Chapter 171: God’s Favor (20)

Chapter 171: God's Favor (Twenty)

Elsewhere.

While Jie Fangcheng and another decided to enter the dream realm for a conversation, the remaining players returned to their individual rooms after dinner.

Wei Yuan seemed to have recovered to his normal state, likewise returning to his room.

However, not long after, the door to Wei Yuan's room opened once again.

He walked slowly, step by step, towards the grand entrance of the God's Residence Tower.

To visit the temple... to pray.

Wei Yuan's eyes were glazed over, his limbs stiff, as he moved forward mechanically.

The benevolent deity still awaits in the temple, where he intends to offer the most devout prayers, seeking guidance from the divine presence.

The deity...

As the gate loomed just a short distance away, suddenly, a flash of white light appeared before Wei Yuan.

He halted his steps sluggishly, lowering his gaze to the ground.

A silver piece of cutlery was embedded in the ground before his feet.

Wei Yuan turned his head.

A familiar figure stood in front of him.

Who is this... someone evidently significant to him...

Wei Yuan's thoughts were moving sluggishly, but for reasons unknown, he found himself uttering the name of the person before him.

"Qiao Mai."

Qiao Mai's eyes were tinged with red as she gestured, the cutlery on the ground flying back into her hand.

[Skill: Fantasy Maid]

[Description: Becoming a qualified maid involves passing numerous tests. Are you graceful yet diligent, loyal yet erudite?]

[Hint: When you possess enough courage, you can become the most exceptional maid in the fantasy.]

[Effect: Carrying cutlery at all times is a maid's duty, isn't it excessive?]

Qiao Mai wasn't a player adept at clearing dungeons. Although she possessed a keen mind, excellent at analyzing dungeons, the combat-averse Qiao Mai gravitated more towards being a lifestyle player. Throughout her many years in the game, she mostly delved into dungeons alongside Wei Yuan.

In her dreamscape, she and Wei Yuan lived peacefully within the game.

She was aware that this dream was not a benevolent entity. Initially, given her intellectual prowess, she should have been like Nie Shuangshuang and others, one of the Ronghua Guild members who could extricate themselves from the dream world on their own merit.

But something had happened to Wei Yuan.

Wei Yuan had fallen the deepest into the abyss, and Qiao Mai worried incessantly for him, her concern even permeating her dreams.

The Wei Yuan in her dreams seemed just as he was now, deeply in need of her assistance. Witnessing his state, how could Qiao Mai bear to detach herself from the dream?

Each time in her dreams, she couldn't bring herself to leave, but upon awakening, she realized that continuing in this manner wasn't the solution.

... It seems she could only try utilizing the method Zong Daoan proposed.

"What are you trying to do?" Qiao Mai asked.

What was he attempting to do? To...

Wei Yuan felt his sluggish brain still grappling with the question, but found his mouth had already spoken the response.

"I am going to the temple to visit the compassionate deity," his voice tinged with fervor, he extended an invitation to Qiao Mai standing before him, "Qiao Mai, the benevolent deity watches over us, bestowing upon us many gifts. We should demonstrate our devotion to Him. As a faithful follower yourself, will you accompany me to the temple to pray?"

Qiao Mai was under the influence too, yet seeing Wei Yuan, she understood that he needed her help, able to fully suppress other thoughts within her at this moment.

"You are not allowed to go," Qiao Mai declared.

"Wei Yuan" paused momentarily, his brow furrowing, "The deity granted you so much, how can you be so ungrateful, Qiao Mai?"

Once again, a silver piece of cutlery appeared in Qiao Mai's hand, she stood blocking "Wei Yuan's" path.

"Wei Yuan, will I still appear in your dreams?"

The familiar yet strange "Wei Yuan" before her seemed stunned, his mouth opened and closed, seemingly wanting to respond with "yes", but he found himself unable to articulate it.

The next second, Qiao Mai charged forward, brandishing the silver fork.

Her power was relatively weak; in the past, it wouldn't have been possible to engage in a fight with Wei Yuan, anyone randomly picked from Ronghua would be stronger than her.

But this time, the Wei Yuan before her clumsily dodged her attacks in a flustered manner, his abilities seemingly regressing overnight to that of a novice, allowing even Qiao Mai to fight him evenly.

This was to be expected.

The entity seizing Wei Yuan's body, the "Dream Returning Fish", were the deity's servants killed by Jie Fangcheng. These servants were utterly lacking in power, even Qi Chenyang, who hadn't cleared the game even ten times, was confident in dealing with them.

The servants' abilities were limited; when they successfully incubated and took over a player's body, it would indeed grant them the player's abilities, but adapting to those would certainly require time.

Moreover, the current Wei Yuan seemed to still retain part of his own consciousness.

According to Zong Daoan's hypothesis, Wei Yuan might be in a semi-incubated state already, and another prayer session might fully realize the incubation.

By then, not even Jie Fangcheng could guarantee whether the original Wei Yuan's soul would return to the Book of Life and Death or be wholly consumed by the "Dream Returning Fish", losing the chance for reincarnation.

The choices were to either awaken Wei Yuan or... take advantage of the incomplete consumption by the Dream Returning Fish to kill him, ensuring his soul could return to the Book of Life and Death.

As long as the soul remained, there would be opportunities to meet again in the future.

At that moment, Zong Daoan seemed like a doctor, providing two options to a patient's family member.

To awaken Wei Yuan, Zong Daoan no longer had better solutions, it was all up to Qiao Mai now.

But the second option was straightforward, Manager Jie specialized in this, he could guarantee an effortless death for Wei Yuan.

Yet, Qiao Mai chose the first option.

"If I can stop him, nothing could be better. If I can't stop him..."

Failing to stop him meant she would be killed by "Wei Yuan" first, followed by Jie Fangcheng killing Wei Yuan.

At this moment, the "Wei Yuan" before her, who could now be described as scurrying with his tail between his legs, was evading while also angrily voicing words.

"Qiaomai, have you lost your mind?! You're attacking me! I am..."

Who am I?

"Wei Yuan" was taken aback momentarily, and that was when Qiaomai’s fork promptly pierced his arm.

He let out a pained scream, the battle instincts embedded in his physique flaring up at that moment, and reflexively extended his arm, unleashing the "Gift of the Thick Earth" in a fierce whip stroke.

Qiaomai couldn't evade in time and was struck by the lash, catapulted into the air before crashing heavily into a corner, blood spewing from her mouth.

Seeing her spit blood, the originally enraged expression on "Wei Yuan’s" face morphed into a twisted amalgamation of satisfaction, anger, joy, and heartache.

Qiaomai, with trembling hands, swapped for a system potion and gulped it down.

Meanwhile, "Wei Yuan" spoke, "Don't stand in my way, or risk dying at my hands."

These words held genuine sincerity, regardless of whether viewed from the perspective of the Return Dream Fish or Wei Yuan himself.

But Qiaomai only chuckled, using the wall for support as she slowly rose to her feet.

The system potion worked its magic, mending her injuries at a rapid pace.

A voice in her heart constantly tempted her: It hurts, doesn't it? Such pain, just give up! You can’t stand against Wei Yuan’s might, why not accompany him to pray at the temple? In the dream, you can aid him, live the happiest life with him. Yet here you are, resisting him, getting injured by him...

Qiaomai tightened her grip on the utensil in her hand, charging forward once again.

Time and again, she resembled a determined fledgling, hurling itself relentlessly against a rugged rock, being repelled repeatedly, yet recklessly returning to the assault after gulping down a recovery potion.

Blood splattered, not only staining Qiaomai's originally pristine deity-favored garments but also spattering onto Wei Yuan.

Until the last encounter—

The fork and knife lodged into Wei Yuan’s shoulder, while the "Gift of the Thick Earth" pierced through Qiaomai's chest in a whip stroke.

With a “wah” sound, Qiaomai’s blood sprayed onto "Wei Yuan’s" face, dyeing half of it red.

Wei Yuan, with bloodshot eyes, no longer remained frozen on the spot as he had done after repelling her in previous encounters, seeming as if he was struggling with something within.

This time, he roared fiercely, as if tearing apart some invisible restraint, before swiftly embracing the collapsing Qiaomai.

Qiaomai, now devoid of strength, looked at him, locking eyes with those familiar ones.

She reached out, gently caressing Wei Yuan's cheek.

"...Wei Yuan?"

"Qiaomai!"

Wei Yuan’s hands trembled as he hurriedly pulled out five or six bottles of potions from the system backpack, forcing them down Qiaomai’s throat.

The wounds on her were relatively manageable. Although fatal, as long as she had a breath left, the system potions could restore her back to health.

But the pain of the spirit will not dissipate with the healing of physical wounds.

She had been forcibly holding on until now, and witnessing Wei Yuan's return to familiar eyes, she no longer had the strength to stand up.

At the moment when the two embraced, at the end of the corridor, the figures of Jie Fangcheng and Zhang Daoan appeared.

The scene before them was truly gruesome, with the entire entrance strewn with blood, unidentified organ fragments and empty bottles of system potions scattered everywhere.

The two people embracing in the pool of blood; although the wounds on Qiao Mai's body had healed after taking the system potions, her face was pale, and she was limp in Wei Yuan's arms.

Wei Yuan hadn't even bothered to medicate himself, with a silver fork still embedded in his shoulder.

Wei, known as the "Boulder", who has always been very steady, was now crying and laughing crazily, alternating between the two. When he saw Jie Fangcheng and the other, before he could speak, Zhang Daoan asked, "Wei Yuan?"

"It's me," Wei Yuan nodded solemnly.

"How did you come back?"

How did he come back...

Having seen Qiao Mai being thrown away by his own hands time and again, the rage and panic of the real Wei Yuan finally broke through his befuddled mind.

In his mental space, it seemed as though there were two "Wei Yuan"; one had originally closed its eyes, while the other, covered with a thin membrane, controlled the body.

The Wei Yuan who had kept his eyes closed finally opened them.

He entered a state that was hard to describe; clearly, his mind was in a mental space and he no longer had control over his body, yet he could hear outside noises and see the outside scenes.

At the same time, he also saw the other "Wei Yuan" who was controlling him.

That "Wei Yuan" even seemed to sneer at him with disdain.

The person controlling his entire mind had changed, and for Wei Yuan to regain control over his body seemed like a pipe dream.

Inside the originally Wei Yuan-controlled four-dimensional space, defenses were erected without his command, preventing Wei Yuan from advancing.

Those defenses appeared like formidable barriers, instilling fear in those who beheld them.

——But there was no choice!

If he didn't rush forward and tear apart that fiend controlling him, Qiao Mai would be killed by him!

"I'm not exactly sure what happened, but as I thought about it, I truly found myself confronting it," he said.

Jie Fangcheng could indeed answer this question.

Because Wei Yuan is Wei Yuan.

The power of the soul is immense. The creator of this copy indeed conceived a cunning scheme of substitution, but a thief remains a thief; what is stolen will never truly belong to them.

When the master of the soul comes to a realization, harboring an unstoppable determination, the entire realm of thought becomes his dominion.

After hearing all this, Zhang Daoan scrutinized him intently once again.

Suddenly, with a flick of his hand, Zhang Daoan tightened a red thread directly around Wei Yuan's neck.

This jolted even the drowsy Qiao Mai, who was on the verge of passing out, into full alertness. She hurriedly grasped onto the red thread.

"What's the matter?"

Zhang Daoan spoke calmly, "Your words sound convincing, but I cannot ascertain whether you are indeed Wei Yuan, or a 'Divine Servant' who has masqueraded exceedingly well."

Wei Yuan paused, visibly taken aback.

He was not a fool. Previously influenced by the "Dream Return Fish", his mind was clouded. Now, with no factors impeding his cognition, Wei Yuan quickly grasped the situation.

"I am Wei Yuan, but I genuinely don't know if that entity has truly vanished, or if it might influence me again in the future." He showed no sign of resistance, instead looking steadfastly at Zhang Daoan. "If I die now, I will enter the Book of Life and Death, right?"

"Yes."

"Then proceed." With that, he lowered his head to glance at Qiao Mai, tenderly tucking her fringe behind her ear with a gentle gesture. "I'm sorry, Qiao Mai. Let's meet again in the underworld."

Wei Yuan didn't mention anything about urging Qiao Mai to continue living well on her own. He knew all too well that if he died, she wouldn't continue living either.

In this brutal and cold game, they were each other's sole reason to keep fighting.

But if he didn't die, and instead turned on others suddenly, causing harm, Wei Yuan felt it would be better to die.

Qiao Mai didn't utter a word, only smiling as she gripped Wei Yuan's hand tightly.

Just as both were braced for release, the red thread vanished.

Faced with two puzzled expressions, Zhang Daoan explained nonchalantly, "Those few Divine Servants aren't very bright. If you had managed to deceive me with your act just now, then just accept your fate."

His words managed to invoke both a sense of security and an air of arrogance!

For both Wei Yuan and Qiao Mai, death meant heading to the underworld, a place of unknown landscapes.

To remain "alive", to continue their present lives, and to possibly witness Ji Chaoyang's death in the future, was the best choice.

The star-crossed pair broke down in tears, with Wei Yuan incessantly apologizing and Qiao Mai comforting him in return.

"It's this vile simulation's fault, not yours."

Saying this, she tenderly kissed Wei Yuan's forehead.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zhang Daoan noticed Jie Fangcheng witnessing this scene, his brow furrowed, displaying a hint of... what was that, disapproval?

Zhang Daoan's expression faltered, followed by a soft utterance from Jie Fangcheng beside him, "When Qiao Mai kissed his forehead just now, did she directly kiss the blood?"

The germophobic Manager Jie truly couldn't comprehend couples; at least clean it up a bit, how filthy!

Zhong Daoan cast a meaningful glance at him without uttering a word.

However, it was good that Wei Yuan could return; his condition had deepened to a level where he could no longer control his own mental space.

The other players are still under the influence, retaining control over their own minds.

The couple, alternately weeping and laughing, supported each other as they headed back to their room. Although Jie Fangcheng couldn't come to terms with their affectionate gestures, he couldn't help but feel moved.

"Human emotions truly are fascinating."

To go to such lengths for another person, both Qiao Mai and Wei Yuan indeed command respect.

After his reflections, Zhong Daoan suddenly asked, "Is Manager Jie incapable of such feats?"

"Huh?" Jie Fangcheng was taken aback, not quite understanding the implication behind those words.

Zhong Daoan looked at him and said, "Manager Jie must have also gone to great lengths for someone at some point, hasn't he?"

Jie Fangcheng found this rather inexplicable: "What are you talking about?"

Zhong Daoan didn't explain, only offering a smile: "Never mind. See you tomorrow, Manager Jie."

.

The next day, as the players gradually awoke to start a new day living as favored beings of the gods, they were greeted by the horrifying scene at the entrance upon rising.

Wei Yuan had fully regained his clarity, only realizing the danger after he woke up.

It seemed that the other players were still relatively unaffected at the moment, none having descended as deep as he had, but it was unpredictable when they might transform into what he had been.

Consequently, taking advantage of the crime scene at the entrance, Wei Yuan and Qiao Mai decided to step forward and speak out.

The privileged players were well aware of the relationship between the two and had witnessed how Wei Yuan had treated Qiao Mai before.

But to harm Qiao Mai after being manipulated?

Many felt uneasy, yet the presence of the "Dream Returning Fish" in their mental spaces considerably dulled their sense of danger.

If Wei Yuan could do this to Qiao Mai, they themselves might not be immune to similar behavior!

Some even chimed in with Wei Yuan, saying, "The gifts bestowed by the gods can't be false. Although the deity doesn't seem benevolent, let's feign allegiance for now and reap more benefits before making any judgments!"

This attitude seemed very familiar, much like when Wei Yuan previously suggested "we are just taking a break."

Wei Yuan earnestly tried to persuade them, but clearly, very few were willing to heed his advice.

A profound sense of helplessness welled up within him, and he finally understood the emotions Zhong Daoan had experienced when trying to advise him earlier.

"It's just like... standing at the edge of a fiery pit, yet these people insist on jumping in!" Wei Yuan was beside himself with frustration.

The players from the prosperous guild have ended up like this, and it seems those from the Grim Reaper guild have obviously fallen victim as well.

This group of people, who seem to be suffering from a case of chuunibyou, now bring up this deity, not to mention other deities.

"There really are Ultraman/Athena/Nanase/Kimihiro... in this world!"

It seems that the entity blessing them with laptops in their dreams is a character they are familiar with.

The entire player community hasn't undergone significant changes despite Wei Yuan's awakening; they were still discussing helping the town's people during meals.

On the other hand, Nie Shuangshuang seems to be in deep thought, as if slightly coming back to her senses.

"I feel like I'm not fully conscious," she said with a furrowed brow, "Something is wrong, I know this god is evil, making Wei Yuan treat Qiao Mai in that manner. But as for Manager Jie... it's strange. I know he's evil, yet I find myself wanting to devoutly worship him. It feels like there are two me's inside my body, it's very contradictory."

Jie Fangcheng was truly astonished.

"You've got this, Shuangshuang!"

Zhong Daoan, who was listening nearby, suddenly asked, "Would you like to try eliminating that other self?"

"Eliminate??" Nie Shuangshuang exclaimed in shock.

"Yes. It's a malignant tumor growing in your brain."

A cacophony of opposing voices echoed non-stop in Nie Shuangshuang's mind, saying things like "he's lying to you", "what other self, it's all fake", "don't agree, it will hurt you"...

"I want to try," Nie Shuangshuang nodded.

Her thoughts were pure and simple, and ironically, it was this very simplicity that led her to make this decision.

"When Yingying was around, I always listened to her. I know I'm not smart, and I've been making mistakes ever since she left," Nie Shuangshuang confessed honestly. "I'm not feeling too well now, I constantly feel that Brother Zhong, you want to harm me. But I also know you won't harm me."

Her candid words left Zhong Daoan momentarily silent.

He didn't say anything, just closed his eyes. Soon after, he swiftly grabbed something, revealing a silver Dream Returning Fish in his hand.

This thing was difficult to store safely, so Zhong Daoan simply kept it in his own mind.

He wasn't worried about the fish wreaking havoc in his mind; after all, eight laser cannons were aimed at the Dream Returning Fish at all times, rendering it too scared to move. It couldn't comprehend how someone could be so terrifying as to control their thoughts to this extent.

Now, Zhong Daoan held the fish and placed it in front of Nie Shuangshuang.

"It might be able to help you."

The silver fish, having been threatened in the dream before, obediently burrowed into Nie Shuangshuang's body this time.

Caught off guard, Nie Shuangshuang closed her eyes and, with a "thud", her head hit the table as she fell asleep, the noise so loud that it seemed to give others a headache.

Qiao Mai was sitting next to her, and he jumped in fright when he heard the noise, "What happened?"

In the brief span of that exchange, Nie Shuangshuang had woken up.

Her expression faltered for a moment, then she covered her forehead, uttering a couple of "Ouch"es.

The silver fish, having completed its mission, wriggled out of her body and obediently returned to Zhong Daoan's hand.

"How was it?"

Jie Fangcheng asked.

"It's gone." Nie Shuangshuang nodded with certainty.

The dream she entered this time was based on her own memories.

The memories started from when she joined the game, extending up to this instance.

Uninfluenced by the modified "Dream Returning Fish", Nie Shuangshuang commenced experiencing the instance anew. She might not be clever, but she wasn't naive, quickly realizing the truly malevolent nature of this entity.

Within the dream, she remained lucid, witnessing firsthand the gradual corruption of her friends around her, as they transformed into strangers.

Nie Shuangshuang was desperate to eliminate this entity.

Being the master of the dream, what she desired could naturally become reality.

Now awake, Nie Shuangshuang asked excitedly while holding her forehead, "This method really works! Can the others be saved using the same approach?"

Without a word, Zhong Daoan handed the Dream Returning Fish to a member of the prosperous guild sitting nearby.

The silver fish circled around the individual twice before flying back.

Jie Fangcheng explained, "A person's mind can only accommodate one Dream Returning Fish. It was your intention to expel the fish from your mind that allowed it to enter."

"Ah," Nie Shuangshuang paused, realizing, "So, it means one can only be saved if they first acknowledge that the entity in their mind is malevolent?"

"Correct."

"What should we do?" She glanced around at the other players, recognizing that they were completely unaware of the entity's malicious nature.

Zhong Daoan remained silent.

"Soon," he said with a rare smile, "Anyone with a conscience will soon realize that this deity is no good."

Nie Shuangshuang stared blankly for a moment before quickly grasping his implied meaning.

Those with a conscience would identify the deity as a malevolent force and thus find salvation.

As for those lacking a conscience... being replaced wouldn't pose much of an issue, would it?