Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Chapters 15 & 16

[trobadora]

Welcome aboard for this week's chapters of our Guardian readalong!

Here are last week's chapters. You can find all previous discussions on the schedule post (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5), or via the !readalong tag.

This week's chapters:

• Chapter 15: Daqing comes searching for Zhao Yunlan, finds Shen Wei, and is dispatched to buy breakfast. Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei learn that Lin Jing is missing, and receive a delayed message from Lin Jing. Earthquakes from the Netherworld shake the city, and the team heads towards the resort Lin Jing was investigating, which is deserted.
• Chapter 16: Zhu Hong reacts badly to being sent off with Xiao-Guo, and takes off after Zhao Yunlan. Zhao Yunlan, Shen Wei et al. investigate the resort and discover everyone's been turned to dust by something escaping from beneath. Zhao Yunlan realises this is a trap - and then gui come climbing out of the ground, and Shen Wei uses his blade ...

The corresponding part in the Chinese version on JJWXC/the fan translation are chapters 95-97.

Excerpts:

1) Daqing buys breakfast

"Wait a moment." Shen Wei's smile seemed a little embarrassed. Politely, he said, "I have a favor to ask of you..."

Daqing, sensible cat that he was, darted back at once. Head raised high, he said, "Just say the word."

Ten minutes later, the door to the breakfast shop downstairs was pushed open by an outrageously fat cat. The cat's face was much too round, and his eyes were almost completely obscured by the fat, giving him a somewhat vicious look. A waitress nearly tripped over him and started yelling at once. "Hey! How did this cat get in?! Get it out! Hurry and get it out!"

The large black cat raised his head, leveling a contemptuous gaze at her. Then he jumped right onto the service counter and knocked on it with his front paw. Astonished, the cashier behind the counter watched as the cat spat out a piece of paper. The cashier shakily opened the note, which turned out to read, in very tidy hand­writing, "Half a liter of soy milk, one basket of steamed buns, three fried dough sticks. Please put them in a sturdy bag. You'll find the money on the cat's neck. Please take what's needed and put any change back in the same spot. Thank you."

The cashier looked up, trying to locate the cat's neck by sight. The cat rolled his eyes and lifted his head, revealing a collar beneath his double chin. The cashier found 30 yuan tucked in there, hidden under the plush fur.

"Everyone, look at this!" The cashier's voice rang out loudly. "This is incredible! Even cats know how to buy things now!"


2) Shen Wei, hologram generator

Fossil that he was, Shen Wei had never used a smartphone before. His eyes swept over what Wang Zheng had written, and then he looked carefully at the photos of the scene. Being unused to touchscreens, he was unfortunately unable to figure it out even after a few attempts.

With a glance at Zhao Yunlan, who was currently gulping down his soy milk, he said, "Look away for a second. Don't peek."

Holding his palm above the phone screen, Shen Wei made a grabbing motion. The photo of the victim floated out of the screen, hovering in midair like a 3D projection. The visual effect was ­viscerally shocking. For a moment it was like the corpse, with its eggplant-purple face, was lying right there on the dining table.

Curiosity had kept Zhao Yunlan from obediently looking away, and now he was reaping what he had sown. He choked on a mouthful of soymilk, nearly spitting it all out onto the face of the corpse. This was a stellar example of feudal era superstitions triumphing over modern technology.

Shen Wei carefully examined the corpse's face, then reached out to "pinch" the eyes. It was as if he'd turned the very air into a 3D touchscreen, enabling himself to zoom in and out on different parts of the image!


3) Zhao Yunlan vs. Shen Wei vs. modern tech

"You used to keep up a facade, like a god among men who was above mortal desires. I'm tired of watching you pretend. I get tired on your behalf just from watching." Zhao Yunlan casually stuck his sticky note on the back of one of Shen Wei's lesson plan drafts. "Come, Adonis, there's a scanner beside the computer on the desk. Scan this for me and send it to the office. Tell them to find out as much as they can before I get there."

Shen Wei accepted it, only to wind up standing stiffly in front of the computer. After turning it on, he just stared at the contraptions in front of him. This "god among men" essentially only knew how to do two things with computers: turn them on and off and deliver PowerPoint presentations that other people had prepared for him. Everything else was his TA's job. He wasn't even sure which device was the printer and which was the scanner.

Zhao Yunlan suddenly came up behind Shen Wei. Wrapping his arms around Shen Wei, he guided his hands through the steps, starting with putting the sketched outline into the scanner. That done, he deliberately blew into Shen Wei's ear under the noise of the machine. "You should've said something if you didn't know how to use it. Why didn't you ask your husband to teach you?"


4) Turned to dust

Walking over, Shen Wei swiped a finger through the dust on the ledge. He rubbed it between his fingers and then said, "It hasn't been here long."

"The dust?" Zhao Yunlan asked. "You can tell from just that? How?"

Shen Wei dusted his hands off. "With most types I wouldn't be able to tell, but this is human ash that collected here within the last two or three days. It's still very fresh." [...]

Chu Shuzhi chose his next words carefully. "It sounds as though my lord knows how these people died...?"

Shen Wei gave a polite nod. Humbly, he said, "I'm not ­terribly knowledgeable, but I do happen to know a little in regard to this. In the ancient past, after Gonggong knocked down Buzhou Mountain, the sky burst and the earth split. The gui surfaced in the Mortal Realm for the first time, dripping with the ruthlessness of their birthplace thousands of zhang below the Huangquan. When that happened, every human and beast within a ten-li radius turned to dust in a heartbeat, just like this, and within one hundred li, not a single blade of grass grew."


5) The blade strikes

Zhao Yunlan hurriedly said, "Shen Wei, hold on. This doesn't seem like-"

But it was too late. The Soul-Executing Blade grew several ­meters, effortlessly cutting down countless gui. Shen Wei's expression was glacial. With a flip of his wrist, the blade pressed down with ­thousands of tons of pressure, far too sharp for anything to block. He split the thick black mist beneath the resort with one swing, and it dispersed before disappearing entirely. Then the blade struck the ground, opening a long, narrow crack dozens of meters deep. A bloodcurdling scream rang out. Shen Wei glared viciously down into the fissure. "Get the hell out here!"

With the astounding force and lightning speed of his attacks, it wasn't until then that Zhao Yunlan, who was not even five steps away, finally managed to grab his arm and hold him back. "This doesn't look like the Great Seal breaking! I think it's some distorted kind of Ghost Army Summons! Don't do anything rash!"

Laughter echoed from all around them before he was even done speaking. "Yes," a voice said. "Too bad the Guardian's brain and mouth aren't as fast as the Lord Emissary's blade."


Questions:

What's your favourite part in these chapters? Which SID member gets the best moment? What do you think about Shen Wei's carefree fatalism here? And about Zhao Yunlan's treatment of Shen Wei? How well are you following events here? Any thoughts about the parts that made it into the drama?

(As usual, these are just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like!)

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Comments

[trobadora]

Apologies for the negativity, but I'm not very fond of these chapters. The investigation parts are cool, and most of the SID members are too, but I like neither Zhao Yunlan's attitude towards Shen Wei, nor Shen Wei's attitude towards everything, and the less said about the whole Zhu Hong vs. Shen Wei thing, the better.

The entire Daqing sequence at the start is gold. I adore it. :D

As he spoke, he gently nudged Zhao Yunlan back into the blankets before tucking his hands back in.

Ooh, this has to be where the drama scene of SW tucking ZYL's hand under the blanket comes from! :D

He cupped a pot with his hands, and milky white light radiated from his palms.
The sickly plant responded like the earth tasting sweet rain after a long drought. It quickly became fresh and radiant. Its stem straightened. Soon it stood, graceful and elegant once more.

Awww. Healing power!

The Great Seal was about to break, but there was an unfamiliar tranquility in his heart. His entire body felt lazy and relaxed, as though even dying at that very moment would be no big deal.

:( :( :(

"I was just thinking how I've done well in the romance department for half my life, only to be defeated and sealed beneath your mountain, like the Monkey King sealed under Wuzhi Mountain. You're so powerful, Comrade Shen Wei."

I'm not sure what ZYL is saying here - is this about the top/bottom thing again? *sighs*

... And ZYL is holding his waist two paragraphs down, so it seems yes. *SIGHS*

(Does ZYL even like SW? Sometimes, with the way he's acting, I wonder. He loves him, clearly, but that's not the same thing.)

The Special Investigations Department's rules stated that, whether they were just evaluating a case or officially starting an investigation, no one worked alone. There always had to be at least two people. Daqing counted, of course. On the rare occasion when special circumstances forced someone to act solo, they had to contact the office at least twice a day to keep everyone advised of their location.

Yeah, Lin Jing was "forced" go go alone by Zhu Hong just deciding not to go with him, and no one seemed to care at the time, so I question how seriously that rule is taken at the SID, LOL.

He pulled out a Soul-Guarding Order and wrote Lin Jing's name on it with a chopstick dipped in soy milk.

OMG, Zhao Yunlan!!! LOL.

Shen Wei withdrew his hand and carefully sniffed his fingertip. "He should be fine for now. There's no scent of death or anything foul. He's still alive. You just can't reach him. Try not to worry."

Can't even be bothered to care about someone being in danger, huh?

Being unused to touchscreens, he was unfortunately unable to figure it out even after a few attempts.

To be fair, when you can spontaneously generate holograms, who needs to bother with a phone screen?

This was a stellar example of feudal era superstitions triumphing over modern technology.

LOL! Yes!

"It's just a photo. If I zoom in further, it won't be clear anymore."

Ahahaha, I think priest has watched too many TV shows with unrealistic zooming! :D : D: :D

Shen Wei's dark expression made it abundantly clear that he was displeased over Zhu Hong's name coming up.

I'm so tired of the jealousy, and so glad that absolutely zero percent of that on SW's side made it into the drama.

"Oh? What's wrong? Unhappy? Jealous?" Zhao Yunlan looked like a cat who'd gotten the cream. "I love it when other people are jealous. Won't you let this lord see?"Shen Wei accepted it, only to wind up standing stiffly in front of the computer. After turning it on, he just stared at the contraptions in front of him. This "god among men" essentially only knew how to do two things with computers: turn them on and off and deliver PowerPoint presentations that other people had prepared for him. Everything else was his TA's job. He wasn't even sure which device was the printer and which was the scanner.

Helpless SW who's so helpless he can't even say he doesn't know how to operate the scanner, just stand there helplessly like some lost child - so much DNW!

And I like ZYL's attitude even less, the way he seems to be using this to humiliate SW. :(

Lin Jing's time-delayed video message made it into the drama with very different content. Very Cool!

The resort was too quiet-practically a ghost town. There was a large delivery truck parked randomly in the middle of the road at the entrance. It still had its full load of fresh fruits and vegetables, with no sign of anything missing...except the driver. The driver's door was open, but there was no one to be seen.

So that sounds like ZYL et al. are at the entrance - but then in the next chapter, we get:

Thanks to the bizarre atmosphere, they drove all the way to the main entrance of the resort in complete silence. Upon arriving, they saw the grandiose words "Spring Harbor Resort" carved in marble relief on a sign in the beautifully designed flowerbeds.

I guess they're going from a side entrance to the main entrance? But it's not very clear.

Driving a car wasn't like entering a public restroom. He'd never heard of any gender-related rules about it.

My first thought: wow, Xiao-Guo is young! Not that I know anything about how things were in China ...

Now that they knew Shen Wei was the Soul-Executing Emissary, neither the Corpse King nor the old cat could take their usual innocent joy in teasing anyone they could get their hands on.

Well, that's a shame!

Shen Wei had delivered the information with the same offhand tone he might use to say, "This milk is fresh from the cow."

LOL!

The gui surfaced in the Mortal Realm for the first time, dripping with the ruthlessness of their birthplace thousands of zhang below the Huangquan. When that happened, every human and beast within a ten-li radius turned to dust in a heartbeat, just like this, and within one hundred li, not a single blade of grass grew.

More gui-related awfulness that isn't even really the fault of the gui! It doesn't sound like any part of that was deliberate on anyone's part. But you can see why they have a terrible reputation.

(This is new information, right? Or did I miss this earlier? IMO it's a strangely late place to introduce this ...)

Chu Shuzhi usually liked to play the big shot, but at this moment, his attitude was considerably grounded and humble. "If I may say so, my lord-that's the Five-by-Five Plum Blossom Array, isn't it?"
"It is indeed. Chu-xiong is well-versed in these matters."

I like CSZ's interaction with SW here!

This is most likely just a small leak here. Once it's fixed, it'll be fine.

Yeah, fine, except for the people who've been incinerated! But clearly SW doesn't care.

Shen Wei spoke so calmly that he might've been talking about a button having fallen off a shirt-a few easy stitches and it would be back in place.

Heh. It's a bit funny, but I'm not enjoying it when it comes from SW just shrugging everything off.

To anyone who didn't know better, Shen Wei generally came across as someone who was always composed, who knew his limits and never crossed the line...but in reality, not a single thing about him was inside the line. Zhao Yunlan was fairly confident about what was actually going on here: Shen Wei had already gotten what he wanted, and as a result, he was probably completely at ease now. He might not care at all about the Great Houtu Seal at this point; Zhao Yunlan suspected he might not even care about his own life or death.

DNW DNW DNW!

Meanwhile, Zhao Yunlan had a vague sense of foreboding. At first, when he'd casually handed this life-lending case off to Lin Jing, he hadn't given it too much thought. But thinking back on it...wasn't "life-lending" what had set off the Reincarnation Dial case?
And the Reincarnation Dial was in Ghost Face's hands.

Oops?

From Zhao Yunlan's perspective, the Spring Harbor Resort was essentially a dangerous trap. Lin Jing's video hadn't shown him going inside. Lin Jing's level of caution and care meant there was no way he'd go into such an ominous, menacing environment alone without contacting the team first.

I'm not quite following this - was it already this ominous when Lin Jing arrived? I thought that would have happened afterwards ...

Wouldn't it be easier to just kill him directly, though? Who were they trying to lure here by keeping him...? The Soul-Guarding Order? Shen Wei?

Trap!

Still more gui climbed out of the ground, each uglier than the last.

Didn't we learn that the more powerful they are, the more beautiful they get? So these are all very low-level gui? And "each uglier than the last" means "each weaker than the last"? :p

He had been born a gui, and his deep-rooted loathing for his own kind only deepened as they dared to appear in front of Zhao Yunlan.

Everything is just all about ZYL for him, and I don't like it one bit.

Nor do I like how impulsively reactive he is, and how childish and incompetent it makes him look.

"Too bad the Guardian's brain and mouth aren't as fast as the Lord Emissary's blade."

Am I reading this right that SW has been tricked into using his blade in some counterproductive way? I'm not really following what's happening here ...

Version comparison: I'm not seeing any meaningful differences this time.

[china_shop]

Apologies for the negativity, but I'm not very fond of these chapters.

Yeah, I have to admit I've switched off a bit. I don't at all like feeling like Shen Wei caring about his responsibilities was just part of an act to lure ZYL in. And as for ZYL, I would put his behaviour down to finding out SW has been going to ridiculous lengths to ensnare him. ZYL could be eacting to SW now acting weird because he's come clean and doesn't know how to be..., except that novel!ZYL is always like this, really. It just doesn't hit me so hard when SW is being haughtier and holding back more -- then it feels like ZYL either trying to hold his own or trying to get through SW's defences to get closer, or both. Now that SW has gone all happy and soft, it's thrown the power balance off, and the teasing seems super condescending. Ugh.

> > "I was just thinking how I've done well in the romance department for half my life, only to be defeated and sealed beneath your mountain, like the Monkey King sealed under Wuzhi Mountain. You're so powerful, Comrade Shen Wei."
> I'm not sure what ZYL is saying here - is this about the top/bottom thing again? *sighs*

Fwiw, I read it as emotional, ie, that ZYL has been immune to aspiring lovers up till now, and now he's completely "defeated". I think it's reassurance. Conquering/trapping/defeat/etc aren't super uncommon romance framing, I think? (Not my favourite, tho.)

(Does ZYL even like SW? Sometimes, with the way he's acting, I wonder. He loves him, clearly, but that's not the same thing.)

Has he even had a chance to get to know him? SW has been guarded and (from ZYL's pov) playing hard to get, and has put up layers and layers of lies. Maybe ZYL is feeling his way (in a very ZYL kind of way)? /half-hearted defence.

Yeah, Lin Jing was "forced" go go alone by Zhu Hong just deciding not to go with him, and no one seemed to care at the time

Riiiiiight?? /o\ At New Year, ZYL was all "Okay, we're upping security and being careful," and ZH took none of that onboard.

Can't even be bothered to care about someone being in danger, huh?

I know. /o\ /o\ /o\ It makes me feel like he was only pretending to care before, to get in ZYL's good graces. /o\ /o\ /o\

I'm so tired of the jealousy, and so glad that absolutely zero percent of that on SW's side made it into the drama.

+10000. (It's such a contrast with Kunlun taking Xiao Wei under his wing and showing him the world; Shen Wei wants to hoard ZYL and keep him all to himself. Does he even let Daqing into the flat?)

> > Driving a car wasn't like entering a public restroom. He'd never heard of any gender-related rules about it.
> My first thought: wow, Xiao-Guo is young! Not that I know anything about how things were in China ...

He is young. It makes me think his uncle and aunt must be fairly progressive, that it doesn't even come up. But also, a lot of his volunteer work seems to involve active, capable women, so maybe he's just used to that? (Tbh, I kind of hated that Zhu Hong made a big thing about it. Srsly?)

More gui-related awfulness that isn't even really the fault of the gui! It doesn't sound like any part of that was deliberate on anyone's part. But you can see why they have a terrible reputation.

Yeah, good point. (And that makes me realise that Shennong's "UNDO, UNDO" reaction wasn't supposed to be a punishment at all; it was pure damage control.)

I'm not enjoying it when it comes from SW just shrugging everything off.

Yeah, same. :-((((

DNW DNW DNW!

One of the glorious fixes the drama writers made was having SW & ZYL share their values of duty and protecting. I think without that, I wouldn't have fallen for the show half as hard.

I'm not quite following this - was it already this ominous when Lin Jing arrived? I thought that would have happened afterwards ...

Yeah, I have no idea about the sequence of events, or how LJ lost his voice and sight. Ghost Face?

> > Wouldn't it be easier to just kill him directly, though? Who were they trying to lure here by keeping him...? The Soul-Guarding Order? Shen Wei?
> Trap!

I think it's like Zhu Jiu luring HPS to the caves in the Hanga arc, to free the Awl, fwiw. Ghost Face needs (or just wants to use) Shen Wei's power.

Nor do I like how impulsively reactive he is, and how childish and incompetent it makes him look.

Yeah. *sadface*

[trobadora]

I'm so so glad it's not just me!

I don't at all like feeling like Shen Wei caring about his responsibilities was just part of an act to lure ZYL in.

Right????? It's like he drops it as soon as he no longer has to pretend. /o\

except that novel!ZYL is always like this, really

Yes, this! You really put your finger on it here. Because ZYL being like this in response to SW's bullshit with the faked memories and all would be perfectly justified, but that's not what it is; ZYL is just being ZYL the same way he always is. The only thing that's changed is that SW isn't holding his own any more; he's entirely folded now. And I'm not fond of ZYL being like that under the best circumstances, but when you take away the balance, I really can't stand it. :(

Fwiw, I read it as emotional, ie, that ZYL has been immune to aspiring lovers up till now, and now he's completely "defeated".

That's definitely a nicer read! Good point about the romance tropes.

Has he even had a chance to get to know him? SW has been guarded and (from ZYL's pov) playing hard to get, and has put up layers and layers of lies. Maybe ZYL is feeling his way (in a very ZYL kind of way)? /half-hearted defence.

I guess that's true. But ZYL certainly seems to think he knows SW.

At New Year, ZYL was all "Okay, we're upping security and being careful," and ZH took none of that onboard.

And then she does it again in these chapters! /o\

Does he even let Daqing into the flat?

That's a good question, though Daqing doesn't seem to want to be in the flat while ZYL and SW and their shenanigans are in there, so perhaps he hasn't really had to decide.

He is young. It makes me think his uncle and aunt must be fairly progressive, that it doesn't even come up. But also, a lot of his volunteer work seems to involve active, capable women, so maybe he's just used to that?

That's a good point about Xiao-Guo's family, and the people he's been working with! I can see that.

Tbh, I kind of hated that Zhu Hong made a big thing about it. Srsly?

She's a yao - how old is she? When did she first live among humans? She may have absorbed some attitudes she hasn't properly updated. /generous

And that makes me realise that Shennong's "UNDO, UNDO" reaction wasn't supposed to be a punishment at all; it was pure damage control.

Yeah, though MORE killing and destruction isn't a great solution

One of the glorious fixes the drama writers made was having SW & ZYL share their values of duty and protecting. I think without that, I wouldn't have fallen for the show half as hard.

100% agreed, it's so brilliant and one of the things I really love about them. They click so well and love each other so well because they share the same values, because they understand each other on that level. ♥ ♥ ♥

And there was a little bit of that kind of understanding between Xiao-Wei and Kunlun in their first meeting in the faked vision, but it was about self-determination, not in any way about protection or duty or anything like that. And also, that vision was fake and we still don't know if that part was even real. And also also, even if it was, it hasn't exactly played a part in their relationsihp in the present.

I think it's like Zhu Jiu luring HPS to the caves in the Hanga arc, to free the Awl, fwiw. Ghost Face needs (or just wants to use) Shen Wei's power.

Oh yes! I was thinking about that, but with the Awl it was clear what Zhu Jiu's goal was, and here I have zero idea. And without that, I don't see how ZYL could have figured it out. But I hope we'll find out more next time and things will become clearer!

Yeah. *sadface*

*clings* Seriously, so glad it's not just me.

[facethestrange]

"I don't at all like feeling like Shen Wei caring about his responsibilities was just part of an act to lure ZYL in."

It's fascinating how differently I read all of this! The way I see it: His responsibilities are ending whether he likes it or not - there's no way to repair the Seal, just to maintain it a tiny bit longer. He used to feel terrible about it, now he feels at peace about it. If the end result is the same no matter what his feelings are, then there's nothing to be gained from not feeling at peace. He gets to be happy for the tiny bit of life he has left. :)

(And I don't see him ignoring people being in danger either, fwiw. He's just not needlessly worried, but he helps everyone just as much as he always did, and possibly comforts people in the process even more than before. Which unfortunately does include fake reassurances re: the Seal being fixable when it's not. But still.)

"It's such a contrast with Kunlun taking Xiao Wei under his wing and showing him the world; Shen Wei wants to hoard ZYL and keep him all to himself. Does he even let Daqing into the flat?"

It's just Zhu Hong, though, isn't it? And he only doesn't like talking about her, he doesn't stop ZYL from spending time with her. Or did I miss something re: other people? (And I don't think Daqing wants to be in the flat at this point. xD :D :D)

"Tbh, I kind of hated that Zhu Hong made a big thing about it. Srsly?"

The topic she chose is indeed unfortunate, but ftr I never considered that she actually meant any of it? xD The sentence right before her rant is "Guo Changcheng obediently trotted after her, only to meet the full force of her rage again as she took it out on him." She's so pissed at Zhao Yunlan that she's throwing rocks with her super-strength, of course she will yell at GCC for some random-ass reason she just came up with. :P

"And that makes me realise that Shennong's "UNDO, UNDO" reaction wasn't supposed to be a punishment at all; it was pure damage control."

That's very true! (Same with Nüwa and humans.) Otoh, Shennong said that the gui were a sign of hope after all life around them got wiped out, so in the end I still don't know what he was thinking and why. xD

[autodach]

I'm not sure what ZYL is saying here - is this about the top/bottom thing again? *sighs*

Ugh miss me with that shit. For what it's worth, he could also mean that he's avoided being roped into a proper relationship all this time, until Shen Wei came along and put a ring on it. Not sure if that's much better, though.

Does ZYL even like SW? Sometimes, with the way he's acting, I wonder. He loves him, clearly, but that's not the same thing

Oof. Well said!
I think he does like him, though. It just doesn't make him less of an asshole, which he is, in general.

If I zoom in further, it won't be clear anymore.

I sense years of frustration condensed into this line XD

My first thought: wow, Xiao-Guo is young!

Right?? Sweet innocent boy🥹

[trobadora]

Ugh miss me with that shit.

*high fives*

For what it's worth, he could also mean that he's avoided being roped into a proper relationship all this time, until Shen Wei came along and put a ring on it. Not sure if that's much better, though.

Yeah, I'm voting for "not really any better". *sighs*

I think he does like him, though. It just doesn't make him less of an asshole, which he is, in general.

Heh. I'm very glad the drama version is so much less of an arse.

I sense years of frustration condensed into this line XD

RIGHT??? LOL.

Right?? Sweet innocent boy🥹

*pats him on the head*

[facethestrange]

"Ooh, this has to be where the drama scene of SW tucking ZYL's hand under the blanket comes from! :D"

AWWW! ♡ There's so much of SW tucking ZYL in in both the novel and the drama that I didn't even pay attention to similarities, but yesss, it's specifically hands. ♡♡♡

"Awww. Healing power!"

♡♡♡ I love it so much that he uses his healing power like this, without any reason. I know his powers are not limited like in the drama, but it's just so kind of him to even think of the plants at all, let alone help them. :)

>> Shen Wei withdrew his hand and carefully sniffed his fingertip. "He should be fine for now. There's no scent of death or anything foul. He's still alive. You just can't reach him. Try not to worry."

Can't even be bothered to care about someone being in danger, huh?"

Hmm, does worrying help anyone, though? The way I see it, he comforts Zhao Yunlan, volunteers to provide useful information that Lin Jing is alive, and wants to help (and does help) with the actual problem. There's nothing more than could be done? He's just a lot calmer about all of it than before, which I personally see as a good thing - he hasn't been calm for thousands of years, if ever. :)

"I'm so tired of the jealousy, and so glad that absolutely zero percent of that on SW's side made it into the drama."

Yeah, same, and these are really weird circumstances for it to come up too. If anything he should be relieved that Zhao Yunlan doesn't think she's all that good. :P

"Lin Jing's time-delayed video message made it into the drama with very different content. Very Cool!"

Waaait, when is that (approximately)? :D

"I guess they're going from a side entrance to the main entrance? But it's not very clear."

I noticed that too! I didn't even think it could be two entrances, I just assumed the second paragraph is a rewind just to say how their drive to the resort looked. Either way, very unclear!

"More gui-related awfulness that isn't even really the fault of the gui! It doesn't sound like any part of that was deliberate on anyone's part. But you can see why they have a terrible reputation."

So true! No one meant for any of this to happen, least of all the gui who barely even started to exist at all at that point.

"(This is new information, right? Or did I miss this earlier? IMO it's a strangely late place to introduce this ...)"

I think there may be a reason why it's separated from the main story (but I may also be totally wrong and misremembering), but yep, it is new information.

"I like CSZ's interaction with SW here!"

Same, it's so good! ♡

"I'm not quite following this - was it already this ominous when Lin Jing arrived? I thought that would have happened afterwards ..."

I think it had to be, otherwise he would have been incinerated too? (Or was he somewhere around while everyone was being incinerated, and that's how he got harmed? This possibility only just occurred to me.)

"Didn't we learn that the more powerful they are, the more beautiful they get? So these are all very low-level gui? And "each uglier than the last" means "each weaker than the last"? :p"

Hah, apparently. :D :D This is all just for show, and the uglier ones make a better show, that makes sense. :D

"Am I reading this right that SW has been tricked into using his blade in some counterproductive way? I'm not really following what's happening here ..."

This is what's happening, yep, but I don't think anything beyond that is spelled out.

[trobadora]

AWWW! ♡ There's so much of SW tucking ZYL in in both the novel and the drama that I didn't even pay attention to similarities, but yesss, it's specifically hands. ♡♡♡

Yes! Specifically! I love that they got that into the drama. :D

♡♡♡ I love it so much that he uses his healing power like this, without any reason. I know his powers are not limited like in the drama, but it's just so kind of him to even think of the plants at all, let alone help them. :)

Yeah, 100% agreed. Shen Wei's actions so consistently don't match up with his self-image, seriously.

Hmm, does worrying help anyone, though?

It's not about being helpful, though, it's that if someone's potentially in danger and another person doesn't worry at all, what I get is that they don't care. Shen Wei isn't being obstructive, he isn't withholding help - he's actually very helpful, as you say! But it feels like he's only reacting as prompted by ZYL, and he comes across as entirely disinterested to me. More apathy than calm, if that distinction makes sense to you.

(Incidentally, ooh, rereading that passage just now, it occurred to me that the thing about Lin Jing being overdue back, and his phone being out of service area, got given to Chu Shuzhi in the drama, under very different circumstances - when he and Xiao-Guo and Ye Huo were kidnapped by Zhu Jiu.)

If anything he should be relieved that Zhao Yunlan doesn't think she's all that good. :P

Haha, right???

"Lin Jing's time-delayed video message made it into the drama with very different content. Very Cool!"

Waaait, when is that (approximately)? :D

After Lin Jing is eaten by Ye Zun, the SID gets a time-delayed video message from him. It's in episode 37.

I just assumed the second paragraph is a rewind just to say how their drive to the resort looked.

Oh, that didn't occur to me as an option, but that would make sense too!

I think there may be a reason why it's separated from the main story (but I may also be totally wrong and misremembering), but yep, it is new information.

AHHHHHHHHHHH *tears hair*

But thanks, glad to know that it's new info and I didn't miss it before. *g*

I think it had to be, otherwise he would have been incinerated too? (Or was he somewhere around while everyone was being incinerated, and that's how he got harmed? This possibility only just occurred to me.)

I thought he might have either been outside of the blast zone (which wasn't that big thanks to the array, apparently) or protected himself with talismans/an array of his own/the supernatural power of his selfies. *g* Either way it's just very unclear to me, and I hope we'll get some clarification.

This is all just for show, and the uglier ones make a better show, that makes sense. :D

Haha, point!

This is what's happening, yep, but I don't think anything beyond that is spelled out.

Okay, then I hope for enlightenment soon! *g*

[trepkos]

"Shen Wei had already gotten what he wanted," - which was ... ZYL's love?

[facethestrange]

Specifically ZYL agreeing to die with him, but basically yeah.

[trobadora]

Like facethestrange said, he was trying to make him choose to die with him, and he got that.

[facethestrange]

I've had my liveblog written for a while, so I'm dropping it and going to sleep, lol. :D :D I'm loving the excerpts (Daqing!! :D) and especially their titles, lol, perfect! :D (And most of the questions are accidentally answered, hah.)

WHAT AN OPENING. :D :D :D Daqing ringing the doorbell, and Zhao Yunlan's chaotic doorbell choices (and games!), and Shen Wei sending Daqing to buy breakfast, and then Shen Wei's softness, ahhhhh, all of this is absolutely one of my favorite sequences from the entire novel. :D :D :D

"His forepaws pressed the doorbell with perfect precision.

Button pushed, Daqing turned into a squashed-flat pancake of a cat and slid down to the floor."

I love that getting squashed against the wall is clearly part of the precise plan. xD

"At a single push of the button, the soul-stirring song “The Hottest Ethnic Trend” played in its entirety, loudly enough to be heard from outside."

Shen Wei lives with this doorbell now - he REALLY loves Zhao Yunlan. xD xD

"The black cat paced anxiously before the door and unconsciously started chasing his own tail, turning into a black tornado on the spot."

He's SO CAT. :D :D

"With a flick of Shen Wei’s fingers, the interminable doorbell went silent."

And Shen Wei also uses his powers to silence the doorbell - fair enough. xD :D

"That shirt was unmistakably Zhao Yunlan’s!"

Awwww!! ♡

"Zhao Yunlan, the absolute weirdo, liked to wear his sleeves rolled up. He always made a point of asking the laundry workers to iron his shirts with the sleeves that way so they would fold neatly."

The drama just gave the rolled up sleeves directly to Shen Wei. :D :D

"All unwilling, Daqing found a whole sequence of events popping into his head. First, the two would have taken off their clothes, and then… And then…

The black cat lowered his large round head, trying to get his mind out of the gutter."

Having just recently written two separate fics about how much DQ doesn't want to know anything about Weilan's sex life, I feel very validated in my life choices. ;D :D :D (Here they are, since they're unexpectedly relevant to the readalong right now: Emphatic No and Cat-astrophe. xD)

"Very quietly, Shen Wei said, “He’s back, but he’s resting now.”"

AW. ♡ He's still quiet even though the doorbell was already extremely loud.

“Wait a moment.” Shen Wei’s smile seemed a little embarrassed. Politely, he said, “I have a favor to ask of you…”

This is SO SWEET?

(I do feel for DQ having to pretend that he's just a regular cat, tho!)

"“Your cat.” Shen Wei closed the door. “He came to see you. I asked him to go buy breakfast. Sleep a little more.”

As he spoke, he gently nudged Zhao Yunlan back into the blankets before tucking his hands back in. Then he bent down and kissed Zhao Yunlan on the forehead; with a fingertip, he smoothed out Zhao Yunlan’s brow, furrowed from awakening."

Omg AWWWWW?? ♡♡♡ This is so incredibly soft and tender and domestic, I'M JUST-- ♡♡♡♡♡

"Once Zhao Yunlan’s breathing was even again, Shen Wei walked to the window and looked at the plants on the windowsill, which were half-dead with neglect. He cupped a pot with his hands, and milky white light radiated from his palms.

The sickly plant responded like the earth tasting sweet rain after a long drought. It quickly became fresh and radiant. Its stem straightened. Soon it stood, graceful and elegant once more.

Shen Wei quietly washed the spray bottle, then carefully misted the leaves."

I just love everything about this so so so much, he's so incredibly gentle and kind for no reason at all, no one can even see him. ♡♡♡ Why can't he see that this is who he REALLY is?

"At the far reaches of the busy world, even further than the sky’s edge, a wisp of black drifted up from beneath the ground. But one glance was all Shen Wei spared it. Seeming to turn a blind eye, he looked away again and carried on with his task. The Great Seal was about to break, but there was an unfamiliar tranquility in his heart. His entire body felt lazy and relaxed, as though even dying at that very moment would be no big deal."

1) It's interesting that it's something you could see, but I'm assuming only Shen Wei can see it? 2) I absolutely love this entire vibe, he's HAPPY for once. ♡

"On the rare occasion when special circumstances forced someone to act solo, they had to contact the office at least twice a day to keep everyone advised of their location."

I caught it on the re-read that it was Zhu Hong who was supposed to go with Lin Jing, and the 'special circumstances' were her staying with Zhao Yunlan.

"He pulled out a Soul-Guarding Order and wrote Lin Jing’s name on it with a chopstick dipped in soy milk."

I adore his choice of writing utensils. :D

"Shen Wei, who had been immersed in his lesson plan, looked up and exchanged a glance with Zhao Yunlan. Then he bent down and picked up the broken string. At that light touch, it crumbled away like ash.

Shen Wei withdrew his hand and carefully sniffed his fingertip. “He should be fine for now. There’s no scent of death or anything foul. He’s still alive. You just can’t reach him. Try not to worry.”"

They are being so mundanely domestic while doing completely not mundane things, aww. ♡♡♡

"Plus, he looks powerful and formidable enough that even his selfies work to ward off evil."

The combo of modern tech and magic is delightful. :D

"Hearing this, he finally raised his gentle gaze from his own checked-off name on the notebook. A trace of a smile curved the corner of his mouth. There was no sign that he minded Zhao Yunlan writing his name as messily as a dog who’d been given a pen."

This is ADORABLE, and also lol, he would not mind being a literal item on a literal to-do list, of course not. :D If anything he would mind bad handwriting, which of course he doesn't mind either. :D :D

"It was as if he’d turned the very air into a 3D touchscreen, enabling himself to zoom in and out on different parts of the image!"

This whole concept is so cool!

“Still better than our shoddy moonlighting tech analyst could do.”

So Zhu Hong does work with computers, and that's indeed why she used the motherboard metaphor a few chapters back? :D

“People used to say that a killer needed to destroy their victim’s eyes after the deed was done or else the victim would retain the silhouette of the last person they saw, allowing the police to solve the crime,” Zhao Yunlan said, still tracing. “But that’s obviously impossible. If it were true, criminal investigators wouldn’t need anything but eyeballs to solve cases. Looks like that particular rumor didn’t sprout from nothing, though. Sometimes stories spread in the Mortal Realm for a reason.”

Ahhhhh, we talked about this trope when someone (was it Ying Chun?) knew just by looking at Zhao Yunlan that a Crow blinded him. So I guess it's possible that there was some information left in his eyes (even if he wasn't dead, let alone died unnaturally), since this is a thing that sometimes actually happens in-universe. :D

"Shen Wei’s dark expression made it abundantly clear that he was displeased over Zhu Hong’s name coming up."

But why tho? Not only is Shen Wei actually jealous of Zhu Hong (?), he's also specifically jealous at this point, which is when Zhao Yunlan literally said that Shen Wei did better than she would? Good for Zhao Yunlan that at least he's happy about it. *shrug* :P

“You used to keep up a facade, like a god among men who was above mortal desires. I’m tired of watching you pretend. I get tired on your behalf just from watching.”

This, on the other hand, is extremely true and valid!

"Zhao Yunlan casually stuck his sticky note on the back of one of Shen Wei’s lesson plan drafts."

Very domestic of them, again! ♡

"Wang Zheng? You’re still awake? Thanks for your hard work. Make sure the curtains are closed tightly—yes, I know. Something’s happened to Lin Jing."

AW, he really, really cares about his people. ♡ He has a really urgent message but the very first thing he does is thank her and express concern! And it even seems to be Wang Zheng who finally changes the subject to Lin Jing.

"Zhao Yunlan turned to look at him. Their gazes met, and then, in unison, they both said, “The earthquake just now.”"

I don't know what exactly they understood, but I like when they do this. :D :D

"Zhao Yunlan loaded his gun with special bullets and sheathed his talisman-inscribed dagger under his pant leg."

I was going to say that at least he doesn't have the knives in his pants at all times, but he probably wasn't wearing pants until like a minute ago, so maybe he does after all. xD

"The villages that had been nearby had all been relocated so as not to mar the glorious scenery."

Villages make for even better scenery, if you ask me. :P

"The resort was too quiet—practically a ghost town."

YEAH UM ABOUT THAT.

"It still had its full load of fresh fruits and vegetables, with no sign of anything missing…except the driver."

This random detail is consistent with the other random detail where vegetables didn't count as 'alive' when Zhao Yunlan was blind and Shen Wei was cooking.

"You won’t be much help here, and xiao-Guo might not be able to communicate very well. Help him out."

Vague spoilers: I do love that CSZ is looking out for GCC, but he also underestimates him a little bit in this case. :D (He obviously has no way of knowing what the situation actually is.)

"Her new phone’s life was cut short. It died in her hand with a crunch"

I think her bonuses may all go to buying new phones that she keeps squishing to death. xD

"Driving a car wasn’t like entering a public restroom. He’d never heard of any gender-related rules about it."

He's such a sweetheart and I love him, lol.

"It all happened without Guo Changcheng ever having a chance to voice a single full-fledged opinion. Swift as the wind, Zhu Hong was already gone."

Another person Zhu Hong left to do their two-people mission alone because she'd rather follow Zhao Yunlan. :P

"Daqing and Chu Shuzhi, riding along in Zhao Yunlan’s car, weren’t having a good time either, due to the presence of the esteemed deity in the passenger seat. Now that they knew Shen Wei was the Soul-Executing Emissary, neither the Corpse King nor the old cat could take their usual innocent joy in teasing anyone they could get their hands on."

I love these awkward vibes, I want to see more of it. :D :D

"Upon arriving, they saw the grandiose words “Spring Harbor Resort” carved in marble relief on a sign in the beautifully designed flowerbeds."

This made me think of the Dragon City University monument thingy in the drama. :D

"It read, “Unit 10A, Mr. Li, pack—” cutting off mid-word. The person writing had been interrupted too abruptly to even finish."

This is quite chilling! Somehow it gets to me more than other horror scenes in this book.

"Thank goodness he’d already sent Guo Changcheng away—if this sight had scared the poor boy half to death, they all would’ve suffered ten thousand volts…"

LOL! I'm glad he gets to keep the stick and simply gets sent away instead. xD

"The gui surfaced in the Mortal Realm for the first time, dripping with the ruthlessness of their birthplace thousands of zhang below the Huangquan. When that happened, every human and beast within a ten-li radius turned to dust in a heartbeat, just like this, and within one hundred li, not a single blade of grass grew."

I would say that it could have something to do with the 'meteor' that threw all the (soul)fire around, and not with the gui themselves, but I'll wait to see if that's correct. xD (Things are not as they seem in the present scene, but once again I don't remember what the situation actually IS.)

"He might not care at all about the Great Houtu Seal at this point; Zhao Yunlan suspected he might not even care about his own life or death."

Well, he is very, very correct in his observations!

"“I suppose the Netherworld must be in complete chaos right about now.” Shen Wei smiled as he spoke, then realized he was perhaps letting his schadenfreude show a little too blatantly. As that was a bit ill-mannered, he wiped the smile off his face and quietly cleared his throat."

Heeeeee. Why is this so cute.

"Chu Shuzhi and Daqing deserted their boss at once, opting instead to stick close to the boss’s mighty “wife.”"

Srsly I want more of their interactions. :D :D

"At first, when he’d casually handed this life-lending case off to Lin Jing, he hadn’t given it too much thought. But thinking back on it…wasn’t “life-lending” what had set off the Reincarnation Dial case?"

*high five to y'all who pointed this out earlier* :D

"With his other hand, Zhao Yunlan felt for the little dagger hidden in his sleeve."

Apparently it's not just his pants that can stab any unsuspecting person. :D :D

"The setting sun hung on the horizon, but its light was no longer a warm reddish orange. A dull, bloody red reminiscent of the color on the cheeks of paper dolls at funeral stores, it gave off a chilly glow. The light dragged their shadows on the ground, turning their silhouettes disturbingly long and dark."

I really like the setting! It's not as sweepingly cinematic as some of the other settings, but still atmospheric and cool. :D

"Before he even turned, he was already holding his dagger up to the middle of his back. There was a tooth-grinding clang as youchu fangs met the steel blade. The youchu lost a few teeth, and a crack appeared in the steel."

Kudos to his skills, this is really cool!

"Countless bells rang out at once in the distance as a black mist rose half a meter high on the little resort’s clean roads."

The setting is seriously so good! Also BELLS AGAIN.

"He had been born a gui, and his deep-rooted loathing for his own kind only deepened as they dared to appear in front of Zhao Yunlan."

Ouch. :(

"Zhao Yunlan hurriedly said, “Shen Wei, hold on. This doesn’t seem like—”"

Oooh, and he already figured out that things are not as they seem. :D

"With the astounding force and lightning speed of his attacks, it wasn’t until then that Zhao Yunlan, who was not even five steps away, finally managed to grab his arm and hold him back. “This doesn’t look like the Great Seal breaking! I think it’s some distorted kind of Ghost Army Summons! Don’t do anything rash!”"

YES, I love Zhao Yunlan being smart. :D (And Shen Wei was too preoccupied with his hatred for the gui to figure it out too. OUCH.) I also love that ZYL is not even five steps away, and yet completely unharmed by the meters-long blade. ♡

“Yes,” a voice said. “Too bad the Guardian’s brain and mouth aren’t as fast as the Lord Emissary’s blade.”

OUCH YET AGAIN.

[trobadora]

I've had my liveblog written for a while, so I'm dropping it and going to sleep, lol. :D :D

Sleep well! :D

I'm loving the excerpts (Daqing!! :D) and especially their titles, lol, perfect! :D

Yay!

I love that getting squashed against the wall is clearly part of the precise plan. xD

LOL, yeah! This entire part is just delightful, hands down my favourite part of these chapters.

Shen Wei lives with this doorbell now - he REALLY loves Zhao Yunlan. xD xD

Seriously! If he was even a tenth as violent as he thinks he is, he'd have murdered someone about it already. *g* (Either ZYL or the person daring to ring the bell, but SOMEOLNE would have had to suffer for it!)

"That shirt was unmistakably Zhao Yunlan’s!"

Awwww!! ♡

The drama just gave the rolled up sleeves directly to Shen Wei. :D :D

Oh man, great catch! I didn't even think of that. (But sleeve garters are much classier than what ZYL is doing with the ironing. Big surprise, LOL.)

Having just recently written two separate fics about how much DQ doesn't want to know anything about Weilan's sex life, I feel very validated in my life choices. ;D :D :D

You win! :D

Omg AWWWWW?? ♡♡♡ This is so incredibly soft and tender and domestic, I'M JUST-- ♡♡♡♡♡

Yes, this is really sweet! And I love that the drama managed to get the tucking-in into a scene, even if the context is different.

he's so incredibly gentle and kind for no reason at all, no one can even see him. ♡♡♡ Why can't he see that this is who he REALLY is?

RIGHT????

It's interesting that it's something you could see, but I'm assuming only Shen Wei can see it?

Yeah, that was my assumption.

I caught it on the re-read that it was Zhu Hong who was supposed to go with Lin Jing, and the 'special circumstances' were her staying with Zhao Yunlan.

Yeah! I noticed that too.

The combo of modern tech and magic is delightful. :D

Yes, great point!

This is ADORABLE, and also lol, he would not mind being a literal item on a literal to-do list, of course not. :D If anything he would mind bad handwriting, which of course he doesn't mind either. :D :D

Very true about all of this!

So Zhu Hong does work with computers, and that's indeed why she used the motherboard metaphor a few chapters back? :D

Oh yeah, excellent point, I'd already forgotten that again ...

But why tho? Not only is Shen Wei actually jealous of Zhu Hong (?), he's also specifically jealous at this point, which is when Zhao Yunlan literally said that Shen Wei did better than she would?

I have no idea. She was never even any competition for him, so his jealousy is really offputting to me, and at this point it's even more baffling.

"Zhao Yunlan casually stuck his sticky note on the back of one of Shen Wei’s lesson plan drafts."

Very domestic of them, again! ♡

Villages make for even better scenery, if you ask me. :P

True.

This random detail is consistent with the other random detail where vegetables didn't count as 'alive' when Zhao Yunlan was blind and Shen Wei was cooking.

Ooh, great catch!

Another person Zhu Hong left to do their two-people mission alone because she'd rather follow Zhao Yunlan. :P

Oof, yeah, I didn't even think of that! I really don't like how irresponsible she's being, and that after the person she left alone because of ZYL clearly got into serious trouble, she's leaving someone alone because of ZYL again. /o\

I would say that it could have something to do with the 'meteor' that threw all the (soul)fire around, and not with the gui themselves, but I'll wait to see if that's correct. xD

And either way it hardly seems their fault!

Srsly I want more of their interactions. :D :D

Daqiing and CSZ interacting with SW is really fun, I'd definitely like more of that too!

[china_shop]

I really don't like how irresponsible she's being, and that after the person she left alone because of ZYL clearly got into serious trouble, she's leaving someone alone because of ZYL again. /o\ 

Maybe because no one's called her on the first time? (If she hadn't left LJ alone, ZYL wouldn't have got the dragon pearl, would he? That would have changed the course of events dramatically!)

[facethestrange]

"If he was even a tenth as violent as he thinks he is, he'd have murdered someone about it already. *g*"

Lololol, facts. :D :D :D

"But sleeve garters are much classier than what ZYL is doing with the ironing. Big surprise, LOL."

Do sleeve garters help with the bottom part of the sleeve being rolled up? Maybe drama SW also does the ironing, additionally. :D Either way, big kudos to the drama for sleeve garters! :D ♡

"Yes, this is really sweet! And I love that the drama managed to get the tucking-in into a scene, even if the context is different."

Yes! ♡♡♡ Now also forehead kissing and soft fingertip touching plz. xD :D

"I really don't like how irresponsible she's being, and that after the person she left alone because of ZYL clearly got into serious trouble, she's leaving someone alone because of ZYL again. /o\"

Yeah, her logic may be reverse - if things are already this dangerous for others, she needs to protect ZYL even harder.

"And either way it hardly seems their fault!"

Indeed!

[china_shop]

And most of the questions are accidentally answered, hah.

Hee! <3

I love that getting squashed against the wall is clearly part of the precise plan. xD

LOL, right? :D :D :D (How often does he have to do this?? Could they not just install a catdoor?)

Fwiw, I found The Hottest Ethnic Trend on youtube. LOL!

> > "That shirt was unmistakably Zhao Yunlan’s!"
> Awwww!! ♡

Yess! I love clothes sharing. (I feel like ZYL's folded-up sleeves could have been mentioned earlier, but I love that they got transposed to SW in the drama, as you say. :D :D :D)

Having just recently written two separate fics about how much DQ doesn't want to know anything about Weilan's sex life, I feel very validated in my life choices. ;D :D :D

LOL! Yay! :D :D :D

I caught it on the re-read that it was Zhu Hong who was supposed to go with Lin Jing, and the 'special circumstances' were her staying with Zhao Yunlan.

Yeah, I was aware of it at the time because of ZYL's NYE speech about special safety precautions. He made ZH move into the SID for security, but she just let LJ go off alone. *side-eyes her*

> > "He pulled out a Soul-Guarding Order and wrote Lin Jing’s name on it with a chopstick dipped in soy milk."> I adore his choice of writing utensils. :D

Yes, I loved that too. :D

and also lol, he would not mind being a literal item on a literal to-do list, of course not. :D

I think he actively likes it. ZYL was thinking about him!

But why tho? Not only is Shen Wei actually jealous of Zhu Hong (?), he's also specifically jealous at this point, which is when Zhao Yunlan literally said that Shen Wei did better than she would?

He seems very insecure, and I don't think ZYL has ever given him the slightest cause?

> > “You used to keep up a facade, like a god among men who was above mortal desires. I’m tired of watching you pretend. I get tired on your behalf just from watching.”
> This, on the other hand, is extremely true and valid!

Yeah, I think ZYL makes a great point here, that SW has been ruthlessly hiding his desire (for millennia, but also in their relationship to some extent), and that that self-denial must have taken a toll. I kind of wish they would actually talk about this properly, rather than it getting lost amidst all ZYL's other teasing and bullshit. ;-p

He has a really urgent message but the very first thing he does is thank her and express concern!

That's true. I liked that too. It's a big contrast with vol 1. ch 1:

Zhao Yunlan answered the call, looking ready to unleash a torrent of abuse. “What now?”
On the other end of the line, Wang Zheng got right to the point. “Director Zhao, there’s been a death.”
“When?”

I was going to say that at least he doesn't have the knives in his pants at all times, but he probably wasn't wearing pants until like a minute ago, so maybe he does after all. xD

Hee!! :D

Villages make for even better scenery, if you ask me. :P

Yeah, I was raising my eyebrows at relocating villages for the scenery!! WTF??

This random detail is consistent with the other random detail where vegetables didn't count as 'alive' when Zhao Yunlan was blind and Shen Wei was cooking.

Great point!

I think her bonuses may all go to buying new phones that she keeps squishing to death. xD

LOL, right?

Another person Zhu Hong left to do their two-people mission alone because she'd rather follow Zhao Yunlan. :P

Yeah. *sigh*

This made me think of the Dragon City University monument thingy in the drama. :D

Ooh, good point. I wonder if that was deliberate...

Things are not as they seem in the present scene, but once again I don't remember what the situation actually IS.

AGAIN?!?? Oh no! *makes Munch scream face*

Apparently it's not just his pants that can stab any unsuspecting person. :D :D

LOLOL!

Also BELLS AGAIN.

Oh, yes, I missed that. Always bells!

I love Zhao Yunlan being smart. :D (And Shen Wei was too preoccupied with his hatred for the gui to figure it out too. OUCH.)

SW's self-hatred is such a(n unacknowledged-by-him) weakness, and Ghost Face knows exactly how to weaponise it. I kinda wish SW was more self-aware about that, you know?

[trobadora]

Fwiw, I found The Hottest Ethnic Trend on youtube. LOL!

OMG!!! Thank you for tracking that down.

(Why is that song so familiar? I swear I've heard it before, but I have zero idea where ...)

[facethestrange]

"How often does he have to do this?? Could they not just install a catdoor?"

Is there a way to have a catdoor in an apartment building? I've never heard of one and I'd assume not, but who knows. :D (I wonder if this topic is as complicated as locks. xD :D)

"Fwiw, I found The Hottest Ethnic Trend on youtube. LOL!"

Oh yay, thanks! :D :D (I literally went to do it yesterday, clicked the wrong version - a crowd of people singing, I couldn't hear a thing - and promptly got distracted by suggested Guardian videos in my sidebar. xD :D) This is sure a doorbell choice. :D :D It doesn't sound familiar to me btw, fwiw. :)

"I feel like ZYL's folded-up sleeves could have been mentioned earlier"

Yeah, I don't remember them ever being mentioned either, but they're in illustrations, so I wasn't surprised. :)

"I think he actively likes it. ZYL was thinking about him!"

Oh, he absolutely likes it. :D :D It's just hilarious to me that any regular person's problem with this would be 'wtf, I'm not a to-do list item??', while Shen Wei's theoretical problem in this situation could only be bad handwriting. :D

"He seems very insecure, and I don't think ZYL has ever given him the slightest cause?"

He definitely never did, he's so absolutely uninterested in anyone who is not Shen Wei.

"Yeah, I think ZYL makes a great point here, that SW has been ruthlessly hiding his desire (for millennia, but also in their relationship to some extent), and that that self-denial must have taken a toll. I kind of wish they would actually talk about this properly, rather than it getting lost amidst all ZYL's other teasing and bullshit. ;-p"

Hah, ITA. I was going to say that this is how they generally communicate, lol, but that's not true, they do have some sincere moments. They could keep this conversation for one of those. *nods*

"It's a big contrast with vol 1. ch 1:"

Oh, true! I looked up the context for that, and he didn't sleep the entire night (plus he doesn't actually end up unleashing any torrent of abuse, he's just curt and grumpy), but still, there is a difference!

"AGAIN?!?? Oh no! *makes Munch scream face*"

Lolol, just trickery on both sides that is not spelled out yet, but the way I remember it, it does feel a bit similar to the other times when things were not as they seemed. :P

"SW's self-hatred is such a(n unacknowledged-by-him) weakness, and Ghost Face knows exactly how to weaponise it. I kinda wish SW was more self-aware about that, you know?"

Yeah. He has exactly two weaknesses (his self-hatred and Kunlun), and Ghost Face indeed knows exactly how to push all the right buttons. I wonder if SW is more aware of his ZYL weakness than the self-hatred one. Probably? Not that it helps, if it can still be successfully used against him, self-awareness or not.

[autodach]

I like the setting of the ressort. So spooky!
Amazing they managed to include something of that arc (the deliveryman) in the drama.

Daqing buys breakfast

Reminds me of that video where someone sent a remote controlled toy car to the shop for fish feed.

Shen Wei, hologram generator

Absolutely hilarious! And very useful! Shen Wei should do this particular party trick more often.

Why didn't you ask your husband to teach you?

He's so smug XD
Finally, something he understands but Shen Wei doesn't! Time to milk it for all its worth!

When that happened, every human and beast within a ten-li radius turned to dust in a heartbeat, just like this, and within one hundred li, not a single blade of grass grew.

Wait... it that... the novel equivalent to the meteor in the drama??

[facethestrange]

"I like the setting of the ressort. So spooky!"

Ikr, I think it's my favorite horror setting in the novel, and there are so many really cool ones. :D Okay, this and the Huangquan Road are my favorites, but this one is creepier while the road is prettier. :D

"Amazing they managed to include something of that arc (the deliveryman) in the drama."

This is the second drama connection I don't remember today, lol. :D What are you referring to?

"Reminds me of that video where someone sent a remote controlled toy car to the shop for fish feed."

:D :D :D This was delightful, the workers were so excited, hee, thank you for sharing! :D

"He's so smug XD
Finally, something he understands but Shen Wei doesn't! Time to milk it for all its worth!"

Omg, this is why he's doing that, isn't it? xD I didn't even think of that. xD

"Wait... it that... the novel equivalent to the meteor in the drama??"

I think it is, yes! ♡ (And earlier there was the description of Kunlun's soulfire falling from the sky, which was very meteor-like too. :D)

[trobadora]

Amazing they managed to include something of that arc (the deliveryman) in the drama.

I'm looking forward to seeing that!

Reminds me of that video where someone sent a remote controlled toy car to the shop for fish feed.

Hee! Poor Daqing, being compared to a remote-controlled toy. :p

Wait... it that... the novel equivalent to the meteor in the drama??

Yeah, I think this combined with Kunlun's soulfire crashing down is where the meteor must have come from!

(Now I wonder if the meteor also created life in some way - mutations perhaps. Maybe that's where the drama's youchu come from???

[china_shop]

I had some trouble with these chapters, I think partly because of my inability to compartmentalise the novel from the drama. I kept getting "OOC!!!!!" alarms, particularly about novel!Shen Wei's narrowing his focus to pretty much exclusively ZYL. Being me, I 100% prefer drama!SW with his commitment to justice, peace and duty and his concern for Dixing and his people (and also drama!ZYL, whose teasing is much milder and who balances it out with respect, but at least novel!ZYL still cares about his team). So yeah, 'ware negativity below.

Daqing's doorbell-pushing shenanigans are hilarious, indeed, but (in the tradition of taking things far more seriously than I think the novel intends) I am side-eyeing the idea that he can't just come and go independently. Doesn't he live there? I guess he's too fat for the climb-a-tree-open-window fanon of the drama. :-/ But you'd think if anything was going to prompt him to shift into opposable-thumbs form, it would be letting himself into his own home. ;-p

I love him chasing his tail, though. So kitten! And ha, he falls on the floor at the sight of SW. It's a running gag!

Clothes sharing! \o/

Shen Wei not immediately letting DQ in (to his own home!) and instead saying, "If you need something, you can leave a message with me. I'll pass it on once he wakes up." rings some alarm bells with me. I think this is where I started to get the hoarding-dragon vibe. SW must be very aware of DQ's awkwardness around him (because he knows what DQ was like before the Emissary reveal), and he's not doing anything to mitigate it. And it's not like he couldn't make DQ feel welcome so DQ could just wait quietly/nap until ZYL wakes up. ;-p

And then he uses DQ as an UberEats deliverer (during which DQ feels "so mortified and furious that he yearned for death." I just... don't feel like SW has earned the right to treat DQ this way? ;-p (I may be overreacting. I know this!)

I'm not sure what to make of the plant nurturing energy thing. It made me "aww," and in retrospect, I think Shen Wei is nesting, lol. He wants the flat to be a beautiful haven, remote from the rest of the world.

The Great Seal was about to break, but there was an unfamiliar tranquility in his heart. His entire body felt lazy and relaxed, as though even dying at that very moment would be no big deal.

So interesting that, even here, he's only thinking in terms of himself dying. If the Seal breaks, that has implications for every person, living and dead -- most notably (from Shen Wei's POV), the SID and his students, and anyone the Emissary feels responsible for. But he doesn't spare them a thought. I find that so creepy. (Romances that go "We have each other; screw the rest of the world" are not my thing.)

In ch 13, SW says, “Yunlan, with only a few decades left, let’s spend our lives together like mortals, all right?” The lack of concern for the Seal and the rest of the world here makes me wonder what SW thinks "living like a mortal" means for him. How much of his role and responsibilities stem from his god nature, and is he retiring now? ZYL has been living as a mortal all this time, and the Soul-Guarding Order is part of that for him, but I can't tell if SW is giving up being the Emissary (while still helping ZYL with his work because that's ~helping ZYL~)...

ZYL's "You're so powerful, Comrade Shen Wei." was in response to SW using DQ to run errands, right? So I think it's basically ZYL going, "You even have DQ running menial errands for you?! You get whatever you want." But the "like the Monkey King sealed under Wuzhi Mountain" is now worrying me, because it feeds into the dragon hoard vibe.

Zhao Yunlan’s voice dripped with sarcasm, but at whose expense was unclear. Either way, Shen Wei pretended not to notice. He kept smiling virtuously.
“Aiyou, babe. Please, I’m begging you. Drop the act or at least stop acting like that. My mind can’t take it.” Shen Wei’s innocent facade was making Zhao Yunlan’s teeth ache.

I'm begging too! I wish Shen Wei would just be upfront so I know who he is and can decide if I like him. He spends so much time putting on a composed/innocent/virtuous act. Maybe he's composed and virtuous underneath? How would we know? He definitely hides his lustful desires most of the time they're not in bed. (I don't think my reading of him is very generous in this scene. I acknowledge that! But there are all these hints like ZYL's reaction here, and then later we get: "Zhao Yunlan was fairly confident about what was actually going on here: Shen Wei had already gotten what he wanted, and as a result, he was probably completely at ease now. He might not care at all about the Great Houtu Seal at this point; Zhao Yunlan suspected he might not even care about his own life or death." So I think this is a deliberate shift in SW's attitude, and it may have narrative consequences later on (I can't remember) or it may be part of (or the end of? /o) SW's arc.)

Oh, random note I made the first time I read this: "Old god dude = Ma Gui, and that's why Ma Gui is a scientist."

I adore ZYL writing on a Soul-Guarding Order with chopsticks and soymilk. :D :D :D :D :D

Aha, Shen Wei is immersed in a lesson plan! He's still working at the uni then. I'm glad. And he's taking that responsibility seriously, probably because it's part of his "mortal life" fantasy. ;-p

*Shen Wei withdrew his hand and carefully sniffed his fingertip. “He should be fine for now. There’s no scent of death or anything foul. He’s still alive. You just can’t reach him. Try not to worry.”

This makes me feel like SW just doesn't care. And then ZYL immediately puts Lin Jing into the "Urgent" column of his to-do list, which shows that he does. And SW sees him do that, and that is what motivates SW to help, I think. Like, SW going, "If I can't dissuade Yunlan from thinking about the outside world, I guess we're doing this. Let's deal with it quickly so we can be peacefully alone again." ;-p

Have we seen any sign of ZYL being "surprisingly precise when it came to time management" up till now, btw? ;-p

The handwriting resembled that of a surgeon who was jumping up and down while riding on a rocket

LOL! I love that! :D

“Figure out how to evict that stupid bowl from Dad’s body.”

LOL! (This is a great way to show what's important to him, btw. I love that his own name was on his urgent to-do list. :D I don't really understand what the check mark next to SW implies: "found out about his lies and brought him home" or something else?)

So interesting that ZYL says LJ is normally the one he trusts the most. I feel like in the drama it's DQ, and maybe CSZ (in terms of being responsible and predictable).

ZYL's reaction to the hologram made me go: "when did he get squeamish?? I don't even recognise these people." :-p Didn't priest spend the entire first volume showing how cool and unbothered by things ZYL is? Or are we discovering here that that was all an act, too?

And now SW is jealous of ZH??? /despairing

“Mm… Then what do you think this is?” Zhao Yunlan asked.
“How would I know?”
“Oh? What’s wrong? Unhappy? Jealous?”

So does that mean SW could have been helpful here if he wasn't sulking? Or is ZYL just reacting to his tone? Idk!!

Ugh, ZYL treating SW like a PA. He already knows SW isn't good with tech -- why would he do this? Why would SW agree? :-(((( DNW.

The villages that had been nearby had all been relocated so as not to mar the glorious scenery.

Wow, the ~privilege~ in that sentence. /o\ /o\ /o\

Director Zhao was clearly protecting him by asking him to leave, which made him sigh in relief

LOL! Changcheng's ability to cast ZYL's actions in the best possible light is almost a magic power in itself. :D

Chu Shuzhi waved at her from inside the other car. “Get moving. Director Zhao’s plan makes sense. You won’t be much help here, and xiao-Guo might not be able to communicate very well. Help him out.”

Aww! CSZ is relieved GCC won't be wandering around on his own. <3 <3 <3 (ZH better hope nothing bad happens to CC when she abandons him!! ;-p)

“Director Zhao told me to tell you that the fine for vandalism will come out of your monthly bonus. Keep throwing rocks if you want, but once you run through your bonus, your pay will get docked. Take it easy unless you want to leave without a penny.”

Oh, I think this is where the bonus-threatening in the drama came from. It just got applied to Lin Jing instead in the drama.

RIP Zhu Hong's phone. :D

Since she was clearly ­being unreasonable, he responded with honesty. “Zhu-jie, technically, you’re not a wom—”

LOL! But also *winces*. Bigotry is alive and well at the SID?

Shen Wei had delivered the information with the same offhand tone he might use to say, “This milk is fresh from the cow.”
Looking a little shocked, Zhao Yunlan closed the notebook and packed it securely in an evidence bag.

Is ZYL shocked by the human dust or by SW's offhandedness? I'm assuming the latter, but I'm not 100% sure.

In the ancient past, after Gonggong knocked down Buzhou Mountain, the sky burst and the earth split. The gui surfaced in the Mortal Realm for the first time, dripping with the ruthlessness of their birthplace thousands of zhang below the Huangquan. When that happened, every human and beast within a ten-li radius turned to dust in a heartbeat, just like this, and within one hundred li, not a single blade of grass grew.”

So they were born where the Great Seal now stands, and Shennong said, "Wow, who knew this could happen? Cool!" And then they surfaced in the Mortal Realm and (something about that) caused instant devastation -- presumably that's when he freaked out? (How far is 100 li, I wonder? *checks* 50 kilometres or 31 miles. And that's radius, not diameter. o.O)

Zhao Yunlan, on the other hand, gave him a thoughtful glance. To anyone who didn’t know better, Shen Wei generally came across as someone who was always composed, who knew his limits and never crossed the line…but in reality, not a single thing about him was inside the line.

What exactly do you think ZYL means by this? I mean, it fits with the whole elaborate manipulation/deceit to make ZYL stay with him, but I can't quite pin it down.

I really don't like SW's schadenfreude about the Netherworld. I know the administrators down there have been obnoxious and meddling, but the chaos affects people. Like, all the people who just died here at the resort. ;-p

The Soul-Guarding Whip surreptitiously twined down Zhao Yunlan’s arm, its tip peeking out near his wrist.

Aww! This isn't the first time I've wondered if the Soul-Guarding Whip was sentient. (If this were a Miyazaki movie, it totally would be. :D)

Chu Shuzhi’s stick-thin hand turned as hard as stone

Huh, he can do that? (I guess that inspired various Dixing powers in the drama?)

Are youchu a subset of gui? I've forgotten.

A ball of black mist wrapped around his arm with the stickiness of cobwebs.

Ooh, like Zhu Jiu trapping SW's foot in ep 4. Cool!

[trobadora]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who struggled with these chapters!

novel!Shen Wei's narrowing his focus to pretty much exclusively ZYL

Yeah, that's 100% my least favourite thing about him! But to be fair, from what I remember it's very clearly part of SW's character arc.

drama!ZYL, whose teasing is much milder and who balances it out with respect

Yes, this! That's my least favourite thing about him, the way he treats SW.

I am side-eyeing the idea that he can't just come and go independently

FWIW, he can operate a phone in cat form, so I'm pretty sure if he really wanted to they could figure door locks for him. He just doesn't seem to care. But I also (unsurprisingly) prefer the drama's version.

Shen Wei not immediately letting DQ in (to his own home!) and instead saying, "If you need something, you can leave a message with me. I'll pass it on once he wakes up." rings some alarm bells with me. I think this is where I started to get the hoarding-dragon vibe.

I see what you mean, and I think that vibe is 100% there (and part of SW's character arc), but also, from Daqing's reaction to seeing SW, I think anyone could tell he really doesn't want to come in. *g* So I cut SW some slack there.

I think Shen Wei is nesting, lol. He wants the flat to be a beautiful haven, remote from the rest of the world.

Aw! That makes sense. :D

If the Seal breaks, that has implications for every person, living and dead -- most notably (from Shen Wei's POV), the SID and his students, and anyone the Emissary feels responsible for. But he doesn't spare them a thought. I find that so creepy. (Romances that go "We have each other; screw the rest of the world" are not my thing.)

100% agreed on that.

I wish Shen Wei would just be upfront so I know who he is and can decide if I like him.

Ha, that's how I feel about ZYL a lot of the time - can't he stop teasing in that mean, snide way and be serious? When he is, like him so much more. And I totally get what you mean about SW, though I can't blame him at least for shielding himself with that facade when ZYL is poking at him like that. Both of them need to get back to the thing where they're sweet and honest with each other! Those moments are so rare, but they're the ones where I'm really feeling the ship.

"Old god dude = Ma Gui, and that's why Ma Gui is a scientist."

Oh, good point! Shennong is so many people, LOL - so far we've had him as Ma Gui, Professor Ouyang and Feng Qubing. *g*

This makes me feel like SW just doesn't care. And then ZYL immediately puts Lin Jing into the "Urgent" column of his to-do list, which shows that he does.

My reaction exactly!

Have we seen any sign of ZYL being "surprisingly precise when it came to time management" up till now, btw? ;-p

Not as far as I can tell! :p

I don't really understand what the check mark next to SW implies: "found out about his lies and brought him home" or something else?)

I thought it was something cruder, since it's a to-do list. He's done it (him) now. :p

I feel like in the drama it's DQ, and maybe CSZ (in terms of being responsible and predictable).

Yeah, definitely Da Qing and Chu Shuzhi in the drama!

when did he get squeamish??

FWIW, I didn't think he was genuinely being squeamish, just surprised and griping, with the narrative playing along. (It's gone along with his pretending before ...)

And now SW is jealous of ZH??? /despairing

That's not new - he's been reacting badly before - but this is definitely the most baffling instance!

Ugh, ZYL treating SW like a PA. He already knows SW isn't good with tech -- why would he do this? Why would SW agree? :-(((( DNW.

THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS :( :( :(

Oh, I think this is where the bonus-threatening in the drama came from. It just got applied to Lin Jing instead in the drama.

Oh yeah, good point!

Is ZYL shocked by the human dust or by SW's offhandedness? I'm assuming the latter, but I'm not 100% sure.

I thought it was a combination of the two.

So they were born where the Great Seal now stands, and Shennong said, "Wow, who knew this could happen? Cool!" And then they surfaced in the Mortal Realm and (something about that) caused instant devastation -- presumably that's when he freaked out?

I guess that would make sense!

I guess that inspired various Dixing powers in the drama?

Oh hey, good catch!

Are youchu a subset of gui? I've forgotten.

IIRC yes.

Ooh, like Zhu Jiu trapping SW's foot in ep 4. Cool!

Ooh, I didn't catch that, but yes, it has to be!

[facethestrange]

"I guess he's too fat for the climb-a-tree-open-window fanon of the drama. :-/"

They're on the ninth floor in the novel. :)

"And it's not like he couldn't make DQ feel welcome so DQ could just wait quietly/nap until ZYL wakes up. ;-p"

The way I understood it, DQ needs to go back to work (in addition to just not wanting to be there).

"I don't really understand what the check mark next to SW implies: "found out about his lies and brought him home" or something else?"

I thought it was getting together, fwiw. :P

"Oh, I think this is where the bonus-threatening in the drama came from. It just got applied to Lin Jing instead in the drama."

Apparently in the novel it's always Zhu Hong, lol. :D (This is in volume 1: “You’re the one who has the nerve to fantasize about your boss.” Zhao Yunlan lightly pushed down on her head. “Are you trying to lose your bonus?”)

"Aww! This isn't the first time I've wondered if the Soul-Guarding Whip was sentient. (If this were a Miyazaki movie, it totally would be. :D)"

AW, a whip sidekick! :D ♡

"Are youchu a subset of gui? I've forgotten."

Yep. :) from volume 2, chapter 19:

"The lowest of them bore no resemblance at all to humans. They were like muck, rolling across the ground and feeding on rotten corpses.

Above those in the hierarchy were gui who had heads and bipedal bodies, giving them the approximate shape of humans. But they were covered from head to toe with pustules, and their features were twisted. Their nature was one of brutality. These were known as “youchu.”

The higher-ranked any individual gui was, the closer they seemed to human. At the top were the Kings of the Gui: ethereally lovely, like flowers blooming in blood. The more blood-tainted they were, the greater their beauty."

"Ooh, like Zhu Jiu trapping SW's foot in ep 4. Cool!"

Oh, very neat! :D

[trepkos]

I don't really understand what the check mark next to SW implies: "found out about his lies and brought him home" or something else?

It was a "to do" list - I just took it to mean he wanted to ... erm ... "do" Shen Wei.