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A century has passed in the real world. Time goes by without rest, some have gone to other side, some still wait for their turn, some choose to spend their moments with families. As the life goes on, people will realize they are lonely. They seek someone to accompany them, create a family to fill the hollow in their heart.
Zong Jiu wore a black suit. He stands with other people dressed in the same clothes, in front of him was a tombstone bearing the name of a beloved friend whose also a player long ago. The man's wife could not contain her grief, she fell during the process of grave blessing. The children who are now adults cannot hold back their tears, hoping their father could still be saved from his illness. The grandchildren seem confused why their grandfather was sleeping in a coffin.
Mephistopheles stands at the very back of the line. After spending so many years with his husband and learning to be kind to others (otherwise Zong Jiu would have made him sleep on the sofa if No. 1 did something bad to their friends), there was a sense of loss that made the Devil unable to smile. Time never shows any mercy, eventually no one will stay with them long enough.
After the grave blessing ended, those who were still alive gathered in a nearby restaurant. They began to talk about what they were doing now, their own families, and how much they missed their youth. No. 1 listened while holding a little girl on his lap, she was Van Zhuo's great-granddaughter. Her parents were busy so she spent her time with her kind great-grandfather in a private villa belonged to Van Zhuo. This girl likes the Devil and Zong Jiu. Beside him, Zong Jiu talking with Xu Sen while other party helps his husband, Xu Su, to pour a warm water on his glass.
The little girl is not the only children here. Some kids running around but none is hurt thanks to No. 1 who volunteering himself for watching them. His shadow keep these children from hurting themselves. When these little ones enter adolescence, they will naturally forget about shadows that guarding them. They will remember No. 1 himself who stopped their recklessness.
Of course, they will also not remember the good adult called Mephistopheles clearly.
Old players reunion was short-lived but left a lasting impression. No one knew when their friend would go first. No. 1 and his husband have become immortal since holding the authority of Infinite Game. Living too long might seem good but not when you will be a lone survivor. The little girl on No. 1's lap reluctantly jumped down to accompany her great-grandfather home. shouldn't stay out late from their house into past afternoon.
Zhuge An who somehow live together with Van Zhuo holding the little girl's hand and get into the car. Xu Sen and Xu Su are picked up by their stepchild to go home. Years of marriage never dissolved their love as both holding hands while their stepchild patiently waited in their car.
Seeing dear friends surrounded by their families made his heart flutter, especially after seeing how No. 1 spoiled the little girl on his lap. The Magician never imagined that his big bad menace husband would be so enthusiastic on taking care of their friends’ grandchildren. The sacrificial lamb of sin, who transforms into worldly evil, eventually succumbs to little children. He'd even given them sweets behind everyone's back every time they gathered together like now. Look how much confectioneries is stored inside all children's pockets here.
The others also went home one by one, No. 1 and Zong Jiu were the only guests left. "Human is fragile" No. 1 sighed, two friends have left them for half a year. Zong Jiu remained silent, indicating that he agreed with the Devil's statement. Their physical and appearance does not change at all, if an aging friend needs help, Zong Jiu without hesitation would help like a filial grandson. many thought that the Magician and the Devil were the caretakers of a group of old people who liked to gather like earlier. Not like the Magician cared.
But he does care when Mephistopheles looks at little kids in tenderness and being suspected as their father by folks.
They entered Infinite Game World, cleaning themselves and changing clothes before returning to finish their business in the game. No. 1 wear a signature black suit, his fashion preference is unchangeable. As Zong Jiu walks towards him, No. 1 who was about to tease his husband fell silent. Why does the Magician wear loose clothes?
Zong Jiu held a glass of hot coffee that he just made “Want some?” seeing the Magician acting like nothing is wrong, No. 1 diminished the question marks. “I’m good” There was a little disappointment in his heart. The Devil almost thought that his beautiful Magician was trying to seduce him. The aroma of coffee was tempting, but No. 1 was in no mood to drink anything “I’ll make my own later”.
Two pair of husbands sat side by side on a large sofa in the Devil's room. After sipping some caffeine, Zong Jiu put his glass on a small table beside the sofa. In front of them two virtual keyboards appeared floating in the air. Visual data, auditor data, kinesthetic data, neural data, and even the probability statistics that they were going to work on automatically appeared in their heads. Zong Jiu leaned his head on the Devil's shoulder, living together for a long time makes the Magician not ashamed to be affectionate.
They're just create a new instance for horror-survival genre. Young people in this era really like challenges, they are afraid of jumpscares but also wants to experience it, puzzles that are deliberately placed in several locations where scary NPCs will appear can be completed in a short time even though the atmosphere is tense. To praise the tenacity of young players, No. 1 added a complicated mechanism to give players some way to defend themselves so they won't die immediately. Sometimes the Devil kisses his Magician's forehead when he felt bored.
Zong Jiu is responsible for creating puzzles that trap players. The latest instance is meant to be completed over a long period of time. The clues for those puzzles are intentionally made inconspicuous so that impatient players will not pay attention to them while unimportant content is made to look like clues that will eventually pushes players use the wrong ones. Players who have tasted the bitterness of traps will start to focus on details when restarting the instance.
From sitting together for some hours, their position changed to No. 1 resting his head on Zong Jiu's thigh. One smooth hand that wasn't used too much in creating puzzles was combing his husband's long black hair. An atmosphere full of tenderness lasted until the Magician raise a topic he had been wanting to discuss for a while. "Hey, Mephistopheles" he called the Devil.
“Hm? Yeah baby?" No. 1 answering by looking at his husband, put aside his current progress. Looking at difficult expression on the Magician's face, seems like Zong Jiu is troubled by something “Is something wrong?”
Zong Jiu speak in roundabout way "Don't you think this place is too quiet?". The Devil frowned. It's true that his room is very quiet rather than Magician's which has dozens of cats now. But No. 1 won't allow them to reign over his room. His wine collection won't be spared by troops of furballs. Like reading his mind, Zong Jiu retorted "I'm not talking about cats."
Speaking of cats, Zong Jiu expanded his room so his furry babies has more spaces to play. He'd installed cat playgrounds around his room. Truly a cat slave behavior. The Devil felt sour since he couldn't stay in that room any longer like in the past. Cats are naturally territorial, every object must have their smells. They'll force No. 1 to accept their licks attack if he spends time there too long. No. 1 could just beat them up. But he won't destroy a century of marriage just for cats.
The thought of a bunch of kittens scratching his carpet, leaving furs everywhere stopped. No. 1 breathed a sigh of relief. “Well, it can’t be helped. I’m not too fond of them." The Devil gets up from his laying down position to hug his little husband "We've been living like this for a long time. Why are you asking me all of sudden?”. Once again, Zong Jiu spoke without touching the main point “Do you remember the gift you gave me in our 48th wedding anniversary?”
No. 1 recalled his memory, then smiled mischievously "You mean a card-shaped prop I created that can change the function of human body parts permanently?". At that time, the Devil deliberately put a revealing white wedding dress plus an elegant underwear in their shared wardrobe so that the Magician would understand that No. 1 wanted to see himself growing women's breasts. The Devil got cold shoulder after that.
However, instead of scoffing, Zong Jiu braced himself to say next words "I wonder If It can help me create a new life," he looked away to hide embarrassment "Like, creating human." No. 1 who listen attentively stunned. As someone who can read his Magician like an open book, of course he understands what Zong Jiu is implying right now. The Devil let go his hug, clenching his fists at the nearest cushion for hiding excitement "You want us to make a child?" this time he's the one who asked.
Instead of answering, Zong Jiu grabs his husband and kissing him passionately. Since discussing about it is too embarrassing, then just take action. He guide the Devil into a large, soft black covered mattress without breaking the kiss. It's rare for the Magician for taking initiative. Zong Jiu pushes his Devil, hold him on a large bed before separating their intertwined tongues. A sliver string of long saliva was cut off at the middle as the Devil put his attention to him full of anticipation. Zong Jiu taking out a card-shaped prop which had just been talked, and use them directly at his own stomach in front of the Devil.
Yes, the Magician wants a child.
He wants his own child, born from him and his handsome Devil.
Rather than happy when he saw others being surrounded by little kids at home, the Magician was actually jealous towards his friends. He'd wish they all were his to care for. However, Zong Jiu never showed it because he thought it was too childish to be jealous of others until he saw the Devil looking at those children with longing eyes.
Even though Zong Jiu knows his Devil also wants children, there might be possiblity of No. 1 refusing his idea. That's why he took action.
Soon his body is hot all over. Zong Jiu unbuttons his husband's shirt one by one until all the proportional muscles are visible, smiling seductively while kissing every newly exposed skin. The Magician emits unusual, intoxicating smells. Experts said that at ovulatory phases woman's body odor will be more attractive, a signal of their peak fertility.
"Will you do the honor, my Mephistopheles?" Zong Jiu put his right hand at the Devil's covered shaft, caressing them slowly while other hand seeping into his own clothes, showing traces of naughty touches with every movement there. No. 1 just realized that his previous guess of Zong Jiu tries to seduce him by wearing a loose clothes is hit the mark.
The Devil cannot hide his excitement anymore. He'll teach this misbehaving beauty of his and fertilize him.
After the deed is done, the moment of tenderness is back. Bodies bare like newborn, innocence of Adam and Eve. They embracing each other in content, hoping new life shall appear sooner.
"I want to give a name for our child" No. 1 smile foolishly, unlike his usual elegant one. The Devil humming as thought of hundreds to thousands of auspicious names for his future baby. Zong Jiu giggling at his silliness, peck a lips that keep lifting upwards "They're not even here yet. Why so haste?".
"But I want to. He or She must have a name." Mephistopheles pouting at his Faust, he rubs the flat belly that will protect a new life for 9 months. Hoping the baby will come sooner by rubbing it gently. "So they will have a good life after born"
Zong Jiu nodded. What he said is not wrong. After the Devil got a name for his own, life seems better for him. "You better tell me what names you’ve chosen for them.” Zong Jiu patting the hand that keep rubbing his belly, then intertwined their fingers. “I’m the one who will give birth to them. If you give them bad names, I have the right to refuse.”
"Well, maybe I should give them great name like Odin, Parvati, Athena, or Luigh. Our child will be respected as a god." No. 1 began to show his list.
"Good idea, but what about simpler name?"
"I will give my daughter a beautiful name like Evelyn, Isabella, or Sophia. As for my son, I will give them a respectful name like Oliver, Noah, or Theodore. Be it daughter or son, the name I give will have special meaning. " Zong Jiu felt intrigued "What kind of meaning?". The Devil stole a kiss "The story about us"
Zong Jiu leans his head to No. 1's chest, enjoying the sounds of heartbeat that always lulls him to sleep. "My dramatic Devil king, what surname would you give to them?".
"Why should I think of their surname? They'll take yours" No. 1 tapping his pretty Magician's nose "Our child must have your aspects"
Their friends eventually will go to other side, online version of Infinite Game eventually will be left behind by the younger generation, but they have each other to fill the void. Still, if every wish could come true on this Infinite Game World, the Magician and Devil pray to have a living proof of their love.
"Shall we do it again?"
"Yes"
Woman is strongest creatures.
Zong Jiu respected women, but now he respects them even more. For past 8 months, the Magician did not dare to move too actively, even a little bit would immediately drain his energy. For the safety of baby in his womb, Zong Jiu reluctantly agreed to move all his cats into another big room beside him even though he actually sleep in the Devil's.
At the day some NPC doctor diagnosed that he finally conceive a child, No. 1 was too excited to the point of jumping around and screaming everywhere, even opened his garden of roses for troops of furballs he disliked. Breaking off his proud persona. No. 1 wants to make sure nothing bad happens to his beloved and little one considering Zong Jiu is a man. Anything could happen in Infinite Game World, even a pregnant man. But precaution is must. The big bad Devil never leave his Magician alone since first period of pregnancy.
Giving birth is painful. The midwives forbade an anxious Devil from entering the delivery room (Zong Jiu's private bedroom) so that the Magician could focus on delivering their baby in the best condition. No. 1 almost murdered everyone present if he didn't remember that Magician needed them. 2 hours went by with screams of pain. Mephistopheles sat outside in a state of restraint to break in and save his Fasut, he and Zong Jiu had agreed that no matter what happened during the labor, No. 1 must accept the results.
Finally a baby's cries echoed. One of the midwives came out to inform No. 1 that Magician and his baby has safely passed the critical period. But No one should disturb Zong Jiu for a while. The Devil waiting for another hour until he was allowed to see his beloved. An albinism man who looked exhausted tried to sit up normally, his legs covered with a warm and heavy blanket. He's carrying a bundle of joy with great care. His face looked happy after meeting the child he had been protecting and waiting for months.
No. 1 slowly approached two of them, focusing on the bundle of joy as he walks, heart beating fast. The Magician who finally realizes that his husband has getting closer smiling "She's a girl, very similar to you." Zong Jiu give the sleeping baby to No. 1. With both hands trying to be steady, No. 1 receives a beautiful baby into his arms. Then two pair of amber little eyes opened, instead of crying, the baby laughing happily as she met her father.
Tears flowed from the Devil's eyes. How can a warm, soft, innocent being like her feel secure in his cold hands?
She is the purest being he'd ever met. Her smile is enough for him to give all worldly possessions, even the world itself to her."Welcome to our world, my little princess" No. 1 speak as the beautiful baby inside the bundle looking at him full of trust "We will call you Zong Yu Liao"