A Great Man Lives Between Heaven and Earth-How Can He Remain Under Another's Thumb for Long?

Amid smoke and flames, several exaggerated pixelated missiles rained down on Lin Shuang.

The missiles hit the ground with pixel-style explosions and extremely classic sound effects.

However, the missiles were merely visual effects and likewise did not damage Lin Shuang's home.

Once the missiles exploded, the flames and smoke dispersed.

Sam and Kafka dissolved into streams of data, while Silver Wolf raised her Prometheus and pressed its barrel directly against Lin Shuang's forehead.

Silver Wolf looked down at the cold-sweating Lin Shuang, then suddenly kicked off her shoes and planted a foot on Lin Shuang's face.

Her smooth, fair little foot pressed firmly against Lin Shuang's cheek. Since Silver Wolf herself was no stronger than Lin Shuang—

—that kick was not particularly heavy. Instead, it let Lin Shuang enjoy the softness and cuteness of that pale little foot.

"Any last words?"

Silver Wolf looked down at Lin Shuang, whose face she had viciously pinned to the floor, and stomped a few more times.

"Father and son, huh? You like feet, huh? You've got a mouth, huh? Eat! Eat it for me! I'll let you taste for yourself what it's like!"

"Eh, heh... cough, ptooey!"

Lin Shuang barely resisted the urge to take a suck and asked with utmost seriousness,

"Are you sure you want me to eat it?"

"..."

That question actually left Silver Wolf speechless.

Seeing that Silver Wolf did not answer, Lin Shuang immediately pushed her luck.

"If you don't say anything, I'll take that as consent. I'm gonna suck, suck, suck, suck, suck!!!"

Yet just as she put Silver Wolf's little foot into her mouth, that smooth, fair foot turned into a stream of particles.

Its solid sensation vanished in an instant, leaving nothing but air in Lin Shuang's mouth.

When Lin Shuang sat up from the floor and looked up, she saw Silver Wolf sitting cross-legged atop the back of the sofa, staring at her as though she were human trash.

"I thought you were perverted enough online. I didn't expect you'd actually want to lick it."

"Hey—you were the one who told me to lick it! And you stepped on my face right away! What right do you have to call me a pervert? You're obviously the pervert."

"I told you to lick it, and you actually did?"

"My whole thing is taking good advice! Why wouldn't I eat something delivered right to my door?"

"..."

Silver Wolf was temporarily at a loss for words. She simply could not argue with a shameless foot fetishist who would not budge.

Lin Shuang had calmed down by now. Although she knew it was fake, those dangling jade-like feet still drew her gaze without pause.

But while she looked, her mind was also working. After thinking briefly, she suddenly asked,

"Say, that 'Great God Silver Wolf of the Gaming Realm' wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"

"Oh, you finally figured it out? I was wondering when you'd catch on."

Silver Wolf's mocking tone, as though ridiculing Lin Shuang's lack of intelligence, left Lin Shuang speechless.

"No, what decent person calls herself a 'Great God'? Aren't you embarrassed to use an ID like that every day?"

"It's a recognized title voted on by the community. Why would I be embarrassed? It's an honor."

As she spoke, Silver Wolf flipped over and lay sprawled across Lin Shuang's sofa, kicking up her little feet as she pulled out a handheld console and began playing as if no one else were there.

Lin Shuang climbed up from the floor and looked at Silver Wolf's pose, feeling rather speechless.

"What exactly did you come here for? Don't tell me it was just to stomp on me a few times?"

It would have been better if Lin Shuang had not mentioned it. The moment she did, Silver Wolf's expression turned disdainful. She clicked her tongue, turned her head, and complained,

"Tch. I originally wanted to bring Kafka and Sam here to beat you up, but you're even tougher than I imagined. A projection alone apparently can't beat you."

"You can even do that?"

"Projections like mine. It's just adding physical collision data, no big deal. But we can't replicate abilities. Otherwise, I'd have Kafka use her Word Spirit to control you and see how you'd run then."

Lin Shuang plopped down beside Silver Wolf and could not help reaching out to pinch the ornament on Silver Wolf's head.

Silver Wolf raised a hand and slapped Lin Shuang's hand away before continuing,

"Move. Behave yourself, then play with me for a while longer."

"Still playing? What time is it already?"

Silver Wolf glanced out the window, then looked at Lin Shuang in confusion.

"It's not even dawn yet. Isn't it still early? Are you heading out at this hour?"

"..."

Divine Gold.

So you pull all-nighters gaming every day, huh?

You don't sleep?

"Stop playing, stop playing. Since you're here, help me with something."

"?"

Hearing that, Silver Wolf raised her head. She did not seem surprised in the slightest; rather, she waited for Lin Shuang to continue with an attentive expression.

After thinking it over, Lin Shuang suddenly asked,

"Could today's whole thing be in Elio's script too? Then can I ask about my future?"

"Of course not. And it's not that detailed. The script only says that when I track you down and kill you through the internet, you'll ask me for a small favor. It doesn't say what the favor is."

Lin Shuang had only asked casually and had not expected to actually see the script, so after hearing Silver Wolf's explanation—

With a clang, she raised the greatsword she had not put away.

Lin Shuang had not set the greatsword ablaze during their fight earlier, so it had not triggered any sound effects. Now, as flames gradually climbed across it—

—a randomly shuffled playlist began to play.

"..."

Silver Wolf stared blankly at the sword, then at Lin Shuang. Finally, she burst out laughing and rolled around on the sofa.

"You have a fetish like that too? You put speakers on your weapon? I'm dying. You still have the nerve to say I'm not embarrassed? Aren't you embarrassed when you fight? I'm embarrassed for you."

"Get lost—!"

Lin Shuang's little face turned red as she shouted back,

"It's not like I wanted this!"

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say."

"..."

Her fists clenched.

Suppressing the urge to bring the sword down on Silver Wolf, Lin Shuang said,

"I want you to help me figure out whether you can extract the playlist from this sword."

"That's easy. But you really didn't make this yourself? Hah, who makes a weapon with such a weirdly nasty gimmick?"

Silver Wolf reached out and took the greatsword. The extinguished blade lay quietly on the sofa as Silver Wolf fiddled with it.

However, after feeling around for a while, Silver Wolf suddenly looked up with a mischievous grin.

A Man Born to Live Between Heaven and Earth, How Could He Remain Long in Another's Shadow?

The moment Lin Shuang saw that smile, she immediately felt that something was wrong. Was this girl planning to take the opportunity to make some demand?

Silver Wolf had clearly guessed Lin Shuang's thoughts, so she had no intention of being polite.

"Come on, call me Dad once, and I'll help you. This sword is powerful. Its internal structure is completely integrated. Unless you destroy it by force, the speakers can't be removed."

"You—"

Seeing Lin Shuang's widened eyes, Silver Wolf instantly felt delighted.

Yes, yes, yes!

This was exactly the expression she wanted to see on Lin Shuang's face!

"Hmph! You think something this small is enough to make me say that? No way! Leave. I don't need your help anymore!"

Lin Shuang stubbornly held her chin high, while Silver Wolf was in no hurry. She raised a hand and stood the greatsword upright beside her, then crossed her legs and leaned back on the sofa.

She watched Lin Shuang perform with complete confidence.

"Are you sure? Do you think I don't know what you want to do by extracting these songs? Funny. There may be quite a few people who can help you, but I'm probably the only one you can find right now."

Silver Wolf continued teasing Lin Shuang. She more or less knew what Lin Shuang was thinking.

She did not know exactly how Lin Shuang planned to use the music, but it certainly was not simply for listening.

According to the script Elio had given her, today's events were connected to whether Lin Shuang would have a chance to obtain an invitation to Penacony's Charmony Festival.

Not just anyone could get an invitation to the Charmony Festival.

Lin Shuang was probably planning to take the route through that Celestial Clan Songstress. That was indeed a rather likely point of entry.

This greatsword was very peculiar. Its internal structure was exceedingly intricate and difficult to analyze. On top of that, the material used for the sword was exceptionally resilient.

With Punklorde technology, it would not be much of a problem. But using ordinary methods, it would be difficult to investigate its internal structure without dismantling it violently.

Therefore, Silver Wolf was certain that Lin Shuang needed her skills.

Otherwise, she would not have come knocking just because of a few provocative words online. She was not that bored.

Damn it, Silver Wolf had her figured out.

Seeing Silver Wolf's expression, Lin Shuang knew that this person had probably already seen her purpose in Elio's script.

Watching Lin Shuang struggle like this made Silver Wolf secretly ecstatic!

It felt like finally getting revenge, but only halfway. Lin Shuang had to say it out loud before Silver Wolf could feel completely satisfied.

After thinking a little, and considering that Lin Shuang might be too embarrassed to say it, Silver Wolf suddenly raised a hand. A light screen appeared out of thin air.

After tapping away on the screen, Silver Wolf sent a message from the Interastral Peace Corporation to Lin Shuang's phone.

'100,000,000 Credits have been deposited into your account.'

"Holy shit—"

One hundred million!

Lin Shuang's eyes instantly turned red.

She immediately dropped to the ground in a tiger pounce, wrapped her arms around Silver Wolf's thigh, and shouted,

"Lin Shuang has drifted through life for half her days, lamenting only that she never met a worthy lord. If you do not disdain me, I, Shuang, am willing to take you as my adoptive father!"

"..."

Silver Wolf looked at Lin Shuang, who was clinging to her thigh and bawling like a child, and laughed.

"Don't rush. That's a hundred-year Interstellar Loan I arranged for you."

"???"

Lin Shuang abruptly looked up and met Silver Wolf's eyes.

After the two locked eyes passionately for a second, Lin Shuang suddenly let out a strange cry, launched herself into the air, and struck a pose as though she were about to pounce on Silver Wolf.

"Hmph—! A man born to live between heaven and earth, how could he remain long in another's shadow! You bold little thief, I cannot let you live today!!"

"Stop messing around."

Watching Lin Shuang's instant change of face, Silver Wolf felt her anger fade away.

She then picked up the greatsword and began examining it.