Chapter 202: The Genius Kindergarten (Part Fifteen)

Chapter 202: The Genius Kindergarten (Part Fifteen)

Jie Fangcheng suddenly has an epiphany.

That makes sense! Why didn't he think of that?

But then, a new question arises.

Changing parents is an option, but who should he choose?

As he ponders this, Jie Fangcheng's gaze naturally falls on Zhang Siqian.

This kid... he's not thinking of becoming his parent, is he?

Jie Fangcheng is starting to feel antsy.

Zhang Siqian, being quite sharp, immediately understands what Jie Fangcheng is thinking.

For once, even Zhang Siqian is at a loss for words.

He finally says, "Your new parents should ideally be NPCs from your own instance, not from our small world. That would be the safest approach. Besides... at my current age, I probably can't go through the adoption process."

Jie Fangcheng remains silent.

After explaining, Zhang Siqian preemptively suggests suitable NPCs who could serve as parents, without waiting for Jie Fangcheng to inquire further.

"Have you ever chatted with the guards at your kindergarten?"

"Huh?"

The kindergarten's guards are rather unique: all of them are elderly men in their fifties or sixties, appearing frail and wind-worn.

"According to regulations, the adopter must be at least forty years older than the adoptee, must have stable assets, among other rules such as a clean criminal record. Conveniently, all three guards at the genius kindergarten meet these adoption criteria."

"Three of them."

It appears that besides the solution that Liu Feiyao has considered, another way to clear the instance could be through the guards. However, this alternative has a quota limit and strict prerequisites: the players must be eligible for adoption, meaning their original parents must be deceased.

It seems unlikely that typical players would ever corner their parents into fleeing to another province.

As if reading Jie Fangcheng's mind, Zhang Siqian preempts an explanation.

"Of course, it's not the easiest approach, but you don't need brute force to make it work. Take Jie Jianye, for instance; he's a low-level company employee. If his boss could assign him work in another province, he would disappear at the boundary, achieving the same result."

"It is a solution," admits Jie Fangcheng sincerely, "but I think it's much harder to pull off than simply killing them."

Zhang Siqian can't help but chuckle, "How about this? I'll come to your kindergarten tomorrow at noon to introduce you and your friend to the guards. You can chat with them, and the paperwork could be done in the afternoon."

Zhang Siqian doesn't explain why he's so familiar with the guards, and Jie Fangcheng doesn't ask.

He understands; smart people like them can quickly establish good relationships with whichever NPC they want.

This is a skill once demonstrated by Professor Zhang Daoan in a previous instance.

Realizing it's getting late, Jie Fangcheng stands up.

"Shall we leave it at that for now? We can talk more if anything comes up."

"Sure."

"See you later."

"See you later."

Not long after Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming leave, Zhang Siqian's phone screen lights up.

With one hand holding a cup, he takes a sip of water, while with the other hand, he checks the phone placed on the table.

It's a new message.

"According to our reporter, a fire broke out at 6:00 PM inside the KTV located in Tianyue Building on Jiangyan Road. At the time of this message, the fire has been extinguished, resulting in one casualty. The cause of the fire may be due to a cigarette not being properly extinguished..."

Zhang Siqian gazes at the screen; soon, a second message arrives.

"Was it you?"

——"Zhang Daoan?"

.

After leaving "Quan Si Studio," Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming head back to their familiar hotel.

Hotels that don't require identification are hard to come by, and they're expensive too. After spending most of the money he took from Zhan Xiaoming's guardian on taxi fares and barbecues, Jie Fangcheng is running low on funds.

Unable to come up with enough money, Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming reluctantly leave the hotel.

"What should we do now, Jie-ge?"

Jie Fangcheng responds with a plan that makes it seem like he's done this before: "Let's go to the hardware store and see if there's any money."

Upon arriving at the hardware store, both are taken aback.

With the death of Zhan Xiaoming's guardian, not only was his identity revoked, but the store he owned was also taken back.

The hardware store is now empty, its front covered with aged rental advertisements.

Unaware of what has happened, Zhan Xiaoming rushes to inquire from the barbecue vendor nearby: "Uncle, what happened to our store?"

"What store of yours?" The vendor recognizes the two children wearing uniforms from the Genius Kindergarten. According to him, they should be of an age where they like eating cheese sticks, yet they had been chatting at his stall just the day before. "This place has been vacant for years, what store are you talking about?"

"Been vacant for years?" Jie Fangcheng also steps in to ask, "In such a prime location, why hasn't it been rented?"

"Someone died here; it even made the news," the vendor replies curtly before getting back to his business.

Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming exchange glances.

"Shall we check my house?" Jie Fangcheng suggests.

"Alright."

The pair take a taxi back to the dilapidated residential area. As they enter the building, they first hear loud cries and shouts.

It isn't until they reach the third floor that they find out the couple who seemed so kind is on their knees, sobbing uncontrollably. It seems their child had died at a birthday party.

Having once seen Zhang Siqian emerge from this household, Jie Fangcheng pays extra attention as he passes by.

"What are you looking at? Keep looking and I'll kill you!"

The tone is harsh, but given the circumstances, Jie Fangcheng diverts his gaze without saying a word.

Upon reaching the fourth floor, they find that the apartment is also empty. The lock has rusted, and the interior emits a cold dampness, indicating it has been uninhabited for a long time.

The furniture is smashed and rotten. A large, aged bloodstain covers the sofa, and mold has grown on the specks of blood on the walls. It's clearly a crime scene.

"Was there also a homicide here?"

Could the identities of these NPCs have originated from deceased locals?

It wasn't a good time to question the neighbors downstairs. As Jie Fangcheng descends the stairs, he encounters an elderly couple engaged in hushed conversation.

Jie Fangcheng, with his keen ears, discerns that they are discussing the family on the third floor.

The child, who is in tenth grade, is generally up to no good—petty theft and sometimes even harassing young girls on the roadside late at night.

Being a minor, he's usually let off with just a warning when caught. If someone dares to report him, the seemingly amiable couple would verbally attack them at their doorstep. Over time, no one dared to stir up trouble with this family.

Zhan Xiaoming returns after asking a couple of questions and shakes his head: "Just like the hardware store, a death occurred in the apartment, and no one has lived there since."

What to do?

This makes Jie Fangcheng consider seeking external help again.

Although Zhang Siqian appears quite amiable, their current relationship is... Wait a minute.

Jie Fangcheng suddenly thinks of another issue.

After an NPC dies, people's memories of them disappear.

But just now, why did Zhang Siqian still remember Jie Jianye and the others?

.

The enigmatic Zhang Siqian has just returned home. After dinner, he sits at his computer desk in a noticeably empty room. His fingers dance across the keyboard, and soon a document is completed.

After saving the document, he stands up, only for his vision to blur.

He's been through this countless times before, deftly steadying himself against the table to ensure he falls back into his chair should he faint.

The next moment, his surroundings have changed.

Instead of an empty room, a city sprawls before Zhang Siqian.

No, perhaps it shouldn't be called a city.

The city is eerily silent and uninhabited, bathed in the surreal glow of a technicolor sky that resembles an oil painting.

At the center of this city stands an amusement park, with a large Ferris wheel turning slowly—creating an absurd sense of romance.

The city's layout is odd, with buildings haphazardly clumped together, as if a novice builder had carelessly piled them up. The architectural styles are also wildly inconsistent, even their apparent ages don't align.

For instance, next to a grand temple in the Greek style stands a traditional Chinese building with a sign reading "Fu Lai Inn." And across from a stone monument at the entrance of a sprawling high school that reads "Grades are Everything," there is an ancient theater.

Some of these buildings he can enter, finding familiar settings inside, but others remain inaccessible and unknown to him.

Zhang Siqian... No, he's not actually Zhang Siqian, nor, of course, is he Zhang Daoan.

Because he is not a native inhabitant of this world.

When did he come to this world? A month ago? Two months?

He can't recall.

All he remembers is that one day, while reading the newspaper beside him, he began to harbor doubts.

—Is he truly "Zhang Daoan"?

The former "Zhang Daoan" was also intelligent, but his cleverness resembled the programmed flow of an AI.

He was gentle and polite in this world, the quintessential good student in the eyes of others.

He had noticed the oddities of this world but, like those around him whose memories had been altered, he lived a methodical life without delving into what lay behind these peculiarities, merely recording them at most.

Until "Zhang Siqian" arrived—

The identity is certainly false; there is indeed a "Zhang Siqian," but that person has also mysteriously vanished.

Now he doesn't know who he truly is, but it's clear that the entity inhabiting the body called "Zhang Daoan" is neither Zhang Daoan nor Zhang Siqian.

And just as he began to question who "he" is, this city suddenly appeared in his mind.

The city is unfamiliar, but "Zhang Siqian" feels as though he has seen it before.

In this space, which he named "City of Thought," he can traverse great distances in a single step. He can see minuscule black dots the size of ants or gain a bird's-eye view of the entire city while standing on its ground.

He feels as if he is the master of this city.

The surrounding cityscape is not static either. Sometimes as he passes by, human voices emanate from the dilapidated rooms, albeit in fragmented bursts, as if replaying fragments of some damaged memory.

These memory replays are aimless, appearing suddenly—perhaps a brief syllable, perhaps a fleeting image—with no coherent pattern or connection.

Beyond the technicolor sky resembling an oil painting, there are copious broken streams of data-like substances.

Where this place is, how it came to be, and whether it has any relation to who he truly is—these questions have occupied his thoughts for a long time, yet answers elude him.

Every time he enters this cognitive space is random, and what he sees and hears varies. He wonders what will happen this time—

"Quite impressive, kid."

Zhang Siqian turns sharply.

The street in front of him is empty, yet at this moment, he feels as though he is seeing a room.

A simple room, laden with books. A half-read book rests on the table.

He is clearly standing here, but for this instant, he feels as though he's sitting in the chair at the table.

What is before him? Who is speaking?

Zhang Siquan wanted to see clearly, but it was as if a dark mist veiled the face of the person before him.

Who is it?

Just then, while seated, Zhang Siquan detected a faint scent—so subtle that one had to be close to perceive it.

Though he had no prior knowledge of such things, in that moment, Zhang Siquan’s mind nonetheless accurately identified the source of this scent.

...the Underworld, by the banks of the River of Souls, carpeted with white Spirit Grass.

No, it's not just Spirit Grass; there’s also the scent of... the Flowers of the Other Shore.

It seemed he should be familiar with that place; as if, long, long, long ago, he had visited the banks of that river.

He knew there was a type of black fish in the river... though the fish were originally white. Untainted by any resentment, these white fish were innate "Recorders" and "Prophets," created from... and loyally, devoutly... before the... collapse... volunteered...

His head throbbed as if it would split open.

The surrounding city seemed to tremble with the instability of his thoughts. Zhang Siquan tried to take deep breaths to quickly steady himself.

But for some reason, it was as if countless, clamoring voices were saying something, their words etched deep into his soul.

What on Earth is...

Just then, he felt a slight coolness on his forehead.

Someone gently touched the area between his eyebrows, and a warm, familiar golden light flashed before his eyes.

"Live well."

The person opposite him said, with a smile.

Zhang Siquan suddenly opened his eyes.

No city or River of Souls was in sight; instead, his computer screen dimly reflected a soft, white light.

He was still in this world, living in a state where even he didn't know who he was.

Zhang Siquan sat motionless in his chair. After a long pause, he reached out and gently touched the space between his eyebrows.

.

The evening lights began to glow.

Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming were squatting by the roadside, broke and penniless.

Finally, Jie Fangcheng pounded his right hand into his palm: "I got it! We can borrow some money!"

Honestly, Zhan Xiaoming was a bit stunned when he heard Jie Fangcheng say "borrow money," and without much thought, he immediately questioned: "Borrow money? How are we going to pay it back?"

Both are kindergarten kids... Never mind their actual ages; at least that's how they appear on the surface.

In this situation, let alone finding a job, they can't even afford a ticket to travel a long distance.

How are they supposed to pay back the borrowed money?

Jie Fangcheng waves his hand dismissively: "Pay it back? We'll see what fate has in store."

Zhan Xiaoming: "..."

Zhan Xiaoming gets it.

Could you not make the concept of robbing sound so roundabout?!

But who does Brother Jie plan to rob?

Zhan Xiaoming's eyes have already shifted to the road.

He's also quite bold. Once Jie Fangcheng mentions robbing... ahem, "borrowing" money, he immediately starts scouting for which NPC looks wealthy enough to be a suitable target.

Clearly, Jie Fangcheng has no interest in the random people coming and going on the street; he's had a target in mind all along.

Jie Fangcheng rises to his feet, discerning the direction.

"This way."

Leading the way, he strides forward, and Zhan Xiaoming faithfully follows behind.

After crossing an uncountable number of traffic lights and walking until Zhan Xiaoming feels his legs giving way, Jie Fangcheng finally stops in front of an unremarkable-looking residential community.

Zhan Xiaoming lifts his head, studying the community carefully.

"Rich Estates."

The name may imply wealth, but the buildings look just like those in an average middle-class community!

Did Brother Jie walk all this way just to rob in such an ordinary place? Really?

Without offering any explanations, Jie Fangcheng continues to lead the way. He quickly arrives in front of a building and presses the elevator button. Zhan Xiaoming is still questioning: "Brother Jie, we've traveled all this way to rob—ahem, borrow money here. Do you already have a target in mind?"

"Yes."

"That's amazing! A hidden tycoon?" Zhan Xiaoming is thrilled.

Jie Fangcheng ponders: "I don't know, probably not?"

Probably not?

Just as Zhan Xiaoming is seriously contemplating what he means, Jie Fangcheng turns and asks, "Are you coming with me?"

"Huh?" Zhan Xiaoming is momentarily taken aback, somewhat misinterpreting the question.

Zhan Xiaoming thought that Jie Fangcheng saw him as simple and naïve, so he wanted to spare him from getting involved in something like robbery.

A blush crossed Zhan Xiaoming's face as he imagined himself saying, "Ah, Brother Jie, don't underestimate me because I seem naïve. I've been trained and have entered simulated instances as a player. Robbing? Though it's my first time, don't worry, I'll be your lookout no matter who you target!"

"Is that so? That confident, huh?" While conversing, the two arrived at the door of room 1414, and Jie Fangcheng knocked.

A familiar-sounding female voice quickly responded from inside the room.

"Who is it?"

The door then opened.

The moment Zhan Xiaoming saw who was inside, he shot back like a mole into the safety of a nearby corner.

The smile on the face of Teacher Liu, who had opened the door, froze.

"Hi!" Jie Fangcheng greeted her with a wave of his hand. Then, in the instant Teacher Liu seemed about to close the door, he grabbed it, and walked right in.

It must be said that the soundproofing of the doors in this complex was impressive. Zhan Xiaoming, trembling in the corner, couldn't hear a thing.

Although Jie Fangcheng was powerful, second-generation players like Zhan Xiaoming who had cleared numerous simulated instances naturally developed a sense of reverence for mini-bosses in these scenarios.

At this moment, with Jie Fangcheng stepping into the lion's den, or rather, the wolf's... um...

Zhan Xiaoming was at a loss for words.

Thankfully, after a brief moment, the door opened again.

As he walked out, Jie Fangcheng was still conversing with the person inside: "No need to see me out."

With a thud, the door closed right behind him as soon as he stepped out, clearly indicating that there was no intention to escort him any further.

Jie Fangcheng didn't mind; he simply waved the wallet in his hand towards Zhan Xiaoming.

"Let's go."

Zhan Xiaoming: "..."

Is this guy really a player??

Why has no one mentioned on the forums that when you're broke, you could go rob a boss?

Once they reached the elevator, Zhan Xiaoming couldn't help but ask, "Brother Jie, you seemed very proficient. Have you played similar games before?"

"Oh, I have."

Zhan Xiaoming: "Were you also this... this..."

Audacious?

Jie Fangcheng sighed: "I used to be a lot less tactful."

Being in someone else's small world, he couldn't smell who was truly worth dying for—though this teacher NPC seemed worthy of a beating, Jie Fangcheng wasn't so unreasonable.

Besides, this isn't his little world; he has no right to pass judgment.

He would only resort to action if the other party truly had a death wish.

Zhan Xiaoming: ...

The two spent the night at the hotel.

Soon enough, a new day dawned.

With the morning breeze as their backdrop, a fresh day began at Genius Kindergarten.

Upon their arrival at school, Jie Fangcheng and his companion found Liu Feiyao and three other players who had been praised yesterday engrossed in conversation. Liu Feiyao appeared invigorated, while Han Ruihang and another player seemed less pleased, despite having also received commendations from the teacher.

Spotting Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming entering the classroom, Liu Feiyao swiftly approached them to discuss the events that had unfolded after they left for home the previous day.

"We've been given a new mission," Liu Feiyao revealed. "My parents informed me that I'll be taking a quiz in three days. If I pass, it will likely mean I've gained their approval."

"A quiz?" Jie Fangcheng cringed at the thought of exams, feeling immensely relieved that his chosen path was entirely different. "Did they mention what it's on?"

Liu Feiyao shook her head. "They didn't specify, but after discussing with Ruihang and Xiaodong, we suspect it might test us on the additional subjects we've been studying at home each evening."

This accounted for the gloomy expressions on Han Ruihang and his companion's faces.

Both had excelled on their first night home, breezing through their assignments. However, after learning about the upcoming quiz, they became apprehensive and deliberately slowed down, so as not to complete their parent-assigned tasks too quickly.

To their dismay, their parents were unimpressed by the change in their learning pace.

"You were so diligent yesterday. What happened?" Their parents intoned. "Don't get complacent just because the teacher praised you once. I know what you're capable of."

Left with no other choice, the two swiftly finished their assignments and went to bed, spending a restless night.

They both realized that the academic challenges on the first day had been comparatively easy and less numerous.

Clearly, last night’s workload and its difficulty level had escalated.

What were they to do now?

Both were fairly certain that the quiz awaiting them in three days would be challenging. Would they successfully clear the hurdle?

It was at this moment that they recognized Liu Feiyao's cunning strategy. Without any forewarning, she had portrayed herself as struggling on the first night, thus holding back her true abilities.

Consequently, her parents set an effortlessly manageable task for her last night, aware of her 'capabilities,' and not aiming to overburden her.

That girl was indeed...remarkable.

Liu Feiyao herself didn't think much of it.

In such a treacherous environment, it was natural for a shrewd and insightful player like her to conserve her strength and avoid revealing her limits prematurely.

Her strategy for success was already well-defined.

Liu Feiyao was confident that she would once again receive praise from Teacher Liu today.

Although she was still uncertain about which classmates might be 'ghosts' or what challenges awaited her in the afternoon’s game of hide-and-seek,

It didn’t matter.

With bright, animated eyes, Liu Feiyao had not only swiftly mapped out her own route to victory but, even before the arrival of Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming, had also reformulated strategies for Han Ruihang and Pei Xiaodong.

It was understood that passing the "instance" was contingent upon doing well in the quiz on the third day.

Liu Feiyao had already reviewed both men's study materials, which consisted of elementary school subjects—hardly a challenge for adults.

The only stumbling block was Language Arts. This world's curriculum differed from their own, but the pair could use the lunch break to browse through the rest area’s bookshelves.

Although Liu Feiyao herself was not entirely sure—

"But given that this is an instance, there has to be some method, some logic to clearing it. The knowledge our 'parents' have asked us to study can be found on the kindergarten’s bookshelves, which I find reasonable," she said.

Her analysis was spot-on; Han Ruihang and his companion had already resolved to scour the bookshelves at noon.

As for Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming, Liu Feiyao had pondered over them as well.

"Jie, Zhan, have you formulated a strategy for clearing the instance?" she inquired.

Zhan Xiaoming was about to explain their "parent-swapping" plan, but hesitated as a thought struck him, prompting him to glance at Jie Fangcheng.

According to Zhang Siquan, there were only three adoptable NPCs in the guard room.

Yet, there were six players in total.

Since Zhang Siquan had shared this method with Jie Fangcheng, it was up to him to decide whether to divulge it and how.

Zhan Xiaoming's hesitation seemed to mislead Liu Feiyao.

Sharp as she was, she had also considered the same strategy.

"Maybe... you could try switching guardians?" Liu Feiyao offered, then paused, noting their expressions. "What’s the matter?"

Jie Fangcheng gave a wry smile. "You intelligent people really are something."

His comment was ambiguous, yet Liu Feiyao caught on after a moment’s reflection.

Her eyes widened. "Someone else has thought of this too?"

"Yes."

Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say—

It wasn’t a strategy "thought of," but meticulously planned by Zhang Siquan, which ultimately led them down this path of guardian-swapping.

After all, he had masterminded the entire scenario; this was merely a footnote in his grand scheme.

His ultimate goal was to erase the instance altogether.

At this moment, both Jie Fangcheng and his companion wore relaxed expressions. Evidently, while Liu Feiyao was still contemplating "maybe trying out the guardian-switching," the "intelligent person" who had settled on this choice for them had probably arranged every detail, right down to the paperwork.

Who could that person be?

In contrast to Jie Fangcheng and the others, whose paths to victory were already clearly defined, Zhou Yian arrived at the classroom just in time for the bell, making a tardy entrance.

Moreover, Zhou Yian looked exceedingly fatigued, as if he'd love nothing more than to collapse into sleep the moment he entered the classroom.

Jie Fangcheng faintly detected a subdued scent of blood on him.

Given that Zhou Yian had isolated other players in the first rest room, forcing them to confront danger, Jie Fangcheng didn’t hold him in high regard.

However, it was clear that Zhou Yian no longer had the energy to concern himself with what others thought of him.

Yesterday, Teacher Liu didn't criticize anyone. Originally, Zhou Yian had thought this a stroke of luck. Heaven was on his side.

But to his surprise, upon returning home, his “mother” sharply admonished him, "Not being criticized by the teacher is a good thing? For two days now! Why weren't you among those praised by the teacher? It means you're not doing well! I'm really dissatisfied with your current study habits!"

He had also received the same mission for a quiz in three days. However, compared to Liu Feiyao’s relaxed learning and Han Ruihang and Pei Xiaodong’s moderate approach, he had already plunged into an intensive study mode yesterday.

"I see that you're not putting in enough effort. Otherwise, why didn't the teacher praise you? You must study hard, you hear? In three days, I'll be testing you on what you've learned!"

Left with no choice, Zhou Yian studied until midnight, grappling with a hefty pile of six books. When he couldn’t help but doze off, he was caught by his guardian and was beaten with a stick twice.

Those two blows left Zhou Yian bruised and battered, but he had no choice but to grit his teeth and bear it.

He was calculating in his own way. After all, defying an NPC in this quest was not an option. One must avoid physical confrontations with NPCs whenever possible. Though he was more than capable of overpowering this guardian NPC, enduring humiliation and hardship was still his only choice.

After all, what good would overpowering do? Just look at Jie Fangcheng, strong, wasn't he? Yet, he'd lost his guardian.

Without a guardian, how could he possibly complete this instance? Wasn't that a dead-end?

Thinking of Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming, Zhou Yian felt a tad better.

No matter what, he should still be in a better position than those two, at least he had a lifeline.

Having arrived at school in such a pitiful state, Zhou Yian still took a moment to sympathetically glance at Jie Fangcheng and Zhan Xiaoming.

While Jie Fangcheng didn't notice, Zhan Xiaoming caught that look of sympathy.

He was speechless: "What the hell is wrong with Zhou Yian?"

Among all the players, he was the only one still without a plan for clearing the instance. And yet he looked at them with pity? Was he out of his mind?

Jie Fangcheng also found Zhou Yian's behavior baffling. But considering the young man's evident fatigue—clearly the result of extensive studying the previous night—he felt a momentary surge of sympathy.

This was immediately followed by a sense of relief.

Thank heavens, he thought, that he wasn’t the one burdened with so much studying.

"It's really crucial to have intelligent friends," Jie Fangcheng couldn't help but exclaim.