The Scent of Li Qingran!
“Huh?”
Chen Huaian was completely stunned.
This wasn’t normal.
Did the game actually deliver an item in real life?
Was this some next-level AI-generated marketing strategy?
Or… was this game created by hackers who somehow had access to his home?
Most people would have panicked.
But Chen Huaian?
He wasn’t afraid.
He only had one life left to lose.
“Hey! You guys hiding in the hallway? Come out and talk! If you’re gonna modify the game, at least lower the prices! I really don’t have much money left!”
His voice echoed down the corridor.
No response.
“Tch. Whatever.”
With a shrug, he shut the door and turned his attention back to the package.
If these mysterious developers had gone through the effort of physically delivering an in-game item, then whatever was inside must be high quality.
He tore open the box—
Inside, a small, delicately crafted sachet lay nestled in soft fabric.
It looked like a traditional Chinese amulet.
But the moment he flipped it over—
His face twitched.
Three bold, shaky characters were embroidered on the front:
“Chen Huaian.”
Below them, smaller words:
“Peace and safety.”
It was… handwritten.
But the writing—
It was so crooked it looked like a chicken had scratched it out.
Chen Huaian thought back to his elementary school handwriting.
Even that had been better than this.
He sighed.
“This must be Li Qingran’s work…”
He should have expected this.
Some people were just naturally bad at writing.
Still—
It was handmade.
For him.
Chen Huaian’s heart softened slightly.
“What’s inside?”
He tried to open the sachet.
But—
The fabric was surprisingly strong.
Since he couldn’t tear it open, he decided to do the next best thing—
He lifted it to his nose and took a sniff.
And froze.
A gentle, faint fragrance filled his senses.
It wasn’t overpowering.
It wasn’t artificial.
It was light, delicate, and natural.
It carried a soft warmth, like a quiet whisper of longing.
The moment he smelled it, an image flashed in his mind.
Li Qingran.
Her cold, yet gentle gaze.
Her quiet, yet determined spirit.
Chen Huaian’s breath hitched.
For a moment—he had the illusion that this was her scent.
His fingers tightened around the sachet.
“Damn… how does a game manage to do this?!”
He had heard of custom merchandise for games before.
His college roommate had once received a pair of stockings from a game character.
But that was cheap perfume sprayed on a mass-produced item.
It didn’t carry emotion.
This?
This was completely different.
Even when he changed postures or tried to think of something else—
The moment he breathed in that scent, his mind returned to Li Qingran.
No matter what.
Chen Huaian slapped his thigh.
“This is insane!”
If these game developers could bottle this effect and sell it—
They wouldn’t need to scam players with microtransactions.
They’d be richer than perfume brands!
In the end, he carefully tucked the sachet into his pocket.
Because—
It felt real.
Like it was truly made by Li Qingran herself.
Preparing for the Climb
Within an hour, Chen Huaian had everything set.
- Shaved his head at a random barbershop.
- Uploaded his medical diagnosis to his live-streaming profile.
- Filmed an “inspirational vlog” with a doctor.
- Invested 1,000 yuan in promotion.
At noon, he grabbed a quick meal.
By afternoon, he was already on a plane to Mount Lu.
Challenge: Climbing Mount Lu
His live-streaming profile was bold and dramatic.
[Life has no price. We only live once.
My name is Chen Huaian.
I have been diagnosed with advanced cancer.
In my remaining days, I will defy fate, challenge death, and push my body beyond its limits.
Today’s challenge: Climb to the summit of Mount Lu in five hours!]
By 7 PM, he arrived at the foot of the mountain.
His goal?
Start climbing at midnight.
That way, he could reach the summit at sunrise.
It was one of his small dreams.
Would he make a lot of money?
He wasn’t sure.
But the gimmick of a cancer patient climbing Mount Lu was rare.
And—
His legs were killing him.
His ankles were swollen, his joints aching.
Walking hurt.
Climbing a mountain?
That was borderline torture.
For the next three hours, he rested on a bench.
At 10 PM, he opened his phone.
First, the game.
Li Qingran was already awake.
She was meditating.
On the table, her dishes were cleaned.
Beside them—
A basket of fruits, barely eaten.
Everything she had came from him.
She was working so hard.
Then I need to work harder too.
His nerves calmed.
Taking a deep breath, he opened his live stream.
Going Live
His vlog had already gained traction.
Hundreds of people had set reminders for his stream.
It wasn’t a huge audience, but it was a start.
As expected—
The moment the stream started, the doubts rolled in.
[Host, how do we know you’re really sick? Are you just milking sympathy for cash?]
[Climbing Mount Lu with advanced cancer? And in five hours? Dude, do you even have bone cancer? At least make your scam logical!]
[LOL, this is fake as hell.]
Chen Huaian expected this.
Instead of arguing, he silently promoted his stream again.
Until the viewer count reached the hundreds.
Then—
He finally spoke.
“Hello everyone. My name is Chen Huaian.
I will climb to the top of Mount Lu within five hours as a terminal cancer patient, and the entire process will be streamed live.”
“My homepage contains my diagnosis, payment records, and medical reports.
If you think I’m lying, you’re welcome to verify with the hospital. I accept any investigation.”
Then, he flipped the camera.
Revealing his legs.
He lifted his trouser legs.
Took off his socks.
Revealing swollen, lump-covered ankles.
His right leg was even worse.
The growths had spread to his knee.
“As you can see—every step I take is excruciating.”
He turned the camera back.
Ran a hand over his bald head.
And grinned.
“But I will prove myself.
I will step on disease. Laugh at fate. And flip off the Grim Reaper.”
“At sunrise, I’ll celebrate with everyone watching behind the screen.”
Silence.
The entire live-stream froze.
