CH 15

Wang Taidi scratched his head and asked Xiao Lan with a less than reliable look : “Is there anything else I haven’t mentioned …… I can’t remember, why don’t you just ask if there’s anything you want to know.”

Xiao Lan : “Do we still have a chance to go back to the real world?”

Although he had nothing to worry about, he was still a little relieved that his mother’s grave was not being cleaned by anyone but him.

Wang Taidi said, “Oh yes, actually there is a day to return to reality from the second copy, but nothing related to the Advent world can be revealed during that time.”

“But people who are used to the Advent world actually have a hard time coming back to reality.”

Xiao Lan asks, “Are you the same?”

Wang Taidi nodded: “Well, I don’t miss the real world, as long as my brother is here I’ll be there. Even if you stay over here for a long time, you get a sense of unreality when you come back to reality, you always feel like there’s danger everywhere, probably PTSD.”

Xiao Lan looks at the pedestrians coming and going, they do look completely different from ordinary people in the real world, they probably look more like mercenaries or outlaws if you want to compare them, even the delicate looking Aunt Xiao has a decisive aura with her sword.

Except, of course, for Wang Taidi.

Xiao Lan : “So, what about the NPCs? What exactly are they? I’ve seen players who have died in the game turn into NPCs.”

Wang Taidi : “It is said that NPCs are part of the Advent world, they may have originally been dead people in reality, or they may have been created by the Advent world, absorbing the player transformation as part of it.”

“Although it’s generally best not to attack NPCs, it’s not always necessary, my brother does it all the time, as long as you can beat them.”

Xiao Lan : “……” Your brother is a fierce man.

Xiao Lan thought of Zhao Xiaohe and asked, “Do you know how to find someone? The kind who has been through the game together.”

Wang Taidi spreads his hands: “Do you know how many player quarters there are here?”

Xiao Lan shakes his head.

Wang Taidi gestures with both hands to the number: “Seventeen, and someone has counted before that there could be millions of players in total, but of course this figure is not accurate, after all, junior players all die very quickly and it is very difficult to find one.”

“And it’s not until you get inside the intermediate field that you’ll produce contact props, and that’s when it’s more realistic to find someone to team up with.”

It looks like the plan to contact Zhao Xiaohe will have to be put on hold and I wish this strong girl the best of luck.

After bidding farewell to Wang Taidi, Xiao Lan follows the system’s instructions and arrives at a building so tall that he can’t even see the top, perhaps more than three hundred floors up. Inside, the rooms are densely packed with players, but not a single sound comes out – such soundproofing would probably be impossible to build in reality.

Xiao Lan found his room, which was small, with a bed, a bedside table and a folding table set into the wall, and a small door to a Little Xiao bathroom with a shower that looked like a wall from the outside, which was rather unscientific.

He was satisfied that this accommodation was good enough, with a full infrastructure, without even having to squeeze into a large bathhouse with people.

There was a small cloth bag on the bed and Xiao Lan went up to check it out.

[Name: Shabby little backpack].

[Description: Provides 4 compartments to store props. Free for player rooms, the shabbiest of the storage props, the best choice for poor newbies]

The backpack then disappears and Xiao Lan feels that she has a small space with four extra compartments.

What do you need a bike for when you get free food and accommodation? Xiao Lan, a poor man, is now feeling very happy.

Xiao Lan sat down on the bed and took the envelope out of his pocket.

The envelope is plain to the touch, but it doesn’t crease at all as Xiao Lan runs and jumps around. The envelope’s prop note reads “I will always be with you until the end of time”.

Xiao Lan opened his mouth, “Luo.”

Xiao Lan was puzzled by the absence of Luo’s handwriting when a dark shadow floated out of the envelope and appeared in front of Xiao Lan: “Sir.”

The tone is elegant and subdued, the voice low and magnetic, like a cello playing a piece of music. One can’t help but want to peer into what the person speaking is like, but unfortunately it’s actually just a black pile of paste.

Xiao Lan was a little surprised: “You can talk now!”

The black shadow hovered in the air, “Thanks to your help.”

Xiao Lan looked forward to it, “Now are you ready to coalesce the form?”

Luo : “Yes, it might be a bit difficult and might need your help.”

As Xiao Lan watched, the black shadow gradually expanded, spreading across the room, as if it were stretching out. Then, the black shadow slowly falls to the floor, shrinking up, and the irregular shape begins to change and pull, gradually becoming – in Xiao Lan’s expectant gaze –

A cat drawn by a soulful painter.

Xiao Lan couldn’t help but cover his face to block out his complicated expression.

Luo is good at everything, but his art skills are half as good as his. Xiao Lan began to think seriously about enrolling Luo in a children’s drawing class, or at least getting his four legs in order first, and wondered if Advent had a service for that.

The black cat took four short legs, all of different lengths, and took a few crooked steps on the ground before falling to the ground with a loud, crooked thud and banging its head squarely.

Xiao Lan : “……”

I want to laugh, but I have to hold back.

It was Xiao Lan who came forward, picked up the black cat and helped him tug on his four misshapen legs to bring them to a level, but there was nothing that could be done about the square head.

The black cat with the square head moved around the room, stumbling a little at first and always falling over. Then it gradually became smooth enough to jump and run and even jump on the bed like a real cat.

Luo wags his tail and his amber eyes gaze intently at Xiao Lan, his fur dark and shiny. A beautiful cat, if you ignore the slightly square head.

The black cat spoke, “Sir, that’s about as far as I can go at the moment, now that the others can see me in my physical form. Only when I have digested the power I absorbed earlier can I take on a form that will be more helpful to you.”

Xiao Lan couldn’t resist reaching out and giving him a handful, and Luo didn’t mind, just lying there quietly and letting him have his way.

When it was time to sleep, the black cat nestled directly next to Xiao Lan’s pillow, its soft fluffy fur rubbing against his neck. Feeling the soft touch on the side of his neck and lying in a bed that was finally not leaking or shaking, Xiao Lan had a very restful sleep.

And the black cat kept his eyes open during the night; he didn’t need sleep and slept by his pillow only because Luo had judged that Xiao Lan liked him in his present form.

Although there are pets in the Advent world, it would be too conspicuous to bring a square-brained cat into the game.

Xiao Lan woke up the next day and decided to go out to see if he could get something to cover up, as the room was empty and needed a few everyday items.

Xiao Lan didn’t expect to find a kit in the system shop, so he just took it and left. He also took a small handkerchief for Luo to use as a headscarf to cover his square head, but the colour was bright green, a sadly straight aesthetic.

Xiao Lan and Luo have just returned to the door of their room and are about to open it.

The door next to her bursts open and Xiao Lan turns her head to come face to face with the man who emerges, a young man of twenty-five or twenty-six with short dark brown hair and a slightly grim look.

He nodded to Xiao Lan as a greeting and intended to leave.

But a familiar voice came from inside the room: “Huh? Xiao Lan! So you live next door to me!!!”

Wang Taidi was seen scurrying out of the room in a fluffy one-piece pyjama top, waving enthusiastically, more like a giant Taidi.

Xiao Lan also waved at Wang Taidi: “I didn’t expect to see you again.”

Wang Taidi happily introduced himself to the short-haired young man, “Brother, this is Xiao Lan, the newcomer I just told you about who has an exceptionally good psychological profile.”

The short-haired young man held out his hand to Xiao Lan: “Hello, my name is Wang Ke and I’m Taidi’s brother.”

He can’t help but look at the black cat in Xiao Lan’s arms wearing a bright green hood.

“Hello.” Xiao Lan shook Wang Ke’s hand and thought to himself, “Even Wang family mothers can take out normal names.

At this point Wang Taidi smiled and squeezed his eyes at Xiao Lan: “Don’t look at my brother who looks like a stranger and is usually very cool, but his name used to be Wang Ke Ji, but he changed it himself, hahahahahaha.”

“You mustn’t tell anyone or my brother will tear you apart, hahahahaha.”

Wang Ke Ke, oh no Wang Ke’s face instantly darkened as he glanced at his silly brother, his hand on one side quietly clenching his fist.

Xiao Lan : “……”

Shut up now, your brother looks like the person he wants to tear down the most right now is you.

Back in her room, Xiao Lan has just put her things down when the familiar darkness sets in once more.

A new game has begun.