Chapter 467: Zhou Zhiruo’s Confession

The girl in white, as pure as snow, stood calmly deep in the bamboo forest like a fairy from a painting. Her eyes, slightly angry, stared at the young man who suddenly left her side and appeared between those two strangers. She seemed puzzled too—since there was no enmity between them, why did that man named Zhu Shen Wunian want to cut off “Kai Xin’s” head? Gangland feuds truly made no sense.
“…”
Zhu Shen Wunian was completely panicked…
He had already been severely wounded by Ye Yu Suifeng’s blade. Now, with an unknown master from the Central Plains, whose strength was unfathomable and who seemed to be acquainted with “Yi Di” “Kai Xin,” appearing beside him, his face stiffened as he involuntarily gasped in shock!
“I’m sorry. I used the wrong analogy.”
While explaining, Zhu Shen Wunian kept his sword raised, not daring to move rashly for fear of putting himself in danger.
But Kai Xin paid no attention to Zhu Shen Wunian’s tension and anxiety. He stepped forward, just like Ye Yu Suifeng, and faced Zhu Shen Wunian, who wore an innocent expression. Lifting the white veil covering his face, Kai Xin smiled faintly and said, “Say what you said just now… in front of me, once again!”
“…”
Zhu Shen Wunian had been thinking about how to avoid this disaster. Seeing the mysterious man lift the veil covering his face, he couldn’t help but stare a few more times. At that moment, his breathing became rapid, and his body trembled! It was as if he had been struck by lightning!!
“Kai, Kai Xin…”
In an instant, Zhu Shen Wunian’s face turned pale, all the blood draining from it! The legendary martial arts master from the Central Plains he had mentioned earlier appeared right before his eyes in the blink of an eye!!! His mind went blank as a “buzz” filled his head. Vaguely, he seemed to hear Kai Xin say, “Go back to Fusang. Don’t come to the Central Plains again, or you’ll die each time.” Then his vision blurred, and his consciousness quickly vanished…
“Thank you, brother, for saving me twice.”
Although Ye Yu Suifeng couldn’t hear clearly what Zhu Shen Wunian was saying, he vaguely recognized him as the person who had untied his meridians in the room. He bowed and prepared to express his gratitude, but the man disappeared as quickly as a wisp of smoke. When he regained his senses, the bamboo forest was silent.
The mission was complete…
“Who on earth is he?”
When Ye Yu Suifeng recovered from his injuries and stopped meditating, he still didn’t know who the person who had saved him twice was. But seeing the corpses on the ground, he felt greatly satisfied:

“Hmph, with such weak skills and still daring to wreak havoc in the Central Plains…” After saying that, he didn’t dare stay longer and headed toward the sea.
…
Back in the bamboo forest, Kai Xin brought Zhou Zhiruo, whom he had rescued from another bamboo hut, to the seaside.
Chen Youliang from the Beggars’ Sect had already taken people away by boat from Ling She Island!
Kai Xin had intended to take Zhou Zhiruo off Ling She Island to prevent her from turning into the utterly selfish and vicious woman depicted in Jin Yong’s stories. But unexpectedly, before leaving, the people from the Beggars’ Sect deliberately destroyed the other ships remaining on Ling She Island.
“Damn Chen Youliang.”
Looking at the wreckage floating on the sea, Kai Xin realized he still couldn’t defeat the system.
The system continued to control the course of events; everything was still moving in line with the original plot!
…
“There are no boats. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow,” said Zhou Zhiruo.
Kai Xin could only offer a bitter smile: Without a boat, it was impossible to set sail.
But even on the vast Ling She Island, Zhou Zhiruo couldn’t hide. Staying on the beach would surely attract Granny Jin Hua’s attention. The two could only go deep into Ling She Island to find a place to stay and wait for a boat to appear.
…
Kai Xin found an old, abandoned hut to serve as a temporary shelter for the two of them.
After cleaning the spider webs and dust from the room, Kai Xin laid a piece of animal skin on the relatively spacious floor and brought out some fruit.
The two ate in silence, without saying a word to each other.
…
After what seemed like a long time, Zhou Zhiruo suddenly broke the unbearable silence in the hut:
“Young Master Kai Xin.”
Her clear and pleasant voice sounded very sudden in the quiet hut.
Kai Xin opened his eyes and looked at Zhou Zhiruo’s curious gaze with confusion:
“What is it?”
“Actually, since we were on Emei Mountain, I’ve wanted to know why you’ve helped me so much.” Zhou Zhiruo tilted her face slightly and spoke to the air in front of her in a dazed tone. “When my master was alive, you had a chivalrous heart, working hard to eliminate the evil sects and rescue the six major martial arts sects. But even after my master died, you never asked me for payment… Now that my master is gone, you still went to Emei Mountain to help me, even chasing me all the way to Ling She Island overseas to save me…”
A faint blush appeared on Zhou Zhiruo’s face:
“Do you like me?”
“…”
Kai Xin was stunned:
What the hell? Can an NPC fall in love with a player?

Just as she was feeling happy and her heart was pounding, Zhou Zhiruo spoke softly to the air in that almost dreamlike tone, “Was it what Senior Sister and Master said at Mount Brightness that made you believe it…?”
“…Ah.”
With a thousand thoughts swirling in her mind, Happy was about to ask if the system had indeed become accessible when suddenly she heard Zhou Zhiruo’s tone change: “Actually, I already have someone I like in my heart.”
It was like a bucket of cold water thrown on her—her heart, which had just become heated, was instantly extinguished.
Idiot!
How could an NPC possibly develop feelings for a player?!
Happy despised herself in her heart for almost straying from her principles… over and over again…
Meanwhile, Zhou Zhiruo began to murmur about her encounter with Zhang Wuji when she was young—her helpless self back then, and Zhang Wuji, who was suffering from a “serious illness” and alone.
Sure enough!
The seeds of affection had been sown back then—a black-and-white handkerchief made Zhou Zhiruo, a young fisher girl who had lost her parents since childhood, develop feelings for someone…
And when she saw Zhang Wuji again, that sword strike caused the kind-hearted Zhou Zhiruo to fall deeply in love, unable to extricate herself.
Listening to Zhou Zhiruo’s confession, Happy gradually sorted through her chaotic thoughts and delusions, slowly finding her place within the story.
“There will be no other man in my heart… But, Hero Happy, you will always be my best confidant… okay?”
When Zhou Zhiruo said this, Happy smiled knowingly, her eyes filled with clarity and relief.
Just then…
Ding!
A system prompt suddenly appeared:
“Answer Zhou Zhiruo. If you nod in agreement, you will gain her trust and reliance; if you refuse her, your relationship will drop from trusting to indifferent.”
In such a situation, even the stupidest person would know what to choose…
Taking a deep breath, Happy turned her face toward Zhou Zhiruo’s beautiful, pure, and hopeful face.