CH 25

Chapter 25 – Celebratory feast

Since Xiao Bao hadn’t been stabbed with Widow Yang’s Soul-Stealing Spike, and hadn’t lost one of his Earthly Souls, did that mean his past had changed?

Before Dugu Zhuo could think closely about it, he saw the washerwoman smile softly at him.

Everything around them seemed to fall still, with only the washerwoman able to move.

She walked up to Dugu Zhuo and looked him over meticulously, from head to toe. She let out a satisfied-sounding sigh and said quietly, “You’ve grown up.”

“You…” Dugu Zhuo wanted to say something, but no words came out of his mouth.

The washerwoman didn’t say anything else. After gazing deeply at Dugu Zhuo, she raised her head slightly and a pure white ray of light flew out of her body, shooting into the brow of Ye Zhou, who was currently discussing the system announcement with Aotian and the others.

Ye Zhou had the Soul Locking Jade that Dugu Zhuo had given him hanging off his belt, and the moment the white light entered his body, the jade brightened momentarily.

This was a piece of Ye Zhou’s soul, so why would it be inside the washerwoman?

After Ye Zhou completely absorbed the white light, the surroundings came to life again. Aotian and Ye Zhou were discussing the game’s changes, while Qingyue said in an emotional voice, “Ah, this story… the washerwoman didn’t want to abandon her child, she just had no other choice. Back then, she ran away from home for Xiao Bao’s sake, and now she’s also sent him away to protect him.”

“Would she not resent Xiao Bao?” Dugu Zhuo asked. “Because of this child, she lost her leisurely life and ended up destitute, and in the end she might die painfully due to illness. All the grief in her life was due to Xiao Bao, so shouldn’t she resent him?”

Qingyue rolled her eyes at Dugu Zhuo. “Some people might resent that child, but take a look at her. Do you think she does?”

The washerwoman had lost the liveliness of earlier, once again an ordinary video game NPC. She looked toward the direction Xiao Bao and the sword cultivator had vanished in, silently shedding tears.

“Do you resent Xiao Bao?” Dugu Zhuo asked.

“When times were tough, I have felt resentment,” the washerwoman said. “But I didn’t resent Xiao Bao, only his father who vanished without any warning or message. Xiao Bao is a good child who never causes trouble. Even when he’s hungry or sick, he’ll just tell me in a quiet voice that he doesn’t feel well. When he’s being bullied, he won’t say, and he helps me with chores at such a young age.

“Who would resent a child like this? I can hardly treasure him enough.

“I only resent his father. Couldn’t he have gone missing after the wedding? Then at least Xiao Bao would’ve had a father.”

Dugu Zhuo gently held one of her hands, feeling an old wound in the depths of his heart begin to heal.

Back then, if it weren’t for the schemes of those with ill intentions who had used negative energy to manipulate his mother, she wouldn’t have attacked him in the moments before her death, and wouldn’t have died full of resentment.

And even tormented by negative energy, his mother had still broken the jade talisman at the last moment so someone could take him away, saving him.

Dugu Zhuo didn’t understand how this game could have such close connections to his past, and keep switching between the false and real worlds. But what he was sure of was that these were definitely things that had happened, just displaying before him a side of events he had previously been unaware of.

Who had done this?

Dugu Zhuo looked at the washerwoman, who had now become an ordinary NPC, then walked up to Ye Zhou and gently brushed his fingers over Ye Zhou’s forehead.

Ye Zhou was currently discussing with Aotian and Black Cat, and shuddered upon feeling Dugu Zhuo’s touch.

Thinking back to Dugu Zhuo’s previous odd expression and overly intimate approach, he looked at him cautiously, but found his eyes deep and unreadable.

Previously, Dugu Zhuo hadn’t been able to hold back his feelings toward Ye Zhou, not just because he had been moved by his use of the Heart-Linking Technique, but more because after losing the Su Sword’s divine power, he was missing one Earthly Soul and couldn’t control his own emotions.

Once he had lost the feelings of fear and guilt, moral values no longer had any meaning to him. Back then, in that frame of mind, Dugu Zhuo had even wanted to kill Black Cat for interfering. If he hadn’t known that no one would die in a game if you killed them, he probably would’ve chopped that cat into pieces.

Right now, with his soul complete, Dugu Zhuo could act properly around Ye Zhou.

“What’s wrong? Is something on me?” Ye Zhou unconsciously rubbed his forehead.

“Nothing.” Dugu Zhuo smiled softly. “I just remembered you had said your health wasn’t good. Lately, have you felt better, perhaps?”

Aside from all the dreams, his health had been getting better and better. “I’ve been feeling great lately,” Ye Zhou said.

“Let me see.” Dugu Zhuo took Ye Zhou’s wrist.

“This is a VR game, so why are you always taking my pulse?” Ye Zhou said, a bit awkwardly. “What can you read from this?”

“Doesn’t this game fully simulate heartbeat and pulse?” Dugu Zhuo said with a slight smile. “I’m studying medicine, but I’ve always lacked practical experience. This game is a good chance for me to practice pulse reading.”

“Oh, traditional medicine?” Ye Zhou said. “The principles of traditional Chinese medicine are observing, listening to breathing, inquiring after symptoms, and taking the pulse. You can’t just read a pulse.” Ye Zhou looked uncomfortable, but he didn’t take his hand away, allowing Dugu Zhuo to examine him.

Ye Zhou’s situation was different from Dugu Zhuo’s. Dugu Zhuo had been missing one whole Earthly Soul, while all of Ye Zhou’s souls had been shattered into an indeterminable number of pieces.

Back then, the wisp of soul which had entered Ye Zhou’s forehead was a pitifully tiny piece, barely a thread.

Attempting to calculate using the percentages the game used, the fragment of soul which had been in the Soul Locking Jade would’ve been approximately 3%, the amount of Ye Zhou’s soul which he already possessed would be around 40%, while the piece of soul which had been in the washerwoman was about 1%. All together, it was less than 50%, a depressingly low amount.

Even with such little of his soul left, Ye Zhou was conscious and aware and his thinking was unhindered.

This meant that the approximately 45% of his soul left was all dedicated to maintaining Ye Zhou’s consciousness, abandoning all his cultivation, bodily functions, and past memories in exchange for allowing Ye Zhou’s body to cling to life for a handful of years.

The divine power that Dugu Zhuo had transferred to Ye Zhou could take the place of around 10% of his soul, so it might be able to improve his bodily condition a bit.

“Do you have trouble eating?” Dugu Zhuo asked.

Ye Zhou looked shocked. “Your pulse reading is good. I really do have poor appetite.”

In actuality, not only was his appetite poor, but by now he was practically a little fairy boy who subsisted on dewdrops. He could only keep down a bit of liquid food, and got most of his nutrients and sustenance by IV. There was an IV tube inserted on his ankle, which he needed to be fed through every morning and evening. Only during lunch could he manage a bit of porridge.

“Maybe your appetite will gradually improve,” Dugu Zhuo said.

He released Ye Zhou’s wrist and turned to the party members. “To celebrate being first in the game to complete a main quest, why don’t we have a feast here in the game?”

Qingyue raised both her hands in approval. “Sounds good! Since I’m on a diet, I only had a meal replacement shake for lunch, and it tasted awful!”

“I had a good lunch, but I’m still craving that beggar’s chicken,” Aotian said.

At some point, Black Cat had leapt onto the washerwoman’s shoulders. “Mrow, I can’t finish a whole chicken, so I’m willing to share a drumstick with the washerwoman.”

Everyone was surprised at Black Cat’s offer, since he hardly ever willingly gave something he owned to another person, let alone this “person” being an NPC.

“What are you staring at?” Black Cat said, turning his face away. “Didn’t she give her chicken to Xiao Bao? S—she should at least eat something.”

Qingyue gave Black Cat an askance look. “Jet Black, are you the type who usually seems very self-important and talks big, and keeps getting their ass kicked at school, and acts aloof, but in private you’ll cry while watching animated films?”

“Yeoww!” Black Cat let out a sharp cry, the fur on his back standing on end.

Aotian smoothed his fur down. “I kick the asses of guys like you every time I see them. You’re a minor, aren’t you? Registered with your parent’s account?”

Since Nine Heavens was a VR game, it had privacy protection systems, and only players eighteen and above could play without limit, while minors younger than eighteen could only spend two hours in-game per day, to prevent them from getting addicted.

Every rule can be circumvented, however, and a lot of people would secretly use the accounts of their parents or other family members. Black Cat seemed to be one of those disobedient children.

Ye Zhou saw Black Cat was on the verge of social death from his two friends’ teasing and stepped in. “Alright, let’s split these four chickens and all share them, okay?”

“Okay!” the party members all answered simultaneously.

They decided to bring over a large stone to use as a table and had an outdoors banquet in the washerwoman’s yard. Spreading a clean lotus leaf over the stone, the five party members and the washerwoman all dug into the meat together.

“Oh, it’s delicious!” Qingyue pushed up her sleeves ungracefully. “This is what’s great about a video game. I can be a proper lady in real life, while I drink wine and eat meat to my heart’s content in this game!”

“We should buy some wine next time,” Aotian said.

Dugu Zhuo offered the washerwoman a chicken thigh. It was unclear whether the washerwoman was aware of his identity, but she accepted it with a smile, looking at him warmly, and said, “Xiao Bao knows to take care of me.”

Her voice was quiet, and only Dugu Zhuo who was at her side could hear her.

During the feast, everyone gradually started discussing the game. “What did the game mean just now by the Eternal Night District and the Eternal Day District?” Qingyue asked.

“I guess the starting villages of the various races will be different,” said Aotian. “With the north side of town as the dividing line, one part will always be daytime, even if some human player is only able to log on at midnight, while the other part will always be nighttime, even if a demon player can only be on at noon.”

“After level 20, the time of day won’t affect players that much,” Ye Zhou said. “And the game will definitely release more items like the curtain the veiled party used to block out the sun, in order to minimize the impact of time of day.”

“Why did they make it like this?” Black Cat asked. “Didn’t they consider astronomy at all when designing this?”

“Don’t bother asking,” Aotian said. “The answer will be the torch dragon anyway.”

“The torch dragon creates day by opening its eyes and night by closing them,” Qingyue said. “If night and day are being divided, does that mean it has one eye open and one eye closed, like this?”

As she spoke, she winked with her right eye.

“I can imagine it, hahahaha!” Aotian said.

Listening to their speculation, Dugu Zhuo spoke. “The Eternal Night District is likely a projection of the Netherworld onto the human realm. Since the human realm is rich in spiritual energy, it can sustain the presence of the Netherworld, in order to offer a refuge to ghosts and wandering spirits.

“As for the Eternal Day District… if the game wants to come up with a logical explanation, I guess they would use heavenly fire or something along those lines.”

“Humans and spirits are bound to choose the Eternal Day District, and demons and ghosts will go to the Eternal Night District, but what will the yao do?” Ye Zhou asked.

Black Cat raised a paw. “I took a look at my basic information just now, and my respawn point was changed to the Eternal Day District, and even the Moon Worship Chant was changed to the Sun Worship Chant.”

Aotian quickly brought out a paper crane. “I’m going to ask Xiaoyao and Xiao Wen.”

After a minute, he smiled and said, “Last night Xiaoyao stole so many people’s essences that his Sin Points were off the charts, and he’s been assigned right to the Eternal Night District. He’s planted in the Eternal Day District right now, so he’s currently trying to move over.”

“How is he moving?” Black Cat asked curiously.

“One root at a time,” Aotian said. “Hahahaha!”

Since the game had added so many new features, surely new maps would be opened beyond town borders after maintenance, so everyone was looking forward to them and imagining how badass they would be after they leveled up.

Dugu Zhuo looked at Ye Zhou and asked, “Will there be more main quests after this one?”

“For sure,” Qingyue said. “Xiao Bao is only ten years old right now. After we level up enough, we’ll be able to activate the next main quest.”

“But this time we were lucky to have been able to clear this quest first and win the best prizes,” Aotian said. “Who knows who’ll take the lead next time.”

After completing the “Find the Xuan Sword’s wielder” task, they had earned even more experience, a full set of level 20-30 equipment, spirit stones, and silver taels. They discussed for a bit and decided to level up after the maintenance, in case some new feature was added for leveling up and they wasted it by using their experience now.

The main quest, huh? Dugu Zhuo glanced at Ye Zhou. The first piece of Ye Zhou’s soul had been hidden in the main questline. Perhaps this meant the other pieces would also be scattered within the game, in the vicinity of the main questline.

“After we pass the main quest, will other people be able to do it too?” Qingyue asked. “The washerwoman looks so pitiful. If other people can play it, she’ll have to lose her son again and again.”

Aotian shook his head. “You’re too sentimental. She’s just an NPC. A main questline should be tied to the official plot and open to every player. I don’t know if things have changed in the VR game, though. After all this time, Xiao Bao hasn’t respawned and the washerwoman is still eating chicken here with us. Who knows what’s going to happen?”

Everyone fell silent. The experience of a VR game was different from a computer game, and it felt more realistic than even a movie. They didn’t want the washerwoman to have to suffer again.

As they all fell into melancholy, a bailiff arrived at the washerwoman’s house, holding an authority token from the county magistrate.

It turned out that after Widow Yang confessed, the magistrate had sentenced her to thirty rod strokes and three years of forced labor. The beating could be avoided by paying a fee, which Widow Yang had offered her tofu workshop to make up for. The county government had given it to the washerwoman as compensation, so that she could make tofu.

As for Widow Yang’s young son, he had been sent to Tanye Temple for the monks to raise and teach him. After three years when Widow Yang’s forced labor was over, she could retrieve her son, and as for whether or not he wanted to join the monastery at the time, that was no longer the yamen’s business.

The washerwoman joyously packed up her belongings to go to Widow Yang’s tofu workshop. In the future, she could make a living selling tofu, and her little straw hut would sit empty from now on.

The party watched these upheavals, seeing the washerwoman grow ten years younger in a flash, looking radiant as she prepared to make tofu. 

Qingyue said, “That’s two vital NPCs gone. How is anyone else supposed to do this quest now?”

“It’s… one-time only?” Aotian said. “That’s such a waste!”

This game seemed to not value its programmers’ hard work at all, treating this perfectly good questline as disposable!

Dugu Zhuo, on the other hand, let go of his worries and watched the washerwoman who was now already the new tofu-making beauty in town, hoping that her life would continue to get better and better from here.

Even in an illusory game, she had reached a relatively kind ending.

As everyone remarked over the game’s boldness, another announcement rang across the server. “The player Pang Du Du[1] has risen to level 20, becoming the first embodied player in the game, and receiving one [Bib] as reward.”

Everyone: “…”

Pang Du Du was that lingzhi who had always been at the top of the leaderboard, so it made sense that he was the first to become embodied, but what kind of a reward was a bib? Just what had he transformed into?

1. it means plump