I Rely On Poverty To Sweep Through Survival GamesCh154 - Pandora’s Box

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Edited by Jules


Arriving in the darkness after clearing the game. TN6Upl

Even now it still felt unreal to Xiao Lan.

He originally thought that he would definitely have to get over an extremely arduous hurdle upon reaching Crow.

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Who would have thought in the end that it would be a harmonious and friendly fanmeet, to the point that Crow very kindly gave him poverty value.

Crow laoshi truly is a good person ah, Xiao Lan couldn’t help thinking.  jaMZwH

Up until he saw Luo in the darkness.

Luo didn’t look very good.

One of his arms was missing, and even part of his shoulder was gone, as if it had been ripped away by some terrifying force.

There were even a few deep lacerations on his face, revealing a pitch-black expanse under his skin.

jEBfhq

Xiao Lan quickly walked over. “Luo! What happened?!”

Luo moved his neck and laughed quietly. “Heh… Crow laoshi gave me a bit of a pleasant surprise.”

Xiao Lan: “…”

Looking at Luo’s injured state, Crow laoshi’s pleasant surprise seemed… a little cruel ah. IUixVA

Perhaps it was more apt to call it an unpleasant fright.

As they spoke, a shadow poured out of the gap in Luo’s shoulder and spread outwards, gradually forming the shape of an arm.

Luo flexed his new arm. Feeling the motion smooth out, he reached up and brushed a hand over the wounds on his face, turning his appearance back to its original state.

Luo’s usual posture was restored. “But… It’s fine. Please do not worry.” 1LX2Zd

Xiao Lan gave Luo a careful once-over before he finally sighed in relief.

Suddenly, he thought of Qi Ning.

If there was such a difficult ‘pleasant surprise’ at the end, wouldn’t a heavily injured Qi Ning be out of luck?!

The two hastily left the darkness and returned to their room. Vi R36

Xiao Lan impatiently used 【Raven’s whisper】 to contact Qi Ning.

No one picked up the connection for a good while, and Xiao Lan’s heart couldn’t help picking up speed.

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But the system didn’t indicate that the item couldn’t be used; this meant that the person holding the item was at least still alive at the moment.

Xiao Lan didn’t dare hang up, and continued waiting for the connection to activate in this way as he stared at 【Raven’s whisper】. LFeUrB

【Raven’s whisper】 was practically about to wilt from his intense stare.

After several painfully long minutes, Qi Ning finally picked up the connection.

He already sounded exhausted, and was even more listless than usual. “Cough cough cough… Cough cough… Xiao… Lan?”

Xiao Lan hurriedly asked, “How are you? Do you need any help?” 6vt3Lp

Qi Ning replied weakly, “Still alive… At the final moment, I used 【Adrenaline X0044】 and escaped without issue. For now… cough… I won’t die, but there are some side effects. I’ll be fine after a while, there’s no need to help me.”

He almost spat out a mouthful of blood. “Cough… Crow… is seriously fierce…”

Perhaps Qi Ning had always lived like this, carrying the burden alone when he was injured or weak. He also didn’t want anyone to see him in his weak state, even if that person could be considered a friend.

After Xiao Lan reaffirmed that Qi Ning didn’t need any help, he cut the connection. 9KRU7y

After his contact with Qi Ning, Xiao Lan sank into deep thought.

Could it be that he had been given that treatment as the reader Crow was most interested in, while what happened to Luo and Qi Ning was the true way to clear the game?

It turned out that this was the true lucky bit.

Shedding his unluckiness, why did it feel so unreal? Nhxglm

As if… he had already overdrawn all the luck of this life…

Returning to their player room again, they had a good rest.

At night.

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.

Vlaalcu jujlcra atf tfjvybjgv, Wljb Ojc abbx bea atf 【Ujcvbgj’r Dbz】 ktlmt tf tjv byajlcfv ogbw Zlrr D. r9 u4S

【Rjwf: Ujcvbgj’r Dbz (Fcxcbkc)】

【Cylilas: Fcxcbkc】

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

【Gfrmglqalbc: Fcxcbkc】

C ybz atja kjr qgbyjyis gfijafv ab Wljb Jtfcusjc; fnfgsatlcu jybea la kjr ecxcbkc, jcv la mbeivc’a yf bqfcfv ys jcsbcf. aTVzC2

The box had no lock, and just looked like it was closed.

But regardless of how Xiao Lan flipped the box upside down or shook it, the cover didn’t move, as if it was firmly welded shut.

The cold sensation on his fingerprints made him feel uneasy.

What on earth would be inside once he opened it? 1dAfOS

He tried to lift the lid of the box.

Unexpectedly, with just the slightest force, 【Pandora’s box】 opened easily, like a regular unlocked box.

As if Xiao Chengyan had done something to this box so that only Xiao Lan could open it.

And inside was the metal bookmark he had given to his father that year. LE1dBy

Xiao Lan picked up the bookmark.

The bookmark still looked the same as the last time he saw it. There was no difference; it wasn’t even an item, as there wasn’t any explanation about it.

Aside from this, the box was empty.

That was all? sqp5Dx

Xiao Lan couldn’t help feeling doubtful.

Xiao Chengyan deliberately left the box with an NPC, and it was even something that no one could open, yet it only contained a bookmark that wasn’t even an item?

Xiao Lan flipped and turned the bookmark over as he studied it several times, but still got nothing.

It couldn’t be that Xiao Chengyan had been bored, and painstakingly set this up as a prank on Xiao Lan? MzGZnL

“Hahaha…” Suddenly, Xiao Lan heard laughter nearby.

He was clearly alone in the room, and no one could enter an Advent World’s player room without the owner’s permission.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

What was going on?

Xiao Lan turned his head and saw a familiar yet slightly unfamiliar person. mZAqnj

It was Xiao Chengyan.

But this Xiao Chengyan was different from the one in his memories.

Although they had the same appearance, this person had a haughty and reckless expression, and his physique was much more buff. The smile on his face was one Xiao Lan had never seen before.

Even stranger was the environment around Xiao Chengyan. fcgaI1

He was sitting on a rock next to a pool of lava, and was covered in injuries. His grey windbreaker was also in tatters; he looked like he had just gone through a war.

This pool of lava had now melded with Xiao Lan’s bedroom.

Half of it was his normal bedroom, and the other half was a lava pool which appeared as if it was originally a natural part of his bedroom.

What was this? TuvcaK

“Hey, why are you spacing out?” Xiao Chengyan opened his mouth again.

Xiao Lan pulled back his train of thought. Thinking of Xiao Chengyan’s identity as a master of illusions, didn’t that mean that anything was possible with illusions?

However, faced with this overly complicated father, he didn’t know how to start talking for a time. “…”

Xiao Chengyan, however, appeared indifferent. “You look like you have a lot of doubts ah. In any case, this medium was originally established for you. Take your time with your questions; as your father, I can patiently explain it to you.” rAhcSF

Xiao Lan waved the bookmark. “The medium — do you mean this bookmark?”

Xiao Chengyan: “I left some things you’re familiar with in many games. If you’re interested in me, you’ll definitely encounter them; all of these things ultimately point to me. Alright, what do you want to know?”

Xiao Lan thought for a while, then picked a question as a starting point. “When you… disappeared, was it because you didn’t intend to return to the real world?”

Xiao Chengyan nodded. “That’s right; I had a goal that I had to complete at all costs, so I couldn’t balance it with the real world. At that time, I planned to finish dealing with the last of company matters and related debts, and no longer return.” ALynNu

Xiao Lan frowned. “If you planned to deal with the debts, then why did you later ask Cheng Wenyi… No, it should be, how did you know about my skill, and how were you sure that I would definitely enter the game?”

Xiao Chengyan laughed. “Looks like you’ve already met that flashy brat Cheng Wenyi. I’m guessing he took the initiative to find you, right?”

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Xiao Lan nodded.

Xiao Chengyan: “At that time, I already no longer appeared out in the open, and only dealt with the last of company matters in private. But one day, I snuck… I returned home for a look, and unexpectedly discovered that you had the mark of the Advent World on you.” fP0Wmd

At that time, he had only wanted to secretly see his wife and child.

But then he realised his son had also entered hell. It was really hard for him to describe his emotions at that moment.

“At that time, I dispatched someone to take you away, but guess what I found out?

“You couldn’t hear anything related to the Advent World. SucTls

“Isn’t that very strange? Someone who bore the mark of the Advent World, yet was like an ordinary person; you were blocked.”

Only then did Xiao Lan recall that there was once a very strange person who secretly came to him on a certain night after school. He said some garbled words and even tried to make him get into a car.

At that time, he thought he had just encountered someone mentally ill or a pervert, so he simply ran away.

But frankly speaking, that person was covered in tattoos and his smile was vulgar; no matter how you looked at him, he didn’t seem like a good person ahElJCo4

Even a youngster just 15 years old wasn’t a fool, and wouldn’t choose to follow him.

Xiao Chengyan continued, “Later, I learnt something even stranger — for an entire month, you didn’t enter a game. For the Advent World at that time, this was inconceivable. Back then, no player could obtain such a long rest period.

“And after that, I noticed another mark on you. Very interestingly, that mark unexpectedly could suppress the Advent World’s mark.

“As such, through the power I perceived in the mark, I found the Insurgent. HBRI2O

“Then, I learnt about him from you; moreover, through the opportunity you brought us, we began cooperating.

“Although the Insurgent expressed that as long as he wasn’t dead or heavily injured, you wouldn’t enter the game again, you can’t place all your eggs in one basket, right? So, I went to find Cheng Wenyi.”

Xiao Lan took a deep breath. “Then what about mom? Did you ever think about her when you did all this?!”

Xiao Chengyan scoffed and asked in return, “Are you underestimating Wen Qi?” rIwf1z

Wen Qi was Xiao Lan’s mother.

Xiao Chengyan gazed in some unknown direction. “After I chose to disappear, she once found me.”

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Xiao Lan was stunned. “What?”

He had never once heard his mother mention this. 91xuhw

Xiao Chengyan said, “She had never been someone very shrewd, and she was often even a little muddle-headed. But this time, she was too smart…

“Wen Qi began searching for me right after I disappeared. Perhaps the fact that someone was secretly dealing with the company debts had already raised her suspicions.

“Later, I told Cheng Wenyi to leave a sum of debt under her name, but I wouldn’t let her… cough, I found someone to arrange a new identity for her and send her overseas. She only needed to stay overseas for a few years, then she would be free to do as she pleased once you became an adult.

“But she used this clue to find me. I had no idea she was so capable. kXjRi8

“She even vaguely guessed about the Advent World through my behaviour. She guessed my intentions and even my motives for manufacturing the debt. Unfortunately, due to the restrictions of the Advent World, I couldn’t tell her anything at all.

“Later, she only asked me one question —

“If what you plan to do fails, will our son also be in danger?”

Xiao Chengyan turned to Xiao Lan and asked, “Wasn’t she so smart?” Y9y4jt

Xiao Lan was left speechless. The mother he knew was a very gentle person, and wasn’t the sort who was very good in any one thing. Such shrewdness was completely unlike the person he had an impression of.

Xiao Chengyan then asked, “Do you want to see her? I’ve also… not seen her in a very long time.”

As his words fell, Xiao Chengyan pointed at his head, then pointed at thin air.

A light suddenly poured out of his fingertip to create an image. UGMuly

A woman appeared in the image.

Her features were delicate and gentle like in Xiao Lan’s memories, and carried a gentle calm that seemed to emanate from her bones.

Unfortunately, Xiao Lan grew to look more like Xiao Chengyan. Aside from the snow-white skin and the shape of the face, he didn’t resemble his mother in any other way. He hadn’t inherited any of his mother’s gentle temperament at all.

But at that moment, there was a severe expression on Wen Qi’s face which Xiao Lan had never seen before. gNw3HB

She glared at Xiao Chengyan sitting opposite her, with no intention of being soft or demurring.

Wen Qi: “What did you say?!”

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Xiao Chengyan’s tone was calm. “Don’t bother with him. He can only grow through practice, and he doesn’t have much time.”

Wen Qi’s hands were curled into tight fists. “How can he grow if we aren’t there to guide him?!” JTirst

Xiao Chengyan didn’t relent in the slightest. “If he dies or can’t recover after just one small stumble, he doesn’t deserve to be my son.”

Fury caused Wen Qi’s breathing to speed up. She reached out and picked up the cup before ruthlessly splashing Xiao Chengyan with the content. “Get out! I won’t let my son be alone.”

Xiao Chengyan clearly could have easily dodged, but he didn’t, and simply took it in the face.

The two people in the scene sank into a short silent confrontation. GOdDzq

Outside the scene, Xiao Chengyan said, “Wen Qi truly was beautiful. In the entire world, only she could look this good while angry.”

Xiao Lan: “…Are you a masochist?”

“Hahahahahahaha….” Xiao Chengyan started laughing.

Inside the scene, Xiao Chengyan had opened his mouth. He didn’t wipe his face, and just said calmly, “He needs to learn how to survive by hook or by crook, even if it’s deceiving, betraying, stealing, and even stepping on another’s corpse. What he’ll face in the future isn’t an environment that can be solved with parental guidance.” ntPS J

Wen Qi stood up. “I absolutely will not allow my son to become a despicable person who will disregard everything just to survive! He will live on as an upright and kindhearted person!”

Xiao Chengyan: “Even if such kindness will cause his death?”

Wen Qi resolutely said, “I’ll teach him that there are also ways for kind people to survive. Kindness does not mean weakness, nor does it mean stupidity, much less incompetence.

“Now, you go do your thing, and I’ll take care of our son. hSCrLn

“You’re not allowed to appear before him ever again. Don’t let him know about your dreadful plan; just make him think his father truly disappeared.

“Let’s see who’s right.”

With that, Wen Qi turned and left.

Xiao Chengyan sat where he was, keeping his eyes trained on her departing figure without even blinking. EZiB3z

Suddenly, Wen Qi’s footsteps paused.

Without turning around, she quietly asked, “You… how certain are you that you can return alive?”

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

Xiao Chengyan spoke as if it had nothing to do with him. “One or two percent ba.”

Wen Qi: “…Fool.” LV3vWS

Xiao Chengyan merely smiled and didn’t speak.

It was only when Wen Qi was about to exit the door that he said, “Take care. You haven’t been in good health recently. I’ll always retain that overseas identity for you.”

Wen Qi’s steps paused once more, but she said nothing.

When she stepped through the doorway, an almost inaudible voice rang out. “Take care…” T9Dohu

In the room, Xiao Chengyan smiled and mouthed: I will.

The scene gradually turned hazy and disappeared.

Xiao Chengyan was a little regretful. “I can only display this much right now. What a pity.”

Xiao Lan quietly said, “Knowing you truly was the greatest misfortune of her entire life.” UExwyR

He remembered back then that his mother’s health was already rather bad, and she had even been hospitalised once.

It was also then that he had tried cooking. As a result, his hand was scalded, and it was the first time he entered the Advent World.

Later, his mother accompanied him in his struggles through an arduous life, taking great pains to guide him. Such mental and physical exhaustion led to her illness worsening more rapidly, before she finally passed away.

If there was no Xiao Chengyan, if there was no Xiao Lan himself, Wen Qi probably would have lived a blessed and smooth life. Even if she suffered from a terminal illness, she could have left the world under the attentive care of her family members. rT3iwo

Perhaps even he himself was also part of her misfortune, Xiao Lan thought.

Xiao Chengyan’s voice cut through Xiao Lan’s thoughts. “Foolish son, you wanted to save her, but what could you do?

“You couldn’t cure her disease, nor could you resolve the debts. You can’t even do anything to me, who created this situation.

“Don’t you feel very unresigned?” rvb4pz

Xiao Lan turned to look at him. “Don’t use words to incite me. Where the hell are you? What’s going on with your disappearance?”

Xiao Chengyan pointed at the stormy lava beside him, his smile somewhat indifferent. “I’m already dead. My corpse has already dissolved in this lava pool. The one speaking to you is no more than a small bit of consciousness I left behind. Even if you want to crush my bones to dust, you can’t dredge up even a speck of me.”

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This time, Xiao Lan was genuinely stunned.

Although Cheng Wenyi had spoken of Xiao Chengyan’s death before, Xiao Lan always felt that he was secretly waiting somewhere to unleash some major move. mbfWtG

In the end, now…

Xiao Chengyan was truly dead?

fvUOlX

Translator's Note

fun fact: the author used the term ‘skin bag’ for this. It’s a common term to use to refer to human bodies, but i still think it’s weird

Translator's Note

a dragon on his left and a white tiger on his right. Apparently this is due to a movie’s character where, to look like a gangster, the actor put on tattoos like that.

Leave a Comment

22 comments

  1. Xiao Lan really might’ve overdrafted his luck for having such a good mom…But it was all balanced by a shitty dad

  2. Ah I knew he probably was dead but still…poor Xiao Lan. Both parents are gone.

    At least he’s getting some answers. And he saw his mom be bamf and her wishes for him.

    Thanks for the chapter

  3. Feeling sad and shitty, wanna vent, but it feels futile… Wth. They all dead, so what else can you do? 😢

    At least there’s still Luo with him. And a few friends who dunno when they’re gonna drop dead too…

    • NAHHHHH bro don’t even get started to Wang Ke who we don’t even know if still alive, Wang Taidi who had gone hardcore mode and is slowly turning depressed and going crazy, and Qi Ning who barely returned alive!!! (╥﹏╥)

  4. Well, I can’t pity that father, sorry ^^° I can’t like him, period.

    Crow laoshi can just hold one fan meeting at a time, eh? The rest has to suffer… or smth like that lol

    Thx for the ch ٩( >ヮ<)۶

  5. Thanks for the chapter! I don’t know if XL’s dad is a horrible person, or just frighteningly pragmatic… If he hadn’t been pulled into the Advent World, he probably would have been somewhat emotionally cool, workaholic dad who really loved his family deep down. However, once he got sucked into it, he had to make a choice. I think if XL hadn’t been pulled in himself, his dad would have made sure XL and his mother would have had relatively secure and peaceful lives. But once XL was pulled in, his dad had to make rather brutal decisions to ensure his son’s future survival. Meanwhile, XL’s mom is awesome! I suspect that XL’s mom prevented XL’s dad from becoming a rather dreadful person in real life, until the Advent World messed things up…
    • ngl listening to your comment I kinda wonder what it would be like for his parent like, listening to their few lines of description about his parent his mum sounded like a pretty intelligent and powerful woman and his dad was also a similarly intelligent and powerful person so they would definitely be a power couple so like, I wanna know their story… 🙂

  6. …. I’m always sad when I saw these awesome characters in MC’s life that died before the plot started, I would love to read a story with Xiao Lan’s mother. A pity XL won’t be able to punch his father at least once. Thank you for the chapter!

  7. I was really hoping that his father was alive somewhere waiting 😣. Thanks for the continued release of chapters!

  8. I agree with Xiao Chengyan.. Wen Qi was truly amazing in her own way..

    Feeling a bit sad for that Xiao Chengyan though.. ☹

  9. Im somewhat messed up lol. Im kind of glad his dad was dead but hoping the mc got to beat up his father

  10. I cannot find myself liking the Father..I knew he had a reason but at least make ur family in a good and balance situation before u want to disappear..