Chapter 485: Confirm Something

“So, right now, Qiao Yifeng’s daughter has completely disappeared?”

Bluesea was seated inside his room. He tapped the surface of the table before him lightly and his eyelids were lightly lowered. His expression betrayed neither happiness nor sadness.

The man in black had a grim expression on his face as he stood before Bluesea. After pondering further, he slowly said, “This is the general situation. After checking through it, I found that even those around Mr Qiao, that is, the crewmembers and company assistants are now suffering from memory discrepancy.”

“These people you checked. They are all not Awakened ones?”

“Yes, they are all not Awakened ones.” The man in black considered it and continued, “At present, there are four Awakened ones serving by Mr Qiao, inclusive of me. I had yet to check this with them. After finding out about this abnormal situation, the first thing I did was to report it.”

At that, Bluesea raised an eyebrow. With a calm face, he nodded his head. “You did well.”

The man in black remained silent.

“Memory discrepancy. For it to happen to ordinary humans, erasing one’s existence utterly… … no doubt about it, this is something that only the system could do. Yes, only the system would do something like this. Qiao Yifeng’s daughter had completely disappeared… … if so…” Bluesea turned silent for a moment before slowly speaking up, “Let us do this. From now on, the members of Bodyarmour for Qiao Yifeng will be changed. You will continue to stay beside him while the other three are to be sent back to our headquarters in Zero City. I will select members from the field to send to you to make up for the numbers. It will be fine as long as we select those who are not familiar with Qiao Yifeng’s family situation.

“In short, try your best not to trouble Qiao Yifeng. Do not let him find out about this change – mm, since his memories had been changed, the chances of him finding out about this should be low. Unless someone tells him about this.”

“Understood! I will keep my lips sealed.”

Bluesea raised his eyebrows and turned to look at the man in black. “Of course I trust you. You are an old timer in the guild. The one I am talking about is someone else…”

“You mean, Chen Xiaolian?”

“I suspect that some unforeseen incident must have happened to Qiao Qiao.” Bluesea furrowed his eyebrows and sighed. “It seems I am going to have to go on a trip.”

…

“Is there really no hope for resurrection?” Roddy voraciously gulped down a glass of beer, placed it down on the table and examined the empty glass. With a frown, he raised his voice. “Boss, another one! A cold one!”

Chen Xiaolian gripped his beer glass and gulped his down as well. Although he did not drink it whole, he continued gulping down and emptied his glass in no time. After putting down his glass, he took a deep breath. “I don’t know… … if she was an Awakened, right now, she would have become an ordinary human. But for her to disappear utterly…”

“Is there really no other way?” Roddy sighed.

Chen Xiaolian felt bitterness in his mouth. Lowering his head, he thought about it for a moment. “I don’t know.”

“That… … what about GM? Could you go ask him? Is there really no chance of resurrection after death?”

Chen Xiaolian’s heart skipped a beat. He recalled something.

After dying, Irregularities could not be resurrected.

If so… … there might be no point in finding GM. However, what about Mr San?

Back then, Mr San’s group was the first generation of Irregularities.

Rather, even if they were not the first generation, they were at least a senior generation compared to him.

Among the Irregularities from Mr San’s group, were any of them resurrected after death?

Probably not.

If there were, Mr San would not be alone right now.

However… … could there be any unexpected situations?

A spark flashed within Chen Xiaolian’s mind.

Bai Qi!

There was a very unique relationship between Bai Qi and Mr San. Bai Qi should be one of the members in Mr San’s group from back then. Thus, was it possible that Bai Qi too was an Irregularity?

Thus… … Bai Qi’s present state…

The important question here was: Did Bai Qi die back then?

Perhaps he did not die, but was set up by someone and ended up in this state.

He was transformed from an Irregularity into an instance dungeon’s BOSS.

This change…

“Since such a thing was possible… … who could say that resurrecting a dead Irregularity is impossible?” Chen Xiaolian thought to himself.

They were at a roadside barbeque stall and the surroundings were noisy. Several men were drinking at the table beside them. Some of them were smoking away and shouting.

Roddy and Chen Xiaolian used to come to this place. According to Chen Xiaolian: Even the bones of this place’s barbeque is grilled. Roddy responded by pulling a face. Chen Xiaolian had simply found this place because it was closest to his house. Every time they went out at night, he would choose this stall because he was too lazy to walk far.

This was their first time returning to this stall after getting involved in the game world.

Roddy quietly poured himself another glass. The box of beer on the ground was already empty. He clenched his teeth. “Now that my body is enhanced, my level of tolerance is also higher. I can’t even get drunk…”

Chen Xiaolian looked at Roddy and said slowly, “If you really want to get drunk, anything you drink can make you drunk.”

“Don’t spout nonsense at me!” Roddy glared at Chen Xiaolian and took a deep breath. “Do you know? Right now, I really want to beat you up! I want to savagely beat you up!”

“Because I do not appear sad?” Chen Xiaolian hesitated for a moment. “I am sorry.”

“You… … you should not *** say sorry to me! It is Qiao Qiao!” Roddy smacked the table and jumped to his feet. “Chen Xiaolian! What is wrong with you? The Chen Xiaolian I know is definitely not someone who puts little importance in the matter of the heart! If not because I have known you for a long time and understand you, I would really think you never actually loved Qiao Qiao! As her friend, I feel saddened by her sacrificial act to save you. But you! You…”

He pointed at Chen Xiaolian and his fingers trembled. “You bloody look like nothing happened!”

After saying that, Roddy smacked the table once more, causing the glasses and plates on the table to shudder.

Hearing the noise, the men on the other table turned around to look at them. A fierce looking bald man glared at them and muttered to himself.

Roddy raised an eyebrow. However, Chen Xiaolian reached his hand out to hold him back and said in a hushed tone, “Enough. Whatever it is you want to ask, I will tell you. Stop making a ruckus here.”

Roddy gave a harrumph and looked at Chen Xiaolian.

His eyes suddenly turned red and he balled his fists. “Xiaolian, it is me! Me! If you tell me you are forcing yourself to put on a strong front before others so that our guild members don’t see you in a weak state, I can understand. Right now, we are the only ones here. There is no one else here. There is no need for you to force yourself anymore. You can cry out, you can drink yourself unconscious. As your bro, I will accompany you! Xiaolian! If you want to cry, I will accompany you! However… … why do you seem so indifferent?”

Chen Xiaolian was silent for a moment. He quietly took another glass and poured beer for himself. After gulping it down, he looked at Roddy and pointed at his heart.

“I do not know why either, but this place feels empty,” Chen Xiaolian said bitterly. “I know that my reaction is abnormal. Qiao Qiao… … died. I, more than everyone else, should be crying my heart out, going crazy with grief and pain. And yet I just can’t seem to do any of it. This part of me… … it feels as though something had hollowed out this part of me. Empty. Empty! Do you understand? It is empty!”

Roddy was stunned.

“You think I do not want to howl out? You think I don’t want to cry? You think I don’t want to drink until my whole world turns black?” Chen Xiaolian said softly. “Right now, I wonder if some *** had happened to my mind. I do not have any of those feelings at all. Qiao Qiao is dead. You know as well just how important she is to me. And yet… … I feel as cold as a *** android! I do not know what is going on with me. I feel like…. I feel like stabbing myself! I want to see if I can still feel pain, if I can still bleed!”

“You… … could something have actually happened to you?” Roddy became worried. “A psychological problem? I think you had better consult a psychiatrist.”

“Psychiatrist?” Chen Xiaolian smiled coldly. “I can purchase the best healing substance from the Exchange System. Additionally, if this is a psychological problem, by using the Sword in the Stone, I can get rid of all negative mental issues… … why do I need to go see a psychiatrist? Right now, I wonder if I am just a bastard deep down.”

“You are not a bastard. The Chen Xiaolian I know is more humane than anyone else.” Roddy shook his head. “You are someone who would willingly put your life on the line in order to protect those by your side.”

“However, the present me is just like this glass.” Chen Xiaolian raised a bottle of beer. Without opening the lid, he raised the bottle up. “I know I should be feeling sad and hurt. Just like how this bottle of beer should have beer inside – everyone thinks that this bottle of beer has beer inside, but when I turn it upside down, I find that nothing is flowing out.”

…

Lun Tai walked into the central lounge area and saw a small figure sitting before the table.

He slowly walked over until he was behind her.

The little girl had a piece of paper before her. There was a sketching on the piece of paper. The person in the sketching was… … Qiao Qiao.

Soo Soo’s drawing skill was lacking and this sketch of hers was only about 50 to 60 per cent similar to Qiao Qiao.

Standing behind her, Lun Tai observed for a minute before gently asking, “Not going to rest yet?”

Soo Soo shook her head and replied softly, “Brother Lun Tai. I… … I cannot find any photos of sister, not a single one. I can only draw her out. But my drawing skill is too limited. I am afraid…”

“What are you afraid of?”

“Everything related to sister is gone, not a single photo remains. I fear… … if this is how it is, then as time goes by, sister’s looks in my mind, it will gradually grow vague… … maybe in a few years’ time, when I miss her, I might not even be able to remember her face…”

Soo Soo bit her lips heavily and tears flowed down her cheeks.

Lun Tai extended out his big hand and his coarse palm patted Soo Soo’s head before gently stroking it.

Soo Soo clutched the sketch before her, causing wrinkles to appear at the edges of the paper. She lifted the paper up and hugged it to her heart.

Lun Tai sighed.

…

By the time Chen Xiaolian and Roddy made it back into the base, it was already midnight.

Lun Tai was seated at the table and there was a bottle of whiskey before him. There was less than one third inside the bottle.

He turned to see Chen Xiaolian and Roddy.

Roddy appeared drunk and was being supported by Chen Xiaolian.

Seeing Lun Tai, Chen Xiaolian revealed surprise. Then, he looked beside Lun Tai and saw Soo Soo curled up on a chair, asleep.

“She insisted on waiting for you to return.” Lun Tai forced a smile. “I could not advise her against it. So, I had to let her be.”

Chen Xiaolian nodded his head and moved over. Lun Tai helped prop Roddy up.

“How much did he drink?”

“He finished up the barbeque stall’s reserve of beer.” Chen Xiaolian smiled wryly. “He even went to the surrounding stalls to buy another two boxes. Only then was he freed from his misery.”

“Leave this to me. I will bring him to his room.” Lun Tai propped Roddy up and led him into a room. After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned his head to look at Chen Xiaolian. “We need to talk!”

There was extreme seriousness in his tone.

Chen Xiaolian did not appear surprised. He nodded his head. “All right, I will be waiting for you here.”

After Lun Tai brought Roddy out of the lounge, Chen Xiaolian carried up Soo Soo, who was curled up in the chair, and brought her into her room. He placed her on her bed.

He stood beside the bed and saw that Soo Soo was desperately curling her body into a ball and traces of tears could be seen on the edges of her eyes.

Chen Xiaolian stretched his fingers out and wiped the edges of Soo Soo’s eyes with them. Next, he sighed and pulled the blanket over her.

“To be able to cry… is a form of fortune.”

He turned around and walked out the door.

…

Lun Tai was already seated before the table in the central lounge area, waiting.

Chen Xiaolian walked over. He first picked up the bottle of whiskey and checked it. “How much did you drink?”

“It is my third bottle,” Lun Tai replied coolly. “Don’t worry, I am still very sober. Considering the attributes of my present body, my tolerance and metabolism rate allow me to drink up to seven bottles before feeling tipsy.”

“What do you want to talk about?” Chen Xiaolian sat before Lun Tai.

Lun Tai looked at Chen Xiaolian. Instead of replying, he stretched his hand out to grab the bottle of whiskey that Chen Xiaolian was holding. Next, he gulped down the remaining contents of the bottle.

A few seconds later, he exhaled and turned to face Chen Xiaolian. “The issue plaguing our guild this time is very big!”

Chen Xiaolian listened calmly.

“That dreamworld in the final magic array quest…” Lun Tai’s face was ugly to behold. “Qiao Qiao’s death was unexpected. However, that is not the only issue. The problems we face this time are very severe. As the Guild Leader, if you don’t deal with it properly, this guild of ours might break apart!”

Chen Xiaolian did not say anything.

“Truth is, after the dreamworlds were brought to an end, things had started going wrong,” Lun Tai said gravely. “I do not know if you realized it or not, but when the dreamworlds ended, the way Soo Soo acted toward Qiao Qiao was strange. As for Xia Xiaolei and Qimu Xi, ever since returning from the instance dungeon, they had not spoken a single word to each other. Not a single exchange happened between them! And Roddy, he is feeling very terrible… … I am certain that this terrible state he is in is not merely due to Qiao Qiao’s death. There is an issue of the heart troubling him, a very serious issue.”

Chen Xiaolian was still silent.

“I am fairly certain that Roddy is not the type with no code of loyalty to his own bros. I think he probably does not have any special feelings for Qiao Qiao.” Lun Tai frowned and continued, “However, I noticed something. Just now… … when I was bringing him into his room, he was drunk and he said something.”

Chen Xiaolian raised a brow and looked at Lun Tai.

The frown remained on Lun Tai’s face as he said, “The words he said were: Why did I not die? I am willing to die in your stead.”

Chen Xiaolian continued listening quietly.

“I believe that Roddy has no particular designs on Qiao Qiao. Those words “die in your stead”, when he said “your”, maybe he meant someone else?”

Chen Xiaolian sighed. “He… … those words, I have already heard it. On the way back, he had said those words many times.”

Lun Tai was stunned.

“I know Roddy very well. I know that he would not have any special feelings for Qiao Qiao – if someone else heard it, they might actually misunderstand.” Chen Xiaolian shook his head. “When he said the word “your”, I believe he meant Nicole.”

“That is the issue.” Lun Tai frowned and said, “Roddy’s emotional state is not right. He is constantly feeling demoralized. Ever since returning from the instance dungeon… … more accurately, ever since the dreamworlds ended, he had been in an odd state.”

“Additionally, that woman is also an issue.” Lun Tai’s frown grew deeper and he continued, “During the final moments of the instance dungeon, that woman controlled Roddy’s Floater.”

Chen Xiaolian narrowed his eyes. “No, that is not Roddy’s Floater. That Floater belongs to Nicole.”

Lun Tai was startled. “That is why there is something wrong with the woman. Although I do not know much about the Angel Corps, I know this much. A Floater is a high-class prop and not something any passer-by can control. Additionally, from the looks of it, she was much better at using it than Roddy.”

“So, you suspect her?” Chen Xiaolian knitted his brows.

“We watched Nicole die.” Lun Tai shook his head. “Right now, I am feeling very confused.”

“Roddy went to find Nicole before… … he found the Nicole that was refreshed and secretly observed her, ascertaining that she had really become an ordinary person. There should be no mistake there,” Chen Xiaolian said with a frown. “Right now, I suspect that this mysterious woman who can control the Floater to be related to Zero City’s Angel Corps.”

“After the instance dungeon ended, the woman disappeared. We were teleported elsewhere. Trying to find her now would be exceptionally difficult,” said Lun Tai as he shook his head. “Also, don’t you find it weird? She seems to know us very well. We have never met her before. However, back in the instance dungeon, she knew your name, and Roddy’s.”

Chen Xiaolian contemplated the matter. Just as he was about to speak up…

The metal orb, the core of the main control centre that was located in the centre flashed. Next, an electronically synthesized voice spoke up.

It was the base GM.

“Chen Xiaolian, I could detect a communication signal being blocked by the base. I found that this signal is attempting to reach your mobile phone. Do you want to accept the call? Or do you want me to continue blocking it?”

“Mm?” Chen Xiaolian was taken aback.

“This was your previous setting. If this were a normal phone call, I would have ignored it and allowed the base to continue blocking it. However, this number happens to be one of the numbers in your priority list,” said GM emotionlessly.

“Who is it?”

“Caller ID: Qiao Yifeng.”

Chen Xiaolian was shocked.

One second later, he took a deep breath and said, “Connect it through.”

Chen Xiaolian pulled out his mobile phone. The blockade stopped and his mobile phone rang. After accepting the call, he heard Qiao Yifeng’s furious voice.

“Kid surnamed Chen, what did you do to my daughter?!”

Faced with such fury, he became stunned and blurted, “I am sorry…”

However, when those words left his mouth, he sensed something amiss.

That ‘daughter’ Qiao Yifeng mentioned. Whom did he mean?

“How could you bully her so? She likes you so much to the point of turning her back on me for the sake of being with you! And now, you dare bully her?! You made her cry and left her alone at home?” Qiao Yifeng’s rage thundered through the phone and Chen Xiaolian quickly recollected himself.

Qiao Yifeng was not talking about Qiao Qiao. He was talking about Yu Jiajia.

After coming to that conclusion, Chen Xiaolian understood that the system had also reset Qiao Yifeng’s memory.

“I… I am sorry.” Chen Xiaolian sighed.

Chen Xiaolian’s move of directly apologizing caught Qiao Yifeng off-guard. After a few seconds of silence, he said gently, “When youngsters are in love, a little bit of squabble is nothing, you… … you must treat her well. She is a normal human after all. She would not be able to feel the pressure that you have to endure. However, you promised me, you will take good care of her.”

A trace of melancholy suddenly bubbled up from Chen Xiaolian’s heart – there was no question about it, he had indeed said those words to Qiao Yifeng before: Take good care of her.

However, the “her” did not imply Yu Jiajia. It was Qiao Qiao!

Suddenly, the instant the feeling of sadness appeared, Chen Xiaolian felt a strange power rapidly sucking away all the feelings of sadness within him.

His emotions that were beginning to roil about were suddenly stamped out, leaving him with an empty heart, the same feeling that he had experienced in the past two days.

He gripped his mobile phone. He was unable to stop himself from becoming flabbergasted.

This feeling… … what is going on here?

“I am now in Japan dealing with some matters. Once I am done, I will return to check up on you two.” Qiao Yifeng continued in a soft voice, “Take good care of her and treat her well. You promised me, kid!”

After he said that, he ended the call.

Chen Xiaolian was still holding his mobile phone. Lun Tai looked at the absent-minded Chen Xiaolian and asked with a frown, “Is that Qiao Yifeng? What did he say?”

“… it is nothing.” Chen Xiaolian’s mind was carefully examining the earlier sensation where his feelings of sadness were ‘sucked’ away.

He suddenly stood up. Then, he strode outside the base.

“Where are you going?”

“I want to find someone to confirm something!”

…

Chen Xiaolian walked out of the base and left the little island. After reaching the shore, he summoned out a car and drove toward the urban area.

When he reached a city, he stopped the car. Getting off the car, he then quickly made his way into a small square beside a green belt. Facing the pedestrians on the square, he shouted.

“Come out! I have something to ask you! I know you can hear me!”

…