The Cold and Ruthless Supporting Male Lead

“Aren’t you supposed to stream with someone else tonight?” Mu Xiaoya, at a loss for words, decided to change the subject, hoping to approach the situation from another angle.

She had a feeling that Hai Ku’s mood had been off these past few days. Otherwise, he would have agreed to any request she made, just like before.

After all, he was her bestie!

Mu Xiaoya thought to herself; Besties were supposed to help each other, weren’t they?

“Yes, the game installation package I’ll send you shortly is the one I’ll stream tonight. You can familiarize yourself with it first, and if you feel comfortable, I’ll consider helping you later.” After finishing a big bowl of noodles, Hai Ku wiped the sweat from his forehead and couldn’t help but burp. “I still need to take a shower later, so let’s leave it here for now. Make sure to download the installation package.”

With that, he hung up the call and leisurely returned to the kitchen to get another bowl of noodles. Without Mu Xiaoya’s chattering, even the noodles tasted better.

The reason Hai Ku could make such a promise was that he was absolutely certain Mu Xiaoya wouldn’t be able to handle the game.

In the original storyline, even after Hai Ku spent half a year teaching Mu Xiaoya, her gaming skills showed no improvement. It was clear she wasn’t cut out for gaming.

Even after teaming up with the male lead later, Mu Xiaoya remained just as bad. She either tagged along with Zhuoye Xingchen to leech experience or became the comic relief.

When the two of them eventually got together, their streams turned into nothing more than displays of affection, with zero gaming value.

Hai Ku had helped Mu Xiaoya because he had been blind, believing she was his best friend. Even after she rejected his confession, he still put her first in his heart, simply because she accepted his cross-dressing hobby.

Looking back, Hai Ku found that mindset far too self-deprecating and unnecessary.

Even if Mu Xiaoya hadn’t accepted his cross-dressing, he would still indulge in it. He couldn’t restrain himself.

As far as he was concerned, liking to cross-dress wasn’t a big deal. It didn’t harm society, nor did he use it to hurt or deceive others. It was purely a personal preference.

After coming to terms with that, Hai Ku felt a great sense of relief.

He sighed, burping contentedly as he rested on the sofa.

The stream tonight was likely to run long, so Hai Ku had already planned to shower beforehand to avoid any hassles later. If he got too tired, he could simply collapse into bed afterward.

Once he sent the installation package to Mu Xiaoya, he began tidying up his clothes and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

If his calculations were correct, Mu Xiaoya would undoubtedly lurk in his stream tonight. Once she saw him collaborating with someone else, she would surely find her way over.

Whether her reaction would be jealousy or admiration was anyone’s guess.

As long as she behaved and didn’t cause trouble, giving her a little boost wouldn’t be too difficult.

***

After his shower, Hai Ku logged into the game. Zhuoye Xingchen, true to his reputation as a top player, had already packed his channel with viewers 20 minutes before the stream even began.

Hai Ku had no choice but to privately message Zhuoye Xingchen.

[Haiku: Now I understand why your teammates don’t want to stream with you! You completely overshadow them.]

[Zhuoye Xingchen: Don’t tell me you’re planning to back out at the last minute!]

[Haiku: Of course not! This is a golden opportunity for me to gain followers. Just be careful I don’t steal the spotlight.]

[Zhuoye Xingchen: Go ahead and try if you think you can. Have you installed the game yet? Want to test it out first?]

[Haiku: Sure, I’ve installed it but haven’t tried it yet. Should I log in now?]

[Zhuoye Xingchen: Yes, I’ll send you the account details. Use this secondary account of mine; it’s a higher level and easier to play with.]

[Haiku: Got it. I’ll log in right away.]

After their private chat ended, Hai Ku connected to Zhuoye Xingchen’s live stream and quietly logged into the account he was given.

As another player appeared in the stream, the fans immediately erupted in excitement. This had been entirely within Zhuoye Xingchen’s expectations, so he handled it with ease.

“This is the gaming streamer I mentioned, Haiku. It took me a lot of effort to convince him to team up. You guys better appreciate it and make sure to leave a good impression on him!”

Zhuoye Xingchen sighed dramatically, his tone dripping with mock sorrow. “Do you think it’s easy for me to organize a duo stream? Huh?”

[Tsk tsk tsk, Xingchen, you’re such a show-off…]

[Fine, since this guy has such good-looking hands, I’ll reluctantly give you a like…]

[It’s been so long since Xingchen did a duo stream. I’m kind of looking forward to it~]

Most of the comments below the stream were harmonious, with the few discordant ones quickly drowned out. This was evidence of how much attention Zhuoye Xingchen’s duo live stream had drawn, especially since he had been solo streaming for over a year. Other than collaborating with someone before he became popular, he hadn’t done so until now.

“Ah, you’re making me a little nervous now. Let me log into the secondary account first.” Hai Ku chuckled as he spoke. Although his face wasn’t visible on the stream; only his keyboard and hands; the smile in his voice had become a professional habit, making his tone sound naturally warm.

The game they were playing today was a horror-themed escape room adventure.

However, this escape room adventure was slightly different from the typical kind. In addition to exploration, it also involved fighting monsters and leveling up. Combat was unavoidable because all kinds of useful tools were carried by the monsters.

Still, this was a horror game, and if players only focused on running away, they wouldn’t even get past the first level. They couldn’t afford to avoid the monsters and instead had to search for weapons to deal with them before progressing step by step.

The game’s main highlights were the combination of horror and monster-fighting. According to the official introduction, the monsters on each level had unique appearances, and the sounds they made when beaten varied as well.

Additionally, after defeating each monster, the game would unlock a backstory for it.

Overall, the game offered considerable replay value.

The escape room adventure consisted of nine levels in total. Tonight, they were starting with the first level. Although the stream was scheduled to begin at 8:00 P.M., there were still over 10 minutes left, so Hai Ku and Zhuoye Xingchen decided to chat with the viewers.

While they chatted, Zhuoye Xingchen introduced the game, and Hai Ku adjusted his character settings.

***

Mu Xiaoya had been lurking in the live stream for a while, watching on her computer while keeping an eye on Hai Ku’s follower count on her phone.

In just over 20 minutes, Hai Ku’s followers had increased by several hundred, undoubtedly thanks to Zhuoye Xingchen’s audience.

Seeing this number made Mu Xiaoya even more jealous. She couldn’t figure out when Hai Ku had managed to cozy up to Zhuoye Xingchen, who was famously aloof.

Although Hai Ku’s follower count was decent compared to regular streamers, it was just a fraction of Zhuoye Xingchen’s. What had Hai Ku done to deserve this?

Taking a deep breath, Mu Xiaoya told herself to stay calm.

Even if she couldn’t stream with Zhuoye Xingchen now, the followers he brought to Hai Ku would eventually trickle down to her once Hai Ku helped her out. Surely, her follower count would see a significant boost as well.

Mu Xiaoya firmly believed that her lack of success was due to her lack of exposure. If she had the same opportunities as Hai Ku to stream, she was confident she would soar.

She didn’t see her thoughts as arrogant at all. Watching Hai Ku’s gameplay with disdain, she felt he had no right to criticize her gaming skills when he himself was fumbling through the game.

Since this was his first time playing, Hai Ku was still in an exploratory phase. In contrast, Zhuoye Xingchen, who had leveled up previously, had already cleared the first level.

“I streamed the first level solo once before, so I still remember where some of the tools are. I wonder if they’re still in the same places for the duo mode,” Zhuoye Xingchen said as he guided his character forward, retracing his previous route to search for tools.

“The sound effects are pretty creepy. I think I’ll take off my headphones,” Hai Ku muttered as he followed behind, occasionally chatting with Zhuoye Xingchen.

In game streaming, silence was a big no-no. Hai Ku was already accustomed to talking while playing, and Zhuoye Xingchen was no exception. He operated his character while explaining things to Hai Ku.

“When I cleared the first level last time, I encountered just one monster. How about we find all the monsters this time?” Zhuoye Xingchen suggested.

“I didn’t–Ah! That scared me to death!” Hai Ku had been following the path Zhuoye Xingchen had taken, but the ground suddenly caved in, forming a pit. Fortunately, Hai Ku’s quick reflexes saved his character from falling.

The comments section erupted in laughter.

[I don’t think this game is scary; it’s Hai Ku’s reactions that are terrifying!]

[Oh my, that little gasp of his…]

[Hahaha, I watched Zhuoye play this once before, and there weren’t any traps in that spot!]

[…]

[…]

Most of the comments were still lighthearted and harmonious, with viewers sharing their own startled reactions. However, one comment stood out as particularly jarring.

Moreover, the ID seemed very familiar.

[MuMuMuAh: Can you shut up? You gave me a fright! Just play the game; why are you screaming? Aren’t you a grown man? It’s just a hole.]

Hai Ku: “…”

Even though this was clearly Mu Xiaoya’s alternate account, Hai Ku recognized it instantly. It was the ID she always used for her secondary account, a fact that only came to light during the extras.

Although her comment was quickly buried under others, Hai Ku still felt annoyed.

If it had been anyone else, Hai Ku wouldn’t have cared about such remarks. But who was Mu Xiaoya to judge him?

Unable to keep reading the teasing comments, Hai Ku decided to disable the comments altogether. Maneuvering his character around the black hole, he asked, “Do you think there’s something down there?”

“Shine a flashlight in and see,” Zhuoye Xingchen suggested, pulling a flashlight out of his inventory. As he approached the hole, he hesitated. “What if my flashlight reveals a monster down there?”

Hai Ku replied, “Then have them mute their sound first.”

Zhuoye Xingchen laughed. “I’d love to call you clever, but I refuse to listen. I’m not muting anything!”

Without waiting for any input from the viewers, Zhuoye Xingchen immediately shone his flashlight into the hole.

“Aaaaahhh–!” A sharp scream pierced the air, as if shattering glass. The sound was both grating and bone-chilling.

“Whoa!” Despite being somewhat prepared and even shutting his eyes, Hai Ku was still startled by the scream.

“Oh my God!” Zhuoye Xingchen exclaimed, equally shaken. “I’m still wearing headphones; I’m going deaf!”

It took them both a while to recover from the shock, but by then, the little monster that had emerged from the pit had already run off.

Clutching his chest as if to calm his racing heart, Hai Ku maneuvered his character to push Zhuoye Xingchen. “Big boss, I’ll follow behind you!”

Zhuoye Xingchen teased, “You’re so spineless. Weren’t you aiming to gain more followers?”

“No, my little heart is more important! Wahhh~”

Zhuoye Xingchen: “…”

***

The game ended on a high note. They managed to clear the first level, though not without several bouts of screaming, which the viewers had grown accustomed to by the end.

Streaming with a big-name creator like Zhuoye Xingchen truly made a difference. In just a few hours, Hai Ku had gained several thousand followers, with the count still climbing steadily.

Hai Ku’s gaming skills were already decent, and his commentary was engaging enough. Other than his follower count being much lower than Zhuoye Xingchen’s, there wasn’t much to criticize.

Moreover, Zhuoye Xingchen’s fans, who hadn’t seen him collaborate with anyone in ages, were especially tolerant. This ended up working in Hai Ku’s favor, giving him a significant boost.

While all of this was worth celebrating, as soon as Hai Ku went offline, Mu Xiaoya messaged him right on cue.

[Mu Xiaoya: I saw it all! When did you start cozying up to Zhuoye Xingchen?]

[Hai Ku: Just yesterday. Keep working hard; you can do it too!]

[Mu Xiaoya: Really? Then can you ask him to stream with me sometime?]

[Hai Ku: I’m afraid that won’t work. I’ve only just gotten to know him. Maybe when we’re more familiar with each other, I can ask him about it, but I can’t make any decisions myself.]

Hai Ku felt a headache coming on. The female lead still retained her original personality; blunt and direct, sharing everything with Haiku Shilan, her so-called best friend. She also had a knack for exploiting Haiku Shilan to the extreme.

The original Hai Ku had been too naïve, mistaking the female lead’s behavior as treating him like her closest confidant.

But as an outsider, it was clear to see that Mu Xiaoya merely viewed Haiku Shilan as a stepping stone, squeezing every ounce of value out of him at every opportunity.

After being rejected by Hai Ku, Mu Xiaoya was frustrated.

However, after thinking it over, she realized there might be other ways to achieve her goal. Quietly, she opened Taobao and began searching for the latest trendy dresses.

If this approach didn’t work, then gifting something should, right?

She selected a dress that looked decent, placed an order angrily, and chose the cash-on-delivery option.