CH 138

Xiao Lan leaves Wang Taidi's room and walks alone in the night in the players' quarters.

He had previously asked Wang Taidi if he would like help carrying him through customs, but Wang Taidi had refused.

Wang Taidi was adamant: "I'm already an intermediate player, I have my own skills, and my brother used to give me a lot of combat training and gave me so many props."

"I don't lack experience in clearance or anything, it's just that I never tried to carry it all on my own before."

"This time I'm going to upgrade on my own."

"If I can't even do that, who am I to save my brother."

In that moment, the cheerfulness and optimism that he had cultivated under Wang Ke's protection seemed to be stripped away from him.

Like a young animal without shelter, the teenager began to try to show his fangs and claws.

Although he still looked haggard, Xiao Lan noticed the look in his eyes and let go of any worries he might have had about him.

A man with such eyes will not die easily.

Perhaps soon there will indeed be such a teenager in the queue of senior players.

--

At night the players' quarters are still crowded, with people passing through the game almost every moment and players never coming back at any time.

On the way, Xiao Lan overheard a conversation between two players.

"Have you heard? There's been a strange thing going on at the novice yard lately."

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"If you have a fart, don't say half of it."

"Eh, what an attitude you have! Never mind ...... heard of a newcomer who killed all the other new players in the whole game, note that it was killing, not using the rules to punk out."

"How can that be?! He didn't get killed by a player-converted NPC ......"

"Who knows, maybe there's some kind of bug. But it's true, the old player who matched into the game said so after he escaped, the kid seemed to be originally a practicing swordsman and had a very ruthless attack."

"Why does it sound so much like you made it up?"

"Bullshit, what am I making this up for?!!! A lot of people know about it now, you can ask all you want. The guy's even cleared, so maybe I'll see him sometime, but I don't want to match that killjoy at all anyway."

The two junior players walked away noisily.

Xiao Lan's brow furrows, however.

This wanton killing of players with no punishment reminded him of the chase he had seen in his dream, but that had been a long time ago and the rules of the Advent World had changed.

Why would it happen again?

Could it be that the Advent world is quietly changing?

That's not good news ......

Xiao Lan returns to his room and talks to Luo about the Wang family brothers.

Luo's tea was poured without a hitch and he said with a light expression, "Maybe this is the best way for them to go, it's hard for me to see any hope in them if they keep going the way they are."

Later the two talked about the conversation Xiao Lan had overheard on the road.

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But with so little information, it's hard to analyse what's going on. It is possible that something has changed in the Advent world, or it is possible that this is just a bug.

Xiao Lan spent the rest of his time between training and returning to the real world for a break.

Contact Wang Taidi occasionally to make sure he is still alive and well.

Soon these six months have passed.

Finally, the moment to enter the game has come once again.

--

Xiao Lan is on full alert as it is her first time on the senior circuit.

He had expected the dangers of the advanced field to begin when he entered the game, and was even prepared for a fight.

Unexpectedly, after the darkness had faded, the surroundings were very lively and lively, full of fireworks.

This is on a moving train.

Unlike the dark, old and empty creepy trains at Tube Station 13, this one looked like it was going through some kind of holiday, with lots of passengers, men, women and children of all ages, chatting, eating and playing cards all over the place.

Accents from all over the world intertwine to make a lively and laid-back scene.

It doesn't look any different from those who travel by train in reality.

This is the most lively scene Xiao Lan has seen in the game since he entered the Advent world.

At this point, he and Luo are sitting face to face, with no other passengers in the seats next to them.

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Xiao Lan looked around and didn't see any suspected players, feeling that the Advent world was becoming more and more fond of separating players after reaching mid-level.

On the table in front of them were books and papers in disarray.

According to the setting, these would be the things they are looking at, presumably the hints the game gives the player.

The train is still moving and has no intention of stopping for a while.

Xiao Lan then checked what was in front of her.

It's some notebooks, and tickets, and an envelope.

There is also a book of cover art for horror novels, each with a creepy and eerie looking cover by a writer called Raven, and I wonder what the collector's value of this is.

On the other side is a diary.

It's rare to find people who still keep a diary in this day and age.

But when I opened it, Xiao Lan thought it was more a collection of reading notes and rainbow farts about Mr. Crow than a diary.

[On 26 February, each of Ms. Crow's words is the most extreme creativity of the Creator, how can mortals get to this point]

[March 3, Every punctuation mark of Ms. Crow is perfect, and there are priceless treasures hidden inside]

[On May 24, after reading this book, I felt like I had found the meaning of life, my soul, my mind, everything in me was crying out for Ms. Crow]

It praises Mr. Crow's work at great length, in exaggerated and meaty terms, and even lists Crow as his life coach on several occasions.

It is as if the owner of this diary was not reading some horror novel, but a religious or inspirational work.

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Xiao Lan's role is clearly that of an avid fan of the author's books, simply put, Raven.

Or the kind that looks ...... brain-dead -

Brainwashed fans.

Xiao Lan turned his attention to Luo: "How's your side?"

Luo looks up and turns what he is looking at to Xiao Lan.

I love crows!!! I want to give Mr. Crow a monkey ！！！！！！]

[Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love) Raven Raven (love)

With so many words arranged together, it is clear that no sound is being made, yet one's eyes feel noisy.

The frantic confessions on the paper have a different kind of joy when combined with Luo's calm expression and elegant pose.

Xiao Lan: "......"

The identity Luo drew seems to be much sicker.

What is the magic of this author named Raven? How come one and all fans of the book are so on top of it.

He continued to return his attention to the table, which unfortunately did not have any of Raven's books for him to read.

Xiao Lan rummages through a pile of papers and finds a handbook full of printed news and cuttings from various newspapers about the disappearance of the writer Crow.

From this collated information, it appears that Raven has been missing for nine years.

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After Crow's disappearance, a popular search for Crow was sparked among his readers, who searched for any trace of Crow's disappearance in the hope of finding him.

Even after nine years there are still regular readers who don't give up, and new readers who are interested in the subject.

As stated in the information on the handbook.

The last place where the raven was found on the trail was a private villa in the suburbs.

This is a building built in the Republican period in a somewhat East-meets-West style, which was later bought by Crow as a private residence for his writing and renamed Ming Yue Pavilion.

The Crow loves to collect vintage items and decorate the Ming Yue Pavilion.

This is why the villa was once so well known among collectors.

But after the disappearance of the crows, rumours of a haunting at Ming Yue Pavilion became common.

With the corroboration of the neighbourhood and the word of good people spreading, those who wanted to buy were put off and the place became deserted after that.

To this the handbook also says in red letters.

[These stupid guys have no taste! They don't deserve to have a house like Mr. Crow's.

This time the villa was the destination they were planning to visit.

For both had received an unsigned invitation which read -

"For the new work of Mr. Crow."

They were invited to meet at the Ming Yue Pavilion, a building that is said to be haunted.

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And then these two idiots come bumbling along, their tickets destined for the very place where Ming Yue Pavilion is located.

They're really good at this, they dare to go to this kind of appointment, Xiao Lan don't know whether to say they're headstrong or just desperate ......

It's like two leeks that are not only given to the door to be cut, but also have to wash themselves white.

Are these leeks?

No, this is the leek emperor, the king of leeks.

Luo put down the information in his hand, "It's really interesting how humans pursue idols, by human standards this behaviour seems to be called - brainwashed?"

Xiao Lan said with an expressionless face, "According to the persona, it's the two of us who are acting as brainiacs now."

Luo: "......"

It was a precious experience.

Brain-dead-Shaw and Brain-dead-Luo, are flying on a train to their death-defying destination.

--

The two got off the train and followed the invitation to the rumoured villa, Ming Yue Pavilion.

They were just standing in front of the Ming Yue Pavilion when they heard the system prompt.

"Ding dong--"

"......"

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Xiao Lan waited for a while, only to hear nothing.

It was as if the system had let out a dumb fart.

This copy surprisingly does not give the player the slightest hint that the advanced field is so fierce?

Before they could ring the doorbell, the door had opened itself.

The door was opened by a middle-aged man in a butler's uniform, extremely thin but with a round, beer-bellied body, meticulously combed hair and two very retro eight-beards.

"Hello to you both, I am the housekeeper of Ming Yue Pavilion and welcome you to this place." The butler bowed deeply to them.

This bow is overly formal compared to the kind you would give to a guest.

It was more like the bowing salute used for the deceased at a posthumous farewell ceremony, which made one feel a little uncomfortable.

The butler then checked the two men's invitations and confirmed that they were correct before letting them in.

In line with the persona, Xiao Lan praised her love interest's villa: "It's not bad for Mr. Crow's residence, it's so special."

He still addressed the raven as teacher, as he had done in his diary.

But rainbow farts are fine ...... this is too strong, but of course if you have to blow it Xiao Lan is not out of the question.

At these words, the butler gave an expression of shared pride, "Yes, everything here was decorated by Mr. Crow himself."

Xiao Lan asked, "Why are you so sure?"

The steward said, "Because I saw these placed by Mr. Crow with my own eyes, and I was involved in some of the collections when they were placed."

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Xiao Lan took the opportunity to ask, "When did you come here as a housekeeper?"

The butler smiled, "I've been the butler here since Mr. Crow bought Ming Yue Pavilion."

Xiao Lan: "So do you know anything about Mr. Crow?"

At that, the butler gave an odd look, "Mr. Crow ...... is very secretive and I rarely see him except to hand over things at work."

It also seems that he did not know the ravens as well as Xiao Lan had thought he did.

Xiao Lan: "And what do you know about ...... in relation to the disappearance of Ms. Crow?"

The butler, however, kept his mouth shut.

It seems that he will not reveal the secrets related to his employer out of professional ethics, but he can find a chance to have a friendly exchange later.

Xiao Lan and Luo exchanged secret glances.

Xiao Lan changed the question: "Do you know who started this party?"

The housekeeper shook his head, "I don't know, but I was originally hired by Mr. Crow's family to come to Ming Yue Pavilion once a week to oversee the cleaning and maintenance. A few days ago I received a letter informing me that I was to come to Ming Yue Pavilion to entertain an upcoming guest."

Xiao Lan: "Don't you think it's strange?"

The butler said, "I'm just a butler, responsible for doing my job, that's all."

As he said this, his eyes were unruffled, as if he did not care what would happen to those who had been summoned.

Seemingly not wanting to chat any further, the butler said, "The guests who arrived early are already in their rooms, so I'll show you both to yours."

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Having said that, he was ready to show the two men the way.

At that moment, the door opened once more.

And at the moment the butler was standing beside Xiao Lan and the others, some distance from the door, which had no mechanical device to open it, and even the people outside the door did not quite make it to the door.

But the door just opened.

Xiao Lan is used to seeing paranormal events in action.

It's just a matter of opening the door, isn't it? What's there to be afraid of? As long as it's not a boss that suddenly rushes in and slashes at the players, everything is fine.

The eyes of the crowd were turned to the doorway.

A man dressed in a vintage ornate black trench coat, a wide brimmed black bowler hat and a leather suitcase enters the door.

He is tall, lean, with snow-white hair and a trademark bird's beak mask on his face.

I'm afraid that no one who has met him will ever forget him.

The person who came in was - Qi Ning.

Qi Ning also saw Xiao Lan, and he nodded to both of them as a greeting.

Then he turned to Xiao Lan: "I'm really surprised at how fast you've grown, I didn't expect to meet you here now."

Here, naturally, the reference is to the senior field.

Xiao Lan returned: "I can't let you down, can I?"

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Seeing that the guests who had come seemed intent on catching up, the butler thoughtfully guided them to the lounge, arranged for refreshments and informed the three of them of the location of their rooms.

Before the butler left, he made a point of saying, "Tomorrow you will be given a clue about Mr. Crow's new work."

Afterwards, the butler left, leaving the lounge to the guests.

Qi Ning leaned casually on the arm of her chair, " You should know about Wang Ke by now."

Xiao Lan nods.

Qi Ning asked, "Is it true that he is dead?"

Xiao Lan stared at him, but unfortunately nothing could be seen through a mask, "You seem to have a particular concern for them."

Qi Ning's tone was calm: "They're just so special that for someone in the darkness one can't always help but look at them, both expecting them to be safe and hoping they'll fall."

Xiao Lan: "What about you? Which side are you on again."

Qi Ning thought for a moment, "There's so much darkness to watch that sometimes I want a bit of a cheesy happy ending."

Xiao Lan didn't say what Wang Taidi had told him, but simply said, "Perhaps, you can look forward to it."

Qi Ning said with a little chuckle in his voice, "Looks like their story won't be coming to an end so soon."

Xiao Lan asked about Qi Ning's visit: "Did you come in normally, or did you find prey again?"

"Heh heh heh ......" Qi Ning laughed lowly, with his usual raspy sense of lack of breath, sounding like a sick man, but no one dared to underestimate him.

"I, of course, have come to find joy."

Qi Ning's source of pleasure is, of course, the fugitives.

If they had known that they would be hunted by such terrible hunters upon entering the Advent world, would they have regretted the sins they had committed.

Qi Ning added, "Don't worry, killing in high level is not as dangerous as in low level, because players who die in high level will hardly be transformed into NPCs, and even if there are lucky ones who become NPCs, they are not necessarily stronger than they were before they were born. I can kill anyone alive, so what's the fear of dying."

Xiao Lan was a little surprised, something he had never known before.

Qi Ning says: "The most dangerous thing about the advanced scene is actually the players. There will always be people who enjoy watching others struggle in desperation, and killing each other among advanced players happens all the time; it's just that junior and intermediate players are not aware of it."

Xiao Lan frowned, "Why is that?"

Qi Ning fiddled with the brim of his hat and spoke in a light tone, "It seems to be the imperfection of the protection system, the existing system is not enough to stop high combat players from killing, it's like a transformation that is only half done."

At these words, Luo's eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing.

"Do you want to come and have some fun too? I can share one of my targets with you, no more than that." Qi Ning said generously.

Xiao Lan noticed the words "share one with you" in his sentence, so he has more than one target in mind?

How dare you 1Vn in the senior field, you are really fierce brother.

Xiao Lan shook his head no: "Thank you, a gentleman doesn't take away what is good for him, you should keep your own pleasure."

"I'll play it myself then, hahaha ......" Qi Ning laughed, his spine shaking with laughter, his laugh low and muffled with a touch of bloody madness.

It looks quite a bit like a psychopathic murderer.

Wait ......

Not what it looks like, he actually is.

Qi Ning, the man, is a model for teaching people not to sin.

If you are a wanted criminal, you will be hunted to death by Qi Ning.

When you think of it that way, doesn't it fill your heart with a sense of justice and you never want to commit a crime in your life?