The two fell into silence. After a long period of confusion, Xiao Li finally remembered this game’s branching point. Historical records showed that after Prince of Lanling’s great victory at Mount Mang, he was recalled to the capital Ye City by his imperial brother—the Northern Qi emperor—stripped of military power, and shortly after was given poisoned wine by the emperor on some random pretext. So being too accomplished really wasn’t a good thing.

But since this was made into a game, it couldn’t possibly give players a guaranteed losing ending, right? Could the subsequent plot become a coup and palace intrigue storyline?

Xiao Li immediately began enthusiastic persuasion. She was thoroughly familiar with Prince of Lanling’s background and quickly thought of several methods for usurping the throne.

Gao Changgong didn’t interrupt, just listened quietly. Only at the very end did he sigh deeply, wearily pressing the mask and saying softly: “This king remembers that when we first met, you constantly spoke of ‘games.'”

Xiao Li was startled—she hadn’t expected her careless words from the beginning to be firmly remembered by him. Panic instinctively rose in her heart. She knew she must have said something wrong, but before she could find the reason, she heard Gao Changgong continue coolly.

“Perhaps in your eyes, this king and all others are merely a game to you, but this king’s life is controlled only by himself.”

Xiao Li opened her mouth wanting to say something, but her vision had already gone blank. She stared blankly at the white ceiling above, feeling empty inside for a long time without recovering. She knew Gao Changgong had removed the golden mask, and she had a premonition he would never wear it again.

But why did she think this way? This was clearly just a game, wasn’t it?

Unexpectedly, though Gao Changgong no longer wore the golden mask, she could still see his figure through the mask’s perspective.

He hung the mask on the wall. Xiao Li was like watching a lengthy TV drama segment, observing his life after returning to the capital.

Watching him dismiss his five hundred guards, keeping only Han Ye beside him, refusing all visitors. Watching him claim illness and refuse to go out, deliberately contracting diseases without treatment, spending days in a daze. Watching him often stare at her—or more precisely, at this golden demon mask—reminiscing about battlefield years…

Xiao Li had previously complained about not being able to see Prince of Lanling’s handsome face, but now seeing him daily yet unable to communicate, she’d rather banter with him like before, then solemnly apologize.

She shouldn’t have treated someone else’s life as her own game.

Finally one day, palace guards blockaded the prince’s mansion. A cup of poisoned wine from the emperor was brought before Gao Changgong.

Han Ye fought desperately to deliver the golden demon mask to Gao Changgong’s hands, but for resisting imperial orders, he was stabbed to death on the spot by guards.

Xiao Li watched this scene in shock and helplessness. Han Ye had devoted his life to defending country and home, yet didn’t die on the battlefield but under his own people’s blades.

What an ironic ending! Xiao Li was furious, wanting to immediately grab Gao Changgong’s hand and make him put on the mask. With her there, he could definitely break through the encirclement. Even a lifetime of hiding would be better than dying here inexplicably.

But Gao Changgong ultimately didn’t put on the golden demon mask in his hands. Xiao Li saw deathly stillness in his eyes.

“Back then… I really should have listened to you…” Gao Changgong caressed the fierce demon mask, his thin lips curving in a helpless smile.

Actually, it was just one wrong life decision. Why… why couldn’t he turn back?

Xiao Li watched in shock as Gao Changgong raised the poisoned wine and drained it in one gulp. Black poisoned blood spilled from his lips, dripping onto the demon mask in his hands, obscuring her vision until everything became darkness…

Everyone said Xiao Li seemed like a different person—studying with utmost seriousness, her test scores improving dramatically.

When good friends couldn’t help asking, Xiao Li only said coolly that she simply didn’t want her future self to look back with regret.

It turned out life wasn’t a game. After GAME OVER, you could restart. But life had no cheats, no save files—all she could do was march steadily forward.

Her golden demon mask had fallen completely silent with Prince of Lanling’s death. No matter how she wore it, she would never again see those war-torn battlefields or those ancient, elegant courtyards.

Xiao Li had gained understanding, knowing the golden demon mask in her hands probably wasn’t the holographic gaming terminal she’d imagined.

But what meaning was there in investigating the truth now? She didn’t want her own life to become a game that could be casually manipulated.

Shortly after school started, Xiao Li received a letter asking her to mail the golden demon mask back to an address.

Xiao Li hesitated all night before deciding to follow the letter’s instructions and mail away the mask. Since this mask could no longer contact that person, keeping it served no purpose.

Fortunately, she still had that poster.

The doctor entered the Mute House carrying a takeout box, just as someone brushed past him. Seeing the company shirt that person wore, he couldn’t help laughing: “Boss, you actually use express delivery too? How trendy!”

“No return address written—I don’t know who sent it either.” The boss spoke while carefully unwrapping the package, revealing the fierce yet stunning golden demon mask inside.

“Yo, what ancient artifact is this?” The doctor bit his disposable chopsticks, curiously leaning over.

“This… should be Prince of Lanling’s golden mask…” the boss said hesitantly.

“Huh? There’s actually an artifact you can’t identify? How strange!” The doctor raised his eyebrows.

“It’s not that I can’t identify what this is, but that I can’t determine exactly who sent it.” The boss lowered his eyelids, thinking hard.

The doctor watched from beside, ultimately unable to resist the beautiful golden temptation, reaching out to touch the golden demon mask. Along with the fingertip’s coldness came what seemed like a distant call.

[Imperial brother…]

The doctor jerked back his hand like receiving an electric shock, alarmed and uncertain.

“What’s wrong?” The boss noticed his abnormal reaction.

“No… nothing.” The doctor smiled, thinking he’d misheard. Working night shifts and staying up all night really affected his mental state!

The boss stared at the demon mask in the wooden box for a long time before finally pushing it aside, looking up with a smile: “Let’s eat first.”

The doctor obligingly handed over a takeout box, then quickly entered nagging complaint mode. The boss listened habitually, occasionally nodding in agreement.

Neither saw that under the swaying Changxin Palace lamp, the golden demon mask’s fierce surface briefly showed a layer of bloody resentment before vanishing…

In a dim tomb chamber, only an oil lamp in the northeast corner cast weak light. A red skylark fluttered in from the tomb passage, its wing-stirred air currents making the lamp flicker even more.

The red bird landed on the coffin’s edge, looking down at the man lying inside. This person wore a golden demon mask identical to the one just mailed to the Mute House. The golden mask covered his face, leaving only silver-white hair exposed. Gold and silver reflected each other—more beautiful than any rare treasure.

The red bird tilted its head, watching entranced for a while before finally jumping into the coffin, using its beak to preen the silver-white hair.

Master, stop sleeping—it’s dark now, time to go out and play!

The man lying in the coffin seemed to hear the red bird’s thoughts. Behind the golden demon mask’s deep black eye sockets, what slowly opened were crimson pupils…