue to love you in the future, but it will have nothing to do with you.’

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