The mermaid doll, with its fluffy curly hair resembling seaweed, was about the size of a palm.
Jiang Shishi held it firmly in his hand, his fingers resting on the doll’s slender tail, matching with his pretty nails adorned with orange hearts.
It was clear that he had grabbed it when You Wusi wasn’t paying attention.
“What does this mean, two guests?” The Little Mermaid spoke softly, her childish voice carrying a hint of eerie emptiness. It remained motionless, silently staring at the two players.
The voice, neither loud nor soft, resonated perfectly in the relatively quiet living room, instantly capturing the attention of all the players.
At first, they were still looking for the Little Mermaid’s figure at the dining table.
Unfortunately, all they saw was the beautifully crafted small wheelchair, with no sign of the NPC in sight.
They were just wondering where the mermaid doll had gone when they noticed the barrage of messages flooding around them. It was then that they finally understood what Jiang Shishi had been up to.
[Does this idiot not want to live anymore?]
[Is it possible that he thinks this NPC is a toy?]
[Hahaha, tear these two idiots apart!]
[Dang, the opportunity is right in front of it, and this NPC doesn’t seize it properly. I really look down on this Black Pearl dungeon!]
[If you look down on it, why don’t you try it yourself?]
[Speaking of which, I’ve actually seen this player named Jiang Shishi reach out towards the dining table during meals many times before. At first, I thought she was just participating in an event, but now I realize she must have been wanting this NPC for a long time…]
[I saw it too.]
[What a coincidence, me too.]
[Indeed, those without brains are the most daring. Look, even a fool dares to grab an NPC, while you all just sit here chatting!]
[Then why don’t you go grab one? When you die, I’ll definitely start grabbing a thousand points.]
[Oh, I wonder if they’ll be shredded to pieces or just torn apart! Although this doll NPC may not have a reputation in the Endless rankings, it’s still not an easy character to mess with.]
The barrage filled the entire living room like smoke, yet there was not a hint of malice in the words.
“Why are two guests so quiet?” The Little Mermaid still spoke with that ethereal voice, her eyes made of small black pearls first looked at the silent Jiang Shishi, and then finally landed on You Wusi.
There was a coldness in the Little Mermaid’s words as she continued, “Is it…”
“Shishi just wanted to say hello to the Butler An’an.”
You Wusi didn’t wait for the NPC doll to finish speaking before he interjected directly. He offered a random excuse, then glanced at his wife, who was still holding the ‘new toy’ tightly. His voice was gentle, yet it carried a hint of threat as he said, “Why don’t you let go of Little Mermaid An An? This isn’t good, if you don’t behave you won’t be rewarded.”
Jiang Shishi automatically understood which reward his bad brother was referring to.
With half-closed eyes, he glanced back and forth, as if he were choosing between two difficult options: the little mermaid and the big tomato. Finally, he chose his favorite tomato and silently released his grip.
After his grip loosened, the talking little mermaid wrapped its sparkling tail around his beautiful orange nails.
Jiang Shishi lifted his innocent gaze towards his bad brother, his eyes filled with a slight hint of doubt. It was as if he was silently questioning what to do if she didn’t want to leave.
“Butler An An dislikes rude guests the most. Without a reasonable explanation, the two guests will face consequences.” The little mermaid reverted to her gentle voice but emphasized the word “consequences” in a playful manner. Though it sounded cute, to others, it had a devilish tone.
You Wusi remained calm and spoke slowly: “My little wife really likes Butler An An and she wants to play with you, but she can’t express it properly because she can’t speak. If Butler An’an minds, then…”
“I don’t mind,” the little mermaid said, shifting on Jiang Shishi’s dry, slightly cool palm. She pushed back her silky, curly hair, half-supporting her face, and said with a smile: “It’s the first time a guest wants to play with An’an. A qualified butler won’t refuse a guest’s reasonable request. So, please bring An’an’s little butler with you!”
[What’s happening here?]
[Maybe the NPC is waiting for that fool to get tired of playing before taking action? But it doesn’t feel like that’s what it means?]
[I think their current behavior doesn’t break any rules, and most NPCs in the white copies follow certain rules…]
[Oh, so Black Pearl is actually a white copy!!!!]
[I’m fed up with it, I’m fed up! This copy is so boring! Everyone pretends to be a good person, it’s really disgusting!]
[I don’t believe that every player can escape the penalty time!]
[If they all make it out, I’ll forfeit all the thousands of points I’ve earned! But if one person is missing, they’ll all be on my hit list.]
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.
[Well, I don’t know about the others, but You Wusi’s hit list points must be in the four digits.]
[Anyway, I don’t think this doll NPC is just playing around with the players.]
[Then it’s inevitable that the NPC must have malicious intentions!]
[Perhaps when everyone wakes up tomorrow, these two players will be torn to pieces.]
[Maybe You Wusi will say no? He’s tough and smart and can survive punishment easily. Keeping around an NPC like a ticking time bomb might be risky.]
[Would such a flashy guy refuse?]
[I even think he might invite this NPC to become his second future employee, a key one.]
[Upstairs clearly remember Brother Si’s words.]
[Let’s focus on the other thing. He keeps holding the little mentally challenged person while talking, isn’t he tired? There are really not many new players with this appearance and this power. I really hope Endless will open up the scene of…uh…… sleeping in the room.]
[Fear, restraint, and emotion together are the true essence of the universe!]
[Sick, but I like the idea.]
[This is something we can really have, I suggest the Endless System to hurry up!]
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He could easily see through the other party’s intentions.
It seems like his little wife wants both the tomato and the little mermaid. How could such a lucky thing happen?
“Thank you very much. Shi Shi must be thrilled. He doesn’t even care about the reward. He just wants to play with Butler An An! There are many new e-learning courses in the drawer in the room. I’m sure Shi Shi will love playing with the little housekeeper. Let’s dive into the ocean of knowledge together.” With that, he walked out of the living room, paying no mind to Jiang Shishi’s reaction.
Leaving behind players who haven’t had dinner yet and countless messy messages flooding the screen.
Time passed slowly, and before they knew it, half an hour had passed in the blink of an eye.
The little mermaid sat by the pillow, covering half of its eyes with its round hand, occasionally hearing the intimate sound between the two players beside it, who seemed to be cuddling, nuzzling, and nibbling each other.
After all, she is just a kid!
She can’t see things that happen between adults!
In the end, Jiang Shishi ended up with two ripe, round tomatoes. He sat contentedly with the talking little mermaid on his lap, holding the large tomatoes in his hands, he enjoyed small bites of the juicy tomatoes while enjoying them happily.
He didn’t even notice his bad brother beside him, who had a strange smile on his face.
He was smart and decided to take a nap before continuing to ask for rewards like a little human.
However, he had no clue about the trouble his beloved tomato would face later on.
The night seemed to pass quickly, and before long, as dawn approached, all the players gathered together at the same spot without saying a word, almost as if they had planned it beforehand.
Normally they should be still quite concerned.
Bringing back an NPC like the little mermaid, who seemed like a ticking time bomb, was an incredibly risky move that no sane person would make.
But this time, it wasn’t You Wusi and Jiang Shishi they were worried about; it was rather strange. Because everyone was a bit concerned about the mermaid NPC puppet.
Because if something goes wrong in the dungeon, it is very likely that everyone will be trapped in the dungeon and never get out. The Little Mermaid was responsible for identification and punishment in this copy, and she was obviously a key part.
Until the door opened, and they saw the young couple who had changed into new clothes, along with the Little Mermaid puppet sitting quietly on Jiang Shishi’s lap like an ornament. Then they breathed a sigh of relief.
It was a fresh day, and they’re eager to uncover new clues.
Even though they don’t need to worry about identification, they’re still busy searching.
Their goal is clear: to uncover the truth about the copy and work together efficiently. Following You Wusi’s suggestion, they headed to the large room filled with books, knowing that morning was the best time for memory.
Accompanied by the sound of Jiang Shishi studying on an electronic device, everyone began to open books. The library was vast, with countless volumes to go through.
Even with seven players present, excluding Jiang Shishi, and even if they stay up all night without food or sleep, they probably won’t be able to finish reading all these books before the dungeon ends.
After some discussion, everyone decided to write down the title of each book and quickly skim through them to check for any marks or notes inside.
It sounds simpler, but in reality, it was still a daunting and extensive task.
Especially with the puppet NPC in the room, silently staring at them.
Whenever they paused or wanted to take a break and stretch, the little mermaid would gaze at them with her dark eyes, as if accusing them of not taking the investigation seriously.
Under the intense gaze of the NPC, only You Wusi remained calm as he occasionally checked on Jiang Shishi’s progress.
After a whole morning of hard work, everyone successfully searched through all the assigned bookshelves! However, they didn’t realize that they had expended too much mental energy, and now they were all feeling hungry as if they could see food right in front of them.
The thoughtful Little Mermaid noticed the guests’ efforts and prepared a portable lunch of hamburgers, fried chicken, and drinks. The triangular paper bags were placed on the study table, emitting a faint fragrance.
After exchanging glances, everyone silently grabbed their paper bags, quickly unpacked them, and started devouring the contents within seconds.
After devouring their meal in a frenzy, they began reporting the results of their morning’s work one by one, even though only half of the allotted time had passed.
“Don’t copy them, eat slowly. It’s better for your stomach,” You Wusi advised Jiang Shishi, patting his head gently as he handed him the hamburger. Watching Jiang Shishi take small, deliberate bites, he himself glanced at the tomato plants with their red fruits and glossy leaves.
Whether they are human or a little zombie, they all need to study hard.
If certain someone waits until the tomato plants wilt completely, it will be too late.
Jiang Shishi was still unaware of the dangers lurking in the world. He was happily enjoying today’s new food called hamburger. It smelled delicious, and even though the taste was a bit plain, it was still enjoyable.
He then realized that the big tomato had turned completely red, signifying it was ripe and ready to eat. This filled him with a joy that was hard to ignore.
Then he thought about how a small tomato had turned completely red and big and he could eat it whenever he wanted, and his whole body was filled with joy that was hard to ignore.
You Wusi quietly gazed at his adorable little wife, a fond smile playing on his lips.
Anyone who sees them together would agree that they are a perfect match, deeply in love like no other!
Before long, everyone shared their findings from the library, including the different categories of books and any labels or notes they found.
It turned out that the most-read books were on art.
Maybe because Mrs. Yun was an artist and Miss An An enjoyed music, they focused more on these topics and made many annotations in those books.
But there was another type of book that was quite peculiar.
Logically, the books should be organized by category, but any book related to mermaids, the sea, pearls, and legendary sharks seemed scattered everywhere, with many notes and bookmarks filling the pages.
They also discovered many notes written by Mrs. Yun in the books.
Probably due to the special condition that Miss An An was born with, Mrs. Yun kindly adapted the story of the Little Mermaid. She also said that An An was a mermaid on land that’s why God couldn’t bear to let her endure the pain of being cut into pieces by a thousand cuts, so she sat in a wheelchair.
She also said that An An’s singing was thousands of times more beautiful than that of a mermaid.
The book also mentions that when mermaids cry, their tears turn into beads, and pearls are extremely valuable. So, the little pearl dropped by An An was also special. Each note in the book was an encouragement and praise for An An.
The whole thing was about a mother’s love for her child.
Everyone noted down the locations of the books with special notes and soon departed from the library, which not only contained knowledge but also emotions. Their next target was the room next to the library.
You Wusi skillfully used iron wire to open the door. Inside, all the curtains were tightly drawn, making the room dark and difficult to see. A stale smell greeted him as he entered.
As soon as the light was turned on, he realized that the room was covered in thick dust, completely different from what he saw when he opened the door to look for Lin Qiyue.
It seemed that after countless years, this house had never welcomed its new owner again.
But the strange thing was that a small area in front of the desk in the distance was still very clean as if someone often stayed there.
As they approached, they noticed a unique-looking book with a solid wood-carved cover on the table.
Upon flipping through its pages, they realized it was a diary—possibly Mrs. Yun’s diary.
The diary starts with Mrs. Yun living in a busy town, then moving to a lively city, and finally attending a century-old university known for its scholarly environment.
One day, she met a pen pal through a college event. They had never met face-to-face, but they chatted freely and shared opinions on many things, especially about art.
Even if they had misunderstandings sometimes, they still managed to understand each other.
This friendship lasted for over two years.
One day, Mrs. Yun’s pen pal came over to give her a letter. He was a good-looking young man, full of energy, but he acted a bit differently than she had imagined. Still, he was polite and well-behaved.
A month later, Mrs. Yun was in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. Her pen pal, Mr. Wang, saved her but got injured himself, fracturing his hand and damaging his nerves. This ended his research abroad.
Feeling guilty, Mrs. Yun visited him often in the hospital. Over time, they developed feelings for each other, but for some reason, they didn’t talk about the letters they exchanged.
Mr. Wang, longing for family, proposed to Mrs. Yun multiple times in six months, and she eventually said yes.
They got engaged, married, and then had An An. However, they would often argue over small things and had different opinions.
At first, Mrs. Yun was confused by her pen pal’s sudden changes in thoughts. Before they had so many things in common however after their marriage it was like they were poles apart.
Until An An was born, she finally understood the reason behind it.
Mrs. Yun wrote about it on the last page of the diary.
He was not him…
The diary was lengthy. Whether they had read it all or just glanced at the last page, they fell silent.
It was clear that Mrs. Yun had realized she married the wrong pen pal, or worse, she might have been deceived into marriage.
Apart from many other details, the drunk driving incident alone seemed suspicious.
Life was the inspiration for art, but sometimes real life was even more dramatic than what we see in movies and TV shows.
And Mrs. Yun seemed to have experienced something really shocking.
The room was spacious, but it was filled with dust, and the players couldn’t find any clues except for the diary. It seemed like the diary held important information.
And the hint was very blatant in the dairy.
Mrs. Yun fell in love with the wrong person!
Even though most of them here, except for a certain couple, have been single for a long time, they’ve seen enough romantic movies and TV shows.
In Mrs. Yun’s diary, the two years of her correspondence with her pen pal were mentioned in just a few sentences, and it seemed a lot like online dating.
It’s not just vague affection; otherwise, why would she express a hint of disappointment upon meeting Mr. Wang, who didn’t quite match her expectations?
Most players insist that Mrs. Yun definitely had feelings for the pen pal she corresponded with for two years and eight months.
Just look at it—even the exact duration of their communication is counted by Mrs. Yun.
Could this be anything other than vague affection?
But there are still some players who refuse to believe it, like Zhou Qingxing, for instance.
He frowned and said, “It’s just the bond between close friends who care about each other. Finding a true friend was rare back then. Feelings in those days were straightforward, not as complex as you imagine!”
Lin Qiyue couldn’t find the words to respond, thinking some people stay single for no good reason. She picked up the diary and walked over to You Wusi, who had only heard a brief summary.
After smiling politely, she handed the opened diary to him.
She said, “Brother Si, you’re the only one here with emotional experience, and you even have a chance with such a beautiful lady like Shi Shi! You must have a lot of insights, right? Look at the blank space around but the words written right in the middle, how uncertain and heartbroken they seem! And then, look at the joy on the paper when Mrs. Yun mentioned her pen pal earlier. Think about it, Mrs. Yun clearly had vague feelings for her pen pal long before this fake person came along!”
Upon hearing this, You Wusi’s smile froze for a moment.
In fact, he thought Zhou Qingxing made a valid point. Normal communication between pen pals is just about mutual understanding and respect, right?
As for insights and experiences?
Thinking about this, he quietly glanced at his wife, who was earnestly tapping the screen, absorbed in whatever she was doing.
After all, if ten tomatoes aren’t enough, then add two more.
Author has something to say:
You Wusi: “I’ve learned a lot of skills for my wife…”
Lin Qiyue: Yes, yes, brother Si, you love sister-in-law so much, my God! You must have worked hard to catch up with your sister-in-law! You definitely have plenty of insights and experiences!”
You Wusi: Indeed, all the tomatoes I spent time growing were eaten.
He did literally catch shishi and dupe him into becoming his wife 😂
But hey at least he’s better than Mr. Yun
Thank you for the chapter 💕
Well technically Shishi doesn’t know/understand that he became a wife 😂
Love is a hard work and You Wusi knows it
Thank you for your translation 💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛💛
This scenario is exactly the same as Bollywood horror movie 1920
Where the girl wrongly married to the friend of his lover. They are actually pen pals but they do develop some feelings for each other but in the end they eventually got back so it was kind of happy ending.
But unfortunately Mrs Yun was not able to 😢
I mean to say she married the friend of her pen pal lover. Actually her lover friend is jealous of him for a long time so he wants to snatch his friend girlfriend