“Ke Xun,” Mu Yiran stood up and sat next to Ke Xun, extending his arm to hold him and placing one hand over his head. “I know what you’re worried about. You’re worried that this world is controlled by the consciousness of some force, and that this force happens to be the mastermind behind the paintings. In that case, all our resistance, all our struggles, might be in vain, and in the end, we all will inevitably face death.”
Mu Yiran gently rubbed Ke Xun’s messy hair, his voice soft and soothing. “Last night, after you fell asleep, I also gathered some information. I have a discovery that might comfort you.
“The so-called quantum is a basic entity in which a physical quantity is divided to the point that it cannot be divided again. It is the smallest unit capable of exhibiting the characteristics of a substance or physical quantity. So why can it be divided? Because its energy is not continuous.
“And through research, it has been found that human consciousness, like matter, is not continuous either. Every 0.042 seconds, there is a tiny disconnection. In this way, our consciousness can be considered as units of quantized consciousness in intervals of 0.042 seconds.
“So, Ke Xun, perhaps the reality is indeed as you imagine. Consciousness is also a form of matter, and also a quantum phenomenon. ‘Conscious particles’ are completely different from particles like photons, electrons, and gravitons, but it doesn’t mean it’s not a unique particle or substance.
“Maybe we can’t explain why consciousness can have subjective agency while matter doesn’t, but, Ke Xun, don’t forget, as long as we are alive, our consciousness won’t leave us. If the force behind the scenes is also a form of consciousness, then in a battle on the level of consciousness, we might not necessarily be weaker than it.
“There’s something you might have forgotten, but I remember it clearly. It was the third night after entering the painting ‘Faith.’ You were alone in a tent and did not meet the conditions to avoid death. According to the rules, you should have been chosen by Heishitian and died, but it observed your tent for a long time and ultimately did not choose you.
“We later thought it was because you had the correct offering, purple jasmine, on you at that time. But now thinking about it, why did Heishitian linger on top of your tent for so long?”
At this point, Ke Xun turned his face around and blinked, “Right, since I had the right offering, why didn’t it quickly turn around and look for the other two who didn’t meet the conditions?”
“It might sound absurd.” Mu Yiran smiled, “Purple jasmine is an offering to the benevolent god. Its purpose at that time was to expel the malevolent god, hence the malevolent god couldn’t harm you. But at the same time, your spiritual strength also emitted a message—you don’t believe in gods, and you would rather die than believe in them.
“However, this ‘gods’, besides the malevolent god, also includes the benevolent god. So, this powerful willpower simultaneously resisted both the malevolent and benevolent god, which was originally one entity. Along with the purple jasmine’s power of offering, your will matched the power of the malevolent god, but also restrained the power of the benevolent god.
“With the benevolent god restrained by you, the power of the malevolent god increased. Suddenly, a bug appeared on the top of your tent—this god, who embodies both benevolence and malevolence, was caught in this delicate ‘balance of wills’. It couldn’t leave nor stay and lingered outside your tent.
“Bringing up this matter now is just to make you understand, Ke Xun, powerful willpower can resist gods and demons. As long as our own will is strong, we might not necessarily be weaker than that mastermind behind the scenes. What kind of person is truly strong? Is it someone with limitless strength, steel muscles, and is unbeatable throughout the world? No, it’s not.
“Spiritual will represents the inner self. Inner strength is true strength.”
“Yiran—” Ke Xun turned around, hugging him and burying his head in his neck. He took a deep breath of the faint soap fragrance mixed with cedar. “Yiran, with you by my side, I’m not afraid of anything. I’ll surely become that strong as what you hope me to be. Yiran, I don’t want to be so passive anymore. Let’s work together from now on. We couple will get rid of that sneaky thing that only knows how to hide behind the scenes!”
Mu Yiran gently curved his lips. He held the back of Ke Xun’s neck to turn his face, and leaned in to kiss him.
……
When Ke Xun was awakened by the notification sound of WeChat messages, his entire body’s muscles were still in a state of stiffness and soreness. It was difficult for him to even turn over in bed.
Opening his eyes and glancing around, there was no one next to him. He heard some slight noises from the kitchen.
He opened his phone to check the ” People Who Go Into Painting Theory” group chat, and saw that messages were rapidly appearing.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The earliest message today was from “Ximen Worry-Free.”
Wlwfc Qbggs-Mgff: “Dgbatfgr! Vabq riffqlcu! Qjxf eq, jcv atlcx bo rbwfatlcu!”
Olaaif Ejvlrt Ueiir Qtlaf Ejyyla: “…Dlu rlr, la’r bcis obeg b’mibmx! Pa’r bcis obeg b’mibmx!”
Wlwfc Qbggs-Mgff: “Ejvlrt, kts jgf sbe rb ecqfgaegyfv? Qf’gf qgbyjyis ublcu ab vlf, jcv sbe’gf ralii lc atf wbbv ab riffq?!”
Olaaif Ejvlrt Ueiir Qtlaf Ejyyla: “…Dlu rlr, la’r cba ilxf P mjc pera cba riffq obg akb kffxr ecali atf cfza qjlcalcu…”
Ximen Worry-Free: “Think of something!”
Little Radish Pulls White Rabbit: “What can I think of? My solution is to hug the big shots’ thighs tightly and survive. How about you hold with me? I’ll give up half a leg for you; I’ll hug the big thigh, and you hug the calf.”
Ximen Worry-Free: “…Radish, where’s your dignity?! Tell me whose legs are thicker.”
Little Radish Pulls White Rabbit: “…”
Little Radish Pulls White Rabbit: “My brother-in-law, my brother.”
Ximen Worry-Free: …Who?
Little Radish Pulls White Rabbit: “@Mooney, @Corgi”
Ximen Worry-Free: “So, Boss Mu is your brother-in-law. Have you told your sister about this?”
Little Radish Pulls White Rabbit: “I don’t have a sister. My brother-in-law is my brother’s husband.”
Ximen Worry-Free: “…???… I might have learned the wrong set of family relationship charts?”
Little Radish Pulls White Rabbit: “Enough of that. I’m going to sleep a bit more. Was clearing dungeons with Brother Dong last night, stayed up a bit late.”
Ximen Worry-Free: “…You guys! Who are you all?! Do you know we’re about to die?! And you still have the mood to play games!”
Lotus Pond Serenade: “Wu You, how are you awake so early?”
Ximen Worry-Free: “I didn’t sleep all night…”
Lotus Pond Serenade: “Ah, me too. I’ve been waking up and sleeping intermittently, and I keep having nightmares. I didn’t dare to cry loudly, afraid my parents in the next room would hear.”
Ximen Worry-Free: “Crying won’t help. I also want to cry, but who can I cry to?”
Lotus Pond Serenade: “You are stronger than me. My throat is all swollen now. I plan to get up early and go out to avoid my parents noticing.”
Ximen Worry-Free: “Where do you plan to go in such cold weather? It snowed again last night, and I don’t think it has stopped.”
Lotus Pond Serenade: “I don’t know… My mind is in a mess right now. I don’t know where I want to go or what I should do. Last night, I even thought, instead of dying so miserably in the painting, why not just swallow a bottle of sleeping pills in the real world. At least it won’t be so painful. But when I see my parents, I don’t want to commit suicide. I can’t bear to leave them…”
Ximen Worry-Free: “Who doesn’t have their worries? Everyone has their own concerns, how could we just let it go… But I’ve somewhat come to terms with it now. Since we could die at any moment, why not do whatever we want before we die, make ourselves happy. I plan to go shopping as soon as it gets bright outside. Swipe my card until it maxes out, buy clothes, makeup, and bags that I felt were too expensive, eat things I didn’t dare to eat during dieting, and then go to my idol’s concert!”
Lotus Pond Serenade: “…When you put it that way… then I…”
Ximen Worry-Free: “Right, right. Wanna join me?”
Lotus Pond Serenade: “Okay, actually, I’ve always wanted to get Dior’s Ultra Rouge lipstick, but I’ve always felt it was a bit expensive…”
Ximen Worry-Free: “The Satin Classic Red one?”
Lotus Pond Serenade: “Yep, yep.”
Ximen Worry-Free: “I think that’s the only decent one out of those three shades. Let’s go together. @Deep Sea Feish, Fei Ge, do you want one too? I can get it for you.”
Deep Sea Feish: “I’ve only used my YSL one twice.”
Ximen Worry-Free: “How can a woman have only one lipstick?”
Deep Sea Feish: “Get me one. I’ll transfer the money via WeChat.”
Ximen Worry-Free: “Oookay.”
……
Ke Xun: “……”
Women sometimes were much stronger than men.
Their self-healing power was indeed powerful.
Ke Xun moved his waist, feeling both soreness and pain.
…Quite jealous of people with strong self-healing power.
The bedroom door was gently pushed open, and Mu Yiran stood at the door: “Get up and come eat.”
“Can’t get up.” Ke Xun lay dead on the pillow, “I can only come back to life with a kiss from Boss Mu.”
Mu Yiran walked to the bedside and looked down at him: “Sure?”
Ke Xun turned over and jumped out of the bed with a kip up, “No need no need, let’s eat! Tsk…”
“Did I hurt you?” Mu Yiran held him, who staggered a bit, “Is it serious?”
“Let me tell you,” Ke Xun stretched out three fingers, “max times per night from now on, no more, unless you are willing to let me…”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.” Mu Yiran ruthlessly suppressed the corgi’s rebellious heart, “Brush your teeth and eat.”
“Woof.” Ke Corgi went to the bathroom.
Although Mu Yiran moved in with him, he was still working. However, compared to before, he had been trying to reduce the number of business trips. Anything that could be done by his assistant was delegated to the assistant. Despite this, he still occupied the study and was on the computer for six or seven hours a day, seemingly oblivious to Ke Corgi circling around and rubbing against him with his tail up.
Ke Xun’s daily routine was basically playing with his phone in the morning, checking information about the next art gallery, going to the gym in the afternoon, then going to the supermarket to buy groceries. Occasionally, when Mu Yiran was not very busy, they would go to the gym and supermarket together. In the evening, both of them would discuss the paintings with their buddies in the People Who Go Into Painting Theory chat group.
The next art gallery was located in City L, called the “Tercet Art Gallery”.
When Ke Xun labeled its coordinates on the map and added it to the coordinates of all the previous art galleries, the image that appeared in front of him made Ke Xun stunned.
All the coordinates of the thirteen paintings entered before, if connected by lines, formed the letters “TN”. They reached this conclusion before going to the Impending Winter Art Museum, and everyone believed that the coordinates of the subsequent art galleries would show up after “TN”.
However, this time, the coordinate of Tercet Art Gallery was above the “T”.
In other words, what everyone thought was the letter “T” was no longer a “T”.
“Maybe it’s a ‘+’ or a ‘ten‘ in Chinese?” Ke Xun scratched his head.
“Before we thought ‘TN’ was an abbreviation of a signature, but now it seems that this speculation may be somewhat overturned,” Mu Yiran zoomed in on the map and stared at the screen in thought. “Perhaps we are too confined to thinking they are English letters. In fact, if using lines to connect these coordinates, there are many possibilities.”
“I’ll remove all the lines and let everyone connect them with lines themselves,” Ke Xun said. “Everyone’s brain works differently. Let them think freely. The more ideas, the more possibilities. Maybe they can provide more inspiration.”
“Good.” Mu Yiran watched Ke Xun earnestly arranging tasks for everyone in the group, as if he saw the little captain who managed his team with a serious face in his youth.
It was…quite cute.
thanks for the chapter!! <33
AHH they;re so cute i cant…
i cant wait to see whats happens in the next painting. thanks for the chpater!
This sweet slice of life chapter heal me a lil bit after all the horror…
Corgi king
Thank you for your translation 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
These slice of life moments really are a great break from the paintings before the next one. They are so cute and sweet haha. Yes, if you’re going to die, might as well do everything you want to do!
maybe there is a parallel universe where everyone is happy 🙏