Edited by Jules
The forest under the red moon was still dark with only the vague cries of insects, which couldn’t bring out much vitality.
Xiao Lan stood by the lake, looking out over the surface which had already returned to stillness, and asked Luo, “What do you think of Adeline’s words?”
Luo said, “What Adeline said is basically identical to the things we previously found out. Regarding Lady Red Moon’s identity, we also previously guessed that she might be Madam Wilder, so she’s most likely trustworthy.”
Dai Bumao wiped away his snot bubbles from crying. “How c- can you still not trust her?”
Xiao Lan said, “It’s possible that Adeline is lying to us too. After all, when it comes to what in the world happened back then, only she and Lady Red Moon know.”
Dai Bumao: “Then what do we do?”
Xiao Lan smiled. “NPCs can lie, but plot tasks don’t. Unsealing Adeline is definitely an important element to clearing the game, so let’s do that first according to the task requirements ba. As for Lady Red Moon’s identity, won’t we know when we find a chance to lift her black veil and take a look?”
Honestly, this was quite a daring proposal.
With how cruel Lady Red Moon was, lifting up her black veil would definitely mean directly facing her absolutely ruthless attacks. The danger wasn’t low.
Dai Bumao was stunned and couldn’t help blurting out, “Lift Yo Veil Up?”
Xiao Lan: “…”
You can even sing this?
Xiao Lan said, “Wake up. If it really is Madam Wilder, not only is she married and has a child, she can smash a big living person to death with a wave of her fan.”
Dai Bumao: “…”
Ying…
After speaking about Lady Red Moon, Xiao Lan brought up another matter. “At breakfast tomorrow, let’s find other players to cooperate with. To break the tower seals, three people aren’t enough.”
Dai Bumao nodded in agreement, and the three of them returned to the institute.
•
Today, Luo sent Xiao Lan to his dorm as always.
Moreover, only when Xiao Lan expressed that he would be totally fine sleeping alone did Luo leave.
After showering and lying down on the bed, Xiao Lan couldn’t help the trace of anticipation which surfaced in his heart. His and Luo’s past had appeared in his dreams the past two nights; would such a dream appear tonight as well?
What would appear in his dreams?
Would it be able to resolve the doubts in his heart?
…
His sleep quality had always been good. Very soon, sleepiness overwhelmed him.
In the pitch-black world, noise and light suddenly appeared.
The surrounding environment was already very familiar to Xiao Lan; it was the office where the young him had met Luo for the first time.
In the warm yellow candlelight, the youth and the man in black were sitting opposite each other and chatting. Their bodies were enveloped in a gentle light.
The youth held a teacup and was recounting his experience after entering the game:
“As soon as I walked out, I saw a group of guys about my age, all wearing the school uniform. But while I understood all the words they said, they didn’t make sense when put together. What ‘newbie’, ‘game round’, and they were guessing how I would die…
“After that, a strange guy attacked me. He was really strong ah, and he also looked deranged…
“To escape, I hid in an empty room and I also found a card in a cabinet; it even said it was a skill or something…”
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.
“Qtja rbga bo rxlii?” Ktf wjc lc yijmx jqqfjgfv nfgs lcafgfrafv.
Ktf sbeat vfrmglyfv ab tlw 【Ubnfgas lr ecjyif ab gfraglma ws lwjulcjalbc】 jcv jrxfv, “Qtja’r atlr qbnfgas njief? Gbfr la wfjc P cffv ab yf nfgs qbbg?”
Ktf wjc lc yijmx gfoliifv ybat atflg meqr klat afj, tlr abcf ectegglfv. “Tfr, rlwqis qea. Ccv tjnlcu cbatlcu ja jii lrc’a fcbeut. Tbe tjnf ab yf fnfc qbbgfg atjc bgvlcjgs qfbqif; cfujalnf jrrfar, obg fzjwqif.”
Youth: “…Who designed this fraudulent skill ah?”
If one wanted to activate this ability, wouldn’t they have to be penniless for a lifetime?
The man in black propped up his chin in one hand, a slight mischievous light in the depths of his eyes. “I can’t remember anymore. If it wasn’t that guy, then maybe it was me?”
The youth shot him a condemning gaze —
Was this something a person could do?
However, this one didn’t seem quite human ah.
In any case, the youth had never seen any person who was able to make someone disappear with a wave of his hand.
Moreover, ‘that guy’ whom he mentioned didn’t seem to be one either…
The man in black looked at the youth and smiled. “What do you plan to do in the future?”
The youth was a little confused. “In the future? Here?”
To be honest, he was only fifteen years old and he really had no experience in society. Faced with such a dangerous and somewhat deranged game world, he was a little at a loss for a time.
Although the place he was in now was safe, he understood very well that a mere door away outside was a world full of violence and carnage.
In the future?
He also didn’t know how he should plan his future here.
The youth hesitantly said, “I’ll probably just… take it one step at a time ba. First see how other people do it, then consider my plans.”
“What if you’re able to go back?” the man in black asked.
The youth was pleasantly surprised. “I can still go back?”
The man in black blinked at him. “In a normal situation, it’s impossible. But if we cheat a little, it isn’t impossible either.”
The youth lowered his voice, as if afraid someone might be eavesdropping. “You’ll help me cheat?”
The man in black nodded slightly.
The youth smiled. “Luo, you’re really great. If there’s a chance, I really want to take you to eat the cookies my mother makes ah.”
However, the man in black said, “There might never be a chance. I’m unable to go to the real world.”
The youth thought about it. “Then I’ll learn, and if there’s a chance in the future, I’ll make them for you!”
The man in black laughed quietly. “Alright, then I’ll look forward to it ba.”
Spectator Xiao Lan: “…”
Truly one who dared to cook and one who dared to eat ne.
Youngster, many years after this, you will be beaten up by society and realise the truth that you have no culinary talents at all. Moreover, you’ll soon abandon your sense of taste and walk toward the pinnacle of poverty.
As if he had thought of something, the youth asked, “Will there be a chance for us to meet again in the future?”
The man in black thought for a moment, and felt that it was better to be honest. “If we meet again, it might be because something terrible has happened.”
The youth: “What sort of thing?”
The man in black: “You’ll be caught up in danger like earlier, and I… will be injured to the point of death, and extremely weak.”
The youth put down his cup. “If it’s like that, then I’ll be the one to take care of you ba.”
This sentence sounded a little naive and like he was overestimating his abilities.
Even if he entered the game again, he would be no more than a newbie without anything at all. How could he ensure someone else’s safety?
But the youth spoke earnestly. Clearly, he wasn’t saying this perfunctorily or casually.
The man in black looked at the youth. “The situation at that time might be very terrible. I may not be in this appearance, and you might not remember me.”
The youth was confused. “Why? How could I not remember someone like you ah?”
But the man in black just smiled wordlessly.
He didn’t plan to tell the youth that he would remove the youth’s memories of him from his mind.
Along with everything about the Advent World. If he was cutting things off, it was better not to leave a single trace behind at all, lest it aroused the youth’s curiosity and ultimately led him to his death instead.
The youth seriously told the man in black, “When that time comes, if you need help, just act pitiful, like it’ll be very dangerous if you don’t get any help. Then, even if I don’t remember anything at all, I’ll definitely still help you.”
The man in black didn’t mock the youth’s slightly unrealistic-sounding suggestion.
He also solemnly straightened his body and said, “Okay, I’ll remember.”
After that, the man in black stood up.
He raised his hands high and gestured at the wall. His movements looked skilful and easy, like an experienced painter that was drafting out an idea he had long thought of.
It looked very amazing.
The youth followed his movements with his eyes.
The youth: “…”
The man in black’s movements were genuinely very practised, but he was just drawing a door on the wall.
The door was crooked with both sides at different heights and the frame sticking out in different directions. It was a drawing full of a rebellious spirit.
If it wasn’t on the wall, it might not be easy to guess that this was a door.
The quick-witted youth felt that he had probably accidentally realised the truth of the other’s aesthetic direction, which was different from everyone else’s.
Maybe it was purely because he was an abstract artist?
With the man’s movements, this door slowly took shape.
He waved a hand in the air and pushed open this door filled with artistic flair. Behind the door appeared a hazy light; who knew where the door led.
The youth also stood up, sizing up this door that was inconceivable in both appearance and how it had taken shape.
The youth: “I can go back through this?”
The man in black nodded. “This will return you to where you were before you left.”
“That’s my bedroom. I remember sleeping previously.” The youth then thought of something. “What about my clothes? Do I have to wear this?”
The man in black: “No need to change. When you return, your clothes will automatically restore themselves. However —”
As he spoke, he drew closer to the youth, and his slender and long fingers glided over the youth’s bruised throat. Following his motions, it was as if the marks from when the youth had been strangled by the attacker never existed at all.
After that, the fingertips of the man in black ran over the places where he had previously observed injuries. Injuries in places that the youth couldn’t see also healed swiftly.
Finally, his gaze fell on the youth’s wrist. “This is an injury you got from before ba. Looks like it’s a few days old already.”
The youth said, “Mn.”
The man in black reached out to brush his hand over the youth’s wrist. With this movement, the meticulously wrapped bandage turned back into how the youth had wrapped it haphazardly before.
“That’s about it,” the man in black said.
The youth touched his wrist. It looked just like before, but his wrist didn’t hurt at all and it clearly still felt the same as when the other had bandaged it.
Sensing the youth’s doubts, the man in black said, “It’s just a minor guise. Leaving your injury recovered is nothing.”
The youth felt that this sort of trick was truly magical.
Suddenly, the youth felt everything go dark before his eyes.
He lifted his head and realised that the man in black at some unknown point had moved to stand in front of him.
The man in black raised a finger and gently tapped the youth’s forehead. A black imprint appeared on the youth’s forehead and then instantly disappeared.
The youth only felt a chill on his forehead. When he reached up to touch it, he realised that he couldn’t feel anything at all. “What’s this?”
The man in black said, “After you’re chosen by the Advent World, the Advent World will leave an imprint on your body. Even if I send you away, you’ll soon be found again.
“I left a strength mark on you which can temporarily suppress the connection between you and the Advent World. However, if I am heavily injured or die one day, this imprint will lose effect. When that time comes, your connection with the Advent World will be restored.”
Spectator Xiao Lan suddenly understood.
It turned out the peaceful life which he had enjoyed for a time was because Luo had blocked his connection to the Advent World for him.
After that, the reason he entered the game again was perhaps related to Luo being sealed in the envelope.
But he had only entered the game recently, while Luo had already been in the envelope for a very long time; why was that?
Could time in the envelope be different from the outside world?
Or was there another reason that Xiao Lan couldn’t guess at?
He then thought of Xiao Chengyan knowing of his skill and preparing the debts for him.
Xiao Lan couldn’t help thinking, Luo, Xiao Chengyan, and Insurgent – how are they related?
Was Luo that rumoured Insurgent?
“You should go back.” The voice of the man in black interrupted Xiao Lan’s thoughts.
Xiao Lan’s focus returned to the two people in his dream.
The youth stood by the door and gave the man in black a clear smile. “Then… see you.”
The man in black looked at him. “You should anticipate that we won’t meet again.”
The youth said, “According to farewell etiquette, we have to say ‘see you’.”
The man in black also smiled. “Alright.”
The youth finally waved at him. “See you.”
The man in black also learnt from the youth’s movements and waved. “See you.”
After bidding each other farewell, the youth turned around and stepped into the world behind the door. His figure was swallowed up by the light and vanished.
The man in black looked at the completely empty door and put down his hand.
With another raise of his hand, the door instantly disappeared.
He made an appointment for them to meet again that only he remembered.
Even if they met again, it didn’t signify that something good had happened.
Yet his mood was unexpectedly good.
So it seems that the one who wiped his memories was unexpectedly luo
Hmmm…
Thank you for the chapter ❤️
somewhat it’s so romantic
Ikr?! I could practically see pink bubbles floating out of my screen.
+1 💕
Why is this kinda sad? D:
Today I learned that you can even draw smth simple like a door so crooked that you need a good eye to recognize it as one lolol And now I have flat head cat Luo stumbling around in my mind xDDD
Thx for the ch (ㅅ˘ㅂ˘)
Thanks for the chapter! ^^)❤
thanks for the chapter! <3
My babies! Met again after sll these years…
Whoa, turn out Luo was the reason!
💜💜💜
Some theories:
There has been a lot of ‘reforms’ since XL returned home and forgot such as ranking divisions, beginner instances with explanations, and game artifacts can leave now – like Shirley. Although, since Luo absorbed XL’s blood, I suspect if Luo was an artifact confined to the game, he may not be anymore.
Also, Luo’s Other me that ripped him apart, sounds like a ‘twin’ with similar abilities and game assigned responsibilities. Of course, with XL’s blood, they aren’t identical anymore (if they were before).
O.O it’s really unexpected.
damn Xiao Lan I didn’t know you had such a sad backstory with Lou QAQ
(still in the beginning of the chapter)
did he’s dad swop places with him? or something?? i’ll continue to listen
yeah that guess- pffft
but my question is why???
would’ve he known about his father? did he do this for his father? is the reason he went up in the ranks so quickly because supposedly he had been there for years? why get rid of his memory? why go through all this trouble? why have something real sting to his death to that mark? by getting rid of that mark, did he put a bit of himself inside of Xiao Lan? after this meeting, did his father then sort out the dept situation? if it wasn’t because of his father then why? why all this?
i have so many questions 😭