I Rely On Poverty To Sweep Through Survival GamesCh28 - The Man That Caused The Game To Change The Rules

After Luo left, Xiao Lan went to the ensuite and took a hot shower.

The bathroom’s location just looked like a wall from the outside, but upon opening the door, it was a small, independent space. It was in moments like this that he was reminded that this place wasn’t the real world. 8czSNd

After scrubbing down under hot water, Xiao Lan’s body slowly relaxed as his taut muscles slowly loosened up. At that moment, he sorely missed each and every hot spring pool in Six Realms Hot Springs; what a pity he hadn’t been able to take a soak.

After his shower, Xiao Lan sat his butt down on the tiny bed in the room and planned to rest.

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Being chased and fighting Gu Mo had been too exhausting. Not only had it been a long, wild run, his nerves had also been stretched thin the whole time. Xiao Lan looked at the flashing neon lights outside the window and at the night sky broken up by countless high-rise buildings. For a time, his mind was empty as his thoughts drifted far away.

“Ding dong —” phtJQu

A system notification suddenly rang out, followed by a ‘pa’ sound as a square-shaped object fell next to Xiao Lan’s bed out of nowhere.

He turned his head to look; unexpectedly, it was something similar to a phone.

The Advent World not only provided room and board, it was now even giving him a handphone? This was like those global poverty alleviation organisations; even those foundations, which spread kindness around the world, didn’t have that much money.

Xiao Lan picked up the phone suspiciously and turned it on. The phone’s interface was different from regular ones, and it didn’t have any applications either.

The Advent World’s motive was very puzzling. After all, the players’ phones were basically useless after entering this world; there was no Internet, nor any way to make calls. They could only use their phones to occasionally play single-player offline games, or use it in place of a torch.

Why did they want to give him a phone? Could it be that they felt sympathy for him when they saw that he had lost his phone in the game?

…Unlikely ba.

. MT6SdK

Xiao Lan didn’t just hide in his room in the next few days.

He left his room and went out to stroll around the player hub as he familiarised himself with the terrain and gathered information at the same time. He also learnt of many things, such as the skill training room.

Wang Taidi, this unreliable guide, actually hadn’t mentioned anything about something like a skill training room!

Although the possibility of a new player possessing an ability truly was very low, there was also another possibility — Wang Taidi, this old noob who couldn’t activate his ability even after three years, had already forgotten about the existence of such a place. 1Pi5dT

The skill’s cooldown period wasn’t taken into account during training, which meant that as long as your own body could bear the burden, you could practise your skill as often as you wanted. It was the best place to familiarise yourself with your skill.

In a solitary training room.

Xiao Lan closed his eyes and silently visualised the skills in his mind, and began attempting various possibilities.

【Batman’s ability】 8mw9aE

“Skill configuration failed. Wake up, you simply don’t have any money.”

【One Punch Man’s ability】

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

“Skill configuration failed. Xiao Lan seems to be so broke he became delirious.”

【Ability to leave the Advent World】 aF0MEI

“Skill configuration failed. It’s always nice to have a dream.”

【Ability to break through the boundary of the game instance】

“Skill configuration failed. Warning! Please do not attempt to violate the rules!”

… pZVd6

After experimenting, Xiao Lan could basically conclude that requesting for abilities that were the opposite of the skill【Poverty Is Unable To Restrict My Imagination】was impossible, like a local tyrant’s money ability, turning rock into gold, and so on. According to the traditional “rich people rely on technology, poor people rely on innovation” standard, this point was very reasonable.

Next, abilities which exceeded the player’s upper limits couldn’t be brought about; this was something which Xiao Lan had yet to thoroughly test out. After all, Xiao Lan hadn’t met any advanced players yet, and he only had a partial understanding of how strong a player could be.

Finally, abilities that involved the Advent World itself weren’t allowed, and he even got a warning if he tried too many times. The Advent World seemed very resistant towards someone delving into its origins.

Xiao Lan looked at the (lv.1) behind his skill. When would this skill level up? And how much poverty value did he need in order to level up? The skill’s description provided no hint at all; did he have to have a debt of 100 million first? uNvZdn

I really want to become poorer ah, poverty is the only thing which can give me happiness.

Based on the strength that he received when his poverty value increased, at this rate, shattering boulders on his chest wouldn’t just be a dream at all.

Bah, who wants this sort of dream?!

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.

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Seeing Xiao Lan, Wang Taidi waved at him from afar, then said something to the little fatty beside him. After the little fatty stiffly nodded and stayed rooted to the spot, Wang Taidi bounced over. WRoM4d

Wang Taidi’s smile was very brilliant. “Xiao Lan!”

Xiao Lan returned the smile, then nodded in greeting.

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Wang Taidi took out a familiar-looking handphone, as if he was showing off treasure, and said in the sort of tone an elderly woman in the neighbourhood would use to gossip, “Did you know that a few days ago, the Advent World provided everyone with handphones to replace all the phones that the players brought?”

Xiao Lan: “Hm? Why?” iyWvFn

Wang Taidi: “Isn’t it strange? Handphones clearly aren’t that useful in the Advent World, so why did every player get one?”

“Mn, that’s true,” Xiao Lan said cooperatively.

Wang Taidi revealed a pleased smile. “Hehe, this matter has shaken the entire player community. According to my brother’s intelligence, the common theory in the circle of advanced players is that a player’s phone created an obstruction in the game. Who knows what kind of black tech bigshot that is; that phone definitely has to be ultra-amazing for the Advent World to change the rules because of one individual.

“A lot of player organisations are sending out the news that they want to recruit that mysterious bigshot. N3ILtP

“There’s really such a fierce person who relies on their strength alone to cause the game to change the rules. I really want to meet them.”

Xiao Lan also agreed as he said ruefully, “I really want to meet them ah.”

“But who on earth is that person? After all, aside from newcomers, few people would bring their phones into an instance, since some bosses use the phones as a medium to search for players. Intermediate and advanced players usually leave their phones in their rooms. Only those dim-witted newbies would still have phone obsession disease.” Wang Taidi lifted his chin. “Right?”

Dim-witted newbie Xiao Lan: “…” zKHob4

When he returned later, he would chuck that phone into the cupboard.

At the same time, he recalled how his phone had sadly died after running that app. To some extent, this could also be said to have created an obstruction in the game; could the Advent World have…

Haha, impossible.

After talking about the latest news and satisfying his gossipy soul, Wang Taidi expressed concern over Xiao Lan’s recent situation. “I haven’t seen you in quite a few days. Did you enter a new game?” 4VU2ok

Xiao Lan nodded. “It was an instance called Six Realms Hot Springs.”

“Fuck me! Six Realms Hot Springs!” Wang Taidi’s eyes widened. As he spoke, he even circled Xiao Lan, as if looking at some human tragedy. “Your luck is too horrible. That place is known as a newcomer’s crematorium. Not one in ten newcomers will survive when they enter, and it’s one of the top ten instances that no one ever wants to recall!”

Xiao Lan raised an eyebrow. “Is it that terrible?”

Wang Taidi: “Isn’t it? That young lady boss is cruel and especially likes to make gifted players stay behind in order to establish her ideal world. You probably saw it ba, that densely packed crowd she leads. She herself is very strong too, and uses crowd tactics. My brother nearly lost at her hands back then.” qm7ViN

Xiao Lan recalled the feeling of being surrounded by countless stiff human figures, and felt a little sorrowful in his heart. “She was truly fierce; she even interrupted my transportation after I cleared the game.”

But he had always felt that Gu Mo making him stay behind wasn’t due to malice, but more like she was creating a haven in this terrible world, and she wanted those she considered to be good people to live there.

Story translated by Chrysanthemum Garden.

However, her method was a little cruel.

Wang Taidi was stunned. “She, she… she evolved?!!” u7QMdg

Xiao Lan was also stunned. “By ‘fierce’, you weren’t referring to this?”

Wang Taidi scratched his head. “Of course I’m not talking about that. Her situation is weird; usually, bosses don’t have power above that of the Advent World.

“If something like this occurs, it’s regarded as a loophole in the game. The Advent World will probably dispatch a contract player to sort it out soon. Contract players are very strong, and basically steamroll over primary level bosses.”

After that, Wang Taidi looked around in every direction before he drew closer to Xiao Lan and lowered his voice. “But there have been a lot of games recently where loopholes have appeared, and none were fixed in time. jpiXe7

“According to what the advanced players are saying, something might have happened to the Advent World a few months ago. All the contract players were dispatched to solve it, but until now, most of them have yet to be seen.

“It’s probably some huge issue. In the three years I’ve been in this game, I’ve only heard of this one incident.”

Saying that, Wang Taidi twisted his little curls with his fingers apprehensively.

Xiao Lan: “Did they give any concrete reason?” jJFSfn

Wang Taidi shook his head. “Contract players are in a different circle from all other players; even advanced players only know a bit about their movements.”

Xiao Lan couldn’t help pondering when he heard this. In the end, what sort of problem could affect this seemingly omnipotent Advent World? Looking at it from another angle, however, since the Advent World could be affected, that also meant that it wasn’t as insurmountable as he thought.

He raised his head to look at the blue sky that was identical to the real one, then gazed attentively at the people around him, each of whom walked with hurried steps and looked nervous and aloof. This feeling of your life or death in the complete control of a strange existence was too horrible. If there was a chance, who wouldn’t want to leave this place?

Wang Taidi smacked his forehead. “Aiya, I chatted with you for too long and completely forgot about the newbie I’m guiding! SfmDte

“I’m leaving first; let’s continue where we left off when we’re free ah!”

Xiao Lan waved at him. “See you.”

Wang Taidi waved at Xiao Lan, then scampered back to that pitiful little fatty who had withdrawn into a corner. The little fatty looked pitiful, weak, and helpless, and he had crammed his entire bulk into the corner without leaving even the smallest gap.

Wang Taidi ran over and apologised to the little fatty, then carried on with a tour of the player hub. Speaking to ease the mood, he automatically mentioned his older brother. “Hey, let me tell you, you know, my brother, he —” YJx5qH

“Bang —”

Wang Taidi had barely said the words, when a figure dropped from the sky. It seemed that the person had directly leapt down from a ten-storey window, his clothes blowing in the wind — it was Wang Ke.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

To be fine after jumping down from such a height, it seemed that an advanced player’s physical constitution was truly abnormal.

Wang Ke leapt directly over to Wang Taidi. As soon as he touched the ground, he reached out one hand to lift Wang Taidi by his collar, firmly stopping his family’s younger brother from exposing his dark history, then briskly went off as if he was being chased by millions of evil spirits. NOszMC

This series of movements were distressingly practised; who knew how many times he had had to repeat them.

Wang Taidi reached out towards the little fatty. “Ai ai ai, ge, my mission —”

Wang Ke said through gritted teeth, “I’ll have someone else help him.”

And so the stupefied and pallid little fatty was left standing there, and was later picked up by a player who rushed over. zXglsj

Xiao Lan lamented, Raising a child truly isn’t easy ah.

Wang Taidi said that after their parents died in a car crash back then, it was Wang Ke who took care of his little brother.

Based on Wang Ke’s age and the fact that they had already been in the Advent World for three years, Wang Ke had still been a youngster himself back then, yet he was able to take care of his brother so well; even when his brother couldn’t activate his skill in such a dangerous world, he didn’t abandon him.

This was what a family related by blood should be like ba. whLe 8

But was he imagining things, or was Wang Ke a little taller than the last time they met?

.

After bidding Wang Taidi farewell, Xiao Lan walked towards his unit.

Without Wang Taidi’s lively mood, the streets were once again shrouded in a strained and tense atmosphere. The people coming and going all walked hurriedly, their eyes vigilant. Ez4835

Like in the real world, there were countless stores open on the streets, large and small. Signboards and neon lights hung at the entrance, but what was written was completely different, like “Customised Weapons”, “Top Quality Handmade Meals”, “Instance Team-Up Reception”…  and so on.

Unlike people who window-shopped in the real world, the faces of those shuttling between stores here weren’t as content and relaxed. Even their conversations were conducted in low voices and away from other people.

As he was walking, Xiao Lan suddenly felt a sense of disconnect that couldn’t be described, as if his connection with this world was being cut bit by bit.

His sense of perception had grown sharper after two games, and it was telling him that the sounds around him were slowly getting softer, and an unexplainable darkness was spreading on the distant horizon. ZjHVDw

This sort of feeling — was the sign of a game that was about to begin.

Xiao Lan sped up. Returning to his room, he calmly sat on the bed and waited for the darkness to descend.

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After a moment, everything went quiet as darkness swept up all of Xiao Lan’s awareness and he sank into the depths.

. d9WGKI

His surroundings cleared up once more.

The first thing Xiao Lan saw was a carpet that appeared to be of a very fine texture; the decorative designs on it were extremely exquisite and complicated. It was obvious at a glance that a lot of time and effort had definitely gone into it, and it smelled richly of money.

The walls on the sides were also covered in gorgeous and elegant wallpaper. Not only was the design exquisite, some of the decor was lined with gold, and even flickered in the candlelight. Even the ceiling had delicate murals and carvings on it, and the air was filled with an elegant fragrance; everything had an extravagant and aristocratic vibe about it.

And this was only a corridor. sfYBxn

What a delightful experience it would be If he could turn all this into poverty value. However, damaging the setting at the beginning of the game to the extent that he attracted the boss’s attention was just asking for death.

Xiao Lan surveyed his surroundings for a moment. Behind him was an exquisite but heavy door that was shut tight.

He reached out and tried to push it, but it didn’t budge at all. It wasn’t because the door was shut too tight, but like the toilet door in his very first game, this was the force in the game that was preventing players from opening the door.

Huffing, Xiao Lan turned and walked to the other end of the corridor. In the dim candlelight, everything in front of him was indistinct and hazy. svGwf2

Xiao Lan’s footsteps didn’t make a sound on the soft, high-grade carpet, so the corridor was completely quiet. He forged ahead in this silence, as if he was in a mime.

In the flickering candlelight, a human figure slowly appeared in the distance.

That human figure stuck out up ahead; it didn’t move, and had no intention of coming forward. However, he occupied the very centre of the corridor. If Xiao Lan wanted to pass, he would have to face him head-on.

Xiao Lan stopped and observed the other person. M1KDxL

The other party was like a mannequin, and continued to stay still.

Both sides were in a deadlock for a while. Xiao Lan was wondering whether this thing was human, when that figure moved, and slowly approached him at a pace that was neither fast nor slow.

As the other party drew closer, Xiao Lan saw in the light of the candle that it was a young man. It was hard to guess his age; he looked very young, and his posture was tall and straight, but he had a reserved and steady temperament and lacked the brashness and incisiveness of youth.

He wore a tailored three-piece suit, which didn’t have a single unnecessary crease. He had perfectly straight and slender legs, and wore a pair of inconspicuous black leather shoes; he looked especially refined and graceful. VlduGs

As he came a little closer, Xiao Lan saw his features.

Maybe it was because of the dim candlelight, but his hair looked so black that the light couldn’t give it the slightest warmth.

Chrysanthemum Garden.

His pupils were a light gold, the bridge of his nose was straight, and there was a slight smile on his lips. Coupled with his handsome visage, his entire being exuded a gentle and ascetic temperament.

That pair of eyes made Xiao Lan inexplicably recall a certain black cat. BnR36F

That person finally reached Xiao Lan.

Left hand over the right side of his chest, he bowed to Xiao Lan with standard chivalrous courtesy.

“Sir.”

His voice was deep and magnetic. This was — Luo’s voice. yArglR

Xiao Lan was pretty astounded. “Luo?”

Luo straightened and said to Xiao Lan with a slight smile, “I’ve been waiting for your arrival.”

Xiao Lan looked at Luo’s refined and handsome human form, then tossed his worry about a dark-skinned, bald, muscular man in the trash. As a ‘soulful’ artist, how was he able to create this appearance for himself?

Was this a scientific miracle or an artistic impossibility? XKy5ov

Xiao Lan’s gaze travelled downward. He looked at Luo’s slender and perfectly straight legs. His leg proportions could be said to be perfect, and in his suit pants, they were like a work of art meticulously carved by an artisan.

Mn… This time, both legs were balanced.

Compared with the black cat with mismatched legs and a flat skull, Luo’s human form this time was simply unimaginably perfect. His improvement was truly too frightening.

But Xiao Lan was also a little disappointed in his heart. There was no longer a furry tummy for him to rub… 2zfHuP

Seeing Xiao Lan’s reaction, Luo tilted his head and seemed a little confused. “Sir, is there something about me that isn’t suitable?”

Xiao Lan threw out his wandering thoughts. “No, you look very good, but why did you want to turn into a human?”

There was a gentle smile in Luo’s eyes. “To appear by your side, this form is still the most convenient. I can pretend to be a player and participate in games with you.”

This way, I can openly stand by your side. lDgFTp

The author has something to say:

Chrysanthemum Garden.

Luo: The 28th chapter, and I finally have a real face for the first time.

Xiao Lan: I miss my fluffy. zHxOjk

Jules notes: I feel you, Luo, I feel you.