Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 73

The time was approaching noon.

The strong sunlight was broken into fragmented patterns of light and shadow by layers of leaves in the green corridor, casting a mottled glow on Zhou Qian’s face.

Opening the request message sent by [137] in the “Intended Teammate” column, Zhou Qian didn’t rush to accept.

After returning to the trading screen, he stared at ​[137​’s] message for a long while before finally replying with: [Why did you choose the codename ‘137’?]

After a moment, the reply came. [Just a fleeting memory when I was choosing the codename.]

Zhou Qian asked, [What memory?]

The only response was, [You forgot?]

Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes. He averted his gaze from the system panel and pulled out his cellphone.

He opened a page that was centered on a report about Zhang Yanjun’s death.

Zhang Yanjun was Zhou Qian’s shadow and nightmare.

But the shadow wasn’t really caused by Zhang Yanjun himself. Through Zhang Yanjun, he saw the coldness of his parents. Because of Zhang Yanjun, he became a murderer. These two facts combined to form the nightmare in his heart and also became the root of his mental illness.

Normally, Zhou Qian appeared the most flamboyant in school, and his family seemed the most glamorous.

But from that day, not only did he clearly see the filth in his family, but he also realized that while his classmates could live ordinary, blameless lives, he could not. He was a murderer and could never be a good person in this life.

If he couldn’t be a good person, then he simply wouldn’t be one.

Afterwards, Zhou Qian not only tried to lock away his emotions, but he also deliberately sealed his memories of the incident.

He had never revisited any reports related to Zhang Yanjun’s death until last night.

After chatting with Qi Liuxing the previous night, Zhou Qian didn’t immediately fall asleep.

After closing his eyes for a while, he visualized a blazing fire.

Sarah ran towards the fire, but in Zhou Qian’s eyes, what disappeared into the flames was clearly Bai Zhou’s soul.

It felt as though, no matter how hard he chased, he could never truly touch that soul.

Unable to sleep, Zhou Qian began searching for reports about the past incident.

For the first time, he saw another side to the case of Zhang Yanjun’s death.

The report indicated that Zhang Yanjun died from cerebral hemorrhage.

It was speculated that the cause of his death was due to his inability to sleep after a night of revelry. The next morning, he took a small amount of sleeping pills to fall asleep. However, before the effects of the medication had completely worn off, he woke up feeling thirsty. As he held an empty glass, intending to go downstairs to fetch some water, he unexpectedly missed a step and fell down the stairs.

During the fall, he was injured by shards of the broken glass, with one shard even piercing his abdomen, but that wasn’t the fatal injury.

The actual cause of his death was a blow to the back of his head against the stairs, which led to cerebral hemorrhage. This resulted in increased cranial pressure and, subsequently, a brain herniation, ultimately causing his breathing and heartbeat to stop.

The butler, who was in the same villa as Zhang Yanjun, became the prime suspect.

However, due to insufficient evidence, he was released.

Additionally, the butler’s testimony confirmed Zhang Yanjun’s habit of taking sleeping pills, further supporting the accidental death narrative.

In the end, there was no sympathy for Zhang Yanjun’s death.

Public opinion was unanimous: “He deserved it! It was divine retribution!”

This was because the butler provided important pieces of evidence about Zhang Yanjun—several mobile hard drives, each of which clearly recorded Zhang Yanjun with various children in his bedroom.

The butler knew about this matter beforehand but never reported it to the police, effectively participating in Zhang Yanjun’s criminal activities.

However, now that he has proactively reported it, it somewhat resembles the actions of a tainted witness seeking to make amends for their wrongdoing. The police also sought leniency for him in return.

Reading all this, Zhou Qian wasn’t sure if Bai Zhou actually inflicted any additional wounds that day.

But there was another possibility—

Due to Zhou Qian disconnecting all phone lines and taking Zhang Yanjun’s phone battery, the injured Zhang Yanjun couldn’t call for help from the bedroom.

The soundproofing was excellent, and the butler, who also took the sleeping pills, didn’t hear Zhang Yanjun’s cries for help from upstairs.

So, Zhang Yanjun tried to get downstairs to use the landline or find the butler.

Dizzy from the sleeping pills and blood loss, he might have stumbled and fallen, injuring the back of his head, which led to his death.

Even if Bai Zhou hadn’t delivered a fatal blow, he did three things:

—First, cleaned up the glass shards and rearranged the scene, concealing evidence of Zhou Qian’s actions.

—Second, instructed the butler to delete any footage involving Zhou Qian.

—Third, through threats, persuasion, or other means, convinced the butler to report Zhang Yanjun’s crimes prior to his death.

After quickly browsing through the related news again, Zhou Qian’s attention shifted away from his phone. Immediately, he noticed that ​[137] had sent another trade request in the trading channel.

The attached note read: [Zhou Qian? Are you still there?]

Zhou Qian’s pupils constricted slightly, replying based on their previous conversation. [Hmm, I forgot about the ‘137’ matter. But I realize there might be many things I’ve overlooked in the past. It suddenly occurs to me that maybe I’ve never truly known you.”

Zhou Qian’s words seemed rather serious.

Of course, he meant it to be that way.

He was curious to see what “137” would do next.

After that, ​[137]​ was silent for a long while.

After waiting for some time, Zhou Qian finally saw a message from ​[137]​: [Would you like to try matching with me?]

Zhou Qian: [Match for what?]

​[137]​: [A trial instance.]

Zhou Qian: [Trial for what?]

​[137]: “Compatibility.”

Zhou Qian: [Compatibility for what?]

[137]​: [I want you to become my Shepherd.]

Zhou Qian: [Can you explain?]

[137]​: [Once a player reaches Rank S, they can choose to become a Rank God player’s Shepherd. The trial instance tests the compatibility between the Shepherd and the Rank God player. Upon successful completion, apart from the standard instance rewards, if the compatibility is good, we can officially bind and establish a one-to-one Shepherd relationship.]

Zhou Qian: [What kind of instance is it?]

​[137]​: “Very unique. It will have multiple players participating, but unlike the solo-clearance mode you’ve played before, we’ll enter as a duo. Specifically, it’s a semi-open instance. Players above Rank S can join, and as it progresses, new players can constantly join. Different players might trigger different sub-instances or levels. The hidden instances you’ve unlocked previously might also be linked here.]

Zhou Qian: [Oh. Actually, I’m not that interested in being your Shepherd.]

Facing this statement, there was no immediate reply from [137].

Zhou Qian stared at the trading channel for a moment, a slight smirk forming at the corner of his lips.

He then opened the “Intended Teammate” menu, and this time he clicked on the request from [137] and hit the “Accept” button.

Both of them became each other’s intended teammates. Now, Zhou Qian could directly message [137] without going through the trading channel.

Zhou Qian sent: [Even though I’m not too interested in the Shepherd thing, nor do I know exactly what it entails, since I can continue to unlock hidden achievements in this trial instance, I’ll consider it.]

[137] replied quickly: “Alright. See you in the instance then.”

Zhou Qian, looking at the popped-up dialogue box, smirked again and sent another message: [How many Rank God players are there, exactly?]

137: [A lot. Definitely more than what’s rumored outside.]

Zhou Qian: [Oh. So, do only Rank God players get to choose Shepherds?]

137: [?]

Zhou Qian: [From what you’ve described, in that semi-open instance, I could meet many players. Not everyone entering as a duo is necessarily aiming for a Shepherd relationship, right? So, if I encounter other suitable Rank God players, can I be their Shepherd? It’s a mutual selection, right? Otherwise, it’s so unfair. Why should we ‘lower-tier players’ be passively chosen?]

After waiting a minute, [137] replied, [Other God-level players are not suitable for you.]

Zhou Qian: [?]

[137]: [The Shepherd relationship requires a mental bond. We’ve already established a basis from the three instances you’ve cleared together, so we’re likely to bond mentally. In fact, before entering low-level instances as NPCs, Rank God players have already checked your data. So far, no other Rank God player has chosen you as their intended Shepherd. Thus, you and others are not compatible. If you don’t want to be a Shepherd, you can completely abandon this path.]

Zhou Qian: [Oh. So, my rapid promotion to Rank S is advantageous for you too? You won’t have to suffer being an NPC in low-level dungeons?]

After a pause, [137] replied, [It’s alright. I don’t suffer.]

Zhou Qian fell silent this time.

After a while, he asked again, [When will we enter that instance?]

[137]: [In seven days. Is that okay?]

Zhou Qian: [Why wait for seven days?]

[137]: [You should rest a bit more.]

Zhou Qian: [And you?]

[137]: [I’ll be grinding—collecting some equipment and items.]

After sending that message, seemingly fearing Zhou Qian might misunderstand, [137] quickly added: [Currently, only the Shepherd relationship trial instance allows us to team up as a duo. You can’t enter the other monster-farming instances I can enter yet.]

……

Elsewhere, Hidden Blade glanced at the messages in the public channel where the Rank God players resided during a moment of inactivity.

[“Universe No. 907″ instance, anyone grinding? Need a tank.]

[“Xiangxi Corpse King” instance 2/3, desperately seeking a wet nurse, thanks!]

[“Snake Den”, have a wet nurse and tank, seeking a high DPS!]

[Let’s do it again. “Snake Den” looking for high DPS, perhaps Boss 137 can join?]

[Upstairs?? OMG, is 137 here? We don’t need a wet nurse for “Xiangxi Corpse King” anymore, just seeking 137, thanks!]

[Don’t joke, guys. Boss 137 is recently addicted to being an NPC. He’s not farming.]

[Who’s that upstairs? Do you know 137? Stop pretending, I’ve never heard that Boss 137 has friends.]

[Yeah, right? 137 rarely teams up. Occasionally someone might get matched with him through sheer dumb luck.]

Seeing the term “dumb luck”, Hidden Blade frowned deeply, feeling like he had been shot in the knee*.

*Arrow in the knee. Internet meme that originated from Skyrim. 

The messages on the public screen continued—

[Anyone up for equipment farming? Seeking teammates for “White Cloud Treasure Vault”. I’m one, waiting for three more. I also want to try with 137!!]

Unable to restrain himself, Hidden Blade sent out several messages in succession.

[Who said 137 doesn’t have friends? I’m his friend! He’s resting, he won’t team up with you guys.]

[Also, 137 never checks public channel messages!]

[Besides, the brother who mentioned farming “White Cloud Treasure Vault”, that garbage instance drops low-tier equipment. Boss 137 would never be interested! He never lacks such gear. You want Boss 137 to carry you into the “White Cloud Treasure Vault”? Are you joking with me?]

What Hidden Blade never expected was to be proven wrong just 10 seconds later.

[OMG! “Boss 137″ has joined the team.]

[Who just said Big Bosses doesn’t check the public channel? Who said he doesn’t farm “White Cloud Treasure Vault”?]

[Ahhhh, gotta go. I’m off to worship Boss 137!]

Stunned for three seconds, Hidden Blade quickly clicked to join the team.

Soon after, he indeed saw Bai Zhou.

Hidden Blade quickly pulled Bai Zhou into a private chat. [What’s your situation? Aren’t you resting?]

Bai Zhou: [Oh, by the way, I saw your message. He Xiaowei got a double experience card and Rank S?]

[Uh? Why?] Hidden Blade asked.

Bai Zhou: [We can try the trial instance. I’ve teamed up with Zhou Qian. I’ll pair with him, and you can pair with He Xiaowei.]

[Wait, did I hear that wrong? Not only are you farming White Cloud Treasure Vault, but you’re also… going to a trial instance?]

[Yes. You heard right.]

“I won’t comment on your physical body in reality. But your mental strength is approaching its threshold. At this time… you’re actually entering a trial instance? Didn’t you say you’d rest for a while?]

[There are things I need to explain to him. Meeting face-to-face is better.]

Hidden Blade paused, then asked, [Boss, I’m not in a position to pry into your private matters. But… the mental threshold isn’t a joke. Aren’t you afraid you’ll suddenly go berserk in the dungeon?]

[My Shepherd is there. It’s fine,] Bai Zhou said. [But it’d be better if you were there. You’ve had minor training in crowd control. You can discuss specific details with him.]

Hidden Blade was speechless. [Then, what’s with the White Cloud Treasure Vault? Why would you need the equipment and items from here?]

Bai Zhou didn’t answer but walked towards the instance’s entrance. [We have ample time; we can run it seven times.]

Hidden Blade: […………]

Why did I even come? Is it too late to back out now?

……

Seven days later.

Zhou Qian accepted the team request sent by “Intended Teammate” [137] and entered the semi-open instance with a brand-new mode.

[Player Zhou Qian entered instance: “Blue Harbor City 2301”]

[Instance difficulty: Unknown; Clearance rate: Unknown]

[Hidden achievement completion rate: Unknown]

[Number of players: Unknown]

[Tip 1: According to system detection, although you have reached Rank S, in this city, compared to other veteran players, you are still a complete newbie. Please be careful to protect yourself and avoid conflicts with high-level players! Otherwise, you might meet an untimely end!]

[Tip 2: As you are still a low-tier newbie, the sub-instances you can trigger are limited. Please seize the opportunity. If you cannot enter a sub-instance, you can rest overnight in the inn, but it’s not cheap.]

[Tip 3: Blue Harbor City is an instance that combines earning gold coins with entertainment. Many high-level players will do business here with casinos, dance halls, and more. However, please note that your main goal is to complete the instance. Don’t get too engrossed in other places.]

[Tip 4: Once a player enters a sub-instance, they must complete the mission to leave. As for the main instance, Blue Harbor City, the system does not impose restrictions. You can come and go freely by paying a transportation fee of 400 gold coins to the system each time.]

After reading these prompts, Zhou Qian raised an eyebrow, roughly grasping the concept of a semi-open instance.

Strictly speaking, this couldn’t be called an instance. This city, situated in the virtual game world, acted like a transit station. Players could stay here for a long time, even live and run businesses. They could also go to different trial-related sub-instances through this station.

Before reaching Rank S, Zhou Qian could only see other players in each instance he entered. But in this transit station, he saw a large number of players.

So, in addition to observing and understanding the skills players could have after Rank S and the subsequent upgrade path, he could also estimate the number of players and the scope of the game’s influence in the real world.

A while after the system prompts ended, Zhou Qian found himself in a dazzling and dreamy city.

The city had towering skyscrapers with colorful neon lights. The night sky was also colorful, making it uncertain whether it was night or if this world simply didn’t have a sun.

Standing at a crossroad, Zhou Qian watched groups of people come and go as the traffic lights changed without taking any action. He noticed that everyone was dressed ostentatiously, with multicolored hair and flamboyant clothes.

He received a flier that read—[Visit ‘I’m the Prettiest’ fashion shop, and we’ll help you fit into Blue Harbor City!]

After comparing the map and seeing that the shop was nearby, Zhou Qian tucked away the flyer with a smile without heading there immediately. Instead, he continued to stand at the crossroads, using the system to constantly read the data of passing pedestrians. He realized that half of them were NPCs, meaning Blue Harbor City was home to many NPCs, not just a transit station for players.

After observing for a while, Zhou Qian messaged [137]. [Where are you?]

[137] replied, [We probably didn’t land at the same point. Stay put. I’ll come to you.]

Zhou Qian then asked, [By the way, since you Rank God players are so powerful, do you even need to grind in instances? Can’t you just force your way through and kill all the NPCs?]

[137]: [No. There are many decryption elements in the trial instances. Killing NPCs doesn’t help. Also, my power is significantly reduced to maintain game balance.]

Zhou Qian: [Reduced? Haa, seems like you’re not up to the task.]

[137]: […?]

Zhou Qian stared at the question mark sent by 137 and chuckled. Shortly after, someone handed him a poster.

The poster was rather gory, a style that Zhou Qian greatly disliked.

After all, he had a strong aversion to blood.

The words on it read: [The Murder Exhibition is open today. We look forward to your visit!]

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>