Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu

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

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Chapter 74

Not far across the street, the traffic light changed once again.

Zhou Qian lowered his head and noticed the flier in front of him had shifted in color. He casually accepted the flier and looked up, only to see a very short figure handing them out. The individual wore a loose, colorful outfit and a skull mask, making it impossible to discern their gender.

Seeing Zhou Qian take a flier, the figure gave a respectful bow as if to express gratitude, then turned and disappeared into the vibrant Blue Harbor City.

Zhou Qian glanced briefly at the gory flier and carelessly stowed it away.

He then opened his system panel and sent his location to [137]. Soon after, he swiftly left the intersection and headed directly to the “I’m the Prettiest Fashion Shop”, a route he had previously scoped out.

The proprietor of this shop wasn’t an NPC but a player, who warmly welcomed Zhou Qian’s arrival.

Under the shopkeeper’s enthusiastic recommendation, Zhou Qian bought the “One-Click Hair Color Change” tool and successfully dyed his hair silver. But it wasn’t just silver; the color was highlighted with hints of pink, purple, and blue.

Such flamboyant colors might seem over the top, but on Zhou Qian, it gave him the vibe of a “comic book hero.”

In this colorful city, the hair didn’t seem out of place and only made Zhou Qian look more handsome.

That wasn’t all. Zhou Qian also changed his outfit. He donned a loose white robe in Japanese style. After the shopkeeper used the “Kaleidoscope” tool on it, the robe looked as if it were splattered with various colors, so dazzling that it almost hurt the eyes.

Lastly, upon the shopkeeper’s strong recommendation, Zhou Qian added two ear studs and an earring along the cartilage of his left ear. These shimmered silver under the light, harmonizing with his hair color.

Once the makeover was complete, Zhou Qian purchased a mask that covered half of his face and left the shop, quite pleased. Once he returned to the main street, he seamlessly blended into this uniquely styled city.

Instead of returning to the intersection where he had agreed to meet [137], Zhou Qian, with his mask on, went to a café diagonally across the intersection. The café’s sign was a peculiar mix of green and pink, adding to the city’s vibrancy.

Zhou Qian went straight to the second floor of the café, ordered a strange multi-colored drink, and sat by the window. He then removed his mask, took out binoculars, and began observing the intersection.

It had been a full seven years since he last saw him after their separation in the first year of high school. What would he look like now?

Is he the one with the baseball cap? Hmm, it doesn’t seem like it.

The traffic lights kept changing, and pedestrians kept moving. The only constant was Zhou Qian with his binoculars.

While searching for Bai Zhou, Zhou Qian recalled a phone call he received three days prior.

It was from Situ Qing.

“What’s up?” Zhou Qian had asked her at the time.

“I’ve found Mu Sheng,” Situ Qing replied.

At that moment, Zhou Qian instinctively glanced towards the direction of the hospital’s Zone X, then asked, “What about him?”

Situ Qing said, “He’s dead.”

According to Situ Qing’s account, after leaving the instance “Flower of Evil”, she started searching for a new apartment. She planned to return the rental where she and Mu Sheng had lived together, seeing it as a final goodbye to those painful memories.

While she was preparing to move, she unexpectedly saw Situ Xue and Mu Sheng’s father outside the apartment complex.

Seeing Situ Qing, Situ Xue approached her with tears in her eyes, apologizing repeatedly. Mu Sheng’s father, however, just stood by his car, smoking a cigarette, with a deeply sorrowful expression.

Situ Qing couldn’t tell if it was because they hadn’t met in so long, but they both seemed to have aged decades overnight.

After experiencing the vision Zhou Qian had shown her, Situ Qing’s mindset had completely changed.

When she saw her mother, she didn’t feel anything; it was as if she was detached from everything she saw before her.

Situ Xue approached and hugged her, apologizing continuously.

She then began explaining, somewhat incoherently, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! All these years, it’s not that I didn’t want to see you. Mu Sheng threatened me. He said if I saw you, he would kill you. I’m sorry. I—”

Upon hearing the name “Mu Sheng,” Situ Qing instinctively frowned.

She then had a thought—if her mother truly wanted to take her away, she could simply leave Mu Sheng’s father and move to another city with her. In the end, her mother just couldn’t bear to part with her own life.

Suddenly feeling a burst of clarity, Situ Qing took a few steps back, avoiding her mother’s embrace. “Please move. I’m moving out.”

Faced with her daughter’s alienation, Situ Xue was momentarily stunned.

Seeing this, Mu Sheng’s father sighed deeply and approached with a weary expression. “We came to inform you that we received news of Mu Sheng’s death. He’s dead. I’ve been preparing for his funeral…”

Afterwards, Situ Qing found Mu Sheng’s death suspicious, so she called Zhou Qian.

After their conversation, Zhou Qian immediately contacted Li Xuehai, asking if there had been any new arrivals in Zone X recently. Li Xuehai checked and informed Zhou Qian the next day. “Yes, someone new did arrive. Apparently, his surname is Mu. I can see his basic information in the hospital system, but not more. However—”

“However, what?” Zhou Qian asked.

“One of the familiar nurses saw him and mentioned that he no longer has legs. His legs were sawed off,” Li Xuehai replied.

Now, it was clear—Mu Sheng had faked his own death.

Who did this and how remains a mystery. But what was evident was that Mu Sheng’s family and friends believed him to be dead, even witnessing his supposed “corpse”, when he was actually transferred to Spring Hill Mental Asylum’s Zone X.

Moreover, Zhou Qian recalled from Situ Qing’s account that Mu Sheng hadn’t been amputated. Instead, he suffered nerve damage to his spine and could no longer walk. But according to Li Xuehai’s information, by the time Mu Sheng entered Zone X, he had no legs.

What’s going on?

So…

Could Bai Zhou’s situation be similar?

Part of his body remained in reality, turned into ashes in an urn.

But what about the other part in Zone X?

What exactly is inside that straitjacket?

If Bai Zhou is in such a condition…

Can his appearance in the game differ from his real-world appearance?

If the real Bai Zhou’s appearance permanently stayed at 16 or 17 years old…

What will he look like in the game?

With these thoughts, Zhou Qian looked through the binoculars towards the intersection, spotting a figure amidst the neon lights. He was dressed in a simple gray-white casual long shirt, with neat short hair and a tall, slender yet solid frame.

This plain look should have been ordinary and refreshing, but in this world, it made him stand out, immediately drawing Zhou Qian’s attention.

Zooming the binoculars to focus on his face, Zhou Qian recognized the familiar yet changed features.

The distance between his eyes seemed slightly longer, his eye contours sharper, and the bridge of his nose more prominent. And his lips… seemed to have thinned a bit?

Nevertheless, by this point, Zhou Qian had wholly confirmed one thing—

It was Bai Zhou.

Staring intently at the person’s facial features for a good while, Zhou Qian zoomed out the binoculars, slowly shifting his gaze downward, scrutinizing him from head to toe. Then he pulled the lens even farther back, observing the whole intersection. The traffic lights at the crossroads were still flashing and changing, and the streets were noisy and bustling.

In the dynamic and chaotic scene, only Bai Zhou stood still.

Zhou Qian watched intently, noticing Bai Zhou occasionally glancing around, seemingly looking for someone. But he didn’t seem to be in a hurry and didn’t move from his spot.

After waiting a while, Bai Zhou raised his wrist, apparently accessing some system panel.

During this time, countless passersby raised their wristwatches toward him, pausing to whisper among themselves, probably surprised to encounter a Rank God player here.

Zhou Qian’s wrist vibrated with a notification, but he didn’t check. He just continued watching Bai Zhou through the binoculars.

After a while, Zhou Qian saw a man in a sweatshirt with spiky hair approach Bai Zhou. They clearly seemed familiar with each other and exchanged a few words. The spiky-haired man then looked around, seemingly also searching for someone.

Zhou Qian frowned, wondering who the spiky-haired man was, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. A familiar voice followed. “Hey, Qian’er! You’re here! We meet again!”

Turning in surprise, Zhou Qian saw He Xiaowei.

“You…”

Before Zhou Qian could react, He Xiaowei pushed open the window and shouted across the street in a loud voice, “Hey—! Master! It’s me!! I’m here! Guess who I found?! Qian’er?! Qian’er is here too!”

Zhou Qian: “………”

Could you shout any louder?

Before the people at the intersection could turn their gaze to the café, Zhou Qian swiftly did two things—first, he stored the binoculars in his bag; second, he put the mask back on.

Seeing Zhou Qian’s actions, He Xiaowei asked in confusion, “What are you doing? Cosplaying?”

Glancing at the food in his hand, Zhou Qian gritted his teeth. “Just eat your food!”

Having said that, Zhou Qian, from behind the mask, glanced at the intersection and saw Bai Zhou looking back.

After seven long years, in a dreamlike world, separated by a mask, flashing neon lights, and colorful lights, the two finally made genuine eye contact.

Looking at Bai Zhou, Zhou Qian’s memories instantly traveled back to that evening seven years ago after school.

Bai Zhou said “goodbye” to him and left without looking back. The young man’s retreating figure vanished into that dimly lit avenue, marking Zhou Qian’s last memory of him.

On that dim avenue, each falling leaf symbolized their parting. With the passage of time, they gently swayed, taking Bai Zhou to a place Zhou Qian could never reach. From that point on, life and death separated them, putting an insurmountable distance between them.

Until this moment, the memories of that dim hue transformed into the dreamlike colors before him. And Bai Zhou was walking through these colors, step by step, toward Zhou Qian.

It felt as if, after experiencing a parting between life and death in reality, they were finally reunited in a mysterious, unknown world.

……

Five minutes later.

Zhou Qian, Bai Zhou, He Xiaowei, and Hidden Blade were seated at a dining table on the second floor of the tea restaurant.

Zhou Qian sat next to He Xiaowei, facing Hidden Blade, with Bai Zhou diagonally across. As the four of them dined, three remained silent, leaving only He Xiaowei chatting away.

“I must be incredibly lucky! I got the once-in-a-lifetime double experience card. Hahaha, otherwise, how could I have reached the legendary Blue Harbor City so quickly?”

“What’s up with your hair, Qian’er? And that mask. Who are you trying to cosplay? You seem so quiet today—it’s not like you.”

Seeing Zhou Qian not responding, He Xiaowei cleared his throat and cautiously looked at the two Rank God players across the table. He blinked, first looking at Hidden Blade, and said in a flattering tone, “Um, Master… hehe, thank you for personally taking me on an instance run. The person next to you is…?”

Hidden Blade frowned, playing the role of a stern master, and scolded, “Don’t ask unnecessary questions!”

“Yes, yes,” He Xiaowei quickly agreed, then sneaked a glance at the other Rank God player known only by the codename ​[137]​.

Damn… Some people just outshine others; it’s really infuriating. How can this person look even better than a celebrity idol?

He Xiaowei secretly sighed, realizing that this ​[137]​ seemed very aloof. He showed no emotions, didn’t speak, and was simply staring at Zhou Qian beside him.

Huh? Why does he keep looking at Zhou Qian?

Oh, I get it. He probably finds Zhou Qian’s outfit weird too!

Right. That must be the reason. Definitely!

I always said, Zhou Qian’s sense of style is seriously off.

If it wasn’t for his face, he’d look like one of those awkward dancers you see in the village.

But He Xiaowei would never dare say this out loud.

He just followed Bai Zhou’s gaze to Zhou Qian beside him.

He couldn’t help but sigh silently again; Zhou Qian was indeed acting very strange today.

He was staring silently at the colorful drink in front of him; his only movement was stirring the ice with a straw.

What’s so interesting about ice cubes?

For some reason, He Xiaowei felt there was an eerie atmosphere at the table.

Trying to make small talk, he said, “Haha, these pan-fried buns are really delicious! Qian’er, do you want some?”

Zhou Qian just kept staring at the ice cubes in his drink. “I don’t eat fried food.”

“Huh? This isn’t really fried, is it? But you’re quite particular, huh? Oh, haha—”

He Xiaowei cleared his throat awkwardly, then looked at Hidden Blade. “When I came to the second-floor dining area earlier, I saw a familiar figure from behind. I thought to myself, it couldn’t be Qian’er, could it? Haha, how did we just bump into each other in such a huge crowd?”

“Heh, I approached and tapped him on the shoulder, and who would’ve guessed! It really was Qian’er!”

“Our bond isn’t just deep; we’re like brothers! Even with that get-up, I recognized him instantly.”

“Speaking of which, I have no idea why he was by the window with binoculars—Ow, ow, ow!”

He Xiaowei’s outbursts immediately drew the attention of others in the restaurant.

He quickly clasped his hands in apology to those around, then looked at Zhou Qian, a bit aggrieved. “Why did you pinch me?”

“Because you talk too much,” Zhou Qian responded, picking up a bun and shoving it into He Xiaowei’s mouth. “Eat your bun!”

He Xiaowei muttered under his breath, “Qian’er, your temper is getting weirder and weirder.”

“Oh, come on!” Zhou Qian said, looping an arm around He Xiaowei’s neck and squinting threateningly. “My dear Xiaowei, I’m just worried you’re not eating enough—”

Before Zhou Qian could finish, he heard Bai Zhou from across the table. “Zhou Qian?”

Zhou Qian blinked but didn’t look up, just staring at He Xiaowei’s face and responding with a noncommittal “Hm?”

“Do you want to go somewhere with me?” Bai Zhou continued.

Letting go of He Xiaowei, Zhou Qian finally turned his gaze to Bai Zhou. It was the second time he had looked at Bai Zhou in a long while.

“Where to?” Zhou Qian asked.

“Just follow me,” Bai Zhou stood up.

After a pause, Zhou Qian gave a nod towards the stairway. “Alright, lead the way.”

Blinking, He Xiaowei watched as Bai Zhou and Zhou Qian left one after the other, then turned to Hidden Blade in confusion. “Master, what’s going on?”

Hidden Blade thought, ‘Why are you asking me?’ but outwardly he maintained his stern demeanor. “Don’t ask what you shouldn’t.”

He Xiaowei: “…”

……

Zhou Qian followed Bai Zhou downstairs, out of the café, and into a narrow alley that led to its end.

The light in the alley gradually dimmed, but at its end, the surroundings brightened up again—just ahead was a vast deep blue sea.

Walking along the sandy beach, Zhou Qian followed Bai Zhou to the water’s edge. The sky was still vibrant, full of life and colors, yet this stretch of beach was eerily deserted, offering a rare tranquility.

They walked a long way, with Zhou Qian always maintaining half a step behind Bai Zhou. Eventually, the tumultuous emotions that Zhou Qian felt began to calm.

It seemed as if all his restlessness had dissipated in this place.

Throughout the walk, Zhou Qian didn’t walk side by side with Bai Zhou. After tracing their steps back and forth along the beach, Bai Zhou finally stopped and turned to look at him.

Zhou Qian looked up, meeting Bai Zhou’s gaze for the third time. He noticed that the deep black of Bai Zhou’s eyes seemed tinted with the blue of the sea, making them even more profound.

At the same time, Bai Zhou’s gaze was tender, just like it used to be, as if the seven years of separation had never happened.

Then, Zhou Qian heard Bai Zhou ask, “Why the mask?”

Zhou Qian smiled slightly and responded, “You’re allowed to wear a disguise, but I can’t put on a little act?”

Hearing this, Bai Zhou chuckled. His eyes skimmed over Zhou Qian’s hair and earrings before turning to face the deep blue sea again, not speaking for a moment.

Zhou Qian then took the initiative, sitting on a nearby rock. “You seem familiar with this place?”

“Just been here a few times,” Bai Zhou replied.

“Oh?” Zhou Qian inquired. “Who did you come with for the trial?”

Bai Zhou: “I never went for any trials. I occasionally visit the auction house. Sometimes, you can find good items there.”

Zhou Qian nodded. “I see.”

After that, both of them sat in silence, gazing at the sea. The atmosphere was once again filled with quietude.

The soft rustling of waves could be heard, washing over the sandy shores. The world was without stars or moon, and the blue waters shimmered in hazy multicolor. Waves brought the seawater to the beach, taking some sand along with them as they receded, flowing into the distance.

After a long while, Bai Zhou turned to look at Zhou Qian, speaking softly. “I thought you’d have many questions for me.”

“There are many,” Zhou Qian admitted, “but after seeing you, I didn’t know where to start.”

“Ask anything you like.”

“Anything, huh… Let me think…”

Where should he start? Why did Bai Zhou leave without a word? Why did he suddenly disappear? Why did he “die” in reality? Why did he hide his identity in the game? When did Bai Zhou start playing this game? What exactly is a Rank God player?

…

As these questions went through Zhou Qian’s mind, Bai Zhou’s expression became more solemn. Then, Zhou Qian suddenly stood up, walking right in front of him.

At a very close distance, Zhou Qian, behind his mask, looked into Bai Zhou’s eyes. Then, with a smile, he asked, “I want to know—how does it feel to wear a little skirt? Is it fun?”

Bai Zhou seemed slightly taken aback for a moment, but then his tense expression softened into a smile. Gazing into Zhou Qian’s bright eyes, Bai Zhou raised his hand, the tip of his slender index finger lightly touching Zhou Qian’s mask.

“Can you take it off?”

After a moment, Bai Zhou softly asked him.

Zhou Qian didn’t answer, but instead, smiling, he took a half-step back, dodging Bai Zhou’s fingertip.

Looking at Bai Zhou, Zhou Qian seemed about to say something when, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed something, and his face changed drastically.

Due to the mask, Bai Zhou couldn’t see Zhou Qian’s facial expression, but he instantly sensed the change from the sudden sharpness in Zhou Qian’s eyes.

Bai Zhou quickly turned to see what was behind him. In a spot unseen by Zhou Qian, Bai Zhou’s eyes displayed an extreme sense of indifference and coldness.

Holding the Rib of God in his hand, Zhou Qian moved forward, spotting a group of oddly dressed individuals approaching him, each emanating a powerful murderous aura.

“What’s happening?” Zhou Qian whispered to Bai Zhou. “Do you know?”

Before Bai Zhou could reply, a bald man from the crowd shouted, “A bounty order from the underworld, issued by the Peach Blossom Legion. Ahh… so you’re Zhou Qian? How can such a skinny figure like you be worth so much?”

Beside the bald man stood another with long, greasy hair wrapped around his waist. “Thinking you can come to a semi-open instance after having a bounty on your head, hahaha. You’ve got guts! Lucky for us, you came to Blue Harbor City!”

The bald man and the long-haired man seemed to be the leaders of this small gang, with others as their followers.

One of the subordinates remarked, “This Zhou Qian is accompanied by a Rank God player. But it looks like this Rank God player has been blacklisted by the Peach Blossom Legion, which is why he didn’t see their bounty notice?”

Another added, “Huh, this Rank God player is named [137]? Never heard of him. Maybe he’s a low-key Rank God player? Maybe I should ask the Rank God players I know about his background?”

The bald man interrupted, “Don’t bother! Who cares about his background? Here, their abilities are greatly reduced to about an ordinary Rank S. So, what’s there to fear? Let’s get him together and claim the bounty from the Peach Blossom Legion!”

“Zhou Ge—”

Seeing the menacing group advance, Zhou Qian remained unfazed.

With a playful idea in mind, he glanced at Bai Zhou and grinned. “Think we can handle this?”

Suddenly, an ancient and elusive Tang sword appeared out of thin air, swiftly gripped by Bai Zhou.

He looked at the unruly crowd with an indifferent expression, but when he turned to Zhou Qian, his eyes softened again. “Stay behind me.”

Just as Bai Zhou’s words fell, a rustling sound was heard. In front of them, grains of sand on the beach began to rise, reflecting a mysterious glow under the colorful sky. Astonishingly, countless snakes, insects, rodents, and ants began crawling out!

This must be the skill of someone from that group. It’s likely that all these creatures are highly venomous.

Suddenly, a sword that gleamed like moonlit frost was raised, signaling Bai Zhou’s intent to strike. In a flash, however, his wrist, which was gripping the sword, was seized by someone.

Turning his head, Bai Zhou looked at Zhou Qian.

Zhou Qian smiled and shook his head at him, saying, “We won’t fight.”

Allowing Zhou Qian to hold his wrist, Bai Zhou took a step back with him. “What do you have in mind?”

“Let’s take them down inside the instance.” Zhou Qian winked at Bai Zhou and immediately took out a mirror with his right hand, saying, “Let’s go.”

……

On the beach, as the chilling blade of the Tang sword was about to be unsheathed, the bald and long-haired men were preparing to confront it. But then, a flash from the mirror passed by, and the two figures on the beach side by side vanished.

Behind them, the followers began mocking.

“A Rank God player actually ran away! Hahaha! We really don’t have to be afraid!”

“Why is the Peach Blossom Legion even bothering with bounties? Zhou Qian’s just a coward!”

“Where did they escape to? That mirror only allows them to move 500 meters!”

“I’m checking today’s open instances… ah, the closest one that’s open for newbie Rank S players is ‘Murder Exhibition’!”

“Oh no, he’s not really going there, is he? I heard many players died in that instance recently!”

“Hahaha, this is going to be fun!”

“That being said… do we continue the chase or wait for them?”

“Cough cough, boss.” One of the followers turned to the bald man. “Should we go to ‘Murder Exhibition’ to continue our pursuit?”

“What? Are you scared?” The bald man sneered.

Another follower remarked, “But… we’ve heard that instance is quite wicked.”

The man with long hair said, “Our ‘Invincible Legion’ has just been established, and we’ve publicly taken up a bounty. If we can’t win this fight, won’t we lose face? Let’s go! Let’s enter the ‘Murder Exhibition’! I don’t believe we can’t handle it!”

The bald man echoed, “Exactly! Let’s go! What’s there to be afraid of? If we don’t kill them now, should we wait for them to finish the instance and level up? Let’s move, right now!”

……

Elsewhere, after Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou quickly left the beach using the “[Universe Teleportation Mirror], Zhou Qian immediately started running, heading straight for the Murder Exhibition Hall.

Outside the exhibition hall was a large, spacious courtyard. Scattered around were several cars parked haphazardly in a disorderly manner.

As Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou approached the courtyard’s entrance, they encountered an old gatekeeper. The old man had silvery white hair and wore a simple gray cloth robe. Interestingly, he wasn’t dressed in the usual vibrant colors. There was a melancholic aura about him. Upon seeing Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou, his deeply wrinkled face broke into an eerily strange smile.

“Do you really want to go in?” The old man asked with a bizarre grin. “If you wish to enter, each person needs to pay 50 gold coins for a ticket. Scanning the ticket to enter the exhibition means you are officially entering the sub-instance.”

“We’re going in,” Zhou Qian decisively said.

“Very well.” The old man handed over two tickets. The moment Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou took them, their systems automatically deducted 50 gold coins each.

Zhou Qian checked his system and exchanged a glance with Bai Zhou before they both walked towards the entrance of the exhibition hall. As they neared the entrance, Zhou Qian suddenly heard a scream and saw three young women rushing out. Through his system interface, Zhou Qian discovered that they were NPCs.

The three girls each wore exaggerated long dresses in red, purple, and yellow, respectively. All of them looked pale and visibly shaken. Upon seeing Bai Zhou and Zhou Qian, they immediately began to offer words of caution.

“You mustn’t go in!”

“Yes, it’s terrifying!”

“The exhibit feels so real… Wuwuwu, it’s really scary.”

“Yes, yes, it’s as if someone is genuinely committing murder inside—”

“I’ll have nightmares for a month!”

“I won’t eat meat for three months!!”

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