Edited by Jules
After finally stroking the cat to his fill, Xiao Lan shifted his focus from Shirley with great difficulty and looked again at Cheng Wenyi sitting opposite him.
Surprisingly, Cheng Wenyi looked to be in a good mood, and didn’t seem unhappy at being ignored at all. Xiao Lan found this a little unexpected.
Based on Cheng Wenyi’s flashy character, being ignored would definitely ruffle his feathers, but he was surprisingly this calm. This Cheng Wenyi truly wasn’t a simple person.
Of course, this was because Xiao Lan simply couldn’t have imagined that the source of Cheng Wenyi’s joy was actually him and Shirley, as well as the black-faced Luo, so Xiao Lan naturally wasn’t able to understand Cheng Wenyi’s inner heart right now.
Xiao Lan picked up the conversation. “Speaking of, I previously met someone called He Rui. It seemed he accepted a commission from Lunhui to investigate me.”
“He Rui?” Cheng Wenyi searched his memories, but couldn’t remember this name. “Who’s that?”
He had so many people under him, so wanting him to state the names of all his subordinates was impossible, much less passerby A who popped out from some unknown corner.
Xiao Lan: “He’s supposedly an informant.”
Cheng Wenyi seemed to recall something. “Mn, this sort of mission was indeed issued. What about him? Did he die?”
Xiao Lan nodded.
Cheng Wenyi’s smile was a little indifferent. “If he wants to profit off me, he has to prove his worth, right? He’s merely an informant, his death doesn’t matter; there are too many substitutes.”
In the Advent World, death truly was too common. Cheng Wenyi truly didn’t care about such an insignificant sacrifice.
Xiao Lan also hadn’t hoped that Cheng Wenyi would feel regret over this. It went without saying that the games were dangerous. If you wanted to obtain benefits from them, you naturally couldn’t avoid the dangers; mentioning He Rui was no more than just to continue the topic.
Xiao Lan leaned back against the sofa and looked at Cheng Wenyi. “You truly are a tyrant.”
Hearing the word ‘tyrant’, Cheng Wenyi shook his head. “Tyrant? Hehe, the true tyrant is Xiao Chengyan. I’m not even ten or twenty percent of him.
“So much so that Lunhui is an incredibly lax organisation compared with Wushe. Every single person in Wushe can be said to be willing to sacrifice themselves for Xiao Chengyan. For the sake of carrying out his orders, they’re willing to do anything.”
The topic finally came around to Xiao Chengyan.
Xiao Lan’s eyes held doubt. “Tyrant? Xiao Chengyan?”
In Xiao Lan’s memories, Xiao Chengyan had always been a father who was strict and unsympathetic, but very conscientious. They hadn’t interacted much, but the father in Xiao Lan’s memories completely had nothing to do with the title of a tyrant.
Cheng Wenyi: “Entering the Advent World sets free the innate nature and sense of self that was originally suppressed. Goals that you only dare to pursue in secret, and the longings of your innermost heart, will all slowly emerge here. This is why the Advent World has so many weird people; it’s that they’re no longer suppressed.”
This made Xiao Lan think of Qi Ning and Wu Ting, as well as the players he had seen along the way.
Compared with people in the real world, players truly couldn’t care less about other people’s opinions. Regardless whether it was the way they dressed or their words and actions, there were too many unconventional people. In this place, survival and strength were the most important.
Even Xiao Lan himself had been changing constantly ever since he entered the Advent World.
If it was before, he wouldn’t be so dedicated to pursuing strength and becoming more powerful. In work and life, he mainly seeked stability, and wouldn’t be as daring as he was now in games.
“Xiao Chengyan is also the same. He just didn’t have to pretend that he was an ordinary person,” Cheng Wenyi added. “Do you think you truly understand him?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Xiao Lan was silent.
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Wljb Ojc nblmfv tlr vbeyar. “Pc atf fcv, ktja’r sbeg gfijalbcrtlq ab tlw?”
‘Half-disciple’ sounded like they didn’t have an ordinary master and disciple relationship. On top of that, given Cheng Wenyi’s attitude at the mention of Xiao Chengyan, Xiao Lan felt that there had to be an inside story to it.
Cheng Wenyi revealed a reminiscent gaze. “I was 17 years old when I just entered the Advent World. The Advent World at that time was very different from now. There were no rankings for the instances, and no newbie rounds; mutual slaughter among players was a very common thing.
“Even though I had power in the real world, it was completely useless in games.”
Xiao Lan didn’t think that the original Advent World was actually like this: chaotic, disorderly, and dangerous. He even felt that the Advent World at that time was like rearing gu.
Cheng Wenyi continued, “Later, it was Xiao Chengyan who took the initiative to find me. He offered me a condition in exchange: he could turn me into an advanced player within a year. This was also my source of inspiration for setting up Lunhui later.
“And he indeed succeeded. He helped me find a skill, and arranged. Training. For. Me.” Cheng Wenyi’s enunciation gradually grew heavier, and there was a hint of gnashing teeth.
“In each combat training, I would be beaten until I couldn’t get back up before it stopped. It was like this regardless whether it was in the game or in the real world.
“For me to dispel ice, after he gave me the relevant information, he kicked me straight into a cold storage; when it came to dispelling fire, he tossed me into a furnace…
“It was to the point that for me to learn how to dispel electricity more quickly, Xiao Chengyan made me get electrotherapy for a month and said that I had to experience it personally!
“When I was trained by Xiao Chengyan, I don’t know how many times I landed in the ICU!”
Even saying it now, Cheng Wenyi found it hard to maintain his usual haughtiness and reserve. His hands dug deeply into the sofa and so violently that he practically tore into the tough high quality leather; it was clear how much he couldn’t bear to recall this Spartan education.
It was no wonder that Cheng Wenyi immediately went to find Xiao Chengyan and bothered him several times after establishing Lunhui; what a pity he still couldn’t beat Xiao Chengyan.
Xiao Lan: “…”
It turned out his old pa was this terrifying?
Don’t tell him… could his side still be classified as father and son treatment?
Cheng Wenyi took a deep breath and reined in his overly agitated feelings. “In short, within a year, I became an advanced player.
“And in exchange, I would use various methods to shift a sum of debt onto you. Because you were a minor at the time, it was first transferred to your mother,” Cheng Wenyi said.
Xiao Lan frowned. “Why did he do that?”
Cheng Wenyi shook his head. “Xiao Chengyan never gave me any reason; he just said, ‘Since he’s my son, I’ll give him an opportunity; think of it as a coming-of-age present.’ I think you should understand this sentence more than me.”
Opportunity. Could it be an opportunity to activate a skill?
But how did Xiao Chengyan know that his son would enter the Advent World in the future, and the skill that he would gain?
Unfortunately, this tyrant didn’t provide any explanation at all.
“Oh, right, Xiao Chengyan’s conditions didn’t include taking care of you, mother and son.” Cheng Wenyi raised his glass and took a small sip. “Thunder and rain are all favours from the heavens; a tyrant’s gift isn’t easy to accept ah. At that time, I felt that whoever was Xiao Chengyan’s son really had the ultimate bad luck.”
Xiao Lan clenched his fists, then slowly loosened them.
Right now, he really wanted to stand in front of Xiao Chengyan and ask him why he was doing this. Had he ever thought about how hard his wife and son’s life would become because of this ‘present’?
Beside him, Luo sensed his state and patted Xiao Lan’s arm lightly and soothingly.
Xiao Lan shook his head at Luo to indicate that he was fine.
He then turned to Cheng Wenyi. “Where in the world is Xiao Chengyan?”
Cheng Wenyi lifted his eyes and looked straight at Xiao Lan. “Dead.”
Xiao Lan: “What?!”
That Xiao Chengyan, who was rumoured to be the powerful number one advanced player, and even brought the Advent World a lot of trouble, was actually dead?
Cheng Wenyi didn’t reply right away. He reached up and took off his coat, then undid the buttons of his shirt.
After that, he pointed at a strange grey pattern on his shoulder and told Xiao Lan, “This is the brand Xiao Chengyan left on me as the price of looking for trouble with him. He said that unless he died, I would never be able to get rid of it.
“I’ve tried countless methods all these years, but couldn’t get rid of it. Just a few months ago, however, on the very day something suddenly happened in the Advent World, this brand turned grey, and is also fading. I estimate that it won’t be long before it completely disappears.
“You know very well what this means.” Cheng Wenyi pulled up his collar.
The disappearance of a mark that couldn’t be eliminated outside of death of course was because the one who left it — was already dead.
Cheng Wenyi: “Of course, perhaps such a hateful guy isn’t dead. After all, scourges have long lives. Up until now, however, I have yet to find any proof that he or any Wushe members are still alive.”
Today, Xiao Lan simultaneously learnt of his dad’s true face as well as of his death; this was a pretty big blow. He did his best to push down his chaotic thoughts and forced himself to calm down.
“What on earth did he do?” Xiao Lan asked.
“This is actually something I know a little about,” Cheng Wenyi said. “The Wushe which Xiao Chengyan led was working together with Insurgent to rebel against the Advent World and thoroughly defeat it.”
“Insurgent?” Xiao Lan was puzzled. This was a completely unfamiliar name; he had never heard of it anywhere.
Cheng Wenyi explained, “Very few people know of this existence. He’s very strong, and no one knows who he is aside from Xiao Chengyan. He might be from the first batch of players who entered, an NPC, a boss, or perhaps a monster created by the Advent World.”
Cheng Wenyi looked at the scenery outside the window, yet he seemed to be looking at a nonexistent person. “Their cooperation probably ended up failing. Xiao Chengyan died, Wushe was completely annihilated, and Insurgent disappeared.”
This topic was a little heavy, and the room sank into silence for a time.
Both Xiao Lan and Cheng Wenyi didn’t speak as they sorted out their own thoughts and emotions.
After a while, Cheng Wenyi said, “There might be a chance for us to work together in the future.”
Xiao Lan: “What do you mean?”
Cheng Wenyi gave him a look. “Xiao Chengyan once told me, ‘While a person is alive, how can their life and death be controlled by an unknown existence? Is it worthy?’
“How about you? Are you willing for your everything to be controlled by an unknown existence?”
Xiao Lan thought about it. If he possessed the combat abilities that Xiao Chengyan was rumoured to have, he also definitely wouldn’t be willing for his life to be controlled by the Advent World.
But, even if he didn’t have that sort of strength, he would still work hard to become stronger until — it was enough to rebel.
Suddenly, he found the reason why he wanted to become strong at all costs all this time.
“I’m not willing,” Xiao Lan said. He didn’t want his everything to be controlled by an unknown existence.
Cheng Wenyi laughed. “You and Xiao Chengyan are very similar; it’s not just your looks.”
After learning about matters related to Xiao Chengyan, Xiao Lan’s mood conversely became even more complicated. Xiao Chengyan was a powerful player, a skillful organiser, and a resolute rebel; at the same time, he was a failure of a father and husband.
So much so that he didn’t even stay behind to give Xiao Lan a chance to ask why, and was already dead from his battle with the Advent World.
Cheng Wenyi said softly, “Lunhui does not have contract players.”
A contract meant being bound to the Advent World and enjoying its preferential treatment, but there was also no longer a way to escape.
There wasn’t a single contract player in the whole of Lunhui; the meaning of this was evident.
Lunhui consisted of people who were more dependent on the real world. They would rather give up a portion of their benefits from the game and risk their lives in their line of work in exchange for their family members being protected and cared for.
These people were all seeds of rebellion.
“I look forward to your growth. When the time comes, perhaps we can create a scheme so great it will astonish people.” Cheng Wenyi raised his glass at Xiao Lan.
•
After Xiao Lan and Luo left.
Cheng Wenyi stood before the window alone. In front of him was the most beautiful night view of the entire city, but none of it entered his eyes.
Although Cheng Wenyi quite despised Xiao Chengyan in both his heart and words, the guidance which Xiao Chengyan gave him during that period still left a shadow on him that couldn’t be erased, regardless of whether it was the way he did things or how he thought.
Cheng Wenyi finished the remaining wine in a gulp. “Hehe, Xiao Chengyan, a haughty and conceited tyrant; yet, he also possessed the courage to overcome all hardships.”
He couldn’t help getting caught up in his memories.
The tall and large man’s face was eighty percent similar to Xiao Lan’s, but he had an even sturdier figure and the sharp angles of his face were even more prominent while his eyes were even more penetrating.
He stood on an unknown cliff, looking at the gloomy sky. “Even if I die one day, it’ll be fighting the Advent World and not like a mouse teased to death by a cat.”
Cheng Wenyi, in his white suit, stood beside him. “Then why won’t you let me participate in your plan?”
Xiao Chengyan turned his head to size him up.
Xiao Chengyan suddenly punched Cheng Wenyi. The punch was lightning fast and contained unparalleled strength, and absolutely didn’t lose out to any player well-known for their melee ability.
Cheng Wenyi couldn’t dodge in time, and was punched straight off the cliff.
As he hurtled down, Xiao Chengyan voice came from afar: “If you’re bad, go train, weakling —”
Cheng Wenyi, who was done with the memory: “…”
Tsk, sure enough, he still hated the guy.
Baobao Notes
Oh, what a cool memor- …wow… Xiao Lan REALLY got his wild style from his dad.
I will place my bet the insurgent is Luo. There’s also a chance that daddy arranged Xiao Lan’s meeting with Luo in the first instance. After all, it looks like he already knows Xiao Lan’s going to enter the advent world and what his skill is going to be.
OMG i was thinking the same thing! But how could one explain why he was just a shadow in the beginning. Unless the attack caused everyone’s soul to scatter in different instances. Does that mean Luo is human then? For some reason, I always thought he was part of the system.
It also said Luo was in darkness for so long he thought he’d go mad, but supposedly Insurgent and Wushi disappeared around the time Xiao Lan appeared in the Advent World, somethings don’t quite add up—
Omg, is Insurgent Luo?! I’m 90% sure he is~ XD (the 10% error’s just in case :P)
So, can this Insurgent be our Luo?
And this dad really trash, and my opinion won’t change even if he have a reason to do what he done
thanks for the chapter~
Same here his actions undoubtedly played into his wifes death, no matter the reason this can’t be simply stamped as “collateral damage”.
+1 Don’t like him at all. Reason or not. Just no.
I giess I orefee Luo 😂
Wow holy fck was the insurgent Luo?? Like I can see the connection 😱 Ahh this is getting even more interesting!!
Thank you for the chapter ❤️
Я думаю, что Ло это какой-то бунтарь
Thanks for the chapter! ^^)❤
Hm, I’d already suspected a while ago that XL’s father might have arranged for XL and Luo to meet, or that he actually created Luo for XL. Not sure if that’s true, though. Still, Luo seems to practically exist for XL, as it was said once that his instincts told him to follow XL when he met him. Plus, their bond is obvious.
I didn’t expect XL’s father to be such trash. Make his son stromger, okay- but at what cost?? And even though I don’t like CW, I almost felt kinda sorry for the guy here… Daddy seems to be far worse, didn’t think that was possible.
».. what a pity he still couldn’t beat Xiao Lan.« XCY?
».. Xiao Lan’s conditions didn’t include taking care of you, mother and son.« Again XCY.
Yup, shitty father and husband.
Thx for the ch ٩(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )و Ah, btw my bet is on Luo too xD
I also believe that Insurgent is Luo and in that battle where Xiao Chengyan allegedly died, Luo got scattered and lost his memories..
thanks for the chapter! <3
Yes exactly maybe Xiao sacrificed himself to send Luo away for his son no his to evil?? For that but he must have had a hand in Luo disappearing also I think Cheng wenyi was left as insurance if he failed and to collaborate with his son if Xiao Lan survived
Insurgent…. Luo? The time passed from Insurgent’s disappear and Luo’s appear seem similar
Thank you for the chapter!!! ❤️❤️
Yes I also had a guess on who it is… cough the one who always says sir sir sir sir 🤣
LMAO so that’s where he inherited it from 🤣
Thank you for the chapter!
The father is a piece of trash, your wife died because of overworking!(I think, been awhile since i read this) He might as well not have married if all he wants is a soldier to fight.
Okay if Insurgent isn’t Luo I’ll swallow my phone ah.
I had no idea at first, and then you pulled up with that “://///” and now I also think I know who it is cough cough Luo cough
Thanks for the chapter! 😘 I finally decided to binge read this!
Really too similar, ah~
I think Xiao Chengyan is hot
Wow.. I really want Xiao Lan do do something to spite his father.
I now know why Cheng Wenyi was not hurt by our MC’s punches
He has an ‘intimate’ understanding of it
Thx for the chappy
😂😂😂💯
I know it’s kinda wrong but why do I get a vibe from XCY and CW ^^
Me too lol XD their chemistry seems fun to look at
Lmao I really expect the memory would be all cool and epic but it turns out just father Xiao being ruffian XD also i think Luo is definitely the insurgent, since he’s the most sus
Thanks for the chapter!
I still don’t like Cheng Wenyu and I was XL I would’ve told him to f- himself, even if I know that’s probably not the smart option.
‘if you’re bad, go train’
Didn’t XL say the same thing to Zhou Guankai (if that’s his name in ) in chapter 96
So the Rumored Insurgent should be Luo
Isn’t that the same line XL said to the guy in the training room? 😂
Luo is insurgent I’ve read this three times and I just guessed it I’m guessing he was like a administrator with the system but not completely controlled by it and then Xiao chengyan found him when he said the insurgent disappeared I thought it might be luo
I guess the insurgent is Luo, then some mishap happened half way (the same face with Luo who ripped him off) then maybe he lost his memories that is why he thinks that he was in that state for a very looooong time.
But I gotta say, Xiao Chengyan and Cheng Wenyi is a delicious ship, master-diciple hohoho I’m gonna board this ship 🛳
Kinda liking the dad rn and damnn Luo can potentially be human. That means no different species × human 🥴
Being sets free the innate nature and sense of self that was
originally suppressed, no wonder people from Advent World no longer feel
the sense of familiarity with the Reality. Because most their true-self
was there. Being restrained of yourself, must adapting to sociality
than being your true-self, which one more comfortable?
And
Luo’s unknown origin, forgotten memories, dispersed self at every
instance with the mentioned Insurgent, seems like quite an evident, hm?
(Lastly, that “If you’re bad, go train, weakling—”. Like father, like son indeed.)
💜💜💜
Why do I get the feeling that the insurgent is Lou? Then I suddenly remember the last memory he recovered the he got destroyed by someone with his own face. Connecting it with XC power of illusion. Did he betrayed him? I don’t like where my thoughts are going. 😱
Just wanna add that he was describing XC I immediately thought of XL. Uhm, no one would doubt the fact that they’re father and son. Even the last line, I remember XL saying that too. 🤣
No matter what reason his dad has, i still wont like him
Love this chapter! Ty for the translation ^^
Yeah where did he got the skill and who accompanied him onward….
Maybe he had to destroy himself so that he is not a boss monster anymore (and his essence scattered)…so that he is not controlled by something…. given how prideful he is and he already has absolute loyalty to little lan…or maybe he is player but I’m more inclined towards former remembering his deity like presence(as mentioned by author-san)
I first thought that Xiao lan’s father and this cheng wenyi are…. Kinda lover
Because it seem that chen wenyi is like a “step mom” to xiao lan all along… (just my feeling)
But then the plot of xiao lan’s mother death and so…
It seem to make xiao chenyan is truely scummiest of them all
And now author kinda deviate the plot into “half disciples “ relationship between these two like oil and water….
Sometimes hate and love is just a thin line apart
Lololol like father like son.
Xiao Lan: Thinks of what advice he can give and decides to recommend his own method of gaining strength “If you’re bad, go train.”Xiao Chengyan: *Aiya how can I allow this boy to fight, when he’s only at this level. He needs some guidance and motivation. * “If you’re bad, go train, weakling-” Sure enough the two are alike hahaha. 😂😂😂 Both sound mean, but mean well.
sigh they do sat blood runs deeper than water… (I don’t think this is the right quote for this 😂)
*say
Am I the only one who thought that maybe Cheng Wenyi was in love with the dad
NAHHHHH HE HATES HIM TO THE GUT
It’s obviously Luo
Oh. So Luo is that Insurgent guy. 🤔Well, I did think there was a connection between him and the ‘dad’, I was just wrong cause I thought Luo might have been made by him (like an entity or a program)
Is the insurgent lou?!!!!
Oh wait isn’t that Xiao Lan’s line- ‘if you’re bad, go train’ 💀
Plot twist if Lou was Insurgent imagine if Xiao Lan’s dad was his first love 😱, also if Lou IS Insurgent then why did Xiao Lan’s dad destroy him and how old is Lou?
so in this world he kind of found a new son he could be his true self to? huh…
i have a feeling this ‘I nsurgents’ if probably Luo, ba!
but would Luo fight with them to get rid of that world? who he die with them? would he then also have the ability to create a new world? what if there are some people who wanted to stay there?
i’d probably fall into this company, ba! i’d finally be able to help my brothers QAQ
I think the father is XL and Insurgent is Luo.