The Goblin’s Disguise and a Flustered Junior

“Run! Run!” Liuxia propelled herself forward, her legs pumping with all her might.

She had initially planned to revisit the site where she had bitten her junior, curious about the aftermath. However, having just been interrogated by Investigator Liao, returning to the “crime scene” now would be nothing short of suicidal.

As a former man, she was unsure if her first attempt at playing the role of a young girl had successfully concealed all her tells, and Liuxia dared not stake everything on her acting prowess.

Liuxia could only pray that Investigator Liao would be slow to realize her oddities. Now that she was gone, the young girl acutely recognized how riddled with flaws her every word and action had been moments ago.

Even recalling it now, a cold sweat pricked Liuxia’s brow, a shiver of dread running through her as she wondered how she had possibly pulled off the deception.

For the current Liuxia, the most pressing concern was to find a hiding spot immediately, not to loiter conspicuously on the bustling streets.

After all, if her whereabouts were exposed in such an open environment, Liuxia, now inhabiting the body of an ordinary girl, stood no chance of outrunning a trained investigator.

Consequently, Liuxia resolved to take refuge at the address her junior, Li Chunsheng, had previously shared with her.

As luck would have it, Li Chunsheng’s dwelling was quite close to the spot where Liuxia had fainted and undergone her transformation. Without much deliberation, Liuxia decided to seek shelter there.

As time slowly ticked by, the apartment building housing Li Chunsheng’s home drew nearer to Liuxia. Catching sight of her junior’s windows and door from a distance, the young girl felt a slight easing of her tension.

Suddenly, Liuxia’s ears twitched, and she instinctively slowed her pace.

“Oh no, oh no, he’s actually caught up!” Liuxia’s heart hammered against her ribs. Her senses, now immeasurably sharper since her transformation into a girl, distinctly registered the investigator she had encountered earlier. He was a considerable distance behind her, leisurely tracking her movements, having clearly picked up her trail.

It was clear that the investigator harbored suspicions about Liuxia but lacked concrete proof, leading him to shadow her, biding his time for an opportune moment to act.

What he likely hadn’t anticipated, however, was that this seemingly ordinary girl possessed senses so remarkably acute, it was as if she had eyes in the back of her head.

Acknowledging the investigator’s presence, Liuxia reluctantly resumed her charade.

The girl transitioned from her hurried run to a light, casual stroll, adopting the relaxed demeanor of someone nearing home.

Soon, Liuxia entered the apartment building, making her way step by step toward Li Chunsheng’s dwelling.

****

From a distance, Investigator Liao observed Liuxia entering the apartment building, a puzzled expression creasing his features. He stroked his chin, pondering, ‘That young lady… she’s quite striking. Why would she be residing in such an inexpensive apartment?’

‘Indeed, she’s becoming more suspicious by the minute…’

Meanwhile, Liuxia, though nearing Li Chunsheng’s apartment, felt no sense of relief. Instead, a growing weight settled in her heart.

‘Chunsheng… I injured him so severely before; he seemed to have lost so much blood. It’s likely his chances of survival are slim now…’

‘It’s all my uselessness… I couldn’t produce gold, transformed into a goblin, and even harmed Chunsheng.’

‘Even if I hide at Chunsheng’s place, what good will it do? I’m already under suspicion, already being watched. In such circumstances, hiding would only be trapping myself, wouldn’t it?’

Growing increasingly despondent with each thought, Liuxia acted purely on instinct. She arrived at Li Chunsheng’s door, retrieved the house key from the flowerpot by the corridor where she remembered it being, and deftly unlocked the door.

The very next moment, a vigilant young man appeared before Liuxia, instantly transforming her crestfallen expression into one of vibrant surprise.

“Chunsheng—!” Liuxia cried out, throwing herself into his arms.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, what’s gotten into you, miss?” Li Chunsheng was instantly flustered.

As for Li Chunsheng, he had only recently returned home. The moment he stepped inside, he immediately began searching online for any recent information regarding goblins.

Sure enough, after a thorough search, Li Chunsheng stumbled upon the name of his senior, Liu Xia, a name he knew all too well.

[ “Former citizen Liu Xia is on the verge of degenerating into a goblin and has now fled, fearing punishment. All citizens are advised to exercise caution when outdoors. Should you spot any suspicious individuals, do not approach them; instead, please call the authorities…” ]

[ “Liu, who has failed to uphold masculine virtues, produce gold, and repay debts—is this a twisted perversion of human nature, or simply…” ]

[ “I know Liu Xia personally. I never would have imagined such an honest person could end up like this…” ]

[ “You can know a person’s face, but not their heart. What do you truly understand?” ]

As he scrolled through the myriad news articles, posts, and discussions online concerning his senior, Liu Xia, Li Chunsheng’s heart was filled with a complex swirl of emotions.

‘No wonder Senior has been contacting me less and less lately. So, he’s been facing financial hardship…’

‘But why didn’t he come to me for help? Ah, right, after all, to outsiders, I’m just an ordinary person… and my blessed income is rather limited…’

‘He probably didn’t want to burden me, either…’

Li Chunsheng’s perspective on goblins diverged somewhat from the prevailing views of this world, and he harbored a degree of sympathy for the creatures.

As a transmigrator, he understood that many individuals faced dire economic circumstances, driven to their fate purely by necessity.

In this world, however, the mainstream population universally linked the degradation of one’s [gold content] into the negative, leading to transformation into a goblin, with moral failings. It was akin to how, in Li Chunsheng’s previous world, people commonly believed those afflicted with certain diseases suffered from a lack of personal virtue.

Yet, the ruling institutions of this world—the Holy Tower Church and its subordinate Temples—tacitly sanctioned the propagation of this viewpoint, understanding the inherent dangers of “fully formed goblins.” After all, the less sympathy people harbored for goblins, the easier it became to identify and apprehend potential goblin recruits from the general populace.

With such widespread endorsement, the reputation of goblins in human society plummeted, becoming utterly reviled, akin to vermin scurrying across the streets.

Consequently, many individuals on the brink of transforming into goblins, succumbing to this immense moral pressure, chose to surrender themselves, willingly accepting the Temple’s judgment.

Only a small fraction chose to resist stubbornly, yet against the formidable power of the Temple, such individuals rarely stood a chance of fully degenerating into goblins.

Just as Li Chunsheng was lost in these disheartening thoughts, the unmistakable sound of his own front door being unlocked and opened echoed through the apartment!

He knew for a fact that he had only ever told his senior, Liu Xia, where the spare key was kept! But Liu Xia had already degenerated into a goblin, losing all reason. Therefore, it could only be a thief!

In this world, where gold coins held such life-or-death significance, theft provoked an anger far greater than anything Li Chunsheng had experienced in his original world.

Enraged, Li Chunsheng clenched his fists and stormed towards the door, intent on a preemptive strike. As someone blessed with [Infinite Gold Coins], even if the counterfeit currency couldn’t be spent, it was more than sufficient for physical conditioning—a luxury most people couldn’t afford.

As long as he wasn’t up against goblins or agents of the Temple, Li Chunsheng felt confident in his ability to hold his own.

The very next moment, his clenched fists instantly relaxed as he beheld a beautiful young girl with white hair and crimson eyes, weeping as she lunged into his embrace.

“Wait, who are you, miss?” Li Chunsheng, who had rarely experienced a girl’s closeness outside of labor rituals due to his meager gold production, was utterly bewildered.

“Ah, ah…!” Realizing her impropriety, Liuxia quickly extricated herself from Li Chunsheng’s embrace.

“Th-that! Chunsheng! It’s me, Liu Xia!” The young girl explained, her expression a mix of panic and urgency as she looked at him.

“Liu Xia?” Li Chunsheng’s face contorted in disbelief. ‘Seriously? My senior and I practically grew up together, childhood friends. How could that unremarkable Liu Xia possibly be this stunning, seemingly wealthy and noble young woman standing before me?’

“It’s true!” Witnessing her junior’s incredulous expression, and acutely aware that the investigator was ascending the apartment stairs, Liu Xia hastily explained, “Anyway! When I was fleeing as a goblin, I somehow transformed into a girl!”

“It’s thanks to this that I managed to escape! Please, Chunsheng! I truly am Liu Xia; please take me in! Look, I have a mole on my chest—we’ve seen it countless times when we bathed together.”

Liuxia’s urgency was palpable, her words tumbling out faster and faster. To enhance her credibility, she even boldly unbuttoned her top, revealing the dazzlingly white skin beneath.

Upon the towering, snow-white peaks, only scant strips of fabric offered cover, and indeed, at the edge of one peak, a familiar small black mole was visible.

This revelation finally convinced Li Chunsheng, yet the stunning sight before him made it difficult to tear his gaze away. To avoid offending his senior, he reluctantly averted his eyes, quickly stating, “Alright, alright! I believe you! Just put your clothes back on first!”

However, Li Chunsheng did not receive the reaction he anticipated. Instead, Liuxia’s expression abruptly shifted, and she addressed him in a distinctly coquettish tone.

“Chunsheng~ [Liuxia] is back from outside~ Are you happy?” Without even pausing to properly don her top, she gently nestled herself into Li Chunsheng’s embrace.

“???” What in the world was happening? Li Chunsheng was utterly baffled.

“Please, Chunsheng, just play along with me… pretend we’re a couple…” Liuxia whispered, having thrown herself into his arms.

‘Hold on, big sis! What’s with this “[Liuxia]”? And how am I supposed to act like a couple? I’ve been single for twenty years, and counting my previous life, that’s decades without any romantic experience. How on earth would I know how to…’

But seeing his senior’s urgent plea, Li Chunsheng could only reluctantly play along.

Lacking any experience, he simply followed his instincts, consulting his primal urges.

Thus, with his mind a blank, Li Chunsheng instinctively wrapped his arms around Liuxia, his hands slipping beneath her armpits and heading straight for the snow-white peaks!

“Ah—?” Liuxia let out a suppressed gasp.