Chapter 9

[Holy shit, I suddenly got goosebumps all over, okay?! What era is this? Who still talks about ghosts and gods?!]

[Ghosts and gods may simply be powerful lifeforms that our current scientific capabilities have no way of detecting. Don't make a fuss. And besides, although the Immortal Pretty Boy didn't speak nicely just now, at least one thing he said wasn't wrong—sky, earth, rivers, and mountains, we humans do rely on them to survive. Do we really need someone else to remind us to protect our own home and pick up trash?]

Then the bullet comments went blank again for a moment, as if everyone was taking time to reflect.

Yet there were still plenty of internet trolls who didn't care. It was only because of those bizarre four consecutive falls, like punishment from the River God, that they didn't dare go too far.

Still, the fans of those four streamers—especially the curly-haired female streamer's fans—posted recordings of the livestream on Weibo. Between the lines, they accused He Qinglan of putting on too much of an act, crafting an environmentalist persona, while having a venomous mouth and no respect for others at all.

The melon-eaters who had just about finished the previous gossip were handed another melon falling from the heavens. And it even seemed to air episode by episode like a television drama. The melon-eaters were delighted beyond measure, posting online while craning their necks in anticipation, waiting to see whether an even bigger melon or a face-slapping scene would arrive?!

As it turned out, before two hours had passed, that huge final face-slapping melon really did appear!!

Because the streamers' four consecutive falls had frightened off the other streamers and passersby who had come to ride the trend, none of them dared approach He Qinglan anymore. To safely keep livestreaming, everyone even picked up a bit of trash from the riverbank and sorted it properly.

This Immortal Pretty Boy could always precisely catch their livestream cameras and their eyes. That calm gaze made them feel as though, if they didn't pick up some trash, they weren't even human.

Since the other streamers and passersby stayed far away and obediently picked up trash, their livestreams continued.

And because of that video of He Qinglan saying "shameless," netizens who had seen Weibo flooded into those livestream rooms, wanting to see what the Immortal Pretty Boy would do next.

In truth, even now, no one believed that He Qinglan was genuinely, earnestly someone who only picked up trash. Everyone was waiting for the moment he revealed his true purpose.

After all, He Qinglan's quiet trash-picking, asking for nothing in return, was simply too "great, glorious, and righteous." No one believed that a person like that still existed these days—especially one so good-looking.

But the River God, suspected of harboring ulterior motives, quietly picked up trash for a full two hours, cleaning up another small stretch of riverbank.

Other than eating two more soup dumplings midway to fill his stomach and feeding that glossy black carp, he did nothing else.

That left the streamers and passersby rather dumbfounded, while the watching netizens began to question their entire lives.

And just as everyone was nearly numb from watching someone pick up trash, a tall, handsome man suddenly appeared in one streamer's camera frame.

At first, the watching netizens paid him no mind. But just as He Qinglan carried his own halo of Immortal Pretty Boy aura, the tall man who entered the frame was born with a sharp, even somewhat wicked and chilling presence. When he entered everyone's sight, he was like an unreasonable, violent torrential downpour, seizing everything within their field of vision.

He possessed a kind of chaotic, domineering beauty.

[Holy shit! Who is that!!!]

[Oh my god! Shui Shui Shui Shui Shui Shui,]

[Shui Wuyuan, holy shit!! Boss Water actually came to find the Immortal Pretty Boy, ahhh, fuck!]

In the camera frame, the handsome and forceful man walked step by step toward the young man by the river. Though the young man had his back to him, he suddenly stopped what he was doing, then turned around.

Once again, their eyes met.

Author's Note:

He Qinglan: You think four consecutive falls are the River God's curse?

Black Carp: No! That was only Black Carp's curse! You mortals can't bear the River God's curse!!

Shui Wuyuan: I'm here, I'm here, I'm here!!

Chapter 9

When the cool and detached young man met eyes with the sharp, chilling man, everyone present seemed to hear the sound of crashing waves.

Then, though it was still a sunny day, a fine, dense drizzle unexpectedly began to fall over Bicheng.

The misty rain was not heavy, yet it added several shades of artistic mood to the scene of their locked gazes.

[Holy shit, the camera lens is wet. Is it raining over in Bicheng?!]

[Oh my god, it really rains everywhere he goes. Bicheng's weather forecast said there would be no rain today, that it would be bright and sunny! Boss Water's Rain God persona remains unshaken!!]

[Worshipping the Rain God today √, waiting to worship the King of Clapbacks.]

[Excitedly rubbing my hands together—what do you think Boss Water's first words will be?! How cold and domineering will they be?]

[Hahaha, no matter what Boss Water says, he'll definitely teach that foul-mouthed fake immortal a lesson! I love watching Boss Water clap back at people! Nobody speak, let me watch!! Streamer, wipe your lens! Why are you standing there like a block of wood without moving?!]

Yet none of the streamers present moved. It felt as though moving even once would be extremely dangerous.

It was like two terrifying beasts facing off against each other, while they were frail little animals that could be killed by a single breath from those beasts. Only fools would move!

At this moment, He Qinglan looked at the man before him and felt the vast Sourcewater Power radiating from him.

It was a power of "water" similar to yet different from his own—the water without source or root, the rain falling across the skies.

"Tsk."

The Immortal Pretty Boy, who had always been cool and detached with little expression, openly revealed a somewhat disdainful look.

Unlike his disgust toward streamers who did not pick up trash, or his disregard for ordinary people, his expression was exceptionally rich at this moment—beneath the naked little disdain lay a few traces of unmistakable lemon-sour envy, jealousy, and resentment.

"So it's you."

Shui Wuyuan clearly sensed this River God's disdain, but he did not care about that little bit of disdain in the slightest. He preferred the sour flavor of envy, jealousy, and resentment within it.

Thus, the netizens who had been waiting for Boss Water to open his mouth and tear someone apart saw the handsome man, who had just been sharp and merciless, suddenly flash the Immortal Pretty Boy a dazzling grin. With a bright expression Boss Water had never shown before, one that could practically blind people, he said, "That's right, it's me. I'm Shui Wuyuan."