The house, forced to bear double ‘You’re already a mature xx,’ went: “…”

 

After receiving the message, Xing Ye and Xing Ye B exchanged a glance. “Xing Shuo,” looking at the expressions on both brothers’ faces, was the first to spread out his phone for them to see and said, “Looks like we have no choice but to fight.”

Seeing the screen on “Xing Shuo’s” phone, Xing Ye also opened his own and said, “That does seem to be the case.”

Xing Ye B placed his phone where the other two could see it and said to Xing Ye, “Are you confident you can beat me? There are two of us on this side.”

Xing Ye replied calmly, “You don’t need to worry about me. I naturally have a killer trump card.”

The three looked at one another. As the centre of this replicated world, Xing Ye B stood up and said, “Why don’t we go to the courtyard? It’s already dawn anyway.”

Xing Ye nodded. The people who were about to duel under the system’s control were, at this moment, surprisingly harmonious. Walking to the centre of the courtyard, Xing Ye B said, “If I had a choice, I wouldn’t want to fight you either. But no one wants to die. I also hope this world can become a real one—so that ‘Xing Shuo’ and I can live on. At the same time, I can pursue the person I like.”

“Same here. I also need to clear the final stage and gain my freedom,” Xing Ye sighed. “You’re a principled person. Our ways of thinking and our ideas have always aligned—we should have become friends. It’s just that fate cruelly plays tricks on humans.”

“Enough talk—if you’re going to fight, do it now!”

The one who cut short the mutual appreciation was “Xing Shuo.” He struck first, lightly snapping his fingers, and the ground of the courtyard immediately split open.

“The knowledge I’ve learned isn’t limited to physics and chemistry. I’ve studied astronomy and geography as well,” “Xing Shuo” said.

Using his initial skill, “Knowledge Power,” he caused the ground beneath Xing Ye’s feet to crack. The ability was clearly not instantaneous— even when Xing Ye jumped away, the fissures spread to his new foothold, while the ground beneath Xing Ye B and “Xing Shuo” remained stable.

Xing Ye tapped a QR code on his phone with one hand. This was the “Knowledge Power” QR code he had obtained after gaining “Xing Shuo’s” trust. Its effect was identical to “Xing Shuo’s” initial skill; evidently, the system had given him this code precisely to counter “Xing Shuo.”

Only “knowledge” can defeat “knowledge.” Using his geographical knowledge, Xing Ye halted the splitting of the earth. At the same time, while dodging the cracking ground and using the “Knowledge Power” QR code, he activated the “Repainting Brush” and drew another QR code.

But Xing Ye B was not idle either. His movements were almost perfectly synchronized with Xing Ye’s. Both used the Repainting Brush, lifted their pens at the same time, and stopped at the same time. Suddenly, countless “ping-pong balls” appeared on the courtyard ground.

“Truly worthy of being me—our combat modes are exactly the same,” Xing Ye smiled at Xing Ye B and swung the Repainting Brush to draw a second QR code.

Xing Ye B did not stop either; his movements mirrored Xing Ye’s exactly.

Naturally, “Xing Shuo” couldn’t just stand by while his brother drew QR codes. He took out his phone, intending to select a QR code to fight. Countless ping-pong balls rolled toward his feet, trying to stop him from using his phone. But “Xing Shuo” was a fate-following player, and not a single ping-pong ball touched his phone.

Yet just as he finished selecting a QR code, he discovered that at some point he had been separated from Xing Ye B. Before him was the path inside the courtyard. “Xing Shuo” walked back and forth along it, but could not find an exit.

“Ghost Hitting a Wall” —a QR code drawn by Qian Daniu after winning the Mountain God World. Xing Ye had once used it in the final stage of the Train World to buy time by slowing the train. After the game ended, Lu Mingze obtained three QR codes, and “Ghost Hitting a Wall” was one of them.

Seeing his brother suddenly running around the garden like a headless fly, apparently unable to see him at all, Xing Ye B frowned slightly and said, “It seems you have another helper.”

Xing Ye’s QR code was not yet complete, and the ping-pong balls prevented him from using the QR codes on his phone. He simply tossed the phone aside and focused entirely on drawing.

He said, “Since this is a battle between you and me, I don’t want to drag Xing Shuo into it. Exiling him for a while is better.”

Xing Ye B replied, “That makes sense.”

As they spoke, the two of them simultaneously finished drawing a QR code—both were “Fist of Glory.”

Xing Ye raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Looks like your thinking is exactly the same as mine.”

“Fist of Glory” enhances combat ability and had always been Cao Qian’s signature QR code. She fought on the front line while Xing Ye focused on drawing QR codes in the rear; the two had always worked in perfect sync.

This time, Cao Qian was not present. His opponent was Xing Ye B—someone with identical speed and combat style. If it came down purely to using the Repainting Brush, Xing Ye had no chance of winning. He had only a little over a thousand points, while the more than thirty million points he originally owned had all been transferred to Xing Ye B by the system. Their base points were fundamentally unequal; relying solely on the Repainting Brush would inevitably result in Xing Ye being worn down and defeated by Xing Ye B’s points.

Although Xing Ye was not as physically strong as Cao Qian, he had trained in combat techniques himself. With the boost from “Fist of Glory,” he could contend with professional fighters. He first asked Lu Mingze to restrain “Xing Shuo,” then drew “Fist of Glory,” transforming the gloves into half-finger gloves so he could draw QR codes while attacking.

Unexpectedly, Xing Ye B adopted the exact same combat mode. The two thought alike—truly worthy of being the same person.

Wearing the gloves, the two exchanged punches and kicks, each targeting the hand the other was using to wield the Repainting Brush. As a result, neither could draw QR codes. Their strikes were also identical; every blow felt like striking a mirror.

Both were extremely quick thinkers. After only a few exchanges, they realized this approach wouldn’t work. Xing Ye B knew he held the advantage—he could simply exhaust Xing Ye with points. Being tied up in close combat was actually unfavourable to him; he needed to break the deadlock.

An initial skill does not require a phone— it can be activated with a single thought. Xing Ye B shifted his focus and activated “Kuafu Chasing the Sun.”

He had not originally possessed this initial skill—it belonged to “Xing Shuo”—but it was a power the system rewarded him with after defeating the monster, usable once within twenty-four hours.

As long as time was stopped, killing Xing Ye would be easy.

But unexpectedly, “Kuafu Chasing the Sun” did not take effect. The battle continued, and the skill had already entered cool-down.

This meant the skill had been activated—but time had not stopped.

Why?

Xing Ye B’s mind raced, and he instantly understood the reason.

It was Xing Ye’s “Mirror Reflection.” He had actually used “Mirror Reflection” at the very moment Xing Ye B activated “Kuafu Chasing the Sun.” Thus, it wasn’t that “Kuafu Chasing the Sun” failed—rather, Xing Ye B, the one who activated the skill, was affected by “Mirror Reflection.” His time was also frozen for one minute. Everyone’s time stopped simultaneously, which made the effect indistinguishable from time not stopping at all.

“Kuafu Chasing the Sun” could only be used once, while “Mirror Reflection” still had one remaining use. Moreover, Xing Ye still had assistance from his items. Xing Ye B felt a sense of danger—this time, it seemed he had fallen into a disadvantage.

He decided to widen the distance and rely on QR-code attacks. Letting go of Xing Ye, he jumped backward—yet Xing Ye also released him and jumped back at the same time. Their movements were like copy-and-paste.

They jumped back simultaneously, landed on ping-pong balls at the same time, slipped at the same moment, fell together, propped themselves up with their hands, and stood again—all in perfect sync. After completing this entire sequence, Xing Ye and Xing Ye B looked at the other person who was identical to themselves and couldn’t help saying in unison, “It seems I can’t defeat you relying only on my own.”

After saying this, Xing Ye began moving toward the house. He needed to lure Xing Ye B in front of a larger mirror and use Lu Mingze’s “Unparalleled Beauty” to control Xing Ye B.

Meanwhile, Xing Ye B rushed toward “Xing Shuo,” who was still searching for a way out. He intended to rescue his brother and join forces to defeat Xing Ye.

“Xing Shuo” could still use “Kuafu Chasing the Sun” once more. Moreover, as a fate-following player, he possessed more than a dozen QR codes, completely different from Xing Ye’s, capable of turning the tide of battle.

Just as Xing Ye reached the doorway and Xing Ye B was about to reunite with his brother, another ping-pong ball silently bounced beneath their feet, causing both of them to slip.

Sliding in perfect sync, the two couldn’t help but show bitter smiles. Only when familiar QR codes and familiar combat styles were used against oneself could one truly understand what kind of experience it was for past enemies who had fought against them.

The two, stubbornly climbing back to their feet, rushed toward their respective goals. Xing Ye B awakened “Xing Shuo.” By this point, “Xing Shuo” already knew he had been affected by a QR code and had long since remained still, waiting for the QR code’s duration to expire or for his brother to rescue him.

After Xing Ye B led “Xing Shuo” out of “Ghost Hitting a Wall,” “Xing Shuo” heard that Xing Ye had already entered the house. He frowned slightly and said, “Why did he go inside the house? If I use ‘Knowledge Power’ right now, he’ll be directly crushed inside. That’s a bad move.”

Thinking according to his own reasoning, Xing Ye B said, “First, he has a QR code that can prevent the house from collapsing—‘You’re already a mature xx’ can accomplish that. Second, the indoor environment is more suitable for him to fight. What’s inside? Mirrors! I remember his item is a ‘freedom’ mirror. Presumably, the item’s ability requires mirrors to function.”

“Xing Shuo” said, “If his ability is mirror-based, then there must be two essential conditions: eyesight and light. Both are indispensable. As long as we break these two points, we can defeat him.”

Xing Ye B reached out and pressed a hand on his brother’s shoulder, saying softly, “Although I haven’t said it outright, I think you’ve already guessed my decision. Will you resent me for it?”

“Xing Shuo” grabbed Xing Ye B’s hand, pulled it off his shoulder, and tossed it aside. “You seem to have misunderstood one thing. I want to surpass you—not obey you unquestioningly. Everything I’ve done has been my own choice.”

Xing Ye B smiled and said, “What QR code do you have that can deal with that mirror?”

“Xing Shuo” scrolled through his phone and said, “This one is the most suitable.”

“Good,” Xing Ye B stood outside the door and said. “If he can use ‘You’re already a mature xx,’ then so can I. I don’t want my house to turn into a maze where even the walls block my path.”

After saying that, Xing Ye B drew the “You’re already a mature xx” QR code outside the door and attached it to the wall. At the same time, inside the house, Xing Ye also attached “You’re already a mature xx” to the walls.

The house, forced to bear double ‘You’re already a mature xx,’ went: “…”

 

Translator : DarNan