From Apocalypse To Entertainment Circle (BL)-Chapter 83: No Rest for the Cursed Ones

Despite his efforts, he barely unearthed any intriguing details about Sian. What he discovered painted a picture of a life that was strikingly ordinary—an orphaned teenager navigating the challenges of survival and ambition in a world that often overlooked him. This narrative was all too familiar; countless others had fought similar battles, each pursuing their dreams against the odds. Yet, the stark contrast between Sian’s mundane existence and the formidable combat skills he had displayed in life-and-death situations was jarring. The ease with which he had dispatched terrorists in dire moments clashed with the image of a young boy who had barely begun to experience the complexities and wonders of the world around him. It was a perplexing dichotomy, leaving much to ponder about the journey that had shaped him into someone unrecognizable from the ordinary life he seemed to lead.

This led Jiāo Liàngchén to a single conclusion—the same one Grandfather Lan had reached after an exhaustive investigation.

Sian was a secret operative for the nation.

For years, the Phantom Unit had been the country’s pride, protecting it from the shadows. Their existence was highly classified, their identities unregistered in any government files—ensuring both their survival and the success of their missions.

Jiāo Liàngchén was an obsessive man. He had always admired and respected those who dedicated their lives to the country, especially the "phantoms"—he practically worshiped them. So one could only imagine his shock upon realizing that Sian had to be one of them.

It was like a crazed fangirl discovering that her idol was standing right in front of her.

The fact that he hadn’t immediately pounced on the boy and hugged him tightly was solely due to the excellent self-control and emotional restraint he had learned through his training. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been worthy of being a member of the Aegis Intelligence Division.

---

"Finally, this torture is over. I thought my ass was going to go flat," Sian muttered as he stretched his stiff body, rolling his shoulders in an attempt to ease the discomfort. He groaned lightly, performing a few simple warm-ups. There was no escaping it—his whole body ached now.

Sian had never been a fan of sitting in one position for hours.

At the end of the day, the participants gathered on stage, and the judges announced the winner. The rest were ranked from second place down to the last and worst performer—a ranking that would be important later.

"Where are you headed? Do you need me to get you something? A snack, maybe...?" Jiāo Liàngchén asked, trailing after Sian, bombarding him with questions about what he wanted to eat and whether he felt like going out. After all, the night was still young.

Sian turned a deaf ear to the man practically wagging his tail behind him and continued walking out of the hall.

Unfortunately for him, the host’s voice suddenly rang out:

"Ladies and gentlemen, our time is not yet up. Please return to your seats—I have an important announcement to make."

The crowd inside the venue stirred with murmurs of dissatisfaction. The judges had already left, leaving only the audience behind. Everyone had expected today’s event to end, eager to either return to training or handle their personal affairs. The host’s sudden declaration left many displeased.

The man standing at the podium was middle-aged yet strikingly handsome. Seeing the reluctant expressions around him, he sighed inwardly.

[Why are you all looking at me like that? I’m innocent! How was I supposed to know the director wanted to add a little "suspense" to the program? And now, because of that, he’s forcing everyone to go on a damn mountain camping trip.]

But as a professional, the host didn’t let his emotions show. Instead, his smile widened as he announced, "The production team just informed me that, to foster better teamwork among the participants—and to help relieve some of the pressure everyone has been under—they have prepared a special campsite in the mountains for tonight. This is also a great opportunity to promote tourism on this beautiful island!"

The moment the word camping reached Sian’s ears, his expression twisted into pure horror.

[You’ve got to be kidding me. Camping? The last time I set foot in a forest, all hell broke loose. I am ninety percent—no, one hundred percent sure this trip is going to be a disaster. No way. I want to relax and enjoy the ocean breeze. I’m not going. I refuse!]

His expression grew darker with every thought swirling in his head. Just as he was about to voice his refusal, the host’s powerful voice echoed through the microphone:

"This schedule has been finalized by the director and is mandatory for all participants."

With that single sentence, Sian’s last hope of escaping to the beach was mercilessly crushed.

"It’s okay. Don’t worry. Nothing’s going to happen—I promise," Jiāo Liàngchén reassured him, noticing the younger boy’s clear reluctance. He could only imagine what kind of experiences Sian had gone through in the forest last time.

[Like hell I’ll believe that. I’m absolutely certain this day will not end well. God, why can’t I just live a peaceful, fish-like existence?]

After a brief explanation, everyone was allowed to return to their rooms to gather their belongings—if they wanted to. This wasn’t a survival program, after all; everything had already been carefully prepared, from comfortable accommodations to high-quality grilling and entertainment setups.

All the participants had to do was sit around the campfire and chat for a while.

Sian headed back to his room, with the persistent tail following closely behind. He was in a foul mood, so he ignored the man completely, refusing to engage.

He didn’t pack much—just changed into more comfortable clothes, grabbed his phone, and reached into his bag, pulling out a large military-grade knife.

Jiāo Liàngchén: "..."

Sitting on the bed, he had been watching Sian move around the room, going in and out of the bathroom. But when the boy started rummaging through his bag, Liàngchén’s expression turned blank.

And when Sian pulled out a knife nearly the length of his forearm—well, let’s just say his face became even more expressionless.

He had no idea what kind of reaction would be appropriate at this moment. Nor did he know what to say.

He wanted to remind Sian that carrying a weapon like that was illegal in their country and could get him into serious trouble—but then again, considering Sian’s "identity," he wisely chose to remain silent.

Fine. Whatever. Sian is smart and strong. He must have his reasons. I should trust him... as a fellow comrade.

Sian—who had unknowingly been promoted to work partner—casually sheathed the blade.

He had found this beautifully crafted black dagger among Lan Qisheng’s belongings, and it had caught his eye. Qisheng had simply gifted it to him.

Initially, he hadn’t planned on bringing it. But after some careful thought, he decided that protection is better than injury or regret.

And so, he brought the dagger along, just in case any unforeseen incidents occurred.

Sian cursed his luck every single day. Whether in his original world or here, trouble always seemed to chase after him like a magnet.

His old friends used to joke about it, laughing as they called him "The Black Star."

"What?" Sian asked, his sharp gaze locking onto the man who had been staring at him for too long. His deep amber eyes, framed by furrowed brows, carried an unreadable glint.

What ridiculousness was this idiot thinking about?

And Sian was right. At that moment, Jiāo Liàngchén’s mind was filled with nothing but ridiculous fantasies—visions of him and Sian fighting side by side on the battlefield, covering each other’s backs.

"Nothing. Are you done packing? Not bringing anything else?" Jiāo Liàngchén quickly changed the topic.

"It’s fine. Everything we need is already prepared. And based on my knowledge of the terrain, the campsite isn’t far. It’s not isolated either—there are shops and residents nearby. If I need something, I’ll just buy it."

Sian, who had seemingly contracted Lan Qisheng’s brand of capitalism, indirectly implied that as long as there was money, everything else would be easy.

"Terrain?... Have you been to this place before?"

"No, but I paid attention and memorized the roads while I was walking around. Oh, and I looked it up on my phone too."

"As expected..." Jiāo Liàngchén muttered in a low voice, then mumbled something incomprehensible to himself as his eyes gleamed with newfound brightness and his spirits inexplicably lifted.

***

"Damn it! To hell with my life! I knew this would end badly! I just knew it!"

Sian shouted in frustration and rage, his amber eyes now glowing with a crimson hue, the edges tinged blood-red. Speaking of blood—his pale hand clutched a beautifully crafted black dagger that gleamed under the moonlight. The blade appeared pristine, yet the stark contrast of his blood-stained fingers, coated in vibrant scarlet, revealed the truth.

If one were to look closely at the weapon, one might not see any blood on it. But if they shifted their gaze slightly—to the body on the ground—they would see bright red droplets sliding off the blade’s edge, falling one by one into the darkness below.