Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 53

She and Han Ning shared a little secret—they were both longtime players of an ancient-style martial arts game called Brush Strokes Determine Destiny. The game was set in a world of swords and shadows, where heroes roamed freely.

Back when she was still producing thousands of words daily, she would sometimes log into the game during her free time to relax. However, the game had only recently launched a mobile version within the past six months.

As soon as it was available, she and Han Ning downloaded it from the app store and even chose matching usernames—Han Ning was “Ning Yue,” while Shen Xi was “Ru Feng.”

After downloading the game, Shen Xi sat by the window in a daze. Before this, she had never imagined that the only way she and Han Ning would stay in touch was through this game…

But she felt uncertain because she wasn’t sure if Han Ning would still log in or see her message. As she pondered, an idea came to her.

She posted a screenshot of herself logged into the game on Weibo with the caption: “Endless dungeons… My legs are numb from running.”

After posting, many people commented on her post. Some fans of their old CP (couple pairing) even boldly tagged Han Ning’s account, and thousands of people mentioned her.

When Han Ning saw the notification on her phone, her heart skipped a beat. She thought she had been caught on camera teasing a dog earlier that morning…

“No way… All I did was shout at the dog while it was peeing. Who told it to be so timid and run away with its tail between its legs…” Han Ning muttered as she opened Weibo to check.

When she saw Shen Xi’s post, her mind started working quickly.

Shen Xi rarely shared her personal life. Even when she updated Weibo, it was strictly work-related. Han Ning had asked her about it before, and Shen Xi’s response was: “Too many eyes are watching, too many hands are waiting to push you into the abyss. The more you say, the more mistakes you make. It’s better to say nothing at all.”

After hearing that, Han Ning understood—Shen Xi’s situation was just like hers.

But today, Shen Xi had openly shared a glimpse of her life—not just one post, but several.

As Han Ning scrolled through the comments, she noticed that some longtime fans also found Shen Xi’s behavior unusual.

“The game…” Han Ning frowned. After some thought, she decided to log in. As soon as she entered, a message from Shen Xi popped up.

Han Ning’s eyes lit up as she clicked on the ancient-style letter:
“Tomorrow at 4 PM, White Bear Restaurant.”

It had been half a month—this was the first time Shen Xi had reached out. Their separation had been so sudden that they hadn’t even had the chance to establish a discreet way to stay in contact. Shen Xi reaching out through the game… Could it be that she had discovered some dark secrets about Nie Lan?

Han Ning’s heart raced as she read the message over and over again. After a few minutes, she carefully composed a reply in an exaggerated, old-fashioned style:
“Beloved wife, are you well? My heart is anxious and restless, yearning for your safety. You are in enemy territory—please take care of yourself. Our hearts are connected, and one day, we shall walk the path of light together.”

She clicked send.

The overly dramatic message landed in Shen Xi’s inbox. When she opened it and read it, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

She looked around, ensuring that Nie Lan was nowhere in sight, before letting herself relax.

Nie Lan had gone to attend a family gathering at the Nie estate, which would take two or three days. At first, Shen Xi thought Nie Lan would bring her along, but she underestimated Nie Lan’s cautious nature. She had gone alone, leaving Shen Xi behind.

Nie Lan was extremely wary and possessive—she would check on Shen Xi every few hours, asking what she was doing. Shen Xi knew she was being monitored, so she played along, sending her short videos each time.

With a sigh, Shen Xi lay down, wishing she could sleep until 4 PM the next day—then she could finally see Han Ning.

She missed her so much…

Hugging a pillow, she sat alone by the window, thinking about their time at Yuhe Xingyuan, their two little cats, and the days they had spent working together…

As memories flooded her mind, tears blurred her vision.

She wiped her face, took a deep breath, and forced the tears back.

The villa was huge, and she was all alone—not even a shadow of another soul. She wandered around the courtyard, hoping time would pass faster.

As night fell, the sky filled with stars. After a simple meal, she went to bed but woke up in the middle of the night. Time dragged painfully slow.

She sighed and forced herself back to sleep. At 8 AM, her alarm woke her. She turned it off and began her preparations.

First, she recorded a few videos—one by the pool, another in the study, and finally, a clip of herself trying on clothes and cooking. She carefully checked them and saved them for when Nie Lan would inevitably ask for proof of her activities.

Once everything was ready, she grabbed her bag and left the villa.

Since it was in a private estate, there were no taxis available. She had noted during previous outings with Nie Lan that the nearest bus stop was five kilometers away—an hour’s walk.

Even with her regular exercise routine, the long walk left her cursing under her breath.

“Nie Lan, that damn woman… She won’t even let me have access to a car. Not even a spare key… Damn it!”

She pulled out the food and drinks she had packed, recharged her energy, and sat on the bench at the bus stop to wait.

Ten minutes later, the bus arrived. As it drove off, the scenery of mountains, rivers, and luxury villas gradually faded behind her. A sense of liberation filled her heart, even if it was only temporary.

The bus’s final stop was near White Bear Restaurant. After an hour-long ride, she got off and spotted Han Ning sitting by the window. Their eyes met, and Shen Xi’s nose tingled with emotion.

She quickly walked over, ignoring the stares of others, and gave Han Ning a big hug, whispering in her ear, “Ning Ning, I missed you so much…”

Han Ning steadied herself and wiped Shen Xi’s tears. Her own eyes shimmered as she led Shen Xi inside, telling the waiter, “We’d like a private room.”

The waiter nodded and guided them to a third-floor private room.

As soon as the door closed, Han Ning could no longer hold back. They hugged in silence, their quiet sobs the only sound in the room.

After calming down, Han Ning looked at Shen Xi with deep affection. “Xi Xi, you’ve lost weight…”

“So have you, Ning Ning…” Shen Xi gently touched Han Ning’s face. “Let’s not dwell on that now. We don’t have much time—we need to talk about the important stuff.”

She told Han Ning about a country and an island: “The country is…” She struggled with the name. “Kagat, and the island is Loers. I looked it up—there’s barely any information. It’s tiny and poor, almost like a massive human farm…”

As Han Ning read through the online details, she started piecing things together. Kagat’s economic heart was Loers Island. While it lacked rich resources, it was crucial to the country’s survival.

“Why would the Nie family, so wealthy and powerful, give their only daughter an island in a desolate place? And why would Nie Lan, who has seen the world, treat this place like a treasure?” Shen Xi voiced her suspicion. “She has an entire wall of Hermès bags as decoration…”

“The old man must be up to something!” Han Ning was shocked but then asked, “Wait, an entire wall of Hermès?”

Shen Xi: “…Focus!”

Han Ning: “You brought it up first!”

Shen Xi shot her a glare, and Han Ning immediately fell silent.