The Gu Worm Attacks

"[Ding! The main quest 'Prevent the male lead from descending the mountain' has been completed. The reward has been sent. Current Merit Points: 30. Keep it up, Host!]"

The system even accompanied this with a sound effect of exploding fireworks, but Yu Zhiling knew very well that it was just a default program. When this system spoke, its tone was mechanical and cold, devoid of any emotion, completely following its pre-set programming.

But she was so excited that her hands were trembling. Heavens, this quest was way too easy!

It was truly an overwhelming joy!

Mo Zhu paid her no mind. At this moment, he cupped his hands in salute. "This disciple is somewhat tired and begs leave to retire and rest."

Yu Zhiling was still immersed in the joy of gaining Merit Points. She didn't even hear clearly what he said, only nodding vaguely. "Ah, yes, alright, alright."

Mo Zhu turned and left. Having taken only a few steps, Yu Zhiling looked at the youth's tall and slender back. Suddenly snapping out of it, she hurriedly stood up and called out to him, "Mo Zhu, wait!"

He froze instantly.

The hand hanging by his side clenched in an instant. Since his back was turned to her, she could not see his expression; she could only see that the youth's pupils had contracted into vertical slits like a serpent's.

*Is she no longer pretending?*

He thought he was about to receive Yu Zhiling's whip lashes, and even secretly calculated in his mind: *Is it too early to kill her now?*

Reason told him that if he killed her now, all his plans would fall apart.

But in his sea of consciousness, a voice was screaming: *Why not kill her? You have endured enough! Even if you kill her, you can still find a way to obtain that thing!*

Mo Zhu's killing intent flared. At the same time, the Gu worm at his heart meridian, which had been dormant for three months, also began to stir.

"Mo Zhu, take these with you." Yu Zhiling swept the pile of sword arts into her storage bag, casually stuffing in a few bottles of high-grade healing medicinal pills she had just scavenged from Immortal Venerable Zhuo Yu's room.

Just as she was about to step forward and hand them to him, she suddenly sensed that something was wrong. She tentatively called out, "What is wrong with you?"

He did not answer. She slowly walked toward him.

His heart ached violently, as if sliced by a blade. The pain traveled along his blood vessels all the way to his sea of consciousness. Mo Zhu let out a muffled groan, reaching up to clutch his head, the veins on his forehead bulging.

His old injuries began to flare up. The three-month limit had arrived, and the Gu worm in his heart meridian began to move again, gnawing at every strand of his meridians. The youth's body trembled, and he suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood, stumbling and collapsing. His knees slammed heavily against the tiled floor with a loud thud.

That sound alone made Yu Zhiling think his kneecaps had shattered.

She rushed forward. "Mo Zhu!"

Mo Zhu propped one hand on the ground while the other covered his mouth, coughing violently. His ponytail swayed, and dark blood seeped through his fingers, turning a deep, pitch black.

Just as Yu Zhiling crouched down in front of him, Mo Zhu suddenly raised his head.

His eyes had completely transformed into vertical slits, their deep golden hue resembling a fire in the dead of night. Deep within them, a tempest raged, but Yu Zhiling could only feel an intense killing intent.

Facing the male lead's hatred, she, as a transmigrator with absolutely no power to resist, stood frozen in place.

Mo Zhu lowered his head again, continuing to vomit black blood. Having hunted demons relentlessly for the past few days, the sudden flare-up of the Gu worm made it impossible for his body to hold on any longer.

He slumped forward unsteadily.

Yu Zhiling reflexively reached out to catch him. The youth's chin slammed straight into her shoulder, leaving half of her body aching.

She reached out to touch his forehead and found it burning hot.

At that exact moment, the familiar mechanical voice rang in her sea of consciousness:

"[The male lead's Gu worm has flared up. His blackening index has risen sharply, and the progress of world stabilization has regressed. Host's Merit Points -10. Current: 20 points.]"

Yu Zhiling: "..."

Yu Zhiling: "???"

Yu Zhiling screamed in her mind, "I protest!"

She was the one doing the quests, and she wasn't the one who had implanted the Gu worm. Why did she get none of the credit but all of the blame?!

The system replied coldly:

"[Host, please continue to work hard.]"

Yu Zhiling was about to die of anger.