The Coward - Chapter 1

Before I could even react, I had been dressed in bloodred bridal robes.

For the first bow, there was no heaven or earth in sight. For the second, no parents sat in the hall.

And the “groom” beside me was a charred-black entity three meters tall, draped in crimson wedding clothes.

When it bent to bow, its spine cracked with a brittle *snap*.

My legs gave out. I collapsed and struck my forehead against the floor.

The third bow—bride and groom to each other.

In the blink of an eye, I was lying on an antique wedding bed. Red candles burned bright, the bed curtains hung low, and the entity sat beside me.

Its face was a mangled mass of flesh. Its impossibly thin neck stretched longer and longer as it slowly brought its face toward mine.

I wanted to vomit. I wanted to scream. I wanted to call my childhood friend Li Jingchi’s name and beg him to come back and save me.

But terror at its absolute limit became paralysis. I could not make a sound.

All I could do was close my eyes in resignation as huge tears rolled down my cheeks.

Then the cracking beside my ear abruptly stopped.

An ice-cold hand covered my eyelids, plunging me into darkness.

When the weight lifted and I opened my eyes again, the enormous, skeletal entity from moments ago seemed to have been nothing but a nightmare.

The person sharing my pillow was unmistakably the elegant young heir of some noble family.

I blinked hard.

The young man seated at the edge of the bed wore brilliant red wedding robes, his white hair flowing like moonlight over snow. His fine-boned face held the hint of a smile. He was impossibly beautiful.

“Wife…”

Yet when it spoke, its voice was unnaturally stiff, plainly a monster struggling to imitate human speech.

“My wife…”

The white-haired young man leaned over me again, drawing closer and closer. His silken hair slid from his shoulder and brushed coolly across the tip of my nose.

I bit down on my lower lip, my face drenched in tears, and instinctively turned my head left to avoid him.

It followed, pressing its cold lips gently to my cheek.

I shook my head desperately and turned to the right.

Its head tilted after me, and it kissed my left cheek.

My brain short-circuited.

The visual horror might have vanished, but I knew perfectly well that this handsome man before me was the charred entity from moments ago.

I still remembered the first time I had tried to escape from Li Jingchi. He had caught me in less than half a day, seized my wrist, and teleported us both beside players who had died with their eyes wide open.

“See that?”

“That’s your future. You’ll be tricked like an idiot, then devoured down to the last scrap.”

“Never trust the entities’ ‘kindness.’ There’s only one thing in their heads: how to eat you more efficiently.”

“Gu Lin, you can’t survive on your own. I’m the only person here who can protect you.”

Just like now.

This entity had to be savoring my death throes, knowing I must be fantasizing that it might let me go.

Like a person toying with a cookie when they were not hungry—licking it first, then finally swallowing it.

I squeezed my eyes shut again, hopeless tears spilling without end.

Those cold kisses moved to the corners of my eyes and carried the tears away.

Then I felt something tugging at my clothes, loosening sash and robe.

My eyes flew open. The whimper lodged in my throat finally burst free.

“No!!”

My gaze collided with the “young man’s” pitch-black eyes.

It tilted its head slightly, expressionless.

My body went even weaker with fear. Trying instinctively to make amends, my teeth chattered as I forced myself to continue.

“I-I mean… don’t—don’t rush… because you’re too wonderful…”

“Look at you. You’re so handsome, and you can perform magic. You’re incredible, and you’ve been so-so gentle with me… I’m truly moved… I’m so happy I married you…”

I trembled as I spoke, tears still pouring down my face.

“B-but this is my first marriage… so could we take it slowly? I promise I won’t run. I swear!”

The entity stared at me in silence the entire time.

Those hollow black eyes never blinked.

It went on so long that I thought it would rip open my stomach the very next second.

“No,” it said.

Before despair could swallow me whole, it scooped me up, raised me high in the air, then settled me in its arms, seated facing it.

Its hand came down on top of my head. It stroked me once, then again.

“Afraid.”

It lowered its head and pressed cold lips to my hair.

“My wife.”

Then it kissed my forehead.

“Don’t be afraid.”

And kissed me once more between the brows.

“…”

I was dazed senseless by its kisses and did not dare move a muscle.

The entity, meanwhile, seemed to have developed an addiction to petting me like a cat. It was in no hurry to eat me. It did not stop at stroking my head; its fingers explored my ears, the nape of my neck, even my elbows, giving each a curious squeeze.

Gradually, my racing heart slowed. The petting made me drowsy, my eyelids growing heavier and heavier.

Then its movements suddenly stopped.

Half asleep, I tipped my head back. “Mm… hmm?”

Why had it stopped?

The instant our eyes met, however, I saw an eyeball tumble from its socket as it lowered its head, leaving behind a hollow black pit.

“…”

I blinked.

Then my eyes rolled back, and I fainted dead away from fright.