Chapter 206: Cut Scene of Choices To Be Made

It was finally time for Han Jing to do something that he should have done from the start—but once he stepped back into his apartment unit, he got distracted. He was greeted with the sight of his mother and sister. The two of them were together, there was food on the table and he was home. He bit back a sigh and managed a smile, "I'm back."

"Where did you head to, Jing?" His mother asked. Her brows scrunched up together, she was giving him a look. "It's a little late now."

Her tone said something else, but he'd ignore that.

He scratched the back of his head, "I uh, tutored someone across the other block or so." Well, he couldn't escape the fact that he was still living with his family. He wasn't the orphaned hero who lost both of his parents and was free to do whatever he wished—he washed his hands and joined his family at the dinner table.

Jinjing was already eating dinner, a hefty serving of congee. She raised a brow at him once before she resumed eating. No time to even make a retort at him.

He made a face and got his own bowl, scooping up his own food, and began to eat. No complaints to be had, even as he ate. There wasn't anything he could say as he ate the filling and warm meal of rice porridge topped with sliced ginger. He might have been able to get tastier at Mou Gu's restaurant if he had stayed, but better this than the consequences for staying over.

And yet compared to the lively sounds during lunch and even supper at Kraelonia Academy's dining halls, their family table was silent. Except for a few words exchanged between his mother and sister, they were quiet. Did he miss the rowdy crowd back there? Maybe, but this was also fine for him. His family and he were a relatively quiet bunch—

"Han Jing, wake up earlier tomorrow, okay?"

He looked at his mother and tried to find words to say. He had expected this conversation to come around sooner or later, but this time, he had an excuse. "What? But it's a Saturday tomorrow—"

"Exactly," One of his mother's eyes twitched, "Your little sister doesn't have classes, you can help her out. You're always sleeping-in recently, I turned a blind eye to it, but you have a horrible schedule. Wake up earlier and help your younger sister out."

"What?" Jinjing looked up from her bowl and looked at him, she scrunched up her nose. "I can study on my own—"

Their mother sighed and placed a hand underneath her chin, she addressed his younger sister. "Your older brother has a bachelor's degree, at least let him use it."

"I am using it." Han Jing sighed and placed his spoon into the bowl. He gave a look of protest at his mother. His sister didn't even listen that much and just did her own thing. And yet, that reasoning would fall to deaf ears, he'd have to say something else. "I tutored someone on how to program—"

"Then you can help your sister." His mother continued to eat, not even looking at him anymore. The conversation was already settled the moment she opened her mouth and told him to tutor his sister. No arguments were to be had.

But he would try.

Han Jing sighed, he knew his time's worth. His sister could get by her class just fine, "I got paid to tutor—"

"And you get to live with a roof over your head and have food on the table." His mother eyed him back, finally looking up from her meal. "The least that you could do is to help your sister out, Han Jing. I don't even complain about your lack of..." She didn't finish her sentence and simply trailed off, but everyone knew what she was alluding to.

Han Jing sighed and pushed his bowl forward, "Alright! I'll wake up earlier tomorrow. Are you happy?"

"Thank you, Han Jing."

"I'm not happy." His sister muttered beneath her breath, but at least their mother appeared satisfied. The two of them continued to eat…

Han Jing pulled his bowl back and finished his porridge, he couldn't ignore the hunger he felt. Plus he couldn't let the food go to waste. But afterward, after all the washing of the dishes and brushing of his teeth—he settled back and sank into his bed. His mother said to tutor his sister tomorrow, not tonight. He had other things to do and accomplish. Things that he had been neglecting ever since he discovered the game about five days ago or so.

For the most part, he had been mostly going with the flow of everything that happened. He sighed and rubbed his face. It was finally time for him to take it more slowly—Han Jing grabbed his phone and checked the time. It was 9:30pm. He raised a brow and glanced at his mother's back, she was on the couch with her sister and was now watching television.

He just wanted to say that it wasn't even that late when he came back earlier... but it wasn't his time that he worried about, it was the time on the server:

[ Races: Online: World Time is 6:30 ]

He stared at the status displayed on his phone's screen. It was early in the morning. He compared the time difference, and then looked back up. "Hey, Jinjing, I'm waking up earliest at 9am, alright? That's the best I can do."

"Whatever."

"Cool."

Yeah, that was the best that he could do unless he wanted himself to skip some classes or something. He bit back a snicker at the thought—look at him now, twenty-three years old and he didn't want to miss his studies now. Who would have thought that was possible? His mother and sister weren't going to disturb him now since the two were also busy, should he login now?

No, he could still stay in his own world for some time.

He needed to actually start putting all of this to paper, or at least to a transcript. Information that he was able to pick up as he stayed in the otherworld. Conversations with the Moderator. Agreements that he made in both worlds, and fitting that to his schedule.

The man was essentially living two lives now, here and there.

Han Jing rubbed the back of his neck, "Aiya…" This was exactly the thing that he had been putting off. Well, it hadn't exactly been such a long time since he started 'playing' and discovered the 'free-reign' mode... but someone else would have done more.

Someone else more cautious or smarter would have made journals. Some guides, self-warnings, and such on the very first day? Things that would help him out, other things he needed to look out for. Maybe someone smarter than him wouldn't have downloaded the link at all!

It had been pretty shady when he read the email.

But there could also be someone else less hesitant than him. Someone less panic-prone. Maybe there was someone in the other servers who already gave up their body here on earth? Someone already living out their lives in another world. Someone who'd throw caution to the wind and enjoy the experience. Someone who had no ties, except for themselves.

There were multiple spectra that one could fall into, and where did he fall in?

Han Jing stretched his back for a moment and yawned. He would like to think that he fell more on the vigilant side... but at the same time, he was living vicariously through Han in Races: Online and he enjoyed it. There was no doubt about that, this was wish-fulfillment of the highest order.

And yet, if the Creators and their Will were true, the purpose and intention of the 'game' wasn't even actually playing, it was a place to interact with other Races and find peace in the universe. A lofty idea, because even he knew that was such a massive idea, humans still didn't obtain world peace and spent most of their time fighting with one another or trying to live their own lives to the fullest, or indulge themselves.

But peace? Unity and harmony? That was what the Creators were trying to achieve. So was he ruining things by trying to avoid the Wood Elf and just studying in Kraelonia Academy?

Now that he actually had time to think about it instead of switching from one life to another, what should he do?

The most obvious things were easy to consider. There was more room for caution, vigilance, and wariness—all cerebral and self-preservation things. And he hadn't even considered the weight of having other human players in other servers. Should he quit thinking about it and simply take this as a chance for enjoyment? Live for himself and not bother with the rest.

… should he be one thing or the other?